I’m very pleased to have CJ Snyder with me today.  CJ will be giving one commentor a PDF copy of her latest book, While You Were Dead.  I’ve read it and can tell you it is wonderful.

How did you get started writing?

When I was six I wrote a poem.  My mother said it was extremely good.  As the oldest of four, I took that to mean I was very talented and should pursue a career in writing.  Lol, okay, not really.  I’ve always loved writing and things writing-related i.e. blank pages, office supply stores, freshly sharpened pencils…

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

When I was six, Santa brought me six Nancy Drew mysteries.  I had them all read by New Year’s Day.  When I was 14 I discovered Daphne du Maurier and the die was cast in solid lead.  I write Romantic Suspense.

Tell us about your current series.

The Black Fire series is about a group of men who are sanctioned to do the things no one talks about.  They work as a unit, in the country or out of the country, and they break all the rules.  It’s been fun getting to know them, getting into why they would choose this solitary lifestyle, and then watching them meet their perfect mates.

What move best describes your life?  Why?

American Dreamer.  It’s about a woman who’s married to a man who pats her on the head, but totally disregards her writing.  She wins a contest, flies to Paris, and meets the love of her life.  (Okay, so the Paris part isn’t like my life, and no one has ever tried to kill me but other than that…)

What inspired your latest book?

I brainstormed the Black Fire series with my late husband, and it’s still growing.  A new hero popped up in the middle of Dead Reckoning Book II which will be out later this year.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Whisking away to foreign locales, with dangerous men and beautiful women, all without leaving the safety of my chair.  Oh, wait—that’s reading.  Yep,  that’s what I like most about writing too.  There’s a soul-satisfying thump when all the pieces fall together that’s unlike anything else.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Editing.  Hates it, I does!

What is your next project and when will it be released?

I’ll have Maverick available at Amazon for Valentine’s Day.  It’s finished, just have to convert to kindle.  I’m hard at work on Dead Reckoning, Book II in the Black Fire series.

What is your typical day like?

I work as an office manager, so I have to slide my writing in when I can.  I have a great critique group (We are Scripsi) who keep me motivated and on-track.  I’m a widow with grown children so my free time is pretty much my own.

How much time do you spend promoting your books?

What works best for you?  Facebook, twitter (learning –I’m learning!), and advertising at RomConInc.com have all worked well for me.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I absolutely love it.  You have control.  You don’t have anyone telling you, “but you can’t do it that way.”  Self-publishing lets the reader be the judge.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Everywhere.  The idea for the start of Maverick came to me while I was on the freeway in rush hour traffic.  I grabbed a pencil and jotted notes in between the starts and stops.  Sometimes I’ll dream a scene—usually the black moment scene or a beginning scene.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Find a friend who has already traveled the road and follow her advice! (Thanks, Cynthia!)

Do you have critique partners?

The very best in the whole world.  We’ll be having a blog up in a bit where we’ll take turns blogging about our different worlds.  We are a strange group: historical, outer space, scientific, contemporary hilarity, romantic suspense and criminal minds.  Put it all in a blender and you get us:  We are Scripsi.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

Dark chocolate anything.  Comfort food.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

That’s a trick question, isn’t it?  I must say I’ve killed off a few people I didn’t like in my time, but they wouldn’t recognize themselves.  Fair warning, though…be nice to the lady who kills people in her books.

What is most difficult for you to write?  Characters, conflict or emotions?  Why?

None of the above.  My stories thrive on all three.  The hardest thing for me is to fill in the white space.  The rooms, the scenery—I just don’t think about it when I write the first draft.  It virtually always has to be filled in later, unless it’s a part of the conflict.  In Maverick, there’s a scene where the heroine decides to camp out on the Grand Mesa in eastern Colorado.  She’s utterly unprepared for the quick-moving weather system.  Luckily, the hero is hot on her trail.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

More like a long and winding road.  Just have to say, I’m awfully glad to be at this end of it!

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.   While You Were Dead:  The hero is a sniper with one last job to do.  Sadly, that job will cost him everything.  The heroine had her heart broken when Max disappeared.  When he turns up ten years later, not dead, and with their daughter calling him, “Uncle Max”, she’s astonished and then angry.  When their daughter disappears, they have to work together to unravel the mystery of who and why.  Time is running out.

Maverick:  Maggie Chambers will do anything to save the only family she has left.  Including robbing an FBI agent at gunpoint.  Jack Myles is the best tracker in the country.  He’s been that close to catching Maggie for two years.  Now he’s got her.  Will he turn her in or help her catch the killer who wants her dead?

Dead Reckoning:  Ten years ago, Mykael’s life was destroyed with a single gunshot from a sniper.  Determined to avenge her husband, she’ll stop at nothing to gain the sniper’s secret identity.  Black Fire Intel specialist Ghost has to deal with a woman who knows far too much about their team.  Someone wants her dead.  Can he find out who in time to save her?

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like?

No view.  I live in the basement.  Don’t need a view, because the scene is inside my head.  Out on our deck I have a lovely view of the Rockies, though.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses. 

Max is black and white.  Everything in his life either fits or doesn’t.  Except for Kat.  Trying to get her round curves to fit in his military-square box makes him crazy.  On the plus side, he’s gorgeous and has a heart of absolute gold.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Kat doesn’t know her own strengths.  She’s fought a genetic curse ever since she was ten when her perfectly normal mother was convicted of killing her father.  She doubts herself, except when it comes to protecting her daughter.  She’ll do anything to keep her safe

Available now at Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/While-Were-Dead-Black-ebook/dp/B006PTW9WW/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=gift-cards&ie=UTF8&qid=1325275421&sr=1-1-catcorr

I’m very pleased to have Jennifer Zane on my blog today.  Please leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of her hilarious new romance, Gnome On The Range.

How did you get started writing?

A co-worker and I were discussing how easy it would be to write a romance novel. I said I would do it. It’s not as easy as I thought–to write any genre of book–but I stuck with it. For ten years.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write Contemporary. I like to think of it as Humorous Contemporary with a Mystery. I consider myself lighthearted, but I can’t tell a joke to save my life. Instead, I like to write about life’s hiccups, the things every reader can relate to, and make fun of them.

Tell us about your current series.

I have one book out, so I’ll say it’s the first book in a series! It is set in a small town in Montana. A young widow has two boys. She works at her mother-in-law’s adult store and has a hot new neighbor. She and her children buy two ceramic garden gnomes at a garage sale. Someone wants the gnomes back and is willing to kill for them. Between an eccentric mother-in-law, a hot neighbor, two kids and someone trying to kill her, life is pretty crazy!

What move best describes your life?  Why?

Calm. In comparison to my heroine, life is pretty dull! Although, I dare to find anyone with similar challenges to Jane!

What inspired your latest book?

I lived in Montana for five years. The book is loosely–very loosely–based on my time there, people I met, things my children did.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Making myself laugh.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Proofing. Yuck.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

I’m contemplating my next book–to really make a series!–set in Montana. This time it will be set in the dead of winter, a completely different set of problems come up when it’s -10.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Some ideas are from life experience. Yes, my son really did get his arm stuck. Not sharing the details here, you have to read the book.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Do it. There’s nothing to lose.

Do you have critique partners?

Yes! Each has a completely different genre and writing style so we’re great for each other. Couldn’t write without their support.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

Anything I don’t have to cook myself. Put it in front of me and I’ll eat it.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

There is very high chance of recognizing a nuance of yourself, although I never use someone in their entirety.

What is most difficult for you to write?  Characters, conflict or emotions?  Why?

