May 16, 2017 · 6:53 am

Tuesday’s Tantalizing Tidbits & Teasers – May 16, 2017

Good morning and Happy Tuesday!!

Authors, share your books and feel free to chat about them, or chat about other authors’ books.  (Each week the location of the lines I request will change. You may share info from the same book each week, or you can choose a different one.)

Readers, enjoy the tidbits and such, feel free to comment…like…follow…buy, etc.

WARNING: Some content might be graphic and/or offensive to some

It’s simple to join in… Authors, choose any of your books (one book per author per week, please), and share the following in the comments:

  1. Title and genre
  2. From any page that ends with the digit five, such as 5, 15, 25, 35, etc. (any version, Word Doc, Print, Kindle, etc), from the 16th line, share three sentences. (You can choose to share sentences that comes before or after, if part of the sentence is on the chosen line-see example below)
  3. Share a fun or interesting fact about the book, the characters, the setting, etc.
  4. List ONE buy link
  5. List your Twitter and FB Fan/Author pages so everyone can like/follow
  6. Optional – List the price of your book, especially if it’s on sale!

Example – For the below, if I were choosing the second line, I would use the entire sentence, the words before and after for this line:  ‘…a red torrent, draining my life as I screamed in…’

If I were using line 5, I could either use the ‘Where had that come from’ line or the ‘For such a’ line, and I would use an entire sentence.

Don’t worry that the line might not be all that engaging, or that it might not make much sense. This is all for fun and to share a glimpse of you and your stories. I’ll be sharing one of my books in the comments so you can see how it’s done. 😀

A new post with a new location goes up every Tuesday…have fun!

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May 15, 2017 · 5:00 am

Author Interview with Miguelina Perez ~ New Release: The Vicar’s Deadly Sin

 

Today’s guest, Miguelina Perez, is sharing an interesting interview and her compelling new release. She’s a Yankees fan, but we won’t hold that against her. 😉  

 

Welcome, Miguelina…

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from?

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York to Puerto Rican parents. I currently live in Gaithersburg, MD. I live with my rescue, a beagle mix―more like a hound mix named Molly.

Where did you get the idea for The Vicar’s Deadly Sin?

A friend I worked with and I pretended we were living during Jane Austen’s time. We would email each other a story line that began as friends living in the coast of England and from there we were becoming involved in a mystery. The rest became the Vicar’s Deadly Sin.

Why did you choose this genre?

I love Jane Austen and Nancy Drew. So, I thought about two friends during the Regency period who fancied themselves the first female detectives. But because of society back then they have a hard time proving that they have what it takes.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc. you’d like to share?

I have readers tell me they get angry with Margaret, one of my main heroines. I love that. Margaret is difficult, but once you get to know her you understand her plight.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

Realizing that it takes time, effort and hard work. You can’t just give up, especially if you feel it is your calling.

What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?

Well, I think research…even though I can’t call it a historical romance, I did stay true to the period and any historical people I mention in the book.

Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?

No, I mean I know people that do have one or more, but, I don’t. I believe in writing, writing, research and then writing some more until the book is finished. Then there is another phase of the writing which is edit, edit and then edit.

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

Great question and a hard one…Montana Sky by Nora Roberts.

Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?

I am a Sr. Committee Management Specialist at the National Institutes of Health. I love my job. It took ten years to get it and now that I am there I am learning all sorts of things that goes with the position.

Do you collect anything?

I used to collect Barbies. Now I collect only the Hollywood editions.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read The Vicar’s Deadly Sin?

I want them to come away for appreciation of the work that went into it, the joy they got from ready about Margaret and Jane’s escapades and finally that they loved the book.

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

I have several stories that range in sub-genres. For example, I have one that is a science fiction, horror, and crime thriller. All of these fall in the genre of Romance.

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

Phone, laptop, and millions of books. I know I may not have electricity, so that is where the books come in handy.

Is there one subject you would never write about? What is it?

I don’t like non-fiction. I rather create worlds beyond one’s own imagination.

What do you want your tombstone to say?

She strived and while she was not financially success she lived life as she wanted to.

If you could be a character in any of your books, who would you be?

I would be Margaret in the Vicar’s Deadly Sin.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

I am currently working in the sequel to VDS called Angel’s Lust. It has nothing to do with sexual lust. But the lust for ageless beauty. As a matter of fact, I hope to get that one out by July.

If you could spend time with a character from your book, whom would it be? And what would you do during that day? (PG-13 please 🙂

Latham. He is my Mr Darcy in this book. I would spend the entire day with him: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Talk about our interests. Get to know him better.

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

Typos. As a newbie with little to no budget you depend on book clubs, beta readers, and other author friends to read your manuscript in the hopes of catching typos and grammatical errors. But, it happens where they do tend to slip by.

What has been the best compliment?

