Writer Wednesday – Teresa Noelle Roberts

Writer Wednesday – Teresa Noelle Roberts

I’m re-launching Writer Wednesday, and am so happy to introduce Teresa Noelle Roberts to you! The first time I met Teresa, it was WAY early in the morning (or WAY late at night) and she was one of my roomies at RWA National Conference. Four of us crammed into one hotel room for several days – and we had a blast.

The lovely Teresa, beachside on the east coast.

The lovely Teresa, beachside on the east coast.

Here’s Teresa, and here’s the interview!

  1. What made you decide to write a novel? Because the voices in my head don’t give a choice? The serious answer is that I started dictating stories to my mother before I’d learned to write, got a subscription to Writers’ Digest for my twelfth birthday, and started my first (aborted) novel in junior high. Story-telling is in my blood.
  2. What genre do you write in, and why? I write romance, erotica, and some fantasy. Cougar’s Courage is an erotic paranormal romance, which combines all three of my favorites.
  3. 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? Cougar’s Courage is numbered as book 3 in the Duals and Donovans: The Different series. Confusingly, there are currently 4 published books in the Duals and Donovans world, but one, Fox’s Folly, takes place before the series timeline. I’m currently wrapping up what will be the last book in the series. I may set more books in this world, but the big conflict of the series will wrap up with my WIP so I’ll need to find a new antagonist.
  4. Where would you live, if you could live anywhere in the world? That’s a tough question. Definitely near the ocean. Possibly coastal Maine, but there’s so much of the world I haven’t seen yet!
  5. Name 3 simple joys in your life. Sharing daily life with my husband. (He’s hardly simple, though!). Cooking. My big, lazy, loving cats.
  6. If you could give just one piece of advice to a writer starting out, what would it be? Write, write, take a break to read, then write some more. Lather, rinse, repeat. Education, be it degree programs, workshops, or online classes, is valuable, but nothing beats the act of beating your head against the blank page.
  7. What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have a Day Job? When I’m not writing, I’m often cooking, gardening, or doing something else vaguely homesteader-ish. I’m between day jobs at the moment and am loving it far too much. Past day jobs have ranged from field hand at a winery (my favorite ever, though the pay was just above minimum wage) to development/fundraising officer.
  8. Name one thing your fans would be surprised to learn about you. This crunchy, hands-in-the-dirt woman went through a phase of wearing 4-inch heels and red lipstick no matter what the occasion. I still yearn for sexy heels, but my knees and back will never forgive me for years of abuse, so I stick to flats even when heels would be appropriate. (Still love deep red lipstick, though.)
  9. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about? To celebrate the release of Cougar’s Courage, I’m running a contest on my blogthe prize is an e-book of Cougar’s Courage and a print copy of the first book in the series, Lions’ Pride. (Or an e-book if the winner is outside the US.) Comments on my blog count as entries, but check my site for details.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Teresa, and best of luck on the novel! Off I go to download…

FIND TERESA HERE:

www.teresanoelleroberts.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTeresaNoelleRoberts?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/TeresNoeRoberts
Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0047V74PC

Blurb: Toronto cop Cara Many-Winters Mackenzie is still reeling from her fiancé’sCougarsCouragesmaller murder when her orderly life takes a turn toward the weird, complete with voices in her head and phantom bleeding wounds.

This violent awakening is the rise of her Different gift—a chaotic, Bugs-Bunny-on-crack magic that she must learn to control before it destroys her. There’s only one place to get help: her mother’s ancestral village, and a mentor who seems to have stepped straight out of the smoke of her erotic dreams.

Cougar Dual Jack Long-Claw reluctantly agrees to take Cara under his wing, though he’d much rather take the beautiful city girl into his bed. As he guides her through a crash course in shamanic magic, sparks fly—some sexy, some snarky. But when an ancient enemy attacks the village, they must work together to hone a magical weapon against certain destruction.

