Isabella's Blog, page 2

Linda Kay and the Next big blog hop

What is the working title of your book?
Which one? LOL. I write three different series, the Across Time Series has Nick of Time Coming out in February. The Echo Branson Series has Magical Echo coming out in May, and the Man Eaters Zombie Thriller sequel is due out in August.
I’ll answer this about Man Eaters since it is the newest series and one that has its roots firmly planted at Sapphire Books.

Where did the idea come from for the book?
I will watch any movie where a zombie eats someone. I don’t really know what that’s about. I think the idea that something that wants to eat us never tires, never needs to eat or rest or breathe is really frightening. I am also intrigued about how humans might behave in an apocalypse and the questions each of us would have to answer about our social mores and values. Who do you save? Can you kill a loved one who has been bitten? And then I became fascinated with the notion that the zombies aren’t the things to be the most afraid of: others humans are. The way we turn on ourselves lends itself to a great story, and how Dallas and her band of survivors negotiate the living and the undead is what the story is about.

What genre does your book fall under?
Zombies are a genre within a genre. I suppose they used to fall under horror, but now, because of their popularity, they often fall under paranormal.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I never answer this question because I don’t want my opinion of the story’s characters to shape the picture my readers have of them. Whoever they look like to you is who they are. That’s one reason why I never read books after Hollywood has made the movie…the covers usually have the character, and I want to be the one to determine who they are in my mind.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
With more than half the American population dead or zombified, Dallas and her band of survivors make one last stand to save the country.

What is the longer synopsis of your book?
Dallas, her lover, and her newly established family move their people to Angola State Prison, where they train a special army to begin eradicating the zombies in an attempt to take back their country. But zombies aren’t their only enemy, as outlaw gangs of thugs and thieves roam the countryside and a global army surrounding the country keeps the survivors within the borders of the virus-ravaged nation. As Dallas and the rest take on the military, the zombies, and the outlaws, they face starvation, disease, and the decision about saving whether or not to save the United States or face the rest of a world intent on destroying them.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I am proudly represented by Sapphire Books. My earlier books are with Bella.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
About three weeks. I write rather quickly. Long hand with a fountain pen on binder paper. I wrote this manuscript while in Africa. Twenty four hours on a plane is a lot of writing time.
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
My partner asked me during one zombie movie. She asked me why I never wrote one. Funny thing was, it never dawned on me to. So I decided why not? And the moment I created Dallas and Einstein, I was hooked. They made me fall in love with them and care about how they maneuvered not only through the chaos, but through the many different relationships that came their way.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
The story is sort of an analogy for our lives. Every day, there is a potential for chaos, a potential to meet someone who can help you and someone who can harm you. The choices we make every day determine the course of our lives and, ultimately, our survival. So the zombies are actually ancillary to the story. The story is about Dallas and the group’s choices as they try to survive the unthinkable. How they protect themselves. Who they choose to join them, and the wonderful fact that love grows in the strangest places at the oddest of times. This is a love story…not a horror story. I’ve had plenty of readers who weren’t into zombies tell me they couldn’t put it down.
The reason?
Who doesn’t love a love story where our heroines fight to keep each other alive?
That’s what Man Eaters is…a love story.

eBooks

eBook, Kindle, Nook, epub, Always Faithful, Broken Shield, Scarlet Masquerade, American Yakuza, man eaters,

Sapphire Books Publishing - Digital Versions

Getting to know Beth Burnett!

Beth’s debut novel, Man Enough!

 

Tell us about yourself:

What genres do you normally write in?

Romantic Comedy. Though, I do enjoy writing unusual fiction, and recently, a kind of mildly erotic short story for a woman I met.

What genres do you typically read?

I love so many kinds of books. Fiction, classic, Sci-Fi.

Is there a genre you haven’t written in that one day you’d like to tackle?

I would love to tackle a science fiction book. I love Sci-Fi so much and would be so happy if I could even come near Heinlein or Asimov or Bradbury.

Are there any authors who have influenced your work?

My dirty little secret is that I started writing my first novel after reading a romantic comedy by Sophie Kinsella.

What was the first book you ever published?

“Man Enough,” a charming and quirky novel about people across all sorts of gender and orientation lines, looking for validation and understanding.

