Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 213

Interview with Marisa Dillon, LADY OF THE GARTER

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series? My debut novel, The Lady of the Garter, is set in the late 1400s. The heroine, Lady Elena, is a strong, independent woman determined to achieve two goals: win the heart of Sir James, a knight in the Order of the Garter, and to attain knighthood herself. The story grows as Elena disguises herself as a boy, becomes James’ squire and follows him into battle. But Elena’s determination and strength are tested as she confronts obstacles put in place by her nemesis, the evil Sir Nicholas. The twists and turns lead the reader on a romantic, high-spirited adventure that follows one woman’s pursuit of honor and true love. And yes, it’s the first book in a series.

How long before you got your offer of representation/your first contract? Was it for your first novel?I had a successful author as a mentor and she told me most writers don’t get their first novels published. So I put my first manuscript away in a drawer and started a second one. But when I decided to go to my first Romance Writer’s National Conference in July of 2013, that second manuscript wasn’t finished yet. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, missing agency and publishing pitch opportunities, I pulled that first story out of the drawer, dusted if off, pitched and sold it. A lucky home run on my first time at bat.

What factors influenced your decision to go with a particular agent or publisher? I had a chance to meet the publisher at the national conference. That doesn’t happen very often. When you are at a conference, it’s a bit like the wild, wild, west. There are coordinated pitches, and protocol, but there are unconventional opportunities too, like elevator pitches. I was invited to pitch my story at the hotel bar. And yes, I was sober, but had a strong drink after. The publisher loved the pitch and asked for the full manuscript. I received a contract just a week later from Soul Mate Publishing. 
If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover? Each author fills out a very detailed form that they submit to the art department at Soul Mate, including what they don’t want on the cover. My publisher has a very talented group of artists working for them, but my editor wanted to introduce a new artist to the publisher and my book’s cover became the pitch. Because of that, I was able to pick the model, background, font and colors. It was an amazing experience. 


Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you? I’m a total panster, which is the opposite of how I manage the rest of my life. Outside of writing, I’m a total planning geek, with Outlook, Excel spreadsheets, and ‘to-do’ lists ruling my world. I suppose my muse refuses to be corralled.


Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing? Yes, and I recommend doing so to any aspiring author seriously considering publication, particularly if they aren’t a part of a critique group. There are many affordable services available and when it’s your writing, you are bound to miss some things, plus it gives you an objective critique. You know your mother will love whatever you write, but that won’t help you sell a manuscript.


Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale? Not yet. My publisher has an exclusive deal with Amazon for a number of months after the release. Because of that Amazon, does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to promoting the book through its channels. Here’s the buy link:http://www.amazon.com/The-Lady-Garter-Marisa-Dillon-ebook/dp/B00QP2Q2P4


What kinds of marketing [twitter, Facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)? I’m a marketing and social media consultant for the television industry. Not only do I love marketing, I’m fortunate enough to receive extensive training in the subject and have some the most talented people around me. I focus primarily on Facebook and Twitter, but I’ve also produced a video book trailer and of course, I blog. Also, to save time and maximize my efforts, I’ve tied some of my social together. For example, when I tweet, that message is posted on my author Facebook page and my Amazon author central page allowing those tweets to be seen in both the US and the UK.


Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book? Absolutely. My job in the television industry is almost 24/7 and requires me to work sometimes 60+ hours a week. When you want to be published, you have to make the time— lunch hours, weekends, late nights, multi-tasking. I’d like to do this full time. Now, I just need to sell a lot of books. Ha! 


What’s next for you? I’m working on the second in the Garter series that will include a Highlander spin, as well as a standalone story set in Georgian times about a belly dancer. No release dates available yet, but I hope to back to visit here again when they are available. 


AUTHOR Bio and Links:With a degree in journalism, Marisa has spent many years writing for the television industry. As an award-winning producer/director/marketer, she has worked on commercial production, show creation, product branding and social media.
Marisa’s passion for writing began when her first-grade teacher read her poem aloud and posted it on the classroom wall. She soon followed up by writing plays for her neighborhood friends and hosting the productions in her garage.
Marisa has always enjoyed reading romance novels and now realizes a dream come true, writing romantic adventures. She lives in Kettering, Ohio, with her first love and knight in shining armor, James.
Here’s how to follow me until then: www.marisadillon.com. Facebook.com/pages/Marisa-Dillon Twitter.com/marisadillonGoodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10792736.Marisa_Dillon Amazon Central: http://www.amazon.com/Marisa-Dillon/e/B00QSXYQPI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/12/vbtthe-lady-of-garter-by-marisa-dillon.html

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Interview with Crystal Walton, EYES UNVIELED

