Zara West's Blog, page 21

My Writing Journal – How I Start off the New Year

Zara West Suspense

~ Start with a Journal ~

The beginning of a new year is always a good time to review what one has accomplished and to look forward to what might be one’s goals for the new year. A journal is a great place to start.

[image error] My Journal

There are many different ways to do this. Since I am a long time journaler, I like to begin the year by starting a new journal (made of recycled paper, of course) and listing my goals and plans at the front.

Throughout the year, I use the journal to jot notes about my current writing projects and accomplishments, my ad campaigns, and character and plot development for my current writing projects.

Making My Journal Useful

[image error]Using a trick I learned from bullet journaling, I number the pages so I can create an index at the back. To create the index, I start on the last page and work backwards. That way I can quickly find the information I need.

 

Another trick I use is to fold over the upper right-hand corner for each new writing project. I color-code the tab to make it easy to find. I also use sticky notes to mark the place I am at in the journal.

Dating everything and recording everything in time [image error]order is also important. Not only does this show me what progress I am making, but later if I am having trouble finding a data file or remembering when I did something I can check my journal.

I Don’t Care How My Journal Looks

What I don’t do is try to make the journal pretty. Time is limited, and I want to spend as much of it as I can on writing. For me, the important thing is to get the information recorded in whatever way I can.

So while I occasionally mark a page with highlight markers, I do not add drawings or fancy colors unless I am sketching something to help me picture something in my writing such as a building, an interior, or a map.

I don’t worry about my handwriting. As long as it is legible, that’s all that matters. I cross out, insert, and don’t care if I am not writing on the lines. It is my journal, and no one else needs to see it.

[image error] Advantages of a Handwritten Journal

Now, you are probably wondering why, with all the digital organizers out there, anyone would resort to handwritten notes? I do so for two reasons:

It is much faster to scribble something down on the pad next to my computer or flip through the pages when I am in middle of writing than it is to open a new document, save it, and then find it again.
At the end of December I can look back and have a cohesive picture of my writing year. I can see my struggles and my successes. From there I can easily transfer any important information or knowledge to my computer files or use it to plan my next year’s writing. To make it easy, I often just take a photograph of an important page or drawing and save that as a jpg file.


Learn More 

To find more about my journaling see: Zara West’s Writing Journal

I also offer Bullet Journal Workshops for Readers and Writers. I do not have one currently scheduled, but if you are interested, contact me and I can set one up. For an individual, the cost is $15 for a two-week totally online workshop. You will learn how to set up and organize your journal and make it uniquely your own.

Do you keep a journal? Is it handwritten or digital?
Do you have any tips for keeping a journal?
I love to hear from my readers and fellow writers.

The post My Writing Journal – How I Start off the New Year appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

C. F. Francis has a new romantic suspense for us

Zara West Suspense

~ A Romance to Warm You Up ~

Awesome Romance Author C. F. Francis is back today to tell us about her newest romantic suspense: Lover’s Key.  Back in July, C. F. Francis shared with us how she researches her military suspenses and why she sets them in her native Florida. You can read my interview with her here.

So read on to learn more about her newest book. Hint: For those of you residing in the cold north (or anywhere), it may be just the hot, sexy, suspense read you need to keep you warm this winter.

Hi Zara,

Thank you for inviting me back to talk about the release of Lovers Key.  I’m excited about the second novel in The James Gang series.  I had hoped to have it available this past fall, but things don’t always work out the way we plan.  After some additional revisions, Lovers Key celebrated its book birthday on November 27 in both e-book and paperback formats.

Lovers Key is the story of Lt. Stephen Brody and Josette Boussard.  I’m not going to give away any spoilers, though.   Readers of Sanctuary Island will probably remember Steve.  A Lieutenant in the Special Forces, Steve served under Colton James before Colt left the service.   Strong, handsome and with a love for speed, he swept Josie into a relationship before she knew what hit her.   Now, with that relationship fractured, she’s running for her life, and Josie won’t trust anyone but Steve to save her.  That’s enough of a teaser….

The story takes place on Sanibel Island and, of course, Lovers Key.  Lovers Key is a state park located between the Gulf of Mexico and Estero Bay, a little bit south of Sanibel.   Its beauty makes the perfect setting for the climax of the novel…and since we have two lovers and one of them has the key to the mystery, how could it not be the title?  (Oh, and the bar mentioned in Lovers Key?  OMG.  I can attest to the scrumptiousness and potency of their strawberry, lemon-drop martinis.  Research, of course.)

I hope you will enjoy Lovers Key and check out my Facebook page for updates on the next book in the series.  The working title is Man-of-War.  That title is growing on me as are the characters.

Thanks again, Zara, for inviting me to talk about my new release.  I wish you and your readers a beautiful and safe holiday season.

[image error] Blurb
Lovers Key by C. F. Francis

Josette Boussard is on the run—running toward the only person she can trust, the only man she’s ever loved.  Beaten, battered and off the grid, Josie has no idea who is after her but it has something to do with a message that was sent to her by a friend—a friend who is now missing.

After attending the wedding of his former Special Forces commander, Lieutenant Steve Brody has decided it’s time to track down Josie and settle things between them.  The status of their “marriage” has remained in limbo long enough.  But before he leaves Sanibel Island in search of her, an unconscious Josie is literally dropped into his arms.

While Steve and Josie deal with the issues that have kept them apart, they must also work to discover who is hunting Josie—because it has become increasingly clear that the price for the information she possesses is her life.

