Theresa Jacobs's Blog, page 17
September 22, 2018
An author to aspire to, Karina Bartow
Welcome Karina, please tell us about your books, genre, stand-alone or series.
Forgetting My Way Back to You, my newest novel coming out October 15, 2018, is a love story about high school sweethearts, Charlee and Hunter, who reconnect after a decade-long estrangement. Their reunion goes much better than expected, until Charlee falls off a horse and loses every memory she has of Hunter. The twist enables him to play a heroic stranger and make her fall back in love with him, but it turns out a bit more difficult than he anticipates.
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Check out the Forgetting My Way Back to You book trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG26-Qn0hDA
I’ve also written mysteries. My debut novel, Husband in Hiding, was released in 2015 and was the first of a series that follows a deaf detective. None of its sequels have been published yet, but I hope they will be someday.
How long have you been writing?
10 years
Are you traditionally published, or self published?
Traditionally
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Most times, it energizes me, but if I’m writing a part I have several times before, that can be tiring.
How many hours a day do you write?
Usually two to three
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
In my short career, I haven’t received too many reviews yet. The ones that have come in have, thankfully, been good, but I always get nervous.
What was your hardest scene to write?
I struggle with the action-packed scenes, such as the final takedowns in my mysteries and the accident scene in Forgetting My Way Back to You. Even when I’m watching them in movies and shows, my mind just blanks out most of the details, so my brain must be wired that way. Once I get the right nudge from my writing coach or editor, though, I figure my way through.
What is your favorite childhood book?
I love the Raggedy Ann & Andy series and Winnie the Pooh.
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
How connected it is with your emotions. It can be hard to motivate yourself to write a happy scene when you aren’t happy, or to write an argument when you are. Sometimes you just need to write what you’re feeling and save it for the appropriate time…or delete it during editing!
Who is your favorite author and have you ever tried to emulate them?
Nicholas Sparks. His style inspired me for sure. I love how simple it is, yet how it stirs your emotion, and I try to do that.
What book changed your life?
The Bible
Follow Karina Bartow below:
Website-http://www.Karinabartow.com
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/karina.bartow.58
Twitter-https://twitter.com/KarinaBartow
Author Page On Amazon-https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B076L4FCGV/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1531169136&sr=8-1&redirectedFromKindleDbs=true
Goodreads Page-https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15045283
Be sure to stay tuned for, Writing 101, with Karina and others as special guest writers – coming this fall.
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September 15, 2018
Busy Bee – the writers life
Begin each day early. I like to social media in the mornings before the day job. Some people prefer to write a little.
Work on covers, banners, logo’s, or think of new ways to grab a readers attention.
Here is my new banner.
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Logo created by https://www.facebook.com/groups/darkwishdesigns/
Ordered through Beatties, my local (and employer) office supply store. Check out your local places to get the best service for your money. https://beatties.com/
Or busy preparing stock for the upcoming show in Oct, where I’ll be selling my books. If you’re in the Southern Ontario Canada or Niagara Falls/Buffalo USA area, come on out and see the show.
Recent Orders
30 CONTENT – Sudden Death
15 CONTENT – Cataclysm
30 CONTENT – Kept
20 CONTENT – The Cimmerians
30 CONTENT – Wife ‘n’ Death
http://frightmareinthefalls.com/
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All while editing two books and beginning to write another … COMING SOON…
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Writing 101 will be free for everyone – ETA Late Sept
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The Used to be released Late Oct Early Nov!
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And my new WIP – Cover ready due late winter – early spring… so stay tuned.
AND writing articles for 1428Elm.com and this weekly blog. Imagine what I could do if I didn’t have a day job
September 8, 2018
Life keeps getting in the way
This is the found cat. I’m deathly allergic! I want to find her home so the owners can be happy and she wont have to go to the pound
September 2, 2018
NO SATURDAY…
I was too busy getting my new book ready to publish!
Less than a cup o’ Joe, get yours today.
Cover art by Mar Garcia, of THE BOLD MOM https://www.facebook.com/theboldmom/
There are more surprises rolling out soon, but you have to stay tuned to find out what those are.
See you next week
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New logo by : Dark Wish Designs https://www.facebook.com/groups/darkwishdesigns
Featured Photo by Joshua Sorenson on Unsplash
August 25, 2018
Author Spotlight Stefan Lear
1) Tell us about your books, genre, stand-alone or series.
My books generally are dark in nature. Almost all of them are tinged with horror elements. I’m a twisted little f*** and don’t see things the way “normal” people do. You have breakfast with eggs and sausage and see eggs and sausage. I have breakfast with eggs and sausage and wonder what parts of the victim’s body are stuffed inside that sausage skin. Twisted, yeah I know.
His newest release – and in audio today!
2) How long have you been writing?
That’s sort of a loaded question. The first time I remember writing and being proud of what I had written was somewhere in the third grade (I’m in my fifties now). Our mother used to sit us down on Wednesdays at the coffee table in the living room and have us write. We could pick our own topic, and Momma would require us to write a one page paper on our chosen subject. She would grade us for spelling and grammar. i think my most memorable paper at that age was “When I become a rock star.”
3) Are you traditionally published, or self published?
Traditionally published? Are you kidding me? No way; I’m a proud indy. Let me briefly explain why I’m not seeking to have a traditional publisher.
In both traditional and indy [publishing] the first thing that happens is I write and get a story ready for submission. But in traditional publishing, I submit my work to a person that subjectively decides whether or not my writing will be financially viable for the market. More often than not, this one decision is influenced by their personal tastes. They say whether or not the work I just poured my soul into will bee accepted by the public. And oftentimes they are wrong. Let’s use JK Rowling as an example. She had over twenty rejection letters from publishers before a small press decided they would take a chance on her writing. We all know what happened after that.
The next issue is money. IF you get accepted by a traditional publisher, you’re lucky to get paid 10—13% of the royalties that the book you just wrote generates. But if i’m an indy author, I can see royalties of as high as 70%. So now I have to decide: 13% vs 70%. Hmmm…yea, no contest there.
4) If self-published when/why did you take that route.
See my previous answer. Let me also add I like to manage my projects from start to finish: I hire editors, I hire formatters for the interior, I hire covers artists, and love to figure out marketing plans for each launch. I love the nitty gritty details of bringing a book to market, and I’m okay with spending 12+ hours each day to do that.
5) Does writing energize or exhaust you?
I write. I’m an author. I chose this career. It’s obvious isn’t it?
6) How many hours a day do you write?
It varies. I try to stay in my chair and pumping out words at least seven hours a day, but under a tight deadline have stayed up for fifty-two hours straight to pump out edited words.
7) Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
Of course! I think every author loves reviews. I’m extremely happy when five-star reviews show up, but the others that are three stars and down are a learning experience. It shows me what are perceived as weaknesses in my writing. The pivot, the determinant of whether I can grow as an author, is whether I take those negative reviews personal and let that resentment grow. If I can honestly assess my writing, I can use my negative reviews as a chance to hone my craft.
8) What was your hardest scene to write?
It hasn’t been written yet – or more precisely, it hasn’t been released yet.
Let me explain that. My middle sister (I had three) was violently murdered on June 2, 2017. I know how she got to that point, all the big events that led up to her being where she was, in the condition she was in, when she was murdered, and I was helpless to do anything about it. I’m working on a novel that dives in-depth about the subject. It’s a work of fiction, but there are thinly veiled events that happened in real life that heavily influenced the narrative. It’s an exploration of what I feel around the events, and each time I work on the novel I end up crying and have to stop and set it aside. After a year, the pain of losing my sister still overwhelms me at times.
9) What is your favorite childhood book?
That one’s easy. Lord of The Rings by JRR Tokein. It was the only fantasy book, the only book period, in which the author took the time to craft and create two syntactically correct languages for the story. You could say that about Star Trek and the Klingon language, but the creation of Klingon didn’t happen until the release of the series.
10) What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
lMAO, just sitting down at the desk and starting each day. There are a thousand things I want to do every day. It takes a few minutes to remind me once I’ve started writing that this is what I really love, what makes my soul soar. It really is a labor of love. There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing…it just takes me a few minutes each day to be reminded of that.
11) Who is your favorite author and have you ever tried to emulate them?
Favorite author? That would be Clive Barker. Emulate him? I couldn’t even begin to think that I could write like him. The visual tapestry his words conjure are as close to magical for me as any magic show I’ve ever seen. He writes the most psychologically dense horror stories I’ve ever read. He weaves nightmares and philosophy into new worlds that teem with life and menace and hope.
12) What book changed your life?
Books of Blood by Clive Barker
13) Is there anything you want us to know about you or your books?
First, they’re damn good and getting better. Second, I don’t follow one genre. You never know what I’ll write. But there is always darkness in them. Not everything ends nicely and neatly. Life is full of tragedies and personal disappointments. But there is always hope. I like to cover all aspects of that, of life.
What are you waiting for – get stalking!
My personal site, which is forever in a state of flux… https://stefanlear.com
Facebook profile… https://www.facebook.com/stefanlearauthor
Facebook group… stefanlearslaughterhouse
Twitter… https://twitter.com/stefanlear
Amazon page… https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B01903R4WE
BookBub page… https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stefan-lear
August 18, 2018
Meet the Author – Jennifer Reynolds
Jennifer Reynolds is a native of North Alabama. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from National University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Alabama.
She is a multi-genre author who focuses mostly on post-apocalyptic novels with plagues and zombies as their source of destruction and paranormal romances, especially shifters, weres, and ghosts. She does occasionally dabble in other genres such as general fiction, horror, and suspense thrillers.
When she’s not writing, she’s a full-time caregiver of her elderly in-laws, a stay at home wife, an avid reader, and the mother to two kitties, Lilith and Midnight.
Tell us about your books, genre, stand-alone or series.
Captive
Supernaturals Book 3
A BBW Paranormal Romance
The loss of a job, her husband, her home, and her quiet life has Talia dreaming of a life she’s only read about in paranormal romance novels.
An inherent need to find his mate and settle down has werecoyote Bane hoping that the human who’s just entered his life is the one for him.
Peace is all Casen, the king of the werewolves, wants but with half his pack yearning to be the warring pack they once were, he’s sure it won’t come in his lifetime.
Max is determined that the war between his people and the coyotes continues even if it means kidnapping and torturing a group of coyotes and the human with them to make it happen.
The Fates, on the other hand, have their own agenda for these four, and their desires are all that matter.
How long have you been writing?
All my life, but I published my first book in 2012.
Are you traditionally published, or self-published?
Self-published.
If self-published when/why did you take that route.
I took this route because I have a master’s in creative writing and while getting that degree I worked for two small press. I learned a lot from them and figured I could do most of this on my own. I have an editor and cover artist that I love dearly, and I am teaching myself the marketing process.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Energize.
How many hours a day do you write?
Unfortunately, in the last two years, I’ve only managed to write about an hour a day. My FIL was diagnosed with Dementia, and I became his full-time caregiver.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
On occasion. The bad ones don’t bother me, especially the ones that I know are honest. I use them as learning experiences. I take the comments, if they are valid ones, and try to apply them to my current project.
What was your hardest scene to write?
There wasn’t one particular scene Captive that was hard. For some reason the first few drafts of the novel didn’t feel right. My editor and I finally got it right, but Captive was one of my most difficult to write, but that probably had more to do with the fact that I was adjusting to my new life as a caregiver while working on the novel.
What is your favorite childhood book?
Where the Red Fern Grows
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Aside from marketing, I’d say getting time to write at this point in my life. Usually, once I start a novel, and have time to give all of my focus, I don’t have much difficulty in finding the flow.
Who is your favorite author and have you ever tried to emulate them?
Stephen King. No. I’d give up on writing if I aimed to be like him.
What book changed your life?
The Stand. The uncut version. I made me want to be a writer. I long for the day when I can create such a world as that.
Is there anything you want us to know about you or your books?
Nearly all of my novels have happy endings. I strive to show that we as a people can be better than we are. I’m also not afraid to be real and graphic. My romances aren’t overly erotic, but there is sex. I do describe rape as what it is, dead bodies as they truly look, and my characters got to the bathroom, have morning breath, stretch marks, and almost always over a size 14, and have flaws.
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https://jennifer-reynolds-thzu.squarespace.com/captive/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36393748-captive
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079NGKTQR?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1348016170
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/captive-133
https://www.books2read.com/u/bxqXkJ
https://www.24symbols.com/book/x/x/x?id=2621748
If you’d like to know more about me, Author Jennifer Reynolds, then check out this informational brochure or one of my many social media sites.
https://view.publitas.com/jennifer-reynolds/jennifer-reynolds-book-brochure/
jennifer.powell.reynolds@gmail.com
https://jennifer-reynolds-thzu.squarespace.com/home/
http://www.jenniferlynnreynolds.com
http://www.jenniferlynnreynolds.com/new-blog/
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferReynolds
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7880000.Jennifer_Lynn_Reynolds
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00IQM9NAM
https://twitter.com/JenniferLRAutho
@JenniferLRAutho
http://www.pinterest.com/talisman1222/
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/authorjenniferreynolds
https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferreynolds/
August 11, 2018
A Psychological Horror to ponder.
If you read the works of Ramsey Campbell or Bret Easton Ellis, then give this book a try. There are mixed reviews on this book, but I personally enjoy a story that brings the reader into the mind of a psycho and doesn’t spell out every step of the way. As a young adult, David Kummer has the chops to bring us there.
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Join Cyrus Street as he returns to his hometown, where fifteen years previous the church burned taking many townspeople with it. Now that he’s back townspeople start to die. Through flashbacks, we see his checkered past, his family and the love of his life.
And a darkness that haunts his mind.
Delve into the past, present, and future in Until we burn.
Everybody remebers the fire. Everybody remebers him. But there’s a darkness he’s buried inside his own head. and unless he can remeber, the entire town will burn.
Buy this book, and check out his others here:
https://www.amazon.com/David-Duane-Kummer/e/B018AA9KK2/
August 4, 2018
Author Interview with Rebecca Bryn
When did you first start writing? Was being a writer something you always aspired to be?
I began writing about fourteen years ago. I didn’t aspire to write; rather, I fell into it helping a fellow author with her novel. One day, on a whim, I wrote Chapter One and I was off.
What are you currently working on?
I’ve just finished editing The Dandelion Clock, a tale of young lovers torn apart by the Great War. It was inspired by my grandfather’s exploits in Egypt and The Holy Land from 1916 to 1918, while Grandma, the girl he’d promised to marry if he survived, kept life together at home in England and waited for him to return. It’s been a roller-coaster ride. The horrors soldiers endured in Gallipoli, Egypt, and Palestine were a real eye-opener. Bill’s struggle to survive and keep his promises to bring home his beloved warhorse and marry his sweetheart are inspirational and heartbreaking.
The Dandelion Clock is available now at the special pre-order price of 99p/99c at http://mybook.to/DandelionClock – Royalties until the Remembrance Day Centenary will go to http://ABF Soldiers’Charity.org https://www.soldierscharity.org/about-us/what-we-do/ and www.thebrooke.org a charity that rescues horses, mules, and donkeys from some of the poorest parts of the world and was founded to rescue the old warhorses abandoned by the army in Cairo in 1918.
My next project, ‘Th1rte3n’, forming silently in my mind, will be something completely different – contemporary and maybe bordering on horror.
What is your best advice based on your own experiences so far to other Authors?
Write with an honest heart, a personal truth, and don’t duck the difficult bits – readers respond to honestly told stories with which they can identify – and be prepared for a lot of hard work both during the writing process and after – promotion is harder than writing. Research your subject thoroughly. Write whenever you can, put your writing out there, and accept criticism as a method of improving. It doesn’t much matter what you write because every word is honing your craft, and it’s a very steep learning curve. If you love writing, you’ll climb the hill. Someone once said writing was a selfish profession. It’s true: you have to immerse yourself in a different world, and it takes a lot of time and concentration, and it can feel exclusive to those around you. Don’t forget reality exists, and there are people there who need you.
What of your own writing was your favorite piece?
That’s a hard question to answer. Each of my books has its own place in my heart and there are passages in each I especially love, usually descriptive or emotional pieces, but I think I’m most proud of ‘For Their Country’s Good’ series. It was inspired by my own family history, and I wrote it for myself, my children, and grandchildren. It turned into an epic tale I loved researching and writing. I learnt a lot about my roots.
A quote by you or your Life motto?
‘The only thing written in stone is your epitaph.’
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Silence of the Stones http://mybook.to/SilenceoftheStones
Touching the Wire http://mybook.to/TouchingtheWire
Where Hope Dares http://getbook.at/WhereHopeDares
For Their Country’s Good series
Book 1 On Different Shores http://mybook.to/OnDifferentShores
Book 2 Beneath Strange Stars http://mybook.to/BeneathStrangeStars
Book 3 On Common Ground http://mybook.to/OnCommonGround
The Dandelion Clock http://mybook.to/DandelionClock
Your Genres: Historical fiction, Contemporary fiction, Dystopian
Official website: https://rebeccabrynblog.wordpress.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/rebeccabryn
Bookbub page: – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rebecca-bryn-5527e97a-146a-49e7-95c7-a30b0f603c80
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/authorshow/8434030.RebeccaBryn
Blog: – https://rebeccabrynblog.wordpress.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rebeccabryn1
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rebecca.bryn.novels
Instagram: –
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/jandrcoulson
Google +: https://plus.google.com/+RebeccaBryn
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmjL99ImZV_TdNpDaOxiVOw
Any other page: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/rebecca-bryn
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July 28, 2018
Marketing that works
The second is getting attention.
As Indie’s we work our butts off in marketing our own work. There’s blogs, interviews, social media interactions, groups, videos, and on and on – you know the drill.
