Meet Monster-Hunting Author: Judith Graves

Calling all scary story lovers... Killer's Instinct by Dawn Dalton and Judith Gravess is releasing this month. If you love monsters, monster hunters, and non-stop action, you'll love this novel about Hope, who's hunting her Mommy-dearest, now turned into a zombie.

Today we're talking to one of the authors, Judith Graves. Find out more about her, how she writes her compelling novels, and connect with her online to learn more about her other forthcoming books.
When did you start writing?

I began writing in a lock-and-key diary my parents gave me while I was in elementary school. After the first few pages of diligently tracking daily events: what I’d had to eat, who ticked me off at school, or what exam I was dreading – I abandoned the diary format and began filling pages with: doodles, cools phrases or bits of conversations I’d overheard, bits of poetry, lines from movies, random descriptions of things that caught my eye. I progressed to buying notebooks instead of diaries, and my jotted notes took on lives of their own. Bits of poetry became song lyrics (I played piano and guitar), then short stories…and finally each notebook became a rough draft of a novel.

In school what were your best and worst moments?

Best moments: music, art, drama, and English classes – without them, I probably would have dropped out of school. I got by in other core subjects, but the arts were my focus.

Worst moments: I refused to memorize my schedule and didn’t believe in having a copy around to double check. I was always showing up late, or at the wrong class, or thinking I had a spare when I didn’t. Of course, I NEVER missed a music, art, drama, or English class. Go figure.

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

Look, I know it’s the 80s, but avoid acid-wash jeans and those crazy banana hair clip thingies. And two years of braces will be so worth it. ;)

What hobbies and interests do you have?

I love all things artsy-fartsy. Music, film, photography, drawing, writing. I’m also drawn to things that challenge the more logical side of society, such as, superstitions, folklore, fear, and the unexplained.

What made you write Hope’s story?

Hope was a fun character to develop with Dawn Dalton, co-writer of KILLER’S INSTINCT. I think we both wanted a lead female character who could be kickass, but also demonstrated her vulnerability. Hope is “hopefully” someone readers can relate to. She’s driven to get to the heart of the mystery surround her mother’s death, but she also fears knowing the truth.


Do the characters in the book have any connection with your real life?
Maybe not the supernatural elements to them. There are no zombies, mermaids, werewolves, or cryptids lurking around my family tree – well, not that I know of – but the four members of Unit Wild: Hope, Caddoc, Hyde, and Kain all have their own demons to face. And when these are narrowed down to themes like self-doubt, duality, wanting to belong, finding your place in the world – I can easily find many connections to their individual challenges.

What is one thing you hope readers will take away from your book?

That no matter what the battle, or monster you face – there’s always HOPE on your side.

Can you give us an idea of your writing process?

I’m a very regimented writer. I treat it like a job, writing at least 5 days a week (usually more). I find that between 5 am to 2 pm is when I get the best work done. I do extensive plotting and character development before starting a project, but still take completed first drafts through many revisions. My beta readers and critique partners are more precious than gold. I KNOW my writing wouldn’t be up to snuff without them.

What was it like collaborating with Dawn Dalton?

Dawn and I live about 3.5 hours away from each other. However, with the Internet, Skype, and Google Docs, distance wasn’t much of a factor. We were both keen to tell this story and made the commitment to getting the project done. Our voices fit quite naturally in this project, and once the story was plotted, we were able to each claim scenes we wanted to tackle and write. Then we’d share what we’d written and take passes at tweaking each other’s scenes, fleshing spots out, adding description, tweaking dialogue, or finding little plot holes to fix. With beta readers or critique partners, I'd polish a piece, send it out, and wait on tenterhooks for their comments. But Dawn and I wrote via Google Docs and were able to work in the same document, in real time, so the feedback was almost instantaneous. It was like sharing a brain…lol…a fun process that made writing KILLER’S INSTINCT a real treat.

If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

1.    A world without monsters – the very real, human kind.
2.    The ability to not burn stuff in the kitchen.
3.    More chocolate.

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

I’m terrified of bees and wasps. I will make an absolute ass of myself running from them. Very not cool.

What super power do you wish you had?

The power of flight. I have flying dreams and adore the weightless feeling, the power of surging up into the air, and the serenity of watching the world below.

Where did you go on your last vacation?

I would call it more of a working vacation. My husband is a high school social studies teacher, and every few years he takes students on a trip to Europe. Of course, I pay my way and tag along! It’s a great opportunity to be immersed in other cultures as well as to be surround by my target reading audience. This summer, along with 28 grade 10-12 students, and several teacher supervisors, we toured Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria. Berlin, Munich, Krakow, Prague, Nuremberg, Salzburg – the history of these grand cities and castles, the horror of Auschwitz, and beauty of the Austrian Alps. It really was the trip of a lifetime.

Where can readers find out more about you?

I’m all over the place and love connecting with readers, authors, and reviewers. You can find me here:

Facebook 
Twitter
Website

Canadian Book Week

To celebrate Canadian book week, we're featuring our Canadian authors and illustrators.

TAKE 2--

Next up is our award-winning, Canadian graphic artist, Val Cox...

Val is responsible for the cool and edgy designs in two of our paranormal books, Freaksville and Under My Skin. Watch for more of Val's work in upcoming books.

Here are a few of Val's designs:

Meet the Artist

We're thrilled to have award-winning artist, Mary B. Kelly, join us for an interview. If you aren't familiar with her work, be sure to check out her other goddess art here. (Be sure to look for the life-sized painting from the cover of For the Love of Strangers by Jacqueline Horsfall.) And Mary has graciously allowed us to post one of her recent paintings.

Mary's pen-and-ink drawings grace the pages of the book as well. We'll be giving some sneak peeks of them as well.

Please tell us a bit about yourself and your work.

I have been an artist since I was small and never wondered what I would become. I always knew. But what I didn't know is that I would fall in love with folk art and eventually write books about it...that came later.

What is your first memory of reading/books? Of illustrations?

As a child, I had a wonderful illustrated book about the Greek gods and goddesses and I read it again and again. I knew all their names and stories and can still remember a lot of them today.

Were you always an illustrator?

I guess I was always an illustrator since my mother saved some of my early drawings. I used to make pictures of girls dressed in different costumes from other countries and when my mother wrote a book, she asked me to illustrate it, I was about 10 at the time. I did, but the publisher wanted something more ' adult.’ I still have those illustrations, however.

When did you first fall in love with art and why?

What I first loved about art was that you could shade and make things look round. I remember in 3rd grade, our teacher wanted us to color some cherries for Washington's birthday and after I made them red, I added some darker shading to one side so that they looked round. Got some good marks for that, and I still love it when I can make a painting come up off the page and look alive!

What was the most challenging job (art or otherwise) you’ve ever had?

The most challenging thing that ever happened to me was a faculty exchange grant to live in Russia for a year when it was still the "evil empire," as President Reagan called it. I had to leave my family, my sheep farm, and my teaching job for a year. At the time, there were only three phone lines out of Moscow for everybody, so I was only able to call home once, mail went out through Finland in the diplomatic pouch, and getting food at the market was quite an experience...but I survived. I even got to shake hands with Reagan when he visited Moscow University that year, 1980. But I learned so much that I began to write books about the folk art when I returned - and I am still writing.

Of all your work, what are you the most proud of doing?

In the 1960's I visited New York City and saw "Sister Chapel" in an art gallery. A group of lifesize paintings of famous women were exhibited in a circle with one open space. When you stood there, you completed the circle and joined them. When I got home, I created "Goddess Chapel," a series of 8 lifesize oil paintings. The cover of "For the Love of Strangers" is one of them. Later I kept working on this, extending it to include "Shrine of the Black Virgins" and "Women With Wings." They were all exhibited many times over the years at galleries in New York and in colleges. I am still working on these and just finished a painting of the Chinese goddess, Guan Yin.

