Lia Davis's Blog, page 61

Spotlight: Charmed Spirits by Carrie Ann Ryan

 

Charmed Spirits – Holiday, Montana Book 1 

Jordan Cross has returned to Holiday, Montana after eleven long years to clear out her late aunt’s house, put it on the market, and figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Soon, she finds herself facing the town that turned its back on her because she was different. Because being labeled a witch in a small town didn’t earn her many friends…especially when it wasn’t a lie.

Matt Cooper has lived in Holiday his whole life. He’s perfectly content being a bachelor alongside his four single brothers in a very small town. After all, the only woman he’d ever loved ran out on him without a goodbye. But now Jordan’s back and just as bewitching as ever. Can they rekindle their romance with a town set against them?

Warning: Contains an intelligent, sexy witch with an attitude and drop-dead gorgeous man who likes to work with his hands, holds a secret that might scare someone, and really, really, likes table tops for certain activities. Enough said.

 

Find it On:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Kobo

 Find it in Print Here:

eStore | Amazon | Barnes & Noble Coming Soon

For more information and to read the first chapter click HERE.

Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate – even if its just in her books. Happy endings are always near – even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Her first book, An Alpha’s Path, is the first in her Redwood Pack series. She’s also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:

Website | Blog |  Heartthrob Haven | Facebook Author Page  | Facebook Friend | Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan | Goodreads | Pinterest

Author interview with Rhonda Carver

I am excited to have Rhonda Lee Carver with me to day! Thanks so much for coming. 

Is Dreaming Ivy a single title, or part of a series?

Dreaming Ivy is a single title.

 

What were your inspirations for the story?

I love stories of haunting and ghostly sightings. I watched The Messengers.  The haunted, dilapidated house was my inspiration for Dreaming Ivy. Although the stories are nothing alike, the house gave me tons of creativity.

 

Please share your setting for Dreaming Ivy. Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?  

Morgan Sites is a fictional place in Ohio. Most of my stories have fake settings. I like creating my own place for the characters. One reason is, if I’ve never visited a place, it’d be hard to recreate the setting. I’d rather conjure up one and make it seem real. A few years back I visited Texas and it has been the inspiration for many of my settings. Double Dare and Second Chance Cowboy are set in Texas. Roark’s Dark Request and Second Ride Cowboy (still in the works) are also based in San Antonio. If I’m writing a story with a down-home flavor, more than likely I’ll use my own neck of the woods. I like to bring readers a taste of what I see day in and out.

 

When did the writing bug first bite?

I was 13 years old when I knew I wanted to write. I read my first romance novel and I was certain that I wanted to write my own fantasies. I don’t remember the name, but it was a Harlequin.

      

What is your most favorite childhood memory?

When the snow would fall and we’d be stuck indoors. It was a peaceful feeling to be with the family and having together time. When the snow got deep enough (and believe me, it had to be clean), my mom would go out and gather a bowl of snow and make us snow cones or ice cream. It was a treat.

 

Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy spending time with my kids. I’m a soccer fan. I love good movies. I love to bake.

 

Boxers, brief or commando?

Commando—easier access

 

Favorite eye color?

I don’t have one. As long as there’s a twinkle, that’s all that matters.

 

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?

“I’ll never be published.” And that came from my mouth. One should never say never.

 

 

Dreaming Ivy
by Rhonda Lee Carver

 

 

Can a past love become their future?


The Thorntons’ mansion is full of timeless secrets waiting to be unraveled. When small-town journalist Ivy and ghost hunter Max are stuck in the forgotten, dilapidated house, they find more than just a haunting. Ivy finds herself dreaming of the former owners, Marcus Thornton and his lovely wife, Elizabeth. Their profound love was once the talk of the town, and the cause their mysterious, untimely deaths never found. When Ivy’s dreams begin to become reality, the mystery starts to unravel and sheds truth on more than just the past.

WARNING: Graphic language, naughty ghosts, a non-committal male, and a love that endures beyond time and death.


A Lyrical Press Paranormal Romance

 

 

Excerpt:

Ivy stepped into the corridor. She stopped and listened. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a shadow sweep across the wall. She turned as it disappeared. “Hello?” No answer. She stomped down the hall and burst into the room. “Hello–”

The room was empty.

Ivy swallowed the taste of fright. A shiver raced across her skin. She had seen someone, or had she? She rubbed her eyes. Maybe the shadows were playing tricks on her.

A loud crack in the floor behind her sent Ivy twisting. The sun from the window blinded her. She acted on impulse. She drew her fist back and punched–landing on something solid. The force behind her connection with skin and bone sent her off balance, flailing backward. A hand on her wrist pulled her hard against a steely frame.

She met a dark stare, just as she felt wobbling. The impact of her body had sent him a step back. He lost his balance. Together they fell. The air whooshed from his chest as Ivy landed on top of the stranger.