  What inspired you to write Eyes Unveiled?When I first contemplated writing fiction, three musts came to mind. (1) It had to include romance because that’s my favorite part of any story. (2) I wanted whatever I wrote to be relatable. (3) I didn’t want to write simply for the sake of entertainment.
As soon as I opened myself up to daydream, a scene fluttered into focus. A guy and girl, college age, sitting in the middle of a secluded field. The guy was playing an acoustic guitar, as much in love with music as he obviously was with the girl across from him. Every chord stoked her love for him the same way it fanned the craving in her heart to find where she belonged. Both fighting what they felt. Both wanting to make the other see what they saw. Physical and emotional tension flared in a palpable tug-of-war between hope and doubt, caution and desire, passion and responsibilities. And right then, I knew these characters had a story to tell—one I wanted to read as much as write. From there, I couldn’t stop the scenes from coming.
What made you choose New Adult?I didn’t intentionally set out to write NA fiction. But the truth is, college was the best season of my life. I’d relive it in a second. There's something special about it. Sharing an extended sleepover with your best friends, stepping out on your own for the first time, discovering things like who you are & what friendship really looks like. It's when we fell in love like never before, and when we fell apart like never before. It shaped our lives.  
One of my favorite parts about Eyes Unveiled is that you get to relive those moments all over again. The laugh-until-you-snort moments. The heart-flutters-taking-flight moments. The on-the-floor-crying-your-heart-out moments. All of it. Doubt. Faith. Friendship. Love. NA is a dynamic genre to read and write.
What made you decide to go indie?I started off on the traditional route, but the more I studied publishing, the more passionate I became about going indie. Along with the benefit of keeping the rights to my book, it’s a joy to partner with some amazingly talented contractors. I love getting to offer my books at a low price and still receive a fair royalty, so readers and I both win. And since traditional and self-published authors have to do the same amount of marketing on their own anyway, you might as well be compensated fairly for the investment. Overall, it simply made the most sense.
Why do you write what you do?In a word? Passion. As an artist, I leave my heart on the page. Exposed. Vulnerable. Nothing withheld. It’s risky to bear your soul to the world, but that’s the cost of art. There might always be a part of me tempted to guard my heart. But there’s a much more compelling part that’ll never allow me to. Regardless of the outcome, I write what I do because my heart is spoken for.
What do you want readers to take away from your books?My goal as an author has always been to craft novels that are relevant and encouraging. I love compelling fiction that draws you into characters’ lives to the point of feeling what they feel. The kind that you walk away from knowing the story just impacted your life. Beyond mere entertainment, they awaken dormant dreams, stir creative visions, and remind you that you have a story of your own to live. If you walk away with an emotional connection that touches and inspires you, then I know I’ve written the kind of story I’ve always wanted to.

Book & Author Details:Eyes Unveiled by Crystal Walton
(Unveiled #1)
Publication date: February 1st 2015
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:Twenty-one-year-old Emma Matthews lost the song in her heart the same night she lost her dad. With an unfulfilled promise and an ultimatum shadowing her junior year of college, maybe it’s better that way. You can’t hurt if you can’t feel.
But when the reflection she sees in musician Riley Preston’s eyes borders dangerously close to the one she’s spent the last five years searching for, Emma discovers her walls can’t guard her heart from its fiercest desire. Terrified of what she’s experiencing, and even more afraid of what she might lose, Emma grapples for the courage to hold on to one dream without abandoning the promise of another.
Contemporary New Adult Romance novel Eyes Unveiled lets you relive those heartfelt moments when you don’t know how you’d survive a day without your best friend, when you’re trying to figure out who you are and what you’re supposed to do with your life, and when falling in love changes everything.
Music. Friendship. Self-discovery. Hope. Purpose. Identity. Within this inspirational love story, you’ll find you have a song of your own to share.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24000048-eyes-unveiled?ac=1
Purchase:Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00R9MB8OY
AUTHOR BIO:Amidst multiple moves up and down the east coast, Crystal received her bachelor of arts from Messiah College in PA, married her exact opposite in upstate NY, and earned her master of arts from Regent University in VA, where she currently resides with her husband. Crystal writes contemporary new adult fiction fueled by venti green teas from Starbucks.

When not working her accounting day job, she's delving into the wonder of words, supporting her Starbucks habit, or laughing over movie quotes & singing eighties songs with her husband.

She'd love to connect with you at http://crystal-walton.com

Author links:http://crystal-walton.com/https://www.facebook.com/crystalwaltonwriteshttps://twitter.com/crystallwaltonhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11117099.Crystal_Walton

 


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New Release: HEART OF STEEL by Elizabeth Einspanier

Congratulations to Elizabeth Einspanier on the release today of HEART OF STEEL, a Science Fiction Romance. Elizabeth is giving away a $20 gift certificate to Steampunk Emporium. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When reclusive cyborg Alistair Mechanus meets his captive, ER doctor Julia Parker, it is love at first sight--for him. While he eagerly drops his plans for World Conquest to woo her, ten years of solitude have left his social skills badly rusted. When his misguided act of kindness spirals out of control, however, Julia is forced to trust the mad genius with her life, and she discovers the vulnerable side under his armored plating. She has the skills he needs to unlock his forgotten past, but learning who he used to be may come at the cost of his remaining sanity.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Julia stopped in the doorway, pulling her hand out of Mechanus’. He turned to see what the matter was, and saw that she was looking past him, openmouthed, at the collection of plants on display. Mechanus followed her gaze in momentary confusion; he’d seen the flowers a thousand times before, and could easily look up the scientific name of every single specimen here and in the other two dozen greenhouses he had. He had detailed files about each specimen, after all.

It occurred to him that he ought to say something.

“This is...” he began. No. Not quite right. He cleared his throat. “Welcome to Greenhouse Fourteen.” There. Much better.

“I’m just... surprised you have something like this here,” Julia said. “I mean, everything else has been so...” She fell silent.

“So...?” Mechanus prompted.

“Industrialized.”

