Category Archives: Author Interview
Purr-fect Mating Blog Tour: A Visit from Author, Sheryl Winters (@WintersSheryl) #PNR #Shifters #Romance
As always, welcome back to the blog. I am always so happy to have you stop by. Today, I have a special treat for you all… a short visit by the author of Roane Publishing’s latest release, Sheryl Winters.
She has stopped by to answer a question I had for her about her Lil’ Genie series, the first of which is Purr-fect Mating, a Contemporary Paranormal Romance featuring shifters.
Mmmm…shifters.
Before I get to my question, let’s have a closer look at the first story, Purr-fect Mating.
Title: Purr-fect Mating
(A Lil Genie Series Novella)
Author: Sheryl Winters
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: June 23, 2014
Keywords: Paranormal, Romance, Shifters
Blurb: Fhina and Wulfar have a little problem.
On their wedding night, at the stroke of midnight, Wulfar changes into his shifted wolf form and cannot shift back. Not even to communicate with the woman he loves.
Fhina, upon waking the day after their mating, no longer recognizes her mate. Pregnant and confused, she’s convinced herself her mate has run away and left her to live alone. With his dog.
Can the cursed pair find a counter charm before Fhina gives birth? Will Wulfar be able to curb his inclination to run?
Or will their mutual curses break up their love affair before it’s really even started.
Buy Links:
Roane Publishing
Amazon
Amazon UK
Bookstrand
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
Google Play Books
Now that you have all the juicy details, lets get to the question I had for Ms. Winters.
What does the Lil’ Genie series have in store for its readers? What sorts of cats can you let out of the proverbial bag for us?
Sheryl: I am currently writing a short story about Fhina’s cousin, Tessa. While I can’t comment on the plot, I can tell you the earrings Fhina kitty-napped will come back to haunt her. This time it will affect not only Fhina, but Tessa and her bakery as well.
Nice! Looking forward to checking that one out. A huge thanks to you for stopping by for a visit.
If you are interested in learning more about Sheryl Winters or her writing, you can stop by and visit with her at the links listed below her BIO.
About the Author: I never set out to be an author. Only a story teller. Some days I succeed better than others.
Links:
Winter’s Sweet Kiss Blog Tour: The WSK Authors Kiss and Tell #Giveaway #Romance @roanepublishing
Hello again readers, and thanks, as always, for stopping in to the blog today.
As part of the ongoing Winter’s Sweet Kiss blog tour, I have managed to score a short interview with each of the participating authors. I asked each of them one question… a good one, of course.
Tell us about your first kiss.
Here’s what they had to say 🙂
Michelle Ziegler:
Hmm – will my husband be reading this? Let’s put it this way. It wasn’t good. It was awkward, he bit me, and I was left trying to figure out if I’d been kissed or mauled.
Shaya Roy:
Well, this is embarrassing 😉 My first kiss was like first kisses usually are. Quick, awkward and bewildering, because neither of us quite knew what we were doing. I still felt so wonderful after, and roamed around in a proud daze the whole day!
Lily Carlyle:
To be perfectly honest, I wish I had a better story to tell—more romance, genuine affection, true love. My first kiss was unfortunately tinged by revenge.
I’d had a crush on a boy for years. My best friend liked him and asked me to convey that information to him, which I gleefully did. He had no interest in her and my friendship with her ended for other reasons, but he and I became friends.
And we were friends for years. He must have realized I had a crush on him, but he never acted on it. Silly boy.
Through him, I got to know his best friend—a cocky, good-looking soccer player who had a way with the girls. I realized he was dumb as a box of rocks, but he was cute. One afternoon, after school, when no parents were around, he kissed me. It never really led to a relationship, though we had an off and on thing that went on for years.
As for Boy #1? He married his high school sweetheart and they divorced a few years later.
Terri Rochenski:
Does kissing my kindergarten boyfriend in the back of the bus count??
I was 15, playing Monopoly with my then-boyfriend and he just leaned across the board and stole my ‘first’ kiss – along with a handful of $100s from the bank. Jerk.
Annabelle Blume:
The details of my first kiss are boring. Instead, I will tell you about my almost-first kiss. In my early teen years, I was pretty lame; A scrawny thirteen year old who happened to hang out with kids that were reasonably well liked. We were an eclectic group of popular and not-so-popular eighth graders who forged some kind of strange connection in the horribly mixed up hormonal world of middle school.
The cutest guy in school, Joe, happened to be part of our group. Blond, tan, surfer guy with a brilliant smile and charm to boot. Not my type, but undeniably good looking. One day we were goofing off in the cafeteria, and as he lounged across a bench I leaned over him to ask a question. His response was not an answer me, but to look directly in my eyes and whisper, “I could have kissed you just then.” I giggled and pulled away, unsure of how the geeky, skinny girl is supposed to respond when a guy of his social standing says such a thing. Four years later, after being separated by different high schools and a variety of young love affairs, we reunited, and you can bet I didn’t make that mistake a second time *wink*!
Love it!
