Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 262

Character Interview: Courtland Reese from AFTERSHOCK by Susan Griscom

Courtland
Reese, Bio






I’m Courtland Reese. Some call me
Court, which I suppose is okay. I was born in a little town called Pleasant
Ridge. It’s more small because of the amount of people than it is for its dimensions.
Most homes are at least a quarter mile apart and a few spreads are actually
wineries. Several of the houses are what’s known around here as horse
properties. Pleasant Ridge is located in the sierra foothills in Northern
California just west of Lake Tahoe.




I’m looking forward to attending Sac State next fall. Hopefully, with a
partial scholarship and working part time, I’ll be able to pull it off, no
sense on counting on my Dad for help. Sac State’s not too far from here, but
far enough to get away from this town and all the rumors about me and my little
talent. 




I’ve always had this gift of being able to communicate with animals. We
simply understand each other. I sometimes have the ability to sense certain
things about people too, though I like to keep that to myself. Some people think
it’s a gift, however, many think it’s sort of freaky. I guess it depends on
which side of the fence you’re standing on. See, my mom was a Miwok, that’s a
Native American indigenous to these parts. Some ancient ancestors of mine
called my gift, “swishing.” I looked it up once. It means to become one mind.
At least that wasn’t as freaky as shape shifting or some other wild ability my
ancestors claimed to have had. I’m not sure “swishing” can really be referred
to as an “ability.” Maybe, if you consider that most people can’t do it, I
guess it might be. A lot of people can’t play the piano, I suppose that’s an
ability too.




I grew up with just my dad since my mom passed away when I was ten. He
might as well have died along with her though. He spends most days with his
best friend, Jack, drinking himself into a state of semi-consciousness, you
might say I really raised myself. Dad claims it helps him cope with the loss of
my mom. 






This odd talent I possess never added anything great to my life. Most
people are afraid of me and stay clear. I don’t mind too much, except for
Adela. I would love to get to know her better. I’d take her and her family over
mine or anybody else’s, any day. Adela is beautiful and kind, though she doesn’t
talk to me often, I know in my heart she must be kind and gentle. The few times
we have spoken—mostly about her horse since her dad has hired me a couple of
times to help out in the barn—she’s been very sweet. Sweet as an angel.






 At least she is when she’s
not hanging around with Max. 

A lot of the kids called me a freak when I was growing up. That’s mostly
because of Max, though.



Max and I were best friends up until the fourth grade. It was right
after my mother died. We had a fight and ended up hating each other. You see, the
way it worked out was, I got the dog, but he got the girl. But I plan on
changing that.  






























Book Synopsis:

What happens when a
major earthquake changes life as you know it and the boy you thought you
hated ends up saving you? Three times!



Courtland Reese is the guy everyone hates and makes fun of because … well,
he is weird. He communicates with animals. Strange or interesting, seventeen-year-old
Adela Castielle can’t quite figure out, but when he saves her from being trampled
by her own horse, she begins to understand him a little better and wants
to learn more about him.



But, Max–her best friend/dream guy/someday-to-be-her-husband-only-he-doesn’t-know-it-yet–hates Courtland
with a passion. Adela wants to know why, except neither boy is talking.



When Max leaves her stranded in his parents’ wine cave with his worst enemy,
Courtland, after what the experts are calling a “megathrust” earthquake,
Adela starts to question her loyalty to Max as steamy kisses in a dark
damp cellar only fuel her emotions with more conflict.



But does she really have time to worry about that when fire, destruction and
mayhem surround her?




Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15796396-allusive-aftershock?ac=1




Purchase: 

--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQ9LF72?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00AQ9LF72&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

--B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/allusive-aftershock-susan-griscom/1114073115?ean=9780615737898









AUTHOR BIO

Susan Griscom daydreams often. And sometimes her daydreams
interfere with her daydreams not to mention real life. Because, let’s face it,
her character’s lives are so much more exciting. Sometimes it’s young
adult or new adult or just plain old mainstream fiction and sometimes
it’s paranormal romance, where her playing field delves into a different milieu
than the usual vampires and werewolves. Some day she might write about
fangs and fur, but for now she prefers sticking to strong heroes and
heroines confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers and abilities
beyond the norm, mixed with some steamy romance to get the blood boiling.

