Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 51

Soul Mate Publishing Author: Maggie Mundy

Maggie Mundy lives in Adelaide, Australia and is a member of Romance Writers of Australia, and the local chapter SARA (South Australian Romance Authors). She recently completed a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and English at Flinders University. She had a short story published in the Romance Writers of Australia Topaz Anthology Little Gems in 2010 called Sea and Vines. She has three books out with Rogue Phoenix Press. Two erotic novellas called Blood Scent and Blood Oath and a paranormal romance called World Change. She also has a supernatural thriller out with Soul Mate Publishing called Hidden Mortality and paranormal romance called Unknown Protector.
 She has also performed for many years in corporate entertainment for which she wrote her own sketches, which probably explains why her head is so full of characters. She loves writing romance but thinks falling in love can be scary, especially in her stories where creatures of the night really exist.
Find her online:http://www.pinterest.com/maggiemundy/https://twitter.com/MundyMaggiewww.maggiemundy.comhttps://www.facebook.com/MaggieMundyAuthor http://maggiemundy.blogspot.com.au

1.      Tell us how you came to be an Author with Soul Mate Publishing.I come from Australia so you may wonder how I heard about our fantastic publisher. I was looking at Stephanie Smiths competition site. Brilliant, if you have never seen it. I saw that Soul Mate Publishing was one of the publishers that the winners of the competition had their manuscripts sent to. I looked at their site and decided to send my book Hidden Mortality to them. I was incredibly happy to get an email two weeks later from Debbie saying she loved the story.
2.      What do you enjoy most about being a SMP Author? That is easy to answer. It is being part of a wonderful group of writers. They all share their knowledge and experience. There is never a silly question and someone is always willing to help. Everyone is so generous with promoting each other’s work on blogs, twitter and Facebook.3.      What have your experiences been like working toward being published? I have loved the journey and all the wonderful people I have met along the way. We have laughed and shared our successes and failures together.
4.      What would you have done differently?      I would have joined Romance Writers of Australia much sooner. I would have found a critique partner sooner. These two things have been so instrumental in me improving my work and getting published.
5.      How has your book been marketed? I have advertised on Facebook, twitter, author takeovers, release day blogs, blog tours. At the end of the day I think it makes your name more recognizable out there, but the most important thing is to write the next book. If you find a reader who likes your voice, they will want more.
6.      Any advice on how to better market a book? Write the next book. Help fellow authors market their books.
7.      Last question; If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go, when would it be, and what would you be wearing?      I would like to go to Italy. I would like to live in a villa in Tuscany there for a few months and yes you would all be invited. I would be wearing a lovely summer dress aa I sit on the balcony and sip some chianti.

Two things have helped Nicole cope since the murder of her husband a year ago. One is running her detective agency, and the other is her guardian angel, Mira. When Mira is killed by a demon, Nicole accepts the help of a Ridge.He is a long haired, cigar smoking diamond in the rough with wings. Things go from bad to worse when a replacement guardian cannot be found. She has to trust Ridge, which is tricky when she realizes there are no demons or angels, just parasitic aliens that humans have built the myths of these celestial beings around. Ridge isn’t an angel or a devil, but an alien half breed known as a Midworlder.
Nicole finds herself fighting off a Demonic Midworlder who wants to impregnate her so his alien boss can come to Earth. Plus she has an ex priest who wants to attach a demon to her so he can save his friend. She is tough, but has to admit she could do with some help from Ridge, who is as alluring as he is annoying. Amongst all the fighting they manage to fall in love, but nearly lose each other, and their unborn child. What they don’t know is that if they stay together things may change not only for them, but for the future of the world. New rules will have to be drawn up as aliens, humans and Midworlders learn to live with the situation. This book is the first in a trilogy about other Midworlder couples.
Amazon

Soul Mate Publishing Author: Crystal Firsdon

AUTHOR BIO:
Crystal Firsdon is a former high school teacher, turned stay-at-home mom, turned part-time substitute teacher, and school volunteer. Of course she loves to read, but any book she picks up must have romance! Crystal lives in Michigan with her husband and children.



1.      Tell us how you came to be an Author with Soul Mate Publishing.It took me a while to submit to SMP because their guidelines mentioned nothing over 90,000 words, and my manuscript was around 115,000. SMP seemed like a good fit, however, so I emailed them asking if they took works over 90,000 words. It took a month before I heard back so I had given up—turns out my email went into a spam filter. But I finally did hear back and was instructed to send them my manuscript. I let SMP know I had two other publishers with my full manuscript, and within a month they offered me a contract.
2.      What do you enjoy most about being a SMP Author?The best thing about being a SMP author is the all-around helpfulness and friendliness of the other authors. Someone will always answer your questions.
3.      What have your experiences been like working toward being published?I made some newbie mistakes early on, even though my research told me not to do those things. What can I say, I channeled my inner friggin’ teenager and thought I knew better than everyone else. I didn’t.Almost Wreckedwas my first novel, so although I put my all into it, I didn’t expect a publisher to pick it up. I still feel like I’m on the road to being published sometimes!
4.      What would you have done differently?I wouldn’t have ignored those things my research told me not to do—query a 134,000 word novel (Yes, my first version was much longer.), not getting enough brutal beta-readers before my first round of submissions, etc.
5.      How has your book been marketed?I push my book as women’s fiction with romantic elements, because that’s exactly what it is, so getting it into review sites had been difficult. Many reviewers want romance, which my book doesn’t fit the strict definition of, and those that prefer women’s fiction might find my book has too much romance. Like a lot of authors, I really struggle with marketing and promotion. To me, getting published was easier that getting people to buy my book.
6.      Any advice on how to better market a book?Seriously, I am the absolute last person anyone should listen to about how to market a book. I’m still learning. In fact, I’m still in marketing and promotion kindergarten. I’ll be lucky to ever see third grade!
7.      Last question; If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go, when would it be, and what would you be wearing?Let’s get to what I’m wearing first: low rise, straight leg jeans, with a plain T-shirt that is cut in such a way it hides the fact that I have not been working out hard enough or often enough. (I’m short. Five pounds of me looks like twenty on anyone else.) At the ready would be a hoodie because I always get cold. And I love hoodies. I feel ugly in tennis shoes when I wear them with jeans, so on my feet would be slip on shoes. I really hate not being able to just slip my feet in some mules and walk out the door. An extra minute to get into shoes? Not gonna happen. I couldn’t visit anywhere where I don’t speak the language fluently, and my husband and I both have highly English ancestry, so England it would be. Okay, I’m not sure I could handle the long plane ride or the rainy weather since I have curly, frizzy hair, so maybe Canada. I can drive there in under half an hour and it’s colder allowing me to wear a hoodie.
BLURB:1 creep. 2 bodyguards. 3 men who change Molly’s life forever. 

Guitar player Molly Davis is taunted with disturbing gifts by some creep she hopes like heck is a harmless, misguided fan. The owner of the bar where her band plays isn’t taking any chances, however, and hires Gabe Cooper and Caleb “Ram” Ramsey to stand guard over Molly and the rest of the band. 

Cooper is all business and doesn’t mess with Molly’s emotions. She can handle that. Ram is a different story. He’s gorgeous, has a good heart, and is sometimes infuriating. He doesn’t take Molly’s crap, giving him the potential to be the first man to shove his way through her stubbornness and into her life. 

But a violent attack proves the creep isn’t going away. And that almost wrecks everything.
Amazon

SMP New Release: A Will For Love by Yolanda Ashton

 Lanya gave her love and trust to a man, only to find out their relationship was a lie. Shattered  she decides she’s never give her heart to anyone again. But when her ex, Mikael LockRidge, offers her a proposition she can’t refuse Layna finds being with him , makes it hard to resist the sensual pull between them.Blackmailed to commit an act that still haunts him, Mikael accepts his current loveless relationship as karma. But when he receives unexpected help from the grave, Mikael realizes he wants back what he loss--  he just has to convince the ex he gutted- to let him back in her life and her heart.

Author BioYolanda Ashton is the alter ego of a thirty-something mother of three. Throughout daylight hours she’s an educational professional and during the nights (when she’s not daydreaming, reading and/or  watching vampire drama) she’s writing, hanging with family and trying to recover from a day spent with middle school students.My two favorite things to do in the world (outside of family) are reading and writing-I fell in love with words at an early age. I love creating worlds with them and entering new worlds designed by them. Throughout my life I’ve always felt the epitome of a great “me” day is one spent reading a book or creating one.
Things I love:The Vampire Diaries (Damon Salvatore…need I say more)The Originals (Loving Klaus in all his bad-ass glory)ChoppedButterfliesPop musicMarvel Super Hero MoviesFavorite Genres to Read:Romance (New Adult, and Paranormal)Young Adult
Links and other infoA Will for Love is scheduled for release on February 11th. Visit my site for buy links and other info  www.yolandaashton.wordpress.comwww.twittercom/YolandaAshton

WINNERS of the Curiosity Quills #Giveaway

Winners! Yay! I will contact the winners in order and they will pick from the prizes available. As a refresher, here are the prizes:

CQ has donated 12 ebooks and 3 paperbacks of the winner's choice!
Of course, I'll throw in the Kiya Trilogy
Three of Matthew Cox's books, winners choice, of Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, Caller 107, or Operation Chimera

Escape From Witchwood Hollow by Jori Mierek and she's also including an ecopy of Gears Of Brass

Memories of Murder, plus Murder, Madness and Love by Yolanda Renee

Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish, and Stiltskin by Andrew Buckley
How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M Noser
The Undead by Elsie Elmore

Broken Forest by Eliza Tilton

Destruction by Sharon Bayliss

Scrapbook by Amy Lynn Spitzley

Okay, are you ready??? The winners are:
Ann NoserSamantha BryantYolander Renee  Michael CristianoAndrew BuckleyClare Dugmore Samantha Wyatt
Congrats to all the winners! You will be receiving an email from me soon.

Soul Mate Publishing Author: Samanthya Wyatt

Samanthya lives with her husband in the Shenandoah Valley. She left her accounting career and married a military man traveling and making her home in the United States and abroad. Once she found historical romance novels, she couldn’t put a book down. She fell in love with the characters and needed to know their happy ending.
One day she put words to paper creating a story of her own. The more she wrote, the more she became involved with the characters, and they seemed to take a life of their own. She relishes the challenge ofpenning a story with strong characters, a bit of humor, and active scenes. She enjoys creating new characters and bringing them together in a romantic tale. It took years of writing, joining RWA, joining chapters, entering contests, submissions& rejections which created the author she is today. By keeping her spirit and turning criticism into drive she has achieved her career as a published romance author. 
Thank you Katie for having me on your blog.
1.      Tell us how you came to be an Author with Soul Mate Publishing.I entered a lot of contests and workshops. In 2013 I was a finalist in Golden Rose Contest and The Right One was awarded Second Place. Savvy Authors hosted a pitch opportunity with agents and editors and several publishing companies. One of the editors with Soul Mate Publishing asked for a full of my contemporary, and another asked for my historical. I was so excited. Not only did I have one book being published, but two. I now have three books available at amazon and I just signed a contract with SMP for my fourth.
2.      What do you enjoy most about being a SMP Author?The publisher offered me a contract so of course I love SMP. The editors I worked with are great. Everyone connected with SMP has been encouraging and helpful. We have a great bunch of authors and support each other.
3.      What have your experiences been like working toward being published?Fifteen years ago, I wrote to Catherine Coulter and was amazed that she wrote back. She was very encouraging and told me to join RWA. I had a full time job and children, so I put my MS on a shelf in a closet and devoted my time to them. Many years later, I’m in a book store looking at the covers wanting to try a new author. I see the face of a hunk on a book cover and immediately bought that book. Yep, a book cover can make a difference. I’m reading Anna Campbell and I contacted her. Again I was advised to join RWA. RWA opens many doors for an inspiring author. I entered a lot of contests, workshops, and made some good friends via e-mails. I finally finished my historical romance “The Right One”, the first of a trilogy, and I completed a contemporary romance “Something More”.  I joined a critique group, mainly seeking help with proper word usage for Regency historical time period. Not only did I receive critiques and suggestions, I made wonderful friends who support and encourage each other.I contacted more publishers, sent my MS to editors, and continued to hope. A pitch opportunity with Savvy Authors resulted in two editors from SMP contacting me and my books being published.
4.      What would you have done differently? The only thing I would have done differently – Start sooner. I would have joined RWA 15 years ago. Pursued my dream sooner and made my dream come true sooner. But it is never too late.
5.      How has your book been marketed?SMP has many suggestions for marketing. I also try to get my name and my books out there on my own. I have a website, I interact on facebook. I’ve been a guest author on several blog spots, I’ve done blog tours, facebook parties, and I am a member of several RWA chapters, Savvy Authors, and Yahoo loops where authors support each other.
6.      Any advice on how to better market a book?Listen to the advice of your editor/publisher. Get your name out there. Get as much exposure as you can.
7.      Last question; If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go, when would it be, and what would you be wearing?I hope to go to Scotland. I’ve been to England, France, lived in Germany for three years. I love historical romance and who doesn’t love castles? I want to visit as many castles as I can. Scotland, Ireland, Holland—I want to see them all. I’ll wear jeans, more than likely. Might see some hunks in kilts, but hubby won’t be wearing one. If I’m am fortunate, and do decent in book sales, hopefully next year I will make this trip. Dream. Dream.
“The True One”             
Will the passion they share be enough? He must choose—her or revenge.Captain Stephen Radbourn accepts an intriguing proposition which results in horror. His ship in splinters and his men captured, he is a broken man. A band of rebels rescue their leader from a dungeon, taking the near dead captain with them. Fearing capture and thinking the tortured man will die, they leave Stephen in the care of a woman, who he believes is an angel of mercy. A man of passion, with a trail of satisfied maidens to prove it, he finds his heart captured by the lovely widow. But she forces him to choose—her or revenge.
 Jennifer Faircloth departed England full of a young girl’s fantasies of romance and adventure. Her young husband dies leaving her a widow to survive alone in a foreign land. When a near death English captain is dropped at her door, memories emerge of the family she foolishly left behind. While caring for him, her curious imagination turns to an overwhelming awareness she cannot deny. He must flee for his life and he takes her with him—back to England—back to the family she’d deserted. She wants her family to forgive her, but she wants Stephen’s love even more.

Enjoy an excerpt from The True One  Warmth flowed from his hand smoldering her skin. Tingles of awareness attacked her senses. How long it had been since she’d been touched by a man. Still, she’d never felt such heat, such burning intensity. Her response shook her.“If you can’t talk, it will be through no fault of mine.” Not if she could control the trembling he stirred within.“You’re a feisty one, aren’t you?” He released her hand and leaned back. “I like that.”It took every ounce of will to concentrate on her task and not his words. The man leered at her. There was no other word for it. His eyes watched her every move. Trying her best to ignore him—which was near impossible—she carefully scraped the hair from his jaw. Determined not to meet his eyes, she willed her fingers to be steady and not scar the man for life. Although, he currently presented a great number of scars.She held her breath and then slowly released it after each scrape. Her chest hurt from nervous tension. Sending her mind elsewhere, she drew upon her memories of other times she’d done this. Pretending Stephen was her husband only sent more heat to her center, so she halted that line of thinking immediately. The two men were as different as night and day.A ship’s captain. His size and his words hinted at the power he must have possessed before he’d been beaten and starved. Energy surrounded him as if he was a man who knew what he wanted and would stop at nothing to get it. Somehow she didn’t think he would need to use brute force. His fierce scowl was intimidating enough.His features were somewhat handsome, not pretty like the dandies in London. Yet she found him incomparable. His green eyes, sharp and daring, pierced, and captivated her on contact. A sense of command in his dangerous gaze, then his eyes had gone soft, and he managed what could pass for a charming smile, considering the split lip on his handsome, swollen mouth. His full lips.She mentally gave herself a good shake. Experience had taught her of men and their dominance over women. She may be attracted to his body, but she would never be vulnerable to a man again.Somehow she managed to scrape his whiskers leaving his throat intact. She had no idea how she kept her fingers from trembling.When she met his gaze, the devil’s eyes twinkled. He knew his disturbing effect on her. The scoundrel.“I’ll empty this bowl and bring you fresh water for a bath.”“Now that sounds like a fine idea.”When she returned with a pail of water, his smirking grin was back in place.“You can wash yourself.”“How am I supposed to do that? My muscles are overwrought from having a shave. Never had a woman shear me before. Drained the energy right out of me.”She would never admit, to him or herself, that the idea of running a cloth over his nude body sounded delectable.“Very well.” She gave a little huff to disguise her inner emotion. She wrung the cloth and started on his shoulder.“You don’t have to scrub the hide off me. I have very little left.”She softened her movements. Two could play at this game.Unsure of her hasty decision, and ignoring any thought of changing her mind, she caressed his muscles as she drew the cloth in circles. She’d never done anything so outrageous before. Her fingers slowed as she moved across his chest, making sure she covered every devilish inch.Again, she dipped the cloth in the pan of water and wrung the excess. Her eyes fastened on springy, auburn curls glistening with moisture. She tried to swallow. Realizing she sat there with a stupefied look on her face, she glanced up to meet his all-knowing gaze. Good Lord, she’d never had a man look at her so. His green eyes electrified her. While staring into their depths, his irises darkened. The breath caught in her lungs. She dropped the cloth.The sound of the light plop jerked her attention. “Oh.” She quickly recovered, wrung the cloth again, and rinsed away any remaining soap on his mantle of fur. Recalling his early statement, and mindful of his ribs, she eased the cloth down his torso, and lower. Her eyes caught on the sheet just below his . . .The linen lifted.          
To find Samanthya, please visit her website here:  www.samanthyawyatt.com
You can also find Samanthya Wyatt on facebook, goodreads and amazon.
Other books:

Buy links:                                                   http:amzn.to/1lEk2qY            http://tinyurl.com/qbkgaa9       http:amzn.to/1mhTqw4

Release: Scent of the Soul by Julie Doherty

Blurb: In twelfth century Scotland, it took a half-Gael with a Viking name to restore the clans to their rightful lands. Once an exile, Somerled the Mighty now dominates the west. He’s making alliances, expanding his territory, and proposing marriage to the Manx princess.
It’s a bad time to fall for Breagha, a torc-wearing slave with a supernatural sense of smell.
Somerled resists the intense attraction to a woman who offers no political gain, and he won’t have a mistress making demands on him while he’s negotiating a marriage his people need. Besides, Breagha belongs to a rival king, one whose fresh alliance Somerled can’t afford to lose.
It’s when Breagha vanishes that Somerled realizes just how much he needs her. He abandons his marriage plans to search for her, unprepared for the evil lurking in the shadowy recesses of Ireland—a lustful demon who will stop at nothing to keep Breagha for himself.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Scent-Soul-Julie-Doherty-ebook/dp/B00SZ0SKUE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422817032&sr=8-2&keywords=scent+of+the+soul Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/dBuB3WC3FGU Bio:
Something magical happened in the musty basement of Julie Doherty’s local courthouse. She went there intending to research her ancestry, not lose herself in a wealth of stories, but the ghosts of yesteryear drew her into the past and would not let her go. The trail left by her ancestors in those yellowing documents led her from rural Pennsylvania to the Celtic countries, where her love of all things Irish/Scottish blossomed into outright passion.

She became particularly interested in Somerled, self-styled "King of Argyll" and progenitor of the Lords of the Isles. In 1164, he led a fleet of 164 galleys up the River Clyde in an all-or-nothing attempt to overthrow the Scottish crown. What would lead a man of his advanced years to do such a thing?

Of course, history records he did so because the king demanded forfeiture of his lands. But the writer in Julie wondered ...what if he did it for the love of a woman?

Those early ponderings led to SCENT OF THE SOUL, Julie’s first novel, coming soon from Soul Mate Publishing.

Readers will notice a common theme throughout Julie’s books: star-crossed lovers. This is something she knows a bit about, since during one of her trips to Ireland, she fell in love with an Irishman. The ensuing immigration battle took four long years to win. With only fleeting visits, Skype chats, and emails to sustain her love, Julie poured her heartache into her writing, where it nourished the emotional depth of her characters.
Julie is a member of Pennwriters, Romance Writers of America, Central PA Romance Writers, The Longship Company, Perry County Council of the Arts, and Clan Donald USA. When not writing, she enjoys antiquing, shooting longbow, traveling, and cooking over an open fire at her cabin. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, who sounds a lot like her characters.
Website: www.juliedoherty.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/juliedohertywrites 

Soul Mate Publishing Editor: MJ Compton

MJ Compton grew up near Cardiff, New York, a place best known for its giant, which turned out to be a fiction so incredible, PT Barnum himself borrowed it. That’s a tough act to follow, but MJ tried—by composing her own stories. Although her 30-year career in local television included such highlights as being bitten by a lion, preempting a US President for a college basketball game, giving a three-time world champion boxer a few black eyes, a mention in the Drudge Report, and meeting her husband, MJ’s urge to create her own stories never went away. MJ still lives in upstate New York with her husband. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and Central New York Romance Writers. Music and cooking are two of her passions, and she enjoys baseball and college basketball, but she’s primarily focused on wine . . . and writing.

Website & Blog www.comptonplations.comTwitter https://twitter.com/ComptonplationsFacebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMJComptonTsu http://www.tsu.co/mj_comptonGoodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8075221.M_J_Compton
BOOKS: Moonlight Serenade  http://tinyurl.com/lpsradw
And Jericho Burned  (buy link TBA)
1.     Tell us how you came to work with Soul Mate Publishing.Debby Gilbert, owner of Soul Mate, is a member of my RWA Chapter. I wanted to pick up some extra money, so I asked Debby if she needed editors—not to acquire, but for working with manuscripts. She said yes; the rest is history.
2.     What does your job entail? Debby sends me several manuscripts. I look them over to see which ones I want to edit. There are some categories I don’t want to edit at all, including the ones I write in. Then I sit down with the manuscript read it from beginning to end. If something glares at me, I’ll make a note at that point, but mostly I want to get a feel for the book and the author’s style. The next thing I do is a universal search for common problems. Soul Mate provides the editors with a “style sheet”, so although something may be technically correct, Soul Mate has its own way of doing things. Finally, I get into the nitty-gritty, looking at story structure, grammar, fact-checking. It’s quite a process.
3.     What do you enjoy most about being an editor?  Helping an author make her story the best it can be.
4.     What have your experiences been like working with the authors?Soul Mate’s process doesn’t include a great deal of interaction between author and editor—unless it’s with an acquiring editor. As an editor and as an author, the only person with whom I’ve worked directly with is Debby.
5.     What is the hardest part of being an editor? Trying to express what the manuscript might need in a clear, concise manner.
6.     And what is the best part? Reading 5-star reviews of books I’ve edited.
7.     Last question; If you could bring any book/movie/TV show to life, what would it be and why? That’s a tough one. Probably Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ What I Did For Love or Natural Born Charmer. The women in these stories find the strength to survive and move on in a positive way and that’s a message a lot of women need to read.
AND JERICHO BURNED(pub date 2/11/15)Lucy Callahan will do anything to rescue her sister from a cult, even marry a werewolf she’s just met. But the werewolves are working undercover for the government, and Lucy fears a confrontation between the agents and the cult could be deadly.Stoker Smith longs to be the best thing that ever happened to his human mate. He wants to take her home, start their family, and compose his music. And although his pack’s treaty with the government says he doesn’t have to work undercover now that he’s mated, he promised Lucy he’d get her sister out of the cult’s heavily armed compound. Lucy’s sister is now family and to a werewolf, family is everything.But Operation Jericho quickly turns ugly, thrusting Lucy into the middle of her worst nightmare, where she must choose: her sister or her husband. 

Amazon

Soul Mate Publishing Acquisitions Editor: Janet Clementz

Janet Clementz is an Acquisitions Editor with Soul Mate Publishing. Janet earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Black Hills State College, and Post Baccalaureate hours in English Literature from the University of Houston.  She and her native Texan hubby, kiddingly nicknamed Captain Bulldog, reside in far northwest Houston. She loves to read, write, spend time with family and friends, and takes long walks to work off stress…and the occasional dessert. She belongs to several writing groups and has been a member of RWA since 1995. She's an award winning author, published under the pseudonym, Jaye Garland.
http://jayegarland.com/Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JayeGarlandAuthorEditor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Janet.Clementz.Garza
1.     Tell us how you came to work with Soul Mate Publishing.Oh, I love telling this story! I first met Debby Gilbert, founder and senior editor of Soul Mate Publishing, through my critique partner, Janet Nash, who was a 2012 Golden Heart finalist. By the time Jan and I arrived in Anaheim for the annual RWA conference, she had made her decision to sign with SMP. As Jan’s roommate, (yeah, we’re the two Jan’s) I was fortunate to visit with Debby and quite a few SMP authors—and played group photographer, snapping pictures while they met for coffee. Later that afternoon, Debby texted Jan and invited me to join the group for dinner that night as she didn’t want me to be sitting in my room, all alone. What a considerate thing to do! That simple act made a huge impression on me. Well….A few months later, Debby attended my local chapter’s annual conference. Getting a book published just wasn’t the right time for me, even though my book was polished and ready to go. (Life events, too boring to mention here.) Instead of actually pitching, I figured I’d just go in and chat with the lady I’d grown to admire so much. Surely, I wasn’t going to pitch to her, but what could it hurt to discuss the publishing industry? I left the appointment twenty minutes later with a request for the full manuscript—which I swear I didn’t pitch—and a contract two weeks after that. Several months after my book was published, Debby was looking for more editors. I didn’t even finish reading her monthly update because I was already typing my response, “Pick me, pick me! Hands waving wildly in the air.” Debby sent me several manuscripts which I edited as an intern. Once I retired from the day job in January 2014, I was able to go full time as an acquiring editor—and I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of the SMP team.    
2.     What does your job entail? Very simply, I read and edit—a lot. I read submissions, offer contracts, write letters declining manuscripts, write Revise and Resubmit letters, act as final round judge in contests, and work closely with my clients as we go through the editing process.  
3.     What do you enjoy most about being an acquisitions editor? I get to make The Call. Yes, whenever possible, I pick up the phone and call the author when I’m offering a contract to a potential client. I know how great it felt to get The Call when my manuscript entry was a finalist. I’ve also made that call as a category coordinator for my chapter contest and get teary-eyed just thinking about those awesome chats. Great relationships between authors and editors are built, and what better way to start than with a phone call? Of course, I always follow up with an email detailing what we’d discussed.     
4.     What have your experiences been like working with the authors?In a word, spectacular! Every author I’ve been fortunate to work with has been eager to make their manuscripts the very best they can be. They’re open to suggestions, sometimes reacting with palm-to-face yet grinning with enthusiasm to fix those tiny yet elusive bloopers we all miss, because as authors, we’ve been so entrenched in the story we miss stuff. It happens. Having been on both sides of the fence, I can honestly say that it’s almost as exciting to see my client’s work get published as it is for them.    
5.     What is the hardest part of being an acquisitions editor?Having to write the letter declining a manuscript. There’s no easy way to do that. Every one of those rejections hurts me.
6.     And what is the best part?Release Day for each of my clients, of course, but before that it’s seeing what an awesome job the author has done during the edit process. When I find bits and pieces of great writing in a manuscript (I call these Jewels) I make sure to let the author know. Editing isn’t just about deconstructing and revising. It’s a process of learning what works and what doesn’t. It’s a true team effort. I’m open to the author’s vision, but if her vision isn’t on the page, I help the author to make that happen.   
7.     What kind of manuscripts do you enjoy and are looking for, and how can an author submit to you?Historical romances (any time period, any location) have always been my favorite, but regardless of the romance subgenre, it’s all about the characters and the trouble they get into. I’d love some WWI or WWII, Western, or Women’s Fiction Romance. Tease me with Suspense, Action, and/or Adventure and I’m all in. Submit directly to me at Janet@SoulMatePublishing.com. I prefer a cover letter with a short synopsis (3-5 pages) and the first few chapters (approximately 30 pages) ending with a story hook. If you’re one of my existing clients, then send the full manuscript along with a short back cover blurb.  
8.     Last question: if you were suddenly struck by lightning/bitten by something/exposed to toxic waste, and ended up with super powers, what would it be and why?Hmmm! It’s gotta be flight. To soar into the clouds and drift like an eagle would be so cool, and I’d totally shrug at the traffic below. Imagine being able to control take off, flight, and landing—whenever you wanted or needed. What a thrill! But, can I pass on how I gain these powers? All the options you’ve mentioned would really hurt. LOL!
Blurb: THE 25th HOUR by Jaye GarlandWith one stroke of her architect’s eraser, a 21st century heiress is chased through time by her father’s murderer, landing in the arms of a widowed 19th century Wyoming rancher. He’s convinced she’s a charlatan, but his precocious child already claimed the transient as her new mother.  When someone sinister threatens, lives hang in the balance, and they must defeat the killer before the rift in time closes, separating the timeless lovers, forever.  The 25th Hour by Jaye GarlandBuy Link: http://amzn.com/B00ETJCKZG

Soul Mate Publishing Author: Katie O’Boyle

Author Bio:
Born in the upstate-New York village known as the Birthplace of Women’s Rights, Katie O’Boyle loves the Finger Lakes in every season. She enjoys lunch with friends at charming inns, and she cherishes the lakeside porch as a place for intimate sharing, laughter, and inspiration. To the outside world, she is a tech-savvy college professor. In her soul, she is a passionate author of warm-hearted romance. She is hard at work on book four of the Lakeside Porches romance books and novellas.
Meet Katie O’Boyle:on Facebook as “Katie O’Boyle Author”
on Twitter as “TompkinsFalls”
1.   



           Tell us how you came to be an Author with Soul Mate Publishing.I had just made revisions to my first book, when the Lilac City Rochester Writers group held a two-day conference in November 2012. Debby Gilbert took pitches at the conference, and I signed up. After giving the tag line and stammering for a few minutes about the characters and the concept for the series, she smiled and said it sounded like a story that would give people hope. I am sure my face lit up, because she “got” my book! She asked for the full manuscript, and a few weeks later we had a signed contract.2.     What do you enjoy most about being a SMP Author?I appreciate the gentle, instructive way Debby requests changes. For example, she pointed out that my working title Manda the Brave implied the book was a YA novel, even though the subject matter (domestic abuse and alcoholism) and their frank treatment were not intended for a YA audience. I involved my beta readers in coming up with a new title, and Stepping Up To Lovebecame the first of the “…To Love” titles. I learned a great deal, as a new author, through that exercise and, when Debby approved the title, I suddenly felt that my series had been christened and launched.3.     What have your experiences been like working toward being published?Good or bad, each of my toward-publication experiences has taught me so much about the business of writing, the craft of writing, the fellowship of romance authors, and the rewards of believing in my series. One of the biggest thrills for me was seeing the draft designs for the book cover, giving my input, and sharing the final design with my supporters. That made it so realfor all of us!4.     What would you have done differently?I would have worked harder at my yoga practice! I absolutely made myself crazy, way too many times, through the ups and downs of the process for Stepping Up To Love. There’s no question the second book Coming Home To Love, released in September 2014, was an easier ride. For Finding the Way Back To Love, due out in February 2015, I’ve kept my energy focused on “my part”—writing, editing, getting feedback, paying attention to deadlines, looking for promotional opportunities.5.     How has your book been marketed?Aside from my own efforts (see next question), fellow SMP authors have invited me to include my book in raffles for their writers groups, and my own writers group has provided the same opportunity. I’ve seen a few emails from Amazon promoting my book, which I assume originated with the Kindle Select program. SMP is now submitting our books to Night Owl Reviews. Other opportunities: a colleague invited me to write an article for her newsletter; the apartment community where I live agreed to host a book talk and signing (eleven copies flew off the table!); and I’m talking with local authors about joint signings. Bottom line: I’m not expecting anyone else to market my book, though I’m delighted when they offer. The more initiative I take, the more opportunities I’m aware of and the more courage and skill I develop. 6.     Any advice on how to better market a book?Marketing is a long learning curve for me! I’ve worked hard to get reviews, through book blogs, readers, and fellow authors. I’ve used The Fussy Librarian to promote book one, and I’ll do that again, since I saw a little spike in sales that paid for the $6.00 fee. I’ve done blog tours that have helped me learn about the book-blog landscape, whether they’ve paid for themselves in sales or not. Honestly, though, what’s had the most impact so far is connecting with potential readers through Facebook, personal contact, and professional networking. Since most readers have said, “Let me know when your next book comes out,” I’m working on a newsletter, in addition to using Google+, email loops, Twitter, and Facebook. Last but not least, I asked Kim Killion to develop my website, and I’ve seen some traffic there.7.     Last question; If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go, when would it be, and what would you be wearing?I’ve traveled a great deal and loved it all, but still on my list, at the very top, are Donegal and Cornwall. I’m looking at a Road Scholar photography trip to Cornwall in 2015, and I’ve got a good start on the warm-sock collection I’ll need for the walking!


With his health deteriorating and his spirit dying, Justin Cushman has come home to the Finger Lakes to assist his injured nephew Joel. Sick of accumulating wealth for its own sake, Justin knows that his life is meaningless without a loving relationship and a purpose for his billions. On a whim, he visits Joel’s spa, looking for a massage to relieve his pain. Gianessa Dupioni is a gifted masseuse who starts the boss’s irritable uncle on a journey of health and happiness. Too bad for Justin that Gianessa is devastated by personal losses and strictly focused on rebuilding her career. Justin may be a master strategist in the financial world, but can he persuade Gianessa to let love in?




When her boss Joel Cushman catches her using the spa shower at The Manse, junior accountant and graduating college senior Manda Doughty comes clean about the alcoholic drinking that has led her into a disastrous relationship with a predatory professor. Joel, who is also a trustee of the college, is faced with more problems than a beautiful, naked woman in his shower. While he’d rather make love all night with funny, brainy Manda, Joel knows his desire for her has no future if Manda cannot stay sober, grow up, and face her problems. While Manda immerses herself in AA, Joel uncovers harassment and embezzlement that threaten the existence of the college his ancestors founded. Can he fix the problems at the college without exposing Manda to public humiliation? Can Manda clean up her mess and trust the love she feels for Joel? The odds may not be in their favor, but miracles happen for those who are willing to change their lives and open their hearts.

Soul Mate Publishing Author: Linda O'Connor

Bio:I’ve been writing romance novels for three years and sincerely thank Debby Gilbert at Soul Mate Publishing for the ultimate encouragement to my writing  - with the leap to publishing. I have many titles including Doctor, Mom, and proud Canadian, but “Linda O’Connor – hereinafter called the Author” on the SMP contract was one of the sweetest.Contemporary romantic comedies are my favorite novels to read and write. I balance writing with my work as a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic and being a mom to three sons (luckily grown and capable of throwing together a decent meal, in a pinch). I also like to keep active and cycle, cross-country ski, skate, walk with my husband, or dance every day.Laugh every day. Love every minute.
Website: http://www.lindaoconnor.netFacebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-OConnor/229838333874258
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lindaoconnor98Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/lindaocon...
Katie – thank you so much for having me today. I am very excited and honored to be a Soul Mate Publishing author!
Tell us how you came to be an Author with Soul Mate Publishing.I wrote Perfectly Honest and after submitting it to the RWA contests to get feedback, I thought it was polished enough to submit for publication. I decided to send it to four publishers. If it wasn’t picked up, my plan was to post it on wattpad.com with two other novels I had written, and keep writing. I looked at the list of publishers on the RWA website (they list non-subsidy, non-vanity publishers – I actually don’t completely understand what this means, but if it was important to the RWA, it was important to me) and picked ones that didn’t require an agent, looked like they wanted contemporary romantic comedies and/or medical romances, accepted manuscripts with my word count, and whose websites I liked the look of (I know, not very scientific).  A week after I sent it off to those four, I read a blog post about Soul Mate Publishing. The author recommended SMP as a smaller, growing publishing house and one more likely to take a risk with new authors. They were right.
Debby Gilbert at SMP was the first to respond to my queries. She requested the full manuscript and then a month later sent me an email. That was a very happy day!
What do you enjoy most about being a SMP Author?I love that I don’t have to follow a formula for the plot. SMP publishes both e-format and print format – that was very important to me. There is a fantastic author group. When Perfectly Honest was released, it wasn’t clear to me what to use as the buy link – it looked really long. Rebecca E. Neely, one of the other Soul Mate authors, sent out a tweet congratulating me and luckily included a buy link for my book that I could copy!
What have your experiences been like working toward being published?Getting published has been awesome. One of the first things I did was fill out the cover art form. It asked for details about the characters, the plot, and my vision for the cover. I love what they sent me – so perfect! Editing went smoothly and quickly. I signed the contract in August and Perfectly Honest was published in January.
What would you have done differently?There was an online course exploring how to use Wordpress, which is what I use for my website. I would have taken it.
How has your book been marketed?It’s on the SMP website as a new release – that’s cool to see. I had a 10 day countdown on my website leading up to launch day. I wrote posts from my characters, including pregnancy tips from Mikaela and eye fact and fiction from Sam, tennis ball trivia (there’s a strip tennis game in the book), their favorite recipes, released my video book trailer, and included a sneak peak at the first chapter. That generated a lot of interest on my website. Tweeting has made a difference – I’ve been lucky enough to have my tweets retweeted, a few times by others with over 12,000 followers. When that happens I see a spike in visits to my website. I also made a video book trailer for YouTube – that was fun!
Any advice on how to better market a book?I write romantic comedies so I keep everything I post upbeat and fun. I’ve never paid to boost my Facebook posts, but my son and sister-in-law have a huge following and whenever they ‘like’ one of my posts, I see a big boost in my exposure.  So - get the relatives involved. Also, promote why you are unique as an author. What expertise do you have that your books will reflect? Mine is medicine.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go, and what would you be wearing?I would take a Zumba cruise to Hawaii. Between Zumba classes, I see myself lounging on the pool deck writing on my laptop (people watching), with my bronze skin (wide-brimmed hat, SPF 50 sunscreen, zinc oxide on my nose), wearing a skimpy bikini (SPF clothing, long-sleeved top and pants), a fruity cocktail (water) by my side. In Hawaii, I would take a carefree scooter ride (never in a million years) to the edge of an active volcano (stay miles away) and wander in a rainforest (do they have rainforests there?). It would be idyllic. 


Perfectly Honest by Linda O’Connor
You never know where your words will take you…
When Mikaela Finn agreed to be Sam’s ‘fiancée’ for a weekend, she probably should have told him that she’s a doctor.
Sam O’Brien, aka ‘Dr. Eye Candy’, is trying to shed his playboy reputation and convince a small town hospital that he’s ready to settle down.  But when his ‘fiancée’ helps deliver a baby in the middle of the meet and greet, it’s a bit of a shock. If he’d known the whole truth, he might have done things a little differently because somehow his ‘fiancée’ ends up stealing his job and his heart. Not exactly the change he wanted. 
Lies and deceit – it’s a match made in heaven!
Video Book Trailer (that I uploaded MYSELF): http://youtu.be/UGaav4ZLGeI

Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Honest-Linda-OConnor-ebook/dp/B00S77IW9O