Where the Heck are we?

Hey all :) I'm over at R. Mac Wheeler's blog today talking about setting. So come on over and give me a holler.

-Angie

Won’t You Be My Neighbor—David Powers King

Booya people!!! I have a special treat for you today. The 50% famous, 50% quiet, 100% talented--David Powers King! (I know that is 200%...I'm a writer, not a math genius :) I'm very excited you’re here David!

David: Thanks, Angela! I'm not a mathematician either, but I'll assume triple digits is a good thing. Thanks for having me on your blog today. I brought virtual crullers for everyone!

Angie: How did you know I was in the mood for imaginary donuts? You must be psychic :) I'm impressed. 

DPK is fierce!

Lets jump to the first question...Your name is so cool. It sounds just like a famous author name. Powers is such a cool middle name. I'm wondering where is came from. Give me a story :) 

David: I have my grandparents on my mother's side to thank for that middle name. Their descendants immigrated to America during the Potato Famine in Ireland (to be sure). Grandpa Powers even wrote a book himself once, and since I was writing my first novel when he passed away, I inherited his hand-written manuscript One of these days I'll transcribe it and see what can be done with it. 

I was given grief for my middle name during my school years (Powers. King. Amazing what kids will come up with), so I left Powers out for most of my life. At my first writer's conference, James Dashner recommended that I should stick with it, and I'm glad I did.

Angie: That is so amazing you have his manuscript! My grandmother was a writer too (mostly poetry and short stories). Sometimes I feel like she is cheering me on from heaven. What kind of story did your grandpa write?

David: It's a historical fiction novel around the Nevada Silver Rush, at a time when Vegas was just beginning and organized crime was replacing the outlaw. That's only the setting. The characters are far more interesting.

Angie: That sounds really cool! Old time Vegas could be full of all kinds of plot twists.

Here is kind of a question :) We've met in person a few times (dinner with other writers and conferences) and you always bring your darling wife. She seems so supportive of your writing. How does she help you?

David: She's above and beyond, Angela. She's the first to read my stuff (always the roughest). From the beginning, she's liked the way I tell stories. She's not a fan of zombies or epic fantasy, but is always pushing me to get her the next chapter. My first stab at fantasy was written for her, when she challenged me to write a genre she likes. Okay. She likes Shannon Hale, Gale Carson Levine, and The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, so I thought up a princess and dragon story and she ate it up. Ever since she's been kind enough to let me write when I otherwise can't. I wouldn't know what to do if she didn't have my back on this writing business

Angie: I think that is amazing! My hubby is supportive like that (although I'm not sure he would brave a dinner with tons of other writers :). It really makes a difference when you have someone who believes in you against all odds. Which of your stories is her favorite?

David: The Dragon's Heart, the YA I wrote for her (she's not biased - at all ;)

Angie: Of course not :)

Next question...What author has influenced you the most? What would you ask them if you had the chance?

David: Orson Scott Card (no hesitation there). His writing style has always intrigued me from the moment I picked up and read Ender's Game at age 11 (the first time I read a novel without anyone telling me to). I've been striving to tell a unique story ever since. My first trilogy is a space opera, even (needs an overhaul, though). And I did have the chance to speak with him at a writing workshop he conducted a couple years ago - I can't remember what I asked him, but he did sign a couple of my books called me an "evil genius" at one point.

Angie: Evil Genius! That is the best compliment anyone could give an author. I love OSC too. Enders Game was my first exposure to sci-fi and I'm still waiting to read sci-fi I like as well. You will probably laugh at me...but what the heck is a space opera? I hear this term all over and I just pretend I know what it means, but I'm not afraid of showing my ignorance today :)

David: Jordan Ricks wrote an excellent post about that (we read his posts through inkPageant all the time). Check it out here. The key ingredient of a space opera, as Jordan puts it, is that it's "more concerned with a great story than science." Star wars, John Carter, Dune, and yes, Ender's Game are considered space operas.

Angie: That is very cool. I knew Star Wars was one, I just didn't know why.

How about a fun question. If you were a candy bar, what kind would you be?

David: *Snickers* ... no, wait - that's not my answer! That's tough (not Big Hunk tough, but still). I like so many candy bars it's hard to pick just one. Okay. Since I'm not going anywhere for a while, I'll go with Snickers.

Angie: I have a bag of fun size (that size is not fun btw :) snickers hidden from my kids. If you were here I would give you one...or maybe 5 :)

David: Awesome! I don't know how my secret stash of M&Ms would feel about that ...

Angie: They are a jealous candy.

Alright last question...It must be a pageant question, but since you are a founding member of inkPageant you are already a pageant pro, so I will ask a pageant question with a writing twist :) What was the best advice you ever read on inkPageant? (Wow. Ten extra points for the number of times I said pageant in that section).

David: We're always on the lookout for great posts and the experiences of authors as they pursue their writing careers (We'd love to see more posts by agents and editors, too), but one of the best posts I read was back in April by Nathan Bransford called "Ten Commandments for Editing Someone's Work." It's a must-read for anyone about to join a critique group or has been in one for years. It helped me be a better critiquer. 

Angie: That sounds so awesome! Great critique partners are crucial. I know my work would be a mess without them. I love the idea of guide lines. I'm checking this out for sure :) 

Thanks for stopping by today. Hopefully I didn't interrupt your day job too much.

David: Not at all, and thank you for having me over.

Angie: My pleasure :) But you need to give me a tradition DPK sign off.

I'm Angie and DPK is a space opera hero!

David: Awesome, that works. How about ...

I'm David, and don't forget your virtual cruller on the way out! :)

LOL! Thanks David. If you haven’t visited David’s blog…where the heck have you been? Check it out HERE and also check out inkPageant. You won’t be sorry.

-Angie

Random Friday Thoughts

First off—Thanks to the talented Tara Tyler for the fun new header. The cartoon version of me is much thinner than the real life me. I think I could put 100 cartoon me’s down my bra :)

I’ve been kind of slammed with life so I’ve been a lazy blogger, and all I have for today are a few random thoughts.

Thought #1—I’m am the luckiest girl. I’ve got the best CP’s and they write awesome stuff. I’ve read 3 manuscripts in the last two weeks. Emily, Kelley, and Cassie—I love your work, all for different reasons.

My mood swing Princess

Thought #2—I was driving my 7 year old daughter home from school and she said, “I hate having mood swings. Well, the going up part is good, but I don’t like the coming down part.” Amen sister! AMEN!

Thought #3—If someone could figure out a way to extract the calories from chocolate, I would vote for them to be president of the world regardless of political ideals :)

Thought #4—I never realized how politically eye opening living in a battle ground state could be. Did you guys know Mitt Romney invented the ebola virus and personally set it loose in Africa? Or that Pres. Obama moonlights as a sniper/stripper in Vegas on the weekends. (I think this one might be true. I’ll have to ask Jessie Humphries)

Thought #5—There’s no fall chill in Florida. I’m still wearing my sweaters anyway!

Love you all! Have an awesome weekend :)

-Angie

Book Bashing

By Emily Carlin

We are writers. We agonize over the perfect words. We create new worlds with only our imaginations. We love our characters like our own children. And we understand each other.

But…does the rest of the world?

I got caught in the middle of a book bashing conversation a few days ago and I’m not sure I handled it well. My friends were talking about how terrible a particular book was—so I tried to explain how they weren’t the books target audience, and the people it was written for love it. My friends asked how could someone of this religious persuasion write a book like this—I tried to explain that if you really understand the book it isn’t so far off. They know I write and so maybe they thought I could answer these questions.

I understand that people have opinions and want to discuss them, but what bothered me more than the questions was the negativity. Authors are people. We aren’t perfect. Our books aren’t perfect, but we pour our souls into them. We know not everyone will like them, but we still write.

So this is my question to you…Do you author bash? Do you book bash? What do you do when others around you do?