Fear. I always wonder if they’re scared enough.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

Ever have buyer’s remorse? Jane does. For some reason, the ceramic garden gnomes she bought for her two kids have turned her life upside down. Someone wants them, and will kill to get them. She’s next. Attempts on her life are nothing compared to dealing with two crazy kids, a crazier mother-in-law who meddles, and a hot neighbor.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

He’s a former soldier who’s done some tours in scary places and settles into life back in Montana as a fireman–and Jane’s new neighbor. He’s protective, down-to-earth and wise. But his time fighting the bad guys of the world forces him to keep those he cares about at arm’s length, afraid they might get hurt, or worse.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Jane’s a widow who works in her mother-in-law’s adult store. She has two young boys. She’s an incredible mother, devoting her energy to her kids. But she has no life of her own since her cheating husband died–and even before then. It’s time she discovers who she is as a woman–and Ty’s going to help!

Excerpt:

“I’m not sure which one I want. I didn’t realize there were so many choices!”

The woman wasn’t on the hunt for a new car or juice boxes at the grocery store. Nope. She wanted a dildo. I called her type a Waffler. Someone who contemplated all options before even attempting to make a choice. Because of Miss Waffler, I had ten different dildo models spread out across the counter. Glass, silicone, jelly and battery powered. She needed help.

That’s where I came in. My name is Jane West and I run Goldilocks, the adult store my mother-in-law opened back in the seventies. Story goes she named it after the fairytale character when a mother bear and her two cubs walked down Willson right in front of the store the week before it opened. She called it fate. Or it could have been because her name is Goldie, so it made sense. I started working for her when my husband died, a temporary arrangement that helped her out. Three years later, things had turned long-term temporary.

The store was tasteful considering the offerings. The walls were a fresh white, shelves and displays just like you’d find at the typical department store. Then tasteful made way for tacky. Gold toned industrial carpet like you’d see in Vegas, a photo of a naked woman sprawled artfully across a bearskin rug over the counter. A sixties chandelier graced the meager entry. Goldie had to put her unique stamp on things somehow. It wasn’t a big store, just one room with a storage area and bathroom in back. Whatever she didn’t have in stock—although you’d be amazed at the selection Goldie offered in such a small space—we ordered in.   Montanans were patient shoppers. With few options store-wise in Bozeman, most people ordered everything but the basics from the Internet. There’s one Walmart, one Target, one Old Navy. Only one of everything. In a big city, if you drove two miles you came across a repeat store. Urban sprawl at its finest. Not here, although there were two sets of Golden Arches. One in town and one off the highway for the tourists who needed a Big Mac on the way to Yellowstone. The anchor store of the town’s only mall was a chain bookstore. No Nordstrom or Bass Pro Shop out here. You shopped local or you went home.

In the case of the woman in front of me, I wished she’d just go home.

Don’t get me wrong, I liked helping people and I’m comfortable talking sex toys with anyone. But this time was definitely different. Big time.

Behind Miss Waffler stood a fireman. A really attractive, tall, well muscled one wearing a Bozeman Fire T-shirt and navy pants. Can you say hot? A hot man in uniform? Yup, it was a cliché, but this one was dead-on accurate. He’d come in while I was comparing the various dildo models before I went into the perks of having rotation for best female stimulation. The first time.

“Can you explain the features of each one again?” Miss Waffler had her fingers on the edge of the glass counter as if she were afraid to touch them. Petite, she was slim to the point of anorexic. Her rough voice said smoker, at least a pack a day. Her skin was weathered, either from cigarettes or the Montana weather, and wrinkles had taken over her face. She’d be pretty if she ate something and kicked the habit.

I gave her my best fake smile. “Sure.”

I darted a glance at the fireman over the woman’s shoulder. Sandy hair trimmed military short, blue eyes, strong features. Thirties. A great smile. He seemed perfectly content to wait his turn. If the humorous glint in his eye and the way he bit his lip, most likely to keep from smiling, was any indication, he was clearly enjoying himself. A radio squawked on his belt and he turned it down. Obviously my lesson on sexual aids was more important than a five-alarm fire.

Miss Waffler was completely oblivious of, and unaffected by, the fireman. I now knew why she wanted a dildo. I picked up a bright blue model. “This one is battery powered and vibrates. Three settings. Good for clitoral stimulation.” I put it down and picked up another. “This one is glass. No batteries, so it’s meant for penetration. The best thing about it is you can put it in the freezer or warm it and it provides a varied experience.”

The woman made some ah sounds as I gave the details. I went through all the possibilities with her one at a time. I got to the tenth and final model. “This one is obviously realistic. It’s actually molded from the erect penis of a porn star. It’s made of silicone and has suction cups on the base.”

Fireman peered over the woman’s shoulder as I suction cupped the dildo to the glass counter. Thwap.

“You can attach it to a piece of furniture if you want to keep your hands free.”

Both fireman and Miss Waffler nodded their heads as if they could picture what I was talking about. “I’ll take that one,” she said as she pointed to number ten. The eight inch Whopper Dong.

“Good choice.”

I rang up Miss Waffler’s purchase and she happily went off to take care of business.

And there he was. Mr. Fireman. And me. And dildo display made three.

“Um…thanks for waiting.” I tucked my curly hair behind an ear.

“Sure. You learn something new every day.” He smiled. Not just with his mouth, but with his eyes. Very blue eyes.

Right there, in the middle of my mother-in-law’s sex store, dildos and all, there was a spring thaw in my libido. It had long since gone as cold as Montana in January. Who could have blamed it with all of my dead husband’s shenanigans? But right then I felt my heart rate go up, my palms sweat from nerves. The fireman didn’t seem the least bit phased by my little sex toy talk. I, on the other hand, was having a hot flash like a menopausal woman just looking at him.

“I’m Jane. What can I help you with today?” Hi, I’m Jane. I’m thirty-three. I like hiking in the mountains, cross-country skiing, I’m a Scorpio, and I want to rip that uniform off your hot body. I wiped my sweaty palms on my shorts.

He laughed and held out his hand. His grip was firm, his skin warm and a little rough. “Ty. Thanks, but no toys for me.” A pager beeped. He looked at it briefly and ignored it.

“Don’t you need to answer that? A fire or something?” I asked.

“Cat up a tree,” he joked.

I laughed, and heard my nerves in it. I took a deep breath to try and calm my racing heart. It didn’t work. All it did was make me discover how good he smelled. It wasn’t heavy cologne. Soap maybe. I didn’t really care if it was deodorant. He smelled fabulous.

“Actually, it was for station two. I’m here for your fire safety inspection.” He placed papers on the counter. Had he been holding them all this time? I hadn’t noticed. For the next fifteen minutes we went over fire inspection paperwork with an elephant in the room the shape of a dildo.

Ready for more? Get Gnome On The Range at Amazon!

