Monthly Archives: January 2022
A four-star review for The Elf Queen!
Read all about it HERE: https://www.thefaeriereview.com/2022/01/review-the-elf-queen/
And stay tuned for a new series video COMING SOON!
Meet thriller author Jennifer Anderson!
Thanks for being with us today. First, would you tell us a bit about yourself? What area of the country do you live in, do you have a family, pets, etc.
– My name is Jennifer Anderson. I grew up in Southern Illinois in the little town of Eldorado. I currently live in the much bigger small town of Gallatin, TN, just north of Nashville, with my husband of 27 years and an ornery cat. We have two sons, their delightful wives, and three grandchildren.
Are you a coffee fiend, or do you have another “addiction” you must have on your desk at all times?
– I drink way too much coffee. I used a Keurig for a while, but I really like to have a pot of coffee going so I can warm up my ever-present cup.
Is your education relevant to your writing, or have you branched off in something entirely different to create? How would you best describe your books?
– My degree is in advertising, and my jobs were always about writing. I worked as a copywriter, eventually landing at Nashville’s famed WSM Radio, where I transitioned into writing and producing a nationally syndicated radio show for a decade and a half. But I always dreamed of writing books. I was finally able to do that with my first novel – BUKU – which is a post-apocalyptic, dystopian thriller.
Tell us about your most recent publication/whichever book you’d like to talk about today?
– I am in the middle of writing my first series. BUKU is the first book, and I released the second book in the trilogy this fall. Both books are set in a world overrun by massive beasts which were developed in a lab so that their blubber could be used as clean-burning fuel. However, as often happens when man starts tinkering with nature, things go horribly wrong. A world devastated by these creatures is really just the setting of the stories though. Both BUKU and the sequel BUKU: Sun and Shadows follow a medic named Iris who is trying to save the people she loves while fighting not only buku, but the people who take advantage of the weak for their own purposes.
What inspired you to write this story? What interesting thing did you learn or research to write it that you didn’t know before?
– I had a dream – just a short, vague dream – that launched me into thinking about my main character Iris and her love interest Oso. I’ve always loved action-adventure movies and grew up reading Stephen King, so my story naturally developed into a fast-paced thriller with lots of suspense. I think what surprised me was, despite the fact that my books are about a world overrun by monsters, many readers comment that it’s realistic. It feels like it could happen. That was a big lesson. As long as you keep the characters and their reactions and relationships and motivations real, readers will follow you practically anywhere.
What’s your favorite thing about the book featured here today? Any special memories you have in the creation of it?
– Perhaps because it’s the newest, I really love BUKU: Sun and Shadows, the second in the trilogy. My favorite thing about is that my protagonist Iris is brought to her breaking point. The fear she experiences is all-consuming, and she has to push past it by relying on the people she feels she should be protecting, including children. It’s one thing to be strong. It’s another to be weakened, and to do what needs to be done anyway.
What do you most like about writing? Least like? When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
– I love writing a scene that works so well it has me grinning or crying or pumping my fist. Everything is worth those moments. Unfortunately, it takes me a long time to figure out exactly where a story is going. So I procrastinate a lot. I mean, a lot! I am amazed by, and jealous of, writers who can write fast. However, I remember being in junior high, maybe even grade school, dreaming of writing a novel. This is a lifelong dream, so I am keeping at it!
Do you belong to any writing groups? Are there any writing websites you find particularly useful?
– Several years ago, my pastor started a group for creative people – artists and writers and musicians. We met over lunch once a week. Sometimes we read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Sometimes we shared what we were working on. Mostly we just talked, and it was wonderful therapy for me. A lot of creative people can become blocked – scared of truly exploring what they can do – and that was definitely the case with me. I began writing my first book because of that group and will always be grateful for it. Most of the groups, FB pages, websites I use now are more about marketing and self-publishing.
Is there any special music you like to listen to while writing? How does it inspire you?
– Lately, I’ve been going on youtube and playing movie scores while I’m writing. It’s hard not to write dramatic scenes with the music from Game of Thrones swirling around you!
Do you belong to a critique group? What do you find most valuable about the experience?
– I give my book to a few friends I trust to act as beta readers before my final edit, but otherwise, I rely on myself for critique. For years I wrote a radio script that was read by a broadcast duo with big personalities. I think hearing my words read by someone else taught me how to step back and truly examine what I’ve written. The flipside of that is that I am now at a point where I want to write what I want to write, how I want to write it! So no, I haven’t tried a critique group, perhaps to my detriment.
To encourage those still on the path, tell us a little about your path to publication. How many books have you published? How many books did you write before selling one? What do you think was the key to selling that first book?
– The most encouraging thing about the world of writing these days is that you can self-publish. You can go directly to the readers through digital platforms and never have to convince agents or publishers to take a risk on you. Of course, that also means that you are wholly responsible for all aspects of your book, including getting people to buy it. I self-publish through Amazon. So far, that’s two books and a novella. To make sure those books sell, I invested in a course on self-publishing, bought a few tools of the trade, and I spent quite a bit of money on my covers. So far, it has worked pretty well for me, though those who self-publish will tell you that the way to make money is to write a lot of books. One of these days, hopefully I’ll accomplish that.