Lovers Key Reviews :

“…this is a book that will keep you up reading “one more chapter”.  Her suspenseful finishes never fail to hold a surprise.”

“…well-drawn characters. Smooth dialogue, sexual tension, and thrilling scenarios.”

“Sultry and steamy”

[image error]Sanctuary Island Reviews:

“Fantastic Read…”

“Suspenseful, Quick-paced, Hot…and Steamy”

“Highly recommend to lovers of romance and suspense…”

“Kudos to this new author…One to watch”

Learn more about C. F. Francis [image error]
Website

Facebook

Twitter  @Francis_Sanibel

Have a question of comment for C. F. Francis?
She’s waiting to hear from you.

The post C. F. Francis has a new romantic suspense for us appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Meet Awesome Romance Writer Rumer Raines

Zara West Suspense

~Fascinated by the Mafia ~

Rumer Raines writes sexy, sensual romances about tough Mafia characters. Like me, she is fascinated by the men caught between their rough criminal heritage and doing the right thing. It takes a special woman to save this type of man.

Find out why Rumer Raines writes what she does in today’s interview.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am a shy, quiet girl who has a passion for the big city and interest in the Mafia. I love traveling to the larger cities of Chicago and New York. I love the hustle and bustle and sometimes scary cab rides. One of the most interesting things you can do in big cities is people watch. I will often sit back and wonder what that person does for a living and what kind of love life do they have. Am I the only one that will look at some guy on the street and wonder if he is a dominant or pushover?  Maybe it’s just me?

Is there an event in your life that affected you as a writer?

I spend forty hours a week doing what I don’t enjoy to help someone else fulfill their dreams. I got to the point where I realized that I am not here, just to help someone fulfill their destiny. We all have dreams that are placed in us and we should all strive to reach them.

I watched my father die with cancer. After he got sick, he talked about the things that he didn’t get to do. I never want to have regrets from not trying to live my dreams.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I have always loved to write. My favorite subject was always English, and I thought I was in heaven during my creative writing classes. I love that I can use my imagination and create other lives, and no one can tell me I have a wrong answer. There is no wrong answer in the story you create. I finished my first book spring of 2017. Publishing it was very scary, but the greatest things in the world will always cause a little fear.

Where do you get your ideas?

I am a little obsessed with anything Italian. I spend my time watching old Mob movies and watching documentaries about mobsters. Most of my ideas come from watching these things. I also read the newspaper which make my mind spin and stories just come to mind.

What do you do when your not writing?

I recently had a perfect day, that didn’t involve writing. I took the train to Chicago and went on a Mob tour. It was awesome to see the places where Mob history took place. After the tour we had lunch at one of Capone’s former hangouts and had the greatest deep dish pizza on planet earth.

What do I do when I am not writing? 

I look into Mafia history and get lost In the city.

[image error]Mafia By Blood
by Rumer Raines

It was a dying wish.

“Take over the family business.”

Any son would be thrilled that his father thought so highly of him. As the Don of the Deluca family, it’s not only a honor, but the highest compliment. But for me, not so much.

As a cop, I’m torn between my family and my career. Deciding which side of the law I live on should be easy.

And it would have been,

Until she showed up.

Buy Link:
AMAZON

Learn more about Rumer Raines

Website:   www.rumerraines.com

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

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/RumerRaines

Have you read a Mafia romance yet?
Rumer Raines would love to hear from you. She’s waiting to answer your questions and comments.

The post Meet Awesome Romance Writer Rumer Raines appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Meet Awesome Author Lainee Cole

Zara West Suspense

~ A Little Holiday Romance ~

Just in time for the holidays comes a Christmas love story by awesome romance author Lainee Cole. Today she tells us a little about herself and her Christmas anthology.

Welcome, Lainee…

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a Midwestern girl, originally from Ohio but I’ve also lived in Michigan and Illinois. I escaped for one year to California, but while I enjoyed it there, I missed the changing seasons and returned to Illinois. Now that it’s winter, remind me, why did I want to be back in Illinois?

I’m the oldest (some would say bossiest) of five kids. I have a mixed marriage – I’m a Cardinals fan, and Hubby is a Cubs fan – but we’ve managed to resolve any other issues in our 27 year marriage.  Our 25 year old daughter drives a dirt-modified race-car, and our 21 year old son doesn’t like to tell his mother anything. My favorite TV shows are Survivor and House Hunters. Besides writing and reading, I enjoy scrapbooking, hiking, and camping. I love horses and dogs, but am allergic to cats. At work, they call me Queen of Chocolate because I am never without a stash of chocolate!

What are some of your favorite things? Foods. Flowers. Books. Whatever.

I love this question – shades of The Sound of Music! These are a few of my favorite things (in no particular order):

Being surrounded by my family. Spending time with friends. Reading romances, animal stories, and biographies. Chocolate.  Old houses. Horses. Dogs. Hiking. Camping. Photography. Scrapbooking. Walking the beach. Lilacs, roses, and wildflowers. The old west. The smell of rain. Walking in new-fallen snow at dusk. Scooby-Doo. Mint-chocolate chip ice cream. Visiting places I used to live. Watching deer in the parks where we hike. And I can’t forget writing!

What was the most interesting place you ever visited?

I love it out west. We went to the Badlands and the Black Hills on our honeymoon and have made several trips out west since then. When we visited Deadwood, SD, we took a tour of a brothel that had been in operation as late as 1980, when it was shut down after a raid. It was fascinating to learn about the lives of the women who worked there; to see the way they lived. I’ve always loved western movies and stories, so visiting a historical town like Deadwood was awesome. Lots of history there!

How did you come up with the title?

THE MISTLETOE EFFECT is the title of my story in CAPTURED BY CHRISTMAS, an anthology with Lynn Crandall. I wanted a title reflecting our Christmas theme, but one that also represented an important part of my story. I made a list of words related to Christmas and then tried out different phrases. Mistletoe and Holly were the two words I kept coming back to, so I decided to name the little girl in my story Holly, and the shelter dog Mistletoe. Mistletoe has an effect not only on Holly, but her father and her teacher as well, so THE MISTLETOE EFFECT seemed like the perfect title.

Can you tell us about any other upcoming books, series, or writing plans?

AT MIDNIGHT, an anthology with Lynn Crandall and Rena Koontz, was released October 2. The clock is ticking in all three stories. My story, MIDNIGHT CASANOVA, is a contemporary romance about a stray dog named Casanova.  Lynn’s story is about a bird-shifter, and Rena’s story is about a female cop. Contemporary, paranormal romantic suspense, and romantic suspense all rolled into one! It’s available here: http://amzn.to/2yGRlcN

I’m also editing a full-length contemporary romance tentatively titled FUGITIVE HEART. I hope to submit it for publication soon.

Is there anything special that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Thank you! I received some wonderful comments and messages from readers who enjoyed THE MISTLETOE EFFECT. I really appreciate you reading my story and letting me know you enjoyed it!  If you haven’t read it yet, you can check it out at http://amzn.to/2l7pYFw.  I hope you enjoy MIDNIGHT CASANOVA in our AT MIDNIGHT anthology just as much!

[image error] CAPTURED BY CHRISTMAS – A Christmas Anthology

It’s Christmas, and the season of holly, Christmas trees, and goodwill is drifting on air in merry holiday wishes. Romantic suspense and paranormal author Lynn Crandall and contemporary author Lainee Cole present in their own way two stories of love in Captured by Christmas. However it finds you—under a Christmas tree or drifted in snow in a backwoods cabin—the spirit of the season will wrap you in love.

In SNOWBOUND, Lynn Crandall lets readers check in on favorite Fierce Hearts series were-lynx characters Kennedy Mitchell and Asher Monroe as they uncover the identity of the creature scaring the humans in Octavia, a small rural community in northern Michigan. Plans for an intimate getaway and family-style holiday are crumbling as the snow piles higher and Kennedy and Asher find themselves snowbound with a killer outside their door.

In THE MISTLETOE EFFECT, by Lainee Cole, Christmas is second-grade teacher Tess McCall’s least favorite holiday, but she’s doing her best not to let it show. Learning he’s a father to seven-year-old Holly makes Alex Randle anxious about the upcoming holidays. When Tess’s class starts reading to shelter dogs, Holly and the antics of shelter dog Mistletoe lead them all to rediscover the magic of Christmas.

 

The Buy Links
Amazon  |  Smashwords 

 

Meet Lainee Cole [image error]

Facebook author page:  https://www.facebook.com/LaineeColeAuthor/

Facebook author profile page:    https://www.facebook.com/lainee.cole.77

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaineeCole

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16155307.Lainee_Cole

Amazon author page:     www.amazon.com/author/laineecole

Do you like Christmas-themed romances?
Lainee would love to hear from you. Post your comments and questions below.

The post Meet Awesome Author Lainee Cole appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Thank You Supportive Readers! My 2017 Donation

Zara West Suspense

~ My Supportive Readers Make It Happen!~
Zara West’s 2017 Donation

Without supportive readers, a writer has no purpose. Sure we can write for ourselves. But the essence of writing is communication with a reader and maybe doing some good in the world.

[image error]

Click to read an excerpt.

Now those of you who know me are aware that I did not start out in life to become a romance writer. It has been a long, interesting path to my publication of The Skin Quartet.

I have published scholarly works, magazine articles, how-to-books, and even textbooks. But none of these many publications has made me feel as rewarded as my romances.

That’s because of you, my supportive readers!

All my friends, new and old, Readers Club members, RWA Chapter members, Facebook and Twitter friends, my blog guests, and the people who have known me for ages, have been so overwhelming in your support for my new romance career.

Thanks to you, my supportive readers!

Most importantly, I can’t thank you enough for all the wonderful reviews you have written for me. I know these reviews helped me to almost make the top hundred in sales in mystery & suspense on Amazon on one exciting day in August.

 

So for you, my supportive readers…
[image error]

Click to read an excerpt.

I will continue writing my suspenseful thrillers where the hero and heroine have to work hard for their happy endings – which just makes those love stories all the more sweeter.

And, supportive readers, there is a lot to look forward to…

This has been a really earthshaking year for me. I published my second Skin Quartet book, Close to the Skin, in August. I completed the third book Within the Skin, which is being edited at Wild Rose right now by my dear editor, Kinan Werdski, and I’m happy to say I just wrote the end on the first draft of Book 4 Under the Skin. Right now I am working on a holiday story to release free to all my Readers Club fans in my December newsletter. So sign up now, if you haven’t already.

In addition, this year I signed with an incredible agent, Veronica Park, at the Corvisiero Literary Agency. Book one in my new Nova Scotia Tidal series is being reviewed by a number of editors at this time. Be looking for news about the Tidal series in the coming year.