“Well, food has to come from somewhere,” he pointed out. You can only do so much by replicating proteins and complex sugars, and my chimeras don’t seem to like the nutrient slurries at all. I grow fruits and vegetables in greenhouses like this one, as well as grains and medicinal plants that I’ve gathered from all over the world.” He took her hand and led her on into the greenhouse. “For example, did you know that there are over 200 species of plant that have the potential to cure cancer?”

“I was talking about the flowers, but cancer cures are impressive, too.”

Idiot. Of course the flowers. Women liked flowers. “If you enjoy them,” he said, recovering with what he deemed sufficient grace, “I could give you one of my greenhouses. They’re self-maintaining, each with their own crew of maintenance drones who will ensure that they will remain healthy and green for the foreseeable future.”

About the Author:
Elizabeth Einspanier is the self-published author of the Weird Western novella Sheep’s Clothing and the upcoming sci-fi romance novel Heart of Steel. Her short stories have been published in Down in the Dirt and Dark Fire Fiction. She is a member of the St. Louis Writer’s Guild and an associate member of the Horror Writers of America. She lives in St. Louis, but frequently spends extended periods in worlds of her own creation.

Website: http://elizabetheinspanier.com
Blog: http://calliopeskiss.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeekGirlWriter
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ElizabethEinspanier/
Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/elizabetheinspanier
 
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/12/release-day-book-blast-heart-of-steel.html


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New #SF Release: ICED by M. Terry Green

Book blurb:Though she doesn’t know her real name, Thirteen is sure of two things: survival and finding her sister. Nothing stands in her way—not the great Pacifica Ice Sheet nor the slavers she escaped—until her deadly hunt takes a maddening turn.

The first and only clue in her search is held by the survivor of a wrecked ice ship. But he’s not sharing. He has a daughter to rescue, and he needs Thirteen’s help.

In the unforgiving subzero, a wary alliance is formed. Although she’d do anything to find her sister and finally know her own name, Thirteen never forgets the first rule of the ice. You only get one mistake—your last. 
Buy links:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Iced-Chronicles-Dystopia…/…/B00SQLU83EApple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/iced/id961490737?mt=11B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/iced-m-terry-gr…/1121122840…Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/iced-4
Author bio:M. Terry Green is a full-time writer, former archaeologist, and budding minimalist. For more information about her and Livvy's techno-shaman universe, please visit https://mterrygreen.com.

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Romance #PreOrder: JUSTICE FOR ALL by Olivia Hardin

Releases March 30, 2015 – Available NOW for PreOrder!Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashword
Sometimes the road you’re on is just a detour to your heart’s destination…

Kay Rawley has plans. She might be the second child of an earl, but she wants a life away from her father’s estate in New Durma. She wants a life apart from her family’s name. Becoming a lawyer was a bright, shiny object she just couldn’t resist grabbing. Her classes are complete, and all she has to do is pass the bar to get permanent employment at the Dallas law firm where she’s been interning for the past year. Kay’s been on Audrick Van Buren’s radar since the day she walked into his classroom two years ago. That admiration only grew when she came to work for his firm. But if there’s anything he recognizes, it’s a woman who’s driven–and Kay is definitely one. It’s all he can do to keep his distance and allow her the chance to come into her own. What Van doesn’t know is that someone else is watching Kay, too, and if he doesn’t step between them, that person might not only derail her career but threaten her very life.  


Things aren’t always what they seem, and Kay’s about to learn that the best laid plans are so much better when they go astray.

And if you haven’t read All for Hope (A Rawley Family Novel) you can get it for just 99 cents for a limited time! Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords
About the Author: When Olivia Hardin started having movie-like dreams in her teens, she had no choice but to begin putting them to paper. Before long, the writing bug had bitten her, and she knew she wanted to be a published author. Several rejections plus a little bit of life later, she was temporarily “cured” of the urge to write. That is, until she met a group of talented and fabulous writers who gave her the direction and encouragement she needed to get lost in the words again.

Olivia has attended three different universities over the years and toyed with majors in Computer Technology, English, History and Geology. Then one day she heard the term “road scholar,”’ and she knew that was what she wanted to be. Now she “studies” anything and everything just for the joy of learning. She’s also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and she’s sometimes accused of being artistic. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband, Danny and their puppy, Bonnie.

Follow her on Facebook!And on Twitter. . .
Keep up with Olivia on her website. . .. . .and finally, subscribe to her special events Newsletter for the chance to win prizes and get sneak previews of books![image error]

#Excerpt: EXALTATION by Jamie McGee

Excerpt:The last few hours flew by. Raven was warmed up enough and had seen Soren hop on the floor a bit ago to get himself loose. He had made it a point to skate around her and give her that look. The one that made the girls around them scream like they were at a concert and the lead singer just leapt down into the crowd. Raven found it hilarious they all thought she and Soren were really having some torrid love affair.  “All right. All right!” the DJ said over the mic. “I don’t know about ya’ll but I’ve been feeling a little sizzle in the air.”The crowd screamed. Raven’s heart started to pound. She knew the spotlight was seconds away. “Maybe a little young love, hmmmm?” the DJ prompted. “I’ve been told that someone wants the floor cleared!” The crowd whistled and roared as they started to clear away. “That’s right, clear the floor so this man can hold his woman.” Catcalls were heard from as far as the auditorium. There were only a few stragglers on the floor so Raven started to pick up her skate. The lights went out which was her cue.  She rolled into the center just as the spotlight came on. This part was easy, a few spins and in and outs, but the whistles had already started.The music they were using was a mix of almost everything. It started out with a slow beat set to a snap and a deep bass that pounded at the perfect moment. Raven knew the second Soren glided on the floor because the girls screamed his name along with ‘marry me.’ Raven glanced back as if surprised he was skating toward her.He rolled right up to her, her back against his front. He reached his fingertips for her jaw and wistfully outlined her cheek as their bodies waved slowly head to toe. This routine started out sensual and you didn’t get any more sensual than that, two bodies moving in rhythm as one.

