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Archive for the ‘Author Interview’ Category
by
Jessica Scott
He’s more than the rank on his chest; he’s a man with dark secrets and deep longings. For all their differences, Evan and Claire share two crucial passions: their country and each other.
Until There Was You by Jessica Scott
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a review. My thoughts are my own, and I received no compensation.
This story revolves around military characters with personal demons.
Rather than relying on the common used of ‘insta-love’, which is especially common with more ‘alpha’ type male characters. Let’s face it, military men are quite often very alpha. Instead, it was a really in-depth exploration of the couple and their push/pull relationship. It was an uphill battle for them to get together, and they had to fight tooth and nail for their HEA.
Overall, I liked it. But, I found out that military stories, even romances are just not my favorite. All the ‘soldier’ stuff, which added immensely to the story and helped to explain the motivations of the characters was necessary, but I had to fight my urge to ‘skip to the good stuff’. The writing I found to be very solid, and the romance and tortured past angles piqued my curiosity early on driving me to look past my personal preference.
I have to mention, how lovely it is to see another strong female lead. She was stubborn, and fiery, and tough-as-nails, and I LOVED that! Many of the characters surprised me. Those that I had erroneously judged and looked down on caused me to do a 180 by the end of the book. It really made me look past stereotypes and see characters in a whole new light.
I would recommend it for anyone who likes a contemporary military romance. Fans of rock hard abs and haunted heroes will find a home in this book as well.
So, I know from now reading your book and the ‘about you’ section, that you know your stuff when it comes to the military. I’m curious if any of the characters, or even just traits of some of your characters are based on yourself or anyone else you’ve served with in the armed forces?
They’re really just based on a question: why are they like that? I’m a people watcher and a lot of times, I find myself wondering why that raging jerk is, well, a raging jerk. What happened to them to twist the joy they had as a child into this person.
It seemed like almost everyone in the story was ‘broken’… that’s not quite the right word… I guess a better way to put it was they all had skeletons in their closet, or personal demons they wrestle with on a daily basis… do you prefer to write about those kind of characters or do you find that they are more realistic? I know that question is just clear as mud- basically I guess the best way to put it is why did you choose to make even the supporting characters just as imperfect and haunted as the main characters?
Perfect characters are boring. People who have perfect lives are uninteresting to me. I want to read about characters who rise above their starting points in life, you know? The military has done this for so many people, I want to project that into my books.
Despite your background, was there any research you had to do for your book on subjects you may not have been as familiar with?
I had to consult with one of my maneuver buddies on the problem facing Evan & Claire in UNTIL THERE WAS YOU. Until I could wrap my brain around the scope of their problem, I couldn’t figure out the rest of the story, you know? And for BECAUSE OF YOU, I watched a video on how to entubate a man with a catheter.
Have you gotten ribbed by any fellow soldiers about your writing?
Not really. I tend to keep this separate from work so it’s not like I’m sitting in command and staff and talking about my book.
Do you use multimedia: pictures, music, timelines, character bios; to assist you in your writing?
I’m a big music over. I get better traction when I have a song stuck in my head than any other time. Everything just flows when that happens, you know?
(Other than this question) what are you reading right now?
I’m devouring Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series again and I’m also reading a great nonfiction book called Collapse of the American Justice System, a really harsh assessment of where our courts are and where they’re heading.
OK- Now it’s time for the REALLY fun questions. *Muahahahaha*
Star Trek or Star Wars?
Totally Star Wars. Han shot first.
Is there always room for Jello?
Um, ew? I’m not a big fan of JelloJ
If you could have any ‘super power’ (any kind of power or ability), what would you choose and why?
Telekenesis. I’d never have to do dishes again!
What would we find in your refrigerator right now?
What you mean other than mold? Um milk, cheese sticks and jelly for PB & J.
Zombie Apocalypse just started, what fictional character do you want by your side to fight the undead hordes?
Lessa & Ramoth from Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonflight. What better to mow down the advancing hordes than a fire breathing dragon!
Thanks for being a trooper and putting up with my questions!
Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats, three dogs and two escape-artists hamsters, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She has commanded two companies, served in Germany, Korea, Fort Hood and Iraq, and been lucky not to get fired. She is a terrible cook and an even worse housekeeper, but she’s a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.
Book Information
ISBN: 978-0-345-53389-0
Published by : Loveswept
Available at these ebook retailers:
Amazon.com; Barnes & Noble,
iBooks, & Powells
Contact
email: jessica@jessicascott.net
web: http://www.jessicascott.net
f: http:www.facebook.com/jessicascottauthor
t: http://www.twitter.com/jessicascott09
Stitch by Samantha Durante Blog Tour
Stitch Synopsis
Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run… but yet she’s powerless to move.
Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees – and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell – Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.
Because what Alessa hasn’t figured out yet is that she’s not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university’s idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface…
The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.
Other Stitch Info
Click HERE to see my review for Stitch @ Dark Obsession Chronicles!
So, WOW… How in the Dickens did you get the idea to start out like a PNR
and end up Dystopian? I had forgotten all about the blurb by the time I
read the book so I was TOTALLY taken by surprise.
Oh yay, I think that’s the most fun way to read it! I’ve read A LOT of dystopian and paranormal romance, so when I was trying to think of an idea for a book, I kept rehashing a lot of the same old stuff and couldn’t figure out how to make it unique. And then it occurred to me that I should see if I could somehow merge those two genres that I love into one book, and Stitch was born!
There were times in the first third of the book that seemed a little slower, a
little more mundane- like the ‘preening’ chapter; after I realized what
was really going on, it seemed to somehow explain and justify the slow
parts. Was that intentional on your part- or just a happy coincidence
of my reading?
Yes, I’m so glad you picked up on that! I definitely didn’t intend for the first part of the book to be too slow (and based on review feedback it might be a little slower than I meant for it to be…), but I did want to use that part of the story to build the tension and explore who the characters are and the world they live in. There are definitely some mundane details, but many of them are either hints at things being slightly off (for example, my brother at one point while reading – before he knew the twist – was like, “I feel like everything about Alessa’s whole college experience is very stereotypical, but I’m not sure if you’re just being lazy or if you’re trying to tell me something…” I promise I’m not being lazy!) or are there to show you the extent of the “stitch” and just how deep the characters are lodged in what they think is reality (and what lengths the antagonists are willing to go to achieve this control over them). Also, I wanted the reader to get to know the characters so that when the whole story gets turned on its head at the twist, you would see that they are still the same people and you can understand how their internal struggles continue to play out on this new different (and more dangerous) level.
If I remember correctly, I believe Isaac lived around 1917(? please excuse
my bad memory if I’m off on that date); why did you choose that time
period to place Isaac?
Yup, you’re correct! I originally chose 1917 because it seemed like a reasonable time period in terms of the college’s history (enough time for the neighboring college to be established and grow and acquire the property for the sorority house, which once belonged to his family), and also because there was originally a subplot about Isaac wanting to join the WW1 war effort and the US entered the war in spring of 1917 (but that storyline was later removed because I felt it was too literal a translation between the real and “stitched” worlds, and therefore obvious and boring). And besides that, I just kept seeing Isaac in my head in clothes from that general time period, haha.
I’m trying to be somewhat ambiguous on this question to avoid spoiling
anything: It seemed with the success/failure of a stitch within a
subject, you always established an innate sense of self. Do you
personally believe that regardless of what a person has been through, or
endured, even in brainwashing situations that there will be some kernel
of truth that cannot be stamped out?
Yes, I think there are definitely parts of ourselves that we are just born with (or which we develop very early on based on our experiences) and which make us who we fundamentally are. And that if you try to change or bury those things (whether through something dramatic like brainwashing or just trying to suppress parts of yourself to meet other people’s expectations), you’re bound to run into trouble. This is actually a real-life lesson that I’ve had to learn over and over again in the realm of relationships – you can’t fix people, you just have to accept them as they are – so that was definitely a deliberate decision I made with my characters, to know who they were and make them the same person no matter situation they encountered, since I think that in reality that’s how people are essentially wired.
There were many instances where I would think of other books, films, TV
shows, etc.; Brave New World came to mind a few times, the movie The
Island came to mind- were there any specific sources of inspiration that
you meant to either reference or allude to or was your past
reading/watching subliminally rolled into your writing?
I’ve read/watched SO many dystopian/paranormal stories that there was no way for me NOT to incorporate elements from other books/movies/shows, but it was definitely more subliminal than intentional. I just tried to bring the story around in whatever way felt most natural and realistic to me, instead of trying to force it to be different just for the sake of being unique. So I definitely drew from aspects of other stories to do that, but there wasn’t any one thing in particular that I used as a model or anything like that. And it’s funny because the more I read of other new sci-fi/fantasy series, the more I keep finding stories that are similar to mine (but which I hadn’t read before I wrote Stitch), so I’ve just resigned myself to the fact that it’s almost impossible to
come up with anything that’s truly novel!
Do you have a specific number of books planned for this series? And will
future books stick with the same main characters or have ‘new’ main
characters? (Like following Lizzie, for example? Or maybe Janie?)
Yup, I’m planning to do two more books to make a trilogy. Alessa and Isaac will continue to be the main focus, but I am strongly considering adding more perspectives (like Lizzie and Janie, perhaps even a little Nikhil…) to give a little more depth to those characters and enable me to more easily explore different aspects of their world and the history of how that world came to be.
Do you use multimedia (pictures, music,or other) to assist you with writing?
In general, no, but there was this one picture I saw in National Geographic that was just absolutely terrifying (at least the way I initially interpreted it…) and which did inspire one aspect of the Stitch trilogy which has yet to be revealed… So you’ll have to check back with me on that after the next one!
Okay… enough of the heavy questions. Here are the FUN questions!
Okay, let’s do it!
What are you reading right now? (Other than this question….)
Haha, very clever! Before reading this question, I actually just finished the first two books of The Frost Chronicles series by Kate Avery Ellison, which I really enjoyed and blew through in two days. Next up I’m planning to read Cinder by Marissa Meyer since I’ve been hearing great things about that all over the place!
What’s your favorite quote (from any source)?
“Havo dad, Legolas.” (from Lord of the Rings – Elvish that roughly translates to, “Sit down, Legolas.” Or more implicitly, “You’re being an ass, Legolas.”) So appropriate in so many settings.
Justice League or X-Man?
X-Men. I always thought Rogue was such a badass.
How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Always more than either the pop or the Tootsie Roll center is worth – I always threw out the Tootsie Pops in my Halloween loot. Give me some damn mini Crunch Bars, people!
Do You Have any Hidden Talents? (Like speaking another language, double-jointed, etc.)
Not really – I have nothing talent show worthy! But I am super-efficient and organized, and I tend to prefer full-contact sports (rugby, roller derby, football, etc.), so perhaps I have a high tolerance for pain?
Zombie Apocalypse just started, what fictional character do you want by your side to fight the undead hordes?
Leon, Claire, Jill, or Chris from Resident Evil, hands down. Over the course of that series, those guys have seen (and killed) it all – I’d take any of them happily!
Thanks so much for putting up with my last minute crazy questions! And I have
to say I am SO eager for book 2! I really, really enjoyed it much more
than I anticipated. Pardon my ‘french’ but it was such a great mindfuck!
Awesome, ‘mindfuck’ is exactly what I was hoping to achieve with Stitch! Thanks
so much for having me today! I’m SO excited to kick off the second half of the Stitch Blog Tour and even MORE excited to get started on Book 2! I’ll definitely be in touch once I’ve got details.
Stitch Purchase Links
Amazon (print $9.99 & Kindle $2.99)
Smashwords (multiple e-book formats $2.99)
Barnes & Noble (Nook $2.99)
Also available in the iTunes store ($2.99 e-book)
Be Sure to check out the GIVEAWAY below!
Good Luck!
Worlds Apart Description:
Worlds Apart by Kate MathiasI received a free eBook from the author in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
This was a little different than your average paranormal romance. I almost hesistate even using that term to describe it because traditionally a PNR requires a happy ending. This book isn’t necessarily ‘unhappy’ but there is by no means a big warm, fuzzy HEA waiting at the end for you. It is the first of the Silver Oaks Series, and is set up perfectly to flow into the series.
Some good things about this book was that it is interesting first of all. It’s not the same, tired paranormal plot chewed up and spit back out. It even has an near sci-fi aspect of parallel worlds, which I have not found in many of my read books. Unique plot, but the characters were very everyday. It’s like a modern romance, similar character types to a romance, but thrown into paranormal events. There were even a few plot surprises (although a few I did see coming a mile away)!
So things that didn’t thrill me as much was the ‘mechanics’ or ‘how-to’ of what was happening was not explored. It was similar to The Time Traveler’s Wife in this aspect where everyday people seem accepting (very accepting) of supernatural events without explanation. There is a device used to help define the difference between the two worlds that was effective, but several times in the book there are (sometimes shorter sometimes longer) where it’s like the book had a ‘fast forward’ jump in time that made it more difficult to follow.
Characters were well defined; despite the obvious similaries of in appearance there are distinct personality differences between Joe and Joe and Pip and Piper. The only thing that didn’t happen… I was unable to get swept up in the characters to a point that ‘bad’ events would reduced me to tears. I felt sympathy for the characters and their troubles, but I didn’t loose any sleep.
Overall, anyone that enjoyed The Time Traveler’s Wife should enjoy the first installment of this new series. I know I am intrigued to see what else is in store for them!
Kate is the author of Worlds Apart, the first book in The Silver Oaks Series. Be on the lookout for her second novel, Hiding in Plain Sight set to be released in 2013.
Kate lives in Arizona with her husband and three children. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
You can also find Kate on Facebook
I never had trouble keeping the characters separate in my mind because for me they really only looked the same, but had totally different personalities. Piper is more cautious while Pip is more of a risk taker and has a fiery side to her. Both of the Joes seem to react to how their spouses act and that comes out in their personalities. Both of the men are extremely driven and professional, yet almost the opposite of their women. Piper’s Joe is more outspoken and wants to take charge when turmoil arises in their lives. Pip’s Joe is more subdued and some of this is because he really can’t do anything to change his life when Pip jumps to Piper’s world for an extended period of time. I guess it is what everyone says about opposites attract. That is how I always pictured these couples.
Actually, no, it wasn’t my inspiration for the book. I really didn’t even tie the two together until someone made a comment similar to your question. I have explained my book to be similar to the hit TV series, Fringe. That show has doppelgangers in parallel realities, however the show has a lot of supernatural things that are going on whereas my book doesn’t have any supernatural events except for the “jumping.”
Ha ha! You sound like my husband! I don’t think he could believe how I ended Worlds Apart, but I did it for a definite reason. It will all come together in the second book, Hiding in Plain Sight. I didn’t want my book to tie up neatly and wanted to leave the reader hanging and hungry for more. Worlds Apartis the first book in The Silver Oaks Series. The series will be a total of four books, the second of which will be released in early 2013.
Yes, you are correct that in my writing and in my personal life, I believe that everything happens for a reason. I do believe in destiny although many people think that destiny and fate are the same things. Destiny is being a willing participant in pivotal events and I think that you can alter your destiny to create a more positive outcome for yourselves. Fate, on the other hand, is predetermined and unalterable. You hit the nail on the head with this question! This is exactly what got me started thinking about writing this book. I wondered if I would have chosen a different path in my life how it would have altered it. This book allowed me to explore two different pathways in life, two different lifestyles with regards to having children, and exploring two different parts of my personality. Piper/Pip are not me, but certain aspects of the women’s personalities are mine and I wanted to be able to bring to life tidbits on a grander scale. I always feel that although sometimes when things happen, it is for a reason. Many times the things are upsetting and I don’t understand why life is happening the way it is, but there is always a grander plan in the works. It is sometimes hard to remember that.
I do have another stand alone book in the works called Fire in the Night Sky. I don’t have a release date yet on this one as I will finish The Silver Oaks Series first. I am not sharing any details on this one quite yet. You will just have to check back soon to learn more!
*OK… enough with the hard and heavy questions. Now I’m going to really put you on your toes….*
What are you reading right now? (Other than this question….)
I am almost done with Beautiful Disaster by Jaime McGuire. I am really enjoying Travis’ and Abby’s story. I read about a book a week and lately all of the books I have read have all been written by Indie authors. I love to support my fellow Indies!
Geek: Hot or Not?
Hmmm…I guess it depends on what type of geek. Definitely not hot if they are wearing pocket protectors and such, but if a man is savvy with the computer and considered a geek, then I would say hot.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
This question made me laugh because my dad is a chicken veterinarian. Yes, you heard me correctly. He is a chicken doc so the chicken was probably not just crossing the road, but was actually running across the road to have my dad learn and research about its illness.
Do you think androids dream of electric sheep?
No. I don’t think androids actually dream. When I ask SURI on my iPhone any specific questions about how she was made, she always tells me that she is not at liberty to say. She never really answers any of my questions correctly, personal or otherwise. I don’t think that androids sleep because I think in my case, SURI is just thinking up ways to mess up the information I ask of her.
Definitely the short, wavy, just rolled-out-of bed look is how I like my man’s hair, although that isn’t how my husband’s hair is. Sorry, babe! This is how Joe’s hair is in Worlds Apart. I don’t want my man to have better looking hair than I do!
Nipples on the Bat-suit- hot or not?
LOL! No nipples on the Bat-suit. I don’t want my super hero to always appear cold.
Zombie Apocalypse just started, what fictional character do you want by your side to fight the undead hordes?
My character Joe in Worlds Apart is modeled after Joe Manganiello who plays Alcide in the TV series True Blood. I would want the character of Alcide to help me fight the hordes. Not only could Alcide help me in his werewolf form, but he is really nice to look at when he is in human form for when we are taking a break from fighting zombies and sharing a Diet Pepsi and a chunk of chocolate cake.
Thank you, Alana for taking the time to read and review my book. Your support means a lot to me!
SurrenderMimics of Rune #2
by Aimee Laine
Release Date: September 3, 2012
Target Reader: Adult
Keywords: Paranormal Romance, Shape-shifter
Words: 94,000
Violence Level: 3 of 5
published by J. Taylor Publishing
Description
MY REVIEW:Surrender (Mimics of Rune #2) by Aimee Laine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Surrender is the second book in the Mimics of Rune series, even though I haven’t read Little White Lies; I was able to fall along Surrender very easily. Aimee Laine is a fantastic author with very good writing skills in my opinion. The character and plot were well written and I followed along without any problem.
The story if full of action, romance and suspense, I enjoyed the story very much, I really liked that it was a different kind of shifter story. I mean who wouldn’t want to change their hair color whenever they wanted.
Right at the beginning of the story we meet Lily and Cael, Lily has just been kidnapped and Cael is trying to find out who has her. Cael is in love with Lily and is will do anything to save her. We also meet Charley and Wyatt who are from the first book. And of course some new characters are introduced. Lily is a mimic and can change her appearance; different from other shifters they can change their hair, eye color and their general appearance. Lily, Cael, Charley, Wyatt are all very close and have love each other like family and will do anything in their power to get Lily back.
I really loved the story of Cael and Lily it’s a fantastic romance story and keeps you pulling for them to have the happy ever after. But of course the mystery to why Lily is kidnapped is something you are going to have to find out for yourself by reading Surrender. There is mystery, suspense, action and romance what more could you ask for in a book.
I have rated Surrender 4 stars and cannot wait for the next book in this series. I will defiantly be adding Aimee Laine as one of my favorite authors and see what else she has out there to read.
Nope! Actually, it only really came up in May 2009. The key is that it’s stuck, and the inspiration came from a story idea based on the job I had at the time. So I just sat down and wrote it!
It’s the story of overcoming history and pasts that always catch up to people — in more ways than one.
Torment. Lots of mental torture in a sense. Take your worst nightmare and believe that you are going to live through that again. Believe that you will have no help through it, but you go into it with your eyes wide open and whatever happens, you can only hope that this time, the outcome will be different.
Titles come to me. I often have them before the story and when I do the story flows far better. That’s the case with Surrender!
I’m doing final edits on Silent Echoes which will release in March 2013. And my YA alter-ego Emi Gayle releases her YA debut in October 2012!
I don’t want it to be a career for one and only one reason. I had a hobby as a photographer, turned that to career and after a few years, fell ‘out of love’ with it. I want to always enjoy writing. Forever.
I wanted to be a lawyer, to be honest. I remember my grandmother telling me that was a horrible idea, so then I had to do it.I went all the way to the morning of taking the LSATs and decided, nope, I don’t want this and walked away.
I do! I LOVE hearing from readers and respond to every email I get that’s not obviously spam.
Wherever it takes me. I’m totally open
The old saying “You can please some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time” is 100% true. I knew it before, but I KNOW it now.
Writing the end. I’ve never wanted to let any of my characters go. By 80,000 words in, these imaginary people are my friends. I miss them.
Just want to say THANK YOU to all of them.
Ok so I just finished this awesome book called The Burning Star… … in the mean time I have a little something for you from the author Jessie Lane!
First: Here is a little info about the awesome book I finished yesterday.
Goodreads Description:
eBooks:
Buy it in print:
Second: Here’s a little bio on the amazing duo that makes up author Jessie Lane
Now little kittens, come stalk around cyber space with me!
and now – my favorite part (today) – The Interview!!!!
Question from Jen @ PBD
I never remember to Thank the authors I interview while doing the interviewing… That is horrible but true! I’m going to work on that! But – for today – I would like to ask Crystal to please forgive my rudeness and to say Thank You So Much for answering all my questions & for stopping by today to talk with us and for sharing so much!!!
Hi Jennifer! Thank you for having me (being Crystal) and my co-author Melissa here today for an interview! Unfortunately, you’re stuck with half of the team that makes ‘Jessie Lane’ today because Melissa has been hard at work all week. But I assure everyone, as the politicians say around election time, everything is a “Melissa approved message”, lol.
Where do you find your inspiration for your stories? Do you base your characters on people you know or do your characters just show up in your head?
The inspiration for my stories comes from many different sources. For instance, The Burning Star was inspired by a crazy dream I had a few years ago. However, the story ideas that I had for the two novels that we are currently writing came from ideas that randomly popped into my head. I’ve had a story idea pop into my head from just seeing my neighbors in their yards while walking down the street. See, totally random. As for my characters, sometimes they are based on individuals that I know. Kay, the main character in The Burning Star, is based on a combination of traits from my two daughters. Annabelle Smith, the heroine in my upcoming novel Secret Maneuvers, is based loosely on a friend of mine. However, many of my characters are entirely fictional, and pop into my head to demand my attention all on their own. They’re also often megalomaniacs, so they can be quite pushy.
Do you have a specific or special place that you write?
No special place per se, because I am currently confined to my desktop in my bedroom. However, one day my husband will surprise me with a laptop (hint, hint hubby), and then the members of my family will more than likely find me with it on the porch writing. I love sitting on my front porch. It’s ahhhhh-mazingly relaxing.
LOL!! While you write, do you listen to music? Do you have playlists you play on repeat while you write?
Music is a HUGE inspiration for me. Depending on my characters or the scene, it’s about a 50/50 shot on whether I have music playing. Or what I’m playing. Certain books or characters can be inspired by a singer or a song and I often repeat it while writing. Mayday Parade was behind The Burning Star. They have a few songs such as, The Memory, The Silence, and Save Your Heart became anthems for the book. Taylor Swift’s song, Sparks Fly, is a main song behind the upcoming book Secret Maneuvers. Breaking Benjamin’s songs, Breath and I Will Not Bow have become repeats while I write on the also upcoming Big Bad Bite. I’m eclectic.While I can’t tell you what’s on Melissa’s playlists, I can tell you that music is a factor in her inspiration while writing, as well.
What’s on your current playlist?
Current Partial Playlist for Big Bad Bite:Breaking Benjamin: Breath, I Will Not Bow, Give Me A Sign, Blow Me Away, FollowHalestorm: Love Bites, I Miss The Misery, Freak Like Me, Hello It’s Mz Hyde,
Current Partial Playlist for Secret Maneuvers:Taylor Swift: Sparks Fly, The Story of Us, Back to December, Ella Mae Bowen: Holding Out For A Hero (Ex Ops Series Theme Song)Miranda Lambert: Over YouJason Aldean: She’s CountryJason Aldean: Kelly Clarkson – Don’t You Wanna Stay
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Dreaming everything up! My imagination can be quite vivid, so picturing everything happening in my head is like watching a movie with short scenes. My second favorite part would have to be sharing my ideas with my co-author Melissa. We have so much fun bouncing ideas off each other. It’s one of the reasons we work so well together.
I absolutely love book covers, they tell so much about the book, the characters, everything!! So I have to ask, how do you choose your book covers?
Since I am an indie author, I design my own book covers. I love doing this! It lets my creative streak out, and it’s fun! So the first thing I do is to try and find a picture that represents the character accurately. With The Burning Star, I was extremely lucky because the picture ended up being a replica of how I imagined Kay’s appearance to be. Add some graphics and script and I was in cover lust with my own book cover! Is it wrong to lust after your own cover?
Who are your favorite authors? What are you reading right now that you love?
I just finished reading several books in the past few weeks: Stygian’s Honor by Lora Leigh, One Night Rodeo by Lorelei James, Breathe and Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley, Seducing Cinderella by Gina Maxwell and Hell On Wheels by Julie Ann Walker. All of these books were enjoyable, and I would highly recommend them! As for my favorite authors, well I have many. Some of the authors I enjoy the most are Jill Shalvis, Shelly Laurenston/G.A.Aiken, Jeaniene Frost, Karen Marie Moning, Gena Showalter, Cassandra Clare, Melissa Marr, Stephanie Meyer, Lorelei James, Kristen Ashley and Patricia Briggs. That’s just a short list to start. Trust me when I say that I could go on forever!
Now because I love you all so much & Crystal is awesome; I get to
share an excerpt with you today!
Don’t forget to go get your copy of The Burning Star!! **don’t make me be mean to you**
I stood there frozen knowing that I would probably die because of this wretched creature when all of a sudden I saw the quick movement of an arm bringing down the point of the knife slicing down towards the large creature’s skull. The animal’s enraged screams ripped through the woods surrounding us. My brain tried to analyze what was happening before me as I stood as still as a statue and watched as the monster started to crumble away. That’s right, I said crumble. Like something that had been burnt from the inside out and then fell apart, it just was disintegrating into nothing.
This can’t be real.I looked up from the ashes into the face of an angel.
No, he’s not an angel, he’s just a guy. Right?He was staring at me as if he had just seen me sprout a second head. I was staring back at him like he was somehow related to those alien birds outside of my window. My mouth flapped open to scream again but before a sound could escape the world faded to black, and I fainted.
At least I didn’t scream again, right?When I opened my eyes, two ethereal blue eyes were staring back at me. My head was throbbing like the big drum in a marching band, and it felt like my head might split in two from the pounding headache.
“Are you okay?” His strong but sweet voice whispered.
Before I could stop my mouth from saying anything ridiculous I replied, “Are you an angel? Did I finally die and go to heaven?”
He bellowed a laugh while I blushed a shade that was more than likely lobster red.
I really just didn’t say that did I? Stupid, stupid, stupid Kay. I smacked myself in the forehead and tried to hide my face behind my hand. That’s a brilliant way to make a first impression to an extremely hot guy. Let’s just faint like an air headed girl, which I am not, and then wake up asking stupid questions. And then that’s when it hit me. The past few moments of events flooded my brain again and I started to panic.
“Wait, wait a minute! What was that thing and how in the world did it just, just…”“The dog? I’m sorry to tell you, but I had to cut it with my knife to scare it away. It wasn’t a mortal wound though. He took off through the woods to escape. Sorry if you’re one of those animal lovers, but I was afraid it might kill one of us.”I shook my head to try to clear it.
“No, no, no, no. That was no dog. Well I mean, it was at first, but then it became something else. It was black, and huge and had those red eyes…”
And before I finished my sentence I looked up at him to see complete shock and amazement on his face. I had never seen anyone look so bewildered. “Don’t look at me like that! I know what I saw! Now what was that thing and what happened to it at the end. It didn’t run off, I saw you kill it. And I would point to the body to prove it, but it; well it fell apart or something.”And in just a split second the shock had disappeared from his handsome face and was replaced by something more masked and calculating. “I’m sorry. You’re quite mistaken. I didn’t kill it. I only wounded it. And it was a dog.” “Are you sure you didn’t hit your head or something? I’m afraid you might be having some kind of hallucinations of some kind.” Somehow, when he said it, it didn’t seem as scary or grotesque as it did when I played what I thought I saw back in my head.
Now a little inside info for you | Jessie Lane is going to be giving away free ebook copies of The Burning Star through B&N, Amazon, Smashwords and All Romance/OMNI Lit starting tomorrow!
This giveaway is effective 9/1/12 to 9/10/12. So get your copy or wait until the 11th and pay the original price of $1.99. **Which is a bargain if I do say so myself**
Either way {get it free between 9/1 and 9/10, or pay the 2
bucks} JUST GET A COPY!
bye,
Please welcome Resa Nelson, author of the Dragonslayer Series!
I had recently finished reading book 2,
and this has been a great fantasy series to follow. Astrid is a strong character well-balanced with flaws. She knows she is not perfect, she is just stumbling along trying to find her way in the world of dragons, spirits, gods, and men. As the series progresses, so does Astrid’s maturity and subject matter and tone of the books. It’s very unique and well worth the read.
I’m looking forward to continuing the series with the next book,
The Stone of Darkness!
Then book four will be out in November!
I give The Dragonslayer Sword and The Iron Maiden both:
So I noticed the ‘tone’ of book 2 was much more adult compared to book one. Did you do this on purpose to reflect the ‘growth’ of Astrid, or was it a natural progression in the writing that as she ‘grew up’ the writing just followed suit?
Mostly it came about because of an unexpected outside influence. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted the book to be in that I knew I wanted Astrid to be wary of foreigners in the beginning and then have experiences that would turn her feelings completely around. Right around the time I was getting ready to plot Book 2, there was a real-life situation of a well-known singer who had been beaten by her boyfriend. I felt heartbroken, because I know what it’s like to be in a bad and potentially dangerous relationship and still want the relationship you think you have. To me, that’s the heart of the problem. It’s too easy to remember the good times and why you love someone. It can be extremely difficult to wake up and realize that maybe the relationship you thought you had isn’t what you think it is. I have a lot of compassion for women who need to get to that realization, and those feelings had a tremendous impact on Book 2. This book is my way of holding out my hand to women in bad situations and saying, “Take my hand and come with me. Be brave. You can do it.”
Were you concerned, with this series being YA, of touching upon ‘older’ subjects like religious fanatics, rape, and discrimination? Or was this kind of ‘pulling the wool’ from Astrid’s eyes a necessity for character growth?
I didn’t intend to be a YA author. I write books that I want to read, so I always think I’m writing for adults. But I’ve discovered that about half of my readers are teens (and even pre-teens), and I’m incredibly honored that they like my books. So my intent was to put Astrid in a situation where she could see what the world can be like (both good and bad) outside her safe little village. And when it comes to these matters, now that I know teens are reading my books, it’s important to me to hint at what’s about to happen (for example, in the case of rape) instead of being graphic about it. Some things I do want to be graphic about, like the consequences of intolerance. I meet a lot of my readers and talk to teens and their parents. I keep hearing that teens and even pre-teens are far more aware of these older subject matters than previous generations. It’s common for entire families to read my books and talk about them, and that’s something that thrills me.
In the last book it was ‘poor Astrid’ but this one, I was actually ‘poor Magreet’. Really sucks for females in the world of your novels, be they Iron Maidens or not. (Sorry this isn’t exactly a question)
One of the most interesting things I discovered while researching Book 2 is that it was common in the Middle Ages for women to be considered as less valuable than some animals. The more I learned about this, the more it looked like women were considered to be sub-human in the same way racists consider some races of people to be sub-human. (I think that’s a convenient excuse for people to do whatever they want for their own benefit. For example, claiming that black people were on the same level as monkeys was a very convenient excuse for slavery.) I’m the kind of person that people confide in. My experience has been that most women I’ve known have experienced serious abuse in their personal lives and/or sexual harassment in the workplace. Some of the stories I’ve heard have made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. One woman’s real-life story gave me nightmares for months. I don’t think our world is kind to women. In a nutshell, I write what I witness and experience.
So I know you know blacksmith techniques, but I imagine Dragonslaying classes are harder to find, right? But seriously, have you been taught such as Astrid was in Book 2?
Alana, that’s such a great question! When I was writing Book 1, I was thinking that it would be a good idea to learn as much as I could about the weapons Astrid makes for dragonslayers. So I took a course at a museum where I learned historically accurate ways to use medieval weapons. In other words, I learned exactly the same techniques that real knights used. It was awesome! Then I took other courses to learn how to use different kinds of weapons. I joined the museum’s sword guild and became a weapons demonstrator. I also had a sword partner, and we practiced together all the time. Doing all of this helped me figure out how you’d need to kill a dragon, which is really different than what you need to do to fight a human being. All of the sword-work scenes in all the books are based on my own experience. So everything Astrid does is stuff that I’ve done. If you’d like a glimpse, here’s a link of me and my sword partner: http://www.higginssword.org/guild/demo/sequences/meyer_longsword/index.html (You might notice that we don’t move really fast. That’s because these weapons are dangerous and the goal is to not maim or kill your partner! It takes many years of practice to get good enough to fight quickly.)
You had mentioined in your interview on Dark Obsession Chronicles that you are extremely opinionated, but don’t like to force your opinion on others. Did that make it difficult (or not) writing about fantastical places that hold women in lower esteem than males? Especially the darker scenes with the clerks?
Alana, that’s another wonderful question. Something completely unexpected happened when I wrote the scenes from the point of view of each villain in Book 2. I believe that everyone in our world who we might think of as a villain believes he (or she) is 100% right. For example, I’m sure Hitler thought he was a hero and that he was making the world a better place. And then I think there are other people who want what they want and will do anything to get it, even if it means hurting people. I think those people come up with excuses and justifications to convince themselves they’re doing the right thing or that they “have no other choice.” So I wanted to give the background of my villains and show why they think the way they do. I wanted to give readers an idea of why these people ended up being who they are. I ended up feeling sorry for all of my villains. And that has made me more compassionate toward people today who are hateful toward women, which is something I never dreamed would happen.
Okay, enough of the hardcore questions- time for some fun!
What would YOU do for a Klondike Bar?
I’d do a little Bollywood dance.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I knew by the time I was 8 or 9 that I wanted to be a writer, but I also considered being a dancer in Broadway musicals, a pianist, or a police officer.
If you HAD to change your name, what would you change it to?
I’m sorry but I have to keep that secret in case I have to change my name someday. Although I have to admit that I’d like to change my name to Jane Austen just for the fun of it. (I love Jane Austen.)
Geek: HOT or NOT?
Totally hot!
Would you rather be a member of the Justice League or a X-Man?
X-Man
Zombie apocalypse just started, which fictional character would you like by your side to fight the undead hordes?
Assuming I can draw from TV, I’m a huge fan of The Walking Dead, and my favorite character is Daryl Dixon. I’d want Daryl and his crossbow by my side!
Check out Tana’s post from yesterday
with a review of The Dragonslayer Sword
and more information for Resa!
Also check out another interview
and more information on the Dragonslayer series
on Dark Obsession Chronicles;
including Book 4 of the Dragonslayer Series!
Today I have the wonderful Michele de Winton!! She has graceously agreed to stop by and let me pester her with my random questions =) AND I get to giveaway a book!! Let’s get to it!
I’d love to hear from readers so I’d love your blog readers to get in touch.
They can find me on
Drop me a line or post a comment on my blog
I also blog at The Naked Hero as The Luna goddess
The Boss and Her Billionaire
Cruise director Michaela Western has everything she wants—everything except a sex life. But there are no secrets on cruise ships. She risked her job once for a dalliance with the Captain, and won’t do it again for a few minutes of toe-curling pleasure. Until a devilishly handsome new staffer with a body made for sin tempts her to walk on the wild side…
The Boss and Her Billionaire is available now from Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Like I said earlier – Michele & Entangled were so kind to me today! They have given me a copy of this book to giveaway to YOU! Now… this giveaway is actually set up to run over on my other blog… so that is why there is a place to say how you follow random jendsmit – so just put how you follow PBD on that one when you enter here =)
You know what to do – enter below!!
Today I am interviewing Nicola Marsh, author of Not the Marrying Kind!
Oh and in case you missed it yesterday, here’s my review of Nicola’s awesome book!!
To start off with here’s a little background on Nicola and some links on where you can find and stalk her =)
USA TODAY bestselling author Nicola Marsh writes flirty fiction with flair. She’s had 32 books
published with Harlequin Romance and Presents series, a fun, flirty contemporary mainstream romance BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD with Entangled Publishing (nominated for Romantic Book of the Year 2012) and sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
Her first category romance for Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence series, NOT THE MARRYING KIND, releases July 2012, with another category contemporary romance FALLING FOR FLYNN releasing with Crimson Romance October 2012.
Her urban fantasy young adult novel SCION OF THE SUN releases November 2013 with Month9Books.
She’s also a Waldenbooks and Bookscan bestseller, has finaled in a number of awards, including the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, HOLT, Booksellers’ Best, Golden Quill, Laurel Wreath,
More than Magic and has won several CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Awards.
A physiotherapist for thirteen years, she now adores writing full time, raising her two little heroes, sharing fine food with family and friends, and her favorite, curling up with a good book!
She loves interacting with readers so you can find her:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Blurb:
Who said marriage had to be convenient?
LA party planner Poppy Collins has kept her side business—planning divorce parties as the Divorce Diva—under wraps, but keeping her sister’s company afloat is proving tougher by the day. When a new divorce party prospect gives Poppy the opportunity to save the day and boost her bottom line, she can’t pass it up. But this time, she’s about to get way more than she bargained for…
Vegas golden boy Beck Blackwood knows Poppy’s secret, and he’s not afraid to use it to get exactly what he wants—a wife. With his reputation and corporate expansion plans on the line, the only way he can repair the damage is by getting hitched, and fast. And if blackmail is the only way to get Poppy to the altar, then so be it…
But they’re in the city of high stakes, and Poppy has a few aces up her sleeve. Now it’s time to find out if they’re playing to win…or if they’re playing for keeps.
Nicola & Entangled are so cool – click here for an excerpt of this GREAT story!!
I know right?! Ok, now go get your copy! And while you are there get a copy for you, your bestie, your sister, your mom, EVERYONE needs a copy of this book – gift them =) you know you want to!
and b/c I can… here’s YouTube link – check it out!
It’s interview time!!!!!!!!!
**fangirl with me a moment**
ok I’m done now – let’s interview!
1. Where do you find your inspiration for your stories? Do you base your characters on people you know or do your characters just show up in your head?
Thanks for having me here today. For me, the bulk of my story ideas come to me in that half-awake, half-drowsy state, usually before falling asleep. It may be a snippet of a first paragraph or a title or a first line and I madly jot it down!
I never base my characters on anyone I know, would be too weird!
Half of the fun of writing for me is inventing unique characters with strong motivations for what they do.
2. Do you have a specific or special place that you write?
Not really. With kids, I’m on the move a lot, so I do the bulk of my writing on an Alphasmart (a portable word processor that runs on 3 AA batteries). I find I write much faster on Alphie, without the distraction of the Internet on my PC!
**side bar – I have never seen an Alphie! I think this is the coolest thing I have seen this week**
3. While you write, do you listen to music? Do you have playlists you play on repeat while you write?
No, I much prefer silence when writing. Have tried writing to music but it doesn’t work for me. That said, when I wrote my YA urban fantasy Scion of the Sun, I made a playlist, more to ‘get me in the mood’ as a pre-writing tool. Considering I have 2 sequels to write in the series, I have a feeling I’ll be playing those songs a lot!
**side bar – playlist for a book – that’s right up my alley!**
4. What’s on your current playlist? Who are your favorite artists?
I’m currently addicted to Adele in the car. But I’m more of a crooner/jazz girl so I love music by Alicia Keys, Michael Buble, Norah Jones.
**side bar – Niiiiice! I love Michael Buble!! Old School swagger & so handsome**
5. What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Definitely the pre-brainstorming, when I sit with my pen and paper and have a free-for-all, allowing the ideas to flow. Developing a story from scratch is so much fun! Writing it is the hard part!
6. I absolutely love book covers, they tell so much about the book, the characters, everything!! So I have to ask, how do you choose your book covers?
I don’t! My publishers usually choose book covers, but Entangled Publishing have consulted closely with cover choice for both Busted in Bollywood and Not the Marrying Kind. In fact, Busted in Bollywood had about 5 covers before we chose the final and they were all fabulous!
**side bar – I would not want to be the person to decide between so many covers – too much pressure!!**
7. Who are your favorite authors? What are you reading right now that you love?
My favourite authors are Barbara O’Neal, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Lisa Gardner. Love their books!
I’m currently reading a category romance from Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence series (the same series that has published Not the Marrying Kind.)
I have many of these books stacked on my kindle I haven’t had the chance to read yet (deadline-itis!) but this week I started Robin Covington’s ‘A Night of Southern Comfort’ and wow! I’m loving it. Can’t believe it’s a debut novel!
**side bar – A Night of Southern Comfort is so fantastic! here’s a link to my review**
Thanks again for having me visit the Passionate Book Divas.
It has been fun!
Thanks so much for stopping by today, Nicola!! I really appreciate you taking time to answer my questions!!
Isn’t Nicola too cool?! That’s all I have for you today kiddies =) Have a great one!!
bye,
Hi! **waves like a lunatic**
Today I have Robyn Thomas, author of His Unexpected Family, here for an interview!
Before I start pelting Robyn with questions, here’s a bit of inside information on her …
Robyn is a cheesecake connoisseur,
caffeine addict, and mother of two boys. Happily married, she lives in
Melbourne, Australia. Writing romance helps her balance the effects of living
in an all-male household. Robyn loves movies, art glass and browsing in quirky
gift shops.
And now on to the interview!
Jen w/ PBD: Robyn, thank you so much for stopping by today!!
Robyn: Thank you so much for inviting me here today. I’m thrilled to be here.
Jen w/ PBD: Where do you find your inspiration for your stories? Do you base your characters on people you know or do your characters just show up in your head?
Robyn: My characters usually just show up in my head, but I’ve come to realize that I do some groundwork first. I take note of the oddest things and bookmark them in my mind for later use. It can be anything from a shop front to a speech pattern to an item of clothing, a new invention, a line from a song, a fragrance or something to eat. I’m not sure what connects a certain character to a bookmarked page or why it’s imperative for them to have that item in their story, but I’ve learned to accept that my characters will stamp their name all over anything they think is theirs. I don’t argue with them, and it’s interesting to see what they’ve chosen.
I love that Robyn’s characters “stamp their name” on their stuff!! That is so cool to see how characters manifest themselves before she puts them on paper!!
Jen w/ PBD: Do you have a specific or special place that you write?
Robyn: I write in the study/spare room because my cat’s usually there to keep me company, and the height of the desk and the swivel chair are both comfortable. I’m also happy to scribble on a piece of paper if I’m out and an idea occurs to me.
I love that Robyn might possibly have little scraps of paper and scribbles all over the place =) I don’t know why, but that makes me smile **shrugging shoulders and grinning like a goober**
Jen w/ PBD: While you write, do you listen to music? Do you have playlists you play on repeat while you write?
Robyn: I find music distracting when I write, but I often have a song or two that I listen to before I start writing. It’s a good way to immerse myself in the story world.
Jen w/ PBD: What’s on your current playlist? Who are your favorite artists?
Robyn: Pete Murray sings THE song for the story I’m currently editing. I have eclectic tastes and will often choose a song for one line. Some of my choices include Good Charlotte, Billy Joel, Pink, Dixie Chicks, Jason Derulo, Vanessa Amorosi, and Rob Thomas.
good ones!! =) I love music of all kinds too
Jen w/ PBD: What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Robyn: I love the initial spark where I have an idea that’s full of possibilities and has the potential to be the most brilliant thing ever. It inevitably gets harder from there, but right at the beginning there are no problems or limitations. It’s an amazing feeling.
that’s so awesome – I can’t write a story… I don’t have the talent to follow through and create new people and new worlds – I create from old things and paper, but that’s for another day!
Jen w/ PBD: I absolutely love book covers, they tell so much about the book, the characters, everything!! So I have to ask, how do you choose your book covers?
Robyn: I didn’t choose this one… but I absolutely would have chosen it from a pool of twelve million options. The couple on the cover ARE Ren and Cole to me, and that’s exactly what I was hoping for.
When I’m buying a book I tend to go for the feel (tone) of a cover more than anything.
you all know me… “Cover Whore” that I am (stealing lingo from Bookish Brunette there)
I love this cover – it gives you a picture of what Cole and Ren look like & to hear that is exactly what Robyn pictures for them as well is awe–wait for it–some!
Jen w/ PBD: Who are your favorite authors? What are you reading right now that you love?
Robyn: I love anything my critique partners write – both Maisey Yates and Rachael Johns have books out now – and I also love all of Jo Beverley’s novels, and everything of Sarah Mayberry’s that I’ve read. I’ve just started The Boss and Her Billionaire by Michele De Winton and I can tell already that I’m going to love it!
I’ve also read The Boss & Her Billionaire – review and whatnot is coming up this week you’ll love it! I will be checking out Maisey and Rachael and Jo Beverly and Sarah Mayberry – I haven’t read anything of theirs … YET! LOL
so what’d y’all think? Robyn’s pretty awesome right!? You HAVE to check out her work links are all listed on my review of His Unexpected Family!!
alright – I’m out!!
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