Big news for all my supportive readers

But what I wanted to share most today was that this year, based on my book sales, I was able to make a wonderful donation of $500 to Sanctuary for Families. Sanctuary for Families is a non-profit group located in New York dedicated to addressing domestic and gender violence and sex trafficking.

[image error]

Here is the thank you letter I received:

Dear Ms. West,

Today we processed a very generous donation from you. We are so appreciative of this support, and we are glad to honor you through this gift. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for being an inspiration J

Have a nice weekend!

All the best,

Matthew Soling

This just has to be the icing on the proverbial romance novel – uh -cake.

Again. Thank you for being such supportive readers.
I love you all!

[image error]Zara West

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Meet Awesome Romance Author Linda Smolarek

Zara West Suspense

~Our Path in Life ~

Writing is such a wonderful occupation. Today Linda Smolarek shares her writing path with us. Linda has two new books out and is working on a third and wait till you hear about where she writes.

Here’s Linda…

My writing story…

Sometimes I wonder about the path of life. How did I end up writing two books, with a third one about to go to press? It’s a mystery to me. You see, as a kid, I really wanted to be a cowboy. I grew up in the era of cowboys, I had one of those rocking horses on springs. I’d hop on and watch The Lone Ranger, Rifleman, Flicka, Bonanza, you get the picture. I rode that little rocking horse pony till the springs fell off. Every birthday I wished for a horse and insisted my family’s destiny was in Wyoming.

My cowboy obsession lasted until I was seven when I realized: 1. I’m not a boy, so the cow-BOY part of the equation wasn’t going to work. 2. I didn’t even know a cowboy. 3. No matter how much I begged my father wouldn’t buy me a horse. 4. My uncle owned dairy cows…a poor substitute to practice my roping skills on. 5. And lastly I didn’t live on the open range. So the cowboy dream faded into the western sunset.

               But along the way I developed a passion for books and nature. And in high school I was convinced I was destined to be a Forest Ranger. I was enamored with the idea of myself ensconced in a fire tower on top of some western rocky range with my best buddy, Smokey the Bear. Our sole mission in life, saving the wilderness from the devastation of forest fires.

As a society we have become more enlightened, our philosophy of forest management and wild fires has changed and today only a handful of fire towers remain. And my family refused to pay college tuition for me to become a forest ranger.

In the end I married had two children and started writing. I turned my love of the outdoors into a nature education column for a local newspaper, Western New York Family. I’ve worked as a naturalist and tour leader at the local Audubon Nature Center.

I found my niche and a passion, writing romantic comedies set in the great outdoors.

The Adirondack Mountains for me are a special place. A source of inspiration, a haven for those seeking outdoor experiences through the beauty of lake and rivers. My family spent many years hiking, canoeing and biking in the mountains. Winter provided a winter wonderland for skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

One day while browsing around an Adirondack bookstore, looking for a vacation read, I wanted something in the romance genre, but there was nothing that fit my reading desires. Suddenly, these two characters started dancing in my head, “tell our story, tell our story” and they wouldn’t leave me alone. Vic and Ellen were created from the inner depths of my imagination. I describe Ellen as a bit of a cross between Marilyn Monroe running smack dab into Lucille Ball.

Vic, well, Vic is just one hunk of burning love, he’s smoking hot, and my readers can’t get enough of him. Tall, dark, and lean, his eyes glitter with sparks of gold that cause every woman to tingle from head to her toes.

I walk a thin line. I write romantic comedies with a twist of mystery. I try to convey the feeling of being in the mountains, add romance, an outdoors adventure, a bit of nature education and laugh out loud humor.  Whew!

The first book, Adirondack Audacity was to be a stand-alone novel. But my readers wanted more, and I was having so much fun with Vic and Ellen, I didn’t want to let them go. The ideas came flooding in and I have projected five books, entitled the ‘Adirondack for Ladies’ series.

[image error]Books One and Two, Adirondack Audacity and Audacity on the Water are published. The third, The Audacity of an Adirondack Summer is due out in early 2018. My pitch line…my books are ‘the perfect pairing with a glass of chardonnay and an Adirondack chair’.

I spend my writing hours in a little cottage crafted by my husband in a meadow surrounded by apple trees, visited by the deer, raccoon, fox and opossums in the neighborhood.

               The house I live in today was originally my great-grandfather’s sugar shack where maple sap was boiled down. I am the fourth generation of my family to live in the area. There is a wealth of history and stories surrounding our property. At one time it was the site of an Iroquois palisade village back in the 1600’s.

The sugar shack was little more than a rustic cabin when we moved in and needed a lot of remodeling to make it truly a home.  After making our sugar shack into a livable house, my husband built a storage shed (my future writing cottage) for his lawn equipment. Then our children came along and needed a playhouse and swing set, the little shed underwent a renovation, populated with a kitchen set, duck wall paper and a sandbox full of Tonka trucks.

Fast forward ten years, my daughter decided she wanted to raise chickens. Down came the duck wallpaper and the Tonka trucks were replaced by a dozen of Rhode Island Red chickens named after all the Polish aunties in our family. Sophie, Stella, Helen, Dorothy, Gertrude, Bertha and so on. Two ducks joined the chickens, Puddles and Bob, and our feathered flock enriched our lives for over ten years.

Sadly, the little shed became a storage shed again. My husband was ready to burn it down, having outlived its’ usefulness and becoming structurally unsound. Until, one of our neighbors had several antique French doors and windows that needed a good home. Another friend had cedar paneling on its way to the fire pit.

