One Pelican at a Time and Nancy were featured in the PBS Tampa special, GulfWatch.  Pelican has won the Literary Classics Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite Five Star Award and was nominated for a Global eBook Award.

Nancy is a frequent speaker and presenter at writing conferences throughout the United States.  She conducts workshops and seminars and speaks to school children on writing and helping save their planet.  A blogger with a worldwide audience, she writes of all things pertaining to writing for children.

Nancy’s travels take her extensively throughout the world, most particularly Africa. She is US chair of a charity in Lamu, Kenya, that places girls in intermediate schools to allow them to further their education.

She and her husband live in Tampa and St. Louis.

Now on to the FIVE QUESTIONS

1. How did you come to write Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage?

My husband and I bought a condo on Clearwater Beach, Florida four years ago.  One day I happened to see what looked like an aquarium situated on the Inter Coastal.   I visited  and found it to be Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a rescue and release sanctuary for marine animals.  It was there I “met” Winter, the tailless dolphin (now of Dolphin Tale Fame).  In watching the video on offer, I was mesmerized by a little girl, Katrina Simpkins, who must wear a prosthetic leg.  When she met Winter with her prosthetic tale, Katrina’s life changed forever.  I thought, “How wonderful and touching,” and left.

About a year later, I received a phone call from a woman named Maria Simpkins.  I couldn’t place the name but somehow knew I’d heard it.  It was, of course, Katrina’s mom asking me if I would write the biography of her daughter.  I was flabbergasted, as the request came out of the blue.  “Yes,” I said.  “I’d be delighted.”  And then I really began to think about it.  This was serious stuff.  It had to be done correctly and well.  It was a big task.  An important task.  It had to be the best I could do for Katrina.  The book quickly became personal to me and then became a labor of love.  Katrina will always be my hero.

2.  Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage is biographical. How different was it to write a biography as opposed to fiction?

I found it to be totally and challengingly different.  With fiction, the author can go anywhere and have their characters do anything, as long as it creates a reasonable story for the age group.  With biography, one is totally at the mercy of the incidents at hand.  By definition, it’s a bit more journalistic but must be told in as true a way as one can get to the subject. I did, in the end, go with narrative non-fiction, but it is the true story of Katrina and her relationship with Winter.  (I was fortunate to have spent a weekend with the Simpkins family and was able to take copious notes, record conversations and get to know them, particularly Katrina.)

3. What’s next on the horizon?

I’ve just completed a Middle Grade novel called Lost on the Skeleton Coast.  It’s a mystery set in the country of Namibia, next door to South Africa.  A brother and sister, Olivia and Andy, are on an archaeological dig with their Uncle Blake, the lead site archaeologist.  With diamond smugglers, kidnapping, an encounter with desert-adapted lions and the kids’ getting lost in the desert, I’m hoping it will be a delight to readers ready for a full-flung adventure!

4. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

This is a question near to my heart!  The first is to read the genre of your choice.  Go to the library, bookstore, online and get the books. Choose fine books.  Look at the Newbery winners, (Caldecott, if one is an illustrator).  Take notes as to what makes the book/s good.  Second, join a critique group.  One cannot and should not write in a vacuum!  Critiquing is part of the creative process and a necessary part.  Third, create a platform.  Unless you win the “book lottery,” and your book is immediately snagged by a top publisher, you have to work on a platform.  Create a web site, begin a blog, put yourself out there to guest post on other blogs, offer to do blog interviews, etc.  Little by little, a platform is created.  It takes time and perseverance, but there is no way to do it but just go through the process.  Fourth, do not let rejection paralyze you.  Being rejected is as much a part of this profession as the writing.  Embrace it, and learn from it and move on.  Never stop writing and rewriting.  You and your work will become stronger because of it!

5. Finally, Beatles or Rolling Stones?

Rolling Stones, always and every time.

