An Intriguing Interview with Author, A.J. Adwen

An Intriguing Interview with Author, A.J. Adwen

I am pleased to present this incredible interview with the author of The Choice, A.J. Adwen! Enjoy her story, inspirations, and insight on her writing process.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

When I was in elementary school! I had a hunger for reading and writing at a very young age that only grew as I did! 

How long does it take you to write a book?

Between 3-6 months for the first draft. Including editing, about 6-9 months. 

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I usually write first thing in the morning while I eat my breakfast. After that, it's pretty sporadic. Sometimes I write a few sentences; other times I write entire chapters. 

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Hmm... I'm not sure! I can't have any background noise in terms of TV or music, but I write more efficiently to white noise: rain sounds and such.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Write! It's always been writing.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

My head. ;) 

And Googleland.

What do you think makes a good story?
Meaningful plots. I can't stand shallow stories. And I think every good story has to have a dark side to it so that the good moments really stand out. 

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Read, spend time with my hubby, bake, paint, sing, play guitar, play with my cats... :)

What does your family think of your writing?

They are so proud of my stories. I really couldn't ask for more support. 

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

3 so far. And asking which is my favorite is like asking me to choose my favorite child. Lol. I honestly can't choose! I love them all equally for different reasons. 

AJ Adwen

Allison was born and raised in the mountains of Oregon, birthed of the crisp, clean air and rainy forests. She now resides in Oklahoma City, though she is still thoroughly attached to her home and finds much inspiration for her stories whenever she has a chance to return. As the spouse of a police officer and a full-time photographer, she is on her toes 24/7. 

In 2013, she was a recipient of the Oklahoma Next Generation award: an award given to thirty individuals under the age of thirty in the state who have proven to be innovative and inspiring leaders in the arts, entertainment, business, media, and other areas of impact.

Often told that she has her head in the clouds, she couldn’t deny it even if she wanted to. Allison began dreaming up stories long before she was old enough to write them. She enjoys a variety of genres, including YA, romance, historical romance, fantasy, dystopian, and anything else that hooks her interest. She prefers to write books that tell gripping love stories in heart-wrenching, real, inspiring ways. 

Her stories are deep and raw, taking the reader into a world that is richly intricate. Readers often say that they are swept away and left reeling when they have finished the last page.

Allison loves to interact with her readers, and she does her best to respond to every email she receives. To learn more about her, visit her Facebook page and follow along on her writing journey!

Links:

www.authorajadwen.com

www.facebook.com/ajadwen

https://twitter.com/allijoy86

Purchase Links:

Othrinia's Rain (Book I of Rain Trilogy) 

Veodue's Fire (Book II of Rain Trilogy) 

The Choice

An Interview with Author, Lee French (Blog Tour)

1. When did you start writing?

I was a late bloomer for reading, not really 'getting it' until 2nd grade. About a month after I grasped the whole concept, I wrote my first book, The Mean Old Man's Backyard. At a whopping 6 pages, including stick figure illustrations, it was hardly literature, but I still have it, bound with red plaid fabric over cardboard.

2. Do you write full time?

Yes. As a stay at home mom for two, one of whom is autistic, I have some time to myself, but not a lot. In order to work a "real" job, I'd have to find specialized care for one kid and then something else for the other, and it would be a terrible nightmare to coordinate, not to mention outrageously expensive. Writing is what I do to maintain my sanity while they're at school.

3. What did you do before you became a writer?

I played with dolls and trucks. Seriously, though, I worked in 3rd party technical support, which is one of the more soul-sucking jobs available to anyone with some computer skills. My favorite story from that dark time is the caller who'd managed to get the installation wizard running ten times concurrently, by putting in the disc, thinking nothing happened, then pulling it out and putting it back in again and again and again. For some reason, his computer was running very slowly.

4. Who is your favorite author? What about them inspires you?

I'm too mercurial in my tastes for books to have one favorite author. There is no one writer for whom I will read anything with their name on it, but I am fond of a few series. One is Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, which is a well done first person urban fantasy. The main character appeals to me a great deal, as he's a smartass who is also a dumbass. I'm also a fan of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books, and Dean Ing's Systemic Shock and its sequels. Each of these writers is very different, yet they all show what can be done with their chosen genres and niches to great effect.

5. What Inspired you to write The Fallen and Harbinger?

The main character, Chavali, began her life as a Dungeons & Dragons character, in a game run by Erik over a message board. Despite both of our best efforts, the game didn't finish. For both of us, the story felt grossly incomplete, and I may have plied him with alcohol to convince him to help me write the full story as books. We're pretty good at the dynamic where he plots and I control the characters through it.

6. Are any of the events based on something you've experienced in your life?

I've had my fair share of moments dealing with idiots. Other than that, no. This is purely fantasy. Chavali herself has a bit of me in her, as all my characters do, but I'm not her and she's not me. I promise I'm nowhere near as prickly as she can be, and I'm a lousy liar.

7.  If you could pick any actor to play the main character in your story, who would it be?

Based on her performance in My Cousin Vinny, Marisa Tomei would probably do a good job. She's a little too old for the role now, since Chavali is 25. I'm not sure if I'd pick Scarlett Johanssen just because I'd like to geek out over her for being Black Widow or if she'd actually do a great job with the part. Vanessa Hudgens is close to the right look, but I'm not familiar with her acting skills.

8. Do you have any advice for fellow authors?

The one thing I always say is this: Write words. Lots of words. A writer is only a writer because of actual writing. The words won't come out perfect, they just have to come out. You can always fix them later.

9. Is there anything you'd like to say to your readers?

I appreciate each and every person who enjoys reading, no matter whose books you choose. Complete the circle by leaving a review! Every review helps another reader find a great book they might not otherwise give a chance.

10. What are you working on next?

Right now, I'm hock deep in NaNoWriMo. I've got a new urban fantasy series started, book 3 of The Greatest Sin is a quarter written, and a second book in the same world as Damsel In Distress (Ilauris) about a third done. I'm also planning a science fiction story taking place on a space station, and third book in Ilauris.

The Fallen 

For hundreds of years, the Blaukenev clan has wandered across Tilzam, from one end to the other and back. Each wagon carries history, love, laughter, pain, sorrow, and secrets. Their greatest secret of all may be Chavali, the clan Seer. 

Spirits claim/use/save/damn her. 

With her gift/curse, nothing surprises her anymore, no one keeps secrets from her. She, on the other hand, has more than enough secrets to keep. Secrets of her own, secrets of her clan, secrets of the world, secrets she even keeps from herself. 

There are always people who want secrets. 

Some will do anything to get what they want. 

The Fallen is the foundation of the story of The Greatest Sin, of a world adrift from its God that desperately wants Her back. Chavali's comfortable, predictable life will be ripped apart and burnt to ashes as she's forced into the middle of that struggle. Change, she hates it passionately. It hates her right back.

Harbinger

Adjusting to her new life as a soul-bound agent of the Fallen has Chavali pushing herself harder than ever before. Between learning to fight, dealing with idiots, and climbing stairs - lots of stairs - she has little time to waste on thoughts of the future. Or the past. 

When another agent fails to report in, Chavali is sent on the mission to discover her fate. Ready or not, she saddles up for a new adventure with new dangers. 

The search takes her to Ket, a coastal city slathered in mystery. There, she faces ghosts from her past and demons of her future as she seeks answers. All she seems to find are more questions. 

Plague, murder, lies, espionage...this city harbors much more than meets the eye, and maybe too much to handle.

Purchase links:

The Fallen  

Harbinger 

Social media links:

Facebook -

 Author Lee French 

 Erik M Kort

Twitter - https://twitter.com/AuthorLeeFrench 

Lee's blog  

About the Author:

 Lee French lives in Olympia, WA with two kids, two bicycles, and too much stuff. She is an avid gamer and active member of the Myth-Weavers online RPG community, where she is known for her fondness for Angry Ninja Squirrels of Doom. In addition to spending much time there, she also trains year-round for the one-week of glorious madness that is RAGBRAI, has a nice flower garden with absolutely no lawn gnomes, and tries in vain every year to grow vegetables that don't get devoured by neighborhood wildlife.

The Choice Blog Tour & Exclusive Excerpt

The Choice Blog Tour 

& Exclusive Excerpt

How do you heal from your past when you're still trapped within it? 

I lost myself the night of the party. Just like that, my innocence and my sanity were torn away. 

I would like to say that time heals all wounds, but it doesn't. And I would like to say that falling in love is what rescued me, but it wasn't. Nobody told me what to expect in the coming days and weeks and months after conceiving a rapist's child. Years later, my wounds are still just as fresh as the night they were made. It would be so easy to disappear and allow the memories to consume me. 

But that's the choice, isn't it? To live instead. 

**This book contains rape triggers. Discretion is advised.**

Exclusive Excerpt

I avoided looking at anyone else as I took my tray to the trash and dumped my entire meal into it before throwing it onto the pile of dirty ones. I shoved through the double doors and made a beeline for the principal’s office. 

He looked at me, surprised by my abrupt entrance. “Can I help you, May?”

“I'm sick. I'm going home. And it's probably best that you know I'm not coming back.”

He frowned, taking off his bifocals. “And why is that?”

I swallowed, quelling my nausea. “Would this be confidential?”

“Of course.”

I lowered my voice. “I'm pregnant, but there are reasons I can't come back here. I'll be finishing school at home.”

His thick, gray eyebrows lifted. “I see. But I will need parental confirmation of this. You can't just leave.”

“Fine. I'm sure one of them will be here on Monday to sign me out, or whatever they have to do. Thanks, Mr. Greene.” I didn't know what else to say, so I went to my locker for my things and left Ocean View for the last time.

_______

I pounded on the door of Alex's bookstore after a few knocks. “Where are you?” I groaned in agony, cupping my hands over the window so I could peer inside. I hadn't seen his car in its usual spot, and he hadn't answered my calls. I broke down right then and there for the millionth time, it seemed.

“May?” 

I turned around and saw him standing behind me with a bag of groceries. “I left school. For good, I mean,” I stammered. “And you didn't answer your phone, and I was scared you hated me, too.”

He put the key in the lock while I rambled, hurriedly letting us inside. I almost wondered if he was ignoring me until he sat the bag down and pulled me into his arms. “Shhh . . . “ he soothed. “How could I ever hate you?”

I gripped the back of his sweater in my hands, wishing I could disappear into him and never have to feel any of this again. Maybe if we were one person, our pain would have been easier to bear. But of course that was impossible. I was hysterical, sobbing so hard my knees threatened to give out.

He inhaled a deep breath and sang softly by my ear. I don't remember the words he sang, but I remember how quickly the sound of his voice calmed my weeping. He took my hand after a while and led me upstairs. I thought he was taking me to his piano, but he took me to his bedroom instead. 

And the strange thing was, when he held up the covers for us to climb under them, I had not even a passing thought of being in Tyler's bed. I lay on his chest and he kept singing. Then he hummed until the last of my tears fell onto his shirt. He stroked my hair over and over. I'm sure he didn't know this, but the strokes matched his breathing. 

And even after I went home, I held onto that moment in my memory until morning dawned the next day.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars We need more books like this November 11, 2014

By Kaitlyn

Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

‘The Choice’ is a thought-provoking journey about a girl who has a horrible crime committed against her, and the aftermath. We see glimpses of May’s life in the future, as well as the events unfold and what happens immediately after.

I don’t like to do book reports for reviews, so I will just state the things I enjoyed about this book.

This book deals with a sensitive topic that, unfortunately, I have not seen many other books deal with. Author AJ Adwen does an excellent job at not only exploring this topic from all angles, but letting the reader decide how they feel about the decision made by the protagonist. The writing was beautiful and the characters were complex, and it kept me interested from beginning to end.

Most of all I want to say that books like these are important and we need to see more of them. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants more than just an entertaining read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't recommend enough November 11, 2014

By Sarahbeth Caplin

Format:Kindle Edition

Where to even begin with this book? THE CHOICE is a gut-wrenching story of a teenage girl who finds herself in a dark place that no young woman should ever know, and is faced with a personal, morally aggravating decision in the wake of it. At the same time, this is also a love story, and Adwen delivers a soft, yet unmistakable message of redemption for those who have been hurt by life and don't know whether they can trust anyone again. There are no easy answers or heavy-handed morals here. Adwen's book is gutsy, brutally honest, and breathtakingly real. A must-read for young adults.

 About Author, A.J. Adwen:

Allison was born and raised in the mountains of Oregon, birthed of the crisp, clean air and rainy forests. She now resides in Oklahoma City, though she is still thoroughly attached to her home and finds much inspiration for her stories whenever she has a chance to return. As the spouse of a police officer and a full-time photographer, she is on her toes 24/7. In 2013, she was a recipient of the Oklahoma Next Generation award: an award given to thirty individuals under the age of thirty in the state who have proven to be innovative and inspiring leaders in the arts, entertainment, business, media, and other areas of impact.

Often told that she has her head in the clouds, she couldn’t deny it even if she wanted to. 

Allison began dreaming up stories long before she was old enough to write them. She enjoys a variety of genres, including YA, romance, historical romance, fantasy, dystopian, and anything else that hooks her interest. She prefers to write books that tell gripping love stories in heart-wrenching, real, inspiring ways. Her stories are deep and raw, taking the reader into a world that is richly intricate. Readers often say that they are swept away and left reeling when they have finished the last page.

Allison loves to interact with her readers, and she does her best to respond to every email she receives. To learn more about her, visit her Facebook page and follow along on her writing journey!

Website

Facebook

Purchase on Amazon

Goodreads

Twitter

Charlotte's Restrained by, Celia Kennedy **Blog Tour** Top Ten List!

Charlotte's Restrained by, Celia Kennedy **Blog Tour**

Today we get an intimate look at Celia Kennedy, the author of Charlotte's Restrained! Check out the top ten things that Celia Kennedy would like to be if she couldn't be a writer.

If I Couldn’t Be a Writer I would want to be:

1)      An astronaut (for one orbit)

2)      An actress - because this is a form of travel (mental, time, literal)

3)      A Landscape Architect (Oh! I am one.)

4)      A therapist – I’ve spent enough time sitting in the other chair

5)      Rich

6)      A literary agent – Helping someone’s career along would be satisfying

7)      Host of a travel show – Being paid to travel, genius!

8)      Candy Inventor – I love candy!!

9)      Research assistant for an author – some many interesting factoids

10)  A wife and mother (Oh! I am that too!)

Celia Kennedy was born in Wurzburg, Germany on an American Army base. Her parents' penchant for traveling the world, via a Volkswagen Minibus with a Porsche engine, sparked her imagination. Staring out the window, sometimes through fog and rain, at other times at sunny blue skies, she began to make up stories for the places and spaces they passed by. The in-between time, the most fascinating to her.

The imagined world has always fascinated Celia. She has studied Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Interior Design, and pretty much every other subject matter. Like her childhood, it was the ride that was the most entertaining, arrival at a degree, not anywhere as important.

Mark Twain said, "Write what you know." When combining this concept with her unusual life experiences (working at a nuclear submarine base when Chernobyl blew, testing software Bill Gates kept close tabs on, travelling extensively while quite broke, or falling in love with her boyfriend's close friend) thinking of what to write about isn't challenging; there just needs to be more hours in the day.

Celia published Charlotte's Restrained, The Accidental Stalker in December of 2012 andVenus Rising in August of 2013. Look for Kathleen's Undressed, The Accidental Enigma, a companion novel to Charlotte's Restrained, to be published in November 2014.

Currently she lives in Washington State with the loves of her life.

Charlotte's Restrained

Charlotte's Restrained, a comical fictional tale of what happens when the paths of a celebrity god and a mere mortal collide. 

While vacationing, Charlotte has a chance encounter with a celebrity famous for his lead roles in romantic comedies. Unfortunately for Charlotte, lighthearted banter develops into tabloid fodder. With her career, friendships, and new found romance all impacted, Charlotte sets about dealing with the fallout of her fifteen minutes of fame.

Connect with Celia Kennedy 
& Purchase Charlotte's Restrained Today!

Website 

Facebook 

Twitter: @KennedyCelia

Google+: Celia Kennedy

Pinterest 

Purchase Link: 
Venus Rising 
Charlotte's Restrained 

a Rafflecopter giveaway