Zara West's Blog, page 24

Six Awesome Romance Authors Release All in for Love

Zara West Suspense

~ ALL IN FOR LOVE ~

Welcome to the creative authors who are bringing us a brand-new romance anthology All in for Love, which releases on June 1st!  They are: Sharon Buchbinder,  Lashanta Charles, Keta Diablo, Kat Henry Doran, Margo Hoornstra,  and M.J. Schiller.

 In this interview, each author answers a different question for you. So get set to learn more about where writers get their inspiration, what they do in their spare time, where they travel, what work they do, and  what to do about writer’s block. They also have a really unique giveaway for you. So read on…

Keta will start us off.

Keta Diablo, Author, A GHOST TO DIE FOR

Hello Zara, and thanks for hosting our boxed set: All In For Love: A Lucky 7 Anthology. Much appreciated.

What do you do when you are not writing?

When I’m not writing, I love to garden, weather permitting. I live in the Midwest so we only have about 4-5 months when flowers are in full bloom.

I’m also a huge animal love and donate my time and support to our local animal shelter. I’d love to adopt them all but I’m afraid my family members wouldn’t be too happy about that. I did adopt Emma LaPounce seven years ago. She was brought in by a family who moved out of town, took their furniture but left her behind. She didn’t like me much at first when I visited her in the shelter. In fact, she was so depressed about being left behind, she didn’t like anyone. I continued to take her out of the cage and hold her in my lap, talk to her and the best I can say is she ‘tolerated’ me.

Finally, one day, I decided to take her home. I could see she would probably never find a forever home, and there was something about her that drew me. It didn’t take long for us to bond after that. Guess she thought she was stuck with this human and should make the best of it. Now…she never leaves my side. When I’m writing, she sits by the laptop and plays with the mouse all the time. Maybe she thinks it’s a real one!

Anyway, that’s what I do, garden, read and visit animals humans have deserted.

Happy reading, everyone, Keta

Keta’s blog: http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com

Kat Henry Doran, Author, RAISING KANE

  What interesting jobs have you had?

For a period of time in my later years, I served as a SANE, or Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, for our local rape crisis service. After a rigorous training, I was expected to respond to local emergency rooms, at the request of victims, where I documented and collected forensic evidence to be used at time of trial. Though not as exciting as it’s portrayed in movies, TV or books, it meant being tethered to a pager twenty-four hours a day, hauling myself out of bed in the middle of the night after the pager went off, and heading for the ER. My ‘patients’ ranged in age from teens to mature adulthood. I became proficient at using a camera, binocular colposcopes and collection and preservation of evidence.

It was worthwhile, gratifying and nothing like you see on TV.

Have I put any of this experience in a book? You bet. Chek out my For Keeps in the Wild Rose Press, Candy Hearts series. Will I write about it again? If the plot calls for it, though revisiting those days is not something I relish.

Kat’s blog http://wildwomenauthorsx2.blogspot.com/

Margo Hoornstra, Author, FOR LOVE OR MONEY

How did you choose the genre you write in?

In my case, it’s the other way around. The genres I write in – Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense – chose me. Those are the genres I enjoy reading and adore being a part of. For me, the happily ever after ending is a must. And books in the romance genre in general always deliver. Aspiring writers are taught to write what they know and to know their audience. In Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense, those principles are extremely easy to follow. I know personally about the emotions, trials, and tribulations involved in loving someone for a lifetime. And, I’m relatively sure those in the Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense audience want an interesting, believable story with that always gratifying happily ever after conclusion. The 6 novels and novellas contained in ALL IN FOR LOVE: A Lucky 7 Anthology deliver on all counts. Even my contribution For Money or Love.

Margo’s website www.margohoornstra.com

LaShanta Charles ~ Author, PERFECT ODDS

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Hi, Zara! Thanks for having us!

I experience writer’s block more often than not. In fact, most days I don’t get to write anything at all. I can go weeks with writing nothing at all. Of course, on those days I always see so many of my author friends saying how they’ve written anywhere from 1000 to 8000 words. I always say I’ll top their number “tomorrow,” but then I never do! Then I have my days when I don’t focus on word count at all. I just go for scene after scene, writing until my mind is blank and I neglect all human needs until, finally, my mind is blank and the voices are quiet.

LaShanta’s Blog: http://randomlymeandyou.blogspot.com/

M.J. Schiller ~ Author, TAKE A CHANCE ON ME

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

Hi, Zara! Thanks for having us!

As you know, ALL IN FOR LOVE is a box set centered on a casino named La Bonne Chance Resort & Casino. I happen to have quite a bit of experience in a casino, sort of. Every October my husband and I, with a handful of our friends (sometimes two handfuls), participate in something we lovingly like to call Vegaspalooza. The trip includes a ritualistic trip to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville and we sometimes try to hit the Irish pub in New York, New York. I said I sort of have casino experience because I don’t, myself, gamble. Usually my hubby and the boys hit the tables, and I…well I hermit myself away in my hotel room and write. I know, sounds so sad. But actually it’s like heaven to me. Call me a nerd, but I love to hang out with my characters. J And I do some people watching (another writer thing) and participate in any evening activities, which usually include a drink or two.

My contribution to the set, TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, begins with the hero at the heroine dealer’s blackjack table. Since my experience in that particular part of the casino scene is limited, I called on my husband and his buddies. “What would be a bad hand to have – one where the best move might be debatable?” “When do they do that fancy chip stuff, where they measure stacks against each other and lay them out on the table?” It was quite humorous receiving their answers in a group text!

M. J.’s Blog http://mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com/

Sharon Buchbinder, Author, AN INN DECENT PROPOSAL

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

I guess you could say there are certain professions that I love for characters, since I keep writing stories about chefs and hoteliers! My husband and I dine out about three times a week (which explains our inability to shed those last ten pounds!) and travel a good deal for business and pleasure. Over the forty-one years of our marriage, we have stayed at everything from a stunning boutique hotels to fabulous bed and breakfasts to corporate chains. We even stayed at a Motel 6 in a blizzard in Davenport, Iowa in the late 1970s. It was so cold, my husband had to keep going out and starting the car every two hours so it wouldn’t freeze, and we had to put towels at the door to keep snow from blowing in.

After sharing numerous dining and travel stories with a friend, she laughed and said, “You should write a book about this!” Genie, a Culinary Institute of America trained chef, and Jim, a Cornell Hotel School graduate, were the first characters born from these stories.

Sharon’s website http://www.sharonbuchbinder.com/

 

ALL IN FOR LOVE

An Inn Decent Proposal By Sharon Buchbinder

Perfect Odds By Lashanta Charles

A Ghost To Die For By Keta Diablo

Raising Kane By Kat Henry Doran

For Money Or Love By Margo Hoornstra

Take A Chance On Me By M.J. Schiller

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense Anthology

Release Date: June 1, 2017

ASIN B071V94BWM

ALL IN FOR LOVE

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Six Award-winning authors bring you six *sweet to sensual* romances filled with suspense, thrills and maybe even a ghost or two—for less than the price of a cup of coffee—99 cents!

Welcome to La Bonne Chance Resort & Casino!

With thousands of people passing through the casino’s doors on a daily basis, it’s no surprise that a variety of lives and loves are on the line there. It’s said that you’re more likely to lose your heart at La Bonne Chance than a hand of poker. Whether you are the Director of Casino Operations or the guy who created its software, a jilted bride or a black jack dealer, a past guest’s ghost or a sous chef–when it comes to love, the stakes are high.

Thank goodness what happens at La Bonne Chance, doesn’t always stay at La Bonne Chance….

Ready to roll the dice?

Giveaway

[image error]To add to the fun, we are giving away one gambling themed handmade item to ONE lucky commenter who will be selected by a Random Number Generator.

Buy Links
AMAZON   |  GOODREADS   

 

If you would like to ask a question or make a comment, the authors are waiting to hear from you.

The post Six Awesome Romance Authors Release All in for Love appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Awesome Romance Author Linda Tillis

Zara West Suspense

~ Write What You Know~

Awesome romance author Linda Tillis is back with me today to share her newest Wild Rose Press release and what inspired it.

Take it alway, Linda!

The first eighteen years of my adult working life were spent in a sewing factory. Nine years in, my [image error]supervisor submitted my name for a new position, as assistant to the production manager. This meant that I would be managing a lot of transactions over the phone, with folks in places like New York, and Miami.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows that I have a deep southern drawl. So, my boss sent me to a Dale Carnegie speaking course.  Sadly, it did not help the accent. But, I took something away that I use in my writing.  They told me to speak about what I know.

My first book, A Heart Made For Love, was dedicated to strong, caring folks, who spend their lives helping victims of domestic violence.

The second one, A Man With A Pure Heart, is dedicated to the men, and women, who leave their families every day, to go out and face danger, protecting my family, and yours.

Before I went to work with my local police department, I’d had no contact with law enforcement. I had never given thought to the fact that they were normal folks, just like you and me. I was amazed to realize that they have children. They have financial problems. They have marital discord. They are, in fact, your neighbors, and the parents of your children’s friends.

While in the backs of our minds, we realize that we could be killed on the way to work each day, they kiss their families good-bye fully realizing the odds are rising every day that they will not come home.

I have been there when an officer was forced to deal with having taken another’s life. It is an unthinkable act, but a possibility that they must think about every day.

Samuel Hinton, the hero of A Man With A Pure Heart, was raised in a Christian home, so he values all human life. But, when the woman he loves is placed in danger, he realizes there is a fine line between right and wrong. Somewhere, along the journey of searching for a man who perpetrates violence to women, Samuel realizes he wants the man dead, and he is torn by this realization.

I hope you enjoy reading about Samuel’s personal journey as much as I enjoyed writing about it.

Excerpt from A Man With A Pure Heart
by Linda Tillis

“So, old man,” Samuel whispered, “you tried to warn him.”

Samuel gently closed Hamish’s clouded, green eyes. He hesitated, his palm resting on the old man’s forehead.

He whispered, “Hamish, Hamish, you should have told me. What can you tell me now?”

Samuel was completely motionless, staring into the dark corner. He closed his eyes and after a time he envisioned Nash, standing in a small clearing, his head thrown back, and his mouth wide open in a scream.  There was a small building with one high window.  Nash stepped to the doorway, and Samuel could see the inside of the one room cabin. There was a bed with a broken length of chain attached.

Ahh. So, the big man has lost something, or someone.

Samuel stood and looked down at Hamish one last time.

“I hope you knew the Lord, old man. I hope he is welcoming you now.”

Blurb

[image error]Samuel Hinton learned at the tender age of fifteen just how violent some men could be. But as a grown man, a detective with the police force in 1910, he must deal with the murder of a schoolteacher, and is shocked by the brutality.

Kathleen Campbell travels to rural Florida to seek justice for her sister’s death. What she finds is an instant and unexpected attraction to the handsome investigator who swears he will find the killer.

Another murder fills Samuel with a sense of urgency as he struggles with the depth of his feelings for Kathleen, knowing she could be the man’s next victim despite her independent spirit. And he must battle his desire to kill the man he seeks, a killing that would clash with his beliefs.

Buy Links

AMAZON  |  BARNES & NOBLE | Wild Rose Press


To learn more about Linda Tillis visit lindatillisauthor.com

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If you have any questions or comments for Linda, please post them below, and she will get back to you. 

 

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

Meet Crime Fiction Writer Gary Guinn

Zara West Suspense

~Travel, Crime, and Marketing~

What do you read beside romance? I happen to love crime fiction and thrillers. Today I am interviewing crime fiction writer Gary Guinn. As a romantic suspense writer who writes about criminals we have a lot in common. We also both love Greece and have even stayed on the same Greek island. If you like my novels, you will like Gary’s.

In his interview, Gary Guinn shares his backgound influences, his experiences marketing his first book, and his travels.

Take it away Gary…

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I taught literature and writing in a small southern college for most of my professional career. But I started out as a college drop out who attended three schools before quitting and joining the military. After a stint as a medical corpsman, I decided to get serious about education and ended up with a PhD in 19th-century British literature. Along the way, I got married and had two sons.

