Cardeno C.'s Blog, page 72
March 23, 2016
Ask Andrew - Your Writing Space
Dear Andrew
This may seem like an odd question, but hey odd can be fun right? So here goes....do you have a little "something" that you have close to you for good luck or inspiration when writing?
Thanks,
LeeAnn
Dear LeeAnn
I do. Right now its a small picture of Dominic that was taken when we were on one of our cruises. It sits on my writing table where I can see it when I look up form my computer. That picture has been there for the last six months or so. When I'm, working I like to have things around me that make me smile. Before I had the picture, it was a little sign that one of the ladies in my writer's group made for me. It said that I was awesome. I like being awesome. Of course anyone who came into my work space probably thought it strange, but I don't care.
Writing can be a difficult and demanding task master. It demands that you constantly put just a little more of yourself on the page each time. So surrounding yourself with things that inspire, motivate, or uplift you is almost a requirement. As I said, the picture has been there a long time and it will most likely stay for quite a while. But it may be joined by others. Who knows what will come next.
Hugs and LoveAndrew
Ask Andrew is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author. The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture. I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.
So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net. This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost. I will answer one question a week.
Please remember this is meant to be all in fun. (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.) So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.
Visit Andrew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
This may seem like an odd question, but hey odd can be fun right? So here goes....do you have a little "something" that you have close to you for good luck or inspiration when writing?
Thanks,
LeeAnn
Dear LeeAnn
I do. Right now its a small picture of Dominic that was taken when we were on one of our cruises. It sits on my writing table where I can see it when I look up form my computer. That picture has been there for the last six months or so. When I'm, working I like to have things around me that make me smile. Before I had the picture, it was a little sign that one of the ladies in my writer's group made for me. It said that I was awesome. I like being awesome. Of course anyone who came into my work space probably thought it strange, but I don't care.
Writing can be a difficult and demanding task master. It demands that you constantly put just a little more of yourself on the page each time. So surrounding yourself with things that inspire, motivate, or uplift you is almost a requirement. As I said, the picture has been there a long time and it will most likely stay for quite a while. But it may be joined by others. Who knows what will come next.
Hugs and LoveAndrew
Ask Andrew is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author. The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture. I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net. This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost. I will answer one question a week.
Please remember this is meant to be all in fun. (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.) So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.
Visit Andrew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
March 22, 2016
It's Promo Time with BA, Julia, Kiernan and Sean
BA: Oh, y'all. This book makes me stupidly happy -- Fistfights, a baby, a gunfight, cowboys to the rescue, Aussies, Texans. Hooray!
One Aussie. One Texan. One baby. One hell of a fight.
When his sister and her husband are killed in an accident, Aussie cattle station owner Lachlan McCoughney rushes to Texas to rescue their infant daughter, Chloe. He expects to find his niece living in squalor with the Sheffields, a rodeo family.
Instead, Lachlan finds Holden Sheffield, a salt-of-the-earth cowboy running a huge business operation. They want to explore their mutual attraction despite the many problems thrown their way, and together, they must find a way to give Chloe a new family and find a love that spans thousands of acres and two continents.
Buy Links:
Dreamspinner Press
All Romance Ebook
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
And as always, y’all can find me at http://www.batortuga.com
Julia: Hey y'all! This one is a reprint. It's a historical romance and kind of an erotic romp. I cleaned it up some, added 2000 words and got a new cover. I love love love this book and am so glad to get it back out in an arena where I'll get paid for it!
You can get it on ARE and Amazon, as well as Nook!
http://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Substance-Julia-Talbot-ebook/dp/B01D8WF7AO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458606236&sr=8-1&keywords=a+gentleman+of+substance+talbot
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-agentlemanofsubstance-2001868-158.html
www.juliatalbot.com Find all my books from my publishers Samhain, Dreamspinner, All Romance Ebooks, and Changeling Press at my website.
Join my newsletter! Get news for me and my wife BA Tortuga http://bit.ly/1L2McxB
Kiernan
What happens when rodeos start to get too tough for humans to compete in? Midnight Rodeo, of course, where supernatural creatures work for the prize money, and for the awe of their audience.
Light a Rocket by Julia Talbot
Rocket is probably the worst rider in Darque and Knight rodeo. This cheetah shifter is fast, but he only has so many lives in his cat body, and he spends more time injured than not. Raven Walkingman is the number one cowboy , at the top of his game. The two seem an unlikely match, but Raven enjoys doing things no one expects him to, including Rocket. Raven likes his relationships casual and when Rocket starts talking mates as shifters do, Raven pulls up the stakes. He has his animal spirit guides, his good friends, and his fancy trailer. He doesn't need a ragtag cheetah falling for. His spirit guides know better. They adore Rocket and are more than happy to support him, and abandon Raven, until the stubborn fool does the right thing.