Susan lives in the Sierra Foothills in Northern California with her very romantic
husband, her small yippy dog, Riley, and her humongous black cat, Saké.
Her family consists of his and hers; four wonderful sons and one beautiful
daughter, and seven grand angels.
 

Susan loves when a story takes hold and pulls her into the fantasy, that’s
magic.
 

You can visit Susan at http://susangriscom.com or email her at susangriscom1@gmail.com.
She loves hearing from her fans.




Author Links:

Website: http://www.susangriscom.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4959103.Susan_Griscom

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanGriscom

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










Giveaways:
Grand prize giveaway
Prizes:

--One paperback copy + Swag (US only)

--One audiobook copy (INTL)

--One ebook copy (INTL)



 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour Blast: ADELE ARTHUR AND THE CREATORS CLOCK by Judyann McCole

 



 



Adela Arthur and the Creator's Clock

by Judyann McCole

This book 1 of 5 for The Chronicle of A

 

Genre: Fantasy


To Who Ever This May Concern;

I wish I could tell you the contents of this book were purely fictional. That I, Adela Arthur, was just a normal sixteen year old from Portland and that dragons, giants, elves and mermaids were just myths. I wish these were legends shared from crazy old grandparents to crazy old grandparents around campfires.



After all, that is what I used to believe.I never would have thought they lived on the other side of our mirrors in a world called Cielieu. But they do…I never would have thought there were humans, better known as Volsin that lived among them with the ability to create light from a single thought. But there are…I never would have thought I was one of them… But I am… I am the last Arthur and I was brought to the human world after a Volsin, filled with greed, began to strip the light from our kind.The human world was supposed to be a safe haven… but he’s found us and the only way to stop him is to go back to Cielieu and begin training as a student in the Elpida Castle of Light.Like I said I wish the contents of this book were purely fictional and not my life…




Adela Arthur is now on amazon on Paperback | Kindle

 

About the Author:
JUDYANN MCCOLE was a senior in high school when she started working on Adela Arthur and the Creator’s Clock during her history class. It started off as short story for a group of young kids she babysat for and grew into an adventure she herself wanted to go on. She is currently attending college in Virginia. Where she hopes to finish the next adventure in Adela Arthur’s life. She begin writing when she was in middle school most of it was just simple poetry but she was inspired by Maya Angelou and even a little of Dr. Seuss.





 

Follow Judyann:

Website | Blog | Author FaceBook | FaceBook | Twitter | Goodreads








The author is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift card Fill out the form below to enter





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Joss Landry

Can you
give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?

Mirror
Deep is not part of a series. Stands alone as a Romantic
Mystery. Kat Bonner is a budding horse whisperer, and while she can usually exact
good behavior from any wild steed, her second cousin Pierce bucks her at every crack
of the whip. An ex-lawyer, recently released from 18 years in prison, lands at
Bonner-Willow ranch to tell Kat her birth mother has just died. The only person
she can run to for help is Pierce.




Do you
have a favorite character?

A toss up between Pierce and Kat. I also like all the
characters, even the ones you love to hate. Pierce is cool, yet kind, handsome,
yet fighting to keep his emotions for Kat hidden. Kat is stubborn, determined
and sometimes runs headlong into procuring a problem with her own brand of
solution.




What
factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?

I believe the growing trend of authors doing so launched me
on my research quest. I did two years of reliable research. Submit to an agent,
or check in with a small publisher. I couldn’t find any small publishers that seemed
to run long or deep enough to last for the whole marathon. I found many
Indie publishers most of them fledglings. Unable to choose, I decided
to go on my own. I’d have no one else to blame but myself if my project failed,
aside from all the valuable lessons I have learned along the way.




If you
used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the
creative process for your cover?

As you have guessed by now, I am a perfectionist. Yes, I
scouted for the picture I preferred amongst my designer’s stock photos and from
there Regina Wamba was able to change the picture completely to what is an
amazing likeness of Kat.




Do you
belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?

I have belonged to many critique groups throughout the
years. My favorite one is The Next Big Writer.com. I worked Mirror Deep on
their site for a whole 6 months getting to number 42 for the most read book.




What is
your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?

