Jan Romes's Blog, page 17

Interview with Heather Lynn Osting!

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Heather Lynn Osting, author of Dead in a Ditch and The Ordeal  (Books 1 and 2 in her Vivienne Taylor Series), at a book signing. She's as engaging in person as she is on Facebook. She's confident, loves writing and is making a name for herself in the literary world. I decided after meeting her that you should meet her too, even if it's only a virtual acquaintance.

Before I get to the interview, I'd like to share Heather's two amazing book covers. Pretty cool, huh?







Grab a cup of coffee (or beverage of choice) and we'll get on with the interview!

Heather, you've just published your second book in your Vivienne Taylor series. What prompted you to write the first book? And how difficult was it to move to the second book?

The first book's premise actually came long before I wrote it. I was driving home from Ottawa, where I worked at the time. I was between Columbus Grove and Ottawa, and it's on a  long stretch of Rt. 65, and I was just kind of bored and was letting my mind wander. The sun was shining through the window on my face and it was warm and wonderful, and I don't know what it was that made it jump into my brain, but I just imagined what if you woke up to the warmth of the sun on your cheek with this wonderful feeling like I was having then, only to open your eyes and find yourself laying on the ground, and left for dead. It would be quite the contrast from splendor to horror all just by opening one's eyes. It captivated me and I never forgot the idea of that afternoons' drive home. So when I decided to write a novel, I just HAD to give my little idea its chance to be something more.

Can you explain your writing style?

My writing style is a little bit of everything. Sometimes it's humorous, sometimes ironic. Other times it's graphic and gritty, and then heartwarming and light. I think a good book can take you anywhere, and through every emotion. If you can experience all of those plus urgency, worry, happiness, wonder...well, to me that is a good story. Which is what I try to do to the best of my ability in writing stories. Everyone is different and I'm not saying my books are for everyone, but so far, I've had some very good responses to my books. And that's wonderful as a writer to hear. Our egos are really fragile as artists; we are easily wounded when someone says that we suck. It breaks your heart a little. It's not easy trying to have "thick skin". 

Is there one author who influenced your style or did it develop organically?

I believe a lifetime of stories influenced my writing collectively. My uncle Ben's stories and the way he used to tell them, had a slow but steady impact. My big sister used to write stories when we were kids and she'd share them with me. Edgar Allen Poe's darkness and detailed journeys -- Tell Tale Heart and Black Cat -- were downright life-changing when I read them for the first time. Janet Evanovich's humor and charm is out of this world good. So many times she made me literally laugh out loud, and I LOVE her for that. Sara Gruen's strength of character and the way she sets a scene with such amazing attention to detail also was a big influence. Dean Koontz's masterful complex stories that take a lot of people and link their stories into one is incredible. His novel, Watchers, was THE longest novel I'd ever read in my younger years, and after reading it, it was as if he lit a fire in me for reading like no other author ever had before. I am eternally grateful to him for giving me that gift. I love each of those authors, and I especially love poets too. Poets are the dreamiest of writers, the most heartfelt and raw, so I'd have to say they've influenced me just as much as my beloved fiction writers.

The journey to write a story from beginning to end is a challenge. What kept you going, especially with the busy life you lead?

Truthfully, Dead In A Ditch, was the easiest for me to write. It flowed like crazy out of me. Which is strange since I'd never written fiction before. My fingers took to my keyboard like a madwoman! It was so fun for me to just let my imagination go wherever it wanted. Dark places, scary places, sexy places! Book two took a lot more research and thought to make it turn out the way I wanted it to. I think anytime you write a series , you're going to have that in trying to stay true to your characters and to keep congruent throughout the series. The Ordeal took me longer to write, but I didn't like it any less. I felt that my writing was growing and evolving and I was learning from the pitfalls of my first book. I feel the story is a little "thicker", if that makes sense.

What part of a story is the hardest part for you to write?

For me, the hardest part of writing is when I'm writing something that I don't have firsthand experience or knowledge of. So I do a lot of research to capture them correctly and make them as realistic as possible. For instance, in Dead In A Ditch I had to write about someone doing "meth" and I had no idea how one did meth, so I spent an afternoon watching episodes of Intervention and Training videos on how to identify if there's a meth lab in your neighborhood (Florida State Highway Patrol via YouTube). Research isn't miserable. I very much enjoy obtaining knowledge in all forms, but sometimes the things you learn about, you're glad you don't know about them firsthand. 

