A Trip Down The Timeline - Mary Ann Bernal...around the Cauldron!

Throw around the concept of a consummate professional too often and everything about the phrase begins to lose its lustre, but in this case, I offer no apologies: believe me, Mary Ann Bernal IS the consummate professional. 

As my editor at Green Wizard, I have watched her work for the past year and a half and she is relentless. Any author, Indie or Trad, who wishes to make it pay in this most frenetic of capers, would do well to follow Mary Ann's lead.

For five years, she has slugged it out working seven days a week, twelve hours at a stretch. Even illness fails to stop her - as they said about Keith Richards, people like Mary Ann cannot be killed by conventional weapons. 

Author, marketeer, editor, pimp, tweeter, all-round advisor, font-of-indie knowledge and now would-be player in the Hollywood Indie leagues, Mary Ann is a role model for us all. 

I caught up with her on the Wizphone, as she hunkered down to avoid the shock and awe of the Polar Vortex currently afflicting America, to talk about the latest instalment in her acclaimed The Briton and The Dane franchise, Timeline.  

A regular guest and commentator on The Wizard's Cauldron, you can find her previous interview here.

http://greenwizard62.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/an-interview-with-mary-ann-bernal.html

Remind the Wizardwatchers who you are, Mary Ann, and what you do.

Hi Wizzy, as regular readers of the Cauldron will know, I am a historical fiction author, and writer of The Briton and The Dane series of historical novels. I specialise in Anglo-Saxon history, particularly the time of Alfred The Great. I m from New York and am currently living in the wilds of Omaha, Nebraska.

How have Nebraskans coped with the crazy weather this year?

Omaha has been pretty lucky this winter with snow fall totals, or lack thereof.  However, we’ve had a brutal spell with the Polar Vortex earlier this month, and as we speak on the Wizphone, Omaha is having a heat wave, 55 degrees and climbing.  As most people, we take these things in stride, not allowing the weather to interfere with getting to work and social activities.  Thankfully, the sporting events through February are all inside - just have to love basketball for that very reason.

Tell us about your latest work.

My latest book is The Briton and the Dane: Timeline. While it continues the franchise, it is a definite diversion and adds something new to the piece. There is much more of a focus on romance here and I've added an element of time travel too, which is something new. Here's what it says on the back cover!

Dr. Gwyneth Franger is a renowned expert in early medieval England who is set upon learning the truth about the death of Lord Erik, the last descendant of the powerful House of Wareham.  Her quest becomes an obsession, a condition that began with the discovery of a portrait of the tall and valiant warrior with which she forms an extraordinary and inexplicable bond. 

Digesting troves of mildewed scrolls and source documentation only enhances her belief that Lord Erik was brutally assassinated by a cabal of traitors in the pay of William the Bastard, shortly before the onslaught of the Norman Invasion.

On an archeological dig in Southern England, her team unearths an Anglo-Saxon fortress, a vast citadel built during the reign of Alfred the Great, which she believes was Lord Erik’s stronghold.  In the midst of her excitement, she is awakened one night from her slumbers by a disconcerting anomaly emerging from the site.

Dr. Franger finds herself transported back to the Dark Ages and at the side of the noble Lord Erik who commands an army of elite Saxon warriors, a swift and mobile force able to deploy quickly throughout the kingdom to ward off invaders.

Witnessing the unrest firsthand, Gwyneth senses that her instincts had been right all along, and she is determined to learn the identities of the treacherous blackguards hiding in the shadows, villains who may well be posing as Lord Erik’s friends and counselors.
Will Gwyneth stop the assassins?  Is she strong enough to walk away and watch her beloved Erik die?  Or will she intervene, change the course of history and wipe out an entire timeline to save the man she loves with all her heart?

How is it related to your long running The Briton and The Dane series? 

While Gwyneth and Erik are the main characters in this novel, they are not the same Gwyneth and Erik referenced in the trilogy.  This novel begins in 2066, but most of the story takes place in 1062-1066, prior to the Norman invasion.  The other novels take place during the reign of Alfred the Great in the ninth century.

