Monthly Archives: February 2013

And the winner is….

Goldie Edwards! Her name was drawn for the 9 Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll short stories. Congratulations, Goldie. And Congratulations to the winners of a copy of Liberty Awakened: Goldie Edwards, Rebecca Ward, Joelle Walker, Monique DeVere, and G. Ogan. Thank you all for commenting!

In honor of my ex-husband’s 50^th birthday today, one lucky commenter will receive a FREE e-book copy of EACH of the 9 Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll stories for the Kindle or Nook. (Note: The English Lily and Trail of Hope are currently only available on the Kindle). Check out the list here on Amazon.

PLUS – 5 commenters will receive a FREE ebook copy of my vampire novella Liberty Awakened, Isle of Fangs Book 1 All you have to do is leave your email address in a comment. Feel free to comment further, but be sure to leave your email address. The winners will be chosen this Saturday, March 2^nd.

Sounds like a strange offer, doesn’t it? 🙂 I just thought it would be kind of fun, kind of different. And, in spite of our divorce seventeen years ago, my ex and I have remained friends. After having worked in the office of divorce attorneys, I’m well aware of what a rare blessing an amicable dissolution is. We have three grown children together, and they are close to both of us, and are close to their stepmother. You can’t ask for much more than that. Not that we haven’t had our issues in the past, but compared to some of the cases I’ve seen, our divorce was a breeze. (People going through a divorce or custody battle can be insane!!!)

So, at least leave your email address, but if you’d like to also leave a comment, such as sharing (briefly) about your experience with a divorce, or about your perfect marriage, or anything along those lines, feel free.

Happy Birthday, Terry!

Have you ever wondered why you can picture a scene so clearly in your imagination, yet often it doesn’t translate onto the page as clearly as you envisioned? Does this sound familiar? “It was so much more vivid in my head, why can’t I get it to be the same on paper?”

I’ll tell you why. As writers, we imagine our scenes/sequels in specifics; we then relay what we SEE to our readers. Sight is the first sensory element we use to convey our pictures. Often new writers stop there. They are so focused on making the reader see what they see they forget to deepen the scenes with additional sensory detail. In our mind’s eye, the scenes are vivid because our imagination automatically fills in all the particulars needed to let us experience the imagery.

I call scenes without at least one or two other sensory details half-scenes. Yes, I know you’ve written the beginning, middle, and end of the scene, therefore the scene must be complete. If you haven’t made good use of all of your character’s human senses, your scene will be missing a few vital ingredients.

I see scenes and sequels as a collection of moments. Every moment in your story should consist of sensory elements. We’ve dealt with sight and this is the most used one—the easy one.

What about TOUCH? The sense of touch isn’t only what your character touches with his/her hand that matters, things touching them works too. Even something as simple as a cool evening breeze brushing your POV character’s skin, or the sensation of sun warming it can really bring a moment to life. You add a few little touches (pardon the pun) like that, and your readers will tell you your writing is vivid.

Don’t stop there, we have a few other senses we can use to add life to our scenes. TASTE, for instance, can be appetizing or aversive. Don’t be afraid to show your reader the disgusting as well as the yummy stuff. This will draw the reader in and let her experience what your character is tasting almost as if she was there.

The same goes for SMELL. The nose is a sensitive organ and when used within a scene it can be an effective tool. Scents can trigger memories—good or bad. They can also create a more vivid picture. You don’t need to go into great spiels of description for each sense, a short evocative sentence would do just fine. Here is an example from my latest rom-com release Let’s Pretend.

The putrid scent of stale booze and partly digested curry permeated the air.

I don’t need to tell the reader anything else at this point since it is likely the reader has smelled stale booze and curry before. I’m sure not many have regurgitated it! However, I think it’s safe to say most people have thrown up and have a pretty good idea of the way stale booze and partly digested curry might smell. So you see? It only takes a dash of sensory detail to bring your scenes to life.

The sense of HEARING. Now this is one that can have you jumping out of your socks with fear, or rolling on the floor laughing at a good joke. You can use sound to communicate, set mood—relaxed or scary. Soft Sax jazz in the evening can be relaxing. A sudden loud bang can trigger fright. The sound of a steady heartbeat beneath your ear can lure you to sleep. Nails scratching a blackboard can set your nerves on edge.

Then there’s the INTERNAL SENSES. What your character FEELS, his/her INTUITION—that gut feeling about something, whether right or wrong. What she/he THINKS.

So the next time you imagine your scenes/sequels try to envision what else your character must be hearing, touching—what might be touching them, thinking, feeling, sensing, tasting, smelling as well as seeing. And don’t forget to depict your character’s reactions to these sensory responses.

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Thank you for hosting me, Alicia. It’s been a pleasure hanging out with you.

The pleasure was mine, Monique. Wonderful post! This is something I often overlook myself, thank you for reminding me to be more aware of adding sensory details.

Monique is giving away two autographed copies of Let’s Pretend to two lucky readers, so please leave a comment below, with an email addy where she can contact you, for a chance to win your copy of this romantic comedy.

You can read the first chapters of both Let’s Pretend and More Than a Playboy FREE on my blog: http://www.moniquedevere.blogspot.co.uk/

Blurb: LET’S PRETEND by Monique DeVere

True love needs no pretence

When A&E trauma surgeon, Dr. Isobel Murphy, married sexy Irish firefighter, Lucas Delaney, she knew it was going to be forever. Unfortunately, she didn’t realise forever would only last five short years.

Keeping her failed marriage from her family seems like a piece of cake, until her grandmother calls a family gathering and Belle suspects she’s about to announce a critical illness. Making excuses for Luc’s absence, she flies home to Connecticut. Then delicious Lucas arrives for the three-day get-together and Belle knows things are going to get dicey. Especially since he still has the power to make her heart miss a beat, and her stomach bottom out.

When Belle asks him to pretend they’re still deeply in love, Luc doesn’t have a problem. He sees an opportunity to reclaim the love of his life. And he goes all out to remind Belle how it used to be between them, before long work hours and clashing schedules invaded their marriage. What he needs to know though, is, once the pretence is over, will Belle be applying for her decree absolute? Or will they be renewing wedding vows?

Please welcome Lynda Kaye Frazier whose debut novel, Rescued from the Dark, has just released from Black Opal Publishing. Soooo exciting!

Thank you for being here, Lynda. Let’s get to the questions and learn a little about you.

What book have you read that you wish you would have written?

Twilight or Harry Potter of course.  🙂

Well, sure. Who wouldn’t?

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

I really can’t think of anything quirky. I love coffee; really love coffee and going to the beach but so do others. I guess the only strange things my family can’t understand is that I love to drive. I could get in my car and drive for hours. Put in an audio book and I’m in heaven. I also put mustard on my steak. I do not like steak sauce, barbecue sauces, but I love mustard and horseradish sauce mixed. Great on steak or even chicken. 🙂

That actually sounds kind of good. I love horseradish. I’ll have to try that. Not a fan of the driving, although I will admit an audio book makes it bearable.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

My day job. I work in the medical field and love what I do, but I love writing more.

I totally get that.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why? What’s your favorite childhood book?

My favorite childhood book is by Dr. Seuss, All the places you shall go. Now favorite book of all time I don’t have just one. I read every day and each new book becomes one I add to my favorite list.

Yes, that is a tough question, I’ll admit. 🙂

What do you want readers to come away with after they read, Rescued from the Dark?

I want them to want more. This is the first in a series of eight. The series is called Guardian’s of Hope. It is about a group of eight men, made up of Special ops, Navy seals and FBI agents that form a group that the government sanctioned to do rescues they can’t, or won’t. I leave you with a HEA but it also gives you a little insight to what the next book will be about and who’s story it will be.

Hmmm. I want more already. Sounds great.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

No writer likes bad reviews but since I’m new if I get a bad one I want to make sure it’s from someone who actually read the book and why they didn’t like it. I review for magazines and read outside of the genre I prefer and can still like the story.  But there are serial reviewers that spend their days cutting books; I prefer to have no review if it’s from one of them.

I totally agree. I can accept criticism, but please make sure you’ve read the book first.

If you could change something about one of your books that’s already released, what would it be?

That’s easy, nothing. This is my first full length novel.  🙂

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

I write Romantic Suspense and have a contemporary I’m working on. I like to read sci-fi/shape shifters, books like that. I have an outline for one but not sure if I could actually write it. I have a hard time writing about different worlds, species, things like that. I can’t wrap my mind around it enough to get it to sound right.

It can be quite challenging. I’m not all that great at world building, but it’s a nice skill to have when writing paranormal.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

Coffee, unending supply, kindle, and a magic bottle with an unending supply of wishes.

Uhm. I think that’s cheating. I’ll check with the judges. 😉

What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

Too many to choose from, that’s where the gene bottle comes into play. I can change them as I get finished with them.

Gotta admit, it’s a good plan.

What is your favorite…

Movie: Too many to choose from. I love romance and suspense but will not see anything scary, horror or Zombies. I go to the movies every weekend. My kids say it’s for the popcorn.

Music: My iPod is filled with everything from classical to country. I’ll listen to anything as long as I can make out the words.

Place you’ve visited: Japan, their beaches are amazing.

Place you’d like to visit:  Hawaii

TV show from childhood:  Lost in space, Gilligan’s island

Food: Mexican

Sports team: College football teams, UT and LSU Schools my children attended

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Card Games, love poker 🙂

I’ll have to agree on the Mexican and Gilligan’s Island. Good choices. Thank you again for joinging me. It was fun chatting with you.  Now tell us a bit about your new release:

BLURB:

She has no memory of their love…

Kidnapped by terrorists and sent into a drug-induced coma, FBI intern Mercedes Kingsley awakes with no memory of her ordeal—or the intimate interlude that left her pregnant. Convinced her child was fathered by her ex-fiancé, she walks away from the only man she has ever loved, determined to make things work with her ex, a man the FBI suspects is implicated in her abduction. 

He knows the truth, but no one will listen… 

FBI undercover agent Jason Michaels remembers what Mercy can’t and those memories are breaking his heart. Forced to keep his distance from his lover and their unborn child, Jason risks his life to protect Mercy from a cell of international terrorists who have vowed to get the secrets locked in her memory, no matter the cost. Can Jason convince Mercy to trust him until she remembers their past, or will he lose her to a man who will trap her in a nightmare world of darkness from which there is no escape?

E-book teaser: 

He had to get her out of there, but with all the drugs in her system, would she even remember who he was? 

Mercy was lying on the bed. Even in the dim light, he could tell she was pale. Her clothes were wrinkled and her shirt caked with what they forced her to eat. From the looks of the room she fought hard. Damn, he needed to get her out before the drugs took her from him.

“Mercy, wake up. Come on, open your eyes.” Nothing. She didn’t move. Okay, she’s not going to like this. “You need to wake up and take a shower, so let’s get both done at the same time.”

He took the chair into the shower and turned it on then went back to the bed. He picked up Mercy, and placed her under the fine mist of cold water. Just what she needed. He held her in the chair as the water flowed over her head, soaking her hair and drizzling down her shoulders. His back was pelted by the spray as he knelt in front of her, but he didn’t care. He shook her shoulders, and she stirred.

“Good, Mercy. Come on, open your eyes.” He struggled to hold her slippery, wet body in the chair. The T-shirt was soaked and her thin bra could not hide the effects of the cold water. He clenched his jaw tight at the thought of never being able to touch her, love her. She has to remember him, remember them. She struggled against his hold as she started to wake. “I’m not letting you up until you open your eyes. Come on, look at me.”

Her eyes flew open. They were filled will fear and confusion as she frantically searched the room. Then her head dropped and their eyes met and he knew.

EXCERPT:

An explosion ricocheted behind Jason Michael’s eyes as the pressure mounted in his head. The rush of panic consumed him. He struggled to move, tried to swallow, but nothing. His throat burned as the flames engulfed his lungs. He needed to breathe but couldn’t. Shit. He strained to make out the muffled voice, but the pounding in his ears erased all hope. His head started to spin and he succumbed to the realization, this was it, the end. He won. The flames dampened and his heartbeat slowed as the drums subsided, then the voice became clear.

