Kennedy Ryan's Blog, page 11

Five Questions & FIFTEEN WEEKENDS W/Christy Pastore

I’ve been so fortunate to meet some incredibly sweet and gifted writers on Twitter. I recently connected with Christy Pastore, and was instantly fascinated by the breadth of her story FIFTEEN WEEKENDS, which interweaves the lives and loves of three women. If early feedback is any indication, this book promises to be a richly-detailed, sexy tale that we won’t be able to get enough of. I thought it only right that you learn more from Christy herself, so she submitted to my nosiness and answered a few questions about herself and her story!

 

 1. Tell us a little about your life. What were you doing with yourself before you decided to publish?

Writing has been a constant in my life. It led me to create a fashion blog, Fashion Wrap Up, which was my full-time career along with running a boutique marketing and media company until I decided to become a full-time writer. I helped fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands with their marketing and branding. I worked on the sets of photo shoots helping to create the themes or just assist with production. Ultimately, a move to Saint Louis was the reason I decided to publish. Feeling a little burned out from the corporate grind, I just wasn’t having fun any longer, and I told myself when it stops being enjoyable it’s time to move on to other passions, goals and dreams. I still love to blog, and I do every so often, but I no longer work on a daily basis with clients. I have been writing full-time for nearly a year now. I love it because every day is different and exciting! My husband Kevin and I have been married over 11 years. Last September we took a trip to Europe to celebrate. We love to travel, going to other places discovering delicious foods and drinks, not to mention taking in the beauty and appreciation of other cultures is awe inspiring.

 

2. Share 2 great influences in your life (non-writing related) and 2 writing-related influences.

Life influences, Aspire Seek Attain is the motto of my sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha. It holds a special place with me for many reasons. The lessons I learned as an undergraduate and now as an Alumnae are never far from serving a purpose in everything I do in my daily life. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler said once, “Bitches Get Stuff Done.” The quote is funny in its own right, and it was said on an episode of SNL during Weekend Update years ago. The context was that women who are seen as demanding, successful or powerful are often seen as “bitches,”  but they get the job done and make stuff happen.  I personally admire these two women— they are both strong, confident and very funny.  Many Tina and Amy quotes are on my Pinterest Board.

Writing related influences, I would have to say besides fashion, I am heavily influenced by music. I created a playlist for Fifteen Weekends, it includes songs that remind me of certain characters and the way I felt when writing certain scenes. For instance Michael Buble’s “Foggy London Town” reminds me of Liam and Ashleigh. The song “Pacific Coast Highway” by Smash Mouth kept creeping in my thoughts as I wrote a scene where Ethan and Emily drove through wine country in California.

I wish I could say that I had some romantic or sweet influence where my writing is concerned, perhaps like my grandmother gave me my first journal and I began penning my thoughts, however for me writing was just something that came naturally. When I was younger and had finished a book, I’d just start writing short stories to keep myself entertained. I had stacks and stacks of notebooks with short stories.

 

3. Fashion seems to play a vital role in your life. Talk about its place in your stories. How it influences your writing?

I am obsessed with red carpet celebrity fashion, always have been. Red carpet events like the Golden Globes and the Oscars are my Super Bowl. When I was younger and my YM or Seventeen magazines would arrive in the mail, it was like Christmas and my birthday all in one. I couldn’t wait to see what the latest fashion fads or must have items were. I think what a person wears or how they accessorize says a lot about them. For my writing, it’s just one more added detail to give the characters life—making them possibly relatable and definitely colorful.

 

4. What in culture (music, books, film, TV, planking – LOL) has you riveted right now, if anything? Or at least really interested?

Wow! Well I am interested in and riveted by many things right now, where to begin? I was really into the elections that just took place in India. Counting all those votes must have been exhausting. I’m addicted to Pinterest. I can waste hours on there and sometimes I do. I love soap operas, and I have watched The Young and the Restless since the late 80’s, I scheduled my classes in college around Y&R. I cannot miss an episode of Scandal, Revenge or Game of Thrones because I cannot see spoilers on Social Media the next day.

 

5. Looking at the books out there right now, what distinguishes yours? What makes it unique?

Several things come to mind, however I think the biggest thing that sets Fifteen Weekends apart from other books in the romance genre is the fact that the reader will feel like they get three stories in one. I also managed to work a few genres into the story coupling drama, humor, suspense, mystery and romance into one book which you don’t see a lot of in Contemporary Romance. From the early reader reviews and feedback, I’ve been told that Fifteen Weekends is rich with detail, from the description of fashions to places and spaces. One common theme that readers seem to note, is that my three leading ladies are self-assured and confident, as opposed to self-loathing, whiny and weak heroines. I guess, there are a lot of books out there with that common trait in leading ladies, and it apparently is annoying or run its course with readers.

You should be intrigued by now, people, and hungry for sneak previews of this luscious read. I came prepared! Go HERE for teasers and to peer into the gorgeous world Christy has created!

 

Find and follow Christy! You’ll be glad you did.

 

 

 

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Goodreads

Instagram

Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Fundraiser for Mental Health Awarness Month!

 

The awesome bloggers and new friends over at Shh Moms Reading participated in my Autism Awareness Giveaway in April. If you’re ever personally touched by a cause, you become a passionate voice for others affected. One of the Shh Moms, Denise, knows all about that. Her brother Keith Milano suffered from mental illness, and she has  become a committed advocate for those living with mental illness and needing help. Please read below for more information on the organization established to keep his spirit alive and to help others, including a list of  authors who are participating in a fundraiser benefiting this worthy cause.  A percentage of proceeds from the sales  from May 1st – May 31st of these books will be donated to the Keith Milano Fund! Please read and support!

The Keith Milano Memorial Fund was established to help raise awareness about the devastating and deadly disease that is mental illness. Keith’s spirit and laughter is kept alive through our efforts to increase awareness about mental illness and to raise money for education and imperative research. Keith often struggled with society’s perception of mental illness.  Our hope is that by having the strength to say that Keith was “Bipolar” we can strip away the stigma and help others to be more open about their disease. www.keithmilano.org

The Keith Milano Memorial Fund benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).  www.afsp.org

AFSP is the only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those affected by suicide.

AFSP is a fully accredited 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization incorporated in the state of Delaware with primary offices in New York City. Federal tax ID # is 13-3393329. AFSP’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) number is 10545. All donations to AFSP are tax deductible.

Authors
Book(s)


A Meredith Walters
Reclaiming the Sand


Alison Bailey
Past Imperfect


Amy Harmon
Making Faces


Amy Lane
Truth in the Dark


Ann Lister
Rock Gods Series – Fall for Me, Take Want you Want, Make you Mine


Beverly Preston
No More Wasted Time


Brenda Rothert
Fire on Ice Series – Bound, Captive and Edge


Cassia Leo
Black Box


Zoey Foster
Her Love Ran Crimson


Harper Sloan
Corp Security Series – Axel, Cage, Beck and Uncaged


Kathryn Perez
Therapy


jade C Jamison
Bullet series- Bullet, Rock Bottom, Feverish, Fully Automatic and Old House


K Bromberg
Fueled (Driven Series book 2)


Katie Evans
Remy


Lainey Reese
Full Catalog – Table for Three, Damaged Goods, Innocence Defied


Lauren Blakley
Full Catalog -  Caught Up In Love Series (Caught Up in Us, Pretending He’s Mine, Trophy Husband,Playing with her Heart)

No Regrets Series (The Start of Us, The Thrill of It, Every Second With You)

Seductive Night Series (First Night, Night after Night, After this Night)

Far Too Tempting


M Leighton
All the Pretty Lies


Mia Sheridan
The Sign of Love Series  – (Leo, Leo’s Chance, Stinger, Archer’s Voice)


Nicole Edwards
Chasing Dreams, Club Destiny Series (Conviction, Temptation, Addicted,Seduction, Infatuation, Captivated, Devotion, Perception, Entrusted)


River Jaymes
The Boyfriend Mandate


Samantha Towle
Trouble


Sawyer Bennett
Make it Double (Last Call book 2)


SJD Peterson
Guards of Folsom series – Pup, Tag Team, Pony and Roped


Stacy Borel
Bender


Susan Mac Nicol
Worth Keeping and Saving Alexander


Violet Duke
Nice Girl to Love trilogy and Finding the Right Girl (Nice Guy to Love spin-off)

 

Snippet Snapshot #3 – WHEN YOU ARE MINE

I’ve been revealing flashes of WHEN YOU ARE MINE here and there. Kerris Moreton suffered things during childhood that no child ever should. Things that made her doubt love…and passion. For Kerris, passion is a myth others may believe in, but she’s certain she’ll never know. When she meets Walsh Bennett, myth becomes more than she bargained for.

 

If You’re Angry And You Know It…

If you’re angry and yo know it, clap your hands! Stomp your feet! Snap your fingers! Carve your name in your ex-boyfriend’s leather car seats! Oh, wait. Got carried away! I was joking with my friend Debi Smith, who you can find and follow on her two blogs, Hunter’s Lyonesse or Chocolate Wasteland. If you track with us, you know joking is a daily occurrence for the two of us! LOL! But we started talking about fun playlists, and pondered a POd playlist. Of course…she ran with that ball, and the playlist on the blog today was born! Enjoy!

FROM DEBI…

Music was meant express feelings. Composers have been using it for over a thousand years to elicit emotions from their audience. We see it in tribal chants, Polynesian mele (song), opera, ballet, musical theater, the music industry, and movies. I would venture that the last two are the most familiar to you. Great composers pace tension and give us beautiful highs in the movies they score. My band friends will agree that John Williams is one of the best composers alive. He took two notes and combined them in a slowly increasing tempo to build the tension as a shark fin coasted through water. We hold dear the music that makes us feel good, comforts our sadness, lets us work out our anger, and moves us to take control of our lives.

Sometimes when you’re angry you just need to ride the violent waves before paddling in to shore. We might need to do paddle out further or dive under a wave to not harm anyone or anything. But once you have it under control you can come in to the safety of sand under your feet. Then there are the times when you are writing and you need some music to get you through an argument or a fight scene. Broken hearts make for great angry music, but being tired of people and their…antics does the same, too.

As with my previous list, these are my personal preferences and listed by alphabetical order.

“F%#k You (Very Much)” – Lily Allen

So you say/It’s not okay to be gay/Well I think you’re just evil/You’re just some racist who can’t tie my laces/Your point of view is medieval/F%#k you/F%#k you very, very much/’Cause we hate what you do/And we hate your whole crew/So please don’t stay in touch

I had a hard time deciding between this song and CeeLo Green’s “Fuck You”. I chose this one because it is deceptive, like being cussed out in French by someone smiling the whole time and you don’t understand a word. You know from the title it’s a heated lyric, but when you listen to music, it’s like bubble gum. An aural juxtaposition even sweeter than “Getting Better” by The Beatles.

“Never Again” – Kelly Clarkson

I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green/I hope when you’re in bed with her you think of me/I would never wish bad things but I don’t wish you well/Could you tell by the flames that burned your words

I don’t think Kelly’s My December album got the recognition it deserved. This was an edgy album for her and she took a big risk doing it which is why I like her more knowing she can balance her artistry between “Never Again” and “Stronger”. It shows everyone, especially females, that it’s okay to be angry, strong, happy, and independent without being a bitch or having to put on a face.

“My Songs Know What You Did (Light ‘Em Up)” –  Fall Out Boy

A constellation of tears on your lashes/Burn everything you love, then burn the ashes/In the end everything collides/My childhood spat back out the monster that you see.

I fell in love with this song as soon as the video was released. It’s a head-banging, seat-dancing song that speaks of anger so deep that it leads to violence.

“I Hate Myself For Loving You” – Joan Jett

I hate myself for loving you/Can’t break free from the things that you do/I wanna walk but I run back back to you/That’s why I hate myself for loving you

Sometimes our anger is directed inward instead of at another person. Have you ever been in a relationship you knew was bad? You were treated like crap but there was something about them that kept drawing you back time and again?  Yeah. That.

“You Oughta Know” – Alanis Morissette

Did you forget about me Mr. Duplicity/I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner/It was a slap in the face how quickly I was replaced/Are you thinking of me when you fuck her?

There is nothing like Alanis’ Jagged Little Pill album. It normalized being angry for women. I can’t count how many times I put on the CD when angry just to help me work it out.

“Just A Girl” – No Doubt

Oh I’ve had it up to here/Oh am I making myself clear/I’m just a girl/I’m just a girl in the world/That’s all that you’ll let me be/I’m just a girl living in captivity/Your rule of thumb/Makes me worrisome

Are you a female and sick of the negative stereotypes about women? Tired of society trying to box us in instead of letting us out to be ourselves? Me, too. Sometimes you need sarcasm just to deal with it.

“So What” – P!nk

So, so what/I’m still a rock star/I got my rock moves/An d I don’t need you/And guess what/I’m having more fun/And now that we’re done/I’m gonna show you tonight/I’m alright/I’m just fine/And you’re a tool/So, so what/I’m a rock star/I got my rock moves/And I don’t want you tonight

P!nk does a perfect balance of in-your-face anger, heart-wrenching ballads, and empowering songs. If you’ve ever seen her “VH1 Storytellers” episode, she wrote this song about her husband before they were married while they were broken up. She performed it at the opening of his club when he asked her to help out. How much more in-your-face can you get?

“Sound of Madness” – Shinedown

I created the Sound of Madness/Wrote the book on pain/Somehow I’m still here/To explain/That the darkest hour never comes in the night/You can sleep with a gun/When you gonna wake up and fight for yourself

I loved this song from the first beat. I was on my way back to Louisville from doing a training in Georgetown, KY. Lexington has better rock stations that Louisville and I was enjoying the new rock while I was in the area. I was banging my head in the car at a stoplight thinking this is perfect when you are completely fed up with the people who continually wallow in self-pity about their circumstances, but never do anything. Yes, time with them slowly builds up the anger until you finally explode and yell at them to put up or shut up.

“The Kill” – 30 Seconds to Mars

I tried to be someone else/But nothing seemed to change/I know now this is who I really I am inside/Finally found myself/Fighting for a chance/I know now this is who I really am

It may not be quite the outright angry song as the others, but it comes from anger in a relationship that went wrong somewhere. This is me, you still want at me? Go for it.

“Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood

And he don’t know/That I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped up 4-wheel drive/Carved my name into his leather seats/I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights/Slashed a hole in all four tires/Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats

Cheating has its consequences. I’d say a name being carved into your leather seats would be the modern day equivalent of a scarlet letter.

Want this whole playlist? Here ya go! You’re welcome.

 

 

 

Here We Go A Blog Hoppin’ – Eliza Freed

This week we’re continuing the blog hop with fellow Grand Central/Forever Romance author Eliza Freed. Her debut novel Forgive Me (Lost Souls) releases July 1. She and I have chatted about her Lost Souls series, and it is fascinating, envelope-pushing, trope-bending stuff. The kind of thing I ADORE! And I cannot wait to get my grubby lil’ hands on her stuff so she can blow my mind! Wanna learn more about this emerging voice? Well, how convenient! I’m hosting her blog hop right here today. And…you’re welcome!

What are you currently writing?

I just turned in the developmental edits for Forgive Me, and I’m waiting for the copy edits to come back as I gear up for its July 1st release. I cannot wait for this book to launch! You can read more about Forgive Me, and all the books in the Lost Souls Series, on my Amazon author page.

In the meantime, I’ve been working on something new I’m calling Joe Tobias. Joe’s a goal-driven accountant at a Manhattan investment bank, and as emotionally stilted as he is hot. From clean eating and working out to climbing the corporate ladder, his only faith is in himself and the results of his hard work as he pounds away at every aspect of his life. Joe and his thoroughbred girlfriend of four years are poised to take over the world, but he doesn’t realize he’s striving for the “good life,” at the expense of his own life.

His ascent is suddenly derailed by a pot smoking, bacon eating, Catholic girl who is soft, gentle, and kind, and will literally bring him to his knees as she redefines his understanding of strength.

Joe Tobias is written from Joe’s point of view. I’ve always wanted to get into a man’s head and at 30,000 words, I can attest it’s as hilarious in there as I thought it would be. The book also pokes a little fun at corporate culture because, well because it deserves it.

 

What makes your work different?

The Lost Souls Series has an inspirational message layered within the pages of drug use, curse words, and sexually explicit situations. It’s absolutely a love story, but it’s also a tale of faith and forgiveness. To say it was a challenge to find its position in the market would be an understatement. I’m hoping readers will identify with its very real depiction of our faith and our fight. We might get to our happily ever after, but in Lost Souls it’s a hilariously ugly journey through hell along the way.

The feedback I always hear about the main character, Charlotte O’Brien, is how incredibly real she is. Charlotte plummets into some dark depths and then cracks us up on her way back to the surface. She’s unsinkable, but flailing and gasping for air some of the time.

 

Why do you write what you do?

I love New Adult because it depicts a time period in our lives that lends itself to amazing stories. If you’re lucky you have some discretionary cash in your twenties and the freedom to explore–the perfect recipe for extraordinary adventures. I’m also drawn to New Adult because it’s still evolving. I like the rulelessness of it, the innovations with formatting, point-of-view, and voice.

I write about people hurting each other because I’ve recently become fascinated with our capacity to crush one another, and enamored with our ability to forgive. I spent years studying diversity and how it impacts our interconnectedness. Now I’m curious about how we are the same. Because regardless of our differences, we all love, we all hurt, we all need. I’m a passionate student of the human condition.

What is your writing process?

I always start with a character and then I imagine what they would say. With Joe Tobias I was walking around my house and noticed I have five clocks which are either grossly off on the time, or not working at all. I thought to myself, “This is a character.” I developed Lorelei, a quirky, free-spirit, who’s also a romance novel editor. From there I thought it would be most entertaining to pair her with someone rigid and disciplined. Joe Tobias was born.

I steal every quiet moment to think, “What will Joe and Lorelei say to each other? What’s going to happen to them?” I’ve been writing a lot about forgiveness and that doesn’t appear to be changing with Joe Tobias. I’ll imagine a dozen more conversations while I’m laying out the story. I don’t work off a complete outline, but definitely a firm idea of the big moments in the story.

Next stop on the global blog hop? Robin Muse . (Yes! That is her real name!) Look for her post next Monday, April 28!

Eliza’s website     Eliza’s Twitter    Eliza’s Facebook 

 

 

 

 

Margie Lawson Geeks Speak!

I am new. Shiny and new. Green. Wet behind the ears. A neophyte to trade fiction. My background is journalism. Pubic relations, to be exact, but I had much to learn about writing fiction. I wrote a novel, and I think it was pretty good. I knew, just knew it could be better, but I wasn’t sure what was missing, or what would propel it from good to great. Maybe even to publication. A friend, a more experienced writer, mentioned that her writing had been transformed by a series of courses; a system developed by a little blond lady named Margie Lawson. I took several of her online courses and was thrilled when she offered a writer’s retreat of sorts; a four-day immersion in Atlanta. There were several things she taught me that enriched my writing. I learned, and in some cases re-learned, rhetorical devices. I paid attention to my characters’ visceral reactions, which brought new emotion and vividity to my writing. My novel will be published June 17 through Grand Central/Forever Romance. There is not one single thing that made it possible, but several. And I know, without a doubt, the principles Margie taught me and so many others, are a huge part. I am an unabashed Margie geek. And many of my friends are, too. I’ve asked some of them to share about how Margie’s process has enriched their writing. I start with the friend who first recommended Margie, and we’ll go from there!

 

“I’d taken all of Margie’s online courses and lecture packets before attending her Deep Edits Immersion workshop.  I remember that feeling of unnerving excitement when I landed in Denver.  That place where you are super excited but doubly afraid.  After four days, my writing grew exponentially.  I learned to craft my stories in a way that packed an incredible punch. That little Lawson lady is extraordinary! I always recommend our lectures and workshops to everyone.”

Alicia McCalla,

Author of Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal Love Stories in Color

Website   Twitter   Facebook   Goodreads

 

“With every one of Margie’s classes, my writing has taken a huge leap in quality. Not only has she taught me how to make every aspect of my work better, but she’s enabled me to look at my own work objectively and identify where it needs to be finessed. Margie always challenges me to bring out the very best my inner writer has to offer the readers I love, and she does it all with humor, kindness, enthusiasm, and endless patience.”

 New York Times Bestseller Joan Swan,

Phoenix Rising & Covert Affairs Series

Twitter  Facebook   Goodreads   Website

 

 

“I’m an unapologetic Margie-aholic. I’ve taken every single one of her online courses ~ some of them multiple times ~ and have been to four (or is it five? I’ve kind of lost count) Immersions. Margie has taught me more about craft than all my other instructors combined, and her methods have completely transformed my writing. And bonus! Spending time with Margie is always a big, fat blast.”

Kimberly S. Belle,

Author of The Last Breath, upcoming MIRA Release (09/30/14)

Twitter   Website   Facebook   Goodreads

 

 

 

“When I took my first Margie Lawson class, the paradigm shift I experienced was more like an earthquake — I saw everything differently. I took more of her classes. I finished the book, and dusted off my drawer-dweller in her Masters Class. I sold both books in a three-book deal to Grand Central. A few months later I got a contract for a fourth book. And I recently was contracted for three more books! I have Margie to thank for teaching me how to deep edit to get power on every page.”

Double Rita Nominee Laura Drake,

Author of The Sweet Spot, Nothing Sweeter &  Sweet on You

Twitter   Facebook   Goodreads      Website

 

 

With recommendations like these, what are you waiting for? Check out all things Margie Lawson HERE. And if you’re in Atlanta, she’s coming! She’ll be hosting an all-day workshop April 26 at our Georgia Romance Writer’s monthly meeting. Details and registration can be found HERE.

The Devil’s Contract Cover Reveal – Claire Contreras!

 

You may have heard me rave about one of my favorite authors Claire Contreras. I loved her Darkness series and her novel Catch Me. You need them in  your life. Trust. I am so pleased to be a part of her cover reveal today! Sultry, huh? And an excerpt just to taunt and tempt us until the full story is revealed.

Title: THE DEVIL’S CONTRACT

Author: Claire Contreras

Age group: Adult

Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance

Cover Design: Najla Qamber

Synopsis:

He gave them a choice.

She took it.

He made her promise two years.

She should have known there was a catch.

Goodreads

Excerpt

As Amara stepped out of the car, a shiver ran through her. She felt eyes on her, and looked around quickly as she held on to Colin’s hand a little harder.

“You okay?” he asked, looking down. He placed one hand on the small of her back as he held her other one.

“Yeah…” she said slowly, still scanning the street.

The neighborhood his apartment building was in was definitely safe, but in that moment she felt anything but.

“You’re overworking yourself. I don’t understand why you won’t let me—” Colin went on about that, as he usually did, but Amara was too distracted to argue with him.

Her eyes wandered to the building beside them, where she saw a group of people in dress clothes getting into a limousine, and that’s when she saw him. Philip. Amara’s heart lurched to her throat so quickly, she thought she was going to faint. She saw him around all the time, and he was always watching, always waiting. Amara always wondered when the day would come, but Philip never gave anything away. He just watched.

Philip was dressed in a tuxedo, standing beside a woman in a red dress. They were looking at Amara, scrutinizing her as they exchanged words. Philip had a glass cup in his hand, which he raised as if to salute her.

Amara felt her knees giving out beneath her.

“Sweetheart, you’re scaring me,” Colin said. He stopped walking and faced her, holding both of her arms. Amara was still looking in Philip’s direction, and Colin’s eyes followed. He gave Philip a small wave, he’d met him a couple of times in parties and saw him around the neighborhood often.

“Is everything all right?” Colin asked, his voice full of concern.

Amara nodded, looking into Philip’s icy blue eyes. “Yeah, everything’s fine,” she whispered. “Just fine.”

About the Author:

 

Claire Contreras graduated with her BA in Psychology from Florida International University. She was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Miami, Fl, where she currently resides with her husband, two boys, and two American Bulldogs.

Life is short, and it’s more bitter than sweet, so she tries to smile as often as her face allows. She enjoys stories with happy endings, because life is full of way too many unhappy ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

 

 

“This Is How You Do It”…Or at least how I do it…

 

Happy to pick up the Blog Hop baton from one of my writing besties, Kimberly S. Belle, who shared her process last week here. Pay special attention to what she has to say. Her debut release Last Breath is gonna know some socks off! So this is me answering the questions those lovely writers before me have already “hopped.”

What are you currently writing?

Right now I’m writing book 3 of my Bennett’s trilogy, BE MINE FOREVER. I would tell you guys more about it, but it would spoil too much for the first 2 books. Sad, right? You have to buy them. I just turned in copy edits for book 1, WHEN YOU ARE MINE. And I am waiting on final edits from my editor on book 2, LOVING YOU ALWAYS. I’m also in final draft on a new adult about two crazy foster kids who, you guessed it, fall in love. It has some distinguishing twists and turns, which I also would prefer to keep close.

Can I be completely honest with you, dear reader? Just twixt us girls, I’m kinda nervous about how folks will respond to WHEN YOU ARE MINE. You’re either gonna love it, or hate it. I don’t anticipate much middle ground. Though some could surprise me and be completely indifferent. I think I’d prefer hate over that.

What makes your work different?

Interesting question. Before my book was picked up by my publisher Grand Central/Forever Romance, I had a published writer who was critiquing my story say she just didn’t know any publisher who would actually buy my book. She wasn’t being mean or malicious. She was, in her mind, being mercifully honest, and I completely understood what she meant. She had suggestions for how I could change the book to make it “fit” better. Needless to say, I took none of those suggestions, though I respected her opinion. I had entered the book in several contests, and invariably I would have a 98 from one judge and a 68 from another. Usually some fence dweller who had no idea what to do with my book would land squarely in between with maybe an 82 or something. The lower half judges always had the same thing to say. “This is not a romance.” “You are breaking too many rules.” “Not sure where you could place this.” “Your heroine is not heroic.” That is where I disagree. I think it’s really heroic to acknowledge your screw ups to the people you hurt and try to right terrible wrongs. And in the process, to transform into a better person. Rescue YOURSELF! Save YOURSELF from the circuitous cycle of past mistakes and destructive patterns. That is heroic. That is what my characters do, and apparently the way they do it is a little different.

Why do you write what you do?

I write love stories. Unabashedly. Unapologetically. I love watching characters fall in love. And I love tormenting them a lil’ bit, but they get their happily ever after…eventually!  I enjoy seeing imperfect characters find their perfect match. The less judgmental I became in real life, the more I allowed  characters in my stories to mess up royally. I am bored by Clorox characters; those folks so squeaky clean and predictable I could interchange them with a dozen others from a dozen other stories I read. Give me someone who messes everything up,  has to pick up all the pieces, ask for forgiveness and make things right. And grow in the process. I love to see that in real life, and it infiltrates my fiction.

 

What is your writing process?

I am pretty new to this, actually. I didn’t really have time to develop a “process” since WHEN YOU ARE MINE/LOVING YOU ALWAYS was my first novel, (originally one behemoth novel that my pub split into two) and I just kind of wrote it the way I’d told stories before it was “my job.” When I was a little girl, I acted out scenes with a mop. I would twirl mop girl around dramatically and watch her “hair” swing out behind her while she expressed varying degrees of anger, indignation, love…you know. Drama. I still do that in a way. I know it sounds backward, but I act most of my scenes out – at least the pivotal ones – before I write any of it down. Not read it aloud to hear the cadence and to make sure it sounds natural, but act it out before I write. I say “Okay, they’re having a fight. Go!” And I just start the dialogue how two people would fight or flirt or do whatever that scene calls for, knowing the key issues they’d be addressing in those moments. I do it a few times, refining it with each pass. Then I may capture an audio recording of it, or just go ahead and pen most of what I just did. It becomes so real to me and really puts me in touch with that character. I was telling Kimberly Belle that when I’m acting out an intense scene, my heart starts racing, I cry, and hiccup, my voice breaks. I make note of all my body’s responses. Those become the characters’ anchoring visceral reactions when I put everything down on paper. I love how close it puts me in the character’s POV, even though I usually write in third person. It eliminates some of the distance intrinsically imposed by the third perspective. And I find myself inhabiting their skin, up against their bones as I write.

I’m  kind of a hybrid of a pantser and a plotter/planner. I plot in my head for a long time. Like…months. And by plotting I really just mean getting to know my characters. I dream about them. Wake up thinking about them. Meditate on them in a way. On their pasts, their hobbies, their quirks. Their weaknesses and strengths. This process comes first for me so that I know which situations will strain them the most. What kind of counterpoint character will create the best tension. And I take notes on my phone constantly. Create playlists, and listen to those songs over and over. Pull images on Pinterest. Capture words and phrases along the way that will be uniquely perfect for that story. And then I feel my hands firmly around the story and the people in it. By then, even though I haven’t written an outline, I know how the story starts, the major turning points and how it ends. Even have certain scenes acted out and recorded with dialogue. From there, things pick up and it’s like fitting these big chunks of puzzle pieces together. I’ll do a loose synopsis to keep me on track, and the actual writing of the book – sitting in front of laptop and grinding that bad boy out – will take about two months. Before CPs or betas read it, of course. That’s what worked before. Let’s hope it keeps working!

Next up is a great friend of mine, Robin Muse. (That’s her REAL name, people!) She’ll share her process next Monday. Thanks for reading today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHEN YOU ARE MINE – SnippetSnapshot #2

Walsh is drunk in love! LOL! Just a little teaser here and there until I can share more. I’m really excited about sharing this book with everyone in June.

 

Autism Awareness Giveaway!

April is Autism Awareness month. That might not even register on some people’s radars, but my family has lived with Autism for the last 11 years, since my son was diagnosed. My book WHEN YOU ARE MINE releases June 17 and provides a unique opportunity for me to combine my passion for writing and Autism advocacy. I’m donating 25% of my royalties from this book to resourcing families living with Autism.

Learn more about Autism and the 1 in 68 children diagnosed from my charitable partner, Talk About Curing Autism (TACA). I’m writing a series of articles this month about Autism for Modern Mom Magazine. The first shares a little about my family’s journey here.

Celebrate all the gladiators out there – kids, adults, families, siblings – living with Autism by entering the Autism Awareness Giveaway! Great cause! Great prizes!

Thank you!

Kennedy

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Forever is a heartbeat away . . .

Kerris Moreton knows how to make things work. Bounced from foster home to foster home as a kid, she adapted; when opportunity arose, she thrived. Now, about to open her own business and accept a marriage proposal, Kerris is ready to build the life she’s always wanted. The only thing missing? A passionate connection with her would-be fiancé, Cam. Kerris wants to believe that sparks are overrated-until Walsh Bennett lights her up like the Fourth of July.

. . . but what about love?

As one of the East Coast’s most eligible bachelors, Walsh enjoys financial independence, fulfilling work with his family’s nonprofit, and plenty of female attention. But lately he’s been distracted by the one woman he can’t have. Lovely to look at and even sweeter to know, Kerris is the soul mate Walsh never thought he would find. The problem is, his best friend found her first . . .

 

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