Recently I had the pleasure of reading Strange Luck by Amie Irene Winters, so it is with great pleasure I welcome this talented weaver of fantasy to my blog.
About the author
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi! I’m Amie Irene Winters, YA Fantasy writer by day, kickboxer by night. I’m a sucker for spooky things, cheesy 80’s movies, and super cute animals. I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, but currently live in western Pennsylvania. I’m the author of the award-winning Strange Luck Series.
What are your hobbies?
I love to bake! I make a new recipe at least once a week courtesy of Pinterest or my extensive recipe book collection. I also love being outdoors—hiking with my dog, running, canoeing, stargazing, picnicking.
Which writers inspire you?
H.P Lovecraft is my all-time favorite writer and it still amazes me that he was never recognized in his own time. I also adore Neil Gaiman, J.K. Rowling, Joanne Harris, Sarah Addison Allen, and Michael Ende.
For your own reading, do you prefer e-books or paper/hard back books?
Hard back! I love feeling a book in my hands, smelling the paper, dog-earring pages I like, and underlining my favorite passages.
What are you reading at present?
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. I’m loving it so far. Next on my list is The White People and Other Weird Stories by Arthur Machen.
What is your favourite book and why?
It’s a toss-up between The Neverending Story by Michael Ende and H.P. Lovecraft’s Lurker at The Threshold. They are both VERY different, but absolutely incredible.
What is your favourite film/ series and why?
Probably the Harry Potter series (books and films).
What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?
Completing an eight-day wilderness solo in the Rocky Mountains. It was part of my training for my MA degree in Environmental Leadership. It’s exactly how it sounds. I literally camped by myself with what I could carry on my back. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life (especially when I heard bears and mountain lions at night), but it is also the thing I am the most proud of. Would I ever do it again? No!!!
How do you relax?
Going to kickboxing class, playing the piano, watching movies, reading.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Don’t ever give up! Love your craft and own it
If your friends could use one word to describe you what would it be?
Organized. People tell me that all the time. My whole life is spreadsheets and notes—all color-coated, alphabetized, and ready to go.
About writing
What made you realise your calling as an author?
Writing is the only thing I’ve ever done in my life that doesn’t feel like work. It’s the only time where I’m not looking at the clock. I’m completely immersed in it.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
About 1 ½ years. I try to write the whole thing in one year and then leave the rest of the time for edits and getting it ready for publication.
Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?
I loosely outline my ideas at first, but then I let the story take me where it wants me to go.
What is the hardest thing about writing?
Creating a consistent schedule in the midst of chaos. There are some days when I don’t get the opportunity to write at all. It’s important to try your best to create space and time to write.
What is the easiest thing about writing?
The freedom to create. I love the limitless possibilities of writing fantasy stories.
Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so, how do you deal with it?
Of course. I deal with it by taking breaks away from my writing. I’ll go for a walk, drive, hit the gym. When I’m not thinking about writing, I get some of my best writing done.
How many books have you written, which is your favourite?
I’ve published two books in the Strange Luck series so far—Strange Luck and The Nightmare Birds. I honestly don’t have a favorite.
What are you working on at the moment?
The third book in the Strange Luck series—Realm of the Shadow Gods. You can expect lots of dark magic mixed with strange things creeping into the light (*insert evil laugh here), plus some new characters. All of this allows the protagonist, Daisy Darling, to get to the bottom of who she really is. But will she embrace her heritage?
About the books
What genre are your books?
Young Adult Fantasy with a splash of mystery.
What book titles have you released so far?
Strange Luck and The Nightmare Birds.
Give us an insight into your main character(s). What does he/she do that is so special?
The main character is Daisy Darling – an eighteen-year-old aspiring writer stuck working retail at her family’s boring antique shop. In Strange Luck, Daisy uncovers a world built using stolen memories. It is in this world that Daisy discovers that she possesses the unique ability to create fake memories. Book II, The Nightmare Birds, flashes forward to Daisy at twenty-one-years-old and explores how and why she was able to accomplish such a feat—she’s a witch. In the process, Daisy uncovers the truth about the mysterious Theater of Secrets – long thought a dark legend by many, but known as a frightening reality to those who truly know its powers.
Daisy is a spunky, down-to-earth girl who isn’t afraid to ask questions.
Who is your favourite character and why?
I always tend to root for the villain. When I watched Disney movies growing up I always wondered about the villain, why they were so vengeful, and why they didn’t deserve sympathy. That said, Mr. Black, the Theater of Secrets’ dark ringleader, is my favorite character in The Nightmare Birds. I love his dark sorcery and mind games. It also helps that he looks like a medieval prince. Swoon.
Tell us a little bit about the book(s)/ series.
The Strange Luck series is about a young girl’s quest to discover her family’s dark secrets, and how her heritage plays a role in the magical abilities she possesses.
Where can we buy it/them?
Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble
IndieBound BAM! Book Depository
In what formats is your book available?
Print, Kindle, and Ebook.
When is your next book due for release?
The Realm of the Shadow Gods is slated to be released in late 2017. You can sign up for my newsletter to be notified about its release as well as receive special offers.
Book titles and synopsis:
Strange Luck:
Hidden deep in the forest, beneath mounds of forgotten memories, lies the secret world of 
the Nameless – a magical realm as beautiful as it is dangerous.
Daisy Darling used to think of Sea Salt, the small mountain town she has always called home, as a boring place where nothing ever happened. Then she met a peculiar wanderer who reveals a mysterious world hidden beneath the town all along. A world where mind-bending, magical, life-altering phenomena happen. A world harboring a dark secret under its snow-capped mountains, aquamarine waters, and perfumed jungles. A world built using stolen memories.
Now that Daisy’s eyes have been opened to the truth about the Nameless, there’s no turning back. Driven to save the other Collectives, Daisy is pulled deeper into the world’s tangled lies, finding herself ensnared in a dangerous network of tunnels and time-altering portals. Somehow Daisy must discover the strength within her to win back her freedom before the Nameless claims her forever.
The Nightmare Birds:
Only those who possess wild eyes, an impulsive heart, and a wandering spirit hunt for the Theater of Secrets–and once they witness the darkest of magic, they don’t return.
It promises to change your life forever—but is the mysterious Theater of Secrets legend or something more? Tasked to answer that very question, Daisy Darling sets out to uncover the truth and is thrown headlong into a life where inexplicably strange and dark things happen nightly. A life of deception and uncertainty. A life in the spotlight as the theater’s ringleader.
As Daisy assumes her new role, she not only discovers a surprising connection between herself and the previous ringleader, but also the haunting truth behind the theater’s limitless power. Determined to expose the theater and foil its wicked plan, Daisy must first embrace her heritage before she can defeat the dark forces at play.
Connect with the author:
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00XZ88V5A
Blog: https://golden-cricket.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiwinters
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13851542.Amie_Irene_Wintershttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13851542.Amie_Irene_Wintershttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13851542.Amie_Irene_Winters
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amieiwinters/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmieIWinters
Website: http://www.amieirenewinters.com
K.J's Athenaeum 