Devastation Erupts (Nature's Fury Book 3) by A. E. Faulkner

1/8/2021

Multi-volume author, A. E. Faulkner introduces us to her third book in the Nature’s Fury series, “Devastation Erupts”:
I’ve finally got my sister back. Now, if we can just catch up with our friends and find a way home...it’s only 300 miles away.
When we’re offered a deal that seems to include everything we need to get home, the only choice is to accept. Never mind that the cost is our silence, along with taking a slight excursion along the way.
The clock is ticking and we’re sworn to secrecy. Can we reach home in time and keep our promises?
The road ahead is nowhere near easy. Tag along with Quinn and Riley as they attempt to reach their safe haven before Devastation Erupts.

This third volume is a great extension of this series. These characters have their highs and lows, wins and losses. The losses are bigger and hit more often than the wins, unfortunately for them.
The sisters are finally reunited and very happily so. They barely have a chance to catch up before yet another problem appears.
The author has done a good job of preserving the first-person point of view for Quinn. I love the intimacy that it brings to the story. No head hopping here, the author is quite expert at maintaining the purity. The author has also kept a certain amount of humor in the story as well, which is good; otherwise, it might be too depressing. Seriously, everything that can possibly go wrong does. About the only thing that hasn’t happened yet is being savaged by a pack of raging Chihuahuas.
The dialogue is good, the action is almost non-stop, POV is held quite well, descriptions are just right and scene setting is excellent. You are going to love this book! I award 4.9 stars to “Devastation Erupts”.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Devastation-Erupts-Natures-Fury-Book
https://www.goodreads.com/-devastation-erupts
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/devastation-erupts-a-e-faulkner
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/AuthAEFaulkner
http://authoraefaulkner.com
https://www.facebook.com/authaefaulkner
https://www.instagram.com/authoraefaulkner
https://www.tiktok.com/@authoraefaulkner
I have reviewed the first book in the series also:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/darkness-falls

Tags: Dystopian, fiction, coming of age, science fiction, YA, climate, catastrophe, family, relationship

Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

47 Comments

AE Faulkner link

1/10/2021 02:50:29 pm

Mark, thanks so much for reading and reviewing Devastation Erupts! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

Mark Schultz

1/10/2021 04:20:20 pm

I enjoyed it a lot. I laughed quite a few times. I have lived through one part of what you wrote about and it was quite well done. No spoiler from me.
It's really nice to have you back on my channel. It was April 2020, when i reviewed your first book and we had a lovely interview.
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Author AE Faulkner link

1/10/2021 05:57:28 pm

Thanks so much!! It's good to be back again! One thing not in my bio is that we took advantage of being home so much over the past several months by fostering, and eventually adopting, a kitten. He is an adorable little guy but soooo bad compared to our two older female cats. He's adjusted really well and it's nice to have a distraction who can so easily make us all laugh.

Mark

1/10/2021 06:21:14 pm

Pets can provide a wonderful and entertaining distraction. I remember when we first got our last puppy, Grizz. We already had a cat in the house. The cat and the puppy played together a lot. When the cat wanted to be alone, he just jumped up onto a piece of furniture. It didn't matter which one. Grizz's short little legs couldn't reach anything.
Cats are interesting creatures, much different from dogs; cats think you are staff and dogs think you are god. ;-)
New questions.
How long have you been writing fiction?
Are you in the writing business for love of writing or for money?

1/10/2021 08:33:36 pm

That's great your cat and dog got along so well! Sounds like playtime was on the kitty's terms, which is no surprise.

About a dozen years ago I decided I wanted to write. I started a few stories but never finished more than a few pages for each of them. I finally got serious in early 2018 and set my mind on writing a novel. I finished it by the end of the year and self-published it on March 31, 2019.

At the time, I thought it would a 3-book series but the more I wrote, the more story there was to tell. I'm currently writing the last book in that series, book 5, which will be released sometime this year.

1/10/2021 09:07:57 pm

A lot of people start the same way, they write a few pages or chapters and then they fizzle out, for lack of a plan or not knowing how to write a book. A few actually write most, if not all of the first-draft book, then they are not sure what to do next and so it sits in a drawer or a file, never seeing the light of day. Others are afraid to publish for fear of rejection or ridicule.
Good on you for pursuing that dream! You have written some good stuff. A five-book series is a large task, judging from this book it is going to be marvelous.
New questions.
What kind of work do you do? Feel free to skip that question, if you would rather not answer.
Does your work have any influence on your writing?

1/11/2021 07:49:09 am

I work in the communications group for a healthcare information company. So I spend my days writing and editing promotional materials like newsletters, websites, e-learns and handouts. I've been at my current job for 20 years now, and I do believe all the editing and writing experience (even on not-always-interesting topics) has given me more confidence to write my own story.

And, I believe that authoring books has also improved my job skills. I find myself more actively pursuing synonyms at work and just trying to make the content more interesting.

1/11/2021 10:42:03 am

You are very blessed. Not many get to have crossover in both directions between vocation and avocation.
I am going to guess, like so many others you work from home now. My son is in finance and has been working from home for a long time. He is trying to make it permanent and the company is formulating an official policy.
I bet the customers appreciate your efforts to inject some vim and vigor into the materials they read and watch.
New questions.
What inspired you to write this book?
Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.

1/11/2021 11:20:52 am

Yes, I do work from home and I absolutely love it. My cats make the best coworkers!

I started writing the Nature's Fury series at a time when I felt voiceless and hopeless about environmental protections. I remember a saying: We Do Not Inherit the Earth from Our Ancestors; We Borrow It from Our Children. That's very meaningful to me. I worry about how current actions are negatively impacting the world and generations for years to come.

Reading The Hunger Games series really solidified my love for dystopian fiction. I find it fascinating to speculate what the world could be like hundreds of years from now. Along those lines, I also like to consider what might be done now to prevent negative outcomes for future generations.

My covers were designed by Michelle Preast - https://www.michelle-preast.com/ - her talent amazes me. She found a way to perfectly package my stories!

1/11/2021 03:31:19 pm

Nice, you feel right at home with your coworkers in your office. ;-)
The dystopian genre is huge. A lot of people share your concern, no doubt about that.
I have not read Hunger Games, but I did enjoy the movies. A very popular franchise.
H. G. Wells may very likely be the grandfather of the genre, his book The Time Machine deals with some of those issues.
Science fiction is my favorite genre and stories about time travel my favorite subset.
New questions.
This next question might seem obvious, except that I sometimes miss something the author intended. What do the elements on the cover represent?
Was it hard to come up with the title? What was the process?
Were the character names difficult to develop? How did you choose them?

1/11/2021 09:16:45 pm

The cover imagery was meant to convey the main natural disaster the gang must face in this installment. When I outlined the series, the title for this one was going to be "Chaos Ensues" but just as I was starting to write the story, the title was bothering me - just didn't quite fit. I ended up texting back and forth with my sisters [I've got 4 of them] and through all the messages - and it was a lot! - we ended up piecing together the words "Devastation Erupts." I took a full day to let it marinate and decided it worked well. I'm still happy with it, so it was the right decision.

The character names weren't too tough to develop. I used a lot of family and friend names and I have a soft spot for ice hockey, so I use players' last names sometimes for characters, which is fun!

1/11/2021 10:14:53 pm

I am glad you listened to your muse. Thanks to your sisters for the assist. (Hockey talk, I think) The title is great. With lots of eruptions around the world, that word carries a lot of weight.
I was living in eastern Vancouver, Washington when Mt. St Helens blew up, I watched the activity from my front door, 60 miles or so as the crow flies. It was staggering. We got several inches of volcanic ash on everything. Poor Yakima, several hundred miles away, was buried under several feet of volcanic ash.
That is a great way to name characters.
New questions.
Your first book is an audio book also. How did that process go for you?
Who narrated the book?
Are you going to make the rest of your books into Audio books?

1/12/2021 11:14:18 am

The audiobook process was GREAT! I worked with Katie Hagaman, who also happens to be an indie author. Her voice is amazing!

Certain parts of the audiobook gave me chills - she just perfectly captured the mood. It is surreal hearing your story read aloud by someone and this was a wonderful experience. I have Katie lined up to narrate book 2 this spring! So that will be coming this year. I do plan to get the whole series made into audiobooks.

1/12/2021 03:31:33 pm

Audio books are surging worldwide. Although, in America, use plummeted for a time when nobody was commuting into work. I understand audio book usage is increasing once again.
Using Katie for the whole series is a good idea, it will be easier for the listeners to have the same voice in their ears, I think.
There are so many countries that use English as their official language or have it taught in schools as a second language, there are hundreds of millions of people who speak English. Many of those only access the internet with their smart phone, so an audio book is an ideal way to consume a story.
For our visitors, I had the opportunity to interview a narrator during the chat with the author. Put Kevin Green in the search box below. If anyone wants to learn more about audio books, search for audio in the box.
New questions.
This is the third of five books, the first four are published. Congratulations. What can you tell us about the fifth book? Have you started writing it yet?
What are you thinking about after the series is complete?

1/12/2021 03:45:29 pm

Ah, the final book in this series...well, I've got about 40% of it written and I am loving what's happening in it so far! I believe that my writing and the story have improved over the course of this series.

I am planning to release Hope Emerges this summer, but stay tuned.

I've started thinking about my next series and I am very excited to start writing that once Hope Emerges is in the hands of my trusted beta readers. I don't have a title for the new series yet and I'm not sure how many books it will be. I've got lots of details to hammer out but at this point, it looks like it will take place around 100 years after the Nature's Fury series, in the same setting.

1/12/2021 05:12:16 pm

You are doing well. Good title also. Probably not a HEA, but it will do nicely.
The new series sounds interesting also. A century in the future probably means the grandkids of this series. That will be nice, I don't recall seeing that done before. I like it.
New questions.
What are the Amazon categories you chose for your book?
Have you entered any writing contests?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

1/12/2021 08:30:31 pm

My books are in the dystopian fiction, coming of age fiction and dystopian science fiction categories.

I have not entered any writing contests. Like most, if not all, indie authors, I find it very difficult to balance finding time to write versus spending time marketing my books. I've tried to carve out more time to research promotions and contests and such, but it's a constant struggle.

1/12/2021 10:15:51 pm

Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur.com has studied the issue of Amazon categories and how to use them effectively. Here is a copy-and-paste link to one of his blogs: How to Change Your Kindle Keywords, by Dave Chesson
https://annerallen.com/2020/09/how-to-change-your-kindle-keywords-by-dave-chesson
Time is a huge factor for writers. More so for the indie author, because they must bear more of the costs of publishing compared to a traditionally published author. The upside for the indie is maintaining more control of their intellectual property and getting more of the profits. All authors, except for the top writers do their own marketing.
Marketing and book promotion is a huge issue and the perennial subject of many blogs. Several guest blogs on my website address the issue. Plus I have lots of links to great blogs on the subject of marketing and promotion.
On my Twitter home page, I have lists of people who serve authors. One list is for book reviewers and another is for book promoters. Feel free to use those lists anytime.
New questions.
You are planning on sticking with the YA dystopian genre for the next set. If you were going to write in another genre, what interests you the most?
Every genre's fans have expectations about what they are going to want to read. Fans of cozy mysteries have a set of expectations that can differ greatly from the expectations of fans of hard-boiled murder mysteries.
What expectations do fans of your chosen genre have in mind, when you think of YA dystopian writing? Is first person POV part of those expectations?

1/13/2021 08:29:33 am

Thanks for the resources! I'll check those out.

If I would ever write another genre, I think it would be horror. I've got an idea tucked away for a standalone horror story and I'd love to pursue that. If I ever have the time, I'm going to explore that further.

