Meredith Allard's Blog, page 44
February 23, 2012
An Interview With Author Marsha A. Moore
What books did you love as a child? Why?
I loved fantasy and fairytale books. My father taught elementary education as a college professor and was in charge of previewing new children's literature books. He brought home armloads of what I liked and indulged my reading passion.
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer? Why did you decide to write?
I didn't aim to be a fiction author. My path evolved to this end. While growing up I enjoyed reading, and for that reason I followed an English minor college program, actually just for fun along with a Biology major. Taking lit courses and writing essays for fun–strange, but true! Years later, I worked as a rock music reviewer. During that time, I was inspired by some of those experiences and tinkered with fiction. Initially, I wrote fiction based on the world of rock music. Through a lucky happenstance, a man who worked for a major book publishing house read my first attempts at fiction posted on a music forum. He repeatedly encouraged me to submit my creative writing. Over time, I came to believe him and did. After that, a new world opened up and it's been a wonderful time.
When do you find time to write?
Finding time to write isn't hard for me. If I don't write for a couple of days, I feel grumpy and out of sorts, unbalanced. Writing seems to be a necessary part of my life, so I naturally make time.
What are the joys of writing for you?
I enjoy the freedom of being on an adventure with my characters. It's a world of make believe that comes to life through my words. The escape is unlike any other, totally relaxing.
What is your favorite genre to read in? Write in? Why?
I enjoy reading almost all subgenres of fantasy. My favorite is certainly the one I write, fantasy romance. I also love magical realism, mythic fiction, and mythpunk. Once I finish writing all the epic fantasy romance books I have in mind, I intend to steer my writing in those directions. I think those subgenres would be tricky to write, teetering along the line between reality and fantasy. I'd like to be a more seasoned author before I try my hand at that level of complexity.
How would you describe your writing style? How did you develop it?
My writing style shows my early reading influences, fairytales and classic literature. In college, as an English minor, the years of lit classes instilled a love of older, more formal character voices. I use that style to help me create interesting variety among my own characters.
What was the inspiration for your book?
During the winter of 2008-9, I moved my mother from NW Ohio to Tampa. It didn't take much to convince me to stay through the winter to help her get settled before I moved my own household the following summer. I enjoy folklore and legend, and sought interesting local tales. I was enthralled with the legends of pirates and mermaids surrounding the annual Tampa Gasparilla Festival, a tribute to the pirate captain Jose Gapar. A pirates, mermaids, and mermen naturally became the characters of my Ciel's Legacy series.
Do you do research for your writing? If so, how do you go about it (Internet, travel, etc.)?
I do spend time researching and enjoy that part of the writing process. Often local events or places give inspiration and details. Certainly, the Ciel's Legacy series has a dual setting of my local Tampa coastal area and the region of Tortuga (near Haiti) in the Caribbean. My husband and I have traveled a lot in the Caribbean. One of my favorite local Tampa area beaches—Fort DeSoto—inspired the initial setting for the series. I wrote most of the first book on that beach and still go there often to write through the afternoon.
Some details in the series on topics like pirating, Haitian vodou, and hoodoo magick required research online and study of reference books. I spent a lot of time learning about the parts and workings of pirate ships. There are several types of sailing vessels and an intricate battle scene in Tortuga Treasure: Ciel's Legacy.
One of my favorite characters in the series, a vodoun mambo named Teega, influences the use of hoodoo magick in the story. She is a master, helping those she considers friends, but can be extremely dark and vindictive if crossed. Pirates in my story fear no one more than Teega. Some of the merfolk train under her to learn basic hoodoo arts. Forming her dark spells required plenty of research, but that was fun for me to weave into the storyline.
What is your next project?
In the past year, I've undertaken a huge writing project of self-publishing a series of five books in an epic fantasy romance, the Enchanted Bookstore Legends. Two are written and professionally edited. The third is my current work-in-progress. I've been busy putting final touches on book one, Seeking a Scribe, which will release mid-March. Here's the blurb:
Lyra McCauley is a writer and loves fantasy novels, but until she opens a selection from bookstore owner Cullen Drake, she has no idea he's a wizard character who lives a double life inside that volume…or the story's magic will compel her from the edge of depression to adventure, danger, and love.
His gift to Lyra, the Book of Dragonspeir, was actually her copy, misplaced years ago. Lost in her pain following divorce and death, she fails to recognize him as her childhood playmate. Friendship builds anew. Attraction sparks. But Lyra doubts whether a wizard is capable of love. She's torn—should she protect her fragile heart or risk new love?
Opening the book's cover, she confronts a quest: save Dragonspeir from destruction by the Black Dragon before he utilizes power of August's red moon to expand his strength and overthrow the opposing Imperial Dragon. Lyra accepts the challenge, fearing Cullen will perish if evil wins. Along with magical animal guides, Cullen helps her through many perils, but ultimately Lyra must use her own power…and time is running out.
What are you reading now?
I'm just finishing The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I'm enjoying the book a lot and don't want it to end. I love the way she creates the circus setting. It functions almost like another character.
Tortuga Treasure: Ciel's Legacy
By Marsha A. Moore
Genre: Fantasy Romance
About the Book:
When Ciel first looks into Alvaro's eyes she finds love. Bad timing. In the next instant he's fatally stabbed in the back by one of his pirate mates. Her girlfriends warn her it will only bring on a heap of trouble to save him. Unable to resist, she gives him the gift of a new life as one of her kind—a merman.
