Liv Rancourt's Blog, page 42

Friday Fun: Double 7's

  So today I'm back with a Lucky 7 post. I've been tagged twice recently (therefore the double 7s in the title) and I'm going to work it to my advantage. You'll see.

Now, about the people who tagged me... First was Loni Flowers, a writer I met through Triberr, who blogs at Loni Flowers - Author and whose book Taking Chances is available on Smashwords and Amazon. I haven't read Loni's book yet, but I'll tell ya, I had to take the adult content filter off at Smashwords to get to the link. Just sayin'  ;)

And just this week, I was tagged in a Lucky 7 Facebook post by Clover Autrey.  Clover's a Texan, and I met her through the WANATribe network. She blogs here and her new book, Highland Sorcerer, is currently on sale for $0.99 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It looks like an awesome read...

There are rules to this Lucky 7 thing. I'm not going to follow them, exactly, but if I was, here's what I would do:
Post seven lines from an unpublished work of fiction:
Go to page 7 or 77 in your current manuscript (fiction or non-fiction)
Go to line 7
Post the next 7 lines or sentences on your blog as they are (no cheating, please!)
Tag 7 other authors to do the same I mean, those are fine rules, and I'll be really close to what they say. Anywhoodle, because I'm playing Double 7's, I'm going to share snippets of two different works. The first is from a short story I wrote late last year, The Santa Drag that was in the anthology Christmas Treats: Santa's Nice List . Then (and this is the exciting part) I'm going to share a snippet from the SEQUEL, a short story that'll be coming out in the next week or so called The Ring Toss. So see, I've got Something Old and Something New, which is terrifically appropriate, because the name of the new anthology is Something Borrowed, Something Blue .
Clever, huh? So here's the first Lucky 7 snippet, from The Santa Drag. Mack's an unemployed 30-something actress in Seattle who takes a gig playing Santa in the mall because it's the only thing she can find that'll pay the rent. Things are okay until the day HE walks in, Joe McBride, the only guy she ever really loved. He moved to LA and now he's semi-famous with a regular role on that TV show that shouldn't have been cancelled and a speaking part in Scream - 2. Mack's in trouble now...  “Ho-ho-ho,” I said, suddenly much louder than before. After that, time separated itself into layers. The bottom layer rolled past like lava, slow and thick, while the top layer slid by with irregular spurts of speed. The line-up of kids waiting to see Santa didn’t seem to be moving, and then Joe and his kids would be eight or ten feet closer to the gate that separated the Christmas Village from the rest of the mall. I tried not to look at him, because I didn’t want him to think I was some kind of Creepy-Kringle. As time went on, I realized he wasn’t really seeing me at all. He was occupied keeping his kids entertained, and I was just some old dude in a costume.  The Santa Drag  This shopping mall Santa has secrets only her true love can reveal.
 







And now for the sneak peek at The Ring Toss. Fast forward three years and Mack's in LA, living with Joe and doing the struggling actress thing. She still has commitment issues which get brought front and center when a last-minute switch has her playing The Bride on stage. Can she get over her own fears in time to be a hit?(Did I mention that the maid-of-honor in this production is played by Joe's ex-fiance? Awkward. This snippet happens as Mack & Geneva get ready to rehearse...)  “And he’s forty.”“She’ll have her SAG card in about another minute. It’s kind of surprising he didn’t give her the part.”Geneva sighed. Getting older in this town sucked. “Okay, what scene do you want to run?”We smiled at each other without any particular warmth. Truce declared. In all honesty, I knew most of the lines in the play just from having heard them so often. There was only one scene where she and I were the only characters onstage. If things were going to get weird, it would likely happen then.   
Something Borrowed, Something BlueAvailable SOON!













I guess I'm also supposed to tag 7 other bloggers, but a couple weeks ago I tagged just about everyone I knew in the Be Inspired post, and don't want to make a pest of myself. So if you want, consider yourself tagged, grab the Lucky 7 icon and go for it. Just let me know when your post is up so I can come by and say 'hi'. Have a great weekend!Peace,Liv

The Basement Level Five: Never Scared

It's summertime, my dear Rancourtesans, which means I'm still in the mood for a frosty beverage and a bit of fun. And nothing is more fun than introducing a guest. This week my Wednesday post is by Leslie Wright, another of the fine authors I've met through Black Opal Books. Her book, The Basement Level Five: Never Scared is a page-turner (Kindle-flipper?) and took me to some real interesting places. Never thought I'd root for a cold-blooded killer, but there you go. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Here's our interview...

Liv: What’s the most compelling thing about your most recent project, the thing that’s kept your butt in the chair through hours of writing and revising?

Leslie: I would have to say that I'm just interested in seeing the journey come to an end. In Basement Level 5: Never Scared, I was invested in seeing Alexa and her family beat the enemy and get to happy. Plus, I'd set a personal deadline that I wanted to meet. My latest WIP is a heavy romantic women's fiction about a woman torn between two brothers. I fell in love with the heroine and I empathize with her plight. It's a touchy subject matter and I want to do it justice.

