Ally Shields's Blog, page 73

Coffee Chat with Author Erin Moore

   Welcome to the Wednesday Coffee Chat!

Erin Moore is with us today with her paranormal romance, The Shaman's Temptation, which sounds like a hot time in the Arizona desert!

Erin, do you drink coffee or prefer something else?

ERIN:  Earl Gray with lots of almond milk is my caffeine infusion of choice.

Ally: No problem. While I'm getting the tea and coffee for us, you'll have time to show our readers your bio, including an additional interesting fact.
BIO:

Erin has been writing her entire life, but only recently found her voice in the paranormal romance world.

She's an avowed chocoholic, loves travel and good tea, and finds her inner peace by meditating and writing. Fantasy, historical fiction, and romance are her inspirations.

She is so thankful that she is able to do what she loves and have the support of great readers and friends.

Something not in my bio: I speak fluent German.

Contact links:  (may include 18+ content)
 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/authorErinMoore
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorErinMoore
Website:  www.AuthorErinMoore.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Erin-Moore/e/B00GFUISIU/
Ally:  Let's start with a genre question. How did you start writing romances? Did a particular book or author inspire you?
 
ERIN:  I sort of grew up reading romances in the summers when I could borrow/steal them from aunts and grandmothers, so I can’t really say that it was any one author, except maybe Jude Deveraux (remember those?).

Ally:  Do you work with a critique partner or critique group? Do you use beta readers?

ERIN:  Two amazing women are my crit partners, and since I’ve been published I’ve also had a few beta readers. It’s probably something that I need to focus on more. In terms of crit partners, I think two is probably my limit; it’s hard to find the time for my writing, others’ writing, and marketing, otherwise!

Ally:  I know you have a small press publisher, but have you done any self-publishing or would you consider it?

ERIN:  Would definitely consider self-publishing, especially because my next series is going to be a little off the beaten track, and if I am going to have to start from the ground up in terms of building an audience, then it might be worth it. I’m writing what I’m calling “The Origins Series”, and it’s going to be set in the Paleolithic. Not exactly a Regency!

Ally:  Tell us about the heroine and hero in the book you brought today. What is the major conflict in their relationship?

ERIN:  Takshilim Nah-Kah-Yen is training to be a shaman in his small Arizona tribe. Madeleine Greenway is the financial analyst sent to help his tribe get funding for a casino. Their conflict is really generated from their ways of life – Tak thinks that she is sort of a princess, not able to see the needs of the tribe. And Madeleine thinks Tak is a bit arrogant, until she finds out how much he has invested in helping his people and how strong he is beneath the wounded warrior toughness.

Ally: I confess to loving quick answer questions, so here are yours:
a hike in the woods or a day on the beach: Hike. sexy convertible or practical van: Wow, those are my only choices? I think sexy, but I drive a total mommy car. favorite flower: Orchids. For obvious reasons. your next vacation destination: Turkey. sexiest actor, tv or movies: I looooove Hugh Jackman and Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson. Yum. Ally: You have good taste in men! But I'm afraid we're about out of time. Thank you so much for visiting today. But we'd love to see your book before you go...
Blurb:

A Shaman’s temptation could be the undoing of his people…

Madeleine Greenway, perfectionist and analyst for Surety Bank, has no place in her rigidly organized life for something as unpredictable as a man, much less a Native American shaman. Sent to the White Mountain reservation to help the tribe finance its new casino, she meets Tak, a proud, beautiful Apache, and finds herself surrounded by something magical in the Arizona desert. His touch becomes a passport to otherworldly bliss, and the strange coyote she sees makes her question what’s real. But it’s the amazing sex with Tak that makes Madeleine lose sight of her goal—to guarantee that Surety Bank’s investment in the casino won’t fail.

Last in a long line of shaman shape-shifters, Tak Nah-Kah-Yen has sworn a vow of celibacy to his gods. But Madeleine’s lithe body and honeyed lips compel him to forswear his pledge, claiming her for his own. His passion for her overshadows his link to his gods at a time when he most needs their help. Desperate to find funding for the casino and lift his people out of poverty, he’d accepted start-up money from less than savory sources who are willing to kill to guarantee their profit—the profit Madeleine’s bank jeopardizes…

NOTICE: Content of Erin Moore's books is 18+

The books are available at most online bookstores and can be accessed through her website or her Amazon Author page:
Website:  www.AuthorErinMoore.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Erin-Moore/e/B00GFUISIU/
Thanks, readers, for joining us today. Please come back soon!
If you are a former subscriber and have missed the last couple of posts, you'll need to subscribe again due to a website glitch. I apologize for the inconvenience.
I don't want to lose any of you!

