Interview with Author Reese Ryan

We have a real treat today, we are part of the release day happenings we have an interview (with a giveaway) with fellow Carina Press author Reese Ryan. Her book, Making the First Move, releases today, July 22.

Tell us about Making the First Move.

It’s a friends-to-lovers contemporary romance about two people struggling with the past in a way that jeopardizes their futures—as individuals and as a couple. Melanie Gordon has spent the past several years throwing herself into her work after the death of her father and a devastating  breakup.  As a result, she excels in her career, but her romantic life and her family relationships suffer. Raine Mason is a sexy, selfless philanthropist with a passion for his cause. But the dark secret he’s harboring threatens to destroy his chance of finding happiness with Melanie.

Tell us how you build your characters? Do you write character bios? Cast the characters?

The situation that forms a loose plot usually comes to me first. Then I start to envision the kind of character who would be in this situation. Ideally I’d like to do a character sketch first, but I never do. I need to begin writing the story so I get to know the character a little. For this book I then went on to create a detailed character chart for Raine and Melanie. It helped me understand who they were and how they’d react in a given situation. However, for the related book which will be released in December I followed Cherry Adair’s advice about picking a birthday for the character and then creating a personality chart based on it. That worked really well and I plan to use that method going forward.

Are you a plotter or a panster?

I once thought I was a pure pantser. But after listening to an interview with author Kimberla Lawson Roby I decided to give outlining a try. I’ve discovered that I’m a little plotter, a little pantser. I need the structure of a loose outline or synopsis, but the freedom to break the rules whenever I—or the characters—see fit. The hybrid approach works best for me.

What attracted you to writing contemporary romance? 

I write romantic fiction because I’m a hopeless romantic and I enjoy going along for the journey as two characters fall in love. I write contemporary fiction because if I started researching clothing, food, and furniture from past centuries or imagining future worlds I’d probably never get around to actually writing the story.

What are your favorite scenes to write?

I enjoy writing the witty banter between the hero and heroine. As a reader, I need to feel the attraction before I can buy into it. So I enjoy creating the slow seduction.  As a fan of Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott, I also really enjoy creating crazy family dynamics.

What do you want your readers to take away with them after reading the story?

Two things. First, don’t be afraid to re-examine your goals to see if they are really what you want, rather than what you think you should. Second, forgiveness is powerful salve which we often deny ourselves. Don’t. Without it we can’t truly move forward. Learn the lessons of the past. Make amends. Allow that knowledge to guide future actions.

Do you have any words of advice or encouragement for aspiring authors?

Despite all of the changes in publishing, this is a time of tremendous opportunity for authors. But no matter which route you decide to take—traditional, e-first, self-publishing—learn as much as you can. Continue to improve your craft. Put out the best possible product.

What are you working on next?

I just completed a related book featuring the best friend character in Making the First Move—Jamie Charles. Both books are standalones, but Jamie’s story—tentatively titled Love Me Not—actually takes place prior to this one. We get to watch her and her love interest—Miles Copeland—fall in love and we delve more deeply into her troubled past.  Jamie is a much different character. Darker, grittier. So it’s a much edgier book though it’s also funny and the romance between them is touching. It was wonderful getting into her and Miles’s heads and helping them reach their happy ending.

Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

I was originally one of those diehards that proclaimed I’d never own an e-reader. But then I got an Android phone and started using the Kindle app. I was hooked. This past Christmas I received a Kindle Fire HD and the number of books I’ve read since then has increased dramatically. I LOVE my Kindle.

Tell us a little about the state/country you live in.

I’m a native Ohioan, but four years ago my family moved to Central North Carolina. We absolutely love living here and enjoy the friendly folks and lush greenery. We spend a lot of time lounging by the pool, walking or biking the greenways, or kayaking. But Cleveland is still definitely home and most of my stories are set there. However, expect to see a few stories in the near future set here in North Carolina.

What are you reading now?

Sexcapades by fellow Carina Press author, Christine d’Abo and The Man in 3B by Carl Weber—which is the first print book I’ve read in a while.

What is your favorite quote?

There are two quotes I really love. “Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe.

Where can you find Making the First Move? 

Making the First Move is available at Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes&Nobel, and Audible

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Reese Ryan writes sexy, contemporary romance featuring a multicultural cast of flawed, but lovable characters. She secretly enjoys torturing her heroines with family and career drama, reformed bad boys, revealed secrets, and the occasional identity crisis, but always rewards them with supportive girlfriends and a happily ever after.

An avid reader, Reese's to-be-read stack resembles a small skyscraper. She adores brilliant singer/songwriters, and has an incurable addiction to musicals and movie soundtracks. A native Ohioan, she currently resides in Central North Carolina with her husband and young adult son who tolerate her propensity to sing and dance badly. Visit Reese online at ReeseRyan.com Reese's Blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads

Guest Author ~ Tia Nevitt

Today's post is an interview with Carina Press author Tia  Nevitt. Her new book, The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf, was released this past Monday. It's an fantasy romance, one of my favorite kind of stories. Check out the bottom of today's post for a Tia Nevitt exclusive give away!

Not even a stint in the military as an aircraft mechanic could erase Tia Nevitt’s love of fairy tales. To this day, she loves to read (and write) books that take her to another place, or another time, or both. She also dabbles in calligraphy, violin, piano and songwriting. Tia has worked on an assembly line, as a computer programmer, a technical writer and a business analyst. She lives in the southeast with her husband and daughter.

Tia’s novella, The Sevenfold Spell, won the 2012 EPIC ebook award for Fantasy. 

Here is a short description of The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf.

This story is about the mysterious face within the magic mirror of the Snow White story—who he is, how he came to be there, and why he finds the queen so lovely. It is also about the seven dwarfs, why they live together, and how two of them fell in love and came to defeat the evil queen.

Here are some questions that Tia has answered so we can get to know her better.

1.     How long did it take you to write The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf? About six months, with another two months of revisions.

2.     How much research did you conduct for The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf and what was the most interesting thing you did while conducting your research?

This was my most research-intensive book. I researched German farmouses, the kingdoms of Medieval Germany, images and videos of the Black Forest, the German language, deaf communities and most of all, achondroplasia.

For German farmhouses, it started with a question—what were German farmhouses like? Aren’t the style of farmhouses universal?

Certainly not. I read, fascinated, of the icon German farmhouse architecture—those immense buildings covered with windows, and timbers making squares and Xs almost at random all across the structure. I learned how they were designed that way so the farm family and the animals all lived in one structure—the animals in stalls toward the front and the family in more homey quarters to the back.

The other research topics might be obvious, but why deaf communities? I lived near one many years ago, and I started wondering if the whole idea of seven dwarfs living together might have evolved in a similar way as deaf communities. I decided that to reach such a conclusion was well within the confines of what is permissible with literary license. J

And finally, not only did I read all I could about classic dwarfism—achondroplasia—but I looked into day-to-day living challenges as a little person. I discovered furnishings for little people, specifically designed clothing (a grown man can’t shop in the kid’s section), and even things that don’t apply to the middle ages—like mechanisms to make driving possible—because it helped me develop what I hope was the proper mindset.

3.     Do you write multiple drafts or barely need revisions when typing, The End?

I needed plenty of revisions! And when I thought I was done, I sent it in. It was accepted but then what did I need more of? Revisions! Lots of them! With The Sevenfold Spell, I did not have much of a developmental edit phase at all. But with The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf, it seemed like there was a lot more.

Of course, that COULD have been because the story is almost twice as long.

4.     When you are writing, who is in control? You or your characters?

For this story, I was more in control. I was definitely more disciplined, and when I did go off into flights of fancy, I took a hard look at the resulting scene to determine if it really needed to stay in the story. If not, into the discards file it went. Ange as the Tattered Princess almost made it into that file, until I realized how important that scene would be to Richard’s emotional development.

That’s not to say that I don’t have to obey my characters when they insist on having their way. A certain scene involving Gretchen, Lars, a moonlit river, and nudity? That was all Gretchen’s idea, and I wasn’t about to stop her.

(And believe it or not, this book is rated PG-13!)

5.     What advice do you have for other writers?

Finish your first book, and then write another one.

I ran a blog focused on debut novelists for over three years and almost all of the writers said that they had written multiple books before they wrote one that sold. In one case—Alex Bledsoe—he had about 5 or 6 unpublished novels when his book, The Sword-Edged Blonde, was published. And  then guess what happened? He started selling his other books.

Don’t think of them as unsold books. Think of them as inventory. J

And yes, I have taken my own advice. I have an unsold series that will always be my trunk novels, plus two additional novels that I consider inventory. Even my trunk series is ripe for reuse; I have always wanted to use that magic system in another story.

6.  What do you want your readers to take away with them after reading the story?

I want them to have a smile on their faces.

7.  With so many changes in publishing over the past year, where do you see the future of publishing going?

I think books are going to be cheaper, and authors and publishers will, as a consequence, sell a lot more of them. I already see fiction evolving to be more immersive for the reader as ebook readers begin to do more than simply display text. I see the size of the press mattering less and less, while the quality still has to equal that of Big Six houses.

Anyway, those are my predictions.

8.  If you were a millionaire would you still write?

Are you kidding me? Being a millionaire would allow me to write for a living. I would put out a healthy four books a year. When I run into writer’s block for one idea, I’ll simply pursue another. And thus I would earn my next million!

To tempt you even more, here is the copy for the back cover of The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf.

Book two in Accidental Enchantments.

