Lisa Sanchez's Blog, page 20

Finding the perfect name, with author Lisa Fox

Finding the Perfect Name
First, a HUGE thanks to Lisa for inviting me to be a part ofthis Extravaganza. I am so excited to be here today!
Finding the perfect name for your characters can be a lot ofwork. I know I have scoured numerous baby name books, websites and namegenerators in my time trying to find that perfect fit, the one name that willsay it all in just the right way, with all the right syllables and inflectionand meaning. And though I still spend my time searching all those placeswhenever I start a new project, I've never found any of my names that way.
My character names come from the oddest places. Let me giveyou an example. I write this serial soap opera free read paranormal romance everyweek on my blog called Moonlight and Merlot. Recently, I decided to introduce ademon-type bad guy. His name is Aster.
I'm sure I could have consulted all types of websites withancient Greek or Latin or whatever type names and pronunciations to get a good,solid, believable demon name but I didn't do any of that. I happened to beplaying a really awesome video game called Dragon Age when I stumbled acrossthe name. In the game, there are these priests who speak whenever you enter acertain city. They are preaching the equivalent of the bible in that world andone of the passages starts out with, "As there is but one world, one life, onedeath, there is but one god…"
Pretty straightforward stuff, but at first, I didn't hear itthat way. In fact, it was only when I turned on the subtitles that I learnedwhat she was actually saying. For the longest time I thought it was, "Aster is but one world…"
Aster. It was so perfect. So I stole it. Even though Ididn't really steal anything at all.
A similar thing occurred when I needed a name for my hero inSanta's Sleeping Beauty. Nathan isn't an unusual name, but still. It isn't somuch about the uniqueness of the name for me, but rather about finding theright one. Anyway, I happened to be visiting New York at the time I was writingit. I took the train into the city and if you are familiar at all with NewYork, you'll know that the Amtrak station is right on 34th Street,about two blocks from Macy's—where my characters meet on Christmas Eve night. Iactually had to walk past Macy's to get to the subway I needed and as I walkedby, a woman was standing in front of the entrance calling for "Nate." The wholecoincidental nature of the situation just seemed too perfect and I couldn'tpass up that kind of gift. Obviously, the gods of writing were talking to me,right? I had no choice but to listen.
Since I wrote Santa's Sleeping Beauty in July last year, Ithink it is only fitting that I give it away this scorching hot month!

Blurb: When Jordan takes a break from her last-minuteChristmas shopping to have a cup of coffee, she meets a handsome Santa with atwinkle in his eye and a sinful smile. He offers her a special Christmas treatthat Jordan is more than happy to accept.
Naughty never felt sooo right as together they sharean outrageous night of love that is supposed to end with the coming of dawn.
Or so they thought…
Find Lisa Online:
Website: www.LisaFoxRomance.comBlog: http://lisafoxromance.wordpress.com/Twitter: @LisaFoxRomance
Giveaway rules:You must be a follower of this blogIf you're not following Lisa, you should!You must leave a comment with an email addyThis giveaway will be open until the end of the month!

Guest post and giveaway with author Louisa Bacio

Hey, peeps! Please join me in welcoming author, Louisa Bacio to my blog today!