My Writing Process Blog Hop

I've been tagged on the My Writing Process blog hop by Antonia van Zandt. The rules are simple: link back to her blog and forward to three other writers, plus answer the following questions:

1. What am I working on?

I just finished and signed a contract to publish a new urban fantasy with elven characters, entitled Cross Keys. Now I'm busy writing Wild Fire (Guardian Witch Book Six) and am currently on Chapter nine. This book has a new twist which you haven't seen in the series before!

2. How does my work differ from others in its genre?

The Otherworld characters are known to and interact with human society, working side by side to solve crimes or defeat enemies. The heroine is a supernatural cop with a human partner; they often use normal police procedures and forensics to resolve very un-normal situations. While there is a strong romantic line, the mystery and adventure storyline predominates. The series has an overall story arc and should be read in order, but each book has a resolution of its own.

3. Why do I write what I do?

I've always loved to read urban fantasy, but I started writing it by accident. When I first began the book that was to be Awakening the Fire, it had a different title, a different name for the heroine, and I thought I was writing a traditional mystery or police procedural. On the second or third day of writing, I realized my heroine was a witch. I had to stop and do several weeks of world building before the story could move forward again! :)
I've continued writing in the genre because I love the way it stretches my imagination to find new and different ways to challenge my heroine yet ground the story in elements of the real world.

4. How does my writing process work?

I write every day, and I do best when I set goals--usually 2000 - 2500 daily words. My first drafts tend to be skinny, often not much more than pages of dialogue. My manuscript could grow 15-20k on the second pass as I add details and descriptions. (I'm trying to get better about this, and do more on the first draft.) First draft will take anywhere from six weeks to three months, with at least a full rewrite and a full edit pass taking another two to six weeks. A second edit takes place once the manuscript is reviewed by my critique partner, Kath Boyd Marsh. Smaller edit passes include searches for overused words and a check to see I have utilized the five senses. Typos and punctuation are proofed on every pass and still the little gremlins manage to creep in. Luckily, Nancy Cassidy, my editor at Etopia Press, is good at catching those when we eventually do the rounds of formal edits prior to publication!

Enough about me. I'd like to pass the torch to these lovely writers. You can read about their writing process next week on April 28:

1. Kath Boyd March, Letters from Earth
2. Kirstin Pulioff, author
3. EE Carter, author

Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon!

On Writing Paranormal

         On Writing Paranormal
                      by Michele Drier, guest author

Last fall, Janet Evanovich blew into town.

She was the guest of the local newspaper’s Book Club, which hosted her appearance.

The auditorium (holds about 2,200), was packed and the free tickets were gone within three hours of the announcement in the paper.

I went with my critique group, evenly divided into Morellis and Rangers.

She was great...funny, flip, everything you think Stephanie Plum would be, and we all had take-aways.

Mine was her talking abut the world of Stephanie Plum.

It’s based on Evanovich’s own family, with just enough of a spin to make them irresistible.

And Evanovich is so crazy about them, she can hardly wait to wake up in the morning and get back to Stephanie’s world.

That’s when I realized that I’m not the only one who lives in fantasy land.

But mine stretches the fantasy a little. Instead of pulling stories and characters from my own past, I’ve created a family that’s complete fantasy. A fantasy of five hundred year old Hungarian vampires.

I’ve boxed myself in. The Kandeskys are uber rich, sophisticated, live in a style that heads of small nations would envy. They travel in their own planes and Mercedes limos driven by their bodyguard, a corps of demons who’ve been with the family for centuries.

The Baron, head of the family, lives in a Hungarian castle. Family members have estates in Kiev. Others live in lavish apartments in Paris, London, Rio.

The family owns enough L.A. homes, condos and commercial real estate to make a Southern California developer drool.

And the vampires themselves. Pen, the Baron’s wife, was a celebrity for years, until she decided to retire because people were beginning to ask how she looked the same for better than fifty years.

Jean-Louis is tall, lean, with dark hair and eyes that range from navy blue to deep violet to black and he’s perfected the ability to glimmer—producing a glow that attracts and calms regulars.

Nik is light to Jean-Louis’ dark, with streaked blond hair and eyes that shift from hazel to brown and when the two of them appear at parties, women give themselves whiplash from looking.

Who wouldn’t want to hang around this family?

There’s one wrinkle. I’d much rather be with them than my “other” life. They don’t cook, clean, pay bills, drive across town to find the cheapest gas, live in fear of stepping on the scale or put up with an elderly cat who stands on a head at night and says, “feed me.”  And this urge to be with the Kadeskys means that all those “other” chores mostly don’t get done.

After I finish book eight, SNAP: All That Jazz, later this spring, I’m going to have to wrench myself back to my “other” life. My daughter’s threatening to call the Hoarders show on me.

