S.T. Sanchez's Blog, page 32
August 11, 2017
Interview with Rebecca Forster author of The Finn O'Brien Thrillers
This week we welcome author Rebecca Forster of Foreign Relations a Finn O’Brien Thriller (Book 2)
What got you into writing?
Over 30 years ago I was a supervisor at an advertising agency and my client's wife was no other than Daniel Steele. I didn't know who she was, but when I found out I uttered those fateful words, "I bet I could write a book." My secretary dared me to do just that and now I have over 35 books to my name. I have written romance and women's fiction, but thrillers really called to me. I've always been fascinated by the justice system - could be because my husband of forty years was a federal prosecutor and is now a superior court judge. It's nice to have my research department at home. I am a mom to two grown sons - Eric Czuleger, a fantasy/sci fi author and Alex Czuleger who owns a talent management firm in Hollywood.
Wow, 35 books, that is quite an accomplishement! When you pick a book to read which do you prefer print books or ebooks?
Print when I'm home and ebooks when I travel.
Have you been given any helpful advice over the years?
I'm given helpful advice every day from my editor, my coach, my husband, my mom (she's 93), my kids - but that doesn't mean I always take it. All of them have helped me in my writing career.
Currently, what are you working on?
Book three of the Finn O'Brien series. There is Severed Relations, Foreign Relations and . . . I can't wait to find out what the title of book three will be.
Coming up with a few words to catch the attention of readers can be quite challenging but also very rewarding. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
How did you decide on what to title each book?
Because I write about the law and police work the titles are often taken from the vernacular of the justice system. Each title always has a double meaning to me. Any one of them can be interpreted strictly within the system or in terms of how the characters interact with one another or as a comment on their motivation.
Share something with us not a lot of people know about you.
I hate talking on the phone but I love talking to people. I just prefer email or face-to-face.
With 35 books under your belt, how do you promote your books? Any tips you can share?
I do a combination of advertising, promotion and trying to make each book better than the last. I think an author's book can be the best advertising. My rule is that I spend ten percent of my income on advertising and promotion and I keep very close records of what works and what doesn't. Sometimes an advertising opportunity sounds great but you don't get a good return on investment.
What is the easiest part of the writing process? What is the hardest?
The easiest part is coming up with an idea; the hardest part is turning it into an actual novel.
What was your biggest challenge when writing? Did you have any writer’s block? If so, how did you work your way through it?
I think all authors have writers block now and again but I think of it as being tired. When you've spent six to nine months focused on one story it's hard to start the next one. I usually take a month off between books. The best way for me to get over writers block, though, is to do something physical. Playing on a tennis team is perfect. The completion and the camaraderie seem to jump start my imagination.
What are your hobbies aside from writing, if any?
I love to sew and quilt. Our family's main entertainment is having dinner parties and entertaining. Travel is huge on my list. I was in China in 1983 and recently lived in Albania for a few months. I love adventure.
In your novels, which character is your favorite?
Hannah in the Witness Series and Cori in the Finn O'Brien Thrillers. In my standalone books it would be Tessa Bradley. In my romance, I adore Bailey Devlin.
Which is your favorite book?
I don't know that I have a favorite book, but I have one that I hold dear. Before her eyes is a thriller with elements of fantasy so that the reader isn't quite sure what is real and what isn't. The twist is on the very last page. The reason this book is so special is because it was written while both my dad and my father-in-law were very ill. They passed away within three months of one another and this was inspired by the time I spent with them.
What advice would you give someone who is considering publishing? Should they consider traditional or self-publishing? I've done both and both options have pros and cons. Research, research, research and then ask yourself where you really fit in and where you think you'll be happy.
Any last words?
For authors, reach out to those who have gone before with your questions. The writing community is open and giving. For readers, each time you write a note or a review you make an author's day. I still write to my first fan (pen pals for 33 years). Writing makes friends no matter where you put your words.
