Rachael Stapleton's Blog, page 14
February 18, 2015
Curse of The Purple Delhi Sapphire: Creating Kickass Librarians
Tour Stop: Feb 17th Interview from the Creatively Green Write at Home momSophia Marcil is given a family heirloom that pulls her into a past life, eventually opening the door to psychic dreams and a book full of magical spells. Unfortunately, the heirloom comes with a madman hell-bent on possessing her and her gifted stone.
This makes us wonder do you think special powers like time travel, mind reading, and telekinesis are a gift or a curse and if you could choose one which would it be. If I could choose one, it would most likely be time travel because much like Sophia I adore history. However, I can see the potentials danger involved. I would be nervous and reluctant to use such a power in real life—at least the first time—temptation would eventually win out. I think an even cooler power might be teleportation. Lunch in Paris? A play in New York? I love to travel and a gift like that would allow me to whisk myself off to a deserted Island for a much needed tan or hit up Japan for some fresh sashimi. No airports, no line ups. Now there’s a gift I could get used to.Do you prefer e-books or paperbacks? I read mostly on an ereader right now because I have children. The youngest being two—so I really only get the time to read in bed right before I crash. It’s actually my sleeping prescription. Take 10 pages and call me in the morning, otherwise I would probably lay awake like every other female in the country with an overactive brain. What is your favourite thing about your ereader? When I finish a book, I can get another with the push of a button. Especially if it’s a series or an author I’m enjoying. Do you think e-books have overtaken paperbacks? Right now I’d say it’s fairly even although we’ll see in a month when I get my most recent statement. I think some people are reluctant to let go of paperbacks. As a society, we spend so much time connected, looking at screens. Sometimes we all just want an isolated experience without the feeling of distraction. What would your readers be surprised to learn about you? I think most people would be shocked to discover that I wanted to be a librarian at one time. Blame it on Ghostbusters, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or maybe even The Mummy for making the life of the librarian look so exciting. But truthfully, if my writing career hadn’t panned out then you can bet that’s where I would have went next. The few people I told laughed at me—not that working in a library is a joke—but I guess in there mind I wasn’t the stereotypical prim and proper spinster-in-the-making. Or maybe it was unfathomable that I would want to willingly navigate the dewy decimal system. Whatever it was, it was apparently hard to believe. That’s part of the reason why Sophia and Leslie are adventurous, sexual and quirky librarians. Of course it’s convenient to the plot that Sophia be a well-read individual who would have access and be knowledgeable when it came to history and ancient curses but I also just wanted to give the world some kick-ass librarians. Mission complete!
At times throughout your series, you write through the eyes of a killer. What is that like?You know I’ve actually had this discussion with my writers group. Whether you’re writing a serial killer, a demon, an army of zombies or simply a bully, why is it so much fun to write from the villain’s perspective? Well I guess because sometimes it’s good to be bad. Villains are not boxed in or weighed down with pesky things like morals and values, the way the protagonist is, at least not usually. Rules—what are those? The law—why would I obey that? I feel as though there is a freedom to color outside of the lines. It’s the same reason I like writing fantasy—it’s a chance to experiment and get a little crazy. Although I will admit at times, being in the bad guys head can get downright creepy and I have had to research disturbing things like which knife would sufficiently gut a person—yeah true story. I once tried to write a scene late at night and I was hearing noises within 10 minutes which is why I now write during the day especially when I’m in the mind of my stalker.
What are you calling the next book in the series? Any details you can share?The Keeper of the Book—it’s unique from the first two novels in the series because part of it is written from the perspective of Sophia’s Sixteen year old daughter Alanna who is crushed when her mother dies in a séance gone wrong. After three months of living with Cullen and her mother's best-friend Leslie, she begins to suspect that they're keeping a secret from her. The search for the truth becomes a dubious adventure, taking Alanna from curious libraries to the castles of Eastern Europe as she trails after her father in the hopes that her mother might still be alive. One question always lingering, if they find her, can they rescue her from the past?
What book are you reading now? I’m in the midst of doing some reviewing. I just finished S.C Alban’s book, A Life without Living and I’m about to get into Francene Stanley’s, Shattered Shells. After that it will be Debauchery by Bernard Foong and then I plan to do another proofread of G.L Morgan’s Cauldron Bearer for one of the members of my writing group. Her book hasn’t been picked up yet but it is very good and should be! Did you hear that agents and publishers. JJ
What is in your to-read pile? On standby I have, Cold As Ice by Ann Stuart and In Like Flynn by Rhys Bowen.
What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress? Today I’m being featured on Books & Pearls. You can enter the rafflecopter there. You can also check out my interview on Out of Control Characters. All stops are listed and linked on the media page of my website www.rachaelstapleton.com. Don’t forget to enter my Rafflecopter to win a free copy of the first book in the Temple of Indra Series.