Common sense tells them it’s a terrible time to fall in love. Their spirit guides have other ideas. And shamans who don’t listen to their spirit guides are dead shamans…

Warning: Hot shape-shifting feline hero. Strong but shell-shocked heroine. Snarky, meddling spirit guides. And lots and lots of sex: angry sex, crazy sex, magical sex, and just plain sexy sex.

Amazon US/Amazon UK/Kobo /Barnes & Noble Nook/Samhain

Bio:
Teresa Noelle Roberts started writing stories in kindergarten and she hasn’t stopped yet. A prolific author of short erotica, she’s also a published poet and fantasy writer—but hot paranormals and BDSM-spiced contemporaries are her favorites.

Teresa enjoys belly dance, yoga, medieval re-creation, playing in the ocean, cooking, and growing more vegetables than she and her husband can possibly eat. She shares her home in southern Massachusetts with her husband, a Leo who works in law enforcement, and two overstuffed cats, who deserve their own shout-out as inspirations for her works. She and her husband often plan vacations around food, history, and/or proximity to water. Next up, Rome, Florence, and Venice!

~oOo~

Remember, Teresa has a contest going – check out her page for all the details!

Wrangling Recipes – A Fun Cake!

Wrangling Recipes – A Fun Cake!

Who could resist making a cake with the name Chocolate Peanut Butter Fun Cake? Not I! It was Saturday, and I was hauling trash out of going through the magazines in my office, and I stumbled upon a Bon Apetit magazine from the 1950’s March of 2012. So I leafed through it, ripping out recipes that looked good, and I stumbled upon the aforementioned cake.

The photo in Bon Apetit that totally captivated me.

The photo in Bon Apetit that totally captivated me.

What got me, though, was the writing above the OH so yummy photo – “This vegan batter is generously versatile: The pastry chef uses it for wedding cakes and cupcakes, too.  Funnily enough, its recipe is similar to one from the 1930s for something called a Depression cake.” ~ Nathanial Meads

Vegan. Cheap to make. I was SO in. Plus, chocolate. Hello! (As well, Father’s Day loomed the following day!) So I made the ridiculously easy batter with ingredients I always have on hand (all purpose flour, sugar, natural unsweetened cocoa powder, kosher salt, baking soda, vegetable oil, vanilla, chopped bittersweet chocolate) and made the cake.

Let me tell you, licking the spoon after the cake was in the oven was – well, heaven. Rich chocolate with bits of kosher salt? SWOON-worthy!

Peanut Butter Fun Cake, made by Moi from the recipe in Bon Apetit, March 2012.

Peanut Butter Fun Cake, made by Moi from the recipe in Bon Apetit, March 2012. Okay, so the chocolate isn’t shaved…it still looks yummy, right?

The hardest bit to do was the peanut butter buttercream for the topping. It was involved (double boiler, anyone?) and used egg whites, so there went the vegan thing. But the oldest son LOVED licking the bowl clean after I frosted the cake.

My reaction to the cake? The cake itself was dense, chewy, lovely and rich with that hint of salt that made everything FANTASTIC. The icing was a bit much – rich and peanutty and overwhelming. But I was the only one who felt that way – the others were too busy scarfing it down. My oldest son has already decided I should make this cake for his every birthday. My husband said let’s not restrict it to birthdays, so my middle son pencilled in September (birthday month) and January (New Year’s) for the cake.

This is the very first time anything I’ve made has been scheduled for a remake, so far in advance. I guess they liked it!

What about you? Do you have any recipes that the family clamors for? Please share if you can! Oh, and if you want the recipe for the cake, go here to Bon Apetit. Enjoy – er –

bon apetit! 

~ Until the next time, cheers! ~

~oOo~

 
Speak of the Devil by Shawna Romkey

Speak of the Devil by Shawna Romkey

Writer Wednesday

Today we’re welcoming in author Shawny Romkey with her YA paranormal romance novel, Speak of the Devil. I, for one, can’t WAIT to read this book!

