Author: Katie L. Carroll (Page 96 of 142)

Meet Ace Hansen Author of Julius Caesar Brown and the Green Gas Mystery

July 31, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Today I’m so pleased to welcome a very unusual guest: a writer alien! Ace Hansen (who happens to be green) wrote the hilarious MG novel Julius Caesar Brown the Green Gas Mystery (see my Goodreads review here). Welcome, Ace!

So exactly how does a green alien get into the profession of writing?

He chooses to inhabit the body of an Earth host who is in the profession of writing. Should have chosen a gummy worm maker, but I didn’t know about them at the time.

I may have read that you like gummy worms…what’s your favorite flavor?

The ones with red. Red and white. Red and yellow. Red and orange. Red and green. But I’ll eat any and all of them. No problem.

How about favorite color (I notice there seems to be a lot of green in your life)?

Purple. I really love purple. All kinds of purple. Haven’t you seen my sweater?

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring two books and one movie, what would you bring?

No candy? Are you kidding me? One movie? E.T. I’m in love. Two books? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG both by that tall Earth man, Roald Dahl.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

The ability to make humans laugh hysterically on command.

What is something funny/weird/exceptional about yourself that you don’t normally share with others in an interview?

I can say the alphabet backwards in Spanish. And I’ve tasted vomit. Don’t be shocked! Everybody has, at least everyone who’s thrown up. ^_^

And your final challenge if you should accept it…using the magnetic refrigerator poetry set, please write up a little piece of poetry or prose from these words.

#1 Sky you are but a spy

All day

Seeing us nuts

#2 Imagine

Another perfect chance

Dream green!

#3 Read

Play more

Live life like fire

Julius Caesar Brown and the Green Gas Mystery blurb:

The world is farting green! Who will stop the green gas crisis?

When a mysterious green gas crisis breaks wind, the Global Air Group (GAG) offers a million-dollar prize to the first person to discover the cause. Julius Caesar Brown dreams of winning the cash so he can pay off Jake the Snake, the blackmailing bully who threatens to ruin his chances with the cutest girl in fifth grade. But Julius can barely pass a math test, let alone solve an international scientific mystery. What he needs is money. Fast. His mom volunteers him to help the Zombie Lady. Yeah. The crazy woman down the street who every kid knows eats boys’ brains. But Miss Crabtree’s no zombie. And winning the million-dollar prize may not be as far-fetched as Julius once thought.

If you’d like to purchase JULIUS CAESAR BROWN AND THE GREEN GAS MYSTERY it’s available as an ebook now at MuseItUp, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo, and is coming in print Fall 2013.

About the Author:

Ace Hansen, the smartest green alien in the Milky Way Galaxy

If you’d like to learn more about Ace (of course you do!) you can find him on: Ace Hansen’s Website, Twitter, Facebook.

Females in YA: Part 3 Current YA

July 29, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

*There may be some spoilers in this post for the following books*

Thirteen Reasons Why Twilight (Twilight, #1) The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) The Fault in Our Stars

The Book Thief Speak Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1) The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Sisterhood, #1)

So far in my Females in YA series, I’ve discussed my own experiences as a female growing up and the roles females play in my own writing. Since then I’ve come across two more articles about this topic you all might find interesting: That’s Not Very Feminist of You, Bella: Feminism in YA by Chelsea Condren (thanks to Ann Herrick for directing me to this one) and Screw Writing Strong Women by J. Anderson Coats.

For part 3, let’s open things up beyond my experiences and writing and take a look at what has been going on in other YA books. So what are females in YA doing these days? For examples I’m sticking to blockbuster selling books (and ones I’ve actually read) because that seems to be what most teens are reading in large numbers (and it would be hard to intelligently talk about books I haven’t read).

So we’ve got a girl who committed suicide and posthumously leaves tapes for those responsible for her death (Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reason Why); a girl whose sole reason for existence seems to be becoming a vampire so she can spend the rest of her life with the vampire boy she’s been pining after (Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight); a girl who is forced to fight to the death in a reality TV show (Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games); a girl with terminal cancer who meets a boy, who also has cancer, and falls in love (John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars); a book stealing girl whose family is hiding a Jewish boy during WWII (Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief); a girl who is afraid to speak the truth about having been raped at a party (Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak); a girl who has the Grace, or magical talent, of killing (Kristin Cashore’s Graceling); and a group of four girls, with different personality and physical traits, who share a pair of jeans on their first summer away from each other (Ann Brashares’ The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants).

