Author Feature: RP Channing for Thirst

The Blah Blah Notebook is excited to post today's featured author, RP Channing who just recently released his debut YA novel entitled Thirst. Intriguing title, right?

R P Channing started writing three years ago, but never published anything even after churning out over a million words of fiction. Thirst: Blood of my Blood is the first book he dared to publish. When asked why, he said, “Because it’s the first thing I wrote that my wife actually enjoyed reading.” When not hammering away (most literally) at his keyboard, he can be found buried in a book, reading anything from romance to horror to young adult to non-fiction to comedy. (from Author Bio) 

Anyway, before we talk about this new book, let me just share with you all my quick but exciting interview with RP Channing. Let's get to know more about him and his journey in creating THIRST.



(Drum roll please)

ME: How did you come up with such an interesting and intriguing plot and characters?

CHANNING: I remember when I first started writing, asking the question, "How does one come up with a story?" I read books about it, more books, more books. I went online. Nothing helped. 

Eventually, the only thing that solved it for me was to sit down and hammer away at the keyboard. Suddenly there were all kinds of stories coming out of my fingers. I just start writing and see where things go. When I've put down about 30,000 words, I know I finally have a story. Thirst was something like that. I wanted it to be a romance, I wanted it to be a little spooky, and I wanted it to be filled with action and to run at a very fast pace. That's all I knew. The intricate details of "how" I created the story itself are unknown even to me. 

ME:  How long did it take you to finish the whole manuscript?

CHANNING: Let's just say I'm a fast writer. :)

ME:   I'm sure, like other authors, there were difficult parts or maybe chapters that were hard to finish. What did you do to overcome those challenges?

CHANNING: Thirst was the most difficult story I've ever written. I usually pull myself out of the holes I dig for myself but in this novel the holes were just to weak. 

So I asked my wife. She's a YA guru, and she spotted what was wrong immediately. I had to rewrite a lot of chapters after that, almost half the book, but it was worth it. 

ME: Will there be a book 2 for Thirst and can you share a little teaser about it?

CHANNING: There are plans for a Book Two, but not in concrete. Thirst is a standalone and the story ties up nicely at the end. There is room for more, but I'm not certain if I'll publish it next, or if I'll publish something else. I have a dystopian novel I've been plotting in my head for almost half a year. It really excites me, and I'd like to get that out next. But we'll see.

ME:  Being able to publish your first book, Thirst, what can you advice to other aspiring authors out there?

CHANNING: Don't worry about failure. Just keep writing. 

Well, that was kind of fast but so much fun and informative. Aspiring fiction writers will surely learn some stuff. Now, let's get to the book. 

THE BLURB

~ Kira Sutherland ~

After a near fatal accident (and getting cheated on by her 'boyfriend'), and beating up the lead cheerleader (with whom the boyfriend cheated...), and being labeled as having 'issues' in her school because she, uhm, sees ghosts, Kira is left with two choices:

1. Continue her 'therapy' (where she's told the ghost is a hallucination and also gets her legs ogled too often...)

Or

2. Go to Starkfield Academy, a boarding school for "Crazies and Convicts" (as the social media sites call them.)

She chooses the latter...

~ Cory Rand ~

Cory Rand has not had an easy life. His mother died in a car accident when he was twelve, and so did his mother's best friend...sort of. You see, Janice made a promise to take care of Cory just before she died, and so she lingers. Undead. A ghost that watches out for him.

Brought up in an abusive home, Cory quickly falls into a life of disreputable behavior. After his third offense (which was prompted by a girl, as usual - he has a weakness) he's left with two choices:

1. Be tried as an adult and share a cell with a guy named Bubba (he thinks...)

Or

2. Go to Starkfield Academy, which Cory is pretty sure is run by vampires. But, hey, at least he'll get an education.

He chooses the latter...

It's at Starkfield that Kira meets Cory Rand, a boy with an insatiable Rage who sees ghosts, too. As well as other things, other things from his past, things that confuse him, things like fire and witches and demons.

Things he's always ignored.

Until now.

To get a copy of RP Channing's book, check out links below:

Amazon US
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018M5GTLI

Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B018M5GTLI

Kindle Unlimited

SURPRISE!!!! $20 Amazon Gift Voucher Giveaway

At the back of the book there is a giveaway link. Once the book hits fifty reviews on Amazon, one of those reviewers will win a $20 (US Dollars) Amazon Gift Voucher!

Get in touch with RP Channing at  http://blog.rpchanning.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/RPChanning

Amazon http://amazon.com/author/rpchanning