Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Out with old, in with the new

We're just hours away from beginning a new year and that's got me thinking.  
2014 was an awesome year and I'd love for 2015 to be the same, but I need to amp up my game. And to do that, I'm making a few resolutions
Usually I don't do the whole resolution thing, mainly because I can't keep them, but this year I'm thinking of making a few. All of them writing related.

1. FINISH A BOOK 
Any book will do (as I have several in various stages of incompletion- mystery, paranormal, etc.)-
but mainly books two and three in the True Blue Trilogy- Faith and Hope certainly need to have their stories told. 
(I've been doing some research on plot structure and organization that I'm hoping will help- I'm also hoping to do a few posts on this in the future if they work.) 

2. SUBMIT BOOK FOR CONSIDERATION
Being a multi-published author is my dream. It's what I want to do when I grow up. So hopefully I'll get my literary brain together soon enough to 
1.Finish a book
 2. Submit said book for what will hopefully another contract.
Which leads us to the 3rd and ultimate goal.

3. PUBLISH A BOOK
Because how else will I become multi-published if I don't get published!!!
and finally,

4. DO BETTER AT ADVERTISING
This one is the hardest of all. I hate tooting my own horn. In most cases I don't enjoy drawing attention to myself. I prefer to stay under the radar, just doing my own thing. Can we say agoraphobic? Because that's not really much of a stretch.
But I'm am realistic enough to know that if I don't step out more, visit more blogs, 
get more publicity, then I won't be able to make writing a profitable career!!

And that's it, my short but very heavy load.

I'd love to hear what your New Year resolutions might be and if you have any advice on how I can make my resolutions a reality.


Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Author Interview- Sandy Wolters

Happy Tuesday readers. Today I'm proud to introduce you to author Sandy Wolters, who has brought us not one, but two of her books.


Welcome Sandy, can you tell me three words that describe yourself starting with A, B, and C.

A:  Affectionate   B:  Bibliophile   C:  Curious

What are your three favorite things?

A.      Family, including Fred, my beagle     B.      Writing      C.      Chocolate


Are you self- published or with a publishing company (if so, which one?)?

I am self-published.

What for you is the best part of writing? What is the worst?

My favorite part of writing is the writing itself, especially when you have one of those days that you sit down and before you know it, you’ve written 5,000 words.  The worst part of writing for me is coming up with the blurbs for books.  After I send my manuscript off to my editor, she knows to start hounding me daily to get the blurb done.  Those 500 or so words are absolutely excruciating for me to write.

Will there be more books in your series, or can you tell us about any previous books?

I currently have six books published:
Maggie MaeSteamy contemporary romance with a ghostly paranormal twist
Justice For EmilySteamy romantic suspense, crime drama/police procedural with a ghostly paranormal twist
A Brother’s LoveRomantic suspense with a ghostly paranormal twist
Soul MatesSteamy, award winning time travel romance
When One Door ClosesBook 1 in the Rock Star Series – Steamy contemporary romance
Another Door OpensBook 2 and conclusion to the Rock Star Series – Steamy contemporary romance with a ghostly paranormal twist

You can see that most of my work has a bit of ghostly activity.  I love creating characters that are no longer living.  For example, two of the characters in Justice For Emily were dead before the book even started.  LOL  Let’s face it.  Most of us have lost loved ones.  A lot of us have had visitations of some sort from them after their death.  In many of my books, the dead come back to comfort their loved ones that are still living.  In some cases, they offer much needed comic relief in dire situations.  In others, they offer a sense of peace in hectic or painful circumstances the living loved one happens to be going through.

 When writing, which do you prefer to write with, computer or paper and pen?

I’ve never been able to be creative when I sit down with pen and paper.  That’s probably a good thing because I can’t read my writing anymore.  The creative process just seems to flow better when I’m sitting in front of a blank white computer screen. 




Purchase Links: ($1.99 digital)


(Available in Print - $7.99)


Blurb:

Her marriage a disaster, Lilly closes the door to her personal life. Can meeting Bruce open a door to a new life or will her fear shut her off from love? 

All Lilly has ever wanted to do is sing, but being an internationally famous superstar has turned her life into a living nightmare. Closing the door on her destructive marriage, she runs to her best friend's rural home in northern Arizona, hoping to stay out of the public's eye and sort out her life. 

Bruce Silk, a Flagstaff police officer, doesn't approve of his brother's rakish rock star lifestyle but still keeps an eye on his remote home when he's out on tour. More than once he's had to arrest groupies who invaded the property to steal some small memento from the famous Clay Silk. So why does he feel sucker-punched when he slaps the cuffs on this latest trespasser? 

When One Door Closes is the first book in the “Rock Star Series.”  Each book in this series is stand alone.

Excerpt: 

Curiosity gripped him. Who was this woman his philandering brother seemed to care so much about? Bruce watched from the kitchen doorway as she finished preparing their hot cocoa. Her small size seemed incongruent with the amount of sensuality exuding from her. No wonder she's Clay's favorite, he thought as a pang of jealousy swept over him.
Dominating the room, her sensuous presence relaxed his cop perceptions and stimulated his male senses to a full appreciation for the view in front of him. Looking at her feet, he realized that despite the six-inch heels, the top of her head had only come up to his chest while he was handcuffing her. Damn, he thought, she is one fine woman. Who the hell wears those kinds of shoes sitting on a back deck all by themselves?
Observing her skintight, leather-clad legs, lust filled him as his eyes and his imagination quickly moved to gaze at her curvaceous southern regions. Staring at her beautifully rounded bottom, his mind swiftly moved to a destination that he had not been fortunate enough to visit lately, even though it wasn’t for lack of opportunity. A lascivious grin, coveted by most of the women around these parts, crept across his face. 
Lilly turned to find him leering at her, locked away in his own private daydream. Still it was a look she would recognize anywhere. She'd seen it countless times but never really appreciated it until tonight. Too bad, she thought, that I'm not the type of person to have a one-night stand, unlike my husband. A stab of fresh pain hit her in the chest, and she had to catch the sorrowful moan before it left her lips. No. I'm not going to do that to myself—not anymore. She had an inkling that if she let him, this man could make her feel better for a while at least. Letting these dangerous thoughts slip away, she cleared her throat to get his attention. 
He came back from wherever his imagination had just taken him to find her smiling sweetly at him. As she moved toward him with the mugs in hand, he was grateful she had let him off the hook so easily. There was no way in hell he wanted to explain where his daydream had taken the two of them. It was bad enough that she obviously knew that his thoughts were lustful—no need for her to know how much further they had taken him. 

Read entire first chapter excerpt: 

 What people are saying about When One Door Closes:

"The book made me laugh, made me mad, made me feel the pain of the characters at times, that kinda adds up to a good book that is well written." - Douglas C. Meeks

"This is the fifth story written by award winning Author Sandy Wolters. Her finely honed, excellent writing style swoops the reader right into her tales of romance, mystery, struggles, and tenderness." - Nancy of Utah

"Take these three people, combine them with one nasty, good for nothing, succubus of a husband, rabid fans, a no nonsense housekeeper and a big mushy dog and you have the makings for a delightful way to spend a lazy day enjoying yourself with a good story." - Penelope Adams, PRG

" There are so many emotions in this book, You are happy, sad , angry and laughing in a matter of pages. You won't put the book down. The only sad thing is that it has to end." - Patricia (Goodreads)



Purchase Links: ($1.99 digital)

(Available in Print - $7.99)

Blurb:

Can a man who has never lacked for women in his life meet the challenge when the woman he truly desires wants nothing to do with him? 

Clayton Silk has reveled in the attention he receives as a rock star. His only close friend is Lilly, another international rock star, but she has chosen to step back from the spotlight and enjoy her relationship with his brother Bruce, which has started Clay thinking about his life. 

When he decides to take a break from touring and spend some time with Bruce and Lilly, he meets a woman who drives him to distraction, a woman who resists all his usual charms, and makes him wonder what it will take to break down her resistance before he loses his mind. As he discovers, it may just cost him her life.

Excerpt:

They were both startled when Barney picked that moment to come running through the house. He moved back and forth in front of them with urgency. When all he got was curious looks, he stopped and gave them both an inquisitive stare. 
Nancy reached for the dog. "What is it, boy?"
Barney started to whine quietly, his big blue eyes almost hidden from view because of his wrinkles, but still able to convey his consternation through his expressive face. Nancy set her beer on the table and moved forward so her knees were almost touching the mammoth-sized dog. "He looks like he’s in distress, Clay. What’s wrong with him?"
At that moment, both Nancy and Clay heard a faint voice. "Help! Help!"
Nancy jumped back and practically landed on Clay’s lap. She grabbed his leg and held on for dear life. Never taking her eyes from the dog, she yelled, "Did you hear that? Clay, did you hear that? Did Barney just actually say help?"
Something akin to terror sparked in Clay’s eyes as he looked at the enormous dog in front of him. Shit, he thought, this can’t be happening! Did the damn dog actually find the spooks and get himself possessed? Unnerved because he no longer knew what to expect with the disembodied voices and where they were coming from, Clay’s voice broke when he spoke. "Barney?"
Panic set in, and Nancy’s fight or flight instinct raised its ugly head as the dog moved slowly toward her with a look of desperation in his expressive eyes. The death grip she had on Clay’s leg would definitely leave bruises.
The beast gradually opened his mouth and spit a slimy, mucous-covered, green mass of feathers out on her cozy, white bathrobe. Nancy jumped and gasped for air at the sight of the unmoving bird covered in goo and lying limply in her lap, its bony little legs straight up in the air with talons clinched tight in a death grip.
Nancy and Clay, stunned at the gift Barney had brought them, stayed perfectly still, not knowing what to do next or how to react.
Barney nudged the bird with his cold nose and whined. The bird chose that moment to move as fast as possible to get away from its captor. It turned quickly, gained its footing, and ran as fast as its little legs would carry it up the bathrobe. With determination, it dove down the front opening of the robe and found respite between the warmth of Nancy’s bare breasts.
Jumping up, Nancy stood there, stunned, not knowing what to do, arms spread wide, fists clenched and chest heaving, her body stiffened with pure panic. Her eyes, filled with hysteria, darted toward Clay, whose eyes crinkled with humor. He had his fist pressed against his mouth to stop the laughter, but one look at her standing there, ready to freak out, and he burst out laughing. 
The bird chose that same moment to stick its head out of the opening of the bathrobe. "Help," it yelled once again. She felt it shaking with fear and realized the poor thing was only trying to protect itself. Barney tried to reach out with his nose to comfort his newfound toy, but the bird quickly retreated back into the warmth and safety of Nancy’s breasts.


What people are saying about Another Door Opens:

"What a beautiful love story.” - Teresa Jensen

"A Magnificent Story. This is a fun story to read as it has moments of unforgettable humor, paranormal events, a massive dog named Barney who saves an injured small bird, romance, and a dominating housekeeper… Read this story, you'll love it!" – Nancy of Utah

“Ms Wolters does not disappoint writing another heartfelt love story, a bit of the paranormal, a scoop of mayhem and a dollop of intrigue.” – Gloria Lakritz, Paranormal Romance Guild

INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sandy Wolters is a prolific writer with five other novels to date.  Soul Mates, her steamy time travel romance, won first place in the Paranormal Romance Guild’s 2013 Reviewer Choice Awards for Paranormal Romance-Novella.

Author Links:

Twitter @SandyWolters:  https://twitter.com/SandyWolters
E-mail:  sandywolters.author@gmail.com



Thursday, December 11, 2014

Author Interview- Melissa Snark

Happy Thursday readers. 
Please join with me in welcoming author Melissa Snark to the blog. 



Hi Melissa. To start off, what are your three favorite things?

         Warm fuzzy kittens and cats. I love lying in bed with a purring cat.
         My incredibly aggravating and clever children. They drive me nuts!
       Storytelling. It's my born-to vocation.

I have to agree with you on all of your three favorite things, especially the kids.
Is there a process you stick to, or do you just write as it hits you?

I'm process driven. I have scheduled times and places to write and I like to have daily, defined goals. My revision process is also highly structured. I do sometimes write at odd times at a frenzied pace when the muse grabs me, but most of my real work is accomplished as a product of discipline and hard work.

Congratulations. I admire those who can make a schedule and stick to it. When left to my own devices I tend to through discipline out of the closest window.
 As the holidays approach, what traditions do you have?

My family celebrates Christmas every year with a tree, stockings, and a social gathering on Xmas Eve. We open gifts in the morning. Always stockings first and then presents. One of the boys plays Santa and distributes gifts. Afterward, we round up all of the paper and then spend the morning in our PJs being lazy. I hardly ever cook on Christmas. We usually eat leftovers from the night before.

Happy Holidays and thank you so much for having me as your guest today!

Thank you for being with us today Melissa.  Now let's check out that lovely book of yours.

Hunger Moon by Melissa Snark
#1 Loki's Wolves series
Genre:  Paranormal/Norse folklore fantasy 
Published April 25, 2013
ISBN-10: 1492107581 
ISBN-13: 978-1492107583
Amazon ASBN B00CJ1D1BI

is permafree with most retailers.

will be released Dec. 18th.



The ebook HUNGER MOON is on sale for 99 cents from December 8th to December 26th.

Buy links:

Amazon     B & N     ARE
 iTunes    Kobo    Google Play

BLURB:

Victoria Storm faces seemingly insurmountable odds to keep her dwindling pack of werewolves alive and together. She fights hunters- including the brother and father of her deceased lover-and the pack takes another devastating loss. When they seek sanctuary in a small town near Lake Tahoe, high in the secluded Sierra Nevada Mountains, Victoria discovers they are infringing on the territory of a vastly more powerful Alpha wolf. To save her pack, she uses her feminine wiles to seduce the Alpha. Nothing comes easily for Victoria. Her plans are complicated by the Alpha's erratic son, a ghostly wife, and a vengeful witch. Not even her status as a Valkyrie or the favor of the Goddess Freya can change the course of destiny for Victoria or her packmates.

Excerpt:

Victoria felt him before she saw him. His power washed over her with the force of an incoming tide, as dark, mysterious and unstoppable as the ocean. Her wolf rose to answer his in instinctive response, defiant and determined. She challenged his power and altered the irresistible flow so it passed around rather than over her. Before she reached the office entrance, the male werewolf responded to her presence and surged to his feet. He rounded the desk, demonstrating extraordinary grace and strength, and she braced for a physical confrontation. He dwarfed her in both height and weight.
As soon as their gazes met, they locked in a dominance contest. His narrowed eyes pierced hers; the light-pigmented brown irises were the color of honey and eclipsed the whites and round black pupils. Wolf eyes. 
Victoria did not approach with her head low or avert her gaze. Instead, she challenged him outright, radiating defiance, posture stiff and erect. While they faced off, she regretted the tactical error, but it was too late to rescind. Her stubborn pride permitted no retreat, and it went against her nature to submit.
"Let's take this outside where there are no humans to bear witness," he said in a deep, resonant voice she found appealing. 
Aroused, her wolf took an immediate interest in him as a fine, fit male animal. For the first time, Victoria noticed his physical appearance, and her wolf found him more than acceptable. She estimated his age as being in his late thirties. He in no way suffered for the smattering of silver hairs that peppered his dark head. He was a perfect specimen of a man.
Distracted, Victoria broke eye contact, but not to submit. She ran her gaze over his body with blatant approval, lingering on his broad shoulders and chest, muscular arms and legs. He wore a tailored navy suit with a light shirt and dark blue tie. From the way his clothing fit, there was not an ounce of spare fat anywhere on him. 
His features possessed splendid symmetry, though a silver scar on his right cheek marred his perfection. The shape of his brow, nose, and lower face hinted at a distant Roman heritage. High cheekbones alluded to his Nordic blood. He cleared his throat, and Victoria scented both his arousal and amusement. 
"Did you come to challenge me, or do you have something else in mind?"
His devilish smile hinted at a sense of humor, and Victoria seized on the opening. A ballsy gamble carried inherent risk, but her initial inept blundering had left her with no other graceful out. Her eyes rose to meet his once again. 
"I am Victoria, daughter of Adair and Katherine, High Priestess of Freya, Lady Valkyrie, shaman, and healer," she said, making her boast. "I am also the Alpha of my pack, and I am seeking a mate. I have come to assess whether you would make an acceptable suitor." 
"You're kidding." He registered surprise and disbelief.
Victoria arched her brow. "I am not."

Author Bio:

Fast Facts About Melissa Snark:

* Melissa Snark is published with The Wild Rose Press & as an Indie author with five unique titles.

* Her Loki's Wolves series includes THE CHILD THIEF, HUNGER MOON AND BATTLE CRY.

* She lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband, three children and a glaring of cats.

* She blogs about books and writing on TheSnarkology.com.

Links:

Email: melissasnark at gmail.com

Friday, December 5, 2014

Monday, December 1, 2014

A HUGE Thank You

A HUGE thank you to each and every author and reader who stopped by the blog during the Thankful Author Blog Roundup. It was an absolute blast and your participation was greatly appreciated. I look forward to hosting the Roundup again next year.