Anne Carter's Blog, page 10
January 5, 2013
Readers: How to @ LATFOB
December 30, 2012
How To: LAT FOB @ USC
December 22, 2012
No Apologies Need Be Made
I recently ran across a forum where people were discussing one author’s concerns about her latest book’s protagonist. Her main character is gay. This author has never written about homosexuality before, and she was asking if she should warn readers in advance. She worried about offending an unsuspecting fan or scaring off new readers of her work.
Almost unanimously, those responding to her post voted a resounding “no.” She did not, they insisted, need to “warn” anyone. A few people asked if the character’s sexual persuasion was simply a trait or if it was a thematic element in the book. A comparison was made to religion when someone suggested that designating a character as Catholic or Jewish was of little concern unless their faith is paramount to the story.
I was particularly interested in this conversation. In my latest release, Unmasking Paulie Bingham, (Nov. 2012, Beacon Street Books for Kindle) the heroine falls in love with an openly gay man. Paulie loves Kate, too, but finds his new life doesn’t quite fit. A number of challenges plague the couple, including a high profile murder investigation in which Paulie is implicated. And yes, his sexuality is thematic as he struggles to make a life for himself in a straight world.
Like the author on the forum, I worried about my book. After all, Paulie & Kate’s story is a broad departure from my usual work. How would my regular readers respond? I considered releasing this book under another pseudonym, but was talked out of that by an author friend whose confidence in me and my book exceeds my own.
The bottom line is that the book’s blurb makes clear that the story line involves sexuality issues. Readers should be able to determine for themselves whether or not this kind of story will interest or offend them, and I will be okay with that. Still, I need to target a specific audience. Women who have ever loved a gay man will identify with Kate. Men who’ve ever found themselves straddling two worlds, neither of which fit perfectly, will commiserate with Paulie. Romance readers who love sensitive, sentimental characters will get caught up in Unmasking Paulie Bingham and its follow up, For the Love of Katrina Bingham (Winter, 2013).
And by the way, for those who feel Paulie Bingham might not be their cuppa tea, no worries, friends. Angel’s Gate, the third Beacon Street Mystery, is on the horizon for spring!
December 2, 2012
The Next Big Thing!
This is The Next Big Thing blog hop: a blog chain in which participating authors answer ten questions about their current work in progress or upcoming publications.
Thank you, Susan Griscom AND Terry Ambrose, for inviting me to join this exciting blog hop. What fun! Susan, who writes truly engrossing paranormal romance, is a dear friend and outstanding author of the WHISPER CAPE novels; Terry Ambrose is a new friend and suspense author of PHOTO FINISH (currently on my Nook!) and the upcoming LICENSE TO LIE. Susan, Terry and I will be signing books at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 20-21, 2013, as part of the MURDER, WE WROTE group!
So here are my answers!
What is your working title of your book (or story)?
Cover Concept – In process!
ANGEL’S GATE by Anne Carter
Where did the idea come from for the book?
This is the third book in my Beacon Street Mysteries series, and while it is a stand-alone book, it shares characters with the previous two. The idea came from, well, wanting to set a lighthouse mystery in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Harbor Lighthouse—also known as Angel’s Gate—seems like a great place to set a murder. The time period shifts between WWII and present day.
What genre does your book fall under?
As alluded to, the genre is mystery. Most specifically, romantic mystery.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
What author doesn’t try to cast their characters? Well… My tastes run to some of the classics, but I’m not above giving some of the “new” guys a try. Eric Bana comes to mind; Sean Faris and Wesley French. Some of my characters are part Native American, and I think any of these actors would fit the bill. As for leading ladies… I adore Genelle Williams (Warehouse 13) and singer/songwriter/actress Marie Digby. I could put together a great cast!
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
“When Nicholas Sinquah leaves Flagstaff for Southern California in search of answers about his past, he uncovers a secret that’s been hidden for seventy years—in the breakwaters of Los Angeles Harbor.”
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
ANGEL’S GATE will be published by Beacon Street Books.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Can’t say that until it’s done! But it’s going quickly now that I’ve cleared some room in my head. I’ve been taking classes to finish my degree, and school actually burns up quite a lot of time (and brain cells) so after next week, I’m a loose cannon with a flaming keyboard.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I don’t know. I think it’s hard for many authors to answer this question because we don’t perceive that our work is that much like anyone else’s. I’d love to say, “Oh, this is a lot like Nora Roberts’ best work!”
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I think it just came to me as I thought about the difficulties inter-racial couples face, especially in times of war. The removal of the Japanese from Los Angeles (as well as other West Coast areas) has always disturbed and intrigued me. For school, I read RETURN TO MANZANAR by Jeanne Wakatsuki, which fascinated me. That led me to buy THE HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford, a fabulous novel on the same era. When you hear about WWII, it’s often about what was happening overseas; but I wondered, what was going on here in Los Angeles? How did the California lighthouses fit in to the war effort? What was the atmosphere? What would happen if a G.I. meets a Japanese girl…
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I guess I’ve already gone there. Readers who like dual-time periods, World War II romance, lighthouses, mysterious disappearances, or frankly, other lighthouse mysteries by Anne Carter will love ANGEL’S GATE.
~ * ~ * ~
Looking for something new? Check out these talented authors I’m inviting to the party. I hope they’ll join in the fun and become part of The Next Big Thing!
Jen Hilborne’s NO ALIBI grabbed me from the start. She’s since followed up with MURDER AND MADNESS, and her newest release, HIDE AND SEEK. No question that you will love her suspenseful tales. Read about her new book at here.
Gayle Carline is one funny lady, one fabulous author. She also writes about murder, with a cast of characters that will have you laughing out loud–well, you might grimace a bit when the female P.I. finds a severed hand in her client’s freezer in FREEZER BURN; Gayle’s newest, just out, is THE HOT MESS. Take a look.
What can I say about Teresa Burrell? Tee is a real pro at this writing thing. She’s a former lawyer with a string of legal thrillers–a whole series, 4 so far–with no sign of stopping. Her ADVOCATE books are top-notch, and the latest is THE ADVOCATE’S DILEMMA. But I’d recommend starting at the beginning. Just sayin’. Find the info here.
Cheryl Norman is a long-time friend and a wonderful author of light romantic suspense. Anybody who writes about a murder on a cruise ship full of nudists is my kind of gal. Cheryl’s getting ready to release RUNNING OUT OF TIME, and I can’t wait to read it. Go see Cheryl’s website here.
Someone else you might want to look for is Mary Welk. Mary’s also a pro– author of the “RHODES TO MURDER” series and numerous other excellent books. I believe her latest is THE SCARECROW MURDERS but maybe you should go check for yourself. You can find Mary, and her long list of credits, here.
(And ladies, any of you want to join in the fun, feel free to let me know if you need help!)
I hope you will check out some of these fine authors soon, and thanks for stopping by!
November 6, 2012
Bud in Flight: Fair Use or Bad Karma?
I happened upon an article on yesterday’s AP wire by Anthony McCartney. It seems that Anheuser-Busch is upset because in the new blockbuster film “Flight,” pilot Denzel Washington is shown drinking their beer. A lot of it. And then behaving irresponsibly. Hmm. A-B wants the filmmakers to “obscure” or otherwise remove the obvious “Budweiser” label as shown. There is a lot of talk about whether or not Paramount Pictures should comply and the possibly hypocritical position of the brewer when they defend their image.
None of this matters much to me. We all know that product placement is rampant in the movie & TV industry. In fact, the competing action-packed Bond flick “Skyfall” is touting the fact that 007 is now seen drinking Heineken instead of his signature martini—a fact that Heineken paid dearly for.
But here’s my deal: AP asked a legal expert, Daniel Nazer, a resident fellow at Stanford Law School’s Fair Use Project, for an opinion on the subject. His response? “Trademark laws ‘don’t exist to give companies the right to control and censor movies and TV shows that might happen to include real-world items’,” Nazer told the Associated Press.
If you’re an author and reading this, you might have the same question I had: if Nazer is correct, then why is it okay to display a can of Bud in “Flight” but I can’t have my hero drinking it—by name—in my next book? Clearly, for Matt Farralone in Cape Seduction, Budweiser is a real-world item.
Thoughts?
November 4, 2012
Review: The Light Between Oceans
A Review by Pam Ripling
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was recommended to me by two friends–neither of whom had read it–because it involves a lighthouse. Those who know me know my obsession with beacons and stories about them.
This is a sad story, one that deals with a tragic mistake that is nearly impossible to rectify. The lighthouse is located about 100 miles off the coast of Australia; the time period is the early 20th century. I really enjoyed the story, but found the ending just a little abrupt for me.
Other readers may find they really like–or really dislike–the story’s resolution. I’ll admit to surprise and a wee bit of disappointment, but I’m still glad I read this book and I do recommend it!
October 31, 2012
Halloween: Got Your Tunes On?
When I was a kid, my mother used to sing to me. I was, at times, embarrassed, bored, delighted, patient and impatient. She sang silly, childhood songs, Christmas carols, honky-tonk chartbusters and lullabies. And once a year, usually while rolling popcorn balls and filling treat bags, she crooned Halloween songs to me and my sister. Here are my favorites:
JACK O’LANTERN
Jack-o-Lantern, Jack-o-Lantern,
You are such a funny sight.
Sitting there by the window,
Looking out at the night.
Once you were a yellow pumpkin,
growing on a sturdy vine.
Now you are a Jack-o-lantern,
See the candle light shine.
HALLOWE’EN NIGHT
Witches on brooms
With cats and bats
Ride ’round after dark
In their funny black hats.
How queer are the noises
On Hallowe’en night,
And then through the window
I see a strange sight.
Big, scary eyes
And a great, red nose;
I sit close to Daddy
And curl up my toes.
It’s old Jack-o’lantern,
Who peeks in the room,
A worse looking spook
Than a witch on a broom.
Hallowe’en night
Is lots of fun,
But somehow I’m glad
When it’s over and done.
It’s good to have Mommy
To kiss me good-night,
And know that the witches
Have all taken flight.
Me & My Singing Mother
FUNNY HALLOWE’EN
Hallowe’en! Hallowe’en!
Oh, what funny things are seen!
Witches’ hats, coal black cats,
Broomstick riders, bats and rats!
(Some of these lyrics vary from family to family.)
So this morning, I sang to my daughter on the way to school. Not much appreciated by a high school junior stressing about her own costume… but I told her, I hope she knows the songs and can one day embarrass her own daughter and do justice to the tradition.
October 29, 2012
Blog Tour: REFLECTIONS by Susan Griscom
Welcome Susan Griscom, sometimes known as Regan Walsh, to Beacon Street! Today we are offering up a sneak peek review, and a bit about this prolific paranormal author! Take a look:
Title: REFLECTIONS
Series: Whisper Cape
Author: Susan Griscom, writing as Regan Walsh
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/Romance
Publisher: Amber Glow Books
“Speaking of older people,” Maia began, “the strangest thing happened this morning when I was at the market.”
So begins Maia’s curious tale about an old woman she met in the grocery store.
“She seemed off . . . strange. . . . She pointed at my stomach and said I had a precious cargo and that I needed to guard them. She used the word ‘them.’… I never told her I was pregnant, let alone that I was having twins, which I didn’t even know yet. I’d never seen her before. . .”
How would you feel, picking out cucumbers in the local market, thinking about the “love of your life” and the sweet, unborn child within, when a stranger approaches you with some obscure warning? Maia is disturbed, to say the least. But meeting the unknown woman is only the first of many bizarre occurrences that begin to plague Maia’s life, a life she’d thought was falling into place.
Maia McKenna and Gerry Briden are not your average, everyday couple. She’s super-gorgeous, he’s super-hot—and supernatural. They’re entangled, hopefully forever, but despite his undying love for Maia, Gerry doesn’t know the first thing about showing his commitment. And Maia’s not sure how to let him know she’s in for the long haul. As if this confusion isn’t sigh-evoking enough, enter some less-than-savory characters from Gerry’s past, and a plot to dismantle Gerry’s almost-contented future with Maia. Oh, and the old woman who whispers scary messages to Maia. Yikes!
REFLECTIONS is Book II of the Whisper Cape Series, WHISPER CAPE being Book I. Author Susan Griscom (who also writes as Regan Walsh), has created a family of characters you’ll immediately come to love. Readers of WHISPER CAPE will be delighted to find Cael and Addie have roles in REFLECTIONS, and to discover that all these folks have very definite and different personalities. There’s love, mystery, drama, suspense, magic and… that special kind of devotion that makes even the sex hotter.
I devoured this book, and am already pacing for another. Because Susan just has to continue this series, right? Ah, yes. She will, because I know something you don’t—unless you’ve already read the ending of REFLECTIONS. If so, then you also know the secret. Something’s happened—but we’ll talk about that another time!
Now I KNOW you can’t wait to get your hands on a copy of REFLECTIONS… so just click HERE for the paperback and HERE for the Kindle version and you will be stylin’! Maybe you’d like to start with WHISPER CAPE, because you just now realized you missed this fab first-in-the-series edition; in that case, check out the gorgeous cover above and click it for the link to Amazon! And just in case you also missed my fun review of WHISPER CAPE, it can be found here.
Some fun facts about Susan:
In her spare time, she dabbles in cover art– in fact, the background photo on the cover of Whisper Cape was taken by Susan herself.
She writes across the genres and in various formats: mystery, romance, suspense, paranormal, young adult and even adult (might we say steamy?)
Her upcoming Y/A romance, Allusive Aftershock, was partially inspired by a significant earthquake that hit during Susan’s senior year in high school!
And on that subject…
Susan is only one of many creative artists to come out of that high school, including Marilyn Monroe, Robert Redford, Kurt Russell, Tom Selleck, Natalie Wood, Paula Abdul… and me! LOL.
Next up for Susan? Well first, she’s off to complete her cyber tour to promote REFLECTIONS (did you buy it yet??) and then she’ll hunker down to get her next two books off the desktop and onto the bookshelf! I, for one, can’t wait. Be sure to follow Susan’s tour and check-in to say “hi” — it’s lonely on the road! Here’s her personal, secret, exclusive calendar. And if you’re sharp, you’ll note the word “Giveaway” beside some of those stops! Click–Enter–Win! It’s a no-brainer!!!
October 31 – http://rbtlreviews.com - Guest Post/Review/Giveaway
November 1- http://foreverbklover.blogspot.com/ Review/showcase/excerpt/Giveaway
November 2- http://heartofawolfseries.blogspot.com/ Spotlight
November 3- http://www.literaladdiction.com/ - Review/Interview/Giveaway
November 4- http://www.crazyfourbooks.blogspot.com - Interview/Review
November 5- http://darkestaddictions.blogspot.com/ - Guest post/Review
November 6- http://reviewsbymolly.com/ Interview/review
November 7- http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/ Guest post/Giveaway
A big thank you to Susan for joining us today. It’s always a pleasure. For more fun and info, visit her blogsite and tell her I sent you!
October 24, 2012
Witches All Around Us!
Inspired by my previous un-earthing of my Potterlike short story, WHEN HARRY MET SOLI, I dug out another little gem that I think’s appropriate in these days leading up to Halloween!
Although I’ve never dabbled in the supernatural, I’ve been called a witch upon occasion. But we don’t need to go there right now.
When you think about witches and their male counterparts, the warlocks, what does your mind conjure? I think a lot of folks recall Snow White’s dark nemesis, a poisoned apple in her outstretched hand. Or the evil incarnate Maleficent of Sleepy Beauty fame. Disney does know how to create baddies, don’t they?
But let’s delve a little deeper into the public image of witches, especially the one constructed on the Hollywood soundstage. Who can forget Ruth Gordan’s sickly sweet nurturing of Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby?
Witches have always had a big presence on the silver screen. The verdant face of the Wicked Witch of the East still haunts children fleeing Oz, while grownups fondly recall Elizabeth Montgomery and her bewitching, twitching nose. Mary Poppins was another beloved witch type, making kids everywhere long for a nanny who could clean up a bedroom in a snap, later rivaled by challenger Nanny McPhee (a personal favorite.)
Susan Sarandon, Cher and Michelle Pfeiffer delighted us as Jack Nicholson’s Witches of Eastwick, while the divine Bette Midler charmed in Hocus Pocus. And tell me, is Elvira, “Mistress of the Dark”, a witch in real life?
The Blair Witch Project gave a new dimension to scare-the-pants-off-you flicks. Roald Dahl gave witches squared-off toes in The Witches. Ever seen Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the witchy sisters in Practical Magic? Fun stuff, that!
No list of “witch” films would be complete without a nod to the illustrious boy wizard and his flock of magic-wielding pals. Harry Potter has done for witchcraft what Frodo did for hobbits!
Hey, come to think of it, I was a witch once. Rather, as Elizabeth Proctor in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, I was accused! Then there was that other time when I slammed the door in a guy’s face. He called me something that sounded like witch, I can’t be sure because his voice was rather muffled.
October 23, 2012
REFLECTIONS by Susan Griscom: We’re On the Tour!
Don’t you just LOVE this cover? I mean, I was already anxious to read this book, since I so enjoyed WHISPER CAPE–first book in this series–but when Susan sent me the cover art for REFLECTIONS, I was so intrigued! This is
Gerry & Maia’s story, and if you haven’t read WHISPER CAPE, you’d better get started now because you’ll want to keep on reading once you finish with Addie & Caal’s adventure (which, to date, has garnered almost 60 fabulous reviews on Amazon!)
This is just a teaser, mind you. Susan won’t be here until Tuesday, October 30th, but I wanted to give you all a heads-up so you won’t miss this stop on her tour. If you can’t wait and want to follow her travels in the coming week, here’s her schedule!
October 24 – A KICK OFF WITH A TWO STOP WICKED EXTRAVAGANZA
October 24 – http://www.rbtlreviews.com/ REFLECTIONS spotlight and Giveaway- $20 Amazon Gift Card
October 24 – http://www.susanjeanricci.com/ - Interview/Review
October 25 – http://reading-romances.com/ - Interview/Giveaway
October 26 – http://ambersupernaturalandya.blogspot.com/ - Review/giveaway
October 27 – http://www.rachaelwade.com/ - Guest post/Giveaway
October 28 – http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/ Review/Interview/Giveaway
October 29 – http://writermirandastork.wordpress.com/ Review/Interview
