Author Interview--Uprising, New Release by Ellen Fritz!

ALL HAND HOY ME HEARTIES!
Aaaaaargggghhhhh! We are weary of grey skies, but with the advent of February we are steering a course for Valentine’s Day and ,beyond that, the Spring Equinox beckons like a Siren.

Walking the gang plank today to board The Whimsical Herald is an author with an imagination as vast as the ocean and a wit to match. We welcome Author Ellen Fritz on board. She comes bearing a pirate’s chest of literary treasure and has invited all of you to share the spoils of her newest release, ’UPRISING:The Second Birth Chronicles’ .

​As she takes her seat at the Captain’s table we hoist theJolly Rodger and invite you to listen in on our first author interview with the notable Ellen Fritz! Prepare for chills, mystery, romance and (wait for it, wait for it) . . . ALIENS!

“He shivered. He knew the horrors humans were capable of. Whatmight aliens do?”

"The hairs on the back of Ted’s neck stood straight up as if lightning were about to strike. He blinked his eyes a few times and pinchedhimself. Erik Ander was the first to change, then his wife…finally Collins turned into something tall, thin, with lavender skin and long pastel-colored robes. The one facing the window had eyes of deep, deep blue with spots oflight twinkling in them.”'

Ellen Fritz is a retired teacher and high school counselor.  Over the years of teaching reading and  English to students in grades seven through twelve before be-coming a counselor,  she had the great opportunity to discuss numerous favorite books with students  and also took their recom-mendations for her own reading.
         
She finally found herself with the time to give life to the stories that  have always been patiently waiting in her head for an audience.  Ellen wrote Mira to appeal to those teen readers that she found so inspiring through her career as an educator.

"I didn’t start writing seriously until I retired and found myself with the time to spend a whole day in front of the computer.  The ideas had been in my head for many years, but were undeveloped and unexplored.  One day, several months after my teaching/ counseling career ended, I sat down and started.

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​Q-Ellen there is intrigue and drama, but also a lot of humor in uprising. How did you come up with the character of Detective Ted Peterson with his tongue in cheek sense of humor?

Answer:
        I knew I needed someone who was dedicated to his job, friendly and brave.  He had to be willing to face the aliens to save the women who were abducted.  It all came from there.  Using humor to cover his nervousness and fear also worked to make him seem real.

Q-Do you take a break between novels or have several projects going at once?

Answer:
        I can’t take a break between novels because my mind doesn’t stop working on new ideas.  I had a new novel started while editing Uprising and was finishing another series.  It would be easier to do one at a time, but I’d have to stop thinking of new things and that would be boring.

Q-Who inspired you to complete your first novel? Who continues to inspire your fresh ideas for characters and plotlines?

Answer:
        I’m a retired high school English teacher and my inspiration to start writing at all came from students.  But inspiration comes from everywhere.  Often, the storyline seems to just pop into my head and it’s later that I realize where it came from.  I’ve known a lot of people through the years and my inspiration for characters is usually a mix of many different people.

Q-Ted’s first alien kiss was a doozy.  How did you approach writing that scene?

Answer:
        I knew I wanted it to be a doozy, so I thought long and hard.  Ted and Sindri both needed to be wowed, so I wanted her to be in her Miran form.  That would wow Ted, but how would it impress Sindri?  Her story of no human ever knowing what she truly was after being on earth for thousands of years, became my answer.  The fact that he knew and she could be herself touched her deeply.

Q-If you had to come up with a few dating rules for humans dating aliens what would they be?

Answer:
        I think they’re the same rules for any relationship.  Stay honest.  Stay open.  Remember you don’t have to rush the relationship.

Q-You seem to have a lot of knowledge about police procedures, detectives and crime scenes. What is your background and how did it figure in with your portrayal of certain scenes and characters in ‘UPRISING’?

Answer:
        I have absolutely no background in police work except that many of my previous students are now police officers, detectives, and state patrol officers.  I think my knowledge comes from all the detective shows I’ve watched on TV.  See, you really can learn from TV.  Thank you, Law and Order.

Q-A certain ‘genetic eye opener’ in ‘UPRISING’ provided a unique plot twist. Did you plan that or did it happen spontaneously during your writing?

Answer:
        I planned that.  There had to be some reason Ted could sense the other race of aliens, the Dabih.  I realized then that it also gave Sindri a reason to doubt him, which added an interesting twist.

Q-Was the world building and stage setting detail of the opposing alien cultures, the Mirans and the Dabih featured in your novel a challenge to flesh out?

Answer:
        It wasn’t much of a challenge.  Sometimes, thankfully, one idea leads to another.  I established the Miran settlement in the first book, and wanted the Dabih world to be completely different. Putting them underwater while the Mirans are in the mountains helped. I went back and forth a few times, and changed some things, but it was actually easier than I anticipated.  There’s also much more about the Dabih in the next book.  Watch for it!

Q-Who have your mentors been on your journey to becoming a notable YA author?

Answer:
        I have always been a voracious reader which is one of the reasons I became an English teacher.  I’ve read literary classics, science fiction, fantasy, romances, mysteries, great literature and trash.  So my mentors are all those other authors that I’ve so thoroughly enjoyed.  My advice?  If you want to be a writer, be a reader first.

Q-Who was your favorite character in ‘UPRISING’?

Answer: Without a doubt, Ted.  I enjoyed every part of making him who he is – the good guy that everyone likes and appreciates as a friend.  The guy who was born to be a cop because he genuinely wants to help people that need help.  Who wouldn’t like Ted?

Q-What future projects do you have in the wings for your readers to look forward to?

Answer:
        The third book of the Second Birth Chronicles, which is ready for editing and all the other stuff the publisher needs to do.  I also have a book with Tell-Tale Publishing that is about Bigfoot.  No more hints now, but it is due to be out by May.  There are two more that are partly written, but the dystopia is what is rolling around in my head and begging to be finished.

Purchase Uprising

Detective Ted Peterson’s investigation of a suspicious death case leads him to suspect Lexi Collins and her boyfriend Adam. What he discovers is that they’re extraterrestrials. Now he's without backup and caught up in the conflict between two alien races secretly inhabiting the earth. One race, the Dabih, is abducting women and running experiments. The other, the Mira, seem friendly toward humans – especially their attractive leader Sindri - but can Ted trust aliens to help him find the Dabih and rescue the kidnapped women before it’s too late?

Also by Ellen Fritz
​Book  I  in  the  Second  birth  chronicles

Supernatural Romance!

Coming Soon, Book IV of In the Night series
Hunted

WELL ME HEARTIES, once again we have reached the bottom of our literary bottle, and we must bid “Fair Winds and Following Seas” to our worthy guest, author Ellen Fritz. It was an honor to have her on board The Whimsical Herald! Here our ways divide, but you can catch a copy of her brand new release from Tell-Tale Publishing with one click on Amazon!
Time to sail away again! All my duty to you and smooth sailing!!

Patricia Mattern
Mistress of Madness on The Whimsical Herald

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