ceLEStial books

Welcome to Niamh Murphy ! 1. If you could have dinner with two of your own characters in real life, who would you choose and why? I found this to be a particularly tricky question to answer! Then I realised that, although I love hosting a good dinner party, I don’t really write the type of characters who would be interested in being invited, they would be too bored and eager to leave so they could get on with their next adventure! But right now, I’m writing a fantasy novel about a band of characters on a quest, there is the reluctant hero, the brave warrior, the cunning ranger, the friendly wizard, and the thoughtful healer. I would like nothing more than to join them around their campfire on a starry night and listen as they each tell their stories. 2. You write books across a plethora of genres. Of all of these, do you have a particular favourite? The next one! I am always excited about moving onto the next thing and by the time I finish a project as big ...

I'm always excited to host a fellow NineStar Press author! Casey has published a fantastic M/M novel and, as it turns out, we even share the same philosophy when it comes to the romance elements in books. Welcome, Casey! 1. What's one book you remember reading in high school? What stood out for you during or after reading it?  I loved the books by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, namely Hawksong, the start of her Kiesha’ra series.  I also fell in love with Darren Shan’s Cirque du Freak series.  I’ve just always loved paranormal books, and these two authors really captured my heart.  They had memorable characters and stories that have stuck with me to this day, and their books still have a place on my shelf.  2. What aspect of your book 'One Bullet' are you most proud of?  I’m proud that I stuck to my guns - so to speak - and kept it sex free.  It’s a problem I have, as a reader, to find romance books with little to no sex in them.  I’m of t...

If you haven't read E.J. Noyes's debut novel Ask, Tell then my message to you is...read it! I don't tend to gravitate toward romance novels, but I started this book and finished it in the same day because it wouldn't let me stop reading. E.J. is a fellow Australian like myself and so I was really pleased to be able to steal some of her time for this interview. 1. Let's start off with the important stuff. Beer or wine? Can I say gin? No? Okay… I live in Queensland where beer is mandatory, particularly in summer. I’d go for an ice-cold amber ale, like Ruby Tuesday.   2. If you could have a meal with one of the characters in Ask, Tell , who would it be and why?   I think Sabine’s sister, Jana would be seriously fun to spend time with. I imagine the (boozy) meal would start with deep discussions about movies and music and philosophy, segue to whispered observations about fellow diners and probably end with her chucking food at someone. Th...

For the second author Q&A on ceLEStial books, I am very grateful to welcome Kiki Archer. She "...is the UK-based author of eight best-selling, award-winning novels." Kiki is an amazing example of a successful, independent novelist. There are lots of fascinating interviews on her website that delve into her rising career. Her social media presence reflects her general awesomeness as a public figure in the LGBTI+ community. 1. What's one book you remember reading in high school? What stood out for you during or after reading it? I only remember reading Jane Eyre because it was our English literature text. I remember a section where Jane randomly hears Mr Rochester's voice echoing around her. That's as far as my love of the classics came and went. I was never a big reader in school, focusing instead on sports. All the sports. In fact I probably read more sport psychology than anything else.  2. If you were writing the screenplay for Disney...

I must say that I feel extremely blessed. About a month ago, I received an email that many writers hope to receive: Yes! We would like to publish your book .  At first, I didn't realise that was what the email from NineStar Press was telling me. In fact, I saw the subject line ( Submission: Beneath the Surface ) and actually rolled my eyes, because I instinctively assumed I was about to experience rejection. I opened the email on my phone with a cynical trepidation. The first few lines felt like a generic rejection (thank you for submitting etc etc.) Then, I got to the second paragraph. Suddenly, the editor was telling me what she liked about my novel and then she was offering me a contract for publication.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't release an audible yelp! in the middle of my staff room at work.  One of the reasons I was so surprised is because it was only the second publisher I had submitted to. I knew the first would reject the manuscript bec...