Will their love encourage him to embrace life as a merman? Can love survive if he wishes to return to human form? Either way, her friends speak true. No matter how much mermagic and dark vodou Ciel and her friends cast, blood-thirsty buccaneers chase them across the Caribbean until Alvaro finally decides.
Warning: This book contains a magical cock-a-too, lecherous scurvy pirate dogs, hoodoo healers, the mark of the evil Black Spot, plenty of dark Haitian vodou, and passionate encounters on tropical beaches.
Purchase link:
About the Author:
Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Her creativity also spills into watercolor painting and drawing. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she's happily transforming into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors. Crazy about cycling, she usually passes the 1,000 mile mark yearly. She is learning kayaking and already addicted. She's been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and that spiritual quest helps her explore the mystical side of fantasy. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at new stories with toes wiggling in the sand. Every day at the beach is magical!
http://MarshaAMoore.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/MarshaAMoore
http://www.facebook.com/marshaamooreauthorpage
http://www.goodreads.com/marshaamoore
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marsha-a-moore/2b/8/aa9 http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/marsha-a-moore.html
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Bewitching Book Tours, interviews, Marsha A. Moore, Tortuga Treasure
February 19, 2012
The Courage To Let Our Light Shine
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
~Marianne Williamson
I'm watching Super Soul Sunday, which is how I've been spending my Sundays for as long as the show has been on OWN. Today's movie was called The Shadow Effect from Debbie Ford, which is about acknowledging the darkness within ourselves so we can bask in the light. I was particularly struck by the quote about our deepest fear from Marianne Williamson.
I've read A Return to Love, the book from where the quote comes, but today I realized that the quote spoke directly to the part in me that has been struggling the most lately—the part that feels like it needs to dim the light I have been striving for years to ignite. Williamson says, "Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you." I had what Oprah calls an "Aha! moment" as I realized that I've been playing small to make those around me feel better.
A friend at work was so happy for me when a local magazine featured an article about me that she posted a link to the article on our school's message board. As soon as I saw her post, I thought, "Oh no. This isn't going to be good." I learned a long time ago that people aren't always happy when good things happen to someone else. When I was still living in California, an article about my writing and publishing appeared in The Los Angeles Times, and I told a few teachers I worked with about it. I thought it was cool, that's all. I had worked hard to get some notice for The Copperfield Review and now there was an article about it in a major newspaper. The next day I heard from a friend that the talk in the staff room was about me: "Who does she think she is? She thinks she's so special now?" As an intensely private person, I shuddered internally at the knowledge that people were speaking negatively about me, especially over something I meant to be positive. That's when I slipped the dimmer over my light and stopped sharing anything about my writing or publishing successes with anyone except a trusted few.
The story hasn't changed. After my friend posted the link to the article on the school message board, a few teachers went to her with the same "Who does she think she is?" I heard years before. One teacher congratulated me, but otherwise it was silence (crickets) from the rest of the staff. I tried to explain to another teacher that if I've had writing success it's because of my life choices. Most people marry and have children, but I didn't marry and I don't have human children (my children say meow and sit on the keyboard while I'm writing). When I finish my work for school, I have the rest of the day to write; as a result, good things have happened for my writing. But instead of helping the others understand, the talk became how sad it is that I spend all my time writing without having a family of my own.
I began slinking around, my head hung low, avoiding eye contact with anyone. I was embarrassed (again) that anyone had been talking negatively about me. Then a few weeks ago (I'm a little slow sometimes) it finally occurred to me—why am I the one trying to hide? What have I done wrong? Does the fact that I've stayed stubbornly true to my dreams mean I have to feel embarrassed about it for the rest of my life? Seeing Super Soul Sunday simply expounded the "light bulb moment" I already had. Why do I feel the need to explain away my writing successes when I don't expect anyone else to explain away their successes? I've been letting others make me feel small, but that's my fault, not theirs. People can have whatever reactions they want. It's up to me to remember to, as Marianne Williamson says, "make manifest the glory of God that is within us." When I'm writing, I'm manifesting the glory of God that is within me. It's what I'm called to do. No apologies required.
I've decided that I will no longer hide from my successes. I've earned every single one with years of hard work. Whenever I'm tempted to cower from public acknowledgement of that hard work, I'll remember Williamson's words: "And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
Amen.
Filed under: Spirituality, Tidbits Tagged: A Return to Love, Marianne Williamson, OWN, Super Soul Sunday
February 15, 2012
Follower Love Giveaway Winners
Here are the winners of the Follower Love Giveaway:
E-books:
dv8
Anne
Emily
Paperbacks:
Carrie Ardoin
Katrina Page
Kim Reid
$10 Amazon Gift Card:
Denise Z
Thanks to everyone who entered. I'll be back on February 29 for the Leap into Books Giveaway. See you then!
Filed under: Giveaways Tagged: Giveaways, Her Dear & Loving Husband, I am a Reader Not a Writer
February 14, 2012
Guest Blog from Author Carrie Salo
Hello readers! And thank you Meredith for letting me guest post today! I am truly honored to be here.
For those of you who are not familiar with me yet, I am the author of the supernatural thriller, The Sounding. The premise is that of an early Armageddon. But unlike a lot of Armageddon pop culture out there currently – which feature zombies, vampires or even natural disaster – The Sounding is based in real history and real prophecy. It gets its plot from Jewish and Catholic theology. It centers on the final prophecy in the book of Revelation and how events in today's world might bring that prophecy to early fulfillment.
Because The Sounding has so much history and research in its plot, I am asked a lot about which parts of the book are fiction and which parts of the book are not. And while I could go on and on about what is real and what comes from my imagination, I thought I would tell you about a very scary part of the book that comes from my own experience.
A few chapters in, most readers really enjoy (from the very edge of their seat, I hope) a scene in the novel that takes place in a large library. Here are some exclusive excerpts (and if you want to read it late at night, when it's quiet and there is just your small reading light on, I won't complain):
She took off her hood only when she was alone in the elevator headed several floors down into the book stacks. It rumbled slowly until it creaked to a stop at level 5UL – the fifth underground level – and the doors opened.
Just as she hoped, the fifth level was pitch black and completely empty. With only the light from the open elevator, the rows and rows of books appeared like strange sentinels guarding a vast blackness behind them. In the dark, it was impossible to tell they ran straight back for half the length of a football field.
Elise stepped towards the closest row of books and flipped on the light-timer. An electric hum began and several white lights overhead flickered on. Always efficient, the college only paid for lighting in the library stacks when someone actually needed it. Each row in every floor of the stacks had a light-timer. If a student needed to search for something in a particular row, they turned on the row's timer and received a gracious fifteen minutes of illumination before blinking back into darkness. They should decrease the wattage in the front lobby and put some down here, Elise thought once again, just as she had before when doing research.
The elevator squeaked closed behind her, and she heard it begin to rumble upwards somewhere as the library-silence recaptured the room. She walked to the left, flipping on each row's timer one by one, watching the library begin to glow with fluorescence. At the far left corner, she found what she came for – a computer. The labs were still too crowded, even on Fridays, and she didn't want to use the consoles in the lobby upstairs in full view of the librarians. Down here was quiet and safe. Opening a search engine, she queried for the Ashton train schedule…
THUD
A book fell somewhere in the far back of the stacks.
Elise jumped, every muscle in her body tense. Instinctually, she hunched her shoulders as if bracing for an attack and turned her head sharply.
For several seconds, she kept very still, eyes and ears straining, but there was no further noise and no one that she could see. Taking a few shallow breaths, she tried to think her heart rate back down.
Really, there was no way the police could find her here – she hadn't even known she was coming to the library until a half-hour ago. And she was positive no one came in from the elevator or the stairs – she could see both doors from her seat. If someone was in the library, they had been there when she walked in. She just hadn't noticed – a student probably studying in the back. Except…I turned on the lights when I came in.
Who would sit in the stacks in the dark?
…Get out of here. Real or insane, get out now!
…The elevator button stared back at her mockingly. Even if she ran, she would have to wait for the old elevator to rattle down. The stairs? In theory, the door should be unlocked–
FLICKER
Elise's eyes flew towards the middle of the room.
FLICKER
It took her a few seconds to realize what was happening (FLICKER). The lights were turning out (FLICKER), one by one over the rows in the same order that she turned them on only fifteen minutes ago (FLICKER). Her time was up. (FLICKER) Already, the darkness captured six rows and moved towards her like a great black wall.
Believe it or not, this scene is based on a real experience I had. The library I describe is even a real library. As an English student at Cornell University, I spent a great deal of time at Olin Library researching my thesis during my senior year (the same year I began writing The Sounding). Some of the books I needed for my research where very old and quite rare. The library would only loan them out for very short periods of time. Rather than take the books back to my room, only to return them the next day, I usually just pulled them off the shelf and worked from the library. For those of you that don't know Olin Library – it is one of the country's largest. I have heard it said it is larger than the Library of Congress, but that could just be a student rumor. In any case, it is IMMENSE. It goes up many floors, and it goes down many more, extending for a good part of the way under central campus. There are all sorts of interesting study spots down there; interesting nooks and crannies to take a nap in. You truly could get lost…
And, when you really get way down under, there are no lights. Since the library is so large, it would be ridiculous to keep the lights on for rows and rows of books that, most likely, don't even have anyone in them. So, on a hunt for a book, I sometimes would end up far underground, the only student on a deathly quiet floor, facing a dark room full of books. I would twist the light timers – which only promised 15 minutes of light – and go searching.
But, as I am apt to do, often I would get a bit entrenched in my search. I might find the book and start reading. And then I'm really gone, no longer thinking of my surroundings.
Eventually, I would start to notice a pretty consistent (but very quiet) click coming from somewhere behind me. I would look up, often only to realize it was quite dark around me. The lights had begun turning off in the order I had turned them on, with the time between clicks matching the short time that it had taken for me to walk row to row.
I usually caught the last light or two, preventing myself from being plunged into underground darkness. But, every time, it raised the hair on my neck and usually slicked my palms pretty well. Then would come the long walk back, ducking into the darkness and feeling for the next timer in order to light my way to the elevator. On one such walk, feeling thoroughly silly and very spooked, I thought, This would be a great scene for a thriller. I certainly hope it turns out that I was right.
I hope you'll pick-up The Sounding to find out what really waits for Elise in the dark…
About the Book:
In the Book of Revelation, a man named John has a prophetic dream. He dreams of the final prophecies that will come to pass – and the seven archangels that guard them. Each angel waits to sound their trumpet at God's appointed time, preparing humanity to fight and win the final battle.
2,000 years later, Father Chris Mognahan is a member of the Hetairia Melchizedek, a secret society within the Catholic Church that studies Biblical omens. The society asks Chris to investigate an unusually grotesque crime – a murder on a college campus where the killer's hand literally burned off the victim's face.
While the killing seems isolated at first, the society ties the murder to the final Biblical prophecy and a terrifying omen that the order of the prophecies is about to be disrupted. The final battle is coming too soon – long before humanity is prepared to win it.
Suddenly, Chris finds himself fighting against time and hell to keep the prophecies in order and stop an early Armageddon. He is joined by a band of unlikely allies, and together they find themselves in Rome above the Vatican Necropolis – the city of the dead – where the future is revealed to them in ancient texts.
They are not alone, however; an evil as old as time itself hunts them. As they travel across continents on their mission, the demonic force follows relentlessly, waiting in every shadowed corner, and every dark place.
As Armageddon descends, Father Chris finds that his only hope lies in a young woman within the group who has a secret gift – and their belief that God Himself may have sent her to keep the final angelic trumpet from sounding out the early end of the Earth.
Available at Amazon print, Kindle and Barnes and Noble
View the book trailer: http://youtu.be/K4Pp8F3A298
About the Author:
Carrie Salo is a dark storyteller and emerging author of supernatural thrillers. Classically trained at an Ivy League university, she studied the works of master storytellers seven stories underground in the muffled heart of one of the world's largest libraries. Carrie looks to wield unrelenting suspense in her own exploration of all things (especially true things) that keep us awake at night. Her extensive travels have led her to many haunted places, including the private, underground catacombs of the Vatican. The Sounding is her debut novel.
Visit her at: www.carriesalo.com
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarrieSalo
Filed under: Guest Authors
February 6, 2012
An Interview With Author Chris Karlsen
What books did you love as a child? Why?
I had giant picture books with most well known fairy tales. The ones I recall the best, although I wouldn't say I "loved" them, but they stood out: Beauty and the Beast-I remember feeling sad for the beast. Winnie the Pooh-I adored all the little animals and their funny names. Riki Tiki Tavi in The Jungle Book, for the same reason as Winnie the Pooh, he was a cute mongoose with a funny name.
Who are your favorite authors? How did they influence your writing?
John Sandford, Mike Connelly, and Joe Wambaugh because I love their cop characters and the dialogue is crisp and humorous and spot on when it comes to a cop's attitude. I use them as a standard for keeping dialogue uncluttered and to the point. For love scenes, a favorite is Julie Anne Long. Her language is so well crafted throughout her stories, but her love scenes are always beautifully written. She uses the senses to create the atmosphere. I try to emulate that. I also like Julia Quinn for wonderful characterization. Bernard Cornwell is my favorite historical fiction writer and I like to use his style in action scenes, especially battle scenes.
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer? Why did you decide to write?
I knew in my teens that I wanted to write, but by the time I was ready for college I was afraid I'd never make a living at it so I set the dream aside. After I retired from law enforcement, I decided it was time to try and fulfill that teenage dream.
When do you find time to write?
I try to get all my errands and routine jobs done in the morning. I write from around noon or so to about 5 with short breaks. I try to write at least six days a week but I shoot for seven.
What are the joys of writing for you?
I love going deep into my characters thoughts and emotions. They become such a part of me and I love working with them, even if it means I have to make them hurt emotionally.
What are the obstacles of writing? How do you overcome them?
There are times when I just seem to hit a brick wall in the story. I have to be very careful in those times. I have a tendency to start dwelling on the fact I hit a wall and the situation spirals down. I force myself through the problem. I will only let myself fret for a couple of days and then I just write anything. I put some event, some situation into the characters lives. That seems to get the juices going again. I can always delete that part if it doesn't work in a later draft.
What is your favorite genre to read in? Write in? Why?
My favorite to read is a toss-up between romance and thrillers. I prefer to write romance. Romance allows me to flesh out my characters more. That's just me and the way I feel. My favorite thriller authors, like Sandford, Connelly, Stephen Coonts, etc. flesh their characters out well, but for me romance is easier.
How would you describe your writing style? How did you develop it?
I write character driven stories. I read both plot driven and character driven, but I prefer to focus on character when I write. It seemed to occur naturally because my original story ideas centered around two medieval knights. As hero driven novels, it was necessary to create a heroine their equal.
What was the inspiration for your book?
My father was a history professor and I developed a love of history early. I especially enjoy medieval English history. I also have always had a fascination for reincarnation and time travel. The combination of those interests inspired me to write stories incorporating all of them.
What were the challenges of writing your story? The joys?
My heroine, Shakira, in Journey in Time, was a big challenge. I had a good handle on Alex, the hero, as he was a strong support character in my first book, Heroes Live Forever. It took me several drafts to get Shakira where I wanted her. I wanted this strong, intelligent, articulate woman without a lot of emotional baggage but who was still very vulnerable. My joy came from recreating the medieval world and moving Alex and Shakira through it. I got to throw a whole lot of trouble their way, give them humorous moments and some pretty sexy encounters too.
