Author Sarah Grimm Interview + Giveaway!
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Sarah Grimm is here talking about her new release After Midnight, and we’re giving away 5 custom handmade bookmarks AND an Ecopy of After Midnight! Simply leave a comment to enter. Open internationally.
Sarah, tell us about your latest release.
She wants to forget her past.
He wants to reclaim his.
Sometimes the moment that changes everything comes After Midnight.
Thirteen years—that’s how long Isabeau Montgomery has been living a lie. After an automobile accident took her mother’s life, Izzy hid herself away, surviving the only way she knew how. Now she is happy in her carefully reconstructed life. That is until he walks through the door of her bar…
Black Phoenix singer/front man Noah Clark came to Long Island City with a goal—one that doesn’t include an instant, electric attraction to the dark-haired beauty behind the bar. Coaxing her into his bed won’t be easy, but he can’t get her pale, haunted eyes nor her skill on the piano out of his head.
Can Noah help Isabeau overcome the past? Or will her need to protect her secret force her back into hiding and destroy their chance at happiness?
What’s your favorite thing about the book featured here today?
That even though Izzy views herself as damaged, through Noah’s love she rediscovers that she’s beautiful.
What sparked the idea for this book/series?
Teenage fantasies about meeting and marrying a rock star, combined with the maturity to know that a twenty-something musician is not happily-ever-after material. Add to that the picture in my mind of a woman alone in a bar, playing the piano. That picture spawned a series of ‘what if’ questions which led to After Midnight.
What creates the biggest conflict between your hero and heroine?
Music. It’s what brings them together as well as threatens to tear them apart.
What was the hardest part of this book to write and why?
Isabeau’s childhood was so tragic all the scenes that dealt with it were extremely hard to write. But the most difficult was the scene where her step-father (for lack of a better name) sits Noah down and tells him about losing Izzy’s mother in the car accident, followed by immediately losing Izzy in a court battle, and how these events shaped Isabeau into the woman she is today. I can’t really get into it too much without giving away any spoilers, but it is a traumatic scene that was emotionally draining for me to write.
How does your family view your writing career?
They accept it as a normal part of who I am and are proud of the fact that I have achieved my goal of becoming published.
What is your writing routine?I do my best writing in the morning when the rest of the house is still asleep. I wake up around 4:30 seven days a week. Not necessarily by choice, my internal alarm clock just goes off at that time. If I don’t sit down and write in the morning, chances are good I won’t get any writing done that day. I’m too easily distracted by the million other things I need to get done – grocery shopping, the day job, orthodontist appointments, or house cleaning.
How do you keep in touch with your readers?
My all time favorite way to chat with readers is face to face. Unfortunately, I don’t get enough of that with my hectic work schedule, so I settle for keeping in touch with readers through my blog, online chats, and email. I love to hear from readers and encourage them to email me at sarah @ sarahgrimm.com.
What are you reading now?
Rafe’s Redemption by Jennifer Jakes, and Jezebel’s Wish by AJ Nuest
What is your preferred genre to read for pleasure?
Contemporary romance. A close second is contemporary romantic suspense.
Do you have a second career? (Yes, motherhood counts!)
Besides being the mother of two teenage sons, three mini schnauzers, a guinea pig, a rescued kitten in need of a home, and three orphaned mice—whew, that’s a lot to type—I’m the bookkeeper for my husband’s boat repair business and work full time as the bookkeeper for a local farmer.
How would you best describe your books?
I write sizzling, dangerously sexy contemporary romance and romantic suspense.
Which is your favorite of the books you have written?
Definitely After Midnight. Every author I’ve ever spoke with has one story they truly believe is THE story of their heart. After Midnight is mine. Isabeau Montgomery is the owner of Izzy’s Bar, a child prodigy, piano phenom—a woman who is hiding behind a lie of her own making. She’s just so very tortured, her past so full of tragedy… She deserves a happy ending and Noah is just the man to share it with her.
What are your current projects?
While writing After Midnight, one of the secondary characters kept telling me he needed his story, so I’m writing that one now. Midnight Heat is a reunion romance, and although I had no plans to make it so when I started, it looks like it may become a romantic suspense.
Are You The Same Person You Were As A Child, Or Much Different?
I am much different. I’m still a dreamer and impulsive, but I’ve learned to control the impulses and think before I speak.
Do You Believe That The Cup Is Half Empty Or Half Full?
Half full.
Are You An Introvert Or An Extrovert?
Extrovert.
Are You A Window Person Or An Aisle Person?
Window. I want to see where I’m going.
Do You Like Short Or Long Hair On A Guy?
Short.
What is Your Favorite Beverage?
Diet Coke.
Are you a night or a morning person?
Morning.
Are You Usually Late, Early Or Right On Time?
Early.
Where can we find you online?
Website: http://www.sarahgrimm.com
Blog: http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SGrimmAuthor
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahGrimm.Author
Sarah lives in West Michigan with her husband, two sons and three miniature schnauzers. Between mom’s taxi service, parts runs, and answering the phone for the family marine repair business, Sarah can be found curled in her favorite chair, crafting her next novel.Comment to enter for 1 of 5 custom handmade bookmarks AND an ecopy of After Midnight!
Open internationally.
Open internationally.
**MUST** leave contact email to WIN!
>Author Sarah Grimm Interview + Giveaway!