Depends on the book. For Mirror
Deep, I listed to Gordon Lightfoot’s music. Great saddle sound. Plus,
Pierce has a lovely singing voice. For Ava Moss, another book soon to be
published, I listened to Big Band Music, mainly Glen Miller. However, most of
the time, I write in silence as this is the only way I can hear the dialogue
between the characters.




Do you
outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?

First thing to appear in my stories is the title. This is
followed by pictures of all my characters. Each character is lavished with a
5-6 page character sheet: family, friends, likes, dislikes, right down to
horoscope and quirks and pet peeves. This is followed by location, place of
work, career, complete resume. Then, the story is flimsily put together.
Afterwards, I will go where my characters lead me.




Did you
hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?

Yes. This is another research I did extensively. I went
through thirteen different editors and finally chose one. I needed to find
someone, who would work well with me.




What kinds
of marketing are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?

I am involved with all of them.  Twitter,
LinkedIn
as well, and Goodreads,
Facebook Profile, and a Facebook Fan Page. I also
have a blog: Landry’s Island. I am
looking for lots of friends to follow my blog, and visit me on Facebook and
Goodreads.




Do you
find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and
writing your next book?

This has to be the most debated question and answer of our
self-publishing era. I find it extremely difficult, and time-consuming to
market a book while trying to edit a couple more and trying to write a new one.
This is why I seek the help of professionals like Promotional Book Tours and
Jen Rattie.







 




DANGER AND ROMANCE

…Roll like thunder in Kat Bonner’s world, when a known felon comes to the ranch to drop a bomb about her past. Kat turns to Pierce for help, the same Pierce who bucks her every chance he gets … and whose feverish investigation lands them in trouble with the law and directly in the path of a serial killer. 



 Mystery deepens, fraught with wrong turns, bumbling detectives, old murders, and Kat’s doppelganger no one ever sees but her, just as she never sees the change in Pierce’s feelings toward her brewing, mounting, until she can no longer deny them.



Buy on Amazon | Paperback | Kobo | B&N | EBookPie | Scribd
 



Meet the author:
With a degree in commerce, Joss has worked as a consultant for more than twenty years, writing copy for marketing firms and assisting start-up companies launch their business. She recently made the switch from composing copy and promos, to writing fiction and prose. She is developing her style through courses and the support of other writers. A recent graduate of the Long Ridge Writer’s Group, she is a member of the Romance Writers of America and is presently working on honing three other novels for publication.

Blessed with four children and five grandchildren, she resides in Montreal with her husband, a staunch supporter, and enjoys spending her time biking, rollerblading, playing tennis and swimming. She loves creating stories, as she says that it fulfills her need to think outside the box. 





Follow Joss Landry:

Website | Blog | FaceBook Page | Twitter | Pinterest | LinkedIn | 







Follow the Book Tour


 



The author is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card for two readers 



 a Rafflecopter giveaway

#Excerpt: CAUGHT UP IN YOU by Sophie Swift

Book Synopsis:


Blake
Thomas knows exactly why women want to sleep with him. He’s a sexy,
twenty-six-year-old bartender with nothing to lose and confidence to
spare.

Then Blake meets twenty-two-year-old Lia Smart, the owner
of the restaurant where he’s just been hired. Lia is different from
Blake’s usual conquests. She’s beautiful, shy, and guarded, with just a
hint of loneliness in her eyes. The only problem is, Lia refuses to
see Blake as anything more than just a flirtatious bartender.

But
everything changes when Lia’s sexy and assertive older sister, Alex,
comes back into town. Alex and Lia have always had
a complicated relationship, made even more complicated by the fact that
they are clearly in love with the same man. Before long, Blake finds
himself the pawn in a high stakes game of forbidden love and dangerous
emotions, caught between two sisters who could both easily break his
heart.

*Contains adult language and situations*

CAUGHT UP IN YOU is a companion novella to be enjoyed before or after reading OUT FROM UNDER YOU, or as a stand-alone story.



Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18462583-caught-up-in-you?ac=1
Goodreads Book 1: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18332327-out-from-under-you




Purchase: 

Amazon:

















Excerpt















“So,” she said, breaking me out of my reverie. “What is your
deal?”

I laughed. “My deal?”

She nodded. “Your deal.”

I couldn’t be sure but I swore I heard her voice slur
slightly on the last word. My hopes instantly rose. Tipsy Lia would be a lot
more willing to take clothes off than sober Lia. That I could be sure of.

