Aneta Cruz's Blog
October 3, 2014
Fire Frozen
“You can never have enough of a good thing” is something that goes without saying. If you are a fairy tale enthusiast, as am I—no, that’s incorrect; I’m more of a fanatic—you will be happy to know that Once Upon a Time has returned to our TV screens on Sunday nights. So there’s some good news for ya. On the other hand, there can be no good without bad—you know, to keep the balance flowing through the Universe and all. And so to balance out the wonderful storyline, brilliant writing, and even more awesome acting of my favorite character, Regina, in Once Upon a Time, the producers (or whoever the gods of nighttime television are) have decided to bring in the cast of Frozen. Ouch! I will not lie to you. I was in physical pain last Sunday, watching and waiting and then waiting some more for some indication of how the writers would connect the brand-spanking-new tale with beloved fairy tales that have been seeded into our hearts and the hearts of our ancestors, first as oral retellings of folk tales then as printed magic in those rectangular prism thingies filled with paper, ink, and pictures that smell oh so good, don’t require any batteries, electricity, or wifi. No such indication came. The story of Frozen characters seemed to be going in its own direction, as if someone had draw a line representing Once Upon a Time and another line parallel to it, representing Frozen. Yeah, yeah, I know you will say that Elsa found a necklace she had given to Anna at Mr. Gold’s shop, but dudes! That is a freaking set up to make something, anything connect.
Truth be told, Frozen cannot connect to our favorite classic tales because it is just too new. It has swept the nation and won the Oscar just this year, and there isn’t a day that goes by during which I don’t question: How the hell could that happen? To all you Frozen lovers, go ahead, throw stones at me, I don’t care! Frozen sucks!!! Yes, with three exclamation points. The story feels like it has been patched up from various people’s ideas just tossed at the wall, like, “hey, let’s stick a snowman in halfway through for some comedic relief,” or “hey, Rolling Stones is playing on the radio; let’s put some rolling stones in the story and they could be like parents and they will like have magic and they will like sing and dance and they will like have green moss on them, ohmygodI’msostoned, did we just put stones in the story?” or “let’s trick everyone and not have a villain/antihero, and then we’ll just pull him out at the end of the movie and say he was there all along!” Hello! This is not a crimi series where misleading the audience is the sole purpose. This is a fairy tale in which the elements of fantastic narrative must be followed for the best outcome. Oh, yeah, and like the majority of Disney’s stories, let’s kill the parents the first chance we get, but we won’t worry about who will rule the kingdom, or why Elsa couldn’t wear the gloves that prevented her from freezing everything in the first place when she was little. So yeah, I’m rambling because I really, really think this movie just shows that if you promote the heck out of something crappy, people will eventually fall into the frenzy and will buy it or go see it to say that they have, without giving second thought to its quality. If you truly want a quality movie, go see Brother Bear.
I don’t even think the makers of Once Upon a Time take Frozen seriously. Did you not see the ridiculous-puppet-reindeer Sven and the retarded cousin of Kristoff? Oh wait, it was Kristoff. I got mislead by the hair painted on his head and the orange California tan you can only get in Northern Europe. Jeez, I hope the producers realize that Frozen is targeted at the three-year-old preschool princesses who are in bed by the time Once Upon a Time comes on our TV screens and will soon pull it off the show. Because, frankly, adults are only interested in something frozen when it is shaped like a cube, swirling in their glass, chilling a well-deserved drink at the end of the day.
For now, I leave you with this: Everything Wrong with Frozen <--click
Truth be told, Frozen cannot connect to our favorite classic tales because it is just too new. It has swept the nation and won the Oscar just this year, and there isn’t a day that goes by during which I don’t question: How the hell could that happen? To all you Frozen lovers, go ahead, throw stones at me, I don’t care! Frozen sucks!!! Yes, with three exclamation points. The story feels like it has been patched up from various people’s ideas just tossed at the wall, like, “hey, let’s stick a snowman in halfway through for some comedic relief,” or “hey, Rolling Stones is playing on the radio; let’s put some rolling stones in the story and they could be like parents and they will like have magic and they will like sing and dance and they will like have green moss on them, ohmygodI’msostoned, did we just put stones in the story?” or “let’s trick everyone and not have a villain/antihero, and then we’ll just pull him out at the end of the movie and say he was there all along!” Hello! This is not a crimi series where misleading the audience is the sole purpose. This is a fairy tale in which the elements of fantastic narrative must be followed for the best outcome. Oh, yeah, and like the majority of Disney’s stories, let’s kill the parents the first chance we get, but we won’t worry about who will rule the kingdom, or why Elsa couldn’t wear the gloves that prevented her from freezing everything in the first place when she was little. So yeah, I’m rambling because I really, really think this movie just shows that if you promote the heck out of something crappy, people will eventually fall into the frenzy and will buy it or go see it to say that they have, without giving second thought to its quality. If you truly want a quality movie, go see Brother Bear.
I don’t even think the makers of Once Upon a Time take Frozen seriously. Did you not see the ridiculous-puppet-reindeer Sven and the retarded cousin of Kristoff? Oh wait, it was Kristoff. I got mislead by the hair painted on his head and the orange California tan you can only get in Northern Europe. Jeez, I hope the producers realize that Frozen is targeted at the three-year-old preschool princesses who are in bed by the time Once Upon a Time comes on our TV screens and will soon pull it off the show. Because, frankly, adults are only interested in something frozen when it is shaped like a cube, swirling in their glass, chilling a well-deserved drink at the end of the day. For now, I leave you with this: Everything Wrong with Frozen <--click
July 29, 2014
Interview with Tim Desmond
Today, I have the pleasure of introducing to you Mr. Tim Desmond whose new novel, The Doc, has just been released, so get your hands on it while it's still hot. And while you're waiting for it to arrive, read some wise words by Tim.
AC: What inspired you to write your novel and how much research went into it? Any personal experiences?
TD: When the first novel was in print, For Thou Art With Me, I was talking with another author I had met by accident. He said that I should get started on a second one immediately. I understood that, but I was busy working a day job and had no second novel idea brewing. Then, I thought of the unsold screenplay I had done in 1999 called Control Thesis. I dusted it off and novelized the story. The research in it spanned twenty years of conspiracy theories, legal things and history. But the adding of the back story was more difficult and created editing problems. Personal experiences which contributed to the whole story were from past employment in hospitals, competitive shooting, and Civil War re-enacting.
AC: How do you write? Do you outline and follow chapter by chapter, or do you wait until the story’s magnitude can’t be contained in your mind and you have to pour it out on paper?TD: When doing the 1999 screenplay, I learned a method of outlining and construction. It was good because it followed the basic three act structure. It was extensive but had a list of thirteen points. It was good because it demanded to follow some “rules” as in “genres have rules.” I adapted that for my own short story and novel length pieces, and that is what I used as I novelized The Doc book. I still had huge problems to solve.In 2011, I actually found the small hardbound book in a Home Goods store. It was No Plot, No Problem and published by the NaNoWriMo originator. I dived in for the November 2012 NaNoWriMo with a story that had been ruminating for ten to fifteen years. I did get the 50,000 words done, but it was neither pretty nor completed. I was working on it until The Doc’s second round edit phase with Black Opal Books. AC: Stephen King says “you only have a season (3 months) to write a book” after that, you should abandon it and work on something else entirely, then come back 6 weeks later, re-read, and start revising. Do you agree? How long does it take to write a good story?TD: I tend to agree if one is a full time writer. But people work differently. I once heard an interview with the late Vince Flynn on Rush on radio. They were friends, and Flynn said he starts in January and works hard till June, then sets it aside to rewrite. Another article I read was about writing a screen play in 90 days. So, yes I think it can be three months. Hemingway wrote from 6:00 AM until noon. I don’t know how many days he took. But, many of us have day jobs. When I was really working, I sometimes worked from 4:00 AM to 6:30, then caught the car pool at 7:00. That got me to a story worth rewriting, at two years.I once logged the time it took to write a finished 2,000 word short story. It took about eight hours. That could translate into a similar “time per word length” calculation for chapters or book length work.
AC: Do you have a book to which you constantly go back and from which you constantly draw inspiration? If so, which is it and by whom?TD: A book of maps. I have World War II maps, Civil War maps, Europe maps and more. You are laughing now, I can tell. Okay, okay. One book I’ve reread is Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Dana. Yes, it is non-fiction of mid 1800s. Too, this is a loaded question because it could mean that one is getting inspiration from an author that one would emulate or write like. But, if one writes long enough, a certain style will emerge. On older, other books, some stories never get old, but, a past style would not get past most editors today. For fiction, I’ll jump in here with one well known successful author, the late Elmore Leonard. I came across one of his books by accident in a brief review that it was being made into a movie. I had never read him before, but I picked up a paperback of Tishomingo Blues. A crime story in Mississippi that revolved around the Chicago mob, casinos, drugs, Feds, Civil War reenactments, and a high dive aerial artist from Florida. It was a moving tale for me.
AC: With the flood of self-published authors, small presses, and vanity presses, I feel like the “big houses” have a lot of competition. They are very selective and often end up kicking their butts for not signing someone special. Do you know of a book/author that has been underappreciated and everyone should read his/her book?TD: In late 2000s, 2007 or 2008, I watched a television conference on CSPAN, where a panel of New York editors talked about their publishing and sales problems. They were tasked with physically going to book stores to learn what books people were buying. Too, it wasn’t other cities like Boston, Nashville, Denver or L.A. that they went to for this research. Just New York. They were shocked by what they learned, just by their New York City data. But it brought to light that so many of their problems of not being in touch with the reading public. They can create their own waves of sales and media attention, yet their huge clout and promotions had hit some sort of wall, or limits. A part of the “large house” system is the vetting by the only agents they recognize or use, and who are presumably all over the country. I think this vetting system is elitist, another story, and flawed. We’d all like an agent, but they’re only human, trying to find the “middle masses” and the next winner, just like a flock of bookies at the track.This is really tough for me, as I was not one to read small press titles or authors. If it was hardbound it was big to me. Except Louis Lamour westerns, only because I never saw a hardbound of his, only mass paperbacks. So, besides you and me, I can name three other Black Opal Press authors I’ve read, who are great writers. I read two of those three when they were published by other presses. To be fair, to go outside of our own publisher, I read last year The Vesuvius Isotope by Kristin Elise. It is a medical mystery with an archeology connection, travel, and ancient cure – with a murder of course. It is so well written.