The best compliment for me has been when a reader has questions about the characters and they tell me if they related to them or not.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

From my imagination.

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

They think it is amazing and can’t figure out how I did it…create a whole world.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

I’ve been to Nora Roberts house several times for a picnic she gives each year to volunteers of the Washington Romance Writers. In pictures she uses for her books, she looks larger than life, but when you meet her she is humble and gracious.

How did you come up with the title?

I wanted something based on one of the deadly sins, so I chose greed and needed someone to die. Someone who needed money. So I thought a vicar would be such person.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? 

Yes, especially for women…don’t let anyone keep you from your dreams.

How much of the book is realistic? 

I tried to make it realistic in that I stuck with the way society treated women in 1815 England. I also mention things about the Prince Regent that were accurate as well as Napoleon’s defeat in the hands of Wellington.

How did your interest in writing originate? 

Since a kid I would make up stories not realizing that these stories were really talking to me to be written.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? 

My favorite is Jane Austen. I love the way her stories make fun of society while bringing the reader romance.

Your favorite…

Movie: Pride and Prejudice

Music: Classical

Place you’ve visited: Toronto, Texas, Los Angeles, Florida

Place you’d like to visit: England

TV show from childhood: I Dream of Jeannie

TV show from adulthood: Grimm

Food: Chinese

Sports team: Yankees

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Television. Television gets me into trouble for I tend to watch more than I should, keeping me away from writing.

 

Thank you so much for joining me! I’m with you on the television watching. I love it! But, I am able to edit while watching, so I still try to be productive. 😀 Please tell us about your latest release….

 

Blurb:

A Touch of Romance…A Touch of Regency…A Touch of Murder…

Lady Jane Bartholomew and Miss Margaret Renard have been friends since the age of twelve. Together they share their dreams, hopes and a love for reading. However, it is their wild imagination and a penchant for solving mysteries that will test their abilities when the Vicar of Dover is found murdered.

The young ladies are joined by two gentlemen, also eager to find the murderer in order to prove to the ladies that detecting is a man’s job, though the gentlemen find their beauty, wit, and pride more troublesome than solving a murder.

 

Bio:

Ms. Miguelina Perez is a writer, and jewelry artist. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of the District of Columbia. As a jewelry artist one of her lariats was showcased in the San Antonio Express-News. She has won several awards including a critical Writing award for an essay on the gender roles of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

Ms. Perez is the coordinator of the Lady Jane’s Salon Silver Spring’s – A satellite of Lady Jane’s NYC, the Silver Spring reading salon is devoted to celebrating romance fiction. LJSSS is proud to host debut authors to bestsellers of romance fiction, covering the full spectrum of the diverse and ever-evolving romance genre from traditional historical and contemporary romances to novels that cross over to science fiction, futuristic, fantasy, paranormal, and GLBT to name but a few.

Currently, Ms. Perez is working the sequel to the Vicar’s Deadly Sin, “Angel’s Lust” from her Seven Deadly Sins series and “A Hero of Her Own” a contemporary romance thriller, about a serial killer terrorizing New York. Ms. Perez is a member of the Romance Writers of America and two of its chapters: Washington Romance Writers and Maryland Romance Writers . As newsletter editor for WRW, she contributes articles about writing and author interviews.

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Ms. Perez resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland and can be reached at: miguelinaperez@miguelinaperezauthor.com. You can also follow Ms. Perez via twitter at: @MPerezAuthor.

Contact links: Email: miguelinaperez@miguelinaperezauthor.com – Twitter: @mperezauthor – Website: miguelinaperezauthor.com

 

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May 13, 2017 · 8:32 am

Author Interview with Maxine Douglas ~ New Release: The Reluctant Bride

Please help me welcome fellow OKRWA author, Maxine Douglas with an interview and her latest release!

 

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I am originally from Wisconsin (born and bred) where the UW-Wisconsin Badgers reside. Go Bucky! And home of the Green Bay Packers, yes that makes me a cheese head. LOL My husband and I know live in a small city southwest of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We traded 6 months of winter for a few weeks, and have enjoyed being here. My oldest son lives in the same city we do with his family, and our three other grown children live in Wisconsin.  We have two grand-daughters: one is a senior at UW-Whitewater majoring in Marketing and the youngest will turn 10 this summer. We currently have two horses and one dog.

Where did you get the idea for The Brides Along the Chisholm Trail series?

I was asked by Callie Hutton if I was interested in joining a western historical boxset. Of course I said, than immediately went into panic mode when I learned I had to have it done by September, and it was June. I was in the midst of my first mystery and needed to finish it before delving into a new genre…again. But I finished Simply to Die For (sold it to MuseItUp Publishing), and finished The Reluctant Bride for the Wanted: One Bride boxset on time.

Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?

I’d not written western historical before even though I do have three historical time-travels published.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

The idea for The Brides Along the Chisholm Trail series actually came from the director of our local Chamber of Commerce. He approached me at a three-day event last October and said he had a great story idea for me. I mulled it over and came up with three book ideas. I’d already had The Reluctant Bride set in Dodge City, The Marshal’s Bride takes place in Fred, Indian Territory which was about 7 miles southeast of Chickasha and is now available, The Cattlemen’s Bride takes place in Texas and will be available late summer.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

If you are writing a historical you want to make sure you have even the small things right, and that you don’t bore your reader with too many facts.

What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?

The research for Fred since it is so close to where I live. I spent several hours at the Grady County Historical Museum where Patricia Cunningham was a great help.

Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?

Even though I have a home office I do like to go to one of the following places once in a while: the library, McDonalds, a park, or on my back patio. I also will watch/listen to movies in the genre that I’m writing to keep me on track and my mind set in the right place. I have found that if family is around I can’t write. I think it’s because in the back of my mind I know that they’ll talk to me, whereas in a public place the chance of that happening is very slim.

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

Oh my, there are so many. Some of my favorites are The Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes, Outlander, Game of Thrones, anything Heather Graham writes…need I go on? LOL

Do you collect anything?

Like most authors I collect books. At one time I had an extensive collection but have since pared it down to only the books I really want to keep in print. I’ve been picking up the old Nancy Drew books as I find them as they were my favorites when I was in grade school. I also will pick up any horse story books I find because I love horses (what girl doesn’t?). Plus I do have a collection of S&P that was started by my maternal grandmother.

What was your first job?

Babysitting. But my first actual paycheck was from a department store called Prange’s. I remember when it opened in the East Towne Mall in Madison back in the 1970s, it was amazing.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read The Brides of the Chisholm Trail?

A sense that they read a good story, that they lived the lives of my heroes and heroines.

What is your favorite quote?

I find a new quote each month for my newsletter, but I think this is one by Ernest Hemingway is one of my favorites: “There is no friend as loyal as a book.”

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

Hmm, let’s see–books, my laptop, my phone.

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

This is going to sound strange but Drew Cary – he’s so funny and seems down to earth. If he wasn’t available, then I’d go with Kevin Costner.

Your most prized material possession? Why?

My wedding rings because I didn’t get married for the first time until I was 46 years old. A high school friend and I reconnected in January of 2001 and in August of that same year we said “I do.” Ladies, it was definitely worth the wait! *wink*

What do you want your tombstone to say?

Loving wife, mother, grandmother, friend, romance author. Spark your imagination, read a book.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Yes! I have an erotica that I just can’t seem to finish. Plus, I have a number that have a paragraph or two written as a reminder of what the story is about. I keep a spreadsheet where I have titles, character names/descriptions, and blurbs all waiting to come to life for my readers.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

There have been a few. When I lived in Nashville I became good friends with Charlie Dick (Patsy Cline’s husband), I dated James Monroe (Bill Monroe’s son) for a while, and I had the privilege of having a good chat with Heather Graham and Jodi Thomas a few years ago.

Your favorite…

Movie  White Christmas

Music County

Place you’ve visited Galveston, TX

Place you’d like to visit England

TV show from childhood Zorro

TV show from adulthood Outlander

Food Seafood

Sports team Green Bay Packers / UW-Wisconsin Badgers

Thank you so much, Maxine! I enjoyed getting to know you better. ha, I will have to say I find Drew Cary an odd choice. 😀

Readers, check out her latest release:

 

 

Find Maxine here:

Goodreads / Author Blog / Newsletter / Facebook / Twitter / Mailing List Signup

 

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May 9, 2017 · 6:00 am

Tuesday’s Tantalizing Tidbits & Teasers

Good morning and Happy Tuesday!!

Authors, share your books and feel free to chat about them, or chat about other authors’ books.  (Each week the location of the lines I request will change. You may share info from the same book each week, or you can choose a different one.)

Readers, enjoy the tidbits and such, feel free to comment…like…follow…buy, etc.

WARNING: Some content might be graphic and/or offensive to some

It’s simple to join in… Authors, choose any of your books (one book per author per week, please), and share the following in the comments:

  1. Title and genre
  2. From any page that ends with the digit five, such as 5, 15, 25, 35, etc. (any version, Word Doc, Print, Kindle, etc), from the ninth line, share two sentences. (You can choose to share sentences that comes before or after, if part of the sentence is on the chosen line-see example below)
  3. Share a fun or interesting fact about the book, the characters, the setting, etc.
  4. List ONE buy link
  5. List your Twitter and FB Fan/Author pages so everyone can like/follow
  6. Optional – List the price of your book, especially if it’s on sale!

Example – For the below, if I were choosing the second line, I would use the entire sentence, the words before and after for this line:  ‘…a red torrent, draining my life as I screamed in…’

If I were using line 5, I could either use the ‘Where had that come from’ line or the ‘For such a’ line, and I would use an entire sentence.

Don’t worry that the line might not be all that engaging, or that it might not make much sense. This is all for fun and to share a glimpse of you and your stories. I’ll be sharing one of my books in the comments so you can see how it’s done. 😀

A new post with a new location goes up every Tuesday…have fun!

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May 5, 2017 · 6:45 am

“10 Moments That Changed My Life” by Iris Blobel ~ New Release: New Beginnings

I LOVE the 10 Moments That Changed My Life posts, and we haven’t had one in a while, so I’m pleased to share one from author Iris Blobel…

 

New Beginnings

by Iris Blobel

Thank you, Alicia, for having me on your blog and a big hello from Australia to you and your readers.

Here my 10 moments that have changed my life … in no particular order:

  1. The first “moment” that comes to mind is my move from Germany to Australia. It was scary and such a big step for me. Life here is great, and I don’t regret the decision, but I do miss my family back home.
  2. My wedding, of course, another memorable moment and one that has changed my life. We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary only recently – such an achievement J
  3. Having children has changed my life, no doubt about it. Suddenly life’s priorities have altered and the love of the two human beings I created is the most important part of my daily life.
  4. My grandma died when I was twenty and for the first time in my life, I had to deal (and cope!) with “death”. It was a hard lesson which took me a long time to come to terms with it.
  5. This one is a recent change of my life – Last November I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I’m still in treatment, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m feeling better every day and I’m looking forward to going back to something close to a routine soon again.
  6. After my traineeship at the TV station, I went for a year to the UK. Life changing in a big way … returning not only more mature, but also more confident, and with the idea that there’s more to life than finishing school and start work. I knew then that I wanted to travel the world.
  7. Publishing my first book was a massive event for me. I always considered myself, and probably still do, more a “numbers” person. Writing a book in a second language and have a decent (local!) success changed my life in a sense that I do something I have come to love, something my teacher told me I was useless at. Writing is my escape from routine.
  8. I’ve been presenting the German program at our community radio for a few years now. It’s great and so much fun.
  9. Travelling through Canada and Alaska for three months was one of the highlights as well. I meet my (Australian) husband while on a tour.
  10. And … last but not least, a moment that didn’t necessarily change my life, but one that was hard and might be life changing one day: the day I had to say goodbye to my mother last year not knowing whether I’ll ever see her again.

Oh my, Iris. You have had some experiences. I am sorry about the breast cancer. Thank God you’re improving. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way. Thank you so much for sharing with us today!

BLURB NEW BEGINNINGS

The chance to start life all over with the help of a stranger. 

Twenty-two-year-old Sophie Levesque has been guardian to her eight-year-old sister Mia since their mother’s death a few years ago, and it hasn’t been easy. Luck comes their way when they inherit a small house in Hobart. Problem is, though, they don’t know and have never heard of Clara Bellinger, the testator. Settling into their new life, Sophie is still afraid it’s all a mistake.

Mark O’Connor, attorney in Hobart and the bearer of the good news for Sophie and Mia, curses himself for the lack of information about the testator. However, researching the questions gives him an opportunity to see Sophie again, and the more time he spends with the two, the more he realises that his life is missing something. And it’s not his casual lover Linda.

But then there’s Zach, Sophie’s sexy neighbour from across the road… and a very good friend of Clara’s.

Will unravelling the mystery unravel Sophie and Mark’s promise of a future?

EXCERPT

Sophie Levesque stared at the attorney in front of her, waiting for some answers. She and her little sister, Mia, had been quietly sitting in Mr. O’Connor’s office for more than half an hour, learning about the details of their inheritance.

Once he was finished, silence hung in the air before she asked with raised eyebrows. “Who?”

“Clara Catherine Bellinger.”

Mia leaned closer to her elder sister and gave a soft tug on Sophie’s shirt. “Who is she?”

Sophie shrugged. “I wouldn’t have a clue.” Then turned her attention back on Mr. O’Connor and asked the same thing. “Who is she?”

The handsome attorney on the other side of the massive desk leaned forward and rested his elbows on it before he started to repeat his earlier speech. Although hearing his words, Sophie still found it all very hard to comprehend. Here she was in this old office, furnished with heavy antique oak furniture, the curtains in a pretty shade of aubergine, and the carpet beneath her shoes thick and warm in a matching shade, hearing about an inheritance from someone she’d never even heard of.

Startled by the subtle sound of the clock chiming across the road, Sophie’s gaze turned to the window, where she saw the post office building across the road. It looked impressive and old. It’d been only a few hours since they’d arrived in Hobart, the most southern capital in Australia, but she already liked it. A lot more than Sydney, the place she’d lived all her life.

Hauled back from her thoughts, she heard Mr. O’Connor say, “I believe she was a distant relative of yours. I’m afraid I don’t have any further details.”

Sophie arched an eyebrow in disbelief, doubting the accuracy of it all. Not only did she try not to question his competence as a lawyer, but she also hoped it wasn’t a dreadful misunderstanding.

With a slight shrug of her shoulder, she asked, “Why not?”

He met her gaze steadily. “Pardon me?”

Sitting up straight, she repeated, “Why not? Why aren’t there any further details?”

He rubbed his chin with his fingers, his unease now obvious, and although she almost felt sorry for him, she tried not to care. She needed to know more. And not just the what, but why and who as well.

 

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2a1BSJ7

AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/29FTb4B

AMAZON AU: http://amzn.to/2a9yKgW

 

 

BIO:

Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London, as well as Canada where she met her husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper has only emerged recently, but now her laptop is a constant companion.

Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her two beautiful daughters.

Next to her job at a private school, she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.

 

Social Media Links:

Click here to subscribe to Iris’ Newsletter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrisBlobel

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_iris_b

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067254.Iris_Blobel

Instagram: https:/www.instagram.com/iris_blobel/

 

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May 4, 2017 · 8:56 am

Author Interview with Jeanne Skartsiaris ~ New Release: Dance Like You Mean It

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Jeanne Skartsiaris – Is it just me, or are you also intrigued by her book title?

 

Good morning, Jeanne. Where did you get the idea for Dance Like You Mean It –  Years ago my mom was watching a news magazine show. There was a punk rocker being interviewed. This rock star was a single mom who put the kids to bed, then went out and performed. She’d spike her hair, scream into a mic, and put duct tape on her nipples – and she was making millions. Mom, who raised four kids on her own (working two jobs) looked at me and said, “If I knew that was all I had to do to support you kids I would have done it a long time ago.” Ewww mom!

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book? Time. What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular? Learning the craft. The title “Dance Like You Mean It” was taken from an Irish proverb dance like no one is watching. We must learn to embrace life and not get bogged down in expectations and everyday chores. We need to step out of our comfort zones and jump into life. Sometimes we may land on our butts, but we get up, dust off and try again. It’s taken me more than 20 years to finish Dance Like You Mean It. I took a finished manuscript to NYC in 2002 through a writing class. All the agents and editors I met with loved the story but said my writing was awful. I took more classes, wrote a few more books and finally got Dance published this year.

Are there any tricks or habits you use when creating a story? I let the characters move the story forward. Sometimes they take hold of the plot and I can’t get them back to where they need to be. Really annoying! It can take some time to corral them but there was usually a reason they ran off – to make the story better.

What book(s) have you read that you wish you would have written? “The Great Santini” by Pat Conroy, “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris and “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd. Simple but powerful writing style.

Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and how do you like it? I’m a sonogram tech by day – so I look at babies (and other stuff). Prior to that I was a medical photographer for a plaintiff’s law firm. I saw some awful pictures of many different kinds of accidents. It inspired me to write Surviving Life, a YA story about an overprotective mom and her teenage daughter.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more time? Work, of course, though I enjoy it. I’d like to reduce my hours and spend more time writing (and taking beach vacations).

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Dance Like You Mean It? To enjoy life. Appreciate small moments. Even when the dishes and laundry are piling up – hold your babies and love the time you have.

What is your favorite quote? Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. John Lennon

What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie? George Clooney just so I could meet him.

 

Thank you, Jeanne. I enjoyed getting to know you. Now, please tell us about your book…

 

What if you wrote a sexy bestseller – but couldn’t tell anyone?

What if you wrote a steamy, erotic novel that was so hot bookstores couldn’t keep it on their shelves? What if you couldn’t tell anyone you wrote it? With a mundane life as a nurse, a husband who is grazing other fields, and a daughter of an impressionable age, Cassie checks her horoscope one morning just for kicks and notices an article about romance novels and how profitable publishing could be if one could spin a good tale.  She pens Wild Rose under a pseudonym and it flies to the top of the charts, is the talk of the town, and people are clamoring to know who the author is. What would her children think if they knew? Or her own mother, who ‘taught her better’, and worse, her husband who’d thought she’d turned back into a virgin since they’d not had sex in so long. How could she be thrown into the spotlight and still be a good mom. Wild Rose, Cassie’s caldron of prose, is woven through this story. Set it the 70s, it is the story of Rosemary, a beautiful photographer who wants to be recognized for her body of work, not her haunting beauty. Although, a modern woman, she is as adventurous sexually as she is with her camera and beds men like candy…until she falls in love. Both novels parallel each other as Cassie realizes Rosemary is not so different from her.

 

Bio:

When not writing Jeanne Skartsiaris works as a Sonographer. Prior to that she was a medical/legal photographer for a plaintiff’s law firm. She attended creative writing courses at Southern Methodist University and is a member of Romance Writers of America’s local chapter, Dallas Area Romance Authors. Author of Surviving Life and Snow Globe, she lives in Dallas, Texas.

Contact links: Facebook: Jeanne Skartsiaris, author, http://www.jeanneskartsiaris.com @jeanneskartsiaris

 

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May 3, 2017 · 9:59 am

Interview with Author Cj Fosdick ~ New Release: “The Accidental Stranger”

I am pleased to welcome Cj Fosdick who is sharing an interview and her latest release.


*** Cj’s first book was a Golden Quill Finalist and a Top 10 Finisher for Best Romance Novel in Preditors & Editors.

And…

The Accidental Stranger received an ‘excellence’ rating from InD’Tale Magazine and a fabulous review. Here is an excerpt from the review: (Only 23 out of 89 books in May earned that rating.)
“With fascinating twists and turns, leading up to a wonderful surprising ending the reader is kept well engaged by the deep and interesting characters that make up this unusual story. Well written and skillfully done. “The Accidental Stranger” is a page turner. Well worth reading!” Gwenellen Tarbet of InD’Tale Magazine, May issue

Give-away!!!! A Free eBook of The Accidental Stranger with comment and FB friend at https://www.facebook.com/cjfosdickauthor/

Please tell us about you and your book…

1. Novel Intentions? Who knew when I wrote a short story for a Writer’s Conference that it would lead to a book trilogy? My future publisher from WildRose Press was in the audience when the Laura Awards were distributed at the Women Writing the West Conference in Kansas City in 2013. The competition judge had submitted a page-long letter begging me to turn “The Teacup” into a novel. Seventeen months later, the story, now named “THE ACCIDENTAL WIFE,” was released in print and eBook by WRP, Amazon and several other distributors. Book two in the series, “THE ACCIDENTAL STRANGER” was released in January and book three in the Accidental Series is now a work in progress.
There was no question about the series genre. I was a fanatic reader of historical romance, suspense and family sagas and drew inspiration from the way Diana Gabaldon combined all in her time-travel “Outlander” series. (A heroine placed in a time-travel scenario is automatically conflicted as she is pulled into the emotional force of two worlds to discover the power of love.)

2. Any habits you use when creating a story? Long showers and water aerobics at a health club seem to lubricate the muse as I daydream about “what if “scenarios.

3. What book have you read that you wish you had written? Besides “Outlander” for obvious reasons, I also loved “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.

4. What do you dislike that most people wouldn’t understand? Eggs. I was born hating the sight, taste, texture and smell of fried or scrambled eggs.

5. What’s the main thing you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time? The easy answer would be television. More complicated would be the necessity for social media. (I’d love to have a clone or a PA who could put marketing on autopilot for me.)

6. What is the one word you would use to describe yourself? Emotional. What would others use to describe you? Curious or Talented?

7. Favorite book of all time? Like children, hard to choose favorites. Besides the two already mentioned, I loved “Gone With The Wind”—book and movie for history, romance, drama, and characters you loved…and loved to hate.

8. What do you want readers to come away with after reading your book? People in every era face the same conflicts and diversity and are empowered and changed by the forces of love.

9. Actors you would like in the main roles if your book was made into a movie? Aiden Turner (Poldark) and a red haired Jennifer Lawrence.

10. Would you rather have a bad review or no review? No Review would be less emotional.

11. Genre you’ve never written that you would like to tackle? More like an era—WWI or II.

12. Favorite quote? “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” (Same for book heroines.)

13. If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 objects, what would they be? A motorboat, GPS, and a case of Moscato.

14. What celebrity would you like to be stranded with? Actor Aiden Turner

15. Your most prized material possession? A bracelet of woven tail strands of my 3 favorite horses (now in horse heaven.) I raised and trained wild, domestic and rescue horses and gave summer riding lessons for years.

16. Favorites:
Movie—Last of the Mohicans
Music—Enya (Celtic)
Place you visited—Britain & Ireland
Place you’d like to visit—Scotland
TV show from childhood—Howdy Doody
TV show from adulthood—Survivor
Food—Fish/pizza/chocolate
Sports Team—Duo allegiance: Vikings & Packers
Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or TV? I love all three, but watch too much TV!

Thanks for joining us today, Cj! Ha, I also LOVE Gone with the Wind. And, I watch too much TV. AND, I love the Packers. Look at all we have in common! 😀

BLURB:

Jessica Brewster is being watched…and things go missing from the romote Wyoming home she shares with her toddler. In a freak accident, she shoots the bearded thief stalking her before she recognizes the mesmerizing green eyes that belong to the only man she ever loved.
Has Mitch bridged time to find her? In a race to save his life and change hers forever, she takes him into her home and heart. But his memory loss and puzzling clues curry doubt and expose mystery and danger. Is he truly her son’s father or an irresistible stranger in her arms?

EXCERPT:

I screamed as the gun exploded in my hand and fell to the ground. The bear moving toward Scout dropped, and I raced to scoop up my son before he toppled into the cold stream. Cradling my whimpering child, I ventured closer and could see at once that it was no bear I shot. A man in a bearskin poncho lay on his side. A mass of dark matted hair covered the side of his face that wasn’t blooming with blood, running down his cheek, pooling in his ear and staining his thick beard.
“Is he, is he dead?” I whispered.
Chuck fumbled for a pulse and we all started when he groaned and his eyes fluttered open.
Green! His eyes were green. The fear in them registered with me as he searched our faces. A flash of memories washed over me and my heart began to thump wildly. I set Scout down when my legs crumpled beneath me as I sagged in the snow and my bare fingers reached out to staunch the dripping blood.
So red against the white snow. His eyes, so…green. Every shade in a spectrum of emotion raced through me; joy, frustration…anger. I knew only one man who owned those eyes. Had he come back for me? Did I shoot the only man I ever loved?

BUY LINKS:

http://amazon.com/author/cjfosdick Amazon

http://bit.ly/2hbAuWN B&N Nook

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/1256_cj-fosdick WildRose Press

http://apple.co/2iKRozD Apple itunes

http://cjfosdick.com/buy-the-book Website

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May 2, 2017 · 10:57 am

Tuesday’s Tantalizing Tidbits & Teasers

Good morning and Happy Tuesday!! I’m starting a new weekly feature where I invite authors to share about their books in the comments. Each week the location of the lines I request will change.

Authors, share your books and feel free to chat about them, or about other authors’ books.

Readers, enjoy the tidbits and such, feel free to comment…like…follow…buy, etc.

WARNING: Some content might be graphic and/or offensive to some

It’s simple to join in… Authors, choose any of your books (one book per author per week, please), and share the following in the comments:

  1. Title and genre
  2. From page five (any version, Word Doc, Print, Kindle, etc), from the second line, share one sentence. (You can choose to share a sentence that comes before or after, if part of the sentence is on the chosen line-see example below)
  3. Share a fun or interesting fact about the book, the characters, the setting, etc.
  4. List ONE buy link
  5. List your Twitter and FB Fan/Author pages so everyone can like/follow
  6. Optional – List the price of your book, especially if it’s on sale!

Example – For this week, I would use the entire sentence, the words before and after for this line:  ‘…a red torrent, draining my life as I screamed in…’

If I were using line 5, I could either use the ‘Where had that come from’ line or the ‘For such a’ line, and I would use an entire sentence.

Don’t worry that the line might not be all that engaging, or that it might not make much sense. This is all for fun and to share a glimpse of you and your stories. I’ll be sharing one of my books in the comments so you can see how it’s done. 😀

A new post with a new location goes up every Tuesday…have fun!

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April 30, 2017 · 9:08 am

April’s Featured Books – #Romantic Suspense #Paranormal Romance #Historical Romance #Kindle Worlds #Medieval Romance

Looking for something new and fabulous to read? Try these…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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April 29, 2017 · 7:59 am

Author Interview with Elaine Calloway ~ New Release: No Grits No Glory #Giveaway

 

Please help me welcome Elaine Calloway…

 

Please tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

Hi and thanks for having me here! I’m originally from New Orleans, which I believe shaped who I became as a writer. I now reside in metro Atlanta, Georgia with my husband and very spoiled dog, a black lab mix. I have 3 grown step-kids, so the hubby and I enjoy our empty nest while we’re still able to see and get together with family since everyone lives in the metro Atlanta area.

Where did you get the idea for NO GRITS NO GLORY and why did you choose this genre?

The original nugget for the first book in my Southern Ghosts Series came from an offhand conversation. My sister-n-law’s mother owns a rental apartment in metro Atlanta, and at one time or another every family member has lived there. Aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, etc. Some lived there for a few months; some lived for several years. When my niece mentioned she would be moving in there for a few months before she got married, I remember thinking, “What if those walls could talk? All those generations of family living there. What would the walls say?” and that became the start of NO GRITS NO GLORY.

As far as picking the genre (romantic suspense/ghosts/paranormal), I think it really picked me! Growing up in New Orleans and being surrounded by Gothic architecture, Voodoo history and cemeteries definitely contributed to my wanting to write about otherworldly and paranormal things.

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

Anything by Dennis Lehane or Cornelia Funke. Both of them have such vivid characters and settings, and they have a way with words that gives music to the story. Dennis Lehane’s Patrick McKenzie & Gennaro crime series and Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart series are two of my favorites.

Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?

Sort of. I’m a technical writer by day, and a fiction writer by lunch hour, night and weekend. Basically, I take complex software and create user manuals that simplify how to use the software for a living. It’s dull, but it pays the bills! I also do speaking and teaching gigs, helping other writers learn to write their book, stay motivated, and then how to self-publish their books. I do enjoy this immensely and hope to eventually do more of this along with full-time fiction writing.

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

My 9-5 job, no doubt. While I do have generous vacation, the traffic and time spent having to concentrate on tech stuff and then switch over to creativity is a difficult balance. Plus, just the general stress of corporate life doesn’t help the creativity.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read NO GRITS NO GLORY?

Hmm, good question. I suppose I want them to come away with an open mind to the possibilities of the paranormal. I’ve loved ghost stories as long as I can remember, but mine have mystery/humor/paranormal elements, not horror. I want readers to enjoy the book and learn more about my favorite place on Earth, Savannah, where the book is set.

What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?

Ha ha! I actually have a Pinterest board for every book I write, so the photos can be found here: https://www.pinterest.com/elainecalloway/no-grits-no-glory-bk-1-southern-ghosts-series/.
To sum up, Linda Fiorentino for Brianna, Eric McCormack or Tom Cruise as Steven, James McAvoy as Declan, and Ed Begley Jr. as Begley.
For my writing process, I typically automatically pick either an actor or someone I know with the look/expressions I want for the characters. Then I add the photos to Pinterest and that keeps me inspired. I’m not a huge Tom Cruise fan, but Eric McCormack wasn’t my ideal pic either, so I kind of combined the two into my own visual to write the Steven character.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

I had the chance to meet John Lithgow when I was a teenager and worked at a movie theater that hosted a premiere of The Manhattan Project. He and several producers attended.

We also held a premier for Spacecamp the same night, so I was able to meet Lea Thompson.

How did you come up with the title?

It was a pun on the ole saying, ‘no guts, no glory’ but the book also has some Southern humor and scenes with grits (a popular breakfast item in the South) so the title seemed to fit perfectly.

One humorous note, though! I didn’t think everyone would know what grits were, but I never expected grits to mean different things in different parts of the world. I wrote another funny blog post here about how ‘grits’ in South Wales is not what anyone thinks it is!  http://www.elainecalloway.com/the-lowdown-on-grits/
Your favorite…

Movie – The Princess Bride, Secondhand Lions, Under the Tuscan Sun. Not sure I can ever narrow down favorite movies to just one!
Place you’ve visited – Savannah, Georgia
Place you’d like to visit – Ireland
TV show from childhood – Scooby Doo (mystery, ghosts, humor, suspense – all of which I now write in my books!)
TV show from adulthood – LOST
Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? – TV. I enjoy reading but also enjoy binge watching on Netflix.

Thank you, Elaine I enjoyed getting to know you. We have some things in common. Dennis Lehane is one of my favorite authors. I LOVE his Patrick & Angie series. And Mystic River. I haven’t read the Inkheart series. I also try to make Pinterest boards for all my books, but I haven’t kept it caught up. I love doing it though.

Check out Elaine’s books, aren’t the covers fantastic? They both sound like great reads!

GIVEAWAY!!: READERS – Tell me your favorite ghost story or something that relates to a ghost story or ghost tour that you’ve taken for a chance to win the 2nd book in the Southern Ghosts Series, TICKET TO DIE.

Bio:

Elaine Calloway grew up in New Orleans with a love of all things paranormal. After recently completing a 5-book Urban Fantasy/Paranormal series, she is now focusing on more books in her Southern Ghosts Series. She also speaks at conferences and writing chapters about the craft, how to utilize time management and mental focus when writing a book, and how to self-publish books and market them online. She has a free Marketing for Authors course that is available here. For more info on her books, visit her author website at www.elainecalloway.com. For more info on her online courses and how to self publish, visit www.howtoselfpublishyournovel.com.

 

No Grits No Glory – all buy links/vendors (and book trailer) listed on my website page here: http://www.elainecalloway.com/books/southern-ghosts-series/no-grits-no-glory/

Blurb –

Brianna fled to Savannah to escape the voices of the dead. Just when she thought she’d left all paranormal things behind, she discovers her house is haunted. Not just haunted, but haunted by Southern ghosts. These persistent beings not only hide her white shoes after Labor Day, but they leave grits-caked dishes in the sink, and swear to wreak havoc on her life – – unless she helps them.

Steven put Savannah in his rearview mirror years ago to follow his passion for music. When his band splits up and he can’t reach his little sister for weeks, he races home—only to learn his whole family died in a mysterious house fire. The house Brianna now lives in.

Together, Brianna and Steven must discover who murdered Steven’s family and become caught in a web of intrigue that will risk their careers, their homes–but especially their lives.

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