by Christine | Writer Wednesday, Writing
Please welcome Jewel Quinlan to Writer Wednesday!
CA: So, Jewel. What made you decide to write a novel?
JQ: The wish to write stories has been within me forever. When I turned forty I found that there was still this vague dissatisfaction with my life. I remember one day preparing a fifty page document for my employer that was a real pain and I thought, “If I can do this for someone else why can’t I do it for myself? I’m obviously capable of putting words on a page.” That’s how it finally clicked that I could seriously do this. And, ever since I pursued it full force, this wonderful joy has materialized in my life.
CA: What genre do you write in, and why?
JQ: I love to write anything other than ordinary, everyday life. This incudes fantasy, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, and even contemporary if it takes you somewhere you would never normally see. I love the possibility of anything being able to happen. It makes my imagination drool!
CA: Is this a series or standalone book? If a series, what is the name of this series, and how many books/short stories do you have planned?
JQ: At the moment this is a stand-alone novella. Well, not really stand-alone since it is part of an anthology. The idea of a series still is daunting to me but I have been starting to fall in love with some of my characters have been starting to picture sequels.
CA: Where would you live, if you could live anywhere in the world?
JQ: That’s easy, I think about that all the time. Bavaria. I love it there! I travel there as often as I can and I also study the language in the hopes of soon being able to make my dream come true. However, it would be very hard to completely give up Southern California, so my dream is to be able to write full-time and live half the year in Bavaria and the other half in California or where ever my mood takes me!
CA: Bavaria! How exotic. We’ll have to talk later, mmmkay? Name 3 simple joys in your life.
JQ: My dogs. A great glass of wine. Laughter.
CA: If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead or fictional, who would it be and where would you go to eat?
JQ: It’s hard to zero in on one person but I would love to meet Oprah Winfrey. I have something in common with her. I am fascinated with uncovering the mysteries of life that make us the best we can be. I would love to take her to Herringbone in La Jolla CA. I love food, and that place is at the top of my list. I once had chicken there and couldn’t believe how great they made such a normally bland piece of meat taste plus they have such great atmosphere. All you have to do is check out their website to believe me! www.herringboneeats.com
CA: If you could give just one piece of advice to a writer starting out, what would it be?
JQ: Believe that you will be published. Remember how much you love your story, give it one hundred percent. Finish it! And then keep polishing it and pitching it until someone takes you up on it. In life you get credit for trying and every little effort takes you more forward than you think it will.
CA: What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have a Day Job?
JQ: Yes, I have a day job. For now. But I have a plan to become a full-time writer as well and I know that will happen soon. During the day I work in pharmaceutical sales. I cover a lot of ground since my territory is Southern California and Las Vegas. Aside from the usual chores, I walk my dogs daily and then I make sure to spend at least one hour working on writing something. I keep a log of the time I spend writing (and on which project) so that I make sure I am meeting my goals. For fun I love reading, snowboarding, hiking, paddleboarding and travel.
CA: Name one thing your fans would be surprised to learn about you.
JQ: I have traveled on my own many times and I love it. I always meet such wonderful people and have great experiences. I decided long ago to stop waiting for other people to have the money and interest to go where I wanted to go and I haven’t regretted that decision once.
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?
JQ: I just wanted to say thanks so much for having me on your blog!
CA: My pleasure! Now, let’s get to your story, shall we?
Sinsperationally Yours
Surrender Sweet Succubus is part of the Sinsperationally Yours anthology which was released November 15, 2013 from Hot Ink Books.
About Surrender Sweet Succubus – When Dr. Stephen Wallace, a fertility specialist from Sydney Australia, is approached by his brother and sister-in-law for help conceiving a child, there is no way he can refuse. Since they have already exhausted all the possibilities modern medicine can provide, Stephen turns to his skills as a shaman for alternative solutions. His search leads him to Las Vegas, Nevada on a slim lead to capture a succubus who he hopes has the power to help. But when he meets Geneva, the exotic and passionate succubus, he finds himself being captured instead.
About Sinsperationally Yours – Welcome to the realm where sins, desires and love collide with all things that go bump in the night. Where tales of lust are flavored with a happily ever after or a happy for now. Ghosts and Vampires and Werebears oh my! Immortal heroes and heroines who strike fear in those they meet but also ignite passion and desire—Sinsperationally Yours.