AC: And on another note, there are books whose reviews and bestseller lists rave greatness, but the story, the characters, or the premise is either a copy cat of something really good or it sucks all together. Do you know of a book like that?TD: I don’t consider myself well read. I bought Clancey’s Hunt for the Red October in paperback, after it had become a sensation. Then during a phase of buying hardbounds for my meager library, I bought his Executive Orders, Debt of Honor, and Without Remorse. All grand original stories. I liked the way he used the same characters, and the Kelly character who went deep undercover after a faked death. I was bothered by his use of the word capacious to describe Kelly’s abode once. I had a hard time getting into Debt of Honor because of the verbose minor character stories. I always learned something. But, at some point I gave up, and quit buying.I have a signed copy of a Jane Smiley novel, but I am having trouble getting through it.
AC: What do you think is more important: A great story, a great cover, or a great promotion?TD: The order for me is: 1. Cover, 2. Great Story, 3. Promotion. In a college art class we had to tack assignments on the wall for a critique. The instructor then had all students comment their pros and cons. The first thing is, that one sees immediately what pieces stand out from the others. It’s an immediate visual thing. Too, the story has to be as original and stand out from the others. Then you have something to promote.
AC: And speaking of promotion. It has become the author’s worst nightmare as they have less time to write with having to promote so much since the bookworld is a business after all. What is your strategy? Have you found a promotion tool that works every time?TD: Between 2006, my first jumping in with marketing, to this time with a new book out, so much has changed. I don’t feel I know enough to answer, “what works best” in today’s environment. I’ll know more in six months. However I have been studying, and implementing the advice from other successful authors and connections, thanks to author Sunny Frazier. She has her own take on all this and methods, and I have tried to follow much of it all as my release date approached of last June 14. Here are my main steps: 1. Use email for hard sales, 2. Contact other bloggers, authors and pros for help, and blog tours like we are doing, 3. Blog posts on my blog, 4. Link on social media sites, 5. Arrange my own real signing events, 6. Contacting print media for covering signing events and release information. I also did a web streamed/TV interview offered from a LinkedIN contact in our area.We’ll see.
AC: And finally, do your characters take on some qualities of people you know? TD: Sure. It’s a good exercise to have real life models that are a basic character, even if you change them. It’s good to verbalize and describe different personalities you know. In many ways, I don’t “read” people very well. People are different, but have same feelings as others. Too, people have differing motivations. Maybe we have to be amateur shrinks – not therapeutic, but observational.
Will Rogers said that he never met a person he didn’t like. Most of us are not like that. I try.
When a dying friend and fellow Civil War reenactor asks California physician Hank Houston to find his daughter’s killer, Hank has no idea what problems his snooping will cause. The last thing he expected to uncover was a US murder squad being run by the DHS. But this domestic black ops unit is determined not to be exposed and, as Hank gets closer to the truth, he discovers just how far they will go to hide all their dirty little secrets.
Tim Desmond was raised in Madera, California. He attended, on scholarship, California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, CA. Later, after graduating from California State University Fresno with a BA degree in Zoology, he earned his Teaching Credential. While writing since the college years, he taught biology, chemistry and physics for thirty-six years before retiring. He has written two novels, in 2005 a World War II flashback For Thou Art With Me and in 2009 the conspiracy thriller ebook version The Doc. He spends time painting and Civil War reenacting. He lives with his wife Bobbi in Fresno, California.
Email: bobbitimdesmond@att.net
Amazon author page at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00694KQQO
Writing at: http://timothydesmond.wordpress.com
Art at: http://artbydesmond.wordpress.comAvailable at:Black Opal Books at: http://www.blackopalbooks.comAmazon: http://www.amazon.comBarnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/Kobohttp://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/All Romance: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/
AC: What inspired you to write your novel and how much research went into it? Any personal experiences?TD: When the first novel was in print, For Thou Art With Me, I was talking with another author I had met by accident. He said that I should get started on a second one immediately. I understood that, but I was busy working a day job and had no second novel idea brewing. Then, I thought of the unsold screenplay I had done in 1999 called Control Thesis. I dusted it off and novelized the story. The research in it spanned twenty years of conspiracy theories, legal things and history. But the adding of the back story was more difficult and created editing problems. Personal experiences which contributed to the whole story were from past employment in hospitals, competitive shooting, and Civil War re-enacting.
AC: How do you write? Do you outline and follow chapter by chapter, or do you wait until the story’s magnitude can’t be contained in your mind and you have to pour it out on paper?TD: When doing the 1999 screenplay, I learned a method of outlining and construction. It was good because it followed the basic three act structure. It was extensive but had a list of thirteen points. It was good because it demanded to follow some “rules” as in “genres have rules.” I adapted that for my own short story and novel length pieces, and that is what I used as I novelized The Doc book. I still had huge problems to solve.In 2011, I actually found the small hardbound book in a Home Goods store. It was No Plot, No Problem and published by the NaNoWriMo originator. I dived in for the November 2012 NaNoWriMo with a story that had been ruminating for ten to fifteen years. I did get the 50,000 words done, but it was neither pretty nor completed. I was working on it until The Doc’s second round edit phase with Black Opal Books. AC: Stephen King says “you only have a season (3 months) to write a book” after that, you should abandon it and work on something else entirely, then come back 6 weeks later, re-read, and start revising. Do you agree? How long does it take to write a good story?TD: I tend to agree if one is a full time writer. But people work differently. I once heard an interview with the late Vince Flynn on Rush on radio. They were friends, and Flynn said he starts in January and works hard till June, then sets it aside to rewrite. Another article I read was about writing a screen play in 90 days. So, yes I think it can be three months. Hemingway wrote from 6:00 AM until noon. I don’t know how many days he took. But, many of us have day jobs. When I was really working, I sometimes worked from 4:00 AM to 6:30, then caught the car pool at 7:00. That got me to a story worth rewriting, at two years.I once logged the time it took to write a finished 2,000 word short story. It took about eight hours. That could translate into a similar “time per word length” calculation for chapters or book length work.
AC: Do you have a book to which you constantly go back and from which you constantly draw inspiration? If so, which is it and by whom?TD: A book of maps. I have World War II maps, Civil War maps, Europe maps and more. You are laughing now, I can tell. Okay, okay. One book I’ve reread is Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Dana. Yes, it is non-fiction of mid 1800s. Too, this is a loaded question because it could mean that one is getting inspiration from an author that one would emulate or write like. But, if one writes long enough, a certain style will emerge. On older, other books, some stories never get old, but, a past style would not get past most editors today. For fiction, I’ll jump in here with one well known successful author, the late Elmore Leonard. I came across one of his books by accident in a brief review that it was being made into a movie. I had never read him before, but I picked up a paperback of Tishomingo Blues. A crime story in Mississippi that revolved around the Chicago mob, casinos, drugs, Feds, Civil War reenactments, and a high dive aerial artist from Florida. It was a moving tale for me.
AC: With the flood of self-published authors, small presses, and vanity presses, I feel like the “big houses” have a lot of competition. They are very selective and often end up kicking their butts for not signing someone special. Do you know of a book/author that has been underappreciated and everyone should read his/her book?TD: In late 2000s, 2007 or 2008, I watched a television conference on CSPAN, where a panel of New York editors talked about their publishing and sales problems. They were tasked with physically going to book stores to learn what books people were buying. Too, it wasn’t other cities like Boston, Nashville, Denver or L.A. that they went to for this research. Just New York. They were shocked by what they learned, just by their New York City data. But it brought to light that so many of their problems of not being in touch with the reading public. They can create their own waves of sales and media attention, yet their huge clout and promotions had hit some sort of wall, or limits. A part of the “large house” system is the vetting by the only agents they recognize or use, and who are presumably all over the country. I think this vetting system is elitist, another story, and flawed. We’d all like an agent, but they’re only human, trying to find the “middle masses” and the next winner, just like a flock of bookies at the track.This is really tough for me, as I was not one to read small press titles or authors. If it was hardbound it was big to me. Except Louis Lamour westerns, only because I never saw a hardbound of his, only mass paperbacks. So, besides you and me, I can name three other Black Opal Press authors I’ve read, who are great writers. I read two of those three when they were published by other presses. To be fair, to go outside of our own publisher, I read last year The Vesuvius Isotope by Kristin Elise. It is a medical mystery with an archeology connection, travel, and ancient cure – with a murder of course. It is so well written.
AC: And on another note, there are books whose reviews and bestseller lists rave greatness, but the story, the characters, or the premise is either a copy cat of something really good or it sucks all together. Do you know of a book like that?TD: I don’t consider myself well read. I bought Clancey’s Hunt for the Red October in paperback, after it had become a sensation. Then during a phase of buying hardbounds for my meager library, I bought his Executive Orders, Debt of Honor, and Without Remorse. All grand original stories. I liked the way he used the same characters, and the Kelly character who went deep undercover after a faked death. I was bothered by his use of the word capacious to describe Kelly’s abode once. I had a hard time getting into Debt of Honor because of the verbose minor character stories. I always learned something. But, at some point I gave up, and quit buying.I have a signed copy of a Jane Smiley novel, but I am having trouble getting through it.
AC: What do you think is more important: A great story, a great cover, or a great promotion?TD: The order for me is: 1. Cover, 2. Great Story, 3. Promotion. In a college art class we had to tack assignments on the wall for a critique. The instructor then had all students comment their pros and cons. The first thing is, that one sees immediately what pieces stand out from the others. It’s an immediate visual thing. Too, the story has to be as original and stand out from the others. Then you have something to promote.
AC: And speaking of promotion. It has become the author’s worst nightmare as they have less time to write with having to promote so much since the bookworld is a business after all. What is your strategy? Have you found a promotion tool that works every time?TD: Between 2006, my first jumping in with marketing, to this time with a new book out, so much has changed. I don’t feel I know enough to answer, “what works best” in today’s environment. I’ll know more in six months. However I have been studying, and implementing the advice from other successful authors and connections, thanks to author Sunny Frazier. She has her own take on all this and methods, and I have tried to follow much of it all as my release date approached of last June 14. Here are my main steps: 1. Use email for hard sales, 2. Contact other bloggers, authors and pros for help, and blog tours like we are doing, 3. Blog posts on my blog, 4. Link on social media sites, 5. Arrange my own real signing events, 6. Contacting print media for covering signing events and release information. I also did a web streamed/TV interview offered from a LinkedIN contact in our area.We’ll see.
AC: And finally, do your characters take on some qualities of people you know? TD: Sure. It’s a good exercise to have real life models that are a basic character, even if you change them. It’s good to verbalize and describe different personalities you know. In many ways, I don’t “read” people very well. People are different, but have same feelings as others. Too, people have differing motivations. Maybe we have to be amateur shrinks – not therapeutic, but observational.
Will Rogers said that he never met a person he didn’t like. Most of us are not like that. I try.
When a dying friend and fellow Civil War reenactor asks California physician Hank Houston to find his daughter’s killer, Hank has no idea what problems his snooping will cause. The last thing he expected to uncover was a US murder squad being run by the DHS. But this domestic black ops unit is determined not to be exposed and, as Hank gets closer to the truth, he discovers just how far they will go to hide all their dirty little secrets. Tim Desmond was raised in Madera, California. He attended, on scholarship, California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, CA. Later, after graduating from California State University Fresno with a BA degree in Zoology, he earned his Teaching Credential. While writing since the college years, he taught biology, chemistry and physics for thirty-six years before retiring. He has written two novels, in 2005 a World War II flashback For Thou Art With Me and in 2009 the conspiracy thriller ebook version The Doc. He spends time painting and Civil War reenacting. He lives with his wife Bobbi in Fresno, California.
Email: bobbitimdesmond@att.net
Amazon author page at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00694KQQO
Writing at: http://timothydesmond.wordpress.com
Art at: http://artbydesmond.wordpress.comAvailable at:Black Opal Books at: http://www.blackopalbooks.comAmazon: http://www.amazon.comBarnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/Kobohttp://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/All Romance: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/
June 25, 2014
Interview With Megan Cyrulewski
Guess who came to my corner today. Megan Cyrulewski, that't who. Megan is the author of a soon to be released book, Who Am I? So, let's get to know her a little better. Shall we?
When did you know you wanted to be an author?I tried my hand at writing when I was in college (about 15 years ago.) I wrote a book that never saw the light of day because it was horrible. The adage, “the older you get, the wiser you are” is definitely true!
Do you remember the first thing you’ve ever written? What was it? How was it received?I remember I had to write a short story in 3rdgrade. It was supposed to be set in the 19th century.) I had to illustrate it too and if you don’t know me, just know that my stick figures even look horrible. Anyway, the setting I got right, but for some reason, I added a swimming pool, a refrigerator and my goldfish to the story. Obviously, I had my priorities straight. Suprisingly, my teacher marked me down for my “modern conveniences.”
How do you grow a thick skin against rejection?It’s hard, I’m not going to lie. Here you are, having written what you consider a brilliant piece of work and agents are rejecting it left and right. All I can say is that the agents don’t know you. You have about 3 paragraphs in a query letter to impress them. That’s hard for anyone so don’t take it personally.
What was it like to receive the YES for publishing?Scary, exciting, surreal, crazy, joyous, and probably many more emotions!
When do you write? And do you have some sort of a ritual?I honestly wish I could have more time to write. I don’t have a set schedule because my daughter is only 3 ½ years-old. Hopefully when she goes to school fulltime starting this September, I will be able to set aside time just to devote to writing.
What do you hope to achieve by sharing your stories?My book has two main messages: First, neverfeel ashamed if you seek treatment for postpartum depression. It is a serious mental health issue and the best think you can do for you and your child is seek help; and second, emotional domestic violence is just as painful as physical domestic violence.
Favorite book?“Not Without My Daughter” by Betty Mahmoody. I’ve read it so many times, the cover has fallen off.
Favorite movie?“Singing in the Rain.” I’m a sucker for old movies/musicals.
Favorite calorie loaded food/snack?Popcorn
And favorite one liner.“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
You can find out more about Megan here: www.megancyrulewski.com and ask her questions yourself here mcyrulewski@hotmail.com
When did you know you wanted to be an author?I tried my hand at writing when I was in college (about 15 years ago.) I wrote a book that never saw the light of day because it was horrible. The adage, “the older you get, the wiser you are” is definitely true!
Do you remember the first thing you’ve ever written? What was it? How was it received?I remember I had to write a short story in 3rdgrade. It was supposed to be set in the 19th century.) I had to illustrate it too and if you don’t know me, just know that my stick figures even look horrible. Anyway, the setting I got right, but for some reason, I added a swimming pool, a refrigerator and my goldfish to the story. Obviously, I had my priorities straight. Suprisingly, my teacher marked me down for my “modern conveniences.”
How do you grow a thick skin against rejection?It’s hard, I’m not going to lie. Here you are, having written what you consider a brilliant piece of work and agents are rejecting it left and right. All I can say is that the agents don’t know you. You have about 3 paragraphs in a query letter to impress them. That’s hard for anyone so don’t take it personally.
What was it like to receive the YES for publishing?Scary, exciting, surreal, crazy, joyous, and probably many more emotions!
When do you write? And do you have some sort of a ritual?I honestly wish I could have more time to write. I don’t have a set schedule because my daughter is only 3 ½ years-old. Hopefully when she goes to school fulltime starting this September, I will be able to set aside time just to devote to writing.
What do you hope to achieve by sharing your stories?My book has two main messages: First, neverfeel ashamed if you seek treatment for postpartum depression. It is a serious mental health issue and the best think you can do for you and your child is seek help; and second, emotional domestic violence is just as painful as physical domestic violence.
Favorite book?“Not Without My Daughter” by Betty Mahmoody. I’ve read it so many times, the cover has fallen off.
Favorite movie?“Singing in the Rain.” I’m a sucker for old movies/musicals.
Favorite calorie loaded food/snack?Popcorn
And favorite one liner.“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
You can find out more about Megan here: www.megancyrulewski.com and ask her questions yourself here mcyrulewski@hotmail.com
June 16, 2014
It's All in the Lines...
Today I'm super excited to have the spooky Jami Gray on my blog. She's peculiar, fascinating, intriguing, and mysterious. And when she grabs a pen...well, it's mightier than a sword. So watch out. Without further ado, here she is. JAMI GRAY
I’m a writer of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Suspense, which translates to—I not only believe in the strange and unusual, I’m generally promoting it. Recently, I made my first trip to New Orleans. I didn’t get a chance to do all that I wanted, but I got to tick a few things off my bucket list. Don’t worry, I’ll be back, there are too many things left unvisited—cemeteries, the swamp, and plantations, just to name a few.
Since Aneta is a lover of the strange, I thought I’d share my visit to Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo (http://www.voodooneworleans.com).
First to give you a sense of setting—in the French Quarter, especially the closer you get to Bourbon Street and Royal Street, the smell can knock you into the next life faster than a horse drawn carriage if you’re not careful. Cobbled streets lined with bars, shops and art galleries crouch below balconied homes. There are realtor signs letting you know if one condo comes with it’s own ghost or not. (Kid you not!) AC: Sorry to jump int, but isn't this awesome?
People abound, on the sidewalk, in the shops and bars and on the streets themselves. I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to try forcing a car down those narrow strips. My hubby, BFF, and I are making are way down the sidewalk when we see the sign: Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo.
We go up two cement steps, brush by a couple with a stroller heading out, and find ourselves surrounded by strange masks, chicken feet, hand crafted mojo bags, gris-gris, and voodoo dolls. Any and everything designed to help you maneuver your way through the modern karmic world.
Immediately, I’m drawn to the colorful collection of candles nestled next to the beautiful, but strangely disturbing alter to the Voodoo Queen herself, Marie Laveau. There are gris-gris, cooled wax, bits and pieces of past offerings while signs warning customers “NO TOUCHING” stand guard. Not to mention the shop’s proprietress who has to reiterate the point to one or two customers who somehow miss the signage.
For all the strange items cluttering the walls, shelves and ceiling (oh yes, there were things hanging from the rafters—voodoo dolls, masks, hand-made crosses), there was a quiet peacefulness to the shop.
Eventually BFF and I make it to the back, submit our names for a palm reading. We patiently wait our turn, debating if we want to pick up some chicken feet or a decorative skull (yep, that’s me).
Our readings are individual. I slip inside to find a white haired woman who could have been any one of the many authors currently invading New Orleans that week. She has a sweet smile and the steadiest gaze I’ve ever encountered. She reads my palm, gives me some interesting insights.Then she picks up a well-worn stack of playing cards with, of all things, playing kittens on the back make their way through her hands. I keep my questions silent and let the cards fall where they may. She used a standard Tarot layout the first time, but with each following draw, the layout changes. It’s been awhile since I’ve dusted off my own Tarot deck, so I’m not sure which patterns she used, but what she gave me—hmmm, the future holds some interesting times.
Nope, won’t share, because I’m a firm believer readings are to be kept personal. I will tell you, I’m curious to see how much she gave me comes about.
My BFF and I did compare notes, because you have to enter some of these readings with a dose of skepticism. Yet, there was enough individual predictions in the readings to make us both believe there are some truths in them.
Now, is it a chicken and egg thing? Will our futures fall into what the woman saw because that’s what we believe will happen, or will it happen that way because that’s the way it’s suppose to? I’ll leave the answer up to higher powers to answer, for now I’ll keep on, keeping on and we’ll see what the future brings.
Do you think there’s an element of truth behind
Bio:Jami Gray grew up on the Arizona-Mexico border, and was adopted at the age of 14 to suddenly become the fifth eldest of 37 children. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and three minors-History, English, and Theater. (Decision-making was not her forte at the time.) Shortly after marrying her techie-geek hubby (who moonlighted as her best friend in high school) she completed a Masters in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix Oregon.
Now, years later, she’s back in the Southwest where she’s outnumbered in her own home by two Star Wars obsessed boys, one Star Warsobsessed husband, and an overly-friendly, 105-pound male lab. Delving into the wild paranormal worlds where romance collides with suspense and Urban Fantasy is queen, manages to salvage her sanity. Or so we let her believe...
Blurb for Shadow’s Edge:Everyone fears what hunts in the shadows—especially the monsters…
It takes a monster to hunt one, and for Raine McCord, forged in the maelstrom of magic and science, she’s the one for the job. In a world where the supernatural live in a shadowy existence with the mundane, a series of disappearances and deaths threatens the secrecy of her kind and indicates someone knows the monsters are alive and kicking. Partnering up with the sexy and tantalizing Gavin Durand proves to be a challenge as dangerous as the prey she hunts.
When the trail points back to the foundation which warped Raine’s magic as a child, her torturous past raises its ugly head. Gavin and Raine sift through a maze of lies, murder and betrayal to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.
Blurb for Shadow’s Soul:Some nightmares are born of love…
Raine McCord has no problem taking down the monsters of the world, it’s one of the reasons she’s so good at her job. So playing bodyguard to Cheveyo, head Magi of the Northwest, as he consults with the Southwest Kyn should be an easy assignment. Unfortunately, simple task turns into a nightmare when Cheveyo is kidnapped and Raine is left for dead by one of the Kyn’s most feared beings, a Soul Stealer.
The Stealer’s attack leaves lasting wounds, undermining Raine’s confidence as a warrior and damaging her unruly magic. Her ability to heal her mind and spirit hinges on the one man who can touch her soul, Gavin Durand. Compelled to face the emotions raging between them, they must embrace not only their stormy relationship but their evolving magic to escape the twisted threads of murder and betrayal to find Cheveyo.
As Raine and Gavin come together and begin to unravel the complex web of secrets and hidden vendettas haunting the Southwest Kyn, they discover unsettling new truths that threaten their very existence.
Blurb for Wrapped in Shadows:The magic of the holidays can be hell…
Celebrations abound during the holidays, but this Christmas an engagement celebration goes horrifically wrong. What appears to be a simple murder/suicide hides a vicious surprise. The type of gift Raine and Gavin, elite member of the Kyn, didn’t want humans to unwrap, because revealing the monsters in the shadows isn’t the way to spread holiday cheer.
Blurb for Shadow’s Moon:Even a wild heart can be broken…
A blonde, a brunette and a monster walk into a bar and all hell breaks loose.
It should have been the start of a bad joke, but days from a full moon Xander Cade, Tracker for the Northwest Motoki Pack, finds nothing funny about confronting an enraged Shifter in a crowded Portland nightclub filled with unsuspecting humans. The resulting carnage frays an already thin veil of secrecy shielding the supernatural Kyn community from public scrutiny, and ensures she can’t escape the one man she’s been determined to avoid, her Alpha and mate, Warrick Vidis. Dominating, protective and compelling, Warrick threatens her individuality like no other.
As the Northwest Alpha wolf, compromise isn’t in Warrick Vidis’s vocabulary, but when his reluctant mate, Xander Cade, refuses to leave off the hunt for a killer, he has no qualms using whoever or whatever necessary to protect her or his pack. A series of unusual deaths involving lone wolves, along with anonymous threats against him and his Pack, begin to jeopardize his normal steely control. Add in Xander’s continual reluctance to fully accept their Soul bond, and the line between intellect and instinct begins to blur, leaving him wondering if one woman’s love and acceptance will be enough to save both man and wolf. As the danger escalates, threatening not just their Pack but those closest to them, Warrick and Xander must find a way to trust each other and accept their rare bond or risk losing everything-their pack, their friends and each other.
Blurb for Hunted by the Past:Sometimes death is the only way to out run the past…
A reluctant psychic who can relive the past, a man well versed in keeping secrets, and a psychopathic killer enter a deadly game where the past determines the future.
Changing the past is an impossibility ex-Marine, Cynthia “Cyn” Arden, understands all too well. Struggling in the aftermath of a botched mission, which cost her two teammates, her military career, and a fledging relationship, she’s brought home by a panicked phone call. The psychic killer behind her nightmares has escaped military custody to hunt down the remaining teammates, one by one. Next on his murderous list--Cyn. Her only chance at survival is to master the psychic ability she’s spent years denying.
The killer’s game brings her face to face with the one person guaranteed to throw her off kilter—the unsettling and distracting man she left behind, Kayden Shaw. Once she believed he’d stand by her side, until he chose his job and his secrets over her. A choice that’s left the scars of the past etched deep on her mind and heart.
To survive this twisted game, Cyn must risk trusting her heart and accepting who and what she is, or lose not only her life, but the man she loves. Available Now: Shadow’s Edge: Book 1 of the Kyn Kronicles
Shadow’s Soul: Book 2 of the Kyn Kronicles, Paranormal Romance Winner of 2012 Shooting Star
Wrapped in Shadows (.5) part of Things That Go Bump For The Holidays—A Collection of Short Stories
NOW AVAILABLE: Shadow’s Moon: Book 3 of the Kyn Kronicles, 2013 Golden Claddagh Finalist
Coming in July 11th, 2014 from Muse It Up Publishing: Hunted by the Past: Book 1 of the PSY-IV Teams
And Fall 2014 brings Shadow’s Curse: Book 4 of the Kyn Kronicles.
You can find me at:
Black Opal Books: www.BlackOpalBooks.com
Muse It Up Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com
Website: www.JamiGray.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JamiGrayUFWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamiGrayAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/JamiGray
Google+: https://google.com/+JamiGray
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B006HU3HJI
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/LvoZn
BUY LINKS: You can find all the buy links for both books in all formats at:
http://jamigray.com/kynkronicles/
http://jamigray.com/psyivteams/
Or you can use the following:
THE KYN KRONICLES:
Shadow’s Edge: Bk 1 of Kyn Kronicles
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061CAXJ4
Nook: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Shadows-Edge-The-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-1/Jami-Gray/e/2940013239838
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039sedgethekynkroniclesbook1-625433-139.html
Black Opal Books: http://blackopalbooks.com/blackopalstore/product/56-shadows-edge
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101023
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shad...
Shadow’s Soul:Bk 2 of the Kyn Kronicles
Black Opal Books: http://blackopalbooks.com/blackopalstore/product/57-shadows-soul
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B008DIZ9OI
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039ssoulthekynkroniclesbook2-848561-139.html
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-soul-the-kyn-kronicles-book-2-jami-gray/1111742135?ean=2940014698955
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174291
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shad...
I’m a writer of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Suspense, which translates to—I not only believe in the strange and unusual, I’m generally promoting it. Recently, I made my first trip to New Orleans. I didn’t get a chance to do all that I wanted, but I got to tick a few things off my bucket list. Don’t worry, I’ll be back, there are too many things left unvisited—cemeteries, the swamp, and plantations, just to name a few.Since Aneta is a lover of the strange, I thought I’d share my visit to Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo (http://www.voodooneworleans.com).
First to give you a sense of setting—in the French Quarter, especially the closer you get to Bourbon Street and Royal Street, the smell can knock you into the next life faster than a horse drawn carriage if you’re not careful. Cobbled streets lined with bars, shops and art galleries crouch below balconied homes. There are realtor signs letting you know if one condo comes with it’s own ghost or not. (Kid you not!) AC: Sorry to jump int, but isn't this awesome?
People abound, on the sidewalk, in the shops and bars and on the streets themselves. I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to try forcing a car down those narrow strips. My hubby, BFF, and I are making are way down the sidewalk when we see the sign: Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo.
We go up two cement steps, brush by a couple with a stroller heading out, and find ourselves surrounded by strange masks, chicken feet, hand crafted mojo bags, gris-gris, and voodoo dolls. Any and everything designed to help you maneuver your way through the modern karmic world.
Immediately, I’m drawn to the colorful collection of candles nestled next to the beautiful, but strangely disturbing alter to the Voodoo Queen herself, Marie Laveau. There are gris-gris, cooled wax, bits and pieces of past offerings while signs warning customers “NO TOUCHING” stand guard. Not to mention the shop’s proprietress who has to reiterate the point to one or two customers who somehow miss the signage.
For all the strange items cluttering the walls, shelves and ceiling (oh yes, there were things hanging from the rafters—voodoo dolls, masks, hand-made crosses), there was a quiet peacefulness to the shop.
Eventually BFF and I make it to the back, submit our names for a palm reading. We patiently wait our turn, debating if we want to pick up some chicken feet or a decorative skull (yep, that’s me).
Our readings are individual. I slip inside to find a white haired woman who could have been any one of the many authors currently invading New Orleans that week. She has a sweet smile and the steadiest gaze I’ve ever encountered. She reads my palm, gives me some interesting insights.Then she picks up a well-worn stack of playing cards with, of all things, playing kittens on the back make their way through her hands. I keep my questions silent and let the cards fall where they may. She used a standard Tarot layout the first time, but with each following draw, the layout changes. It’s been awhile since I’ve dusted off my own Tarot deck, so I’m not sure which patterns she used, but what she gave me—hmmm, the future holds some interesting times.
Nope, won’t share, because I’m a firm believer readings are to be kept personal. I will tell you, I’m curious to see how much she gave me comes about.
My BFF and I did compare notes, because you have to enter some of these readings with a dose of skepticism. Yet, there was enough individual predictions in the readings to make us both believe there are some truths in them.
Now, is it a chicken and egg thing? Will our futures fall into what the woman saw because that’s what we believe will happen, or will it happen that way because that’s the way it’s suppose to? I’ll leave the answer up to higher powers to answer, for now I’ll keep on, keeping on and we’ll see what the future brings.
Do you think there’s an element of truth behind
Bio:Jami Gray grew up on the Arizona-Mexico border, and was adopted at the age of 14 to suddenly become the fifth eldest of 37 children. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and three minors-History, English, and Theater. (Decision-making was not her forte at the time.) Shortly after marrying her techie-geek hubby (who moonlighted as her best friend in high school) she completed a Masters in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix Oregon.
Now, years later, she’s back in the Southwest where she’s outnumbered in her own home by two Star Wars obsessed boys, one Star Warsobsessed husband, and an overly-friendly, 105-pound male lab. Delving into the wild paranormal worlds where romance collides with suspense and Urban Fantasy is queen, manages to salvage her sanity. Or so we let her believe...
Blurb for Shadow’s Edge:Everyone fears what hunts in the shadows—especially the monsters…
It takes a monster to hunt one, and for Raine McCord, forged in the maelstrom of magic and science, she’s the one for the job. In a world where the supernatural live in a shadowy existence with the mundane, a series of disappearances and deaths threatens the secrecy of her kind and indicates someone knows the monsters are alive and kicking. Partnering up with the sexy and tantalizing Gavin Durand proves to be a challenge as dangerous as the prey she hunts.
When the trail points back to the foundation which warped Raine’s magic as a child, her torturous past raises its ugly head. Gavin and Raine sift through a maze of lies, murder and betrayal to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.
Blurb for Shadow’s Soul:Some nightmares are born of love…
Raine McCord has no problem taking down the monsters of the world, it’s one of the reasons she’s so good at her job. So playing bodyguard to Cheveyo, head Magi of the Northwest, as he consults with the Southwest Kyn should be an easy assignment. Unfortunately, simple task turns into a nightmare when Cheveyo is kidnapped and Raine is left for dead by one of the Kyn’s most feared beings, a Soul Stealer.
The Stealer’s attack leaves lasting wounds, undermining Raine’s confidence as a warrior and damaging her unruly magic. Her ability to heal her mind and spirit hinges on the one man who can touch her soul, Gavin Durand. Compelled to face the emotions raging between them, they must embrace not only their stormy relationship but their evolving magic to escape the twisted threads of murder and betrayal to find Cheveyo.
As Raine and Gavin come together and begin to unravel the complex web of secrets and hidden vendettas haunting the Southwest Kyn, they discover unsettling new truths that threaten their very existence.
