young adult science fiction

Welcome to Author Wednesday. Jennifer Kibble sits down for an interview today to talk about her new fantasy adventure for young adults, Mages of Vane. It’s the second book in her Phoenix Element series. Here’s her enticing invitation to the book: Anya is attending the Vane Magic School, not by choice, but she soon fits right in. The mages did free her of a powerful entity after all. Or did they?

Hello, Jennifer and welcome to Author Wednesday. Your new book sounds exciting, but let’s start by talking about you and your writing rituals. Do you have anything special you do when you write?

Music is key for me. For my current project, I am handwriting the entire draft before typing it out. Not only do I need music playing in my ears, but the right blue pen to jot it all down.

That’s unique. I sometimes write on a legal pad with a sharpened pencil to get my juices flowing. Now that you’ve published Mages of Vane, what are you working on?

Reality Break will be the third book in the Phoenix Element series. It starts a few weeks after the events in Mages of Vane. Characters will be broken in this book. Not sure if they can be put back together or not yet. The eBook cover for Reality Break is already finished, and you can click here to see it.

What’s your one sentence pitch for Mages of Vane?

The magical world is about to be shaken up.

How did you choose the title?

I wanted to keep it simple. Mages of Vane takes place at a magic school called Vane, where mages reside. Straight to the point. I stuck with this title from the get-go.

Simple and concise–always best! How long do you estimate it took you to take the book from an idea to a finished, published?

About two and a half years. The idea itself has been in my head longer than that.

I’m glad you finally got it out. Is the book traditionally or self-published?

I went with self-publishing for the second book in the Phoenix Element series. I learned a lot from my last publication. Some of which I did want to repeat and other aspects that I did not. I feel that self-publishing I have more control over my work.

Since you’re writing for young adults, what message did you want to convey with Mages of Vane?

You can run but eventually, your problems will have to be faced head on.

Without giving us a spoiler, tell us a little bit about your favorite scene in this book.

The monologue that describes who and what Kasiff is. I had written that piece years before I started to write the Phoenix Element series. I’m glad that I was finally able to use it.

What else do you want readers to know about your book?

Even though Mages of Vane is part of a series, it can still be read as a standalone. While at Vane, Anya will learn more about her magic as well as just how far some people will go for power. There is an epic battle scene between mages and sacrifices made. But maybe you shouldn’t listen to me, but to the one who lived it.

Anya: I still don’t understand why it was so important for Raine to find out why my clothes don’t burn when I use my fire magic. Of everything magical, that was one of the last things that I thought about.

Jen: Excuse me, can you get back to the question?

Anya: Oh yeah, right …so Vane. Great school but it can be creepy. Most of the mages are nice and then you have those who are so cryptic, that you need a translator. And there was a lot of monotony. I mean how many times did I have to go over aura techniques? I swear, my teacher was just being cruel. But I don’t want to get started on him. You’ll know who he is once you meet him. At least I got to meet a few interesting people while at Vane. A butterfly that could talk, a walking cousin of a tree…oh and don’t worry, those you’ve met in the past show up as well. Not everyone, but a few. It was a blast up until everything went downhill.

Thank you for stopping by today, Jennifer! Warm wishes for the successful completion of the next book in the series. I hope you’ll come back when it’s published.

About Jennifer Kibble: Jennifer is a geek at heart. She has used this love for video games, reading, the fantasy and science fiction world, and used it to help fuel her passion for writing. Her career as a writer turned serious after a trip to witness the final launch of the space shuttle Discovery. This set into motion the mind set to do what she loves. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys playing video games, reading, playing D&D, and listening to music.

Phoenix Element came across in an interesting way. Jennifer would have the same type of dreams and characters since she was a young girl. One day she decided to use those characters in a story. Of course with most characters, they take over the story and lead the writer instead of the writer telling the characters what to do.

Parts of Phoenix Element started out as a series of short stories known as “The Eternal Nine Key Barriers (E9KB)” back in middle school. This branched off as a role-playing story on a message board. Later on, Phoenix Element started to grow into its own and became what it is today.

Normality Twisted is the first book in the Phoenix Element series. As all series go, you have to start somewhere. This is the start of JB’s adventure as she learns that she has magical powers and is the reincarnation of a princess from another planet, Anya. JB tries to separate real life from her magical one, so she takes the name of Anya. She soon discovers that an entity from her past life still clings on and wants to take control of Anya’s body.

Mages of Vane starts off in the school for mages. The entity known as Ashima is no longer screaming within Anya’s mind. Anya now begins her new life learning about magic, auras, and making new friends. Unbeknownst to Anya, she stands at the cusp of a war that has been brewing for centuries.

The mages of Vane must protect their home and school from The Order of Blood and their hidden leader. If Vane falls, other worlds will follow suit.