Prince Richard is cursed. Enslaved to a magic mirror, he must truthfully answer the evil queen when she uses it to call on him. To keep from betraying innocents, Richard wanders the countryside and avoids people.

 ll her life, Gretchen has been teased for being small. When she hears of a hidden farm populated by little people like her, she sets out to find it—and is welcomed by the mostly male inhabitants. Lars in particular woos her with his gentle kindness and quiet strength.

 Danger looms when Gretchen meets a runaway princess and offers her shelter at the Little Farm. Wandering nearby, Richard instantly falls in love with the beautiful princess, and is later compelled to tell the queen that she is not the fairest of them all. Enraged, the queen vows to find them and destroy them.

 If either Gretchen or Richard are to have their happy endings, they must team up to break the mirror's spell before the queen kills them all…

Get your copy of The Magic Mirror and the Seventh Dwarf at Carina Press and on Amazon.

Find her at her website/blog www.tianevitt.com

On Twitter @tianevitt and Facebook www.facebook.com/tia.nevitt

GIVEAWAY: All readers who leave a comment will be entered into my weekly giveaway, detailed here: http://www.tianevitt.com/2013/02/week-long-giveaway-of-all-my-releases-1/

Guest Author ~ Shawna Thomas

Today's post is an interview with Carina Press author Shawna Thomas. Her new book, Journey of Awakening, was released this past Monday. It's an epic fantasy, my kind of story. 

Shawna Thomas - Website

Winner of a 2011 RT Reader’s Choice award for her debut book, Altered Destiny, Shawna Thomas has been making up stories ever since finishing Gone With The Wind. Once she put her own ending in writing, there was no looking back. A wife and a mother of seven, (yes seven!) Shawna lives in California where she gardens, writes, and drinks lots of coffee.

Here is a short description of Shawna's Journey to Awakening. 

Trained from birth for one purpose, Sara must reunite three ancient stones to restore balance to the land but one of the stone keepers has other plans.

To get to know Shawna better, she has answered a few questions. 

Available at Amazon and Carina Press

1.     How long did it take you to write Journey of Awakening? Well, it depends which time. I started writing this story over ten years ago. It’s changed much since then. The last version was done like a speed round. I had a newborn who did not sleep and a two month deadline to rewrite the manuscript. It’s a blur.  

2.     How much research did you conduct for Journey of Awakening and what was the most interesting thing you did while conducting your research? Unfortunately, a lot of researched material ended up on the cutting room floor. But Sara is a healer, so I spent hours researching herbal cures for different ailments. I found it fascinating and I tried several of them. They do work!

3.     Why did you decide to write fantasy? I’m not sure I ever decided to write fantasy. Rather it’s the way my brain is wired. However, I did publish erotic contemporary romance and gave it up for a chance to write and publish fantasy.

4.     Do you write multiple drafts or barely need revisions when typing, The End? Hah! I write fairly clean. (Looking over my shoulder to see what my editor might say) but I love revision. The first draft is usually bare bones. The next draft I’m adding flesh and bone, the next I’m dressing it up. I guess I write in layers.

5.     When you are writing, who is in control? You or your characters? It depends. I give my characters a lot of say. I think it’s one of the marks of a writer that they can argue with a character. These people have personality and depth. We just bring it out. But ultimately, I’m in charge. LOL I can almost hear my characters arguing with me.

6.     Have you had any "ah ha" moments as a writer? Oh yes, some of them embarrassing. Ah ha, this isn’t poetry, it’s narrative. Ah ha, no one will read my book just to glance around my world, something has to happen...

7.     What advice do you have for other writers? Don’t compare yourself to others. I have to tell myself this often, especially in regards to productivity. I don’t have much time to write so I’m not typically going to publish a book every six months. (This year is an exception)

8.     What was the most exciting thing that happened to you after you signed your contract – besides receiving your first check as a published author? My sister works for a hotel chain. She was across the country and mentioned to one of the managers that her sister was a writer. The man had read my book! It was amazing and humbling and wow!

9.     How does your family feel about your career as a romance writer? Hmm... My kids think I’m playing on the computer. From time to time one of my daughters will ask me how much money I’m making. (As in can we get a pool yet) My husband loves it. I don’t think most of them really understand what it means.

10.  What do you want your readers to take away with them after reading the story? I want them to fall in love with the characters. I want it to plant a seed in their imagination. I want them to want more. I want them to say, Ahhhh.

11.  What was the defining moment that you considered yourself an author? Defining moment... I’m not sure there has been one. I think it’s been a gradual thing. I do consider myself an author, but it wasn’t the first or even second book published that did it. Maybe when I won the RT reader award. That was pretty epic!

12.  With so many changes in publishing over the past year, where do you see the future of publishing going? I think we’re heading more toward electronic books. Two years ago it shocked me that my family didn’t know what an e-reader was. Now most of them have one or at least know what it is.

