Fortune Cookies, Cherry Coke, and Proms

What do fortune cookies, Cherry Coke, and proms have in common? Read on to find out. Leap Books (LB) interviewed author Kitty Keswick (KK), who has something to say on all three subjects. She even throws in some chocolate cake and a free story for her blog readers.Not to mention a chance to win a free copy of the Spirited anthology.

LB: What was your most embarrassing moment?

KK: Which one do you know about? Wouldn’t want it getting out...can we make a deal? How does chocolate cake sound?

LB: What advice do you wish you could give to your younger self?

KK: Don’t give up your dreams for anyone. Fortune cookies with Cherry Coke is not a major food group. And lay off the midnight college pizza parties.  Your metabolism will slow down, trust me on this one. :-)

LB: What super power do you wish you had?

KK: Like, I don’t already have enough? Oh, you weren’t supposed to know that…errr, secret identity and all. (Ix-nay-on-the-super-powers-nay.) Hmm, super power, super power. Well, a photographic memory would be nice. My memory is sorta bad of late. Teleportation, because I love to travel and who wouldn’t want to go to Europe in the blink of an eye. (Ah, British accents are drool worthy, truly.) And to see future danger…only if I could avoid it or change it. Because just knowing the future without being to change it would really stink. Oh and invisibility, because you never know when you might need it. I am not asking too much, am I? So when can I expect my super powers? Seven to ten business days?? How will they be delivered? Can I request Thor from the Avengers?

LB: What’s hiding in your closet?

KK: I hope nothing deadly…I don’t have any silver spikes. It’s pretty packed. So if there was a monster lurking in there, it was probably crushed by the weight of my clothes and shoes.

LB: Have you ever climbed into or out of a window?

KK: Yes, on several occasions. Not sure what that says about me…lol. I used to climb out the bathroom window and sit on the roof above the sunroom and watch nature. I also had to use a ladder to get into that same house through a second story window, because I was locked out. I’ve also jumped fences, too. Some pretty big ones…into some very intriguing places. I will let your mind wander because I am not telling where. I am full of interesting secrets. :-)

LB: Who would you cast to play your life in a movie?

KK: Sarah Rue, because people say she looks like me. She’s also quirky like me and a talented actress.

LB: What is something most people don't know about you?

KK: That I have a twisted sense of humor. Really. I am not kidding.  You would never have guessed, huh?

LB: What's one question you wish interviewers would ask?

KK: Not a clue…I get some pretty strange and bizarre questions; nothing seems to be off limits with me. TMI? Eh, maybe.
----
Kitty Keswick's story in the Leap Book anthology Spirited is "Death Becomes Her." If you have any other questions for our featured author, be sure to leave them on the blog or ask them on the Spirited Facebook page. Each question or comment earns you a contest entry (see below).

About the Story, "Death Becomes Her"

Willow Martin’s life is a fairytale. Only problem is she's Cinderella before Prince Charming shows up. She has a real life evil stepmonster and stepsister, who take great pleasure in making sure Willow's story is a nightmare. As her dance draws nearer, a dress and a haunting spirit forever change her story. Will it be a Happily Ever After?

For a free paranormal prom story by Kitty Keswick, click on this title: My Prom Date's a Vampire.

About the Author

Kitty Keswick grew up on her grandfather's California vineyard, where her imagination was her best friend. At a very tender age, she started writing her stories and reading them to the grapes. Kitty has been an Anglophile since age four when she saw Robin Hood and fell head over heels in love. Robin Hood inspired the hero of her first book, Freaksville, part of a trilogy that includes Furry and Freaked and Freaked No More. Kitty lives with a bossy tabby cat and maybe even a few ghosts. She spends her days with werewolves, Valkyries, vamps and other creatures that go bump in the night. Kitty is also the proud owner of an Indie bookstore in Peru, Indiana. Visit her at her website or her blog.

And if you'd like to know a few more secrets about the Spirited authors, read some early posts on the Spirited Facebook page and Leap Books blog. Anyone who posts a link to one of those secrets will be entered in a drawing for a free book. You may leave a comment or question for each author for an additional entry for a print copy of Spirited.