Why did you decide on Timeline?

When I first started writing The Briton and the Dane, the storyline was about Gwyneth and Erik’s relationship, and the problems they faced in a land ravaged by war and conquest.  However, as the story evolved, the ancillary characters started demanding more representation, wishing to have to have additional “screen time.”  

To me, Gwyneth and Erik shared the stage with too many players, and I do believe they felt cheated.  I was toying with the idea of a standalone novel dedicated to Gwyneth and Erik, but what if fate had kept them apart, centuries apart?

How would a 21st century Gwyneth fare in 11th century England?

Science Fiction and Anglo-Saxon England, two of my favorite topics in one novel.  It doesn't get better than this

Classic sci-fi meets medieval comic, The Mighty Thor

When is it released?

Am awaiting the proof copy as we speak.  If everything goes according to plan, the book launch will be within a fortnight - just love that word.

You are known as extremely professional. Phil Naessens, on a recent radio interview with you, said: “Mary Ann Bernal is one of the few authors that I would bring on my daily show no matter what the subject”.  Have you had training? 

Click Here For Mary Ann's Excellent Radio Interview with Phil Naessens

Phil Naessens is an excellent host, and his questions are interesting and different.   My latest interview on The Writers Showcase is my third appearance, and I do look forward to speaking again with Phil later this year.

How to speak on the radio

The only training I had was a public speaking course in college, too many years ago to count.  However, I have over twenty years experience as a Lector (Roman Catholic ministry for lay people).  Additionally, I have given presentations to various groups on the publishing business, especially in the digital age, which has added to my skill set.

Do you think authors should spend less time writing and spend more time doing marketing training? 

Writers need to research every aspect of their craft.  Once a book is published, an author cannot sit back on his laurels and expect the reading public to know of his/her work without name awareness.  And how is that done, you ask?  

In my opinion, the most important site for an inspiring author is his/her webpage.  If you type my name on Bing - yes, Bing - ok, for the rest of you, Google - my official website if the first item that appears in the search results.  My page has links to the various social media sites such as facebook, twitter, Google plus, pinterest, etc.  However, it is difficult to interact proficiently with the overabundance of available sites, so I would recommend selecting the sites that work best for you.  Another thing to remember is that what works this year may not work next year, and there’s always a new kid on the block, which means, be selective.   

Once you’ve created your profiles, which is quite time consuming, you can maintain the sites on a schedule.  You should be able to split you time between marketing and writing.  Remember, even if your manuscript has been picked up by an established publishing house, the author is still expected to do a hefty chunk of marketing.  These houses expect to see your followers purchasing your novels - and yes, they do want to see numbers, even though it has yet to be proven that 10K twitter followers will buy your books.

Now that you’ve set up your system, you can get back to what you love doing - writing.  Of course, you could always hire someone to do the marketing aspect of the business while you are locked away in your office, or wherever you write, away from the distractions.

Unfortunately, writing time needs to be shared with marketing efforts, until you make it in the business.  Then, you’ll have people!

Crazed fan - at least she buys books!!

If a crazed Indie author forced you at gunpoint (or hammerpoint!) to offer ONE proven strategy to get her novel out there, what would you say?

Consider the Amazon Kindle Select Program.  I have had excellent results with the exclusive listing for ebooks.  Print editions are available at all line book sellers.

You also write short stories. Where can readers find some of your other work?

There is a tab on my webpage entitled short stories, which lists the title of the work and where you can purchase the anthology where the story is included.

www.maryannbernal.com

In addition to the titles listed, seven more stories have been accepted for publication and should be available later this year.

Available on Amazon:   

Deadly Secrets featured in the Independent Author Index Short Story Compilation, volume 3

Out of the Depths featured in Green Wizard Publishing’s Reality Bites

The Ritual featured in the Independent Author Index Short Story Compilation, volume 2

Murder in the First featured in the Independent Author Index Short Story Compilation, volume 1

The Hourglass featured in Time, a Literary Underground Anthology

Forever Lost featured in Unearthed, a Literary Underground Anthology

I’m a big fan of the book Concordia. Are there any plans for a sequel?