-Angie

Summer Fact or Fiction Reveal

This was so much fun and freaking HARD. Most of your stories were a total guess for me. They were so well written and fun. So here is my truth:

  

Monday—Lollipop Story: TRUE! I was holding my sister Bethanie’s hand while we watched the parade at Disneyland. I was 10 and she was 5. When I looked down she was gone! She has slipped away in the crowd to buy a lollipop. I was in so much trouble :)

Wednesday—Tiger Sharks: FALSE! But this story is mostly true. The only difference is there were dolphins swimming by us and not sharks. SO COOL!

I can’t wait to get around and see what you all have :)

-Angie

Summer Fact or Fiction Part Two

I’m having so much fun with this blogfest. You guys have made it all really hard. Here is my next one…short and sweet :)     

In the Water

            The water in the gulf is as balmy as a bathtub—perfect for swimming.

            But the waves are too small, and my boys stand knee deep in the warm salty water with boogie boards in hand and disappointment on their faces.

            “It will still be fun,” I say, lifting my giggling daughter over every wave. “You can swim.”

            My oldest rolls his eyes. I ignore him. If I responded to every eye roll I’d never get anything done.

            “Come on, dude.” My middle son motions for his older brother to follow

            “Fine,” he answers and they both paddle on their boards out further from the shore.

            I’m still lifting a laughing seven year old over waves when I hear the boys yell.

            “Mom! Mom! Look!”

By Chris Haugen

            I turn my head just in time to see the first fin break the surface of the water right next to my boys.

            I guess tiger sharks like the warm gulf water too. 

Hehehehe :) Fun times.

-Angie 

Summer Fact or Fiction Part One

Such a fun bloghop! Thanks Emily and Melodie. Here is mine…

The Lollipop

 by I Should Be Folding Laundry   

            It’s just the thing I want.

            I can see the giant lollypop right in the doorway of the shop. Its brightly colored swirls make my mouth water. Mickey and his friends stare at me from the wrapper. They’re just daring me to eat them!

            I’m holding Angie’s hand while the crowd pushes around us. But Mom told us to wait here. The worst part of being in a family with five kids is waiting.

            “Angie, I want to go in there.” I pull on her hand and point at the shop.

            “No way,” she says. “Mom told us to wait.”

            Now I start pouting. It’s not fair. I still have five dollars. Five—whole—dollars! I could probably buy a million giant lollypops.

            Mom is taking my sisters to the bathroom. They will take f-o-r-e-v-e-r!

            There are lots of people here. Angie’s watching the parade, but I’m too short. All I can see are lines of bums, fanny packs, and strollers. She lets go of my hand and starts clapping. When it drops back to her side—I don’t grab it.

            I’ll be really fast. She won’t even know I left.  I wait for a second to see if she will notice she doesn’t have my hand.

             She doesn’t.

            I take a small step back to see if she will notice.

            She doesn’t.

            Then before she can stop me, I turn and run. 

Hehehehe J Is it truth or fiction?

-Angie

GUTGAA—Meet and Greet

I’m so excited for the start of this bloghop! So off we go.

-Where do you write? In my living room. I HAVE to be comfortable. I love to sink down into my cushy couch with my laptop.

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see? I can see outside, to the lake behind my house. Yep. I love it. I wish there were alligators in it, but I don't think there are :( 

-Favorite time to write? When it’s quiet. For me that can be after I get the kids to school or late at night. I’m not picky.

-Drink of choice while writing? Ice water. I know it’s boring, but I try and make up for it by writing exciting books :)

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence? Silence, but sometimes I will have the TV on low in the background.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it? Ooo…good question. I’m currently working on a sequel to my first MS, so I already have fleshed out characters and a detailed world. But my inspiration is to take these characters who have already been through so much and push them as much as I can. What is their worst fear? Make them confront it. The story practically writes its self.

-What's your most valuable writing tip? I have so many :) Here is one that has helped me lately. Find great critique partners! Other writers who are willing to tell you the truth about your writing are crucial. I LOVE mine! They deserve more than a simple thanks.

Awesome start to GUTGAA, Deana! Love you girl :) Can’t wait to see everyone’s answers.

-Angie