The Lovestruck Novice

Excuses? Hold On, I Might Just Have One . . .

2012-01-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

Excuses are like . . . er, um, . . . eyebrows? (what did you think I was going to say? *gasp* well, what a naughty mind you have!)

Excuses are that one little household item we all have laying around the house like half-used bars of soap, college-era clothing, and magazines. We just never know when we're going to need them, right? Someday we might want to try that recipe containing overpriced and hard-to-find ingredients that So-And-So Famous Chef recommends. Or when all the baby weight is gone, who knows, that leopard print tube top might be a real stunner at the PTA meeting, right?

We hold onto and nurture excuses until they become the new norm. In some instances, excuses are a necessary evil. The kids are sick, the car broke-down, cash is tight, etc. Life happens and we just have to take the lumps. But it's when our excuses become the road block to achieving our dreams that the speed lumps turn into massive pile ups of regret and shame.

Somewhere along the way my motivation disappeared much like a bikini top during spring break. I'll be honest. If I'd really wanted to I could have eeked out the time to write last year, BUT it was EASIER to play up being busy with three kids and certainly more fun reading for pleasure than working out the problems with my MS and moving forward.

I HAVE to step over my regret and continue on my writer's journey. I'm through with excuses. I've got a GPS lock on my ambition and don't plan on a detour. Should I fall off course, as life loves to throw us hurdles, I know I've the fortitude to adapt.

I'm sure it's obvious from this and my last post that I, as a writer, am still a WIP. What about you? Do you find it easy to overlook your ambition? Rest assured you're not alone. Excuses are an addiction everyone battles. It's up to us to know whether we're being honest to ourselves.

Shakespeare said it best, "To thine own self be true." How about you? Are you keeping yourself on the straight and narrow?

Confessions Of A Procrastinator!!

2012-01-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

The beginning of every new year seems like we're all being given a fresh start. A clean slate, if you will, in the game of life and, dare I say, completing those blasted goals we heap upon ourselves.

For many of us, the goals we strive to meet seem simple to the outside world, but to those of us in the trenches . . . it's HARD WORK, MAN!

Of course, I'm talking about writing and in my case, FINISHING THE DARN THING!

Last year was a hazy blur of chaos. New baby, then sick baby, busy school/speech schedules, ear tubes for baby, and just to round off the year: a 10 day hospital stay for me. I knew something wasn't right when I couldn't keep anything down and started turning yellow. Sure enough, I had a 6mm stone blocking my common bile duct and a gall bladder (which I'd had removed in 2010- so it was quite surprising to learn I still had one!) full of a massive conglomeration of stones. Had the procedure to clear the stone blockage, but got pancreatitis (very ouchy!) and had to wait three days to have the remaining surgery, which include removing the GB and cleaning out the sludge and gravely stones plugging the duct to my pancreas. All in all, it was 10 days of poking, prodding, and lovely hospital gowns. I can't complain about the food as I was not allowed to eat or drink for 7 of the 10 days. *sigh* What an experience, to say the least!

So, now I've been home for three weeks and life is good. While I was gone, the baby got weaned and started sleeping through the night. YAY! Up until my venture into the hospital, she was an 11m old who slept and nursed like a 3m old. Very taxing for a busy mom of three kids under the age of 5!

With 2012 laid out before me like a crisp, clean sheet of paper, I'm very excited to start the year off "write". I've got a tentative schedule in mind for completing my household chores and mommy duties, as well as taking time to get back into the swing of visiting my peeps' blogs. Squirreling myself away for a year has left me feeling out of the loop and more disconnected than ever to my fellow writers.

This year RWA Nationals are on my side of the country and I intend to be there- completed MS in hand. I procrastinated and made excuses for myself and had to watch the Golden Heart entry for fall 2011 pass me by. I know I will always regret not pushing myself to get my MS done and entered. Always. But, that was last year.

This is NEXT year. And so, I happily start my adventure with fresh eyes and a razor-sharp sense of determination. I will endeavor to keep a written trail of my progress, because I know I'm not alone in the procrastinator club. If misery loves company, well, so does inspiration.

Thanks to all for visiting my blog and let's work together to achieve our goals! Here's hoping that 2012 is a year full of happiness and productivity!
Smile!,
Sarah

PS-What goals have YOU set for the new year?

Get Tempted By Lila Munro!!!!

2011-11-29T18:46:00.001-08:00

Oh-da-lolly!! Great to see you back, TLN'ers!!

How is your week treating you? Are you recovered from Thanksgiving?

After slaving away for friends and family, it's time to reward all your hard work! We've got the wonderful LILA MUNRO visiting today and she's got a new release that's bound to make even the most dreary day spicy!

Grab a slice of leftover pie (we won't tell) and indulge!
We're cranking up the thermostat, ya'll!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

By day, Marine Corp wife. By night, erotic romance novelist. Come follow the adventures of Lila Munro as she navigates the world through a writers eyes. She’s bold, she’s adventurous, and she’s notorious for dragging her husband along on her research trips to places no self-respecting housewife would dare go.

Marshfox works in a high profile job where his superiors know his name, and the name of his racy wife. With the odd looks around the office and the questions he gets from his counterparts about his sex life, will he be able to live with his wife’s career choice much longer? As Lila rolls out naughtier and naughtier tales, will she become his downfall as a PR nightmare?

Will she continue her path, or give up her dream to save her hero’s good name?

Well, that was pretty good for off the cuff if I do say so myself…I really could be a book, huh?

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

Honest, real, distinct.

3)If you had the chance to start your writer's journey all over again, is there anything you would do different?

I don’t believe so. True I’ve had a few stumbling points, but I am a firm believer in that all things happen for a reason. Were it not for my first publishing experience, I’d never have met my best friend. Were it not for my first real editor, I’d never have improved my writing. Some people might ask if I’d have started sooner. No. I’ve been writing my entire life, but waiting until my nest was empty was the right thing for me. Not only do I have a wealth of life experience to draw from, I can now devote much more time to honing my skill than I would have with wee tots running around under foot and being demanding. Do I wish that there are certain events along the way that had never happened? Yes. Change them or go back. No. There was something to be learned from every single thing and I’m appreciative of that.

4)Newbie writer to Published Author: How has your writing changed?

It’s become more defined and my voice has become clearer. Apparently I have a voice that people remember. I’ve had a couple of people tell me they’ve read my work blind and knew right off it was me. Technically I’ve come miles. My writing was littered with issues when I first started. Point of view problems, quotation issues, and commas. Oh, how I hate commas. There are still my mortal enemy, but we’re slowly learning to get along and work together for the good of all involved.

5)What's been the biggest challenge you've had to overcome with your writing/career?

Learning to be patient and let things roll off me like water. I’m a very emotional person, and I think that comes across in my writing, so I had to learn early on to take it on the chin, dust off and move on. It takes an extremely thick skin to be in this business, something not everyone has, but you can grow one.

6)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to dish?

My publishing calendar is full to over-flowing for 2012. I’m at present working on the third and final installment to the Identity series, Assumed Identity. I’ve also have the last installment of the Delaney brothers series coming out spring 2012, A Slower Lower Leap, and we’re working on the last book in the Force Recon series, Force Recon: Rogue Nation. I’ll miss all the series as they contain some very powerful story lines and characters that I adore. However, my next series is brewing, and in fact, I’m about two-thirds through the three installments. It’s called The Sergeants of Echo Company and will take me back to my first love, military romance. These should release late summer/early fall 2012. On the distant horizon, I’ve got another military series planned called Marriages of Convenience. These Marines are talking my ears off, begging me to tell their stories.

Thanks so much, Sarah, for having me over today. It’s been a pleasure!

Lila Munro currently resides on the coast of North Carolina. She’s a military wife and takes much of her inspiration for her heroes from the marines she’s lived around for the past fifteen years. Coining the term realmantica, she strives to produce quality romance in a realistic setting. Her genre of choice is contemporary romance that spans everything from the sensual to BDSM and ménage. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading everything she can get her hands on, trips to the museum and aquarium, taking field research trips, and soaking up the sun on the nearby beaches. Her works include The Executive Officer’s Wife, Bound By Trust, Destiny’s Fire, A Slower Lower Love, A Slower Lower Life, Salvation, Force Recon: Beacon Bayou, Force Recon: Somalia, True Identity and Identity Crisis. She’s a member in good standing of RWA and Passionate Ink. Currently she’s working on sequels to several series to be released throughout 2011-12. Ms. Munro also works as the VP of Business Affairs for Rebel Ink Press. She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted via her website http://lilamunro.weebly.com or through Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Lila_Munro You can also contact her via email at lilasromance@gmail.com

For more information about Rebel Ink Press please visit their website at www.rebelinkpress.com

BLURB for Three for Keeps:

Published By: Rebel Ink Press LLC
Published: Nov 14, 2011
ISBN # 9781937265397
Word Count: 89,000
Heat Index 5 Flames

Zoey Matthews is in love. She’s been in love since the day she was dropped off by a social worker at yet another foster home on a back country road miles from nowhere, Missouri. At age ten, she met the men of her dreams. Over the course of sixteen years, Dane Cardwell, Jack Devereux and Ryan Wilkins fell in love with her, too. They’ve each told her they love her, they’ve shown her and each man has gone so far as to ask her to marry him. But what they don’t know is Zoey loves them all.

Her game of kiss and not tell all comes crashing down around her the night of her graduation from veterinary school and Zoey runs for the mountains. Of Colorado. Hoping to outrun her obsession with three men and forget them all together, she stays gone for ten years. But the wound has never healed. In fact, it's done nothing but fester. Needing to clear the air, Zoey agrees to spend a few days back home with the boys never imagining it would turn into a week filled with comparison sex as Dane, Jack and Ryan each try to get Zoey to choose between them and their varied tastes.

When she finally tells the truth, a truth only one of them has known all along, Zoey fears the foursome will never be able to make a sharing relationship work. After all, aren't there just too many personalities and desires to sort through? Add in the kink factor and things get really complicated. Zoey’s not convinced the truth has any merit, but there's one thing she knows for sure…this time she's playing for keeps.

Purchase Links: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-threeforkeeps-641736-144.html http://www.amazon.com/Three-for-Keeps-ebook/dp/B0067MIGLU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322255979&sr=8-1 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/three-for-keeps-lila-munro/1107394394?ean=2940013583955

Wowza! What gal can resist a buffet of beefcakes? Go Zoey! Here's hoping all the gents do their own laundry! :) My thanks to Lila for letting me interview her. Best wishes to her for a ton of sales and a very long, happy writing career! If you'd like to learn more about Lila Munro, please feel free to click on any of the any links listed above.

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Hope you're feeling festive and gearing up for the holidays! How many of you have trees and lights up? Isn't this truly the most wonderful season?! I'm loving it! Happy reading and writing, ya'll! See you soon!

Mystery and Mayhem: Meet Ann Charles!!

2011-11-17T22:30:00.001-08:00

Hey, Hey, Hey! It's Friday, TLN'ers!!

No need to settle for a re-read this weekend. Oh no! Satisfy your cravings with a heapin' helpin' of the witty and oh-so fabulous ANN CHARLES!

With multiple titles and awards to her name, Ann is definitely an author to keep on your radar. She's driven and disciplined, a combination destined for greatness.

The face of publishing has evolved over the last few years and with change comes opportunity. Ann's journey into publication is a perfect example of perseverance and success. If the old ain't working for you anymore, scoot on up to the table and dig into the delectable advice Ann is dishing up!

Bon appetite!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

When a half-crazed, mischievous witch named Ann Charles mixes a glob of mystery with a few drops of romance, throws in a dash of humor, and adds a pinch of horror and paranormal, a crazy concoction of stories ensues. Will her heroines ever escape the dastardly plans she has for them? Will her heroes chew their way free from the binds of conflict she uses to ensnare them? Will the voices in her head ever shut up? Only Ann (and her therapist) know the answers … or at least they will after 300 more hours of therapy.

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

Quirky, witty, colorful (these are common adjectives I have received in reviews of my books)

3)Tell us a little about how you "Got The Call".

I never did. I had to create my own “call,” by joining up with Corvallis Press, learning how to format and publish books, hiring editors and a cover artist (who happens to be my brother) and a cover designer, and publishing my own books. I made it to acquisitions at Mira and had several editors at other houses interested, but the common reason for rejection after rejection was that there wasn’t a big enough audience for my book. In other words, sales and marketing didn’t think the book would sell enough copies to make it a worthwhile investment. So far this year, I’ve sold over 15,000 copies of the first two books of the Deadwood series without the distribution arm that the big publishers have. I can’t tell you how happy I am that I listened to my gut and decided to try getting that first book out to readers with Corvallis Press’s help and let readers decide if it’s marketable or not.

4)What's been the biggest challenge you've had to overcome in your writing/career?

Time management. I have a full-time day job, two very young kids, and a husband. Trying to make time to write, promote, keep building my platform, support my writing buddies, and yet still spend ample time with my kids and husband so that they don’t stage an intervention has been very stressful. There are times when I’m away from home from at a writing conference or book signing and struggle with guilt from not being there to help raise my kids. I worry they will grow up and sing that sad “Cats in the Cradle” song that goes “when you coming home, son, I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then…” all because I have this career I’m trying to build instead of spending as much time as possible with them. On the other hand, my success in this writing career means we can afford to have more fun adventures, and I’m a happier person when I’m writing and allowing my brain to work on story-telling.

5)Any tips for novice writers on building a platform?

Remember: Baby steps. If you try to build your platform too fast, it can quickly become overwhelming. Pick a couple of areas you want to focus on and start with baby steps. For example, five years ago, I wanted to teach workshops, but what was I going to teach? While I wasn’t a newbie at writing (I’d been a finalist in the Golden Heart and the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary contest), I wasn’t published yet and had little credentials from my day job that I could roll over into the fiction writing world. So, I hooked up with a long-time critique partner and we submitted a workshop proposal about how to get your manuscript ready for entry in the RWA Golden Heart contest to our local chapter’s yearly writing conference coordinator. The coordinator took us up on it. From there, I just kept building my workshop teaching resume one class at a time. I took baby steps. Now I am fortunate enough to have people contact me to do workshops both in-person and online for their writing chapters and conferences, and I even get paid sometimes (something that surprises me still after doing workshops for free for so many years).

6)What kind of advice can you dish up on balancing real life and writerly life? Inquiring minds want to know!

I wish I had ten-steps-to-balancing-success tips to rattle off to you, but I don’t. Mainly, try your best not to procrastinate. This sounds simple, I know, but so many of us get a task and put it off for later. I’ve found that if I just bat out the tasks as soon as I get them, I get so much more done each day and I have more time for writing fiction. Also, on the family front, communication is extremely important. I try to share as much as my husband is willing to listen to regarding my writing so that he doesn’t feel shut out from this part of my life. Some days his eyes glaze over, other days he’s very curious about everything I have going on, so it balances out. The key thing is keeping the communication flowing from both sides. The same goes with your kids. Explain to them why it’s important. I’ve told my four-year-old that I need to finish a chapter because it will help me finish the book, which I will sell for money that we can use to buy her some new toys. That really works—ha! But I do have to get those new toys for her because she has the memory of an elephant and won’t let me forget our “deal.”

7)Give us the good word! Any news you'd like to share?

My newest book, the first in the Jackrabbit Junction Mystery Series, DANCE OF THE WINNEBAGOS, will be available in print December 15, 2011. Currently, you can purchase the e-copy of the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Apple iStore, and more online venues.
Thank you, Sarah, for having me on your blog today!
Ann

It was my pleasure, Ann! I know I'm not alone when I say your advice speaks straight to the heart. Thank you so much for the gift of your knowledge and time. Both are appreciated immensely! If you'd like to know more about Ann Charles and her books, please follow these links:

BUY NOW page on my website: http://anncharles.com/deadwood/?page_id=769
Facebook (Personal Page): http://www.facebook.com/ann.charles.author
Facebook (Author Page): http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Charles/37302789804?ref=share Twitter (as Ann W. Charles): http://twitter.com/AnnWCharles
Twitter (as Deadwood Violet): http://twitter.com/DeadwoodViolet
My Main Website: http://www.anncharles.com
My Deadwood Website: http://www.anncharles.com/deadwood

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! It's been a sickness filled last few weeks, but everyone at Casa de Simas on the mend, which is why I'm totally noshing on Ann's spectacular answers! Whether you're gonna be flippin' or fillin' pages this weekend, here's wishing you tons of productivity!

The Lovestruck Novice Welcomes Kat Martin!!!

2011-10-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday, TLN'ers!!

Feelin' the beginning of the week blues? No worries! You just need to escape into a KAT MARTIN book!!

Kat's no stranger to the Lovestruck Novice and we're always thrilled to have her swing by. There's no better way to learn about the industry than to ask one of its legends! Let's get down to the good stuff!!

1) If you were a book, what wouldyour blurb be?

Sheworked till it drove her crazy, and loved every minute of it.

2)Using three words, describeyour voice.

Less is more.

3)With numerous novels andawards to your credit: What's been the secret to your continued success?

Hard work and perseverance. Never giving up and being true to myself.

4) What's your opinion on the newtrends in the publishing industry? Is it all passing fancy or will the changesstick?

Some of it will stick, somenot. Good writers who have their ownstories to tell will stick. Those whoare trend followers will mostly disappear. Ebooks are not going away.

5) If you had to start all overagain, what would be the one bit of advice you'd want to take with you?

Don’t give up.

6) What's up next? Any news you'dlike to share?

AGAINST THE STORM is coming out October25. Trace Rawlins’ story. It’s the fourth book in the Against Seriesthat started with the Raines brothers, Against the Wind. After that, Johnnie Riggs in AGAINST THENIGHT, out end of Feb, and Jake Cantrell, AGAINST THE SUN, out the end ofMay. So lots going on for me.

What a fantastic line-up and a perfect example of a writing career done 'write'!! I'd like to thank Kat for the awesome advice and taking time out of her busy schedule to be here today! If you'd like to know more about Kat Martin, please check out her website: www.katmartin.com

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Best wishes for a stress-free week! Happy reading and writing!!

A Tale Of Success: Meet Ashlyn Macnamara!!!

2011-10-20T21:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday, TLN'ers!!!

For those of you with designs on entering this year's Golden Heart contest, we've got another success story to share!!

Ashlyn Macnamara finaled in the 2011 GH then went on to sell her MS titled A TALE OF TWO SISTERS!

I first learned of Ashlyn last year through the contest circuit. We both tried our hand at snagging attention on a first five lines challenge at Jennifer Haymore's blog. One glance and I knew immediately Ashlyn was headed for publication. (I should seriously make my own book of wagers, because I've been on the money every time!)

I can't wait to catch a copy of her debut when it hits the shelves. Pull up a chair and let Ashlyn shore up any flagging ambition! Inspiration is at hand and all you have to do is read!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

This is the world's most boring book. You probably want to pick up the one next to it.

No?

Ok, I'll try again. I'm terrible at these kinds of questions, though. They're like the ones people ask at job interviews about your strengths and weaknesses. I never know how to respond to those, either.

When a forty-something supermarket employee realizes a long-held dream, she quits her day job to become a full-time writer.Will she be able to handle success as a romance author or will the first negative review send her back to her cash register?

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

Shrill, off-key, grating… Oh, you mean my writing voice. (Please tell me a hundred other writers haven't used this joke before me.)

Ok: irreverent, emotional, strong (or so I gather based on the widely varying contest scores I always got).

3) Tell us a little about your writer's journey. How did it feel to finally get "The Call"?

A lot of writers will say they've been writing stories since they could hold a crayon in their fingers and not eat it. That's not me. When I was in high school, I ran screaming from anything that even vaguely resembled creative writing. Especially poetry. (Ironically, a workshop instructor once told me I had a poetic voice.)

So for years I didn't write—I didn't know I could write—but I had these ideas for stories in my head. And then I discovered fanfiction. Playing in another author's world with ready-made characters showed me people were willing to read my stories and ask for more. It gave me the courage to try my hand at writing my own original characters. It gave me permission to start committing to paper (I write my drafts long hand) all those stories that had been accumulating in my head.

Part of me still doesn't believe this is happening,even though it got a little more concrete last week when I signed my contract.I don't know when it will become completely real. Perhaps when I get my cover art or when I hold my book in my hands.

4) What was it like to be a Golden Heart Finalist? Any advice for this year's Golden Heart hopefuls?

It was a surreal experience. After I got the call on March 25, 2011, I spent a few days walking in a haze. It had happened. My phone had actually rung and a lady from the RWA (sorry, I have no idea who called me —I blanked a lot out as soon as I realized what the call was--although the poor woman is probably suffering permanent hearing loss from the scream) told me I'd finaled. That part was a shock, really, because my contest experience with A TALE OF TWO SISTERS hadn't been stellar.

So that's my advice. If your gut tells you your MS is strong, even if a few contest judges have told you otherwise, take the chance and enter. I almost didn't enter mine. The previous August, I was in a bad place with my writing, and decided I wasn't ready for something like the GH. Thankfully some friends kicked me in the pants. Cheers, Carla!

May you all have a Carla to kick you in the pants and convince you it's worth the chance.

5) From novice writer to soon-to-be published author: What's life like on the other side of the curtain?

Most days, it's not much different. I can say that,because I haven't got my revisions letter yet. But then my agent will ping me about this or that, and I remember. Oh yeah, I have this contract. I have deadlines. Hell, I have an agent.

And then I get twitchy.

All that's about to change, though, because I've given notice at my day job—not a huge deal, since I was a retail grunt. But because I have a contract and deadlines and a revisions letter looming in the not-so-distant future, I'm going to need time to work on my MS, work on the second book in the series to, you know, actually meet those deadlines.Guess I'm going to have to find some discipline somewhere along the way, too.

Twitch.

6)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to dish up?

My debut, titled A TALE OF TWO SISTERS for now (but I expect my publisher will want to change that—I never claimed titles were my forte), is coming in early 2013. The second book in the series is supposed to appear shortly after. Right now, I'm working on the draft of that second book, while I wait for the edits on the first installment.

Blurb for A TALE OF TWO SISTERS:

At the age of two and twenty, Julia St. Claire is headed firmly and happily for the shelf. For years, she has watched her older sister pine for a man who barely acknowledges her. Determined to guard her heart against that sort of pain, Julia seeks nothing more than a civilized, sensible union. Then just such an arrangement is offered–by the man of her sister’s dreams– Julia must choose:betray her sister or turn to her childhood friend, Benedict, and take the risk of opening her heart.

Benedict Revelstoke has resigned his commission and returned to the social whirl of the ton, expecting to pick up his life where he left it:attending his club, gambling, and privately loving Julia St. Claire. When he learns a rake has made her betrothal and reputation the object of a wager, he seeks to warn her. But when he betrays his feelings before the reticent Julia,he fears he has lost their longtime friendship — until she turns up at his townhouse with a scandalous proposal.

Can't wait! Can't wait! Can't wait! 2013 is shaping up to be a year full of promise!! I'd like to thank Ashlyn for letting me interview her. Here's wishing her a long and successful career! If you'd like to know more about Ashlyn Macnamara, please click on over to her website: www.ashlynmacnamara.net/

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Hope your weekend is a smashing success! I'll be nose to the computer screen. The GH deadline is nigh!! Good luck and much productivity to all the hopefuls out there!

Get Tempted By Tina Donahue!!!!

2011-10-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, TLN'ers!!

Have you been on the prowl for a screen-steaming romance? Well, ponder no further!
We've got the Queen of Steam, TINA DONAHUE hanging out with us today!

Leave those winter blankets tucked away, because Tina is gonna heat us up with the latest on her new releases SiNN and UNENDING DESIRE!

No need for a sugar filled pick-me-up today! We're getting down to the good stuff and. . . psst, passion is calorie-free!

1) If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Oh, wow. That’s a tough one. How about this?

She came into this thinking it would be easy…how wrong she was.

With a lusty libido and a mind filled with romantic fantasies, author Tina Donahue decided she had to write romance. She just had to!

Little did she know of the obstacles she faced in her journey to publication and recognition. Agents who never responded to her queries or returned her calls. Editors that said – ‘don’t quit your day job, please’. Readers who wrote – ‘Too much sex!’ – or – ‘Too little sex!’ Reviewers that made her cry.

Overwhelmed by the odds, Tina continued writing and persevered thanks to her belief in Alpha males, feisty heroines and romance that can only be described as heat with heart.

2) Using three words, describe your voice.

Sultry. Irreverent. Descriptive.

3) What's been the biggest challenge you've had to overcome in your writing?

Being a very private person – some might say ‘shy’ – it’s hard to bare my soul through my writing. A book is an author’s baby, and when someone doesn’t like it, it hurts.

4) With numerous titles to your credit: What's your secret to staying focused and committed to finishing a manuscript?

Discipline. I write or plot everyday – 7 days a week. It’s just something I do like eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Don’t even think about it anymore. I just do it. On the few days where I do take off – Thanksgiving and Xmas – I feel like I’m playing hooky from school.

5) Any tips for all the novice writers on writing spicy?

In order to make the erotic part as satisfying as possible, a writer really needs to have an emotional connection and build between the hero and heroine. If you don’t, it’s just sex and it gets boring quickly. However, if you build the sexual tension between two (or three) people that simply cannot live without each other, then the sparks really do fly when they finally get together.

From novice writer to multi-pubbed author: Has your outlook on publishing changed?

My outlook has definitely changed. I’m no longer starry-eyed about the industry. It’s a business. An agent and editor are not your friends; they’re colleagues. It’s all about reaching benchmarks – sell-through, earning out a royalty, getting that next contract. The only thing that hasn’t changed for me is writing. I really do love it no matter how hard it is at times.

6)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to share?

This month I have two new releases from two different publishers – an absolute first for me.

They’re very different stories. SiNN is a contemporary ménage (my first ménage), while Unending Desire is an erotic paranormal and the first in my Outlawed Realm series (which is also my first series)

Here’s the cover art/blurb and a link to the excerpts for each.

Oh, and one more thing – I’m hosting a contest today…more on that later

SiNN – contemporary erotic romance (ménage) from Ellora’s cave – releasing October 14

She’s every man’s carnal fantasy…and the target of one’s revenge

At a Phoenix gentleman’s club, Lea dances as SiNN, her body bared and vulnerable to her male partner, her features hidden behind a feathered mask. To the men watching, she’s a sensual enigma, submissive and seductive with no face, name or history. Not even Lea knows her real origins.