Freaked Out by Kiernan Kelly
Gargoyle-shifter Killian has spent his life living and working with all different sorts of supernatural folk, but because he had three forms instead of two like most other shifters, he feels like a freak. His habit of minding his own business has been his shield against being hurt, and to aid in that endeavor, he’s adopted a stony personality. When a troupe of sideshow performers are hired by Darque and Knight to augment the rodeo, he’s forced to redefine his ideas of what constitutes beauty and what defines a freak. Meanwhile, the hard, protective shell he’s erected around his heart threatens to crack wide open under the tender touch of Micah, the sideshow’s hideous Snake Man.
Tails and Whiskers by BA Tortuga
Tiger shifter Dmitri loves the rodeo. Darque and Knight has become his home, and he adores all of his new friends. His past as a circus animal makes him hate injustice, so when he meets a trick rider and fox shifter, Dmitri is appalled to find that the hot little kit isn't allowed inside the rodeo unless he's working In fact, none of the entertainers are allowed in, all being contractors and thus bound to a greedy goblin. As Dmitri and Isaac fall in love, they find growing dissatisfaction with the status quo, and they go to their friends for support in forcing a policy change. Too bad there's a certain goblin who doesn't want to give up control of his workers. Can Dmitri and Isaac find a way to be together, and to make a change for the better of everyone at D&K?
Buy Link: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-midnightrodeobelonging-1974129-145.html
Sean: Home is the second book in the Losing His Cover series. When I originally started the series, I thought it was going to be a one-off. Alex and Bruce had different ideas and it's now a three book series.
Alex Ito has been home for a few days now and he’s still adjusting to being Bruce’s husband Alex again. It’s not easy shaking his undercover persona, though, and Nicky keeps whispering in the back of his head.
Bruce helps to drive Nicky away, insisting that they get his tattoos covered up, and making love to him on a regular basis. One helps Alex shed his outer undercover skin, the other helps his heart and soul find their way home to Bruce.
After eight months of living as Nicky, will Bruce be enough to cut Nicky off permanently?
Buy Links:
Resplendence Publishing
All Romance Ebooks
Amazon
Got a topic you'd like us to tackle? Let us know!
You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot, @batortuga and @KiernanKelly
Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com
BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com
Kiernan's is www.KiernanKelly.com
Facebook:
Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites
Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor
BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga
Kiernan -- https://www.facebook.com/kiernan.kelly
Sean
smut fixes everything
where the naughty boys come... and play
One Aussie. One Texan. One baby. One hell of a fight.When his sister and her husband are killed in an accident, Aussie cattle station owner Lachlan McCoughney rushes to Texas to rescue their infant daughter, Chloe. He expects to find his niece living in squalor with the Sheffields, a rodeo family.
Instead, Lachlan finds Holden Sheffield, a salt-of-the-earth cowboy running a huge business operation. They want to explore their mutual attraction despite the many problems thrown their way, and together, they must find a way to give Chloe a new family and find a love that spans thousands of acres and two continents.
Buy Links:
Dreamspinner Press
All Romance Ebook
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
And as always, y’all can find me at http://www.batortuga.com
Julia: Hey y'all! This one is a reprint. It's a historical romance and kind of an erotic romp. I cleaned it up some, added 2000 words and got a new cover. I love love love this book and am so glad to get it back out in an arena where I'll get paid for it!
You can get it on ARE and Amazon, as well as Nook!http://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Substance-Julia-Talbot-ebook/dp/B01D8WF7AO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458606236&sr=8-1&keywords=a+gentleman+of+substance+talbot
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-agentlemanofsubstance-2001868-158.html
www.juliatalbot.com Find all my books from my publishers Samhain, Dreamspinner, All Romance Ebooks, and Changeling Press at my website.
Join my newsletter! Get news for me and my wife BA Tortuga http://bit.ly/1L2McxB
Kiernan
What happens when rodeos start to get too tough for humans to compete in? Midnight Rodeo, of course, where supernatural creatures work for the prize money, and for the awe of their audience.Light a Rocket by Julia Talbot
Rocket is probably the worst rider in Darque and Knight rodeo. This cheetah shifter is fast, but he only has so many lives in his cat body, and he spends more time injured than not. Raven Walkingman is the number one cowboy , at the top of his game. The two seem an unlikely match, but Raven enjoys doing things no one expects him to, including Rocket. Raven likes his relationships casual and when Rocket starts talking mates as shifters do, Raven pulls up the stakes. He has his animal spirit guides, his good friends, and his fancy trailer. He doesn't need a ragtag cheetah falling for. His spirit guides know better. They adore Rocket and are more than happy to support him, and abandon Raven, until the stubborn fool does the right thing.
Freaked Out by Kiernan Kelly
Gargoyle-shifter Killian has spent his life living and working with all different sorts of supernatural folk, but because he had three forms instead of two like most other shifters, he feels like a freak. His habit of minding his own business has been his shield against being hurt, and to aid in that endeavor, he’s adopted a stony personality. When a troupe of sideshow performers are hired by Darque and Knight to augment the rodeo, he’s forced to redefine his ideas of what constitutes beauty and what defines a freak. Meanwhile, the hard, protective shell he’s erected around his heart threatens to crack wide open under the tender touch of Micah, the sideshow’s hideous Snake Man.
Tails and Whiskers by BA Tortuga
Tiger shifter Dmitri loves the rodeo. Darque and Knight has become his home, and he adores all of his new friends. His past as a circus animal makes him hate injustice, so when he meets a trick rider and fox shifter, Dmitri is appalled to find that the hot little kit isn't allowed inside the rodeo unless he's working In fact, none of the entertainers are allowed in, all being contractors and thus bound to a greedy goblin. As Dmitri and Isaac fall in love, they find growing dissatisfaction with the status quo, and they go to their friends for support in forcing a policy change. Too bad there's a certain goblin who doesn't want to give up control of his workers. Can Dmitri and Isaac find a way to be together, and to make a change for the better of everyone at D&K?
Buy Link: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-midnightrodeobelonging-1974129-145.html
Sean: Home is the second book in the Losing His Cover series. When I originally started the series, I thought it was going to be a one-off. Alex and Bruce had different ideas and it's now a three book series.
Alex Ito has been home for a few days now and he’s still adjusting to being Bruce’s husband Alex again. It’s not easy shaking his undercover persona, though, and Nicky keeps whispering in the back of his head.Bruce helps to drive Nicky away, insisting that they get his tattoos covered up, and making love to him on a regular basis. One helps Alex shed his outer undercover skin, the other helps his heart and soul find their way home to Bruce.
After eight months of living as Nicky, will Bruce be enough to cut Nicky off permanently?
Buy Links:
Resplendence Publishing
All Romance Ebooks
Amazon
Got a topic you'd like us to tackle? Let us know!
You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot, @batortuga and @KiernanKelly
Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com
BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com
Kiernan's is www.KiernanKelly.com
Facebook:
Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites
Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor
BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga
Kiernan -- https://www.facebook.com/kiernan.kelly
Sean
smut fixes everything
where the naughty boys come... and play
March 21, 2016
The Family Books are on Audio by Cardeno C.
Happy Monday! I'm home after a really fun week in Washington D.C. (I'll share pictures next week) and in catching up on my emails, I saw that my last Family book hit the audio shelves. That means all four books are now available in audio narrated by Ezekiel Robison!
I am in awe of Ezekiel's talent and every time I listen to his read of one of my books, I get goosebumps from how perfectly he portrays the characters. Thank you, Ezekiel, for working on these books with me and thank you to Jason Mitchell for being the most wonderful and kind Audio Guru (that's an official title, hence the caps) around.
More Than Everything
Time might not heal all wounds, but with two motivated and strong-willed men on a campaign to win him back, Charlie will get more than he ever thought possible.
Something in the Way He Needs
Controlled Asher didn't expect to fall for free-spirited Daniel, but they'll find what they desperately need in one another.
Strong Enough
When a casual hookup turns into the potential for love, staid Spencer realizes he wants to build a life with vibrant Emilio.
The Half of Us
If short-tempered Jason can open his heart and life to optimistic Abe, he might finally find the family he craves.
Have a great week!
CC
www.cardenoc.com
I am in awe of Ezekiel's talent and every time I listen to his read of one of my books, I get goosebumps from how perfectly he portrays the characters. Thank you, Ezekiel, for working on these books with me and thank you to Jason Mitchell for being the most wonderful and kind Audio Guru (that's an official title, hence the caps) around.
More Than Everything
Time might not heal all wounds, but with two motivated and strong-willed men on a campaign to win him back, Charlie will get more than he ever thought possible.
Something in the Way He Needs
Controlled Asher didn't expect to fall for free-spirited Daniel, but they'll find what they desperately need in one another.
Strong Enough
When a casual hookup turns into the potential for love, staid Spencer realizes he wants to build a life with vibrant Emilio.
The Half of Us
If short-tempered Jason can open his heart and life to optimistic Abe, he might finally find the family he craves.
Have a great week!
CC
www.cardenoc.com
March 17, 2016
Confessions of a Swag Whore by Felice Stevens
I am Felice and I love swag.
When I was planning both my kids bar and batmitzvahs I discovered the hidden world of swag and giveaways. I joined an on-line board where I met people like me, who were planning this event and we would talk about the best places to find everything we needed. The women who I met while planning these parties have since gone on to become some of my closest friends and we get together several times a year, even though all of our children are way past the age of 13.
