Danica Winters's Blog, page 9
September 23, 2012
Guest Blogger and Author Margot Vesel Rising
My name is Margot Vesel Rising, a composer and author. A few years ago after church every Sunday, a group of widows went out for lunch. Some of the women were exchanging books with each other. I finally asked what they were reading. They said romance novels. I asked if they wouldn’t like to read stories about people of our own age. They agreed that they‘d enjoy that. That is when I seriously started to write with a purpose.
Having composed for years, I decided to use part of my life as a composer for WHIRLWIND. That was followed by Whirlwind II and BEYOND THE WHIRLWIND. All of them were about an older woman composer and her romance. I followed with other books about younger women, but I found it was easy to put older people along with the younger ones. My thought was that there would be something of interest for everyone.
One by one, I published nine novels through iUniverse. When Books To Go Now accepted ORPHAN ON MY DOORSTEP, I was thrilled that I didn’t have to spend one cent on it. It is now an eBook. It has more than one story in the novel, and I hope people enjoy it as much I have enjoyed writing it. (By the way, the orphan is not a child, but a young woman who grew up in foster homes.)
We all need to have some reason to write a book, even if it just an idea for the plot. My mother wrote poetry in Germany and many of them were published. After learning the language, she started to write again. The year before she died, a publisher accepted several of them to print in his next book of poetry. Unfortunately, his wife wrote a month later that she had to return the poems. Her husband had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and they closed the publishing company immediately. I felt bad for Mother; but two years after her death, I wondered why I couldn’t write a novel around her poems. I enclosed a few of my own (really nothing compared to Mother’s poetry) and POETIC JUSTICE was created.
I composed my music as Margot Vesel , (my name at that time.) I try to use Margot Vesel Rising when the novels concern music.
I valued the editor of Books To Go Now who read my book and made suggestions for corrections. It is wonderful to have someone read the words I wrote. Self-publishing companies like iUniverse don’t read or edit them unless you pay them to do it. The cost has gone up so much, I can’t afford to publish any more with them.
I can only hope that ORPHAN ON MY DOORSTEP is read by many and enjoyed.
Please feel free to connect with Margot on Facebook!
Or Check out her books on Amazon!
September 20, 2012
“Casual Day at the Crazy House,” Where It Came From, and a Cool Giveaway by Helen W. Mallon
A very warm Thank You to Danica Winters for hosting me today!
I’m thrilled to announce the release of my new short story!
In 2007, I decided to break from work on my novel and write a new short story. Problem was, I had no ideas…I tried doing writing exercises, but the results were lame and embarrassing. Embarrassing I could work with, but lame has to be left alone to nurse its sore leg. I tried not caring, but that only reminded me that I wasn’t writing.
Some ingredients were already in place: I wanted a character who used the old-fashioned Quaker plain speech; I wanted to question liberal white racial attitudes, but not in a heavy-handed way. (There’s a line of dialogue in “Casual Day at the Crazy House” that someone actually said it to me. Anyone who correctly identifies it will receive a previous story, free.)
Then we went to the movies: The Darjeeling Limited, (directed by Wes Anderson), a study in privilege if there ever was one.
3 brothers tote very expensive luggage across India in search of their estranged mother. Photo courtesy of: http://emmab90.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/the-darjeeling-limited-2007/
The only direct relationship between the movie and “Crazy House” is that two of my characters are Indian. I didn’t make the connection until several drafts into the story. I didn’t watch it and think, Wow, Indian characters would make this piece! I hijacked them without realizing it.
The actual inspiration was murky, but I left the theater with a solid idea in place: What if the father in a family suddenly moves into the bathroom and won’t come out? It’s a quirky, Wes-Anderson-y idea.
My conscious mind, which had been grinding away, took a vacation during the movie. The unconscious, often the smarter sibling, was free to soak in the movie’s fantastic imagery.
*Bloggers: Anyone who re-posts this blog will receive a free copy of “Casual Day,” but please send me your link: hmallon@navpoint.com
Enjoy this excerpt from “Casual Day at the Crazy House”
“Dad?” He didn’t move. I noticed his bald spot was getting bigger. “Dad. I’ve got a question?”
“Everything changes,” he told the window. Then he turned. “Ah, Livvie.” His smile looked like it hurt.
