Empi Baryeh's Blog, page 37

Hoppy Easter! Yes, I meant, hoppy

It's time for another blog hop! The Hoppy Easter blog hop, that is – don't you just love the name?

I'm giving away one eBook (winner's choice between Most Eligible Bachelor and Chancing Faith) and a $10 Amazon gift certificate.

All you have to do is leave me a comment. In honour of the season, I'd love to hear some Easter stories, jokes and what have you. Let's have fun with this!

Just like before, this blog hop is a huge event with giveaways from hundreds of authors. Visit The Blog Hop Spot's event page to see what other prizes are up for grabs. And if you're an author who wants to join the hop, all you have to is sign up.

Let the Easter hunt begin!

Blogging About Fiction and Reality

Fiction mimics reality, but how realistic is fiction? Or better yet, if we read for escapism, then how much should fiction mimic reality? Find out more in my guest blog on The Write to Make a Living and take part in the fun exercise that goes with my teaser excerpt.

I hope to see you there.

We have a winner!

It's been a very busy week, but I had to drop by and announce the winner for last week. And she is….(drumroll)

Debbie Christiana!

Congrats on winning, Deb. Just send me your email addy through the 'Contact Me' Form on top of the page or on Facebook. And don't forget to tell me which book you want.

My blog tour is still on-going. I'm bring interview by Cassandra Roberts-Jones on her blog today. Please stop by and check out my interview, join the conversation and stand a chance of winning a free book!

Cheers,

Six Sentence Sunday: Chancing Faith

At long last, Chancing Faith is here, and so I've decided to continue my release party with a Six Sentence Sunday snippet from it. So here goes:

Fashionable shades concealed her eyes but accentuated the soft curves of her cheekbones and her button nose. For a moment, he envisioned her black hair cascading down her shoulders, bouncing around her oval face as she made her way toward him. In fact, he wouldn't have minded helping her undo the bun. 

He shook off the image. This was, he assumed, one of his co-workers. Even if he didn't have a "no dating" policy, he certainly didn't get frisky with co-workers.

***

Sounds like the period just before a fall, doesn't it? I hope you enjoyed it. If so, I invite you to get yourself a copy of Chancing Faith in e-book or print from:

Black Opal Books | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Smashwords | ARe

And in case you don't know about Six Sentence Sunday, it is a cool way for authors to share their work with the world (read: tease readers). The rules are simple:

Take a project (could be a Work in Progress/contracted/published),
select six sentences (assumed 6 chronological sentences),
post them on Sunday by 9am EST (13:00 GMT).

Et voila! For more information or to check out other authors taking part in SSS, click here.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

New Release: Chancing Faith is here!

It is here! 31st March, 2012, and Chancing Faith hits the bookstores . It feels like only yesterday that I was celebrating the release of my debut novel and now release day is here again.  I'm so tickled to search my name on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and come up with results.

I'm especially thrilled to share Chancing Faith with you, readers, because (though it turned out not to be my debut novel) it was the first romance novel I started. It came about when I told myself I wanted to write romance. Romantic movies were my favourite genre in film and most of my stories had strong romantic elements, so it was probably a natural step for me to take.

Here's how it all happened:

I discovered an editor pitch contest on Savvy Authors in May or June 2011. The rules required us to post a 3-line pitch to, Lauri, the editor of Black Opal Books. It was a 24-hour pitch, so marked my calendar and on 26th July, I entered my pitch as follows:

American businessman, Thane Aleksander, doesn't date co-workers, but when business takes him to Ghana, West Africa, he meets Naaki Tabika, an intern at the company he's working with, and finds himself at risk of breaking all the rules.

Naaki's ex-boyfriend saw her only as 'wife and mother' material, so in order to prove him wrong, she's prepared to trade love for career. However, Thane, the man who holds the key to the next step in her career, makes her want to get personal.

The waiting had begun. Two weeks later, the results were in and I got a request to submit a synopsis and the full manuscript! Feverishly, I went to my manuscript and re-read/edited the entire story to what I hoped was an inch of its life. That took a whole week. Another waiting period ensued.

Then very late on 2nd September, after I'd almost logged off ready for bed, I decided to check my emails one more time. There it was – an email from Lauri. I didn't want to open it, in case it was yet another rejection, but it was right there and I knew I wouldn't sleep a wink without reading it. So I clicked and read the email that started like this: Thank you for submitting your manuscript, Chancing Faith, to Black Opal Books. I'm delighted with it. I would like to offer you a contract to publish it.

(SCREAM!)

