Before we get into our guest post, this is an incredibly important topic. I freelance full-time and somedays don’t manage the time to write. This post from Maureen Bonatch has some valuable stuff, but it will only help if you implement it. Maureen is a mom, author, freelance coach, the list goes on (below) . […]
Source: Guest Post! Need Help Carving Out Time for Your Writing? Make it a Priority
Filed under Uncategorized
Disclaimer: All of my tips are suggestions, and are only my opinion. And, for the most part, there are exceptions when going against my advice will make your story read better. Take what works, leave the rest.
NEW RELEASE – Now Available
(Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon Buy Page)
*** If you would like to send me a few sample pages (around 7500 words or so, even though I will not edit that many on the blog. It just gives me more to choose from) for me to edit and share on an upcoming blog post, please do so in the body of an email to AliciaMDean@aol.com. Please use the subject line: “Blog Submission” This is for published or unpublished authors. In the email, please include whether you would like me to use your name or keep it anonymous, and whether or not you would like me to include any contact info or buy info for your books. Also, you can let me know if you would like for me to run my edits by you before posting on the blog. Please keep in mind, this is for samples to use for blog posts. I will not edit or use samples from all the submissions I receive, but I will use as many as possible.
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How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.
Wanting to write and actually doing it are two very different things. I am well acquainted with the sometimes grueling process of churning out a story. Over the years, I have tried many methods for creating and completing manuscripts, and have tweaked and honed it down to a workable (for me) process.
Using specific examples from one of my own novels, Without Mercy, I share my method in this mini how to book. The first eight steps actually deal with plotting while the last two are designed to help expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you. I’m not sure if this is the one, but it works for me. Only you can decide if it also works for you. Fingers crossed that it does!
*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)
Amazon: Click Here
Filed under For Writers, Promo Tips, Tips from an Editor, Tuesday Two-Minute Tips
(Barbara is going to be away for part of the day, but will respond to comments later this afternoon)
I am one of those increasingly rare breeds—a native New Yorker. I was born in Manhattan, grew up mostly in the Bronx, then married and moved to Brooklyn. Our two children, Jennifer and Steven, were born and raised here. We have also had two cats along the way: Odysseus, sweet and loving, followed by Rocky, who lived up to his name as a tough guy with a big heart. Having sampled the other four boroughs (I lived briefly in Queens as a child, and we frequently visit family on Staten Island), I wouldn’t trade Brooklyn for any of them. We have Prospect Park with its terrific zoo; Brooklyn Botanic Garden with its glorious cherry trees; the Brooklyn Museum, famous for one of the best collections of American art in the world; a great public library three blocks away; and the magnificent Atlantic Ocean within walking distance. What better place could there possibly be for my husband and me to spend our happily-ever-after?
Like many writers, my primary interests are books, art, music, and nature. The world of finance had always been a mystery to me, and I was happy to let it remain so. But one day after reading yet another front-page report of a ruthless corporate takeover battle, I decided that I had to learn more about the financial world. I began reading the business section of The New York Times and books about finance. The more I read, the more fascinated I became. What if, I asked myself, a beautiful, brilliant woman decided to take on these Wall Street vultures and fight them for a particularly juicy corporate plum, maybe the most profitable and glamorous magazine in the world? How would she do it? What kind of life would she lead? What exotic places would she visit in pursuit of her goal? What treacherous traps would her opponents set for her? How would she escape them? Could she escape them? And so SIZZLE was born. I hope that your reading about the dazzling Marietta Wylford and her perilous pursuit of corporate power will be as exciting and delicious as my writing about it was.
Most of all, I want readers to have had a good time. I want them to enjoy experiencing New York City’s most glamorous places, from multi-million-dollar penthouse apartments to exotic five-star restaurants. I want them to feel that they, too, were warmed by the golden rays of the sun on the French Riviera, inhaled the fragrant blossoms of the floating flower markets on Amsterdam’s unique canals, felt the breeze on their cheeks as they strolled the Champs-Elysée and the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. I want them to have felt the excitement and suspense of the perilous battle for the corporate prize. And I want them to shudder along with Marietta when she discovers the dangerous and horrendous secret buried deep in Harrison Kendricks’s past.
This is a tough question because there are so many great actors out there. I think I’d like to see Cate Blanchett as Marietta. She would have to dye her hair red, but that may well be its natural color. Cate is beautiful and brilliant, and I think she could bring the ambitious Marietta to life with all of her dreams, fears and complexities. Leonardo DiCaprio would ideal for the role of the smooth and mysterious corporate raider, Harrison Kendricks. Though handsome, he’ll look threatening in the tinted glasses that he will have to wear. Rooney Mara would be perfect for Melanie Danielle, Marietta’s reticent but brilliant and loyal lawyer-assistant. Bryan Cranston, could definitely be Harlan Wylford, Marietta’s adoring husband. And Richard Madden would be perfect for Craig Campbell, the actor who is and will always be the true love of Marietta’s life. SIZZLE is filled with many more intriguing characters, and I think readers will have fun playing casting director after they have finished the book.
When I was a child, I was fascinated by, and really believed in, fairies and pixies. I loved fairy tales and made up my own, usually encouraged by friends. We used to have great fun acting out the stories. As I grew up and outgrew the stories, I began collecting fairies and pixies. They now gaze down on me from shadow boxes and the tops of bookcases. A group of them sit on my desk and cheer me on as I work. They never fail to make me smile. I think the child in me still half-believes in them. I’m convinced that I have a real pixie in my home. After all, who else could be responsible for hiding my eyeglasses and whisking away the earring I remove when I’m talking on the phone—and then leaving it to turn up two days later in some unexpected place?
For someone who loves reading as much as I do, it’s really difficult to narrow it down to one favorite book. I suppose if someone held a gun to my head and I really had to come up with an answer, I’d choose William Makepeace Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. I know that by today’s standards it’s long and rambling, but Thackeray’s satirical take on Victorian life is delicious and his characters are unforgettable. It also has one of my favorite quotes, Becky Sharpe saying, “I think I could be a good woman if I had five thousand [pounds] a year.” That seems to sum up the whole premise of Victorian society (and perhaps even contemporary society) in fifteen words. Translation: “Money makes the world go round.” Today’s authors can learn so much from the old masters.
