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Villain Visitations - with Elizabeth Fountain's 'Fox'

10/4/2015

4 Comments

 
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Lock your doors, people, the villains are here on my blog! Be sure to enter the giveaway - 7 ebooks, 3 e-comics, and a $10 Amazon gift card.

Today, the Fox from Elizabeth Fountain's novel, You, Jane, has joined us.


Tell us, Fox, what is your ultimate goal?

Now, that poses a puzzler. I do, after all, lead a small boy to cross a busy highway, so that he is hit by a cab that does not stop. But the boy doesn’t die. Instead, he serves as a lesson for the other humans in this tale, Jane and Charlie, a chance for them to confront their inner and outer demons, to make the decisions they’ve avoided for so many years. In order to make an omelet, they say, one must break a few eggs. The small boy turned out to be quite a good egg, and believe me, I feel a pang, sending him across that busy road. A definite pang.

Yet in my defense, I must point out, the Universe works through me. I teach the lessons of Nature. Am I paid for this mischief? Yes, of course. I am a Fox, and a mercenary, and my services do not come cheap. But I ask you, do you blame me for charging what the magical market will bear to deliver the learning the Universe requires?

My ultimate goal, my friend, is survival. The same as yours, the small boy’s, the humans who surround him, and of course, the Universe’s. We all simply seek to engage in this Life another day.

What do you see as your greatest obstacle?

I teach the lessons of Nature, at the behest of the Universe. You might imagine, then, that both stay out of my way and let me do my job. But no. They do not make it so easy. I must overcome the reluctance of my educational charges, unnatural weather events, confusing instructions, resistance high and low. All too often, those supernatural beings who contract me fail to pay my remittance on time. How is a Fox supposed to thrive on unpaid accounts receivable?

But perhaps the largest obstacle I face is the conscience the Universe saw fit to endow me with. Without it, I could do my job so much more easily. If I could only be as ruthless as Nature herself… 

Pick an historical figure and compare yourself to him or her– how are you alike and different?

I see myself as a kind of Florence Nightingale, lighting a small lamp of learning in the great dark of ignorance. Of course, Miss Nightingale set bones, whereas I break them. A small difference, in the great scheme of things, wouldn’t you say?

I'd say that's rather significant, actually. But anyway, name a song that would be played in the soundtrack of your life.

Please, I beg of you, do not mention that song by Ylvis. You have no idea what it is like to be a Fox when that song is played. I strongly prefer classical music. I think the Ride of the Valkyries captures much of what it is like to be a Fox like me.

Interesting choice, Fox. Thanks for the interview. And now, if you'd like to know more about You, Jane:

Jane Margaret Blake’s problem isn’t her drinking. Sure, she’s missing work, and forgetting she’s already fed her cat, who’s getting a little fat. But Jane’s real problem is the reason she drinks: she writes stories that come true and wreak havoc in her life. 

In her “fables” animals, people, angels, and the Universe itself conspire to destroy Jane’s last chance to be with her old love, or, just maybe, to bring her into the arms of a new love. Years ago, a fable pushed Jane’s best friend Charlie into marrying another woman. Now another fable shoves Charlie’s little boy in front of an angry dog - or worse, a wicked spirit bent on getting Jane and Charlie to face the truths they’ve spent a lifetime avoiding. 

As her drinking and writing spiral out of control, Jane must finally discover how to write her own happy ending. 

For more information about Elizabeth Fountain and her books, visit:
Web site and blog: http://lizfountain.wordpress.com
Facebook
fan page:
https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethFountainAuthor

To buy You, Jane:
Amazon author central page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B0I5RM2

For non-Kindle formats: https://lizfountain.wordpress.com/books-reviews/



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Three Days, Three Quotes Challenge

7/1/2015

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Thank you Elizabeth Fountain for tagging me in the “3 days, 3 quotes” challenge. Be sure to check out Elizabeth’s blog. She has some insightful articles about writing, and life!

