Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Teaser Tuesday

        So, I've been working on a re-write of Neighborly Complications.  It's my free novella, and apparently a novella just isn't enough.  There's not enough backstory, not enough character development, not enough relationship building, not enough of anything.
        Originally, this was my first full-length novel, and it was awful.  I hated to waste the year or so that I spent on it, so I cut it to shreds and turned it into my novella to offer free as a marketing technique.  Well, that's worked okay, except based on the comments and reviews I've gotten, it's not a very good representation of my work as a whole.
        In my re-write, I'm adding in some of the character's backstories, but I'm not just pasting it in from the original, because the original sucked.  I'm actually rewriting it.  And changing a lot.
        Originally, it had six ghosts.  Claire moved into her ancestral home to live with the ghosts of her great-great grandfather, great-great grandmother, great-grandma, an aunt, uncle, and her grandpa.
        Yeah, ridonkulous.
        And there were love interests.  Lots of them.  And death.  And dreams of ghosts.  And dreams of dead wives.  And lots of bad writing.
        Hopefully, this re-write will be better.  The story is nearly unrecognizable from the original, even though I have pulled a lot of the elements from the first story.
        I've almost finished it, actually.  I'm hoping to have it finished by the end of this week.  That would make me very very happy.
        Here's a teaser from it...

        After working in her garden, Claire jumped in the shower, excited to have hot water.  She luxuriated in it.  The stream of hot water cascading down her head, running over her shoulders, down her body was absolute heaven.  After spending all week jumping in to get wet, turning off the water, soaping up, and then jumping in to rinse off as quickly as possible in the freezing cold water, this was paradise.  The mirror was actually fogging up.  Awesome.  She soaped herself up, washed her hair twice, and shaved.  As she was sitting on the floor of the tub, cleaning out from under her toenails, while the conditioner sat for the required two minutes in her hair, she saw a shadow pass outside the shower curtain.
The blood in her veins turned to ice, despite the heat of the shower.
“Hello?”  That was dumb.  No psycho-killer in his right mind would answer that.  Suddenly, Claire remembered Max’s warning about the guys that had delivered yesterday, and she realized she hadn’t locked the back door behind her when she came inside.
She peeked out the edge of the curtain to see that whoever had been in there was gone.  Sighing a relieved sigh, Claire gingerly stepped out of the shower.
A soft giggle sounded from somewhere behind her, and Claire screamed.  She looked at the mirror and saw a perfect circle drawn into the fog on the glass where there had only been fog moments before.  She screamed again and ran out of the room.
Her goal was to get down the stairs and to the back door and out of the house before the psycho-killer could catch her.  Never mind that naked women always got the axe first in all those horrible movies.  She couldn’t stop screaming. It was like she was possessed and couldn’t clamp her mouth shut.
She stumbled down the stairs, coming to an abrupt halt when she saw Max coming up them, panic in his eyes.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”  She screamed at him.  Three steps down from her, his eyes were at eye-level with her breasts, and she watched as they darkened from the unusual caramel color to rich chocolatey brown.  Then he looked at his feet.
Claire immediately moved cover herself, finding her hands weren’t adequate.
“Well?!  What the fuck, Max?”
Quietly, still looking at his feet, Max replied, “You were screaming.  And you left your door unlocked.”
Claire’s voice chilled with dawning realization.  “You were in my bathroom.”
Max’s eyes snapped up at the statement, and she saw disbelief on his face before he snapped his gaze back down to his feet.
“No.  I was working on my deck, and I heard you scream like you were being skinned alive.  I came running.”
“You are unbelievable.  You are so far up my ass, I can’t even breathe.  Beautiful, yes, but holy shit!  Can you be more controlling?  I don’t even have anything to do with you besides live next door, and you’re like a man obsessed!  Sneaking into my house to prove a point about my locks?  Are you for real?!”

Monday, August 26, 2013

Choosing Chase Review



I've just finished a sweet erotic short story called Choosing Chase, by Julie Raust.

In a word, awesome.

This was a quick, hot little read that packed a lovely little punch.  The main character was a woman pushing forty, and I <3 older female characters who get all the action the younger things do.  Especially with sexy men.

The only problem I had was that I wanted Chase's character to be a little more developed, but what can I say?  The story delivered regardless.

This was the first story in about ten that was not the first installment in a serial novel, and that was nice.  I'm a little over that marketing technique...

Pick up a copy and give it a read.  Not disappointing.

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Choosing-Chase-Enough-Love-ebook/dp/B00EHU46AE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1377113105&sr=8-2&keywords=julie+raust

Friday, August 23, 2013

Destructive Silence Blog Tour - Day two

Add to your shelf:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18194112-destructive-silence


Blurb:

If you never speak of the past, can it be erased?

Lacey Edwards has a past.

A past which changed her life forever.

A past she is desperate to forget.

Lacey is quiet and reserved compared to her best friend Becca Fox. They became instant friends when Lacey moved to Maryland nine years ago. Becca helped pull Lacey out of her internal shell to experience life. By high school, Lacey was active in the club scene and would occasionally have to drag Becca with her. One night, Lacey realized she might be able to run from her past with the help of Becca and one steamy Caine Rogers.

Lacey didn't know, until it was too late, how feelings, honesty, heartbreak and life altering events can change a person. Lacey has Becca’s support but will that be enough?

Will Lacey sacrifice her own happiness to do what is expected?

***WARNING***

Appropriate for readers 18 & up only!

This novel contains explicit language, sexual situations and abuse that some might find offensive.


Author Links

Bio:

Author L.U. Ann recently moved to Colorado from the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband and two children. Life in Colorado is so much different. In Maryland, you would find her in the garden tending to her vegetables and flowers, sea glass and shark tooth hunting once a week, and enjoying the kids swimming in the backyard. Her life took a drastic change when her family moved to their own “Little House on the Prairie" at an elevation of over 6,000 feet above sea level, and a semi-arid climate that makes it hard to grow anything. While barely anything can grow where she resides now, the wildlife makes up for it. Mountain Lions, and coyotes, and rattlesnakes, oh my!

She tries to spend a little time each day writing, but domestic chores around the house usually take precedence. She would much rather hide them from her husband. She tends to her loving four-legged children who at times become much too demanding when she locks herself in the office. This often results in MORE domestic work, and she finds herself cleaning up after their deviant behavior.

At night, you’ll find her begging the kids to go to bed so that she can catch up on the latest book before her sister can. Yes, she is an avid reader who escapes her chaotic but wonderful home to the feisty depths of romance land in search of her newest book boyfriend. Shh, don’t tell her husband!

She is an artist by the grace of God. She worked as a set designer for six years, helping establish a local children's theatre where she was the scenery artist, set, and prop designer. Before that, you would find her covered in paint, so engrossed in painting a mural that time didn't exist. Graphic design is her guilty pleasure.

Destructive Silence is her debut novel. It is one of three books in The Destructive Series. Each book will hit its reader with lots of angst hoping for a happily ever after.


Thursday, August 22, 2013

Destructive Silence Blog Tour



Q&A author L.U. Ann with Lacey Edwards from Destructive Silence


Q&A author L.U. Ann with Lacey Edwards
Phone chat after writing chapter 16.
L.U. Ann:
"Lacey, thanks for taking moment during this difficult time to talk. Are you still having reservations about telling your story?"
Lacey:
Sighing, "Um, I guess it's been tough going through the emotions again."

L.U. Ann:
“Well, I've written all but the last chapter of your story, and those who have read it, love it. Remember making your experiences public might help someone who has walked in your shoes.”

Lacey:
“Yeah, I realize that. If I can help one person, it'll be worth it. I think the part that scares me is bringing up so many unwanted feelings. And, trying to figure out what to do.”

L.U. Ann:
“I will help you along the way. Folks, Lacey has a story that will break your heart to only make it swell later. Lacey's story is not finished and she is working through some things that will allow me to finish the last chapter of the book. Once she makes a couple of decisions, the book will be published for everyone to enjoy.”

Lacey:
"Thank you. I appreciate your willingness to work with Becca and me. I don't know what I would do without Becca. I'm so happy you have the opportunity to get to know her as well. She has quite the personality, funny and witty but always brutally honest."

L.U. Ann:
"She is an amazing person. I guess I should get back to writing. Thank you again for taking the time to talk and good luck on making that choice you're struggling with.

Lacey:
"No problem, anytime. I'll be in touch soon to let you know what I decide. Take care"

L.U. Ann
"You too." After hanging up, I turn back to my computer screen to continue typing the words Lacey lived up to this point. “This is an amazing story and I cannot wait to hear her final decision and how the story ends. I'm waiting anxiously to find out! I hope you enjoy reading Destructive Silence."


Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Self Published Kindling by Mik Everett- review





Self-published Kindling is a memoir of homeless family.  Homeless because their book store supporting indie authors doesn't actually sell any books.  Too proud to pack it up and admit defeat, they continue to run the book store while living in a broken down RV in a walmart parking lot.  Both parents work, and still can't afford a place to live.

Terrifying - all my reading is done with my heart in my throat as these people are like me.  They begin the story with a home, cell phones, laptops, kids, jobs, and a dream that the invest in, and it lets them down.

The story tells of a friendly drug culture, stealing necessity, endless applications and interviews for assistance, and the frustration of all of it.

While there is no spoken self-pity in the book, it reeks of the struggle to survive, in a way that singes the soul...Themes of community, shame, loss, and hope are in abundance throughout the book:  The community they foster with their bookstore, the loss they're surviving, and hope that the system will actually work for them.  The abrupt ending leaves the reader wondering what's next in their journey.


An example:

Four people drive to Fort Lupton to buy an RV for eight
hundred dollars. Two miles out of Fort Lupton, the RV dies at the
top of a hill. The family goes back to the RV's owner and they
say, 'Hey, you sold us a shitty RV. We want our money back.' The
previous owners take a look at the RV, and the engine's choked. A
valve needs replaced. The family gets their money back and
drives back to Longmont. Two days later, they drive to Brighton
to pick up a different RV for a thousand dollars. They make it five
miles out of town when the RV dies, again at the top of a hill. The
family goes back to the dealer and says, 'Hey, you sold us a shitty
RV. We want out money back.' The dealer says no dice, you
bought it, you're stuck with it. The engine, radiator, and batteries
are all toast. The RV needs to be rewired. It will cost hundreds of
dollars.
And here's the punch line:
A valve costs about fifty dollars.

I kept reading, with a constant anxiety, hoping for some sort of happy ending, which never came.  Incidentally, that's the only thing I found wrong with the book, the way it ended.

This was a powerful book, and I certainly recommend it.

A link to enter a goodreads giveaway his here:   http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/60181-self-published-kindling
Her Goodreads:   http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5855161.Mik_Everett
Her blog:  http://mikeverett.tumblr.com
Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/missmikeverett
Amazon Author page:  http://www.amazon.com/Mik-Everett/e/B00E6A1SG0/

Monday, August 19, 2013

Author Interview: Shandra Miller

Today, I'm interviewing Shandra Miller, author of Lethal Obsession and Helpless.  I actually have a copy of Lethal Obsession to review, but I'm so behind on my reviews that I'm hoping to get to it as soon as school starts back up (6 days and counting).  Stay tuned for that.