This question is much easier. I have many favorites, but Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince tops them all. It is a beautiful story, intended for adults as well as (perhaps even more than) for children, and the older I get, the more I cherish it. From its poignant dedication, “…To Leon Werth when he was a little boy,” to its heart-wrenching ending, it takes the reader on a beautiful journey of discovery. It is the story of an aviator, lost in the desert, who meets a little boy who has journeyed to Earth from a far-off asteroid. The little prince tells the aviator about the strange people he has met on the planets he has stopped at along the way. None of these people are strange to us, though, with their vanity and intolerant views, and, along with the aviator and the little prince, we learn something important about ourselves with each visit. The little prince yearns to return to his asteroid to care for the rose he loves, and, in the end, through sweet, painful sacrifice, he makes the journey, and takes our hearts with him. This book, too, has one of my favorite quotes, something a wise fox tells the little prince: “One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is not visible to the eyes.”
Only three? This is a tough one! I’m not a very practical person, but if I’m going to be stranded on a desert island, I had better let the practical me take over. In that case, I think that the first object I would pack should be a Dummies book titled, HOW TO BUILD A RAFT WHEN STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND. Next, I’d pack a flashlight, so that I could read the book at night. I’m assuming my island would have plenty of rocks lying around so that I could rub two together to make a fire to keep me warm and to cook the fish I’d have to catch with a stick I’d sharpen. Uh-oh. How do I sharpen the stick? Okay, I’ll read the manual by the fire I make with the rocks. That means I can eliminate the flashlight. So now I have two more things I can bring. One of them will have to be a Swiss Army Knife so that I can sharpen the stick and clean the fish. Now for the last object. It will have to be something to keep me from going crazy out there all by myself, and we all know what that would be—a book. But what book? I’m pretty much all thumbs, so it’s going to take me quite a while to build that raft. Maybe years. It would have to be along, interesting book. One I wouldn’t be able to memorize. I think I’ll opt for a big, unabridged dictionary. What better companion for an author? We’re all addicted to words!
LOL, Barbara. I enjoyed your answers. Leonardo DiCaprio would make a handsome ANYTHING. 🙂 I love your theory about pixies. That does explain a lot. Very clever, your book on how to build a raft…who wouldn’t want that? Thanks for joining me today!
Thanks so much for interviewing me, Alicia. This was great fun! I’d love to know what your blog readers would take to a desert island. Of course, I hope that some of them would pack a copy of SIZZLE!
BOOK BLURB:
She’s the most beautiful and ruthless CEO in the nation. He’s the most dangerous corporate raider in the world. Neither has ever lost a battle in the boardroom—or the bedroom. Now they’re warring for America’s biggest publishing prize.
SIZZLE—a novel of breathtaking power and ambition, set against the jet-setting world of Manhattan’s elite!
“[A] battle fraught with…the dirtiest of tricks…the stuff that destroys marriages, people, lives…. Sizzle through the summer with Sizzle.”—The Salem News
EXCERPT:
Harrison Kendricks sat down on the other end of the settee and raised his glass. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” Marietta returned, and sipped her drink.
Though Kendricks had a reputation for never mincing words and getting down to business immediately, he seemed in no rush to broach the subject. Through the first drink and then the second, they spoke instead in generalities—their shared interest in gardens, antiques, the theater. Since he had suggested the meeting, Marietta was determined that he be the one to initiate any discussion of a buyout or compromise. She would let him say his piece, then drop her bombshell.
At first, she thought he was avoiding the subject because he wanted to disarm her. But as their conversation progressed, she realized that he had more than business on his mind. Though the tinted glasses veiled his eyes, they did not hide them, and she was aware how often his gaze traveled over her. It was like a visual caress. Harrison Kendricks wanted her. It was possible, of course, that it was all part of his plan—that, with his gigantic ego, he thought that one kiss and she’d be eating out of his hand. But even if that had been his primary purpose, it was obvious he now wanted to satisfy a great deal more than corporate desires. Besides, what difference did his motivation make? She wanted him too. She had never made love with such a dangerous man.
She was aware that Kendricks, probably for the first time in his life, was faced with a problem in deciding what approach to take. For she had to be as unique to him as he was to her. She would have to find a way to help him. That gave her one more advantage.
Talk of the theater led Kendricks to make some unflattering observations about American musicals and music. “No one today seems to know what music is all about,” he said.
“Except perhaps you?” Marietta asked.
He smiled. “There are a few others, I admit.”
She nodded toward the piano. “Do you play?”
“Yes. Rather well, in fact. Schumann is my favorite. Does that surprise you?”
“Nothing anyone does—whether admirable or despicable—ever surprises me.”
“So you’re an absolute cynic.”
“Not a cynic—a realist. I see things as they are. For example, I’m very much aware that you would like to get me into bed.”
“Really?” he said, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t play coy. It’s out of character.”
“All right. I’ll admit that I find the idea of making love to you rather attractive.”
“And I find it rather attractive too. So I wonder why, busy people that we are, we’re sitting here wasting each other’s time sipping drinks and chatting. Why don’t we simply go up to your bedroom?” she said, rising.
“You’re an extraordinary woman.”
“If I weren’t, you wouldn’t be so interested in taking me to bed, would you?”
He followed close behind her as she walked across the room. When she paused at the big double doors, he reached around her and opened them, probably the first time in his life that he had performed such a courtesy for a woman other than his mother. Smiling to herself, she passed through them, then preceded him up the winding marble staircase.
Neither spoke, but words were unnecessary. They were two of a kind, creatures who had fashioned themselves in the image of their own wants and needs. They understood each other as no other person on earth could….
BUY LINKS:
Amazon:
B&N:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sizzle-barbara-brett/1123604122?ean=9780989917339
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/626180
Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=Sizzle+%28Barbara+Brett%29
iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sizzle-where-boardroom-meets/id1098961262?mt=11
BIO:
Barbara Brett’s love of reading led her to a life devoted to books—as an editor, publisher and author. She began as a proofreader, then moved up to become editor of True Romance and True Confessions. Later, she became vice president and publisher of Avalon Books, which published fiction for the library market. After that, she started her own company, which published inspirational non-fiction. She is delighted that many of the authors she developed over the years have moved up to best-sellerdom.
In addition to editing and publishing, Barbara was also writing novels. She is the author of Between Two Eternities, Love After Hours, and, with her husband, Hy Brett, the mystery Promises to Keep. Recently she closed her publishing company so that she could devote herself completely to her own writing. She is delighted to see Sizzle published, and she promises to follow it with many more exciting books.
Barbara and Hy live in Brooklyn. When they aren’t writing, they enjoy reading, taking long walks to see the Atlantic Ocean, and treating visiting family and friends to Brooklyn pizza and bagels, which, everyone agrees, are the best in the world.