Liv: If you had to recommend one writing resource, either a class or a book or a workshop, what would that be?

Leslie: I took a creative writing class in college and that had a lasting impact on me. In that class, we experimented with lots of forms of writing, including fiction, plays, and poetry. I would definitely recommend a basic creative writing class or two for everyone.

Liv: Fantasy or reality? Most people lean one way or the other in their work. Do you have a preference, or do you swing both ways?

Leslie: I prefer to write reality. I like to write real people in real situations. But having said that, I do enjoy reading fantasy and immersing myself into different worlds.

Liv: Clutter or quiet? Which one makes it possible for you to be creative? Describe your perfect writing situation.

Leslie: Clutter. I can't stand quiet and I can't concentrate in quiet. In order for me to write, I have to always have my music on. Without it, I will not be able to concentrate.

Liv: How to you juggle all your hats (spouse, parent, worker-bee, housekeeper, writer)?

Leslie: Actually, I'm trying to figure that out myself. Life has taken so many twists and turns, I've found it harder to write now. I'm starting to think I have to get up early in the morning just to get some words down on paper, especially during softball season for my daughter. Luckily, that's almost over. But I'm thinking I either need to stay up later (which is hard) or get up early to write (that's probably not going to happen) Time seems to slip through my fingers.

Liv: What’s your favorite non-writing activity? Like, are you a daily mall-walker? Or, do you collect vintage salt shakers?

Leslie: I love to plan events. I'm always organizing something, which may contribute to my lack of time to write. I'm also addicted to Investigative Discover channel and HGTV. I will sneak to watch my House Hunters or Nightmare Next Door. I love those shows.

Liv: Football, basketball, baseball or soccer?

Leslie: Football, definitely, and only because the season is so much shorter than basketball. LOL My hubby is a huge sports fan so I can't escape it. Those damn Detroit Lions have disrupted family life too many times to count. LOL

Liv: What’s next on your horizon? Describe your current WIP(s) or other upcoming project.

Leslie: I'm working on multiple projects but trying to finish/revise my work in progress, It's Complicated. Every time I think I'm done, something forces me to edit and edit and revise and edit. After I finally nail down the ending, I'm going to finish up another romance tackling one of my favorite subjects: a marriage of convenience.

Thanks very much, Leslie, for playing along. Your book is awesome and I'm so glad I had the chance to find out more about it, and about you. I wish you and all the Rancourtesans out there a happy Summer Solstice!
Peace,
Liv


Basement Level Five: Never ScaredAlexa Martinez was raised to believe that murder, deceit, and lies were a part of life. A trained killer, she follows in her father’s footsteps, specializing in political assassinations for Martinez Security—contracted through the CIA. She thrives on the power, money, respect, and—most of all—the adrenaline rush.
Despite the danger associated with her profession, Alexa strives to give her children a normal life. But when her past catches up with her, they become pawns in a deadly game of revenge. Operating from a secret base five levels below ground, Alexa struggles to unravel the puzzle, uncovering secrets that will alter their lives forever. Now she must make a choice—is she willing to die to give her children a life outside the bullet proof glass?
About L. R. Wright:  I’m a devoted wife of many years and mother to 3 wonderful children who inspire and motivate me to follow my dreams.  In addition to writing, I love romance novels, fine wine, and hanging out with my friends and family.  I crunch numbers for a living, and plan events for fun. 
Website:  www.thebasementlevelfive.blogspot.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/LeslieWrightAuthorTwitter: @LWrightAuthorPurchase Links: Black Opal Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, ARe

The Three Biggest Mistakes Fiction Writers Make

I don't usually host guests on Mondays, but this was too good an opportunity to pass up. Bonnie Hearn Hill and Christopher Poe are  multi-published authors who have teamed up on Digital Ink: Writing Killer Fiction in the Ebook Age. To tell you about it, they've created a hybrid interview/conversation thing that's pretty entertaining in its own right. Kinda makes you want to check out their book, you know?
Peace,
Liv

Bonnie: Thanks, Liv, for inviting Chris and me to hang out with you today. As you know, in the digital age, anyone can get published, but that doesn’t mean anyone can sell.

Chris: That’s for sure. I can’t tell you how happy I am that my first novel didn’t find a home. Yes, it was futuristic, but it was really a thinly veiled story of my early, desperate years.

Bonnie: Same here, Chris. Mine was set in the rock radio world where I started as a copywriter. Seven hundred forty-nine pages of people getting killed and having sex. I blush just thinking about it.

Chris: We both made the same mistakes everyone else did, and that’s what we want to talk about today. Bonnie has been an editor and writing instructor since 1990, and she has been a judge for almost every major writing contest. Since we have been working as co-authors, we have spoken at numerous conferences and reviewed all kinds of manuscripts. Believe me, regardless of how much experience any author has, we all face the same challenges and make the same mistakes.

Bonnie: The first one and the most important is character. If you don’t have character, you don’t have plot. You don’t have anything but an un-hatched idea. You have to know your protagonist better than you know your best friend. This person who drives your book must be both proactive and sympathetic. That mean you need to know the hole in that character’s life, something that probably began in childhood.

