Author Feature: Ben Starling

Helloooo lovely people of the Earth! It's been quite a while since I've updated The Book Landers, as I am still on my "Asia Tour" (aka teaching English at Lishan Elementary School in Taiwan).  Days have been busy, but enough said about me . . . the star of today's show is BEN STARLING. We're lucky to have an interview with Mr. Starling himself. (By the way, his upcoming novel will be released in January 2016). 

1. Probably a cliche question at this point--but I'm still going to ask it: What inspired you to write?

Carol Shields wrote: 'Write the book you want to read, the one you cannot find.'

My upcoming novel was inspired by the loss of my partner at forty-five years of age to ovarian cancer, just thirteen weeks after her diagnosis. In the aftermath, an old friend challenged me to turn that grief into something positive. Remembering a conversation with a charismatic Polynesian fisherman (I visited there once) about his people’s vision of death and the afterlife, I began to write.

Through the written word, I hoped to explore and capture several extraordinary events that happened around the time of my girlfriend’s death. The book kind of took off from there… Here’s the blurb for the book: What if to be with the man of your dreams… you had to give up your life? On the verge of losing her job, a side-lined journalist is forced to travel to the South Pacific to untangle a mystery where she meets a reclusive ex-boxer with a message. When a syndicate of corporate criminals invades paradise, she must either defend the island with her life or accept the plum promotion that will save her career.

Also at http://www.ben-starling.com/books/upcoming-release/

 2. What draws you to the genre you write?

 I write about love… because nothing else is as important. Because love impacts us in so many ways (which I will explore in sequels), I live to go deeper. The question I’ve asked in my forthcoming novel (title reveal coming soon) is what happens to love after death?

I was bereaved, as many people have been, and what happens after death is a question we all want answers to. My experiences just prior to and after Melisa’s passing convinced me there is a lot going on – but the answers are clouded, opaque. We don’t know for sure what happens beyond the veil. This is why the novel has some mystery running thorough it – I wanted to tread a less well-trodden path.

3. What are your top three favorite things about writing? 

I enjoy staring at a computer screen – the writer’s blank canvas - and adding shape and color...I am also an artist and see clear parallels between writing and art. Every written scene has a foreground, mid-ground and background, just as a painting or drawing does. Secondly, the discipline of adding literary shape and colour in a structured way is challenging but rewarding. Thirdly, I love magic moment when it all comes together!

4. Your three least favorite things about writing? 

Plot holes. You think everything is swimming along and then CLUMP – back to square one! Fortunately I usually find a way round the problem: it’s off for a canal walk for me and some enjoyable pondering by the water.

Next, rewarding as it is, writing is also quite draining – but after my canal walk, when I sit down to write again, the new surprise twist solution I was dreaming of always seems to reveal itself. Water is wonderful that way. Finally, writing is a lonely occupation – I spend more time with my characters than I do with real people!

5. Who is your favorite author? 

I’m a devout fan of Maeve Binchy for her masterful plot structure and rich detailed backgrounds. You don’t just gain the pleasure of a story from her, you learn craft.

6. If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be? 

Wendy in Peter Pan, Anne Elliot in Persuasion… and could I possibly add here, the larger than life, Erin Brockovich who has been captured in movie memoir? All these characters have great strength and great compassion, qualities I admire hugely.

7. Is there anything you MUST have in order to write? (ie. coffee, music) 

Silence. Frequent breaks. Occasional chocolate. Encouragement from my editor and beta readers. More chocolate…

8. Do you set writing goals for yourself? How do you stay on track? 

Only quite loosely. When it’s going well, I churn out several thousand words a day, when badly, it can be only a handful. But when taken over time, hopefully I’m hitting an acceptable average.

9. Dogs or cats? 

Both! As pets, but also as writers. The way I see it there are only two kinds of writers in the world – dog writers and cat writers. Dog writing is a spontaneous, rolling and playing in the grass, stream of consciousness writing. Cat writing is meticulous, methodical, and insists upon years of research and planning in the foundation of every book. Cats do exactly what they are going to do and that’s it.

