Art Hosts Wanted
I am looking for a few blog-hosts that would be interested in featuring, spotlighting, interviewing, showcasing an artist. If you are interested please email: authorspromotingauthors@gmail.com with "Art" in the subject heading.
New Book Publicity Packages-20% off all packages until September 1st.
I take each book on an individual basis, I don't necessary believe that one method fits all and I spend a bit of time trying to get to know the author to help build up the marketing plan I would create.
The "packages" I have put together are below but usually, they are tailor made and I have tried my best to keep rates low. I try to fill in the blanks-and that comes from the author- What more do you want to do with your book? Where do you think prior marketing efforts have fallen short?
Please contact for a full price list.
apasuggestions@gmail.com
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Another Story Behind the Book with Jo Ramsey
Today's author on Story behind the Book is Jo Ramsey and she is here to talk about her Young Adult novel Connections.
Where did the idea for this story come from?
In 2005, I became friends with a man who practiced energy healing, channeling, and yoga. We bonded over talking about writing, since he wrote science fiction and nonfiction relating to the metaphysical practices he did and I wrote young adult urban fantasy. As our friendship progressed, he began teaching me some of the skills he had. We also talked a lot about things I'd experienced in my life, which I won't go into except to say there were a lot of negative events. He firmly believed in demons, angels, beings of light, and so forth, so we talked a good bit about those as well. Over time, we talked about things and I saw and experienced things that really didn't seem to have a logical explanation, though they definitely could be explained by metaphysical means.
Those things, plus my negative experiences and my friend's help in finally working through them, formed the framework for Connection and the rest of the Reality Shift series. Although I was in my mid-30s at the time and my friend was in his late 20s, I chose to make the characters teenagers because I hoped that kids might recognize themselves in Shanna's struggles and seek help if they're living in an abusive home, experiencing bullying, and so forth, rather than living with it for decades as I did.
Connection and the rest of the series is in equal parts a story about Shanna and Jonah dealing with demons, malevolent dead spirits, and an entity that might vaporize our Universe; and about Shanna, with Jonah's help and support, dealing with her own personal demons as a victim of physical and emotional abuse at home and bullying at school. The story in Connection continues through what's potentially a ten-book series (book 2 is due out in October 2010, and book 3 in March 2011), and focuses as much on Shanna's personal journey as on the demon-banishing and so forth that she and Jonah do together.
How did your characters come to life?
They pretty much came to me fully formed and alive. Shanna Bailey, the narrator of Connection, is heavily autobiographical, though I've hopefully made her more likeable than I was at age 14 and I mercifully didn't go through as much as Shanna does. As I worked on the first drafts of Connection and the rest of the series, I learned more about Shanna and about myself, and that made it into the books.
Jonah Leighton is based almost entirely on the friend I mentioned, though I did change some aspects of his personality to make him more accessible to readers. I had a better grasp on his character than on Shanna's at first, because I was emotionally a little too close to Shanna and had to give myself some distance. Jonah became a composite of my friend as he was and of the friend/partner I wanted.
Where did the idea for this story come from?
In 2005, I became friends with a man who practiced energy healing, channeling, and yoga. We bonded over talking about writing, since he wrote science fiction and nonfiction relating to the metaphysical practices he did and I wrote young adult urban fantasy. As our friendship progressed, he began teaching me some of the skills he had. We also talked a lot about things I'd experienced in my life, which I won't go into except to say there were a lot of negative events. He firmly believed in demons, angels, beings of light, and so forth, so we talked a good bit about those as well. Over time, we talked about things and I saw and experienced things that really didn't seem to have a logical explanation, though they definitely could be explained by metaphysical means.
Those things, plus my negative experiences and my friend's help in finally working through them, formed the framework for Connection and the rest of the Reality Shift series. Although I was in my mid-30s at the time and my friend was in his late 20s, I chose to make the characters teenagers because I hoped that kids might recognize themselves in Shanna's struggles and seek help if they're living in an abusive home, experiencing bullying, and so forth, rather than living with it for decades as I did.
Connection and the rest of the series is in equal parts a story about Shanna and Jonah dealing with demons, malevolent dead spirits, and an entity that might vaporize our Universe; and about Shanna, with Jonah's help and support, dealing with her own personal demons as a victim of physical and emotional abuse at home and bullying at school. The story in Connection continues through what's potentially a ten-book series (book 2 is due out in October 2010, and book 3 in March 2011), and focuses as much on Shanna's personal journey as on the demon-banishing and so forth that she and Jonah do together.
How did your characters come to life?
They pretty much came to me fully formed and alive. Shanna Bailey, the narrator of Connection, is heavily autobiographical, though I've hopefully made her more likeable than I was at age 14 and I mercifully didn't go through as much as Shanna does. As I worked on the first drafts of Connection and the rest of the series, I learned more about Shanna and about myself, and that made it into the books.
Jonah Leighton is based almost entirely on the friend I mentioned, though I did change some aspects of his personality to make him more accessible to readers. I had a better grasp on his character than on Shanna's at first, because I was emotionally a little too close to Shanna and had to give myself some distance. Jonah became a composite of my friend as he was and of the friend/partner I wanted.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Thoughtful Thursday: Call for Donations To Help Luciana
Please Repost And Share It!
From Author Michelle M. Birkenstock:
The event is for a 2 and a half year old little girl named Luciana Nicolosi. She was born with a rare, and sometimes fatal heart condition called Critical Pulmonary Arterial Branch Stenosis. In short, many of the vessels carrying the oxygen rich blood away from the heart are closed. Options to keep her alive are two: a series of 5 surgeries to open the vessels, or a heart and lung transplant. She has completed the first surgery and is about to have the second one at the end of October. The procedure is risky and relatively new, limiting viable doctors and facilities that can perform it. the family travels from the Hudson Valley to the children's Hospital in Boston, outside of the family's insurance network. Between uncovered portions of the surgeries and after-care, with the family's travel, lodging and meals, money falls short.
On October 15, 2010, I am chairing a fundraiser for the family at AS&G Inflatables and Indoor Playground, Route 32, Newburgh, NY. The owner, Alex, has been remarkably generous with her facility and connections, in order to benefit this child. We are looking to enhance the Family Fun Event with vendors, prizes, a local clown superstar, dresses character appearances and more. This morning, I posted a request to Author Friends on Facebook. I am asking that any authors willing, send along autographed books or merchandise for us to use as raffle prizes. Any children's author, in particular, who is local to the Mid Hudson Valley Region are welcomed to contact me for a "Story Time" with them at the Event!
Anything that can be offered is greatly appreciated!
For more information, I can be reached via:
Email at authoredbymichelle@verizon.net or
Facebook page at HARRY THE CATERPILLAR
Donations can be mailed to:
Michelle M. Birkenstock
PO Box 144
Marlboro, NY 12542
To Learn More About Luciana Nicolosi please see: http://www.examiner.com/family-in-new-york/families-unite-for-luciana-s-cause-orange-county
From Author Michelle M. Birkenstock:
Family Fun Event-Request for Donations
The event is for a 2 and a half year old little girl named Luciana Nicolosi. She was born with a rare, and sometimes fatal heart condition called Critical Pulmonary Arterial Branch Stenosis. In short, many of the vessels carrying the oxygen rich blood away from the heart are closed. Options to keep her alive are two: a series of 5 surgeries to open the vessels, or a heart and lung transplant. She has completed the first surgery and is about to have the second one at the end of October. The procedure is risky and relatively new, limiting viable doctors and facilities that can perform it. the family travels from the Hudson Valley to the children's Hospital in Boston, outside of the family's insurance network. Between uncovered portions of the surgeries and after-care, with the family's travel, lodging and meals, money falls short.