Pen pals for 33 years that’s amazing. Thank you so much for sharing with us today. Check out Rebecca and more of her works at any of the below sites.Happy Reading!
Foreign Relations (Amazon)
Newsletter sign-up to receive my starter library free (HOSTILE WITNESS AND HANNAH'S DIARY). http://rebeccaforster.com/starter-library/Website: http://rebeccaforster.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaForster4/
Twitter: @Rebecca_Forster (https://twitter.com/Rebecca_Forster)
Subscribe and get my 2-book starter library: http://rebeccaforster.com/thriller-subscribers/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rebecca-forster
Cover Designer: hadleigh.o.charles@gmail.com
August 7, 2017
Last Day to Enter the Giveaway!
LAST DAY to Enter for a chance to win a free ebook of my new YA vampire novel Sunwalker.
US Only
https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/73a455c...
US Only
https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/73a455c...
August 6, 2017
Author Features
I am being featured on two sites this week, check them out. One is on Goodreads a group I belong to called Shut Up and Read and another by fellow author Tracey A Wood. Thank you for the support :) Don't forget, if you've read Sunwalker, go to Amazon and Goodreads and write a review.
Many Thanks and Happy Reading!
August 4, 2017
Interview with Chrys Cymri, author of the ‘Penny White’ series
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Welcome Chrys Cymri! It's great to have you here and to learn a little more about your series.
So Chrys, what exactly got you into writing?
I wrote my first short story when I was seven years old, and in a way I’ve just never stopped. It’s something that has chosen me, rather me choosing it.
Have you been given any helpful advice that you can impart with our readers? Some may be aspiring authors in the works:)
Yes--write a series! That’s how to draw in readers. They like to know that the characters they’ve come to love will return for more adventures.
Not to knock stand alone books, who knows one day I might write one, but I love series because if I am reading a good book, then I don't want it to end.
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Share a short excerpt from your novel
A movement in a tree drew my gaze. Two red-brown eyes blinked back at me. Dull yellow skin separated the eyes from steel-blue feathers. A sharp yellow beak and clawed feet told me that this was a predator bird, although I’d never seen a falcon this small. He was only about a foot long.Then two ears swept forward. Cat’s ears, although trimmed with feathers. The creature stood. Four legs. He had four legs. The forelegs were covered with purple-grey feathers, and the fur the same colour continued along the sleek back to the feline hindlegs. A furred tail emerged past short tail feathers and curled towards the purple-black wings. I blurted out, ‘You’re a gryphon.’‘Oh, she’s a sharp one, she is.’‘But I thought gryphons were larger.’‘All this ego in a large package? Duw a’n gwaredo. Doors wouldn’t be big enough to get my head through.’
Currently, what are you working on?
The fourth book in the ‘Penny White’ series. This one will be called ‘The Vengeance of Snails’ and goes into the background of Clyde, the snail shark Penny adopted in the first book.
Tell us a little bit about your main characters
Penny is a hard working parish priest, who loves ‘Doctor Who’ and single malt whisky a bit more than she should. Morey is her Associate, a cat sized gryphon with sarcasm management issues. Clyde, who looks like a large garden snail but has a set of shark jaws, loves beer and children’s television. Because Clyde finds speech difficult, he often communicates by singing hymns. Penny has two romantic interests, Peter, who is a human police inspector, and Raven, a darkly beautiful dragon. And then there’s James, Penny’s much younger brother, whom she raised after their parents died in a car accident.
How did you decide on what to title each book?
I try to think about the overall theme of the book. The first Penny White book, ‘The Temptation of Dragons’, reflects the pull Penny feels both towards Raven and the magical world which she’s discovered. ‘The Cult of Unicorns’ is about the unicorns, whom the citizens of the parallel world revere. I think ‘The Marriage of Gryphons’ is rather more self-explanatory. As for ‘The Vengeance of Snails’, well, the snail sharks have a lot to be annoyed about.
Share something with us not a lot of people know about you.
I live with a small green parrot called Tilly, and Clyde’s character is partially based on her. On my YouTube site, I have videos of me reading from my novels, with interference from the parrot!
How do you promote your books? Any tips you can share?
I try to be active on Facebook and Goodreads groups, and to reach out to bloggers to ask for reviews and interviews. Above all, I try to help out fellow writers, and I find that they are then happy to help me out as well.
I think it's great when fellow writers help others. We each have unique lessons we've learned from having different experiences, and we can learn a lot from each other. Chrys, what brought about the idea for your book?
Sometimes my own life as a parish priest can seem, well, a bit boring! So one day, while driving back from a meeting, I found myself wondering whether holy water did destroy vampires and, if so, how could a Christian vampire be baptized? And what if I suddenly came across a dragon dying at the side of the road, and he asked me for the last rites? I had to pull over, park the car, and write down my ideas in my notebook. From this, ‘The Temptation of Dragons’ was born.
What was your biggest challenge when writing? Did you have any writer’s block? If so, how did you work your way through it?
The biggest challenge is wondering if anyone will actually want to read what I’ve written. That can tempt me to watch TV instead of settling down to write. Then an email will come through from a happy reader, or a new review on Amazon or Goodreads, and I find the strength to get back to writing.
What was your writing process like?
I always have a notebook and pen with me to record ideas when I have them. But I don’t really sit down and plot out a book. I know the main scenes, but not always how I’m going to get there.
Is there something you learned from writing your first book?
Yes. Disappointment! My first two books were sold by an agent to a big publisher, but because the books only sold 5,000 copies each, both the agent and the publisher dropped me.
Chrys as someone who has seen both sides of the publishing world, what advice would you give someone who is considering publishing? Should they consider traditional or self-publishing?
Bearing in mind my bruising experience with traditional publishing, I’d suggest self-publishing. But you need to be willing to put time and money into covers and editing, and to doing the necessary networking and marketing.
Any last words?
Anyone who signs up to my newsletter list can choose one of my ebooks for free!
Thanks so much for sharing with us today Chrys! You can find Chrys Cymri and more about her books at:
Website: www.chryscymri.comTwitter @ChrysCymriGoodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.facebook.com/chryscymri?f... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjFW... author page: Author.to/ChrysCymri
Check out the first book in the series The Temptation of Dragons (Penny White Book 1)
[image error]
Cover designer: http://bookcovercouture.com
Welcome Chrys Cymri! It's great to have you here and to learn a little more about your series.
So Chrys, what exactly got you into writing?
I wrote my first short story when I was seven years old, and in a way I’ve just never stopped. It’s something that has chosen me, rather me choosing it.
Have you been given any helpful advice that you can impart with our readers? Some may be aspiring authors in the works:)
Yes--write a series! That’s how to draw in readers. They like to know that the characters they’ve come to love will return for more adventures.
Not to knock stand alone books, who knows one day I might write one, but I love series because if I am reading a good book, then I don't want it to end.
[image error]
Share a short excerpt from your novel
A movement in a tree drew my gaze. Two red-brown eyes blinked back at me. Dull yellow skin separated the eyes from steel-blue feathers. A sharp yellow beak and clawed feet told me that this was a predator bird, although I’d never seen a falcon this small. He was only about a foot long.Then two ears swept forward. Cat’s ears, although trimmed with feathers. The creature stood. Four legs. He had four legs. The forelegs were covered with purple-grey feathers, and the fur the same colour continued along the sleek back to the feline hindlegs. A furred tail emerged past short tail feathers and curled towards the purple-black wings. I blurted out, ‘You’re a gryphon.’‘Oh, she’s a sharp one, she is.’‘But I thought gryphons were larger.’‘All this ego in a large package? Duw a’n gwaredo. Doors wouldn’t be big enough to get my head through.’
Currently, what are you working on?
The fourth book in the ‘Penny White’ series. This one will be called ‘The Vengeance of Snails’ and goes into the background of Clyde, the snail shark Penny adopted in the first book.
Tell us a little bit about your main characters
Penny is a hard working parish priest, who loves ‘Doctor Who’ and single malt whisky a bit more than she should. Morey is her Associate, a cat sized gryphon with sarcasm management issues. Clyde, who looks like a large garden snail but has a set of shark jaws, loves beer and children’s television. Because Clyde finds speech difficult, he often communicates by singing hymns. Penny has two romantic interests, Peter, who is a human police inspector, and Raven, a darkly beautiful dragon. And then there’s James, Penny’s much younger brother, whom she raised after their parents died in a car accident.
How did you decide on what to title each book?
I try to think about the overall theme of the book. The first Penny White book, ‘The Temptation of Dragons’, reflects the pull Penny feels both towards Raven and the magical world which she’s discovered. ‘The Cult of Unicorns’ is about the unicorns, whom the citizens of the parallel world revere. I think ‘The Marriage of Gryphons’ is rather more self-explanatory. As for ‘The Vengeance of Snails’, well, the snail sharks have a lot to be annoyed about.
Share something with us not a lot of people know about you.
I live with a small green parrot called Tilly, and Clyde’s character is partially based on her. On my YouTube site, I have videos of me reading from my novels, with interference from the parrot!
How do you promote your books? Any tips you can share?
I try to be active on Facebook and Goodreads groups, and to reach out to bloggers to ask for reviews and interviews. Above all, I try to help out fellow writers, and I find that they are then happy to help me out as well.
I think it's great when fellow writers help others. We each have unique lessons we've learned from having different experiences, and we can learn a lot from each other. Chrys, what brought about the idea for your book?
Sometimes my own life as a parish priest can seem, well, a bit boring! So one day, while driving back from a meeting, I found myself wondering whether holy water did destroy vampires and, if so, how could a Christian vampire be baptized? And what if I suddenly came across a dragon dying at the side of the road, and he asked me for the last rites? I had to pull over, park the car, and write down my ideas in my notebook. From this, ‘The Temptation of Dragons’ was born.
What was your biggest challenge when writing? Did you have any writer’s block? If so, how did you work your way through it?
The biggest challenge is wondering if anyone will actually want to read what I’ve written. That can tempt me to watch TV instead of settling down to write. Then an email will come through from a happy reader, or a new review on Amazon or Goodreads, and I find the strength to get back to writing.
What was your writing process like?
I always have a notebook and pen with me to record ideas when I have them. But I don’t really sit down and plot out a book. I know the main scenes, but not always how I’m going to get there.
Is there something you learned from writing your first book?
Yes. Disappointment! My first two books were sold by an agent to a big publisher, but because the books only sold 5,000 copies each, both the agent and the publisher dropped me.
Chrys as someone who has seen both sides of the publishing world, what advice would you give someone who is considering publishing? Should they consider traditional or self-publishing?
Bearing in mind my bruising experience with traditional publishing, I’d suggest self-publishing. But you need to be willing to put time and money into covers and editing, and to doing the necessary networking and marketing.
Any last words?
Anyone who signs up to my newsletter list can choose one of my ebooks for free!
Thanks so much for sharing with us today Chrys! You can find Chrys Cymri and more about her books at:
Website: www.chryscymri.comTwitter @ChrysCymriGoodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.facebook.com/chryscymri?f... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjFW... author page: Author.to/ChrysCymri
Check out the first book in the series The Temptation of Dragons (Penny White Book 1)
[image error]
Cover designer: http://bookcovercouture.com
July 31, 2017
Author Interviews
I am going to start featuring authors on my blog. I will try and post a new one every Friday. If you are an author and would like to be featured drop me a line at sunwalkertrilogy@hotmail.comPlease note I do not do erotica, or strong sexual material.Thanks!
July 28, 2017
On Sale for a limited time!!
99 cents ebook this week only. NEW YA Vampire Novel .99 ebook 9.95 paperbackAnother 5 star review K. Drake "S.T. Sanchez's SUNWALKER draws you in from the very beginning with a plot that is a unique and fresh approach in the Vampire genre, full of unexpected twists and turns with suspense, action, tension and romance. Sanchez's characters instantly come alive and her writing style makes it easy to visualize the settings as the story moves along at a satisfying, steady pace. SUNWALKER is a great book worth the read that leaves you ready for more of Lilly and Tread. I'm looking forward to the follow up in the SUNWALKER Trilogy."
Sunwalker by S. T. Sanchez
Sunwalker by S. T. Sanchez
July 24, 2017
Amazon Giveaway now Live:)
Enter for a chance to win a free ebook of my new YA Vampire novel just follow the link below
Sunwalker ebook giveaway
Sunwalker ebook giveaway
July 22, 2017
Indie Publishing Group
Indie Publishing Group just did a feature on me. Check it out and let me know your thoughts:) Also if you like my cover, my thanks goes out to Courtney Johansson! Her contact info is in the article if you are looking for editing or cover design services:)
July 21, 2017
Featured Author Post
Check out my interview on waking writer. When you start a book you think that writing the book is going to be where most your hours are spent. Ha! Promoting your novel and trying to get the word out there is where author's really spend their time. Feel free to share, tweet, or just talk about Sunwalker with everyone you meet:)
Thanks for all the support!
Thanks for all the support!
July 17, 2017
Beta Readers
5 qualities to look for in a good beta reader
1. Trustworthy
This is definitely something you want to look at. Can you trust this person to read and critique your work without sharing it and putting it out on social media without your consent. (This has happened to well known authors. Just look up midnight sun by Stephenie Meyers)
Some writers even go so far as to have their beta readers sign a confidentiality agreement. I have chosen not to go this route, but I am very particular about who I let see my work pre publication.
2. Detailed
Finding readers who delve deep into the material is a must. You want a reader who pays attention to detail. I want beta readers who notice pick up on the little things. (Like in pretty woman where Julia Roberts is eating a pancake and it turns into a croissant.) I personally do not want those errors in my books, whether the majority of readers would notice them or not. Strive for perfection in your novel. The better quality of product you have to offer, the more people will desire to read it.
3. Mean
I personally want a beta reader that's not afraid to be mean. Before I give someone a manuscript I ask them if they are ready to mark it up. I tell them I want them to be mean. I want them to pick it apart. I don't want readers that are afraid to offer me critiques. A lot of people may just tell you it's great to avoid hurting your feelings.
I actually prefer the negative feedback to positive when I give someone a draft. Because that's what it is, whether it's a first or second or third draft, I want all the quirks worked out before I go to print. I have gotten back some feedback that has stung a little. It's hard to get back less than positive feedback on something you have spent countless hours on. However, most the feedback I have gotten back has been invaluable to me, and helped me to provide a more polished novel.
4. Quick
How fast do you want your beta readers to finish going through your manuscript. Maybe you have all the time in the world, and six months to a year is okay with you. I have learned that setting a time table when asking someone to read a manuscript is extremely helpful. I normally ask for mine to be read in two to three weeks. If a reader can't finish it in that time, then they are not interested in your topic. If you give a reader too long, it may get pushed to a corner in their bedroom and forgotten about.
I also have multiple readers. I have never received the same feedback twice. Maybe this will change someday. Have more than one set of eyes read over a manuscript . Every person is different. You'll be surprised at what one person will notice that another reader did not.
5. Genre
Do your readers even like your genre? Are your beta readers just reading the novel as a favor to you. If someone is bored or not into a story their mind may wander. Or their feedback may be way off track. I don't want someone who only reads nonfiction to be read my fiction novel. Nor do I want a reader who despises fantasy to read my new vampire novel.
Finding people who read the genre you are writing is a key element to selecting beta readers. They will know things readers of other genres won't know. Is there anything new or fresh about your idea? Or is it the same basic story they have read a hundred times.
Looking for these five qualities will help you select a fantastic beta reader.
Wishing you the best in all your writing endeavors!
