Crystal Wise
The Outcasts by Misty Hayes
When Larna Collins finds her father’s journal hidden away under the floor, it leads her to a small village in England — inhabited by vampires and full of deadly secrets. The Outcasts is the first novel in the Blood Dagger Trilogy by local author Misty Hayes.
Crystal Wise
Tram 83 by Fiston Mwanza Mujila
Translated from French, award-winning Congolese novel Tram 83 tells the story of two friends who meet in the most notorious nightclub in a war-torn city-state in secession, surrounded by profit-seekers of all languages and nationalities. Using jazz rhythms to weave a tale of human relationships, Tram 83 kicks off a new year with a fresh perspective on what it means to be a part of the global village.
Crystal Wise
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
As we begin a new year, it’s time to loosen the things that have been holding us back. The Artist’s Way is a time-tested guided journey designed to help readers release their creative flow, which has been followed by artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone else looking for self-discovery and growth.
5 Questions: Misty Hayes
Crystal Wise
Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you started writing? I’m a young adult fantasy author, professional nerd, Spider-Man fanatic, film buff, travel geek, and a self-proclaimed “Doctor Who” companion. I have been writing off and on since 2012 — most of that time working on a Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal book series called The Blood Dagger Trilogy. I started thinking about writing about vampires at the height of the “Twilight” craze; I thought it would be fun to come up with my own vampiric storyline. Turns out, vampires are indeed very versatile creatures.
What writing habits and/or rituals do you find useful? Having writing habits means I actually have time to develop said habits. I consider myself lucky when I can scrape together enough time to create a solid, passable sentence. I have a demanding full-time job (not writing), so most of my rituals are just me daydreaming of having more time to write, like, “It’s 11:59 p.m.; I now have enough time to finish this novel.” In answer to your question: My rituals include drinking copious amounts of coffee.
What lessons from 2020 will you carry with you moving forward into 2021? I could quite possibly spend all day working on my answer to this question. My older sister, Becky, was diagnosed with colon cancer this year. It’s okay, though, she is on the road to a full recovery after surgery. But that brings me to my point: Enjoy the little things and spend more time with your family (safely). Get offline. Don’t let fear rule you. Be thankful for what you already have, specifically your health.
What are you looking forward to in 2021? Less pandemic and more endemic.
What are your writing plans for this year? I am currently working on a spin-off series from The Blood Dagger called Shield & Shade, and I am about to start penning the first in a seven-book series, which will be sort of a mix of Ready Player One meets Warcross.
Bio: A penchant for escaping headfirst into fantastical books is what led Misty Hayes to start writing her own adventures down. As someone who has spent a long career in law enforcement, Hayes has a love for strong female protagonists. The Blood Dagger series is a multiple award-winning, high-octane Young Adult Paranormal trilogy.