“Give it to him now you son of a bitch. What were you thinking? We still need him.”

In a split second, Jason sucked in a breath, causing stabbing pains to shoot through his chest. Every muscle fiber burned as the cold blast of air shot through his lungs releasing the oxygen his body craved. He arched his back, raising his chest up to pull in more air when his head snapped to the side and the crack from his neck echoed in his ears. The pain ripped through his jaw, racing across his cheekbone. Before he could gather his senses, intense burning set his face on fire. What the hell?

The slap against his cheek stung, and his eyes snapped open. He wrenched upright, hitting his head on the roof of the SUV. His gaze darted back and forth looking for something familiar until he locked onto the ice-cold stare of the devil himself, Shaun Flanagan.

Damn, that was close. Jason could not blow his cover, even if it meant he would die as David Logan and not Jason Michaels.

“You’re finally awake, my boy. We almost lost you,” Shaun cold, emotionless laugh caused Jason’s blood to boil. “You stopped breathing, I think. It’s hard to tell with this new stuff. I hope you’re not too injured. We’ve got work to do.”

Jason’s vision blurred, but his other senses were sharp. Shaun had known exactly what the drug would do and the burn in Jason’s throat was a harsh reminder. Shaun’s sarcastic tone spoke volumes to him. He was evil and did not play by anyone’s rules but his own. Jason had spent the last two months undercover, playing their games and doing their dirty work to buddy up tight to this family. He’d earned his spot with Thomas Flanagan, but his son Shaun had issues trusting anyone, even his own father.

Jason’s anger burned inside of him, but he couldn’t afford to make mistakes, not now. He was too close. It’s time to step it up, but first the drugs had to stop. He rubbed his aching jaw with one hand, clenching his other into a fist to hide his visible shaking. He had to get control of this game before he lost everything.

Buy Rescued from the Dark:

Amazon   Barnes and Noble

Find Lynda at…

http://lyndafrazier.blogspot.com

www.lyndakayefrazier.com

Facebook-   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynda-Kaye-Frazier/189048967838229

Twitter-  lynda_kaye 

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B009L7TK04

Publisher:  www.blackopalbooks.com

e-mail- lyndakayefrazier@yahoo.com

I am happy to introduce fellow Crimson Romance author, Nora Snowdon, as my guest today.

Nora has agreed to answer a few questions. Nora, enquiring minds want to know…

What’s the main thing you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

Procrastination. I love writing when the story is flowing and I am being surprised by what happens next, but many times I just get stuck. Then I’ll find myself doing practically anything to avoid staring at my accusing computer. When I pull out the vacuum, the cat knows I’m near the end of my rope.

I am sure most writers struggle with that very thing.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why?

I have different books that have called to me at different stages of my life. “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole was my fave in 1980. “Midnight’s Children” by Salmon Rushdie in the 90’s. Alice Brookner and Anita Shreve also have written many books I’ve loved. I seem to be reading mostly Romantic Comedies these days; Jane Fallon, Anne Charles, early Marion Keyes. All books are escapism for me, but where I want to escape to seems to change periodically.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read your books?

I’d like them to be thinking, ‘Oh I have to remember that line.’ several times throughout the book. Afterwards, I hope they feel the fuzzy warmth of a good romance with a few chuckles.

Good answer. That would mean your story really stayed with them.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

A best seller.

LOL. Wouldn’t we all? From our keyboards to God’s ears.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

A lot of wine, chocolate and, of course, a friendly volleyball.

Right, because who could ever be lonely with a volleyball friend. 🙂 Or with wine or chocolate come to think of it.

Thank you again for agreeing to be my guest. I enjoyed chatting with you.

Nora is giving away a copy of Accidental Arsonist to one commenter, and that same commenter will get their choice of any Alicia Dean title for the Kindle or Nook. Drawing to be held this Wednesday, February 13. Be SURE to leave your email address in your comment.

Now, for a glimpse into Arsonists Anonymous…

Blurb

Arsonists Anonymous

What’s a girl supposed to do when she finds herself inadvertently starting fires? Lucinda Dawson becomes a firefighter to help mitigate her guilty conscience. But she gets more than she bargained for when she signs on with the Seattle Fire Hall headed up by the ruggedly handsome Captain Josh Reynolds. 

To make matters worse, she is assigned part time to work with Arson Inspector Byron Morgan. A man used to making his own rules, Byron both threatens and thrills her. But is his interest in her merely a ploy in his own game to beat out his old rival?

Lu must fight more than fires in her struggle to keep her secret safe and her heart secure.

Excerpt:

Red continued along the right wall to a locked door. He raised the Halligan, using the adze side to pry the door open. 

Lu sensed the danger a little too late. “No!” she shouted over the splintering of metal and wood. Red half-turned to her with a look of confusion. Lu reached out and yanked him backwards. He lost his balance and crashed to the floor as a fireball barreled past him from the gaping doorway.

The fire was accelerating way too fast.

Lu grabbed his arm to help him scramble to his knees. She could still hear the woman, only she seemed to be in the next room over. Red started back down the hallway, but Lu ignored him, instead crawling toward the woman.

“No. That beam is coming down!” Red grabbed Lu, jerking her back the way they’d come.

“The woman—”

A loud crash cut her off and she turned to see a burning hunk of beam from the ceiling had crashed to the floor where she’d just been. Red pulled her arm again and she followed him. They neared the splintered door. Reynolds’ voice on the radio ordered them to evacuate. As they ran outside Reynolds grabbed her other arm and the two men pulled her clear.

“Open up the deck gun,” Reynolds shouted over the radio.

“Roger.” Ace’s response crackled back. There was the air horn warning blast, immediately followed by a thick stream of water arching onto the top of the building.

“Break open the west windows to vent,” Reynolds pointed to the least damaged side of the house.

That was it then. Lu’s stomach twisted. Once they were blasting the fire with water, there was no way anyone could go back inside to rescue the woman. It’d be too dangerous. And the woman was too far inside for them to cut through from the outside walls to reach her. The wailing of Bellevue 2 truck and the ambulance cut through the cacophony. For a brief moment Lu wondered if the second crew could help get them inside. Then she realized that she no longer heard the screams. Shit.

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Arsonists Anonymous is available in print or e-book at:

Amazon                                    Barnes&Noble

Author Bio:

Living in New York and Toronto, Nora Snowdon was a jerk of all trades—one week hawking toys at major toy conventions, the next in a high end jewelry store pandering to the rich. She worked in the financial market, environmental protection biz, gambling dens, food service industry and sold shoes. During these years she also either appeared in or directed over twenty five plays.   

Then Nora moved to the wet coast, took up health foods (dark chocolate and red wine) and became a Writer of Elegant Smut. Her ambition is to become a crazy cat lady and wine hoarder, not necessarily in that order. 

Read more about Nora at www.norasnowdon.com

Welcome, Jessica…I am so happy to have you as a guest on my blog. Jessica is a fairly new author friend, but she’s a sweetheart, and I feel we’ve bonded already. 🙂

Please tell us about your new release, Accidental Romance.

First of all, thank you so much for having me on your blog, Alicia! It is a pleasure to be here.

Accidental Romance is part of the new The Challenge series at Decadent Publishing. Here’s a little bit more about the series:

Challenge: A test of one’s abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking.

In every life, there are challenges, boulders in the flowing stream of existence. From the physical, to the psychological or emotional, nobody is immune. No one gets through life intact, but the challenge is not to avoid damage, but to work through, past or around the things that make life so difficult.

We all know people who do this—live fulfilling lives in spite of the difficulties they are forced to deal with.

The Challenge series is about characters who do just this—and the people who love them. Challenge is a romance series with a twist. The “challenge” takes a central role in the characters’ romance.

Sounds fascinating. I love the premise of the series. Very unique.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

For me, it’s not so much getting rid of anything, but keeping my mind focused. If I have something else that I’m supposed to do, whether or not I have to do it right away, it’s hard to stay focused on writing my stories. Once I get a certain amount of housework or promo done, I am able to focus better on my writing.

I understand. It’s almost like you have to declutter your mind a bit.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Accidental Romance?

As with any of my romance stories, I want readers to feel happy after they’ve finished reading them. And in Accidental Romance, I want people to know that life is full of challenges. If we remain determined to overcome them, we may just find our happily ever after.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

Oh, I love to read young adult novels, and want to write one, but I worry about writing in first person. That is a struggle for me. I once read a book in second person, and I totally admire the author for writing an amazing story, but that’s one POV, I don’t want to try.

I am not a fan of second person. Not all YA’s have to be first person, though. You should give it a shot.

What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

That’s an easy one. Will Smith. Not only does he seem like such an awesome person, but he’ll know how to survive. He’s proved it in many of the movies he’s been in, including I Am Legend, and the upcoming release, After Earth.

🙂 Glad there was some logic in your decision, but then, since you like sci-fi, I guess logic is a given.

Share with us your favorite…

Movie – Star Trek (2009) though there are some great Sci-Fi movies releasing this year that may take it’s place.

Music – I like pop and dance music. My fav song right now is Clarity by Zedd ft. Foxes

Place you’ve visited – Any place with a waterfall.

Place you’d like to visit – Hawaii and Alaska

TV show from childhood – Space: Above and Beyond

TV show from adulthood – What is Jeopardy?

Food – pasta

Sports team – Ottawa Senators

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? I don’t watch a lot of television, even though it’s often on as background noise. So, I guess that would be board games. Especially the classic ones. As a child, we used to play Aleeo, which is kind of like Trouble, but on a big wooden board, and with marbles.

Thank you again for joining me, Jessica, and for letting us get to know you better.

Now tell us a little more about Accidental Romance…

Blurb:

At twenty-two, Leanne Declan has graduated from college and hopes to take over the family farm until a tragic accident changes her life forever. Unable to do the simplest everyday chores, she must depend on her family and friends as she learns to face life’s challenges. But when her fears threaten to destroy her future, can an unexpected love be strong enough to help her dreams come true?

Excerpt:

A million needles pierced her wrist. She had to get away from the fire. Leanne flicked open her eyes, screaming, longing for the agony to stop.

White walls surrounded her. Machines beeped. Taking in the new scenery, she closed her mouth, the pain forgotten. Bags filled with clear liquids as well as blood hung from a metal pole. She followed the tubes from the bags into her left hand. Was that where the burn came from? She glanced at the other arm, the end of which was wrapped in thick bandages. The image of spinning blades and her mangled flesh flashed before her eyes. She screamed again, tears falling down her cheeks. This can’t be happening.

Bodies rushed into the room, many in scrubs. With her vision blurred, she didn’t recognize anyone. All strangers. She was in the foreign place by herself. A nightmare. Has to be.

“Shh, calm down, sweetie. You’ll be okay.”

A familiar voice. She glanced to her other side to see her mom standing beside her, her eyes glassy. She held her hand, but Leanne couldn’t feel it, only the throbbing which had returned to her other one, the one that was…gone? She groaned, turning on her side, and pulled her knees up to her chest.

“Mom, is it really…?”

She brushed her fingers over her forehead. “Don’t worry about it right now. You need to rest.”

“It hurts so bad.”

“I know.” Her mother stroked her face again. “But the nurses will help it go away.”

“Leanne,” one of the nurses hovering around her said. “I want you to take deep breaths and count backward from ten.”

“Ten.” She sucked in air and cried out in agony.

Between clenched teeth, she continued. Anything to stop the pain. “Nine.”

Ice traveled through her veins. “Eight.”

The throbbing slowly ebbed away. Seven.

Darkness swept over her and pulled her down with it.

Wow…very vivid, very intense. Definitely leaves me wanting more. Great job!

Readers, here is where you can buy Accidental Romance:

Amazon (Canada/US/UK) | Decadent Publishing | All Romance | Barnes&Noble | more

And you can find Jessica at:

Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph