New Adult Book Club discussion

This week we have Mikayla Elliot taking some time out of her schedule to take your questions for her or The Black Ice Trilogy.

Do also check out her giveaway for four signed copies of Blizzard which is opened internationally! Head over here to participate: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

what other writers inspire you?

What are you working on now?

Hey ladies, thanks for the questions! Anna, I have a good list but I’ll try to highlight: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, R. A. Salvatore, and Shana Abe are the well knowns. The indie/new authors include C. E. Clayton, Carol Deeley, Tuesday Cross, and Michael Chrobak! Each author has inspired a new light as both a reader and writer.

Nicole, I am currently working on the last book in my Black Ice Trilogy, Hail. I’ve been on hiatus with a sick family the last few weeks, so I’m eager to get thrown back into the writing process!

What is your inspiration in writing?

Good evening Cj! My inspiration is an influence of many things, however most specifically people and the hardships endured, the different ways individuals handle them. Resilience to trauma is a beautiful and complex thing. Long ago I wanted to be a psychologist, and as such have thoroughly enjoyed the study of behavior.
I often discover my stories in my daydreams, usually when I should be busy doing something else!

If you could be any book character for a day, who would you choose and why?

J. wrote: "If you could be any book character for a day, who would you choose and why?"

Ahh now that's difficult! I suppose...I would love to be Cattie-Brie from R. A. Salvatore's Drizzt collection, because she is so strong in all facets-though not without her emotional elements to be appreciated, or Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle, as she works to persevere and finds true friends and love! OR Lee from The White Fog-I love the story and how she manages to make it through a different time all together, and is still able to be strong and not lose her sense of self. :D I'm terrible at deciding on just One thing :S!

Hi, I'm a newbie. What genres you write most?

What is your must-have when you get into the writing groove?

Ann wrote: "Hi, I'm a newbie. What genres you write most?"
Hello Ann, welcome, and thanks for the question! I mainly write fiction, most specifically geared more towards fantasy. My current series-The Black Ice Trilogy-is a Paranormal Fantasy with SciFi elements (time travel & dimensions), however my next set will be strictly Fantasy-this set will be for kids, I'm aiming at 7+. I do have a series I started, wrote the first full book for many years ago, that is strict Fantasy, as well as several others that are paranormal fiction, and one book I've spent years ruminating over that is a nonfiction paranormal-this one I would write with my mother and sister, if we ever get to it!
I find myself absorbed in the freedom fantasy provides in comparison to other genres-though there are considerations that have to be made to the fans of different sets.

Cassie wrote: "What is your must-have when you get into the writing groove?"

My kids, leaving me to my craft! Hahahaha! Seriously, I just need time to focus, uninterrupted. My toddler, lovingly called my little gremlin, my nugget, my E. Rose, makes that more difficult the older she gets! She's quite needy, though I love giving her the attention. There's nothing in particular that is a must-have for me beyond that, though...well, I guess music. Music can help my flow, set the pace and tone. That's vital, and I have to say that YouTube is my favorite tool to utilize!

Once I get into the motion, I'm generally knocking out 4K words an hour! It's an adrenaline rush and race to get everything I see in my head onto the manuscript! One of the best feelings ever :)!

How do you get the motivation to continue writing? I would love to hear some tips.

Javelyn wrote: "How do you get the motivation to continue writing? I would love to hear some tips."

Hello Javelyn, and thanks for the excellent question! This can be uphill battle, something I'm dealing with even now. It's ironic, because for me the best way to get the motivation is to read other written works. Other times, it can be as painfully simple as sitting down and forging through the muck that's holding me back, but when I read a book I find myself plowing through-like I'm on a caffeine high-it helps me to focus on what I am, or am not, doing in my current work in progress!

It's essentially the "can't see the forest for the trees", so finding that way to step back and get a fresh perspective cleans the slate.

I'd love to know which book of yours is your favourite and why? Thank you.

Irma wrote: "I'd love to know which book of yours is your favourite and why? Thank you."

Good morning Irma :). So, if we're talking published I would have to say Blizzard, at the moment. I loved Snow, it broke down a wall for me that I had been marveling at for over 10 years, but Blizzard is where I let loose. No reservations when I wrote it, and it flowed out of me so smoothly, at such a rapid pace that it felt like true peace for me. I found it to be a beautiful process, and wish my current project was going as smoothly! It happens like this, though.

I would have to add that structuring the story was a lot of fun, as well. There was an outline I built, and used for most of the book-but that changed as I wrote and characters took on their own life and direction. It was exhilarating and liberating all in package!

Mikayla wrote: "Irma wrote: "I'd love to know which book of yours is your favourite and why? Thank you."

Good morning Irma :). So, if we're talking published I would have to say Blizzard, at the moment. I loved S..."

Thank you so much Mikayla <3 I love your answer.

Irma wrote: "Mikayla wrote: "Irma wrote: "I'd love to know which book of yours is your favourite and why? Thank you."

Good morning Irma :). So, if we're talking published I would have to say Blizzard, at the m..."

It’s my pleasure, thank you for the question ❤️!