Please join me in welcoming Michele Drier to my blog today.  Leave a comment for a chance to win a free book.
1. How did you get started writing?
Years (and years) ago I snagged a job as a staff writer with the San Jose Mercury-News. That was at a time when almost every reporter had an unfinished novel in his (mostly) drawer. I didn’t, but pined for a time when I, too, could say I was writing a novel! Fast forward a few decades and I realized if I was ever gong to, it had to START. So about five years ago a took a manuscript for a mystery and put it (and me) in the hands of a writing coach.
2. What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I’m writing in mystery and paranormal romance. My mystery series centers on Amy Hobbes, a newspaper editor (duh!) who always wonders why something happened. Much of this series is pulled from my experiences as a Metro Editor for dailies. The paranormal romance, the SNAP series, is just pure fun! Again, the protag, Maxie Gwenoch, is in journalism, but now it’s international celebrity gossip. And she works for a multinational conglomerate owned by a family…of vampires. This began because my daughter and son-in-law read paranormal and they kept bugging me to write some!
3. Tell us about your current series.
The SNAP series follows Maxie as she struggles with maintaining her own persona and career against the growing allure of the vampires, particularly Jean-Louis, both a co-worker and second-in-command of the Kandesky family. The second book, which I’m just finishing, is SNAP: New Talent and is set against the growing cash-rich culture of the Russian oligarchs. There’s a third book and I also have two back-story novellas about the Kandeskys planned.
4. What move best describes your life? Why?
Wow, probably the verb “move”. I’ m one of those people who needs change…new towns, new loves, news careers. I get very cranky when I’m stuck in a routine.
5. What inspired your latest book?
My daughter and son-in-law. They said “write about the paranormal”. I said, “I don’t know anything about it.” They said, “Walk into a bookstore and see how much space it takes up.” So I did, and they were right, the whole paranormal/fantasy genre was exploding. I don’t do graphic violence or sex, so a light-hearted take on vampire-regular relations seemed the best way to go.
6. What is your favorite part of writing?
Dreaming up plots, subplots, scenes. Boy, what I wouldn’t give to run into someone like Jean-Louis, vampire or no.
7. What is your least favorite part of writing?
Hah, writing! It’s always hard to find all the time I’d like. Actually, no, my least favorite part is marketing. Once you’ve told this great story, one that makes you laugh or cry even when you know what’s coming, then you have to go out and beg people to buy it. No wonder Van Gogh was mad!
8 What is your next project and when will it be released?
The next project is the second of the SNAP series, SNAP: New Talent, and it will be released this winter, probably the first part of March.
9. What is your typical day like?
On good days, I’m sitting at the computer by about 9 a.m., reading email, checking FaceBook, checking Twitter. I do the absolute minimum of housework to keep the “Hoarders” crew at bay, then I put in about four or five hours of plotting, writing, editing. There are lots of days I also have my granddaughters, so I try to relax and just enjoy it…living in the moment, like they do. My goal is to average 10,000 words a week, but I don’t always make that.
10. How much time do you spend promoting your books? What works best for you?
Because I’m new and unknown, I spend WAY too much time promoting my books. I’m probably spending about three hours every day trying to connect with people. I just called my insurance agent to pay my bill and convinced her to buy SNAP! I still don’t know what works best, but guest blogs and interviews seem to have an impact. I picked up a fan in Australia through an interview.
11. How has your experience with self-publishing been?
I love it! My mystery, Edited for Death, was published by a small press. They were wonderful to work with and I’m thrilled at the way the book turned out, but I have no way of tracking sales or seeing any trends in term of what worked, or didn’t, in marketing.
12. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
Hmmm…I’ve lived in my head most of my life, probably a mechanism for making things turn out as I want them to, so I’m always re-creating reality. My stories are what I’d like to see…good guys, bad guys, misunderstandings that all get resolved.
13. What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
Do it! The catch to self-publishing is to have a manuscript (book, novella, short story) that is the absolute best it can be. Your best writing and copy-editing. The best cover you can afford. The best synopsis and blurb you can write.
14. Do you have critique partners?
I have a group of people (alpha and beta readers) I use (cajole into reading) for the SNAP series. I usually send them 50-75 pages at a time. A couple of them don’t have computers, so I actually print out pages for them…it’s a good way to proofread! I’m a member of Capitol Crimes, a Sisters in Crime chapter, and in the process of setting up a critique group for the mystery series. It’ll be interesting because I haven’t worked with a critique group for years.
15. What is your favorite dessert/food?
Anything chocolate!
16. How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?
People I’ve met or know populate my stories. They may not always recognize themselves, and I synthesize several characteristics into one character. In my mystery series, the police reporter is a composite of about half-a-dozen reporters I worked with.
17. What is most difficult for you to write? Characters, conflict or emotions? Why?
I think conflict is difficult, probably because I don’t like it in the real world. In reality, I’m a mediator, looking for a middle ground and talking through conflicts. Works well in real life; in a novel, not so much.
18. Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?
Hoo, more like a hike up a hill! I tried for a few years to attract an agent for my mystery and have a sheaf of rejections. It may be that the book isn’t easily defined…it’s not a cozy, certainly not a thriller, not a police procedural, not a psychological study. It’s a traditional mystery, closer to Agatha Christie. I’d about given up when a small press picked it up, and that gave me the impetus to finish SNAP: The World Unfolds and take it down the indie path. I’d like to have the second mystery picked up by an agent or publisher, but if it isn’t, indie beckons!

The links for my book are :

http://amzn.to/u1Uo1n  (Amazon)

http://bit.ly/nrddwr  (B&N)

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/70630   (Smashwords)

My website:

www.micheledrier.com

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/#!/

I have Trisha Wilson on my blog today.  Trisha will be giving away one copy of one of her books to a commentor today, so be sure and leave a comment for a chance to win.

1. How did you get started writing?

I began writing poems when I was a teenager. I was very introverted and that became the only way I could seem to express my feelings. I never thought I could do more (I get distracted very easily! Ha!) But, at Christmastime 2004, I was spending the holiday alone (no family or friends around me) and as you can imagine, I was very depressed. I escaped into my imagination and the rest, as they say, is history. “An Unforgettable Christmas”, my first book was born.

2. What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write romance and romantic suspense. That’s all I’ve ever read, even as a teen. I’d have one with me at all times (seriously! Even at school!). So, I know that there are many readers who prefer the same type of book that I do, therefore that’s what I aim to write; something that I’d enjoy reading even if my name wasn’t on it. I’ve never been a fan of paranormal or erotica, so I keep my stories clean, as well, with no bad language or sex scenes.

3. Tell us about your current series.

Currently, I’m working on my “Indigo Girls Series” (Romantic suspense)… it is about four friends who met in high school and became fast friends. They’ve overcome a lot of trials together, and now they’re in their early 30s with each wondering about the path their life has taken, unaware of the upheaval that’s about to happen to each of them.

I’ve already released book 1, titled “Daring To Trust”. It follows the reunion between Julia and Mark…a married couple who have been estranged for 4 years. Mark is an undercover cop, so only after a mission goes wrong and he almost dies, does he realize what he’s missing and returns to Julia to see if there’s a chance to rekindle what they once had.

Book 2 is “Daring To Love” and it tells Ellen’s story. She has a dark secret in her past that only a couple of people know about. Due to this, she doesn’t believe that she’s capable of loving a man. She has walls built up so high that it’ll take a strong man to knock them down. (Coming  in January 2012!)

Book 3 will be “Daring To Hope” …that will go through Jae’s journey. Her life has been full of heartbreak and the one thing she wants she believes she can never have.

Book 4 – “Daring To Dream” – follows Abby. She’s always been the good girl, doing what everyone thinks she should do, instead of following her own heart.

4. What inspired your latest book?

“Daring To Trust”, well really the entire Indigo Girls Series, came to me when I realized how many people I knew were going through tough times: cancer mainly, but also miscarriages, some form of abuse, and just other health problems in general. So I thought why can’t I incorporate some of these things into my characters, and see how they would deal with that? I’m hoping they’ll inspire someone who may be going through the same thing or something similar. Maybe they can take away from it that anything is possible if you trust in God and lean on Him to see you through the bad times, but also He’ll be there cheering you on during the good times.

5. What is your favorite part of writing?

My favorite part about writing is the creativity. You can make your characters do and say anything, and it’s perfectly normal. Now, if I said some of the things my characters did in real life, I’d be admitted to an insane asylum I’m sure!

6. What is your least favorite part of writing?

My least favorite part is the writer’s block that inevitably comes. You can be in the middle of a scene, sometimes even a conversation, and then you just get “stuck”… “Where do I go from here?” Staring at the blinking cursor on the screen is the most dreadful part, especially when your mind is going to real-life responsibilities, such as “What am I going to fix for supper?” or “Do I need to do some laundry?” – I find myself procrastinating A LOT, ha ha!

7. What is your next project and when will it be released?

Currently, I’m working on book 2 of the Indigo Girls Series, titled “Daring To Love”. This is Ellen’s story, and I PLAN on having it finished by the end of January.