Blurb for Wrapped in Shadows:The magic of the holidays can be hell…
Celebrations abound during the holidays, but this Christmas an engagement celebration goes horrifically wrong. What appears to be a simple murder/suicide hides a vicious surprise. The type of gift Raine and Gavin, elite member of the Kyn, didn’t want humans to unwrap, because revealing the monsters in the shadows isn’t the way to spread holiday cheer.
Blurb for Shadow’s Moon:Even a wild heart can be broken…
A blonde, a brunette and a monster walk into a bar and all hell breaks loose.
It should have been the start of a bad joke, but days from a full moon Xander Cade, Tracker for the Northwest Motoki Pack, finds nothing funny about confronting an enraged Shifter in a crowded Portland nightclub filled with unsuspecting humans. The resulting carnage frays an already thin veil of secrecy shielding the supernatural Kyn community from public scrutiny, and ensures she can’t escape the one man she’s been determined to avoid, her Alpha and mate, Warrick Vidis. Dominating, protective and compelling, Warrick threatens her individuality like no other.
As the Northwest Alpha wolf, compromise isn’t in Warrick Vidis’s vocabulary, but when his reluctant mate, Xander Cade, refuses to leave off the hunt for a killer, he has no qualms using whoever or whatever necessary to protect her or his pack. A series of unusual deaths involving lone wolves, along with anonymous threats against him and his Pack, begin to jeopardize his normal steely control. Add in Xander’s continual reluctance to fully accept their Soul bond, and the line between intellect and instinct begins to blur, leaving him wondering if one woman’s love and acceptance will be enough to save both man and wolf. As the danger escalates, threatening not just their Pack but those closest to them, Warrick and Xander must find a way to trust each other and accept their rare bond or risk losing everything-their pack, their friends and each other.
Blurb for Hunted by the Past:Sometimes death is the only way to out run the past…
A reluctant psychic who can relive the past, a man well versed in keeping secrets, and a psychopathic killer enter a deadly game where the past determines the future.
Changing the past is an impossibility ex-Marine, Cynthia “Cyn” Arden, understands all too well. Struggling in the aftermath of a botched mission, which cost her two teammates, her military career, and a fledging relationship, she’s brought home by a panicked phone call. The psychic killer behind her nightmares has escaped military custody to hunt down the remaining teammates, one by one. Next on his murderous list--Cyn. Her only chance at survival is to master the psychic ability she’s spent years denying.
The killer’s game brings her face to face with the one person guaranteed to throw her off kilter—the unsettling and distracting man she left behind, Kayden Shaw. Once she believed he’d stand by her side, until he chose his job and his secrets over her. A choice that’s left the scars of the past etched deep on her mind and heart.
To survive this twisted game, Cyn must risk trusting her heart and accepting who and what she is, or lose not only her life, but the man she loves. Available Now: Shadow’s Edge: Book 1 of the Kyn Kronicles
Shadow’s Soul: Book 2 of the Kyn Kronicles, Paranormal Romance Winner of 2012 Shooting Star
Wrapped in Shadows (.5) part of Things That Go Bump For The Holidays—A Collection of Short Stories
NOW AVAILABLE: Shadow’s Moon: Book 3 of the Kyn Kronicles, 2013 Golden Claddagh Finalist
Coming in July 11th, 2014 from Muse It Up Publishing: Hunted by the Past: Book 1 of the PSY-IV Teams
And Fall 2014 brings Shadow’s Curse: Book 4 of the Kyn Kronicles.
You can find me at:
Black Opal Books: www.BlackOpalBooks.com
Muse It Up Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com
Website: www.JamiGray.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JamiGrayUFWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamiGrayAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/JamiGray
Google+: https://google.com/+JamiGray
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B006HU3HJI
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/LvoZn
BUY LINKS: You can find all the buy links for both books in all formats at:
http://jamigray.com/kynkronicles/
http://jamigray.com/psyivteams/
Or you can use the following:
THE KYN KRONICLES:
Shadow’s Edge: Bk 1 of Kyn Kronicles
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061CAXJ4
Nook: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Shadows-Edge-The-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-1/Jami-Gray/e/2940013239838
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039sedgethekynkroniclesbook1-625433-139.html
Black Opal Books: http://blackopalbooks.com/blackopalstore/product/56-shadows-edge
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101023
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shad...
Shadow’s Soul:Bk 2 of the Kyn Kronicles
Black Opal Books: http://blackopalbooks.com/blackopalstore/product/57-shadows-soul
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B008DIZ9OI
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039ssoulthekynkroniclesbook2-848561-139.html
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-soul-the-kyn-kronicles-book-2-jami-gray/1111742135?ean=2940014698955
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174291
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shad...
May 14, 2014
Interview with the Cupcake Cupid, Melissa Groeling
There are very few authors whose guts I admire because of their pursuit to take on something difficult, such as a subject that's usually a taboo or people just don't like to talk about or it raises the hairs on the back of their necks. No, I'm not talking about horror as in the genre but about horror as in real life. One of the authors who gets a bow of admiration from me is MELISSA GROELING who tackles themes that dig super deep into the human soul. Last year, I read Ms. Groeling's Traffic Jam and was stunned by her accurate portrayal of human trafficking. This time around, Ms. Groeling doesn't disappoint as she takes the themes of child abuse even deeper and makes them more visual in Lights Out. Her books are no sort of lovey-dovey-scratch-the-surface-of-some-cruelty-everyone-is-happy-in-the-end type of stories. They hit the nail on the head; they make you think; and most importantly, they make you wonder what you would do should you ever witness such horrors.
Without further ado, here's Ms. Melissa Groeling!
Welcome, Melissa. You're the biggest cupcake lover I know, so please accept these homemade red velvet cupcakes with whipped cream frosting.
Thanks so much for having me, Aneta. It’s good to be here. Hey look! I brought cupcakes for us to munch on, too. Hope you like chocolate!
Did you say chocolate? I think we'll end the interview now and just dig in. One can never have enough cupcakes or chocolate, for that matter.
[after full bellies and some crumbs around our mouths we contently continue]
AC: I read your novel Traffic Jam last year. It deals with some really dark elements, such as human trafficking. Do you explore the dark side of humanity again in Lights Out?
Oh yeah. In fact, Lights Out takes it one step further. I kept out a lot of graphic material in Traffic Jam, mainly because it was geared towards young adults. But Lights Out is no holds barred. In some ways it shares a lot of the underlying themes of Traffic Jam, but it goes a lot deeper. It really explores what people are truly capable of doing in certain situations. And it’s not pretty.
AC: What inspired you to write Lights Outand how much research went into it? Any personal experiences?
I’ll tell you what, if I had any personal experience that went into this story, I’d be in a padded cell, wearing a straight jacket. The entire plot was so outside of my realm of experience that a lot of research had to be done. I added my own twist to things but after I was done with the story, my browser was full of the creepiest things ever.***Gosh, my browser was like that when I did research for The Guardian.
AC: How do you write? Do you outline and follow chapter by chapter, or do you wait until the story’s magnitude can’t be contained in your mind and you have to pour it out on paper?
I have often tried to write using an outline but it just doesn’t work for me. I know authors who use white boards, sticky notes, all types of things to keep everything straight but my head gets so filled up, I end up forgetting half of it, which sends me through the roof because my pen can’t keep up! So usually I just write and see what happens and hopefully it’s something good!***Yes, I agree. I do the same thing.
AC: Stephen King says “you only have a season (3 months) to write a book” after that, you should abandon it and work on something else entirely, then come back 6 weeks later, re-read, and start revising. Do you agree? How long does it take to write a good story?
I totally agree with abandoning a story then coming back later to revise. That gives you a chance to clear your head. But 3 months? If I didn’t have to work full-time then that would definitely be doable. But I need a paycheck so 3 months turns into about 1 year…maybe 1 year and a half, depending on how many brick walls the writing hits. J***Same here. I need a paycheck, so writing usually takes a back seat.
AC: Do you have a book to which you constantly go back and from which you constantly draw inspiration? If so, which is it and by whom?
Wow, that is a really good question. Let’s see, I don’t have a favorite book, per say, but anything written by Christopher Rice tends to kick me in the right direction. His handle on human emotion is completely awesome and real. Dean Koontz’s earlier books have always inspired me in the weird department and Dan Simmons is great with the atmospheric element.
AC: With the flood of self-published authors, small presses, and vanity presses, I feel like the “big houses” have a lot of competition. They are very selective and often end up kicking their butts for not signing someone special. Do you know of a book/author that/who has been underappreciated and everyone should read his/her book?
Oh, man, there are so many underappreciated authors out there—yourself included, Aneta---I can’t pick just one. I think the “big houses” need to get with the program and start branching out to the smaller presses and the self-publishing programs. I can’t stand that so many of the big publishing companies won’t even consider someone who doesn’t have an agent. I mean, if that’s the only deciding factor, then they’re missing out…big time.***Awww. Thanks for the compliment and right back at ya.
AC: And on another note, there are books whose reviews and bestseller lists rave greatness, but the story, the characters, or the premise is either a copy cat of something really good or it sucks all together. Do you know of a book like that?
Oh…my…God, Aneta, this happens to me ALL THE TIME! Sorry about the caps but seriously, it’s always so disappointing when a book doesn’t live up to the hype. I mean, I know this business is completely subjective but even so, you have to wonder how these books get published in the first place. I remember giving the Twilight series a shot. I thought, hey, they were going to make it into a movie so I wanted to get the book in first because you know the movies are never as good as the books. Needless to say, I was so disappointed with it, I didn’t even finish it. And the rest of the series? Didn’t even touch it. I know there are so many people who’ve enjoyed that series but to this day, I can’t understand all the hype. It confuses me. (sorry, all you Twi-hard fans out there.)***No need to apologize for the caps. I've also tried to read Twilight and almost passed out in agony. How did that ever get published, I will never understand.
AC: What do you think is more important: A great story, a great cover, or a great promotion?
That’s a tricky question. All three are so important. You need a great story to tell. You need a great cover to catch the eye and you need to always promote the heck out of it. All three go hand-in-hand but now that I think about it, how can you tell if you’ve written a great story? You may like it. Your mom may like it. Your writing group may like it too. But if the random reader doesn’t like it at all, then what? It’s a tough thing to balance but then again, to quote the great Tom Hanks from A League of Their Own, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t, everyone would do it.”
AC: And finally, do your characters take on some qualities of the people you know?
Oh yeah and man is that fun. I’ll never admit it either even when someone asks me, “hey, is that me?” I always reply, “I don’t know. Is it?”***LOL. It's so fantastic to have that kind of power. Aaah, it's good to be a writer.