I work in the legal community and there have been times through the course of that line of work, that I've had to see things like autopsy photos that were exhibits in a murder case. I've read transcripts in rape cases, child abuse cases, and my life has been touched by the awful things humans are capable of, and while I never would wish those travesties on anyone, it's important to know they exist. Sort of Aesop's Fables for adults! *laughing*

If you've not read Aesop's Fables since childhood, go back and read them again. They have new meaning when you read them as an adult. 

The theme for Dead In A Ditch is: Your parents were right to warn you that if you aren't careful, someday you could wind up that way!

That very first time we expose our writing to the public, it's hard on the nerves. We're both from small towns where most people know us or have heard of us. Did you struggle with telling people that you were going to publish your stories? Or did you take a deep breath, square your shoulders, and say, "Hey guys, guess what?"

When I wrote Dead In A Ditch, it was just kind of a little project never to be anything more than a story that I'd written just for me. My cousin, Rachel, has always been a really big supporter of my writing. I wanted to see if I could write fiction, and I wanted to make it a good endeavor. After a year of Rachel editing and encouraging me to expand my story in some places and to delete in others, she said, "Heather, this is really good. You should try to publish it." I took it as family flattery and I replied, "You're my friend and family, you're supposed to tell me you love it." 

Being me, I wanted a second opinion, and a third, and an eleventh! After I'd selectively shared my novel with people who I knew were as blunt as the day is long, they said it was a good book, and I thought that maybe Rachel was right. 

Together, Rachel and I made Dead In A Ditch a fun project; we'd self-publish it and see what happened. To my astonishment, and total and complete honor, strangers not only read my book -- they liked it! A feeling you never forget is the first time it hits you that you don't suck at writing like you thought you did. I know that I'm no Dean Koontz, John Grisham or James Patterson, but a girl can always dare to dream. I have no regrets. This adventure has been one of the best crazy ideas I've ever had. Thanks to Rachel, of course! 

Would you be so kind as to share an excerpt from Dead In A Ditch? 

I'd love to, Jan!


     I awoke to the feeling of the sun beating down on my face. It was that golden ball of light that I loved and adored my entire life, which was with me on this day. Despite the fact that I was a redhead whose dermatologist vehemently instructed avoiding exposure, I could not help the natural high the sun had the ability to provide.

     Normally opening one's eyes to sunshine would have been a much welcomed view, however I knew this time would be different. As I prepared to peel my eyes open, all of my senses decided to come alive. It was like my body was awakening from a deep slumber, only this slumber was not of the comfy, well-rested variety. My mouth was the first part of my body that my mind gave notice to. I tried to swallow but instead found a burning feeling inside my throat. My tongue was not just stuck to the roof of my mouth, but also swollen at the sides where my teeth were clenched down upon it. Upon my jaw's release, I was not entirely certain my tongue would still be in one piece.

     After my jaw got up the nerve to finally release its hold, I ran my swollen sorry excuse for a tongue across my lips to find them amazingly sharp, like shards of broken glass. They were dried and cracked and tasted like metal. They were more industrial than they were human.

     As if that feeling was not scary enough, I started to give thought as to what the rest of my body would look and feel like. I was not sure I wanted to know where I was, or in what shape the rest of me was in. Oh God, what if I open my eyes and realize I'm not dead, only to wish that I was? 

Bio for Heather Lynn Osting:

Since I don't believe in bios that say things like, Born here, went to college here, I will include this instead --

Well, folks, what can I tell you? I'm redheaded, good-natured and small-town. (Delphos, Ohio - born and raised). I love motorcycles, writing, photography and reading a book so good it takes you somewhere else in space and time.

I'm a romantic that appreciates the proper use of a good curse word.

I'm a paralegal by day and a writer when my imagination takes over and holds me hostage until I write what it wants me to write.

While my writing borders on graphic or some might even say vulgar at times, I believe in stories that make me cringe one minute and smile the next. I don't think I could write a book that didn't have a little humor mixed with some seriousness because that's how I deal with real tough times in life. I try to find humor where I can.

I'm addicted to good quotes, especially those by Albert Einstein. I collect old books and I asked for office supplies for Christmas. Nothing makes you want to write more than a new gel pen held between your fingers and a blank page of paper before you.

My favorite color is blue. I have two dogs that make me smile regularly. I play the guitar very poorly and I'm intent on learning to speak Italian, even if I have to beg my friend Alexandra from Rome to only speak to me in Italian until I'm forced to learn what the heck she's rambling on about in one of the world's most beautiful languages.

Lastly, I cannot thank those who have read my novels for giving me a change to entertain them, if only for a short time. Not everyone will fall in love with my stories but I will appreciate the opportunity to tell them. It's an honor and a privilege on my end to do so.

You can find Heather at:

Blog:  http://heatherlynnosting.blogspot.com
Photoblog: http://www.heatherlynnphotoblog.blogs...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherlynn....
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Heather's books can be found here:

Goodkindles.net - http://goodkindles.net/2013/01/dead-i...

Amazon -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A...




  

I had no choice...

...but to become a romance author! The cause might come as a surprise. Books certainly influenced me in a big way, but if I had to narrow down why I write in the romance genre, I'd have to say, hands down, it was music.

     Did I mention I can't sing a note without it sounding like something  got caught in the garbage disposal? And since I once wrote lyrics and sent them off to a popular singer - who will remained unnamed - (okay, I bend like a straw...it was John Mellencamp) like he or his people would snatch them up and put them to music, but it didn't happen, my only real option was to take all that romantic sentiment and put it in story form.    
    
      Growing up, the radio or record player was always on. Surrounded by six sisters, two brothers and a mom who loved music -- both pop music and country and western (we called country music 'crying in your beer music' at the time. Sorry, Mom! haha! We loved it but couldn't resist teasing) -- all those great lyrics set my soul on fire! How could they not?

     With such great songs like:


THIS MAGIC MOMENTBy: Jay and the Americansvia YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpePWo56zm4
(This song was all about love at first sight)

COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSERBy: Jay and the Americansvia YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d2b4XuAa80
(This song was about attraction despite danger)

OVER YOUBy: Gary Puckett and The Union Gapvia YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPDEV13DlIs
(This song was about how strong love can be even though the other person didn't love you back)

TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOWBy: Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rosevia YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfYkhQblYjY
(This song was about falling in love despite the warnings not to)

LAUGHTER IN THE RAINBy: Neil Sedakavia YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsYIiY2wnyU
(This song was about being so much in love that you found joy even in the rain)

     If you're in a down mood or in a rut with your writing, let music set YOUR soul on fire! Let it brighten your day and ignite your creativity!
     I thank all the wonderful writers of music and the singers who turned their words into magic!
     Also, a big shout-out and thank you to my family who continue to influence me with their music choices and their love. I see both being passed down to the next generation in my kids, nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

(re)Release Extravaganza for MARRIED TO MAGGIE!

I'm filled with joy to re-release MARRIED TO MAGGIE and I'm thrilled to have you join in the excitement!!

Married to Maggie is the first book in my Texas Boy's Falling Fast series, Book One: Tysen's story.

Today, Friday 1-3-14 (at noon EST) through 1-5-14 (noon EST) I am christening the (re)release of Married to Maggie with some giveaways. All you have to do to is leave a short comment and your email address so I can contact you if your name is drawn. Everyone will be entered to win, even if you already have a copy of Married to Maggie!

Prizes include:  5 - $10 Starbucks gift cards2 - $15 Subway gift cards5 - E-book downloads *You can pick from any of my E-books*   AmazonBarnes and NobleSmashwords  www.authorjanromes.com   

Max is baaaack! LIFE AFTER DEATH by Sharon Saracino

She's baaackkk! Max Logan returns...Happy New Year! Genre: Paranormal/FantasyPublisher: WhiskeyCreek PressRelease Date: January 1, 2014   Maxine Logan made her initial debut in Death Benefits. She has a dry, edgy sense of humor that I grew to love and I can't wait to read more about her in Sharon Saracino's newest release,  LIFE AFTER DEATH.  To help Sharon celebrate Max's return I've asked her to share the blurb and excerpt! Life After Death: After artfully arbitrating her return from the dead, Max Logan considers her experience with the afterlife a thing of the past. But Max's success as a temporary Superintendent of Spiritual Impediment was no accident as she discovers when the permanent SSI shows up in the middle of the night to reveal that Max has a genetic predisposition to a supernatural calling. When Max's ex-husband and current boyfriend, Roger-the-Proctologist is lost in a plane crash due to an inept Reaper gone rogue, Max has no choice but to venture back into the sweet hereafter in an attempt to rescue him. Throw in a freak blizzard, a hot Grim Reaper, and the last person on Earth Max would choose to save, and Max will be lucky to escape before her time runs out and she becomes a permanent resident of the Between.

Excerpt:

     The annoying luminosity I'd mistaken for the early afternoon sunlight was, in fact coming from Alicia who, when the mood struck her, could glow like a radioactive Christmas tree. On steroids. I hadn't seen or heard from her since that happy day months ago when I'd been relieved of my duties as SSI. It was a temporary position I'd been obligated to assume to regain my status among the living after my untimely Death in Error (D.I.E) caused by an overeager Grim Reaper in Training (G.R.I.T.). Turns out the bureaucrats in the afterlife are quite enamored with acronyms. Who knew? Anyway, I hadn't seen Alicia in all this time, and frankly, I hadn't exactly been complaining. Not that I had anything against Alicia personally, it was only that I preferred to relegate that period of my life -- or death, depending on how I chose to look at it on any given day -- to the been-there-done-that file. I mean, c'mon, wouldn't you? I'd never shared my life after death after life experience with anyone; not even Roger. First of all, even I wasn't completely convinced the entire episode was real after the fact. In the first place, my black Italian marble shower with the Chastings Corque Corian Square Ceiling Mount Showerhead and I came together quite dramatically in a completely involuntary manner that cracked my skull hard enough to scramble my brain into a convincing three-dimensional hallucination that could be misinterpreted as a near death experience. Secondly, who in their right mind would believe me? Sure, I'd emerged from the experience a kinder and gentler Max Logan, filled with insight and forgiveness, ready to own up to my own part in the misery that had become my everyday existence, but those who knew me best were far more likely to attribute it to a temporary psychotic break than any supernatural intervention.
     "Alicia, I'm going back to sleep for at least the next five hours. I'm returning to the place where I'm always thin, never run out of money, and am sitting on a private beach with hot cabana boys who bring me exotic cocktails with little paper umbrellas. Do not attempt to wake me again or my Teddy Bear will attack," I threatened in a sleep-thickened voice.
     "You don't have a Teddy Bear," my uninvited visitor pointed out reasonably.
     "Totally irrelevant, Glow Girl. Come back later."


Sharon Saracino All roads lead to happily ever after, some just have a few unexpected turns!  You can follow Sharon here: Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter

      

Lucy Adams is here today!

[image error]   Lucy Adams    Lucy Adams is an author, speaker, newspaper columnist, award-winning freelance writer and blogger. Mother of four, wife of one, self-critical to the point of paralysis, bossy since birth, Lucy trudges through life wanting a pool in her backyard so badly she can already see chlorine rainbows around the streetlights. Her home is well organized. Everything has a place on the floor where she can easily find it or die tripping over it. She lives in Thomson, Georgia with her husband and children. Lucy says that the bane of her existence, her burden to bear, is that she's always happy but never content. Lucy began writing professionally in 2003, when she talked her way into a weekly newspaper column in a local paper. Her first book, If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny , was released by Palm Tree Press in December 2007. In 2011, Palm Tree Press published her second book, Tuck Your Skirt in Your Panties and Run . Both books are creative non-fiction with a southern accent. The Beast of Blue Mountain , Lucy's inaugural children's book, debuted in September 2013.  From Lucy: Jan, thank you so much for inviting me to guest post today on your blog. It's a thrill to be here and meet your readers and fans. Hopefully everyone is settling into December. This is a cozy time of year when I like to sit in the living room, enjoy the tree and share a good book with my children. My favorites are the ones that keep us all engaged in the story. Inspired by a tale I constructed to entertain my own children around the campfire, The Beast of Blue Mountain teaches kids that noises in the night aren't always what they seem. Crunch, crunch. Swish, swish. What is that? A measure of suspense, a dose of surprise and a good giggle combine with colorful illustrations in a well-paced storyline that appeals to preschoolers through the elementary grades. Take a listen to this teaser from The Beast of Blue Mountain .





Purchase The Beast of Blue Mountain in paperback, digital or audio formats:

Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Audible.com   Createspace [Use coupon code 4ZVQDJ79 for a discount]  Order direct for signed copies:  



Connect with Lucy:

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Lucy-Adams/e/B002BLQB2C/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Blog:  http://lucybgoosey.blogspot.com

Twitter: @lucyadams  https://twitter.com/lucyadams

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/lucyadams.ifmama

Google : https://plus.google.com/u/0/111781809070696723776/posts




 

A chat with Katheryn Lane!

Katheryn, welcome! So happy to have you here! You've written some amazing stories set in exotic locations with exotic men, and the Katheryn Lane dynasty continues with a cowboy in...

THE TEXAS COWBOY    
  Katheryn, can you whet our appetites by introducing your hero and heroine? The hero's name is Jack Cassidy. An awful previous relationship has left him resigned to living the life of a lonely cowboy whose only female company is his horses. However, he meets Vicky and he begins to wonder if he should reconsider. Vicky's from England where she has a low-paid clerical job. However, through a social networking site, she manages to contact a distant cousin who lives in Dallas and Vicky flies out to see her. Once in Dallas, Vicky is immediately thrown into a world of money, shopping and sexy cowboys! What was your favorite thing about writing this story? Although I live in the Middle East, I have visited Dallas several times and I really loved doing the research for this book. Amongst other things, I was lucky enough to visit a ranch and ride one of the horses. However, my husband said that getting together with a sexy cowboy was off limits! The other thing I loved about writing The Texas Cowboy was seeing the hero and heroine overcoming their problems and falling in love with each other while I was writing (though this is true of all my books). There's nothing quite so wonderful in the world as watching two people finding the happiness that comes from being truly, deeply in love. Do your characters have any particular quirks? The quirkiest character is Cassie, Jack's ex. She's gorgeous - Jack and Cassie once looked like the perfect couple - but she's absolutely wild! I can't give too much away, but she has caused and continues to cause Jack endless harm. The blurb for your book hints at a lot of conflict that your hero and heroine have to deal with. When you were writing this story, was there ever a point where you thought that these two characters were never going to resolve the obstacles? There was! At one point I stopped writing and almost gave up as I couldn't see how Jack and Vicky were going to overcome their difficulties. As well as having to deal with Jack's ex, they also have to deal with Vicky's cousin, Laura, who does everything she can to stop Vicky seeing Jack. This is because Laura thinks that Jack is just a poor ranch hand and Vicky should be dating Laura's extremely rich friend instead. Sometimes our characters take the story in a complete different direction than we planned. Did that happen to you with this story? If so, did you have to show them who was boss, or was it the other way around? Before I start a book, I draft an outline of the plot. However, once I begin writing, the characters can take over. For example, as I'm writing, I realize that a character would never do what I originally planned, so I let them do something else which is more in keeping with their personality. For example, at one point in The Texas Cowboy , Jack is really upset. In the original plot he was meant to go out to the stables on his ranch to spend time with his favorite horse, but once I started writing the scene, I realized that he was too angry to do that; what he really wanted to do was have a drink. Therefore, instead of going to the stables, he searches around in his kitchen and finds a bottle of whiskey, an action which he regrets in the morning. Sometimes my characters take over, but not always to their benefit! What project(s) are you currently working on? I'm thinking of writing a sequel to The Texas Cowboy . Although it was originally written as a stand-alone novel, with Jack and Vicky finally together, their marriage is only implied. Since the book was published, several readers have started to ask about their wedding and if Vicky's cousin, Laura, will take over their wedding plans. I'm still trying to work out the details, but Laura will probably try to turn their wedding into a huge Dallas social event and Jack's ex, Cassie, will definitely make a dramatic appearance. At the moment, the book has the provisional title of The Texas Bride . Thank you very much, Jan, for hosting me on your wonderful site!  About Katheryn Lane:  I'm a wife, teacher, author and mother of two boisterous boys, so most of my days are taken up with finding lost school shoes, getting stuck in traffic and wondering why I always join the queue that doesn't move in the supermarket. However, I try to forget these daily problems (and the fact that I burnt the toast again this morning) by losing myself in a good book and writing novels that give readers a break from everyday life. Open one of my books and escape on an adventure to an exotic location, because it's easier to buy a book than it is to book an air ticket. Have a break, read a book!  To find out more about me, you can:  Visit my blog: http://Katheryn-Lane.blogspot.comFollow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/KatherynLaneVisit my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/KatherynLane.AuthorSee my inspiration on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/KatherynLaneVisit my Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/KatherynLane About The Texas Cowboy  From the #1 Amazon bestselling author, Katheryn Lane, comes an unforgettable romance set in the heart of Texas. Everything's bigger in Texas, including the problems. When Vicky flies into Texas, she immediately falls for the charms of local cowboy, Jack Cassidy. However, her wealthy Dallas cousin, Laura, has other ideas and will do everything she can to steer Vicky away from Jack and into the arms of a rich oilman. Jack is resigned to living the life of a lonely cowboy whose only female company is his horses -- that is, until he meets Vicky. However, Vicky isn't the only person with a claim on his heart. Jack wasn't always alone and his ex is about to make a dramatic comeback. Every cowboy has a past and this cowboy's past is about to destroy his future. The Texas Cowboy is available from all Amazon stores including: Amazon USA  Amazon UK

MARRIED TO MAGGIE! (Texas Men Falling Fast series - Book One: Tysen)

MARRIED TO MAGGIE is coming soon. This is the first book in my Texas Men Falling Fast series. I'm so excited to do a series (my first) and I'm over the moon happy to share Tysen and Maggie's story!

 
This amazing cover was created by:  TugBoat Design  

Shaping A Better World by Danica Cornell

How One Writer Hopes to Shape a Better World for All of Us...One Word at a Time

~ ~  Author Danica Cornell Discusses the Layers of Social Responsibility Inherent Within the Science Fiction Genre and Why She Believes Her DARK STAR Series is an Idea Whose Time Has Come
 Written by Danica Cornell


 December 6, 2013

 My sincere thanks to the gifted Jan Romes for inviting me here today. I am truly honored to share this platform with Jan and her readers. I'm also delighted to announce that I will be featuring Jan on my blog on January 13, 2014! So mark your calendars everyone...no doubt this will be an enjoyable and informative event!

 Before we embark on what I hope will be a fruitful and spirited discussion, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Danica Cornell, and for those of you who don't know me, I'm the author of the forthcoming DARK STAR Science Fiction/Fantasy Series soon to be published by Cool Geek Books.

 Coming Soon, DARK STAR I: The Assassins
But the reason I'm here today isn't only to talk about my novels. I'm also going to discuss some topics with all of you that are near and dear to my heart:  The social responsibility inherent within the sci-fi genre, as well as my support of UNICEF through the sales of my books.

 Let's begin by taking a closer look at how science fiction contributes to the greater good by acting as a moral compass for all of us.

 Science Fiction and Social Responsibility

 I'd like to start off this section by clarifying that the series I'm creating has elements of fantasy interwoven throughout each of its science fiction story lines. But here's the thing. It's because of DARK STAR's overarching science fiction themes that I feel a certain level of responsibility when it comes to the messages each of my books will convey. To be clear, as an author I understand the cautionary tales I'm penning are first and foremost meant to entertain my readers. But I would be remiss in overlooking their added value when it comes to opening a dialogue about the directions technology and society are taking -- and whether or not humanity's heading down the right path.


 Tapping into Sci-fi Themes to Create Messages

 When I lasered in on DARK STAR's science fiction themes and messages, I did so with the intention of using these constructs as a scaffold for the series, as well as for the development of its characters. The themes I'm incorporating are what most people would probably consider to be The Really Big Questions, and include:

      What is reality?     What does it mean to be human?     Are we becoming more or less integrated?     Can humans be trusted with new
     technologies?     What does the future hold for us?     Are we alone?     Will technology save us or annihilate us?     Is it possible to travel in time?     Why are we here?     How did we get here?     How do we fit into the great beyond?     Can we live forever and if so, should we?


Timing is Everything

 While I'm the first to acknowledge these themes are not new to the genre of science fiction, my sense is that the time is ripe for the creation of the DARK STAR Series. Why? Because of three specific factors that are coming together as we speak: the technological renaissance; globalization; and the mainstreaming of science fiction itself. In other words, from my vantage point, DARK STAR is a series whose time has come! Additionally, it's my intention to utilize this unique opportunity for the greater good of humanity by serving as a messenger in my writings as well as by financially supporting charitable organizations.

  Writing For the Greater Good of Humanity...For Both Today and Tomorrow

 Perhaps the most obvious (and immediate) way I'm using my writing for the greater good of humanity is by donating a portion of the proceeds from my ground-breaking novel to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). My hope is that through these contributions, some of the children who benefit from UNICEF's work may go on to help others in the future.

 To be sure, this philanthropic gesture brings added meaning to my writing, but I recognize it's only the beginning of my social responsibility as an author. I suspect many may be surprised to learn that my long-term plan is to use my books as a stepping stone for even more ambitious philanthropic projects later on -- indeed this has been the driving force behind my creation of the DARK STAR series all along! From its inception, I've been combining my passions for the written word with my desire to help others as a way to open the door to achieving this -- my ultimate goal in life.


 
Exit Stage Left

 So in case you're wondering if I'm entering the literary field with the intention of eventually leaving it, my answer is an unequivocal yes. Strange as it may sound, with any luck one day I'll be financially able to extricate myself from the work I love, so I can devote the remainder of my life to helping others. Having said this, DARK STAR is an ambitious series -- one that will likely keep me firmly planted within the sci-fi/fantasy community for at least another decade. So for now I'm hoping readers will begin to recognize me as an author who's dedicated to creating a quality book series while simultaneously making the world a better place for all of us...one word at a time. 

 
Until we meet again...

 Happy reading,
Danica
 
Danica Cornell holds a B.A. in Psychology from Argosy University. She is also a visionary entrepreneur, Fantasy/Science Fiction Network contributing author, and UNICEF-supporter. To learn more about this emerging author please visit:
Danica's Website 
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Suzan Collins is on my blog today!

Author Suzan Collins not only writes romance but she's also written an array of non-fiction books that pertain to her work as a consultant/trainer in health, social care and management. I thought it would be great to learn more about this multi-talented caring woman who hails from the United Kingdom.

Welcome, Suzan!

 Suzan Collins   In a few words describe the personal side of Suzan:  Always difficult to answer so I asked a few friends and they came out with: generous, reliable, trustworthy, funny, will help anyone out in a crisis ... A recent email from a writer I was helping, 'Thank you, Suzan...wow...you are prolific [in relation to your writing]'.   And in a few words describe the business side of Suzan:  This is quite easy for me to answer as one of my customers described me recently to the NHS who was looking for someone to help them, 'Suzan Collins is an extremely experienced, skilled and published consultant and facilitator of social care learning'. And I have to agree, lol!  Suzan, you and I both write romance, but you have also written several non-fiction publications. Can you tell us a little bit about your books?  Yes. I wrote some open learning workbooks, which staff could read pieces and answer questions [to test their knowledge] and could complete at their own pace, and at a time that suited them. I have had 6 workbooks published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Supporting Positive Behaviour                          ISBN:  978-1-84905-073-9Supporting Relationships and Friendships        ISBN:  978-1-84905-072-2Safeguarding Adults                                          ISBN:  978-1-84310-928-0Reflecting On and Developing Your Practice   ISBN:  978-1-84310-930-3Health and Safety                                              ISBN:  978-1-84310-929-7Effective Communication                                  ISBN:  978-1-84310-927-3    My latest book, just released, is a narrative non-fiction called, Beyond My Control: Why the Health and Social Care System Need Not Have Failed My Mother.
   Blurb:  With 33 years experience in health and social care, Suzan Collins believed she could ensure good care for her mother, and her family relied on her to do so. She was actually delivering training on best practice when she was first contacted with the news her mother had broken her leg at her nursing home and had been transferred to the hospital. This is the story of what followed - the gradual revelation of a whole ongoing chain of bad practice and poor care that Suzan, with all her knowledge and experience of 'the system', could not influence. In this highly topical book, Suzan shares her story from her personal and professional perspectives and looks ahead to how we can all contribute to keeping vulnerable people in health and social care system safe from harm.  Extract:  'I was sitting in the dining room of a care service, waiting for my NVQ candidate to finish what she was doing. Whilst waiting, I took in what was happening in this room. There was quiet talk between various people at different tables. It was happy talk. One mother was telling her daughter how happy she was living there. Another lady, with dementia, was being supported by a staff member. Another was being quietly helped into her wheelchair and leaving the room. Staff spoke at a level that the individual could hear. I was good at picking up on body language and at that moment I could say that the individuals, staff and the relatives - everyone in that room at that particular time - were happy to be at the home and happy with the home.  Three days later I was back at this home to see a different candidate. He told me how he had supported a lady that morning with end-of-life care. Those words hit me hard and it took me back to the poor end-of-life care my mother had received when she was dying. The candidate told me he 'felt privileged' to give personal care to a lady who was confined to bed and leaving this world. Why, oh why, could Mum not have had someone like him to help her when she was dying in hospital? I swallowed hard and told him how lovely that was. He took it in his stride; he didn't realise how good he was at his job and how much the people he supported valued him'.  Beyond My Control tells the story of my mother's ordeal and the efforts I and my family made to put things right. It is also intended to show what good practices are, and what to do when things go wrong. Suzan has provided practical advice at the end of many of the chapters and in an appendix at the end of the book to show what you, the reader, can do to stop something this bad from happening to you.  Are you currently working on a new book?  Yes, in fact, I have 2 WIP's [Works in Progress]. I have written some new open learning workbooks for staff and are now debating whether to keep them single or to make them into a handbook, and if it should be a Handbook for Health and Social Care Staff or just Social Care Staff. I also am writing a sequel to my novel On The Rails .  What do you find to be your biggest challenge as a writer?  There are many, but I will give just a few.      1.  Writing a book in my head, and not just once! This can happen if I am sleeping and suddenly wake up with an idea, or characters of my novel won't leave me alone. Does this happen to you, Jan?  It definitely does, Suzan!      2.  When you are typing, still thinking you know how the story is going and then some characters take on their own and they direct the way the novel goes. I remember the first time this happened to me, it was 3am and I wanted to wake everyone up to tell them what happened. I am waiting for this happen in my current WIP.      3.  When I write open learning workbooks and give it to my editor it has the most up to date legislation and standards in them. However, by the time the workbooks are due for printing, legislation and standards can change which can mean having to update the work at very short notice, before it goes out.      4.  When the editor sends me my work for signing off, I can forget what I have written as time has passed and I am then writing something else.  What can you offer aspiring writers?  Write and write! Some authors plan their writing and if this is you then plan, if it isn't then don't. Think on what you would like to write; poetry, a novel or non-fiction etc.  It is important to know why you are writing and who your audience will be. If you would like to write a book but find it daunting for your first piece of writing, why not try something smaller, like writing a story for a magazine.  Where to find Suzan:  Website:  www.spcconsultancy.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzan-Collins-author-page/186401074847655 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/SPC-Consultancy-Training-Suzan-Collins/146096555424838 Twitter: @suzancollins Blog: http://suzancollins.wordpress.com  Where you can find Suzan's books:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Suzan-Collins/e/B0037DXY46/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1359380969&sr=1-2ent http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/suzan+collins/beyond+my+control/9828297; http://www.eddingtonhook.com/display.asp?isb=9781781610282&   


Katie Mettner's generous spirit!

Katie Mettner has a heart of gold!!

Look what this amazing woman and author is doing to support BRADEN'S HOPE FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER!

All of Katie Mettner's book sales from November 25 through November 30 will benefit this wonderful organization. 


Katie Mettner

 
www.Bradenshope.org

www.katiemettnerbooks.com