S.C. Mitchell's Blog, page 15

Romance Writers Weekly – In the mood!

Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.

You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/

Click to check out Brenda’s wonderful new novel, When Time Falls Still

If you’re starting your blog hop here, or just hopping over from Brenda Margriet’s wonderful blog, welcome.

Check out The Dream Dancer by Leslie Hachtel.

Today, Leslie Hachtel asks: A writer I know sets her mood with candles and music that suit her characters. Do you do anything special to put you in the right frame of mind to sit down and create?

Well, nothing gets me in the mood to write better than having my head in a story. Each morning I try to have my “quiet time” with a cup of coffee. I let my head wonder through my current WIP (Work In Progress) and really try to picture the next scene, cementing it firmly in my mind. Then when I do sit down to write, it’s all there, ready for me to throw it all onto the page.

That’s pretty much it for me. No candles or soft music. just coffee and story.

Now, Click Here to find out how Leslie Hachtel gets in the mood to write as the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop continues.

Romance Writers Weekly – Let there be fireworks

Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.

You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/

Check out the amazing Psychic Mates Series from A.S. Fenichel

If you’re popping in from A. S. Fenichel’s wonderful blog or just starting your hop here with me, welcome aboard and get ready for some Independence Day fun.

 

Today’s topic comes from A.S. Fenichel – If you live in the U.S., How did you spend yesterday? Tell us about your Independence Day weekend. Now make up a really short story about how you wish you’d spent it. Can be as long or as short as you want, but make us wish we’d been there too. Oh and if you live outside the U.S., you can join the fiction part. If you were visiting during the 4th of July holiday, how do you imagine the day? GET CREATIVE!

Well, as usual with me, the truth is boring. I didn’t really do much out of the ordinary this past weekend. A bit of grilling, some wine, and just kicking back. As a devout introvert, I avoided all the festivities. While I like fireworks, I really try to avoid crowds. YouTube substituted for the real thing this year:

But this video got me thinking.

So:

The view from above.

First contact happened at 5:45 PM on July 4th, 2016. The saucer hovered for a few moments before descending into my back yard. I stood dumbfounded by the grill, almost forgetting to turn the bratwurst.

“We come in peace.” The blue-skinned alien descended the exit ramp holding a glowing golden bottle. “And we bring Magbop. What smells so good?”

“Genuine Sheboygan bratwurst.” They are incredibly tasty. “I’ve got extra.”

Turns out Magbop is very similar to wine, but packs a bit bigger kick. By the second glass we were laughing an joking like we didn’t come from different ends of the galaxy.

As the stars started to twinkle out above, the first explosion lit the night sky.

“Invasion?” Blurg asked, like it happened all the time where he comes from.

“Nope, just fireworks.” he seemed intrigued. “Want to go see?”

“Sure.” He picked up the half empty Magbop bottle and his glass.

I staggered to my feet. “Okay, but you’re driving.”

Watching the fireworks from above, in a hovering flying saucer was one of the high points of the day.

Recovering from the Magbop hangover the next day . . . not so much.

*  *  *

So, how did Marc Stevens spend his holiday? And how would he have? Check it out as the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop continues at: https://marcstevenserotica.wordpress.com/

And check out Marc’s sexy Points Club stories:

 

Romance Writers Weekly – Where did I come up with that idea?

Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.

You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/

The Dream Dancer by Leslie Hachtel.

If you’re sliding in here from Leslie Hachtel’s blog or just starting your hop here, welcome!

Today’s topic comes from A.S. Fenichel – Choose one of your books and tell us where the idea came from. Was it a dream, an overheard conversation, did it spark from a previous book you wrote? How did the idea come to you and how did it evolve into a full story. If you want to share a snippet, that would be awesome too.

Ah, that spark of inspiration.

I’m not sure where it came from, probably inspired by the upcoming Thor movie way back in 2011, but I got the picture of a Norse god on a motorcycle rolling up the rainbow bridge to Asgaard.

From there was born Son of Thunder. Here’s the scene that started it all:

The rainbow was right in front of her. It was surreal and brightly vibrant. As she got closer to it she noted the individual bands of color. Translucent, ethereal, she could see the landscape behind it, richly tinted by the bright colors. The rainbow stretched across the road ahead of them. She could actually see the end point.

“So where is the pot of gold?”

Oh please, that’s just a silly old myth.

There was a hint of humor in the belt’s voice.

The motorcycle was barreling right towards the point where the rainbow met the road and Meghan saw the end curl and stretch out, becoming a ramp. The cycle roared right up onto it.

Suddenly the world was at her back as they climbed up the rainbow steadily—straight up and away toward the clouds. Meghan felt sick, expecting at any time to plummet back toward the ground, but the cycle held true and continued to climb. Gravity seemed to pull down toward the rainbow, and not back toward the earth. The impossibility of what they were doing held her somewhere between fascinated and terrified.

Meghan tightened her grip around Jord’s waist. She wanted to scream. How was any of this possible? Suddenly they were lost in the clouds. The Harley roared along as the mist swirled around them. Then sunlight appeared—the sky overhead was bright and blue. They were up above the clouds.

They reached the top of the rainbow’s arc, but instead of dropping off, it leveled out. Ahead she saw a vast city resting on the clouds. There were tall buildings, shining golden in the sun. Most of them were massive.

The rainbow ended on a street that appeared to be paved with silver stones. Jord pulled up to the first building, a tall tower of a structure. As he turned off the cycle Meghan jumped from the seat and swatted his shoulder.

“You might have warned me a bit, about what to expect.” Her heart was still racing, but now that her feet appeared to be on solid ground again she felt herself calming down.

“Be honest.” He smiled at her. “Would you have believed me if I’d told you?”

So, where did A. S. Fenichel get the idea for her wonderful MAYAN AFTERGLOW novella. Find out here as the RWW blog hop continues:http://asfenichel.com/romance-writers-weekly-get-wonderful-toys/

 

Romance Writers Weekly – Meet me for lunch?

Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.

You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/

Check out The Dream Dancer by Leslie Hachtel.

If you’re sliding in here from Leslie Hachtel’s blog or just starting your hop here, welcome!

Leslie also offers up today’s topic:

If you could have lunch with any writer (living) and just chat about stuff, who would you choose and what do you think you would talk about?

I’m a late bloomer when it comes to romance. My early years were spent with my nose in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Anne McCaffrey, and Robert E. Howard.

My line now is: “You always remember your first romance.” And I certainly do.

One day, about 15 years ago, while I was searching for something new to read, my wife handed me Enchanted by Nora Roberts saying, “I think you’ll like this.”

Wow, did I ever. And I’ve read romance from that time forward. But I always remember my first, and have reread it often.

So my choice would be the amazing Nora Roberts. Who wouldn’t want to sit down to lunch with the Queen of Romance?

And then, of course, I would be speechless. Sigh.

So, who would A.S. Fenichel have lunch with? Find it out as the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop continues at: http://asfenichel.com/blog/

And be sure to check out her amazing Demon Hunters series:

Romance Writers Weekly – What has it gots in its pocketses???

Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.

You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/

I get the dubious honor of kicking off today’s blog hop where today Brenda Margriet asks: What’s in your purse? What does what you carry tell others about you?

And check out this excerpt from Brenda’s amazing novel When Time Falls Still:

Well, I don’t carry a purse, or a murse for that matter, but I do carry a bit of stuff around with me in my pockets.

So let’s take a look:

Keys: Car, house, and all those little bar-code cards you need to shop just about anywhere nowadays.

Pocket knife: For opening packages, cutting strings & threads, and general guy-tool usage.

Nail Clipper: Grooming, precision cutting strings and wires, another multi-purpose tool.

Chap Stick: Necessary especially during Wisconsin winters.

Breath Strips: Because you never know…

Wallet: Cash, Credit Cards, Drivers License.

Business Card Case

Handkerchief

Puppy Poop Bag (I don’t have a dog, but I do walk my daughter’s puppy on a daily basis. Always good to have a backup.)

Not Pictured: My iPhone, because I used it to take the picture.

Now hop on over to Xio Axelrod’s blog to see what she carries with her: http://www.xioaxelrod.com/

But before you leave,check out one of my favorite new series, Xio’s amazing Falling Stars series:

Yet another cover reveal – Between Venus and Mars

I’m thrilled to be part of Soul Mate Publishing’s flagship project, the Soul Mate Tree.

Starting in January Soul Mate will be releasing 13 books, one per month, in this exciting new series.

My story, Between Venus and Mars is scheduled for an August release. I know, that’s over a year away, but we all did get our covers, and they’re amazing.

Here’s mine:

Between Venus and Mars

(A science fiction romantic comedy)

Blurb:

Once Upon a Galaxy . . .

Zana Starchild is on a mission to restore her tribe’s livestock and save herself from one more meal of kelp. Sure, it’s technically illegal to visit Old Earth, but to a rim rat like Zana, galactic laws are really just guidelines. Her wrecked starship just means she’ll need to use her backup plan to get off the abandoned world, an old Earth legend her uncle passed down to her.

Pulled from a relaxing shower, across the galaxy to Old Earth, Galactic Marshall Kyle Kepler finds himself naked and marooned with a quirky rim rat. Zana’s broken more laws than Kyle can count, and he plans to arrest her, just as soon as he can find transport off the planet and a pair of pants.

A junk heap of a starship, a magical tree, and a roving gang of mutant kangaroos are just the beginning of rollicking intergalactic journey filled with laughs, love, and adventure.

Daughter of Darkness – Cover reveal

The latest chapter in the Heavenly Wars saga launches in June, and I’ve just been advised it will be going up for presale in the next few days, so I’d like to share the cover and blurb:

Blurb:

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’d been kicked out of heaven.”

