GHP Counts Down to Summer! - featuring Sonya Craig

Rain rain go away, come again another day.

That spring rain may make things grow, but we have had enough! Who else is ready for some warmth and SUN?

During the summer, there’s nothing better than lazing around in the warm air, preferably with a nice, gentle breeze. In a hammock, on the beach, in a hammock on the beach- either way, summer is a great time of year to catch a few zzz’s while the sun is still up!

Our next (almost) summer author interview is with Sonya Craig, who can’t wait for summer to take a nap! And more naps! In fact, we are not even sure that she is waiting for summer to do that. Maybe it is more of an all-year, all-the-time thing for her?

Read on to find out about her favorite summer things and … taking naps!

What is the THE event that you’re most looking forward to this summer?

Nap marathons. This is a real thing BTW. You’re welcome.

Where do you live? Describe this winter in your area in three words.

Austin, Texas. Barbecuing in shorts.

What do you hope to accomplish in your writing over the long summer days?

I want to finish editing all seven of my books in my series (65 percent there), write a phenomenal short story, and read many excellent novels. And some hard-core napping.

What trend or catch-phrase are you going to start this summer?

T-Rex pizza delivery.

What is the BEST summer story from when you were a kid?

An old book, but I loved it: My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.

What is the WORST summer story from when you were a kid?

This may be controversial but I really disliked The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. All I could see was a tree that needed a better friend than a selfish boy who could only take and take and take from it. I felt, even at a young age, that it was a bad message that idolized unhealthy relationships.

Summer blockbuster you are most looking forward to watching and why:

Wonder Woman. The trailer looks awesome. I think it will provide an excellent message and a kickbutt hero for girls.

Rapid Fire Questions:

The All-Time Best Song of Summer is: The song of frogs on Florida nights.

Your Summer Guilty Pleasure: Weeeeeeellllll, life is too short for guilt over harmless pleasures so ENJOY ALL THE NON-HURTFUL THINGS.

Daylight Savings Time for Summer: yes or no? I have no opinion. Probably because naps are a thing.

Beach or Mountains? Beach.

Swimsuits: yes or no? Swimming in my Star Trek uniform is kinda tough so ... yes.

Sandals or Bare Feet? Bare feet on the beach.

Ice Cream or Popsicles? Popsicles. Preferably grape.

Memorial Day or Independence Day? Yes.

Put these words in order: Swimming, Baseball, Hot Dogs, Ice Cream, Air Conditioning, Vacation

First you eat hot dogs and copious amounts of ice cream, then you gleefully disobey your mom and go swimming afterward, then you play baseball, preferably with water balloons because it’s really hot, and then you go have an air conditioned vacation. Did I do that right?

Sum up summer 2017 in five words:

Read, write, nap, Fang-the-Kitten-of-Destruction, repeat. I am obviously a very exciting person. Also, I’m not great at math or following rules. Love you!

Learn more about Sonya Craig and her sci-fi book series by visiting her website and following her on social media!

Website: https://sonyacraig.com/

Twitter: @SonyaCraig15

FaceBook: SonyaCraig15

Pinterest: Sonyacraig15

Redbubble: SonyaCraig15

Instagram: Sonyakcraig

GHP Counts Down To Summer! - featuring Kimberly Mitchell

We are now more than halfway through April, which means summer is lurking just around the corner, teasing us with those extra sunny, warm spring days!

Our fifth summertime interview is with another new Glass House author, Kimberly Mitchell, who says that if it is between the hours of 2pm and 4pm during the summer, you can bet that she has found her way to a local Sonic for Happy Hour half-price drinks and slushes.

Kimberly is looking forward to the long evenings and swimming this summer, but also admits that fall is her favorite season. The hot, humid days in Arkansas can certainly put a damper on a lot of outdoor summer activities.

“August used to be my least favorite month of the year, but my daughter was born in August so it's moved up on the list!” she says. With the birth of her daughter, perhaps summer is now a close second to fall?

What is the THE event of this summer that you’re most looking forward to?

We're heading to Colorado at the end of the summer for a little Yemen reunion--friends we knew when we lived in Yemen for three years. It's been over ten years since we've seen them, so yes, we're excited!

FOLLOW UP Q: Why were you in Yemen?!

I spent three years in Yemen teaching English and studying Arabic. It was probably the most pivotal experience of my life, at least up to that point, and it also got me started writing. I had a lot of free time in the evenings and finally started writing the book I'd always wanted to try to write. It was also the inspiration for Traders of Incense, a middle grade series to be published by Glass House Press.

Where do you live? Describe this winter in your area in three words.

I live in Northwest Arkansas and this winter was warm, dry, and disappointing!

What do you hope to accomplish in your writing over the long summer days?