And of course, we’ll try anything ONCE.
The other day I was googling a business, and it hit me, “Why don’t I try putting myself on google maps?”
That’s exactly what I did.
I don’t particularly like that my home address is so easily visible, I’m sure a PO Box will remedy that. But I also am not hard to find if anyone really looks anyway – I figure while I’m not super famous – I’d take a chance.
This is how it looks when I google my name
July 21, 2018
Author Interview with Rhonda Hopkins
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How long have you been writing?
I’ve pretty much written ever since third grade. We were given a fiction assignment and I wrote about how the raccoons got their masks. Ever since I’ve made up stories just for myself. I really never thought about publishing though until a friend encouraged me after reading one of my stories. She even went to the trouble of getting a list of writing courses for me at a local college. Thank you, Kay Rifkin! The professor was a fantastic mentor for me and she encouraged me to attend one of the local writer workshops where I learned even more. Thank you, Carmen Goldthwaite! So, I’ve been writing with an eye to publication for a few years now. Most of it was just learning as I go until recently.
Are you traditionally published, or self-published?
I’m an indie author.
If self-published when/why did you take that route.
I researched all my options and decided that I wanted to try the indie path. I’m so glad I did. I think I have learned more about the publishing industry than I would have had I had someone handling everything for me. I wouldn’t rule out a traditional deal in the future though if the terms are good.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Writing definitely energizes me. I love getting all my ideas written down and out of my head. I have all these stories vying for attention, so it’s very rewarding getting them out there.
How many hours a day do you write?
Anywhere from one to six. It just depends on what else I have to do and if the words are flowing. I haven’t ever suffered from writing block, but there are some days when words just don’t flow as well. I don’t force like forcing them because I usually have to go back and rewrite those sections. But, I absolutely adore those days, when the muse is pouring out words so quickly I can barely keep up.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
I do read the reviews. I’m honored and elated by the good ones. I read the not so great ones to see if they offer any criticism that I need to take into account for the future. Otherwise, I don’t let them get me down. I don’t like everything I read, so I can’t expect everyone to like everything I write.
What was your hardest scene to write?
Actually, the hardest thing for me to write was my grandmother’s dedication for Survival. She passed away in 2002 from cancer and I still miss her every day.
What is your favorite childhood book?
My favorite is actually a series. I started reading Nancy Drew when I was about seven and I think I went through all our library had. I just devoured them. I’ve been a devoted reader ever since, reading all kinds of different genres. I read very fast and usually get through three to four books a week. I don’t think I could even fall asleep now without reading.
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Deciding what to work on is the most difficult part of writing. As I said above, I have so many stories/ideas and I want to write them all now. I have to actually give myself deadlines on different projects, so I’ll concentrate on one until it’s complete. Otherwise, I’d be skipping back and forth and never accomplishing anything. But, the most difficult part of publishing is the marketing/promotion. I’m a true introvert and don’t like bringing attention to myself. But, my work won’t ever be seen if I don’t.
Who is your favorite author and have you ever tried to emulate them?
My favorite author is Dean Koontz. His words flow like magic. I would love to be able to write like him, but I can only write like me.
Is there anything you want us to know about you or your books?
I write several different genres and for different ages. I have a zombie apocalypse series, Survival, in
[image error]progress. Survival: Prequel is available now and Dead of Winter will be out this fall. I’ve won a couple of awards for my paranormal novella, The Consuming. I even have a heart-warming family holiday short story published. Toward the end of the year, I should (hopefully) release the first in a middle-grade paranormal series. And, I’ll be working on a young adult urban fantasy the beginning of next year as well. I also have plans for a paranormal romance series and a romantic suspense series.
I also write non-fiction. Navigating Family Court:
[image error]In the Best Interest of Your Child will help those involved in family court prepare for what to expect and for what will be expected of them. It’s scary and confusing when your children are involved in custody litigation, so I wanted to share my twenty years experience of working within the family courts to help ease things for the parents and therefore the children.
Personal Links:
Website: http://rhondahopkins.com
Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Rhonda-Hopkins/e/B009KWDCCW
Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/RhondaHopkins
Facebook: https://familycourt.com/RhondaHopkins.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhonda_Hopkins
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+RhondaHopkins
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/RhondaRHopkins
Navigating Family Court Links:
Website: https://navigatingfamilycourt.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/NavigatingFamilyCourt
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NavigatingCourt
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/NavigatingFamilyCourt
Thank you so much for the great interview questions, Theresa. I really appreciate the opportunity to discuss my work with you and your readers.
