Sharon Wray's Blog, page 99
February 9, 2018
The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Bourbon Peach French Toast & Pancakes
Photo by Sen Po on Unsplash
Just in time for Shrove Tuesday aka Mardi Gras, here’s a recipe for Bourbon Peach French Toast & Pancakes. Since Shrove Tuesday is the last night of eating rich foods before beginning the penitential season of Lent, and the kids aren’t going to adult Mardi Gras parties, I like to serve my family something fun and delicious. And it doesn’t get much more fun and delicious than pancakes for dinner! (As a writer and mom, I don’t get out much. lol)
I have two recipes for this dish, but the other one has twice as many ingredients and is 3480 calories per serving!!!!! For me to eat that many calories there have to be Oreos involved. But this recipe is more reasonable at 190 calories per slice of bread, 380 for two slices and 290 for two pancakes.
I love this recipe so much that I put it in Every Deep Desire. It’s the breakfast Rafe and Juliet had the morning after their first wedding, 8 years earlier. And Rafe makes it for her again to remind her of what they’ve lost. So I guess it also makes a great Valentine’s Day Breakfast!
Serves 2 slices of toast or 2 pancakes
The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Bourbon Peach French ToastThis recipe is perfect for a Valentine's Day, Mother's Day or Father's Day brunch. The bourbon peach sauce is also great over ice cream! I've included the recipe for the pancake mix that, if stored in an airtight container, will last for six months. I always have some on hand, ready to make pancakes.
15 minPrep Time
10 minCook Time
25 minTotal Time
Author:
Sharon Wray
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Ingredients
Bourbon Peach Sauce4-6 ripe peaches, sliced (pit removed)*4 Tablespoons brown sugar4 Tablespoons Kentucky BourbonFrench Toast8 slices of your favorite thick-sliced bread. (I like multigrain or day-old French bread)4 large eggs4 Tablespoons water1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon nutmeg1/4 teaspoon clovesPancake Mix7 cups flour4 teaspoons baking soda4 teaspoons baking powderPancakes***1 cup pancake mix2 eggs1 cup buttermilk****1 Tablespoon oilInstructions
Preheat griddle to 350 degrees. (Or a frying pan with butter to season the pan)Peaches:In a pan, combine the peaches with the brown sugar. Turn the temp on low and let the peaches absorb the sugar for 6-8 minutes, stirring infrequently so as not to break up the fruit. Add in the bourbon and stir gently. Simmer for a few minutes until the alcohol has dissolved. It will look like peaches in a dark, sticky sauce.French Toast:While peaches are simmering, mix eggs, water and spices in a shallow bowl (I use a glass pie plate). Dip the bread and cook on a lightly-oiled griddle or frying pan, only flipping once.**Place the French Toast on a plate and cover with bourbon peaches.Pancake Mix:Combine ingredients in a bowl and store in an airtight container. Mix lasts six months.Pancakes:Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let it sit for one minute, then cook pancakes in a lightly-oiled skillet or frying pan, only flipping once.**Recipe Type: BreakfastNotes
*If you can't find fresh peaches, or don't feel like cutting them, use canned or frozen. 2 12-oz cans of peaches in juice (drained) or a 20-oz frozen bag will work. Also, stale bread makes amazing French Toast, as do the crusts that no one likes to eat. The kids won't eat them for lunch, but they devour the ends as French Toast.
**I use an electric griddle to make French toast and pancakes and they turn out perfectly. ***If you make extra pancakes, they freeze really well for up to a month.
****If you don't have buttermilk, I just add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk. It's not perfect but will do in an emergency.
There’s also a Goodreads Giveaway for a free copy of Every Deep Desire going on until the book’s release.
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Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes novels of suspense, adventure, and love. The author of the Romantic Suspense Deadly Force Series, her debut book Every Deep Desire releases on March 6, 2018 and is still available for pre-order.
It’s available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and iBooks. And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!
There’s also a Goodreads Giveaway for a free copy of Every Deep Desire going on until the book’s release.
The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Bourbon Peach French Toast & Pancakes appeared first on Sharon Wray.
February 8, 2018
2018 Mid-Winter Middle Grade and Young Adult Book List
[image error]I’m so excited to announce the 2018 Mid-Winter Middle Grade and Young Adult Book List. Like I’ve mentioned before, this isn’t a bestseller list, or a new release list. It’s a cumulative record of all of the books the kids (boys and girls) in my Reading Army have loved, kept, shared, and even sleep with.
Some of the newly-added books have just been released (or are about to), some are just new-to-us authors and books. As the kids grow and move on, so do their reading tastes. I want to thank my teen readers for their help and suggestions, as well as my blog readers who’ve made this now-fifty-page-list such a popular download. You are all awesome!
Below are a few highlights, but for the entire printable list, click here: 2018 Mid-Winter MG/YA Book List.
This bi-annual compilation offers a good cross-section of genres for teens and tweens. There were a lot of new YA Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Realistic Fiction books released this past year. I’ve also added some new Middle Grade Action/Adventure and Non-fiction stories. There are books on the list for all readers just in time for more snow days!
All covers and blurbs below are courtesy of Amazon.
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Is it really better to have loved and lost? Louna’s summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically. But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged now that he’s met the one he really wants. Maybe Louna’s second chance is standing right in front of her.
Sarah Dessen’s many fans will adore this latest novel, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story with humor, romance, and an ending that is so much more than happily-ever-after.
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Juliette and Warner’s story continues in the electrifying fourth installment of Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series.
Juliette Ferrars thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander of North America, and now has Warner by her side. But when tragedy strikes, she must confront the darkness that dwells both around and inside her.
Who will she become in the face of adversity? Will she be able to control the power she wields, and use it for good?
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In her small Kansas town, at her predominantly white school, Kanchana doesn’t look like anyone else. But at home, her Thai grandmother chides her for being too westernized. Only through the clothing Kan designs in secret can she find a way to fuse both cultures into something distinctly her own.
When her mother agrees to provide a home for a teenage girl named Shelly, Kan sees a chance to prove herself useful. Making Shelly feel comfortable is easy at first—her new friend is eager to please, embraces the family’s Thai traditions, and clearly looks up to Kan. Perhaps too much. Shelly seems to want everything Kanchana has, even the blond, blue-eyed boy she has a crush on. As Kan’s growing discomfort compels her to investigate Shelly’s past, she’s shocked to find how it much intersects with her own—and just how far Shelly will go to belong…
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It’s a demon-eat-demon world for Nick Gautier as he survives the Dark-Hunters and their enemies. Just when he thinks he’s finally gotten a handle on how not to take over the world and destroy it, Death returns with an all-star cast that is determined to end the Malachai reign and lineage forever. Worse? Death and War have found the one, true enemy Nick can’t find, and even if he did, it’s one he could never bring himself to banish or kill.
