Giveaway and Interview with Ami Blackwelder

Happy Saturaday fictionators!!  Today I have Ami Blackwelder with me and she is going to talk about 2 of her books: She Speaks to Angels and The Mers.  I was also able to get her to go into a bit of detail about her writing style and the workings behind her books.  Let's take a look:

How old were you when you first realized you wanted to write?

I have always told stories. At first they were stories told verbally and then when I learned how to write, I told stories I wrote. I had many stories read aloud in Elementary classes growing up.

Tell us a little bit about the books.

SHE SPEAKS TO ANGELS BLURB:

"I tried not to sound hysterical, but it’s not every day you find out the paranormal is hunting you."

                    What if everything you believed was a lie?

                                A Suicide

Seventeen year old Allison Maney attends Millennium High School in Manhattan. Nothing out of the ordinary, unless you consider the occasional suicides at the school. At least that is what everyone is told, what everyone believes. But Tommy Bachelor was a popular football player; why would he jump off the roof of the school?

                           Dangerous Liaisons

When Dameon pays attention to Ali, she couldn't be more excited, because for the past three months he was all she could think about. But now that Dameon is finally pining for her affections, she is becoming more and more wrapped up in a clique of three who, as new transfers to the school, are proving to be trouble. But at least Dameon loves her, doesn't he?    

                             A Soul Purpose

The underworld of angels and demons have one thing on their mind: Earth. Demons want to do what they want. Angels want to protect humans from these rogue angels, AKA: Demons 

                         A Suspenseful Romance

Caught between Dameon and Kian, the suicide and the clique of three, Ali won't know who to trust…or who to love, because for Allison Maney, everything is not exactly what it seems.

What made you choose this genre?

I enjoy angel stories and wanted to write my own. I enjoy thrillers and mysteries and wanted to combine the two with elements of YA romance.

Most authors have an unusual story or way that they come up with their ideas for books…Do you have one?

I sometimes dream what to write, in fact THE DAY THE FLOWERS DIED came to me in a dream. It is a War World II romance. It felt very real which is why that translates to the characters. Many people tell me it is the best if not one of the best love stories they have ever read and that the two main characters stay with them long after reading. They have that effect on me too.

What is the key element in your character creation?

I like real, relatable characters. In some stories -like my shifter saga- the characters are too real for many young adults. Affairs, lies, depression, workaholics, and all that good stuff that as adults we tend to see and experience more of. But with my YA stories, I like to keep it simple and sweet for the most part. The main characters are innocent minded with a flare for getting into trouble. That is true with THE MERS, THE GATE OF LAKE FOREST, and SHE SPEAKS TO ANGELS.  This ‘trouble’ leads the story. 

What was your biggest influence that steered you towards writing?

Umm...I have always felt it in my blood ‘per se’. But influences would be most female writers. I remember learning about Silas Marner in High School and how a female wrote it who pretended to be a man. I thought that was pretty cool. Kinda Jone of Arcish. 

I have to ask, what are the hardest scenes for you to write?

In the beginning love scenes were the hardest for me to write, and all that mushy-kissy stuff. But now I enjoy it:)-

Are sex scenes difficult for you to word?

I tended to be a bit too poetic or abstract when I first wrote love scenes, and now after reading what ‘people are reading’ I try to be more modern in my descriptions with more concrete and tactile imagery.

Do you see yourself writing in another genre?

I write in scifi, paranormal, historical and am venturing into steampunk, urban and contemporary. I will never do horror or erotic.

Has your family been supportive?

For the most part. Some more than others. But no one has actually read any of my books. My sister-in-laws have, but no one in my direct family has of yet. Either too busy, or not really the genre they prefer.

Are any of your characters reflective of you?

I think some of my characters reflect aspects of me. Ali’s casual sense of style in up my alley, Melissa Marn’s workaholic mentality is like me, April McKaine’s sense of adventure and bravery is like me in some ways, and even Michael Cole’s sense of poetry and love of words parallels myself.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Read, swim, walk, movies, tv, sunbathe, manicures, pedicures, social work.

Who is your favorite book heroine?

I used to like Princess Lea growing up and Wonder Woman. Now, I like Jone of Arc types. 

Do you have any unusual habits that revolve around writing?

Tea, but that is not unusual. Talking out a scene or dialogue. I have to be alone or not bothered when writing. Have to get into the zone.

What is you favorite mystical creature?

I’d say an angel or mermaid. But I actually believe in both in some forms.

What were some of your biggest challenges at the beginning of your career?

Simply mowing what to do and how to do it. Promoting, websites, reviews, mailing lists, newsletters, distribution, advertising, and editing, cover design. So much goes into each book and going through the process for the first few times was a lot of work. I’ve been Indie publishing since 2010. After two years I can now finally say I feel I know what I am doing and how to get where want to get. My covers and editing looks much more polished. I know where to spend my money on promoting and what is most effective. I understand marketing much more, but still have a lot to learn. I understand the distribution process.

How do you feel about reader comments?

I LOVE them! Good or bad, I love for readers to participate.

Do you have any advice for new authors?

Read and learn as much as you can about the business aspect of writing and publishing and then go for it.

Where are your books available?

Everywhere. Kindle, smashwords, nook and at many online retailers for ebooks and prints. Locally, my books are in schools, libraries and bookstores.

What can we expect from you in the future?

 Vampire and Zombies and then the sequels to THE MERS , SHE SPEAKS TO ANGELS, THE GAT OF LAKE FOREST and SHIFTERS

Where can we reach you and become informed of updates?

http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com

 So Ami has generously offered 2 of my viewers a copy of either The Mers or She speaks to Angels.  Let's take a look at the book details:

A Mermaid Dystopia

What lies beneath the surface? One hundred years from now, the world has changed and brought with it, new forms of life. Who are the Mers? Who is Mira? Mira always knew she was different. Growing up with Mers, she never quite fit in. When Mira breaks the rules and takes Niren across the border that divides Ellis Island and New Jersey, a border that divides two vastly different worlds, she thought the journey to find out who she really is would be an easy one.

But as the world in Jersey proves to be a convoluted mix of Aristocrats who hate the Mers, Pirates who want to sell them, and Magi who want to use them...finding her true identity will be a challenge, especially when her best friend Niren is a Mer willing to fight to the death.     

A Suicide

Seventeen year old Allison Maney attends Millennium High School in Manhattan. Nothing out of the ordinary, unless you consider the occasional suicides at the school. At least that is what everyone is told, what everyone believes. But Tommy Bachelor was a popular football player; why would he jump off the roof of the school?

Dangerous Liaisons

When Dameon pays attention to Ali, she couldn't be more excited, because for the past three months he was all she could think about. But now that Dameon is finally pining for her affections, she is becoming more and more wrapped up in a clique of three who, as new transfers to the school, are proving to be trouble. But at least Dameon loves her, doesn't he?

Kian- a dangerous love interest she did not ask for.
Powers- belonging to an underworld she never knew existed.
A Clique- that could be friends or foes?

A Soul Purpose

The underworld of angels and demons have one thing on their mind: Earth.
Demons want to do what they want.
Angels want to protect humans from these rogue angels, AKA: Demons
For Allison Maney, everything is not exactly what it seems…

A Suspenseful Romance

Caught between Dameon and Kian, the suicide and the clique of three,
Ali won't know who to trust…or who to love.

To be entered to win just fill out the rafflecopter.  Good Luck amd a big thank you to Ami for stopping by here today!!
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