8. What is your typical day like?

You’re going to laugh at my typical day. I don’t have kids (Unless you count my dog, Snickers, who acts like one most of the time), so I have the privilege of sleeping in A LOT.

I usually don’t get up till at least 8 a.m. – I don’t set an alarm unless I have to be somewhere. I grab a diet mountain dew out of the fridge, sit down at my computer, and check my email and sales stats. I usually stay in a zombie like trance for an hour & half to two hours…Seriously!

After I finish that, I open up my WIP and read through what I’ve written thus far, making marks along the way…looks like everything I wrote yesterday is going to be deleted! Yikes!

Around 11, Snickers comes over to me, scratching at my arms, and wanting to be fed. That’s when I realize my belly is growling, too. After I fix us some lunch, I realize I haven’t showered yet and still have my warm & comfy PJs on. So, after I get out of the shower, I usually wind up putting on another pair of PJs (unless of course I plan on going somewhere, which is usually not the case.)

(You’re probably wondering – “Wait, she has a dog. Does he not go outside?” – Yes, my friends, he does, LOL. I guess I forgot to mention that I live with my mom. She can’t do much but she LOVES to walk, and she’s taken over walking Snickers for me during the daytime. Thank you, Momma! Mainly I think she does that because she’s my biggest fan, and every day she asks me, “Trish – Are you almost done with Ellen’s story? I’m ready to read it.”  Ha!)

Around 12:30, I’m back at the computer, staring at that blasted blinking cursor, already forgetting what I took out. So I have to read back over it, change another scene around, and finally, by George I think I’m ready to begin!

Around 4:30, my mom comes over to me and pokes me on the shoulder to get my attention. (I have my music blaring in my ears while I’m writing to minimize distractions, i.e. the phone ringing!) “What’s for supper? I’m getting hungry.” Supper! Eek! I hadn’t thought about that! “Um give me a minute and I’ll get right on that!” After I fix us up something, and we’re eating, she’ll ask, “Are we going to watch anything this evening?” (She doesn’t know how to operate the DVR, no matter how many times I’ve tried to teach her.) I’ll think about it a minute and decide, “That scene can wait another hour. We’ll watch today’s episode of Ellen, if that’s alright with you.” She’ll nod and I’ll get it set up. Of course, after Ellen goes off, I notice that I recorded a movie (must have been in my sleep ‘cause I don’t remember it!) – so we must watch it, right?! I mentioned I procrastinate A LOT, didn’t I?

It’s usually around 8 p.m. by the time we finish watching whatever it was that couldn’t wait *rolls eyes*, so I get back on the computer, and check my email and sales stats again. Then, I’ll browse through Facebook and I have to comment on everything *More procrastinating*, then about this time, my best friend usually texts me, “Whatcha doin’?” Hanging my head in shame, I reply, “Facebook.” She replies, “Oh. How’s the book coming along?” That conversation lasts around an hour, depending on when she decides to go to bed. Have I mentioned procrastination? Ha!

After that texting conversation, I turn my cell phone off – ‘cause really I know no one else will be texting that late. I go play a game of Zuma Blitz – addicting plus more procrastination. Once I lose terribly, my WIP is reopened and once again, I read through the days catastrophes of writing and wind up changing something yet again. I finally figured out where I was going to take that scene, so I start writing again, only to be interrupted by Snickers scratching at my arm again, yawning. So, I go into the bedroom, prop my door open, plug up the electric blanket (he’s spoiled!), and tell him to go to bed. Sometimes he does…most of the time he doesn’t.

I write for a couple of more hours, and then my eyelids start getting heavy. The yawning is full-blown now, and I check the time. Holy cow! It’s 2 a.m. I guess it’s time for bed! Of course once I go to bed, Snickers has suddenly gotten his second wind and wants to play for an hour. If I don’t, then I know I won’t be sleeping in at all – he’ll be waking me up before sunup wanting to play again.

Told you that you’d laugh! Lol 

9. How much time do you spend promoting your books?  What works best for you?

I don’t really promote the way a lot of authors do. Promotion and marketing is my weakness. I stink at it, period! A couple of times a week (yes, I said week!) I’ll post something on my Facebook author page, which automatically goes to my twitter feed. I know a lot of people use Twitter but I get lost in there…no joke! I entered both of my books, “An Unforgettable Christmas” & “Daring To Trust” into the KDP Select program, and since doing that I’ve gotten more sales and more reviews than I received the first two months of publication. Will it help in the long run? I’m really not sure.

10. How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I’ve loved it! No deadlines, which is an absolute must for me. I have migraines a lot, so sometimes my typical day turns into taking Imitrex and lying in bed for hours at a time with the curtains closed and complete silence. Thanks to a great group of Indie writers I’ve found online, indieromanceink – they provide advice, tips and everything in between. I really don’t know where I’d be today without them: probably floundering around the internet trying to figure out what to do. I’ve learned so much from them. I love the insight and friendship they’ve brought to everyone there.

11. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

They come from everywhere! They can come from a song I’m listening to, a movie I’m watching, a book I’m reading or sometimes just someone I’m talking to. They’ve also been known to come from a segment on the news.

12. What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Do it! The e-reader audience is growing, and so is the publishing industry since we can do it on our own now. If you have a finished and polished manuscript, don’t wait. Who knows how hard it will be to get your foot in the door and your books in front of potential readers a year from now? Be confident in what you have written…if you’re not, no one else will be. Develop a thick skin, if you don’t already have one. You’ll have to deal with critics like never before. As someone once told me, if you ever get a bad review, don’t take it personally; learn from it! Then go to your favorite book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble…read the low reviews on it. Even the best books out there have negative reviews. It doesn’t mean yours is a bad book, necessarily – it just means it wasn’t meant for that particular reader. Grow from it and move on.

Thank you for having me on your blog, Cindy!

“Daring To Trust” can be purchased on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MJVRWY My website is http://trishawilson.weebly.com/. I can also be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTrishaWilson & Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/Trish73179. You can also email me directly at TrishaWilson79@gmail.com .

I have the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Lynne today.  Please leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of her book.  Thank you.

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1. 1.      How did you get started writing?

I feel as if I’ve always written. I was certainly hooked on romance reading through my teenage years (blame Mary Stewart’s Nine Coaches Waiting and the mysterious Raoul for that!). But it wasn’t until I was at university, studying Literature, that I got into romance writing. Someone dared me to write a Mills & Boon, so I did, and sent it off. Of course it was rejected. They told me I had a strong  voice, but needed to learn about emotional punch.

I joined a then fledgling organisation, Romance Writers of Australia, way back when there were only a handful of members (they are huge today!). I devoured my monthly issue of Hearts Talk, the RWA newsletter, and my spare time was spent writing romance, while my day job included business and corporate writing in marketing and PR. But fear of rejection stopped me submitting a manuscript again until many years later.

After a difficult and painful divorce I realised I had to try and live my dream. So I rewrote an erotic romance I’d been working on, Seducing Serena, and subbed it to Red Sage. They bought it for their Secrets Volume 28 anthology, Sensual Cravings, which released in 2009, and after 20 years, my  writing career was born!

2.    What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write mainly in contemporary erotic romance, usually with a touch of the paranormal. I also have a sensual romance (slightly lower heat level) called Educating Ethan that will be out from Breathless Press in February. Regardless of the level of heat, I’ve always written in the romance genre. I read across many genres – including classical literature, young adult, fantasy, mystery, thriller, you name it. But when I analyse what I like to read, there is almost always an element of romance in the story. I love chemistry between characters, and I love the possibility that romance offers for a happy ever after.

3.    Tell us about your current series.

I published my first indie romance in December. Platinum Passion (Gods of Love #1) is the first in a series of stand-alone novellas with the erotes as a common theme. So who are the erotes? There are many different versions of the ancient Greek erotes myth, but the one I like is that they are aspects of the primal god of love, Eros, and the children of Aphrodite, goddess of love and sexuality. The erotes in my stories include Pothos – the god of sexual yearning, Himeros – the god of sexual desire, and Anteros – the god of requited/unrequited love.

Platinum Passion blurb:

Three people. One erotic fantasy. And a twentieth wedding anniversary like no other.

Jeannie yearns for the return of passion in her marriage. Jake wants new excitement in the form of another man, in a way that won’t upset the balance of his relationship with his wife. Pothos is one of the erotes and an aspect of Eros, the Olympian god of desire. On the last night of winter this couple’s distinctive yearning has called to him, and by the power of the erotes he intends to rekindle the flame of Jeannie and Jake’s passion in a night of desire that could be the ultimate platinum anniversary gift.

And when the gods of love decide your marriage needs a boost, they never do it by halves.

Platinum Passion is available from Amazon,  Smashwords and All Romance ebooks.

Right now I’m in the midst of writing Aphrodite Calling (Gods of Love #2), about Himeros, the Greek god of sexual desire, and I’m happily in story development on Gods of Love #3, tentatively titled Sex Club Secrets – Anteros is turning out to be quite a naughty god.

4.    What is your favorite part of writing?

My favorite part of writing is when the muse is right there. I have the scene in my head. I know exactly what the characters are going to do and say and my fingers can’t type fast enough to keep up with the creative buzz going on in my mind. Love it! When I get to the end of that spurt of inspiration and read it back, and it actually sounds ok – yeah. Really love that bit.

I also love it when readers contact me personally to discuss my stories. Not long after my first erotic romance, Seducing Serena, came out, I got an email from someone thanking me, and saying that I had inspired them to follow their dream and write a book. Wow! That is something to treasure.

5.    What is your least favorite part of writing?

When I’m sitting at the computer and nothing is there. No idea what to write next. Just a big, blank screen. Erk. Bad feeling. Best thing to do at that point is get up and walk away. Do something else for a while and let it stew in the back of your mind. Eventually, something stirs, and even if it’s not genius, it is usually enough to start the process going again. I can always go back and edit it later, right?

6.    What is your next project and when will it be released?

I have quite a few projects on the go at present.

My next release will be Educating Ethan, a sensual romance with a tentative release date from Breathless Press of February 24^th. This one is an older woman/younger man story, about two people who need to learn how to put aside the past and live for the moment.

Short blurb: When the much younger Ethan moves in to Ida’s neighborhood, an innocent flirtation quickly becomes passionate. But who is educating who in this cougar encounter?

In addition to Aphrodite Calling (Gods of Love #2) and Sex Club Secrets (Gods of Love #3), I’m also developing an erotic fairy tale idea – a straight M/F romance but with plenty of spice.

My aim is to have all of these stories written and released some time during 2012.

7.    What is your typical day like?

I don’t have a typical day, unfortunately. I would love to have a set routine with time that I know can be used for writing, but I have too many other commitments to be able to do that at this stage. I have a day job, a fiance, two teenage daughters and two young adult stepchildren, most of whom need my time – and taxi skills. Why is it that children take up more of your time the older they get?

I’ve also had a few health hiccups during the past year that have eaten into valuable writing time. I had a breast lump (benign), minor stomach surgery, a blood clot in my hand, and topped it off with shoulder surgery which put me out of action from August to December. I decided to make the time work for me as much as possible, and wrote Platinum Passion with my left hand only, tapping it out VERY slowly in between resting and physiotherapy appointments! A crazy year, for sure. One good thing about convalescing at home, though, was my realisation that I have to write in order to be fulfilled. So from now on, that is definitely a priority.

8.    How much time do you spend promoting your books?  What works best for you?

With Platinum Passion I’ve spent a lot of time on promotion, simply because it is my first self-published work and I feel it is part of my “job” as an indie author to market to the best of my ability. What works? I like the Goodreads site – it is a community full of book lovers, just like me. I think guest blogging is a great tool, but it is time consuming because you need to think up topics that will hopefully appeal to the readers on the particular site you are visiting (and not just promote your book to the exclusion of anything else). Do giveaways and contests with your guest posts, too. Interviews are always great – but even there it can be hard because you are exposing a little piece of yourself every time you answer questions. Having your own website and blog is probably my number one suggestion for any author in terms of developing an online presence.

9.  How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I’m very new to self-publishing. Platinum Passion was my first indie release, but so far the journey has been exciting. I had two traditionally published stories prior to Platinum’s release, and while there are pro’s and con’s to both types of publishing, the main plus to self-publishing for me has been the level of control I have over the process – from the story itself, to the cover design, to timing of release, decisions about where to sell, the price, promotion and marketing, you name it. It is all in my hands. That, in itself, can also be a negative. There is so much more work involved when you have to do it all yourself! My intention is to keep doing a mix of both indie and traditional publishing, if I can. There is definitely a good feeling when you are part of a traditional publisher’s “family”, just as there is an indie author “family” out there as well. The best of both worlds, hopefully!

10.  What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

I would say go for it. You can self-publish at very low cost, particularly if you shop around for editors, cover designers, formatters and even book marketing companies. What have you got to lose? If it stays in your drawer, or in your head, or half-written on the computer, you’ll never have the joy of seeing your published work out there – either in print or on the web. When you hit the “publish” button on Amazon, it is one of the scariest yet most exciting moments you can have as an author.

On a practical level, join some indie chat groups. Look for them on Yahoo. Follow self-published authors on Twitter or Facebook and see what they do. You will learn mountains of things you didn’t know before, especially from some of the chat groups on Yahoo. Do a Google search to find blogs that provide advice for self-published authors. There are plenty out there. I’m learning every day.

And finally, don’t expect that once you’ve published your first book, you can just sit back and relax. You need to get out there and promote through blogging, approach review sites, be active on social media. Then get back in your writing seat and start the next one. It is not easy self-publishing. There are days of doubt and fear and exhaustion. But if you’re up for a challenge, the reward is that you will be a published author. Nothing better than that!

Find Jen on the web at:

Website/blog  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

I’m so lucky to have Jennifer Jakes with me today. I’ve read Twice In A Lifetime and loved it. I hope you all will buy it too. One of you lucky commenters will get a free copy of the book, so be sure and leave a comment for Jennifer.

1. How did you get started writing?

As a person who’s always had trouble sleeping, making up stories was a lot more fun than counting sheep!  Through the years, there always seemed to be voices, er, I mean scenarios in my head. When our first daughter was born, she was a non-sleeper, so plotting a story became a way to pass endless hours in the rocking chair. I even made a folder called, The Story I’ll Write Someday. Eventually those notes became my debut novel, RAFE’S REDEMPTION.

2. What genre(s) do you write in and why?

Hot Historicals – mainly westerns (my first love) but I have to throw in a pirate every once in awhile.

3. Tell us about your current release.

It’s title TWICE IN A LIFETIME.

Here’s the blurb.
Be Careful What You Wish For. . .
No-nonsense stuntwoman Isabella Douglas will do anything to stop an unwanted divorce and reclaim the happy life she had, even allow her old friend to concoct a magical spell to turn back time. But when the spell goes awry, Izzy finds herself trapped aboard a 1768 Caribbean pirate ship with a captain who’s a dead ringer for her sexy as sin husband, Ian. Convinced he’s playing a cruel joke, she’s furious – until she realizes he doesn’t know her or believe they’re married.
Captain Ian Douglas does not have time to deal with an insane woman who claims to be his wife; he has to save his kidnapped sister. But as Izzy haunts his dreams and fills him with erotic memories he can’t explain, he’s forced to admit he feels more than lust.
Trapped in a vicious cycle of past mirroring present, Izzy knows they only have days to find Ian’s sister and prevent disaster from striking a second time. If she doesn’t, their marriage will be destroyed again – along with the man she loves.