“I don’t have a deal,” I insisted.

She squinted. “Oh, you so
have a deal. All guys like you have a deal.”

“How many times are we going to say the word deal? Should we
turn it into a drinking game? Make things interesting?” I flagged down the
waitress and ordered a Jack and Coke. Lia asked for the same.

“Do you always drink Jack and Coke?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

I laughed. “Are you trying to be mysterious?”

Her eyes twinkled. “Maybe.”

She stayed silent and we stared each other down like two
kids having a contest.

“I’m waiting,” she finally prompted.

“For me to kiss you?” I asked presumptuously, making her
giggle. “Because that’s a little difficult with you all the way on the other
side of the table. But I’ll give it a shot if you want.”

I cleared away the empty shot glasses between us, like I was
going to sprawl myself right across this table.

“For you to tell me your deal,” she corrected.

I pounded the table with my fist. “Damn. We don’t have our
drinks yet. That’s one extra sip for you.”

When she didn’t respond, I added, “Why don’t you tell me
what you think my deal is.”

“Oh, I already know.”

I feigned surprise. “You do?”

She nodded. “I do.”

The waitress delivered our drinks and I took a sip of mine,
prompting Lia to take an obligatory swallow of her own. She did.

I sat back. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

“You’re a bartender,” she began.

I pursed my lips in mock appreciation. “Oooh, perceptive. I
like that in a woman.”

            She
ignored my jab and continued. “You do it because you like the attention.”

“What attention?” I asked. “You ignore me all night.”

“From other women.
I see the way they look at you. You could have any girl in this room.”

I leaned forward, holding her gaze. “But I’m here with you.”




OUT FROM UNDER YOU (Book 1) Purchase Links:



Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00EFESK7W

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/out-from-under-you-sophie-swift/1116398759

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/345719

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EFESK7W






AUTHOR BIO




Sophie
Swift is an east coast girl who recently transplanted to Southern
California. She writes about sexy boys by day, and dates them by night.
Her sizzling, new adult romance, OUT FROM UNDER YOU, the first in a new
contemporary series, was released in August of 2013. She loves books
that quicken her pace, music sung by adolescent boys, and cupcakes with
too much frosting. Visit her online at: www.SophieSwift.com



Twitter: @bySophieSwift

Facebook: SophieSwiftBooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7155391.Sophie_Swift

Cover reveal: BEST SERVED COLD by Tawdra Kandle

Releasing soon: BEST SERVED COLD, a new adult contemporary romance by Tawdra Kandle! 



 Julia worked for weeks planning the perfect surprise birthday party for her boyfriend, Liam, but that night, she was the one who got the biggest shock. He broke up with her in front of all their friends, humiliating her in the process.

Clearly revenge was in order.  



The plan is simple. Make him jealous, win him back, and then crush his heart. Fair is fair. However, there is one little hiccup—and he has curly brown hair and dimples. 



Jesse is everything she wants. With him, she could almost forget her bruised heart. Almost. Julia has one choice: let Liam walk away after everything he did, or lose a chance at love in pursuit of payback. 



The beautiful cover for this book was designed by Stephanie Nelson of Once Upon A Time covers. She's an artist. . .and here it is. 












Stay tuned for a release date and other updates from Tawdra! 



Facebook/Twitter/Website/Tumblr/Newsletter

Who is Christopher Columbus anyway?

Columbus statue in Barcelona, Spain


Christopher
Columbus is often portrayed as the first European to sail to the Americas. He
is sometimes portrayed as the discoverer of the New World. However, this is
controversial on many counts. There is evidence that the first Europeans to
sail across the Atlantic were Viking explorers from Scandinavia. In addition,
the land was already populated by indigenous peoples, who had 'discovered' the
Americas thousands of years before.

Columbus
Day originated as a celebration of Italian-American heritage and was first held
in San Francisco in 1869. The first state-wide celebration was held in Colorado
in 1907. In 1937, Columbus Day become a holiday across the United States. Since
1971, it has been celebrated on the second Monday in October. The date on which
Columbus arrived in the Americas is also celebrated as the Día de la Raza (Day
of the Race) in Latin America and some Latino communities in the USA. However,
it is a controversial holiday in some countries and has been re-named in
others.

