Chrys Fey's Blog, page 49

Writing About: Valentine's Day + The Muse Party Blogfest

Valentine’s Day is always a sweet holiday for a romance, but it could also be a sinister holiday for a mystery/thriller. Here are a few things for you to consider for your fictional Valentine’s Day:
1. Couples
Couples love Valentine’s Day. Unless, of course, they are going through a divorce or aren’t happy in their relationship. This is the day for couples to profess their love for one another and spoil each other rotten with chocolate/treats, flowers, dinner, cards, and other gifts. For a romance, you can share the sweet and steamy details of your characters Valentine’s Day. Get your readers to feel all warm and fuzzy or hot and bothered.
But not all Valentine’s Days are good, though. An evil spouse could try to commit murder or maybe someone is unfaithful and has an affair on Valentine’s Day. You can get their route and create any storyline with V-Day.
Image from Wikimedia
2. Single People
Single people tend to hate Valentine’s Day. We roll our eyes at all the mushy posts on Facebook and even try to hide until the day is over. We grumble, grit our teeth, and cringe. Write a romance story with a single character who hates everything V-Day and maybe bumps into someone who could be a future love interest. Or…for a mystery/thriller, a single could go around killing couples on Valentine’s Day. Now wouldn’t that make a good detective thriller?


Valentine’s Day traditions:
-       In the Philippines, they have mass wedding celebrations on Valentine’s Day. In 2013, 4,000 couples were married together.
-       In Guatemala they wear feathered masks and Mayan-inspired clothing to celebrations.
-       In South Africa they pin the name of their sweetheart on their sleeve all day.
-       In Estonia, Valentine’s day is known as “Friends Day” so single people can be included in on the festivities. Family and friends exchange gifts to show their love for each other.
-       In Denmark, they exchange “lover cards.”
-       Back in the day, in France, women would burn images of the men who wronged them in a bon fire. This is no longer practiced because this as well as the insults they’d shout at the opposite sex became too...crazy. Well, I’m sure some still do this in private. haha


QUESTIONS: Do you like V-Day? Have you written about Valentine’s Day?



Here are the questions:
1. Who did you bring to the party? Is he/she your Valentine or anti-Valentine?
I brought my muse, Ena. She is both my Valentine and anti-Valentine. Why? Because she loves Valentine’s Day but I hate it, so we both play the part to satisfy each other.
2. Which one of you is the more romantic person?
Ena. I feel awkward just hugging people. Even my loved ones. But Ena gushes romance. If she were to bleed, her blood would be glittery and swirling with red, pink, and purple. She is THE romantic.
3. What gift are you giving to your (anti) Valentine?
I’m giving Ena a day off from musing. And she’s promised me a great day of writing tomorrow. Yippee!
4. Are you guys wearing red or pink (or black...)?
I’m wearing a black T-shirt because it’s what I prefer, and skinny jeans. But don’t worry! I have on some pretty jewelry and red lipstick. I’m not a pink person, but Ena is a full-time girly-girl. When you have lavender hair and transparent wings, it’s hard not to be. She’s wearing a sparkling pink dress, reminiscent of the blue dress Ariel wore when she come out of the water and ran to her prince at the end of The Little Mermaid.
5. Did you bring any Valentine's Day treats?
Sure did! I brought chocolate cheesecake and Ena brought pink Rice Crispie treats...cut into hearts. See what I mean? She’s a hopeless romantic, which is good since I write romance.
6. Name a song for our Love Playlist or Anti-Love Playlist (or both)!
For the Anti-Love Playlist I have to go with Tears Don’t Fall by Bullet for My Valentine.Ena chose the song for the Love Playlist...Take My Breath Away by Berlin. *groan*
7. Got a great anti/Valentine party game?
Ena suggests the game where you pass an apple with only your neck. I veto that game. How about we throw darts at pictures of the people who broke our hearts?
8. Feeling the love or just feeling nauseous? How will you have fun at the party?
Ena will be fluttering around, flirting with the cute, eligible guys and dancing from person to person to shower them with Valentine affection. Me? I’ll be a wallflower; smiling nervously at everyone and nibbling on one of Ena’s Rice Crispie treats.
9. Has your muse been a good Valentine?
My muse had been a great Valentine. She pulled me out of my corner and got me to dance the Macarana with her. And she seems to have made friends with everyone. Even Jordan.

