Renae Kaye's Blog, page 14

Guest Interview - S.A. Ozment

Renae:  Today I am welcoming to my blog a new writer – Shirley, who writes under the name of SA Ozment.  Shirley has just released her first book through Dreamspinner, called Illusions

Blurb :  Ever since arriving in Hollywood, Skylar Murphy has been loving life. He’s starring in a hit television show and on the verge of grabbing the lead role in the most anticipated movie of the decade. Poised on the edge of superstardom, he doesn't want or need any complications to distract him from that goal. Whether he’s sleeping with a woman or a man, his noncommittal, no-strings-attached love life suits him perfectly, and despite his rep for playing gay roles, the world still thinks he’s straight.

At the launch party for his new show, Skylar meets Aiden Moore, an openly gay firefighter by day and cater waiter to the stars by night. Skylar is immediately attracted to him, but Aiden rejects him. When an arsonist appears to have targeted Skylar, their paths keep crossing. Always up for a challenge, Skylar works to win Aiden over, and he agrees to a date. Soon enough they can’t stay away from each other. Despite hiding their relationship away from the ever-present paparazzi, they’re happy together until a jilted fan joins forces with the arsonist to sabotage their future.


Renae:  I’m known to say to people, “One word that no one has ever used in relation to me is shy.”  Yes, I’m often that person who will immediately approach the new person to the party/school/office and start chatting.  Probably because I hate feeling unsure and alone, so I go out of my way to make others feel better.  So two months back, I noticed Shirley in an online chat room, saying “I have a new release soon” and so I started up a conversation.  It turns out Shirley is a lovely person to chat to, so I invited her along to my blog

Therefore welcome to my blog fellow author and new friend :  Shirley Ozment!  **throws confetti**

Shirley:  Thank you Renae! It means a lot to me that you took me under your wing. You’ve been a great positive influence and I’m so grateful that you sought me out.

Renae:  Congratulations on your new release.  Tell me, is it like a dream come true to see your name up there?

Shirley:  It was really exciting to see my name on the front of a book. The day that I opened the box to find my copies of the paperback, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so excited. It was a fantastic feeling.

Renae:  I understand that this is your first book?  What made you want to write a book in the first place?

Shirley:  I love to read and I love to tell stories, so it was always in the back of my mind to write a book. When I was laid off from my job of over twenty years, I found myself at a loss.  I decided to use the time to do something that I had always wanted to do so I found my inspiration and started writing.
Renae:  Your book focuses on a Hollywood star and a fireman.  Do you have any links in Real Life to either of these professions?

Shirley:  Unfortunately,  I don’t know any firemen but I do know a few celebrities. Over the years, I have learned a few things, some good, some not so good, about Hollywood and behind the scenes. It’s very interesting to say the least.

Renae:  Reading the blurb, it appears that Skylar is bisexual.  Would this be a fair comment, or is he just pretending for the sake of his job?

Shirley:  Skylar finds himself attracted to men and women.  However, Skylar is used to doing what he wants, when he wants with whomever he wants and doesn’t identify by any label.  However in Illusions, he does quite a bit of pretending in order to keep his movie career taking the path he has envisioned.

Renae:  Do you think that Hollywood stars would notice the “help” in Real Life?  I love the idea of the superstar and the everyday guy, but it only happens in Disney, doesn’t it?

Shirley:  I think it depends on the Hollywood Star. Over the years, I’ve known a few celebrities that have dated regular people but I’ve also known one who told me that he wouldn’t date a fan.  Skylar explains his reasoning in the book. LOL. It’s not that he feels that he’s better than your everyday person or fan, it’s more that he feels like the fan has preconceived notions before he/she gets to know him as a person. He felt that put the relationship at a disadvantage before it could ever start.

 Renae:  In the first chapter, Aiden doesn’t even know who Skylar is.  Is Aiden put off by the thought of dating a movie star?

Shirley:  No, it’s not that Aiden doesn’t want to date a celebrity as much as the fact that Skylar made such an ass of himself the night they met.  He felt that Skylar was ridiculous and Aiden, being a regular guy, felt he didn’t have time for such nonsense.

Renae:  If your book was turned into a movie, which actors would you love to play the parts of Skylar and Aiden?

Shirley:  Since Skylar was based on Sebastian Stan (not his personal life, just the actor), he would absolutely have to be Skylar. Aiden is not so easy for me. I saw an actor named Xavier Samuel that I thought made a perfect Aiden but personally, if it were up to me, I would hire the model who was Aiden on the book cover.

Renae:  What are you working on now?  Do you have another release?

Shirley:  Currently, I’m working on book three that involves the Hollywood group. My second book, Demon’s, is in submission at DSP so I’m waiting to hear back about that.  My third book finds Ryan (from Illusions) falling in love.

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Shirley:  Anyone can write me at sozment1@gmail.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/saozment or www.facebook.com/sozment

Twitter: www.twitter.com/sozment

Blog:  www.saozment.wordpress.com

 
Renae:  Thanks for chatting with me today Shirley, and I hope your release goes well.

Shirley:   Thank you so much for having me. And again, Renae, you have been wonderful to listen to me and help me work through so many things. Thank you.

Guest interview - Pelaam

Renae:  Today I welcome to my blog, fellow author Pelaam.  Pelaam is a New Zealander, so she’s just a quick hop-step across the Tasman for us.  **cough cough** Or actually, maybe not. 

We (as in Australians) often call New Zealanders our cousins, but in reality they are not geographically close to us, it’s just that there is no one else around.  Have a look at this map.



The distance of Australia to NZ is about the same as USA (mainland) to Hawaii – and Perth (where I am) is on the OTHER side of Australia.  Let’s do some actual calculations:

                Sydney to Auckland (NZ) = 2155 kms
                Perth to Auckland = 5343 kms
                Los Angeles to Hawaii = 3989 kms
                New York to London = 5566 kms
                London to Rome = 1432 kms
So thank you ever so much Pelaam for joining me on my blog today from over 5000 kilometres away **wink**

Pelaam:  Thank you for inviting me. We know it's just a hop across the ditch though *winks back*

Renae:   Today, Pelaam is talking to us about her new book out, Good Deed Done.

Blurb:  Conner is a hard working farmer with a generous heart and a lonely existence. When a couple of his much needed milk cows go missing he tries to find them. Instead he finds that some legends are truths. Faoladh, werewolves, exist, and a good deed done a couple of years earlier to an injured young wolf leads to changes in his life he could never have imagined. Delighted to have such a beautiful mate as Ciaran at his side, Conner feels his life is complete. But another man’s greed threatens to destroy Conner and Ciaran’s happiness.

 

Renae:  Of course werewolves exist!  **wink** Okay, okay.  Being serious here.  I adore this cover.  Tell me who is the cover artist for this story?

Pelaam:  The very talented Michelle Cary. The cover fits what I wanted perfectly.

Renae:  This story is being published by MLR – is it a full-length story?   Is there a comfort zone for your writing when it comes to length?  You’ve written shorts, novellas, novels – everything!

Pelaam:  The book was released on the 6th of March, and you can buy through MLR here. 

The story is a short one at 11.5k but I really liked writing about Ciaran and Conner.

If I'm writing for an anthology I try to keep the story to less than 15k as there's usually a limit on words by the publisher. After that a story can be between 20k and 60k. I'm quite happy writing in that range.

Renae:  Is the story set in NZ or somewhere else?  Do you have a preference for writing in a certain setting?  I know personally I struggle to write anything that is not familiar to me.

Pelaam:  This is set in Ireland, but as it's a fantasy, there's no specific location. Tine is loosely set between the 1600s and the Irish Famine when the people were very reliant on the potato as a main food staple.

I have written a couple of books based in New Zealand, but if I need to write about a particular place where I haven't been, I'll research it as well as ask friends who may know it more intimately.

Renae:  How about genre?  Do you have a preference for writing contemporary, sci-fi, paranormal, etc?  Or do you simply roll with what comes?

Pelaam:  I should see if my Muse can pop in and say 'Hi'. I blame her for my occasionally eclectic inspirations *looks around for elusive Muse*. Although my favourites are fantasy/paranormal/sci-fi/steampunk, I do write the odd contemporary. I would say fantasy probably has the largest number of stories to date.

Among my favourite fantasies are "The Magic of Dooros", "On Dragon's Wings", and "Addiction". A couple of favourite paranormals are "Haunted by the Past", "Samhain", and "Familiar or Not." My favourite sci fis are "Captive" which I'm currently working on a sequel for, and my sci-fi/steampunk "Breath of the Feathered Serpent".

Renae:  In Good Deed Done, Conner helps an injured wolf.  Do you think that many farmers would stop to help a predator?

Pelaam:  I would think probably not. However, this is a young wolf, plus there have been no attacks on the farms. And, of course, Conner remembers the old legends and his mother's favourite saying.
Renae:  How does Ciaran react to Conner?  Are men the enemy?  Do werewolves avoid contact?

Pelaam:  When I researched Faoladh I found they were originally the guardian and protectors of children, wounded men and lost persons. They also had a history of being called upon by kings on times of war. There were references to them making the odd night time foray into a farm, but I thought that with a little twist I could make them a more noble beast while man is the true monster.

Men in general are not the enemy, but my Faoladh are a little more magical and remain hidden, watching and helping man where they can. They generally wouldn't initiate contact except for a good reason.

Ciaran knows his mate when he sees him. That enables him to bear Conner's touch despite his injury.

Renae:  Are there allowances that Ciaran is going to have to make to have a human mate? 

Pelaam:  Not in this story. As a shapeshifter he is happy in either wolf or human form.

Renae:  Is this story HEA?  Is this book going to be part of a series?

Pelaam:  Yes, I've done this as an HEA. It could be a series with the characters, but I haven't looked that far ahead. Plus it would also depend on my readers and whether they would like to see more of Ciaran and Conner.

Renae:  What are you working on now?

Pelaam:  A fantasy, a steampunk, and a sci-fi.  

The fantasy is set along the timeline of ancient Greece with a good selection of fantasy beasts. The steampunk is still in the 'toss it around in my mind' stage. I'm not a plotter. I don't have storyboards and copious planning. I sit and I write. I'm very likely to start at the end, jump to some scenes in the middle, and finish at the start.  But I already have my villain, my team of good guys, my MCs, and the main plotline. This isn't a short by any means so I may not finish it until the end of the year. The sci fi is a sequel to "Captive" which I mentioned above.

Of course, I do have a large leaning tower of WIPs. These are just the three that I'm giving the greater attention to. At the moment *grins widely*

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Pelaam: 
https://www.facebook.com/pamela.pelaamone 
and my author page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pelaam/1467778320131583?ref=hl
pelaam@hotmail.com,

Renae:  Thank you ever so much for coming and visiting me.  It’s been great to have you.  Good luck with the release and I can’t wait to read.

Pelaam:  Thank you so much for having me. It's been awesome.  

Three things you didn’t know about Renae Kaye – spiders, sneaking and Shawn’s Law

As the time draws closer to release Shawn’s Law, I’ve decided to tell you three secrets about me.

Number One

I have a pet spider.  I used to call him Hairy, but that was mean, so now I call him Harry.  He lives in my bird aviary and is black-as-black.  I’m quite proud of how well he’s grown over the last two years.  His body is at least an inch long now.

Harry and I have an agreement.  For the last two years we’ve both kept the agreement.

1.  I agree not to use the Big Broom of Doom on him.  Occasionally I may need tidy up the web if it’s getting too big, but most of the time he stays in his assigned corner.