Now, to rise to the challenge, I need to post one favorite quote a day for 3 days, and tag 3 other bloggers. Today’s quote is from MOTHER TERESA. This is how I feel after my first year as a cancer mom.

 “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.”


And now, to tag the first of three other bloggers for the challenge: Tag, Julie Eberhart Painter. You’re it! Be sure to check out Julie’s blog for great writing insights!

Hope you'll stop by tomorrow, for Day 2 of this challenge!

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Interview with author Elizabeth Fountain

6/14/2015

2 Comments

 
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Is your side hurting yet? It's June Jests here on my blog - and today author Elizabeth Fountain is my special guest.

Thanks for stopping by, Elizabeth! Why don't you start by telling us, what is your favorite style of comedy? 

Wow, that’s a tough one. I like just about any style that’s done well. If I must pick, then I choose YOU, satire! Your ability to poke fun at the powerful and pompous evokes great delight in me.  

Why do you like to incorporate humor into your stories? 

I believe it is impossible – not nearly impossible, not slightly impossible, nor somewhat impossible, but terribly, completely, indubitably impossible to tell stories about human beings without humor. We must laugh in order to survive. Good thing we so often make hilarious fools of ourselves! 


How do you incorporate humor into your novels? Do you ever draw inspiration from real life? 

Humor pervades this life, if you want to call it “real,” which I’m not at all certain of. Look around you. Observe your fellow human beings at work and play. If you can do this intently for more than five minutes without seeing something to laugh at, well, then, do it for another five minutes. Trust me on this one. Listen to anyone you know sneeze. The human sneeze is ridiculously funny. (Guard yourself with facemasks if you must, for the human sneeze is also ridiculously juicy.) If you find yourself crafting a story without any humor, throw in a dog. Or a cat. Or even a possum. Animals know the wisdom of laughter.  

Which of your characters cracks you up the most & why? 

I love all my characters the same! Who told you I had a favorite? It’s a lie! (**Whispers: Okay, I think they’re not listening, so I’ll confess: Sergio Leone Eastwood, the villain in my first novel, An Alien’s Guide to World Domination, cracks me up every time he comes into a scene. The way he hikes up his pants to show his prowess, then promptly wets them as soon as an alien lord yells at him, I can’t help but chortle. Sure, he’s evil and all that, but come on! He wets his pants! Ya gotta love the guy, er, alien!**) 

And now, how about some This or That?:
  
Brooklyn Nine-Nine or Big Bang Theory? 

What or what? I haven’t had a television for almost four years. The only Brooklyn Nine I know of are the Dodgers, pre-1949, of course. Da Bums hit a few big bangs in their day! 


Much Ado About Nothing or A Midsummer Night’s Dream? 

How doth thou chooseth between the whip-smart beautiful sarcasm from Beatrice, and sweet, handsome, donkey-eared Bottom pining for Titania? Thou canst not, prithee. 

Three Stooges or Laurel & Hardy? 

Is my significant other listening? **waves** Three Stooges, honey! (Totally Laurel and Hardy, of course.) 

Erma Bombeck or Dave Barry? 

Is my mother listening? **waves** Erma Bombeck is awesome, Mom! (Totally Dave Barry, of course.) 


Here's more details about Elizabeth's books:


An Alien’s Guide to World Domination (2013) 

Louise Armstrong Holliday is the last person on Earth you’d expect to save the human race. But when she uncovers proof that her boss is an alien the color of lime Jell-O™ gone horribly wrong, and is at the center of a plot to destroy humanity, Louie decides to do exactly that. She begins a journey from her company’s suburban Seattle office park to the old cities and castles of Eastern Europe. Along the way, Louie is attacked by flying books, overly-sensitive bat-crow monsters, and her own self-doubts. She must learn the truth about her closest friend, stand up to her boss, confront her oldest enemy, and make peace with her Aunt Emma, who annoys her in the way only true family can. She also has to rely on Buddy, the little blind mini-Schnauzer who saves her life twice – and really is from Mars. 

