Author Guest Post: Kaylee Baldwin Author of All I Want

 Before I Was A Writer

by Kaylee Baldwin

Long before I was a writer, I was a reader.

Even as a child I read anything I could get my hands on, including: the free encyclopedia (A) that a door-to-door salesman gave my family to entice us to buy the series, my mom’s Reader’s Digest magazine (cover to cover every month), and some totally not age-appropriate books I sneaked out of my parents room.

I’ve always loved writing as well, but it wasn’t until about six years ago that I really started to wonder if I could write a book. My husband had just taken a new job and we had to move away from our family and friends. I only had one child and wasn’t working at the time, so while he napped, I wrote.

It was a lot of fun writing that first book. I was really lonely, and my characters really came alive for me. I could make them do whatever I wanted. If I was in the mood to read a certain type of scene, I would just write it. I have strong doubts that the first book I ever wrote (a young adult contemporary, btw) will ever see the light of day, but I learned so much from it.

It was eye opening to me to go from being a reader to a writer. I’d never thought about how much work went into word choice, making sure the story had good pacing, making sure it flowed, answering all the plot questions, giving the plot enough conflict without overloading my characters, and coming up with a satisfying conclusion.

Being a writer has changed me. Everywhere I look, I see story ideas. I make sure I have a notebook or pieces of paper that I can scratch my ideas down on at any given moment so that I won’t forget them. I also find myself reading other books with a more analytical mind. I ask myself questions like: What elements in this story are making me like it so much? Why does the pacing feel fast/slow and what could the author do to change it? I find myself editing the books like I would for a critique partner because I’ve trained my mind to think that way.

When I write, I create. When I read, I escape. I think that all good authors have to be readers as well. We have to make time for other people’s words as well as our own. And although I love writing, and it fills up a part of me that nothing else could, my first love will always be reading.



Author Kaylee Baldwin

I grew up in Mesa, Arizona, and graduated from Arizona State University
with a degree in English literature.

I currently live in southern Arizona with my husband, Jeremy, and our three children. When I am not writing, I enjoy reading, starting new craft projects, and spending time with my family.

Author Links:

Facebook * Website * Twitter

ALL I WANT

Pretty Near Perfect
by Jolene Perry

The last thing Norah needs is to be attracted to anyone – especially in her deceased fiancé's parents' home. Collin’s starting a new career, and has no business getting involved – especially while staying with his roommate’s family, who very kindly offered to take him in for the holidays. Unfortunately, you just don’t always pick the most convenient time and place to fall for someone.

Six Days of Christmas

by Kaylee Baldwin

When Natalie goes home with her best friend for Christmas, she expects plenty of quiet time to work on a winning ad so she can turn her dream internship into her dream job. Instead, she gets time-consuming Christmas festivities, a house full of children, and Jimmy, her best friend’s brother - someone who makes her question everything she’s always thought she wanted.

Twist of Fate
by Rachael Anderson

When a postcard meant for Kenzie winds up in Ty's mailbox, Ty's faced with a decision. Should he tell her that her fiancé is breaking up with her and let it ruin her favorite holiday, or should he do what he’s wanted to do since he met her - make a move and hope that he can win her over before she discovers there won’t be a wedding after all.

Purchase All I Want

Kindle Ebook * Paperback

Tour Schedule

See GIVEAWAY information at Book Blast Giveaway

Guest Post and Giveaway by Suzanne Barrett

I have read eight titles by Suzanne and I have been impressed by the unique plots in each. I asked her to share how she comes up with such different ideas.

 Coming Up With New Romance Plots: What Moves Me
by Suzanne Barrett

Why do I write the stories I do?  Each of my books is set in a different location with a protagonist engaged in an unusual activity.  My interest in England and Ireland fueled several stories:  TAMING ROWAN is set in England’s Cumbria; IN LOVE AND WAR is set in County Waterford.  SIERRA BRIDE is a historical with an Irish immigrant heroine, set in Eastern California near where I lived as a girl.

AN IRISH ROGUE is set in my home town of Santa Cruz, California.  LATE HARVEST explores the Mendocino wine country.  I’m currently working on another wine country story, INDECENT PROPOSAL, again set in my home town.  (Wine country, wine-making, and the Santa Cruz Mountains are of particular interest to me.)
 

I love the tortured hero.  It is satisfying to watch him stumble and pick himself up again and again until he finally has his light-bulb moment and realizes that what holds him back from achieving his goal is … himself.  I empathize with a heroine who also has baggage but is, underneath it all, an honorable person.
 