What are you writing now? What’s next for you—will you be making personal appearances anywhere our readers can find you?
– I am currently working on the final book of the BUKU trilogy. I don’t have a name for it yet! After that, I am looking forward to trying my hand at a different genre, probably fantasy romance. I don’t really have any personal appearances scheduled, but you can always hit me up on Facebook or Instagram @jenniferandersonwriter.
Anything else you would like to add?
— Just that I appreciate the time and the discussion! Oh, and if you’re interested in free stories, including the prequel novella, subscribe to my newsletter at jenniferandersonwriter.com. BUKU: Micah’s Story sets the stage for the trilogy, and I’d love to send it to you. You’ll also get my four best personal stories, including getting married at the Grand Ole Opry and giving a ride to William Shatner, which is a really funny story! Include social media links, bio, etc. J
www.facebook.com/JenniferAndersonwriter
www.instagram.com/jenniferandersonwriter/
jenniferandersonwriter.com
www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Anderson/e/B07FVMDRK1
Jennifer Anderson hails from Illinois — the opposite end of the state from Chicago. There, among the corn fields and coal mines, she grew up exploring new worlds through books, while dreaming of creating her own worlds. With a degree in advertising from the University of Illinois, Jennifer became a copywriter, working mostly in broadcasting. She eventually landed at famed WSM Radio in Nashville, Tennessee. From there, she moved on to write and produce the syndicated radio program “The Crook and Chase Countdown” before deciding to pursue her childhood dream of writing fiction. Jennifer lives in the Nashville area with her husband Mike, where she snuggles cats, neglects housework, and tries to find space for her vintage finds.
A Rose By Any Other Name
Please welcome to the blog Lyndi’s Adventurous Friend Alana Lorens!
Thanks for having me today, Lyndi. Adventure comes in many forms, as you say on your front page. Marisol, the heroine of my new novel, may not be scaling the Andes, but she has embarked on a dedicated course to support herself and her son Mark by monetizing and popularizing her blog for single mothers, called Mothering Without a Man. It’s 2005, and mommybloggers like Heather Armstrong are showing women the way to strut their stuff online. Marisol herself is too shy to use her own name, but she’s chosen a pseudonym and a sassy, chic avatar, Jerrika Jones, to head her blog.
When she gets an invitation to her 20th high school reunion, she has finally generated enough self-confidence that she decides to go, despite the reluctant feelings she has to deal with any of her history. She’d had a wonderful relationship with the star of the basketball team, Russell “Rusty” Asher. But he dumped her senior year for Tiffany Kearns, homecoming queen, cheerleader and daughter of the richest man in town. This really ruined the rest of her time at the school, and once she graduated, she couldn’t wait to get away.
Russell’s life, however, hasn’t gone as expected. He’s now divorced, and bitterly separated from his sons by Tiffany, whose money buys her better lawyers. He’s trying to stay positive and focused on his work, and he’s found a fathers’ support group to keep his spirits up. This group has heard about Jerrika Jones on the internet, and they are not at all happy with her.
So what happens when Marisol meets Russell again? Maybe things would go smoothly–except when she reveals that she is also Jerrika. Chaos ensues. 🙂
Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8qEjPOBzds&t=3s
Buy Links
Ebooks – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KQWTDPF/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-rose-by-any-other-name-alana-lorens/1140380664?ean=9781509239290
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-rose-by-any-other-name-25
https://www.walmart.com/ip/A-Rose-by-Any-Other-Name-Paperback-9781509239290/182573222
EXCERPT:
Debbie grinned at Russell. “I was hoping you’d come. We’re just planning some events for the dance at the gym tomorrow night, the eighties splash, you know, and I remembered you and Tiffany doing the Pee Wee Big Shoe Dance.”
A flash of embarrassment ran through him as he remembered it, too. What a geek he’d been. “Oh, geeze, Debbie. Can’t you remember some of what I did on the basketball court instead?”
“We haven’t forgotten that,” Angela purred, her eyes hungry as she watched him. “Those thin jerseys didn’t cover much.”
Russell swallowed hard. “Well. I…ah…” Maybe not that much remembering. “What about that Pee-Wee thing again? What was that song?”
“ ‘Tequila,’ ” came a quiet voice from behind him. He turned slowly to see who spoke. Marisol Herrera. Marisol Herrera Slade now. He’d seen her name in one of the interim emails from the reunion committee. So she must have gotten married after she left school. At the moment, she sat alone, though.
Marisol hadn’t changed much at all: a little older through the eyes, a little tired-looking, her smile faint as if it would fade away if the light didn’t stay focused on it. But she still carried herself well, her figure slim, and her sharp white tank and skirt showed it off. Older, and better, apparently. He’d always liked her. They’d had some real good times. She was smart, kinda pretty, and always pleasant.
She just wasn’t Tiffy.
Author Bio
Author Links
Website http://Alana-lorens.com https://alana-lorens.com/a-rose-by-any-other-name/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlanaLorens/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4829967.Alana_Lorens
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Alana-Lorens/e/B005GE0WBC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/alana-lorens
Twitter: @AlexanderLyndi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexander_lyndi/
Lyndi Alexander's worlds of fancy 