Julian Michael Carver, Author of A Raptor Ate My Homework (The Backpack Dinosaur Book 1)

Today we are interviewing Julian Michael Carver about his new children’s adventure book “A Raptor Ate My Homework (The Backpack Dinosaur Book 1).”

Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Joey Kelly (pen name is Julian Michael Carver). I am 27 years old and currently live in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania with my wife Cloey.  I love to write, but my primary passion is video editing and motion graphics/animation. This enables me to do the majority of my artwork, including trailers and videos, by myself to cut back on marketing costs for my books.

Describe the plot of your book, “A Raptor Ate My Homework!,” in a few sentences.
When Andy and Anna, two fourth-grade siblings discover a strange egg in an alley near their home, they decide to smuggle it into their home without their parents knowing. When it hatches into a baby velociraptor in the attic, they must decide on how to make the dinosaur a permanent member of the family, while also overcoming bad grades and issues with the school bully.

Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
The Backpack Dinosaur series is made with children in mind who love movies like A Land Before Time or Jurassic Park. Basically, any kid who loves dinosaurs should give my book series a chance.

What is the target age range of your book?
The age range for The Backpack Dinosaur books would be children in grades 2-5. 

Tell us about your protagonists, Andy and Anna.
Andy is very shy and obsessed with dinosaurs. I see a lot of myself as a child in his character and have a lot of fun writing about him. Anna is much more bold and straight-forward. Her personality usually drives the plot lines to action.

The twins discover the egg hatches into a baby velociraptor in their attic. How do they react to this discovery?
Instantly they are met with curiosity and infatuation with the little dinosaur, who soon warms up to their hearts as they struggle to figure out how to convince their parents to keep it. They also learn that having a dinosaur, especially a velociraptor, as a pet can come in handy in various situations that they encounter throughout the series.

Are there any authors who have influenced your writing style?
I loved the writing styles of R.L.Stine (Goosebumps) and Debbie Dadey and Marcia Jones (The Bailey School Kids). They really wrote some awesome literature in my childhood. If their book series hadn't come out, I'm sure The Backpack Dinosaur series wouldn't be out. Also, obviously Michael Crichton is a big influence to me. The Lost World is my favorite novel.

Author Julian Michael Carver.

How long have you been writing?
I've been writing since the 7th grade. I self-published a book that year in 2006 through a vanity press (a hard life-lesson that I'll never repeat). Since then I fell away from writing for awhile until 2015 when I decided to start again.

How do you think you've evolved as a writer since when you first started?
When I first started writing, I thought I had to describe everyone and everything in my books with Tolkien-like precision. Now I'm a lot more relaxed and let the reader fill in the blanks in their head however they wish. I'm all about world-building, but sometimes I think a lot of writers go overboard with it.

What are your goals as a writer for the next ten years?
Wow, what a great question! Hopefully to have many more beautifully artful books written and in circulation for The Backpack Dinosaur Series. Maybe a few stand-alone books as well!

How have your readers responded to the book so far?
The series has been met with great reviews. If anyone reading this decides to buy a copy, please review it on Amazon and Goodreads! Also, buyers tend to love the covers! They're very vibrant and made with the 90's paperback look in mind.

How many books do you have planned for The Backpack Dinosaur series? Do you have an anticipated release date for the second book?
I have, in an email draft form, plans for at least 20 potential The Backpack Dinosaur books. My plans are to release at most 2 books a year and at least 1. The second book in the series, Camp Raptor, is a Halloween-themed book in the series and will be released on October 1st of this year. I just released the book cover reveal trailer on YouTube and Twitter the other day!

Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
In a world where children's literature is dominated by dragons, knights, elves, vampires, super-heroes and zombies, my series will finally bring dinosaurs back into kidlit in a positive, fun way. If you want your child to have a safe, easy-to-read story, please pick up a copy of A Raptor Ate My Homework! and consider Camp Raptor when it comes out! It's hard for Indie authors to get noticed today, and with your help, we can make The Backpack Dinosaur a favorite among the new generation! Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed my interview!

More Information
Buy the book on Amazon. 
Visit the book’s website. 
Follow the author on Twitter. 

Shirley McCann, Author of The Scarry Inn

Today we are interviewing Shirley McCann, author of the YA suspense novel The Scarry Inn.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
Shirley McCann has been writing short stories for over 20 years. Her work has been published in various publications including, Woman’s World, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and the Forensic Examiner.   YA has always been a favorite genre to read and write. She lives in Springfield, Missouri with her husband, two children, and three grandchildren.