For me, reading fiction is an escape.  I want my protagonists to struggle to achieve their happy ending.  I want to see character growth that makes them worthy of their goals.
 
A character may have a less-than-honorable beginning, but to satisfy the romantic in me, he or she must have a moment of truth that changes everything once thought correct and sets him/her on a new path.  One of the ways I work to achieve reader empathy with a less-than-wholesome character is to show the mental push-pull going on.  If my heroine acts like a twit, she’d better have an inner voice questioning her behavior.  I think this helps a reader relate to someone who behaves badly because she then knows that character is acting “out of character.”

Settings and character traits do not make a story new, but if an author can fully engage her reader with likable protagonists and also create a unique setting, that story can be a classic and still feel fresh and exciting.
 
I used this technique in TAMING ROWAN, a story about a project engineer, an alpha male who lays down a “no women on site” rule, and a youthful, talented heroine who fights for acceptance.  Pretty standard fare?   However, I made it unique by making the heroine a structural engineer with just the right qualifications for the project.  Then I set the story at a remote antenna installation in northern England.  The dishy but rude British project officer is then forced by circumstances beyond his control to accept the young American.  Add the remote beauty of the Fells, cozy English pubs, wild storms, and an unwanted but undeniable attraction between the hero and heroine and you have the recipe for a romance that isn’t the norm.
 
In LOVING LUKE I have created a wounded warrior, a reclusive photographer who was badly burned in a car crash and now struggles to revive his career and heal emotionally, and a social worker with a tender heart.  Add a high-achieving family to whom she’s the square peg, a quirky gal pal, and a torrential storm that strands the heroine overnight at the hero’s cabin and… well, I’ll let you be the judge.
 
One reviewer said:  “This book hits all my love buttons!  I love the characters, from Jo, the conflicted heroine with the ritzy family, to the even more conflicted hero, Luke Falconer, who’s got demons and guilt and tremendous talent for photography and great heart, which he keeps hidden until it comes to Jo.”
 
I’d like to read your comments on what type of stories hit your love buttons.


About the Author:

Suzanne Barrett
Following a career in engineering, Suzanne has returned to her first love of writing and literature. Born in Southern California, Suzanne, along with her husband and an elderly cat make their home in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Suzanne is also a jewelry designer, and her wirework is shown at various arts and wine events throughout the county. (Visit her jewelry website at www.bellerustique.com.) In addition, she has an Irish travel website with articles, recipes and an extensive photo gallery. When she's not writing or designing jewelry, Suzanne loves to garden.

First published by Kensington Books, Suzanne's first novel for Turquoise Morning Press was Late Harvest a Mendocino California wine country story, followed by her two-time Golden Heart finalist book In Love and War a story set in County Waterford, Ireland.  Taming Rowan is set in England's Cumbria district and one borne of her work in aerospace. She has also released over the past year or so: Gift of the Heart, Sierra Bride, An Irish Rogue, Risking it All, Loving Luke and her most recent release, The Prodigal Lover

Visit Suzanne at:
www.irelandforvisitors.com
www.bellerustique.com
www.suzannebarrett.com
Twitter @suzanneb1441

Giveaway 

of Herringbone Green Jasper Earrings hand made by Suzanne 

and a digital copy of Loving Luke

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for earrings and digital copy:

1. MANDATORY FOR ENTRY: Leave a comment here for Suzanne answering "What type of stories hit your love buttons?"
2. For two additional entries visit the author's website or blog and tell me something you find of interest.
3. For an additional entry comment on my review of Loving Luke or one of my reviews of Suzanne's other titles found through this link. 

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL OR WAY TO CONTACT YOU.
Four total entries possible; separate comments not required.

* This contest is open Worldwide.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on November 2, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on November 3, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.  

Guest Post by Rachael Anderson and Giveaway Links

On Writing Humor

Whether a drama or a suspense or a romance, I'm the type who requires comedic relief in a story. Otherwise I come away more stressed than before, and books and movies are supposed to relieve stress (at least in my mind), not add to it. But when it comes to writing, injecting humor takes work. Your characters have to think humorous thoughts, say humorous things, and put themselves in humorous situations. And when you're not a natural-born comedian (like me), this isn't as easy as it sounds.

My books aren't slapstick humor. Nor are they the laugh out loud from start to finish type books either. They're just fun. They have funny moments, sad moments, tender moments, frustrating moments, and romantic moments. But I try to write so that the happy/funny moments outweigh all else. It all comes back to that comedic relief I mentioned before. Here's hoping I pulled it off.