*Jordan's Bonus Question: Did you bring me & Sarah a musiversary gift?
Duh! I brought a good basket for of things writers need: chocolate, pens, notebooks, flash drives, candles, coffee, and much more.
Ena brought a bottle of writing fairy dust. She says to sprinkle just a tiny bit on your keyboard to get the words flowing. Not more than a pinch, though, because it’s very potent. If you use more than recommended...well, she says it’s not a pretty sight.

Blogger Interview with Vanessa Morgan from Traveling Cats

I have a special treat for all cat lovers. Today I am interviewing blogger and author, Vanessa Morgan, from the Traveling Cats blog. If you love cats but don’t know this site, Happy Birthday...even if it’s not your birthday. ;)

1. Hi, Vanessa! Tell us about your blog Traveling Cats . What made you want to share photos of cats from around the world?
I was going through some of my old travel photos and it struck me that at least half of them were cat pictures. I thought that it could be fun to collect them all on a blog, and subdivide them per city and country. Two weeks later, Traveling Cats was born.
2. What was your very first blog post?
My first ever post was a photo of a French cat: http://www.traveling-cats.com/2013/01/cat-from-gruissan-france.html. In the beginning of Traveling Cats, I was just posting one picture a day. Now I post entire photo series.
3. Is there a specific country that you feel has the most beautiful cats?
All cats are beautiful, of course, but felines from Northern Europe have a little extra.


4. Do you like dogs? :P
Actually, I was just thinking earlier today that I really want to add a dog to the family someday.
5. What are the top 5 most-viewed posts on your blog?
A special friendship between a fox and a cat near Lake Van in Turkey
Very fluffy cats playing in the snow in Baden-Würrtemberg, Germany
Cats in the blue town of Chefchouen in Morocco
Pickles is the cat of Hobbiton (the filming locations of Lord of the Rings) in New Zealand
A cat in the picturesque village of Cassis in France
6. You’ve published a book called “Avalon: A Heartwarming True Cat Story.” Tell us about it!
The book is the true story about my cat, Avalon. He wasn’t your ordinary cat. He acted in movies and music videos, appeared in my books, spoke a few words of French (I swear this is true), and made a hobby out of vomiting on the guinea pig. But what makes his story truly special is the extraordinary bond we shared together.
Amazon
7. Share your number one tip to bloggers just starting out.
Use StumbleUpon. Seriously, nothing compares to StumbleUpon in terms of the traffic the site sends me. It’s not unusual to get over 7,000 views for one single blog post in a few days, coming from StumbleUpon alone. Sometimes it’s a lot more.
Otherwise, interacting on social media is really important, too. I share other people’s travel photos of cats daily and readers often send me their own. I also make sure to reply to every single comment on Twitter and Facebook, and I like a lot of blog posts from others. It really helps.

Hyper Round:
1. Favorite time to post blogs? On holiday J 2. Blogger or Wordpress? Blogger3. Do you host guests? Absolutely4. Where are you when you’re blogging? At home or in a coffee shop


BIO: 
Vanessa Morgan is an author, screenwriter, and blogger. Three of her stories – A Good Man, Next to Her, The Strangers Outside – have been turned into films. When she’s not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching horror movies, digging through flea markets, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats. She lives in Belgium.
LINKS:Blog / Twitter (Traveling Cats) / Twitter (Vanessa Morgan)Facebook (Traveling Cats) / Facebook (Vanessa Morgan) Pinterest / Google + / Bloglovin

Thank you for talking to us about Avalon and Traveling Cats, Vanessa!
Please leave a comment for Vanessa.
QUESTION: Are you a cat lover?

D – Donovan Goldwyn + 3 Excerpts

Donovan Goldwyn is the hero of the Disaster Crimes series (Book One – Hurricane Crimes, Book Two – Seismic Crimes). He is also smart, tough and romantic, which makes him the perfect match for Beth.
Character Profile:Name – Donovan GoldwynOccupation – Monster Truck DriverLocation – Orlando, FloridaDoppelganger – Henry CavillLove Interest – Beth KennedyLikes – Truck racing, surfing, camping, and pokerDislikes – the men who murdered his brother, spiders
Henry Cavill
Image from Wikipedia
Here are some special never-before-shared teasers from Seismic Crimes to illustrate just how smart, tough and romantic Beth really is.

