Kate Roth's Blog, page 15

Brenda Franklin : The Author Interview

What do I always say? Yay Twitter! Twitter has given me the opportunity to connect with some really cool authors and Brenda Franklin is one of them. As you know, I love me some vampires and Brenda just happens to have books about vampires! See what she had to say and be sure to check out all of her links below. Available on Amazon for $0.99!
Tell us a little about yourself
I was born and raised in Louisiana, where I currently live with my loving family, a few cats, and plenty of wildlife running through the yard from time to time.
I am a fan of the paranormal community and believe in the supernatural having grown up with plenty of my own ghostly tales, which helped to contribute to my free short story, The Lady with Blue Lips on smashwords. I wrote my first horror story when I was in elementary. I think it must have freaked my mother out because the story disappeared shortly after I wrote it. Oh well, I went on discovering the world of vampires and have never looked back. 
Tell us about your series The PulseTrilogy
The Pulse Trilogy is my Twilight. Haha it’s my story of a human and vampire love, but darker. It’s a journey of love, loss, and betrayal.
My leading characters, Elizabeth Parks (small business owner and woman with the ‘Pulse’ ability) and Virgil Hart (devilishly handsome and annoying vampire) endure the first two books trying to fend off Virgil’s brother from killing Elizabeth. SPOILER: By the end of the second book, Barely Beating, Virgil has accomplished just that, killing William and keeping Elizabeth safe. Of course, with the help of friends and family they can finally have a happily ever after as two-soon to be-vampires. Or can they? I guess we will find out in book three, Flat Line.
The Pulse Trilogy is on the lighter side of things. The other world of the vampires that you don’t see in this series is much darker and if you have followed the books so far, you may wonder what exactly Garrison and Andreal hunt? Or why Garrison is gone a lot? There is a lot more to the world than meets the eye and one day I plan to write a new series to show you just that, but until then I hope you enjoy my Pulse Trilogy as much as I have writing it!
Available on Amazon
What draws you to the paranormal genre? And more specifically vampires?
When I was younger, perhaps around the sixth grade range, my father had an old bookshelf in our living room. From top to bottom it was filled with combat related books, old westerns, a stack of magazines (I’m not sure he ever read them), several Dean Koontz (my sister’s favorites), a few Stephen King books, a book called, My Brother John, the Necromancer series by Brian Lumley, and a whole bunch of other things. But the one book I remember most was a book by Anne Rice (Howard Allen Frances O’Brien if you didn’t know). It was Interview with a Vampire. It was this book that introduced me into the world of vampires and I haven’t been the same since.
I think I fell in love with the romanticism behind being a vampire and the dark consequences that come with it. The struggle of drinking blood from humans, the sexual appeal of their perfect structures, and their ability to sustain their life. Of course I was still in the sixth grade and I have read many books since then, turning my writing in more of a lighter version than Anne Rice’s vampires, but I do have her to thank for giving me that push towards loving vampires. I guess I should also be thankful that my dad had a copy. God only knows what I might be writing now if I hadn’t of read that book. 
Who are some of your favorite vampires aside from your own, of course?
Some of my favorite vampires would have to be from the mind of author Lynsay Sand’s--who calls them Immortals. Her explanation, that they were once from Atlantis before the fall, is such a wonderful concept and can best explain why they are immortal, why they heal, why they are essentially what we call ‘vampires’. Not to mention that every one of them are downright sexy. I can’t keep myself away from re reading Vampire, Interrupted or Bite Me if You Can. Delicious!
Is there another genre you would like to try at some point?
I have many ideas always fluttering about my head and when I have finished The Pulse Trilogy book three, Flat Line, and placed the final touches on my 2012 NaNoWriMo book, Guardian, a Fated Pairing, I plan to step in the YA Genre with a new series. It’s going to be a busy year!
Do you have a writing ritual or a certain way you like to get ready to write?
I make playlists. I have to have a background noise of some kind. Not too over powering, but there. It’s like watching a movie. Try watching Twilight, Thor, Iron Man, or any movie without the music. The scenes don’t have the same sort of impact. So to get myself ready for a scene I have playlists ready to get my mind in motion. When my character needs a little pick me or is struggling internally I have been listening to Mumford and Sons. Just an example.
Routine: get up with Shawn in the morning around four, grab coffee, Dr. Pepper, or Cinnamon apple spiced tea, grab a snack, I always tie up my hair, struggle to find my glasses, turn on my music for a few minutes, and begin! 
Do you have a day job? If so, how do you find the balance between day job and your writing career?
I currently do not have a day job, but my sweet husband has filled that part allowing me the freedom to write. I don’t know what I would do without him.
What is your current obsession (absolutely anything)?
Current obsession? That’s such a hard one, so I came up with a short list of things I’m obsessed with at this very moment.
Food: Making lasagna. People: My husband, Shawn Franklin. Games: Borderlands 2 and Harvest Moon, A Knew Beginning. Books: The Love Lines Series by Diana Nixon. Social media: Facebook.

You can find more of Brenda on Facebook, Twitter, her blog, Amazon, Smashwords and her work is available on Amazon and Smashwords (Bonus: two free short stories are up on Smashwords!)
Thanks again for stopping by Brenda!!

Christine Johnson : The Author Interview

Okay, I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am to have this author on my blog today. Not only is she an amazing writer and one cool lady, she happens to be a new friend of mine! The best part about this interview is that it is also a release celebration!!! Christine's newest YA novel, The Gathering Dark, is out today! See what she has to say and then go buy her book!