When I’m not writing, I love reading, traveling, sailing, walking the dogs, and brewing craft beer. And I’ve brewed some good beers—IPA’s, Stouts, Porters, Pale Ales, Red Ales, and more. The only problem with loving to brew craft beer and than drinking it is all those beautiful calories that just love to gather in my waistline. To fight that, I have to eat smart, work out, and walk three miles a day. Sailing is a new thing for my wife and I, but we both love it and would like to get a boat that we can live on part time.

What was the most interesting place you every visited?

It’s hard to choose between Greece and the French Alps. In 2005 I took a sabbatical from the college, and we spent three months traveling—Spain, Italy, and Greece. In Greece we spent a week in Athens and then a week touring literary/mythological sites around the mainland—Delphi, Mycenae, Tiryns, Sparta, Epidaurus, Corinth. Then we spent three weeks on three different islands. First Naxos, a large island with lots to do and see, where we rented a scooter and toured on our own. Every day a group of Germans and I would take an early morning dip in the still cold water. Then we went to Koufonisia, a much smaller island with a population of about 350 people and no paved roads. We walked around the coastline of the island one day, and attended a Greek Orthodox service another day. And finally Iraklia, a tiny island with a population of 110, a small harbor and village, and a bunch of small boarding houses for tourists. We were there just before the season started, so there were only a handful of non-Greeks around. I got up every morning and walked down the hill to the bay for a swim while my wife slept in. Then we would walk to a little café and have breakfast. Iraklia was a perfect place to end a dream trip.

But on our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary in 2001 we went to the village of Chamonix at the base of Mont Blanc in the French Alps. Couldn’t have found a more romantic place to be. The funicular up to the high icy peaks, hiking along mountain trails, wildflowers everywhere, dinner and wine at a sidewalk café, the moon rising over the mountain outside the window of our room in the little hotel. It certainly gives Greece a strong challenge for best place ever.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

As a child, Treasure Island. I got it as a present on my eleventh birthday and was overwhelmed by the powerful narrative and engaging characters. I still have that copy of the book, and I gave both my sons their own copy on their eleventh birthdays.

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

Marketing has been the hardest thing I’ve had to learn to do for decades. I knew from the outset that I’d have to do most of the marketing of my novel, since small publishers simply can’t do that much. But when I dove into it, I thought I was going to drown. The possibilities are almost endless. I had a meager author platform already, mostly focused on my website/blog that didn’t see enough traffic, but I soon found myself spending hours each day trying to expand the platform, trying to get my book out there, trying to find the best opportunities that didn’t break the bank.

My two key social media outlets have been Facebook and Twitter. I’ve done a lot of reading on line, articles and podcasts by well-known marketers in the publishing industry, and I’ve tried to implement as much as I can of their advice. But if I had to name one resource that has offered the most for the time and money, I’d have to say it would be Sandra Beckwith’s online program Build BookBuzz. She offers so many inexpensive resources and great ideas for marketing, regardless what your genre might be.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

Before 2015 I had written only literary fiction and poetry, but I have always enjoyed reading crime fiction. So when I decided in the fall of 2015 to participate in NaNoWriMo, which many of your readers are probably familiar with (National Novel Writing Month—50,000 words in the month of November), I thought I’d give it a try. I had more fun writing Sacrificial Lam, an academic mystery/thriller, than I’ve had in a long time. I had always doubted that I would be able to create the kind of narrative that the genre requires, but as I began outlining and then developing the narrative itself, it began to feel like creating a puzzle that I had to constantly adjust.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

Fairly early in my career at the college, a disturbing incident occurred, which stuck with me through the years. Three of my colleagues at the university, who were all liberal, progressive professors like myself, received anonymous threats couched in violent terms. The university was a very conservative place, and liberal professors like ourselves were in the minority and sometimes found teaching there an uncomfortable fit. At the same time, we felt a sense of purpose in being the source of divergent, more open, views in the areas of politics, social issues, and religion. The threats created a tense environment, and though nothing could be proved, there was a pretty strong suspicion of who was responsible. As it happens, nothing further came of the threats, but that situation became the kernel for developing the series of mystery/thrillers featuring English professor Lam Corso, a liberal who teaches at a small, conservative southern college. I used the college campus as a model for the setting, and I even slipped in a few characters based on some of my colleagues. Sacrificial Lam is the first in the series.

What project are you working on now?

The second book in the series has the working title A Lam to Slaughter. It opens with the line, “In the dim lighting of the stairwell, the flashes of the police camera briefly illuminated the body, hanging inert and heavy from a nylon rope, casting grotesque shadows on the concrete walls, barely registered on the retina before they were gone.” So it jumps right into the crime scene at the college where Lam Corso teaches.

I’ve finished the first draft and worked it with my writers group, so it’s in the revision stage now. I’d like to have it finished and ready to shop by this fall. But I have also recently finished a revision of my second literary historical novel, a coming of age story set in the Depression-era Ozarks, and will begin shopping it soon. It’s titled Every Time I Breathe, and is a follow-up to a novel published in 2005 titled A Late Flooding Thaw. So I guess I’m staying very busy with the writing right now.

Sacrificial Lam [image error]
by Gary Guinn

When English professor Lam Corso receives a death threat at work, he laughs it off.  A liberal activist at a small Southern conservative college, he’s used to stirring up controversy on campus.  It’s just part of the give and take of life.  Even when violently attacked, Lam is convinced it must be a mistake.  He can’t imagine anyone who would want to kill him for his beliefs.

When his home is broken into and his wife’s business vandalized, Lam is forced to face the truth. His wife—a passionate anti-gun crusader—is outraged when Lam brings a gun into the house for protection. The police can’t find a single lead. Left to their own devices, Lam and Susan are forced to examine their marriage, faith, and values in the face of a carefully targeted attack from an assailant spurred into action by his own set of beliefs.

What will it cost to survive?

Buy Links
Amazon   |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo    |  The Wild Rose Press

[image error] Learn more about Gary Guinn

Contact Links:

Website, https://garyguinn.com

Facebook Author Page, https://www.facebook.com/garyguinnwriter/

Amazon Author Page, https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01N4GPT7P

Goodreads Author Page,  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/585203.Gary_Guinn

 

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

The post Meet Crime Fiction Writer Gary Guinn appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Awesome Romance Author Patricia Bond

Zara West Suspense

~ The Ideas Come Spinning ~

Awesome romance author Patricia Bond got into writing romance by starting backwards. And you won’t believe all the ideas she has for stories!

