#WEP Debut Author Déjà vu

This WEP challenge seemed like a great reason for a
Debut Author Déjà vu post.

Here are a few blasts from our past.

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Kristin Bartley Lenz

1- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

If writing a novel feels overwhelming, tell yourself to write a short story. Maybe you’ll actually end up with a short story, but good chance it’ll grow into more. #WriteTip

When trying to Show Not Tell, have your character look around her – what does she notice? What does she see, hear, smell, touch? #WriteTip

2- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

Forever Young Adult (http://foreveryoungadult.com/ ) is one of my favorite book bloggers because they have an interesting format (http://foreveryoungadult.com/book-report-grading), and I almost always agree with their reviews. They even have a special series of reviews on Kirkus.

3- What's the best book marketing strategy you've come across?

Show up to support others – in whatever form that takes: sharing good news, going to events, reviewing/recommending other books, encouraging and sharing resources with writers at all stages.

4- What is one question you would like the readers of this to answer in the comments?

What books are on your night-stand at the moment?

5- Have you, or one of your characters, ever experienced déjà vu?

I ‘ve experienced déjà vu several times, but of course I can’t think of the specific situations right now! But just as fascinating to me is the idea of premonitions, ie. sometimes I will get a feeling or a thought about something before it happens.

A couple years ago, I entered a writing contest and the winner was being announced at a large conference. I was in the audience, did not think I had a chance of winning, was totally calm and relaxed and curious as the contest coordinator was speaking on stage, when all of the sudden my heart started racing wildly – and then they called my name as the winner!

Another time, I was driving on my way to speak at a book club out of town and one of my old high school teachers popped into my head. We’d had an altercation my senior year, but I hadn’t seen or hardly thought of her in 30 years. When I arrived at the book club, she was there! She was new to the group, her first time attending, an aspiring author, and she didn’t even remember me. It was so weird.

And then there are a lot of stories of people having a “bad feeling” about something. I really believe in this intuitive energy. Thanks for asking this question – it sent me off to read more about it. Here’s a Psychology Today article about déjà vu that was interesting: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/emotional-freedom/201004/the-meaning-deja-vu

Thanks for having me back on your blog, Operation Awesome team!

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Angela Kay

1- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Whenever you have a dream, never give up because you’ll never know where it’ll take you. I never imagined in my wildest dreams I’d be publishing my books, let along publishing for others.

2- You've put out two books since your last interview. Is there another in the works?

I’ve finished the first draft of a cold case thriller, I’m in the middle of a psychological thriller with human trafficking being the center subject, and I just started the second book in my FBI thrillers (“I Can Kill” being the first, which was named awards finalist by American Book Fest.)

3- What is one question you would like the readers of this to answer in the comments?

What’s your favorite holiday and why?

4- Have you, or one of your characters, ever experienced déjà vu?

I’ve experienced Deja vu quite often.

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Cath Schaff-Stump

1- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Writing words is more important than anything else you need to do as an author.

2- Given your Tweet thread, what's your opinion on the Nike Kaepernick ad?

I applaud Nike for the Kaepernick ad. A real hero is one who stands up for their principles. It is sad that this is such a controversial stance. A United States so flagrantly in disregard for the human rights of all peoples, regardless of their origins, should not censure protest against its government. As a white person, I know we are a privileged group who take a lot for granted. Okay, everything. One of the best ways we can ally and make change is to support such efforts, and try to speak about them with other, especially to those who don't see the privilege. So, go Nike. You're doing your job. And go, Mr. Kaepernick. Way to get out there and hope for a time when we are all on the same enlightened page you are on.

3- What is one question you would like the readers of this to answer in the comments?

Can you tell me all about your favorite character from a book or movie? I'd love to hear about them.

4- Have you, or one of your characters, ever experienced déjà vu?

I experience deja vu all the time. I used to think I'd dream things in advance, and then experience them. So, it's a real thing, even though I don't think it has a prophetic cause.

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Jason Disley

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jason-Disley/e/B0034PRF9M/

1- How do you like your coffee? Have you ever had a Pumpkin Spice Latte, and did you like it?

I like a flat white these days. Haven't had a Pumpkin Spice Latte, might wait for Halloween before I do.

2- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

The New Yorker I like the broad spectrum of books covered by this site

3- What have you been up to since your interview?

Where do I start?

Well after my novel Seven Day Fool, I have been writing its sequel Take It Or Leave It. Which sees my private detective Jake Brody drawn into a case spread through Manchester, London and Paris. It sees some character development and his immersion into a much more espionage filled tale as he becomes a person of interest to MI5 - the British Secret Service. The tale is set a mere few months after Seven Day Fool and is set in 1966. England is getting ready to host The World Cup. The Jules Rimet trophy has been stolen, and a mysterious "Pole" is implicated as being involved in what looks like an opportunistic theft. Jake Brody believes that this individual has something to do with Kinga's father who was deported back to Poland at the end of Seven Day Fool. He is offered the task to investigate by the one man in England that he dare not refuse. It is a job offer. Does he "Take It Or Leave It?" I should hopefully have this book finished by the end of 2018.

I still write a lot of poetry and have been performing at spoken word events. I have recorded an album of spoken word called Speakeasy, which is going to be released by Heavy Soul Records. There will be a seven inch vinyl record of two of my poems released in December. One is called Words of Wisdom, and is performed by myself with original music by Rick Blackman. The other side is called Breathless and is recorded in French by Gabriela Giacoman, the lead singer of French Boutik. The music again is original music by Rick Blackman. After this release the album will be released also on vinyl.

I now co-host a regular spoken word /Comedy night called Speaky Blinders which has a great variety of performers sharing their poetry and comedy.

I also published a book of poetry called Songs of Benevolence & Rage this year, and hopefully in December will have an experimental collection titled Beat To A Pulp published. This collection is a complete traditional Pulp style story written in verse form. I have some amazing artwork that will be complementing the collection provided by an artist friend. Who is known as Mr H. It is going to be very different, and is a work I am very proud of. So, as you can see I am busier than ever!

4- What is one question you would like the readers of this to answer in the comments?

What's next?

5- Have you, or one of your characters, ever experienced déjà vu?

Many times personally. Jake Brody certainly has a moment in Take It Or Leave It. It's centered around the female interest and the sense of déjà vu is palpable for him as he is still getting over what happened to Martina Godlewski.

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Matt Harry

1- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

The theme of your story (what it’s really “about”) is crucial. Once you know the theme, it will tell you which characters to keep, what scenes are necessary, and what the ending should be. Stories without a theme may be enjoyable, but they are disposable.

Teaser pic of the next book in the series, which is out May 14, 2019!

2- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

I really enjoy the reviews at @TheAVClub. They’re intelligent, insightful, and often very funny. I base my to-read list on their “Best Of” picks every year.

3- How would Euphemia Whitmore feel about voodoo magic?

I’ll let her answer this one. The following is a quote from her unpublished volume Alternate Methods of Sorcery for Beginners:
"Voodoo magic, while certainly effective, lacks the elan and work ethic required for traditional sorcery. As such it is quite a tempting field for the young sorcerer to pursue. However, a grounding in traditional spell casting fundamentals is recommended before learning easier, alternate methods."

4- What is one question you would like the readers of this to answer in the comments?

Is there anything you’d love to see explored in a novel about teenage sorcerers? The second book in this series, Cryptozoology for Beginners, has been completed, but I’m in the planning stages for the third novel and would love to hear any wish lists!

5- Have you, or one of your characters, ever experienced déjà vu?

I feel like I experience it quite a bit. I’ve even had dreams that I later think actually happened. Naturally this makes me want to write a story about it, but I haven’t figured out a unique way to do it yet.

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The answers ended up at 1400 words. Who knew these blasts from the past would have so much to say?!
We're not competing to win. There's no need for feedback. But it'd be great to keep the conversation going!
So if you feel like responding to some of the questions asked by our authors, that'd be awesome!

Meet Kristin Bartley Lenz in this Debut Author Spotlight

1- The nickname or abbreviation for your book is "TAOHOALG" -- How are you pronouncing that?

Haha, there is no good way to pronounce that! A book blogger started using it at the beginning of my blog tour, and then I started using it too. The Art of Holding On and Letting Go is a wonderful metaphor for the rock climbing and the emotional journey in my book, but it’s tiring to repeatedly say and type such a long title!

2- Living in Detroit, have you visited the Diego Rivera murals? If so, what impressions did you have from them?

Wow, you’re the first blogger to ask me specifically about Detroit. I’ve seen the Diego Rivera murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts on several occasions. They are huge and impressive and I sort of stood in awe the first time, trying to take it all in. With each visit, you notice new details. If you can’t visit the murals in person, the DIA has a guided tour online: http://www.dia.org/art/rivera-court.aspx

3- Can you share a story from your life that shows who you are as a person and why you are a writer?

I was often sick as a child with severe asthma that wasn’t under control until my mid-teens. I had bronchitis and pneumonia every year, was hospitalized, and wasn’t able to play sports like soccer with my friends. I spent a lot of time at home reading, drawing, writing, and daydreaming. When I was healthy, I liked to explore the woods behind my house. My appreciation of nature began as a child, and I wrote stories in my head, imagining journeys and mysteries during these solo excursions.

4- What ignited your passion for writing?

In 2nd grade, I won a young authors contest for a poem I wrote, If I Could Fly. I got to read it at an assembly in front of the entire school and attend a regional conference where I met real authors. I was hooked. I wrote poems and short stories and journaled, but at some point during high school and college, I lost confidence in my writing. I needed to grow and experience more of the world. My social work career greatly expanded my worldview, and my confidence in my writing voice grew at the same time.

5- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader, and is there a particular scene you hope will resonate with readers?

I think my book covers a lot of emotional territory through universal themes, but most of all, I hope my book evokes empathy. I think it’s a very human story that most people can relate too, especially the concept of loss. Even if you haven’t yet experienced the death of a loved one, you’ve experienced other losses in your life – changing schools or jobs, changing friendships or romantic relationships, heath, divorce, moving to a new home.

6- Have you ever stayed/ dined at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, the tallest all-hotel skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere?

Why yes I have, and I didn’t even realize it had this distinction! You’ve done your research! The restaurant at the top is now called the Coach Insignia Detroit, and I was there for a holiday dinner with my husband’s co-workers a couple years ago. But my very first time at the restaurant was as a teenager with my first boyfriend in high school. He wanted it to be a surprise, so wouldn’t tell me where we were going. I was way under-dressed and so uncomfortable feeling like I didn’t belong there. At that time, the restaurant was called the Summit and it revolved 360 degrees giving you a complete panoramic view of Detroit and Canada. People would place notes or cards on the window ledge at their seat, and then watch for their note to make it all the way back around by the time they finished dinner. And sometimes other people would sign or write messages on those notes, like Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary. It was a fun idea!

7- Is there any diversity we can look forward to in your book?

Detroit and the surrounding suburbs are very diverse, but also very segregated. I wanted to accurately portray the real diversity in this area, but I’m white and that’s what I know, so my main character Cara is white. But her world is diverse, not just from the traveling she’s done, but the people she befriends when she moves to Detroit. Cara’s love interest, Tom, has a Mexican American father and a Jewish mother, and this has certainly shaped how he was raised and what’s important to him. Rock climbing in the U.S. seems to draw more white participants, but the climbing gym in my story is located in Pontiac, a struggling city with a large African American population. So, it made sense that there would be an African American boy at the climbing gym that Cara gets to know. Also, Cara’s beloved Uncle Max is gay. My own uncle is gay, and it was important for me to normalize this in my story – there’s no big coming-out scene, no huge drama around his sexual orientation; it’s simply who he is, and his family is very accepting of this.

8- Sites like neighborhood scout list Detroit as having a 1 in 50 chance of a citizen being a violent crime target. Given your background in social work, might you have any suggestions to improve the situation?

These statistics scare a lot of people, and entire books and research papers discuss the complicated history and solutions underway. Detroit is deeply entrenched in poverty, and dysfunctional government systems - including the schools - continue to be a barrier to progress. However, there’s currently a resurgence of economical growth with many new businesses and restaurants opening up. Some parts of the city are thriving and rapidly transforming, while other sections are left behind. The Skillman Foundation is one of the non-profits making a difference, providing financial support when systems fail, and providing leadership to empower residents to make the changes they need – from functioning street lights for safety to creation of new jobs to youth mentoring. You can learn more about what’s happening in Detroit here http://www.skillman.org/ , and there are other empowering programs such as Inside Out Literary Arts which help to give kids a voice through writing/poetry. Read/listen to some of the poems on their website and be inspired: http://insideoutdetroit.org/

9- As a reader, what most motivates you to buy a new book to read?

(*No answer given.)

10- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

I knew that self-publishing wasn’t the right choice for me at this time. I really wanted to work closely with an editor and have the marketing benefits of a traditional press so my book could be in schools and libraries. When I saw the announcement for the Sheehan YA Book Prize from Elephant Rock Books last year, I almost ignored it. I was determined to be published by a large NY house, but then I realized how much this small press had accomplished. The last Sheehan winner, Carnival at Bray, was a Printz Honor book, a Kirkus book of the year, and a Morris Finalist. I knew this press was publishing quality books and they shared my vision. I’ve grown as a writer through the editing process, and they’ve nurtured my book through every stage. I’d do it all over again with my next book, but ERB only publishes YA novels through their Sheehan Prize, and they’ll be looking for their next winner in 2017.

11- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

I’m grateful that most of the major trade journals have reviewed my book, and I’ve gathered those quotes on my website: http://www.kristinbartleylenz.com/books.html
The early praise from the Sheehan YA Book Prize judges was so encouraging, and my favorite blurb later came from award-winning author Tim Wynne-Jones who said, “This is a richly layered story, visceral and thoughtful in equal parts.” It’s nerve-wracking to release a book out into the world, and this validation came at just the right time.

Readers- Have you seen any of the National Park Service brown signs with poetry? Check out Kristin's Facebook post about this!

Thanks so much for interviewing me and helping to spread the word about my book!