Amy Durham's Blog: Amy Durham, page 20

When to Know What to Write: Emerald Barnes

Today I'm pleased to welcome author Emerald Barnes to my little corner of the cyber-world. She's the author of "Piercing the Darkness", which is available at Amazon, Smashwords, and Createspace.  
She's talking with us today about something that all of us struggle with from time to time... writing the sequel! What do you do if the voices in your head are telling you to write something other than the sequel to the book you've just released? I imagine for each author the answer is a little different.  Today, Emerald shares with us her thoughts on how to know what to write and when to write it!
How do you know what to write and when to write it?  
I had this problem not long ago.  I was contemplating how best it was towrite a sequel to my novella, "Piercing Through the Darkness."  
But as of right now, my heart and souljust isn't in it.  I don't want toforce it, so I'm going to write it when my head isn't full of vampires andwerewolves and their story.  It's tough sometimes because if you're like me, you probablyhave a lot of stories racing around your brain, and there are so many thingsyou want to write.  And, there'scertainly not enough time in the day to write constantly!     
But, I'm of the firm opinion that you write the story thatyou can't stop thinking about.  I tried this.  Itried forcing a novel because I wanted it written for my readers.  They wanted more to the story of "Piercing Through the Darkness."  Ido too, but right now, my head is focused on something else. 
When I started out writing the sequel, I couldn't get itright.  I have three differentbeginnings, all of which are NOT what I wanted for it.  In fact, it was so bad that I had toset the book aside.  I can't forcemyself to write it right now because I won't like it.  And if I don't like, I don't think anyone else wouldeither.  And the last thing I'dwant to do is disappoint my readers. 
But, as an author, if we want to write something that hasthe emotions we want to come across in our novel, we have to write what is morepressing in our head.  The readerswill be able to tell what is going on if it feels forced and feels as if wedon't even like it. But most importantly, don't try just to please yourreaders.  You have to think aboutyourself as well.  It soundsselfish, I know, but really, if you love what you're writing, your readers willtoo.  If they're waiting for thatsequel or novel they've heard you talk about, chances are, they're willing towait until it's perfect. 
I have a few friends who are waiting for me to finish anovel I wrote five years ago, but it's still not perfect, and the timing for itisn't right for me to finish.  Ihave so many other stories worming their way into existence, and the other hasto wait. 
How do you know what to write and when to write?  Do you write the story you can't stopthinking about, or do you do it differently?
Emerald can be found online at the following places:Dreaming Awake BlogFacebookTwitterGoodreads
And today it's "double your fun", because you can also check out my guest post on her blog! To see what we're talking about over at Emerald's place, go here!
Happy reading and writing!
      

Tuesdays with Taryn

Today I'm guest-blogging with my friend and fellow KY Author, Taryn Raye.  Her historical romance "Castaway Hearts" releases soon, and it's got a BEAUTIFUL cover! You should pop over there just to see it!

Come on over and see what we're talking about!

Taryn Raye - Romance Writer

Happy reading and writing!

And The Winner Is...

Hallee Bridgeman!

Hallee wins a signed copy of my YA paranormal ONCE AGAIN, and a pound of GREAT coffee from Harden Coffee-Family Roasterie, a local business right here in my hometown!

Many, many thanks to all of you who came by each day to read, comment, and pass the word along. I appreciate your support and enthusiasm more than I can say!

Have a great week, everyone! Happy reading and writing!

#SixSunday: Layla's Doubts

Welcome back to Six Sentence Sunday! Please take a look at the official site and find lots of other talented authors who share their work on Sundays. You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #sixsunday. Thanks in advance for the encouraging comments. I truly appreciate all of them!


For this week's post from ONCE AGAIN, my YA Paranormal Romance that's currently available in eBook and print, we're getting a glimpse into Layla's mind, just as the doubts about Luke's affections first begin to plague her.  She begins to wonder if his feelings are merely "leftovers" from their past life... fearing that once the mystery of their reincarnation is solved he'll realize that he doesn't really have feelings for her in the present. And although she really hates those "stupid, teenage-girl insecurities", she can't help herself from wondering... and being afraid.



Eventhough I believed my own feelings to be genuine, what if the strength of myaffection for him had more to do with our history and less to do with ourpresent? What if Lucas was driven only by what his visions showed him? What ifhe hadn't actually chosen me?  What if being with me was an involuntaryact because of who we'd been in another century?
Thequestions whirled around and around in my mind, until my head was splitting andmy heart aching.
Happy reading and writing!