Describe your writing process. 

Well, I’ve had a bit of a chaotic lifestyle for most of the past few years, so I wrote whenever I could, usually by hand. Only in the past year or so have I gotten a computer and had a little more control over my schedule. Ideally, I like to sit at a desk, facing the window (window always open) at night and write, with some music (Enigma, Loreena McKinnett, something like that) playing. Sometimes I write in the mornings, or afternoons, depending upon my work schedule, but I most enjoy writing at night.

As for actually working through story lines and plot points, I’m always doing that in my head. Driving to work, driving home, taking a shower – I often spend that time thinking through the story.

What do you think your greatest strength is in your writing? 

I don’t want to sound as if I’m some great storyteller or someone who’s really stuck on herself, so please take this as just a simple answer from a simple writer. But, as a writer I try to look for places to go I haven’t seen others explore. I don’t know that there are any truly original stories to tell, and some of my work probably is like the stories told by a thousand other writers. I think of my first published shorts, Private Dining and Room Service. I had fun writing those, and I think they are a fun read, but I don’t know that they are significantly different than a thousand other erotica tales. However, I think, with Lethal Obsession and now its sequel, Helpless, I’ve maybe helped break a little new ground. I’ve tried to take what I hope is a hot, arousing erotica storyline combined with a suspenseful murder story. I think, at least I hope, that’s a strength of mine, trying to combine genres, expand erotica a little bit.

What is your biggest challenge?

Focusing, keeping my attention on the writing. You'll see from my other answers below I can sometimes go off on little life tangents. I rarely stop thinking about stories or ideas of tales, but I do sometimes struggle to sit in a seat for extended periods of time and type them out.

Name some authors who have influenced or inspired you? 

E.L. James – not so much because of her writing, but because she was the one who made erotica mainstream. Whether that was through skill, an accident of timing, or both, all of us in this field definitely owe her a debt of gratitude for that. Stephen King – the guy’s a writing machine. He can be hit or miss, but when he’s on his work is exciting and fresh and oh-so captivating. Robert Parker – best modern writer I’ve ever read. A wonderful storyteller, maybe the best I’ve read at doing dialogue, and his writing is so sparse. I was sad when he passed away.


Tell a little about your most recent work.  Title, genre, and tag line.
It’s called Helpless, Book 2 of the Lethal Obsession Trilogy. It’s a dark erotic-suspense tale that was just published on Aug. 15. Here’s the promo you’ll find at the front of the book (or, I suppose if it were in print, this might be the dust jacket copy).

Detective Angela Martin returns to pick up the pieces of her life – and track down a killer – in the darkly erotic thriller HELPLESS, the sequel to the acclaimed erotica suspense tale LETHAL OBSESSION.

In LETHAL OBSESSION, Angela found herself in the clutches of a BDSM master who knew exactly how to control her body and mind, to make her feel pleasure – mingled with a hint of pain and submission – in ways she had never imagined. Then women started turning up dead in her town of Moose Creek, N.C., bound and tortured in ways eerily similar to what Angela's mysterious master had done to her.

Despite the danger to her life and career, Angela couldn't stop herself – she kept going back to him, ostensibly to learn more about him as she investigated the deaths, but in truth because she craved his touch, his control. She belonged to him, body and soul, though her devotion had tragic consequences.

In HELPLESS, she is working through the guilt of having killed, the grief of having lost, trying to rebuild her life and career. She is driven to seek out darker, more dangerous sexual thrills, even when the bondage killer, or a copycat, returns to Moose Creek.

Her life is complicated when a writer from a national publication shows up in her town, determined to do a series of articles on the bondage killer, and her life. The writer turns out to be more than expected, and this time Angela finds herself fighting not only for her career and life, but maybe to save others as well.


Tell us about your favorite character from the book.  

Detective Angela Martin. She’s a woman I hope many readers can identify with – she’s accomplished in her career, but a little empty at home. That leads her, in Lethal Obsession, to make some questionable decisions, meeting up with a stranger in a hotel room, experimenting with the world of BDSM. Along the way, she’s conflicted, knowing she’s not being smart, is playing with fire, at the same time she wants more, to learn and experiment. And, along the way she starts to fall for the guy.

When a series of murders begins, and it appears it might be her man, Angela is really conflicted. She knows exactly what she should do, but ends up doing the opposite sometimes (boy, can I identify with that). In the end, some really horrible things happen to her.

In the sequel, HELPLESS, she’s trying to regroup, deal with her decisions and the consequences, put her life back together. Her career has been set back, her personal life is really difficult now, and just as she starts to make some headway it happens again—the murderer returns (or, at least a copycat).

I know the murders and the erotica makes the story line a little more exciting than most of us ever experience, but the idea that she’s a regular woman, struggling with right and wrong, sometimes making the wrong choices even though she knows better – I think many of us can identify. I also like that she is strong, that she keeps rolling up her sleeves and working, doing the only thing she knows, to keep moving forward.


What makes a good story?

Smooth, concise writing, life-like dialogue, and a sense that there is something at stake with characters I really care about.

How do you market your work?

Not very well. I’m not the most organized person, and I actually came to the world of Facebook and Twitter really late (I don’t even own a cell phone), so I don’t really grasp all of the social media and writing websites. Right now I just muddle through, trying to put together a blog tour every time I release a new work, I use Twitter some, and I have a blog. I have a couple of friends who are showing me how to more effectively use Goodreads and some other sites, so maybe I’ll get better at this part of the job.


Tell us about yourself, outside of writing. 

Well, I’m a little bit of a free spirit. I don’t mean I’m wild or a party-girl – I’m actually the opposite, preferring quiet time, alone, sometimes isolated even. But I tend to drift along, get distracted easily. I sometimes will go outside to pick up something and next thing I know I’ve spent an hour lying in the grass looking at cloud formations. I spent three years working for a carnival, and three more years for one of those small traveling circuses that go to small towns and set up shop for a day or two. I guess I had a lot of down time and learned to occupy myself with silly activities like that, and now I can’t stop them. I love lying outside at night looking at the stars, I like running, I try to go running three or four times every week, and I most love it when it’s raining or really cool outside. I recently moved from North Carolina to Virginia, and at present I’m staying with some friends while looking for a place. My part-time job is waitressing at a restaurant on the Blue Ridge Parkway, though that will come to an end after the tourist season ends in October. And I have a solid white cat named Lilly.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

One thing I’d like to tell everyone is that Lethal Obsession is now an audio book. That was something I never considered until a writer friend of mine said she had several audio books. I have to say, I wrote Lethal Obsession, knew it inside and out, even know when a tiny, teeny little word was changed by the narrator without having to look it up, yet when I heard her narrating the novel – wow, I was blown away. It was like it was all new to me, and I have to admit, a little…um, I’ll just say exciting. The narrator, Karen Kruper, did an incredible job. I hope some of your readers will check it out.

Thank you so much for having me here, Anne. Great questions, I had a blast answering them.

Shandra's LETHAL OBSESSION is available at:
Amazon: amzn.to/148DO67

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/315075

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lethal-obsession-shandra-miller/1114727993?ean=2940016377414

HELPLESS, Book 2 of the Lethal Obsession Trilogy, is available at:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/17MozRL

HELPLESS will be available at both Barnes and Noble and Smashwords by Aug. 20.

To follow Shandra and her work, visit her blog at For more information about Shandra Miller and her work, or to get download links when HELPLESS is release, check out her blog at http://shandramillerwriter.blogspot.com/

Follow her on Twitter at @shandramillerwr

Send her a friend request on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/shandra.miller.52

Friday, August 16, 2013

Happy Anniversary!!!



Amanda Alberson is celebrating her one-year anniversary.  This post was supposed to go up yesterday, but I'm a total flake...





        One year ago today I was completely freaking out. I finally worked up the courage to hit the publish button on my first book. What if no one liked it? Even worse what if they hated it? Oh my gosh, I hate it! I almost deleted it before it ever saw the light of day, but I’m glad I didn’t! I may have written the words inside the book but it was with the help of so many people that it was actuallypublished.  Tawdra Kandle, Melissa Ringstad, Katie Breaux, Lisa Markson, Tamara Hoffa, Jennie Wright, Jessica Gibson, Julie Titus and Christine Powell-Gomez, awonderful group of beautiful and talented women who took a chance on a writer who’d never published anything, never written seriously and had no clue what she was doing. Thank you ladies, you helped make my dream a reality.  One year later I have a ton of things in the works. It’s been a busy year, my husband graduated college, we moved across the state and I am trying to get my munchkins ready to start new schools, so writing took a ride on the back burnerfor a bit. School starts in 11 days, and I will be locking the world outside and building my own!

Thank you to everyone who has purchased, won, read, reviewed, gifted or volunteered to read Losing Connor! I love hearing from readers. Here’s a preview of what I have in store for you in the near future!!

For those who haven’t read Cassie and Declan’s story here’s a teaser for you!

Losing Connor: 

We sat silently for weeks, watching one another in class. He seemed so confident when other girls spoke to him in the hall, the cafeteria, class; you cold bet if Declan was somewhere, girls were talking to him. He would smile and flirt, as the girls fell all over themselves and his mid Irish lilt. But sitting next to me in class, he was a stone. My stomach fluttered in anticipation, wanting,needing, wordlessly begging him to speak to me; to just hear his lips form my name would have been enough.

Losing Connor is on sale right now on Amazon for just .99!! 

http://www.amazon.com/Losing-Connor-Amanda-Alberson/dp/1479131903/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376493987&sr=8-1&keywords=losing+connor

I also have a short story in a paranormal anthology available. 

Miraculous: Tales of the Unknown which includes stories from several awesome indie authors.

http://www.amazon.com/Miraculous-Tales-Unknown-ebook/dp/B00EB4CI1A/ref=sr_1_2ie=UTF8&qid=1376494048&sr=8-2&keywords=amanda+alberson

The Aftermath of Cassie and Declan. Told from Declan, Caprice and Rory’s POV carrying through the end of Losing Connor and into the future of everyone involved.

     Excerpt: 
Janice’s secretary opens the door to her office and all the air leaves my lungs. She’s standing with her back to me but I’d know her anywhere.  Nothing about her has changed. My eyes slide down the gentle slope of her hips, back up to the slender curve of her neck. I want to bury my face in that small warm space between her jaw and her shoulder, loose myself in the intoxicating scent of her skin. In the moment there is nothing else. Just my Cassie, and my overwhelming love for her, the years haven’t dulled it at all, but with it comes a burning anger that rides the line of hate so close it makes my stomach turn. She did this to us, she tore us apart, and she just couldn’t believe in me enough to let me make our family work. Damn her, and then she turns around.

When No One was Listening. Sloane Christianson hears her dead twin’s voice in her head, a punishment for killing her. All her life she’s fought to be invisible, but now, forced to move back to the small town where it all happened she is thrust into the spot light.  Pursued by her childhood crush and tormented by the town bully, how will she survive? 

Excerpt: 

“Hit her” Sarah whispered.  My fist slammed into her perfect face, pushing five grand worth of a nose job sickeningly to the left. Detached I watched as the most popular girl in school stumbled, holding her hands over the wreck I’d made of her looks, no one would ever believe it was my dead sister’s fault.

Oh crap, I just punched the prom queen.

I have these kinds of moments far too often. Tiny blips in time where nothing else matters except Sarah, moments when I can still hear her in my ear urging me on.

 I think I’m crazy.

I know for sure that I am alone, I am broken, and I am a murderer. Some things can be pushed down deep inside of you, but if you can still hear your dead twin’s voice in your head, even if it’s not that often, well then they aren’t deepenough.

Message me anytime on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/

RayneeDazeWriting

Check out other excerpts, poems and short stories at

www.rayneedazewriting.weebly.com

I love hearing from readers and am always open to questions, comments even criticisms!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Author interview--Antonello Fiore

Today, I'm interviewing Antonello Fiore, author of Killer Rumors.



Describe your writing process.

Prior to begin writing my story, I write down twenty main sub-plots on a small paper and marking each event in its order. That way, I already know the flow and structure of my novel prior to begin writing it. 
I always do my writing in the evening. That way, the day is behind me and I begin to work on my story with a fresh mind. I do my writing on my laptop and constantly have a notepad and pen with me at all times so that I can jot down great ideas and integrate them into my story. 

What motivates you to sit down and write?

  I schedule myself when I need to write. I write every evening for two hours and give myself a rest on Sundays. Within that time-frame, I know that it is my time to write and being productive. 

Where does your inspiration come from?

  My inspiration comes from events that occur in the world that seems to be an ongoing issue. I want to inform readers that certain issues are constantly occurring, and finding a solution to end these issues. 

What do you think is your greatest strength in your writing?

  My greatest strength in my writing is being my own boss. I have the ultimate freewill on how my story will unfold. Another strength that I carry are the countless number of mystery and thriller books that I have read. As a result, I am very well aware the structure on how to write a mystery novel. It became natural on my part once I started writing my mystery novel, Killer Rumors. 

What is your biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge when writing a story is actually not the writing part, but the editing. I consider myself being a perfectionist. Therefore, I want to make sure that my book consists of no errors. By doing that, I need to review my story many times until I am satisfied with it. It could be time-consuming, but the reward is well worth the time. 

What authors have inspired you?

  Authors who have influenced me include James Patterson and Dan Brown. What I admire most about James Patterson is the constant dialogue, detailed descriptions, and short-length chapters. When chapters are short, we tend to read more since we want to find out what will happen next. Dan Browns’ combination of mystery genre and apocalyptic plot is what pulls me on how I would want to present my story. I own all their novels and by reading them, I am growing both as a reader and author. 

Tell us about your latest work?

My debut mystery novel is called, Killer Rumors. The reason why I wanted to write this story was to inform the public that priests will always be under the microscope. There have been numerous cases where priests have been falsely accused to crimes they did not commit. Killer Rumors will explain what happens when you leave a man with no choice. 

Here is the synopsis of Killer Rumors:

Father D’Angelo and Bakeman, two devoted priests were brutally murdered while going on one of their nightly walks. Detective Frank Rinelli is called to the case- not only due to his close friendship with the priests, but with his expertise of tracking psychotic killers. Rinelli suddenly discovers these murders were based on a scandal that occurred several years ago at the same Church where the two murdered priests preached. And it doesn’t stop there. The list of people being murdered in connection with the scandal continues to grow until the killer has his ultimate vengeance- and the truth released.

Join Detective Rinelli on the fearful streets of Philadelphia as he chases a madman who has nothing to lose and everything to gain- destroying the face of the Catholic Church. Rinelli discovers a hidden secret while confronting the killer that is way beyond betrayal and begins to question his faith. Could this betrayal be the killer’s momentum of not only killing Rinelli, but to complete his master plan which will affect the lives of every citizen?

What advice would you give other authors just beginning their journey?

  The best advice or encouragement I can give to writers looking to publish a book is constantly be your own and best marketer. Wherever you are, always talk about your book. Be proud of your accomplishments. Make sure you always carry a business card with you so that others know where to find your book and/or contact you. It is helpful of contacting your local library, media outlets such as newspaper, radio, and television stations for further exposure. I recommend you contact literary agents and/or book publishers that fit your book genre. With a professional query letter and presentation, your book will land into the right hands.


What have you found to be the most effective way to market your book?

  The most effective way of marketing my book is simply through word of mouth. I always bring up my book at any event where a huge number of people are attending. In addition, I constantly bring my business card with me at all times so people can know how to contact me and where to find my book. 
Social media has also been a critical tool in my marketing. I have created a Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads page for further exposure on my book. Creating my very own website (www.antonellofiore.webs.com) helps me update my latest news. Writing blogs that have a similar theme to my book helps further interest in my story. 
Providing sample chapters is another valuable tool. Readers can have a sneak peak to determine if it will spark their interest. Lastly, I have participated in many author interviews so I can support my book and future plans.

What are you working on now?

  I am currently working on my next novel entitled, The Right Reason. It is going to be an inspirational and religious story. Fans of Mitch Albom will definitely admire it. The story is about a 17-year-old boy named Domenic who is rebelling against his mother and school. He eventually runs away from home and aligns himself with street gangs. Domenic decides to pierce his ears and get’s a tattoo of a cross on his forearm so that he can fit in with the rest of the gang members. The members eventually disown Domenic, since he has nothing to offer. And it keeps getting worse for Domenic. He begins to get infections due to his piercing and tattoo. When it seems there is no more hope and about to lose consciousness, Domenic receives a special visitor- our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus takes Domenic on a journey where He guides the young boy to a spiritual path and explains to him that our actions should only be delivered to praising God’s message and work. 



Synopsis: Emily Taylor is a twenty-six year old event planner who has made a career out of dating; with the majority of it ending up as a complete nightmare. She is driven, motivated, and rising to the top in her career…but not in her love life. However, a random car accident will change her life forever.

Avery Martin is a country boy stuck in the city working his dream job of being a fire fighter. Over the years he has given up a lot, including dating, to focus on his career. Responding to a car accident one day he becomes overly involved with the woman he is rescuing.

Will these two find love, or will amnesia, and a crazy ex cost them the future they might have had?


About the author: Danielle A. Elwood is a blogger by trade who started writing her first romance novel Take Me Out as a hobby in 2012. She is a avid romance novel lover herself,  which inspired her to take the leap into writing her own. She was born and raised in Connecticut and is relocating to Florida in April of 2013 with her family.Danielle is a mother of three – Camden (5), Benjamin (4), and Addison(2) and has written for various popular parenting publications such as Disney ownedBabble.com, as well as the Online Woman’s Magazine The Broad Side where she is also the managing editor, and her own website Danielle Elwood Dot Com, which is a parenting based Mom blog. 
Some of her inspirations include: Abbi Glines, Melody Anne, Laura Kaye, Cherrie Lynn, and Colleen Hoover.

Buy Links:  



Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Heroes - First installment

Everybody has heroes, people who save them, help them out (repeatedly) or inspire them to be better people.  I'm going to begin a series of posts about my heroes.  I won't be writing them all consecutively, but I will be letting you guys know, over the course of the next month or so, who I consider my heroes to be.  I'll start out small, with relatively minor heroes, and work my way up to the big mamma jammas later.

Hero #1:  Dan from the computer repair store, and his ridiculously young helper.

Doesn't sound like much, but these guys have talked me down from multiple panic attacks, and fixed my computer so many times, it's not even funny.  They sold me a refurbished laptop a couple of years ago, and since then, I've been in there with everything from viruses, to no internet, to AACK!  Word doesn't work...  Half the time, they don't charge me for repairs, and just fix the stupid thing.

Yesterday, I took in a brand new laptop.  Apparently, my old laptop heard it was being replaced, and decided to dump its operating system so I couldn't transfer my old files to the new one.  Instead of panicking, I took it into the store with a handful of flash drives, and asked if they could either fix it, or get my stuff off of it.  They smiled at me (smiled!  Can you imagine?)  and said no problem, but it would be just as easy to just put it on the new laptop for you.  So I took them my new laptop.  And they're working on it.  With a smile.

It's not their skill that's so impressive to me, although that is pretty impressive.  It's their attitude.  When I walk in the door, they stick their head out of the door that leads to the back and smile reassuringly, every time.  They commiserate with my panic, and tell me it's not a problem to fix.  They have never run their fingers through their hair at me, they've never let out exasperated sighs, they don't tsk me, or shake their head.  Occasionally, I'll get a good-natured chuckle, when I tell them of the latest download I did which installed a nasty virus, but that's about it.

They're my hero, not because they get me out of computer scrapes affordably, but because of their attitude.  They've shown me that a good attitude can go a long way towards fixing a problem, no matter how idiotic.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Double-booked! YAY!


Help me celebrate the end of one series, and the beginning of another.  She is blazing a trail straight to the top of the Amazon charts with her Pride Series.  And in her spare time, she helps me with a lot of stupid stuff, like computer issues and things.  She's a truly beautiful person, inside and out, and it is with great pleasure that I start my week out with a belated stop on her blog tour.  When you're finished with Jill, keep scrolling for a stop on Kimi Flores' blog tour for It All Started with a Lima Bean, and a giveaway link!






Lasting Pride
Roberta Stanton had grown up a thief on the streets of Portland. Breaking into the old building had been easy, and she’d gotten away with it. Or so she thought. It had only cost her the lives of seven close friends. Years later now, Rob finds herself on the other side of the law.

Ric Derby owns the Blue Spot art galleries. Murder and a million dollar theft bring them together. A personal vendetta from a dark figure threatens them both. Retreating to the safety of the small town of Pride, Ric must fight to protect the only person he’s ever truly loved.

Excerpt from Lasting Pride:

An hour later, she walked into his room to wake him and check on him. When she walked in, she was shocked to see his large bed empty. There was a soft light coming from under the bathroom door. The first thing that flashed in her mind was fear that he’d passed out on the bathroom floor. Rushing into the large room, she looked around and she saw him. Lying in the large jacuzzi tub with it’s jets still on and she could see steam rising from the water. His head was rested against a pillowed head rest and his eyes were closed, he looked completely relaxed and wonderfully naked.
Walking over, she took in her fill of him. The man had some great muscles, she could see the bruises running up and down his side that he must have landed on.
He was resting so that his left shoulder and arm were dangling out of the water, keeping his stitches dry. Her eyes ran down his chest and enjoyed the view of his pecks. His stomach was tight and she could just make out a very sexy six pack. His sandy blond hair ran in a light trail, pulling her eyes downwards. Noticing that he was hard all over, she smiled. Then, she moved down to his thighs, which were very muscular and covered with a light coating of blond hair. He was too tall for the bathtub so his feet hung off the ends, resting on the ledge of the tub.
Looking back to his face, she watched his dark eyelashes. How was it, that this man was lucky enough to get very long eyelashes? She was cursed with short thin ones.
His face looked totally relaxed. Walking closer to him, she sat on the edge of the tub.
Damn it Ric, you should know better than to fall asleep in this thing.” When he opened his eyes, she saw him focus, then she noticed the wicked look in his eyes. She tried to pull away, but he was too quick. Before she knew it, she was crushed to his wet body. Her sleeping t-shirt and shorts were soaking wet. Her hair, which had just dried from her own shower, was wet and in her eyes now.
I was just dreaming of you and this,” his mouth was on hers again. This time, the passion was undeniable. He held her head to his with his right hand as she tried to get away. “Mmmm, you taste so good,” he tried to pull her closer. 

Links to Lasting Pride:

Direct:  http://gum.co/oZGkh
Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/176pez8
Amazon UK:  http://amzn.to/18PGYT7
Barnes and Noble:  http://bit.ly/125MnOu
Smashwords:  http://bit.ly/13DvDon
Kobo:  http://bit.ly/15jrOA0
iTunes: http://bit.ly/15rp02C
Trailer:  http://bit.ly/1ar9QTm








Secret Seduction
To Katie life was simple, she wanted; a little house in upper Boston, and four kids, fathered by her best friend, who she’s been infatuated with since she was eight. After a devastating family secret is exposed, all she wants now is to escape the media hype that follows her everywhere she turns. Leaving her family, friends, and Jason behind, she travels to places she’s only read about, to find a father she’s never known.

Jason is on a mission and he’s come half-way around the world to complete it. Despite his feelings for Katie, he won’t let her resistance detour him, even if it means she’ll never trust him again. As their world spirals out of control, their relationship will be tested and changed forever. If he can only keep them alive and out of harms way, he may have a chance to make everything right.

Excerpt from Secret Seduction:

When he’d barged in, she’d jerked her head up, slamming it on the corner of the sharp metal faucet.
“Ouch, damn it, Jason!” She rubbed her head with her fingers, near the spot she’d just hit.
Recovering, he quickly shut the door behind him, locked them in, and walked over to her. He dropped his bag next to hers then took her head in his hands and looked at the small injury.
She was still bent over the sink, her wet hair dripping in her eyes and face. “Here, let me see. Oh, man. You’ve got a small cut here. The faucet must have been sharp.”
“Can’t I just have a few minutes to clean up without having you barge in here acting like you’re a white knight trying to rescue me?” He could see tears of pain in her eyes as she looked up at him. Then again, he thought, maybe they were from the shampoo dripping into her eyes.
“Shh.” He pulled her head back towards the sink. “Here, let me help.” He started splashing water over her soapy head.
She braced her hands on the sink ledge and held on. He could see her shifting her feet to bend over and knew that the position was probably uncomfortable for her.
“There was so much flour in my hair, I just had to clean some of it out,” she said over her shoulder, while trying to look at him.
He turned her head back and placed it over the sink, then he cupped his hands, scooping the water up and gently dumping it over her hair, washing the bubbles from it.
She became very still while holding onto the side of the sink for support, so he continued rinsing her hair until it was clean. When he was done, he bent over and picked up the small hand towel she’d dropped.
He turned her around so she faced the mirror and slowly rubbed her hair dry. He leaned her head down so he could gently part her hair where the small cut was. He noticed the bleeding had stopped thanks to the cold water, but he still made sure it was clean before continuing to dry her hair.  

Links to Secret Seduction:
Barns & Noble http://bit.ly/11vR0Ez
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/13shfgj


Finding Pride:  Jill's Free Novel!













It All Started With A Lima Bean by Kimi Flores


Goodreads link:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16003591-it-all-started-with-a-lima-bean

Synopsis:

A past that haunts can be laid to rest through the act of forgiveness, even if the person you forgive is yourself. It must be gifted freely.

Abby Sullivan cherishes the life she is creating for herself in her hometown of Santa Barbara, California. She adores her best friend and supportive family. Her job as a kindergarten teacher offers her life hope and purpose. She is very talented at many things, especially hiding the pain of her past. That is until her world collides with Caleb Hunter’s, giving them both a lesson in forgiveness and love.

A life changing love is cruelly snatched by sickness and death. A person must be willing to give love, the greatest gift of all, to receive love.

A successful writer, Caleb is living life day-to-day. Giving refuge to his sad and lonely heart since his wife's sudden death from cervical cancer, his primary focus becomes honoring her memory by rearing their five-year-old daughter, Madison. Yet, when Madison Hunter walks into Miss Abby’s kindergarten class, everything changes for all three of them.

With a little nudge from a loving mother-in-law who has everyone’s best interest at heart, anything is possible, especially when forgiveness and love gift even more blessings than ever imaginable.

Author Bio:

Kimi lives in So Ca with her high school sweetheart, prom date, and now husband of over 20 years as well as with her two boys that bring so much joy and laughter to her life. There is never a dull moment in Kimi’s day with these three guys by her side. Her family and she are happily involved in volunteer work with several local non-profit organizations. They believe that everyone needs to do their part and a portion of her sales will always go to charity.
At an early age, Kimi discovered the magical world of imagination. Many stories were written as well as illustrated by her as a child. Not realizing at the time that she had dyslexia, schoolwork became extremely difficult, and her confidence as a reader and writer dwindled. Thanks to a high teacher who took the time to invest in her, Kimi found a love for literary legends such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Washington Irving and Jane Austen. This teacher helped Kimi create one of the happiest school memories she holds. Discovering in college that she had the learning disability was terribly discouraging since help was not readily available and her reading and writing confidence fell once again.
Needing to find a distraction when her husband unexpectedly ended up in the hospital for a week, Kimi explored the indie reading world. Jumping in with everything she had, Kimi pushed herself to read over 150 books last year. During that process, many characters reappeared in her imagination and insisted that their stories be told. Putting all self-doubt and barriers aside, she started writing the outlines and drafts for the four books in her Intertwined Hearts Series as well as bits and pieces of the three books in her next series, Down by the Bay.
Her message to you is similar to that of pop icon, will.i.am’s: ~You can focus on your problems or you can focus on your dreams ~




Friday, August 9, 2013

Writing Steamy Scenes with Kids (in the house...not the scenes, just to be clear)


This one makes me giggle, as my nine-year old is constantly wanting to know about what I'm writing, right now...From Bella Roccaforte

     As usual I arrived at the party late as they were sweeping the last of the confetti off the floor. But Anne was kind enough to let me send in a blog post that speaks to some of the challenges of being a writer and a mom, especially when they are little.
     The thing is there are normal every challenges to being a writer. So many distractions and interruptions and then from time to time our characters aren’t cooperating. Then there are the dreaded “dangling participles” that my editor tells me will be the death of me.
     Now enter the wonderful bundles of joy that we have dedicated our entire lives to. As women we’ve sacrificed our bodies, our sanity, our careers and our hopes of ever having a spotless house. They are the joy and wonder of our lives. I have been blessed five times, my children range in age from four years to nine-teen. Two little kids and three teenagers, the teenagers pretty much ignore me unless they need something. But the little ones they always need something.
     Typically I spend my days with them; playing, teaching, tiring them out. I love every minute of it. But
sometimes when deadlines are breathing down my apron I will occasionally become the worst mom ever and resort to the TV babysitter.
     I found myself in just that situation not too long ago. You see I have one strange writing quirk, it works for me, but I have to write chronologically, I have a hard time writing out of sequence so I just don’t do it. Perhaps as I grow as a writer I’ll be able to but today isn’t that day. 
     I was pushing hard up against a deadline; releasing books in rapid succession can be daunting because
deadlines must be kept. I needed to write at least two scenes by the end of the day for my editor so I was working on a rather steamy scene between Shay and Aiden. Now it’s not that I’m a prude, but I do tend to embarrass easily and for some reason when I’m thinking impure thoughts I feel like it’s written all over my face and everyone can read my mind.
     Needless to say these thoughts were very impure and it can be challenging when sitting alone in a room
to express them, never mind when your five year old (who incidentally reads better than I do) keeps coming to see what I’m doing.
     I had parked myself in a comfy leather chair in the living room and turned on Megamind, a favorite
amongst the littlest of my brood. Writing away, with headphones in my ears to try to drown out the sound of cartoons and laughter of children I was typing away. All three of the teenagers came buzzing through the room at various points and all of them looked at me very suspiciously. Only my daughter Lili dared to ask “Mom what are you doing?”
      My eyes shifted from side to side rapidly, “Um, trying to get some writing done.”  She tilted her little chin down and with a knowing look and hands firmly planted on hips she says, “What are you writing Mom?”
     Well this called the attention of all the other teenagers in the house that were in the kitchen eating me
out of house and home and before I knew it I was fighting off six or so of them who were trying to read my screen.
     Of course I had to be the adult here; I mean I was the oldest one in the room. So I did what any mature
adult-type person would do. I threw a fit. I closed my laptop and wormed my way through the throngs of puberty and stomped out of the room giving my daughter the evil eye, “Lilith, you will watch the babes while I finish this.”
     With that I slammed my office door as though I had been offended. How dare she out me like that! The
red finally went down in my cheeks and I sat giggling at my desk as I finished writing the scene.
     So you see when writers lock themselves in their writing shacks it isn’t always for concentration and
silence. Sometimes it’s just because you need to not have the prying eyes of those that may judge your
dirty thoughts prematurely. I mean it is after all for the sake of the art!



Blurb: 
INK: Fine Lines follows the twisted path of Shay Baynes, an up-and-coming comic book artist. A horrific series of tragedies strike just as she’s finally about to hit it big.

When paranormal investigator McNab uncovers a pattern of disturbing coincidences it becomes clear that this is more than just a bout of bad luck.

Everyone’s in danger including Aiden & Eli who have divided Shay’s heart down the middle since childhood. McNab teams up with them to stop the killing before it’s too late for Shay!
***Warning this book contains adult language and situations.

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy 

Bella Roccaforte Bio:

     Bella’s motto has always been that you can choose to watch life pass you by or your can be the one spinning the world. You have to get out and live, life won’t come to you!  Bella has always seen thing in the world with a different view and has been an avid story-teller. She is enjoying putting her crazy musings into print for others to enjoy.  Writing is just one of her passions. She also loves music, reading, but most of all spending time with her kiddos. She grew up in New England where her brother, sister and many nieces and nephews live. She has lived all over the country. She currently calls Atlanta, GA home. To her, one of the most exciting parts of writing is getting a chance to interact with readers. It is truly her hope that readers will reach out and tell her what they like and even don’t like about her stories. She’s looking forward to a relationship with the readers to better write stories they will love. 

Please feel free to connect with her via Facebook, Twitter, Email or her website!
Social Links:
Bella Roccaforte’s Website: http://bellawrites.com
Bella’s Facebook: http://facebook.com/bellaroccaforte
Bella’s Twitter: http://twitter.com/bellaroccaforte
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/bellaroccaforte/
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1cekNpH
Goodreads:
INK: Fine Lines - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18133206-ink
Bella Roccaforte: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7151265.Bella_Roccaforte

Buy Links: 
INK: Fine Lines Available August 8th.
Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/13eGaUw
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/13eI7jN
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/15pcjs2
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/13R7nwn





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