Now framed for murders he hasn’t committed, and surrounded by new friends who might be turncoats, Nick is learning fast how his father went down in flames.
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[image error]The Thunderhead cannot interfere in the affairs of the Scythedom. All it can do is observe—it does not like what it sees.
A year has passed since Rowan had gone off grid. Since then, he has become an urban legend, a vigilante snuffing out corrupt scythes in a trial by fire. His story is told in whispers across the continent.
As Scythe Anastasia, Citra gleans with compassion and openly challenges the ideals of the “new order.” But when her life is threatened and her methods questioned, it becomes clear that not everyone is open to the change.
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[image error]Long ago, in a small village in the middle of a deep, dark forest, there lived a lonely, deaf girl named Maggie. Shunned by her village because of her disability, her only comfort comes from her vivid imagination. Maggie has a gift for inventing stories and dreams of one day finding her fairy-tale love.
When Maggie meets the mysterious Piper, it seems that all her wishes are coming true. Spellbound, Maggie falls hard for him and plunges headfirst into his magical world. But as she grows closer to the Piper, Maggie discovers that he has a dark side.
The boy of Maggie’s dreams might just turn out to be her worst nightmare…
With striking illustrations from Eisner-nominated artist Jeff Stokely, mixed with Jessica Freeburg’s work on historic and legendary horrors, Piper is an exciting new departure for Jay Asher that deftly touches on the same themes of truth, guilt, and redemption that made Thirteen Reasons Why a beloved bestseller.
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At seventeen years old, Tenley “Ten” Lockwood had to make the ultimate choice—where to live after she died. Loyalty to her selected realm has not wavered…until now. She is out of time. Sacrifices must be made, and a terrible price must be paid. But is she too late?
As the Everlife descends into darkness, a single truth becomes clear: Troika and Myriad must unite—or perish. In order to bring sworn enemies together, Ten must enter forbidden territory…and destroy the powerful Prince of Ravens. But there’s only one way inside—bonding with Killian Flynn, a deadly rival who sets her blood aflame.
When nothing goes as planned and betrayal leads to the edge of utter defeat, Ten and Killian will have to rebuild trust from the ashes of their hearts. Victory seems impossible, the odds stacked against them. In the end, how far will they be willing to go for the sake of their realms and the Everlife?
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[image error]Emilie Day believes in playing it safe: she’s homeschooled, her best friend is her seizure dog, and she’s probably the only girl on the Outer Banks of North Carolina who can’t swim.
Then Emilie’s mom enrolls her in public school, and Emilie goes from studying at home in her pj’s to halls full of strangers. To make matters worse, Emilie is paired with starting point guard Chatham York for a major research project on Emily Dickinson. She should be ecstatic when Chatham shows interest, but she has a problem. She hasn’t told anyone about her epilepsy.
Emilie lives in fear her recently adjusted meds will fail and she’ll seize at school. Eventually, the worst happens, and she must decide whether to withdraw to safety or follow a dead poet’s advice and “dwell in possibility.”
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[image error]Everybody knows that goblins and fairies can’t be friends. But that never stopped Tinker and Bell.
Bellamy Merriweather Larousse isn’t like the other fairies at Harmswood Academy, with her giant wings and their magical dust. “Southern Bell” works as a barista at The Hallowed Bean to help pay her tuition and remains active on the cheering squad, despite her insistence on associating with the unpopular crowd. Every day is sunny in Bellamy’s world and every cloud has a silver lining. The only way to upset Bell’s stalwart optimism is to threaten one of her misfit friends…or try to take one of them from her.
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Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her.
Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng’s majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high? Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins–sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.
Set in an East Asian-inspired fantasy world filled with both breathtaking pain and beauty, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns possesses all the hallmarks of masterful fantasy: dazzling magic, heartbreaking romance, and a world that hangs in the balance. Fans of Heartless, Stealing Snow, and Red Queen will devour this stunning debut
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[image error]A hero can come from the unlikeliest of places… After a year-long separation and a search across continents, Macy and Nic have found each other again. Now they must find her family—the birth mother who abandoned her at the hospital and fled back to her people’s secret sanctuary—if they are to beat the clock and save the human race from the onslaught of the coming Plague. Alessia didn’t intend to activate the deadly virus, but after determining that Nic betrayed her, she’s almost glad she did. The only problem? She won’t be around to enjoy the aftermath—she’s being held captive on a remote, windswept island by a mysterious guy who’s completely immune to her Sway and won’t let her get close enough to use her deadly glamour on him. Give in to the Glamour once more as the end of the human world looms, an ancient secret is unearthed, and a hidden hero emerges.
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Maia doesn’t see the point of love when it only brings people pain: Her dead mother haunts anyone who hurts Maia, and her stepsisters are desperate for their mother’s approval, even though she despises them. Meanwhile, Anax, heir to the Duke of Sardis, doesn’t believe in love either—not since he discovered that his childhood sweetheart was only using him for his noble title. But when Maia’s and Anax’s paths cross before the royal ball, they discover that love might not be the curse they once thought. And it might even be the one thing that can save them both.
Fans who love Kristin Cashore and Rae Carson will find everything they’re looking for in this extraordinary and romantic novella
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[image error]Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken.
His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica–the stronghold of the southern continent’s mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them.
But what they discover in Antica will change them both–and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined.
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[image error]Since coming into her birthright of being a seeker for the Grim Reaper, Ava has made countless missteps trying to protect her loved ones, only to have it all backfire. Now she finally has the chance to settle the score with Xavier, the source of much of her misery, but sometimes revenge isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Will she allow herself to take the vengeance she has thirsted for? Can she forgive herself if she doesn’t? Even worse, her enemies are after Cole, who hasn’t forgiven her for leaving, and they’ll stop at nothing to find him. Ava is tired of the corruption and lies. Most of all, she’s done hiding. This time, she’s ready to rid herself—and the world—of the twisted handler-seeker system…for good.
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[image error]Emmeline’s gift of controlling shadows has isolated her from the rest of the world, but she’s grown to be content, hidden away in her mansion with Dar, her own shadow, as her only company.
Disaster strikes when a noble family visits their home and offers to take Emmeline away and cure her of magic. Desperate not to lose her shadows, she turns to Dar who proposes a deal: Dar will change the noble’s mind, if Emmeline will help her become flesh as she once was. Emmeline agrees but the next morning the man in charge is in a coma and all that the witness saw was a long shadow with no one nearby to cast it. Scared to face punishment, Emmeline and Dar run away.
With the noble’s guards on her trail, Emmeline’s only hope of clearing her name is to escape capture and perform the ritual that will set Dar free. But Emmeline’s not sure she can trust Dar anymore, and it’s hard to keep secrets from someone who can never leave your side.
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[image error]Brodie was a good dog. And good dogs go to heaven.
Except Brodie can’t move on. Not just yet. As wonderful as his glimpse of the afterlife is, he can’t forget the boy he left behind. The boy he loved, and who loved him in return.
The boy who’s still in danger.
So Brodie breaks the rules of heaven. He returns to Earth as a spirit. With the help of two other lost souls — lovable pitbull Tuck and surly housecat Patsy — he is determined to find his boy and to save him. Even if it costs him paradise. Even if he loses his eternal soul. Because it’s what a good dog would do.
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[image error]In the bitter winter of 1775-76, Colonel Henry Knox and his younger brother Will, both of the Continental Army, become frustrated with the British blockade of Boston and decide to attempt to move 183 cannons from Fort Ticonderoga, over 300 miles of mountainous wilderness, to defend the besieged city.Brothers William and Henry Knox devise a daring scheme to transport 183 cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston to aid the rebels in their fight against the British
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[image error]Things at Fairy Tale Reform School are great. Rumpelstiltskin has been ousted, and everyone is buzzing about the fact that Beauty and Prince Sebastian (aka the Beast) have joined the teaching staff. Everyone, that is, except Gilly, who can’t seem to focus on anything but Anna. How is it that her beloved sister somehow went bad and joined up with Rump? And why doesn’t anyone seem to care? Sure, the Royal Court says they’re working on it, but they’ve got exactly nothing to show for it.
But when new-kid Jack joins FTRS with tales of his own family being snatched by Rump, Gilly knows she’s in good company. Jack wants answers, just like Gilly. And if the Royal Court can’t get the job done, then maybe it’s time to break some rules…
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Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved countless American lives. Yet their story remained classified for more than twenty years.
But now Joseph Bruchac brings their stories to life for young adults through the riveting fictional tale of Ned Begay, a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy who becomes a code talker. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring. This deeply affecting novel honors all of those young men, like Ned, who dared to serve, and it honors the culture and language of the Navajo Indians.
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Disclaimer: Some of these books are (or once were) controversial. Some older YAs have closed-door adult situations, and others (YA & MG) deal with harsh issues such as suicide, bullying, war, poverty, and loss of a parent. As a librarian, reader’s advisor, and mother, I’ve learned that tweens and teens tend to read within their comfort zone, both emotionally and reading-level wise. All of these books offer a chance for parents and kids to discuss which topics are appropriate now and which books are best left for another time. But I hope you all find books that will give your family new adventures and imaginary friends.
See you this summer for the 2018 Summer Young Adult and Middle Grade Book List!
*The books listed in this blog post and on the list are in no particular order.
All covers and blurbs courtesy of Amazon. Feature photo courtesy of Sharon Wray.
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Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes novels of suspense, adventure, and love. The author of the Romantic Suspense Deadly Force Series, her debut book Every Deep Desire releases on March 6, 2018 and is still available for pre-order.
It’s available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and iBooks. And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!
There’s also a Goodreads Giveaway for a free copy of Every Deep Desire going on until the book’s release.
The post 2018 Mid-Winter Middle Grade and Young Adult Book List appeared first on Sharon Wray.
February 7, 2018
Daring Debuts ’18: Amanda Stauffer’s New Release Match Made in Manhattan
[image error]“Match Made in Manhattan works on so many levels. There are the great, juicy dating parts (I wish I could sit in on all the book clubs as they enjoy trading their dating stories.) But there’s also a depth to this book that is such a welcome surprise. Amanda’s writing pulls you in and takes you on the most satisfying journey.” — Amy Cohen, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Late Bloomer’s Revolution
I’m so happy to welcome Amanda Stauffer and her debut book MATCH MADE IN MANHATTAN to Daring Debuts today!
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About the book: After two intense, dead-end relationships, serial monogamist Alison finds herself confused, lonely, and drastically out of touch with the world of modern dating. Refusing to wallow, she signs up for a popular dating app and resolves to remain open-minded and optimistic as she explores the New York City singles’ scene. With the click of a button, her adventures begin: On one date, she’s dumped before the first kiss; on another, she dons full HAZMAT gear; she meets a tattooed folk singer turned investment banker, an undercover agent who tracks illegal exotic animals, and dozens of other colorful, captivating personalities.
Match Made in Manhattan is a fast-paced, contemporary story about the struggles of dating in the digital age. Replete with online profiles, witty dialogue, e-mails, and texts, and a super-supportive group of female friends, this all-too-real and relatable debut novel will have readers laughing, crying, and rooting for Alison.
Sharon: Amanda, can you tell us what the book is about?
Amanda: Of course! Written in a serial/episodic format, the book follows the upbeat, open-minded protagonist, Alison, through her attempts to branch out and meet new people, with each chapter featuring a new man she meets online. In a rom-com style, with strong sub-themes of friendship and independence, MATCH MADE IN MANHATTAN offers probing reflections on relationships and the individual choices we make.
In a rom-com style, with strong sub-themes of friendship and independence, MATCH MADE IN MANHATTAN offers probing reflections on relationships and the individual choices we make. - Amanda Stauffer
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The book began as a list of men’s names scrawled on the back of a cocktail napkin. I was at drinks with friends, relating the details of my latest Match.com dates. I’d been dumped before the first kiss, donned full HAZMAT gear on a third date, and, been set up with another date’s mom. And somehow I’d wound up with a dating history that—mapped out on that fateful napkin—formed a quirky yet gripping romantic narrative. So, names got changed, several men became “composite” characters, and my story became “Alison’s”.
Sharon: I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that. But at least you got a book out of it. And a great title. How did that happen?
Amanda: My agent overrode my original (more serious-sounding) title and came up with MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN. Publisher totally dug it, so it stuck.
Sharon: Without spoilers, can you share something we won’t find out from the book jacket?
Amanda: The book is rather self-referential with a handful of “Easter Eggs,” in-jokes, and threads woven throughout. So on each subsequent read, you’ll emerge with a greater, deeper understanding of the protagonist and of my intended themes.
Sharon: Who’s your favorite character?
Amanda: Younger Luke. I’m enchanted by the notion that different people can draw out different sides of us, and also that two people sitting on opposite sides of the table can experience the same conversation or date totally differently. I think he’s the embodiment of these two ideas . . . and also, what a charmer (However, my favorite character on the audiobook is Brooks because OMG.)
