Moira Keith's Blog, page 322

School, Party Planning, Edits, and Self Publishing… Oh My!

Yes that about sums up my life at the moment which is why I’ve been so scarce here on the blog. I’m slowly working my way toward my bachelor’s degree. On top of that I am planning a 40th wedding anniversary celebration for my folks because why should we not celebrate a couple truly living out their happily ever after? Let’s add into the mix that I am in the midst of final round edits on Blood and Moonlight that will be releasing next month. Then I get to tackle the fun, exciting, and nerve wracking task of self publishing. Thankfully, I am not the first to travel down this road and I have a lot of support from a very helpful editor and critique group.

So what’s next? What am I working on? Isn’t that enough? Well hardly. If my hand isn’t in fifty different pots, stirring up the cauldron, or adding unnecessary ingredients, then I’m likely under the weather. On top of all of the above items that are in the mix for the next month, I’ve started working on a contemporary western series, began drafting the second book in the Moonlight series, and have made a good attempt at organizing and planning which books I will write for the next oh…five to ten years? Yes the list is long my lovelys but it is full of goodness, hope, and promise of magic and mayhem waiting to be discovered and put onto paper. Stick with me folks. I have a feeling that the next month or so is going to be a rough but exciting ride!

A Cup of Joe and an Interview With Bethanne Strasser~

It was about five years ago that I had the honor of meeting the lovely Bethanne Strasser in a place called Romance Divas. Since the Diva Days, our friendship has grown and we’ve stuck by each other through the ups and downs of writing. Now I finally get the chance to share some of the inner demons fantastic things that make her so loveable. So let’s get started shall we?

Moira: So darling Betty, I have some mad little bakers in the back who are in need of something to bake. Cupcakes preferably.  So if you could have them whip you up the cupcake of your dreams, what would it be?

Bethanne: Oh, oh, oh! I’m dying to try your Irish Creme frosting and I just know you can whip up an awesome mochaccino cake batter. Mmmm.

Moira: Hmmm, mochaccino huh? I might have to see what I can do, but for now I will get my lil baking zombies to work on those Bailey’s cupcakes with Irish Creme frosting. Would you care for some coffee to wash it down?

Bethanne: YES! Coffee, black with one sweetner, or is it sweetener?

Moira: Sweetener my dear…sweetener, but those of us that are southern at heart like to drop letters so sweetner works just as well. I know you will be or have been asked this a lot, but what got you started in writing?

Bethanne: When I was pregnant with number 3, I had insomnia. At the same time some big name NY publishing house started re-releasing Trixie Belden. I love TB! I also felt bad for her… 39 years worth of stories and she never left young adulthood. In a way–and I don’t admit it with pride–my first story was fan fiction. *blush*  In case you’re curious…there is A LOT of TB fanfic out there and not all of it can be read by my grandmother. Bottom line? I was a reader. I never thought of writing a book until I was 28. Once the idea occurred to me, I couldn’t quite suppress it.

Moira: True-once the bug bites, it sticks with you. Is it difficult being superwoman? I mean you have five amazing kids and you are married to ‘the Army Man’  so where do you find the time to write?

Bethanne: Lately? I don’t seem to be doing much NEW writing. My polish isn’t as shiny as it looks from a distance. Mostly, I write when the kids are occupied. Bedtime, school, Wii, quiet time… Best of all, sometimes my husband lets me out by myself and I can go to a coffee shop or the library for a couple of hours. It’s wonderful! I pray and wish that for every one of my friends.

Moira: Well you might claim your polish isn’t that shiny, but I am not buying it. Tell me a genre you wish you read more of?

Bethanne: Ha! How about…romance, any genre! Because seriously, my reading hours seem so danged few! I’ve got a great idea about a young YA, step above middle grade…so I have been curious to pick up a few good middle grade books and a few good YAs.

Moira: Would have sworn you would have said Urban Fantasy. And the idea of you writing a YA always makes me smile. Any strange writing quirks or rituals? Perhaps you can only write with the worn out pink bunny slippers on your feet.

Bethanne: Honestly? I have no writing quirks… that I know of. What do you think?

Moira: Well, I’m not here to divulge all your dirty secrets – just the ones you give me permission to. If you could have dinner with your favorite author, who would it be and why?

Bethanne: I’d have dinner with Nina Croft. Because that would mean I’m in Spain sitting next to a pool. I’ve thought about having dinner with Nora Roberts, but I think… yes, I think I’d rather go to go Washington and sit with Christina Dodd. Again, because of the view. Plus, she seems more down-to-earth and smart ass than Roberts, which I would like.

Moira: Well, you and I can totally relate to being down-to-earth smart asses. The apocalypse is upon us. You wake to a world where there is only one person there, one book, and one additional item of your choosing. What are they and why?

Bethanne: OMG! One person?! That’s it! I just got a little verklempt thinking of my sweet baby Darla because, of course, my one person is Matt. Not that I don’t love the other kids just as much!!! But, ya know. Something about the baby. One book, I should say the bible. It would be good to pass that down to the kids as Matt and I repopulate the earth. I can always write what I want to read… or just talk it, for that matter. haha. one additional item… A knife.

Moira: Haha! Repopulate the earth! Love it. Betty you are priceless. Tell us about your current project.

Bethanne: Now–or as soon as I get For Love or Duty on the shelves–I’m opening my ms, Flashback, and rewriting the end. Shouldn’t take too long. Hopefully a month or so? Flashback is another military romance, this one with suspense. Emily Rogers is an FBI sharpshooter who has put down her guns, but when a threat appears in her life, she has to find the courage to pick them back up and get into a job she thought she’d left behind. It’s a strong woman kind of story.

Moira: I love a story about a strong female character, but while I can’t wait for more books from you to populate my Kindle, I want to know more about your release. Care to share a blurb from ‘For Love or Duty’?

Bethanne: Growing up the proverbial military brat, Valerie Standish has shed her old ways. Yet, she’s been around long enough to recognize that familiar arrogance when Kevin Morgan walks through the door. This time she is drawn to the persistent captain like she hasn’t been to any man before, making it harder to keep her promise—never get involved with an officer.

Kevin doesn’t have a problem with her unwillingness to commit long term. He isn’t quite ready to settle either. For years, he’s worked hard to earn a promotion to Major. He wants one last fling before tying himself to a wife for the rest of his life.

But time proves them both liars as they begin to fall for each other. Neither is prepared for the ache of betrayal as they come face to face with the truth about one another.

Will either of them be able to walk away unscathed or have the trenches of love already been dug?

Moira: Well if that doesn’t just scream READ ME! And if you haven’t had the pleasure yet, the lovely Bethanne will be giving away a copy to a lucky commenter! Have a burning question you would like to ask Bethanne about her publishing experience, life as an army wife, or even how she keeps her Super-Mom cape clean, here is your chance!

You can buy this fabulous e-book at these fine retailers:
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

 

 

Sitting Down With Lauren Murphy!

I am so excited to have the lovely and talented Lauren Murphy here with me today. She agreed to come hang out with me for the day. Lauren and I met through Romance Divas and we immediately seemed to get along. I’ve had the honor of critiquing her stories as well as beta reading them. (It’s kind of like being the first person invited to a raging party) So without further adieu, Iet’s start the grilling… I mean interview.

Moira: Let’s break the ice shall we, my dear? If you could be intimate with three people (not necessarily all at one time) without getting in trouble with your significant other, who would they be?

Lauren: *rubs hands together* Three you say? Vin Diesel. I mean oh my GAWD! What a body, what smile… what a voice. *melts at the thought of…* Ahem. Sorry I got little distracted. Matt Bomer. *fans* That man is intensely gorgeous! I mean those eyes… *happy sigh* Er…um… moving right along. *cough* Chris Hemsworth, because I mean REALLY, who wouldn’t want to get acquainted with Thor’s Hammer. Soooo wait a minute… I don’t get them all at the same time?  

Moira:Yeah, I knew you wouldn’t be too thrilled with the ‘not all at the same time bit’ yet you still managed to enjoy the question so don’t act all put out and heart broken. You forget my dear, I know you.

Lauren: *pout* fine then.

Moira: Haha. Moving on before you lay on the pouting to thick, tell us what genre do you write in, and why?

Lauren: I write duuuuuurdy. Paranormal Erotic Romance is what I love to write. I have tried my hand at Contemporary Romance and it was all dreck so I am sticking to what I’m good at. I love the sensual aspects of the energy shared between the characters. The heat, the tension… *fans and opens window* I’m sorry what were we talking about?

Moira: Don’t lose focus yet, I still have a lot more questions. How long were you writing before you received your first contract for publication?

Lauren: I got my first contract about a year after I’d decided to get serious about writing. When I first started my writing was rough enough to make me reconsider. I had no idea my writing needed so much help, but I was willing to learn and there were many who were willing to guide me.

Moira: And the learning doesn’t cease with the sale either. When you’re ready to get down to business, do you need to be in a specific place or atmosphere before the words flow?

Lauren: Nope. All I need is a working computer… which is sometimes harder to come by than I’d like.

Moira: Ah the working computer…it can be as elusive as finding a faerie in Vegas. Speaking of faeries in Vegas, care to share what you found to be the strangest source of inspiration for a story?

Lauren: Another story. One of my dreckelicious Contemps helped to spawn a Paranormal premise I still can’t believe came from me. Just wait till I get that one going.

Moira: Dreckelicious? I love it. What do you like to do in your spare time?

Lauren: Sleep… but I never actually get to do that. Two of my favorite things are reading and scrapbooking. I love to immerse myself in a good story. With a book I can go anywhere and be anything. And scrapbooking really just let’s my creative juices flow and it helps to quiet my very busy and cluttered mind.

Moira: Name one thing readers would be surprised to learn about you.

Lauren: I’m not really what most people would consider romantic. Flowers and candy do absolutely nothing for me, though I may write about them if they make sense in a story. I prefer quiet moments alone with my husband (known as The Man) or to sneak out (usually while the kids are sleeping) to have a quick date to McDonalds. Yep McDonalds.

Moira: Quick dates are sometimes the best ones. Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

Lauren: Do ear piercings count, cause I have those? Well I do have a tattoo in a place that shall remain unnamed.

Moira: That is so wrong. You should’ve just not even mentioned the tatt if you weren’t going to divulge the information. Sheesh. You don’t play fair. Alright, if you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you spend the money on?

Lauren: Pay off all my debt, purchase a house and give my family and The Man’s family some financial assistance as well.  And then I would take a super long vacation at a beach with endless eye candy. What? A girl can dream… 

Moira: Yes endless eye candy is a dream… and we will allow you those dreams. Why? Because we love you. Now let’s move from dreams to something less romantic or fun. Which household chore do you abhor and why?

Lauren: There are too many to name. I will go with dishes though. Doing dishes it the devil. End of story.

Moira: Dishes are the devil. But I think that Laundry is either a close second or the devil’s consort. Hmm…the devil, nice segue. Do you have any guilty pleasures you feel comfortable sharing?

Lauren: What is this guilt you speak of? Only pleasure… ok so maybe sometimes, on occasion, rarely… ahem… I enjoy my 2 year old’s shows more than he does. Don’t judge me.

Moira: Hardly a ‘guilty’ pleasure. I’m going to assume that you are giving me the G rated version of that answer. One author, dead or alive, and you get to have a one on one with them. Who would it be and why?

Lauren: Kresley Cole. I just plain love that woman.

Moira: Ooh, you recommended her books to me once. I think I’ve got her in my TBR pile, problem is I need the shovel to dig through it. So where can readers find you?

Lauren: My blog is the best place. http://mslaurenmurphy.blogspot.com

Moira: In closing, tell us a bit about your latest release (& share a yummy excerpt for those who aren’t yet familiar with your work)

Lauren: My current Release is called Curse of the Demon Queen. Aamon and Lilith are unlike any characters I’ve ever written but they turned out to be two of my favorites. He spends a lot of the story trying to resist the irresistible… her. 

 Excerpt:
 When he transported back to his domain, Lilith stood, proud and tall, waiting on him. His body betrayed him and hardened at the sight of her. To make matters worse, his head still hurt from the pressure of trying to ignore the woman he’d helped. The pain would probably plague him for the rest of the week and screw with his much needed focus.



 He sucked in a breath as he got a full on view of her new attire. Heaven knew why she insisted on the leather getup. It didn’t suit her. A black, sheer gown blew around her lithe body and bronze skin tantalized him as she sauntered toward him. The scent of lavender and vanilla wafted in the air, forcing him to close his eyes and strengthen his stance. Lilith’s beauty had blinded him once before and he’d paid dearly for it. As far as looks went, no other woman had ever come close, but some things were more important than physical splendor. Like how he’d declared fifty years ago they were an ill match and decided she needed to be off limits. As if he could stop wanting her.



 Pathetic.



 “Did she leave so soon?” Lilith cooed in a sensual voice, interrupting his thoughts. “The ladies don’t fawn over you if they can’t see your beautiful face, do they?”



 As the cruel words left her lips, she cupped his head between her hands. His face transformed, making him appear completely human.



 “That’s better, isn’t it?”

Blurb:

 Fifty years ago, Lilith, Queen of the Demons, took the fall for something she wanted no part in and it cost her the only man she ever loved.



 Betrayed and cursed, Aamon wants nothing but his freedom. Unable to let him go, Lilith watches him constantly, selfishly lusting for the love she destroyed. No matter how long he’s forced to serve, he’ll never forgive her. 



 The two end up on a treacherous ride of depravity and burning desire. Only absolute forgiveness will be able bring them back from this perilous journey.  

http://cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/demonqueen.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Demon-Queen-ebook/dp/B007Q2VKZY
http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?t=book&bi=125856&si=0 

Thank you so much for stopping by Lauren. As always, it was fun and I hope everyone else enjoyed your visit as much as I did!

Cupcakes and Passion?

Did that grab your attention? I’m guest blogging today and that’s what I’m talking about over at Bethanne Strasser’s blog as I help her countdown to her release day! It is fast approaching. Three more days in fact. So stop on over and see what cupcakes and passions have to do with reading and writing!

Bad Girl~

Not in the sense one might think. I’ve been bad about blogging. In my defense, I do have a very good excuse? Don’t I always? Well here it is-

I’ve been working on edits for Blood & Moonlight, getting it ready for release. I’ve also been up to my neck in writing Bewitching Ways and dealing with school. Let us not forget the zombie twins and all that they demand (Hey when the lil zombies call I need to get a runnin’ or risk losing some brain matter and I need all I can get).

Ooh plus I almost forgot to mention that my dear friend Bethanne Strasser is releasing her book, For Love or Duty, in five days! OMG I can hardly wait. She will be stopping by for an interview. And I will be doing a guest spot over on her blog on Tuesday to help her celebrate! So you see, I’ve been busy. I will leave you with a song that I keep listening to lately – Shinedown‘s Bully

 

Talk to you all soon and have a great Sunday! Stay tuned.

Ah Reading!

Between the Kindle, the Nook, and my bookcases, there is no shortage for reading material around my house. However, it seems as though I’ve read very little over the last year. In fact, I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I’ve only read about two and a half books in the last twelve months that I know of. And one of them was required for my English class.

So the lovely Bethanne Strasser and I were discussing this reading drought we both seem to be painfully suffering at the moment. We decided to each choose a book and we would both read them. It seems like such a small thing. Make a commitment to read. It is fuel for the muse, not to mention that it often offers us an opportunity to escape and recharge.

I’ve chosen the first book, and so far it’s off to a great start. The cover is fantastic, and the story is intriguing right from the get go. My enthusiasm for this book will hopefully last throughout the end of the book. Is your interest piqued? Fine, I will share.

 New author, new book, and lots of reading to do when I’m taking a break from writing or winding down at the end of the evening. My summer of reading is going to start early. I miss reading. Lets see if I can increase my overall reading total beyond ten by the end of the summer shall we? An aggressive goal? Perhaps it is with all that is on my plate, but even if I don’t reach it, the fun is in the journey isn’t it?

My Write-a-thon Plan

This weekend will be a great weekend. There I’ve put it out there. The weekend has been put on a pedestal. Three days. No work. Kids are busy. Quiet house. A book to finish. This is it.

The goal for Bewitching Ways is a minimum of 30k. Sitting at about 16k and that is unacceptable. I wrote myself into a corner and have been struggling to find my way out. Well that all ends now. I’ve got Ben n Jerry’s Volun-Tiramisu, veggies, the coffee is stocked, the tea-lemonade is stocked, music is at the ready, and homework is complete.

That’s right people. The time has come. It is Moira’s Memorial Day Weekend Write-a-thon. I’m showing this story who the boss is and the characters, muse, and plot better take note. I’m taking no prisoners.

Friday Five~ My All Time Favorite Disney Villains

Yes! I have to do this. Currently, a couple of friends of mine and even my sister happen to be in Disneyland. I’m jealous. One hundred percent green with envy. So of course I immediately started thinking about all the Disney movies I’ve watched over the years and what wonderful villains they had. I know the Princesses reign supreme  in the hearts of many, however the Princesses wouldn’t be where they are now if it weren’t for characters like those on my top five…

1. The Queen of Hearts(AKA: The Red Queen) ~Say what you like about her… and likely it will be a retort of ‘Off with your head’.

2. Maleficent ~ Pure evil and all powerful sorceress, need I say more?

3. Hades ~ Come on now, how can one have a list of villains and not include the Greek God of the Underworld? Well maybe you can, but I can’t.

4. Chernabog ~ You catch a glimpse of this villain in Fantasia, but he is also a key player in the Kingdom Keepers series. A list without a demon isn’t much of a list at all now is it?

5. Ursula ~ The Sea Witch is quite an adversary. Who would want to go up against a witch with eight arms? Even worse…tentacles. *Shiver*

There are many amazing villains in the Disney franchise, and trust me when I say narrowing it down to five was a wee bit difficult, however, these are some of the tried and true that have been around for a while and I find they rank quite high on the mean scale. Besides, this is my list. Who were some of your favorite Disney villains?

A Case of the Mondays

That’s right. I’ve come out and admitted it. A serious case of the Monday’s exists right here. What’s worse? I think it’s an epidemic. A plague running rampant throughout the world. There is no escaping it. Coffee can’t cure it. Crawling back in bed and waiting for it to pass won’t work either, though it is tempting to give it a try. Unfortunately, that would only delay the Monday blues and push them off ’til Tuesday. What’s a person to do?

Suck it up.

Get up and face the day head on.

Grab the day by the shoulders, glare at it, and say, “You will not beat me.”

Yes I’m being optimistic. That is my plan for the day. It is the only way I can think of to deal with such a severe case of the Mondays. It will not best me. I’ve got things to do. Places to go. Things to accomplish. Like writing out a blurb and synopsis for each book in the Moonlight series to send to my editor at Samhain. Yes, I’ve made steps to self publish the series, because I think it is that awesome of a story. However, I still haven’t given up the dream of wanting it with the one company that helped start me on this crazy roller coaster. So before I do that final push to self pub…blurb city here I come. It is a nerve wracking experience all the same. Believing in your story is one thing. Hoping others see the same thing you do is enough to cause one’s stomach to roil. Now you see why I have a case of the Mondays? Too much to do. Sitting at the day job takes away from the awesome blurb and synopsis writing that must be accomplished.

Oh well. It is what it is. If I put off Monday, then it would merely become a Case of the Tuesdays. Why delay the inevitable? I’m off to face this head on. But not before leaving you with a video from Theory of a Deadman. Enjoy a little Hurricane.

Now, what are you going to do to get through your case of the Mondays?

 

Friday Five ~ Things I’m Dying to Try

You know how some people have a bucket list? Others have a wish list or a ‘things to do someday’ list? I never really thought I fell into that category. Maybe because the ‘non-list’ is in my head and broken up into categories and in some circumstances…subcategories. So as I realized I do in fact have a list, of sorts, I figured I’d share. So here goes:

1. Shoot a variety of different guns to get a feel for them. I am a firm believer that you can research and interview people to get an idea of how something works, but in essence, you really can’t describe what it feels like until you experience it yourself. Having a father who appreciates and respects guns, I know he will be behind me on this adventure.

2. This kind of feeds into the first one… I’d like to shoot a bow and arrow. Oooh and a crossbow while I’m at it. Luckily, we have a shooting park here where I may be able to do just that (along with indulging in the first item on my list).

3. Ride in a race car. I’m not gutsy enough to want to get behind the wheel. Having control of that much horsepower and a license to drive fast could be dangerous. Or I could chicken out. Of course, riding in the race car is still a big step for me because I get nervous when my sister drives. Again, in luck. Richard Petty Driving Experience here at the local racetrack.

4. Ride a horse. I was lucky enough to ride a horse once in my life. I was young. The horse didn’t listen to me and I wasn’t smarter than the horse. Haven’t been on one since. I know some friends that might be able to make this happen for me, though it would require some travel on my part. What? An excuse to travel and take something off the list?  A win-win scenario in my book.

5. Learn martial arts. Totally do-able I know, but where to fit it into my already crowded schedule? I think it is safe to say, this can be achieved if I can just work out the details and the schedule.

So there you have it. A short list of some things I’d like to do in my lifetime. What is on your short list? Anyone learning to fly?