The lovely Shawna Romkey

Let’s find out a little about Shawna before we check out her book, shall we?

BIO:

Shawna grew up in around farms in the heart of Missouri but went to the University of Kansas, was raised in the US but now lives on the ocean in Nova Scotia with her husband, two sons, two rescue dogs and one overgrown puppy from hell. She’s a non-conformist who follows her heart.

 She has her BA in creative writing from the University of Kansas where one of her plays was chosen by her creative writing professor to be produced locally, and two of her short stories were published in a university creative arts handbook.  She earned her MA in English from Central Missouri State University where she wrote a novel as her thesis.

She’s taught English at the university and secondary levels for close to twenty years and can’t quite fathom how all of her students have grown up, yet she’s managed to stay the same.  She’s a huge geek and fan of Xena, Buffy and all kick ass women, and loves to write stories that have strong female characters.

Now for the Cover, the Blurb, and the Excerpt!

What happens when falling in love and falling from grace collide?

After dying in a car accident with her two best friends, Lily miraculously awakens to grief and guilt. She escapes to her dad’s to come to terms with the event and meets some people at her new school who seem all too eager to help her heal. Sliding deeper into sorrow and trying to fight her feelings for two of them, she finds out who…what they really are and that they are falling too.

 Can she find the strength to move on from the past, reconcile her feelings for Luc, find a way to stop a divine war with fallen angels, and still pass the eleventh grade?

EXCERPT:
Rain fell, not uncommon for late spring in Missouri. “If you don’t like the weather here,” my grandfather would say, “wait five minutes.” Of course, I’d visited distant relatives in Maine once before, and they said the same thing.

Julie fumbled with the wipers while I pulled the sun visor down to check my face in its little rectangular mirror, even though I’d only left my vanity like five minutes ago. The lights on either side lit up the interior of the car. I reached into my tiny party purse to find my lip gloss, which was easy to locate since I’d only packed the essentials in my bag: phone, some cash, and make-up. As I glanced at myself, I saw Mike in the reflection, smiling at me from the back seat. I stuck my tongue out at him, making him laugh, and put on the lip-gloss, fully aware of how flirty I acted.

The windshield wipers couldn’t keep up with the sudden downpour. The pitter-patter turned to thumping. Hail came down in gumball-sized pellets. “Damn.” Julie jerked the steering wheel to keep The Whale off the curb.

“Slow down, Jules.” Mike gripped Julie’s headrest. “We can pull over until it passes.”

“Yeah.” She squinted to see the road before her.

I pressed my lips together to smooth out the gloss. “Damn is right. I didn’t bring a jacket.”

The Whale swerved to the right crunching along the gravel on the side of the road. I braced myself in my seat. Julie leaned up to the steering wheel and peered over it as my grandmother sometimes did when she drove. I squinted because of the stupid light up visor mirror. I slammed it shut, but Julie panicked and over corrected, pulling The Whale to the left and careening over the yellow dotted line in the middle of the street.

“Julie!” Mike shouted.

Time slowed and ticked out in heartbeats.

Ba bum.

Julie cringed, her hands moving up to shield her face. Her head turned away from the highway.

Ba bum.

Mike reached protectively from the back seat.

Ba bum.

The headlights illuminated the rail of the overpass.

Ba bum.

The car hit the rail on the opposite side of the road with a hard thud.

Ba bum.

Crap. We’re going over the bridge.

Ba bum.

The Whale’s nose pointed down toward the water.

Ba bum.

A jolt forward and my forehead slammed into the dashboard.

Ba bum.

The Whale flipped in the air. I’m upside down.

Ba bum.

Pain.

Ba bum.

Did my mom say good-bye when I left?

Ba bum.

Cold water rushed into the car.

Ba bum.

Is this it?

Ba bum.

I can’t breathe. Oh my God, I can’t breathe. I can’t see or breathe!

My heart quickened. It pounded. The Whale leaned on its side under the surface of the water which rushed in fast, and I couldn’t see a damn thing.