Rachael
www.rachaelreneeanderson.com

About the Author:

Rachael Anderson is the author of four contemporary romances: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four, can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Links:
FB fan page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachael-Anderson/174521852685105
Website:
http://rachaelreneeanderson.blogspot.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/rachaelreneeand
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3229576.Rachael_Renee_Anderson
Amazon author page:
http://www.amazon.com/Rachael-Renee-Anderson/e/B003357K70/

http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/p/blog-tour.htm

Giveaway Details:

Tour Giveaway (shared rafflecopter for entry) - October 1st to 31st:
-Grand Prize
    Print copy of The Reluctant Bachelorette (Ebook for International winner)
    $15 Amazon Gift Card
    Copy of the DVD Sneakers (US only)
-Print copy of The Reluctant Bachelorette
-3 Kindle Ebook Copy of The Reluctant Bachelorette

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget the Book Blast Giveaway too - see the post here.

$50 Amazon Gift Code compliments of Author Rachael Renee Anderson

OPEN WORLDWIDE.  Ends 10/31/12

You can see more guest posts and reviews along the full blog tour found here.

Guest Post by Grace Brannigan, Author of Once Upon a Remembrance

Sharing Background on Once Upon a Remembrance

 From Grace's website:

Women of Strength trilogy, 6 members of one extended family bounding through time, encountering all kinds of  twists and turns ~ to finding love!

Back in the 1980's  and 1990's I began reading what for me was a new type of book, time travel romances. Constance O'Day-Flannery and Jude Devereaux. After reading A Knight in Shining Armor I found myself hooked on the genre. I absolutely loved the time travel idea in a romance story and decided to write my own unique time travel. The idea for Once Upon a Remembrance was born in small degrees. The original version was over 100,000 words and I decided to pare it down, edit certain scenes out, until I had the finished product of today. I enjoy placing my heroines in difficult situations that they must use their wits to figure out how to survive and flourish. Imagine being dropped in an earlier century. Imagine the confusion this would cause when everything familiar in your life is swept away!

Isabeau is a modern woman from the present time who is thrust into an earlier time. Hawk Morgan, a man from that past era, is in danger from an unknown killer. Complicating matters is his memory loss stemming from a brutal attack on him several months before Isabeau arrives. I love the South, so I placed them in the 1890's Virigina in the James River area.

Isabeau tries to unravel the mystery of how she ended up in the past, but all she knows for sure is that somehow she was summoned by means of a "devil board", a variation on a modern day Ouija Board. As Isabeau tries to help Hawk discover who is intent on killing him, she begins to care deeply for this man. What she doesn't know is that Hawk has secrets of his own, but they're locked inside his memory loss.

I love creating twists and turns in plots, internal angst and casting doubt on the character's motives. However, one thing my main characters try to do through the story is act with integrity. If you enjoy paranormal elements mixed with romance, a harkening back to manners and simpler times of the past, you just might enjoy Once Upon a Remembrance. Thank you.
Grace Brannigan

FIND GRACE:
Web: http://www.GraceBrannigan.com
Blog: http://www.GraceBrannigan.wordpress.com
Twitter: GBranniganWritr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Brannigan-Author/276643815751843?ref=hl

Book Available:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Remembrance-Women-Strength-Travel-ebook/dp/B008WBSWY0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345064916&sr=8-1&keywords=once+upon+a+remembrance
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/213939

 Bio: Grace Brannigan lives in the Catskill Mountains. She has been writing in one format or another as long as she can remember. She has made her books in various genre available as an indie author since the 1990's. She's a swing dancer and artist, painting custom shoes or barn murals and loves to hike in the mountains where she lives.

Grace writes about strong women facing life altering issues and the men who love them. Her Women of Character series are 4 stand alone contemporary romances: Echoes from the Past, Once and Always, Heartstealer and Wishing on a Rodeo Moon, all available as ebook at Smashwords and Kindle.


The Women of Strength series is a paranormal/time travel trilogy, Once Upon a Remembrance, Book 1, out now! Book 2 Soulmates Through Time (coming late 2012) and Book 3 Treasure So Rare (coming in 2013).

Check out my Review Post and the Giveaway. Blog Tour through Lace and Lavender Book tour.