I know that’s a lot of examples, but I really wanted to demonstrate the breadth of what is being covered in YA. There are lots of heavy issues, including suicide, rape, cancer, death, killing, losing one’s virginity, and war. And the books above above seem to be a good sampling of the different genres, with paranormal, contemporary, dystopian, historical, and fantasy represented. There are strong, physically and/or mentally, girls; broken girls; sensitive girls; codependent ones; and numerous other adjectives that could be used to describe these females characters.

Boys do play a prominent role in pretty much all these stories, but romance doesn’t necessarily dominate them all. And in several boys play a very negative role in the narrative. (This list of books I’ve mentioned is certainly not exhaustive, but I found it unwieldy enough with eight so I was reticent to include anymore.)

So it seems (bringing the conversation back to my original post) that the reality of boys not being everything to teen girls is reflected in YA, though boys do factor into most girls’ lives and the popular stories written about them. Also, I believe different types of females are represented in these stories, which I think is a good thing.

One thing I found surprising when compiling this list was how heavy so many of these stories were. I can only speculate, but I imagine teen girls read about these heavy topics so widely because the stories evoke strong emotional responses (at least all these books did so in me).

Before I started this post, I imagined going into more specific details about the female characters in these books, but I think the post has grown longer than I anticipated. Maybe I’ll continue this discussion further and look at some of these characters in depth…I’ll have to think on it (feeling a bit mentally fatigued right now).

I’d love to hear your thoughts and keep this conversation going in the comments. What YA females have resonated with you? What do you think makes these (and other stories you’ve read) so popular with teens? Do you think a variety of females are represented in current YA?

The Making of Revelations by Julie Lynn Hayes

July 26, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Today I’ve got fellow Muser Julie Lynn Hayes discussing her book Revelations, an alternate historical romance. Welcome, Julie!

The Making of Revelations: How it came to be

by Julie Lynn Hayes

The idea was born many years ago. Over forty, actually. When I was a teenager. Back then, it didn’t have a name, and it had no real shape. But I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to tell the story of Judas Iscariot. The trouble was I didn’t know how.

What drew me to Judas, is probably what you’re asking yourself, and that’s a valid question. Ask anyone else who Judas is and you’ll get answers that are probably all variations on a theme of betrayal. I’m not sure exactly when I began to question that, but I do know that when I saw Jesus Christ Superstar performed live back in 1971 (or thereabouts), I had an epiphany regarding him. I saw him, not as the bad guy as often portrayed, but someone who not only believed in Jesus but was willing to do what he needed him to do. For without Judas’ “betrayal” of Jesus, the story would not have worked out the way it did. It needed to happen that way. And if you read the Gospel of Judas, he was the only apostle who trusted Jesus enough to do that for him. Gives one food for thought, doesn’t it?

Very interesting, but where’s the story, I wondered. Was I going to take an historical perspective, research the man and his life? Easier said than done, especially back then. We had no Internet. We didn’t even have computers. Research was all done through books. Libraries had card catalogs, a far cry from today when you can log onto your library website and browse their selection, then request what you want. So I looked and I found bupkus (nothing). I had the Bible, of course, but it tends to be limited on information, as well as a bit biased.

So nothing was written, and I let it go, as my thoughts formulated in the back of my head. In the meantime, I was reading, watching… and learning. King of Kings was my first Biblical movie, and I loved it. Jeffrey Hunter’s portrayal of Jesus is very moving, and I was very enamored of the film. Jesus Christ Superstar – I think I know all the words, I’ve listened so many times. I liked the stage version, but the first film not so much.

Besides watching these things and others, I read. Christopher Moore’s Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal. What a fabulous book! I loved it! So much I bought the special edition. And I read The Gospel of Judas! Forty years ago I’d never heard of such a thing. Of course I read the DaVinci Code, and watched the movie. And everything began to percolate inside my head…

Then one day it happened. Judas spoke to me, for the first time. And I simply began to write it down, not knowing what he might say, or where his story might lead. It turned out to be quite the story and took me on quite the journey, and led to places that I didn’t expect it to. If he’d have spoken forty years ago, I would not have been ready to receive his message. But my life up until the moment that I first heard him speak prepared me. And the result is Revelations.

The original title was Kyrie Eleison, a tribute to the Mister Mr. song, Kyrie. Kyrie eleison means Christ, have mercy on us. But then fellow author Marie Sexton, who was reading Kyrie for me at the time, suggested a simpler title. A better title. Revelations. So Revelations it became.

I know there are people who will not like Revelations, and by extension, me. People who will not see the message it carries, only that it does not follow what they believe. But ultimately, no matter what you believe, Revelations is a story of love. Love is the message, and love is something that binds us all together.

Revelations is love.

Thank you for having me here, enjoy your day!

Revelations Blurb:

Judas has never been very popular, not in any incarnation that he and Jesus and the others have lived through. But he doesn’t care about that. All he cares about is following the instructions of God as set forth in the script that they follow. And Jesus. For Judas has secretly loved the son of God for over two thousand years.