When I think of YA dystopian stories, I associate them with a teenage hero who rises from undesirable circumstances to fight for the common good. I also expect governmental control that is beyond anything I've ever experienced. I'm pretty flexible as far as first person or third person POVs or dual POVs - I like them all.

1/13/2021 10:27:04 am

Horror is a pretty broad category. It also overlaps with other genres at times. I look forward to what you might bring forth. Perhaps it could come to life as a short story to start. Maybe enter it in a contest.
Short stories can be good practice for writers, staying at or below a word count requires more work.
New questions.
I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you? How many books have you put in KU?
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?

1/13/2021 02:51:15 pm

All of the books in my Nature's Fury series are available in Kindle Unlimited. When book 5 is released, it will be added there too. I found that my ebooks weren't really selling through other retailers, so I pulled out of them and focused on Amazon. It's worked out well for me and I love seeing the page reads climb in my reports when someone discovers the series because of KU!

I never went through the query process. Patience is not one of my virtues, and the thought of writing a book and waiting years to find an agent or getting it published just was not something I wanted to pursue. So I've stuck with self publishing and I like the control it affords.

1/13/2021 03:40:36 pm

Wonderful that you have had good success with your books in KU. Not all authors are as fortunate. Some caution against putting all your eggs in one basket.
You hit on two of the biggest objections to traditional publishing. The number of traditional publishers has been shrinking for years and their profit margins also. Advances have shrunk tremendously as well and must be paid back through sales.
A lot authors complain about getting what seems like a form-letter rejection of their query, many never hear anything. Many of the latter may not have followed every requirement for the query.
Losing control is a big issue. A publisher might wait to publish a book for months or a year, a time they consider more propitious for the book. The cover loved by the author is likely to be dumped and the publisher might require a complete rewrite of the story.
Signing that contract means you no longer own the story for the contracted length of time.
New questions.
Are there any other advantages for the independent author to self-publish?
Do you think independent publishers can produce a book as good as mainstream publishers?
What are the three most important considerations for an independent author to be certain of when signing a contract with a publisher?

1/14/2021 07:50:49 am

I think it all boils down to control as the overarching benefit to self publishing. You get to decide where the book is available for sale. If you want to make an edit to the book after it's launched, you can do that and then reupload it with any edits.

I do believe independent publishers can produce books just as good as mainstream publishers - they just have to work much harder to get that book into the hands of readers. My biggest challenge, and probably that for most indie authors, is finding readers.

I work with an independent publisher, who formats my books and launches them into the world, and probably the three most important considerations for me are: timeframe from when I provide the final manuscript until the book is published, the quality of the edits, and assistance with marketing.

1/14/2021 11:48:50 am

Having control of your intellectual property is the crucial factor, no doubt about that. Before Amazon broke into the publishing business, it was much harder to independently publish. Boutique publishers have been around for a long time, also vanity publishers; even if an author had a great book, if the traditional publishers didn't think it would make them money they were very unlikely to take a chance.
With a million books being published each year, catching the eye of a prospective reader has become extremely difficult. The title and cover are critical. Reviews and recommendations on social media can make an author's work very popular.
New questions.
Have you thought about starting your own imprint? Here is a good article about that idea: https://www.janefriedman.com/why-self-publishing-authors-should-consider-establishing-their-own-imprint
Is using Twitter and other social media part of your marketing strategy?
Did you use ads on Amazon or other platforms such as Facebook or Bookbub?

1/14/2021 03:37:07 pm

Yes, I have actually thought about creating an imprint for my books, but that's about as far as I've gotten on pursuing the idea. Thank you for the article link! I will definitely read that.

I definitely use social media in my marketing efforts. I'm on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. I really thought it would be a burden to maintain those accounts but I've found it to be fun! I try not to put a lot of pressure on myself to post more often than is realistic for my situation, but when I do come across and image or idea to share, it's great!