I’m enchanted by the notion that different people can draw out different sides of us, and also that two people sitting on opposite sides of the table can experience the same conversation or date totally differently. - Amanda Stauffer
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Sharon: How long did you take to write this book?
Amanda: Three months of writing; one month of querying; two years to publication.
Sharon: Seriously? I am in awe. Did you have to remove anything during the editing process?
Amanda: Many many men. The manuscript I submitted to Skyhorse was 450 pages long. Very little description or transitions were cut. In fact, my editor actually had me add in more description and internal monologue. Mostly we extracted entire chapters, which in this case meant complete male characters.
Sharon: As an author with a lot of men in her book, losing men makes me sad. LOL. What is your favorite part of your writing process?
Amanda: The zone. Once I hit my writerly stride and get into the zone—empathizing with my characters, hearing their voices in my head as I re-read fresh dialogue, being a total nerd and chuckling at what I think are the funny parts as I type them out—I forget to eat or check my phone or go to the bathroom. And being in that zone, transported into the very moment you’re creating as you create it, is SO SATISFYING.
Being in that ZONE, transported into the very moment you’re creating as you create it, is SO SATISFYING. - Amanda Stauffer
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Sharon: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Amanda: Start building a platform now. It will make selling your novel a million times easier (Note: I still haven’t done this. But time-machine Amanda will be a much more successful author than current Amanda)
Sharon: Do you have a day job?
Amanda: I’m an architectural conservator, which means I spend my days wielding scalpels and syringes attempting to save historic buildings one brick or paint chip at a time.
Sharon: What an interesting career! How did you get into writing?
Amanda: I outlined “my dating novel” five years before I got to sit down and write it. When I moved to Paris and didn’t have a visa to work in the EU, I freelanced as a copy editor and proofreader for a major YA publishing house in the US, so that I could work remotely and still earn a living. Being around the business of books – and having an unpredictable schedule with busy streaks followed by multiple weeks of down time – inspired me to finally sit down and write it.
Sharon: I’d love to move to Paris! Which book influenced you the most?
Amanda: Amy Cohen’s “The Late Bloomer’s Revolution.” The subjects of our books are quite different, but I found her voice to be so charming, smart, self-deprecating, and relatable, and the message to be so empowering, I read it and thought, “I want to create a narrative voice and protagonist that perfect.” Obviously I didn’t, but at least I tried. . . As a fun aside, long after I read her book—and cited it in my query letter as a comp—Amy and I met in a non-book-related NYC Facebook group, and she actually blurbed my book. I can officially die happy 
February 2, 2018
The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Homemade Sloppy Joes
[image error]It’s snowing again, I’ve just turned in a revision on Book 2 in the Deadly Force Series, and I’m trying to catch up with my husband, kids, life, etc. Aaaaaaaaaand, we had to drive 500 miles RT in one day to pick up my son from college because he has the flu. Not to mention the war between Book 1’s desire for promo and Book 3’s need to be written! Oh, and a Goodreads Giveaway for Every Deep Desire (Book 1)!! And the last thing I want to do is cook. So what’s a hungry writer to do? Sloppy Joes and potato chips. And if I’m craving vegetables, a side salad. So dig in and enjoy!
And, just because I could, the men in my Deadly Force Series, all ex-Green Berets, make Sloppy Joes in the second book in the series (Title TBD). It’s either Sloppy Joes or one-minute noodles and there’s an interesting argument about the pros and cons of both. 
January 31, 2018
Daring Debuts ’18: Anna Quinn’s New Release The Night Child
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”A powerful, beautifully written, transformative novel…’Must-read’ is not a phrase I use often; I am using it now: you must read this book!” –Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain
“Packed with riveting detail and radical emotional honesty, motored by a powerful (what I think of as a “life depends upon it”) authorial voice, this book does at least fifteen things novels are not supposed to be able to do. I won’t name them, but I will tell you that it will stand you up against yourself in all the best ways possible. You will love this night child, and she will remind you to love the night child inside you. I can’t remember a novel in which I have been more deeply emotionally invested. “-Pam Houston, author of Cowboys Are My Weakness and Contents May Have Shifted
The book they’re talking about above? THE NIGHT CHILD by Anna Quinn. A psychological, literary fiction novel being released by Blackstone Publishing on January 30, 2018.
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THE NIGHT CHILD is the story of Nora Brown, a young mother and high-school English teacher, whose unremembered childhood trauma returns to threaten her sanity in the form of a child named Margaret. This exquisitely nuanced and profoundly intimate novel examines the fragile line between past and present—it is a story of resilience, hope, and the capacity of the mind, body, and spirit to save itself despite all odds.
“Her past—a malevolent undertow she cannot escape from simply by swimming parallel to and waiting for release; no, this is a force demanding a surrender she cannot allow.”
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Sharon: Welcome, Anna, to Daring Debuts ’18! I love the premise of your book. Where did the original idea come from?
Anna: THE NIGHT CHILD was born from my memoir. When I finished writing the memoir, deeply cathartic as it was, it still wasn’t the story I most wanted to write, but I wasn’t able to articulate why. Weeks later another story began to push up, a story with similar themes to the memoir (identity, power imbalance, betrayal, resilience, hope) a story that wanted to go beyond my singular experience—beyond the way I’d been telling it. I realized the problem was in the form—the memoir wanted to breathe, break free, it wanted to be a novel.
Sharon: What’s the story behind the title?
Anna: The original title was SPLIT, but in 2016 a movie came out with the same title and similar themes to my book. And to make it worse, the film perpetuated harmful stereotypes of mental illness instead of countering them. I was devastated. I told my publisher I wanted to change the title and they agreed. The new title, THE NIGHT CHILD, came to me in a dream soon after, and it encapsulates one of the primary characters, a child named Margaret—who only appeared at night. The good news is I love the new title even more than the old one.
The Night Child was born from my memoir. When I finished writing the memoir . . . I realized the problem was in the form—the memoir wanted to breathe, break free, it wanted to be a novel. - Anna Quinn
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Sharon: Can you tell us something we won’t find out just by reading the book jacket?
Anna: Literature shaped Nora’s identity as a feminist, teacher and mother. The following books are mentioned in THE NIGHT CHILD.
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown
The Tempest by William Shakespeare
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Crabapple Fairy by Cicely Mary Barker
The Book of Light by Lucille Clifton
Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung
Lord of The Flies by William Golding
Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton
Sharon: How interesting! Can you share who your favorite character is?
Anna: I love Margaret. She is a fierce six-year old who attempts to save the protagonist, Nora, and her daughter, Fiona, from a terrible danger. Margaret’s courageousness both gutted and inspired me beyond measure.
Sharon: Are your characters based on real people, or do they come from your imagination?
Anna: As with almost any work of fiction, the characters are composites of people I’ve met in my life, deepened and expanded by my imagination.
As with almost any work of fiction, the characters are composites of people I’ve met in my life, deepened and expanded by my imagination. - Anna Quinn
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Sharon: I totally agree. How long did you take to write this book?
Anna: I wrote THE NIGHT CHILD in only a year, but that’s because I used a great deal of content from my previously written memoir. It took another year to edit THE NIGHT CHILD, and yet another year to call up the courage to submit it. I queried twenty-four agents and within a month, received nine requests for partial manuscripts and three requests for full manuscripts. Soon after, two agents expressed interest in representation—one NY agent, and Gordon Warnock from Fuse Literary in San Francisco. The NY agent wanted significant developmental changes that involved sensationalizing certain scenes for commercial purposes, and Gordon loved the book enthusiastically as it was, so I accepted his offer. Nine months later he called to say Blackstone Publishing had offered a fabulous contract. After an additional three months of editing with Blackstone, my book was ready for publication and will be released Jan. 30th, 2018.
Sharon: What kind of research did you do for this book?
Anna: I used notes from my own personal history of dissociation, and spent hundreds of hours reading about psychiatric therapies, and interviewing psychiatrists and people who had experienced, or were experiencing dissociation.
Sharon: What did you remove from this book during the editing process?
Anna: I’m a fairly spare writer (my poet husband calls me a haikuist novelist) and I often need to elaborate rather than cut. However, the editing exercise that helps most regarding cutting words is to read the entire manuscript aloud underlining all the places that cause me to falter or lose attention. Later, I go back and either cut those sentences or rewrite the passages. I also used Microsoft’s Word Usage and Frequency add-in, to find repeated words. The words “actually”, “shrugged” and “sometimes” were my top three most overused words. I also removed an excerpt of Hemingway’s, Clean Well-Lighted place because my publisher and I agreed it would be too much effort to secure the copyright from Hemingway Estates as they are known to be a pretty tough crowd.
Sharon: I wish I was a spare writer. LOL. Are you a plotter or a pantser?
AQ: One of the most exhilarating things about writing is the mystery and complexity of it, so while I have a sense of big what if questions when I begin, I allow my imagination free rein during the first draft— I become a combination of interviewer, recorder and witness. I observe my characters, follow them around, ask them things along the way like: What do you want? Why does this matter so much to you? What are you looking for? What’s standing in your way? What are you afraid of? and What next? Over time they lead me into scenes, into answers, and a story emerges—the structure revealing itself as I write.
Sharon: What is your favorite part of your writing process?
Anna: Revision thrills me—re-visioning a draft from a critical perspective, listening to the sounds of language, playing with rhythm sentence by sentence, magnifying the abstract for an unambiguous detail, cutting irrelevancies (even if it means pages and pages) adding complications, and creating metaphor completely absorbs me. The first few drafts allow me to discover the story—what it’s really about, where the vulnerability of being human lives. Revision allows me to clarify and deepen the emotional truth of it.
The first few drafts allow me to discover the story—what it’s really about, where the vulnerability of being human lives. Revision allows me to clarify and deepen the emotional truth of it. - Anna Quinn
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Sharon: I love revisions too! What is the most challenging part of your writing process?
Anna Finishing a piece. But really, is any story ever finished?
Sharon: No, I don’t think it ever is. Have you ever gotten writer’s block? If yes, how do you overcome it?
Anna: Ha, I decided long ago to reframe writer’s block. When the words don’t come I tell myself I’m in a receptive phase. I’m not saying I don’t sometimes panic (I do!) but it definitely takes the pressure off to trust that my words and ideas just need time to sort themselves out. Sometimes it’s realizing that I’ve been asking my characters the wrong questions. Taking long walks, taking photographs, practicing yoga, listening to music or reading, eventually opens up spaces within me where words once again find their way to the page.
Sharon: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Anna: Write whatever you want and write it without apology—there are no forbidden, unspeakable, illicit, feelings or experiences in writing.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? Write whatever you want and write it without apology—there are no forbidden, unspeakable, illicit, feelings or experiences in writing.
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Sharon: I love that! Do you have any writing quirks?
Anna: I have to write the first draft of anything in long hand with a Uniball 207 pen.
Sharon: I do a lot of handwriting as well. I find it very “freeing”. How did you get into writing?
Anna: My mother taught me to write when I was four. She taught me words create worlds and that imagination is everything, and I believed her then, and still do today. I was fortunate also, to have teachers along the way who encouraged me to keep writing. One particular teacher taught me that if I didn’t like the story I was in, then I should write myself into a new one—her words pretty much saved my life.
Sharon: Great advice. What’s your own favorite writing advice?
Anna: Write what you want without apology. Participate mightily in your writing community. Be extraordinarily gentle with yourself, always.
What’s your favourite writing advice? Write what you want without apology. Participate mightily in your writing community. Be extraordinarily gentle with yourself, always.
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Sharon: Can you tell us about the book you’re currently reading?
Anna: My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tennant. Achingly dark and beautiful.
Sharon: How do you feel about THE NIGHT CHILD being compared to THE BELL JAR?
Anna: Completely honored. Both stories are about a woman’s descent into mental illness, her breakdown, and attempts toward recovery. Both protagonists, Esther in the Bell Jar, and Nora in The Night Child, had achieved academic success and were raised in a typical middle-class family and yet things weren’t as they seemed—both have a disordered identity. Both Esther and Nora offer raw perspectives about the experience of a breakdown. The Bell Jar opened up conversations about mental illness and I hope my book does the same.
Sharon: Thanks so much for being here today, Anna. I wish you great success with you debut!
You can find THE NIGHT CHILD at The Writers’ Workshoppe or Amazon.
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Anna Quinn is a writer, teacher, and the owner of The Writers’ Workshoppe and Imprint Books in Port Townsend, WA. She has thirty years of experience teaching and leading writing workshops across the country. Her writing has appeared in various literary journals and texts, including Literature Circles and Response, Practical Aspects of Authentic Assessment, Instructor, Tidepools, IS Literary Magazine, Manifest-Station, Lit-Fest Anthology, 2016, and Washington 129 Anthology. Anna’s first novel, “The Night Child”, was acquired in a world right’s deal by Blackstone Publishing, and will be published Jan. 30th, 2018.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads
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Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes novels of suspense, adventure, and love. The author of the Romantic Suspense Deadly Force Series, her debut book Every Deep Desire releases on March 6, 2018 and is still available for pre-order.
It’s available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and iBooks. And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!
The post Daring Debuts ’18: Anna Quinn’s New Release The Night Child appeared first on Sharon Wray.
January 30, 2018
How A Visual Journal Led to Sharon Wray’s Every Deep Desire (and a Goodreads Giveaway!)
Vision Board for Every Deep Desire
Although I’m a published author, I wasn’t always. Once upon a time, I was a Chemical/Patent Librarian, an Art Librarian, an Archivist, and . . . a wedding gown designer. It wasn’t until I had my twins, and left my librarian and dress-making worlds behind me, that I started searching for my next creative outlet with a book by Julia Cameron called The Artists Way.
In her book, Ms. Cameron offers different exercises to help uncover “stuck” artists. I wasn’t stuck as much as shifting gears. My life had changed, and I was ready for something new. One of the exercises in the book is daily journaling which I’ve always found more of a chore than a way of freeing my mind. So instead of a diary, I bought an artist’s notebook with thick paper that could handle markers and rubber cement. Then I started my visual journal–a book where you add photos, draw pictures, etc. to the page and write around the images. It suited my need for visual representation.
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Vision Board for Every Deep Desire
After nine months, I re-read what I’d cut, pasted, and written about and realized that I wanted to be a writer. This exercise of visual journaling gave me a literal vision of a potential future. The only problem was I’d no idea how to write anything other than grant requests and thank you notes. I’d always told stories to myself, and to others, but since I didn’t know how to write a book, I thought I’d bring the ideas in my head to life visually. So I swallowed my fear and kept up the visual journal. If this is what I was supposed to do, then I figured my muse would meet me half-way.
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Visual Journal for Every Deep Desire
Then the learning years started. I was still unsure about what I should write about and where to find the creative well for this endeavor. Writing was so different than designing and sewing, and I was lost. One day, as I was in a writing craft session taught by Jenny Crusie, she mentioned her “Girls in the Basement”, aka muses, and how when she needed to contact them, she’d build a collage. Remembering my visual journal, I thought “I’ll contact my muse visually too!” So I bought posterboard and more rubber cement and magazines and made collages of all of the books in my head. It helped me figure out what I really wanted to write about. Too bad I still didn’t know how!
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Visual Journal for Every Deep Desire
As the years went on, I kept learning and writing. I wrote a new manuscript every year followed by more rejections. Then a friend of mine mentioned Pinterest and how it was digital version of my visual journals and my collages. Intrigued, I joined Pinterest and rebuilt my collages for all of my books, keeping my new boards secret, of course.
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Visual Journal for Every Deep Desire
More years went on and, twelve and a half years after I started writing, I sold three books to Sourcebooks in my Deadly Force Romantic Suspense series. My first book, Every Deep Desire, comes out March 6 (in a few weeks!) and I just turned in revisions on book 2. And one of my marketing/promo things on my to-do list was to clean up my Pinterest board.
As I was getting ready to make the board public, I pulled out my old visual journal and collage for this story and was shocked at how many similarities there were between the original themes, colors, and ideas that ended up in the finished book–a book that was revised many, many times. Even though I’ve been working on this series for years, my “Girls in the Basement” were busy guiding me even though I’d no idea at the time what the end product would be. If I’d known, maybe I wouldn’t have spent so much time worrying.
Then again, maybe not. LOL.
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Vision Board for Book 2 in the Deadly Force Series (Title TBD)
Every Deep Desire is a contemporary Romantic Suspense re-telling and redemption of Romeo and Juliet. After a metaphorical death–the demise of Rafe and Juliet’s young marriage–the lovers are held apart not just by their families, but by a vicious arms dealer, a secret army of assassins who speak in Shakespearean verse, and a group of ex-Green Berets who believe the hero is a traitor.
Rafe Montfort is taking it all back
His honor, his freedom, and the woman he loves
Rafe Montfort was a decorated Green Beret, the best of the best, until a disastrous mission and an unforgivable betrayal destroyed his life. Now, this deadly soldier has returned to the sultry Georgia swamps to reunite with his brothers, and take back all he lost. But Juliet must never know the truth behind what he’s done…or the dangerous secret that threatens to take him from her forever.
It took Juliet Capel eight long years to put her life back together after her husband was taken from her. Now Rafe is back, determined to protect her at any cost, and it’s not just her heart that’s in danger. The swamps hold a secret long buried and far deadlier than either of them could have imagined…
So just in time for my debut in a few weeks, here is a link to my Every Deep Desire Pinterest Board.
There’s also a Goodreads Giveaway for a free copy of Every Deep Desire going on until the book’s release.
[image error]Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes novels of suspense, adventure, and love. The author of the Romantic Suspense Deadly Force Series, her debut book Every Deep Desire releases on March 6, 2018 and is still available for pre-order.
It’s available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and iBooks. And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!
The post How A Visual Journal Led to Sharon Wray’s Every Deep Desire (and a Goodreads Giveaway!) appeared first on Sharon Wray.
January 26, 2018
The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Cranberry & Jalapeño Salsa
If I ever write a memoir it’s going to be titled Me, With a Book, In a Bar. Why? Because my husband has a side gig to his day job. He’s a fabulous singer and guitar player and now that he’s no longer in a band, he’s out on his own playing in pubs, wineries, breweries, and private parties. I love being his groupie and following his gigs, but often I don’t know anyone. So I end up sitting at the bar with a book or a notebook (to plot out books), way too introverted to talk to people. But when friends of ours join me at the winery, my girlfriend and I bring snacks. This Cranberry & Jalapeño salsa, served with tortillas, is one of my new favorite sweet/salty appetizers to bring to his winery gigs. It can sit out for hours and goes well with all adult beverages.
Cranberry & Jalapeño Salsa
A sweet & tangy app that comes together in minutes and can be made days ahead. I serve this with tortilla chips and margaritas!
10 minPrep Time
10 minTotal Time
Yields 4 cups
Author:
Sharon Wray
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Ingredients
2 16 oz cans whole cranberry sauce2 jalapeno peppers, diced2 scallions, minced1/2 cup parsley, chopped (or cilantro, if you prefer)1 teaspoon cumin2 teaspoons lime juiceInstructions
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.Chill and serve with tortilla chips.Recipe Type: AppetizersNotes
This is an easy appetizer that can be made days ahead. It just gets better as it ages in the refrigerator. I'm not a fan of cilantro, but cilantro can be substituted for the parsley if you prefer.
7.6.722http://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/hungry-romance-writer-cranberry-jalapeno-salsa/[image error]
Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes novels of suspense, adventure, and love. The author of the Romantic Suspense Deadly Force Series, her debut book Every Deep Desire releases on March 6, 2018 and is still available for pre-order.
It’s available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and iBooks. And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!
The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Cranberry & Jalapeño Salsa appeared first on Sharon Wray.
January 24, 2018
Daring Debuts ’18: Melissa Bennett’s New Release Hidden Thorns
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I’d like to welcome Melissa Bennett to Daring Debuts ’18. Her new inspirational romance novel, HIDDEN THORNS, was released on January 22 from 50/50 Press.
Here’s the blurb: Lil Edwards is divorced after thirty years of marriage. When her new found independence is interrupted by a stalker, a second chance of love, her faith, and even her life are threatened.
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And now for a teaser:
Lil recoiled to the other side of the bed drawing her knees close to her chest. Her face contorted with fear and dread. It felt as if all the blood were rushing from her head, like she couldn’t tell the difference between the floor and ceiling. Gracie, startled awake by Lil’s sudden movements, sauntered to the bedside and laid her head near Lil’s feet. Lil didn’t respond, she was frozen with fear. Gracie pawed at the sheets and whimpered. Still getting no response, she let out a bark in frustration. Lil finally came to. She looked at Gracie and patted the bed to have her jump up with her, something she never allowed the pup to do. This time was different.
“Come girl, please,” Lil pleaded. Gracie complied and greeted Lil with a slobbery kiss. Lil wrapped her arms around the dog burying her face in her chocolate colored fur.
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SW: Welcome, Melissa! Where did you get the idea for this story?
MB: It started as a cathartic exercise. I’ve been married a long time, and anyone who’s been married for any time understands that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. (I love you honey!) From there, I had a dear friend encourage me to keep going. The story unfolded organically.
SW: I love it when that happens! What’s the story behind the title?
MB: Life is a mixed bag. Much like a rose with it’s thorns. Initially, I titled the book Roses and Thorns. LOL. But one Google search and I knew it needed to change. Megan, my publisher helped to find the current title.
SW: Tell us something we won’t find out just by reading the book jacket.
MB: Lillian is named after my great-grandmother. I have an old sepia toned picture of her that I’ve always admired. She had a mischievous grin in a time when people didn’t smile for the camera. I loved that!
SW: How wonderful! Are your character based on real people, or do they come from your imaginations?
MB: I think in some respect, all of our characters must be loosely based on people we know or have met. They are definitely from my imagination, but bits and pieces of people I know are in them.
I think in some respect, all of our characters must be loosely based on people we know or have met. They are definitely from my imagination, but bits and pieces of people I know are in them. - Melissa Bennett
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SW: How long did you take to write this book?
MB: By the time the book actually goes to print, it will have been three years. I finished the first draft in roughly nine months, but life got in the way of pursuing it seriously for a while.
SW: What kind of research did you do for this book?
MB: There was a great deal of research about roses since they feature in the book. There was also research about firearms, police equipment and procedures, and psychosis.
SW: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
MB: For this book I was a textbook pantser. Though I must admit, I’m learning to plot – slowly.
SW: It’s hard to change from a pantser to a plotter, but it’s worth it. Can you tell us about your favorite character?
MB: Gosh, this is difficult…. My favorite character to write in this book was probably Katie, Lil’s best friend. She’s southern, sassy, and has and ‘as of yet’ unplumbed depth to her. We’ll see much more of her in book 2.
January 19, 2018
The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Chicken Noodle Soup
Revisions for book 2 in the Deadly Force series are due in a week. (I LOVE this book!) Every Deep Desire debuts in six weeks. Members of my family are sick, and in between writing and laundry, I’m dealing with car inspections, warming pipes so they don’t freeze, and paying college tuitions. So what does a busy romance writer who cannot afford to get sick do? She makes her Chicken Noodle Soup!
Serves 12
The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Chicken Noodle SoupI roast a lot of chickens. It's easy and it means I have lots of leftovers for sandwiches and soup. In the winter, I almost always have a pot of chicken soup either on the stove or in the fridge. There are two unusual ingredients in this recipe: parsnips & dill. The parsnips add a nice wintery flavor, as well as potassium and Vitamins C, B, K, and E (nutrients which can be hard to get in the winter). Parsnips are also a wonderful anti-inflammatory food while the dill adds a nice kick. Because I use leftovers, this is also a recipe of approximates. If I don't have enough of one ingredient, I make up for it with another. I always serve this with crusty bread and cheddar cheese and sometimes a salad. (and there may be wine.)
15 minPrep Time
1 hr, 15 Cook Time
1 hr, 30 Total Time
Author:
Sharon Wray
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Ingredients
2 lbs cooked leftover chicken (cubed or shredded) (about 3 cups)8 cups chicken broth1 cup chopped onions1/2 cup chopped celery*1 large carrot, peeled and sliced (cut in half, if necessary)(about 1 cup)***1 large or 2 small parsnips, peeled and sliced (cut in half, if necessary) (about 1 cup)***2 Tablespoons Kosher salt1 Tablespoon fresh dill (1 teaspoon dried)4 oz medium egg noodles (about a 1/3 of a 12 oz bag)**Salt and pepper to tasteInstructions
Combine broth, chicken, onions, celery, carrots and parsnips, and salt in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Lower temp and simmer for 1 hour. Add the dill and the egg noodles and cook another 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.Recipe Type: SoupNotes
*celery is optional in our house because everyone hates it. If you like, add it!
**With the egg noodles, less is more. I use about a 1/3 of a 12oz bag of Pennsylvania Dutch brand noodles. If you like more, add more. But when you reheat leftovers, you may need to add more broth as the noodles soak up the overnight. ***I also don't measure my veggies. I just use what I have and throw it in. If it looks like too little, I add more. If it looks like too many veggies, I add more broth. I also use all the chicken I have, even it's a little less or more than 3 cups. This soup can be made a few days ahead and makes great leftovers.
Time saving tips: the onions, celery, and carrots can be bought pre-chopped. And if you're really short on time, don't peel the the parsnips or carrots. Just wash well, trim, and chop.
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Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes novels of suspense, adventure, and love. The author of the Romantic Suspense Deadly Force Series, her debut book Every Deep Desire releases on March 6, 2018.
It’s available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and iBooks. And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!
The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Chicken Noodle Soup appeared first on Sharon Wray.
January 17, 2018
Daring Debuts ’18: Carrie Nichols New Release The Marine’s Secret Daughter
[image error] Please welcome Carrie Nichols, another Golden Heart sister, to Daring Debuts ’18! Her debut novel THE MARINE’S SECRET DAUGHTER, published by Harlequin, released on January 16 with the digital version to be released on February 1, 2018. It is a romance novel about forgiveness and second chances. Just check out this blurb!
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She has his eyes. Her mother has his heart.
Years have passed since marine sergeant Riley Cooper last held his best friend’s sister in his arms. Bound for Afghanistan, he believed walking away from Meg McBride was the kindest thing he could do. Now that he’s home, he doesn’t blame Meggie for hating him. But she hasn’t told him everything. And he hasn’t met the little red-haired girl whose gray eyes so resemble his own…
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And now for a teaser:
This was not how her first meeting in over five years with Riley Cooper was supposed to happen. In her imagination, she was all sexy in a little black dress and killer heels after a relaxing spa day. Yeah, right; she’d spent the day cleaning and probably looked like Nick Nolte’s mug shot. So not fair! Riley was supposed to be breathless and falling at her feet, not vice versa. Stupid, stupid asthma.
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SW: Welcome, Carrie. Where did you get the idea?
CN: I actually got the hero first. Years ago I was a member of a local writer’s group and each month we’d write a very short piece using a ‘prompt’. That month’s prompt was: You get a call from an old high school friend who needs help and asks that you meet them in a favorite hangout. It was a nothing little piece but the guy who answered the call, Riley Cooper, wouldn’t leave me alone. He continued to tell me his story and that the person needing help was his best friend’s younger sister. When he told me he’d do just about anything to help and not ask questions, I knew I was onto something.
What’s your favorite writing advice? The romance is not the story goal. The romance should make the goal harder to obtain.- Carrie Nichols
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SW: Your book sounds wonderful, Carrie. What’s the story behind the title?
CN: As I was working on the story, I called it Rescuing Riley. The story won the 2016 RWA® Golden Heart® for short contemporary as Rescuing Riley. Harlequin asked me to come up with possible titles; and I knew from years of reading Special Edition what sort of titles they had. I came up with a few including The Marine’s Surprise Family which the editor loved and it was that title for about 30 days, but marketing thought The Marine’s Surprise Daughter worked better and that one lasted about 30 minutes before it had morphed into THE MARINE’S SECRET DAUGHTER.
SW: Can you tell us something we won’t find out just by reading the book jacket?
CN: The cover shows the little girl holding a stuffed dog. In the story the toy dog’s name is ‘Mangy’ because it’s referred to as “Fiona’s mangy mutt” and she does something with the toy that reduces my big tough marine to tears. My eyes misted as I wrote the scene so I hope some readers feel the same. J
SW: Who is your favorite character?
CN: That would be Fiona, the little girl in the story. But she gave me fits because she was larger than life and threatened to hijack the story whenever she was on the page. I had to let her personality shine through without letting it overshadow the romance between her parents.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? Don’t give up!! - Carrie Nichols
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SW: If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and what would you do?
CN: I would spend the day with my heroine Meg and we’d go for the spa day she never got in my teaser. J
SW: I love that idea! How long did you take to write this book?
CN: Years and years. LOL! The story underwent a lot of changes since I knew nothing about plotting and story arcs when I first wrote it as a series of scenes. But these characters wouldn’t let go and I’d learned enough by the 4th draft to start winning contests and to sign with my dream agent.
SW: I know all about multiple drafts. LOL. Are you a plotter or a pantser?
CN: I’m a recovering pantser. I had the luxury of years to write and rewrite my first story but knew I had to learn plotting basics to sell on proposal. I still struggle with plotting but with the help of Laura Baker’s Turning Points and Discovering Story Magic online classes, I’m slowly becoming a plotster. I have a skeleton with the big scenes and story/character arcs and fill in the rest as I write.
SW: What is the most challenging part of your writing process?
CN: Plotting and coming up with things for them to do. My characters love to talk and would be content to sit and talk through the whole story but that would be way too boring.
My characters love to talk and would be content to sit and talk through the whole story but that would be way too boring. - Carrie Nichols
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SW: My characters do that too! Can you share your writing routine?
CN: I write in my home office. When my youngest moved out I cried when I walked into his empty room until I realized I had an empty room! As my husband observed, I wasted no time in making that room my own with paint and some bookcases. I am also lucky enough to not have a day job. I lost my job about a month after signing the contract with Harlequin and since my husband was already retired, I decided to join him.
SW: When my twins went to college last fall, I cried and cried! If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
CN: Don’t give up!!
SW: How did you get into writing?
CN: I have always loved writing. In elementary school my best friend and I wrote what would today be called fanfiction. I was a freelance journalist for a time, writing human interest stories for a local newspaper. As my boys got older, I decided it was time to get serious about writing romance.
SW: Which book influenced you the most?
CN: It wasn’t books but authors that inspired me. As a kid I loved Beverly Cleary, as a teen I loved Gothics by Barbara Michaels & Phyllis Whitney and later I loved Anne Stuart’s dark and tortured romance heroes. Anne Stuart made me want to write about heroes who find redemption through the love of the right woman.
Which book influenced you the most? It wasn’t books but authors that inspired me. Anne Stuart made me want to write about heroes who find redemption through the love of the right woman. - Carrie Nichols
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SW: What are you working on right now?
CN: I actually have two stories started, The Sheriff’s Little Matchmaker and The Fire Fighter’s Twins.
SW: What’s your favorite writing advice?
CN: The romance is not the story goal. The romance should make the goal harder to obtain.
SW: You’re absolutely right! Thanks so much for spending the day with us, Carrie. I wish you all the success in the world.
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You can find THE MARINE’S SECRET DAUGHTER at Amazon.
[image error]Carrie Nichols, is a hardy New Englander transplanted to the deep South, where two inches of snow can bring a city like Atlanta to its knees. She loves to travel, is addicted to British crime dramas and knows a Seinfeld quote appropriate for every occasion.
Carrie has one tolerant husband, two grown sons and two critical cats. To her dismay, Carrie’s characters, much like her family, often ignore the wisdom and guidance she lovingly offers.
USA Today called her short story, Snowbound with the Stork, “a charming debut”.
You can find Carrie at : Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads
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Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes novels of suspense, adventure, and love. The author of the Romantic Suspense Deadly Force Series, her debut book Every Deep Desire releases on March 6, 2018.
It’s available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and iBooks. And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!
The post Daring Debuts ’18: Carrie Nichols New Release The Marine’s Secret Daughter appeared first on Sharon Wray.