A man from the past does and wants her dead.

Not on the watch of U.S. Marshals Jake Gabriel and Toby Quinn. Commanding and decisive, Jake not only wants Lea’s safety but to have her naked and yielding beneath him. To Toby, she’s all he should resist but cannot.

Protected by them at a secluded estate, Lea’s drawn to their potent masculinity and the raw male lust in their eyes. Inviting desire and an emotional connection, she submits to both at once, surrendering to their most shameless hunger along with her own wanton needs.

All while a killer edges closer…

Buy link (with excerpt): http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9642-sinn.aspx

UNENDING DESIRE – erotic paranormal romance from Samhain – coming October 18

His hunger for one woman will make him a traitor to his world…
Outlawed Realm, Book 1

From a portal in his lab on E2, one of the five dimensions of Earth, quantum physicist Nikoli Zorr gazes on everything forbidden to him. Passion. Desire. The exquisite pleasure of running his hands over the lush curves of a young woman he should have stopped watching weeks ago.

His duty is to close the portals that keep the monsters out of E2—and never interfere with the inevitable fate of those on the other side. Yet he can’t bring himself to abandon the woman who has captured his soul.

Psychologist Regina Page is trying to keep her mind on her client, and off the mysterious, unbearable sexual cravings that consume her when she’s alone in her bedroom. The next moment she’s attacked by vampires, then swept into another realm by a stranger whose touch awakens that same raw desire. Whose eyes are already filled with farewell.

Yet beneath their undeniable carnal lust, something else stirs. The beginnings of illicit love. The unexpected need to protect him. Even if it means risking body, blood and soul to defeat the merciless horde…for a future that was never meant to be.

_______________________________________

Product Warnings
Contains a repressed scientist who likes to look, and the woman who delights in unleashing his inner caveman. And sex hot enough to burn a hole in all three dimensions…and maybe create a whole new one.

Buy Link (with excerpt): http://store.samhainpublishing.com/unending-desire-p-6491.html

Tina Donahue is an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing and Kensington. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work; she has reached finals and/or placed in numerous RWA–sponsored contests. Three of her erotic novels were named finalists in the 2011 EPIC competition. Sensual Stranger, her erotic romance, was chosen Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category) at the French review site, Blue Moon reviews. The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for her erotic romance Lush Velvet Nights; and Deep, Dark, Delicious (erotic romance) recently received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition (2011). She was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.

Email: tina@tinadonahue.com
Website/blog: http://www.tinadonahue.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinadonahue
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000458023097

*** CONTEST ***

To celebrate the release of SiNN and Unending Desire, I’m offering a contest. One lucky commenter on this blog will have her choice of one of my following ebooks**:

1. Adored – RWA award-winning; EPIC 2011 Finalist; 4 Stars RT
2. Deep, Dark, Delicious – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Holt Medallion Award of Merit
3. Lush Velvet Nights – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Golden Nib Award
4. In His Arms – SIX 5 Star Reviews; 4 Stars RT
5. Sensual Stranger – 2010 Book of the Year (erotic); 4 Stars RT
6. The Yearning – Top Ten Bestseller
7. Take Me Away - #1 Pick, Miz Love Loves Books

** Winner chosen at random. Winner chosen October 15.

Holy Smokes! Now, there's some smokin' hot news! Many thanks to Tina for taking time out her busy schedule to be here today. I do so love to spice things up a bit now and again and from the looks of SiNN and UNENDING DESIRE one lucky commenter will too! If you'd like to know more about Tina Donahue, please check out her luscious website: www.tinadonahue.com

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Hope your week is full of fun and tons of reading time! Ta-ta-for-now!

Cruising Toward Love With Christi Barth!!

2011-10-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

Hey, Hey, Hey!! It's Wednesday!

If your week feels like it's slogging by, then it's time to set sail for "Romance, Passion, A Little Sassy Humor, and Happily Ever After" with CHRISTI BARTH!!

Leave your sun block and suit cases stowed away, because CRUISING TOWARD LOVE is an all inclusive trip guaranteed to keelhaul your post summer blues!

Put the world away for a minute and get comfy, because we're getting down to the good stuff!! Ahoy, Christi!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Christi spent years performing in musicals - mostly for the excuse to wear gorgeous costumes - giving people a guaranteed happy ending with every performance. After a stint as a wedding planner still didn't satisfy her addiction to romance, she turned to writing. Now she wallows in romance on a daily basis.

2)Using three words describe your voice.

Sassy, witty, sexy

3)In your book, ACT LIKE WE'RE IN LOVE, you use your knowledge of stage production to set the backdrop for the characters. Using the adage: Write what you know--How much verifying detail should a writer put into their story?

The more detail, the better. I firmly believe that every store requires world-building, no matter where or when it takes place. A reader may never have been to a lawyer's office in Chicago, a cozy kitchen in Iowa...or a castle in Middle Earth. So if you don't have factual details, you still need to build layer upon layer of fictional detail.

4)Do you have any advice for the novice writer on handling comments from contests and reviews?

Don't let them drive you to drink? My contest history in a nutshell is that I'd either win, or I'd get two perfect scores, and the third score would be completely abysmal. Which proves that contest judging can be all over the place. That said, read the comments with an open mind. Go back to your critique partners and see if they agree with any of them. The judges, ultimately, want you to succeed, and make all their comments in the spirit of truly helping, not hurting.

5)What was your defining moment, when you knew you could embrace the reins of being a romance writer?

When I sold my first book. Finishing it was exciting, and selling it was even more exciting. But it didn't feel real until I knew for a fact that random people out in the world were using their hard-earned money to read my words.

6)Novice writer to Multi-Pubbed author: How has your writing changed?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it has improved by leaps and bounds. Why? Because I've kept writing. There is a book by Malcolm Gladwell entitled Outliers that states in order to become truly successful, you must spend 10,000 hours doing it. I don't think I'm there yet, but I do know that by sitting down and writing every week, I've honed my craft, strengthened my voice, and deepened my plots.

7)What's up next for you? Any good news you'd like to share?

Cruising Toward Love only released a month ago, so I'm still deep in blog tours and promotion. I urge everyone to not only read this funny, sexy romp through the Caribbean, but write a review, and tell their friends about it! Over the summer I finished the first book in a wedding planning trilogy, and I recently began writing a paranormal rife with fallen angels and sex demons.

Want to end the summer with a funny, sexy romp through the Caribbean? Of course you do! So dive into the pages of Cruising Toward Love by Christi Barth. Sizzling Hot Book Reviews recommends it “-to anyone looking for a story that transports you”. Here’s a blurb to get you started.

Can an unexplained breakup and ten years of heartache be cured by the romance – and endless buffets – of a tropical cruise? When her sister is left at the altar, small town librarian Zoe Balis jumps at the chance to take the bride’s unused ticket for the honeymoon cruise. But she didn't count on sharing a cabin with the man who broke her heart ten years ago!

Army medic Nate Hyatt never told Zoe goodbye when he enlisted - or the real reason why he dumped her on prom night after a year as high school sweethearts. And he never stopped dreaming about the girl he left behind. Could this voyage be his chance to fix the worst mistake he ever made? After all, a Caribbean cruise should be romantic… if he can convince her to move past ten years of bitterness and hurt.

Once aboard the luxury liner, Zoe befriends a bored Internet mogul with more heart than tact. Nate vents his problems to a ship’s photographer battling PTSD. The four team up on an island hopping treasure hunt. The stakes grow higher with each of Zoe’s mysterious brushes with death. They race to discover why she's a target and who's behind it, while still competing in the treasure hunt. Zoe’s never gotten over her first love, and is tempted to let Nate back into her life. But she already lost him once. She’s not willing to risk loving a man whose career keeps him in a combat zone. Can Nate breach her defenses and suture her broken heart? Grab a deck chair and see if they survive the stormy relationship seas as they cruise toward love!

For more information and sales links, please visit http://www.christibarth.com/

Sounds like Zoe and Nate are going to put the Love Boat to shame! Where's the ticket line?! I'd like to thank Christi for letting me interview her. Best wishes for a wonderful blog tour and many sales!

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! The weekend is nigh, so hang in there! See you soon!

Maggie Robinson Contest Winner........

2011-10-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

DIANE D FLORIDA!!!

Thanks to everyone for stopping by and joining in the fun!

Fall In Love With Maggie Robinson!!

2011-09-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

Did you catch a glimpse of that stunning cover over yonder?? Good night, nurse! What a way to welcome in Friday!

I am thrilled to welcome the lovely MAGGIE ROBINSON back to the Lovestruck Novice. We interviewed Maggie last year for her debut novel, Mistress By Mistake and now, she's here to tell us all about her latest release, MISTRESS BY MARRIAGE!!

No romance lover should be without a Maggie Robinson novel on their keeper shelf! Top off your cup, snag a snack, and take a break--you're worth it and so is Maggie's Mistress Series!! Get ready to fall in love!

It’s lovely to be back here again talking about the last Mistress book in the Courtesan Court series, Mistress by Marriage. (There’s a Master book, too—Master of Sin—which wraps up the series in April 2012) Of my three Mistresses, I like Caroline the best. She’s got a temper, a warm heart, a sharp tongue…and she writes romance novels! Kinda like me, LOL. I like to think my writing is better, although we both have a near-fatal addiction to alliteration. Caroline writes lurid gothic romances, where she’s forever killing off her estranged husband is various creative scenarios. I haven’t done that yet with my husband John, but there’s still time.

Writing a writer was not as easy as you might think. I decided to include snippets of Caroline’s books. She churns out one every month, and let’s just say she may have quantity down but not quality. So I had to intentionally write badly, and hope the reader would catch on that I was spoofing my poor heroine. Of course, some people might think I write badly anyway. ;)

Each chapter begins with a crazy quote from one of Caroline’s books. Here’s one: “Henrietta hung shackled to the walls of the dungeon, each hopeless cry echoing on the damp walls like the laugh of The Devil.” Ha ha ha. Publishers Weekly said, “the most fun derives from the way Caroline skewers society in her novels, with quotes from the books presented at the top of each chapter like bonbons.”

I got to make up her titles, too: The Captain’s Concubine, The Dark Duke’s Dilemma, The Viscount’s Willing Victim, etcetera. Twenty-four of them for the twenty-four chapters! A book title is pretty important. I’ve been fortunate to keep my working titles for all my Brava books. My editor just approved my titles for the most recently turned-in books, Lord Craig’s List (December 2012) and Lady Anne’s Lover (Spring 2013). You can see what I mean about alliteration.

Is there one special romance word in a title that makes you pick up a book? What words are you sick of? How do you feel about the recent spate of books with a million words in their title? One commenter will win a copy of Mistress by Marriage!

Wowza!! Now, there's a sweet treat to savor! I'd like to thank Maggie for being here today. Best wishes to her for a long and very fulfilling career! If you'd like to know more about Maggie Robinson and her blog tour, please click on over to her website: http://www.maggierobinson.net/books/
THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Here's hoping the weekend treats us right! Witty words and ravenous readings to all!! See you next week!!

It's A New Day And A New Dream! Welcome Elaine Cantrell!!!

2011-09-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday, TLN'ers!!

Has the strains of the work week gotcha down? Well, stress no further!

Elaine Cantrell's A NEW DREAM is the perfect way to escape the mundane and broaden your reading horizons!

Grab a sweet treat and cop a squat, because we're getting down to the good stuff!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

After doing exactly what she should her entire life, Elaine resolved to please herself a little more and not worry about others and what they thought. In the face of life’s struggles, can she keep her promise to herself?

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

Original, engaging, appealing

3)What has been the biggest challenge you've had to overcome in your career?

I’m a tremendous introvert, and these days you have to be an extrovert to promote your work. It’s very difficult for me, but I try. I recently accepted a speaking engagement from a woman’s club in the area. I dread it like you wouldn’t believe.

4)Networking: What's your game plan for entering "the mix" and getting the word out about your books?

I have a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/elainepcantrell) and belong to several groups on Facebook, a blog at http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com/, a newsletter (subscribe at http://www.elainecantrell.com/), a website at http://www.elainecantrell.com/, and take any invitations to either blog or do an interview that anyone will offer.

5)In your opinion, how soon should a novice writer enter the social scene? Are there any advantages to getting into the swing of things early? What about disadvantages?

I don’t think it’s ever too early to make your presence known. It doesn’t matter if you’re published or not. You’ll be making friends and contacts who’ll hopefully be willing to promote you later. As far as promotion of a book goes, I’ve tried it both ways. I promoted for months several years ago before a book came out, and I did sell a lot on the first day it was available. But overall I sold less than I have on my new book which I didn’t even mention until it came out. I believe the biggest disadvantage to early promotion is that people might get tired of hearing about it. With epublishing and POD publishers you have time that you don’t have with a traditionally published book.

6)Describe for us your writing schedule? Any tips for the novices visiting today?

Since I’m a teacher I don’t have as much time to write as I’d like, but this is my ideal day. I get up around eight and have breakfast. Then I check my email, post on my Facebook page, tweet whatever I have, and then I get down to writing. I like to write until lunch time after which I take a break to do my errands, etc. Then, after dinner I work for another hour or so. For the novice writer I’d recommend setting up a schedule that works and then stick to it. I think the worst thing a writer can do is not write at least a little bit on a daily basis.

7)What's new for you? Any news you'd like dish up?

Actually, yes. Astraea Press who published A NEW DREAM for me is having a super sale. Everything is on sale for $2.99 or less, and of course I hope you’ll check out A NEW DREAM. Also, I have a new release coming in December. The title has been changed about a zillion times, but right now it’s called HER KIND OF MAN. It’s published by Lachesis, a Canadian company.

BLURB for A NEW DREAM:
What do you do when you lose everything?
After an auto accident destroys his pro-football career, Matt McCallum struggles to find a new dream for his life, but nothing engages him the way football did. After a stint in rehab, he takes a job managing a grocery store where he meets Violet Emerson.

Violet works in the bakery department, but her dreams carry her far beyond the doors of Chef’s Pantry. As soon as she can save the money, she plans to open a catering business. And she thinks the new manager’s broad shoulders and blue eyes are simply divine.

Thrown together at work, Matt and Violet find a common dream for their lives, but a loose end from Matt’s past returns to jeopardize their future. Will love be enough to save their new dream before it turns into a nightmare?

Ah, romance and baked goods . . . definitely a delicious match! A NEW DREAM sounds mmm-mm-good! I'd like to thank Elaine for letting me interview her. Here's wishing her all best of sales! If you'd like to know more about Elaine Cantrell, please check out her website: wwww.elainecantrell.com

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! It's been a blast getting back into the thick of it all again. I appreciate every last one of ya! Hope your weekend is full of fun and productivity!

Get Inspired By 2011 Golden Heart Winner Anne Barton!!

2011-09-20T22:28:00.000-07:00

Wowza!! Opening day is finally here . . . and I ain't talking about deer or doves!

It's the first day for 2012 Golden Heart contest enteries!! Are you ready?

Whether the answer is a resounding "YES! Oh, YES!", "Hell no!", or "Eh. . . maybe", you've come to the 'write' place! Here to help shed some light and possibly answer many a novice writers' quandry is none other than ANNE BARTON!!

Ring a bell? Well, it should!! Not only was Anne highlighted as one of TLN's 'Novice To Watch' segments, but she WON the Golden Heart for the 2011 Regency Category with one of her TWO finaling enteries!!

Anne is definitely a rising star destined for a long and fabulous career. I've followed her for the last two years and have enjoyed watching her rake in the contest wins and GH finals. She's the kind of driven writer I look up to. I'd totally rock a "What Would Anne Do" bracelet everyday and twice on Sunday!

If you've been searching for inspiration, well, be prepared to be dazzled! Anne is one awesome lady!!

Seven Steps to Finishing Your Golden Heart Manuscript
by Anne Barton

RWA’s Golden Heart Contest for unpublished romance writers opens to entries today, and right now, hundreds of writers who want to enter are sitting at their computers, asking themselves, “Can I finish this story in time?”

The answer is . . . maybe.

At this same time last year, I had written 130 pages of my 330 page manuscript. (I know this because I keep a weekly record of my progress—more on that later.) Between the GH entry date and Thanksgiving I wrote 200 pages and a synopsis. I entered the story in the GH.

It won.

I should mention that it wasn’t my first manuscript. (It was my fifth.) It wasn’t my first GH final. (It was my third or fourth, depending on how you count.) But if I hadn’t pushed to finish that story, not only would I have missed out on winning a Golden Heart—I might still be writing that manuscript, stuck somewhere around Chapter 14.

So I’m going to share some of the tips that help me increase my word count without neglecting my family or my day job. (I often neglect other things, like laundry and houseplants. Please. Something’s got to give.)

First things first though. Go to the RWA website and carefully read the rules and deadlines. Seriously. Entering the GH is a big investment of time and money. You wouldn’t want to be disqualified because your partial was one too many pages or your FedEx package arrived at RWA headquarters the day after the deadline.

If you’ve read the rules and you’re up for the challenge, here are seven tips to help you finish that manuscript.

1.Assess where you are with your story. To enter the GH, you’ll need:
• A polished partial and synopsis (55 pages combined); and
• A completed manuscript.

How solid are the opening chapters? How far into the story are you? What’s the word count you’re shooting for, and (most importantly) how many words do you still need to write? Write down that number.

2.Make a plan. Get out your calendar and circle the date when you want to be done. This year, manuscripts are due at the RWA office on December 2, but you need to set aside time for polishing, copying, and mailing. (My tradition was to mail my GH entries on the day before Thanksgiving. It gave me peace of mind that they’d make it to Texas on time and let me enjoy my turkey.)

Let’s say that the number you wrote down (i.e, the words you need to write in the nine weeks between now and Thanksgiving) is 50,000. We’ll divide the total number of words (50,000) by the number of weeks (9) to give us a weekly goal.

50,000 ÷ 9 = 5,555 Let’s round up and give ourselves a goal of 6,000 words a week.

There. 6,000 words week may sound like a lot, but it’s very doable—if you treat the job like a marathon, not a sprint. That means writing every day, or close to it. I recommend writing 1,000 words each day and giving yourself a day off each week.

3.Track your progress. This is important. Update your word or page count, daily if possible. You can use a primitive paper calendar (like I do) or a progress bar on your blog. You can give yourself little gold stars every day. Choose something that motivates you and shows how far you’ve come. A friend in my goals group shared Jerry Seinfeld’s productivity secret, and it resonated with me. The trick, according to Seinfeld, is don’t break the chain. When you see your word count steadily rising, you’ll start to think, holy cow, I might really be able to do this, and guess what. You’ll be right.

4.Write your little heart out. Stephen King calls it writing with the door shut. Lots of us call it giving yourself permission to write crap. Whatever you call it, write for the sheer joy of it, without holding anything back. At first, it’ll seem like you’re writing drivel, and then you’ll realize, hey, some of these scenes are actually pretty good, and before you know it you’ll be in love. With your characters and your story.

5.Don’t try to go it alone. (Unless that works for you.) Most of us, though, benefit from having a support system. It could be NaNoWriMo, a goals group, a few Twitter friends doing #1k1hr. Working with other writers makes you more accountable. It’s also a great way to connect with new people and have fun. I really like #1k1hr because you can almost always find someone who’s game. Just don’t be discouraged if it seems like everyone writes faster than you do. Even on my best days, I’ve never succeeded in writing 1,000 words in an hour. Fortunately, there are no losers in #1k1hr.

6.Fiercely guard your writing time. Guard it like a mama bear protecting her cubs. The problem is, you know things are going to come up. You won’t be able to say no to all the demands on your time, but do say no to the things that you can. Let your friends and family know that you’ve got a deadline, and try to schedule events after it, if possible. Don’t let the new fall season of TV shows tempt you unless you’ve met your daily word count goal—then, by all means, treat yourself.

7.Keep your eyes on the prize. Of course, the dream is to final in the Golden Heart and maybe even win. Dreaming is good, so let yourself picture your shimmery gown; write an acceptance speech if it motivates you. What you’ll start to realize is that the real prize isn’t the heart-shaped necklace. It’s a finished manuscript and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with it. No matter what happens in the contest, the time you spend writing won’t be wasted. With each sentence you write, you’re honing your craft, finding your voice, and discovering things about yourself.

About ten months from now, in a fancy ballroom in Anaheim, ten romance writers will walk up to the podium in front of 2,000 people and accept their Golden Heart awards. They’ll be from different parts of the country and possibly the world. They’ll be different ages, have a variety of jobs, and come from all sorts of backgrounds. Some of them will be fledgling writers and some of them will have been at it for decades. But they’ll all have one thing in common. They’ll be writers who found a way, in spite of life’s curve balls, to write their way to The End.

And one of them might be you.

Anne Barton is a historical romance writer with a weakness for reality TV, cute shoes, and caffeinated beverages of all kinds. Her Golden Heart-winning story, The Proper Miss’s Guide to Bad Behavior, sold to Grand Central Publishing and releases in early 2013.

Visit her at http://www.annebarton.com/ .

I'd like to thank Anne for being here today! I know I'm not alone in wishing her tons of success as she enters the next phase of her writer's journey. If you'd like to know more about Anne Barton, please click on over to her website. Congrats again, Anne!! ((hugs!))

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Hope your week has been treating you well! Anyone planning on entering the Golden Heart this fall?? I'm doing my best to join the ranks of enterants. All I can say is: Thank goodness for caffeine! ;)

Set Sail For Adventure With Danielle Thorn!!

2011-09-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

Avast, me hearties! We be in fer a great, grand treat!

The buxomest beauty to sail the seven seas be weighin' anchor with us today!

Please make welcome DANIELLE THORN!!!

Put down yer tea and belly up fer some grog fer we be goin' on account with Danielle. So, yo-ho-ho and away we go!!

After Labor Day, I have a one track mind: Pirates.

That's because Halloween is right around the corner and on that holiday, my neighborhood turns into a swashbuckling scene of life size pirate ships and cemeteries. Our autumns are filled with costumes and cannons and reliving the glory days of Jack Sparrow. I have interesting neighbors, to say the least. It's made for interesting writing.

Every girl hearts a pirate. I've loved them since I was a child, when Peter Pan took me off to Never Never Land. Next came those cheesy eighties flicks with singing and bad dancing. Then I discovered paperback novels. For a beach lover like myself and many others, pirates and romance go hand in hand.

The word “pirate” conjures up images of exotic swashbuckling sailors who can swing a cutlass with one hand and a bottle of rum with the other. But, just when did pirates first morph from bloodthirsty criminals into romantic heroes?

Errol Flynn brought the idea to the silver screen in 1935 with Captain Blood, exchanging Long John Silver’s wicked image for a Robin Hood of the sea.

Fast forward a hundred years past J. M. Barrie’s not so delectable Captain Hook, and we find Johnny Depp charming audience’s world wide with his crazy-as-a-fox rendition of the forgivable and fetching Captain Jack Sparrow. It was not the stereotypical orientation romance novels have been churning out since Harlequin became a household name, yet the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy resurrected our fascination with those long ago rebels of the Age of Sail.

So what is it about pirates that makes a girl go weak in the knees? Is it our nurturing desire to find good in everyone? The hunger for adventure? Or, the bad boy archetype every woman wants to tame?

I’m going to go with C. Pirates were at the core, thieves and murders. They smelled. They carried diseases (like syphilis.). They dressed in whatever they could find, which on some occasions could be quite comical if they took the right ship. They were rarely any more loyal to each other then they were to themselves.

Perhaps it is the female persuasion that begs the questions: Were they all murderers? Didn’t everyone smell? Couldn’t some be found with a smidge of loyalty below their adventurous surfaces? There had to be. And that's why we daydream. That's why we love to read about them.

In my historical novel, THE PRIVATEER, I took advantage of Governor Woodes Rogers pardon, issued in 1718. This Bahamas governor offered a pardon to all those engaged in piracy if they would cease and desist. My hero, Julius Bertrand, forced into piracy at a young age, accepts the pardon and uses his swashbuckling experience to make a deal with the Crown. Bertrand secretly privateers and reports to his trusted friend, Captain Adair, of HMS Indemnity.

What makes Bertrand a captivating personality, in my opinion, is not just his lost soul aura, but that he is ambitious. This ambition becomes a flaw, and it is this flaw that nearly costs him his life and his heart. A man overcoming his flaws is alluring. Especially when he learns and grows as a person, and does all of it for a woman (which Bertrand does). Okay, I admit, he is mysterious, dark, handsome, and I imagine, smelled delicious, but permit me artistic license.

It is a never-ending occupation, piracy. Even in today’s modern world, we hear reports of these sea-roving criminals engaging in unthinkable acts. There is no romance in the reality, and I believe that’s what makes historic fiction so inviting. We can step back to a time when men were definitely men, and only the strong and crafty survived. Through a good pirating yarn we can find the Caribbean’s lost boys, almost always sincere, pliable, and underneath all the brine, waiting for us with hearts of gold.

~Danielle Thorne

About Danielle:

Danielle Thorne has published poetry, short fiction and novels. She is the author of sweet romantic adventure books, both historical and contemporary. Her first young adult paranormal debuts February 2012. Danielle currently writes from south of Atlanta, Georgia. She was the 2009-2010 Co-Chair for the New Voices Competition for young writers, is active with online author groups and moderates for The Sweetest Romance Authors at the Coffee Time Romance boards and Goodreads. Besides contract editing and writing full time, Danielle has four sons with her husband, Rob. Together they enjoy traveling the Caribbean and hanging out as a family.

Author’s Website: www.daniellethorne.com
Author’s Blog: www.thebalancedwriter.blogspot.com

Thank you, Danielle, for hanging out at TLN today! We wish you all the best with your new release. Here's hoping you score some real pieces o' eight! ;)

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Hope your week was strife-free. I know I'm glad the weekend is nigh! Good grief have I got some writing to do. How about you? Any plans to brag about? Take care and we'll see you back next week!

Fall In Love With Katharine Ashe!!!

2011-09-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

Oh-Da-Lolly!! We're knee-deep in luck today, TLN'ers!

