by Christine | 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…
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?
by Christine | Uncategorized, Writer Wednesday
I am an Optimist.
Eleanor H. Porter
Born: December 19, 1868, Littleton
Died: May 21, 1920, Cambridge
Part of the reason may be that I grew up reading and re-reading the Pollyanna books. Eleanor H. Porter wrote the first Pollyanna, and the sequel, Pollyanna Grows Up. Pollyanna went on to have many adventures as first a young married woman, then a mom as well. I learned how a girl could have ideals, and grow up still holding those ideals. The Glad Game wasn’t necessarily something I played in my childhood, but I did learn to look on the bright side of life and keep my focus there. For those of you who haven’t read the book, here’s the cover and the blurb:
Published by L.C. Page; first edition cover, 1913
“Once you start looking for the happy things, you don’t think about the bad ones as much.” That’s the joyful way Pollyanna sees the world: no matter what happens, she plays her “Just Be Glad” game and finds the sunny side of any situation. But when she’s orphaned and forced to live with her rigid Aunt Polly, will high-spirited Pollyanna succeed in melting her Aunt’s cold heart?
My Copies Were From the 1940’s.
The first book was originally published in 1913; my copies were thick ones, bound in blue cloth, with lighter blue lettering, first owned by my mother. The thick paper pages are brown and brittle with age, but I had them on a bookshelf in every house I lived in until fifteen years ago, when bookshelf space was at a premium and my husband asked me, gently, to put away my girlhood books. I still yearn for them and at some point, I will get them out and put them back up on the bookshelf where they belong.
The Pollyanna books continued on, with Harriet Lummis Smith writing books three through six. Elizabeth Borton wrote another five Glad books, as they were called. Pollyanna and her children lived in Mexico, Hollywood, Boston; many of those stories still live inside me. When I think of today’s girls, I think you’d have to get them started early on stories like these; say, around 9, which is when I first delved into the treasure trove of books that my mother had managed to keep from her childhood. The Pollyanna books are sweet, simple, focused on community, helping each other and looking on the bright side. Even as Pollyanna grows, and her troubles grow to adult size, she still holds to community, helping each other, and looking on the bright side. Maybe today’s kids need more flash-bang in their fiction; maybe the books are too old-fashioned; but at this point, they do have a “historical” feel to them, which may serve to catch their interest.
If you have young girls, or nieces, or friends who have young girls, I urge you to introduce them to Pollyanna and the Glad books. Their parents will love you for it, and your influence may well be felt long after the child has grown. (I tried to get my sons to read them; they would have nothing to do with the books!)
Which classic novels did you read as a kid, and that still resonate with you today? I’d love to know!
~ Until the next time, cheers! ~
~oOo~
Demon Soul and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle and Kobo! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?
by Christine | Writer Wednesday, Writing
How We Met
The lovely Dolores Maroney.
I first met Dolores Maroney in 2011, in the corridor of a hotel that hosted the Romantic Times convention in downtown Los Angeles that year. She was standing with Sarah Vance and both of them were members of my local RWA chapter, the Los Angeles Romance Authors. We bonded there in the corridor, none of us really sure where we were going or what we were supposed to be doing. I’d been to plenty of writer’s conferences before, but never any readers conferences. It felt different, but it was also comfortable in that wherever I went, there were people I knew. Since Los Angeles is my home chapter, there were a lot of us there.
Since then, Dolores and I have become great friends. It near broke my heart when she moved back to New Jersey a month ago, but we have vowed to keep in touch and be roomies as much as possible at forthcoming conferences. Okay – now that I’ve given you our background, here’s the interview, lol!
CA: When you first started writing, what made you decide to write a novel?
DM: Honestly? I never set out to be a writer, so it never occurred to me that I could write something else. I was a stay at home mom and an avid reader of romance. My daughters joked that I had read so many I could probably write my own. I took that as a challenge—and guess what? I found out that I could write one!
CA: You have two erotic series out as Roz Lee, a baseball series and one set on a cruise ship. What drew you to writing those books?
DM: Again, I sort of fell into writing erotic romance. I was working on a mainstream contemporary romance when this crazy story idea popped into my head about an erotic themed cruise ship. The story took hold in my head and I decided to write it down, if for no other reason than to get it the heck out of my mind so I could get back to my other stuff. As I wrote, I thought perhaps I had something, but I knew nothing about writing erotic. Lucky for me, Jan Springer was doing an online class at the time. I signed up, crossed my fingers, and threw my excerpts out there for critique. The overwhelming response from Jan and the other class members convinced me I wasn’t wrong. Turns out, I have a bit of talent for writing sexy! Who would have thought it?
CA: Your latest book is under your other name, Dolores Maroney. What drew you to this story, so different from the others?