>
Sarah Grimm is here talking about her new release After Midnight, and we’re giving away 5 custom handmade bookmarks AND an Ecopy of After Midnight! Simply leave a comment to enter. Open internationally.
Sarah, tell us about your latest release.
She wants to forget her past.
He wants to reclaim his.
Sometimes the moment that changes everything comes After Midnight.
Thirteen years—that’s how long Isabeau Montgomery has been living a lie. After an automobile accident took her mother’s life, Izzy hid herself away, surviving the only way she knew how. Now she is happy in her carefully reconstructed life. That is until he walks through the door of her bar…
Black Phoenix singer/front man Noah Clark came to Long Island City with a goal—one that doesn’t include an instant, electric attraction to the dark-haired beauty behind the bar. Coaxing her into his bed won’t be easy, but he can’t get her pale, haunted eyes nor her skill on the piano out of his head.
Can Noah help Isabeau overcome the past? Or will her need to protect her secret force her back into hiding and destroy their chance at happiness?
What’s your favorite thing about the book featured here today?
That even though Izzy views herself as damaged, through Noah’s love she rediscovers that she’s beautiful.
What sparked the idea for this book/series?
Teenage fantasies about meeting and marrying a rock star, combined with the maturity to know that a twenty-something musician is not happily-ever-after material. Add to that the picture in my mind of a woman alone in a bar, playing the piano. That picture spawned a series of ‘what if’ questions which led to After Midnight.
What creates the biggest conflict between your hero and heroine?
Music. It’s what brings them together as well as threatens to tear them apart.
What was the hardest part of this book to write and why?
Isabeau’s childhood was so tragic all the scenes that dealt with it were extremely hard to write. But the most difficult was the scene where her step-father (for lack of a better name) sits Noah down and tells him about losing Izzy’s mother in the car accident, followed by immediately losing Izzy in a court battle, and how these events shaped Isabeau into the woman she is today. I can’t really get into it too much without giving away any spoilers, but it is a traumatic scene that was emotionally draining for me to write.
How does your family view your writing career?
They accept it as a normal part of who I am and are proud of the fact that I have achieved my goal of becoming published.
What is your writing routine?I do my best writing in the morning when the rest of the house is still asleep. I wake up around 4:30 seven days a week. Not necessarily by choice, my internal alarm clock just goes off at that time. If I don’t sit down and write in the morning, chances are good I won’t get any writing done that day. I’m too easily distracted by the million other things I need to get done – grocery shopping, the day job, orthodontist appointments, or house cleaning.
How do you keep in touch with your readers?
My all time favorite way to chat with readers is face to face. Unfortunately, I don’t get enough of that with my hectic work schedule, so I settle for keeping in touch with readers through my blog, online chats, and email. I love to hear from readers and encourage them to email me at sarah @ sarahgrimm.com.
What are you reading now?
Rafe’s Redemption by Jennifer Jakes, and Jezebel’s Wish by AJ Nuest
What is your preferred genre to read for pleasure?
Contemporary romance. A close second is contemporary romantic suspense.
Do you have a second career? (Yes, motherhood counts!)
Besides being the mother of two teenage sons, three mini schnauzers, a guinea pig, a rescued kitten in need of a home, and three orphaned mice—whew, that’s a lot to type—I’m the bookkeeper for my husband’s boat repair business and work full time as the bookkeeper for a local farmer.
How would you best describe your books?
I write sizzling, dangerously sexy contemporary romance and romantic suspense.
Which is your favorite of the books you have written?
Definitely After Midnight. Every author I’ve ever spoke with has one story they truly believe is THE story of their heart. After Midnight is mine. Isabeau Montgomery is the owner of Izzy’s Bar, a child prodigy, piano phenom—a woman who is hiding behind a lie of her own making. She’s just so very tortured, her past so full of tragedy… She deserves a happy ending and Noah is just the man to share it with her.
What are your current projects?
While writing After Midnight, one of the secondary characters kept telling me he needed his story, so I’m writing that one now. Midnight Heat is a reunion romance, and although I had no plans to make it so when I started, it looks like it may become a romantic suspense.
Are You The Same Person You Were As A Child, Or Much Different?
I am much different. I’m still a dreamer and impulsive, but I’ve learned to control the impulses and think before I speak.
Do You Believe That The Cup Is Half Empty Or Half Full?
Half full.
Are You An Introvert Or An Extrovert?
Extrovert.
Are You A Window Person Or An Aisle Person?
Window. I want to see where I’m going.
Do You Like Short Or Long Hair On A Guy?
Short.
What is Your Favorite Beverage?
Diet Coke.
Are you a night or a morning person?
Morning.
Are You Usually Late, Early Or Right On Time?
Early.
Where can we find you online?
Website: http://www.sarahgrimm.com
Blog: http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SGrimmAuthor
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahGrimm.Author
Sarah lives in West Michigan with her husband, two sons and three miniature schnauzers. Between mom’s taxi service, parts runs, and answering the phone for the family marine repair business, Sarah can be found curled in her favorite chair, crafting her next novel.Comment to enter for 1 of 5 custom handmade bookmarks AND an ecopy of After Midnight!
Open internationally.
Open internationally.
**MUST** leave contact email to WIN!
NYT Bestseller Caridad Pineiro on THE LOST + Giveaways!