I have used Amazon ads in the past but not with much success. I've never tried Facebook or Bookbub ads. I'm actually taking an Amazon ad course this week, so I've been experimenting with that platform a bit more.

1/14/2021 04:35:05 pm

I am glad I could bring you some timely information.
You might already be taking his course, but I will drop his name just in case, Dave Chesson at kindlepreneur.com has been studying this stuff for sometime. I mostly see his stuff about categories and how to use that to your advantage. It seems like you can pick different categories for each foreign store also, but I could be misremembering that.
New questions.
Do you subscribe to any author newsletters?
There are many ways to put out a newsletter. Do you have a newsletter you send out to fans? Why or why not?

1/14/2021 07:19:13 pm

Yes, I do subscribe to author newsletters. Mostly indie authors that I've connected with on Twitter. Additionally, I subscribe to newsletters from Alexandra Bracken (Darkest Minds series) and Anthony J. Melchiorri (The Tide series).

I have a newsletter for readers too. The sign up form is on my website and I send messages about once a month unless I have big news, but that doesn't happen too often. I do run contests too and choose winners from my subscriber list.

1/14/2021 07:47:00 pm

You are ahead of the ball compared to a lot of authors.
Contests are a great idea to maintain fan interest and cultivate the super-fans. I read about one author who took a galley proof on a hike, the area was i n her book and she edited it while in the wilds. It rained and the book got wet. She saved that volume and used it as a prize in a contest for the fan that made the most mentions of the book in social media.
Having a newsletter and an email list is considered critical by a lot of people. I have heard that some publishers won't even look at an author or their book unless they have a mailing list of several thousand, it represents guaranteed sales.
New questions.
Which mailing service do you use?
Is it the same one you started with or not? Why?
Do you have a reader magnet to get people to sign up for your newsletter?

1/15/2021 07:40:52 am

I use Mailchimp for my newsletter. It's easy to use and it was the most cost-effective option I found. I've stuck with it and it's working well.

I've actually started writing a reader magnet - it is a side story about 4 characters in the Nature's Fury series and how they end up in the same setting as my main character. I've got about a third of it written. I had hoped to have it done by the end of 2020, but I've shifted that missed deadline to the summer. My new goal is to offer it before the last book in the series releases.

1/15/2021 09:54:45 am

Quite a few authors use MailChimp, it must be a good place to start. There seems to be a point where it ceases being cost effective and some writers move to a different provider.
That is a great idea. Many authors do exactly that. A side story to popular series is perfect.
New questions.
In your experience, which marketing avenues have been the most rewarding or profitable?
Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

1/15/2021 12:55:16 pm

I have found book signings to be the most rewarding and profitable marketing avenue. I was so incredibly nervous before my first book signing and it was absolutely amazing. Readers are such great people. They're so easy to talk to and even if you don't prefer the same genres, there is a wonderful common thread among book lovers.

I picked you because it was a good experience last time, when I was promoting book 1, Darkness Falls.

1/15/2021 02:38:30 pm

It is easy to imagine that a book signing is very enjoyable. The people have made a conscious choice to give you some of their time. They want to be in your presence.
My first career was in retail sales, nearly 20 years. I had a lot of trepidation when I started, then I discovered that everyone coming into the store had a problem and needed answers. I was there to help them find the answer they needed. I enjoyed doing that a lot.
For people who like to read meeting an author is a very special experience. For some it's a dream come true.
Thanks, knowing that you enjoyed our first experience is quite gratifying.
New questions.
Have you thought about offering a large-print edition of your books?
Have you thought about using Kickstarter or other crowd-funding platforms to pay for publishing or production of books or special editions? Here is one example, granted, it is extreme because the author has a large number of fans: https://kriswrites.com/2020/07/22/business-musings-the-kickstarted-game-changer-part-two/ Copy and paste time again.

1/15/2021 04:09:28 pm

I have not considered offering a large-print edition of my books. I should check into that. I do know other indie authors that offer that option.

