Interview with Author Carrie F. Shepherd

Today we're talking with Carrie F. Shepherd, author of Ashes to Ashes: The Scribing of Ishitar, Volume 2

FQ: We’ll begin with the fact that, I would assume, you already know: How much I love this series. What on earth made you come up with these characters? Are you a research maven who is very into religious history who likes to then expand on theories? Or, simply a person who is trying to put across the point that the war between good and evil still exists?

Author Carrie F. Shepherd

SHEPHERD: Thank you so much for talking with me today. I really appreciate your time and I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed my new book.

I’ve always been fascinated with mythology and religion. As I allowed myself to research each of the different theologies I came to the conclusion that every religion shares the same basic principles. I would read stories from the bible that mirrored stories from the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. Then, in my mid twenties, I started studying the angels. Specifically, I found Azrael extremely appealing as a concept character. What must it be like to see, hear, feel and know every joy and every pain that every individual in all worlds and times is experiencing and to do so all at once and in a single moment?

The Author and daughter Riyan at Banff National Park in Canada

FQ: What do you feel is your favorite genre - not only to read but to write? In addition, when it comes to series fiction, how do you feel about less intricate/interesting characters becoming so popular?

SHEPHERD: I love a good mystery. Anything that keeps the reader guessing and turning the page to find out what happens next. As for series fiction and its characters, every reader has their own genre and preference. I think for most people, reading is a means to escape into another world. Any author that can achieve that end goal for their reader deserves credit for their writing in my mind.

Daughter Riyan

FQ: Do you base any of your characters on people that are real; family members, friends, etc. I ask because I’m sure many fans of Ishitar wonder if he is perhaps a character that’s based in reality?

SHEPHERD: All of my characters are most definitely based on the people in my life who have influenced me, both positively and negatively, including Ishitar. I’ve been fortunate enough in my life to have met a broad range of people and each and every one of them have touched me enough in some way to become part of Ishitar’s story.

FQ: Readers always wonder what the author’s perspective is on issues such as Ebook publishing taking over the traditional paperback world. Do you believe the rise of Ebooks helps or hurts the author out there who has such a compelling subject but is perhaps pushed aside by traditional houses?

SHEPHERD: I’m an old fashioned reader, so my response to this question is influenced by that. I like the feel of a heavy book in my hands. At the same time, I understand the draw to e-books. As to whether it helps or hurts an author, that’s a tough question to answer. You have the opportunity of getting your work to a broader range of readers because, clearly, you can’t sell a digital copy for the same price as a paperback. Then again, as you say, the competition of being noticed and read can mitigate any advantage that may be present by being available in digital format. Still, as a reader, I’d rather spend a little more and have the physical book than a tablet, nook or kindle.

FQ: Do you believe that angels/religion is on the rise in fiction now that the vampires seem to have run their course?

That’s an interesting question. And I’m not certain of the answer. Every generation seems to pick its own theme and jump on board for the ride. Not so long ago it was Harry Potter and every other band of witch or wizard that captivated the readers’ imagination. I think people, right now, are just looking for something fresh and new. And that’s a more difficult task to achieve than I think people realize. I started writing Ishtar’s story over twenty years ago, not knowing that, some day, he would find his place and time. Then again, I supposed Milton’s fans would have gobbled this series up!

Author Carrie F. Shepherd

FQ: No spoilers, of course, but is Book 3 going to be the finale of this series, or will there be more to come?

SHEPHERD: Book three will not be the end. I’m not sure how many more installments there will be, at this juncture, but there is still a lot to resolve before we see who, ultimately, wins Noliminan’s crown!

To learn more about Ashes to Ashes: The Scribing of Ishitar, Volume 2 please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Book Review - Ashes to Ashes: The Scribing of Ishitar, Vol. 2

Ashes to Ashes: The Scribing of Ishitar, Volume 2

By: Carrie F. Shepherd
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication Date: October 2013
ISBN: 978-1-484198605
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: November 17, 2013

In Volume 1 of this amazingly interesting and fun series, fans were first introduced to Ishitar. This is a character who certainly came into the world at the wrong time, since a tremendous war was gearing up between two gods. These gods, of course, were the big guns who ruled over the realms of Heaven and Hell.

Taking modern-day debates into this fantastical world, the author was able to show readers the difference between a society that was controlled and one that was working diligently in order to bring about freedom for all. Ishitar learned a great deal from that tale, as antagonists came out of the woodwork and ended up proving to Ishitar that what was going on around him was no game.

This is the setup leading into this even more exciting Book 2. Beginning in a very calm manner, readers sit by the side of Charles Hamilton. This is a man who has a great deal on his mind, since he just discovered a ‘gift’ left in a safety deposit box that he visits once a month. The box, usually empty, was filled this time around with a strange sort of puzzle box that another man who was on the scene referred to as an ‘incredible archaeological find’ (cue Indiana Jones music).

