Character Casting Call

I thought it would be fun to ask my Indie girls who they would cast if Hollywood ever came calling to turn our books into major motion pictures. Their answers, as always, did not disappoint. 

Angi Black's adult contemporary LIFE AFTER DEATH would have an indie film lover's dream cast.

The pitch: "Sometimes losing it all is the only way to learn how to live. Marine widow, Casey, and Mark, the single father of a four-day old, begin a friendship, not just with each other, but with the lives they thought had passed them by."


The Cast: Mark LeBlanc - played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  

Angi says, "He has the innocent charm needed to follow through with such a heavy plot. He also has the gravitas to hold the darker scenes. "


Casey Barnes - played by Sarah Michelle Gellar. 

"She has the ability to wear the "everything is fine" face while letting you see she's really falling apart. Plus I think these two would have beautiful chemistry, says Angi, who has
 thought about this so much she already has a Pinterest board devoted to it.  


And Jessica Brooks has a board for her dream cast, too, for the future film version of her contemporary YA romance PITY ISN"T AN OPTION.

The pitch:   "Seventeen year-old Jonas' blood disorder has taken away everything that matters. Sixteen year-old Hattie's father is losing his marbles. When Jonas' perfectly healthy twin brother and Hattie's crazy dad are drafted into the President's army, Hattie's dad disappears. Jonas and Hattie embark on a journey to find him, and find something they'd lost long ago in the process."

The cast: Hattie Akerman: Kaya Scodelario 

 Jonas Norton: John Patrick Amedori 

 Heath Akerman: Jeffry Dean Morgan 

Lucy Akerman: Elle Fanning  

Lanelle Akerman: Elizabeth Shue 
Elise Norton: Sela Ward 
Beck Norton: Andy Garcia 

If you want a little horror with your romance, buy a ticket to Adrianne James' The Enlightening   

.

The pitch:  "Mackenzie Duncan found out that pack life wasn’t for her. Now she is running for the second time in the six months since she was bitten and turned into a Werewolf. But this time, she isn’t alone. This time, she has Geoff and Liam with her, two very hot Werewolves vying for her heart.  But her companions aren't her focus. The only thing she can focus on is getting far from her old pack and their murderous ways. Only, she doesn’t just want to run. She wants to warn every pack she can that their lives are in danger too. No one should be turned against their will like she was and no other pack should have to surrender to the ideas of a centuries old, power hungry woman.  Not only does Mackenzie have to deal with her crazy ex-pack leader sending people out to kill her, she has to keep both men at arm’s length (and that proves to be much more difficult than she thought), but she finds out more about her own life and heritage than she ever thought imaginable. And suddenly, everything makes sense..."

The cast: Mia Mitchell as MacKenzie 

 Taylor Kitch as Geoff 

Xavier Samuels as Liam 

  and Joe Manigianello as Darren 

That is one smokin' hot cast, Adrianne! 

Rachel Blalock Bateman has already pondered this question so much in regard to her YA contemporary 99 Days of Laney Maguire that she had a nifty graphic ready-made for me!

The pitch: "Laney can’t wait to spend the summer at her father’s lake resort. It’s a place where time stands still and nothing ever changes—the perfect thing for Laney after the year she just had. But when she gets there, she discovers the lodge isn’t quite as unchanging as she once thought.

Some of the differences are good, like Rory’s new look; some are bad, like whatever secret Karissa is keeping. And then some things are just confusing, like Weston.

Weston, her mysterious new co-worker, who is the cause of so many of the changes Laney hates. She wants to despise him, but she can’t deny the attraction she feels, nor the desire she has to be around the one person who didn’t know her before the summer—the one person she doesn’t have to pretend for.



The cast:

Laney: Molly Quinn
Weston: Jamie Cambell Bower
Craig: Craig Sheffer 
Karissa: Jenna Ushkowitz
Derek: Denzel Whitaker
Rory: Robbie Sheehan
Angie: Alex Rice


I failed at the challenge myself when it came to casting Snark and Circumstance, but I came up with an interesting cast for my work-in-progress, A TIME OF SHADOWS, as long as I am allowed to play with the elements of time and space. (My game, my rules).

The Pitch:  A 400-year-old witch trapped forever in the body of a seventeen-year-old, Becca  MacCracken thinks she's seen it all. But could the cute boy in her history class really be the reincarnation of the man who tried to save her from the Burning Times? And is that chemistry teacher really her nemesis, the dark magus Count Giancarlo Montoni? Witch hunts, religious fanaticism, and theoretical physics: The Crucible meets a YA The Tudors meets The Big Bang Theory.

The cast: I realized a little while ago that the girl I had in my head as Becca looks a lot like Nicole Fox from America's Next Top Model.

I have no idea if she can act, but she has an awkward sort of grace that works and a sort of sadness that fits a girl who is not what she seems. Plus, her last name is FOX, which will mean something to others if I ever finish the darn thing. Her former fiance/present-day erstwhile boyfriend, Jack, looks like a young Ewan McGregor 

 (fitting since they are both boyish Scots).So I'm traveling back in time to get vintage Ewan for the role.  Her best friend Lilly Preston should be played by Evonna  Lynch , who's been around magic before as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movies 

 and Lily has a secret crush on Kai, a physics nerd and martial arts expert who's a younger, dorkier Godfrey Gao 

 

 I have a Pinterest board here for the work in progress. Now I just have to write the thing!

If you're out there, Hollywood agents, we're ready for you. And of course this casting session has been an exercise in pure wish fulfillment. None of these books are being made into films and NONE of these actors are in any way affiliated with us or any of our projects. As writers, we just have really vivid fantasy lives.

- Stephanie Wardrop, author of the YA e-novella series updating Pride and Prejudice called Snark and Circumstance, Swoon Romance, 2013-14

Whispers and Wishes

I am so excited about this book!!! Whispers and Wishes comes out November 7th. Here's a little bit about the book. AND a giveaway!!!

Release Day: November 7TH

Author: Hollie Westring

 

Whispers and Wishes Synopsis:

Eliza Monroe has been traveling the United States for three years, immersing herself in the towns she visits as she searches for the mother she’s never known. She hopes returning to her grandmother’s inn in Sage Springs, Mo., will provide the break she needs to evaluate her lonely life.

What Eliza isn’t expecting is to have two men enter the picture, not making her decision to stay or leave any easier. One has been her foundation, while the other is as comfortable as she is hopping from city to city. Throw in a kooky grandmother, a cheerful best friend, a sarcastic guest, a town where residents and spirits interact like neighbors, and Eliza has little time to contemplate her future.

Friendships grow, webs are spun and lies are revealed before Eliza comes to terms with what she wants in life and learns what's really important.

Hollie Westring Bio:

Hollie Westring hails from Kansas City, Mo. She used to be a journalist, which probably explains her extreme dislike of the serial comma and her preference for AP style. 



After realizing the hours of journalists were not productive to any type of social or family life, she settled into a job at a publishing syndicate. She worked with comics, astrology columns, word puzzles and feature columns for six years. Although she enjoyed her time there, Hollie decided to leave the nine-to-five world and join the twenty-four/seven world of motherhood. Now she edits from home.

When not writing, editing or reading, Hollie can be found baking cookies or watching more than her fair share of crime TV. She’s a loyal Royals and Chiefs fan.

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Pride and Prep School scavenger hunt Amazon #giveaway

In honor of Pride and Prep School’s 

book birthday tomorrow, 

Indie Ignites is hosting 

a scavenger hunt!
(Winner will receive a
$20 Amazon gift card!)

When: Wednesday, October 16th

through

Sunday, October 20th.

The deets:

On Wednesday, October 16th, Stephanie Wardrop, author of the Snark and Circumstance enovella series (a modern, YA snarky retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice), will feature a set of questions. Each question will pertain to a certain scene in either Snark and Circumstance, Charm and Consequence, or the newest enovella, Pride and Prep School. Earn one entry every time you match a question (featured on Stephanie's blog) to the correct photo (photos will be featured on participating authors' blogs). Then, come back and post your answers beneath Stephanie's questions.* 

The more items you find on the scavenger hunt, the more entries into the contest. If you're unsure of an answer and want all ten entries to be correct,

Buy on Amazon

and

Buy on Amazon 

are currently only 99 cents on Amazon! (You can always read them now to get a head start!) 

So keep your eyes peeled for Stephanie's post on Wednesday HERE; then hit up these ten blogs to find your photo answers and share them back in the comments section on Stephanie's blog!

Adrianne James (link)

Rachel Bateman (link) 

Nazarea Andrews (link)
Jessica L. Brooks (link)
JC Emery (link) 

Monica B. Sanz (link) 

ST Bende (link) 

Nicole Zoltack (link) 

Jaycee DeLorenzo (link) 

Louise D. Gornall (link) 

P.S. Don't forget to wish Stephanie a happy book birthday when Pride and Prep School debuts tomorrow!!! :) 

* Winner will be chosen by Random.org. and will be posted by Stephanie on Tuesday, October 22nd

Pride and Prep School by Stephanie Wardrop

It's here! It's finally here! 
We're so excited to share the cover for the third installment in the Snark and Circumstance e-serial series,  Pride and Prep School: 


Isn't it great? If you haven't checked this fun series out, you should! Stephanie's modern retelling of Jane Austen will crack you up! (Georgiana's snark is the best!) You can find the first two in the series, Snark and Circumstance and Charm and Consequence, on Amazon HERE. 

Check out quotes from the enovellas on Goodreads HERE 

Add them to your TBR shelf on Goodreads

Congrats, Stephanie!

On Naming Characters

A couple months ago, I went on a road trip with a good friend. She had a fun idea for a book and wanted to brainstorm and outline as I was driving. It was great fun bouncing our ideas around the car as it cruised through the mountains of western Idaho. 

And then we got to character names. 

My friend wanted names that reflected her characters - the wild child needed a wild name, the sheltered girl needed a sheltered name, the mean secondary characters needed mean names, and the douchebag boyfriend needed a douchy name. 

I had a horrible time coming up with names, because I can't name characters that way.

When parents name a new kid, with few exceptions, they don't know what that baby is going to be like when he grows up. They don't sit and think "Hmmmm...I think he'll be a popular football player, maybe even Homecoming King. What's a good Homecoming King name?" Two stuffy accountants aren't likely to name their baby girl Starshine Rose, even if that name will work wonderfully with the quirky teenager she'll grow up to be.

Our characters are full people with lives outside the pages we write them into. Their names should reflect less who they are and more who their parents were when they named their baby. After all, your characters didn't just get named when the story you're telling starts; they've had their names for their whole lives before page one.

But what if your character has boring parents, but a boring name just won't work for her? A quick way to get around this is by using nicknames. When I lived in Montana last, I was part of a YA Book Club. One of the members was a girl about my age, maybe a year or two younger, named Finn.

Except her name was actually Linda.

She grew up thinking her parents had given her the most boring, old-lady name in the world, so when she went to college, she told people to call her Finn, and it stuck. 

(Apparently Linda really is a boring, old-lady name, because it's also my step-mom's name, but she's always gone by Cathie.) 

Now, you don't have to name characters this way. Authors give characters names with meaning all the time, and it works. (And, really, who is going to argue with Queen Rowling?) I'm just giving you something to think about next time you are trying to come up with the perfect name that will, in one word, encompass everything your character is. 

Your turn! How do you name your characters? Sound off in the comments. :)

Interview with Laura Elliott

Laura release The Storytellers last week. Here's a bit about the book, and then you can check out her interview!!

Four storytellers
One ancient demon
No way out…
Four women who call themselves The Storytellers have gathered one hot August evening to tell tales, as they have for years. But on this night, they unknowingly evoke the powers of an ancient Mayan idol that breathes real life into their stories. The Mayan idol isn’t the only ancient being awakened. A power-hungry demon is determined to see the women fail and become enslaved to him forever.
Now the women’s lives depend on surviving each other’s stories, defeating the demon and solving a centuries-old mystery.
If they survive until The End untold wealth is theirs. But some stories have a life of their own…

Interview:

 

What’s a typical writer’s day for you?

 

I don’t think I’ve had a typical writer’s day for years. I’m on the road a lot and so I’ve had to develop ways to “plug-in” to projects in any kind of situation––busy cafes, construction sites, random hotels, out in the middle of nowhere. What puts me in tune to my muse is music. I have a pair of noise-canceling headphones and lots of playlists. I usually make a playlist for every book I’m working on. So, I’ll turn on my imagination and tune out my surroundings and type away just about anywhere, whenever I get some time. Lately I’ve been gesture sketching the people and places around me too. To listen to the music that inspired the The Storytellers you can click here http://grooveshark.com/playlist/The+Storytellers/88804120

 

What’s your favorite thing about writing paranormal?

 

Like most readers, I see myself in the stories that speak to me. These stories are a kind of mirror of my hopes, dreams, all that I hold dear and all that I fear. They settle into my core and make me laugh, think, cry, sigh or act. For me, this is paranormal romance.

 

Paranormal romance lives within my heart and mind at the sandy shores of my relationship with myself, and others––what it means to love and to be loved in return. It asks questions about what I’m willing or able to give in love and what I take from it. The stories that hit home with me usually shine a light on the costs and great gifts of true love. These stories show us what love could be, and so seldom is. They show us what love should never be and call into question the things we might be settling for, and those situations or relationships we might need to break away from or reexamine. These stories can clarify our passions and be a call to action in defense of them.

 

What’s the hardest thing about being self-published?

 

I think it would be that I have to be a jack of all trades. But IMHO increasingly these days even traditionally published authors have to know more about promotion and marketing. But I love wearing lots of different hats. It suits me. Before I was published I had no idea how I would have to fight for my writing time because all of a sudden there’s all this marketing and promotion that needs to happen after I published. 

 

What is the best part of being a self-published author?