On October 15, 2010, I am chairing a fundraiser for the family at AS&G Inflatables and Indoor Playground, Route 32, Newburgh, NY. The owner, Alex, has been remarkably generous with her facility and connections, in order to benefit this child. We are looking to enhance the Family Fun Event with vendors, prizes, a local clown superstar, dresses character appearances and more. This morning, I posted a request to Author Friends on Facebook. I am asking that any authors willing, send along autographed books or merchandise for us to use as raffle prizes. Any children's author, in particular, who is local to the Mid Hudson Valley Region are welcomed to contact me for a "Story Time" with them at the Event!
Anything that can be offered is greatly appreciated!
For more information, I can be reached via:
Email at authoredbymichelle@verizon.net or
Facebook page at HARRY THE CATERPILLAR
Donations can be mailed to:
Michelle M. Birkenstock
PO Box 144
Marlboro, NY 12542
To Learn More About Luciana Nicolosi please see: http://www.examiner.com/family-in-new-york/families-unite-for-luciana-s-cause-orange-county
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Sarah Ballance Contest Winner is....
Carlene Rae Dater
Congratulations Carlene!! Sarah will be in touch with you with your prize.
Thank you to everyone who came out and posted to Sarah's Story Behind the Book.
Shiela Stewart
http://www.shielasbooks.ca/
Congratulations Carlene!! Sarah will be in touch with you with your prize.
Thank you to everyone who came out and posted to Sarah's Story Behind the Book.
Shiela Stewart
http://www.shielasbooks.ca/
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Another Story Behind the Book with Sarah Ballance
It's me again, Shiela Stewart, bringing you another Story Behind the Book. Today's guest author is Sarah Ballance and you are going to love her explanation of her novel, Down in Flames. It's not often you hear an author say their work stinks. Honesty is so nice.
She is also holding a contest. The information is at the end of the post.
I give you now, Sarah Ballance.
Down in Flames:
Buy link: https://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?i=136
My links: http://sarahballance.com/ , http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/
BLURB:
When Jack Gellar returns to Jefferson Heights after five long years and an unforgettable betrayal, is his appearance the last thing Molly Coleman needs in her tragedy-stricken life . . . or the first?
Molly just lost her entire family, and now her home and business are both on the line. An unexpected encounter with the one man who can put the pieces back together leaves her reeling, for he can just as easily destroy what little she has left. Jack has a lot to prove to win her back, but when a lapse in judgment turns into an ultimatum he can’t refuse, will his choice bring them together or tear them apart for good?
Where did the idea for this story come from?
The original plot for Down in Flames came out of thin air and it stunk! The conflict was weak and would have had most readers rolling their eyes and yelling "get over it!" The turning point came when my crit partner noticed a detail – a photo on a desk – and commented about the trouble that individual in the photo could cause. Well, she was right, and the story bloomed from there. And I mean took off.
A lot of the details come from real life, with many of them taking me back to my own childhood. There's a strong sense of family in this story – of standing up for the people you believe in and having faith even when it hurts – and that's important to me. These characters grew up together so there's a strong foundation, and even after so much goes wrong (boy does it ever!) they're still fighting to be together. That's very real and, at times, very raw.
As for the conflict, trust is something many folks have wondered or worried about at some point in a relationship. Almost anyone can sympathize with Molly after what happens, but this story is unique in that most readers will also be able to sympathize with Jack, and that's saying something! His mistake really does come down to an error in judgment, but that little vixen in the photo sees to it that it's one he won't soon forget.
How did your characters come to life?
In many ways, they are me. I've never experienced the kind of betrayal they struggle with, but I believe we've all been there to some degree, trying to put the past in the past so we can move on with the future. Sometimes we find the tiniest faults in people or situations and we hold on to them, not even sure why, and those feelings can erode at a good thing before we even realize it. These characters almost face the opposite - a big, potentially explosive scandal which threatens to take away that foundation they share - and there's no sidestepping here. They either move past it or they don't, and one of the most powerful pieces of this story to me is that Molly never does learn the whole truth. Jack can't give it to her. But even with the unanswered question – and it's a big one - she is able to put her doubts behind her as she realizes the future matters far more than a past they can't change. I don't know if I have that strength inside of me, but it's something I deeply admire in my character. And, frankly, I like the way she redefines "forgive and forget" by exacting a little bit of revenge on him in the final scene. If you don't like the shmaltzy ending of a typical romance, you'll love the last word of Down in Flames!
Could you forgive someone without knowing the whole truth? Leave a comment with your answer and you'll be automatically entered to win a $10 e-gift card to Amazon.com! A winner will be chosen Tuesday, August 22nd, so be sure to check back here for the lucky name. The winner MUST provide an e-mail address to receive the prize.
She is also holding a contest. The information is at the end of the post.
I give you now, Sarah Ballance.
Down in Flames:
Buy link: https://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?i=136
My links: http://sarahballance.com/ , http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/
BLURB:
When Jack Gellar returns to Jefferson Heights after five long years and an unforgettable betrayal, is his appearance the last thing Molly Coleman needs in her tragedy-stricken life . . . or the first?
Molly just lost her entire family, and now her home and business are both on the line. An unexpected encounter with the one man who can put the pieces back together leaves her reeling, for he can just as easily destroy what little she has left. Jack has a lot to prove to win her back, but when a lapse in judgment turns into an ultimatum he can’t refuse, will his choice bring them together or tear them apart for good?
Where did the idea for this story come from?
The original plot for Down in Flames came out of thin air and it stunk! The conflict was weak and would have had most readers rolling their eyes and yelling "get over it!" The turning point came when my crit partner noticed a detail – a photo on a desk – and commented about the trouble that individual in the photo could cause. Well, she was right, and the story bloomed from there. And I mean took off.
A lot of the details come from real life, with many of them taking me back to my own childhood. There's a strong sense of family in this story – of standing up for the people you believe in and having faith even when it hurts – and that's important to me. These characters grew up together so there's a strong foundation, and even after so much goes wrong (boy does it ever!) they're still fighting to be together. That's very real and, at times, very raw.
As for the conflict, trust is something many folks have wondered or worried about at some point in a relationship. Almost anyone can sympathize with Molly after what happens, but this story is unique in that most readers will also be able to sympathize with Jack, and that's saying something! His mistake really does come down to an error in judgment, but that little vixen in the photo sees to it that it's one he won't soon forget.
How did your characters come to life?
In many ways, they are me. I've never experienced the kind of betrayal they struggle with, but I believe we've all been there to some degree, trying to put the past in the past so we can move on with the future. Sometimes we find the tiniest faults in people or situations and we hold on to them, not even sure why, and those feelings can erode at a good thing before we even realize it. These characters almost face the opposite - a big, potentially explosive scandal which threatens to take away that foundation they share - and there's no sidestepping here. They either move past it or they don't, and one of the most powerful pieces of this story to me is that Molly never does learn the whole truth. Jack can't give it to her. But even with the unanswered question – and it's a big one - she is able to put her doubts behind her as she realizes the future matters far more than a past they can't change. I don't know if I have that strength inside of me, but it's something I deeply admire in my character. And, frankly, I like the way she redefines "forgive and forget" by exacting a little bit of revenge on him in the final scene. If you don't like the shmaltzy ending of a typical romance, you'll love the last word of Down in Flames!
Could you forgive someone without knowing the whole truth? Leave a comment with your answer and you'll be automatically entered to win a $10 e-gift card to Amazon.com! A winner will be chosen Tuesday, August 22nd, so be sure to check back here for the lucky name. The winner MUST provide an e-mail address to receive the prize.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Thrillin Thursday: Author Interview with Kelley Kremer by Amy Lance, WondrousWomenWorldwide.com
LIFE SHOULD FEEL GOOD: Create Your Reality by Kelley Kremer
Everyone wants to be happy, so why is it only a few people claim to be while most would not self identify themselves as truly happy? This is exactly the question Kelley Kremer, Author of Life Should Feel Good: Create Your Reality, set out to answer for herself and her readers.
Kelley shares openly how her entire life she always achieved what she set out to. She knew she was “living the life,” but continued to ask herself if I have all that I have dreamt of and obtained it all through hard work then why am I so unhappy? She knew the answer was deep inside, but turned to researching happiness to hopefully find some critical answers. What she found she always knew, but she too, needed to be reminded that happiness “has nothing to do with the external and only the internal.”
Through her research and pursuit of her own personal happiness she felt what she found was so powerful she was compelled to share the message. Everyone can be and deserves to be happy and it became a mission of hers to help those that want to be happy find they have the ability to do so if they desire. Readers can use her book as a personal guide to creating a life that feels good!
Her first advice is in changing our word choices. Everything can be positive or negative it is simply how you choose to frame each experience. She told me every morning without fail in her home one of her four children spills their cereal. Of course, the morning is when we don’t have 1 extra minute let alone time to clean up a spill. She figures she has a choice for how to handle and deal with the accident and based on her choice will impact the outcome of her day. Some people would let something like this ruin their entire day and that is an option, just not the one I want to live by. “We all have things that happen, good and bad, the difference is having the strategies to cope with it and get through it.”
Kelley recognizes that we have been programmed to always focus on the negative and instead we should try to always be focusing on the positive and what is good. It is Kelley’s personal crusade “to re-program the world to look at the positive!”
Life Should Feel Good: Create Your Reality, can be used as your individual guide to help you learn coping skills for dealing with any and all of life’s challenges. Her book is easy to read and provides realistic examples, while asking the right questions to make you really think about your skill set and how to improve it. Being a teacher at heart, Kelly uses straightforward questioning to help her readers internalize the information she is sharing. By doing so this will help the readers to remember and use the tools she is teaching.
For those of you that want to find true happiness that starts from within; start your quest by reading Kelley’s book. The realistic, down to earth, and straightforward approaches is enjoyable to read and insightful for creating a life that feels good!
Kelley Kremer lives in Chico, California with her husband and 4 gorgeous children! Get Kelley's book, Life Should Feel Good:Create Your Reality by visiting her website
Everyone wants to be happy, so why is it only a few people claim to be while most would not self identify themselves as truly happy? This is exactly the question Kelley Kremer, Author of Life Should Feel Good: Create Your Reality, set out to answer for herself and her readers.
Kelley shares openly how her entire life she always achieved what she set out to. She knew she was “living the life,” but continued to ask herself if I have all that I have dreamt of and obtained it all through hard work then why am I so unhappy? She knew the answer was deep inside, but turned to researching happiness to hopefully find some critical answers. What she found she always knew, but she too, needed to be reminded that happiness “has nothing to do with the external and only the internal.”
Through her research and pursuit of her own personal happiness she felt what she found was so powerful she was compelled to share the message. Everyone can be and deserves to be happy and it became a mission of hers to help those that want to be happy find they have the ability to do so if they desire. Readers can use her book as a personal guide to creating a life that feels good!
Her first advice is in changing our word choices. Everything can be positive or negative it is simply how you choose to frame each experience. She told me every morning without fail in her home one of her four children spills their cereal. Of course, the morning is when we don’t have 1 extra minute let alone time to clean up a spill. She figures she has a choice for how to handle and deal with the accident and based on her choice will impact the outcome of her day. Some people would let something like this ruin their entire day and that is an option, just not the one I want to live by. “We all have things that happen, good and bad, the difference is having the strategies to cope with it and get through it.”
Kelley recognizes that we have been programmed to always focus on the negative and instead we should try to always be focusing on the positive and what is good. It is Kelley’s personal crusade “to re-program the world to look at the positive!”
Life Should Feel Good: Create Your Reality, can be used as your individual guide to help you learn coping skills for dealing with any and all of life’s challenges. Her book is easy to read and provides realistic examples, while asking the right questions to make you really think about your skill set and how to improve it. Being a teacher at heart, Kelly uses straightforward questioning to help her readers internalize the information she is sharing. By doing so this will help the readers to remember and use the tools she is teaching.
For those of you that want to find true happiness that starts from within; start your quest by reading Kelley’s book. The realistic, down to earth, and straightforward approaches is enjoyable to read and insightful for creating a life that feels good!
Kelley Kremer lives in Chico, California with her husband and 4 gorgeous children! Get Kelley's book, Life Should Feel Good:Create Your Reality by visiting her websiteWednesday, August 18, 2010
Book Feature: The Diary of the Secret Wife, T. Nicole
People always say that journaling is good for the soul...those people don't know Sheree. She knew the deal when she married Matt. She was suppose to be the silent wife, but when that silence made her invisible, it was a problem. Her invisibility allowed Kelly to be the woman in the eye of Matt's friends, family, and colleagues. Matt was the kind of professional that had to keep a perfect image; an image that didn't include a black wife and mixed breed baby. Trying to deal with Matt, Kelly, and the fact that she can never be seen, was proving to be to much for her. To add insult to injury, their baby is stuck not knowing his fathers side of the family; he is the biggest secret of all.
All the while she continues to be the perfect wife and mother. The rage inside and builds until she can't hold it anymore. There is a plan brewing and her diary is the only one that knows...
To Learn More Please Visit:
http://www.tnicoleonline.com/aboutme.htm
http://www.tnicoleonline.com/aboutme.htm
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Another Story Behind the Book with Brannan Black
Today's guest author is Brannan Black, talking about her book, Soul Bound, and I must say, her intro made me chuckle.
When I read her Story Behind the Book I thought to myself, "Thank God I'm not the only author who dreams her stories." I found her explanation very entertaining and I know you will as well. I give you now, Branna Black and her Story behind the Book.
Soul Bound
by Brannan Black
When I read her Story Behind the Book I thought to myself, "Thank God I'm not the only author who dreams her stories." I found her explanation very entertaining and I know you will as well. I give you now, Branna Black and her Story behind the Book.
Soul Bound
by Brannan Black
Where did the idea for this story come from?
Soul Bound, A werewolf, a vampire and an ancient immortal walk into a bar... Ok, bad pun. But it is about a sexy Nordic werewolf, a hot, dark and delicious vampire and an ancient immortal whose been imprisoned for several centuries. And they meet in a tavern.
Like most of my stories, this one started as a dream. For as long as I can remember, I've always had action/adventure type dreams. In this case, the dream involved my main characters but not this plot. I got to thinking about how such different paranormals got together. As these characters interacted in my mind, I decided to start at the beginning of their story. How did they meet? Why did they get together? I've always been fascinated by the person out of time concept and it just seemed a natural for my ancient immortal. So that's where they start, with her escaping from a long imprisonment and wandering around the city in total confusion. The guys run into her by accident but can't resist the urge to get involved. I guess that just flowed from who they are. As for the setting, I used areas I am familiar with with out getting too specific.
In the future, I'll explore the plot of the dream that started it all. Sorry, no hints other than to say they are mercenaries who specialize in retrieving lost things, and people...