For now, back to Kiev!
Book Blurb: White Nights (book seven)

Nik, the third-in-command of the Hungarian Kandesky vampire family, has been handling the family's interests in Czech munition factories for upwards of four hundred years. He's been a contented bachelor, throwing himself into business until Jazz strolls into his life. Jazz is Maxie Gwenoch's successor as the managing editor for SNAP, the international celeb gossip magazine, another Kandesky company. Maxie, Nik, Jazz and Jean-Louis, the Kandesky second-in-command, are headed to Moscow to assess the business potential for a SNAP Russian bureau, until an old enemy shows up. Set against the tensions between Ukraine and Russia, the short Russian nights teach Maxie to cherish her time with Jean-Louis while Jazz faces her own questions about loving a vampire.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

Others in the series:  SNAP: The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, is available in ebook, paperback and audible at ebook retailers. All have received “must read” reviews from the Paranormal Romance Guild. SNAP: The World Unfolds, SNAP: New Talent, Plague: A Love Story and Danube: A Tale of Murder are available singly and in a boxed set at Amazon, B&N and Kobo. The fifth book, SNAP: Love for Blood, rated 5 stars, and sixth, SNAP: Happily Ever After? are also available. About the author:

Michele Drier was born in Santa Cruz and is a fifth generation Californian. She’s lived and worked all over the state, calling both Southern and Northern California home.  During her career in journalism—as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers—she won awards for producing investigative series.

SNAP: White Nights, the seventh book of her paranormal romance series, The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, was published March 20. She’s working on the eighth book in the series, SNAP: All That Jazz, scheduled for publication in late spring 2014.

She also writes the Amy Hobbes Newspaper mysteries, Edited for Death and Labeled for Death. A third book, Delta for Death, is coming in 2014.


Visit her website: http://www.micheledrier.com
facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMicheleDrier
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Michele-Drier/e/B005D2YC8G/
Have a great day! Visit again soon!

Interview & Coffee Chat with Amber Foxx

Welcome to this week's book talk on the Coffee Chat! My guest today is Amber Foxx, a writer of paranormal with the woo-woo factor!

Good Morning, Amber! How do you take your coffee?

AMBER:  Black, no sugar.

Ally: An excellent choice and very easy to do. I'll pour if you show readers your bio, plus that something extra that is unique to you.

Bio:  Amber Foxx has worked as a personal trainer, fitness director, and yoga teacher and as a college professor in health sciences. She has lived in Maine, Virginia, North Carolina and New Mexico. While she currently divides her time between the Southeast and the Southwest, she calls Truth or Consequences New Mexico home.

And something unique:  I had my first short story published when I was twelve. I’d forgotten about it until about six years ago. My sister and I were sorting through a box of family papers and pictures our father had left us—and there was that story, as well as one I’d written for a high school English class. After this encounter with the family archives, I got serious about writing. I’ve had several events in my life when I felt as if my father’s spirit was giving me a nudge to do something. This was one of them. He was strong believer in following your bliss.

Contacts:
https://www.goodreads.com/AmberFoxx
ambfoxx@earthlink.net
http://amberfoxxmysteries.wordpress.com
Ally:  Describe your series according to genre and subgenre. You've called them murderless mysteries, so what kind of problems does your protag solve?

AMBER:  I’ve wanted to invent a new genre, the way some chefs like to experiment with recipes, putting together ingredients that aren’t normally combined in ways that end up tasting wonderful. The books are mysteries in the sense that there are puzzles to be solved, and paranormal because my protagonist is a psychic and energy healer, while the overall feel of the books is like general fiction. They are realistic novels with paranormal elements. Shamans’ Blues has some elements of romance, as well, with an unconventional twist.

The mysteries are about missing people, secrets, or unusual spiritual phenomena. In The Calling, the first book in the series, Mae Martin tries to understand mysteries in her own life—why her father disappeared and the mystery of her own unasked for gift. In Shaman's Blues, the second book, the mystery starts with requests for Mae to find two missing people, but these people themselves end up being a greater mystery than their whereabouts. They have layers of secrets. A ghost plays a part in this plot, as well. In the third book (not yet released) a missing pet will end up being a key part of a much more tangled mystery. I’ve got four books more in various stages of progress, and the mysteries range from how a group of healers and psychics lose their gifts, to an attempt to undo an apparent voodoo curse. 

Ally:  Tell us about Mae’s unusual talent. Do her psychic experiences spring solely from your imagination or have you or someone you've known had similar experiences?

AMBER:  I’ve had some psychic experiences but they are not like Mae’s. I dream the future, which seems to be, in my reading and in my encounters with people who are willing to talk about this kind of thing, the most common type of psychic ability. My gift is random—I’ve only been able to dream the future on purpose once. It was 100% accurate, but I don’t know if I could achieve that again.
The inspiration for Mae’s gift came from someone with a more unusual ability, a woman who could read something of your past or present by holding an object that you had handled a lot. She had a vision from holding something of mine that was surprisingly personal and important to me, when I had just met her that evening and she knew next to nothing about me. This ability was perfect for my books. It gives Mae both insights and limits. She can’t see the future, only the past and the present, and she has to access an object for its vibration that connects it to a person. I didn’t want being psychic to be too easy, but I wanted it to be something she could control with skill and discipline.
 
Ally:  What is your writing process? Pantser or plotter?

AMBER:  I’m a pantser, but I also plan a lot once I get started. As I write, new characters show up, and plot ideas occur to me. It’s like improv acting, playing all of the roles. I’ll improvise a scene, and then scribble some possible next events. Typing on a keyboard and writing by hand seem to access different thinking processes, so I hand write those tentative outlines. Drawing accesses yet another aspect of my mind. I do some plot-tightening with charts and outlines after the first draft or two, to make sure there are no holes or loose ends.

Ally:  When and where do you write?

AMBER:  I have a home office dedicated to writing, and I write for anywhere from an hour to eight hours a day depending on the day of the week, day job demands, and travel. I made a commitment years ago never to let a day pass without writing and I’ve kept it. I don’t set goals that can be measured in words or pages, because sometimes I have to spend a lot of time polishing a tricky transitional paragraph, and other times ideas flow so rapidly that I don’t stop to spell-check or polish. It takes no will power to make myself write. The hard part is making myself stop and go to bed. I’m nocturnal, and my creative flow picks up after dark.

Ally:  I'm always interested in how other writers handle revisions. How much do you do on your own before involving your editor?

AMBER:  The number of revisions is uncountable, I revise so constantly. Each scene I write gets revised immediately. Then I move on to the next, and then I go back to the beginning and revise it all before moving on again. I think every chapter may have been revised a minimum of three of four times before it even goes to the first critique partner. Before anyone sees it I print it out and mark it up. I’m brutal with myself as my own critique partner. I revise again and then I start with a partner who’s good with plot and gives detailed feedback, working one chapter at a time. After the first critique, I revise and send the whole book to the next beta reader. Revise again. Next beta reader. Revise again. I like to have three readers before I send it to my editor, and then I still find myself making last minute fixes when I think it’s done. My books take years.

Ally:  What do you do when you're not writing?

AMBER:  I read, of course. I love art, and like to go to museums and galleries. I’m a runner—my barefoot shoes are probably my favorite thing I own. I like to go out dancing, and to go hiking in the desert. And I practice yoga daily.

Ally: Let's try a few quick answer questions:
favorite mystery author: it’s a tie between James D. Doss and Nevada Barr high heels or sneakers: Do my Vibram Five Fingers count as sneakers?favorite after five drink: decaf green tea (It would be more fun if I said green chile lager or pumpkin ale, but I’ll leave those to one of my characters to enjoy.)an item on your bucket list: Make a bucket list! Or maybe the following is the answer.your dream vacation would be: retirement. There is so much I want to do traveling around New Mexico, so many events that I miss because I have to work my day job. I want to have the year when I go the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, the burning of Zozobra at the Santa Fe Fiesta,  Santa Fe Indian Market, the Gathering of Nations and the Gallup Intertribal, Route 66 Summerfest, and even the Deming Duck Race and Roswell Alien Chase. The year when I don’t miss a thing!
Ally:  Thanks, Amber, for visiting the Coffee Chat today. I wish you the best of luck with your books.
And speaking of books, here are her current covers and blurbs...
The Calling

A down-to-earth North Carolina country girl, Mae Martin-Ridley is a former high school athlete whose interests run to sports and fitness, not spirituality or mysticism. The last thing she ever expected to be was a psychic or a spiritual healer. Obeying her mother’s warning, Mae has been hiding her gift of “the sight” for years. When events compel her to use it again, the unforeseen consequences spread to affect every aspect of her life—work, marriage, and family. To qualify for a new job Mae takes a class in Norfolk, Virginia, where she meets people who not only accept her abilities but push her to explore them further. She struggles with the shadow side of her gift. Though she wants to use “the sight” to help people, it gives her access to secrets she could regret uncovering. Torn between those around her who encourage her and those who condemn or doubt, Mae has to find her own path.

Buy Links:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
iTunes
CreateSpace
Shaman’s Blues
          
Mae Martin gets a double-edged going-away gift from her job as a psychic and
healer: beautiful music by a man who’s gone missing, and a request to find him.
When she arrives in her new home in New Mexico, aiming to start life over as she
comes to terms with her second divorce, she faces a new challenge in the use of her gift. Her new neighbors are under the influence of an apparently fake psychic who runs the health food restaurant where they work. When Mae questions the skills of the peculiar restaurateur, the woman disappears—either to Santa Fe, or another dimension. The restaurant’s manager asks Mae to discover which it is.
Finding two missing people proves easier than finding out the truth about either of them, or getting one of them, once found, to go away again.
Mystery crosses between the worlds and romance gets turned upside down in Santa Fe, the City Different.