Book & Author Details:Exaltation by Jamie Magee
Publication date: February 10th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Synopsis:Fate is a twisted b*$#@, at least his was.
Was one soul worth the lives of millions? The quandary was one that Rydell King had no choice but to face. No matter the answer, the truth remained—innocence was created to destroy him. She was beautiful…extinguishing her to save his people seemed impossible, and maybe it was. As an immortal, his focus was to destroy the curse upon his people, as he devoured the emotion that bore him—exaltation, no matter the cost. She made him question everything.
Mercy had never been crueler.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24484097-exaltation
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Exaltation-Jamie-Magee/dp/150772618X/ref=twoen-20Ibooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id961663275
Nook - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/exaltation-jamie-magee/1121122834?ean=2940151673259&itm=1&usri=2940151673259Kobo - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/exaltation-1
AUTHOR BIO:Jamie Magee has always believed that each of us have a defining gift that sets us apart from the rest of the world, she has always envied those who have known from their first breath what their gift was. Not knowing hers, she began a career in the fast paced world of business. 

Raising a young family, and competing to rise higher in that field would drive some to the point of insanity, but she always found a moment of escape in a passing daydream. Her imagination would take her to places she’d never been, introduce her to people she’s never known. Insight, her debuting novel, is a result of that powerful imagination. Today, she is grateful that not knowing what defined her, led her on a path of discovery that would always be a part of her.

Author links:http://www.authorjamiemagee.com/zvz6r0j8anuybkeb063d7c4whr6fothttps://www.facebook.com/Jamie.Magee.Author?fref=tshttps://twitter.com/TheJamieMageehttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4200019.Jamie_Magee
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)$25 Amazon Gift CardPaperback copies of Exaltation, Insight, & Impulsion by Jamie MageeSwag (tote, bookmarks, keychain)
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#Excerpt: HEARTS ON FIRE by Alison Packard

Excerpt:As if sensing she was being watched, she turned and their gazes collided across the stage. Her smile faltered as the seconds ticked by. She remained rooted to the spot, so he moved forward. One of them had to make the first move; it looked like it would be him.
“Hey,” he said as he halted in front of her.
She thanked the roadie, who smiled and left them to attend to Tara and Renee.
“Hello,” she replied, her tone formal and her eyes guarded. “Thank you for agreeing to help us out.”
“You’re welcome.” He rested his arm along the top of his favorite guitar, a Fender Strat that he’d bought when he was sixteen, after years of saving his allowance and hoarding the money he’d earned doing odd jobs around town.
Although his father had made good money and left them fairly well-off after he died, his mom always believed that he should learn the value of money. It was a lesson he’d learned well, and to this day, he hadn’t touched one dollar of the money his father had left him. He wanted to make something of himself on his own terms, not because he had connections or an inheritance.
“Wally gave me the set list yesterday. It looks like it’s pretty much the same as before,” he said, after an uncomfortable silence.
“For the most part.” Jessie tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “The only difference is, I’ve changed up the order so that some of my older stuff is sprinkled throughout the set. Works better that way.”
He nodded. “So what the hell happened to Kenny? Wally said he broke his arm?”
Jessie rolled her eyes. “The damn fool decided to take a swan dive off the stage, and because he’d had a couple of fireballs before the show, he miscalculated how close the audience was to the stage and fell smack dab onto the concrete floor.”
Drew gasped, equally shocked and amused at the picture she’d painted. “Jesus. Are you serious?”
Her lips curved upwards with a ghost of a smile. It was something, even if it wasn’t the usual mega-watt smile she gave him when they used to hang out together. “It’s true. I couldn’t make something like that up. Broke his arm in two places.”
“Ouch.” He winced, thinking of the pain Kenny must have been in. “So he’ll be laid up for a while?”
“Looks like it,” she said. Then, without warning, her tone turned frosty again, and the laughter vanished from her eyes. “Well, we should get started. Do you feel comfortable with all the songs?”
“Yeah. I could do them in my sleep,” he said, then frowned. “Did that sound cocky?”
“No. Just confident.” Her unreadable eyes roamed over his face. “Wally wants us to do a duet.”
“I know.”
He’d taken a look at the sheet music and recognized the song immediately. Anybody who’d ever attended a wedding in the last twenty years would probably be aware of the hit ballad that was popular in the early ‘80s. It was a nice song, and one that would suit his and Jessie’s harmonies to a tee.
“I’m not sold on the idea, but he seems to think it’ll be good for the CMT taping.”
“Whatever you decide is fine with me.” He brushed his hair back from his eyes and held her gaze. “I miss talking to you, Jessie,” he said, unable to stop himself.
Her eyes flickered with some unknown emotion, which vanished as quickly as it came.
“We should get to work. Time’s a wastin’.” And with that, she turned her back on him, moved to the center mic near the front of the stage and never looked back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:Drew Carmichael has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the best up-and-coming musicians in Nashville, without cashing in on his renowned father’s name. When Jessie’s manager calls and asks him to fill in for her band’s injured guitar player, he agrees to help Jessie out even though she cut him out of her life four months ago.
In Sin City, sparks fly between Jessie and Drew, and it isn’t long before they give in to their mutual attraction. But when the dark past Jessie has successfully hidden for ten years explodes in the media, their tenuous bond is put to the test, and both Jessie and Drew must learn to trust each other if they don’t want their newfound romantic relationship to go up in flames
AUTHOR Bio and Links:Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Alison now lives in Southern Nevada where she’s still getting used to the blistering summers and the slot machines in every grocery store.
When not working at the day job that pays the bills, keeps a roof over her head, and supports her book and chocolate habits, Alison spends most of her free time writing. But when she takes a break, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family and friends.
Website: http://alisonpackard.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alison-Packard-Author/368976796492227?ref=hlTwitter: https://twitter.com/AlleyficsAmazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Alison-Packard/e/B009JG39XQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_4?qid=1419875275&sr=8-4Barnes and Noble Author Page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/alison-packard
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/01/blurb-blitz-tour-hearts-on-fire-by.html
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Guest Post by Jennifer Carole Lewis, REVELATIONS

