Jan Romes's Blog, page 16
July 10, 2014
Ahhh! Sweet Summertime!
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It's July 10th already! Yikes! How is that possible?
For those of us living in Ohio, we know what that means -- maybe 2 and 1/2 more months of warmth and vibrant sun before the evil cold air moves in. If you're like me, by the middle of July you realize you didn't get in all the fun, downtime, or exercise you promised yourself. Those long walks and bike rides were a great idea at the time.
The good news? We still have time!
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Put on those sneakers or that swimsuit. Go for a walk. Hop in the pool. Dust off the cobwebs on that bike, oil the chain, and go for a ride around the block a few times. Picnic in the park. Recharge your body, mind and soul with fresh air, some home-grown or locally grown produce, and escape with a good book.
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There's an old saying around here that after the 4th of July it won't be long before snowballs will be hitting you in the...(ahem)...backside. So get cracking!!
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HAPPY SUMMER, FOLKS!
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June 30, 2014
Sandra Nachlinger's on my blog today!
It's a joy to welcome author Sandra Nachlinger to my blog today!
Before we hear about her awesome books, here's a little bit about Sandy:
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Sandy has been writing one thing or another since childhood. She still has diaries from her school days, one of which inspired her first book I.O.U. Sex, co-authored with Sandra Allen.
Besides Dallas, Sandy has lived in Irving and Beaumont, Texas; Miami, Florida; and now Washington State. During her years in the work force, she was employed by a “wildcatter” oilman (a real-life J. R. Ewing); a plastic bag factory; a NASCAR race track; a CPA firm; an electric utility; and a bunch of other less interesting places. Her stories have appeared in Woman’s World magazine, Sasee magazine, and local publications. People tell her she still has her Texas accent, but she thinks they’re the ones who talk funny.
When not writing, Sandy likes to quilt, read, sew, garden, take photos, lunch with friends, and (like Granny in her most recent book, Bluebonnets for Elly) spend as much time as possible with her granddaughter. She also enjoys eavesdropping on conversations at restaurants, parks, and other public places, so be careful what you say around her. It may end up in her next book!
Pour yourself a cup of coffee, sweet tea or whatever relaxes you on a hot summer day and enjoy Sandy's answers to my questions.
Q: Sandra, can you tell us about your current book?
A: Here's a brief blurb:
When Elly Macauley moves to Shannon Ridge, Texas, she expects to fill her days helping her grandmother -- doling out medications and running errands. Still smarting from her fiance's betrayal, the last thing she needs or wants is a man, especially a good lookin' one. She's been down that road before. But then she meets Derek White.
Derek's wife left him without a word, and he's reluctant to make the same mistake twice. He still doesn't understand why Jeannette left him, so how can he explain that to another woman? And can he be sure he's legally free? But Granny Macauley's granddaughter sure is tempting.
Granny says some things come along only once and you have to grab them while you can. But when Elly and Derek's pasts invade the present, they'll have to decide whether to take a chance on love or protect their hearts.
Q: Were there real life experiences that inspired this book?
A: The book's plot is completely fictional; however, the setting is definitely from real life -- even though a town named Shannon Ridge doesn't really exist. Growing up, my family had a cabin on Lake Texoma, located at the Texas-Oklahoma border. We went there almost every weekend -- fishing, swimming, hiking -- and I came to know and love the area. When I started writing Bluebonnets for Elly, that's where I wanted Shannon Ridge to be. It helped that I have a good friend who lives near Lake Texoma now. She read through my manuscript and brought me up-to-date on details I'd forgotten.
Q: Our characters surprise us sometimes. Certain traits, habits, ways of dealing with things, and more, can emerge that we hadn't planned on when we started our story. Did this happen with your characters, Elly and Derek?
A: I expected this to be a love story about Derek and Elly -- and it is. But Elly's grandmother kept intruding. So she became an integral part of the plot, which is something I didn't plan. She was more like a friend to Elly than you might expect a grandmother to be -- not an authority figure at all. In fact, Granny Macauley is much more daring than Elly. I think she adds warmth, humor, and realism to the book, and I had a lot of fun writing abut the relationship between the two women.
Q: When writing Elly and Derek's story, were there moments when they got the best of you? By that I mean, did you laugh or cry or want to put them in a headlock until they behaved the way you wanted them to?
A: Yes! Derek kept being too nice. I wanted to shake him and make him reveal his dirty secrets. He's still a really good guy, but it took a while before he'd finally tell me about his past.
Q: Did you know the ending before you started their story? Did it change or stay the same the closer you got to the end?
A: I really wish I could be one of those authors who outlines her books and sticks to a plan. That would be so efficient and save so much time! Unfortunately, it just doesn't work that way for me. I have a general idea of how the story will go, but I get to know my characters as I write about them. I go off on tangents and explore possibilities, some of which work out and others that don't, and I think up things that could go wrong for them as I go along. Since I write romances, I know the story is going to end with happily-ever-after or happy-for-now, but I'm never quite sure how my hero and heroine will get there. To me, that's what make romances fun to read and to write.
Q: Can you tell us about your other books? Is there another book on the horizon?
A: My first book, I.O.U. Sex, was co-written with Sandra Allen. It's the story of three women, friends since junior high school, who make a pact to track down their high school boyfriends decades after graduation. Like the three women in the story, Sandra and I have been friends since 8th grade and have remained close ever since -- but we haven't tracked down our old boyfriends!
I'm currently working on a couple of books, but it's way too soon to tell much about them. They both take place in Florida (where I lived for 18 years), and they're both post-chicklit stories.
Q: Could you share a snippet from Bluebonnets for Elly to whet our appetite for more?
A: Sure! Here's a scene you might enjoy. By the way, Derek is a landscaper so he knows all about armadillos.
Derek strode around the truck and opened Elly’s door, then took a large picnic basket from the truck’s storage bin. Together they walked down a well-worn path. Winding beneath overhanging branches, they made their way through a stand of cedars. Their clean, fresh scent made Elly think of summer.
Derek squeezed Elly’s hand and whispered, “Shhh.” He nodded toward a patch of wild greens growing near the path. Leaves rustled and within seconds, an armadillo scuttled ahead of them, its armored body hobbling along on short stubby legs. It paused, studied the two humans for a second, and then disappeared into the underbrush.
Derek nodded toward the retreating critter. “A nine-banded armadillo—the official small mammal of the State of Texas.”
“No kidding?” Elly giggled. “They’re weird little animals, aren’t they?”
“Sure are. They won’t hurt you, but they can cause plenty of trouble for landscapers, rooting up plants and digging in lawns.” He tugged Elly’s hand and led her farther down the path.
After about ten minutes, Derek stopped and pulled a red bandana from his pocket. “From here on out, you’re blindfolded.”
Elly laughed. “You don’t have anything kinky in mind, do you?”
“Not at the moment, but don’t tempt me.” He folded the bandana into a triangle, draped it across Elly’s eyes, and tied a knot at the back of her head. “No peeking.”
Derek grasped her hand firmly and guided her along. He stopped at times, warning Elly to lift her foot for a tree root or to veer left or right to avoid a rock. At times she leaned against him, relying on his firm grasp and steady voice, giving him the trust he’d shown he deserved.
After a few more minutes, Derek stopped, took her hand, and curled her fingers around a branch. “Hold on here while I take care of a few things.”
The swoosh of wind in the trees, accompanied by the calls of birds, surrounded her. A woodpecker hammered away in the distance, and a sweet earthy scent made her wrinkle her nose. With her eyes covered, sounds and scents seemed more intense and closer than before. Even the buzz of insects seemed loud in her ears. A warm breeze brushed her cheeks and ruffled her hair. Then she smelled Derek’s clean soap scent and sensed his presence beside her.
When he loosened the blindfold, she blinked and squinted in the dappled light.
Thank you for being here today, Sandra! It's been great getting a glimpse of who you are and what you write. You're welcome back to my blog anytime.
Dear readers and fellow authors, you can find out more about Sandra and her books here:
Sweet Cravings Publishing - http://store.sweetcravingspublishing....
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Bluebonnets-Ell...
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blueb...
Blog/Website: http://SandraNachlinger.blogspot.com
Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
Before we hear about her awesome books, here's a little bit about Sandy:
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Sandy has been writing one thing or another since childhood. She still has diaries from her school days, one of which inspired her first book I.O.U. Sex, co-authored with Sandra Allen.