Meet Patricia…

Is there an event that affected you as a writer?

You know, I’d wanted to write for as long as I could remember, I just never knew what. I tried writing a mystery, but I couldn’t plot my way out of a paper bag, much less figure out whodunit. Then my mom had to have surgery that did not go well. She wound up in intensive care for over six weeks and the hospital asked us to keep someone there 24/7 because things were so precarious. My sister gave me a Shirlee Busbee book to read to pass the time. Then I found Jennifer Blake.  I was hooked.  Romance novels helped me through the grieving process when mom passed, and after I’d read a few dozen of them I thought “I can do this.”

But, it was a workshop sponsored by a local department store that really lit the fire. At the end of it, they announced a contest. Write one page of a romance novel where the hero and heroine meet for the first time, the only condition was it had to be set in Buffalo.  I wrote four entries, one of which won! It was the best possible thing to happen at the worst possible time in my career.

Why do you say that?

Because I knew NOTHING!  I didn’t have a finished novel. I didn’t even have a finished chapter or outline.  Only these one page meetings and a desire to write. I had won a lunch with the senior editor of Warner Books! The Senior Editor!! In New York City!  I was totally unprepared.  She was gracious, albeit extremely disappointed I’m guessing, and verbally patted me on the head, told me to go home and find a chapter of Romance Writers of America and learn.

Thankfully, at that department store workshop, someone from the brand-spanking-new Western New York Romance Writers chapter was there and I had (thank you, God) picked up her brochure. I joined, learned, wrote, critiqued, wrote some more, revised, and wrote.  And here I am.  It was a very long road for me – life kept getting in my way. But I never really stopped. Just sometimes slowed down.  A lot. But never truly stopped. And I had the faith of my family and friends, who never gave up on me, even when the going was rough and slow. My best friend didn’t live to see my book go into print, but she ALWAYS told me she was sure I would be published.

Where do you get your ideas?

Oh, gosh…  ideas come from everywhere.  To me, it’s more a mindset than anything else.  Anything can start my mind spinning, and start a giant game of “what if”.  I spoke once to a book club, and of course, someone asked this very question. The lady was sitting in front of a free-standing set of glass shelves.  My answer starting spinning a story on the spot. “What if a woman was sitting in front of glass shelves. And what if a little boy came running through and knocked into them. And what if they fell over and hit the woman, knocking her out. And what if the boy’s father took her to the emergency room, where the staff mistook him for her husband…”  We had a good time spinning out more of that story, but they could see how something so simple could be turned into a story, if only you’re willing to look at it a certain way and play “What if.”

Do travels influence your writing?

Absolutely!  Travel is an addiction for me. I love to visit new places, especially new countries, try to get to know the people a little bit, and explore, go off the tourist path. Getting lost is a favorite pastime for me, much to my husband’s chagrin.  But I’ve had some of the best adventures, seen the prettiest places, met the most interesting people when I’ve been lost. Some of those things have made it into my stories. I just finished writing a very different book (for me). It’s a contemporary that I set in the south of France in Cassis on the Mediterranean Sea that I visited for a day and fell in love with. One day in that setting was enough to make me want to use it somehow.  By happy coincidence, we went to tour Gettysburg on re-enactment weekend one year when the kids were young. We thought they should get a dose of their country’s history (yeah, we’re those parents) and bribed them with a stop at Hershey Park afterward. I spent quite some time talking to the actors, getting information from them. It was fascinating and I made a lot of notes (what author doesn’t walk around with a notebook in her purse?). The experience was filed away in my brain for years, until I got the idea to write about a Civil War soldier with Civil War PTSD, and my novella Building a Christmas was born.  That same trip, I commandeered a visit to Harper’s Ferry, some of which made it into By Love’s Honor Bound. It was a long time between travels and books, but I tend to gather information and experiences like birds gather twigs for a nest. A little here, a little there….  Eventually, I have something to work with.

What other genres of novel would you love to write?

Well, you know already I branched out from straight historical romance with my story set in France.   I’d like to try my hand at romantic suspense – contemporary or historical, or even straight mystery – assuming I could plot that well.  I love to read – anything!  I cross genres in my reading, because I tend to get bored with the same thing all the time, and I guess that’s why I would like to write multiple genres as well.  I’m hoping readers like to get into different types of stories, also, and that together we can explore.

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

Ok – you already know about my France story. I’m hoping to find a home for From My Balcony because I think it’s a good story and deserves to be out there.  But I will go back to historical before doing anything else, since historicals were and are my first love.  I started working on a related story to By Love’s Honor Bound, in which Livvy’s brother Bobby is the hero.  It’s set in Reconstruction-era Carolina, and I hope to have The Rainmaker’s Daughter finished by the end of the year.  But I can’t let From My Balcony be an orphan, either, and Christmas in Provence has been dancing around in my head for a couple of weeks now.  I really have to work to rein in renegade characters and ideas that live in my head.  Other writers will understand when I say I’m never lonely!  And if I started telling you about all the story and series ideas that are in my head, we’d be here for months!

What do you do when you’re not writing?

You mean besides spending time with my husband, children and grandchildren?  The grandkids are two and a half and four and a half, and to watch them discover the world is a feeling that words cannot describe.

Otherwise, a whole bunch of stuff, sadly.   I love to knit, embroider – most any kind of fiber work except quilting – never quite got into that – and crocheting. Had to give that up when carpal tunnel starting being a problem.  I play with photography and have some really nice flowers, landscapes, and sunsets (‘cause I’m NOT a morning person, and the only way I’d get a sunrise is if I was STILL up, not getting up).  I’m lucky enough to live in Western New York, so both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario are close enough that I can go to either shore and relax and snap away, no matter the season. One of my sunset photos took first place at a small art show in town, which was really cool.  You can see it on my website when you go there.  I would love to learn to paint something other than my kitchen wall, though my drawing abilities are pretty minimal.  Who am I kidding?  I can’t draw squat. I keep trying.  I tried drawing our lighthouse once.  It looked more like the Leaning Tower of Pisa than a stately lighthouse.  And there’s a story in that lighthouse. I know there is.  I just haven’t teased it out, yet.

