Thursday, September 18, 2014

Feature: Allana Kephart & Melissa Simmons authors of Ensnared




Title- Ensnared  
Series- The Dolan Prophecies Series #1.5 (Novella) 
By- Allana Kephart & Melissa Simmons  
Expected Publication Date- July 27, 2014  

Genre- New Adult Dystopian 

BLURB

Patrick and Maeve Dolan left the safety of their city on a sultry summer night and never 
returned. Ambushed by the Winter Court guards during their search for information on how to 
free humanity from faery rule, they are now captives of Winter King Landric, and he has some 
questions of his own. 

The Winter King is curious about the way the Dolans run their city. In a surprising turn of 
events he’s determined to learn all about their 16-year-old son, Eirnin. Despite Landric’s best 
efforts at torture, the Dolans won’t give up the information he’s after. Unfortunately, Landric 
learns that in order to control Patrick all he has to do is harm Maeve. 

Will Patrick give in to his demands? Or will his resistance be the death of them both?  


INTERVIEW


 Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.
Allana- The cover of "Uprising" was kind of a happy accident. Melissa and I had a very specific vision of what we wanted on the cover, and it seemed photography just wasn't going to capture that vision. So, we were batting around the idea of a hand-drawn cover, and then my mother (an artist) asked if we wanted her to draw a sketch of what we'd like it to be... Well, she's OCD like us, so her sketch turned into a full-blown drawing, and we fell in love with it. Michelle Warren of IndieBookCovers was kind enough to help us format it properly and voila, we had our ideal cover for "Uprising".
Melissa- So now, she’ll be doing hand-drawn covers for us for the duration of the Dolan Propehecies Series because she gets what we are trying to portray so easily. Nothing else would really fit now. :)
 
What do you consider the most important part of a good story?
Allana- Oh boy, that's a hard question... For me, it's strong characters (I detest whiny peasants), a thick, flowing plot, and how well written it is. And it ALWAYS shows through when the author actually enjoyed what they were writing...so, for me, if I can feel the magic, it will really keep me interested.
Melissa- I loathe this question, only because there are so many ways great stories can go bad. And on the flipside, so many ways that a craptastic idea can be made wonderful. In my opinion- well developed characters, a plot that moves the reader and knowing your way around the English language are always points that will work in your favor. 
 
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Allana- I have to be a plotter. If I don't plot things out, they never get done. I have a whole folder full of pantser-docs to prove that.
Melissa- I am a plotter. I like to have a plan all the time in everyday life, so writing is no different for me. I need to know where I’m going to really be effective.
 
How long have you been writing?
Allana- I have been writing lame excuses for short stories since I was six... All of which have been burned. I started writing "novels" at about 12 or 13, I think, and none of them have been finished. Like I said, whole folder full oh pantser-docs.....
Melissa- I have been scribbling things down in journals and notebooks since I was a kid. I started seriously considering writing as a career when I left college and started a suspense novel that I still haven’t completed.
 
Read anything good lately?
Allana- Oh yes. I just read Tone of Betrayal by C.L. Foster and blubbered for days, and I'm currently reading Quickbane by Chelsea Starling and I am loving every minute of it. SO good.
Melissa- John Green just recently ripped my heart out of my chest with The Fault in Our Stars and I also read Doll Bones, Holly Black’s newest YA/MG story. They were both fantastic.
 
What's your next project?
Melissa- We are currently hard at work on book two of the Dolan Prophecies Series, Illumination. That’s due out this winter at some point. And we’re hoping to release a novella, The Escape, this fall at some point. This is a prequel to a new series we’ll be working on next, the Gumshoes & Grifters Series. We’re very excited about it!
 




ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Allana Kephart has been making things up and bending people to her will from a very young 
age.  She loves animals and reading and spends a large amount of time thinking up ways to 
torment her characters. She shares a brain, a love of coffee and the color purple with her alter 
ego/best friend/co-author, Melissa Simmons.  

Melissa Simmons is an avid reader who married her soul mate and is the proud mother of a 
spoiled cat.  She spends her days helping promote independent authors and doing what the 
voices in her head tell her to. She shares a brain, a love of coffee and the color purple with 
her alter ego/best friend/co-author, Allana Kephart.  

Allana Kephart Goodreads- 
Melissa Simmons Goodreads- 
Allana Kephart Amazon Page- 
Melissa Simmons Amazon Page- http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Simmons/e/B00JOLW9J6  
The Dolan Prophecies Series Blog- http://dolanpropheciesseries.blogspot.com/  



No comments:

Post a Comment