Both have their advantages. Ideally, I’d like to be a dog writer that aspires to be a cat, galloping over the hill as I dream up new plots with my tail streaming out and the wind in my flapping ears.

10. Anything else you want readers to know? 

Right now I’m working on a series of prequel short stories to be released from September 21, 2015. They are set in the same world as my upcoming novel and introduce some of the main characters at important points in their lives. The novel itself will be released on January 21, 2016. I do appreciate hearing from readers, and very much welcome feedback.

You can find me at www.ben-starling.com and also at

 

About Ben

Ben Starling is passionate about marine conservation and boxing, both central themes in his upcoming novel. He is Oxford’s only ever Quintuple Blue (varsity champion five years running), was Captain of the university boxing team, and coached and boxed competitively. Ben graduated from Oxford University with a Master of Arts and an M Phil. He was born in the USA but has lived in the UK since childhood.

Book Spotlight: Death Wish

Title: Death Wish

Author: Megan Tayte

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE. 

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense. 

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to the isolated cove of Twycombe, Devon, with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need. 

As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power. 

What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death. 

To believe the impossible.

Review:

This book was definitely dark, or at least had a very dark start. The darkness didn’t go away entirely but it did diminish some. I think Megan Tayte captured the grief and the darkness of Scarlett really well at the beginning of the book. Then you start moving away from the grief a bit and get to know Scarlett but not the Scarlett before she was affected this way but the Scarlett she is becoming. It’s great to see this growth. It certainly talked about a lot of the questions people have after a death like that and I think it handed the issue tactfully without going overboard or doing anything to make readers uncomfortable.

The first person perspective was something I was neutral about with a slight leaning towards liking it. I’m not a huge fan of this perspective but in Death Wish it seemed to fit and I liked getting Scarlett’s perspective. I would have loved to have some peeks into Jude’s or Luke’s brains, mostly Jude’s just so when he got cryptic it would be easier to decode.But it did allow some mystery to remain. You learned quickly about the powers that she possesses. But at the same time there was still something to be figured out.

The ending was marvelous but horrible at the same time. There was such a cliffhanger that I wanted to know more right away. And that’s not possible at the moment. So now I’m curious as to what will happen especially because I loved the characters and I want them to have a happy ending. Every one of them. Although I know if they do it will be a hard road. Because otherwise there wouldn’t be a book right?

Overall, Death Wish was a great read, especially if you enjoy Young Adult Paranormal Romance.

Rating:

Amazon | Amazon UK

And now . . . an interview with the wonderful 

Megan Tayte!

 I know that this is probably a cliché question, but I’m going to ask it anyways J What inspired you to start writing?

My grandmother. I was very young when I developed a passion for reading, and one day I asked her how books got made and by whom. Once she explained, that was it: from that day forth ‘author’ was the only job for me.

Of course, deciding to write books was one thing, actually doing it was another. It took many years, a lot of practice and a good deal of soul-searching for me to reach a point where I put pen to paper. Even then, I had several books published under my professional name before I felt I was a ‘proper’ author and was ready to write what I really wanted to write: The Ceruleans.

 Is there something you must need in order to write? (i.e. a cup of coffee or music in the background)

Light. In daytime, I write best at the window – whether at home in my writing room, which overlooks the garden, in a cosy cafe or in the airy lounge of a local hotel. Writing al fresco is even better – on a bench overlooking parkland, a lake or the sea. On a dark day, or if I’m writing early in the morning or at night, I need soft lamplight and plenty of it, and when I’m writing an atmospheric scene, I often light candles.

What draws you to the genre you write?

I’ve always believed that there are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy. Anyone who’s fallen in love, held a newborn baby or looked at a rainbow knows there is more to life than what is concrete and definable.

I grew up knowing loss, and I think that is where my belief in there being something more stems from. What child wants to think that someone they love has ceased to exist? Faith is essential.

