Sunday, September 22, 2013

Author Spotlight: Linda Barton

The Admins at Pretty Little Readers would like to welcome Linda Barton to the page today! We look forward to introducing her to you all, as well as getting to know her a little better ourselves. We will also be posting throughout the day on our Facebook page so be sure to check it out but clicking the tab at the top labeled Facebook Home. Be sure to like the page if you have not already so you can see all of our spotlight posts!!





PLR: Tell us a little about yourself.


Hello, my name is Linda L Barton and I'm a Thriller/Suspense Author with Storyteller Entertainment, LLC.

I've done many different things in my life from working as a hair stylist, claims processor, to driving a Peterbilt Truck across the United States with my husband, Bob.

I published my first book, Next Move, You're Dead in March of 2011, and currently have five published books. While I never dreamed that I would be able to call myself an author, I must say that it has turned into one of the highlights of my life.


Bob and I live in a quiet little community in southeast Texas with our two dogs, and one crazy cat. Over the years, I have learned that life is an adventure and to appreciate all the blessings it brings.

For more about Linda click here

Be sure to check out the following websites to stay up to date on Linda's work.

Facebook 
http://www.rjsmithproductions.com/about-linda-l-barton/  
 http://pinterest.com/barton166/boards/  
http://lindalbarton.blogspot.com/


Tell us a little about your book.
This book is all three books of the Next Move, You’re Dead trilogy in one book. It will be in the VIP Swag Bags at the 2013 Emmy Awards on Sept. 22nd



  A mysterious caller chooses Homicide Detective John Cooper, and then Detective Lucinda Mackey to be his opponents in what he refers to as The Game.  With each telephone call, he pulls the unwilling player deeper in to his game causing them to begin to question everything they have ever believed about themselves, and their reality.  Will they escape The Game, or surrender to the darkness, as so many have before them?











Where can we purchase your book(s)?
It is available on Amazon, and Sellfy.com for Nook, Sony, iPad, and all other epub ereaders. I am in the process of having it made into an audiobook as well.