Columbus
Day celebrations are controversial because the settlement of Europeans in the
Americas led to the deaths of a very large proportion of the native people. It
has been argued that this was a direct result of Columbus' actions. It is clear
that the arrival of the European settlers led to the demise of a large
proportion of the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of the
Americas. It has also been argued that Columbus should not be honored for
discovering North America, as he only went as far as some islands in the
Caribbean and never got as far as mainland America.

Interview with Theresa Weir

Q: Come As You Are
is the title of a Nirvana song. What does the song have to do with the book?




Theresa: A lot. 
I went back and forth about mentioning Nirvana in the blurb for Come As You Are. I decided against it
after reading the article going around about the twenty-something girl who'd
recently written a letter to Nirvana, asking if they could play at…homecoming,
maybe? And so I thought I'd better not mention Nirvana. Maybe younger readers
don't know much about Nirvana. But reviewers are mentioning the band, and that's good! Yes, there's definitely a
strong Nirvana…center.




The weird thing is that I had no idea In Utero was being reissued this year until the book was almost
done. That was just serendipity. Molly, the heroine, even writes a story for
one of her University of Minnesota classes about the recording of In Utero.




There are other musical nods in the book, some obscure and
some not so obscure. There's one line in particular that I've wondered if
people will get, and it's in reference to Big Star. If you pick up on it let me
know.




Q: How did you happen to write this book?




Theresa: About seven or eight years ago I asked my then
editor what she thought about my writing a book, not about high-school kids
(she'd mentioned a YA to me), but about twenty-something
college students. Because I could definitely see myself doing that. 
She said there was no market for books featuring people in their twenties, and
those people didn't have time to read anyway.




Enter the New Adult genre.




Back when I wrote romance fulltime some readers complained
that my writing was too full of angst and the characters were too wounded, so
New Adult seemed a logical place for me.




Angst aside, I never went to college so I have a particular
fascination with college life.  I
suppose a romanticized fascination.  And I love that age.  Plus, I recently
wrote a novella called The Girl with the Cat Tattoo that got great
reviews and notice.  And in
thinking about that book… It almost felt a bit NA even though it didn't really
contain all of the elements and the main characters were a little bit too old —
in their early thirties. But Melody could have easily been an NA character. And
the follow-up book, The Geek with the Cat Tattoo, features people in
their late twenties. So I was kind of dancing on the fringes of NA, but just
didn't know it.




Q: What are you working on now?




Theresa: I hope to get the second cat book done within a few
months, and I have an Anne Frasier suspense called Stay Dead (sequel to Play
Dead) coming out in April.  And
I’m considering writing another NA, this one featuring Rose, Molly's best friend
from Come As You Are. Oh, and I'm
thinking about writing another suspense in my Dead series.  So many ideas; not enough time.







Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18464111-come-as-you-are?ac=1




Purchase:

--Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Come-As-You-Are-ebook/dp/B00FAPCESQ/ref=twoen-20

--B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/come-as-you-are-theresa-weir/1116948147?ean=9781492729815




























AUTHOR BIO:



Theresa Weir (a.k.a. Anne Frasier) is an award-winning
NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR of twenty-three books
and numerous short stories that have spanned the genres of suspense,
mystery, thriller, romantic suspense, paranormal, and memoir. Her
titles have been printed in both hardcover and paperback and translated
into twenty languages. Her memoir, The Orchard, was a 2011 Oprah
Magazine Fall Pick, Number Two on the Indie Next list, a featured B+
review in Entertainment Weekly, and a Librarians’ Best Books of 2011. Going
back to 1988, Weir’s debut title was the cult phenomenon AMAZON LILY,
initially published by Pocket Books and later reissued by Bantam
Books. 