Let’s hope the some of the kissing in Winter’s Sweet Kiss turns out better *chuckles*
Speaking of which, here are the juicy details on their release from Roane Publishing.
Winter’s Sweet Kiss
by Annabelle Blume, Lily Carlyle, Shaya Roy, Michelle Ziegler, and Terri Rochenski
Genre: Romance (Sweet)
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: December 15, 2013
Keywords: Adult, Romance, Sweet, Contemporary, Historical, Anthology
Description: Fight the winter chill with these heartwarming romantic tales.
What better time than winter to find someone to cuddle up with? These sweet tales of winter romance are sure to warm your heart.
Stories:
AN UNEXPECTED WREATH By Annabelle Blume
Blurb: Stella’s got everything she needs in life: a great job, a beautiful house, and her independence. But on last minute trip to the local Christmas tree lot she finds something, or rather someone, she desperately wants – Grayson. An emergency trip to Target, an unexpected wreath, and a little Christmas magic make the season much brighter.
SANTA BEBE By Lily Carlyle
Blurb: Disillusioned by men and her belief that they see her only as an object, Bebe is determined to find a man with money. Her geeky, but unfailingly kind, next-door neighbor James tries to convince her of the possibility of real love, even as she reveals to him the troubled childhood that made her so cynical about relationships. When her mother dashes her hopes for a perfect Christmas, Bebe finds herself turning to James once again, and in the process, learning a lot about herself and the promise their relationship holds.
MELT By Shaya Roy
Blurb: Newlyweds in an arranged marriage, Naina and Dev go to the mountains of Shimla, India in search of snow. Unfortunately, they find fifteen inches more than they expected.
Being snowed in with her husband is not necessarily a bad thing. It gives Naina an excellent excuse to snuggle up to her deep, quiet man, but every time Dev spurns her, a little more of her heart drips away. Melting the ice around her husband’s heart before the snow outside does might take more pride than Naina’s ready to surrender.
ONE IN A MILLION SNOWFLAKES By Michelle Ziegler
Blurb: Angela is in love with someone she can never have–her best friend, Rebecca’s older brother.
Stranded in the bitter cold after a disastrous blind date with yet another company Christmas party looming, a standing offer from the boss’ nephew gets a little more appealing. Desperation. Not a good sign. Surely when Rebecca rescues her from the blinding snow, she can also convince Angela to just go to the party alone. She can always count on her best friend.
That is, as long as she never finds out about Angela’s secret crush.
BEGINNING OF FOREVER By Terri Rochenski
Blurb: When Wayne Edwards moves to town, Lillian Douglas experiences stirrings she thought were long dead. Guilt ridden over betraying her deceased husband and the feelings Wayne inspires, Lillian reluctantly lets him in. Secrets of the past – an old promise emerges, but will it threaten their forever?
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18844487-winter-s-sweet-kiss
BUY LINKS:
Print Copies
Createspace (Print – Best Option)
Amazon (Print)
eBook Copies
Amazon
Amazon (UK)
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Smashwords
All Romance eBooks
Group Giveaway: $10 Amazon Gift Card & paperback copy of Winter’s Sweet Kiss
Stone Chameleon Blog Tour: Find out what author, Jocelyn Adams (@JocelynAdams) would chose as her special talent. #UF
Welcome to the blog and my stop on the STONE CHAMELEON Blog Tour. I am beyond excited to be able to share the start of my good friend, Jocelyn Adams’ newest Urban Fantasy series about the Ironhill Jinn.
If you are a regular follower of the blog, you know how much I loved Ms. Adams first UF series, The Lila Gray novels. As a matter of fact, I am not sure I am over the end of that one yet, having just read the ARC for the final installment of that trilogy, due out in June of this year (you are going to love that one, too!).
But, today we are all about the new series, and based on the ARC I finished a few weeks ago, you are all if for another treat. If you liked Lila, wait till you meet Lou. *grins*
Anyway, for my stop on the tour, Ms. Adams and I wanted to do something a little different. Something fun. So I came up with a question for my author friend, that I thought fit nicely into the Urban Fantasy theme.
I got to thinking about the stories I’ve read of Jocelyn’s and her process for writing them. I considered the imagination and creativity woven into every paragraph and came up with this question for our guest author. (Which she was kind enough to answer, of course :P)
As a fantasy author, you write a lot of stories about characters with “special gifts” or unique talents. If you were given a choice, what special gift or talent would you like to have in real life? Why?
Jocelyn’s answer:
Oh my, so much to choose from. As I’ve been sitting here, pondering this, I keep coming back to one of my favorite cartoons/movies/comics, the X-Men. It would be a total toss-up between Wolverine and Mystique.
Being able to heal anything, live forever, and have some kick-ass adamantium claws that slice out whenever I was ticked off would be so awesome. Of course, I’d need Wolverine’s giant chip on his shoulder as well so the world would simply get out of my way. 🙂
Or, like Mystique, I could change myself into anybody at will. Wouldn’t that be neat? Go out as somebody famous or sneak into a bank as the manager and withdraw a few mil. Not that I’d do that, of course, just saying. Hmm, choices, choices. Why not both? 😉
* * * * *
That would be one kick ass mutant. *grins* I LOVED X-Men, and Wolverine is among my list of favorites. Though, I have a soft spot for Gambit, personally.
