Indie Author Spotlight - Michael Mullin - Interview & Review

Talespins By Michael Mullin

A trilogy of alternative fairytales & retellings for YA readers. 

8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf: Meet Creepy, who is banished to the cottage basement for being different. From there, he affects the plot of the original fairy tale when Snow White (an intruder Creepy refers to as "The Maid") happens upon their dwelling. 

The Plight and Plot of Princess Penny: A teen princess hires a witch to get revenge on a Mean Girl at school. A troll she meets along the way thinks it's a very bad idea.

Jack'd: One fateful night, a giant (in his particular professional field) encounters a boy thief in this modern retelling (with beans!)

You can purchase your own copy on:

AMAZON / B&N

~ All About Our Author ~

I grew up in New England, where all my sports allegiances remain. I’m co-author of the successful Larry Gets Lost picture book series, and was recognized by the WGA’s Written By magazine for an animation screenplay. I spent several years at Disney, writing in their merchandise division and still freelance for them on occasion. Before writing as a career, I taught preschool and college, two positions I found disconcertingly similar. I live in Pasadena with my wife and our 12-year-old twins who pretty much run my life – despite my best efforts to appear as if I am running theirs.

You can connect with Michael on:

WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / KICKSTARTER

Hello and welcome to the Spotlight Michael! Can you tell us your main inspiration behind this novel?

While at Disney I wrote two sequel stories to Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. I got Burton’s approval on both, but Disney never published them. That failed project was my inspiration, in that TaleSpins was meant to be my original follow-up work for that same Nightmare audience.

Was self-publishing your first choice? What was the most nerve wracking part of the process? 

Had those Nightmare books been published, I’m sure I would have had a way in to traditional publishing. When it didn’t happen, I just went the self-publishing route. I published the first 2 stories as eBooks on their own (about a year apart), then wrote the third and only published that one in the collection of three. The most nerve-wracking part was probably filming a video of myself for my Kickstarter campaign. (Hate that.)

As a self-published author, did you choose to edit your novel yourself? What was the biggest change you made to the story and/or characters?

I’m fortunate to have a good friend who is a smart, voracious reader. She acted as editor on TaleSpins and helped quite a bit along the way. Princess Penny was a bit too passive in early drafts, and I think the Doctor in Jack’d evolved dramatically in his development, from a smug stereotype to a more inquisitive, sensitive guy as the plot took shape.

Do you have any unusual writing habits that aide your process and/or character development? 

I still write first drafts longhand on paper, and I use a red pencil, which many find odd. I use journals of various sizes. Actual writing goes on the right-hand pages while notes to myself, questions and half-baked ideas get jotted down on the left.

Is there one passage or scene from your novel that you are most fond of? 

I think the intro to the third story: Jack’d, because it kinda pokes fun at what I did in the other two stories while introducing a narrative voice I plan to continue with in a mysterious future capacity!

It’s become quite a trend to take a known story and tell it a different way.

That’s all well and good for we can assume every author has something to say.

A changed point of view or a whole new character, created to “set things right.”

I know nothing of that, but the story that follows did happen to me one night.

If you must know I’ll tell you that I am a doctor. Little else will be revealed.

I’m too modest to say, but others have called me a giant in my field.

A certain luxurious way of life has been gained from my success.

The entire top floor of a high-rise serves as my permanent mailing address.

Over the years I’ve collected some treasures from travels all over the earth.

Paintings and artifacts added to the fortune I received as a right of my birth.

I’m not one to brag, so please understand, my wealth is a relevant fact.

For someone broke into my home that night, and I got (as kids say today) “jacked.”

~ My Review ~

Talespins is a short collection of imaginative, fairytale re-tellings. I have always been a fan of re-tellings, but usually go for the Grimmesque type. So, this was my first time taking on a more comedic approach to fairy tales.  Mullin has a fresh and quirky presentation. His rhythmic writing is spot on. I really enjoyed stepping out of my norm to take a chance of Talespins. 8 (The Untold Story of the 8th Dwarf) was my favorite out of the three contained in this compilation. Creepy had me laughing out loud at his antics. Talespins, although targeted at a YA audience, will definitely be adored by adults as well. The author definitely has found his niche with this book! 

Giveaway!
Enter using the Rafflecopter below.
Giveaway is INTL. There will be 1 Winner.
Only valid entries will apply.

a Rafflecopter giveaway