DM: I consider mainstream contemporary romance to be my roots. As a reader, I’m a big fan of Debbie Macomber, Sherryl Woods, Mariah Stewart, Nora Roberts, Fern Michaels and Robyn Carr. Not that I’ve accomplished it, but I have always wanted to write like they do. The basic idea, drummer for a rock band falls for the daughter of a rock and roll icon, came to me while driving down the freeway listening to the radio. I fell in love with the characters right away and had to tell their story.
CA: Is this latest story going to be a series, or is it a standalone book?
DM: Lost Melody is a standalone book, though I have given thought to populating Willowbrook, TX with a few more interesting people. We shall see.
CA: For a few years, you were living bi-coastal. Part of the year in Southern California, and the other part of the year back east. Now you and the hubs are back east full time. BUT…where would you live, if the two of you could live anywhere in the world?
DM: Well…we’re both originally from Texas so the South holds a lot of appeal for us. Since our daughters have made their homes in South Carolina we’re thinking of possibly retiring somewhere closer to them. For now, we’re happy to be home in our little slice of woods in New Jersey.
CA: Name 3 simple joys in your life.
DM: My family. My friends. A decadent cup of hot chocolate.
CA: Oh man. I KNEW you were my type of people! I’ve got this decadent hot chocolate recipe…anyway. If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead or fictional, who would it be and where would you go to eat?
DM: I think it would be fascinating to speak with Ralph Waldo Emerson. Maybe we could go to the food court at the mall. I’d love to see what he would have to say about that!
CA: Ooh, good choice! Emerson. I’d love to drop by and share a meal with you guys! If you could give just one piece of advice to a writer starting out, what would it be?
DM: Finish it. Many aspiring authors abandon their manuscript because it isn’t perfect. They end up with a library full of partial work—and nothing complete. There’s no such thing as a perfect manuscript, but you can’t fix something you haven’t written. So write it. Finish it. Fix it. Or, in the case of my first manuscript, bury it where no one will ever see it! LOL Yep, it’s a pile of dung. But I finished it. I told the story from beginning to end—I just did it poorly. But once I had typed those wonderful last words, the end, I knew I could write another one—and the next one would be better.
CA: It seems like every time I see you on Facebook, you’re just about to get to writing. Surely you don’t write ALL the time…What are the things you like to do you do when you’re not writing?
DM: I read—a lot. I also like to haunt antique stores and flea markets. And when spring gets here, I’ll be out in the yard trying to coax some things to grow—emphasis on the word coax. I have zero talent for gardening, but I love flowers so I keep trying. The garden stores just love to see me coming!
CA: Oh, me too…Name one thing your fans would be surprised to learn about you.
DM: Oh, gosh. Um…how about this…once upon a time I was an in-home appliance repair technician. Yep. I was one of those folks you called when your kitchen appliances or laundry equipment conked out.
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?
DM: You should know never to give a writer free rein to say anything they want! Just kidding. All I want to say is, it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. Don’t listen to those who would tell you that you can’t. You can—as long as you believe in yourself.
Blurb – Lost Melody
Out of sight, out of mind. That’s what Melody Ravenswood was counting on when she invented a new life for herself as Mel Harper in the small farming community of Willowbrook, Texas. She could be herself, whoever that was. Having long since lost her identity to being the only child and sole beneficiary of a legendary rock and roller, she was finally going to live the normal life she craved – a job, a house, friends and no paparazzi.
Hank Travis is the last thing Mel needs in her new life. The local boy turned rock and roll star’s sexy, won’t take no for an answer pursuit makes her long for a life she has only dreamed of. Before Mel can have the future she wants with Hank, she must confront her past and find the Melody she lost along the way.
Buy links – Lost Melody
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords
About Dolores
Dolores has been married to the same wonderful guy for thirty-three years. They have two lovely daughters and a black lab. She makes her home in the wilds of New Jersey (yes, there are wilds in NJ). A Texan with familial roots that go all the way back to the Republic of Texas, Dolores says you can take the girl out of Texas, but…well, you know the rest.
She’s been a stay-at-home mom for most of her married life – a job she says is under-rated on the difficulty scale. Now that her girls are grown, she’s still available to them anytime, day or night, but she fills her days with writing romance novels and reading.
Dolores is a best-selling, multi-published author of erotic romance under the pseudonym, Roz Lee.
And her erotic books are smoking hot!
Dolores on the Internet
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Thanks so much, Roz, for gracing both my life and my blog today. Sending you tons of hugs honey!