So, let’s have a look at Jocelyn’s newest release, STONE CHAMELEON
Blurb:
When a series of unusual murders point to Lou Hudson, Ironhill’s equal rights advocate, as the primary suspect, she has but one choice: find the real perpetrator before her trial begins or face execution.
Lou, the last of the jinn, survives by hiding her abilities after the rest of the elementals fell victim to genocide. As a preternatural pest exterminator and self-proclaimed guardian of the innocent, she’s accustomed to trudging through the dregs of society. Hunting down a pesky murderer should be easy, especially with help from the dashing and mischievous local media darling.
For Lou, though, nothing is ever simple. When she discovers the killer’s identity, to reveal it would unearth her secret and go against her strict moral code, resulting in a deadly catch twenty-two.
BUY LINKS:
Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | MuseItUp Publishing
You can find out more about this, and all of Ms. Adams’ fiction titles here:
Website: www.joceadams.com
Blog: www.joceadams.wordpress.com
Make Believe Blog Tour: An Interview with Contributing Author, Lynda R. Young
Welcome back for another posting for the MAKE BELIEVE (J. Taylor Publishing) Blog Tour. Today, we have Lynda R. Young with us for a little interview. Her story, < is part of the anthology. You can see my review of Lynda’s story, as well as the rest of the stories included in the anthology HERE.
First off, a big thank you to Lynda for taking the time to stop in and visit with us today.
Now, on to the hard hitting interview questions… (not really)
Rebecca: Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Lynda: When I first started writing I fell in love with the romance of pantsing. I discovered the story and the characters as I wrote them. The romance faded when I realized how much I’d have to delete and edit and rewrite to get the stories even close to publishable. I’m now a plotter through and through.
Rebecca: Do you have any writing rituals or special processes you complete before sitting down to write?
Lynda: I didn’t think I had any rituals, but now that I’m thinking about it, I tend to get a glass of water first, pat the cat, read my emails, then I’m set. I’ll go through the same ritual a number of times during the day.
Rebecca: If you could only write in one genre for the rest of your career, what genre would you choose? Why?
Lynda: If I said the speculative genre, would that be cheating? Hehehe, I’m such a rebel. The reason I’d pick speculative is that it has so many sub-genres I’d never get bored! I love fantasy and science fiction equally as much, along with the majority of their sub-genres. There is such scope for stories there.
Rebecca: I hear you there. I have a hard time pinning myself into a specific genre as well. Are any of your characters modeled after real people? If so, which ones?
Lynda: My characters are never modeled after real people. Real people might inspire my work, but my characters tend to be a mish-mash created from real life, other stories, news reports, anywhere and everywhere.
Rebecca: I’m one of those writers who needs music to really get myself set to write. What music is on your playlist while writing your stories?
Lynda: The Dark Knight Soundtrack has been one of my favorites for a while now. It’s wonderfully emotive and keeps my fingers dancing across the keyboard. If I’m after something less robust, then I’ll listen to something from Enya or I’ll listen to Bali, an album by Jalan Jalan. It’s all instrumental so there aren’t any words to distract me from my writing.
Rebecca: Morning person or grumpy bear?
Lynda: I’m definitely not a morning person. Maybe that’s why I write best in the mornings. Leave me alone to my writing in the mornings, and the day is a good one—for everyone 😉
Rebecca: Sounds a bit familiar *grins* What is the one thing about the book publishing process that has surprised you the most?
Lynda: The amount of work required to get it right. I think being an author is one of the hardest jobs in the world. We might not get filthy, we might not get physically exhausted, but writing requires a level of mental endurance and persistence that’s close to herculean. It’s not a job that can be done in a half-hearted way.
Rebecca: So very true!! I’m curious. What group were you a part of in High School? Jocks? Nerds? Metal heads?
Lynda: I was a nerd. I loved my books and I loved my video games before they became cool to play.
Rebecca: As a reformed gaming addict, I completely understand. Do you have any unique skills or talents? If so, what?
Lynda: I can be both really observant, yet completely oblivious. My friends tease me by saying they could drive a truck through the house and I wouldn’t notice. I call that a talent.
Rebecca: Coke or Pepsi?
Lynda: Neither, but it used to be coke. Put two teaspoons of sugar in coke and it tastes exactly like Pepsi. Shudder…
Rebecca: Nobody drinks soda nowadays. I’m starting to wonder how Coke and Pepsi stay in business. Let’s move to clothing…If I were to look in your closet right now, would I find frills and lace or demin and tees?
Lynda: You’d find both, but I’m mainly a denim and tee girl. I love to keep it simple.
A lady after my own heart, there. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping in and chatting with us Lynda.