But now he decides that enough is enough, and he’s tired of watching Jesus die far too early, and for what? This time Judas is determined to see that Jesus lives a long and happy life, no matter what price he has to pay to accomplish it…no matter if he has to make a deal with the devil himself.

Revelations is a story of what could be, told by those who play it out, time after time after time, unbeknownst to the rest of mankind. They’ve come back again, for yet another round. But this time is going to be different.

Revelations can be found at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, and All Romance Ebooks.

Revelations Excerpt:

Prologue: God

It’s not always easy to sit on the sidelines and watch what is happening, to resist the urge to intervene in his best interest. My son’s that is. Jesus. But I do so, because I know it’s for his own good. As well as for the good of mankind. I can’t let my concerns as his father override my vested interest in the fate of man. But sometimes that is easier said than done.

This morning I am not alone. Someone else is with me, someone with his own agenda, although we are not as diametrically opposed as some would imagine us to be. Good and evil aren’t the simplistic concepts some would portray them as being—there are more grey areas there than you might think. And rightly so.

He smirks. Too much for my taste, I have to admit, but sometimes he does have his moments, and he too has a part to play in what is happening in the world of men. Someone needs to fill the role of the villain, after all.

The stage is being set for the third act, the scripts have been handed round, and the actors are taking their places. Will this time end any differently than the others? That depends on my son, on Jesus. I’m thinking this will be the time when he’ll make the change.

“He’ll change nothing,” Lucifer interjects, although I’ve asked him nothing, certainly not inquired as to his opinion.

I glance at him. He’s dressed to within an inch of his life, and wears the most ridiculous sunglasses I’ve ever seen. I decide not to comment on his fashion sense. “I think he might, this time. I think he’s ready for change.”

Lucifer snorts. “It’s been two thousand years, and neither one has exactly caught on yet. Why should this time be any different?”

“Care to put your money where your mouth is?”

He eyes me carefully. “I would, but you see you have this whole mystic omnipotent God thing going on. Personally, I don’t care for those odds.”

I arch an eyebrow. “I may be omnipotent, but Jesus does have free will and he does possess the ability to make his own decisions. You think I’d stack the deck in my son’s favor? Just to win a bet with you?”

“Let’s say I’m taking no chances.” He smiles. “Tell you what, though—give me free rein. Let me do what I want, and you not say anything or do anything to interfere with me? As far as they’re concerned, that is.”

I open my mouth to object, he hastily interjects. “No killing, I swear to it.”

That’s better. I still have some measure of control over the serpent.

“So be it.” I agree, turning my attention back to where it had been, to my son. I’m smirking now. Openly.

O ye of little faith, watch and learn.

About the Author:

Julie Lynn Hayes was reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more than forty years later, that is still her dream. She blames her younger daughters for introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which has captured her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she’d never dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true love and happiness in one another’s arms and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves books and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. She enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross stitch, knitting and needlepoint and loves to cook. While working a temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and reviews, which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks she is a bit off, but she doesn’t mind. Marching to the beat of one’s own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her other published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, MuseitUp Publishing and No Boundaries Press, and coming soon with both Extasy Books and Torquere Press. She has also begun to self-publish and is an editor at MuseitUp.

You can find her on her blog at http://julielynnhayes.blogspot.com, and you can contact her at tothemax.wolf@gmail.com.

Females in YA: Part 2 My Writing

July 22, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

The discussion about females in YA continues. If you missed Part 1 Growing Up Female, be sure to check the comments section as well as the blog post because there is some great stuff there.

So in Part 1 I asserted that though boys were an important part of my teenage life, they weren’t everything. I had goals and dreams that had nothing to do with boys, and I think this is similar to how many teen girls feel today. This lead to the question of whether or not YA books reflect this. Before I think about other people’s YA books, I’d like take a moment to look at my own writing, specifically my YA book Elixir Bound and what my goals were with the female characters.

I originally conceived Elixir Bound as a there-and-back-again quest, a sort of tribute to my sister Kylene, who died at the age of 16. I had hoped to give her a fantasy tale of her own. When it proved too hard to write the story from the POV of a character inspired by her, I decided to try from a different charcater’s POV: her sister’s Katora.

This really changed the direction of the story. Where Kylene was sweet, sensitive, and wore her feelings on her sleeve, Katora was stubborn, independent, and also sensitive but would never want to show it. Elixir Bound then became a story about a young woman (Katora) who must go on a quest to find out whether or not she will become guardian to a secret healing Elixir and bind herself to it.