Writing as Theresa Weir she won a RITA for romantic
suspense (COOL SHADE), and a year later the Daphne du Maurier for
paranormal romance (BAD KARMA). In her more recent Anne Frasier
career, her thriller and suspense titles hit the USA Today list (HUSH,
SLEEP TIGHT, PLAY DEAD) and were featured in Mystery Guild, Literary
Guild, and Book of the Month Club. HUSH was both a RITA and Daphne
du Maurier finalist. Well-known in the mystery community, she served
as hardcover judge for the Thriller presented by International Thriller
Writers, and was guest of honor at the Diversicon 16 mystery/science fiction conference
held in Minneapolis in 2008. Frasier books have received high praise
from print publications such as Publishers Weekly, Minneapolis Star
Tribune, and Crimespree, as well as online praise from Spinetingler, Book
Loons, Armchair Interviews, Sarah Weinman’s Confessions of an
Idiosyncratic Mind, and Ali Karim’s Shots Magazine. Her books have
featured cover quotes from Lisa Gardner, Jane Ann Krentz, Linda
Howard, Kay Hooper, and J.A. Konrath. Her short stories and poetry can be
found in DISCOUNT NOIR, ONCE UPON A CRIME, and THE LINEUP, POEMS ON
CRIME. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller
Writers.




Author links:

Website: http://www.theresaweir.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/163327.Theresa_Weir

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anne_Frasier

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Theresa-Weir-Author-of-New-Adult-Romance/342662699199692?ref=hl

Interview with Jessica Gibson

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a
series?

Dressed in
White is a light-hearted fun read about Lorelei and Dillon and
their struggle to get down the aisle. It is part of a series, it’s book one in
the A Walk Down the Aisle series.




Do you have a favorite character?

You know in this book, I think
Roxie was my favorite actually, lol. She is not the main character at all
either, but I adore her personality.




Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that
change the direction of the novel at all?

All the time!! In Dressed in White Kayla, Lorelei’s
sister, was only supposed to be mentioned in passing, but she was such a
dynamic character that now she’s getting a book of her own.




Are you currently under a traditional publishing contract for future
books or do you have manuscripts that you will self-publish?

I am under a contract with the
amazing ladies from Hayson Publishing for a young adult paranormal series due
out the beginning of October. I will also continue to self publish my other
books.




What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?

I liked having the control over my
story and cover. It turns out that I’m slightly OCD when it comes to my books
lol.




If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were
you during the creative process for your cover?

I have used Once Upon a Time
Covers for all of my books. Stephanie is amazing. I can be as involved as I
want to be. But, I usually give her a vague idea of what I’m going for and she
blows me away with the final result.




Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your
writing?

I don't belong to a group, but I
do have a few authors that have critiqued for me in the past. It really helped
to shape me into the author I am now. I was so unsure of myself when I was
starting out, and they would point out things that either were wrong for the
story, or just needed some tweaking.




What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like
silence? Oh I love listening to music while I write. I usually will
make a playlist for each new book.




Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?

I tried outlining, but it never
worked for me. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants.




Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?

Yes! I think hiring a professional
editor is key in being successful as an author. I use Kim from Red Line
Editing, and she is fabulous.




What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?

I have learned so much! My writing
evolves with each book written. I like to think for the better lol.




What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you
involved with for promoting your book(s)?

All of it. Being self-published,
all of the marketing falls on my shoulders. I don't use Twitter as much as I
should lol.




Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your
current book and writing your next book?

Yes. It’s a constant struggle.
What is more important at any given moment. It’s a trade off some days.




What advice would you give a new author just entering into the
self-publishing arena?

Keep at it, and hire professionals
for your cover, and for editing. Those are two things that will make or break
you.




Besides writing, do you have any other passions?

I’m a mommy, my son and husband
are my biggest passions in life. They make me a better person just for being a
part of my life.




What’s next for you?

I plan on finishing out my wedding
series in the next year, and starting a few more in the contemporary romance
genre as well as continuing in paranormal genre.




Amazon Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Dressed-White-Walk-Aisle-ebook/dp/B00EV42TRI/ref=twoen-20

 














 Follow the Book Tour

Fabulous #Giveaway for FOUND INNOCENT by @Carolyn_Arnold

 


















Madison
Knight is back!




If you
haven’t already, meet Madison Knight, the chocolate-loving detective, who is
determined to solve murder and find justice for the victims—even if that means
coming into contact with the sight of blood.




However,
in Found Innocent,
the latest release in the series (releasing October 16th!), she doesn’t have to
face too messy of a crime scene, at least in one sense. What she does have to
deal with is whether or not she’s willing to jeopardize departmental
relationships and cross the wall of blue.




Here, this
is what it’s about:




There's
one code when it comes to the wall of blue…and Madison Knight may have to cross
it.






Any good
cop knows you never report a brother for mishandling a case or accuse him of
misconduct, but in order to find justice, Madison may not have a choice.




Lacy Rose
had one goal for her twentieth birthday—to be found innocent of past sins—but
her life is cut short.




When
Lacy's remains are found in a garden and the investigation becomes connected to
a closed case, Madison must face her past. The lead detective on that case was Madison's
ex-fiancé. At the risk of jeopardizing departmental relationships, and churning
up the attention of an old flame at the same time, Madison must push hard
before the guilty are found innocent.










Excerpt, Chapter 1:




       “He didn’t
do it!”

The hysterical shouting pulled Madison’s attention from her monitor to a
woman rushing toward her. 

The station was supposed to be quiet today. Sunday. She wasn’t required
to be there, and that made it the perfect day to dig into her cold case.  She was so close to getting answers.

With one more longing look at her screen, Madison rose from her chair
and held up her hands to stop the woman.

“Detective Knight.” She stated this as if they had met before.

Officer Ranson, the female officer who manned the front desk, came up
behind them. “Come on—”

Another officer brushed past Ranson and slipped his hands under the
woman’s arms. “Let’s go.”

He pulled on her, but she stayed still. Her eyes steadied on Madison.

“Please help me.” She attempted to shake loose from the officer’s grip.

Her frown lines were deep burrows, her eyes were sunken, and the flesh
around them was puffy.  She
appeared to be rough-edged, but there was something desperate about her, and
she didn’t seem to be a threat to the lives of anyone here.

“I’ve got this,” Madison said.

“All right, your call.”  The
male officer let go of the woman, and he and Ranson left.

 “I saw your face in the
paper.” The woman held up the Stiles Times. “It’s you, isn’t it?” Her lashes
were caked with mascara, and she blinked slowly. Madison wondered if the
cosmetic had sealed her eyes shut.

Madison passed a glance to the paper. It captured a moment she wished to
forget. A day when she had been forced to speak in front of a crowd and to take
pride in the job she had done. The thing was, though, a good cop couldn’t care
less about the recognition.

The woman sobbed, yet her tears didn’t affect her makeup. “He wouldn’t
do this…”

Madison summoned patience. 
A list of envelope-printing companies—which could prove to be a vital
link in the chain of evidence against the Russians—would be on her monitor,
right now. 

She took a deep breath, passed another glance to her computer, and
turned back to the woman.  “Come
with me.”

Madison kept the woman to the side of her. Her first impression was the
woman didn’t pose a threat, but she still wasn’t willing to sacrifice her back
by leading the way into the room.

Inside, Madison gestured to a chair.

The woman dropped her red bag heavily on the table. It was large enough
to serve as a duffel bag. She pulled off her jean jacket, folded it over the
back of the chair, and revealed a pink sweater that displayed more cleavage
than Madison could ever hope to see on herself. The woman went rooting through
the duffel bag and she stuffed a stick of gum in her mouth.  She worked at chopping it into a soft,
pliable distraction. It snapped in her mouth.

“Let’s start with your name—”

“Vilma with an ‘i’. Vilma Thorne, well, it would have been. My God, Kev!”
She raised her face upward as if calling out to a Greater Being. Her gum
chewing paused only momentarily.

 “Vilma—” Madison had to
tune out the noise and the display of her open-mouth chewing.  “Let’s start at the beginning. Why are
you here?”

Vilma stuck a finger through one of the large gold hoops dangling from
her ears and leaned in.

Madison detected the blend of cheap perfume and cigarettes. Maybe—she
inhaled deeper, trying not to appear obvious—it wasn’t perfume but whiskey. It
was hard to discern. Her eyes appeared normal, except for the abuse of eye
makeup. Besides the thick mascara, her lids were weighed with the color purple.
Her pupils weren’t dilated or pinpricks.

Still, she didn’t respond to Madison’s question.

“Okay, Vilma, if you need my help, I need you to talk to me.”

Possibly this woman was on a new line of drug that disguised itself
behind brilliant colors? Maybe this was a mistake and Madison should have let
her get hauled away.

“My family is against what he did. But he didn’t do it!” Her voice rose,
tears flowed. She stopped chewing and, sniffling, went rooting in the duffel
bag again. She came out with a bunched up tissue and wiped her nose.

Madison’s tolerance level had almost reached its limit. “You keep saying
he didn’t do it.  Do what?”