>I’m very excited to have Caridad Pineiro on the blog today! She’s hear to give a little background about her latests release, THE LOST. Make sure you leave a comment or ask Caridad a question to be entered to win a lost T-shirt, an ebook of Caridad’s ROOKIE OF THE YEAR and 1 of 5 of my custom handmade THE LOST bookmarks. (Couldn’t post them here, but see prior giveaways for example.)
THE LOST:Adam Bruno is no ordinary millionaire. The heir to an ancient race possessing a dark, powerful magic, he can shapeshift and create energy. His gifts make him a living weapon and have forced him to live in seclusion. But now an inhuman force hunts down Adam-just when he finds someone who makes him feel more human than he ever imagined possible . . .
Home from combat in Iraq, Bobbie Carerra wants only peace, yet soon joins Adam in a terrifying battle against paranormal enemies who hide in plain sight. She’s drawn to his strength of mind and body; he’s attracted to her courage and intoxicating energy. Their scorching passion can either transport them to the heights of ecstasy or-if Adam’s powers rage out of control-destroy them. But when an invisible brotherhood tightens its nets and someone Adam trusts betrays him, only a heartrending decision can save them.
Thank you so much for having me here today!
One of the things I love best about being a writer is being able to share so many of my favorite things and that includes the places and things that I’ve been lucky enough to experience first hand.
For example, I based the THE FIFTH KINGDOM on my travels to Mexico and a hike up the side of a Mexican pyramid despite my fear of heights.
THE LOST is located along one of my really really favorite places – the Jersey Shore. I’m not all that far from the beach and regularly go down to take long walks through all the assorted towns in order to research places for the novels in the Sin Hunters series.
Take the chase scene in THE LOST where Bobbie and Adam are forced to confront some men who have been following them. To write that scene, I walked nearly three miles from my usual haunts to Belmar and then Avon-by-Sea and back. Along the way I snapped photos of where the pivotal scene would occur in front of the Avon Pavilion.
When I was done with that, I turned my attentions to the other locations for the book, especially the town of Ocean Grove, also know as God’s Little Square Mile.
Bobbie Carrera has her condo in Ocean Grove and there are a number of scenes along the boardwalk there as well as the big black moment when Bobbie confronts Adam and asks him to have faith. I knew as I wrote that scene that there was only one place where it could happen: On the Auditorium Grounds in front of the famous Great Auditorium.
You may be wondering why I would pick somewhere like the Jersey Shore for a dark and sexy paranormal romance like THE LOST.
For starters, it’s possibly the last place that you would probably expect an ancient race of energy gatherers to be hiding out – the ol’ “hide in plain sight” concept.
Second, there is nature all around at the shore, from the ocean to the river to the many wetlands and small islands where a race like the Hunters could go to collect energy without being detected.
Not that Adam understands anything about being a Hunter at the start of THE LOST.
Adam is the missing son of Hunter leaders and has no clue that he possesses such powers. All that Adam knows is that he is different and that difference has kept him isolated from most of the world around him. It is only when he meets Bobbie and is drawn into a civil war he knew nothing about that Adam truly comes to understand the immense powers of which he is capable.
I hope you will like finding out more about Adam, Bobbie and the Hunters as well as my beloved Jersey Shore. Maybe you’ll even be able to visit one day and talk a long stroll with me through the many beautiful towns that call to me so powerfully. Maybe you’ll even see a familiar site from something I’ve included in one of the SIN HUNTER books.Thanks so much for having me here today! I appreciate you taking the time to come by.
Make sure you leave a comment or ask Caridad a question to be entered to win the following:
1) a lost T-shirt
2) an ebook of Caridad’s ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
3) 1 of 5 custom handmade bookmarks
Shirt (US/Canada only)
Bookmarks & ebook (International)
**MUST** leave contact email to win!
Bookmarks & ebook (International)
**MUST** leave contact email to win!
Caridad Piñeiro® is a multi-published, NYT bestselling author. Born in Havana, Cuba, Caridad settled in the New York Metropolitan area, attended Villanova University and St. John’s University. In additions to writing, Caridad is a partner at her law firm in midtown Manhattan.>NYT Bestseller Caridad Pineiro on THE LOST + Giveaways!
>I’m very excited to have Caridad Pineiro on the blog today! She’s hear to give a little background about her latests release, THE LOST. Make sure you leave a comment or ask Caridad a question to be entered to win a lost T-shirt, an ebook of Caridad’s ROOKIE OF THE YEAR and 1 of 5 of my custom handmade THE LOST bookmarks. (Couldn’t post them here, but see prior giveaways for example.)
THE LOST:Adam Bruno is no ordinary millionaire. The heir to an ancient race possessing a dark, powerful magic, he can shapeshift and create energy. His gifts make him a living weapon and have forced him to live in seclusion. But now an inhuman force hunts down Adam-just when he finds someone who makes him feel more human than he ever imagined possible . . .
Home from combat in Iraq, Bobbie Carerra wants only peace, yet soon joins Adam in a terrifying battle against paranormal enemies who hide in plain sight. She’s drawn to his strength of mind and body; he’s attracted to her courage and intoxicating energy. Their scorching passion can either transport them to the heights of ecstasy or-if Adam’s powers rage out of control-destroy them. But when an invisible brotherhood tightens its nets and someone Adam trusts betrays him, only a heartrending decision can save them.
Thank you so much for having me here today!
One of the things I love best about being a writer is being able to share so many of my favorite things and that includes the places and things that I’ve been lucky enough to experience first hand.