Chris: You have to do the same work on your antagonist—be his/her therapist. People don’t get up in the morning thinking, “I’m a rotten SOB, and I am gonna ruin someone’s day.” The good have flaws, and the bad have reasons. In order to find your antagonist’s reasons, you will have to go back to that person’s childhood as well.

Bonnie: That was the problem with my first book. The villain was evil.

Chris: Mine was evil and crazy. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I know other writers do the same thing.

Bonnie: The next area many writers bypass is the hook. Remember, the reader can preview before hitting that “buy” link. If your first chapter is backstory and the character thinking about her life, Robinson Crusoe style, you aren’t going to make the sale.

Chris: What about a fist in the face? That’s not any more effective than the Robinson Crusoe Syndrome. A hook has to surprise you, engage you, and pull you in. It can’t be all backstory, and it most definitely can’t be all action.

Bonnie: So true. Most beginning writers want one or the other—the fist in the face or the long, soul-killing back story.

Chris: Which leads us to an easy one. This should be easy, but apparently it’s not. And that is the basics of punctuation and grammar.

Bonnie: Many writers mess up on this one. They use both said and says as dialogue tags. They write present tense when the book is begging to be written in past tense. They don’t know the difference between lie and lay, sit and set. They have no idea how long a book should be. One college administrator sent me a draining manuscript of 100,000 words. Once I slogged through it, I realized it was only one-third of his novel. That’s right. Three-hundred thousand words of pure hubris.

Chris: I remember that one. Here’s a bonus glitch that’s connected to that. It’s basing a book too much on your own life, with a fictional you as the protagonist. I actually thought my own life was intriguing enough to turn into fiction.

Bonnie: My mistake as well. But first novels are as much about healing as anything else. Agree?

Chris: As I said, I’m glad—so glad—it wasn’t published. So here we have the three biggest mistakes writers make. Protagonists and antagonists who are not fully developed. Lack of attention to a hook.

Bonnie: And finally, the one glitch it’s so easy to fix—improper format.

Chris: And the bonus glitch of not trying to write yourself in as the protagonist.

Bonnie: We’re eager to hear your questions, and we’ll be picking a post we love to send a free book to one of you.

www.digitalinkbooks.com
www.bonniehhill.com
www.theportal.com


Bonnie Hearn Hill and Christopher Allan Poe are the authors of DIGITAL INK: WRITING KILLER FICTION IN THE E-BOOK AGE. Bonnie is the author of six novels from MIRA Books, young adult novels, and numerous nonfiction. Chris, a Los Angeles-based touring musician, is the author of THE PORTAL and a member of the International Thriller Writers Debut Author Program.

Throw-Down: Southern Vampire Mysteries vs True Blood

And so it begins...

This is the first in a series of four posts that resulted from a discussion I had with Kristin McFarland, a very smart girl who favors the paranormal in her reading, writing, and, most importantly for my purposes, television viewing. She has an amazing ability to synthesize events and draw out the underlying themes, which makes her blog an interesting place to visit. She's also watched all four seasons of True Blood, a show that I feel I should like but I just...don't.

All that much.

So we got to debating the merits of the television world of Bons Temps vs the book version, and out of that came a series of posts that we'll have up the next four Saturdays. It's a back-and-forth thing; this week I'm only going to post the first bit here with a link to Kristin's blog where you'll be able to see the whole post. Next week we'll switch, and the new post will be on my blog and Kristin will be the tease. Um, teaser. Oh...

You didn't want us to make it easy for you, did you?

Enough preamble. Here's a taste, followed by a link to Kristin's blog so you can read the whole thing. Oh, and while you're there, wish her congratulations because she's getting married today!


Okay, Kristin, let’s get ‘er done. ;)
LR: You’ve watched all four seasons of True Blood and I’ve read all of the Southern Vampire mysteries. Now it’s time to compare notes. Your recent blog posts suggest that you’re a mite bit tired of ol’ Sookie and her friends. What’s your favorite thing about the show, and what’s not working so well for you now?

KM: My biggest problem with the series sprang to mind first, so I’ll start there! (Sprang… what a weird word.) I’m bothered by the constant escalation of violence: the show has upped the ante so many times that it’s become harder and harder to shock the audience. It’s forced the producers to show really graphic violence, from a vampire king ripping someone’s spine out on national television, to a main character getting shot in the head in horrifying detail....
Okay, this is where you gotta jump. Go HERE to Kristin's blog where you can read the rest of her answer, and then her question to me.
And if you're interested, you can check out my review of Deadlocked HERE. Have a great weekend, and happy wedding, Kristin!
Peace,
Liv


Photo credits: Deadlocked http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Southern_Vampire_MysteriesTrue Blood  http://store.hbo.com/detail.php?p=105736&ecid=AFF-7973318&PID=3545983&pa=affcj

Friday Fun: The Altini Edition (recipe included)

It's a sunny day in Seattle, which means summer might be over in less than 24 hours. Summers are short here, you know?                
The Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls
And so, my happy Rancourtesans, Noni & I decided that today we'd drink a toast to the sun. I asked Noni for her favorite cocktail recipe, and she agreed to share. I know (from personal experience!) that it's a good one. Here's Noni...

