Title: Hitchhiker
Audra went to college thinking she would go into journalism, but opted to go into publishing instead, and even took an internship at Yale University Press. She married right after college and was unable to find a publishing job where they were living inSeattle .
Audra took an office job. After helping put her husband through law school, she
went back to school and got her teaching degree. Audra enjoyed teaching, but
once her oldest was born, she chose to stay home. At the encouragement of
friends she started writing again, the result being her first novel, Watcher,
which was released in January of 2013.
Audra and her husband now live in a small town inEastern
Washington with their three boys. They also have a black Lab named
Benji who eats shoes, gophers and packages left on her front porch (thanks
Fed-Ex). She recently went back to work as a Kindergarten teacher, but she
still writes, dabbles in on-line shopping and plays Texas Hold ‘Em with her
friends as often she can.
Author: Audra Middleton
Genre: Humorous Paranormal Thriller
Length: 178 pages approx
Publisher: Burst Books ( a division of Champagne Books)
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Links:
Synopsis:
Supernatural
abilities haunt her. Brainiac students taunt her. The FBI "Freak
Squad" wants her. Will she abandon her extra sensory talents in favor of
freedom, or will she hone them to help catch crooks?
Former army brat, Ainsley Benton, may have
finally found her place in this world, and it’s among the freaks. This small
town art teacher has the ability to see, hear, and feel what other people are
experiencing, and now the FBI’s freak squad wants to use her “human bug”
abilities to catch bad guys. Despite her fear of commitment, failure, and
responsibility, Ainsley temporarily agrees to join this team of misfits, and
ends up risking her life to investigate a conspiracy that may only be one of
her schizophrenic coworker’s paranoid delusions.
I got this book from the author and the publisher in exchange of an honest review for being participating in this blog tour.
Firstly I would like to thank the author and the publisher for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.
Well, I liked the concept very much and the developed characters were a treat to read about and I really enjoyed myself. The dialogues are crisp and very understandable. The mystery is thick here and I really liked the action scenes. The main female lead is awesome with the kick-ass quality and her confidence won my heart totally and impressed me a lot.
The writing style of the author is remarkable and I liked the detailed presentation of every detail which helped me to connect myself with the plot.
I would definitely recommend it to ya all and hope that you guys will like it as much as I did.
My Thoughts:
Rating: 4 Stars
I got this book from the author and the publisher in exchange of an honest review for being participating in this blog tour.
Firstly I would like to thank the author and the publisher for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.
Well, I liked the concept very much and the developed characters were a treat to read about and I really enjoyed myself. The dialogues are crisp and very understandable. The mystery is thick here and I really liked the action scenes. The main female lead is awesome with the kick-ass quality and her confidence won my heart totally and impressed me a lot.
The writing style of the author is remarkable and I liked the detailed presentation of every detail which helped me to connect myself with the plot.
I would definitely recommend it to ya all and hope that you guys will like it as much as I did.
Author Interview:
1.
How will you
describe your book within a sentence?
·
A misfit teacher uses her supernatural abilities
to help the FBI freak squad uncover a bizarre conspiracy.
2.
Tell us
about your favourite one among the characters of your own book? What special
qualities make the particular character your favourite?
·
Jack
is probably my favorite. He’s a conman currently paying off his debt to society
as an indentured servant for the FBI. He’s a sharp, funny, often thoughtless,
life-of-the-party horndog. He’s fun to write.
3.
Your least
favourite character from your book and why?
·
My
least favorite character is Executive Assistant Director Yates. He undervalues
the ‘freak squad’ and is constantly threatening to shut them down. He’s the
kind of bureaucrat who looks out for his own career above the safety and
well-being of others.
4.
If you get a
chance of living the life of one of the characters of your book then which one
would it be?
·
I
would be Special Agent Claudia James. She’s tough, well-dressed, and well-armed
with a sense of loyalty and a dry wit. Plus she’s an empath, which would be
like being a human lie detector. I could have fun with that.
5.
Genres you
like to read? Genres you prefer to write?
·
I like
to read a little bit of everything, as long as it has vivid characters and a
compelling storyline. The same goes for my own writing. So far I have written a
fantasy, a thriller, and a romantic comedy. I also have ideas for a horror
novel and a historical fiction series.