Do you do research for your writing? If so, how do you go about it (Internet, travel, etc.)?
I do quite a lot of research. I start several months in advance and continue as I am writing the story. New information can change a scene or give me the idea for a new scene. I have an extensive personal library on medieval history, from armor, weapons, battles, clothing, architecture and geography. I also go to archived articles in magazines like: Archaeology, Smithsonian, National Geographic, Omni, and Scientific American. I have traveled extensively too and use my experience. I do use the internet but with caution.
Tell us about your book.
Journey in Time is a time travel romance. Shakira is a successful London attorney and Alex is her client. She's not the type to date clients but he eventually charms her into a weekend in the country where he breeds horses. They are out riding when they're caught in a bizarre lightning storm that opens a time portal. They're thrown back to the year 1355. England is preparing for war with France. Alex has a strong connection to the period and he is believed by everyone to be the Baron Guy Guiscard. The baron was killed at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. History can't be changed and history doesn't care which man it takes. If he and Shakira can't find a way back to the modern world, he, as the baron, will sail with the army and die in battle.
As you would expect, Shakira is terrified of being left alone in the medieval world. Everything she knows of the time is from history books. She is confronted with political threats and social threats and must wend her way through a maze of problems. During this time, she misinterprets a situation. Her subsequent actions trigger major trouble for her and Alex, both in the medieval world and modern world.
What did you learn about yourself from writing this book?
That as much as I might like to romanticize the medieval world and fill it with chivalrous knights and castles, it's definitely not a place I'd want to go to in person.
What advice do you have for other writers?
Let the first draft marinate for a few weeks before you start the second draft. Put the first draft away and return to it after you've had time to let the story go and you can come back with fresh eyes.
What do you wish someone had told you about writing that you learned the hard way?
Have other people, people you can trust to be honest read it and give you feedback so you learn what is working and more important what didn't work for them.
What is your next project?
I'm starting book three, Knight Blindness, of my Knights in Time series. Journey in Time is book two of the series.
What are you reading now?
The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry and I just ordered How the Marquess Was Won by Julie Anne Long.
Anything else you'd like your readers to know?
I hope they'll stop by my website: www.chriskarlsen.com. I have trailers for the books on the site. I had a lot of fun putting together the one for Journey in Time. I'd also love to hear from the readers on what their thoughts are regarding the stories.
Journey in Time
By Chris Karlsen
London attorney, Shakira Constantine, finally agrees to spend the day with her handsome client, Alex Lancaster. While riding in the countryside, the couple finds themselves caught in a time warp and transported back to the 14th Century, and an England preparing for war. Everyone believes Alex is the Baron Guy Guiscard…a baron who died in the upcoming battle.
If they can't find a way to return to the 21st Century, Alex will have to sail with the army to certain death. Shakira will be left alone to survive in the alien and terrifying medieval world.
Excerpt:
"Alex, what is going on?" she asked in a frenzied whisper.
"Shh." After they mounted, Alex sidled over, so close their boots touched. "We're riding into a very perilous situation. I'll explain everything when we're alone. Your life, my life," he stressed, "depends on you being quiet until then."
Confused it took Shakira a few seconds before she nodded yes.
"Remember what I told you," he warned and trotted ahead to chat with the knight he called Simon.
Get it for your Kindle
About the Author:
Chris Karlsen is a retired police detective who spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. Her father was a history professor and her mother an avid reader. She grew up with a love of history and books. She has always loved traveling and has traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Near East (especially Turkey and the Greek Islands), the Caribbean, and North Africa. Born and raised in Chicago, Chris has also lived in Paris, Los Angeles, and currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four rescue dogs.
Contact Chris: Books to Go Now, P.O. Box 1283, Poulsbo, WA 98370
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chriskarlsenwriter
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Bewitching Book Tours, Blog Tours, Chris Karlsen, interviews, Journey in Time
Follower Love Giveaway
Welcome to the Follower Love Giveaway! This hop runs from February 7 to February 14, 2012. Thanks to I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Rachael Renee Anderson for hosting.
I have three e-copies of Her Dear & Loving Husband to give away as well as three paperback copies. If you're not familiar with the story, check here. There's also a $10 gift certificate to either Amazon.com or BN.com (your choice) for one lucky winner.
You must be a follower of this blog to enter. You can gain extra entries with the following:
Following this blog +1
Follow me on Twitter +1
Like The Copperfield Review on Facebook +1
Friend me on Goodreads +1
Follow my reviews on Goodreads +1
The extra entry options are available on the right sidebar of this page. Then fill out the form below and you're entered!
[contact-form]
There are over 300 great websites involved in this hop. Check here to see what other wonderful items you can win.
Filed under: Giveaways Tagged: Follower Love Giveaway, Giveaways, I am a Reader Not a Writer, Rachael Renee Anderson
February 2, 2012
Dickens at 200
I wanted to share my "Dear Readers" essay for the Winter 2012 edition of The Copperfield Review here. Since February 7, 2012 is Charles Dickens' 200th birthday, we put together a special edition featuring our favorite author. You can read it here. Enjoy.
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I've been wondering what Dickens would think if he could see us in the 21st century. On the surface, the world seems so different than it was 200 years ago, and in many ways it is. Technology, medicine, manners, clothing, and women's roles in society (thank God) have changed dramatically. As I'm writing this on my MacBook Pro, listening to my iPod, and checking my e-mail, I'm picturing Dickens sitting at his desk with his quill and ink and I'm thankful for things like delete keys and flat-screen monitors. I was just reading one of Dickens' letters to a friend (Dickens was in Italy at the time) and he pointed out the smudge on the paper–a fly fell into the ink and there it was. No fly smudges here! And yet as I think of Dickens checking out our electronic doodahs and thingamajigs, I don't think he'd be as impressed as we'd like him to be. You can talk in real time to someone on the other side of the globe through phone or text but there are still homeless people with no shelter from the cold? Hungry children with no health care? People who want to earn a living and there's no work for them? You can send people and satellites into space, but the current generation is less educated than the one before?
In 200 years, we haven't come as far socially as we have technologically. We're still dealing with the same issues Dickens railed against in the 19th century. Poverty, hunger, lack of education, a selfish and uncaring upper class are all still too prevalent, especially in the wake of the recent economic downturn. Perhaps it's appropriate that Dickens' 200th birthday coincides with a time when we can recognize his world as our own. In times past, I would read Dickens and think how lucky we were to be living in the (then) 20th century when we knew better. Now, I read Dickens and see examples of the poverty he described everywhere around me. We've gone backwards, not forwards, in eradicating the social ills Dickens fought in his fiction, his journalism, and his charitable work. We have a lot to learn from him (again) about treating others with the dignity they deserve as fellow human beings. I certainly need as much of a reminder on that point as anyone. Dickens makes us laugh by pointing out the hypocrisy in selfish-minded characters like Mr. Bumble in Olivier Twist or Wackford Squeers in Nicholas Nickleby, but we also nod our heads because we've seen such selfishness in others, and also (if we're being honest) in ourselves. If we can recognize our own selfishness, admit to it, and work on doing better next time, we can help those around us instead of hurting them. Which is really how we should live to begin with.
We can read Dickens for the social message, or we can read him for entertainment. We can read him to cry, or to laugh. I became a Dickens fan when I read David Copperfield as an English major in grad school (read my review here), and I have remained a Dickens fan because I cannot name another author who has created such a wealth of memorable characters I want to visit with again and again. I have been asked in interviews which authors most influenced my own writing. Without skipping a beat, I always answer, "Charles Dickens."
What began as an idea for a special edition of The Copperfield Review has grown into a year's project. I've decided to reread all of Dickens' work–beginning with Sketches by Boz and ending with The Mystery of Edwin Drood–and I'm not just hitting the novels. I'm reading his letters and his journalism along with assorted biographies and critical essays. So far, I'm up to Barnaby Rudge (one of his two works of historical fiction). Next is American Notes. I'll be writing about my experiences reading and rereading Dickens, and you can find my musings here in future posts and in The Copperfield Review. I'm looking at this as my own personal dissertation for the Ph.D. in English literature I never went for. I'm not affiliated with any university. I'm just a Dickens fan who's fascinated by his work and curious about why it has held up (even against some of the closest literary scrutiny there is) for generations. And if I can help pull a few new readers his way, that's all the better.
Filed under: Charles Dickens Tagged: Charles Dickens, Copperfield Review
January 25, 2012
An Interview With Bob Thiel, Ph.D.
What books did you love as a child? Why?
Mysteries and biographies. I found them both fascinating.
Who are your favorite authors? How did they influence your writing?
As a child, I liked Mark Twain. His writings taught me that people like stories. Herbert Armstrong was another. He taught me that people will read long documents if they are interesting enough.
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer? Why did you decide to write?
I have been writing off and on for much of my life. The current trend to write books related to prophecy and theology came after a visit to Athens and another to Rome.
When do you find time to write?
I tend to write early morning before others in our house are up. I also squeeze it in when I can during the day.
What are the joys of writing for you?
As a non-fiction writer, I get to research and learn things myself, and love sharing what I learn from others.
What are the obstacles of writing? How do you overcome them?
Obstacles are mainly marketing-related (not a personal strength) and sometimes hurrying. Having an editor helps with the hurrying issues.
What is your favorite genre to read in? Write in? Why?
I tend to read and write non-fiction. It is not that I do not ever enjoy fiction, but there is so much that I want to learn, that non-fiction is my priority.
How would you describe your writing style? How did you develop it?
My writing style is more of a quote and comment type. I do that because I am normally advocating positions outside the norm and hope that by having lots of references, that people will be moved to not only believe what I am writing, but to take steps to change because of it.
What was the inspiration for your book?
After a visit to Vatican City, it occurred to me that writing certain types of prophetic books could help many people.
What were the challenges of writing your story? The joys?
The biggest challenges were to try to put all the pieces together in a way that others would understand them. The biggest joys were all that I learned while putting it together. But the real joy is when people come up to me and tell me to the effect that "every time I watch the news, I see things that your book said would happen." That really brings me joy.
Do you do research for your writing? If so, how do you go about it (Internet, travel, etc.)?