Unfortunately, I haven’t any plans for a sequel in the foreseeable future.

Boo...that is a GREAT book... 

Sorry, Wiz.

Nice review of the underrrated Concordia - an excellent read


Never mind. What films, TV, books and CDs have you enjoyed since the last time you were around the Cauldron

 Star Trek Into Darkness

Vikings (on the History Channel)

Alba:  The Gaelic Kingdom of Scotland AD 800-1124” by Stephen Driscoll

Verdi - Requiem Dies Irae

And finally, what do fans of Mary Ann Bernal have to look forward to in 2014?

My next project is very exciting.  I have been working with Colin K. Stewart, who is an award winning film and theater director,  award winning film producer and screenwriter.  He has recently completed the screenplay for The Briton and the Dane, keeping the novel storyline intact during the process.  The screenplay has also been accepted for consideration in the screenplay competition category at the upcoming Beverly Hills Film Festival (April), the Las Vegas Film Festival (July), and the Hollywood Film Festival (October).

"We are looking for producers / investors for this project.  If there are interested parties in the audience, please visit my webpage - maryannbernal.com for contact information". 

Mary Ann, once again, it's been a great pleasure to have you on the show and I wish you the best of luck with Timeline and your march on Hollywood

Thanks for having me, great Wizard.  Look for me on the red carpet - will be waving!

Film links:

http://maryannbernal18.wix.com/britonanddanefilm

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5991790/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Webpage and purchase info:

www.maryannbernal.com



________________________________________________________________________________

Stop Press:

Mary Ann entered the Author Database Cover Competition recently and while she struggled against the might of young people's colossal and widespread social networks in the voting stages, when it reached the judges, the cover of The Complete Trilogy, designed by Steven Novak, won a Bronze Medal.

Well done, MAB

The Night We Danced with Rommel - Mary Ann Bernal meets Elisabeth Marrion

From the main Nottingham McDonalds, it's my pleasure today to welcome my friend and brilliant editor of all my novels Mary Ann Bernal a writer and interviewer who needs no introduction at all...and here she is, all the way from Nebraska. A big friend of the Wizard's Cauldron, here's her original interview with me from way back when...

http://greenwizard62.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/an-interview-with-mary-ann-bernal.html

Oh, and I didn't tell her to dress up like Capt.Kirk's wife! Mary Ann did it all of her own volition.

______________________________________________________________________________



Greetings Wizardwatchers - it is my pleasure to host this week’s interview with Elisabeth Marrion.

For the Wizard’s followers on the UK side of the pond, there is a six hour difference from the central time zone neck of the woods in  Omaha, Nebraska - yes, the mid west - land of the wide open spaces - Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill - and let’s not forget the ladies - Belle Starr, Stagecoach Mary, Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane - but then, I digress.  

Besides, what does a city slicker, that’s right, a New York transplant, know about the great outdoors, and growing corn and supporting the Cornhuskers - well, now that you ask - resistance is futile - I have been assimilated - RED ALERT - we are now off course.  

An American Star-Trek version with unknown characters which
doesn't star Capt. Kirk and Mr Spock and therefore cannot
be a real Star Trek. Spot the famous character in the right hand bottom
corner.

But fear not, my communication channel is open, so let’s welcome Elisabeth.

Chichester's Elizabeth Marrion

Mary Ann:   Hi Liz, welcome to The Wizard’s Cauldron.

Liz: Hi Mary Ann, it is a pleasure to be invited

Mary Ann:  It’s such a delight to have you featured today, but before we forge ahead, perhaps you could tell the Wizardwatchers a little bit about yourself. 

Liz: I was born in Germany in 1948. We lived in the North of Germany, which was occupied by the British, after WWII . My father was a corporal in the RAF ( Royal Air Force ) and was stationed in our town, Hildesheim . There he met my mother, who had lost her husband on the Russian front, during the last days of the War. 

I have 2 half brothers and 3 half sisters all older than myself. I moved to England in 1969, intending to stay for one year, but loved it and stayed. There I met my husband, David. Together, we formed an importing clothing Company. Through this company we worked many years in the Far East and the Sub Continent.

