Sharon Maria Bidwell's Blog, page 40

The Teacher gets a cover

And very pleased with it, I am too. Although this isn’t quite Marvis as I envisioned him, it’s not a bad likeness. Yet another well done to the Musa art department.

The Next Big Thing

Firstly, a big thank to Adera Orfanelli   for asking me to take part in The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. As I didn’t have a new WIP I chose Mistletoe and Whine for my subject and decided to make this a page post as the questions may interest the readers of both Hounding the Beat, and Mistletoe and Whine.

What is the working title of your book?

This question is easy. I knew from the outset I was going to call this Mistletoe and Whine, (a play on words from the Christmas song). Sometimes I struggle with titles but not this one, although it may give the impression it’s a light-hearted story, which it isn’t. These characters are a lot of fun and are perfect for some hysterical punning. There is fun in this story, but it has a darker edge than the first book.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It’s a sequel to Hounding the Beat, but can be enjoyed as a standalone read without picking up the first book. I wrote a follow-up because the characters remained vibrant and then I discovered a couple of my readers were equally eager to hear from them again. I’d left a loose thread dangling from the first book — partly intentionally, partly because that’s how the story worked out — that I could pick up, and it just felt natural to do so. So the basic idea already existed. The title then popped into my head, and filled in the gaps.

What genre does your book fall under?

Shape-shifting paranormal erotic menage romance, I guess, if that’s one genre all by itself. I tend to mix things up.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

I seldom visualise characters that distinctly, but at a push I think Amanda Righetti (Grace from The Mentalist) would be a decent match for Chantelle. Although her features aren’t quite right (as beautiful as she is) she has the right body shape, the red hair, the essential feisty spark the character would need. The most difficult to cast would be Sam. I’m thinking, Sam Trammell (Sam Merlotte in True Blood) but he’s not quite right either. He’s got a similar gaze — I know that sounds strange but it’s true, and I can see my Sam’s ruffled hair. My Sam has been called ‘sour puss’ though, so whoever played him would need to portray a certain ‘moodiness’ along with a fierce sense of loyalty. And oddly enough Joe Manganiello (Alcide/True Blood) could possibly be Bobby when wearing a suit as in this PHOTO, but he’d have to be a little more clean-shaven with tidier hair because of Bobby’s profession. He’s too tall, really, at 6’5” (I don’t visualise quite that amount of height discrepancy) and I do struggle a little to picture the two of them together, but I wouldn’t refuse.

What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?

When the peace and quiet of Bobby, Chantelle, and Sam’s life is threatened they have more to whine about than plastic mistletoe.

Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?

It’s being published by Changeling Press.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I usually aim for about 2000 words a day, five days a week when writing. As Changeling only take shorts I can usually draft a story for them within two weeks. Then there are edits, of course — my own before I sub and after acceptance — but fortunately neither Hounding the Beat nor Mistletoe and Whine required much editing. The story came to me as clean copy.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre.

Obviously, Hounding the Beat. I don’t think it does compare to anything else. My stories at Changeling are all very different. I’ve written about a marooned astronaut, the fae, vampires, and a feel-good alternative history featuring a knight. I guess although this is paranormal it does have a similar feel to the contemporary stories as it has a modern setting. The only other menage I have out right now is Cosmic, available from Loose-Id, but that’s science fiction.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

I was looking to write for the Protect and Serve series at Changeling — the series created by the wonderful Lena Austin, which meant *gulp* whatever I came up with had to please Lena as well as the usual suspects. I liked the series and wanted to be part of it. I first chose police as my topic — being able to put a spin on that in the form of the British ‘Bobbie’. Then I had to choose what kind of shape-shifter to use. I’ve wanted to write shape-shifting huskies for a while, and so Bobby Pooch and Chantelle Shepherd were born (what did I say about the punning *grin*). And then there’s Sam Sanders, who’s human. Really both books are largely Sam’s story, though I didn’t even realise it at the time.

What else about your book might interest the reader?

That this one may require a box of tissues, and I mean for the odd sniffle if not outright cry. Funny how a good old sob can be cleansing, especially when one is left with a reason to smile. The best books affect readers’ emotions, after all. Not sure I always succeed in that as much as I like, but with this one I know I did. That is to say, I made those who went through the process with me have a lip tremble or two, including me and my editor.

And now I’m supposed to tag other authors so my victims…erm…volunteers are:

Fiona Glass

and

Chantal Noordeloos

Their blogs are live 5th December.

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Firstly, a big thank to Adera Orfanelli for asking me to take part in The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. As I didn’t have a new WIP I chose Mistletoe and Whine for my subject and decided to make this a page post as the questions may interest the readers of both Hounding the Beat, and Mistletoe and Whine.

You can find the hop under my Mistletoe and Whine book HERE.

I will add links to the author’s I’ve tagged below when their blogs go live.

Come celebrate and win!

My book Mistletoe and Whine releases at Changeling Press on the 1st of December, and to celebrate I’m offering one lucky winner an Ash Evans Fantasy Art — painter of things with fur, horns, and wings — 8.5 x 11″ Giclee Print. Winners choice!

Mistletoe and Whine is the sequel to Hounding the Beat although it can be enjoyed as a standalone read. If you’ve read the first book, this time the happiness Bobby, Chantelle and Sam share is in real danger, and it will take all their resources to survive.

It’s Christmas but, alas, Sam has more to whine about than plastic mistletoe.

Bobby, Chantelle, and Sam’s lives have changed. Bobby is now a rural cop while Chantelle and Sam run the Hare and Hounds Pub and Restaurant. Their new situation would be idyllic if the only blight was Health and Safety insisting they cannot decorate with real mistletoe for the holidays. Truth is, Sam’s not doing so well — he’s suffering too much pain in the leg that was injured in a past accident. Although Sam knows he has the love of two beautiful shifters, he can’t help his frustration. He longs to run with them, not to feel so weak. If his pain weren’t bad enough there’s danger in the surrounding woods, something Chantelle senses, fails to understand, and dismisses when Bobby distracts her with sex.

When Sam is kidnapped, he has real cause to whine. Will he live long enough to get the kiss under the mistletoe that he longs for, even if the plant has to be made of plastic?

To take part and have the chance to win all you have to do is two simple things:

1. For your choice of print take a look at Ash Evans Art on her Etsy shop by clicking HERE. Once you’ve made a choice of print (look for the $15 price tag to spot the 8.5 x 11 size more easily), comment below and leave details of which design you’d like and contact details (the site is on moderation and I will edit out email addresses so don’t worry about that). And while you’re doing that also tell me:

2. What is your favourite paranormal genre? Be it shapeshifters, which kind, or maybe you like vampires? Magic? Witches, wizards, fairies or unicorns? Whatever it is, even if it’s something very unusual, tell me about it. You never know — it might give me some inspiration on what to write next!

I will choose a winner on 2nd December.

Not one but two reveals

I have two covers to reveal. Firstly, I have a cover for my m/m/f sequel to Hounding the Beat, which is due in December. If you loved the first, don’t miss out on Mistletoe and Whine. If you haven’t read the first, the second can be read as a standalone, though. You can see the cover on the details page by clicking HERE.

However, my major reveal has to be the cover to my soon to be released first foray into the world of Space, 1889 and Beyond: Mundus Cerialis penned by yours truly and Andy Frankham-Allen. As soon as we have a blurb it will have its own page but for now, I think a big drumroll is deserved for this amazing cover designed by Adam Burn.

 

 

The Reapers are the Angels review

The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell is the story of a fifteen year old teenager called Temple and her journey across America where she encounters other survivors of a post-apocalyptic zombie outbreak. Indeed, Temple has never known a world that is any different — the outbreak happened so long ago there are people who were born after the disaster. The slugs, as she calls them, still inhabit the earth, but the art of existing in a world of zombies is only one small step on the road to survival. Always running from responsibility, preferring to be alone, and accountable for and only to herself in a brutal world, Temple nevertheless stumbles across others who affect her life in myriad ways. Some she struggles to leave, and doesn’t always succeed.

I liked this book but didn’t love it, even though I wanted to. The Young Adult tone categorised this book for teenagers, but raised even one of my eyebrows at the idea of a fifteen year old girl having sex. Fine, these things do happen, and should zombies ever roam then perhaps we won’t concern ourselves with such things too greatly, but for a book whose tone seems to fit younger readers the content seemed a little off-key. Either that or it is actually aimed at an older or more diverse readership, and just doesn’t come across that way. Don’t mistake me — if underage sex makes sense and is a necessary part of the story then I don’t feel it should necessarily be avoided, and I am happy to say that at least it’s well presented and used acceptably, not written in a gratuitous way; however, the fact the writer got this by the publishing censors surprised me. Another problem is that some of the confrontations are predictable, although there were a couple of unexpected turns.

My main issues with the book, though, involve grammar and style. The book is told with an omniscient voice that led it to feel as if I was sitting down being told Temple’s adventure by someone sitting around a campfire. Unfortunately, it left me somewhat cold as if the fire wasn’t lit. I can also forgive the use of ‘of’ in place of ‘have’ in speech (as in “I could of left yesterday”) but not in narration. And lastly, there are no speech marks. Not a single one. The entire book is ‘told’ including all the conversations. I’ll be the first to say it’s nice to find a writer pushing barriers and breaking rules, but I could see no need to avoid the use of speech marks, particularly if this book is YA, which surely calls for the best possible use of punctuation and grammar. I can only give the book a three, maybe three and a half out of five. It’s by no means bad — it just rather perplexed me. I can see some people will love this story, but for me the style never quite worked. Definitely one that’s subjective.

New for November

Welcome to November. Imagine the weather forecasters keep telling us ‘unfortunately it’s cold’. Well, it generally is this time of year. To warm things up I’m going to announce a few news pieces.

Firstly, there’s a new link on site in the Everything Else section to ‘So you want to be a writer’. Just a link to a few wandering blogs of mine elsewhere that imparts a few things I’ve come across in publishing. I hope it helps someone. This is on-going — I’ll post more info as and when it occurs to me, and it might be interesting to readers as well as writers.

