Katheryn Lane's Blog, page 12

Murder in the English Countryside: Meet Author Stella Stafford

I love England, especially Oxford and the surrounding areas, so today it's great to welcome an English author from Oxfordshire, Stella Stafford. First Stella, could you tell us something about your books?



I write mystery crime novels, the Little Wychwell Mysteries, which are set in Oxford and in the village of Little Wychwell. Little Wychwelldoesn't exist in reality but there are many villages very similar to it all over Oxfordshire. The first Little Wychwell Mystery (Did Anyone Die?) is already published both in paperback and on Kindle. The second one (A Very Quiet Guest) is due to be published in paperback at the end of May this year (2012) and will be out on Kindle shortly after that.  I have written three more which do not yet have publication dates. Every time I decide that my current book is the last one in this series I find I miss my characters and wonder what they are up to now, so I write another. I also write science fiction, my first science fiction book is 'Hunting the Thingle, the First Demeter Chronicle', this does not yet have a publication date as yet. People who follow my tweets will know that I also write about the local Oxfordshire natural history. My books are written in UK English with UK spelling.



What inspired you to write them?I have always written, ever since I was tiny but only really for my own amusement although I have had poetry published in the past (under a different pen name).  However a few years ago I became a carer for a disabled relative for two years.  This gave me time to write, because I was in the house so much more, and also motivation to write as she read twenty or more library books a week and refused to re-read books.  So I thought 'I know, I'll write them myself!' This was, in many ways, a silly idea, principally because it takes far longer to write and publish a book than it does to read it, but it was my original inspiration for writing and publishing full length novels.



What are you working on at the moment?



At the moment I'm writing a collection of fantasy/science fiction short stories. I find it quite hard to write very short pieces of fiction so this is quite a challenge for me! I am planning to simply Kindleise this when I have finished, I'm only really writing these for fun!  My next big writing project is the second Demeter Chronicle which I am planning at present.  'Hunting the Thingle' necessarily involves a lot of scene setting because it's the first in the series.  The second one will be more action packed.

What are you currently reading?I have just finished reading 'Pigeon Pie' by Nancy Mitford and am about to read 'Wigs on the Green' by the same author.  I am also reading 'Wait for Me!' which is the autobiography of Deborah, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire.





I understand you live in Oxfordshire. What is the best (and worst) thing about living in this part of England?



Oxfordshire is very English.The best things about it are that it has beautiful countryside, very charming villages and Oxford itself which is the best city in the world.  (I am not at all biased, as you can see) The worst thing about Oxfordshire is that it does not have any mountains. I am very fond of mountain walking!

What do you like to do in your free time?



I spend a lot of time walking in the countryside. I also sing, (first Soprano). Also a lot of other things but the list might look quite boring if I write them all out, it will look like my CV!



Do you have advice for other authors?



Write because you enjoy writing.  Being published is lovely but secondary.



Do you have any parting comments?



Thank you very much for interviewing me.



Where can readers buy your books and find out more about you?



You can find out more about my books and myself on my website. This will give you links to where you can buy the books as well. www.stellas-home.co.uk



I also have an author profile on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Stella-Stafford/e/B006QCMXR4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1331396989&sr=8-1



Did Anyone Die? is published in paperback by Melrose Books www.melrosebooks.com  and is also available from many other outlets including most branches of Amazon. A Very Quiet Guest will be available in May 2012 and is available for pre-order now.



You can find me on Twitter, @stellastafford, and also on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Did-Anyone-Die-by-Stella-Stafford/221583511185270



Thank you so much Stella for the taking the time to chat with me today!

Her Latin Lover is Now Covered

My new romance novel, Her Latin Lover, now has a great book cover thanks to Judy Bullard at http://www.jaebeecreations.com. I love the cover she did for my first contemporary romance, The Royal Sheikh, so I asked her if she could design one for my next book, Her Latin Lover. It is set in South America so I wanted a slightly different feel to the previous cover, e.g. the font that she used for the title had to change, as did the background image. However, she kept the same font for my name and placed it at the bottom of the cover as before, so that there would be some consistency between the two books. Hopefully this will help people see that they are by the same author, though this time Judy gave my name a slight pinkish hue which I think looks great. Thank you Judy for the gorgeous cover!



Her Latin Lover has been picked over by several editors, which is always a nerve-wracking process, but they said they loved it, just as long as I made the changes they suggested! It is now with a professional proofreader, but as soon as I get it back and change any errors (hopefully there won't be too many of them!) the book will be published on Amazon.  Watch this space! 

The Darker Side of Romance: Meet Author Natalie Hancock

Today it's great to welcome Natalie Hancock, paranormal romance author of Eternal Darkness. First Natalie, could you tell me something about your book?



Cursed in Darkness is a vampire paranormal romance series. Eternal Darkness is the first book in the series.It's about Layla, a half vampire, half human who is sent to live in the hundred acres of land full of vampires for her own safety. The only problem is she hungers for the vampires' blood, so when she has lessons with them, not only does she struggle with the hunger raging inside of her, but she has to learn to trust those around her, something she can't do because she has a dark past, and because of it, she has trouble trusting anyone.



She knows she's in as much danger inside the land as she was when she was outside the land, and she can't shake off the feeling that something, or someone is watching her, waiting to attack her, despite the guards watching her every move.When she meets one of the tutors, she feels things towards him and wants both his blood and his body, but it's forbidden to feel the way they do and Layla must fight her feelings otherwise the secrets she desperately wants to remain a secret will get out, and put her in more danger than she already is.What inspired you to write it?



Hmmm. . . My dreams? I just had this amazing dream one night, and when I wrote it down, the ideas for a story were just there. I've managed to write the first five through dreams, and write the ending for the seventh book too, which was incredibly interesting. I was shocked with how it ended!



What are you working on at the moment?



At the minute, I'm working on Darkness Arising, the sixth book in the Cursed in Darkness Series. A lot has happened since the first one, and while I'm writing it, I get goose bumps from excitement. I can't wait for everyone to read it.



I believe you own a lot of pets. Could you tell us a bit about them?Well, we (Reece and I) own three beautiful guinea pigs, Fluff, Smudge, and Squig. A hamster called Crunch and a chinchilla called Hektor.



Fluff is the oldest guinea pig at the age of seven and a half. She's the Grandma of the other two and is always putting them in their places.



Smudge is the second oldest. We got her when our other guinea pig, Buton, Fluff's old companion, passed away. I cried when I first saw her. It was the first time I'd cried since finding out about Buton. She is my guinea pig, but so favours Reece. She hates me.



Squig is the youngest, she's not even a year old, but she's such a pain it's unbelievable. She's constantly jumping all over the other two, and tries to steal Fluff's food, but with no luck. No one steals Fluff's food.When Squig walks, she squeaks. It's hilarious.Crunch is the only hamster we have. We had two, but Hamster (yes, we named him that) got old and died. Crunch enjoys keeping me awake at night biting the bars of his cage, and 'trains' in his wheel for hours on end. He wants to be the greatest hamster there is.Hektor is just amazing. I don't have a favourite pet, but if you met him, you would just fall in love with him. He's not even a year old. He enjoys being scratched behind the ears and loves to talk. A lot. I mean, he talks more than me, and that's saying something.When he's inside his cage, he's crazy, but when he's out he's just insane. He wall jumps, tries to get into Reece's slippers and is always up to no good. You always have to keep a close eye on him. And that's a fact.Apart from looking after your pets, what do you like to do in your free time?



When I'm not looking after my pets, I mostly write, read, listen to loud rock/hardcore music or play/watch games. My life is simple. I put all the excitement in my books.



Do you have advice for other authors?Stay calm and don't give up. If you're looking to be published and think your work is good enough, and have worked your butt off writing your books, keep trying to get them out there, because once you do, there is no feeling like having your work out there, knowing that someone, somewhere is reading your work.



Do you have any parting comments?



Thank you for interviewing me. I can safely say that it is a lot easier than being interviewed face-to-face. Terrifying stuff there! At least this way, I know I can act like an idiot without worrying what everyone thinks of me.



Where can readers buy your book and find out more about you?My books can be purchased here:



My books can be purchased here: http://www.extasybooks.com/Eternal-Darkness



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076U1UT2http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0076U1UT2


You can find out more about me by adding me on Facebook, where I have my information there, and talk about my books, http://facebook.com/Author.Natalie.Hancock. Or just ask.



Thank you very much Natalie!

Vampires and Romance Part II: An interview with Michelle Hughes

Last December I interviewed Michelle Hughes, author of A Night At Tears of Crimson and since then she has been unbelievably busy, so I asked her if she was willing to do a second interview with me to tell us what she's been up to and luckily she said yes!



First of all, thank you so much Michelle for taking the time to come back here and chat with me. Since we last spoke you have done heaps of things including publishing another book, Eternal Crimson, which is now out as both an ebook and as a paperback. Could you tell us a bit about it?



Thank you so much for having me back again, Katheryn.  It's been a busy six months, and so much has been put into place that I just had to force myself to keep up.  Some of the projects I've been working on needed to happen immediately, and then of course the last book in the Tears of Crimson Vampire Series has a very specific deadline it has to meet, so that helped push things along.



You originally said that Eternal Crimson would be released in June 2012, but you've actually managed to release it ahead of schedule! How did you manage to work so fast?Without giving away the plot for the third book, let me just say that Eternal Crimson had to be completed before I could publish the last book in this series.  The third books deadline is in October of this year.  I realized that I wouldn't have time to fully devote to this last book if I didn't have the second one ready earlier.  It was a tough choice, but it needed to happen.



I love the cover for Eternal Crimson. Who did it?Thank you so much for the compliment, and I wish I could take credit for that incredible cover.  There were four wonderful people responsible.  Sean and Ashlie Nelson, who completed the Luna Fall waterfall background.  Jimmy Thomas, from Romance Novel Covers, is how we found the couple photo, and then Barbara Ivie.  She was responsible for the fonts that you will soon see on all three of the Tears of Crimson books.



I believe you are also republishing your first book, A Night at Tears of Crimson. What changes have you made to the book and why? My original dream for Tears of Crimson was to put it in Cara's perspective.  I have never considered myself talented in writing first-person stories, but I forced myself to attempt it for the first book.  When Eternal Crimson was put before beta readers the one comment that I received from different readers was the strangeness of having one book in first and the other in third.  Since I really don't enjoy writing in first person, it made sense to bring the first book into third.  Also, with the first book I didn't have a professional editor, something I have regretted.  With the re-edit, it got the third-person view it should have had in the beginning, and the professional edit.



As well as writing, you have set up a great website, The Books Debut. Could you tell us about the site?  Thanks for asking about that.  When I was first trying to get my book before the public the one thing I had trouble with was finding people willing to take a chance on a new author.  I was constantly getting emails from other author friends about how they could promote their book without spending a ton of money.  The idea for The Books Debut was born.  I won't say that we only focus on Indie Authors, but they are our main focus.  I just don't believe that a book should be judged on whether it was written by someone who has a major publisher.  A book should be judged on an individual basis. 



A group of friends shared the same vision, and we've managed to pull together a site that will debut new books and hopefully give indie authors a platform to promote their work.  There are many sites opening their doors to the indie writers and I for one, am very excited about that.What are you planning to work on next?



I want to finish up the Tears of Crimson series with the final book and I have a new project underway as well.  I won't get into the new project at this time, because there is still much research to be done before I make a decision on how I'll move forward with that.  I do know that it will fall under the Tears of Crimson books, just not in a vampire genre.



Where can people buy your books and find out more about you? I can usually be found on twitter via @MichelleHughes_ or facebook www.facebook.com/authormichellehughes  or you can stop by my site, www.tearsofcrimson.com and I hope you'll stop by The Books Debut as well.  We are looking for readers and reviewers to keep up with stream of books piling in.



Do you have any final parting comments or advice?As you know Katheryn, I'm a big supporter of the Amazon KDP Select plan for authors.  Amazon has been revolutionary in giving Indie Authors the support they need for promoting their work.  I also can't say enough good things about Kindle Nation Daily, when they picked up my book, Eternal Crimson it had the best rankings of any of my previous work. 



I would like all my readers that purchased the first book, A Night at Tears of Crimson via Kindle, to know that the update will be offered free of charge for the new book.  I can't thank my readers enough for sticking by me as I work toward making the Tears of Crimson Vampire series the best it can be.



Would you like a FREE copy of Eternal Crimson? Michelle is giving away a free paperback on Goodreads starting today! Just click here to enter.

Luck and Romance: Meet Contemporary Romance Author, Jan Romes

I was recently interviewed by the wonderful romance author, Jan Romes on her blog and today I get the chance to put the shoe on the other foot and interview her! First of all, thank you so much for joining me in my Valentine's Giveaway last February. For anyone who missed it and hasn't yet read your great contemporary romance, Lucky Ducks , could you tell us a bit about it?



Thanks for having me here today, Katheryn!



I'd love to talk about my latest book, Lucky Ducks!



Claire Stone is a green-eyed, nail-biting, claustrophobic who's recently divorced and looking for a fresh start. Kasen Isaak is a dyslexic, coffee-addict who runs his father's investment business. He has an aversion for green-eyed women thanks to two such women who worked him over pretty good. Claire and Isaak both have a run of bad luck going on before they ever meet. Forced into each other's company by manipulative, military fathers, their orchestrated relationship becomes a calamity of errors that is both humorous and touching. Despite monumental conflict, these two flawed, unhappy people find a way to be the very thing the other needs to change their luck and their lives.



You have also published another successful romance, One Small Fib . What draws you to write contemporary romance?



My dreams are always been contemporary. They never involve a handsome prince or roguish pirate, but someone current like an actor or singer. So writing contemporary romance seems to be a good fit for me.



Where do you get your inspiration for your books?



Growing up with six sisters and two brothers, life was sort of day-to-day chaos. I think I inadvertently stored the mayhem and draw from it occasionally. Also, I'm a people watcher. I pay attention to expressions, reactions, the way things are said, etc.



What are you currently working on at the moment?



My current work in progress (yet unnamed), is a romantic suspense. It's been a challenge, but in a good way. It's about a romance novelist who's being stalked. She lives in New York City, flees to Myrtle Beach and eventually ends up in Provence, France.



What do you like doing in your free time when you're not writing?



My free time involves my three granddaughter's (ages 6, 4, and 1). I also love to exercise and work part-time at a gym. In the summer months, I garden. And of course, I always make time to read.



Where can people buy your books and find out more about you?



Lucky Ducks - http://www.amazon.com

One Small Fib - http://www.amazon.com



You can find Jan at:

Website: www.janromes.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Jan-Romes/1418424489#!/profile.php?id=1418424489

Twitter: @janromes

Blog: www.jantheromancewriter.blogspot.com



Do you have any final parting comments or advice?



Thank you so much for this opportunity, Katheryn



My advice to aspiring writers: fall in love with your characters, so when you talk about your books your passion will be contagious!



Thank you Jan for coming here and telling us about yourself and your wonderful books! Please let us know when your romantic suspense comes out.

Thrilling History! An Interview with Author, John Paul Davis

As a huge history fan, it's great to welcome author, John Paul Davis. Firstly, you have had two works of non-fiction published, the first of which was the highly acclaimed history, Robin Hood: The Unknown Templar. Could you tell us something about it?



The Robin Hood book was my first completed manuscript and my first work accepted for publication. And it all happened by accident. The Robin Hood connection actually came about when I was researching another book, a novel, now known as The Templar Agenda. I've always loved history and my dream was to write a novel that was based on a credible premise and this involved a lot of research. Before I started researching the Templars, I had never ascertained the possibility that Robin Hood could have been a historical Templar. I knew the films well and I was familiar with most of the ballads. As it turned out the ballads were the smoking gun. The Robin Hood of medieval literature is so far removed from the disinherited, freedom-fighting nobleman of the movies that I think few people really know what to expect from a historical Robin Hood. The ballads confirm the original Robin was little more than a commoner, with a tendency toward helping his fellow man and extremely devoted to his religion, far more so than a typical outlaw. The military structure of the merry men is also surprising for that of alleged cutthroats. Further still, the king of the ballads is an Edward.



The first characteristics we see of Robin and his merry men are piety, bravery, excellent knowledge of military protocol and a developed understanding of banking. Add together the features of the outlaws' personalities, the small archaeological evidence that exists or existed, coupled with the historical and geographical situation we are presented with a very convincing scenario, but one that has very little in common with 21st century perception. For that reason presenting a theory on Robin Hood was only half the battle. It was also important to explain how people's perception of Robin Hood has changed so dramatically over time.



You mentioned your very successful thriller, The Templar Agenda. Although it is a work of fiction, how much of it is based on fact?

Highly successful? Well, hopefully some day. A lot of the book is inspired by history or conspiracy theory. In my opinion the best authors are the ones who make their books the most realistic; even the best sci-fi or fantasy authors can achieve this. Growing up, I was particularly captivated by the way authors like Grisham, Higgins and Ludlum used their incredible knowledge of their chosen fields to deliver outstanding thrillers and I wanted to do something similar using my strengths.



In short, The Templar Agenda is the product of some genuine history and a lot of what historians call 'historical method'. Effectively, this means making the facts suit your conclusion, and perhaps leave out those that don't. Sadly, many non-fiction authors are guilty of this. My aim was to tell a story that, although false, was believable. If the Templar Agenda is to be believed, the Knights Templar not only survived their persecution, but went on to become something greater still. All of the characters in the novel are made up, but most of their positions and titles et cetera are based on those of real people: all of the cardinals, for instance, and the set up of the Vatican bank is based on my research. The locations are mostly real and the background is authentic. Parts of the Templar background are inconclusive. Historically, connections between the Templars and things such as the Newport Tower, Rosslyn and the Zichmni voyage continue to divide historians. Who knows, perhaps some parts of the novel are even more accurate than I imagine.



A lengthy note on the facts behind my fiction can be found at the end of the book and on my website, The Unknown Templar.





How did you first become interested in the Knights Templar?I've been interested in the Templars for as long as I can remember. I've always loved history. My parents often took me visiting castles when I was young, and I've loved the Middle Ages ever since. To me, the Templars epitomize much of that period. It was an age of chivalry where castles and religion dominated the landscape.



That said, there is more to the Templars than just the authentic history. In the late 1990s I started reading books like The Hiram Key and the Holy Blood and the Holy Grail whose speculative theories opened up a new wave of Templar conspiracy theory. Some of them are great reads, but most of them have zero credibility as history books and the fact that they are presented as genuine history in my opinion damages the subject. The big disappointment is that there actually is evidence to suggest the history of the Templars is not merely confined to their antics in the crusades. I really admire the work of authors like Steven Sora, Scott Wolter and Ashley Cowie in this regard. But thanks to the conspiracy theorists, some of the more credible theories are overlooked.





Your biography of Guy Fawkes, Pity for the Guy, has also been published. Guy Fawkes is the man who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 and to this day, people in England still burn effigies of him on 5th November, Guy Fawkes Night. However, despite this notoriety, you are the first person to have published a full-length biography of him. Why is that?

That's a good question, and what's more that was the first question I needed to answer when I decided to investigate the possibility of a book on Guy Fawkes. I think the short answer is there is still much we don't know about Guy Fawkes, particularly before his involvement in The Gunpowder Plot. Prior to Pity for the Guy, there had only been two attempts at a proper biography of Guy Fawkes and only a handful more on The Gunpowder Plot. The first, An Experiment in Biography by Henry Garnett, consisted of genuine history mixed with a fictionalized account of his life, based on historical sources, centering mainly on the plot. The second, published only a year later, The Devil of the Vault by Eric Simons, was effectively another history of the plot, only this one started with 2 chapters on Guy Fawkes's early life. Both were successful in bringing important facts of Guy Fawkes's life to the public consciousness, but even since that time, 1962 and 1963, more has come to light. Thanks to the work of one historian from York we have a very good idea of where Guy Fawkes lived his early life, as late as 1900 there were four possibilities. Another of the most important breakthroughs was a study in 1971 by Albert Loomie on Guy Fawkes's role in the Spanish Treason of 1598-1604: a conspiracy involving a number of exiled Catholics of England who attempted to convince the Spanish to send a second armada and place on the throne the Catholic infante of Spain in place of the Protestant King of Scotland, James Stuart. Arguably this was even more controversial than The Gunpowder Plot.



I think most people have a reasonable idea of what The Gunpowder Plot was about, and thanks to authors like Henry Spink, Philip Sidney and more recently Antonia Fraser and Alan Haynes there is a reasonable amount of reading available for people interested in the main story. What I thought was a shame was how little had been done to actually try and establish a genuine picture of the man who took the blame. The most important task was to accurately portray his 35-year life, rather than focus on the character of public perception, skulking in a darkened cellar, his face lit only by the glow of a solitary lantern. My aim was to bring something that incorporated all that is known of his life and attempt to draw on other sources to help fill in the gaps. The various confessions he gave in The Tower of London are still the best insight into his life and many of his answers can be validated by alternative sources. I still think there is a lot we don't know about Guy Fawkes and I don't doubt much more will come to light in the future, particularly regarding his military career in the Low Countries (modern day Holland, Belgium and parts of France and Luxembourg) and his involvement in the Spanish Treason.



But it's not just the gaps in his history that are important. I think prior to the Catholic emancipation in 1859 it was difficult for historians to place too much attention on Fawkes. England was a staunch Protestant country and the gunpowder conspirators were demonized heavily for their role in trying to kill the king. I think there is still a historical bias surrounding the plot. Even now, there is a tendency for Protestant historians to condemn him as a minor player and a tendency for Catholic historians to dismiss the plot as a work of fiction. That there was a plot is certain, but in my opinion the biggest issue is often overlooked. The important thing about Guy Fawkes is that his life, particularly prior to the plot, was intertwined with the circumstances of Europe at the time. Europe was at war on the back of the Protestant Reformation and every nation was experiencing power struggle. Had this not happened, there would have been no Gunpowder Plot.



What are you working on at the moment?What aren't I working on! First and foremost I am writing a 3 non-fiction book for my publisher, Peter Owen Publishers, a biography of King Henry III of England. Henry III reigned from 1216-1272 and remains to this day the longest reigning king of England, third longest monarch behind Elizabeth II and Victoria.



I am also working on 3 different novels, and hope to have at least 1 out before 2012 is over.



If you could go back to any period in time, when would you choose and why?Great question. I think the Norman-Plantagenet era of England was amazing, so really anytime in the period 1066-1377. As mentioned, I love castles so for me it would be interesting to live at the time of chivalry when the great castles and cathedrals of Europe were at their prime.





If you could meet anyone from history, who would it be and why?As a Catholic I'd have to say Jesus Christ. Obvious reasons.





Do you have any final parting comments?



How about some words of inspiration? In my opinion this is the most inspiring quote of all. W.H. Murray on providence!



'But when I said that nothing had been done I erred in one important matter. We had definitely committed ourselves and were halfway out of our ruts. We had put down our passage money--booked a sailing to Bombay. This may sound too simple, but is great in consequence. Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, the providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:

         

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!'



Thank you so much for sharing that inspirational quote. Thank you also for taking the time to give us such a fascinating insight into your work. Please let me know when more of your great books are published!

Chasing Rainbows and Finding Success: Meet Bestselling Romance Author Kathleen Long

This weekend it is great to welcome another wonderful romance author, Kathleen Long. First of all Kathleen, congratulations on the huge success of your bestselling novel, Chasing Rainbows , an Amazon, USA Today and WSJ bestseller! Obviously you won't want to give too much away, but for people who haven't read it yet, could you tell us a bit about it?



[image error] Thank you, Katheryn! The past several weeks have been a humbling, exciting time in my life.



Chasing Rainbows is the story of Bernadette Murphy's journey out of a life that's stagnated into a life brimming with possibility.



Here's the blurb:



What's that saying about the devil you know? For Bernadette Murphy, it's the devil she never expected that changes everything. Her father's sudden death leaves a gaping void in her life and is one in a series of events that rock her world. But with the discovery of her father's book of cryptograms, Bernie realizes his encoded lessons in living may be exactly what she needs to survive.

When Bernie finds herself in trouble at home, out of work and banned from the mall after a confrontation at the cosmetic counter, she discovers what her father always knew. In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow, or you don't.



For Bernie, the singing is about to begin.





What do you think have been the biggest factors in the success of Chasing Rainbows ?

Without a doubt, the biggest factor in the success of Chasing Rainbows was a giveaway done on Amazon during the week between Christmas and New Year's. Over the course of four days, the Kindle version was listed as free, and the volume of downloads was incredible. Chasing Rainbows moved as high as #2 on the Top 100 Free Kindle list and held there. When the price was returned to a discounted holiday price of $0.99, Chasing Rainbows climbed the Top 100 Paid Kindle Bestseller list, reaching as high as #4. The visibility was priceless, and the book's sales kicked in beyond my wildest dreams.



In addition to the giveaways on Amazon, I've pursued a mix of marketing avenues—online advertising, direct email to my readers list, facebook and twitter postings. Additionally, I have a blog tour scheduled to run for two weeks beginning in late February.



I'd like to think another reason for the book's success is the story itself. The protagonist confronts issues which will face many of us sooner or later—loss of a parent, divorce, career reinvention, etc.





You published Chasing Rainbows for $2.99 as an ebook, while many other bestselling authors, such as John Locke, have published their books for 99c. Did you consider selling yours for 99c?

I decided to use $0.99 as a sale price during special promotions. For example, from December 1st through January 15th, Chasing Rainbows was part of the Book Lovers Buffet promotion. During that time, the list price was reduced to $0.99. I'm sure this played a part in the success of the title during the days following the free listing. That being said, I'd always intended to list Chasing Rainbows at $2.99, a price I feel more than fair for a women's fiction novel.





You have also published over a dozen other romance novels mainly with Harlequin. Why did you decide to self-publish Chasing Rainbows ?

Deciding to self-publish was a big step for me. I'd published thirteen books the traditional way—two for Kensington Publishing and eleven for Harlequin. Because of that, my brain was fully wrapped around the way New York publishing worked. Then I hit a dry spell and saw three proposals make the rounds and remain unsold. All the while, Chasing Rainbows sat on my computer and waited.



Chasing Rainbows was my first women's fiction, and as such, my agent hadn't wanted to shop the project. At the time, she'd wanted me to focus on building my romantic suspense career, so I had.



I began to see friends and acquaintances have decent success with self-publishing, and I began to think...and think...and think about putting Rainbows out into the world. I gave Bernie's story one last edit and had the book professionally formatted. I'd designed the cover months earlier when I'd started thinking about self-publishing. Within a matter of days, the book was live. I'm so glad I took the plunge.



I think self-publishing has definitely been a factor in the book's success. Self-publishing allowed me to make Chasing Rainbows available quickly, across multiple formats, at a low price. All of those factors most certainly played roles in the book's sales.





What are you working on at the moment and will you continue to self-publish?

I'm currently working on a suspense novel. Vanished is scheduled for release on Kindle this April. I'm also working on a series of small-town contemporary romances and have a second women's fiction title planned for the second half of 2012.



I will continue to self-publish, but I am also considering a publishing contract at the time of this interview. The beauty of today's market is that authors are able to pursue both avenues to delivering new content to their readers. I'm very excited about the coming months. Please keep an eye on my website for the latest news and release info.





When you are not writing, what do you like doing in your free time? 

In my free time, I love nothing more than spending time with my family. I have a young daughter and treasure these years of wonder spent watching her grow and learn. I love to read, study movies and experiment with jewellery design. In the spring and summer, you can find me at the beach more often than not. I find a walk along the ocean the most powerful way to refill my creative well.





What advice do you have for other authors out there? 

My advice for writers is always the same. Learn your craft. Study the markets. Educate yourself. Network. Read. Write. Most importantly, never quit.





Finally, do you have any parting comments that you would like to share with us?

Yes. It's never too late to find your dream and chase it!





Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Readers can find me at my Website: www.kathleenlong.com, on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathleenlong, or on twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/KLWords.



Thanks for letting me visit, Katheryn! Warmest wishes.





Thank you so much Kathleen for taking the time to come here and tell us about yourself and your wonderful, bestselling book.  

Meet Cat Brown: Author and Romance Junkie

I'm thrilled to welcome romance junkie, Cat Brown, who is not only a romance author, but also the founder of Romance Junkies, the online site for everything to do with romance novels. First of all, you have published several romance novels using the name Samantha Storm, including Eye of the Storm , which has had brilliant reviews. Could you tell us a little bit about Eye of the Storm ?  

It's a 79,000 word paranormal.

Book Blurb: A car bomb hurls Katlin Campbell, a young redheaded beauty, into a world of chaos. She is forced to go on the run, her head filled with dangerous information passed onto her by a dying man.



Her only chance of survival — Ryker Duncan, a retired bodyguard. A sexy man with killer biceps who is only interested in keeping her alive long enough to find a way to retrieve and sell the information in her head to the highest bidder. Ryker can't seem to keep his hands off Katlin, but he is torn between his growing feelings for her and the guilt he still carries over his wife's death.

Read an excerpt here . 



Buy the Book on Amazon here . 

"Eye of the Storm is full of electricity you'll feel down to your toes! Katlin and Ryker are both energetic as Ryker tries to fight to keep Katlin alive. With their special powers on display, Eye of the Storm will keep you glued to the pages. Ms. Storm knows how to develop characters and really bring them to life in an interesting and complex world. I know I'll be looking for more from Samantha Storm." – Coffee Time

I love the cover of Eye of the Storm . Could you tell us about it?

Thank you, I designed this cover myself when I decided to place it on Amazon. I am not a professional cover designer, but the graphic seemed to represent the story and my character.



As well as writing, you also manage the wonderful website, Romance Junkies, which won the Writer's Digest award for being one of the best websites on the internet in 2009!  Could you tell about the site?   

I opened the doors of Romance Junkies 9 years ago this Feb 14th. Our site is designed as meeting place for romance authors and the readers who love them. We offer reviews of the latest releases as well as an archive of over 15000 reviews we have done over the last decade. Authors can get the word out about their latest release by joining our loop, now over 2000 members strong.



Romance Junkies must keep you very busy. Do you still have time to write and if so, what are you working on at the moment?

I do squeeze writing in. I have a paranormal nearing completion and have begun work on a contemporary suspense.



There are many different varieties of romance e.g. Regency romance, suspense, paranormal, hot contemporary. What is the current big trend in romance?

At the moment historicals seems to be very popular with my RJ reviewers. Six months ago it was Contemporaries and last year it was paranormals.



What do you think makes a great romance novel?

