Ralene Burke | Author Chat

Emilie here: I am beyond excited to have my dear friend and fellow speckie (as in: speculative fiction lover/writer) Ralene Burke on the blog today! This woman is beyond sweet, caring, and funny. Grab you coffee or tea and join the chat.

Whether she’s wielding a fantasy writer’s pen, a social media wand, or a freelance editor’s sword, Ralene Burke always has her head in some dreamer’s world. And her goal is to help everyone SHINE BEYOND! She has worked for a variety of groups, including Realm Makers, The Christian PEN, Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, and for several freelance clients. Her novel, Bellanok, is available on Amazon, and her next one from Elk Lake Publishing will be out September 2017!

When her head’s not in the publishing world, she is wife to a veteran and homeschooling mama to their three kids. Her Pinterest board would have you believe she is a master chef, excellent seamstress, and all around crafty diva. If she only had the time . . .

Let's get real...

What’s one thing you would like to impart to your readers about your books and being an author?
The tagline for my writing and the rest of my business is SHINE Beyond. My whole purpose in life and writing is to help others to learn to shine beyond their circumstances, their experiences, their mistakes … to stand out and be more than they ever thought they could.

This theme shows in my books, my social media encouragement, even in the way I edit for clients.

How many words do you write a day?
My goal is 1,000 words a day. Most days I could easily make this in less than an hour … it’s getting up early enough to find this hour that seems to be my problem lately! If I don’t get the words in first thing, then writing doesn’t happen at all!

If your book became a movie, who would you cast for your main characters?
In September, Armor of Aletheia will release from Elk Lake Publishing Inc! This YA fantasy has 2 main characters: Karina, an orphaned queen and priestess, and Tristan, a bounty hunter. Karina would be played by Katie McGrath (think of her role in Merlin, but as the heroine, not the villain); and Ian Somerhalder would play Tristan—cause … yeah. 😊

What does a ‘normal’ day look like for you?
I’m not sure life has a “normal” around here. I’m a work-from-home mom who homeschools our 3 kids. I write, I edit, I mange social media for clients on top of daily domesticity and teaching my kids reading, writing, and math. We’re lucky we survive without burning down the house most days!

Okay, so an ideal day (during the school year), looks something like this:

• Up early, 5:30 a.m., for Bible study. Then it’s on to a couple of hours of writing, followed by a couple more hours of social media fun.

• At 10, I put everything away, and we start in on our homeschool day. We work in chores and lunch between school subjects and experiments and other fun. More than one school day has included board games! We also typically have a random bunch of appointments and sporty stuff (like Tae Kwon Do and gymnastics) throughout the week during this time—if I can keep it in this time frame.

• After dinner, it’s back to the office for editing client manuscripts and more social media creativity. It’s usually my goal to quit working about an hour before bedtime to give me time to read and decompress so my brain will actually shut off for sleepy time.

Would you rather live in a story world you’ve created for a year OR live three days in a story world someone else has created? If second option, which story world?
Oh my goodness, as much as I love my fantasy worlds, I would love to spend 3 days in Middle Earth! With the elves! And Aslan … whoops, wrong world. Traveling Middle Earth with Aragorn and Legolas and Giml would be so amazing.

Name three places you’d like to travel to & why.
The 3 I’s!
Italy: Gorgeous architecture, lots of history
Ireland: Hubby’s ancestry, plus BEAUTIFUL landscapes and castles and yay!
Israel: Being a Christian, I would just love to see such history and culture in real life, you know?

What is the strangest food combo that they actually enjoy?
Hahaha … Doritos with soft-serve vanilla ice cream (used as a dip).

So, this started out as a dare in high school. We were playing Truth or Dare at lunch, and a friend dared me to try it. I think he was running out of ideas … Anyway, I tried it, loved it, made everyone else try it. And it became a tradition of sorts for someone to buy the bag of Doritos and another person to buy the ice cream, then we’d all share.

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?
I used to think I’d want something cool like telekinesis or to be able to fly. However, as the super-busy woman that I am, I would want SUPERSPEED!

1. I would get more done quicker, so I’d have more time to spend with family and friends.
2. Could you imagine the number of books I could read!?!?!
3. I could eat anything and everything cause I’d be burning all those crazy calories! Chocolate anyone? Cake? CARBS!!!

--> Connect with Ralene on Facebook, Twitter, or at her website.

Purchase a copy of her book Bellanok HERE.

Bellanok
by Ralene Burke

A haven for myths and legends . . . until evil discovers a way in.

With evil darkening the mountains to the north, the fairy queen, Fauna, must journey from the island realm of Bellanok to the modern world to find the man the Creator appointed to save their kingdom. A man she has been dreaming of her whole life.

Brian is a down-on-his-luck pastor on the verge of giving up on God. He's tired and frustrated--a failure. No sooner does he make a decision that jeopardizes his career than an unusual blonde woman shows up and tries to convince him he is some kind of savior.

Fauna must open Brian's eyes to a different reality, and Brian needs to embrace the haven's secrets. If neither of them succeeds, Bellanok will succumb to evil and the world will lose all trace of innocence.

Ralene Burke {Writer Wednesday}

A little bit about Ralene...

Whether she’s wielding a fantasy writer’s pen, a freelance editor’s sword, or a social media wand, Ralene Burke always has her head in some dreamer’s world. And her goal is to make it SHINE! She spins fantastical tales to encourage people to SHINE BEYOND. She has worked for a variety of groups/companies, including Realm Makers, The Christian PEN, Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, and as an editor for a number of freelance clients.

Her first novel, Bellanok, is being published as a 5-part serial, started in October 2015!

When her head’s not in the publishing world, she is wife to a veteran and homeschooling mama to their three kids. Her Pinterest board would have you believe she is a master chef, excellent seamstress, and all around crafty diva. If she only had the time . . .

Connect with Ralene...

--> Website: http://www.raleneburke.com  
Blog: http://www.raleneburke.com/blog
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14543549.Ralene_Burke
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ralene-Burke-Editor-and-Writer-238181542870321/  
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RaleneB
Purchase: Bellanok

Author Interview | Ralene Burke

--> You and Writing

Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
...Hi, my name is Ralene Burke, and I’m an author. (Hi, Ralene.) :)

...I’ve always been a storyteller, just ask my dear mother who had to sit and listen for hours about the recap of a darling little girl’s day. I didn’t start taking writing seriously until after I had my first kid and found myself home by myself for hours a day. Finally, I actually had TIME to write—well, when I was awake anyway.

...I keep writing because, well, I have to. I have these stories and characters inside, begging to be heard. If I don’t sit down and write, I think I slowly start to go insane. Ask my family, they actually notice a difference.

Do you have a favorite book or work that you’ve written? If so, why?
...I think my favorite novel so far is Aletheia, the first in my fantasy trilogy. It is the first book that I think I really found my voice and my message. The characters inspire me and really seem to be a piece of me.

What was the hardest thing about publishing? The easiest?
...I am self-publishing a fantasy serial entitled, Bellanok. The first part, The Reluctant Savior, is already out; part 2 should be out by the end of November.

...The hardest part about self-publishing is that there is no one to push you. There’s not an editor breathing down your neck for edits, or a publisher pushing you to do more marketing, no one to care if you don’t get it all done. So, you have to set goals and schedules and use your own willpower (with God’s grace) to get it all done.

...The easiest is having total control over every aspect of your novel, from editing to production.

--> Your Writing

Tell us a little bit about your book. Why are you/did you write it?
...Bellanok is a haven for myths and legends . . . until a demon finds a way in. Now the fairy queen must find a savior, and, together, they must save the last measure of innocence in the world.

...The story came to me during a prayer time. I don’t remember what the prayer time was for, but I know it wasn’t for writing. In fact, I was working on a completely different story at the time. But, with the idea came the entire original first chapter . . .

...Bellanok is a story about two people finding their place in the world and accepting their calling—two things that many new adults struggle with.

Do you have a favorite character in this work? If so, why?
...Oh, they are each my favorites in their own way. The most fun to write, though, is Roman. He doesn’t talk a lot, but, when he does, he’s sarcastic and witty.

What is one take-away from your book that you hope readers identify with?
...God can take anything that may seem ordinary, including us, and use it to do the extraordinary. It’s amazing what can happen in our lives, what we can accomplish, when we let God take the wheel.

Writing

Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters? Are they based on real life or pure imagination or both?
...For a writer, inspiration comes from everywhere! Every experience, every relationship—the good, the bad—every bit of our lives feed story and character for us. None of my stories so far have much “real life” in them, though, certainly many of the emotions and struggles are the same.

When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories?
...I write to both encourage and inspire people. I want them to go further, delve deeper, and become who God created them to be, no matter how out-of-the-box (or even within the box) that may feel.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...Read and write, then write and read. Do both extensively—inside your genre and out, nonfiction and fiction, good and bad. We learn and absorb the more we see and do.

...That and find a support system in the publishing world, fellow writers who will understand your plight.

You

What will you do for Thanksgiving?

Ralene and I at ACFW Conference

...We have family coming in from out of town. On Friday, we’ll be having Thanksgiving dinner followed by a mini-Christmas present exchange with the out-of-town family. I’m excited. I love Thanksgiving food!

What is your favorite food of the Thanksgiving dinner?
...Oh goodness. Well, if there’s fried turkey, then that is definitely it. Otherwise, it’s pumpkin pie!

What are three things you’re thankful for?
...I am thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; my family and friends, and this voice God gave me to tell stories.

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I'm so glad I got to have Ralene on the blog again. She's seriously the sweetest person you'll ever meet! See - I just smile every time I'm with her. I also had the opportunity to take her headshots and to hang out with her at Realm Makers. The more Ralene I can get in one year, the better!

It's also awesome to celebrate the release of her first book! It's a steal right now for $0.99 so you should probably go grab it. Just sayin' :D

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 ::WINNER::

I had Darlene Franklin on the blog last week and she graciously offered a copy of Tobagganing for Two! I've got our winner...

Melanie Backus

Congrats Melanie! I'm sure you'll enjoy this :)