Category: Uncategorized

Interview with Author Teri Polen!

On By Teri PolenIn Uncategorized15 Comments

I’m over at Janice Spina’s blog talking about my writing process and other stuff not writing-related. Come over for a visit and check out Janice’s books – she’s got something for all ages!

Jemsbooks

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR TERI POLEN!

Teri Polen

Teri Polen

Please help me welcome author Teri Polen to Jemsbooks.blog Segment of Interview and Author. 

Hi Teri, it’s so nice to have you here today. Please feel free to begin. The spotlight is on you!

Please tell us about yourself.

I’m a young adult writer of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.  My first book,Sarah, a YA horror/thriller, was released in December 2016, and my second, The Gemini Connection, a YA sci-fi/thriller was published in June 2018.

jjspina: I enjoy sci-fi and fantasy but have never read all three in one book. Sounds intriguing!

What is your target audience for your book?

As a YA writer, my target audience is readers from age 12-years-old and up.  YA books aren’t only for teens–a large percentage of YA readers are over the age of eighteen.  One of the book clubs I’m in, Pardon My Youth…

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Switzerland, #BookPromo Woes, and a Book Bash

On By Teri PolenIn Uncategorized35 Comments

Hubby and I had a relaxing fourth of July – saw Ocean’s 8 the day before (awesome cast, writing could have used more humor), then spent the fourth with friends grilling out and chilling in the pool.  Which felt delicious in the 95 degree heat.

The youngest son is still on his European tour, and performed in Switzerland this past weekend.  Since it’s one of two places he was most excited to visit (the other is Germany), I asked how he liked it.  His response?  ‘I’m going to try to find out the logistics of moving here.’  Guess it met his expectations.

I’m completely frustrated with promoting The Gemini Connection.  Whatever worked for Sarah, isn’t connecting with TGC.  Even with the price drop, it’s just not moving, and I’m not sure what else to try.  If you have suggestions, please share them.  I have a blog tour and a few more promos coming up in July, so I’m hoping that’s the push it needs.

If you’re in the Lexington, KY area this Saturday, July 14th, I’ll be at the Lexington Legendary Book Bash.  Looking forward to meeting readers and seeing authors I’ve met at other events!  Hubby and I are also helping the oldest son move into his first ‘adult’ apartment.  I have high hopes he’ll keep it looking like an adult lives there and not revert back to his piggish college ways.  Keep your fingers crossed.

 

The 2018 Interview Series Featuring Teri Polen #blackrosewriting #YA

On By Teri PolenIn Uncategorized4 Comments

I’m at Don Massenzio’s blog today for his author interview series. Besides being a huge supporter of indie authors, Don recently released a new book, Extra Innings: Can You Go Home Again? and launched DSM publications, offering editing and formatting services to indie authors.

Author Don Massenzio

It’s time for the next subject for my 2018 author interview series. Author interviews are posted every Friday throughout the year.

I am honored to continue this series with Kentucky author Teri Polen

You can catch up with all of my past author interviews (nearly 200) on my Author Directory page.

If you’re an author interested in being interviewed in this series, I still have limited spots available for 2018. You can email me at don@donmassenzio.com

Now, please enjoy this interview with Teri Polen:

author photo

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

Definitely original.  I just write the stories narrated by the characters in my head.  I never set out planning what to write – they completely determine the path.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Start earlier!  Study the craft, research, and get started writing.

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The Gemini Connection, on #LisaBurtonRadio

On By Teri PolenIn Uncategorized3 Comments

In case you missed it, Evan Resnik, one of the main characters from my new release, The Gemini Connection, was interviewed yesterday on Lisa Burton Radio. Drop by to see what’s going on in Evan’s world!

Entertaining Stories

Lisa Burton

Coming at you with one point twenty-one jigawatts of power, this is Lisa Burton Radio. The only show that brings you the characters from the books you love. I’m your host, Lisa the robot girl, and my very special guest today is trying to find his missing twin brother. “Welcome to the show, Evan Resnik.”

“Thanks for having me, Lisa. This is kind of weird. They don’t have radio shows on my planet.”

“So what’s it like being a twin?”

“Some twins feel like they’re always lumped together and want a little distance between themselves, but not Simon and me. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Our bond goes beyond looking identical – we feel each other’s emotions and always know where the other is. Yeah, it can be a little intrusive sometimes, but it’s all we’ve ever known. We’ve always been there for each other. Besides, if you…

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Sleep With The Light On. Sarah by Teri Polen #bookreview #youngadult #horror #BlackRoseWriting

On By Teri PolenIn Uncategorized25 Comments

I had the pleasure of meeting Sheryl Hagan-Booth at the SOKY Book Fair last month when she stopped by my table and purchased Sarah. Yesterday, she posted a fabulous and entertaining review on her blog. Love, love, love the picture of the doll and book together!

sarah    Pull the cover over your body, don’t hang any body parts over the edge of the bed and keep your eyes shut tight. If you do that, everything will be okay. I like the way the main character, Cain, in Sarah thinks because I still hold these rules to be unbreakable even in my adult years. Honestly, who knows who or what hides in our houses during the day and night? Do we truly know the histories and stories that have gone down in our personal places of residence? Cain Shannon was finding out and not in the way he wanted to.

    After his mom, sister and he moved into their new home, strange things start to occur in Cain’s upstairs bedroom. The attic access door, located in his room, kept coming open by happenstance. No wonder his realtor mom was able to get such a…

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#BookReview The Gemini Connection #YoungAdult #scifi #thriller #BlackRoseWriting

On By Teri PolenIn Uncategorized21 Comments

Gaynor at Post Apocalyptic Playground had some kind words about The Gemini Connection, and I’m thrilled she enjoyed Evan and Simon.  Jump over and visit!

Teen twin brothers Evan and Simon Resnik are fiercely loyal to each other and share an unusual bond—they experience each other’s emotions as their own and can sense where the other is. 

On their dying planet of Tage, scientists work tirelessly on its survival. Like the twins’ parents, Simon is a science prodigy, recruited at a young age to work with the brilliant creator of Scientific Innovations. To the bitter disappointment of their parents, Evan shows no aptitude or interest in science. As a Mindbender, he travels into the minds of scientists to locate buried memories, connect ideas and concepts, and battle recurring nightmares. 

When Simon mysteriously disappears, Evan is plunged into a world of loss and unbearable guilt. For the first time, he can’t ‘feel’ Simon—it’s like he no longer exists. Evan blames himself. No one knows that he ignored his brother’s pleas for help on the night he went missing. 

A year later, Simon is still gone. Evan lost his twin, but Tage might have lost its last hope of survival when it’s discovered that Simon’s unfinished project could be its salvation. Evan is determined to find him—somewhere—and bring Simon home. Their unusual connection might be more extraordinary than they know, and the key to locating Simon.

SOKY Book Fest, #Alexa, and #TheCrossing

On By Teri PolenIn Miscellaneous, Uncategorized21 Comments

After three fun-filled, heavenly days surrounded by books and book lovers at the SOKY Book Fest, I’m tired, but not complaining.  Not even from the 250+ unopened emails waiting for me.  My knuckles are a little sore from gripping the table so tightly in an attempt to prevent me from buying more books.  Only two!  I met so many authors, talked with readers, and chatted with locals I hadn’t seen in a while.  I nearly fan-girled upon discovering my tablemate was Geoffrey Girard, author of Cain’s Blood (my review here), Project Cain (my review here), and most recently, Truthers (which I bought this weekend).  If dark and twisty, serial killers, and conspiracy theories intrigue you, these books will quench your thirst (maybe not a good thing to say when mentioning serial killers).

Anyhoo – here are a couple of pics with readers.  The one holding Sarah got a kick out of the title, because her name is Sarah!  A couple of readers bought The Gemini Connection because their astrological sign was Gemini.

I think my Alexa echo dot is becoming self-aware.  It was bound to happen, I guess – you’ve probably seen AI movies and know their capabilities.  Alexa usually sits on the vanity in my bathroom and reads books from my Kindle while I’m getting ready in the mornings.  One evening, I walked into the room and her blue light was on (if you don’t have an echo dot, that means Alexa is listening to you).  But no one was there or had been in the room.  I asked out loud, “Who’s talking to Alexa?”  She replied, “I don’t know what you mean.”  Raise your hand if you think that’s a little freaky.  This was around the time many users were complaining about their Alexa echo dots laughing at random times.  Also freaky.  Now she’s occasionally stopped responding to my commands and does her own thing.  If I had a smart home, I might be worried about the control she had over me.

Has anyone watched The Crossing on ABC?  When I saw Stephen King had tweeted favorable things about it, I knew I needed to check it out – and was a goner after the first ten minutes.  A sci-fi thriller about refugees from a war-torn America’s future traveling back in time and genetically-enhanced humans with super powers?  It’s almost as if were made just for me.

With no more book festivals until July, I need to strap myself in and get some hard-core writing done this week.  That’s the plan, anyway.  I’ll let you know how that went next Monday.