She closed her eyes and remained still. She wanted nothing more than for the floor to swallow her. Several long seconds floated by. Neither of them said a word. She finally opened her eyes.

Embarrassed and confused, Ivy laid her palms against his shoulders, pushing herself up. She looked directly into his not-so-pleased expression and gulped. Enchanting green eyes, prominent cheekbones, midnight hair…and a pissed-off set to his jaw. She’d made a mistake–a huge one. “Max Shepard.” It wasn’t a question.

He narrowed his eyes. “Ivy Kennedy, journalist and amateur boxer?”

The deep, rich tone of his voice did funny things to the pit of her stomach. His voice wasn’t the only toned part of him. Pressed together gave her an up close and personal testimonial of his physical assets. Broad chest, tight abs to long legs, she could feel tight muscles and a curious bulge. She scooted her hip around the swelling in his jeans. Heat and realization spread through her body.

One corner of his mouth lifted. “It’s my cell.” Could he see straight through her?

“Cell?”

He reached into his pocket and held up his phone. Ivy was certain her skin changed into the perfect color of mortification. She wondered just how bad this could get. Pasting a smile on her face, she said, “Nice to meet you.” The temperature rose between them into the triple digits. Their bodies seemed to melt together. He didn’t look like the pictures she’d seen on the internet. He looked more distinguished in person. “You’re older than I thought,” she blurted.

“Older?”

“Older, in a good way.” She licked her bottom lip and nervously pushed her hair behind her ear. “My mother said I have a bad habit of saying the most awkward things and rambling–” She swallowed. “–like I am now.” She moved slightly.

His zipper started to swell again. Was that another cell phone in his pocket, or… Before her mind could complete the thought, he wrapped his large hands around her waist and lifted her off him. He set her on her feet as he came to stand in front of her. “That’s better,” he said as he backed up. “Damn.” He kicked rug that must have been the reason behind their fall.

He stood there, silent. This was a complete disaster. She’d managed to give him a black eye to match the dark scowl on his face. She needed to start searching for a new job. Marshall would have her head for this.

 

 

About Rhonda:

Suffering from years of hopeless romantic notions with sexy, sassy heroines and bad-ass heroes taking residence in her mind, Rhonda decided to write, bringing the stories alive. With baby on hip and laptop on the other, and a couple of years later, Rhonda has published six eBooks with a handful of spicy love stories waiting for the final touches.

When Rhonda isn’t crafting edge-of-your-seat, sizzling novels, you will find her with her children, watching soccer, watching a breathtaking movie, traveling to exotic places, doing (or trying) yoga, and finding new ways to keep her smile bright.

Rhonda thrives on making her readers happy. She believes life can be a challenge, but reading is a place where one goes to get away. Everyone deserves romance—one page at a time…

 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rhondalee.carver

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rhonda-...

Website: www.rhondaleecarver.com

Blogger: http://rhondaleecarver-author.blogspot.com

Buy link: http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_31&products_id=521

 

 

Manic Monday Updates: New series, new blog and other changes

Heellllloooo! LOL How is everyone on this Monday? I’ve had my coffee–working on the second cup now–and ready to face the day. It will be a wonderful day. Only because I said so!

It’s been a while since I gave an update. I know my quarterly newsletter will be out next week, but I wanted to give a brief update on some changes going on with the blog and in my writing life.

 

Blogs

I started a book blog called Books Amour. I’m a host for three blog tour companies and would like to sign up for a couple more to help promote my fellow authors. I love doing Heartthrob Haven and wanted to start a blog that offers all types of post from guest blogs, author and character

interviews, and book spotlights. Through Books Amour I can host a different author

each day and connect readers with amazing stories and their talented authors.

My author blog (that is here) will still be open to guest, but not as much. I am hoping to be able to post more about my writing and random post that will allow my readers to get to know me as a person and a writer.

 

Writing and life:

Not much has changed with my writing. The last couple of months I’ve been working a little overtime at the day job that gave me less time to write during the week.  And having two young adults living with me that seem to want to play by their own rules and create a negativity build up in the house has created more stress and weight than I need. I broke down and took care of the grown kids issue with a little tough love. Basically they can shape up or ship out.

The stress levels are decreasing and I’m back focusing on writing and publishing and my wonderfully supportive husband. I have two releases scheduled before the end of the year. There will be more details in my newsletter next week. The releases will meet my 2012 year goal of publishing four books. Yay! It feels so good to meet your goals.

Keep a watch for the newsletter in your inboxes. I always include a giveaway! If you haven’t signed up, please do so by clicking on the newsletter link in the top left hand side panel.

Have a wonder week!

 

Sundays are for sharing

Happy Sunday! I decided to pop in and share a little bit of my current WIP, Winter Eve.

Winter Eve is a novella with a target word count of 20,000 words. It is the first in my new shifter series, Ashwood Falls. It is set to release in December.

