Aries Rising By Bonnie Hearn Hill: Blog Tour and Contest CLOSED

I would like to thank WOW! Women on Writing because today we have Bonnie Hearn Hill, author of Aries Rising, here answering a few questions about the Star Crossed series and writing.

Before we get to the Questions and Answers, lets learn a little about Aries Rising and the author, the first book in the Star Crossed series.

About Aries Rising

When Logan McRae discovers a magical book called Fearless Astrology, all she wants is to change her sucky life. In order to get into the summer writing camp of her dreams, she needs the recommendation of her stubborn and irritable English teacher Mr. Franklin. Logan also has her eye on Nathan, the hottest guy in class. Unfortunately, so does popular, beyond-gorgeous Geneva, editor of the high school paper.

Logan’s two best friends, Chili and Paige, are always there to give her the advice she needs. But now that she has Fearless Astrology, Logan discovers a whole new way to overcome her dilemmas-while helping the three of them land the guys they’re crushing on.

When the Gears, a group of boys, starts causing trouble in school and out, she decides to identify them using astrology. Her goal: to impress Mr. Franklin, Nathan, and the kids who believe she is faking her newfound knowledge. The answers are in the stars, all right, but can Logan decipher
them before it is too late?

About Bonnie Hearn Hill

Bonnie Hearn Hill worked as a newspaper editor for 22 years, a job that, along with her natural nosiness, increased her interest in contemporary culture. Prior to her new Star Crossed series from Running Press/Perseus Books, she wrote six thrillers for MIRA Books, as well as numerous short stories, nonfiction books and articles.

An interest in astrology along with her close friendship with Cosmo Magazine Astrologer Hazel Dixon-Cooper inspired the Star Crossed series: Aries Rising, Taurus Eyes, and Gemini Night.

A national conference speaker, Bonnie founded The Tuesdays, a bonded and successful writing workshop in Fresno, California, and she also teaches an occasional online class. On Fridays she meets with her private critique group (humorous astrology author Hazel Dixon-Cooper, prescriptive nonfiction writer Dennis C. Lewis, mystery novelist Sheree Petree, and musician/thriller novelist Christopher Allen Poe). What happens in those groups ranges from spontaneous applause to “getting filleted,” as Bonnie’s students and colleagues call it.

I had the opportunity to ask Bonnie a couple questions and here is what she had to say.

1.  What made you think of writing the Star Crossed series?

I got the idea after a meeting with my critique group. One of the members is Hazel Dixon-Cooper, who’s written the Cosmopolitan magazine astrology column for about six years. She was saying something about astrology, and a title just clicked in my head. I realized that although astrology has been used as a theme in adult books, there’s been little about it in teen novels. So, I just started playing the what-if game in my head. What if a teen in a California beach town found an old astrology book (FEARLESS ASTROLOGY). What if she tried to use that book to go after what she wants most? A writing fellowship? A hot guy? How would that play out? What would her friends think? I loved writing the book and surprised myself with the ending. The “bad guy” wasn’t the one I thought it would be.

2.  Any new books in the works?

I’m still finishing up edits on the third Star Crossed and playing around with some new concepts. I am always writing and playing what-if.

3.  What is your advice for the young, inspired writers?

Find a mentor, preferably a published one. If possible, attend a writing conference. There are often scholarships for young people. I met one of the young writers I mentor when, at age 16, she attended a conference.

Read–not just the classics, but contemporary literature. Ask yourself what works in the books you read and what does not. Read widely.

Write every day. Make that routine part of your life.

4.  What are your 3 best tips for writing a great book?

Character, character and character. A great (proactive and sympathetic) protagonist can rescue a mediocre plot, but the best plot in the world won’t survive a mediocre protagonist.

5.  What made you think to use Astrology when writing this series?

I became fascinated by the subject when Hazel joined my class and then my critique group. I ran all of the astro sections past her to be sure they were accurate.

6.  What do you feel is your greatest achievement in writing?

There are great highs in a writing career and some low lows. Ultimately, all that matters is getting up the next morning and pedaling that bicycle a little higher up the mountain. Every day I manage to do that and manage to get something, anything from my brain to the page is a success.

I want to thank Bonnie for taking the time to answer these questions and also thank her for the blog tour for all of our readers!

There is a contest and giveaway going on with this blog tour.  The contest is not part of Shawn Ann’s World, however on reader of Shawn Ann’s World is going to win a copy of Aries Rising!  First for the contest.

Also, the Aries Rising Blog Tour & Book Giveaway continues through March 31. Destinations will be posted daily on facebook.com/starcrossedseries, and a free copy of Aries Rising will be given away at each one. At the conclusion of the tour, a drawing will be held for an iPod Touch. No purchase is necessary.

You can enter as often as you wish, and you can qualify in three ways.

1. Be an Aries. Just send your birth date (month and day) to starcrossed.contest@gmail.com.
2. Write a review and post it anywhere. Send the link to the same address. (More work, I know, and I appreciate all of you who have taken the time to spread the word about my astro series).
3. Post a fan badge on your Facebook page and send the link to above address.

On each entry, include your name, address, e-mail, and phone number where you can be reached March 31.

Now for the giveaway.  This one is going to be different than my normal giveaways.

If you want a chance to win a copy of Aries Rising, just share your astrology sign in a comment below.  To get additional entries you can tweet this post and leave your twitter status in your comment (one entry per day).  At the end of the blog tour, March 31st, I will pick a winner.

Disclosure: I would like to thank Genevieve from Mother of Confusion and Bonnie Hearn Hill for letting me know about this blog tour and the Star Crossed series.  A copy of Aries Rising is to be provided for this post.