Amazon US 
Amazon UK 
Sellfy.com



PLR: What books/authors have influenced your writing?
I try not to be like other authors.  I like to give the readers something different.
PLR: Do you ever experience writer's block?
I don’t call it writer’s block.  The voices in my head just seem to go on a vacation from time to time. LOL
PLR: Do you write an outline before every book you write?
Somewhat, unfortunately, I don’t always follow it.
PLR: Have you ever hated something you wrote?
No, that’s never happened….yet. LOL
PLR: What is your favorite theme/genre to write about?
Thriller/Suspense.  I love to sink my teeth into something dark and twisted.
PLR: How long have you been writing?
I began as a child, but I published my first book in 2011.
PLR: What inspired you to write your first book?
It’s really a funny story.  I was still driving truck with my husband and one day he turned to me and said, “I have an idea for a book.”  After several hours of planning, my debut novel Next Move, You’re Dead (book 1 of the trilogy) was born.
PLR: Do you have a specific writing style?
I’m not sure, I just write what comes out of my mind.
PLR: How did you come up with the title?
I had fussed for several days trying to come up with a unique title, and I finally realized since the book was about a game of death, Next Move, You’re Dead popped into my mind.
PLR: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
No, this book is simply for fun.  I’ll leave it up to the readers to find any message.
PLR: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Not at all, that would be horrible if it was. LOL
PLR: What books have influenced your life most?
Bible
PLR: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I don’t really have one.
PLR: When you get a chance to read, what type of books do you enjoy?
It all depends on my mood at the time.
PLR: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
OG Tomes, Lisa Vandiver, and RJ Smith.
PLR: What are your current projects?
I’m working on my first paranormal thirller, Flight 437.
PLR: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
RJ Smith
PLR: Do you see writing as a career?
I hope so.
PLR: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Not at all.
PLR: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I was too young.
PLR: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Flight 437
PLR: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
No, I love to write thrillers, so they seem to come easy to me.
PLR: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
 I don’t really have a favorite.
PLR: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Not yet, but I probably will in the future.
PLR: Who designed the cover(s)?
I’ve done some, as well as Jacob Drake and Steve LeMaster
PLR: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Putting other things aside and just doing it.
PLR: Did you learn anything from writing your book(s) and what was it?
That I can come up with a great story that people seem to enjoy.
PLR: What advice would you give to other authors?
Stick with it no matter what people say, ignore the nay-sayers, listen to your inner voice, and be sure that it is properly edited before you publish.  Once all that is done, get ready for the hard work because marketing and promotion can be a full-time job. LOL
PLR: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I want to thank them for giving me a chance by reading my books.  I love to hear from them, and I am thankful for their reviews.  I enjoy visiting with them on facebook, and getting to know them.
PLR: What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?
Thank goodness for google is all I can say. LOL
PLR: While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?
No, I’m more of a visual writer.  There are times when I am deep into writing that I will find my eyes are closed and I’m watching the scene play out like I’m watching a movie.
PLR: What are your expectations for the book?
I’m not sure.  I’m just enjoying the different developments as they come.
PLR: Which of your books was the easiest/hardest to write?
My easiest book to write was Pure Justice.  It seemed to flow out of me.  The hardest was Next Move, You’re dead because it was my first, and I had no idea what I was doing.
PLR:Which of your books is your favorite?
Pure Justice because I have a crush on the main character, Ted, but I’m not the only person who has claimed to have a crush on him. LOL
PLR: Which of your characters is your favorite?
Erebus from the Next Move, You’re Dead trilogy
PLR: Which of your characters is most/least like you, and in what way(s)?
Wow, that’s hard to say.  I’m sure there is a little of me in each of my characters. LOL
PLR: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?
Ted because he is a man on honor and is a man you could respect.
PLR: Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Yes, but I never thought it would happen.
PLR: What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?
I’d go back to being a truck driver.  I loved the freedom of the road.
PLR:If you were to do your career as an author again, what would you do differently, and why?
Nothing really.  Each step whether good or bad has taught me so much.
PLR: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
Yes, I read every single one I can, and they let me know I’m pleasing the readers.
PLR: Have you ever been surprised by a controversy among fans or reviewers - for example, you created a character without thinking too much about what people would think of him, and found some readers loved him and some hated him?
Yes.  My character Erebus has been labeled as someone you love to hate by several readers.  I’ve also had readers beg me not to kill him off because they love his evil ways. LOL
PLR: Have you ever written anything that you thought would be controversial and found it wasn't?
not yet.
PLR: Which question are you most sick of answering in interviews?
 I try not to think that way.  I’m just thrilled that someone would take the time to interview me.
PLR: If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Hmmm… my grandma Broyles. I miss her very much.
PLR: If you could work with any author who would it be?
Probably OG Tomes because we’re both dark and twisted. LOL
PLR:Who is your favorite author and is you writing style similar to theirs?
I don’t have a favorite, and I try not to be like anyone else.
PLR: What's your favorite part of a book?
The beginning because that’s where the fun starts.
PLR: When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?
Sometimes.  I did with Erebus.
PLR: What is your favorite thing to write? Characters, A certain type of scene etc.?
The more dark and twisted the better for me.
PLR: Can you tell us all the books you have written and where they are available to purchase?
Next Move, You’re Dead, A New Game, Erebus (these are the books of the Next Move, You’re Dead trilogy)  Pure Justice, and finally Next Move, You’re Dead-The Trilogy (this is all three books of the trilogy in one book)




Monday, September 9, 2013

DC Hall Author Spotlight

 Pretty Little Readers would like to welcome Author DC Hall.  We hope that you will be as intrigued by him and his book as we are.  We will be posting excerpts from the book throughout the day on Facebook so be sure to check those out by clicking the tab at the top of the page labeled Facebook Home. 




Some fun facts about DC Hall

DC Hall is obsessed with argyle socks, the smell of books and believes he is the smartest person in the room. Granted he’s usually alone when he thinks this but it still feels good. When his nose isn’t stuck in a book, DC is usually writing or trying to teach his dog, Brooklyn, how to wash dishes (success remains elusive.) DC is from the south where the teas are sweet, distance is measured in minutes—not miles, and the skies are always Carolina blue. 

To contact or learn more about DC Hall be sure to check him out these places on-line:


About DC Hall's Book

Cuspian is DC Hall's debut novel.  It is a young adult, scifi, paranormal mystery, add in some urban fantasy and a pinch of romance and you get a fast paced, page turning book you won't put down until you are finished!! Here is the books blurb to get your curiosity stirring....

Twins, Kendal and Kennedi Myles are the envy of their peers with: a second string spot on the varsity football team, smartass but loyal teammates, miniature pores, and a killer spray tan. They had big plans for sophomore year, until their mother is slaughtered during a botched robbery.