2.  I agree not to use the Big Can of Spray on him.  Harry says it makes him sick.

In return:

3.  He agrees to stay in one spot.  If he moves corners, all agreements are null and void. 

4.  He agrees not to move while my face is two inches from him.  He’s very good at staying still.  My face must pass daily within touching distance of him.  This is a daily torment to both of us.

5.  No roommates are allowed.  Ever.

6.  No children are welcome.  At the first sign of fatherhood, the agreement is off.

Harry and I have been quiet amiable about this for two years.  Each day the first thing I do when I open the door is check to see if he’s there.  An empty web would be a nightmare.

That reminds me, I need to check how long bloody spiders live for.

Number Two

I love midwives.  They sometimes can see the bigger picture.

At the birth of my second child, I had a horrible time.  I realised I was in labour at 2:30am Saturday morning, and didn’t deliver until 9:30am Monday.  So I had about 5 hours of sleep Friday night, and a total of 4 hours sleep during my 55 hour labour.  The two nights following the birth, I had two hours sleep in total.  (Count that up?  11 hours of sleep over five nights - and I had a baby in the middle of it.  Can you spell exhausted?)

On Wednesday evening, the obstetrician examined me, checked my stats and told me I was not well enough to leave the hospital.  I had stitches galore, was weak from the blood loss, and my pain levels were still up.  Ten minutes later the midwife found me sobbing hysterically in despair.  I couldn’t sleep in their noisy rooms or their hard beds.  She looked at me and said, “If you promise to be back at the hospital before the doctor does his rounds tomorrow morning…”

If I could’ve moved, I would’ve hugged her.  The whole ward was in on it, and the moment the doctor left the building, they grabbed a wheelchair and whisked me and my newborn to the foyer where hubby was waiting. 

Nothing in my whole life had felt as good as sinking into my own bed.  I zonked, only waking to breastfeed the baby once. 

When they unlocked the doors at 7am we were waiting, smiling bravely (although very wan).  At 7:30am the doctor visited me.  Now that I had managed some sleep, I was coping, and obediently stayed the following night at the hospital.  I know what the midwives did was dangerous, and wrong, but at that moment it was the only thing that they could’ve done to stop me from cracking under the strain.

I love them.  But it did feel great breaking the rules and sneaking out of the hospital!

Number Three

My beta reader returned Shawn’s Law to me and said she couldn’t finish it. It was not her “type of story.”

How brave am I to publish it anyway?

So now I need you all to read and tell me – who was right?  Me to publish?  Or my beta to say it was no good?


(Bribes may be arranged if you're willing to tell my beta she is wrong *wink*)

Guest Interview - Sandra Bard

Renae:  Every now and then, a little gem is pointed out to you in the middle of a field of coal.  That is what I felt like when I saw this next book.  Released last year, I obviously missed it:

Into the Divide (The Divide Universe #1), by Sandra Bard

Blurb:  Nullands: Sections of a series of planets sealed off by an energy barrier, called the Divide, filled with danger, where technology does not work. 

Tarn is part of the Death Squad, a criminal given a second chance by agreeing to risk his life over and over again in the Nullands. His latest mission is the kind he usually avoids: babysit an inexperience lab tech while they hunt down the dangerous creature that escaped a research lab.

Calvin is the lab tech given the unenviable task of hunting down the creature that escaped his lab, after it killed his friend and five others. An assignment he mostly landed for refusing to sleep with his boss, he knows damn good and well he's being sent to die. What he doesn't expect is Tarn, or how far he's willing to go to survive.

 

Renae:  OMG – that sounds great.  And today I have Sandra Bard, the author of this book on my blog.  Hi, Sandra.  Welcome!

Sandra:  Thank you so much for having me here. *waves to the audience* I'm really excited to talk about Into the Divide.

Renae:  Tell me, how did you get the idea for this story?  Is it set in the future, or is it an alternative reality?

Sandra:  I always imagined this would be in the future. A long, long, long time when humans have found space travel and have a couple of thousand habitable worlds and space stations under their belt.  During their exploration of the universe they have come across Divide worlds, worlds where there are energy barriers that close of part of the world. *points to the blurb*

Renae:  So Tarn is a bad-boy criminal?  **shudders**  How bad is he?  Will he make the heart of the reader race with his badness?

Sandra:  Well, he was a bad boy, as in when he was young he did something really, really wrong. But now he's a badass. When the story opens he's been in the Death squad for close to ten years and he's sharpened his skills and become very good at what he does. 
Renae:  And is Calvin a geek?

Sandra:  Tough to describe Calvin. If you mean if he's very good at what he does, he is, but even he isn't sure about what he can do. And he is not someone anyone is going to dislike. He's just...  untrained in the ways of the Divide.  Age wise, he's not much younger than Tarn, but experience wise, he is pretty young since this is the first time he's going to cross the Divide.

Renae:  Now Calvin’s mission is to capture this animal that has escaped.  What sort of animal is this?

Sandra:  Now, if I describe it completely, I'm going to spoil the plot. But it's dangerous, it's big and it's alien. Well, that's a given since this happens on another planet but what makes it even more dangerous is that it'd killed a couple of men before escaping from the high security lab it was kept.

Renae:  What is their reaction to each other at first?  Hate at first sight?  Attraction at first sight?

Sandra:  Well, you have a realise Tarn's been doing this close to 10 years. He's seen a lot of people die, even people who were very good at staying alive. So his first impression of Calvin is that he'd going to be a burden, someone Tarn will have to try really hard to keep alive. Calvin has heard of Tarn, so he knows what Tarn does. That is why, he is just surprised, when he sees Tarn that he is so short. 

Renae:  I understand that you have written a part two to the book?  Tell us about it?  When will it be out?

Sandra:  There are other characters in this book I wanted to explore more. Izaak is one of them, he's the commander of the infamous Death Squad aka the First Fighters.  His story is coming out on June 10th and it's called Divided Within. I'll be introducing a new character Vincent Hawthorne *grins* who has a past with Izaak. It also gives me a chance to see what Tarn and Calvin are doing after the end of the first book.

The next book Divide by Two is also going to be out sometime this year but we haven't set a release date yet. It's time they leave the planet but things go wrong from the beginning and they have to work together to save themselves. It's the time they get to really know each others' partners and get to work out some issue they have with each other.

I'm also working on another book, Divided Nature. This actually takes place in the past, and is about an incident that is hinted at in all the other three books. I was going to write it as a flashback but there is a whole story there with different people and it's turning out to be an entire book.

Renae:  Is this book a HEA?  You’re not going to leave me with a cliff hanger, are you?

Sandra:  I always write happy endings, but I'm not sure if it's forever for the moment. They are together but I don't know a single relationship that hasn't gone through a rough spot or two. There will be problems and setbacks but I can safely say their relationships will survive.

Renae:  Looking at your other books, you have a wide variety of Alternate Universe type stories.  Do you think that they come easy to you?  What is their attraction for you to write about them?

Sandra:  I think I write all types. Hmm, my first book, Bound by Guilt is contemporary but I do dabble in Fantasy. Not high fantasy, but mostly urban fantasy, with magic (The Glass Prince) and vampires (The List). I have Rights of Inheritance (I'm working on the sequel for that too) which is all kings and queens and bastard sons.

I don't know if they come to be easily, I sometimes have an idea but then wind up struggling for ages to get the plotline moving. Sometimes I imagine a certain scene but then it takes me month to build up to that point.

But, there's always a story in my head.
Renae:  What are you working on now?

Sandra:  I'm working on so many I feel like I'm divided between so many works.

Right now, I'm working on a short story for the LT3 anthology Silver and Gold. I'm working on the sequel for Rights of Inheritance, called Rights of Prisoners. There's a sort of loose follow up to Bound by Guilt called, Exiled in Guilt. There is of course, Divided Nature from the Divide Universe. And finally, there is a 40,000 word book I'm only about half way through which I'm calling Armour about two countries at war.

And there is a short story I'm re doing which is about a magical tree.

There are some more but really, I think you get the picture.

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Sandra: 

Email, sandrabard123@gmail.com ,

I'm on tumblr, http://sandrabard.tumblr.com.

I don't have a fb account and as for a website, I haven't been active in a while so I got rid of it. I will be opening a new website soon, please stay in touch until then. 

Renae:  Thanks for visiting today, and I can’t wait to get into this story.

Sandra:  Thank you for having me. I had fun and some of the questions made me think of things I never thought of myself—like which Universe this story in set in. 

Guest interview - Beany Sparks

Renae:  Today I’m really happy to welcome back a dear friend – Beany Sparks.  Beany lives in my hometown and we catch up for coffee when our schedules allow (which isn’t that often!)

Beany has had a number of books out in the last six months, and today we’re here to talk about her latest Hearts, Flowers and A Rainbow Tail.

Blurb:  This Valentine’s Day Erik gets a surprise visitor, but it’s not cupid. Not unless cupid is a sexy merman in disguise.

Time has passed, but Erik is still haunted by what happened to him at the hands of Dirk at Christmas. He’s been spending less time with his best friend Calder and, in turn, the one merman he wants, but doesn’t think he’ll ever have. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching he’s already making plans to avoid the world on the day.

Aryell has been staying with Calder and Tamesis since being reunited with his friend and leader at Christmas. While he enjoys spending time with the couple, it’s Calder’s best friend Erik that he’d rather spend time with, but the man avoids him and Aryell begins to wonder if maybe it’s time to return to the water.

One day changes everything and gives Aryell hope and new information. Can he convince Erik to give him a chance this Valentine’s Day, or will he be returning to his underwater home alone?

 

Renae:  Hearts, Flowers and A Rainbow Tail is Book Two to Christmas, Snow And… A Merman? which was released in December 2014.  Obviously these two books are about mermen.  Tell me, how did you get the idea to write this story?

Beany:  I was letting my mind wander, as usual, and I was thinking of Charmed and all of the episodes and the one where Phoebe becomes a mermaid popped into my head for a second before the plot bunny attacked. I never stood a chance...
Renae:   So are mermen just like The Little Mermaid?  Do they become “human” out of the water?  Can they speak?

Beany:  They’re like shifters. They can shift between their human form or their merman form, in Aryell’s case he also has a third form.

Renae:   Is interacting with humans taboo for them?

Beany:  No, not at all. However, not all mermen feel compelled to explore, and some accidentally come across humans.

Renae:   How do they… ahh… umm…  have sex?  Do they need to change form for that?

Beany:  Haha, they shift into human form to have sex. I cant imagine how they would have sex otherwise…

Renae:   Will there be a Book Three?

Beany:  Surprisingly, yes. When I finished Christmas, Snow and…a Merman? I knew there would be a sequel, but I thought that would be it. I wasn’t even going to give it a series name, but the publisher asked for it so Merman Tales was born. Towards the end of Hearts, Flowers and a Rainbow Tail the plot bunny for book 3 attacked. Now, I’ve got a WIP document for it with a very rough idea and a pairing.

Renae:   Does Erik realise what he’s getting himself into, falling for a merman?  What sort of allowances must a human make to have a successful relationship with a merman?

Beany:  He doesn’t really think about the fact that Aryell is a merman, he falls for the man Aryell is. He’s seen Calder and Tamesis’s relationship and he knows that Calder became a merman in order to be with Tamesis, so Erik is well aware of what would happen if he and Aryell got to that point.

Renae:   What would be your reaction if one day, a close friend announced to you that they were actually merfolk? 

Beany:  I guess it would depend on how long we’d been friends. It’d be hurt if someone I’d known for years hadn’t told me something like that, and I’d be shocked, but that wouldn’t change our friendship. Although I might pick their brain and write more underwater stories *wink*

Renae:  Where can people find you?

Beany: 
beany.sparks@gmail.com
www.beanysparks.com
https://www.facebook.com/beany.sparks/
https://twitter.com/BeanySparks

Renae:  Thanks for joining me today Beany!  I hope to catch up with you for coffee as well, very soon.

Beany:  Thanks for inviting me :-) We’ll have to catch up soon, preferably before our weekend in Melbourne.

Sneak peek - Shawn's Law (excerpt)

Just in case you were unaware, I have a new book coming out.  It's called Shawn's Law and will be released on the 6th of March 2015. Blurb:

Shawn is single, twenty-nine, the full-time carer of his Alzheimer’s-stricken mother, and a frequent victim of Murphy’s Law—although his family calls it Shawn’s Law. Other than caring for mum, his day consists of painting nude men and spying on the guy who walks his dogs along the street every day at four o’clock. When Shawn takes a spectacular fall on his front steps, who is there to witness it other than the man of his dreams? 

Harley doesn’t believe in Shawn’s Law—but he soon changes his mind.

The two men make it through a memorable first date and Shawn’s sexual insecurities to begin a relationship stumbling toward love. But when Shawn’s Law causes Harley to be injured, Shawn is determined to save Harley’s life the only way he knows how—by breaking up with him. Not once, but twice. Throw in a serial killer ex-boyfriend, several deadly Australian animals, two dogs called Bennie, a mother who forgets to wear clothes, an unforgiving Town Council, and a strawberry-flavored condom dolly, and Shawn’s Law is one for the books.
I think that one of the most important bits of a book is when the characters meet for the first time.  I love reading books and finding this out.  Did they hate each other?  Was one attracted and the other not?  What were their first impressions?

Shawn's Law is written from both character's points of view - so you get two first meetings.  Both Shawn and Harley noticed the other person before they spoke for the first time.  Today I though I'd share an excerpt of the second time that Harley came across Shawn.

From the blurb you will see that Shawn likes to spy on the cute guy who walks his dogs past Shawn's house daily.  But what he doesn't know, is that Harley spies back, just as much.  This is where Harley recalls one of those days. Shawn was kneeling on the grass of his verge, digging a hole with his hand to fix a connection in his sprinkler system. I stopped so suddenly that I nearly choked my poor puppies, who were eagerly trotting along this known path on their way to their daily fun time. I hoped that no other neighbors were gawking. Not only had I sprung a boner, I had also started to drool at the sight of that meaty piece of arse. 

Meaty. 

I remember thinking that word. I remember standing there and thinking to myself, Harley—that is an arse you can hang on to. That’s one deliciously, meaty arse. Unfortunately thinking of meat brought to mind other parts of men’s anatomy that are commonly described as meat, which didn’t help my predicament at all. My erection was tenting my pants for everyone to see, and I was about to be found out. I knew that Shawn would turn around and spot me at any second. 

My savior was my Blue Heeler cross, Picky. Don’t ask how she got the name Picky. Just know that I spend half my salary at the butcher because she’s a lady who refuses any food that doesn’t cost at least fifteen dollars per kilo. I willingly purchased porterhouse steak for her the following day because she somehow knew I was in trouble and did the only thing she could think of to help. She squatted and deposited her shit on a nearby piece of lawn. I sighed in relief and grabbed my yellow disposable doggie-do bag to pick it up. Show me a man who can keep an erection while picking up dog shit, and I’ll point out that he needs serious counseling.  As you can see, Harley was attracted to Shawn from the start.  But my question is, is attraction to the other person enough?

Shawn's Law is available for pre-order from DSP at this link.

Be watching my blog for the next excerpt release... **wink**  Yes - I love teasing.

Guest interview - Cardeno C

Renae:  People only need to tell me three words:  New Cardeno story.  And I’m in their face yelling, “Where?  Take my money!”

To say I’m a Cardeno fan is a little bit of an understatement.  But there’s more to it – I’m not only a fan of Cardeno stories, I’m a fan of Cardeno the person, and Cardeno the author.  Is there a difference?  Yes.  A person can write a great story, but still be a jerk.  A writer can produce a great novel, but be really silly at managing their career as an author.  I’m happy to say that Cardeno ticks all the boxes with me.

So without further ado, please welcome Cardeno C. to my blog!

Cardeno: I am sitting here smiling like mad and deeply honoured. You already know I’m a huge fan of your work so compliments about my writing coming from you are extra special to me. And as important as writing is to me (and it’s very important!) the personal compliments mean even more so truly, thank you.


Renae:  Today Cardeno is here to talk to us about a new release, Jumping In, which came out on the 6th of February.

Blurb:  An ARe Alphas Release!

When love’s on the line, the brave jump in with both feet…

Small town cop Clint Rivera can’t catch a break. His ex of two weeks is suddenly getting married, his dogs tore up his furniture, he’s getting evicted, and he’s out of beer. When he decides to solve his alcohol shortage by going to his ex’s engagement party, Clint winds up too drunk to drive himself home.

Enter gorgeous deputy mayor Hawk Black, the man who constantly shows up unexpectedly and sends Clint’s body and mind into a tailspin with nothing but his whiskey voice and blue eyes. After months of patience, Hawk can finally seduce the man he’s been craving.

Clint’s day might not have started out well, but Hawk’s going to make sure it ends with a bang, preferably in bed. He’ll show Clint some rewards are worth the risk. With love on the line, Clint will need to decide if he can open his heart, tear down his shields, and jump in with both feet.

 

Renae:  Where can people purchase the story?

Cardeno: All Romance ebooks is the publisher for this book so at this very second, readers can buy it there. Eventually, though, the book will be available at Amazon and other retailers. I think the best way to know where the book is available at any given time is to check my website because I’ll keep it updated with all retailer links here.

Renae:  Tell me, just what is the Alpha Series about, and why ARe?

Cardeno: Great question! ARe is a romance book retailer. I buy lots of books from them because they have great personalized customer service and a “buy 10 get 1 free” deal, which makes my budget and my library happy. Occasionally, ARe publishes novellas surrounding a specific theme and when they were putting together their Alpha theme, they approached me to ask if I wanted to submit a story. I loved the idea of participating in something with them so I ran the theme idea by readers in my FB group (where I go to for reader advice on all sorts of things book publishing related) and my group brainstormed ideas with me. From that, Jumping In was born.
Renae:   Just who is the alpha in this relationship?  Do you think being the alpha in a relationship is the same as being “in charge” in the bedroom?  Is an alpha in charge all the time?

Cardeno: More good questions, exactly the types of questions I needed help with from my FB group, in fact. What I found in researching this theme is that everyone has a different idea of what Alpha means. The part of me that leans toward being literal has an easier time thinking of a strict Alpha concept in shifter books because it feels very much like an animal idea. But I wanted to write a contemporary so my readers shared a lot of other Alpha type ideas with me and the one thing that I saw as consistent across all opinions and ideas was the idea that an Alpha is strong, confident, and in charge.

Running with that idea, I wrote about two strong, confident men who are in charge in various aspects of their lives but also have softness inside for each other. We have Hawk, the deputy mayor with a big bank account and even bigger connections, and Clint, the former military, current small city cop who loves his dogs more than people. In and out of the bedroom, they’re on an equal plane, a sizzling, sparking, super sexy plane.

Renae:  Does being strong refer to physical and/or mental strength?  Can an alpha be physically smaller?

Cardeno: If you’re asking my personal opinion, I absolutely believe strength is not limited to one’s body. There is mental strength, as you mentioned, emotional strength, and the one I consider most critical – strength of self. I try to write books about different men with different dynamics so my readers feel like they’re reading something new with each of my stories and so there are different characters for readers to connect to, meaning no one couple/book will be everyone’s favourite.

With that said, if I had to pick one characteristic that I see woven through almost all of my characters, it’s a strong sense of self. That personality trait is one I value greatly and because I have to know and like my characters to write them, I inevitably create men who share it.

One notable exception, at least at the beginning of his book, is my character Ben Forman from Just What the Truth Is. Ben’s story is one I stewed over for a long time because I wanted to get it right, I wanted to get Ben right. He’s a nice guy, a smart guy, a handsome guy, but the Ben we meet isn’t a particularly strong guy deep inside. That’s the journey he needs to take and of anything I’ve written, it’s the one that was both the hardest and most rewarding.

I think I got off track there, ehm, sorry. Back to *your* question. Can an Alpha be physically smaller? I’m not Alpha expert but it seems to me he surely can. Strong and in charge isn’t measured by inches (or centimeters).

Renae:  **eyes widen at the dirty (but brilliant) pun**

**Cough**  Right… Um…

Renae:  Do you think that alphas are born, or made?

Cardeno: Well, in that whole “take the term literally” approach with a shifter Alpha story, they’re born. That’s part of the fun of shifter books – predetermined roles and how people react within them. But in real life or in a contemporary world, I think that question is a nurture versus nature one and I’ll answer it the same way I’d answer for almost any other personality trait – I think it’s probably a combination of both.

Renae:   I noticed that Clint is a cop.  Ni-ice.  **Renae drools some**  What is it about strong men that attracts us?

Cardeno: Yes, Clint is in law enforcement – one of the Alpha categories my FB group readers seemed to like. I think we’re attracted to strength because we equate it with safety. If we’re with someone strong, we’ll be cared for and protected. That’s a comforting feeling.

Renae:  Reading the first chapter, we find that Clint is in the closet, while living in a small town.  That has to be hard for him?

Cardeno: What’s funny is that Clint doesn’t think of himself as in the closet. He thinks of himself as out. But you’re right, he sure isn’t acting that way. And that’s something he recognizes through his relationship with Hawk.

Renae:   Is Hawk also in the closet?

Cardeno: Hawk isn’t a man to hide from anything or anyone, least of all himself. Renae:  And Clint’s ex-boyfriend – also a closet-case.  Hiding because of his professional image.  How do you perceive society now?  Are we on the brink of this issue no longer being an issue?  Gay marriage is legal in a variety of states in America now.  People are more accepting.  People are moving out of the closet.  Actors and actresses are coming out.  We have gay athletes. We have gay relationships portrayed in our sit-coms.  Do you see the day when hiding in the closet due to your sexual orientation will no longer happen?

Cardeno: Yes, Clint’s ex is highly focused on his professional ambitions and his image and he has no qualms about living a double life in order to get what he wants. In response to your bigger question, I do see a future where people will no longer have to hide that aspect of themselves. What’s amazing is that I feel like I’m living in part of the future already.

I’ve done work for many years with a gay rights organization and I remember fundraising and lobbying for things like ending Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, hoping for a good future for military people, and now I see pictures of naval officers kissing. I feel like it was just yesterday that the idea of marriage equality was being considered (in a case from Hawaii) and it seemed so impossible in a world where courts were letting people literally into bedrooms to make arrests. But not only is it possible, in many states it’s now real. In some ways I’m already living in the future so many of us have worked hard to obtain and I believe we will eventually get all the way there.

Renae:  What do you love most about this story?

Cardeno: Jumping In is a light, sexy, short contemporary. As a reader, there are many days I don’t have a lot of book time but I want to escape for a little while into something happy and warm. I think this story fits that bill.

Renae:  Where can people contact you?

Cardeno:  
email: cardenoc@gmail.com 
Website: www.cardenoc.com
Blog: (Shared Blog) http://caferisque.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @CardenoC
FB Profile: http://www.facebook.com/CardenoC
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CardenoC/ 
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+CardenocAuthor/posts 
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/cardenoC/ 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcd9agMh5c_HQEPP9_CEhSA

 
Renae:  Thanks for visiting.  I know I asked some difficult questions.   Thanks for explaining, now take my goddamn money so I can read this book!

Cardeno: Thanks for having me, Renae. You’re an awesome interviewer (and friend). **grin**

Cover Reveal - Shawn's Law

I'm baaa-aaack!

Back on the promo trail that is.

This time I'm promo-ing my new novel, Shawn's Law.  And here's the cover! Wacky?  Yes.  Perfect for the book?  Hell, yes!

I don't even pretend that this book is nothing but a bundle of laughs.  This is a comedy, a bit of fun, a barrel of laughter.

Blurb:  Shawn is single, twenty-nine, the full-time carer of his Alzheimer’s-stricken mother and a frequent victim of Murphy’s Law—although his family call it Shawn’s Law.  Other than caring for mum, his day consists of painting nude men and spying on the guy who walks his dogs along the street every day at four o’clock. When he takes a spectacular fall on his front steps, who is there to witness it other than the man of his dreams? Harley doesn’t believe in Shawn’s Law – but he soon changes his mind.

The two men make it through a memorable first date and Shawn’s sexual insecurities to begin a relationship stumbling toward love.  But when Shawn’s Law causes Harley to be injured, Shawn is determined to save Harley’s life the only way he knows how—by breaking up with him.  Not once, but twice.  Throw in a serial killer ex-boyfriend, several deadly Australian animals, two dogs called Bennie, a mother who forgets to wear clothes, an unforgiving Town Council, and a strawberry-flavored condom dolly, and Shawn’s Law is one for the books.

So - when is it out?  6th of March.  You can pre-order here:

Dreamspinner link

So be watching for any excerpts or updates I release between now and then.  I really hope you enjoy this one - it's supposed to make you laugh.  And fall in love, of course.  (And be on the look out for swans attacking too).

xx,
Renae

Guest interview - Jess Buffett

Today I welcome to my blog the FANTABULOUS Jess Buffett!  Fellow Australian and author of sooo many books I can't keep track, she's come today to tell us about her new release.

Renae:  Hi, Jess.  Thanks for joining me on my blog today.  It’s great to have you come and visit.  I’m going to ask you some really hard questions, and some really easy ones! **grin**

Jess:  Hey Renae, thanks for having me. **mentally prepares herself** All right, let’s do this. **grin**

Renae:  You’re just about to re-release a book, Always Been You, which will be available on the 7th of February.

Blurb:  After recovering from a shooting that took the lives of his best friends, Seth Hall returns to his hometown for the first time in eleven years with his two children in tow. Intent on setting up a happy, stable life for them, he vows not to allow his past to intervene with their future. That is until Jared, the boy who had broken his heart all those years ago, returns to his life a full grown man who knows exactly what he wants...Seth.

Jared Stewart thought he had lost his only chance to be with Seth after a series of misunderstandings and mistakes. When Seth finally comes home and back into Jared’s life, Jared vows to do anything it takes to keep him there. However, while Jared and Seth grow closer, they discover that not everyone is so happy for them.

Will they be finally able to make a life for themselves together? Or will they be torn apart again, by people they thought they could trust?

Renae:  I notice that this story was originally published with Silver.  But I understand the story has been updated?

Jess:  Yes, it really has. I’ve added approx. an extra 30k to the original story, giving the secondary characters a little more meat but also letting people really get to know Seth and Jared better this time.
Renae:  Why did you decide to update?  Was this something you originally wanted in the book, or did the expansion ideas come afterward?

Jess:  Always Been You was the first book I had ever completed, first I had ever submitted, and two years later I felt I had a lot more to give it. I’ve learned more and while preparing to write the sequel, I think I came to know my characters better as well. I had originally planned to only add a few thousand words, but I found as I went on, I had more to write.

Renae:  I notice this has been listed as “Second Chances #1” on Goodreads.  Are you planning on making it into a series?

Jess:  I have 3 books in total planned for this series. I had always planned on writing a follow up, wanting to focus on one of the secondary characters that myself, and others, seemed to have accidently fallen for a little. While doing that I introduced more characters and before I knew it I had another planned after book 2. I’m not sure if it will go past 3 books, but I never say no.

Renae:  I understand that this is your first self-published book.  Congrats!  Was it scary to take that step?  Do you think you will do it again in the future?

Jess:  Very scary, I still have no idea how this is going to go, but I like the idea of having a little extra control. If all goes well then I will definitely be self-publishing more. **grin**

Renae:  In Always Been You, your characters meet up again after being apart for eleven years.  That’s a lot of personal growth that will have occurred during that time.  Do you think in real life that the spark would still be there?  (I’m thinking about my high school crush – LOL).

Jess:  Yeah, I really do. I’ve known it to happen. Always Been You is loosely based on two of my friends who hadn’t seen each other since they had been 15/16 and even though things were bumpy at first, they are now happily together.

Renae:  Is there something in this story for those who have read it before?  Do you encourage people to buy again to get more of the story?
Jess:  Absolutely. There isn’t just more to Seth and Jared’s relationship, but to the town. I have added more characters, more places. It’s still the same story, but if you read it the first time around and felt like something or someone was missing, well hopefully I have covered it this time.

Renae:  Okay, now I need to ask something that has been bugging me for AGES!  How do you pronounce your last name???  I met for coffee with Toni Griffin and we couldn’t agree.

Jess:  LOL I get that a lot. Buffett is my maiden name so I grew up with people getting it wrong. It’s just like Jimmy Buffett, or Warren Buffett. Pronounced Buff – ETT, not BUFF-AY.  LOL.


Renae:    Damn...

On to the next question:  You write both MM and MF novels.  Do you have a favourite?  Do you prefer one over the other?

Jess:  MM definitely. I honestly can’t pinpoint what it is that I prefer to read or write about the genre. I have even begun a story multiple times with a male/female pairing and had it end up male/male. I learned a while ago to just go with the flow. LOL.

Renae:  As an author of MM, I’m interested to know if your readers follow you across the genre lines?  Do you have readers that read both your MM and MF stuff?  Are there those who won’t?

Jess:  I do have readers that cross those lines, I do the same even though I lean more towards MM romance. That said I certainly have readers who won’t cross, on both sides. People who won’t read my MM because it doesn’t interest them, and those who read my MM but prefer not to pick up a book with a female as the lead.

Renae:  Where can people find you?

Jess:  (list website, email, etc)

WEBSITE: www.jessbuffett.com

EMAIL: jessbuffett@gmail.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/JessBuffettAuthor 
or www.facebook.com/jessbuffett05

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/JessBuffett

Renae:  Thanks for joining me today!  I’ve had great fun. 

Jess:  Thank you so much for inviting me along, I’ve had a blast! **grin**

Guest Interview - Andrea Speed

Renae:  There are times that I feel like I’m living a dream – writing, getting my stuff published and talking to other “real” authors.  Today I welcome one of those wonderful authors to my blog – Andrea Speed.  Andrea is one of those whom I admire greatly – she’s been writing for years and entertaining us.  So many authors come and go, but only the best hang around.  Goodreads tells me she has 30 distinct works, and was first published in 2007.  Welcome!  And is this correct, Andrea?

Andrea:  Possibly. To be brutally honest, years of sleep deprivation has left me with a memory like Swiss cheese. I’m still a little surprised that I was ever published, or that people know who I am, or ask me anywhere. It’s nice to be constantly surprised, though.

Renae:  Today Andrea is visiting me to promo her new Infected story— Infected: Paris

Blurb:  Roan McKichan is working a frustrating stalker case, with no shortage of suspects and little solid evidence, when he comes across a startling eyewitness living in his car across the street from the scene. A tiger strain, the only one Roan’s ever met, Paris Lehane is a former Canadian golden boy who suffered a breakdown after becoming infected in college.
 
While Roan's ex, Diego “Dee” Cole, warns against falling for the infected Paris, a man doomed to die, Roan struggles with his attraction and the knowledge that no happily ever after is possible for them.
 
But is the knowledge enough to discourage him from following his heart? Roan helps Paris out of homelessness, and maybe a special hospital can help Paris with the infection, but Roan’s got his hands full with this case, and there’s no end in sight.

Renae:  What is the expected publication date of this?

Andrea:  February 24th, 2015. 

Renae:  So is this the prequel to the Infected series?  Why did this story need to be told?

Andrea:  I had the whole back story of how Roan and Paris first met in the back of my mind when I wrote Infected: Prey. Paris became a popular character, and as time went on, I finally realized maybe people would like to actually read the story itself. So I wrote it down. I actually think it shows how brave the both of them are, because the deck was stacked against them from the word go, and they knew it.

Renae:  Did you ever realise the series was going to grow so large when you wrote the first book?  Infected #1 was published in 2010 wasn’t it?

Andrea:  I think so. I actually wrote it long before publishing it, so no, I didn’t think it would be much of anything. I mean, I liked it, and I think Roan is a great character to spend time with, but I didn’t know if other people would like it or not. I’m pleased they did.

Renae:  How long do you think the series will go for?

Andrea:  As long as stories that occur in this world come to me, and the characters don’t say no.

Renae:  I’m always fascinated by the worlds authors can dream up.  Does it come natural to you?

Andrea:  It kind of depends. I can’t really force it. It’s either there or its not, but I can tweak it a bit, steer it in certain directions.  Sometimes it’s a collision of disparate ideas that fit together really well. In this case, it was the idea of genetically engineered viruses and wacky cults.

Renae:  Do you suggest that a new reader of your stuff read Infected #1 before this one?  Can your books be read as stand-alones, or do you need to know the story to follow on?

Andrea:  I think you should read Infected: Prey first, but it is my understanding people have picked up other books in the series first, read them, and enjoyed them. So ultimately it’s up to the reader. (That kind of surprised me, since the books have serialized elements, but I guess the basic premise is easy to grasp.)

Renae:  I was reading some of your reviews on previous Infected books, and you were getting slaughtered for leaving your readers with a cliffhanger and they were foaming at the mouth to get their hands on the next book.  Is that deliberate on your behalf?

Andrea:  Cliffhangers? Oh yeah, I love a good cliffhanger. I try and end things so they won’t be too frustrating for the reader, but I know I failed. I’m sorry, but those really did feel like the natural end points for the stories.

Renae:  When can readers expect book #9?

Andrea:  That’s a very good question. I don’t know. Soon, I hope.

Renae:  I saw this question once, and I love asking it to authors.  In your books the werecat virus is a secret.  What if it was true in real life?  What do you think your reaction would be if you were with a guy who suddenly shifted to an animal?

Andrea:  Ooh. I bit myself on the ass with this, didn’t I? It would be terrible. It would hurt a lot, and as a bonus, you’re a societal pariah, unless you fall in with the weirdoes who think it’s great. On the plus side, if you plan things right, there’s a chance you could maul someone you don’t like. I think I’d just accept it as some form of cosmic punishment. Then I’d make a list of people I should try and eat.

Renae:  What’s up next from you?

Andrea:  Hopefully the Holden spin-off (underway!) or the shorts collection will be out soon, and then there’s the supervillain novel I’ve been writing. I also have a horror story, but I don’t want to jinx anything by talking about it.

Renae:  Where can people contact you? 

Andrea: 
Email is aspeed2@gmail.com
Website: andreaspeed.com
Facebook: facebook.com/andrea.speed.3
Twitter: @aspeed
Google+: https://plus.google.com/109420358312270961913/posts
Goodreads: goodreads.com/andreaspeed
Tumblr: http://notmanos.tumblr.com/

Renae:  Thanks for visiting Andrea.  I’ve loved this interview.  And good luck with the release.

Andrea: Thanks for having me. It’s nice to be had. (You know what I mean.) 

Renae: