T.K. Rapp's Blog, page 5

Special Angel…

It’s been a while since I’ve truly blogged and there’s a reason….I don’t know what to say. I mean, yes, I do have a book coming out…but that’s still a while away. And I do have something else to share, but that’s in a few weeks and I have to keep my mouth shut until then so I don’t ruin it. ;)

This leaves me with a dilemma: Do I leave the blog quiet and boring? Or do I write something? Anything! Well, I decided to write something – non-book related. I sought the advice of a writing prompt:

What have you inherited from your father?

My dad is many things – husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law, son, brother, cousin, uncle, friend.

He’s strong. He’s quiet. He’s thoughtful. He’s smart. He’s ambitious. He’s faithful. He’s dedicated. He’s hardworking. He’s supportive.

He loves his family.

He is so much more than these few things I mention. He’s my daddy. The man I have compared every other man to, because my dad is ten-feet tall and can kick your dad’s butt. Not that he actually will, but my dad has always been larger than life.

Some people *think* they know my dad, but they don’t. There are only a few of us that know the real man, but none more so than my mom.

So if I sit here and think about the things I inherited from my dad, these are what I come up with, based on things I have told my mom – who is the person I go to with all of my quirky notions, observations and feelings…because she gets me:

I’m ambitious. When I have my mind made up, there’s little that can stop me from getting what I want. When I was a kid, I knew that I wanted to go to Texas A&M. My high school counselor wasn’t one to meet with me to make sure I was on the correct academic path, it was me. I made sure I had everything in line to get to the finish line. When I decided to write a book, I did the research and figured out how to do it because I wanted it so badly.

I love my family more than anything else in this world. If everything were taken away from me, as long as I have my family, I know that I will be okay. I’ve never known so much love in my life as I do loving my kids. My husband is truly my best friend and our girls are first and foremost in our lives.

I’m strong…at least I like to think so. You never know what someone’s past is, and you can only assume unless they open themselves up and expose their deep darks. You don’t know what my journey has been…very few do, but it’s been hell – and I’ve survived. I survive everyday, because it’s all I can do and I do it because I want to. I make the choice everyday to move on, and somedays is harder than others.

I’m quiet. People who know me may scoff at this, but it’s true. I’m talkative about many things, but I keep a lot bottled up – feelings, thoughts, wounds…etc. I think this may be one of our (both dad and my) worst traits. People assume our silence for passivity, but it’s not, it’s fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of hurting someone. Fear of actually having to stand up and say something. Fear of saying the wrong thing. Because of the silence, people try to speak for me, and that drives me insane. But it’s no ones fault but my own.

I know that I’ve inherited both good and bad traits from my dad and my mom – I am their child. Just like my girls will inherit things from me that they will both love and hate. It’s the nature of raising kids, right? My dad is pretty damn great – and I’m proud of the way I turned out – flaws and all. The way I see it, I won the lottery getting the parents I have.

XO

~T

8-) Special Angel by Bobby Helms…it was the song I danced with my dad at my wedding almost 14 years ago.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Author Spotlight ~ Erin Noelle

It’s been a while since I’ve done an author spotlight, and this week, it’s back with a bang! Welcome to none other than, the wonderful, Erin Noelle! I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know her while working on a local event and I think she’s so incredibly sweet and talented! Many of you have read her books, whether it’s the Book Boyfriend Series or her more recent releases. She has a new book, Surviving Us, that releases next week!! It sounds amazing and I know she’s eager to tell you about it, so let’s move on, shall we?? 

Synopsis of Surviving Us:

Two survivors.

Two weeks.

One awakening.

When Bristol Criswell travels to St. Lucia for an Enduring Life retreat, she hopes to discover encouragement and support from like souls. A vacation fling is the furthest thing from her mind, especially not with a cocky-mouthed, arrogant jerk like Davis McKay.

But when it becomes evident she can’t deny the magnetic attraction between the two, she gives in to her desires, and for the first time in her life, learns the difference between simply living and truly feeling alive.

As their time in paradise quickly comes to an end, will her heart be able to withstand another devastating loss when it’s time to say goodbye, or will their connection be strong enough to survive the real world?

Death brought them together, but love will give them a reason to live.

**This book is a full-length, stand alone novel that is not a part of a series**

Let’s get to know…

Erin Noelle

T – Thank you for taking some time to answer some questions about you and your books. For those who may not know you (INSANITY…I tell ya!!) tell us a little about yourself.

E – Let’s see…a little about me. I’m a Texas girl, minus the horses and guns, who loves to read, write, and hang out with my family and friends. Food, wine, and watching sports are at the top of my list of indulgences outside of my addiction to romance novels. I’m a pretty easy-going gal that is known for my epic cartwheels and terrible singing.

T – Your first book, Metamorphosis – The Book Boyfriend Series – came out last year and was a big hit! How do you feel your writing has changed since this book?

E – When I wrote Meta, I literally just sat down at my computer and wrote it. I had a premise, but no outline or synopsis; I really didn’t even know how it was going to end. Other than required English classes in school and college, I’ve never taken a writing course, but with each book I write, I feel my writing techniques improve and my vocabulary expands. Continuing to read other well-written books also teach me quite a bit about writing.

T – I am currently reading Translucent (Loving it!!!) and know that you have another in the works. What can you tell us about the sequel?

E – Transparent, the continuation of Blake and Madden’s story, will be the second and final book in the Luminous series, and it will release on Jan 16, 2015. I’m currently working on it now, and I can’t tell you much without giving away the big secret from Translucent.

T – Your newest release comes out next week (OCTOBER 23rd!!) – Surviving Us – and the cover is amazing and the synopsis definitely has me eager to read. How did you come up with the premise for this novel?

E – An article on CNN.com about a young woman who was the sole survivor of a commercial plane crash actually prompted the idea for this story. The report went into quite a bit of detail about the guilt and PTSD she has suffered since the crash, and it was an aspect of the entire accident I hadn’t really thought about before.

T – We both know the book world is filled with negativity, but there are wonderful positives. What are your favorite things about the book world?

E – Two huge positives really stick out in my mind when I think about the book world and those are meeting some amazing women (a good mixture of other authors, bloggers, and readers) and the message I receive from readers when they tell me that one of my stories really made a difference or touched them in a special way.

T – What is the best compliment you have received on your writing?

E – I’ve had several women get tattoos inspired by my books, some even of the exact same tattoos from my covers, and that is the ultimate compliment. For the rest of their lives, they’ll have something that reminds them of one of my books.

T – What is your favorite way to connect with your readers and fans?

E – Despite all of its faults, I still utilize Facebook mainly to connect with my readers.

T – Has your husband read your books? What does he say to encourage you and your art?

E – My husband has read the Book Boyfriend Series, but not the others. He’s always giving me book ideas, which I love, and he’s extremely supportive of what I do. He actually gave me the idea for When the Sun Goes Down.

T – What do you think is the hardest part of writing a story?

E – The beginning, definitely. The first chapter not only sets the tone of the book, but it’s when most readers decide whether or not to continue reading. Sometimes it’s hard not to throw too much information out there all at once and overwhelm the reader.

T – What do you love most about writing?

E – While writing the words “The End” is always a relief, I love the developmental part of a character and/ or story in my head. It’s fun to create a whole new world and the personality of these people.

T – What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment professionally? Personally?

E – Professionally, publishing my first book is by far my biggest accomplishment. I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d write a book, much less publish it where the public could purchase it. Personally, creating my two beautiful, though sometimes bratty, daughters is what I’m most proud of. They are the highlight of my life.

T – If someone asked your advice about writing, what would you say?

E – Sit down and write the story in your head, and do it for yourself, not anyone else.

T – What are you reading right now?

E – BAIT by M. Mabie

Alright, this is my favorite part THE Lighting Round (Twitter-sized answers as quick as possible) – Ready…Set…GO!

• Tattoos or Piercings: Tattoos

• Favorite Author: Colleen Hoover

• Last Movie You Saw in the Theater: Frozen

• Ultimate Book Boyfriend (not your own): Edward Cullen

• Deer or Goats: Deer

• Favorite Movie: Dirty Dancing

• Wine or Beer: wine

• What is Your Favorite Cuss Word: fuck

• Christian or Gideon: Christian

• Coffee or Coke (LMAO!!): coke (poison!!)

T – All right, thank you so much for taking the time to do this. So here’s the last thing: If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

E – To my readers: Thank you!!! The fact I even have “readers” blows my mind, and there’s no way I can express my gratitude for their support and the fact they keep reading these craxy stories that keep popping in my head.

ERIN NOELLE STALKER LINKS: ;)

Facebook

Twitter

Website

Goodreads

Amazon

Surviving Us

Filed under: Uncategorized

Step Behind…

I’ve been having a hard time coming up with blog posts lately. Really hard!! Part of that is because I’ve been working on a story that I’m very excited about and the other because my kids are in school and activities, so they are keeping me busy.

I love talking books and about the writers I love. My friend, Chew and I share very similar books likes. Honestly, our interests couldn’t be more alike if we tried. We recommend books to each other all the time. (She reads way more than me. I’m jealous!) Kim & Kare are pretty eclectic in their reading tastes, I mean, the things they recommend are so different that I’m intrigued enough to give it a try. Since I don’t get to read as often as I used to, my TBR has continued to grow while the books I’ve actually read hasn’t grown much.

I’m almost finished with my WIP (that I’m so excited about) and I will finally get to sit and read some (also excited about this). This got me to thinking…especially since someone recently asked me about the books I’ve read lately. I figured why not share some of them here (FYI, this is not a complete list. Hell, even my GR list isn’t complete. LOL!):

(Click any underlined text to go to the buy page or author page)

Word Play by Amalie Silver: Satire. Light. Funny. Original. (Currently on sale on Amazon) I enjoyed this book so much. Must read with a sense of humor because it’s satire. Amalie is one of the sweetest people you could ever meet.
The Roam Series by Kimberly Stedronsky: Paranormal Romance. I think it’s safe to say people know how much I love this girl! I read these books over a year ago and fell in love with West. I highly recommend this book!
Any book by A. Meredith Walters : YA. NA. Dark Romance. I first read Bap Rep and enjoyed the writing and the story which lead me to Find You in the Dark ; I was blown away by this series. I love Maggie and Clay. Now, possibly my favorite? Reclaiming the Sand . Read. It. Now!
Colleen Hoover . Yes, I realize that this is broad, but really, it covers everything. I have read and loved all of her books. I don’t think anyone can go wrong with a Colleen Hoover novel.
Odium by Claire C. Riley: Horror. Disclaimer: I don’t do scary! At all!! But, I love Claire and told her I was diving in and I’d see her on the other side. I couldn’t put this book down. My imagination was working overtime and everything about the story was so well done.
Remembering Us by Stacey Lynn: NA. Romance. This one just made me smile. What can I say? I loved the characters and how my mind constantly questioned where the story was going.
Love Hacked by Penny Reid: Contemporary Romance. Smart. Funny. Sexy. Based on those words alone, you know you want to read it. And if that’s not enough…Penny is the ONLY Falconer. Just ask her!

So, as you can tell, most of these books have been out a while, which tells you I don’t get to read too often. :( BUT, there’s a silver lining!! I plan to wrap up Finding Laila this week and send it on to Betas. While it is in their wonderful hands, I will be reading!! It’s like a dream come true!! What will I be reading??

LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG POST AND YOU’LL BE ENTERED FOR A SIGNED PAPERBACK GIVEAWAY! LIST BOOKS YOU THINK I SHOULD ADD TO MY TBR WHEN I’M DONE WITH FINDING LAILA. ;)

Lead Me Not by A. Meredith Walters
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
Odium II by Claire C. Riley
Lost & Found by Lori Otto
The Perfect Game by J. Sterling

I know there are more that I would love to add to both lists, but I’m running on fumes at this point. :/

Have an excellent day!