Okay: this is possibly my favorite cocktail ever, and I made it up myself. I came up with is as part of an auction donation for Choral Arts, so chose to call it the Altini. Which, also appropriate for you and me and how we met, no?
*Yes! squeels the uber-choir-geek*
This involves some special ingredients, but they're readily available...and the Pama will last a really long time and is also fabulous in champagne, or just with fizzy water.
2 parts regular vodka (I like Ketel One if I'm feeling flush, Monopolowa if I'm not)1 part Stoli Vanil (I'm kind of a snob about this; the cheaper brands are too sweet)1/2 to 1 part Pama (pomegranate liqueur -- and again, don't buy the knockoff, because it's disgusting)1 part fresh lime juice
Put in a shaker with lots of ice, shake it like you mean it (possibly even involving your moneymaker), and serve up with a lime wedge in a pretty princess glass. If it's too tart, add more Pama.       And there you have it. The lemon garnish in the picture should be a lime (darned public domain!) but you get the general idea. I hope it's sunny and warm where you are, and that there's a cool beverage (maybe an Altini?) by your side.Cheers!Liv

That Dating Thing

So today, my dear Rancourtesans, I have the sincere pleasure of welcoming Mackenzie Crowne to the blog. She's got a brand new release, That Dating Thing , which is a charming romance, and I say that as something of an expert, since I was the lucky winner of a copy last week and read it over the weekend. It's really good, you guys, and you should totally check it out.
Okay, let's get down to business...here's the interview...(don't you just wish you were sitting next to Mac under a shady umbrella with a beer in your hand? I DO!)


LR: What’s the most compelling thing about your most recent project, the thing that’s kept your butt in the chair through hours of writing and revising? MC: I’d have to say humor. I love a read that makes me laugh, and writing something with the idea of sharing humor with others motivates the hell out of me. That process is easier in some cases than in others, but with ThatDating Thing, the characters were so much fun, I basically went along for the ride - like a chuckling stenographer.
LR: If you had to recommend one writing resource, either a class or a book or a workshop, what would that be? MC: I can’t really say one particular resource is my holy grail. I’m a hands on learner, and pick up bits and pieces of knowledge everywhere. Though I’ve attended workshops and read the books, I tend to grow more by doing.  I guess you could say I’m a true pantser by any definition of the word. For example, I took a great plotting course with Rose’s Colored Glasses a couple of years ago. They gave me some tools I was poorly lacking, (character development, tagline and blurb writing, etc) but the focus of the course, plotting, went in one ear and out the other. I still suck at plotting, and don’t care. My system of flying by the seat of my pants works for me, and trying to rein that in only frustrates my muse.  
LR: Fantasy or reality? Most people lean one way or the other in their work. Do you have a preference, or do you swing both ways? MC: Obviously I swing both ways, since my first release, Gift of the Realm, was a  fantasy, and my second, That Dating Thing , is a strait out contemporary, but I’m most comfortable with reality. Give me a good contemporary story and I’m twitching to roll up my sleeves and get to work.
LR: Clutter or quiet? Describe your perfect writing situation. MC: I jokingly refer to my house as the Testosterone Ranch. Ranch hands are everywhere! For years, I’ve complained that I have never been able to walk around my house naked because I never know who will walk in. Consequently, I’ve learned to block out the chaos, or I’d never get anything done. But, my ideal writing situation is early in the morning, when all is quiet and the day is still new.  I start out on my patio with a couple of cups of coffee, working until reality sets in and the crowds begin to stir.
LR: How to you juggle all your hats (spouse, parent, worker-bee, housekeeper, writer)? MC: What a good question. As with everything in life, different hats are prominent at different times. I’m lucky enough to only work outside the home sporadically. Late spring and summer are usually free of work commitments. These days, I mostly wear the writer’s hat, and I’m thrilled to say my family is very understanding and supportive. (Hubby has dreams of ‘the writer wife’ supporting him in his retirement. LOL He’s bound to experience some disappointment, but I’ll let him have his delusions for now) Up to this week, (Yay, I’m officially done) I was still in treatment for breast cancer and he and my grown boys learned to chip in with the day to day chores while I was recovering from my latest toxic cocktail. With two releases in two months, and another in the works, I’m hoping to continue that practice for a while. 
LR: What’s your favorite non-writing activity? Like, are you a closet marathon runner? Could you crochet a house-cozy if you had to? Maybe you’re an aficionado of free-form jazz? MC: My girlfriends have several names for me, including Princess Mac, because I don’t like to do things that make me sweat or get dirt under my nails, but believe it or not, I love off-roading. I drive a Jeep Wrangler and think nothing of whipping off onto a dirt road, just to see where it leads, and living at the Testosterone Ranch, dirt bikes are a big part of my reality. I have a Honda 400EX quad, and have been know to fly over the sand dunes in Glamis California with my hair on fire.
LR: Football, basketball, baseball or soccer? Which one gets your blood moving the fastest – or is there another sport you prefer? MC: I grew up in Boston during the Larry Bird era, and ours was a basketball family. I played varsity ball all four years during high school, but these days, football does it for me. I’m a huge Patriots fan and who can blame me? What woman doesn’t get a kick out of watching fine male specimens in those shiny football uniforms?
LR: What’s next on your horizon? Describe your current WIP(s) or other upcoming project. MC: I’ll be jumping into edits for The Billionaire’s Con soon, a humorous contemporary just signed with Still Moments Publishing.  And I’m currently working on a follow up to That Dating Thing . Brian Hurley is the best friend of Rylee Pierce, the heroine of That Dating Thing . He captured my heart and needs his own happy ending.
OH! Brian gets a HEA?! That totally makes my day. I kinda fell for him, too. Anywhoodle, thanks so much, Mac, for sharing your work and your life. And thanks, everybody, for reading along. You can connect with Mac on her website, Twitter, or Face Book. And keep going for a sneak peek at That Dating Thing ...Peace,Liv
That Dating Thing Blurb: The daughter of Wall Street’s most notorious stock swindler, dog trainer, Rylee Pierce, has perfected the art of flying beneath society’s radar.  Prosecutor, Cooper Reed is a threat to her carefully hidden truths, but how is a woman supposed to resist a man capable of handling a psychotic Great Dane, while charming her out of her panties before she has the chance to blink?
Excerpt:“So, this is The Canine Academy?” He eyed the cages. “Where are your other students?” A soft release of pent up breath reached his ears and he smiled. Yes, off balance was just how he wanted her.“Gone for the day.”“Why is Pippin still here?” “Pippin required a more intense program. He’s our only boarder at the moment.”“Have dinner with me,” he said, without turning around. She didn’t answer and he waited several beats before glancing over his shoulder. Her eyes shuttered, she fell back on sarcasm. “We just finished dinner. What do you have, a tapeworm?”He faced her. “I’d like to take you to dinner, Rylee.”Her hand went to Belle’s head beside her and she jutted her chin up a notch. “That wouldn’t be a good idea, Coop.”“Why? I’m attracted to you, and a man can tell when the attraction is mutual.”She said nothing, returning his gaze while she scratched the fur between Belle’s ears. “It’s just a meal.” He crossed his arms. “I’m not suggesting we jet off to Vegas.”She snorted softly. “That’s a relief. Casinos give me a headache.” The dry sarcasm made him smile. She hadn’t said no.“Look, you’re a great-looking guy.” He flashed a grin, pleased when her lips twitched in response. “And I admit you have a certain amount of charm.” “But?”“But, your father is married to my aunt.”“Your mother’s cousin,” he corrected. He dropped his arms to his sides and stepped toward her. “And Dad and Silvia can get their own dinner.”Her lips formed a genuine smile, but she shook her head. “People rarely come out of this kind of thing on friendly terms.”“This kind of thing?” He continued to advance.“We’re connected through Sil and Elliott. I don’t want to see them caught in the middle when this…dating thing, or whatever it is you’re after, ends.”“This dating thing?”“Or whatever it is you’re after,” she repeated. As he closed the distance, she stepped back and bumped up against the shark cage. She slapped her spread fingers against his chest to prevent him from coming any closer. “I’m not in the market for a relationship right now.”“Then we don’t have a problem, because neither am I.” He brushed a fingertip over the perfect skin of her cheekbone. “So, here’s what I suggest.” Her eyelids fluttered, pupils dilating, and reluctant temptation replaced the wariness in her dark orbs. Still, she kept a defensive hand on his chest. “If you insist on negotiating when I’ve already explained my concerns,” she said, holding his gaze, “I’d rather you didn’t touch me.”He checked the urge to kiss her at the artless admission of finding his touch disturbing. Instead, he moved his hand to the cage beside her head. He wrapped his fingers around the metal bar and dipped his head, bringing his face closer to hers. She blinked but held her ground, boldly meeting his gaze.“I propose we get to know one another,” he pressed. “A few dinners. Maybe a show, or a ball game or two if you like. We find out what makes each other tick.”“Hmmm.” Her mouth moved into a smirk. “Five seconds ago you were talking a meal. Now it’s a few dinners and a ball game or two. At this rate we’ll be jetting off to Vegas by the end of the week.”She didn’t try to stop him when he took the final step that brought their bodies within inches of each other. “Has anyone ever accused you of being a wiseass?”Head cocked as though considering the question, her mouth quivered on a smile. “Nope.”“How about a liar?”She lost the battle with the smile and her low laugh sent a lash of desire whipping across his midsection. He did what he’d wanted to do since arriving at his father’s condo days ago. Leaning in, he took...
Buy Links - Still Moments Publishing & Amazon

Be Inspired!