Forced to move with their estranged father, Kendal becomes fixated with finding their mother’s killer, while Kennedi tries to settle into life with their dad. After discovering a trail of unsettling clues, the pair begin to believe their mother’s death was part of a conspiracy. As the teens’ investigation digs deeper into their mom’s enigmatic past, a mysterious agency stumbles upon them, and the twosome learns they are Cuspians—individuals gifted with supernatural abilities. Kendal and Kennedi are soon faced with the challenge of staying concealed from the shadowy organization hell-bent on enslaving powerful Cuspians, while trying to solve a murder.



Family secrets, bloody breadcrumbs, and deadly obsessions guide the twins through tough decisions and awful mistakes. Desperate for their lives to return to normal, the pair found normal is not written in the stars for either one of them.

Cuspian is available to purchase through the following places:






Pretty Little Readers Interview with DC Hall



PLR: What books/authors have influenced your writing?
There are too many authors and books that have influenced my writing...It’s like trying to choose your favorite candy or favorite Kardashian that you want to die tragically. Okay... I’ll try J.R. Ward, Stephen King, ‘Her Royal Highness’ *bows* Anne Rice, G.R.R. Martin, Karen Marie Moning, Tolkien, and, of course, Shakespeare...I mean who doesn’t love a love story where everyone dies in the end?

PLR: What genre do you consider your book(s)?

I consider my book a lot of things. Thanks, I’ll be here all week and twice on Wednesdays. Genre wise I think CUSPIAN can be summed up as an urban fantasy.

PLR: Do you ever experience writer's block?

I rarely experience writer’s block but when I do I just keep writing. And if it’s crap then I delete it. THAT is not as simple as it sounds but it’s often the best thing when the story takes a turn for the worse. I once deleted half a chapter. That was a rough night, but Gummy Bears and chocolate syrup got me through.

PLR: Have you ever hated something you wrote?

Hmmm...never hated anything I wrote. If I hate it then I delete it. There are times when I ask myself why did I just write that line or paragraph but usually the reason comes out later on down the road and I can claim that I’m a genius once again.

PLR: What inspired you to write your first book?

This sounds horrible but I read an awful book and I was complaining about it to my brother who willing allowed me to drone on for about ten minutes about why this or that didn’t work and I ended my rant with: “I wasted my *&^%$ money. I mean I could have done better than that.” His response was, “well why don’t you?” Immediately I opened my mouth for a witty reply in an English accent (because witty replies always sound better in an English accent) when I thought, “Yeah, why don’t I?”

PLR: Do you have a specific writing style?

Not really. I do enjoy writing in first person since it helps me “hear” my characters better.

PLR: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes, life is a beautiful struggle but if you fight hard enough then it’s worth every knick, bump, and bruise.

PLR: What book are you reading now?

I’m not reading anything new right now since I’m on a self imposed reading punishment. Once I hit a certain benchmark then I am able to read something new. This motivates me into writing.

PLR: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

My online writing community. I am a member of several writing Facebook groups and without their constant support I wouldn’t be published.

PLR: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

There were a few scenes that I cut due to pacing concerns but there was a funeral scene that COMPLETELY ruined me and I wanted that for my readers as well. It was so emotional that I’m still trying to think on how to incorporate that into a future book.


PLR: Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write.every.single.day.

PLR: While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?

Yes, I feel like all my characters throughout the day. I find myself laughing at things my characters says while I’m at my day job. Wait, that sounds crazy doesn’t it. What—what are you doing with that straight jacket and needle?!?

PLR: What are your expectations for the book?

That I become rich and famous and I can quit my day job and train to become a ninja and teach defense against the Dark Arts but mainly I just want readers to enjoy it enough to send me hate mail for ending it with a cliff-hanger.


PLR: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

Nope. I rather not let any (positive or negative) reviews influence my writing. I write for my characters. I just hope my fans like it.

PLR: What's your favorite part of a book?

The SMELL!!! That’s not weird is it? Oh okay, good. For a second there I thought you thought that I was a freak. [Nervous laugh]


GIVEAWAY!!!
Enter to win an e-book copy of Cuspian and some Exclusive Cuspian Nail Polish!!!
(There will be a 1st and 2nd place winner.  1st place will win both the book and polish, 2nd place will win a book. GOOD LUCK!)