Layla & Lucas Joint Interview: Final #Giveaway Post

Welcome to the final day of my "Books & Coffee" giveaway. For more information how you can enter to win a pound of really amazing coffee and a signed copy of my YA paranormal novel, ONCE AGAIN, go here. 
Today we're talking with both Layla Bradford and LucasEllis, revisiting some great moments and looking ahead toward the future.
Without giving away too much to those who haven't read yourstory yet, give us a glimpse into your history.
First impressionsLucas: Finally. And Wow.Layla: No way he's noticing me.
Favorite memory so farLucas: Going back to the beach when everything was over.Layla:  Samefor me.
Best thing about finally being able to have a normalrelationshipLucas: Being able to hold her hand whenever and wherever Iwant.Layla: Having no doubts about our feelings for each other.
As you tried to discover the truth about yourreincarnation mystery, did the danger and uncertainty draw you closer or pullyou apart?
Lucas: I think in terms of our feelings for each other, it definitely broughtus closer. Nothing like knowing your girl's in danger to make you realize justhow important she is to you. But in terms of being able to actually focus onour relationship, it sort of pulled us apart, temporarily, simply because therewas so much going on we couldn't just be ourselves and enjoy our relationship.In the end, I think the ordeal made us stronger and more committed, becausewe've been through so much. As difficult as it was, I wouldn't change a thing,because it got us where we are today.
Layla: I think it did both. First of all, it brought ustogether. It forced us – well, me anyway – to acknowledge what we were feeling. However,it did give me reason to doubt the legitimacy of what we were experiencing inthe present. It was probably my own insecurities, but I kept wondering ifsomehow we were being manipulated by what happened in the past, and that oneday, when it was all over, we'd realize that we didn't really love each other.  Fortunately, that didn't happen.  Once the mystery was solved, ourfeelings were even stronger because of what we'd been through. Like Luke, Iwouldn't change anything, because here we are!
Layla, what's the best thing about Lucas?  His genuineness. I don't ever wonder ifhe's being honest or real. And now that the reincarnation stuff is behind us, Ifeel this tremendous confidence in our relationship. I don't have to try to beanyone else. He accepts me just the way I am, and even better, I don't doubt itever.
Lucas, what's the best thing about Layla? Her unassumingbeauty. And by beauty I'm not just talking about what she looks like on theoutside, although, let's face it, she's gorgeous. But what I mean is thatthere's a sweetness to her, a humble, down-to-earth glow that comes from deepwithin her. It illuminates everything she does, and it's what makes her themost beautiful girl in the world.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Thanks especially for thoseof you who've come by each day to get better acquainted with thesecharacters. I hope you've enjoyed this little peak into their lives and minds.I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the support and enthusiasm, as wellas the help spreading the word!
Don't forget, every comment, tweet, or email that helps spread the word about my blog and this giveaway gets your name entered into the drawing for the coffee and signed book! For more information on the giveaway, go here.
Check back on Monday, March 5 for the announcement of the winner of the "Books & Coffee" Giveaway!
Happy reading and writing!

Character Interview: Gwen Ellis

It's day #4 of my "Books & Coffee" giveaway. For more information on how you can be entered into the drawing for a FREE pound of amazing coffee, locally roasted here in my hometown, as well as a signed copy of my YA novel, ONCE AGAIN, go here.
Today, we're hearing from Gwen Ellis, Lucas's mom. She's a really interesting character! I hope you enjoy getting to know her a little better.
To start off, give us some basic information aboutyourself.  Well, my name isGwen.  I'm 38 years old. I workfrom home as a medical transcriptionist, which sounds really boring, but itgives me the flexibility I need as a single mom.
You and Lucas are so close. Can you tell us a little aboutyour relationship with your son?  I'vebeen fortunate, because Lucas has always been such a wonderful son. His fatherand I got married right out of high school, which wasn't the smartest thing todo, obviously. Lucas was born when I was 20, and from the first moment, he wasthe light of my life. Something changed in me when he came into my life.Suddenly my existence centered around another person, and what I wanted took aserious backseat to what he needed. Unfortunately, Luke's father didn't change.He wasn't ready to settle down into family life, so he left. I could'vewallowed in self-pity, but then I looked at two-year old Lucas, knew he wasdepending on me, so I did what I had to do. And Lucas and I have been fine eversince.
What was your first impression of Layla?  Well, Lucas had told me about heralready. I could tell he liked her from the beginning! When I finally met her Icould see why. She's sweet and polite, not to mention pretty! My firstimpression was that my son has extremely good taste in ladies!
What's your favorite pastime?  Oh, I don't have just one! I love reading. I enjoy movies.Gardening. Photography, shopping consignment shops, dreaming about travelingthe world. Just to name a few!
What will you do when Lucas is grown and on his own?  I'll still work at home. Still work in thegarden. Maybe I'll be able to travel. Mostly I'll just still be me.
You mentioned traveling. When you have the opportunity totravel, where will you go first? Alaska! I want to see the Northern Lights up close and personal.
What's your greatest wish for Lucas?  I just want him to be happy. There aresome parents who want their kids to be football stars or CEOs or somethingelse. I've always just wanted Luke to be himself and to be happy.






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Author's perspective on Gwen Ellis.  I wanted to portray Gwen as the quirky,funky mom. I knew from the beginning that she was going to be the adult who wasprivy to the reincarnation drama, and in order for that to work, she was goingto have to be an eccentric character. She was fun to write. It was like therewere no rules when it came to her! And in many ways, even though she and Lukehave a very close mother-son bond, they are complete opposites. Where she'skind of random and unconventional, he's very "even" and organized. I didn'texactly do that on purpose. It just sort of happened during the first part ofthe book. But once I realized it, I decided it was a neat contrast, so I triedto "play it up" during the rest of the story.

Don't forget, every comment, tweet, or email that helps spread the word about my blog and this giveaway gets your name entered into the drawing for the coffee and signed book! For more information on the giveaway, go here.
Happy reading and writing!

Character Interview: Jessie Spencer

Welcome back to day #3 of my "Books & Coffee" giveaway. For more information on how you can be entered into the drawing for a FREE pound of amazing coffee, locally roasted here in my hometown, as well as a signed copy of my YA novel, ONCE AGAIN, go here.
Today, we're chatting with Jessie Spencer, Layla's first AND best friend at Sky Cove Senior High School. I hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about Jessie!

To start off, give us some basic information aboutyourself… full name, hair color, that sort of thing.  Jessica Lee Spencer, but everyone calls me Jessie. And I'mshort. Five feet even. Brown hair, chin length. Brown eyes.
Since most of our readers today have not visited Sky Cove,Maine, give us a virtual tour and tell us a little about the town.  Well, I haven't been further south thanBoston, so Maine is really all I've ever known. From a tourist standpoint, Iguess Sky Cove is kind of quaint. It's a small town, but we have a busy harborwith fishing boats, and several stretches of beach that are nice, especially inwarm weather. In many ways, it's typical Maine life, so for tourists that wantthe "real deal", Sky Cove is it.
Describe how you and Layla became friends she moved to SkyCove.  Layla and I were paired as lab partners on the first day of our junioryear. She was a new student, and I figured she was pretty nervous. I thought shewas nice right off the bat. We sort of became friends instantly.
What's your favorite pastime?  Discovery Channel. Geeky, I know, but that's me.
What plans do you have post-high school?  Oh, being thescience-nerd, I'll probably major in biology, and then decide about med schoolversus some other form of grad school. I think some people at school thinkthey're insulting me when they call me the science-nerd, but I'm not insulted.I'll wear that badge with honor.
What makes you happiest at this point in your life?  I don't know if I know what it means tobe truly happy just yet. I mean, I'm not miserable or anything, but I sort offeel like my life hasn't started, like there's so much more that's just aroundthe corner. And that idea makes me happy… the idea that my happiness is waitingfor me.
If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?  I know this is going to soundincredibly "girly", but I'd like to be noticed. I mean, by a guy. It shouldn'tmatter that I've never had a real boyfriend. High school relationships areusually pretty lame and don't last. But… for once… I'd like a guy to notice meand think I'm cute.
Author's perspective on Jessie Spencer. Ah Jessie!  She's one of my most-loved characters.When I started writing "Once Again" I had a student in my high school choir.She was a senior, and she was reading "Breaking Dawn". Since she was an avidreader, I asked her if she'd read the first few chapters of my new book andgive me some "reader" feedback. Her name was Jessica, and I named Jessie'scharacter after her. In my mind, when I write about Jessie Spencer, I alwayssee my former student, Jessica. I imagine her with the same bubbly personalityand infectious smile… the same sweet nature and intelligent mind. So JessieSpencer is a very special character for me!
And YES! That picture IS, in fact, my former choirstudent, Jessica! Isn't she a doll?!
In fact, Jessie is going to get her own story. I'mcurrently working on a short story that will be released this summer, that willfocus on Jessie's character. Hopefully Jessie's story will help whet readers'appetites for book 2 in the series, "Once And For All", which will release inlate 2012!
Don't forget, every comment, tweet, or email that helps spread the word about my blog and this giveaway gets your name entered into the drawing for the coffee and signed book! For more information on the giveaway, go here.
Happy reading and writing!