So a few weeks ago I had the lovely Sophie Moss here as a guest. She writes about selkies and roses and romance, and she blogs at Sophie Moss Writes. You can also find her on Twitter @SMossWrites

Last week she wrote about the Be Inspired Blog Hop (you can see her post here), and you know what? She tagged me for the next round.  How cool is that?!

I like this meme because it's about inspiration and where it comes from. What are the seeds of our work?  In our dreams, who do we cast as our characters? Read through these ten questions to learn a little more about me, and  don't forget to pop over to Vicki's blog Page After Page to see her answers, too! At the end I'll tag some writers to carry on in the next round. (The rules say to tag 5 writers but I might do a couple more.)
;)


1. What is the name of your book?
A Vampire's Deadly Delight








2. Where did the idea of your book come from?
I was tired of reading books where the main (female) character dropped and spread her legs as soon as the uber-handsome vampire came into the room.  I mean really, girls. Have some self-respect. And I'd been watching a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which possibly influenced me (A LOT!).  

3. In what genre would you classify your book?
Paranormal chick lit with strong romantic themes.


4. If you had to pick actors to play your characters in a movie rendition, who would you choose?
So the basic ideas that a rather ordinary bookstore owner, Kristen, has a secret. Whenever she smells vampire, she turns into Jai, a super-gorgeous instrument of vampire destruction. Kristen thinks it's all a big game until they run up against the one vampire Jai can't kill. He claims a history with Jai, and their ability to survive the resulting turn of events may hinge on whether or not Kristen and Jai believe him.

For the role of Kristen, I've always pictured an actress named Jillian Armenante. She had a recurring role on Judging Amy for a number of years, and she's a college friend of my sister's.  Here's her pic:











For Jai, I'd need someone completely different. I've always pictured the very awesome Angelina Jolie in her Lara Croft incarnation. Doesn't she look like she could tag some vamps in this picture?

 











And for Sir John, the vampire that Jai nicknames Shakespeare (because he speaks like the 17th century gentleman he used to be), I always pictured Mathew McConaughey. Because, well, duh...
(And can I just say that it was hard to find a picture where he looked even remotely like a vampire. It was a struggle, but I had to pass up the pic of him shirtless on the beach. Sorry gang. It would have totally ruined the effect.)

5. Give us a one sentence synopsis of your book.  
Oops, I think I did already. There was a 4-sentence synopsis in question #4. You get the idea.

6. Is your book already published/represented?  
  It came out in January of 2012 with Black Opal Books, a boutique publisher where the people are smart and funny and they value their authors.

7. How long did it take you to write your book?  
It's technically a novella (about 42k words) and it took me about two months to come up with the first draft. I pitched it to Black Opal at a SavvyAuthors.com call for submissions and they offered me a contract. After that there was some back and forth with the editing and such. I started writing in February of 2011 and the book came out in January of 2012. Oh, and it would have been nowhere without some fabulous and timely feedback from my beta readers, particularly my sister Liza, who also did the cover art.


8. What other books within your genre would you compare it to? Or, readers of which books would enjoy yours?
While Deadly Delight does have a strong romantic element, I think I was equally influenced by the sort of tongue-in-cheek humor you find in books by writers like A. Lee Martinez and Christopher Moore. And comic books.

9. Which authors inspired you to write this book?
Equal parts Joss Whedon, Christopher Moore, and a couple pissed off '70's feminists.

10. Tell us anything which might pique our interest in this book?    
Anything? Really? How 'bout  that there are colorful characters, an unconventional plot, and a spider. If you don't like spiders, this isn't the book for you.


And now for the tags...I'd like to send the gift of inspiration to the following bloggers...
Tami Clayton ~ Taking Tea in the Kasbah (look for her Letters to Benedict)
Sara W. Foster ~ Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition (look for her 50 Shades of WTF)
Mike Schulenberg ~ Realms of Perilous Wonder (look for his post on shifting gears)
Laird Sapir ~ Shabby Chic Sarcasm (in hopes this will inspire a new post ;)
Cora Ramos ~  Cora Ramos Blog (look for her series of posts where she teaches how to use star signs and the tarot to inform your characters)
Jami Gray ~ Jami Gray's Blog (where Raine teaches Jami how it's done)
Leslie Wright~ The Basement - Level 5 (where she's still twirling from her new release!)
Christine Hughes ~ Write What You Love (if Leslie's twirling, then Christine is creating some kind of centrifugal force - TORN came out last weekend!)
Zrinka Jelic~ Romance Powered by History (one of the best ways to start Monday...)
Mackenzie Crowne ~ Mac's Mad Mania (Mac's got a new release That Dating Thing that's loads of fun)
Jillian Chantal  ~ Romantic Advanture with an International Flair (check out her awesome new cover art)

Amanda Byrne ~ The Rubber Duck Brigade (book & movie reviews and a very snarky worldview...)
Shannon O'Brien ~ Bringing A Little Paranormal Thriller To Your Life (look for her review of A Discovery of Witches)

I hope you find some inspiration here, and that you check out A Vampire's Deadly Delight . If I've tagged you, remember that the rules say to answer the ten questions, link back to me (and Vicki too), and tag five other bloggers. I just tagged more because I couldn't choose just five!
Peace,
Liv


TEAM SOPHIA UPDATE: Hey, so last week when we celebrated Sophia's cancer freedom, I said I wanted to raise $150 to add to the donation Stacey, Sophia & I are going to bring to Seattle Children's Hospital. You've donated $85 so far, which is very cool, and we all thank you for it. If you've got a minute, check out the Team Sophia page on this blog and hit the PayPal 'Donate' button in the upper right corner. If everyone who reads this page kicks in the cost of a latte, we'll blow past that $150 goal. Thanks so much!