I have one story out that’s set in a lighthouse. I love to sit by the water and just watch – waves, the setting sun, people, birds.  I plop myself down on my rock at the city marina (not really mine – but I like to think it is), plug in my iPod with Il Volo or The Boston Pops and lose myself. In front of me is the lake, behind me the city lights of downtown.  It’s amazing.

And if all else fails when I’m looking for something to do, I try to cook the books and see if I can come up the money to indulge my travel addiction and take another trip.

By Love’s Honor Bound[image error]
by Patricia Bond

Someone is killing Conductors on the Underground Railroad one by one. With a cellar full of runaway slaves, Olivia June Mathieson must decide – is the handsome Fenton Pierce-Smythe savior or traitor?

Both Fenton Pierce-Smythe’s fiancee and grandfather were killed when runaway slaves spooked their horses. Determined no one else will face that pain, he hunts runaways to return them safely to their owners. But can he remain unmoved by their plight? And unaffected by the beautiful woman who risks her life to lead them to freedom?

Buy Links

By Love’s Honor Bound  | Building a Christmas  | Arms of an Angel

[image error]Learn more about Patricia Bond

WEBSITE http://www.patricia-bond.com/ 

FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/patricia.bond.author

Patricia Bond is waiting to hear from you. Please post your comments and questions below.

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Awesome Romance Author Judy Meadows

Zara West Suspense

Come Traveling with Judy Meadows –

Do you like romances set in unusual locations? Wild Rose author Judy Meadows has just published a romance set in the Middle East. Today Judy shares some of the travels and experiences in the Middle East and beyond that inspire her writing. Welcome Judy!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in Minnesota and went to college there (Carleton) but now live in a small town in Oregon. I’m married, have two kids, two step-kids (whom I love like my own) and seven grandchildren.

It seems odd to describe my family without mentioning pets. Our two cats died last year, Simba at the age of 20 and Tinker Bell at the age of 17), so we are now petless for the first time since we married. We’re trying to stay that way, at least for a while. It might be nice to travel a bit without feeling guilty. We’ll see…

What do you do when you are not writing?

I’ll have to think back to when I was a more well rounded person, because all I’ve been doing lately is write. Hmmm…. I loved to travel to out-of-the-way places. I’ve climbed Mt. Damavand in Iran, kayaked the Mahaweli Ganga in Sri Lanka, and trekked in Nepal.

I still (in spite of the writing) manage to find time for: swimming, reading, gardening, sewing, cooking, and grandchildren.

What was the most interesting place you ever visited?

The travel mentioned above was all part of a year-long trip I took with my then partner during my hippie days in the sixties. We traveled by Landrover from England to India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal and back, sleeping and cooking in our vehicle. I returned to Iran (now a computer systems engineer, no longer a hippie) with my husband Jim ten years later to work on a project that was supposed to modernize the Iranian phone service (but which was interrupted by the revolution). My son Steve was born there.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

My book is set in a fictional country, Behruz, which is located between Afghanistan and Iran. The culture of Behruz is based loosely on the cultures of those two real countries as they were when I visited them, before either country was changed by political upheaval and war. I used loads of details came from my actual experience. The heroine is American, so my experience as an American woman in that culture gives life and realism to her experience.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

The hero and heroine escape the country during a rebellion by traveling on foot through the mountains to Iran with a group of nomads on their annual migration. (I actually spent time with nomads in the desert of Iran, so I had a real basis for this part.) I love the scene when the nomad women dress the heroine in nomad clothing for the trek. There’s lots of fun and giggling (e.g. when the nomad women see the heroine’s lacy underpants), but it turns serious and sexy when she walks across the encampment toward the hero and he sees her in her costume.

The hero and heroine had been fighting their attraction before they joined the nomads, but sharing a nomad tent night after night wears them down. That was fun to write!

What project are you working on now?

While I was writing Escape from Behruz, I kept thinking this book should have a sequel (because I loved the setting and because I know sequels and trilogies are popular) but I didn’t have the slightest idea for one. Then, on the day I finished the book and sent it off to a few publishers, an interesting female character came to mind and I knew immediately that she had a great story. She’s a midwife in the U.S., half-Behruzi and half-American, the younger sister of the hero of the first book, raised mostly in California.  It turned out she did indeed have a great story (which took her to Behruz, the country of her birth).

I’ve finished a draft and am busy editing.

I’d love to write a third book and make it a trilogy, but so far I don’t have any ideas for one. We’ll see if there’s another character waiting to grab my attention. (The hero of Escape from Behruz does have one more sister…)

[image error]Escape from Behruz

by Judy Meadows

Rashid will help Olivia and the baby escape the violence in Behruz—he’ll escort them through the mountains to neighboring Iran—but he won’t let Olivia near his heart. Not again. Not after the way she’d trampled it two years ago.

Olivia accepts his help, but she has no interest in his heart. She’s never forgiven him for abandoning her when she needed him most. Still, she has to be careful. She must not let him learn that the baby the world thinks is heir to the Behruzi throne is actually hers. And his.

Can she make it through a week–trekking through the mountains and sharing a tent with Rashid–without opening her heart to him? Without giving in to the attraction that had always drawn them together? And without telling him the secret that could destroy her?

Buy links
Kindle at AMAZON | Paperback at AMAZON | WILD ROSE PRESS

 

Also available through all other major e-book distributors

[image error]Learn more about Judy Meadows

Web page:  http://www.judymeadows.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Judy-Meadows-Romance-Writer-1556763401023522/

Twitter: @judymeadows44

Judy would love to hear from you and answer your questions.
Please comment below.

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Awesome Romance Author Tina Gabrielle

Zara West Suspense

Legal Shenanigans in the Regency? –
Tina Gabrielle is the romance author for you!

Meet multi-published, award-winning writer Tina Gabrielle who brings her legal experiences to romance. In her interview, Tina shares about herself, how swimming inspires her and where her ideas come from. And if you like humus, she just might have a cozy mystery for you.