Smart Excerpt:
The mother tightened her arms around the little girl’s waist. “Does that mean it’s broken?”
With a sigh, Donovan nodded. “Do you have a blanket?”
“Yes.” The mother hopped to her feet. “Stay here, honey.” She hurried to her car, reached in through the back window, and came back with a pink blanket.
He took it. “Is this your favorite blankie?”
The girl gave him a watery smile. “Yeah.” Her voice quivered with pain.
“Well, your blankie is going to help you feel better.”
“How?”
“It’s going to hug you.”
The girl giggled.
“Are you ready?” When she nodded, he tied the blanket around her, creating a makeshift sling. “There. Now I have to warn you…a blankie can be very powerful, but it won’t help you if you move your arm, so you have to keep it still. Can you do that?”
She nodded once, like a soldier taking an order. “I can.”
Tough Excerpt:
He pounded his fist into Buck’s face again and again. Drops of blood floated into the air, splattered onto the asphalt, and coated Donovan’s hand. His teeth gritted together in a fierce snarl, his face twisted with rage.
Buck managed to throw Donovan off him. The two men scrambled to their knees at the same time and pounced at each other like bloodthirsty lions fighting over a carcass.
Romantic Excerpt:
“I don’t know how you can take pills with coffee. I can only swallow medication with water at room temperature.” He chuckled. “I’ll remember that for when you’re sick, and I have to take care of you.”
Beth’s head jerked to him, and he sensed he said something wrong. “What now?”
“Nothing.”
“That look doesn’t mean nothing. You can tell me. What did I say that was so wrong?”
“No, it wasn’t wrong. It was right.” Sighing, Beth sat across from him at the small table. “You’re the first man to willingly want to take care of me when I’m sick. When I was engaged to—”
“The asshole whose name you won’t tell me?”
“My ex,” she continued. “I couldn’t even get him to heat me a bowl of soup when I had a cold.” 
“Because, and I repeat, he was an asshole. He 8 didn’t deserve you. And you don’t have to worry…I’m nothing like him. I’ll make you soup and tea and do whatever else that’ll make you feel better when you’re sick or hurt.” He took her hand. “I promise.”


QUESTION: Which teaser did you like more? The smart teaser, tough teaser, or romantic teaser?

The Art of Naming a Book

Naming a book is a big task. It has to reflect the story and interest the reader in some way. It could be funny (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) or dark (The Queen of the Damned). It could be named after the main event or plot line of the story (The Hunger Games, Under the Dome) or cleverly hint at something that only someone who reads the story would understand (The Color Purple).
Sometimes a title can come right away. Other times it comes while in the middle of the first draft or even after the book is complete.
It’s best not to rush trying to find the perfect title. It’ll come when it comes. You could even have a title picked out and then come up with something better. Or an agent/publisher will suggest a new one.
But let’s forget that for now. First let’s discuss a few things that could make naming a book easier.
Image from Pixabay

1. What’s the tone/mood/theme?
My published books are dark and suspenseful. Death and crimes are common so it’s no wonder that they are titled Hurricane Crimes, 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. Immediately when you read those titles you know what kind of ride you’re in for.
2. Think about the main character.
For a paranormal story, it’s clever to add the type of supernatural being that your MC is to the title. Or to at least hint at it. For example: Despite the Fangs by Dylan Newton is about a woman who is the Alpha of a werewolf pack. Another example is Divergent by Veronica Roth. The MC, Tris, is a Divergent.
3. What happens in the story? (What’s the plot/purpose?)
In The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen has to fight in a deadly competition called the Hunger Games. What happens in your story? What does your character have to do? Consider your answers and see if a title pops out at you.
4. Be sneaky.
30 Seconds is named that way for multiple reasons. One is because of all of the action and how everything happens to fast…as in every thirty seconds. Though that is a bit of an exaggeration. There’s also a hidden romantic meaning behind the title. Can you come up with something cryptic that could get a reader guessing?

Here are some of my favorite titles:
Moonless (Crystal Collier)Despite the Fangs (Dylan Newton)52 Likes (Medeia Shariff)Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc (PK Hrezo)How to Date a Nerd (Cassie Mae)
So You Want to be a Wizard (Diane Duane)The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson)A Child Called “It” (Dave Pelzer)Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (Rebecca Wells)The Devil Wears Prada (Lauren Weisberger)


SHARE: Your favorite book titles.

QUESTION: How did you come up with your book titles?

What Would You Do...? (Part 1)

Every Friday for the month of February I’m doing something a little different. This is a four-week "What Would You Do?" feature. I’m asking a question related to one of my books, and I might do something with your answers. ;)
You can give me realistic answers or silly answers.
The first question relates to 30 Seconds.
Amazon US: 30 Seconds
The Wild Rose Press / NOOK / KOBO All Romance eBooks / BookStrand
 Amazon UK / Goodreads


Blurb:
When Officer Blake Herro agreed to go undercover in the Mob, he thought he understood the risks. But he's made mistakes and now an innocent woman has become their target. He's determined to protect her at all costs.
The Mob's death threat turns Dr. Dani Hart's life upside down, but there is one danger she doesn’t anticipate. As she's dodging bullets, she's falling in love with Blake. With danger all around them, will she and Blake survive and have a happy ending, or will the Mob make good on their threat?

QUESTION: In 30 Seconds the Mob is after Blake and Dani. What would you do if the Mob were after you?

A few more questions to help you:- Where would you go?- Who would you trust?- What precautions would you take for your safety?


Leave your answer and invite others to leave their answer. :)

NEW Editing Services / IWSG + Articles Needed

How do you like our NEW badge? Thanks, Alex!

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a safe place for all insecure writers.
Sign up here: Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group

INSECURITY: My insecurity as of now? That I won't get a single person...ever...interested in my editing services (see below). My other insecurity involves the number of unfollows I've had with my blog last month. 12. *sigh* 12 people unfollowed my blog in the span of two weeks. I've never had it drop like that so fast. It makes we wonder why. Do they not like my Wednesday posts about my series? Or do they not like me? *tear* 
Well, I'm thankful for all of you and everyone who continues to follow my blog, so that helps a lot in making me smile. :)
On to the details of my editing services and the articles I need from YOU!

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NEW EDITING SERVICES!

Let’s be honest...every writer needs some source of income to survive. To help me survive, and to further help my fellow writers, I’ve decided to offer editing services for a small price...and I’m starting lower than most. 
Credentials: I have beta read and edited for Yolanda Renee (short stories for anthologies and blog posts), Tammy Theriault (Novel), Loni Townsend (This World Bites/novella), and several others.
I edit in these areas of fiction:Short stories (any genre)Novellas (any genre)Novels (any genre)
Services:
Full Edit + Critique: In which I comment on content (plot and characters), check for typos, punctuation errors and grammar. I will cut unnecessary words and sentences, check for redundancies, repeated words, and POV changes. I will also offer easy fixes and suggestions on content.
Price: $1.00 per page
Manuscript Critique: In which I focus on content (plot and character) with no typo fixes or other forms of editing. I will point out flaws (if any), offer easy fixes, suggestions, and also comment on things I like.
Price: $0.50 per page
All payments will be done through PayPal.
If anyone is interested, please email me at ChrysFey(at)yahoo(dot)com

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ARTICLES NEEDED!
I need your articles for the IWSG Newsletter! If you’d like to submit an article for consideration, please follow the instructions below:
Who Can Submit: Insecure Writer's Support Group Members
Topic Ideas: your number one writing, publishing or marketing tip; a motivational pep talk or inspirational story; a snippet about something you used to be insecure about but overcame or an Aha moment you had about writing/publishing.
Length: 200 words or less
How to Submit: Send a DOC attachment to ChrysFey(at)yahoo(dot)comPut “Member Article” in the Subject Line.
Deadline: March 2nd (Next IWSG Day)
Thank you for reading! We hope to feature you! 


The Insecure Writer's Support Group Newsletter will feature articles by industry experts, IWSG members, and administrators. There will also be a dozen links to helpful articles for writers in each edition, as well as a special Member Spotlight. Even if you're not a member of the blogging group, you'll greatly benefit from these FREE monthly newsletters.
First issue goes out on February 24!

Writing About: Oahu, Hawaii

The setting of Book 3 in my Disaster Crimes series is Oahu, Hawaii. Just as when I had to research San Francisco for Book 2, Seismic Crimes, I had a lot of fun learning about Oahu. I checked out travel guides and books from the library and visited many websites to get the information I needed to make the setting real and descriptive.
Below are the 10 most important things about Oahu you should include if you choose this island as a setting for a book:
1. Diamond Head
A volcano that’s been dead for about 100,000 years. It has a 760 foot crafter in its center and tunnels that lead inside. You can follow the trails on a steep incline three-quarter miles up to the rim of the crater. You can also take a helicopter ride over it.
Diamond Head
Image from Wikimedia
2. Waikiki Beach
The world’s most famous stretch of beaches. Waikiki’s 2-mile long beach is actually divided into 7 sections: Kahanamoku Beach (the widest stretch), Fort DeRussy Beach, Gray’s Beach, Royal Moana Beach, Kuhio Beach, Queen’s Surf Beach, and San Suoci Beach.
The east end of the beach is next to Diamond Head. At the west end is the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. White sands, coral reefs, waves for surfing, and major hotels make up Waikiki Beach.
3. Pearl Harbor
At Pearl Harbor a special USS Memorial honors the over 1,100 sailors that died on the USS Arizona on December 6th 1941. The memorial was built directly over the ship in the middle of the harbor so you can peer over the side and see the ship’s hull.
Image from Wikipedia
4. Food
Shaved Ice – a cone-shaped cup of ice is sweetened with flavored sugar. You can request sweet beans (azuki beans) to be added under the ice. Shaved ice is sold at stands all around town.
Barbecue Sticks – pork, chicken, or beef marinated in Teriyaki sauce and served on bamboo sticks.
Pineapples – the most popular fruit with James Dole crops in Central O’ahu measuring around 11,500 acres.
5. Shaka
A hand greeting in Hawaii. You extend your pinkie and thumb and curl your three fingers into your palm. Many shake theirs hands back and forth, too. If you ever watched Dog the Bounty Hunter, you probably saw him do this while saying, “Shaka, Bratha.”
Image from Wikimedia
6. Pidgin
A mix of English and Hawaiian languages spoken by the natives, especially young Hawaiians.
Aloha – HelloBrah (bra) – Friend; brotherHowzit – How are you doing?Mahalo (Mah-hah-low) – Thank youLei (lay) – Flower garlandHula – Hawaiian danceAe (aye) – Yes
7. Surfing
Oahu is the center of surfing among the islands. You’ll always find surfers catching waves, especially in the North Shore where die hard, professional surfers can be seen taking on beasts of waves known as pipe (aka Banzai Pipeline or Pipeline).
8. Weather
In the summer, trade winds stop blowing contributing to the rise of temperatures. Shirt-sticking weather is the reason why shaved ice is so popular. And air conditioning!
The temperatures in Hawaii don’t vary much due to its proximity to the equator. In the summer months it can be in the upper 80’s. In the winter months it can be in the upper 70’s, low 80’s.
9. Ala Moana Center
A shopping mall in Honolulu popular for shopping and dining. Bloomingdale’s, Macys, Kay Jewelers, Tiffany & Co, Nine West, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Godiva Chocolatier, and Barnes & Noble are some of the stores in this vast shopping center.
Ala Moana Center
Image from Flickr
10. Flora & Fauna
Flowers – birds of paradise, plumeria, gardenia, hibiscus, red/blue ginger, orchid, oleander
Trees – Koa trees, Ohia trees, coconut palm trees, banana trees, Bayan
Mammals/Birds – sea turtles, sharks, manta rays, humpback whales, dolphins, monk seals, pigs (wild boar), goats, mongooses, ducks, geese, zebra doves, and feral cats.

QUESTIONS: Has Hawaii even been a setting for one of your books?Do you live in Hawaii? Have you vacationed there?(What else can you share?)

Murder & Obsession AND IWSG Anthology Cover Reveals!

Today's Winning Query Letter is from Medeia Sharif. Check it out: Winning Query Letter / 52 Likes by Medeia Sharif 
*****
COVER REVEAL MURDER & OBSESSION
Flames burn between a hardboiled cop and a gifted artist, but soon extinguish as another man’s obsession ignites into an inferno of desire, driving him to destroy the object of his madness.

To be Released March 2016

As wedding bells echo like the ring of toasting champagne glasses in the ice carved mountains of Anchorage Alaska, detective Steven Quaid rehabs his grandfather’s cabin into a honeymoon cottage for his new bride.
When he returns from a hunting trip, Steven’s faced with five police officers, who “Want to talk.” Plagued by two unsolved murders, the Department is searching for answers.
The conversation comes to a deafening halt as the team finds a bloody crime scene in the bridal suite. "Where's her body?" is a question Steven cannot fathom. 
Steven’s jaw clenches and his heart races. Images of Sarah streak through his mind.
The silence breaks as an explosion of accusations vibrate through every fiber of his being.
Steven bolts…
Although running is never the smart thing to do, Steven’s not thinking clearly and his escape into the wilderness of the Brooks Range proves almost fatal.

This Steven Quaid mystery is both personal and heartbreaking.
*****   Yolanda Renee At one time Alaska called to me and I answered. I learned to sleep under the midnight sun, survive in below zero temperatures, and hike the Mountain Ranges. I've traveled from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, and the memories are some of my most valued. The wonders, mysteries, and incredible beauty that is Alaska has never left me and thus now influence my writing.

Despite my adventurous spirit, I achieved my educational goals, married, and I have two wonderful sons. Writing is now my focus, my newest adventure!

You can find Yolanda at:Blog: Defendingthe PenFacebookTwitter Pinterest Amazon

New Covers:
Murder, Madness & Love After a gritty detective becomes involved with a beautiful widow suspected of murder, rumor and obsession obstruct his quest for justice.

Memories of Murder World damnation is a psychotic man’s goal, but two obstacles stand in his way, greed and a dedicated detective. 

*****

Parallels: Felix Was HereAn Insecure Writer's Support Group AnthologyScience Fiction/Alternate HistoryEnter the realm of parallel universes!
COMING SPRING 2016!
What if the government tried to create the perfect utopia? Could a society linked to a supercomputer survive on its own? Do our reflections control secret lives on the other side of the mirror? Can one moment split a person’s world forever?
Exploring the fantastic, ten authors offer incredible visions and captivating tales of diverse reality. Featuring the talents of L. G. Keltner, Crystal Collier, Hart Johnson, Cherie Reich, Sandra Cox, Yolanda Renee, Melanie Schulz, Sylvia Ney, Michael Abayomi, and Tamara Narayan.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will expand your imagination and twist the tropes of science fiction. Step through the portal and enter another dimension!


QUESTION: Do you like murder stories? What do you think of Yolanda's new covers? And the IWSG Anthology cover?

C - Criminals + 4 Teasers

Today's Winning Query Letter is from Anna Simpson. Check it out: Winning Query Letter / White Light by Anna Simpson



Below are descriptions and teasers for the four main criminals so far in the Disaster Crimes series (Book One – Hurricane Crimes, Book Two – Seismic Crimes).

Viktor Chuman AKA Chewy – One of the police officers who killed Donovan’s brother. Internal Affairs Investigator Ryan Goldwyn. He is brutal and nasty with a wide nose and a mean right hook.
Excerpt from Hurricane Crimes:
“Don’t move,” Chewy shouted at her. “You’re going to back out of here one step at time. If you do anything stupid, I’ll blow a hole through your boyfriend’s head.” He pressed the muzzle of the gun to Donovan’s temple.
With her hands in the air, Beth slowly moved one foot back at a time, her right foot dragging the gun along the ground and all the way down the driveway to the canoe.
“I have to turn around to get it,” she explained. “When I raise my hands, all I’ll have is a leather journal.”
“You better or it’s a bullet into Goldwyn’s brain.”