How did you celebrate your signing

I called my sisters and screamed. Then I called my best friends. Then I called my friend, author and professor and all-around amazing woman Linda Kay Silva and let her counsel me for an hour to settle down and get to the hard parts of the new book… editing and marketing.

What was the craziest thing you’ve ever done when it came to a storyline in your book?

I had to learn that the storylines never play out the way I intended. At some point, my characters will tell me that they are absolutely not interested in following my outline.

Have you ever acted out a scene in your book?

I don’t think I should answer that on the grounds that I’m not sure of the statute of limitations on some of the activities.

What was the hardest scene you’ve written? Why?

I found the sex scenes easy and the emotional scenes more difficult. It can be hard to convey that heady, dizzying rush of new love. We all know what it feels like, but putting it on paper is difficult because love is so elusive. I wanted to do it justice.

Is there a genre you just won’t write?

Not that I know of. I am currently pondering writing an erotic novel and a book about God. (Two separate titles, mind you.)

Do you have any specific things (or rituals) that help you to write or that inspire you?

I only use my laptop and I like to have music in the background. I put my Ipod playlist on shuffle, so the soundtrack to my writing is schizophrenic. I was listening to my 70s mix when Davey went to Danny’s house for the first time, hence his unusual musical tastes.

Is there a certain time of day you prefer to write?

Dead dark night. I’m answering these questions at 3:30 in the morning, propped up in bed and freezing.

What is your writing day like?

I have to make myself a list every single day of the things I have to do. Then, I ignore the list and mess around on Facebook, or run errands, or hang out with friends. When the daylight is almost gone, I’ll grab dinner and eat it in front of the computer, reading what I had written the night before. Then, I will write until I can’t keep my eyes open any longer.

In the morning, I will often go back and reread some of my nighttime ramblings.

These are just for fun so we’ll call ’em quickies:

Satin or Lace? On me? I’m a cotton girl all around.

Hot or Cold? Hot. I lived in Phoenix for ten years, the Virgin Islands for seven. Now back in Ohio and already planning the winter move to California.

Camera or Canvas? Camera. I love the instant gratification. Plus, I have no artistic ability. In Pictionary, someone thought my dog was a mutant donkey.

Denim or Leather? Denim. On me or my lover. I do like to ogle a hot biker chick in leather, but in reality, I’m in love with that denim clad earthy type who strums a guitar and hangs out in the woods, building fires and cooking stew for me.

Talking or Texting? I love texting! I have over fifteen hundred texts with someone I just met a few weeks ago. Though, I think there should be a rule that no serious conversation should be initiated over text. It is too easy to be misunderstood.

Irish or Italian? Irish drinking, Italian eating.

Thunder or Lightning? I like a good storm, so both. And hail. But no tornadoes.

Front seat or Back seat? I like to be behind the wheel.

Dark eyes or Light eyes? I like blue eyes. But it isn’t a deal breaker.

The sound of a heartbeat or a crackling fire? I adore fires.

Sleeping bag or Bed? Dinner or Movie? Wine or Beer?  Preferably, dinner and wine in bed.

Coffee or Tea? Both. Coffee in the morning, tea all afternoon.

Holding hands or Holding her attention? I do love touch.

Red or Black? Black. It is most of my wardrobe.

Crayons or Paint? Body paint. Edible.

High heels or Flip-flops? Leather Jesus Sandals or cheap sneakers.

Mountains or Beach? Beach.

Rain or Sunshine? Both have their perks. Sun for the most part, but a stormy rainy day that can be spent curled up in bed with a book or a beautiful woman is nice, too.

Picnic in the park or Dancing in the club? Picnic. I am so far beyond my clubbing days. I would much rather be sitting around with a bunch of lesbians talking about social issues, than trying to make myself heard on a dance floor.

Silk sheets or Cotton sheets? Cotton. Comfort can be sexy.

Tell us about your new release.

What kind of heroine is Davey Carter?

She is an every woman. She’s slightly neurotic, but so full of love. She worries about everything, but goes ahead and acts anyway.                                                                                     

Was there someone famous she resembled when you wrote her? Or is she based off someone you personally know? (pictures are welcome)

Davey looks like my fantasy version of myself. Pretty, dark-haired, kind of fit, but kind of curvy. Gorgeous eyes, great smile.