 A tissue still pinched on
the tip of her nose, Vilma said, “He didn’t kill himself…someone killed him.”




Interested
in reading more?




Watch the author’s website for purchase details at http://carolynarnold.net/FoundInnocent.html




The Madison Knight Series is a
clean, murder mystery series meaning mild graphic violence and language. Each
book is self-contained so you can read any of the books, and out of order, if
you wanted to.  Books in the series
in released order: Ties that Bind, Justified, Sacrifice, Life Sentence (Prequel
in which Madison has a cameo role), and Found Innocent (October 2013).












Carolyn Arnold started to take writing
seriously six plus years ago when a co-worker said “tell me a story”. Since
then she’s written nine novels and has plans to write many more. She has a love
for the canine world and has two beagles that are affectionately named Max and
Chelsea. Like her female protagonist Madison Knight, she loves her chocolate
and has been known, on occasion, to speak her mind.




Website: www.carolynarnold.net

Blog: http://sassy3421.blogspot.ca/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold

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





























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Interview with Marsha Cornelius

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book?  

Losing It All tells
the story of Frank and Chloe. Frank was a POW in Vietnam, and when he got out
of the war, he was too damaged mentally and physically to work, so he's been
living on the streets of Atlanta for the past 12
years. Chloe has a husband and two small children, but when hubby takes off,
she can't manage, and ends up in a homeless shelter. Their lives intersect
at a soup kitchen. 




Do you have a favorite character? 

I
loved Rick from my first book, H10N1. He's a bad boy, and
he's sexy, but he's not a typical macho jerk. I guess he was my dream obsession.
And when I finished that book, I missed him for a while. 




Have you ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did
that change the direction of the novel at all? 

Maggie,
in The Ups and Downs of Being Dead,
started out as a minor character, but she grew quite a bit during rewrites. She
became the main character's conscience. Even though he initially thinks he's
just an old bat, he learns a lot from her over the years. 




Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers? 

Yes,
I tried the traditional route. I had an agent, and she was terrific. She loved
my book, (H10N1) and tried her best to find a publisher, but after a year we
both agreed that I should try the indie route. I'm glad I did, because the book
was timely, and needed to get out there. It's a post-apocalyptic thriller, and
if I'd gone traditional, the book would just be coming out this spring. 




If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved
were you during the creative process for your cover? 

I've
been fairly involved with the covers for all three of my books. I use a graphic
designer, but in the end, I have the final say. With a traditional publisher,
they come up with the cover and don't even ask what you think. 




Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you? 

With
H10N1, I just blathered away at the computer. Anytime an idea came to me, I
threw it into the stew. But that sloppy writing took two go-rounds with an
editor before I had it whipped into shape.  




Now I outline. That's not
to say that the outline doesn't change, but it gives me a guide. I got halfway
through my next book, rethought were I was going, redid the outline, and now
I'm back on track. 




Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing? 

I
definitely use an editor. And anyone who doesn't use an editor, isn't serious
about the craft. I figure if top-selling authors like
Stephen King and Karin Slaughter use an editor, what makes me think I don't
need one, too. 




Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your
current book and writing your next book? 

Managing
my time is difficult.
I'm writing fulltime, so I'm at home, and the distractions are too numerous to
list. I do my best writing in the morning, so I've relegated marketing to the
afternoons and evenings. 

I
write every day, even weekends, but some days are more productive than others.
There's nothing worse than reading what you wrote yesterday, and deciding it's
90% crap. 




What advice would you give a new author just entering into the
self-publishing arena? 

Get
a professional to look at your final manuscript before you publish. I don't
care how helpful your critique group is. They're too close to your book to see
the flaws. And please don't ask friends or family to read your book. They will
tell you they love it, even if it's the worst garbage they've ever read. I'm
sure you would much rather hear about the book's flaws from an editor, than
from reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads. 






Besides writing, do you have any other passions? 

I've
really gotten into fitness. Now that
I've face the fact I'm no longer young, I need to take care of
this body, or it's going to let me down. I do yoga and Pilates for core
strength and balance, and lift weights once a week, hoping to keep osteoporosis
away.  




I'm
a lot more conscious about what I eat, too. I can't burn off a Krispy Kreme
donut like I used to. Sure, I still love cookies and crusty bread, but it's all
in moderation now.