Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Tour Kick Off - Meet and Greet - The Transmigration of Cora Riley






Urban Fantasy

Date Published: 3/4/2014

Average family. Average job. Average existential crisis.

After thirty boring years, nothing about Cora Riley’s life has measured up to her childhood dreams of being truly extraordinary. It’s too bad that the night she decides to seek out her specialness she crashes on a rural highway.

Cora wakes in the clutches of the Mistress of the underworld who sets her a seemingly impossible quest. If she wants a second chance at life, Cora must find her way through the dozen heavens and return to the castle in three days.

With the help of an unusual guardian angel named Jack and a little boy named Xavier, Cora navigates the afterlife doorfield and quickly learns that gods and monsters are very real indeed. Terrifying and tempting obstacles litter her path; only the power of belief – in the Otherworld, in her companions, and in herself – will return her to the land of the living.

   


#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?

            Absolutely. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t pour so much of myself (and my time, effort, money, and tears) into the work.  I’m totally one of those people who wanted to be an author when they were little but was told I couldn’t make a living and gave up on it.  Now that I’ve got the opportunity as an adult to really take that dream out for a ride, I’d be stupid not to take it seriously.


#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?

            Promotion, hands down.  The way the author-publisher system works, you’ve got to be constantly writing new material, but if you don’t pimp your old stuff at the same time, people forget about you and your books.  It’s incredibly difficult for me to juggle that.  I want to focus on the project at hand, and it’s just not possible to dump all memory or attachment from the last book because I need to promote it.  Thankfully, there are folks who specialize in helping authors get that work done with minimal effort, so for the big stuff, I can just throw money (what little I have) at the problem.


#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Family?

            So many people.  If I had to choose a single person who’s been the most helpful, it’s hands-down got to be my Queen Beta Reader, K. R. Green, an author in her own right who graciously reads my dreck between drafts of her (much bigger, more involved) novels.  She knows just how to critique without being a jerk and cheerleads like it’s her job.  I couldn’t ask (or pay for) a better helper.


#4 – What is next for your writing?

            More writing!  Of course.
            The main arc of the Forgotten Relics series will be five books (assuming everything goes to plan), then the world will be open to go anywhere it likes.  So that’ll be taking up most of my time.  I’m also slowly laying the foundation for a YA serial based on the crazy adventures my parents had in high school (I couldn’t make up stuff this nuts).  And then, who knows?


#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? If so, what are you currently reading?

            It’s funny – the more books I write, the less I tend to read.  I suspect it has something to do with only being able to hold one story at a time.  But I did read 100 books in a year recently; I swear I’m not illiterate.  Currently reading Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore and Sciath by JA Castelli in my free time.


DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet:

            Midwestern girl fights through underworld for second chance at life with the help of sexy angel and cute kid, finds her true inner power.


This or That?

#1 - iPod or Mp3?
            I actually don’t have an independent music-playing device; I use my iPhone for practically everything, including music/podcasts on the go.

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?
            Vanilla all the way.  With a little caramel mixed in.  Maybe some toffee.  Ooh, yeah, that’s the stuff…

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries?
            Fries – they don’t absorb all the other food on my plate like mashed potatoes.  Damn pushy spuds.

#4 – Comedy or Drama?
            I prefer them mixed together.  A little levity in a serious situation; a little gravitas in a romp.  It goes a long way to helping me connect with the story.

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks?
            Ew, neither.  (Sorry, fans of either author.  Just not my thang.)

#6 – Fantasy or Reality?
            Real life is stranger than fiction, but it’s certainly harder to manipulate.  But now that I can have a fairy armadillo for a pet, I’ll take reality.

#7 – Call or Text?
I am a texting ma-chine.  It gives me time to compose my thoughts so I don’t word-vomit all over someone’s feelings by accident.

#8 – Public School or Home School?
            For me, public school was great, but if I had munchkins of my own, I’d probably home school for at least elementary school.  The way institutionalized education is going gives me the willies.

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate
            Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee!

#10 – eBook or Paperback?

Although most of my money comes from ebook sales, I will always prefer a paperback to read.  There’s something special about the heft and scent of a real book (if they made “new book smell” perfume, I’d wear it).  Plus I can see how much progress I’ve made by the number of pages in either hand.





Ellie Di Julio is a nomadic writer currently living in Hamilton, Ontario with her Robert Downey, Jr. lookalike husband and their three cats. Between nerd activities like playing Dungeons & Dragons or watching Top Gear, she enthusiastically destroys the kitchen and tries to figure out what it's all about, when you really get down to it. She also writes urban fantasy novels riddled with pop culture references and sexy secret agents.

Her first novel, Inkchanger, could easily be considered Forgotten Relics #0, and as such, rewards readers of the rest of the series, sort of like watching Thor before The Avengers. Her second novel, Time & Again with Kyeli Smith, has nothing to do with super powers or secret agents but is very cool nonetheless.


March 5 - Paranormal Romance and Authors We Love - Guest Post
March 6 - Books A to Z - Excerpt
March 7 - Little Whimsy Books - Review
March 8 - Andi's Book Reviews - Guest Post
March 9 - Mythical Books - Interview
March 10 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews - Excerpt
March 11 -Rythem Poets - Review
March 12 - The Readers Hollow - Excerpt
March 13 - My Reading Addiction - Guest Post
March 14 - Pieces of Whimsy - Interview
March 16 - Book Publicity Services - PROMO
March 17 - A Life Through Books - Review
March 18 - D'eBook Sharing - Excerpt
March 19 - Texas Book Nook - Review
March 19 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up




2 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for all your help and support in my first-ever book promotion! Between the cover reveal, the launch-day blitz, and this tour, I'm wowed. So grateful to work with you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm a sucker for Urban Fantasy. Great Giveaway and FUN Interview.

    ReplyDelete