Ashwood Falls Series blurb:

There comes a time when setting your differences aside isn’t just necessary, it’s a means of survival. After losing over half of their dens to a group rogue shifters, the wolves and leopards merged as one Pack, but living together is much more of a challenge then they expected.

 

I am super excited about this series and can’t wait to be able to share the people and the town with you. In the upcoming month I’ll put up Winter Eve’s page and more info on the second book, A Tiger’s Claim.

Now for the tease. Here is a little piece of Danica and Nevan. Enjoy!

Turning, she bumped into Nevan and jumped. She placed a hand on his chest for balance. Heat seeped into her palm and traveled up her arm, warming her body. With only a few inches separating them, she could smell his natural male scent mixed with his aftershave. Spicy and good enough to lick all over….

She stepped back to put a few feet between them. He was a stranger for God’s sake. And she wasn’t the seducing type. Besides, who would want to make love to a scarred, half-powered leopard?

Meet Debut Author Tamara Hoffa!

Hi! I am super happy to have Tamara Hoffa with me talking about her debut novella, Heart of a Soldier. 

Welcome Tamara! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.

Hi Lia, thanks for having me. I am *cough* 49 years old. I’ve been (mostly) happily married for almost 30 years. I have 3 grown children and 2 adorable grandsons. I am a hairdresser by day, but my real love is books. I love to read. I review, I beta read (for you and others) and now I am writing! I love to cook and crochet, when I’m not reading or writing, and I am addicted to Facebook!

 

Is Heart of a Soldier a single title, or part of a series?

It is not part of a series, it is however part of a new line from Borough’s Publishing Group called Lunch Box Romances, that I am very excited about. They are short stories, 6000 to 10,000 words that you can read on “your lunch hour” The stories will be in all different genres. I don’t know about you, but I love short stories, so I’m really looking forward to being part of this line.

 

What were your inspirations for the story?

I love military heroes and older couples, so I combined the two for Heart of a Soldier

 

Please share your setting for Heart of a Soldier. Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?   

Actually, I live in McEwen Tennessee, which is where Jamie’s parents live in Heart of a Soldier. We are about forty miles west of Clarksville. I have a lot of clients from the Clarksville Army base. I love middle Tennessee. You can’t begin to understand the term “southern hospitality” until you live in the south. Everyone is friendly here. They’ll ask after your “momma an’ them”  you’re addresses as “maam” or “Miss Tamara” or just “darlin’” The scenery is beautiful, especially in the fall when the leaves are changing and the spring when the Bartlett Pears and the Dogwoods are blooming. (Yeah, I’m a fan)

 

When did the writing bug first bite?

Way back in High school I belonged to the creative writing club and wrote tons on angsty adolescent poetry. But, I haven’t written since than until now, My husband and friends kind of pushed me into it. I read so much, they all kept saying “you should write a book” So I did!

 

Who are you favorite authors, book/series?

This is the hardest question I get asked, because frankly I just love books! I’ve read over a hundred and fifty  just so far this year. And there are so many wonderful authors. But, a few of my favorites include your friend Carrie Ann Ryan, Laura Kaye, Joya Fields, Sharon Buchbinder, Stephanie Rowe, Catherine Mann, Maya Banks, I could go on and on and on! And you of course Lia! I love the Divinities.

Aww. Thanks! 

What is your most favorite childhood memory?

Man, that’s a tough one too. Sleep overs with my girlfriends I guess. My bedroom window backed up to our pool deck and we would climb out the window and go skinny dipping in the pool. (sorry mom) We had a ball going down the slide, until we realized that we could see over the roof of the house, so that meant everybody could see us! DOH! Than we would stay up all night talking about boys and yes painting our fingers and toes.

 

Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spare time?

I love to cook, I bake thousands of cookies for the holidays and love making big meals for my family. I crochet. I make Christmas stocking for all my friends and family, want one? Got my list going for this year. I also make hats and scarves that I donate to Operation Gratitude, they send care packages to soldiers overseas, and I’m all about supporting our military.

 

Boxers, brief or commando?

I like boxer briefs

 

Favorite eye color?

Green

 

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?

There’s a saying here in Tennessee “He’s sexier than a rooster in socks” the first time I heard it I laughed my fanny off.

 

Heart of a Soldier

by Tamara Hoffa

Soldier Jameson Hunter faces the battle of his life, winning the heart of Charlotte Mackenzie, widowed mother of a young recruit.

Buy Heart of a Soldier: http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/

You can find Tamara on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTamaraHoffa

Interview with Zee Monodee, new Sr. Editor for Decadent Publishing’s new line

Happy Wednesday! I’m excited to have Zee Monodee over today sharing with us a little bit about herself and the new book line at Decadent Publishing called Ubuntu.

Hi, Zee! Welcome and thanks for coming by to talk about your exciting news. Congrats on heading the new line by Decadent Publishing, Ubuntu.  Please start off by introducing yourself and sharing something most people may not know.

