Marlow Kelly's Blog, page 25
November 25, 2014
Book Blast - Christmas at the Cove By Rachel Brimble
More family for Christmas? Scott Walker doesn't have time for a relationship. The sexy mechanic has career ambitions, not to mention a mother and three sisters to take care of. The last thing he needs is Carrie Jameson, the beauty he never forgot, arriving in Templeton Cove over the holidays with some unexpected news.
Scott still finds Carrie irresistible, and he's not one to shirk responsibility. Scott's issues with his own dad make the prospect of parenthood a minefield. But if he and Carrie can overcome their fears, this Christmas could bring them the best gift of all.
Available at:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
About Rachel
Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance and a further three in 2013. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington--her debut was released in April 2013, followed by a second in January 2014 and the third is released Jan 2015.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.
She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!
Links:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Scott still finds Carrie irresistible, and he's not one to shirk responsibility. Scott's issues with his own dad make the prospect of parenthood a minefield. But if he and Carrie can overcome their fears, this Christmas could bring them the best gift of all.
Available at:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
About Rachel
Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance and a further three in 2013. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington--her debut was released in April 2013, followed by a second in January 2014 and the third is released Jan 2015.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.
She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!
Links:
Website
Blog
November 21, 2014
My Goals as a Writer by Naomi King
First and foremost, my goal with each book is to draw my readers out of their real worlds and so fully immerse them in my story that they hate for my books to end. Living in the fictional world I create should be as wonderful an escape for my readers as it is for me while I’m writing the story!
As a writer, I also strive to remain fresh—to create new situations and challenges for myself. I refuse to write the same premise again and again. Indeed, over the thirty years of my career, I’ve written under more than one name and in more than one genre, partly because that’s what kept me published but also because I have a hard time pigeonholing myself as an author of any particular type of book. It’s a liberating thing to evolve into different genres and find out just how far you can stretch your abilities and your imagination! Resilience and flexibility have gotten me where I am today.
I used to have the goal of reaching a big bestseller list, yet experience and a lot of writer friends have taught me that attaining that sort of recognition is almost totally out of the author’s control and depends upon how much push a publisher gives the book long before its pub date. So now, if I make a bestseller list, great. If I don’t, I’m a success every time an editor offers me another contract and every time a reader chooses to buy my book—and I consider it another level of success when a reader takes a moment to tell me how much she/he enjoyed my story.
One nice thing about a writing career is that I can work from home—or on my iPad, wherever I go—with a flexible schedule, and I can keep writing well into advanced age if I choose to. After all, Victoria Holt was still writing when she died on a cruise ship at 87, and Barbara Cartland wrote until she was well into her 90s. My final writing goal is to keep putting words on the page for as long as I enjoy doing it. When it’s time to move on to something else, I’ll go forward with a joyful heart, knowing the years I spent writing were an experience many, many people envy.
Naomi is giving away a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card to one randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter. All you have to do is scroll down to leave a comment for the author, and then enter the rafflecopter. You can also click on the banner above to follow the tour and enter at each stop.
Romance is in the air during the fall wedding season in the Amish community of Cedar Creek. But while one loving couple prepares to tie the knot, Amanda and Wyman Brubaker’s large family faces a threat from outside their happy circle…and must learn to pull together.
Recently wed Amanda and Wyman Brubaker are thrilled that their children from previous marriages have blended together to form a strong family. But when the construction of Wyman’s new grain elevator is delayed, making the project more expensive than anticipated, Amanda’s determination to rally the kids into taking on work to improve the family’s finances comes into conflict with Wyman’s sense of responsibility as head of the household….
Meanwhile, as James Graber and Abby Lambright prepare for their long-awaited nuptials, folks gather from far and wide. Amanda’s nephew Jerome has long been smitten with James’s sister Emma and wants to seize this chance to woo her. But Emma’s been burned once and is twice shy of trusting the fun-loving, never-serious Jerome. As Emma and Jerome struggle to understand each other, and find the courage to make a leap of faith, the Brubakers face a bigger challenge than they first anticipated and begin to discover just what it means to fight…the Amish way.
Available at
The book Depository
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
B-A-M
Chapters
IndieBound
Powell’s
Kindle
Nook
Kobo
iBooks
Excerpt
“It’s been way too long since I hitched up a sleigh,” Jerome said as he lightly clapped the reins on Sparky’s back. “I don’t think this one’s seen the snow since Uncle Atlee passed, and that’s a shame. Are you warm enough?”
Emma burrowed deeper beneath the quilts Jerome had draped over them. Now that she was settled on the plush old seat, leaning into Jerome as the sleigh tilted slightly on the downhill lane, she felt happier than she had in a long time. The full moon was beaming down from a blue velvet sky dotted with diamond stars, making the snow-blanketed pastures glimmer all around them.
“I’m cozy. And I’m having a really gut time,” Emma replied with a contented sigh. “Night rides are the prettiest, especially now that the wind has died down.”
“Jah, it’s a perfect evening,” Jerome replied softly. “I’ve been hoping for more time alone with you, well—since the day we went shopping, Emma.”
As she thought back to that day she’d spent trying to escape Jerome’s attentions, Emma let herself relax . . . allowed the breeze from the accelerating sleigh blow away her former objections to the handsome man who was driving it. The clip-clop of Sparky’s hooves on the snow-packed road settled her heartbeat into its rhythm while the warmth they shared beneath the quilts soothed her after a day of surprising guests and revelations. “Denki for giving me another chance, Jerome,” she murmured. “You were right at the wedding. I’ve missed out on a lot of opportunities to go out and have fun.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Drawing upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the Mississippi, longtime Missourian Naomi King writes of simpler times and a faith-based lifestyle in her Home at Cedar Creek/One Big Happy Family series. Like her series heroine, Abby Lambright, Naomi considers it her personal mission to be a listener—to heal broken hearts and wounded souls—and to share her hearth and home. Faith and family, farming and frugality are hallmarks of her lifestyle: like Abby, she made her wedding dress and the one her mom wore, too! She’s a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and when she’s not writing, Naomi loves to travel, try new recipes, crochet, and sew. Naomi, whose real name is Charlotte Hubbard, now lives in Minnesota with her husband and their border collie, Ramona.
www.NaomiKingAuthor.com
https://www.facebook.com/NaomiC.Kin
a Rafflecopter giveaway
As a writer, I also strive to remain fresh—to create new situations and challenges for myself. I refuse to write the same premise again and again. Indeed, over the thirty years of my career, I’ve written under more than one name and in more than one genre, partly because that’s what kept me published but also because I have a hard time pigeonholing myself as an author of any particular type of book. It’s a liberating thing to evolve into different genres and find out just how far you can stretch your abilities and your imagination! Resilience and flexibility have gotten me where I am today.
I used to have the goal of reaching a big bestseller list, yet experience and a lot of writer friends have taught me that attaining that sort of recognition is almost totally out of the author’s control and depends upon how much push a publisher gives the book long before its pub date. So now, if I make a bestseller list, great. If I don’t, I’m a success every time an editor offers me another contract and every time a reader chooses to buy my book—and I consider it another level of success when a reader takes a moment to tell me how much she/he enjoyed my story.
One nice thing about a writing career is that I can work from home—or on my iPad, wherever I go—with a flexible schedule, and I can keep writing well into advanced age if I choose to. After all, Victoria Holt was still writing when she died on a cruise ship at 87, and Barbara Cartland wrote until she was well into her 90s. My final writing goal is to keep putting words on the page for as long as I enjoy doing it. When it’s time to move on to something else, I’ll go forward with a joyful heart, knowing the years I spent writing were an experience many, many people envy.
Naomi is giving away a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card to one randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter. All you have to do is scroll down to leave a comment for the author, and then enter the rafflecopter. You can also click on the banner above to follow the tour and enter at each stop. Romance is in the air during the fall wedding season in the Amish community of Cedar Creek. But while one loving couple prepares to tie the knot, Amanda and Wyman Brubaker’s large family faces a threat from outside their happy circle…and must learn to pull together.Recently wed Amanda and Wyman Brubaker are thrilled that their children from previous marriages have blended together to form a strong family. But when the construction of Wyman’s new grain elevator is delayed, making the project more expensive than anticipated, Amanda’s determination to rally the kids into taking on work to improve the family’s finances comes into conflict with Wyman’s sense of responsibility as head of the household….
Meanwhile, as James Graber and Abby Lambright prepare for their long-awaited nuptials, folks gather from far and wide. Amanda’s nephew Jerome has long been smitten with James’s sister Emma and wants to seize this chance to woo her. But Emma’s been burned once and is twice shy of trusting the fun-loving, never-serious Jerome. As Emma and Jerome struggle to understand each other, and find the courage to make a leap of faith, the Brubakers face a bigger challenge than they first anticipated and begin to discover just what it means to fight…the Amish way.
Available at
The book Depository
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
B-A-M
Chapters
IndieBound
Powell’s
Kindle
Nook
Kobo
iBooks
Excerpt
“It’s been way too long since I hitched up a sleigh,” Jerome said as he lightly clapped the reins on Sparky’s back. “I don’t think this one’s seen the snow since Uncle Atlee passed, and that’s a shame. Are you warm enough?”
Emma burrowed deeper beneath the quilts Jerome had draped over them. Now that she was settled on the plush old seat, leaning into Jerome as the sleigh tilted slightly on the downhill lane, she felt happier than she had in a long time. The full moon was beaming down from a blue velvet sky dotted with diamond stars, making the snow-blanketed pastures glimmer all around them.
“I’m cozy. And I’m having a really gut time,” Emma replied with a contented sigh. “Night rides are the prettiest, especially now that the wind has died down.”
“Jah, it’s a perfect evening,” Jerome replied softly. “I’ve been hoping for more time alone with you, well—since the day we went shopping, Emma.”
As she thought back to that day she’d spent trying to escape Jerome’s attentions, Emma let herself relax . . . allowed the breeze from the accelerating sleigh blow away her former objections to the handsome man who was driving it. The clip-clop of Sparky’s hooves on the snow-packed road settled her heartbeat into its rhythm while the warmth they shared beneath the quilts soothed her after a day of surprising guests and revelations. “Denki for giving me another chance, Jerome,” she murmured. “You were right at the wedding. I’ve missed out on a lot of opportunities to go out and have fun.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Drawing upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the Mississippi, longtime Missourian Naomi King writes of simpler times and a faith-based lifestyle in her Home at Cedar Creek/One Big Happy Family series. Like her series heroine, Abby Lambright, Naomi considers it her personal mission to be a listener—to heal broken hearts and wounded souls—and to share her hearth and home. Faith and family, farming and frugality are hallmarks of her lifestyle: like Abby, she made her wedding dress and the one her mom wore, too! She’s a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and when she’s not writing, Naomi loves to travel, try new recipes, crochet, and sew. Naomi, whose real name is Charlotte Hubbard, now lives in Minnesota with her husband and their border collie, Ramona.
www.NaomiKingAuthor.com
https://www.facebook.com/NaomiC.Kin
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 15, 2014
Tighten your writing by Barbara Edwards
Today I have a special guest, Barbara Edwards. Barbara is a talented author who has generously agreed to share some of her knowledge with us. And I personally want to thank her; this post has been very useful to me as I work on my editing.
Rewrites are a vital part of the editing process. I’m constantly learning new methods from more experienced writers although I’ve published six books. I’ve found certain things that help me to tighten my story.
I studied Jayne Anne Krentz’s way of describing her hero after being knocked over by her intro line that ‘In the door stood two junk yard dogs, one was a man.’ It’s been a few years since I read this and I’m sure I misquoted, but close enough for my explanation.
In the book she goes on to say he’s strong, loyal, protective. I realized that this was a technique many authors use to keep their hero in character.
For example, if you say your hero moved like a jungle cat, then it is wise to carry on the tagging with graceful, lithe, strong or other tags that keep that idea simmering throughout the book. I noticed many new authors don’t take advantage of this tool to strengthen their character and the readers interest.
In my book Ancient Blood, I used not only my hero’s name, Cole, but his description as a werewolf to make his character more appealing. His teeth parted in a ferocious grin, he growled, he is strong. His hair is black as coal.
Try making a list of descriptive words and sprinkle them through your work. Cat-like can bring sleek, purred, stroked. Use your creative talent to add more.
Excerpt from my new release Ancient Curse:
Evil never dies. And this time it wants Rainie Gamble. More than her life, it wants her soul.
The artifacts she handles come from every era and she can read their past with a touch. After her Father’s deceit, she’d lost her beloved career until Thomas hired her to inventory his new estate. She is acutely aware these items ooze evil. Her attraction to Thomas grows despite her resolve to never trust again.
Thomas Broquette needed Rainie for more than her psychic ability. She could bring her father into his reach and Thomas needed him to return the stolen paintings in Mason’s estate. He needs Rainie’s help to destroy the evil things Mason left behind. Then he realizes he needs her for much, much more.
She needs to trust him despite his lie. Their love is her only hope of survival.
Please visit, friend or follow me. I love to hear from readers Author Website: http://barbaraedwards.net
Blog Site: http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpre...
Available at The Wild Rose Press
The Wild Rose Press offers its books in multiple formats for your convenience.
Rewrites are a vital part of the editing process. I’m constantly learning new methods from more experienced writers although I’ve published six books. I’ve found certain things that help me to tighten my story.
I studied Jayne Anne Krentz’s way of describing her hero after being knocked over by her intro line that ‘In the door stood two junk yard dogs, one was a man.’ It’s been a few years since I read this and I’m sure I misquoted, but close enough for my explanation.
In the book she goes on to say he’s strong, loyal, protective. I realized that this was a technique many authors use to keep their hero in character.
For example, if you say your hero moved like a jungle cat, then it is wise to carry on the tagging with graceful, lithe, strong or other tags that keep that idea simmering throughout the book. I noticed many new authors don’t take advantage of this tool to strengthen their character and the readers interest.
In my book Ancient Blood, I used not only my hero’s name, Cole, but his description as a werewolf to make his character more appealing. His teeth parted in a ferocious grin, he growled, he is strong. His hair is black as coal.
Try making a list of descriptive words and sprinkle them through your work. Cat-like can bring sleek, purred, stroked. Use your creative talent to add more.
Excerpt from my new release Ancient Curse:
Evil never dies. And this time it wants Rainie Gamble. More than her life, it wants her soul.
The artifacts she handles come from every era and she can read their past with a touch. After her Father’s deceit, she’d lost her beloved career until Thomas hired her to inventory his new estate. She is acutely aware these items ooze evil. Her attraction to Thomas grows despite her resolve to never trust again.
Thomas Broquette needed Rainie for more than her psychic ability. She could bring her father into his reach and Thomas needed him to return the stolen paintings in Mason’s estate. He needs Rainie’s help to destroy the evil things Mason left behind. Then he realizes he needs her for much, much more.
She needs to trust him despite his lie. Their love is her only hope of survival.
Please visit, friend or follow me. I love to hear from readers Author Website: http://barbaraedwards.net
Blog Site: http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpre...
Available at The Wild Rose Press
The Wild Rose Press offers its books in multiple formats for your convenience.
November 12, 2014
A LIGHT IN THE CHRISTMAS CAFE by KRISTY TATE
Sweet romance with a dash of humor, a touch of mystery, and a hint of magic.
Just yesterday, the Authors of Main Street, re-released their CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET, a collection of eleven heartwarming, holiday stories. A 2013 Amazon #1 bestseller, now only 99 cents. I love all the stories, but A LIGHT IN THE CHRISTMAS CAFÉ is one of my favorites, because it was my very first completed novel.
Available at
Amazon
A LIGHT IN THE CHRISTMAS CAFE
An almost perfect evening can be easily ruined by a profession of love.
Moonlight streaming through the windows, the café’s comforting aromas, a nearly overflowing dining room, delicious food, poetry…and Claude. Deirdre knows she has to stop him, but she doesn’t know how. In Lake Vista, a small resort town tucked in the California foothills, Deirdre finds that there are more questions than answers. And Claude is the least of her problems.
In LA, Deirdre’s perfectly constructed life made sense—a lucrative, albeit boring, career and an adoring boyfriend. But when her beloved grandmother tumbles down the stairs, Deirdre returns to Lake Vista and picks up the apron strings at Rosie’s café. Temporarily. Running her grammy’s café is more complicated than Deirdre could have ever imagined. Despite a food thief, a haunted house, a matchmaker and a handsome stranger, Deirdre believes her old, safe life can still be salvaged. Until she sees a mysterious light in the café’s attic. A light, that like her, doesn't belong.
In addition to the anthology, the Authors of Main Street have also compiled a FREE companion book of holiday decorating tips.
Here’s mine:
GENEALOGY FAN CHART
Some will say it's not a craft, per se, but I made my own fan chart and I love it, even if it's merely a fill in the blank sort of project. No sewing, paints, or glue required. Using a ruler and compass, it's pretty easy. My chart goes back 8 generations and you can see it athttp://kristystories.blogspot.com/2014/10/ancestors-love-letter.html I used a computer to print out the words (not the names, you'll have to do that by hand) and then took it to Staples to have it copied on a nice sheet of paper. (I don't have a copy machine this size.)
But, if you don't want to draw your own fan, you can find one already made at https://familysearch.org/blog/en/printing-fan-chart/. This is the same site where you can research your ancestors. There are also a number of charts you can find online, just google genealogy fan chart. But I have to warn you once you start you may become addicted and end up with a chart like the one my husband’s grandmother made that goes all the way back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
ABOUT KRISTY TATE
Kristy is the mom of six incredibly brilliant and beautiful children, and the author of several novels. Although many of her novels have won awards and have ranked on Amazon's top 100 list, Kristy has yet to realize her lifelong dream of owning a Schnauzer farm. Kristy studied English literature at Brigham Young University and at BYU's International Center in London.
For updates on Kristy's upcoming novels, please visit her blog at kristystories.blogspot.com
BOOKS BY KRISTY TATE
Stealing Mercy: The night before the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, flames spark between Mercy Faye and Trent Michaels, leaving the life they know and the city they love in ashes. (Seattle Fire, book 1) http://amzn.to/1shBnum
Rescuing Rita: When Christian rescues the kidnapped Rita and witnesses a triple murder, he realizes that it’s a lot more interesting to hold a feisty actress than a hand of cards. But is she worth joining the cast until the ultimate final curtain? (Seattle Fire, book 2) http://amzn.to/1wydeoH
Ghost of a Second Chance: With the help of her grandmother’s ghost, Laine Collins unravels the mystery of her grandparents’ marriage and is forced to face a question of the heart—Can love live even after it has died? (Rose Arbor, book 1) http://amzn.to/1u1scCG
The Rhyme’s Library: Blair Rhyme discovers crazy Aunt Charlotte’s dead body amongst the boxes of want-nots and what-evers in the library’s basement. Unfortunately, when she returns to the library with the police Charlotte is gone. Desperate to prove that she doesn’t share her aunt’s mental illness and that Charlotte really has been murdered, Blair tangles with a former lover, a disturbingly handsome stranger and a wacky cast of Rose Arbor characters. (Rose Arbor, book 2) http://amzn.to/1zwTyDP
Losing Penny: A cooking show diva in hiding. A literature professor writing genre fiction. An admirer who wants more than the tasty morsels a cooking hostess is willing to share. A dangerous recipe for romance in the town of Rose Arbor. (Rose Arbor, book 3) http://amzn.to/1qqerZ2
Beyond the Fortuneteller’s Tent: When Petra Baron goes into the fortuneteller’s tent at a Renaissance fair, she expects to leave with a date to prom. Instead, she walks out into Elizabethan England, where she meets gypsies, a demon dog and a kindred spirit in Emory Ravenswood. Can Petra and Emory have a future while trapped in the past? Or is anything possible Beyond the Fortuneteller’s Tent? (Beyond, book 1) http://amzn.to/1yZRzoz
Beyond the Sleepy Hollow: With a collection of the writings of Washington Irving in her hand and a prayer that the same nine-pin playing ghosts that gave carried away Rip Van Winkle will give her drink of their ale, Petra Baron heads into another time defying adventure Beyond the Hollow. This is the second book in the Beyond series, where Petra is reminded that love is always timeless.http://amzn.to/1yZRzoz
Beyond the Pale: After their encounter with the Headless Horseman in the Sleepy Hollow cemetery, Petra Baron and her immortal boyfriend, Emory Ravenswood, find themselves thrust into the bustle of modern-day New York City, where the dangers are both living and dead.http://amzn.to/1tdQEvv
Hailey’s Comments: A sassy but shy advice columnist flees to a sparsely populated island in the Puget Sound seeking peace and refuge, but instead finds mystery and romance.http://amzn.to/1s6jmxY
A Light in the Christmas Café: In LA, Deirdre’s perfectly constructed life made sense—a lucrative, albeit boring, career and an adoring boyfriend. But when her beloved grandmother tumbles down the stairs, Deirdre returns to Lake Vista and picks up the apron strings at Rosie’s café. She believes her old, safe life can still be salvaged. Until she sees a mysterious light in the café’s attic. A Light, that like her, doesn't belong. Or does it? http://amzn.to/1tdQEvv
Stuck With You: When Andie breaks Whit’s glasses, he offers to forgive her debt if she’ll pose as his date to his brother’s wedding. It's the perfect mixture of business and pleasure, until business threatens to get in the way of a happily-ever-after neither Andie nor Whit could have ever imagined. http://amzn.to/1vKW56P
Just yesterday, the Authors of Main Street, re-released their CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET, a collection of eleven heartwarming, holiday stories. A 2013 Amazon #1 bestseller, now only 99 cents. I love all the stories, but A LIGHT IN THE CHRISTMAS CAFÉ is one of my favorites, because it was my very first completed novel.
Available at
Amazon
A LIGHT IN THE CHRISTMAS CAFE
An almost perfect evening can be easily ruined by a profession of love.
Moonlight streaming through the windows, the café’s comforting aromas, a nearly overflowing dining room, delicious food, poetry…and Claude. Deirdre knows she has to stop him, but she doesn’t know how. In Lake Vista, a small resort town tucked in the California foothills, Deirdre finds that there are more questions than answers. And Claude is the least of her problems.
In LA, Deirdre’s perfectly constructed life made sense—a lucrative, albeit boring, career and an adoring boyfriend. But when her beloved grandmother tumbles down the stairs, Deirdre returns to Lake Vista and picks up the apron strings at Rosie’s café. Temporarily. Running her grammy’s café is more complicated than Deirdre could have ever imagined. Despite a food thief, a haunted house, a matchmaker and a handsome stranger, Deirdre believes her old, safe life can still be salvaged. Until she sees a mysterious light in the café’s attic. A light, that like her, doesn't belong.
In addition to the anthology, the Authors of Main Street have also compiled a FREE companion book of holiday decorating tips. Here’s mine:
GENEALOGY FAN CHART
Some will say it's not a craft, per se, but I made my own fan chart and I love it, even if it's merely a fill in the blank sort of project. No sewing, paints, or glue required. Using a ruler and compass, it's pretty easy. My chart goes back 8 generations and you can see it athttp://kristystories.blogspot.com/2014/10/ancestors-love-letter.html I used a computer to print out the words (not the names, you'll have to do that by hand) and then took it to Staples to have it copied on a nice sheet of paper. (I don't have a copy machine this size.)
But, if you don't want to draw your own fan, you can find one already made at https://familysearch.org/blog/en/printing-fan-chart/. This is the same site where you can research your ancestors. There are also a number of charts you can find online, just google genealogy fan chart. But I have to warn you once you start you may become addicted and end up with a chart like the one my husband’s grandmother made that goes all the way back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
ABOUT KRISTY TATEKristy is the mom of six incredibly brilliant and beautiful children, and the author of several novels. Although many of her novels have won awards and have ranked on Amazon's top 100 list, Kristy has yet to realize her lifelong dream of owning a Schnauzer farm. Kristy studied English literature at Brigham Young University and at BYU's International Center in London.