Here is the Back of the Book description of Lynda’s story, BIRTHRIGHT
BLURB: Christa can mask the pain and hide the scars, but running from a birthright is impossible.
She’s tried to escape her grief by fleeing to a small town in Florida. Much to her frustration, the locals think they recognize her even though she’s never been there before. To make things worse, a man named Jack spouts outrageous theories about her.
Both spur Christa to bolt, to start fresh yet again, but there’s something about Jack that intrigues her enough to stay. The only problem? Someone else wants her to leave, and they won’t stop until she’s dead.
Author Bio:
Lynda lives in Sydney, Australia, with her sweetheart of a husband who is her rock, and a cat who believes world domination starts in the home. Lynda has an adventurous spirit and has traveled the world. As a chaser of dreams, she found success as a digital artist and an animator, and now as a writer of speculative short stories. She is currently writing novels for young adults. In her spare time she also dabbles in photography and all things creative.
Stalking Links:
Blog: http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LyndaRYoungAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LyndaRYoung
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5832201.Lynda_R_Young
Make Believe Blog Tour: An Interview with Contributing Author, J. Keller Ford
Thanks for stopping in. As always 🙂
Today we continue with the Make Believe Tour posts with an interview with another of the fantastic contributing authors, J. Keller Ford. Her story, The Amulet of Ormisez is the second story in the anthology.
For my full review of all the stories CLICK HERE.
Now, on with the good part — getting to know J. Keller Ford. Thanks so much for agreeing to stop by. Let’s get right to it, shall we?
Rebecca: Which of the characters in your current release is your favorite? Why?
J. Keller Ford: Oh, it would have to be Elton Fletcher, without a doubt. I love his strength, his fortitude, his kindness and generosity. He loves deeply and prefers to work problems out without using violence; however, he can kick some serious butt if he has to.
Rebecca: I’m a big fan of butt kicking characters. Are any of your characters modeled after real people? If so, which ones?
J. Keller Ford: No one in the Amulet of Ormisez is modeled after real people, however, there are a few in my current novel, In the Shadow of the Dragon King, that are. For instance, my main character, David, is a blend of both of my sons with some extras added. Sir Trogsdill is a cross between my dad and someone else I knew long ago. Of course there are personality elements of myself and my husband scattered throughout, but I can’t say one character is based on either of us.
Rebecca: I’m always curious about how authors find inspiration and ideas. What music was on your playlist while writing your novel?
J. Keller Ford: For Amulet, I didn’t really have a playlist. For Dragon King…the music ranged from Aerosmith’s “Dream On” to Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb”, to William Coulter’s Sí Bheag Sí Mhór, to Loreena McKennitt’s “Mystic Dream”, to Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana”.
Rebecca: Some good tunage there. 🙂 Morning person or grumpy bear?
J. Keller Ford: Definitely a morning person. I like my night-night time to sleep.
Rebecca: I had heard there were some of you morning folk out there. Good to know there are some of you willing to get up at the crack of dawn. I know I’m not. Tell us something about your book we won’t find in the back cover blurb?
J. Keller Ford: There are Selkies and magic involved.
Rebecca: oOo — I love me some selkies, as you probably already know. Now to an important question…Coke or Pepsi?
J. Keller Ford: Coke, hands down. Goes better with Capt. Morgan Spiced Rum. 🙂
Rebecca: I agree completely! If you were only allowed to eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?
J. Keller Ford: Cheesecake. Lots and lots of cheesecake. No preference to flavor, though champagne and macadamia nut cheesecake is to die for.
Rebecca: A favorite of mine as well. Excellent choice. What scares you the most?
J. Keller Ford: Palmetto bugs. They are nasty, over-sized cockroaches that fly. I scream like a little girl and run the other way when I see one. I hate the crunch sound they make when you smack or step on them and cringe when the icky thick yellow goo comes out. *Shudder*. Ewww.
Now that you all know a bit about the author, it’s time to give you a bit of info about the story, eh?
The Blurb: There is only one way to save Elton Fletcher’s brother from an insanity-ridden death.
After years away from home, fighting for his people, Elton returns to discover his only sibling, Cayden, possessed by greed and malice, and responsible for malicious, unthinkable deeds. Cayden, though, isn’t the only one afflicted by the Amulet of Ormisez, and Elton finds himself in yet another battle, where the price of failure could be his own life.
Author Bio: J. Keller Ford is a quirky mother of four, grand-mother and scribbler of young adult fantasy tales. She has an insatiable appetite for magic, dragons, knights and faeries, and weaves at least one into every story she conceives. Her muse is a cranky old meadow gnome that follows her everywhere she goes and talks incessantly, feeding her ideas for stories 24/7.
Make Believe Blog Tour: A Interview with Contributing Author, J.A. Belfield
Continuing with my Blog Tour posts for the MAKE BELIEVE Blog Tour, today I have managed to snag an interview with author, J.A. Belfield. Her story, Escort to Insanity is the featured tale in the anthology.
To see my full review of the anthology, go HERE.
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by, Ms. Belfield. I’ll try not to ply you with too many questions (yeah, right).
