On Writing

Today I have the great pleasure of hosting American author Desiree Finkbeiner and her amazing book Ethos Morning Star.  Welcome to my blog Desiree.

When I agreed to do a review for this book, I thought I could just skim through it and do the review from that. But that didn’t happen. I was hooked from the first paragraph and had to keep reading. Many late nights and early mornings were spent as the book took me to its world and captured me there. Unfortunately, I have not had time to do a full review, but below are my thoughts.

When I searched for a category for this book, I couldn’t find just one that fitted. It could be described as a YA fantasy/romance, but it is so much more. It is one of the most original and interesting books, I have read for a long time. The story has all the qualities of a well written book – it opens in an action scene that at once hooks you. Questions leap and you have to read on to find the answers. But the mystery doesn’t stop there. Every time you find an answer, another question or two intrigues you, and you have to keep reading. The descriptions of the fantasy creatures and their world are so detailed and interesting that the picture forms in your mind as you read. And these are not the usual creatures you expect to find, they are new, and original, and awesome. I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone who reads in this genre.

The best part of this is that for two days May 2^nd and 3^rd you can get a FREE copy. (Please allow for the time difference with America.) The publisher is changing the Amazon Kindle price to free for these two days only. Take advantage of the offer and get this book. You won’t be sorry. If you miss the free offer, the price is only 2.99 anyway, and it will be the best thing that $3 has bought for a while. If you read it, please come back and tell me what you think.

There are some amazing reviews on the Amazon site so check them out while you are there.

http://www.amazon.com/Morning-Star-Ethos-ebook/dp/B007PSUV2W/

Following is an interview with this gorgeous and talented author.

Who is your favourite author and why? What books have most influenced your life?

My favourite authors have changed over the years and continue to change as new books come out and my perspectives change. Some select favourites: Frank Herbert, Anne Rice, J.R.R. Tolkien, Sophia Stewart… But scripture has influenced my writing more than anything.

· How did you deal with rejection letters?

Very well, I have a pretty thick skin. I was especially thankful for publishers that were nice enough to give me some feedback as to why they rejected my work. Constructive criticism is an opportunity to improve, and I have taken to heart every comment that has helped me become a better writer.

· What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?

I think every aspiring writer should get a copy of the Writer’s Market. It’s full of helpful resources to point you in the right direction. I also think every writer should take some creative writing courses and join a critique group at some point in their developing phase, so they can be exposed to an honest group of individuals that are there to encourage and help you improve.

· Where do you as an author draw the line on gory descriptions and/or erotic content?

If I would be ashamed for my children to read it, then it will not be put in my books. I believe what an author creates is a direct reflection of what goes on in their heart and mind. A person filled with darkness will more than likely create works that emit feelings of darkness, or will be full of demoralizing content. But someone who is full of light, will strive to create work that allows a positive message to evolve in the work. Although I am not perfect, I strive to produce works that will promote a positive message.

Sure, there will need to be duality in any story to make it believable. So that means there will need to be a convincing amount of darkness around the antagonist, but the end result will be balance. I do use a moderate level of violence to illustrate the sinister motives of the opposition, but I try to keep it PG-13. As for erotic content, I am uncomfortable reading smut so I simply don’t write it. There is a purer level of passion in my romantic scenes, natural and loving, but I don’t think I need to write explicit sexual content to portray affection. When it comes to love scenes, to me, less is more.

· What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?

I’m a ‘people watcher’. I love to observe human beings in their natural environments to understand cause and affect, and why people do the things they do. But I usually do that as a quiet stranger in the background, observing from an incognito position. The craziest thing I’ve ever done to get into the shoes of a potential character (and see how others would react to a situation) was dressing as an elderly woman, using a walker. I put on full facial prosthetics to look about 90 years old, which were very convincing, and went to a busy mall to see how people would react to my ‘character’ as a senior suffering from dementia. That’s an interesting story to tell HA HA.

Visit Desiree’s website to learn more about this author.

http://finkart.yolasite.com/news-and-events/blog-tour-stop-26-story-hack

As well as Ethos Morning Star, Hydra Publications, will be giving away TEN of their books for FREE, for a limited time of only two days (a Mother’s Day special). They will be available for Kindle download at NO COST on Wed May 2^nd and Thurs May 3^rd (then they go back to regular price) Here is the link to the Giveaway promotion on the publisher’s website:

http://www.hydrapublications.com/2012/05/01/free-promo-day/

But the best will be http://www.amazon.com/Morning-Star-Ethos-ebook/dp/B007PSUV2W/