Guest Post: The Winds of Change by Amelia Grey

I happened to note that Ms. Grey has been writing romance for over twenty years and of course I have been reading romance for longer than that. ;-)  I am so pleased to share her thoughts on this subject that many of us can relate to! See the section in blue below to see how you can comment to win a copy of A Little Mischief.

The Winds of Change

Good morning! Thank you for having me today at Martha’s Bookshelf. I’m thrilled to be here with you to share my thoughts on how the romance writing industry has changed over the past twenty years.

I published my first book in 1990 so I’ve been around to see many changes in the past twenty plus years. There were less than three thousand members of Romance Writers of America when I started writing and I think there are over ten thousand now. Romantic Times was published like a newspaper not the slick magazine it is today. Conferences were small and big names like Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts were not only there, they gave workshops. You could even take a recorder into the workshops and tape them. Now you have to buy the dvd from RWA, if the author allows it to be recorded. Some don’t.

I think Romantic Times deserves the credit for helping authors learn how to promote their books. Brenda Joyce was the pioneer of self-promotion with her "hunk" bookmarks and splashy RT ades. To use today’s terminology, they went viral and set the bar for authors to compete with that caliber of promotion and thus began the years of mailing "flyers" and bookmarks to fans, bookstores, and other authors. That led to adding workshops on how to promote along with the ones on how to plot, create sexual tension write in the active voice. I think most publishers now expect authors to take a more vital and active role in the publishing and promoting their books.

 Back in the 1980s and 90s, everyone wanted to publish with major publishers. We felt we had made it if our books were in Walmart, the airport, and the grocery store. Now, with the birth of the e-book, there’s a whole new competitiveness. The 90s held a revolutionary self-promo tool that would change the face of publishing forever: The Internet. For the first time, romance authors could go online and talk to other romance writers and post on bulletin boards. You were no long home alone, with your thoughts and plot. You could post questions, inter-act with other authors, hook up with people who shared your same interest. Authors and writers’ groups initiated "loops" for members to chat with each other and with their fans. The internet was transforming in how readers and writers connected. 

By the 2000s publishers started taking notice of erotica books because of e-publishers such as Ellora’s Cave. Suddenly there were sexier and more graphic romance books. Many authors today aren’t even going to the traditional publishers to be published in print. They are saying, “I’ll just publish it myself,” and are going straight to e-books. Many are doing well. Recently there have been notable successes from authors who have retained their backlist and reissued them online as e-books. 

So in my opinion, the romance genre has changed greatly from its infancy in the early 1980s, and I can hardly wait to see what the future holds for the romance writing industry.

For a chance to win a copy of my latest book, the re-issue of A Little Mischief, tell me if you think I left out any of the major changes on how the romance industry has changed over the past twenty years? 

This giveaway will close 10PM on August 24, 2012. I will pick a winner with Random.org and announce on August 25, 2012.

I hope you’ll pick up a copy of the reissue of A Little Mischief if you missed it when it was first published in 2003. It won the Booksellers Best Award and Aspen Gold Award for best Historical.

I love to hear from readers! Please email me at ameliagrey@comcast.net, follow me at Facebook.com/ameliagreybooks, or visit my website at ameliagrey.com

Guest Post by Mary Wine, Author of A Lady Can Never Be too Curious

Good Morning!

It’s great to be blogging today and doubly so because I’m really excited about ‘A Lady Can Never be too Curious’. When I first began to tinker with the idea of writing a Steam Punk, I found myself diving into history. 

History is full of odd and often curious things. After all, we humans have always enjoyed being entertained, so it stands to reason that many of our ancestors had crazy ideas of how to blow off steam. In the Victorian era, science was advancing, providing living comforts such as gas lights and violas. Today, with our iPods, a record player which needs to be hand cranked might seem like very small comfort but if you’ve ever been out camping without anything but the wind, you’ll understand that having music at your fingertips was just as wonderful to the Victorians as an iPod to our teenagers.

I love my iPod too.

But constructing a book from research is a little more complicated. I am still a romance author and needed a great story. Steam Punk is a fiction and yet, oddly based in a bit of fact. There were people who believed steam powered engines were the future. Gasoline was a byproduct and proved to be far less expensive.

Still, I was fascinated by the idea of creating a portion of society that tinkered with steam powered machines. In a way, a bit like the Masons. A society, within the Victorian society, with secret rules and an oath of allegiance. Let’s add to that a very curious young lady, brought up among the rules of Victorian society. Part of me wanted to give her a place to go where her gender didn’t prevent her from following her dreams wherever they might take her.