13.  What makes a man attractive to you? A good sense of humor. Oh, and he must have nice eyes and a good voice.

14.  What is the most interesting thing you’ve ever done? LOL. Do you really want to know that? I’m not sure it’s the most interesting but I’ve trapped and skinned a beaver. I used to live in Washington State and there was Indian trapper that wanted to teach me how to live like my ancestors. He took me trapping, taught me to make moccasins. FYI: You only eat the tail. The rest of it is inedible.

15.  What’s your biggest dream? Ten or twenty things came to mind, but you know, I am living my biggest dream. I would like my books to be successful. So I guess my biggest dream is to captivate people with my words.

16.  If you were a millionaire would you still write? Oh yes. I write because I love it. Because it’s part of who I am. But I’d have a maid come in once a week to take care of the house. Okay maybe twice. And someone to come in a few hours a day to watch the kiddos.

17.  Seven children! How do you find the time? Coffee! Their ages range from 24 to 8 months. The older ones help out with the younger ones. With a new baby I plot and plan during diaper changes and laundry and write during nap time. But definitely coffee keeps me going.

      To tempt you even more, here is the back cover copy of Journey of Awakening.

      After her grandfather's death, Sara inherits an ancient pendant and a near-impossible quest—master the mysterious pendant's source of magic. Driven to do so, she must find the other two stones of power, long considered lost, while preventing an unknown enemy from finding her first.

      Unprepared and alone, she travels to where the keepers of the stones, the Siobani, were last seen. Along the way she meets Tobar, leader of the nomadic Heleini tribe. As Sara wrestles with feelings for this intriguing man, she is also invigorated with her grandfather's passion to find the ancient Siobani race.

      After a rival tribe kidnaps Tobar's son and heir, Sara must harness the stone's healing magic to unite the tribes and save the boy. But as the dark power stalking her gains ground, will she continue on her quest to reach the Siobani or risk everything to save the warring tribes from eliminating each other?

You can find Shawna on Twitter: authorSThomas and Facebook: Shawna Guzman (Shawna Thomas)

She also loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at Shawna@shawnathomas.com 

Thank you Shawna!  

Presenting Guest Author, Liz Flaherty

Today Liz Flaherty joins us. She is a good friend and, as you will see, a fellow Carina Press author. Liz, tell us what you've been doing.

Life is new and wonderful for me these days. I retired from the post office in 2011, promptly gained 15 pounds--overnight, I swear!--and promised my grandkids, The Magnificent Seven, that I would make each of them a bed-size quilt. I also planned to write all day, every day.

What was I thinking?

I've learned to write when I feel like it, sew when I feel like it, and maybe even to eat a little less--or maybe not. For the first time, we're wintering in Florida and I'm enjoying the newness of it. I'm having a Very, Very Good time.

I recently finished the sixth quilt and my sixth book--I'm not an overnight success, but I never give up. JAR OF DREAMS, is a new release by Carina Press. I am thrilled to the point everyone I know rolls their eyes as soon as I open my mouth. 

Six quilts! I'm impressed. Liz, tell us a little about JAR OF DREAMS. 

For as long as she can remember, Lucy Dolan has been jotting down her hopes on slips of paper and saving them in a pickle jar—her jar of dreams. It was the first thing she saved when the beloved family diner went up in flames, and it's safely buckled in her beat-up minivan when she lands in Taft, Indiana, to start over. She rents a room and goes into business with her landlady, but then Gert's nephew comes charging in to "rescue" his aunt.

 Boone Brennan will be damned if he'll let Lucy take advantage of Aunt Gert, who raised him and his sister. Believing that she's just passing through, he's deeply suspicious of her—despite the sparks that fly between them.

Just as Boone and Lucy are starting to open up to each other, a series of fires throws Lucy under suspicion. Boone wants to trust her and his feelings, but with the whole town against her, will he stay by her side? Or will Lucy move on and find another place to make her dreams come true?

This sounds like a great story. I have a few questions for you.

5 Step Approach to Self-Editing

My edits arrived from my awesome editor Denise at Carina Press. She prepared me for them in her cover letter. First was the acknowledged improvement from my first manuscript-a reduction in split commas and improvement with point-of-view. (Please be impressed that there is an em dash-validation that I know my split commas.)

A look at the edits in the manuscript could have been daunting but I found them categorize into: character development and information flows. I noticed that some parts of the story were well developed and others were not. I tried to understand why.

I came across an article in Writer’s Digest about the 5 Step Approach to Self-Editing that made me understand the inconsistency. It’s written by James Scott Bell. He likens the process to the geyser, La Bufadora in Mexico. It’s a natural blowhole. The tide rolls in to the underwater cave, the pressure builds, and blasts a geyser to the surface. Some are loud and spectacular and others are quiet and barely visible. The water calms and waits for the next one. He compares that to the creative writing process. 

He said that sometimes we turn off our imaginations during the quiet periods. For me it explained why some of my character development and information flows were spectacular and others barely visible. The power is in the details.

Mr. Bell goes to describe the issues as deriving from left-brain, right-brain activity-creativity vs analysis. He ends his article with four steps for self-editing.

1. Identify a highly charged moment in your book.
2. Make a list of possible actions, gestures, or setting descriptions that might further reflect the scene to make it stronger.
3. List at least 20-25 possibilities, as fast as you can.
4. Craft a paragraph using the best details for your list then edit the text until is sings.

I hope you read his article and find it as helpful as I did.

How do you approach the doldrums of creativity when that analysis takes over? How do you get re-inspired?   

What's In a Name ... or a Title For That Matter!

Photo by Andrzej Gdula

Choosing names of places and characters has always been a challenge for me. Some I admit will resonate only with my family, a family name became the name of a local manor in my first book and the condo where my parents lived was another manor name. They both sounded so … English.

Character names are a challenge too. My kids, well my daughters, rolled their eyes at my hero’s name in Knight of Runes, Arik. Their brother is Ari. They accuse him of being the prince anyway so they were not surprised. If they look close at the heroine of the story, Rebeka, they may be surprised to see some essences of themselves. (Only the good things I assure you!).

Sometimes I can agonize for days over a name. I research lists of common and not so common names. What I find the most helpful is a deep understanding each character. When I came up with a name for my villain in my new story he stopped me cold with a glare and an acerbic, “Really!” He looked down his nose at me. After thinking about it I had to agree with him. I continued my search and was happy with the result.   

The book title is a totally different story. My working title is Mine Forever. The words are significant to the story but for a medieval fantasy it just doesn’t work. I sent the story under this name into my editor. Carina Press will be publishing it but it needs a title change. This story is part of a five book series, The Stelton Legacy. That part of the title I got. Once again I struggle with the book title. I remembered reading a post of the Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal (an online chapter of RWA) blog about book titles, Creating Compelling Titles. Once again I was in the same boat as Anne Marsh. I’m re-reading her post.  It’s a good read. I’ve included it below.

My editor sent me a worksheet to help me and the Carina team develop a more compelling title. Aside from the obvious genre, timeframe, and setting other questions included:

•       Key hooks, themes, and concepts
•       Key actions and conflicts with corresponding key words
•       Keywords
•       Objects and symbols
•       Favorite line and/or description

No, I haven’t come up with the new title yet but I’m working on it. I’ll definitely keep you informed. Here is the short story concept. Feel free to suggest a title.

In thirteenth century England, Alex Stelton finds his life in jeopardy after the king awards him Lisbeth’s cursed castle. Someone, or something, wants him dead. The knight’s trusted friend, Bryce Mitchell, secretly wants it all, the castle and the woman. He’ll stop at nothing to get them. Even set up the King’s favorite as a traitor. In order to save the man she loves and prevent being married off to Bryce, Lisbeth must make a crucial decision. Dare she rely on her knight to find a way to save them both or does she trust her magick and risk exposure and persecution as a witch?

Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at the FFnP Blog

Creating Compelling Titles

Guest blogger Anne Marsh

Titles were originally an afterthought for me—a handful of words that got slapped on my book right before I shipped it off. At best, the title was a convenient shorthand for picking out my current WIP from its fellow computer files. I wrote the Cat book. Next, I wrote the Goblin book. And the Amazon book. When, as an unpublished author, I decided to send a handful of manuscripts off on the RWA contest circuit, I simply had to give the blasted manuscripts better titles, so I sat down and considered the key elements in the book: my Cat book was sexy, with a big, shapeshifting hero. Plus, an erotic hunt figured prominently in the book. I came up with ”Caught by the Cat” and patted myself on the back. As titles went, it was marginally better than “The Cat Book” (which sounded like it should be coffee table fare filled with pictures of the African savannah). And, alliteration had to count for something—right? Since “everyone” knows that New York always changes your title, I figured the title didn’t really matter (besides, I had this fabulous midnight epiphany that I’d call the next books in the series “Claimed by the Cat” and “Charmed by Cat,” although, after that, I’d probably have to end the series as I’d already run out of words that began with the letter “C”).

I was wrong.

I didn’t know squat about titles.

“Caught by the Cat” sold to an editor juding the Orange Rose contest. Soon after I sold, however, my editor gently asked how I would feel about changing the title. She wanted to find something edgier, something that packed an erotic punch. That sounded great to me—right up until she asked me to brainstorm a list of possible new titles. Fortunately, I was able to brainstorm with both my agent and my editor—and we ended up going with one of my editor’s ideas.

Why do titles matter? First and foremost, a title makes the reader look. A good title conveys the flavor of a book in just a few words. My agent said that “The Hunt” jumped out at her and would make her pick the book up from the shelf (score!). It also shrieked “Alpha male!,” which was our goal. Strong. Forceful. Sexy. Just like my hero.