Which of the characters in your current release is your favorite? Why?
Ack. I dunno. I mean, I love Benjamin and Cole. Love how they gel and that they kind of get thrust together through circumstance beyond their control. But, if I were to look at the characters on a long term potential basis, I’d have to say I also love Cole’s best friend and housemate Kellie, for the light relief I know she’ll bring to intense aftermaths, and Rufus King, for the trouble I suspect he’d be capable of causing for the duo. 😉
Are any of your characters modeled after real people? If so, which ones?
Never. I sometimes study relationship dynamics and translate those to the page, but I never totally base a character on someone I know. It wouldn’t be fair. Though I did get pretty close in Blue Moon, my novel that just released, when a friend’s daughter asked me for a part in the book, so I made a character look like her and stole her name—but I’d never do that for a big part character who’s personality needs portraying to the max.
Morning person or grumpy bear?
Grumpy bear. Just ask my kids if you don’t believe me. And never expect conversation pre-caffeine.
Actually, the worst times are when Mr B decides we’re going to wake up at stupid o’clock to go on holiday so we’ll miss the traffic, and he wakes up all bubbly and excited and hyper and so damn annoying to someone who can only just about manage grunts and scowls and a whole lotta lip curling.
What is the one thing about the book publishing process that has surprised you the most?
I think the biggest surprise (and most likely not just to me) is discovering just how hard it is to gain a ‘reach’, to get that ball rolling so that folk are taking enough notice of your work to start spreading the word, and those folk start spreading the word, and so on and so on. It’s a domino run you need to make bigger, but getting hold of the dominos you need is the tricky bit. Once that starts happening, though, it’s pretty awesome. So persevere. No matter how big this obstacle seems.
What is next for you?
Well, I’m mostly known for writing the Holloway Pack series, and my short story for the Make Believe anthology was more of a side project for a change of scenery. However, although I still have a few Holloway Pack titles to write, I will admit I’m intrigued enough about Benjamin and Cole from Escort to Insanity that the early drip feed of ideas has started trickling through for a trilogy for the two of them. And it’s no secret, I’m also itching to try my hand at some YA. 🙂
Do you have any unique skills or talents? If so, what?
I can still do cartwheels at age 40. Does that count?
What is the oddest question you’ve been asked with respect to your story?
I haven’t had anything wonky for Escort to Insanity, but I have been asked a few times by peeps I know who’ve read Darkness & Light if I’ve based all of the intimate scenes on personal experience. They ask Mr B, too. His answer: Yep. My answer: 
Tell us something about your story in Make Believe we won’t find in the back cover blurb?
Um … it has way more paranormal elements than the blurb leads you to believe. But, hey, this is one of my stories we’re talking about. 😉
Here is the skinny on Ms. Belfield’s story, ESCORT TO INSANITY
Blurb: From a charity auction, to a stroll in the park, to the craziest night of her life. Nicole Harrington can’t help but wonder how a simple event went so drastically wrong.
Of course, the male escort she booked is wholly to blame. Not only charming but shrewdly intelligent, Benjamin Gold drags Nicole into a platoon of unimaginable problems—ones from which she’ll have to find the courage just to survive.
Author Bio: One day, a character and scene popped into J. A. Belfield’s head, and she started controlling the little people inside her imagination, as though she were the puppet master and they her toys. Questions arose: What would happen if …? How would they react if …? Who would they meet if …? Before she knew it, a singular scene had become an entire movie. The characters she controlled began to hold conversations. Their actions reflected the personalities she bestowed upon them. Within no time, they had a life, a lover, a foe, family … they had Become.
One day, she wrote down her thoughts. She’s yet to stop.
J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, three cats and a dog. She writes paranormal romance, with a second love for urban fantasy.
Stalking Links:
J.A. Belfield Blog | Bookaroo-Ju Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Make Believe Blog Tour: An Interview with Contributing Author, Kelly Said
Continuing with my Make Believe Blog Tour posts, today I’ve managed to finagle a visit from Kelly Said, one of the contributing authors featured in the anthology. You can find my full review of the anthology HERE.
I met Kelly on the Writer’s Digest forums a couple years ago now, and she is one heck of a writer, not to mention a cool person to have as a writing buddy.
Thanks for coming by, Kelly. I’ll try not to hit you with too many hard hitting questions 😛 I’ll even start with a rather easy one to answer.
Rebecca: What inspired you to write your short story for the MAKE BELIEVE anthology?
Kelly: I was heavily influenced by the photo prompt the publisher provided, there seemed to be a contradiction as to the wintry scene and the girl in the red cape – with bare arms. It seemed like she wasn’t expecting the cold weather and that’s where my story took off: what if some crazy blizzard wiped out summer completely?
Rebecca: Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Kelly: I’m both. I start off all exuberant and write a scene as it comes to mind, and then from there, I cease writing and begin plotting, working to isolate the critical points in the story to make sure I don’t write astray.
Rebecca: Do you have any writing rituals or special processes you complete before sitting down to write?
Kelly: I like to make sure I have all the essentials before I sit down for a writing session: caffeine, computer, dictionary, notepad, multicolored pens. Once I’m nestled in, I’m a go for writing, hehe!
Rebecca: Which of the characters in your current release is your favorite? Why?
Kelly: My main character, Sterling August was my favorite to write, not just because I’d lapse into a drooly dreamstate while imagining him, his dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and close cropped beard, hehe! He’s intriguing, he’s struggling to fend off a possible curse and solve the mystery of his father’s illness, but he ends up discovering so much more about himself and the world around him that by the end of the story, I was ready to keep on writing beyond the word count restrictions.
Rebecca: Morning person or grumpy bear?
Kelly: I’m a forced morning person, getting up at some ridiculous hour like 3:30 am to make time to write, hehe!
Rebecca: If I were to look in your closet right now, would I find frills and lace or demin and tees?
Kelly: You’d find denim and tees, doc martens, and scarves galore. I keep the frills and lace in a special drawer… 😉
Rebecca: Coke or Pepsi?
Kelly: Coke, diet, straight, no straw. 😉
Rebecca: If you were taken and places on a deserted island, and were allowed one other human being to spend your life with you on that island, who would you choose?
Kelly: My Hubs, because he’s awesome.
That may just be the most pukingly sweet answer to that question I have gotten so far. Congrats 😛
Now that we’ve met Kelly — let’s take a look at her story from the Make Believe anthology, Petrified.
BLURB: A mysterious storm has replaced summer with winter, devastating crops and smothering Castle lands in snow. Prince Sterling August stands alone as a leader, lost in personal grief as well as a desire to help his people but with an inability to do either.
The answers he needs await him, but without Lochlyn, a woman who’s just as isolated as Sterling, he’ll never see what stands before him, cloaked in illusion.
Author Bio: Kelly loves life in the foothills of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. When she’s not reading, being doted on by Mr. S, or pressed for attention by the wet nose of her beefy bull terrier, she can be found huddled over her little laptop writing whatever catches her fancy — mostly stories for Young Adults.
Make Believe Blog Tour: An Interview with Contributing Author, Terri Rochenski #fantasy #anthology
Welcome back to the Blog. Always nice to see you 🙂
This week and part of next I will be helping to promote the release of J.Taylor Publishing’s MAKE BELIEVE Anthology. As part of the tour events, I will have interviews from as many of the authors as I could grab, and I will be posting a complete review of the anthology (by each individual story) in my post tomorrow, so be sure to check back again then.
To kick things off, I nabbed an interview with Terri Rochenski, the author of SACRIFICIAL OATH, the first of the stories featured in the anthology.
** Oh! And two lucky commentors will win a Make Believe bookmark signed by Terri 🙂 So be sure to leave a comment below! **
I met Terri a few years ago in the Writer’s Digest forums, and I knew back then she would be an author to watch. I’m quite excited she agreed to stop in today to promote her most recent publication. Besides, I love picking an author’s brain about their work and their writing process.
Rebecca: Thanks for coming in and sitting with us today, Terri. I’ll start off with a nice, easy, author related question…What music was on your playlist while writing your novel?
Terri: Nothing. I’m a silence kinda gal seeing as how I rarely get it as a stay-at-home mom!
Rebecca: Morning person or grumpy bear?
Terri: Morning person. Most of the time I open my eyes rearin’ & ready to go. I DO need caffeine though.
Rebecca: What group were you a part of in High School? Jocks? Nerds? Metal heads?
Terri: I was a choir nerd. Other than that I was pretty much a loner – too poor to be popular, too straight-laced to be much else.
Rebecca: Do you have any unique skills or talents? If so, what?
Terri: I sing, or rather I used to. A LOT. Even gave lessons for a short time. Once I moved, married, & had children I pretty much gave up that hobby.
Rebecca: Coke or Pepsi?
Terri: COKE!!!
Rebecca: If I were to look in your closet right now, would I find frills and lace or demin and tees?
Terri: Mommy-like sweat pants & tees. I need a major makeover!
Rebecca: If you were only allowed to eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Terri: Only one?? Yeah right. Bryer’s Cherry Vanilla ice cream, pumpkin pie, blueberry custard pie…
Rebecca: What scares you the most?
Terri: If anything happened to my children I think I’d flip. Watching parents of abducted kids pleading for their release – their lives – chokes me up every time.
I am completely with you there… of course I also get choked up by sad cartoons, so I’m not the best one to measure normalcy with. I have to think most parents would feel that way as well.
Now that we have learned a bit about Terri, let’s take a look at her story, SACRIFICIAL OATH — the opening story in the anthology.
BLURB: An impetuous act unwittingly makes Alesuela the fulfillment of the Sovereign’s Blood Oath to their Goddess. In five days, she’ll be forced to make the greatest choice of her life: become the virginal sacrifice already promised, or force the man she loves most to die in her place.
With an impossible choice in front of her, she searches for ways to undo the oath, and in her quest, finds not everything in her life is as she expects.
