Kate M. Colby's Blog, page 19
February 18, 2016
The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Z.N. Willett
Up next on the 2016 2K Indie Book Tour (co-hosted by author Kate Evans and me) is contemporary romance author, Z.N. Willett.
Z.N. Willett is the girl who has seen more than she has ever wanted; yet decided to add to that world by writing Hollywood romances. A northern girl, but a southerner at heart, loving anything and everything about love and romance. So much that once upon a time she had a career as a wedding and events coordinator. When Z.N. decided to do something she was passionate about, she added her love for travel to the mix. An avid shoeaholic, deep down she’s a sappy romantic who happens to believe that love can truly conquer all.
Here, she introduces her novel, The Trouble with being a Movie Star’s Wife:
How do you share the love of your life with the world?
Alexandria Moore’s fantasy became her reality when she married movie star Andrew Hughes.
As she and Andrew fight their way through the minefield of a celebrity marriage, will they finally reach their happily ever after or will the pressures of Hollywood tear them apart?
Prequels: The Trouble with Dating a Movie Star (Book One) and The Trouble with Marrying a Movie Star (Book Two)
Now, here’s our interview with Z.N.:
What was the inspiration behind your book?
I actually had many different inspirations from individual people and ideas, but ultimately it all came down to the overall fascination with celebrities.
Who is your favorite character?
Andrew, of course. I love sexy, strong, men.
What is one thing you want readers to know or “get” about your book?
Celebrities are people who love, hurt and sometimes bleed for their craft; just like “normal” folks.
Who is your ideal reader? Or, who will enjoy your book?
My readers are very diverse, which I love. If you love your romance with spice and humor, you will enjoy this series.
What three writing tips do you have for aspiring authors?
1. Don’t quit!
2. Write for yourself.
3. Never stop appreciating your readers. If it’s three or thirty-three thousand.
Where can readers buy your book?
Amazon US: http://amzn.com/B01AL29UHA
AmazonUK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01AL29UHA
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/trouble-being-movie-stars/id1074391193?mt=11
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-trouble-with-being-a-movie-stars-wife-zn-willett/1123253758?ean=2940152572452
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/607330
Where can readers learn more about you?
Website: http://www.ZNWillett.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8189865.Z_N_Willett
Twitter: @znwillett https://twitter.com/znwillett
Blog: http://znwillett.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ZNWillett-The-Screening-Room/219074914781470
Filed under: The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour Tagged: author interview, book tour, contemporary romance, fiction, indie books, romance, self-publishing
February 17, 2016
FREE Booklet: 100 Romance Writing Prompts
Happy Wednesday! I’m excited to announce that I’ve published the second of my nonfiction booklets. Fittingly, the genre for February is Romance.
Today and tomorrow ONLY, you can grab your copy for FREE. After that, the regular price of $0.99 USD will return. But still, that’s cheaper than a box of leftover Valentine’s Day chocolate!
Read the full description below, then pick up your FREE copy on the Amazon of your choice. And don’t forget to add it to your shelves on Goodreads and tell your (aspiring) romance author friends (in fact, click HERE to Tweet them now!).
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA
Have you always wanted to write a great love story? This booklet contains 100 romance writing prompts to help you get started.
Do you have a novel burning inside you but feel trapped by writer’s block?
Are you an established romance author looking for a fresh new idea?
If you’re ready to stop staring at the blank page and start writing NOW, 100 Romance Writing Prompts is the booklet for you. There’s no fluff and no wasted words – just 100 fiction prompts to get you back to what you do best: writing.
100 Romance Writing Prompts is packed with character- and story-focused prompts to jumpstart your fiction writing. The prompts have been carefully designed to address each stage of a romance story: meeting, conflict, and happily ever after.
Inside, you’ll find prompts in the following romance subgenres:
1. Contemporary
2. Historical
3. Inspirational
4. Military & Western
5. New & Young Adult
6. Paranormal
7. Science Fiction & Fantasy
8. Suspense
9. Time Travel
10. Erotic
Each section contains 10 thought-provoking prompts. Practice them in order, or dive right into to what inspires you most. You’ve already wasted enough energy on writer’s block. It’s time to get started on your next great romance piece.
