Anyone who leaves a comment and emails me (e.ayers at ayersbooks dot com - no spaces) with Ask Me Again in the subject line will be placed in a drawing for a free copy of my upcoming novella Ask Me Again when it is released.
Thank you so much for having me, Janet. It is such an honor to be on your blog. I've always considered you to be a very special mentor and a wonderful author friend.
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?
I write contemporary romance with strong mainstream elements. Life is what influences us and I bring that into my writing. It's very slice-of-life, the romantic slice. But I'm toying with the idea of writing some historical novellas.
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
It must have chosen me, about the same way that my characters choose me. Once I started writing contemporary romance, I was hooked.
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
I love to read historical, but I'm panicked about writing it. I'm trying to write a few historical novellas to go with my River City novels.
I admire people like Roberta Gellis. She set the bar so high for today's writers by being accurate, yet she writes wonderful stories. History in school would have been much more fun if we'd been allowed to read Roberta Gellis instead of boring textbooks.
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I love a cozy mystery, but I don't stick to one genre. I read to relax and enjoy a little escape from my life. As long as I'm entertained, I'll keep reading the book.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing.
Seems like I've always been writing. But about twenty years ago, I got serious about writing novels and wrote several manuscripts for young readers who are good readers. I had no clue how to publish them or even how to submit to a publisher.
A friend's daughter is a romance writer and she convinced me to write romance. After her arm twisting, I wrote one and submitted it to a publisher. That book was rejected, but the editor loved the story. I got the nicest rejection letter. I wasn't certain if I wanted to cry or dance on the ceiling. Then I got to meet that editor-in-chief about a week later in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She spent almost an hour talking to me about my manuscript. I had violated every romance rule. (There were rules for writing romance?) So she marches me over to the wonderful Janet Lane Walters and says, "Teach her to write it correctly because she's very good with the tale."
One treasured, autographed How to be Your Own Critique Partner, a few online classes with the authors of that book, several more classes, lots of workshops, and what feels like a million rewrites of that first rejected manuscript, and Wanting is now a real book and the first in my River City series. It's been a marvelous journey, and I've learned so much along the way.
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
That's a tough question. I think we always fall in love with our characters as we write them. I adore Ari. He's my hero in A Challenge. He works hard to be an alpha, but he's more of a beta. In my mind, he's my best-looking and so far, my warmest and most loving hero.
My favorite heroine is Dallas from A New Beginning. Her blue-streaked hair and odd style show her uniqueness, but it's her personality and perseverance that I admire. She has a fresh quality about her and a vivaciousness that shines through. Talented and intelligent, she needed her hero to set her free.
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
This is a tough question. I'm going to have to say yes. When I started writing, I didn't think about the fact that I had a villain or villains. And since I don't write suspense, I want to say no, but … a villain is a villain. None of them are tying Pauline to the railroad tracks, but a villain can make the hero or heroine's life miserable. We all have one in our life. Either we work with one, live in the neighborhood with one, or worse, he or she is a family member!
I believe that most people are good people. But there are people who don't care about anything other than themselves. They don't care who they hurt to get what they want. And I can't keep them out of my novels.
8. What are you working on now?
Ask Me Again is a novella which will be released before the end of the month. It's undergoing all those last minute things. I'm also polishing my still untitled wounded hero/recluse story which should be released in late February or early March. Plus I have two River City characters begging for keyboard time. My muse so wants to write that story.
9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
A Snowy Christmas in Wyoming was released in Nov. and I used the knowledge that I had of a blizzard that hit a friend's ranch in Colorado. That family's daily struggle stayed in my head and came out in A Snowy Christmas in Wyoming. It's not just a Christmas story. It's a tale of finding love, saving a herd, sharing the same family values, and small town prejudices.
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Include the opening of the book.
Ask Me Again is a product of my normal matchmaking. I never think in exact terms when characters form. It's all very foggy at first, but then it takes shape. So what would bring a grown man home and force him to telecommute? What kind of a job would he have that would allow him to do such a thing? Why would he come home and not another sibling? All these things roll through my mind until they settle into a realistic, cohesive storyline.
Every family has its own dynamics, every family has its problems, and parents have secrets, too. Unfortunately, most all of us will cope with a dying parent during our lifetime. As we face these kinds of life altering events, our perspectives on our own lives tend to change and it forces us to think about what is important.
Rob Miller's life is on overload! His business is thriving and his life was in fast forward until he is called home to deal with a family crisis. The last thing on his mind is romance, but when he bumps into Torrey Timberlake, he has to re-evaluate his priorities. She might be the best thing to happen to him at the worst of times. Will she be the one to help him pick up the pieces?
Here's the unpolished sneak preview!
~~Chapter One~~
"Mom, I need to stretch my legs. Do you need me to pick up anything from the grocery store?"
"Oh, Robbie, I do need several things. Let me make a list for you," Marion Miller said to her son as she grabbed a sheet of paper from a magnetic pad that hung on the refrigerator door. A minute later, she handed him the list. "I put your favorite cereal on here."
He looked at the name of the chocolate and marshmallow cereal and shook his head. He couldn't believe they still made the sugar-laden puffs that he once ate. "Mom, are you going to eat this? Because I don't eat it anymore."
"Well, son, if you want something else go right ahead and buy it. I want you to be happy while you're here. Let me give you some money for this."
"Don't worry about it, Mom, I've got it covered."
Kissing his mother on the cheek, he strode out the back door, and headed for his car. Rob wanted to tell her exactly what would make him happy, but there was no point, it would only upset her, and she didn't need more stress in her life.
When he reached the supermarket, he grabbed a cart, and examined his mom's list. He intended to do some serious shopping. He went through the produce section picking out a variety of fruits and vegetables.
His mom's list contained several basic items such as coffee and he easily found most of them as he wandered through the aisles. He grinned as he picked the box with the large K that his mother had listed, and then turned his attention to the top shelf where the whole grain cereals were lined up. One promised great taste. He read the list of ingredients and added it to his cart. Squirrel food.
He should have done this when he had first arrived home and not waited three weeks, but he hadn't wanted to hurt his mom's feelings. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy a home-cooked meal, but he tried to eat healthy foods, and his mom was feeding him like a growing teen.
Just as he turned to the next aisle, he caught a glimpse of a slender blonde about his age. She looked familiar, but he hadn't even attended a high school reunion, and the names of classmates were escaping him. T...uh. T-T, it begins with a T. It isn't Tammy. Darn it! Why can't I remember?
He told himself to stop worrying about it. Most of the women his age were married with kids. What would he say anyway? 'Hi, remember me? Remember Mrs. Fisch? Wasn't she the worst math teacher?'
He pushed the cart along at a steady clip looking for pasta. I've seen Dan, Bill, and Butt a few times over the years. Who would name their son Butler? Wouldn't they know it would be shortened to Butt when he got to school? And where are they hiding whole grain pasta in this store? Deep in thought, he almost plowed into the blonde.
"Robbie? Robbie Miller?" the woman asked.
"Yes, and I'm very sorry, but I can't remember your name. It starts with a T?"
"Torrey Timberlake. Well, it changed to Snyder, but I changed it back to Timberlake after the divorce. I'm sorry. That's way too much information." She blushed as she stared at him.
Torrey Timberlake? "No, not at all. I guess I haven't seen you since graduation. You look wonderful." Oh, have you changed!
Showing posts with label Thursday's Interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thursday's Interview. Show all posts
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Thursday's Interview - Shirley Martin
Though I've never met Shirley in person we have known each other for a number of years since we once write for the same publisher.
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?
I started writing historicals, then branched out to paranormal and fantasy.
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
I guess you would say both. I enjoy history, reading and writing about it. But paranormal and fantasy have such a wide range that I got interested in those, also.
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
I enjoy reading mysteries but I wouldn't want to try writing one. Wouldn't write horror, either.
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I love reading fantasy, esp. Terry Brooks and Terry Goodkind. Also, I read many Amish novels.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,
Janet, like you, I'm from Pittsburgh but live in Birmingham, Alabama now. I'm a widow with two grown sons. One son passed away a few years ago. I enjoy reading and walking. I've been writing for over twenty years.
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
Do you know, I get so immersed in all of my characters. I fall in love with all of my heroes.
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
Villains in my fantasy romances and in one of my vampire romances, "One More Tomorrow." Moloch is an evil vampire who tries to separate the vampire hero, Galan, from his lover, Stephanie.
8. What are you working on now?
I stopped writing several years ago for personal reasons.
9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
My last romance is "The Princess and the Curse." I have a book of Celtic fairy tales, and several of my ideas have come from that. The entire fantasy realm is rich with ideas.
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.
"The Princess and the Curse" came from my book of Celtic fairy tales. It's about a fisherman who loved to tell tall tales. He liked to brag about places he's never seen and things he's never done. When a stranger challenges him to go on a journey to a faraway country he's never heard of, he knows he can't refuse.
Nolan Tremaine smiled as he strolled the cobblestone streets of his village of Baile Beag, headed for the White Ship Tavern, for he enjoyed whiskey, women, and a good time, not always in that order. Part of having a good time was relating his travels as a fisherman, and if he embellished his tales a little, so what? No one could call him a liar; he merely exaggerated a bit.
Passing a fabric store and a shoe repair shop, he reached the tavern, where a few men stood outside, talking about the weather and their crops. He exchanged greetings, since everyone knew him here in the village. He pulled at the heavy oaken door and stepped into the crowded room, filled mostly with men but also several women, all talking and laughing, drinking ale or whiskey. A few patrons were eating a late meal of mutton, boiled cabbage, and oat bread, apparently oblivious to the smoke of countless pipes that hung over the room like a fog. Nolan found an empty table and drew out a chair, smiling and nodding to the others he knew, which included just about everyone in the room. Aware that the evening was young and hopeful that others would soon join him, he didn’t mind sitting by himself for a short while, as long as he had company later. He loved people, whether friends or strangers.
He ordered a shot of whiskey from Betha, the pretty, buxom barmaid whose favors he’d enjoyed more than once. She brushed his hand as she took his order, and when she returned a few minutes later, she bent low, giving him a good glimpse of what she had to offer, as if he could forget! He hoped this evening would bring more than a glass of whiskey.
The door opened and a stranger stepped into the room, a tall man whose blond sun-bleached hair glinted gold under the lamplight. He had a commanding mien about him, like one accustomed to giving orders. He peered around the room, his gaze settling on Nolan.
“Mind if I join you?” the stranger asked as he reached Nolan’s table and pulled out a chair.
Nolan inclined his head. “Happy to have you. Don’t like sitting by myself.”
“Neither do I.” The stranger sat down and caught the barmaid’s attention, gesturing toward Nolan’s whiskey glass. Soon he joined him in a drink. “So tell me,” the stranger said, “how do you spend your days?”
Nolan grinned. “I see you’re a stranger in this village. Everyone knows I’m a fisherman. Got the biggest catch today you’d ever want to see. Why, I caught so many fish in my net, I feared my boat would sink.”
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?
I started writing historicals, then branched out to paranormal and fantasy.
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
I guess you would say both. I enjoy history, reading and writing about it. But paranormal and fantasy have such a wide range that I got interested in those, also.
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
I enjoy reading mysteries but I wouldn't want to try writing one. Wouldn't write horror, either.
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I love reading fantasy, esp. Terry Brooks and Terry Goodkind. Also, I read many Amish novels.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,
Janet, like you, I'm from Pittsburgh but live in Birmingham, Alabama now. I'm a widow with two grown sons. One son passed away a few years ago. I enjoy reading and walking. I've been writing for over twenty years.
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
Do you know, I get so immersed in all of my characters. I fall in love with all of my heroes.
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
Villains in my fantasy romances and in one of my vampire romances, "One More Tomorrow." Moloch is an evil vampire who tries to separate the vampire hero, Galan, from his lover, Stephanie.
8. What are you working on now?
I stopped writing several years ago for personal reasons.
9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
My last romance is "The Princess and the Curse." I have a book of Celtic fairy tales, and several of my ideas have come from that. The entire fantasy realm is rich with ideas.
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.
"The Princess and the Curse" came from my book of Celtic fairy tales. It's about a fisherman who loved to tell tall tales. He liked to brag about places he's never seen and things he's never done. When a stranger challenges him to go on a journey to a faraway country he's never heard of, he knows he can't refuse.
Nolan Tremaine smiled as he strolled the cobblestone streets of his village of Baile Beag, headed for the White Ship Tavern, for he enjoyed whiskey, women, and a good time, not always in that order. Part of having a good time was relating his travels as a fisherman, and if he embellished his tales a little, so what? No one could call him a liar; he merely exaggerated a bit.
Passing a fabric store and a shoe repair shop, he reached the tavern, where a few men stood outside, talking about the weather and their crops. He exchanged greetings, since everyone knew him here in the village. He pulled at the heavy oaken door and stepped into the crowded room, filled mostly with men but also several women, all talking and laughing, drinking ale or whiskey. A few patrons were eating a late meal of mutton, boiled cabbage, and oat bread, apparently oblivious to the smoke of countless pipes that hung over the room like a fog. Nolan found an empty table and drew out a chair, smiling and nodding to the others he knew, which included just about everyone in the room. Aware that the evening was young and hopeful that others would soon join him, he didn’t mind sitting by himself for a short while, as long as he had company later. He loved people, whether friends or strangers.
He ordered a shot of whiskey from Betha, the pretty, buxom barmaid whose favors he’d enjoyed more than once. She brushed his hand as she took his order, and when she returned a few minutes later, she bent low, giving him a good glimpse of what she had to offer, as if he could forget! He hoped this evening would bring more than a glass of whiskey.
The door opened and a stranger stepped into the room, a tall man whose blond sun-bleached hair glinted gold under the lamplight. He had a commanding mien about him, like one accustomed to giving orders. He peered around the room, his gaze settling on Nolan.
“Mind if I join you?” the stranger asked as he reached Nolan’s table and pulled out a chair.
Nolan inclined his head. “Happy to have you. Don’t like sitting by myself.”
“Neither do I.” The stranger sat down and caught the barmaid’s attention, gesturing toward Nolan’s whiskey glass. Soon he joined him in a drink. “So tell me,” the stranger said, “how do you spend your days?”
Nolan grinned. “I see you’re a stranger in this village. Everyone knows I’m a fisherman. Got the biggest catch today you’d ever want to see. Why, I caught so many fish in my net, I feared my boat would sink.”
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thursday's Interview - Elaine Charton
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?
I write more than one genre but they sort of overlap. I started out to right Straight romance, a nice sweet Harlequin Presents type of romance. Just one problem. Dead bodies kept showing up. I listened to my muse and wrote a romantic suspense. Then I was asked to write a Paranormal that had elements of suspense. Now I am writing cozies but they have a touch of the paranormal in them. My tag line is Murder-Magic and Happy Endings because I always insist on Happy Endings.
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
I think it chose me, or at least made me see what was under my nose all the time.
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
I would like to try writing a historical romance. I've always been fascinated with history. I seriously doubt I would ever write horror.
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I like mysteries, especially cozies and those set in small English villages. I also like historical mysteries and romances. If I want a change of pace it's Georgette Heyer and Jane Austin.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,
Growing up if I didn't like the way a movie or story ended I would change it, at least in my mind. I've been writing since 1991, a few years before I had been taking a college English class, the professor showed me how to unleash all the stories and characters roaming around my brain. My husband encouraged me. He was a librarian at the time and came home one night to tell me an author was speaking at his library that night. She was the one who introduced me to RWA and it went from there.
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
That's tough as I like them all. EZ McAllister who is the hero in EZ Lovin and Justin Andrews who is the hero in Pandora's Justice are probably tied for first place.I also like Reggie and Leticia Farnsworth from a series I am doing. They are ghosts who were killed back in 1926.
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
Oh yes definitely. If you have murder you have to have villians. I grew up watching cop shows, war movies etc... As the only girl I was usually overruled by my 5 brothers when it came to watching tv. I think I get my characters from those old shows as well as what I read in the papers and see on TV. My husband and I are addicted to the tv show the First 48.
8. What are you working on now?
Another cozy series the title of the first book is DEAD MEN DO TELL TALES. The protagonist is a single mother who also happens to be a funeral director
9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
My latest release is actually part of my back list. THE MAN IN THE MIRROR. It is loosely based on the musical THE MUSIC MAN. Instead of band instruments our villian sells enchanted mirrors
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about.
As I said I was asked to do a paranormal romance based on the movie musical the Music Man. It's a story about good twin and bad twin they are both wizards and the bad twin imprisoned the good twin in a mirror over 200 years ago. My heroine is the witch who finds the spell that finally releases him.
Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.
Mari Connell didn't usually eavesdrop on people. It was a little hard not to do so when the two women in front of her were speaking so loudly they could probably be heard in her bookstore down the street.
"What a gorgeous ring," one of them said.
"Isn't it?" The woman held her hand up so the stone reflected in the light. "I picked it up at New Treasures. I don't know where they get them but they have the neatest things there. That was where I found that
mirror I put in my bedroom."
Mari wouldn't exactly call the ring gorgeous. Big, gaudy, tacky, yes. However, it was not her idea of gorgeous. Although she did recognize the hum of enchantment that surrounded it. She wondered where the storeowner had found it. As far as she knew she was the only witch or wizard with in a hundred miles of this town.
They paid for their cake and left. Mari moved up to the counter. "Hi, I called an order in earlier today."
The woman behind the counter greeted her warmly. "Sure, Mari. Have it all ready. Can't have your Thursday girl's night without your chocolate can you?"
"No, Ma'am." As she paid for her purchase, Mari asked, "Do you know the store those ladies were talking about?"
"New Treasures? Sure do. You should check it out. See that mirror?" She pointed to the wall on the other side of the room; "I got that there as well as a few other things I have in my apartment upstairs."
"What sort of a place is it?" Mari asked.
"Looks like most places. The antiques are mostly good; some junk, though I'm sure you can tell the difference. Unlike those two who were just in here. They were the ones who told me about it. They used to be so quiet but since they discovered that store they've changed."
"Really?" Mari turned to look at the mirror once again; it didn't appear to be enchanted. She wondered just what sort of enchantment had been placed on the ring. "I can't imagine why." She took the box from the counter and turned to leave. "Thanks, Ellen. See you later."
A short time later she pulled into her friend Julie's driveway. Taking the cake and a bottle of wine out of the back seat, she hurried out of the cold night air and into the warm house.
Julie greeted her, and took the packages. Mari hung her coat on the rack in the hall. "That's new," she said, pointing to a mirror that hung next to the closet. Gold and silver trimmed; it had the definite hum of enchantment to it. "Where did you find it?"
"New Treasures, the new antique store over on Fifth. They have some neat things there. You should check it out." Julie watched her friend, "Something about that mirror bothers you, doesn't it?"
Elaine Charton
Magic Murder and a Happy Ending
www.elainecharton.com
Available now for Kindle and Nook The Man in the Mirror
I write more than one genre but they sort of overlap. I started out to right Straight romance, a nice sweet Harlequin Presents type of romance. Just one problem. Dead bodies kept showing up. I listened to my muse and wrote a romantic suspense. Then I was asked to write a Paranormal that had elements of suspense. Now I am writing cozies but they have a touch of the paranormal in them. My tag line is Murder-Magic and Happy Endings because I always insist on Happy Endings.
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
I think it chose me, or at least made me see what was under my nose all the time.
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
I would like to try writing a historical romance. I've always been fascinated with history. I seriously doubt I would ever write horror.
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I like mysteries, especially cozies and those set in small English villages. I also like historical mysteries and romances. If I want a change of pace it's Georgette Heyer and Jane Austin.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,
Growing up if I didn't like the way a movie or story ended I would change it, at least in my mind. I've been writing since 1991, a few years before I had been taking a college English class, the professor showed me how to unleash all the stories and characters roaming around my brain. My husband encouraged me. He was a librarian at the time and came home one night to tell me an author was speaking at his library that night. She was the one who introduced me to RWA and it went from there.
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
That's tough as I like them all. EZ McAllister who is the hero in EZ Lovin and Justin Andrews who is the hero in Pandora's Justice are probably tied for first place.I also like Reggie and Leticia Farnsworth from a series I am doing. They are ghosts who were killed back in 1926.
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
Oh yes definitely. If you have murder you have to have villians. I grew up watching cop shows, war movies etc... As the only girl I was usually overruled by my 5 brothers when it came to watching tv. I think I get my characters from those old shows as well as what I read in the papers and see on TV. My husband and I are addicted to the tv show the First 48.
8. What are you working on now?
Another cozy series the title of the first book is DEAD MEN DO TELL TALES. The protagonist is a single mother who also happens to be a funeral director
9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
My latest release is actually part of my back list. THE MAN IN THE MIRROR. It is loosely based on the musical THE MUSIC MAN. Instead of band instruments our villian sells enchanted mirrors
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about.
As I said I was asked to do a paranormal romance based on the movie musical the Music Man. It's a story about good twin and bad twin they are both wizards and the bad twin imprisoned the good twin in a mirror over 200 years ago. My heroine is the witch who finds the spell that finally releases him.
Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.
Mari Connell didn't usually eavesdrop on people. It was a little hard not to do so when the two women in front of her were speaking so loudly they could probably be heard in her bookstore down the street.
"What a gorgeous ring," one of them said.
"Isn't it?" The woman held her hand up so the stone reflected in the light. "I picked it up at New Treasures. I don't know where they get them but they have the neatest things there. That was where I found that
mirror I put in my bedroom."
Mari wouldn't exactly call the ring gorgeous. Big, gaudy, tacky, yes. However, it was not her idea of gorgeous. Although she did recognize the hum of enchantment that surrounded it. She wondered where the storeowner had found it. As far as she knew she was the only witch or wizard with in a hundred miles of this town.
They paid for their cake and left. Mari moved up to the counter. "Hi, I called an order in earlier today."
The woman behind the counter greeted her warmly. "Sure, Mari. Have it all ready. Can't have your Thursday girl's night without your chocolate can you?"
"No, Ma'am." As she paid for her purchase, Mari asked, "Do you know the store those ladies were talking about?"
"New Treasures? Sure do. You should check it out. See that mirror?" She pointed to the wall on the other side of the room; "I got that there as well as a few other things I have in my apartment upstairs."
"What sort of a place is it?" Mari asked.
"Looks like most places. The antiques are mostly good; some junk, though I'm sure you can tell the difference. Unlike those two who were just in here. They were the ones who told me about it. They used to be so quiet but since they discovered that store they've changed."
"Really?" Mari turned to look at the mirror once again; it didn't appear to be enchanted. She wondered just what sort of enchantment had been placed on the ring. "I can't imagine why." She took the box from the counter and turned to leave. "Thanks, Ellen. See you later."
A short time later she pulled into her friend Julie's driveway. Taking the cake and a bottle of wine out of the back seat, she hurried out of the cold night air and into the warm house.
Julie greeted her, and took the packages. Mari hung her coat on the rack in the hall. "That's new," she said, pointing to a mirror that hung next to the closet. Gold and silver trimmed; it had the definite hum of enchantment to it. "Where did you find it?"
"New Treasures, the new antique store over on Fifth. They have some neat things there. You should check it out." Julie watched her friend, "Something about that mirror bothers you, doesn't it?"
Elaine Charton
Magic Murder and a Happy Ending
www.elainecharton.com
Available now for Kindle and Nook The Man in the Mirror
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Thursday's Interview - Heather Thurmeier
Heather is a member of HVRWA and I've watched her develop as a writer since she joined.
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?
Up until this point, everything I’ve written has been contemporary romance. My current wip is a paranormal romance and I love the change of pace and the challenge of writing something new and completely different.
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
Contemporary romance really chose me. I’ve always loved to read stories about real people in real situations. And I don’t like to read a lot of heavy drama when I read for fun. I leave that part of life to the news, which I never watch. The contemporaries I read and write are lighthearted, fun, beach reads—just the way I like them best!
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
My heart is with contemporaries, but I also love to read paranormals. I always thought it would be fun to create this new world, new kinds of characters—basically a place where anything goes as long as it makes sense within the parameters of your story. So when I came up with my idea for my new wip, I knew I had to give paranormal romance a try. I’m happy with how it’s turning out so far!
There are a couple of genres I probably won’t ever dive into. One would be heart-heavy dramas, like Jodi Picoult’s novels. I love her books, but they hurt to read because the content is so deep and emotional. I don’t think I have the inner strength to write something like that. I also probably wouldn’t write anything horror either, for much of the same reasons. I might scare myself when I’m writing late at night!
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
Mostly romances—contemporary, paranormal, family sagas. I’ve also been known to pick up a Christopher Moore comedy once in a while. And when the mood strikes, I love a good Knight’s Templar/Masonic conspiracy-type novel.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing?
Hmm, what’s to tell? I grew up in Canada but have lived in the States for the last 11 years. I love a good strawberry margarita and I’m sort of a reality TV nut, my favorite being The Amazing Race.
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I know everyone usually says that they can’t possibly choose because it’s like picking a favorite child. But it’s not a child, it’s a character. And while I love all of the character’s I’ve created, my absolute favorites are Cassidy and Evan—the heroine and hero of my very first novel. I worked with them for a long time, creating their story, creating them, learning from their mistakes and my own. There’s a little bit of me in each of them.
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
I’m not sure I would call them ‘villains’, but I do have antagonist characters in every book. I don’t usually have them in a darken room tapping their fingers together and laughing a truly evil laugh—mwahahaha! Well, not often anyways. ;) But yes, I do have characters that are put in the book for the purpose of making the H/h’s life annoying and difficult. Usually, they come into the story naturally, but sometimes I do have to take their motive farther, push them to be worse than they originally intended to be. It’s great fun! I actually LOVE my slightly evil characters!
8. What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on a paranormal romance tentatively titled Star Struck.
9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
My latest release is also my first release! LOVE AND LATTES is available now! I originally wrote the idea for a call for submissions for an anthology. They had very specific guidelines for the anthology and I tried to write it the best I could to stay within those parameters and heat level. When it was rejected, I made changes to it, lengthened it, added more conflict and emotion…and steaminess…and subbed it out again. This time it found a home at Silver Publishing.
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.
I was sitting in Barnes and Nobel one night trying to work on my first novel and I saw a young couple wandering around the bookstore together. They stopped at a display of sports-themed merchandise and the girl seemed to be feigning interest in the books. I thought to myself, “there’s no way that girl cares about that stuff.” The idea of new love, sparks of instant chemistry, the awkwardness of first meetings, all of it in a bookstore setting was all it took to get the story rolling. Of course, the story has changes a ton since then. My characters are not young or awkward, but instead they are sure of themselves and the chemistry between them is hot, hot, hot! But the story does take place for the most part in a bookstore.
Opening of Love and Lattes by Heather Thurmeier
Elbowing her way through the crowd, Julia finally reached the bar and attempted to flag down a bartender. She wiggled her fingers at the one nearest her as he walked by. Of course, he stopped at a woman further down and leaned across the bar to hear her order. As far as she could see, other people seemed to be trying the same tactic as her own. If the drinks lining the edge of the bar were any indication, all of them had apparently been more successful than she had.
Sighing, Julia propped her head in her hand and resigned herself to the fact she wasn't likely to get a drink anytime soon. In a normal setting, people looked right through her. Why had she thought the bar would be any different?
Why is coming to the club fun?
Maybe if she was tall and blonde with her breasts bursting out of her top like so many of the other women she saw around the bar, she'd stand a chance of being noticed. But, with her straight black hair falling slightly above her shoulders, and a dress only providing a hint of what hid underneath, she simply couldn't compete.
She surveyed the dance floor from her position at the bar, but she couldn't make out her friend anywhere in the sea of people. Julia had never been to Oasis before, even though there were only three clubs in the neighborhood. Her friend and roommate Tali had sworn she'd stay by her side so Julia wouldn't end up standing alone and bored the entire night. But where's Tali now? They'd gotten separated almost as soon as they'd entered the bar, with men naturally flocking to Tali's side, hoping for her attention.
The club was inside the gates of Meadow Ridge, so all the customers were either born and raised in the Meadow — which meant they were stinking rich — or they were students from the local university like she was — which meant they were dirt poor and barely scrimping by on meager student loans. Tali fell easily into the first group and Julia did not. Somehow, they'd remained friends regardless of the difference in their bank account balances.
Julia turned away from the dance floor and back to the bar. She needed a drink soon. She was already dehydrated from the hot, sweaty club and hadn't even danced yet. Sending her most award-winning smile directly at the bartender, she waved her hand again. He looked right past her to the girl in the see-through dress, which may as well have been non-existent for all the coverage the flimsy material provided.
A man in a dark blue button-up shirt suddenly blocked her view. "Hey." He smiled at her with perfect Hollywood teeth, bending down until his mouth brushed her earlobe. His warm breath caressed her delicate skin. "You look like you could use a drink. Can I get you one?"
You could get me more than a drink I'm sure.
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?
Up until this point, everything I’ve written has been contemporary romance. My current wip is a paranormal romance and I love the change of pace and the challenge of writing something new and completely different.
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
Contemporary romance really chose me. I’ve always loved to read stories about real people in real situations. And I don’t like to read a lot of heavy drama when I read for fun. I leave that part of life to the news, which I never watch. The contemporaries I read and write are lighthearted, fun, beach reads—just the way I like them best!
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
My heart is with contemporaries, but I also love to read paranormals. I always thought it would be fun to create this new world, new kinds of characters—basically a place where anything goes as long as it makes sense within the parameters of your story. So when I came up with my idea for my new wip, I knew I had to give paranormal romance a try. I’m happy with how it’s turning out so far!
There are a couple of genres I probably won’t ever dive into. One would be heart-heavy dramas, like Jodi Picoult’s novels. I love her books, but they hurt to read because the content is so deep and emotional. I don’t think I have the inner strength to write something like that. I also probably wouldn’t write anything horror either, for much of the same reasons. I might scare myself when I’m writing late at night!
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
Mostly romances—contemporary, paranormal, family sagas. I’ve also been known to pick up a Christopher Moore comedy once in a while. And when the mood strikes, I love a good Knight’s Templar/Masonic conspiracy-type novel.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing?
Hmm, what’s to tell? I grew up in Canada but have lived in the States for the last 11 years. I love a good strawberry margarita and I’m sort of a reality TV nut, my favorite being The Amazing Race.
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
I know everyone usually says that they can’t possibly choose because it’s like picking a favorite child. But it’s not a child, it’s a character. And while I love all of the character’s I’ve created, my absolute favorites are Cassidy and Evan—the heroine and hero of my very first novel. I worked with them for a long time, creating their story, creating them, learning from their mistakes and my own. There’s a little bit of me in each of them.
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
I’m not sure I would call them ‘villains’, but I do have antagonist characters in every book. I don’t usually have them in a darken room tapping their fingers together and laughing a truly evil laugh—mwahahaha! Well, not often anyways. ;) But yes, I do have characters that are put in the book for the purpose of making the H/h’s life annoying and difficult. Usually, they come into the story naturally, but sometimes I do have to take their motive farther, push them to be worse than they originally intended to be. It’s great fun! I actually LOVE my slightly evil characters!
8. What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on a paranormal romance tentatively titled Star Struck.
9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
My latest release is also my first release! LOVE AND LATTES is available now! I originally wrote the idea for a call for submissions for an anthology. They had very specific guidelines for the anthology and I tried to write it the best I could to stay within those parameters and heat level. When it was rejected, I made changes to it, lengthened it, added more conflict and emotion…and
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.
I was sitting in Barnes and Nobel one night trying to work on my first novel and I saw a young couple wandering around the bookstore together. They stopped at a display of sports-themed merchandise and the girl seemed to be feigning interest in the books. I thought to myself, “there’s no way that girl cares about that stuff.” The idea of new love, sparks of instant chemistry, the awkwardness of first meetings, all of it in a bookstore setting was all it took to get the story rolling. Of course, the story has changes a ton since then. My characters are not young or awkward, but instead they are sure of themselves and the chemistry between them is hot, hot, hot! But the story does take place for the most part in a bookstore.
Opening of Love and Lattes by Heather Thurmeier
Elbowing her way through the crowd, Julia finally reached the bar and attempted to flag down a bartender. She wiggled her fingers at the one nearest her as he walked by. Of course, he stopped at a woman further down and leaned across the bar to hear her order. As far as she could see, other people seemed to be trying the same tactic as her own. If the drinks lining the edge of the bar were any indication, all of them had apparently been more successful than she had.
Sighing, Julia propped her head in her hand and resigned herself to the fact she wasn't likely to get a drink anytime soon. In a normal setting, people looked right through her. Why had she thought the bar would be any different?
Why is coming to the club fun?
Maybe if she was tall and blonde with her breasts bursting out of her top like so many of the other women she saw around the bar, she'd stand a chance of being noticed. But, with her straight black hair falling slightly above her shoulders, and a dress only providing a hint of what hid underneath, she simply couldn't compete.
She surveyed the dance floor from her position at the bar, but she couldn't make out her friend anywhere in the sea of people. Julia had never been to Oasis before, even though there were only three clubs in the neighborhood. Her friend and roommate Tali had sworn she'd stay by her side so Julia wouldn't end up standing alone and bored the entire night. But where's Tali now? They'd gotten separated almost as soon as they'd entered the bar, with men naturally flocking to Tali's side, hoping for her attention.
The club was inside the gates of Meadow Ridge, so all the customers were either born and raised in the Meadow — which meant they were stinking rich — or they were students from the local university like she was — which meant they were dirt poor and barely scrimping by on meager student loans. Tali fell easily into the first group and Julia did not. Somehow, they'd remained friends regardless of the difference in their bank account balances.
Julia turned away from the dance floor and back to the bar. She needed a drink soon. She was already dehydrated from the hot, sweaty club and hadn't even danced yet. Sending her most award-winning smile directly at the bartender, she waved her hand again. He looked right past her to the girl in the see-through dress, which may as well have been non-existent for all the coverage the flimsy material provided.
A man in a dark blue button-up shirt suddenly blocked her view. "Hey." He smiled at her with perfect Hollywood teeth, bending down until his mouth brushed her earlobe. His warm breath caressed her delicate skin. "You look like you could use a drink. Can I get you one?"
You could get me more than a drink I'm sure.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Thursday's Interview -- Tracy St. Johns 1
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?
I have written sci-fi and paranormal erotica for the most part. I love world building and creating different life forms that think and act differently from those of us on Mother Earth. And the paranormal holds immense fascination for me with its cast of inhuman creatures that can seduce and terrify all at once.
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
My stories always choose me...usually when I'm in the shower. I have no idea how soap and writing are linked, but that's where my muse shows up. The ideas almost always have a science fiction or paranormal bent to them. I grew up on Star Trek and Twilight Zone reruns, so I guess it should be no surprise.
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
I might try historical some day. I'm addicted to the History Channel; I'm a mythology geek. I've been contemplating an erotic series centered around the ancient Greek gods.
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I enjoy horror, particularly Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I've lately plunged into the Sookie Stackhouse series, which is just plain fun escapism for me. If I'm going to read science fiction, it's usually Ray Bradbury, Piers Anthony, or E. E. Knight. And of course I read erotica. Anais Nin was my first exposure and still my hands-down favorite.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,
I've been writing since I was a child. I don't remember a time when I didn't want to be a writer. Reading always provided an escape for me, and I lived through the books my parents bought me. But my first 'serious' writing started when I was about 20 years old, with the hopes of someday being published. It only took 23 years to achieve that goal!
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
My favorite character thus far is Jessica McInness, the heroine from my second book 'Alien Rule'. She's feisty, quick-tempered, and doesn't put up with any nonsense her three would-be mates try to pull on her.
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
There are villains, but they actually play very small roles. Usually the greatest conflicts my heroes/heroines face are their own weaknesses, which can be pretty profound. To create my villains, I start with their motivations. Are they greedy for power? Is their view of the world skewed? Do they feel cheated and thus justified in pursuing a less than noble path? No one sets out to be the bad guy...so there has to be very good reason why a character becomes a villain.
8. What are you working on now?
I have several projects at different stages. I'm editing the fourth installment of my Clans of Kalquor series, about a third of the way through the first draft for a new paranormal series, outlining the fifth Clans of Kalquor book, and outlining a novel that I'm co-writing with another author. Whew!
9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
The latest release, due out May 27, is 'Alien Conquest', the third of the Clans of Kalquor series. The idea for this one was based on the notion of, what would happen if the Kalquorians, desperate for female mates from Earth, stumbled across a convent full of nuns on a remote planet/moon? Yes, this was one of those questions that showed up in the shower, and I had a lot of fun answering it.
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.
The heroine, Cassidy Hamilton, doesn’t think life can get any worse after being sequestered against her will in a convent on Europa. A Kalquorian invasion changes her mind in a hurry, and she barely eludes her people’s greatest enemy by hiding in the convent's ventilation shafts. Fear and desire become a heady mixture when her spying reveals the aliens’ intentions for Europa’s nuns: bondage and seduction.
The war with Earth threatens Kalquor’s already precarious survival, and Captain Tranis is determined to conquer the fanatically religious planet. But capturing the curvy beauty who escaped him and his clanmates Lidon and Degorsk is a welcome distraction. Once they have Cassidy in their possession, the three men discover something harder to win than a war: a woman's heart.
From the book:
Cassidy Hamilton sighed before shoving a chocolate in her mouth. As cloying sweetness invaded her taste buds, she studied the page displayed on her illuminated reader for the second time.
The book was a dry read, a dissident rant from decades before when Earth’s nations had first been gathered under one banner, ending all war on her home world. Peace reigned over the once battle-torn planet for the most part, tended to by armored soldiers and soulless battle drones capable of wiping out entire cities. Revolts had been quashed with quick ruthlessness, barely disturbing the fearful complacency of the general populace.
The author of this particular book had no doubt been executed for his anti-unified government views. The long-ago renegade seethed over the assertion all Earth’s outdated nuclear warheads had been detonated in space, an impossibility he warned, given the smallness of the blasts transmitted through the government-controlled media. He then went on with extensive mathematical formulae to prove his point, formulae that went on for five pages.
It wasn’t that Cassidy couldn’t grasp the weighty data. She played in mathematics the way a child might play with clay. Normally, she’d be scrutinizing the computations, looking for errors or little twists in logical application that would serve the author’s needs. Tonight she couldn’t concentrate though. The knowledge that more interesting tomes awaited in the illicit book collection stored in her reader kept her from focusing on the outlawed manuscript.
She shifted, searching for a more comfortable position in the cramped ventilation shaft. Stretched out on her belly, her stiff, long-sleeved nightgown bunching around her knees, it wasn’t easy to move around. The narrow ductwork, glowing silvery-white in the wash of light from her reader, was the only place she dared to read the illegal materials she’d downloaded from her grandfather’s collection before being sequestered in the convent on Europa.
It was still early in the convent’s sleeping hours on the eternal night side of the moon. Cassidy read every night in her hiding place, nibbling on sweets and snacks bought with the modest allowance her grandfather sent her. She’d been stuck on Europa for three years now, her days a monotonous drone of praying, tending crops, scrubbing floors, and Bible study. Even creeping through the ventilation system to spy on her fellow aspirants and the nuns had worn out its novelty. Only the stolen collection of banned books kept her mind sharp and sane. Fortunately, the library was vast. She’d barely sampled the many offerings her grandfather had kept hidden deep in secret computer files.
I have written sci-fi and paranormal erotica for the most part. I love world building and creating different life forms that think and act differently from those of us on Mother Earth. And the paranormal holds immense fascination for me with its cast of inhuman creatures that can seduce and terrify all at once.
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
My stories always choose me...usually when I'm in the shower. I have no idea how soap and writing are linked, but that's where my muse shows up. The ideas almost always have a science fiction or paranormal bent to them. I grew up on Star Trek and Twilight Zone reruns, so I guess it should be no surprise.
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
I might try historical some day. I'm addicted to the History Channel; I'm a mythology geek. I've been contemplating an erotic series centered around the ancient Greek gods.
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I enjoy horror, particularly Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I've lately plunged into the Sookie Stackhouse series, which is just plain fun escapism for me. If I'm going to read science fiction, it's usually Ray Bradbury, Piers Anthony, or E. E. Knight. And of course I read erotica. Anais Nin was my first exposure and still my hands-down favorite.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,
I've been writing since I was a child. I don't remember a time when I didn't want to be a writer. Reading always provided an escape for me, and I lived through the books my parents bought me. But my first 'serious' writing started when I was about 20 years old, with the hopes of someday being published. It only took 23 years to achieve that goal!
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
My favorite character thus far is Jessica McInness, the heroine from my second book 'Alien Rule'. She's feisty, quick-tempered, and doesn't put up with any nonsense her three would-be mates try to pull on her.
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
There are villains, but they actually play very small roles. Usually the greatest conflicts my heroes/heroines face are their own weaknesses, which can be pretty profound. To create my villains, I start with their motivations. Are they greedy for power? Is their view of the world skewed? Do they feel cheated and thus justified in pursuing a less than noble path? No one sets out to be the bad guy...so there has to be very good reason why a character becomes a villain.
8. What are you working on now?
I have several projects at different stages. I'm editing the fourth installment of my Clans of Kalquor series, about a third of the way through the first draft for a new paranormal series, outlining the fifth Clans of Kalquor book, and outlining a novel that I'm co-writing with another author. Whew!
9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
The latest release, due out May 27, is 'Alien Conquest', the third of the Clans of Kalquor series. The idea for this one was based on the notion of, what would happen if the Kalquorians, desperate for female mates from Earth, stumbled across a convent full of nuns on a remote planet/moon? Yes, this was one of those questions that showed up in the shower, and I had a lot of fun answering it.
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.
The heroine, Cassidy Hamilton, doesn’t think life can get any worse after being sequestered against her will in a convent on Europa. A Kalquorian invasion changes her mind in a hurry, and she barely eludes her people’s greatest enemy by hiding in the convent's ventilation shafts. Fear and desire become a heady mixture when her spying reveals the aliens’ intentions for Europa’s nuns: bondage and seduction.
The war with Earth threatens Kalquor’s already precarious survival, and Captain Tranis is determined to conquer the fanatically religious planet. But capturing the curvy beauty who escaped him and his clanmates Lidon and Degorsk is a welcome distraction. Once they have Cassidy in their possession, the three men discover something harder to win than a war: a woman's heart.
From the book:
Cassidy Hamilton sighed before shoving a chocolate in her mouth. As cloying sweetness invaded her taste buds, she studied the page displayed on her illuminated reader for the second time.
The book was a dry read, a dissident rant from decades before when Earth’s nations had first been gathered under one banner, ending all war on her home world. Peace reigned over the once battle-torn planet for the most part, tended to by armored soldiers and soulless battle drones capable of wiping out entire cities. Revolts had been quashed with quick ruthlessness, barely disturbing the fearful complacency of the general populace.
The author of this particular book had no doubt been executed for his anti-unified government views. The long-ago renegade seethed over the assertion all Earth’s outdated nuclear warheads had been detonated in space, an impossibility he warned, given the smallness of the blasts transmitted through the government-controlled media. He then went on with extensive mathematical formulae to prove his point, formulae that went on for five pages.
It wasn’t that Cassidy couldn’t grasp the weighty data. She played in mathematics the way a child might play with clay. Normally, she’d be scrutinizing the computations, looking for errors or little twists in logical application that would serve the author’s needs. Tonight she couldn’t concentrate though. The knowledge that more interesting tomes awaited in the illicit book collection stored in her reader kept her from focusing on the outlawed manuscript.
She shifted, searching for a more comfortable position in the cramped ventilation shaft. Stretched out on her belly, her stiff, long-sleeved nightgown bunching around her knees, it wasn’t easy to move around. The narrow ductwork, glowing silvery-white in the wash of light from her reader, was the only place she dared to read the illegal materials she’d downloaded from her grandfather’s collection before being sequestered in the convent on Europa.
It was still early in the convent’s sleeping hours on the eternal night side of the moon. Cassidy read every night in her hiding place, nibbling on sweets and snacks bought with the modest allowance her grandfather sent her. She’d been stuck on Europa for three years now, her days a monotonous drone of praying, tending crops, scrubbing floors, and Bible study. Even creeping through the ventilation system to spy on her fellow aspirants and the nuns had worn out its novelty. Only the stolen collection of banned books kept her mind sharp and sane. Fortunately, the library was vast. She’d barely sampled the many offerings her grandfather had kept hidden deep in secret computer files.
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