When I went to my first RT convention as a reader I was overwhelmed with all the free books, little booklets, pens, nail files, notebooks, postcards.....you get the idea. Now don't get me wrong, I've been to dental conventions with my husband but there I've come away with toothbrushes and toothpaste. Book swag was totally different.
Do you put your picture on it? What about your covers? A QR code? Website...Facebook page....Twitter
Help!!
Once I started going to signings and book conventions as an author, I was told to always put my name, website, tag-line and something to have the readers remember you.
Tomorrow I'm off to Liberty States Fiction Writers conference where I will shlep myself and my swag on NJTransit. I love conferences because I get to hang out with some of my closest friends, go to interesting panels and pick up professional news and hopefully a little (okay maybe a lot) of gossip.
I'll have my swag with me too. I've got pens, little rubber bracelets, pins, keychains, bookmarks and other assorted goodies. It may be excessive and a little crazy but I was raised under the adage, "It's better to have too much than too little."
So please come find me, say hi and take my swag, please.
When I was planning both my kids bar and batmitzvahs I discovered the hidden world of swag and giveaways. I joined an on-line board where I met people like me, who were planning this event and we would talk about the best places to find everything we needed. The women who I met while planning these parties have since gone on to become some of my closest friends and we get together several times a year, even though all of our children are way past the age of 13.
When I went to my first RT convention as a reader I was overwhelmed with all the free books, little booklets, pens, nail files, notebooks, postcards.....you get the idea. Now don't get me wrong, I've been to dental conventions with my husband but there I've come away with toothbrushes and toothpaste. Book swag was totally different.
Do you put your picture on it? What about your covers? A QR code? Website...Facebook page....Twitter
Help!!
Once I started going to signings and book conventions as an author, I was told to always put my name, website, tag-line and something to have the readers remember you.
Tomorrow I'm off to Liberty States Fiction Writers conference where I will shlep myself and my swag on NJTransit. I love conferences because I get to hang out with some of my closest friends, go to interesting panels and pick up professional news and hopefully a little (okay maybe a lot) of gossip.
I'll have my swag with me too. I've got pens, little rubber bracelets, pins, keychains, bookmarks and other assorted goodies. It may be excessive and a little crazy but I was raised under the adage, "It's better to have too much than too little."
So please come find me, say hi and take my swag, please.
March 16, 2016
Ask Andrew - Get the Juices Flowing
Dear Andrew
When you write, what are some of the things that inspire you? Do you listen to a certain type of music, for example or what gets the creative juices flowing?
Jenifer
Jenifer
Inspiration and getting the creative juices flowing are two different things for me. In order to get the creative juices flowing in a daily basis, I rely on routine and discipline. Writing is my Day job, so I treat it like that. I have work clothes, sweats and a t-shirt. I have a rook I write in and times that I work on my manuscript. I know it sounds regimented, but at those times, my brain kicks in and the work slows.
Overall inspiration comes from all over. I have bene inspired by music, art, stories in newspapers and online. The idea for an overall story is a bigger picture thing than getting the creative juices flowing. For me that tends to be the ah-ha moment and they are precious. I am working on a story right now called Love Never Dies. (No vampires) It was inspired by a song about how love never really goes away. It can stretch and lie dormant for long periods, but it never truly goes away. See, once the idea is there, you can play and work with it and that's precious.
Hugs and love
Andrew
Ask Andrew is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author. The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture. I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.
So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net. This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost. I will answer one question a week.
Please remember this is meant to be all in fun. (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.) So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.
Visit Andrew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
When you write, what are some of the things that inspire you? Do you listen to a certain type of music, for example or what gets the creative juices flowing?
Jenifer
Jenifer
Inspiration and getting the creative juices flowing are two different things for me. In order to get the creative juices flowing in a daily basis, I rely on routine and discipline. Writing is my Day job, so I treat it like that. I have work clothes, sweats and a t-shirt. I have a rook I write in and times that I work on my manuscript. I know it sounds regimented, but at those times, my brain kicks in and the work slows.
Overall inspiration comes from all over. I have bene inspired by music, art, stories in newspapers and online. The idea for an overall story is a bigger picture thing than getting the creative juices flowing. For me that tends to be the ah-ha moment and they are precious. I am working on a story right now called Love Never Dies. (No vampires) It was inspired by a song about how love never really goes away. It can stretch and lie dormant for long periods, but it never truly goes away. See, once the idea is there, you can play and work with it and that's precious.
Hugs and love
Andrew
Ask Andrew is your chance to ask questions of a gay romance author. The questions can be about the writing process in general, writing sex scenes, gay men, sex, characters in romance, characters having sex... okay you probably get the picture. I promise to answer your questions as frankly and with as much humor as I possibly can.So if you have a question, please send it to andrewgreybooks@comcast.net. This is different from my usual email so your questions don't get lost. I will answer one question a week.
Please remember this is meant to be all in fun. (I was going to say good, clean fun, but who wants that.) So send me your questions and let's see what mischief we can get into.
Visit Andrew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewgreybooks and you can join Andrew's fan group All The Way With Andrew Grey.
Follow him on Twitter: @andrewgreybooks
Visit Andrew's web site: www,andrewgreybooks.com
March 15, 2016
Food Questions and Answers with BA, Julia, Kiernan and Sean
Today we thought we'd explore a bunch of food related questions.
What's your favorite meal (ie, breakfast, lunch, supper)?
BA : If I had my druthers, I'd just snack all day. :D
Julia : Hmmm. I like them all but I love breakfast all day.
Kiernan : Breakfast, except not at breakfast time. I'm not a big morning eater - coffee and some fruit is usually all I can tolerate first thing in the a.m. I love breakfast for any other meal, though, particularly supper!
Sean : I like supper best.
What's your favorite homemade meal (ie the actual food)?
BA : Chili.
Julia : Spaghetti and Meat sauce with garlic bread
Kiernan: Ooh, tough to choose just one. I love homemade lasagna, particularly eggplant lasagna. I also love corned beef and cabbage with mashed potatoes (only get that once a year, on St. Patrick's Day).
Sean : my mom makes 'tartelette' every year for my birthday. It's a danish dish, you start with a mini-tart shell and put this seafood stew (for lack of a better word). It's creamy and delicious and has asparagus pieces in it, along with scallops and shrimp and I just love it.
What's your favorite restaurant meal?
BA : Burger and fries.
Julia : Used to be chicken parm but that's tough to get Gluten Free. I'll say cobb salad as I eat a LOT of those on the road
Kiernan : Currently, there's this little fish place in St. Cloud, Florida called the Catfish Grill that serves up the best fried green tomatoes I've ever had. Also love their fried clams. If it's a really special occasion, I'd vote for Emeril's restaurant at CityWalk at Universal Studios. His ribeye is to die for.
Sean : Steak. I love me some steak. Preferably filet mignon done rare.
What's your favorite homemade dessert?
BA : Gluten free cookies.
Julia : cookies
Kiernan : I can't do desserts anymore because of the sugar, but I do love me some sugarfree Jell-O with sugarfree whipped topping.
Sean: no bake cherry cheesecake
What's your favorite restaurant dessert?
BA : You don't find many that I'll even eat, gluten free.
Julia : carrot cake
Kiernan : Again, can't eat much because of the sugar, but fresh fruit is always good, I guess. *sad face*
Sean : creme brule
What's your favorite snackfood?
BA : Popcorn.
Julia : pepperoni
Kiernan : I like crisp,, sweet apples like Honeycrisp or Ambrosia, or banana chips.
Sean : chips (salt and vinegar being my favorite variety) - I love crunchy
What's your favorite non-alcoholic beverage?
BA : Coffee.
Julia: iced tea
Kiernan : COFFEE!!!
Sean : coke, but I can't drink it anymore (haven't had a drop in over three years now) I drink water most often
What's your favorite alcoholic beverage?
BA : Vodka and tonic with lots of lime.
Julia : vodka tonic
Kiernan : Baileys and Kahlua in COFFEE!!!
Sean : a frozen lime margarita
Is there any food that you've never tried that you would never try?
BA : Any meat rare.
Julia : I'll try anything once unless it has cashews, which I love but am allergic to
Kiernan : Roadkill. Seriously, they have a festival in West Virginia that's all about roadkill BBQ - squirrel, possum, raccoon, and the like. No, thank you.
Sean : I will try anything once. It might be the tiniest bite going, but I will try it.
What's your least favorite food (that you have eaten at least once)?
BA: Hrm. Probably some sort of seafood. I'm super picky about it. I don't like lobster or scallops at all. Also, anything bitter.
Julia: boiled okra
Kiernan : Swiss cheese. Ate it once, and never again. I don't even like to be in the same room with it.
Sean : it's a tie between eggplant and liver
What holiday has the best food associated with it?
BA: Thanksgiving, of course.
Julia : Thanksgiving
Kiernan : Thanksgiving, because it has ALL THE FOOD. Coming from an Italian family (on Mom's side), Thanksgiving dinner consisted of practically everything you could think of - turkey, of course, ham, roast beef, ravioli, gravy with beef, pork, and chicken...the list went on and on. You couldn't walk after dinner - you waddled.
Sean : I have to buck the trend and say Christmas. I especially enjoy the Danish food traditions at Christmas - pickled herring on rye for the first course, followed by goose, caramel potatoes, red cabbage, and other vegetables, with citron fromage to wrap things up.
What's your favorite fruit?
BA : Apples.
Julia : bananas
Kiernan : I love crisp apples and grapes. I also love grapples, which are apples that taste a little like grapes. And strawberries in season.
Sean : cherries are my favorite, but there's something in the sprays they use that I'm allergic to and my throat starts to swell if I eat them, so I don't. So, local strawberries when they're in season, local apples when they're in season, and clementines (I don't want to have to pick just one)
What's your favorite vegetable?
BA : Carrots, although I've never met a vegetable I didn't love.
Julia : probably peppers
Kiernan : Corn on the cob. Long, hard, hot...oh, wait...are we still talking about vegetables?
Sean : I don't want to pick just one of these either - brussel sprouts, carrots, broccoli, caulliflower, romanesque, mushrooms... the veggies I like, I really like, the ones I don't, I really don't!
What's your favorite food combo that most people think is strange?
BA : Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches.
Julia : cheese and pickles
Kiernan : I like putting corn niblets on my mashed potatoes. I don't know why, I just like it. Other than that, though, I don't like my food to touch. I know, I know...I'm weird.
Sean : Brie cheese on a digestive biscuit, or Brie on toast with jam.
What's the weirdest food that you really like?
BA : I don't think I eat a lot of weird -- I mean, my diet is super limited by health, so I tend to eat the same things over and over and weird is relative, isn't it?
Julia : Oh man. I like all sorts of weird shit. Pimento cheese. Fried pickles. candied bacon.
Kiernan : Tripe, cooked in Italian gravy. True story - my mother was Roman Catholic, and for years she ate tripe every Friday because she thought it was fish. It's actually a cow's stomach lining, which makes it meat, and a big no-no during Lent. Snort.
Sean : tongue - beef or pork, it's just so very good - it just melts in your mouth and I love it on bread with a bit of ketchup (I've also had it in a tortilla and that was yummy, too!)
Got a topic you'd like us to tackle? Let us know!
You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot, @batortuga and @KiernanKelly
Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com
BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com
Kiernan's is www.KiernanKelly.com
Facebook:
Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites
Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor
BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga
Kiernan -- https://www.facebook.com/kiernan.kelly
Sean
smut fixes everything
where the naughty boys come... and play
What's your favorite meal (ie, breakfast, lunch, supper)?
BA : If I had my druthers, I'd just snack all day. :D
Julia : Hmmm. I like them all but I love breakfast all day.
Kiernan : Breakfast, except not at breakfast time. I'm not a big morning eater - coffee and some fruit is usually all I can tolerate first thing in the a.m. I love breakfast for any other meal, though, particularly supper!
Sean : I like supper best.
What's your favorite homemade meal (ie the actual food)?
BA : Chili.
Julia : Spaghetti and Meat sauce with garlic bread
Kiernan: Ooh, tough to choose just one. I love homemade lasagna, particularly eggplant lasagna. I also love corned beef and cabbage with mashed potatoes (only get that once a year, on St. Patrick's Day).
Sean : my mom makes 'tartelette' every year for my birthday. It's a danish dish, you start with a mini-tart shell and put this seafood stew (for lack of a better word). It's creamy and delicious and has asparagus pieces in it, along with scallops and shrimp and I just love it.
What's your favorite restaurant meal?
BA : Burger and fries.
Julia : Used to be chicken parm but that's tough to get Gluten Free. I'll say cobb salad as I eat a LOT of those on the road
Kiernan : Currently, there's this little fish place in St. Cloud, Florida called the Catfish Grill that serves up the best fried green tomatoes I've ever had. Also love their fried clams. If it's a really special occasion, I'd vote for Emeril's restaurant at CityWalk at Universal Studios. His ribeye is to die for.
Sean : Steak. I love me some steak. Preferably filet mignon done rare.
What's your favorite homemade dessert?
BA : Gluten free cookies.
Julia : cookies
Kiernan : I can't do desserts anymore because of the sugar, but I do love me some sugarfree Jell-O with sugarfree whipped topping.
Sean: no bake cherry cheesecake
What's your favorite restaurant dessert?
BA : You don't find many that I'll even eat, gluten free.
Julia : carrot cake
Kiernan : Again, can't eat much because of the sugar, but fresh fruit is always good, I guess. *sad face*
Sean : creme brule
What's your favorite snackfood?
BA : Popcorn.
Julia : pepperoni
Kiernan : I like crisp,, sweet apples like Honeycrisp or Ambrosia, or banana chips.
Sean : chips (salt and vinegar being my favorite variety) - I love crunchy
What's your favorite non-alcoholic beverage?
BA : Coffee.
Julia: iced tea
Kiernan : COFFEE!!!
Sean : coke, but I can't drink it anymore (haven't had a drop in over three years now) I drink water most often
What's your favorite alcoholic beverage?
BA : Vodka and tonic with lots of lime.
Julia : vodka tonic
Kiernan : Baileys and Kahlua in COFFEE!!!