A successful title also connects the books in a series. Repeated words, elements, or themes work well. For example, we could have called a trio of shapeshifter books: The Hunt, The Game, and The Breakpoint. Instead, we decided to play with variations on a hunt: “The Hunt,” “The Pursuit,” “The Capture. Always think ahead: how would you pitch the next book in the series? How will you tie them together.
Things to consider when you’re coming up with a title for you book:

• The title needs to be short and to the point—it has to fit on the cover of a book and the graphic designer creating your cover doesn’t need the challenge of a five-line, polysyllabic tongue twister.
• The title should hint at the tone of your book. Is the book dark and sexy? Sweet? Hero-centric or focused on the heroine?
• The title of the book should also serve as a hook for the series (unless you’re truly planning just one standalone book). You may also want to brainstorm a series name -- especially for FF&P-ers, this is a      fabulous place to introduce your world-building.
• Keep an open mind and get feedback from as many folks as possible. A truly successful title is marketable and hooks in as many readers as possible… so you want to get impressions from as many people as possible. What do they think of when you say your title? What kind of book would they guess the book is? What adjectives come to mind? If your beta readers are thinking “Oooh! Dark and sexy!” but you’re writing light paranormal—or vice versa—you need to rethink the title.
• Search (Amazon is a great tool). Has anyone else used that title? It may not be a deal-breaker if someone else has used “your” title (the title I proposed for my forthcoming sexy contemporary, for example, was apparently used by an anthology a few years ago, but my editor wasn’t too concerned as the other book was an anthology).

There are lots of great titles out there, titles that make me go “Wow. Wish I’d thought of that!” The titles for Jacquelyn Frank’s Nightwalkers series, for example, let you know loud and clear that, when you crack those covers, you’re going to read about strong, forceful alphas. Jacob, Gideon, Elijah, Damien—these are forceful, honorable, no-nonsense Biblical names. Kathy Love, on the other hand, writes fabulously funny, sexy paranormal and her titles convey that message clearly– “Truth or Demon”, “What a Demon Wants”, “Fangs for the Memories.” Rebecca Zanetti’s two books—“Fated” and “Claimed”—use strong adjectives describing the relationship between the hero and the heroine in some very sexy terms. And, Karen Kelly’s books (“The Jaguar Prince,” “The Falcon Prince”) are tied together by the fact that her heroes are princes and shapeshifters.  Each title reflects the different stories we’re going to find between the covers and draws us in, hinting and promising at what we’ll find. I’ve picked up more than one book based on the title alone because I love the kind of story line the title hints at (cough—Karen Kelly—cough). The next time you’re naming your book, think about what kind of story you’re promising your reader—and what message you want to convey.
*****
A professional technical writer, Anne discovered that getting laid off was actually A Very Good Thing. While looking for her next writing gig, she picked up her pen (well, okay, she used her writing as an excuse to buy a new Apple laptop) and started writing. She soon discovered that writing was uncomfortably similar to sit-ups: add a few more crunches each day, wake up sore, but, by God, you will fit into that bikini. Or finish the book (she’s still working on the bikini). Now she cranks out software manuals during the daylight hours– and writes about alpha shapeshifters the rest of the time.

Coming Out of the Cave!

Over the last several weeks I've been in my cave heads down writing, attended the RT Convention in Chicago, and back to heads down writing.
It was my first experience at RT and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's wonderful to immerse yourself with other authors that speak the same language. Who else understands what you mean when you say you talk to imaginary people and they answer you. Jimmy Stewart and his Harvey would fit right in. I reconnected with old friends, met many new ones, and had fan girl moments with some of my favorite authors.

With Scott and Brooks at RT

The RT Convention has a reader component that I found exciting. It was a wow moment when a group of readers at the Carina Press cocktail party rushed to meet me. Yes, my signature was the last one they needed for the drawing for the iPad but the excitement was still the same.

I've also walked out of the cave to join fellow authors on a live chat at Night Owl Reviews. I finally had the courage to request a review of Knight of Runes. My Dear Husband is my 'taster.' In historic times, tasters sampled the food before it was served to the king. My 'taster' samples the review and deems it OK for me to read. He was as excited as I was with this review. It scored 4.5/5.0. It's a Top Pick!

I've read two articles this week that I think you might find interesting. Both are from Writer's Digest.

One article is on How to Use Pinterest to Market Your Book. The article by Rob Eagar is very interesting. The statistics in the article are eye openers. I love pictures but when I read a book what I love more is envisioning things my way. But Mr. Eagar clearly states that Pinterest is the 3 largest social network behind Facebook and Twitter.

The other article is Amazon Let's Authors Spy on Reader. The author, Phil Sexton, sees some innovative promotional opportunities for authors.  One of which is looking at what someone highlighted in their Kindle when they read your book.

Enjoy the articles. I hope you read the review. Have a great week. Now... back to the cave!

Interview with Multi Published Author Toni Anderson

Available now at Carina Press

Today multi-published author Toni Anderson has stopped by for an interview and some information about her book, EDGE OF SURVIVAL which was released by Carina Press on November 21.

How did you come up with the idea for EDGE OF SURVIVAL?

In some ways this is hard to talk about without giving away story spoilers so I might be a little vague in places. Basically the idea came from 3 different directions. Firstly, I’ve always been fascinated with the British SAS. My dad is an ex para and a military history buff. I grew up surrounded by books on the military, watching every TV program ever made on soldiers and war, and visiting every military museum in Britain. I have vivid memories of my dad climbing the barriers in a couple of museums to strip a Vicker’s machinegun just because he wanted to.

But what really intrigued me was what happened to the SAS guys when they left the Regiment. Suicide and alcoholism are common among these men who are the secretive heroes of the British military. I wanted to explore that.

The second aspect is people living with diabetes. In this story, the heroine, Cameran Young has type-1 diabetes, but she doesn’t let it slow her down. However, it’s a daily struggle and I wanted to show this.

Thirdly, I’m a fervent lover of wildlife and the environment—this comes into play in the story.

What made you set your story in Northern Labrador?

Back in the 1990s I was privileged to be part of a research study up in Northern Labrador. It was an amazing experience for a girl from Shropshire. The area is so remote that it formed the perfect backdrop for this story and was somewhere I wanted to revisit, if only through writing.

How much research did you conduct for your story and what was the most interesting thing you did while conducting your research?

I foolishly assumed that having conducted the heroine’s research study in the first place the research aspects of this book would be easier. Boy, was I ever wrong. I had a good grasp on the landscape and the limitations of working in these remote areas. I’ve flown in choppers oodles of times and tagged and tracked fish. But I didn’t know anything about diabetes. I didn’t know anything about flying a helicopter. I didn’t know anything about the psyche of an ex-soldier. I didn’t know how the RCMP conducted murder investigations in the remote places...can you see the list growing and growing? J The most interesting thing I did was to communicate with a former SAS soldier turned helicopter pilot (what were the chances of me finding this guy? It was fate J). He really helped me get a sense of who my hero was.

What do you want your readers to take away with them after reading the story?

Hmm…good question. There are messages in the story but no preaching. I’d like readers to take away the need to look after our soldiers when they leave the military. The fact that people can live with diabetes but finding a cure would be a hell of a lot better option. I hope they also take away that warm, feel-good emotion you get when you read a really good love story. 

What attracted you to romantic suspense?

Romantic Suspense is what I love to read and what I love to write. I like the added aspect of danger, I like the complexity of trying to solve a crime or avoid danger while all the time trying to deal with falling in love when you least expect it.

What process did you use to write your story?

I hate my process. It involves multiple drafts and much hair-pulling. I am a plotter. I tend to use the worksheets from Discovering Story Magic to develop my internal and external conflicts, but it’s still ugly.

How do you make time to write?

I write when the kids are in school and often in the evenings. I wrote my first book, HER SANCTUARY, in the evenings when they were in bed. It took me five years and was exhausting. Right now I’m privileged to be able to stay home. We’ll see how long that lasts J

Do you write multiple drafts or barely need revisions when typing, The End?

Multiple drafts and I never type THE END. My writing is too organic to ever type THE END J Or I’m too anal.

What comes first – characters or the plot?

They both tend to grow together. The story grows out of a scene that pops into my head. Then I start asking who might be affected by this scene. Who are the players and why does it matter? The characters and plot grow from each other.

If you could choose anyone, past or present for a mentor, who would you choose?

Nora Roberts. The woman is driven.

What advice would you give new writers?

Never never never give up—or was that Churchill? Join a writing group like Romance Writers of America, read lots of writing books and write every day. Don’t be put off by criticism.

What’s your biggest dream?

To be a NYT bestselling author who can pay the mortgage and contribute to the family coffers.

What is your idea of romance?

I’ve been married to a wonderful man for the last 14 years. The thing I find most romantic is the mutual support we give one another. If one of us has a bad day, the other is there for them, trying to make things better with a kiss and a hug.  We take time to let the other know we’re thinking of them throughout the day and we both understand what’s really important to each other and make compromises.  Yes, candlelight and roses are nice, but so is a cup of tea on the bedside table when you wake up, and knowing the dog has already been walked.

EDGE OF SURVIVAL (November 2011)

Foreword by Brenda Novak

Dr. Cameran Young knew her assignment wouldn't be easy. As lead biologist on the Environment Impact Assessment team, her findings would determine the future of a large mining project in the northern Canadian bush. She expected rough conditions and hostile miners—but she didn't expect to find a dead body her first day on the job.

Former SAS Sergeant Daniel Fox forged a career as a helicopter pilot, working as far from the rest of the human race as possible. The thrill of flying makes his civilian life bearable, and he lives by his mantra: don't get involved. But when he's charged with transporting the biologist to her research vessel, he can't help but get involved in the murder investigation—and with Cameran, who awakens emotions he's desperate to suppress.