Now on to the FIVE QUESTIONS

1. Congrats on your novel Frey. Where did the spark of inspiration for Frey come from?

The short answer – We watch a lot of Sy-Fy. The long answer – I love to read and I wanted to write a story my friends and I could enjoy, characters we would fall in love with, events that could make us laugh. I wasn’t aiming to be published, it was simply our entertainment. I think that’s made it all the more special to me.

2. Frey is the first novel in The Frey Saga. How different is the writing process for you now than it was writing the first book?

The first book came about nearly by accident. In the beginning I never believed it would be a full blown novel, or that it would happen so fast. But, once I started to get it down on paper, the story took over, the characters practically wrote themselves. And then, I found out about editing. lol By the second book, I’d learned so much (and dreaded revising so much) the writing took me more than twice as long.

3. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Write. Write for pleasure, write about what you love, write something you’d want to read, it doesn’t matter, but write.

4. What is your solution to writer’s block?

Change stories, if only for a bit. When getting up for a coffee break or going for a jog, nothing gets you moving, then just switch it up for a while. Maybe it will come to you, or maybe your new story will be better. If that doesn’t work either, then re-read and revise. There might be something wrong and you simply can’t see it while staring at the flashing cursor.

5. Finally, Star Wars or Star Trek?

Ooh, this is a tough one. Can’t I have both?

Synopsis:

Hunted by council for practicing dark magic, she is certain she’s been wrongfully accused. She flees, and is forced to rely on strangers for protection. But the farther she strays from home, the more her magic and forgotten memories return and she begins to suspect all is not as it seems.

The Cover: Interesting. It’s not a bad cover.

The First Line: “‘Crap!’ I stubbed my toe on a root, one of the pitfalls of living in a tree. It throbbed and I slammed the door.” This threw me off. I didn’t realize that Frey was an elf and it isn’t mentioned in the blurb. In hindsight, the opening lines make sense, but I found it confusing at first.

The Good: Chevell and Steed are great characters. I like how they balance one another out. I also enjoyed Ruby.

Once Frey meets Steed and Ruby, the pace of the story picks up quite a bit.

The twist at the end is actually pretty refreshing too.

The Bad: Frey comes across as weak to me. She doesn’t try all that hard to figure out what is going on. Instead she seems fine to just go with the flow. Her emotions are fleeting and I’m never really sure what she’s feeling. Using “Grrr” tells me Frey is angry when, as a reader, I want to see her anger.

On top of that, I don’t like that the character willingly lets herself be drugged. On multiple occasions at that.

Recommendation: If you are looking for a lightweight version of The Lord of the Rings, this might be up your alley.

Now on the FIVE Questions

1.      How important is a platform for new and established authors in the 21^st century?

Platform comes in various ways nowadays. With self-publishing and ebooks, it seems that authors have more options to get their work out there. However, you must be smart about it. Traditional publishing is still here, and I believe won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Authors must be very careful in the decisions they make because sometimes they can make-or-break you on getting an agent. For example, if an author has a project they want me to take on, but they have been self-pubbed with previous work, how I can rebuild them as an author if they have already ‘branded’ themselves through self-publishing? Try to have a clean slate when going out with your first project, and make sure your pass work that is somewhere out there in Internet world is something you are proud of. Story stories, articles, awards are all wonderful things I like to see. But be smart about the things you do if you are serious about getting a publisher behind your work.

2.      What’s it like for you to make “The Call”?

When I finish a manuscript, I know. I usually have been non-stop thinking about the story, bombarding my mind, and simply, I just can’t get enough of it. Sometimes I even have dreams about the characters! When I know I am about to offer representation, I contact the writer, schedule a call and then we talk. I explain to them what I love and how excited I am, and then offer rep. The conversation always goes deeper – to what edits I may suggest, what they are looking to do next, what ideas they may have on the project, and just understanding each other on a business level so that we know how it will be to work with each other. It is always a great moment to be able to connect with a writer and his/her story. It is a beginning of a new relationship.

3.      According to your bio, you’re seeking realistic YA. What does the story need to win you over?

Realistic YA is a tough category to breakout in. The first pages are so important to me when it comes to grabbing my attention. As far as YA, I want the main character to have a strong voice. A strong enough voice that will make me what to follow them wherever they go. Make sure the character is unique enough for her to stand out. I always want to writer to think ‘MAINSTREAM’ – how can you develop this character to connect with any young reader? Presenting a conflict is also very important when I read YA – what is going on in their life that make them different? What is happening to them that makes me want to keep reading? Life is so complicated as it is. Take a deep look at everyday problems and build a story from it.

4.      What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Listen and watch. Listen and watch the world around you. To people. To agents. To editors. To other writers. To family. To friends. Understanding the ‘world’ is the best way to write a novel. Observe what goes on around you and put it into a perspective for ANY PERSON to learn from. Take the reader from their ‘world’ into another ’world’. If you are able to do this successfully, you have a work that anyone will be able to read and connect to, in some way or another.

5.      Finally, Beatles or Rolling Stones?

The Beatles. They are the definition of timeless.

 Now on to the FIVE QUESTION

1. Congrats on Pushing the Limits. How long did it take you from concept to publication?

I began writing Pushing the Limits in late December of 2009. I began querying the story in the spring of 2010 and landed my agent in the fall of 2010. I sold several weeks later. My book will be released on July 31, 2012. So from start to finish the process has taken over two years.

2.  What was the spark of inspiration for Echo & Noah?

The original spark came when I was free writing for another story. I thought it would be fun to write a scene with my characters in therapy. Halfway into the scene, I realized that my heroine’s voice had changed. That new voice became Echo.

I gave Echo room to play and when I asked myself who would be the best person to bring her out of her shell, Noah was created.

3. What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

To never give up. The publication process is a very long and arduous one. It is full of rejection. Remember, for every no you receive, you are one step closer to a yes.

4. What is your solution to writer’s block?

I listen to music and go for a jog. I often talk about the scene I’m stuck on with my husband or beta readers. If all else fails, I go back to the last place in the manuscript where I had no problems writing and analyze what I had done between that point and where I became stuck. Often, I’m paralyzed because I’ve taken a wrong turn. This means I need to delete and rewrite.

5.  Finally, Star Wars or Star Trek?

Definitely Star Wars.

by J.A. Belfield, Jennifer M. Eaton, J. Keller Ford, Terri Rochenski, Kelly Said, Lynda R. Young

Release Date: December 3, 2012

Back of the Book

Sacrificial Oath by Terri Rochenski

An impetuous act unwittingly makes Alesuela the fulfillment of the Sovereign’s Blood Oath to their Goddess. In five days, she’ll be forced to make the greatest choice of her life: become the virginal sacrifice already promised, or force the man she loves most to die in her place.

With an impossible choice in front of her, she searches for ways to undo the oath, and in her quest, finds not everything in her life is as she expects.

The Amulet of Ormisez by J. Keller Ford

There is only one way to save Elton Fletcher’s brother from an insanity-ridden death.

After years away from home, fighting for his people, Elton returns to discover his only sibling, Cayden, possessed by greed and malice, and responsible for malicious, unthinkable deeds. Cayden, though, isn’t the only one afflicted by the Amulet of Ormisez, and Elton finds himself in yet another battle, where the price of failure could be his own life.

Birthright by Lynda R. Young

Christa can mask the pain and hide the scars, but running from a birthright is impossible.

She’s tried to escape her grief by fleeing to a small town in Florida. Much to her frustration, the locals think they recognize her even though she’s never been there before. To make things worse, a man named Jack spouts outrageous theories about her.

Both spur Christa to bolt, to start fresh yet again, but there’s something about Jack that intrigues her enough to stay. The only problem? Someone else wants her to leave, and they won’t stop until she’s dead.

Petrified by Kelly Said

A mysterious storm has replaced summer with winter, devastating crops and smothering Castle lands in snow.  Prince Sterling August stands alone as a leader, lost in personal grief as well as a desire to help his people but with an inability to do either.

The answers he needs await him, but without Lochlyn, a woman who’s just as isolated as Sterling, he’ll never see what stands before him, cloaked in illusion.

Last Winter Red by Jennifer M. Eaton

Emily is a Red, a woman whose sole purpose in life is to produce offspring. When her husband dies and leaves her childless, she risks her life and forsakes the safety of Terra—a disease-free city born after the nuclear holocaust. Beyond its boundaries, she knows, survives a man with whom she can be properly paired.

The Outside, though, holds secrets the government struggles to keep, and what Emily discovers on her quest for a mate will change her life forever.

Escort to Insanity by J.A. Belfield

From a charity auction, to a stroll in the park, to the craziest night of her life. Nicole Harrington can’t help but wonder how a simple event went so drastically wrong.

Of course, the male escort she booked is wholly to blame. Not only charming but shrewdly intelligent, Benjamin Gold drags Nicole into a platoon of unimaginable problems—ones from which she’ll have to find the courage just to survive.

URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/17

Synopsis:

All Katrina Simpkins longs to be is a normal girl. Because she must wear prosthesis as a leg, she feels anything but. When she meets and befriends Winter, the tailless dolphin, at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, everything changes, including Katrina’s whole life. Read the story of these real life partners in courage!

Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courgage is now Available from Guardian Angel Publishing, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound Books

Excerpt from Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage

“I can’t wait to see everything!” eight year old Katrina shouted. Palm trees seemed to speed by the car window. She gathered her hair into a ponytail. “Know what?” she asked her parents in the front seat. “In won’t mind using my helper leg. It’ll be crowded at Disney World, and no one’s gonna notice.” I hope, she thought.

As they drove toward the aquarium, Katrina began to get nervous, the way she always did in new surroundings. She felt a thin sheen of sweat above her lop in spite of the car’s chilled air.

She stepped into the brilliant sunlight and looked around. Parking lot’s not very crowded, but maybe more people will come soon. Entering the building, Katrina said, “What’s with this place? It’s tiny. I don’t see any fish either.”

Around the corner of the lobby, she noticed a large aquarium window. Through it she saw an animal that looked unusual.

Here’s the Book Trailer:

Now, the way the award works is this: you copy the above award picture into a post and link back to the person who gave you the award. You then must either answer ten random questions or give seven random facts about yourself. Then spread the award along to ten other bloggers by tagging them!

Depends on the project, really. Reaper was plotted from beginning to end. My latest project (in the revision phase) was a pantser for sure.

Hmmm… I have only so much room on my blog… Okay, I hate commas, so I neglect them when I shouldn’t.

Synopsis:

Death always hits Xylia Morana too close to home, but she likes it that way. She hangs out with the terminally ill, attends random funerals, and every so often, when the weather is right, she sleeps in open graves.

But after Landon Phoenix, the high school hottie, dies in Xylia’s arms, she sneaks into the morgue to say goodbye. How could she know stealing a kiss from his corpse would wake him up?

With Landon returned to the living and suddenly interested in Xylia, life has new meaning. But what Xylia doesn’t realize is that by kissing Landon back to life, she’s thrown Life and Death off balance. The underworld demands a body, and it might just have to be Xylia’s this time

The Cover: Xylia has a thing for death so this cover really represents her quite well.

The First Line: “When I was twelve, I found my mother dead on Christmas day. Since then I’ve always found death fascinating.” This gives such great insight in Xylia right from the get go. She tells you from the start that she’s fascinated by death instead of terrified of it. I love how her reaction is not what you would expect!

The Good: This is a lot to love about A Stiff Kiss. Xylia is a great character. She’s smart, funny, and enchanting. There’s also a scared little girl hiding beneath all the black that peeks out every now and then.

Landon seems like the polar opposite. He’s one of the popular jocks determined that soccer is his future. When we finally dip into Landon’s head (the story is in alternating points of view), we see somebody who’s just as lost as Xylia.

The idea that someone obsessed with death is willing to kiss a corpse is a great premise. And the journey is heart wrenching.

The Bad: There were a couple of things left unexplained that I would’ve loved a little closure on.

Recommendation: This is a great read for lovers of YA romance with a paranormal twist.