Sean : a frozen lime margarita
Is there any food that you've never tried that you would never try?
BA : Any meat rare.
Julia : I'll try anything once unless it has cashews, which I love but am allergic to
Kiernan : Roadkill. Seriously, they have a festival in West Virginia that's all about roadkill BBQ - squirrel, possum, raccoon, and the like. No, thank you.
Sean : I will try anything once. It might be the tiniest bite going, but I will try it.
What's your least favorite food (that you have eaten at least once)?
BA: Hrm. Probably some sort of seafood. I'm super picky about it. I don't like lobster or scallops at all. Also, anything bitter.
Julia: boiled okra
Kiernan : Swiss cheese. Ate it once, and never again. I don't even like to be in the same room with it.
Sean : it's a tie between eggplant and liver
What holiday has the best food associated with it?
BA: Thanksgiving, of course.
Julia : Thanksgiving
Kiernan : Thanksgiving, because it has ALL THE FOOD. Coming from an Italian family (on Mom's side), Thanksgiving dinner consisted of practically everything you could think of - turkey, of course, ham, roast beef, ravioli, gravy with beef, pork, and chicken...the list went on and on. You couldn't walk after dinner - you waddled.
Sean : I have to buck the trend and say Christmas. I especially enjoy the Danish food traditions at Christmas - pickled herring on rye for the first course, followed by goose, caramel potatoes, red cabbage, and other vegetables, with citron fromage to wrap things up.
What's your favorite fruit?
BA : Apples.
Julia : bananas
Kiernan : I love crisp apples and grapes. I also love grapples, which are apples that taste a little like grapes. And strawberries in season.
Sean : cherries are my favorite, but there's something in the sprays they use that I'm allergic to and my throat starts to swell if I eat them, so I don't. So, local strawberries when they're in season, local apples when they're in season, and clementines (I don't want to have to pick just one)
What's your favorite vegetable?
BA : Carrots, although I've never met a vegetable I didn't love.
Julia : probably peppers
Kiernan : Corn on the cob. Long, hard, hot...oh, wait...are we still talking about vegetables?
Sean : I don't want to pick just one of these either - brussel sprouts, carrots, broccoli, caulliflower, romanesque, mushrooms... the veggies I like, I really like, the ones I don't, I really don't!
What's your favorite food combo that most people think is strange?
BA : Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches.
Julia : cheese and pickles
Kiernan : I like putting corn niblets on my mashed potatoes. I don't know why, I just like it. Other than that, though, I don't like my food to touch. I know, I know...I'm weird.
Sean : Brie cheese on a digestive biscuit, or Brie on toast with jam.
What's the weirdest food that you really like?
BA : I don't think I eat a lot of weird -- I mean, my diet is super limited by health, so I tend to eat the same things over and over and weird is relative, isn't it?
Julia : Oh man. I like all sorts of weird shit. Pimento cheese. Fried pickles. candied bacon.
Kiernan : Tripe, cooked in Italian gravy. True story - my mother was Roman Catholic, and for years she ate tripe every Friday because she thought it was fish. It's actually a cow's stomach lining, which makes it meat, and a big no-no during Lent. Snort.
Sean : tongue - beef or pork, it's just so very good - it just melts in your mouth and I love it on bread with a bit of ketchup (I've also had it in a tortilla and that was yummy, too!)
Got a topic you'd like us to tackle? Let us know!
You can find us on Twitter at @seanmichael09, @juliatalbot, @batortuga and @KiernanKelly
Sean’s website is http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
Julia’s is http://www.juliatalbot.com
BA’s is http://www.batortuga.com
Kiernan's is www.KiernanKelly.com
Facebook:
Sean -- https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites
Julia -- https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor
BA -- https://www.facebook.com/batortuga
Kiernan -- https://www.facebook.com/kiernan.kelly
Sean
smut fixes everything
where the naughty boys come... and play
March 9, 2016
Length by Riley Hart
I want to talk about length of books today. I've always mostly written full length novels. Now, when I say that I don't mean I'm one of those authors who writes 100,000 word books (not that there is anything wrong with that! I just am not good at it). My books are usually between 65,000 to 70,000 words. That's a comfortable length for me. Not too long, not too short. Broken Pieces is the longest book I've written at 104,000 words, but that story definitely needed it. LOL.
Anyway, back to length. I actually like reading books that are between 60,000 and 80,000 words. If a book is too long, I sometimes loose interest or the story drags for me. On the flip side, I'll admit I don't read a ton of novellas either. It's not that I never do. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a quick story that I can read before bed, but I have to be in the mood for that.
But...I actually have two possible novellas I'll be writing this year! That means 20,000-30,000 words. I'm both excited and nervous about them. LOL. That sounds silly, but it's true.
So my question for you is, do you like novellas? Are there times you just want that quick read? Are you a bigger the book the better reader? Inquiring minds want to know :)
Anyway, back to length. I actually like reading books that are between 60,000 and 80,000 words. If a book is too long, I sometimes loose interest or the story drags for me. On the flip side, I'll admit I don't read a ton of novellas either. It's not that I never do. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a quick story that I can read before bed, but I have to be in the mood for that.
But...I actually have two possible novellas I'll be writing this year! That means 20,000-30,000 words. I'm both excited and nervous about them. LOL. That sounds silly, but it's true.
So my question for you is, do you like novellas? Are there times you just want that quick read? Are you a bigger the book the better reader? Inquiring minds want to know :)
March 7, 2016
Meet My Girls by Cardeno C.
Happy Monday! Today was busy and crazy (which is why I'm posting this at almost the end of Monday), but it was still a great day because I started and ended it with my two adorable dogs. So what better post for a Monday than pictures of these two cuties? Enjoy (I sure am)!
Have a great week.
CC
www.cardenoc.com
Have a great week.
CC
www.cardenoc.com
March 4, 2016
Using Your Setting as a Character by Felice Stevens
If you are familiar with my books you know that they are all set within New York City. I was born here, in Brooklyn (before Brooklyn became cool!) and though I've lived in other places, namely Binghamton, NY and Boston, MA, I've always known I'd return to New York City.
One of the first things you learn is writing what you know and
since I know New York it never occurred to me to write about any place else. I love New York City and I love making her a character in my books. When you read my stories, I like to think I'm a tour guide, letting you feel the atmosphere as you read. In A Walk Through Fire, I tried to show the vast divide between Red Hook, where Drew opened his clinic, to the rarified air of Park Avenue,
where Ash lived. In After the Fire we spend time in Chelsea, at Jordan's brownstone and Luke visits the High Line to contemplate a future without Jordan. And In Embrace the Fire, I give you more of a taste of Victorian Flatbush, where Drew's beloved Nana lives, as well as Brandon's inner city public school.
Sometimes you have to be careful, because like a strong supporting character who fights for screen time with your main characters, writing about New York City could steal the show. In both Memories of the Heart and Betting on Forever, I take the reader on a sort of whirlwind through the city, from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, to the 9/11 Memorial, from Nathan's at Coney Island to kite flying along the Belt Parkway. All emotional, pivotal parts of the story with the background as much a part of the book as the words themselves.
Bringing the city into my books to play a part of a story is a wonderful way to capture emotions and hopefully I've enabled readers to visualize the scenes on the page as they are reading. One day I'd love to have character cards made of certain pivotal scenes for some of the books: Micah and Josh at the 9/11 Memorial, Sam and Zach at the beach, Alex, Rafe and little Dylan at the Bronx Zoo and Marcus, Tyler and Lillie at Serendipitys. All iconic, New York City places and ones I hope you think about when you read my books.
One of the first things you learn is writing what you know and
since I know New York it never occurred to me to write about any place else. I love New York City and I love making her a character in my books. When you read my stories, I like to think I'm a tour guide, letting you feel the atmosphere as you read. In A Walk Through Fire, I tried to show the vast divide between Red Hook, where Drew opened his clinic, to the rarified air of Park Avenue,
where Ash lived. In After the Fire we spend time in Chelsea, at Jordan's brownstone and Luke visits the High Line to contemplate a future without Jordan. And In Embrace the Fire, I give you more of a taste of Victorian Flatbush, where Drew's beloved Nana lives, as well as Brandon's inner city public school.Sometimes you have to be careful, because like a strong supporting character who fights for screen time with your main characters, writing about New York City could steal the show. In both Memories of the Heart and Betting on Forever, I take the reader on a sort of whirlwind through the city, from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, to the 9/11 Memorial, from Nathan's at Coney Island to kite flying along the Belt Parkway. All emotional, pivotal parts of the story with the background as much a part of the book as the words themselves.
Bringing the city into my books to play a part of a story is a wonderful way to capture emotions and hopefully I've enabled readers to visualize the scenes on the page as they are reading. One day I'd love to have character cards made of certain pivotal scenes for some of the books: Micah and Josh at the 9/11 Memorial, Sam and Zach at the beach, Alex, Rafe and little Dylan at the Bronx Zoo and Marcus, Tyler and Lillie at Serendipitys. All iconic, New York City places and ones I hope you think about when you read my books.
March 2, 2016
Ask Andrew - Where are the Questions?
Dear Readers
This is Andrew and I'm in need of your questions so I can continue to write this column. If you enjoy it, then don't be shy and send your questions to andrewgreybooks@comcast. net. That way I can continue.
Thanks guys
Andrew
This is Andrew and I'm in need of your questions so I can continue to write this column. If you enjoy it, then don't be shy and send your questions to andrewgreybooks@comcast. net. That way I can continue.
Thanks guys
Andrew