My husband tired of my obsession with tiny houses offered to reconvert, again, the little shed/playhouse/chicken coup into a writer’s cottage complete with a built in window seat. Using fabric remnants, an antique table and chairs I turned my cottage into a mini-Adirondack retreat, perfect for creating my award-winning Adirondack romance novels.

When I’m not writing, I’m outside. My husband and I are outdoors in all kinds of weather. We love summer, and we love winter. The harder it snows, the happier we are. Nature is my muse, my inspiration, and my meditation.

We have a small motor home, and in the company of two very spoiled terriers, we travel the country. We have had the honor and privilege of visiting over 52 of our nation’s 59 National Parks. Each one is truly a treasure, a legacy of wilderness held in trust for future generations.

The new L.L. Bean advertisement, “Be an Outsider” with the welcome mat at the door turned toward the outdoors speaks to me. I’m an Outsider and I try to bring that into my writing, stylizing stories that are amusing, in a nature setting, throw in a little mystery and a lot of sizzle.

[image error] Adirondack Audacity
by Linda Smolarek

From hiking boots to high heels…the audacity to take bold risks.

Ellen McCauley’s misguided adventures began as a nature counselor at the posh Camp High Point in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Tagged with the nickname Klutz-Ellen, her life has been sorely lacking in romance. The last thing she expects is the beguiling spell of Vicente Rienz, aloof, arrogant and dangerously handsome in denim and leather. She despises him on sight until the sparks between them ignite into a passion not to be denied. Thwarted by circumstances beyond their control and a curse born out of Adirondack legend, Vic and Ellen’s love leads to disaster.

So how does a nature-loving girl like Ellen end up wearing four-inch stilettos and designer dresses on the west coast of California, more than three thousand miles from home?

In a love story that spans the decades, Adirondack Audacity crisscrosses the country on a hilarious journey, coming back full circle to the mountains in search of love.

Adirondack Audacity is the winner of the Virginia Romance Writers HOLT Medallion for Outstanding Contemporary Romance Novel of 2015 and Best First Book.

Learn more about Linda Smolarek [image error]

It would be so nice to meet you all….Please come along and join the fun:

 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAudacity

My website: http://www.Adkwriterlrs.wix.com/Adirondackaudacity

And of course visit me on Amazon.com

Linda Smolarek would love to hear from you!
Post your questions and comments below and she will get back to you.

The post Meet Awesome Romance Author Linda Smolarek appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Awesome Regency Romance Author Kathleen Buckley

Zara West Suspense

~ Sit Down and Write ~

Awesome Romance Writer and fellow Wild Rose author Kathleen Buckley writes Regency romance with a historical depth not found in most contemporary novels about this period. Her novel The Unsuitable Duchess is one of my 5 star recommend reads. You can find my review here. 

Today, she shares some great writing tips for new writers.

Welcome, Kathleen…

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

As soon as I learned to read, I wanted to write. I remember in first grade I sat down after school one day and began to make a list of all the words I knew. My first book, science fiction, was completed in the late 1970’s. It never sold—and I even had an agent!

How much research do you do for each book you write?

I always know something about the setting and topic when I start. Having to research virtually everything would be daunting, which is why you will never find me writing a novel about civil engineering in India or Central Africa in the mid-19th century.

When I began writing An Unsuitable Duchess, I knew a fair amount about the first half of the 18th century, but not enough. Fortunately, I was able to fill in the gaps with an 18th century dictionary, maps, Google and some 18th century literature. Oh, and Sir Walter Scott, whose novel Waverly provided some interesting Scottish background, and a glossary of Scottish terms.

In my current project, I did more research, as I needed to know about 18th century French muskets, coat pocket pistols, ships, the lead-up to the 1745 rebellion, London squares, potted shrimp . . . a bunch of things. But it was all fairly easy: when I wanted to smuggle muskets from France, I googled “18th century French muskets” to find out what kind, how much they weighed and so forth. The hardest thing was finding a good description or illustration of the inside of a schooner. I never did, so I pieced together a description from various sources.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

I used to, until I realized that it was the result of trying to make my characters do something they just flat did not care to do. I don’t plan the entire novel in advance so the characters develop as I write, and I get to know them and how they would act or react.  In a crime novel I wrote several years ago (which is still sitting in my computer), a background character I intended to kill turned into the main character. Now, once I’ve started writing, I let the characters direct the action, and writer’s block is a thing of the past.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

Oh, yes. A few years ago I completed a sort-of-funny novel about a dumpster-diving (and proud of it!) adolescent loner and how he grew up. I still think it’s a good story. At the time, I thought there was no alternative to the brick-and-mortar publishers except paying for a vanity press publication. The traditional publishers all seemed to insist on an agent. None of the three dozen (approximately; may have been more) I queried was interested; some didn’t bother answering. Now that there are other options, I may try them; I loved how The Wild Rose Press handled An Unsuitable Duchess.

What project are you working on now or what book will be next?

I’ve submitted my current project to The Wild Rose Press. It’s set in 1745, and concerns smuggled French muskets intended for the Young Pretender. The working title is Most Secret but may change. Next I’ll be starting my third romance, set in 1740, which will make use of some of the minor characters from An Unsuitable Duchess, and will have a good deal to do with the shipping industry. No, really, it will be more thrilling than it sounds—I hope! There will be romance, crime and maybe even pirates.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

Both of them came on the same occasion. I’d submitted a story to a Westercon (the big science fiction convention on the West Coast) in the mid-1970s. A panel of notable authors critiqued the finalists. One of the authors said of my submission, “It’s just another brain-in-a-glass-jar story.” Another said, “I wish I’d thought of this.” I guess the lesson here is that judgment of fiction is a very subjective thing.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

You have to do it. Sit down and write. It’s best not to talk about it until you’ve done it. Talking about what you intend to write or are writing may take away the internal pressure to actually do it.

Once you have written something, be aware that it almost certainly needs improvement. Don’t take constructive criticism as an attack upon you, personally. Do members of sports teams get bent out of shape when told they need to work on their ball-handling or blocking skills?

You’ll need criticism either from someone who is a good writer, or at least better than you are, or someone with good taste in the kind of fiction you’re writing. There are lots of writers’ groups and classes, even free or inexpensive ones  (our local senior centers often have classes).

Your mother, your sister, or your best friend are not good critics. Even if they’re writers themselves, you probably need to get perspective from someone who isn’t close to you for the same reason it’s easier to learn to drive from someone other than your family. If you can’t stand any criticism of your writing, you will have to grow a thicker skin or learn to be more impersonal about your writing, because there will always be criticism. Some will be justified, some won’t.  But if you hear the same critique from two or more readers, take it seriously.  For example, “Most of Chapter 3 talks about the plight of chimney sweeps’ lads but it has nothing to do with the actual story,” or “If you circled every adverb on the page with red pen, it would look like a bad case of measles. Ditch the adverbs.”

Proof read! Do not rely on Spellcheck:  it presents you with possibilities, NOT NECESSARILY THE CORRECT WORD. This is why you so often see “it’s” used in place of “its”, or “there” instead of “their”.  The grammar function is almost worthless.

Last, whatever you write, be aware that if you put in something outside your personal knowledge, you’ll embarrass yourself if you don’t do your research. A Glock 17 9mm pistol is not a fully automatic weapon like a machine gun. Regency ladies wore underwear consisting of a chemise and stays. Period. No underpants. They didn’t wear high heels, either. All knowledge is contained someplace on Google. Make use of it, even if you do no other research.

Finally, write. Just write and keep doing it.

The Unsuitable Duchess[image error]
by Kathleen Buckley

After her guardian’s death, Anne Sinclair comes to Town seeking an interesting gentleman to marry. With only a competence, she means to find a man with broad interests, rather than broad estates. But why did her late guardian think it might be difficult for her to make a match? She intends to find out, only to discover that London can be dangerous for a young lady with a hidden enemy.

Lord John Anniscote unexpectedly inherits inherits the title and responsibilities of his dissolute brother, the Duke of Guysbridge, including houses, servants, tenants, and the need to provide himself with an heir. Formerly poor, cynical, and carefree, he finds himself hunted by marriage-minded females. When a plot against a young lady up from the country touches his honor, the new duke takes a hand to safeguard her reputation and repair his own.

Buy Links
AMAZON  |  WILD ROSE PRESS

[image error] Learn more about Kathleen Buckley
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/anunsuitableduchess/
Blog​ http://writing-on-el-camino-real.blogspot.com
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/270998.Kathleen_Buckley

Kathleen Buckley would love to answer your questions about writing, about the Regency period, and about doing historical research.
Please post your thoughts and comments below.

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Meet Awesome Romance Author Jennifer Bokal

Zara West Suspense

~ Putting in the Hours ~

Awesome Romance Author Jennifer Bokal is here today to tell us about her brand new book, Her Rocky Mountain Hero, releasing today by Harlequin Romantic Suspense.  Join us as Jennifer shares some great advice for aspiring writers about writer’s block, putting in the time, and more.

Take it away, Jennifer…

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

The one thing I always tell new travelers on the writer’s journey is this: It takes 10,000 hours to master any skill—writing included. And if you break it down even further to think of a 40-hour work week for 50 weeks in a year, a person would work for 2,000. So, to reach the 10,000-hour mastery level a person would have to write 40 hours/ week for five years. I don’t share this fact to scare people; quite the opposite. I want new writers to be gentle on themselves if they aren’t seeing the results they want in a certain time frame. Keep writing! It’s the only key to success.

Do you have any writing tips that helped you get published?

Aside from writing is to rewrite. All work needs to be polished, and I spend about 20% of my time writing a first draft and the rest of the time is rewrites and edits. It wasn’t a skill that came naturally to me, so I belonged to two different critique groups for years and got also went back to graduate school where I received a master of arts in creative writing (Wilkes University 2010).

Beyond getting feedback and educating myself, I attended (and still do!) conferences where I can meet with editors and agents. I met my agent through my grad program and my editor at Harlequin at a conference. I guess, my advice is to take yourself seriously as a writing professional and the career will follow.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?

Writing a series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense doesn’t provide for a lot of time for writer’s block, but of course I have times where the words won’t come. I’ve learned to embrace those moments and will walk away from the computer and clear my mind. I take a walk, clean a little, or change my location. I usually go to a local bookstore or coffee shop. If that doesn’t work, I start writing with pad and pen, and eventually, I break the creative logjam.

What can you tell us about your title?

The title was chosen with the subsequent series in mind, so I knew that Rocky Mountain would be used. HRS asked for several ideas and one of them was Rocky Mountain Hero. It was tweaked to Her Rocky Mountain Hero!

Do you have any upcoming books or series?

Like I said, Rocky Mountain Hero is part of a series—the Rocky Mountain Justice series. Rocky Mountain Hero is the first book in the series. The second book, Her Rocky Mountain Defender, is slated to come out in April 2018, and the final book (not yet named) will be released in September 2018.

