Please share a little about yourself, your genres,
any other pen names you use.
Hi
everyone! In the real world I am known as Amanda Taylor, but I write under the
pen name AK Taylor
which is just a variation of my own name. I am married with nonhuman children
(animals), and I live in the Middle Georgia backwoods.
I
am an action, science, and chocolate addict. I am an avid reader, writer, and
gamer. I play musical instruments—I tend to like brass and percussion. My music
addiction began with the French horn. I also like to draw.
Living
most of my life in the woods makes me an avid outdoorsman and nature fanatic. I
mentioned I love science already, but I like just about all of them with
chemistry being my favorite.
I
love all animals including snakes and creepy crawlies. I enjoy beekeeping with
my father, and it is a rewarding hobby we share. I also garden and put away
fresh veggies and fruits. I have plans on experimenting with soap making and
candle making from beeswax.
Have you ever based your book or characters on
actual events or people from your own life?
In
the general sense not really, but some parts of Neiko’s double life I do—the
part of her the person from the street would see if they bumped into her in her
world are based off of my real life. A couple of family members have found
their way in, but I haven’t written in anyone I didn’t like in school.
Is there a theme or message in your work that you
would like readers to connect to?
The
biggest one is no never give up no matter how bad things appear or how
invincible your foe may seem. In some ways I have experiences with this concept
in real life, and the concept of “escape” seems its make their way into my work
even if I haven’t planned on it.
What would your readers be surprised to learn about
you?
Hmm,
well I suppose one thing could be something I haven’t mentioned in question
one: I was a teen novelist. The two books I am touring with are the first two
books I had ever written. I wrote Neiko’s
Five Land Adventure at 16 and Escape
from Ancient Egypt at 17. They didn’t come out perfectly in the very
beginning; some improvements and revisions were made over the years, but the
storyline is the same as it was back then. I am happy to share that these teen
writings have gone on to win a couple awards, which is exciting considering how
much I have grown since then!
I
never stopped writing since then except when I had to put things aside for
college. With full time college and working part time and homework, there just
wasn’t any room. That was tough, and I couldn’t wait to get back to writing
fantasy rather than writing lab reports and academic papers—oh, how I loathe
the literary analysis!
When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have
any hobbies or guilty pleasures?
When
I don’t have to do the hum-drum stuff like dishes, laundry, and scrubbing
toilets, I am doing something outdoors, reading, drawing, or playing a video
game.
Is there a genre(s) that you’d like to write that
you haven’t tackled yet?
I’ve
already done the occasional nonfiction, so I am looking into thrillers,
mysteries, and maybe even horror at some point, and no, I am not going to be
writing under a different name for these. I’ve already experimented with
thrillers a little bit with a short story called “Bloody Klondike
Gold” that I shared on ReadWave and received good feedback. I may end up
publishing it. I may make a YA mystery/thriller series from the characters in
this story, but that’s still on the drawing board. It’s not too far away from
fantasy action adventure, just minus the fantasy. I may even get into pure
science fiction at some point since I love science, and I incorporate it a bit
in with the fantasy in the Neiko books.
Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is
your favorite and why?
Ooh,
this is a tough call. I have a lot of favorites for different reasons,
including a couple of the antagonists/villains.
I guess if I had to pick one it would be Neiko, the main character. She
is a lot like me; we’re almost twins. She does the things I wished I could do.
Other readers who have met her really like her, too—at least the ones who have
shared their thoughts.
If this book is part of a series…what is the next book?
Any details you can share?
Both
of these are part of a series of at least 30+ books, so Neiko has many more
adventures already written (just needs edits and illustrations) and more to
come.
Book
#3 is Black Hand Vacation. After her
adventure in Egypt
old and new enemies are closing in on her. To make matters worse, Ramesses’ ka
is haunting her and another mysterious pharaoh she remembers vaguely from
childhood is plaguing her. Things in Hawote and the Five Lands
really heat up. After 25+ years the Black Hand starts to stir again after their
original overlord supposedly died in a battle with Neiko’s mentor. Teen and
young adult warriors begin to go missing, and mishaps, threats, and near misses
begin to happen—Neiko could be next. Neiko desperately needs a vacation, but
she is also put into hiding for her protection. This is no normal vacation, and
she is not safe…
What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled
upcoming releases or works in progress?
Black
Hand Vacation
will be released sometime in 2014. “Bloody Klondike
Gold” (the short story) will be released sometime in 2014. Book #4 Ramses Vs. Hawote is finished awaiting
edits and illustrations, and I am writing Book #5 Trapped in Ancient Qari. Book #6 Perils in the Unknown needs a serious rewrite and adjustments, so I
will begin that when I finish writing Book#5. I skipped around in the series so
I am going back to fill in. Release dates are unknown.
I
coauthored in a nonfiction project Minding
Your Business which should be released in October.
I
am also going to write a book about bullying called Rising Above the Ashes which is going to be lyrical prose,
metaphors, and experiences from my own life.
Neiko’s Five Land Adventure
The Neiko Adventure Saga
The Neiko Adventure Saga
Book One
A.K. Taylor
Genre: YA Fantasy Action Adventure
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
Date of Publication: September 1, 2010
ISBN : 978-1936198856
ASIN : B0051WJP0S
Number of pages: 354
Word Count: Approx 101K
Cover Artist: A.K. Taylor, Kristeen
Book Description:
The Indians and the Crackedskulls are locked in the turmoil of war and presently in a stalemate. Her enemies, Raven and Bloodhawk, have come up with a scheme to up the ante and break the stalemate into their favor. Neiko later finds out that a land she thought she had only imagined is actually real and contains a legendary and otherworldly evil within it. Not only that, she becomes trapped there and must escape the world, the people within it, and the sinister evil within.
Neiko must find her way back home and turn the tables on her enemies. Can she come back home and escape the evil that seeks to claim her?
Escape from Ancient Egypt
The Neiko Adventure Saga
The Neiko Adventure Saga
Book Two
A.K. Taylor
Genre: YA Fantasy Action Adventure/ Historical Fantasy, time travel
Publisher: Telemachus Press
ISBN : 978-1484107355
ASIN : B00AR3G4MS
Number of pages: 290
Word Count: Approx. 90K
Cover Artist: A.K. Taylor, Steve Himes
Book Description:
Seeking his revenge on Neiko for exposing him, Francesco banishes Neiko into ancient Egypt just like he did her friends eleven years ago. During her stay there, she unravels the mystery of what happened to her four friends. Now she’s faced with a bigger problem—how to get home. After a series of unfortunate events, Neiko is now entangled with Pharaoh Ramesses II. Francesco also comes to make sure their fates are sealed. Can Neiko and her friends beat impossible odds and return to Hawote and back to the present?
About the Author:
A.K. Taylor grew up in the backwoods of Georgia where she learned about nature. She enjoys hunting and fishing, beekeeping, gardening, archery, shooting, hiking, and has various collections. She also has interest in music, Native American history and heritage, Egyptian history, and the natural sciences. A.K. Taylor has been writing and drawing since the age of 16. A.K. Taylor has graduated from the University of Georgia with a biology degree, and she shares an interest in herpetology with her husband.
Librarything Google+
Newsletter Signup Link : http://eepurl.com/zXRvD
Authorgraph Link http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/A_K_Taylor
Newsletter Signup Link : http://eepurl.com/zXRvD
Authorgraph Link http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/A_K_Taylor
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Neiko's Five Land Adventure
by A.K. Taylor
Giveaway ends October 28, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Escape from Ancient Egypt
by A.K. Taylor
Giveaway ends October 28, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
October 1 Spotlight
Lis Les Livres
October 2 Spotlight
Books & Tales.
October 3 Interview
Dalene’s Book Reviews
October 4 Spotlight
Wicca Witch 4 Book Blog
http://wiccawitch4.blogspot.ca/
October 7 Interview
Author Leah DW
October 8 Guest blog
Fang-tastic Books
October 8 Spotlight
Kat de Falla
October 9 Spotlight
Indie Designz
October 10 Spotlight
Cover2CoverBlog
October 11 Interview
Author Karen Swart
October 14 Spotlight
Rose &Beps Blog -
October 15 Spotlight
Eclipse Reviews
October 16 Guest blog (review later)
Offbeat Vagabond
October 17 Spotlight
The Writerly Exploits of Mara Valderran
October 18 Interview
happy tails and tales
October 21 Guest blog
BookwormBridgette's World
October 21 Spotlight
Book Suburbia
October 22 Spotlight Book 1
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
October 23 Spotlight Book 2
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
October 24 review book 1
Book Suburbia
October 25 Spotlight
Mythical Books
October 28 Spotlight
Ramblings of a Book Lunatic
October 28 Interview
Reading in Twilight
1 comment:
Thanks so much for hosting me!
Post a Comment