5 Right Lessons Learned From the Wrong Places
When I was in college, one of my professors told me something which changed my mind about the best way to learn.  He told me that I would learn more from people I disagree with and experiences I didn’t like than I ever would from those I enjoyed and agreed with.  And he was right.
Everyone tells you to read good books in order to learn how to write good books.  But I’ve learned just as much, if not more, from books I didn’t enjoy.  I won’t share specific names here, since I’m a big believer in not being sued.  But if you want to be a writer, I would strongly encourage you not to put a book aside because you’re not enjoying it.  Instead, break it down and figure out why you didn’t like it, especially if it seemed promising at first.
1)    Flat characters
Dickens is renowned for his vivid characters.  With only a few phrases or words of descriptions, he made them seem real to his readers.  But description is only the first part of making a character seem real.
I was put off with a recent library pickup, a paranormal romance, because the heroine seemed completely removed from the story.  Werewolves attacking?  Meh.  Family’s safety threatened?  All in a day’s work.  I suspect the author was trying to demonstrate this young woman’s shock by minimizing her emotional reaction.  But instead, it came off as if the character didn’t care at all.  Characters are our windows into a book’s world.  We react to stories about people, which is why we care more about one little boy or girl suffering than statistics about millions dying.
Characters may feel real to the author but sometimes they don’t transfer onto the page.  To feel real to a reader, they need information sprinkled throughout.  Favorite foods, a nervous habit, souvenirs from childhood, all of these sorts of details make a character feel real.  And most of all, they need to react to what’s going on.  I was told to make sure my point-of-view character reacted either emotionally, intellectually or physically to every action in a scene.  And it makes a difference.
Another common character challenge is a stereotyped character.  Another recent book I picked up felt like the main characters had been picked up out of a discount bin.  There was the Peppy Cheerleader, the Brooding Poet and the Dumb Jock.  Not once did any of them break with their stereotypes: the cheerleader was enthusiastic and ditzy about everything, the poet wore black clothes and brooded in corners and the jock failed to recognize such exotic places as “Mexico”.  The concept of the story was interesting but the flat characters sucked all the fun out of it. 
Every person is unique and every character should be, too.  Even secondary characters should have something unique about them to distinguish them from the thousand other gum-snapping waitresses or awkward tech specialists out there.  Main characters should break out of stereotypes in a dozen different ways, at a minimum.

2)    Failing To Deliver
Nothing ruins a story faster than anticipating something which never happens.  In one small-town romance I read, the heroine arrives on the run from an abusive stalker ex-boyfriend.  Throughout the book, I kept waiting for the ex to find her.  She worried about it constantly, running away from a local TV broadcast, not giving her real name to anyone, lying about her background.  Halfway through the book, she sees a news broadcast telling her that the ex-boyfriend has died in a car accident.  That was the closest he came to playing a role in the story.
I felt incredibly cheated by that novel.  I’d been looking forward to some kind of confrontation, maybe between the ex and the hero.  Or maybe the heroine would have to decide between staying with the man she’d come to love or escaping the one who hurt her.  I even held out hope that he’d faked his death to lure her out of hiding (since he was described as obsessive and manipulative).  Instead, the problem was solved without her having to lift a finger or make a decision.
Readers will expect narrative promises to be fulfilled.  If an author brings something up, then readers expect it to play a role in the story.  Crises and plot points should never be solved “off camera” away from the reader.
3)    Too Much Backstory
Personally, I’m obsessive about backstory.  If I like a character, I want to know everything about them.  What songs did their mother sing to them at night?  Where did they hang out in high school?  I like knowing details.
On the other hand, there can be too many details.  One rather hefty novel I picked up had a 30 page prologue detailing the hero’s ancestry and his ancestor’s achievements.  None of which ended up playing any role in the story.  Granted, it helped to establish the world but that could have been done much more concisely.  Details should establish character, establish the world in the story or create the mood/scene.  Otherwise, the pace is bogged down and readers can’t pick out the significant information from the multitudes. 