The super sweet KATHARINE ASHE is visiting!!!

Katharine debuted last year with SWEPT AWAY BY A KISS and CAPTURED BY A ROGUE LORD- books one and two of her Rogues of the Sea Trilogy. Both of which were seriously fantastic reads! I enjoyed her fresh voice and unique characters. I can't wait to read her new release and final book in the series, IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS.

I definitely don't need a crystal ball to know that laundry will be piled sky-high and spaghetti will be the dinner de jour until I finish the book, because Katharine spins a yarn guaranteed to keep you turning pages! If you're looking for a must-read-romance to indulge in now that the kiddos are in school, grab a Katharine Ashe and be prepared to fall in love!

1) If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

A passionate romantic with a heart full of dreams finds herself trapped in the unyielding life of a history professor. When she creates an alter ego as a romance novelist writing steamy adventure stories, she falls into her own adventure headfirst.

2) Name three words that describe your voice.

Vibrant, eloquent, powerful. (I feel like Mrs. Elton in Emma saying this, but I swear that these are other people’s words. They’re on my book covers. )

3) What do you do when a scene isn't coming out the way you'd like?

Grind my teeth and ponder hard while walking my dogs. Listen to my playlist for that book. But most of all I just keep writing, deleting, writing, deleting, and writing until the scene works. When I hit a snag I can’t rest until I work it out. My mind just spins and spins on the problem until I get it right!

4) How in depth do you get into your character's heads before you start a project? Do you use flow charts? Spreadsheets? Or do you just roll with it?!

Usually my hero or heroine begins as a minor character in another book I’m writing. This happened with the heroine of IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS. Octavia Pierce was the younger sister of a heroine I was writing at the time, a freckled hoyden with long legs and a passionate dream of traveling. She didn’t even have to glance up from the Atlas of the World sprawled across her lap in that scene for me to know she had to have her own story. And nearly the moment I realized this, there was Lord Ben Doreé looking over my shoulder as I wrote, telling me that he would be her hero. That happened ten years ago. I had that pair in my heart and mind for eight years before I wrote their book.

Not all my heroes and heroines are with me that long before I write them, but they are always how I start a book — with the romantic dynamic between the lovers. It’s what drives every thing about the book, including other characters and the intrigue and adventure. So I suppose you could say I get pretty into their heads before I start writing. They tell me what their fears and dreams are, I figure out how that’s going to make their romance really tumultuous (the kind of story I love most), and then I figure out how they’ll grow and change as individuals, learning from one another how to be the best people they can be. One of the ways this comes most easily to me is by writing bits of pivotal emotional scenes. I don’t actively choose to do this; the scenes come to me at random. I think it’s the characters telling me to let them show me who they are by their words and actions, rather than what I imagine would be right for them. Somehow seeing them at their most emotionally intense, even for brief moments, helps me get to know them really well very quickly.

That sounds like crazy author stuff. But I think most writers understand what I mean, right ladies?

5) What would you say is your biggest challenge as a writer?

Finding unbroken hours and days to write. I have another job, and promotion takes a great deal of time as well. I work best when I have long stretches to lose myself in the story. That’s when I write best. Those days are hard to come by. But when they do come, oh how wonderful they are!

6) Unpublished to multi-pubbed: Would you have wanted "Your Writer's Journey" to have happened any other way?

I would have wanted it to happen quicker! I know now that it didn’t because my books weren’t ready. Every book I wrote between that first manuscript and my first book with Avon made me a better writer. Every workshop I attended and every great book I read during that time taught me something about what I wanted to do in my own books and what I didn’t want to do. Some writers get to the “ready” stage quickly, some more slowly. I was somewhere in the middle, but at the time it sure felt like it lasted forever!

Want to hear a story? A few years ago I was driving along a road in my little town feeling absolutely miserable about the City of Nowhere to which my writing career was swiftly traveling. I wanted to give up. I thought about calling my little sister, but I knew she’d say I couldn’t. (She’s a go-getter!) So I called my mom instead. I wept a little, sighed a lot, told her I’d never stop writing stories that I’d share with her and my sisters, but that I just didn’t have it in me to try to get published after so much rejection. Eventually I’d get back on that road, I said, but for a year maybe I wanted to just back off of the whole professional track, and that was okay, wasn’t it? I knew she’d say, “Of course, honey. Give yourself a break from those rejection letters for a while, buck up your spirits, and then you’ll be ready to face the dragon again.”

She said, “Absolutely not. Under no circumstances. You may not even pause in trying to get published.” It was like a big ole slap in the face. And she was right. A month later I found my agent, and a month after that I signed with my publisher.

Thanks, Mom.

(Wish blogger had a "Like" button! lol)

7) What's up next for you? Give us the scoop!

IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS is the final book in my Rogues of the Sea Trilogy. So now I’m working on a new project, The Falcon Club Series. In a desperate bid for normalcy, five secret agents of the Crown abruptly quit, but the past just won’t let them be. Book #1, WHEN A SCOT LOVES A LADY, finds a scandal-plagued London beauty and a roguish beast of a lord trapped in a tiny village during a snowstorm… and someone’s got seduction in mind. WHEN A SCOT LOVES A LADY comes out next February!

Blurb for IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS:

She had never forgotten him…

Miss Octavia Pierce is witty, well off, and shockingly unwed. Still, she is far too successful in society to remain on the shelf forever, and her family has hopes that Octavia will finally make the perfect match. What they do not know is that years earlier Octavia was scandalously tempted by the one man capable of sweeping her off her feet—the man now known as the Marquess of Doreé.

A third son, never meant to inherit, Lord Ben Doreé has abandoned his past and grown accustomed to his illustrious new position of wealth and power. But he has never forgotten Octavia, and now she desperately needs his help in a most dangerous, clandestine matter. Although she claims she has put the memories of the passion they shared behind her, Ben is determined to once again have her in his arms—and in his bed.

Whew-ee! Now, that's a terrific teaser! I'd like to thank Katharine for taking the time out of her busy release week schedule to let me interview her. If you'd like to know about KATHARINE ASHE and her books, please check out her website: www.katharineashe.com/

Katharine would like everyone to that for every copy sold of IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS through its K.I.S.S. and Teal campaign Avon Books will donate 25 cents to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance for research and support services for families struck by this stealthy disease. Help us spread the word about the whispering symptoms of Ovarian Cancer!

What a wonderful way to support such a noble cause!

THANKS to one and all for swinging by! Hope your holiday weekend is breathtaking! I'll be stapled to my computer getting the word count out. Golden Heart deadline is crackin' on fast! TTFN and stay safe!

"That's What She Said!" Or Maybe . . . Not!

2011-08-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

When I'm wearing my other hat(s), that of mother and housewife, I'm constantly rattling off witty and engaging dialogue for whatever scene I've been working on. There's a natural flow to the conversation and my humor actually makes sense, well, to me anyway. I'm totally feeling like things are clicking . . . and yet, it never fails that as soon as I try to write down my little gems of diction, the words just fly 'write' out my head. Talk about frustration!

I've tried having my voice recorder handy and usually I get a slice of the cleverness, but never the whole pie! Even when I sit down to write, my dialogue feels choppy, or worse, I can't visualize the conversation within the given scene. This is just a recent development, so I'm hoping "this too shall pass", but in the meantime, I'm attempting a new strategy.

Here's the leavening, that with any luck, will raise my flat dialogue:
Before I sit down to write a scene, I'm going to sketch out a quick road map for where I want things to go. When I have a taste for the events to come, I'll draft out the dialogue FIRST. Once the verbiage is down, then I'll go back and "fill-in" the rest of the scene with descriptions, feelings, and movement, etc.

I have NO idea if this plan of attack will work. All I know is I need something to jack-hammer myself out of this dialogue funk I fell into!

What about you? Have you ever resorted to thinking outside the box to conquer a glitch in your writing process? Better still, did it work?! lol

When Tomorrow Becomes Today!

2011-08-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

Merciful Heavens! Where has this year gone?!

Here we are in the downward slide of 2011 and I have so much work to get done before I can enter the Golden Heart this fall.

I'm still driven to write THE END this year. lol It's just gonna take A LOT of late nights like this one to do so. It's been a wild 8 months, but life has settled into a groove--one I can follow!

SO..... Get ready for some fun! I've got a lot of wonderful authors lined up for a turn in the TLN Hot Seat. Plus, I'll be making reports of my progress. When I write THE END, we're gonna have a swinging time! lol Gotta make the first time go out with a bang!

See you VERY soon! ((hugs!))

Get Tempted By Eliza Knight!!

2011-06-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

Arrr, matey! No need to go lookin' for a map 'cause the treasure be here at the Lovestruck Novice!

If yer summer has got ye down in the molly-drums, it's a good thing the tide drifted ye this way! The fair ELIZA KNIGHT be at the helm today and she's doling out some advice guaranteed to have ye dancin' a jig.

Let's put the world away for a minute and split a bottle o' rum with Eliza!!

1) If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

What a fun question! Okay, let me give this a shot… What happens when a nerdy, history-obsessed housewife decides she needs a little extra spice in her life? She buys a laptop and fills it with pages and pages of sizzling historical romance fantasies. Stay-at-Home mom by day—hot romance author by night. The dishes and laundry can wait—but the heroes and heroines can not.

2) Using three words, describe your voice.

Sensual, emotional, intriguing.

3) What has been the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome in your writing/career?

Time. As a writer I have a million and one ideas for stories. But there are only so many hours in a day, and only so many words-per-minute I can write.

4) Novice Writer to Multi-pubbed author: How has your outlook on writing changed? Any changes to your writing style?

I treat it like a business now— it’s my career. Before I was published, I wanted it to be my career, but there weren’t any deadlines I had to meet. No promotion to do. If I didn’t meet my daily word count, I didn’t feel guilty. After being published, if I don’t do what I’m supposed to, it backs me up, and I’m accountable. I don’t think I’ve changed my writing style at all, as far as voice goes, I have changed HOW I write though so I can be more efficient.

5) With Nationals coming up fast and furiously, do you have any tips for first time attenders?

Take a deep breath. Nationals is a blast, but for a first-timer it can also be very overwhelming. Remember editors/agents are people too. Attend workshops and take notes. Meet up with friends and chapter-mates. Don’t bring a copy of your manuscript.

6) How do you find a balance between motherhood and being writer? Any advice to those struggling to reach steady footing? (ME! lol)

The question of the year! Schedules is the only thing I suggest. I get up two hours before the kids everyday—even on weekends, and take that time to work. I try to also work during daily nap/quiet times, but if I can’t at least I know I have that two hours every morning. You need the peace to write, and you have to make it a habit. I am naturally a night person so getting up at 5 or 6 in the morning took some getting used to. But I found by the time night rolled around I was too tired to work, and I just wanted to read or watch a movie. In the morning I have more motivation. Treat your writing like a career. If you need to ask for help—someone to watch the kiddies for a couple hours on the weekend so you can write. Involve your children. If they know how exciting and important it is to you, they are more likely to allow you that writing time. And last but not least—BRIBERY. My kids will be bribed with going to the movies today so I can finish up a deadline.

7) What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to share?

I’ve had an excited past two weeks. Last week saw the release of my medieval romance novel, A LADY’S CHARADE, and this week my historical pirate erotic romance novella, A PIRATE’S BOUNTY released. I’m in the process of writing several other projects (a time-travel, a medieval and a Tudor-era), and waiting on bated breath to hear about my first historical fiction (non-romance) novel that my agent has out on submission. I’m also always on the hunt for some semblance of sanity and a smaller laundry pile. :)

Thanks for brightening our day, Eliza!! For those of you that don't know, Eliza and I used to be blog mateys on the Mama Writers blog. She's definitely an author to follow! Here's hoping A PIRATE'S BOUNTY and A LADY'S CHARADE are smashing successes!

For more info on Eliza Knight, please set sail for her website: http://www.elizaknight.com To purchase A PIRATE'S BOUNTY, click here. And here for A LADY'S CHARADE.

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! It's awesome to be back in the interviewer's seat. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Beat the heat by getting knee-deep in a romance novel! Nothing like a little lovin' to wash the summertime blues away! Catch ya back next week....

Wowza! The Verdict Is In!!

2011-06-22T01:05:00.001-07:00

IN PURSUIT OF LOVE got SECOND place in the Historical category of the SPRING INTO ROMANCE CONTEST!!!

I'm very excited! It's always wonderfully motivating to know someone out there liked your writing.

As for my Golden Heart entry progress, I've been making excellent strides even with a house full of restless kids. Finishing by Oct 1st is looking pretty good, and darn it, that feels awesome!

Thanks to everyone for their kind and supportive words! You guys rock!

GOOD NEWS!!

2011-05-31T23:07:00.000-07:00

My WIP- In Pursuit of Love- FINALED in the Historical category of the Spring Into Romance Contest!!!

I am SO excited! The winners will be announced June 18th at the RWASD's monthly meeting. I entered the contest wanting only to see how my first 25pgs would be received. So, when the notification email appeared in my inbox, I was dancing a jig! Complete with a teenage-girlie scream.

And, yes, I totally rewarded myself to a sweet treat!

Getting Back In The Groove!

2011-05-23T23:08:00.000-07:00

Howdy, TLN'ers!!

Talk about being a stranger, huh?! Since having baby#3 I've become as easy to find as a donut during a cop convention.

Life has settled. The baby, for the most part, is finally healthy. We've just been battling with ear infections. It's like she hasn't quite cleared up from the respiratory infection she got at 4wks old. I'm hoping this new antibiotic the doc gave us works like a charm to clear away all the gunk. The older kids are finally running at full speed. Up until a week or two ago, I was in the pediatrician's office once (and sometimes twice) a week!

My writing and blogging has suffered greatly for my distracted state. I have truly missed visiting my peeps blogs, interviewing authors, and most importantly writing!

I'm still determined to enter the Golden Heart this fall. I have a lot of work left to do and know it's all up to me. The latest RWR had an awesome article on not letting self-doubt sabotage your goals. I LOVED IT! Definitely words I was needing to hear.

I may not have been writing as much as I would have like during all the chaos, but I did do a lot plotting and reading. (Let's just call the latter "research". lol) I feel like I've found a missing piece of a puzzle. I'm confident I can make everything fall right into place.

So, tell me, how do whip yourself into writing shape?

2011-03-30T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Katharine Ashe Contest Winner is . . . .
JENA!!!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and shared the fun!

Get Captured By Katharine Ashe!!

2011-03-28T23:33:00.000-07:00

Well, shiver me timbers!!

No need to walk the plank, mateys! We've got just the treasure to keep you coming back for more!

Hoist up the mail sail and hand me some rum, because we've got the vivacious vixen of the high seas hanging out with us today! Yep, you guess it right, me hearties, it's the fantasic KATHARINE ASHE!!!

Her new release, CAPTURED BY A ROGUE LORD, is the Catch O' The Day today. If you've a need to read about a swashbuckling hunk with a sweet spot for a plucky heroine, then you're gonna want to ride the tide with Katharine's Alex and Serena!

Without further ado, here's Katharine!!

Hi, everybody! Thanks to Sarah for allowing me to celebrate the release of CAPTURED BY A ROGE LORD with you today. I am so happy to be here again!

The other day Sarah asked how I’m managing to balance mommy time and my writing goals. I can answer that in two words: passion and play.

First, to explain a bit, I’m a mom (of both human and canine kids), an author of historical romance, and a professor of History. I am also a wife, a church volunteer, a book club member, a girlfriend, a sister, a daughter, a tweeter, a runner, and an occasional gardener. In short, I’m like most women who write romance fiction: FAR TOO BUSY and insanely over-extended. So how do we manage it? How do we go from the beautiful ideas in our heads to the pretty pages ready to send to an agent or editor, all the while maintaining everything else in our lives?

Passion and play.

I adore what I do. ADORE. Writing romance feeds me, and I think it’s all about my characters. I invent them, and then I invest them with every emotion I have ever felt. I make their love powerful, their pain consuming, their joy ecstatic, and their affections embracing. I hurl them from laughter to desire to misery and back to laughter again as often as possible. I do this because passion—the passion of emotion, whatever emotion it is—gives me energy. I love to feel deep emotion; it enlivens me. When I write it, I feel it. Writing romance is my drug of choice.

But powerful emotion is not enough. Like a diet consisting entirely of steak (or if you prefer, tofu), things can get pretty heavy pretty quickly. That’s where play comes in.

By ‘play’ I don’t mean games or sports. That too often becomes competition. I don’t run timed races because to me that would be work. I run with my iPod and I sing along, and so it’s play. I play in other ways, too—with my son and dogs, first and foremost. And you know that garden? Total play, only relaxation, and if it doesn’t get done that’s fine.

More importantly, I play with my work. I allow myself to enjoy it. To really enjoy it. How do I do that?

Here’s the bare truth: when it comes to writing fiction, I don’t follow the rules.

Don’t get me wrong; I know the rules. I’ve read the books and done the conferences and had heart-to-heart talks with agents and editors. But when I sit down to write, I put those rules away and I follow my heart. This makes every single time I go to that computer fun. Play. A joy. Honestly, my characters thank me for it, because they want to be having fun too as they tumble into that gloriously delectable dance of desire and entwined hearts we call love. And of course, if they’re having fun, I’m having fun! The corollary to this, of course, is that when they’re miserable, I tend to be too. But the beauty of romance is that misery is short-lived and happiness is indeed ever after. Love and laughter, in the end, reign.

So how do I keep the balance? How do I maintain my sanity? With love and laughter, passion and play.

How do you keep your balance? What tricks do you employ to get pages written and life lived all at the same time? One commenter today wins an autographed copy of CAPTURED BY A ROGUE LORD!

Thanks, Katharine!! It's always a pleasure to have you here at the Lovestruck Novice! I just adore your words of wisdom! Just to tantilize your senses, here is a blurb for CAPTURED BY A ROGUE LORD:

CAPTURED BY A ROGUE LORD by Katharine Ashe (Avon, March 29, 2011)

She would marry no man…
Serena Carlyle dreams of a happily ever after. Firmly on the shelf at twenty-five, instead she’s determined to find the perfect match for her beautiful younger sister. What better prospect than their neighbor, the wealthy, rakishly handsome Earl of Savege? Now Serena can beg his help in halting a local band of smugglers. Then, one night, stealing away from yet another disappointing ball, Serena finds herself trapped alone with a stranger …

Until he captured her—body and soul
His kiss was irresistible, his caress unforgettable, and he hides a devastating secret. A Robin Hood upon the sea, Alex Savege is the brazen pirate Redstone, seizing the yachts of spoiled noblemen to settle an old debt. Serena needs a hero, but her heart is in the gravest danger—for it is soon to be captured by a man as skilled at seduction as he is at plunder.

Good luck to all who enter! Thanks again to Katharine for her generosity. If you'd like to know more about Katharine Ashe, please click on over to her website: http://www.katharineashe.com

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Here's hoping your week fabulous! It's great to be back!

Sticking With It!

2011-03-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

There are 273 days until 12/1/2011.

Why is that date important?

Well, it's the deadline to have all enteries into the RWA Office for the Golden Heart!

Last year, I botched it. I didn't finish in time to enter. I let the outside world invade my drive to write THE END. I've been told having a baby is a worth excuse . . . BUT to me, it's still an excuse.

I haven't made great strides in sticking with my goal of writing 500 words a day so far this year. I've had a couple of loops thrown my way like the baby spending over two weeks in the hospital and my grandma passing away.

March, I have decided, will be 1000x times better (because what else could go wrong?! lol) I've got the frame work in place for carving out my writing time. How? I will never be without paper and pencil. I'd forgotten that before computers and mini-PC's there was hand-writing notes and scenes. (We've gotten quite spoiled in this techno-savvy world!)

It's also been suggested I tape record my thoughts and scenes using a voice recorder. I used to do this, but the practice feel by the wayside. lol The only problem I might run into with this choice is the occasional screaming fit from both the kids, baby, and ME!

So, I've confessed the burning burden within me. How about YOU? How have you been sticking with your goals?

Hanging Out With KAT MARTIN!!

2011-03-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hey, Hey, TLN'ers!!

It's a new day and a new month! Hope you're still on track with your goals for 2011. Here to help us keep our eye on the prize is the ever lovely KAT MARTIN!

What better way to keep the need to succeed fed than a heaping dose of advice from an awesome author like Kat?!

Sit back and kick your heels up. It's show time!!

HITTING THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST
By, Kat Martin

Twenty five years ago when I first started writing, my goal was to become a successful author. I wanted to be able to quit my real estate job and write full time. Fortunately, with my husband still working, I was able to make that happen fairly quickly.

Still, when I finally I sold my first book after months of trying and numerous rejections, I earned the whopping sum of four thousand dollars--not much money for a year and a half of working ten hours a day! But I never lost faith. I thought, “I can do this. I know I can.”

I think one of the toughest things about being an author is continuing to believe in yourself. Insecurities swamp you. Is this book any good? Is this book as good as the last one? Will my readers like it? Will the publisher renew my contract?

After twenty five years, those questions remain. It’s only sheer force of will that keeps a writer pounding the keyboard, sheer determination that keeps an author from quitting.

So when I hit the New York Times printed list (as opposed to the extended list, which I had been on a number of times), it was the kind of validation that keeps a writer going.

Someone must like these books, I thought. Ohmygod, it’s really selling! It was a thrill to get that phone call--a notification that usually comes late on a Wednesday night. That Wednesday, I didn’t get any call so I figured any chance I had was past.

Then early Thursday morning, my agent phoned. “AGAINST THE FIRE made the list! You’re on the New York Times!”

It’s a real moment for an author, the thrill of a lifetime. I had made the Times list last year for RULES BRIDE, one of my Victorian Historicals, but this was different.

My heart is in these books, AGAINST THE WIND, AGAINST THE FIRE, AGAINST THE LAW. Not only did I love the brothers, Jackson, Gabe, and Devlin, but I loved the ladies who snared these hunky men.

When I finished AGAINST THE LAW, I didn’t want to let go.

Couldn’t.

So I didn’t.

In Dev and Lark’s story, AGAINST THE LAW, three of Dev’s friends show up to help him rescue Lark’s missing four-year-old niece. Trace, Johnnie, and Jake were such amazing guys I knew I had to tell their stories.

Fortunately, Mira agreed, and in November, AGAINST THE STORM, Trace Rawlin’s story, is scheduled to hit the bookshelves.

I’m hoping by the time readers finish the Raines Brothers Trilogy, they’ll be wanting more of the yummy AGAINST men and their sexy ladies, and that they’ll be watching for AGAINST THE STORM.

Until then if you haven’t read AGAINST THE LAW, I hope you’ll look for it. And don’t forget AGAINST THE WIND and AGAINST THE FIRE, the first two books in the trilogy.

Until then, happy reading and all best wishes, Kat

Enter Kat's Contest
Join my mailing list
Visit my website
Read Excerpt for Against the Law
Become a Facebook fan of Kat Martin

Purchase Links
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Borders

Videos
Click Title to Play
Interview with Kat Martin
Against the Law
Against the Fire
Against the Wind
Raines of Wind Canyon

WOWZA! Hope you're feeling amped up and ready to conquer your quest, TLN'ers! I'd like to thank Kat for hanging out with us today. If you'd like to know more about Kat Martin and her books, please check out the links listed above.

Kat has generously offered the prize of a personally autographed copy of AGAINST THE WIND to one lucky commenter!! Ain't that the way to make a gal's day bright?!

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! Here's hoping your week is fabulous and full of productivity! I'm lining up some more authors for future interviews and blogs, so sit tight there's more to come!

WINNER of the Steph Burkhart Prize!

2011-02-28T15:52:00.000-08:00

CONGRATS go to the always fabulous KAYE MANRO!!!

Thanks to everyone for joining in the fun!

Staying Strong With Steph Burkhart!!!

2011-02-18T07:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday, TLN'ers!!!

What's better than the weekend being mere hours away? How about a visit from the ever lovely Steph Burkhart?!!!

Grab a warm cup of something tasty and get comfy, because we're diving in to the good stuff!

I'd like to thank Sarah for having me here today at the Lovestruck Novice.

Just a little about me: I was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. After graduating from Central High, I joined the US Army. I spent 11 years in the military, 7 in Germany. While in the military, I earned a BS in Political Science from California Baptist University in Riverside, CA in 1995. I left the Army in 1997 and settled in California, but my favorite football team is still the New England Patriots. I work for LAPD as a 911 dispatcher. I've been married for 19 years. I have two boys, Andrew, 8, and Joseph, 4.

The Challenges of Writing

I've been seriously writing for publication for about ten years now, but my challenges have been many.

I knew at six I wanted to be a writer. I'd watch the Electric Company (this was back in the 1970's. Am I dating myself? Wink) and they would have a segment of the show about Spiderman. When it was over I'd go to the kitchen table and make a comic book based on the Spiderman episode. Even back then, I loved the sense of adventure writing gave me.

And that's what I love about writing – taking the adventure.

When I left the army in 1997, I settled in California and decided to really buckle down and write. I decided I wanted to write romance, because, ultimately, I'm a sucker for a happy ending. That and the fact romance fills one with hope. They're positive novels about the power of love.

Then I learned this very important fact: Don't quit your day job.

It was still important to bring in a steady paycheck while I wrote the great American romance.

Second important fact: Patience. The great American romance does not write itself overnight.

So while I toiled away at my day job I learned the various aspects of my new profession: POV narration, dialogue, characters, and word counts. I joined several online writing communities and took advantage of writing contests.

During this time, I had two children, and after my son's two am feeding, I'd sneak an hour on the computer to write. Finding the balance between work, mommy, wife, and writer hasn't been easy, but I find if I can write while the boys are in school, it satisfies my craving.

Just recently, I've started working with small press publishers which I enjoy. My latest release, "The Count's Lair" is a paranormal romance set in Budapest, Hungary during Christmas 1901. What I like about small press is the ability to work one-on-one with an editor. I also enjoy networking with other authors and learning from them.

Lastly, I always try to find a smile. I try not to sweat the deadlines, and instead focus on the story. Writing is very rewarding to me. It's never a chore and its always fun.

Here's a blurb and small excerpt from "The Count's Lair."