6.
When and how
did the thought of this story come up?
·
Growing
up, my family always had an appreciation for conspiracy theories and liked to
watch The Twilight Zone. Seeds were planted early for this one. Also, I
taught junior high at one point, so that’s where the education angle to my
story came from.
7.
How do you
plan out your writing?
·
I am a
character-driven ‘pantser,’ which means I tend to develop my characters in my
mind first, put them in a problematic situation, and then let them take me
where they will.
8.
Tell us
about your inspiration and how it motivated you to become a writer?
·
My
stories come from my daydreams. If I am bored or stressed out, I escape inside
my own mind and become someone else. Next thing you know, I have a whole set of
characters playing out scenes in my head. My friends are the ones who
encouraged me to start writing these daydreams down and to share them with
others.
9.
How do you
feel now that you’re a published writer? Are you
satisfied with your achievement?
·
Getting
published meant crossing off the number one item on my “Bucket List.” It’s been
a challenging and fulfilling journey.
10.
Do you
prefer self-publishing or the traditional form of publishing?
·
I have
been working with a small publishing house. I don’t have the pressures of
working with a big house, but I get to work with an editor, a cover artist, and
a community of other writers.
11.
Describe
yourself in 3 words.
·
Sarcastic.
Neurotic. Daydreamer.
12.
Any secret
or fact about you that will surprise your readers and others as well?
·
Item
#2 on my Bucket List is to go ghost busting with TAPS.
13.
Three most
important things that an amateur writer must keep in mind while writing his
first book.
·
Write
what you love, keep marketing in mind early on, and (to borrow from Green Day)
don’t let your doubts be someone else’s point of view.
14.
How do you
spend your leisure time except for writing? Are you into sports?
·
I like
to read to my boys, play poker with my friends, and relax in front of a good
movie with my husband. I would add
daydreaming, but I consider that part of my writing process.
15.
Your
favourite vacation destination? Had it ever became the place where you based
any of yours book? If yes, then which one?
·
My
favorite vacation spot is Lake Chelan. It’s far enough away to be considered a
getaway, without it being a grueling marathon traveling there with the kids. I
tend to use places I’ve lived as inspiration for the settings in my novels. The
world in my fantasy novel is covered in trees, like the ones in my backyard
growing up. Hitchhiker is set in Seattle, in the old Naval housing I
lived in while my husband was attending UW.
16.
Did you
always wanted to be a writer? If not then what was your previous ambition and
what made you change your decision and step in the field of writing?
·
In
high school I was sure I was either going to write and direct my own movies or
become an investigative reporter. In college I toyed with the idea of going
into publishing and becoming an editor, but I ended up going into teaching. I
didn’t write much after college, until a few years ago. Some friends of mine
found out I liked to write, and they encouraged me to start up again. Now I
can’t shut it off.
17.
Are you
currently working on a project? If yes, would you like your readers to have a
sneak peek into it?
·
I am
polishing up a romantic comedy, working on the third and final book of my
fantasy series, and pecking away at a sequel to Hitchhiker. People can keep up with my projects by checking out my
website or following my fan page on Facebook.
18.
Your top
three favourite authors?
·
I like
Tolkien, Capote, and Stephen King.
19.
Your top
three favourite books of all time?
·
Ramona the Brave, The Hobbit, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
20.
Any
suggestions or advice for the upcoming writers on editing and publishing their
books?
·
In terms of
editing: be willing to make changes to your work, as long as you remain true to
your message and voice. In terms of getting published: be prepared to take an
active role in marketing your book.
·
Thanks so much for the interview!
Author
Bio:
Audra's love
of writing began in the third grade, when she was chosen to go to a young
author’s conference based on her story, "The Dragon Cookie,”
which is about a giant cookie that comes to life. She continued writing, and
was sometimes asked to write stories for friends as birthday gifts.
Audra went to college thinking she would go into journalism, but opted to go into publishing instead, and even took an internship at Yale University Press. She married right after college and was unable to find a publishing job where they were living in
Audra and her husband now live in a small town in
Author
Links:
Web page/blog - http://www.audramiddleton.com
Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/AudraMiddletonAuthor
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