Calm, stay calm. Don’t panic. They say when you’re drowning not to panic because you use up your air faster.
Dammit, am I drowning?

I tried to get myself upright and jerked out of my seatbelt. Luckily, it gave way. I fought the latch to open the door facing up, but the pressure of the water from Black Water River held it closed, trapping me inside.

Jesus. I know this river. It’s more of a creek. It can’t be more than fifteen feet across and ten feet deep. I pushed at the door. Opening my mouth to scream, I swallowed water.

I couldn’t see or hear Julie or Mike. My watch ticked. Or was it my heart beating?

Ba bum. Ba bum. Ba bum.

Darkness.

Silence.

Cold.

Wet.

Defying gravity.

Nothing.

The dreams came. Like a good sleep you don’t want to wake up from. I felt heavy and floaty. I wore this long white gauzy gown and the wind blew my dress and my hair like in some feminine hygiene commercial. I could breathe slowly and deeply. Completely relaxed and at peace, but I was alone.

I floated along in a white space for a while. Drifting. Breathing. Relaxing. Had I gone to a spa? After an immeasurable amount of time, others appeared. They wore white clothing, too, and they floated like me, reaching out. They opened their arms as if to welcome me to them.

I stopped and frowned. I heard no sound, and I didn’t know who these white floaty people were or why they welcomed me. They smiled, genuinely happy, and held their arms out to me. I panicked.

Where’s my mom? My family? Wait, Mike and Julie were just with me, where are they? Are those wings?

I noticed the others floating with me had white feathery wings.

“Lily,” one of them called out.

Holy hell. I’m dead.

 WOW! What an excerpt – I know Shawna’s going to be around today, so if you have any questions, let her have ’em in the comments!

Links

 Website  | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads  Amazon Print

SoCal RWA Conference Weekend!

SoCal RWA Conference Weekend!

Today is the beginning of the SoCal RWA Conference in Santa Ana, California. Which means I get to spend the better part of three days with writers and agents and editors while I learn and laugh…what’s not to like about that?

On Sunday, I’ll be participating in a large public book signing, where I’ll be signing copies of DEMON HUNT and DEMON SOUL. I sure hope there are a lot of So Cal peeps down there who like paranormal romance!

So you might be asking yourself, what wine goes with a conference? Well, since I’m not too sure about the  hotel prices, I always say bring your own. And since my go-to wine is Smoking Loon Pinot Noir, that’s what I’ll be bringing.

I’m doing a Book Camp this afternoon, then going to a cocktail/reception party tonight. Tomorrow morning I’m doing some volunteer work, then diving into workshops all day. Dinner with friends tomorrow night, woot!

Sunday is my big day – I’m giving a workshop at 9am (against some incredible speakers). It will be interesting to see how many people show up for my workshop! Maybe I’ll bring chocolate…

Then there’s a luncheon, and finally – from 1pm to 2:30pm – the book signing. So – lots to do! And as I’m leaving here at 9:30am to pick up the faboo Dayle Dermatis, my roommate for this venture, I’d better get packed, don’t you think?

Here’s hoping YOUR weekend will be jam-packed with friends, laughter, good food and good wine.

 

 

~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~

~oOo~

Demon Soul and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle and Kobo! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?


Welcome Jody A. Kessler to Writer Wednesday

Welcome Jody A. Kessler to Writer Wednesday

I am pleased to introduce debut author Jody A. Kessler to you today. Welcome, Jody! Let’s get right to the interview, shall we?

CA: What made you decide to write a novel?

JAK: I’m not sure I did decide. One day I was taking care of my toddler and the next I was writing a story during his nap. Every day since, I have been totally engrossed in all aspects of writing novels.  I loved to write when I was a kid and through high school, but then my life took a completely different direction. Returning to writing has been the most amazing challenge but I’ve loved every second of it — except maybe those #&*%#! query letters and the dreaded two page synopsis.

