Like Supernatural Fiction? Meet author Shannon Dittemore

Today, I'm delighted to introduce you to a new-to-me author who could become a fun friend. Shannon Dittemore's debut novel releases May 29...just in time for summer reading. I'm delighted the publisher is willing to give one reader a copy of this book, so be sure to leave a comment with a way to contact you! My daughter received this book when we were on vacation and loved it! That was enough for me to know I needed to get to know Shannon. So let's learn more...
    
1) Angel Eyes has a supernatural setting — it always fascinates me when authors can think that way. How did you get the idea for Angel Eyes?

I've always been fascinated with spiritual beings. When I was a teen, our church had a performing arts team and I always seemed to land the role of Satan. Whether Satan was biting the dust or getting knocked out in the Champion (thank you, Carman!) I apparently had the whole demonic thing down. I'm the daughter of a preacher and the wife of another one, so the supernatural is something I've grown up knowing about, learning about, believing   in from a young age. To turn my imagination loose on those ideas was very natural.

2) Is there any part of Brielle that might be borrowed from you?
The fear, certainly. I dealt with fear for a time. It's been a journey and I'm so grateful for God's help through it, but I understand what it is to be frozen by anxiety and terror. I've learned that being fearless isn't the absence of fear, but the refusal to let it govern your actions. I don't have it all down, but God's gracious and He's teaching me.

Brielle also references Neverland from time to time. I'm rather fascinated with Peter Pan myself.
3) What was the hardest thing about writing Angel Eyes?
Time. I'm certainly not alone in this, but finding the time with two young children at home is difficult. It's another thing God's helping me with.
4) Can you give people a teaser?
Sure! Angel Eyes is about a girl who returns to her small hometown after tragedy has struck. She has all the potential in the world, but grief and fear have taken over and she feels frozen, unable to move forward. Enter the boy next door. Jake's got a few secrets of his own, and there's something about his hands--his blazing hands--that has Brielle paying attention. Jake gives Brielle a gift that opens her eyes in more than one way and that's when all hell breaks loose. Literally.  
5) Will we get to see Brielle and her friends in another book?
I'm happy to report that Angel Eyes is the first in a trilogy of books. The second book is called Broken Wings and will be out next February. The third book is still untitled and I'm not entirely sure when it'll be released.
6) Why write for this audience? What draws you to teenagers?
This one's hard to answer. I'm not entirely sure why I write for teenagers. Maybe because I am still a teen at heart. Everything's still very raw, very real, and very important at that age. I like that. I think I live like that. Sometimes, like in the lives of teenagers, that makes things much more complicated than they need to be, but it's the way I'm wired. God helps me here too. Feeling is very important for teens and as a first class emoter, I understand entirely.
7) What do you hope readers will take away from Angel Eyes?
That they are not alone. That even when life throws craziness at you and when you stumble into dark places, you haven't been abandoned. If readers come away with something close to that, I've done my job.
Okay, where can readers connect with you? 

I'm everywhere, I think! I even have an Angel Eyes board on Pinterest.

My website and blog: http://shannondittemore.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ShannonDittemore

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/ShanDittyPinterest: http://pinterest.com/shanditty/

Halflings: in the vein of Percy Jackson thrillers

Halflings is the debut release by author Heather Burch. It is targeted to teens and has strong supernatural characters. I've been waiting for this book since meeting Heather at ACFW in September. My daughter stole the book the moment it arrived at our house. She literally couldn't put it down, reading it in the car, at the gym and everywhere in between.

Here's what she has to say:

Halflings was a really interesting book. It has a Percy Jackson feel minus the Greek mythology. It has a Christian spin with angels, hell hounds, demons, and other supernatural characters called halflings. All are battling over a teenage girl. The halflings are tasked with protecting her from the dark forces chasing her for unknown reasons. Nikki changes from a normal teenager to a girl fighting for her life. When the halflings first save her, she has no idea what they are other than they are gorgeous. Then she learns they are half angels/half human and determined to save her. She's just as adamant about protecting them. The battle is happening in a realm no one else can see. The Halflings look like normal teenagers to her friends.

Nikki isn't a Christian but through the battles begins to believe there could be more than science can explain. This is definitely the first book in a series that ends with the intensity of books like Percy Jackson.

What I liked most was the characters -- they were amazing because they were vibrant and I could picture them easily. Even though there are creatures in it that I've never seen I cared about them. A must read for lovers of mythic books.

Looking for an Alternative to Twilight?

Today, I'm delighted to introduce you to my friend Heather Burch. Isn't that cover incredible? It's for her debut YA novel, Halflings. I got to know her through first time orientation for the ACFW conference last year. Then I got to spend time with her at the conference. I was delighted to win a basket she donated for the silent auction. And part of that is the copy of her book which is winging its way to my house as I type. I could wait to post this interview until I've read the book, but her book is available now, so wanted to introduce you to her as soon as I could!

Thanks Cara for asking me to stop by and answer a few questions.

Heather, Halflings is your debut novel. How did you come up with the idea for this book?


It had been in the back of my mind for a long time. I wanted to someday write a story about teenagers saving the world. I'm also an X-Men fan so the idea of teens with supernatural abilities was too much to resist. One day I was working on a completely different project and the entire multi-book story arc started forming. I fell in love with the characters right away. They took over my thoughts and very quickly I forgot about the other project and gave Halflings my full attention.

I love it when characters become so real to me they take over my thoughts! This book is targeted at the YA audience. What draws you to write for this group of readers?