#kickassauthorinterview #authorinterview #interview #books #librarians #librarianmeme #librariansinfiction #Rafflecopter #TempleofIndra #CreativelyGreenWriteatHomeMom #BewitchingBookTours #fiction #mystery #timetravelromance
This makes us wonder do you think special powers like time travel, mind reading, and telekinesis are a gift or a curse and if you could choose one which would it be. If I could choose one, it would most likely be time travel because much like Sophia I adore history. However, I can see the potentials danger involved. I would be nervous and reluctant to use such a power in real life—at least the first time—temptation would eventually win out. I think an even cooler power might be teleportation. Lunch in Paris? A play in New York? I love to travel and a gift like that would allow me to whisk myself off to a deserted Island for a much needed tan or hit up Japan for some fresh sashimi. No airports, no line ups. Now there’s a gift I could get used to.Do you prefer e-books or paperbacks? I read mostly on an ereader right now because I have children. The youngest being two—so I really only get the time to read in bed right before I crash. It’s actually my sleeping prescription. Take 10 pages and call me in the morning, otherwise I would probably lay awake like every other female in the country with an overactive brain. What is your favourite thing about your ereader? When I finish a book, I can get another with the push of a button. Especially if it’s a series or an author I’m enjoying. Do you think e-books have overtaken paperbacks? Right now I’d say it’s fairly even although we’ll see in a month when I get my most recent statement. I think some people are reluctant to let go of paperbacks. As a society, we spend so much time connected, looking at screens. Sometimes we all just want an isolated experience without the feeling of distraction. What would your readers be surprised to learn about you? I think most people would be shocked to discover that I wanted to be a librarian at one time. Blame it on Ghostbusters, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or maybe even The Mummy for making the life of the librarian look so exciting. But truthfully, if my writing career hadn’t panned out then you can bet that’s where I would have went next. The few people I told laughed at me—not that working in a library is a joke—but I guess in there mind I wasn’t the stereotypical prim and proper spinster-in-the-making. Or maybe it was unfathomable that I would want to willingly navigate the dewy decimal system. Whatever it was, it was apparently hard to believe. That’s part of the reason why Sophia and Leslie are adventurous, sexual and quirky librarians. Of course it’s convenient to the plot that Sophia be a well-read individual who would have access and be knowledgeable when it came to history and ancient curses but I also just wanted to give the world some kick-ass librarians. Mission complete!
At times throughout your series, you write through the eyes of a killer. What is that like?You know I’ve actually had this discussion with my writers group. Whether you’re writing a serial killer, a demon, an army of zombies or simply a bully, why is it so much fun to write from the villain’s perspective? Well I guess because sometimes it’s good to be bad. Villains are not boxed in or weighed down with pesky things like morals and values, the way the protagonist is, at least not usually. Rules—what are those? The law—why would I obey that? I feel as though there is a freedom to color outside of the lines. It’s the same reason I like writing fantasy—it’s a chance to experiment and get a little crazy. Although I will admit at times, being in the bad guys head can get downright creepy and I have had to research disturbing things like which knife would sufficiently gut a person—yeah true story. I once tried to write a scene late at night and I was hearing noises within 10 minutes which is why I now write during the day especially when I’m in the mind of my stalker.
What are you calling the next book in the series? Any details you can share?The Keeper of the Book—it’s unique from the first two novels in the series because part of it is written from the perspective of Sophia’s Sixteen year old daughter Alanna who is crushed when her mother dies in a séance gone wrong. After three months of living with Cullen and her mother's best-friend Leslie, she begins to suspect that they're keeping a secret from her. The search for the truth becomes a dubious adventure, taking Alanna from curious libraries to the castles of Eastern Europe as she trails after her father in the hopes that her mother might still be alive. One question always lingering, if they find her, can they rescue her from the past?
What book are you reading now? I’m in the midst of doing some reviewing. I just finished S.C Alban’s book, A Life without Living and I’m about to get into Francene Stanley’s, Shattered Shells. After that it will be Debauchery by Bernard Foong and then I plan to do another proofread of G.L Morgan’s Cauldron Bearer for one of the members of my writing group. Her book hasn’t been picked up yet but it is very good and should be! Did you hear that agents and publishers. JJ
What is in your to-read pile? On standby I have, Cold As Ice by Ann Stuart and In Like Flynn by Rhys Bowen.
What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress? Today I’m being featured on Books & Pearls. You can enter the rafflecopter there. You can also check out my interview on Out of Control Characters. All stops are listed and linked on the media page of my website www.rachaelstapleton.com. Don’t forget to enter my Rafflecopter to win a free copy of the first book in the Temple of Indra Series.
#kickassauthorinterview #authorinterview #interview #books #librarians #librarianmeme #librariansinfiction #Rafflecopter #TempleofIndra #CreativelyGreenWriteatHomeMom #BewitchingBookTours #fiction #mystery #timetravelromance
February 16, 2015
Celebrating Friday the 13th with 13 Questions from Karen: Portals to New Worlds
Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire Book Blog Tour Stop Feb 13th
Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I wrote a lot of stories in creative writing class when I was a kid, a lot of poetry to release the angst as a pre-teen and I even had my own column in the local town paper as a sixteen year old but I was never thought of it as a career. I focused most of my creative energy on drawing, painting and acting when I wasn’t reading of course. I was the lead in a local play as a young adult and I set my focus to making it as an actress. Of course I did always say I was going to write an exciting biography after I retired from Hollywood. Boy has that ship sailed.
When the College auditions brought out a side of stage fright that I’d never experienced, I decided acting wasn’t for me and went to school for advertising which lead me to a career in technology and media sales. Something I did not find emotionally fulfilling but that I made a decent living at. I still read fiction every day, and when I got pregnant with my son, I decided to put my maternity leave to good use. So I wrote my first novel, The Temple of Indra’s Jewel.
The strange thing is, I never did anything with it—I didn’t know any other writers and so I had no idea how to get published. I went back to my career in sales, and it wasn’t until I attended the Ontario Writers Conference on a lark that I met and connected with fellow writer Marissa Campbell (upcoming book release) who invited me to attend Connie Sparacino’s writers group. It was there that I met the B7 ladies, A.B Funkhauser (upcoming book release), Yvonne Hess, Susan Croft and Ann Dulhanty who became my avid supporters providing insightful feedback and instrumental advice.
How long did it take to get published?