Hi Lia! Thanks or having me over today. Hello to everyone reading here.

So, I’m Zee Monodee. I like to think I’m a half-and-half split personality between an author with an overactive brain, and the other roles I fill in, like wife/mum/stepmum/chauffeur/bad cook/domestic non-goddess/neurotic basket case. I was born 3 decades ago on the small island of Mauritius, in the southern Indian Ocean, a place I’ve always called home despite travelling and staying abroad (primarily England and South Africa).

Something people might not know… Let me think… I am a perfectionist. I think this personality trait has been compounded by the many years I spent learning dressmaking skills at school. To not lose marks, every stitch had to be perfect, every corner turned to an exact 90 degree curve. I’ve carried this neurosis for perfection into my life. I don’t expect it from others, but I am my worst critic and worst personal slave driver. I never know when to stop, and that can make for some tricky situations at times. (And now I’ve scared everyone away )

 

When did you start writing?

I can’t remember when I was not writing, if that makes sense. I’ve been inventing stories for as far back as I can recall, playing with dolls. My only brother is 16 years older than me, so I grew up pretty much like an only child. Imagining my own world was how I lived my life, especially during the long holiday breaks when I was alone at home with my mother. I remember penning a diary every day when I was a tween. I wrote stories every week for my language classes in primary and secondary school.

But actively writing for publication – that started about a decade ago. I was a new mum and needed some sanity between the chaos of new motherhood and domestic non-goddessness (yes, I invented that word!). It was natural for me to start writing a story, the kind I wanted to read but couldn’t find anywhere (I wanted to see Mauritian reality depicted in a light and breezy manner; not the tedious, make-you-want-to-kill-yourself dismal and dark literature). One thing leading to another, a local publisher here made a call for submissions from Mauritian authors, and I tried my luck. Made my first sale back in 2005; haven’t looked back ever since.

 

Which do you like more: editing or writing? Or Both?

It’s a mix of both, actually. Absolutely love the thrill of writing, of uncovering character depths and secrets about them I never imagined lurked in their backstory when I came up with them. I love taking a story from start to middle to end and get that satisfaction of the happy ending, of wrapping all the conflict and threads into a coherent whole.

Yet, there is nothing more addictive than finding a wonderful story in the mss pushed into your editing hands, of being enraptured by another author’s voice and writing, and oftentimes, knowing exactly how to address the issues and problems that lie inside this story. It is a rush (at least, it is for me!) to help other authors and be the one who makes them go “A-ha!” when you point out the solution to something they’d been struggling with.

I’m a social person; I am wired to want to help others (sometimes even at my own detriment…), and being a mentor and an editor fulfils this part of me. Nothing quite gives me pleasure and a glow like helping a fellow author dig herself out of a predicament in his/her writing and story.

 

I have never been out the US. For those like me tell us what you love about Africa and what would make this new line special and unique.

What I like about Africa… That’s a tough question. I’ve lived most of my life in Mauritius (which is considered part of sub-Saharan Africa despite being an Indian Ocean island), and this is home to me. Full stop.

There’s something about Africa, a feeling of hovering between two worlds, that permeates every land making up this continent. We’re embracing modernity and technology and reaching out through the global village and virtual web. Yet, in our day to day life, we are in tune with our roots, with the call of the land, with our origins, never mind where each of us comes from. All this helps create a social and racial cohesion that is not easily found on other continents. Yes, there are social conflicts in Africa – the continent is rife with them, actually. But in many places, races and religions live in peace, and (somewhat) in harmony. Everyone accepts the other for who and what he/she is.

We wanted to carry this concept through Ubuntu. The word itself describes a philosophy that states, “I am what I am because of who we all are.” It’s about cohesion, working as a unit, embracing all we are and all everyone is, in order to make a richer whole.

At Decadent Publishing, we already work with our authors to create this whole. Through Ubuntu, we want to take this another level – not just a mutually beneficial relationship between publisher and author, but one that is a whole system that integrates the storyline into this whole.

And the other thing that makes Ubuntu special and unique is that it is dedicated to Africa. No publisher actually caters to this niche genre – that of African romance. The closest you can get to this concept, in popular fiction, is African-American romance set in the US. What of the people of Africa? Don’t they fall in love? Don’t they have stories to tell? Don’t they live in a unique microcosm that the world should get a chance to see? If you want to see Africa in books, your only recourse is literary fiction – oftentimes, dry as dust and the kind of dark, depressing writing that makes you wonder how anyone in Africa hasn’t killed himself/herself yet, because their reality is so dismal.

Ubuntu wants to show modern Africa as it is – a thriving world rife with change, dynamic and forever evolving, yet, at the same time, trying not to lose its roots, its inherent identity. There is so much scope for conflict – conflict that can be shown in a lighter, breezy, positive manner. What better then than romance to showcase all this?

 

What are you looking for where this line is concerned?

Good stories, with a HEA or a HFN. There has to be a positive ending. Other than that, the story can run the gamut of genres and plots.

We’re mostly looking for romance, though. A touch of exoticism; a slice of African life that will not throw us into the pits of depression ; being swept away through the many different and gorgeous locales and settings Africa offers. Think “Romance (as in, popular romance, the one from single title books or category books) in Africa.”

IR/MC is a given – because, hey, where else can you get such a fertile ground for mixing races and cultures? Women’s fiction (with a romantic plot and HEA/HFN) allows for showing the society and what it’s like to be a modern woman in Africa today. Give us a younger heroine, and you can have African chick-lit (which I have yet to see anywhere. At the top of my personal wish-list is the African Bridget Jones – if someone can write this and give it to me, I will have died and gone to Heaven )

Or, you can go mainstream and why not have a post-apocalyptic story where the water level has gone up drastically and the Maldives islands no longer exist? A thriller on African soil, with sleeper terrorist cells and a race to stop them?

Give us Africa – but like we’ve not seen it before.

 

What do you like to do when not writing or editing?

I’ll have to confess I am a TV junkie. You can be sure to catch me grabbing some fluff and stuff on the idiot box – from Supernatural to Glee to Gossip Girl, which are my absolute addictions, I’ll be hopping onto some CSI, Vampire Diaries, Desperate Housewives, NCIS.

And since my boys are now older and not little kids anymore, we can often be seen enjoying a game of Scrabble or having Angry Birds competitions on our phones.

Any other time beside these, (after spending some quality time with my husband – can’t forget him, poor soul who’s committed his life to me, lol), I’ll probably be reading. I’m a reading junkie and book hoarder – thank God for ebooks, coz my bookshelves at home would not hold the 2,300+ books I have on my Kindle and computer (yes, I did say 2,300+ books. No clue when I’ll ever read them all, if I’ll even manage to, but bring me on Amazon.com and you can be sure I’ll be hearing nothing but voices urging me to ‘Buy it! Buy it’ for every book that strikes my fancy).

 

Boxers, brief or commando?

Commando – less trouble to get him out of those pesky boxers or briefs. *wicked grin* There’s also something about the prospect of finding a man commando tha—Oops, sorry. I got carried away

 

Favorite eye color?

Blue. Must be because no one in my Indian-origin world has blue eyes… There’s something dreamy about a man with blue eyes

 

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?

Lol, you don’t want to get me started on conversations and episodes I’ve had with my mum and my aunts when I was still single and they were all trying to get me shackled up with someone! Let’s just say these women could make up the cast of a totally over-the-top soap opera, and whatever’s out there in fiction-land is not even close to what they can be like. A good example – when my first marriage crumbled because I found out my husband was a serial cheater and compulsive liar, everyone in my entourage took the slight personally… and you could be left to wonder if the man hurt me or one of those women more…

 

Thanks again for the chance to come here today and tell you more about Ubuntu (and a lot about me, too ). If anyone has any questions, leave a comment, or feel free to email me, anytime, at the following address zeemonodee@gmail.com

The spec sheet for the Ubuntu line can be found in the Submissions section at the www.decadentpublishing.com website.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Interview with Zee Monodee, new Sr. Editor for Decadent Pbulishing’s new line

Happy Wednesday! I’m excited to have Zee Monodee over today sharing with us a little bit about herself and the new book line at Decadent Publishing called Ubuntu.

Hi, Zee! Welcome and thanks for coming by to talk about your exciting news. Congrats on heading the new line by Decadent Publishing, Ubuntu.  Please start off by introducing yourself and sharing something most people may not know.

Hi Lia! Thanks or having me over today. Hello to everyone reading here.

So, I’m Zee Monodee. I like to think I’m a half-and-half split personality between an author with an overactive brain, and the other roles I fill in, like wife/mum/stepmum/chauffeur/bad cook/domestic non-goddess/neurotic basket case. I was born 3 decades ago on the small island of Mauritius, in the southern Indian Ocean, a place I’ve always called home despite travelling and staying abroad (primarily England and South Africa).

Something people might not know… Let me think… I am a perfectionist. I think this personality trait has been compounded by the many years I spent learning dressmaking skills at school. To not lose marks, every stitch had to be perfect, every corner turned to an exact 90 degree curve. I’ve carried this neurosis for perfection into my life. I don’t expect it from others, but I am my worst critic and worst personal slave driver. I never know when to stop, and that can make for some tricky situations at times. (And now I’ve scared everyone away )

 

When did you start writing?

I can’t remember when I was not writing, if that makes sense. I’ve been inventing stories for as far back as I can recall, playing with dolls. My only brother is 16 years older than me, so I grew up pretty much like an only child. Imagining my own world was how I lived my life, especially during the long holiday breaks when I was alone at home with my mother. I remember penning a diary every day when I was a tween. I wrote stories every week for my language classes in primary and secondary school.

But actively writing for publication – that started about a decade ago. I was a new mum and needed some sanity between the chaos of new motherhood and domestic non-goddessness (yes, I invented that word!). It was natural for me to start writing a story, the kind I wanted to read but couldn’t find anywhere (I wanted to see Mauritian reality depicted in a light and breezy manner; not the tedious, make-you-want-to-kill-yourself dismal and dark literature). One thing leading to another, a local publisher here made a call for submissions from Mauritian authors, and I tried my luck. Made my first sale back in 2005; haven’t looked back ever since.

 

Which do you like more: editing or writing? Or Both?

It’s a mix of both, actually. Absolutely love the thrill of writing, of uncovering character depths and secrets about them I never imagined lurked in their backstory when I came up with them. I love taking a story from start to middle to end and get that satisfaction of the happy ending, of wrapping all the conflict and threads into a coherent whole.

Yet, there is nothing more addictive than finding a wonderful story in the mss pushed into your editing hands, of being enraptured by another author’s voice and writing, and oftentimes, knowing exactly how to address the issues and problems that lie inside this story. It is a rush (at least, it is for me!) to help other authors and be the one who makes them go “A-ha!” when you point out the solution to something they’d been struggling with.

I’m a social person; I am wired to want to help others (sometimes even at my own detriment…), and being a mentor and an editor fulfils this part of me. Nothing quite gives me pleasure and a glow like helping a fellow author dig herself out of a predicament in his/her writing and story.

 

I have never been out the US. For those like me tell us what you love about Africa and what would make this new line special and unique.

What I like about Africa… That’s a tough question. I’ve lived most of my life in Mauritius (which is considered part of sub-Saharan Africa despite being an Indian Ocean island), and this is home to me. Full stop.

There’s something about Africa, a feeling of hovering between two worlds, that permeates every land making up this continent. We’re embracing modernity and technology and reaching out through the global village and virtual web. Yet, in our day to day life, we are in tune with our roots, with the call of the land, with our origins, never mind where each of us comes from. All this helps create a social and racial cohesion that is not easily found on other continents. Yes, there are social conflicts in Africa – the continent is rife with them, actually. But in many places, races and religions live in peace, and (somewhat) in harmony. Everyone accepts the other for who and what he/she is.

We wanted to carry this concept through Ubuntu. The word itself describes a philosophy that states, “I am what I am because of who we all are.” It’s about cohesion, working as a unit, embracing all we are and all everyone is, in order to make a richer whole.

At Decadent Publishing, we already work with our authors to create this whole. Through Ubuntu, we want to take this another level – not just a mutually beneficial relationship between publisher and author, but one that is a whole system that integrates the storyline into this whole.

And the other thing that makes Ubuntu special and unique is that it is dedicated to Africa. No publisher actually caters to this niche genre – that of African romance. The closest you can get to this concept, in popular fiction, is African-American romance set in the US. What of the people of Africa? Don’t they fall in love? Don’t they have stories to tell? Don’t they live in a unique microcosm that the world should get a chance to see? If you want to see Africa in books, your only recourse is literary fiction – oftentimes, dry as dust and the kind of dark, depressing writing that makes you wonder how anyone in Africa hasn’t killed himself/herself yet, because their reality is so dismal.

Ubuntu wants to show modern Africa as it is – a thriving world rife with change, dynamic and forever evolving, yet, at the same time, trying not to lose its roots, its inherent identity. There is so much scope for conflict – conflict that can be shown in a lighter, breezy, positive manner. What better then than romance to showcase all this?

 

What are you looking for where this line is concerned?

Good stories, with a HEA or a HFN. There has to be a positive ending. Other than that, the story can run the gamut of genres and plots.

We’re mostly looking for romance, though. A touch of exoticism; a slice of African life that will not throw us into the pits of depression ; being swept away through the many different and gorgeous locales and settings Africa offers. Think “Romance (as in, popular romance, the one from single title books or category books) in Africa.”

IR/MC is a given – because, hey, where else can you get such a fertile ground for mixing races and cultures? Women’s fiction (with a romantic plot and HEA/HFN) allows for showing the society and what it’s like to be a modern woman in Africa today. Give us a younger heroine, and you can have African chick-lit (which I have yet to see anywhere. At the top of my personal wish-list is the African Bridget Jones – if someone can write this and give it to me, I will have died and gone to Heaven )

Or, you can go mainstream and why not have a post-apocalyptic story where the water level has gone up drastically and the Maldives islands no longer exist? A thriller on African soil, with sleeper terrorist cells and a race to stop them?

Give us Africa – but like we’ve not seen it before.

 

What do you like to do when not writing or editing?