It was the most wonderful feeling. Finally, I was going to be a published author! But the real work was yet to begin. Chancing Faith has gone through three rounds of edits and is finally here for you to read. I hope you enjoy it.

You'e probably already read the blurb, but just in case you haven't, here it is (see how it has evolved from the three-line pitch?):

He didn't do short-term relationships…

American ad exec, Thane Aleksander, doesn't date co-workers either—until business takes him to Ghana, West Africa, and he meets Naaki. Now he's at risk of breaking all the rules. Can he stop this headlong fall before it's too late?

Until he met her!

Naaki Tabika has a burning need to prove, to herself and others, that she's more than wife and mother material. To do so, she's prepared to give up everything for her job. Meeting Thane, however, makes her want to get personal. But falling for her boss could destroy her career. Will she be willing to risk it all for the one thing that can make her truly happy?

Two divergent cultures, two different races, two career-driven professionals, only one chance at true love—will they find the faith to take it, or will their hearts be sacrificed on the altar of financial success?

BUY LINKS:  Black Opal Books | Amazon (print and ebook) | Barnes & Noble (ebook) |

READ Chapter 1

Thanks for stopping by and celebrating release day with me. I hope you enjoyed the post and that you'll let me know what you thought of chapter 1 (or the entire book – hint hint)

I wish you a wonderful weekend!

Blog Tour Stops At…

Looks like I got my dates mixed up. I'd mentioned that I would be on Just Another Book Addict yesterday, but it's rather today. So please hop over to read my guest post on writing the other point of view – i.e. a woman writing a male POV or man writing a female POV.

 

I've already announced two winners for the first two weeks of tour, and gearing up to announce another winner after the weekend. Remember, every blog you comment on earns you a vote, so the more blogs you comment on, the greater your chances of getting picked. You can also enter my 100-fan contest for an additional chance of winning a copy of Most  Eligible Bachelor.

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for the book release party!

Breakfast in Bed

Hi everyone. This is just a reminder that my blog tour is still on. I'm at Mona Karel's today sharing a breakfast recipe and a little fun fact about the correlation between a woman's arousal and bananas (probably not what you're thinking). I hope to see you there.

Meanwhile, I'm going to share a fun exercise taking Facebook by storm. I was tagged by my author friends, Kiru Taye, Jami Gray and Liv Rancourt in a game we're calling Lucky 7.

Rules:

Go to page 77 of your story
Go to line 7
Copy the next 7 lines – no cheating.
Post it
Tag 7 authors to pass it on.

(PS. I assume 7 lines to be 7 sentences)

Okay, so my 7 lines are from Chancing Faith, which releases Saturday!

***

In one corner sat a guy whose age Naaki couldn't particularly guess. Thane introduced him as Jeremy, the creative director. He was good-looking, with curly brown hair, although he had a bit of a gut. Jeremy assessed Naaki as he took her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said. "You're a sight for sore eyes."

He didn't let go of her hand immediately.

***

And now here are seven fabulous writers who will be playing in the next round of this game (insert evil grin): Joanne Stewart,Delaney Diamond, Lara Daniels, Cassandra Roberts Jones,Christine Hughes, Alba K Sumprim, Adwoa Badoe.

Blog Tour Winner Announced: Week 2

Another week of guest blogging done! It's time again to announce a winner.

And the winner is…

JAY

Congrats on winning. Your prize is an e-copy of either Most Eligible Bachelor or Chancing Faith. Let know know which book you prefer and send me your email address through the "Contact Me" form at the top of the page.

Want a chance to win, too? Follow my blog tour for the week. Here's a schedule:

DATE
BLOG


28-Mar-12
Mona Karel


29-Mar-12
Just Another Book Addict


30-Mar-12
TBC


31-Mar-12
Empi Baryeh (Release Day) 

Remember, every blog you comment on earns you a vote, so the more blogs you comment on, the greater your chances of getting picked. You can also enter my 100-fan contest for an additional chance of winning a copy of Most  Eligible Bachelor.

Cheers,

Guest Author: Delaney Diamond

I am especially pleased to welcome bestselling author of sweet and sensual African-American and interracial romance, Delaney Diamond, as she celebrates the release of her latest novel, Private Acts (oooh). She's graciously agreed to a blog swap today, so I'm also over at Delaney's blog celebrating *my* upcoming release, Chancing Faith.

Hi, Delaney and welcome to my blog

Hi Empi! Thank you for letting me take over your blog today. I look forward to meeting your readers, and I hope you have a good time over at my blog, too.