Fall in love with writing again. Get your FREE copy of 100 Romance Writing Prompts today.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA
Filed under: Fiction Ideas Series Tagged: creative writing, creative writing prompts, fiction writing, fiction writing prompts, love story, romance, romance novel, romance story, romance writing, writing, writing advice, writing prompts, writing tips
The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Samantha Bryant
Hello, everyone! Thanks for following the 2016 2K Indie Book Tour so far. For the second half, I’ll be your host. If you missed the first set of interviews, make sure to check them out on Kate Evans’s website, www.writingourselveswell.co.uk.
First up on my half of the blog tour is Samantha Bryant. Samantha is a middle school Spanish teacher by day and a mom and novelist by night. That makes her a superhero all the time. Her secret superpower is finding the things her family members have misplaced—and the ability to operate on very little sleep. When she’s not writing or working, Samantha watches old movies, reads, listens to audiobooks, bakes, walks in the woods, and wishes she was writing.
Here, she introduces her superhero/women’s fiction novel Going Through the Change: A Menopausal Superhero Novel:
In this lighthearted, nontraditional superhero novel, four menopausal women in the same town start to exhibit strange abilities: incredible strength, the ability to wield fire, to fly (sort of), and armor-plated skin. Each woman struggles to deal with her changes in her own way, until life throws them together. When the women start to talk, they find out that they have more in common than they knew–one person has touched all their lives. The hunt for answers is on.
Sequels: Book 2: Change of Life will be released April 20, 2016; a novella bridging between Book 1 and Book 2 will be included in The Indomitable Ten anthology, which will be released on March 5, 2016.
Now, here’s our interview with Samantha:
What was the inspiration behind your book?
The origin story behind Going Through the Change is a conversation with my husband. One evening, we were out walking the dog, one of the few ways folks like us (with two kids) can get to finish some sentences. We were talking about a recent superhero movie we had seen together and lamenting how all the heroes seem to be angst-ridden teenagers these days (even the adult ones). My husband said something like, “It’s like puberty causes superpowers.” I laughed and said, “With great hormones, come great power. Wait! If that’s true, menopausal women should have the corner on that market!” He laughed and told me to write it down. I did, and a series of novels was born.
Who is your favorite character?
I love them all, but Patricia is my favorite one to write. She’s all hard edges protecting her secret marshmallow insides. She’s driven and a force to be reckoned with. Since I’m a marshmallow inside and out, I enjoy writing a woman so different from myself.
What is one thing you want readers to know or “get” about your book?
That women heroes come in many shapes. As I sign my books: we are, all of us, heroes.
Who is your ideal reader? Or, who will enjoy your book?
Toni Morrison said, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” That’s what I did. I imagined my readers being other women like me. Geeky grown-ups, with lives (children, careers, partners, responsibilities), who still enjoy a bit of “what if?” imagining. I’ve found that younger readers and male readers have also enjoyed the book, too.
What three writing tips do you have for aspiring authors?
1. Finish things. The worst book you ever finished writing is better than the best one that only exists in your imagination. The revision process is where you’ll smooth out the rough places.
2. Don’t worry about selling it while you’re writing it. There’s plenty of time to figure that out once you have something to sell.
3. Writing is a very individual process. You have to learn what works for you. For me, that’s a daily writing habit and tracking word count on spreadsheets, and keeping myself accountable through writing groups. What’s important is respecting your own process. Don’t worry about how anyone else does it. They’re not you.
Where can readers buy your book?
Amazon: http://bitly.com/face-the-change
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23504114-going-through-the-change
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/going-through-the-change-samantha-bryant/1121690928?ean=9781620078419
Where can readers learn more about you?
Blog: http://samanthabryant.com
Amazon author: http://amazon.com/author/samanthabryant
Publisher page: https://curiosityquills.com/authors/samantha-bryant
Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/samanthadunawaybryant
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mirymom1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/mirymom
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SamanthaDunawayBryant/posts
Filed under: The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour Tagged: author interview, blog tour, book, indie books, science fiction, superhero, womens fiction
February 16, 2016
The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Kate M. Colby
Today is my day to be interviewed on the 2016 2K Indie Book Tour! Read about my steampunk dystopian novel, The Cogsmith’s Daughter on Kate Evans’s site, then come back HERE, where I’ll be hosting the second half of the tour, starting tomorrow.
Source: Indie Author: Kate M Colby
Filed under: The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour Tagged: author interview, blog tour, dystopian, indie books, science fiction, steampunk
February 15, 2016
A Conversation with Gabrielle of The Curious Tale of Gabrielle by Zachary Paul Chopchinski
Hello, everyone! Today, I’m thrilled to bring you an exclusive interview with Gabrielle, the protagonist of Zachary Paul Chopchinski’s young adult novel, The Curious Tale of Gabrielle. We discuss her ‘time traveling’ journeys, family, and adventurous spirit. Without further ado, here’s the interview!
Kate: Welcome, Gabrielle! Thank you so much for taking time out of your travels to talk with me today.
Gabrielle: Thank you so much for seeing with me. I do hope that it’s not too much of a bother.
Kate: Oh, please. It is my pleasure! So, why don’t you start by telling my readers a little bit about yourself?
Gabrielle: Well my name is Gabrielle. I am 13 years old and I like to wander, as my mother calls it. My father calls it “adventures”, but I just say that I like to see things. Strange things… New things…Old things.
Kate: And you have certainly seen your share of strange things. In fact, the whole adventure began in your friend Alexandra’s shop of oddities. Could you tell the readers a bit about that fateful day and how you view it in retrospect? If you could say anything to Alexandra now about that day and your following journey, what would it be?
Gabrielle: Well, honestly, I can’t even tell you how it started…or if Alexandra is even a friend. She is a kind, but strange woman, and she is the reason why I’m on this journey to begin with. But…it’s all so strange. I hardly know her at all, yet she acts like she’s known me for years. Since the day my family moved to Envisage, I made it a personal goal to see it all. Something was so strange about Alexandra’s shop, I don’t even know how to explain it…it’s like it was calling to me or something. It seems that my journey began as soon as I opened the door. Stepping into the shop and seeing all of the weird but beautiful things, and then meeting Alexandra…AND that bracelet!
If I could ask Alexandra one thing right now, it would be “Where are we going?”.
Kate: I think that’s something we’d all love to know! Speaking of the bracelet, what was it like when you realized the bracelet had helped you travel across time and space?
Gabrielle: WOW! I’m still really not able to describe it. At times, it’s almost like a dream. HAHA, in fact when I woke up in the first life…man I really thought it was a dream. I kept trying to wake myself up! Like I could wake up at any moment and none of it would have happened. It can be really amazing at times. Other times, it is terrifying. To be honest, I have no idea what I’m doing, why I’m doing it or what will happen. I still ask myself why I took the journey in the first place, but it felt like something that had to be done. Like these spirits need me, you know?
Kate: That is very noble of you. The first two spirits you met were Heather and Fionn. What was your favorite part about sharing in their lives? If you could send them a message now, what would you say?
Gabrielle: The life that I shared with Heather and Fionn was amazing. It still is difficult to accept all that happened with that journey. They were amazing people and I felt like I could have stayed with them forever…I think about them a lot…sometimes I even dream about them, like I’m back out in the field running with Heather and life is good…simple…happy.
If I could say anything to them right now, it would be that I’m sorry for what happened and it truly broke my heart. I wish that I could have done more.
Kate: I’m sure they appreciate you listening to their story and know that you tried. But not everyone in your story is like Heather and Fionn. What was it like meeting Morrigan during your adventure?
Gabrielle: Humm…well at first he seemed like a strange kid. Now that I know him better…well he can be a pain in my ass sometimes…but he has a good heart. I don’t want to talk too much about him because, well you will see more when I share the rest of my story. I don’t want to spoil the surprise! Lets just say we have a…complicated and frustrating friendship.
Kate: Haha, fair enough. Man, the way you talk about this adventure is so matter-of-fact. Despite all the scary moments in your journey, you never fail to be brave. How do you do that?
Gabrielle: I don’t know. I guess I just think of my mother and father. My father always told me to never be scared of anything in life. That at most times, that which scares you is only as strong as you let it become. My mother never seemed to let many things intimidate her either. She was always strong and my father always said that this was what made him fall in love with her in the first place. Also, I don’t really think I could run away, It just isn’t an option that comes into my head, you know?