BLURB:
Count Anton Varga is haunted by the curse of the moon. It tugs on his emotions, ravishing his soul. Anton abhors the beast he must learn to tame if he is to find peace.   Lady Amelia Andrássy is an accomplished pianist, but her life in Budapest had been filled with heartache. When Amelia faints in the Duma's bookstore, it's Anton's strong arms that cradle her fall. His unusual indigo eyes spark with hers, replacing their individual loneliness with the promise of feral passion.   After a two month separation, Anton is ready to walk into Amelia's life again, but is Amelia ready to fan the spark they shared into a flame?  

EXCERPT:

Amelia went inside. The room was cast in obsidian shadows by a single candle burning on her dressing room table. The air was laced with the scent of mulberries. She grew warm. Her heart beat faster. Her defenses cracked.

"Anton?" she whispered.

He stepped out of the darkness behind her, placing his hands on her upper arms, pressing his chest against her back. His lips brushed against her ear, sending a shockwave through her. "You look wonderful tonight, Amelia."

She dared to close her eyes and enjoy his embrace. "Anton."

"Yes, it's me."

Warm feelings of longing stirred within her, only to be quickly doused by the sting of anger at his sudden departure. She stepped out of their embrace and spun to glare at him. "How dare you."

He backed away, confusion pooling in his unusual eyes. "I thought--"

"You thought what?"

"That you'd want to see me."

"It's been two months since I last saw you, and you didn't even try to seek me out. I had no idea if you were dead, alive, or just too busy with your life to think of me."

"I'm sorry." His expression softened. "I had hoped to avoid the cool look in your eyes just now."

Exasperated, she let out a quick breath. "You're infuriating."

"So I've been told."

She crossed her arms and struggled to keep her crumbling battlements up. He had a lot to explain. The candlelight cast dark, almost satyr-like shadows over his chiseled face. If his explanation made sense, she'd will her heart to believe him. "So, Anton, how do you explain your absence? I thought I'd found a friend."

He paused and drew in a deep breath. His eyes grew translucent. "I am sorry. I had a lot to think about. I thought you would understand. I wanted to give you time to mourn your husband properly."

"I see."

"I also wanted to clear my head."

YOU TUBE BOOK TRAILER:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaiYNNpETok

The Count's Lair is avail as ebook for Kindle, B&N Nook, Sony Ereader, and Kobo. You can also download a copy from the Publisher's Website at:

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-142/Stephanie-Burkhart-Budapest-Moon/Detail.bok

You can find me on the web at:

BLOG:
http://sgcardin.blogspot.com

WEBSITE:
http://sgcardin.tripod.com

FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1357922219

Good Time: Leave me a comment and I'll be back tomorrow to give away a PDF copy of The Count's Lair.

Smiles
Steph

I'd like to thank Steph for being here today and for offering up such a wonderful treat! Talk about a great way to start the weekend. :)

Thank you, TLN'ers!! I hope you have a fantastic respite from the work week. The baby is doing great, BUT now my daughter and son have contracted strep throat. Yes, I have no luck! If you've got some to spare, send it my way. ;)

Surviving 2011 . . .

2011-02-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

Hi-Dee-Oh, TLN'ers!!

2011 has blown a wild and crazy path through my life. I thought I'd gotten all the hatches buckled down and things were smoothing out . . . boy, was I wrong!

Four weeks ago, my older kids came down with a cold. Any other time I wouldn't worry, but this go'round I had the baby to worry about. Despite all my best efforts to keep the bigger kids cold away from the baby, she managed to contract the virus.

As it turns out, a cold in an infant is RSV. She was almost instantly conjested and her breathing was labored (what I now know as 'retracting'.) The day after (1/31) she was diagnosed with RSV, we were headed to the children's hospital an hour away. We sat in the ER for 20 hours before they could find a bed for her. After three days of monitoring, breathing treatments, and nose sucking, we were released on Friday, 2/4. She was supposedly "on the mend".

NOPE! Our first day home, she got a slight fever and kept one all the way till Sunday night. She also developed a rather nasty cough. I had an appointment for the doctor Monday morning, so I knew I just had to get through the next day. Well, Monday 2/7 at 3am she got into such a coughing fit that she turned magenta and just froze up!!

Terrified the HELL out of me.

At the doctor's, he heard her cough once and said she needed to be back in the hospital ASAP. This time he made arrangements for us to go to the Pediatric Ward of the hospital only 25-30mins away. I left his office and went home to pack things up. Hubs and I were back in the ER again only this time they had a room on the pediatrics floor saved for us. A chest xray informed us she had pnuemonia and what the docs thought to be Whooping Cough- not to mention pink eye! My four week old baby had caught a secondary infection presumably from the ER at the Children's Hospital the week before. (I had caught the pink eye, too!)

We spent 8 days in the hospital. She had to be put on oxygen as she wasn't recovering her O2 during the coughing spells or even just normal breathing. We had tons of spells where she turned magenta. Very scary. BUT she is home now, released 2/14 and doing great!

I should be getting my older kids back tonight. They have weathered the craziness beautifully thanks to my hubby's wonderful family. My folks helped hubs and I by providing snacks and laundry service. We definitely couldn't have done this without our families.

So, bear with me. I have authors lined up and will be getting back into the swing of things starting this week. Thanks to everyone for your love and support. :)

SHE'S HERE!!!

2011-01-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

MEET LAUREN!!

BORN: 12/31/10 at 2:08pm
7lbs 14oz 19"long

Ain't she sweet?!

Winner of the KAT MARTIN Giveaway is. . . . .

2010-12-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

Congratulations JUNE!!!

Thank you to all who joined in the fun! :)

THANK YOU, Kat, for the giveaway!!

Hope everyone has a FANTASTIC New Year's!

Pursuing Publication With Kat Martin!!!

2010-12-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Almost Christmas, TLN'ers!!

Of course, with today's Featured Author being THE Kat Martin . . . I'm incline to think Christmas has indeed come early!!

Every writer has a dream of being published and seeing their "baby" front and center when walking in the door of a brick and mortar bookshop. For some, the road is swift and sure. For others, the journey has as many potholes and detours the California Highway system.

A new year is upon us and what better time is there to start putting a writing career into perspective. I was thrilled to book Kat as the final guest for 2010, because I knew her advice would fortify the resolve of any writer--from novice to multi-pubbed.

Let's not dawdle! Get comfy and let's get down to the good stuff! (Prize Alert: Kat is graciously offering a Personally Autographed Book to ONE lucky commenter!!)

Take it away, Kat!

Pursuing Publication, by Kat Martin

I’m sure every author has an interesting tale of how he or she got published. Mine is sort of a merry-go-round story that began when I met my husband, Larry. He had written a Western saga and as we began to date, he asked if I wanted to read it. Being a major reader and beginning to fall in love, I said yes. I loved the book, which was extremely moving and very romantic. It was titled SHADOW OF THE MAST and the odd thing was, he couldn’t sell it.

Since I had read a lot of great books and loved this one, I couldn’t understand why not. (I still have no clue as to how New York publishers actually think.)
After a second reading, I realized there were a number of grammar and spelling errors (no spell-check back then). Since I was good at those things, I decided to help him polish the novel.

By the time I was finished, I was hooked on the idea of writing a book of my own. I chose a Western Romance because I had a western background. My great grandmother came West on a covered wagon; my grandmother was one of the original rodeo cowgirls. I was very familiar with the history of that era and so MAGNIFICENT PASSAGE was born. (I’m happy to say the book is being re-issued for the first time in July of next year.)

Once the book was finished, the journey to publication began. When my hubby puts his mind to something, he’s extremely focused, so he did his do-diligence and researched, by reading the voluminous Literary Marketplace and looking at books on the shelf, to find out who was publishing what.

At the same time, we were attending conferences, going to writing class--a two-hour drive to L.A., and trying to find an agent.

At a conference in Fresno, California, we met a woman who had agreed to read sixty pages of any attendee’s manuscript. We both sent our pages. And the agent took both of us on as clients.

Unfortunately, those manuscripts were both summarily rejected by every publisher in NYC--except, in my case, for the very last place the manuscript was sent. That company bought MAGNIFICENT PASSAGE and made it the lead title for Pageant’s new romance line!

It was a great start for me. During that time, Larry’s manuscript, his second novel, was sitting in the slush pile at Kensington where it had been for nearly a year. It was picked up, read, and purchased. After all the waiting, we were published six weeks apart, which meant we could travel and promote our books together.

Unfortunately for me, the saga continued. My first publisher closed its doors after two of my books were printed and I was out on the street again. Again, I was rejected everywhere.

Totally distraught, at the last possible moment, Berkely picked up the book, CAPTAIN’S BRIDE, and again, I was chosen as a lead title. Even then, it was no easy road. I’ve worked for nearly all the major houses. Some were a real pleasure, others not so much.

Currently, I’m writing for Mira Books. They’re publishing my new contemporary romantic suspense novels, the Raines Brothers Trilogy, AGAINST THE WIND, AGAINST THE FIRE, AGAINST THE LAW. The company held them back so they could publish them close together, which readers seem to like. They’re being released end of December, end of January, end of February.

I’m really excited about the book and hoping readers will like Jackson, Gabriel and Devlin as much as I do. Hope you will watch for them. Till then, all best wishes and happy reading, Kat

Here's hoping inspiration has come knocking on your door! 2011 is almost here and with Kat's wonderful story of perseverance under our wings, I know we're all headed for a year full of success! I'd like to thank Kat for her time and generosity. If you'd like to know more about Kat Martin and her novels, please scope out her website: http://www.katbooks.com

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! It's been a fun and crazy year. I'm 10 days away from my due date and ready to start 2011 with a bang! Hope to see you all back at TLN after the holidays. Live, love, and eat merrily!! ((Hugs!)) Sarah ps-I'll be posting pics of the baby when she arrives. :)

Finding Balance With Joselyn Vaughn!!!

2010-12-16T16:17:00.000-08:00

Happy, Happy Weekend, TLN'ers!!!

Hope you've taken the holiday rush by the horns and have conquered the beast! I'm very excited to profess that I'm done. Done, done, done!

If you're in a similar situation, well, now is the time to break out the PJ's, a bag of chocolate, and indulge in just doing . . . nothing--which for those of us with a love of all things writerly means we'll be stapled to a keyboard or a notebook.

For some, that's a very doable task, but for those of us with little ones afoot divining a moment's peace is equivalent to finding the Holy Grail!

Today's Featured Author, JOSELYN VAUGHN, is someone I would consider a master in the arena of balancing "Mommy Time" with "Writer Time". I knew any advice she had to offer would be appreciated to the hundredth degree by 'mama writers' everywhere (me especially!)

Without further ado . . . here's Joselyn!!!

Finding writing time with small children without Mommy guilt

Haha! Sorry any task as a mother that doesn’t revolve around your children abounds in Mommy Guilt – that awful feeling that whatever you are trying to do is not as important as changing diapers, enforcing timeouts or discussing how Bob the Builder conveniently loses his phone whenever there is a big job to be done. Any time taken for yourself becomes doubly guilt-filled when you meet another mother with similarly aged children who can dress themselves, recite the alphabet or perform long division. You suddenly feel that every hour of quiet time you had should have been spent drilling the multiplication tables into their heads.

Just because you can’t get rid of the guilt doesn’t mean you don’t deserve time for yourself. You need time to recharge, quiet time for yourself so that you can face the screaming tantrum about having a red lid on their cup instead of a blue lid without having a screaming tantrum of your own.

The other reason I believe moms need time for themselves is to have their own identity. Just because you carried someone in your womb for nine months does not mean that you ceased to be once they were born. You still have an identity. Don’t lose yourself as your children figure out who they are.

This is one of the reasons I write. It gives me an identity and a purpose outside of ‘Mommy.’ Much of my life revolves around them and their needs, but writing is just for me. I hope that I will not wonder who I am once they go off to college.

With three toddlers, finding writing time isn’t always easy. I’ve often thought about how much easier it would be to not write – to give it all up and focus solely on the kids and the housekeeping. I did once. I vowed I was done. It last three hours before I pulled out a notebook again.

So how do you carve out that time?

-Eliminate Barriers. What keeps you from doing what you want? I can’t always sit at my computer and type.(Thirty extra fingers do not help me type faster.) So I have notebooks around the house. I even have them open with a pen stuck in the spiral. When the kids are coloring, I write. When they have a snack, I write a blog. Snacks take them forever and if I have a pen in my hand, I’m less tempted to munch on chocolate animal crackers too.

-Reserve time. I have a babysitter come one afternoon a week so I can meet with my critique group. Some adult conversation, a chance to bounce around ideas, and some motivation. It is something I rarely give up. Doctors’ appointments, church meetings, etc. get scheduled around it.

I think it is important to give yourself permission to do something you love and enjoy it with minimal Mommy Guilt. Your relationships with your children will be better for it.
---

For another holiday indulgence, I posting cookie recipes on my blog (http://joselynvaughn.com/ ). Stop by and try some out. Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season.

Joselyn

http://joselynvaughn.com
Courting Sparks - Avalon Books - 12/10
Indulge your softer side.

A heaping helping of advice AND cookies?! Wowza! It's Christmas come early! *wink wink* I'd like to thank Joselyn for being here today. I know I feel amped up and ready to carve out my "ME TIME" ASAP! With a newborn in my future, I know my schedule is going to need some major reworking, but I'm definitely up for the challenge. How about YOU?! :)

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Here's hoping your weekend is festive and full of fun. For those of you in the cross-hairs of the "Pineapple Express" storms, here's a double dose of good wishes headed your way! Christmas time is coming and let's just hope my Christmas dinner isn't hospital fare. LOL --TTTT!! (Ta-ta-till-Tuesday!) Kat Martin will be hanging out with us!!

Let Victory Tales Press Make Your Spirits Bright!!

2010-12-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

Hey, Hey, Hey!! We're getting close to the BIG day!

Christmas, that is!!

If you're looking for the perfect confection for the book lover on your list, we've got a sweet line up in today's Featured Author Spotlight.

Please make welcome the lovely Rebecca J. Vickery!!

Rebecca is in no way a newbie to the TLN Hot Seat. She's survived the grillin' and lived to tell the tale. However, this go-round she's taking off her author hat and donning the mantel of publisher. She's here to give us the scoop on her 'baby', Victory Tales Press.

Just in time for Christmas, VTP has launched a buffet of romance reads geared toward every palette. From sweet to smokin' hot, there's a love story rearin' and waitin' to please!

No need to cinch on a parka and brave dastardly lines . . . TLN is all about one-stop shopping today!

1) If your publishing house were a book, what would your blurb be?

Victory Tales Press is an eclectic mix of talented authors working together to improve our writing skills, provide quality reads, and have a bit of fun in the process. Featuring male-female relationships in a variety of genres, heat levels, and settings, we hope to help keep traditional romance alive and flourishing.

2) Using three words, describe the voice of Victory Tales Press.

The voice of VTP is definitely romantic, varied, and always entertaining.

3) Give us a tasty-teaser of what it's like to be a publisher of e-books?

I sort of fell into publishing, but I am enjoying it. I read a lot of stories and then spend the majority of my time either editing, formatting, or correlating them while also dealing with contracts, approving covers, uploading the files to distributors, and generally dealing with any problems that crop up. I am having a lot of trouble finding time to write, which I will have to change soon. (I need to put myself on a much tighter schedule. LOL) One of the things I like best is at the end of each quarter. I love sending out royalties and hearing from authors that they are so happy to get them. Another great thing is receiving reviews and positive feedback from our readers. After that, I am on a high for days and it makes all the long hours and hard work worth it.

What are the little nuances of publishing that authors don't realize?

Wow, that's a tough one. I don't think a lot of authors realize all the time it takes for formatting that has to be done before the book is uploaded to all the various retailers and online distributors. They all seem to want something done differently and the manuscript might have to be reformatted five or six times (and that's not counting going to print which is a totally different ballgame).

4) Victory Tales Press has been hitting the blog tours promoting the Christmas Anthology Collections and Authors. As a publisher, when considering a manuscript or an author for a collection, what sort of promotional know-how are you looking for?

I definitely like for an author to have a blog or a website and belong to a few Yahoo Groups where they can showcase the anthology cover, share a bit about the stories, or at least provide a link to our website, but I have not made that a requirement for any writer. As a small press, and an author myself, I usually try to assist with promotions more than many publishers would. But lately, as we've grown busier, I've had to leave more of it to the authors. I like to think we have aided a few of our newer writers in broadening their horizons and in learning a bit about promoting.

5) What makes a query letter stand out in your mind?

With me, query letters are welcome to be fairly informal but are all about tone, being professional, and being able to state what you have and what you want me to do with it. The tone should be friendly and polite, but direct. The common courtesy of a greeting and a sentence stating where you heard about VTP or why you are contacting me is a great beginning. Being professional includes using spell-check, checking for missing words, and following the general rules of punctuation. In a query, an author should be able to provide the general idea of a short story in a few sentences; share what type of anthology they think it would fit within; and give an idea of the length.

Do you look for certain elements when considering a manuscript for possible publication with VTP?

So far VTP has accepted stories from invited authors only. If an author wishes to receive an invitation to provide a story for an anthology, they should drop me an email or query at booksbyrebecca@yahoo.com The elements I look for are always a fairly complete, happy ever after (or happy for now) romance involving a male-female relationship. The story-line may be a paranormal, mystery, contemporary, historical, or almost any sub-genre of romance as long as there is no erotica or excessively graphic language. We do accept many stories of a sensual and/or spicy nature as long as the sexual scenes are necessary to the story and tastefully done.

6) What's up next for you?

Staying busy, busy, busy. (LOL) VTP is scheduled to release approximately sixteen anthologies in 2011. The next one will be for Valentine's Day and will be released in mid-January. Then, with the assistance of Laura Shinn and a few others, I have begun two other imprints: Publishing by Rebecca J. Vickery provides all or any part of an Indie or self-published author's publishing needs (such as editing, covers, formatting, or uploading to distributors). We also began Western Trail Blazer recently to help revive and showcase stories about the American West (including dates from the Old West to Contemporary).

Any books or collections you'd like to dish about?

Our current releases from VTP are our Christmas Collections. We offer seventeen stories in four separate books ranging from sweet to spicy (male-female) romance. We have received excellent reviews and several stories have already been nominated for upcoming awards. Here is a very brief description of the stories within each book:

A Christmas Collection: Sweet

Christmas with Hope by Anne Patrick
Hope Erickson, a Blackhawk pilot, and Nick Cunningham, an army ranger, renew their acquaintance on the battlefields of Iraq.

A Christmas Full of Memories by Markee Anderson
Piper Sage knows the man who enters her travel agency franchise at Christmas is trouble from the moment he tells her he's the owner's son.

Severed Hearts by Laurean Brooks
Julie Blanton's dream is realized when shy Johnny Michaels all but professes his undying love. When he enlists two days later without so much as a goodbye, her world crashes.

An Unexpected Holidate by Evie Alexis
Audrey Christensen is in no mood for Christmas cheer and Tom Finster hates the holidays. Will they make a little Christmas magic of their own?

Homecoming by Cheryl Pierson
A holiday skirmish sends Union officer, Jack Durham, on an unlikely mission for a dying Confederate soldier—his enemy. Will the miracle of Christmas heal his heart?

A Christmas Collection: Sensual

Scarlet Ribbons by Cheryl Pierson
Miguel Rivera is known as El Diablo. Persuaded by a street vendor he makes a foolish holiday purchase—two scarlet ribbons.

The Proposal by Diane Craver
Jacqueline hopes Brad is giving her an engagement ring for her birthday. Tyler wants Jacqueline to be happy, but not with Brad.

My Life and Times with Nickolopolus Christog Cringelenstien Clausener by Charlotte Raby
Miranda Jane's one last customer turns an ordinary work night into something magical. Her letter to the world tells what it's like being married to a famous elf!

Angel and the Cowboy by Celia Yeary
When U.S. Marshal Max Garrison meets lovely Daniella, his life changes. Different her entire life, will Daniella learn love is all that matters?

A Christmas Collection: Stimulating

Christmas in Bayeaux by Stephanie Burkhart
After leaving the ravages of war, Aiden travels to Bayeaux, France on a pilgrimage. Will Noel be able to help him feel again?

Mars Needs Men by Gerald Costlow
Carla tries to help an astronaut who will be in space for another year, but now she is the one with a problem. She needs a Christmas miracle.

Fast Forward Love by Rita Hestand
Connie and Ed, both widowed, would make a great couple. Connie is interested, but Ed seems to have an on-again, off-again attitude. Will Christmas make a difference?

Wanted by Karen Michelle Nutt
Emma is convinced her Christmas wish has come true when outlaw JoBeth Riley is brought into town and Sheriff Jace Kelly brings her home for Christmas.

A Christmas Collection: Spicy

Feliz Navidad by Kit Prate
Gabriel wants vengeance for a boy's death. The son of a powerful man is to blame, but Hawkins won't let that, or Christmas, stop him.

Underneath the Mistletoe by C. A. Paris
Scott allows Tiffany to talk him into playing Santa for a group of children. When circumstances force a kiss underneath the mistletoe, will their relationship change?

White Christmas by Cheryl Pierson
ER nurse, Carlie Thomas, usually works on Christmas, but this year she has an unexpected houseguest who needs special care.

The Hands of Time by Laura Shinn
Lady Graciela is imprisoned in a snow globe. Released when Ken finds the globe, will she later return to the snow globe forever?

We invite everyone to drop by our website where they can find all the buy links to our books:
http://victorytalespress.yolasite.com/online-store.php

Thank you so much, Sarah, for inviting me to share what I'm up to with all your followers.

It's been a blast, as always! I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season.

No, THANK YOU, Rebecca! This was definitely a post I enjoyed writing up. It's not every day we get a sneak-peek at what goes on behind the scenes. I appreciate your time and willingness to let me interview you. Best wishes for tons of sales and here's hoping your holidays are festive and full of cheer! :) ((hugs!))

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! With the close of this week, I've got a 20 days left being a baby-oven. LOL It's been a long 9months this time around and I can't wait to get back in the swing of things. If you've got a release coming in 2011, shoot me an email at: thelovestrucknovice@gmail.com and we'll get you scheduled for an interview or a guest blog. (Best part is I work cheap-- F-R-E-E!!!) Have a great weekend and we'll catch you back next week! :)

What's Your Goal for 2012?

2010-12-06T14:41:00.001-08:00

Howdy-O, TLN'ers!!

Now that my daughter's birthday festivities are in the books and I've got a pretty good "wrap" on the Christmas agenda, I've begun plotting out my goals for 2012.

First and foremost, I'm going to focus on my writing and getting In Pursuit of Love DONE! I'm finally feeling like I'm heading in the right direction. Back when I started writing, if anyone would have told me how much strength and determination writing really took, I'd have laughed in their faces. TWO and a HALF years later . . . well, I get it!!

As of right now, I'm setting a daily goal of 3 to 5 pages a day. While I know it's going to be rough with a new born, a 3.5 yr old, and a Kindergartner vying for my time, I'm willing to step back up to the plate and start swinging away.

I didn't just pull such a goal out of thin air. I had help---ALL of YOU! Your comments and encouragement are all appreciated!! When inspiration is needed, I just click by through some of the TLN Hot Seat interviews. It never takes long to feel that ole feelin' again. ;)

Have you started thinking about what you'd like achieve next year??

Dish it up and let's discuss!!

Let Sandra Sookoo Get You Back On Track!!

2010-12-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

Greetings, TLN'ers!!!

Hope your week has treated you kindly. If it's been one big chaotic mess after another, well, you've clicked on over to the perfect place to get revived!!

It's no secret how busy I've been getting things ready for the baby and all my Christmas preparations. Focusing my time and dwindling energy on these areas has put a cramp in my writing. (Ah, rats!)

I figured I couldn't be the only one running around like a crazy person trying to get everything done . . . yesterday! SO, when the date arrived to have the fantastic SANDRA SOOKOO on my blog, I knew without a doubt what topic I wanted her to touch upon.

Sandi is a writer I aspire to follow. I admire her tenacity and her work ethic. Reading her Facebook posts never fail to encourage me to get with the program.

If you've been faced with a lagging resolve, TODAY is your day! Let Sandi get you pumped up and ready to get that WIP whipped!!

Grab a cup of egg nog (man, that sounds good!) and get ready to be inspired!!

Writing through distractions

It’s holiday season and we’re all busy baking cookies, Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, traveling hither and yon as well as doing so many other things, we can barely remember our own names half the time. So, if you’re a writer, how do you fit in time to work on your craft?

It’s all a matter of setting aside an hour every day and telling your loving family that you need “you” time and you’re not to be disturbed. The kids will be fine watching a movie. The husband will be good to go if he has to entertain himself for awhile. No one is going to care if you’ve gotten the household chores done. If you are a serious writer, the only way you’ll reach your publishing goals is to sit down and work on it every day (or almost every day). No one is going to do it for you. Think of it this way. If you don’t write, those contracts aren’t going to come. Waiting in line to pick up the kiddos at school is also a great time to write longhand. I’ll bet if you take a look at your schedule, you’ll find other opportunities too.

Whether it be in the early morning hours before the household rises or late at night once you finally get everyone into bed, I strongly encourage you to make these quiet times your time. Even if you strive for 500 words each day, they add up quickly. Remind yourself that writing is a job and it you want to make a go of being a professional writer, then you need to dedicate time to it. Writing is work so treat it as such! And, sometimes it also helps to outline out your chapters or at least get an idea of where you want to go so if you keep getting interrupted, once you come back to, you’ll not lose your way.

Don’t worry about the rules. Don’t get hung up on what folks say you should write or how you should do it. If the subject matter interests you and you have a passion for it, then write it! The best stories are the ones the writer believes in 100 percent. The key is to get that story down. You can finesse the words later.

That’s kind of how I see it. I hope you got some inspiration from this post. I’m always happy to give out advice—it’s free!

As a treat, here’s a blurb for one of my upcoming Christmas releases. It’s a historical/paranormal mix and will release sometime this month with Liquid Silver Books (http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com ).

Christmas in 1899 starts as a joyless affair. Bethany Cundiff has hit a rough patch of life. While caring for her young niece and nephew, she’s evicted from her residence and fired from her job ten days before Christmas. To make matters worse, a gentleman who desires her company for the holiday, and has the money to back up the promise, propositions her for sex.

Blake Wenchal is a disenchanted elf that’s been banished from the Northern Realm and Santa’s court because he’s lost the spirit of compassion and charity. Lonely from years spent by himself, he’s thrown off balance when Bethany accepts his ill-advised offer of paid bed mate—except she arrives on his doorstep with children in tow.

Neither one counted on the power of love, acceptance and the miracle of family to make the holiday unforgettable.

I'd like to thank Sandi for being here today. She's enjoying some much earned vacation time in Magic Kingdom and I sure do wish I was trekking around the happiest place on earth, too. LOL Of course, my gait would be more of a waddle than a walk. *wink wink* If you'd like to learn more about the awesome Sandra Sookoo, please head on over to her website!! www.sandrasookoo.com

As an example of how cool Sandra truly is--she's giving away a $5.00 Starbucks GiftCard to one lucky commenter!! See?! I told ya she rocks!! :)

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Here's hoping your week is vastly productive and Monday finds you leaps and bounds ahead of your writing goals! Despite this weekend being my daughter's 5th bday party and my RWA Chapter's Christmas shin-dig, I'm planning on plugging away at the old keyboard every chance I get. :) Toddle-loo and see you next week!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

2010-11-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

Hey, howdy, hey, TLN'ers!!!

It feels likes a dog's age since I last posted something. Time just seems to fly by me and all I've done is shuttle kids, cook, clean, and SLEEP!! At least my cough is better. Next week, my doc should have the test results telling if I had the whooping cough or not. As soon as I'm 100% again, I'll be getting vaccinated. Who knew we'd see Pertussis come back so strong. I've been sick since Halloween!!! Awful, awful stuff!

No joke. I can fall asleep at the drop of the hat these days. While it's pleasant to wake up from a cat nap, it's also quite annoying when I've got a laundry list of things to do. Yesterday, I helped organize 333 pies for my daughter's school fund raiser. THEN, went and helped in her class. I was out like a light by 8:30pm last nite!

Luckily, I've got everything for the baby ready to go. The only things remaining are to pack a bag for the hospital and to get my Hubby-man to build the changing table.

At last count, I've got around 5 weeks to go. My blood sugars have been good, but this little girl feels like she's all knees and elbows in there!! Seriously! She moves and my whole stomach just shifts. Very entertaining to watch, but not so fun when I'm dead asleep. LOL Guess she's conditioning me for when she arrives. ;)

Most of my Christmas shopping is done. Probably about 80% complete. WHEW!! I'm just glad that I'm not the one who has to build the two bikes for the older kids!! But, I'll be there looking on from my recliner to jeer--oops--encourage him on.

We're taking family pics this weekend at the coast. Sweet! My dad has a gorgeous camera and I'm more than happy to buy him some clam chowder in lieu of long lines and sitting fees. Plus, I've been craving fish and chips. LOL I'll definitely be taking a long walk on the beach to burn off that meal!

In two weeks, I begin my holiday baking. This year I'm learning how to make Portuguese sweet bread. LOL I was supposed to have learned BEFORE I got married, but my hubby is a patient man. NINE years later, I'm finally fulfilling my marriage contract. I'll be making 24 dozen rolls, not to mention 10 batches of Pumpkin Balls, Mexican Wedding Cake cookies, and almost 20 batches of Carmel Popcorn. YIKES! I've got 31 goodies bags to make for hubby's work place. Good thing I love that man! (psst: Today is our NINE year anniversary. I'm sooo not cooking dinner tonight!)

My daughter's birthday party is next weekend and I'm working on all the details right now. She wants cookies and goodie bags for her Kindergarten class, too! Sheesh! Local bakery here I come!

As for writing . . . I've been polishing my partial and feel like it's in a really good place. This weekend I'm hoping to start and finish a new scene. I didn't quite reach my goal, but I haven't quit either! I'll be posting more on that later . . .

Even though my life is pure chaos right now, I'm so very THANKFUL for every crazy minute of it!!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Have you been just as busy? What does your "To-Do" list look like? More importantly, what are you thankful for???

Here's hoping your Thanksgiving is full of good times, love, and tons of yummy things! Have a slice for me! ;)

Get Tempted By Angela Johnson!!

2010-11-18T20:31:00.000-08:00

Oohh-Da-Lolly!! Another week is ancient history and we're heading into two days of R&R!

If you're looking for a good read to wile away weekend with . . . look no further!

Please make welcome ANGELA JOHNSON!!!

Angela's latest book, VOW OF DECEPTION, the second novel in her VOW series, was released earlier this month. Both Vow of Deception and its predecessor VOW OF SEDUCTION are set in the medieval era of King Edward I. So, if handsome knights are a staple on your TBB list, you've come to the "write" place!!

I'm all for taste testing. Let's get settled and dive right into the good stuff!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

A hopeless romantic, Angela Johnson once thought she would never find anyone who would love and accept her for who she is. But then she met the man of her dreams who luckily appreciates her wacky sense of humor, and all the rest. And he’s just as quirky as she is. At her husband’s encouragement, Angela now combines her two favorite passions—history and romance novels—into a writing career. She blissfully spends her days spinning sensual historical tales about brave heroes, and the independent women who love them.

2)Using three words describe your voice.

Steamy, fast-paced, and emotionally intense. Okay, so that’s not exactly three words, but I never said I was good at math.

(Oh, boy! Me, too! Thank goodness for calculators.)

3)Tell us a little bit about your writer's journey. What was it like to receive "The Call"?

It took me several years to finish my first novel, VOW OF SEDUCTION, because I was still learning to write, and simultaneously trying to figure out the world of publishing. But once the book was done, the journey to publication came rather quickly. When I was ready to submit my first novel for publication, I pitched it to a New York editor, who requested a partial submission. I also entered several RWA sponsored writing contests using material from this same book. I won or placed in most of the contests, and as a result, I received three requests for a full submission of the manuscript from New York editors. Just three months after I got a rejection letter from the first editor, Hilary Sares, who was at Kensington at the time, offered me a two book contract, which I accepted.

I was actually in bed asleep when I received "The Call”. I had stayed up late, writing the night before, and was sleeping in; not an unusual occurrence. My husband came into the bedroom and said… "Hilary Sares at Kensington left a message on our answering machine. She said she really liked your story and wanted to know if you’d sold in book format before." At first I thought he was joking. He has a wicked sense of humor like that. Needless to say, I got very excited, returned her call, and left a message for her. I actually left two messages, because during the first message, I was so flustered I left the wrong phone number for her to call back at. Then I sheepishly called once again and gave her the correct number. It's amazing how wonky your brain can become when you get REALLY excited.

4) With your second book, VOW OF DECEPTION, set to release 11/2 has your outlook on the publishing industry changed?

When I sold my first book two years ago, I was absolutely clueless about what was expected of me next. But two books later, I'm less naïve, and have come to understand that for publishers, it's just a numbers game. I've also learned that the novel writing process does not end once you sign a publishing contract. That's when the real work begins; manuscript edits, copy edits, page proofs, and book promotion. For naturally shy people, like me, marketing and promotion can be challenging. Mostly though, being a published author is rewarding and fun.

5)What advice would you give the struggling novice writer?

If you get the chance, join a local or regional writers’ group. The best career decision I ever made was to join my local writers’ group....KS Writers’ Inc. It’s important to surround yourself with people who support, motivate, and encourage you through good times and bad; through triumphs and tribulations. Writer's groups also offer education and networking opportunities too. And, they serve as a natural resource for finding good critique partners. I doubt I would be published today, without the help of my amazingly talented and wonderfully supportive critique partners. And finally, don't forget to believe in yourself. It all starts there.

6)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to share?

The 3rd book in my Vow series, about a repentant knight who must marry his dead brother’s beautiful betrothed, is currently out on proposal.

I’m on the last stretch of my blog tour for VOW OF DECEPTION. Upcoming dates and blog sites are:

November 22-26, Write Life of Andrea and Corrina
November 23, Yankee Romance Reviews
The Romance Dish
November 30, Heart of Romance
December 1, History Undressed

For links to upcoming blogs please visit: http://angelajohnsonauthor.com/news.html

Book Trailer for VOW OF DECEPTION

I’d love to hear from readers.

Please contact me at my website, or learn more about me and read book excerpts @ http://angelajohnsonauthor.com/

Plus sign up for a chance to win a $50 Susan G. Komen for the Cure Visa gift card @ http://angelajohnsonauthor.com/contest.html

Or visit me at my Facebook fan page @ http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=1533132640#!/pages/Angela-Johnson-Author/107353814770

Buy Links:
Amazon
Borders
Barnes and Noble
Kensington

Blurb:
VOW OF DECEPTION

Your first allegiance is to your heart…

As a knight, Sir Rand Montague’s allegiance is to King Edward I. But when the king orders Rand to escort Rosalyn Harcourt to court in order to wed her off to Sir Golan—a crass knight Rand abhors—he’s torn between duty and desire. For Rand has never forgotten the woman he spent one unforgettable night of passion with…

After suffering abuse at the hands of her deceased husband, Rose wishes to never wed again. But when Rand rescues her after Sir Golan attempts to compromise her, she agrees to marry Rand in name only. However, sharing such close quarters with Rand brings back memories of their torrid rendezvous—and tempts Rose to give in to an all-consuming desire…

Wowza! Close quarters with a hunky knight?! Now, that sounds like a great way to stay warm during the winter months.*wink wink*

I'd like to thank Angela for letting me interview her. I always love hearing the "Got The Call" stories. Kinda of gives this dream we're all chasing a tangible flavor--and I'm all about food right now. lol

Here's wishing Angela the best of luck with her proposal!!

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Hope your weekend is awesome! We're in the home stretch, now. Just a few more days and we're all eating like kings!! Well, maybe not me, so ya'll have to indulge in a slice of pie (or two) for me!! All I can say is bring on the stuffing. I'll walk around the block a couple of times for a heaping helping of turkey stuffing. *Hmmmm* I do so love this time of year. :)

The Lovestruck Novice Welcomes Maggie Toussiant!!

2010-11-14T15:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, TLN'ers!! Hope your weekend was awesome!

If you're pining for another day of respite, you can put the back-to-work blues aside! We've got the perfect pick-me-up to get your peepers primed . . .

Please help me welcome the magnificent MAGGIE TOUSSIANT!!

Maggie is here to chat about all things writerly and give us the scoop on her latest release MUDDY WATERS.

No need for coffee today, folks! Maggie will have you energized and ready to conquer the world--or that WIP gathering cyber-dust on your PC.

Hip-hip-YO and away we go!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Intrepid southern author Maggie Toussaint writes of love and murder. Her backstory of education, career, marriage, and childrearing fuels her sense of conflict, comedic timing, and happy endings. But dark days are ravaging Maggie-land. Her arch enemies Multi-tasking and Stuff Happens are threatening a drought of words. Will Maggie persevere and triumph? Or will Multi-tasking and Stuff Happens slay her muse?

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

I’ll go with words that reviewers have used: warm, witty, and engaging.

3)What has been the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome in your writing/career?

I have a tendency to say “yes” when people ask something. Can you judge another contest? Will do you do three critiques for this conference? Will you organize a writer’s retreat and present a writing topic all in three months time? Those are things I said yes to this year, in addition to everything else already on my plate.

Learning to say no is important. Sure, I CAN do those things, but they take time and energy from my writing or promotional activities. The biggest obstacle to gaining career momentum is me. I have to stay focused on holding my writing time as sacred. It’s very important to me to see progress toward manuscript completion. Some weeks I make more progress than others but regardless, I have a sense of moving forward.

4)What are your thoughts on Point of View? Do you have preference? Any tricks to share with the novice writers out there on crafting POV?

Point of View is the most glossed-over, most misunderstood craft element for beginning writers. Early on, I realized that keeping the POV limited to one character per scene was preferred by industry professionals. And because I glommed onto that truth right away, I tended to tune out other information about POV. Turns out, deep POV is essential for leap-off-the-page characters.
If you’re getting this comment in your rejection letters, “I didn’t fall in love with your characters,” you may not be using POV to full effect. When used correctly, POV ups the emotional connection between editor and character, and more importantly, reader and editor.

Your POV character should have something at risk in the scene. Use POV to show a character’s anxiety, angst, anger, sadness, etc. If you can tap into a universal experience, such as sadness at an untimely death or joy at a newborn baby, for instance, readers will be rooting for your character to succeed.

I write in both first person POV and third person POV. I prefer first person for my cozy mystery sleuths, while I rotate third person POV among hero, heroine, and villain in my romantic suspense novels.

5)With over five novels to your credit: What's your secret to staying focused and committed to finishing an MS?

Staying focused and committed! Seriously, writing at this stage of my career is very similar to what happens when you have a new baby. Everything doesn’t get done to pre-baby standards, but the important stuff must get done. My writing comes under the heading of important stuff.

Before I signed a contract, I had more time to write. Since then, I’ve worked several part-time jobs and become my own publicist. That translates into less free time available to write. Consequently, I lowered my word count goals for each week, but I log each writing session and hold myself accountable to the goals I set each week, goals which flex depending on my zany schedule.

6)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to share?

I have mysteries contracted to release in 2011 (On the Nickel) and 2012 (Death, Island Style). I have another romantic suspense bopping around in my head, but I’m not sure when I’ll get to that one. Currently, I’m working on the third cozy in my Cleopatra Jones mystery series, which I hope to submit to my editor by the summer of 2011. I’ve got a science fiction project under consideration with a new agent, so my career may make another lateral move.

I’m also busy promoting my recent romantic suspense release, Muddy Waters, which is set in coastal Georgia. This blog is the final stop of a three-week blog tour and the start of my signings and appearances to market Muddy Waters.

Here’s the blurb for the story:

Is someone watching her?

Roxie Whitaker is struggling to make her grandmother’s real estate business a success. When her coastal home is burglarized, her rosy worldview dims. Atlanta security expert Sloan Harding distracts her from her troubles, but is Mossy Bog’s former bad boy serious about her?

Never one to shy away from muddy waters, Sloan is determined to find his alleged missing inheritance. Sparks fly as he enters into a business arrangement with Roxie to oversee the restoration of his childhood home. With her help, Sloan resurrects old secrets while a dangerous predator stalks them.

When passion meets danger, will love win the day?
- - -
Want More?
Here’s an excerpt early in the book where Sloan is fighting his attraction to Roxie:

“We’re almost there, Mac.” Sloan rubbed his dog’s head as he turned off the busy interstate to the access road that led to Mossy Bog. He’d been thinking of Roxie all week, reliving her passionate response to his kiss.

This week in Atlanta, he’d received pointed invitations from several women. He’d declined. That wasn’t like him. But he’d rather be here with Roxie than with another woman. Her eyes were such pools of mystery.

He parked his Jeep in front of Marshview Realty. Though it was only nine o’clock on a Saturday morning, Roxie sat in her cozy, old-fashioned office, an ear glued to the phone. She was a morning person. Something they had in common.

When he opened the Jeep’s door, his dog charged across him like he was hot on the trail of a drug lord. “Mac. Get back in here.”

Mac had another agenda. He sat at the door to Roxie’s office and barked repeatedly.

Sloan couldn’t blame his dog. The same tail-wagging joy coursed through him. In her dark slacks and a cream colored top, she glowed with vitality. Her brunette hair was pulled back in a sleek pony tail. She looked great. Just right, in fact. His pulse raced as she waved and walked across the carpet toward him.

The glass door opened, and Mac got the hug Sloan wanted. He tried not to feel jealous, but he wanted her arms around him, her smiling at him.

He frowned. He was spending his weekends in Mossy Bog to search for his missing inheritance. This thing with Roxie was supposed to be an adventure on the side.

Hug or handshake he wondered as she rose with a smile on her face.

- - -

MUDDY WATERS is available now! Buy links for Muddy Waters:
e-book: digital format at Wild Rose Press
trade paperback: Amazon Wild Rose Press

Maggie Toussaint
Author of romance and mystery
www.maggietoussaint.com
http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com/

Yah-hoo! Hope you've got the pep back in your step and are ready to go forth and succeed! I know I sure enjoyed getting a hefty dose of much needed inspiration. I'd like to thank Maggie for her time and words of wisdom. Best wishes to her for tons of sales with MUDDY WATERS and a very long productive career!

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! It's been a long two weeks battling this nasty cough. It will be so nice to have my normal voice back. Hollering at kids just isn't as effective when not all the words can be heard. LOL Have a great week and we'll see you back on Friday for another fabulous featured author! ((hugs!))

Getting Festive With Linda Banche!!

2010-11-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, TLN'ers!!

Hope your Halloween was full of good times and tons of candy! Are you ready for the holidays? Well, what better way to get into the swing of things than with Linda Banche's latest release MISTLETOE EVERYWHERE. If Regencies are your cup o' tea, then Linda's charming tale about lost love and forgiveness needs to be on your TBB List!

Linda's book, THE PUMPKINNAPPER finalled in the 2011 EPIC eBook Awards Competition. As a bit of trivia, it's important to note that her debut novel, LADY OF THE STARS was also a finalist in a previous year! Not bad! Not at all!!

Grab a comfy blankie and a mug of something warm, because we're getting into that feel-good time of year spirit!!

Pip-pip-OH-and a Cheerio! Here we go . . .

1) If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

In the world of romance, there are serious people and there are light-hearted people. Linda is one of the light-hearted people. Why read a story full of sturm und drang when you can read a happy story about funny things? Come with Linda 200 years into the past to Regency England, an era devoid of the modern nuisances of jangling cell phones, traffic jams and miserable jobs. Enjoy a world of elegance and politeness and pretty clothes. And all those gorgeous men in tight breeches and ruffled shirts. Sigh.

2) Using three words, describe your voice.

Humorous, quirky, playful.

3) How do you keep yourself balanced with your writing and life away from the computer?

Balance, what balance? When I’m not writing romance, I’m reading it. I love romances, and my favorite, Regencies. I can’t get enough of them. And I like it that way, too.

4) As a multi-pubbed author, do you have any writing/industry advice to share with aspiring writers? Tidbits you wished you would have known earlier on in your career?

Do what works for you. There's a lot of information out there and a lot of people and things to help you. But not everything is for everyone. If you like entering contests and find them valuable, go to it. By the same token, if critique groups or a critique partner works for you, use them. Same for going to conferences, using social media, blogging and lots of other things that I probably can't even name. But whatever you do, write. A lot.

5) In your opinion, what are the key elements a romance novel needs to possess? How do you ensure they've been included in your books?

A man and a woman. *g* We’re talking mainstream here, so if you have other tastes, insert your favorite leading characters. We also need attraction between them and also some conflict between them. This conflict can be external, as in a threat to their lives, or internal, if one or both of them is afraid to commit to the other, or a combination of the two.

In Lady of the Stars, the conflict is mainly external when the 21st century heroine steps into the Regency. Talk about culture shock. In Pumpkinnapper, the conflict is both internal and external. The hero wants to help the heroine catch her pumpkin thieves. She refuses. Not that it stops the hero. They also have a history, which gets in the way. And in my latest, Mistletoe Everywhere, the hero and heroine were once engaged, and each thinks the other called off the engagement. Here the conflict is again both internal (their still-simmering feelings for each other) and external (what exactly happened in the past?)

6) What's up next for you? Give us the juicy details!

My latest Regency novella is a Christmas story, Mistletoe Everywhere.

BLURB:
A man who sees mistletoe everywhere is mad--or in love.Charles sees mistletoe. Not surprising, since he's spending Christmas at Mistletoe Manor. But why does no one else see it? And why does it always appear above Penelope, the despised lady who jilted him after their last meeting?Penelope wants nothing to do with the faithless Charles, the man who cried off after she accepted his marriage proposal. But he still stirs her heart--and he stares at her all the time. Or rather, he stares at the empty ceiling over her head…What does he see? According to folklore, mistletoe is the plant of peace. Can Penelope and Charles, so full of hurt and anger, heed the mistletoe's message and make peace?

EXCERPT:

After Charles had heaped his plate with more food than he wanted, he took one of the empty chairs at the table bottom, as far from Penelope as possible.

His tensed muscles eased as he joked with his friends. Smythe made a comment and Charles turned to answer. He caught sight of Penelope…and a monstrous bunch of mistletoe above her.

"Gordon? What is it?" Smythe swiveled in the direction Charles was staring. He looked up and down, and from one side to the other. "I say, with your mouth hanging open like that, you must see something spectacular, but damned if I know what it is."

With an audible click, Charles clamped his jaw shut. "I thought I saw…" He forced his gaze back to his companion. "Nothing. I imagined I saw mistletoe."

Smythe's eyebrows rose. "Mistletoe?"

"Yes. The house is named 'Mistletoe Manor', so the place is filled with mistletoe decorations. Pictures, wall hangings, ceiling trim, whatnot."

"Indeed." Smythe's eyebrows rose higher. "That 'mistletoe' you saw is over that Miss Lawrence. Lovely little filly." His lips curved into a knowing grin. "My jaw dropped the first time I saw her, too."

Charles stiffened. "I was not looking at Miss Lawrence. I believed I saw mistletoe over her."

"'Mistletoe'." Symthe's grin widened. "Of course."

BUY LINK: http://www.blogger.com/Loops/:%20http:/www.thewildrosepress.com/mistletoe-everywhere-p-4295.html

Thanks for having me.

Now, that is what I'd call a tempting teaser! MISTLETOE EVERYWHERE sounds like a sure-to-please read guaranteed to get you feeling the joy of the holiday season! I'd like to thank Linda for letting me interview her. If you'd like to know more about the very lovely and talented Linda Banche, please hitch up the sled and head on over to her website: http://www.lindabanche.com/

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! I appreciate you swinging by! I've been a naughty girl and have been MIA for the last few weeks. I've been diligently trying to organize my house in preparation for the new baby. I'm just about done, thank goodness! I've got roughly 8 weeks to go and time is just whizzing by! The crib is up and it makes me smile every time I pass it! Once the baby stuff is done, it's on to planning a b-day party for my oldest and the huge Christmas 'To-Do' list. Sheesh! When I think of what I have left to accomplish before my 12/30 due date, I realize I should have started way earlier. ;)

Here's some STEEL MAGNOLIA singin' JUST BY BEING YOU! Hope your weekend is awesome! We'll catch you back on 'Moan'day! Take care and Hugs!!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

Halloween is my favorite holiday! I love the changing weather and leaves. My area may not have the classic fall colors dappling the trees, but we do have corn fields being harvested for silage which sprinkles the roads with a confetti of sorts. Kind of like a countrified celebration of the season!

Even though I can't partake of my usual candy indulgence, I'll still be enjoying the day. My daughter's class is having a Fall Festival at school today and I've volunteered to man a booth. I've crimped my hair, drew on some whiskers, and dug out my kitty ears. LOL Who knew 13yrs ago when I bought the darn cat ears for a costumed frat party that I'd be wearing them for a Kindergarten carnival!!

I love scary movies this time of year. Here are some of my favs:
*Halloween- better not let Jason catch you playin' patty-fingers with the neighbor boy!
*Stephen King's IT- Tim Curry as Pennywise had me covering the shower drain with a rag for weeks!!
*The Blair Witch Project- my college peeps and I started watching this spread out around the living room and by the end of the movie were heaped in a pile. LOL Typical boys, they made sure to leave a pile of rocks on our doorstep just to freak us out!
*Signs- For some reason, this movie had me in goosebumps the whole time!
*JAWS- I couldn't swim in a darkened swimming pool or even a lake for a long time! That movie rocked. We hardly "saw" the shark, but just the idea of him lurking there was terrifying!

What's your favorite thriller or Halloween tradition?

Hope your weekend is full of spooky fun!!

Hanging Out With Kaily Hart!!

2010-10-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

What a glorious day! Perfect weather and the perfect author to grill in the Hot Seat!

For all the aspiring writers stopping by today, you're going to be glad you did. We met KAILY HART just months before she became an award winning author. That's right! She was one of the first Novice Writers To Watch then quickly jumped to A Debut Author To Watch. Talk about a whirl-wind of success!

I adore Kaily and never fail to find inspiration from all her many achievements. She's a mom and a writer--two careers that seldom bode well for a gal's sanity, but Ms. Hart pulls it all together and keeps climbing.

Today's interview is one I will definitely look back on as a reminder of where I want to one day be. If you're need of a gentle push to reclaim your resolve, look no further! Grab a snack and get ready to be dazzled!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Kaily Hart, a seemingly straight-laced mother of four left corporate America and a high-powered, lucrative career to be a stay at home mom. Ha! That lasted about four weeks, during which time she realized she had a deeply repressed dream - to write. And romance at that! By day, Kaily plays conservative wife and soccer mom, but at night crafts hot and steamy tales of romance and love with gorgeous heroes who wouldn’t dream of leaving the toilet set up. Ever. She’s smart and sassy, at least in her own mind, and is trying her best to bring the alpha male solidly back to contemporary romance, one hot story at a time. Two years ago she never would have thought she’d be doing this, but now that she is? Well, you couldn’t pay her enough to do anything else.

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

The benefit of having multiple books out is that I now get to see and hear how others perceive my work. I always did wonder whether what I aim to create or how I look on my own work was totally out there. I’m happy to say that based on the reader comments I’ve had for PICTURE THIS and PAY UP, I was pretty spot on, but now I would probably focus it to:

Hot, Emotionally Intense

It still ties in well to my tag line I think – Love… Steamy style

3)Debut Author to Multi-Pubbed Author: Any new insight to share? Have there been any misconceptions debunked?

I thought it would get easier. By ‘it’ I mean, the creative process of writing, handling the nerves of submitting, dealing with the anxiety of a book coming out, the uncertainty of waiting for reviews. I thought all of that would get easier with each book, but it’s not really the case. The creative process is a little easier in some respects because you become more experienced at the writing and understanding your own process a little better. For me, I want to write the best book I can EVERY SINGLE TIME. I do get wrapped up in trying to make it as ‘right’ as I can. When it is, I know it. The doubts and insecurities about what others think I’m not sure will ever go away completely. I view it as an author is only as good as the last book they wrote, so I probably put a lot of pressure on myself as well.

4)What's the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome in your writing/career?

