Tracey Livesay's Blog, page 3
February 10, 2014
Release Day!!!
It’s finally here! Release day of my first published romance novel! I’m so excited I can barely stand it. So please, raise a glass (it’s noon EST) and toast to The Tycoon’s Socialite Bride seeing the light of day. LOL
Buy it Now:
To avenge his mother’s mistreatment at the hands of her upper-crust employer, self-made real estate tycoon Marcus Pearson needs entree into their exclusive world. When D.C. socialite Pamela Harrington comes to him for help, Marcus realizes the golden admission ticket he’s been seeking has suddenly fallen into his lap.
Pamela will do anything to save her favorite cause, even agree to a marriage of convenience. The altruistic “it-girl” isn’t worried about the pretend passion with Marcus turning real; she’s sworn off powerful, driven men who use her for her family’s connections.
So she’ll deny the way her pulse races with one look from his crystalline blue eyes. And he’ll ignore the way his body throbs with each kiss from her full lips. Because there’s no way he’ll lose his blue-collar heart to the blue-blooded beauty.
I’m participating in a blog tour to promote the book and if you stop by and leave a comment, you’ll be entered in a giveaway for a $50 gift card to the retailer of your choice (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes).
I also want to congratulate my release day imprint sister, Addison Fox.
Filed under: Mimosas at Midnight Tagged: alpha male, author, contemporary, Entangled, Entangled Indulgence, Entangled Publishing, interracial, passion, passionate, romance, The Tycoon's Socialite Bride, Tracey Livesay, writer
My Writing Process Blog Hop!
I want to thank my friend, Ellen Butler at Power to the Pen for inviting me to participate in the blog tour.
What am I working on? Well, today is release day for my debut novel, The Tycoon’s Socialite Bride, Book #1 in my In Love With A Tycoon series. I have blog tours and promotion that will probably take up most of my time. Additionally, I’m working on Book #2 in the series.
How does my work differ from others of its genre? I write interracial contemporary romance, so I think the interracial aspect is what sets me apart. I like to take classic category tropes and add an interracial hero and heroine.
Why do I write what I do? I read my first romance novel at the age of eleven and I was hooked. It’s my favorite genre. Writing about interracial couples is a way of sharing my own experiences, as well as adding to the library of romances involving people of color.
How does your writing process work? I am a total plotter. I start with a plot idea. Then I look at the characters I would need to make that plot successful. I “cast” my characters then write out motivation sheets for my hero and heroine and any major secondary characters. Then I plot the story through the major plot points. With all of that done, I can write a synopsis. Only then do I start writing the book. LOL
Up next on the My Writing Process Blog Hop for February 17, 2014:
Denise Golinowski is a writer and reader of all things fantasy and romance and her latest book, COLLECTOR’S ITEM, is at The Wild Rose Press. She is currently wrapping up her next shapeshifter story while juggling work, life, and life with the love of her life.
http://denisegolinowski.blogspot.com/
Janie Crouch ’s debut novel PRIMAL INSTINCT releases through Harlequin Intrigue in March. Pat Cooper (of Romantic Times Book Reviews) says “it rocks…you don’t want to miss it!” Janie is currently writing a four-book series for Intrigue that will release in late 2014/early 2015. In the real world Janie teaches public speaking and communication courses at a local community college and hangs out with her hubby and four kids. And travels every chance she gets.
http://www.run-janie-run.blogspot.com/
Filed under: Mimosas at Midnight Tagged: author, blogs, contemporary, Entangled, Entangled Indulgence, interracial, passion, passionate, romance, The Tycoon's Socialite Bride, Tracey Livesay, writer, writing
February 5, 2014
The Addiction of Romance Novels
To prepare for the release of my debut novel, “The Tycoon’s Socialite Bride” on Monday, February 10th, I wanted to repost one of my first blog entries about my love of romance novels. Enjoy. 
Originially published October 17, 2010.
Romance novels… my drug of choice.
When I was 11 years old, my parents opened a BBQ and Seafood restaurant. I worked there every afternoon after school and made $35 a week. This was the first time I made any “real” money on my own and I knew exactly how I was going to spend it: gummy bears and books. There was a new bookstore in town and I begged my dad to take me. With my first paycheck I bought a Nancy Drew book. Not the Nancy Drew I grew up with (in hardcover solving the “Secret in the Old Attic.”) But a new Nancy in the Nancy Drew Files. I bought the first one, “Secrets Can Kill.” For the first time, Nancy was on the cover with **gasp** a boy instead of a clue. Nancy was a teenager who dated and used her ballet technique to fight bad guys!
I cruised along for a few months, happy on the high Nancy gave me. I got a little bit of mystery, a little bit of teenage love. It was all good. And then my parents hired a new waitress for the restaurant, Angie. Angie was pretty, funny and probably the star of every party she attended. She acted like a grown-up and was the coolest girl I knew.
One afternoon, Angie sidled up to me, a purple and white paperback in her hand. “Hey Tracey,” she cooed. “Whatcha doin?”
“Reading.” Angie was always nice to me even though it was clear we were from two different worlds: Cheerleaderville and the Nerdverse.
“I brought this for you. Thought you might like it.” She casually tossed me the book and I watched as it slid down the counter to settle before me. The first thing I noticed was the man and woman embracing on the cover. Nancy was usually next to a boy, but they weren’t touching. And this wasn’t a boy, it was a man, baby, yeah!– with a mustache and everything. It was a Silhouette Romance, the words in white and cursive. I immediately set aside my Sweet Valley High and began the first chapter.
I was introduced to the characters and some of their issues which, at the time, were a little over my head. A few chapters in, I hit my first intimate scene. There was kissing with tongue! And he **gulp** circled her nipple and then he **whispers** got hard! Holy cow! I couldn’t believe I was allowed to read this stuff. (I probably wasn’t but I wasn’t about to check.) And to top it all off, they lived happily ever after. (Just what a teenage girl wants to hear- give it up to the boy and he’ll love you forever.) When I closed that first book, I needed another right away. I’d had my first taste. And I was hooked.
Like most addicts (I know this from movies, not personally) I quickly outgrew my first dealer. Angie was able to provide me a few more, but she was small-time. She told me about this weekly flea market and even mentioned to my stepmom that she might find some great antiques there. That Saturday morning, my stepmom found great deals. And I found dealers, I mean vendors, who sold older romance novels for twenty-five cents a book! Good-bye $35. I bought as many books as I could carry and the following week I brought my backpack so I could purchase even more.
I read on the bus to and from school. I hid books in my textbooks and read during lectures. I sometimes skipped lunch and read in the library. In between taking orders at the restaurant, my nose was stuck in a book. And on the third Sunday of each month, when I ushered in church and could sit away from my family, I hid a book in the hymnal and read during the sermon.
Although the addiction had me hard, I knew there was more to my life. Even at 11, things were expected of me. I was going to graduate high school, go to college, attend medical school and become a pediatrician. (I changed course along the way–it became law school and public defender.) I would burn out at the rate I was going. I had to scale back. I became a functioning addict. In fact, before launching my website, most people in my life probably had no idea how important romance novels were to me.
Today, I’m finally proud to stand up and proclaim, “My name is Tracey I’m addicted to romance novels.” I don’t want help; I don’t think it’s a problem. I want to wallow in it. And try to hook as many people as possible.
“Hey, whatcha doing? Want to read this book?”
Filed under: Mimosas at Midnight Tagged: alpha male, author, contemporary, fiction, passion, passionate
November 11, 2013
“The Paradise”: Season 1, Episode 6 Recap
It was dueling shop ladies, this week on The Paradise!!!
“Hit Em Up Style” Katherine decided to do some shopping at the Paradise so she grabbed a couple of her friends and went on a shopping spree, buying champagne flutes, butter knives and engraved butter covers. She informed Moray that now that they were engaged, sales at the store didn’t just benefit him, they benefited them. Ahh, Katherine knows the way to Moray’s heart is through his wallet.
“Run This Town” Trying to make the best of her situation after leaving her position at The Paradise, Denise convinces her uncle to approach the other shopkeepers about forming a cooperative. All the shops on the street can band together and sell ensembles, with an incentive of 10% off the entire price. They can dress ladies “from top to toe before they even step foot in the Paradise.” Unfortunately, the men had little vision and though they tried, they folded like cheap Midnight Ink at the first sign of a setback.
“Work B**ch” Trying to get more of his attention, Katherine spent a lot of time at the Paradise, declaring that “playing shop was quite an entertaining distraction.” Moray reminded her that he was there to work; it wasn’t all fun and games. Katherine told him she could sell anything and Moray accepted her challenge, handing her a cheap fabric in a harsh color. One loud exclamation of “the perfect cloth, the only cloth for my wedding dress” later, the Paradise had sold out of the fabric.
“Girl on Fire” The co-op had a little bit of success, but Katherine’s Midnight Ink ruse was enough to have the regular folks scampering back to the Paradise to be just like her. When Pauline let it slip about the fabric, Denise’s mind got to work again and she convinced the men to buy out the remaining fabric. They’d be the only place in town to buy the fabric Lady Katherine Glendenning was using for her wedding dress. It worked and the co-op made a lot of money, but it wasn’t long before the men ruined everything with their bickering and pride. Although initially upset, a chat with Moray brought a smile to Denise’s face, and some pep back in her step.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch:
Katherine threatened Jonas’s position with the Paradise and Moray. When Jonas snitched to Moray, he didn’t get the response he expected. That night Jonas took to the drink, and when Dudley stumbled upon him, he told Dudley a sad tale of how he came to the Paradise and the reason behind the source of his loyalty to Moray. Feeling sorry for him, Dudley put in a kind word to Moray on Jonas’s behalf. When Dudley tried to reach out to Jonas the next day, a sober and somber Jonas told Dudley not to be so damn gullible. “Do not presume to know me or anyone else, even those close to you.”
With Denise gone, Clara tells Pauline she’ll finally have a chance to catch Sam’s eye. Armed with mocking advice from Katherine, she set out to charm Sam with this winning comment: “Ah, Sam, what grisly meat. I think the cook gave you that on account of your lovely teeth. Not a rotten molar in sight…nearly.”
Katherine’s father noticed Moray’s distraction with Denise and suggested that his daughter not let anything get between her and Moray. Perhaps an extended vacation after their wedding? Katherine suggested the same to Moray, who’d just confided to Denise that he and his wife had gotten into an argument over the store, because she wanted to go on a trip and he didn’t want to leave his new enterprise. The guilt of that encounter still haunts him.
Will Moray learn the right lesson from his mistake?
We’ll wait with baited breath for the last episode of the season, next Sunday on PBS. Recapping the season finale will be the charming contemporary women’s fiction author, Lauren Clark. Don’t forget, our own Paradise co-op is running a Paradise Giveaway contest. Details on how to enter are here. You can win several prizes, including a $50 Macy’s gift card.
What did you think about this week’s episode? Do you think Moray will learn the right lesson, to find someone who shares his love of the Paradise or will he marry Katherine and go on the trip? Did you believe Jonas’s tale or think he was pulling Dudley’s leg? Are you, too, sick of Clara?
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: author, blogs, contemporary, interracial, Lauren Clark, passion, PBS, romance, The Paradise, Tracey Livesay, writer
October 4, 2013
“Shopping at The Paradise” Contest
Some period drama-loving friends and I are throwing a big online party to celebrate PBS Masterpiece’s airing season one of The Paradise. There will be a premiere night Twitter chat, weekly recaps, and to kick things off . . . a fun contest involving one of our favorite pastimes – SHOPPING! This seemed appropriate as The Paradise is a Victorian-era department store where plucky heroine Denise Lovett is employed in the Ladieswear Dept.
Read on to find out how you can enter this exciting contest and be eligible to win several FABULOUS prizes!
CONTEST RULES
1) Take a photo (camera pix are fine) of yourself shopping for one (or more) of the following items:
Shoes
Jewelry
Purses
Lingerie
Make-Up
Perfume
Hats
Stockings/Hosiery
You will receive ONE entry per picture of an item listed above (up to 8 entries.)
You can earn a bonus FIVE entries if you submit a photo of yourself with a cute/crush-worthy shop employee. (Male or female.)
Here’s a pic & a selfie of these kick-ass Vera Wang ankle boots:
2) You may submit your contest photos via Twitter or Facebook.
Twitter – Tweet your picture(s) to @ParadiseParty2
Facebook – Post your pictures to the Facebook group, Paradise Party. Note: You will have to join the group in order to post to the forum. https://www.facebook.com/groups/444953335622203/
3) This contest is open to residents of the United States ONLY.
4) Contest will begin on Friday, October 4th, 2013 and end at midnight on Sunday, November 17th, 2013. Winners will be announced on Monday, November 18th, 2013.
5) Prizes are as follows:
(1) Grand Prize – A $50 Macy’s gift card, which can be used online or in-store. The winner of this prize will be selected by the True Random Number Generator at www.random.org
(1) Bonus Prize - The Funniest Photo – A Kindle copy of The Ladies’ Paradise by Émile Zola (this is the classic novel that the TV series is based on.) The winner of this prize will be selected by the 8 authors/bloggers participating in The Paradise online event.
(1) Bonus Prize – Item We Most Want Photo – An audio CD of The Paradise TV Soundtrack. The winner of this prize will be selected by the 8 authors/bloggers participating in The Paradise online event.
So, you can earn up to 13 entries and there are THREE great prizes up for grabs. Cleverness and originality count with these pix, so have fun and be creative!
Be sure to check out the shopping finds from these fellow Paradise Party bloggers:
Tracie Banister http://traciebanister.blogspot.com/2013/10/shopping-at-paradise-contest.html
Laura Chapman http://change-the-word.blogspot.com/2013/10/shopping-at-paradise-contest.html
Lauren Clark http://www.laurenclarkbooks.com/2013/10/04/shopping-at-the-paradise-contest
Elizabeth Marx http://elizabethmarxbooks.blogspot.com/
Sara Palacios http://sarapalacios.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/shoppingattheparadise/
Martha Reynolds http://marthareynoldswrites.com/2013/10/04/paradise
Julie Valerie http://www.julievalerie.com/paradise
Filed under: Musings Tagged: author, blogs, Chick Lit, contemporary, interracial, passion, romance, The Paradise, Tracey Livesay, TV, writer, writing
October 3, 2013
The Paradise Twitter Party
COMING SOON – THE PARADISE TWITTER PARTY
We’re throwing a party and you’re invited! In honor of the Stateside premiere of The Paradise on Sunday, October 6th, some author friends and I decided to get together and throw a party.
Join us live during the premiere (use hashtag #ParadiseParty) from 9-11 EST. Then each week of the season, one of my friends will recap an episode. I’ll take on Episode #6, airing November 10th.
Tomorrow, Friday, October 4th, we will announce details of our Paradise Giveaway, which includes cool prizes you’ll want to own. So check back here tomorrow, then join us Sunday for the Paradise Twitter Party! Don’t forget to “bring” all of your fellow period-piece lovers!
Filed under: Musings Tagged: author, blogs, contemporary, contests, interracial, passion, passionate, romance, The Paradise, Tracey Livesay, Twitter, twitter party, writer
August 28, 2013
The T-Spot Welcomes Natalie Damschroder!
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Grab your beverage of choice (Mimosas for me, of course!), roll up to or flip open a screen and let some talented writers talk to you about their writing process.
This week: Natalie Damschroder is in the spotlight!
Natalie is an award-winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance, with an emphasis on romantic adventure. Her 11 novels, 7 novellas, and 15 short stories have been published by Avid Press, Echelon Press, and Amber Quill Press. She currently publishes romantic adventure with Carina Press and urban fantasy romance with Entangled Publishing. Her paranormal romance series, The Soul Series, is self-published. Natalie grew up in Massachusetts, and loves the New England Patriots more than anything. (Except her family. And writing and reading. And popcorn.) When she’s not writing, she does freelance editing and works part time as a chiropractic assistant. She and her husband have two daughters they’ve dubbed “the anti-teenagers,” one of whom is also a novelist. (The other one prefers math. Smart kid. Practical.) So let me get out of the way and cede the stage, stool and microphone to Natalie:
1. Have you always written stories?
I have! I’ve been a voracious reader since I was 4, and in second grade (so I was 5 or 6) I created “My Very Own Reading Book” that contained mostly partial stories about some kid named Bobby as well as Jamie Summers (the bionic woman, for you young-uns out there). I “made movies” with my best friend, writing down short synopses of movies, planning them, and then acting them out. Those usually featured Henry Thomas (from ET) and later, C. Thomas Howell. Or members of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team. (I KNOW. Totally showing my age.)
2. When did you decide to write professionally?
I started writing fiction seriously right out of college, as soon as we bought a computer (8 MB of RAM, 100 MB hard drive…this post is developing a theme…). Here’s a secret: I HATED to write before that. My mother was a writer, and I was praised for it in high school. In college, I won an award and had two papers selected for The Student Scholar. But for some reason, I balked at it hard until I realized that duh, I could write stuff *I* wanted to write, and I could write fiction. Romance, specifically.
3. What made you decide to go the route you chose (eg. traditional, e-pub, indie)?
I’ve actually chosen all those routes and more, though not all have yet chosen me in return. I’ve always believed that diversity was the best option for maintaining a long career. That way, if one publisher or type of book tanked, you don’t have to start at square one. I think that’s even more true nowadays, as entertainment fractures into niches. People want their TV shows, their movies, their books, to fit their exact specifications. Now authors don’t have to find a vast audience for each book to be successful. All the various paths into publishing provide different benefits and drawbacks, so I think they’re all great.
4. What is your writing process (hrs/day, days/wk)?
Ugh. I wish I had one! I work a part-time day job, come home and do the e-mail/promo/freelance work stuff waiting for me, talk to my kids and do whatever is needed with them, talk to my husband a little, and then try to squeeze some writing in until my brain is too mushy to get anywhere. That is NOT my preferred process. LOL When I’m on deadline, or ultra-disciplined, I’ll achieve my writing goal before I tackle all the rest. I’m at home on Thursdays, and sometimes that’s 6 hours of writing and nothing else. Heaven!
5. How do you write (crappy first draft then revise or revise as you go)? Why?
It depends on the book, my brain, my goals, and my deadlines. The method I like best is to write until I slow down, then go back and revise what I’ve got, continue writing, backtrack and revise, etc. If I get an idea, I’ll go back and work it in right away rather than take notes and keep going.
6. Do you get writer’s block? If so, how do you handle it?
The only true writer’s block I’ve had was when I was pregnant. At a certain point I just became unable to put new words down. After I had Number One, and everything flowed so easily afterward, I thought I’d just been lazy and stupid while I was pregnant and unencumbered. When it happened with Number Two, I realized that all my creativity had been sucked from my brain to my uterus. The night I wrote 8 pages in a flurry, I knew I’d go into labor, and I did! {Tracey’s Note: Love that! Pregnancy brain is a real thing, people!}
Otherwise, writer’s block tends to happen when I’m overwhelmed/stressed (and I know I need a break) or when I don’t know enough about where the story is going. For the latter, I let it sit a little, let my subconscious work on it, but it never becomes unblocked until I just force myself to power through.
7. What’s your favorite part of the writing process?
Two linked things. When the words are just pouring out of me, and I know they’re right. They have emotion, and action, and fast pacing, and a few are funny. Nothing beats that high. The other thing is when I go back to read something I wrote a while ago, especially when I think it probably sucks, and it resonates in the same way it did when I wrote it. It’s like a runner’s high. (I’m guessing. I never had one. LOL) {Tracey’s Note: I have; the writing feeling is MUCH better, and it doesn’t cause shin splints or plantar fasciitis.}
8. Where were you when you got “The Call?”
My first “The Call” was actually for my 11th published novel. All my previous sales had been through e-mail. Liz Pelletier at Entangled called me the day after I’d submitted Under the Moon. I was lucky to be working at home, sitting at my desk. We had a reallllly long conversation, and I roamed all over the house during it.
9. If you could go back in time and tell your younger self one thing you have since learned about the business of writing, what would you tell them (you)?
I’m not sure I would tell myself anything. I like the way I’ve learned, slowly and in such a variety of ways—classes, workshops, hearing other people’s stories, and via experience. I *might* tell myself not to give up, that success will come, but I’m not sure it would be necessary because I *haven’t* given up. LOL
Fun Topics:
10. Wine, liquor or beer? What’s your favorite of the spirit you chose?
Liquor! And I like my alcohol, like my coffee, completely adulterated. LOL The more you mix together, the better, and throw in some ice cream and/or whipped cream and chocolate and stuff. Frozen mudslide is my go-to when I don’t have a menu to peruse.
11. What author(s) are on your automatic buy list?
Sooooo many! Some of the usual ones you find on such lists: JD Robb, Jim Butcher, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Ally Carter. Others include Jody Wallace, Shannon Stacey, Megan Hart, Christi Barth, Cindy Dees. Some new ones for me include Marisa Cleveland and Barb DeLeo.
12. What TV shows are you watching?
Supernatural, always. Revenge, Arrow, Castle, and Nikita are the ones I’m most eager to see each week. Doctor Who, for the short, magical stretches when it’s on. And a bunch of others that are pure indulgence when I’m fed up with the day job, freelance job, and deadlines stress.
13. Who is your celebrity crush and why?
Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles have permanent spots at the top, because I think they have done a tremendous job as the brothers Winchester, and they just don’t come hotter. But that’s almost too enduring to be a crush. My current crush is Jeremy Renner, because he’s an actor with depth and humor and kicks butt with such grace. Mmmm. {Tracey’s Note: The Supernatural brothers have been mentioned before as have Mr. Renner. Welcome back, boys! 
}
Thanks so much for having me on the T-Spot, Tracey!
Thank you for the interview, Natalie! You can find more info at her website: www.nataliedamschroder.com, connect with her on Facebook at NJDamschroder and on Twitter @NJDamschroder. Her Entangled Select release, Heavy Metal, book 2 of Goddesses Rising, is available NOW!!!
The world is not what Riley Kordek imagined. On the run from those who’ve targeted her, all Riley wants is a chance to figure out her new ability to bend metal’s energy. When a hot guy who knows more than he should helps her escape her attackers, she thinks she might’ve found someone who can lead her to the answers she needs.
Three years ago, Sam Remington walked away from his employer and the woman he loved, and now, all he’s looking to do is fill the gaping hole left behind. Except, when Sam takes Riley to the Society for Goddess Education and Defense, the stakes rise beyond what either of them could have imagined.
After being alone for so long, falling for Sam would be far too easy—and far too painful, once his old flame calls needing his help. Worse, Riley uncovers a plot with disastrous ramifications not only for herself, but for Sam and the people he loves—and potentially every goddess in the country.
Links to buy:
Amazon http://amzn.to/XgG5ZT
B&N http://bit.ly/Qwo6Ac
iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/heavy-metal/id606297042?mt=11
What’s your favorite spirit? I’m digging Natalie’s description of her alcohol preference. LOL I feel an adjustment, followed by a mudslide are in order. What are you watching on TV? Tell us what you think and make sure you check back next week to see which fabulous author is hanging out at the T-Spot.
Filed under: Interviews Tagged: alpha male, author, blogs, contemporary, Entangled, Entangled Publishing, Entangled Select, Facebook, Goddesses Rising, Heavy Metal, interracial, Jeremy Renner, Natalie Damschroder, passion, passionate, romance, Supernatural, T-Spot, Tracey Livesay, Winchester, writer, writing
July 8, 2013
Ch-Ch-Changes…
It has been an exciting year. In the blink of an eye, I finished my manuscript, pitched it, got an agent and a 3-book contract! I am NOT complaining, LOL, but it has been a huge adjustment.
As my life has changed, so has my work and focus. It’s time for my blog to shift over to an official website. So for the next few months, I’m going to concentrate on finishing my books and working on my website. My first book, The Billionaire’s Socialite Bride, will be released from Entangled Publishing in January 2014. I’ll unveil my new website in conjunction with the release.
But I’m not going away! I’ll still do some posts throughout the summer to keep you updated on my journey. If you haven’t followed my blog, please take a moment to do so now, or to like my page on Facebook. That way, you’ll always know when there’s a new post and, more importantly, you’ll know when I announce my new website!
Thank you for all of your support thus far and I hope you’ll join me on the next leg of this adventure.
Filed under: Musings Tagged: alpha male, author, blogs, contemporary, Entangled, Entangled Publishing, Facebook, interracial, passion, passionate, romance, Tracey Livesay, writer, writing
July 1, 2013
Tracey’s Seal of Approval: Will Rain Ruin my Satin?
This week’s listing of blog posts that gets Tracey’s Seal of Approval:
2013 Romance Cover Trends: These are different from the 50 Shades covers from last week’s TSoA.
Can A Satin Bag Work for Daytime?: What do you think? Is this bag casual? I love Burberry and the color is gorgeous, but the fabric isn’t working for me.
When it Rains…Crawl Under the Covers: I wish. But my friend, Debra, gives us advice that lots of us, especially if we’re mothers, find hard to follow.
What do you do when it rains? Could you rock that Burberry bag during the day? Speak up, be heard.
Filed under: Tracey's Seal of Approval Tagged: author, blogs, Burberry, contemporary, Covers, Debra Kristi, interracial, passion, passionate, romance, romance covers, Tracey Livesay, writer
June 26, 2013
The T-Spot Welcomes Eve Devon!
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Grab your beverage of choice (Mimosas for me, of course!), roll up to or flip open a screen and let some talented writers talk to you about their writing process.
This week: Eve Devon is in the spotlight! 
Growing up in places like Botswana and Venezuela gave Eve Devon a taste for adventure; her love of romances began when her mother shoved one into her hands in a desperate attempt to keep her quiet during TV coverage of the Wimbledon tennis finals!
When Eve wasn’t consuming books by the bucketload, she could be found pretending to be a damsel in distress or running around solving mysteries and writing down her adventures. As a teenager, Eve wrote countless episodes of TV detective dramas so the hero and heroine would end up together every week. As an adult, still hooked on romance and mysteries, she worked in a library to conveniently continue consuming books by the bucketload, until realizing she was destined to write contemporary romance and romantic suspense herself. So let me get out of the way and cede the stage, stool and microphone to Eve:
1. Have you always written stories?
Yep! Used to act them out too (half the time I’d play the damsel in distress and the other half I’d be the rescuer)! Don’t be scared, I did grow out of this. Hidden in a secret location (I’ll never tell) are boxes of exercise books full of my stories–all in my bestest, most neatest handwriting, of course.
2. When did you decide to write professionally?
About six years ago I was chatting with a friend and we were both talking about where we were in life and when we thought we would get around to writing that book we’d always talked about. Well, some kind of weird planetary alignment thing must have occurred, because the next thing I knew, I was all in. We’re talking fully committed, nothing to lose mode. Life went on as normal, except for the part where I carved every spare moment out of my day so that I could to write, learn, submit and repeat. It’s been the most crazy, rewarding, hard, joyous adventure.
3. What made you decide to go the route you chose (eg. traditional, e-pub, indie)?
I’m addicted to category romance and so I knew who the traditional and e-pub players were. When I first came across Entangled Publishing, I got this tingly, “Ooh, I really want to write for them” feeling. I’m so proud to be able to say I’m published with them.
4. What is your writing process (hrs/day, days/wk)?
I try to write to a word count each day rather than for a certain number of hours. Having said that, sometimes getting to that target takes two-three hours…and sometimes it takes seven-eight hours! There have definitely been days that have tripped over into working nights. And there have definitely been weeks where I’ve worked across weekends. Ironically, when I was working in a part-time day job I think my output was higher because I had only a certain number of hours to fit in as much as I could. Having the whole day to write tends towards occasional procrastination! I have to be quite disciplined.
5. How do you write (crappy first draft then revise or revise as you go)? Why?
I’ve tried so hard to write quick and dirty, put it in a drawer for a few weeks and then take it out and redraft. My alter ego (Miss Perky Perfectionist) denies me the opportunity every single time. To appease her and keep my sanity, it’s revise and revise all the way.
6. Do you get writer’s block? If so, how do you handle it?
I do get writer’s block. Of course Miss Perky Perfectionist refuses to admit I do and always, ALWAYS, keeps me writing anyway. Sometimes this works because I’m merely pretending to have writer’s block and I usually discover I’ve been backing away from writing something that seems a bit too hard. Sometimes it doesn’t work and that’s usually when I’m forced to have a conversation with Miss Perky Perfectionist that goes along the lines of “I’m not perfect. I’ve written myself into a corner. I need to step away.” When this happens a long walk followed by a craft project does the trick. Craft – not tea – is life’s true panacea.
7. What’s your favorite part of the writing process?
I’ve developed a ritual best described as “The Choosing of the Notebook”. This symbolizes the point where I’ve fleshed out most of a plot, cast my characters and I feel I have enough of an idea to sustain a whole book. Up until then I use scraps of paper, plotting boards and randomly titled documents that I open to brain-dump info and research. I love the choosing of the notebook part! Once it’s chosen it accompanies me everywhere and most importantly means I’m ready to open a new document and type Chapter One. All that possibility. Delicious! {Tracey’s Note: What is it about writers and notebooks? I love them; I have a drawer full of them. }
I do have another more amorphous favourite part that I like to call the “Pixie-Dust Effect”. This is where I write something that seemingly holds no great purpose but later I come to discover I can use throughout my book to perfectly illustrate a theme, or reveal a character’s journey, or have it turn into a plot twist. When I was writing The Waiting Game, I imagined Brooke having a leather journal. What started out as a throwaway object became so much more, but not, initially by design. It was like it was meant to be. Like magic – like someone had come along and sprinkled pixie dust!
8. Where were you when you got “The Call?”
At home. At half-past midnight in my world I randomly decided to check my emails only to find one from hours before left by my editor, asking if I was around in the next hour for a quick chat. It was eight hours earlier in her world and so I’d missed her. That night I slept like a baby and the next day pootled around the house without a care in the world! (That bit might be a big fat lie). When we finally got our Skype call I was eternally grateful I didn’t have the webcam switched on so that she didn’t witness me leap up from the desk to happy dance – only to be yanked back down via my headphone cable! So not a good look!
9. If you could go back in time and tell your younger self one thing you have since learned about the business of writing, what would you tell them (you)?
I’d tell myself that the publishing industry will continue to change and the only bit I will ever be able to control will be the writing. The journey won’t stop when I get published, it will just be starting! So, you know, get over your angst and crack on enjoying all the stops along the way!
Fun Topics:
10. Wine, liquor or beer? What’s your favorite of the spirit you chose?
Red wine – bit partial to the odd glass of Rioja!
11. What author(s) are on your automatic buy list?
Nora Roberts. Kelly Hunter. Trish Wylie. Ann Rule. Lee Child.
12. What TV shows are you watching?
The Big Bang Theory. Sherlock. Nashville. The Fall. And I’ve made it law in our house that I have to watch Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the stars – basically any dance show going. It’s totally not too late for me to train as a professional dancer!
13. Who is your celebrity crush and why?
Well, sometimes I’ll go for a bit of Bradley Cooper’s wicked grin. Other times: Daniel Craig’s get-it-done attitude, or Jason Isaacs using his RP voice. Okay now I’m also thinking about Chris Hemsworth for how he looks in uniform, or out of one. Wowsers! I’m a full-on celebrity crush tart! Everyone else picked one didn’t they? Way to blow a good impression!
Tracey, thanks so much for inviting me here today.
Thank you for the interview, Eve! You can find more info at her website: evedevon.com, connect with her on Facebook at EveDevonAuthor and on Twitter @EveDevon. Her Entangled Suspense release, The Waiting Game, is available NOW!!!
Five years ago a madman stalked her. Kidnapped her. Tattooed her.
When security expert Cameron Dexter—the man Brooke Bennet once loved—appears unexpectedly at her door with terrifying news, the former musician discovers she can no longer hide from her past. After five years, her vicious kidnapper is out of prison and on the hunt—for Brooke.
Now he’s returned to complete his art.
Cam failed to protect Brooke once before. Now he’d rather die than let her be captured. With her life at stake, Cam vows to keep her hidden and safe. Brooke, however, is done with running. Unlike Cam, she wants to stand up and fight. Emotions both old and new roil between them, but addressing their heated past must wait. Together they set a trap in London to catch a killer. But they soon discover the enemy wears many faces…
And waiting is no longer an option.
Who’s on your auto-buy list? And do you love notebooks like Eve and I do? Tell us what you think and make sure you check back in August to see which fabulous author is hanging out at the T-Spot.
Filed under: Interviews Tagged: alpha male, author, blogs, contemporary, Entangled, Entangled Publishing, Entangled Suspense, Eve Devon, Facebook, interracial, passion, passionate, romance, T-Spot, The Waiting Game, Tracey Livesay, writer, writing