[image error]Her Rocky Mountain Hero
by Jennifer Bokal

When security expert Cody Samuels finds fugitive Viktoria Mateev in hiding, he can’t believe his luck. Turning her in will be the perfect revenge on the crime family who destroyed Cody’s DEA  career. But to his surprise, Cody is just in time to rescue Viktoria from assassins. He soon finds himself tracking her son’s kidnapper– and trying to resist his deepest desires…

To keep her son safe from her ruthless in-laws, Viktoria went on the run. Now she’s teaming up with a man she can’t trust. Cody’s courage and bold gambits are a temptation that Viktoria can’t resist–even as a risky sacrifice guarantees that she may not survive to see another holiday.

 

Buy Link
Harlequin

Learn more about Jennifer Bokal [image error]

Visit her on Facebook and Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer would love to hear from you.
Post your comments and questions below.

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Awesome Author Brynn Kelly

Zara West Suspense

~The Importance of Finding Your Voice ~

Meet awesome romance author Brynn Kelly. Recently I reviewed her first Harlequin romantic suspense Deception Island. I enjoyed this book so much that I invited Brynn to be a guest on my blog so we could get to know more about her and how she became a successful author.

So here she is all the way from New Zealand.

Take it away Brynn…

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I don’t think I chose romantic suspense. It chose me. I was a print journalist and non-fiction author for many years and wrote fiction in my downtime. Nothing publishable, mostly just stories and snippets scribbled in journals. I thought I would one day write a literary novel or chick lit (which might sound like polar opposites, but all genres blur at the edges). But over many years, my writing style—what writers call our “voice”—gravitated toward high-octane larger-than-life action and suspense, combined with equally epic and dramatic romance. And that’s what began to hit a nerve with publishers. I love writing romantic suspense, but I also love other genres, so I think my fiction career will eventually take me down several paths.

Can you tell us about the challenges in getting your first book published?

I wrote a couple of novels before the book would become my debut, Deception Island. Both came this close to getting published, but I think the problem was that I was writing inside the box, writing what I thought a publisher wanted. The stories weren’t standing out enough among the incredibly talented writers working in the romance genre.

With Deception Island, I decided to burst out of the box and think big and unique and cinematic and anything goes. And that worked for me. An early version of Deception Island won a Romance Writers of New Zealand contest, and the agent judge, Nalini Akolekar, offered representation before I’d even finished it. And it later finaled in the RWA Golden Heart, and won the Romance Writers of New Zealand’s premier award, the Koru.

I was fortunate that although my earlier novels hadn’t landed a publishing contract, they’d attracted the attention of an incredibly talented and passionate editor who went on to work for my dream imprint, Harlequin’s HQN Books. That editor, Allison Carroll, eventually bought Deception Island, and three books since.

Where do you get your ideas?

Usually, this is a hard question to answer because inspiration filters in from all sorts of places and might sit a while before it takes form as an idea. I don’t often have Eureka moments. But I can tell you exactly where I was when I got the inspiration for Deception Island. I was sitting on a local beach reading a Vanity Fair magazine while my young kids played in the sand, and I came across an article about the modern French Foreign Legion.

I hadn’t realized the Legion still existed. To me it belonged to the era of the world wars and the interwar years, bringing to mind Indiana Jones, Lawrence of Arabia and The Mummy. It got me thinking about—and researching—what would drive a modern-day man to run off and fight for another country for modest financial reward. Thus the tough but troubled heroes of my four-book Legionnaires series were born.

Do your travels influence your writing?

Oh my, yes. I live in New Zealand and we’re a very outward-looking country, perhaps because we’re such a young nation and so geographically isolated. It’s a rite of passage for young New Zealanders to live overseas for at least a couple of years. For me, that meant living and working as a journalist in London and Sydney, traveling extensively in Europe, and volunteering in Ethiopia, as well as visiting dozens of countries. I love exploring new-to-me cultures and countries, which is why my novels are set in the places that have left the most indelible impressions on me.

My debut novel, Deception Island, is set on a fictional group of islands in the Indian Ocean, inspired by my travels in Borneo. My second novel, Edge of Truth, is set in Ethiopia. And I’ve just finished a novel set mostly in Tuscany, London and Scotland, which will be released next year. I love exploring these evocative places all over again on the page, and I relish the challenge of doing justice to them.

Do you have a new book coming out soon?

My November release is a novella called Forbidden River that’s set much closer to home—in primeval forest on New Zealand’s wild West Coast. It’s about a soldier and a helicopter pilot who have to kayak for their lives to escape a mass murderer. Their developing romance forces them to face up to heartbreaking truths about their own pasts—and futures. After all the global wandering in my novels, it was wonderful to come home—though I still had to do some intense research on the setting. It turns out that seeing a place through a writer’s eyes is a lot different than through a local’s eyes.

Also Edge of Truth will be released in mass-market paperback by Harlequin at Christmas time.

Forbidden River[image error]
by Brynn Kelly

A dangerous game at the end of the earth…

For French Foreign Legionnaire Cody Castillo, chasing deadly thrills is the only reprieve from a bloodstained past he can’t forget. But when the adrenaline junkie finds himself caught in a mass murderer’s crosshairs in the lonely wilds of New Zealand, he finds an unexpected—and intriguing—ally.