Besides Dallas, Sandy has lived in Irving and Beaumont, Texas; Miami, Florida; and now Washington State. During her years in the work force, she was employed by a “wildcatter” oilman (a real-life J. R. Ewing); a plastic bag factory; a NASCAR race track; a CPA firm; an electric utility; and a bunch of other less interesting places. Her stories have appeared in Woman’s World magazine, Sasee magazine, and local publications. People tell her she still has her Texas accent, but she thinks they’re the ones who talk funny.
When not writing, Sandy likes to quilt, read, sew, garden, take photos, lunch with friends, and (like Granny in her most recent book, Bluebonnets for Elly) spend as much time as possible with her granddaughter. She also enjoys eavesdropping on conversations at restaurants, parks, and other public places, so be careful what you say around her. It may end up in her next book!
Pour yourself a cup of coffee, sweet tea or whatever relaxes you on a hot summer day and enjoy Sandy's answers to my questions.
Q: Sandra, can you tell us about your current book?
A: Here's a brief blurb:
When Elly Macauley moves to Shannon Ridge, Texas, she expects to fill her days helping her grandmother -- doling out medications and running errands. Still smarting from her fiance's betrayal, the last thing she needs or wants is a man, especially a good lookin' one. She's been down that road before. But then she meets Derek White.
Derek's wife left him without a word, and he's reluctant to make the same mistake twice. He still doesn't understand why Jeannette left him, so how can he explain that to another woman? And can he be sure he's legally free? But Granny Macauley's granddaughter sure is tempting.
Granny says some things come along only once and you have to grab them while you can. But when Elly and Derek's pasts invade the present, they'll have to decide whether to take a chance on love or protect their hearts.
Q: Were there real life experiences that inspired this book?
A: The book's plot is completely fictional; however, the setting is definitely from real life -- even though a town named Shannon Ridge doesn't really exist. Growing up, my family had a cabin on Lake Texoma, located at the Texas-Oklahoma border. We went there almost every weekend -- fishing, swimming, hiking -- and I came to know and love the area. When I started writing Bluebonnets for Elly, that's where I wanted Shannon Ridge to be. It helped that I have a good friend who lives near Lake Texoma now. She read through my manuscript and brought me up-to-date on details I'd forgotten.
Q: Our characters surprise us sometimes. Certain traits, habits, ways of dealing with things, and more, can emerge that we hadn't planned on when we started our story. Did this happen with your characters, Elly and Derek?
A: I expected this to be a love story about Derek and Elly -- and it is. But Elly's grandmother kept intruding. So she became an integral part of the plot, which is something I didn't plan. She was more like a friend to Elly than you might expect a grandmother to be -- not an authority figure at all. In fact, Granny Macauley is much more daring than Elly. I think she adds warmth, humor, and realism to the book, and I had a lot of fun writing abut the relationship between the two women.
Q: When writing Elly and Derek's story, were there moments when they got the best of you? By that I mean, did you laugh or cry or want to put them in a headlock until they behaved the way you wanted them to?
A: Yes! Derek kept being too nice. I wanted to shake him and make him reveal his dirty secrets. He's still a really good guy, but it took a while before he'd finally tell me about his past.
Q: Did you know the ending before you started their story? Did it change or stay the same the closer you got to the end?
A: I really wish I could be one of those authors who outlines her books and sticks to a plan. That would be so efficient and save so much time! Unfortunately, it just doesn't work that way for me. I have a general idea of how the story will go, but I get to know my characters as I write about them. I go off on tangents and explore possibilities, some of which work out and others that don't, and I think up things that could go wrong for them as I go along. Since I write romances, I know the story is going to end with happily-ever-after or happy-for-now, but I'm never quite sure how my hero and heroine will get there. To me, that's what make romances fun to read and to write.
Q: Can you tell us about your other books? Is there another book on the horizon?
A: My first book, I.O.U. Sex, was co-written with Sandra Allen. It's the story of three women, friends since junior high school, who make a pact to track down their high school boyfriends decades after graduation. Like the three women in the story, Sandra and I have been friends since 8th grade and have remained close ever since -- but we haven't tracked down our old boyfriends!
I'm currently working on a couple of books, but it's way too soon to tell much about them. They both take place in Florida (where I lived for 18 years), and they're both post-chicklit stories.
Q: Could you share a snippet from Bluebonnets for Elly to whet our appetite for more?
A: Sure! Here's a scene you might enjoy. By the way, Derek is a landscaper so he knows all about armadillos.
Derek strode around the truck and opened Elly’s door, then took a large picnic basket from the truck’s storage bin. Together they walked down a well-worn path. Winding beneath overhanging branches, they made their way through a stand of cedars. Their clean, fresh scent made Elly think of summer.
Derek squeezed Elly’s hand and whispered, “Shhh.” He nodded toward a patch of wild greens growing near the path. Leaves rustled and within seconds, an armadillo scuttled ahead of them, its armored body hobbling along on short stubby legs. It paused, studied the two humans for a second, and then disappeared into the underbrush.
Derek nodded toward the retreating critter. “A nine-banded armadillo—the official small mammal of the State of Texas.”
“No kidding?” Elly giggled. “They’re weird little animals, aren’t they?”
“Sure are. They won’t hurt you, but they can cause plenty of trouble for landscapers, rooting up plants and digging in lawns.” He tugged Elly’s hand and led her farther down the path.
After about ten minutes, Derek stopped and pulled a red bandana from his pocket. “From here on out, you’re blindfolded.”
Elly laughed. “You don’t have anything kinky in mind, do you?”
“Not at the moment, but don’t tempt me.” He folded the bandana into a triangle, draped it across Elly’s eyes, and tied a knot at the back of her head. “No peeking.”
Derek grasped her hand firmly and guided her along. He stopped at times, warning Elly to lift her foot for a tree root or to veer left or right to avoid a rock. At times she leaned against him, relying on his firm grasp and steady voice, giving him the trust he’d shown he deserved.
After a few more minutes, Derek stopped, took her hand, and curled her fingers around a branch. “Hold on here while I take care of a few things.”
The swoosh of wind in the trees, accompanied by the calls of birds, surrounded her. A woodpecker hammered away in the distance, and a sweet earthy scent made her wrinkle her nose. With her eyes covered, sounds and scents seemed more intense and closer than before. Even the buzz of insects seemed loud in her ears. A warm breeze brushed her cheeks and ruffled her hair. Then she smelled Derek’s clean soap scent and sensed his presence beside her.
When he loosened the blindfold, she blinked and squinted in the dappled light.
Thank you for being here today, Sandra! It's been great getting a glimpse of who you are and what you write. You're welcome back to my blog anytime.
Dear readers and fellow authors, you can find out more about Sandra and her books here:
Sweet Cravings Publishing - http://store.sweetcravingspublishing....
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Bluebonnets-Ell...
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blueb...
Blog/Website: http://SandraNachlinger.blogspot.com
Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
June 10, 2014
My Writing Process blog hop!
I was tagged by two lovely authors, Katie Mettner and Uvi Poznansky for the Writing Process blog tour. Thank you, ladies!
I had three questions posed to me about writing. Grab a cup of coffee, or beverage of choice, and I'll try to answer them without putting you to sleep (the caffeine in the coffee will help *grins*)
Here goes...
What am I working on?
Easy answer. A lot of you are familiar with my Texas Boys Falling Fast series. Married to Maggie (Book 1: Tysen's story) is out and so is Keeping Kylee (Book 2: Quinn's story). So onward to Taming Tori (Book 3: Jake's story). I'm not too deep into Jake and Tori's story, but I'm plugging away. Every day their personalities grab me and a little more is revealed. Upfront: Jake is quietly sexy and an all-around nice guy. Tori is boisterous and beautiful, but she is a pain in everyone's neck. By the time their story is finished, Jake will deserve a medal.
How does my work differ from others?
Spontaneous answer -- my writing voice. I think that's a biggie that separates one author from the other. Our personalities come through our characters without us making a special effort for that to happen. Since we're all unique, those writing voices couldn't be more different.
The not-so-spontaneous answer -- my view on love, romance, and life in general, sets my work apart from others. How I feel about those important elements makes all the difference in how my characters think, react, and handle the conflicts I throw at them.
Why do I write what I write?
Corny answer -- Contemporary romance chose me, instead of the other way around.