Tell us a little about yourself, Christine: Oh, gosh. Okay, aside from the fact that I write young adult fiction, I Iive in Indianapolis, Indiana, I’m perpetually cold, and I’m a die hard Manchester United supporter. That was all sort of random, but that’s also very appropriate. So.
Christine's first novel. A Paranormal/ YA story.

What was the querying/agent search process like for you? I’ve been with my agent for a long time - yay! - so it was quite different than it is today. I did my querying via snail mail, not email. There was a lot of waiting involved. And a lot of checking the mailbox. I queried about twenty agents before signing with Caryn Wiseman of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc.


Is there another genre you would like to try at some point?Not particularly. I tried middle grade before I found my way to YA, and when I got here, I knew I’d found my place in the writing world. I’m happy. I do love a good regency romance, but I’m not sure I have it in me to write one!


Do you have a writing ritual or a certain way you like to get ready to write? Nope. Having kids beat that out of me. Also, Holly Black once said that the more things you NEED to write (candle, certain hours of the day, particular chair, whatever,) the less writing you’ll actually get done. She’s totally right.
The sequel to Claire de Lune


Tell us about one of your characters you loved writing:Smith kicked my @$$. Seriously. I have a love/hate relationship with him, because it took me so long to figure out who he was and what he was doing in my book. Once I got there, though, I was so happy to have him in the story. Now, he’s one of my favorites.


Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? If so, what changed? Actually . . . no. There are projects I’ve abandoned, but writing itself is just part of who I am. Getting published is super-awesome, but it’s the putting-words-on-a-page that I love.


Tell us a little about The Gathering Dark... The Gathering Dark is a romantic sci-fi about a girl named Keira who’s a concert-pianist in the making. When she meets Walker at her favorite music store, she begins having strange visions. At first, she think’s they’re hallucinations, but when it turns out they might be real, Keira’s world is turned upside down - quite literally.




What draws you to the science fiction genre? ..... Geekery? Nerdtopia? Seriously, though, there’s so much in science that I find fascinating and fantastic, and those things just lend themselves to story-making in my own particular head.


What are you currently reading? One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah Maclean and Quicksilver by R.J. Anderson. Obviously wildly different books, but I’m loving them both. R.J. Anderson wrote my favorite unreliable narrator of all time in her book Ultraviolet.


What can we expect from you next? The Grim anthology! It’s a collection of fairy tale retellings from a slew of fantastic authors. It’s due out in 2014, and I cannot WAIT for everyone to read these stories. They’re dark and twisted and FABULOUS.


What is your current obsession (absolutely anything)? Kale chips. Seriously. Tear the tender parts of a kale leaf (not the stem or ribs) into bite sized pieces. Make sure they’re dry. Drizzle with olive oil and massage to coat. Spread on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. Inhale. If it’s possible to eat so much kale that it actually becomes UNHEALTHY, then I’m doing that. Because YUM.


Where can readers find more about you? I’m pretty much all over the Internet. You can find me at www.christinejohnsonbooks.com, @cjohnsonbooks on Twitter, Pinterest, and on Facebook. I love hearing from people, so do come say “hi!”
As of today you can buy The Gathering Dark here on Amazon (or fine bookstores across the US). Christine's first novel, Claire de Lune and it's sequel Nocturne are also available  

ALSO...If you happen to be local to the Indianapolis area you can meet and purchase a signed copy of The Gathering Dark this Saturday February 16th at Bookmamas in Irvington from 3-5pm!

Thanks again for chatting, Christine! 

Author Spotlight : Anna Kristell

Welcome my fellow Rebel author Anna Kristell. She's here to chat about her latest releases and a few upcoming works too. But first, here is the description and an excerpt from Unlikely Lovers, just released by Rebel Ink Press.When Army Major Jessica Walsh meets local factory worker, Cody Jones, she finds herself staring straight into the eyes of the man who’s been haunting her dreams for the past few nights. Fresh from a breakup with her cheating ex, Jessica sets out to seduce the sexy brown-eyed man in the hopes of a brief rebound affair. Getting more than she bargained for, she falls in love with him, but has kept a secret about who she really is.

On the night she plans to tell him the truth, Cody plans to propose. But before either of those things can take place, they run into Jessica’s ex, who cruelly spills the beans. Angry and heartbroken, Cody ends the relationship, turning to a bottle for comfort. Jessica’s hurt, she accepts his decision. While they find they can't stay away from each other, they can't seem to work out their differences, either. Will the unlikely lovers be able to overcome the obstacles in their lives and find their

Excerpt:

“And I’m Cody,” the sexy man with the brown wavy hair said, flashing a smile that sent shivers up and down Jessica’s spine. He extended his right hand.She took it saying, “I’m Jessica and this is Missy, nice to meet you both.” The simple touch of his hand was enough to make her want to get closer to him, much closer. Her hand felt as though it had been scorched as she pulled it away.“Thanks for the beer. You two ready to get beat by a couple of girls?” Missy looked at Andy, laughing.“Bring it on,” he answered with a wink.They bowled two games, girls winning one, and guys winning the other.“How about a rematch to break the tie and the losers take the other team out for pizza afterward?” Cody challenged.“You’re on. Right, Missy?” Jessica looked at her friend.“Right, let’s show ‘em what we can do, girlfriend.”To prove her point, Missy threw three strikes in a row.“I think we’re in trouble, man.” Andy chuckled as he looked at Cody.“We’ll see about that!” Cody threw the next strike as the four of them burst into uncontrollable laughter.The girls won by two pins, much to their delight.“We’ll let you off the hook and go Dutch since you came so close,” Jessica said as she changed out of the ugly shoes and back into her boots.“Sounds like a deal,” Cody answered with a smile that set her pulse racing again. And then she knew. His eyes. There was something about them.They decided where to meet and as Missy drove to the pizza parlor, Jessica turned to her and said, “Thanks for talking me into coming out tonight. I haven’t had this much fun in ages.”“I haven’t either. But let’s not tell them too much about ourselves. Okay?”“I agree.” The girls knew from experience some men were intimidated by a female officer.“Aren’t they hunks, both of them?”“Oh, yeah, especially Cody,” Jessica said dreamily.“I prefer the blonde look, myself.” Missy giggled as she pulled into the parking lot.“That’s good, since I have my eye on Cody.” The mere thought of sharing a bed with the wavy haired man was almost more than Jessica could bear.When they got out of Missy’s car, the two men were already there waiting for them in the parking lot.“After you.” Cody opened the door of the restaurant for Jessica, following behind her.After they’d all decided on a supreme deluxe pizza complete with anchovies and ordered a pitcher of beer and soft drinks for the two drivers, they began to talk.“Why haven’t we seen you two ladies around before?” Cody inquired as he looked at Jessica with that same sexy smile that had first drawn her to him.“We’ve not been bowling for a while.” She returned the smile shyly.“We keep pretty busy with work,” Missy added, looking at Andy.“I hear that. We’ve been putting in all kinds of overtime at the plant,” Andy replied.“So you both work at Goodyear?” Jessica asked.“Yeah, like most folks around here that aren’t lucky enough to get out of town.”“What do you girls do?” Cody asked.“Uh, we both work on post,” Missy answered vaguely as she took a sip of the Coke that had just arrived.“Ah, another place a lot of folks around here work,” Andy observed.Jessica was incredibly intrigued by Cody. He had the most gorgeous brown eyes she had ever seen, like huge drops of chocolate candy...almost identical to the man in her dream. She began to imagine his hard working hands roaming her body, rocking her world, taking her to the ends of the earth and back…Jessica, get a grip, she told herself as she found herself staring into those beautiful eyes again. The other three continued with light banter as they enjoyed the pizza while Jessica tried to concentrate on what they were all saying. It wasn’t easy with the brown eyed man sitting next to her. And long before she was ready, the evening was coming to an end.Andy and Missy had exchanged cell phone numbers already as Cody asked Jessica for hers. She gave it to him and watched as he put it in his phone. She did the same with his.“I’ll call you soon. Count on it, Jessie,” Cody said as he waved goodbye.“That’d be great. I’ll talk to you soon.” She flashed him her sexiest smile.
Once they were on the road, Missy said, “Wow, Jess, that Andy is one sexy hunk of man. I’d love to see him again.”“And I could get real cozy with Cody, if you know what I mean,” Jessica remarked thoughtfully. What would be the harm in a brief fling with a sexy local factory worker?Missy glanced at her friend. “Jess, that doesn’t exactly sound like something you’d do. Are you really considering it?”“Maybe, we’ll just have to see now, won’t we? All I can say is Cody Jones is one hell of a sexy man.”After Missy had dropped her off at home, she prepared for bed with a smile as she remembered what he’d said. I wonder if he really will call.  She was just settling in between the cool sheets when her cell rang. She answered sleepily, “Hello.”“Hey, Jessie, it’s Cody, calling to say goodnight.” “Hi. When you said you’d call soon, you weren’t kidding.” She giggled and continued, “I’m glad to hear from you so soon.”He chuckled. “I had a great time tonight, just had to call and tell you. I’m looking forward to seeing you again soon.”“I had fun, too. We’ll definitely get together soon. Call me.”“You can count on that, baby. Sweet dreams.”“Goodnight.”She soon fell asleep, dreaming that a handsome, wavy haired man with huge, velvety chocolate brown eyes was sharing her bed. He kissed her lips then moved down her body, nuzzled her neck, stopping to whisper love words in her ear as he’d done in her dream the night before. She awoke, alone again, more determined than ever to make this particular dream become a reality, and the sooner the better.

 ***

Hi, I'm Anna and I write romance. My newest release, Unlikely Lovers, is from Rebel Ink Press. It's the story of two people, Jessica and Cody, who are nothing alike, have nothing in common, yet they fall in love. They could probably get past the differences except for one thing. Jessica has been lying to Cody since the night they met about who she really is. And the way he finds out the truth sets off a reaction that is totally unexpected of the character. After that, things go south very quickly, although these two just can't seem to stay away from each other, hard as they try. You'll want to shake them both senseless. You'll cry with them, laugh with them, and  root for them to work it out. Will they?
A long time fan of romance, it seemed only natural that when I decided to try my hand at writing, it would be love stories.
I have two more releases coming soon from Rebel. Sunny's Love in April and Remember Our Promise in the summer. Remember Our Promise was my first attempt at NaNoWriMo and was a story that basically wrote itself....


I also am in the midst of writing a contemporary drama romance series for Lazy Day Publishing. The first was released in January, Crossroad to Love, and has done well so far. The second, The Road to Her Heart, will be out in March. I have contracts signed for four so far and am working on the fifth. There will be several before the series is completed. It centers around the lives of four friends who have been friends since childhood, their loves, their children, their other friends, their jobs...like I said...drama!
You can find Anna on Facebook, Twitter, her website, Amazon.
Unlikely Lovers can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook, ARe, and BookstrandCrossroad to Love can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook, and ARe

Michael J. Rigg : The Author Interview

Once again the fabulous world of Twitter helped connect me to an author whose project I found very intriguing. Let's see what Michael J. Rigg has to say....