Take it away, Tina…

First, I want to thank Zara for inviting me as a guest author. Thank you!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I write historical romances. I’m also an attorney and a former mechanical engineer. My love of romance novels helped me get through years of academia. I often picked up a romance and let my fantasies of knights in shining armor and lords and ladies carry me away. And always, spinning in my mind during my lunch hour and my long commutes, were untold stories of heroes and heroines that I yearned to write about. I started writing books, only to be pulled away by work and family, but I kept trudging forward, learning as I wrote. After multi-publishing for a law journal, I finally fulfilled my dream of writing fiction. I’m also a mom and blessed with two girls.

Is writing something that comes easy to you or not?

Heck, no! Writing is hard work. There are days the writing comes easier and the words flow. Then there are other days when I stare at a blank computer screen and I struggle to write a paragraph.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I love spending time with my kids and family. I’m also like every other mom, and I spend a lot of time driving my kids to their activities and sports. When I have free time, I enjoy lap swimming, and I’ve plotted entire novels while swimming the breaststroke.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

That’s easy! I write historical romances because I love to read it.

Where do you get your ideas?

From my work. The cases that have crossed my desk were quite colorful. I also get a lot of ideas from reading. I read all types of genre fiction, not just historical romance. I even find the children’s books I read to my kids inspire new ideas.  Other ideas pop into my head at the most inconvenient times. I could be sleeping or driving or cooking and pow! An idea!

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

My historical romances are set during the Regency period, and I do a lot of research. Readers of this genre are very educated and they want historically accurate books. I also like to do research so this is not a problem for me. When I wrote my award-winning Regency Barrister Series (In the Barrister’s Chambers and In the Barrister’s Bed), I did a ton of research about the legal system in Britain during the early 1800’s. I’m currently working on a series involving the three daughters of an infamous art forger and I have file folders on art forgers during the Regency period.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Of course! My cure is to keep writing. Write anything, even a diary. Once the words start to flow I can overcome this pesky problem.

What other genres of novel do you love to write?

I also write cozy mysteries under a pseudonym Tina Kashian. My Kebab Kitchen series is a Mediterranean mystery involving an amateur sleuth. The first book in the series, Hummus and Homicide, will be released by Kensington Publishing in May 2018. I’m excited about this new endeavor. If you have a chance, please check out my mystery website at www.tinakashian.com

Will you have a new book coming out soon?

Yes! The third book in my Infamous Somerton’s series, The Duke Meets His Match, will be released in July 2017. It’s Chloe’s story and she is the youngest daughter of an infamous art forger. She is also my favorite! Meanwhile, I’m working on a new Regency historical series.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

The most important suggestion I have for aspiring writers is to join organizations dedicated to writers and the publishing field. I am a member of Romance Writers of America, NJ Romance Writers and Liberty States Fiction Writers. Until I found these groups, I was a little lost. They have been so helpful and informative. I have learned from every meeting that I have attended and have met writers who share my hardships as well as my good news. These organizations offer annual conferences where you can network with agents and editors, as well as other authors—published and pre-published.

Aspiring writers can also look to educational institutions for fiction writing classes. I took two fiction writing classes which were offered by a published author at my local community college at night.

Lastly, and most importantly: Never give up! No matter how many rejections you receive. Keep learning. Keep writing. Keep trying.

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

Thank you! Without your support, my writing dreams would not be possible. xxoo

[image error]Real Earls Break the Rules
Book II in the Infamous Somerton’s series
By Tina Gabrielle

His offer leads them into temptation…

1816 England

Brandon St. Clair, the Earl of Vale, has never been one to follow the rules. Even though he must marry a wealthy heiress so that he can be rid of the pile of debt he inherited with his title, he can’t stop thinking of another. Amelia Somerton is the daughter of a forger and is not a suitable wife. But that doesn’t stop Brandon from making Amelia a different offer, the kind that breaks every rule of etiquette…

Sin runs in Amelia’s family. And even though she now rubs elbows with the aristocracy, she knows the truth—she has the ability to forge priceless works of art. She’ll never be seen as an acceptable wife, not that she wants to marry, anyway. So when the earl scandalously offers her the one thing she’s always dreamed of, she can’t help but take it. But what begins as a simple arrangement, soon escalates into much more, and as the heat between them sizzles, each encounter becomes a lesson in seduction…

Buy Links for Real Earls Break the Rules
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Google Books | Kobo | Books-A-Million

Find Tina Gabriele everywhere! [image error]

Author Email: tina@tinagabrielle.com

Author Website: www.tinagabrielle.com

Author Blog: http://www.thevioletfemmes.com/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/@TinaGabrielle

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TinaGabrielle

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6517328-tina-gabrielle

Newsletter sign up link: http://www.tinagabrielle.com/contact.html#newsletter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinagabrielleauthor/

Tina would love to answer your questions and comments.
She will be here all day Wednesday April 26. 2017.
Join in the conversation!

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Six Things a Romance Book Review Should Do

Zara West Suspense

What Do You Look for in Romance Book Reviews? 

“When reading reviews, the best is one that sends me to the bookstore”

Ursula K. Le Guin Words Are My Matter
Why read a book review?

Book reviews have become an important way to see if a book will fit your reading preferences.

Before the Internet, I used to chose books by going to the bookstore or library or drug store. I’d see a cover or title that appealed to me. I’d take it off the shelf, read the back blurb, inside cover summary, and always read the first pages.

But between e-publishing and the incredible number of books being written, I have come to rely more and more on book reviews in selecting a romance to read.

In e-books, I still look for a professional cover, a clear blurb and a super opening chapter. It helps if the book has won an award or been a best-seller. But those things are not enough to tell me if I want to read on. This is where reviews become important.

Types of book reviews

Most book reviews are fairly brief. However, if you are familiar with book reviews from such places as  Harper’s Magazine or the London Review of Books, then you know that book reviews can also be long essays that cover way more than a brief summary and personal recommendation of the book.

The review might include historical background, biographical material, or comparisons with other similar works. This type of review is great for stimulating an interest in the book’s subject matter, but is overkill for most romances.

What should a romance book review cover?

When I read a romance book review, I am looking for particular information. I do not need a long summary as that is covered by the blurb and the opening pages. A good book review goes beyond summarizing the story. What I want to know about a book are the following:

Does it fit the romance genre? Is there a HEA or HFN?
Is the plot/love story unique or creative?
Are the characters interesting and have hidden depths?
Does the writing flow so that I am not pulled out of the story by errors or awkwardness?
How does the book compare to others I like or have read?
Are there any specific issues that I as a reader should be aware of? Such as – Is the story dark and depressing? Is there abuse or vile terror? Does the story have a satisfying end or does it have one of those trick run-ons that try to make you buy the next book in the series?

Where to find romance book reviews

While Amazon and Barnes & Noble post plenty of reader reviews, a better source for romance book reviews are blogs and websites. Here is a list of some of them.

After Dark Book Lovers

Bookery Bytes

Coffee Time Romance

Fictionophile

InD’tale Magazine

Just Romantic Suspense

Long & Short Reviews

Night Owl Reviews

Romance4theBeach

Romance Junkies

Romance Reviews

Romantic Times

Still Moments Magazine

Sizzling Hot Book Reviews

Wild & Dirty Book Reviews

And of course there is Goodreads, where you can find thousands of reviews. This link will take you to some of mine.

 

Do you read book reviews?
What do you look for in a good review?

The post Six Things a Romance Book Review Should Do appeared first on Zara West Suspense.

Awesome Romance Author Susan Vaughan

Zara West Suspense

A Romantic Suspense Series to Enjoy –

Looking for a great romance suspense author to read? This week I interview Susan Vaughan. Here is what Susan says about herself and her writing: 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in West Virginia in a family of educators and became a teacher. That was my “real job,” you know, although I’ve always written and wanted to publish. I studied French literature, because I love languages. I taught French in high school briefly, but went back to graduate school. Most of my teaching career was as an elementary reading specialist, a very rewarding and challenging role. I enjoy travel and gardening and curling up with a good book. I’ve always written and started writing seriously for publication when years ago I discovered romantic suspense reading Genuine Lies and Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

I think romantic suspense chose me. I’ve always loved mystery novels and romance novels, but when I realized that romantic suspense combined the two, along with elements of thrillers, I knew that genre was for me. I enjoy the way the romance and the suspense plots are intertwined, or at least ought to be in a well-written RS. And I enjoy the process of creating that connection, so that both the conflict and the attraction between the hero and heroine are impacted by the plot. And vice versa. I do love a puzzle. But I have to confess that my readers and my author friends tell me I really write romantic adventures that blend suspense and thriller.

What was the most interesting place you ever visited?

Now you’ll get me going with my love of travel. It’s a toss-up between visiting a Mayan village in Mexico, where the people lived the old way, and Venice, Italy, where the city is crumbling. I’ll go with Venice, because it plays a role in Dark Vengeance. The palaces and churches and squares of that city built on islands are still glorious to see, although faded and in sad repair. My husband and I walked and walked, following signs to St. Mark’s that seemed to lead anywhere but there. “Keep going straight,” we were told, that all streets led to St. Mark’s. Straight? No, nothing is straight in Venice. Then finally, one last turn took us to that enormous square, crowded and surrounded by beautiful structures. I’ll stop before I launch into a travelogue. But the visit to Venice gave me ideas and settings for two books, Dark Vengeance, in this The DARK Files series, and Cleopatra’s Necklace, in the Devlin Security Force series.

How did you come up with the title?

I wanted titles for The DARK Files series to tie the four books together and reflect what each was about in some way. DARK is an acronym for the government agency where the four officers work: Domestic Anti-terrorism Risk Corps. The hero of Dark Vengeance, Jack Thorne, wants to kill his enemy who is also the target of his assignment. He wants vengeance, thus the title. It’s the most apt of the four titles and the darkest plot, although the heroine Sophie does lighten Jack’s dark pain.

What project are you working on now?

I’m working on a novella that will be a prequel to the series. The hero in “Dark Vision” is Matt Leoni, who appears as a secondary character in Dark Vengeance. I felt his story was unfinished for me, as well as for readers because the readers of Dark Vengeance don’t know what caused Matt’s scars or much about him at all. Rather than write a sequel that would wrap things up, it made more sense to me to go back to the beginning. The novella will also introduce a few of the DARK officers that appear in the other books.

[image error]Dark Vengeance by Susan Vaughan

Which is deadlier—the deaths he can’t forget or the danger she can’t remember?

DARK Officer Jack Thorne joined the antiterrorism task force for one reason only—to exact revenge on the smuggler responsible for the tragedy that haunts him. Vacationing in Italy, Sophie Rinaldi overhears her host plotting to sell weapons-grade uranium to terrorists. She flees, but the man’s car strikes her. She ends up in the hospital, the last crucial weeks erased from her mind—and still a target for murder. Whether Sophie is an accomplice or merely a witness, to find out what she knows, Jack must keep her safe.

As Sophie and Jack race to stay ahead of hired killers, they find it impossible to deny their growing attraction. Jack is torn between his longing for Sophie and his pledge of vengeance. And how can Sophie fall for this tormented man who doesn’t trust her?

If she regains her memory, what she knows could destroy them both…

Buy links
Amazon |  B&N |  iTUNES |  Kobo 

 

 

Learn more about Susan Vaughan

Website: www.susanvaughan.com

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/SusanVaughanBooks

Twitter: @shvaughan or www.twitter.com/SHVaughan

Susan Vaughan is looking forward to reading your comments and answering your questions.

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Awesome Romance Author April Kihlstrom

Zara West Suspense

April Kihlstrom: A Regency Author to Discover

[image error]Please welcome awesome romance author April Kihlstrom, writer of over thirty Regency romances. April is probably best known as the Book In A Week maven. She’s been teaching a course on BIAW for many many years. She also writes children’s books about her dog Sophy.

Take it alway, April…

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

I always wanted to be a writer, but my family insisted I go to college and get a practical degree so I did. I earned a B.S. In Honors Math and a Masters in Operations Research. Then life happened. My husband got a fellowship to do research in France so we moved to Paris for a year. That’s where I wrote my first romance novel.

I was so sure no one was going to publish it that I didn’t even finish writing the book until Avalon said they wanted to see the entire manuscript! After that year, we moved to Hawaii, and it was published the same month my son was born—with Down syndrome. I knew I wanted to give him the best possible start in life so we decided I’d stay home and write for a couple of years—except, of course, it turned out to be my full time career. The rest, as they say, is history.

Any especially interesting experiences you’ve had as a writer?

Well, I negotiated the contract for my first Regency romance while I was in labor with my second child. Does that count? It feels really appropriate that I was able to re-edit and re-release that book—A Choice of Cousins—a year ago when my daughter was pregnant with her daughter.

Are there certain characters or a theme or idea you love to work with?

My books will always be about people trying very hard to live their lives with courage and honor—even if the characters don’t always agree on what that means. They will always be trying to balance their responsibility to others with their responsibility to themselves and trying to figure out what to hold onto of the old as well as what to embrace with the new as the world changes around them. This is one of the reasons I love the Regency time period. Things were changing just as fast then—politically, scientifically, socially, etc—as they have in my lifetime, so I can relate to the challenges they faced.

What project are you working on now?

I’ve just finished the first book of the Wayward Widows series which features three widows who band together and try to balance their desire to be respectable with the need to support themselves after being left penniless by their husbands’ deaths.

Book 1—Harriet Tangles With The Earl—involves a duel of wits between an enterprising young widow and a disapproving earl. Each turns the other’s world upside down. Ultimately, they must join together to defeat an enemy who is determined to force Harriet to become his mistress and destroy the Earl of Darrowfieldl—as well as everything and everyone he values. Together, they discover love, laughter, adventure and that their differences matter far less than the happiness they could create together.

It’s been a lot of fun to write and I hope will make readers laugh out loud as well as feel a great deal of empathy for my characters.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Yes. First of all, never give up! Persistence often is the difference between becoming (or remaining) a published author and not being one. This business changes all the time, and there are more options than there ever were. What editors, agents and/or readers want one day might be totally different the next.

Second, I believe that we writers help to shape the world in which we live by what we choose to write. That’s why I write books about hope and love, honor and commitment, and people triumphing over challenges in their lives. Think about how you would like to help shape the world and never underestimate the power of the stories you may have to tell.

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

To my readers and fans I would say: I hope my books leave you believing in your power to triumph over the challenges in your life and that you deserve to be loved for who you truly are. I wish for each of you love that empowers and people in your life who treat you with kindness and respect.

I also want to say I am so very grateful you exist and that you want to read my books.

[image error]Harriet Tangles With The Earl
Historical Romance — Escape to the Pleasures of the Past

Harriet Tangles with the Earl involves a duel of wits between an enterprising young widow and a disapproving earl. Each turns the other’s world upside down. They must join together to defeat an enemy who is determined to force Harriet to become his mistress and destroy the Earl of Darrowfield—as well as everything and everyone he values. Together, they discover love, laughter, adventure and that their differences matter far less than the happiness they could create together.

Buy Links
Amazon |  Kobo

Learn more about April Kihlstrom 

Website: www.aprilkihlstrom.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AprilKihlstromauthor/

Twitter: @AprilKihlstrom

Blog http://www.aprilkihlstrom.com

April Kihlstrom’s Book in a Week Workbook

April Kihlstrom would love to hear from you. 
She’s waiting to answer your questions and comments.

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Zara West’s Book Reviews: Kerrelyn Sparks

Zara West Suspense

Writing a series is a challenge.

In this review, I am going to look at how Kerrelyn Spark’s ties her books together in her romantic comedy vampire series Love at Stake. I have read a number of books in this series, which if you are unfamiliar with Spark’s work are very funny takes on what it means to be undead and how the mortals who fall in love with them deal with this fact. The book I am focusing on for this review is Sexiest Vampire Alive. According to Heroes and Heart Breakers this book is fourteenth in the series.

Sexiest Vampire Alive Book Summary

This book has a great cast of characters. A young, recently-turned vampire Gregori is asked to visit the president of the United States and convince him that vampires mean humans no ill. Of course, Gregori instantly falls for the president’s reclusive daughter who is a dedicated scientist looking for a cure to save her dying mother. Through a bizarre set of circumstances, Gregori ends up transporting the daughter to Southeast Asia because for some reason only she can find the special herb. There they meet enough trouble from various paranormal creatures to keep you reading and laughing. And of course, they fall in love and live happily ever after.

Common Themes

The whole plot hinges on the fact that when vampires are undead, they can’t protect themselves or the ones they love which sets up both conflict and humor. Having a common theme is one way to tie the series together, and Spark’s has used this one in at least all the books of hers I have read.

Kerrelyn Spark’s Constant World

Another way the series is woven together is through creating a consistent world. From book to book ,you can rely on Spark’s vampire world to function in the same way  –  the vampires have the same physical and bodily needs, and the same cultural practices – i.e. they drink synthetic blood, they use shifters to guard them during the day, they have to have a beacon to transport to a new place, etc.

One Main Focal Character

Characters are also consistent from book to book. The hero of the first book, Roman, is leader of the good guys and appears in every book. The main characters of the succeeding books are all people who are tied to Roman in someway. This is a technique that Lisa Marie Rice also uses.

Can It Stand Alone?

Now if the books are so tied together can a reader pick up one and enjoy it as a stand alone or do they have to be read in order to be understood?

In the Sexiest Vampire Alive, the story opens with a set of characters introduced in other books involved in filming an advertisement with disastrous results. There is no back story in the first five pages and the scene works well on its own as an opening chapter. You meet the hero and learn a bit about his personal problems and worries. On page 6, a battle is mentioned that occurred in an earlier book, but the mention is tied in well with the current actions and emotions of the characters in the scene who are fearful the rival vampires are coming to get them. In fact, dealing with their fear falls on Gregori’s shoulders, and we are shown his competence as he provides safety for his panicked friends.

Tips For Writing a Series

The fact that Kerrelyn Spark’s series is up to, I think, 17 books is a strong tip off that she is doing something right. So here are the three things I have gleaned from her about writing a series.

Tie the books together with a common theme.
Have the main characters all related to one head character.
Place the stories in the same setting where things operate in basically the same way in each book.
Use back story so it contributes conflict to the current action in the story.


Can you think of a series that uses any of these techniques?
I love to hear from you!

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