The first thing that popped into my mind was ME. LOL. Sometimes I’m second guessing myself too much, sometimes I’m not as focused on the writing as I should be and sometimes I’m just dicking around on the internet when I should be writing. You’ve heard of fear of failure, right? Well, I have fear of success. I know, it sounds absurd, but I have a niggling fear of not being able to create something as good as I have before. It can paralyze sometimes. Of course it passes, but I’m having to manage it. I probably sound like I need a padded cell.

5)Tell us about how it felt to win a 2010 Rising Star Award at Romanticon this year.

That was a total surprise. I really had no idea that there would be any recognition for new authors at Ellora’s Cave when I turned up for the awards dinner. Honestly, I was too engrossed in checking out the Cavemen to be paying much attention until they started the introduction. Of course, getting that award meant more photo ops with them, so all was good! Although that kind of recognition is awesome and it will be proudly put on display on my desk, the best recognition I could ever get is a reader sending me an email telling me she liked my book or coming up to me at the book signing in Ohio and either buying my book or telling me they already read it and loved it! It might not be something tangible, but it will have a prominent place in my thoughts long after my little statue has fallen to pieces.

6)Do you have any helpful tips for struggling writers on achieving their aspirations of publication?

My mind explodes with advice and tips and encouragement I could throw out. There’s so many factors that play into getting published. Luck and timing happen to be in there somewhere as well, but aspiring writers need to focus on the things they can control and let go the things they can’t. This is going to sound like ‘duh’, but you HAVE TO WRITE. You want to be a writer? Then you have to actually write. There are something like only 3% of people who say they’re going to write a book actually do. If you’ve done that, you’re already in a very small group of people who actually have the drive and discipline to sit down and write a book. You’re ahead of the game! OK, so you’ve written a book. The only way you get better at the craft of writing and understand what editors are looking for to ensure your work has it, is to KEEP WRITING. This was a mistake I made early on. I wrote a book, submitted it and waited, sure they’d ask to see more and probably even publish it. Yeah, right. I should have written another book while I was waiting on THE CALL. Instead, when they passed on my query (not wanting to actually see my writing) I should have had something else ready to go. Instead, it take me several months to get something else out there. Just keep writing.

The other thing I would say is you have to want it AND WANT IT BAD because it’s up to YOU to make it happen. No-one can do this for you. It has to come from within you. You have to have the discipline to write (even around the challenges of everyday life), the courage to get it out there even if you’ll get rejected, you have to be open-minded enough to hear and listen to constructive criticism, you have to develop a tough skin because this business isn’t personal but it can feel that way and you have to learn to be comfortable in selling yourself and your work. You have to decide consciously you want it. If you want it badly enough, you won’t give up. Because that’s probably the most important aspect to this whole process. You can’t give up. If you give up it’s guaranteed you won’t be published. Perseverance does pay off. You just have to be able to last long enough.

(Oh, my! I think I heard a heavenly choir.LOL Seriously, I need a Kaily Doll on my desk.) ;)

7)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to share?

I’m currently finishing up a third book for Ellora’s Cave. I love this story because it’s about two people, totally different and on completely different paths in life. A chain of reaction causes them to come into contact with each other in the most unusual and intense way. Of course, things aren’t always the way they seem, either. I’m hoping to have PLAY ME to my editor in a matter of days.

BLURB
Neighbor. Friend. Lover.

At least that’s what Carly Wagner wanted Rio Reyes to be. She’d settled for two out of three for almost a year and it just wasn’t enough. Not anymore. When Rio proposes a shockingly sexual bet, she knows it’s out of character and he’s not really serious, yet she can’t resist. The pay off could be finally getting her hands on the gorgeous firefighter she’s drooled over since she moved in next door.

The timing had never seemed right for him and Carly, but that hadn’t stopped Rio from imagining wild and wicked things about her. It had been a joke—sort of, but Rio’s shocked when she takes him up on the dumbass bet. Now he’s in a world of hurt, because regardless of who wins, he might be crossing a line he never thought he would and jeopardize a friendship that means more to him than anything.

PAY UP is currently from Ellora’s Cave - http://www.jasminejade.com/p-8747-pay-up.aspx and should be on all the other outlets for ebooks in a couple of weeks!

If anyone would want to contact me (which I would love by the way), they can find me all over:
Web – http://www.kailyhart.com/
Blog - http://kailyhart.blogspot.com/
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/kaily.hart
Twitter - http://twitter.com/kailyhart

Holy smokes! I feel revamped and recharged. LOL No Red Bull required. Didn't I tell ya Kaily would deliver the words my fellow lolly-gaggers needed to hear?! I LOVE it! Here's a HUGE thank you to the lovely Kaily for her wonderful advice and for being so fabulous! I wish her the best and know it won't be long before she's riding the waves of success all the way to New York!

THANK YOU,TLN'ers! Here's hoping you've been inspired to go forth and achieve your goals, too. How about a jaunty tune to get you perked up and ready to whip some words out this weekend--enjoy some SUGARLAND and STUCK ON YOU!! Swing by on Monday and share your progress stats, ya'll! Until then, happy writing!

Get To Know Diane Story!!

2010-10-19T15:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday!! It's always more fun to view a week from the half-way point!

I hope you'll join me in welcoming another Cen-Cal valley girl to the TLN Hot Seat. DIANE STORY is here to share some tasty writing tidbits and to dish up the 'deets' on her new release DESPERATE HEARTS.

Besides being a California gal, Diane is also one of my chapter-mates from the Yosemite Romance Writers. She's a blast to hang out with and after reading her interview I know you'll be in hands down agreement!

Take a minute and get know an author who is sure to land on your "keeper shelf"!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Step right up ladies and gentlemen and allow me introduce you to a world filled with romance and intrigue. It is a world occupied with Cowboys, Pharaohs, Ghosts and Gargoyles that will entrap and enslave your senses. My world is a place where even the strongest heart cannot withstand the temptations of love.

But BEWARE, as you will find yourself lost beside timeless characters and worlds filled with intrigue and romance. You will run along side them, read their stories, and ultimately rejoice with them when they find their ultimate rewards. Come along, one and all, to places where soul-mates still exist, and love is everlasting.

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

Slow, Medium, Fast

3)Give us a sneak peek into your writing habits. How do you structure your writing? Do you outline or wing it?

I am a winger. Often times I write my synopsis in the beginning, or sometimes in the middle of the book. But most of the time I wing it. I dream about my books when I write them, so sometimes I wake up in the morning and write notes or just pour myself into the book until I put in my dream sequences. And sometimes I dream the book and have to go back and make changes to what I already wrote.

I am not a structured writer. I wish I was, but my day job just doesn't permit it. But I am lucky enough to fit in a few hours each day during working hours.

4)Novice Writer to Published Author: What have you learned?

Slow down! Don’t try to finish the book before its ready. I had to learn to let it simmer and tenderize before I present it to the public. It’s more palatable when I give it the time it needs to reach perfection.

I always make my query strong. I edit it and re-edit it and then I have my friends and family read it. If they don’t understand it then I know it’s not right. My query is my life-line for my book. It has to be perfect.

5)What has been the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome in your writing/career?

Finding my voice! And I still have more of it to find. Also, rejection sucks! But is it such an integral part of learning and really necessary for the growing process. I hate form letter rejections, but relish the ones that give me feed back, no matter how small it might be. It is hard not to write back to an agent or publisher who sends form letters, but I manage and feel better in the end for not giving them a piece of my mind.

6)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to dish up?

I am in the middle of two paranormal romance novels. “A Pharaohs Kiss” and “Behlem’s Desire” I hope to finish “Behlem’s Desire by the end of the year.

I am still working on the big magazine article for “Desperate Hearts” and I hope it all pans out. Keeping my fingers crossed that my friend comes through for me.

I'd like to thank Diane for letting me interview her. I'm sure she isn't the only one who has to practice a fair dose of patience when it comes to form letter rejections. :) Here's wishing her tons of future success! If you'd like to know more about Diane Story, please click on over to her Whiskey Creek Author Page.

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! I've been listening to my show tunes lately and found one worth sharing. It's from one of my fav Doris Day movies CALAMITY JANE. If you've never seen the musical, you don't know what you're missing! Here's Doris and the hunky Howard Keel singin' the feisty I CAN DO WITHOUT YOU! Enjoy! We'll catch you back on Friday!

The Lovestruck Novice Welcomes Bonnie Hearn Hill!!

2010-10-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

"Hey, baby! What's your sign?!"

Rest at ease, ladies! There's not a lewd lord or wandering wastrel in our midst. Your corset strings are safe here at the Lovestruck Novice . . . well, at least for today. ;)

Our Featured Author is none other than the delectable BONNIE HEARN HILL. She's a well-known name around my scorchin' hot valley and can often be seen dishing about local authors and books on KMPH Channel 26.

Bonnie is a wonderful speaker and never fails to deliver staid advice to aspiring authors. GEMINI NIGHT is the newest addition to her Star Crossed Series featuring heroine Logan McRae and a magical book called Fearless Astrology.

If you've been looking for a new YA Author to get starry-eyed over, look no further! Sit back, relax and get ready to fall in love with Bonnie Hearn Hill!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

A little mystery, a little romance, a lot of action. Fast-paced and filled with unforgettable characters.

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

Nouns and verbs.

3)What's been the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome in your writing/career?

Time. 23 years from my first finished novel to a career as a novelist.

4)In your experience, what are the most common misconceptions novice writers believe about writing or the publishing industry?

1. All I need is an agent.
2. My book will succeed because there's nothing out there like it

Do you have any advice on how to avoid these pitfalls?

1.An agent can't sell a book that isn't ready. Most writers submit too soon, and most first novels are training wheels only. Learn from it and write the next one. Study your manuscript with a critical eye. Learn craft and read industry publications. Make it the best it can be, and only then start your agent search.

2.If there's nothing like it on the market, beware. Do you know your genre, your word count, and a typical number of characters (including point-of-view characters) for that genre? Is this really just a fictional version of your life? Is it your version of therapy? Writing is a business, if not to you, to the people you need in order to make your book happen. Write your passion, but only after you study the market.

5) I've had the privilege to hear you speak and really enjoyed hearing what you had to say about writing scenes. Would you mind sharing a little bit about your Scene Check List?

Thank you, Sarah. I love working with writers. No one can teach you how to write, but I believe I can save the writers with whom I work the time I wasted when I was beginning. A scene is only: I want A, and you want B. If you don't have that in the scene, paraphrase. I want to ask the bartender about the murdered girl. He doesn't want to talk. The scene is: goal, opposition, action, dialogue, resolution. If you (or anyone reading this) would like my scene checklist on classic dramatic structure, please e-mail me.

6) What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to pass along?

On Oct. 7, I'll be at Lit Scene at Scene Gallery celebrating Poe and local writers--nine of them. I'll also be speaking at San Francisco Bouchercon. On Oct. 23, I'll be signing Gemini Night at Barnes and Noble. We'll have a reception after at Scene Gallery, on the southwest corner of Palm and Nees in Fresno, CA.

I sure wish I was headed out to Bouchercon! What a fun way to spend the weekend! Of course, my voyage to the comfortably cool Bay Area would definitely include a bowl of clam chowder. I'd like to thank Bonnie for the opportunity to interview her. If you'd like to know more about Bonnie Hearn Hill and her books, please click on over to her very gorgeous website: http://www.bonniehearnhill.com/index.html

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! Here's hoping your planets are in perfect alignment this weekend! Let's get our groove on with HAIR and AQUARIUS. Enjoy and we'll catch ya back on 'Moan'day!!

Get To Know Margaret Tanner!!

2010-10-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

Wah-Hoo! We've got the incomparable MARGARET TANNER here with us today!!

Her new release, THE RELUCTANT FATHER, is set during the volatile Vietnam era and features a dashing playboy intent on playing the field. When he meets an irresistible woman who longs for marriage and the pitter-patter of little feet, he's faced with one tough decision. Can a tiger really change his stripes? LOL I guess we'll have to read Jordan and Sarah's story to find out! ;)

Better top off your cup and sneak a sweet treat, because Margaret is taking us on a jaunt into the past--her past, that is!

Cheerio and away we go!!

Thanks for inviting me to your blog Sarah. I will award an e-copy of either of my Vietnam War novels, Reluctant Father or Cardinal Sin to one lucky commentator.

I have always been a writer from as far back as I can remember. I used to write these pitiful sad little ditties then I moved on to short stories. I was quite successful with short stories, had a few published and won a few contests. One contest I remember entering was for a sock company and the prize was twenty pairs of men’s socks. Guess who won? Dad and my brother were very happy, so were their feet.

I graduated to novel writing and fell in love.
I write historical romance, usually of the nineteenth or twentieth century variety. I have written two novels with a Vietnam War background, Cardinal Sin, and my latest release, Reluctant Father, both from TWRP.
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/margaret-tanner-m-281.html

At the risk of revealing my age, I have to say the 1960’s was my time. Mini skirts, stilettos (I’ve bunions to prove it), beehive hair dos, I couldn’t quite manage that, although I did tease the life out of my hair and regularly put in coloured rinses, French Plum or Rich Burgundy, were the colours I favoured. I can remember when the Beatles made their first visit out to Australia. A couple of girls I worked with were lucky enough to get tickets to their concerts, (we hated them, of course), they came to work the next days minus their voices, and stayed that way for about a week, because they had screamed so much.

We used manual typewriters in those days. One original and four copies of everything we typed. I don’t know how many blouses I ruined because I got ink on the sleeves from changing the typewriter ribbon or the black stuff off the carbon paper.

During this time the Vietnam War loomed in the background. The Australian government introduced conscription. It was in the form of a ballot, or the death lottery as many called it. All twenty year old males had to register, their birth dates were put into a barrel and a certain number were drawn out, and those young men had to report to the army and subsequently many of them were sent to Vietnam. This of course caused severe bitterness and division in the community, and even though the government denied it, was subject to abuse and unfairness. Rich men kept their sons at university so they didn’t have to go. Conscientious objectors were thrown into prison. Only sons were called up, yet families with two or three eligible males didn’t have any of their boys called up.

I only had one brother, and I can clearly remember my father (a World War 2 veteran) vowing, that if his son got called up, he would protest on the steps of the parliament with a placard on his back.

There were protests marches, anti-war demonstrations, and things often turned violent. Not that I went to any of the protest marches, but a cousin of mine did and got trampled by a police horse. A very turbulent time in our history and I was right in the middle of it.

BIO:
Margaret Tanner is a multi-published Australian author. She loves delving into the pages of history as she carries out research for her historical romance novels, and prides herself on being historically correct. No book is too old or tattered for her to trawl through, no museum too dusty. Many of her novels have been inspired by true events, with one being written around the hardships and triumphs of her pioneering ancestors in frontier Australia. She once spent a couple of hours in an old goal cell so she could feel the chilling cold and fear

Margaret is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia, the Melbourne Romance Writers Group (MRWG) and EPIC. She won the 2007 and 2009 Author of the Year at AussieAuthors.com. Frontier Wife from TWRP won 1st prize in the historical romance section of the 2010 Readers Favourite Awards

RELUCTANT FATHER BLURB:
Jordan Stamford is allergic to babies. At the height of the Vietnam war, this jet-setting playboy, whose motto is ‘money can buy anything,’ arrives in Sarah Watson’s seaside home to redevelop a disused factory complex. Sarah is the only child of an elderly minister of religion and adores her bay side home. She yearns for a loving husband and babies. Will Jordan’s shameful family history and Sarah’s desperate longing for a child, be an insurmountable barrier for them to overcome?

EXCERPT:
“Look at this horrible thing, Lisa. You’ll have to pay someone to take it away.”
Sarah Watson squatted on the ground and shoved the moth-eaten deer’s head under the trestle table.

“You wouldn’t get me touching it,” Lisa said. “Have you met Jordan Stamford yet?”

“No, and I don’t want to, he’s going to wreck Lewis Inlet.”

“But he’s gorgeous.”

“I couldn’t care less what he looks like. Ouch!” Sarah banged her head on the table as she went to get up. A pair of expensive shoes and the hem of tailored sports pants came into her line of vision. “Coming here with his big city ideas and flashy car.” She climbed to her feet. “Lording it up at the big house. Who does he think he is, anyway?” She tossed her head, and her jet-black curls danced.

“And you are?” The owner of the expensive shoes savaged her with a contemptuous sweep of his ebony eyes.

“Hi, Mr. Stamford.” Lisa recovered herself first.

Angry red stained his tanned cheeks as his nostrils flared. “Don’t let me interrupt your character assassination.”

Sarah’s cheeks burned, and not just because of her uncharacteristic rudeness. This man was dynamite. She tried to bluster her way out of this embarrassing situation. “I’m Sarah Watson. Interested in snapping up a bargain, Mr. Stamford?”

“No, thank you.” He stalked off.

“He heard you,” Lisa croaked.

“I know. I must have sounded like some crazed shrew, but he is going to destroy our way of life. He’s already started to bulldoze the old flour mill complex. It’s been empty for so long we’ll probably have a rat plague.”

Lisa turned to help a customer, while Sarah inwardly cringed at her ill-mannered attack. She had let her runaway tongue get the better of her only because she cared about the inlet and didn’t want some get-rich-quick outsider with grandiose plans to desecrate it.

“The swamp is a breeding ground for pelicans and other wild birds. It will all be lost if Stamford and his greedy cronies drain…” A sudden swarm of customers surging around the table cut off her tirade, and for the next hour they were frantically busy. At one point she found herself quickly counting a handful of five-cent pieces handed over by a small boy in exchange for a pile of comic books.

The school bazaar was normally well patronized by the locals of this small seaside community. That’s why I like living here, everyone is so friendly. A large noisy factory and big-city attitudes would spoil our tranquil existence. It can’t be wrong to cherish the past, to tenaciously hang on to such an appealing lifestyle.

Brushing aside a wayward curl, she felt heat like a blow torch being trained on her back. She swung around and her gaze tangled with that of Jordan Stamford. He stood next to Mr. Collins, the school principal. When they sauntered toward her, she braced herself to do battle with this intruder who was hell bent on destroying the inlet. Had he complained about her rudeness? She tried to excuse her behavior. It had been dreadful, but she did it for the best of reasons – to save the inlet.

For more information on Margaret Tanner, please visit her website: http://www.margarettanner.com/

WOWZA! What an awesome way to kick off the weekend! THE RELUCTANT FATHER definitely sounds like a read that is guaranteed to satisfy. I'd like to thank Margaret for her wonderful post and giveaway!! My pops was an MP with the Air Force stationed in the Philippines back in the late 60's. His stories of the life and times back then never cease to amaze me--just as Margaret's did today. I only have one complaint: Where's the pic of a sassy Miss Tanner sporting a mini-skirt, a mile high hair-do, and a pair of come-and-get-me stilettos? *wink wink*

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! I'm feeling a little patriotic thanks to Margaret's lovely post, so here's DONNA LYNN singin' NAVY BLUE!! I live in a naval base town and let me tell ya there ain't nothing better than hearing those jets rumble with the sound of freedom . . . and getting to ogle the hotties in military uniforms isn't such a bad thing either. ;) Have a wonderful weekend! See ya back on 'Moan'day!!

Headin' Out West With Caroline Clemmons!!

2010-10-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

Hey, Howdy, Hey!!

Welcome back, ya'll! If you've been hankerin' for a John Wayne or a Jack T. Colton to ride in and sweep you off your feet, well, this here is your lucky day, partner! We're takin' a stroll through the wild, wild west!

The lovely Yellow Rose of Texas, CAROLINE CLEMMONS has mosied on over to share some writerly advice and give us the scoop on her new western romance, THE TEXAN'S IRISH BRIDE.

We're in for a real hum-dinger of a good time, so why don't you tether up the ponies and stay a while!

Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay! Let's get along little doggies!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Harried, slightly eccentric writer finds happily ever after with hero husband.

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

intuitive, rhythmic, emotional

3)What has been the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome in your writing/career?

I don't write what is popular with the major publishers. Thank goodness I found a home at The Wild Rose Press. They recognize that many readers want diversity and have been gracious to me and let me write paranormal, western historical, and contemporary. I'm not chick-litty. I was not like that when I was 20 and I'm not able to write like that now. It would be faking sincerity. LOL My heroines are strong, sensible, and responsible women and the heroes are strong men who are both alpha and beta males. I think the new term is gamma. I like that. Just ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances that make them heroic. Okay, there's a little frivolity in some of them. We have to have fun in our lives, right? Same applies to our reading.

4)Plotter or pantser? Give us a sneak-peek into your writing style.

I am such a plotter. I write from an outline of my plot, which is like a road map for me. That doesn't mean I don't take advantage of brief side tours as they materialize, but afterward I always go back to the original outline. The outline keeps me grounded in my writing. I learned this method from Robin Perini and Laura Baker in one of their "Story Magic" all-day workshops. I would recommend this workshop to all writers. Even if it doesn't "click" with you as it did with me, you definitely will benefit from it.

5)Novice Writer to Published Author: How has your writing grown?

I've evolved as I've learned new techniques, studied the craft, and sort of gained my stride. I've also changed my goals. When I began, all I wanted was to write short romances for Harlequin. That wasn't the real me, though. (although I would love the royalties). I found I need some crime in the plot to keep me interested and also a subplot. A nice kidnapping, murder, larceny---something to add suspense. I also discovered that I prefer writing longer, more complicated plots for single titles. I have written a couple of novellas, and I have a couple of short free reads on my website, but what I really enjoy are the longer books--100,000 words. I am pleased with my reviews for my last two books and hope I continue to improve. I have lots more books in the works.

6)Tell us a little about your writer's journey. Looking back now, is there anything you would have done differently?

What I hate is those people who say, "If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing." What? Did they not learn anything? I'd change tons of things if I could redo my life. As far as writing is concerned, I would have joined RWA much sooner. Not that I knew it existed, but I would have been more aggressive in my research and found out. I would have studied the craft earlier. I would have been more organized in writing and marketing. In short, I would have been less insular and more global. Ha! At the time I began writing, I didn't even know what global meant. See how much I would change?

7)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to share?

What's next is a departure. HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME is my next release and it's a sweet romance. No sex is a change for me, and I hope readers like it. I'm an eclectic reader, so I like to write a variety of romances--paranormal, historical, and sweet contemporary.

News I'd love to share is about my latest release. THE TEXAN'S IRISH BRIDE has received tremendous (in my opinion) reviews which include a Top Pick from Night Owl Reviews, a 4.5 from Long and Short Reviews, and 5 Hearts from The Romance Studio. For anyone who'd like to buy the book, the link is www.thewildrosepress.com/caroline-clemmons-m-638.html Of course, it's also available at all the usual online sites in either digital or print.

Here's a blurb from that book:
Cenora Rose O’Neill knows her father somehow arranged the trap for Dallas, but she agrees to wed the handsome stranger. She’d do anything to protect her family, and she wants to save herself from the bully Tom Williams. A fine settled man like Dallas will rid himself of her soon enough, but at least she and her family will be safely away from Tom Williams.

Texas rancher Dallas McClintock has no plans to wed for several years. Right now, he’s trying to establish himself as a successful horse breeder. Severely wounded rescuing Cenora from kidnappers, Dallas is taken to her family’s wagon to be tended. He is trapped into marrying Cenora, but he is not a man who goes back on his word. His wife has a silly superstition for everything, but passion-filled nights with her make up for everything—even when her wild, eccentric family drives him crazy.

My blog is http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com and my website is www.carolineclemmons.com Please stop by my blog where I offer writing tips, book reviews, guest authors, occasional prizes, and miscellaneous ramblings. I'm also involved in a new team blog called Sweethearts of the West at http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com with a total of 14 authors whose contemporary and historical books are set under Western skies.

Sarah, thank you very much for hosting me. I've enjoyed our visit.

Thank you, ma'am, for letting me interview you! Cowboy heroes are always welcome and definitely appreciated. *wink wink* Best wishes for heaps of success with THE TEXAN'S IRISH BRIDE!!

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Let's get a little countrified today! How about a little ditty from one of my fav Wrangler-wearin' hunks. So here's GEORGE STRAIT and THE FIREMAN!! Hope the rest of your week is super sweet, ya'll!! Catch ya back on Friday!

Men Writing Romance: Meet Kenneth Weene!!

2010-10-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

Ooh-Da-Lolly and Welcome back, TLN'ers!!

The weekend has slipped into the abyss leaving us to toil through the daily grind of another work week. No need to nab a cup o' Joe, because I've got the just the ticket to get your synapses firing on an even keel . . . a sneak-peek into the mysterious land of the male perspective!!

Please welcome Kenneth Weene to the Lovestruck Novice Hot Seat!

Kenneth's first book WIDOW'S WALK explores one woman's quest for balance between her deep-rooted faith and her secret yearnings for love and a life of her own. As an added bonus, readers are also given a glimpse into the lives of the heroine's children. If you're needing a change of pace from dashing dukes and hunky Highlanders, you've picked the "write" day to swing by!

Without further ado, here's Kenneth!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Without the story of a guy whose life is normal and full. Within, ah that's a different story. The complexities of the mind, the intricacies of the plotting, the intensity of the emotions, and the fire of the love. This is a story of that contradiction. It is the a tale of exploration.

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

poetic, evocative, and honest

3)Tell us a little bit about your writing process? What is your secret for going from story idea to The End?

I do a lot of talking with my characters. I let them weave their own stories, especially their own love relationships. I create the setting and allow it to evolve. For example, when I set out to write Widow's Walk, it was not my intent that Arnie, the love interest, and Mary, the main character, were to become lovers. I had wanted him to be an intellectual guide and had planned for her to fall in love with a man who ultimately never made it into the story. What happened, they met and fell in love. I had nothing to say about it.

4)Your book, WIDOW'S WALK, has some romantic elements to it. Give us the male opinion on what makes for a good romance or women's fiction novel?

Good romance includes more than the sharing of physicality. Mary and Arnie share an awakening sense of sexuality, but they also share their world and ideas. That Arnie is more worldly and helps Mary to grow is also important. Of course, there does have to be some pulse-quickening physical relationship as well.

There is a second romance in Widow's Walk. Sean, Mary's son, also grows; and it is the woman in his life who facilitates that development. What makes this interesting is that Sean is a quadriplegic. I think the growing sense of togetherness, awareness, and communication between him and Karen is great because it is going to be very difficult for it to blossom into physicality.