Oh, I'm sure I will. Delaney, in many senses, I feel you and I write similar stories or are driven by similar forces (I make it sound so sinister) to write what we write (I guess we're about to find out). Let's get into the Q&A. 

Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in the United States Virgin Islands and currently live in Atlanta, GA. I enjoy reading and writing, and when my head's not buried in a book, you'll find me in the kitchen cooking. I also love to travel, and if I had more money, that's the one thing I would do more. I speak French and can get by in Spanish.

Okay, so that right there is what I'm talking about (the rest of you would have to read my answer to this question to see what I mean) – except for the love of cooking part, but moving right along…

Did you always want to be a writer? If not, what else did you want to do?

The first time I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I was in the first grade. I remember saying I wanted to be a teacher. Years later, I changed my mind and wanted to be a secretary. By the time I got to college, I decided I wanted to get into business and eventually own my own company. I currently run a small business from home in addition to writing.

Nice. Congrats on both jobs. I'd love to talk more about the small business, but I'll do that in another forum. Right now, let's focus on on the writing. What does the area where you write look like?

I have an office in a spare bedroom. I run my business from home in addition to writing, so I have two file cabinets and a bookcase in my office. My laptop is on a corner desk filled with envelopes, papers, files, etc. I have a color printer and two laser printers, and a dry erase board to write lists of ideas, things to do, etc. Oh, and I almost forgot, my treadmill. I recently removed the books and notes I had spread out on it so I can actually use it for its intended purpose.

Do you have a single book or character that's dear to your heart, and why?

That's almost like picking a favorite child, isn't it? Lol. One of my favorite books is Fight for Love (Book 2 of my Hot Latin Men series). Rebekah and Rafael were young when they fell in love, and Rebekah's parents never approved of him. Their marriage fell apart because she didn't trust him after the tabloids printed a scandalous story about him and his fellow wrestlers, and he didn't fight hard enough to hold onto her. They both made mistakes. It's a bit of an emotional story with a little comic relief sprinkled in by way of their son.

Another favorite is more recent—my African-American romance, A Hard Man to Love (Book 2 of the Hawthorne Family series). It hit number one on the Amazon Multicultural Romance Bestsellers list and made other bestsellers lists, as well. The hero, Derrick, is a rich, very alpha male with a difficult past. It took the love of a good woman, Eva, to break through his icy heart and open him up to love. Readers seem to really enjoy watching this couple move from an antagonistic relationship to a loving one, as well as watch Derrick change over time.

I must admit, A Hard Man to Love is on my TBR list. I was drawn by the blurb and the obvious alpha hero. 

If you could date the hero from one of your books, who would it be and why?

I would date Roarke Hawthorne from The Temptation of a Good Man, because he's an astrophysicist (intelligence is so sexy on a man!). On a date with him, I might end up at a museum exhibition or walking along the beach where you can gaze up at the stars and he starts pointing out constellations and explaining the mysteries of the universe. Plus, he's a good guy, he likes listening to live music (I love that, too!), and he knows his way around a woman's body.

I know you said one of my books, but I wouldn't mind dating Rafael Lopez from Fight for Love, too. Rafael is the kind of man who will spoil a woman. He grew up poor, but he's a millionaire now, and he's the kind of man who will spend a lot of money on a woman. He's the guy who'll rent out a restaurant so you can have a private dinner. He'll shower you with flowers and limo rides and whisk you off for a long weekend somewhere. Sigh.

(Sigh) What drew you to writing interracial romance?

Nothing in particular drew me to it, except I wanted to write stories about romance, and interracial romance has become more common and accepted. It also made sense because I've dated interracially.

What is the setting of your book? Tell us some interesting facts about the locale and why you picked it.

Ecuador is the setting of my book, Private Acts. I picked it because it's a place I've always wanted to visit. The weather is moderate all year long and the cost of living is low. I'd also love to visit the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador. They're a protected archipelago unspoiled by man. The animals aren't afraid of humans, which means you can get up close and personal with them. You can find species of animals there that you can't find anywhere else in the world because of their secluded location.

Interesting facts:

Cuenca, Ecuador is a charming city filled with cobblestone streets, rivers running through it, plazas, and ancient churches. In 1999 UNESCO declared Cuenca's historic center a World Heritage Site.
Afro-Ecuadorians make up approximately 3 percent of the population of Ecuador.
It's an honor to be treated to a dinner of cuy in Ecuador. Cuy is guinea pig and can be fried or roasted whole.
Ecuador's currency is the U.S. dollar.

That is interesting. I did not know that Ecuador uses the US Dollar! If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?

I would love to have a home on a beach. I like being near the water. It's peaceful and relaxing.