Links to purchase Jennifer’s books and connections on social media (click below)

Mages of Vane – Amazon

Normality Twisted – Amazon

Amazon Author Page

Blog

Facebook Fan Page

Welcome to Author Wednesday. Today I welcome Alicia J. Love, author of young adult science fiction. She’s a self-published author of The Seven Uniters Series, the short story collection The Seven Uniters: The Originals, as well as a paranormal novella. She is currently working on the third installment in The Seven Uniters Series, Redemption, which will be released this fall.

I’m so glad you could stop by for an interview today, Alicia. Do you recall when you first called yourself either a “writer” or “author?”

I have been writing all my life, but the transition between being able to write and becoming an author was astoundingly simple. I began writing my first book, Reincarnation, in the fall of 2012 and finished it in February of this year. And then, all of a sudden, I was an author. It was such an empowering realization, and it was so easy. That is one of the things I love about being an author: it is a title I can take, a career I can choose, all on my own. It is an amazing feeling.

I agree. It really clicked for me when I went the Indie Author route, as you have. What messages or themes do you try to convey to your readers?

My books all seem to center around one theme. The Seven Uniters Series is about a teenage girl who is abused and alone. She is essentially the underdog, until she discovers that she is so much more. My books are about finding your strengths, your weaknesses, and asserting yourself in the world. The story is about Hailey finding herself and finding out that she is so much more than she ever could have imagined.

Those are such important messages to get out to everyone, but most decidedly to teens. Good for you. What are you working on right now?

I have written two books, two short stories, and a novella. My books are the first two in The Seven Uniters Series, Reincarnation and Revolution, following Hailey, a girl who is reincarnated from the legendary Seven Uniters, a group of beings gifted with powers in order to maintain balance in the universe. My short stories are the first two in the collection The Seven Uniters: The Originals and each installment will be a story of each of the original Seven Uniters. I also decided to test my skills in the world of paranormal romance and wrote a 100-page novella called Esther’s Progeny about a Vampire discovering the last of the Seer, and trying to turn her to make her into a hybrid. Of course, it goes wrong, and the story is about them trying to fix what they ended up breaking.

Do you have a favorite character that you created?

Hailey is definitely my favorite character. There is so much of me in her. She was abused, and down on herself, and has so many issues. But, with each turn of the page, she gets a little bit stronger. I know that as a reader you will be rooting for her from day one, and you will grow with her as the series continues.

She sounds like a survivor who can provide inspiration for others. Will you continue writing in this same genre?

The Seven Uniters Series is mainly young adult science fiction, and I will write it until it is finished. But I do want to write in other genres. I have always loved fantasy, witches, and magic, and would love to write a book or three about them. I am always coming up with new ideas for different stories in all different genres. When I have finished with Hailey’s story, we’ll see what I end up writing next. It could be anything!

What’s the best thing said about one of your books by a reviewer?

During a radio interview with Tom Riddell and The Writer’s Lounge, my first book, Reincarnation, was applauded, but my second book, Revolution, was complimented in ways I had never expected. Tom said not only that he would give Revolution thirteen out of five stars, but also said it was written better than a book he was reading by a bestselling author. It was absolutely amazing to hear that from a professional reviewer.

That is certainly high praise. Congratulations. What are you working on at this moment?

I am currently working on the third installment in The Seven Uniters Series, Redemption. Hailey’s adventure continues on another planet. Quite a few things are different in this book than the other two. I have tried to incorporate more elements of fantasy, as well as bringing religion into the picture. You will simply have to read it to know more.

How did you choose the title?

I love how the title of Redemption worked out. Since Reincarnation and Revolution both begin with the letter R, it became a theme. But I couldn’t figure out what to name the third book for the longest time. I had my outline, and I knew the main point of the story, but I couldn’t find a word. Then, I stumbled upon the word Redemption, and a whole new story seemed to flourish within me. The name brought the religious aspect into play, which actually brought the story full circle, completing it.

That’s a great feeling when that happens as an author. Thank you for giving us a little insight into your books and your writing life. I wish you much success in all your future endeavors.

About Alicia Love by Alicia: I was born in the magnificent metallic city of Seattle, WA. I was raised in a nice neighborhood in West Seattle, and went to a few different schools. When I was at the ripe young age of eleven, my mother whisked me off to live in the beautiful state of Hawaii, smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Although it was exotic, gorgeous, and a wonderful and enriching experience, it turned out to be short-lived. After two years of paying $8 for a gallon of milk, we finally moved back to the rainy Pacific Northwest, otherwise known as home. We moved a little south, though, so I once again made new friends. I moved out at the age of seventeen, and now live across the state, only a hop, skip and a jump from Idaho, and also only a few miles from Canada, with my fiance and our two cats.