I’m the first to admit that patience is not one of my virtues so thankfully my time was mercifully brief compared to most—that is partly because I’m a person who believes in making their own fate. I took the bull by the horns and I self-published my first book. If I could do it over, would I? No, I wouldn’t do it the same way. I mean I didn’t even try to get picked up before publishing Temple. Like I said, I was very innocent of how the publishing industry worked. That being said, one never knows what could have been. Life is a series of stepping stones, so perhaps self-publishing my first book is why my second book got picked up. Many publishers now look at someone who has self-published as someone who is willing to dig in and help market. Or maybe it was why my second book got turned down by the agents that requested full manuscripts from me. There were quite a few interested, unfortunately for me at the time, I was told traditional publishers weren’t keen on a sequel to a self-published novel.
The one advantage to shopping the second novel was the invaluable feedback I received and so I must give a shout out to the acquisitions editor Jen Corkill at Divitir Publishing. She was interested in my manuscript and made suggestions, encouraging me to re-submit. In the end her suggestions clicked with me and the result was a new opening. It wasn’t too long after that I received the contract offer from Solstice Publishing. They contacted me only days after I submitted the revamped manuscript which had been the result of a #Pitmad contest request—God Bless Twitter and Brenda Drake for jumpstarting my career.
Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it? No. Thankfully I have been writing full time for a year now and I love it. I do have little ones at home but my mother-in-law graciously babysits a few days a week allowing me to get some work done.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 30 words what would you say? Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire is about a time-traveling woman whose destiny to be murdered by someone close to her in every life pits her against an obsessed killer.
Who is your publisher? Solstice Publishing—one of the fastest growing mid-market publishers in the USA. They are a wonderfully supportive network of professionals and I am so grateful to them.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it? Isn’t that just the magical question—I’ll let you know when I actually get into a routine of putting out books. So far I’ve published two novels, one short story and I’ve half written at least two other novels and they’ve all overlapped so at this time I have no idea what my timeframe truly is.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre? The Temple of Indra is a trilogy, so there is one more book in this time travel mystery adventure series coming out. I know, it’s really everything but the kitchen sink. After that I plan to spread my wings and try a few different genres although I suspect my heart belongs to mystery. I’m already half done a nice light murder mystery I classify as a beach read. I’d like to write a YA adventure as well as a mainstream thriller and maybe try my hand at a cozy mystery too. Why choose just one smartie when you can taste them all, right?
What genre would you place your series into? Well I’ve managed to stay on the Amazon Bestsellers List for a week now in the Time Travel Romance category so I’m thinking I belong there although my book does have a reincarnation twist. I personally feel like Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire, is more of a mystery/thriller but the first book, The Temple of Indra’s Jewel was definitely romance adventure so it’s very hard to categorize it as a series. Which is why I’ve nicknamed my genre for it, the kitchen sink.
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books? I think so, unless there are more lurking in the internetosphere that I’m unaware of. So far, I’m been very pleased with all of the reviews received on Amazon, Goodreads and some sent to me personally which I’ve pasted to my website.
Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback? Ebook because the only time I have to read is right before I pass out and that is best done in bed in the surrounding darkness. It is my little piece of heaven that I look forward to EVERYDAY! Don’t get me wrong I still love physicals books but the lamp keeps my hubby up. Libraries are still my favorite place to chill.
Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer? How about favorite book to television series. Hello BBC and Diana Gabbaldon’s Outlander. Can it please be April already?
Your favorite food is? Well hell, why don’t we just go with a full favourite cheat meal: salmon sashimi, spicy hummas with suicide sauce, a nice glass or two of Wallaroo shiraz and peanut butter cups. I feel like we’ve just gotten into our jammies and braided each other’s hair.
Your favorite color is? Animal Print. That’s a color right? J
Once again thank you for the interview.
Karen Swart - Portals to new worlds
Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I wrote a lot of stories in creative writing class when I was a kid, a lot of poetry to release the angst as a pre-teen and I even had my own column in the local town paper as a sixteen year old but I was never thought of it as a career. I focused most of my creative energy on drawing, painting and acting when I wasn’t reading of course. I was the lead in a local play as a young adult and I set my focus to making it as an actress. Of course I did always say I was going to write an exciting biography after I retired from Hollywood. Boy has that ship sailed.
When the College auditions brought out a side of stage fright that I’d never experienced, I decided acting wasn’t for me and went to school for advertising which lead me to a career in technology and media sales. Something I did not find emotionally fulfilling but that I made a decent living at. I still read fiction every day, and when I got pregnant with my son, I decided to put my maternity leave to good use. So I wrote my first novel, The Temple of Indra’s Jewel.
The strange thing is, I never did anything with it—I didn’t know any other writers and so I had no idea how to get published. I went back to my career in sales, and it wasn’t until I attended the Ontario Writers Conference on a lark that I met and connected with fellow writer Marissa Campbell (upcoming book release) who invited me to attend Connie Sparacino’s writers group. It was there that I met the B7 ladies, A.B Funkhauser (upcoming book release), Yvonne Hess, Susan Croft and Ann Dulhanty who became my avid supporters providing insightful feedback and instrumental advice.
How long did it take to get published?
I’m the first to admit that patience is not one of my virtues so thankfully my time was mercifully brief compared to most—that is partly because I’m a person who believes in making their own fate. I took the bull by the horns and I self-published my first book. If I could do it over, would I? No, I wouldn’t do it the same way. I mean I didn’t even try to get picked up before publishing Temple. Like I said, I was very innocent of how the publishing industry worked. That being said, one never knows what could have been. Life is a series of stepping stones, so perhaps self-publishing my first book is why my second book got picked up. Many publishers now look at someone who has self-published as someone who is willing to dig in and help market. Or maybe it was why my second book got turned down by the agents that requested full manuscripts from me. There were quite a few interested, unfortunately for me at the time, I was told traditional publishers weren’t keen on a sequel to a self-published novel.