My wife and I have traveled essentially around the world. We visited Mayan ruins, many areas in Asia Minor, Greece, Rome, Vatican City, and elsewhere. Also, I bought lots of books, including some that cannot be found either in bookstores or places like Amazon.
Tell us about your book.
My book explains how Mayan, biblical, Byzantine, Catholic, Islamic, Mormon, Chinese, Hindu, and other prophecies will align, what will and will not happen in 2012, and what will happen after it. Since the book was first released in September 2009, world events have lined up with at least 20 predictions in it. No other "2012" book seems to have such a track record.
What did you learn about yourself from writing this book?
I was surprised how well certain prophecies from different cultures lined up with my understanding of biblical prophecy.
What advice do you have for other writers?
Once you have an idea of the message you want, even if you know few details, get a computer and start to type.
What do you wish someone had told you about writing that you learned the hard way?
The advent of the internet and digital books was changing the book world faster than some had told me.
What is your next project?
My next book, Fatima Shock!, is also close to being finished and I am in the process of getting an editor. There is another book that I have been working on for 6-7 years, The Beginning and the End of the Christian Church Era, that I hope to stop working on and publish. Both books will amaze people interested in prophecy and the Christian church.
What are you reading now?
I have been reading early church writings. They are actually more interesting, when properly understood, than most people imagine.
Anything else you'd like your readers to know?
If they are concerned about what is going on in the world today and would like a roadmap that could help them make sense of that, as well as what will happen, give my book a try. They should be surprised, and hopefully highly pleased, with what they will learn.
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect:
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect: A Revolutionary Spiritual and Physical Survival Guide for 2012-2020 is a groundbreaking investigative work that goes beyond way beyond the usual doomsday flaming meteor and tidal wave scenarios. Award-winning researcher and end time prophecy expert, Dr. Bob Thiel, disseminates and later compares ancient prophecies of the world's 11 major religions, explains which prophecies are not likely to occur and describes which world changing events are inevitable. Predictions in 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect are happening right now.
About the Author:
The author was raised in Michigan. He has studied philosophy, religion, research, science, and prophecy, both formally and informally for several decades. The author has a Master's degree from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. from the Union Institute and University. In the past fifteen years, he has had scores of articles published on these topics in a variety of print publications such as magazines, newspapers, and journals. He has been a lifelong researcher and has received several research awards. He has also worked for geotechnical and other research companies.
He has been married to his wife Joyce since 1981. Together they have made multiple trips to ancient sites in Central America, Asia Minor, Rome, Greece, and elsewhere. This would include visiting such places as Tikal and Iximche in Guatemala; Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea and Patmos in Asia Minor; Fatima in Portugal; Vatican City, Rome, and Pompeii in the Italian peninsula; Athens, Corinth, Crete, and Rhodes in Greece; and Constantinople (now Istanbul) and Cappadocia in Turkey. They have also visited ancient ruins in Asia and explored parts of Africa.
The Thiels have three sons and live in the Five Cities region of the central California coast.
Find and follow Bob Thiel:
Author Website
Other Website
Twitter
Buy the book:
For more information about 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, click here.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, Bob Thiel Ph.D., interviews, Nurture Virtual Book Tourz
January 23, 2012
Rejection Letters–An Editor's Point of View
We've been hard at work putting together the Winter 2012 edition of The Copperfield Review, making the usual tough decisions about which pieces will go in and which won't.
Contrary to popular belief, editors don't find a sadistic satisfaction from sending out rejection letters. There is that one editor with a voodoo doll and a case of push pins, but that's another post. Most editors are writers too, and we know there's nothing like the prick of a rejection letter to pop the air from a writer's bubble.
There have been times when I received too many rejections in a row and I couldn't help but take them personally. Was it my storytelling? My habit of submitting acrostic poetry? Was my Aunt Ellie just wrong and I really don't have a way with words? But then I became an editor, and I realized that decisions aren't always about storytelling or talent.
The Secret is No Great Secret
Here's the big secret that's really no secret at all: most decisions are based on personal preference. There's no complex system editors use to determine quality (think of the formula in the textbook meant to determine a poem's value in Dead Poet's Society). There's no list of writers to accept or reject. It's not about what MFA program you went to, or if you even have an MFA. Not everyone's style is to everyone's taste. That's it.
At The Copperfield Review, we tend to have more literary, experimental tastes. I have great respect for Hemingway-esque simplicity, but it's not the kind of work I'm drawn to publish. I love work that plays with, stretches, challenges the English language. We're blessed to write in the English language. Truly. Our wealth of vocabulary, limitless possibilities for structure, and ability to be straightforward or lost in a stream of consciousness makes our language a vast artist's toolbox to use to paint pictures in words. If we turn down a piece at Copperfield that doesn't mean it's bad. It's just not for us at that time.
One Thing is Too Much Like the Other
Since Copperfield is a journal of historical fiction, we get a lot of submissions set in the same era—World War II and the Old West are two of the most popular. But because we receive so many stories set during the same time, we can't publish them all. I know the consensus is that writers should read literary journals to see if they've published pieces similar to the work you want to submit. Generally, that's true. But let some time pass if you want to submit a story on exactly the same subject as one that's just been published. If you see a story in Copperfield about the American Civil War in our Spring edition, wait at least until Autumn before you send in your Gettysburg tale. We're open to it, just not so soon.
