Beth Overmyer's Blog: The Blog of Beth Overmyer, page 51
December 23, 2012
Merry Happy!
Merry Christmas, all!
Sorry this blog has been so quiet lately. I've been taking care of family stuff. I really need to take care of writing stuff *slaps wrist*
Hope your days are merry and bright, and (if you so choose--and don't live within a thirty-mile radius of me) may your Christmas be white! I, for one, want a nice, dry holy day.
Peace!Beth
Sorry this blog has been so quiet lately. I've been taking care of family stuff. I really need to take care of writing stuff *slaps wrist*
Hope your days are merry and bright, and (if you so choose--and don't live within a thirty-mile radius of me) may your Christmas be white! I, for one, want a nice, dry holy day.
Peace!Beth
December 14, 2012
Author Interview: P.A. Estelle
Today I have P.A. Estelle, author of the novelette At What Price, on the blog. Here we go!
Cover art:
Me: Welcome to the blog! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. To start off, tell us a bit about your book.
P.A: Katherine Gardner is awakened at 6:30 in the morning with a call from a strange woman who claims to have her granddaughter, Rio. This woman is calling the police if Katherine doesn’t make arrangements for somebody to pick this little girl up.
Katherine is a fifty-six years old woman and all alone, since her husband died over three years ago. Her life takes a dramatic turn when six-year old Rio comes to stay with her. Rio is a scared little girl whose life is filled with uncertainty and fear.
In her grandmother, Rio finds a safe haven and an unconditional love that she has never known in her six short years and Katherine has found a love to fill the void that has been absent for way too long.
Unfortunately Katherine’s daughter, who deserted Rio, has other ideas.
Me: Is this your debut book?
P.A.: This is my first “adult” story.
I have written three stories for the MG/tween age group.Hike Up Devil’s MountainBilly Cooper’s Awesome NightmareA Float Down The Canal
I have also written one non-fiction story with my hubby on our life “off the grid”.Solar – One Family’s Reality
Me: How long did this book take you, from draft one to ready to submit?
P.A.: About two months. I had this one in the back of my mind for a while. The little girl, Rio, is actually my granddaughter and I think it’s a really unique name.
Me: As an author, who has influenced your work the most?
P.A.: This is a tough question for me. I was never a reader as a kid or into my teen years and I’ve never, to this day, read books for MG kids. Of course I read to my own children, which was about 100 years ago, but those were for smaller children.
I worked for an elementary school for twenty-one years so if I had to pick someone that influenced my writing I would have to say all the students I worked with. I wanted to see the older kids reading more. I feel I missed out on all kinds of adventures simply because I didn’t read.
Me: Random question time: Your main character is locked inside a department store (like Target or WalMart) overnight and is unable to contact anyone for help. What does s/he do?
P.A.: HMMMMM – Since she is a woman in her late 50s, I would say, she tried on clothes, maybe ate some ice cream, pulled a futon mattress to the floor and said, “Good Night”
Me: Here's my favorite question to ask authors: "Do you believe in the dreaded Writer's Block?" If so, how do YOU get past it?
P.A.: I can honestly say I have never had it. If I come to a part where I can’t seem to figure out what should happen next, I take my black Lab, Blacky, and we go walk. Since we live way out in the sticks, there are lots of dirt roads for me to come up with something and that usually does the trick.
Me: Care to tell us anything about your current work-in-progress?
P.A.: My story, Billy Cooper’s Awesome Nightmare – The Wickware Sagas, was supposed to be a series. My publisher asked if I would be interested in doing another 4 or 5 stories and making them all into a book, the Wickware Sagas, Volume One. I am finishing up the last story right now. I can tell you it’s about a well off 7th grader in Miss Wickware’s history class and he finds himself on an Orphan Train in 1875.
Me: And last but not least: Do you have any words of wisdom for new and aspiring authors?
P.A.: Write, write, submit, write, write, submit……AND write because you love doing it, otherwise, find something else to do.
Thank you so much for letting me come by and visit today, Beth.
Me: Thank you for the interview! Good luck with your writing career.
Beth
___About the author: My name is Penny Estelle. I was a school secretary for 21 years and retired in 2009. We moved to our retirement home in Kingman, AZ and we live on 54 acres in a very rural area. Actually we live “off the grid”. We live on solar and wind. A real adjustment for a city girl. I must say – I love it. Nothing like walking out your front door and hear coyotes howling in the distance and seeing a sky bursting with stars. It is breathtaking!
I started writing for kids right before I retired. There is always material when kids are involved. I am pleased to say I have several MG/tween books out and my debut book for adults was just recently released. I also have a non-fiction story out about our life with solar.
Visit Penny Estelle at her website or blog!
At What Price is also available from these retailers: Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.
December 3, 2012
My Christmas Traditions
Ah, it's the most wonderful time of the year! Here are some traditions I look forward to every year:
- Trimming the tree (the day after Thanksgiving. Our tree is up and decked. Huzzah!)
- Opening ornament gifts on Christmas Eve
- Listening to Christmas music
And so forth and so on. One of my favorite *blog* traditions is posting parodies. Here's the first one for you enjoyment (or horror): The Rewrite Before Christmas
'Twas the first draft of my novel, and all through the book
There were typos and blunders, not even a hook;
The scenes were all tied together by a hair,
All hoping the editors soon would repair;
The characters were voiceless, all bland and cardboard,
They talked and they rambled, no sense in their words;
And my alphas and my betas put on thinking caps,
"How do I keep reading? I want a long nap!"
And out of my prose there arose such a clutter
Of dialogue tags such as "murmured" and "muttered;"
"Away," "through" and "of" all ended each sentence;
I misspelled all words without a hint of repentance;
All descriptive words were abused shamelessly;
The luster and shine was very much lacking.
When pressing my brain on to make this thing better,
There appeared on my desk an over-sized shredder.
With a clunky old hard drive, so ancient and sick,
I rigged up old Bob with the help of a fork lift.
More vapid than prairies my stories I shredded,
Lit them with a match, doused with unleaded,
"Now burn, you! Now, die, you! Now shred, burn and fry, you!
"No and's, if's, or but's: I'll burn short stories, too!
"To the top of the shredder, to the top of the wall!
"No dashes, m-dashes, n-dashes; away, all!"
As dry as leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
I watched the smoke drifting up, up to the sky;
So shiny and lovely, the ashes, they flew,
With smell of burnt plastic and toxic waste, too.
And then I'd an inkling, a nudge in my head,
The itching and clawing, as that of the un-dead.
And I drew in my head an outline so sound
For a shiny new novel, and then went to town!
So, hear me exclaim as I drop out of sight:
"A novel isn't written; thou must re-write!!"
- Trimming the tree (the day after Thanksgiving. Our tree is up and decked. Huzzah!)
- Opening ornament gifts on Christmas Eve
- Listening to Christmas music
And so forth and so on. One of my favorite *blog* traditions is posting parodies. Here's the first one for you enjoyment (or horror): The Rewrite Before Christmas
'Twas the first draft of my novel, and all through the book
There were typos and blunders, not even a hook;
The scenes were all tied together by a hair,
All hoping the editors soon would repair;
The characters were voiceless, all bland and cardboard,
They talked and they rambled, no sense in their words;
And my alphas and my betas put on thinking caps,
"How do I keep reading? I want a long nap!"
And out of my prose there arose such a clutter
Of dialogue tags such as "murmured" and "muttered;"
"Away," "through" and "of" all ended each sentence;
I misspelled all words without a hint of repentance;
All descriptive words were abused shamelessly;
The luster and shine was very much lacking.
When pressing my brain on to make this thing better,
There appeared on my desk an over-sized shredder.
With a clunky old hard drive, so ancient and sick,
I rigged up old Bob with the help of a fork lift.
More vapid than prairies my stories I shredded,
Lit them with a match, doused with unleaded,
"Now burn, you! Now, die, you! Now shred, burn and fry, you!
"No and's, if's, or but's: I'll burn short stories, too!
"To the top of the shredder, to the top of the wall!
"No dashes, m-dashes, n-dashes; away, all!"
As dry as leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
I watched the smoke drifting up, up to the sky;
So shiny and lovely, the ashes, they flew,
With smell of burnt plastic and toxic waste, too.
And then I'd an inkling, a nudge in my head,
The itching and clawing, as that of the un-dead.
And I drew in my head an outline so sound
For a shiny new novel, and then went to town!
So, hear me exclaim as I drop out of sight:
"A novel isn't written; thou must re-write!!"
November 16, 2012
Author Interview: Jo Ramsey
Today's guest is none other than Jo Ramsey, author of Vengeance is Sweet. Ready to hear what she has to say? Good, get reading!
Cover art:
Me: Welcome! Tell us a bit about your book.
Jo: I wrote this book after hearing a reference to a demon of vengeance on the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I thought it would be funny if a *real* vengeance demon was dissed because "oh, you're like on that show about the chick who killed vampires", and jotted a quick scene. Which grew into a novel about a vengeance demon who tends to bend, if not outright shatter, the rules. When Omara is assigned to "venge" Alejandro Ruiz, she quickly realizes something isn't right about the assignment and sets out to prove that Alejandro is innocent.
Me: Is this your debut work?
Jo: No, it isn't my debut. Under the name Jo Ramsey, I have 10 young adult novels and two YA short published now, with four other novels and two more shorts under contract. Under a different name which I won't share here, I've had over thirty romance shorts, novellas, and novels published. Readers who are curious about my Jo Ramsey books can visit the Bookshelf page on my website for a complete list and links to separate pages on my site where they can read excerpts and find buy links.
Me: How long did this book take you, from draft one to ready to submit?
Jo: I honestly can't remember; I wrote the book in 2010, and I have a mind like a steel sieve... I think it was probably about 4-6 months, since that's the high end of my usual range for novels. (Interviewer Interruption: Ha ha! Mind like a sieve? I totally relate.)
Me: As an author, who has influenced your work the most?
Jo: I've had a lot of influences, and I can't really pinpoint one "most" influential person.
Me: Random question time: Your main character gets to play God for the day. What is the first thing s/he does?
Jo: She's a vengeance demon, so she already has a ton of powers. However, given something she says in the book, I would say if she gets to be the Ultimate Creator for a day, she would change the rules so that all humans who are slated to receive vengeance (which involves being killed in the same way they killed or harmed their victims and then being brought to Hell) would first be given an opportunity to ask for redemption.
Me: Here's my favorite question to ask authors: "Do you believe in the dreaded Writer's Block?" If so, how do YOU get past it?
Jo: I have occasional writer's block on individual projects, so I just switch over and work on something else for a while.
Me: Care to tell us anything about your current work-in-progress?
Jo: My current work-in-progress is an adult romance, so I'd rather not mention it here since it's under my other pen name. I don't currently have another project planned for the Jo Ramsey name, but I'm sure a plot bunny will strike soon.
Me: And last but not least: Do you have any words of wisdom for new and aspiring authors?
Jo: Writing isn't something that can be mastered, just improved on. Always be open to improving. And when you're ready to submit, do your homework. Make sure if you're submitting to a traditional publisher, they have a good reputation, good contract terms, support their authors promo-wise, etc. And always follow submissions guidelines.
Me: Thanks so much for your time! Best of luck to you with your writing future. May it be full of much fun and success.
Beth
___
About the author: Jo Ramsey is a former special education teacher who now writes full time and does office work as a hobby. She wrote her first story at age five and her first novel at age twelve, and hasn't stopped since. Her first published young adult novel was Connection, from Jupiter Gardens Press (January 2010). She lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, her husband, and two cats, one of whom thinks she's a dog.
Visit Jo at: www.joramsey.com
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Cover art:Me: Welcome! Tell us a bit about your book.
Jo: I wrote this book after hearing a reference to a demon of vengeance on the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I thought it would be funny if a *real* vengeance demon was dissed because "oh, you're like on that show about the chick who killed vampires", and jotted a quick scene. Which grew into a novel about a vengeance demon who tends to bend, if not outright shatter, the rules. When Omara is assigned to "venge" Alejandro Ruiz, she quickly realizes something isn't right about the assignment and sets out to prove that Alejandro is innocent.
Me: Is this your debut work?
Jo: No, it isn't my debut. Under the name Jo Ramsey, I have 10 young adult novels and two YA short published now, with four other novels and two more shorts under contract. Under a different name which I won't share here, I've had over thirty romance shorts, novellas, and novels published. Readers who are curious about my Jo Ramsey books can visit the Bookshelf page on my website for a complete list and links to separate pages on my site where they can read excerpts and find buy links.
Me: How long did this book take you, from draft one to ready to submit?
Jo: I honestly can't remember; I wrote the book in 2010, and I have a mind like a steel sieve... I think it was probably about 4-6 months, since that's the high end of my usual range for novels. (Interviewer Interruption: Ha ha! Mind like a sieve? I totally relate.)
Me: As an author, who has influenced your work the most?
Jo: I've had a lot of influences, and I can't really pinpoint one "most" influential person.
Me: Random question time: Your main character gets to play God for the day. What is the first thing s/he does?
Jo: She's a vengeance demon, so she already has a ton of powers. However, given something she says in the book, I would say if she gets to be the Ultimate Creator for a day, she would change the rules so that all humans who are slated to receive vengeance (which involves being killed in the same way they killed or harmed their victims and then being brought to Hell) would first be given an opportunity to ask for redemption.
Me: Here's my favorite question to ask authors: "Do you believe in the dreaded Writer's Block?" If so, how do YOU get past it?
Jo: I have occasional writer's block on individual projects, so I just switch over and work on something else for a while.
Me: Care to tell us anything about your current work-in-progress?
Jo: My current work-in-progress is an adult romance, so I'd rather not mention it here since it's under my other pen name. I don't currently have another project planned for the Jo Ramsey name, but I'm sure a plot bunny will strike soon.
Me: And last but not least: Do you have any words of wisdom for new and aspiring authors?
Jo: Writing isn't something that can be mastered, just improved on. Always be open to improving. And when you're ready to submit, do your homework. Make sure if you're submitting to a traditional publisher, they have a good reputation, good contract terms, support their authors promo-wise, etc. And always follow submissions guidelines.
Me: Thanks so much for your time! Best of luck to you with your writing future. May it be full of much fun and success.
Beth
___
About the author: Jo Ramsey is a former special education teacher who now writes full time and does office work as a hobby. She wrote her first story at age five and her first novel at age twelve, and hasn't stopped since. Her first published young adult novel was Connection, from Jupiter Gardens Press (January 2010). She lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, her husband, and two cats, one of whom thinks she's a dog.
Visit Jo at: www.joramsey.com
November 13, 2012
I Have a Release Date!
Yes, a release date. I will be released from the ranks of the unpublished* to explore the world beyond, the world of PUBLISHED AUTHOR. *stares at the shininess for a moment* Ah, gotta love that.
Anyway, In a Pickle (my middle grade book, if you haven't been following this blog) will release from MuseItUp Publishing on December 28, 2012! Here's the fun part for the bargain hunter in you:
If you pre-order In a Pickle now, you'll get 20% off! Click here
There. That excitement aside, I'm busily typing away on my NaNoWriMo novel A Race Through Time. See that lovely word count? BOOYAH!
Now, where did I put the Advil. *achy fingers from typing so much lately*
Ciao!
Beth
P.S. And good old blogger ate most of my post and spat out a bunch of code *grumble*
___
*I have had other smaller things published. See the sidebar for details.
Anyway, In a Pickle (my middle grade book, if you haven't been following this blog) will release from MuseItUp Publishing on December 28, 2012! Here's the fun part for the bargain hunter in you:
If you pre-order In a Pickle now, you'll get 20% off! Click here
There. That excitement aside, I'm busily typing away on my NaNoWriMo novel A Race Through Time. See that lovely word count? BOOYAH!
Now, where did I put the Advil. *achy fingers from typing so much lately*
Ciao!
Beth
P.S. And good old blogger ate most of my post and spat out a bunch of code *grumble*
___
*I have had other smaller things published. See the sidebar for details.
November 9, 2012
Author Interview: Jo-Anne Russell
Just a fair warning to any of my younger readers: Today's featured author is promoting a horror novel. Now, for the rest of us, sit back and enjoy what Jo-Anne Russell, author of
The Nightmare Project
, has to say.
Me: Welcome to the blog! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. To start off, tell us a bit about your book.
Jo-Anne: Thank you for having me Beth. The Nightmare Project is a Psychological Horror Thriller and is Book One of the Dangerous Minds Trilogy.
When Julia Montgomery’s mind, body and soul become the rope in a tug-of-war between the living and the dead, there is nothing she won’t do for the right side to prevail; if she only knew which side was right.
Beth: Is this your debut work?
Jo-Anne: This is not my debut work per say – but it is my debut novel. Much of my work can be found at my Amazon Author Page here: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0078JJL7E
Beth: How long did this book take you, from draft one to ready to submit?
Jo-Anne: I actually wrote this book for NaNoWriMo 2010, (National Novel Writing Month,) and I was one of the winners. Although I had an outline, the first draft was completed during the month of November. I self-published the book in 2011, and it was picked up by Muse It Up Publishing in December 2011, and published October 26th, 2012.
Beth: As an author, who has influenced your work the most?
Jo-Anne: There are many writers who have such as King, Bradbury, Poe, Saul, Rice, and V.C Andrews, but I must say it was my family. From my twisted childhood, to my supportive husband and children, they have been my biggest influences.
Me: Random question time: Your main character only has one day left to live. What does s/he do with their remaining time?
Jo-Anne: She would find another body to inhabit.
Me: Here's my favorite question to ask authors: "Do you believe in the dreaded Writer's Block?" If so, how do YOU get past it?
Jo-Anne: I believe writer’s block is a way of “our muse” saying to us that the path our character is on is wrong. It will pass as soon as you discover the right one. I try putting my characters on a path they would not usually take, and that seems to help.
Me: Care to tell us anything about your current work-in-progress?
Jo-Anne: I am currently working on Book Two of the trilogy, along with some short stories.
Me: And last but not least: Do you have any words of wisdom for new and aspiring authors?
Jo-Anne: Write for yourself first. There are a lot of readers out there that will love your work as much as you. Be brave, and explore the taboo. The publishing world changes daily.
Thank you very much Beth, for the interview, and sharing your time with me.
Me: Thank you for the interview! Good luck with your writing career.
Beth
___
About the author: Jo-Anne Russell is a proud HWA member, horror writer, and the publisher at Scarlett River Press. Her twisted and morbid mind is shared with an infinite number of characters from past, present, and future stories.
Visit Jo-Anne at the following sites: http://www.jo-annerussell.ca, http://jo-annerussell.blogspot.ca/, http://www.scarlett-river-press..ca.
Me: Welcome to the blog! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. To start off, tell us a bit about your book.
Jo-Anne: Thank you for having me Beth. The Nightmare Project is a Psychological Horror Thriller and is Book One of the Dangerous Minds Trilogy.
When Julia Montgomery’s mind, body and soul become the rope in a tug-of-war between the living and the dead, there is nothing she won’t do for the right side to prevail; if she only knew which side was right.
Beth: Is this your debut work?
Jo-Anne: This is not my debut work per say – but it is my debut novel. Much of my work can be found at my Amazon Author Page here: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0078JJL7E
Beth: How long did this book take you, from draft one to ready to submit?
Jo-Anne: I actually wrote this book for NaNoWriMo 2010, (National Novel Writing Month,) and I was one of the winners. Although I had an outline, the first draft was completed during the month of November. I self-published the book in 2011, and it was picked up by Muse It Up Publishing in December 2011, and published October 26th, 2012.
Beth: As an author, who has influenced your work the most?
Jo-Anne: There are many writers who have such as King, Bradbury, Poe, Saul, Rice, and V.C Andrews, but I must say it was my family. From my twisted childhood, to my supportive husband and children, they have been my biggest influences.
Me: Random question time: Your main character only has one day left to live. What does s/he do with their remaining time?
Jo-Anne: She would find another body to inhabit.
Me: Here's my favorite question to ask authors: "Do you believe in the dreaded Writer's Block?" If so, how do YOU get past it?
Jo-Anne: I believe writer’s block is a way of “our muse” saying to us that the path our character is on is wrong. It will pass as soon as you discover the right one. I try putting my characters on a path they would not usually take, and that seems to help.
Me: Care to tell us anything about your current work-in-progress?
Jo-Anne: I am currently working on Book Two of the trilogy, along with some short stories.
Me: And last but not least: Do you have any words of wisdom for new and aspiring authors?
Jo-Anne: Write for yourself first. There are a lot of readers out there that will love your work as much as you. Be brave, and explore the taboo. The publishing world changes daily.
Thank you very much Beth, for the interview, and sharing your time with me.
Me: Thank you for the interview! Good luck with your writing career.
Beth
___
About the author: Jo-Anne Russell is a proud HWA member, horror writer, and the publisher at Scarlett River Press. Her twisted and morbid mind is shared with an infinite number of characters from past, present, and future stories.
Visit Jo-Anne at the following sites: http://www.jo-annerussell.ca, http://jo-annerussell.blogspot.ca/, http://www.scarlett-river-press..ca.