The one advantage to shopping the second novel was the invaluable feedback I received and so I must give a shout out to the acquisitions editor Jen Corkill at Divitir Publishing. She was interested in my manuscript and made suggestions, encouraging me to re-submit. In the end her suggestions clicked with me and the result was a new opening. It wasn’t too long after that I received the contract offer from Solstice Publishing. They contacted me only days after I submitted the revamped manuscript which had been the result of a #Pitmad contest request—God Bless Twitter and Brenda Drake for jumpstarting my career.
Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it? No. Thankfully I have been writing full time for a year now and I love it. I do have little ones at home but my mother-in-law graciously babysits a few days a week allowing me to get some work done.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 30 words what would you say? Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire is about a time-traveling woman whose destiny to be murdered by someone close to her in every life pits her against an obsessed killer.
Who is your publisher? Solstice Publishing—one of the fastest growing mid-market publishers in the USA. They are a wonderfully supportive network of professionals and I am so grateful to them.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it? Isn’t that just the magical question—I’ll let you know when I actually get into a routine of putting out books. So far I’ve published two novels, one short story and I’ve half written at least two other novels and they’ve all overlapped so at this time I have no idea what my timeframe truly is.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre? The Temple of Indra is a trilogy, so there is one more book in this time travel mystery adventure series coming out. I know, it’s really everything but the kitchen sink. After that I plan to spread my wings and try a few different genres although I suspect my heart belongs to mystery. I’m already half done a nice light murder mystery I classify as a beach read. I’d like to write a YA adventure as well as a mainstream thriller and maybe try my hand at a cozy mystery too. Why choose just one smartie when you can taste them all, right?
What genre would you place your series into? Well I’ve managed to stay on the Amazon Bestsellers List for a week now in the Time Travel Romance category so I’m thinking I belong there although my book does have a reincarnation twist. I personally feel like Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire, is more of a mystery/thriller but the first book, The Temple of Indra’s Jewel was definitely romance adventure so it’s very hard to categorize it as a series. Which is why I’ve nicknamed my genre for it, the kitchen sink.
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books? I think so, unless there are more lurking in the internetosphere that I’m unaware of. So far, I’m been very pleased with all of the reviews received on Amazon, Goodreads and some sent to me personally which I’ve pasted to my website.
Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback? Ebook because the only time I have to read is right before I pass out and that is best done in bed in the surrounding darkness. It is my little piece of heaven that I look forward to EVERYDAY! Don’t get me wrong I still love physicals books but the lamp keeps my hubby up. Libraries are still my favorite place to chill.
Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer? How about favorite book to television series. Hello BBC and Diana Gabbaldon’s Outlander. Can it please be April already?
Your favorite food is? Well hell, why don’t we just go with a full favourite cheat meal: salmon sashimi, spicy hummas with suicide sauce, a nice glass or two of Wallaroo shiraz and peanut butter cups. I feel like we’ve just gotten into our jammies and braided each other’s hair.
Your favorite color is? Animal Print. That’s a color right? J
Once again thank you for the interview.
Karen Swart - Portals to new worlds
February 13, 2015
A Review of S.C Alban's A Life Without Living: Might As Well Face It, I'm Addicted to this Gypsy Love Affair
I must admit based on the cover and description, I thought this book was going to be chick lit, even after reading the first chapter--but everything is not as it seems in A LIFE WITHOUT LIVING. Readers with a love for the fantastical much like my own books will be pleasantly surprised. This paranormal mystery includes just the right amount of romance--perfect for Valentine's Day--enough to make the reader root for the cursed lovers, but not too much as to distract from the overall plot.
Reincarnation, gypsies, a love affair that dates back over 400 years and a twisted obsessed husband a midst it all, hunting his object of prey without her knowledge--this brilliant novel has it all. Not to mention, it offers up a whole new twist on reincarnation--cursing one love to eternal life while the other reincarnates endlessly. The characters, the magic, the past life back-story, everything clicked perfectly. The pages flew by as I read, utterly entranced by the easy tone of the novel.
Katarina and Gio as the main characters were wonderful, although I found myself mostly drawn to Gio's chapters, an oddity because I normally dislike being in a man's POV. And then there is Willem, one of the Strega Onesto, charged with assisting Gio on his mission to reunite with his lost love--he had a fun little side story happening with Claire and I really grew to care about the subplot as well as the plot--a rare occurrence indeed.
The only thing that hurt was the ending but thankfully there is a second book in the series. Aside from that, S.C Alban has done a beautiful job here and I am on the edge of my seat waiting to see what's happens to this twisted trio.
#bookreview #reincarnation #scalban #gypsy #fiction #bookbuzz #bookboost #solsticepublishing
Rachael Stapleton
Author of The Temple of Indra's Jewel & Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire
February 9, 2015
Cursed by the All Star Cast
Tour Stop: Feb 5th Interview from the blissful blog of Susanne mathews Sophia can feel the magic in the air when her strapping Irish boyfriend proposes or is that just the ring—made from the very sapphire that cursed her. Sometimes love is a dangerous thing.
While writing Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire, I often got asked about a certain burning question; that question being “Who would you include in the all-star cast if your work was in fact made into a movie?” Most people think it’s an extremely fun activity to sit down and match up characters. I found it tedious and rather difficult. Who could play these characters I’d spent so much time of my time conjuring. Well here it is, the all-star cast for the movie version of Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire. In the role of Ms. Sophia Marcil, herself, I would indeed cast the beautiful and always endearing, Minka Kelly. With a pair of blue contacts and some freckles, she’d do nicely.
Leslie was tough to cast because she is modeled after my girlfriend so I already have a specific image of her but Isla Fisher was a close second. She is petite and curvy and just enough of a quirky free spirit to bring the spontaneous best friend of Sophia to life.
As the Irish heartthrob Cullen, I would most certainly cast handsome and talented Australian actor Alex O'Loughlin. He would need some red highlights, fiery green contacts and an Irish accent, but my goodness, isn’t that just the most perfect nose.
