This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Melissa Riddell will giveaway to randomly drawn winners via Rafflecopter a $10 Amazon/BN GC, a signed copy of The Descendant (book 1), or an ARC of the second book in the series. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Welcome to It's Raining Books. Why do you write in your genre?
I’ve always loved romance, along with sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal.
What draws you to it?
I think creating connections between two characters and making them fall in love is what draws me to romance writing. But I enjoy adding more to it than just human meets human and falls in love—I need a good story showing them living in a breathing world and fighting against external odds.
What research is required?
For sci-fi, it’s dependent on whether it’s based in our “contemporary” world, a new world, or the future. If it’s contemporary, I make sure what I’m referencing or using is correct. For instance, in The Descendant, I double-checked the Trappist-1 system’s location and habitable planets. Even though I was fairly sure of my knowledge, I still double-checked myself. Also, Jareth is highly intelligent (smarter than me), so I did a lot of research on terms, etc. to make sure he wasn’t spouting dribble. That’s the danger of creating characters who know more than the writer—they make us work harder!
Futuristic world building gives more leeway, in my opinion, because your tech can be based on hypotheses. This is a nice protection, since they can’t be proven, and no one can say, “Aha! Gotcha. That can’t happen.” Fantasy and paranormal also sort of fall into this category, too, though if I’m writing to market, I still follow certain rules, so the reader isn’t thrown completely out of their element.
Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.
Hmm, I learned Tilly and I were a lot alike, yet she’s much tougher than me.
Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?
I’ll only write on a certain laptop, which is in desperate need of repair, but I’m too afraid to send it to the repair shop and lose my writing mojo!
Are you a plotter or pantser?
I’m a big-time pantser. For The Descendant, I had no idea what was going to happen—I just sat down and let the characters shape the story. For the second and third books of the Baltin Trilogy, The Betrayer and The Redeemer, I had to write a loose outline, ensuring I answered any plot holes in The Descendant. I hate outlines, and even with them, my crazy brain changed several of the scenes.
Look to your right – what’s sitting there?
A small notepad and pen, which I use when I need to jot down a quick idea or line of dialogue.
Anything new coming up from you?
Yes! I have a shifter novella called Ravenlight releasing on October 7, and the final book of the Savage Worlds series, The Redeemer (which wraps up Tilly and Jareth’s story) in December.
Do you have a question for our readers?
Oh, I get to ask a question? I like this! Readers—how tarnished do you like your heroes and heroines?
1. No tarnish—let them be perfect. They’re heroes, duh!
2. A little tarnish, because all that dirt makes it easier to see the unblemished parts.
3. Mostly tarnished. Eh, rules and morals? Those were made to be ignored occasionally for the right reasons.
4. Dang! That tarnish is gonna need a power wash! They’re teetering on the edge of hell and in serious danger of becoming an anti-hero.
She wants her world back; he wants her heart.
Tilly Morgan and her four-legged companion, Kodiak, are just trying to survive the alien arrival. Two years ago, the visitors unleashed devastation—a world-wide EMP followed by a deadly virus that wiped out more than half of humanity.
Traversing the lonely landscape, she runs into an alien on patrol with one order: eradicate all human life. A mysterious, dark-haired stranger named Jareth comes to her aid, and she reluctantly allows him to join her quest to find her sister. He even persuades her to let the damaged alien tag along against her better judgment.
As her group travels the desolate world and inches closer to her goal, she’s forced to examine her unwanted feelings for Jareth and come to terms with her heart, even if the truth threatens to destroy her and everything she’s come to believe.
Read an Excerpt
Walking down a long, metallic corridor, the hall opens, and I see people sitting at terminals or standing on discs.
Visual readouts project holographic images at the stations. Some of the crew wear visors over their eyes and move gloved hands to swipe at virtual images of the triangular ship and the solar system. When Eva passes their stations, several follow the procession with guarded faces.
The back of a chair rests in the middle of the spacious room. Before the seat is an enormous window that looks out into space.
One soft, polished boot dangles over the side of the chair. Long, deft fingers drum a beat on the black coat that covers the knee.
Freaking, evil granny. I should’ve known she wouldn’t keep her nose out of my business.
In slow motion, the chair swivels in my direction.
I want to crawl and hide. Instead, I stand and stare like the idiot I am.
About the Author:
You can follow her on several different social media platforms below:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/melcriddell
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MelCRiddell
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/averela
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/melcriddell
Website: https://averela13.wixsite.com/melissariddell
Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Descendant-Baltin-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B07ZWHVKBP/
The book will be $0.99 during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the interview!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good read.
ReplyDeleteHi, Rita! Thanks. 🙂
DeleteA great interview thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your great book and for the giveaway too.
ReplyDeleteYou’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteWhat do you want readers to take away from you novel?
ReplyDelete