Saturday, July 31, 2010
My Nurse is Ill
My husband had to take little Hestia here to the vet this morning. How did I know she was ill? She hasn't played fetch with me for two days.
This cat lives to play fetch.
She can retrieve a toy 15 times before she falls over and takes a nap from exhaustion and happiness.
She's also been my loyal nurse during my recuperation. See her here keeping my computer warm on my bed table? Whenever I leave my computer unattended like this, this is what I find. When I lift her off, I inevitably find that she has somehow opened a dozen windows and started several scripts. How does she do it? Must be some combination of keystrokes as she walks around.
She sleeps cuddled at my side and if she does creep onto my stomach, she lets me roll her off and onto her back, where she happily nestles and purrs. Very therapeutic stuff.
The vet found her to have low platelets, and she was dehydrated. She's home now, with some medicine (have you ever given a pill to a cat? Fun times.) and some baby food (beef and gravy!)
We're keeping her quiet and will check back with the vet tomorrow. Maybe she'd like my computer now to keep warm.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Finished for Friday: Another Kindle Cover
As you can see, she has a cupcake "skin" for her Kindle (from Decalgirl.com) and she's even added some cupcake stickers.
What have you been up to this week? Link up and show us what you've been up to. If you're new here, please read the guidelines in the link at the top of the page. Please be sure to visit the other incredibly creative people who have linked up here too.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Meet Marie Bostwick
Today I'm thrilled to introduce one of my favorite authors, Marie Bostwick. Her "Cobbled Court" series of books is a must-read for every quilter. Wonderful, memorable characters and satisfying storylines.
Tell us a little about your latest book
My newest title, A THREAD SO THIN, the third book in my Cobbled Court series, takes readers back to New Bern and the wonderful women who gather at the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop.
With her college graduation approaching, Liza faces an overwhelming array of choices about her future, including a surprise marriage proposal from Garrett that leaves her breathless – and conflicted.
Do you have a favorite character in any of your books?
I really love all my characters. However, Abigail Burgess Wynne Spaulding is the most fun to write. I love a good curmudgeon, and Abigail is the BEST!
Are any of your characters based on people you know?
Very occasionally, I will model a character on a real person. But before long I find that the character develops a voice, personality, and viewpoint that is completely their own.
What kinds of research have you done for your writing?
All kinds. Naturally, when I was writing historical fiction the amount of time I spent researching was much more extensive than it is now. But I still do research as the need arises. Usually, my research involves the internet or a trip to the library, but I do conduct interviews or make on-site visits. Just last week, I visited the workshop of a woman who grows her own herbs and makes herbal cosmetic products – just like Tessa Woodruff, a character who will appear in my 2011 book, THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE.
I have a lot of very creative readers. Do you pursue any hobbies or creative pursuits besides writing? Any time for quilting these days?
I like to cook and garden, and I do a bit of knitting, though I’m not very good at it. My writing schedule keeps me from spending as much time with my quilting as I’d like, but I’m going to have to carve out a few extra hours for that soon. My first grandchild is on the way and the baby fabric is piling up!
What's on your nightstand (or Kindle) right now?
There is always a big stack of books on my nightstand. At the moment, the pile includes, CHEERFUL MONEY by Tad Friend, SUCH A PRETTY FACE by Cathy Lamb, THE PROBLEM OF PAIN by C.S. Lewis, THE WHOLE IN OUR GOSPEL by Richard Stearn, and VELVA JEAN LEARNS TO DRIVE by Jennifer Niven.
Do you have any upcoming titles you're working on?
I’m putting the finishing touches on my fourth Cobbled Court book, THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE. It will be out on May 28, 2011. As soon as I deliver that (very probably the next day), I’ll begin work on another book.
What else would you like to add?
Readers have been asking for audio versions of my books for years and I’m thrilled to tell you that they’re almost here! An audio version of A SINGLE THREAD, will be out on October 1. The others will be available shortly after. You can order them from Blackstone Audio at www.blackstoneaudio.com
Where can we find your books?
You can find my books at any independent or chain bookstore. If they don’t have the book you want in stock, the booksellers can order them for you quickly. Alternatively, you can order my books from any online book retailer and in e-versions for Nook, Kindle, Sony E-reader, etc.
Any other links?
Come on over to my website, www.mariebostwick.com to learn more about my books or to read an excerpt. If you register as one of my Reading Friends, you’ll have access to special content, be entered in my monthly contest, and be able to download fun freebies including recipes and quilt patterns.
Marie is doing a bit of jet-setting today, but do leave a comment for her to read later. Every comment you leave during the Author Party gives you an entry in the Amazon gift card giveaway.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Meet John Fitch V
Today I'm pleased to present John Fitch V to you. Leave a comment to be entered to win a $50 gift certificate from Amazon.com. Leave comments on previous author entries for more chances to win!
Hello Threeundertwo and her bevy of blogosphere readers! I’m John Fitch V, and I’m the author of six novels – soon to be seven released and many more to come. I’ll be answering Threeundertwo’s questions, and of course your questions at the end. I love Q&A sessions!
Tell us about your book
Which book should I talk about first? Hmmm. Well, let me start off with
TURNING BACK THE CLOCK. This is a book for any baseball fan, but what I’ve found recently is that non-baseball fans have also enjoyed it. This novel is about Greg Patterson, a Red Sox fan, and his quest to end the Yankees’ dominance over the Olde Towne Team. He gets the idea to build a time machine after watching the Yankees steal victory from the Red Sox in the 2003 American League Championship
Series. He recruits his friend, Brandon Roy, to go back to 1919 with him to stop
two events from happening: the sale of Babe Ruth from Boston to New York, as
well as the Black Sox Scandal. Greg believes these two events are connected, and
by stopping them, the Red Sox will not go into their 80-plus year funk. There is
also a little love story between Greg and a woman he meets in the past, and a
little twist at the end.
I’ve also written several Lord of the Rings-type fantasy novels – my next release is a fantasy novel – as well as a space opera, Star Wars-type sci-fi novel. I have many writing interests and I like to dabble in a potpourri of genres. I really wanted to be a fantasy author, but… the rest is history.
What inspired you to write Turning Back The Clock?
I was just finishing up my first novel, OBLOERON: THE QUEST FOR THE CHALICE, when a friend of mine said he was going to write a book about two Red Sox fans going back in time to stop the sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees. It was the same concept, but he didn’t take the manuscript anywhere longer than a few pages, and after a while, he stopped altogether. I kept prodding him and encouraging him to write it, because it was a book I would want to buy and read. By the time I finished my third novel, another year had passed, and it was now 2006. I asked him again how it was coming, and he said he had given up. I then asked him if I
could take over the project; it was coming up on winter 2006, and I wanted something to write during the day and I was out of full time work. He gave me his blessing and I started research on the project. I added the Black Sox Scandal part, added the love interest, looked at old maps.
I basically wanted to tell a fun story and ask the age old question: What if Babe Ruth never went to New York?
Do you have a favorite character?
I think that I enjoy writing every character, but as for a favorite? That’s a hard question to answer. Obviously, Yanos Kingsfoil was the first character I created for OBLOERON, and he’s near and dear to me. Yanos is a halfling (a hobbit, for you folks who know Lord of the Rings in passing), but instead of being a real docile being, he is ready to fight – one author friend of mine said he had the courage of Conan the Barbarian. I also consider Radamuck – the second character created – one of my favorite characters, because he’s such a great leader and has a strong and sturdy countenance about him. In the prequel novels (set to be released beginning this fall), Radamuck is younger and a little more headstrong, but he’s also a tad bit more funny than he is in the original TRILOGY. He serves as foil for Krampel and Lutricia. Lutricia was also a fun character to write, and there is another female character that I can’t talk about as of yet. Maybe in a year-to-18 months I can start talking about her.
Are any of your characters based on people you know in real life?
Most of my characters have some basis in reality. Radamuck, for instance, is the fantasy embodiment of yours truly. Of course, there is also a little bit of me in Grumpet and his grandfather, Krampel. I’ve named characters after friends and my younger cousins and named fantasy towns after friends. It’s always fun to
take a friend’s name, twist it a little bit, and make it look different.
What kinds of things did you research to write your book?
For TBTC, I had to make sure I had the details of the sale of Babe Ruth as well as the events surrounding the Black Sox Scandal to be as true as I could find: the Black Sox Scandal is, in some way, based on hearsay. I re-read EIGHT MEN OUT, watched the movie repeatedly, and also culled information from other sources. I then had to commit a map of Boston, mainly the area surrounding Fenway Park, to memory: even though I grew up in Boston, it was a good idea to refresh my memory. I also tried to gather information on the old telephone exchange system that was in use back in 1919 (think Pennsylvania 6-5000, and
you’ll get the gist).
I have a lot of very creative readers. Do you have other hobbies or creative pursuits besides writing?
I would love to say I still play golf, but I haven’t played in four years. I read constantly, and my “day job” is covering sports for my local newspaper. If I’m not writing, I’m reading, and if I’m not reading, I’m sleeping or watching sports on TV. I’m a Boston sports fan, mainly the Red Sox and the Patriots. But I also support the New England Revolution as well as Arsenal FC in the English Premier League.
What’s on your nightstand (or kindle) right now?
Right now, I have Jim C. Hines’ RED HOOD’S REVENGE on tap, and I’ll also be re-reading the DUNE series shortly in preparation for the next novel. I also read LORD OF THE RINGS every year, so I’ll be doing that probably over Christmas. I’m also a HUGE Star Wars fan – I own all of the books – as well as
Harry Potter. I also read Steven Savile, Vince Flynn, John Grisham, and R.A. Salvatore.
Do you have any upcoming titles you’re working on?
I have a lot of stuff that I’m busily getting ready for publication. This fall, I’ll be releasing the first OBLOERON prequel, and there will be three of those spread over the next few years. I’ll also be working on revisions to the follow-up to TBTC, a mild baseball thriller tentatively entitled LOADED UP, which I hope to have ready for next spring. I have a debut YA novel that I’ll put out next summer, as well as the project and lead female character that I can’t talk about just yet. I’m also brainstorming another sports novel, and
another YA title for 2012. It may mean I won’t write another OBLOERON novel until next year or maybe even early 2012, since the prequels have been backed up for so long.
What else would you like to add?
If you haven’t jumped aboard the digital eBook revolution bandwagon, do so soon. Prices on eReaders are going down, and the price of books, other than indies, will soon go down. I am sure of it.
Where can we find your book?
You can find my books in trade paperback via Amazon.com (as well as .ca and .co.uk), B&N.com, as well as on Amazon Kindle and on Smashwords.
Any other links?
My web site is johnfitchv.com, and I have a blog on johnfitchv.livejournal.com!
Thanks for the invitation to meet your readers. I’ll be happy to chat here with anyone who has a question for me.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Introducing Simon Wood
Simon Wood is an ex-racecar driver, a licensed pilot and an occasional private investigator. He shares his world with his American wife, Julie. A longhaired dachshund and five cats dominate their lives. He’s had over 150 stories and articles published. His short fiction has appeared in a variety of magazines anthologies, such as Seattle Noir, Thriller 2 and Woman’s World. He’s a frequent contributor to Writer’s Digest. He’s the Anthony Award winning author of DRAGGED INTO DARKNESS, WORKING STIFFS, ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN, PAYING THE PIPER and WE ALL FALL DOWN. As Simon Janus, he’s the author of THE SCRUBS and ROAD RASH. His latest works are TERMINATED and ASKING FOR TROUBLE. Curious people can learn more at www.simonwood.net
WAS IT SOMETHING I SAID?
By Simon Wood
I recently learned that someone is convinced that something in one of my books is real and I did it. This isn’t the first time this has happened. A few years ago, a woman at a book club who had read WORKING STIFFS asked me in all seriousness how many times I’d cheated on my wife because the book partially dealt with infidelity. Others have pushed me for answers about different aspects of my stories and my culpability. It can be a little disconcerting when someone asks you, “Did you ever get caught stealing cars?” At the same time, I can understand why people will read something and put two and two together and come up with five. It might be fiction, but for any slice of fiction to be believable, the element of realism has to be strong. It has to get the reader to suspend their disbelief and buy into what they're reading.
A writer’s storytelling style plays into this problem too. While any writer can proclaim that their writing is a reflection of the world around them, a book says more about the writer’s world view than anybody else’s. I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I show more than a little thigh from time to time in my stories. It’s impossible for my sensibilities and insensibilities not to show.
By the same token, when someone rushes up to me and demands to know how many times I’ve cheated on my wife, it reveals a lot more about their life and sensitivities than it does about mine. That’s the bugger about any story. Once it’s out there in the open, it’s a mirror and we all see something different when we gaze into it.
When it comes to the crimes I may or may not have committed, I have to fall back on Sharon Stone’s defense in BASIC INSTINCT. If I’d committed a crime, do you think I’d be daft enough to admit it in writing? I’m dumb, but not that dumb. :-)
I will admit that while none of my stories are reenactments of things that have happened to me, there are flickers of personal experiences contained within the pages. While it would be nice to regurgitate life stories in my books, it doesn’t work that way. They just don’t fit well within the confines of a novel.
That said, I do occasionally insert a few inside jokes in my stories for my amusement and the amusement of friends, coworkers and family. Perhaps, an old boss’ name is used for a character who comes to a grizzly end. Sometimes I do things for my enjoyment only and the eye rolls of others. I used Julie’s name for a character whose husband was cheating on her and I killed my mother-in-law in another. Don’t worry, I haven’t done these things but I know I’m going to get a groan out of them when they read the story.
Of all the things I’ve been accused of doing in real life no one has accused me of killing anyone. I guess I should be flattered by the fact that some people think I’m an adulterer, a thief, or a blackmailer, but not a murderer.
It’ll be interesting to see the kind of remarks I get for my latest releases. ASKING FOR TROUBLE has people committing a variety of infractions from murder for hire to embezzlement. And TERMINATED features a bitter and twisted man who victimizes his female boss as a way of striking back at a world he views as unfair. There's even cruelty to the elderly, so heaven knows what people will say about that.
I suppose my only advice to you, my readers, is not to wonder about the things I write about, but the things I don’t write about. :-)
Yours innocently,
Simon Wood
simonwoodwrites@yahoo.com
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Meet Delyse Trink
Tell us about your book.
My romance novel Wrapped in a Rainbow is about learning that life can not be completely planned out, but sometimes when you are thrown an obstacle, your rocky path might lead you somewhere wonderful. It is also about finding that one amazing person to share your life with!
What inspired you to write this book?
Growing up with my mother, sister and best friend all being avid readers of romance novels, I had plenty of books to read. I read so many that I felt I had to try to write one myself. My book is styled like those favorite books of mine.
Do you have a favorite character?
Kristy, my heroine is probably my favorite character. She is smart and idealistic at the beginning of the story but even though she gets a wake-up call that her job will not turn out as she hoped, she will not let life get her down. She decides to move on!
What kinds of things did you research to write your book?
Ah, the research was the fun part. I'm from Canada and we love to escape our harsh winters. The Bahamas was the first warm, tropical place I ever went to. It will always be special to me because of that so I used my visits there as research. I know a few of my friends who read my book now want to vacation there. Maybe I should work for Bahamas tourism!
I have a lot of very creative readers. Do you have other hobbies or creative pursuits besides writing?
I love to garden and plant flowers according to a color scheme every spring. It drives my husband crazy that whenever he suggests something to plant it just doesn't seem to go with the colors that year!
I have a line in my book about a hand-made table runner that they are so skilled at making in the Bahamas. The line about trying to learn to crochet comes from my own experience and frustration!
What’s on your nightstand (or kindle) right now?
I have so many "To Be Read" books. I have a few from other Kindleboards authors to read. I have a Nora Roberts book waiting. Right now someone gave me a book to read from a local author so I've just started reading that.
Do you have any upcoming titles you’re working on?
Yes, I'm working on a Teen/Young Adult mystery story like the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew type of books.
After that I hope to write a suspense/romance.
What else would you like to add?
Here's a blurb about my book:
What would you do? Would you drop everything and take a chance? Life presents to Kristy a fabulous once in a lifetime opportunity to work in the Bahamas. If she decides to go for it, will it meet, exceed, or fall short of her expectations?
Sexy, handsome Dave is wary and jaded about women. He likes his life in the beautiful Bahamas where his romantic encounters are fast and fleeting. Gorgeous Kristy catches his eye but refuses to play by those rules. In fact she has studiously avoided men like him! David is intrigued by her resistance and so relentless in his pursuit, that much to her astonishment, Kristy finds herself agreeing to go out with him.
They end up having a sensational first date, but then it all turns to shambles. Could it be that David isn’t everything he appears to be? Could it be that Kristy isn’t everything David assumes her to be? Read Wrapped in a Rainbow to find out!
Brimming with luscious descriptions of Nassau and Paradise Island Wrapped in a Rainbow (Published by Club Lighthouse Publishing) is only $3.19 in Amazon’s Kindle store and is also available in paperback!
Thank-you for letting me share my story with your readers!
Leave a comment for Delyse!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Meet Danielle Bourdon
Today I'm presenting Danielle Bourdon, another author for you to discover. Leave a comment to be eligible to win a $50.00 gift card to Amazon.com. Visit previous authors in my party and leave comments there for additional entries!
Tell us about your book
Dréoteth is a story about a dragon that can take the shape of a man. He was born to loathe humans but at the same time, he's annoyingly fascinated by the trials and tribulations of their lives. It's an emotional, deep story of grudging friendship, tragedy and the consequences of Dréoteth's decisions.
What inspired you to write this book?
Dréoteth was a character concept I've had sitting around for about 6 years or so. I decided to enter the National Novel Writing Month contest and used him as a catalyst for a story. I wanted a clean slate to write with, and although he's been around a while, I'd never fleshed him out.
Do you have a favorite character?
That's a tough question. I have quite a few characters that I adore. Laurel Mayfield, who makes an appearance in my up and coming novel Bound by Blood, ranks up there in the top three. She has to overcome so much in the story I have for her and watching her evolve and mature was fun.
Are any of your characters based on people you know in real life?
None of my characters are based on anyone I know.
What kinds of things did you research to write your book?
I had to research the dark/middle ages a little. It's set in that time period.
I have a lot of very creative readers. Do you have other hobbies or creative pursuits besides writing?
Oh yes! I've painted for years. My favorite mediums are acrylic and watercolor. For a time, I made a living selling my art. I've dabbled in graphic design and love to go out every chance I can to practice photography.
What’s on your nightstand (or kindle) right now?
Right this second, I'm reading One Little Sin by Liz Carlyle.
Do you have any upcoming titles you’re working on?
My second book, Bound by Blood, is scheduled to be released September 1st, 2010. I have a co-author, Kimberly Hoyt, this time around. We've already finished the first draft and are in the editing stage. It's a paranormal romance with time travel elements.
What else would you like to add?
Here's an excerpt from one of Dréoteth's journal entries:
I sit here conflicted, licking my teeth, agitated in ways I have not been. These doubts are not me. This is not the way of Dréoteth. When did my loathing for humans turn into the kind of curiosity that makes me pause in the killing of them? Unthinkable. These indecisions are the path to annihilation. As much as I like to think otherwise, my kind are not invincible. We can be killed as humans can and given the motivation, they are capable of hunting us down.
Such unusual, pessimistic thoughts, these.
Dréoteth.
Where can we find your book?
Here's the Kindle version link on Amazon
The link for the paperback on Amazon is above.
Any other links?
Readers can find me at www.daniellebourdon.com
and on twitter: www.twitter/wildbloom.com
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Finished for Friday: Upright
I have a bit of a different finish that I'm proud of today.
I can walk. This is something I haven't been able to do for a long time and it's an unbelievable feeling. Over the last few days, I've mended from my hip surgery enough to leave the walker behind and take steps on my own.
There's still a long way to go - I'm not ready to backpack up bumpy hills or roller skate (ok, maybe I'm not chomping at the bit to roller skate), and I'm not allowed to drive for a few more weeks, but just the feeling of being upright and moving forward without pain and constant collapse is like winning the lottery to me.
I would have traded in all of my quilts, all of my creative finishes, all of the books I've read, if it could have gotten me here sooner. This, to me, is the biggest thing I've accomplished in years.
I want to extend my warm thanks to everyone who has been supporting me and encouraging me. Being in pain and being disabled by it are really tough.
It's time to celebrate you! What have you finished this week? Link up and let us come congratulate you. If you're new here, please read the guidelines in the tab at the top of the page. And please visit the posts from last week and next week to enter to win a $50.00 Amazon.com gift card at my Author Party!
Meet Brendan Carroll
Today I'm pleased to introduce Brendan Carroll, who has an entire series available for you to enjoy. Leave a comment for Brendan and for any previous or future authors in this author party and you will be eligible to win a $50.00 Amazon.com gift certificate!
The Red Cross of Gold:. Assassin Chronicles leans toward fantasy, but is set in modern times and centers around a rather grumpy, semi-immortal knight left over from the Crusades. He is one of twelve members of the ruling Council of the Order of the Red Cross of Gold. His primary job as Knight of Death and assassin for the order makes him a rather dark character to start with. His secondary occupation as alchemist requires his attention in a dusty, musty old lab in Scotland making gold to support the Order’s financial needs. He considers himself a simple monk and wants nothing more than to be left alone, but fate has other things in store for him. The Order’s Grand Master sends him on a mission to America to retrieve a traitorious member of the Order who has defected to another Order. It should have been a simple snatch and grab mission, dead or alive, no problem, but he runs into trouble in Texas when he runs afoul of nasty little fellow who throws some sort of mysterious chemical in his face that causes him to temporarily forget who he is and why he’s there. By the time his memories return, he is in deep trouble.
I have always been interested in mystical subjects such as the mystery of the Templar Knights’ treasures, the Ark of the Covenant mystery, Freemasonry legends, mythology, conspiracy theories, ufo’s, quantum physics, time travel, cosmology and other subjects too numerous to mention. The myriad facts and trivia that I amassed over the years inspired me to attempt to tie everything together in one simple package.
I guess my favorite character has to be the Chevalier Mark Andrew Ramsay, Knight of Death. But I have a number of characters I am quite fond of throughout the series. I love to start off making the reader dislike the characters and then gradually cause them to fall in love with them. I wouldn’t ever classify the books as romance exclusively, but I have heard from a number of my female readers just how sexy my grumpy knight really is.
In addition to writing, I’ve done a variety of crafty things over the years from making birdhouses to oil painting (which I found much too expensive and messy to continue). I love to draw and paint and make things. I’m an amateur bird-watcher and I collect wind-up toys.
Right now, I’m attempting to read The Cost of Betrayal by David Dalglish. I have Gone for a Soldier by Jeff Hepple waiting in my kindle as well as a number of other indie books that sound very interesting. I am also reading a new book about faeries.
In the works is The Red Cross of Gold XVIII:. The Company of Women, the eighteen book in the Assassin Chronicles series. It should be out before the end of the month. I have written all the books in the series already and am now simply editing and formatting them for kindle, smashwords and paperback editions.
Here is a very nice review I received on The Knight of Death from one of my readers:
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I took my kids swimming, and sat there for 3 hours engrossed and on the edge of my seat. They had to beg me to take them home, because I didn't want to stop reading. Every time I got a free minute, I wanted to get back to this book. I am so glad there are many more in the series!
Our hero is Mark Ramsay, immortal Templar Knight, alchemist and assassin, rough and tough and oh so gorgeous. He finds himself kidnapped and without his memory, and discovers who he is and what he is about, along with the reader. Just when you think things can't get any worse for our hero, his Brothers come to his......rescue? Murder and mayhem, sword fights and brawls, flashbacks to life during the Crusades, love and loss and sex and even some unexpected humor all abound in this terrific tale.
I highly recommend this series!
My books can be found at Amazon.com, smashwords and Barnes & Noble. They are also listed on KOBO and in the I-store and are available in a number of e-formats as well as paperbacks.
I have blogs at Blogspot, Wordpress & Author’s Den. I can be found on Facebook, LibraryThing, Shelfari and Goodreads.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Meet Ed Patterson
Today I'm happy to introduce Ed Patterson, Author of 15 books with more in the pipeline. Remember, every comment you leave for an author during my author party gives you a chance to win the $50.00 Amazon.com gift card.
On a personal note, I'm home from the hospital now, after an unscheduled visit to the cardiac ICU in addition to my surgery. I appreciate your support of my blog and these authors while I recuperate.
What inspired you to write this book?
Do you have a favorite character?
Are any of your characters based on people you know in real life?
What kinds of things did you research to write your book?
I have a lot of very creative readers. Do you have other hobbies or creative pursuits besides writing?
What’s on your nightstand (or kindle) right now?
Do you have any upcoming titles you’re working on?
What else would you like to add?
Where can we find your book?
Any other links?
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Meet Linda Acaster
Today I am pleased to introduce Linda Acaster.
Tell us about your book
Hi everyone. I'm Linda Acaster and I live in England, UK. Hostage of the Heart is a rights-reverted print novel new to ebook, a Mediaeval historical romance set in 1066 on the eve of the biggest invasion the British islands have seen. With the militia away countering the threat, the balance of power shifts along the disputed English/Welsh borderlands. Rhodri ap Hywel reclaims by the sword lands taken from his kinsmen by force, and with them the Saxon Lady Dena, sacrificed to slow the Welsh advance. But Rhodri harbours dark secrets, and when the fortunes of war turn, Dena can either stand by her faithless kin, or by her own integrity and the beating of her heart.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was researching for another novel and came across information about battle hostages. In truth, most 'hostages' were more often exchanged under treaty terms, where kin of group A (often children) would be brought up as part of group B's household on the understanding that if group A didn't toe the line dire consequences would result. And they often did. Can you imagine living a feted life as an adoptee and suddenly not only having it all withdrawn, but the people you'd trusted threatening disfigurement or death, all because your blood-kin now considered you worthless? This became the back-story to Hostage of the Heart which is mirrored in the front-story of poor relative, Dena, only welcomed into her uncle's household to raise his status by making a prestigious marriage.
Are any of your characters based on people you know in real life?
'Knowing' someone is anathema in terms. We never truly 'know' someone we have even daily contact with. Life experiences cause people to be layered outwards from a central core, and we can only see a person from the outside layer in. To make fiction believable writers need to know their characters from the inside out so that the motivation and fears of each can be used to strengthen the storyline.
What kinds of things did you research to write your book?
Masses, it goes with the territory when writing historicals of any genre, and often not just historicals. I've a scene where Rhodri, who may or may not be a Welsh prince, is dragged into the hall in chains as part of the entertainment during a meal. Everything from how the hall looks, feels and smells, to what is eaten and how, who serves it, what they look like, what everyone would wear depending on their circumstances, table customs and usae, other entertainment, the underlying hierarchical intrigue... I needed to know it even if only part of it is used on the page. And all this is going on in the background just to give depth to the unfolding character interaction in this scene.
I have a lot of very creative readers. Do you have other hobbies or creative pursuits besides writing?
I help keep a vegetable garden, and until recently I painted in oils & knife, but this has had to be set aside for a while.
Do you have any upcoming titles you’re working on?
Beneath The Shining Mountains, an historical romance set among the Apsaroke/Crow people of the northern American plains in the 1830s, is due out for the Kindle before the end of July, and is already out via Smashwords.com awaiting distribution for other formats. My English contemporary timeslip thriller Torc of Moonlight, book 1 of a trilogy about the ressurection of a Celtic water goddess, is already out as a paperback, but the Special Edition ebook should be out by the end of August.
What else would you like to add?
Dena gasped at the sight which met her eyes, gasped and held her breath to capture the moment and hold every detail of it.
‘Rhodri, you are well!’ she breathed. The relief and the thankfulness burst in her chest to fill her whole body with warmth and contentment.
‘Told you he was strong, I did, but you did not believe me,’ Mildthryth chuntered.
Dena took a step forward, her shins nudging the edge of the pallet. She wanted to get closer to him, to sit by his side and hold his hand, to throw her arms round him, but there was no room except to stand and stare.
Propped against the wall, his chest and arms sticky with the salves and potions Mildthryth had applied to his wounds, Rhodri’s sunken eyes surveyed her without emotion. Curtained by his lank, dark hair which fell in matted locks to his shoulders, his face still looked very pale. For Dena, he was a joy to see, and she clasped her hands, wanting to tell him so, but not knowing how to bring her sense of elation to her lips.
‘Tell this witch of yours to stop calling me my prince. I am not a prince. I have never been a prince.’
He was in pain and he was angry, and his words were designed to hurt, but they only made Dena’s smile the broader.
‘An ungrateful cur,’ Mildthryth snarled. ‘Bites the hand that heals.’ As if to prove it, she extended her hand to touch him, only to have it knocked aside.
‘I am not your doll!’
‘But I can make one,’ Mildthryth retorted, ‘to stick pins into!’
Dena’s smile faded. ‘Stop this! The door is thin enough. Do you want the kitchen workers to hear you?’
Where can we find your books?
For Amazon's Kindle
For all other formats, either direct from Smashwords or Barnes and Noble, Sony, I-Pad, etc
Any other links?
For samples of all my books, general info and to sign up for my monthly newsletter: www.lindaacaster.com and http://lindaacaster.blogspot.com
Linda is making herself available today to respond to your comments and questions. Remember, every time you leave a comment during this author party you are entered to win the $50.00 Amazon.com gift certificate.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Meet Paul Clayton
Today I'm happy to introduce Paul Clayton. Remember, during this author party, every author that you leave a comment or question for qualifies you to win the $50.00 Amazon.com gift card. See contest details and more ways to win in the tab above.
First let me say thanks to Threeundertwo for letting me post to her blog and speak to her readers. My name is Paul Clayton and I’ve been writing seriously since college (graduated Temple University in Philly in 1976). I wrote a little as a child, just essays and poems, no novels or screenplays. I recall winning second place for an essay at our grade school. My sister won first place. Don’t know why, but she gave up writing after that and I kept at it. This probably worked out the better for me, as I don’t have to say, I’m a writer, brother to best-selling author, Anne Clayton. You see, I’m what’s known in the biz as s ‘midlist writer.’ We’re the ones that write most of the books that make the publishers’ profit, probably only high single or low double digit profit, but profit just the same.
The way I figure it, midlist writers are the backbone of Big Publishing. They’re a known commodity, good, steady producers, a good investment. And you would think that they’d be appreciated as such. But it does seem like Big Publishing is more concerned with finding and signing the next Harry Potter or Twilight author. But they take what we give them until that day.
The first novel I wrote was based on my experiences as a drafted Infantryman in Vietnam. I often say that it was Vietnam that made me a writer. I wanted people to know what that war was like. And I wanted to put some faces on that conflict. After finishing the Vietnam book I just couldn’t sell it. I put it away and went on to write another. This book, Cacique, a Shogun-like action adventure based on the Spanish conquest of the Floridas, was bought by Putnam Berkley and sold as Calling Crow (new writers do not usually get to choose their book’s titles). Unfortunately, they designed a cover for the book that would, in my opinion, repel the serious readers that I wrote the book for, and attract the folks that just wanted a good shoot –‘em-up type entertainment. Anyway, the book sold modestly. Well enough that the publisher requested two more. I delivered Flight of the Crow, and Calling Crow Nation over the next two years.
I should add that this was back before the internet really got going and the Indy movement started to gain traction. And, during this time, I was married, working full time, and raising a family.
I was never happy about the fact that my Vietnam book (Carl Melcher Goes to Vietnam) hadn’t found a publisher. So I went on another sales campaign. No luck. Finally, out of frustration, I published the book as an ebook with a little business in Canada. Unbeknownst to me, the publisher submitted the book along with a few other titles to the 2001 Frankfurt eBook Awards. It was named a finalist along with works by Joyce Carole Oates (Faithless) and David McCullough (John Adams). I got a free flight to Germany on an almost empty plane (the awards were about a month after 911), stayed free in a first class hotel, and met a lot of nice folks. This really was a coup of sorts since my book was truly the only independent entry, the others being pdf versions of the major publishing houses biggest writers. But there was still no book deal.
It took me another three years to find a publisher for Carl Melcher. Finally, partially through the intercession of now-deceased Colonel David Hackworth, I sold the book to Thomas Dunne which published it in hardcover. Carl Melcher Goes to Vietnam is currently available on Kindle and other ebook sites, and a paperback version will go on sale in approximately a week.
So, I like to think I’ve established some ‘street cred’ when it comes to the Indy book revolution, specifically, the ebook revolution. Big Publishing was in trouble before the current recession hit. It was becoming almost impossible to sell a book unless your last one sold in record numbers. Things have, of course, become even worse now. Now, it seems, agencies are pulling up their rope ladders and filling their moats with alligators. Some require potential authors to enter the moshpit of their own on-line writers critiquing groups. They’ll sit on the sidelines and see who emerges with the least amount of bruising. Other agencies will only accept queries (not book chapters, or manuscripts) from authors who are recommended (connected) by in-house authors. So you had better spend four or five years finding representation because now publishers will only look at ‘agented’ material.
But the ebook revolution is putting a few cracks in the wall agencies and publishing houses have erected. Hardly a month goes by without a story of an unknown Indy author racking up twenty thousand or more in sales and being recruited by a commercial house. This is certainly good news, but I don’t know if it will save publishing, or specifically, if it will ensure that the absolute best books will come to the fore. Time will tell. For now, authors must be, not only dreamer and scribe, but also entertainer, door-to-door salesman, gadfly, copy-writer, editor, cover artist (some of them) and, if they get lucky, the equivalent of the guy or gal who demonstrates and sells those nifty blenders at the State Fair. Some authors have all of those skills down, or most of them, (or some of them, as this writer likes to think of himself), and the readers and consumers will react accordingly. But some authors fail miserably in these areas. All they can do is dream and write. What will become of their strange, moving tales? So we won’t know for another ten or so years how this is all going to shake out. Stay tuned.
As far as my own books and writing is concerned, I am going whole hog Indy at this time. There was a lag of five years between when I signed the contract for my first book, Calling Crow, and when it finally showed up on bookstores. Five years! And this is not unusual.
Last year I sent out about fifty query email letters to agents about my newest book, White Seed: The Untold Story of The Lost Colony of Roanoke. About half responded in the negative. Two requested sample chapters. Nothing panned out. However, eight months later I received an email from an agent who had just gotten around to reading that query – eight months later! He requested a manuscript and I sent it. But he did state that it might be many more months before he gets around to reading it. Meanwhile, my birthday seems to be coming faster and faster, and I guess that means I’m getting older. And I don’t want to leave my work in the hands of people who will get around to reading it in a year or two, when they probably won’t even be employed at the same agency in a year or two.
By the way, I hope this is not discouraging anyone who dreams of writing and publishing. That is not my intention. I merely want people to know what to expect so they can realistically prepare themselves for a long slog. And, know, because it’s true, that the joy is in the journey.
Well, my struggle to make my books available to readers pales in comparison with the story of the early English colonists in the Virginias. I have attempted to bring their struggles to life in White Seed: The Untold Story of The Lost Colony of Roanoke. White Seed tells the story of the abandoned colony through the eyes of fictional character Maggie Hagger, an Irish serving girl, Manteo, real life Croatoan interpreter for the English, John White, real life governor of the ill fated colony, and many others. White Seed made it to the top one hundred finalists in the 2009 ABNA contest, winning a review from Publishers Weekly. It is 492 pages in paper.
I have made the ebook version available for $0.99 for the months of June and July. I’d like to teach Big Publishing a lesson. Who knows, maybe I’ll sell three million copies at $0.99 a pop? That would make me no longer a mid-list author, but rather a best selling author, and, with a profit of $0.33 a copy, a millionaire. What? I can dream, can’t I?
Best!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Meet Dawn McCullough-White
Tell us about your book
My novel is called Cameo the Assassin and it's a dark, historical fantasy.
Cameo, the main character is an assassin who seems to possess a certain, otherworldliness. She has a master that she works for at a place called The Association, which is a company of assassins, and a secret master who is a vampire. She's sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place, she hates working as an assassin but she's afraid if she breaks from the company they'll kill her, and she has a vampire master who seems to delight in tormenting her by killing the people she loves. Up to this point in her career she has steered clear of any sort of friendship entanglements, until she meets up with two somewhat charming highwaymen.
It's set in the pseudo 18th century, so it's pretty gritty. The characters have scars and bad teeth from clay-pipe smoking, and hang out in dirty taverns. Death comes pretty quick and dirty, I don't generally let characters with grievous wounds survive my novels. I try to stay fairly realistic to the medicine of the time except for an element of the supernatural and some magic. I really enjoy history so I try to inject odd bits of history into the story.
What inspired you to write this book?
Well, I guess I'm a person who often wonders what happened to minor character's in other literature or film to make them who they are; I wonder what his or her story might be. It was fun expounding on the life of someone who might be a minor character in another novel. An assassin.
Do you have a favorite character? Black Opal. He's a highwayman, a dandy, a libertine and he's really flamboyant which made him a lot of fun to write about.
Are any of your characters based on people you know in real life?
One is based on someone I used to know, although I'm not going to divulge that character's name. Many of the others have some quality that I borrowed from people I know; my father and my grandmother heavily influenced traits of minor character's.
What kinds of things did you research to write your book?
I did some research into some mundane things about the 18th century such as black powder pistols, bedding, fabric, bathing, tavern games, smallpox, and grievous wounds.
I have a lot of very creative readers. Do you have other hobbies or creative pursuits besides writing?
I am also an artist but I haven't done much drawing in a few years now. Generally though, when I'm working up a new character I draw him or her to get a feel for what he or she is like. My son (who is 3yrs) and I planted a veggie garden this summer and I'm really obsessed with watching it grow. I'm really quite a nurturer, although you probably would never guess that from my novel.
What’s on your nightstand (or kindle) right now?
I'm reading Mudhouse Sabbath[Image] by Lauren F. Winner and The Lovely Bones[Image] by Alice Sebold. Sort of a dichotomy but both authors write such beautifully delicious prose.
Do you have any upcoming titles you’re working on?
Yes. The second book in the “Cameo” series is with my editor right now. It's called Cameo and the Highwayman and that will be out in the fall of 2010. I'm currently writing the third book which is untitled presently.
What else would you like to add?
Here is an excerpt from Cameo the Assassin:
It was midday and over an hour since Kyrian and Opal had arrived on horseback in Plunyport. The lad wandered up the dark, cobblestone street near the stable where they had sold the horses they'd stolen from Kings Basin. Just as he did, a slender dandy happened to be sauntering down that same alley, with a bottle of red wine in one hand."Where have you been?" Kyrian demanded."Ah, hello lad." Opal faked a smile."I've been looking all over for you." "Oh, have you? Well, now you've found me."Kyrian examined his wardrobe. "You've bought new clothes?!""Yes. Surely that can't come as such a shock to you, can it? I've even had a bath."The lad fumed, "I've been waiting here at the stables for you to get back!""Quite obvious you hadn't had a bath or gotten yourself a new set of clothes.""You said to wait for you here!""Calm down, lad. You'll make a spectacle of yourself." He attempted to push Kyrian into the shadows near the town stables.The acolyte looked over Opal's newest ensemble and scoffed. "I'm making a spectacle?!""You really do smell like a horse.""I wonder why.""The bathhouses are still open.""Fine. Where's the money from the sale of those horses?""Hmm ... money, yes, well. Don't you have some money?""I spent all of my money buying you and Evangeline that bottle of wine, and my last meal. Where's my cut of that robbery money?""Oh, Kyrian," Opal rolled his eye as he lowered his voice. "Don't be a hypocrite. I know full well that the gods don't take kindly to thievery."The lad grabbed him roughly by the lapels of his jacket and shook him. "You spent all that money on yourself! On this stupid outfit?!"Black Opal looked down at the boy whose hands were still clutching the jacket.Kyrian looked up at the pock-marked face, his anger subsiding to a wary realization that he had just attacked a wanted villain. "Did you really expect more than that out of me?""Um ...."Opal's face softened a bit as he brushed Kyrian's hands from his jacket. "This material is crushed so easily. It's because it's so delicate, so yielding.""It's very nice ... very, shiny."
Where can we find your book? It's on sale at Smashwords for the month of July Also available on Kindle It's also available in paperback at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Any other links?
For more information please visit my website http://www.dawnmccullough-white.com
Dawn is kind enough to make herself available today to answer your questions. Leave comments or questions to qualify to win the $50.00 Amazon.com gift card!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Meet J.M. DeBord
Today please welcome J.M. DeBord. Be sure to leave a comment below to qualify for the Amazon gift certificate. Click on the banner above for complete contest rules.
My website: http://groovywriter.com
Friday, July 16, 2010
Meet Rye James
Today please welcome Rye James, who is talented in a variety of genres including westerns, suspense/thrillers, fantasy, and police/detective stories. A portion of the proceeds from The Assassin. will benefit St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Click on the link above to see the official rules for entering the gift card giveaway.
Tell us about your book
Well, I have 4 titles available. Escape, which is a Suspense/Thriller about an accountant who's forced to go on the run. The Assassin, which is a Mystery/Western about a hired gunfighter who rides into a town, but nobody knows who he's there for, or who hired him. Deadlock, a straight Western, about a town sheriff who's unable to get any help in holding a prisoner until a stranger rides into town. I also have Bounty Hunter, another Western, about a bounty hunter who takes on an apprentice while on the trail of a gang of outlaws.
What inspired you to write these books?
Well, Westerns are fairly easy for me to write. My father is a big fan of the genre so I basically grew up on John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Clint Eastwood, and all the actors who starred in the genre. Westerns, though, aren't the most popular genre so I've been writing in other genres, Thrillers (like Escape) and some other books that I'm working on to try and expand my readership.
Do you have a favorite character?
I'd say my favorite character is easily Matt Beck, who is The Assassin. It seems to be the favorite of most of my readers as well. He's a fascinating guy. He's a violent guy by the nature of his profession, but he's a guy you wind up rooting for. He has his own set of standards that he works by and you get to know and understand why he does the things that he does. I think you wind up admiring and liking the guy, regardless of his profession.
I have a lot of very creative readers. Do you have other hobbies or creative pursuits besides writing?
Well, I love sports, music, movies, and like riding horses when I can. I love animals, I have 3 dogs, and am involved in a lot of animal charities. I also have 2 young children so that takes up quite a bit of my time.
What’s on your nightstand (or kindle) right now?
Parallax by Jon Merz
Do you have any upcoming titles you’re working on?
I have quite a few that I'm working on. I'm almost done on a Fantasy book. I'm also working on a Supernatural Suspense/Thriller which I'm pretty excited about. I've also started to outline a Thriller that I'm describing right now as similar to the Jason Bourne series. I should also release a short story compilation of some thrilling and chilling stories that will hopefully scare the pants off of readers.
What else would you like to add?
Well, I'd like to thank you for having me on your blog. If any of your readers have any questions, or comments, I'd be happy to respond to anything that's on their mind.
Where can we find your books?
Paperbacks can be found at Barnes and Noble, Borders and Amazon websites. E-books can primarily be found on Amazon.
Any other links?
I also have a blog at www.ryejames.blogspot.com
Rye is available to take your comments and questions. Remember, every author you leave a comment for qualifies you to win the $50.00 Amazon.com gift card.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Finished for Friday: Kindle Cover
Are you meeting some new authors here on my blog? I hope you're leaving comments so you're entered to win the $50 Amazon gift card! Official rules in the tab above. Because many of these authors offer Kindle versions of their books, and because Jungle Boy has borrowed my leather Kindle cover, I decided to make my own.
Doesn't Jane Austen look happy there? I found the pattern in an old issued of "Quilter's Home" magazine.
As you read this, I'm in the hospital recovering from my hip replacement surgery. (And I'm probably reading my Kindle there!). So I guess I'm going to count that as a "finish" as well.
Link up and let us know what you've been up to this week, and please visit my posts starting from last Monday. Every comment you leave for the author party gives you another entry.