Cullen’s rugged and mysterious brother Liam was a little trickier, I definitely see him as Collin Ferrell but I thought that might be the obvious choice so what about Justin Theroux? His role in Charlie’s Angels was definitely bad boy sexy and we know he can do an Irish accent.
As Penelope, the busty, flirtatious, blonde travel writer, I would without a doubt cast the buxom seductress of the moment Kate Upton.
And who else but dark and dashing Jesse Metcalfe to play spoiled arrogant playboy extraordinaire, Nick Bexx Jr.
That just leaves Nick’s celebrity rich bitch girlfriend. So how about Margot Robbie—not that she’s anything like the character, but she has the looks and the acting chops to pull it off.
And that, my friends, rounds out the perfect star-studded cast for my novel Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire. Now I just need to hear from Hollywood.
Website: www.rachaelstapleton.com
Blog: www.rachaelstapleton.blogspot.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaquelleJaxson
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7271862.Rachael_Stapleton
What’s up next for you?
Blog Tour Stops are listed on the media page of my website www.rachaelstapleton.com. There will be a rafflecopter contest running from February 9th to 23rd for prizes. Hit the tour stops along the way to win.
While writing Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire, I often got asked about a certain burning question; that question being “Who would you include in the all-star cast if your work was in fact made into a movie?” Most people think it’s an extremely fun activity to sit down and match up characters. I found it tedious and rather difficult. Who could play these characters I’d spent so much time of my time conjuring. Well here it is, the all-star cast for the movie version of Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire. In the role of Ms. Sophia Marcil, herself, I would indeed cast the beautiful and always endearing, Minka Kelly. With a pair of blue contacts and some freckles, she’d do nicely.Leslie was tough to cast because she is modeled after my girlfriend so I already have a specific image of her but Isla Fisher was a close second. She is petite and curvy and just enough of a quirky free spirit to bring the spontaneous best friend of Sophia to life.
As the Irish heartthrob Cullen, I would most certainly cast handsome and talented Australian actor Alex O'Loughlin. He would need some red highlights, fiery green contacts and an Irish accent, but my goodness, isn’t that just the most perfect nose.
Cullen’s rugged and mysterious brother Liam was a little trickier, I definitely see him as Collin Ferrell but I thought that might be the obvious choice so what about Justin Theroux? His role in Charlie’s Angels was definitely bad boy sexy and we know he can do an Irish accent.
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As Penelope, the busty, flirtatious, blonde travel writer, I would without a doubt cast the buxom seductress of the moment Kate Upton.
And who else but dark and dashing Jesse Metcalfe to play spoiled arrogant playboy extraordinaire, Nick Bexx Jr.
That just leaves Nick’s celebrity rich bitch girlfriend. So how about Margot Robbie—not that she’s anything like the character, but she has the looks and the acting chops to pull it off.And that, my friends, rounds out the perfect star-studded cast for my novel Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire. Now I just need to hear from Hollywood.
Website: www.rachaelstapleton.com
Blog: www.rachaelstapleton.blogspot.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaquelleJaxson
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7271862.Rachael_Stapleton
What’s up next for you?
Blog Tour Stops are listed on the media page of my website www.rachaelstapleton.com. There will be a rafflecopter contest running from February 9th to 23rd for prizes. Hit the tour stops along the way to win.
February 8, 2015
Book Releases, Bestsellers & Breaking into the Business with Author Rachael Stapleton
Blog Stop: Friday's Interview from Beyond The Skyline with Brody Lane Gregg
Tell us about your book, Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire. This is the second book of a series. What is the series about?
Correct. Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire is book two of the TEMPLE OF INDRA SERIES which centers around Sophia Marcil, a young librarian who inherits a sapphire from her Great Grandmother and is bestowed with the gift of time travel only to discover it’s a curse and she is now the object of a madman’s obsession. In the second book, she’s returned from the harrowing yet wondrous journey into her past life—that of Princess Sapphira of Monaco with the regret that she was unable to protect her past self. She’s keeping a low profile, living in a cottage outside of Dublin but she knows the man obsessed with her cursed gem is also out there somewhere. And really it’s only a matter of time before she realizes just how close—when Cullen proposes with the very sapphire that’s cursed her. As soon as it touches her skin, she feels herself being wrenched back in time.
That sounds intriguing. Oh and Congratulations on making the Amazon Bestsellers List.
Thank you! Yes. I was pretty excited. It hit around #38 on Tuesday when it released and then flew to #8 yesterday on the Kindle list. I was on two different lists in the Time travel Romance category. Last time I checked it had dropped to #62 but that’s the nature of the beast. I’m just happy to have been in the top 100 at all. www.amazon.ca/gp/bestsellers/digital-...
What is some advice you would give new authors trying to break into the publishing world?
Well the first thing I’d suggest is that your heart be one-hundred percent invested. If nothing else makes you happier than honing that perfect sentence or creating that imaginary world then you’re on the right track. Writing is an investment. Just like no one becomes an athlete overnight, no one becomes a bestselling author overnight. It takes practice and determination. I’m not rolling in cash YET but I see everything I’m doing as an investment in a long term career. The same way a doctor goes to school and does rotations for most of his young life, I write for peanuts because it’s improving my skill level, it’s flexing my brain muscle and I’m growing a fan base. Everyone wants an agent and wants to be mainstream but the odds of getting there right off the bat are fluky at best. Rejection is inevitably a large part of the process, so you have to be doing it for you, not for “them.” I personally don’t see the value in banging my head against a wall solely querying agents. Don’t get me wrong, I want to be mainstream and I did query agents but I also queried small presses and entered pitch contests which is how I got published. Eventually I WILL be a household name but life is a journey and this is just part of it. Enjoy the ride! And finally, if you can, join a writer’s group or organization. It can be a lonely climb at times, and creating a community can make all the difference when drowning in rejection letters! It’s also nice to have people to pop champagne with when the good news rolls in. I’m part of the B7 writers group as well as the WCDR and I wouldn’t be here without them.