 Mary Ann:  Since I am an avid history buff, and am not limited to the 9th Century, please tell us about your fascination with Rommel and way you chose to write a book about this intriguing personality.

Liz; My mother’s husband, Karl, was a young officer serving under Rommel during WWII. After Rommel’s death, Karl was sent to the Russian front at the end of the War, but he did not return. My mother kept his memories, and the memory of Rommel alive, by telling us about their lives and showed us the photos she had kept. I was the youngest, and after moving to England, my mother stayed with me every year for up to two months, and during those weeks together, she told me her story.

The Desert Fox

Mary Ann  It is my understanding that “The Night I Danced with Rommel” is a fictionalized account of what happened when your mother met the infamous German Field Marshal aka The Desert Fox.  Are there any insights handed down by your mother that were not included in the book?

Liz: The account in the book is as my mother told it to me. I changed only some of the names and some places. Most of my brothers and sisters still do not know some of the things my mother trusted me with. So I wanted to write this book that my extended family would realize, and what made my mother the strong woman that she was. 

But then, I realized that not many people know what life was like for families in Germany during that period. I now want share her story with a wider audience.

Mary Ann:  You are also translating the book into German.  How is that project coming along?

Liz: I am half way through. I would like the first translation to be finished by the end of May 2013. After I do the initial translation, I forward each chapter to my School friend, Waltraut. From there, it goes to my niece Susanne. Later, we print it out and read it again, but after that, I will have to find a German proof reader. I would like to have it ready at Christmas, to give to my brothers and sisters, whose English is limited.

Mary Ann:  You are also writing the sequel, “The Liverpool Connection.”   Tell us a little about this second installment.

Liz  Again, this is based on facts, and tells about life in Liverpool at the same period as “The Night I Danced With Rommel,” between 1926 – 1945.  David, my husband comes from Liverpool and so did my father. My father’s aircraft bombed and flattened my hometown a month before the end of WWII. After the War, it was my father who kept my mother and siblings alive.

A flattened Liverpool during the blitz

 Mary Ann:  Have you come up with a title for the third installment of this series?

Liz: Yes the Cuckoo Clock. It is the story of Jewish emigrants from my home town going to America.

Mary Ann:   Your father was a Corporal in the RAF and stationed in the British occupied Zone in Western Germany after World War II where he met and married your mother.   What was it like growing up in an occupied country?

Liz:   We were lucky . we lived in the British Zone. Germany was divided into  four parts. British, American , French and  Russian . The Russian zone was totally enclosed. This was where most of my mother’s family lived. We could never visit there. And if one of my aunts or uncles would get permission to come and see us, they would have to come alone, without any other family member. This confirmed to the Communist party over there that they would return. Also, they would come as they stood, no money or clothes, just with one bag and just for a few days. Originally, movements were also restricted in the other zones. You could not travel from the British  to the American or French zones. But over the years, we managed to live side by side .

The zones still exist today and American and British Armies still have their bases over there.

A divided and colonised Germany in 1945

Mary Ann:  You were also fortunate to work on the sub-continent and Far East.  Would you be willing to share a few of your stories with us?

Liz: Yes, through our work, David and I spent a lot of time abroad. This strengthened our love and understanding for different cultures . That is actually where I fell I love with my husband, in India, Mumbai, and at that time, was still called Bombay. 

The best of India

We worked for different companies back then. I was working for an importing company as their expert in India, and David was a director at a large men’s clothing chain. It was hate at first sight! We could not stand each other. See where it got us! Later we worked a lot in Bangladesh, and there, together with our manufacturer, we built a school in the rural part of the Country.

A Bangladeshi garment factory

Mary Ann  Your mother instilled your love of theater, and it is my understanding that both of  you have performed on stage.  This is quite an exciting reference on a resume.  Theater stories are the best; what insights might you divulge?