Buy Links:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
CreateSpace
Thanks for spending this time at my blog. Please come back again!

Oh Those Memories of Spring!

                                                    MFRW Spring Fever

     It's always fun to be part of a blog hop...but what better time than spring when the earth is coming back to life and we can put the dreary winter behind us?

     This year the authors of MFRW are thinking about those special memories, especially those that stretch back to childhood...which is where I reached for this one.
Photo by Jennifer Determan       My favorite springtime memory was making and delivering May Day baskets. They had to be handmade with construction paper for the bottom, pipe cleaners for the handles, and whatever decorations we decided to glue on that year—sequins, buttons, stickers, ribbons. Sometimes the baskets were rectangular boxes or round like miniature hat boxes, but my favorite shapes was the cone. They were easier to carry when you were running!

      After school on May 1st we'd put a few pieces of candy (jelly beans or mints) and bubblegum inside and add wild flowers (usually violets or daffodils). Then we waited for dark to deliver the baskets to doors in our neighborhood. The trick was not to be seen by any occupants of the house or caught by someone else delivering baskets. We usually saw a lot of figures running around in the dark! Of course, we never tried to catch them or they would have seen us too.

      Did you deliver May Baskets or have other spring traditions that you remember?

Cover Reveal: ANONYMOUS, romantic suspense

My writer friend Dani-Lyn Alexander has a new book coming out April 17! Here is a sneak peek at the cover and burb, a link so you can pre-order, and a giveaway to more than make your money back! :) Enjoy!
Blurb:

What happens when an online date is not what it seems?

After Ali's heart is broken, she decides to try Anonymous, a new dating website where you can retain complete anonymity while you search for your soul mate. When she discovers Joe, she thinks she may have at least found a new friend and decides to put her past behind her and move on.

Several death threats and an attempt on her life force her back into contact with her soon-to-be ex, Mark, who is the lead detective on the case. The tension builds between them while Ali struggles to get over Mark, and Mark races to find the maniac who's trying to kill her.

When Ali meets up with her online flame, she finds he's anything but the friend she imagined…

Buy Link (available now for pre-order):

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/HarperImpulse-Romantic-Suspense-Dani-Lyn-Alexander-ebook/dp/B00IWTKY8E/

About the author:

Dani-Lyn Alexander lives on Long Island with her husband, three kids and three dogs. She loves spending time with her family, at the beach, the playground, or just about anywhere. In her spare time, which is rare, she enjoys reading and shopping—especially in book stores. Some of her favorite things include; Bernese Mountain Dogs, musicals, bubble baths and soft blankets. She’s an incurable insomniac and has an addiction to chocolate.

Social Media:

Website:  http://www.danilynalexander.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/danilynalexander
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/DaniLynAlexande

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Karen McCullough Writes Murder & Romance

Welcome to this week's book chat!

Karen McCullough writes in several genres but today she's brought us a romantic suspense/mystery, which I'm just dying (pun very much intended) to hear about! :)
How do you take your coffee, Karen?

KAREN: With half a teaspoon of Splenda and just enough low-fat milk to change the color. Coffee is my main drink, and I love the stuff. I'm a bit of a snob about it, however. Really good coffee is one of my indulgences.

Ally: Since my magic pot makes the most exclusive coffee on earth, I'll have the perfect cup ready in a moment. In the meantime, please show them your bio and add something unique about yourself that isn't in your official bio. Karen & grandson Author Bio:

Karen McCullough is a web designer by profession, and the author of a dozen published novels and novellas in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres as well. She has won numerous awards, including an Eppie Award for fantasy, and has also been a four-time Eppie finalist, and a finalist in the Prism, Dream Realm, Rising Star, Lories, Scarlett Letter, and Vixen Awards contests. Her short fiction has appeared in several anthologies and numerous small press publications in the fantasy, science fiction, and romance genres. She has three children, four grandchildren and lives in Greensboro, NC, with her husband of many years. 

Hmm… Something that isn't in my bio… I'm a huge sports fan, especially pro football (Go Panthers, Go Patriots!), baseball (Braves, Red Sox) and college basketball (Duke!!).  Every year for Valentine's Day my husband gives me diamonds - baseball diamonds, i.e. a package of tickets to our local minor league baseball team games.

Website: http://www.kmccullough.com
Blog: http://www.kmccullough/kblog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenMcCulloughAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kgmccullough Ally:  Since we're talking romance today, tell us the types you write? Do you write in more than one subcategory or heat level?

KAREN:  I write several varieties of romance including romantic suspense, romantic mystery, paranormal romance and fantasy romance. The heat level in my stories varies from  sweet to blazing.  Most of my romantic suspense, mystery and paranormal stories are low heat (except for Shadow of a Doubt, which does have some on-the-page sex). My romantic suspense, A Question of Fire, keeps the bedroom door mostly closed. The three fantasy romances (Witch's Journey, Wizard's Bridge and The Wizard's Shield) are all fairly hot.

Ally:  What are the characteristics you feel every hero needs to possess? Do you write primarily about alpha males or average Joes?

KAREN:  For me, the bottom line characteristics of a real hero are loyalty and a rock solid sense of honor. Other things I value in a hero are strength, intelligence, courage and compassion. I feel like my heroes are neither very alpha nor average Joes. They're men who operate according to their own sense of right and wrong, who will do almost anything for the people they care for. They're smart and powerful in their own way, but in general my heroes aren't the leaders of a pack or obviously stronger than others. They tend to be loners, in fact, men who steer their own course, with little concern about whether or not others follow. 

Ally:  Do you have romance novels or favorite authors that you re-read? Tell us at least one thing you really like about his or her writing.

KAREN:  Yes, definitely. From my favorites shelf:  Mary Stewart: Madam, Will You Talk, My Brother Michael, The Ivy Tree, This Rough Magic; everything by Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters; Linda Howard: Mr. Perfect and Cry No More.   Mary Stewart has a wonderful way with description that puts you right into the story. I love the way Barbara Mertz (Michaels and E. Peters) draws vivid characters who smart and witty.  And Linda Howard can wring emotion out of every word in a story.

Ally:  If you could go anywhere, do anything, what would be your fantasy weekend getaway?

KAREN:  Tough one. A luxury hotel in an interesting place, like an upscale hotel in New York or New Orleans would be delightful.  On the other hand I love the beach--in summer a long weekend at the ocean is great.

Ally:  Let's wind up with a few quick answer questions:
Cake, cookies or pie:  CookiesFavorite type of jewelry: NecklaceAn item on your bucket list:  Visit Switzerland, France, Germany and Italy.Favorite spring color: PurpleAlly:  Thanks so much for visiting with us today. Before you get on with your busy day, please show us the book you brought. Blurb for A Question of Fire:

When Catherine Bennett agrees to attend an important party as a favor for her boss, she knows she won't enjoy it, but she doesn't expect to end up holding a dying man in her arms. Nor did she anticipate she’d become the recipient of his last message about the location of evidence that would prove his brother innocent of murder. 
Now the killers are after her to get that information. She’ll need the help of attorney Peter Lowell, as well as the victim’s difficult, prickly younger brother and a handsome private detective to help her find the evidence before the killers do. 

Buy Links:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Kobo
Smashwords





       Thanks for spending part of your day with us. Come back soon!

Karen McCullough Writes Murder & Romance

Welcome to this week's book chat!

Karen McCullough writes in several genres but today she's brought us a romantic suspense/mystery, which I'm just dying (pun very much intended) to hear about! :)
How do you take your coffee, Karen?

KAREN: With half a teaspoon of Splenda and just enough low-fat milk to change the color. Coffee is my main drink, and I love the stuff. I'm a bit of a snob about it, however. Really good coffee is one of my indulgences.

Ally: Since my magic pot makes the most exclusive coffee on earth, I'll have the perfect cup ready in a moment. In the meantime, please show them your bio and add something unique about yourself that isn't in your official bio. Karen and grandson Author Bio:

Karen McCullough is a web designer by profession, and the author of a dozen published novels and novellas in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres as well. She has won numerous awards, including an Eppie Award for fantasy, and has also been a four-time Eppie finalist, and a finalist in the Prism, Dream Realm, Rising Star, Lories, Scarlett Letter, and Vixen Awards contests. Her short fiction has appeared in several anthologies and numerous small press publications in the fantasy, science fiction, and romance genres. She has three children, four grandchildren and lives in Greensboro, NC, with her husband of many years.

Hmm… Something that isn't in my bio… I'm a huge sports fan, especially pro football (Go Panthers, Go Patriots!), baseball (Braves, Red Sox) and college basketball (Duke!!).  Every year for Valentine's Day my husband gives me diamonds - baseball diamonds, i.e. a package of tickets to our local minor league baseball team games.

Website: http://www.kmccullough.com
Blog: http://www.kmccullough/kblog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenMcCulloughAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kgmccullough Ally:  Since we're talking romance today, tell us types you write? Do you write in more than one subcategory or heat level?

KAREN:  I write several varieties of romance including romantic suspense, romantic mystery, paranormal romance and fantasy romance. The heat level in my stories varies from  sweet to blazing.  Most of my romantic suspense, mystery and paranormal stories are low heat (except for Shadow of a Doubt, which does have some on-the-page sex). My romantic suspense, A Question of Fire, keeps the bedroom door mostly closed. The three fantasy romances (Witch's Journey, Wizard's Bridge and The Wizard's Shield) are all fairly hot.

Ally:  What are the characteristics you feel every hero needs to possess? Do you write primarily about alpha males or average Joes?

KAREN:  For me, the bottom line characteristics of a real hero are loyalty and a rock solid sense of honor. Other things I value in a hero are strength, intelligence, courage and compassion. I feel like my heroes are neither very alpha nor average Joes. They're men who operate according to their own sense of right and wrong, who will do almost anything for the people they care for. They're smart and powerful in their own way, but in general my heroes aren't the leaders of a pack or obviously stronger than others. They tend to be loners, in fact, men who steer their own course, with little concern about whether or not others follow.

Ally:  Do you have romance novels or favorite authors that you re-read? Please share names or titles. Name one thing you really like about his or her writing.

KAREN:  Yes, definitely. From my favorites shelf:  Mary Stewart: Madam, Will You Talk, My Brother Michael, The Ivy Tree, This Rough Magic; everything by Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters; Linda Howard: Mr. Perfect and Cry No More.   Mary Stewart has a wonderful way with description that puts you right into the story. I love the way Barbara Mertz (Michaels and E. Peters) draws vivid characters who smart and witty.  And Linda Howard can wring emotion out of every word in a story.

Ally:  If you could go anywhere, do anything, what would be your fantasy weekend getaway?

KAREN:  Tough one. A luxury hotel in an interesting place, like an upscale hotel in New York or New Orleans would be delightful.  On the other hand I love the beach--in summer a long weekend at the ocean is great.

Ally:  Let's wind up with a few quick answer questions:
Cake, cookies or pie:  CookiesFavorite type of jewelry: NecklaceAn item on your bucket list:  Visit Switzerland, France, Germany and Italy.Favorite spring color: PurpleAlly:  Thanks so much for visiting with us today. Before you get on with your busy day, please show us the book you brought.
Blurb for A Question of Fire:

When Catherine Bennett agrees to attend an important party as a favor for her boss, she knows she won't enjoy it, but she doesn't expect to end up holding a dying man in her arms. Nor did she anticipate she’d become the recipient of his last message about the location of evidence that would prove his brother innocent of murder.
Now the killers are after her to get that information. She’ll need the help of attorney Peter Lowell, as well as the victim’s difficult, prickly younger brother and a handsome private detective to help her find the evidence before the killers do.

Buy Links:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Kobo
Smashwords
Thanks for spending part of your day with us. Come back soon!

Ankeny Book Fair, Saturday, April 12

                                       Book Chat & Signing

If you live in the Des Moines area, forty-eight authors with books from all genres and types will be waiting to greet you at the Pinnacle Club golf house, in Ankeny, Iowa, on Saturday April 12, 9:00 am to noon.
I'll be signing my first four print books and giving away free pens and bookmarks. I'd love to see you there! (There's free coffee!)

Directions: The Pinnacle Club is in the golf course club house at 4100 NE Otter Creek Drive, Ankeny, Iowa. The easiest route is to take the NE 36th Street exit off I-35 and go west ½ mile to Otter Creek Drive and turn north to the parking lot. Enter the door on the left side of the club house. The list of authors and their books is on the Ankeny website: http://www.ankenyiowa.gov/index.aspx?page=1396 (Be patient. It takes a while to load.)
April 12 - I hope to see you there!

Joan Leotta Loves Writing & Strong, Dark Coffee

It's Coffee Chat Wednesday! 

Time to sit down with your favorite beverage and enjoy a little book talk. Our guest today is Joan Leotta, who calls herself an eclectic writer. Welcome, Joan. How do you take your coffee?

JOAN: Dark and strong. In fact, you asked about some unusual about me...
Coffee is a passion of mine! My son used to say I needed a 12-step program for Starbucks, but really it is not the big brand coffee so much (that was simply a convenient way to talk about my addiction) as it is good, dark strong coffee that I love. I am a fan of the local brews Port City Java--I always go for the dark blend. I like Starbucks Sumatra and we now have a Kuerig so we can get individual cups quick and hot.  I like Italian roasts and French roasts in most brands--Peets has especially good French roasts in the Keurig cups and we use the Tully's French and Italian roasts as our daily drink at home. I also like tea--chai and a good strong English breakfast. I brew loose teas mostly but am not above using a teabag.

Ally:  A dark brew is coming right up. Perhaps while I do that you could share your bio with us. Bio:

Joan Leotta has been writing and performing since childhood. Her “motto” is "encouraging words through pen and performance.” Her award-winning poetry, short stories, books and articles have been published in many journals, magazines and newspapers.

She performs folklore shows and one-woman shows on historic figures at venues up and down the east coast. She lives in Calabash, NC with husband Joe. You can learn more about her atwww.joanleotta.wordpress.com.

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joan-Leotta-Author-and-Story-Performer/188479350973

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Ally:  Why don't we start with what you write, how long you've been published, and how many works are available? 

JOAN:  I write non-fiction poetry, short stories and novellas--can’t seem to squeeze out those last few thousand words for a full fledged novel.  Have also written a travel book and history book for children.

Three romance books (sweet, YA historical fiction) are currently available from Desert Breeze Publishing and on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
The very first thing I published for pay was a poem with a magazine that no longer takes student work. I was fourteen. It was wonderful! For many years I wrote only in my job and then , after leaving office work , I became a freelancer and professional story performer. The freelance non-fiction articles (My masters is in international economics) paid a lot of bills and the performing paid some bills and fulfilled me creatively allowing me to stay home with my children and have a fabulous time being a mom. I love to write for children but it is the most difficult type of writing and I admit to begin slow with it though I have several projects going. My first full length book was a travel book. I contributed to several books and then also was able to do a non-fiction for Scholastic for children.

After my husband retired, I went into semi-retirement as a non-fiction writer--just a couple of clients now. I turned to short stories and back to poetry. Have had some success with poetry and the short stories and essays . 

Genre wise I am all over the map--eclectic one could say, or if you are feeling less generous, scattered. Mystery and light romance are the most fun to write. The three books with Desert Breeze are novellas.

Ally:  Are you a pantser or plotter? Why do you believe this method works for you?

JOAN:  I am both pants and plot. I do  a semi-outline of where I want the story to go and then start writing and often the tale changes directions--No formal outlines tho, I hated the roman numeral number thing-- as a child.

One thing that is very important to me is to keep my audience ever in mind--how will they react to what I am doing, how is my pacing--will it keep them involved, how much detail is overload for the plot and for the reader/ Important to me.

Ally:  Do you write full time or get in a word or two whenever you can? Daily goals? Word count?

JOAN:  I write every day, but not always on the same project. Usually I have four or five writing projects going on at the same time and fit poetry in as I can. I like to do a poem a day in nanowrimo challenge, but am trying now to challenge myself with various poetic forms.

When I start the book I will set goals, and I will be starting book four of my series for Desert Breeze as soon as my research is father along after a few weeks.

Ally:  How long does it take you to write a first draft?  

JOAN:  A couple of months.  Rewrite? Another couple of months. Remember tho, I am doing other projects at the same time--newspaper articles and books reviews, articles for the disability website I write for and of course, preparing stories for performance, writing poems and the occasional personal essay.

I recently started to write more personal, non-fiction essays and send them out (Chicken Soup has picked one up) because people seem to like them! One thing that is very important to me--my audience. I guess attention to audience is a part of the intersection of my writing and performing personae. I want my readers to feel what I feel when I write, to be entertained and edified.

Ally:   Are settings important in your writing or could your stories happen anywhere?

JOAN:  Settings are very important--both time and place. I write a lot of historical fiction, so the research is very important . 
For the second book in my series, Letters from Korea, I spent hours tracking down the names of restaurants in Pittsburgh's downtown--places that are long gone but that existed then. Research is the heart of how I make things real.

Ally:  Before we wind this up, let's try some quick answer questions: 
favorite dessert:  ice creamone item you'd take to a deserted island:  my biblefavorite actor, tv show and movie:  it is still, cary grant, tv is ncis, and movies--oh dear so many.an item on your bucket list:  don’t believe in bucket lists, but I love to travel.  comfort attire: sweats, jeans or shorts--sweater--my house is always cold for me so I wear sweater all the time. I wear baggy slacks or jeans, take a walk when the weather is fine. I love wearing slippers at home. Restful .

Ally:  Thanks, Joan, for visiting the Coffee Chat. Please stop by again. Now, let's take a look at the novella your brought to show us. Book preview:

"The Legacy of honor in her family meant that once a person made a promise, the promise must be kept."


Anna Maria O'Shea became a nurse to continue her family's Legacy of Honor.

In choosing to stick to her commitment to service, she looses her long-time college love. The pain of war is stronger than her private heartache.

Is Mark, the handsome physician, the balm her soul needs? Or is it George who will claim and heal her wounds with a love that transcends war and the pain she sees all around her?

Desert Breeze Publishing: http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/legacy-of-honor-book-three-a-bowl-of-rice-by-joan-leotta/

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Honor-Book-Three-Bowl-ebook/dp/B00J54ZDCW/

Also available at B& N.