Well now that all of the heavy questions are out of the way, let’s lighten things up. Of all of the Gilligan's Island characters, who are you most like and tell us why:
Funny you should ask that because I just took a Facebook quiz. (What else would I do when I’m trying to avoid writing content for my book marketing tour. :o LOL!) It turns out I’m Ginger, the movie star! Truthfully I’m probably equal parts Mary-Ann but Ginger was my fave. Who doesn’t love a good seductress?
Can you fake any accents?
G'day, mate. What do you say we get together later and throw a few shrimp on the barbie. (Channeling Dumb & Dumber) Not bad huh? Okay no. That would be a no. I have researched many other languages though for my series. Cullen and his family are Irish and Monaco Palace from the first book was a bit of a melting pot. I love accents especially brogue but I only write them.
What else have you written?
Of course there is the first book in the series THE TEMPLE OF INDRA’S JEWEL which is available on Amazon. Aside from that, I have a short story—a prequel to how Sophia and Cullen really met—DINNER IN THE DARK being published in a Solstice Publishing Valentine’s Day Anthology. It comes out next week! There’s even a recipe for Dill Pickle soup in it. Yum! What’s up next for you? I’m taking the weekend off to sip hot chocolate and play in the snow with my kids. I’ll be back at it bright and early Monday morning—answering all of your questions on Penny’s Tales. www.pennyestelle.blogspot.ca. There will also be a review of my book Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock www.pratr.wordpress.com. The tour will run until the 23rd. All stops are listed and linked on the media page of my website www.rachaelstapleton.com The rafflecopter contest begins Monday on the Paranormal Blog. Hit the tour stops along the way to win 1 of 10 prizes.
Can we get a little teaser from the book?
Sure. I’ll give you something that I haven’t shared before—a scene from chapter seventeen involving Sophia and her best-friend Leslie. This was one of my editor’s favourites because she loves the duo’s dynamics.
Lightning lit the sky, revealing the outline of tree limbs through the kitchen window. It was followed so closely by a crack of thunder, which shook the house, that I thought the storm must be directly overhead. Leslie cleaned off her plate and placed it in the dishwasher. “Wow, it’s getting bad out there.” My stomach tightened. Another thunderclap rattled the house as if on cue and I shivered. “Was it supposed to rain?” Leslie smiled. “This is Dublin—it always rains, although when I lived here there wasn’t a lot of thunder. Let’s go watch the movie. I’ll protect you.” “Yeah, you’d put the fear of God into a burglar.” I laughed, draining my wineglass for emphasis while staring at her petite five-foot frame. “Hey! I’m tough! Although I do plan to be pretty inebriated tonight, so scratch that. You’re on your own, sister.” I rolled my eyes and grinned. “Why did I let you talk me into a supernatural thriller?” “It’s not that scary. I promise.” “Yeah, well, now with the storm, it will be.” “It’s just a little rain.” “I know—I’m just jumpy ’cause of the Betty thing.” Leslie’s eyes were shining. “You mean the fact that the poor woman was killed by your ex who is now stalking you?” “Honestly, Leslie, you’re not helping.” “What? I’m just trying to make you laugh. Where’s your sense of humor tonight?” “It’s gone…much like Betty.” “There you go,” she said, laughing. I grabbed the bottle off the counter and double-checked the bolt on the door as I followed her into Cullen’s living room. A huge fireplace took up most of one wall. Cullen’s house was small but cozy. Once upon a time, it had been his family’s cottage. Most of the properties the O’Kelley family owned had been passed down through the generations. My eyes focused on Leslie as she sat on the couch and pulled a book from her purse. “If you don’t want to watch the movie, we could always use this?” She held it in front of her with both hands. “Oh, you brought the book, that’s right. I need to put it in some sort of safe.” “Why don’t you try using it—using the magic?” “No way.” “Come on, Sophia, it’s not like you to pass on a challenge. Throw yourself into it. Read through it at least, and see if there’s anything that can help you.” “Last time I looked in it, I wound up with killer nightmares and I mean that quite literally. I dreamt about the crimes that my uncle Velte committed and, unfortunately, at times from his sick and twisted perspective. And I do not ever want to go back inside that pycho’s head.” “That sucks. But what if there was a different spell that could help.” She gave me a look that oozed guilt. “Don’t be mad, but I had a look through it on my way here, and there’s a way to contact Rochus.” “Leslie, what were you thinking?” I snapped, grabbing it out of her arms and setting it down. Her face was guarded and careful. “What? Nothing happened.” “Lucky for you. Who knows what happens when that book is opened? You could have wound up cursed like me.” “Why do you see this as a curse, Sophia?” she asked softly. “I don’t know. Wouldn’t you?” “No. You’re living every librarian’s dream. Experiencing the past when the rest of us can only read about it.” “Yes, but as you so lovingly reminded me, Nick is trying to kill me.”
Tell us about your book, Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire. This is the second book of a series. What is the series about?
Correct. Curse of the Purple Delhi Sapphire is book two of the TEMPLE OF INDRA SERIES which centers around Sophia Marcil, a young librarian who inherits a sapphire from her Great Grandmother and is bestowed with the gift of time travel only to discover it’s a curse and she is now the object of a madman’s obsession. In the second book, she’s returned from the harrowing yet wondrous journey into her past life—that of Princess Sapphira of Monaco with the regret that she was unable to protect her past self. She’s keeping a low profile, living in a cottage outside of Dublin but she knows the man obsessed with her cursed gem is also out there somewhere. And really it’s only a matter of time before she realizes just how close—when Cullen proposes with the very sapphire that’s cursed her. As soon as it touches her skin, she feels herself being wrenched back in time.
That sounds intriguing. Oh and Congratulations on making the Amazon Bestsellers List.
Thank you! Yes. I was pretty excited. It hit around #38 on Tuesday when it released and then flew to #8 yesterday on the Kindle list. I was on two different lists in the Time travel Romance category. Last time I checked it had dropped to #62 but that’s the nature of the beast. I’m just happy to have been in the top 100 at all. www.amazon.ca/gp/bestsellers/digital-...
What is some advice you would give new authors trying to break into the publishing world?
Well the first thing I’d suggest is that your heart be one-hundred percent invested. If nothing else makes you happier than honing that perfect sentence or creating that imaginary world then you’re on the right track. Writing is an investment. Just like no one becomes an athlete overnight, no one becomes a bestselling author overnight. It takes practice and determination. I’m not rolling in cash YET but I see everything I’m doing as an investment in a long term career. The same way a doctor goes to school and does rotations for most of his young life, I write for peanuts because it’s improving my skill level, it’s flexing my brain muscle and I’m growing a fan base. Everyone wants an agent and wants to be mainstream but the odds of getting there right off the bat are fluky at best. Rejection is inevitably a large part of the process, so you have to be doing it for you, not for “them.” I personally don’t see the value in banging my head against a wall solely querying agents. Don’t get me wrong, I want to be mainstream and I did query agents but I also queried small presses and entered pitch contests which is how I got published. Eventually I WILL be a household name but life is a journey and this is just part of it. Enjoy the ride! And finally, if you can, join a writer’s group or organization. It can be a lonely climb at times, and creating a community can make all the difference when drowning in rejection letters! It’s also nice to have people to pop champagne with when the good news rolls in. I’m part of the B7 writers group as well as the WCDR and I wouldn’t be here without them.
Well now that all of the heavy questions are out of the way, let’s lighten things up. Of all of the Gilligan's Island characters, who are you most like and tell us why:
Funny you should ask that because I just took a Facebook quiz. (What else would I do when I’m trying to avoid writing content for my book marketing tour. :o LOL!) It turns out I’m Ginger, the movie star! Truthfully I’m probably equal parts Mary-Ann but Ginger was my fave. Who doesn’t love a good seductress?
Can you fake any accents?
G'day, mate. What do you say we get together later and throw a few shrimp on the barbie. (Channeling Dumb & Dumber) Not bad huh? Okay no. That would be a no. I have researched many other languages though for my series. Cullen and his family are Irish and Monaco Palace from the first book was a bit of a melting pot. I love accents especially brogue but I only write them.
What else have you written?
Of course there is the first book in the series THE TEMPLE OF INDRA’S JEWEL which is available on Amazon. Aside from that, I have a short story—a prequel to how Sophia and Cullen really met—DINNER IN THE DARK being published in a Solstice Publishing Valentine’s Day Anthology. It comes out next week! There’s even a recipe for Dill Pickle soup in it. Yum! What’s up next for you? I’m taking the weekend off to sip hot chocolate and play in the snow with my kids. I’ll be back at it bright and early Monday morning—answering all of your questions on Penny’s Tales. www.pennyestelle.blogspot.ca. There will also be a review of my book Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock www.pratr.wordpress.com. The tour will run until the 23rd. All stops are listed and linked on the media page of my website www.rachaelstapleton.com The rafflecopter contest begins Monday on the Paranormal Blog. Hit the tour stops along the way to win 1 of 10 prizes.
Can we get a little teaser from the book?
Sure. I’ll give you something that I haven’t shared before—a scene from chapter seventeen involving Sophia and her best-friend Leslie. This was one of my editor’s favourites because she loves the duo’s dynamics.
Lightning lit the sky, revealing the outline of tree limbs through the kitchen window. It was followed so closely by a crack of thunder, which shook the house, that I thought the storm must be directly overhead. Leslie cleaned off her plate and placed it in the dishwasher. “Wow, it’s getting bad out there.” My stomach tightened. Another thunderclap rattled the house as if on cue and I shivered. “Was it supposed to rain?” Leslie smiled. “This is Dublin—it always rains, although when I lived here there wasn’t a lot of thunder. Let’s go watch the movie. I’ll protect you.” “Yeah, you’d put the fear of God into a burglar.” I laughed, draining my wineglass for emphasis while staring at her petite five-foot frame. “Hey! I’m tough! Although I do plan to be pretty inebriated tonight, so scratch that. You’re on your own, sister.” I rolled my eyes and grinned. “Why did I let you talk me into a supernatural thriller?” “It’s not that scary. I promise.” “Yeah, well, now with the storm, it will be.” “It’s just a little rain.” “I know—I’m just jumpy ’cause of the Betty thing.” Leslie’s eyes were shining. “You mean the fact that the poor woman was killed by your ex who is now stalking you?” “Honestly, Leslie, you’re not helping.” “What? I’m just trying to make you laugh. Where’s your sense of humor tonight?” “It’s gone…much like Betty.” “There you go,” she said, laughing. I grabbed the bottle off the counter and double-checked the bolt on the door as I followed her into Cullen’s living room. A huge fireplace took up most of one wall. Cullen’s house was small but cozy. Once upon a time, it had been his family’s cottage. Most of the properties the O’Kelley family owned had been passed down through the generations. My eyes focused on Leslie as she sat on the couch and pulled a book from her purse. “If you don’t want to watch the movie, we could always use this?” She held it in front of her with both hands. “Oh, you brought the book, that’s right. I need to put it in some sort of safe.” “Why don’t you try using it—using the magic?” “No way.” “Come on, Sophia, it’s not like you to pass on a challenge. Throw yourself into it. Read through it at least, and see if there’s anything that can help you.” “Last time I looked in it, I wound up with killer nightmares and I mean that quite literally. I dreamt about the crimes that my uncle Velte committed and, unfortunately, at times from his sick and twisted perspective. And I do not ever want to go back inside that pycho’s head.” “That sucks. But what if there was a different spell that could help.” She gave me a look that oozed guilt. “Don’t be mad, but I had a look through it on my way here, and there’s a way to contact Rochus.” “Leslie, what were you thinking?” I snapped, grabbing it out of her arms and setting it down. Her face was guarded and careful. “What? Nothing happened.” “Lucky for you. Who knows what happens when that book is opened? You could have wound up cursed like me.” “Why do you see this as a curse, Sophia?” she asked softly. “I don’t know. Wouldn’t you?” “No. You’re living every librarian’s dream. Experiencing the past when the rest of us can only read about it.” “Yes, but as you so lovingly reminded me, Nick is trying to kill me.”
