Welcome Kate Hill

Hello Kate. Tell us about yourself.

I’m a forty-something vegetarian New Englander who loves to read, write, work out and watch horror and action movies.

I love connecting with readers, so I visit my publishers’ yahoo/chat groups as often as I can. Also I enjoy hosting special events at my site, such as my annual Halloween page. I have a blog, yahoo group and a website that’s regularly updated. I’m also on Twitter.

My latest series is Combustion, which is published by Changeling Press. It’s erotic science fiction that focuses on a group of aliens who are temporarily stranded on Earth. Trouble in Paradise is my first independently published story. It’s a traditional romantic adventure.
I wanted to write a traditional romance with a heroine who was a little unconventional for her time. Also I wanted to work on a story with a bit more of a buildup to the hero and heroine getting into bed than what I generally write for my current publishers.

Are you a plotter or a pantser, Kate?  

I guess I’m a bit of both, although I’m more of a plotter. Before I start writing, I like to know my characters pretty well and I also need to have a loose outline so I know where the story is going.

Are you traditionally published, self-published or both? 

Both. I write regularly for Changeling Press and I’ve also been published by Ellora’s Cave and New Concepts Publishing. They’ve been fantastic to work with. Trouble in Paradise is my first self-published book. I didn’t feel it would fit well with any of my publishers, so instead of submitting it I decided to publish it independently. Right now I’m revising a previously published story to re-release independently. It will probably be out toward the end of this year or early next year.
I’ve only had one book self-published so far, but I found it to be a lot of work and pretty stressful. With a publisher, you have a lot of help. You’re supplied with editors and cover art. The publisher oversees distribution of the book. Self-published authors are in charge of everything and it takes a lot of time and effort, but it has a tradeoff. You get to see the kind of story you want to write done exactly how you want it, from cover art to characterization. It took over a year of revisions before I felt Trouble in Paradise was in shape to be published.

How do you create sexual tension in your romances? For me it depends on the characters. For some, lust-at-first-sight works. Others take more time before they get together. In Trouble in Paradise, when Grace and RC first meet, she’s completely disgusted with him and with good reason. Once he cleans up his act, she finds him hard to resist.

Do you have any rejection stories to share? Tons!! Rejection just goes with the territory. One that stands out in my mind is a rejection letter that told me my character who was a college student acted too much like a college student. I’m still trying to figure that one out! I eventually sold the story, but I’m still amused by that particular criticism.

What is your writing routine like? I set aside a certain amount of time each day for writing, editing and promo. Since I love keeping calendars and charts, I use them to keep track of my time and drive my family crazy leaving them all over the house.

What are you reading now? Right now I’m reading Making Waves by Cathryn Fox and Jaci Burton.

We’d love a blurb and an excerpt from your latest book.

Trouble in Paradise by Kate Hill (Romantic Suspense) Available at
All Romance Ebooks
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-troubleinparadise-1153845-152.html
Barnes & Noble
http://tinyurl.com/d2ok42u
Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/302667

Before cell phones and reality TV, when women had big hair and men were all about action and adventure, a girl walks into a bar searching for a hero. She finds R. C. Benson, a soldier turned grave robber wallowing in past sins. With a marriage of convenience, a pet shark and a shady butler, Grace and R. C. have their work cut out for them, but that gives them the perfect chance to fall in love.

Excerpt:
“That was some night.” Grace slipped off her shoes once she and R. C. returned to their hotel room. “I can’t wait to get to bed.”
He rubbed his hands together. “Now you’re talking.”
Grace shot him a serious look and pointed in his face. “Remember this is not for real. If you think I’m having sex with you, you’re crazy.”
“Of course I’m crazy. I’ve gone along with this ridiculous idea of yours, haven’t I?”
“I mean it, Benson. You come near me and I’ll castrate you.”
He chuckled and winced at the same time. “Oh and you’d try, too.”
“You can count on it.”
“Well you can’t blame me for trying.” He hung his jacket next to the others in the closet and removed his tie. He unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the lean, hair-dusted chest she longed to caress.
“I’m changing in the bathroom,” she said.
“You like the right side of the bed or the left?”
She glanced over her shoulder, one hand on the bathroom door. “I said I’m not sleeping with you.”
“No. You said you’re not having sex with me. If you think I’m going to sleep on the floor, you’re the one who’s nuts.”
“Fine. I’ll sleep on the floor, seeing how you’re such a gentleman.”
“The bed is king size. You don’t even have to touch me.”
“Damn right about that.”
“Look.” He piled pillows down the center of the bed. “How’s that?”
She narrowed her eyes. The thought of sleeping on the floor wasn't appealing.
“When we get to the island, we’re going to have to share everything, so we might as well start now.”

http://www.kate-hill.com
http://www.twitter.com/katehillromance
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/katehill/info

Kate is giving away a pdf copy of her book to one lucky commenter.

Lynda Bailey

Welcome, Lynda.

Thanks so much, Anna, for letting me hang out with you today!

I live in Reno, Nevada with my Prince Charming of 30 years. I’m a former stagehand, certified welder and fitness instructor. When not in my cave writing, I divide my time between digging in the dirt and walking the dogs.

A welder! Fantastic. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Actually I don’t think I’d choose to live anywhere but in Reno. I know it sounds corny, but I've got mountains, desert, the beautiful Lake Tahoe, all within an hour’s drive. And San Francisco is a mere four hours away as are the awesome wineries in Amador County, California. 

Sounds wonderful. How did you get started writing?
I suppose like most authors, writing has been a part of my world since I was a child. I've always loved making up stories, whether in my head or on paper. It such an added bonus to actually get paid for doing what I love!

I agree. Tell us about your current WIP.

My newest release, BATTLE-TESTED LOVE, is the second book in my *Battle for Love* series. It’s about a decent guy who does a bad thing for a good reason – and the adventure-seeking gal who gets caught up in the action.

I'm intrigued. What was the deciding factor in self-publishing your books?
I simply wanted them published. I’m not one to send out query after query, waiting for a traditional publisher to notice me. I’m just not that patient.  I’m more an instant gratification person, which meant overcoming my techno inadequacies and self-pubbing my books.

You sound like a gal after my own heart! What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
Make sure the mechanics of your stories are the best they can be: the plot, the characters and their motivations, the conflict—everything. I’m extremely blessed to have several terrific critique partners as well as some great beta readers who don’t allow me to get away with shoddy work.

Can you list some Pros/Cons of self-publishing?
There are two major *cons* for me in self-publishing: techno problems with formatting and having to promote yourself. Fortunately, there are numerous Yahoo and Google author groups where information and expertise is freely shared. The biggest *pro* for me is having my books available to readers – right now.J

What is most difficult for you to write? Characters, conflict or emotions? Why?
My greatest issue is nailing down the characters’ motivations. If I get that wrong, I spin in circles worse that Roger Rabbit.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Total plotter.

What do you have planned for the future? How far do you plan ahead?
I've got a Christmas short story coming out in late November. It’s part of a new anthology of short stories titled *Holiday Hunks* which will center around the different holidays. In 2014, I plan to release the third novella in my *Heartache and Hopeful* series as well as the first story in my *Trustworthy Texas* trilogy. I like to have at least three releases per year.

Where can readers find you?
Readers can check out my website: www.lyndabailey.net;

Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LyndaBaileyRomanceAuthor;

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorlyndab; 

Or find me on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6472849.Lynda_Bailey

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?
All my books are available at Amazon.com and most are for sale at Barnesandnoble.com. Three of my books, BATTLE-BORN LOVE, WILDFLOWER and NAUGHTY NEIGHBORHOOD are also available in print through Createspace.com.

Thanks again to Anna for hosting me today!

Thanks for sharing, Lynda.

Little White Lies, by Jodie Esch

It's a great pleasure to welcome a fellow member of my RWA chapter, Jodie Esch.

Thanks, Anna. Good to be here.

My former career
In what seems like another lifetime, my days revolved around teaching. I worked in elementary schools, a middle school, a university and a community college. I moved into school administration in elementary schools but after twelve years, decided to experiment with something different. 

The power of words
Writing chose me. For the last decade I've written a number of novels trying to find my voice. Trying to find me. I tried romance, romantic suspense, women’s fiction and a middle-grade novel. I think I found what I was looking for in the Young Adult genre.

Teens can be theatrical, driven, obsessed, needy, mercurial, and sensitive. All of these qualities can pull a story forward. I've been able to reach back into my memory bank and retrieve characters and their problems and weave them into my fiction.

So, I created The Girlfriends Series –Best Friends Forever
The first book of the series is Little White Lies

The backstory to this novel
When I worked with teens in Grades 6, 7 and 8 a lot of truth-bending took place. Some young people were experts at lying. Lies simply fell out of their mouths without any problem especially when friendships fell apart. Trying to search for the truth was sometimes an exercise in frustration. So, the theme of lying was in my brain.

As well, the issue of internet predators was constantly in the news. Young girls were being lured into inappropriate relationships with men they met on-line. These two themes blended together and I ‘had’ the core of my book.
Little White Lies
Eighth grader Rachel Scott finally has the perfect boyfriend. He’s good looking, athletic and wealthy. The only problem is he doesn't actually exist. Rachel’s escape into her fantasy world worries her parents and they insist she meet with the school counselor.

Frustrated with her life and without her best friend’s approval, Rachel heads down a dangerous path, looking for love in all the wrong places.

The second book of the series is Little White Pills.

The backstory to this novel
I was fascinated by an article in a newspaper that outlined the ways that first year university students were able to access drugs. They didn't have to purchase anything illegally. All they had to do was comb through their parents’ medicine cabinets or borrow prescription pills from their friends. It was that easy.

Some students used pills to relax and some used pills to stay awake. Addiction arrived quickly for some users.

Another media focus was the constant pressure on high-school students to have academic success, involvement in extra-curricular activities and have their goals and career paths outlined in stone.

I mixed the two premises together and came up with my next novel –Little White Pills.
Tenth grader Steph Baxter has it all, perfect looks, perfect grades and a perfect life. She’s a model high-school student and a member of the cheer-leading squad. But in her quest for excellence she makes dangerous choices.

Soon her simple solution becomes a complex problem. Follow Steph and her best friend Rachel as they cope with Steph’s unexpected journey. Can Steph find support before it’s too late?

The next book in this series Little White Magic will launch at the beginning of October, 2013.
Rachel is sent to work in a summer camp in Vermont. Mix in a Tarot reader and a reclusive musician and strange events begin to unfold.

The Young Adult Genre
My readers are teens as well as adults. The genre appeals to a diverse readership. In order to stay current, I read a lot of Young adult novels which I've always enjoyed. My favourite authors at the moment are Sarah Dessen and John Green. It’s a fascinating genre. Give it a chance if you have the opportunity.

Self-Publishing & Traditional Publishing
There is room in this business for everyone no matter what route an author chooses. Whether I’m traditionally published or self-published, or a hybrid-author, (a combination of both), that is my personal journey. My goal is to present the best story that I can produce. I hope that you will enjoy my novels.

Thanks so much Anna for inviting me to your blog today. All the best in your future writing adventures.

Thank you, Jodie for your thoughts and insights.  Love your covers, by the way.
http://www.JodieEsch.com
http://bit.ly/JodieEschAmazonAuthorPage
http://www.twitter.com/JodieEsch

http://www.facebook.com/JodieEsch

E. Ayers and the Rejection Letter

   Hi, Anna, thanks for inviting me to be on your blog. Waving a big hello to all of Anna's friends. I love meeting new people so don't forget to leave a comment, because someone is going to win a free book if they do!
   Anna and I were talking about the road to publication and I think I got lucky, very lucky. I started this journey writing books for my children. Then I got serious and decided that I'd like to write for actual publication, even though it was a tough field that wasn't open to many authors. Seems the publishing industry thought if you were in a certain grade then you should be reading …and that didn't work for me, my children, or my grandchildren, but things have changed over the years and so did my writing.
   My dearest friend has a daughter, Marjorie, who is multi-published in romance. That daughter told me to write romances. I laughed at her. Then she told me a few things and I quit laughing. I sat at the computer and wrote my first romance over fifteen years ago. Except, it wasn't exactly a romance because it had very strong mainstream elements. I sent it to Marjorie who by this time was part owner of an epub. She wrote me back and told me it wasn't sexy enough. Well, needless to say, this kind of passing the manuscript back and forth went on for months. I found out about things like point of view. Oh my gosh! I had a crash course in writing, or at least, I thought I did, except I had barely scratched the surface.
   Then my friend's daughter suggested that I submit to the editor of her publishing company. I was concerned that my name might be too well known because of the closeness to Marjorie, so I submitted under a different name and held my breath. And held it, and held it. Then it came…THE REJECTION LETTER!
    By that time, I had joined a local RWA group, and had started taking several writing classes online. I knew about those horrible rejection letters. The ones that make people cry for weeks and tell them how English must not be their first language or worse, it's a form letter that says almost nothing other than no thanks. I had a real letter and it was nice!
   I picked up the phone, called across the USA to Marjorie, and asked if she told the editor who I was. Marjorie said no. She didn't even know I had received a letter. I read it to her. I had a three-page letter from the editor, Stephanie, telling me how wonderful my story was and with it, several suggestions to make it better.
   Now here comes the fun part. That small pub was going to be at a conference that was being held near me and I was slated to go to it, which meant meeting that editor. I was so excited. Marjorie even gave me the hotel room number. I wasn't going to stalk Stephanie to her room. But I did set up an appointment to meet with her.
   I promise the last thing an editor wants to do is meet with someone they just rejected. But when Stephanie realized I was not some crazed woman, and I only wanted to chat about her suggestions, she definitely chatted! She spent two hours with me explaining things. All these years later, I know that rejection was the best thing that could have happened to me. I don’t write erotic and I never will - it's not in me. That publisher is best known for its erotic romances. That's not where my stories belong. I write adult as opposed to children's stories, and I expect that my readers are mature enough to know that there's more than simple kissing in a loving relationship.
   Stephanie went one step further and personally introduced me to several well-known authors including Janet Lane Walters who co-wrote a book on writing. I got Janet's book and we stayed in touch. That's when I learned that it wasn't just a matter of telling a good story - I had to learn to craft it. Every time I learned something new, I went back and fixed that very first story.
When I was certain that it was the best possible story that I could write, I submitted it to a well-known agent whom I'd pitched at another conference. I held my breath…and held it…and held it. She sent me a brief letter about nine months later saying she had read the story, and it was under consideration. Okay, I was excited, but what exactly did under consideration mean? So I held my breath for another six months. In the meantime, every author I knew who had submitted to her had been rejected before that nine months had lapsed.
   Marjorie had told me to keep writing. Write the next book, so I did, and I wrote another. By that time, I had a New York Times best-selling author who was mentoring me. She kept saying that no news is good news, and that my work was worthy of being represented. Then it came. I ripped that envelope open and held that letter in my hands. My insides were quivering. I was afraid to look.
   Three times I read it. "I loved this story… I must be very selective…" She turned me down! Okay, I cried that time. I called my mentor and with tears blurring my vision, I read her the letter. How can someone praise my story and then turn it down?
   The answer was not that difficult to understand. At the time, there were big publishing houses and a few epubs. You had to fit into the big houses' little pigeonholes or they wouldn't accept it. I didn't fit. I also didn't fit with the epubs that tended to publish hotter stories. I kept writing. Then I got my lucky break and a contract. Except, I watched my story being changed in edits to match a more traditional romance. I didn't like what was happening to my story or my characters. It was not what I wanted. Instead of being happy, I had this horrible, suffocating, wet wool blanket of depression being heaped on me with each batch of edits.
   Break a contract? That was insane! But I did it. It was my name on the cover, and I wanted to be proud of what I had written. I had to stand up for myself and my characters.
   Then I sat on my derrière, watched, and waited for something wonderful to happen. It didn't happen to me, but I saw another author independently publish a book and then a bunch of books. They sold like crazy. She talked me through the steps. I published a novella and waited. I was told if I sold twenty-five books that first month, I would be very lucky. I sold one hundred. I published another novella, then I published that very first novel, Wanting.
   It was a long road to get where I am now and I learned a lot along the way. Wanting was the first in my River City novels about young urbanites who are trying to make their world a little better. Think mid-sized city tucked in the middle Atlantic states of the USA. It's totally fictional but very similar to several such cities. I followed the novel Wanting with A New Beginning, then A Challenge, Forever, A Son, and A Child's Heart. And there are more coming! They don't need to be read in order. The glue that holds them together is the city.
   They all have those heavy mainstream elements, but they also have the happily ever after of a romance. Just as people in real life have plenty of problems, so do my River City characters. A Son deals with prejudice. Some folks believe it doesn't exist, but it still does. Lucky are those who never feel it. Most of my novels tackle some gritty subjects from sexual abuse to trying to mesh different lives on different schedules into a cohesive relationship. People have complicated lives, they have jobs, they have skeletons in their closets, and falling in love is never easy. Well, maybe the falling is but fitting it into a life isn't. And people aren't perfect. I do not write normal romances. It's called slice-of-life writing and I write the romantic slice. That means all the other stuff in life comes with it.
   I love writing the River City novels. My latest one, A Child's Heart, wasn't always easy to write. There was so much going on and so many conflicting emotions. When I'm writing, these characters are alive within me, and what happens to them affects me as the author. I become the means for them to tell their story. They drive me. And these two drove me crazy!

    Trent was a young widower. With his mom's guidance, he grew into a wonderful father. And Cassie…Well, Cassie is Cassie, and she's older than Trent. She has this tremendous passion for history and she loves her job as River City's museum curator. On the outside, she looks sweet and conservative, but inside, she's got a wild streak. And she's being harassed by the city manager. She also understands the relationship between Trent and his mom. She's a PhD from a wealthy Boston family, and he's blue collar from the low end of middle class in River City. Just be prepared for a roller coaster ride as Trent and Cassie figure out that they have a relationship worthy of a lifetime commitment, while Shawn's life dangles precariously as he awaits heart surgery.

Excerpt? You want an excerpt? Okay. How about that first kiss? I love first kisses. Who doesn't?

Cassie pulled in front of a small home that looked exactly like every other house in the working class neighborhood. Tiny, cookie-cutter houses sat on postage-sized lots. The Callahan home was painted a pale yellow with dark gray shutters and trim. The grass was recently cut, and a few petunias were planted around the base of the lamppost. She parked her car and drew in a deep breath as she gathered up the two books.
“Hi,” she said when Trent opened the door. “I brought something for Shawn.”
“Come on in. He’s not here right now. My mom took him shopping for some slippers and a robe. He’s going to need them for the hospital. They say he’ll be there for a while.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I should have called first. Tate gave me your address, and I thought I’d stop on the way home, since you weren't very far out of the way.”
“You live in the area?”
“Not really. I have an apartment in Sweet Grandview.”
“This is not exactly on your way home from the museum.”
“It’s not, but it’s not that far, either.” She forced another smile.
He glanced at his watch. “They should be home soon. Would you like a glass of iced tea?”
“Thanks. I’d appreciate that.” She gazed at Trent standing there in his work uniform, his name written in an oval under the embroidered company name. “What exactly does River City Manufacturing manufacture?”
“Countertops. We measure, custom cut, and install counters for both commercial and home use.”
“Oh. What do you do?”
“Everything. Mostly, I handle the computer and oversee the shop. It’s a rather involved process. The measurements are dropped into the computer, which then runs the saws that cut the counters.”
She followed him through the tiny house to the modern kitchen. “Cute kitchen.”
“Thanks. My mom loves it. I tore out what existed a few years ago. I made the cabinets from scratch and the countertops are leftovers from a large job the company did awhile back.”
“Granite?”
He nodded, opened a cabinet, and withdrew two glasses. “I've got a small woodshop in the backyard.”
“I’m impressed. You do beautiful work.”
“Thanks.” He handed her a glass of iced tea.
She put the two books on the counter and accepted the glass. Her fingers touched his, sending a spark though her body. Gazing into his eyes, she smiled. A golden blonde lock fell across his forehead, and she noticed slight dimples when he returned the smile.
Broad shoulders filled his shirt, and golden hair covered his forearms. Desire filled her as she stared at the man with gray-blue eyes.
He returned the stare and she found herself lured to him. Golden-brown eyelashes framed his penetrating gaze. Taking a sip of the sweet liquid only enhanced the burning inside her. His fingers wrapped around the glass and removed it from her clutch as his mouth covered hers.
Sweet, probing kisses caused her to close her eyes, as she was drawn to him by the magnificent sensation that streamed through her body. Her hands found his shoulders, as his arms locked her into his embrace. Her hips swayed against the soft bulge in his pants. His hand on the small of her back pulled her tight to him. The room vanished. All that was left, were two bodies pressed together.
His tongue danced with hers as her pelvis rode his hardening length. Her breasts burned. She clawed at the fabric covering his shoulders. It was primal and she lost herself in the ancient ritual. Heat flowed through her until it peaked, causing a groan to escape her throat. Her lips unlocked from his, and she buried her face into his chest. The course material was permeated with the pungent smell of perspiration and oil. Inhaling deeply, it was nauseating, exciting, and very masculine. Reality hit, sending a jolt through her system. She let go of him and turned away. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I just did that.”
His hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back to him. “I’m not sure exactly what happened, but it was terrific." His breath flowed over her face as he spoke. "I should be apologizing to you. I've never spontaneously kissed someone before.” His voice was deep and raspy. “I've heard it said that you can tell a lot from a first kiss, and that was one hell of a first kiss.”
“I’m so embarrassed.”
“Why? It was awesome.” He pulled her tight to his body.
Her gaze locked with his as his lips once again touched hers. Her knees weakened and her body trembled. Wanting to flee, she found herself riveted in place. His tongue found hers. Heat coursed through her as the room began to swim. A gray cloud enveloped her until there was nothing.
“Hi, welcome back. Feeling any better?” Trent asked.
Cassie looked up at the man kneeling beside her. “What happened?”
“You fainted. I was about to call 9-1-1. You've been out for a few minutes.” She started to sit up, but he gently pushed her back down. “You’re not going anywhere. Take a couple of deep breaths.”
“I’m fine.”
He ran a finger across her cheek as he stared into her crystal blue pools. “You remind me of a china doll, perfectly beautiful.”
“Please, let me get up.”
“Slowly.” He offered her his hand.
Making her sit at the kitchen table, he brought her the glass of iced tea and then pulled out a chair across from her. As he sat, a grin split his face and erupted into a chuckle. “I've kissed many a woman in my life, but I've never had that effect on one.”
“I’m sorry, I have no idea what came over me.”
“There you go apologizing again for something that requires none.”
“I've never been that lost in a kiss, and I've never fainted before in my life. No, that’s not right, I fainted one time after I gave blood when I was still in college.”
“Gave blood on an empty stomach?”
“Probably.”
“Bet you've got a empty stomach now.”
She shook her head, as if trying to clear it. “Maybe. I ate a banana at some point today.”
“That’s it?”
“Ah, I think so. I skipped breakfast and drank a pot of coffee at work.”
“You’re not leaving here until you've eaten something nutritious and filling.” He opened the refrigerator, put a generous helping of pot roast in a bowl, and stuck it in the microwave. When the microwave beeped, he handed her the bowl and a fork. “I’ll be right back.”
Her taste buds savored the delicious beef and potatoes. She devoured it with lightning speed. It had been years since she had a home-cooked meal. Memories of her family flooded her mind: the beautiful, old, stone house on the outskirts of Boston, her mom and dad, Emily Zoot making dinner for the family, and several noisy brothers teasing her. Now she was sitting in Trent’s tiny kitchen, scraping the bowl with her fork to get every precious drop of gravy.
“Looks like you’re ready for a piece of apple pie.”
“It was delicious, but I’m not sure I have room for pie.” She gazed at Trent, now freshly showered and wearing a tee shirt and jeans. Her heart sighed.
“Make room.”
Her heart had plenty of room for him, but she wasn't sure her stomach could handle more.

***

My heart goes out to any parent with a child who is fighting for a chance at life. And if you know someone with that child, do whatever you can to help that family. Even something as simple as mowing their yard gives them an extra hour to spend with the child. A new book, toy, or a puzzle will brighten a child's day. They don't need to know who did it, but you'll know you did something special for someone.

What's coming next? I have three historical westerns all set to release between October and December. Writing historical westerns is a new genre for me. The last one to be released will be the diary of Clare Coleman, which was mentioned in A Snowy Christmas in Wyoming. And with a little luck, I should have the next River City novel out before Spring 2014. Yes, I've been very busy. But I love writing. It is my job.

Don't forget to leave a comment, then drop me an email at e.ayers@ayersbooks.com and say you've commented. I'll be giving away a few copies of A Child's Heart to some lucky people.

Bio:

About the Author

Born and raised with wealth, E. Ayers turned her back on all of it and married her prince charming a few days after her eighteenth birthday. Her family disowned her, and her friends were shocked. A firm believer in love conquering everything, she never looked back. The love she and her husband shared became the springboard for her novels. Fascinated with the way people deal with everyday problems, E Ayers has always been an observer and a listener. A simple problem for one person is a mountain for another. She utilizes those common predicaments which is why her books touch so many lives. Today, she spends most of her free time writing while living in a pre-Civil War home with her two dogs and a cat. Rattling around in an old money pit gives her muse plenty of freedom. Her idea of a perfect day is to spend it at the keyboard of her computer, coffee in hand, and everything in the house actually working as it should. She's the official matchmaker for all the characters who wander through her brain, and she likes finding just the right ones to create a story.

Cara Marsi is Today's Guest

Welcome Cara!

Share with us how many books have you written. Do you have a favorite?
Thank you for having me today, Anna. I've written nine books, with a tenth ready to publish (seven are published now) and fifteen short stories plus an anthology of six short stories. Like a mother with many kids, I love all my books, but in different ways. A dozen of my short stories were published in national magazines. I’m an eclectic writer. I write contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, erotic romance and short stories.

What is your next project and when will it be released?
I hope to have my Christmas novella, A Groom for Christmas, available in October. I have a short story with paranormal elements, Love Potion, from Boroughs Publishing Group coming out in October. I’ve recently had another short story, The Ring, released from Boroughs, and I’ve written a short erotic romance story, Capri Nights, which I hope to release by the end of the year. Then I’ll start on book three in the Redemption series, Anita’s Temptation.
When I got the rights back to my romantic suspense, Logan’s Redemption, an online friend who is a top-selling indie author urged me to publish Logan myself. I did and I’m so very happy that I did. Logan’s Redemption has been a top seller at Amazon and Apple. It was in print with The Wild Rose Press. Although my new cover is different, the book is mostly the same so I haven’t put the indie version into print. Two of my other books are in print: Loving Or Nothing and Murder, Mi Amore. I enjoy self-publishing because I have more control over the contents, cover, promotion, and I get to keep more of the royalties myself. I also like the idea of keeping all my options open, so I consider myself a hybrid author, a combination of traditionally published and indie published, with more emphasis on the indie.

What went into the process? Writing, editing, cover design, formatting, etc. Share your ups and downs and how you went about it. If you used a service, can you share?

My online friend, Sandra Edwards, who urged me to go indie does all my formatting, and she does a wonderful job. My editor at The Wild Rose Press, Laura Kelly, freelances, and I hire her to edit my indie books. Three of the four books she edited for me have placed in prestigious contests. The fourth book, Franco’s Fortune, is relatively new, and I haven’t yet entered it in any contests. The wonderful cover artist, Harris Channing, does most of my covers.

What did you do to promote your work?
I maintain a constant online presence. I guest blog; I belong to a group blog, Romance Books 4 Us. I take out ads. I try to be careful of what promo money I spend, but I’m rarely sure which ads work. You know what they say about advertising: Only half works but no one knows which half.

All self-pubbed books are rumored to be shoddily edited. What do you say to that?
Some may be, but most of the indie books I've read are very well-written and edited. I always hire an editor for my indie books. I wouldn't put up a book that wasn't edited. I believe most of the indie authors who have also been traditionally published recognize the importance of good editing.

Do you have critique partners? How did your critique group form?
I have a face-to-face critique group that meets weekly. One member has over 20 books with Harlequin; another has 10 books with large publishers. The other two members aren't published yet. I also have an online critique group that reads the finished product after I’ve revised according to feedback from my face-to-face group. I can get a little obsessive about polishing my story.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? The mean girls from high school and ex-boyfriends and my ex-husband end up in my books. They’re always the villains. We writers have ways to exact our revenge.

Was your road to publication difficult or a walk in the park?
Very difficult. It took 10 long, hard years of writing, learning, rejections before I sold my first book, A Catered Affair, to Avalon Books. I have the rights back to that book and digitally published a sensual version under the title A Catered Romance.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.
Here’s the pitch for my recent release, Franco’s Fortune, (Redemption Book 2), the romantic suspense sequel to Logan’s Redemption:
"When a female bodyguard is hired to protect a rich playboy, she finds saving his life is easier than protecting her heart."

Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.
My hero Franco Callahan in my latest book release, Franco’s Fortune, is the reformed playboy brother of the heroine Doriana from Logan’s Redemption. In Book 1, Franco is a selfish womanizer. I had to figure out a way to reform him. The Franco you meet in Book 2 is still fabulously wealthy, handsome and sexy. But he’s grown. He’s been forced to take over the family’s multi-national construction business. We learn things about Franco’s past, things he’s hidden from his family, that show he has a kind and caring heart, that he suffered from some of the same self-doubts that plague many of us. He used his playboy persona, not that he didn't enjoy it, to hide his true character. Jo Fortune, his bodyguard, brings out all Franco’s protective instincts, even though she’s the one who’s supposed to protect him. These two help each other heal from deep hurts in their pasts.

Do you write under a pen name? Why or why not? How did you choose it?
My first book, with Avalon Books, was published under my real name, Carolyn Matkowsky. I always wanted to publish under my real name because I worked hard for lots of years and I wanted everyone to know I’d finally made it. However, readers had problems spelling and pronouncing my last name. In 2003 I was nominated as an up and coming author in a romance magazine’s readers’ poll. They fractured my name so badly I felt I couldn't use the honor for promo. I decided then to take an easier name. I chose Cara because it’s a shortened form of Carolyn. I chose Marsi because it’s the name of a tribe from the region of Italy where my grandparents are from. We actually belong to another tribe, but that name is very long and difficult. 

Blurbs, excerpts and buy links for all my books are on my website, www.caramarsi.com
Buy links for Franco's Fortune:
Available on Amazon, BN, Kobo, Smashwords and Apple.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BNA3JQI/
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Francos-Fortune-Redemption-Book-2/book-GZCdUB8ocEGHiMVgsdgyLA/page1.html
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1114740547?ean=2940016234403
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/290943
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/francos-fortune-redemption/id615111080?mt=11

Thank you very much for sharing the wealth of your experience, Cara.

RITA winner Shelley Adina talks about the one-sheet

Shelley Adina is the RITA Award® winning author of 18 traditionally published novels, and an Amazon historical fantasy bestseller for her self published Magnificent Devices steampunk series. She holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, where she teaches as adjunct faculty. Shelley is a world traveler who loves to imagine what might have been. Between books, Shelley loves playing the piano and Celtic harp, making period costumes, and spoiling her flock of rescued chickens.

She’s here today to talk with us about one-sheets, a simple bit of marketing collateral you can make should you find yourself in an agent or editor appointment, and I am delighted to welcome a fellow member of my RWA chapter.

So, what’s a one-sheet?
The one-sheet is a snapshot of your book or series, your market research, and your bio, all on—you guessed it—one page. These have been used for years in the Christian market and in the music and videogame industries (just search on “one-sheet” in Google Images to see what I mean). On this one piece of paper, the editor has everything she needs to know to begin a productive conversation about your book. It also gives her some unwritten but clear information about you, the author: that you’re market savvy, have done the legwork to answer her questions in advance, and have thought about marketing yourself as well as your novel—all skills that will serve you well in a writing career.

Not bad for an 8.5 x 11” piece of paper, eh?

So let’s look at the one-sheet, section by section, and see how it not only presents your book in its best light, but how it can organize your thinking as well for the writing process.

Section 1: The Book

The most important section, and the one given visual importance on the page, contains the back-cover copy for your book. Two or three paragraphs tell the reader about your characters, the central conflict, the setting … and end with a story question. Here’s an example from the first book in my steampunk series, Lady of Devices:

London, 1889. Victoria is Queen. Charles Darwin’s son is Prime Minister. And steam is the power that runs the world.

At 17, Claire Trevelyan, daughter of Viscount St. Ives, was expected to do nothing more than pour an elegant cup of tea, sew a fine seam, and catch a rich husband. Unfortunately, Claire’s talents lie not in the ballroom, but in the chemistry lab, where things have a regrettable habit of blowing up. When her father gambles the estate on the combustion engine and loses, Claire finds herself down and out on the mean streets of London. But being a young woman of resources and intellect, she turns fortune on its head. It’s not long before a new leader rises in the underworld, known only as the Lady of Devices . . .

When she meets Andrew Malvern, a member of the Royal Society of Engineers, she realizes her talents may encompass more than the invention of explosive devices. They may help her realize her dreams and his . . . if they can both stay alive long enough to see that sometimes the closest friendships can trigger the greatest betrayals . . .

The back-cover blurb is designed to pique reader interest—and gives the editor a starting point for a productive conversation about your characters and plot development.

If you’re pitching a series rather than a single book, you can lay out the one-sheet in landscape orientation and arrange three back-cover blurbs across the page. Then, in a paragraph that spans all three, you can give a series overview, describing the main plot and themes. This will save space so that you don’t have to repeat it in the book descriptions, allowing you greater detail in the individual blurbs below.

Section 2: Your Bio and Contact Information

This section should be 100-150 words, giving your credentials for writing the book, your experience, contest wins, and education. Use your bio from your website if you have one, so that your “collateral,” or marketing materials, are all consistent. Include your website and email address so that if the editor wishes to contact you for more, she can do so easily.

Section 3: Market Research

If you have room, or you’re using a double-sided sheet, think about including your market research. I once proposed a teen series featuring a group of antagonistic high-school girls, slowly drawn together as they created the dresses of their dreams. My market research included quotes from articles that had recently appeared in Publishers Weekly and Time about teens getting into crafting, and mentioned books by NYT bestsellers set in the knitting and scrapbooking communities. Show the editor that your book has a market, and she will have less work to do when she takes your proposal to the editorial meeting.

Optional: Tag Lines and Quotes
Many authors include tag lines on their websites and signature lines to give readers a quick, witty way to remember them and their books.
· Harlequin American author Lee McKenzie writes “fifty shades of pink.”
· Debbie Macomber promises, “Wherever you are, Debbie takes you home.”
· “Steampunk with spirit” is my tagline for the Magnificent Devices series. It’s both a promise and a description.
· The women’s fiction series I proposed under my Adina Senft pseudonym, about an Amish herbal healer (and which recently sold from a one-sheet), is called Healing Grace, and the tagline is “Healing grace in Amish gardens.”

Another option is to use a particularly telling quote from your manuscript—something that encapsulates the theme of your book. I used “A lady of resources makes her own luck,” one of the heroine’s lines. This line appealed to a reader so much that she created a poster of it along with my book covers, and sent it to me!

Recommended: Use images to create a mood
Editors tend to be visual people—even if they’re not creating cover art and page layouts, they still give professional input in both those areas. So consider including images that convey the style and mood of your book, its setting, maybe even its characters. Use your own photography or buy images from stock photo sites, and make your one-sheet even more memorable.

Does the one-sheet really work?
So far, I've sold two trilogies on a one-sheet alone, so I can vouch for how well they work. Give your inner graphic designer some freedom and see what you can come up with. Then at your next editor appointment, see how well it works. You never know—one sheet of paper might start a chain of events that ends with a book contract!

Learn more about Shelley and her books at http://www.shelleyadina.com or http://www.adinasenft.com. And be sure to check out her summer blog series, Letters from the Lady, in connection with the Magnificent Devices books, at http://magnificentdevices.wordpress.com. 

Shelley presented a workshop on One-sheets at a chapter meeting. I rushed home and made one for each of my series. Here's the one for The Montbryce Legacy series.

Front and back

Inside

Many thanks for sharing this simple, but effective marketing tool with us, Shelley.

Welcome Gemma Juliana

Please welcome Gemma Juliana to my blog today.

Thanks for inviting me as your guest, Anna. 

It's a pleasure to have you here. Tell us about yourself.

I've lived in many places, but am now settled in north Texas in a little cottage with my handsome hero, our teenage son and a very magical dog. My older son, his wife and baby live in a neighboring town. Yes, I became a grandma on Halloween… very appropriate, considering my interest in the Otherworld. I wear many hats, from homeschooling mom, to bookkeeper, to jewelry buyer, to astrologer, to home chef, and the list goes on. I love Italian food, loaded potatoes, chocolate and coffee. Did I mention red wine? Am eating healthier now, lots of raw veggies and smoothies. My hubby and I have a breakfast ‘date’ every week at a local diner. I love to travel to ancient sites where magic once shimmered.

My basic criterion for wine is that it has to be red! What genre do you write in and why?

So far I've indie-published the sizzling Sheikhs of the Golden Triangle series. They say, ‘write what you enjoy reading’ so I didn't know where to start because I enjoy so many types of romance. They also say, ‘write series,’ so what I initially intended to be one or two stories currently has three novellas and the fourth coming soon. On a different note, I wrote a non-steamy novella called To Kiss A Leprechaun which is a magical fantasy adventure good for all ages. It even appeals to older kids and YA.

What is your greatest regret concerning your writing career?

I first tried to write a romance when I was pregnant with my first son thirty-one years ago. Back then I submitted it to Silhouette and received a lovely rejection letter telling me to make certain changes and send it back. I was discouraged and decided to do it ‘later’… but before I knew it I had a baby to take care of, we moved to Europe, and I didn’t get back to writing for twenty years. Time flies! Hindsight is 20/20, but knowing what I do now, I believe it would have been easy to get published back then if I had persisted because the letter was so encouraging. The rejection was delightful, nothing like the form rejections you get these days!

Very interesting! If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

I have come to love Texas but I miss the sea. The Gulf of Mexico isn’t enough for me, and I live far from it. I’d like to have a stone home in Ireland (although a castle would do) near the coast, or a vineyard on the Atlantic coast of France, or closer to home, perhaps a farmhouse in Maine… Vancouver also draws me, with both mountains and ocean so close together.

Vancouver is a lovely city. Tell us about your current WIP.

The Sheikh’s Crowning is the story of Rick and Yasmine. Rick is a tough undercover agent who spent several years tracking sex slave smugglers, and Yasmine is a widow whose husband was assassinated soon after their marriage. She’s a princess and Rick’s a restless man who has resisted love and settling down. Can Yasmine risk loving a man who lives a dangerous lifestyle again? Can Rick accept that he’s good enough to satisfy the needs of a princess?

What inspired your latest book?

While writing The Sheikh’s Spy, which is the story of Adnan and Olympia, I knew Olympia’s brother and Adnan’s sister would fall in love. Their voices wanted to be heard and theirs is an unusual love story with a twist.

This series of novellas takes place in a fictitious part of the world – The Golden Triangle. The Amulet is the series Prequel. It introduces the fabled magical sapphire amulet, and exposes the enmity and war that constantly tear the region asunder.

Sounds intriguing! What is your next project and when will it be released?

The Sheikh’s Crowning is my next release and is due in early September 2013. Another story I wrote years ago, The Bridal Gift, is in the editing process and may be ready for October 2013.

Why have you become a published author?

Writing is an inner compulsion. All my life I’ve written down story ideas, and usually at least the first three chapters. One day I made a promise to my muse that I would finish as many of them as deserve an ending, and most of them do. I write because I love writing, love a good story, and enjoy entertaining others. Being an author is also part of my retirement plan. The income stream will help as I get older, and something for me to give my sons when the time comes.

What advice can you offer to anyone deciding to self-publish?

Self-publishing is a joy! Perhaps it’s not for everyone, but for those who enjoy controlling their time and creative work it’s the way to go. I encourage anyone to go indie if they are tired of waiting months or years to hear from editors, only to receive yet another rejection. Time is our most valuable commodity and the only delays you suffer as an indie are due to your own lack of discipline or an occasional glitch with the e-publishing platforms. As an indie author, your career remains firmly in your own hands.

Couldn't agree more. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. If readers want to connect with Gemma:

GemmaJuliana.com | Twitter | facebook

Buy Gemma’s Books on…

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Apple

SmashWords

Berengaria Brown Talks about Self Publishing

Please welcome Berengaria Brown to my blog today.
Why have you become a published author, Berengaria?
I have always read voraciously. I began writing when I had no books to read. On the way I discovered it was something that I could do, and something I enjoyed doing, so I haven’t stopped writing.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?
So far I have only independently published books for which the contracts have expired, or to which I've requested the contracts back. It’s definitely been a steep learning curve, and there’s no way I’m going to get rich any time soon, but it is a good feeling to see books that have done nothing with a publisher finally start to sell. Being in total control is also a good feeling after having had some less than awesome experiences with some publishers.

I like the control, too.What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
Join a group of authors experienced in independently publishing their books and learn as much as you can before jumping into the lake.

I agree. What was the deciding factor in self-publishing your books? Did you decide on ebook or print only or both?
When I started writing I chose to publish with several different publishing houses as I’d had a couple friends who got caught in the mess when a publisher ceased operating. This was A Good Thing as one of the publishers I was with closed and another one got very rocky and I was able to remove my books from them while still getting sales from other books elsewhere. I decided I would give self-publishing a try with the books I’d gotten back.
So far I've only done digital myself.

What went into the process? Can you share your ups and downs and how you went about it?
I had the books re-edited by a professional editor and a talented friend did the covers. I did the formatting myself. The first two were hard work, but by the third and fourth ones I thought I was getting better at it. For authors self-publishing a brand new book I really think editing is very important. We simply don’t see our own mistakes. It takes a professional who is at arm’s length to pick them up.

What was the most difficult thing in the process of self-publishing? 
Actually stepping out from the security of having a publisher with everything at their fingertips is hard. But having tried it once, I think many authors will be ready to continue self publishing. 

How about the easiest?

The easiest thing was knowing I had nothing much to lose. If it didn't work out I could simply go back to writing for one of my existing publishers.

Can you list some Pros/Cons of self-publishing?
Choosing release dates and art work was wonderful. Although most publishers do a good job with covers, some don’t. And with a publisher an author has to fit into their time frame. By independently publishing the author picks release dates that suit them, so they can promote etc as much as they want to.

How long have your books been out? How long between books if you have multiple sales—and if you have multiples did you see a bump in sales with subsequent publication?
The first two went out together eighteen months ago, then two more in January this year. Because I work full-time at a demanding job I have to schedule releases around that. Every time a new book releases, the backlist kicks up a little.

All self-pubbed books are rumored to be shoddily edited. What do you say to that?
Some books are very badly edited. That’s a fact. Authors tend not to see their own mistakes. Also, some authors get their best friend, or an eager fan to “edit” the book. A good edit demands a professional editor who lives and breathes grammar and consistency and timelines, and that costs money. But the author’s good name is at stake here, so the fee is essential.

What advice can you offer readers of self-pubbed books in making a decision on what to read?
Read the best books around, then read the most popular. By then you’ll know what you like.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

“Jaid’s Two Sexy Santas”

Jaid hates the annual family Christmas party, a huge event with people she doesn't recognize or like. She's hot and horny and looking for action on the holidays. But this year things look brighter. Her second cousin, Greg, and his partner, Steve, invite her to spend time with them. Two sexy Santas for Jaid? Oh yes!
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-jaid039stwosexysantas-1039689-146.html

Thanks for joining me today, Berengaria. Do you have any final words of inspiration for aspiring authors?
Never give up. Keep reading. Keep writing. Keep perfecting your craft.

Blog: http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/
Website: http://berengariabrown.com/
Friend me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter
Buy my books: http://www.bookstrand.com/berengaria-brown
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=berengaria%20brown&sprefix=berengaria%2Cstripbooks%2C570&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Aberengaria%20brown

Florence Witkop Shares the Wealth of Her Experience

A warm hello today to Florence Witkop. Tell us about yourself, Florence.

Wife, mother, grandmother, writer, slow workaholic (can't sit still but I'm never in a hurry), reader, political junkie.

I'll have to remember that one-slow workaholic. Have you had other careers before becoming a writer? I've been a teacher, census taker, fishing resort owner, information technology person.

How did you get started writing? I live in the north woods and had to drive many miles over roads that weren't the best to a teaching job. One day I decided I'd rather work right in my own home as a writer. And I've been doing it ever since.

Sounds good! What genre do you write in?
Romance because I want there to be a romance in everything I read and I write what I like to read. I live in the wilderness and that seems to creep into my works until my stories have been described as eco-fiction, a genre I didn't even know existed until it was used in conjunction with my books. And I love supernatural elements so, even though I write small town, rural and/or wilderness romances, they often have a supernatural theme or element. I don't do erotic romance because I can't write and laugh at the same time and that's what happens every time I try to write one of those really steamy scenes. I do have sex in my books if it's appropriate, just not the steamy kind.

I can empathize! How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite? I've written short fiction for over thirty years. I just started writing novels and now have three done and am working on a fourth. I've discovered that writing novels isn't just writing longer short stories. Instead, it's a whole different way of telling a story.

Tell us about your current series.

The 'Legend' series is about legends that turn out to be true. The first, Spirit Legend, is about a legend of a spirit living in a remote, wilderness lake that will die if the lake it lives in is allowed to drain dry. The second, Wolf Legend, that I'm almost done with, is about a legend of huge, dire wolves that people insist have been sighted on a remote island, one of which shares thoughts with the heroine. The third book of the Legend series, which isn't on paper yet but is pretty well worked out in my mind, will be about the legend of Ceres, the goddess of the harvest, and one of her descendants who stows away on a space ship carrying people planning to colonize a far distant planet. She knows their crops will fail if she isn't there to oversee things. I can't promise that there will be more Legend books but there will be if my subconscious is working normally.


What inspired your latest book? I live in an area where wolves are found so there's a lot of talk in my neighborhood about wolves, both favorable and unfavorable. My characters know both sides. I personally love some things about wolves (their family life is admirable and they are beautiful animals) but I do not romanticize them and I do respect the fact that God or nature has decreed that they be intelligent predators.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories? Everywhere.

Do you have a blog? I have a blog. http://FlorenceWitkop.com I try to post at least one a week and most of my posts are tips for writers in which I pass on things I've learned over the years, mostly from other writers, about the craft of writing fiction.

What is your favorite part of writing? Rewriting. Definitely. Because I can take something and make it better, smoother, easier to read and understand.

What is your least favorite part of writing? The first draft. Hate it.

What is your typical day like? All over the place. I try to find enough time to actually write but sometimes that's hard.

How does your family feel about your writing career? They are okay with it. Great conversational gambit.

How has your experience with self-publishing been? It's a whole new world, one that's both fascinating and daunting.

What was the deciding factor in self-publishing? Did you decide on ebook or print only or both? I'd been writing short fiction for magazines (confession) for years. The publishers worried about marketing, not me. But print publications are going out of business daily so I decided to become my own publisher. What a shock! It's a whole different thing!

What did you do to promote your work? At first, nothing because I didn't know what to do. I'm learning and I think Goodreads is the most wonderful online site there is because it caters to both readers and writers and brings them together.

How long have your books been out? I dipped my toe in the waters of self-publishing less than a year ago with one short story. I then went on to novellas and then to novels. Each publication has been an interesting journey and I look forward to more such journeys as I continue to write and to learn the process of self-publishing.

What advice can you offer readers of self-pubbed books in making a decision on what to read? Go with your gut. You can't judge how good a book is by price, cover, or blurb. Just by gut.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book? It happens occasionally. My family likes the fact that I'm a writer but they don't like appearing in my stories, which they sometimes do.

What is most difficult for you to write? Characters, conflict or emotions? Why? I'm the peacemaker of the family so intentionally creating conflict is almost impossible. I can only do conflict well if it's in the situation, not between the characters because I think any characters who can't settle their own conflicts aren't worth writing about.

Was your road to publication difficult or a walk in the park? Easy. I set a goal and met it originally, writing for magazines, and set another goal of self-publishing last year and met that too. Getting rich from my writing? That's another story!

Give us an elevator pitch for your book. Two people save the life of an immortal spirit.

Do you have a view in your writing space? I look out the window into the north woods, which can make writing difficult and daydreaming easy.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Parts of both. I need a general guide, a chapter-by-chapter synopsis, but after that I need to give my characters the freedom to get where they are going in whatever way works best for them.

Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses. My heroes are all kind of alike in that they are normal, decent human beings. Because my stories are about normal, decent human beings who somehow got caught up in abnormal, scary situations. It's like a famous writer once said: 'Jack has his fanny in a bear trap and the story is getting out.' I like to see nice, normal people fall into extreme situations in which they must overcome overwhelming odds and not only survive, but thrive and fall in love in the process.

Tell us about your heroine. Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses. Same thing. I like normal people in abnormal situations. Okay, I do prefer a bit of difference between the heroine and hero, usually their backgrounds, but that's so they'll have something to talk about more than to cause conflict or raise the tension. I figure the situation itself should be tense enough that they don't need any artificial conflicts to add to the problem. 

What genres are you drawn to as a reader? I love hard science-fiction, the kind that relies on proven laws of physics and then adds the human element and a romance. And I love thrillers if they depend on known technology used in innovative ways instead of just being an endless series of chase scenes.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? I can't do thrillers because I find building tension to be difficult. I can do psychological fear but not the physical kind. So I stick to what I can do, not what I like to read.

How far do you plan ahead? I have a computer file that I fill with ideas. When I have time, I expand on those ideas until I have a chapter-by-chapter synopsis. Then I know I'm ready to begin writing.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors? Becoming a successful writer has as much to do with how you work at your craft as how much ability you were born with. I've met dozens and dozens of gifted writers whose careers went nowhere because they wanted to do their own thing in their own way instead of approaching writing as a profession and a business that provides readers with stories they want to read so much that they are willing to give some of their time and money to do so. 

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? I always knew that eventually I'd be a writer. I wasn't in any hurry, I figured it would happen when I got around to it. Like I said, I'm a slow workaholic, never in any hurry but eventually I get there. Usually.

Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization? I was one of the founding members of a local writers' organization, the Jackpine Writers Bloc. We publish a literary book every year that's now quite well known. In fact, one of our members who joined in high school and was published in our literary journal, came back during a college break to say that one of her English teachers was envious because she'd been published in the Talking Stick, something he'd been trying for years to do.

Why have you become a published author? Because everyone has to do something with their life that's just for them and no one else and that's what I chose to do with mine.

Do you have any rejection stories to share? Not exactly a rejection but a story: When I first started out, my daughters were my most honest and most brutal critics. Later someone asked me to read a story she'd written and tell her what I thought. It was pretty bad, a fact that I mentioned to one of my daughters. Her response was, "So what? You've written a lot of really bad stuff and it got published." That popped any ego I might have had and I'll never forget her words.

Where can readers find you? My blog is http://FlorenceWitkop.com

Where can readers find your books? Amazon and Smashwords and my blog has links to buy my books. But if you don't want to go there, links are:

The Eye of the Universe:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007N6K964
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/142206
When Dreams Come True:
http://Amazon.com/dp/B008GTI2JS
http://Smashwords.com/books/view/178408
Wanted Sharpshooter:
http://www.Amazon.com/dp/B009R6WMT0
http://www.Smashwords.com/books/view/287109
Spirit Legend:
http://www.Amazon.com/dp/B00BH607S6
http://www.Smashwords.com/books/view/287198

It's been great getting to know you, Florence. thanks for being my guest today.

Welcome Bonnie Edwards

It is fitting, having just celebrated Canada Day 2 days ago, to have as my guest a fellow member of the Vancouver Island Chapter of RWA. Bonnie Edwards is a multi-published author who gives freely of her time and expertise, and I have learned a lot from her insightful workshops. 

Anna, thank you so much for asking me here. I’m still learning my way around Goodreads and I've already learned a lot just from seeing your blog. It’s no wonder you've been nominated for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. 

Thanks, Bonnie. It's a pleasure to have you here. Tell us about yourself.
I am like most women: a wife, mother, sister, daughter, auntie who has worn a lot of hats in her lifetime. The only difference is that I’m also a writer of romance, a lover of books, a regular blood donor and a pet lover. (okay…I guess on a writer’s blog on Goodreads, I’m pretty much exactly the same as everyone else here!)

How did you get started writing?
See that title of Mom? I had a child who refused to be potty trained…and another who thought I had Velcro on my legs. As much as I loved being a wife and mom, I felt my brain turning to mush. I hit a place where I knew there had to be more and it was up to me to find that place myself. No one else could make me happy…I had to find my bliss.
I’d always enjoyed writing and it came naturally. My sister-in-law was an avid romance reader who shared her books and I was hooked! I am an optimist by nature so the idea of a guaranteed happy ending fit with my need to write. 

I'm still wrestling with the Velcro image! What genre do you write in and why?
I write romance! I have written erotic romance for Kensington Books’ Aphrodisia imprint, category romance for Harlequin Blaze, novellas for Aphrodisia and Carina Press and now I write and publish my work independently, like so many others.
I think that first flush of sexual awareness and learning between a couple is the most exciting time in a relationship. Who wouldn't want to relive that time between the pages of a book? I was writing hot, sexy love scenes way before erotic romance hit the stage. In some ways, those scenes held back my career. That is, until the market finally caught up and I was in the launch anthology for Kensington’s Aphrodisia. Those were heady days!
I write contemporary romance but also veer into light paranormal, like curses and ghost stories and/or curses that end up being time-travel because I love the twists I can add to the story and characters.
In my short story, The Stone Heart, I took inspiration from the old tv show The Twilight Zone and put a twist in it.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

Including my short stories and novellas about 20 were published traditionally. I have two fully self-published books out now. My latest is Love in a Pawn Shop with my own dog on the cover.
My favorite story is the one I’m currently working on…but I must say that Love in a Pawn Shop was a particular joy to write because I could finally tell the story I wanted to tell, my way. I did garner interest in the book, but the marketing department of a big publisher decided heroines shouldn't own pawn shops (and probably shouldn't own pit-bulls either). I set the story aside until I could self-publish it and WOW! I couldn't have predicted the response. I have discovered a whole world of dog lovers and specifically pit-bull lovers outside my usual readership.
I never would have been able to have my own dog on the cover of a traditionally published romance. My Beau passed away 5 years ago and I sobbed every day that I wrote a scene with him in it. I relived my time with my dog and showed many of his behaviors in the book.
I found the whole experience wonderful and made certain that even the dog had a happy ending.
I always fall in love with my characters; my heroines because they’re strong and independent and often come from hard-luck circumstances and my heroes who most times see the woman they want and do whatever it takes to claim her.

I felt exactly the same writing cat scenes in Haunted Knights. I named the character after my cat Topaz who died unexpectedly while I was writing the ms. (Now I am tearing up!) Tell us about your current series.
The Silhouette Saga is a paranormal series based on a gypsy curse. Four brothers need to learn some lessons about love, women and relationships. My heroines for these stories are just the right women to teach those lessons. I’m having so much fun writing these men: they’re arrogant, charming, sexy and stubborn.
Book 1 of The Silhouette Saga is titled Kim, Unveiled…but that could change as the revisions progress. I’m also making the books longer because the stories demand more depth and length. There’s a lot going on and the conflict has grown by leaps and bounds.

What inspired your latest book?
The Silhouette Saga came to me because I have a gypsy curse in my short story, The Stone Heart and I wanted to go back to the gypsy who cursed that heroine and create more stories from his family. His sister is the one who’s cursed my current heroes…and a nasty curse it is, too.

Do you send out a newsletter? 
My newsletter…sigh…is often short and very sporadic. People can sign up on my website: www.bonnieedwards.com Usually, I send out news when I have a new release or when I've added formats for e-readers such as KOBO, or iTunes or Nook. I send short, to-the-point newsletters that offer links to purchase whatever is new.
I keep my newsletters short because I don’t want to waste readers’ time with unnecessary bits of personal gossip or something they’re not interested in. Maybe that goes against the norm, but me sharing recipes? Not going to happen. I’m not that good a cook…and my husband does the gardening. I write! I write and write and tell stories and that’s what I want my readers to read. My stories. I hope to make people cry, laugh and sigh at the end. So, I let them know when a story is available and that’s all. (I’m cringing because we hear all the time that readers want to know more, but that’s what my FB page and Twitter is for.)

How has your experience with self-publishing been?
I’m having a blast! I love the chance to work on covers with an interested cover artist. I use 2. One for my contemporary romances (you’ll see sexy boots, shoes, and one dog on those covers) My other cover artist works on my paranormal books: The Stone Heart and now: Kim, Unveiled.
So: Here is the cover reveal for Kim, Unveiled. What do you think? Does it say paranormal romance to you?
(Coming Soon to an e-reader near you!)

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
Study craft at every opportunity. Use a good editor. Write. Write. Write. Improve and revise. Study the craft even more. Learn your weaknesses and work on them. That is something I learned throughout my career: we all have weaknesses and still today, I study craft.  I also teach some occasional craft classes online through SavvyAuthors.com 

I took your Scene and Sequel workshop through SavvyAuthors recently and can heartily recommend it. What was the deciding factor in self-publishing? Did you decide on ebook or print only or both?
At this point, I’m offering ebooks only, but am considering offering print. If demand for print goes up, I’ll definitely add that option. Audio as well, if need be.

What’s next for you?
I’m hoping to have another contemporary erotic romance novella titled Bodywork (my first Aphrodisia novella) uploaded before year’s end. And through the rest of the summer I’ll be working on The Silhouette Saga series with a target date of all four up and available by Valentine’s Day. For information on when exactly the books become available it’s best to sign up for my newsletter. I share there before anywhere else.

Where can readers find you?
I was trying to squeeze in links for my various titles listed here (there are more) but there’s so much happening at the moment the blog would have been very clunky. So, the best way to see all the books I have to offer is to take a quick look at my website. New links for more formats should be up there by the time this blog goes live.
Also, my short story Long Time Coming is free on iTunes and KOBO as I write this…so again, by the time this blog is live it’s possible it will be free on Amazon as well.(cross fingers on that one) Nook will not allow free books at this time, so it is priced at .99 there.

My website www.bonnieedwards.com has all my books listed. You can also like my author page http://www.facebook.com/Bonnie.Edwards.Author
Or follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BonnieEdwards
Where can readers find your books?
My newest releases are on Amazon, KOBO, NOOK, and iTunes. Again by the time this post goes live, Love in a Pawn Shop will be available on more than Kindle.

Thank you so much for being my guest today, Bonnie. Sorry I will miss the chapter picnic.

Again, Anna, thanks so much for inviting me. And now I must wander through Goodreads a little more just to see what I've been missing.