Interview: Lucas Ellis

Welcome to day 2 of my "Book & Coffee" giveaway! For more information on how you can be entered into the drawing for a pound of fresh, locally roasted coffee and a signed copy of my YA book, ONCE AGAIN, go here.
Today we're talking with Lucas Ellis, the hero of ONCE AGAIN. Eighteen years old and a senior in high school, he plays an super-important part in the story... in Layla's journey. He's a keeper... a real gem. I hope you enjoy getting to know him!
To start off, give us some basic information about yourself…full name, hair color, that sort of thing.  Lucas Braden Ellis. Dark blond hair. Brown eyes. 6'1". Runner.
Tell me about your parents. How do you get along withthem?  My dad's been gone since Iwas 2 years old. I don't really have a lot of memories of him. He didn't wantto settle down and be a husband and father, so he left. I'm sure there arethings I missed out on by not having him around, but it's hard to miss what younever had. My mom more than picked up the slack. She's great. She's quirky andweird, and she's always been present in my life. I'm totally the luckiest kidon the planet to have Gwen Ellis as my mom.
You've been in Sky Cove, Maine all your life.  Tell me a little about what life islike in small-town Maine? It's one of those things that cuts both ways, youknow? The same things you really like about a small town can be the very thingsthat tick you off. It's really cool to be able to run into people you know atthe grocery store or the gas station, and it's nice that the community is sosupportive of one another. But that also means there's less privacy. Everyoneknows what's going on in your life, sometimes before you even know! Butoverall, I think Sky Cove has been a great place to grow up. The most importantpeople in my life are here, so I'm grateful for that.
What's your favorite pastime?  Running.
In addition to being a top-notch athlete, you also have animpressive grade-point-average. How do you balance it all? It's all about having priorities straight. Grades are important. Keepingin shape for running is important. I make sure those things are taken care of.If there's time left, I can play video games, hang out with friends, that sortof thing. Of course, these days I make time with Layla a priority, too. Sheranks right up there.
What plans do you have post-high school?  I'd like to continue running in college.Hopefully I can get a scholarship for it. I'm thinking of majoring in historyor pre-law. Law school is always something I've had in the back of my mind. AndI'd be lying if I said Layla isn't part of the plan. She's the best part.
What makes you happiest at this point in your life?  I'm at a point in my life when I'mtransitioning from kid to young adult. I'm getting ready to graduate from highschool and head out into the real world. It makes me happy to know that I'vegot someone to share that transition with. The reincarnation stuff was... well, pretty heavy... so the excitement of starting a newchapter in my life, with Layla by my side, makes me happy.




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Final question! What do you most want to accomplish inlife?  I want to make my mom proud.I want to do right by her and all she's sacrificed for me.  I don't know exactly what that willlook like, but I know Layla will be a part of that. I guess I just want to besuccessful at whatever I wind up doing. And I want to be happy.
Author's perspective on Lucas Ellis.  Lucas is the all-around-nice-guy. He'sthe kind of boy I would've liked to have dated in high school. Smart, kind,courteous. His faults are all tied to his desire to do the right thing andprotect people. Sometimes his protective nature comes off as aloof oruninterested, but he's pretty much always got everyone's best interests atheart. I wanted my readers to fall a little bit in love with Lucas, and in theprocess of creating him, I did too. One of my blog readers once said, "Everyoneneeds a little Lucas in their life," and I think that kind of sums up what Iwanted to portray in his character. A guy any girl (and her parents) would behappy to have. I hope you all love him as much as I do!
Don't forget, every comment, tweet, or email that helps spread the word about this giveaway gets your name entered into the drawing one time. For more information on the giveaway, go here.
Thanks for stopping by! Happy reading and writing!

Interview: Layla Bradford

Welcome to the first "character interview" of my "Books & Coffee Giveaway" week!  
Today, we're meeting Layla Bradford, the heroine and narrator of my YA paranormal romance, which is currently available as an eBook from Amazon, B&N, iBooks, and Smashwords, as well as in paperback format from Amazon and Createspace!  Links to each site are on the right.
For information on how to enter the drawing for the pound of locally roasted coffee and a signed copy of the book, go here.

To start off, give us some basic information aboutyourself… full name, hair color, that sort of thing.  Layla Faith Bradford. 16 years old. Brown hair. Green eyes.Average, everyday, girl-next-door type.
Tell me about your parents. How do you get along withthem?  My parents are awesome, really. A lot of kids hate ontheir parents, but I've never felt that way.  My mom is funny and a great cook, and my dad's an amazingguitar player.  Since I'm a prettycalm kid, they've never had to go all crazy with rules. They just expect thebest from me, and as long as I give them that, they trust me. And yeah… I lovethem a lot.
Mom's are great about cooking, aren't they? Favorite thingyour mom cooks? Fettuccini Alfredo, hands down.
Moving from Tennessee to Maine must've been a big change.Can you talk about that transition a little?  Wow. Yeah, big change is an understatement. Not only waschanging schools the hardest thing ever, but I was scared to death of theweather. I figured I'd see about a month of warm weather and then just bebombarded with frigid winter and gray, gloomy skies the rest of the year. And sure,winter's pretty harsh, but it doesn't last forever.  Lucas made the transition easier, of course. He gave me aplace to belong, someone to be connected to. I guess I'd live in Antarctica ifhe was there.
What's your favorite pastime?  Reading. Yeah, I'm a book nerd.
Ah, reading. That's an activity a lot of my blog-followerscan relate to!  What's yourfavorite book?  I've read a lot of books, but right now my favorite would be "The Believers" byJanice Holt Giles. It's a book I read my sophomore year about the Shakermovement in Kentucky. Fascinating.
What plans do you have post-high school?  College, of course. I'll probably major in English orliterature or something like that. Maybe I'll be a teacher, or maybe some kind of technical writer. Ofcourse, I want my relationship with Lucas to continue. I like to think we'll gothrough this next phase of our lives together, then "join forces" at somepoint!







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What makes you happiest at this point in your life?  Well, Lucas, of course, but not just the fact that he's myboyfriend. It's the way I've come out of my shell and sort of "become my ownperson" because of what we've been through together. Now I really am "okay"with who I am, and I'm not bothered by other people's opinions. It's reallyquite freeing, and I'm the happiest I've ever been because of that.
Let's be whimsical for your final question! If you couldhave one wish granted, what would it be?  I see myself in several years, sitting on the front porchof a little house very much like the yellow cottage Luke and his mom live in.I'd wish for that… for a home and a family and a happy life for Luke and me.
And now for the author's perspective on Layla Bradford.There's a lot of "me" in Layla. That's not the case withevery heroine I write, but it's definitely the case with Layla.  In high school, I considered myself atypical, middle-of-the-roader… not necessarily popular, not actually disliked.Where Layla is a book-nerd, I was a music-geek, so in that respect we're alike…we both found our "niche" in something other than the most popular things. Andlike Layla, I was a hopeless romantic. In my senior scrapbook, under the "wheredo you see yourself in 5 years?" section, I wrote… "finished with college andmarried."  And under "where do yousee yourself in 10 years?" I wrote… "married, with at least one child." So,even in high school my big dreams centered on family and finding love. I thinkI imparted some of that into Layla's character.
Layla was so much fun to write. I love her for all she wasat the start of the story and all she became by the end. Hopefully one day I'llwrite another heroine that I love as much as her, but for now… she's myfavorite!
Thanks for stopping by today! Don't forget, every comment, tweet, or email that helps spread the word about this giveaway gets your name entered into the drawing!  More details here.
Happy reading and writing!

Six Sentence Sunday: Two Kids Falling For Each Other

Welcome back to Six Sentence Sunday! Please take a look at the official site and find lots of other talented authors who share their work on Sundays. You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #sixsunday. Thanks in advance for the encouraging comments. I truly appreciate all of them!

Last week, we saw a bit of Layla's first dream about her past-life. Needless to say, she was shaken. For this week, we've fast-forwarded a couple of weeks. It's the week of the first home football game, and Layla's turned down a few invitations to attend the game with a boy.  Luke stops short of asking her to be his date, opting instead to ask if he can sit with her and her friends.  See, he knows she's turned the other boys down, saying she's "just not ready to start dating yet". It's a cute little exchange between them, and I really enjoyed writing the delicate give-and-take of two kids falling for each other and not wanting to come right out and say it just yet!




"If I turned anyone down, it wasn't because I wasn'tflattered," I said. "It was because it just didn't feel right."
 "Well, if itdoesn't feel right sitting with me, just say so," he said, smiling.
"That won't be necessary," I said, smiling and reaching for mybackpack.
He pulled my backpack out of reach, put a hand on the smallof my back, and guided me into the room.
I was amazed that I could walk on legs that now felt likejelly.