AUTHOR LINKS:
Website:
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1767558.Barbara_Brett
Amazon.com author page:
www.amazon.com/author/barbarabrett
Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release
#1: Although it ended in divorce, the day I married my first husband definitely changed my life. I went from a high-school girl to a married woman and a short one-year-and-two-months-later, I fulfilled the lifelong dream of becoming a mother.
#2: Born three years, nine months, one day, two hours and fourteen minutes apart the birth of my two children will always be moments that changed my life!
#3: July 14, 1992 I married the love of my life in the back yard of our home.
#4: December 2000 I received an email acceptance for my first novel! Although more were to come, and each is exciting in itself, there’s nothing like that initial contract.
#5: June 2002 I co-founded Bayou Writers’ Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana and for six years acted as President and Treasurer and overall ‘everything’ (with some help of course!) before handing the reins over in 2008.
#6: Everyone says there is nothing like having that first grandchild and I must admit that old adage is true. 2004 was a rough year. My dog died, my grandfather died, my daughter was experiencing a toxic pregnancy, I was hit by a drunk driver-totaling my car and throwing my life into a tailspin with “situation induced” depression. Without a doubt, the only bright spot in that entire year was the birth of my Angel Girl.
#7: April 4, 2006 ushered in the birth of our first grandson and we flew to WA to visit him when he was just a few weeks old.
#8: 2009 was another year of excruciating hardship intertwined with inexpressible joy. The love of my life passed away August 18th, but God brightened the months before with the birth of our 2nd grandson in May 27th.
#9: The 2010 “Saddle up and Write” retreat at the Silver Spur guest ranch in Bandera, TX changed my life because it opened the door to new friendships and a place where I can escape that brings me peace beyond measure and joy unspeakable.
#10: They say what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. That I’m still alive after losing my mother, mother-in-law, honorary aunt, and cousin in the span of two weeks in 2014 is a testament to that fact and the grace of God in our toughest circumstances.
Thank you for sharing those sad and happy moments. And for including the lovely pictures.
And now, please check out Pamela’s awesome book bundle…
Tempered Series Bundle
Now all 4 titles in the Tempered Series by Pamela S Thibodeaux are combined into a single book along with a bonus short story and a sneak peek into #5 in the series Tempered Truth (coming sometime in the near future)!
Contains: Tempered Hearts, Tempered Dreams, Tempered Fire, Tempered Joy, & Lori’s Redemption
Start at the beginning and follow these beloved characters throughout the years as love crosses the lines of age and strengthens the bonds of friendship.
Title: Tempered Hearts (book 1 in Tempered series)
Blurb: Rancher Craig Harris and veterinarian Tamera Collins clash from the moment they meet. Innocence is pitted against arrogance as tempers rise and passions ignite to form a love as pure as the finest gold, fresh from the crucible and as strong as steel. Thrown together amid tragedy and unsated passion, Tamera and Craig share a strong attraction that neither accepts as the first stages of love. Torn between desire and dislike, they must make peace with their pasts and God in order to open up to the love blossoming between them. It is a love that nothing can destroy when they come to understand that only when hearts are tempered, minds are opened and wills are softened can man discern the will of God for his life.
Title: Tempered Dreams (book 2 in Tempered series)
Blurb: Dr. Scott Hensley (introduced in Tempered Hearts) has built a wall around his heart since the death of his wife and parents. Katrina Simmons is recovering from scars inflicted on her as a battered wife. Can dreams be renewed and faith strengthened? Can they find joy and peace in God’s love and in love for one another?
Title: Tempered Fire (book 3 in Tempered series)
Blurb: Amber Harris is a good girl on the brink of womanhood. Stanley Morrison is a young man at the start of his life. For each other, they have always felt the fireworks that two people in love should feel. But the questions about his past, his pride, and Amber’s father might be the end of what could be a strong relationship. As the two try to protect their budding romance, some unlikely but powerful forces conspire to keep them apart. Will they survive the wishes of everyone around them with their relationship intact?
Title: Tempered Joy (book 4 in Tempered series)
Blurb: All around rodeo cowboy and heir to the Rockin’ H Ranch, Ace Harris is determined not to fall in love. He’s only loved one woman in his life, his mother, and no one can even come close to filling her boots. Lexie Morgan thinks rodeo cowboys have rocks for brains and a death wish for a soul. A broken childhood and the death of her father and best friend leave her doubting and questioning God (despite her years of religious upbringing) and afraid of love. Can two young people who clash from the onset learn to trust in the healing power of God and find love and happiness amidst tragedy and grief?
Title: Lori’s Redemption (short story spin-off of Tempered Fire)
Blurb: Lori Strickland (introduced in Tempered Fire) has always been known as her father’s “wild child” with no desire to change until she meets ex-bull-rider-turned-preacher Rafe Judson. Her attempts to change her wanton ways come to naught until she realizes redemption only comes with true repentance.
Purchase Links for Tempered Series E-bundle
Nook: http://bit.ly/1Xv6l2Y
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1TlaExp
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1SzkRoi
Author bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”
Links:
Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com
Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com
Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux
Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pamelasthibodea/
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU
Filed under 10 Moments that Changed My Life, Author Blog Post
Hello and welcome…I am a freelance editor and an editor for The Wild Rose Press, as well as an author. I often struggle with my own writing, and I have found that sometimes, a little reminder of ways to improve the process can be helpful, so, I like to share these moments of brilliance with others :). But, in this busy world of ours, who has time for pages and pages of writing tips? That’s why I’ve condensed mine down to quick flashes you can read in (approximately) two minutes. Enjoy…
Disclaimer: All of my tips are suggestions, and are only my opinion. And, for the most part, there are exceptions when going against my advice will make your story read better. Take what works, leave the rest.
Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way that have been helpful to me, and I’m hoping they will be to you also…
Writing Habit:
I know it’s very difficult to carve out writing time each day. Writers need a large chunk of time to be ‘in the zone’ and undisturbed. However, if you want to work toward a habit of writing each day, try to make yourself write one paragraph a day. The advantages are…
‘Word’ tips:
I’m sure you’ve all seen those squiggly blue and red lines that indicate, according to ‘Word,’ you’ve made a booboo? Did you know that there is an option where you can actually be taken to each of these potential errors? Under ‘Review’ you should see an option for ‘ABC ✔ Spelling and Grammar.’ If you click on that, it will take you to each instance of errors and you will have the option to correct them or ignore. It doesn’t find ALL typos and mistakes, but it finds many.