You, Jane (2014) 

Jane Margaret Blake’s problem isn’t her drinking. Sure, she’s missing work, and forgetting she’s already fed her cat, who’s getting a little fat. But Jane’s real problem is the reason she drinks: she writes stories that come true and wreak havoc in her life.  
 
In her “fables” animals, people, angels, and the Universe itself conspire to destroy Jane’s last chance to be with her old love, or, just maybe, to bring her into the arms of a new love. Years ago, a fable pushed Jane’s best friend Charlie into marrying another woman. Now another fable shoves Charlie’s little boy in front of an angry dog - or worse, a wicked spirit bent on getting Jane and Charlie to face the truths they’ve spent a lifetime avoiding.  
 
As her drinking and writing spiral out of control, Jane must finally discover how to write her own happy ending.  


For more from Elizabeth:


Buy link: https://lizfountain.wordpress.com/books-reviews/ 

Web site: http://lizfountain.wordpress.com 


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2 Comments

Love Poem Challenge - Elizabeth Fountain

2/16/2015

7 Comments

 
About the Author:


In 2011, I left a demanding job as a university administrator in Seattle to move to the small town of Ellensburg and pursue my dream of writing novels. I’ve had two published so far: An Alien’s Guide to World Domination (2013) and You, Jane (2014). On my breaks from writing, I teach university courses, spend time with family and friends, and take long walks while leaning into the diabolical Kittitas Valley wind.

 I started writing in grade school; fortunately, most of my tortured high school poetry and song lyrics are lost to posterity. Every once in a while, I attempt poetry again. The discipline of choosing words for sound and flow as well as meaning informs my fiction writing. Or at least I hope it does. I enjoyed trying to capture something about love in 25 words or less, and the moon enraptures me. 

The Poem:

Poem


If you were mine tonight I
Would raise a toast to the stars and
Tell the moon
To shine on, please, shine on.



Elizabeth Fountain

More from Elizabeth:

In You, Jane, the heroine is completely mixed up about love and romance. Jane looks for true love in all the wrong places, as her mysterious ability to write stories that come true creates havoc for her and her circle of friends. This poem makes me think of her – Jane might have written it during her own search for love. 
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Read more of my work at http://lizfountain.wordpress.com
Find information on buying my novels at http://lizfountain.wordpress.com/books-reviews/

To vote for your favorite poems:


Stop by this blog every 3 days to see the new poems. Leave positive comments on your favorite posts. Invite friends to do the same. Poems with the most hits & comments will win gift certificates for some on-line shopping -- and bragging rights, of course.
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A visit from Elizabeth Fountain's Sergio...

10/26/2014

3 Comments

 
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Prepare for goose-pimples! It's villain visitation month here on my blog. We’re down to the final two antagonists! Today Sergio Leone Eastwood, the villain of Elizabeth Fountain’s novel, An Alien’s Guide to World Domination, is my guest.

Tell us, Sergio…

What is your ultimate goal?

Ah. That is a thoughtful question that requires an equally thoughtful answer, one that takes into account the various synergies and convergences that have bedeviled my otherwise stellar career as an interplanetary mercenary. Some would claim my ultimate goal is to avoid decimation at the hands (if he has any) of the Lord of the planet Kleptofargh to whom I still owe the largest cyborg army in the galaxy, to stay alive another day. Others might insist I aim to take over the galaxy myself, one fine day. But if I were to tell the truth, my ultimate goal would surely involve eliminating that pesky witness who claims she has seen me kill my own father. Of course, she is entirely mistaken; yet her wild assertions might interfere with the business deals that keep me alive.

What makes you so driven to accomplish this goal?

Even an interplanetary mercenary has a reputation to uphold. My business partners do not care a whit that I might have murdered my own father. They certainly would concern themselves with my utter failure to carry out my real mission that night, and my ties to the forces on my home planet who recruited me to kill for them. Such knowledge would surely cut well into my ability to make a profit, if not cost me my own life.