After a thousand years in exile, the goddess Nott learned to live without interaction with the other Norse Gods. Hidden away amidst the devastation of a dead heaven, and working to aid the besieged mortals of Midgaard, Nott found peace. The night is her realm, and darkness her best friend. But war finds her. And her grandfather, Loki, wants her at his side, when he conquers Asgaard.

 

And then there’s Tyr . . .

 

Visions of the Night Goddess have haunted Tyr’s dreams for a millennium. Unjustly accused, she’d fled Asgaard before he could stop her. Now, circumstances offer him an opportunity to reconnect with the woman who’d walked away from the Golden Realm—the woman who’d eluded him for a thousand years, yet always haunted his dreams. But Nott’s family ties threaten to put the goddess on the other side, in a war that’s blazing across the heavens.

Romance Writers Weekly – A Space To Create

Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.

You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/

 

If you’ve just hopped over from Carrie Elks blog or are starting your hop here, welcome.

Coming Down by Carrie Elks.

And check out Carrie’s’s wonderful contemporary romance novel, Coming Down:

Today’s topic comes from Brenda Margriet – Describe your perfect writing space/retreat. Do you need hustle and bustle or peace and quiet? Coffee shop or secluded cabin?

Click picture to check out When Time Falls Still by Brenda Margriet.

I’m lucky enough to have my perfect writing space right in my home. My desk, bookshelves, computer with two displays, and coffee, tea, and food right down the hall in the kitchen. I’m not one for noisy, I usually don’t even play music. I need quiet to listen to my characters. Sometimes they talk very quietly.

 

My workspace.

So where is Marc Stevens‘ perfect writing space? Stop by his blog at https://marcstevenserotica.wordpress.com/ to find out as the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop continues.

And check out Marc’s fun and sexy novella, Suburban Spies in the Cherished Secrets anthology:

Check out Suburban Spies by Marc Stevens.

Romance Writers Weekly – Finding the right spot.

Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.

You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/

If you’ve just hopped over from Leslie Hachtel’s blog or are starting your hop here, welcome.

And check out Leslie’s wonderful historical fantasy novel, Dream Dancer:

 

Today’s topic comes from the wonderful Carrie Elks – How do you choose the location for you books? Do you pick somewhere you’ve already been, or do you research creatively, using Google and other methods to find the perfect spot?

Location, location, location.

Well, in my writing many times I’m making up my locations. In my new Hearts in Orbit series I have a whole galaxy (2 galaxies actually) to populate with planets, star bases, and futuristic cities. I do research astronomical terms to help in the naming, but the rest comes from Science Fiction movies and books, and the craziness that is my imagination.

I do much more research for my Heavenly Wars series. All the Norse mythological realms and the aspects of other mythology I use. I was happy to stumble across the Parthenon in Nashville, which I’ve used as a gateway to Mount Olympus. I also did a search to find information on the Atlanta Airport, which I later had Jord Thorson tear up a bit.

Sometimes my locations are based on places I’ve been, but often I rely on the internet, mostly Google search, to find me that perfect spot to set my stories.

And speaking of location, Brenda Margriet’s blog is the next location on our Romance Writers Weekly blog hop – http://www.brendamargriet.com/blog

If you’re looking for something tasty to read, check out Brenda’s wonderful Chef d’Amour:

 

Romance Weekly – TSTL

Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.

You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/

If you’ve just hopped over from Dani Jace’s blog, or are starting your hop here, welcome.

 

And be sure to check out Dani’s blazing hot novel, Hot as Blazes.

 

 

Our topic for today: Good reviews, we love them! Bad reviews, we hate them…but some of them are helpful. What was your favorite negative review?

While researching for today’s blog, I went back and looked at my reviews. The good news is, I don’t have any reviews I would call bad. The bad news, I don’t have all that many reviews. So I have to take a bit of license with today’s topic.

The one time that really stands out to me as a negative comment influencing me is quite a few years ago while writing Son of Thunder. I submitted the first 2,500 words of my unfinished manuscript to a regional romance writers contest expecting glowing comments and (of course) a first place prize.

I didn’t even place. What I got instead were judges comments on how the start of my novel wasn’t very good. One judge in particular really took me to task on Meghan, my heroine, stating that she was TSTL.

I had to Google that: Too Stupid To Live

Whoa! Was she that bad?

I read over the chapter and yeah, that judge had it right. She was wimpy and two-dimensional, needing to be saved by the hero a number of times in only the first few pages. That one comment made me go back and completely re-imagine my heroine. Meghan became a strong, kick-ass hero in her own right, and a ton more fun to write. Since then this one little comment has colored the creation of all my heroines. No more TSTL for me.

So, what has Leslie Hachtel learned from her negative reviews? (Does she really have any?) Find out by following this link: http://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com

And  be sure to check out Leslie’s wonderful novel, The Defiant Bride: