L.M. Pruitt's Blog, page 26

Writing Wednesday--Author Interview with Belinda Boring

It's Writing Wednesday! Since there's no way I can talk about writing every week, I'll also be doing interviews. This week, I've got Belinda Boring, also known as The Bookish Snob, here talking about her debut work, Without Mercy, writing playlists, and what NOT to do when you meet a hot man.                                                                       Belinda Boring  You're well known in the blogging community for your awesome reviews of swoon worthy books. Why the jump to "the other side"? Well, someone told me you guys gave away free ice cream and there'd be semi naked men here with killer abs! Hahaha see you can take a writer out of a reader, but you can't take The Bookish Snob out of a writer. LOL I actually started writing before I started blogging. I wrote a REALLY short story on... man, if I told you I would have to kill you. Let's just say, it got me really excited to explore and I decided to try write a fan fiction of one of my favorite paranormal romance series, Christine Feehan's Dark Carpathians. I loved it and tinkered around but it wasn't until the blessed meeting of my bestfriend Lacey, that I started thinking seriously. She encouraged me to take part in the National Novel Writing Month challenge last year (50,000 words in a month) and cheerleadered me the entire time. Writing is so addicting when you're focused and full charged! I completed the challenge and after that, I began writing. Every dream became a story idea and neatly filed away on my computer. Of course, being The Bookish Snob has put me in the path of some AMAZING authors who have encouraged, listened and offered a ton of support. Each book I read, I think "Hmmm I can do this. I want to see my name on a book I wrote." So here I am... on the other side. Actually come to think of it, I don't think I jumped... I was lovingly pushed LOL Thanks Lacey!
Without Mercy is your first release. Give us a quick rundown of what it's about. Any sequels in the works?                                                                       Without Mercy
Without Mercy actually came from this gut wrenching nightmare I had where I woke up sobbing. I remembered just a few images but the emotion was so vivid that it clung to me all day. My bestfriend told me "Belinda, you need to write it out" and I began that day. I posted the beginning on my blog and people really enjoyed it and I started thinking, Hmmm I should write a little more. I sat down one Saturday, turned up "Running Up That Hill" by Placebo and finished it. The story is about Darcy, a young werewolf who is out running errands with her mate-to-be's sister. Mated to the Alpha of her pack, Mason, she'd had alot of arguments about safety and the need for constant protection. He finally relented and Darcy soon learns to regret it when they're stopped by someone they thought they could trust. Things soon get out of control and when the situation turns deadly, Darcy finds herself go from helpless prey to lethal predator but it has consequences. Without the help of her mate, she runs the real risk of losing herself and it takes an act of complete trust to save her. Lots of good emotions! There's definitely sequels in the works! In fact, Mason and Darcy can't stop talking. I'm going to try something a little different and turn it into a series of Mystic Wolves novelettes. The next one I have planned is called Cherished, and it focuses heavily on Mason and Darcy and how they deal with the aftermath from Without Mercy. You get a better look at their relationship and yep, there will be SWOON! I'm hoping to release each installment every 4-6 weeks so I'm really excited. What else are you working on right now?  I'm working on two things at the moment. Like I mentioned above, I'm working on Cherished: A Mystic Wolves Novelette but I'm also working on a novel length book called Broken Promises. I am absolutely in LOVE with the whole storyline for this!  It came about from a dream I had (seeing a pattern?) and when I woke up, I sat down and outlined a 3 book urban fantasy series. Here, let me share the blurb I have for it because it sums the book up perfectly! All Bree wanted to do was spend her Friday night with the man she loved and adored. Planning to watch a movie together, she never would've believed leaving her home would result in her relationship with Quinn being tested beyond its limits. Unbeknownst to her, the Fae have been organizing to invade Earth, and their devious plans are culminating now, colliding with Bree's very existance. Using a powerful glamour, the Fae trigger each person's violent tendencies, turning the streets into a battleground and strangers against each other.

