Thursday, October 24, 2013

Crossroads Blog Tour: Day 5

Day 5 of the Crossroads Blog Tour. Having fun? We are! Today, Kiki Hamilton talks about contemporary fiction vs fantasy, Jen McConnel dishes about authors who have inspired her career, and Lisa M. Cronkhite describes her perfect writing environment.

Check it out! And, then check out the rest of stops on the tour for your chance to WIN a Kindle preloaded with more than 20 creeptastic reads. After you check out the posts from each of the participating bloggershead to Crossroads headquarters where you'll find a "daily clue." It's a fangtastic scavenger hunt with a potentially monster pay-off.


Love the boogie board pic from your blog – a fave summer lake sport, for sure. How do you get back into the swing of writing after a few weeks off? 

This is a timely question because I’ve just taken the last six months off, which is the longest stretch since I started writing about 8 years ago. I’ve also started a new job that has long hours each day so it’s been a little more challenging to get back into a regular writing schedule, but mostly I write what I want to read. I try to throw in surprise twists and put my characters in places I hadn’t planned so that I have to keep writing to see what happens next.

What are some of the benefits of writing contemporary vs fantasy fiction? 

Writing a contemporary story was totally different than writing fantasy for me.  In one way it’s easier, because it’s the real world – it is what it is and only certain things can happen. On the other hand, fantasy does have offer flexibility in terms of plot but you have to create the parameters of the magic within your world and live within those boundaries.  Challenges? See answer above. ☺

Newest/Upcoming Release: The Faerie Ring 
Blog: http://www.kikihamilton.com
Twitter: @ kikihamilton



We love the blurb and cover for Daughter of Chaos. The series sounds great! Are you a free-flow writer or a plotter? When it comes to writing a series, is it more important to be one or the other?

Thank you! I’m so excited about this series.  When it comes to drafting, I’m a total pantser, but once the crummy first draft is down, I go into plotting mode.  I outline, I measure percentages (true story!), I agonize over the pacing, and I try to clean up the crazy into a coherent story.  It helps to have a plan when writing a series, but these books have surprised me again and again.  I love it when the characters deviate from my loose plan!

You’ve so far written YA, NA and non-fiction. What authors have influenced your work?

I’m a HUGE reader, and I feel like I’ve been influenced by everything I’ve read or seen.  A few authors who spring to mind: Anne Lamott, Susan Cooper, Gail Carson Levine, Neil Gaiman, Rick Riordan, and Lynne Reid Banks.  Also, my mom: she free-lanced for years, and she co-wrote a nonfiction book when I was a teen.  Watching her go through the entire experience, from story idea to publication to signings, really stuck with me.

Newest/Upcoming Releases: Daughter of Chaos
Website: http://www.jenmcconnel.com
Twitter: @Jen_McConnel


The cover for Deep in the Meadows is deliciously creepy. Where do you get your creep inspiration?

Well, Leap designed the cover.  I didn’t have a say, but I was very pleased when they did show me the cover.  I got to choose from six covers.  They went with the one I picked out, which was cool.  As for creep inspiration, scary movies all the way.

Describe your ideal writing environment.

Somewhere cool and quiet, preferably outside when it’s about 70 degrees, windy.  Either dawn or dusk, both my favorite times to write.

Newest/Upcoming Releases: Deep in the Meadows
Website: http://www.writingsbylisamcronkhite.blogspot.ca










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