Mandy M. Roth's Blog, page 89
March 8, 2012
Weight Loss: Continued Story
So, most of you know I took off a bunch of weight. If you've followed my blog you know that still isn't enough. I need to lose another 40lbs. Since I've leveled off and can't seem to lose anything more on my own, I went ahead and signed up for a 3 mos trial of Weight Watchers Online. Today was my first day with it. I'll admit there is a bit of a learning curve with the points system but I'm willing to give it a go. I hope you'll all join me on this journey and be there to support me like you've been with the other. I promise to post progress and failures. You know me, no filter.
March 7, 2012
MwM Spotlight on Self-Publishing: SM Blooding
Marketing with Mandy Spotlight on Self-Publishing: SM Blooding
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Q: Please take a minute to tell us a little about yourself.
A: Well, the first thing is that SM stands for Stephanie Marie, but only associates and family call me that. Friends call me Frankie, which is a funny story for another time. LOL! I live in Colorado next to my lovely Rocky Mountains. I love to hike, bike, and I'm trying to learn to play the guitar. That's…not going well.
I've dated a werewolf, almost married a vampire who was also a US government assassin…@_@… and am an investigator with Colorado Paranormal Rescue. Boy, do I have stories!
Q: What prompted you to self-publish your book(s)?
A: Well, I've been down the published route with a few books back in 2005 thru 2007. Then I got the hair-brained idea to traditionally publish my books. I sold the first three books of my Demon Talker series to TLT Publishing in 2011, but I still have more books than I can contract!
I have friends who have self-published and are doing a phenomenal job with it, so I sat down with myself and said, "Frankie, what's going on here, girl-child? You have all these books and even if you tried a gajillion years, there's no publisher in the world that wants them all." But they're all good stories with characters that I loved enough to write about and I want and need to share them with the world.
So I pulled myself off my lazy butt and came up with an insane publishing plan and I'm just going to do this! The industry is really in our favor! Who would have thought that a year ago? Not me.
Q: How has the experience been to date?
A: CRAZY! I sat down and came up with a business plan that should be doable and I think my readers will be happy with it. But to start off, I'm doing almost everything by myself.
I had to sit down and take a very hard look at my budget. As a self-published author, the expense is on me and my $0-checking account. So I had to ask myself: What can you afford to farm out? What are you good at? What do you suck at? What's worth the money? There are a lot of people out there offering services that really aren't worth the investment. But there are other things that, OMW, you really need to find someone else to help with.
Then you have to look at the schedule. *looks heavenward* There are so many things to do! And you need to make sure you have time to do it all without stressing. I quickly found out that the writing is the easy part. LOL!
It's not just about the writing. There's the edits that you have schedule in, and the promoting, and the socializing, and the reading, and the reviewing (which is essential to staying on top of the market while helping your fellow authors) and then there's the helping other authors because the indie authors are a GREAT source for socializing and helping you get word of your books out there. There's just. So. Much. Work.
But the people in the indie side of the industry are fantastic. Whenever I have a question, it's usually followed by, "Oh, Frankie, that's so easy!" LOL!
Q: What do you know now that you wished you knew when you started?
A: I was really fortunate to have some friends who went through this in 2011, so I had a really good idea of what I needed to do and when.
The biggest thing I learned was from Denise Swank. Write a business plan going in and, boy, am I glad that I did. Granted, I'm just starting out, but I feel confident in what I'm doing and the only real anxiety I have is whether or not the readers are going to like my work. Which is exactly what an author should be worrying about.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I'm still learning those. Really, it's all about who you know and what kind of a socializer you are. The people I know of that are successful indie authors 1.) write a LOT of books and 2.) talk a LOT on Twitter and Facebook. And…people talk about them a lot on Amazon and Goodreads.
I think the best tip though, is to remember that it isn't just about you. There's a whole world of authors out there trying to make it with you. You support them. Hopefully, they'll support you.
Q: What is one thing you'd want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Do. Your. Homework!
And…You ms might be your baby, but even babies need discipline sometimes.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: Try Taking Her Down was originally published in 2005 and was written on a family vacation to Mt. Rushmore. Oh, the things we do for our characters, but it was a long drive. Hello, Wyoming? *head desk* LOL!
After Angel's sister commits suicide with Angel's three young children, she swears that things like that will never happen again. She appoints herself vigilante of a group of New York street urchins. Someone has decided these kids need to die. But why? What's the common thread between all these kids? Is it for money or information or something different? And why is it that no one but Angel seems to care?
Except for Detective Kevin Stephens, he's not giving up on this case until he finds out why people would want to kill all these children. But will Angel welcome his help? How many more children will disappear without Angel and Kevin's help?
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP's (works in progress)?
A: Oh my word! This is a crazy year for WIP's. I'm currently going through my final pass through of As Night Falls, which will be launching in March. It was another book published in 2005 and actually made it to the top 10 Erotica Sci-Fi book on Preditors and Editors. Raven's a vampire trying to ensure his race doesn't become extinct in the President's New Order. Becca holds the key to their survival, but she's afraid that if she helps him, she'll lose who she is and is terrified of what she could become.
Another one in the editing stage is The Dustman, which currently has a May launch date, is a cute Urban Fantasy Romance about a dustman who needs someone to believe in him, and a single mother who needs a little less reality and a little more whimsy. Together, they must save Dreamland from being forgotten.
And the last one I'll mention today is The Hands of Tarot, my Steampunk novel which is tentatively scheduled for release in July/August. Captured by the House of Wands and kept as the Queen's pet project, Synn has to find a way to escape before he becomes the secret weapon the Hands can use to take control of all the resisting Families.
The Demon Talker series should be launching this year, too. It s a fantastic series. Demons Are Jackasses has been done for awhile and we've just completed the edits of book 2, Those Damn Angels. I should have book 3 finished in the next couple of months.
Can you say INSANE?! LOL!
LINKS:
March 6, 2012
How to build self-confidence in Public Speaking
Public speaking. If you're an author, you will, at some point, be required to do this. I thought the following article would be helpful.
How to build self-confidence in Public Speaking
Self-confidence is a very important thing a public speaker should gain yet many struggle to obtain it. If one does not have enough confidence in him self and takes on the stage to speak in front of many people, tendencies are he might not have the strength to even start his speech, or mess it all up on the way and be embarrassed vowing not to speak in public ever again. It is a good thing self-confidence can be learned and built on by anybody, especially by those who really have the sincere desire to come out from their shell and shine. It's just that attaining self-confidence does not have a short cut. It is a matter of long preparation, practice, and good mind setting.
The first step in achieving such self-efficacy is changing the way you think. Start thinking positively. People who have a low self-confidence are the ones who think "low" of themselves. Control your views about yourself and accentuate the positive. Being optimistic would likewise help. Remember, whatever you perceived yourself to be, it will come to life. If you think of yourself as a very timid and shy person, then you will be one. If you consider yourself someone who has this so called "stage fright," then you will surely have that kind of fear, and will never be able to confidently speak in public. If you are awfully afraid to commit mistakes, then you will definitely make a ton of them. Try foreseeing yourself appropriately dressed up, comfortably standing behind a lectern with a microphone properly held in your hand, uttering the words correctly within the right tone and volume of voice, and executing significant gestures with your other hand in front of a crowd that is so attentive, convinced, and satisfied. You are the master of your thoughts, steer it in a way that would help you be confident and successful.
Then after you have set your mind into thinking only the positive things, think about what is important to you and what your goal is. Once you have discovered what is important to you and set a specific goal in achieving it, you will be inspired or motivated to take action and better yourself. Your speaking assignment is important; therefore your aim is to successfully finish it with a resounding applause or perhaps a standing ovation from your audience. That is more important than the obstacles hindering you from a well-delivered speech — fear, shyness, nervousness, or low self-confidence.
Now, realize your strengths and capabilities; look back to your achievements. Highlight your strengths. Perhaps it would help if you jot down all the things you have accomplished, the successes you have earned, be it very small or great ones. It could be a medal or trophy from high school, or as simple as a "good job" from a teacher or a friend. Write down the good qualities in you; the things other people say you are good at. It could be in the field of sports, culinary, music, leadership, time management, housekeeping, gardening, teaching, or as simple as making friends. Note it all down and you will be surprised how long your list would be.
After you have undergone these steps, you should be ready to commit yourself to success. Obligate your self that you will confidently stand out there and deliver your speech like there is no tomorrow. Do this with willingness. Forcing your self to commit will not help. To be more exciting, try orally promising to yourself in front of the mirror that you will do your part with the best of your abilities. Take this promise to your heart and always bear it in your mind and you will be successful. Good luck!
Journalism English and Writing Skills provides educational materials on Campus Journalism, Writing, the four English skills namely Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Listening.
Check out our website – Journalism English and Writing Skills and Public Speaking Tips.
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March 4, 2012
Cynthia Eden, Interview by Michelle M. Pillow
Cynthia Eden, Interview
By Michelle M. Pillow
Cynthia Eden is an award-winning author of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She writes everything from vampire heroines to dragon shifter heroes, demons to succubae. She lives in the South, loves long, hot summers, and supernatural stories. Her latest paranormal romance releases, Eternal Hunter and Hotter After Midnight are available in all major bookstores.
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Q: In your book, Hotter After Midnight, your heroine is a psychologist who primarily treats supernatural patients. What inspired you to create such a character?
Cynthia: I was inspired to create Dr. Emily Drake (my monster doctor) because a friend of mine is a psychologist and I've always been fascinated by her job. However, I wanted a paranormal slant on this story, so I decided that Dr. Drake would be psychic—and she'd mainly treat paranormals. When a paranormal crosses the line in my story and begins to kill humans, she's the only one who can profile him.
Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal?
Cynthia: I think people like to believe there is more to this world than meets the eye. For centuries, people have been fascinated by the paranormal—the idea that something "more" may wait in the darkness intrigues us…even if it also makes us afraid sometimes!
Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies and books?
Cynthia: I am a huge fan of Supernatural—I love seeing all the new paranormal characters that are introduced each week. And, of course, I'm also a diehard Buffy fan. Spike is one of my all-time favorite vampire anti-heroes. He blurred the line very nicely for the good guy/bad boy and like so many other folks out there, I found myself tuning in to see how he would develop—and to see if he'd get the girl.
Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Or are you a skeptic?
Cynthia: I definitely believe in the supernatural. I think there is much more to this world than what we see every day. Psychic phenomenon, past life experiences, ghostly encounters—I think all of that (and more!) are certainly possible in our world.
Q: If given the chance, would you become a vampire?
Cynthia: No, while I do enjoy writing about vampires, the blood drinking would be a turn-off for me.
Q: How would you react if you came face to face with a ghost?
Cynthia: I'd try to communicate with the ghost. Yes, maybe I've watched too many Ghost Hunters episodes, but I'd want to try talking. The ghost would be there for a reason, right? What does he/she have to say?
Q: What does the future hold for your writing?
Cynthia: I've recently launched a new paranormal bounty hunter series for Kensington Brava. The first book in the series, ETERNAL HUNTER, released in January, and the second book, I'LL BE SLAYING YOU, will release in July of 2010. I'LL BE SLAYING YOU is a vamp story. It answers the question, "What happens when you become the thing you hate/fear the most?"
Thanks for joining us, Cynthia!
You can learn more about Cynthia and her books at her website, www.cynthiaeden.com. You can catch Eternal Hunter (1/2010) and the mass market re-release of Hotter After Midnight (12/2009) in bookstores now.
Interviewer Michelle M. Pillow is an award winning author of over sixty published books. She writes in many romance fiction genres and can be found at www.michellepillow.com.
March 3, 2012
Just One Look (H&H see each other for first time)
Here is a snippet from Paranormal Payload (Project Exorcism 1) by Mandy M. Roth
Captain Sevan Vasil glanced over at his brother and second in command, Jordan. "What?"
"Nothing," Jordan said, his lips pursed and his arms crossed.
It didn't take a genius to tell him his brother was pissed. "Spill it."
"I'm not so sure we should dock here. The planet is not marked on the map and you yourself heard that they are not in the business of giving leave to Commission vessels. And what was that about assuming full responsibility for docking and—"
"And…" Sevan interrupted, "we don't really have much of a choice here. Our fuel tank cracked somewhere back near Margaidia and unless you want to chance piloting a vessel with no fuel and limited life supports all the way home, I'd suggest you get real comfy with the idea of docking here. We'll never make it back to Earth unless we do and you know it."
"Captain, I did not mean to question your authority."
"Cut the shit, Jordan. Don't go all military on me. You and I go back too far for you to try to be stuffy now. I can still remember you in diapers."
"You're three minutes older than me. Of course you remember. You were there too, moron. If you want to start flexing your three-minute-older muscles, let's go…"
The main screen flickered and interrupted Jordan's little rant. Static covered it for a split second before a vision appeared that was so beautiful Sevan had to fight to breathe. Angelic didn't even begin to cover her. Instantly, his heart hammered.
It couldn't be. No. It wasn't possible. She wasn't real, was she?
Sevan couldn't think, couldn't move as he stared at her. The woman was identical to Lorelei. Overwhelmed by emotion, he sat there, breathing heavy and trying to stop the obvious hallucination before him.
The goddess on the screen looked up at him, her royal blue eyes wide, and then glanced down at the control panel before her. "Bugger! How the hell do you turn it on again? If I don't figure it out soon they'll end up stuck in orbit and I am not in the mood to fetch them. The last thing I want to do today is go and tow an arrogant, cocky, too-sure-of-himself man who thinks the universe should bend at his very command…errr… Commission officer's vessel in. I would rather wallow through pikineius dung than retrieve them."
Nice to know where we rank, Sevan thought, chuckling silently.
The hint of an old Earth British accent came through, reminding Sevan of home. They didn't spend nearly as much time among the Free World people on Earth as they'd like. No. Now their days were spent in the Commission, going where they demanded.
The woman before him narrowed her gaze on the control board before her. She was obviously oblivious to the fact the visual communicator was already working. The thought of telling her he could both see and hear her crossed his mind for a millisecond before he decided just to take in the show until she figured it out. Besides, his cock had joined in the spectacle now and its rather hard state demanded he remain still or risk ejaculating in his pants.
Not an option he wanted to take. Though it was hard to keep from yelling out the name Lorelei. The very idea that it wasn't her terrified him. If she were real and if she, too, shared the dreams, then she could be his mate.
Neither man said a word as the vixen before them leaned forward. Her long black hair fell into her face, looking so silky and smooth that Sevan could almost feel it. Bringing a toned arm up, she lifted it away. Her luscious lips pouted outward, as if she were in deep thought.
You're fucking killing me here. You're a hallucination, that's it.
Scolding his mind for placing the vision of his dream lover in place of the actual woman didn't seem to stop the hallucination. Watching the woman only served to make it worse. Sevan had always been a sucker for women who were animated, especially when it came to their lips. Just thinking about how full and lush hers looked made him picture his cock buried in her mouth as he held tightly to her silky hair. Flashes of the erotic dreams he'd been having for months flooded back to him. It was her face he'd seen beneath him as he sank into the paradise of her warm depths. But how could that be? Had their ship blown up after the fuel tank cracked? Was he dead now and left to dream of Lorelei forever?
If you've got to go, ending up envisioning her for the rest of eternity isn't so bad.
The gorgeous woman punched the controls a few more times before rising slightly from her seat. Wearing a tiny black top that came to just above her navel, she was a vision of beauty. His eyes widened as it pulled up to just under her ample breasts. His cock dug painfully into the top of his pants. It would tunnel through the material soon and demand attention from her. Having her with him in bed was the only way he was used to dreaming of her and while this little tit for tat was amusing, he wanted her pussy milking him as he came in her.
Sevan heard Jordan draw in a deep breath and knew that the vision of beauty on the screen was having the same effect on him. A surge of jealousy went through him. Glaring over at his brother, he dared him to have a sexual thought about his woman.
My woman? Great, now I've laid claim to a fantasy woman—again. Next I'll be pulling up various versions of my own harem.
As horny as he was, he'd most likely pop anything inflatable, and the holograms, while stimulating, couldn't take the place of a real woman, so he pushed the thought from his mind. Shifting in his seat, Sevan tried his best to distribute the mass between his legs. If he continued to stare at her, his cock would be hard for a week. No amount of jerking off would ease the pain she would no doubt bring him. As if it wasn't bad enough that he already woke each morning to find his dick so hard he could hammer a steel panel into a wall without further aid, now he would be forced to live out his death staring at her from afar.
She looked so real. Never before had anyone been in his dreams other than the woman on the screen before him. Always ready for him, she appeared to him out of nowhere and with one look each knew what the other wanted. He'd fucked her so many ways that he felt himself blush. He wasn't shy but he wasn't prone to dropping to his knees and licking the sweet pussy of a gorgeous woman who suddenly appeared to him either. He'd done things with Lorelei that he'd never dreamed of doing in real life and she sparked things in him that no one else did. The worst part of it all was that he'd actually fallen in love with her—a dream, a figment of his overactive imagination, a vision that now appeared before him in what he hoped was waking hours. And he hoped beyond hope that she truly was the mate he sought.
"Blasted thing doesn't work. If that li'l Bagardo demon that claimed he fixed this pulled a fast one on me, I'll pull his purple head off and shove it up his lime green…" Jerking her hand away from the control panel in front of her, she winced as a blue spark shot out at her catching her upper arm and burning it instantly.
No, baby, don't ever cross those wires.
Sevan went eerily still. He'd never worried over a woman before. Well, no woman who wasn't related to him or a member of his crew. His cousin had accompanied them on their journey and he worried like hell every time she left the ship.
It shocked him how real and how human the woman on the screen appeared to be. One, if she was real then some deep shit was going on. Dreaming of a woman galaxies away had to have some sort of cosmic ramifications. Mating with her only intensified that. For two, all planets with human or human-like life forms had been mapped out by the Commission ages ago, at least in this quadrant. His luck, she was projecting an image that they'd feel comfortable with long enough to lure them in and then he'd find out that she was really an alien with six heads. That had to be it. She was picking his brain and came up with Lorelei's likeness.
Ah, I hope not.
She tried again to fix the panel. Another blue spark shot out and caught her creamy cheek. Hissing, she grabbed hold of it and winced. Sevan stood fast, reaching for her as if he could really touch her through the viewing screen.
Glancing down, he found Jordan staring at him with an odd expression on his face. Wisely, his brother didn't comment on his concern for the beautiful creature before them. She reached out to try to touch the panel again but pulled away at the last second, allowing Sevan to exhale.
"Christian, can you get this thing to work? I can't seem to get it to respond to any of my commands. I swear it bit me twice already and if it does it again I will shoot it and then recycle its parts into a waste receptacle. The damn thing has a mind of its own and I'm frankly tired of dealing with it. I hate technology and it hates me. It's a rather mutual agreement that is best not tampered with."
"Promise you won't bite me if I get close enough to fix it. Though there are certain places you could nibble if the urge should strike," a very male voice said from off screen.
Sevan's blood ran cold as the beast within threatened to surface. It would control his temper or rather, leave him uncontrollable. He had no right to feel the pang of jealously that now rode him, but he did. He watched as a large arm appeared first, followed closely by a handsome man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. Tattoos covered the man's arms. And upon closer inspection, Sevan saw that the woman had similar markings on her arms as well, although hers were a degree lighter than the male's. In his dreams, Lorelei didn't have any sort of markings on her.
Maybe she just looks a lot like Lorelei—a hell of a lot like her.
The man near her looked as though he'd won the Strong Man of the Galaxy contest several years running. Sevan was not a small man by any standard, but he wasn't quite the barbarian who stood by the tiny woman now.
Christian moved his body around the woman's and let his eyes linger over her cleavage longer than Sevan could stand. His jaw tightened and he felt Jordan's hand on his shoulder.
"Easy now, brother. We've only come to fix the ship."
"Here you go. Just push this button here." The man put his mouth to the woman's ear, whispering something only she could hear. Her cheeks flushed and her body tensed. "Follow that procedure and you'll be up and running in no time. Not that you need any help in the getting things up category."
"Thank you, Christian," she said, shifting in her seat. She glanced up at the screen and apparently was able to see them now as well because she froze. "No." Her tongue darted out and over her bottom lip. That simple act sent chills of pleasure throughout Sevan's body.
"By gods, she's even more beautiful in person."
Her brow creased as her cheeks flushed. Jordan cleared his throat and Sevan realized that he'd not only said that out loud, but she'd heard every word of it. It was his turn to blush.
"Control tower, this is Alpha Brig Three, requesting permission to dock," Jordan said, laughing slightly.
"Perm…permission granted." Her blue gaze locked on his. She seemed to study him, tipping her head slightly and narrowing her eyes. Something clicked and she shook her head as she hit another button and backed away from her seat. "Navigation will now be controlled by our tower. Please refrain from attempting to override this or irreparable damage to your vessel will occur. We will meet you in the loading area momentarily."
Stunned by her rather cold tone, Sevan stared mindlessly at her. She went to cut transmission and Sevan leaned forward fast, not wanting lose sight of her. "Wait. What policy do you have on outsiders?" It was best to know if they regarded them as hostile or not right off the bat. Not that it mattered what she thought, his dick already thought of her as the only place it wanted to reside, and there was no overriding that.
She gave a tiny smile that tugged at his heartstrings before answering. "I think you will find that we're friendly enough. We'll see to it that you're taken care of during your time here today. Come suns set we will not tolerate any excuse causing you to stay on our planet. I take it from the lack of my need for a translator that you speak Earth-English, as do we. That's always comforting. It's rare that any passersby speak our language. Our atmosphere is rich in oxygen so respirators will not be necessary. Our digestive systems are identical to yours so you will find our food adequate to sustain you. All of this leads me to believe that your visit will be most enjoyable." A sad look passed over her beautiful features and Sevan wanted to kiss it away. "Be sure to remain armed though. We are willing to allow you to do so in good trust. We shall not harm you and we expect the same in return."
She cut transmission before he had a chance to ask why he and his men should remain armed. That was an odd request. Most planets they stopped at required them to check their weapons and deactivate any of the Brig's defenses.
"That's interesting," Jordan said, reading Sevan's mind.
"You heard the lady." Sevan pushed the button for the intercom that ran throughout the ship and looked at Jordan. "This is the Captain. We're docking now. Be sure to leave your weapons on and maintain a state of readiness. Travel in groups of two and do not engage without my permission. Anyone who disobeys this command will not have to worry about a court-martial. They won't be alive to stand before the committee."
Be sure to check out the following authors who are also participating in Saturday Snippets!
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Lissa Matthews
Mandy M Roth
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Lauren Dane
Leah Braemel
Shelli Stevens
Shiloh Walker
TJ Michaels
Zoë Archer
February 29, 2012
MwM Author Spotlight: Jenna Bayley-Burke
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Jenna Bayley-Burke
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Samhain.
A: Amazing. I've been supported and mentored every step of the way. I've done six novels with them, and another slated for late summer.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I try to listen to my circle of loyal readers and what they think works. I had a basic marketing plan that grew a little with each release – blog & website ads, review requests, guest blogging, giveaway contests. With my latest, For Kicks, I'm trying something different. I heard from a number of readers that they're not all that interested in winning a free book from a favorite author because if they are a favorite, they bought the book the day it was released. With this release I decided to try taking by budget for ads and give away e-giftcards instead. That way, the winner can choose any of my titles. Or gum. I can't police what they use it for. That's the gamble.
Q: What is one thing you'd want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Be the author you want to interact with. My favorite authors are open and personable with fans, which is what I try for. Oh, and the very best thing you can do to sell your book is to write another one. Multiple releases are the best thing you can do career-wise.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: For Kicks is my take on retail management business travel…Breeze is on the kind of trip I took far too often back in the day. To make it easier on her, I have a schmexy former soccer star chasing her across the country, bringing her gifts, doing her laundry, and awakening parts of her she never thought existed.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIP's?
A: I'm waiting for edits on y next story, Drive Me Crazy, where an unlikely couple explores one another and the US on a road trip to a wedding. Wild horses, a haunted hotel, and a tree house all have a role. I had such fun with it. I'm also trying to convince my editor she does in fact have time to work in a Christmas novella for the 2012 schedule. That's the thing with having such a great editor, she's crazy busy!
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: Almost every time I hear or read a story, I want to change it so it ends the way I want it to. I guess I started 'writing' when I edited Cinderella to have the Fairy Godmother vamoose the step mother & sisters into pigs. I tried explaining this version to my 3-year-old. She was not impressed with my re-write.
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: I'm a little askew right now. I spend more time on family than I do on writing, hence the slow-down in the number of stories I had out last year. Health issues sucked up too much of my time. Now that my best friend is cancer-free and my brother is completely healthy, I can get back to work. I tell the husband and kiddos what I'm hoping to get done in the coming week. Now that my boys are old enough to understand that unless Mommy writes enough there will be no Disneyland, they're much better about respecting the time I need.
LINKS:
February 26, 2012
Author Candice Gilmer Interview by Michelle M. Pillow
Author Candice Gilmer Interview
Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
I had the pleasure of meeting author Candice Gilmer at a joint booksigning a few years back. If you follow my other articles in Paranormal Underground Magazine, you know that I've had my first paranormal investigations with the Wichita Paranormal Research Society (WPRS). It was at this same signing that I met the group, including Candice's husband, WPRS Investigator Bob Gilmer. Needless to say, we've talked several times since.
Writing has been a natural evolution for Candice over the years. She's been telling stories since she was old enough to speak. "What started out as merely reciting the words of Cinderella when I was three developed into a love for stories and story telling that to this day rules my life," said Candice. Like any good storyteller, her stories get bigger with every telling of them.
Her latest release, book three in the The Moonlight and Shadows series, Broken Shine can be purchased online at Amazon.com and in bookstores. You can learn more about Candice and her books at her website, candicegilmer.com.
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Q: In your book, Broken Shine, your hero Liam is an immortal Knight Templar. What inspired you to create such a character?
Candice: Well, I liked the idea of mythical creatures living in the world, vampires, werewolves, dragons, yeti, all of them somewhere. But I always thought there should be some kind of police force for them, some organization that kept them in line. And the Immortal Knights Templar were born.
Q: When world building, did you base your story off of known myths throughout history? If yes, which ones? If not, how is your world different?
Candice: I had to do a lot of studying of the Knights Templar, because I wanted to be as true to their history as possible. They thrived for two hundred years, and were wiped out by a greedy French king and the Pope he kept in his pocket. I found it fascinating that such a massive organization like the Templar Knights could be removed so easily, and wondered what happened to them. How did they disappear, where did the literally thousands of knights go?
Q: What myths or legends inspired you?
Candice: I'm inspired by the wonder of "what if." And of the idea that love shall always triumph over pain, and good will always win over evil. Without those, to me, stories would be impossible to read.
Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal?
Candice: I think they want to know the answer to "what if" as well. "What if" this dogma is right, or that belief? "What if" that wasn't just a shadow. "What if" my grandmother can come back and comfort me after death. It's fascinating stuff to think about, whether one believes in ghosts or not. Or the idea of the paranormal in general—the old adage that there's a grain of truth to every fantasy story. What would a vampire really be like? What about a werewolf? Would they live like the rest of us, or be ruled by their passions? Again, the "what if's" are hard to resist.
Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies and books?
Candice: On television, I was a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel fan. Movie wise, probably my all time favorite paranormal themed movie was Fallen with Denzel Washington. Extremely scary about a demon that can leap from person to person by touch. I can't listen to that song "Time is On My Side" by The Rolling Stones without getting a shiver up my spine.
Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Or are you a skeptic?
Candice: I believe that there is a great deal in the world that we can't explain, and we probably will never be able to explain, which makes it interesting to debate the connections. Because I do believe that everything is connected for one reason or another, and we find what we are supposed to find, whether it be people, things, or experiences.
Q: Have you ever had a paranormal experience?
Candice: I've had a few paranormal experiences. Probably the most common thing that has happened to me, and still does on occasion, is my muses and guardians sending me to bed. When I was pregnant with my first child, I was up late, working on a story or something on the computer. Behind me, there was a loud bang, and I leaped about three feet in the air. Shaking, I found a stack of DVDs thrown across the room, from one side to the other. No one was in the room, my husband had in bed for a few hours. Needless to say, I ran through the house and climbed into bed. And since then, when I am staying up too late, working too hard on a project, I will have similar experiences happen—books falling over, toys coming on, and things tipping over. Now, I just raise my hands and say "Fine, I'm going to bed."
Q: What kind of paranormal creatures do you wish you could meet?
Candice: The nice kind? Actually, I'm not sure who I'd want to meet. Maybe one that was incredibly forthcoming about what it's like truly being a mythical. Like the little things, like would vampires drink bagged blood, and how would they spice it to make it taste better. Or would a werewolf really remember what they did in wolf form?
Q: If given the chance, would you become a mythical creature?
Candice: I don't know that I'd want to be a mythical creature more than I'd want to just hang out with one, and talk to them. I think that would be a very interesting experience. Just hanging with a vampire. Or a werewolf. Or a dragon.
Q: How would you react if you came face to face with a ghost?
Candice: Um, scream, I'm sure. Or shake my head and tell them to go away. Depends on my day, I think.
Q: What does the future hold for your writing?
Candice: I'm working on quite a few pieces right now, in the paranormal romance and the contemporary romance genres, as well as I have a manuscript doing the rounds within the industry. I am continuing to create more stories, and I just love the creation process. Editing, not my favorite, but the creating of the writing is amazing.
Q: Have you ever been to a psychic and/or a past life regression? What did they predict for you?
Candice: Yes, I have been, and they predict interesting things for me and my future—good things that I can't wait to happen. However, as much as love getting psychic readings, my least favorite part is the lack of time schedule. Because I'm impatient. I want to know, dang it, if in seven months, or seven years, if I'm going to be on the best seller's list.
Q: Have you ever been abducted by aliens?
Candice: Um, no. And never wanted to be.
Thank you for joining us, Candice!
To learn more about Candice and her books, visit CandiceGilmer.com. Interview by Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
February 25, 2012
Help name a book
Question on title of book. So, I'm having trouble deciding between two titles so I'm asking for help from my readers. The Series is The King of Prey. The current and upcoming books are (in order) King of Prey, A View to a Kill, Master of the Hunt. Another unreleased one is titled Prince of Flight. Another I still need to iron down a title. I have to give the info to the cover artist for the series. I'm torn between Thermal Rising and Rise of the King. This is Lazar's book (for those familiar w series). Thoughts?
February 24, 2012
FREE on Amazon TODAY only! e-book of Executive Decision
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The bright lights of the big city called to Liz Rogers. Her best friend and almost roommate, Dale, helped her make the transition from small town girl to big time ad executive. They work together and nearly live together. For eight years he's been her rock, her sounding board. As Liz starts breaking off one workplace relationship, another one—that has been brewing since the first day she arrived in New York, blossoms—leaving her confused and concerned. She'd been burned once by love and isn't willing to risk her heart again, especially not to a man who was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Dale Corbins has been in love with Liz from the moment he laid eyes on her. He knows time is running out, that one of these days she's going to come home and tell him she's fallen for someone else. When he finds out she's been sleeping with their boss, he decides it's time to take matters into his own hands. Unfortunately, winning Liz's heart isn't an easy game to play. It will take more than romantic gestures and sweet nothings to get the woman he loves. Thankfully, he's a very persistent man. But is this a game even he can't win?
Warning: This book contains a quick tempered heroine, a uber hot leading man, toe-curling sex and people who aren't afraid to speak their mind, regardless the language used.
FREE today ONLY on Amazon.com. If you do not have a kindle you can download kindle for PC, Mac, android, etc to be able to enjoy this title at this promo offer as well!
February 22, 2012
MwM Author Spotlight: Cat Johnson
Marketing with Mandy Author Spotlight: Cat Johnson
Q: Tell us a little about your experience with Samhain Publishing.
A: I find Samhain does a lot of effective things to promote their authors. Probably the biggest thing recently was when they made the first ebook in my Red, Hot & Blue series free on Amazon.com. That put TREY on a few best-seller lists on Amazon and bumped up the sales of my entire backlist dramatically, as well as gave me huge hits on my website.
Q: What tips/tricks do you use for marketing or promoting your own titles?
A: I try to interact with and spread my name to fans of the subjects in which I write (IE supporters of the military, fans of rodeo/bull riding) as much as I do with romance readers. I also signed on to be a blogger at a site owned by a chef who writes aphrodisiac cookbooks. I thought people who like sexy food might also be interested in what an author of sexy books has to say. So far, I was right. Thinking out of the box as far as marketing expands the pool of potential readers wider than your usual romance readers.
Q: What is one thing you'd want to tell a newer author, just coming into the game?
A: Never stop learning. This business is changing faster than anyone can keep up with.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
A: TEXAS TWO-STEP: COWBOY SHUFFLE is a February 2, 2012 exclusive release from All Romance eBooks (though it will also be available at the iBookstore). In 2011 ARe invited a select group of authors to write for their Perfect Strangers Valentines Day promotion and I was lucky enough to be one of those authors. My title from 2011, TEXAS TWO-STEP, was a site-wide top 10 best seller. For this year's Perfect Strangers release, I've written the sequel.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your current WIPs?
A: I'm currently writing Book 5 in my Studs and Spurs series (with Samhain). I'm finding through this series that there are a lot of stories in the world of professional bull riding to be told.
Q: How did you get into writing?
A: I've written my entire life, but my first paid contract was 2 weeks out of college when I got hired onto a YA series. I was an English major so writing seemed like a perfect fit.
Q: How do balance family and writing?
A: Not well. I'm a terrible housekeeper. I take care of what really needs to be done—like feeding my animals so they don't kill me and eat me in my sleep, and doing laundry so my husband doesn't leave me, but things like vacuuming tend to fall by the wayside (a little cat hair on the carpet won't kill anyone LOL).
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