By summer I should have the second book in the #Dreamers series finished, so I'll be outlining the third book in that series, as well as looking over the #Traders series! A writer's work is NEVER done.

FOLLOW UP Q: Tell us more about Dreamers.

Seven years ago, the Nas attacked my people, the Abed. Water is scarce in my land. The Nas mostly live in the City and leave us alone, but when the Abed refused to allow them access to the wells that have been in our villages for centuries, the Nas firebombed our villages. My brother and I, along with the other children, fled into the desert. My parents and the other Abed were either killed or rounded up and taken to the City to live in refugee camps … but we survived in the desert. After the war, the giftings came. I'm a Dreamer. I dream of the water hidden in the desert that helps us stay alive another day--and I’m wanted by the people hunting us for that very reason.

What trend or catch-phrase are you going to start this summer?

I don't know. But I do usually know when it's Sonic Happy Hour and where the closest Sonic is.

What is the BEST summer story from when you were a kid?

My best summer memories are of things we did all the time. Swam all summer. Stayed up late playing outside with the neighbor kids. Listening to the frogs and whippoorwills sing. Visiting grandparents in southern Arkansas. We took vacations every year with the family, and some of the most memorable are the marathon driving trips to Washington, D.C. and Yellowstone.

What is the WORST summer story from when you were a kid?

Probably getting stuck on Lake Ft. Gibson in a two-man sailboat with my twin at sailing camp. The wind died and we spent nearly all day on the lake, until the ski camp finished their day of waterskiing and came to tow us in. Stupid water skiers. Also, sunburn. Ouch.

Summer blockbuster you are most looking forward to watching and why:

I'm so busy with the baby/writing/farm I don't even know what's coming out this summer!

Rapid Fire Questions:

The All-Time Best Song of Summer is: Here Comes the Sun b/c The Beatles ALWAYS wins best song.

Your Summer Guilty Pleasure: Happy Hour cherry Cokes from Sonic or Coke slushies from the gas station. Oh. Man.

Daylight Savings Time for Summer: yes or no? YES. All that light!

Beach or Mountains? Mountains (and we're going this year, so I'm excited!)

Swimsuits: yes or no? Yes, please, yes.

Sandals or Bare Feet? Sandals. I used to love being barefooted as a kid. But gravel. And rocks. And dirt. And BUGS.

Ice Cream or Popsicles? Ice Cream. I mean, who would choose popsicles?

Memorial Day or Independence Day? Independence Day has the fireworks so...

Put these words in order: Swimming, Baseball, Hot Dogs, Ice Cream, Air Conditioning, Vacation

Swimming, Vacation, Ice Cream, Air Conditioning, Hot Dogs, Baseball

Sum up Summer 2017 in five words:

Hot, Humid, Head for Mountains!

Catch up with Kimberly on social media and visit her website for more information about her upcoming books:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberlymitchellauthor/

Twitter: @KSMitch17

Instagram: @KSMitch17

Website: http://www.kimberlymitchell.us/

GHP Counts Down To Summer! - featuring R.K. Brainerd

Springtime means RAIN, but summer means SUN and we here at Glass House need our Vitamin D!

Our next Glass House author, however, admitted that summer IS NOT her favorite season (gasp!) because she doesn’t like to be overheated. Though she says she’s still looking forward to the warm up of spring! For R.K. Brainerd, Memorial Day is waaaayyy more exciting than the 4th of July … due to the meaning behind it.

She also thinks baby goats in the spring are the cutest, and is excited about using her goats to build a business this summer (anyone in the Portland area need some brush cleared in a sustainable, eco-friendly way?)! Lazing around, writing, and watching her goats munch is her ideal summer day!

What is the THE event that you’re most looking forward to this summer?

Ah, jeez. To be honest, I'm a big ol' introvert, so going and ... interacting with people ... takes a bit of effort. How do you look forward to that? (Ha) But no seriously, I really enjoy the Willamette Writer's Conference -- and I love County and State fair (I used to show my goats there all the time!). I'm also hoping to launch a part-time business this summer, does that count as an event?

FOLLOW UP Q: OOH… What kind of business?

So I really want to start an eco-friendly brush-clearing business -- with goats. I think it would be kind of perfect: I'd load up all the goats, take them around to eat brush, get paid to feed them this yummy brush, and have some time to write while I'm watching them. The only problem is ... I don't think I have enough goats. I probably need at least fifteen to make it worthwhile for me (and clients!), so I'm either going to have to adopt a bunch more goats, or figure something else out.

Where do you live? Describe this winter in three words.

I live outside of Portland, Oregon. To sum up the winter: Too much snow (I love snow, but enough is enough with us unprepared we-never-get-snow people)! ‘Unprepared WestCoast people’ also works.

What do you hope to accomplish in your writing over the long summer days?

Editing! I want to get the first INITIUM book at least through developmental edits (my editor might be laughing at me now). And I want to get a first draft of the prequel that I am now writing done. Oh, and I want to finish writing the first book in another one of my series... it only has a few scenes left and I think I can finish it.

What trend or catch-phrase are you going to start this summer?

Oh, trends, YUCK. No I'm kidding. Um, how about anything having to do with being environmentally sustainable?

What is the BEST summer story from when you were a kid?

Going to Hawaii with my grandmother and whole extended family. We hiked, hung out on the beach, stood in thunderstorms, and generally ate enough mangos to have hives.

What is the WORST summer story from when you were a kid?

Well, when we went to California once I got so sunburned I killed the nerves in my back. I had to hang out in the pool most of the night just to keep my skin cool, and when my nerves came back online about a week later, it felt like someone was slicing up my back with a knife.

Summer blockbuster you are most looking forward to watching and why:

Ooo. Okay. I really enjoyed Guardians of the Galaxy as it didn't take itself seriously and played off a lot of cliches, so I'm looking forward to the sequel. I am REALLY looking forward to Wonder Woman... but I can't get my hopes up too high because DC has been missing the mark on a lot of these. I also heavily enjoyed the first Kingsman, and I'm really hoping the second one won't disappoint.

Rapid Fire Questions:

The All-Time Best Song of Summer is: There's no way I can choose!

Your Summer Guilty Pleasure: Napping in the sun with my goats!

Daylight Savings Time for Summer: yes or no? END ALL DAYLIGHT SAVINGS. THE EXTRA HOUR IS NOT WORTH THE LOSS OF THE HOUR EARLIER. Ha!

Beach or Mountains? Beach. But only because I have so many good memories with family there...

Swimsuits: yes or no? Sure why not?

Sandals or Bare Feet? Bare feet. ALWAYS.

Ice Cream or Popsicles? Popsicles!

Memorial Day or Independence Day? Memorial!

Mostly because of the concept behind them (uh oh, going to get political). While the 4th of July makes sense at face value, yay freedom and separation from Britain (and I'm not downplaying how revolutionary or amazing that all was), I feel it's blatantly ignoring the fact that there were, I don't know, other people already living here. Colonials took the US from Native Americans, and while the 4th could be fudged to say the Natives were also being freed from British rule... I don't know, I don't think people think about that. What came after was pretty sickening when you look at it from the Natives’ perspective, so it really taints the whole holiday in my view.

This is opposed to Memorial Day, which is honoring those who've died in military service for the US. It's easier for me to feel like celebrating it, because whether or not the wars that these people fought were justified or right isn't so much the point -- they still sacrificed their lives. (Sidebar, going along with the Native American theme, did you know that Natives serve in the US armed forces in greater numbers per capita than any other ethnic group, and they have served with distinction in every major conflict for over two hundred years?)

Put these words in order: Swimming, Baseball, Hot Dogs, Ice Cream, Air Conditioning, Vacation

Vacation, swimming, air conditioning, ice cream, hot dogs, baseball

Sum up Summer 2017 in five words:

Hoping to create new life.

Follow R.K. Brainerd on Facebook and Twitter and be sure to visit her blog for more information about his upcoming books:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rkbrainerd/

Twitter: @awakedragon (R. K. Brainerd)

Blog: awakedragon.wordpress.com

Movies That Terrify Us!

Halloween is getting closer, so this week, we thought we'd share some of our favorite scary movies (well, most of us. Some of us don't like scary movies ;)--CARRIE. )

Below, find some scary movie recommendations from some of the GH family, including reviews and even thoughts on other options! Get into the comments to tell us what YOUR favorite scary movies are! (All movies are linked to Amazon for your viewing pleasure)

So...

"What's your favorite scary movie?"

Casey during happier times. Scream (1996) Lionsgate Films

GEORGE EBEY

"A Nightmare on Elm Street. Why? A slasher that kills you in your sleep! It doesn't get much scarier than that." 

SONYA CRAIG

"My favorite scary movie is The Ring: Artsy and scary af!"

LINDA FOSTER

"Okay, not favorite in the sense I love it (I don't love scary movies. I'm a total baby when it comes to them) but best scary movie because it scares the crap out of me! Annabelle, I hate dolls! Chucky gave nightmares for years. And my sister liked to collect porcelain dolls that freaked me out. One talked, and it would randomly says very weird things. No dolls allowed in my house!"

