Linda Joyce's Blog, page 15

FREE on Kindle March 21st and 22nd!!! YA Vampire Novella

Reblogged from :

Liberty Awakened - Isle of Fangs Book 1

Click on the cover to download from Amazon

Free on Kindle is good! Check out this author: Alicia Dean. She's writing YA Vampires.

Read on!

Linda Joyce

Velda Brotherton: A Legend on an Outlaw: Wilda’s Outlaw

As a consumer, there are a number of factors I consider when making a purchasing decisions. Most often, I read reviews before I buy. Some of the things I’ve researched include dishwashers, kitchen sinks, organic seeds, books, and even authors.

When I first declared myself a writer a few years ago, I sought out other writers. I lived in Kansas City back then. Velda Brotherton’s name was mentioned many times, spoken with awe and reverence. I assumed she was an absent member of the group, but soon learned that she lived down in in Arkansas. I concluded from the buzz about Velda that she was someone to know.

I want to demonstrate the impact Velda has on others. To help with my explanation, I turned to Urban Dictionary for the best description:

Legend: totally worth of respect for any reason

That’s how I think of her.

I’m here today to introduce you to her latest book: Wilda’s Outlaw, however, before we launch into that, I offer you reviews about Velda Brotherton:

The day I met Velda Brotherton, I became a serious writer. Her encouragement and example are a constant inspiration. ~ Jan Morrill

Velda Brotherton is a kind person and a prolific author. She has shared her talent and encouraged many new writers in addition to her own work. ~ Mary-Lane Kamberg

Velda is a genuine treasure. She has spent the past three decades unselfishly helping teach so many people the art of writing fiction while honing her own skills. A master at word shaping she can visualize from beginners starts and show them how to shape it into salable fiction. ~ Dusty Richards

There aren’t enough adjectives in the English language to describe the mischievous, wise, sparkling blue-eyed pixie spirit known as Velda Brotherton. ~ Ruth Burkett Weeks

Velda has not only taught me about writing, she’s encouraged me to write and there’s a difference in those two skills. One is a polishing of talent, the other is a shining of the spirit. ~ Pamela Foster

Velda is one of the most knowledgeable, articulate, and helpful people I know. She never pushes but, instead, leads other writers to see her perspective on their work . . . and her perspective is almost always on target. ~ Duke Pennell

From the reviews I pulled these words. They create a theme that is Velda Brotherton: prolific, a master at word-shaping, knowledgeable, encouraging, mischievous, and polisher of talent.

Those characteristics translate into good storytelling by Velda in Wilda’s Outlaw.

Here’s the story blurb:

Calder Raines and his outlaw gang may be more than Wilda Duncan bargained for. All she wants is to escape an unwanted marriage, but she finds herself in the arms of a tantalizing man whose warm kisses arouse a storm of forbidden desires.

Calder never wanted to rob banks, but it’s a family tradition. When he embraces the alluring redhead, passion conquers good sense and he imagines a life he cannot have.

Will Calder return her to the man she is to marry before she gets hurt? Can Wilda set things right and prevent Calder’s arrest?

Now to the heart of the matter…please meet Velda Brotherton.

Linda: Thank you for joining us today, Velda. May I start with one of the most daunting questions readers always ask writers? Where did the story idea for this book come from?

Velda: A trip my husband and I took through Kansas researching for another book, Angel’s Gold, took us through Victoria where we were told some of the history of the almost forgotten town. When we came home, my husband, always curious, got on the Internet and researched, then sent me links, which is how we often handle our research. I checked the listing of people who came over from England to settle the town after buying acreages from George Grant, who had bought them from the railroad.

The stories were enticing, and so I began to imagine taking that year-long trip to a country as wild as the west in America. From there I was off and running. I always create my ladies first, then find men who will be equal to their strengths. This is the first of a three-book series, each one featuring one of the three young women who took that trip. I’m now working on the second sister’s story for a book to be titled Rowena’s Lord.

Linda: How long did it take you to write it?

Velda: My books usually take six to eight months to write once the research is completed. I do a lot of rewriting and never outline but let my characters drive the story.

Linda: How did you decide on a look for the cover?

Velda: I told the wonderful designer at The Wild Rose Press that I wanted the West to be prevalent, but I needed a castle somewhere since the English built castles in Victoria and my story would take place in and around the castle owned by Lord Blair Prescott. She did a fabulous job of adding a castle without making the book appear to be an English Victorian story.

Linda: Writers often become friends with their characters. What do you love most about Wilda and Calder?

Velda: I have a tendency to fall in love with the men first. I think that’s necessary to really write their story. Calder I liked because he was torn between being an outlaw like the rest of his family, or being one of the good guys. And he was tender hearted to the point that he made an inefficient outlaw, but he was willing to give it a try. Wilda never whined, though she did get pretty PO’d occasionally. She was up for anything and I adored her fighting spirit. Here was a woman who’d never been out of the orphanage, yet she took to the life in Kansas with a great deal of spirit and stubbornness. And she refused to marry a man she didn’t love.

Linda: Velda, is there some special aspect about writing Wilda’s Outlaw that you would share with us that maybe most folks don’t know?

Velda: I learned some funny things about Victorian clothing, especially the women’s. Queen Victoria brought about totally new styles that were a bit more comfortable than the earlier dress. Still there was layer after layer of crinolines. The pantaloons were two separate legs that were calf-length, but they had no crotch in them. You can see how this made it much easier for women to answer nature’s call with all those layers of skirts. They also did not wear anything that resembled a bra, but just a corset that pushed their breasts up so they spilled from the scooping neckline of their dresses.

Keeping Wilda and the other women properly clothed throughout some of their adventures was challenging but fun. At one point she had to disrobe down to the final layer before Calder’s horse would let her back on him. I’m not naturally funny when I write, but once in a while something funny will happen that I totally didn’t expect. I didn’t plan that scene, it just happened. And the love scenes? Well, writing those comes pretty easy after 59 years of marriage. Yes, I was ten when I got married.

Linda: *chuckles* I think you qualify as a marriage therapist. Thank you, Velda for joining us today.

Velda: Thank you so much for having me and for the beautiful comments you found from my readers and friends. Reading them gave me a good feeling deep inside. There’s nothing so precious as family and friends and I treasure them all.

Have questions for Velda? She’ll be checking in to reply. She’s willing to chat about Wilda’s Outlaw or one of her other books or even writing questions.

Here are the places you will find Velda Brotherton:

Website: http://www.veldabrotherton.com/index.htm

FB http://www.facebook.com/authorveldabrotherton

Linkedin http://www.linkedin.com/in/veldabrotherton

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/veldabrotherton

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/veldabrotherton

Blog: http://veldabrotherton.wordpress.com

Writer’s Group: http://www.nwawriters.org

To purchase Wilda’s Outlaw, please go to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=wilda%27s+outlaw&sprefix=Wilda%27s+%2Cstripbooks%2C311

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

http://www.linda-joyce.com

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thank you. Your support sent Bayou Born from an obscure title on Amazon’s free list to #27 overall and, even more importantly, #5 in Contemporary Romance.

Thank you! I offer these words with much appreciation. The climb of Bayou Born in the rankings proved exciting and gratifying. It would not have happened, but for the support from you, my friends, and intrepid readers willing to take a chance on a debut novel and an unknown author.

Warmest Regards,

Linda Joyce

http://www.linda-joyce.com

Marriage of convenience tropes and WHY we love them

Greetings friends!

Author Sandra Sookoo is my guest today. We’re Big Bang Theory fans. Are you? Can you imagine what would happen if Sheldon was required to marry?

But, that’s not what she’s here to discuss with us. Her topic is way more interesting: marriage of convenience tropes. She’s got a story to share!

Miss Sandra, take it away~

What is it about a marriage of convenience that pulls us in every time?

When the idea of writing a marriage of convenience story came up, I couldn’t wait to jump on it. I’d never written one before and it was exciting to consider. I love the idea of them because the “couple” is already chosen, selected and put together. For whatever reason, two people have been thrown together and married to boot. After that, the whole story is about those two people having no choice except to work together and make the marriage valid and genuine.

It’s kinda like being tied together in a three-legged race, but knowing there’s a happy ending just waiting for you is comforting.

When deciding on a concept for WINNING HIS WIFE, I knew the basics: I wanted my story to be historical in nature and I wanted it primarily to be told by the hero’s viewpoint. Then I thought it would be fun to pair Caleb with a strong, independent woman who wasn’t exactly thrilled to have her husband return after two years away. He’d need to really work for her love, but he was charming to boot. This caused no end of problems for Abigail, of course.

I loved every minute of writing the book. So much so that I’m now planning a companion piece with the same trope but a completely different storyline.

Blurb: Captain Caleb Haslet has come home to Portsmouth, Rhode Island after two years at sea chasing pirates and keeping British ships from the fledgling American nation. He wants nothing more than to settle into domestic life and finally claim the new bride duty had forced him to leave behind.

Though she now has her own life doing charity work, providing prisoners with basic creature comforts, Abigail Haslet is both excited and anxious that Caleb thinks to take up where they left off. But, how can she give her heart to a man who’ll leave again when duty calls?

Caleb no longer wants a marriage of convenience. When plying Abigail with kisses and spending time with her fails, he decides to take advantage of his wife’s stint behind bars to make her see the truth—he’s in love with her.

Book video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u5i4TlDEL8

Short excerpt:

“I didn’t intend for my explanation to be an excuse. It’s merely a fact.”

She blew out a breath that ruffled the baby fine wisps of hair on her forehead. “We’ve been wed for a little over two years now, and you’ve been gallivanting all over creation without a care in the world, having adventures without me. To my way of thinking, being left alone does not make me a wife.”

Which was she angrier at: his being away or being hastily wed? “Be that as it may, you are mine, Abigail. I’d like nothing more than to start our marriage properly.” He shifted to accommodate his aching groin. “If you’d please.”

“I don’t. Not even bedded and I’m expected to remain yours over the years, without any written word? Our marriage is in name only, and that’s grounds for an annulment, Captain.”

All thoughts of divesting her of her clothes and running his hands over her warm skin flew out of his head. “You desire an annulment?” Hurt ricocheted through him and stole his earlier warmth. If she hated him that much, why go through the nuptials at all? Why hadn’t she voiced her concerns before they’d wed? He would have begged off had he known of her revulsion. Had her claiming her menses been her way of telling him she was less than pleased to be married to him? Did she mean to torment him and take “to death do us part” literally? He slid a finger beneath his neck cloth. Surely she wasn’t as petty as that.

Confusion shadowed her eyes. In her lap, she clasped her hands so tight the knuckles showed white. “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought of it while British soldiers have been in and out of the house searching for anything that could incriminate us both, or when Navy men gad about the town with stories on their lips of the women they’ve bedded while away and with their wives none the wiser.”

“I am not those men.” He yanked his hat from his head then pitched it onto a chair and shoved a hand through his scraggly hair. How must I appear to her, just off the ship? “How did you fare when the last sweep came through?” Of course she couldn’t resist, but it didn’t stop him from worrying about her safety when alone with a regiment.

Mischief lit her eyes, gone before he could wonder at it. “I made due. I’m quite certain they hate stopping here as much as I hate letting them in.”

Of that he had no doubt. Wasn’t he living with her wrath right now? Caleb shook his head, not about to deviate from his mission. “You and I are married. I take those vows seriously, no matter that I’ve been away for the whole of our union.” His mistake had been assuming she’d be content to wait for his return. If their positions were reversed, he supposed he wouldn’t have been best pleased with the perceived abandonment. Women needed to be appreciated and cherished. He’d done neither of those things due to the demands of his military duty. “I apologize for the circumstances. They couldn’t be helped.”

If the story intrigues you,below are purchase places for grabbing your copy. I already have mine and just about to start…I’m finishing (loving it!) Wedgie Tales and Panty Lines by Sandra.

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/290022

ARE: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-winninghiswife-1091305-150.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BLQJRE2/

ibookstore: http://www.ibookstore.com/products.php?i=B00BLQJRE2

And for all those places that folks meet on the “www”, here’s how to find Sandra:

Website: http://www.sandrasookoo.com

Believing is Seeing blog: http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sandrasookoo

Profile Page Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sandra.sookoo

Author Page Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sandra-Sookoo-author/149098339126

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2931453.Sandra_Sookoo

Before we let her get away, she’s going to share with us a bit about her. Here’s some of the secret “dish” you want to know:

Sandra is a writer of romantic fiction. Her portfolio includes historical, contemporary, sci-fi, and paranormal romances in full-length books as well as shorts and novellas. No matter if the heat level is spicy or sweet, she loves to blend genres and oftentimes will add humor to the mix.

When not immersed in creating new worlds and engaging characters, Sandra likes to read, bake, taste new teas, watch The Big Bang Theory, and Psych as well as Finding Bigfoot and travel. Her favorite place to spend vacation hours is Walt Disney World: it’s where dreams come true and the soul can play. When she’s not writing, she’s keeping things interesting at her Believing is Seeing blog or spending time with her husband, who patiently answers questions she has about men, sci-fi-related subjects, and the odd “what if”.

Sandra loves to hear from her readers.

You can write to her at sandrasookoo@yahoo.com.

Many thanks to Sandra for stopping by. Please leave her a note here, or send her an email.

Happy Reading,

Linda Joyce

http://www.linda-joyce.com

FREE ~ Bayou Born at Amazon

Greetings!

March Madness of a different sort…

Starting today and running until March 16, Amazon is offering BAYOU BORN for FREE to Kindle Owners.

Valentine’s Day is past, Spring is not yet officially arrived…except it’s blooming in BAYOU BORN.

I invite you to get your copy, then let me know how you enjoy meeting James Newbern and Branna Lind.

Here’s the latest 5-Star review on Amazon:

Bayou Born by Linda Joyce had me pulled into the interesting and new southern realm in no time! I finished the book in less than 24 hours, because I couldn’t put it down. I felt as if I was right there in Florida with the main characters, Branna and James. Linda wove the romance so easily around those two. The characters were believable and the story flowed easily. I hated her ex-fiancé’ and was glad when she finally stood up to him. I love a good book that you can sink your teeth into and forget everything else but what was happening in the book. I can’t wait until the next book come out. Love it, absolutely loved it!

Happy Reading,

Linda Joyce

http://www.linda-joyce.com

Writerly Uses for Excel - Part 3

Reblogged from Writers In The Storm Blog:

by Jenny Hansen

Earlier this year, we started talking about Microsoft Excel and all the ways writers could use it without hyperventilating.

In case you missed the other two posts, I've linked them below:

Part 1 - Excel Shortcuts and Helpful Tricks

Part 2 - Doing Formulas without Freaking Out

Laura Drake also did a post last November about Keeping Your Novel Organized In Excel…

Read more… 932 more words

I'm a "C" level user of excel and I believe these posts will help me greatly. I use an excel spreadsheet to track my plotting, character details, and chapter notes. This may take me to a whole new level of organization.

If you put this to use- leave me a note and share. I'll take all the suggestions I can.

Smiles,

Linda Joyce

“Southerners Talk Music!”

Earlier this week, this post appeared at Pink Fuzzy Slippers. However, do to technical difficulties, most folks couldn’t view it. Therefore, I present:

“Southerns Talk Music!”

Mark Twain said it all when he uttered those words.

To many folks residing west of the Mississippi River and north of the Mason-Dixon Line, the south is deemed ubiquitous. I understand how those folks who live “out yonder” may think that everything down here is all “southern fried” and “slow-talkers.” After all, the south is known for deep-fried okra, pigskins, and turkeys. But, there’s much more to southerners. We take pride and pleasure in the similes and metaphors of the vernacular south.

And the stories…

The south lays claim to some of the riches stories told by authors who are interesting characters unto themselves. Some of the “old guard” includes William Faulkner, Harper Lee, Margaret Mitchell and Mark Twain. Their lives have been captured in biographies, some of which made it to the big and small screen, so fascinating to the public were their private lives.

Other noted southern authors offer wisdom:

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor. ~ Truman Capote

For the night was not impartial. No, the night loved some more than others, served some more than others. ~ Eudora Welty

A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with.

Tennessee Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955)

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is one my all-time favorite stories. It came out before I was born. The characters are layered and their hearts are shown in the largesse of their actions. Plus, it’s romantic. The bad boy gets the good girl. Nothing more satisfying for me than crushing conflict that is conquered with a passionate kiss.

The “new guard” boosts of Pat Conroy, Dorothea-Benton Frank, Sue Monk Kidd, Fannie Flagg, and Rebecca Wells, but these are just a few. There are so many authors I love I couldn’t begin to list them all; however, my hope is to capture them in my Goodreads.

In my novel, Bayou Born, Branna explains to James that her life isn’t “deep-fried,” but instead it’s flavorful and abundant like gumbo and ètouffèe; which literally means to “smoother,” as in Branna is smothered in southern culture.

Please share with me about your favorite authors, and what draws you to them?

I believe a good book is a journey. Pat Conroy said it best in the Prince of Tides:

Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers, that the mind can never break off from the journey.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

http://www.linda-joyce.com

The Next Big Thing is HERE

Hi there! Welcome. Come on in.

I am sending out my gratitude to Renee Regent at http://reneeregent.com for inviting me to be a part of this blog hop. I enjoy her postings and love her prospective on life: She is keenly interested in human nature and believes unconditionally in the power of love.

I hope you’ll stop and check her out. If you’d like to contact Renee, she’s at reneeregent@yahoo.com.

Now for the heart of the blog hop.

I am excited to share more about the release of my debut novel, BAYOU BORN. I’m doing a giveaway for today. Leave me a comment. All names will be tossed into a hat and a winner will be chosen.

The Prize? A Kindle version (or Nook version, which is due out in mid-May) of Bayou Born. (I will need an email address, however, I will not distribute that information to anyone else. It’s solely for sending the book.)

Now, about Bayou Born

1: What is the working title of your book?

BAYOU BORN, book one of the Fleur de Lis series.

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

I’d like to say that it birthed itself in one deft swoop, but writing is hard for me and it takes time. This story is an amalgamation of life experiences that I’ve witnessed with a few of my own thrown in.

3. What genre does your book come under?

Contemporary Romance on the sensual side, but not spicy.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Well… There’s nothing worse to me than a fake southern accent. So, I’d consider any actor who has mastered a true southern accent, or one who was raised with one, like Holly Hunter or Harry Connick, Jr. BTW, I saw Harry, Jr. in the Orpheus parade at Mardi Gras in February. Had a “Laissez les bon temps rouler!” good time.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

They closed the door on betrayal and broken vows, can they unlock their hearts to love?

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

My publisher is The Wild Rose Press.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

*laughing* The first draft was 140,000 word count of tedious, hard to follow, and too much purple prose that took a year. I call it my learning year. I rewrote the book three times before it got to it’s present story, and then the edits were numerous.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Dorothea Benton-Frank’s contemporary romance books use setting as character, and I treat place the same way in my writing.

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?

*Chuckles* I think that might be best answered in an interview with Branna Lind. She was a tenacious chatterer and until I got it done – remember it took writing and completely re-writing twice to make her happy – I’m not sure I was so much inspired as I was tortured by her.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Beyond a heroine’s journey of getting lost to find one’s self and falling in love, the story is very grounded with sense of setting in the south. Also, one of the things that Beta Readers tell me is that they love that I include food in my books. I’m thinking of a cookbook when the first three books of the Fleur de Lis series is completed.

The book is available for sale for the Kindle at: Click here

I hope you’ll enjoy Bayou Born. And I’m inviting you to leave a message for me. You may win a free copy of Bayou Born.

I invite you over to my place at http://www.linda-joyce.com and please join me at Linda Joyce Contemplates where I blog. http://lindajoycecontemplates.wordpress.com

Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/LindaJoyceAuthor

Twitter: @LJWriter https://twitter.com/LJWriter

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6950241.Linda_Joyce

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=69773158&trk=tab_pro

Now, I want to introduce three writers. Each writes in a different genre than I do. Variety adds spice to life, so I hope you’ll check them out. They will be answering the same questions I’ve answered only about their stories on a Wednesday throughout March.

Please meet romantic suspense and paranormal author, Alicia Dean http://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/

Author of Urban Fantasy/Paranormal with Romance, M.V. Freeman: http://blameitonthemuse.com/

And Erotica author Kyann Waters: http://www.kyannwaters.com/

Happy Reading,

Linda Joyce

Tuesday Temptations

Greetings! Author Sandra Sookoo has a Tuesday blog: Tuesday Teaser and a Cocktail. I blogged there on 2/19 and I stole the headline of this post from her. If you missed me there, click on the link to the post and let’s meet at 5:00 pm for a cocktail.

Today, I’m supposed to be hanging out with Mary Marvella at :

http://www.pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.com/

I’ve been to Fuzzy Slippers, but I’m not able to get in.

So…let’s head back over to Sandra’s place and let’s talk cocktails. I’ll pour.

And while we’re sipping, take a peek at my website. I’m going to be making some major changes soon and you’ll have to see it now to compare the two.

Happy Reading,

Linda Joyce

http://www.linda-joyce.com

BAYOU BORN

Tuesday Temptions

Greetings! Author Sandra Sookoo has a Tuesday blog: Tuesday Teaser and a Cocktail. I blogged there on 2/19 and I stole the headline of this post from her. If you missed me there, click on the link to the post and let’s meet at 5:00 pm for a cocktail.

Today, I’m supposed to be hanging out with Mary Marvella at :

http://www.pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.com/

I’ve been to Fuzzy Slippers, but I’m not able to get in.

So…let’s head back over to Sandra’s place and let’s talk cocktails. I’ll pour.

And while we’re sipping, take a peek at my website. I’m going to be making some major changes soon and you’ll have to see it now to compare the two.

Happy Reading,

Linda Joyce

http://www.linda-joyce.com

BAYOU BORN