Still-corny-but-better answer -- I believe in true love and happily-ever-afters. I've made up love stories in my head for as long as I can remember. Every story that I've either thought about or wrote about has the couple immersed in conflict. They have to work to get the ultimate prize: love.
I like to read all genres, but writing contemporary romance is a good fit for me because I can take bits and pieces of the things stored in my head and make a story.
Thank you for popping in to read about my writing! I'm always happy to share what I love.
Here's a little bit about the 2 gals who tagged me. They both are incredible authors.
Katie Mettner
Katie Mettner grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and moved to the Northwoods where she now resides with her husband and three children. Katie writes spicy Christian romance and is the author of The Sugar series and The Northern Lights series. Her stories are a reflection of her love for family, intricately woven with life experience. When the gales of November blow early you can find her at the computer with a cup of joe working on her next adventure.
Check out her Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Mettner/e...
Uvi Poznansky
Uvi Poznansky is a California-based author, poet and artist.
She earned her B. A. in Architecture and Town Planning from the Technion in Haifa, Israel. During her studies and in the years immediately following her graduation, she practiced with an innovative Architectural firm, taking a major part in the large-scale project, 'Home for the Soldier'; a controversial design that sparked fierce public debate.
At the age of 25 Uvi moved to Troy, N.Y. with her husband and two children. Before long, she received a Fellowship grant and a Teaching Assistantship from the Architecture department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she guided teams in a variety of design projects; and where she earned her M.A. in Architecture. Then, taking a sharp turn in her education, she earned her M.S. degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan.
During the years she spent in advancing her career--first as an architect, and later as a software engineer, software team leader, software manager and a software consultant (with an emphasis on user interface for medical instruments devices)--she wrote and painted constantly, and exhibited in Israel and California. In addition, she taught art appreciation classes. Her versatile body of work can be seen online at uviart.com. It includes bronze and ceramic sculptures, oil and watercolor paintings, charcoal, pen and pencil drawings, and mixed media.
Uvi published two children books, Jess and Wiggle and Now I Am Paper. For each one of these books, she created an animation video (see Author Videos at the bottom of this page.) She won great acclaim for her novel, Apart From Love, and for her poetry book, Home (in tribute to her father. Her collection of dark tales, Twisted, and her Historical Fiction book, A Favorite Son, are both new age, biblically inspired books. Rise to Power (the first volume in her new series, The David Chronicles) has just been published.
Check out Uvi's Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Uvi-Poznansky/e...
** To keep this Writing Process blog hop going, I'm tagging:
Sharon Saracino
Suzanne Rogers writing as S. G. Rogers
I had three questions posed to me about writing. Grab a cup of coffee, or beverage of choice, and I'll try to answer them without putting you to sleep (the caffeine in the coffee will help *grins*)
.jpg)
Here goes...
What am I working on?
Easy answer. A lot of you are familiar with my Texas Boys Falling Fast series. Married to Maggie (Book 1: Tysen's story) is out and so is Keeping Kylee (Book 2: Quinn's story). So onward to Taming Tori (Book 3: Jake's story). I'm not too deep into Jake and Tori's story, but I'm plugging away. Every day their personalities grab me and a little more is revealed. Upfront: Jake is quietly sexy and an all-around nice guy. Tori is boisterous and beautiful, but she is a pain in everyone's neck. By the time their story is finished, Jake will deserve a medal.
.jpg)
How does my work differ from others?
Spontaneous answer -- my writing voice. I think that's a biggie that separates one author from the other. Our personalities come through our characters without us making a special effort for that to happen. Since we're all unique, those writing voices couldn't be more different.
The not-so-spontaneous answer -- my view on love, romance, and life in general, sets my work apart from others. How I feel about those important elements makes all the difference in how my characters think, react, and handle the conflicts I throw at them.
Why do I write what I write?
Corny answer -- Contemporary romance chose me, instead of the other way around.
Still-corny-but-better answer -- I believe in true love and happily-ever-afters. I've made up love stories in my head for as long as I can remember. Every story that I've either thought about or wrote about has the couple immersed in conflict. They have to work to get the ultimate prize: love.
I like to read all genres, but writing contemporary romance is a good fit for me because I can take bits and pieces of the things stored in my head and make a story.
Thank you for popping in to read about my writing! I'm always happy to share what I love.
.jpg)
Here's a little bit about the 2 gals who tagged me. They both are incredible authors.
Katie Mettner
Katie Mettner grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and moved to the Northwoods where she now resides with her husband and three children. Katie writes spicy Christian romance and is the author of The Sugar series and The Northern Lights series. Her stories are a reflection of her love for family, intricately woven with life experience. When the gales of November blow early you can find her at the computer with a cup of joe working on her next adventure.
Check out her Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Mettner/e...
Uvi Poznansky
Uvi Poznansky is a California-based author, poet and artist.
She earned her B. A. in Architecture and Town Planning from the Technion in Haifa, Israel. During her studies and in the years immediately following her graduation, she practiced with an innovative Architectural firm, taking a major part in the large-scale project, 'Home for the Soldier'; a controversial design that sparked fierce public debate.
At the age of 25 Uvi moved to Troy, N.Y. with her husband and two children. Before long, she received a Fellowship grant and a Teaching Assistantship from the Architecture department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she guided teams in a variety of design projects; and where she earned her M.A. in Architecture. Then, taking a sharp turn in her education, she earned her M.S. degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan.
During the years she spent in advancing her career--first as an architect, and later as a software engineer, software team leader, software manager and a software consultant (with an emphasis on user interface for medical instruments devices)--she wrote and painted constantly, and exhibited in Israel and California. In addition, she taught art appreciation classes. Her versatile body of work can be seen online at uviart.com. It includes bronze and ceramic sculptures, oil and watercolor paintings, charcoal, pen and pencil drawings, and mixed media.
Uvi published two children books, Jess and Wiggle and Now I Am Paper. For each one of these books, she created an animation video (see Author Videos at the bottom of this page.) She won great acclaim for her novel, Apart From Love, and for her poetry book, Home (in tribute to her father. Her collection of dark tales, Twisted, and her Historical Fiction book, A Favorite Son, are both new age, biblically inspired books. Rise to Power (the first volume in her new series, The David Chronicles) has just been published.
Check out Uvi's Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Uvi-Poznansky/e...
** To keep this Writing Process blog hop going, I'm tagging:
Sharon Saracino
Suzanne Rogers writing as S. G. Rogers
June 4, 2014
An interview with Marcia Carrington!
INTERVIEW AND BOOK RELEASE CELEBRATION –
AUTHOR MARCIA CARRINGTON!!
MARCIA, IT’S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU ON MY BLOG TODAY!
Thank you very much Jan, I’m very happy to be here!
HERE’S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MARCIA:
Marcia Carrington writes about the human condition, exploring what makes people tick, but in an upbeat and optimistic tone. She is an interested observer of popular culture, and fan of cinema from all eras and countries, especially from the 1930-1970's. She loves the movies and actors of the Hollywood silver screen, but has an express partiality to films from the major studios of this era such as Columbia, MGM, Fox, Paramount, RKO, and Universal.
Marcia is also a long-time soap opera viewer, watching daytime, and night time serials from a very young age. She is also a food connoisseur, with a particular love of chocolate and coffee. The morning coffee has always been a staple for Marcia, and something which she cannot do without. There is just something about the fresh aroma early in the morning, and anytime for that fact, which proves irresistible.
Q: Marcia, you've written several books and recently published a new one. Can you share your excitement about this new book? Maybe give us the first paragraph to hook us.
A: I have written a mixture of short stories, novel and novella thus far, but BLAKE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION is my first novelette. It revolves around a ten year high school reunion, and the reactions of the participants to each other after this extended period. My intention is to make it a roller-coaster of emotions for the reader through the actions, and reactions of the characters, and I hope that readers enjoy the ride. The following is the first paragraph of the story:
Blake Matthews was at home, adjusting his red-colored tie in front of the mirror. He was dressed in a snappy black suede suit, beige shirt, and wore his comfortable leather brogues with flair. After finishing with his tie, he picked up the invitation to his high school’s reunion, which was taking place tonight. On the invitation, it had clearly inscribed, in beautiful calligraphic print:
“Dear Blake, You are cordially invited to the 10th anniversary reunion of Campbell Vale High School, which will be held at the Madison Grand Hotel on the 9th February, 2013.Please RSVP your intention to attend by the 1st January, 2013 for catering purposes.
We hope to see you there.
Brittany Barker and the High School Committee of 2003Dress: After Five”
Q: Where is the setting(s) for your book?
A: The main setting of the book is the fictional Madison Grand Hotel, where the Campbell Vale High School reunion of 2003 will be taking place. The majority of the action takes place in this locale, with the remainder occurring in the private homes of the characters.
Q: If you had to give your book a heat level, what would it be?
A: In terms of the conflicts which flare up between the characters during the course of the story, I would rate the heat level as 3 out of 4. The romantic scenes are more subtle in character, but feature much double-talk and innuendo that reflects the characters, especially Brenda Backus. Again, I would rate this as 3 out of 4.
Q: If Hollywood producers snapped up your book to make it into a movie, and they asked who you thought would play your characters, who would you choose?
A: I would like to see Ryan Reynolds in the lead role of Blake Matthews, as I feel that he has the range to portray the handsome, but highly complex lead character Blake. Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, a talented actress from daytime serial The Bold and The Beautiful, would be wonderful as the tough, but alternately tender Alexandra Masters. As for the lead female role of Brenda Backus, Jessica Simpson stood out in terms of my exposure to her movie work. I think she would be a standout as the way-out, sassy, but ultimately needy Brenda.
Q: What are you hoping your readers take away from your book?
A: My overall intention is that readers find the story and characters entertaining, and funny. In a deeper sense, though, I hope that readers recognize the characters as three-dimensional people who, despite their overt flippancy at times, are both very real, and identifiable.
Q: Could you share one of your favorite scenes from the book?
A: I especially love the scene where Brenda Backus reacts to Blake Matthews after not seeing him for ten years. She finds it extremely difficult to comprehend how he has changed from the person she once knew, and has transformed himself, both physically, and in character.
Thank you so much for being here, Marcia! It was a joy to introduce you and join in the celebration of your new release! Wishing you continued success with your books!
Thank you so much Jan for the opportunity of being on your blog and meeting your readers, it is much appreciated!
Buy links for Marcia's books:
BLAKE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPZQQU8
THE GREAT HIGH SCHOOL LOVE GAME http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AF10TC
MAN ON A MOTORBIKE http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNUJ3DU
To follow Marcia:
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Marcia-Carrington/e/B008AGYTHQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Smashwords author page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MarciaCarrington
Barnes and Noble author page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/marcia-carrington?keyword=marcia+carrington&store=ebook
I-Tunes author page: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/marcia-carrington/id465071280?mt=11
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarCarring
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marcarring/pins/
AUTHOR MARCIA CARRINGTON!!
MARCIA, IT’S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU ON MY BLOG TODAY!
Thank you very much Jan, I’m very happy to be here!
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HERE’S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MARCIA:
Marcia Carrington writes about the human condition, exploring what makes people tick, but in an upbeat and optimistic tone. She is an interested observer of popular culture, and fan of cinema from all eras and countries, especially from the 1930-1970's. She loves the movies and actors of the Hollywood silver screen, but has an express partiality to films from the major studios of this era such as Columbia, MGM, Fox, Paramount, RKO, and Universal.
Marcia is also a long-time soap opera viewer, watching daytime, and night time serials from a very young age. She is also a food connoisseur, with a particular love of chocolate and coffee. The morning coffee has always been a staple for Marcia, and something which she cannot do without. There is just something about the fresh aroma early in the morning, and anytime for that fact, which proves irresistible.
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Q: Marcia, you've written several books and recently published a new one. Can you share your excitement about this new book? Maybe give us the first paragraph to hook us.
A: I have written a mixture of short stories, novel and novella thus far, but BLAKE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION is my first novelette. It revolves around a ten year high school reunion, and the reactions of the participants to each other after this extended period. My intention is to make it a roller-coaster of emotions for the reader through the actions, and reactions of the characters, and I hope that readers enjoy the ride. The following is the first paragraph of the story:
Blake Matthews was at home, adjusting his red-colored tie in front of the mirror. He was dressed in a snappy black suede suit, beige shirt, and wore his comfortable leather brogues with flair. After finishing with his tie, he picked up the invitation to his high school’s reunion, which was taking place tonight. On the invitation, it had clearly inscribed, in beautiful calligraphic print:
“Dear Blake, You are cordially invited to the 10th anniversary reunion of Campbell Vale High School, which will be held at the Madison Grand Hotel on the 9th February, 2013.Please RSVP your intention to attend by the 1st January, 2013 for catering purposes.
We hope to see you there.
Brittany Barker and the High School Committee of 2003Dress: After Five”
Q: Where is the setting(s) for your book?
A: The main setting of the book is the fictional Madison Grand Hotel, where the Campbell Vale High School reunion of 2003 will be taking place. The majority of the action takes place in this locale, with the remainder occurring in the private homes of the characters.
Q: If you had to give your book a heat level, what would it be?
A: In terms of the conflicts which flare up between the characters during the course of the story, I would rate the heat level as 3 out of 4. The romantic scenes are more subtle in character, but feature much double-talk and innuendo that reflects the characters, especially Brenda Backus. Again, I would rate this as 3 out of 4.
Q: If Hollywood producers snapped up your book to make it into a movie, and they asked who you thought would play your characters, who would you choose?
A: I would like to see Ryan Reynolds in the lead role of Blake Matthews, as I feel that he has the range to portray the handsome, but highly complex lead character Blake. Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, a talented actress from daytime serial The Bold and The Beautiful, would be wonderful as the tough, but alternately tender Alexandra Masters. As for the lead female role of Brenda Backus, Jessica Simpson stood out in terms of my exposure to her movie work. I think she would be a standout as the way-out, sassy, but ultimately needy Brenda.
Q: What are you hoping your readers take away from your book?
A: My overall intention is that readers find the story and characters entertaining, and funny. In a deeper sense, though, I hope that readers recognize the characters as three-dimensional people who, despite their overt flippancy at times, are both very real, and identifiable.
Q: Could you share one of your favorite scenes from the book?
A: I especially love the scene where Brenda Backus reacts to Blake Matthews after not seeing him for ten years. She finds it extremely difficult to comprehend how he has changed from the person she once knew, and has transformed himself, both physically, and in character.
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Thank you so much for being here, Marcia! It was a joy to introduce you and join in the celebration of your new release! Wishing you continued success with your books!
Thank you so much Jan for the opportunity of being on your blog and meeting your readers, it is much appreciated!
Buy links for Marcia's books:
BLAKE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPZQQU8
THE GREAT HIGH SCHOOL LOVE GAME http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AF10TC
MAN ON A MOTORBIKE http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNUJ3DU
To follow Marcia:
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Marcia-Carrington/e/B008AGYTHQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Smashwords author page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MarciaCarrington
Barnes and Noble author page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/marcia-carrington?keyword=marcia+carrington&store=ebook
I-Tunes author page: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/marcia-carrington/id465071280?mt=11
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarCarring
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marcarring/pins/
May 9, 2014
KEEPING IT SIMPLE FOR THE RELEASE OF ....KEEPING KYLEETex...
KEEPING IT SIMPLE FOR THE RELEASE OF ....
KEEPING KYLEE
Texas Boys Falling Fast series
Book #2
Quinn and Kylee's story
( Cover art & formatting by Tugboat Design )
AMAZON
To celebrate, I'm giving away:
3 - $10 Amazon gift cards
1 - $15 Subway Restaurant gift card
1 - $15 Starbucks gift card
********
For a chance to win, say hello on this blog post or say hello on Facebook via a private message.
Winning names will be drawn at 12:00 noon (EST) on Tuesday, May 13, 2014!!
* Thanks for sharing in the excitement of my new book*
Love,
Jan
KEEPING KYLEE
Texas Boys Falling Fast series
Book #2
Quinn and Kylee's story
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( Cover art & formatting by Tugboat Design )
AMAZON
To celebrate, I'm giving away:
3 - $10 Amazon gift cards
1 - $15 Subway Restaurant gift card
1 - $15 Starbucks gift card
********
For a chance to win, say hello on this blog post or say hello on Facebook via a private message.
Winning names will be drawn at 12:00 noon (EST) on Tuesday, May 13, 2014!!
* Thanks for sharing in the excitement of my new book*
Love,
Jan
March 9, 2014
A CHAT WITH LISETTE BRODEY!