David Buckland AKA Buck – The other police officer who killed Donovan’s brother, but the only one who got away and is on the run. He’s cruel on purpose, had remarkably good luck, and many criminals on his side.
Excerpt from Seismic Crimes:
Buck shot at them with abandon. The pings from bullets hitting metal echoed throughout the garage. Heart beating so hard and fast that it felt like it would explode, Beth peered left and right, searching for a safe route out of the garage. Even if she could make it to the next aisle over, Buck would no doubt follow with his gun blazing. By the sound of it, she figured it was a semi-automatic, and there was no telling how many magazines he had on him.
Glass rained down on her when bullets sliced through the windows. She ducked her head even lower. Pieces of glass slid off her head to the ground where shards circled her feet like a ring of posies. A few of the glass puzzle pieces from the window had collected on her lap. She brushed them off and pressed her hands firmly against the passenger door. More glass fell on her when the truck’s window behind her erupted.

Viper – Viper is a drug dealer widely known throughout Central Florida. He illegally sells marijuana and not for medical purposes either. He has a stash of guns and bundles of cash. His crib is always full of other dealers and men getting high. Like Vegas, what happens in his house stays in his house.
Excerpt from Seismic Crimes:
Viper’s lips spread into a wicked sneer, causing her stomach to roll. She had the sickening feeling he wasn’t above taking advantage of a woman passed out in his crib. “Anyway, do ya know where Buck is?”
Viper stood slowly, taking his gun in his hand. Her breath caught painfully in her chest. This is it. He’s going to pop a bullet in my head.
Separated by the coffee table, he pinned Beth in place with his dark eyes. “Why the hell you wanna know?”

Viper Snake
Image from Pixabay
Jackson Storm – He is a big time criminal who has done every crime in the book. For fun. He has countless criminals all across the United States working for him and willing to do whatever he demands. He even has ties to a police-killing Mob in Cleveland (30 Seconds). No one has been able to catch him and that could be because corrupt cops helped him get away with his evil doings.
Excerpt from Seismic Crimes:
“What do you want?”
“Isn’t that obvious?” He waved the gun at her. “You.”
Beth never thought a monosyllable could cause such terror, but she was ready to pee her pants. “If you wanted to kill me, you could have done that the second I walked out of the bathroom.”
“I don’t want to kill you here. I have somewhere special picked out for your murder. And I plan on having fun with you first. When I do kill you, though, I’ll make sure to have plenty of body parts left over so I can send Donovan pieces of you…one by one. Then I’ll kill him in a way he won’t ever see coming.”

More criminals to come in Book 3!

Body Language - Character ER

I’m starting a new feature at Unicorn Bell called "Winning Query Letter." My first guest is Kelly Hashway/Ashelyn Drake. Check it out: Winning Query Letter / Our Little Secret by Ashelyn Drake

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GIVEAWAY
Tomorrow I'm giving away 3 paperback books by different authors in the Paranormal Romance, Historical Fantasy, and Sci-Fi Romance genres. For your chance to win, you have to subscribe to my newsletter. In tomorrow's issue, I'll reveal what you have to do to win them. There will be additional prizes to the 5 runners-up, so you'll want to act fast!


Sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter!
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NOTE: Character ER is a new feature this year. Once a month you'll see a post to help you dig deeper into your characters.

A character’s dialogue can add humor and suspense (if delivered by an antagonist). Two characters can exchange witty banter, argue, or whisper sweet nothings. Dialogue pushes a story forward. You can’t have a book without it.
A character’s emotion influences the story, fuels scenes, and builds connections with readers. Without emotions, we would have dull stories and robotic characters. We don’t want that!
A character’s body language is also important because it compliments dialogue and reveals emotions. Whenever our characters say or do something, whenever they feel a certain way, we should add physical cues to drive home those feelings and actions. 

[image error]From Wikipedia

Below are some emotions with physical reactions.
Anger – clenching of jaw and fists, a puffing up of the chest and squaring of shoulders, spine rod-straight, arms crossed, flaring of nostrils, seething, pacing, glaring, heart pounding, blood roaring, heat rising up neck and face
Curiosity/Suspicion – head tilting, pursing of lips, scratching head or temple, tapping fingers, quirking a brow, squinting eyes
Fear – cowering, avoiding eye contact, slumped shoulders, body shaking, sweaty hands, dry mouth, fast breathing, heart racing
Grief – sobbing, whole body shaking, quivering lips, tearing eyes, heavy heart, shuffling footsteps, low shoulders
Love/flirting – heart fluttering, breath catching, glowing, blushing, laughing, winking, lip biting, butterflies in the stomach


QUESTION: Do you forget to add body language and other physical reactions?