~oOo~
Demon Soul and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle and Kobo! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?
by Christine | Writer Wednesday, Writing
Writer Wednesday with Robena Grant
Writer Wednesday is that day I get the chance to share writer friends with you. Today I’m thrilled to have Robena Grant with me. She’s the author of the Desert Heat series, which includes Unlock the Truth and The Blue Dolphin.
My friend, author Robena Grant.
CA: What made you decide to write a novel?
RG: I took a class at UCLA Extension with my then 18-year-old daughter. I thought it was to learn how to write. I didn’t know I was supposed to be working on a novel. So I ran home and started to write, and that became my first finished manuscript. : )
CA: Wow, what a jolt to the system! What genre do you write in, and why?
RG: I write contemporary romance, but I’m always mixing genres. I like stories about people in the world as I know it, and enjoy the journey that young lovers take, or the leap of faith with the second chance at love from an older heroine. I’ve written women’s fiction, paranormal, romantic suspense, and am now venturing into contemporary romance with a magical realism thread.
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?
RG: Unlock the Truth is Book #1 of the Desert Heat Series, #2 is The Blue Dolphin, and #3: Desert Exposure. I think of them as spin-offs, a series linked by location and secondary characters who clamor to have their story told. The books can be read out of order.
CA: Ooh, very cool. So there’s really no limit on the number of books you could write in that series! Where would you live, if you could live anywhere in the world?
RG: Italy, no France…no, wherever, but I’d want good plumbing, phone, and internet. : )
CA: LOL – I’m totally with you! Italy and France are in my top 5 places, too! Um…Name 3 simple joys in your life.
RG: Hanging out with my adult kids. Drinking a glass of fine red wine. Reading an amazing book.
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?
RG: Ernest Hemingway. We’d go to Aux Deux Magots, on Boulevard St-Germain…not so much for the food but for the espresso and the people watching. Then we’d gossip about everyone.
CA: Wouldn’t that be totally fascinating? And I’m sure he’d be drinking whiskey! If you could give just one piece of advice to a writer starting out, what would it be?
RG: Always be working on something fresh while you’re submitting something you’ve finished.
CA: Excellent advice! What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have a Day Job?
RG: I’m retired from the workforce. Writing is now my full-time job. I volunteer on several committees in my community, like to exercise, attend book club, hang out with friends, take in a movie, or lunch, and travel whenever and wherever I can.
CA: Sounds like an Awesome life! Now…Name one thing your fans would be surprised to learn about you.
RG: I like karaoke, but I can’t sing.
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?
RG: Just to mention that Unlock the Truth and The Blue Dolphin are available for Kindle readers. It’s an Amazon three month exclusive with KDP Select, then in May they will be released in print and all digital formats through Wild Rose Press Publishers. Desert Exposure is TBA, but it will also be released in 2013.
How exciting, to have three novels come out in one year! Let’s take a look at Unlock the Truth.
BLURB: Dena Roman needs closure. Three months ago, her sister’s murdered body was
found in the California desert. When a second body is found at the same site, Dena jeopardizes her public relations position to go undercover and investigate. But falling for the main suspect isn’t part of her plan.
Zeke Cabrera needs help. He sold a portion of his family’s Three C’s Estates to keep his citrus farm afloat, but when bodies are unearthed on the site, he’s suspected of murder. Help comes in the form of a communications expert who makes all the difference in his life and business–and in his heart.
Amidst an attack on her life and run-ins with a cantankerous foreman, Dena digs for the truth, even as she forms a strong bond with Zeke. But can their newly found love survive all the deep secrets hidden at Three C’s Estates?
And The Blue Dolphin:
BLURB: When Debbie Williams discovers a dismembered body in the dumpster behind 
her health spa, she’s determined to find out what happened. As a single parent, she must be sure the town she loves is safe for her daughter. Debbie won’t be deterred by anyone–not even the ruggedly handsome agent on the case who doesn’t appreciate her amateur sleuthing.
After his partner’s body is uncovered, DEA agent Jack Davis vows revenge. But three words shouted over the phone before his partner died–azul, delfin, Almagro–are Jack’s only clues. Even worse, a sexy blonde spa owner refuses to stay out of his investigation, and the chemistry between them is difficult to ignore.
As danger strikes ever closer, Jack and Debbie must figure out what blue dolphins and a small California desert town have to do with a dangerous drug cartel…all while protecting their hearts from an attraction neither can resist.
More About Robena:
Robena Grant is Australian by birth but resides in Southern California. She has two adult children, loves travel, and enjoys writing stories about ordinary women faced with extraordinary circumstances. She may be contacted at: www.robenagrant.com where she blogs on a slice of life on Mondays. Also, FB, Twitter, Google+.
Here’s Robena’s Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/author/robenagrant Go “Like” her – and don’t forget to “Like” her books.
I’m sure Robena will be around today, so feel free to ask her questions!