A great romance. It doesn't matter if it is set in space, or Timbuktu, the past or the present, the simple human truth of a bond beyond the physical is what speaks to us.



Websites like Amazon mean that romance authors can now publish their books themselves directly onto the internet without having to go through the traditional publishing houses, such as Harlequin. Do you think this will lead to a decline in Harlequin books and an increase in self-published ebooks? 

The advent of self publishing may not necessarily lead to the fading of publishers. Harlequin and other print publishers have established promotion, audiences, authors and wider distribution routes.



Over the last couple years most of the traditional publishing houses have embraced the ebook format and some of the houses have established ebook only lines. For instance Harlequin now has their ebook publishing house – Carina Press. It will be interesting to see how the face of publishing changes over the next decade



I think if the publishers embrace the technology, they will continue to attract the most established authors, and with them the readers will follow.

Do you have any final parting comments?

I wanted to let the Readers know that they can now download a free copy of Murder, Mayhem and Mistletoe my erotic contemporary novella at Smashwords.  Download your free copy here



Book Blurb: Teddy Madison thought the office Christmas party would be a total drag when she was made the designated driver. All hope of another ill advised tangle with the hot guy from the mail room was out the window. She could only watch and laugh at other's indiscretions as the office staff succumbed to another year of sexual tension.



But the party took an unexpected turn. Dark and mysterious strangers, murder and intrigue led her and her zany friends down a wild and wacky path that could make this the most epic office party yet. Can the Champaign guzzling gang figure out the mystery, or will Teddy celebrate New Year's Eve in jail?



Sounds great! I'm off now to grab my free copy!

Mystery and Suspense with New York Times Bestselling Author, Chris Culver

It's great to be able to welcome bestselling author, Chris Culver. First of all, congratulations on the huge success of your New York Times bestselling murder mystery, The Abbey ! For readers who haven't read it, could you tell us a little bit about the story?



Thanks for the congratulations! The Abbey is a story about a Midwestern detective's investigation into his niece's very bizarre death. The more he investigates, though, the stranger and more dangerous his case becomes. With a body count ratcheting up with every other chapter, Ash realizes that if he doesn't solve his case quickly, his niece might not be his only family that dies. The story straddles the line between being a mystery and a thriller, which, hopefully, makes it fun to read.  It was a lot of fun to write.





I believe you have also recently published a second novel, Just Run , which so far also looks set to be another hugely successful bestseller!  What inspires your great stories? I get ideas from all over the place. Since I write crime fiction and mysteries, I can just pick up the local newspaper and find all sorts of ideas. For instance, I read a story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about a police chase in St. Louis that resulted in a minor car accident. When the police checked out the trunk of the car they were chasing, they found a quarter-million dollars in cash, a gun and handcuffs. The driver had been involved in an armored car heist, but as a crime writer, I couldn't help but ask 'What if?' What if they found a body instead of just money? Or what if they found a live person. . . and she didn't want to be rescued? Or if I were writing urban fantasy, what if the police found a non-human body in the trunk?



There are potential stories all around us; it may take some practice to find them, but they're out there if you give your imagination free reign to look.

Unlike some authors, you don't appear to spend a lot of time blogging, or social networking on sites like Twitter and Facebook.  Do you think authors spend too much time trying to promote their books this way? You're absolutely right in pointing out that I don't spend much time on social media. I don't have a Twitter feed or a Facebook page, I rarely post on forums, and my blog is sorely neglected. (I would like to remedy the sad state of my blog, but it's always difficult to find time.) In short, I do very little promotion for my books.



I hesitate, though, to suggest that others spend too much time on promotion. I don't think it's fair to make blanket statements about the activities of others, particularly those I don't know well. The best marketing advice I can give is to be willing to experiment and to be respectful of one's readers. Be willing to change your price, be willing to change your cover, experiment with your product description, experiment with your keywords, etc. Don't be afraid to change things, and when you do change something, give your readers time to notice them before changing again. If you change the description of your book, wait at least a week or two before you evaluate how those changes affected your sales.My other bit of advice is to respect your readers and fellow writers. It seems that a minority of writers approach social networking primarily as a marketing tool rather than a tool to connect with people. That's unfortunate. When I see a writer constantly plugging his or her books on the forums I frequent, I add that person to my do-not-read list. On the other hand, if I see an author engaging in discussions and making intelligent posts, I will check out that person's books. I may not buy them, but I will look at them. Real social networking takes time.





Given that you don't spend much time social networking, what other factors do you think have contributed to the immense success of your books?



I'd like to say that if an author does X, Y and Z, his or her book will sell hundreds of thousands of copies and get mentioned in newspapers across the country. I can't, though. In actuality, I have almost no idea how to sell a book. I released The Abbey on February 2, 2011 with little fanfare. I didn't put out press releases, buy advertising or even conduct interviews until I started hitting the major bestseller lists. I put out the book and essentially forgot about it while I worked on the next book. I did the same thing with Just Run. I uploaded it and promptly ignored it while I worked on my next book. Despite that relative neglect, both books have been commercial successes. The Abbey spent seventeen weeks on the USA Today Bestseller's list, and Just Run spent five or six on the same list during a much more competitive time of year. Some writers may look at the sales of my books and say I got lucky. Luck certainly plays a part, but I don't think it's the only part. I've only been a full-time writer for a year, but I've been writing fiction for at least an hour or two every night for the past decade. In addition, I usually read for at least two hours each night. When I look at other writers who sell well, I see the same sort of dedication and commitment to the craft of writing.



In my experience, a good book with a good cover and a competitive price sells itself. It may not sell huge numbers, but it will sell. To write that good book, though, a writer has to be willing to put in the time.





I love the cover of your bestseller, The Abbey . Could you tell us a bit about it?I'm glad you liked it! I don't recommend this to many people, but I'm a cheapskate and did my own cover design. I got lucky and managed to find an excellent photo taken by a very talented photographer named Dimitri Castrique. The church in the picture is the village church of Ploegsteert, Belgium.





If The Abbey was made into a movie, who would you like to star in it?The main character in The Abbey is an Egyptian American, which limits the number of actors who could convincingly pull off the role. There just aren't that many Arab American actors. If the book were made into a movie, chances are quite high that the leading actor would be someone that hasn't achieved mainstream success yet.





What are you working on the moment?I've just put the finishing touches on my second novel with Ash Rashid, the lead detective from The Abbey. I'm excited about the book and look forward to getting it out. With that book done, I'm considering taking a few months off from Ash and writing a cozy mystery. I love writing Ash, but he's a rather dark character. It's nice to step away from him for a while.





What advice do you have for any aspiring authors out there?



Stick with it and learn something from every piece you write. Writing is a tough gig, and it's very easy to become discouraged. I know how hard it is to receive rejections and to see one's books languishing on the shelves (both physical and virtual). Keep writing, though, and keep improving. Sales will come with time.





Do you have any final parting comments?Have fun and write stories that you're passionate about. It's very tempting to follow trends and write those sorts of books that happen to be popular right now. If you're pursuing publication with the big trade publishers, you might even feel pressured to write this way.



This is tough advice, but resist both temptations and write what you enjoy. Don't follow trends – be the trend setter. Your passion about your subject will show in your writing, and your readers will thank you for it by buying your books.





Thank you very much for the advice and for taking the time to tell us about your great books!

Love and Culture: An interview with romance author, Shewanda Pugh

Today, it's great to be able to welcome Shewanda Pugh, the author of Crimson Footprints. First Shewanda, where did the idea for Crimson Footprints come from? 



[image error] Crimson Footprints began with a loathsome assignment in a graduate level fiction writing class at Nova Southeastern University. As part of the creation of a character sketch, I had to "people watch" at a public locale here in Miami until my muse was sparked. So, grudgingly I went to a local Barnes & Nobles and stayed there until someone piqued my interest. Let's just say the guy in question had an "urban" look, complete with baggy clothes, an iPod and tattoos. He went over to the literary fiction section and stayed there for an hour. For me, that stranger was a memorable lesson in looking beyond the surface, and though they share virtually nothing in common, he nonetheless served as inspiration for Takumi Tanaka, the character which sparked the first seeds of the story. Some people find it surprising that it was the hero and not the heroine who I came up with first.



How much research went into Crimson Footprints?

A lot. I found that although there was a lot of material out there on Japanese culture, there was very little on Japanese American culture. I spent months researching that alone, and picking the brain of author Gil Asakawa. In addition to that, I had to do quite a bit of research on African American culture, which might surprise some.



How long did it take you to complete Crimson Footprints? 



Two years. Its earliest rendition was in the form of a massive migraine and a completed Master's thesis.





What's your writing process like? How do you go from piles of research to a finished product?

My writing is like organized chaos. Though I write every day, it happens in fragments. Sometimes there are bursts of inspiration jotted down or typed up in an instant—other times it's a linear process where I'm going from Chapters 1 to 2 and so forth, linking together my work. Only when I'm done with the story do I go back for revisions.



What are you currently working on?

I'm in the middle of a series which is a coming-of-age story about a young, privileged African American girl who's a budding ballerina. Her family is extremely close to the Indian family next door and eventually she falls for their son. However, custom dictates that the relationship is impossible despite their lifelong bond.



Your writing seems to focus on interaction between different ethnic groups. What fuels this reoccurring theme? 

For a very long time, I've been fascinated by cultures other than my own—what they eat, wear, worship and the historical whys of it all. Naturally, this fascination found its way into my writing.





Which writers have had the greatest influence on you?



As contrary as this may sound, the two writers with the greatest influence on me have been Amy Tan and Stephen King. I adore Tan's layered approach to family conflict and King's bluntness in storytelling. I've also been influenced a great deal by James Frey's A Million Little Pieces and Sapphire's Precious . You'll notice that love is always at the center of my stories and I tend to treat it as this great web, spinning outward and affecting all things around it. But the human experience is always there, too. In other words, my romances don't occur in a vacuum. I enjoy the evolution of life and seek to explore its endless variations in all that I write.





What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Stick with it, ignore the doubters and write something every day.





Why are you a writer?

Most writers will tell you that it's not about choice—that writing's in you. I'm no different. I've been writing stories for as long as I could put pen to paper, and before that I drew stick figures that told a story.





Where can we find Crimson Footprints?

Crimson Footprints is available in Kindle and through print at Amazon.com.



 Thank you so much for telling us about yourself and your great book! Please let us know when your next novel comes out.