Word also has a ‘Compare’ function in the Review section that comes in handy if you can’t recall which version of two documents is the most recent, or if, for any reason, you wish to compare the differences in two documents. Once you click on ‘compare’ it’s self-explanatory.
Facebook and Twitter:
When you draft a Facebook post, before actually posting, you can delete the actual link and just leave the content and image to make your post look a bit ‘cleaner’ and the option to click on where the link leads will remain in your post.
You can schedule posts to your ‘page’ ahead of time on Facebook. Once you draft a post, click on the arrow next to ‘publish’ found beneath your content box. An option for scheduling will come up. You can schedule a week’s worth of posts at one sitting.
You can embed tweets for sharing rather than screen-shotting them. Beneath your tweet, you will see the … option. If you click on that, one of the options that comes up is to ’embed’ your tweet. Copy and paste that link.
If you wish to share a link for a Facebook post or a Tweet, you can get a direct link by clicking on the time/day of the post/tweet. A new page will come up that will contain the direct link in the search bar. Copy and paste. This is handy if you want to ask others to share a tweet or post for you, or if you want to, say post a link from your fan page into your profile page, etc.
That’s it for now…just a few little bite-sized tips. Hope you find them useful!
Until next time…happy writing!
NEW RELEASE – Now Available
(Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon Buy Page)
*** If you would like to send me a few sample pages (around 7500 words or so, even though I will not edit that many on the blog. It just gives me more to choose from) for me to edit and share on an upcoming blog post, please do so in the body of an email to AliciaMDean@aol.com. Please use the subject line: “Blog Submission” This is for published or unpublished authors. In the email, please include whether you would like me to use your name or keep it anonymous, and whether or not you would like me to include any contact info or buy info for your books. Also, you can let me know if you would like for me to run my edits by you before posting on the blog. Please keep in mind, this is for samples to use for blog posts. I will not edit or use samples from all the submissions I receive, but I will use as many as possible.
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How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.
Wanting to write and actually doing it are two very different things. I am well acquainted with the sometimes grueling process of churning out a story. Over the years, I have tried many methods for creating and completing manuscripts, and have tweaked and honed it down to a workable (for me) process.
Using specific examples from one of my own novels, Without Mercy, I share my method in this mini how to book. The first eight steps actually deal with plotting while the last two are designed to help expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you. I’m not sure if this is the one, but it works for me. Only you can decide if it also works for you. Fingers crossed that it does!
*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)
Amazon: Click Here
Filed under For Writers, Promo Tips, Tips from an Editor, Tuesday Two-Minute Tips
PLEASE CONFIRM BEFORE ORDERING!!! – We are not responsible if prices are no longer 99 cents
In the 1920’s, a young woman flees from England to New York to escape a wretched situation, only to find herself in a much worse circumstance. But one man sees through the tarnished halo to the angel beneath.
Find Alicia Here: https://www.facebook.com/Alicia-Dean-559598754221926/
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A sexy but jaded CEO. A widowed mother of two boys. Together they must build a bridge to the future.
Find Nancy Herkness here: www.NancyHerkness.com
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A journalist desperate to adopt a child. A hot celebrity meteorite hunter who’s found the world’s most valuable space rock. A modern-day marriage of convenience.
Find Nancy Herkness here: www.NancyHerkness.com
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What’s a girl to do all alone with a rodeo cowboy for 1 month in the Wyoming wilderness?
Find Lisa Mondello Here: www.lisamondello.com
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FLOWER GARDENS AND MORE gives basic information on flowers, different gardens, planting instructions and composting. It also includes: aromatherapy, pressing, and recipes for edibles.
Find Sandra here: http://amzn.to/1Tah8l1
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He was a country star in the making…and he wanted her to complete him…
Find Lisa Mondello here: http://www.lisamondello.com/
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Without his wings, Josh is damaged. Broken. Flightless. Surviving in Fairy, Texas has never been tougher.
Find Margo Bond Collins here: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net
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Mac has one week to convince Clara not to sell his oil company. In this high-pressure reunion, can they strike love again?
Find Margo Bond Collins here: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net
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The stone’s legacy was inescapable – those who inherit will be consumed by fire. 4 new stories by the Love Historicals authors
Find Love Historicals here:http://www.lovehistoricals.com
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A 1950’s short story romance. A young woman is forced to give up her dreams to care for her alcoholic mother. The only respite from her misery is the music of Elvis Presley, and a new chance with an old love.
Find Alicia Dean Here: https://www.facebook.com/Alicia-Dean-559598754221926/
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A fast-paced, award-winning Romantic Suspense. When a single-mom and her son witness a terrorist attack, their lives are put in danger. An FBI agent goes rogue to protect them and becomes the target of conspiracy that threatens them all.
Find Toni Anderson Here: www.ToniAndersonAuthor.com
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A fast-paced, award-winning Romantic Suspense. The daughter of the most notorious Russian spy in FBI history is determined to prove her father innocent before it’s too late. An FBI agent thinks she’s deluding herself until people involved in the case start turning up dead.
Find Toni Anderson Here: www.ToniAndersonAuthor.com
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One snowy night an angel appears in the guise of a wounded warrior on grief-stricken Annie Alexander’s porch. Major Drew Meacham brings danger to Annie’s small bucolic farm on the coast of Maine, but can he also bring salvation?
Find Min Edwards here: http://amzn.to/1VUVjWX
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In Regency London, Margaret Linley’s secret myopia results in a scandalous blunder. On the journey home, the shortsighted young lady takes the wrong coach and is mistaken for the governess engaged by a handsome lord for his children.
Visit Jacqueline Diamond at http://www.jacquelinediamond.com
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Despite the differences in their social standings, Warren has considered Ruth a close friend for years. One weekend will forever alter that friendship.
Visit Christina Tetreault here: www.christinatetreault.com
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Despite everything that should keep them apart, Kayla and Mason can’t resist their dark attraction and plan to meet in secret, but other elements on the isle command their attention. The magical cloak created by the three clans on the island is thinning, leading to repercussions for all. Kayla and Mason are soon caught in the middle of it, and their actions may change the fate of the isle forever.
Visit Lisa Carlisle here: http://www.lisacarlislebooks.com
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Will she find the necessary strength to take a chance and follow her heart to true love?Her time in London will determine the outcome. How far will she go for love? Affairs of the Heart Series – A Decadent Tale of Love, Betrayal, and Revenge.