Author Bio: Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundi’s Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with the fantasy genre.
Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare ‘me’ moments her two young daughters allow. When not potty training or kissing boo-boos, she can be found on her back patio in the boondocks of New Hampshire, book or pencil in hand.
Staking Links:
Make Believe Blog Tour: An Interview with Contributing Author, Jennifer M. Eaton
Through the end of December I will be featuring interviews with the contributing authors of the Make Believe anthology published by J. Taylor Publishing as well as a full review of the anthology on December 11th.
Our first guest as part of the Blog Tour is Jennifer M. Eaton and her story, Last Winter Red. Since I am posting a full review of the anthology next week, I will refrain from offering any tidbits about the story at this point, but I will say that Ms. Eaton’s tale was one of my favorites in the book. For more, you will just have to stop in on the 11th and see the full review.
For now, you will have to content yourself with getting to know the author a bit better through my little interview with her.
First off, thanks so much for coming by the blog and letting me pick your brain a bit. It’s great having you here.
Rebecca: Let’s start with the writing process. Do you have any writing rituals or special processes you complete before sitting down to write?
Jennifer: Nope. I just sit down and write the dern thing. Well, that might not be completely true. I usually read the last three or four pages that I wrote the day before, just to get myself back into the story, and then I just let it rock! It seems to work pretty well for me.
Rebecca: If you could only write in one genre for the rest of your career, what genre would you choose? Why?
Jennifer: Fantasy. No, Let’s call it “Speculative Fiction” That is my baby. I love speculative fiction. I write new worlds for the sheer joy of it. I love creating new things. To me, the everyday is mundane. I can get “the everyday” by going to work. Writing is escapism for me, and where better to escape than a world of your own making?
Rebecca: What music was on your playlist while writing your novel?
Jennifer: I usually listen to soundtrack music. It helps get me into a vibe of writing something good enough for the big screen! Ha! Actually, my favorite thing to listen to is the soundtrack from the first Transformers movie. There’s some really exciting stuff in there that paces me well for my typing… and no words, which helps me from being distracted.
Rebecca: Morning person or grumpy bear?
Jennifer: Oh! I am definitely a grumpy bear in the morning. Which is a pain, because Hubby is a morning person. In my view, if God wanted me up at 6 AM, he would have made it light out year round… Ya know what I’m saying? I’m a night owl. I will work late into the evening – sometimes past 2 AM and sleep late when I can.
Rebecca: What is next for you?
Jennifer: Oh! I’m having such a great time right now! As you know, this is part of the blog tour for the Make Believe Anthology, which features my story Last Winter Red. Today is also the release day for another anthology I am in called “For the Love of Christmas” which contains my story Connect the Dots. The Sequel to Connect the Dots, “A Test of Faith” will be Available in early January 2013 from Still Moments Publishing. I also have a poetic short in the “Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey” Anthology. I’ve been a busy bee! Next year, I’m hoping to publish two works in progress. “Une Variante” which is a paranormal novella, and part one of a series. I’m also finishing up a Young Adult Sci-Fi Urban Fantasy called Fire in the Woods.
Rebecca: Coke or Pepsi?
Jennifer: Ummm I really don’t drink the stuff. I’m a Gatorade girl myself. My daily drinks are decaf tea in the morning, Gatorade for lunch, Milk for dinner, more Gatorade while I’m writing, and water before I go to bed. I will, though, drink some Ginger Ale or caffeine free Pepsi if I’m sick to my stomach. Otherwise I just steer away from the bubbly stuff.
Rebecca: If I were to look in your closet right now, would I find frills and lace or demin and tees?
Jennifer: Actually a little bit of both. Well, you won’t find my tee shirts in my closet – they are in a drawer. I’m a bit of a rough and tough girl. I’m jeans and tees as a rule, but I love really heavy crochet-like lace. You’ll find a plethora of styles in my wardrobe, from the downright lame, to outrageous. I dress to my mood… or to match what I’m doing that day. –Lace does not go well when you’re grooming your dog. 🙂
Rebecca: If you were only allowed to eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Jennifer: Chocolate, or Chocolate covered chocolate. Does that constitute as a dessert? Or maybe a chocolate volcano cake with mint chocolate chip ice cream and hot fudge slathered all over it. **SIGH** I’m hungry now. Any more questions?
Rebecca: Zombies or Vampires? Why? Those are my only two choices? Can I pick neither? I really don’t get the whole zombie thing. Maybe I should actually read a zombie book, but I really have no desire. I kind of get the vampire thing… it’s sort of classic, you know? But in the end, I think a good dragon would be able to take them both out. That’s what we need! A book about a zombie and vampire eating dragon! Oh! How about me riding the dragon, and taking out a vampire/zombie army. Yay! I get to ride a dragon! Wahoo!
Now that you know a bit about the author, let’s take a peek at her story, Last Winter Red.
BLURB: Emily is a Red, a woman whose sole purpose in life is to produce offspring. When her husband dies and leaves her childless, she risks her life and forsakes the safety of Terra—a disease-free city born after the nuclear holocaust. Beyond its boundaries, she knows, survives a man with whom she can be properly paired.
The Outside, though, holds secrets the government struggles to keep, and what Emily discovers on her quest for a mate will change her life forever.
Author Bio: Jennifer Eaton lives on the East Coast USA with her husband, three boys, and a pepped up poodle. She hosts an interactive website www.jennifermeaton.com aimed at making all writers the best they can be.
Her Dystopian novelette “Last Winter Red” is available as part of the “Make Believe” Anthology from J.Taylor Publishing. Her Christmas Romance “Connect the Dots” is available as part of Still Moments publishing’s “For the Love of Christmas” Anthology. Both are available in ebook format from Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com and Smashwords
Stalking Links:
Twitter: @jennifermeaton
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5832197.Jennifer_M_Eaton
Author Interview: Aubrie Dionne, Author of HAVEN 6
As a special treat today, I have managed to score an interview with the author of the Haven series, Aubrie Dionne. Not familiar with the series? Here is the info on the newest Haven release, HAVEN 6.
Back of the Book:
A product of an illegal pairing, Eridani is the only woman without a lifemate aboard the colonization ship, the Heritage, and she is determined her less than perfect DNA will not get in the way of finding love. As the ship nears it’s final destination of Haven 6 after five hundred years of travel, images of the surface show evidence of intelligent life on a planet that’s supposed to be uninhabited. Commander Grier assigns Eri to the exploratory team to spy on the alien society and return with information on how to defeat them.
When Eri’s team lands, tribes of humans attack and Eri is saved by Striver, the descendant of a colonist and a pirate from Old Earth’s colonization efforts in other parts of the galaxy. Striver helps Eri rescue her team and they are drawn to each other despite their different allegiances. While Striver battles with trusting Eri, Eri must decide whether to warn him and his people about the commander’s intentions, or follow orders and complete her mission.
My Interview with Aubrie Dionne:
Rebecca: When did you first start writing? What made you want to be a writer?
Aubrie: I’d always wanted to be a professional flutist, and when I started teaching, I made up stories to go along with the music and make it come alive for my students. My students liked the stories so much they used to urge me to write them down. I finally listened and here I am today!
Rebecca: What inspired you to write your novel, Haven 6?
Aubrie: This is the final book in the series, so I wanted it to be epic and tie in all the loose threads from the prequel and the first two books, which is not an easy task! I also wanted it to take place on a jungle planet, following the way Star Wars moved from a desert planet, to an ice world, to a jungle planet.
Rebecca: Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Aubrie: I used to be a panster, but now I have to turn in a synopsis to my agent and my publisher before I get too far into the story if I want it to get read in a decent amount of time. This has made me a plotter. I do find that I get less blocked if the whole story is already planned.
Rebecca: Do you have any writing rituals or special processes you complete before sitting down to write?
Aubrie: Sometimes when my mind gets blocked, I’ll do the laundry or go for a walk with my dog, and that usually frees it up again. Sometimes even Spider solitaire is a good way to help writer’s block, until I get blocked with that!
Rebecca: What music was on your playlist while writing your novel?
Aubrie: I listen to Radio Gaia when I write. New age music is easy listening with no words to distract me!
Rebecca: Morning person or grumpy bear?
Aubrie: Grumpy bear. I need coffee and time to wake up! LOL
Rebecca: What is the one thing about the book publishing process that has surprised you the most?
Aubrie: How snarky people can be in reviews. I can’t believe the things they write about books. Don’t they know we’re real people?
Rebecca: What group were you a part of in High School? Jocks? Nerds? Metal heads?
Aubrie: Definitely band geeks. I spent a lot of time practicing my flute and going to marching band games. All of my friends were in the band!
Rebecca: What is next for you?
Aubrie: Well, funny you should ask that! The YA tie in series to the New Dawn trilogy comes out November 7th with the book titled Colonization: Paradise Reclaimed published by Inkspell Publishing. After that, I have a contemporary romance coming out with Entangled Publishing’s Bliss line called My Maestro about a flutist that has fallen in love with her conductor.
Rebecca: Do you have any unique skills or talents? If so, what?
Aubrie: I play the flute! Does that count?
Rebecca: Coke or Pepsi?
Aubrie: Neither! I drink coffee and Mountain Dew!
Rebecca: If I were to look in your closet right now, would I find frills and lace or denim and tees?
Aubrie: Frills and lace! I love wearing fancy clothes in concerts! I don’t think I’ve worn a T-shirt in years.
Thanks so much for stopping in today, Aubrie, it’s been a pleasure having you. For those of you out there who want more info on Ms Dionne, or her books, her bio and links are below.
Audrie’s BIO:
Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf.
Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She recently signed her YA sci fi novel with Inkspell Publishing titled: Colonization: Paradise Reclaimed, which will release in November 2012.
When she’s not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras. She’s a big Star Trek TNG fan, as well as Star Wars and Serenity.
The Machenwood Chronicles and Other Tales 