One winner will be drawn after all 13 blogs about the authors are posted. Enter as often as you'd like by linking to author secrets or leaving comments or questions.

And for a limited time get the Spirited ebook

Regularly $8.99

On sale for $.99

Until April 8, 2012

Do Phantoms and Proms Mix?

Linda Joy Singleton's story in the Leap Book anthology Spirited is "Phantom of the Prom." We've asked her to answer a few questions for us. If you have any other questions for any of our featured authors, be sure to leave them on the blog or ask them on the Spirited Facebook page. Each question or comment earns you a contest entry (see below).

What was your most embarrassing moment? 
 
At one of the first writing talks I ever gave for #SCBWI, I didn't realize until I got to the conference that I had two different white shoes on. I was panicked, afraid everyone would notice once I stood in front of the audience. So while listening to other speakers, I made a list of things I could do, including going barefoot, sneaking out during lunch to a nearby mall to buy new shoes, or just announcing it was "mismatched shoes" day and how come I was the only one cool enough to wear two different shoes? When it came time to speak, I admitted my error, then read off my list -- and everyone laughed. It turned into one my best talks ever. 
 
What advice do you wish you could give to your younger self?  

Not to be so insecure and needy when it came to relationships, also to take more time for education instead of jumping into marriage-work-life. But mostly I'd just tell myself to believe in myself and trust all my intuition, and that things that seemed impossible (like a happy marriage, great kids, living in the country, selling my writing) would come true.

What's one question you wish interviewers would ask?

Since SPIRITED is an anthology, it might be nice to share that I was 14 years old when I submitted my first short stories to a magazine. I didn't have any writing classes so my father, who was a little interested in writing himself, took a writing class at a local college. He came home with information on how to submit professionally and taught me about double spacing, salutations, etc. I never sold any of these stories but still have a very encouraging rejection letter which I have shown to kids when I speak at schools. The rejection made me feel like a real writer.

About the Story

Psychic Sabine Rose from THE SEER series has solved mysteries of tragic ghosts, toxic spirits and malevolent magicians. But now she’s faced with new challenges—convincing her boyfriend Dominic to take her to the prom and banishing an angry ghost from a castle. With the help of good friends and her spirit guide, Opal, she enters a creepy castle in search of answers—and the ghost of a killer.

About the Author

Linda Joy Singleton is the author of more than thirty-five books, including THE SEER series, DEAD GIRL trilogy, and BURIED: Goth Girl Mystery. Free short stories, a contest, book excerpts, and writing advice, can be found at her website. Click here for a story, The Dark Lifer's Revenge: A Short Story, by Linda Joy. It's free for a short time.*

And if you'd like to know a few more secrets about Linda Joy, read some early posts on the Spirited Facebook page and Leap Books blog. Anyone who posts a link to one of those secrets will be entered in a drawing for a free book. You may leave a comment or question for each author for an additional entry for a print copy of Spirited.

One winner will be drawn after all 13 blogs about the authors are posted. Enter as often as you'd like by linking to author secrets or leaving comments or questions.

* Click on the title for another free story, this one by Kitty Keswick, My Prom Date's a Vampire.

And for a limited time get the Spirited ebook

Regularly $8.99

On sale for $.99

Until April 8, 2012

Have You Ever Climbed Out a Window?

Author Mark Finnemore has. Wonder why? So do we...

Leap Books has asked Mark to answer a few questions for us. If you have any other questions for Mark, be sure to leave them on the blog or ask them on the Spirited Facebook page. Each question or comment earns you a contest entry (see below).

Mark's story in the Spirited anthology is "Stained." But he is also the author of several free reads at Mythic Picnic. If you'd like to read more of his work, hop on over to the site and enjoy a variety of stories. We caught Mark as he was hard at work on his next novel, Straw Man, which is an intriguing read with the tag line: "What if Robin Hood worked at the IRS?" You can read the blurb at Love & Taxes. Mark was so busy he only had time to answer a few questions, leaving lots of mystery in his wake, but he did give us a link to some sage advice, so be sure to check it out.

