Today we have a very special guest and an interesting interview technique too. Stella Price is having an online chat with me and her sister Audra will be asking questions during the interview! We are live with Stella and Audra in the background (wink).
Lainey: Hi Stella, I am glad you invited me over here today.
Stella: Hey Lainey! Wow this is going to be fun. Aud and I are both actually online for the next few hours on AIM.
Lainey: Well you are a writing team so that makes sense.
Stella: We are in rare form.
Lainey: That is great So tell me how the books got pulled and you found another publisher and it seems a better one too?
Stella: The publisher and us had some issues with stuff, so we pulled and were told by Tease that we could put the work out with them, and get them into print quicker, so it was a win-win situation.
Lainey:: So Tease is going to publish the series faster too is that right?
Stella: Yep, we’ll have books 1 and 2 of both series out in print by December. And well be having 2 books for the Eververse series out in 2008.
Lainey: Sweet that is so great since I want #2 of the Elementals. Sounds like a win-win situation then.
Stella: *laughs* Deep Water, that’s book Two… is… well it’s different. I like it a lot and it touches on a lot of the stuff Fire does.
Lainey: Yes, that is why I wanted to read it. I had hoped his book was next after Char’s, it follows a time line I bet. I loved Char. So tell me how is it writing as a team?
Stella: He struts and Kael grumbles, *laughs*
Lainey: But I liked Kael too, he had his own sensitive side, uh our sea monkeys aside.
Stella: Writing as a team is amusing.
Lainey: How so and how do you work it out?
Stella: The good part is Aud and I are on the same page when we write, so we feed off each other.
Lainey: Yes, that would be good and interesting and maybe even a lot of fun too.
Stella: It’s never dull, that’s for sure.
Lainey: How long have you been writing together?
Stella: Hmm, three years? Two and a half, about that I think.
Lainey: And what was your first book?
Stella: The first one published? That was Wishes, but the first book written was Sugar and Sin.
Lainey: Ah and now that will be re-issued. It is going to be like you are starting over with a new series again with new readers I bet and the enthusiasm will start up again like new. Sort of an encore but better ..
Stella Price: They will be both in E-Book and Print.
Lainey: That is good and will the E-Books be out before the print ones so people can read them faster?
Stella: This year the E-Books will be out a month and 15 days before the print, come 2008, three months after E-Book probably.
Lainey: Good so people can by the E-Book first and then wait for the print copy to buy after if they want.
Stella: It’s a good thing we found a home so quickly and now we are with three publishers, Phaze, Tease and Siren. And we love them all.
Lainey: YES you are lucky to find a new home… WOW That is great. Tell us a bit about the books coming out now so everyone can know when and which books they are?
Stella: I love Phaze they do right by us. They just got our new Djinn book, Gifts. Silk and Steel and Fire In His Eyes will be out with Tease August 15th. Silk and Steel is the second in the Eververse series.
Lainey: I heard about the Djinn one of course.
Stella: While Fire is the first in the Elementals series, and a re-issue.
Lainey: Though Fire is a new one so it is sort of just going to be having a 2nd printing so to speak.
Stella: Yes. Correct. September will bring Deep Water and a re-issue of Sugar and Sin.
Lainey: Let’s hope a lot of new readers or those that could not get it, can now get them to read. I cannot wait for Deep Water.
Stella: Deep Water is a bit longer then Fire, but no less involved.
Lainey: That is ok, we learned the basics in Fire so with the continuation, I think your readers will just love it .. especially if there is more to read.
Stella: *laughs* We are writing longer it seems, each book gets considerably longer as we write them.
Lainey: Do they also contain the characters from the previous books though, because if they do then your readers get to keep up with all of the cast then?
Stella: Yes. Char, Al, Perrin, Spiria…and you meet Kael’s Love, Bryn.
Lainey: That makes it definitely alright to be longer then as we keep going and seeing each of them all and not having to ask on them since you tell us. I read it on your site when I was doing the Fire In His Eyes review, so I knew it would be coming; and that all of the books were generally all set up for storylines.
Stella: *laughs* Spiria and Myst’s books are coming in 2008…Yeah, it keeps them alive for us too, plus some of them just won’t stay out of the books. They demand some time.
Lainey: I bet they do, but that is what keeps the readers coming back for more, so I am sure they will be extremely happy.
Stella: I’m hoping, that’s the plan I mean.
Lainey: Now have you let your readers know yet what is happening and when to expect the books?
Stella: We did, And luckily our street team captains have really stepped up with letting the masses know. I’m very happy and confident that we haven’t lost TOO many fans.
Lainey: That is great and tell us a bit about your street team. That is intriguing because I hear that term for other things not generally for books and authors.
Stella: I was in the music business for 5 years, and I learned a trick or two about promotions. Our street team is comprised of women, who are both fans and friends, who help us by spreading the word both online and in real life. They give out our promo stuff, and write reviews for our work at Amazon and B and N, and talk up the work in message boards and other forums. They are invaluable to us.
Lainey: Wow that is fantastic and it makes total sense and probably why you are a winning team of best selling books also. Getting the word out is important.
Stella: *laughs* We try! I’m looking forward to seeing what the girls do for the next set. Luci and Suzette are our captains and OMG they have the best ideas for promotions.
Lainey: So can you let your readers know all your sites here if you have the links for them all at hand. Website, blog, myspace, email and any other site you may have so they can keep in touch and know exactly when everything is happening?
Stella: Webby: www.stellaandaudra.com
Bloggy: stellaandaudra.blogspot.com
Myspace:www.myspace.com/Eververse
Lainey: I love it and which email do you prefer?
Stella: stella@stellaandaudra.com and audra@stellaandaudra.com
Lainey: Good to go for our readers then.
Stella: Sweet! Ooh wonderful!
Lainey: OK now for the future … do you have anything coming up anytime soon as far as signings, conventions, chats, interviews, etc. that your readers will be interested in?
Stella: I have a signing on the 1st with a few different authors and I have a signing in Scranton on the 9th with Jacquelyn Frank, Bianca D’Arc and Rene Lyons. I also have one with Rene in July some time as well in Jersey. I try to get around so we get a lot of people knowing about our stuff.
Lainey: Oh that sounds wonderful I hope some of your readers get to go to it.
Stella: Actually we do have a few coming so I’m happy.
Lainey: That brings me to the next question: how did you get started in your present genre, writing about it?
Stella: Aud and I… LOL… we write what we like to read, how we want to read it really. So it was only right smart to write what we love.
Lainey: This is true, but what about research, is either one of you the one to do that or do both of you look up what you need for your stories to get it “right”?
Stella: Both of us are really into learning and we are interested in the most bizarre things. So its from our past readings that we get a lot of our research from. And I’m a big fan of the Wiki for spot on info. You can’t beat Wiki.
Lainey: *laughs* and for our readers I am thinking Wiki is Wikipedia?
Stella: Yep, love the Wiki. *laughs*
Lainey: Just clarifying for the readers. Though maybe you should have a stuffed animal named ‘Wiki”.
Stella: That would be funny. I do have ugly dolls…they are my sick passion.
Lainey: Aha, so now we find a little tidbit from you … tell us more on the dolls.
Stella: Ugly dolls are my unholy obsession. http://www.uglydolls.com
Lainey: How did that start?
Stella: I have 5 of them right now… um I love toys, and the weirder the toy the better. I have a thing for Gwins too. I can be bribed with them too.
Lainey: Hmm bribed with what, maybe our readers want to know?
Stella: I can and I have been. *laughs* Ugly dolls and Gwin. I like toys and paper.
Lainey: Homemade paper?
Stella: Yes I love paper and journals.
Lainey: Oh now I did see something on the group, is it your birthday today by the way?
Stella: *laughs* Yes I’m 28 today.
Lainey: Oh happy, happy birthday then.
Stella: Thanks, its been a weird day.
Lainey: Are you going to be doing anything special to celebrate?
Stella: Yes, hunny and I are going to see Pirates at midnight.
Lainey: Aha so you are going to see Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom ..
Stella: OMG more like JD and Jack Davenport. I’m not a Bloom fan.
Lainey: I remember Johnny on 21 Jump Street. He was a cutie pie.
Stella: He still is.. YUMMY!!!! Our character Fallon is patterned after him.
Lainey: That is great to know.
Stella: No actually, I adore James Purefoy. I would have his bastard children, *laughs*
Lainey: Oh boy would you let him know that?
Stella: He might. I might have to do stalking. him and Sean Bean.
Lainey: Yes Sean Bean is yummy, though he tends to play the bad guy too often.
Stella: I LOVE Sean Bean as the bad guy and the way he says ‘Strawberry’ is to DIE for. I love his voice.
He plays a better bad guy, bad guys are way sexier.
Lainey: OK I am adding up the list here: Johnny, James and Sean so far.
Stella: Oh and we love dirty Colin Farrell and David Wenham too, yum.
Lainey: Dirty?
Stella: Well clean Colin Farrell is hardly worth it.
Lainey: Have you fashioned any other characters after any of them besides Johnny Depp?
Stella: Yes.
Lainey: Wait – details, details, who and what?
Stella: Each character is fashioned after an actor or actress, think of it as our ultimate movie list:
- Astrid is Mia Kirshner….
- Cash is Christain Bale
- Dante is James Purefoy
- Drake is Colin Farrell
- Leviathan is Sean Bean
- Char is actually Dominic Purcell
Lainey: Oh wow! And what about your females?
Stella:
- Alcyone is Fariuza Balk
- Ashlyn is Liz hurley
- Camions is Selma Hayek
Lainey: This for your male readers of course. Any others your readers might want to know who they are patterned after?
Stella: *Laughs* hmm.. Remy, the python is after Sully Erna from Godsmack and Reece Evans, the anaconda is Timothy Oliphant, everyone is someone.
Lainey: Tell me is there anything I have NOT asked you that you want your readers to know right now?
Stella: Hmm… I don’t think so, though I will say you touched on things most interviews haven’t, so this has been a lot more fun then most.
Lainey: That is what I try to do and keep it fresh and current.
Stella: Well it’s been a lot of fun *laughs*
Lainey: Thank you so much for having me here, especially in the middle of your group chat too. OK, I should let you get back to the group chat but is there anything else you want your readers to know, maybe reassure them that this is a good thing with the publisher switch and the books coming out soon?
Stella: OMG Tease is fantastic… and it will allow us to really hit the audience we need to. They are so committed to all their authors that we are so happy to be a part of them.
Lainey: Now that is good news and will you get others over there?
Stella: No, since Tease is a closed submissions publisher. The actual EIC and publisher choose the authors that are invited.
Lainey: Then how did YOU get in there then? *evil grin*
Stella: Well I had subbed, and the EIC is a friend. She liked our work and asked us to work with her. Then I was offered the Art director position and well, it just bloomed from there. Tease has some AMAZING authors and I make sure they have amazing covers.
Lainey: Are any of them from your former place of residence of your books? *grins* Hmm maybe I should ask something on that really quick…tell us about the covers and how that came about?
Stella: Hmm with the covers, I got tired seeing covers that were substandard, and seeing as I have a background in art, I changed it all.
Lainey: So do you do many covers for other artists then now besides your own?
Stella: Yes. I do covers for pretty much all of Tease, as well as Chippewa/Lady Aibel and Red Rose Publishing, also Drollerie Press.
Lainey: Have you ever won for your book covers?
Stella: Covers are quick… so it’s not that bad. And yes, I have gotten some cool award nominations for my covers, and I’m up at Erin Aslinn this month for Deep Water’s Cover.
Lainey: See I knew there was another thing your readers want to know ..see.. *laughs*
Stella: Hmm… the cover is down on the 31st of May. But they can see my online portfolio… http://stellaprice.deviantart.com
Lainey: See another good link … I am getting the good stuff from you even now.
Stella: *Laughs* Hmm … though they can get to everything from our website, all the fun and the new stuff is usually added to the front page.
Lainey: That is always a good idea.
Stella: *laughs* Well its almost 7:30 here and I’m off to shower and get ready for my evening and eat… thanks Sooo much for the fun interview Hun, this was the best one we have ever had. You rock Lainey! We love you!
Lainey: Now you are making me blush. And thank you so much for having me here today it was an unexpected and delightful time.
Stella: Eh, we are fun “and chiming in from the side is sister Audra” We are that!
Lainey: Hey I love you too. And am so happy for you with Tease. Well I will let you go … have a fun evening and Happy Birthday again and hope Pirates 3 lives up to the others and Johnny too of course.
Stella: Goodnight it was great meeting you.
Leave a Comment