Kate: What do you think your parents would say about your adventuring? Do you think they would be proud, supportive, fearful?
Gabrielle: Since my father…left us, my mother has been very protective of me. She probably wouldn’t really be happy about this adventure. My father…hahaha…he was a great guy! You would really have liked him. He would encourage the whole thing as long as I told him the tale. HAHA! Honestly, I think they both would support me at times and be fearful for me at others.
Kate: It sounds like they are truly great parents. Okay, we’re almost out of time, so let’s end on a few fun ones. If you could choose where and when the bracelet sent you next, to where and what time would you like to go?
Gabrielle: I know this isn’t really a possibility, but I would really like to go back to when my mom and dad were younger. When they were my age to see what they were like.
Kate: That would be very cool! If you could have taken one object or one person on your adventure with you, what or who would you have taken along?
Gabrielle: My father. He would have really liked this journey.
Kate: Great. Finally, your author, Zach Chopchinski, has sent you on a bit of a whirlwind by writing a second edition of your story. What is it like working with him, and do you have any requests for your next book?
Gabrielle: Oh yeah Zach…he’s a little weird. When we works, he insists on drinking tea, burning incense, listening to music and it being very dark. Not really my kind of scene, but I guess sometimes I have to do what he wants. He says it’s his version of a mix of sensory deprivation and immersion all rolled into one. He like to stay up late at night so that’s fun, I guess. I do like that he wrote in Morrigan in this edition. Morrigan can be cool…at least he’s someone to go through this with me. I wonder what sorts of things he will send me off to do next. In the future, I would like for him to maybe send me back to meet all of the people that I have met and will meet to talk about the amazing journey and to thank them for all that they have done, and give my condolences for what they experienced. I know its probably not possible, but it would be great to see everyone again.
Kate: As one of your readers, I know that I would enjoy that, too! Well, I think that is all the time we have for today. Again, Gabrielle, thank you so much for coming on my blog and sharing about your journey. If you wouldn’t mind, please tell the readers where they can read about your adventures and learn more about Zach.
Gabrielle: Well they can go to his website, www.zachchop.com, find him on something called Facebook and Twitter (whatever those are) and he wants everyone to know that if they ever have any questions or requests, to please let him know. I think that I should be going now. My bracelet is getting quite warm…… CLICK
Filed under: Author Interviews Tagged: author interview, book launch, book tour, character interview, fantasy, indie books, science fiction, self-publishing, The Curious Tale of Gabrielle, time travel, young adult
The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Ashley Capes
We’re back for the second week of the 2016 2K Indie Book Tour! Head over to Kate Evans’s site to read all about Ashley Capes and his genre-defying novel, The Fairy Wren.
Source: Indie Author: Ashley Capes
Filed under: The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour Tagged: author interview, blog tour, book tour, crime, fantasy, indie books, magical realism
February 12, 2016
The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Jackie Phillips
We’re wrapping up week one of the tour with Jackie Phillips and her mystery, A Case of Deceit. Head over to Kate Evans’s blog to read about Jackie, then come back Monday for more inspiring interviews!
Source: Indie author of the day: Jackie Phillips
Filed under: The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour Tagged: author interview, books, cozy mystery, crime novel, indie author, indie book, mystery, thriller
February 11, 2016
The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Helen Jones
Up next, Helen Jones tells us about her young adult fantasy series, The Ambeth Chronicles! Click to read her interview now.
Source: Author interview: Helen Jones
Filed under: The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour Tagged: author interview, book, fantasy, indie author, indie books, young adult
February 10, 2016
The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Christina Ochs
Day three of the tour belongs to Christina Ochs and her action-packed fantasy series, The Desolate Empire. Use the link below to read her interview on Kate Evans’s site now!
Source: Author interview: Christina Ochs
Filed under: The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour Tagged: author interview, epic fantasy, fantasy, indie author, indie book, self-publishing
February 9, 2016
The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour: Zach Chopchinski
It’s day two of the book tour! Head over to Kate Evans’s site to read about Zach and the second edition of The Curious Tale of Gabrielle.
Author interview: Zach Chopchinski – http://wp.me/p3TkoH-b8
Filed under: The 2016 2K Indie Book Tour Tagged: author, author interview, book, fantasy, indie author, indie books, science fiction, time travel, young adult
