Shehanne Moore's Blog, page 34

It’s Black Friday..with Catherine Cavendish

 

 

 

 

Okay…okay… Firstly there is no It’s girl Friday today.

Incy Black, author of the fast and furious and fabulous Hard To Hold

has launched a wonderful  new feature

The Redoubtable Shehanne Moore

Sorry…that’s not what it’s called. It’s called

Fire Starters

Writers/Books that ignite that ‘something’ in me…

http://incyblack.weebly.com/blog-into-the-black/july-04th-2014

So, yeah I am blowing my own trumpet cos it’s damned good of Ince to do this and help me out when I’ve been kinda snowed under. I’m also going to be having a kind of week of Girl Friday on the themes, settings, characters  of my own books, kicking off  with a Scottish themed week on Monday for His Judas Bride,

 

 

That’s what you think….  What kind of hero, what kind of heroine, how action leads to reaction and drives the plot forward,  etc, etc, etc, so for today we are giving It’s Girl Friday a miss and  welcoming the lovely Catherine Cavendish….get off her neck…

Catherine has been here before but she is one talented lady and what’s more  has a new book out. Saving Grace Devine.

Let me tell you all you fans of horror, it’s a cracker. Right up the street of those who like that little bit of past mystery with their horror. Ooh, got the chills already.

So here she is. Par excellence. With a  very special creepy blog post.

I know……..

The Blue Girl of Poole Mill’s Bridge

By Catherine Cavendish

‘In my new novel, Saving Grace Devine, a young girl is drowned, but her spirit returns to haunt the lakeside where she met her untimely end. She seeks help from the living, to help her cross over to the afterlife.

From my research, it would appear that my fictional Grace is not alone. Many people have reported seeing ghosts of drowned girls who are all apparently earthbound. Searching for something, or someone. In need of help from the living to help them join the world of spirit.

So it is with this account – that of the mysterious and frightening Blue Girl of Poole Mill’s Bridge.

Situated in Forsyth County, Georgia, Poole Mill’s Bridge is set in a delightful location and is one of the few remaining lattice work covered bridges. There are a number of stories relating to hauntings there but that of the Blue Girl is probably the most persistent.

Back in the 1930s, on a burning hot day, a young family – mother, father and nine year old daughter -decided to take a picnic there. Enticed by the cool water, the little girl ran down to the creek to paddle. She ignored the calls of her mother to be careful and, what none of them realized was that recent heavy rain had made the creek much deeper than it looked. The child kicked off her shoes and socks and jumped into the water. Her screams sent her parents running down to the water but the strong current was already sweeping her away, into imminent danger.

 

In those days, a water wheel operated a grist mill there and the little girl was swept straight towards it. Her father dived in and, although he was a strong swimmer, he could not save her. He grabbed at the big blue bow on the back of her dress just seconds too late, as she was swept under the mighty wheel. Even the efforts of the mill workers weren’t enough to save her. They retrieved her lifeless body – her face as blue as the bow on her dress. The devastated couple left with her and never returned to the county. No one knew their names.

News of the tragedy spread quickly and soon strange stories began to emerge. People reported seeing a young girl dressed in her Sunday best in a pretty dress with a large blue bow. They would see her at the bridge, totally dry – except for dripping wet hair. Then she would vanish.

Years went by and a Vietnam veteran named Chuck Morse, down on his luck, happened to be sitting in a bar, when he got into conversation with a World War II veteran who showed him a large gold nugget he said his grandson had found up at Poole’s Bridge. Chuck could barely believe his eyes. By the size of it, the nugget must be worth thousands of dollars. When his companion told him there was allegedly much more where that came from, Chuck didn’t need any greater motivation. He wasn’t even deterred when the older man told him that the new park built on that site meant daylight digging was impossible without getting caught and that, at nighttime, people tended to leave it well alone. “Why?” Chuck asked.

The man told him of a friend of his – BJ Corliss – who had been up near Poole Mill’s Bridge and had seen a young girl, dressed in her Sunday best dress, not a wrinkle on it, but with wet hair. As he approached her, she vanished. Then she sprang up again not ten feet away from him. He saw the bluish tinge to her skin and ran for his life. Chuck had heard stories of the Blue Girl since his childhood. He wasn’t about to believe in such fairy stories. He laughed, paid the tab and left. The older man was insistent – BJ had told him no amount of gold would ever tempt him to dig there after dark.

Chuck started for home. An old man’s wild stories. Impossibly large gold nuggets. Couldn’t be real, could it? But if there was just one slim chance it was, his whole life could transform overnight. All he had to do was go up to Poole Mill’s Bridge and dig there. After dark. Then he’d find out one way or another.

Back home, he thrust pickaxe, shovel and any other tools he might need into the back of his old truck and drove off up to Poole Mill. First he had to find the remains of the now long-demolished grist mill – and the old millstone. He stepped over heavy stones, tripped and slipped into the cold water, bashing his leg against a rock. In pain and anger, he threw the heavy stone out onto the bank. Then he retrieved the flashlight he had dropped when he fell, and shone it into the water. Something glittered. But it wasn’t a gold nugget. He picked up a small, heart-shaped gold locket that must have lain buried under the stone that had injured him. As he examined it, his flashlight suddenly went out.

 

But behind him a strange glow he thought at first was moonlight, grew stronger. Then he heard a sound that chilled his blood. Tiny footsteps splashing in the water. He whirled around and saw the girl, glowing blue, dressed in her Sunday dress with her wet hair. He cried out in terror. “Please God, help me!”

The girl stared at him, her eyes sad and filled with longing. He realized he was rubbing the locket.

It’s hers. She wants it back, he thought. His fear almost paralysed him but, with a great effort, he held it out to her. She came closer and took it from him. Then she smiled. And vanished.

Despite his injured leg, Chuck raced up the hill and back to his truck. He never returned to dig for the gold. Plenty of others have – but no one has reported seeing the Blue Girl since. It seems that her locket was her only remaining link with her family. It must have come adrift during her terrible accident. Now she has been reunited with it, her reason for haunting is over.

But still those who have heard Chuck’s story won’t venture up there after dark.

Here’s a flavour of Saving Grace Devine:

Can the living help the dead…and at what cost?

When Alex Fletcher finds a painting of a drowned girl, she’s unnerved. When the girl in the painting opens her eyes, she is terrified. And when the girl appears to her as an apparition and begs her for help, Alex can’t refuse.

But as she digs further into Grace’s past, she is embroiled in supernatural forces she cannot control, and a timeslip back to 1912 brings her face to face with the man who killed Grace and the demonic spirit of his long-dead mother. With such nightmarish forces stacked against her, Alex’s options are few. Somehow she must save Grace, but to do so, she must pay an unimaginable price.

You can find Saving Grace Devine in all usual ebook formats here:

Samhain Publishing

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com.au

B&N

Kobo

and in paperback here:

Samhain Publishing

About the author

Catherine Cavendish is joint winner of the Samhain Gothic Horror Anthology competition 2013. Her winning novella – Linden Manor – is now available in all digital formats and the print anthology will be published in October. She is the author of a number of paranormal horror and Gothic horror novellas and short stories. . Her novel, Saving Grace Devine, has just been published by Samhain Publishing.

She lives with a longsuffering husband in North Wales. Her home is in a building dating back to the mid-18th century which is haunted by a friendly ghost, who announces her presence by footsteps, switching lights on and strange phenomena involving the washing machine and the TV.

When not slaving over a hot computer, Cat enjoys wandering around Neolithic stone circles and visiting old haunted houses.

You can connect with Cat here:

http://www.catherinecavendish.com

https://www.facebook.com/CatherineCavendishWriter?ref=hl

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4961171.Catherine_Cavendish

http://twitter.com/#!/cat_cavendish

 

Filed under: Guest bloggers Tagged: Catherine Cavendish, Georgia, ghosts, haunting, Horror, Poole Mill's Bridge, Samhain Publishing, Saving Grace Devine, the undead

The —my lord, it’s the July-author interview with Kate L. Mary

Okay… SO here we are today at that time again, I mean, it is that time, I’ve not got mixed up and gone and double booked the author interview slot, given the way time seems to have donned skates and be flying. No. It looks okay. So today it’s my pleasure to sound the horn for  the lovely Kate L. Mary, not just the newbie author  of Collision but a very remarkable lady as you’ll see if you read on who I am going to be interviewing here. Shey… So Kate, firstly, four kids….how do you manage it?

Kate. Lol. Four is a lot, I know. It takes organization and even though things fall through the cracks. I’m not sure I ever get everything done, but I manage to get the important things accomplished, so that’s a win in my book! They are pretty easy-going luckily.

Shey. Obviously wine and chocolate helps?

 

Kate. I’m a big fan of both and yes, at the end of the night when the house is finally quiet, it’s nice to have a glass of wine and some chocolate to help unwind.

Shey.  Coming over to you then pronto.  Me and several others. You’re an air force wife who met her husband at the tender…wait for it folks…..age of 12? Do spill! I mean c’mon kid!

Kate. I met my husband in our church youth group when we were kids, but we didn’t start dating until right before we turned 21. Well, I take that back. We did go out once in high school, but since we went to different schools nothing ever came of it. When we finally started dating as adults we both knew marriage was in the very near future. We just celebrated our 12 year anniversary on the 22nd. 

There have definitely been hard times, he’s a pilot in the Air Force….

Shey. Very handy for you me and the wine evening Kate…..

Kate.  so he is gone a lot.

Shey. Ok. Forget that.

Kate. But we’re still happy. He makes me laugh more than anyone else I’ve ever known, so that has to be worth something!

Shey. Awwwww. What it’s all about really. Being an Air Force wife has plainly taken you all over the US, what’s been you fav stay?

Kate. Over the last twelve years we’ve moved from Ohio to Georgia to Mississippi to South Carolina to California to Oklahoma!

Shey. God’s sake will you can it? Not you Kate.

Kate. Charleston.

Shey. My God, where Rhett Butler was from.

Kate. SC was by far my favorite place.

Not only did I have amazing friends there, but the city is awesome. Great food, fun things to do, a beach within a 20 minute drive…I’d love to go back to be honest. If it were up to me, we’d retire there. Of course, my husband misses Ohio and the snow, so I’m not sure which one of us will win!

Shey.  Lol. Sure it won’t be a battle. What’s drawn you towards New Adult as a genre you’d want to write?

Kate. I started off writing YA. The market was so flooded and it was hard to get any attention, then NA popped up and I actually felt like it fit me better. I like the age-range. I’m old (I won’t say how old),

Shey…Honey, join the club…Kate. But I love that time in your life when you’re still figuring out who you are and where you belong. YA a lot of times made it hard for me to identify with the characters, but I remember very clearly what it was like to be in my early twenties. And I felt like the concerns and conflicts were more applicable. I honestly love the age-range of NA and I’m really hoping it continues to expand outside contemporary romance. That isn’t something I read often, so I’d love to see more mystery/thriller/sci-fi/dystopian.

Shey.  Have you always wanted to write?

Kate. Yes! Since I was in my early teens. But I got busy with college and getting married and having kids,

and it kind of got put on the back burner. Even though I hated living in California, I’m glad we ended up there. I had a lot of free time to focus on writing and figure it all out.

Shey. Good for you. Vital as laughing! Please tell us a bit about the hero and heroine of Collision?

Kate. Derek, the hero, isn’t your typical NA hero. They all seem to be the same. Tough-guy, manwhore who is tattooed and has commitment phobias. My hero is adorable and sweet, a bit of a nerd. He’s a gentleman and he’s funny.

The heroine, Kara, is going through a tough time and he’s there for her. He takes care of her and helps her dig into her mom’s past. He basically drops everything to be with her. He’s the kind of guy you’d want to date in real life. Maybe he won’t be anyone’s book boyfriend (they seem to like the jerks, don’t they?),

 

but he’s who you’d choose if they were real.

Shey. What’s next for Kate L. Mary?

Kate. Broken World, the first book in my post-apocalyptic zombie series! I’m so excited about this book. Of course, I love everything I write, but this series is my favorite. I love zombies and post-apocalyptic stories, and the characters in this series are so colorful and fun to write…I can’t say enough good things about them. I’m releasing the first book on July 4th, and I’ve already had a few reviews come in from the advanced copies I sent out. I’m so happy about the warm reception it’s received. Since the first three books are already written, they’re going to come out pretty close together. The second book, Shattered World, will be out October 4, 2014, and the third book, Mad World, will come out January 3, 2015.

Shey. Kate, several aspiring, several newbie and several writer writers read this blog, any advice for the newbies and the aspirers?

Kate. Find critique partners. Not only does it help your writing, but other writers are so supportive and it helps to have others who are just as excited about your book as you are.

Make sure you have an online presence. I know it’s hard to fit it in, and not all of us have time to blog, but at least get yourself on Twitter and meet other authors. You’ll find out about pitch parties and other contests that way too, but mostly it will just help get your foot in the door. I had a small press almost pick up Broken World about a year ago, but I didn’t have an online presence, so they passed.

Ultimately, I’m okay with it because I think self-publishing is giving me more control, but if you want a good small press to take notice then you need to make sure you are connected.

Thanks so much for having me!

http://katelmary.com/
https://Facebook.com/KateLMaryauthor
https://Twitter.com/kmary0622

And NOO…the blurb for Collision

When eighteen-year-old Kara Jones gets into a car accident on the way home from college, she’s left with more than a few bruised ribs, a busted cell phone, and a totaled car. After a slip-up at the hospital, she’s shaken to discover that her family isn’t all it seems. And now her mother’s strange behavior and willingness to do anything to protect her secrets—including pulling Kara out of school—have Kara floundering in the dark.

Enter Derek Miller, a former classmate who’s dealing with family issues of his own. His nerdy charm is too much for Kara to resist, and she’s even more amazed when he agrees to help her dig into her mother’s past. Together they investigate her mother’s old friends and boyfriends, hoping to discover who Kara really is. Instead, they find disturbing connections to the dark history of Kent State University, and an ever expanding maze of mystery surrounding Kara’s birth.

As Kara and Derek chase secrets, she realizes he’s the only person she can trust. But as they get closer to the truth, the disturbing answers reveal a web of evil far darker and further reaching then they’d imagined, leaving Kara to wish she’d never asked the questions in the first place, and to wonder if some secrets are better left untold…

Filed under: Author Interviews, heroes, writing Tagged: Collision, Kate L. Mary, New adult, writing

It’s Girl Friday with Honor and Noelle Clark

Hi Shey, thanks for having me here today to talk about my heroine in Honor’s Debt.

 

Okay Noelle, as you can NOT see, it’s IT’S GIRL FRIDAY where we dress up on pink hair bows to spill beans on our heroines.

Honor Quirk has seen her fair share of tragedy in her young life. At the age of twenty-seven, she sets out to fulfil a promise that will repay a very old debt. She arrives in Ireland determined to carry out her mission. When she visits the old family farm in Tipperary, she finds conflicting welcomes. One person makes it very clear he doesn’t want her there and does everything he can to frighten her away. Another greets her warmly. Another wants her in his bed.

 

 

Right…..that’s it. Finitoville.

I don’t think anyone would want to be like you. What kind of hero do you match them up to?  

Not you, you klutz…Noelle..

In Honor’s Debt, Honor meets three men. There’s warm and friendly Dermot; there’s cold, brooding, bad-tempered Bryan; and there’s gorgeous, charming, flirtatious Sean.

Are your heroines nice or, well, you know?

Honor Quirk comes under the ‘nice’ banner, but she’s feisty and won’t put up with the antics of some people who seek to make her take responsibility for all that goes wrong on Robinhill Farm. She gives as good as she gets, but in private moments, she shows that the harsh criticism levelled at her hurts.

 

In a word, or maybe ten, how would you describe them?

Honor is straightforward, loyal, a fighter, likeable, and strong.

 

Why do you choose to write heroines who are nice?

I like writing heroines who are ordinary people – those with flaws, weaknesses, and strengths – just like most of us are. Readers are inherently good people, they can resonate with an ordinary person who gets some problems and issues thrown at them. Sometimes they stumble, sometimes they fall, but ultimately they are victorious. It’s good for the soul to read about nice people.

A line from the book to describe your current heroine?

“Shush.” She held up a hand. “Stop right there. Bryan, even I get angry sometimes, and I apologise for swearing at you, but you infuriate me sometimes. Other times you’re an okay guy. But I’ve let off my steam now, so let’s just get back to being friends again. Okay?”

Her favourite line or motto?

There’s a promise in a debt of honour, and forgetting a debt doesn’t mean it’s paid.

Tips on creating a believable good heroine?

A good heroine is one who engenders some sort of emotional response from the reader, whether that be love or hate. There can be no compromise.

That’s it for today. Honor’s Debt is the fab Noelle’s WIP.

 But if it’s anything like Let Angels Fly and Rosamanti, it will be a winner.

Fate drew her to Rosamanti. Love made her stay…

After the death of her husband, best-selling mystery author Sarah Halliman has lost her desire for just about everything. Desperate to break out of her funk and rediscover herself, she answers a newspaper advertisement—For lease: Isolated villa on Capri, Italy. Must love cats. Traveling alone to the beautiful island of Capri, she locates Villa Rosamanti, a gorgeous 400-year-old dwelling nestled in the hillside of Monte Tiberio. Above it lies Villa Jovis, the 2000-year-old villa of Emperor Tiberius, ripe with history and intrigue.

Sarah soon discovers a strong resonance with Rosamanti and its gardens and quirky pets. She begins to feel a deep connection to Elena Lombardi, the deceased owner. But it’s not just the villa Sarah’s fallen in love with. Elena’s grandson, Pietro, is handsome and charming, the epitome of the passionate Italian. His dream is to own a restaurant of his own, but such dreams are for wealthier men.

Between the sparks that Pietro kindles in Sarah’s heart—and her kitchen—and the mystery of nearby Villa Jovis, Sarah’s muse begins to stir. She senses stories in the ancient stones, and romance in the phosphorescent blue waters of the Blue Grotto. But when her curiosity takes her to Elena’s library, a child’s notes and maps lead Sarah to a mystery that could be the answer to everyone’s prayers—or perhaps, be the destruction of everything they hold dear…

Available now from:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

All Romance eBooks

Website and Blog    www.noelleclark.net

Facebook                   http://www.facebook.com/NoelleClark.Author

Twitter                       https://twitter.com/noelle_clark

 

 

Filed under: Author Interviews, heroes, heroines, It's Girl Friday, writing Tagged: Honor's Debt, It's Girl Friday, Noelle Clark, Rosamanti, writing

Let’s NOT sing like the birdies sing. Common Social Media Mistakes Writers Make

 

And you lot can just go and sit on a tree branch instead.

Saying……

OR even….

In case people didn’t hear the  first time so you need to tell them another 1000.

I wouldn’t worry. You think anyone’s seriously gonna notice in the average tweet stream, that that book doesn’t exist and  it’s got five stars.

Well no. Sure you have a book to promote, or a painting, or anything creative, you use social media tools. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, blogs.  One, all, whatever. It’s one of the reasons they’re there.

 

 Yep. You’re a new writer Mitsy, or maybe you’re an established one—–as was said to the lovely author Sharon Struth, who then said it to me, if you don’t blow your trumpet who the hell else will?

No.

Cos you gone and clogged up my tweet stream with your 101 daily scheduled buy my book tweets. I don’t know about buying your book, but I certainly could write your tweet.

(BTO I do know about buying your book. I won’t. )

 

What one?

Oh, I binned that. You see I do too….. Then I unfollowed you back.

 

 

    I’d love to be. On one condition. I don’t want a book recommendation from you, one day later that just happens to be your own.  

 

Perhaps. But I’ve not been 5-7 for a very long time. Can we get with the program?  I’m an erotic romance writer not a primary school teacher looking to read Bimbo the Lovely Bunny to the class.

No problem. Even better. My lord! What is it?

Er…..Sorry. No can do. I mean I got my blog readers to consider here. And far as I know they don’t want bored into an early grave.

 

Absolutely I don’t. I use all the Social Media sites I can and yes, I do tweet my work. Show me an author who doesn’t.

.

 

 

 

Lol, Mitsy, with the force of your personality, by interaction with others, bloggers, authors, readers,  by a ton of things really. You’re a selling tool don’t yah know? Go see what you can bring to the table and use yourself wisely.

Filed under: blogging, writing Tagged: How to use social media, Social media, writing, Writing. promotion.

It’s Girl Friday is Picture Perfect with Naughty Nikki Dee Houston

Hi Shey, thanks for having me here today to talk about my heroine in Picture Perfect.

 

 

 

 

‘Chelsea is going through a rough time. She was dumped by her long-term, live in partner, who, behind her back, was the office philanderer.

She’s still beating up on herself that she didn’t notice any signs of his betrayal. Since then, she’s been steering clear of men altogether. But oh, she does miss, ahem, you know what. (I’m mindful that your pristine blog should not be sullied by crassness).

My heroines are usually ballsy, thick-skinned, but very soft underneath. When they fall in love, they fall hard. But Chelsea recent hurt is still raw, and she wasn’t as thick-skinned as she would have liked. She’s lost confidence in her ability to read people properly, and chastises herself for not seeing the bleeding obvious in other people.

 

In Picture Perfect, Chelsea has an array of gorgeous men in her life right now, but while there are sparks flying, she’s unsure of where her heart lies. However there’s one man who really catches her attention. Initially, it’s his drop-dead gorgeous looks that attract her, but through a series of coincidences, she gets to know him. He’s open and friendly—but is he available?

In All Fired Up, Cindy meets Captain Dave Johnson—her boss, and captain of Hillwood Fire Station where she shows up as the newly graduated recruit. He’s business-like, but gets down to business with her pretty swiftly.

In my previous book, All Fired Up, my heroine Cindy was nice, but tough and very horny.

 

In Picture Perfect, Chelsea is floating through no-man’s land, hoping the next phase of her life will bring her a bolster for her damaged confidence. She’s nice, perhaps too nice, until she reveals a side of her no one knows about.

 

Cindy (All Fired Up)  -  confident, ballsy, determined to succeed in a man’s world.

Chelsea (Picture Perfect) – bruised confidence, fighting inner turmoil, but determined to achieve what she sets out to.

 

 

Well, I write erotic romance. My heroines are keen to get in the sack (or shower, or bath tub, or across the office desk…). No matter how they appear on the outside, they have a burning appetite to be satisfied, but they won’t just do it with anyone. They want a genuine attraction going on.

 

Yesterday she felt so good, as though she was floating on air…but overnight, the guilt of what she’d done ate at her.

 

When love strikes, it’s not always what we expect.

 

 

Readers should be able to resonate with what the heroine feels and thinks. People aren’t perfect—neither should the heroine be. For all our inner strengths, we have corresponding weaknesses. Believable heroines, like real people, don’t always see their good and bad sides. It’s nice when a heroine identifies a weakness in herself and, often through hardship and pain, overcomes it to end up a better or more fulfilled person.

Fires aren’t all that’s sizzling at Hillwood Station… 

 Cindy always  wanted to be a fire fighter. When she tops the class in the rookie  academy, she takes her first job at the small but busy Hillwood Fire  Station—as their first female firefighter. Some of the crew don’t  appreciate a woman trying to do a man’s job. But when the crew risks  their lives in a series of factory fires, Cindy’s determined to not just keep up, but to excel. 


But the fires aren’t the only thing smoldering at Hillwood. When Cindy comes face-to-face with  the real-life, fireman-calendar pinup, she’s left feeling shaky and  gasping for breath. Their attraction is white-hot, the sex is sizzling,  and there’s no such thing as enough when it comes to their lovemaking.  But things turn nasty when a dark past comes back to haunt Cindy,  jeopardizing her career before it’s even really begun…

Website and Blog http://www.nikkideehouston.com/
Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/NikkiDeeHouston84
Twitter   https://twitter.com/NikkiDeeHouston  She tweets under @NikkiDeeHouston

Manic Readers http://www.manicreaders.com/NikkiDeeHouston/

Available now from:

Amazon
Kobo
Nook
All Romance eBooks

 

 

 

Filed under: Author Interviews, heroes, heroines, It's Girl Friday, writing Tagged: All IFired Up, Etopia Press, It's Girl Friday, Nikki Dee Houston, Picture Perfect

Who was Matthew…..drip feeding the backstory

 

 

 

 

‘I guess that when it comes to backstories, and what you keep and what you throw into the mix, you keep the moments that shape your character…in terms of the story you’re telling and if your characters have shared history. But remember it’s the future you’re telling, not the past.’

Well, you  do  if you want to have a future? That blog http://shehannemoore.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/i-did-kiss-you-ten-years-ago-in-that-coach-bagging-the-backstory-2/was about what to put in and what to leave out when it comes to backstories, today we’re talking how to present the backstory.

Yep. Managing how, when and just how much backstory to deliver isn’t  just  tricky, it’s something a lot of hamsters writers setting out to write that first novel agonize over.

Haven’t we made up this fantastically detailed backstory to put the meat on our characters’ bones, determine how it has defined them?

Don’t we want the reader/publisher/agent to be bedazzled with our fabulous pzazz ability?  Our imagination in overdrive?

Honestly, I have to answer no.  It’s a personal thing of course, but I’m a believer in the drip feed effect. Anyone with half an imagination can fill in the backstory but the real writing trick comes in holding the horses until it’s the right moment to let them go. Or rather let them canter for a yard or two then haul them back in again.

Why?

Not that, you dork.

Because the reader doesn’t  have to know everything. Think about it. It’s only you, the writer,  who thinks they do. Too much, too soon, doesn’t give much of an incentive to keep reading. Too much, too soon, slows the pace. Takes the story backwards. By dropping little hints and details we can create mysteries, crank up the anticipation, get and keep the reader guessing, over the simplest thing. Who a person is? What happened to them?  Don’t we all like to play am I right, or wrong with this guess?

All the time as we’re making them wonder, we advance what really counts. That’s the plot. Think great TV series that end with a cliff-hanger, then open the next episode NOT where the last one left off but somewhere else all together,  somewhere calmer, different. Somewhere where time has moved on, so now we’re itching to know about a ton of things, in addition to the backstory  and we’re watching to find out.

Apart from the fact Matthew was a character in Loving Lady Lazuli, I’m not telling here who he was, or how he connects to the heroine so   she can’t bear to think of him. 

What did I say re mysteries?

And I’m not spilling re the end of chapter one in His Judas Bride either.

 

 

Filed under: writing Tagged: backstory, His Judas Bride, Loving Lady Lazuli, writing, Writing tips

It’s Girl Friday with a little Viennese Valentine and Seduction

 

 

 

Aye…right, as we say here in the land of the tartan pigs, the flying ones.Right, Enough is enough. Today it is indeed…..

 

and next up for the grilling on heroines, what kind do we write, how do we create them and what tips do we have for making them believable, etc, etc, etc, is the fabulous Antonia Van Zandt, who–(yep, I know we’ve seen here before but never like this) –is going to share some special heroine tips with us.

Are your heroines nice or, well, you know?

They are all different. Amanda (Seducing Amanda) isn’t particularly nice. She’s actually a very disturbed and lonely young woman. There’s bitterness there as well. Nina (Vienna Valentine) is totally different. She’s a girl you could have a glass of Sekt with. She’s highly sexed

and up for new, naughty experiences, with both sexes, but when she finds her man, she’ll do anything to save him.

 

Now, Eve, on the other hand, in my latest – as yet unpublished – novel, Freya’s Choice, is a smart girl, with a warm personality – but she’s nobody’s fool. You would want her on your side because she would fight in your corner.

In a word, or maybe ten, how would you describe them?

Amanda – searching for happiness. Nina – sexy, adventurous. Eve – strong, determined, romantic, with a strong streak of independence. Eve represents the kind of heroine I will be writing about in the future.

What is it about Eve that has led you to that decision?

She is an ordinary girl-next-door type who is caught up in extraordinary circumstances. She lives in a small, sleepy English village where everyone knows everyone else’s business – usually before they know it themselves. At the beginning of the story, she’s embarking on a relationship with a drop-dead gorgeous guy and, all of a sudden, her future happiness is threatened by the arrival of Freya Nordstrom – a woman who is definitely a lot more than she at first appears to be.

 

Only Eve can sense the danger in her, at first, and as Freya’s plans become clearer, Eve knows she is the one who must act. I love Eve’s strength – even though she’s scared to death half the time. I love her never-give-up attitude and the way she fights the charismatic, but, evil Freya. I am drawn to strong, determined, heroines. I could be good friends with Eve and I like to write about people I could be friends with.

 

 

What kind of hero do you match your heroines up to?  

Ah well, Eve’s man is called Mark, and I modelled him on this guy…..

He has been drawn to Eve for a long time, but was prepared to wait for her as she recovered from a traumatic divorce. He is tall, sexy, warm and has a tender, caring side. It’s hardly surprising Eve falls for him in a big way.

A line from the book to describe your current heroine, Eve from Freya’s Choice.

Freya is the most powerful of Norse goddesses, but Eve isn’t going to let that stop her. She confronts her and this line, sums up her whole attitude:

“You can’t have him. He’s not yours to take!”

Her favourite line or motto?

Trust and believe…

 

Tips on creating a believable good heroine?

For a start, she can’t be too good!  Too much sugary goodness will have readers reaching for the sick bucket – and will send the hamsters scurrying off, shaking their little furry heads in disgust.

 

 

She has got to be well rounded and you, as the author, have to identify with her, get to know her until she becomes your new best friend.

Let her show some of her weaknesses as well as her strengths.

Let her make a few mistakes – and then have to rectify them, perhaps not perfectly because life isn’t like that.

She will show more character if she has to make the best of an imperfect situation. Just as we all do.

Freya’s Choice isn’t published yet but Antonia’s previous two novellas are. Here’s where you can find them– let me tell you, it’s worthwhile!  

 

Seducing Amanda

 

Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble All Romance Books Kobo

 

Vienna Valentine

 

Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk All Romance eBooks Barnes and Noble  Kobo

It’s also worthwhile following Antonia’s wonderful blog, especially for   her Whatever Happened To posts. http://t.co/AIE1TeBnVL

 

 

Filed under: Author Interviews, heroes, heroines, It's Girl Friday, writing Tagged: Antonia Vam Zandt, Creating a believable heroine, Erotic Romance, Etopia Press, Freya's Choice, heroines, It's Girl Friday, Seducing Amanda, Vienna Valentine

The June Author Interview…Getting steamed with Felicity Cates

Now firstly today, I did promise a certain gentleman a pink bow.

 

So…. Yes, I know other authors host giveaways and things for their commenters but he did ask…..

 

Besides Ralph does not accept awards and stuff. His blog is brill by the way.  http://bluefishway.com/ My weekly laugh.

Ok, so that’s that out the way. Hope you like it Ralpha…we come to today’s guest. OOOH, you can’t know how thrilled I am to have this lady here (it’s a secret.) No seriously, she’s a fan.

 

and she’s a fan who WRITES! Fabulously too.

Goodness…I see some cages coming on here. Cages with you lot in them… However, our guest is here with her new book, so we’ll wait….

Shey. So, Felicity, Steam Bunny?

Quite an unusual title. Knowing how busy these critters can get, are we talking actual rabbits here? A new take on Watership Down?

Felicity. Hi Shey. Ahhhhhhh, nope. No furries in this story.  The title’s a bit of a pun. It’s all about my heroine, Casey, dressing up all smexy-steamy in corsets and stilettos to drive her man insane with desire.

Here’s the blurb:

Business is all about pleasure for Casey Jackson. Helping Lucas Haskell promote his graphic novel, Steam Bunny, is an erotic dream job. Until he gives her the ultimate ultimatum; commit or leave. She doesn’t want his ring or the complications of marriage. But with a boss who knows what he wants and exactly how to get it, playing dress-up has never been so risky…or so much fun.

Shey. OOOOH! Spill a little.

Felicity. Spill? Wha-? Nooooooooo! Not my coffee…damn. Naughty little hamsters. Excuse me while I find a cloth to clean-up my keyboard. *mutter mutter*

Shey. The hell with all them. Any more of their nonsense and they go back in the cages. What we really want to know is do we have a hero to drool over?

Felicity. Lucas is HOT. Not only is he good looking, he also gives as good as he gets when it comes to fighting for what he wants. And what he wants is Casey. You can find a sneak peek of Lucas and Casey on June 24th when my dear writing friend, Zara Cox’s latest release, Spiral, comes out. She’s kindly featuring the full first chapter of Steam Bunny at the back of her book.

Shey. Yay! Fabulous. She’s one steamy, best selling lady from what I hear and see.

Felicity. To celebrate I’m hosting a Facebook giveaway. A random draw will be held from all the eligible entrants and one lucky winner will receive an art print of Lucas, signed by me. I’ve done a watercolour painting of him, with his blue eyes and intent stare and whooooo…that chest.

Yowza. Of course, there’s likely to be other fun draws that day for an Amazon gift card or two, so stop by my page and you could win something. To enter all you have to do is like my Felicity Kates author page on Facebook, and help me spread the word by sharing the event.

https://www.facebook.com/FelicityKatesFun

Shey. Okay, folks yah all know what to do here.

 

No. Not that. This is your first book. Is it the start of something?

Felicity. Okay. Steam Bunny is my debut into the publishing world. *Eeeek* But it’s the first in a series of fun, steamy, erotic novellas called Little Miss Kick-Ass.

They feature strong heroines who know what they want and heroes who aren’t afraid to play a bit dirty to get it. The next book in the series, which I’m currently writing, is called Fit To Be Tied. It features Casey’s BFF Astrid, and her nemesis/love interest, Race. I’m hoping to have it out by Christmas.

Shey. In this changing by the day world of publishing, you decided to self publish. Why was this?

Felicity. I had always planned to go the traditional route of signing on with a publishing house if one would have me. But after doing some heavy soul searching, lots of research, and many late night conversations with my writing gal-pals, I decided to go out on a limb, screw up my courage and jump in with both feet myself.

We live in a very exciting time in the publishing world where there are options for getting work directly into the hands readers that didn’t exist ten years ago. I decided that for me, and my heavy work schedule, the flexibility of setting my own deadlines was the only way I could make it work as an author.

That decision comes at the expense of having the publicity and backing of an established publishing house. But at this point in my life, it seemed to make the most sense for me. Had I gone with a publisher it would have been Hearts Desire Press. They are new and seriously rock solid.

Shey. Yes, they look seriously good for new players on the park and are actively seeking submissions. Here’s the addy folks… http://heartsdesirepress.com/

A lot of aspiring writers read this blog Felicity. Any advice for those considering self pubbing?

Felicity. Don’t do it because it seems trendy. Don’t do it because you think you’re getting ahead by skipping the submission process with publishers and churning your stuff out faster. Do it only if after careful consideration you’ve decided it’s what’s right for you. Research what is needed. Hire a good editor. Pay for a decent cover artist. Make friends and be a good friend in return. Publishing, self or otherwise, is a business. If you want to be successful, you need to treat the process and everyone you meet with respect. This is not a job to be treated lightly.

Shey. I couldn’t agree more. What about you though? Apart from writing steamy novels that is?

Felicity. Summer is almost here. So that’s beach time and vacation from my day job.

Which means more time for writing (yay!) And painting pictures, taking photos, going for hikes. Spending time with my husband and son and insane geriatric cat. All the things I love. 

Shey. So what’s next for you?

Felciity. More coffee  Less hamsters.

Shey. Any advice to give aspiring writers?

Felicity. Dream big. Work hard. Write a bit each day. Read as often as you can. Try new things. If you let it, your voice will happen all on it’s own. You aren’t JK Rowling or Nora Roberts or Stephen King. So why try to be? Listen to their advice, but you have your own story to tell. Just be you.

Thanks very much for having me on your blog today, Shehanne. It’s been great to visit with you and the hamsters.

blogger: http://katereedwood.blogspot.ca/
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Filed under: Author Interviews, heroes, heroines, writing Tagged: Erotic Romance, Felicity Cates, Heart's Desire Press, heroes, heroines, Self publishing, Steam Bunny

It’s Girl Friday

 

 

 

Okay…Okay…this has nothing to do with love heart jerseys. This is the launch of

 

or maybe I should say….a new, regular…I won’t say weekly, I will play it by ear…feature where a spesh author drops by to answer questions on her , sumexy, her daring, her…(ta dah, FANFARE)

 

heroine.  Oh come on,  we get enough of the sumexy guys don’t we. It’s time to sound it for the galz. DO we write them good or bad? How do we create them? Which do we prefer and why?

Before we kick off though with the first grilling  so happy to be here she’s battering on the door screaming let me out  dancing on the ceiling guest, can I draw some attention to two fabulous writer things? FANFARE…please the Dook.

One is a fabulous interview by Nancy Cassidy, Managing Editor of my publisher, Etopia Press. She shares some great inside tips re submitting to publishers. https://duotrope.com/interview.aspx?id=5235

The second is http://ce.savvyauthors.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage&pageId=697 a tough Publisher’s Blueprint Plotting Event Coming June 16-22 with Savvy authors.

Okay enough writer’s stuff, let’s hear it for the galz. Specifically for my first guest, the intrepid, the daring. INCY BLACK.

               Are your heroines nice or, well, you know?

 

Oh, definitely ‘well, you know’. Life’s a bitch, and though my heroines are not—bitches, that is, the hard knocks have given them…uhem…character. With the number of crisis they have to face, and the hard bastards with whom they have to contend, being nice wouldn’t cut it. They’d go hoopy-loopy mental.

 

    In a word, or maybe ten, how would you describe them?

 

In a word, marmite—your either love them or you hate them. Smart-mouthed and ballsy are in there, so is damaged (though the hero has the superglue to mend them).In other words, they’re trouble.

Why do you choose to write heroines who are ‘trouble’?

 

I don’t choose them, they choose me. I prefer to mind my own business, but then bam, up pop these never-take-no-for-an-answer woman, mouths full of caustic soda, minds wicked with mischief and naughtiness, all demanding I find them, not a man…THE MAN.

     What kind of hero do you match them up to?  

 

Fast answer: Superglue carrying, sometimes foul mouthed, hard bastards. Because two wrong ‘uns make a right…though admittedly it can take a while (and a good few dead bodies) to get them there.

Considered answer: (see fast answer)

A line from the book to describe your current heroine, Anna Key Marshall, Hard to Hold.

She’d driven him insane most of the time, but fuck, it had been worth every single dangerous second.

 

 

 

Her favourite line or motto?

Motto: Fall down 7 times, stand up 8 (talking life here, not alcohol)

Tips on creating a believable ‘bad’ girl heroine?

 

Good or bad, write her like you love her…or no one else will.

Make her thin, fat, buxom or flat, armless, legless, one-eyed if you wish. Holy or evil, super-gorgeous or pox-riddled, hot, cold, chaste or dirty, saint or sinner. Fanged,

tailed, furred or scaled, colour her bright blue for all I care, but please, please, please give her half a brain. In other words, avoid the TSTL (Too stupid to live) sinkhole.

Flaw her—no no, not floor her,

though the hero should want to—flaw her! Give her faults, little things to tease the reader and make them wonder at the ‘appropriateness’ of her as a heroine. Then let her fly, full colours snapping in the wind—because no one like a limp flag, no matter how glorious.

OKAY Fellahs..you can take off the hair bows now….

‘Anna Key Marshall is about to get what she’s always wanted: a baby. Granted, it’s through a sperm donor instead of her ex-husband, but you can’t have everything. She has no idea why someone wants her dead, but she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her unborn child—even if it means turning to her ex, the Black Ops specialist who broke her heart.
Five years ago, British Intelligence agent Nick Marshall slammed the door on the woman who betrayed him. But now Anna’s back in his life with a vengeance, pregnant and full of attitude. He’d like nothing better than to walk away, but with her life on the line, he has no choice but to do what he does best—protect her at all costs.
As old wounds resurface, Nick begins to doubt his version of what went down with Anna so long ago. And he begins to believe they might have a second chance together. But with Anna’s would-be killer on the loose—it will take the full force and fury of his protective instincts, fueled by a powerful love he can’t leave behind, to hold on to the woman he still loves.

 

Buy Links
Amazon UK
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

FIND INCE HERE>

Website. http://t.co/tLMFyyWcjY

https://twitter.com/IncyBlack

http://en-gb.facebook.com/incy.black

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under: Author Interviews, heroes, heroines, writing Tagged: Entangled Publishing, Hard To Hold, heroines, Incy Black, writing, Writing a flawed heroine

Way Down Yonder in New Orleans…..

 

 

Oh, do quit banging your hamster gums.  Who says you ain’t getting to welcome Anne? After all, surprise is the essence of writing…. Especially as today she’s hot off the plane from the….

which was  way down yonder in New Orleans.

What’s more, she ain’t just hot off the plane, she’s gonna answer us some very important questions on just how she survived meeting cover models, how cover models survived meeting her and how New Orleans survived her and author RENEA MASON getting together.

All the important things I know we’re dying to find out about. So can it and let’s hear from her.

So Anne, you was way down yonder in New Orleans  at the RT Booklovers convention, how was it for you?

Hi Shehanne! Well, the trip was fantastic! It was my first time to New Orleans AND my first time to RT. I was pumped.

 

I believe you had supper with Renea Mason–my Gawwwd!.

 

And New Orleans survived? 

I did. And yes, NOLA survived us. Renea, myself and Valerie Twombly had dinner together that very first night in the bar. What did we have? ooh yes, hamster …

 

 I mean crab cakes, chicken quesadilla, and the local recommended drink to wash it down with. A hurricane, of course…

 

All of this took place in the very noisy bar in the hotel’s lobby. This was THE meeting place. Just imagine a whole pile of extremely excited women in one place.You get the picture.

 I’m sure I don’t Anne… That is was perfectly quiet, especially after these non alcoholic cocktails. Now, given the serious literary heaviness of this conference w hat events did you attend?

Hmm…let’s see. Cover model party.

This would be all to do with book jackets, I suppose.  Choosing your next one?

Abso.the pub crawl….

Yes. I can see you were definitely studying your art.  

Yes. At the  Vampire Ball, Saints & Sinners (I only stopped in there for a moment – for a saint like me…amongst all those sinners….shiver.) Umm…oh, and few workshops too. J

Can you spill beans on your fav moment?

Favorite moment? I don’t think I have a moment per say, other than probably meeting a few of my all-time favorite authors.

But I must say, one of the things I truly liked best was finally meeting some of the many people I speak with on line all the time – putting a face to the image and discovering they’re as awesome in person as they are in this virtual world we work in.

People like Renea, Valerie, Teri Anne Stanley, Nancy Cassidy,

Yes, I noticed Nancy also studying the  cover models….as befits a Managing Editor. Catching up with you and Renea too. To check out your WIPS, of course. Now folks that’s Works in Progress okay?  Nothing to do with Anne’s steamy books.

Erin Moore, Katya (pictured below)

Well I hope it’s not above, Anne and she ain’t moonlighting.

and Rhonda, Theresa, Brinda, and all the other Etopia authors (there were lots of us there ) and making new friends like and Kishan and Paige.

Yay. Well, that’s a nice bunch of  folks from what I see of them online.    Did you meet up with any famous dudes?

Dudes? Hmm…Cover models. A few.

 

And this is Stumpy. Poor guy’s missing an arm.

Oh, and there were a just a few authors there too. Let’s see. My favorites were Lorelei James, Suzanne Brockmann and Maya Banks. I’ve read their books for years. Oh, and Laura Kaye, Jaci Burton, Cherry Adair (she was sitting behind me one night so I tapped her on the shoulder and asked for her autograph). Who else? Oh, Kit Rocha, Shayla Black, Christina Lauren, there were sooooo many.

As an author how do you feel the convention benefitted you?

Good question. Definitely the networking. I’m very shy.

and don’t like to network, so I didn’t do lots at RT either, but I did force myself to take that hard step a few times to say hi and speak with somebody, usually while standing in line J. And everyone was so nice and welcoming.

The biggest thing for me, personally, was the pitching. I had no plans to pitch. I only decided to go just days before I went after I’d pitched successfully to a NY agent at home. And it worked out for me at RT too. I received requests from three agents and three publishers.

OOH! Congrats lady. Looks like we will be hearing a ton more from you. So, tell us,  an aspiring author makes it, would you advise them to  go?

Absolutely! It’s a great way to meet people doing the same thing as you are and to learn from them. It’s nice to hear some of the more established authors talk about their routines, their approach to writing and their struggles. You can go to publisher spotlights and learn about the company, the types of stories they’re accepting and their submission process. I found the whole event, the atmosphere of it, truly inspires everyone, aspiring and published authors alike.

Was it as hectic as they say?  

it was a tough crowd to get through.  The lineups for the bigger events were long. The book fair was insane, but exciting. The parties were awesome.

There’s so much to do, you have absolutely no hope of doing it all. So you really have to have a plan. Actually a couple of plans in case the first one doesn’t work out for you.  It also helps to be guided by somebody who’d been there before. I was fortunate to have that happen for me on my second day, and found a group of wonderful ladies who took me under their wing for a few hours.

It was definitely an experience worth repeating!

 

Author Bio:

Anne Lange grew up with a love for reading. Books are her passion, shoes are an addiction. If you take a close look, she’s got either a book, her Kindle or her Kobo tucked into her bag or a pocket whenever she leaves the house. You know, just in case there’s time to sneak in a chapter or ten.  Anne reads many genres of fiction, but prefers to write sexyromance with a touch of humor, and always a happily ever after.

While embarking on this wild journey of becoming a romance author, Anne juggles a full time job and a family. Not always successfully. Who needs a clean house every day?  And what’s wrong with cereal for dinner? She grew up in Southern Ontario (Canada), but now makes her home in Eastern Ontario where she lives with her wonderfully supportive husband, three normally awesome kids, and Rocky the bearded dragon.

  Connect with Anne

Web Site | Facebook | Twitter@Anne_Lange| |Goodreads | Pinterest  | Amazon

Sign up for Anne’s Newsletter

Email: Anne_Lange66@yahoo.ca

Books by Anne

Worth the Risk

Friends with Benefits (The Vault Series-Book 1)

With the Greatest of Ease, Part of The Sin Circus Anthology

Coming Soon

Sliding into Home (A New League Novel)

Filed under: Author Interviews, heroes, heroines, writing Tagged: Anne Lange, Armock, Bourbon Street, Brinda Berry, Etopia Press, Katya, Nancy Cassidy, New Orleans, Renea Mason, Rhonda Laurel, Rt Booklovers Convention 2014