What are your favorite character traits that you cannot resist?

A sense of playfulness. I love it in my characters, I love it in myself, I prefer it in my friends and lovers.

What part of the female physique captures your attention?

A woman usually captures my brain first. Then her physical characteristics capture my attention. A sense of humor, a good heart, and a desire to nurture me are as sexy to me as a tall, muscled butch in leather.

As an author and essentially the “creator” of your character, do you find yourself attached to her in a personal way?

I love her as a friend, but I am not attracted to her. I do, however, find her butch best friend to be extremely sexy. In fact, several of my straight girlfriends and my two sisters are also in love with Andy.

If you could actually meet the character of one of your books, the exact woman you’ve conjured up in both looks and personality, which one would it be and why?

I think I would like to meet Davey’s mom, Leah. She’s just earth mothery enough to appeal to my inner lost child. She’s funny. She’s good with sex toys. And she bakes.

Tell us what kind of heroines you prefer to write about.

Davey was sweet, but my next heroine is hot and confident and absolutely sure of herself in every situation. I would love to be like that someday.

Does your heroine, Davey Carter take after you? Or is she someone you wish you could be? 

I have to be honest, Davey is more me than anyone else in my life. We diverge in several significant ways, but she shares many of my character traits. We are both mildly neurotic. We are both a bit insecure. We both love our friends and family with abandon. And we both tend to put sex and romance into a closet until someone special comes along and truly opens us to the magic of love.

Out of all your books, do you have a favorite?

“Man Enough” is my first novel and I do love it. But right now, the sequel, “Andy’s Song” is engrossing me.

An Interview with Linda Kay Silva

Tell us about yourself:

I ride a bad ass Harley named Lucky (my latest release is named after the bike and that IS my bike on the front cover)

I play tennis

I rescue animals and have two snakes, three tortoises, three frogs, 4 turtles, koi, a parrot, and the love of my life, Lucy, a black cockapoo.

I have jumped from a plane with my 23 year old daughter.

I have two daughters, Sunnie and Kelley who I dig hanging out with. We laugh all the time together.

I have a full sleeve tattoo of Storm from the X-Men

I go by Storm in my other life

I will watch any movie where a zombie eats a human

I am a literature professor and I teach World, American, and British lit, African Lit, Asian Lit, Sci-f-/fantasy, and modern epic fantasy literature.

I love life and wake up in a good mood every day.

I am an Aquarius

What genres do you normally write in?

I have written a police series, a historical fiction, paranormal, and time travel.

What genres do you typically read?

I read historical fiction and some paranormal.

Is there a genre you haven’t written in that one day you’d like to tackle?

I just did. Man Eaters would be under the horror category.

Are there any authors who have influenced your work?

Yes. Rita Mae Brown, Elizabeth Peters, and Kelley Armstrong, to name a few.

What was the first book you ever published?

Taken by Storm. There are 7 books in the Storm Series and we are hoping to come out with a boxed set here at Sapphire once we get our feet under us. Delta Stevens was so important to me and I missed her so much, I brought her back in the Echo series.

How did you celebrate your signing?

Lori and I went to dinner, took a walk, and just enjoyed the fact that we met two seriously cool women who have what it takes to make their mark in the ever changing world of publishing.

What was the craziest thing you’ve ever done when it came to a storyline in your book?

Killed off major characters. That’s what makes them more real. Not everyone can survive a shootout.

What was your first book published?

Taken by Storm was my first. I was a cop for a nano second and I had a partner tell me I should write a police series. I did because so many series out there has their main character sleeping with victims, with suspects, with anything that moved. I wanted a monogamous character who was in love with her wife even though her best friend was really her soul mate.

Have you ever acted out a scene in your book? You ought to see me on stage. I missed my calling. LOL.

What was the hardest scene you’ve written? Why?

The hardest scenes for me are the sex scenes because your friends and family assume that’s you having sex like that. I always feel as if I am a voyeur. I’d like to start the scene, go have a sandwich, and come back when they are putting their clothes on. So many people think writing sex scenes is easy…it’s not. Fucking? Sure. Making love” Not so much.

Is there a genre you just won’t write?

Erotica…for the above reason.

Do you have any specific things (or rituals) that help you to write or that inspire you?

Sort of. I write longhand using a fountain pen (I have a gorgeous teak box holding all my fountain pens because I am a nerd) on college rule paper. I do this because I love the ACT of writing and I can do it anywhere. We were in Indian Wells for 12 hours of watching tennis. Twelve hours? Do you know how much writing I got done sitting in the stands? Yeah…a lot.

Is there a certain time of day you prefer to write?

I prefer to write first drafts in the morning and afternoon and I revise at night.

What is your writing day like?

Well, I am an online literature professor, so I have a flexible life. When writing a first draft, I wake up, make tea, grab my clipboard, and, in the winter, write for a few hours in bed. Our bedroom is all glass, so I can see the rain fall and the leaves fluttering about. In the summer, I take my work outside. The truth is…I write most of my novels on vacation. Lori and I love cruise ships. We get up, grab our stuff, and head to the pool. She reads all day, I write. We take a break to eat and swim, and then I get right back to it. On our recent trip to Africa, the plane trip was over 22 hours. Combine that and airport time, and I was 100 pages into the sequel to Man Eaters before we landed. That’s the beauty of longhand…no electricity needed!

These are just for fun so we’ll call ’em quickies:

Satin or Lace?  Me or her? LOL Neither…leather, baby. I am all leather

Hot or Cold?

I like my women hot and my tea cold. What was the question?

Camera or Canvas?

Canvas…unless you’re videotaping…lol. What?

Denim or Leather?

Oh…here’s the leather question!

Talking or Texting?

Talking…and I talk a lot!

Irish or Italian?

Had both…found the Italian too spicy for my taste. Food, right? LOL

Thunder or Lightning?

Love them both…prefer lightning because I am sporting several lightning bolts on my body

Front seat or Back seat?

Is that a sex question?

Dark eyes or Light eyes?

Light…green

The sound of a heartbeat or a crackling fire?

Fire…That is the most peacefully romantic sound ever.

Sleeping bag or Bed? Dinner or Movie? Wine or Beer?

Bed…movie…neither drink works for me. I am a pussy drinker. It must have an umbrella and taste like a milkshake.

Coffee or Tea?

Tea. Tazo Awake Tea from Starbucks.

Holding hands or Holding her attention?

When I hold her hand, that gets her attention.

Red or Black? Black.

Always. I’m bad ass that way. Lol. Not really. But I play one on tv

Crayons or Paint? Crayons.

I love to color. So does my 23 year old daughter. What I wanted to be when I grew up was a comic book colorer.

High heels or Flip-flops?

Ugh. Neither. I am a tennis shoe/boot kinda gal.

Mountains or Beach?

Hands down, the beach. You don’t get bikinis in the mountains

Rain or Sunshine?

I live in California…what do you think?

Picnic in the park or Dancing in the club?

Picnic. Not a clubber…love the outdoors with a blanket, good food, and my girl.

Silk sheets or Cotton sheets?

Cotton. Silk lets her slide away too easily. Cotton…she stays.

Tell us about your new release.

Man Eaters is about Dallas and Roper, two women who meet at the beginning of an outbreak that causes people to become zombies. It’s the story about who they pick up along the way and how they come to learn how the virus started.  They have to decide to help and who to be careful of as they attempt to make it across the country to safety. As Dallas and Roper lean on each other to survive, they realize that the living are more dangerous to them than the undead. With twists and turns, love and betrayal, Man Eaters begs the question: Could you survive an apocalypse, and in doing so, still keep your humanity?

What kind of heroine is Dallas?

Dallas is a reluctant heroine. As a firefighter, it’s always been her job to save lives, yet in an apocalyptical world where the living are more dangerous than the undead, Dallas’s moral fiber has to adjust to the changing circumstances. It is not in her nature not to help others, but at what cost? This is the question she wrestles with throughout the book.                                                                                  

Was there someone famous she resembled when you wrote her? Or is she based off someone you personally know?

I think most of my heroines are modeled after Ellen Ripley and Lara Croft. They are smart, take chances kind of women. Dallas is a cross between my characters Delta Stevens and Echo Branson.

 What are your favorite character traits that you cannot resist?

Laughter. I love people who can laugh easily and often. I laugh all the time. It feels better than sex. The BEST? Laughing while having sex. That’s my heaven.

What part of the female physique captures your attention?

Boobs. I am a boob woman all the way. So soft…so yummy.

As an author and essentially the “creator” of your character, do you find yourself attached to her in a personal way?

I love and admire all my main characters. What I love about Dallas is her thoughtfulness. That’s normally a good trait, but not in this situation, and she struggles with how to maintain her humanity in a world that’s been turned upside down. Here’s an interesting tidbit…my partner must live with the knowledge that every single day, I am thinking about other women. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Echo, Jessie, or Dallas. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss Delta and Connie. They are as real to me as…I better stop here.

 

If you could actually meet the character of one of your books, the exact woman you’ve conjured up in both looks and personality, which one would it be and why?

Hands down, Delta Stevens. She’s funny, smart, and is rebellious. She was a far better cop than I ever was, but she does things her way. She is also incredibly loyal and the kind of woman you’d want with you in a bar fight. Here’s another interesting tidbit. When her best friend’s life was at stake in one book, the publisher wanted me to add a sex scene somewhere in the book. I said Delta would not stop to have sex as long as Connie’s life hung in the balance. I was right. Delta is an amazing character I’d love for a friend.

 

Tell us what kind of heroines you prefer to write about.

I prefer flawed women who rise above both their inadequacies and the systems in which they live. Delta’s flaw was an inability to follow rules. Echo’s flaw is she lacks the confidence to step up and lead. Jessie’s flaw is that she doesn’t feel worthy of the mantel handed to her. Parker’s flaw is not letting people get too close, Elsa’s flaw is she loves too hard and Dallas’s flaw is not understanding that who she was no longer exists. So I prefer characters who are forced to get out of their own way and then become willing to buck the system in order to get their needs met. My characters, while strong women, all have issues that often hold them back…and that’s why each one has a sidekick…and by the way…I love my sidekicks as much as my mains.

 

Does your heroine, Dallas take after you? Or is she someone you wish you could be?

I wish I could be any of them Do they take after me? Oh yes. Except for Parker. I would never have sex with a stranger in a bathroom. Lol.

 

Out of all your books, do you have a favorite?

My favorite is almost always the last one I wrote because I feel like I grow as a writer with every novel…but if I was hard pressed, I’d have to say the novel that touched me the most was Tory’s Tuesday. When I killed a character off, I grieved for three days. My favorite series to write is Echo. The hardest series to write is Jessie because the layering of time elements has to be just right.

Thank you so much for this interview. It was fun hammering out the answers. I have one last thing to say…

Sapphire is cutting edge and relevant to today’s reader. Not just the lesbian reader, but readers who like a well-crafted story and unforgettable characters. For people in search of stories they’ll think about long after the book is finished, Sapphire Books is the place to come!

Let the games begin!!

Hi Everyone,

This starts our week of games at Sapphire Books. We will be raffling off a couple of Amazon gift cards, a couple of autographed books, ebooks and an Ereader.

Today we have a $25 Amazon gift card for the lucky winner. This is how we’ll play the game.

Here are the directions on how to win.

1. You have to complete the crossword puzzle using your Always Faithful book.

2. You will need to send the correct answers to the crossword puzzle to publisher@sapphirebooks.com

3. In the subject line put Always Faithful Crossword puzzle

4. I’ll put all answers into a randomizer website and let it pick the winner.

5. Contest expires, Saturday, June 30 at midnight.

Here is the link to the crossword puzzle have fun!

http://www.sapphirebooks.com/AF_crossword.htm

 

Isabella

 

Always Faithful – Paperback

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$14.95
per unit

Major Nichol "Nic" Caldwell is the only survivor of her helicopter crash in Iraq. She is left alone to wonder why she and...

A five star review by Terry Baker

We have our first review. Thanks Terry for such a great review. I hope others will like it as much as you did. Thanks. ~Isabella~



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American Yakuza is live and ready for you!

American Yakuza

New Release from Sapphire Books Publishing

American Yakuza – Ties That Bind – Book 1

by Award winning author – Isabella

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Lesbian Romance and Intrigue – Read the first 3 chapters here

Luce Potter straddles three cultures as she strives to live with the ideals of family, honor, and duty. When her grandfather passes the family business to her, Luce finds out that power, responsibility and justice come with a price. Is it a price she’s willing to die for?

Brooke Erickson lives the fast-paced life of an investigative journalist living on the edge until it all comes crashing down around her one night in Europe. Stateside, Brooke learns to deal with a new reality when she goes to work at a financial magazine and finds out things aren’t always as they seem.

Can two women find enough common ground for love or will their two different worlds and cultures keep them apart?

Writing builds character, or is that – Writers build characters?

I know I said my next blog post would be about the bloodsport called, Lesfic, but I wanted to give a little back with this post. So here it is:

The one question I’m sure all writers get: how do you come up with the characters in your book? Since I don’t write series books I can’t rely on the same characters to visit in every book, which means two to four new characters a book. That means different looks, personalities, styles, language uses, and names. Once I begin to develop the story, the characters start to take form. A look starts to develop in my mind’s eye. How they look, how they think, words they use, and personalities start to take shape. When this happens I start to use a character form I designed to keep track of their physical descriptions. I write down everything from the way they dress, the words they use, their moods, and finally words they would never use or be used to describe them. Why the last part? Well, it helps me to keep them in “character”, so to speak. To keep them from verging off into something they aren’t.

If a character is moody, dark and foreboding, I don’t want them to suddenly pop-up on the page farting sparkles and glitter, or suddenly become Ms. Mary Sunshine. It would be out of character and the reader would stop and suddenly wonder if they had missed something like: a medication change, a personality disorder I forgot to tell them about, or worse, a writer screw-up. I build all the characters, even the secondary ones, using my study sheet. It makes me think about them on a deeper level. Motivation, moods, why they do what they do and who’s to blame for it. I also have locations, a story synopsis, and a place for notes. I keep all of these pages, along with my research in a binder I build for each book. This allows me quick access to go back and make sure I’m not off track with my character building. I also put a pad of paper in it for outlining, notes, names, and anything else that might come to me. This is a pretty simplistic description of what I do and I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.

I’ve attached my worksheets for you to use. Feel free to modify it to fit your needs, add details I might have forgotten or just see what I use to build a character. Enjoy!

So, does this mean writing builds character? Maybe.

Perseverance – the real secret to self-publishing success.

With all the talk about self-publishing lately it seems that there is one little piece missing in most of the discussions. It’s a question I get asked all the time – How did you do it? My answer – perseverance. The dictionary says – Perseverance – per·se·ver·ance (noun) steady and continued action or belief, usually over a long period and especially despite difficulties or setbacks.

If you decide you want to be an author, or an independent publisher, or even a success in life, you must be prepared to do your research, work hard, put in long hours and stick with it. That’s where perseverance comes in. We all know the wisdom of making sure you write a good book, get it edited and don’t forget good cover art. Everyone talks about social media and how to “whore your wares” or “pimp” your stuff. Many are ready to share how they did it, but there is no real secret formula to success, it’s plain old fashion hard work, persistence, doggedness, determination and the will to persevere.

Publishing houses are full of authors who, “just want to be published” and are just fine with low sales, as long as they can see their book in print. They languish in the back of the room, throwing a book out there every once in a while. But they’re published and that’s all that matters, to them. Many will eventually fall off, writing fewer and fewer books until they’ve decided they can cross one more thing of their bucket list. Of course there are those authors who work hard for their publisher and peddle their wares to books signings, book events, readers clubs and the like. We see them on FB, on Twitter and in email groups making their publishers lots of money.

Self-publishers know that to be successful, they must work hard to educate themselves and be persistent. They must show-up and be counted. To languish in the back is the kiss of death for us and not an option. To put this in perspective, I raised three sons all by myself for ten years. Someone asked me how I did it and my reply was – You mean I had options? I guess I forgot to check the options box. I’m proud to say that they beat the odds, graduated from high school and are all at the same university, my alma mater.

It’s all about perseverance.

Isabella