I’ll have to confess I am a TV junkie. You can be sure to catch me grabbing some fluff and stuff on the idiot box – from Supernatural to Glee to Gossip Girl, which are my absolute addictions, I’ll be hopping onto some CSI, Vampire Diaries, Desperate Housewives, NCIS.

And since my boys are now older and not little kids anymore, we can often be seen enjoying a game of Scrabble or having Angry Birds competitions on our phones.

Any other time beside these, (after spending some quality time with my husband – can’t forget him, poor soul who’s committed his life to me, lol), I’ll probably be reading. I’m a reading junkie and book hoarder – thank God for ebooks, coz my bookshelves at home would not hold the 2,300+ books I have on my Kindle and computer (yes, I did say 2,300+ books. No clue when I’ll ever read them all, if I’ll even manage to, but bring me on Amazon.com and you can be sure I’ll be hearing nothing but voices urging me to ‘Buy it! Buy it’ for every book that strikes my fancy).

 

Boxers, brief or commando?

Commando – less trouble to get him out of those pesky boxers or briefs. *wicked grin* There’s also something about the prospect of finding a man commando tha—Oops, sorry. I got carried away

 

Favorite eye color?

Blue. Must be because no one in my Indian-origin world has blue eyes… There’s something dreamy about a man with blue eyes

 

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?

Lol, you don’t want to get me started on conversations and episodes I’ve had with my mum and my aunts when I was still single and they were all trying to get me shackled up with someone! Let’s just say these women could make up the cast of a totally over-the-top soap opera, and whatever’s out there in fiction-land is not even close to what they can be like. A good example – when my first marriage crumbled because I found out my husband was a serial cheater and compulsive liar, everyone in my entourage took the slight personally… and you could be left to wonder if the man hurt me or one of those women more…

 

Thanks again for the chance to come here today and tell you more about Ubuntu (and a lot about me, too ). If anyone has any questions, leave a comment, or feel free to email me, anytime, at the following address zeemonodee@gmail.com

The spec sheet for the Ubuntu line can be found in the Submissions section at the www.decadentpublishing.com website.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Author interview with KJ Dahlen

Hello and welcome! I am interviewing KJ Dahlen today. Please help me welcome her here today.

Hi, KJ! Please tell us about your book/series and how did the idea come to you?

Blood Memories is about a woman trying to face her past. At three she was the only witness to her parent’s murder. Since then she has suppressed the memory and lived with her aunt on the run.

She thinks it’s time the truth came out, so she goes back to Chicago and begins to relive old memories to find the truth.

 

When did the writing bug first bite?

I first began writing when my kids were young. Then life interrupts and they needed me. When they finally grew up enough I started writing again, and I haven’t stopped since.

 

Who are you favorite authors, book/series?

I don’t have just one author I have several.

 

What is your most favorite childhood memory?

I remember card parties at my grandparents’ house. One day my grandfather got mad and lifted the table tipping money, card and drinks all over the kitchen. I guess he didn’t like loosing.

 

Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spear time?

I love to read. Everything I can get my hands on. I often challenge myself to research something new every month.

 

Any advice for new writers just starting out?

Stay with it. Writing is a wonderful thing. It’s every author’s job to take his/her readers into their story and make them part of it. If you can do that then you are indeed a writer.

 

Favorite eye color?

Cobalt blue

 

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?

After my parents died within ten days of each other in 2007, my aunt got a phone call in which someone played music. She had gotten a phone call like that after my dad died, and then again after my mom died. It was almost as if he was letting someone know he was at peace.

 

Blood Memories

by KJ Dahlen

BLURB:

When an accident turns out to be not an accident but murder Savannah must solve a double murder that happened over twenty years ago to find the truth. She was the only witness to her parent’s murder and now their killer is after her. She puts her trust into a man her aunt has known and all these years but evidence soon points to him being involved with the man she thinks killed her parents. Will she prove him innocent or fall prey to his intent? Her life and over two million dollars in diamonds is at stake.

 

Excerpt:

As the dirt hit the casket, the sound it made echoed through the cemetery and caused Savannah to flinch. The sound was so final but then so was death. Savannah’s heart was breaking as she listened to the thud of the earth hitting the wood of her aunt’s final resting place. She glanced at the temporary headstone marker. Tears rolled down her cheeks when she read the name on the marker, Donna Marie Kelley.

A voice inside her head screamed at her that the name on the headstone was wrong. It should have read Donna Marie Weston, not Kelley. Donna had been the one person in her young life who protected her after her parents died. She was the one who held Savannah when she was sick or the nightmares got the best of her. Donna had been there to make her laugh and kept her safe all these years.

Donna had died four days ago in a car accident. Her car plunged off the road and down into a ravine. The paramedics said she might have lived if help had arrived right after the accident, but Donna wasn’t found until the next day. She had been all alone and in pain when death came to call.

