GHP Counts Down to Summer! - featuring George Ebey

The calendar may say April 3, but some of us live in places where it snows on April 3 (huge flakes coming down RIGHT NOW!), and all we can think of is the day we hop out of bed and don’t have to worry about GETTING WARM!

This is our third summertime interview with another of our authors, George Ebey, who has a dystopian story being published in the upcoming second edition of Brave New Girls, PLUS new novellas and potentially a full-length novel out this year from GH. He’s ready to spend the long days dressed in shorts and sandals, without having to worry about how cold it will get.

“Short nights. Long hikes. Campfires. Picnics. Sunshine. What's not to love?”

We asked him some of our standard questions to get a feel for what HE’LL be doing this summer!

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

My story in the next Brave New Girls anthology, out this August!

Brave New Girls is an anthology featuring girls who use their smarts to save the day. All proceeds go to a scholarship fund to help girls interested in pursuing a career in STEM. My story is set in a dystopian future where technology and science are shunned, and is about a girl who defies the rules to help cure a local plague.

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

Northeast Ohio. It was cold.

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

Finish editing Helen of Mars book 1 and finish writing first the draft for Helen of Mars book 2.

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

Dessert first.

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

Trips to the arcade to play Space Invaders, Pac Man, and whatever pinball machines they had.

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

Running out of quarters after about ten minutes of gameplay.

FOLLOW UP Q: If you were given unlimited quarters and a retro-arcade opened in your town … what would you do? Which game would you play first and for how long? Would this become your new writer's block?

I would walk in, close my eyes, and just bask in the joyful noise of the many blips, beeps, and buzzes that were chattering all around me. Then I'd take my unlimited quarter and probably hit up Pac Man at first, just to get warmed up. Then it would be on to Centipede, Zaxxon, Space Invaders, Q-Bert, Frogger, and whatever else they had. For sure each and every pinball machine would have to get a few rounds. Yeah, a place like that would be productivity kryptonite for me. I wouldn't get anything done.

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

The Dark Tower. Super curious to see how they’re going to pull that one off.

Rapid Fire Questions:

The All-Time Best Song of Summer is: Sitting on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding

Your Summer Guilty Pleasure: Catching fireflies at dusk.

Daylight Savings Time for Summer: yes or no? I’m cool with it.

Beach or Mountains? Beach!

Swimsuits: yes or no? Going to go with yes.

Sandals or Bare Feet? Bare feet in the house, sandals everywhere else.

Ice Cream or Popsicles? Can I have one of each?

Memorial Day or Independence Day? Independence Day, as long as the aliens stay away.

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

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

Sum up Summer 2017 in five words:

So long snow, hello sun.

Follow George Ebey on Facebook and Twitter and be sure to visit his website for more information about his upcoming books:

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

Twitter: George Ebey (@Ebeybooks) | Twitter 

Website: www.georgeebey.com

Meet Our New Authors: Kimberly Mitchell and J. David Wilcox

This week, Glass House Press is pleased to introduce you to two of our newest authors, Kimberly Mitchell and J. David Wilcox! They both sat down and answered ten questions about themselves, their books, favorite holidays, etc. Look for more information from Kimberly and J. David, as well as their books, soon. We've heard rumors that they might have stories coming up sooner than we expect!

KIMBERLY MITCHELL

1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? Bill Wallace (A Dog Called Kitty and many other books) spoke at my school when I was in the 3rd grade. I remember thinking he seemed so normal, but being in awe at the same time because he was an author. That's when the seed was planted. 

2. What is your favorite genre to write? I love science fiction/fantasy, but I also enjoy historical novels and mysteries. Anything I write will include a good adventure and probably a journey of some kind because I love to travel and can't always do it, so my characters get to!

3. What five words would you use to describe your new book? Mysterious, chilling, survival, light, dreams.

4. Tell us about your book.

For seven years, half of Rainan’s life, the Emperor has scoured the desert for the Abed children that survived the war over water. If captured, they’re taken to the City, imprisoned, and never heard from again. Survival is one day at a time. Rainan uses her Dreams to find hidden water beneath the sand and keep her family, the other young survivors, alive.

During a midnight raid on the City’s food supply, Rainan’s worst fear is realized. Young Joel sacrifices his freedom to protect Rainan and is caught by the Emperor’s soldiers. Rainan is determined to save Joel. Hiding is no longer an option. 
  

Rainan must make a choice: she can surrender the family she loves to Joshua, an enigmatic Abed who has established Elior, a secret underground city harboring hundreds of gifted Abed children, or she can strike out on her own for the City, where the Nas rule and the Abed are hated, to find Joel.

One choice brings war; the other, death. In the midst of her struggle, Rainan begins to understand that her Dreams, and the other mysterious giftings the Abed children possess, are more than just a means of survival.

Rainan must use her Dreams, wits and the help of those around her, both Abed and Nas, to either save or destroy both peoples.

The choice is hers, but the consequences will shake the Nations.   

5. Do you have any quirks when you write? Eat a certain snack? Listen to a certain type of music? I try not to snack when I'm writing, but when I do, it's usually popcorn popped the old fashioned way on the stove top with lots of salt and some butter thrown in. I listen to NPR a lot because it's easy to tune out their mellow voices. I find I work better when it's not completely silent in the room. 

6. What is your favorite TV show at the moment? We just finished Stranger Things! I can always rewatch a Gilmore Girls and M*A*S*H. 

7. If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be? I'll go with Star Wars.

8. What is something that most people seem afraid of, that you aren't? Public speaking.

9. Halloween is coming up. What would you dress up as if you could? My family dresses up every year! This year I actually have my own Jedi robe so that's probably the direction I'll take. 

10. What is your favorite color? Sunshine Yellow. No sky blue. No Razorback red. Ummm.

BONUS speed round:

Dogs or cats - Cats

Past or future - Past

Winter or Summer - Summer

Scary book or funny book - Funny

Halloween or Valentine's Day - Halloween! 

Shout out to one person who helped you in this publishing journey. My husband has been incredibly supportive of my writing for MANY years. So gotta give the shout out to him, although others have played major roles. More shout outs to come. 

ABOUT KIMBERLY: Kimberly Mitchell loves journeys, real or imagined. She has traveled to five continents, speaks four languages, and holds Bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and International Relations and a Master’s degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She spent three years in Yemen and can't get the desert out of her blood. She lives on a small farm in Northwest Arkansas with her husband, many animals,  and the best souvenir she ever found, a Yemeni cat. Find out more about Kimberly at kimberlymitchell.us. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @KSMitch17.

J. DAVID WILCOX

1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I wrote my first book with my best friend in 2nd grade, and eight-year-old me was really excited and proud of it! I think I've been trying to recapture that feeling ever since.

2. What is your favorite genre to write?

Fantasy is my oldest love, though I also really enjoy hard sci-fi and fairy tales.

3. Tell us about your story in five words.

The tragedy of growing up.

4. Tell us about your book in more than five words.

Nineteen years into humanity's first attempt at interstellar colonization, a horrible explosion occurs. Of the four-thousand souls aboard, only seven teenagers are left alive. The youngest of them, Eden, must face down her own crippling fears to become the leader they need and ensure humanity survives.

5. Do you have any quirks when you write? Eat a certain snack? Listen to a certain type of music?

When I'm in the zone, I usually go hours without eating anything, until I get so hungry I have to run to the kitchen and scarf something down quick. I put together playlists of soundtracks that fit the feel of my project to write to, and listen to those endlessly. Sometimes, if a song hits a scene perfectly as I'm writing it, I'll note it in the manuscript and put it on repeat while I write/edit the scene, until I've squeezed all the juice from it.

6. What is your favorite TV show at the moment?

That's tricky. Comedy? Silicon Valley. Drama? Stranger Things. If Stranger Things counts more as a short series, then my drama would've been The Good Wife before it ended - so that leaves Scandal. 

Can I have more categories?

7. If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Interstellar.

8. What is something that most people seem afraid of, that you aren't?

Spiders, based on the wife and daughter I live with.  

9. Halloween is coming up. What would you dress up as if you could?

Tristan Thorn from Stardust. Unless I could get an amazing prosthetic, then it would be Captain Hook. 

10. What is your favorite color?

Blue.

BONUS speed round:

Dogs or cats - Cats

Past or future - Past

Winter or Summer - Winter in a place that snows, Summer in the place I live now

Scary book or funny book - Scary 

Halloween or Valentine's Day - Halloween 

Shout out to one person who helped you in this publishing journey.

My best friend since the 6th grade, Jeff Brooks (@redjackalope).

ABOUT J. DAVID: J. David is a reader, writer, and martial arts instructor residing in Portland, Oregon. He studied writing in southern Oregon and Utah Valley and now, given the perpetually overcast state of the Columbia River Basin, he dreams and writes of landscapes where one can see - or live amongst - the stars. You can find him on twitter @jdavidwilcox, Pinterest @JdavidWilcox, and Instagram @granitespire

Leave a comment to welcome Kimberly and J. David to the Glass House Press family! We're incredibly excited to have them, and can't wait to see their books in print. Next week, the GHP authors will share their biggest fears ... just in time to count down to Halloween!

Happy Reading,

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