MARY FAN

"Hands down, my favorite scary movie is The Others, starring Nicole Kidman and directed by Alejandro Amenábar. It's more of a psychological thriller than a horror movie; all chills and no gross-out stuff (I hate gross-out stuff). Also, it's a character examination against a spooky backdrop with some phenomenal acting. Not to mention all the creeptastic sets (the movie takes place in a remote manor in midcentury England) are absolutely beautiful. And the haunting soundtrack... This is the one scary movie I choose to watch over and over just because it's gorgeously made."

J. DAVID WILCOX

"For actual horror I'm tempted to say Army of Darkness or Tucker and Dale vs. Evil but those might count as comedy so maybe Event Horizon? Pandorum was a better movie but Event Horizon terrified me. I watched it as a teenager in the middle of the night at my friend's house when his family was out of town and it creeped us out so much we drove back to my house to sleep where we wouldn't be the first people to die."

RICHARD SCHALL

"My favorite scary movie is Paranormal Activity. I love found footage films and my favorite ones are where I have to question it authenticity."

PT McHUGH

"The Thing: John Carpenter is one of my favorite horror film directors. The music along with Kurt Russel's acting, some slight humor and a great plot makes this movie an instant classic."

  

KIMBERLY MITCHELL

"Monsters INC. Yes, the Disney movie because I don't do scary movies!!! But Monsters has strange creatures popping in and out of closets so maybe that qualifies."

Did your favorite make our list? Leave a comment and tell us which scary movie we should watch this year. Next week, vampires vs. werewolves-the GH authors and editors duke it out in the age-old debate.

Until next week,

the GH family

Screenwriting vs Novel Writing with Filmmaker Richard Schall

We are beyond excited to have award winning filmmaker, Richard Schall on the blog today! Richard is a gifted entertainer and writer (who once worked for the WWE!) 

Richard recently sat down with Glass House Press for an exclusive interview on screenwriting vs novel writing, the writing process, and The Goonies, because... I mean... THE GOONIES!

Filmmaker and Author Richard Schall

1) Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Richard Schall. By day I am a special education teacher in Brooklyn New York but my real passion is that I am also an award-winning filmmaker. I specialize in short films that are family friendly. I’ve been a part of over twenty different film festivals and have won fifteen awards. My latest film, Lost in Manhattan: The Love Story of Hymie and Thelma has just been released on iTunes.  https://itun.es/us/48xoeb

Along with being an entertainer, I also manage my sister’s stand-up comedy career. She was named one of the “Top 5 Comics to Watch in NYC” by CBS.com, and together we’ve been producing the show “Ladies Night” at Caroline's on Broadway in Times Square.

Personally, I have lost and kept off almost 100lbs since Dec 2015, which has been my biggest accomplishment to date. Next up: finishing my book! I can’t wait to tackle this new project. I’ve always been a storyteller, so being able to tell a story on the page instead of on the screen is very exciting for me.

2) How do you think the writing process and film making process are alike/different?

Creating a story is the same in any form. You start with an outline and go from there. I started my novel the same way I start any of my scripts. Building something entertaining is the key, and plotting out what the real plot twists will be is always important. The real difference is that I get to pretend I have a million-dollar budget for the book and have to limit myself when I make movies.  

3) As a filmmaker, do you write your own scripts or do you shoot what someone else has written? If you write your own, describe how script writing is different from book writing.

The writing process is very different. As a filmmaker, I usually write my own script. But even then, I I have to leave it up to the director, crew, and actors to create my world visually. If something doesn't work, it gets changed. When you are writing a book, you need to put the all the visuals in the reader's mind. Your imagination is the only really the limitation in books--you don't have to worry about that pesky reality of whether something can be done or not!

4) What are your favorite types of stories to write... and do they correlate to the movies you like to make (are they the same genres)?

I always love a happy ending, as you'll be able to tell by my movies and soon-to-be-finished series, Lee Farenheit and the Gracian Pirates. I am always geared more toward  family friendly movies and books. I want to make you laugh then cry, and then maybe get a sandwich-and laugh some more. In my award-winning short film, The Last Prank, I wanted to make it family friendly, but still have a certain edge, which all ages would enjoy. 

5) What is your absolute favorite movie of all time? What is your favorite book of all time?

My favorite movie of all time is The Goonies, and my favorite book is The Monster at the End of this Book. What can I say, I am a child at heart and I love a happy ending!  

BONUS QUESTION: Do you think the SCREEN versions or the BOOK versions are better ;) 

The book versions are always better. As I stated before, your imagination is the only limitation. You always have a million-dollar budget when you are reading a book. As an author, you never have to limit yourself. The reader always takes your words and makes them their own in their mind. The movies always run the risk of not doing the book justice, and alienating the reader who has grown to love the words on the page just as their mind sees it. 

**

We would like to thank Richard for his time, and we are so excited to get to work with him on future projects!

You can find Richard on Facebook and watch his amazing videos on YouTube.

Happy Reading,

GHP