So, Mark, have you ever climbed into or out of a window?

I have, but I don't want to give anyone any bad ideas that will get them into trouble.

Very thoughtful of you. But it also makes us wonder: are you worried that you'll get in trouble if you divulge when and where you did this window climbing? Hmm... is that a discrete silence we hear?

What advice do you wish you could give to your younger self (besides not climbing out of windows, that is)?

So many things. Too many to list here. I've got a free booklet available through my website called "Wise Things That Other People Have Said." It's basically a listing of some of the smart things I've come across that I wish I had known when I was younger, things that remind me not to take stuff too personally and to pursue happiness instead of anger. I still read through a few of them almost every day to keep from slipping back into darkness. Hopefully it can help someone else too, because even the rockiest of roads can lead to a happy ending.

What super power do you wish you had?

I've always wanted to fly, to be able to see everything from a eagle's view and soar and swoop and hover. Now, since the flight powers have yet to manifest themselves, I'm thinking about taking helicopter lessons.

That should get you flying! Good luck with the lessons, Mark. We'll watch for you hovering overhead.

About Mark's story in the Spirited anthology: "Stained"

Isaiah Wildes was born to be a witch hunter like his father. It's his destiny. And now that his father is gone, Isaiah is determined to honor his father’s memory by becoming the best ever. Then he meets Faith Jacobs and wonders if his destiny may lie elsewhere. But will the chief witch hunter let the talented Isaiah just walk away?

About the Author

Mark Finnemore lives in California with his beautiful wife Panji, who helped him learn that even the rockiest road can lead to a happy ending. Mark has had short stories published and is currently working on the finishing touches of a novel titled Love & Taxes, which he hopes will one day be not only finished, but published and found at your local bookstore as well. Visit Mark at Mythic Picnic or Genre Trash or Love & Taxes.

And if you'd like to know a few more secrets about Mark, read some early posts on the Spirited Facebook page and Leap Books blog. Anyone who posts a link to one of those secrets will be entered in a drawing for a free book. You may leave a comment or question for Mark for an additional entry for a print copy of Spirited.

One winner will be drawn after all 13 blogs about the authors are posted. Enter as often as you'd like by linking to author secrets or leaving comments or questions.

And for a limited time, click on this link to get the Spirited ebook

Regularly $8.99

On sale for $.99

Until April 8, 2012

Only 99 Cents

Limited Time: Spirited ebook

Regularly $8.99

On Sale $.99

Until April 8, 2012

To help us celebrate the launch of the print version of Spirited, Leap Books has the $8.99 ebook version on sale for $.99 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. All proceeds from the anthology will be donated to charity. Read more about that charity, 826 National, here.

We're also featuring each of the 13 anthology authors over the next few weeks on our blog. Learn more about the superstars behind Spirited--talented authors who are willing to donate their time and talent to help encourage literacy and writing. We'll also include some sneak peeks at their stories.

And if you'd like to know a few more secrets about each author, read some early posts on the Spirited Facebook page and Leap Books blog. Anyone who posts a link to one of those secrets will be entered in a drawing for a free book. You may leave a comment or question for each author for an additional entry for a print copy of Spirited.

One winner will be drawn after all 13 blogs about the authors are posted. Enter as often as you'd like by linking to author secrets or leaving comments or questions.

And if you're in the Alberta, Canada, area, you can attend a live launch party with three of the authors: Judith Graves, Dawn Dalton, and Hallie D. Lilburn on April 21. Exciting details below:

Deadline for Submissions Extended

We're looking for published authors who have astonishing, surprising ghost stories with a great twist. Leap Books only accepts work from agents, but we're having an open call for submissions. This may be your chance to get a foot in the door and help a charity at the same time.

For more information, visit our home page or click
HERE for more information.


All proceeds to benefit charity.

Call for Submissions

We're looking for authors who have astonishing, surprising ghost stories with a great twist. Leap Books only accepts work from agents, but we're having an open call for submissions. This may be your chance to get a foot in the door and help a charity at the same time.

For more information, visit our home page or click
HERE for more information.


All proceeds to benefit charity.