Solving the puzzle together, the men looked into the box and found a book that had been missing forever. Although the other man truly wanted to study it, Charles walked away. And the symbols, history, and danger that comes with the tome make up a twisted tale that reader’s will not believe.
The basic premise wraps around Iykva, who is a demon that was sent down in order to create a new race of mortals. Exiled, angry - Iykva comes to the conclusion that the only way for his people and the angels who were exiled to be equal in each others’ eyes is to bring about War.

Ishitar, this time around, is working to put a person on his father’s throne. He is sick of the game his parents play with each other; they do not have any feeling, apparently, for the lives that are lost simply because each one of them must be the top god on the food chain.

As hellish webs and divine puzzles intertwine, readers will once again find themselves taken on a ride of mythical proportions that has this particular reader practically panting for Volume #3.

Quill says: If you have not jumped aboard the Ishitar train, do it now and hold on for the coolest ride of your life.

Books In For Review

Here's a sample of the books that have just come in for review.  Check them out and then stop by our site in a few weeks to read the reviews.  Enjoy!

Ashes to Ashes: The Scribing of Ishitar (Volume 2) by Carrie F. Shepherd Exiled from the Sixty Realms at the end of the Second Revolution, Iykva, one of the demons sent to propagate a new mortal race, longs for equality between his people and those of the exiled angels. Believing the key to this equality lies within the blood of his enemy, he strikes war on the first born of the race of the elves. Caught up in his parents' game to claim the ultimate power, Ishitar dismisses this mortal war as unimportant to his strategy of placing his own pawn upon his father's throne. Will the cost that he eventually pays for his ignorance be worth what little advantage he has gained on the kings' board?

The Holdout by Laurel Osterkamp Robin wanted to win The Holdout, a cutthroat reality TV show, so she gave it her all, challenge after challenge. Then she fell for Grant, with his irresistible eyes and heartbreaking life story. But Grant was only using Robin as they competed for a million dollars. Once home, Robin wants to hide from the humiliation as episodes of The Holdout are aired, and she worries her family was right all along; she's not a survivor. Or maybe she'll have the last laugh Besides, Robin now has jury duty. And as she forges ahead, confronting her demons about bravery, justice, and romance, Robin will come to decide which is more important: the courage to stand alone, or the strength to love again. Laurel Osterkamp's award winning novels have been hailed as funny, intelligent, snarky and poignant. She is the author of four novels and two novellas, including the November Surprise series, which, like The Holdout, features the Bricker family. Laurel was recently on a federal jury, and she loves watching Survivor.

One-Woman Farm: My Life Shared with Sheep, Pigs, Chickens, Goats, and a Fine Fiddle by Jenna Woginrich Jenna Woginrich’s inspiring journey from city cubicle to rural homestead has captivated readers of her blog and previous books. Now, in One-Woman Farm, Woginrich shares the joys, sorrows, trials, epiphanies, and blessings she discovers during a year spent farming on her own land, finding deep fulfillment in the practical tasks and timeless rituals of the agricultural life.

Death Overdue: Librarian Mystery series by Mary Lou Kirwin Ropes, revolvers, daggers, arsenic...They are the classic, go-to murder weapons, from Christie to Clue. But death by bookcase? With one good shove, a crafty killer can keep investigators guessing: did it fall or was it pushed? That’s what sassy Midwestern librarian Karen Nash must determine—and if so, who did the pushing—when an avalanche of books and splintered wood fatally flattens Sally Burroughs, the ex-girlfriend of Karen’s squeeze, London B&B proprietor Caldwell Perkins, who appears the most likely suspect for murder. In the library. With the bookcase. And maybe he has grounds? Just as he and his librarian love are making a go of opening their dream bookstore (that’s bookshop, in British English), Sally pops up years after abandoning him, to demand her share of the B&B’s sale. To Karen’s orderly mind, sorting her jumbled feelings about uprooting her life in Minnesota and taking a chance on Caldwell is much like sorting his four-thousand-three-hundred-and-twenty-four precious volumes: everything has its place. A little research reveals that more than one person may have had Sally issues, and Karen must prove that Caldwell is obsessed with books, not revenge. But will her hunt for a killer turn up too little, too late?

Murphy and the Magical Hat by Kate David When a rainy day threatens to spoil a little girl's plans to play outside, her disappointment quickly disappears when her Mother shares a magical hat with her. This magical hat has the power to whisk little Murphy away to where she most wants to go. Explore the power of imagination with Murphy as it turns her disappointment into joy!

A Very Fuddles Christmas by Frans Vischer The way Fuddles, the overly indulged feline, sees the world, it’s better to receive than give! And what better gift for Fuddles than Christmas? One winter day, he wakes up to the smells and sights of the holiday: a juicy turkey dinner, sweet gingerbread, and a tree decorated with shiny, glittering toys—all for him! But when Fuddles tries to climb the tree, his family chases him away. He runs outside to escape, smack into cold and ice and snow! Will Fuddles ever make it back home in time to celebrate the merriest time of the year?