Photo credits: 
Jillian Armenante: TV.com
Angelina Jolie: Mike's Collection
Mathew McConaughey: People

Social Networking: WANATribe

The WANATribe is here! Check out this post by Kristen Lamb, where she describes her motivation for creating the site and what she hopes to accomplish:  I bring you...A gift -  A New Era For The Digital Age Artist  Because I took one of Kristen's classes last winter, I've had the opportunity to play around on the site for the last few weeks. Then this week, I sent the link out to a few friends who I thought might also be interested in being part of it. Along with a couple of takers, I got an email back from one woman who essentially said, I think this is cool, but what did I just sign up for? That prompted some thought on my part, and an interesting exchange of emails. To answer her question, first, the WANATribe site is intended to be an independent social networking site, geared towards creative types - writers, film makers, whatever. It's a place where you can find a supportive network of like-minded individuals who work together to promote EVERYONE's success.    WANA = We Are Not Alone   It's a little bit Facebook and a little bit BookBlogs with a helping of Twitter, and really, it's so very new (like just since Monday, right?) that there's still time to figure out what it IS. So far everyone I've met through that organization is pretty awesome. There's a wide range of writers there - some unpublished, some indies, & some traditionally published, so there's a lot of experience to learn from. There are also smaller interest groups that you can join, where the discussions are more focused, and classes to improve your skills.
Why yes, I did drink the cool-aid. It was yummy.
I think the key is that if you want to do this, (meaning, be a writer), you need to figure out a strategy for social networking and acknowledge that you're going to have to put some time into it, especially if you go the self-publishing route. EVERY author needs some kind of internet presence - heck, everyone who's trying to sell anything needs to figure out the internet. You're likely going to end up with a combination of sites that you're involved with, probably some combination of a blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, the WANATribe, and so on. Not saying you MUST do any one of these, but each is a tool, and you need to figure out how to use them.
But if you're reading this, you probably know all that.
The big challenge (and this is one I struggle with every single day) is how to find time for the social networking angle and still get some writing done. Because you know, it's fun. I like chatting with people on twitter or Facebook and catching up with blogs through Triberr. And the benefit is I've met some pretty cool folks from all over the world who I consider my friends. I'm still getting some writing done...it's just slower.  If you're just starting with all of this, remember that you don't need to do it all at once, just take it one change at a time and see what fits and what doesn't. Check out Kristen's post, or go right to the WANATribe site and see what it's about. And for those of you who've been at it a while, what's your secret for finding the balance between social networking, writing, and, you know, the rest of your life? Inquiring minds want to know...

Peace,
Liv  

Friday Fun: What's Up, Doc?

And so, my dear Rancourtesans, an era ends. Tonight my lovely daughter graduates from 8th grade, and so I'm flitting between sweetness and sadness, laughter and mushy-Mom-moments. As you do.
I honestly could not be more proud of her. Last night was the 8th grade dinner, and  one of the absolute high points was having another Mom (who I don't know all that well because she has a son, and I know the Moms with daughters a whole lot better) come up to me and say,
"I just gotta tell you, your daughter kicks ass."
She does.
She's creative and funny and confident (when not swirling around in a vortex of adolescent angst). All the girls at the dinner last night looked so grown up and lovely in their high heels and short stretchy sparkly dresses. But my daughter knocked it out of the park in vintage black lace, black tights, and low heeled boots. We hennaed her hair so it was dark red, which was a little more subdued than she wanted. Oh well. It is a Catholic school.
Anyway, in honor of the celebration, I'm posting this clip from her all-time favorite movie, What's Up Doc, with Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neil. (Our dog's name is Burnsie, after the Barbra Streisand character.) The resolution isn't great, but this is a funny, funny scene.
Congrats, Ruby, to you and to all your classmates!
Peace,
Liv

They're Heeerrreee!

You guys, I'm excited this morning because my guest is Jami Gray, another of the wonderful authors from Black Opal Books. Whenever I have a guest to the blog here, I try to read what they're promoting before they come,  and in this case I can say sincerely (and enthusiastically!) that Shadow's Edge is a rockin' good read (and I can't wait for Shadow's Soul to come out). Check out Jami's take on the poltergeist phenomenon, then keep reading for more info on Jami and her books. And thanks, Jami, for hanging out here today!Peace,Liv

One day I create a lovely, Pulitzer Prize worthy page of words for a story, saved it, and then headed off to moderate the blossoming cage fight burgeoning between my Prankster Duo.  When I returned a half hour later, woke the computer and went to continue on with my masterpiece, it was gone.  I spent a good sixty seconds blinking in shock at the blank screen. How could it be gone?
Not ‘saved in a different file’ gone. Not ‘saved under different name’ gone.  Not even ‘somehow ended up in the Trash Bin’ gone.  No, it was GONE.  Never to be found again.  It was as if my computer had developed a Bermuda Triangle in its own electronic universe.
Panicked, I spent hours trying to recover the document all to utter failure. Eventually, I gave up and drowned my sorrows with caffeine and began again.  All the while I cursed the technological gremlins haunting my computer—those vicious little fiends.  Their demonic claws and mischievous antics had destroyed my precious treasure, and now I was back to the dank tunnels of the creative mine.
What this little episode showed me was the phenomenon of trouble making spirits is very much alive and well.  However, it wasn’t gremlins I should have been wary about.  Oh no, those critters are more focused on pestering you with mechanical malfunctions.  Instead I should have been more worried about poltergeists.  Poltergeists are generally defined as noisy spirits, but I think they’ve evolved and become much more diabolical in this technological age.
They are the ones who gobble down that email you swore you sent out to the editor who requested your last minute edits and is now nowhere to be found floating out in cyberspace.  They are the ones who make sure that your dryer only regurgitates an odd number of socks when an even number began the journey.  Poltergeists are behind your phone reminding you that your upcoming doctor’s appointment is today, in fifteen minutes.  It’s their snickers of evil delight you’re hearing when you show up only to find out your appointment is next week.
You’ll never see these critters. People will tell you they don’t exist, that your computer is just experiencing a glitch or that your missing sock is just tucked into that pair of jeans you decided not to wear again, or you wrote your appointment down wrong.  Don’t believe them. They thrive on their ability to drive you insane by making you question your reality.
Think about it.  Initially poltergeists were believed to be spawn of demonic activity.  Yet with the rise of paranormal science and parapsychology in the 20th century, their origins began to be linked to powerful emotional and mental triggers of the human psyche.  Loosely translated:  their existence depends on wildly erratic and paranoid humans.  What better way to raise your membership than to drive a normally rational person into a believer of “I’m-losing-my-ever-lovin’-mind”?
So be careful out there.  When that email goes MIA, or your socks suddenly reduce in uneven numbers, or those keys move from the counter to the dishwasher, you’re not losing your mind—it’s those damn poltergeists and they want you!



Bio:Growing up on the Arizona-Mexico border, Jami Gray was adopted at the age of 14 and suddenly became the fifth eldest of 37 children. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and three minors-History, English, and Theater.  Shortly after marrying her techie-geek hubby (who moonlighted as her best friend in high school) she completed a Masters in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix Oregon.
Now, years later, she’s back in the Southwest where  she’s outnumbered in her own home by two Star Wars obsessed boys, one Star Wars obsessed husband, and an overly-friendly, 105-pound male lab.  Writing is what saves her sanity.   Shadow’s Edge: Book 1 of the Kyn Kronicles is available now from Black Opal Books.  Shadow’s Soul: Book 2 of the Kyn Kronicles hits shelves June 2012.
You can find Jamie at:
Website:     www.JamiGray.com Assc. Blog:  www.7EvilDwarves.wordpress.comFacebook:  http://www.facebook.com/jamigray.authorTwitter:       http://twitter.com/#!/JamiGrayAuthor  


Blurb for Shadow’s Edge:Everyone fears what hunts in the shadows—especially the monsters…It takes a monster to hunt one, and for Raine McCord, forged in the maelstrom of magic and science, she’s the one for the job. In a world where the supernatural live in a shadowy existence with the mundane, a series of disappearances and deaths threatens the secrecy of her kind and indicates someone knows the monsters are alive and kicking.  Partnering up with the sexy and tantalizing Gavin Durand proves to be a challenge as dangerous as the prey she hunts.

When the trail points back to the foundation which warped Raine’s magic as a child, her torturous past raises its ugly head.  Gavin and Raine sift through a maze of lies, murder and betrayal to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.
Blurb for Shadow’s Soul:Some nightmares are born of love…Raine McCord has no problem taking down the monsters of the world, it’s one of the reasons she’s so good at her job.  So playing bodyguard to Cheveyo, head Magi of the Northwest, as he consults with the Southwest Kyn should be an easy assignment. Unfortunately, simple task turns into a nightmare when Cheveyo is kidnapped and Raine is left for dead by one of the Kyn’s most feared beings, a Soul Stealer.The Stealer’s attack leaves lasting wounds, undermining Raine’s confidence as a warrior and damaging her unruly magic. Her ability to heal her mind and spirit hinges on the one man who can touch her soul, Gavin Durand.  Compelled to face the emotions raging between them, they must embrace not only their stormy relationship but their evolving magic to escape the twisted threads of murder and betrayal to find Cheveyo. As Raine and Gavin come together and begin to unravel the complex web of secrets and hidden vendettas haunting the Southwest Kyn, they discover unsettling new truths that threaten their very existence.