I gave him the Cheezits. “My thanks. Have a seat.” The chair Dad offered visitors was the toilet, but I never sat there. He slept in what used to be a large, old-fashioned bathtub before he moved his bedding in here. He kept clean in the freestanding shower, which otherwise held a rack with extra clothes.
“Cheezit?”
I shook my head. Dad sat on the bathtub’s edge, munching and sad. “You’ll graduate soon.” He sounded like I had stage three cancer.
“Ye-ah…”
“How’s that English seminar going? Seaver still as sharp as when I had him?”
How would I know? “Maybe.” Dad used to take me out, comparing restaurants. Then poof. Last October in the middle of roast lamb and vegetables, he stood up white-faced and gasped— as if he’d suddenly remembered something—knocking over his chair. He straightened it and left the room. Mom went right on with her story about a stray bat in the Assisted Living wing where she worked….Within a week he had moved into the bathroom. There, thanks to wireless and his cell, he continued running his company. Nobody seemed to think all this was as weird as I did. “The energy in the house is imbalanced,” Mom had said, pushing out a laugh. Gammy got an inward look. “There always was more to him. Give it time.”
When you’re stuck for a story idea, how do you handle it? A random commenter will receive a copy of my story, “You Say You Want a Revolution”
The Next Big Thing! “Casual Day at the Crazy House” http://ftheeiwasateenagequaker.wordpress.com/
September 9, 2012
Exciting News…
My newest work, The Vampire’s Hope, is to be released September 11, 2012! I am so glad to bring this work to your e-book reading shelf. This novella has been an incredibly fun pet project as it has taken me over a year from start to publication. I’ve always loved Vampires and couldn’t resist the urge to write a Vamp book for all of my loyal fans. I hope you enjoy The Vampire’s Hope as much as I have.
In The Vampire’s Hope, Ellie Smith, an emotionally stunted dancer, finds more than she bargains for after her human life is taken by the vampire, Master Liam.
Once inside the Vampire’s underground lair, the Keres Den, she meets Ian, an immortal Viking warrior, who is infiltrating the soulless prison. As Ellie begins her training, she learns that the dark tunnels around her are filled with even darker secrets.
As the truth of her existence come to light, she is faced with a choice—does she let her past dictate her future, or can she begin to feel again?
Available September 11th through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books To Go Now, and all major book retailers!
Excerpt from The Vampire’s Hope:
CHAPTER ONE
The couple in front of her stood under the bar’s lopsided mistletoe, their lips pressed against each other in a gesture of Christmas spirit. On the man’s lapel was a white rose, smashed against the woman’s full breast.
The sight made Ellie Smith laugh. Ellie was the same age as the two lip-locked party goers, yet they were so much younger. They wore the white rose of hope—probably hope for love that would undoubtedly turn bad, or hope that the holidays would bring them the gifts of eternal bliss… those naïve fools.
The couple parted and their cheeks glowed with the pink twinges of arousal. The sight was more than she could handle and she looked away. They were luckier than they knew. They probably did not have any idea what it was like to be without a bed for the night, without a home, without purpose, and without hope.
To her left a thick-set, redheaded man approached. His shoulders were erect and he walked with a stride that conveyed power. Catching Ellie’s eye, he smiled the grim smile of subtle manipulation.
Whatever he wanted, he wouldn’t get it from her.
A blonde man with an arched smile stepped out from behind the threatening redhead and sat down at the table. “Hello, Elpis. Welcome to The Ravena.”
The way he said her name made her skin crawl.
The blonde waved his hand at the rows of booze and the surly bartender. “I hope you like the bar.”
The bar was like any number of others, just another stop in her constant travel through the dark world of the forgotten.
“Thanks. I have no idea how you know my given name, but I’d rather you called me Ellie.”
“Sorry, Ellie.”
“Are you the owner of this place?”
The blonde motioned to the dangerous-looking redhead behind him.
She knew she should fear them, but there was nothing inside of her heart. “I need a job. Are you hiring? I can dance.”
The blonde laughed. He looked over his shoulder at the red-headed man. “She doesn’t have a clue.”
He turned back to her as if he had said nothing to the man who was clearly his boss. “My name is Ian. And this is Master Liam…” He pointed at the rigid redheaded man.
“What are you after?”
The club’s music filled the silence between them.
Ian smirked. “Master Liam would like a dance.”
Ellie gazed over Ian’s blonde hair and his features—his eyes were the same blue as the sea, and his face was wide and rugged. He looked like a portrait of a Viking.
Master Liam extended his hand in a silent command to dance. She looked back at the handsome Viking. Liam was a threat, but so was Ian. Was it better to go after a powerful man who she wasn’t attracted to in hopes of getting a job, or was it better to forget her chance of getting hired and stay with the handsome Viking?
For once Ellie wondered what it was like to feel something—anything. If she was normal, would she blush? Would her lust move her nearer to him? Instead, she only felt the dull emptiness inside of her breast. Was there truly life without emotion?
Ellie slipped her hand into Master Liam’s. He led her to the dance floor, but she could sense Ian’s eyes upon her.
Master Liam moved in a stiff, archaic way and his hands never strayed from her waist. Not that she minded. It was nice not to be groped. What kind of dancer would Ian be?
She looked back at her table. Ian stared at her with a hunger in his eyes. She dropped her gaze. If he wanted her, he didn’t act the part.
Master Liam said nothing to her as she looked up into his face. His eyes were filled with lust and they slowly danced their way to the farthest recess of the dance floor. His cold hands forced her head back and she stared up at the ceiling.
He pushed her against the wall.
He slowly bent down, taking each movement in his own unhurried time. He inhaled and blew his chilled breath against the skin of her neck.
He wasn’t the man she wanted, but a job was a job—however she had to get it.
Liam leaned in, and instead of kissing her lips, he pressed his face into her neck and caressed her skin with his icy lips.
She drew in a breath and her pulse quickened.
His teeth pierced her skin, and she started to shriek, but his hand clamped down over her opening lips. She struggled but as he drained her, weakness won. A fire burned where his teeth dug into her flesh. Acid filled her veins.
With her last thought, she envisioned the white rose on the stranger’s lapel. No emotion, no hope…
September 1, 2012
Introducing Caroline Mickelson
Book Synopsis
Little Italy, 1946 – Sophia Mancini would have enjoyed the grand opening celebration of her family’s private detective agency if the volatile chef at Vincenzo’s Ristorante had actually survived the meal. But before Sophia’s chilled spoon hit the spumoni, someone plunged a knife into Vincenzo’s back and the word on everyone’s lips went from mangia to murder.
Sophia soon finds herself trailing crime boss Frankie Vidoni, chatting with his mouthy mistress Maria, and dodging henchman Mooch DiMuccio. She’s suspicious of Vincenzo’s widow, Stella, and his assistant chef, Eugene, because they don’t appear the least bit dismayed by Vincenzo’s passing. There is no conversation Sophia won’t eavesdrop on, no question she won’t ask, and no danger she won’t face to find the killer.
About the Author:
Caroline Mickelson loves her family and loves to write. She also loves a good adventure, among her favorites thus far were attending graduate school in a Scottish castle, riding a camel around the Pyramids in Giza, and taking a best-in-a-lifetime road trip to Graceland. Caroline lives in the American southwest with her husband and their four children, affectionately known as The Miracles.
Learn more about Caroline at: www.carolinemickelson.com
Excerpt:
“Murder looks like our best option.” Sophia Mancini pushed her plate of cold uneaten pasta away. Murder was on her mind, not marinara.“I’ve been over this in my mind a million times, Angelo. We definitely need to add murder to our list.”
Her older brother let out a slow sigh and rubbed his eyes. “Murder is so complicated, sis. There are so many details to keep track of and you know it’s going to trip me up.”
“I’ll be right there with you.” Sophia reached over and squeezed his hand. “I can handle the details and no one will be the wiser.”
“So you’ll be the brains of the operation? And what does that make me? Just a pretty face?” He pushed away from the table, frustration etched on his.
Sophia poured more Chianti into her glass and then refilled her brother’s glass. “Don’t sell yourself short. Before the war you were a fine police officer and everyone here in Little Italy knows that.” She took a sip and quickly replaced the glass on the table. The wine tasted bitter but she knew it was just her own gnawing worry that was ruining an otherwise fine bottle of vino. “The Nazis are to blame for your injuries, not you. But you’ll be to blame if you don’t sit down, get serious and help find a way out of the mess we’re in.”
She waited while her brother settled himself across from her once again. He drained his wine glass and poured another, a sure sign that he was as worried as she was. Her brother wasn’t a drinker.
“Remind me what we’ve got so far, Sophia.”
“Theft, burglary, blackmail – the usual. But if we throw murder in I think it will really boost our reputation.” She met her brother’s gaze and winked. “It will give everyone something to talk about anyway.”
Angelo didn’t respond to her attempt at humor. This serious, sad man across from her was altogether different from the young, happy, confident man who’d shipped out to fight with the Allied forces three years ago. Home four months now, he was struggling with a head injury that had obliterated his short term memory and ability to retain details. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’d shipped out a married man with a beautiful young pregnant wife he loved beyond reason. He’d come home a widower to find that Luciano, his toddler son, didn’t know him from the milk man. Added to the pile of worry and stress, Angelo’s memory problems made returning to work as a police officer impossible. In turn prompted his in-laws, who had never approved of their daughter marrying an Italian-American beat cop, sued for custody of little Luciano. What little Angelo hadn’t already lost, he now stood to lose. The judge granted them thirty days to prove they could start a viable business.
“Face it, Sophia, the Burkwaites have more power and more money than we’ll ever have.”
Tears pooled in Angelo’s eyes.
Anger burned in Sophia’s heart.
She grabbed her brother’s arm and shook him, desperate to snap him out of his sad state. His helplessness scared her more than her own rage did.
“Listen to me, Angelo, Charlotte’s family has all the money and power they need to threaten us. But we can give Luciano all of the love and devotion he needs. He’s your son, Angelo. He needs you to fight for him.” She held her breath and waited for an answer. A single tear slid down his cheek. The only sound in the room was her brother’s heart breaking.
“Okay, Sophia, you win.” Angelo squared his shoulders. “I’ll do anything to keep Luciano at home with us.” He refilled his glass and raised it.
Sophia grinned and raised hers.
“A la famigilia,” they toasted in unison. To the family.
“You’ll be with me every step of the way, Sophia?”
She nodded. “Just like always, Angelo. I’ll be right next to you or-” her spirits restored, she couldn’t resist teasing him, “a step ahead.”
“And with your plan the Burkwaites will never get custody of my son?”
“If they do, it will be over my dead body.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” He flashed her a smile that reminded her of the carefree pre-war brother she’d always counted as her best friend. “Now let me hear your plan again from start to end.” He reached for a notebook and pencil. “You talk, I’ll write.”
Sophia smiled. “You know, Angelo, this murder business could actually be kind of fun if we do it right.”
Please feel free to leave Caroline Mickelson comments below!
August 22, 2012
What I’m Working On…
This week marks the near completion of summer. Schools are about to start, life is about to slow down and take a turn down the road of routine. I welcome the change with open arms. This summer has been filled with such incredible events; I’ve signed with an incredible literary agency, I’ve had my debut novel released in paperback (To learn more about the book or purchase please click here.), I’ve finished my second Veela novel, I’ve sold a novel and novella, and I’ve just finished writing the rough draft of the first book in my next series (though edits are still in order).
I’ve been so consumed with the events of the summer that I’d like to give my readers a view into the life of my work-in-progress. This new series is centered around the lives of Irish Travellers and their trials as they come to terms with the cultural and social changes that are occurring within their lives, while also dealing with paranormal activities. I can’t express how fun this book has been to work on. It’s dark, gritty–with unexpected twists and turns, and above all Exciting! (I’ll say no more.)
The Irish Traveller Series is set in Adare Village, Limerick Co Ireland, which is said to be Ireland’s most picturesque village. Below is a cottage in Adare. One can easily see why the village would be given such a title.
Near the village there is a cryptic, mystical, and enchanting Adare Manor, where the majority of the first book takes place. I fell in love at first glance.
Today, I’ve been working on a particular scene in Lady Caroline’s Room, which is said to be the most mysterious and symbolic room of Adare Manor, as it’s filled with angels and secrets.
From the pictures, I hope you can tell why I have been a whirlwind of writing this summer–with settings like these it has been easy to be inspired and to fall in love with the Irish Traveller Series. I hope to bring it to you soon! And I hope you enjoy the last bit of summer.
Slainte! (Cheers!)
August 12, 2012
Montana Romance Writers Conference 2012
As some of you may know, I am an officer for Montana Romance Writers. This is a group I am immensely proud to belong to. Each member brings a different perspective, talent, or expertise in which has helped the group grow and become a successful and nationally recognized organization that has touched lives of authors from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and even Africa. For the first time, this group of prestigious writers have come together to create an opportunity for new and seasoned writers from around Montana and the United States to come together, share ideas, network, and learn. I proud to announce we are having our first official Montana Romance Writers Conference. I hope to see you there!
2012 Montana Romance Writers Conference**
**(From the official Montana Romance Writers Website)
Montana Romance Writers
2012 Writers Conference
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort September 28th, 29th & 30th
Come join us for a few days of fun, learning and networking! Our talented group of Montana romance writers include
New York Times Best Selling Author Kat Martin as well as
USA Today bestselling author, B.J. Daniels.
We’re committed to helping the writers within this great state of ours succeed as writers.
The inaugural Montana Writers Conference will give far-flung Montana romance writers the opportunity to learn, meet and re-energize for the work it takes to complete a novel and still have a life! Benefits for attending include:
Better understanding of the positive/negatives of your writing
Marketing of your published works to other writers in Montana
Networking opportunities
Keynote: How to Become an Overnight Success
After 19 years and 60 books, B.J. Daniels will share her secret to building a long-term writing career. She’ll talk about being true to yourself as a writer, hanging in there and how important it is to write a lot of books!
(Continued)
To Register or Learn More Please Visit: The official Montana Romance Writers Website!!!
July 20, 2012
The Key to Becoming a Great Romance Author is Having a Sense of Humor…
One of my favorite and least favorite conversations is when I introduce myself to a new person. I wait for the inevitable question, “What do you do for a living?” My heart quickens, because I love my job. I love writing. I love creating. I love imagining the impossible.
“I’m a romance author.” I smile proudly.
Then from their reaction I know who the person is: the non-romance reader cringes, the romance reader smiles excitedly and spills over with questions (I love these meetings—can you say ‘instant friendship?’), literary writers smirk and genre writers smile proudly and exclaim ‘Me too!’.
It is truly amazing what you can learn from a person in the five seconds following my simple statement.
Next I’m often asked, by the non-romance readers, “Why would you do that?” It’s almost as if, by writing romance, in their mind, I’m instantly delegated to the social rank of a stripper or porn star. Little do they know I’m far different than a porn star…I’m a professional writer—I know no pole dancing moves (not that I wouldn’t give it a shot), I don’t know camera angles, or movie making lingo, and I’ve never (intentionally) shown my ‘girls’ in public.
What I most dislike about this assumption is the fact that they believe I’m writing smut. My internal dialogue goes crazy. Don’t they realize the amount of work that goes into writing a novel? Story structure? Pacing? Dialogue? Plot? Acts? Critiquing? Editing? Going to conferences? Teaching classes? Writing blogs? Pitching the novel? Writing the queries and the dreaded Synopsis? I’m sure they don’t mean to offend me, but the ‘smut’ that they are judging me for, is about 5 pages out of my 300 page novels. It’s less than 1% of my work. Yet, it comprises 100% of their opinion. I don’t walk into their job and point at their coffee cup and say, “Why do you do that?” (Though now, I think I just may.)
During these lapses in conversational etiquette I always bite my tongue and give them the well-worn answer. “I love it. It’s a lot of fun.” And I leave it at that. If the person eventually becomes my friend, they begin to learn all that goes into writing, all the victories and the defeats, and soon they come to realize that most writing (even some literary) is, at their core, romance. And over a glass of wine, they come to learn that most writers are not porn stars or stippers, instead only humorists in disguise.
July 14, 2012
My Romantic Suspense Journey by Guest Blogger Trish Jackson
Danica: Today I have the privelege of sharing a little bit more about Romantic Suspense author, Trish Jackson. Welcome, Trish. Can you tell us about your experience writing Romantic Suspense?
Trish: First, thank you Danica for inviting me to be a guest on you blog.
I write contemporary romantic suspense and romantic comedy. My stories take place in our world as it is today. And they have an edge—blood, gore, and adventure mingle with sizzling hot love scenes. Add a dose of humor to the mix, and you get to experience a whole gamut of emotions—passionate heat, rolling on the floor laughter, and spine-chilling fear.
Stories have always been a part of my life—and I absolutely believe love and romance make the world go round.
There was no such thing as self-publishing or the Internet when I started writing my first novel. You had to submit your work to the various publishing houses, whose editors were like gods, and picked only a few manuscripts from the “slush pile”—the name they gave to the mountains of submitted works on their desks. “Expect rejections”, writers were told. I did, and I handled them as graciously as I could—with muttering and foot-stamping.
Finally, in 2002, Publish America accepted my novel Way Out of Line. I was ecstatic—until I had a falling out with them over the ridiculously high retail price they set. I had signed over my rights for seven years and there was nothing more I could do—except keep writing.
In 2010, the world was a different place. The Internet, and the invention of eBooks had turned the publishing world upside down and put the power in the hands of the writers. No more slush piles.
I knew my novel, Redneck P.I. was good. I was sure others would love reading it, and I was overjoyed when eBook publisher Uncial Press accepted it, especially when I found I had an editor to help me hone the book into the great story it is today. It’s about self-professed redneck, Twila Taunton, who has to choose between two sexy twins. She chooses Harland—kind of—and works for him in his P.I. business. Her Harley-riding, weed-smoking great aunt Essie and her hacker-wizard neighbor Gasser Cunha help her bring a vicious killer to justice. Politically incorrect and a little crazy—definitely. Such fun to write!
As soon as my rights reverted back to me, I submitted Way Out of Line to Uncial Press. My editor, Jude, said she was so intrigued by the story that she read a hundred pages and totally forgot she was supposed to be editing. When she said it made her cry, I knew it was really good. I still cry every time I read the ending—and I know what’s going to happen! It’s a story about two kids from Texas who end up in the African wilderness, and love that has no bounds.
I’ve always loved animals, and in Kickassitude, the sequel to Redneck P.I., Twila is adopted by a dog named Scratch, who wears a black leather studded collar and rides on the back of her Harley. I also cry every time I read this one—and trust me—I have read it a gazillion times when editing. My publisher will release it in March 2013.
I’m currently working on Impassioned where small town Colorado veterinarian Riley Shaughnessy, who owns a palomino mare called Flight of Fancy, is forced to confront her darkest moments from the past. It is also a tear-jerker. I’m jazzed about it and spend every free moment getting an adrenalin rush working on it.
Danica: Could you tell us a little more about yourself?
Trish: I grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe, Africa, and lived through many adventures that sparked my imagination, including having to keep a loaded UZI by my side every night in case of an attack by armed terrorists. I love animals and my grand children, and am happiest in my country home in Florida tapping out a new novel on my computer keyboard.
Website: http://www.trishjackson.com
https://www.facebook.com/redneckpi/app_191387770912394http://www.facebook.com/redneckpi
http://romanticreviewramble.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @trishjaxon
July 8, 2012
The Inspiration Behind the Book by Guest Blogger MK McClintock
I am excited to host a fellow Montana-based author, MK McClintock, on my blog. McClintock is an entrepreneur, baker, photographer, tour host, reviewer, and multi-genre author. She was born on the west coast, but after less than eight years she left with her family to the Rocky Mountains. After more adventures around the country, business-college, and culinary school, McClintock found a place to call home in Montana.
Over the years McClintock traveled the country and visited magnificent Scotland. She dreams of a time when life was simpler, the land rougher, and the journey more rewarding. With her heart deeply rooted in the past and her mind always on adventure, McClintock will always call Montana home.
Please make her feel welcome.
Danica: Could you please tell us where you get your inspiration for Gallagher’s Pride?
McClintock: Have you ever imagined another way of life? Have you ever dreamt of living in another time? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have an adventure that may seem completely out of reach?
Chances are these questions inspire many writers and many books, but each of these is at the core of why I write and how Gallagher’s Pride, and the series, came to be. The story didn’t just come to me out of nowhere—it was nurtured by years of dreaming. Ever since I saw my first western movie, I thought how exciting and wonderful it would be to live that life. I had already begun reading historical romances long before this, but it was watching that first western that planted the seed in my mind about historical western romances.
I allowed the seed to grow and the ideas to form until I no longer had thoughts churning around in my head. Instead I met the Gallagher family. I began to see their struggles and hard work. I felt their pain and joy, their sorrows and accomplishments. They became as real as the mountains and streams of Montana-they became family.
Then I met Brenna, a Scottish woman of undeniable strength and I fell in love with the Cameron family, just as I had the Highlands. It seemed so natural for Brenna to come from the land of my heart. I watched as she raced over the green hills on the back her mare, Heather. I felt the anguish at her loss and admire her strength for enduring and making a journey she knew had to be made.
As I walked along the Swan River or stood on top of Mt. Aeneas and looked out over the valley I call home, I knew the Gallaghers would find happiness and adventure in this remarkable place. I saw them build their ranch from nothing and bring a family into the world so that they may carry on the legacy. I knew their lives wouldn’t be easy, but I also knew they would find love and a reason to survive on this wild land.
As sure as I’m breathing, there was no way to stop the story from taking on a life of its own. The true inspiration behind the book is the Gallagher family. Without them there would be no story. They inspired me, not the other way around.
Danica: I can certainly understand how you could find inspiration along the Swan River or on top of MT. Aeneas. Thanks for sharing how you became inspired. Your story is so lovely. I’m sure I’m with my readers that we can’t wait to read your book. Talking about your book, where can we find Gallagher’s Pride?
McClintock: Thank you all for your support. If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to click on the links below.
Amazon Link
Amazon Kindle Link
Gallagher’s Pride Book Trailer
Danica: Thank you so much for visiting my blog and sharing your work. To my readers, please feel free to ask MK and questions you have. She loves to her comments!
July 1, 2012
A Little More About the Paranormal Romance Novel Curse of the Wolf
I was asked to give an interview about my work and my recently released novel, Curse of the Wolf. I thought you, my regular readers, would enjoy learning more about the novel. May my passion become yours!
1. What was the inspiration behind your novel, Curse of the Wolf?
I am a Wikipedia addict. Call me a nerd, but when I have down time I like to surf around their site launching from one idea to the next. One day while I was researching mythologies, I ran across an image of a Veela, a creature similar to a nymph with one large exception—if a Veela falls in love with a mortal man, the man is fated to die a tragic death. Forbidden love? There is no better premise for a great romance.
2. You have some really interesting character names in this book. Where did you get these names?
When writing this book I was reading an English Anthology (a course book from an old college class). I ran upon Sir Edmund Spenser’s epic poem, The Faerie Queen. From its allegorical form I borrowed the name Una and added Sachlich (translated to something like One Objective) to optimize the cruelty of the character. Archimago also came from this book as the perfect antagonist.
Baldur and Hodur came from a Norse myth about two brothers along with their father Odin.
3. What other works did you look to when creating this book?
It might sound strange, but I also read and re-read Madame Butterfly for inspiration (and I loved listening to Andrea Bocelli while working). The tragedy of this opera was something I wanted to emulate in my work (while also keeping it a true romance novel).
4. What is the significance of the butterfly on your cover?
Initially Curse of the Wolf was entitled, Mending Butterfly Wings but it was decided this was too much of a literary title and didn’t help readers to know what they were to expect when reading the novel. As for the butterfly, it is a figurative and metaphorical representation of the main character, Gloriana Canis, and her journey.
5. How would you describe the way you work as a writer?
I have two small children who keep me occupied with their constant pleading for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and mac and cheese. Yes, I do attempt to feed my kids healthier foods, but kids will be kids. I am always trying to squeeze in a little writing whenever I get the chance. Each day I set myself a goal to write at least a thousand words—which often means I’m awake until the wee hours of the morning.
6. What writing advice was most beneficial to you?
I’m lucky enough to work with a group of other published authors who have greatly increased the quality of my writing (I was not an English Major). They are always sharing tidbits of knowledge such as never use adverbs (see greatly above). The best advice I have received comes from many glasses of wine and a great deal of laughter. To quote from Disney’s, Finding Nemo, “Just keep swimming.” You will have bad and good days, you will receive great reviews and poor reviews, but you must keep pursuing your dream.
7. You are a traditionally published author. Any thoughts on the divide between independent publishing and traditional publishing?
This is a tough question. I think there is merit in both paths. For the first time in publishing we, as artists, have been given a bit of power as to how our work is presented to the world. I love my publishers and am honored to work with such great teams of people who help to bring my visions to life, but I know other authors who have had mixed feelings when it came to working with the traditional publishing world.
I think that it comes down to the type of person and writer that you are. If you like to work with a team so that you can concentrate on the creative aspects of writing then by all means strive for traditionally publishing, but if you are a person who is incredibly self-motivated and who enjoys, and has the time to pursue, the business side of publishing, then indie publication may be a good fit.
You can find Curse of the Wolf on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Ravenous Romance, and most major e-book distributors. It will also be available in paperback August 2012! If you have any questions about the book please feel free to leave a comment. Thank you and Happy Reading!
-Danica Winters