For updates on Kristy's upcoming novels, please visit her blog at kristystories.blogspot.com
BOOKS BY KRISTY TATE
Stealing Mercy: The night before the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, flames spark between Mercy Faye and Trent Michaels, leaving the life they know and the city they love in ashes. (Seattle Fire, book 1) http://amzn.to/1shBnum
Rescuing Rita: When Christian rescues the kidnapped Rita and witnesses a triple murder, he realizes that it’s a lot more interesting to hold a feisty actress than a hand of cards. But is she worth joining the cast until the ultimate final curtain? (Seattle Fire, book 2) http://amzn.to/1wydeoH
Ghost of a Second Chance: With the help of her grandmother’s ghost, Laine Collins unravels the mystery of her grandparents’ marriage and is forced to face a question of the heart—Can love live even after it has died? (Rose Arbor, book 1) http://amzn.to/1u1scCG
The Rhyme’s Library: Blair Rhyme discovers crazy Aunt Charlotte’s dead body amongst the boxes of want-nots and what-evers in the library’s basement. Unfortunately, when she returns to the library with the police Charlotte is gone. Desperate to prove that she doesn’t share her aunt’s mental illness and that Charlotte really has been murdered, Blair tangles with a former lover, a disturbingly handsome stranger and a wacky cast of Rose Arbor characters. (Rose Arbor, book 2) http://amzn.to/1zwTyDP
Losing Penny: A cooking show diva in hiding. A literature professor writing genre fiction. An admirer who wants more than the tasty morsels a cooking hostess is willing to share. A dangerous recipe for romance in the town of Rose Arbor. (Rose Arbor, book 3) http://amzn.to/1qqerZ2
Beyond the Fortuneteller’s Tent: When Petra Baron goes into the fortuneteller’s tent at a Renaissance fair, she expects to leave with a date to prom. Instead, she walks out into Elizabethan England, where she meets gypsies, a demon dog and a kindred spirit in Emory Ravenswood. Can Petra and Emory have a future while trapped in the past? Or is anything possible Beyond the Fortuneteller’s Tent? (Beyond, book 1) http://amzn.to/1yZRzoz
Beyond the Sleepy Hollow: With a collection of the writings of Washington Irving in her hand and a prayer that the same nine-pin playing ghosts that gave carried away Rip Van Winkle will give her drink of their ale, Petra Baron heads into another time defying adventure Beyond the Hollow. This is the second book in the Beyond series, where Petra is reminded that love is always timeless.http://amzn.to/1yZRzoz
Beyond the Pale: After their encounter with the Headless Horseman in the Sleepy Hollow cemetery, Petra Baron and her immortal boyfriend, Emory Ravenswood, find themselves thrust into the bustle of modern-day New York City, where the dangers are both living and dead.http://amzn.to/1tdQEvv
Hailey’s Comments: A sassy but shy advice columnist flees to a sparsely populated island in the Puget Sound seeking peace and refuge, but instead finds mystery and romance.http://amzn.to/1s6jmxY
A Light in the Christmas Café: In LA, Deirdre’s perfectly constructed life made sense—a lucrative, albeit boring, career and an adoring boyfriend. But when her beloved grandmother tumbles down the stairs, Deirdre returns to Lake Vista and picks up the apron strings at Rosie’s café. She believes her old, safe life can still be salvaged. Until she sees a mysterious light in the café’s attic. A Light, that like her, doesn't belong. Or does it? http://amzn.to/1tdQEvv
Stuck With You: When Andie breaks Whit’s glasses, he offers to forgive her debt if she’ll pose as his date to his brother’s wedding. It's the perfect mixture of business and pleasure, until business threatens to get in the way of a happily-ever-after neither Andie nor Whit could have ever imagined. http://amzn.to/1vKW56P
November 7, 2014
Romancing the Eight - A Woman of Love
Today, I’m participating in a blog hop along with my fellow writers from the TransCanada Romance Writers. The challenge was to post eight words, eight sentences, or eight paragraphs from one of your pieces, published or unpublished.
I’ve chosen to post eight sentences from my upcoming release A woman of Love. It's the second novella from the Honour, Love and Courage series.
Lady Annabel Peters sat in the open-top carriage and realized she had left it too late. She should have escaped yesterday.
“Really Annabel, I don’t want you to give your left eye. All I’m asking is that you go in there and do what comes naturally.” Lord Elliott Peters, her husband of two months, sat opposite her, smoothing his waistcoat against his flat, toned abdomen. A lock of blond hair fell across his brow, accentuating his startling, blue eyes. He claimed all he had to do was crook his finger, and besotted society women swooned, but she couldn’t imagine it. His grotesque personality obliterated any physical beauty he possessed.
For a full list of participating authors with links to their sites please visit TransCanada Romance Writers
I’ve chosen to post eight sentences from my upcoming release A woman of Love. It's the second novella from the Honour, Love and Courage series.
Lady Annabel Peters sat in the open-top carriage and realized she had left it too late. She should have escaped yesterday.
“Really Annabel, I don’t want you to give your left eye. All I’m asking is that you go in there and do what comes naturally.” Lord Elliott Peters, her husband of two months, sat opposite her, smoothing his waistcoat against his flat, toned abdomen. A lock of blond hair fell across his brow, accentuating his startling, blue eyes. He claimed all he had to do was crook his finger, and besotted society women swooned, but she couldn’t imagine it. His grotesque personality obliterated any physical beauty he possessed.
For a full list of participating authors with links to their sites please visit TransCanada Romance Writers
November 5, 2014
Book Blast: Red & Her Big Bad Dom by Sydney St. Claire
Available at:Wild Rose press
Amazon
a Rafflecopter giveaway Blurb
Wealthy computer genius Graham Winters is in love with a woman who won’t join him for a stingy cup of coffee. How can he prove he’s nothing like her jerk of an ex if she won’t give him a chance? Then he spots her at a BDSM club and devises a plan. During the day, he’s “that damn geek.” At night, he’s the masked Dom known as The Wolf.
When it comes to her love life, Lucy Sanchez has one rule—no geeks. Not even rich, good looking geeks. She’s attracted to Graham but rules are rules. Besides, she has her wolf, the mysterious Dom who makes her blood sing. Then she’s invited to a fairytale event at Pleasure Manor and this Little Red Riding Hood plans to enjoy every delicious moment with her big, bad Dom.
Excerpt
“I’m taking you to dinner tonight. In the city.” He sat on her desk, which she now found endearing rather than annoying.
She set her purse into an empty cabinet and lifted a brow. “You’re telling me?”
He shrugged. “If I ask, you’ll say no.”
“I have plans.” With The Wolf.
He tipped her chin up. “Cancel them.” His lips brushed hers, then he deepened the kiss.
Lucy’s insides clenched at the feel of his warm mouth against hers and the taste of coffee with a hint of caramel, his favorite kind. She closed her eyes, her lips moving with his. His tongue dipped into her mouth, and she moaned, leaning into him.
Then he broke the kiss and walked away.
Lucy gaped at him. Her insides melted, and that familiar longing zeroed in on her center and pooled between her legs. Damn. She was attracted to her geek. Very attracted. Too bad he wasn’t her wolf. Now, if Graham were as good as her wolf in bed, she’d have found the perfect man.
She sighed. Yep, too bad. So what now? Two dates, two men equaled complications.
Her lips turned downward tightly as she got to work. She loved her wolf-lover, but their relationship was not completely satisfying or fulfilling. Not rounded and balanced. Graham, on the other hand, was open. She knew who he was, shared many common interests, and most of all, Graham didn’t have any secrets. What she saw was what she got with him. In a way, she preferred that to the mysterious and secretive.
“All right,” she said.
Graham glanced up, his eyes unfocused. “Huh?”
Realizing three hours had passed, and he was totally immersed in Geekland, Lucy wadded up a sheet of paper and tossed it at him. “Come back to earth, Graham. Dinner. Date. You. Me.”
His eyes cleared, and a huge grin lit his entire face. His blue eyes shone with pleasure. “Great.”
His smile slipped into a frown when she stretched her arms and back. “You tired? Need to stop?”
“Yeah, need to cancel my plans for tonight and stretch my legs. Want to walk outside with me?” His grounds were beautiful. Calm and restful with formal groupings, waterfalls, and a small forest that reminded her of the woods surrounding Bryce’s mansion, the woods where she and her wolf had played and strolled. She shook off the memories.
“Give me ten. You can go explore the house if you want. I forgot to give you the tour.” He grinned. “My bedroom is up the stairs, straight ahead.”