Lisette, it's an honor to have you on my blog today! I've read your bio and I'm impressed. You've lived in some great places -- from Pennsylvania to New York City to Hollywood. Those of us from small town USA can only imagine what living in those exciting places was like and the people you've encountered along the way. You've had equally exciting jobs as well -- working in radio, freelance writer specializing in PR and the entertainment industry, now published author. You also studied drama in college. What a wealth of experience to draw from. It's only fitting that I interview you to learn more.
Lisette Brodey
~ * ~
Q: Lisette's Writers' Chateau is a wonderful blog. I've checked out your posts and found them to be both interesting and helpful. You also host guest bloggers and interview fellow authors. Do you think blogging helps you creatively? Would you encourage a new author to have a blog? Is it difficult coming up with new posts to share?
Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog, Jan. It's an absolute pleasure being here. It's an honor to interview and promote my fellow authors and to host their guest blogs.
You asked if blogging helps me creatively. Well, before I published my romantic comedy, Molly Hacker Is Too Picky!, I blogged weekly for eight months as Molly on a website solely dedicated to that novel (mollyhacker.com). It was not easy. Not only did I have to stay within character, but everything had to align with the story in my novel. I didn't really do it to help myself creatively, though. I did it to introduce the character to the public before the novel came out.
At my author website, yes, I find it incredibly difficult to find topics to blog about. I have lots to say, but I don't always want to do so publicly. I do think having a blog is great for authors because it's a way to connect with other authors and with readers. I am often asked to write guest posts but coming up with topics is a challenge for me.
Q: You write in multi-genres -- general fiction, women's fiction, YA/general fiction, and YA/paranormal. Which of these genres do you find the most challenging?
YA is most challenging in that I can't use all of the vocabulary that I want to use because what I write has to work for both young adults and adults.
Q: When you're writing in the YA genre, do the dialogue and settings come naturally? As a woman in my (ahem) fifties, I find the YA genre fascinating. It's easy to assume writing in that genre would be easy, but realistically I think it would be difficult. Can you share some thoughts?
In terms of teen angst, I have an excellent memory and recall my own. As for dialogue, I'm always listening to how everyone talks, both in the real world, online, and in TV shows/movies. Whether I'm writing YA at the time or not, I still keep my ears open for new slang. Several years ago, I spent some time over at Yahoo! Answers. There are so many teens on that site asking questions about all kinds of things. I picked up a lot just from reading their posts. I have also spoken to teens and their parents.
Q: What is your current project?
I'm currently writing a YA paranormal trilogy, The Desert Series. The series takes place in a fictional desert town in southern California. Each book will work as a standalone novel. However, like most series, each is enhanced if you've read the preceding one. The first book in the series, Mystical High, was published in November 2013.
I often describe this series as "realistic paranormal". There are no vampires or werewolves. They all escaped and ended up in other authors' books.
Q: Have you ever worked on two books at once?
Yes and no. I've worked on two books at a time, but not writing them. When I sent Mystical High to my editor, I began writing Desert Star, which is Book 2 in the series. I wrote about 27K words of that and stopped when I got back the edits for Mystical High. I'll start working on Book 3 while Desert Star is being edited.
I also have 27K words written of what will be my seventh novel. I began writing it after I finished Mystical High but before I decided to do a series.
But no, I don't write two at the same time in terms of going back and forth between WIPs. I totally immerse myself in whatever I'm doing, so that wouldn't work well for me.
Q: You recently edited and published a book of your mother's poetry. Can you tell us about this incredible project?
Thanks for asking, Jan. My mother, Dr. Jean Lisette Brodey, wrote hundreds of poems in her 20's and early 30's. She was very good at them, and some of her poems were published in national and international publications. In her late 30's, she returned to the work world, got her master's, then her doctorate, and became a professor of journalism at Temple University in Philadelphia.
She is now suffering from Parkinson's disease and reading and writing have become impossible for her, sadly. She had feared that her poetry was lost, but I knew exactly where it was hiding in her house. While there on a visit, I found it. I asked my mother to go through her poems, select her favorites, and send them to me. With the help of her amazing caregiver, Trish, she sent me hundreds to choose from.
From those poems, I chose my favorites and ones that I felt were the best representation of her work. We called the collection My Way to Anywhere, which is taken from a line in one of her poems. It was published in both paperback and ebook (Kindle and Nook) in 2013.
I wrote an extensive blog post (with an interview) about my mother called: "A Poet is Published: A Mere 50+ Years Later." Here's the link for anyone who'd like to read more of her story: http://bit.ly/Xh1KTX
Q: You've told us about your creative/business side. Can you share a few tidbits about your personal side? What do you like to do when you're not writing? Since you live in the Los Angeles area, have you bumped into any celebrities? What human-interest stories catch your attention? If you could fix one thing that would affect everyone, what would it be?
When I'm not writing, I'm probably communicating with my friends, out walking with my dog, or going to see a movie. I love to read, also, but I've been so busy that it takes me a while to finish a book.
Yes, I do run into celebrities all the time. The main reason is because I'm a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) background actor, so, I'm often lingering in the background of feature films or popular TV shows. That kind of ups my odds of seeing famous people. Depending on the scene being shot, I can be standing next to principal actors, sitting across a room, at the next booth in a restaurant, walking by them on the street, and on and on.
Living in Los Angeles, and having lived in New York, it's not really that uncommon to see celebrities pretty much anywhere. I've had celebrity friends. Many years ago, I worked at two different movie studios. It's not a big deal to me, but it's most interesting to get a glimpse of what someone is really like. People fascinate me. I suppose that's why I'm an author.
Let's see: what human-interest stories catch my attention? I love reunion stories, happy lost pet/rescue stories, and stories about surviving incredible odds.
If I could fix one thing in the world that would affect everyone, right now, I think I'd want to protect the earth from any more drastic climate change and ask everyone to take care of our planet. I know you're a big fan of recycling, Jan. So am I.
Every day when I go out walking, my heart breaks at all of the litter I see. People from all walks of life are the culprits, people who are too lazy to throw out their trash or hold onto it until they find a trash can. I pick up trash from other people every day. Some days, I even take out a full-size garbage bag and collect the trash. I'll keep doing it, but I hate it. It's beyond selfish to litter.
Thanks so much for this terrific interview. I've really had a great time being here.
Connect with Lisette:
www.lisettebrodey.com
www.twitter.com/lisettebrodey
www.facebook.com/BrodeyAuthor
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
https://www.amazon.com/author/lisette...
www.mollyhacker.com
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Lisette Brodey
~ * ~
Q: Lisette's Writers' Chateau is a wonderful blog. I've checked out your posts and found them to be both interesting and helpful. You also host guest bloggers and interview fellow authors. Do you think blogging helps you creatively? Would you encourage a new author to have a blog? Is it difficult coming up with new posts to share?
Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog, Jan. It's an absolute pleasure being here. It's an honor to interview and promote my fellow authors and to host their guest blogs.
You asked if blogging helps me creatively. Well, before I published my romantic comedy, Molly Hacker Is Too Picky!, I blogged weekly for eight months as Molly on a website solely dedicated to that novel (mollyhacker.com). It was not easy. Not only did I have to stay within character, but everything had to align with the story in my novel. I didn't really do it to help myself creatively, though. I did it to introduce the character to the public before the novel came out.
At my author website, yes, I find it incredibly difficult to find topics to blog about. I have lots to say, but I don't always want to do so publicly. I do think having a blog is great for authors because it's a way to connect with other authors and with readers. I am often asked to write guest posts but coming up with topics is a challenge for me.
Q: You write in multi-genres -- general fiction, women's fiction, YA/general fiction, and YA/paranormal. Which of these genres do you find the most challenging?
YA is most challenging in that I can't use all of the vocabulary that I want to use because what I write has to work for both young adults and adults.
Q: When you're writing in the YA genre, do the dialogue and settings come naturally? As a woman in my (ahem) fifties, I find the YA genre fascinating. It's easy to assume writing in that genre would be easy, but realistically I think it would be difficult. Can you share some thoughts?
In terms of teen angst, I have an excellent memory and recall my own. As for dialogue, I'm always listening to how everyone talks, both in the real world, online, and in TV shows/movies. Whether I'm writing YA at the time or not, I still keep my ears open for new slang. Several years ago, I spent some time over at Yahoo! Answers. There are so many teens on that site asking questions about all kinds of things. I picked up a lot just from reading their posts. I have also spoken to teens and their parents.
Q: What is your current project?
I'm currently writing a YA paranormal trilogy, The Desert Series. The series takes place in a fictional desert town in southern California. Each book will work as a standalone novel. However, like most series, each is enhanced if you've read the preceding one. The first book in the series, Mystical High, was published in November 2013.
I often describe this series as "realistic paranormal". There are no vampires or werewolves. They all escaped and ended up in other authors' books.
Q: Have you ever worked on two books at once?
Yes and no. I've worked on two books at a time, but not writing them. When I sent Mystical High to my editor, I began writing Desert Star, which is Book 2 in the series. I wrote about 27K words of that and stopped when I got back the edits for Mystical High. I'll start working on Book 3 while Desert Star is being edited.
I also have 27K words written of what will be my seventh novel. I began writing it after I finished Mystical High but before I decided to do a series.
But no, I don't write two at the same time in terms of going back and forth between WIPs. I totally immerse myself in whatever I'm doing, so that wouldn't work well for me.
Q: You recently edited and published a book of your mother's poetry. Can you tell us about this incredible project?
Thanks for asking, Jan. My mother, Dr. Jean Lisette Brodey, wrote hundreds of poems in her 20's and early 30's. She was very good at them, and some of her poems were published in national and international publications. In her late 30's, she returned to the work world, got her master's, then her doctorate, and became a professor of journalism at Temple University in Philadelphia.
She is now suffering from Parkinson's disease and reading and writing have become impossible for her, sadly. She had feared that her poetry was lost, but I knew exactly where it was hiding in her house. While there on a visit, I found it. I asked my mother to go through her poems, select her favorites, and send them to me. With the help of her amazing caregiver, Trish, she sent me hundreds to choose from.
From those poems, I chose my favorites and ones that I felt were the best representation of her work. We called the collection My Way to Anywhere, which is taken from a line in one of her poems. It was published in both paperback and ebook (Kindle and Nook) in 2013.
I wrote an extensive blog post (with an interview) about my mother called: "A Poet is Published: A Mere 50+ Years Later." Here's the link for anyone who'd like to read more of her story: http://bit.ly/Xh1KTX
Q: You've told us about your creative/business side. Can you share a few tidbits about your personal side? What do you like to do when you're not writing? Since you live in the Los Angeles area, have you bumped into any celebrities? What human-interest stories catch your attention? If you could fix one thing that would affect everyone, what would it be?
When I'm not writing, I'm probably communicating with my friends, out walking with my dog, or going to see a movie. I love to read, also, but I've been so busy that it takes me a while to finish a book.
Yes, I do run into celebrities all the time. The main reason is because I'm a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) background actor, so, I'm often lingering in the background of feature films or popular TV shows. That kind of ups my odds of seeing famous people. Depending on the scene being shot, I can be standing next to principal actors, sitting across a room, at the next booth in a restaurant, walking by them on the street, and on and on.
Living in Los Angeles, and having lived in New York, it's not really that uncommon to see celebrities pretty much anywhere. I've had celebrity friends. Many years ago, I worked at two different movie studios. It's not a big deal to me, but it's most interesting to get a glimpse of what someone is really like. People fascinate me. I suppose that's why I'm an author.
Let's see: what human-interest stories catch my attention? I love reunion stories, happy lost pet/rescue stories, and stories about surviving incredible odds.
If I could fix one thing in the world that would affect everyone, right now, I think I'd want to protect the earth from any more drastic climate change and ask everyone to take care of our planet. I know you're a big fan of recycling, Jan. So am I.
Every day when I go out walking, my heart breaks at all of the litter I see. People from all walks of life are the culprits, people who are too lazy to throw out their trash or hold onto it until they find a trash can. I pick up trash from other people every day. Some days, I even take out a full-size garbage bag and collect the trash. I'll keep doing it, but I hate it. It's beyond selfish to litter.
Thanks so much for this terrific interview. I've really had a great time being here.
Connect with Lisette:
www.lisettebrodey.com
www.twitter.com/lisettebrodey
www.facebook.com/BrodeyAuthor
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
https://www.amazon.com/author/lisette...
www.mollyhacker.com
February 24, 2014
Spicy Christian Romance ~~ Is that a thing? By: Katie Mettner
Katie Mettner has been on my blog before and I'm tickled that she's decided to come back!
Today she's talking about Spicy Christian Romance. Grab a cup of coffee (or beverage of choice) and listen to what she has to say.
Take it away, Katie!!
Spicy Christian Romance - Is that a thing?
Having just released my fourth Christian romance novel, I’m no novice to the question, “Oh, you’re an author? What do you write?” I usually grimace a little before answering with my hand giving them the so-so motion, “Christian romance.” They give me a bit of a questioning look and then I’d be sure to inform them it’s not “your typical Christian romance.” Usually that garners the question, “What is your typical Christian romance?”
Ahhhhhh……that is the question! As an author in this genre, I had to look to the modern day reader to answer it for me. In the past the ‘typical Christian romance’ was love and light and happiness, where the couple meets and then goes through what we would imagine was a typical dating relationship when our parents grew up, before the story ends in a happily ever after. Said relationship, of course, involved all PDA to be untold of in the story.
As a matter of fact, I had this discussion with a friend of mine the other day. She writes mainstream romance and has read my first series and is reading the first book in my next series. She asked me, “Can you really call this Christian romance when there is sex in it.” (I’m sorry; take a minute to breathe deep if you have to. I know I said S-E-X and Christian romance together in one sentence). Okay, now that we are all breathing normally again, I’ll answer her question. “Yes. Yes, I think I can call it Christian romance if there is s-e-x in it.” She paused and then said, “Right, but I mean, you know Christian romance should have friendly, loving patting and lots of displays of friendly PDA, and even some lead up kissing is probably okay, but it better stop when the door closes. You shouldn’t actually describe the s-e-x.” Oh boy, I knew I was in trouble for a couple of reasons. First, because I don’t look at what I write as s-e-x, and second because when my couples make love, it’s not always behind closed doors. I responded with, “That’s a problem, because my characters usually aren’t always doing THAT in a bed behind a door.” BAM! I officially stunned her silent for a moment. She stuttered about and finally said, “Well, you know what I mean!”
Oh yeah, I did know what she meant and I want to say something right now:
WE CAN BE IN A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND A SPICY RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE ELSE, AT THE SAME TIME!
Why did I just yell that? Because I want you to remember it.
Before my books, my friend’s only experience with Christian romance was exactly what she described to me above. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some really wonderful books out there that are written in this most traditional, typical Christian romance way. I read them and I love them, but they aren’t mine. My stories tend to sit on the outside of the Christian ring where the hero or heroine is questioning their beliefs, are angry with God, are trying to cope with some tragedy in their life or, in some cases, all three. That doesn’t mean the hero or heroine doesn’t love God, they are just in their darkest valley at the moment, and they are looking for the greener pasture HE promises them. The person they meet in that valley is the one HE trusts to be that pasture, and my stories are the journey to that realization.
Since I’m already sitting on the outside of the ring of “typical” Christian romance I decided to push the ring back a little bit further and let the reader experience these two people’s love for each other firsthand. Does it touch what you read in mainstream romance? No. But there is always that one scene that is pinnacle in the couple’s relationship, and it’s been my experience that the reader wants to experience it, all of it. Is it the thrill they are looking for? No, they are looking for the connection two people make when they make love for the first time, as a couple in love. They are looking for the commitment, the love and the surrender you give the other person when you give yourself to them, and they want me to show them, not tell them. Note, I said make love, because that is what it is in my stories. Remember up there when I said, “I don’t look at what I write as s-e-x”? That’s because I look at it as committing, expressing and receiving love. Love, which generally speaking, the hero or heroine isn’t even looking for when the story opens. Rather they are faced with it when they are least equipped to deal with it, because when we are at our weakest is often when we see God the most.
I recently got a review on my short story ‘Snow Daze’ that I released this past Christmas. The reviewer said “Snow and Dully have a chance encounter that piques both interest and hope. The rest was a giant leap of faith. I enjoyed reading about adults going about having an adult romance. And I wasn't expecting the steamy scenes! I recommend reading more about the author because she has a wonderful mission.” I happened to be reading that review on the way home with my husband and my response was, “Wow.” Just kind of breathed out into the air. He asked me what it said and I read it to him. He said, “This is a surprise to you? I guess your mission is obvious to everyone but you.” He was right, because I was just writing the stories that came to me while I was working, sleeping and generally going about living. I didn’t see it as a mission, I often saw it as a frustration. A frustration dealing with what I wanted to write, while trying to squish inside this ring that was supposed to be my ‘genre’.
Some days, like the day I had that discussion with my friend about what ‘typical’ Christian romance is, I find myself asking the Lord why I’m writing these stories. When that evil do-gooder shows up, I open the document on my desktop titled “WHY” and read that review. Sometimes I have to read it three or four times before I can go back to the story HE has put on my heart to tell. Those are the days where I feel my little corner of this ‘genre’ of readers is too far outside the ring of what is socially accepted in Christian romance. Those are my ‘devil’ days. I know those are the days the devil is busy trying to undermine my faith in the words and stories that readers have already told me they love and want more of! So, is spicy Christian romance a thing?
The answer?
YES! YES, IT IS, BECAUSE WE CAN BE IN A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND A SPICY RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE ELSE, AT THE SAME TIME!
1 Peter 4:8: Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
I couldn’t have said it better myself, Peter. Thanks for stopping by today. I will leave you with what I always tell my kids at the library, “Don’t judge a book by its cover (or in this case, its genre), you just might miss the great story inside.”
THE SUGAR SERIES: SUGAR'S DANCE, SUGAR'S SONG, & SUGAR'S NIGHT
SNOW DAZE
COMING SOON: GRANTED REDEMPTION
Here's a little bit about Katie
I was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1975 and lived there, in the same house, for 21 years! I moved to the Northwoods as a young adult where I now reside with my husband and three children. My love affair with Lake Superior began when I met my husband, Dwayne, and he drove me across the bridge one snowy November day with my nose pressed up against the glass. It was in that moment the scene was set for my breakout novel!
As a young adult I enjoyed ballroom dancing and spent many hours on the dance floor, but an injury forced me to sit it out for too many songs. Many would say that losing my left leg was a horrible tragedy, but in fact it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Now, like Sugar, I can dance. My stories are a reflection of my love for family intricately woven with life experience. When the gales of November blow early you can find me at the computer with a cup of joe, listening to Michael Bublé and working on Sugar's next adventure….
You can find Katie here:
Facebook
Twitter
Katie's Website
Katie's Amazon Page
Today she's talking about Spicy Christian Romance. Grab a cup of coffee (or beverage of choice) and listen to what she has to say.
Take it away, Katie!!
Spicy Christian Romance - Is that a thing?
Having just released my fourth Christian romance novel, I’m no novice to the question, “Oh, you’re an author? What do you write?” I usually grimace a little before answering with my hand giving them the so-so motion, “Christian romance.” They give me a bit of a questioning look and then I’d be sure to inform them it’s not “your typical Christian romance.” Usually that garners the question, “What is your typical Christian romance?”
Ahhhhhh……that is the question! As an author in this genre, I had to look to the modern day reader to answer it for me. In the past the ‘typical Christian romance’ was love and light and happiness, where the couple meets and then goes through what we would imagine was a typical dating relationship when our parents grew up, before the story ends in a happily ever after. Said relationship, of course, involved all PDA to be untold of in the story.
As a matter of fact, I had this discussion with a friend of mine the other day. She writes mainstream romance and has read my first series and is reading the first book in my next series. She asked me, “Can you really call this Christian romance when there is sex in it.” (I’m sorry; take a minute to breathe deep if you have to. I know I said S-E-X and Christian romance together in one sentence). Okay, now that we are all breathing normally again, I’ll answer her question. “Yes. Yes, I think I can call it Christian romance if there is s-e-x in it.” She paused and then said, “Right, but I mean, you know Christian romance should have friendly, loving patting and lots of displays of friendly PDA, and even some lead up kissing is probably okay, but it better stop when the door closes. You shouldn’t actually describe the s-e-x.” Oh boy, I knew I was in trouble for a couple of reasons. First, because I don’t look at what I write as s-e-x, and second because when my couples make love, it’s not always behind closed doors. I responded with, “That’s a problem, because my characters usually aren’t always doing THAT in a bed behind a door.” BAM! I officially stunned her silent for a moment. She stuttered about and finally said, “Well, you know what I mean!”
Oh yeah, I did know what she meant and I want to say something right now:
WE CAN BE IN A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND A SPICY RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE ELSE, AT THE SAME TIME!
Why did I just yell that? Because I want you to remember it.
Before my books, my friend’s only experience with Christian romance was exactly what she described to me above. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some really wonderful books out there that are written in this most traditional, typical Christian romance way. I read them and I love them, but they aren’t mine. My stories tend to sit on the outside of the Christian ring where the hero or heroine is questioning their beliefs, are angry with God, are trying to cope with some tragedy in their life or, in some cases, all three. That doesn’t mean the hero or heroine doesn’t love God, they are just in their darkest valley at the moment, and they are looking for the greener pasture HE promises them. The person they meet in that valley is the one HE trusts to be that pasture, and my stories are the journey to that realization.
Since I’m already sitting on the outside of the ring of “typical” Christian romance I decided to push the ring back a little bit further and let the reader experience these two people’s love for each other firsthand. Does it touch what you read in mainstream romance? No. But there is always that one scene that is pinnacle in the couple’s relationship, and it’s been my experience that the reader wants to experience it, all of it. Is it the thrill they are looking for? No, they are looking for the connection two people make when they make love for the first time, as a couple in love. They are looking for the commitment, the love and the surrender you give the other person when you give yourself to them, and they want me to show them, not tell them. Note, I said make love, because that is what it is in my stories. Remember up there when I said, “I don’t look at what I write as s-e-x”? That’s because I look at it as committing, expressing and receiving love. Love, which generally speaking, the hero or heroine isn’t even looking for when the story opens. Rather they are faced with it when they are least equipped to deal with it, because when we are at our weakest is often when we see God the most.
I recently got a review on my short story ‘Snow Daze’ that I released this past Christmas. The reviewer said “Snow and Dully have a chance encounter that piques both interest and hope. The rest was a giant leap of faith. I enjoyed reading about adults going about having an adult romance. And I wasn't expecting the steamy scenes! I recommend reading more about the author because she has a wonderful mission.” I happened to be reading that review on the way home with my husband and my response was, “Wow.” Just kind of breathed out into the air. He asked me what it said and I read it to him. He said, “This is a surprise to you? I guess your mission is obvious to everyone but you.” He was right, because I was just writing the stories that came to me while I was working, sleeping and generally going about living. I didn’t see it as a mission, I often saw it as a frustration. A frustration dealing with what I wanted to write, while trying to squish inside this ring that was supposed to be my ‘genre’.
Some days, like the day I had that discussion with my friend about what ‘typical’ Christian romance is, I find myself asking the Lord why I’m writing these stories. When that evil do-gooder shows up, I open the document on my desktop titled “WHY” and read that review. Sometimes I have to read it three or four times before I can go back to the story HE has put on my heart to tell. Those are the days where I feel my little corner of this ‘genre’ of readers is too far outside the ring of what is socially accepted in Christian romance. Those are my ‘devil’ days. I know those are the days the devil is busy trying to undermine my faith in the words and stories that readers have already told me they love and want more of! So, is spicy Christian romance a thing?
The answer?
YES! YES, IT IS, BECAUSE WE CAN BE IN A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND A SPICY RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE ELSE, AT THE SAME TIME!
1 Peter 4:8: Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
I couldn’t have said it better myself, Peter. Thanks for stopping by today. I will leave you with what I always tell my kids at the library, “Don’t judge a book by its cover (or in this case, its genre), you just might miss the great story inside.”
THE SUGAR SERIES: SUGAR'S DANCE, SUGAR'S SONG, & SUGAR'S NIGHT
SNOW DAZE
COMING SOON: GRANTED REDEMPTION
Here's a little bit about Katie
I was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1975 and lived there, in the same house, for 21 years! I moved to the Northwoods as a young adult where I now reside with my husband and three children. My love affair with Lake Superior began when I met my husband, Dwayne, and he drove me across the bridge one snowy November day with my nose pressed up against the glass. It was in that moment the scene was set for my breakout novel!
As a young adult I enjoyed ballroom dancing and spent many hours on the dance floor, but an injury forced me to sit it out for too many songs. Many would say that losing my left leg was a horrible tragedy, but in fact it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Now, like Sugar, I can dance. My stories are a reflection of my love for family intricately woven with life experience. When the gales of November blow early you can find me at the computer with a cup of joe, listening to Michael Bublé and working on Sugar's next adventure….
You can find Katie here:
Katie's Website
Katie's Amazon Page
February 20, 2014
The man had absolutely no idea the effect he had on women...
The man had absolutely no idea the effect he had on women. He tossed that grin around like it was candy and those sexy eyes promised nothing but pleasure!
(Passage from STELLA in STILETTOS)
Now in both print & e-book!
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
February 5, 2014
MR. AUGUST - celebrating world-wide release!
TIME TO CELEBRATE!!
MR. AUGUST
Help me break out the Champagne and toast the 'world-wide' release for MR. AUGUST.
All of my books are dear to me but sometimes certain characters and places find the squishy soft spot near my heart.
Meet Maxwell August & Libby Griffin:
Fashion designer, Libby Griffin, has had the week from hell -- terminated from her job and heart-wrenching news from the doctor. Hoping for time alone to regroup, Libby rents a cabin on Grand Lake St. Mary's for five months. Right away she meets the most irritating man on the planet, who also happens to be drop-dead delicious.
Recently divorced author, Maxwell August, has a book due and his muse has gone into hiding. With a chip on his shoulder, his writing in stuck-mode, he heads to the lake only to encounter a monumental distraction with blonde hair and hazel eyes.
Will these two right-brainers allow the off-the-charts attraction brewing between them? Or deny it to focus on the things they think are more important?
Grand Lake St. Mary's
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT TO HELP ME CELEBRATE AND TO BE ENTERED INTO THE DRAWING FOR:
1 - $25 Amazon Gift Card1 - $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card1 - 'Love' Box with Coffee & TeaLeather bracelets & e-copy of Mr. August1 - Print copy of Married to Maggie
* please leave your email address so I can notify you if your name was drawn *
Drawing will be held 2/6/14 at noon
Thank you so much for helping me celebrate!
You can find Mr. August here:
The Wild Rose Press
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance E-Books
MR. AUGUST
Help me break out the Champagne and toast the 'world-wide' release for MR. AUGUST.
.jpg)
All of my books are dear to me but sometimes certain characters and places find the squishy soft spot near my heart.
Meet Maxwell August & Libby Griffin:
.jpg)
Fashion designer, Libby Griffin, has had the week from hell -- terminated from her job and heart-wrenching news from the doctor. Hoping for time alone to regroup, Libby rents a cabin on Grand Lake St. Mary's for five months. Right away she meets the most irritating man on the planet, who also happens to be drop-dead delicious.
Recently divorced author, Maxwell August, has a book due and his muse has gone into hiding. With a chip on his shoulder, his writing in stuck-mode, he heads to the lake only to encounter a monumental distraction with blonde hair and hazel eyes.
Will these two right-brainers allow the off-the-charts attraction brewing between them? Or deny it to focus on the things they think are more important?
Grand Lake St. Mary's
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT TO HELP ME CELEBRATE AND TO BE ENTERED INTO THE DRAWING FOR:
1 - $25 Amazon Gift Card1 - $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card1 - 'Love' Box with Coffee & TeaLeather bracelets & e-copy of Mr. August1 - Print copy of Married to Maggie
* please leave your email address so I can notify you if your name was drawn *
Drawing will be held 2/6/14 at noon
Thank you so much for helping me celebrate!
You can find Mr. August here:
The Wild Rose Press
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance E-Books
January 19, 2014
MARRIED TO MAGGIE - Excerpt
ONE OF MY FAVORITE EXCERPT'S FROM 'MARRIED TO MAGGIE'....leave a comment for a chance to win a print copy!
Ty tapped the side of his plate while he contemplated exactly what was happening between him and Maggie. He got the distinct feeling he made her nervous. She had a profound effect on him too, other than the obvious physical effect that was difficult to hide. Maggie disturbed his thoughts and senses. The dark-haired little vixen had him thinking about serious relationships. She had him modifying his who-the-hell-cares pattern of behavior he'd adopted over the past year. She had him imagining her in a sexy belly dancing outfit. Maggie was taking him out of his game. Not that he had a lot of game. What he did have, he wanted to keep. He would be wise to think less about her incredible body and how she set him on fire with her kisses, and think more about convincing his skeptics that he was fit to run Vincent Oil. Some of the Board members viewed him as weak, while others saw him as a clone of his grandfather; a clone with bastard tendencies like their current CEO but one who had taken an emotional hit that set him back a bit. He wanted to maintain the opinion of those who faith in him and repair the judgment of those who didn't. Vincent Oil Company needed strong leadership; someone tough as nails, someone with kahoonies the size of boulders, someone settled but not weakened by love. He snickered at how he'd gone from not wanting to play by someone else's rules to wanting to prove he was ready to take charge. All kinds of revelations were creeping up on him. One in particular involved Maggie. Tonight he would show Dallas his bride-to-be. He'd peck her on the mouth, lift her hand in a tender kiss and repeatedly lean into her. He might even smack her on the bottom. He wouldn't have to prod the rich and powerful to take to Maggie because his fiancée was quite capable of winning them over on her own. Maggie was kind and graceful. Beautiful and intelligent. Witty and upbeat. She was also loveable. He hung on that thought. Maggie was loveable and it would kill him to behave badly toward the end of the evening. As agreed upon, he and Maggie would split in six months so tonight he had to do something -- nothing too drastic -- that most folks wouldn't pick up on right away, but later would say 'Oh yeah. Now I remember...' He needed to provide a subliminal hint of impending doom. Perhaps he should engage in some open but harmless flirting. Or hug a former lover a little too tightly. When he and Maggie's marriage fell apart, his somewhat-dodgy behavior would come back to haunt him. There would be whispers. Necessary rumors to make people side with Maggie when she walked away. He had to be seen as the bad guy.
** Please leave a comment and your email address for a chance to win a print copy of MARRIED TO MAGGIE.
Ty tapped the side of his plate while he contemplated exactly what was happening between him and Maggie. He got the distinct feeling he made her nervous. She had a profound effect on him too, other than the obvious physical effect that was difficult to hide. Maggie disturbed his thoughts and senses. The dark-haired little vixen had him thinking about serious relationships. She had him modifying his who-the-hell-cares pattern of behavior he'd adopted over the past year. She had him imagining her in a sexy belly dancing outfit. Maggie was taking him out of his game. Not that he had a lot of game. What he did have, he wanted to keep. He would be wise to think less about her incredible body and how she set him on fire with her kisses, and think more about convincing his skeptics that he was fit to run Vincent Oil. Some of the Board members viewed him as weak, while others saw him as a clone of his grandfather; a clone with bastard tendencies like their current CEO but one who had taken an emotional hit that set him back a bit. He wanted to maintain the opinion of those who faith in him and repair the judgment of those who didn't. Vincent Oil Company needed strong leadership; someone tough as nails, someone with kahoonies the size of boulders, someone settled but not weakened by love. He snickered at how he'd gone from not wanting to play by someone else's rules to wanting to prove he was ready to take charge. All kinds of revelations were creeping up on him. One in particular involved Maggie. Tonight he would show Dallas his bride-to-be. He'd peck her on the mouth, lift her hand in a tender kiss and repeatedly lean into her. He might even smack her on the bottom. He wouldn't have to prod the rich and powerful to take to Maggie because his fiancée was quite capable of winning them over on her own. Maggie was kind and graceful. Beautiful and intelligent. Witty and upbeat. She was also loveable. He hung on that thought. Maggie was loveable and it would kill him to behave badly toward the end of the evening. As agreed upon, he and Maggie would split in six months so tonight he had to do something -- nothing too drastic -- that most folks wouldn't pick up on right away, but later would say 'Oh yeah. Now I remember...' He needed to provide a subliminal hint of impending doom. Perhaps he should engage in some open but harmless flirting. Or hug a former lover a little too tightly. When he and Maggie's marriage fell apart, his somewhat-dodgy behavior would come back to haunt him. There would be whispers. Necessary rumors to make people side with Maggie when she walked away. He had to be seen as the bad guy.
** Please leave a comment and your email address for a chance to win a print copy of MARRIED TO MAGGIE.