In a crushing blow, Quinn becomes affected and Bree finds herself battling to save her lover from himself as he stalks her relentlessly, taunting her at every turn. In a game of cat and mouse, Quinn can't decide whether he wants to seduce her or kill her, breaking her heart further with each encounter. But fighting for her love isn't her only worry. As the battle ensues, Bree discovers a startling truth about her own heritage that she must come to terms with. Determined to bring balance back, she teams up with others to drive the Fae back across the veil, only to find herself in way over her head. Bree has no other choice but to fight, leading her to a confrontation that will change her world forever - and threaten to leave her with broken promises. I get giddy whenever I think or talk about Broken Promises. It's definitely a piece of me and I can't wait to share it with everyone. Bree is this amazing woman who faces blow after blow but still she gets back up, dusts herself off and keeps going. I love the transformation she has planned for herself (see how I didn't say me, she kinda has a mind of her own LOL) and she's definitely the kind of heroine I love to read. And as for Quinn, he makes me SWOON and melt! He's the seductively snarky guy and I'll admit, there's a little Damon Salvatore in him - you know that arrogant swagger we all love. He's not sure what he wants to do with Bree... does he want to kill her (yikes) or does he want to grab her, press her up against the wall and ravish her until she's breathless? There's a lot of great moments between them and I could go on and on. Needless to say, it's ALOT of fun writing it and I hope everyone loves it as much as I do! Earlier this week I talked about writing soundtracks. Do you have one, and if so, tell us about it. I actually do! I'm an emotional person - whether its reading or writing and I found the best way for me to get into the emotion of the scene is to find the perfect song and put it on repeat. I have playlists for everything I write but I'll share a few with you:  For Without Mercy - "Running Up That Hill" by Placebo Cherished - "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars and "In My Head" by Jason Derulo Broken Promises - "Russian Roulette" by Rihanna (it's the theme song and what I'll write the final scene to) "Give Me A Sign" by Breaking Benjamin, "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum and "Beautiful Ending" by Barlowgirl Any crazy stories you'd like to share with readers?
Hmmm, crazy stories... my mind's drawing a blank! Something I can share that won't get me into trouble. Okay here's a story that was HIGHLY embarassing but those who know me say "OMGSH that it so Belinda!" I recently went to a Romance Reader event and as well as meeting authors I love, sexy as heck romance cover model Jimmy Thomas was going to be there (look him up... trust me, you'll thank me) and we could get a photo with him. I was so excited and I joked around with people that I would ask for a "hump shot" to put on my blog. Finally, the event arrives and I'm in a complete swoon. For an hour, I sat and watched a erotic book cover photo shoot and I could barely look Jimmy in the eye. I am sooo uber shy (I know, hard to believe) and I'll admit, I was a little squee about meeting him. So, it's time for photos... I put my big girl panties on, take a deep breath and say "Jimmy, can I have a hump shot!" Total silence and a look  of confusion. I died! Funny thing about being me is that sometimes... okay most times, only I know what I mean! Call it a consequences of being an Australian living in the US. So I settle for a delicious hug on the couch, gird my embarassed loins and make a quick exit. Later on, I'm chatting with other people at the event and we're giggling about Jimmy and how amazing he was. I share my "hump shot" fiasco and DIE a little further with humilation. Everyone laughs and proceeds to tell me that they thought I had asked him for a "deviant" pose, something of the four legged variety and I am ready to crawl under a rock and die! For the rest of the night, I was "the hump girl". Lesson learned? Make sure you use words EVERYONE is familar with. Oh and don't ask a hot cover model to "doggy" *blushes and cringe* Does that qualify as crazy? Thank you so much LM for having me over today! You're my first inteview so hopefully I did okay *smiles*



And thanks to you Belinda for stopping by. Next week, look for an interview with Shea MacLeod, author of Kissed by Darkness!

Teaser Tuesday!

(Sorry for the delay--blogger played a cruel trick on me and didn't post this earlier)

Tuesday! Ah, Tuesday. Time for a little tease--or as my friend likes to say, a little taste.

I recently broke down and started reading the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. And I'm angry. Angry I didn't break down sooner. So far, I'm up to the third book, Grave Peril. Here's a little bit:

"Then you read my theory on the barrier between our world and the Nevernever. That it's slowly being torn away."

"And you think it's falling to pieces, now? Morty, that wall has been there since the dawn of time. I don't think it's going to collapse right now."

"Wall." He said the word with a sneer. "More like Saran Wrap, wizard. Like Jell-O. It bends and wiggles and stirs."

I've got two weeks to get through something like 9 books before the latest in the series comes out on July 26th. Wish me luck!

Music Monday--Writing Soundtrack

Music Monday! Woohoo! The biggest thing going on with my iPod this week has been Beyonce's "Best Thing I Never Had", which I'd love to dedicate to someone, but manners prevent me from saying their name. Still, I believe he knows who he is.

Anyway, I'd like to take a few moments to talk about writing soundtracks. You have some people who swear by silence and some who swear by music. I fall somewhere in the middle, since I can work in either condition depending on the circumstances of what I'm writing. I also tend to write to movies and/or movie commentary. But I think we can all agree I'm odd, which is fine with me.

Some writers have individual soundtracks for each work they write. To them, I say, "You're amazing." I'd be willing to bet they're plotters as opposed to pansters, which I'm definitely not getting into. I usually don't know what song I'm going to play until I'm spinning the little wheel on my iPod, so knowing what music you want to listen to for an entire book is insane--in a good way.