Liz:  My mother performed back in East Prussia and myself in the Theater in Hildesheim until I left in 1969. I was in a couple of Ballet performances in West London. If memories can be measured on the Richter scale, Theater memories would get a 10! Even today, when I go to see a show, in my mind, I am up there with the performers. The best smell in the world is when the curtains open, and a warm sweaty smell hits you, sitting in the audience. Sorry!  In ‘The Night I Danced With Rommel’, my mother meets a famous German Actress, Lil Dagover. I also met her later on stage back in Hildesheim.

Work in a theater was different then. Everybody was employed  by the theater, and you would be in many performances during the year. It would range from Opera, Musical, Plays, Christmas, pantomime. Say each show had about 20 – 30 performances a year. These would be staggered.

Like a musical tomorrow, a play the next day, and so on. Quite often, I would be in a Christmas Pantomime, with shows on weekends, at 11 am and 3 pm. 

Heartbeat's That Nick Berry - coming soon to a panto
near you

At 8 pm, I would be in a Musical. No wonder I got on so well with my mother, she never saw me. In between, I had to go to school, and later, college. On other occasions, if the Musical group played in the home town, the acting group would be a guest performance somewhere else. There was constant juggling around.

Big friend of mine, racehorse breeder and
Newark punter, TV's Frazer Hines plays the indolent Jack in "Jack and the Beanstalk"
I've no idea who the rest are. A personalised 100 word
sonnet to the first person to tell me who any of these people might be.

Mary Ann:  Can you list five fun facts that people don’t know about you?

Liz  I can only lists things my husband knows about , otherwise that would be telling! (Oooer, missus - Ed!)

Well, the following is true, albeit embarrassing: When we moved house, the time before last. into a small village west off London, I was slightly confused about my new surroundings.  On my first day at the new house, I took the dog out for a walk, and as luck would have it, I met several of our new neighbors. I stopped and introduced myself, and made small talk. Later, in the bedroom back home, some items of clothing were on the bed. I went  to my husband and said, “I am definitely going mad now, I cannot remember having taken my running shorts off.” He shrugged his shoulders and said,: “That is because you never had them on.”Yes, I went through the village, introducing myself to people in my underwear and a t-shirt.  Don’t worry, years later, I became chair person of the Village Committee, I guess they forgave me.

Elisabeth's rediscovered shorts

Because of our business, we travelled a fair amount. On one occasion, when David went to Bangladesh without me, upon returning, he asked me whether everything was alright at the office. I told him I bought a travel agency. “What do we know about the travel agency business?”  Told him that we did not need to know since it came with staff of 12 people.

Now these are stories I can freely tell, can you imagine what my others story would be like. Are you sure you want five ?

Mary Ann:   These are sufficient, Liz.  Am still chuckling from envisioning the running shorts, or lack thereof, confession. If you could have dinner with anyone who ever lived, who would you invite, and what would you serve?

Liz : I would invite Margaret Thatcher. (Boooooooooooooo...Ed! ) When I was still working and trying to sell our latest ranges to big departmental stores in the 80’s , people would refer to me as ‘Maggie’. There could have not been a greater compliment. I would cook an East Prussian Dish ‘ Kohlrouladen’ Cabbage leaves, stuffed with meat, rolled together and cooked in the oven. I would serve it with a small portion of mashed potatoes. It is delicious and I am quite sure, she would have appreciated some simple home cooking.

Vegetable based German delicacy

Mary Ann  Oh dear, there is a time warp in Federation space, the Nexus will soon whisk you into its extra-dimensional realm.  As you are swept away, you will be able to bring with you 3 books, 2 CDs and 1 DVD.  What will you choose?

Liz:  I assume, wherever I am whisked  off  to, I would have plenty of time to read. In this case I would take ; 

The complete Works of William Shakespeare.  

Oscar Wilde : The importance of being earnest and other Plays

Brilliant Cerebus cycle featuring Sebastian Melmoth,
Wilde's post-gaol personae, an identity who refused to write for profit after
his treatment by the vicious homophobe and bully, the Marquis of Queensberry

Rabbit proof fence by Doris Pilkington.

  

CD: I would take songs by Hildegard Knef; many of her songs have real meanings and there is truth and conviction in her songs. Again, survival against all odds.