4)    Overdeveloped World
Technically, I suppose this flaw is really an extension of the “too much backstory” and “flat character” flaws.  Sometimes authors have a real gift for world creation.  They can create an alternate reality or a fantasy world which feels incredibly innovative and real.  Setting is supposed to feel like another character.  It isn’t supposed to usurp the actual walking-talking characters.
I’ve read any number of historical, fantasy and paranormal novels where the world was fascinating but the flat characters ended up feeling like a distraction against the backdrop.  In one Victorian romance I read, the author devoted a lot of time to making 1860s London feel real and substantial.  She explained customs deftly and had done her research on dress and manners.  But her hero and heroine remained stilted and awkward. 
One of my friends wants to write novels, but he fully admits he’s much better at coming up with unique worlds and grand sweeping arches of fictional history than he is at creating characters that other people want to read about.  I’ve offered him the following litmus test: if I pulled these characters out of this world and stuck them anywhere else, would anyone be interested in what’s happening to them?
5)    Too Many Surprises
I like being surprised, but only in a good way.  I want to look back at the story and say to myself “My God, how did I miss that!  It’s so obvious!” as I eagerly flip the pages.  I do not want to be sitting there going “Hunh?” as events play out.
A series I was enjoying ended up completely flipping the expectations from the first book in the last one.  There was a secondary character who I fully expected to be revealed as a villain (perhaps a reformed villain trying to mend her ways but a villain nonetheless).  There were all sorts of hints that she was not what she appeared to be.  But in the last book it was revealed that she was, in fact, exactly what she appeared to be.  Meanwhile, the good guys had become the bad guys and everyone had changed their minds about what they were fighting for in this particular post-apocalyptic landscape.
I read interviews with this particular author who admitted that she went through a major reconceiving of the overall story about two-thirds of the way through the series.  Unfortunately, the preparations she had done no longer applied.  And so the ending scenario came off as incomprehensibly surprising.
This is where a good beta-reader is invaluable.  Someone who has not talked to the author about the story and who only knows what is on the page.  Authors may think they’ve explained something or set it up perfectly, but the reader is still in the dark.  A good beta-reader will tell you if your plot and character actions make sense based on what you have already established.
No author can ever indulge in the belief that she or he has learned all there is to know.  To quote Jurassic Park: “Creation is an act of sheer will”.  The spark of inspiration is only the kernel.  After that, comes the layers of sheer will and determination which turn the tiny kernel into a pearl.
So take the time to indulge in some “bad” stories.  You’ll learn more than you think.


Book & Author Details:Revelations by Jennifer Carole Lewis
Publication date: January 30th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:For millennia, the lalassu have existed at the fringes of society, hiding in the shadows. But someone is determined to drag them into the light.

Dani has spent years fighting against her family’s urges to take on the mantle of High Priestess for the lalassu. Stronger and faster than any ordinary human, she has no interest in being a guide for her people. She likes being independent and enjoys her night-job as a burlesque dancer. But a darker secret lurks inside of her, one which threatens everyone around her.

Isolated and idealistic, Michael works as a developmental therapist for children, using his psychometric gifts to discover the secrets they can’t share with anyone else. When one of his clients is kidnapped, he will do almost anything to rescue her. The investigation leads him to a seedy little performance club where he is shocked and thrilled to discover a genuine live superhero.

Michael and Dani must join forces to save those they care about from becoming the latest victims of a decades-long hunt. But the fiery chemistry between them threatens to unlock a millennia-old secret which could devour them both.

The clock is ticking and they will be faced with the ultimate hero’s choice: save the world or save each other?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24376990-revelations
Purchase: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Revelations-Lalassu-Jennifer-Carole-Lewis-ebook/dp/B00SZKZFMK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423144482&sr=8-1&keywords=Revelations by Jennifer Carole Lewis
AUTHOR BIOJennifer Carole Lewis is a full-time mom, a full-time administrator and a full-time writer, which means she is very much interested in speaking to anyone who comes up with any form of functional time-travel devices or practical cloning methods. Meanwhile, she spends her most of her time alternating between organizing and typing.

She is a devoted comic book geek and Marvel movie enthusiast. She spends far too much of her precious free time watching TV, especially police procedural dramas. Her enthusiasm outstrips her talent in karaoke, cross-stitch and jigsaw puzzles. She is a voracious reader of a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction and always enjoys seeking out new suggestions.
Author links:https://twitter.com/jclewisupdatehttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Carole-Lewis/266116980245327http://www.pastthemirror.com/
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Interview with Renee Bernard, THE DEVIL TO PAY