Beach Bunnies
Digging in the Sand with Louisa Bacio
There's nothing that says summer extravaganza to me than the beach. First, I'd like to give a big heartfelt thank you to Lisa for hosting this sizzling blog party, and then I'd like to explore some favorite hotspots in Southern California.
Balboa Beach, Newport Beach
Balboa can be reached a few ways but the most fun has to be the ferry. In addition to stretching out on the warm sand, make sure to put some time aside to visit the fun zone and play skeeball, and a chocolate-dipped banana with peanuts or a balboa bar tops off the day. More outgoing types can rent bicycles, or bring your skates to glide down the ample pathways. One of my favorite memories growing up is buying seashells from the local vendor. (And I'm told that my idea of "Balboa" is actually Newport, and the "island" is more residential. What's in a name?)
Mother's Beach, Long Beach
Ah, how my life has changed now that I'm a mother. Soft green grass flowing into delicate sand and a wading area that's free from wild waves. The area makes for a perfect combination for bringing little ones and introducing them to the joys of sand play (plus, playgrounds!). Check the status of this one before heading there, though, it's often closed for unpleasant reasons. (Ugh!)
Salt Creek, Laguna Niguel
For those looking to ogle some sexy surfers and surfettes in skimpy bikinis, Salt Creek is the place to go. Long stretches of beaches, hard-hitting waves – of course with the surfers around, and full services. The only drawback to this location is the LONG walk lugging all your beach gear back up the hill to the parking structures. Give your calf muscles a workout and check out the gem.
Seal Beach
The last Orange County beach before getting into "Los Angeles." Seal Beach features a quaint main street with killer restaurants and most of the usual touristy-type shops with a few originals in for good measure. If you're up for an adventure, plan on eating at Ruby's at the END of the gorgeous pier. If it feels like the earth is moving while you're chowing down on burgers and fries, that's because it probably is. Often another hotspot for surfers, and families alike. Bring a light jacket to walk the pier because when that breeze picks, it gets chilly!
Victoria Beach, Laguna Beach
Nestled on the way to South Laguna, Victoria Beach can be found hidden amongst residential areas. The inner cover offers light waves and plenty of secluded resting spots. But don't expect to find any facilities or snack bars here. Really, it's a locals-mostly location.
Hopefully, you've enjoyed my little cruise through some favorite SoCal summer spots. And, there's plenty more to choose from.
And now for a giveaway!
Today I'll be giving away a copy of my latest novel, Sex University: All-Girls Academy. It's an erotic contemporary, set in Berkeley at an all-girls school. Features f/f and f/f/f. Unfortunately, it's set in the spring-time, which means no beach scenes!


Sex University: All-Girls Academy
Raised by an over-controlling and manipulative father, Savannah "Van" Morgan flees the East Coast for the West, seeking sanctuary with her Aunt Lucy, headmistress of San Francisco Sex University. Rather than staying at the main campus, Van enrolls in SFSU's more nurturing "sister" school, the All-Girls Academy. 
After visiting the main campus of SFSU, Margaret "Maggie" O'Neil hangs up her police badge in search of new experiences and hoping to awaken her own dormant sexuality.
With subject matters such as an "Art Sex-education" class with an Italian visiting professor who's more than happy to schedule private tutoring after-hours, the All-Girls Academy invites all sorts of sexual exploration. In the end, Van and Maggie will either fall victim to the pressures of society, or come together to save each other.
*** Tell me your favorite spot to kick it over the summer, and you'll be entered to win an electronic copy (.pdf) of Sex University: All-Girls Academy.
Thanks for dropping in, and come visit me another time!
Louisa Bacio
http://louisabacio.blogspot.comhttp://www.facebook.com/louisabaciohttp://www.twitter.com/louisabacio
Giveaway rules:

You must be a follower of this blogIf you're not following Louisa, you should!You must leave a comment with an email addyGiveaway open until the end of the month!

Author Liz Fichera talks books and sugar cravings

Books, Sugar Cravings, andCounting Calories—Oh, My!
Lisa,thank you so much for inviting me to participate in the Sizzling SummerExtravaganza.  And where I live inArizona, that's a capital "S" for Sizzling.  I don't think it's been below 105 degrees for the last monthso I'm all for a blog diversion like this one where it's nice and cool.
I wantedto talk about sweet things today—and by sweet, I'm talking those deliciousbaked goods with powdered sugar, sprinkles, chocolate, even fresh fruit (aslong as there's sugar somewhere in the vicinity).  Now I know everyone is paranoid these days about consumingtoo much sugar and flour but, gawd, I have a serious sweet tooth.  It's the little things, folks.  Whenever I'm writing or reading, I needto have something sweet close by. I'm rather hooked on those sugar chippers at Paradise Bakery, especiallythe ones that come with pink or green sprinkles.  And if I'm feeling industrious, I love to bake raspberryscones.  Raspberry scones areperfect with coffee or tea whenever I'm buried in a great book. 


So it'sno wonder that raspberry scones feature prominently in my latest release,CRAVING PERFECT.  While CRAVINGPERFECT is in no way autobiographical, my heroine adores raspberry scones.  What'syour favorite sweet or snack?  Doyou prefer salty or sweet when you reach for something delish to nosh on?
Liz'sbio:Liz is anauthor from the American Southwest. She writes commercial fiction and young adult novels but mostly shewrites stories about ordinary people who do extraordinary things.  When she's not plotting her next novel,she loves to hike and run in the desert, mostly to balance out her dailychocolate intake.  Her latest novel CRAVING PERFECT released on July 25 from Carina Press.  She is also the author of CAPTIVE SPIRIT (2010) and theupcoming HOOKED (Harlequin Teen, 2013). Don't hesitate to drop by her web site  or blog to connect. Buy Links for Craving Perfect:
CarinaPress
Amazon
Barnes& Noble

Meet an author Monday

Hey, peeps!
It's time for the author blog hop! You know the drill :)


Authors!  Have a book out?  Are you under contract for publication?  Make sure you join in the hop. This is a great way to network your blog and let readers know who you are!






Here's how it works:
READERS:
Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many "new to you" authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well.  Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog!  We'd love to chat with you!


AUTHORS:


Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don't create a post for the hop, your readers won't have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!The purpose of the hop is to meet "new to you" authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!If you'd like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.Authors! The more you promote this hop, the more successful it will be. Tweet about it. Post a link on Facebook. Talk about it on your blogs. Let's get the word out!

The romance author's recipe for making love with author Killian McRae

The Romantic Author's Recipe for Making Love


Ingredients:1 Hero
1 Heroine
1 Love, well blended
1-2 Obstacles to love
3-5 Settings (at least one with a bed)
1 clove of temptation
1 teaspoon of contempt (measure carefully, or recipe will turn bitter)
A handful of supporting characters
A pinch each of:-lust
-tenderness
-desire
Preheat oven, and grease the plot with enough back story sonothing will stick once things get heated. In well-seasoned setting, gently foldin hero and heroine. Do not over mix.Blend in contempt and temptation- sparingly. Leave set one scene. In separate,smaller setting, prepare supporting characters. Batter will be lumpy. (Perauthor's taste, fruits or nuts can be added at this stage.)  Crack and add one to two obstacles tolove, and fold both into the hero-heroine setting. Add in

Killian McRae is the author of the scifi-suspense 12.21.12, and of the upcoming historical romance A Love by any Measure and YA fantasy Tallis. 
You can find more info about Killian at:
Her websiteGoodreads

Author Amie Louellen talks about the "What if" syndrome

The "What If?"Syndrome

The "What if?" Syndrome is a common ailment among writers,young and old alike. It has no boundaries, attacks indiscriminately, and willnot let go until the idea is firmly on paper. Computers are the best antidotefor a bad case of the "what if?"s. But the urge to record the "what if?"s is sostrong that the back of a bank deposit slip will suffice. What exactly are the"what if"s? Anyone who writes would say, the "What if?"s  are the forces that drives writers towrite.I was recently asked in an interview where the idea forBrodie's Bride came from. Honestly , it's been a long time since I startedBrodie and Savanna's story. So long that I had to give it some thought. Andthat in turn made me think about how the idea developed. In case you didn't read that post about the initial idea(shocking I know since every word I write is golden, but there may be a few ofyou who missed it) Here's how the story came about. There's an old countrysong by Shelly West (I told you it was old) called Jose Quervo. And one of theverses goes—"Now wait a minute 
Things don't look too familiar 
Who is the cowboy who's sleeping beside me 
He's awful cute 
But how'd I get his shirt on? 
I had too much tequila last night"
Andthat made me think, "What if my heroine goes out on the town, then wakes up thenext morning in bed with a man she doesn't know?"
Well,now that might be very interesting, but this is a romance (originally targeted forHarlequin) and there are certain rules that have to be followed. Is it reallyappropriate for her to go out and completely and knowingly over-indulge? Somemight answer yes, but I thought there needed to be an innocence in my heroinethat most likely wouldn't be a part of someone who tied one on to the extent thatshe marries a man she doesn't love—or KNOW. (Those pesky rules again.) So Imade her drunkenness accidental. She takes allergy medication and orders aniced tea in a bar. She thinks she's drinking regular sweet tea, but it's theLong Island version. Multiply that by three or four and voila—an innocent butinebriated heroine. In case there's anyone out there reading this who has nevertaken allergy medication and drank alcohol afterwards, let me just tell you…nota good idea. But now how come my heroine—whom I want to have a certaininnocence—is in a bar? Has to be a valid reason. Of course she's tailing hercheating fiancé hoping to catch him in the act (so to speak).
Nowour hero. Why would Brodie, a man who believes that love is destined to leavehim behind, marry a woman he doesn't know and at second glance believes to be aprostitute? Tequila. Lots and lots of tequila. It's a double standard, I know,but over indulgence in a man is theoretically more acceptable than the sameactions in a woman. (Rules, rules.) But he can't just go out and party-hardy. He'sa romance hero. There are certain standards. So what would make Brodie feel theneed to drown his emotions in a bottle? Well, how about the fact that his twobest friends in the world have finally, finally gotten married after everythingtheir families have put them through? He's relieved, jealous, happy, anddepressed all at the same time. He's wondering why his own marriage failed, whyhis mother left him when he was young and why, why, why is he the only personin the world fated to be alone? Once he leaves his friends, he decides to stopoff at a bar—just so happens not to be the best little club in Vegas—decides tohave a drink and…the next thing he knows, he's married to a stranger.
Whymarried? Rules again and a sign of the time—remember I started this many yearsago. I thought it might be better to have them get married. They could wake upin bed together not married and leave that afternoon never to see each otheragain.  There has to be somethingto hold them together. My choices were married or baby. I chose marriage.
I'mcertain every writer's thought processes are different. But I do believe whenpeople(read non-writers) ask where an idea comes from, this is what they reallywant to know. How did the writer get from idea to story? How did I get from songlyrics to romance novel?
 A lot of "What ifs"!

Amie Louellen--Brodie's BrideAvailable nowfrom the Wild Rose Press

Amie Louellen loves nothing more than a goodbook.  Except for her family…andmaybe homemade tacos…and shoes. But reading and writing are definitely high on the list. When she's notcreating quirky characters and happy endings she enjoys going to little leaguebaseball games and boy scout meetings. Born and bred in Mississippi, Amie is atransplanted Southern Belle who now lives in Oklahoma with her deputy husband,their genius son, a spoiled cat, and one very hyper beagle.


Amie Louellen--author FaceBookwww.amielouellen.comhttp://amielouellen.wordpress.com/www.twitter.com/AmieLouellenemail  amielouellen@gmail.com
Blurb--Wakingup next to a beautiful golden-haired stranger isn't the worst thing that hasever happened to Brodie Harper, but staying in a fake marriage in order to gaina new construction contract could very well be.
SavannaMorgan just wanted a way out of an engagement to a man she didn't love.  Marrying Brodie seemed liked theperfect answer at the time.  Lessperfect the next morning when she finds herself disowned by her father and flatbroke.  Now she must make itthrough the weekend. Monday they can get it all annulled and forget it everhappened.
The realproblem may be keeping their hands off each other until then.
Excerpt—"On Monday, after our appointment, you'releaving.""I have to go home," she said quietly, turningaway from him to stare into the postage-stamp sized back yard."But we have an agreement for the weekend.  I think we should have some groundrules.""Good idea."  Savanna clapped her hands, then rubbed them together as ifshe were ready to get down to business. "Like what?""We only have two working bedrooms here," Brodiesaid.  "Mine and Nan's.  Do you mind sharing a room with me?"Her pupils dilated, and he knew she was thinkingabout the scarlet room they had shared last night."My room has two beds," he continued.  "We can be like Lucy and Ricky."She smiled.  "If it was good enough for the Ricardos, I'm sure I canhandle it for a few days.""We may not so lucky at the Sullivan's."Sobering, she nodded.  "If there's only one bed there, we can just take turnssleeping in it.""Fair enough." Brodie said.  "Now, as a married couple—especially atthe ranch—we'll be expected to act like a married couple.""Okay. But only around others. When we're alone, we can act like we're not married.""Correct. But sometimes…"  He took astep closer to where she leaned against the porch railing.  "Sometimes married people hold hands."He reached out and took her fingers into hisown.  Her skin was velvet soft andsmelled so sweet, like the mountains after a rain."I—I don't have a problem with that.""Sometimes married couples put their arms aroundeach other."  He placed her handsbehind his neck, then slid his arms around her waist."That's okay," she whispered.  He watched as she swallowed hard."And sometimes married people kiss.  Just a peck here and a peck there.  Are you going to have a problem withthat?""Huh-uh." She shook her head."Maybe we should practice," he rasped, bendinghis head close to hers."Maybe," she repeated before he brushed his lipsacross hers once, then twice.His intent had been the small, nearly chastekiss of old married couple, but once he got close to Savanna, once he couldsmell her sweetness and taste her heady essence, he couldn't stop himself.He pulled her close to him, gathering handfulsof her tank top, securing her to him. Over and over he slanted his mouth across hers.  Over and over, deeper and deeper, untilher whimper brought him back.He released her, his breath rasping in and outof his lungs in hard painful gasps. She grasped the edge of the porch railing,looking as disturbed as he felt.With demonstrations like that, they may not everconvince Blair and Nan their marriage was an accidental twist of fate, but theywould surely convince Red Sullivan their passion was for real.Brodie ran his fingers through his hair, justone more gesture to keep from reaching for Savanna again.    "There," he managed to croak.  "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

Review giveaway!

Hey everyone!

Hope you're enjoying the author extravaganza. We're winding down, so make sure to scroll back and check out all the giveaways. There's still time to enter!

I'm asking for a bit of help today, and hosting a giveaway to try and tempt people to participate.

My erotic suspense, Obsessed has been pulling in great reviews from various review sites, however, I'm not getting any reviews on Amazon. I've got two reader reviews. Two.

Very sad.

So, to remedy this situation, I'm giving away a $10 Amazon GC to one random reader who leaves me a review.

How do you participate?  Here are the simple rules:


Leave me a comment here with a link to your Amazon review of Obsessed .Voila! Told ya it was easy! Click on the link above to be taken to Obsessed's page on Amazon.
I'll draw a name using Random Org on August 1st. Spread the word, peeps! Mwah!!

Writing Your Life with author Kasi Alexander

Writing your life
They say that almost every first novel is autobiographical,to some extent. I don't doubt that it's true. The purpose of literature, afterall, is to reflect on life and expand our horizons by peeking into someoneelse's experiences, even if they're fictional. We all color our reading and ourwriting with our own viewpoints and attitudes.
So what happens when your lifestyle is unconventional?Writing about sex and relationships can be unsettlingly intimate ("Have youreally done that??") to begin with,but when you sit down to write about an unusual relationship dynamic or acontroversial way of life, it adds whole new levels of complexity.
First, you must decide how anonymous you want your writingto be. In my case, I am polyamorous (if you're not familiar with the term, itmeans having more than one romantic relationship) and I live in a powerexchange lifestyle (often referred to as kinky, leather or BDSM, although thoseare much broader categories). When I set out to describe my lifestyle in anovel, I wanted it to be educational. I wanted to show people thatfundamentalist Mormons are not the only ones who believe it's possible to be inopen, honest, responsible sexual relationships with more than one person. Ialso wanted to increase awareness of power exchange and show that it is notabuse or the sign of a weak mind or low self-esteem (of course, as with anyrelationship, there are abusive and exploitative cases as well). So I needed tobe open and honest about my own lifestyle in order to show that I did know whatI was writing about.
The problem is that I have a full-time, vanilla day job anda boss who is extremely disapproving of my choices. I have also chosen not totell my mother or siblings about my writing career. This causes a little stressand creates the need to keep my two identities very separate. And then there isthe fact that there are  people whoknow me personally who are reading my book and seeing my emotional and sexual"confessions." That is not as unsettling as I expected it to be, but there is acertain amount of vulnerability that you feel when someone picks up your bookand begins leafing through it. Not to mention when they post reviews online!
So far I haven't had much backlash or nasty criticism,although I know realistically there are many people who will not like mywriting or my beliefs. But most people are inherently nice and try to be positive.I appreciate the supportive comments I have received and the openmindednesswith which the book has been received so far. I've made a choice about being aspublic as I can with my lifestyle and it's bound to be an interesting path!
About the author: (Taken from Goodreads)
Kasi Alexander's debut novel, Becoming sage, is the first installment in The Keyhole Series. An active member of the BDSM community, Kasi brings a true-to-life realism to her writing. This is not traditional erotica, but the series offers an intimate look into the lives of the men and women who live the BDSM lifestyle, in particular, the Master/slave dynamic.

Blurb taken from Goodreads:
With a failed marriage behind her, Jill Marten was looking to start a new chapter in her life. She had no idea that running into her old friend, Jessie, would unlock a whole new world. When she accepts Jessie's invitation to a party, in order to "try something completely different," it awakens a need to discover her place in a new community. Jessie, also known as sunni, is a submissive slave who is in a loving relationship with her Master, Sir Rune. When Rune and sunni ask Jill to be a part of their family, Jill begins her journey into submission, bondage, and polyamory, even as she questions everything that she has been taught about love and relationships. She begins to face her own desires and fears as she struggles with feelings of jealousy, inadequacy, and self-worth. Once she opens the door to a life she never imagined, a peek through the keyhole is no longer enough, and she must learn what it means to become sage. 
You can find Becoming Sage at the following places:
Omnific PublishingBarnes & NobleAmazon

Book signing 101 with author Nicki Elson + giveaway

Authors Just Wanna Have Fun 
(i.e. the first step in planning a successful signing event)

***Enter to win a signed copy of Three Daves and a "One Hit Wonders of the 80s" CD by leaving a comment below along with your e-mail***


With so many fabulous publishing options available today, there are a lot more published authors out there—which is awesome, but it also means meeting an author at a signing doesn't have the same allure it once did.  New and little known authors can't simply stand there with a shiny new pen and a stack of books and expect readers to flock around them.  Trust me, I've tried it.  To attract attention, we have to give readers something beyond just the book and a smile.  

Here's what I've learned about what works at a signing event…and what doesn't:

#1 Make it fun!  

When I was a newly published author, I had the good fortune of reading a post over at Karen G's blog about author events.  She suggested taking the focus off the number of books sold and making it more about having fun.  This is especially good advice for authors (like myself) who aren't comfortable in the salesman role. Focusing on fun rather than sales puts everyone more at ease.    

When planning a signing event, I ask myself:  If I hadn't written this book, would I go?  That's why I didn't want my recent event at a local wine shop to be just about the book, but more of an experience.  So we came up with the idea of a wine tasting in which we paired a wine with each of the three Daves from my novel.  We called it Grapes & Guys.  I had a good turnout and it was totally fun!  



#2 Make sense
  
Book stores, libraries, and even coffee shops have an automatic tie-in, but don't limit yourself to these spots.  I've also done signings at the wine store, a fashion boutique, and a golf course.  There's no limit on where you can host a book signing, but the site should somehow tie into your story or you'll be overlooked.  

I did two signings at the very same fashion boutique with completely different results.  At one event, I merely stood by a table with a stack of books during the town's annual Christmas Walk.  It didn't make any sense—who walks into a fashion boutique to buy a book?  The utter lack of shopper interest reflected the dichotomy.  I got a much better response from shoppers when I took a little extra time to plan an 80s Night.  Eighties-influenced styles have made a comeback, and so I read a few fashion descriptions from my 80s-era novel and then showed the current versions from the store's collection.


How does a golf course tie in? you ask…well, in one case it did, in the other, not so much.  Both events were Athletic Foundation fundraisers for my alma mater, on which the campus in Three Daves is heavily based.  One event was in the Chicago suburbs with primarily alumni attending, and everyone was super excited to learn about the book.  The other was down at the actual campus, but rather than alumni, the demographic was mostly locals who support the sports teams.  Yeah, my story includes one intramural rugby game, and that's it for the athletics.  They couldn't have cared less about me or my book (did manage to drum up some interest with the students out at the bars later though ;)).    

#3 Make the most of it  

The event is about more than the event itself.  It's about the opportunity to get your name out there again—anywhere you can think of.  It takes most people more than one, two, fifteen times to hear about something before they take action.  Submit your event to local newpapers and e-publications.  Ask your alumni association to include it in its newsletter.  Update your events in Goodreads, Tweet it, Facebook it, Blog about it.  Get creative—where else is there synergy?  

At the same time I was planning my  Grapes & Guys event, I was introduced to the very cool Chick Lit & Wine book review site.  I dashed off an e-mail to Syrah and Chardonnay about my event, and not only did they promote it and ask me to do a guest post—they reviewed my book!  The event paid off in more than one way.      

So what's next?  I'm thinking…Boys & Beer?  Chicks & Chocolate?  Please tell me, what kinds of things do you think are fun paired with a book signing? 


Thanks for having me, Lisa!


Nicki Elson grew up in the 80s and live to write about it.  Her debut novel, Three Daves, is a fun and witty 1980s romance.  Like a John Hughes movie in novel form.  You can enter to win a signed copy ofThree Daves PLUS mood music—a One Hit Wonders of the 80s CD—when you leave a comment below along with your e-mail.


Giveaway rules:

You must be a follower of this blogIf you're not following Nicki, you should! Girlfriend is fun!You must leave an email with your commentOpen to US residents onlyThis giveaway will be open until the end of July, so comment and spread the word!

Author Jessica McQuinn talks writer's block + giveaway

Thank you so much for letting me have some fun on your newblog, Lisa!
I have a question for you all…Is being uninspired the samething as having writer's block?
I have a VERY busy life! I'm a mom to two kids who have somany activities I'm not sure where they each have to be on any given day. WhenI'm not chauffeuring them from one sport to another, I'm dealing with a beastof a dog and a husband (and yes, that adjective can be used for both on somedays!). I have a fairly big house that I TRY to keep clean. Oh, yeah, and thenthere's the whole author thing!
I've found lately that while I have been able to keep upwith most things, it's that last one that seems to fall lowest on my prioritylist. I don't plan it that way. It's just at the end of the day I haven't hadmuch of a chance to sit down and write!
I know I need to make it a priority, and every morning I getup and say, "Today I'm going to write at least 1000 words." Then the daystarts…
Here's my thing…I know that I could make the time to writeif I tried harder – I'm just uninspired right now. 
Now, I have ideas floating around, but that's all that theyare…ideas. I'm having a hard time WANTING to sit down at the computer and putthem on "paper." I have written about 2000 words total on three differentstories since the beginning of May. We are pushing August, and that's all Ihave to show for my career right now.
I really WANT to be inspired to write! I sit down and openmy documents and…NOTHING. I may type twenty or so words, but that's it.
With Passion Fish,I was motivated by my writing partner, Alison Oburia's beginning and then weworked together and bounced plot ideas off of each other. It was fun! Thefurther we got into the story, the more twists we found…I was INSPIRED!
Indivisiblefinally made it to paper (or computer) after having the idea of a Navy SEAL rollingaround in my head for a month or so when a friend's husband deployed for sixmonths. I was INSPIRED!
Mynew SWAT story was inspired by a picture a friend sent of Kellan Lutz (alsoinspiration for Gideon in Indivisible I will admit) after a day of trainingwith a Louisiana SWAT team. I mean, really? Kellan all sweaty and testosteronepumped from that kind of training?? Who wouldn't want that story? So I wrote ashort story for Omnific's Summer Lovin' Anthology – Heat Wave.
Big Guns actually takes placeAFTER the first book, and there are little hints of things in the story that Ihope has readers wanting more of Brody Flynn and the boys. BUT that's where Irun into a HUGE road block! I have the whole story plotted out. I just can'tfind that spark of inspiration to write it. Even when I head into my nice quietoffice and look up at this –

I really do love my new characters, and hope everyone readsall the great stories in the anthologies while supporting Save the TatasFoundation, including my hunky SWAT boys. And because of that, I want to breakthrough this writing funk and be able to give Brody his day in the spotlight (Imean he's a big protector sexy man…and deserves my undivided attention!)
So here's what I would LOVE to know for all of you…how doyou get inspired? How do you break through that place where you KNOW what youwant to write, but you just can't make yourself do it? And in appreciation foryour help, I have a GIVEAWAY!! I'm giving away a signed copy of Indivisiblealong with a bit of swag including a beautiful spiral notebook and pen!
You can find more information about this author at:Her blogGoodreadsGiveaway details:You must be a follower of this blogIf you're not following Jessica, you totally should!You must leave a comment with an email addyThis giveaway will be open until the end of the month.