I think sharing and growing are the most important threads in real romance and in a loving relationship. Sadly, the third relationship in the novel, between Mary's daughter, Kathleen, and Danny doesn't lead to growth. Their relationship and its lack of romantic quality is a powerful if negative force within the story.

5) Do you have a reference book in your writer's tool box? Any you'd care to suggest?

Besides the dictionary, thesaurus, visual dictionary, and Elements of Style, I use various reference materials as I need them. One thing is that I try to be careful with geography and Google Maps is great for that. I also will, when necessary, go to a museum or such place to actually see the object I want to describe, or at least something like it. For example, I saw a throw in a store in Santa Fe that I use in Widow's Walk. I also picked Arnie's Buick at a private car museum my wife and I visited.

A couple of other resources I keep around just to meditate on from time to time are: The Joy of Sex, Our Bodies Ourselves, and a couple of books on communication, Messages and Your Perfect Right.

When I'm actually at the keyboard, I will often listen to music; it helps me to get the rhythm of my words and their tonality.

When I'm working on a book, I tend to read non-fiction to avoid "contamination," but the rest of the time I read fiction and more fiction. To me style is everything, and that comes from lots of reading and appreciating as well as from ones own work.

6)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to share?

Widow's Walk was my first novel from All Things That Matter Press. It was followed by Memoirs From the Asylum, which is a very different read. I have a conspiracy novel ready to go and am working on a fourth novel, which is as yet untitled and which is very much a romantic novel. I also continue to write short stories and poetry. Folks can read more at my website: http://www.authorkenweene.com/ There is a really nice trailer for Widow's Walk:

http://vidego.multicastmedia.com/player.php?p=wbgzb2yk

I'm sure that your readers would enjoy a quick peek inside Widow's Walk so let me share an excerpt. It is the first meeting between Mary and Arnie.

Still, Mary isn’t sure where to turn for advice. ….

She finds herself walking aimlessly down Huntington Avenue. She has been walking for some time since she left the broker. On her left are the imposing buildings of a college. There is a sign: NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY. Students are milling about carrying books and interacting excitedly. They seem young and full of life – filled with possibilities.

"Can you tell me where I can find somebody to talk with?"

The man she has approached looks like he might be a teacher. "That depends on the subject."

"About this." She makes a gesture to take in the entire school. Then she adds, “about everything.”

"There's an information office in that building." He points to a large, impersonal cement and steel structure. "Perhaps they can answer your questions."

Mary starts to laugh. It is not her typical, self-controlled laughter. It is a laughter that has been stored in her soul in Ireland – filled with the beauty of a misty Irish morning and the unconscious happiness of seeing a herd of cows making their contented way home after a day of green grazing, their stomachs filled, their udders waiting for relief. Her laughter peels across the open space and seem to echo off the buildings. It is an infectious laugh, and the man starts to laugh with her. Various students stop to watch them and then walk on – some smiling and others even chuckling.

"Why are we laughing?" he asks. He thinks to himself that he has never seen more beautiful eyes than those behind her thick glasses. "She has lovely hair, too," he considers. "If she wanted to, this woman could be something special."

Once Mary’s hair had been the majestic red-brown of a fine hardwood, but age had grayed it enough to take away the magical edge of Irish defiance and turn it soft and inviting. Her body, too, is fine to see: shapely despite her years, well exercised by honest work, kept thin by her disinterest in corporal pleasures. Only her hands speak of something else. Their roughness tells of the years she has spent cleaning, cooking, taking care of others, and even, her one sometimes hobby, gardening. Those lovely flowerbeds seemed to always need tending, and Mary had spent so many hours of happy labor kneeling beside them.

"I just realized how silly it all seems." Her tone has a tinge of embarrassment.

He looks at her questioningly. She seems like a nice person and is certainly attractive, but she sounds slightly mad.

"There's an office that can answer my questions." Mary starts laughing again. How ridiculously simple that sounded – how ridiculously untrue.

That had been the problem all of her life. Mary Riley had been brought up to believe just that – that there was an office that could answer her questions. That had been the simple faith of her parents. She starts to laugh yet again. Unconsciously she pushes her glasses back on her nose and fluffs the sides of her hair.

"I'm afraid I don't understand. You did say you wanted someone to answer your questions about the school didn't you?"

"I suppose I did. It's just that I don't think anyone can answer the important ones. I used to think they could. It was easy then. Now, now I'm not so sure. Maybe I have to answer them myself. Or, maybe there just aren't any answers." Unaware of her actions, Mary takes off her glasses and wipes them. Again he is struck by the deep blue color of her eyes.

The man looks at her in a new way. This good-looking woman dressed in her plain blue dress with her hair tied back and her dark framed glasses had at first struck him as an anxious mother looking for a school for her child or perhaps someone looking for a job. He had stopped to be polite. Dr. Arnold Berger always tries to be polite: when he is teaching his Foundations of Education courses, when he is visiting with friends, when he is shopping in stores, when he is walking down the street – wherever he is in life. He had stopped to be polite, but now he is staying out of interest. This woman has real beauty – physical and more importantly emotional – and real questions – not the kind that his students sometimes try to ask to either impress or distract him, but questions that come from the depth of mind and soul.

"I don't know if I can help, but I’d be happy to try. There's a coffee shop over there, and we can talk a bit about what the questions are. I'm not great at answers, but I'm terrific at questions."

"That's very nice of you, but I don't even know you."

"You didn't know me when you asked me where you could find somebody to talk with. Now I guess you've found somebody, me, Arnie Berger. I teach in the Foundations of Education Department."

Mary certainly doesn’t know what the foundations of education are, but it sounds impressive. "I'm Mary Flanagan. I have two grown children. My husband died years ago. I have to do something." The words come in blurted staccato sentences.

"Something?"

"With my life. I don't want to waste it."

He notices the slight hint of tears at the corners of those blue eyes. Mary notices it, too. She starts to reach up for her glasses, again to take them off and clean them. She stops herself. She does not want to clean away the feelings that she is experiencing at this moment. They confuse and excite her, frighten and exalt. Most importantly, they are real emotions and they seize her by the soul.

“Coffee?” he asks.

“Tea.”

“Then tea it is.” He feels an unusual urge and offers her his arm. They walk down the street. It is a beautiful spring afternoon.

----------

The coffee shop is crowded with students. It is a college gathering spot filled with noisy discussion and good-natured banter. Some of the students are in Arnie Berger's courses or have been in the past. A few say hello, and Mary is impressed that he seems to know their names. When she had been a girl in Ireland, the nuns had known all the names. When Sean and Kathleen had been in school, she had noticed how few teachers had even seemed interested in learning students' names. It had felt to Mary that the schools were like factories spitting out children as if they were automobile parts – often parts which didn't quite work.

"Do you like teaching?"

"Is that the first question?" There was a moment of mutual laughter – partly over the little joke but primarily from embarrassment.

He takes a deep breath. "It isn't that easy. It depends on what teaching is. I like getting a student's mind going. When they start asking questions and not expecting me to answer them, then I know I love to teach. When I'm sitting there correcting papers that try to mimic back my words, then I hate it. The kids who relate, like the ones in here who said hello, like the girl in the black blouse, they can be exciting. She, Louise, was a great person to have in class. Someday, she'll be a great teacher. You see the boy over there in the red-checked shirt?" He waits for her to nod. "He was in one of my classes, too. He's a Pharmacy major. He wanted an easy class and figured that education courses would be the easiest. He'd come to class, sit in the back row, and do his chemistry homework. I hated having him in the room. When he got a D, he went to the dean and complained."

"The dean? What's a dean?"

"He's like my boss's boss. He runs the entire School of Education. I guess deans are like vice-presidents."

"What did the dean do?"

“He asked me why I gave the kid a D. I told him I didn't give it to him that he gave it to himself. So the dean asked me to write a memo about why the kid got a D. That's not teaching. If the kid had come in to discuss the memo – I'm sure he got a copy, – then it might have been education. We could have talked about his attitude and why everything has value not just the things that will get you a job. We could have, but I guess he just hoped I'd be intimidated." He pauses for a moment and then adds, “At least I wasn’t.”

Mary laughs, but this is a different kind of laughter. It is the laughter of appreciation. She is enjoying talking with this stranger. More than that, she finds herself trusting him because even though he teaches in a big college he isn’t so sure of the answers. "I'd better be careful," she says.

"Of what?"

"The questions I ask you. We might both end up too confused."

It is his turn to laugh. "I think I'd like that." He reaches over and gently squeezes her hand. Part of her wants to pull back, but she doesn’t. She is feeling emotions that she has never allowed herself to feel before. They are simultaneously heady and scary.

"Mr. Berger, I think I'd like it, too."

“Arnie, please call me Arnie.” Arnie Berger, too, is feeling emotional confusion. There is something wonderful going on inside him. He realizes that at any moment the bubble of this chance encounter might burst, and that is an uncomfortable thought. He feels compelled to tell Mary the one thing that he thinks might make their relationship impossible for her. "There's something I'd better tell you."

"What."

"I'm divorced."

"Oh. Does that matter?"

"It might to you."

"Do you have children."

"We did. He died in Vietnam."

"My son didn't die. He's a quadriplegic. Sometimes – especially the times when I’ve seen the lostness in his eyes – then I wished he had died. But then, I'd feel guilty and go to confession. The priests all told me it was normal, that I hadn’t sinned. I didn’t believe them. It’s got to be a sin to wish your child dead. Later I was glad he was there. My husband had died, and Sean gave me something … something to do."

"Where is he now?"

"In a rehabilitation center in Minnesota. He left two months ago. He's learning to be independent. And, so am I."

"Mary?"

"What?"

"Do you have plans for this evening?"

She chuckles. "I never have plans for any evening."

"Unfortunately, I usually don't either unless you count teaching an evening course. Would you like to do something? Maybe take in a movie?"

Mary can’t remember the last time she has gone to a movie. She knows that it has to have been years ago. "All right." The idea seems fraught with excitement.

"Where do you live?"

She starts to give him the house address and then realizes she has sold it. She laughs at herself.

“What’s so funny?”

Mary tells him and then gives him the address and phone number of the boarding house explaining that he would have to ask for her.

Arnie has an apartment on Commonwealth Avenue, not to far from the school; he gives her that address and his phone number.

He picks up the check. Mary starts to open her purse. "Please," he says, "let me."

Mary smiles in response. “Thank you.” She wants to say more but doesn’t know what to say nor does she know how to say it. There is a sudden discomfort as she feels herself venturing onto new ground, exploring in new directions. In the back of her mind, a voice tells Mary that she is feeling like a teenager, like the teenager she had never been, had never been free to be, like her daughter, Kathleen, had felt years before when she had first dated. It is a voice filled with concern and possibility.

They walk out onto Huntington Avenue and realize that most of the students who had been milling about when they had gone for coffee have long since departed. Arnie Berger looks at his watch. "I'll pick you up at seven. We'll see a movie and have a bite to eat."

"That will be grand." In every recess of her mind Mary knows that she truly means it.

Talk about a make-ya-smile moment! I'd like to thank Kenneth for letting me interview him. It was mighty fun switching things up! I hope you've enjoyed getting to know Kenneth Weene better. It was super sweet of him to offer up his time!

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! Let's get this week going with a song sure to have you humming all day . . . RING OF FIRE by JOHNNY CASH!! Keep smiling, ya'll and we'll catch up on Wednesday with another featured author, Caroline Clemmons!

A Debut Author To Watch: Meet Tiffany Clare!!!

2010-09-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hey, there! Hi, there! Ho, there, TLN'ers!!

Are you in the mood for an adventure? Longing to sail the high seas? Or maybe discover the delights of a Constantinople harem?

No need to pack your bags, because you've got the perfect getaway right at your fingertips!! Please join me in welcoming St. Martin's Press Debut Author, TIFFANY CLARE!!

Tuesday marked the grand debut of THE SURRENDER OF A LADY with The Seduction Of His Wife to follow in Feb 2011. I met Tiffany via the Vauxhall Vixens blog months ago and I'm so thrilled to have her here today! I can't wait to dive into Jinan and Griffin's wind-swept romance. Ha! After getting a tasty teaser of what an awesome gal Tiffany is, I know you'll be standing in line with me!!

Tally Ho! And away we go!!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Smart, sexy, loveable, really does love long walks on the beach . . . oh, wait, you want my bio

My official bio is this: Deciding that life had far more to offer than a nine to five job, bickering children in the evening and housework of any kind, Tiffany Clare opened up her laptop to rediscover her love of the written word. Tiffany writes historical romances set in the Victorian era. She lives in Toronto with her ever-patient photographer husband, two mischievous children and one hyperactive cat.

2) Using three words describe your voice.

Sexy, Evocative, Lyrical

3) It's an often asked Q, but one I dearly love! How did you get "The Call"? Was it everything you hoped it would be?

It was more than I hoped for. It was my dream coming to light. My agent actually emailed me, she’s a night owl, me a morning bird, we often miss each other, so email it was. She wrote today is going to be a fun day. Then I had to try to not gnaw off my hand while I waited a couple hours to hear from her. She told me there was an offer for three books on the table, but we had to wait for all the other houses to get back to us before we could announce anything.

So, she sent out word to all the editors that had yet to make an offer. Another house was interested, and bidding commenced. It was the longest two weeks of my life. But it was a very happy moment when I finally got to announce my wonderful news.

4)Unpubbed Writer to Published Author: What have you learned about the industry and yourself?

That I can never push myself too hard. And that you never stop learning new things in this industry.

5) What tidbit of wisdom would you like to pass on to all the aspiring writers stopping by today? Of the advice given to you, what was your favorite?

My only wisdom is to keep on pushing till you get what you want. But don’t rush and send your manuscript when it’s not ready. You have to have patience galore for this job.

Best advice was to stop pulling my punches. Doing so kept me from going into deep POV and really adding emotional depth to the story. So I gave it my all and wouldn’t you know… I managed to sell my story.

6) As a soon-to-be multi-pubbed author, what do you feel are the key elements a romance novel needs to possess in order to sell?

It’s all about the voice. Hone your voice. Make is strong. Make it the best you can. Don’t rush because you want your book out the door and in the hands of editors and agents, take your time to make sure your work truly is the best it can be.

7) What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to dish up? THE SEDUCTION OF HIS WIFE release Feb 1, 2010.

BLURB:

AN INCONVENIENT SCANDAL

Emma Hallaway has not seen her husband in twelve years—and that’s fine with her. As a young girl, she’d agreed to a simple marriage of convenience, allowing her to pursue her private passion for painting. And though unknown to the rest of polite society, Emma is now one of the most daring and sought-after artists in London. However, when her secret is threatened to be exposed, Emma is forced to open her heart—and her home—to a total stranger: her husband…

AN UNEXPECTED SURPRISE

Richard Mansfield, Earl of Asbury, is all too familiar with danger. As a matter of fact, it is hard on his heels when he returns to England. Still, even he is shocked to learn of his wife’s scandalous double life as an artist. But once he sees the vibrant grown woman she has become—so passionate, so strong, and so alluring—his undeniable attraction to Emma stuns him. Suddenly Richard is determined to turn their sham of a marriage into a true and lasting love. But how exactly does a gentleman seduce his own wife?

Thank you for having me! Also, I’d love to give away one copy of THE SURRENDER OF A LADY to a commenter (North American residents only)! So please comment for your chance to win!

Wah-hoo! What a super sweet way to start the weekend! I've enjoyed getting to know Tiffany a little better and I hope you have too. It's been a blast experiencing the count down to SURRENDER OF A LADY's release. Those Vauxhall Ladies sure know how to put the smile on your face. :)

I'd like to thank Tiffany for hanging out with us during her jam-packed debut week! If you'd like to see the other fabulous places celebrating with Tiffany Clare, please click on over to her divine website: http://www.tiffanyclare.com/

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! It's been nasty weather here in the Golden State, so how about we dive right in with BRAD PAISLEY and WATER!! Ooohhh! Mama likes! Enjoy your weekend and we'll catch ya back on Monday!

Dive Into A Good Time With Virginia Kantra!!

2010-09-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Well, ship ahoy, me harties!

We've got a morsel more tempting than a bottle o' rum after a long day o' climbin' the riggin'! All ye landlubbers beware for we're setting sail into the mysterious waters of the Children of The Sea.

Pull up a crate and join me in welcoming VIRGINIA KANTRA to the TLN Hot Seat. Her new release IMMORTAL SEA rode the waves to a bookstore near you earlier this month.

If yarns of merfolk, selkies, and finfolk be your grog of choice, then let's weigh anchor and let Virginia take the helm!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Writer Virginia Kantra has everything she ever wanted: a career she loves, a husband she’s crazy about, and three kids who are (finally, mostly) out of the house.
Now all she needs is to figure out how to meet her deadlines in a house where the phone never stops ringing and the cats throw up on everything that doesn’t move.

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

Suz Brockmann, Alyssa Day, and Nalini Singh have all described my voice as “haunting,” which I totally adore, unless of course that makes you think I wander around with chains and a bed sheet.

“Emotional” shows up a lot in reviews. And either “lush” or “lyric,” but I don’t know if that’s because of the sex or because I love to borrow the language of fairy tale in my stories.

3)What has been the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome in your writing/career?

Time management. It takes me too long to write each book.

4)Novice Writer to Multi-Pubbed Author: How has your outlook on writing changed? Any changes to your writing style?

When I started writing, I knew it was the writing itself, what I had to say and how passionately I felt about saying it, that was the best and most important part of this job. And that's something I try to hold on to.

My style hasn’t changed much, but I understand it better now. Practice may not “make perfect,” but it has given me more confidence and consistency

5)If you had to start all over again, what would be the one tidbit of experience you'd want to take with you?

Write from the heart.

6)What's up next for you? Any news you'd like to share?

Well, in October I’m teaching my “Deep POV” workshop for WriterU (http://www.writeruniv.com/ ).

I’m scrambling to finish the next Children of the Sea novel, FORGOTTEN SEA, which spins my world of warring elementals in a slightly different direction.

Here’s a little teaser:

The man on the boat stripped half naked, exposing a lean golden chest and muscled arms.

In the parking lot across the street from the dock, Lara Rho sucked in her breath. Held it as he dropped his shirt to the deck and began to climb.

The top of the mast swayed, stark against the bold blue sky. Her stomach fluttered. Nerves? she wondered. Recognition? Or simple female appreciation?

The sun beat down, forging the water of the bay to a sheet of hammered gold. The air inside the car heated like an oven.

Beside her in the driver’s seat, Gideon stirred, chafing in the heat. His corn silk hair was pulled into a pony tail, his blue eyes narrowed against the glare. “Is he the one?”

Lara leaned forward to peer through the windshield of their nondescript gray car, testing the pull of the internal compass that had woken her at dawn. They’d driven all morning from the rolling hills of Pennsylvania through the flat Virginia tidewater, wasting precious minutes in the traffic around Norfolk before they found this place. This man.

Are you the one?

She exhaled slowly, willing herself to focus on the climber. He certainly looked like an angel, hanging in the rigging against the bold blue sky, his bronze hair tipped with gold like a halo.

“I think so.” She bit her lip. She should know. “Yes.”

“He’s too old,” Gideon said.

Lara swallowed her own misgivings. She was the designated Seeker on this mission. Gideon was along merely to support and defend. She wanted her instincts to be right, wanted to justify their masters’ faith in her. “Late twenties,” she said. “Not much older than you.”

“He should have been found before this.”

“Maybe he wasn’t meant to be found before.” Her heartbeat quickened. Maybe she was the one meant to find him.

“Then he should be dead,” Gideon said.

The brutal truth made her shiver despite the heat. Survival depended on banding together under the Rule. She was only eleven when they brought her to Rockhaven, but she remembered being alone. Hunted. If Simon Axton had not found her...

She pushed the memories away to study her subject. He must be forty feet above the gleaming white deck. Snagging a rope at the top of the mast, he fed it to the two men waiting below, one old, one young, both wearing faded navy polo shirts. Some kind of uniform?

“He’s been at sea,” she murmured. “The water could have protected him.”

It could do that, couldn’t it? Protect against fire. Even if the water wasn’t blessed.

“I don’t like it.” Gideon said bluntly. “You’re sure he’s one of us?”

She had felt him more with every mile, a tug on her attention, a prickle in her fingertips. Now that she could actually see him, the hum in her blood had become a buzz. But it was all vibration, like listening to a vacuum cleaner in the dark, without shape or color. Not only human, not wholly elemental...

“What else could he be?” she asked.

“He could be possessed.”

“No.”

She would know, she would feel that. She was attracted, not repelled, by his energy. And yet...Uncertainty ate at her. She had not been a Seeker very long. The gift was rough and raw inside her, despite Miriam’s careful teaching. What if she were wrong? What if he wasn’t one of them? At best she and Gideon would have a wasted trip and she’d look like a fool. At worst, she could betray them to their enemy.

She watched the man begin his descent, his long limbs fluid in the sun, sheened with sweat and sunlight.

And if she were right, his life depended on her.

She shook her head in frustration. “We’re too far away. If I could touch him...”

“What are you going to do?” Gideon asked dryly. “Walk up and ask to feel his muscles?”

There was an idea. She gave a small, decisive nod. “If I have to.”

She opened her door. Gideon opened his.

“No,” she said again. She needed to assert herself. Gideon was five years older, in the cohort ahead of hers, but she was technically in charge. “I can get closer if you’re not standing next to me.”

A frown formed between his straight blond brows. “It could be dangerous.”

She had chosen their watch post. They both had scanned the area. It was safe. For now. “There’s no taint.”

“That’s not the kind of danger I’m talking about,” Gideon muttered.

She disregarded him. For twelve years, she had trained to handle herself. She could handle this.

She swung out of the car, lowering her sunglasses onto her nose like a knight adjusting his helm, considering her strategy. Her usual approach was unlikely to work here. This subject was no confused and frightened child or even a dazed, distrustful adolescent.

After a moment’s thought, she undid another button on her blouse. Ignoring Gideon’s scowl—after all, he was not the one responsible for the success of their mission—she crossed the street to the marina.

It was a long, uneven walk along sun bleached boards to the end of the dock.

The man descending the mast had stopped halfway down, balanced on some sort of narrow crossbeam, staring out at the open sea on the other side of the boat.

She tipped back her head. Her nerves jittered. Surely he wasn’t going to...

He jumped. Dived, rather, a blinding arc of grace and danger, sending up a plume of white water and a shout from the younger man on deck.

She must have cried out, too. The two men on the boat turned to look at her, the young one with a nudge and the old one with a nod.

The one in the water surfaced with an explosion of breath, tossing his wet hair back from his face.

Cooling off? Or showing off? It didn’t matter.

He stroked cleanly through the water, making for the swimming platform at the back of the boat.

Show time, she thought.

Pasting a smile on her face, she walked to the edge of the dock. “Eight point six.”

He angled his head, meeting her gaze. She felt the jolt clear to her stomach, threatening her detachment. His eyes were the same hammered gold as the water, with shadows beneath the surface.

“Ten.”

She pushed her sunglasses up on her head. “I deducted a point for recklessness. You shouldn’t dive this close to the dock.”

He grinned and grabbed the ladder. “I wasn’t talking about my dive.”

WOWZA! I'm thinking a trip to the coast is the perfect mid-week pick-me-up! If sexy selkies and naughty finfolk are ripe for the picking, well, hand me a net and stand back. ;)

I'd like to thank Virgina for taking time out deadline crunch to let me interview her. If you'd like to know more about Virginia Kantra and her CHILDREN OF THE SEA series, swim on over to her website. http://virginiakantra.net/index.html

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! Here's hoping your week is nothing but clear skies and calm waters. How about we let JIMMY BUFFET and FINS put the wind back in our sails!! Get those fins up, me harties! See you on Friday!!

Recipes for the Mama Writer!!

2010-09-24T17:38:00.001-07:00

PORK CHOPS!! PORK CHOPS!! YAY!

Here's a meal to fix up when you're needin' to suck up to the hubby!!

This recipe comes to us via Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics Cookbook. I absolutely LOVE this book, but have to warn you its dishes aren't for those watching their waist-lines. We're talking butter by the stick load!

We fixed this up last Sunday and it was a breeze to cook. I think the most time consuming part was chopping the potatoes and making up the white sauce. Everything else whipped up quick.

I served the chops with some buttered corn. Oh, baby! One bite of these Farmer's Pork Chops and you'll craving them. LOL I sure am!

FARMER's PORK CHOPS
Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics (2000)

Ingredients:
8 medium potatoes
1/2 medium onion
Salt and Pepper to taste
White Sauce
1 cup all purpose flour
2 Tablespoon's Lawry's Seasoned Salt
8 center cut pork chops (I bought a tenderloin at Costco, which is basically pork chops w/o the bone. Hubs sliced them to match the width of a pork chop. Worked perfect!)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350*. Peel potatoes; slice 1/4 inch thick. Slice onion into very thin slices. Layer half the potatoes in a well-greased 15x10" casserole dish. (Hub's layered them in a row.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter half of onions on top of potatoes. Repeat with remaining potatoes and onions. Cover the potatoes with the white sauce and bake for 15mins in oven. Mix together the flour and seasoned salt and dredge pork chops in flour mixture. Lightly brown chops in vegetable oil. Do not cook them completely! As chops are removed from frying pan, lay them on top of the cooked potatoes. Bake at 350* for 45-60 mins.

Directions for the White Sauce:
8 Tablespoons butter (which is one stick)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups milk

Melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in flour; add salt and pepper. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Add milk, 1 cup at a time. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 2 mins, then let stand at least 1 to 2 minutes.

Recipe Rating:
5 Stars *****
(Kids loved the potatoes and hubby gladly took leftovers to work!)

Overall, this recipe was delicious! Definitely a keeper and will appear again on my monthly meal plan. If you're looking to please, make this dish and watch the smiles!

Enjoy! See you back on Wednesday for VIRGINA KANTRA!

Get Scandalous With Christie Kelley!!

2010-09-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

Oh-la-la-la!! We're tripping the life fantastic, TLN'ers!

No need to fetch a fichu or a chaperone, because we're going to be beyond the pale today!