Tell us a little about yourself:My "writing life" didn't start until college. I had to pass on limited scholarship to USC Film School and ended up going to a local college to major in Radio and TV Communications. During that time I had an awesome one-on-one creative writing course with a professor who told me that most, if not all, of my filmmaking idols at the time had started off as students of the WRITTEN WORD. He told me Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, all cut their creative film teeth through writing. He also pointed out that you can do so much more "filmmaking" inside the head of a reader. No actors or actresses, set designers, costumes, union camera operators, weather, special effects, budgets.... Whatever I said on paper became LIFE. I was enthralled by this obvious epiphany and set abut writing a stream of short stories that hit one rejection after another.

And then, the next semester, I switched my major to Writing and my minor to Philosophy and Communications. It was a decision that would set the tone for all my future writing projects as I absorbed so much from my minors and only vaguely held on to the mechanics of my major.

I was one of only eight students in the bold new novel writing course -- because no one had the "guts" to take on a project tens of thousands of words long. I was the only student in my class to finish a novel and was delighted at how easy it was. As my professor said (and he quoted from someone else whom I don't recall), "The larger the project, the easier the writing, because you have 90,000 words to say what you want to say in a novel, but a poem.... In poetry you have to convey whole images and experiences in just a few short lines." That lesson stuck with me, and made me lazy.

I've written about nine or ten novels since I graduated college in 1987, but the only sales I've had were short stories and poetry. Irony.

For those of us who may not know, what is a 'blognovel'?I LOVE to tell stories, and I love interacting with an audience like a stage performer, and I love writing novels. In 2007, I found a way to combine all of these things by writing a novel raw as a "published" first draft on the Internet. I coined the term "blognovel" (taking the credit only because at the time I searched and didn't find anything similar) and started building a small but encouraging fan base who "tuned in" every week to see how the next chapter would play out. My first "blognovel," August Winter (www.augustwinter.wordpress.com) was basically a "live" writing experiment. I had an idea for an opening scene but no outline and no plot. I started writing... and let the characters take over. The result got me surprising responses from friends I didn't know were reading it, and a couple of emails from other countries encouraging me to do more.

My Philosophy background -- as well as an interest in the "Near Death" phenomenon -- brought me to An Angel for Sara Dawn. My second blognovel, published in 2009 (www.lifeinheaven.wordpress.com), was my first foray into NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I finished the book -- which actually had more of an outline than August Winter -- within that month. Sara Dawn is one of my favorite projects and I'm looking forward to going back to it once I finish my next draft of Heart of Bronze.


As I wrote August Winter, and moreso during the production of An Angel for Sara Dawn, I realized I was getting a lot of useful encouragement and even criticism from readers around the globe. It was like having a host of critics, editors, fans and readers looking over my shoulder as I wrote, giving me advice, keeping me going, and feeding my Writing Monster. I loved it!

In 2011 I started Heart of Bronze, my first journey into a new genre.

What can you tell us about Heart of Bronze?I'd never read anything "Steampunk," but I was familiar with the feeling and the concept of combining modern advancements with a pseudo-Victorian feel. It seemed like a fun thing to explore, so that's where I decided to go with Heart of Bronze. But it's more than that. I threw in some elements of romance, urban fantasy, sci-fi, war, thriller. It's kind of a "stew" story, and it was a blast to write.


Like with my earlier blognovels, I approached HoB with a simple "shell" of an idea, some characters and a few small scenes or situations. I was blown away by the responses I got from people who "subscribed" to the weekly serial about a woman who wakes up in an alternate history where airships and "SkyTrains" exist, where the South won the Civil War, and where grotesque experiments led to savage ghouls lurking the streets at night and young girls imbued with witchcraft. 
The biggest difference with HoB, compared to August and Sara, is that I asked my most loyal readers to contribute. Some character names, descriptions, and even the fate of the "bad guys" were all left to reader input. That was a lot of fun and kept people interested.


Is there another genre you would like to try at some point?I've written horror, sci-fi, fantasy and now Steampunk. I think I'll stick with the latter for now, though I think there's a romance novel in me somewhere. I'm actually keeping that in mind for the re-write of Sara Dawn.

Do you have a writing ritual or a certain way you like to get ready to write?I don't have a certain time of the day or night when I sit down to write, though during Heart of Bronze I did all of my writing in the mornings before work, between 6-8 a.m. That's when my brain was freshest. I usually put on over sized headphones and blast noise. Not music. Noise. During the last few chapters of HoB, I was actually listening to "airship engines." I used an app called "Sleep Machine" that allows you to combine sounds to create your own mix. I found that an Airplane Cabin + Fan (low) + Fan (hi) helped capture that open air airship feel. And, yes, I would turn my office ceiling fan on high to feel the air wash around me.

Tell us about one of your characters you loved writing:I think my favorite character of all my books is Sara Dawn, but in Heart of Bronze it has to be Pandora -- which is kinda funny because she was from a contest. I wanted to let the readers introduce the next character to the story. I would choose randomly from the following criteria: Name, Gender, Age, Fate. A reader named Jackie suggested Pandora, female, teenager, unknown. From that, I created a feisty seventeen-year-old fighter pilot witch. She was a lot of fun and evolved the most of all the characters in HoB. She was also a reader favorite.

Thank you, Jackie!

Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? If so, what changed?I never felt like giving up, but I often felt daunted. You know, there are days when you plain just don't feel like writing. You're tired, you're sick, you're not really feelin' it. I have one rule when it comes to writing: WRITE ONE WORD. That's all I require of myself every day. You'd be surprised how it's just as easy to write one sentence as it is one word. If it's a particularly bad day, and I feel a character or scene will suffer because I'm that much out of it, I'll open a new document and just dedicate myself to making notes or doing research.

The real "juice" behind getting Heart of Bronze done -- of keeping it going -- was in the reader interaction. Between chapters, I'd get emails from excited followers asking me what was going to happen next or telling me what they liked or didn't like about a previous chapter, or asking when it would be available on Kindle or Nook. Now THAT is inspiring.

What is your current obsession (absolutely anything)?When I'm not telling stories through writing, I'm telling stories through games. I'm an avid roleplayer. I enjoy creating characters in a game and applying rich histories and backgrounds to them -- and interacting with others. My current poison is Star Wars The Old Republic. I'm a long-time fan and credit the original 1977 film for opening all the creative doors inside my head.

Where can readers find more about you?I'm still working on a web site where I can consolidate all my work. 
I can be found on Facebook ,Twitter as @MichaelRigg and I'm always open to email (I answer every one that isn't spam) riggenterprises(at)gmail.com, or through my Heart of Bronze email, bronzenovel(at)gmail.com.

My blognovels and projects are:
heartofbronze.wordpress.com - Heart of Bronze
lifeinheaven.wordpress.com - An Angel for Sara Dawn
augustwinter.wordpress.com - August Winter

I'm currently working on the fourth edit of Heart of Bronze with a goal to release it as an e-book by the end of the year. Anyone interested in reading a rough draft can still find it as a blognovel at the address above.

Thanks so much for sharing with us today Michael! Best of luck with your blognovels!

Harper Leich : The Artist Interview

I'm so thrilled to share my interview with North Carolina artist Harper Leich! Check out what she had to say and see her beautiful work.


What type of paintings do you most enjoy creating and why? (Portraits, abstract?)
I’m a portrait painter, through and through.  It’s kind of funny for an introvert to be so interested in people, but I think that’s an important way in which I relate to people.  When I do a portrait of a friend of mine (which nearly all of my portraits are), I feel like we’re spending time together.  I might forget to call them since it feels like we’ve been hanging out together every day.  

I like to convey the essence of my subject to the world at large.  It’s a big task, but one that seems worthwhile and necessary to attempt.  Nothing captures my interest the way that portraits do- so much can be said in the way the light hits a face, the reflections of color on the cheeks, the expressions in the eyes.  It’s my favorite kind of story telling- one that is left open to the view to interpret through their own filters and experiences.   
"Calliope's Crown" by Harper Leich

Do you have a studio or a designated space for your art? If so, what is it like?
My boyfriend and I live in a teeny three bedroom house.  I’m lucky enough to have an entire room to dedicate to my art making.  I have a dresser full of art supplies, two antique tables against a wall – one for computer work and writing, and one for drawing, painting, and sewing.  I have a bookshelf on top of the dresser that is stuffed with art books (Romaine Brooks, my beloved “Il Symbolismo” book I bought in Italy- too bad I can’t read about the Symbolist painters in it since it’s in Italian, Frida Kahlo, Lempika, Mucha, Klimt, how-to books, artist books I made in college) a stereo, a giant old philodendron plant, random family heirlooms, and old sketch books.  I have a teal wall covered in photographs of family- including some beautiful color slide prints of both my grandmothers from the 40s.  A small table that my grandmother decorated with paint and a crushed, dyed eggshell and varnished top is set up as my alter where I meditate.  

In front of one of the windows is my big wooden easel my father and step-mother gave to me a year ago.  There is always a painting in progress on it, and the wall behind it is either filled with paintings in progress or random bits of inspiration, including some hand-drawn and written cards from my god-daughter who aspires to be an artist.      Harper's in-home studio

Do you create your art to sell?
I have in the past- mainly through the crafts that I have made like my hand bound journals and hand made fairies.  When I make a painting, I try to make what I want without thinking about some one buying it.  It’s surprisingly hard keep out of my mind, there is always a part of me that is wondering if anyone would buy it.  What keeps painting fun for me is the joy of following my own muse, not what is currently in style or what I know sells.  Hopefully sometimes what I want to paint and what people want to buy will come together!  Often it does!

Do you work with other mediums? 
I’m all over the place.  I consider oil painting to be my main medium.  I also do mural work in fast drying acrylic paint, I love to draw, sew, take photos, knit, embroider, quilt, crochet, book bind, and am about to learn tatting.  You name it I’ve tried it or added it to my to-do list.  I can’t paint all the time, I need to have a wide variety of creative outlets.  It keeps it from getting too stale for me.
"Cyber Shepherd" by Harper Leich
What are you working on now?
Right now I am working on a project I am very excited about.  It is about the relationship between individuals and plants: the magic that comes from that connection and the wisdom the plants have to share with those who are willing to listen.  They are oil on panel and are based on photos I have taken of friends.  I am trying to keep it somewhat secret, I won’t be releasing any images of the paintings until the show is hung (I am looking for a venue!);it feels important for them to be fresh upon viewing. 
I also decided to take part in a project I saw on one of my favorite blogs: 52 portraits in one year, a portrait a week.  The original challenge was for photography but I have decided to apply it to drawing and painting.   It’s only a few weeks in, but it’s been a great challenge to keep working on fresh material instead of laboring over involved pieces like I usually do.

What inspires you?
I find inspiration everywhere.  Honestly!  I find it talking to people, in blogs, in nature, in plants, in my friends, in artists I admire, in the mysteries of the universe and the connections between us all, in books I read, and in the esoteric healing I have studied.  My current project came to me while meditating with a flower in one of my favorite nature spots.  There isn’t enough time in the day to follow all the threads of ideas that spark in my mind so I try to stay focused on one at a time. 
"Listening" by Harper Leich
What is your current obsession (absolutely anything)?
Learning to play the banjo.  It’s a slow process for me, but I practice nearly every day!  I can usually play “Boil the Cabbage Down” without messing up at least one time through!  My boyfriend Kurt sometimes joins me on accordion.  He is very patient.

Listening to: Andrew Bird’s most recent albums, “Hands of Glory” and “Break it Yourself “ equally, along with Hurray for the Riff Raff’s “Young Blood Blues” on our living room record player.
Paintings: Charles Courtney Curran
Plants: Foam flower and impatiens
You can 'like' Harper on Facebook  and follow her http://harperleich.wordpress.com/
Thanks again for sharing your amazing work with us Harper! Best of luck with your future endeavors!

To Spoil or Not to Spoil : The Great Blurb Debate

I'm having a problem and I need your help. As I start to wrap up my newest novel Reckless Radiance I've been thinking about what the description might be. You know, that little paragraph on the back of the book that gets you intrigued and makes you want to buy it and devour it. The problem is with this being a paranormal romance I'm struggling with whether or not I should tell my readers what Russell is before they even delve into the book? 



There's a of chunk of the book where my main character Valerie is unaware of who or what the mysterious new guy in her life is so I wonder if I should keep it that way for the reader too...

So my question to you is, would you want to know from the time you crack open the book (or fire it up on your Kindle) that the mysterious hottie is a (insert supernatural being here)?

There's clearly way more to the story than just his initial secret but does it spoil it to know before you even begin reading?



HELP!

Rebel Ink Press Best of 2012

I was recently given the honor of 'Best of 2012' by my publisher Rebel Ink Press. These other Rebels also got the title! Check them out....






Alex Jones: Author of LGBT romance, her Rebel debut Drown can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook, and ARe

Find Alex on Facebook,  Twitter and at www.alexjonesbooks.com
Lila Munro: Her work spans the genre of contemporary romance including BDSM, menage, sweet heat and a few military based titles. Her wealth of work can be found at Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook, and ARe

Find Lila on Facebook, Twitter and at http://realmanticmoments.blogspot.com
Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy: This Rebel also spans the genre with historical fiction and period pieces as well as time-traveling romances. Find her work on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook, and ARe

Find Lee Ann on Facebook, Twitter and at http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com/
BL Morticia : Usually incorporating a military aspect or the theme of heavy metal music, BL writes sexy reads with lots of heat. Her work can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook and ARe

Find BL on Facebook and at http://thelittriad.wordpress.com/#! where all of her pen names live.
Cassandre Dayne : Cassandre writes erotic romance in all types of subgenres including paranormal and contemporary. Find her work on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook and ARe.

Find Cassandre on Facebook, Twitter and at www.cassandredayne.com
BethAnn Buehler : BethAnn's Rebel Canyon series is still widely popular. You can find her work on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook and ARe

You can also find more about her at http://bethannbuehler.blogspot.com/
JL Oiler : Author of paranormal erotic romance, JL's work can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook and ARe.

Find JL on Facebook, Twitter and at http://joiler.weebly.com/

And then there's me! I feel so blessed by the success of The Low Notes, the love I have felt from my readers and the acceptance I have felt from fellow authors. I'm so excited to be working on my new paranormal new adult romance, Reckless Radiance, and I can't wait to share it with you.

Top Ten (err, five) Tuesday : TV Series Finales

All good things must come to an end, right? Well generally all good TV shows don't end so well. Last Friday my husband and I watched the two hour series finale of Fringe. We'd been watching the show since day one and it was one of our favorites. Though the last episode was good (great acting, the general idea of a wrap up and a few nods to the fans), it wasn't great. I realized there were only a handful of series finales that I truly felt completed by. 

Sadly, there are not ten shows that made their last episode work so here's my top five list in which I get a little creative with my choices.  


5. LOST

Not everyone was thrilled by this series finale because it didn't 'answer all our questions'. That part never bothered me. To me, the show was never about finding out what the smoke monster was or how Jacob got on the island. The show was about Jack's journey--it was about every single character's personal arc and in the end I was satisfied.

4. Saved by the Bell : Wedding in Las Vegas
 Okay this is where I got a little creative. Here's what you have to understand, the last season of Saved By The Bell (original cast) sucked! They brought in stupid Tori and Kelly and Jessie weren't in half the episodes and the 'finale' (if you can call it that) was garbage. Then the best of the cast goes on to do The College Years and I would say Wedding in Las Vegas is essentially that show's finale so I'm considering it to be the definitive finale (especially since all the original cast shows up in the end). Oh, that and it's awesome.

3. Doctor Who (The End of Time Parts 1 & 2)
 Technically the Brits call a season a 'series'. So this is a 'series' finale. But it's also the end of David Tennant's portrayal of The Doctor. Season 5 is a bit of a reboot with no mention of former companions and an attempt to introduce new viewers so I view this (Season 4's finale) as it's own series finale. Seriously, if you don't watch this show get on Netflix right now and catch up! (starting with 2004's season 1)

2. Sex and the City
 LOVE this ending!! We all knew Big and Carrie were meant to be and we finally get those dreams paid off. Though I love the first SATC movie and consider it a nice wrap up to the entire story, this series finale would've kept me just as happy. Favorite moment : finally knowing Big is actually John.

1. Six Feet Under
 This remains my favorite show of all time.  I was so nervous for the finale because generally they don't work but boy was I wrong. Complete satisfaction. The show always started with a death so when the show was ending and it showed all of the main characters deaths down the line I was blown away (and a hot freaking mess). It was the perfect ending and the beginning of my musical love of Sia.

I'd love to hear what finales you loved and felt satisfied with! Leave them in the comments section!

Troy Aaron Ratliff : The Author Interview

Once again, Twitter has helped me to meet a wonderful author and a friendly pal! I'm excited to share my interview with him with you today. He had a lot of interesting things to share about his work as an author and artist. Check it out...




What inspires you?


Inspiration comes in so many forms and avenues that to pinpoint it down to a certain singular thing is kind of impossible.  I find it in music, novels, movies, the world in general, other writers, news, deep, intellectual conversations, and what I feel is the most important: daydreaming.  That age old question of “What-if” is one of the most powerful tools for a writer.  And inspiration can come from so many other sources as well.  If I had to answer in the most simplified, bare-bones manner for me, it would have to be either music or other people’s work.  Both can trigger the interior avalanche and that avalanche might have been held back because I couldn’t work past one tiny little thing, one singular detail in something I’m working on. 



Mostly, as far as my writing is concerned, I write because it fulfills me and satisfies my artistic and creative side more than any other avenue.  It sounds cliché, I know, but I write because I have to.  I also think, for a part of me, it’s something I own that is wholly mine which is an inspiration in of itself.  Growing up, I had friends who could play the drums or rock a guitar or could sing, and I couldn’t do any of it.  But the one thing I had that a lot of them didn’t was that longevity and complete creative control.  If one of them in the band wanted to call it quits, the band was - nine times out of ten - over.  Me, twenty years later?  I’m still writing while the others have moved on from music. 


In short, the whole of creating and finding inspiration boils down to the mood I’m in and what I’m feeling antsy to create (drawing, writing, outlining, photography).  The creative process for me comes in waves, oscillating between writing and drawing.  I can be on a drawing and art streak for a month and then, suddenly, nothing.  Same goes for my writing too.  Fun fact about me: If I have a story cooking in the back of my head and I’m gearing up to write it, I’ll usually seek out some new music.  It doesn’t even have to be associative music either - meaning if I’m writing a story in the Midwest doesn’t mean I go looking for some acoustic Neil Young, or when I’m writing about the city I don’t need a shot of hip-hop but once I find that perfect song for the mood I’m writing in, I’ll know.  Usually by then, I’ll slip on the headphones, set the song on repeat, and listen to it 600 times.  I know it sounds insane, but the music can put me in the right headspace.  Sometimes a song may not be what I’m looking for at all and silence truly is golden.


You also are an artist and photographer! How does having multiple creative endeavors help your work as an author?


Original drawing by Troy Aaron RatliffIt gives me a break from writing, which I feel is needed to create well-rounded, complete fiction.  I can’t speak for all writers, but when I step away from my work and come back to it with fresh eyes and new thoughts rambling around in my head, I can see where I shined and where I stumbled in my prose.  I say “new thoughts” meaning that what I had on my mind when I first wrote the words could have evolved in the time I toyed with my drawing or my photography.  I think this trinity of creativity fuels each other and when I push the limits of one and then return to another, I’m able to go at it full throttle.    

Photo by Troy Aaron Ratliff

Is there another genre you'd like to try writing? If so, what?


I’d like to try my hand at Literary Fiction if only to shake up that world a bit.  I know Lit. Fic. can be boring to a lot of people, and to tell you the truth, I can understand why.  The standard subjects in L.F. have become these long-winded tomes about coming to America, the stereotypical dysfunctional family, and anything else that if it isn’t on HBO as a miniseries can be the literary equivalent of Ambian.  I like to consider my own work “Literary Horror”, which I believe is very different from “Gothic Horror”.  But to write a straight Literary Fiction novel, no monsters or weirdness involved, I think that would be a challenge for me.  And if I did write one, I could always enter it into some grandiose book award!  Move over McCarthy, Roth, and Franzen!  Here comes Ratliff (don’t hold your breath on this one.).




What are you working on now?


Original drawing by Troy Aaron RatliffActually, my first novel.  I can’t give too much away because I’ll be bombarding everyone with it when it’s ready, so I’m keeping it hush-hush right now.  I originally wanted to publish it around November but I hit a snag and it got delayed.  It’s not in development hell, though and I hope to have it out this year.  I do have other goals in mind for the rest of the year too.  One of my long-term goals that I’d love to accomplish, maybe not this year, but sometime very soon, is to have a coffee book of my art and my photography and my general thoughts on the world.  Of course, I’m planning to release another short story or a novella again in 2013, along with new photography and art.  I have plenty of things I’m always working on, with the novel being the primary focus.  I think the resolution every year is to grow and hone the skills I already have, which I think is a fantastic goal for everyone every year, no matter what you do.  Food for thought for those that don’t have any resolutions.  Just grow.




Do you have a ritual or a certain head-space you need to be in to write? Tell us about your process:


I think every writer has some kind of method and I’ve experimented with several different avenues of the writing process.  I may have an idea pop into my head and I set the keyboard on fire.  Other times, I let it linger in my mind because I may have the idea, but I’m shaky on how to execute it.  I’m shaky because if I do it, I want to do it right.  As a matter of fact, I’m working on a story I first thought of over a decade ago.  The idea and the bones of the story have rattled around in my mind for those ten years, but now it has matured in my memory banks, stewing in its juices, and I feel it’s ready to be born.


Recently, I’ve begun to see the formation of a solid process to my writing.  Life tends to get in the way more times than I would like it to, but that’s just how it works sometimes.  We would all like to be able to write and edit all day and watch our output quadruple.  But when it comes to the drafting, the writing, and the editing all coming together, my process has certainly expanded and developed into something I’m proud of. 


Here’s how I do it.  Generally, I’ll write and let loose my creative monster, just to see where the story takes me and how far.  Before long, I start to see the story as a whole coming together and I’ll have to plot out the narrative if I’m enjoying the ride and the characters.  After that, I’ll keep to a flexible outline (meaning if a better idea comes along, then I’ll use it, which could mean a change in the whole story) but I’ll still write until my fingers bleed.  After I’m finished, I’ll review it and read it out loud before sending it to some friends.  Then, I’ll leave it alone for a bit.  Again, the whole stewing-in-the-juices method.  When I come back to it with fresh eyes, I’ll go through two rounds of editing with my friend’s suggestions noted next to me.  After that, I’ll send it to one of my editors and wait.  I’ll take their suggestions to heart (yes, editors, I really do listen to you - and writers, you should listen to your editors!) and I’ll make the changes I deem necessary.  I go over it two more times and finally, by that point, I should feel happy enough to publish it.




Has there ever been a time you felt like giving up? What kept you going?


Photo by Troy Aaron RatliffAbsolutely.  I recently asked a Facebook group if there was ever a book that made them want to give up, to stop writing completely because there was no chance of them ever being anywhere near as good.  As writers, we are in a blender of emotions when it comes to our output.  We could all find that writer who blows us out of the water.  To counter that, we might stumble upon a writer that we think is utter crap, while the writer in question has a legion of rabid fans who are foaming at the mouth and would scream the opposite.  I actually bring this up in my novella Just Past the Trees of this question of hanging up the pen and paper for good.  Coming upon an insurmountable case of writer’s block because of a lack of inspiration or we discover someone’s creativity that is the mountain to our molehill can be very, very tough on the ego and the artistic mind.  What keeps you going is up to you and what you make of it in the end.  For me, I’ve been writing for almost twenty years.  It’d be like cutting off a limb or losing a family member.  I’d feel so empty if words left my life and that’s really what keeps me going.  I can’t see myself without my writing.  I may drift away from it from time to time, and I feel that’s okay, but to leave it completely?  That’s a hard pill to swallow.




What is your current obsession (absolutely anything!)?


I went to Jamaica this past summer with my wife and I guess I had an awakening, kinda like Snoop Dogg (now Snoop Lion).  But, not so much a spiritual awaken like he had, but more of a musical one.  I haven’t been able to stop listening to Bob Marley and Wailers album Legend.  I think those three days on that island were my happiest of the year.  At one point, when I was on the sandy beach - and I felt like I was actually in a screensaver - I told my wife that I wanted to be buried there.  Obviously, there was a soundtrack playing the entire time that was none other than Bob Marley.  I had heard his music before, sure, but it didn’t strike me as deeply as it did when I was there.  Now, when I’m stuck in traffic or fighting the chill of the winter weather, I listen to him and I’m instantly happy with the world.  Maybe I’ll be drawing some inspiration for his island melodies and write a tropical story sometime soon…


Thank you so much for talking to me! Readers can find Troy Aaron on just about every social media outlet there is! Check him out at one or all of the following locations :
Website
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Top Ten Tuesday : New Year's Resolutions

It's a brand new year! It's a time for a fresh start and goals to energize us as we head into 2013. Generally I hate New Year's resolutions but this year I'm feeling kind of hopeful about the situation. Rule #1...no resolutions about food or weight (those ones never seem to work out so we should skip them altogether yeah?). So here goes...my top ten resolutions!

10. Spend more time with friends and family

Time tends to get away from me. I let life get in the way of making plans with the people I love the most. Making time for some of my favorite people shouldn't be too hard.

9. Find the balance

Hair styling and book writing don't really go together so well. Both jobs are creative and fun and I love them both but it can be hard to shift gears. I'm not sure how I'll do it but I'm going to find a way to find the balance between both of my jobs.


8. Spend more time with Sampson

My dearest puppy dog Sam gets lonely. Mom and Dad are so boring! All they do is sit at their dumb computers and use the scary vacuum cleaner. I promise to take my boy on more walks and give him waaaaaay more cuddles.


7. Journal more

In September 2012 I started keeping a journal again. I hadn't written in a journal consistently since probably junior high school. For the first few days I was doing awesome. Then I started to slack a bit. So for 2013 I'd love to be writing in my journal at least once a week if not much more!


6. Watch less TV

I've been known to say that TV is my boyfriend. He's there for me when I get home and he always knows just what to say. He makes me laugh, cry, teaches me how to cook and depending on what I'm watching he can also be quite sexy (I'm looking at you Damon Salvatore). But it's time I take a little break from this relationship. TV, it's not you--its me. I need to spend more time doing productive things. I'll always love you and we will still be friends....


5. Be a better Susie Homemaker

Between standing on my feet all day at the salon, wanting to pop open the laptop immediately and also being addicted to the TV, I like to forget about some important things like cooking and cleaning. Now, I'm not saying I want to turn into the June Cleaver of Indianapolis but I would like to keep on top of the housework a little more. Because of course, when the house is clean my mind is much more at ease anyway. It's a win-win.

4. Blog more

Though I enjoy blogging, sometimes it is a bit tedious. It's hard enough to discipline myself to sit down and do it but I also have to think about what I'm going to say! Sometimes all I have in me is a lazy top ten list ;)

3. Read more

Reading is one of those things I absolutely love to do but I always seem to forget about. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a slave to technology so sometimes when I could pick up a book (even if it's on my Kindle) I pick up my iPhone instead. 2013 will be about stepping away from the cell phone and curling up with my fictional boyfriends.

2. Publish book 2

Fingers crossed that Reckless Radiance will be submittable very soon! Having two titles under my belt will feel amazing. I just can't wait to give my readers something more--and something totally different from The Low Notes.

1. Write more!

In a few years I'd like for writing to be my only job and the only way I'll get there is by working harder than ever before.