XO

~T

8-) Step Behind by Tripping Daisy – I wish they were still around because – totally awesomeness!

Filed under: Uncategorized

Penned Con 2014…

I’m still trying to recoup from St. Louis and Penned Con 2014. Were you there?

I have been raving over this event because Rick & Amy Miles really did a fantastic job with this event. The weekend raised just over $11,000 for Action for Autism and I have a feeling next year will be even more successful!

It was so awesome to meet fellow authors, readers and bloggers. Amazing! Okay, before I get all weird and stuff, here are some highlights for me:

My best friend drove in to be my assistant, which is code for, “company!” She has given herself the title of, “Director of Sales, Midwest Division.” HA!!! I’m so glad that she was there with me. We visit each other every year, so this was our trip – and first girl’s only weekend!
Goose! Come in Goose! YES!!! I finally – after a year of texting, talking and IMing – met THE Kimberly Stedronsky! I love her even more now and adore her sister! Kim was the first person to reach out to me when I published and we are huge fans of each other’s work. To hug her in person – dream come true! And if you haven’t read her Roam series, you need to, because this was the series that hooked me!
Do you follow Penny for My Thoughts Book Blog? Okay, I do – because of Lisa Karafa. She has been one of my biggest champions and supporters since I published and to hug her and hang out in person was so wonderful!
A year ago, I connected with a woman who would fast become a trusted friend and source for a swift kick in the ass when needed. That would be one – Amalie Silver! We chat daily and this summer I finally got to hear her lovely voice. But this weekend, totally got to hang out with her and her editor, Amy Jackson, who is so fun! Kari and I ran with these two and I never tired of it. Now just to figure out how to get her near me again. HAHA!
Flight out – Free drinks! Am I right, Angie? Angie Hulsman – a.k.a. Penny Reid’s assistant – doesn’t live too far from me, so we made arrangements to fly out together. There was talk of turbulence, but we never noticed a thing. Our wonderful flight attendant comped our drinks, so we were good to go. Angie and I talked the entire 2 hour flight and I was so glad she was there.
Kahlen Aymes!!! Again, another wonderful author that I have become friends with. She is business savvy, down to earth and super sweet! Oh, and I loved her table set up with “prescriptions” from Dr. Matthews!! 
Colleen Hoover. I think this one speaks for itself because it’s Colleen Freakin’ Hoover! Again, if you haven’t met her, you’re missing out. I have to brag about her for a second because, in this industry – or any for that matter, there can be egos. People forget where they came from, some step on others to get to the next plot point or just don’t give a damn. NOT COLLEEN! This woman is such an inspiration, not only because of what she writes (because I’m a HUGE fan) but because of the way she handles her success. She is the kindest, funniest, smartest and most humble person. People could take notes on how to handle success by looking at Colleen. She makes time for people, loves her fans and never acts like she’s something she’s not. Meet this woman – it is a requirement!
Penny Reid, as always, is so much fun to see. If you haven’t met her yet, you need to get on that. I’m not sure how to describe her, but I know whatever complimentary thing I say, she’ll blow me off and call me crazy – because that’s how she rolls.
Lori Otto – OMG, she is so cute and sweet! She has fantastic fans and watching them surround her and hang with her, she was adorable. I don’t know if she realizes how great she is, but what sticks out to me is how humble and grounded she is. I want to figure out a way to be around her again. (Oh!! And her swag is seriously some of the best I have ever seen!)
Jenn Beach – another blogger I connected with a year ago through Lisa. (See how that works?) Jenn surprised the hell out of me because for over a year, I’ve heard how shy and introverted she is, but not this weekend. She was engaging, chatty, and all over the place. It was so great to see that side of her in person, because I see it online all the time!
GREAT Keynote speakers and panels! Jasinda Wilder opened the weekend up with an inspiring and honest account of her career. She and her husband are so cute together and I took much away from her talk. Mark Coker had some insight into the self-publishing world that was great. I really wish they had closed the signing room during his talk so that more authors could hear him – invaluable information.
The First Annual Penned Con Awards! Set up Oscar-style. There were trophies, envelopes and acceptance speeches that had everyone laughing. Whether you were in jeans (like me) or opting for a formal gown (yes, this is true) it was a great time! Oh and the finished it off with cupcakes! Yes, please!!! 

I know there is so much more I could cover, but I don’t know where to go from here. This was a fabulous signing and I can’t wait for next year. If you missed this one, tickets are on sale for next year and it benefits a great cause!!!

Until next time, here are some pic from the weekend and you can check out the rest on my Facebook page.

XO

~T.K.

Filed under: Dreams, Exciting, Friends, Girls Night Out, Insight, PennedCon2014, Signings, Thoughts Tagged: 2014, Amalie Silver, BOMB, Book Award, Book Signing, Colleen Hoover, Inspiration, Kahlen Aymes, Kim Stedronsky, Lori Otto, Penned Con, Penny Reid, PFMTBB, Rambling, Sarah Dosher

Rebel Yell…

If you follow this blog, then you probably know that I write. (Maybe?)

If you have not read my books, you might wonder what genre I write. I always have the hardest time with this one. I wish I didn’t have to categorize my stories, because quite frankly, I don’t know how.

At the Houston signing a couple of weeks ago, I was asked, “What do you write?”

*CRICKETS*

Do I write New Adult? Contemporary Romance? Chick Lit?

New Adult:

The genre itself was coined to capture that time after YA – college and things like that. So if I break it down – my first 2 books fall into this category….BUT I believe my readers would disagree. So, herein lies my dilemma – if I say “New Adult,” there are certain expectations:

According to Goodreads – ” New Adult fiction bridges the gap between Young Adult and Adult genres. It typically features protagonists between the ages of 18 and 26.” (Check.)
The story focuses on the protagonist’s experience with love, career, changes, etc. (Yep, got that one.)
For readers (not always) but there is an presumption of sex, not quite erotica, but definitely some heat. (Um….yeah, not so much.) :/

So then, can I say I write Contemporary Romance?

Contemporary Romance:

For me, when I think “Contemporary Romance,” I think of the books my mom used to read when I was growing up. Flowery covers, swirly letters and heaving – or something like that. Well…..let’s see what I can find about CR:

Goodreads says “Romance with a contemporary setting. Contemporary romance is set after World War II.” (Yep, got that part covered)
Typically set in the time in which they are written. (Okay, yeah, pretty much.)
Usually feature a happy resolution. (Yeah, I think I have that one covered too.)

Do I write Chick Lit?

Chick Lit:

Okay, so when I hear this term, I think “Chick Flick,” and I love to watch these! When I look for descriptions about what Chick Lit entails, this is what I find:

Modern women stories that are light and funny. (Not sure if I have much humor, but they are light.)
Can contain romance, but the female lead and her overall relationships are the focus. (Yes.)

After all of that, I come back to the same question: What do I write?

Can I say I write New Adult Contemporary Romance Chick Lit? Or maybe, New Contemporary Lit? I had a couple of readers say that my stories are “sweet reads,” which I like. Ultimately, they are about love. They are about finding yourself. They are about growing up. 

Whatever it is I write, I like writing it. It’s fun to watch where these characters go and where they end up. They make me so mad when they’re immature and irrational – but then again, aren’t we all at some point? Hell, I’m 36 and I can still be these moments.

So maybe I need to worry less about the category and focus on the writing because at the end of the day, the writing is the part I love the most.

But then again, I do know where my current story falls! Yep, I’m all “not worried about categories,” but “here’s the next.” :D In case you were wondering, my current story is Finding Laila – and it is a YA novel. Inspired by numerous conversations I’ve had with my own girls – Finding Laila is most definitely young adult. If you want to add it to your TBR, click the Goodreads link here —-> Finding Laila

If you stuck around to read this entire thing….well, I kinda love you and think you’re pretty awesome. (Perhaps I should have titled it, “Are You My Genre?”) I’d love to hear your thoughts on genres and if you read a specific one or read anything and everything?

XO

~T 

8-) “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol was playing when I wrote this. I’m so NOT a rebel, but it made me laugh that this actually played. 

Filed under: Ramblings, Thoughts Tagged: Am Writing, book categories, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Finding Laila, fitting in, genres, New Adult, New books, Young Adult

We’re Not Gonna Take It…

I see it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything. Actually, I’ve been spending the remainder of the summer hanging with the family and doing what moms do. (I love it.) But I miss writing.

I went to dinner with the family tonight and planned on coming home to write….but is that what I did?  Nope.

Instead of writing the YA story that I’ve been working on for the last few weeks, I spent the last hour and a half gathering information to send to google regarding pirate websites who are hosting copies of my books.

Yep – an hour and a half.

That really sucks, especially when there are so many other things I’d rather be doing like… watching TV, sitting with my kids, WRITING….all of those sound so much better than hunting down lowlifes who are insistent upon STEALING copies of my and other authors works – uploading them to sites where others can down-load them…FOR FREE!!

So you might wonder…

WHY? Why would you spend time sending DCMA Takedown notice after notice?? – Because STEALING is wrong and to ignore the issue would disappoint me.
Is it about the money? - Nope, not at all. It’s about stealing.
But, I can’t afford the $___ (name-a-price here) book and it’s easier/cheaper to get it…FOR FREE. – Yeah, and it’s easier to swipe the candy at the checkout counter instead of waiting in a long line to PAY FOR IT!
But the site I down-loaded it from said that it was legal! - WRONG! Absolutely FALSE. They will host thousands and thousands of books and allow down-loads UNTIL they get caught. Of course, it will be taken down, but for every one that comes down, more go up.
It’s only $___ (name-a-price) and the author makes so much money anyway. It’s not like they’re going to notice. - OMG….I can’t even begin to explain how incredibly INCORRECT this is! Allow me to explain.

AUTHOR INCOME on a $3.99 e-Book sold via Amazon:

For every $3.99 book a Indie author sells, we get approximately 70% – which is about $2.79
Out of that $2.79 – we have to pay for

Editing – Starting around $200 and up
Cover design – $200 and up
Cover photography sessions – Prices range from around $150 for 30 mins and up
Formatting – $100 and up
Proofing – Starting at $100
Advertising (including blog tours, release parties, swag for parties and giveaways, etc…) – AT LEAST $60 and up.


Oh yeah – did I mention we also have to pay taxes? Yep, because you know Uncle Sam likes to take a hefty chunk for himself.
This leaves us with mere pennies to save and spend on our next book. You know, the one we are hoping and praying is loved by readers because we bled and poured our soul into the story.

Let me state that I know the majority of readers buy the books they love. I also realize that many of us are on a budget so we can’t buy all the books we’d like. I’m in that category, too! There are so many books that I want to read right now, but I simply cannot afford to buy ALL of them right now. But, I’m not about to go and find a pirated copy. Nope, I’m going to wait until my next binge happens and buy them then.

In perusing the aforementioned pirate websites to gather information, I was beyond frustrated. If only there was a way to track down the offending individual(s) who shared the files to begin with so others could steal them. However, there are so many twists and turns these sites take to protect themselves and stay out there. All we can do is stay vigilant. But when I came across an ACTUAL person who was sharing a file of my book – my anger really grew. To put a name and face with someone who is actively stealing from me and so many others – well, let’s just say it took a lot of effort not to go after her and scold her with my words. Yeah, I agree….she probably wouldn’t have cared.

I know that I may offend some with this post, but those are probably the ones who have down-loaded illegal copies of books from myself and others. What I have to say to those individuals – IT IS STEALING. IT IS NOT RIGHT. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.

Real readers - real fans – don’t steal. These are the ones that authors rely on to share their love of our books. YOU are the ones that I want to thank because you respect the artist’s work and understand that $.99, $2.99, $3.99, etc… is not a lot of money to spend on hours of entertainment that you get lost in. THANK YOU for being true supporters and mostly – for being honest.

And if you stuck around to read this post in its entirety – well I you and think you are even MORE amazing! ;)

XO

~TK

8-) “We’re Not Gonna Take It”- Twisted Sister….ummmm, yep.

Filed under: Books, Bullies, Feedback, Insight, Ramblings, Thoughts, Writing Tagged: Am Writing, DCMA Notices, Illegal Websites, Pirates, Stealing from Authors

So What’cha Want…

I remove the silky piece of material, and she pulls my body flush against hers.

“You feel so good,” I confess as my lips continue finding someplace new to touch.

This woman is consuming every one of my senses, and I want more. My hands can’t touch her fast enough, and I want to taste every bit of her.

“You’re so beautiful,” I admit while looking at her naked body. Through the fog of the shots and beer, I see curves and skin and hips arching against me, and I drink her in. Damn, she’s sexy.

“So are you, t-” she says before my lips collide into hers. Her soft moans send my body into overdrive as I give in to the night neither of us planned and both of us want.

***AND SCENE***

(Copyright 2014, Mine to Steal by T.K. Rapp. All Rights Reserved)

Wait for it….

“WTF?!”

“MORE HEAT!!”

“I FEEL CHEATED!”

I’ve heard it all and I get it – I do! You want the details.

What he did to her? 

How he made her feel?

Did she have the best night of her life?

Was he the best she’s ever had?

How did he do it?

That damn FADE TO BLACK!

I love reading romance stories and the way the relationship builds – even that moment when they finally get to the good stuff! There are some writers who describe it so beautifully and delicately that it makes you swoon. There are others that describe – in great detail – every facet of the moment, making you blush. Then there are ones – like me – who work the fade to black and get the backlash for it.

I have to ask, why is the “fade to black” such a bad thing? 

I remember as a kid (dating myself here) my parents watching Dallas or Knots Landing…or even soap operas – a love scene would come on…

They’re kissing all passionate and shit…

Cut to the mad rush to remove clothes…

He’s still kissing her as he walks her backward toward the bed…

*** Camera pans out, the screen blurs and focuses on the candle or some other cheesy object***

COMMERCIAL!!

Yep, happened all the time.

Go back another 20-30 years, and there was none of that. A chaste kiss (if you were lucky) and maybe a shot of a messy bed. Cut to 9 months later, Jr. is popping out!! o_O

You knew exactly WHAT was happening without the detail. It wasn’t the act that was important, it was the story and how it developed.

I know I know!! I’m brining up television and movies when my subject is books – specifically writing. But really, is it any different?

Again, I have to repeat here, I LOVE READING ROMANCE….all types! The detailed AND the fade to black! 

Let’s face it – if you’ve read my books, you know I write in the FADE TO BLACK persuasion. I could go into more detail about where he touches her, how she feels, but that’s not the way I write. If I did write it, I think it would come out awkward – so I write what I want to write. Some people read it and love the way the scene plays out. Others, which I’ve heard many times, feel cheated or that I chicken out. I can promise you, it’s not that at all.

I make no apologies for my stories,

the way I write

and what I write.

Any other writer will tell you the same thing.

Of course I want you to read and love my books, but I also know that not everyone will. I can accept and appreciate that. Some will be pissed. Others will be disappointed. Some may never read another of my books again. But there is the crowd that WILL read. That’s who I write for…and myself. ;)

There is beauty in all stories and the relationships within them…the ones that make you blush from the content (yes! I read those!!!), the ones that detail love-making, the ones that detail F$%@ing, and YES – the ones that FADE TO BLACK. Every writer pours their heart and soul into their stories and does everything they can to bring all aspects to life in your imagination. It’s why I love reading so much – I SEE that movie when I’m reading it. I FEEL the emotions the characters are experiencing. DAMN! I love reading!!

Going back to the title of this post, “So What’cha Want?” – because if your imagination is vivid enough, you can see the scene in your mind, without my input. ;)

****FYI – this post is based off of feedback I’ve received from readers (both for and against FTB.) There is absolutely no malicious intent, nor am I knocking anyone’s work. I have so much love and respect for every writer who is brave enough to put themselves out there. ****

XO

~T

P.S. “So What’cha Want” by Beastie Boys has me rocking out at the moment. ;)

Filed under: Feedback, Insight, Ramblings, Teaser, Thoughts, Writing Tagged: 2014, AmWriting, author, books, creativity, Rambling, T.K. Rapp, Thankful, TK Rapp, TKAM78, writing

Author Spotlight ~ Claire C. Riley

I’m sitting here – at this very moment – with the biggest smile on my face! I love doing these author spotlights because I get to connect with authors and share them with those of you who read these weekly segments. Then there are the times where I get to share someone so special to me – it makes me giddy! This is one of those times! Claire C. Riley is not only a talented writer, but she’s also a wonderful friend that I am so happy to know. Now if I could just get her to the states….Anyway! Let’s get this shindig started!

Synopsis of Odium:

It’s better to die by the gun than die by the dead. 

Nina’s life was irrevocably changed when humanity’s dead began to rise. 

Now, she lives behind the walls. 

The barricaded cities, erected by the government to protect the remnants of civilization, have become a brutal dictatorship- causing the inhabitants within to starve, steal and claw for survival. Life behind the walls has become as terrifying as roaming the zombie-ridden landscape beyond. 

Citizens trade what they can to gain food, water, and shelter. Nina has only one currency—her body and she is tired of submitting herself to the greedy hands of the self-proclaimed leaders. 

An opportunity to escape presents itself in the fate of a young girl named Emily-Rose. For the price of a stale piece of bread, she is set for banishment from the city, and most likely a horrific death at the hands of the deaders. Nina tells herself that it is sympathy and not self-preservation that makes her follow the young girl out of the walled metropolis, and into the overgrown world beyond. 

Unused to fighting the deaders, Nina tries to scrounge for her survival and against her better judgment, begins to care for Emily-Rose. However, when you have a bread-stealing liability providing your only back up, survival seems even tougher. Nina is forced to fight for their lives, and with every zombie slain, she becomes fiercer, faster – a grim reaper with her not-so-sharp butcher’s knife. 

Along the path to a safe-haven that might not exist, Nina and Emily-Rose meet Mikey who introduces them to a new life they could not imagine, a life above the ground. However, this new world brings new dangers, and darker shadows than she knew. 

Nina finds out that the deaders aren’t the only thing to fear beyond the wall. 

And that fear will not be ignored, or Forgotten.

Let’s get to know…

 

T – Slutty!!! Thank you thank you thank you soooooo much for agreeing to do this! You know how much I love you and how amazingly talented I think/KNOW you are! For those who are not familiar with your awesomeness, introduce yourself and tell them all your deep darks. (Or just your shallow lights.)

C –  Well hello there Hoe-Bag! < totally an affectionate nickname, and HI everyone else.

My name is Claire C Riley and I’m a writer of dark paranormal romances and apocalyptic horror—specifically zombies, but not restricted to them. I live in the UK with my husband, three daughters and one scruffy dog!

I read pretty much any genre going, and I’m an old fashioned paperback lover. Wait, what? That sounded weirder than it was meant. I mean I love paperbacks on my shelf, still sounds weird…crap, moving along. 

T – Okay, let’s talk Odium! Holy crap! We both know I was so scared/nervous to read this book. Big gurl panties have never fit so good! Where did the idea for this story come?

C – And you were so brave for reading it! I love it when people read out of their genre and take a chance on something new. People assume horror/zombies = scary and gory, and while that’s true in some respects, there is an actual plot with great characters that shake it all up, and you miss out big time by not branching out a little.

Like I said before, I read pretty much any genre, romance, horror, erotica, ya, whatever. But I’ve always loved apocalyptic books and movies. I love anything that enables me to see how people would change and react to different situations, and what better way to show that than with the end of civilization as we know it!

The story idea came from wanting to write a horror book with realistic characters. You’ve seen it yourself, horror films where the blond chick runs into the scary looking house. Well, I try to break down the cliché and write something people can actually relate to.

T – I’m so excited to read the rest of the series, and I know that more and more people are starting to catch on to how great it is. What are some of your favorite comments about Odium?

C – Honestly, the series has been so well received by both respected horror fans and newbies to the genre, and I’ve been surprised and excited by both.

My favorite thing though is when someone I didn’t think would like it does. Like you for instance one of the wonderful girls in my Little Red’s Dead’s Street Team – Maribel, she doesn’t normally read horror/zombies, that sort of thing, but she read a review that Madeline Sheehan wrote about Odium and how much she loved it and took a chance on me. And I’m so glad she did, because she’s an awesome girl, and I’m really glad to have met her.

So my favourite thing to hear is, ‘I’ve never read this genre before, and I loved it’

T – Nina is a kick-ass heroine. She takes her fate into her own hands; she doesn’t wait for a guy to save her (although there is a sexy man there!), she learns what is necessary to survive in a zombie-run world. What do you love about Nina and how much like her are you?

C – There’s bits of me in Nina, though she’s a much more exaggerated version of me. I love that she’s feisty and won’t take any crap from anyone, but she also has NO CLUE on how to survive an apocalypse, and that is totally me. Though with all the research I’ve done, I might fare a little better now haha. She’s great fun to write because I don’t have to think about what she would say, I just go with my gut reaction. Like ‘a zombie walks into a bar’ what would YOU say, and how would you react? You’d scream and cuss up a storm while running a million miles an hour in the other direction- and so does she.

T – Limerence is another series you have going that I would love to read. I know it’s like picking your favorite child, but do you have a favorite between Limerence and Odium?

C – The two series are SO different. There’s the obvious difference – Odium is zombies and Limerence is vampires thing, but the entire style is different. Mia the lead in Limerence puts a lot more thought into what she says, whereas Nina just spews whatever comes out of her. I can’t choose, but I will say that Limerence is much harder to write, I bleed for these words, whereas Odium pours from me.

T – Since I haven’t read Limerence, what can you tell me about this book?

C – I’m currently writing the sequel now actually and hope to get it out by August/September time. So the definition of Limerence is ‘an intense infatuation with someone or something’ and that’s what happens in the book. Unfortunately for our MC Mia, the man that is infatuated with her is a 100 year old vampire and he’s not used to being told no. Mia goes through a lot of turmoil trying to resist Mr Breckt the vampire because she knows something is wrong with him and she loves her fiancé, but you can’t fight a vampire. And these vampires don’t sparkle.

T – I know that you are busy, doing the wife and mom thing. As if that isn’t enough, what else are you working on right now (besides this interview, because I know you will say that! LOL!)?

C – I did want to say that haha.

Well, I’m working on the sequel to Limerence, Odium Origins part two, Odium III, and a new apocalyptic series I’ve been playing around with also. That along with some anthology contributions, getting Odium II ready to send to my narrator so she can get started on the second Audiobook, and well yeah, I’m really busy! But I love it. 

T – I’m fortunate to have you and some others in my corner when writing; support is an amazing thing in this industry. What do you feel is the easiest and hardest part of writing?

C – Nothing is easy about it. As a writer you fight for everything.

You fight to get the words out on the page, to get your book ready- cover, editing, formatting, posters, swag, teasers, to promote it with blogs and readers, to plead and beg for someone to leave you a one line review, to not get disheartened or give up when it gets hard. Because it does get hard.

So nothing is easy. But that’s okay, because if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

T – What is your favorite thing about the Indie Writing Community?

C – There are SO many unbelievably good things about it. Mainly the fans, readers, bloggers, other authors that you meet. They—you make it worth all the torment.

T – Who is your biggest inspiration personally and professionally?

C – Personally, my children. That sounds cheesy and corny, but it’s true. When I’m getting stressed out and upset with it all, they say things and don’t even realize how much it moves me. Just the other day I walked in on them all talking, and my eldest (9) was telling our middle girl (7) that she had just finished reading another book. She said soon her bookshelf was going to be as big as mummy’s, and when she grew up she would be a famous poet (she wants to be a poet) and was going to have a big house with a huge library, but she’d keep a bookshelf just for my books. How can I not be inspired by that.

Professionally? All of you writers out there. Cheesy? Yes, but it’s true. You work damn hard, and you inspire me with your determination and cheerleading that you do for one another.

T- Have you ever reached a point where you want to throw in the writing towel? If so, how do you get out of that funk?

C - Yes, oh hell yes I get this.

I try to remember how far I’ve come, and if I were to give it all up now, in five-ten years time I will be so sad that I let it all slip through my fingers.

So I stick my headphones on, pump up some music and write a good scene.

Even if I skip to the middle part of a book. I’ll write a sex scene, or a sad scene, or a fighting scene, something that really gets me feeling something for the story and the characters. Because sometimes you get so stuck on all the little boring parts to a story that you forget the fun, and the reason you started.

T – Five years down the road, what is your goal for your writing? Publishing deal? Agent? Movies?

C - Yes, all of that ha ha ha. I absolutely love being Indie published—total truth, but it would be cool to have an agent and get a publishing deal at some point also. I’d like to combine the two and be both traditionally and indie published at some point. And movie? Hell-to-the-yes! hahah

Lightning Round!!! Are you ready?!? Twitter-sized answers as fast as you can ;)

T – Tats or Piercing

C – BOTH!

T – Dirty or Durty

C – Durty

T – AGREED!

T – Would you rather be turned into a zombie or a sparkly vampire

C – Shit, none of them. Okay if I had to pick I guess sparkly vampire because I wouldn’t want to be a rotting corpse!

T – Favorite American saying

C – Ya’ll!

T – LMFAO!!!! I love YOUR version!

T – If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go

C – You know I just stared at this question for like twenty minutes. I was like Canada, New Zealand, Hawaii, America, Greenland. I just can’t decide.

T – Wrong! The correct answer is “Texas.” We were looking for Texas, Claire ;)

T – Sexiest Man Alive

C – Tom Hardy

T – Favorite Naughty Word

C - Fuck

T – You can do better than that!!! LOL!

T – Favorite Zombie Movie

C – Night of the Living Dead.

T – The world is ending you can only save one person. Who is it

C – Tom Hardy! Hahaha, oh, and my kids blah blah, but yeah, TOM HARDY! Haha

T – In the movie of your life, who would play you?

C – Ooooh, either Isle Fisher, or Emma Stone.

T – Favorite cuss word

C – FUCK!

T – Kiss/Kill/Marry – “CHRIS” edition (Pines, Hemsworth, Evans) –

Kill = Chris Evans.

Kiss = Chris Pines.

Marry = Chris Hemsworth.

T – Favorite Author

C – I don’t have a favourite, seriously. I read too many different genres and authors to pick a favourite. So I abstain ma’ lady!

T – Final question: if you could say anything to your readers, what would you say? 

C – Thank you so much. For reading, for recommending, for leaving reviews, for taking the time to look me up and follow me, for giving a shit what I have to say. For everything. You are my rock stars.

T – I love you so much!! You are the best and I’m so glad to call you my Slutty Slutterson Friend!!

C – Right back at you, doll, you’re my little Hoe-Bag hahahaah, and I love you. xxxx

Follow/Stalk/Chase Claire all over the place and watch her zombie dash! Kidding! But keep up with her, our girl Claire is awesome!!

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Google+

Website

Filed under: Author Spotlight, Books Tagged: 2014, Apocalypse, Author Spotlight, Claire C. Riley, Horror, Odium, writers, Zombies

When I Drink…

Sometimes, you reach that point where you don’t know which way to go.

Right is wrong. 

down

is

up

Happy is sad.

Those times, where you can’t make sense of anything at all can be the darkest, even the scariest. And the “getting through it” part – well, that’s the hardest fight. If giving up isn’t an option, how long are you expected to take a beating before surrender is acceptable? And how long do you keep those around who continue to take and take and take…

and never give back?

If I had the answer to this – perhaps I could follow that up and solve world hunger. 

But alas, there is no easy answer.

No quick fix.

No escape.

Those that we lean on can carry us, or at least help us shoulder the load. And if you’re lucky enough, you make it through the other side with a  few scrapes, maybe a few bruises and minimal scarring. But those scars are beautiful because they remind you that you are a survivor. They remind you that you are stronger than you ever thought possible. They remind you that when go through something again (because you probably will) you can make it through.

I wish I had easy answers for the hurt and pain, but since I don’t, maybe I can offer some advice for those who don’t know how to help.

Be kind

Don’t dismiss the feelings

Be patient

Listen, even when you’ve heard it before

Be loving

Embrace them and their pain

Give until it hurts

You can’t fix anyone, but you sure as hell can show you give a damn by being someone they need you to be – and sometimes that is enough.

And for those going through it at this very moment:

I love you.

I know your pain.

I know your despair.

And I know we can get through it. It might not be when you would like it to happen, but it will. This isn’t forever. Just hang on a little longer.

XO

~T

8-) When I Drink by The Avett Brothers – Because….well, it just fits.

Filed under: Insight, Ramblings, Thoughts, Writing Tagged: 2014, TK Rapp, TKAM78

Author Spotlight ~ Kristen Hope Mazzola

It’s been a nice vacation and I’m really excited to jump back into the blog. Today is another fabulous author spotlight with a super wonderful chick! Kristen Hope Mazzola has two books out and another on the way. I’m so excited to see her latest cover, for The Hysterics, which will be revealed soon. But, while we’re waiting to check it out, let’s get the spotlight started!

Synopsis of Falling Back Together:

“I don’t know if it’s fate, coincidence, or my curse, but I’m still breathing, and my breaths are for you.”

Mags McManus is far from a normal woman in her mid twenties. Being a war widow, a business professional, and a brokenhearted train wreck only skims the surface of the layers of who Margret McManus truly is. Waking up in a hospital bed, alone and confused, Mags once again has to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart. With her best friends by her side, Mags slowly starts to learn the answers she so desperately longs for. But is everything going to continue to spiral out of control? Or is there a light at the end of this dark, twisting tunnel where all the broken pieces can finally fall back together?

Note from the author: Second book in the two part Crashing Series. Crashing Back Down should be read before Falling Back Together to avoid spoilers. A portion of all royalties from Falling Back Together are donated by the author to The Marcie Mazzola Foundation.

**18+ for sexual situations, cursing, and adult content.***

Let’s get to know…

Kristen Hope Mazzola

T – Hi Kristen! Thank you so much for taking time out of writing, blogging and awesomeness to answer some questions!! For those who aren’t familiar with you – please introduce yourself and tell us something that not many people know about you.

K – Hi! I am super excited to do this, for one! I am a few weeks away from turning 26 and live in South Florida. I am a pretty busy person, working full time and trying to be the best writer I can be! When I am not in the book world, I love to fish and be on my boyfriend’s boat in The Keys. Not too many people know this about me, but I am severely dyslexic and I have to say, thank goodness for spell check or I would never have been able to be an author!

T – Your series, Crashing, focuses on a war widow, Mags McManus. What inspired you to write this story?

K – This question is always so hard for me to answer. Honestly, I don’t know. Mags came to me one day. I had just finished reading Jamie McGuire’s Beautiful Disaster and was in a low point in my life, so I started writing short stories while I was at work to brighten my day up. Bam, one day Crashing Back Down went from a few shorts that were entertaining me while I was bored into a passion that I had to see to the finish line.

T – You have some really lovely reviews of your books. What is the nicest thing a reader has said to you?

K – It was actually my boyfriend’s aunt who said this to me: “Your book (Crashing Back Down) changed the way I view my relationships and I have found I am a better, nicer person because of it.” That really touched me, and was shocked because she is one of the best people I know!

T – Your cover for The Hysterics, is yet to be revealed, but the synopsis definitely caught my attention. What can you tell us about this book? And do you have a release date for it?

K – The Hysterics! OMG, so exciting! This story is inspired by shorts that I first started writing over a year and a half ago and I am so in love with these characters. It is going to be an intense romance about two people who are so bad for each other that they are perfect. One of my favorite lines from my MS is: “The chemistry between us will blow this place apart and make it better from the destruction.” I do not have a firm release date for it yet, but it should be out in the beginning of December, at least that is the plan.

T – How do you go about developing your characters? Are any of them based on people you know or parts of you?

K – There is only one character that is based off of a real person and that is Cali from The Crashing Series. She is modeled after my best friend, Christina who I met that same way Mags and Cali do in the beginning of Crashing Back Down, during sorority recruitment freshman year of college. The rest of them develop themselves really, while I am writing, I get to know them and let their voice be heard to the best of my ability.

T – The question of questions…what else do you have in the works right now?

K – I have 3 other WIPs (other than The Hysterics)…One is a complete standalone about hockey players (really hot hockey players *wink*wink*) and two shoot off standalones from the Crashing Series, but I can’t say too much about those yet, I don’t want to give too much away!

T – I know that writing is your “other” job, although we both know the mind never stops. If you weren’t writing, what would you be doing?

K – My “day job” is too boring to talk about, even though I love it! But what I would rather be doing than “working” (and sometimes writing) is fishing. I love just being out on the water, relaxing with a fishing pole in hand!

T – What do you feel is the easiest and hardest part of writing?

K – The easiest is falling in love with characters. The hardest is doing them justice and telling their story to the best of its ability (oh and editing!)

T – What is your favorite thing about the Indie Writing Community?

K – The amazing support! Indies are always there for each other and I love it so much!

T – Who is your biggest inspiration personally and professionally?

K – I have two huge inspirations in life, my father and my Grammy! They both are amazing, strong people that have overcome so much in their lives and are successful, kind, and wonderful people. I would not be where I am today without their guidance and support.

T- To date, what is your biggest accomplishment?

K – Getting the guts to hit publish on Crashing Back Down! I suffer from anxiety and anyone who can relate will know how huge that step was!

T – Five years down the road, what is your goal for your writing? Publishing deal? Agent? Movies?

K – Five years…goodness…I am hoping to be writing full time, still as an indie author but hopefully with a movie deal in the works. I guess only time will tell! But, as long as I am still in the book world, I will be happy!

Lightning Round!!! Are you ready?!? Twitter-sized answers as fast as you can ;)

Gosling or Reynolds – You’re evil! Gosling if I HAVE to pick!

Ideal Vacation – Costa Rica!

Favorite Place to Visit – The Florida Keys!

Game of Thrones or Walking Dead – Game of Thrones hands down!

Favorite Disney Character - Aurora (Sleeping Beauty!)

The world is ending you can only save one person. Who is it? My Boyfriend…He’d be so handy in an apocalyptic situation.

In the movie of your life, who would play you? – Myla Kunis (I hope!)

Favorite cuss word – Fuck…it’s the best at driving the point home

Kiss/Kill/Marry – Kardashians – (Kourtney, Khloe, Kim) – Ugh. Can I die alone?! And have them off the air for good…Sorry to all their fans; I just don’t get the appeal. Maybe it’s because I’m a tomboy? (SO with you!!!)

Favorite Author – I have too many, that’s a trick question! (If I had to pick it’d be Brittainy C. Cherry though)

T – Final question: if you could say anything to your readers, what would you say?

K – The simple but perfect: Thank you! Sincerely from the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving me a chance. I am virtually unknown and it takes guts to give a new author a chance, I know that. For the ones that have, I cannot express how much that means to me!

T – Thank you so much for answering these questions – especially on such short notice! I can’t wait to see the art for The Hysterics!

K – Thank YOU! This was so much fun!

To learn more about Kristen and her books, check her out online:

Website

Facebook 

Twitter

Goodreads

 

Filed under: Author Spotlight Tagged: Author Spotlight, Crashing Back Down, Falling Back Together, Kristen Hope Mazzola, Kristen Mazzola, The Hysterics