In the harsh and rugged wilderness, Daniel and Cameran must battle their intense and growing attraction while keeping ahead of a killer who will stop at nothing to silence her…

My heroine has diabetes and I'm donating 15% of my royalties to diabetes research.

Toni’s Bio:

Toni is a former marine biologist who conducted her Ph.D. at the Gatty Marine Laboratory in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland.  She was born and raised in the U.K., but now lives in the Canadian prairies with her husband and two children, living about as far from the ocean as possible. Her stories are set in the stunning locations where she’s been lucky enough to live and work—the blustery east coast of Scotland, the remote isolated mining communities of Northern Labrador, the rugged landscapes of the U.S. and the Red Center of Australia.  She escapes the long brutal Canadian winters by writing Romantic Mystery and Suspense stories.

Toni, thank you so much for visiting with me today.

Friends, check out her website for a list of current titles, her blog and Facebook Author Page for writing news and her personal Facebook page and Twitter for constant nonsensical chatter. She is also part of a wonderful group blog—Not Your Usual Suspects. Come introduce yourself. 

Why Regency Men are the Best

I'm really excited today to have a guest post from fellow Carina Press author, Joanna Chambers. Joanna's book, The Lady's Secret, is now available. Hmmm, she thinks Regency men are the best. Let's just see...

Hi Ruth, thanks for having me over to your blog! 

My book, The Lady's Secret, which has recently been released by Carina Press (buy it here) is set in Regency England.  The heroine, Georgy, embarks on a quest to prove she and her twin brother Harry are legitimate and that Harry is the true Earl of Dunsmore.  To gain entrance to Dunsmore Manor to search for evidence, she dresses as a man and obtains a post as Nathan (the hero's) valet.  I had a lot of fun with that set up!  You can read an excerpt here.

I'm very fond indeed of Regency heroes, so much so that I thought I'd have a go at persuading you that the Regency male is The Uber Romance Hero.  Here's my top 3. reasons why:

1. The Look

Not to be shallow, but aesthetically, I just love the whole Regency 'look' – and male fashions in particular: breeches, shiny boots, tight coats, acres of snowy white linen – just, um, yum!  I spent far too long looking for 'muse' pictures of my hero Nathan on the internet when I ought to have been writing...

Now that we've got that out of the way, onto something more profound!

2. The Lords

Yes, I know we all moan about the unfeasibly large numbers of earls, marquesses and dukes that abound in the fictional Regency universe but there's something of real interest here.  In the early 19th century, the power of aristocrats was still huge but beginning to wane.  The power of commerce ultimately proved the stronger force but just at this point time, aristocrats still enjoyed enormous, indeed untouchable power and privilege. 

 Of course, there was a price to be paid.  The corollary of unearned privilege, conferred by accident of birth, is the pressure to abide by societal expectations.  And so we get heroes like Nathan who have everything material they could wish for and yet have little choice about who to marry.   And we have heroes who are able to exercise unlimited and terrifying power over women should they choose to do so.  As a reader of romantic fiction, I find that enormously appealing: the hero who is tempted to abuse his own power, the hero who has to face up to himself; the hero who has to reject the society who has treated him so well.  Delicious!

3. The Lifestyle

Many aristocratic males of the Regency period enjoyed a racy lifestyle.  Heavy drinking was rife and there was a gambling craze that led many into financial ruin, as did high spending on luxury items, homes and fashion.

Again, from a romance-reader point of view, this is delicious because it enables a nice contrast to be drawn between the empty pleasures offered by this seemingly pleasurable lifestyle, and the more enduring and worthwhile pleasures the heroine offers.  And again, it's a lesson Nathan learns in The Lady's Secret.

What do you think?  Do you adore Regency heroes like me?  Prefer others?  Do tell!


Please leave a comment. Look for my response, why I love the rogues of the renaissance, on Joanna's blog November 22. 


The Lady's Secret

London, 1810


Former actress Georgiana Knight always believed she and her brother were illegitimate—until they learn their parents were married, making them heirs to a great estate. To prove their claim, Georgy needs to find evidence of their union by infiltrating a ton house party as valet to Lord Nathaniel Harland. Though masquerading as a boy is a challenge, it pales in comparison to sharing such intimate quarters with the handsome, beguiling nobleman.

Nathan is also unsettled by Georgy's presence. First intrigued by his unusual valet, he's even more captivated when he discovers Georgy's charade. The desire the marriage-shy earl feels for his enigmatic employee has him hoping for much more than a master-servant relationship...

But will Nathan still want Georgy when he learns who she truly is? Or will their future be destroyed by someone who would do anything to prevent Georgy from uncovering the truth?

Joanna Chambers
Buy Site

http://joannachambers.com

reader blog at http://tumperkin.blogspot.com

Twitter - @ChambersJoanna

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002993543568