The other CD I would take is Ultimate Hits, by Garth Brooks. This would remind me of happy stays in the USA.

DVD: I would take the Erich Kaestner Collection.  Erich Kaestner was one of the banned authors during the Nazi regime.  Most of his children stories were made into film during the 50’s, and are loved by  most adults . They have an underlying message.

Mary Ann:  Elisabeth, we have run out of time on tonight's show, but I'd just like to say that I found all this fascinating and I am sure other's will too. The very best of luck to you!

Liz:  Mary Ann, thank you for the opportunity. It's been a pleasure.

Mary Ann: Wizardwatchers can contact Elisabeth on:

Webpage: http://elisabethmarrion.yolasite.com/

https://twitter.com/Lizziekind 

http://www.writers-room.org/

Mary Ann: Buy:

The Night I Danced With Rommel

Ebook

 http://www.amazon.com/The-Night-Danced-Rommel-ebook/dp/B00B854ZXY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366308263&sr=8-1&keywords=the+night+i+danced+with+rommel

 Print

 http://www.lulu.com/shop/elisabeth-marrion/the-night-i-danced-with-rommel/paperback/product-20723600.html

Mary Ann can be contacted on her brilliant magazine style blog...

http://maryannbernal.blogspot.co.uk/

Gallery:

Mary Ann's wide range of historical fiction

Proper Star Trek...with Tribbles...

TJ Hooker - a smash hit in the UK

The Next Big Thing

The Green Wizard was invited to join in with 'My Next Big Thing' (started by Andy Duncan, author of The Badger-Boy Brouhaha)by his sorceror's apprentice and dear friend, Ngaire Victoria Elder, who writes cutting edge illustrated children's stories and is currently working on her third book somewhere in deepest Spain. Near a big mountain.

http://adventuresofceciliaspark.blogspot.co.uk/

Now, for me, the next big thing is er, not writing a book for about six months as I'm bolloxed. So bear that in mind when you read this.

___________________

What is the working title of your book?
Currently not writing a new book until I've sold a few of the six I've already written. You can find all six to your right as you look. Click on them if you fancy a further look on Amazon. 

Where did the idea come from for the book?
I wrote six books in just over three and a half years, including five in a year and I think the world has seen enough of my work so far. I need to recharge my batteries. I get my ideas mostly when running.

What genre does your book fall under
I write fiction novels. Pure and simple. They have no genre. Genres erect illusory and limiting boundaries between authors and provide a dumbed-down, one-dimensional landscape for the reader. If you just read romance, YA, or erotica, then it is likely that you and I have little to say to each other and I wish you all the best.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I wrote the first draft of my 60k football hooligan novel "Ultra Violence" in  18 days. I wrote the majority of "Carla", my best reviewed book, over a weekend in late April 2012. Professional writers should be able to do this. Literature is full of similar stories. The 2.5k per day grinders are okay, but I need inspiration and a free playing field. I need to fly.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Lots of different ones.

Who or What inspired you to write this book
The knowledge that I was rapidly becoming unemployable in the modern gel haired, crocodile skin loafer, hundred and thirty pound per tie minor professional labour market was a major influence in my decision to form Green Wizard and write the six books.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
If readers enjoy innovation, being challenged, old fashioned writing - with prologues, purple descriptions, necessary exposition and a complete  lack of trendy but boring Chucky P influenced skeleton writing - then they will like Green Wizard. My books are generally well reviewed. Readers in Nottingham and Southwell are well catered for.

And now, I'll pass the baton to 3 writers who kindly agreed to participate in the blog-chain ... stay tuned to read about their Next Big Thing.


Mary Ann Bernal -  www,maryannbernal.com

Brenda Perlin - http://www.homewreckerthebook.com/

Bathsheba Dailey - http://newbeginnings-bathsheba.blogspot.co.uk/

Mark Barry - http://greenwizardcarla.blogspot.co.uk/



Good luck everyone!

An Interview with Leah Crichton

Earlier last week, I expressed a wish to an old friend of mine, an emigre to Canada, to interview a Canadian writer. 

Like many people, I'm a big fan of the Vast Country and I find Canadian people absorbing, honest and yet, off the wall and fascinating. 

Hey presto, Mary Ann put me in touch with Leah Crichton, from Calgary, who specialises in Young Adult work and is developing a strong reputation. I've never spoken to her before, but I learned plenty about her here. She spoke to Wiz at length on the Wizphone all the way from the West Coast of Canada...

Website: www.leah-crichton.com

Calgary based YA Tyro - Leah Crichton

Hiya Leah, thanks for coming over. Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? How long have you been writing? Do you have a job?

Hello (bonjour)!

I’m a 32 year old happily married mom of three. I was born and raised in Alberta, Canada. Currently I reside in the bustling city of Calgary.  

Calgary Amidst the Vastness

Home of the world famous Calgary Stampede

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. My parents were teachers and my dad was also (at one point) a best-selling author. I grew up thinking everyone’s dad wrote a book. It seemed like the natural thing to do. When I am not writing, I work in the field of GIS (Geographic Information Systems). I make digital maps from a database that stores geographic information to show the spatial relation to other mapped objects. 

It’s a very technical job so I think it spurs the creative side needed for writing even more. Not sure if I were say, a graphic artist, I would have as many ideas for stories.

What do you write about and who is your target audience. Why did you choose this area? What type of writer are you? 2,500 a day? Or a mad midnight binge merchant?

I write YA both paranormal and contemporary. I didn’t choose the area… it chose me. No joke. Once my kids were no longer infants, I began taking writing more seriously. I was going to be the next Sophie Kinsella and pen a bunch of witty chick lit novels. 

Only problem was, I could never ever finish them. When the idea struck me for Amaranthine, the protagonist needed to be a teen girl. I honestly didn’t really plan it that way but that’s how it worked out.

Sophie Kinsella - Chicklit Heroine/Shoes n' handbags expert

I am the full time working mom type of writer. I write whenever I can find the time. I do try to write something anything at least once a day to keep my mojo going. It really depends on the day! Sometimes that could be 2,500 words, sometimes it’s no more than a paragraph. I often find myself writing on the notepad app on my iPad or iPhone when I am on the train to and from work. Thank God for technology. J

Tell us about your latest project?

I just completed my second novel called     "Celebrity Status". 

It’s a boyband story and the first in what I hope will be a decent series. The first book is about Sebastian, the lead singer. His band, “Bach’s Revenge” wins a contest for a record deal. The book is about his struggle with landing the girl of his dreams while dealing with a sudden onset of fame.

I am about a third of the way done the first draft of book two. But that’s a work in progress.

Amaranthine, your current work, is 91,000 words long. Thank you. It's nice to meet another writer of long books? There is a big debate going on at the moment about length. Have you been advised that this is too long for e-books?

Amaranthine by Leah Crichton

Amaranthine is available on kindle so if someone advised me it was too long, I’d be inclined to advise them that their information is wrong. Maybe I’m not enough of a social media buff but I hadn’t heard there was any debate.

I agree with you. Books can't be long enough, Leah!!  Does living in Canada influence your work in any way?

Amaranthine takes place in Vancouver, British Columbia. So in that way, it most certainly does. My characters are Canadian. There have also been instances where beta readers question my vocabulary or spelling. What is a parkade? Why did you spell it favourite and not favorite, neighbor vs neighbour? Also a big difference since I’m writing YA is the legal age to drink. My characters can consume alcohol at 18 years old. I’ve had some readers question why they are underage drinking, but by my standards, they are not doing anything wrong.

Who are your influences as a writer? How do they influence you?

My dad. I thought he was cooler than batman. But also some amazing YA Authors out there: Sarah Dessen, Cassandra Clare, Simone Elkeles, Suzanne Collins, Becca Fitzpatrick. I suppose they influence me by my efforts in trying to be as good. When I read the Mortal Instruments Series and the Hunger Games, I just couldn’t stop reading. And when the last page of the last book was finished, I immediately wanted to write. To see if I could even touch on these authors abilities to bring words on a page to life. 

One Direction: Cue Insane Screaming from Transatlantic Daughers - and Mums!!

One Direction are massive in the UK and the US. You've met them. Tell us about that.

I haven’t actually met them. 

Oh, sorry about that!

That's okay!! Their schedule was filled with taking the world by storm. But I wrote a short story for them. It’s the “official Fan Fiction of One Direction.” It was slated to coincide with the North American release of their video for What Makes You Beautiful. The project was successful and prompted something like 1200 new Fan Fictions on the site where it was posted by teen authors.

I found your story on Wattpad. I think Wizardwatchers will love it!

Leah Crichton/One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful! (Wattpad) 

 Are One Direction like Westlife?

Not really, no, Wiz.

Okay. Just wondering. In rank order, from 5 to 1, with 1 being the best, list the five greatest Vampires.

5. Jerry from Fright Night – Hello Colin Farrell 

4. Lestat

3. Louis (??????)

2. Dracula

First appearance of Blade - if you have to ask how much this is worth,
you can't afford it.

1. Blade – ‘cause he’s badass. (See above, Leah)

(Ed: Leah, you strangely missed THIS ultimate neck biting badass...Britain's greatest modern day Sanguarian...)

Ted "The Count" Hankey. Britain's scariest vampire overlord

Speaking of vampires, you are to be trapped in a strange Carpathian castle for infinity. You are allowed three books, two CD's and a DVD, Leah. What would they be?

This is a tough question books wise. 

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Renegade by my friend J.A. Souders, and any one of the shopaholic books by Sophie Kinsella. 

CD’s would have to be Masterpiece Theatre by Marianas Trench and Dear Agony by Breaking Benjamin. 

Breaking Benjamin in Rehearsal

DVD - Good Will Hunting.

 Cronenburg or Lynch: Who's the finest Canadian film director? What is their best film.

Cronenburg. I think Lynch is American born, isn’t he? (Is he? Ed.) We are talking about the David’s, yes? I say Cronenburg because I remember watching “A History of Violence” and then going to bed. That night, dreamed that my husband (who is mild mannered and kind) slaughtered a bunch of people. I woke up in a cold sweat, my heart thudding so hard I thought it was going to make a break for it. Honestly as an adult, no movie has ever caused me to have a terrible nightmare. That takes talent so the award (in my humble opinion) goes to Cronenburg. However Lynch gets honorable mention for Lost Highway.

Wiz Notes: Great film choices, Leah. I bought my friend Clive, a great fan of the blog, AHOV for Christmas one year. He didn't like it much. I'm pretty ambivalent about it, particularly the boring talky bit in the middle. If I was going for Canadian films, which are generally brilliant, I'd have Shivers, by DC - absolutely madness, Videodrome by DC, Mulholland Drive, by DL - and Out of the Blue, Dennis Hopper's (RIP) comeback film in the mid-eighties. Four great gifts to the world by Canadian filmmakers.

Shivers (UK) Orgy of the Blood Parasites (Can/US)
Classic Cronenburg body image sex horror masterpiece - heavily censored.

This has been great fun talking to you, Leah. Tell us: What do fans of Leah Crichton have to look forward to this coming year?

I don’t know. I’m a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. My WIP will likely be completed. I have a few ideas I’ve jotted down recently for more. As for publication, I just don’t know what the future holds, but I can promise you one thing. This is going to be a great year… I can feel it.

Leah, it's been fun! Wizardwatchers wish you all the best in the coming year and all the best with your current work.

Thanks Wiz! Loved it.  

Stalk Me: 

Website: www.leah-crichton.com

Twitter: @LDCrichton   http://twitter.com/ldcrichton

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leah-Crichton/118346848194655

 Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Amaranthine-Leah-Crichton/dp/098782340X

http://www.amazon.ca/Amaranthine-Leah-Crichton/dp/098782340X

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amaranthine-Leah-Crichton/dp/098782340X

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/amaranthine-leah-crichton/1037944728

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Amaranthine/Leah-Crichton/9780987823403?id=5451460783979

(Ed: Here's another great vampire, Leah. The now sadly forgotten...

:-)