Once we received twenty World War II submissions for the same edition. No joke. There was nothing particularly wrong with any of the stories, but we couldn't publish twenty stories on the same subject. We rejected eighteen of them, most of which might have been published if they had been sent at another time.
Which brings us to the million dollar question: how can you know exactly when to submit your work? Unfortunately, you can't. Sometimes journals ask for specific types of submissions for certain editions, but otherwise timing can be the luck of the draw. There is an element of luck involved in sending your work to the right publisher at the right time. But the more research you do, and the more you submit, the more opportunities you have to turn the tides of timing in your favor.
I know the form letter rejections aren't very helpful for writers, but they're a necessary evil due to the number of submissions most journals receive. Just remember, the next time you receive one, it's not about your talent. It's about the editors, their personal tastes for the type of writing they prefer, and the type of stories they're looking to publish at the time.
For tips on submitting to editors, check here.
Filed under: Writing Tagged: editors, literary journals, publishing, writing, writing tips
January 20, 2012
My Favorite Things with Author Jamie Lee Scott
On my iPod: My taste in music is eclectic, so I have the soundtrack to Black Swan (I listen to this when I'm writing darker scenes), George Strait, Kid Rock, Rob Thomas, Wynton Marsalis, U2, Cold Play, Lilly Allen, and Black Eyed Peas.
Currently Reading: Little Book of Sitcom by John Vorhaus (I'm writing a sitcom for the Nickelodeon Fellowship)
Color: Brown
City: Los Angeles (the greater area) because I have so many friends who live there, and there is so much diversity
Dream Vacation: A private beach, with my cottage just steps away from the sand, and all I can eat and drink
Activity: Working with my horses
Book: Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley
Book on Writing: I'll just list two: On Writing by Stephen King, and Save the Cat by Blake Snyder.
Place to Read: When the weather is nice, the upstairs deck off my master bedroom. When it's cold and windy, the rocking chair in my bedroom.
TV Show: This is tough to narrow down, so Modern Family, New Girl, Whitney, Castle, Once Upon a Time, and Grimm.
Movie: The Air I Breathe, an incredible indie film
Song: "Good to be Me" by Uncle Kracker
Singer: Rob Thomas
Band: Band of Horses
Actor: Oliver Platt
Actress: Natalie Portman
Pet Peeve: People who are oblivious to those around them when talking on their cell phone in public. Seriously, 99% of those calls can wait until everyone standing in line doesn't have to hear it.
Most Like To Meet: Screenwriter Bob DeRosa, who has been a mentor, but I've never met him. And my novel writing critique partner, Jennie Bentley.
Let Us Prey
Book 1, Gotcha Detective Agency Mysteries
By Jamie Lee Scott
Mimi Capurro has been hired to protect New York Times bestselling author, Lauren Silke, who was recently assaulted in the bathroom at a paranormal conference. Though Mimi is hired to act as bodyguard for Lauren's upcoming book tour, plans change when Lauren's assistant is murdered and the slaying is a replica of a scene from Lauren's newest novel. A novel that hit bookstores the same day as the killing.
Now instead of playing bodyguard, Mimi is cracking computer code and chasing down vampires. These vampires come alive on the streets of Santa Cruz as part of a live role-playing game. Mimi must find the connection between the vampires and the author to track down the killer. This would be much easier if Detective Nick Christianson wanted her investigating the case.
Nick, Mimi's old college fling, is the lead homicide investigator.
Though he wants her off the case, he also wants to pump her for information. Nick may have used her in the past, but this time she'll use him to try to catch the murderer first.
About the Author:
Jamie Lee Scott was born on the Central Coast of California, where she spent her entire childhood entertaining. She wrote plays and charged admission to her backyard stage so her friends and family could enjoy the performances. She wrote her first novel at the age of 10, for her 5th grade class project. The novel was called Cindy.
Busy with horses and school, Jamie rarely wrote through her teens and twenties. She was living a life most dreamed of (well, she dreamed of anyway), competing at barrel races, hanging out with cowboys, and traveling in rodeo circles with her friends. Money was tight, but life was good. Then Jamie met the man of her dreams. And low and behold he was not a cowboy, but a farm boy. They married and he swept her away to her little piece of heaven in Iowa.
Before she finished her first full length novel, Jamie was contracted to write the book, Hiking Iowa, for Falcon Publishing. In a year, she hiked 75 trails in the state of Iowa and mapped the trails, landmarks and distances. And this was before GPS. It was tough work for the measly advance, but it was a writing credit. So now, Jamie writes the mystery series featuring the Gotcha Detective Agency.
Jamie has written three novels, Let Us Prey, the soon to be released Death of a Sales Rep, and Give a Dog a Bone. She is currently writing screenplays. She is co-founder of Scriptchat on Twitter www.scriptchat.com and TWWriterChat at www.tvwriterchat.com. She is the former president of RWA's screenwriting chapter, Script Scene. Jamie still lives in Iowa (though she visits California as often as possible) with her husband, 2 dogs, 2 cats and 2 horses.
Filed under: Guest Authors Tagged: Bewitching Book Tours, guest blogs, Jamie Lee Scott, Let Us Prey