Find Kew Townsend Here:http://www.kewtownsend.com
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When an awkward screenwriter is unable to sell a single one of her action scripts, she hires a charismatic unemployed actor to pretend to be the person who wrote her work. Trouble ensues when Hollywood falls in love with the pretend screenwriter who has never even read an entire script, let alone written one.
FIND DAKOTA MADISON HERE: http://www.karenmuellerbryson.com
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After being at the center of a sex scandal that made national headlines a former nanny tries to rebuild her life by becoming a personal assistant to a reclusive writer.
FIND DAKOTA MADISON HERE: http://www.karenmuellerbryson.com
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An accomplished dance major in New York City, Ava Harrington is pursuing her dream of becoming a professional in a national dance company. But a celebratory weekend in Newport, where she meets the man of her fantasies, has devastating consequences that change her life forever.
Find Maria Imbalzano at www.mariaimbalzano.com
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Betrayal lies cloaked in shadow.
Find Dani-Lyn Alexander Here: http://amzn.to/1TTeblO
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After a head injury, Jess begins to see things she can’t explain. She starts to wonder if she’s hallucinating, losing her mind completely…or if something far worse might be happening.
Find Dani-Lyn Alexander Here: http://amzn.to/1TTeblO
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Eight USA Today and NY Times and Bestselling authors offering steamy contemporary romance the way you love it! This collection is made up of spicy and extra spicy tales of fated love. Get swept away by stories of ordinary people getting extraordinary second chances, risking their hearts and finding true love.
Find Dena Garson on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDenaGarson
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Naughty Chances includes “Winter Interlude: An American Revolutionary Novelette” a M/M prequel to Regina Kammer’s acclaimed The General’s Wife: An American Revolutionary Tale: On a cold winter’s night in 1778, two patriot soldiers recall their first sensual encounter and ponder their future together with the women they love.
More historical erotic romance from Regina Kammer: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0054EIEMI
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Carolyn Carmichael has completed her master’s degree and landed a job as a reading interventionist. DaShon Turner is a hard-working single-dad, trying to provide for his young son. When they find themselves alone at work, long before the rest of the staff arrives, their passion cannot be contained.
Find Jamie here: http://jamiejonesauthor.com/
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As a single dad and task force officer with the FBI, Mack Ellsbury moves to be closer to his family, not to find love. Then Jessie returns to his life.
Mack’s love helps Jessie erase the scars from her past, but when his ex-wife decides she wants reconciliation, their relationship is put in jeopardy.
Find Christina here: www.christinatetreault.com
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Filed under Ebook Deal
You were an actor playing opposite some very big stars. How did that lead to writing?
After college I became an actor in film, television, and theatre, working opposite stars like Bruce Willis (Midsummer Night’s Dream onstage), Nathan Lane (A Roar of the Greasepaint onstage), Rosie O’Donnell (AT&T Industrials), Holland Taylor (ABC-TV movie My Mother Was Never a Kid), Charles Keating (NBC-TV’s Another World), and Jason Robards (Commercial Credit computer commercial). It occurred to me that acting is storytelling in the same way that writing is storytelling, so I decided to give writing a try.
Why did you create the Jana Lane mystery series?
After writing some plays, I knew my novels would include show business in some way, since show business has always been such a huge part of my life. As an avid mystery reader, it was clear to me that my novels would also be page-turning mysteries with clever plot twists, engaging characters, romance, and lots of clues leading to a surprising conclusion. Since coming from a funny Italian-American family, I also knew humor would play a role in my novels.
Your leading character Jana Lane is the most famous ex-child star in US history making a comeback personally and professionally, and she solves murder mysteries. How did you come up with that idea?
As a child I loved child stars like Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Patty Duke, seeing their movies over and over. So I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. In PAPER DOLL Jana at thirty-eight lives with her family in a mansion in picturesque Hudson Valley, New York. Her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. Jana ventures back to Hollywood, which helps her uncover a web of secrets about everyone she loves. She also embarks on a romance with the devilishly handsome son of her old producer, Rocco Cavoto.
In PORCELAIN DOLL (The Wild Rose Press), Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous co-star, America’s heartthrob Jason Apollo. The other suspects include Jana’s James Dean type young co-star, her older John Wayne type co-star, her children’s Eve Harrington type nanny, the film’s gossipy makeup and hair artist, a local reverend trying to stop the film’s production, and Jason’s agent.
The reviews were amazing for PAPER DOLL and PORCELAIN DOLL, calling each novel a “mystery masterpiece,” “edge of your seat thriller with sweet romance,” “page-turner with plot twists and turns.”
And your current release is SATIN DOLL.
In SATIN DOLL (The Wild Rose Press) Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film, and becomes embroiled in murder and corruption at the senate chamber. She also embarks on a flirtation with Chris Bruno, the muscular detective. Jana rubs elbows with senators on both sides of the aisle, a lobbyist, and a Washington reporter. Her husband also goes through a personal crisis.
Have you always been interested in politics?
I’ve always found politicians fascinating. How they can speak to someone and make him/her feel as if he/she is the only person in the room. I also marvel at the desire to serve others and to make the world a better place. After reading about political scandals and corruption charges in the news, visiting Washington, DC, and speaking with a few politicians, I became aware of what often goes on behind the scenes in DC. I am clearly on the liberal bent. However, I believe all the political characters in the book are treated equally in showing their good points and bad.
Who is your favorite character in SATIN DOLL? And why?
Jana’s agent, Simon, is my favorite character for five reasons. He is amazingly resilient, old world Hollywood, incredibly funny, loyal to Jana, and most importantly, I want to play him in the movie version!
Which one of your characters was the hardest one to write? And why?
Senator Maxmillion, the Republican majority leader of the Senate, and Benjamin Topower, Maxmillion’s wealthy super pack contributor. I’m not a top one-percenter, so I found it hard to relate to them. However, I found their drive and sense of entitlement fascinating.
Is Senator Cassie Castle, the Democrat senator touted to run for Vice President, based on Hillary Clinton?
Cassie is a smart, strong woman who is deeply involved in protecting the environment, women’s rights, gay rights, education, and creating jobs, like her father before her. She is also quite charismatic. So in some ways she’s very much like Hillary. In many ways she is different. Cassie seems to wear her heart on her sleeve. And she’s dating the Republican majority leader of the Senate!
And then there is the studly Senator Sancho Ramirez from New York.
Like all of the characters, Sancho is a man of many secrets that all come to light.