If you could choose anyone from the literary world as your partner in crime, who would you choose and why?

As a fan of the film and literary arts on your little planet Earth, I am well informed to answer this question. Upon significant reflection, I must request Professor Moriarty, the archenemy of Mister Sherlock Holmes. The esteemed Professor’s intelligence might nearly match my own, and his ability to disappear rapidly, leaving those behind him wondering if he ever existed, suits my modus operandi to a T. 

If Professor Moriarty is unavoidably detained from such a partnership, given my choice of Earth name, I would not be able to decline an offer of assistance from Angel Eyes, also known as Mister Lee Van Cleef. A brutal assistant might come in quite handy…

Describe yourself in three words or less.

Pardon me? It is not in my nature to economize with words. However, since you’ve been so gracious in this interview, I will do my best to narrow my response to three words. In order to do so, let us stipulate that handsome, brave, and intelligent go without saying, so to speak. Ergo, three additional words to describe me might include: devious, duplicitous, and treacherous.

I appreciate your attempt at brevity, Mr. Eastwood. Here’s a bit more about this lovely work of science fiction with a sense of humor:

Louise Armstrong Holliday is the last person on Earth you’d expect to save the human race. But when she uncovers proof that her boss is an alien the color of lime Jell-O gone horribly wrong, and is at the center of a plot to destroy humanity, Louie decides to do exactly that. She begins a journey from her company’s suburban Seattle office park to the old cities and castles of Eastern Europe. Along the way, Louie is attacked by flying books, overly-sensitive bat-crow monsters, and her own self-doubts. She must learn the truth about her closest friend, stand up to her boss, confront her oldest enemy, and make peace with her Aunt Emma, who annoys her in the way only true family can. She also has to rely on Buddy, the little blind mini-Schnauzer who saves her life twice—and really is from Mars.

For more about Elizabeth Fountain and her books:

http://lizfountain.wordpress.com Buy links

Find her buy links here:

http://lizfountain.wordpress.com/find-my-published-work/

http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Fountain/e/B00B0I5RM2#


3 Comments

Meet my character blog hop

9/7/2014

2 Comments

 
PictureClick cover to purchase.
September is hoppin’ here on my blog. I’ve been invited to join some blog hops & so I thought I’d get in on the fun. This week, author Elizabeth Fountain has invited me to participate in the ‘Meet my characters’ Blog hop. I’ll be answering some character related questions about my latest novel, Abomination…

1) What is the name of your character?  Is he/she fictional or a historic person?

Princess Willow has a gift for debate. She is a fan of satin, lace, and getting her own way. She is the strong-willed daughter of Watcher and Benaiah, the King and Queen of Forest End, which is a fictional land from my fantasy series.

2) When and where is the story set?

The story is set in a medieval style fantasy world called Anthelion, where everyone is blessed with one special gift. Most gifts are mundane; for instance, one might be a talented cook or seamstress. Some people, however, have powerful, supernatural abilities. These are the people about whom legends are told.

3) What should we know about your character?

Willow may be a bit of a brat, but she is also clever and as the child of prophecy, she has the ability to change the world.

4) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?

In the beginning of the book, Willow is kidnapped by an enemy kingdom. She finds herself in a strange land in the company of a young man who is nearly impervious to her gifts of persuasion.

5) What is the personal goal of the character?

Six year old Willow would very much like to fulfill her role in the prophecy already so she can get back home to her riding lessons.

6) Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it?

This book is called Abomination. Here are some reviews that will tell you a bit more…
http://authoreverleigh.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-tour-abomination-by-audra.html
http://myaddictionisreading.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-tour-abomination-by-audra.html http://www.lilacreviews.com/book-reviews/review-abomination/ 
http://pratr.wordpress.com/2014/08/31/abomination-by-audra-middleton/ 
http://texasbooknook13.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-tour-abomination-by-audra.html
http://dalenesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2014/09/abomination-by-audra-middleton.html

7) When can we expect the book to be published?

This book is now available on Amazon and iBookstore as an ebook or paperback.

And next week (Sept. 16) you’re invited to check out the following author's “Meet My Characters” responses…

Kenneth Schultz - "I like to make things and writing allows me to create whole worlds, the people in these worlds, and challenges to confront my people. Writing also lets me explore issues facing mankind, like the impact on civilization of the exhaustion of fossil fuels. Sci Fi is my favorite genre and fits well with my background in engineering, science, and economics. I presently make my home on Washington's picturesque Olympic Peninsula."
LINKS: www.kennethdschultz.com
                  www.facebook.com/KennethDSchultz

Stay tuned Sept. 28 for my part in Linda Ulleseit's Back to School Blog Hop!




2 Comments

Interview with Elizabeth Fountain

5/4/2014

2 Comments

 
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May is sci-fi madness month here on my blog. I’m interviewing two authors of science fiction each week. Today I’ve invited Elizabeth Fountain, author of An Alien’s Guide to World Domination to stop by. Thanks for being here, Elizabeth!

What do you like most about science fiction as a genre?


I love the permission writing (and reading) science fiction gives us to explore human behavior in fun and interesting ways. How many times do we catch ourselves looking around a crowded room and feeling like everyone else must be from another planet? Or vice versa, like we just landed on a strange world and cannot figure out its even stranger inhabitants? These experiences are universal (no pun intended), and in writing sci-fi, we get to make them visceral.

From where did you draw inspiration for your sci-fi novel?

From my own life, of course, but also from some of my favorite authors. The wacky humor of Douglas Adams in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, and the skewed alternative universe of Jasper Fforde in the Thursday Next series, both made me feel like writing a story like An Alien's Guide was possible. Readers might even like it. And believe it or not, this story owes a big debt to The Wizard of Oz. Probably, if we were honest, just about every tale of misfit friends on a journey owes a debt to L. Frank Baum's story.
 

If they were to make a movie of your book, who would you want to play the lead roles, and why?

I adore Alan Rickman. Can he play all the leads? Okay, we'll save him for the villain, Sergio, because we know how well he can play a black-eyed sneak. Laura Linney might be my favorite actress, so I'll wish for her to take on Louie, who understands dogs and cats but not her fellow humans. And Jack, Louie's partner in trying to save the world? Colin Firth is a bit older than Jack is written, but he's got the right hair and eyes. (Obviously I'm not going to make it big as a Hollywood casting director...)
 
Describe your sci-fi novel in 25 words or less.

When humanity's future is in the hands of the one person on the planet who questions whether they are worth saving, it's lucky her dog knows what to do.

THIS or THAT:

Star Wars or Star Trek?


Star Trek. The - original - series - with - William - Shatner (I'm trying to write that like he talks!). Hands down. Although I had a crush on Han Solo in high school (alert! the author dates herself!). But you have to love the original Star Trek series, as long as you don't have to play one of the non-essential personnel heading out on the probe. For dog's sake, those poor people never come back!

Dr. Who or Dr. Frankenstein?

New Dr. Who series one, Christopher Eccleston. Or Gene Wilder as Dr. Frahn-ken-steen. It's a toss up!


Are aliens here for Invasion or Exploration?

As the natives on almost every continent said to the Europeans, what's the difference?

Original Battlestar Galactica or Remake Battlestar Galactica?

I never watched either, but on principle, I have to choose the original. Any television from the late 1970's is so dang awesome.
 

Where can we learn more about your books?

My blog/website is the best place to start: Point No Point (http://lizfountain.wordpress.com). You can also find my books on my Amazon author page (http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B0I5RM2). And you can follow me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethFountainAuthor)




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    Author

    Audra Middleton is a somewhat neurotic and terminally sarcastic author and mother of three from Washington State.

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