Lucy had been dying to see the rest of the house, and yes, that included the man’s bedroom, but she rolled her eyes for good form. Didn’t want him to know how eager she’d been to see the upstairs. “Okay. Twisted my arm.”
About Sydney St, Claire
Sydney St. Claire is the pseudonym of Susan Edwards, author of 14 Historical Native American/Western/Paranormal romances and the author of the popular “White” Series.
Sydney loves writing and sharing stories of love, happiness and dreams come true with her readers. She credits her mother for her writing success. Encouraged to read as a child, she always preferred happy endings which meant romances were her favorite genre. Sydney takes her readers into the world of erotica romance where her characters come together in explosive passion as they solve life’s problems and find true love along with the best sex our hero and heroine have ever experienced.
Sydney’s office is quite crowded with three dogs at her feet and five cats to keep her company while she writes. Three cats always insist on beds on her desk, barely leaving enough room for her monitor and keyboard. Life gets fun when all five insist on supervising…
When not writing, she enjoys crafts of all sorts including quilting, sewing, cross-stitch and knitting. She and her husband of 30 + years are avid gardeners. He takes care of the veggies, and Susan is in charge of the ‘pretties’. Her medicine wheel garden is in a contact state of war: flowers vs. weeds. Sadly, right now the weeds are wining…
While writing, she listens to a wide variety of music. Her current favorites are Blackmore’s Night and David Lanz.
Contact Sydney at:
Email: Sydney@sydneystclaire.com
Trailer: http://youtu.be/F-O0tWqMrGM
Website: http://sydneystclaire.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sydneystclaire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sydneystclaire
Blog: http://sydneystclaire.wordpress.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/sydneystclaire
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sydneystclaire/
November 1, 2014
Announcing J.C. McKenzie’s New Release - Beast Coast
Andy must solve a mystery and escape her shackles before her employment is terminated...or her life
Book Specs:
Series Name: Carus Series, Book Two
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Editor: Lara Parker
Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor of DCA Graphics
Theme(s): Shapeshifters and Vampires
SubGenre(s):Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Rating: Spicy (PG13)
Keywords: Shifter, Werewolf, Vampire,Wereleopard, Assassin,Vancouver,Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Page Count: 330
Word Count: 76410
Digital Price: $4.99
Print Price: $16.99
DigitalISBN 978-1-62830-671-2
Print ISBN 978-1-62830-670-5
COPYRIGHT © 2014 by J. C. McKenzie Blurb:
Sometimes the greatest danger comes from within…
When Master Vampire Lucien Delgatto threatens her potential mate Wick’s life, Shape Shifter Andrea “Andy” McNeilly will employ a den of witches, a bedazzled thong, and her ability to shift into multiple animals to meet his demands. She plans to keep Wick safe—even if she’s not speaking to him. Lucien’s unwelcomed control over Wick's life has thrown Andy into a whirlwind of emotions. Though Wick vows to do whatever it takes to earn Andy’s forgiveness and win back her trust, it may be too late.
This recent conflict awakens something within Andy, an animal she’s never learned to control. For hidden beneath all her forms is a beast whose anger and brutality rivals none. And she’s pissed.
Excerpt:
Letting my falcon drift close to the surface, my eyesight sharpened. A dark figure moved in the brambles near the deer path ahead of me. About to step closer, something tugged at my senses.
Come to me, a voice echoed in my head. I froze.
An overwhelming urge to walk into the forest on my right consumed my body. I hadn’t felt anything like this since…
Since I was fourteen, and walked into the forest to meet three feras.
Sweat beaded on my brow and the bridge of my nose. I wiped it away, while fighting the compulsion to move.
Come to me, Carus.
Leaning forward, I tried to locate the animal. A branch snapped, and my attention darted to where the sound originated from. The forest hummed with the sound of summer insects. My heart beat loud and heavy in my chest.
Underbrush rustled. There!
A flash of orange.
Pop! A sharp sting, much like a rubber band on bare skin, radiated across my right butt cheek. I yipped and jumped three feet in the air.
Whirling around, I found Wick with an ear-to-ear grin and his paintball gun resting over one of his shoulders. If he had a leg propped up on a recently deceased moose, he’d look like a hunter from a photo.
“Tagged you,” his whiskey voice crooned.
Beast Coast Book Trailer
About the Author:
Born and raised on the Haida Gwaii, off the West Coast of Canada, J.C. McKenzie grew up in a pristine wilderness that inspired her to dream. She writes Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.
J.C. McKenzie’s Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | The Wild Rose Press | Amazon
Book Specs:
Series Name: Carus Series, Book Two
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Editor: Lara Parker
Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor of DCA Graphics
Theme(s): Shapeshifters and Vampires
SubGenre(s):Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Rating: Spicy (PG13)
Keywords: Shifter, Werewolf, Vampire,Wereleopard, Assassin,Vancouver,Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Page Count: 330
Word Count: 76410
Digital Price: $4.99
Print Price: $16.99
DigitalISBN 978-1-62830-671-2
Print ISBN 978-1-62830-670-5
COPYRIGHT © 2014 by J. C. McKenzie Blurb:
Sometimes the greatest danger comes from within…
When Master Vampire Lucien Delgatto threatens her potential mate Wick’s life, Shape Shifter Andrea “Andy” McNeilly will employ a den of witches, a bedazzled thong, and her ability to shift into multiple animals to meet his demands. She plans to keep Wick safe—even if she’s not speaking to him. Lucien’s unwelcomed control over Wick's life has thrown Andy into a whirlwind of emotions. Though Wick vows to do whatever it takes to earn Andy’s forgiveness and win back her trust, it may be too late.
This recent conflict awakens something within Andy, an animal she’s never learned to control. For hidden beneath all her forms is a beast whose anger and brutality rivals none. And she’s pissed.
Excerpt:
Letting my falcon drift close to the surface, my eyesight sharpened. A dark figure moved in the brambles near the deer path ahead of me. About to step closer, something tugged at my senses.
Come to me, a voice echoed in my head. I froze.
An overwhelming urge to walk into the forest on my right consumed my body. I hadn’t felt anything like this since…
Since I was fourteen, and walked into the forest to meet three feras.
Sweat beaded on my brow and the bridge of my nose. I wiped it away, while fighting the compulsion to move.
Come to me, Carus.
Leaning forward, I tried to locate the animal. A branch snapped, and my attention darted to where the sound originated from. The forest hummed with the sound of summer insects. My heart beat loud and heavy in my chest.
Underbrush rustled. There!
A flash of orange.
Pop! A sharp sting, much like a rubber band on bare skin, radiated across my right butt cheek. I yipped and jumped three feet in the air.
Whirling around, I found Wick with an ear-to-ear grin and his paintball gun resting over one of his shoulders. If he had a leg propped up on a recently deceased moose, he’d look like a hunter from a photo.
“Tagged you,” his whiskey voice crooned.
Beast Coast Book Trailer
About the Author:
Born and raised on the Haida Gwaii, off the West Coast of Canada, J.C. McKenzie grew up in a pristine wilderness that inspired her to dream. She writes Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.
J.C. McKenzie’s Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | The Wild Rose Press | Amazon
October 29, 2014
An Interview with R.E. Mullins author of VAMPIRE IN THE SCRYING GLASS
Blautsaugers of Amber Heights series, book #2. Vampire in the Scrying Glass set to release Halloween 2014. 
Available at:
Amazon
Wild Rose Press
Enter to win an advance copy of
Vampire in the Scrying Glass
at Goodreads
As we approach Halloween, I’m excited to have R.E. Mullins on my blog to tell us about her Blautsaugers of Amber Heights series. Let’s start with the interrogation… I mean questions.
What are you working on? The 2nd book in the Blautsaugers of Amber Heights will be released on Halloween 10/31/14. It’s called Vampire in the Scrying Glass and is Morgan and Rafe’s story. I’m currently about half way done with the 3rd book in the series: Metta and Luke’s story. Working title is A Vampire to be Reckoned With
How does your work differ from others of its genre? My vampires are very human-like. Their anatomy and physiology is almost identical to humans but with a couple of extra chromosomes. Therefore they can do anything a human can do with a little extra oomph. They are able to go out into the sun (using sunscreen and sunglasses). They can stay up all day just as humans can stay up all night. They have a strong moral code and laws yet they are just as fallible as any human. Since they live longer, they mature extra slowly and aren’t even considered adults until they’ve reached 100 years of age.
Why do you write what you do? I want to write the things I enjoy reading. However, I must admit this series was inspired by my job in phlebotomy. Dealing with blood all day…it only made sense to write about a phlebotomist who gets turned into a vampire. I started It’s a Wonderful Undead Life over a decade ago but didn’t take it seriously. After I got my act together, it was published Christmastime 2012.
How does your writing process work? I seem to write better in the morning with a big carafe of coffee by my side. When I hit a snag, I take my dog for a walk. The fresh air clears my head and often whatever problem I’m having resolves itself.
What keeps you motivated while writing? The voices in my head never shut up.
How much real life goes into your fiction writing? Quite a bit, actually. Amber Heights, my city in the series, is made up though it’s set in my old stomping grounds of southwest Missouri. You might consider it a mishmash of several places I’ve lived. Though heavily edited (names changed to protect the innocent) I’ve also alluded to several events from my life. The disastrous blind date where Morgan gets her hand bitten in A Vampire In The Scrying Glass is one example.
Your favorite food? Pasta, baby. One of my favorite dishes is a variation of pasta puttanesca. The literal translation is ‘whore’s pasta’, which, I believe, comes from the idea you, can throw any combination of meat you want into the dish. I generally use pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, black olives, edamame, fresh garlic, pasta (I like rigatoni over spaghetti for this), and a couple of cans of Italian seasoned diced tomatoes. Cook the meats, boil the pasta, and then toss everything except the bacon together. Heat through. Crumble bacon on top.
Which of your work has been published so far? Would you like to share a synopsis of your work? What are your forthcoming writings?
I was fortunate enough to have the very first novel I ever wrote published: It’s A Wonderful Undead Life. I’ve turned it into a series. The second book: Vampire In The Scrying Glass will be released Halloween 2014. The third book under the working title: A Vampire To Be Reckoned With is about halfway finished.
Blurb:
Rafe Blautsauger, vampire and enforcer, must put his feelings for the mortal Morgan Maguire aside. The Nosferatu council who employs Rafe strictly forbids their love. But he can't stay away from the beautiful woman who causes his blood to beat with new life. Yet, she hides a secret, one he must expose in order to protect her.
Morgan keeps her unique gift of magic under wraps due to a spell gone horribly wrong when she was young. She is haunted by a nightmare where two malevolent glowing red eyes stalk her. Can she trust the arrogant but oh-so-handsome Rafe with her secret as well as her heart? Can he help her regain her power in time to save the world of the living and the undead?
Excerpt
Morgan quickly lunged forward, and pressed the stake firmly over his heart. “You are despicable.”
“Necessary. Especially for someone as puny as you.” With ease Rafe flipped the piece of sharpened wood out of her fingers, twirled it around a couple of times, and then handed it back with a small flourish.
This time reprisal came more quickly as a spell came to her. She hoped that one day it would come automatically. “Let this man feel my slap. Not to harm, just a tap. Let him feel a touch of fear, to know he cannot domineer.”
For a second the words hung in the air and then Rafe’s eyes widened as his head jerked to the side. The faint lines of a palm print reddened his left cheek.
“You little devil,” he rubbed the side of his face before pushing her on the shoulder with the flat of his hand. He shoved hard enough to force her back a step. “If you’re going to slap at me, by god, you better have the balls to come at me personally.”
“Oh, yeah?” Morgan thrust both hands against his chest and shoved with all her might. It shook her when he didn’t budge an inch, but she managed to keep up her air of bravado. “What’s the matter? Don’t you like the fact I’m not weak and powerless?” Tossing back her head, she challenged, “I don’t need magic to take you on, but it would be wise for you to remember it’s always there.”
He thwarted any chance of escape or the ability to get in the last word by twisting his hand into her hair.
He pulled hard enough, she gasped.
“So take me on,” he dared.
Bio
Born and raised in Joplin, Missouri R.E. Mullins has also resided in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, Springfield, Missouri and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Though she has loved each area, the Ozarks hold a special place in her heart.
R.E. Mullins in social media
Blog: http://remullins.blogspot.com/
Twitter handle: #REMullins
Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/REMullinsauthor
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/REMullins
Available at:
Amazon
Wild Rose Press
Enter to win an advance copy of
Vampire in the Scrying Glass
at Goodreads
As we approach Halloween, I’m excited to have R.E. Mullins on my blog to tell us about her Blautsaugers of Amber Heights series. Let’s start with the interrogation… I mean questions.
What are you working on? The 2nd book in the Blautsaugers of Amber Heights will be released on Halloween 10/31/14. It’s called Vampire in the Scrying Glass and is Morgan and Rafe’s story. I’m currently about half way done with the 3rd book in the series: Metta and Luke’s story. Working title is A Vampire to be Reckoned With
How does your work differ from others of its genre? My vampires are very human-like. Their anatomy and physiology is almost identical to humans but with a couple of extra chromosomes. Therefore they can do anything a human can do with a little extra oomph. They are able to go out into the sun (using sunscreen and sunglasses). They can stay up all day just as humans can stay up all night. They have a strong moral code and laws yet they are just as fallible as any human. Since they live longer, they mature extra slowly and aren’t even considered adults until they’ve reached 100 years of age.
Why do you write what you do? I want to write the things I enjoy reading. However, I must admit this series was inspired by my job in phlebotomy. Dealing with blood all day…it only made sense to write about a phlebotomist who gets turned into a vampire. I started It’s a Wonderful Undead Life over a decade ago but didn’t take it seriously. After I got my act together, it was published Christmastime 2012.
How does your writing process work? I seem to write better in the morning with a big carafe of coffee by my side. When I hit a snag, I take my dog for a walk. The fresh air clears my head and often whatever problem I’m having resolves itself.
What keeps you motivated while writing? The voices in my head never shut up.
How much real life goes into your fiction writing? Quite a bit, actually. Amber Heights, my city in the series, is made up though it’s set in my old stomping grounds of southwest Missouri. You might consider it a mishmash of several places I’ve lived. Though heavily edited (names changed to protect the innocent) I’ve also alluded to several events from my life. The disastrous blind date where Morgan gets her hand bitten in A Vampire In The Scrying Glass is one example.
Your favorite food? Pasta, baby. One of my favorite dishes is a variation of pasta puttanesca. The literal translation is ‘whore’s pasta’, which, I believe, comes from the idea you, can throw any combination of meat you want into the dish. I generally use pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, black olives, edamame, fresh garlic, pasta (I like rigatoni over spaghetti for this), and a couple of cans of Italian seasoned diced tomatoes. Cook the meats, boil the pasta, and then toss everything except the bacon together. Heat through. Crumble bacon on top.
Which of your work has been published so far? Would you like to share a synopsis of your work? What are your forthcoming writings?
I was fortunate enough to have the very first novel I ever wrote published: It’s A Wonderful Undead Life. I’ve turned it into a series. The second book: Vampire In The Scrying Glass will be released Halloween 2014. The third book under the working title: A Vampire To Be Reckoned With is about halfway finished.
Blurb:
Rafe Blautsauger, vampire and enforcer, must put his feelings for the mortal Morgan Maguire aside. The Nosferatu council who employs Rafe strictly forbids their love. But he can't stay away from the beautiful woman who causes his blood to beat with new life. Yet, she hides a secret, one he must expose in order to protect her.
Morgan keeps her unique gift of magic under wraps due to a spell gone horribly wrong when she was young. She is haunted by a nightmare where two malevolent glowing red eyes stalk her. Can she trust the arrogant but oh-so-handsome Rafe with her secret as well as her heart? Can he help her regain her power in time to save the world of the living and the undead?
Excerpt
Morgan quickly lunged forward, and pressed the stake firmly over his heart. “You are despicable.”
“Necessary. Especially for someone as puny as you.” With ease Rafe flipped the piece of sharpened wood out of her fingers, twirled it around a couple of times, and then handed it back with a small flourish.
This time reprisal came more quickly as a spell came to her. She hoped that one day it would come automatically. “Let this man feel my slap. Not to harm, just a tap. Let him feel a touch of fear, to know he cannot domineer.”
For a second the words hung in the air and then Rafe’s eyes widened as his head jerked to the side. The faint lines of a palm print reddened his left cheek.
“You little devil,” he rubbed the side of his face before pushing her on the shoulder with the flat of his hand. He shoved hard enough to force her back a step. “If you’re going to slap at me, by god, you better have the balls to come at me personally.”
“Oh, yeah?” Morgan thrust both hands against his chest and shoved with all her might. It shook her when he didn’t budge an inch, but she managed to keep up her air of bravado. “What’s the matter? Don’t you like the fact I’m not weak and powerless?” Tossing back her head, she challenged, “I don’t need magic to take you on, but it would be wise for you to remember it’s always there.”
He thwarted any chance of escape or the ability to get in the last word by twisting his hand into her hair.
He pulled hard enough, she gasped.
“So take me on,” he dared.
Bio
Born and raised in Joplin, Missouri R.E. Mullins has also resided in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, Springfield, Missouri and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Though she has loved each area, the Ozarks hold a special place in her heart.
R.E. Mullins in social media
Blog: http://remullins.blogspot.com/
Twitter handle: #REMullins
Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/REMullinsauthor
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/REMullins
October 25, 2014
The Dirty R-word by J.C. McKenzie
Today, I’m delighted to have an amazing new Canadian author as a guest on my blog. J.C. McKenzie writes paranormal romance and has agreed to share her writing process and research technique with us.
First I’d like to thank Marlow Kelly for hosting me today on her blog. I’m going to talk about the dirty R-word.
For my short story paranormal romance, The Shucker’s Booktique, I faced a new challenge to my writing craft. Research!
All my other books take place in a city I know and love, Vancouver. I have lived there for many years and the extent of my research prior to this new project was quick Google searches to double check my facts, like intersections and ferry times.
This was not the case with Shucker’s. The short story takes place in a fictional town near Bar Harbor, Maine, on the East Coast of the states. Yes, there’s still an ocean, but not the one I’m familiar with.
Even for a short story of 27000 words, I needed to find out a lot of stuff, and in a way that wouldn’t kill my writing mojo. I turned to Google once more for the following information:
- Weather
- Flora & Fauna
- Culture
- Housing styles, etc
My hero is a water sprite that can only take a human form during thunderstorms. So I had to research the weather patterns to find what was realistic for the area. I found this wonderful website that compiled historical weather data for the area I was interested in: https://weatherspark.com/averages/29745/6/Bar-Harbor-Maine-United-States
All I had to do was change the “6” to the number corresponding with the month I wanted. I patted myself on the back when I discovered thunderstorms frequent the area and usually last two days and occur about every two weeks starting in June and ending around September. Perfect!
Weather – check!
Then I had to search for flora and fauna, to enrich my scenes and flesh-out my settings. I found this one a bit trickier, so I went after specific things, like “birds in Maine.” Not one specific site helped me, but I made sure the birds and flowers I “collected” were in the area for June-August.
Flora and Fauna – check!
The culture and housing styles information came easily from the tourist website for Bar Harbor.
Culture & Housing – check, check!
After completing my research checklist and patting myself on the back (again), I drummed my fingers on my desk and stared at the blank computer screen. Research became the Dirty R-word. The story that had been hounding me for days (and nights) started to slip away, sliding right out of my grasp. The overwhelming need to use all my new found knowledge threatened my creativity.
In the end, after a few failed attempts to start writing, I ignored my little “Facts Sheet.” All that research went into a folder—out of sight and out of mind.
I wrote my story the way my subconscious wanted it told.
For example, I wrote:
Rain pounded against the bedroom window and the trees groaned in the gale force winds outside. She closed her eyes and inhaled the lingering smells of sea breeze air with and .
After I finished the manuscript, I went back, searched for all the “xxx”s and added in the details! My example above became:
Rain pounded against the bedroom window and the birch trees groaned in the gale force winds outside. She closed her eyes and inhaled the lingering smells of sea breeze air with evening primrose and night-blooming cereus.
Some people can’t write until they’ve fully imagined the area with all the specific details. Apparently, I’m the opposite! I needed to tell the story and add the majority of the details after.
What about you?
If you’re a writer, what do you do with your research? Are you a before, during or after kind of writer?
If you’re a reader, what do you think of all the little details? Do you notice them? Do you feel they enrich the story or bog it down?
The Shucker’s Booktique by J.C. McKenzie
LON RIDES THE WAVES, LIVES BY THE TIDES, AND NOTHING CAN HOLD HIM DOWN, BUT WILLA MAY BE THE ANCHOR HE NEEDS.
Available at:-
Amazon
The Wild Rose Press
After her fiancé dumps her and her beloved Aunt Jenny goes missing, Willa Eklund travels to Lobster Cove with a broken heart to search for Jenny while running her bookstore. When a mysterious man visits the Shucker's Booktique on a stormy night drenched in rain and covered in mud, Willa's heart melts under his stormy gaze. She wants Lon and the answers he may have, but he also has a secret. Can Willa trust him?
Lon Devlin is a Tempest, a water sprite who can only take a human form during stormy nights. He rides the waves, lives by the tides, and nothing can hold him down, not even a beautiful woman. When he visits his mortal friend, he discovers she's missing and her intriguing niece has taken her place. He wants Willa, but he also wants answers. What happened to Jenny?
Excerpt:
Thump! Thump! Thump!
No! She gasped. It couldn’t be. The banging on the front door of the booktique had to be a figment of her imagination. She couldn’t will Lon into existence. Why would he come back? Especially if he was involved. Unless…cold ice prickled up her spine…unless he needed to eliminate her to take care of loose ends.
No. Crazy thoughts, Willa. He could’ve taken care of her the night before. No, her heart hammered against her chest for a different reason. But it didn’t matter. The knocking on the door wouldn’t, couldn’t be him.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Could it? She clutched her hot mug in both hands and turned toward the doorway leading to the bookstore. From the kitchen in the back room, she had a clear view through the store to the front door, but not who stood on the other side.
“Willa!” Lon growled. “Wake up and let me in!”
Willa gasped and almost dropped her cup. The tea sloshed around and some spilled over her hands. It burned, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. Somehow the air got trapped inside her throat. Why was he here? What did he want?
Oh God, let it be me!
About the Author:
Born and raised on the Haida Gwaii, off the West Coast of Canada, J.C. McKenzie grew up in a pristine wilderness that inspired her to dream. She writes Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.
Contact Information:
J.C. McKenzie’s Website
Blog
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Goodreads
Twitter
Amazon
The Wild Rose Press
First I’d like to thank Marlow Kelly for hosting me today on her blog. I’m going to talk about the dirty R-word.
For my short story paranormal romance, The Shucker’s Booktique, I faced a new challenge to my writing craft. Research!
All my other books take place in a city I know and love, Vancouver. I have lived there for many years and the extent of my research prior to this new project was quick Google searches to double check my facts, like intersections and ferry times.
This was not the case with Shucker’s. The short story takes place in a fictional town near Bar Harbor, Maine, on the East Coast of the states. Yes, there’s still an ocean, but not the one I’m familiar with.
Even for a short story of 27000 words, I needed to find out a lot of stuff, and in a way that wouldn’t kill my writing mojo. I turned to Google once more for the following information:
- Weather
- Flora & Fauna
- Culture
- Housing styles, etc
My hero is a water sprite that can only take a human form during thunderstorms. So I had to research the weather patterns to find what was realistic for the area. I found this wonderful website that compiled historical weather data for the area I was interested in: https://weatherspark.com/averages/29745/6/Bar-Harbor-Maine-United-States
All I had to do was change the “6” to the number corresponding with the month I wanted. I patted myself on the back when I discovered thunderstorms frequent the area and usually last two days and occur about every two weeks starting in June and ending around September. Perfect!
Weather – check!
Then I had to search for flora and fauna, to enrich my scenes and flesh-out my settings. I found this one a bit trickier, so I went after specific things, like “birds in Maine.” Not one specific site helped me, but I made sure the birds and flowers I “collected” were in the area for June-August.
Flora and Fauna – check!
The culture and housing styles information came easily from the tourist website for Bar Harbor.
Culture & Housing – check, check!
After completing my research checklist and patting myself on the back (again), I drummed my fingers on my desk and stared at the blank computer screen. Research became the Dirty R-word. The story that had been hounding me for days (and nights) started to slip away, sliding right out of my grasp. The overwhelming need to use all my new found knowledge threatened my creativity.
In the end, after a few failed attempts to start writing, I ignored my little “Facts Sheet.” All that research went into a folder—out of sight and out of mind.
I wrote my story the way my subconscious wanted it told.
For example, I wrote:
Rain pounded against the bedroom window and the trees groaned in the gale force winds outside. She closed her eyes and inhaled the lingering smells of sea breeze air with and .
After I finished the manuscript, I went back, searched for all the “xxx”s and added in the details! My example above became:
Rain pounded against the bedroom window and the birch trees groaned in the gale force winds outside. She closed her eyes and inhaled the lingering smells of sea breeze air with evening primrose and night-blooming cereus.
Some people can’t write until they’ve fully imagined the area with all the specific details. Apparently, I’m the opposite! I needed to tell the story and add the majority of the details after.
What about you?
If you’re a writer, what do you do with your research? Are you a before, during or after kind of writer?
If you’re a reader, what do you think of all the little details? Do you notice them? Do you feel they enrich the story or bog it down?
The Shucker’s Booktique by J.C. McKenzie
LON RIDES THE WAVES, LIVES BY THE TIDES, AND NOTHING CAN HOLD HIM DOWN, BUT WILLA MAY BE THE ANCHOR HE NEEDS.
Available at:-
Amazon
The Wild Rose Press
After her fiancé dumps her and her beloved Aunt Jenny goes missing, Willa Eklund travels to Lobster Cove with a broken heart to search for Jenny while running her bookstore. When a mysterious man visits the Shucker's Booktique on a stormy night drenched in rain and covered in mud, Willa's heart melts under his stormy gaze. She wants Lon and the answers he may have, but he also has a secret. Can Willa trust him?
Lon Devlin is a Tempest, a water sprite who can only take a human form during stormy nights. He rides the waves, lives by the tides, and nothing can hold him down, not even a beautiful woman. When he visits his mortal friend, he discovers she's missing and her intriguing niece has taken her place. He wants Willa, but he also wants answers. What happened to Jenny?
Excerpt:
Thump! Thump! Thump!
No! She gasped. It couldn’t be. The banging on the front door of the booktique had to be a figment of her imagination. She couldn’t will Lon into existence. Why would he come back? Especially if he was involved. Unless…cold ice prickled up her spine…unless he needed to eliminate her to take care of loose ends.
No. Crazy thoughts, Willa. He could’ve taken care of her the night before. No, her heart hammered against her chest for a different reason. But it didn’t matter. The knocking on the door wouldn’t, couldn’t be him.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Could it? She clutched her hot mug in both hands and turned toward the doorway leading to the bookstore. From the kitchen in the back room, she had a clear view through the store to the front door, but not who stood on the other side.
“Willa!” Lon growled. “Wake up and let me in!”
Willa gasped and almost dropped her cup. The tea sloshed around and some spilled over her hands. It burned, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. Somehow the air got trapped inside her throat. Why was he here? What did he want?
Oh God, let it be me!
About the Author:
Born and raised on the Haida Gwaii, off the West Coast of Canada, J.C. McKenzie grew up in a pristine wilderness that inspired her to dream. She writes Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.
Contact Information:
J.C. McKenzie’s Website
Blog
Goodreads
Amazon
The Wild Rose Press
October 22, 2014
Book Blast - Dearest Darling by Andrea Downing
Available at:-
Amazon
The Wild Rose Press
Stuck in a life of servitude to her penny-pinching brother, Emily Darling longs for a more exciting existence. When a packet with travel tickets, meant for one Ethel Darton, accidentally lands on her doormat, Emily sees a chance for escape. Having turned down the dreary suitors that have come her way, is it possible a new existence also offers a different kind of man?
Daniel Saunders has carved out a life for himself in Wyoming—a life missing one thing: a wife. Having scrimped and saved to bring his mail-order bride from New York, he is outraged to find in her stead a runaway fraud. Even worse, the impostor is the sister of his old enemy.
But people are not always as they seem, and sometimes the heart knows more than the head.
Excerpt
The mercantile was a marvel to her. A large store carrying about everything and anything someone could want out here. Barrels of apples, their perfume vying with the aroma of coffee. Rows of canned peaches and beans, brightly labeled. Bolts of fabrics and piles of overalls and blue jeans. Racks of handguns and rifles, cartons of ammunition. Rolls of chicken wire and shelves of implements, tools for farm and ranch and home. Jars of sweet candies and a stack of newspapers and books. Emily’s eyes were big with wonder and Daniel was rewarded to see it as she did, the color, the diversity, the spectacle, not just the practicality of things in a jam-packed shop with sawdust on the floor. And then he shook his head to remove the distractions, concentrate on the matter at hand.
“What can I do for you today, Dan? Not your usual day in town.”
His sideways glance caught Emily suppressing a smile.
“Dan?” she smirked.
He gulped a breath and ignored her. “Hey, Jason, how ya doin’? My cousin here is just out from New York, looking to make a new life. We wondered if there was any work going she might take up. And I do have a list, as usual.” He tried to put a cheerful, friendly note in his voice, something he was definitely not feeling.
The shopkeeper took the list and studied it, shaking his head. “No work as I know of. With summer coming, some things might open up. We always get folks moving in, mebbe starting up businesses, in summer. But nothing as yet. You might want to check back in a week or two. Or there’s the saloon. I heared Ben’s been looking for someone to clean up each morning, but whether you’d want your kin working there, well, that’s another matter.”
Emily stepped forward. “Where is it? The saloon?”
“No!” Damn woman. Daniel sucked in a breath. “You’re not working there,” he said more gently.
Jason’s gaze shot from one to the other. “’Course, I didn’t mean nothing by mentioning it. Mebbe shoulda kept my mouth shut.”
Daniel locked on Emily’s hard stare. Her anger was evident, but she stayed silent.
“Well. I’ll get this order together. Be about fifteen minutes. Can you wait?”
“Sure thing,” Daniel said and grabbed Emily by the wrist. He dragged her outside after him, almost tossing her against the hitching rail.
“If it’s the only job?” She stomped her foot. “I don’t belong to you, you can’t tell me—”
“I can. And I am. You made yourself my responsibility...” They were shouting, and he lowered his voice, his gaze darting around. “You made yourself my responsibility the day you took those tickets and came out to me.” He let this sink in, reining in his own truculence. “You’re gonna do what I say, and I’ll make the dang decisions. You got that?” He waited for a response. “I said, do you understand?”
Emily crossed her arms. “You said, ‘you got that,’ not ‘do you understand.’” Smugness was written across her face, her lips a
thin, tight line, her eyes round with the correction.
Daniel straightened. Then he laughed. And he laughed a little more. “Oh, heck.” He lifted his hat briefly, swept the hair out of his eyes, and set the hat back on his head. “How the hell did this happen to me?”
Bio: Andrea Downing likes to say that when she decided to do a Masters Degree, she made the mistake of turning left out of New York, where she was born, instead of right to the west, and ended up in the UK. She eventually married there, raising a beautiful daughter and staying for longer than she cares to admit. Teaching, editing a poetry magazine, writing travel articles, and a short stint in Nigeria filled those years until in 2008 she returned to NYC. She now divides her time between the city and the shore, and often trades the canyons of New York for the wide open spaces of Wyoming. Family vacations are often out west and, to date, she and her daughter have been to some 20 ranches throughout the west. Loveland , her first book, was a finalist for Best American Historical at the 2013 RONE Awards. Lawless Love , a short story, part of The Wild Rose Press ‘Lawmen and Outlaws’ series, was a finalist for Best Historical Novella at the RONE Awards. Dearest Darling , a novella, is part of The Wild Rose Press Love Letters series, and comes out Oct. 8th and Dances of the Heart , another full length novel, comes out in the next few months.
Contact Information
WEBSITE AND BLOG: http://andreadowning.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writerAndreaDowning
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndiDowning
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6446229.Andrea_Downing
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Andrea-Downing/e/B008MQ0NXS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