Secondly, I’m pleased to announce what kept me so unexpectedly busy in October. As many of you know I was commissioned to write for Space, 1889 and I have one book drafted for release end of the second series season. Owing to unforeseen circumstances I had to step up and co-author another book in the series with fellow writer (and editor) Andy Frankham-Allen. My first time co-authoring. My first time writing at such short notice, I cannot express how much hard work it was. I would fall asleep with the story in my head, wake up considering what scene to write next. We wrote at record speed. It’s with the proofers and the cover is being prepped. What I’ve seen of the draft versions…I can’t wait to reveal it. The cover is truly beautiful. The book is entitled Mundus Cerialis. Yes, you read that right. I shall have to provide an explanation. I’m also pleased to say I had the opportunity to meet up with Andy recently. Well we had written a book together — it seemed only fitting we should.

That’s about all my news for now — I’m in the writing cave and awaiting edits for The Teacher — schedule presently set for release in December, subject to change — and also scheduled for release in December is Mistletoe and Whine, the sequel to Hounding the Beat, although it can be read independently. More news on this around mid-November when I’ll be announcing a little contest to celebrate the release.

Howloween Blog Hop

Welcome…to this year’s Howloween Blog Hop. Link to the event page by clicking the image or by using the link at the base of this post. Carry on reading for a chance to win an ebook and don’t stop here. Do visit more blogs. Thank you.

It’s my first Howloween blog hop, and it occurred to me there are many things ‘scary’ about writing. One of those is the fear there’ll come a day when someone devours all the plot bunnies. Often the writer struggles to kick the furry little blighters back because they’re rampaging demanding attention as much as any zombie on the march for brains. I’m sure my bunnies have nasty sharp teeth and claws — they sure enjoy nipping at my ankles — but many ask the question: where do they come from? So for this Howloween, I thought I’d concentrate on the scary ‘how’ and ‘howl’ of plots. How does one make the magic happen?

I doubt there’s a writer in existence who won’t one day be asked, “Where do you get your ideas?” There is no spell book. No magic shop one can go to. Authors wish there were, but in some ways ideas are conjured up out of thin air. A writer is someone who can connect two or more seemingly dissociated events, can play the ‘what if’ game, and maybe add an extra twist.

Here are two brief examples. I wove my short story Bitter and Intoxicating for the anthology Red Velvet and Absinthe (editor Mitzi Szereto; foreword by Kelley Armstrong) in answer to a submission call for gothic erotic romance. Although a list of example work was given, I didn’t have anything written that fitted, and worse, I had no ideas. I went online and began running searches for red, velvet, and for absinthe. Although the stories didn’t need to have anything to do with these items, I needed a place from which to start. I certainly didn’t expect to write anything on those topics. I was just searching for a spark.

I came across a painting by Albert Maignan, La Muse Verte, which seemed a good portrayal of what the effects of absinthe was supposed to have on the artistic mind. Inspiration! What if a distraught painter came across a seductive woman in a bar, one with flaming red hair clad in a diaphanous green gown, and she was to take him home to try absinthe promising that it would be the answer to all his woes? The resulting story is part BDSM, part gothic horror, part sensuous seduction ‘painted’ with words — something fitting to read on a dark October night in front of the fire with the wind blowing outside.

Other times inspiration seems to arrive with little thought required. When I wrote Hounding the Beat and it’s sequel Mistletoe and Whine for Changeling Press (scheduled for release early December), the ideas came almost fully formed. I knew the pairing would be m/m/f romance, that the characters would be British and police (this was the Protect and Serve series after all), and that they would be shape-shifting huskies — that was too good an opportunity not to milk the situation for all the humour I could find. The blurb is essentially the very idea that ‘popped’ into my head without effort, and that is something worth ‘howling’ over.

And now for a prize. Leave a comment and I’ll enter you into a draw. As Mistletoe and Whine isn’t out yet I’m offering a choice of either the first book: Hounding the Beat, or my gay romance available from Musa Publishing: Acting Out. One chance to win one book, but the choice will be winner’s.

After you leave a comment (with a way for me to contact you — don’t worry: all comments are on moderation and I will edit emails out). I’ll contact the winner on Tuesday to find out which prize they’d prefer and in what format. Thank you for stopping by and now carrying on hopping: http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/

Nick and Alex speak out

Want to learn what Nick and Alex (from Acting Out) think about each other and how they were portrayed? Where they live? What they want people to know, or maybe not know? What their perfect evening is, and how they relax? Maybe something they would have liked remained secret, and what their biggest fears are?

Then stop by and read their character interview, available now on the MUSA ERATO BLOG.

Musa Blog Hop officially closed

The Musa Blog Hop is now closed. The major prize winners have been announced on the Musa blog. I have chosen a winner who receives a copy of my book, but if this person doesn’t want a copy or I’m unable to get in touch, I’ll choose again, and I will announce a name as soon as I’ve a definite winner — sorry there may be a day or two delay, which often occurs owing to different time zones.

Thank you to all who took part, who stopped by the blogs to help Musa celebrate, and for those who took the time to show an interesting in my work.

UPDATING to announce that my winner was Suze who receives a copy of my Musa book: Acting Out. Congrats!