4. What inspired your latest book?

I just had a seedling of an idea about what would happen if a stunt woman suddenly found herself on a 1700’s pirate ship. Then I started asking myself all the Why? How? questions and it grew into the story.

5. What is your favorite part of writing?

Coming up with a new idea/plot.

6. What is your least favorite part of writing?

Figuring out all the little details to make that plot believable. 

7 What is your next project and when will it be released?

I’m working on another western historical. This one is set in 1898 Alaska during the gold rush.

8. What is your typical day like?

Work my day job in the mornings, then come home and start laundry etc, then try to write in the afternoon until time to cook dinner. If I’m lucky I can get a little more writing or editing done before bed.

9. How much time do you spend promoting your books? What works best for you?

I spend 4 to 6 weeks promoting. This includes Blog Tours and a few paid cover ads on either review sites or promo sites. Those things work well. I’m trying out KindleBoard both UK and here. I have noticed an increase because of that.

10. How has your experience with self-publishing been?

It’s been good so far. I haven’t done anything more promo-wise or otherwise than I did when I was published with a House, and this way I get to make the decisions. Yes, OK, I’m a bit of a control-freak.

11. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Oh, they can come from anywhere. A picture, a sentence I hear, a song. All of a sudden my mind is off and running.

12. What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

First and foremost, start by joining some Yahoo Loops dedicated to Self-Pub. There is so much good info on these loops and you can ask questions to be better prepared before you take the leap!

EXCERPT: TWICE IN A LIFETIME

Her fingers threaded in his thick hair as she traced his mouth with the tip of her tongue. “Kiss me.”

He hesitated, then groaned and covered her lips in a breath stealing kiss. Hot, wet, silky. Her nipples hardened, ached for his touch, the tug of his fingers, the pull of his mouth.

“Touch me.” She pressed a kiss to his throat, then licked his collarbone. “I need your hands on me.”

He grunted and slid his hands down her back. Rough palms gripped her cheeks, grinding her against his erection. His gaze burned through her as he moved his thigh between her legs.

“Yes. Please.” She tilted her hips, rubbing, needing release more than air. “Oh, God, yes.” Desire roared through her, the ache building. Building. The orgasm so . . .damned. . .close.

A sharp knock sounded at the door. “Captain? The men are ready to go ashore.”

Ian pulled back and swallowed hard, his expression hungry, his heart thumping against her breast.

“Captain?”

“Yes. Yes, I’ll be right there.” His heavy lidded gaze skimmed her body. Possessive. Aroused. Regretful as he set her aside.

Her mind crawled to process what was happening while her body was doused with disappointment. “You’re still going?”

He raked through his hair, then nodded. “We need provisions before sailing for Jamaica. I’ll only be a few hours.” He stepped to the door, but turned and pinned her with a hard stare. “But when I return . . .”

“Yes?” Her heart thumped in anticipation of some explicit description of what he would do to her. Oh, but his tongue was naughty in all the right ways.

“. . . I expect an explanation.”

I’m lucky enough to have author Gwenan Haines blogging with me today.  Please leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of her book.

1.How did you get started writing?

I’ve always read and I’ve written for a long time, too. I started out writing stories as a kid and can’t really remember a time when I didn’t want to become a writer. I used to read Nancy Drew a lot and wrote a bunch of detective stories. I also had a strange obsession with gypsy orphans and wrote some pieces featuring fortune-telling heroines. But then life happened and for many years I found myself so busy it was next-to-impossible to squeeze writing in. I’m still outlandishly overscheduled but I’ve finally prioritized it. Writing comes third now, right after my daughter and my Siberian husky.

2.    What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write urban fantasy, paranormal romance and historical romance. Okay, revise that. I’ve also got a romantic suspense novel under consideration at a publisher. And just this week I got an idea for a contemporary romance—so I guess I’m all over the place when it comes to genre. I’ve even got a scattering of horror stories I’m thinking about self-publishing. Last but not least, I write poetry and publish it under a different name.

3.    Tell us about your current series.

Risking Eternity is the first in my Timeshifters paranormal romance trilogy. The novella centers on the relationship between Valentin Grigorievich, who is a vampire bent on revenge, and Hayden Farrell, a Boston homicide detective trying to catch a serial killer. Valentin is tracking another vampire whose murders are markedly similar to Jack the Ripper’s. He has his own reasons for wanting to catch the killer but he needs Hayden’s help for his plan to succeed. Hayden is highly skeptical of Valentin, in part because she was raised by a mother who made a living by giving “psychic readings” in a dingy New Orleans apartment. What Hayden doesn’t know yet is that her mother was not quite as much of a con-artist as she seemed. What does realize is that Valentin is incredibly hot!

4.   What movie best describes your life?  Why?

Baby Boom. Anybody remember that one? It’s one of those 80s movies about a career woman (Diane Keaton) who falls in love with a baby she “inherits.” After a botched attempt to pursue the corporate track while raising her new daughter, she trades city life for a rambling house in Vermont. Eventually, she starts her own baby-food company and finds a way to succeed without sacrificing her role as a mother. And she hooks up with the cute local veterinarian. That doesn’t describe my life, but it does a pretty good job of capturing what I hope it might eventually look like. After I graduated from college I headed straight to Washington, D.C. and got a job working on U.S.-Russian relations for a foreign policy think-thank. Through a bizarre series of events I ended up traveling A LOT—once I didn’t even return to the States for three months—and I loved it. I visited Russia five times, traveled throughout Europe and even spent time in Pakistan. One night I found myself riding in a beat-up car in the Himalayas with a member of the Afghan mujahidin and we broke down. We were in this tiny village and everyone was gathered round, sort of shocked by my presence. Further off, you could see the scattered lights of other villages, and up above the stars were brighter than any I had ever seen. It was scary, yet beautiful. During that trip I also got a marriage proposal from another man – well, actually he was a 16-year-old boy—who wasn’t that into me but was wild about moving to America. Eventually, I decided I wanted something different. Right now I live with my daughter and a Siberian husky in a small town in New England. Life is still pretty crazy, but in a totally different way. I am very new to self-publishing but the fantasy is that someday I might be able to support myself by writing. Oh, and I’m still waiting for some hunky vet to seduce me.

5.    What inspired your latest book?

This is going to sound strange, but I’ve always been interested in serial killers. When I’m not reading romance I read authors like Thomas Harris. I also read nonfiction accounts of killers, including John Douglas’s Mindhunter (Douglas is the model for Clarisse Starling’s boss in Silence of the Lambs). and Douglas Preston’s The Monster of Florence (who is a model for Hannibal Lechter). Pretty grisly stuff. Somewhere along the line I got obsessed with the case of Jack the Ripper. I started researching it and at some point had the idea of turning it into a story. As for the vampire angle—well, I’ve always been a sucker for vampires (bad pun intended).

6.    What is your favorite part of writing?

I love doing the research for stories and I love the actual writing. I also really enjoy hearing from readers. So I guess I like all of it, but I haven’t developed the thick skin you must have to publish. I still feel pretty vulnerable to criticism, even though I know I need it to grow as a writer.

7.    What is your least favorite part of writing?

The editing, I guess. I don’t mind it, but it can’t compare to the “high” of writing the first draft of a novel.

8    What is your next project and when will it be released?

I’m working now on the first full-length novel in the Timeshifters series. I’m also waiting to hear back from a publisher on the full-length romantic suspense novel. Those will be released, one way or another, in 2012. I’m also starting a longer romance novella set in England in the nineteenth century.

9.    What is your typical day like?

There is no typical day. I teach part-time at a community college, so there are always lectures to plan and the inevitable stack of essays to grade. I drive my daughter to dance class and softball and the movies. I walk my husky miles and miles, until I’m exhausted and he’s ready to play. At night I read and write and do piles of laundry and drink endless pots of coffee.