The binding part was key because it wouldn’t allow to just use the Elixir as she wanted to; the binding would force her to use it in a way that also served the Great Mother (who is also called Mother Nature, and is basically the highest form of being in Katora’s world). Now I had a story where a very independent character was forced to make a decision that would seriously hinder her independence and impact the path the rest of her life would take.

This whole story line was a personal journey that was paralleled by a physical journey in which Katora and her companions had to find the secret ingredient for the Elixir. Notice the total lack of mention of a love interest. It was really important to me that Katora’s motives for the quest had nothing to do with a boy.

It was also important that Katora be chosen for this quest, not either of her two older sisters or her younger brother. I’ve always wondered why in so many real and fictional worlds the oldest son is the one who is entitled to the inheritance, so I wanted Katora to be neither the oldest nor a boy. The reason Katora was chosen as the next guardian of the Elixir, taking over for her father, was she was person who was best suited for the job.

As I started writing Elixir Bound, I realized I wanted these themes to be reflected in Katora’s world as well. I think a lot of these themes spilled out of me unconsciously and only in revision did I become consciously aware of the feminism in them. Suddenly Katora’s world had turned very pagan with the people following a female deity (the Great Mother) closely tied to nature. From there I sort of ran with the idea that females would, in a sense, rule this world. Though I kept it that Katora would take over for her father because I wanted some balance in the world. Women didn’t need to rule everything.

And Kylene was still there on the quest and plays an important role (though not the starring one). I wanted her there to contrast Katora’s personality because there are other strong female characters besides the bulldozer type, which is kind of how I think of Katora. I even wrote a guest blog post about this different type of female character, strong in character but not in your face about it. Also, Zelenka, a member of the miniature demick species, was an interesting female character. In many ways very much like Katora, but also a bit of an adversary to Katora. They never quite get along, mostly because they are so alike.

There does end up being a love interest on the quest. One I had to emphasize and play up more as I went through revisions of the story because several of my early readers didn’t think it played a big enough role in the story. Katora initially resists forming a relationship with Hirsten, the handsome son of a famous mapmaker. She doesn’t want anything to distract her while on her mission and while she has such an important decision to make. Though the quest part of the story is not driven by romance, Katora’s ability to realize her capacity for love (and in turn why she has resisted her feelings for Hirsten) does play into her decision on whether or not to become guardian of the Elixir.

As you can see, I thought a lot about the role of females in the made-up world of Elixir Bound as I was writing it. I’d like to think my story offers a feministic look at females and hopefully speaks to teenage girls in a positive way. Although, I didn’t want to force any certain didactic message about feminism in the story…more an offering of female characters and how they take control of their lives and futures. Themes I certainly plan on considering while writing future works as well.

Thanks for letting me wax philosophical about my own book! Next up I’ll take a look at some of the YA books I’ve read recently and what messages about females in YA I took away from them. Any requests on what books you’d like me talk about (can’t guarantee I’ve read them, but I’m open to suggestions)?

Females in YA: Part 1 Growing Up Female

July 17, 2013 / Katie L. Carroll

Lately I’ve been coming across a lot of articles (here’s one in The Atlantic about women and love in novels and another about women in fantasy novels) about how women are portrayed in books. My field of writing is books for teens and kids, so this got me thinking about how girls are portrayed in YA.

The best place to start, for me, was to think about my own experience growing up a female. Sure, I spent plenty of thought and energy on boys during high school. I had several serious boyfriends throughout the four years. And even when I didn’t have a steady boyfriend, I went on dates with boys, held hands with them, kissed them. So, yeah, boys were important.

But boys weren’t the only thing. I was a bit of a jock in high school, and damn proud of it. I’m willing to bet just about anything that my high school boyfriends attended more of my sporting events than I did theirs (when you play three varsity sports, there isn’t much time to go watch your boyfriend’s basketball practice). My friends and I wore our own letter jackets to school, not our boyfriends’.

And friends were important too, really important. Many of my high school memories are of cruising around in my best friend’s car with two of our other friends, all girls. Did we think about boys? Of course, but usually we were just hanging out, looking for fun stuff to do and trying not to get caught doing stuff we weren’t supposed to be doing. And I had a couple of really close guy friends too, and the line between friendship and more-than-friends didn’t really get crossed with those guys.

I would say my teen years were spent being pretty darn confident about myself as a young woman (in many ways I was more confident as a teen than I am now). I dated boys and thought about them, but they weren’t my everything. I had goals and dreams and fun without boys being at the center of it.

So is the reality as I knew it (which I have to think reflects at least some of the reality that exists for teens today) reflected in the YA books out today? Well, that’s a good topic for Part 2, don’t you think? What type of experiences do you think are universal and relevant to teen girls today?