 

I’m a technogeek. I’ve always been an early adapter of technology. I was working in the dot-com world during the Internet boom of the 90s, programming and designing for a company that came up with proprietary software for online banking for credit unions. There’s just something really cool about technology. It intrigues me. I love the way it can be used to tell stories. I guess I’ve been telling digital stories for a dozen years or so. I love designing book covers and producing book trailers. These were all things I had been doing in the news and entertainment industries and now I’m producing them for my stories.

 

The classic design problem of articulating a story through a single image fascinates me. That’s why I love designing book covers. I also enjoy engaging my other senses through music and video in ways that put me in touch with the story in deeper ways. I always learn a lot about what I’ve written when I produce a book trailer. The process seems to open up more interpretations and meaning behind my books.

 

Beyond all that, the indie author community is so generous and helpful and friendly. I’m truly honored to be a part of it and have made amazing friends here.

 

What one piece of advice would you give writers?

 

Never. Give. Up. Follow your gut and write your heart out. READ.

 

Tell us a little about The Storytellers?

 

The Storytellers is a Thelma and Louise meets Raiders of the Lost Arc story about four writers whose stories all come true for each other.

 

Four women who call themselves The Storytellers have gathered one hot August evening to tell tales, as they have for years. But on this night, they unknowingly evoke the powers of an ancient Mayan idol that breathes real life into their stories. The Mayan idol isn’t the only ancient being awakened. A power-hungry demon is determined to see the women fail and become enslaved to him forever.
 Now the women’s lives and loves depend on surviving each other’s stories, defeating the demon and solving a centuries-old mystery.
 If they survive until The End untold wealth is theirs. But some stories have a life of their own…

 

you can buy The Storytellers here http://www.amazon.com/The-Storytellers-ebook/dp/B00F1LJL12

 

What was your favorite part of The Storytellers, when you were writing?

 

One of my favorite, but hardest parts of the novel for me to write concerned the naming and powers of the four idols at the heart of the story: Escrito holds the power of the writer, which we know as the power of the truth; Bailador, the power of the dancer, which holds the power of falling in love; Pintador, the power of the painter, which embodies the power of perception; and lastly Músico, the power of music, which transcends time and space and holds the power of emotion.

 

Tell us something most people don’t know about you?

 

In the 80s, I won tickets to a Phil Collins concert by singing “Against All Odds” on KLOS in Los Angeles.

 

 

 

Happy book birthday to ST Bende and Adrianne James!

We're so excited over here at Indie Ignites because we've had TWO #NA book birthdays this week !!!!
Book birthday number one was ST Bende's second installment in The Elsker Saga, Endre! Here's the blurb from Amazon: 
Sometimes, finding your destiny means doing the exact opposite of what The Fates have planned.

Winning the heart of an immortal assassin was a dream come true for Kristia Tostenson. Now she’s knee deep in wedding plans, goddess lessons, and stolen kisses with her fiance. But her decision to become immortal could end in heartbreak — not only for Kristia, but for the god who loves her. While Ull would do anything to protect his bride, even the God of Winter is powerless against the Norse apocalypse. Ragnarok is coming. And the gods aren’t even close to ready. Ack! If you're looking for a fun getaway this weekend with the likes of Thor (technically his stepson, Ull), check out Elsker and Endre!
Buy Endre on Amazon (link) Add Endre to Goodreads (link) Start at the beginning with Elsker (link) Visit ST's blog and enter to win an Amazon gift card, Endre ebook and swag (link)


Our second book birthday goes to Adrianne James -- The Tempering's birthday is today! Woo hoo!
Blurb from Amazon:
The Mythology department at prestigious Harvard University is tiny—and Mackenzie Duncan has just been selected as one of the lucky few. Her love for myths and legends is strong, but she never thought any of it could be real.

After being attacked by a large wolf while walking home alone, Mackenzie realizes something is not right. She heals quickly, is suddenly super strong, and is experiencing mood swings that can't possibly be normal. The myths she's studying aren't myths at all. Werewolves are real and she's one of them. Fear of what she is, and who she might hurt sends Mackenzie running from the life she’s worked hard to build–and straight into the arms of a handsome Were named Geoff and into the home of his pack. Living with her new pack takes the edge off her confusion and self-loathing, but the arrival of new pack members changes the dynamic, and tests Geoff and Mackenzie’s growing relationship.

The hardest part of being a werewolf is having no control and no memory of her time as a blood thirsty beast. When a moon cycle passes and she actually remembers bits and pieces of the night, she starts to ask questions, and the more questions she asks, the more she realizes she doesn't like the answers. Can she set aside her own sense of morals to belong to a pack that is like a family or will she leave everything behind yet again in search of a life she can be proud of?
If you're looking for a romantic read featuring paranormal mythology (or simply a new Were book) this weekend, check out The Tempering!
Buy The Tempering on Amazon (link) Add The Tempering to Goodreads and enter to win a copy (link)
Congrats guys, from your fellow Indie Ignites ladies!!! <3