For example, I based the THE FIFTH KINGDOM on my travels to Mexico and a hike up the side of a Mexican pyramid despite my fear of heights.
THE LOST is located along one of my really really favorite places – the Jersey Shore. I’m not all that far from the beach and regularly go down to take long walks through all the assorted towns in order to research places for the novels in the Sin Hunters series.
Take the chase scene in THE LOST where Bobbie and Adam are forced to confront some men who have been following them. To write that scene, I walked nearly three miles from my usual haunts to Belmar and then Avon-by-Sea and back. Along the way I snapped photos of where the pivotal scene would occur in front of the Avon Pavilion.
When I was done with that, I turned my attentions to the other locations for the book, especially the town of Ocean Grove, also know as God’s Little Square Mile.
Bobbie Carrera has her condo in Ocean Grove and there are a number of scenes along the boardwalk there as well as the big black moment when Bobbie confronts Adam and asks him to have faith. I knew as I wrote that scene that there was only one place where it could happen: On the Auditorium Grounds in front of the famous Great Auditorium.
You may be wondering why I would pick somewhere like the Jersey Shore for a dark and sexy paranormal romance like THE LOST.
For starters, it’s possibly the last place that you would probably expect an ancient race of energy gatherers to be hiding out – the ol’ “hide in plain sight” concept.
Second, there is nature all around at the shore, from the ocean to the river to the many wetlands and small islands where a race like the Hunters could go to collect energy without being detected.
Not that Adam understands anything about being a Hunter at the start of THE LOST.
Adam is the missing son of Hunter leaders and has no clue that he possesses such powers. All that Adam knows is that he is different and that difference has kept him isolated from most of the world around him. It is only when he meets Bobbie and is drawn into a civil war he knew nothing about that Adam truly comes to understand the immense powers of which he is capable.
I hope you will like finding out more about Adam, Bobbie and the Hunters as well as my beloved Jersey Shore. Maybe you’ll even be able to visit one day and talk a long stroll with me through the many beautiful towns that call to me so powerfully. Maybe you’ll even see a familiar site from something I’ve included in one of the SIN HUNTER books.Thanks so much for having me here today! I appreciate you taking the time to come by.
Make sure you leave a comment or ask Caridad a question to be entered to win the following:
1) a lost T-shirt
2) an ebook of Caridad’s ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
3) 1 of 5 custom handmade bookmarks
Shirt (US/Canada only)
Bookmarks & ebook (International)
**MUST** leave contact email to win!
Bookmarks & ebook (International)
**MUST** leave contact email to win!
Caridad Piñeiro® is a multi-published, NYT bestselling author. Born in Havana, Cuba, Caridad settled in the New York Metropolitan area, attended Villanova University and St. John’s University. In additions to writing, Caridad is a partner at her law firm in midtown Manhattan.Interview + Giveaway with Caroline Linden and ONE NIGHT IN LONDON
>Bewteen Avon and Kensingon, Caroline has published a dozen historical romances and her latest, ONE NIGHT IN LONDON, just released in September! Her next, BLAME IT ON THE BATH, releases in March 2012 — SQUEE, we’re release buddies! — so watch for it. Welcome, Caroline! Thanks for coming!
Lord Edward de Lacey has noble expectations—until a secret from the past threatens to cost him everything. Francesca Gordon will stop at nothing to find her niece— not even bargaining with the ruthless Lord Edward. But what begins as purely business might become something closer to pure passion…
Comment or ask Caroline a question to win 1 of 5 custom bookmarks!!
Tell us about your upcoming release.
ONE NIGHT IN LONDON is about a desperate woman trying to save her niece from a wicked stepmother, and a man determined to save his inheritance. He steals her lawyer, she coerces him into helping her as payback, and then the sparks start to fly.
What creates the biggest conflict between your hero and heroine?
I think it’s that they are so different. Francesca, the heroine, is impulsive, passionate, and a bit warm-tempered. Edward is disciplined, coldly logical, and rather ruthless in pursuit of what he wants…although he does try to resist it when Francesca turns out to be what he wants.
Why did you put these two together?
I love characters who complement each other! They share some common ground, but have different strengths and weaknesses so they can support each other.
Is there a message in this novel that you want readers to grasp? I don’t know about a message in the novel—except that love is worth fighting for, even to the point of humbling yourself—but the book is part of a campaign to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. A portion of the sales will go to fund research and patient support programs, and at the back of the book is a page listing the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, which is difficult to detect early and thus incredibly deadly. Read it! Share it! Rip it out and post it on your bathroom mirror!
Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?
This may sound strange, but: action/adventure movies. I love things like the Jason Bourne films and Star Wars, because something is always happening. Every line of dialogue counts. Little things turn out to have big significance.I tend to get bored by description, no matter how beautifully written.
How do you keep in touch with your readers?
I update my website most months, and I’ve been trying to keep my Facebook page active with random weekly updates. And I answer all my reader email. Sometimes in deadline panic I slack off all these things, but I love to hear from readers!
What are you reading now?
I just finished BLACK SHEEP by Georgette Heyer, which I really liked. Very different from the book I read before, A TALE OF TWO LOVERS by Maya Rodale—which I also really liked!
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Strong, multifaceted characters with interesting problems. You can wring a lot of plot from good characters.
What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started writing?