CA: Why paranormal?

JAK: Paranormal is more normal for me than it isn’t.  I’ve been interested in the metaphysical, spiritual, and paranormal my entire life. I even tried to learn how to read tarot cards when I was around ten years old — by the way — I’m not very good at it. I loved playing with the pendulum and going to the metaphysical store when I was a kid and it never really stop appealing to me. So when it came to writing, I basically write what I know, but also what I like.

CA: How many books/short stories do you have planned for this series?

JAK: I’m pretty sure there are four books in the series, An Angel Falls. Death Lies Between Us is the first and Angel Dreams is the second. Number three is in the works.

CA: Where would you live, if you could live anywhere in the world?

JAK: I’d like to see more of the world first, and then I’ll have to get back to you. But I would like to add that Europe is at the top of the list. I love the history and the architecture.

CA: Name 3 simple joys in your life

JAK: Spending time with my family.  Relaxing outdoors — especially near water.  & See’s chocolate. I always feel better after a piece of See’s. It’s the best. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it.

CA: Ooh, I love Sees, too! If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead or fictional, who would it be and where would you go to eat?

JAK:  There are so many fascinating people in history, but for today, I will say Leonardo da Vinci. And I would love to eat a meal with him in his home territory of Florence or Milan. If he was unavailable, I wouldn’t hesitate to sit down with, Aristotle, Yogananda, Saint Francis, Mozart, or Benjamin Franklin.

CA: If you could give just one piece of advice to a writer starting out, what would it be?

JAK: Enjoy it. Life is too short to waste time doing anything you don’t love.

CA: Excellent advice! What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have a Day Job?

JAK: My main job right now is to raise my son. But I also teach yoga and have done so for about ten years.

CA: Wow, I’d love to teach yoga! Name one thing your fans would be surprised to learn about you.

JAK: I’m missing my thumbs.  Nah, I’m just kidding.  Actually my thumbs were my most important tool when I was a deep tissue massage therapist. I had my own practice for years and even though I am only 5 foot 2, I could put a good hurt on just about anyone.

CA: So you’re a massage therapist AND a yoga teacher? Plus a Reiki Master? WOW! Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?

JAK: Thanks for having me, Christine. This has been fun.

CA: Thank YOU, Jody! And now, here’s a bit about her debut book, a YA paranormal romance that is garnering rave reviews on Amazon. Check it out…

Cover of Death Lies Between Us

Saving the life of someone you love should not be the worst thing you have ever done, unless you are an Angel of Death.

Disgruntled with his position in the afterlife and conflicted by his feelings toward his new client, Nathaniel Evans forgoes the rules and saves nineteen year old Juliana Crowson from being hopelessly stuck in Forge Creek. This alters Juliana’s destiny and she finds herself in a series of near death accidents.

In the mountains of Colorado, Nathaniel comforts Juliana as she struggles to understand her paranormal abilities while coping with her brother’s drug addiction. When an ill-tempered Native American Shaman teaches her the difference between ghosts and place memories, she decides she wants nothing to do with the supernatural world. Too bad she doesn’t know that Nathaniel is part of it.

Will fate bring these two together, or has Nathaniel made the biggest mistake of his afterlife?

Bio

Jody A. Kessler enjoys writing paranormal novels and is a member of Pikes Peak Writers.  She is a yoga instructor, Reiki Master, and a graduate from the Colorado Institute of Massage Therapy. When she took an extended leave from her massage practice to stay at home with her newborn she returned to her first true passion —writing. She spends most of her time being a mother, writing, and teaching yoga, but also likes going to concerts, hiking, practicing herbal medicine, and reading anything that catches her interest. Jody lives in the mountains of Colorado with her family.

Click on her website for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card  www.jodyakessler.com

Find her at the below places.

Amazon: DEATH LIES BETWEEN US
Goodreads
Twitter:  @JodyAKessler
Facebook

~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~

~oOo~

Demon Soul and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle and Kobo! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?