Is there a scene in Private Acts you particularly enjoy? Tell us about it and why.

Yes! I like the scene in the first chapter when Samirah and Miguel first meet. They're flirtatious and banter back and forth with each other. She won't tell him much about herself, no matter how much he tries. It was a fun scene to write and gives the first view of the spark between the two of them. You can read the first chapter on my websitehere.

Short answer favorites:

Dessert: Since I have to choose, I'll say ice cream, but to be honest, dessert is my favorite food group.
City: Paris, France
Season: Spring
Type of hero: Alpha male
Type of heroine: Independent and loving
Actor: Denzel Washington
Actress: Sanaa Lathan
Band/solo singer: Whitney Houston
Colour: Yellow
Cuisine: A tie between Italian and Caribbean

That's all the questions I have for you. Before I let you go, could you give us a sneak peak into your latest novel, Private Acts? 

Blurb

Miguel Delgado fell hard the first time he saw a beautiful woman on stage during a karaoke competition at a bar in Ecuador. Interested in a short, casual affair, he turns on the charm. But she won't give him the time of day.

Samirah Jamison has met her match—in the form of a tall, hard-bodied sculptor who won't leave her alone. She's not running scared. She's just trying to keep a level head and stay out of trouble for once. But it's really, really hard to be good…when you're used to being bad.

Warning: This book contains a chef whose sassy mouth and swaying hips catch the eye of a  sexy Latin artist determined to tame her.

EXCERPT

She cursed and bent down to slip off a shoe.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she hissed. Off came the other one, and she lost four

inches. "My feet are killing me in these horrible shoes, and I knew good and well I shouldn't

have bought them in the first place."

"If you knew you shouldn't have bought them," Miguel said, "why did you?"

"Because they went with the dress."

"Why do you women do such things to yourselves?"

"Because of you men!"

Miguel couldn't believe he was standing outside, arguing about shoes, when he couldn't

care less about them. He pinched the bridge of his nose, indecisive about whether he should kiss her or throttle her.

It was because of the sassy way she'd put her hand on her hip to give him a piece of her mind, the pout of those full lips, and the way the lights flicked across her skin, inviting him to touch. Each movement called out to him.

"Trust me," he said, enunciating each word. "Most men don't care about what you have on your feet." At least they didn't when a woman was on her back under him. "Now put your shoes on and get back inside, and I'll escort you home when the event is over."

Oh, she didn't like that. Her eyes changed color, spitting fire at him. The hand holding the shoes went back to her hip. "Or what? What are you going to do? Nothing."

She turned away and said something in another language. He didn't know what she said, but he was fairly certain whatever it was, she said it in French. She cursed at him. If he'd even doubted it for a minute, her next act confirmed his thought.

When her foot connected with the bottom step, she lifted her hand and stuck her middle finger in the air. She held her hand upright for a long time and added extra energy to her walk. Daring him to do something.

His eyes narrowed as he watched her walk away—in the red dress he helped pick out.

A dress which fit like a second layer of skin on her ripe body. Her perfectly shaped butt cheeks moved up and down beneath the stretchy fabric, her hips rolling as she let them sway side to side like the pendulum on a clock.

His blood boiled as she purposely taunted him, daring him to make a move, like she had that night at Seth's Bar.

Baiting him.

His control snapped like a twig under foot. Her petulant anger shouldn't turn him on, but it did. He wanted to claim her, put his stamp on her.

What are you going to do? Nothing.

Miguel started down the steps.

It was time Samirah Jamison learned a lesson. And he was just the man to teach it to her.

***

I hope you enjoyed the excerpt! Stop by my blog to read Empi's answers to the same questions I answered here.

Buy Private Acts at: Amira Press, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, B&N, Bookstrand

Buy A Hard Man to Love at:All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, B&N

Where to find me online:

Website and blog: http://delaneydiamond.com
Facebook fan page: http://facebook.com/DelaneyDiamond
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/delaneydiamond

***

It's been a pleasure sharing my blog with you, Delaney. Thanks again, for stopping by and sharing your writing with me and friends. One last thing before I sign off: you can enjoy free reads and the first chapter of all Delaney's novels on her website.

Train Stops At…

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Have you ever wondered what a writer's life is like? Do you imagine fame and fortune and a lot of glam? Like many professions, there are truths and myths. And today on my blog tour, I'm talking briefly about my 'the real life of an author' at Michelle Miles' blog. I'm also sharing an excerpt from Chancing Faith.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to drop by and keep me company. And there's always the fact that you can comment for a chance to win free copy of either of my books!

Enjoy your day.