February 2, 2015
Spotlight On: A Night Shift Sale, by Margo Bond Collins
Who loves Vampires? From Today until February 4th Get Sanguinary for $.99 and Bound by Blood FREE from Amazon!
Join the Night Shift for a SALE!
February 2 – 4, get Sanguinary for $.99 and Bound by Blood FREE from Amazon!
Night Shift Novel 1
Only fifty years left before vampires rule the world.
When Dallas police detective Cami Davis joined the city's vampire unit, she planned to use the job as a stepping-stone to a better position in the department.
But she didn't know then what she knows now: there's a silent war raging between humans and vampires, and the vampires are winning.
So with the help of a disaffected vampire and an ex-cop addict, Cami is going undercover, determined to solve a series of recent murders, discover a way to overthrow the local Sanguinary government, and, in the process, help win the war for the human race.
But can she maintain her own humanity in the process? Or will Cami find herself, along with the rest of the world, pulled under a darkness she cannot oppose?
Only $.99, 2/1 – 2/4: http://www.amazon.com/Sanguinary-Night-Shift-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00MR5VGV8/
_____________________________________________
Night Shift #2 ~ A Novella
Sometimes the monsters in the dark are real...
As a child, Lili Banta ignored her grandmother's cryptic warnings to avoid children outside their Filipino community in Houston. When many of those other children fell ill, Lili ignored the whispers in her community that a vampiric aswang walked among them.
Years later, Lili returns to Houston to work for the Quarantine Station of the Center for Disease Control—but she is plagued by dark, bloody dreams that consume her nights and haunt her days. When a strange illness attacks the city's children, Lili is called in to find its source, and maybe even a cure.
But in order to save the city, she must first acknowledge the sinister truth: A monster stalks the night—closer than she ever expected....
FREE 2/1 – 2/4: http://www.amazon.com/Bound-Blood-Night-Shift-Novella-ebook/dp/B00PB3AIGC/
_____________________________________________
About the Author
Margo Bond Collins is the author of urban fantasy, contemporary romance, and paranormal mysteries. She has published a number of novels, including Sanguinary, Taming the Country Star, Legally Undead, Waking Up Dead, and Fairy, Texas. She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. Although writing fiction is her first love, she also teaches college-level English courses online. She enjoys reading romance and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, monsters, cowboys, and villains, and the strong women who love them—and sometimes fight them.
_____________________________________________
Connect with Margo
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins
Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net
Blog: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin @MargoBondCollin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
_____________________________________________
Join the Night Shift for a SALE!
February 2 – 4, get Sanguinary for $.99 and Bound by Blood FREE from Amazon!
Night Shift Novel 1
Only fifty years left before vampires rule the world.
When Dallas police detective Cami Davis joined the city's vampire unit, she planned to use the job as a stepping-stone to a better position in the department.
But she didn't know then what she knows now: there's a silent war raging between humans and vampires, and the vampires are winning.
So with the help of a disaffected vampire and an ex-cop addict, Cami is going undercover, determined to solve a series of recent murders, discover a way to overthrow the local Sanguinary government, and, in the process, help win the war for the human race.
But can she maintain her own humanity in the process? Or will Cami find herself, along with the rest of the world, pulled under a darkness she cannot oppose?
Only $.99, 2/1 – 2/4: http://www.amazon.com/Sanguinary-Night-Shift-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00MR5VGV8/
_____________________________________________
Night Shift #2 ~ A Novella
Sometimes the monsters in the dark are real...
As a child, Lili Banta ignored her grandmother's cryptic warnings to avoid children outside their Filipino community in Houston. When many of those other children fell ill, Lili ignored the whispers in her community that a vampiric aswang walked among them.
Years later, Lili returns to Houston to work for the Quarantine Station of the Center for Disease Control—but she is plagued by dark, bloody dreams that consume her nights and haunt her days. When a strange illness attacks the city's children, Lili is called in to find its source, and maybe even a cure.
But in order to save the city, she must first acknowledge the sinister truth: A monster stalks the night—closer than she ever expected....
FREE 2/1 – 2/4: http://www.amazon.com/Bound-Blood-Night-Shift-Novella-ebook/dp/B00PB3AIGC/
_____________________________________________
About the Author
Margo Bond Collins is the author of urban fantasy, contemporary romance, and paranormal mysteries. She has published a number of novels, including Sanguinary, Taming the Country Star, Legally Undead, Waking Up Dead, and Fairy, Texas. She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. Although writing fiction is her first love, she also teaches college-level English courses online. She enjoys reading romance and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, monsters, cowboys, and villains, and the strong women who love them—and sometimes fight them. _____________________________________________
Connect with Margo
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins
Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net
Blog: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin @MargoBondCollin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
_____________________________________________
