Indie Author Spotlight: Melissa Pearl author of Betwixt & The Time Spirit Series

I’m so pleased to host Melissa Pearl on Laurasmagicday. I loved her book Forbidden Territory and hope you all go out and grab a copy. I love her voice and get lost in her stories. I know you will too. I think you will find her as magical as I do 🙂 Check out the awesome excerpt of her new release after the interview! woot!

Author
Bio:
 
Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has
spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and
Pakistan… not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her
husband. “Best. Year. Ever!!” She now lives in China with her husband
and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion.
Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this
dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has
produced four more books and has a YA fantasy trilogy coming out this year.
 
“I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my
soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be
and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall
in love.”
 
 
 Facebook
Author Page:
http://www.facebook.com/melissapearlauthor
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MelissaPearlG
Blogs:
http://melissapearl.blogspot.com/ and http://yalicious.blogspot.com/
Amazon
Author Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Pearl/e/B0064I6S26/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Goodreads
Author Page:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5314516.Melissa_Pearl
Smashwords
Author Page:
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/melissapearl
Newsletter
subscription:

http://blogspot.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ab5a6cb228dc9203d6c179eaa&id=481344857f
Website:
http://www.melissapearlauthor.com
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/melissapearlg/
Interview: 
1)
What is your all-time favorite book and why?
Man –
that is such a tough questions. One? I’m only allowed one? LOL.
One
series that I have read over and over in my time is the Mark of the Lion series
by Francine Rivers. Those books have it all – awesome romance, excellent action
and tension, amazing descriptions, plus a deep message running through the
books (if you’re into that kinda thing – which I am). They made me laugh, cry
and fall in love. Haha 🙂 Just my type of story.
 
2)
Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters
your book’s characters could relate to and why?
Hmmm
– how do you answer that question without coming across as pretentious? My Time
Spirit Trilogy has been compared to Twilight in the sense of an intense love
story. I wouldn’t say my writing is super fancy, but I know how to tell a fast
paced story with lots of emotion and tension.
 
3)
Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?
Ooo –
I have so many. Little moments between my characters are so precious to me. I
can feel everything they are feeling and I love it. Here is a favourite of
mine, which has also received some highlights. It’s a quote from Golden Blood
(Book 1 in the Time Spirit Trilogy).
 
“How
are you okay with this?” Gemma took a step back. “I can travel through time!”
Harrison
shrugged and closed the distance between them. “Hey, I was cool with alien,
this isn’t much different.”
“I’m a
total freak!”
“Yeah.”
He grinned as he threaded his fingers through her belt loops and pulled her
towards him. “But you’re my freak.” His breath tickled her skin as he leaned
towards her and whispered, “Face it, Hart, you’re stuck with me. I knew the
second I touched you my life had changed…and you knew it too.”
It
always makes me smile. Harrison’s reaction to Gemma’s revelation is perfect in
my mind. Those two are made for each other and I love that he figures it out so
early on.
 
4)
What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep
writing?
I get
my inspiration from all over the place. Movies are huge for me. I would love to
see my stories on the big screen one day. I picture them that way in my head. I
always get a tingle running through my body when I watch a movie with a really
great kissing scene or an excellent action sequence… anything that makes my
emotions start to bubble.
 
I am
inspired by music as well – everything from movie scores to punk rock to
country to alternative. I love it all! I even love my toddler’s music, although
it’s not that inspiring, just fun to sing along to 🙂
 
5)
Describe your typical writing day or week.
I get
up an hour before my family each morning to work on my social media stuff. It
takes that long to clear my e-mail, do any blog post stuff I want to do, work
through my Facebook notifications and my Twitter news. Time zon wise, it’s the
best time for me to do this as there is more traffic around the sites I use.
 
As
soon as my son goes down for his midday nap, I race to my computer. Four out of
five days, I spend my time working on my writing and usually one day a week or
at least half of one of those sessions is used on admin type things – numbers,
blogging, extra marketing stuff. I also get a two-hour sleep in every Sunday
morning, so I use that time to write as well. If my husband ever goes out in
the evenings, I write once the kids are in bed.
 
It
takes every spare moment I have to keep up with my writing. Thankfully I adore
doing it, so it doesn’t feel like hard work.
 
6)
Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you’re writing?
I
never eat when I’m writing. It would slow me down too much. I drink a lot of
water, but if I’m really tired, I allow myself a small Coca Cola. The caffine
boost can be useful sometimes.
 
7)
Can you tell us what you’re working on right now (& possibly provide an
excerpt & cover)?
I am
working on a Young Adult Fantasy Trilogy. This is my first attempt into this
foray and I’m having SO much fun. The first book has been edited, the second
book has been written and the third book is in the planning stage. I’m aiming
for June, July and August releases for the three books.
 
Here’s the cover and blurb
for the first one:
 
Darkness
is covering the land. As the city of Mezrah grows with power and greed, the
rest of the world can only stand by and wait for their inevitable destruction.
The only hope against this growing power is an ancient prophecy that people
have stopped believing in.
 
Then a
star begins to fall.
 
Princess
Kyla of Taramon stopped believing in the power of light the day her father
died. Trapped in a city she does not care for, under the watchful glare of her
mother, the queen, she struggles to accept her fate.
 
Then a
star begins to fall.
 
Jethro
has loved Kyla for as long as he can remember. Learning that she was to marry
his cousin drove a wedge between him and the feisty princess. Watching her from
a distance is a torture he is unable to free himself from.
 
Then a
star begins to fall, sparking an ember of hope and sending two seekers on a
treacherous journey into the unknown.
 
Excerpt
from Unknown (The Elements Trilogy: Book 1):
 (keep in mind this book still needs a final proof read)
“Jethro!” Kyla
slapped him on the arm and leaned against the grate, patting her chest. With
narrowed eyes, she shot him a glare. “So this is how it is now? You don’t have
the decency to talk to me in public, but you do take time out of your precious
day to come scare the life out of me down in this foul-smelling tunnel.”
A slow, easy
smile lit Jethro’s face. “Where have you been?”
“Why do you even
care?”
Jethro’s brawny
frame leaned against the stone wall behind him. His eyes glimmered with a
knowing smile. “Let’s see, a bow slung over your shoulder, a quiver full of
arrows… so not hunting then. I’m guessing target practice,” he clicked his
fingers, “in the clearing by the waterhole.”
Kyla bit back a
smile.
“How’d you do?”
She raised her
chin. “I would have split your arrow in two.”
Jethro’s dark
eyebrows jumped up with approval as he nodded his head. “Is that all you got up
to?”
“Jethro, what are
you doing here?” Kyla snapped.
“I just came to
warn you.”
“Of what?”
Jethro frowned,
making Kyla’s stomach clench.
“Queen Elaina is
wondering why she saw her daughter being chased out of the forest by a guard of
Ashan when she should have been studying world history with her tutor.”
Kyla stood up
straight and swallowed. “My mother did not see. She’s always at prayers this
time of day.”
“She was delayed.”
Jethro winced.
The blood drained
from Kyla’s face. Biting her lips together, she pulled the bow over her head
and cleared her throat.
“You might want
to present yourself to her before she has every man in the castle looking for
you.”
With a child-like
groan, Kyla gripped the end of her bow and rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Slumping
her shoulders, she spun away from freedom and started stomping towards the
dungeons.
“You may want to
go past your chambers on the way. Perhaps tidy up a little?”
She came to an abrupt
stop and slowly spun back to face the boy she’d known since birth. “Excuse me?”
Jethro’s lips
fought with a grin as he pushed himself off the wall and sauntered towards her.
“Just because you hate wearing dresses doesn’t mean she won’t expect to see you
in one.” He pointed at the attire she had stolen from her brother years ago.
She kept it hidden in a trunk at the end of her bed and only pulled it out when
she was sneaking from the castle. If only her mother knew how comfortable they
were, she wouldn’t insist on mountains of material that were impossible to run
in.
“You’re already
in for her wrath.” Jethro tipped his head. “You will only antagonise her more
by appearing like this.”
Kyla pushed her
tongue against the side of her mouth then huffed. “You know I hate you.”
“With the fire a
thousand suns?”
Laughter burst
from her mouth before she could stop it. “And more!” She punched him on the
arm, missing the familiar banter they used to share as children. The amount of
times he had driven her to screams of rage with his playful teasing, but a few
punches later and they had been best friends again. She often wondered what had
happened between them and wished they could return to past days.
As if Jethro
could read her mind, he stepped back from her, the playful smile replaced with
a new seriousness she did not care for. “You should get moving.”
Golden
Blood:  FREE
 
Gemma Hart never knows when her father is going to whisk her
back in time. Her toes start tingling and she has a few minutes to find a
secret haven where she can disintegrate and appear in another time and place.
While “across the line,” her training and skills are put to the test as she
completes a mission that will change history for the lucky few her father has
selected.
 
Gemma’s parents are adamant that secrecy is paramount to her
family’s safety. If people knew what they were capable of, they could be
“used and abused”, as her mother always says. Afraid she might
accidentally utter the truth and break the ancient oath of her people, Gemma spends
her school days as a loner. Only one thing can throw her sheltered life
askew… Harrison Granger.
 
Harrison never
expected to talk to the strange Hart girl, but after a brief encounter he can’t
stop thinking about her. He begins a campaign to chisel away her icy veneer and
is met with unexpected consequences. As he slowly wins this girl over, he
enters a surreal world that has him fighting to keep his newfound love and his
life.
Black
Blood
 
The
second book in the Time Spirit Trilogy
 
Pure
Blood
 
Third
book in the Time Spirit Trilogy
 
Forbidden
Territory (co-authored with Brenda Howson)
 
Mica and Lexy have been best friends and next door neighbours
since they were eight years old. They share everything and have no secrets from
each other until… Tom arrives on Mica’s doorstep – a gorgeous exchange
student from England. And Lexy is smitten. 
Suddenly both girls are keeping secrets. Mica is hiding news
about Tom’s English girlfriend and Lexy hasn’t got the heart to tell her best
friend that her brother Eli, the guy Mica is mad on, thinks of her as only a
friend.  
 
After a massive fight, the girls decide the best way to mend
their friendship is to spend some quality time together. And what better way
than to go camping away from their parents and why not invite along the guys
they are crushing on. 
 
So the four teenagers embark on a geo-caching expedition into
New Zealand’s native bush expecting a long weekend filled with flirtatious fun;
instead secrets are exposed as they stumble across a hidden marijuana crop and
its gun-wielding watchmen. Forced apart they spend the next forty-eight hours
racing blindly in opposite directions as they fight to find each other before
the hunters do. 
 
Betwixt 
Beautiful,
wild-child Nicole Tepper is hit by a car and left for dead. But when she wakes
the next morning, Nicole finds herself in bed without a scratch. Perhaps she
was more intoxicated than usual, as her mother is giving her the silent
treatment and her friends are ignoring her as well.
 
Things
take a turn for the weird when Nicole soon discovers she is actually hovering
between life and death. Her body is lying in the forest while her spirit is
searching for anyone who can hear her. Unfortunately the only person who can is
Dale Finnigan, the guy she publicly humiliated with a sharp-tongued insult that
has left him branded.
 
Desperate, Nicole has no choice but to haunt Dale and convince the
freaked-out senior to help her. Will he find her body before it’s too late? Or
will the guy who tried to kill her with his car, beat him there and finish her
off before anyone finds out?
 
Want to run away to the carnival with us next week? It’s all about editing. See you next Friday:)

4 thoughts on “Indie Author Spotlight: Melissa Pearl author of Betwixt & The Time Spirit Series”

Comments are closed.

5 Easy, Fun Steps To Making Your Book a Reality

You have Successfully Subscribed!