In the novel Jana is interviewed on the radio by a Christian host for Jana’s upcoming AIDS benefit. Do you think Christians would be offended by that character?
I sure hope not. Jana is a Christian who prays and goes to church on Sundays. She seems like a true Christian to me since she tries to love her neighbor as herself, not judge others, and help the downtrodden and outcasts. The radio hosts who interview Jana use their wealth, power, media chops, and religious affiliations to demean others and try to take away their rights.
As in the first two Jana Lane mysteries, Jana is tempted by a gorgeous man, this time Detective Chris Bove.
Detective Bove was great fun to write given his amazing looks, past as a professional football player, and addiction to good food. I don’t blame Jana for being captivated by him.
And Jana’s husband goes through a major personal event.
I love that part of the story. It still brings tears to my eyes when I read it.
And Jana is reconnected with her best friend, Jackson.
Yes, Jackson is a Democratic congressman now. I love his sense of humor, and interplay with Jana.
Jana uses the skills she learned as a child star to solve the crime. How do you remember all of those movie titles and storylines?
I keep really good notes on Jana’s old movies, and on each room in her Hyde Park, New York mansion.
Since the book takes place in 1983, you included a great deal of history, music, and fashion from the era.
Yes, Flashdance, “Maniac,” layered hair, parachute pants, shoulder pads, lace gloves. It’s all there. I loved that period! I was also able to include Karen Carpenter’s death, the still new AIDS epidemic and the devastation it caused when ignored by our political representatives, and dangerous proposed legislation by conservatives like the Protect the Children Act, which was a disguise to try to make gay people second class citizens.
Which part of the novel did you enjoy writing the most? And why?
I loved writing Jana’s banter with Bove, and Brian’s banter with Adam.
Did you use your background as an actor to write SATIN DOLL?
I used my background in each of the Jana Lane novels, since I know the ins and outs on a movie set. Thankfully nobody was murdered on my sets. However, in SATIN DOLL Jana is in DC to research her upcoming role for Madam Senator. So I was able to include many famous Washington, DC historic settings like the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Memorial, Smithsonian Museum, Capitol, and the Ford Theatre.
Everyone in SATIN DOLL seems to have a secret.
Readers get a complete mystery with each novel, full of revealed secrets. The ending still makes my heart race when I read it—and I’m still surprised!
Will there be another Jana Lane mystery?
I received many comments from readers begging for the next one, which I really appreciate! In CHINA DOLL (releasing late May from The Wild Rose Press), Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, enchanted by her gorgeous co-star Peter Stevens, and faced with murder on stage and off.
And after that?
I’m writing RAGDOLL now, where Jana stars in a TV murder mystery series, and once again life imitates art.
Do you have another mystery series besides the Jana Lane mysteries?
Yes, the Nicky and Noah comedy mysteries published by Lethe Press. The series takes place at an Edwardian style New England college. In DRAMA QUEEN (Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Mystery, Best Crime, Best Humorous, Best Contemporary novel of 2015) theatre college professors are dropping like stage curtains. With the inept local detectives, it is up to Directing professor, Nicky Abbondanza to use his theatre skills (including playing other people) to solve the murders, while he directs a murder mystery onstage. Complicating matters is Nicky’s intense crush on Assistant Professor of Acting, handsome Noah Oliver, the prime suspect in the murder. In DRAMA MUSCLE Nicky and Noah have to use their theatre skills to find out why musclemen are dropping like weights in the Physical Education department while Nicky directs the Student Bodybuilding Competition. In DRAMA CRUISE (not released yet), Nicky and Noah go on a cruise to Alaska, and discover why college theatre professors are going overboard like lifeboats while Nicky directs a murder mystery dinner theatre show onboard ship.
Have you written other books besides mysteries?
My MM romance novellas are published by Dreamspinner Press. They are AN INFATUATION (Divine Magazine Readers’ Choice Award 2nd Place for Best MM Romance), A SHOOTING STAR, A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, and THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND.
I also have an MM series COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK and COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD taking place on the Jersey Shore and published by NineStar Press. I’m writing COZZI COVE: STEPPING OUT now.
As a college professor/department head, how do you have the time to write all these books?
I write at night after my spouse has gone to bed. I have a beautiful cherry wood study with a fireplace, huge desk, bookcases, and window seat. My mother asked me, “Don’t you have anything better to do than write at night?” I wonder if Shakespeare’s mother asked him that? Hah.
How long does it generally take you to write a book?
About three months working evenings and weekends. When I complain about my time, my mother says, “Just think how hard you’d have to work if you had a real job like your sister’s” (the accountant).
What is your writing process?
I write a plot summary, biography for each character, and an outline. The draft is mine alone. I show the second draft to my spouse for his notes. The third draft goes to my editor at the publishing house for her notes.
Who is your ideal reader of your books?
My ideal reader is a lover of mystery, romance, and Hollywood. Someone who craves being swept away by a story and becoming part of the novel. My reader loves clues, suspects, and plotlines that zigzag with numerous surprises leading to a shocking yet totally justified conclusion. Finally, my reader relishes in beautiful, lush locations and captivating characters as she/he enters the portal of my book.
How can your readers contact you?
I love hearing from readers. They can contact me at: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Blurb:
Murder, corruption, and scandals rock Washington, D.C.… America’s most famous ex-child star, Jana Lane, is playing a US Senator in a 1983 film. Just as she and her family arrive in DC, two Washington power players are murdered, and Jana is caught in the web of intrigue and political scandal. Jana falls under the spell of the breathtakingly handsome detective assigned to the case, ex-professional football player and food aficionado, Chris Bove. Will Jana and Bove uncover the murderer’s identity and shocking secrets before Jana and her family become the Capitol’s next victims?
Excerpt:
Jana felt goosebumps as she looked over at the dias for the presiding officer—a rotating senator elected by the majority/Republican party. Her eyes spanned the one hundred desks in a semicircle, where senators sat by order of seniority with the majority leader (Josiah Maxmillion noticeably absent) and minority leader (Ben Stevens present) sitting front and center on each side.
The meeting resumed. Jana stood in awe and listened as senators took to the floor, yielding and accepting time to and from one another, making their case for or against the vast expense of taxpayers’ dollars.
After ten minutes had gone by, Jana realized she had left her notepad in Cassie’s office. Wanting to write copious notes about her meeting with Max and about the senate debate, Jana hurried through hallways and around corridors. Again flashbacks from her nightmare rendered her unable to move, but she commanded her legs to obey and miraculously found her way back.
Upon entering Cassie’s office, Jana noticed Cassie’s secretary and Lenore were not at their desks. Probably on their lunch breaks. Since Cassie’s office door was open, Jana peeked her head inside and gasped at the sight of Tamaya Stormcloud, lying motionless on the Persian rug, surrounded by a pool of blood.
Buy Link:
http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/3808-satin-doll.html
Author’s Bio:
Bestselling author/Divine Magazine’s favorite mystery writer of 2015 Joe Cosentino wrote the Jana Lane mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, and Satin Doll (The Wild Rose Press); the Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Queen and Drama Muscle (Lethe Press); In My Heart (An Infatuation & A Shooting Star), A Home for the Holidays, and The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press); Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back & Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (NineStar Press), and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are China Doll the fourth Jana Lane mystery (The Wild Rose Press) and Drama Cruise the third Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press).
Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino
Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release
Hello and welcome…I am a freelance editor and an editor for The Wild Rose Press, as well as an author. I often struggle with my own writing, and I have found that sometimes, a little reminder of ways to improve the process can be helpful, so, I like to share these moments of brilliance with others :). But, in this busy world of ours, who has time for pages and pages of writing tips? That’s why I’ve condensed mine down to quick flashes you can read in (approximately) two minutes. Enjoy…
Disclaimer: All of my tips are suggestions, and are only my opinion. And, for the most part, there are exceptions when going against my advice will make your story read better. Take what works, leave the rest.
Characterization is not my strength. I’m more of a plot-driven writer, but I realize that the two are equally important. (Some feel that characterization is the most important, but without a strong plot, I’m not going to give a rat’s behind about your character, regardless of how interesting they might be) So, I am trying to remind myself of ways to make my characters more real, more vivid. Characterization is much more than physical description, and even background or favorite foods and music. Of course, there are a multitude of things you can do to flesh out your characters–character profiles, interviews, charts, etc. I’m not going into that much detail, but I do have a few suggestions (things that I need to remember myself)…
What do you think? What are some elements of character you feel are important?
Until next time…happy writing!
NEW RELEASE – Now Available
(Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon Buy Page)
*** If you would like to send me a few sample pages (around 7500 words or so, even though I will not edit that many on the blog. It just gives me more to choose from) for me to edit and share on an upcoming blog post, please do so in the body of an email to AliciaMDean@aol.com. Please use the subject line: “Blog Submission” This is for published or unpublished authors. In the email, please include whether you would like me to use your name or keep it anonymous, and whether or not you would like me to include any contact info or buy info for your books. Also, you can let me know if you would like for me to run my edits by you before posting on the blog. Please keep in mind, this is for samples to use for blog posts. I will not edit or use samples from all the submissions I receive, but I will use as many as possible.
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How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.
Wanting to write and actually doing it are two very different things. I am well acquainted with the sometimes grueling process of churning out a story. Over the years, I have tried many methods for creating and completing manuscripts, and have tweaked and honed it down to a workable (for me) process.
Using specific examples from one of my own novels, Without Mercy, I share my method in this mini how to book. The first eight steps actually deal with plotting while the last two are designed to help expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you. I’m not sure if this is the one, but it works for me. Only you can decide if it also works for you. Fingers crossed that it does!
*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)
Amazon: Click Here
Filed under For Writers, Promo Tips, Tips from an Editor, Tuesday Two-Minute Tips
[INTRO: I am a die hard, card carrying Elvis fan and have been for as long as I can remember. There is so much about Elvis to love; his incredible singing voice, his generous spirit, his looks (the most gorgeous man ever), his movies (yes, his movies. They make me happy, so critics can just shush), his service in the army, his magical presence on stage, his transcendent charisma, and…I could go on and on. As a matter of fact, on my 50th post, I believe it was, I DID go on and on. I listed 50 things I love about Elvis. It wasn’t difficult. I am an author and I mention Elvis in almost every story I write. I named my son Presley. I was fortunate to see Elvis in concert three times. I have been to Graceland five times… See? I love Elvis. I have been blogging weekly for more than a year, but going forward, I will blog every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. My life is insanely busy and I found myself missing weeks from time to time. This way, I’m more likely to be consistent. Hopefully, even if you are not an Elvis fan, you appreciate something about him and will find my posts interesting. Feel free to comment. Thank you so much for stopping by!]
October 3, 1945 – Elvis was encouraged by his music teacher in Tupelo to compete in a youth talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. He was ten at the time. He stood on a chair to reach the microphone and sang “Old Shep.” He came in Fifth and received $5 in tickets for fair rides.
His eight grade music teacher in Memphis was not so encouraging. She gave him a “C” and told him he “had no aptitude for singing.”
In 1954, Elvis auditioned for a gospel quartet called the Songfellows. They rejected him. A little while later, Elvis was asked to replace Cecil Blackwood in the Songfellows because Cecil was leaving to join The Blackwood Brothers after two of its members died in a plane crash. Elvis had just signed with Sun Records, and he was torn about the decision, but stayed with Sun. Can you imagine how different things might have turned out if he’d taken them up on their offer?
Oct. 2, 1954 – Elvis performed on the Grand Ole Opry, and the show did not go over well. Opry talent manager Jim Denny said to him, “You ain’t going nowhere, son. You ought to go back to driving a truck.” (Technically, I suppose this was a compliment. He told Elvis he ‘aint’ going NOWHERE’ which means he was going SOMEWHERE ;)) Elvis swore never to return and, two weeks later, he appeared on the Opry’s biggest competitor, the Louisiana Hayride, and signed on for 52 weekly shows.
In January, 1956 Elvis appeared on “Stage Show,” the Dorsey Brothers’ television show that was produced by Jackie Gleason. Jackie did not like Elvis at all, he said so, in those words. He also said: “He can’t last. I tell you flatly, he can’t last.” Apparently, Gleason changed his mind in later years. This is Jackie visiting with Elvis on the set of Girls, Girls, Girls.
April 23 – May 6, 1956 – Elvis was booked for a two-week run at the Frontier in Vegas. Unlike his later supreme reign, his act was not a hit in Vegas in the early days. As one reviewer put it: “Elvis Presley, arriving here on the wave of tremendous publicity, fails to hit the promised mark in a desert isle surfeited with rock and rollers who play in shifts atop every cocktail lounge on the Strip. The brash, loud braying of his rhythm and blues catalogue (and mind you, they are big hits everywhere it seems), which albeit rocketed him to the bigtime, is overbearing to a captive audience. In a lounge, one can up and go—fast. But in a dining room the table-sitter must stay, look, and listen the thing out. Which is perhaps why Presley received applause on his opening show edged with polite inference only. For the teenagers, the long, tall Memphis lad is a whiz; for the average Vegas spender or show-goer, a bore. His musical sound with a combo of three is uncouth, matching to a great extent the lyric content of his nonsensical songs.”