LIGHTS OUT blurb: Even when the lights are out, he can still see you… Paul Holten’s profession doesn’t leave much room for doubt or conscience but he’s reaching his breaking point. The nightmares are getting worse, the jobs are getting harder to finish and the volatile relationship with his boss, Aaron, is falling apart. Now faced with the possibility of an impending death sentence, Paul makes the fatal decision to run. Drawn into one hellish situation after another, he’s forced to confront his dark past---and wonder if perhaps dying isn’t the better option.
AUTHOR'S BIOMelissa Groeling graduated from Bloomsburg University with a degree in English. She lives, reads and writes in the Philadelphia region and wherever else life happens to send her. She is a hardcore New York Giants fan and loves chocolate. Lights Out is her second novel to date.
You can find Melissa Groeling and her books here: http://www.facebook.com/melissa.groelinghttps://twitter.com/#!/stringbean10http://melissagroeling.blogspot.com/http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3AMelissa+Groeling&keywords=Melissa+Groeling&ie=UTF8&qid=1337714550&sr=1-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B0080S7E6Whttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15765289-traffic-jamhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/traffic-jam-melissa-groeling/1110290578http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/165385http://www.doylestownbookshop.com/book/9781937329471
Without further ado, here's Ms. Melissa Groeling!
Welcome, Melissa. You're the biggest cupcake lover I know, so please accept these homemade red velvet cupcakes with whipped cream frosting.
Thanks so much for having me, Aneta. It’s good to be here. Hey look! I brought cupcakes for us to munch on, too. Hope you like chocolate!
Did you say chocolate? I think we'll end the interview now and just dig in. One can never have enough cupcakes or chocolate, for that matter.
[after full bellies and some crumbs around our mouths we contently continue]
AC: I read your novel Traffic Jam last year. It deals with some really dark elements, such as human trafficking. Do you explore the dark side of humanity again in Lights Out?
Oh yeah. In fact, Lights Out takes it one step further. I kept out a lot of graphic material in Traffic Jam, mainly because it was geared towards young adults. But Lights Out is no holds barred. In some ways it shares a lot of the underlying themes of Traffic Jam, but it goes a lot deeper. It really explores what people are truly capable of doing in certain situations. And it’s not pretty.
AC: What inspired you to write Lights Outand how much research went into it? Any personal experiences?
I’ll tell you what, if I had any personal experience that went into this story, I’d be in a padded cell, wearing a straight jacket. The entire plot was so outside of my realm of experience that a lot of research had to be done. I added my own twist to things but after I was done with the story, my browser was full of the creepiest things ever.***Gosh, my browser was like that when I did research for The Guardian.
AC: How do you write? Do you outline and follow chapter by chapter, or do you wait until the story’s magnitude can’t be contained in your mind and you have to pour it out on paper?
I have often tried to write using an outline but it just doesn’t work for me. I know authors who use white boards, sticky notes, all types of things to keep everything straight but my head gets so filled up, I end up forgetting half of it, which sends me through the roof because my pen can’t keep up! So usually I just write and see what happens and hopefully it’s something good!***Yes, I agree. I do the same thing.
AC: Stephen King says “you only have a season (3 months) to write a book” after that, you should abandon it and work on something else entirely, then come back 6 weeks later, re-read, and start revising. Do you agree? How long does it take to write a good story?
I totally agree with abandoning a story then coming back later to revise. That gives you a chance to clear your head. But 3 months? If I didn’t have to work full-time then that would definitely be doable. But I need a paycheck so 3 months turns into about 1 year…maybe 1 year and a half, depending on how many brick walls the writing hits. J***Same here. I need a paycheck, so writing usually takes a back seat.
AC: Do you have a book to which you constantly go back and from which you constantly draw inspiration? If so, which is it and by whom?
Wow, that is a really good question. Let’s see, I don’t have a favorite book, per say, but anything written by Christopher Rice tends to kick me in the right direction. His handle on human emotion is completely awesome and real. Dean Koontz’s earlier books have always inspired me in the weird department and Dan Simmons is great with the atmospheric element.
AC: With the flood of self-published authors, small presses, and vanity presses, I feel like the “big houses” have a lot of competition. They are very selective and often end up kicking their butts for not signing someone special. Do you know of a book/author that/who has been underappreciated and everyone should read his/her book?
Oh, man, there are so many underappreciated authors out there—yourself included, Aneta---I can’t pick just one. I think the “big houses” need to get with the program and start branching out to the smaller presses and the self-publishing programs. I can’t stand that so many of the big publishing companies won’t even consider someone who doesn’t have an agent. I mean, if that’s the only deciding factor, then they’re missing out…big time.***Awww. Thanks for the compliment and right back at ya.
AC: And on another note, there are books whose reviews and bestseller lists rave greatness, but the story, the characters, or the premise is either a copy cat of something really good or it sucks all together. Do you know of a book like that?
Oh…my…God, Aneta, this happens to me ALL THE TIME! Sorry about the caps but seriously, it’s always so disappointing when a book doesn’t live up to the hype. I mean, I know this business is completely subjective but even so, you have to wonder how these books get published in the first place. I remember giving the Twilight series a shot. I thought, hey, they were going to make it into a movie so I wanted to get the book in first because you know the movies are never as good as the books. Needless to say, I was so disappointed with it, I didn’t even finish it. And the rest of the series? Didn’t even touch it. I know there are so many people who’ve enjoyed that series but to this day, I can’t understand all the hype. It confuses me. (sorry, all you Twi-hard fans out there.)***No need to apologize for the caps. I've also tried to read Twilight and almost passed out in agony. How did that ever get published, I will never understand.
AC: What do you think is more important: A great story, a great cover, or a great promotion?
That’s a tricky question. All three are so important. You need a great story to tell. You need a great cover to catch the eye and you need to always promote the heck out of it. All three go hand-in-hand but now that I think about it, how can you tell if you’ve written a great story? You may like it. Your mom may like it. Your writing group may like it too. But if the random reader doesn’t like it at all, then what? It’s a tough thing to balance but then again, to quote the great Tom Hanks from A League of Their Own, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t, everyone would do it.”
AC: And finally, do your characters take on some qualities of the people you know?
Oh yeah and man is that fun. I’ll never admit it either even when someone asks me, “hey, is that me?” I always reply, “I don’t know. Is it?”***LOL. It's so fantastic to have that kind of power. Aaah, it's good to be a writer.
LIGHTS OUT blurb: Even when the lights are out, he can still see you… Paul Holten’s profession doesn’t leave much room for doubt or conscience but he’s reaching his breaking point. The nightmares are getting worse, the jobs are getting harder to finish and the volatile relationship with his boss, Aaron, is falling apart. Now faced with the possibility of an impending death sentence, Paul makes the fatal decision to run. Drawn into one hellish situation after another, he’s forced to confront his dark past---and wonder if perhaps dying isn’t the better option.
AUTHOR'S BIOMelissa Groeling graduated from Bloomsburg University with a degree in English. She lives, reads and writes in the Philadelphia region and wherever else life happens to send her. She is a hardcore New York Giants fan and loves chocolate. Lights Out is her second novel to date.
You can find Melissa Groeling and her books here: http://www.facebook.com/melissa.groelinghttps://twitter.com/#!/stringbean10http://melissagroeling.blogspot.com/http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3AMelissa+Groeling&keywords=Melissa+Groeling&ie=UTF8&qid=1337714550&sr=1-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B0080S7E6Whttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15765289-traffic-jamhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/traffic-jam-melissa-groeling/1110290578http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/165385http://www.doylestownbookshop.com/book/9781937329471
May 4, 2014
the guardian
You are in Prague, 1939. Dr. Josef Stein, the ambitious seeker of otherworldly beings, is ready to take you on a quest in which solving a murder and discovering the veracity of a thousand-year-old myth are just two of his many pursuits. Keep your eyes wide open. You never know who’s lurking in the shadows by the door. And be very careful out there. While you are searching for something otherworldly with doctor Stein, the Nazis are searching for you. Who will complete their quest first? You and the ambitious doctor or the Nazis with their own ambitious agenda?
Available on amazon in print and amazon kindle
Also available at Barnes and Noble, KOBO, Black Opal Book, and all e-readers
Excerpt: “Tell me, Mrs. Knapp, what did you do yesterday morning?”Mrs. Knapp looked up at Stein with a terrified face. The dark circles under her eyes were magnified by the pale color of her nightgown, which almost blended into the color of her skin. She remained silent, folded her hands in her lap, and began tapping her foot against the floor.“Mrs. Knapp, I’m here to help you. Now would be a good time to answer me.”Mrs. Knapp inhaled then spoke with a trembling voice. “I woke up and…I…found a note from my husband on his pillow.”“What did the note say?”“He left me…us. He left Robbie and me,” she said, her lip quivering, tears spilling from her glossy eyes.Stein reached into his pocket and handed her a handkerchief. She wiped her eyes then crumbled the handkerchief into a ball, squeezing it so tightly her knuckles whitened.“Then what did you do?”“I couldn’t get up. I was completely numb until I heard Robbie in his crib. He was crying for me, but I couldn’t get up.” Mrs. Knapp let the tears freely stream down her face as she stared out the window. Her foot stopped tapping and her head jerked toward the door, pulled by what seemed to be an involuntary motion. Her face looked petrified, as if she was expecting a…ghost.Enough, Josef!“When did you finally get up and check on your child?” Stein asked with a soft, precautious voice.“I—I don’t know. I can’t remember.” She looked at Stein. “It was a while, I think. After I got the phone. I thought it was my husband calling, but it was just the neighbor.” Mrs. Knapp’s lips curved into a half smile, but the rest of her face remained motionless. She jerked her head toward the door again, with the same petrified look on her face. “She’s one of those who can’t take no for an answer, if you know what I mean.” She gazed at Stein with an absentminded stare. “Her son is nine months. She wanted to have lunch and let our children play together. Doesn’t she know that little ones like ours don’t play together?”“Perhaps she doesn’t. Did you invite her?”“Yes—of course. I got Robbie out of the crib. Changed his diaper. Nursed him. Then I took him to the kitchen. I had to prepare lunch, though I wasn’t hungry.”“Where was Robbie at this time?”Mrs. Knapp’s head jerked toward the door again. She started tapping her foot. “He—he was in his chair,” she said, and Stein noticed a nervous tweak in her lip. “I didn’t mean to invite her, all right? I was so—sad—and frustrated—and I didn’t mean to invite her,” she whispered.“But she came anyway?”“She just appeared in the doorway!” Mrs. Knapp moved to the edge of her chair, her face directly in front of Stein’s. “She’s hideous!”Stein backed away. “Are you referring to the neighbor?”“I’m not crazy! I know you and Captain Skála think I killed my baby, but I didn’t! She took him from me! I invited her by accident, and she took him from me!”Stein realized that Mrs. Knapp would have had a fit of rage at this very point in the interview had the nurse not given her the sedative. But he also realized that the reduction of her outburst to a low murmur was much more haunting than the frantic rant she would have displayed.“Mrs. Knapp, are you accusing your neighbor of killing your child?” Stein asked.“My neighbor? No! Aren’t you listening? The hideous woman! Magdalena!”