Former air force pilot Tia Kupa has always found safety in nature, until a killer turns the wilderness into a playground. In this life-or-death game, the guarded woman, who lives by the rules, must rely on a risk taker with a death wish. The sexy devil-may-care legionnaire may be the wrong guy for her, but desire is just as primal as terror. Even if they outrun a predator, they can’t escape the sizzling bond neither of them saw coming.

Buy links

Forbidden River (releases Nov 1 as a $2.99 ebook novella)

AMAZON  |  BARNES & NOBLE  |  iTUNES
  BOOKS-A-MILLION  |  GOOGLE  |  HARLEQUIN

Learn more about Brynn Kelly [image error]

WEBSITE 

FACEBOOK 

TWITTER 

GOODREADS 

Brynn Kelly would love to hear from you.
Please post your comments and questions below.

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Awesome Romance Author Sloan McBride

Zara West Suspense

~~Love Spans All Time~~

So often we are told to stick to one genre of romance. Today I am interviewing multi-published romance author Sloan McBride. From pirates to demons to FBI agents to firefighters and Highlanders, Sloan McBride writes them all with a paranormal twist.

Welcome Sloan…

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

Hmm. Well, I’m tall and leggy, with a brilliant smile and a brilliant mind.  Okay, that’s only in my dreams.  I’m not that tall or leggy, and I have more of a creative mind than a brilliant one.  LOL

I live in Illinois with my husband of 36 years, a son who graduated from college with a degree in film, and a daughter who just graduated with a BFA in creative writing, and she’s a brilliant editor.  I have opened a new business to provide various services for authors on their road to publishing utilizing both her and my skills – World of Dreams Publishing.  I’m trying to talk my son into doing book covers and book trailers.  It could be a family affair.  Alas, he has other ideas.

I have been writing all my life, and started writing professionally in 1998.  I have been fascinated by the paranormal from a very young age and even then read everything I could get my hands on.  It made sense that I would be a paranormal writer.  I’ve always been a romantic so paranormal romance just fits.

Is writing something that comes easy to you or not?

Writing flows easily when I am alone and have complete quiet.  That doesn’t happen very much in my life though so writing is sometimes slow—okay, most times slow.  The ideas for books comes easily.  I have many rattling around in my head. It gets hard to concentrate on other stuff sometimes.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I work at the day job, and I spend time with my family.  Family is number one for me, and I won’t change that.  That’s pretty much it.  I work a lot.  I used to have craft hobbies, but when I started writing all that got put away.

What was the most interesting place you ever visited?

The most exciting and interesting places I have visited is Scotland and Ireland.  Edinburgh, Scotland was incredible.  I was surrounded by historical buildings that they still use today.  We went to visit Trinity College in Ireland.  They have the biggest, most spectacular library I’ve ever seen.  It was wonderful.

Do your travels influence your writing?

It depends on where the travels take me.  Different places interest me so I like to research those.  In my first book, the heroine was a volcanologist so I got to study some volcanoes in Hawaii.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford to go there so I had to do it all via internet.  However, I contacted the volcano institute there and told them what I was doing, and they sent me some really great information.

How much research do you do for each book you write?

It depends on the subject matter.  I love research.  If it is something I’m interested in, which is everything that I write about, then the research excites me and I can get lost for weeks at a time doing it.  I did research for two years before writing my first time walker novel.  I had to find the right mythology to go with the idea I had formed in my head.  That’s not easy, I’ll tell you.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

I don’t get writer’s block.  I do need it quiet when I write though, and I never get that.  It does prevent me from writing when there is too much noise.  I write in my bedroom which is the gathering place for my kids.  They will come in to talk and that disturbs the flow.  Still, I know at some point my children will be leaving home, and I won’t have that anymore, so I relish the time.  My only quiet time lately is going out to my car during my lunch hour.  I can get several pages written when I do that.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

I’ve read all kinds of articles and posts about authors who write their first book and then it ends up in a closet or under the bed, never seeing the light of day again.  I have never done that.  All the books that I write are published.  If something doesn’t work, I keep tweaking it until it does.  I could never put something that I’ve put my heart and soul into under my bed or in a closet.  All the stories are too important to me.

What project are you working on now or what book will be next?

I am currently working on Highland Soul.  This is a second book that takes place in 1300s Scottish Highlands and involves the MacLeod clan.  Highland Stone was my debut novel.  Although I didn’t plan on writing a second book, a lot of people asked for Ramsey and Leelah’s story so I broke down and decided to do it.  It will now be Book 2 in The Talisman Trilogy.  I’m very excited to be working on it.

Are there certain characters you would like to get back to or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

I am anxious to get back to the time walkers.  But, I have The Talisman Trilogy and the Men of Fire Trilogy to finish first.  My critique partners and my daughter have been nagging me to get those done before I focus on the time walkers.  I’m the kind of person who writes on what I feel like writing on at the time.  I don’t plan it out and say I’m going to finish this first.  If my mind is filled with time walkers, then that’s what I want to write.  However, when I start a book, I keep at it until it’s done.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?  What has been the best compliment?

The toughest criticism was that my first book felt like it was written by a high schooler years ago.  Now, I know that you can never please everyone, and my stories may not appeal to everyone.  I don’t let these kinds of things upset me.  However, I did go back and read and edit the crap out of that book when I got the rights back from the publisher.  I am very pleased with how it turned out.

The best compliments were that one person compared me to Nora Roberts and one to Diana Gabaldon.  Now, I love everything that Nora Roberts writes.  She’s the queen of romance, and when I grow up, I want to be just like her.