What were some of the challenges or surprises you had with illustrating a book for Leap?

I completely misunderstood what kind of illustrations they wanted and did a very realistic drawing. Soon though, I realized that they wanted something symbolic and evocative. But once I 'got' it, things went smoothly and the whole experience was great!

Without thinking, what are the first three things that leap to mind when you're asked to list what you love most about being an illustrator for Leap Books? Quick!

The people, the enthusiasm, the final results. I can't wait to see the book illustrations in color.

Your plane just crashed on a deserted island. You have 30 seconds to grab a few items from your bag. What would you grab first?

Passport, warm sweater, eyeglasses.

What is the first piece of advice you'd give to an aspiring artist?

Believe in yourself and be independent. Be curious, don't believe in negative criticism and if you want to do something, just DO it.

If by drawing, you could change the world, what would you draw?

A new symbol of peace.

Thanks so much for joining us, Mary!  Here's Mary's art for the cover of the book and a bit more information about her.

  Fabulous, isn't it?

ARTIST, PROFESSOR of ART and AUTHOR, Mary B. Kelly has painted from childhood. Kelly holds a BFA degree in painting from St. Mary of the Woods College in Indiana, an MA degree from Rhode Island School of Design, and an MFA from Syracuse University. As a Full Professor of art, she taught painting for twenty-five years at Tompkins-Cortland Community College in Dryden, NY, an affiliate of the State University of New York. Since retiring to Hilton Head Island, SC, Kelly also teaches painting and drawing at the Hilton Head Art League Art Academy. She paints regularly with the art group, The Apple Pie Painters, and exhibited with them in the Greer Gallery of the Art Center of Coastal Carolina in April 2006 and at the Coastal Discovery Museum in the fall of 2005 and 2008.

Kelly has exhibited her paintings in more than 20 one-artist shows in commercial and university galleries and museums. She has been a featured artist in Mexico and in St. Petersburg, Russia. Currently she is represented by the Hilton Head Art League Gallery, where she has had two one-artist shows. A large retrospective show of her work, titled “Russian Reflections,” featured four series of her Russian paintings from February to May 2004 at the Roberson Museum in Binghamton, NY.

Eleven-Year-Old Raises $100,000+ for Gulf Cleanup

 Leap Books is always thrilled when we can highlight things tweens and teens are doing to make their world a better place. Have you heard about 11-year-old Olivia Bouler?

She wanted to help with the Gulf oil spill cleanup, so she offered her artwork to anyone who donated to the National Audubon Society. So far, she's raised more than $100,000.

To learn more about her efforts, visit AOL Artists (the source of this picture of Olivia) to watch a video and see her notecards. You can also find out more about her on her Facebook page, which has 23,719 fans, her AOL Artists page, or from this article at CNN. Olivia has also been featured on AOL's Good News Now.

For more about what Audubon is doing to assist with wildlife rescue during the cleanup, visit their website. You can also click here to donate.

Under My Skin Launch Buzz

Although we've experienced production delays for Under My Skin (UMS), author Judith Graves is hard at work prepping for her launch party now rescheduled for April 24, 2010.

Judith worked with artist Lauri Ansell, who set the stage for the party by painting larger-than-life images of Eryn, the main character of UMS, and other details from the book. The original art from the books was done by graphic artist Val Cox. Val's cool art can be viewed to the left. Val created images of the UMS characters that enhance the book pages.

Now Lauri has translated some of those images onto the walls of Bean Trees, a coffee house in Alberta, Canada. If you happen to live near Cold Lake, why not take a stroll by to see the artwork, or feel free to drop in at the launch party. The more the merrier. And you'll get to hear Judith sing along with some of her former bandmates, who now perform with all-girl band Shenanigans.

If you aren't in the area, you can still enjoy the fun via Judith's vlog. Almost as good as being there in person. And Judith, your US fans are expecting another vlog on the night of the launch!

Here's the vlog:



You can view the vlog full size at YouTube and find out more about Judith and the launch party at the Wolfy Chicks blog.