Promoting Creativity: Katie Masters

Today I have the great pleasure of sharing an interview I did with author Katie Masters. Hope you all enjoy!

1) Tell us a little bit about what you do

There are so many things I do—and all of them will make you think I’m either a ninety year old in a rocking chair or the worst hipster geek in the world! When I’m not knitting jackets for a winter that’ll never come in Southern California, playing my ukulele, hand sewing quilts, baking when I should be dieting, reading too many books and manga, and running around in Fantasy and Zombie LARPs (that’s Live Action Role Play for those who don’t know. Google it; it’s pretty awesome!), I write. I also have a day job that affords me to feed my cat to ensure he doesn’t eat me, but mainly I write!

Recently my book Brenna Morgan and The Iron Key (#1 in a trilogy) was picked up and will be available next year!

So now I just run around trying to spread the word of my really cool book that’s attempting to bring back the awesomeness that is the real Irish faeries and folklore. I’m sure Tolkien is somewhere laughing at me upon hearing that.

2) When and why did you start writing?

I started writing when I realized that I could spell! I wrote my first book in 2nd grade for a grade school assignment and never looked back. But my first real call to writer-hood was after finishing the last book in Tamora Pierce’s Lioness Quartet series (also called the ‘Alana series’). I remember closing the book and looking up at the ceiling and saying out loud ‘I want to make people feel like how I’m feeling right now. I want to make people love a world and go on adventures too.’ I started writing fan fiction (Sailor Moon, at that!) soon after and then graduated to writing my own worlds. I wrote as much as I read, which really helped my writing!

3) Tell us about a project that you are currently working on that has you really excited.

I’m currently working on a really exciting anthology (of sorts) to avoid writing the second book of Brenna Morgan because I realize that I have to go back to Ireland for more research—and that costs money friends. Money that currently goes to feeding my cat. So instead I’m working on a magical fantasy desert world, and each short story is the origin story of how the great heroes of their world come into their powers to become said heroes. It’s going to eventually become four novellas and a novel. But for now it’s short stories! I intend to self publish it sometime early next year—mainly because I’m pretty sure publishing houses don’t take anthologies that only star one author. Oh well!

4) What are some of your goals for the future?

My future goals….I have so many! In the near future I’m hoping to have my magical desert stories finished and available, finish the second book of my Brenna Morgan series, get my alien take over story Beacons picked up, and perhaps make enough money off of them to run to Ireland and feed my cat. I’ll be honest my cat is kind of….er…grandiose? Pudgy? Oh fine, he’s fat. I also want my books to do well so that another near and dear goal can come true—to have the money to pay an artist for a super fun sci-fi comic I want to make!

5) How can we support you?
Ah yes, this is the part I hate most! This is the part where I have to give you really big puppy eyes and hold up a sign that says “will write for coffee” with sad music playing in the background. I would love to have support in the form of people buying my books! But honestly if it’s not your cup of tea don’t force yourself to read it! There are too many books in school they force you to read, and I’m not a school! But buying my book or recommending it to friends who would like it, giving it reviews, spreading the word—that would be so helpful!

And if you’re a person who happens to do podcasts or you’re a BookTuber looking to interview new authors well…lets just say I’ve got free time and I’ve been told I’m pretty entertaining! I think they meant it as a compliment. Right? Also, I’ll totally knit you gloves! I’m not bribing you though!
…..Okay I’m bribing you. But if you don’t love gloves I can make you cookies!

Follow Katie on her blog , Twitter or Youtube to keep updated! Keep your eye our for an awesome book trailer coming soon for Brenna Morgan and The Iron Key.

Baker’s Magic

Goodreads Synopsis: Bee is an orphan, alone in a poor, crumbling kingdom. In desperation, she steals a bun from a bakery, and to her surprise, the baker offers her a place at his shop. As she learns to bake, Bee discovers that she has a magical power. When a new friend desperately needs her help against an evil mage, Bee wonders what an orphan girl with only a small bit of magic can do. Bee’s journey to help her friend becomes a journey to save the kingdom, and a discovery of the meaning of family.

Find on Amazon and Goodreads.

Baker’s Magic, is a brilliant idea. Everybody loves baking, reading about cookies and cake makes a for a delightful afternoon.  The characters are great and the plot as well. Bee is a lovely girl, and the plot is quite whimsical.

Baker’s Magic is a longer story that I expected, I had a digital copy but the one I found at my library was 330 pages. This isn’t something I was expecting as the book is meant for kids ages 8-12. I’m not at all saying that middle grade books shouldn’t be long like this, it just surprised me.

I was also surprised at the tone of the book. The overall writing felt like it would go back and forth between being a much younger book to an older middle grade book. Because of the tone I found it hard to enjoy Baker’s Magic quite as much as I could have. But overall it was an enjoyable afternoon that I spent reading it.

I gave Baker’s Magic three stars on Goodreads and I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

 

And So The Stairs Went Up – Out Now!

If you’d like to read an early copy of my story And So The Stairs Went Up simply support me on Patreon. If you don’t then in a week’s time you’ll be able to view a free copy. 🙂

I worked on this story for a little over a month, and was in love with it from the very beginning. It’s a story of questions and the meaning of a life stuck in repetitive actions.

I really enjoy the style of And So The Stairs Went Up and I hope you do too.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/and-so-stairs-up-7062881?utm_campaign=postshare&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

Thanks as always to everyone who reads my work.

WWW Wednesday on Thursday

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme done by Taking on a World of Words. 

What are you currently reading?

Currently I am rereading Throne of Glass. I have a friend whose in love with this series so I’m going to try and read all the books. So far it’s been going okay. I guess her love for the book has made me see things in a different light. And while I’m still not a big fan of the main character, I’m definitely liking the book more.
What did you recently finish reading?

Now that I have a library card I’ve been going back and reading books that have been on my TBR since 2010. Once Dead, Twice Shy is the first in a series, and I’d actually read this book before but wanted to refresh my mind before going on to the rest of the series. So yeah I just finished this book like two days ago. I’ll try to do a review of it later.
What do you think you’ll read next?

Honestly…I have no idea. I’m swamped with books at the moment. But when I decide I’ll definitely let you guys know! 😀

 

What are you reading these days? What was the last book you read? Chat with me in the comments about all your bookish news! 

Fortnight of Fright: Creepy Books by Abi

Be sure to check out my guest post for the Fortnight of Fright!

Books Take You Places

Today we have Abi from Rambling Writer talking about creepy but not TOO creepy books! Take a look at what she has to offer and head over to Amy & Brittany’s blogs to see who they have featured today! Don’t forget, we are hosting wonderful bloggers & authors for two whole weeks with recipes, book recommendations and a lot more awesome!

If  you’re like me then you like some amount of creepiness in stories. When I get in mood I like to have a bit of mystery, a bit of a chill down my back when I’m at the edge of my seat. But I can’t handle too much creepiness or I may have some anxiety problems that night. So if you’re like me then here are a few books I’ve found that have just the right amount of creepy.

Coraline

Goodreads Synopsis: Coraline’s often wondered what’s behind the locked door in…

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The Wrath & The Dawn

Goodreads Synopsis: In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she’d imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It’s an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid’s life as retribution for the many lives he’s stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.

Find on Amazon and Goodreads. 

I picked up The Wrath & The Dawn purely based on it’s cover. I know, I know. I keep doing that and it’s usually not a good idea but this time it was!

The Wrath & The Dawn is a retelling of the classic A Thousand and One Nights. Renee Ahdieh does a beautiful job of bringing this story to a YA audience, but at the same time never leaving the feeling of the original story. So overall the prose of the story was my favorite. I really enjoyed the writing.

Another thing I liked about the book are the plot twists. Usually there’s not much I don’t see coming in a YA novel, which is why I have a hard time reading them sometimes. But The Wrath & The Dawn was really well done.  There is a huge twist with Khalid’s story that made so much sense but honestly took me be surprise.

Shahrzad herself is also a well done character. Believable in her motives to get revenge but also believable when she starts to drift away from those thoughts. Although she wasn’t my favorite character,  I still enjoyed reading her story.

This book does have some POV switches, that actually didn’t bother me quite as much as they usually do. I was pretty much just enjoying the read. It’s a fast read, even though it’s a decent sized novel. And the twist at the end is fantastic! I loved how Ahdieh wrote the ending.

I gave The Wrath & The Dawn 4 stars on Goodreads and I fully recommend it to you all. 🙂