How did your characters come to life?
My characters often start in my dreams then grow in daydreams. I guess they kick around in my head for a while until a story starts to form. In this case, I had the heroine pretty set already so I just had to work out my guys.
The heroine, Raven, is a character I've played with in one form or another for a long time. She's an immortal warrior used to going it alone. She counts her years in millennia rather than decades. In the past she's been more than a little violent but with age comes some wisdom. And unlike most of her kind, she has a soft spot for mortals.
My heroes are partners in business, mercenaries of a sort, or maybe PI's with teeth. They also partner in the bedroom. I love the dynamic behind these two very different hunks.
Tall, dark and handsome Ilario has a bright outlook, always on the verge of making a joke or laughing at life. I've spent a lot of time thinking about my version of vampires. Ilario is several hundred years old, about average for a vamp. Because drinking blood is such a sensual and sexual event, most vampires are bisexual. Ilario gets to be different, he prefers men. Not that he'd turn down a good bite. He finds his attraction to Raven surprising.
Wulf manages a bit of brooding despite his blond, blued eyed looks. He's also more volatile emotionally. Unlike a lot of werewolves, Wulf is not overbearing, well, most of the time. In the beginning, she thinks he's shy because he won't hold eye contact. Once she realizes he's a werewolf, it makes sense. In real wolves and dogs, staring is a threat. I wanted to bring that aspect into my werewolves. Wolves in general are shy around people, very touchy feely with their pack and fiercely loyal. Except when there's a squabble over pack leadership.
Published by Changeling Press, https://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1425
Author website: http://www.epicromances.com/
Author blog: http://brannansfantasies.blogspot.com/
Author email: brannanblack@epicromances.com
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Thoughtful Thursday: Stars! Stars! Stars!
This isn't the first Thoughtful Thursday I have posted on stars. It is one of my favourite themes after all and one file that is the fullest of relating quotations.
What is it about stars? Stars in the night sky, stars in our cultural, stars used as symbols in many religions and traditions.
Seshat's Star captivates me with the myriad of Kabbalistic meanings.
The star as a symbol of Islam, the Star of David, the Kore, the Pentagram/Pentacle.
Stars.
In the new age, we have the "star children"
So what is it about stars that fascinates us so?
That resonates with billions of people?
Seshat's Star captivates me with the myriad of Kabbalistic meanings.
The star as a symbol of Islam, the Star of David, the Kore, the Pentagram/Pentacle.
Stars.
In the new age, we have the "star children"
So what is it about stars that fascinates us so?
That resonates with billions of people?
In honour of the metorshower tonight, I thought it was fitting to bring out another Thoughtful Thursday on stars.
Happy Thursday! May all obstacles be removed from your way. 
Images by Christopher Chamberlain, used with permission.
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
Oscar Wilde
I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.
Og Mandino
It is the stars, The stars above us, govern our conditions
William Shakespeare
And force them, though it was in spite
Of Nature and their stars, to write.
Samuel Butler
Of Nature and their stars, to write.
Samuel Butler
Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Full verse)
For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
The sky was clear -- remarkably clear -- and the twinkling of all the stars seemed to be but throbs of one body, timed by a common pulse.
Thomas Hardy
It may be glorious to write
Thoughts that shall glad the two or three
High souls, like those far stars that come in sight
Once in a century.
James Russell Lowell
Thoughts that shall glad the two or three
High souls, like those far stars that come in sight
Once in a century.
James Russell Lowell
Monday, August 9, 2010
Another Story Behind the Book with Janice Seagraves
Janice has done such a wonferful job introducing herself that I need not do so. But I do want to say that you won't be dissapointed by this weeks Story behind the Book. Janice not only shares a inside look at the creation of Windsept Shores but she shares a character interview as well.
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How did I come up with my characters?
Hmm, well, they just sort of came to me.
I already had the heroine, Megan’s personality down. I’m a California girl so she is one too. Except she’s from Anaheim, where I’m from Madera. I had her fingered out before I even started writing. Forty-two suffering from the after effects of a bad marriage and not easy to trust in a new man, but very self-sufficient. Even though she had been a housewife most of her married life, Megan had taken classes that helped her to figure out how to survive on the island.
The hero Seth was a little harder. I knew I wanted him to be almost a polar opposite to the heroine. But warm, caring, and fun. What better than a handsome Aussie surfer? Once I got his accent down his personality popped.
“Say hello to the nice people, Megan, Seth,” I said turning to my living room where Seth sat on my tan couch alongside Megan, who was working on something.
“G’day,” Seth says with a thick Aussie accent. He’s six foot, one. His arm and chest muscles strain against his t-shirt as he shifts position on the seat cushions.
As Megan looks up, light bounces off her bright red hair. “Oh, have we started already?”
“Yes we have. What are you making there?” I point to the wicker held tightly in her hands, as she carefully weaves a reed through.
“I’m making you a basket.”
“You are?”
“Yes, I noticed you have quite a collection on your coffee table. I thought I make you something to hold it all.” Megan’s sea green eyes are bright with amusement.
I glanced at my messy coffee table with its assorted junk, feeling my cheeks heat. “Yeah, maybe I should have cleaned up a bit more before I had you two come over.”
“Aw Jan, don’t mind Megz. She would have made ya a basket anyway. She’s just got to keep her hands busy.”
“True,” Megan admitted, pulling another loop through.
“Oh, um, thank you.” I glance at Megan then back to Seth. “So tell us how you both ended up on the island.”
“I reckon Megz, should go first.” Seth nodded toward the woman next to him. “She got there before I did, after all.”
Megan looks up from her basketry. “Well, where shall I start?”
“At the beginning?”
“No.” She chuckled. “That would take too long.” Megan looks off for a moment her gaze haunted. “The plane I and my husband were on had flown into a storm. Saint Elmo’s fire danced along the plane’s wings and set the motors on fire. The plane went down. We crashed into the ocean.” Glancing at the unfinished basket in her hand, she paused a moment, blinking rapidly. “I’m the only one who made it out.”
“Then what happened?” I asked gently.
“I spent three days and two nights on a raft going up then down like a giant elevator.” She sighed. “Long-long days and nights passed with no food and barely any drinking water, except what I could capture in a mouthwash bottle from the rain. Finally I drifted ashore on a little island. I used the raft at night like a bed and then for shelter when it rained. One day I woke up and it was flat. But by then I had started picking up the luggage that came in on the surf, finding things to make my life more tolerable. I also took on the heartrending job of burying my fellow passenger when they washed up from the plane wreck.” She smiled at the man beside her. “That’s where I first meet Seth. I thought he was another dead body, until he coughed and rolled over.”
Seth chuckled. “Her scream woke me up.”
“How did you get there?”
Seth leaned forward, elbows on knees, his dove gray eyes clouding over. “Oy, me mate Bill and I were on his boat, the Dinki-Di, during a big squall that’s when she hit a reef. I got thrown overboard and had to tread water until dawn. When I could see, I lit out fer shore.”
“It was a big storm,” Megan added. “A lot of stuff got washed ashore the next day.”
Seth hooked a thumb pointing at his big chest. “Including yours truly.”
“He’s lucky he passed out after he got to the beach. Any sooner and well . . .” she trailed off with a shrug.
Seth’s glance went to hers. “When I first lit eyes on Megz, I knew I wanted her.”
Megan ducks her head, but I can see a smile.
“Maybe now would be a good time to tell about your book?”
“Orright.” Seth grinned until his cheeks dimpled. “This time of the year most folks want to go on holiday, so they can have a bit of fun in the sun.”
Megan added, “Unfortunately that’s what Megan thought too.”
Blurb: The sole survivor of a plane crash, Megan is alone on a deserted island in the Bahamas until she finds a nearly-drowned man washed up on shore. Another survivor, this time from a boat wreck. With only meager survival skills between them, will they survive and can they find love?
Breathing hard, she flicked a glance at the teal-colored sea. She'd thought a vacation to the Bahamas would be the perfect getaway, would be a solution to the problems she and Jonathan had faced. She'd been wrong—dead wrong. Tears of grief filled her eyes. The never-ending crash of the waves on the beach and the cries of the seagulls seemed to mock her with the reminder she was utterly alone.
She'd felt like a tiny speck of sand last night when a violent storm had swept across the island. It had made a mess of her meager campsite, which had taken all morning to fix, and had demolished her seaweed SOS sign. She'll have to recreate her SOS. Sighing, Megan trudged toward a pile of kelp. As she got closer, she saw a figure wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt. Her stomach lurched.
Oh, God, it’s another body washed up from the plane wreck. That would be number twelve. As always, she couldn't help but wonder if the next one would be Jonathan. He hadn’t been wearing jeans on the plane, so she knew she’d been spared seeing his corpse this time. Thank God. She approached the body with dread. Tightening her resolve, she knelt. Suddenly the "dead body" coughed and rolled over. With a scream, Megan jumped back. She clutched her chest and pressed a shaking hand to her mouth.
He’s alive!
Biting her lip, she stared down at the still-breathing man. His drenched t-shirt molded against his broad shoulders and well developed upper body. Short, golden brown hair stuck out in all directions.
Megan, get control of yourself. Don’t wet your pants the first time you finally see a living person. She got on her knees, plucked the seaweed from him and wiped the sand from his face. His day-old whiskers scratched her palm. Reddened skin stretched across both cheekbones and over the bridge of his nose. Her thumb caressed his parched full bottom lip.
She patted the side of his face. “Hey, are you okay?” That’s a dumb question. He isn’t okay.
“Hmm?” Gray eyes fluttered open. He stared at her a long moment, frowning slightly. “G’day.”
“Hello there.” She hated the sound of her voice. It sounded rusty, unused.
Abruptly he rolled away from her to heave onto the sand, making a loud, ugly retching noise.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then looked at her. “Sorry, mate, I swallowed too much sea.” His gaze went over her shoulder in the direction of the bonfire which crackled and popped not far from them. “Mite big for a barbie.”
Sitting back on her heels with her hands folded in her lap, Megan followed his gaze, then back to him. “My signal fire.”
“Signal for what?”
“Help.”
His accent intrigued her. Was he English or Australian?
“G’darn,” he looked around, “where the bloody hell am I?”
“Don’t know. There’s no one here to ask.” Megan shrugged helplessly, but couldn’t contain her curiosity. “Are you from England?”
“Naw,” he rubbed his eyes, “I hail from Sydney, but my port of call these days is Fort Lauderdale.” He blinked up at her. “You?”
Ah, he’s an Aussie. “I’m Megan Lorry, from Anaheim, California,” she said, barely loud enough to be heard above the sounds of the surf and the roar from the fire. “Are you a survivor of Air Bahamas flight 227, too?”
My website is: http://janiceseagraves.org/
My main blog is: http://ladyjanice.blogspot.com/
Find Windswept Shores at: http://pinkpetalbooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=66
Hello everyone. My name is Janice Seagraves. I’m the author of Windswept Shores. I’d like to thank Shiela for inviting me to join you today. Thanks Shiela.
How did you come up with the book idea?
I always had a fascination with people stuck on a deserted island, using only their wits to survive.
As a child I was hooked on Gilligan’s island, later in Jr. High I read Robinson Caruso, when I was older I watched the Survivor Shows but only liked the ones where they were on an island. Then I saw the movie Castaway, and more recently the series Lost. But I only really liked the first year.
So I had the idea of a couple struggling to survive on a deserted island, but it would also be a wonderful back drop for a romance.
But then I had to decide where the island was . . .
After countless google searches and looking at maps, I finally decided on the Bahamas. It’s another country but close to the U.S. just sixty miles off the Florida coast with it three hundred odd island and cays, with only eighty of which are inhabited, so I decided would be an easy place to get lost in.
With the wild weather they sometimes have there it, the island and the weather itself became almost a secondary character.
Actually the title of my book comes from my musing about the weather: they must have some awful windswept shores over there.
Windswept Shores? Hmm, I like that.
As a child I was hooked on Gilligan’s island, later in Jr. High I read Robinson Caruso, when I was older I watched the Survivor Shows but only liked the ones where they were on an island. Then I saw the movie Castaway, and more recently the series Lost. But I only really liked the first year.
So I had the idea of a couple struggling to survive on a deserted island, but it would also be a wonderful back drop for a romance.
But then I had to decide where the island was . . .
After countless google searches and looking at maps, I finally decided on the Bahamas. It’s another country but close to the U.S. just sixty miles off the Florida coast with it three hundred odd island and cays, with only eighty of which are inhabited, so I decided would be an easy place to get lost in.
With the wild weather they sometimes have there it, the island and the weather itself became almost a secondary character.
Actually the title of my book comes from my musing about the weather: they must have some awful windswept shores over there.
Windswept Shores? Hmm, I like that.
How did I come up with my characters?
Hmm, well, they just sort of came to me.
I already had the heroine, Megan’s personality down. I’m a California girl so she is one too. Except she’s from Anaheim, where I’m from Madera. I had her fingered out before I even started writing. Forty-two suffering from the after effects of a bad marriage and not easy to trust in a new man, but very self-sufficient. Even though she had been a housewife most of her married life, Megan had taken classes that helped her to figure out how to survive on the island.
The hero Seth was a little harder. I knew I wanted him to be almost a polar opposite to the heroine. But warm, caring, and fun. What better than a handsome Aussie surfer? Once I got his accent down his personality popped.
“Say hello to the nice people, Megan, Seth,” I said turning to my living room where Seth sat on my tan couch alongside Megan, who was working on something.
“G’day,” Seth says with a thick Aussie accent. He’s six foot, one. His arm and chest muscles strain against his t-shirt as he shifts position on the seat cushions.
As Megan looks up, light bounces off her bright red hair. “Oh, have we started already?”
“Yes we have. What are you making there?” I point to the wicker held tightly in her hands, as she carefully weaves a reed through.
“I’m making you a basket.”
“You are?”
“Yes, I noticed you have quite a collection on your coffee table. I thought I make you something to hold it all.” Megan’s sea green eyes are bright with amusement.
I glanced at my messy coffee table with its assorted junk, feeling my cheeks heat. “Yeah, maybe I should have cleaned up a bit more before I had you two come over.”
“Aw Jan, don’t mind Megz. She would have made ya a basket anyway. She’s just got to keep her hands busy.”
“True,” Megan admitted, pulling another loop through.
“Oh, um, thank you.” I glance at Megan then back to Seth. “So tell us how you both ended up on the island.”
“I reckon Megz, should go first.” Seth nodded toward the woman next to him. “She got there before I did, after all.”
Megan looks up from her basketry. “Well, where shall I start?”
“At the beginning?”
“No.” She chuckled. “That would take too long.” Megan looks off for a moment her gaze haunted. “The plane I and my husband were on had flown into a storm. Saint Elmo’s fire danced along the plane’s wings and set the motors on fire. The plane went down. We crashed into the ocean.” Glancing at the unfinished basket in her hand, she paused a moment, blinking rapidly. “I’m the only one who made it out.”
“Then what happened?” I asked gently.
“I spent three days and two nights on a raft going up then down like a giant elevator.” She sighed. “Long-long days and nights passed with no food and barely any drinking water, except what I could capture in a mouthwash bottle from the rain. Finally I drifted ashore on a little island. I used the raft at night like a bed and then for shelter when it rained. One day I woke up and it was flat. But by then I had started picking up the luggage that came in on the surf, finding things to make my life more tolerable. I also took on the heartrending job of burying my fellow passenger when they washed up from the plane wreck.” She smiled at the man beside her. “That’s where I first meet Seth. I thought he was another dead body, until he coughed and rolled over.”
Seth chuckled. “Her scream woke me up.”
“How did you get there?”
Seth leaned forward, elbows on knees, his dove gray eyes clouding over. “Oy, me mate Bill and I were on his boat, the Dinki-Di, during a big squall that’s when she hit a reef. I got thrown overboard and had to tread water until dawn. When I could see, I lit out fer shore.”
“It was a big storm,” Megan added. “A lot of stuff got washed ashore the next day.”
Seth hooked a thumb pointing at his big chest. “Including yours truly.”
“He’s lucky he passed out after he got to the beach. Any sooner and well . . .” she trailed off with a shrug.
Seth’s glance went to hers. “When I first lit eyes on Megz, I knew I wanted her.”
Megan ducks her head, but I can see a smile.
“Maybe now would be a good time to tell about your book?”
“Orright.” Seth grinned until his cheeks dimpled. “This time of the year most folks want to go on holiday, so they can have a bit of fun in the sun.”
Megan added, “Unfortunately that’s what Megan thought too.”
Blurb: The sole survivor of a plane crash, Megan is alone on a deserted island in the Bahamas until she finds a nearly-drowned man washed up on shore. Another survivor, this time from a boat wreck. With only meager survival skills between them, will they survive and can they find love?
EXCERPT:
Breathing hard, she flicked a glance at the teal-colored sea. She'd thought a vacation to the Bahamas would be the perfect getaway, would be a solution to the problems she and Jonathan had faced. She'd been wrong—dead wrong. Tears of grief filled her eyes. The never-ending crash of the waves on the beach and the cries of the seagulls seemed to mock her with the reminder she was utterly alone.
She'd felt like a tiny speck of sand last night when a violent storm had swept across the island. It had made a mess of her meager campsite, which had taken all morning to fix, and had demolished her seaweed SOS sign. She'll have to recreate her SOS. Sighing, Megan trudged toward a pile of kelp. As she got closer, she saw a figure wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt. Her stomach lurched.
Oh, God, it’s another body washed up from the plane wreck. That would be number twelve. As always, she couldn't help but wonder if the next one would be Jonathan. He hadn’t been wearing jeans on the plane, so she knew she’d been spared seeing his corpse this time. Thank God. She approached the body with dread. Tightening her resolve, she knelt. Suddenly the "dead body" coughed and rolled over. With a scream, Megan jumped back. She clutched her chest and pressed a shaking hand to her mouth.
He’s alive!
Biting her lip, she stared down at the still-breathing man. His drenched t-shirt molded against his broad shoulders and well developed upper body. Short, golden brown hair stuck out in all directions.
Megan, get control of yourself. Don’t wet your pants the first time you finally see a living person. She got on her knees, plucked the seaweed from him and wiped the sand from his face. His day-old whiskers scratched her palm. Reddened skin stretched across both cheekbones and over the bridge of his nose. Her thumb caressed his parched full bottom lip.
She patted the side of his face. “Hey, are you okay?” That’s a dumb question. He isn’t okay.
“Hmm?” Gray eyes fluttered open. He stared at her a long moment, frowning slightly. “G’day.”
“Hello there.” She hated the sound of her voice. It sounded rusty, unused.
Abruptly he rolled away from her to heave onto the sand, making a loud, ugly retching noise.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then looked at her. “Sorry, mate, I swallowed too much sea.” His gaze went over her shoulder in the direction of the bonfire which crackled and popped not far from them. “Mite big for a barbie.”
Sitting back on her heels with her hands folded in her lap, Megan followed his gaze, then back to him. “My signal fire.”
“Signal for what?”
“Help.”
His accent intrigued her. Was he English or Australian?
“G’darn,” he looked around, “where the bloody hell am I?”
“Don’t know. There’s no one here to ask.” Megan shrugged helplessly, but couldn’t contain her curiosity. “Are you from England?”
“Naw,” he rubbed his eyes, “I hail from Sydney, but my port of call these days is Fort Lauderdale.” He blinked up at her. “You?”
Ah, he’s an Aussie. “I’m Megan Lorry, from Anaheim, California,” she said, barely loud enough to be heard above the sounds of the surf and the roar from the fire. “Are you a survivor of Air Bahamas flight 227, too?”
My website is: http://janiceseagraves.org/
My main blog is: http://ladyjanice.blogspot.com/
Find Windswept Shores at: http://pinkpetalbooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=66
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Another Story Behind the Book with Nita Hickok
Today's special guest is author Nita Hickok and she's giving us a glimpse into her very intruiging book, Solving Psychic Attack.
Where did the idea from my book come from?
I had been working upon the internet trying to heal the spiritual problems of others. I found that most of the people I helped did not know how to help themselves. They were suffering from spirits bothering them, psychic vampires, and many other problems.
Psychic attack can be spirits, past life problems, psychic abilities awakening and opening the person up to negative energies, haunted houses and places, and psychic vampires. Psychic vampires are people who drain others of energies.
I wanted to find methods that would help people to resolve these issues themselves. People with problems need to have their self-esteem and confidence built up. It empowers them and teaching them methods helps to keep them safe from problems.
I thought what was the first thing every one does that studies magic? They try to invent their own alphabet and use it. I studied magical alphabets and the uses they had been put to during the years such as ciphers, codes and actual repositories of energy.
I then developed the alphabet and symbols I used and energized them with akashic energy volts to make it so they were set in purpose. I made the symbols work so the people who could not visualize or concentrate well could use them. I then tested it out for a couple of years before writing the book.
How did the idea for the symbols come to you?
I tried to custom design the symbols for the different problems that were common requests of the people that I help. The link breaking wheel breaks all links to abuse and trauma. The more energy that has been put into abuse and trauma the more it builds up into a monster to be dealt with in the persons life.
A person who has fears can write down the fears and release the fears and energies. It clears the energies and has helped many people. I wanted something that could be printed off and made personal then used to heal the problem. I decided upon wheels and symbols to do this.
How did your methods come to life?
What brought the glyphs to life was the use of them by others. I have testimonials for my book on my website yet hearing how many people had positive results worked best to bring the glyphs alive.
I feel the more people that use them to heal the more they adjust to different energies and do a fantastic job of healing.The wheels and more advanced methods came to life also through peoples need of ways to heal themselves.
Place of Purchase: http://www.weavingdreamspublishing.com/orderbookshere/ordersolvingpsychic.html
Where did the idea from my book come from?
I had been working upon the internet trying to heal the spiritual problems of others. I found that most of the people I helped did not know how to help themselves. They were suffering from spirits bothering them, psychic vampires, and many other problems.
Psychic attack can be spirits, past life problems, psychic abilities awakening and opening the person up to negative energies, haunted houses and places, and psychic vampires. Psychic vampires are people who drain others of energies.
I wanted to find methods that would help people to resolve these issues themselves. People with problems need to have their self-esteem and confidence built up. It empowers them and teaching them methods helps to keep them safe from problems.
I thought what was the first thing every one does that studies magic? They try to invent their own alphabet and use it. I studied magical alphabets and the uses they had been put to during the years such as ciphers, codes and actual repositories of energy.
I then developed the alphabet and symbols I used and energized them with akashic energy volts to make it so they were set in purpose. I made the symbols work so the people who could not visualize or concentrate well could use them. I then tested it out for a couple of years before writing the book.
How did the idea for the symbols come to you?
I tried to custom design the symbols for the different problems that were common requests of the people that I help. The link breaking wheel breaks all links to abuse and trauma. The more energy that has been put into abuse and trauma the more it builds up into a monster to be dealt with in the persons life.
A person who has fears can write down the fears and release the fears and energies. It clears the energies and has helped many people. I wanted something that could be printed off and made personal then used to heal the problem. I decided upon wheels and symbols to do this.
How did your methods come to life?
What brought the glyphs to life was the use of them by others. I have testimonials for my book on my website yet hearing how many people had positive results worked best to bring the glyphs alive.
I feel the more people that use them to heal the more they adjust to different energies and do a fantastic job of healing.The wheels and more advanced methods came to life also through peoples need of ways to heal themselves.
Place of Purchase: http://www.weavingdreamspublishing.com/orderbookshere/ordersolvingpsychic.html
Thoughtful Thursday: Be You!
Sketch courtesy of Christopher Chamberlain and used with permission.
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. ~e.e. cummings
Wherever you go, go with all your heart. ~Confucius
Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.~Joseph Campbell
At bottom every man knows well enough that he is a unique being, only once on this earth; and by no extraordinary chance will such a marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be put together a second time. ~Friedrich Nietzsche
All the mistakes I make arise from forsaking my own station and trying to see the object from another person's point of view. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.~Buddha
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Featured Books August
At a time when the suicide rate among midlife women has risen dramatically [3.9%], Chloe JonPaul is on a mission with her latest book, Entering the Age of Elegance: A Rite of Passage & Practical Guide for the Modern Maturing Woman to help midlife and Boomer women navigate the transition into Second adulthood with style and grace. She encourages women to dispel those myths of aging fostered by the media, pharmaceutical companies and the cosmetics industry.
Thirty-eight million Baby Boomer women have already entered the Age of Elegance and more will follow; yet many of these 50+ women are making this journey without any real advance planning. Many of them don’t even think of themselves as “elegant” but this transition into the second half of their lives should take place with style and grace.
Now think F-A-S-T: *format *approach *style *tempo
These are the key elements which make this book original. It is written as a travel guide filled with valuable information that will whet the reader’s appetite to explore resources in detail on the topics featured in the book. The Table of Contents provides such curiosity-evoking subtitles as Change Your “Oil Filter”, The FGA Quotient, The F-Word You Need to Use, The 10 Commandments of Aging Motherhood, Think MSN, Beyond Support Pantyhose, and Just Heard It Through the Grapevine.
The author has been selected for radio show host Don McCauley’s forth-coming book,"50 Great Writers you Should Be Reading".
To Learn More About Chole JonPaul, please visit the author's website
http://www.enteringtheageofelegance.com/
Dani Reynolds, Atlantic City nightclub cocktail waitress works on her feet seven hours a night, five days a week for less than minimum wage in a crowded, smoky nightclub. She lives in an aging, run-down apartment, rides the city bus, and she’s happier than she’s ever been.
Marcia and Dani have more in common than anyone could imagine. They are the same woman.
And only Taylor Villanova, the club’s sexy bouncer can help her reconcile her two distinct personas, face her greatest fear and discover a love greater than she’d ever imagined.
To Learn More Please visit Chicki Brown's website http://www.chicki663.webs.com/
Now that he has escaped back to the world of the living he is determined to never again live in darkness. Dane is instrumental in the war against those he once called brethren, fighting to give his
people a chance return to the light.
Vanlyn Sarn is the second son of a cruel lord. His life is one of misery and degradation, despised by his brother and father for reasons known only to them. He is tasked by his father to journey deep into
enemy territory and escort troops to aid in the fighting.
However, Vanlyn knows the true nature of this mission. He is not expected to
return.
When Dane takes Vanlyn prisoner, he plans to use the young prince as a
pawn to seduce Vanlyn into betraying his kingdom and his people. But
passion ignites red hot and Dane is torn between his burgeoning
feelings for the young prince and doing what his honor demands. Which
decision will lead him to what he desires most?
For More Information About This Book, please visit here: http://cjblack.net/
Please visit the author's website for more information:
To Learn More, Please Visit the author's website. http://www.kathleenheady.com/
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Our Guest: Monice Mitchell Simms, Behind The Words
The process of how folks get stuff done. How they get over. How they survive and prevail.
I suppose that’s why I became a journalist. Why I’ve produced documentaries and why my favorite section in the bookstore has always been the “Making Of” film section.
Without fail, the books are too expensive, but within those glossy pages dwell priceless treasures, revealing behind-the-scenes photos of directors, actors and producers creating.
And if they’re really good “Making Of” books, they share journal entries from the auteurs, themselves. Their frustrations, exhilarations and lessons are laid bare just for me to see. And I gobble up the info, connected to the story through the teller.
I've always yearned to chronicle that connection. I even kept a journal during the production of my Showtime short film, Rain. That “Making Of” book , though, never saw the light of day.
Then six years ago, I started writing Address: House of Corrections. I must admit remaining diligently obedient to the muse so that I could pen what was flowing through me was my main motivation. But my desire to publish a”Making Of” book never entirely strayed from thoughts.
And now that I've published my debut novel, I find myself right back where I started.
The process.
Lawd knows it’s been a long one: Walking in faith. Resigning from my job. No health insurance. Bills. Fibroids. Attracting an agent. Rejection from publishers. Doing it myself. Marriage. Life. Love. Death. Doubt. Joy.
All of that. None of it was a waste. Everything that has happened to me on my journey to publish Address:House of Corrections has happened for a reason.
And in this blog, I will share all of it. Prayerfully, some of you will relate to my testimony. Others may shout ‘Amen’ or straight up bust out laughing to keep from crying (as I did many nights. lol!) Howsomever, it touches you, I just hope it touches you.
Because we, who tell stories, thrive and grow through our connections.
All I’m asking, humbly, is that you connect with me.
Purchase Address:House of Corrections- a novel inspired @ Amazon.com!
http://www.amazon.com/Address-House-Corrections-novel-inspired/dp/1450568092/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268802538&sr=8-1
Read this and other blog entries @ http://addresshouseofcorrections.wordpress.com/
Monday, August 2, 2010
Another Story Behind the Book with Karenna Colcroft
I bring you today a very touching inside look at Karenna Colcroft's book, Eternal Love.. She opens her heart and gives us a glimpse into her soul with this one.
Enjoy!
Back in 2006, I was struggling with some issues from my past. I won't go into that here, but suffice it to say that as a child, teen, and young adult I'd had some things said and done to me that had really done an emotional number on me. As part of all the detritus, I'd developed a very negative viewpoint about sex, at least as it pertained to my own life.
A very close friend of mine who'd talked me through a lot of the memories and issues challenged me to put my writing talent to work and write something showing "sex in a positive light," as he put it. Until that point, I'd never thought about writing a sex scene. Everything I'd written up until then had been for teenagers, and while I realize that teens are aware of sex and sometimes have it, I choose not to include it in my YA novels for the most part. But I knew my friend issued me the challenge because he felt it would benefit me, so partly for the sake of therapy and partly because I never turn down a writing challenge, I wrote the scene.
The idea just kind of came to me. I wanted a reason for the characters to have sex that wasn't just "Ooh, I want to have sex." So I came up with a situation where an immortal man had fallen in love with a mortal woman. In the universe that I inadvertently created, a mortal could become immortal if they had sex with and climaxed simultaneously with an immortal. That was the scene I wrote, where the immortal man and mortal woman made love, and he "transmuted" her to immortality. That scene, with some changes and revisions, is now part of my novel Eternal Love. When my friend read the scene after I'd written it, he said, "This isn't a short story. You have a novel here." Through emails and instant messages, we brainstormed an entire plot, along with his scientific basis for immortality and a few other things that play a role in the novel.
He chose to end the friendship in 2007, shortly after I left my ex-husband. I held onto the notes we'd made for the novel, though the time never felt right to write it. Then, in 2009, that time finally came. I wrote the entire first draft in just over a month.
How did your characters come to life?
When I wrote the initial scene back in 2006, I didn't have a very strong sense of who Rhys and Gwen were. As my friend and I brainstormed their story, though, I began to get a better concept of them. Rhys showed himself to be a very strong, patient man who'd been in love with the same soul for over 900 years. That's dedication! I made him a romance novelist because it seemed logical that after so many centuries, he probably had some experiences that would make good novels.
His narrative and speech patterns are a bit unusual, sometimes formal and stilted and sometimes modern and even slangish. (Is that a word?) That developed purely by accident as I worked on the first draft, and the harder I tried to make his voice consistent, the more varied it became. I finally realized that it made sense given the character. 935 years old, he's lived in many times and countries, and he's picked up speech patterns from all of them. English isn't even his first language; he lived his childhood and teen years in Wales in the 12th century. So of course he'd speak a bit oddly at times.
I knew from the first scene I wrote that Gwen was distrustful. Not a huge surprise, since at that time I was very distrustful myself, and my heroines often seem to have something in common with me. What I didn't know was why. So I allowed her to tell me as I wrote. I was pretty disturbed when I discovered what her former fiance had done to her, but I left it in the story because... well, she wanted it there. But as I wrote, I also discovered what a strong woman she is. In a couple of scenes, I originally envisioned Rhys rescuing her, but she overruled me and saved herself, which I think made it a much better story.
Enjoy!
Blurb:
For over 900 years, immortal Rhys Trevellian has been in love with the soul of the same woman-- his childhood love Gwen. Unfortunately, Gwen is mortal, and Rhys is unable to keep her with him. When he meets Gwen Davies in a coffee shop in his newest hometown, he immediately recognizes his lost love.
Gwen Davies has had a rough life, most recently having to run from her hometown to a small town in Maine to escape her abusive ex. In Rhys Trevellian, she recognizes something that strikes a chord in her. Although she has no memory of the lifetimes he claims she’s shared with him, she knows he’s her true match.
To remain together forever, Rhys and Gwen must escape those who seek to murder Gwen before Rhys can transmute her to immortality, and those who seek to execute Rhys for crimes he didn’t commit.
Place of Purchase: http://pinkpetalbooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=113&zenid=93cd814e4f169d47f901b302f4684 a1f
Back in 2006, I was struggling with some issues from my past. I won't go into that here, but suffice it to say that as a child, teen, and young adult I'd had some things said and done to me that had really done an emotional number on me. As part of all the detritus, I'd developed a very negative viewpoint about sex, at least as it pertained to my own life.
A very close friend of mine who'd talked me through a lot of the memories and issues challenged me to put my writing talent to work and write something showing "sex in a positive light," as he put it. Until that point, I'd never thought about writing a sex scene. Everything I'd written up until then had been for teenagers, and while I realize that teens are aware of sex and sometimes have it, I choose not to include it in my YA novels for the most part. But I knew my friend issued me the challenge because he felt it would benefit me, so partly for the sake of therapy and partly because I never turn down a writing challenge, I wrote the scene.
The idea just kind of came to me. I wanted a reason for the characters to have sex that wasn't just "Ooh, I want to have sex." So I came up with a situation where an immortal man had fallen in love with a mortal woman. In the universe that I inadvertently created, a mortal could become immortal if they had sex with and climaxed simultaneously with an immortal. That was the scene I wrote, where the immortal man and mortal woman made love, and he "transmuted" her to immortality. That scene, with some changes and revisions, is now part of my novel Eternal Love. When my friend read the scene after I'd written it, he said, "This isn't a short story. You have a novel here." Through emails and instant messages, we brainstormed an entire plot, along with his scientific basis for immortality and a few other things that play a role in the novel.
He chose to end the friendship in 2007, shortly after I left my ex-husband. I held onto the notes we'd made for the novel, though the time never felt right to write it. Then, in 2009, that time finally came. I wrote the entire first draft in just over a month.
How did your characters come to life?
When I wrote the initial scene back in 2006, I didn't have a very strong sense of who Rhys and Gwen were. As my friend and I brainstormed their story, though, I began to get a better concept of them. Rhys showed himself to be a very strong, patient man who'd been in love with the same soul for over 900 years. That's dedication! I made him a romance novelist because it seemed logical that after so many centuries, he probably had some experiences that would make good novels.
His narrative and speech patterns are a bit unusual, sometimes formal and stilted and sometimes modern and even slangish. (Is that a word?) That developed purely by accident as I worked on the first draft, and the harder I tried to make his voice consistent, the more varied it became. I finally realized that it made sense given the character. 935 years old, he's lived in many times and countries, and he's picked up speech patterns from all of them. English isn't even his first language; he lived his childhood and teen years in Wales in the 12th century. So of course he'd speak a bit oddly at times.
I knew from the first scene I wrote that Gwen was distrustful. Not a huge surprise, since at that time I was very distrustful myself, and my heroines often seem to have something in common with me. What I didn't know was why. So I allowed her to tell me as I wrote. I was pretty disturbed when I discovered what her former fiance had done to her, but I left it in the story because... well, she wanted it there. But as I wrote, I also discovered what a strong woman she is. In a couple of scenes, I originally envisioned Rhys rescuing her, but she overruled me and saved herself, which I think made it a much better story.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Promote Yourself Bragi
I thought I would open the blog up and extend an invite to everyone to come on over and in the comments section, share with us news on your latest release, blurb your book or tell about anything else you would like to promote.
It isn't purely altruistic, I follow a lot of blogs out of genuine interest, but it is becoming challenging to keep up with everyone and I am curious to see what people have been working on lately and want to make sure I didn't miss anything spectacular!
Also, a reminder that we are now open to weekly book features. If you would like to be a Book Feature, send your cover (JPEG) link, book blurb and book video/ trailer to: apasuggestions@gmail.com
As well, I am looking to start the promo for Woman's Worth Promotions and if anyone would like to interview me or offer a guest spot on their blog, drop a line here: womansworthpromotions@gmail.com
So go on and give treat this post like your own Bragi!
I'll grab drink....
It isn't purely altruistic, I follow a lot of blogs out of genuine interest, but it is becoming challenging to keep up with everyone and I am curious to see what people have been working on lately and want to make sure I didn't miss anything spectacular!
Also, a reminder that we are now open to weekly book features. If you would like to be a Book Feature, send your cover (JPEG) link, book blurb and book video/ trailer to: apasuggestions@gmail.com
As well, I am looking to start the promo for Woman's Worth Promotions and if anyone would like to interview me or offer a guest spot on their blog, drop a line here: womansworthpromotions@gmail.com
So go on and give treat this post like your own Bragi!
I'll grab drink....
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