I have not checked into Kickstarter for producing my series. I am part of a group of indie authors planning to release an anthology later this year and we are looking into crowd-funding options for that. It seems like a great option, especially for a collaborative work like an anthology.

1/15/2021 06:27:47 pm

Gamers and graphic novelists have been using crowdfunding for quite a long time. You might find it enlightening to fund one or two different projects. I recently funded one at $5.00.
Anthologies are a good way to gain more exposure. That is something authors need for their books. It's important to keep in mind that the the author is the real brand, not the book. The book is just a product, a story. That story, product can take many forms. You already have your books in an electronic version and paperback, you are expanding into audio books. Graphic novels is another strong possibility, I think your stories would translate well into that form. We are talking about licensing in all of these cases. Your intellectual property being packaged in different ways, to reach the maximum number of consumers.
If you want to go wider, translation is another means of expansion. Currently, this is pretty expensive and labor intensive. But with the increasing development of Artificial Intelligence that price will come down very soon. I think the last number I heard is that AI can handle about 80% of the translating work, A human is required to polish that work to a final consumable product.
Joanna Penn talks a lot about AI and translating work on her podcast, the Creative Penn.
New questions.
Was it hard to find a person to produce the audio version of your book?
Can you explain the process you went through?

1/16/2021 01:24:45 pm

It was actually pretty easy to find my narrator. We are connected on Twitter and I read her book, The Awakening. She is a fellow indie author. When she announced that she was starting to narrate books, I listened to samples and LOVED her voice! I reached out to her and we agreed to work together on it. I can't say enough good things about her - not only is she a great author and awesome narrator, but she's also a really sweet person.

1/16/2021 07:27:23 pm

That is great to hear, share her Twitter handle so others can use her services also.
There is more to narrating books than I originally thought. It requires acting with your voice. Changing your voice for different characters and situations. Good equipment can make a difference as well as audio editing.
If you put Green in the search box below, the first result is a review of an audio book and the author invited the narrator to share about the process. It was very interesting.
New questions.
For reading fun or pleasure, what is your favorite genre?
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?
Did you have a favorite book as a child?

1/16/2021 08:08:19 pm

Sure - here is her website: https://www.katiehagaman.com - it's got great samples of her work as well as her books.

My absolute favorite genre to read is dystopian. I could go on and on about dystopian authors I love - Brenda K. Davies, Erika Stevens, Katie French, Jennifer Martucci, Alexandra Bracken,....

I can't remember any specific books as a child, but I loved to read. When I was very young I loved Beverly Cleary books and Judy Blume.

1/16/2021 10:39:59 pm

Thanks for the link.
It is important for writer to read a lot. Not just in their genre, but also in other genres. You never know what you might learn unless you read widely.
I learned to read before I started school in the first grade. A retired school teacher taught me to read with the Dick and Jane books. I got excited when I could read by myself and never looked back.
Many of the relatives gave me books for my birthday and Christmas. I didn't have many playmates, so I had lots of time to read.
I recall a series, The Happy Hollisters, they were a family and the kids solved crimes in the neighborhood. I found Sherlock Holmes a few years later.
New questions.
Which of your books is your favorite, and why?
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired at the end of a good writing session?

1/17/2021 12:50:47 pm

Hmmmm.....picking a favorite of my books is tough! It's like asking which is my favorite kid ;)' I guess if I had to choose, I would say book 3, Devastation Erupts is my favorite. The first book was so incredibly difficult - mired by insecurities and just trying to get a handle on how the whole process works. But by book 3, I was feeling much more confident and I really loved the action sequences. I tried very hard to inject some issues - animal welfare being my soft spot - without sounding preachy. I hope that worked.

Writing is definitely an outlet for me. I feel content after a good writing session. It allows me to pour all of my feelings into words. I've found the process especially helpful when I'm feeling emotional or worried about the state of the world.

1/17/2021 05:00:57 pm

Good job. You picked one. Not every writer is able to do that.
The first book is really a learning experience. There is so much to balance and pull together for a good story. Most authors drop one or more balls during the process of writing the first book. There are some hardcore editors who will take the first book of almost every author and junk it. Then the editor will say, that was good practice, now, write the a much better story with your second book. BTW, I am NOT that editor. I always try to emphasize the positive and strengthen the weak when I am proofreading.
Most authors say the same thing, They feel tired and satisfied after a good writing session.
New questions.
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?
How does a writer ensure the reader will connect with the characters?

1/17/2021 07:44:41 pm

I think it's important for the reader to be able to relate the characters. To do that, the reader should experience or at least understand characters' emotions, motivations, and flaws. As a reader, if I can't relate to at least one character, I can't finish the book.

I think portraying a realistic character helps a reader connect with them. They've got to have highs and lows, joys and pains - some form of universal emotions that we can all relate to.

1/17/2021 08:27:08 pm

I think you nailed that. without some kind of gut-level connection the character comes across as flat.
Characters must be imperfect and flawed, all of them. If the reader cannot sense the emotions and motivations of the characters the author has failed. If the characters solve every problem right out of the gate then they are boring and the stakes are too low. Flaws in a character can be almost anything.
One of the most memorable flaws a character had, that I read the book, was Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson. Thomas had leprosy, when he was in his own dimension, in the other dimension his skin was perfect, no leprosy. I read that in the 80s and still recall it.
New questions.
Do you have any contests or giveaways for fans of your books?
How do you operate the contests?
What do your fans have to do to have an above average chance of winning?

1/18/2021 12:12:12 pm

I'm actually running a giveaway every month in 2021! Everyone who subscribes to my newsletter - sign up is on my website (www.authoraefaulkner.com) - is entered. A local book store created genre-specific book trees to decorate and after Christmas, they sold the trees off! I bought the fiction tree and ended up with more than 200 books!!! I've since gone through what came to 14 bankers boxes of books and chosen the books I'm keeping. I'll be giving away 2 hardbacks per month by a random drawing of names from my subscriber list. This is limited to U.S. mailing addresses.

1/18/2021 01:48:53 pm

Brilliant idea for the bookstore and you!
That is a great plan for giving away books and building your mailing list.
I won three books in a contest last year, one of them was signed by the author. Also, I have collected a few books from happy clients once their book was published.
Last questions.
Are there any authors that influenced you to become a writer?
If you could meet your favorite author, what would you ask them?
Have you ever met a famous author? What happened?

1/18/2021 02:03:10 pm

Many authors influenced me in becoming a writer. Over the past few years, I've really turned to books as an escape and at some point an idea sparked in my head that I too wanted to create worlds where people could escape and forget about their own problems.

There are SO many authors I love, it would be hard to choose just one but I think my main question for any author is how they keep going when they feel like giving up. "Impostor syndrome" can hit hard and I would love to know how others stay motivated to keep writing even at the times when they feel like no one is reading their stories.

I was lucky enough to meet Nora Roberts at my very first book signing! It was at Turn the Page Bookstore in Boonsboro, Maryland and her family owns that store. There were about 10 authors signing, 2 of us were indie authors. It was an AMAZING experience and she was so welcoming and just down-to-Earth. It was a wonderful experience and I will cherish those memories forever.

1/18/2021 04:08:51 pm

Meeting Nora Roberts was such an amazing event for you. That signing and others were real confidence boosters.
I know what you mean about the imposter syndrome. We all deal with it. I call it the inner liar. When it's yelling in my ear, I read the testimonies authors have given about my service for them. That goes a long way to shut the liar up!
I thank you for this chat, it has been wonderful to learn more about your writing and publishing experience. Other authors will be helped by what you have shared. You have been a fabulous guest on the word refiner channel.
I have another promotion starting tomorrow, to prepare for, so I must say good bye until we meet again.
Until that time, keep on writing.

1/18/2021 04:37:06 pm

Mark, thanks so much! It's been great!

Devastation Erupts (Nature's Fury Book 3) by A. E. Faulkner

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