My Illuminist are people of science. I say people because gender isn’t considered. Anyone may join, so long as they can pass the entrance exam. But just like in Victorian society, you are either one thing or another and once you accept the lapel pin of the Illuminist Order, upper society will shun you.

I hear a lot of readers asking just what Steam Punk is and the short definition is ‘Victorian Sci-fi’.  At its core, A Lady Can Never be too Curious, is still a great historical read and a wonderful romance. I hope you’ll consider giving it a try. Pop over to my website, MaryWine.com, for an excerpt.

Cheers!

Mary Wine

MaryWine.com

MaryWine_author   Twitter

Guest Post: Knowing Your Story by Kaylin McFarren

Knowing Your Story

Guest Post shared by Kayling McFarren

I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way to write effectively about a subject matter you know very little about is to hit the stacks in the library, conduct interviews, read articles, watch documentaries and utilize the internet for pertinent information.  However, I’ve also discovered the best resource for creating dialogue, drama and memorable places is the environment we live in or just happen to visit. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate in being able to travel and have encountered multitudes of diverse personalities from all walks of life. Some of my vacations have taken me to third world countries where the distinct separation of classes ranged from waterway slums to block-long mansions. I’ve witnessed the birth of a child, the death of a parent and brother, missed opportunities and devastation resulting from unforeseen bankruptcy.In my lifetime, I’ve stood at graves, next to hospital beds, had many close calls and nearly drowned as a child. This is the stuff that makes great stories come to life – that turns them into real, compelling novels.

Recently it’s become my practice to keep a notebook handy as the best conversations occur in the most unlikely places. I might be traveling in a mass transit train, drinking in a pub or or standing in line at Safeway when aremarkable phrase or clever line is dropped, and I realize what a great addition it would make to that story percolating in my brain. When the moment finally presents itself, the scribbled note is right there at the end of my fingertips, begging for the right character to utter those words.  So the best piece of advice for knowing your story is simply to keep your thoughts in books, your ears peeled and your options always open.

About the Author:
As many people know, Kaylin McFarren wasn’t born with a pen in hand like so many of her talented fellow authors. However, she has been involved with business and personal writing projects for many years. Her careers have taken her in all directions, ranging from fashion modeling and interior design to office manager and art gallery director. Yet her love of reading and interest in creative writing has remained ever present. As a result of her tapping into her imagination and utilizing her own life experiences, she has earned more than a dozen literary awards. Her first novel, Flaherty’s Crossing was a 2008 finalist in the prestigious RWA® Golden Heart contest and her second book, Severed Threads, has already garnered two first place awards.
Kaylin is a member of RWA, Rose City Romance Writers, and Willamette Writers. She received her AA in Literature at Highline Community College, which originally sparked her passion for writing. In her free time, she also enjoys giving back to the community through participation and support of various educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and is currently the president of the Soulful Giving Foundation – a non-profit she and her husband formed to fund expanded research, and the care and treatment of cancer patients and their families.
Her latest book is a romantic suspense titled Severed Threads.
You can visit Kaylin online at www.KaylinMcFarren.com.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/4kaylin
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kaylin.mcfarren
Blog: http://kaylinmcfarren.wordpress.com/
About the Book:
Believing herself responsible for her father’s fatal diving accident, Rachel Lyons has withdrawn from the world and assumed a safe position at a foundation office. When called upon by a museum director to assist her former love interest with the recovery of a cursed relic from a sunken Chinese merchant ship, she has no intention of cooperating – until her brother is kidnapped by a drug-dealing gangster. In order to save him and gain control over her own life, Rachel must not only overcome her greatest fears, but also relive the circumstances that lead to her father’s death.

Guest Post and Interview With Ray Gorham, Author of 77 Days In September

Living With Your Editor

As I came to the conclusion of the second draft of my book, I decided I had probably better have someone with better English skills than myself do a little bit of editing.  In school I had always been a good reader and decent speller, and strong in math and science, but for some reason the rules of English, beyond the basics, never made sense to me.  Fortunately, I have a very talented wife.

Feeling pretty good about my book, I approached her with a 2” stack of paper (I had managed to talk her into editing).   “Prepare to be amazed,” I said (or something equally witty, I’m sure).  She stuck her hand out for the manuscript.  “I’m pretty busy, but I’ll get to it as soon as I can,” she replied.  From the expression on her face, I could tell she wasn’t expecting to be amazed.

Being in need of affirmation after such a long project, I was very anxious to get her feedback.  It was probably only a week, but it seemed like a month before she announced she had the first chapter done.  I eagerly snatched the papers from her hand, expecting to see smiley faces on each page, an occasional missing comma fixed, and a mushy love note at the end of the chapter telling me how wonderful my writing was and how glad she was she married me.

She turned to go make dinner and missed seeing my legs buckle as I glanced down at the first page.  Red ink everywhere!  I stumbled to the bedroom and fell into my writing chair.  With shaking hands I fanned through the 20 or so pages in my hand, more red than black.  My head spun.  I had thought my wife was pretty smart, now I wasn’t so sure. 

Commas, apostrophes, possessives, verbiage, wording—you name it, she nailed me on it.  I opened the document on my computer and started making corrections.  Okay, maybe I need a comma there.  I guess that word fits better.  I’ll trust you on this one.  By the end of the night the first chapter was done, and it was looking and sounding quite a bit better than it had hours earlier.

We did make it through the book, and the final product is much, much better than my original version.  We liked the process so much that we went through it two more times for the book (just kidding about the like part).  In my defense, I can proudly report that there were some pages towards the end of the book that didn’t need any editing, but they were few and far between.

I learned a few things from the process.  A second set of eyes on your work is essential, because no matter how thorough you think you’ve been, you’ll miss a ton.  Editing isn’t personal.  Rules are rules, and no matter how good I think something is, it needs to be said the right way.  Also, English can be learned—she’s been through part of my second book and has commented that I’ve improved greatly on the technical side of writing (hooray for me!).

Finally, I’ve realized why we never hear about people falling in love with their editor.  Agent?  Yes.  Bodyguard?  Yes.  Backup dancer?  Yes.  Director?  Yes.  Fans?  Yes.  Editor?  Not on your life.  I don’t think it is humanly possible to fall madly in love with someone who points out everything you do wrong.  Fortunately for me, I had fallen in love with her years before, so we didn’t have that hurdle to cross.  So my life, and my writing, is much better for it.

INTERVIEW WITH RAY GORHAM:

Welcome today to Ray Gorham visiting with me at Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf.

Hello Ray -

I thought your guest post was figurative until I read it and realized it was literal. That is great to have such support and assistance.

I have to tell you that I remember reading Alas Babylon back in the 1970s and I listened to it on Audible last year.  I enjoyed reading 77 Days in September as an updated perspective on an EMP attack against America through a very engaging story.

Q1.  What inspired you to write this particular story? 

RG: I had wanted to write a book for some time, but was tired of so many books with characters who were not moral people.  I don’t want saints, just people who try to do the right thing, even when it is really difficult.  In this story, I wanted to have people who, in the most difficult situation I could imagine, hold on to their decency, and try and do what’s right.

I very much appreciated the real characters you created and the morality aspects of your story.  

Q2.  What is the biggest obstacle you have to overcome when you want to write?

RG:  Finding the time to do it.  I have several ideas for books that I think could be quite enjoyable, but between work and family I don’t have the time I need to write.  I need to learn to do with less sleep I think, or things will never get done.

I can so relate to that problem. 

Q3.  Can you please share one thing you found surprising or unusual when researching or writing 77 Days in September?

RG:  The trigger in the story is an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP).  I found a report online that was prepared for congress a few years back, and reading their assessment of what would happen in with a low level EMP was way scary.  Most experts predict a mortality rate of over 50% for the entire population after the first year, and yet it is something we never hear about.  I ended up wanting to warn people as much as I wanted to entertain them.  Hopefully the book will inspire some people to become more prepared.

I agree that this is a threat that we tend to overlook or downplay.

Q4.  Do your work career/hobbies/interests influence your writing?

RG:  It’s not really a hobby, but I like to think about life, and God, and people, and some of my reflections come out in the characters and their conversations.  I thought I kept it pretty light, but there have been a few negative reviews referencing those sections.  Oh well, could be worse, I guess.

I was actually a little disappointed you did not include more faith in the ending of the story. Overall though I thought the tone was balanced.

Q5. What are some of the best tips you’ve received on writing and what one tip would you pass on to new authors?

RG:  It’s not really a tip, but I have Steven King’s book, On Writing, on audio book.  I’ve listened to it about three times and it helped give me the confidence I could do it.  In it, he compared writing a story to unearthing a dinosaur, said the writer does the digging and simply uncovers what is there.  It sounds kind of weird, but it worked for me.  For advice, I’d just say sit down and do it, but don’t expect a payback.  I’ve been pretty lucky, but most writers make next to nothing from their efforts. 