That's right! CHRISTIE KELLEY is here dishing up the latest on her new release SCANDAL OF THE SEASON.

If you've got a sweet spot for Regencies, you've ventured to the "write" place! Take off those kid gloves, let loose your locks from that stifling coiffure, and get ready to have the time of your life.

I have just one tiny question: Where are all the dashing rakes??!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

This page intentionally left blank.

Seriously, I can’t describe myself as a back cover blurb because no one would buy it!

All right, let me take a whack at this:

Boring mother of two boys suddenly decides to become a writer after being laid off from her job in technology. After a six year struggle to become published, she finals in the RWA Golden Heart Contest and signs with an agent. Another year of effort and she finally gets the call from Kensington. With a fourth book out in October and another in June, her Spinster Club Series will be complete. What will she do next?

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

Fast-paced
Sexy
Emotional

3)Novice Writer to Published Author: How has your writing grown?

Tremendously…at least I hope so. I would hate to go back and look at my first few manuscripts. I’m sure they were awful. When I first started, I had no clue about anything in regards to writing. I was a business major in college. I never wrote fiction until I sat down to write that first book. I joined Romance Writers of America, a wonderful critique group, and learned so much. With all the assistance I received from other aspiring authors and published authors, I was able to learn about GMC (goal, motivation and conflict), the importance of point of view and how to plot.

4)As an avid Regency romance reader, I find novels based in that era have a distinct flavor that separates them from other romances. What would you say a true Regency romance needs to contain?

I love all the aspects of the Regency romance. That time was a return to innocence from the decadent Georgian period of the previous decades. It’s a fascinating period. Everything happens so quickly today that we forget how slowly time moved back then. It could take days or weeks for a letter to be delivered. It would take days (or longer) to get from London to the country estate. All these things play into the fascination with the Regency period.

I do like accuracy in Regency novels but I’m tolerant of the poetic license needed to tell a great story. For me, a Regency romance needs more than just the description of the clothing and houses. I think the author has to understand the period more. That way when the hero or heroine does something out of the norm for that time period, they have (or should have) a good reason for their actions.

(Loved this answer! I couldn't wait to see what you were gonna say. Definitely worth the wait!)

5)You've got a very tasty back list and a new release destined for bookshelves. Please, tell us: What have you learned since writing your first novel?

For me, it comes down to motivation. Characters really need a good reason for what they're doing throughout the story. While at times, I still struggle with motivation for my characters, I know how important it is to the story. I love giving my story to one of my critique partners because if I’m having motivation issues, I’ll see “Why?” written all over the chapters.

6) What's up next for you? Give us the juicy gossip!!

As you know, Scandal of the Season is out on October 7th. Then the series wraps up in June 2011 with One Night Scandal. Right now, I’m busy writing another proposal for a Regency series.

Here is the backcover blurb for SCANDAL OF THE SEASON:
For ten years, Anthony Westfield, Viscount Somerton, hasn’t been able to forget the woman with whom he spent one scandalous night. When their paths cross again, he’s shocked to discover Victoria Seaton is an accomplished pickpocket. But Somerton leads a double life of his own. Working on an undercover assignment, he makes Victoria a proposition: pretend to be his mistress or risk ruin. Yet soon he’s tempted to turn their charade into reality—and surrender to an explosive passion…

Victoria can’t believe the man who almost destroyed her life a decade ago is now threatening to unravel her secrets. But posing as his mistress at a holiday country party is a game she can play well. For just one look into Somerton’s eyes still weakens her with lust. And with Christmas fast approaching, every kiss they share under the mistletoe only makes Victoria fall more deeply in love…

Scandal of the Season is the fourth book in the Spinster Club series. The Spinster Club series revolves around the lives of five Regency women who have all made up their minds not to marry. But one of the women is playing matchmaker without the others noticing.

Thank you so much for having me today! I had a great time And if anyone has any questions, I’d be happy to answer them.

PRIZE ALERT: Christie is offering a copy of Scandal of the Season to ONE lucky commenter!!!

I'm so thankful Christie could work us into her schedule! I'm dying to get my hands on SCANDAL OF THE SEASON. I've got it earmarked as my "treat" for finishing my MS. Talk about motivation! ;) If you'd like to know more about Christie Kelley and her books, please head on over to her website. http://christiekelley.com/

(psst, be sure to check out SOMETHING SCANDALOUS. I adored Elizabeth and William's story.)

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! Here's hoping your weekend is awesome! Heard this song the other day and thought it sounded just like a romance novel. (*gasp* Imagine that?!) Hope you think so, too. Give a listen to TAYLOR SWIFT's MINE. Take care and we'll see ya back on Monday for a yummy Pork Chop recipe you have to try!

Pics of My Little WIP!!

2010-09-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday! Is your week being kind to you? I sure hope so! The weather here in Central California is beautiful and it looks like Fall is on the way. YAY!

Last night, my hubby and I had 3D pics taken of the baby. We had an entourage with us. Our daughter (4.5yrs) and our son (3yrs) tagged along to see pics of their little SISTER!

Yep, baby #3 is a GIRL! Our daughter is so excited while our son is convinced the baby is a boy. LOL He wants a brother and in his mind there is a baby brother in there for him, too. I just keep saying, "Well, we'll see what mommy and daddy bring home from the hospital." (For the record, there is only one baby even though my tummy doesn't look that way.)

We're still in discussions on baby names. I prefer to use family names since the other two kids have been tortured with them, too. Hey, fair is fair, right?!

My due date is still set for 12/30, which suits me fine. I'll be getting to feast on all the good stuff, guilt-free, during the holidays!! YES! Of course, on Monday, I should be getting the results of my 3 hour Glucose test which could put the brakes on my yummy holiday treats. *gasp*

Hope you have a great day and we'll catch ya back tomorrow for CHRISTIE KELLEY and a giveaway!

Recipes for the Mama Writer!!

2010-09-19T17:02:00.000-07:00

Hope your weekend was full of fun fall activities!! For some reason this time of year puts in me in the baking mood. This week's recipe for the busy Mama and writer is a very yummy and very QUICK breakfast dish that is sure to make everyone smile.

I can never leave a recipe alone, so I've altered it a little, but I think the change definitely made the dish 100x better.

APPLE COFFEE CAKE is straight out of my Betty Crocker Bridal Edition Cookbook. (A very awesome wedding shower gift idea for any bride-to-be! I've been cooking out it for 9 years now and have yet to find a meal that doesn't please. Plus, it has great tips, charts, and pictures of dishes to show the cook what they might have done wrong if their meal came out looking like X, Y, Z pic.) But, enough about that! Let's get to the good stuff! *wink wink*

My alteration of the recipe was a simple swapping of the 2 medium, sliced baking apples for a can of Cromstock's Cherry Pie Filling. LOL I chose the swap because at 7am, I had no desire to peel and slice the apples. That being said, I think using the can of cherry filling made the cake a lot more moist than it would have been using only the sliced apples.

Hope you have a pen handy, because you'll be wanting to jot this recipe down! Talk about a perfect Sunday morning treat!

CHERRY COFFEE CAKE

Cake Batter:

2 cups Original Bisquick

2/3 cup milk

3 tablespoon sugar

1 large egg

Filling:

1 can of Cromstock's Cherry Pie Filling (originally was 2 med. cooking apples, sliced and peeled.)

2 tablespoons nuts (I omitted)

Streusel Topping:

2/3 cup Original Bisquick

2/3cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I omitted)

1/4 cup butter or margarine (firm

Directions for Streusel Topping:

Mix Bisquick, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter, using pastry blender, fork, or criss-crossing two knives, until mixture is crumbly.

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3teaspoons milk

Directions for Glaze:

Mix ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. (I had to add an extra teaspoon or two of milk.)

DIRECTIONS:

1) Heat oven 400*. Grease bottom and sides of a square pan, 9x9x2 inches, with shortening. (I used an 28x18x4, which made for a thicker cake.)

2)Make Streusel Topping; set aside.

3)Stir in Bisquick, milk, egg, and sugar until blended; beat vigorously 30 seconds. Spread half of the batter in pan. Pour cherry filling over the top of the batter, sprinkle with half of the Streusel Topping. Spread remaining batter over the cherry filling/streusel topping. (I used my finger to help spread the batter over the gooey-goodness.) Sprinkle with remaining Streusel Topping and nuts.

4)Bake 20-25 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean. (I opted for 23mins and think I will lessen by a minute or so next time.) Cool 20 minutes in pan on wire rack. Drizzle with Glaze. (I didn't wait the 20mins to drizzle. I glazed it after 5mins, because we were taking the dish with us to my in-laws. It was still yummy!)

I was really surprised by how fast everything came together. I think I had it baked and out the door in about an hour. Fast and tasty: a perfect breakfast treat!

MY SCORE:

5 Stars *****

(Kid, hubby, AND father-in-law approved! lol)

The Lovestruck Novice Welcomes Diana Cosby!!!

2010-09-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, TLN'ers!!

Today is a very special day! One of my all time favorite peeps is visiting the TLN Hot Seat! Ahh!! I'm so excited!

I met DIANA COSBY via Facebook. I loved the premise of her MacGruder Brother Series and decided to review HIS WOMAN for her. Since then, Diana has become a much loved friend and a person I look to when the writing gets tough. She's so very generous with her time and never fails to dust off my worries and set me back to rights. What's more, she hooked me up with Kim of SOS America who kindly showed My Hubs and I around Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base when we were in Honolulu back in April.

HIS CONQUEST, Book Three in the series, hits bookshelves in November. What better way to ring in colder weather than by keeping warm with a hunky Highlander in your hands?!

Hope you've got a sweet treat on hand and your cup topped off, because we're definitely diving into the good stuff!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Diana Cosby is determined to be a New York Times Best-Selling author as well as Sponsor a house for Habitat For Humanity and aid numerous other charities. She is blessed by the ability to craft stories, and looks forward to meeting the many characters to come as well as people whom her stories have touched.

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

~strong, melodic, and evocative.

3)Tell us a little about your journey to publication. What was your favorite aspect of the trek?

~I'm a retired Navy chief. While stationed in Hawaii, as an avid reader and hopeful author, I took a creative writing course at the University of Hawaii. I struggled with the course, and finally the light began to turn on with my writing the final essay. Except, after I turned the paper in, my teacher was convinced that I wasn't the author. So, he wrote on the top, "Whoever wrote this paper gets an A-, and you get a D+." I was devastated that he thought I'd have someone else craft my work, and I set aside my hopes of writing and focused on my career.

Years later after I retired, I still had the desire write. So, I again started and discovered that I loved writing and I've never looked back. A wonderful lesson I learned is the power of words, how they can hurt or help, the choice is up to the author. For me, I cherish the gift of story with my goal to make a positive difference in others lives and to encourage them to pursue their dreams.

My favorite aspect of the trek?

The people, my family, my friends, those whom I've met, those who I will meet in the future.

4)Novice to Published Author: How have you grown as a writer?

~Finding clarity of my voice, confidence in my abilities of story, and understanding a word's placement as well as impact.

5)Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Something maybe you wished you might have known back then?

~I wish someone had told me to focus both on writing as marketing, and to follow your heart on both, and to never settle, ever.

6)How do you structure your writing? Are you a pantser or a plotter?

~I'm a major plotter, which means I write the synopsis first and have the major story points plotted out before I begin.

Last, what sort of goals do you set for yourself when starting a project?

~When I'm writing new pages, I write five pages per day. Each day I go back and review the scene and edit up before I write new pages. This allows me to tighten as I go and end up with a fairly clean rough draft.

7)What's up next for you?

~I'm waiting to hear if my editor will pick up books #5 & 6 in the MacGruder brothers series. :)

Paragraph from back cover of His Conquest:

Seathan MacGruder, Earl of Grey, is not unused to cheating death. But even this legendary Scottish warrior is surprised when a beautiful Englishwoman creeps to his cell and offers him his freedom. What Linet wants in exchange, though—safe passage to the Highlands—is a steep price to pay. For the only thing more dangerous than the journey through embattled Scotland is the desire that smolders between these two fugitives the first time they touch . . .

News:
~I'm thrilled to share that I will be signing my books at the 25th Annual Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games in June, 2011 at Maverick Stadium at UTA in Arlington, Texas. I'm also planning a July 2012 book signing tour in Scotland! :)

All I can say is, "TAKE ME!" I've been wanting to experience both Scotland and a Highland Festival forever. *sigh* Talk about a fantastic voyage especially if trekking about with my pal, Diana! :)

I'd like to thank Diana for letting me interview her. It was a real treat, that's for sure! If you'd like to know more about Diana Cosby and her books, please hop on over to her beautiful website: http://www.dianacosby.com/index.html

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! With the weather finally being kind to me, I'm lovin' life, so how about a classic to send us into the weekend? Here's CCR and DOWN ON THE CORNER! It's one of my favs and such a fun toe-tapper, too. Have an awesome weekend!!!

Recipes for the Mama Writer!!

2010-09-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

Happy 'Moan'day!! Hope your weekend was awesome!

I've been knee-deep in kids' school schedules AND any spare moment away from that form of craziness, I've been working on my MS. That's why most of last week I was MIA. *sigh* Some days I wish there were two of me!!

Instead of not posting, I figured I would put some RECIPES FOR THE MAMA WRITER. The great thing is you don't really have to be a 'mama' to reap the benefits!! I'm always game to learn fast and easy recipes. I'll be posting either a dish or a cooking tip once a week along with my Friday interviews. At least you'll know I'm still here, still chugging away at the dream! :)

This week's recipe is for a classic crowd pleaser. Please enjoy . . .

EASY-PEASEY MEAT LOAF!

Meat loaf is a meal that can easily be made earlier in the day or the night before. When it's time to slap it in the oven, the dishes are all ready done and you're eating in less than an hour!

Here is the version I make (which has been kid and hubby tested and approved!)

1 1/2lb Ground Beef
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/3 cup Tomato Juice (I sub one can of tomato sauce)
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
(I add: couple dashes of Garlic Powder)
3/4 cup Bread crumbs (sometimes I use oatmeal instead)
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
2 teaspoon Prepared Mustard
(I also add: one envelope Lipton's Onion Soup Mix; a healthy dollop or two of my fav BBQ sauce; a dash of Worcestershire Sauce.)

Topping:

1/4 cup Ketchup
1/2 Teaspoon Prepared Mustard
2 teaspoon Brown Sugar
(I add: a dash or two of Worcestershire Sauce)

**I've found it necessary to double the topping recipe, so there is plenty of sauce to go around.

Directions:

1) Preheat oven 400*F

2) Mix all ingredients. Put in dish (I grease w/ PAM= easy clean up!). Shape meat mixture like a log.

3) Make topping and pour over meat loaf.

BAKE: 35-45min or until temps 160*F (I use a thermometer.)

When cooking this dish, I'll pair it with mashed potatoes, stuffing, or rice pilaf. For a veggie, usually I opted for corn or a peas and carrots mix.

If you have the time, extra meat, and space in your freezer: Make a second loaf and freeze it!! I do everything but make the sauce when freezing it. You can take the frozen meat loaf out and let it thaw in the refrigerator. I'll be making one or two to put away for when the baby comes! I'm all about making life easy!!

Hope your taste buds fall in love!! Enjoy!

Celia Yeary Makes Life Oh, So Sweet!!

2010-09-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hip-Hip-Hooray!! We made it through another week!

I've got just the tempting dish to get your taste buds amped up for some romance reading over the weekend . . . Please help me welcome to TLN Hot Seat the always delicious CELIA YEARY!!

Celia's latest release TEXAS BLUE is a sure-fire bit of yummy goodness guaranteed to please. Ever the Bit-O-Honey, she's gonna tickle our senses with an article on how she rates books by using candy bars! (Surely that kind of info is worth a 100 Grand! lol)

Circle 'round, partners! We're in for a hum-dinger of a tasty time!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

In a state of mind-numbing boredom, retired teacher and injured golfer Celia Yeary turns to a computer and becomes The Accidental Author. During her journey to publication, she alternately goes from elation to dejection. Soon, she learns the path will not be smooth, but it promises great satisfaction, joy, and personal growth. But can she overcome the pain of occasional rejection and ultimately find true happiness writing romance novels?

2)Three words describing my voice:

Pure, unadorned, emotional.

Hope you're ready for a sweet treat!! If not, after Celia's article, you will be!

How I Rate Books using Candy Bars
By Celia Yeary

Sometimes I review a book written by a friend, acquaintance, or fellow author on my blog, but I never feel comfortable assigning numbers, stars, or whatever. Although anyone can review books, I’ll leave the rating system to the professionals, and possibly to those who review books independently on a regular basis. I have no quarrel with that.

I do have a system or two, though, but I only voice the ratings to myself. One system is by descriptive words, and since they may be a little over-the-top for this lovely blog, I’ll describe my Candy Bar System instead.

Before I offend anyone by using her favorite candy bar as a One, just let me remind you that we don’t all like the same books. Remember—one man’s trash is another man’s treasure; or one reader’s two-thumbs down is another reader’s two thumbs up. Okay?
Celia’s Book Rating System: (the number denotes the review if one were using numbers, a 5 being the top rating)

(5) ALMOND JOY—My favorite! Deep, dark, rich, a sweet intriguing middle, and two nuts to anticipate. You don’t get the same thing in every bite. Perfect, one to return to again and again.

(4) PAYDAY—Perfect blend of sweet and salty, a chewy center that lasts, and crunchy peanuts. Something to sink your teeth into and savor.

(3) HERSHEY’S ALMOND JOY—A little too much of a good thing, lacks imagination, but still yummy.

(2) KRACKLE—Pale, filled with air, unsatisfying, finish as fast as you can—or give away.

(1) MILKY WAY—too sweet, same throughout, lacks surprises, a little too boring.
My third release from The Wild Rose Press is titled TEXAS BLUE. I was fortunate enough to receive excellent ratings for this story—Two Almond Joys and Two PayDays! It doesn’t get much better than that. Oh, readers told me they really liked it. Yeah!

Here is the blurb for TEXAS BLUE:

When Buck Cameron finally found Marilee Weston and her young daughter, he believed the pretty, young woman did not fit the character description he was given. The County Judge back home said she was not fit to raise the child, who he claimed was his. Now Buck faced a dilemma. Should he disobey orders and rescue both of them from isolation? He would, because there wasn’t enough money in the world to exchange for a child. All he had to do was convince Marilee of his good intentions—she and her daughter would safe be with him in Nacogdoches.

Rejected and abandoned by her father, Marilee Weston let the pain of betrayal make her strong. Now, she needed a way out of the forest, where she had lived for five years. But the towering pines and fear of the unknown imprisoned her, and loneliness and heartbreak suffocated her. How could she find a new life for herself and young daughter? She couldn’t. Not without help. But would this alluring stranger free her, or prove to be even more dangerous?

Yum, yum! Ain't nothing better than a hunky-dunkie lawman to make you beg for more! I'd like to thank Celia for sharing her scrumptious reviewing methods with us. LOL I know I'm ready for a candy bar right now! If you'd like to know more about Celia Yeary, please check out the links listed below.

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com/ http://www.celiayeary.com/
Texas Blue- http://www.thewildrosepress.com/
New Releases
Texas Promise-eBook-Desert Breeze Publishing
Making the Turn-print & eBook-Wings ePress

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! With all the talk about candy, this preggo lady is ready for a snack!! Here's a treat just for you! BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP by THE FOUNDATIONS circa 1969. Hope your weekend is as satisfying as a Snickers!! I know I'll be glued to a PC working on my word count. What about you?

Better Guard Your Heart From Monica McCarty's Heroes!!

2010-09-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

Hey, Hey, Hey!! The weekend is here!

If you're looking for something to steal your breath away, how about a hunky Highlander?!

Please join me in welcoming the utterly fabulous MONICA McCARTY to the TLN Hot Seat!

Monica's much loved HIGHLAND GUARD series added another wonderful warrior to the collection with this week's release of THE HAWK. Ever wonder if Robert The Bruce had his own team of elite soldiers? Well, ponder no more, my friend! Simply grab a copy of THE CHIEF or THE HAWK to fall in love with a Highland hero of your very own. THE RANGER is book three in the series and is set to hit the stands in December. Talk about a great gift idea!

Hope you're ready to be dazzled!! Better grab a sweet treat and take a load off, because it's time to take a breather. We're sipping off the top shelf today!!

1)If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Former lawyer turned romance novelist Monica McCarty was living an otherwise unremarkable suburban life as the wife of a former baseball player and mother of two “tween” age children, until one day she discovered that she was really the long lost love child of a Scottish nobleman and a poor serving girl whose secret marriage was just uncovered—making Monica the sole heir to a vast fortune and a handful of gorgeous castles across Scotland and the Isles. Now, when they aren’t holding court at one of her fabulous homes, Monica and her family live a glamorous and exciting life, traveling the world whenever they get a chance in their private plane (of course!) with personal assistants, their own chef, and endless shoe and handbag budget, and nannies galore.

Sounds good doesn’t it? Too bad I write fiction.

2)Using three words, describe your voice.

Hmm…this is a hard one. It’s hard for me to have any kind of perspective on my own writing. How about if I let Teresa Medeiros do it for me? She was kind enough to blurb my first book and here are the three words she used: “Rich, Romantic, and Ravishing.” Works for me!

3)Novice writer to multi-published author: What have you learned
about the industry? Any preconceived notions bunked or confirmed?

I have learned a ton about the industry since I started, but I feel like I’m still constantly learning. Each stage of the career is different and comes with a new set of challenges and/or new information that becomes important. As we all know the industry is currently in flux. The kindle and the ipad are changing the way we read and buy books. It’s both exciting and a little scary with all the uncertainty to be a part of it. It will be interesting to see how the current business model adjusts to the demands of the new market.

I’ve been fortunate to meet some wonderful women in this business who have taken me and my two cp’s Jami Alden and Bella Andre under their very generous wings. Barbara Freethy, Carol Culver and Candice Hern were a font of information and wisdom early in my career. Sometimes I felt like they held my hand the whole way through my first contract! Longevity and making a career in this business are tough, and they taught me early on to look at the big picture and try not to worry about the little bumps in the road, which are inevitable.

Along those lines eight years in the business and seeing all kinds of “bumps” has confirmed what I’d always heard: “The only thing you can control is writing the book.” Things happen all the time that are out of our control. For example, Barbara had books come out on both 9/11 and a UPS strike. The second book of my Campbell trilogy came out the month a big distributor went out of business. My book, as well as the others coming out that month, were printed, ordered, and left to sit on a truck or warehouse. I think they were eventually stripped, but of course that goes against my sell through.

4)Tell us a little about your writing style? Outline fiend or do you wing it? Has your style changed since you began writing?

I call myself a “tweener.” Not a seat of the pants writer but not an outliner either. I like to have a good general flight plan to know where I’m going. Right now that’s a synopsis (which I have to do anyway for my publisher) and a plotting timeline (my own creation—it’s basically a timeline with the major turning points marked so I can keep an eye on story and character arc).

My process has definitely changed since I began writing. Actually it’s always changing. With each book I try new things, trying to find that magic solution that will make it “easy.” The first book I wrote (what became HIGHLANDER UNTAMED) I wrote completely seat of the pants. I’d been thinking about that story for so long it was etched on my subconscious, LOL. But I did write myself into a few corners on early drafts. I’m a slow writer and it is very painful to throw out large portions of text. Realizing that, I decided to do more planning before I started my second book (what became HIGHLANDER UNMASKED). I wrote a short synopsis and discovered that I really liked that. When I sold, the synopsis became even more important—it’s one of the things that triggers a paycheck! With each book I’ve finessed the pre-writing stage, but I still try new things. With my last book I decided to put corkboard strips up in my office and put up index cards with key plot points. It helped with organizing the story, but I found that I didn’t look at them after I used them to write the synopsis. So with this book, I won’t bother hanging them up, I’ll just used them to early to help organize my thoughts (they’re easy to move around) then put them aside.

5)What does the rest of 2010 look like for you? Any news you'd like to dish out?

2010 has been a very exciting and busy year so far with much more to come! THE CHIEF, the first book in my new Highland Guard series came out in March, and I was thrilled to learn that it hit #24 on the NY Times Bestseller list. The second book in my Highland Guard series, THE HAWK, just hit stores on Tuesday. The third book, THE RANGER, will be out at the end of December.

Here’s the blurb for THE HAWK:
The legend of the Highland Guard continues...
Handpicked by Robert the Bruce to help him in his quest to free Scotland from English rule, the Highland Guard is an elite fighting force unlike any the world has ever seen. They are the best of the best, chosen for their superior skills in each discipline of warfare. But when Bruce is forced to flee to the Western Isles, his bid for freedom rests on the shoulders of one extraordinary warrior.

Erik MacSorley is unrivaled on the seas, a brilliant seafarer who has never encountered a wind he could not harness nor a woman he could not win—until he drags a wet, half-naked “nursemaid” out of the waters off the Irish coast. Ellie’s ordinary appearance belies the truth: she is in fact Lady Elyne de Burgh, the spirited daughter of the most powerful noble in Ireland, and a close ally of the English king. Worse, this confounding, fascinating, irresistible woman is determined to prove herself immune to his charms—a challenge he cannot resist.

Her captor may look every inch a powerful, rugged warrior, but Ellie vows it will take more than a twinkle in his blue eyes and a wickedly suggestive caress to impress her. Erik is as wild and untamed as the wind, sweeping away her resistance with a desire that resonates deep within her heart. Still, he is a man driven by loyalty, and she is a woman with secrets that could threaten his mission and jeopardize Bruce’s chance to reclaim his throne. As the battle for king and country sounds across the shores, will Ellie’s love be enough to finally tame the legend known as the Hawk?

You can read an excerpt from THE HAWK and learn more about the series at http://www.monicamccarty.com/

What a hook!! Every gal needs a kilt-wearing hero to pine over! *wink wink* I'd like to thank Monica for taking time out of her busy schedule to hang out with us. She's definitely one of my favorite authors and a very lovely lady ta' boot!

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! I'm thinking it's a Feel Good Friday . . . so let's ROCK IT! Here's some FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS and SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY! Ah, does this bring back memories. *sigh* Gotta love the 80's!! Have a great holiday weekend!!