A peek inside Surrender Sweet Succubus!
“I came here because I was looking for a succubus…” he began.
“Mm hm. Well, you found one.”
He lost his train of thought as she rolled a tube of lipstick over her lips. The same lips that had been wrapped around his cock last night doing the most wicked things to him.
She finished and started to walk back into the bathroom but her feet stopped short just before the door as if she had hit an invisible barrier. The look on her face was almost comical.
“What the…?” She backed up a step and then tried to move forward again but was halted once more in the same place. She reached in front of her and grabbed the doorway then tried to pull herself through but from the waist down, nothing else moved.
“What the hell is going on?!” She sounded scared now.
He stood. It was working, the binding spell was working! “Okay, I don’t want you to get upset but I put a binding spell on you.” He couldn’t help feeling bad about it. It wasn’t really in his nature to cast such spells but it had been necessary.
“You did what?” Her tone turned to acid and her eyes narrowed.
“A binding spell,” he repeated, “So you can’t go more than three yards away from me. Sorry, were you trying to go to the bathroom?”
He moved closer to give her more slack so she could go in. She stumbled slightly as the perimeter of the bind shifted. She straightened, looking even more upset, and moved away from the bathroom towards the front door.
“How dare you!” she raged. “I am not to be held in bondage by any man. Release me at once!” Her hands scrabbled at the door behind her for the knob.
“I’ll remove it I swear! It’s just, I need your help with something and I didn’t want you to disappear. I wasn’t sure how you would react when I told you I knew what you were.”
“You think I’m going to help you now!?” She looked like she would hit him if she could. Her eyes blazed emerald fire.
“I think, when you listen to what I have to say, you will.”
“And what if I don’t want to listen? You’re going to force me?”
He started to negate it but then stopped. She was right. The look in his sister-in-law’s eyes had haunted him since they’d spoken. He couldn’t let her down. Couldn’t let them both go on with the heartache of being childless. He shook his head, not knowing what to say.
“That’s it, I knew it! You men are all the same. You just take what you want and bend other people to your will.”
He held his hands out to her in pause. “Now look, I don’t even know if you can help me. I just wanted the opportunity to discuss it with you. That’s all. But before we do there’s something else I have to tell you about.” Better to come clean right away. He slowly inched forward towards her.
She yanked the door open. “I don’t care! Whatever it is, I’m not doing it you jerk!” she said, turning to go.
He quickly called out, “I just wanted to be honest and tell you…”
She took one step and then crumpled into a heap on the carpet.
“…about the sedative.”
Where to buy: You can get it in print or Kindle edition on Amazon or add it to your list on Goodreads.
About the Author:
From a young age, Jewel Quinlan had an abundant imagination and strong desire to write novels. She particularly enjoys writing paranormal and fantasy romance. An avid traveler, she has visited fifteen countries so far (which she enjoys using as settings in her novels) and has plans to see more of the world. She has a particular fondness for Bavaria and studies the German language as one of her hobbies. During the day, she works as a pharmaceutical sales representative and, at night, she writes romance. She currently lives in Orange County, California with her two dogs; Shimmer and Penny.
For more information visit her website and blog or you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr
Questions for Jewel? Let ’em rip!
)O(
Thanks so much for stopping by, and Happy Thanksgiving to my lovely U.S. friends!
by Christine | Life, Observations
What to Buy?
I’ve been wracking my brain, trying to think of things I can give that are different, that aren’t expensive, that won’t get dusty, and that most people wouldn’t go get on their own and as I was wandering around the (very small) Farmer’s Market in Pasadena, I realized there were a lot of one-off gifts, the delightful, the different. I bought some stuff for me but hey, I have to think every Farmer’s Market is a bit different and will have different stuff – especially near the holidays – to help me handle my holiday gift list.
As we wandered into the center of the market, this marvelous spice scent hit my nose. At first I thought it was the vendors offering all sorts of things for sale; it wasn’t until I passed them and saw the mounds of fresh teas and spices in big bowls that I realized it was the World Flavorz Spice and Tea Co. merchant that had caught my attention. (Here’s their Facebook Page if you’re interested!)
Buy 5, get one free…well, I had to, didn’t I? Aren’t they pretty?
One of the salts that caught our attention was this black lava salt. It’s made by smoking it with coconut husks (I think I have that right…) and looked intriguing. I also bought some pink Himalayan Salt (because I’m a salt addict).
This salt just looked fascinating. It looks like it has lavender in it, as well as other Provence herbs. Not sure what I’ll use this in, but I’m keeping my options open.
Pepper is something that Tom and I are always “discussing”. I like pepper. He likes the pepper mixture from the store that has lots of other things in it beside pepper (like nutmeg I think…). I’m thinking he might like this, because it has lavender and rose petals in it. But again, what to use it in? Soups, maybe…
In the top photo, you can see two spices at the bottom. I wanted some fresh curry mixture, which is the yellow spice – and the red is fresh, sweet Hungarian paprika. I’ve been looking for the sweet variety, and I’m SO glad I found it! I’ll be using that on my turkey this year.
So, while I haven’t even begun to shop for my family and friends, spices from a Farmer’s Market might be a good gift choice. I’m looking forward to nosing through other Farmer’s Markets in the greater Los Angeles area – never know what I might find for that perfect person.
Thanks for stopping by! May your week be filled with family, friends, good food, and plenty of thanks.
)O(
What sorts of places do you like to go to, when you’re shopping for gifts?
by Christine | Observations
My garden is transitioning from “end-of-summer ugly” to “fall and winter green”, but it’s taking some time.
The tomato plants finally died out; we pulled them after tasting the last tomatoes to ripen. They were bitter, full of acid and without the sweetness that the summer sun brings to them. We are going to move those beds, so for now they lie fallow. No sense in amending soil if we’re not going to plant there.
Tom experimented with seeds, growing several things in small pots and transplanting them once the seedlings were big enough. Beets, kale, cucumbers, peas, two types of lettuces, spinach – we had high hopes. Surprisingly enough, they all became bug food (I suspect a certain, very large, grasshopper) except for some peas, beets, a few cucumber plants, and the kale. That is thriving and we shall have plenty for our winter salads.
The thriving kale bed.
We ended up buying lettuces, only to see them fall to the gnashing teeth of the grasshopper. We are considering our way forward; either poisonous dust or spray, or continue the mineral oil/soap/garlic spray that the grasshopper has seemed to take a liking for. We are still unsure how to go about this.
The lettuce bed, where grasshoppers love to nibble. The peas against the fence are being left alone.
The pond got filled in a couple of years ago when the dogs were no longer around to protect the fish. Now, however, it’s time to put the pond back in, raccoons be damned. We’ve got the pond lining – now just need the time and a few free dollars to buy a new pump.
The pond-to-be.
Here’s more garden beauty…
Blossom on my Meyer lemon tree. Hopefully they’ll turn into yummy lemons.
Regenerating artichoke plants. We shall drown in artichokes next spring/early summer.
Spinach (foreground) and bush beans (background).
Okay, there you go – the garden update. I promise to keep you up to speed on how the various veggies do in the upcoming winter. If we get several hard freezes (like we did last January-February), I don’t know what that’ll do to the lettuce, but I know the spinach will thrive.
~)O(~
Thanks so much for stopping by – until the next time, be kind to each other. Hugs!
by Christine | Observations
Egyptian Paranormals? Cozy on up – Veronica Scott is taking over the blog today!
Veronica Scott, Author
Christine, thanks for inviting me to be your guest for Writer Wednesday!
So, one of the questions I always get asked is, why do I write paranormal novels set in ancient Egypt? (Although I also write futuristic science fiction, just sayin…) Here’s my multipart answer.
My mother was a would-be archaeologist whose bookcase was filled with every single Time-Life book printed about ancient cultures and civilizations, including the glorious illustrations and photographs. I spent a lot of time poring over those books as a kid and the place I was always most fascinated by was ancient Egypt. I think the tomb paintings and the jewelry probably caught my eye first, to tell you the truth, but then when I started reading about the Egyptian accomplishments and beliefs, I was hooked.
In elementary school, I found an old copy of “Mara, Daughter of the Nile” by Eloise Jarvis McGraw in the library and I devoured that book. The idea that you could write your own stories about what life was like for people who lived thousands of years ago was just eye opening to the fledgling writer I’d become in 6th grade. I loved the details, the romance and the tiny hint of the paranormal in her book. I wanted MOAR. Lots more. But although there are other authors who tell tales set in the time period I enjoy most (around 1500 BCE), there just aren’t enough for the voracious reader in me. So I took the oft heard advice and began writing the books I couldn’t find enough of on the shelf (or kindle).