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?DEVIL TO PAY is the first in my new Eternity Gambit series and is nothing you really expect in a paranormal romance about Angels and Demons.  First of all, it’s a romantic comedy so no blood splatter or apocalyptic battles over mythic turf… Because Heaven, Inc. and Hades Enterprises, LLc (or H.E.L.Lc) are companies working for one Corporation and while the working hours are beyond extreme, I think a lot of people will appreciate the humor of office politics and a universal respect for the special chaos that can only come from Human Beings.
In DEVIL TO PAY, the Archangel Lucifer (the seventh unlucky angel to have the job) is just a guy trying to survive a job he never wanted and certainly isn’t enjoying because H.E.LLc is tasked with tracking evil and reporting statistical anomalies to Upper Management, recording all misdeeds and managing what they can without upsetting the balance of the Universe.  No souls are tortured and the only thing that Hell manufactures is paperwork.  The Prince of Darkness is more of a figurehead than a general and is doing his best to keep up morale in between dreaded Mondays and casual Fridays (not that Upper Management believes in weekends off). 
So when he meets a mortal woman named Jayne Hamilton who turns his world upside down, all bets are off.  Because angels can’t lie and it’s very, very hard to get a girl to let her take you to dinner after you tell her that you’re Satan.  In fact, if true love can overcome that obstacle, then miracles do happen.
Do you have a favorite character? Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?My favorite character is one that I originally had set out as a very secondary character but who almost immediately squashed that misguided idea.  Malcolm is tall, dark and handsome, possesses a wicked sense of humor and the impeccable timing of an English butler.  He is Lucifer’s Executive Personal Assistant and Demonic Liaison, putting him right next to the black onyx desk and for all practical purposes second in command of Hades Enterprises, LLc.  He loves tradition, has a passion for technology and is the one who insisted that all the break rooms in H.E.LLc have state-of-the-art espresso machines.  He is unapologetically naughty when allowed to be but no one works harder with a closer eye on schedules, report deadlines and meeting agendas.
He pushed the novel to open up to the rich world of the internal departments and processes in H.E.LLc where I had planned to keep it mysterious. He gave Lucifer the close friend and confidant that he needed and I hope shows readers where demons can have hearts, too.  At the climax of the book, Malcolm shocked me and became the quiet hero of the day. Of all the characters in the book, it was Malcolm and surprisingly, Azrael, the Archangel of Death, who received the strongest reader responses and requests to see more of them.
What is your writing process? Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?I rough outline the books by scenes/chapters and then just start layering it in.  A synopsis rarely matches the finished book entirely but I think it’s good to have that launching point and to have a general idea of where you are going before you start.  I tell people that writing a book is a trip (as in you have a destination, an itinerary, some goals and limited time/resources) but that doesn’t mean you won’t have adventures along the way, include a few side roads, see something unexpected and learn something new.   You can plan and be spontaneous in good measure but writing a book shouldn’t be a journey (as in you just start walking and hope it doesn’t get dark and start raining before you reach shelter.)  That’s called journaling or prose.  That’s a different fish.

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
I was traditionally published when I started by Simon & Schuster with Pocketbooks, then with Berkley.  I walked the traditional path with an agent and if you’d asked me after I signed that first contract, I’d have sworn that I’d made it to the promised land and all my worries were behind me.  Ah, the innocence of youth!  I learned some hard lessons about the business side of publishing, the lack of real care or attention to debut authors and the cutthroat approach to make-or-break calls.  I had editors that couldn’t remember what period my historical romances were set in, covers to cry over (or laugh depending on where you were sitting) and even as I improved my craft and writing as I went and won awards, it didn’t matter.  It’s like being in a marriage where it’s over before the rice has been swept away…and I was dreaming of anniversaries to come.
The break to self-publishing came because of this new series and because of DEVIL TO PAY.  My historical romance past made any genre change forbidden but I was also relegated to No Man’s Land like so many mid-list authors where no one wants to see anything new from you unless you’ve decided to transform into someone else and write Fifty Shades of Seen It Before But Let’s Make Money. 
I wanted to write light, funny paranormals in between the historical romances.  NY told me directly that paranormals required hard-core sex scenes, at least one shape shifter and gritty, kick-ass heroines.  If my book didn’t have any/all of those elements so that they could market it as the usual story readers expected, they weren’t interested in picking me up.  As it turned out, I wasn’t interested in writing the ‘usual’ anything.  I walked away from a contract with one of the last, big NY houses and my agent promptly fired me.  But I believed in The Eternity Gambit and I knew in my heart that DEVIL TO PAY was worth the risk.
Self-publishing now gives me the freedom to write the stories that I want to without someone else dictating what it must have or what I can’t do.  I love being able to decide what’s next for me and where I want to go.  It has its own challenges and despite what so many will say, it isn’t an instant get-rich-quick environment.  I self-published four books last year.  It’s all the work of being your own business, from the ground up. But the rewards have come in the form of peace of mind, creative freedom and amazing readers.
I haven’t abandoned writing historical romances at all! The Duchess Club series comes out this year and I don’t think I’ll ever give it up.  But with self-publishing, I know that there is nothing I can’t try.  Dystopian fantasy, Historical Romance Single Titles, biographies, YA, Erotic romances, you name it.  Nothing is off the table.  But it’s my table.  And great readers get to choose from an incredible electronic buffet now and they can read whatever they want.  That’s huge.
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?I’m very lucky to have incredible beta-readers and my mother is a very gifted editor and proofreader.  She is actually working for several authors now and building her own editing business—but she has assured me that I’ll always be treated equally with her paying customers and that she’ll always take my calls.

What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?I learned to let go and not to worry about perception of others or the opinions of traditional vs. self-publishing.  This is my road to walk and I am not a ‘vanity press’ writer.  I’m a USA Today bestselling author who won Best Debut Historical Romance of 2006 from RT’s Reviewers and I’m sixteen books into this journey.  I don’t need to apologize for the choices I’ve made and the mistakes are mine.  Self-publishing has helped me truly define myself as an artist and an independent person.  Win, lose or draw, I’m so grateful I stayed in the game.

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?Smashwords, B&N, Kobo, anywhere books are sold, I hope!  Audiobooks are also available via ACX.com and translations are out there in Spanish, Russian, French, Thai and Japanese.