There is no Right Way to be an author, to be published, to write a book, to run your career… Everyone creates their own path, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Personally, I lovelovelove Scrivener. Fabulous writing software! But otherwise, I think you just need determination and persistence. And maybe the occasional pedicure.
What are your current projects?
Right now I’m writing the final book in the Truth About the Duke trilogy (ONE NIGHT IN LONDON is the first). In spare moments I jot down a few lines of a possible novella about a secondary character from ONE NIGHT IN LONDON, and when I’m really stuck on the book, I work on my paranormal magnum opus.
Do You Have Any Undiscovered Or Hidden Talents?
It’s not quite hidden; it’s exploited probably far too often! I make awesome cookies. I love cookies. If you have a good cookie recipe, send it to me. Of course, then I eat the cookies, which is not so good…
Where can we find you online?
www.carolinelinden.com and http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolineLinden
Caroline Linden earned a math degree from Harvard University before turning to writing fiction. Ten years, nine books, two Red Sox championships, and one dog later, she has never been happier with her decision.
Comment or ask Caroline a question to win 1 of 5 custom bookmarks!!
**International**
MUST leave contact email to win!
>Interview + Giveaway with Caroline Linden and ONE NIGHT IN LONDON
>Bewteen Avon and Kensingon, Caroline has published a dozen historical romances and her latest, ONE NIGHT IN LONDON, just released in September! Her next, BLAME IT ON THE BATH, releases in March 2012 — SQUEE, we’re release buddies! — so watch for it. Welcome, Caroline! Thanks for coming!
Lord Edward de Lacey has noble expectations—until a secret from the past threatens to cost him everything. Francesca Gordon will stop at nothing to find her niece— not even bargaining with the ruthless Lord Edward. But what begins as purely business might become something closer to pure passion…
Comment or ask Caroline a question to win 1 of 5 custom bookmarks!!
Tell us about your upcoming release.
ONE NIGHT IN LONDON is about a desperate woman trying to save her niece from a wicked stepmother, and a man determined to save his inheritance. He steals her lawyer, she coerces him into helping her as payback, and then the sparks start to fly.
What creates the biggest conflict between your hero and heroine?
I think it’s that they are so different. Francesca, the heroine, is impulsive, passionate, and a bit warm-tempered. Edward is disciplined, coldly logical, and rather ruthless in pursuit of what he wants…although he does try to resist it when Francesca turns out to be what he wants.
Why did you put these two together?
I love characters who complement each other! They share some common ground, but have different strengths and weaknesses so they can support each other.
Is there a message in this novel that you want readers to grasp? I don’t know about a message in the novel—except that love is worth fighting for, even to the point of humbling yourself—but the book is part of a campaign to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. A portion of the sales will go to fund research and patient support programs, and at the back of the book is a page listing the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, which is difficult to detect early and thus incredibly deadly. Read it! Share it! Rip it out and post it on your bathroom mirror!
Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?
This may sound strange, but: action/adventure movies. I love things like the Jason Bourne films and Star Wars, because something is always happening. Every line of dialogue counts. Little things turn out to have big significance.I tend to get bored by description, no matter how beautifully written.
How do you keep in touch with your readers?
I update my website most months, and I’ve been trying to keep my Facebook page active with random weekly updates. And I answer all my reader email. Sometimes in deadline panic I slack off all these things, but I love to hear from readers!
What are you reading now?
I just finished BLACK SHEEP by Georgette Heyer, which I really liked. Very different from the book I read before, A TALE OF TWO LOVERS by Maya Rodale—which I also really liked!
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Strong, multifaceted characters with interesting problems. You can wring a lot of plot from good characters.
What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started writing?
There is no Right Way to be an author, to be published, to write a book, to run your career… Everyone creates their own path, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Personally, I lovelovelove Scrivener. Fabulous writing software! But otherwise, I think you just need determination and persistence. And maybe the occasional pedicure.
What are your current projects?
Right now I’m writing the final book in the Truth About the Duke trilogy (ONE NIGHT IN LONDON is the first). In spare moments I jot down a few lines of a possible novella about a secondary character from ONE NIGHT IN LONDON, and when I’m really stuck on the book, I work on my paranormal magnum opus.
Do You Have Any Undiscovered Or Hidden Talents?
It’s not quite hidden; it’s exploited probably far too often! I make awesome cookies. I love cookies. If you have a good cookie recipe, send it to me. Of course, then I eat the cookies, which is not so good…
Where can we find you online?
www.carolinelinden.com and http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolineLinden
Caroline Linden earned a math degree from Harvard University before turning to writing fiction. Ten years, nine books, two Red Sox championships, and one dog later, she has never been happier with her decision.
Comment or ask Caroline a question to win 1 of 5 custom bookmarks!!
**International**
MUST leave contact email to win!
CP Release Week Celebration!!
>
My critique partner, Elisabeth Naughton, releases the third book in her ETERNAL GAURDIAN series, TEMPTED, Tuesday and we’re celebrating here on One Word At A Time all week long!!Today, Wednesday and Friday I’ll be posting fun interview questions (these are not your mama’s interview questions). Elisabeth gives her answer, and I, as her CP for somewhere around 5 years now, give an answer from MY point of view. Outta be fun!
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, I’ll be posting excerpts from TEMPTED.
EVERYDAY, I’ll be giving away the 2 first books in the series, MARKED and ENTWINED, each with a matching handmade bookmark from those who comment that day.