When the King Tut exhibit came through Los Angeles in the 1970s, my employer at the time was a corporate sponsor, so I got to spend an hour pretty much alone in the exhibit (except for the ever present security guards of course). That was amazing, to be so close to the treasures I’d only seen pictures of, chief among them the incredible golden mask. The everyday items of life from 3000 years ago, like chairs and mirrors, were just as fascinating in their own way. The experience gave me a feeling for how much like us the people had been, yet how very differently they thought about things, with so much emphasis on constantly preparing for their vision of the afterlife.
I enjoy the challenge of trying to recreate the ancient Egyptian world without oversharing the tiny details or having my characters talk unnecessarily about things they would see as routine and normal (because like most writers, I looove doing the research and wow, do I have facts crammed in my head!). Putting the gods like Hathor and Ra, goddesses such as Isis and her twin sister Nephthys onstage in the action leads to all kinds of plot fun and lets me take some liberties. I’d be hopeless at writing straightforward historical romances, although I admire those authors who can. I’m always asking “what if” and “why not this”… On my blog I devote an entire page to a discussion of historical accuracy in my novels and the ever-growing list of reference books I own!
Here’s the blurb for my most recent novel, “Dancer of the Nile”, in which I had fun 
describing a game of senet with life or death stakes, among other things, and bringing Renenutet the Snake Goddess into the events:
Nima’s beauty and skill as a dancer leads an infatuated enemy to kidnap her after destroying an Egyptian border town. However, she’s not the only hostage in the enemy camp: Kamin, an Egyptian soldier on a secret mission for Pharaoh, has been taken as well. Working together to escape, the two of them embark on a desperate quest across the desert to carry word of the enemy’s invasion plans to Pharaoh’s people.
As they flee for their lives, these two strangers thrown together by misfortune have to trust in each other to survive. Nima suspects Kamin is more than the simple soldier he seems, but she finds it hard to resist the effect he has on her heart. Kamin has a duty to his Pharaoh to see his mission completed, but this clever and courageous dancer is claiming more of his loyalty and love by the moment. Kamin starts to worry, if it comes to a choice between saving Egypt or saving Nima’s life…what will he do?
Aided by the Egyptian god Horus and the Snake Goddess Renenutet, beset by the enemy’s black magic, can Nima and Kamin evade the enemy and reach the safety of the Nile in time to foil the planned attack?
Can there ever be a happy future together for the humble dancer and the brave Egyptian soldier who is so much more than he seems?
~
Thank you, Veronica! The book sounds amazing – and there are two more in the series, folks! Check them out, and please ask questions – she’ll be here once she shakes free from her day job.
“Dancer of the Nile” can be found at: Amazon Barnes & Noble All Romance eBooks Smashwords iTunes
Where readers can find Veronica: Blog @vscotttheauthor Facebook
~oOo~
Thanks so much for stopping by!
by Christine | Writer Wednesday, Writing
Yes, again, lol! Why? My dad’s pretty cool. Plus he’s got some new books out, Westerns, and one of them got as high as the 800s in the Kindle listings! He finally found the right guy to publish with (Wolfpack Publishing) and he’s doing a booming business (comparatively speaking).
Here’s a look at Wade’s War… at only $.99, don’t you want a copy? lol…
Dad’s Book!
Here’s dad’s AMAZON PAGE – if you could go over there and give it a “like”, I’d really appreciate it. Plus take a look – he’s got 8 pages of novels. No, seriously. EIGHT. Maybe more. I didn’t double check…
Here’s a couple more of his newest books…
DOUBLE CROSS TRAIL
On the Chisholm trail, pounding hooves on a rough, rocky, tortuous ride into the arrows and lances of Indians and gunfire of desperate rustlers. When the gun smoke clears and the blood dries, will anything remain?
FUGITIVE RUN
When a city detective takes on a little bounty hunting, he’s in for some trail-tough tracking and lots of gun smoke and flying lead.
Chet Cunningham is America’s premiere western writer, with almost two hundred to his credit, among his over 300 novels. If you love the west, you’ll love Chet and his hard hitting western action adventure novels.
He doesn’t know I’m promoing him – but he will! Thanks so much for stopping by.
CA: So, Jewel. What made you decide to write a novel?