Tears slid down her cheeks as she thought of how long Donna had suffered. The medical examiner’s report told her that Donna suffered two broken legs and a fractured rib. The rib punctured her lung and eventually her abdomen filled with blood. The coroner had determined she bled to death internally. The police were looking into the accident, but she knew there was nothing they could do. There wasn’t anything anyone could do. Donna was gone and now she was alone in the world.

Savannah glanced at the temporary marker again. She knew Donna wouldn’t want her real name on her final resting place but she was tempted to put it there. Savannah George wasn’t her real name either. She had been born Georgia Michelle Corbin, but she hadn’t been called Georgia for a long, long time, almost a life time, her lifetime.

Glancing toward the sky, Savannah could see the dark gray clouds. It looked as dreary outside as she felt inside. Donna’s death had been the result of a car accident, and Savannah hadn’t had time to think about her future yet.

Savannah had turned her head to watch the sound when she felt someone walk up behind her. Spinning around she saw a man she didn’t know standing there. He was tall and blonde with a full beard. His dark grey eyes were somber as he glanced at the grave in front of him. He turned to look at Savannah before he spoke. “Hello, my name is Jack Russell. I’m sorry to disturb you at a time like this, but I was your aunt’s attorney.”

Savannah grimaced. She stared at the older, well-dressed man standing in front of her and couldn’t help but wonder why Donna felt the need for an attorney. “I wasn’t aware she had an attorney,” she finally said.

Jack tilted his head. “I haven’t had contact with her for a number of years but she first came to see me nine years ago. She told me she had just moved to Seattle, and she wanted me to keep something for her. She gave me this package to give to you upon her death.”

Savannah accepted the package from him and glanced at it. She raised her gaze back to Jack’s face. “Did she tell you what was in this package?”

Jack stared at her for a moment. “She told me to say you would find the answers to all the questions you wanted to know growing up in there. She said you would find out why she had to keep you safe and a mystery only you could solve.” He hesitated, “I didn’t know your aunt very well, but I’m sorry she died.”

Savannah watched as he turned and walked away. The package she held was heavy, and her curiosity was getting the better of her. She caught her breath as she glanced at the package and saw Donna’s handwriting on the outside. She had written her name on the package

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kim lives in a small town (population 495) in Wisconsin. From her deck she can see the Mississippi River on one side and the bluffs, where eagles live and nest on the other side. She lives with her husband Dave and dog Sammy. Her two children are grown and she has two grandchildren. She loves to watch people and that has helped her with her writing. She loves to create characters and put them in a troubling situation then sit back and let them do all the work. Her characters surprise even her at times. At some point in the book they take on a life of their own and the twists and turns become the story. Of all the stories she could write she found she liked mystery/thrillers the best. She likes to keep her readers guessing until the very end of the book.

 

Email: kjdahlen1@yahoo.com

Website: www.kjdahlen.com

I am on Facebook and twitter as kjdahlen

My blog is on Facebook at K.J.’s blog

 

 

Meet the muse and her wickedly naughty side

I had never given it much thought about naming my muse or what she looks like. But the other day I was filling out author interview questions and it hit. My muse give me a look at what makes her tick and I found the perfect picture that sums her up.

Wicked, smart, sexy, and naughty.

She my creative side and can be very naughty at times. She brings me ideas even when I don’t have time to work them into stories. She gets excited when I stop working with numbers to write and create new worlds. She gets mad when the analytically side of my brain tries to edit before she ready. There are times she leaves for extended periods of time. Sometimes days or weeks at a time. Just when I start to worry she left for good, then she shows up drunk on ideas for the stories I have, and some I don’t. I’m not sure where she goes, but I suspect she off with my writing partner’s, Carrie Ann Ryan, muse somewhere.

She seems happy that I found my balance in my writing. I create a plot point outline. It seems she needs order, too. Just not too much details.

 

Good Monday morning and all that…

Hello! How is everyone on this wonderful first day of the workweek. I’m feeling better after being sick. Luckily it wasn’t bad and it lasted only three days. I hate summer colds, and winter ones. Just saying.

I’m blogging over at Decadent’s 1Night Stand blog today talking about the things that inspire my muse. I’m also giving away a $5 Starbucks GC, a Japanese cherry blossom scented mini candle and swag. Stop by and enter to win by leaving a comment that includes you email address.

http://decadent1nightstand.blogspot.com/2012/09/things-that-inspire-muse.html

 

You still have time to enter the FORGOTTEN VISIONS eBook giveaway. The giveaway ends on 9/23.

http://reviewsbymolly.com/?p=5814

 

Now for the positive thought for the week.

 

It’s hard to see the positive when you’re surrounded by negativity. Believe me, I know. That’s why I do these periodical motivations and positive thought blogs. If you send out positive energy, you’ll get it in return.

 

Be who you are, love who you are, and never settle for anything less.

 

Have a wonderful day! Brightest blessings