Sunday, I’ll choose one name from everyone who have commented during the week to WIN an ARC of TEMPTED with a matching bookmark!
Hope you’ll come by everyday to learn a little more about Elisabeth and get a little sneak peak of TEMPTED.
Interview, Day One
Do You Like Going Window Shopping?
E: What’s the point if you aren’t going to buy anything? The older I get the less I enjoy shopping of any kind.
J for E: Window what? If it’s in the window, it’s destiny and meant to be in my closet.
Ever Been Addicted To A Game?
E: Solitaire. It’s the bane of my existence.
J for E: Literati–I kick Joan Swan’s ass every damned game! She sucks! She rarely plays with me anymore. Can’t figure out why.
Do You Have Any Undiscovered Or Hidden Talents?
E: I’m an amazing painter. Of walls. Stop laughing, it’s true. My walls are very pretty and I get compliments on them all the time.
J for E: I can hold down a pint of vodka like nobody’s business and curse more in the first chapter of my manuscript than a drunk sailor on leave.
What is your favorite beverage?
E: Vodka
J for E: Hel-lo!
What is your weapon of choice for the Zombie Apocolypse?
E: Vodka
J for E: I rest my case.
First impression of your significant other.
E: Cute. And old. Why the hell is he talking to me? (I was a lowly freshman in college. He was a senior.)
J for E: Hot. I’m going to keep him around. He’d make good research material when I become a romance author and need those midnight snacks. No, not that kind of snack! Get your mind out of the gutter–you’re crowding mine!
Favorite Midnight Snack?
E: Peanut butter on white bread.
J for E: Foster Freeze Blizzard, which the significant other (see above) runs out pick up for me.
 |
| Click for larger image….verah pretty!! You know you want one! Enter now!!! |
Your turn! Answer the question below to enter for 1 of today’s 2 prizes:
1) A copy of MARKED and matching bookmark
2) A copy of ENTWINED and matching bookmark
Have you ever had a job where you had to wear a uniform?
US/Canada shipping only
**MUST** leave a contact email to WIN
>CP Release Week Celebration!!
>
My critique partner, Elisabeth Naughton, releases the third book in her ETERNAL GAURDIAN series, TEMPTED, Tuesday and we’re celebrating here on One Word At A Time all week long!!Today, Wednesday and Friday I’ll be posting fun interview questions (these are not your mama’s interview questions). Elisabeth gives her answer, and I, as her CP for somewhere around 5 years now, give an answer from MY point of view. Outta be fun!
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, I’ll be posting excerpts from TEMPTED.
EVERYDAY, I’ll be giving away the 2 first books in the series, MARKED and ENTWINED, each with a matching handmade bookmark from those who comment that day.
Sunday, I’ll choose one name from everyone who have commented during the week to WIN an ARC of TEMPTED with a matching bookmark!
Hope you’ll come by everyday to learn a little more about Elisabeth and get a little sneak peak of TEMPTED.
Interview, Day One
Do You Like Going Window Shopping?
E: What’s the point if you aren’t going to buy anything? The older I get the less I enjoy shopping of any kind.
J for E: Window what? If it’s in the window, it’s destiny and meant to be in my closet.
Ever Been Addicted To A Game?
E: Solitaire. It’s the bane of my existence.
J for E: Literati–I kick Joan Swan’s ass every damned game! She sucks! She rarely plays with me anymore. Can’t figure out why.
Do You Have Any Undiscovered Or Hidden Talents?
E: I’m an amazing painter. Of walls. Stop laughing, it’s true. My walls are very pretty and I get compliments on them all the time.
J for E: I can hold down a pint of vodka like nobody’s business and curse more in the first chapter of my manuscript than a drunk sailor on leave.
What is your favorite beverage?
E: Vodka
J for E: Hel-lo!
What is your weapon of choice for the Zombie Apocolypse?
E: Vodka
J for E: I rest my case.
First impression of your significant other.
E: Cute. And old. Why the hell is he talking to me? (I was a lowly freshman in college. He was a senior.)
J for E: Hot. I’m going to keep him around. He’d make good research material when I become a romance author and need those midnight snacks. No, not that kind of snack! Get your mind out of the gutter–you’re crowding mine!
Favorite Midnight Snack?
E: Peanut butter on white bread.
J for E: Foster Freeze Blizzard, which the significant other (see above) runs out pick up for me.
|
| Click for larger image….verah pretty!! You know you want one! Enter now!!! |
Your turn! Answer the question below to enter for 1 of today’s 2 prizes:
1) A copy of MARKED and matching bookmark
2) A copy of ENTWINED and matching bookmark
Have you ever had a job where you had to wear a uniform?
US/Canada shipping only
**MUST** leave a contact email to WIN
Misty Evans Interview + Giveaway!
>
Welcome to my guest blogger today, author Misty Evans, here talking about writing and the writing life. Her book, Soul Suvivor, released June 21st.One lucky commentor will win a copy of Soul Survivor and five others will win one handmade custom bookmark for Soul Survivor.
Misty, tell us about Soul Survivor.
Joan, thank you so much for having me on your blog today! Soul Suvivor is a dark paranormal romantic suspense published by Carina Press. Here’s the blurb:
Haunted by tragedy, FBI profiler Rife St. Cloud is driven to find the person who brutally attacked six women. Unfortunately the only survivor, Keva Moon Water, has no memory of what happened, and the evidence makes her the prime suspect.
Keva cannot die. She has waited a thousand years to be reunited with the man she loves, whose soul sleeps within Rife. Though he refuses to believe her claims of immortality, there’s no denying the passion that burns between them. Keva desperately hopes their sexual connection will be enough to awaken Rife’s memories of the love affair that started a war and bound their souls together for all eternity.
But when Keva’s own memories come trickling back, she realizes that a future with Rife depends upon confronting the mistakes of the distant past…
Soul Survivor is the first of your Lost Worlds Series. Can you tell us what inspired the series and what is in store in the sequels to Soul Survivor?My twin sons have long been fascinated with lost civilizations, both real and mythical. Their interest sparked a similar interest in me, especially about North American civilizations such as the Anazazi and Hopewell groups. For my fictional series, I created a lost tribe of Native Americans of which my hero and heroine were members of a thousand years ago and was destroyed because of their love for each other. In the second book, Soul Protector, my archeologist hero discovers the bones of the lost tribe and releases a bunch of angry ghosts.
The story’s heroine is a shaman and ghost whisperer, so she’s against him digging them up in the first place and then must get the ghosts to cross over before they destroy her, him and many other innocent people in their quest for revenge. Even though there’s a new hero and heroine for this book, Keva and Rife from Soul Survivor will make an appearance. The third book in the series, Soul Walker, is still rattling around in my head.
Can you tell us a little about your Witches Anonymous series and what inspired it?
Witches Anonymous is one of my most loved series by fans. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s light paranormal or because the heroine’s torn between Lucifer (definite bad boy) and Adam (the original Adam who’s on Earth for a redo), but my readers love this series. Which is great for me, because I love writing it. There are three novellas published so far in the series and a fourth coming out late summer. The series was inspired by my Baptist upbringing and my God complex. I’ve always wanted to rewrite a few biblical stories, and in this series, I get to do that.
What is your writing routine?
I write for several hours in the morning M-F, and then promote, edit, do interviews, etc., in the afternoon. Weekends I try to save for family and fun and recharging my muse.
How does your family view your writing career?
Most of my immediate family supported it from the beginning. A few outliers are starting to warm up to it. There are always moments when it feels like my writing and my family life are at odds, but only because of time constraints and the fact I can completely immerse myself in writing and forget to come up for air. That’s when the kids, my husband and my friends do an intervention and return to me to the real world for awhile. I find it difficult to maintain a healthy balance!
How do you keep in touch with your readers?
Readers are absolutely the best part of being an author. I love writing stories, but if I didn’t have fans who enjoy reading them, I’d question my abilities as a storyteller. They send me emails, post nice messages on my Facebook author wall, and chat with me on Twitter. Some are even gracious enough to join my Yahoo Group and sign up for my newsletter. I try to make it as easy as I can for them to contact me and I love hearing from new fans as well as tried and true ones. Knowing I have readers makes me show up to the keyboard every day.
What authors do you like to read?
Currently, I’m on a Meg Cabot kick, so I’m reading both her adult and YA books. I love so many authors, it would take weeks to name them all. Consistently I enjoy Jodi Picoult, Edie Ramer, PJ Alderman, CE Murphy, Rachel Hawkins, Jennifer Estep, Cassandra Claire and Stacia Kane.
What are you reading now?
Fiction: Insatiable by Meg Cabot and Ghost Ship by PJ Alderman; and nonfiction: A Writer’s Journey by Christopher Volger.
What is in your TBR pile?
My TBR is always a mile long, both in physical books and ebooks on my Kindle. Galaxy Girls by Edie Ramer and On Any Given Sunday by Marilyn Brandt are up next.
Do you have a second career? If not, what did you do before you became a full-time writer?
Does motherhood count as my second career? Before I decided to become a full-time writer, I was in the business world as a marketing manager. My last job was working in the public health field and I did everything from edit newsletters to manage a breast and cervical cancer program. During my writing career, I’ve also taught creative writing and been a substitute teacher.
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Strong voice and stronger characters.
How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
Characters come first, plot second. I don’t have a set formula for writing per se, but since I write series that are in different genres from each other, I do follow a loose formula for each series that works for me. For the Super Agent series, I do a lot more research and plotting. For the Witches Anonymous series, I let my muse direct the story. The Lost Worlds series is a sort of in between…some plotting and some pantsing.
What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Coffee, thesaurus, creative imagination and an undefeatable attitude.
What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
I hold writers in the utmost regard, so becoming an author and being allowed to tell my stories is an honor. To have the kind of fabulous readers I do, and to know my stories lighten their day, is the best dream come true I could ask for.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I write in bed. I have a bad back, so it’s the only way for me to type.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Read, grow herbs, hang out with my family and friends. I also make silver jewelry, homemade cards and I love to bake. I’ve been decorating cakes since high school. All those things are great stress relievers and provide me with creative outlets different from writing.
Where can we find you online?Thanks for being with us, Misty!
Remember to comment to enter the drawing for a copy of Misty’s Soul Survior or one of five bookmarks! (International)
*MUST* leave contact email to WIN!
>Misty Evans Interview + Giveaway!
>
Welcome to my guest blogger today, author Misty Evans, here talking about writing and the writing life. Her book, Soul Suvivor, released June 21st.One lucky commentor will win a copy of Soul Survivor and five others will win one handmade custom bookmark for Soul Survivor.
Misty, tell us about Soul Survivor.
Joan, thank you so much for having me on your blog today! Soul Suvivor is a dark paranormal romantic suspense published by Carina Press. Here’s the blurb:
Haunted by tragedy, FBI profiler Rife St. Cloud is driven to find the person who brutally attacked six women. Unfortunately the only survivor, Keva Moon Water, has no memory of what happened, and the evidence makes her the prime suspect.
Keva cannot die. She has waited a thousand years to be reunited with the man she loves, whose soul sleeps within Rife. Though he refuses to believe her claims of immortality, there’s no denying the passion that burns between them. Keva desperately hopes their sexual connection will be enough to awaken Rife’s memories of the love affair that started a war and bound their souls together for all eternity.
But when Keva’s own memories come trickling back, she realizes that a future with Rife depends upon confronting the mistakes of the distant past…
Soul Survivor is the first of your Lost Worlds Series. Can you tell us what inspired the series and what is in store in the sequels to Soul Survivor?My twin sons have long been fascinated with lost civilizations, both real and mythical. Their interest sparked a similar interest in me, especially about North American civilizations such as the Anazazi and Hopewell groups. For my fictional series, I created a lost tribe of Native Americans of which my hero and heroine were members of a thousand years ago and was destroyed because of their love for each other. In the second book, Soul Protector, my archeologist hero discovers the bones of the lost tribe and releases a bunch of angry ghosts.
The story’s heroine is a shaman and ghost whisperer, so she’s against him digging them up in the first place and then must get the ghosts to cross over before they destroy her, him and many other innocent people in their quest for revenge. Even though there’s a new hero and heroine for this book, Keva and Rife from Soul Survivor will make an appearance. The third book in the series, Soul Walker, is still rattling around in my head.
Can you tell us a little about your Witches Anonymous series and what inspired it?
Witches Anonymous is one of my most loved series by fans. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s light paranormal or because the heroine’s torn between Lucifer (definite bad boy) and Adam (the original Adam who’s on Earth for a redo), but my readers love this series. Which is great for me, because I love writing it. There are three novellas published so far in the series and a fourth coming out late summer. The series was inspired by my Baptist upbringing and my God complex. I’ve always wanted to rewrite a few biblical stories, and in this series, I get to do that.
What is your writing routine?
I write for several hours in the morning M-F, and then promote, edit, do interviews, etc., in the afternoon. Weekends I try to save for family and fun and recharging my muse.
How does your family view your writing career?
Most of my immediate family supported it from the beginning. A few outliers are starting to warm up to it. There are always moments when it feels like my writing and my family life are at odds, but only because of time constraints and the fact I can completely immerse myself in writing and forget to come up for air. That’s when the kids, my husband and my friends do an intervention and return to me to the real world for awhile. I find it difficult to maintain a healthy balance!
How do you keep in touch with your readers?
Readers are absolutely the best part of being an author. I love writing stories, but if I didn’t have fans who enjoy reading them, I’d question my abilities as a storyteller. They send me emails, post nice messages on my Facebook author wall, and chat with me on Twitter. Some are even gracious enough to join my Yahoo Group and sign up for my newsletter. I try to make it as easy as I can for them to contact me and I love hearing from new fans as well as tried and true ones. Knowing I have readers makes me show up to the keyboard every day.
What authors do you like to read?
Currently, I’m on a Meg Cabot kick, so I’m reading both her adult and YA books. I love so many authors, it would take weeks to name them all. Consistently I enjoy Jodi Picoult, Edie Ramer, PJ Alderman, CE Murphy, Rachel Hawkins, Jennifer Estep, Cassandra Claire and Stacia Kane.
What are you reading now?
Fiction: Insatiable by Meg Cabot and Ghost Ship by PJ Alderman; and nonfiction: A Writer’s Journey by Christopher Volger.
What is in your TBR pile?
My TBR is always a mile long, both in physical books and ebooks on my Kindle. Galaxy Girls by Edie Ramer and On Any Given Sunday by Marilyn Brandt are up next.
Do you have a second career? If not, what did you do before you became a full-time writer?
Does motherhood count as my second career? Before I decided to become a full-time writer, I was in the business world as a marketing manager. My last job was working in the public health field and I did everything from edit newsletters to manage a breast and cervical cancer program. During my writing career, I’ve also taught creative writing and been a substitute teacher.
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Strong voice and stronger characters.
How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
Characters come first, plot second. I don’t have a set formula for writing per se, but since I write series that are in different genres from each other, I do follow a loose formula for each series that works for me. For the Super Agent series, I do a lot more research and plotting. For the Witches Anonymous series, I let my muse direct the story. The Lost Worlds series is a sort of in between…some plotting and some pantsing.
What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Coffee, thesaurus, creative imagination and an undefeatable attitude.
What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
I hold writers in the utmost regard, so becoming an author and being allowed to tell my stories is an honor. To have the kind of fabulous readers I do, and to know my stories lighten their day, is the best dream come true I could ask for.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I write in bed. I have a bad back, so it’s the only way for me to type.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Read, grow herbs, hang out with my family and friends. I also make silver jewelry, homemade cards and I love to bake. I’ve been decorating cakes since high school. All those things are great stress relievers and provide me with creative outlets different from writing.
Where can we find you online?Thanks for being with us, Misty!
Remember to comment to enter the drawing for a copy of Misty’s Soul Survior or one of five bookmarks! (International)
*MUST* leave contact email to WIN!