That said, I don’t write hardcore paranormal fiction. I class my writing as romance, fundamentally, with just an edge of paranormal – the paranormal element isn’t what drives the story; the relationships between characters are at the heart.

 If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be?

I’ve always been fascinated by Erik, the twisted genius in Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera, but to meet him in person may be somewhat chilling. Perhaps Nancy from Dickens’ Oliver Twist then – to tell her to leave her vile man and run as far and as fast as she can before Bill Sikes can bludgeon her to death.

Do you think that it’s true that each character in a novel reflects some bit of the author?

Perhaps not every single character, but certainly some. Because the best writing comes from a place of personal experience, and so you instinctively give your characters traits that you understand. So, for example, my heroine Scarlett is like me in some ways: independent at a young age, happy enough in her own company, sensitive when it comes to emotions, and definitely not at ease in a loud, crowded nightclub.

But, crucially, no character is a representation of you, the author – each is very different. A big part of the fun (and the challenge) of writing is navigating territory that’s new to you. In Death Wish, for example, Scarlett is determined to conquer her fear of the ocean and learn to surf. Eventually, she becomes a pretty kick-ass surfer. That’s not me at all: I’d remain as Scarlett is at the start of the book – bobbing about on the waves, clinging to a surfboard for dear life and in dire need of rescue. Ideally, by a very hot surfer, of course.

                                                                                                  

Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate, every time! Did you know you can grow chocolate-scented flowers now? Mmm.

 Do you outline?

Yes, extensively. But then I give myself permission to go off course when I feel like it and try a new direction. So by the end of the book the outline is generally covered in additions and amendments, and that feels right to me: a pristine sheet would be too boring, too rigid.

What, in your opinion, makes a character “interesting”?

Their flaws and their quirks. Perfect, ‘normal’ characters are dull and flat and impossible to connect to. I’m interested in characters that feel real – that tell a fundamental truth. I love characters who battle inner demons, who see the world differently, who inspire and challenge.

In The Ceruleans, the character of Cara was the most fun to write because she isn’t defined by her disability, but is feisty, opinionated and intelligent: 

Life was never dull with Cara. She was always upbeat, with a refreshingly open perspective on the world (‘See that homeless guy? Yep, the one selling the Big Issue. Yes, the one with the big beard and the scars. Hot, isn’t he?’)...

How many people see the beauty in a scarred homeless guy?

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Write a lot, read a lot, dream a lot and smile a lot – there’s so much to smile about!

   Anything else you would like readers to know about you? Thanks!

I love connecting with readers and fellow romantics. You can find me online at:

http://megantayte.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478850.Megan_Tayte

https://www.facebook.com/megantayte

https://twitter.com/megantayte

https://www.pinterest.com/megantayte/

About the Author

Once upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess fireman. 'Write, Megan,' her grandmother advised. So that's what she did.

Thirty-odd years later, Megan writes the kinds of books she loves to read: young-adult paranormal romance fiction. Young adult, because it's the time of life that most embodies freedom and discovery and first love. Paranormal, because she's always believed that there are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy. And romance, because she's a misty-eyed dreamer who lives for those 'life is so breathtakingly beautiful' moments.

Megan grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in Robin Hood's county, Nottingham. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a paleontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When she's not writing, you'll find her walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.

Book Spotlight: The Witches of Armour Hill

So. . . what exactly is going on?

Meet Alyssa Cooper!  She's on a mission--a mission to self publish The Witches of Armour Hill.  

About the book:

Margaret May Reis knows how strange she is; people have been telling her for years. At sixteen years old, though, Maggie begins to realize that strangeness is only half the story. Maggie isn’t just strange – she’s a witch.

Sent to live with a cousin she’s never met, in a city she doesn't remember, Maggie is sure that life as she knows it is over. It doesn't take her long to learn that Peterborough is not at all what it seems. Her first week in the city, Maggie meets a stray cat named Elowen, who seems to appear out of thin air, and a strange girl named Rhosyn, who introduces her to a coven of witches, and assures her that life will never be the same.

The newest member of an ancient coven, Maggie discovers new friends, new powers, and a new lease on life. As she works with her young sisters to hone their magical skills, they stumble across the coven’s darkest secret, one that their governing council has kept hidden for over a century. Caught up in a conspiracy that began with the very first generations of witches, Maggie and her friends tumble down the rabbit hole, reaching blindly for the truth.

It will take three young witches to uncover the secrets that their Matriarch left behind over a century before.

Sounds interesting? Go support Alyssa on her Kickstarter campaign HERE!

Also, be sure to check out some of her other published works HERE!

Questions? Comments? 

Contact Alyssa via the following links:

Twitter | Facebook | Wattpad | Goodreads

Want some more? Check out an excerpt from The Witches of Armour Hill below:

Margaret May Reis stared up at her closet in horror, her green eyes wide and wet. The three small walls were scorched black, but the flames had mostly died away. Once her clothes had burnt up, there was nothing left for them to feed on.

Her blistered hands were still shaking.

Oh no, she thought miserably, a hard knot of tears pulsing in her throat. Why did I have to do that? She racked her brain for a solution, a way to fix it, anything, but what could she do? She reached out a tentative hand for the last hanger still clinging to the closet bar; it fell to ash at her touch.

“Maggie?” The Aunt’s harsh voice froze her blood. She could hear her moving through the house below, coming toward the stairs. “Maggie, what was that noise?”

In a panic, Maggie tore out of the room and down the hall, putting the stairs at her back. Under a square door in the ceiling, she leapt for the string that would reveal a hidden ladder up to the attic. She missed once, twice, but just when she was sure she would be caught, when The Aunt’s heavy steps had reached the bottom of the stairs, the ladder fell from the ceiling and Maggie scrambled up into the gloom of the attic.

She pulled the ladder up behind her, as quietly as she could, sealing herself alone in the dusty dark. Crawling on her hands and knees, she weaved through the towers of musty old boxes until she reached the place where the rafters met the floor. There, she folded herself up small, pulling her knees to her chest.

In the hallway below, The Aunt called out apprehensively, “Maggie? What’s that smell?”

Her hands shaking, Maggie pulled an old stuffed cat from a nearby cardboard box. She clutched it to her chest, closing her eyes tight, rubbing the soft fur against her cheek and ignoring the stink of mould.

I’m with grandma, she tried to convince herself. I’m back home with grandma and grandpa.

The Aunt shrieked from below. “What the- Rich! She did it again!”

A moment later she heard The Uncle stomp up the stairs. Maggie pressed her fists into her ears when The Aunt started to yell. Only a few words broke through. She heard The Uncle say “Honey, come on, she’s only twelve years old.”

She heard The Aunt say, “I want her out, Richard.” Her feet stomped back down the stairs and her husband followed, pleading.

And then she heard a door slam.

The silence that followed was strung tight, humming in Maggie’s ears. With a strange sense of calm, her heartbeat like a metronome in the quiet room, Maggie opened her eyes. Her gaze swept from one pile of dusty old boxes to the next, and time seemed to slow, so she could see motes of dust drifting by at a snail’s pace. She breathed, listening to her lungs, and all at once, the tower on her left burst into hot and hungry flames. Maggie shrieked, kicking away from the corner, away from the flickering heat that licked her cheek. Another tower ignited as she scrambled away, and then another, and another, until the heat and smoke were so thick that she could no longer see the room around her. She couldn’t see the door, or the window, or even the ceiling above her head.

In her bright, flickering hell, Maggie started to scream.

Inspiration for Writers and Readers

So...I'm feeling kind of lazy today and don't feel like typing up a review :-P Instead, I've compiled this lovely collection of inspirational and/or humorous pictures for readers and writers (mostly writers...but hey, I'm sure we've all at one point or another at least attempted to write a novel. It must be a book nerd thing.) Without further ado, enjoy!

For The Writer