What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?
Put your best foot forward.  Write your best book and then have it edited.  It’s easy to hit the ‘publish’ button but taking back a nightmare impression of bad grammar and sickening prose is almost impossible, so make sure you’re ready before you jump.
And then, JUMP!
What’s next for you?I’m continuing The Eternity Gambit Series with DEVIL MAY CARE, DEVIL OF A JOB and DEVIL IN THE DETAILS and will have a digital comic book out about Azrael called AZRAEL’S GIRL.  I am also working on The Duchess Club Series with THE WILD DUCHESS, THE WILLFUL DUCHESS, THE WANTON DUCHESS and THE WICKED DUCHESS, all set in Victorian London and a gift to my historical romance fans as a follow up to The Jaded Gentlemen Series.
I have a novel called THE IMBALANCE in progress and also THE CONCUBINE’S DAUGHTER, so at this point, 2015 looks to be a big writing year for me.  I have my fingers crossed that no matter how someone finds me in the crowd out there on Amazon, I do hope they enjoy the stories and stay with me for all the exciting books to come!
Thank you so much for having me here and for supporting authors and readers in their love of books!***
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/12/vbt-devil-to-pay.html
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Interview with Kathi Haacke Moorehead, WHITE NIGHT

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?WHITE NIGHT is the story of one woman’s quest to learn who she really is, rather than the person she believed she was. It sounds very cliché, I know. I think we all want to see and believe ourselves as possessing certain qualities and characteristics. Sometimes our understanding is correct, sometimes, it’s not. WHITE NIGHT begins at Jo Campbell’s deathbed, and walks with her through an afterlife she wasn’t expecting, and doesn’t feel she deserves. It’s up to her to learn the lessons she needs to learn to change her circumstances. It’s hard though. Not many of us are brave enough to look that deeply inside, especially in Jo’s situation where her salvation is at risk.
Do you have a favorite character?I do. My favorite is Soul. She is actually Jo’s soul, and she is responsible for guiding Jo through this series of lessons to be learned. She and Jo have a very non-traditional relationship, to say the least. I love Jo as well, but Soul has the sense of humor and a “take no prisoners” attitude. It was fun to write her.
Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?No. In fact, to be honest, when this story was conceived, there were only two characters period. All of the supporting characters are intrinsic to the story, so I have to say that while they may not be “major” characters, they are all equally important to the balance.
Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?I did not. I published a (very poorly written) memoir last year and went the traditional route. I did everything wrong that was possible to do, including sending a mass mailing with wrong information in it. This time, as WHITE NIGHT progressed, I realized that I didn’t want to go through the time, trouble, and frustration of appealing to a group of people who aren’t like the folks I hang out with. I am not a literary snob. I am someone who wears their heart on their sleeve. I don’t really want or expect to appeal to someone who edits The New Yorker. So no. I focused on professional editing and marketing.
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?It depends. In WHITE NIGHT, the song “Johnny Angel” is a theme that runs through the book. I can’t tell you how many times I had that cranking on certain chapters. Since this is the only fiction work I’ve done, I have no idea if a song du “novel” will become part of the process. I find that I hate interruptions (which … well … my husband can tell you about), so I have to say that my process is very solitary and quiet.
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?I probably have made every single freshman novelist mistake with this book! I just thought of a point I wanted to make, and wrote a story about it. I would do a chapter or two a day. I know how I wanted to start it and finish it. The middle .. meh. I wasn’t so concerned with. Can you imagine? I am laughing as I say this. So I’m a “muser”, not an “outliner.” No. Let me qualify that. I was a “muser” for WHITE NIGHT. I have absolutely no idea what lies ahead. It kind of scares me!
Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?Ohhhh yes. If there is one place that I’d advise beginning authors to put their money, it is in editing. WHITE NIGHT is told in the first person. The odd thing about my book is that it is basically one person speaking to another aspect of herself, so it was a real challenge to present dialogue in a believable way. Plus. I am the “ellipse queen”. I had a terrific editor. She went all the way through the creation of the book with me. Then, she suggested that it go to another copyeditor because she was too close to it. Which I did. I still, even with it published, cringe when I see a missing comma or a run on sentence. But what I see published is so much better than what I could have done on my own.
What advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing arena?Believe in yourself, because if you don’t, no one else will. Trust me. Be confident, but humble. And more than anything, don’t lose your sense of humor!
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?Laughing. Loudly. Enough to embarrass my children.
What’s next for you?I am working on a chapter to contribute to an anthology on women conquering obstacles. I am also slated to co-author a book on spiritual learning. I am also sort of considering a sequel to WHITE NIGHT. I’m honestly not sure I want to take it further, although there are certainly ways to do so.

Blurb:
Joanna Anderson Campbell lived the perfect life ... loving daughter and sister, loyal friend, faithful wife, and devoted mother. She was happy and content. What more could she have asked for? Life could not have been better. At least ... that's what she believed. Until she died. Can death teach the most valuable lessons about life? Jo Campbell is about to find out. 

Autographed Copy: http://www.kathimorehead.com/  

Buy on Amazon (Paperback) | Kindle

     

About the author:Kathi Haacke Morehead makes her fiction debut with WHITE NIGHT. She is the author of HEART BLEED: Letting go and stanching the flow, and THE BEST FROM THE CHEAP SEATS. She has also written numerous articles for Mind Body Green, and Boomeon. She also blogs daily at A View From the Cheap Seats Today. Kathi lives in Brunswick with her husband Dave and their four finicky felines. Her motto is "love and laugh!"
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