10.    How much time do you spend promoting your books?  What works best for you?

This is my first guest blog. I only published Rescued by a Rake, a novelette, in mid-October. I published Risking Eternity, which is about 100 pages, on Thanksgiving day. I’ve scheduled a few more blogs and I recently signed up for Twitter and Facebook. I’ve joined some great indie loops and am learning a lot from them. But this is all very new to me, so I’m not sure what works or doesn’t. If I’ve noticed anything, it’s that reviews by bloggers seem to have a lot of influence.

11.  How has your experience with self-publishing been?

It’s been great—and rather shocking. In October I sold 66 copies of Rescued by a Rake. That shot up to several hundred in November, and since the beginning of December I’ve sold more than 2000 copies of that book. As I mentioned, I haven’t done much to promote it and it’s quite short so I’m floored by the sales. And very grateful. Risking Eternity has not been selling nearly as well, but one thing I’ve learned about self-publishing is that books can start slow and take off later, usually once they start to pick up some reviews. I’ve had a couple of readers email me wanting to know when the next book with Hayden and Valentin will be out, so I’m hopeful that the Timeshifters series will begin to sell more over time.

I’ve also been surprised to discover how supportive the indie community is. I thought self-publishing meant “going it alone” but it hasn’t turned out that way at all. Indie writers help each other in ways I never imagined. That has been wonderful. I’ve also had good experiences with reviewers. One reviewer emailed me about Risking Eternity, stating that she felt there were a few things I hadn’t explained. She was right – I was so close to the story I didn’t catch the omissions. Not only did she point this out, she even offered to up her rating once I filled in the gaps, which I’m in the process of doing now. She has already offered to review the next book in the series, something I was surprised by. I thought I’d have to do more on that front. But again, I’m new to all this so I’m not sure I can make any general statements.

The one downside to the indie publishing is that when you publish traditionally you can feel your work has some type of “backing.” The other day somebody didn’t like—okay, she HATED—Rescued by a Rake and I felt like drowning myself in wine. I also think traditional publishing does have a lot to offer, so I’m still pursuing that option as well. I’m not sure if I’ll reach a point where I change my mind about that.

12.  Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

From all kinds of places. Sometimes I use things from my past—I’d love to set a novel in Russia—or sometimes little incidents will spark an idea. I also get lots of ideas from reading. Rescued by a Rake sprang from obsession with the Bronte sisters. I’d read so much about the moors and about their lives that I found myself wanting to transform some of my ideas into stories. That’s how I came up with the idea for the Rakes & Rogues series.

13.  What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Don’t wait. Take a chance and get your stuff out there. Edit your stuff thoroughly. Pay for a good cover. When I first published Rescued by a Rake, I used an amateurish cover I made myself. Within two days, the novella plummeted to the 60,000s. Based on the advice I got from fellow indie writers, I went to Jimmy Thomas’s site and paid 50 bucks for a new version. Sales shot up almost immediately and as of this morning Rescued by a Rake is # 21 on Amazon’s historical romance bestseller list. If I hadn’t made that change, I’m not sure what would have happened.

Amazon link:  http://www.amazon.com/Risking-Eternity-Vampire-Timeshifters-ebook/dp/B006CRCWAG/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2

Excerpt

A moment earlier, when Valentin had handed her his card Hayden had felt his hatred in an almost pure form as it passed from his hand to the card to her fingertips. The small square of paper had burned as she took it. She had forced herself not to let go of the card, felt the pain travel up the length of her arm, all the way to her chest. For a moment she’d felt as if she couldn’t breathe, as if her lungs were filled with fire instead of air. Now she wasn’t quite so sure. Yes, there was the animosity. But there was also a trace of a smile in his voice, though his expression remained frozen.

Hayden steadied herself before she spoke, wondering what could possibly drive her to defy Valentin when she sensed—knew—he was the most dangerous man she had ever met. “I’m not coming, you know,” she said, taking a step toward him. “You can fool yourself about yourself if you want, but please don’t indulge your illusions when it comes to me.”

Valentin said nothing at first, then bowed ever so slightly. His face was only inches away from hers and Hayden didn’t need to read his thoughts to know her noncompliance truly frightened him. “You must come,” he stated simply, after a short pause. “Everything depends upon it.”

Yes, it was there. She was sure of it now. The fear and the emotion. Whatever its source, it was the key to his vulnerability. Hayden pressed her advantage. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’ve got a case to solve.”

“Precisely.”

“I can’t waste my time chasing—”

“Vampires?” he finished for her and let the word ring out across the twilight as if it were a source of immense amusement for him.

“Or whatever it is you’re trying to pass yourself off as,” Hayden shot back, forcing a note of cruelty into her voice. She was really laughing at him now and she wanted him to know it. She focused her mind on the vulnerability she had felt as if she were standing in full sunlight holding glass over a piece of paper. Otherwise she would have no chance against him.

It didn’t work.

Valentin had already adjusted his tactics, steeling himself so that she might as well have been beating her fists against his chest, like a child having a tantrum. Hayden felt him pushing back against her mind and for a second she was overwhelmed by it. As much as she wanted to break the connection, to be free of him for good, there was an infuriating part of her that wanted it to continue or even to deepen. The link, or whatever it was that joined them, was strong but it broke off at a certain point. Hayden guessed that it would be possible to go further into his mind and for a split second she wanted the completion more than she had ever wanted anything in her life.

He stood gazing down at her, then lifted a hand and traced the outline of her cheek with his fingertip. Behind him, the row of skyscrapers that dotted the horizon had turned from crimson to the palest of pinks. “I shall expect you tomorrow night at 10 p.m.,” he said as if he hadn’t heard what she had told him.

Hayden said nothing and the distance between them spun out. If the lightening sky concerned him, he gave no sign of it.

After it became clear she had no intention of responding, he cupped her chin in his palm and leaned his face toward hers. The touch of his lips was hot to the point of burning. As she responded to the sensation, meeting his kisses with an ardor that was almost painful, Hayden tried not to think about what was happening between them. She didn’t want to think at all, wanted only the dark, brutal melody of his tongue twining itself with hers, the crush of his full lips pressing against her own. Hayden barely registered that his hands were in her hair, caressing her shoulders, running down her back. She was no longer a woman but something utterly different, a being without a body, pure sensation.

At the exact moment when Hayden thought she would die of the exquisite fire of his touch, Valentin broke off the kiss and stepped away from her. “I nearly forgot,” he said, removing the Glock from his coat and placing it into her open palm. “I believe you’ll be needing this. It wouldn’t do, to let down your guard.”

I have the pleasure of interviewing Loucinda McGary today.  I hope you’ll leave a comment for a chance to win a download of her new book.

1.    How did you get started writing?

I’ve been a story-teller all my life. Once I learned to read, if I didn’t like the way a story ended, I made up my own ending. Somewhere along about junior high school, I started writing my stories down. I took creative writing and journalism classes whenever I could in high school and college and dabbled in writing fiction for years. Finally, at the end of 2003 I decided to get serious about writing and publishing a novel, so I quit my day job and began a serious pursuit of publication. Almost four years to the day later (Sept. 2007), I sold my first novel.

2.    What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write contemporary romantic suspense with a touch of paranormal. I grew up reading the great old Gothic novels of Victoria Holt, Phyllis A. Whitney, and Mary Stewart. When I sat down to make a concerted effort to write a publishable novel, my natural inclination was to write what I always love to read. I love reading romance but I want a little suspense or mystery going on too, so that’s what I put in my own stories.

3.    Tell us about your current series.

High Seas Deception is the first in what I hope will be an ongoing series of books set on a fictional cruise line. I love cruising and have just returned from #21, so I have quite a bit of background material. I hope to incorporate some of the unique aspects of cruise ships and some of the exotic ports they visit.

4.    What inspired your latest book?

The DH and I were sitting out on the deck overlooking the port in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and we started discussing ways a person could sneak on board a cruise ship. Of course, I had to take it one step further and speculate on reasons why someone would need to sneak on, and the idea for High Seas Deception was born.

5.    What is your favorite part of writing?

When the characters ‘take over’ and start dictating the story.  I’m a notorious pantser, but I know my characters very well before I start writing a story, and I depend on them to keep moving the plot forward. Luckily, they are usually pretty good about telling me what to do.

6.    What is your least favorite part of writing?

Reviews. I know not everyone likes the same thing, but I put a lot of time and effort (and even some heart and soul) into creating the most entertaining stories for my readers. When someone posts a nasty review, it is hard not to take it personally, especially when they are obviously biased or miss the whole point of the story. Reviews that say things like “booorrriinng!” or “EW! This book had sex in it!” (yes, I’ve received both these), leave me discouraged and wondering why I bother.

Good reviews, on the other hand, or reviews that have constructive criticism (like, “I felt there wasn’t enough attraction between the hero and heroine”) can be wonderfully uplifting and never fail to brighten my day. So why is it I always remember the bad ones?

7.    What is your next project and when will it be released?

I’m hoping to have my next full-length romantic suspense novel available on Amazon Kindle and SmashWords before the end of December. As I’ve already mentioned, this book High Seas Deception is the first in what I hope will be a series (my first!) of stories centered around the fictional Adventure Cruise Lines.

8.    How much time do you spend promoting your books?  What works best for you?

Too much! LOL! And I honestly don’t know what is working. In my previous career, I was an analyst and I am frustrated at being unable to capture hard data on how readers decide which books to buy and read. Most of my promotion is online. In addition to my personal blog (Aunty Cindy Explains It All), I’m a member of a group blog called Romance Bandits, and I do lots of guest appearances (Thank you again, Cindy!). I’m also active on FaceBook and still figuring out Twitter.

9.  How has your experience with self-publishing been?

Pretty frustrating and humbling. The frustrating parts were doing the formatting and the file conversions. I’m a total techno-dummy, but my friends who should know kept telling me I could do it myself. Eventually I bumbled my way through, and that was humbling. Then came the frustration of trying to promote and seeing my sales dwindle down to nothing. Making two sales in an entire week was very humbling. I’m still trying to figure out how to spark more sales. If you have any insights, please pass them on!

On the positive side, I love having final say-so on my work. No trying to squeeze my story into a publisher’s guidelines. No having to rewrite to an editor’s vision of my story instead of my own. And best of all, I got input on my covers for the first time! I have an awesome cover artist — Kimberly Van Meter.

10.  Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

Literally anywhere and everywhere. I never know when something will spark an idea that turns into a story. Hearing a piece of music (the overture to the opera The Jewels of the Madonna) is what led to an idea that eventually became my book The Treasures of Venice. While researching Ireland, an obscure article on a genetic marker became one of the critical turning points in my first release The Wild Sight. The movie The Secret of Roan Inish led me to research selkie mythology and eventually provided the inspiration for The Wild Irish Sea.

11.  What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

There’s good news and bad news. The good news is: You get to do everything yourself. The bad news is: You get to do everything yourself.

Seriously, there’s a lot more work involved than you think, if you are going to have a professional product.  Plus there’s no guarantee of success (just like in traditional publishing). I don’t mean to sound like Debbie Downer, but self-publishing is not the magic answer for all authors. Some books and some authors will do better than others, that’s the nature of the business. Just remember that it is a business.

Thank you so much, Cindy, for hosting me on your blog today. I’d love to ask the blog readers what it is that makes them decide to buy a particular book. Is it the cover? The blurb? The author? Or something else entirely? I’ll give away a free download of my new release High Seas Deception to one randomly selected commenter.

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing LJ DeLeon.  Please remember to leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for her latest book.

1.    How did you get started writing?

I’m a reader. I’ll read box labels if nothing else is available. When my husband and I were posted at the US Embassy in Berne, Switzerland and I was four hours from the nearest Stars & Stripes Bookstore, I became desperate. What else could I do but write my own between fixes.

2.    What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write urban fantasy romance and futuristic romance with a heavy dose of action adventure as LJ DeLeon—my maiden name. I love writing stories I can’t get enough of as a reader.

3.    Tell us about your current series.

The overall story line tracks the eternal struggle between good versus evil, made more difficult because not everyone is who or what they seem. To quote Captain Kirk from Star Trek, “Good can triumph over evil, but it must be very, very careful.” I love complex characters, where even the good can step into shades of gray or into the dark in the name of the greater good, and the bad will sometimes even surprise themselves.

When I first got the idea for the series, I plotted out the entire story line and wrote a “Series Bible.” This contains every character—including minor ones, all their characteristics, and which books they will appear in. It also has the entire series plot line. Each book has its own story plus part of the whole.

4.   What move best describes your life?  Why?

Mission Impossible. I’ve spent over half my life in foreign countries and worked for the CIA. Also, I’ve survived my 100-year-old mother-in-law living with me with my sanity—I think—and written seven books in the last year.

5.    What inspired your latest book?

I’m still writing Sophie’s Challenge. It’s the fourth book in the Warriors for Light series. The readers met Sophie in Book 2, Dragon Child. With Sophie, I want to show how an abused wife, even one with magical powers, has to deal with the pain from the physical and psychological scars of abuse. To love and trust, Sophie needs to release the self-inflicted guilt of having been with Carlson, a black mage. Who better to help her than Jamie, a werewolf, who would die protecting those he loves and who walk in the Light?

6.    What is your favorite part of writing?

When the story comes together. I’m not being flip. The story flows when I know the story cold and my characters agree.

7.    What is your least favorite part of writing?

It’s rough when the story isn’t working. Sometimes I’ve made a wrong turn. Or my characters go on strike and I want to knock them upside the head. How dare they stop talking to me!

8    What is your next project and when will it be released?

Sophie’s Challenge and her identical twin’s book, Kate’s Army, will be released in first half of 2012.

9.    What is your typical day like?

I take care of the housework first, then email, Twitter, and Facebook first. Then I write. My goal is 10,000 words per week. Do I make it? Yes, because I won’t stop until I do. Once I finish my quota, I do critiques for my two partners and check my email, Twitter, and Facebook.

10.    How much time do you spend promoting your books? What works best for you?

It varies. I try to keep it under control because it can take over and keep me from writing. What works best? Sigh. I wish I knew. I’ve taken part in paid promotion, and seldom earned out my investment. However, blogs that introduce me to readers tend to be best. They are personal, require me to give something of myself, and introduce readers to me as an author and my books.

11.  How has your experience with self-publishing been?

Because I’ve owned my own businesses before, I thought I was prepared for what was involved. I wasn’t. I had no idea how the business side could take over the creative side. I’ve had to force myself to write and not focus on the business side.

12.  What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Aside from writing the best book you can, research what is involved before tackling it—editing, formatting, pricing, cover art, promotion. You are an artist, a creator of magic when you write the story. But as an indie, you must also be an entrepreneur and able to run a business. As for sales, it’s similar to being published by NY. Some authors have immediate success with great sales. Others barely sell. And yet others sell steadily with sales growing slowly.

So, my advice, don’t become discouraged, keep writing, and keep publishing. The more books you have on your bookshelf, the greater chance you have of selling enough books to make money.

LJ’s Website:  http://www.ljdeleon.com
Warriors Website & Blog:  http://www.warriorsforlight.com

You can find LJ’s books at:
Kindle: http://tiny.cc/wc6kt
Nook:  http://tiny.cc/rd0x6
Smashwords: http://tiny.cc/6iuo5