UTC Reports from the Liberty States Fiction Writers - Create Something Special Conference

Hello Maidens!!! Francesca here.  I am very excited to share with you my experiences this past weekend at the Liberty States Fiction Writers Create Something Special Conference.  This event was held at the Renaissance Hotel in Iselin, NJ on March 17, 2012!  Being the first year that it was open to readers, I think we had a nice little group and great interactions with the authors in attendance!

That's me in the middle (yes, with heels) along with

the members of the Book Obsessed Chicks Book Club

Kicking it off: Luncheon with Larissa Ione (Keynote Speaker)
Even though Larissa was a bit nervous (or a lot!) she gave a wonderful speech!  As advised by her good friend, author Stephanie Tyler, she had to have a theme for a speech, and she chose to talk about fear.  I was very impressed with what she had to say.  She shared lot of things about her life that I wasn't aware of, maybe some of you are.  She was actually in the military, in the Air Force, mainly due to her fear of flying.  She became an EMT because of her fear of blood and those sort of things.  She has always faced her fears head on.  This is a quality that I can't help but admire profoundly as I generally tend to take the easy way out of things.
Then came Hurricane Katrina, and took everything from her.  She was one of the unlucky people that lost everything during that storm.  I cannot imagine the toll that would take on someone to experience, and at that time she also still had to face rejection with her work.  At that point she almost gave up on her dreams of writing.

We have Stephanie Tyler to thank for pulling her back in.  She wrote a short scene and sent it to Larissa, told her to write the next scene.  It was up to Larissa to figure out who was the naked chick in this guys' shower during a storm.  And so the back and forth of scenes started happening and Riding the Storm was born.  Now Stephanie and Larissa have finished the ACRO series, which they write together as Sydney Croft, and this was what gave Larissa the extra push she needed to write her own work, which is now the very popular Demonica world.

Murder, Monsters and Mayhem:
Melinda Leigh, Jonathan Maberry, Chris Redding and Lois Winston

The first panel I attended I was most impressed with an author that I've never heard of, and he writes zombies of all things.  Not usually my cup of tea.  Jonathan Maberry was definitely my favorite of this bunch, with his knowledge and personality, the way he talked about all the research that goes into his books.  Just amazing.  And if humor is your thing, and you've enjoyed, like me, the Stephanie Plum series, you might also be interested in Lois Winston.  This group talked weapons, from your regular type weapons to converting any household item into a weapon.

Chat with Larissa Ione

Ahhhh yes!  We had her all to ourselves and I was sitting on first row!  We got to ask her all kinds of general questions and here are the key points:

• She just sold the next two Demonica books.  After she finishes the Lords of Deliverance series with Reseph's book she will go back to the Demonica series.
• The first book in the "going back to Demonica" will be Reaver! *squeeeeeee*  And on a side note, BIG REAVER SURPRISES AHEAD!!!
• Of all her demons she would like to date Eidolon
• Her favorite sex scenes (and she has quite a bit to choose from) was the losing of virginity scene in Passion Unleashed
• Passion Unleashed was the easiest book to write
• She gets quite a bit of hate mail! =(
• Her husband has read all her books, and he actually makes the guys on his ship (Coast Guard) read them as well!  He gets asked a lot "Sooooooo, you and your wife practice these sex scenes???"
• He also seems to think he writes her books when an idea he had is in them.
• He designed the Lords of Deliverance symbol.  Go figure, now he writes and designs her books ;)
• They did not rehearse the upside down tree scene.
• Sin and Limos are her favorite heroines
• She can't have any music when she's writing or she can't concentrate

Beyond Werewolves and Vampires:
Caridad Pineiro, Larissa Ione, Virginia Kantra, Judi Fennell, Jenna Kernan

This panel was a lot of fun all the authors were very open about their writing process, some are planners some are pansters.  Some start out with an end in mind while others just start writing and see what happens.  The timelines for writing a book where all between 3-6 months for some to 6-9 months for others.  I think we also got a great feel for their personalities and what they write about.  Virgina Kantra and Judi Fennell who both write about seapeople but in very different ways, Caridad Pineiro who writes about vampires and more (while still working full time!), Jenna Kernan who mixes historical and paranormal, and of course Larissa who writes about demons and angels.
Book Fair
I got to meet a lot of nice authors and get lots of signed books, here are some pics I was able to take with some of the authors in attendance.

Caridad Pineiro

Larissa Ione

Sarah MacLean

Virginia Kantra

Maria V. Snyder

Jenna Kernan

Stephanie Julian

The After-Party

Yes!!!  This party was awesome!  We managed to kidnap Larissa Ione and Caridad Pineiro for a PJ party and although I can't really tell you all that went down or was talked about, I'll leave you with just some pics.

I want to thank all the wonderful authors that participated in the event for making it so much fun, to Caridad Pineiro and Larissa Ione for being so wonderful and such good sports, to all the Book Obsessed Chicks from Long Island, you girls rock and I had an amazing time, and last but certainly nost least, to the wonderful Kimberly Rocha, who I have to give a big thank you for letting me tag along as well as taking all these wonderful pictures I'm sharing with you today!

Interview and Giveaway with Maria V Snyder

Maria V Snyder

You may be familiar with her Study series and she's releasing the first book in a new series.  Touch of Power is book one in the new Healer series and we are very excited to have Ms. Snyder with us today so lets give her a warm welcome to UTC!



We are very excited to have you here spending some time with us today!

Thank you for inviting me!

Your books are a great mixture of fantasy, adventure, magic and a dash of romance all set in a new fantasy world. What gives you the ideas for creating a brand new world for your characters? Do you start by creating the world, or the characters in it?

I always start with characters first and then fill in the world details as I write.  With Touch of Power, I did make a map first, because I knew there would be lots of traveling within the Fifteen Realms and I didn't want to get confused, or to confuse my readers.

Do you have any favourite books that read over and over?

I'm not a re-reader.  I've only read a handful of books twice.  I think it's because I'm a very slow reader and there are so many books on my TBR shelf that I'd rather read something new.  Plus being slow, I really pick up on all the nuances of the story and characters. 

We love the covers to your books, especially your Study series do you have a hand in picking them?

Nope!  The covers are created by the art department and then approved internally by other departments like marketing and sales.  I did help with the cover for Inside Out.  When I saw the cover for the first time, the model's gaze wasn't direct – she appeared to be looking over your shoulder.  Trella is very direct and I thought she should be staring right at the reader.  So they sent me a bunch of pictures of the model and I picked the one on the cover.  That's the only time I've had any input. And that's fine with me as I agree all my covers have been rather fabulous!

If you could go on a date with one of your character which one would you chose and where would you go?

I'd chose Valek. I’d like to go with him to explore a new city.  So nice not to have to worry about wandering into the bad part of town! J

If you could go on a girls night out with one of your characters which one would you chose and where would you go?

I'd like to go with Yelena.  It’d be fun to go out horseback riding with her.

When writing a series do you start having the end in mind or do things come to you as you go along?

For me, starting a series is not any different than starting a book. I take it one book at a time and usually only have a vague idea of where the story is going and where it will end.  I discover the story as I write, which can be quite exciting and very scary at the same time. 

One day you are casually going about your business and a genie pops in to grant you three wishes, they can only be applied to yourself, so no world peace! What would you wish for?

LOL – this is an unique question!  I would wish for a beach house – I've always wanted one of those, I wish for my dog Hazel to be brought back to life as a puppy so I can have another 16 wonderful years with her, and I’d wish for the ability to heal people.

If you could bring of your characters to life for the day who would it be and what would you do?

I’d bring Ari and Janco to life and just hang out with them all day and listen to them bicker.

Do you listen to music while writing? What are some of your current playlists?

I do listen to music.  I tend to play pop, rock and classical.  Currently, I'm listening to 3 Doors Down, Rob Thomas, Shinedown, Maroon 5, and Mozart.

Please tell us a little bit about your latest release!

Touch of Power is a fantasy novel about a healer set in a world that is recovering from a deadly plague. Avry’s world has blamed the plague on the healers and has hunted them down.  She is finally caught only to be rescued by a group who wants her to heal their Prince.  The group's leader, Kerrick, knows the healers aren't to blame for the plague and that she could do some good for a change instead of hiding. Unfortunately, she believes this Prince is the one who started blaming the plague on the healers so she isn't risking her life for some pampered Prince. As they travel to the Prince's hidden location, they're pursued by others who have realized having a healer around might just be a good thing for them, but not necessarily for her.  

You can read the first chapter here: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/books/top.php

Also if your readers would like more info about me and my books, I have the first chapter of all my books on my website as well as a number of free short stories they can read.  Here’s the link: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/   And my blog is: http://officialmariavsnyder.blogspot.com/

READ OUR REVIEW

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

To enter for a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Touch of Power all you have to do is:


1. Be a follower of this blog
2. Fill out the form below

This is open to EVERYONE!

Romance Rewind: The Fantasy Edition

Romance Rewind: The Study Series by Maria V Snyder

Okay, so strictly speaking these aren't entirely romance, more like fantasy/young adult/romance, but this mixture of romance and adventure in a brand new and interesting world ruled by might and magic is very exciting. If you haven't read much fantasy before it is a great starting point and if you have it is a worthy addition to your fantasy collection.

So below is the reading order with a link to my review and a favourite quote from the book to whet your appetite!

Book One: Poison Study
Review

Poisoned, pursued and living with a psychopath. Not what I would consider the good life. Death has its perks.




 

Book Two: Magic Study
Review

"When I carved this, my thoughts were on you, love. Your life is like this snake's coils. No matter how many turns it makes, you'll end up back where you belong. With me."






Book Three: Fire Study
Review
  
There's always another storm. It's the way the world works. Snowstorms, rainstorms, windstorms, sandstorms, and firestorms. Some are fierce and others are small. You have to deal with each one separately, but you need to keep an eye on whats brewing for tomorrow

Review: Fire Study by Maria V Snyder

Fire Study

by Maria V Snyder

(Study Trilogy #3)

3.5 Feathers

This is the final installment in the Study series, and Yelena is up against her most powerful opponent yet. A Fire Warper, a magician that resides in the Underworld and feeds off of souls. Soon the Council is Sitia is compromised and Yelena and her band of friends and allies must find away to stop this new power from taking over and causing war between Ixia and Sitia.

I found myself having trouble getting into this book, both Poison Study and Magic Study I enjoyed, espcially Posion Study, but this book didn't suck me in the same way those first two did. I think this may have stemmed from a sense of disbelieve, but with this story I found myself skeptical. No one is as talented as Yelena, she is the most powerful magician, most powerful fighter etc etc and I found it a bit wearing that she more or less overcame everything almost single handedly. It was unrealistic and I felt no tension or sense of danger as I was just waiting for Yelena to perk up with one of her many talents and save everyone.

But, the book was still enjoyable and over all I thought the series was fantastic, I liked the world that had been created and the characters within it. This is well worth a read if you are looking for a fantasy read with some lovable characters and an interesting new world to explore.

Overall I give this series:

 

Review: Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

Magic Study

by Maria V Snyder

Study Series # 2

4.5 Feathers

Yelena has been banished from Ixia after having discovered that she has forbidden magical abilities and now heads to Sitia to be trained in their academy. She is also meeting her real family for the first time since she was kidnapped when she was 6, but the reunion isn't as perfect as she hoped when she sees the resentment her brother holds for her. Meanwhile a killer has been stalking Sitia, torturing and raping young girls, and it looks like Yelena may be next on his list of victims.

I liked this book, but for some reason I didn't enjoy it as much as the first Poison Study. However, this didn't stop me from devouring the pages! I think what diminished my enjoyment of this story was that it got too bogged down with different plot elements, I think too much was added. Although nothing was left unresolved everything seemed rushed and there was very little detail in her explanations. For example, when Yelena and her brother reconcile, there was only a page spent on this despite the fact that it had been a theme throughout the book.

But despite feeling a little rushed, I did like it, it introduced some new characters such as Kiki, Yelena's horse and Cahil Ixia who is supposedly the dead King of Ixia's nephew and is desparate to win back his crown and wrestle Ixia away from Commander Ambrose.

I am greatly looking forward to the next and final book in the trilogy to see how everything is resolved. 

Review: Poison Study by Maria V Snyder

Poison Study

by Maria V Snyder

Study Series #1

Yelena is about to be executed but is unexpectedly offereed a choice; become the Commander of Ixia's food taster or hang for her crime. Yelena decides to be the new food taster a position with a very short and painful life expectancy, especially when the Commanders chief of security tricks her into taking a poison for which he is the only one with an antidote. But momentous times are approaching and Yelena suspects there's a plot to murder the Commender that ties in with her horrific past.

I am not in general a fan of YA books...but I really loved this. It was a great book, it wasn't as intricate and heavy as some fantasy series making it almost seem like fantasy-lite, but this also made it a very easy read, as it wasn't bogged down by lots of complicated new politics and magic. But this didn't make it any less interesting and I really liked the main character of Yelena, and her sometimes-mentor-sometimes-friend-or-more Valek, an infamous assassin, and the man who poisoned her.

The story in this draws you straight in and although I thought it was obvious what was happening I was still completely absorbed in the plot. The world was also quite intriguing, Ixia is under a military dictatorship almost, everyone has a uniform and is assigned a life time job once their skills have been assesed, but although there are obvious problems with that kind of society I found myself reluctantly liking the Commander much as Yelena does.

There was a little bit of romance, which I really enjoyed, watching their relationship change from almost enemy to lovers was as enjoyable as the main story. As it's a YA book, and not a romance, all sex is fade to black or done with vague eupemisms, which is fine I was just glad they finally got together. I also liked Janto and Ari, Yelena's self defense teachers, they added some humour to the books.

This book was great it had some fantastic characters and ideas, and it kept me glued to the pages and I cannot wait to find out what happens next.