Describe the plot of your new book in a few sentences.
Four teenagers traveling through a snowstorm on Christmas Eve have car trouble and pull into a gas station; the car promptly dies. The gas station owner and his wife are closing because of the storm, but take the kids to a nearby motel, owned by relatives Dick and Thelma Scarry, for the night. No cell phone service, no phone of any kind probably because of the storm. Strange things begin happening at the motel. And continue, becoming more creepy with each incident. Is it "atmosphere" to fit the motel's name? Or is it...something...else?

Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
Definitely the YA crowd and young readers, but also the young at heart and anyone who loves a good mystery.

What inspired you to write a book about three friends stuck in a murderous inn, trying to reach safety?
The idea came to me when my husband and I were on our way home to Missouri from California. Our car broke down in a town called Ashfork, Arizona.  The motel was very run down. Then the writer’s mind kicked in.

Tell us a bit about the three protagonists.
Heidi Bowman, still upset because of her parents’ divorce, invites her three friends to tag along to her first meeting with her father, new wife and half-sister. Beau is Heidi’s boyfriend and confidente. Kara and Heidi have been friends for years, although Kara is a bit self-absorbed at times. Alex is Kara’s boyfriend, and a bit of a clumsy nerd.

The main characters find the atmosphere at The Scarry Inn to be unwelcoming. Can you describe the atmosphere for us?
Spooky, creepy, unsettling.

Are the owners of the Scarry Inn aware of how creepy their inn is? Or are they oblivious?
No. The people the teens encounter when they check in are people posing as the owners. One owner is already dead, and the other one is in an upstairs bedroom, passed out during most of the story.  However, the teenagers aren’t aware of this fact.

Who was your favorite character to write?
Harold Story. His wife, Madge, is related to the owners of the inn. But Harold’s character is a bit complex. He’s not friendly, but not unfriendly either. Very passive. The teenagers think he could be involved in trying to scare them.

Have you always been a fan of scary stories or is this something that developed recently?
I’ve always been a fan. Fear Street by R.L. Stine is still a favorite of mine. Also, anything by Lois Duncan.  I still read those from time to time.

What drew you to the young adult genre?
I’ve always been a fan.  Still read YA to this day. Guess I’m just one of those young at heart people.

Is there any aspect of writing you don't like?
Finding the time! I’m home with a bedridden, paraplegic husband, babysitting to three young grandchildren, and I work part time. Hard to find a balance at times. But it’s also a great escape. It’s true what they say – you can lose yourself in a good book.
 
Have you ever had writer's block? If yes, how'd you deal with it?
Nope never. There’s always a story of some kind out there. If I get stuck, I’ll just start a short story, which is also a favorite of mine.

What do you have in mind for your next project?
I’m already working on the sequel to the Scarry Inn. Hoping to have six books in the series.

Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
It’s the first in the series. It will set up the inn and the owners.  The sequel will involve a murder mystery weekend grand opening, which will obviously work out differently than planned.
 
A short excerpt from The Scarry Inn:

    “Nothing’s happening,” she said. She slumped onto the bed. “There’s no dial tone.”
    Alex reached for the receiver, following the same routine. His facial muscles tightened. “Damn it!” He tossed the phone across the room
    Beau slumped against a wall and closed his eyes. “Maybe we should just try the main house again,” he said. He shok his head. “I’m so tired of this I just want to get to a phone.”
    Heidi nodded. She stood suddenly and her calling card fell to the floor. “But maybe we should just hike down the hill instead.” Her voice cracked through her tears. “Maybe we can stop a motorist along the way and hitch a ride to a police station.” She reached down to retrieve her card, when her fingers touched something wet and sticky. “Oh, gross!” She grimaced. “What’s on this floor?”
    Beau directed the flashlight beam toward her face as she brought her hand up to reveal a brownish, red substance. In a fevered rush, Heidi felt the blood drain from her face. Her body sagged with a fear she’d never experienced before. She held her breath and followed Beau’s light as she slowly directed the beam toward her feet.
    Bile rose in her throat.
    Beneath the bed, Kara’s hair knotted around her face in tangles of dried blood. A jagged gash followed her neck from one side to the other. Her normally flawless complexion was now a distorted mix of shock and horror.

More Information
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UPMAN82
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121602205?ean=9781626942455
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/527672
KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-scarry-inn
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thescarryinn-1769266-243.html
BOB: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/blackopalstore/the-scarry-inn
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/260024834/The-Scarry-Inn