Some writers have certain genres they listen to, all depending on the work and how it's progressing. Someone--and again, not naming names--likes to say that if they get to Christmas music, it's very bad. Me, one of the easiest ways to get my blood going is to pop in Mariah's "All I Want For Christmas"--does the trick like nothing else. I just want to bop around and throw snow in the air.

For myself, I just listen to whatever. I have a huge playlist with everything possible on it, from the aforementioned Mariah Carey to Miranda Lambert to 3 Doors Down to Annie Lenox with a little Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus thrown in. Anytime I download a new song that I love, I throw it on the list, and just juggle things around. Does it get the juices going? Most times. If it doesn't, that's when I resort to DVD's and commentaries.

In the end, I don't think it's what you listen to that gets you writing. It's just the writing itself. Although dancing around to "Broken Glass" sure as hell doesn't hurt.

Random Thursday!

There's no telling what you'll get on Thursday! Remember that, and plan your reading accordingly.

Things going on for me this week: Monday was a holiday, which meant I got to work on my off day. Which sucked. But, I got to have Friday off instead. Meaning two days off in a row. Which is awesome.

Also going on: Continued progress on the work listed in my computer as Frankie. I'm still not sure on the title. I'm already past the quarter mark, which for only 3 weeks is awesome, at least for me. I'm shopping around for beta readers, so if you know someone who might be interested, or you yourself are interested, let me know. HOWEVER, if you just plan to pass my work around (as some so-called fellow writer/reviewers have done) to others, be warned--I will find you. And I will light candles for karma to kick your ass. Have no doubt. I will do this. No more nice, just getting my feet wet, still finding my way writer.

ALSO going on (I know, I'm awful busy for it to only be Thursday): the countdown to footballs season. I love football season for two reasons. One, financial--people like to come spend money, and they like to give me some. Thank you all. Two--it's college football! No other sport in the world will get me so excited, although pro baseball comes close. And, being a die-hard FSU fan, I'm salivating to see what Jimbo Fisher does this year.

Ok, I think that's enough randomness for today. I'd like to thank you all for your patience and humor--and as always, happy reading!

Food Friday!

Okay folks, it's Friday. Which means we're talking food! Good, right? And today we're talking potato salad. Which is excellent.

Everybody has some food that, to them, is equal to Linus's security blanket. For me, it's potato salad. I'll never forget the Christmas I had to work a double--I raced home between shifts, eager for potato salad. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. It had all been consumed. Needless to say, my rage was monumental.

I couldn't tell you why I have such a deep love for potato salad. By no means was it the only dish served on the table. And growing up down South and attending a church where we had probably a good half dozen or so "dinner on the grounds" a year, I had exposure to more than one kind. Still, there's nothing like the taste of my mama's potato salad. Nothing, not even my own, compares.

There's something about that first taste. Not too mustardy, not to mayoy, unsalted. It's perfect either still warm or chilled. No matter where I am, how bad the day was, one bite and the world rights itself. It is, without doubt, as comforting as any hug from my mother or grandparents, just the feeling of home that can't be explained.

Bet you didn't think you'd get all that from potato salad, did you?

Writing Wednesday

Today, I'm going to take a moment to talk about what I'm working on. It's new and different, at least for me, and may require some explanation.

I'm not a huge fan of old movies, but I did go through a phase where I watched movies from the 40s and 50s. One of the things I did fall in love with was film noir, and all the murder, danger, and sex of the genre. Although some people still don't like to call it a genre, but that's a different topic of discussion.

The idea for a psychic detective isn't new. I actually have something else that I started, but could never really sink my teeth into, that follows along the same lines. However, this new book, still untitled, is more crime fiction than urban fantasy, although it does have some of those elements--otherwise it wouldn't be mine.

There's the world weary, cynical detective with the sharp attitude, biting sarcasm, at least one vice and the mysterious past. The twist? This detective is female. And a little bit psychic.

She's got her long time partner in crime--and other things--, a cadre of slightly seamy friends and acquaintences, and a hot case. A young girl has been kidnapped, the target of a human trafficking circle--or has she?

I'm about a quarter of the way through after only two and a half weeks. I've got a good feeling about this. To share that good feeling, the first five comments will get a sneak peek at Chapter One in all its roughness. Happy reading, everyone!

Teaser Tuesday!

It's Tuesday! New books! If you're like me, that alone is enough to make your Tuesday. But now, I've got something a little extra for you.

My friend, an amazing kick-ass writer in her own (ha-ha) right, Shea MacLeod, has just released her debut novel, Kissed by Darkness as an e-book. I've been with this book from the beginning, and now to see it come to non-pages is enough to bring a tear to my eye. Here's a little piece from it:

He tilted his head as he laughed and the sun streaming through the open door picked out the gold in his hair. "Yeah, something like that." Down, libido, down. "Well, this Cordelia is supposed to know something. Something that will help me track the Sunwalker I'm hunting. So, can you help me out? Go to the club with me, find this Cordelia chick and find out what she knows?" "Yeah, sure, if you promise to leave me in peace and let me sleep. Unless you want to join me?" His grin was pure naughtiness.

Hot, right? Well, if you want to know more, you gotta buy the book! You can find her on Amazon and Smashwords. Happy reading! 

Music Monday

I have an eclectic taste in music. It's kind of all over the place, but not really. By which I mean I stick to certain genres on my iPod, but if you put something on, the chances are good I'll listen to it. Unless it's heavy death metal, or severe gangster rape. Although I do love Eminem.

Currently spinning round on my Ipod (which I know isn't even possible, but you know what I mean)

Tomorrow, by Chris Young--brutally sad, which I love in a song
U + UR Hand, by P!nk--for when I'm feeling badass
Burn It To the Ground, by Nickelback--because I love tons of alcohol references and the crazy beat
And, last but not least, The Best Thing I Never Knew I Needed, by Ne-Yo, off the Princess and the Frog soundtrack--don't judge

Next week, who knows what I'll be listening to, but I'll be talking about book soundtracks. Yes, they exist.

Food Friday!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with me, I'm from North Florida, or where some people like to call the last bit of the South before you head to Miami. And yes, it's true. About halfway down the state--and its a LOOOONG drive--the culture changes completely. But I digress.

I grew up eating things like refried biscuits, collard greens, fried chicken, and sweet potato pie. Like all teenagers, I went through a period where I turned my nose up at some of those offerings. What can I say, teenagers are special. But the older I've gotten (and don't ask me, because I'm not answering), the more I've returned to my food roots. Although I may do some tweaking here and there.

A lot of what I cook has a base in traditional Southern cooking. And then I usually take and flip things to fit my tastes. I don't remember where I first heard about sweet tea and chicken, but everybody should thank this genius. I like some spicy with my chicken, though, so this is a little different. Amounts are guesses, because I only use a measuring cup if I can't get out of it.

Chicken, thawed and washed (I prefer boneless and skinless, but that's me. I'm weird about bones)--I'd say 2 or 3 pieces a person
1/2 gallon of sweet tea, either your own or premade--do NOT get something with lemon in it, you'll pervert the flavor
4 eggs
3 cups or so of flour
Tony Catchetori's Seasoning (I may have totally butchered the name, but you should get the point--if you can find it, go with Zatarin's)

Soak the chicken in the sweet tea for at least an hour. The longer it soaks, the more flavor you get into the chicken. For optimum results, over night is best, but sometimes you get a yen for chicken. Or at least I do.

Beat the eggs until smooth. Sprinkle in around 2 tablespoons of seasoning.

Add another quarter cup of seasoning to your flour.

The decision to double batter or not is all up to you. Some like it super crispy, some don't. Either way, drain the chicken, dip into your egg batter, then dredge in your seasoned flour. Repeat if desired.

Fry until thoroughly cooked. Or really dark. Whatever works for you. I'd suggest draining on a wire rack if you can--something about paper towels makes the chicken soggy if you're not careful.

Enjoy!

Next week, I'll be talking about potato salad. Because it is my one true weakness.

New Day, New Blog!

Ok, folks. I have a confession. I am a terrible blogger. No, really. I'm terrible. They say the first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one. I don't really know the ones after that, because I've never made it this far, but it's a start.

However, it has been brought to my attention--with a big, painful hammer--that I need to do everything possible to market myself. Not my books, because those should stand alone, but myself. Quite frankly, I'm not sure if that will scare people off or bring them on, but I'm doing this thing regardless.

Below are some of the features you as a reader can look forward to. You may not like some of them, which is cool. I don't like peanuts, so I don't eat them. It's kind of the same thing, but not really.

 Music Monday--What I'm jonsing on, in all its geeky glory
Teaser Tuesday--Something my friend, The Bookish Snob, has been a part of for as long as I've known her--you give a line or two (spoiler free) of whatever book you're currently reading.
Writing Wednesday--This is the day I'll spend catching you guys up on my writing, my friends' writing, and anything writing related I may have run across
Random Thursday--This day may be anything and everything. Whatever pops in my mind and out of my fingertips
Foodie Friday--Food! Whether it's a recipe I ran across, a new restaurant, or just food talk.

Saturdays and Sundays are my busiest work days, so you may get something there, you may not. All depends on how dog tired I'm feeling.

As an incentive, the first 50 new followers will receive a FREE PDF copy of New Moon Rising

Alright guys--let the good times begin!