Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Guest Post---Author Amber Riley!

I am so excited to have my first guest author post today! Amber Riley is very talented and is going to make a name for herself. She is also very nice and down to earth. Be sure to enter the giveaway HERE (or looking at my sidebar) for a chance to win her debut novel. Winner will  be announced tomorrow!!!

Now on to Amber!


Hello, everyone. I’m very happy to be doing a guest blog here. My debut novel, The Flash of a Firefly, was released in June this year. It was a long time in the works, but all the work I put into it has just made it all the more rewarding.

I had no plot when I began writing. One night, Kaden introduced himself to me and that was the start. I spent a long time just wandering about aimlessly, trying to get from point A to point B, before everything clicked. Then the countless edits began, giving the novel an overhaul. I knew that I wanted to create a world where the paranormal aspects seemed believable and realistic. I knew I wanted it to be different from all the vampire novels coming out recently. And, more importantly, I knew I wanted to stick to the traditional vampire myths.

I will admit that all that wandering wasted a lot of time, but it made me understand my characters in a way I don’t think I would have otherwise. I’m a sucker for character driven stories so I wouldn’t take back a second of it. I wanted to make the reader care just as much about Kaden as I did, which is why I wrote in first person. You can see what he sees, feel what he feels, and discover things along with him.

The characters will continue to grow through the series. (And, I do promise that Book Two will be longer!) I am very lucky to have a strong support system to help me through, even though my requests are sometimes strange. While writing The Flash of a Firefly, I walked into my kitchen, got out a glass of milk and stuck a spoon in it. Then, I handed it to my grandmother, asking her to take the spoon out and hit me in the forehead with it. :::snicker::: (There is a scene in the book relating to this, by the way. I was really striving for realism.)

One thing I found was that when people hear the word “vampire”, their first response is “like Twilight!” If only I had a nickel for every time I heard those words. The plot didn’t even get a chance to escape my lips. When asked what my novel was about, I reverted to saying “vampires – but not the sparkly kind.” A lot of people got a kick out of it.

My novel has deeper themes than romance, although there is a hint of it. Whether it’s having your unwanted past catch up to you or finding someone you have an unexplainable connection with, I think there is something in The Flash of a Firefly that most people can relate to.

Thank you all for your support! And, to Rebecca for the opportunity to blog here. I hope you all enjoy reading my debut novel. I love hearing from fans, so please feel free to drop me an email at Amber_Riley@live.com

Thank You Amber! And if your interested in her book, here is the Amazon link! Also be sure to check out her blog for updates on the series! Kindred Blood Trilogy



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