I am glad you are pleased with your efforts as I do think you are right that writing is a lot of work often with little monetary return.

Q6.  What do you normally read and what are you reading now? 

RG:  I like history and non-fiction.  I’m currently reading “How the Irish Saved Civilization,” by Thomas Cahill.  I also like Colleen McCulloch’s Masters of Rome series.  I really wish I had more time to read (and write, as well).

Thank you for sharing with my blog readers and me.

RG:  Greatly appreciate your time and interest. 

Find Ray and his book at these links:

http://www.facebook.com/ray.gorham

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/77-Days-In-September/192933520729507

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/67990

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/77-Days-in-September-ebook/dp/B0052T1O6S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312412424&sr=8-1

Magical Creatures - Guest Post by Marsha A. Moore, Author of Seeking a Scribe; Tour Giveaway

Four Chinese Animals/Elements of Creation—Four Guardians of the Enchanted Bookstore Legends

by Marsha A. Moore

My series, Enchanted Bookstore Legends, has two worlds, reality and a parallel fantasy world called Dragonspeir. The organization of magical power and leadership in that land is based upon the balanced system of the four Chinese elements of creation: earth, fire, water, air. Chinese mythology ties those elements to sacred animals that foretell future events. The unicorn is supposed to spring from the center of the earth as the phoenix represents fire, the tortoise water, and the dragon air.

For my legends, I selected those four animals as the four Guardians who collectively govern the Alliance. That is the realm of Dragonspeir which is good and fair, opposing the Dark Realm led by the Black Dragon. My heroine, Lyra McCauley, confronts a quest: save Dragonspeir from destruction by the Black Dragon before he utilizes power of August’s red moon to expand his strength and overthrow the opposing Imperial Dragon. Lyra accepts the challenge. She fears that the wizard she loves, Cullen Drake, will perish if evil wins since his immortality is dependent upon Alliance magic.

The unicorn represents the earth element. From times of the Ming dynasty, the unicorn was specially praised its ability to discriminate between good and evil. It would gore only the wicked with its single horn. Emperor Shun, the first law-giver, employed a minister who had such a beast in his court to do just that. My Guardian Unicorn is very powerful and a tough character, a sort of bad-ass, but fair to a fault. He judges whether Lyra is ready to begin her quest.

The phoenix, a legendary bird with brilliant colors, lived more than one life. It consumed itself by fire periodically, and a new young phoenix sprang from the ashes. In Chinese mythology, the phoenix symbolizes fire. Within its spirit, the Feng Hwang bird contains the balance of the solar Yang and the lunar Yin powers. The phoenix is called the Empress because it represents qualities of beauty and peace. I titled my Phoenix Guardian as the Lady of Peace, appearing only during happy times. She presides over the Meadow of Peace, a quiet collection of villages in the Alliance territory.

The third animal, the tortoise or turtle, represents water and was thought to be a model of the world. Its upper shell curved like the vault of the heavens, its lower shell flat like the Chinese envisioned the Earth at that time. They read the future in the pattern on the tortoise’s shell. The animal is perceived as a symbol of longevity and wisdom. My Tortoise Guardian is in charge of keeping the history of Dragonspeir for the Alliance. He commands a vast library of records and magical documents. Lyra and the higher magical depend on his resources to fight evil.

The dragon, the fourth prophetic animal, was a divine creature that signified wisdom and represented air. For centuries, it was the imperial emblem. The emperor’s throne was called the Dragon Throne and his face was called the Dragon Face. It was said that when an emperor died, he ascended to heaven riding on the back of a dragon. The celestial dragon, T’ien Lung, is sometimes represented as holding up the sky. For these reasons, in the Enchanted Bookstore Legends, I gave my Imperial Dragon the title of Head Guardian. He serves as a wise leader, coordinating the actions of the other three Guardians. In charge of the air element, he is expert in the magic craft of mystic astronomy, reading and gaining power from the stars by using an array of unusual instruments.

Additionally, astrological signs are grouped in a similar manner, according to their dominant elements of earth, fire, water, and air. In my books, residents of Dragonspeir who inherit magical tendencies must learn to utilize their dominant element in order to control and develop their abilities. Lyra, like all Scribes, is born under a fire sign and must learn to communicate with the main star of the Aries constellation—her birthmate star—in order to utilize her vast powers. This is awkward and she must work hard to master the techniques.

These four animals and the elements they represent were believed by the Chinese to make up all of creation. The realm of the fantasy world in the Enchanted Bookstore Legends that is good and fair embraces this balance. From this foundation, I utilized many more ties to Chinese mythology. 

Read more about those in Seeking a Scribe: Enchanted Bookstore Legend One. 

Purchase Now at Amazon for only 99 cents 

Author Bio:

Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Her creativity also spills into watercolor painting and drawing. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transforming into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors. Crazy about cycling, she usually passes the 1,000 mile mark yearly. She is learning kayaking and already addicted. She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and that spiritual quest helps her explore the mystical side of fantasy. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at new stories with toes wiggling in the sand. Every day at the beach is magical!

Website: http://MarshaAMoore.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarshaAMoore
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marshaamooreauthorpage
Fantasy Faction staff page: http://fantasy-faction.com/staff-members?uid=38
Goodreads author page http://www.goodreads.com/marshaamoore
Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/100564214132835514192/posts

Pen Names and Me: Guest Post by Kris DeLake With Giveaway

Pen Names and Me

Kris DeLake

Author of Assassins in Love

     At first, I did it for sheer survival.
     Fifteen years ago, publishers had just started using computers to track book sales. And one thing publishers discovered was this: Some genres sell better than others. Mystery sells better than science fiction. Romance sells better than mystery.
     I’m a greedy little writer. I want to write in every genre—who cares how well the genre sells? I got my start in science fiction as Kristine Kathryn Rusch. So any move to a new genre would be a move up, right?
     Wrong. Editors from other genres would look at my science fiction sales numbers and laugh. Then they’d refuse to buy the new book. So first, I committed a mystery pen name (Kris Nelscott). And then, because that mystery novel was so darn dark, I had to write something funny to make me feel better.
     I wrote my first romance novel, and it was sweet and light and goofy. Enter Kristine Grayson.
     I discovered that I liked having different names. It gave me freedom. It also let my readers know what kind of novel they were going to get. Something unpredictable (but probably science fiction or fantasy in nature)? Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Something dark and brooding, set in the past? Kris Nelscott. Something silly with HEA? Kristine Grayson.
     I have other pen names as well. Some I share with my collaborator/husband Dean Wesley Smith (Sandy Schofield, Kathryn Wesley), and some are secrets, just for me. I have another romance pen name for contemporaries and romantic suspense. That’s Kristine Dexter, who needs to write another novel Real Soon Now.
     Then I wrote a short story called “Drinking Games” for an anthology. I published the story as Kristine Kathryn Rusch because the story is science fiction (kinda) and it’s short.
     What I knew—and the anthology editor didn’t—was that “Drinking Games” is the opening scene to a full novel. One with impossible space travel and non-techy world building. One that focuses not just on the characters (people expect all of my pen names to focus on characters), but on a hot, sexy romance between two unlikely characters.
     Oh, dear. The hardcore science fiction readers would hate the impossible space travel. The sweet-romance-only Kristine Grayson fans would turn away from the hot sex (and [I’m guessing here] the fact that the meet-cute is over a dead body). What to do?
     Simple: I invented another new pen name. And at first, this one was for me. I didn’t want to tell anyone who Kris DeLake was. Then I gave the opening three chapters to some hardcore sf friends of mine. They loved it. And I gave the same three chapters to some romance readers. They loved it.
     So I decided—then and there—to own up to the name. Yep, I’m Kris DeLake and Kristine Dexter and Kristine Grayson and Kris Nelscott and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. And I still have a few secret identities I’m keeping under wraps.

 My Review of Utterly Charming -->

     Guess it’s still a survival strategy for me, but more of a silly survival strategy. I keep thinking I might need a secret identity some day, if my life ever devolves into some kind of world-threatening crisis. And I don’t want anyone to know that’s me.
     Yep. I make things up. Fortunately, I do it for a living. And I have fun with it.
     Just like I had fun with Assassins in Love.
     I hope you do too.

Sourcebooks is nicely offering a copy of the book for giveaway.
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY: 

1. Visit the author's website and tell me something that interests you there. This is required for entry.

2.  For an extra entry, comment on my review of Assassins in Love. (Preceding Post.)

3.  For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

4. For two more entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Five total entries possible.)

THERE WILL BE ONE WINNER.

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.

* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.

* Limit one win per household.

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on March 30, 2012.
The winners will be randomly selected from all entries and announced on March 31 with 72 hours to complete the winners form.