Who’s That Indie Author? Gina Briganti

Author name:  Gina Briganti

Bio: Gina Briganti writes paranormal, fantasy, and sci-fi romance in north Texas. Her constant companion is a special soul who masquerades as a dog.

Genre:  Fantasy, paranormal, and sci-fi romance

Book:  Deep in the Dreaming

When did you begin your writing career?  I started entering short story contests in 2005. My first novel, The Dreaming, was published in 2010.

What’s your approach to writing? Are you a “pantser” or a planner?  I’m a planner who gives myself room to go off on an unplanned tangent if that’s where the story wants to go. Some of the best scenes I’ve written were from steam of consciousness writing sprints.

What’s your working style – morning or late-night writer?  In ideal conditions the first two hours of my work day are spent writing so my freshest thoughts end up on the page.

Do you work at a computer or write long-hand?  Mostly with the computer, but if inspiration strikes I will type notes to myself and e-mail if I’m waiting in the car, or jot a few lines down on a random piece of paper.

What gets those words flowing, coffee or tea?  Water. It’s my elixir of life.

Favorite book:  Will a favorite series do? I’ve had Nora Roberts Key trilogy on my keeper shelf forever and I will take it out and sink into the awesomeness when I’m craving the mastery she showed in those books.

Favorite movie:  One I can’t get enough of is Chocolat. Sigh-worthy romance and Johnny Depp!

Favorite musician:  Walk Off The Earth. I am a total WOTEling.

Links:
Blog: ginabriganti.com
Facebook: @ginabrigantiauthor
YouTube: Gina Briganti
Instagram: ginabriganti
Goodreads: Gina Briganti

Awards/special recognition:  None yet for writing, but I’m working on it!

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Who’s That Indie Author? Alethea Kehas

Author name:  Alethea Kehas

Genre:  Fantasy & Memoir

Books:  The Labyrinth, book 1 in Warriors of Light series & A Girl Named Truth, a memoir

 

When did you begin your writing career?  I was mostly a closet writer (with a few published pieces) before I went back to school to get my MFA in creative writing about a decade ago.

What’s your approach to writing? Are you a “pantser” or a planner?  I suppose a little of both. I let the inner guide lead as much as possible and with my fantasy series I don’t know what’s going to happen until I write it.

What’s your working style – morning or late-night writer?  I’m fortunate to work mostly from home as a healer and yoga instructor, so I write whenever I have the time and motivation.

Do you work at a computer or write long-hand?  Computer. I have horrendous handwriting and can type much faster than I can write by long-hand.

What gets those words flowing, coffee or tea?  Tea, definitely tea. I love tea.

Favorite book:  Impossible to say. As a young girl, my favorite books were by L.M. Montgomery, in particular her Anne of Green Gables series. In adolescence, I fell in love with The Catcher in the Rye, in college, the romantic poets, especially Keats. Now, it’s really any well written book with a good message.

Favorite movie:  Another tough one. I’m honestly not sure I have a favorite movie. Can I go with a TV series? I absolutely love the Avatar series. I think they’re absolutely brilliant and probably helped inspired my Warriors of Light series.

Favorite musician:  Deva Premal

Website and social media links:  website: aletheakehas.com
Facebook: @InnerTruthHealing and @AletheaKehasAuthor
Twitter: @AletheaKehas
Instagram: truthheals and warriorsoflightclub
Pinterest: Aletheakehas

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Who’s That Indie Author? Teri Polen

Author name:  Teri Polen

Genre:  Young Adult

Book:  Sarah

Bio:  Teri Polen reads and watches horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.  The Walking Dead, Harry Potter, and anything Marvel-related are likely to cause fangirl delirium.  She lives in Bowling Green, KY with her husband, sons, and black cat.  Sarah, a YA horror/thriller, is her first novel.  Visit her online at www.teripolen.com

Favorite thing about being a writer:  I have a couple of favorite things.  I love creating characters in my head, then see them become living, breathing people when I write – they’re real to me, anyway.  My characters are like my kids, so to know that a reader embraced them while reading their story and loved them as much as I do makes all the difficult writing days (when I’m pounding my head against the wall) worthwhile.

Biggest challenge as an indie author:  Absolutely promotion.  My book was published by an indie publisher and I’m fortunate they can provide some promo opportunities, but the majority is on me, so I’m always looking for ways to get the word out and connect with readers.

Favorite book:  That’s probably the hardest question I’ve ever been asked, because I love so many books – but I’ll have to name a couple.  As an adult who thought YA books were just for young adults, the Harry Potter series taught me otherwise and introduced me to another world (both Hogwarts and YA).  That series will forever be at the top of my list.  More recently, Victoria Schwab’s Shades of Magic series – exceptional world-building and characterization.  Her creativity astounds me and I’ve been lucky enough to meet her a few times.

Contact Information:
Website:  Books and Such
Facebook:  @TeriPolenAuthor
Twitter:  @TPolen6
Goodreads Author:  Teri Polen

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Who’s That Indie Author? A. H. Amin

Author name:  A. H. Amin

Genre:  Recent novel:  Inspirational, Young Adult, Fantasy, Animals; Previous works: Thriller, Suspense, Fiction

Books:  (From newest to oldest). Kima, Iblis, Psych’s 1st, Psychs.

Bio: A. H. Amin is an Orthodontist by day, and a writer by night… and day. An Iraqi writer who was born abroad, and lived in more than five countries; most recently in China. He was exposed to diversity his entire life, and he embraced it as his corner stone in all his stories. At the moment, he continues to write, restore people’s smiles, practicing his Chinese Mandarin, and trying his best to stay on his diet.

Favorite thing about being a writer: My favorite thing about writing is the re-write; it’s when I revisit my story and almost feel like a stranger reading the book for the first time, while also re-shaping and polishing the rough edges of my tale… in a way it’s therapeutic.

Biggest challenge as an indie author: While most indie authors struggle with spreading their words or finding a literary agent, a pain we all share together, my challenges come from the fact that I’m also living an expatriate life since birth with no country to support me. But still, if wasn’t for that fact, I wouldn’t be blessed with materials for my stories.

Favorite book: That’s too general… I do have a special connection with one book. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is one novel I won’t mind reading more than once, I’ve already read it three times. I am spell bound to this particular book in many ways that sometimes I feel that the story is about me.

Contact Information:

Blog: A.H. Amin
Twitter: @AA_psychs
Amazon:  Kima
Instagram: a_h_amin
Facebook:  @authorahamin

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Who’s That Indie Author? David Meredith

David Meredith

Author name:  David Meredith

Genre:  Fantasy/Romance/Sci-fi/YA/NA          

Book:  The Reflections of Queen Snow White

Bio:  David Meredith is a writer and educator originally from Knoxville, Tennessee. He received both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from East Tennessee State University, in Johnson City, Tennessee as well as a Tennessee State Teaching license. He is currently a doctoral student in Educational Leadership. On and off, he spent nearly a decade, from 1999-2010 teaching English in Northern Japan, but currently lives with his wife and three children in the Nashville Area where he continues to write and teach English.

Favorite thing about being a writer:  I like telling stories that make people feel something. Whether it’s anger, fear, sadness, or amusement I want to provoke an authentic emotional response in my readers. When I can do that; when I read a review that says “I cried” or “I laughed out loud” it makes me feel like I did my job.

Biggest challenge as an indie author: Certainly getting recognized. With the advent of the word processor and Kindle Direct Publishing anybody can hang out their author shingle and they do – producing a veritable deluge of Indy works. It’s a challenge to get your work noticed in the midst of the flood.

Favorite book: The Dragonbone Chair – Tad Williams and Shogun – James Clavell

Contact Information:
Facebook: @DavidMeredithWriting
Amazon Author Page: David Meredith
Twitter: @DMeredith2013

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The Silver Crown by Robert C. O’Brien

The Silver Crown
by
Robert C. O’Brien

Rating:

I really enjoyed this children’s book. My sixth-grader was reading it in school and I decided to read it too.

It’s a story of 10-year-old Ellen who, on her birthday, wakes up to find a jeweled crown on her pillow. Before her family wakes up, Ellen puts the crown in her purse and sneaks out of her house to walk to a nearby park. Soon after, she hears sirens and discovers that her house has burned to the ground and her family is nowhere to be found. And thus begins her journey to find her Aunt Sarah and escape the mysterious people who are chasing her.

Ellen meets many during her time on the run. Some are good and some are evil. Ellen develops a strong bond with 8-year-old Otto, a young boy living in a house in the woods with an old woman he calls his mother. This book has an edge to it that younger kids’ books don’t. There are frightening characters and scary situations and difficult good-byes between Ellen and the people she meets. Despite these losses, many are turned around at the end. I think this book is perfect for a middle school student. The fantasy element allows the reader to experience danger, fright, bravery and loss, with a comfortable ending.

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