And, according to a Billboard article: “Presley—pulling down $12,500 for the New Frontier date—was switched from closing the show to opening it, after the first night audience—a highly sophisticated group in contrast to his teen-age following—indicated a preference for Freddie Martin and comedian Shecky Greene.”
Elvis’ determination is impressive, especially considering how shy he was. You wouldn’t think he’d have the confidence to keep at it. But aren’t we glad he did? I guess the lesson here is, never give up. I’m not saying you–or anyone–will be another Elvis Presley, but hey, as Michael Jordan said: “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Thank you for stopping by…Happy Friday!
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
Learn more here, including how to donate:
http://www.graceland.com/epcf/
END OF LONELY STREET – Now Only 99 Cents!
On Elvis’ 80th birthday, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
Filed under Elvis Presley, Entertainment
When I was fifteen I had spine surgery to correct scoliosis. My spine was curved at a 48-degree angle and was twisted. I spent five days in the hospital after doctors used fusion and a titanium rod to fix the curvature. Before my surgery, I spent every day in pain. After it, I had a hard recovery and had to learn how to do daily activities with limited movement in my back. I remember how strange it felt to walk, and go up and down stairs. I didn’t think I’d ever heal, but I did. And what I went through made me a stronger person.
One day, when I was twelve-years-old, I sat down on a small grassy hill next to my house after a game of basketball. I was playing with the sharp blades of grass when my fingers brushed something stuck deep in the roots—a crooked screw crusted in orange rust. For the strangest reason, a story came to me about an extraordinary girl in an alternate world. I grabbed an old notebook and wrote fiercely. I’ve written ever since.
Also when I was twelve, a series of fires erupted in my city. I remember heading home from school and seeing the black plumes. My best friend’s dad said, “It looks like it’s right next to your house.” Sure enough, it was. I was dropped off to see flames consuming the brush and trees a mere foot from my home. My house survived, but one of my cats didn’t. Her name was Angel. She had run out the door…toward the fire. She returned late that night badly burned. She died a few days later on my thirteenth birthday. Fires still scare me today.
Hurricane Francis, a category 5 hurricane, hit Florida in 2004. Her worst happened at night while I was asleep. In the morning, I found my neighbor’s fence flat on the ground, the roof over my porch torn, and my garage door crumpled. I spent a week with my family without power and had to get MRE’s from FEMA in order to eat. This experience inspired my novella Hurricane Crimes.
When I was seventeen, I left school. Not because I was pregnant or a delinquent or anything like that. I was just going through difficult family times and found myself unable to go for several reasons. That circumstance, however, really did change my life.
After I left school, I got my GED when I was twenty-one. I hated seeing my friends graduate high school and move onto college, but that just wasn’t in my cards. I am proud of what I did though. That GED hangs proudly on my wall.
I fell in love (heart and soul) for the first time in my life when I met my nephew. I held him in the hospital, looked down at his precious face, and knew I was a goner. He is now ten-years-old!
I was in a bad place emotionally when I sent TWRP my manuscript. I was sinking deeper into a depression, feeling like a failure, and desperately wishing for something to change. Then it did. I received a positive email from the Senior Editor of the Crimson Rose Line (romantic-suspense) and soon had a contract. Thanks to my editor, I have published a total of 5 projects with them.
The day I published Hurricane Crimes, I finally felt like a winner. I was a published author! Then I received awesome messages from readers and reviewers that pushed me to think about the fate of this story. What happened before it? What happened after it? And that’s how the Disaster Crimes Series was born.
At my old apartment complex, a stray cat gave birth to 4 babies. I tried to take care of the mommy and babies the best I could. I offered shelter on my screened-in porch and gave them food and water. One day, the mom disappeared. I don’t know where she went, but before she left she made sure that her babies knew I was good. Every evening they crept onto my porch for dinner.
Sometime later, a woman with obnoxious twin boys (who I had seen throwing rocks where the babies sheltered at night, knowing they were there) was trying to grab them out from under the shed. She was unsuccessful, and I took action. That night when the babies came for their dinner, I did something drastic…I put the plate inside my house and waited for them to enter. When they did, I quietly slide the glass door shut. One of them freaked when he saw the door closed, but after a few minutes they were completely fine. It took them a few weeks to get used to seeing me so close, but they soon warmed up to me. October of this year will make it three years since they’ve been members of my family—Cole, Clover, Milo and Otis.
Wow, Chris, those are some fascinating, life-changing events, I’ll have to say. I loved hearing about your journey and how writing and publishing helped to pull you out of depression. The Wild Rose Press is a fabulous publisher…so glad you found a home there. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
And now, please check out Chris’s new release, looks like an excellent read!!! She’s also sponsoring a giveaway…the Rafflecopter link is at the bottom of the post.
BLURB:
An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove his innocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.
Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.
When a tip reveals the killer’s location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?
Digital:
Amazon US: http://amzn.com/B01CRJSPIU
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01CRJSPIU
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01CRJSPIU
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seismic-crimes-chrys-fey/1123508790?ean=2940158028380
KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/seismic-crimes
All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-seismiccrimes-1999825-153.html
The Wild Rose Press:
Print:
Amazon US: http://amzn.com/1509207252
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1509207252
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/1509207252
The Wild Rose Press:
BIO:
Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes, Book One in the Disaster Crimes series, as well as these releases from The Wild Rose Press: 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. She is an administrator for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and has participated in the Blogging from April A to Z Challenge.
When Fey was six years old, she realized she wanted to be a writer by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started writing her first novel, which flourished into a series she later rewrote at seventeen.
Fey lives in Florida and is always on the lookout for hurricanes. She has four adopted cats who keep her entertained with their antics, and three nephews who keep her entertained with their antics. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and through her blog, Write with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers!
AUTHOR LINKS:
Website www.ChrysFey.com
Blog www.writewithfey.blogspot.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/chrysfey
Twitter https://twitter.com/ChrysFey
HURRICANE CRIMES 99¢ SALE!
DIGITAL LINKS:
Author Alicia Dean 