Get a copy today!And when you're done reading, please post a review on amazon or any review website. Reviews tell authors that the hundreds of hours of writing, revising, editing, deleting, and rewriting all over again are worth it. Reviews are like hugs for authors.Hug your author today.
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Available on amazon in print and amazon kindle
Also available at Barnes and Noble, KOBO, Black Opal Book, and all e-readers
Excerpt: “Tell me, Mrs. Knapp, what did you do yesterday morning?”Mrs. Knapp looked up at Stein with a terrified face. The dark circles under her eyes were magnified by the pale color of her nightgown, which almost blended into the color of her skin. She remained silent, folded her hands in her lap, and began tapping her foot against the floor.“Mrs. Knapp, I’m here to help you. Now would be a good time to answer me.”Mrs. Knapp inhaled then spoke with a trembling voice. “I woke up and…I…found a note from my husband on his pillow.”“What did the note say?”“He left me…us. He left Robbie and me,” she said, her lip quivering, tears spilling from her glossy eyes.Stein reached into his pocket and handed her a handkerchief. She wiped her eyes then crumbled the handkerchief into a ball, squeezing it so tightly her knuckles whitened.“Then what did you do?”“I couldn’t get up. I was completely numb until I heard Robbie in his crib. He was crying for me, but I couldn’t get up.” Mrs. Knapp let the tears freely stream down her face as she stared out the window. Her foot stopped tapping and her head jerked toward the door, pulled by what seemed to be an involuntary motion. Her face looked petrified, as if she was expecting a…ghost.Enough, Josef!“When did you finally get up and check on your child?” Stein asked with a soft, precautious voice.“I—I don’t know. I can’t remember.” She looked at Stein. “It was a while, I think. After I got the phone. I thought it was my husband calling, but it was just the neighbor.” Mrs. Knapp’s lips curved into a half smile, but the rest of her face remained motionless. She jerked her head toward the door again, with the same petrified look on her face. “She’s one of those who can’t take no for an answer, if you know what I mean.” She gazed at Stein with an absentminded stare. “Her son is nine months. She wanted to have lunch and let our children play together. Doesn’t she know that little ones like ours don’t play together?”“Perhaps she doesn’t. Did you invite her?”“Yes—of course. I got Robbie out of the crib. Changed his diaper. Nursed him. Then I took him to the kitchen. I had to prepare lunch, though I wasn’t hungry.”“Where was Robbie at this time?”Mrs. Knapp’s head jerked toward the door again. She started tapping her foot. “He—he was in his chair,” she said, and Stein noticed a nervous tweak in her lip. “I didn’t mean to invite her, all right? I was so—sad—and frustrated—and I didn’t mean to invite her,” she whispered.“But she came anyway?”“She just appeared in the doorway!” Mrs. Knapp moved to the edge of her chair, her face directly in front of Stein’s. “She’s hideous!”Stein backed away. “Are you referring to the neighbor?”“I’m not crazy! I know you and Captain Skála think I killed my baby, but I didn’t! She took him from me! I invited her by accident, and she took him from me!”Stein realized that Mrs. Knapp would have had a fit of rage at this very point in the interview had the nurse not given her the sedative. But he also realized that the reduction of her outburst to a low murmur was much more haunting than the frantic rant she would have displayed.“Mrs. Knapp, are you accusing your neighbor of killing your child?” Stein asked.“My neighbor? No! Aren’t you listening? The hideous woman! Magdalena!”
Get a copy today!And when you're done reading, please post a review on amazon or any review website. Reviews tell authors that the hundreds of hours of writing, revising, editing, deleting, and rewriting all over again are worth it. Reviews are like hugs for authors.Hug your author today.
April 13, 2014
Coachella Fest 2014
LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!Nope, I’m not talking about Where the Wild Things Are, although if you asked me, I’d have to say they’re right behind my wall. I’m talking about the first of two Coachella Fests 2014.
While the traffic around my neighborhood hasn’t been that bad—jeez, let me go knock on some wood real quick—the weather has been quite unpleasant. Friday’s sun and 100F temps seem to have melted the clothes off the festers, for I found bras hanging on the chain-link fence that surrounds the water canal running nearby, shoes with stripped off soles were tied to a tree next to my neighborhood entrance, and what I can only assume used to be shorts were thrown near my garbage cans. Luckily, it was trash day.
Saturday presented spectacular views of the great nothing, as gusts of wind picked up every possible grain of sand and turned the Coachella Fest into one giant dirt bowl. If you didn’t cover your face, you had a literal sandwich for dinner.
Today, we have clear skies, a nice breeze, the smell of freshness in the air, and above all—silence, which is quite eerie and reminds me that shitty things come in threes. So let’s see what surprises today holds.
This has been a weather report for the Coachella Fest 2014 #1.
P.S. My weather reports are 100% accurate because I report as they happen. If you’d like weather predictions that are not only unbelievable but also false, please tune in to those idiots on the news channel.
While the traffic around my neighborhood hasn’t been that bad—jeez, let me go knock on some wood real quick—the weather has been quite unpleasant. Friday’s sun and 100F temps seem to have melted the clothes off the festers, for I found bras hanging on the chain-link fence that surrounds the water canal running nearby, shoes with stripped off soles were tied to a tree next to my neighborhood entrance, and what I can only assume used to be shorts were thrown near my garbage cans. Luckily, it was trash day.
Saturday presented spectacular views of the great nothing, as gusts of wind picked up every possible grain of sand and turned the Coachella Fest into one giant dirt bowl. If you didn’t cover your face, you had a literal sandwich for dinner.
Today, we have clear skies, a nice breeze, the smell of freshness in the air, and above all—silence, which is quite eerie and reminds me that shitty things come in threes. So let’s see what surprises today holds.
This has been a weather report for the Coachella Fest 2014 #1.
P.S. My weather reports are 100% accurate because I report as they happen. If you’d like weather predictions that are not only unbelievable but also false, please tune in to those idiots on the news channel.
March 30, 2014
My Writing Process
Happy spring everyone! I love this season, don’t you? It is the season of rebirth, and I like to watch the nature wipe the sleepy-dust out of its eyes and wake up with a yawn. That yawn has happened several days ago, when we had a number of earthquakes. Not big ones, although the 5.1 one can seem like it. Everyone is all right. The birds are singing in the trees of my backyard. Poe (my dog) is barking at the squirrels. And my husband finally planted grass. It looks like it’s going to be a good year. And so I’m sitting here with my coffee, ready to spill. No, not my coffee. The answers to the four questions that have been circulating the blogs of wonderful authors. I’ve been tagged by the talented Anna Katmore whose Grove Beach Series is a read you don’t want to miss. It’s available HERE. She tagged me in this blog hop to elaborate a little on my writing process and allow you the peek into my head. So, here I go.
What am I working on?
At the moment, I’m finishing up the first draft of a memoir for which I haven’t yet chosen the title. It is a series of short stories and vignettes between the years 1987 to 1997 that depict Communist Czechoslovakia, the Velvet Revolution, the collapse of the regime, and the influence the Western culture had on the countries of the Eastern Bloc. It’ll either be called Behind the Iron Curtainor Children of the Iron Curtain. What do you think? Wanna take a vote?
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
This particular genre differs for every writer not only because everyone’s memories are a subjective matter but also because in retrospective, they are tainted with knowledge of adulthood. I approached writing this memoir from a child’s perspective. It has a quality that is innocent, and the slow revelation that educates the child about the status quo of the country and its falling apart makes for a touching, humorous, and ever wondering narrator whose understanding of her surroundings goes only as far as the purity of her experiences.
Why do I write what I do?
There are three genres I love to write.
A. Fairytales
B. Literary Fiction with a supernatural element
C. New Adult novels – also with some form of mythology or supernatural
I grew up on fire breathing dragons, monsters, ghosts, and hellions. How can that not translate into my adult life? I love to explore beyond the limits of what I’ve read as a child, and each story that plays out in my head makes me question how far the characters would go to achieve what they truly desire? I like to test the human nature, the human will, and discover what makes us who we are. And here I have another question for you. Do you think I should come up with a pen name for each genre I write? Or should I keep true to myself and pen each story, each genre as Aneta Cruz?
How does my writing process work?
Quite honestly, I haven’t got a clue! I would love to take credit for everything I write, but I can’t. I don’t even choose the story; it chooses me. I feel like I’m merely a vessel, a medium that uses its inner eye and fingertips to let the world that plays out within me come to life on the pages. Usually, within a split second, an entire story, with its characters, settings, dialogue, and ending, manifests itself in my mind, and I have to quickly scribble the jest of it down, lest I forget a single detail. That is when the story is conceived. But I don’t start writing yet. I wait, think, sleep, dream, imagine myself standing in the scenes just so I can hear, feel the emotions, and see the facial expressions of the characters. I let the story take its form, solidify in my mind like an embryo in the uterus, and when I can no longer stand the pressure in my head, the labor begins. Word by word, page by page, I give birth to the story that has chosen me to be its keeper.
For the next blog, I tag PAULA STINSON, a wonderful playwright and spiritualist who always knows how to lift me up.KELLEY BYRD, a genius in children’s tales, who has been my friend and critique partner for many, many years and whom I love to death. And finally, JEFFREY JOHNSTON, my MFA co-graduate and author of brilliant short stories.
Please don’t forget to keep your eye out for The Guardian, coming to you on 5/3/14.
Meanwhile, you can help a starving artist by purchasing, recommending, and spreading the word about a-Muse-me[a]nt , Heartbreak Hotel , and The Mysterious Mandolin, available HERE.
What am I working on?
At the moment, I’m finishing up the first draft of a memoir for which I haven’t yet chosen the title. It is a series of short stories and vignettes between the years 1987 to 1997 that depict Communist Czechoslovakia, the Velvet Revolution, the collapse of the regime, and the influence the Western culture had on the countries of the Eastern Bloc. It’ll either be called Behind the Iron Curtainor Children of the Iron Curtain. What do you think? Wanna take a vote?
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
This particular genre differs for every writer not only because everyone’s memories are a subjective matter but also because in retrospective, they are tainted with knowledge of adulthood. I approached writing this memoir from a child’s perspective. It has a quality that is innocent, and the slow revelation that educates the child about the status quo of the country and its falling apart makes for a touching, humorous, and ever wondering narrator whose understanding of her surroundings goes only as far as the purity of her experiences.
Why do I write what I do?
There are three genres I love to write.
A. Fairytales
B. Literary Fiction with a supernatural element
C. New Adult novels – also with some form of mythology or supernatural
I grew up on fire breathing dragons, monsters, ghosts, and hellions. How can that not translate into my adult life? I love to explore beyond the limits of what I’ve read as a child, and each story that plays out in my head makes me question how far the characters would go to achieve what they truly desire? I like to test the human nature, the human will, and discover what makes us who we are. And here I have another question for you. Do you think I should come up with a pen name for each genre I write? Or should I keep true to myself and pen each story, each genre as Aneta Cruz?
How does my writing process work?
Quite honestly, I haven’t got a clue! I would love to take credit for everything I write, but I can’t. I don’t even choose the story; it chooses me. I feel like I’m merely a vessel, a medium that uses its inner eye and fingertips to let the world that plays out within me come to life on the pages. Usually, within a split second, an entire story, with its characters, settings, dialogue, and ending, manifests itself in my mind, and I have to quickly scribble the jest of it down, lest I forget a single detail. That is when the story is conceived. But I don’t start writing yet. I wait, think, sleep, dream, imagine myself standing in the scenes just so I can hear, feel the emotions, and see the facial expressions of the characters. I let the story take its form, solidify in my mind like an embryo in the uterus, and when I can no longer stand the pressure in my head, the labor begins. Word by word, page by page, I give birth to the story that has chosen me to be its keeper.
For the next blog, I tag PAULA STINSON, a wonderful playwright and spiritualist who always knows how to lift me up.KELLEY BYRD, a genius in children’s tales, who has been my friend and critique partner for many, many years and whom I love to death. And finally, JEFFREY JOHNSTON, my MFA co-graduate and author of brilliant short stories.
Please don’t forget to keep your eye out for The Guardian, coming to you on 5/3/14.
Meanwhile, you can help a starving artist by purchasing, recommending, and spreading the word about a-Muse-me[a]nt , Heartbreak Hotel , and The Mysterious Mandolin, available HERE.
March 21, 2014
Spotlight on L. R. Wright
Today I'd like to shine some serious rays on author L. R. Wright or my dear Leslie, a wonderful woman and an amazing writer. Her suspense thriller, Basement Level 5: Never Scared, originaly published by Black Opal Books, has just been re-released on March 7, 2014 by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, which is to say that the book and Leslie are doing great in the storytelling world. Without further ado, meet Leslie.P.S. So sorry for the formatting in white. My blogger is no cooperating today and no matter what I do, I can't get rid of the white. I hope you still enjoy!
Blurb:
Alexa Martinez was raised to believe that murder, deceit, and lies were a part of life. A traine killer, she follows in her father's footsteps, specializin in political assassinations for Martinez Security contracted through CIA. She thrives on the power, money, respect, and, most of all, the adrenaline rush. Despite the danger associated with her profession, Alexa strives to give her children a normal life. But when her past catches up with her, they become pawns in a deadly game of revenge. Operating from a secret base, five levels below the ground, Alexa struggles to unravel the puzzle, uncovering secrets that will alter their lives forever. Now she must make a choice--is she willing to die to give her children a life outside the bullet-proof glass?
Excerpt:
As she neared the street, a shadowy figure turned into the alley Alexa froze. The sun had already gone down so she wasn't sure if he's noticed her. Cautiously, she slipped behind a trashcan and leaned against the wall of the store.
"Did you see her?" a male voice asked.
"No, I didn't," responded a different man. "I checked the whole store. She's nowhere in sight."
"How did she slip past us?"
"I don't know."She closed her eyes and wondered how she was going to get out of this. Grabbing and empty pot bottle, she pitched it behind her.Footsteps raced toward the sound. Once they were past her, she bolted for the street as fast as she could go. It seemed too easy, but she went with it--until she ran right into a third man, who grabbed and hauled her off her feet. She struggled, kicking and punching him. Finally he lost his grip and dropped her. She immediately socked him in the balls. It stunned him, but not enough to disable him. He grabbed her hair as she slammed him in the knee with her good foot. His leg buckled, but his grip remained steady. She grabbed another stray bottle an bashed him in the face. Releasing her, he collapsed to the ground with a thud.Another man advanced toward her and she kicked him in the chest. Yanking her knife from its hiding place, she thrust it into his neck. As a third man charged her, she pulled the knife out and plunged it into that man's leg. Before he could retaliate, she jerded her gun from its holster and shot him.A groan pulled her attention back to the first man, who was strugglin to his feet. She slapped him across the cheek with the butt of her gun. He slumped back to the ground.She leaned down and peered at this face. "Who the hell sent you?"
Purchase Basement Level 5: Never ScaredL. R. Wright is a devoted wife and mother. Born and raised in Southwest Michigan, near Ann Arbor, her mother always instilled in her the importance of reading. As a young girl, she loved to be holed up in her room creating stories. And that didn't change as she aged. Eventually, her larger-than-life stories and unforgettable characters propelled her to write. When she's not writing romance or women's fiction, she's planning events, watching ID TV, or spending time with family.
Author on Facebook
Author Website
Twitter: @LWrightAuthor
Blurb:
Alexa Martinez was raised to believe that murder, deceit, and lies were a part of life. A traine killer, she follows in her father's footsteps, specializin in political assassinations for Martinez Security contracted through CIA. She thrives on the power, money, respect, and, most of all, the adrenaline rush. Despite the danger associated with her profession, Alexa strives to give her children a normal life. But when her past catches up with her, they become pawns in a deadly game of revenge. Operating from a secret base, five levels below the ground, Alexa struggles to unravel the puzzle, uncovering secrets that will alter their lives forever. Now she must make a choice--is she willing to die to give her children a life outside the bullet-proof glass?Excerpt:
As she neared the street, a shadowy figure turned into the alley Alexa froze. The sun had already gone down so she wasn't sure if he's noticed her. Cautiously, she slipped behind a trashcan and leaned against the wall of the store.
"Did you see her?" a male voice asked.
"No, I didn't," responded a different man. "I checked the whole store. She's nowhere in sight."
"How did she slip past us?"
"I don't know."She closed her eyes and wondered how she was going to get out of this. Grabbing and empty pot bottle, she pitched it behind her.Footsteps raced toward the sound. Once they were past her, she bolted for the street as fast as she could go. It seemed too easy, but she went with it--until she ran right into a third man, who grabbed and hauled her off her feet. She struggled, kicking and punching him. Finally he lost his grip and dropped her. She immediately socked him in the balls. It stunned him, but not enough to disable him. He grabbed her hair as she slammed him in the knee with her good foot. His leg buckled, but his grip remained steady. She grabbed another stray bottle an bashed him in the face. Releasing her, he collapsed to the ground with a thud.Another man advanced toward her and she kicked him in the chest. Yanking her knife from its hiding place, she thrust it into his neck. As a third man charged her, she pulled the knife out and plunged it into that man's leg. Before he could retaliate, she jerded her gun from its holster and shot him.A groan pulled her attention back to the first man, who was strugglin to his feet. She slapped him across the cheek with the butt of her gun. He slumped back to the ground.She leaned down and peered at this face. "Who the hell sent you?"
Purchase Basement Level 5: Never ScaredL. R. Wright is a devoted wife and mother. Born and raised in Southwest Michigan, near Ann Arbor, her mother always instilled in her the importance of reading. As a young girl, she loved to be holed up in her room creating stories. And that didn't change as she aged. Eventually, her larger-than-life stories and unforgettable characters propelled her to write. When she's not writing romance or women's fiction, she's planning events, watching ID TV, or spending time with family.
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Twitter: @LWrightAuthor
February 9, 2014
Targeted Parking
A belated happy new year to everyone.I’m going to get straight to the point with my rant which is two requests for today’s conundrum.
1. If you see my truck parked at a store, you will notice that I chose a spot far away from the entrance and always in an area that is sort of isolated, meaning that there are no cars parked nearby. I do this for a reason. My truck (really my husband’s truck I’m stuck driving) is a freaking Titanic, and when I park it, I feel like I’m docking a boat. There is no way I can squeeze next to or between other cars. I need a LOT of room. So, when I get out of the store and see that you’ve parked your car right next to my truck (when there are dozens of empty parking spots available), barely allowing me to open my doors because your vehicle’s tires are grazing the white line that should separate us, you’ve basically signed your death wish.
2. Dear Target, now that you’ve allowed some hackers to steal my credit card information and who knows what else, do you really think that you can butter me up with useless coupons? Really, if I go buy Windex, why do I receive a coupon for Pampers? My kids are 13 and 8 years old! If I go buy toothpaste, why do you give me a coupon for coconut cookies? I hate coconut! And if I go buy Always menstrual pads, don’t you think I need a coupon for something like Midol and not First Response pregnancy test? Just sayin’. Get your act together.
Okay, that’s all for today. Sorry for not being more cheerful, but I do have a migraine (second day today), so I’ll just go back into my dark cave and think of a way to brighten up your day the next time!
Oh, and don’t forget to check out Marissa Bauder, whose praise of my book, THE MYSTERIOUS MANDOLIN, touched me so deeply I actually cried.Click here for video.
1. If you see my truck parked at a store, you will notice that I chose a spot far away from the entrance and always in an area that is sort of isolated, meaning that there are no cars parked nearby. I do this for a reason. My truck (really my husband’s truck I’m stuck driving) is a freaking Titanic, and when I park it, I feel like I’m docking a boat. There is no way I can squeeze next to or between other cars. I need a LOT of room. So, when I get out of the store and see that you’ve parked your car right next to my truck (when there are dozens of empty parking spots available), barely allowing me to open my doors because your vehicle’s tires are grazing the white line that should separate us, you’ve basically signed your death wish.
2. Dear Target, now that you’ve allowed some hackers to steal my credit card information and who knows what else, do you really think that you can butter me up with useless coupons? Really, if I go buy Windex, why do I receive a coupon for Pampers? My kids are 13 and 8 years old! If I go buy toothpaste, why do you give me a coupon for coconut cookies? I hate coconut! And if I go buy Always menstrual pads, don’t you think I need a coupon for something like Midol and not First Response pregnancy test? Just sayin’. Get your act together.
Okay, that’s all for today. Sorry for not being more cheerful, but I do have a migraine (second day today), so I’ll just go back into my dark cave and think of a way to brighten up your day the next time!
Oh, and don’t forget to check out Marissa Bauder, whose praise of my book, THE MYSTERIOUS MANDOLIN, touched me so deeply I actually cried.Click here for video.
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