~oOo~
Demon Soul and Demon Hunt are both available for both the Kindle and Kobo! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?
by Christine | Writer Wednesday, Writing
Today I welcome in mystery writer Marian Lanouette to Writer Wednesday. Enjoy the
interview!
CA: Marian, what made you decide to write a novel?
ML: I’ve written most of my life but recently after open heart surgery I had the opportunity to write full-time while recovering. So instead of short stories or poems, I put the story down on paper I had in my head for years. In two short years I got it published.
CA: Why mystery?
ML: I write mysteries with romantic elements. It’s the puzzle and the steps required to solve a mystery that intrigues me. I love reading a good mystery but I love my romance too. So, both together is a home run.
CA: Ah! Gotcha. I love me the romantic suspense, too. How many books/short stories do you have planned for this series?
ML: So far, I have five books plotted out and started. If they continued to be as well received as If I Fail, A Jake Carrington Mystery, I’ll write as many as my readers want. And as long as I feel I can maintain the integrity of the series.
CA: Where would you live, if you could live anywhere in the world?
ML: I would love to live on a Caribbean Island with a house overlooking the water. I think it would be a great place to write.
CA: Name 3 simple joys in your life.
ML: 1.) My husband and family 2.) Walking outside 3.)Reading
CA: Those are three of my simple joys, too. Well, MY husband and family, of course, not yours. ANYway…If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead or fictional, who would it be and where would you go to eat?
ML: Maxine’s in Paris, since I saw a movie with Audrey Hepburn. I’d love to have dinner with her. Not only did I enjoy her movies but she was a great humanitarian.
CA: I’m an Audrey fan, too. If you could give just one piece of advice to a writer starting out, what would it be?
ML: Ah, it would be research. Research your genre. There are rules. And research the publishers, agents and readers in your genre. I’d also make sure to take some grammar refresher courses and ones on POV. I did both after many rejections. If I did them first I would have saved myself a lot of heartache.
CA: What do you do when you’re not writing?
ML: I walk with my sister, visit with friends, attend writing groups, and last but not least I love to read.
CA: Do you have a Day Job?
ML: No.
CA: Lucky girl! Name one thing your fans would be surprised to learn about you.
ML: In my latest novel, Burn In Hell, A Jake Carrington Mystery, the woman Jake dates works in a crematory. I too worked in a crematory/cemetery for over ten years.
CA: Wow. You must have a million stories to tell! Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?
ML: I just want to let everyone know the Burn in Hell, A Jake Carrington Mystery released on January 18, 2013 from Muse It Up Publishing.
CA: Let’s take a look at the cover.
Blurb:
A botched missing person’s case. A nervous mob boss.
Lt. Jake Carrington’s gut tells him Phil Lucci is being cagey—with good reason. Jake can see this case has been mishandled from the beginning. Sloppy police work? Or does Lucci’s hand reach as far as the WPD? It’s Jake’s job to find the answers.
Then Jake meets Kyra Russell, a woman with an unusual job—she runs the local crematory. Despite the heated attraction between them, Jake becomes more and more suspicious of Kyra. Her gambling problem has already cost her a marriage and custody of her son. More than that, she also happens to be friends with Phil Lucci. Kyra assures Jake that it’s just coincidence, but Jake’s experience and his instincts warn him not to believe in chance. Can Kyra be burning bodies for the mob? If she is, what will Jake do about it?
Marian Lanouette Bio:
One of ten children, Marian took to writing to explore new and adventurous places. While her friends traveled on planes for vacation, Marian traveled in books. With an overactive imagination, it didn’t take long for her to start creating her own characters and stories. If I Fail, A Jake Carrington Mystery that released in 2012, is the first book in the series.
As an avid reader, she discovered mysteries by reading the Daily News as a youngster. Intrigued by the real life crimes, and how the police worked and eventually solved them, ignited her imagination beyond the ordinary.
An English professor marked her final paper with an A, but wrote a note that said, “Well done, though you’re not Virginia Woolf yet, so add a little action to the story.” That one line had her punching up the action in stories to come.
Marian has many plans (books) for Jake Carrington and his crew. She invites you to discover these wonderful characters and share your impressions at: marian.author@gmail.com or www.marianl.com .
You can also find Marian here:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/marian.lanouette
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMarian
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/DnmqRl-J0co
BUY LINK if you are so inclined (and I hope you are!)
The book sounds way cool! Thanks for stopping by, Marian. So folks, what do you think? Do you have any questions for Marian? Let ’em fly! You know I LOVE hearing from you!
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
Demon Soul, Blood Dreams and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?
I am pleased to introduce debut author Jody A. Kessler to you today. Welcome, Jody! Let’s get right to the interview, shall we?
