What is your favorite thing about being a romance writer? I think my favorite thing is knowing that my books entertain and inspire people. Whenever I get a piece of fan mail from a total stranger who gushes about how much they enjoyed reading one of my books, it’s the greatest feeling in the world.
What genres and authors would we find you reading when taking a break from your own writing?
I never take a break from writing, but I do try to read every day. I read widely, across all genres and topics. I particularly enjoy historical fiction and nonfiction (especially biographies) since I’m such a history buff. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Alexander McCall Smith, Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Jodi Picoult, Sheryl Woods, Sara Gruen, Alison Weir (historical nonfiction), Phillipa Gregory, Katie Macalister, and Sherrilyn Kenyon---but are by no means limited to these. I’ll read just about anything. I also love the classics, including Dickens, the Bronte sisters, and Jane Austen.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
One of the hardest parts about writing any book is the time that it takes to complete. It takes discipline to finish writing a novel. You have to write every single day, for one---even when it’s painful----and it can still take months or even years, with revisions. I often find I get too emotionally attached to my characters and have a hard time letting go of them. And of course there’s research, and outlining, and plot development. And once you’ve written the book, you have to go about finding an agent and/or publisher, and that’s when the REALLY hard part begins---I call it The Waiting Game.
The Waiting Game is what happens after you’ve completed and polished your novel, and have it out on submission with agents and publishers. It can take literally years before some novels see publication. That was the case with my current release, TENDER IS THE KNIGHT, which is now available from Decadent Publishing (www.decadentpublishing.com; also available at Amazon.com, AllRomanceEbooks.com, BN.com, and everywhere ebooks are sold). I finished writing this book almost six years ago, but for various reasons it didn’t find a publisher until now, even though I had agent representation the whole time, and several of my other novels sold in the meantime. Because TENDER IS THE KNIGHT is a “niche” book----it’s a romance novel set against the background of medieval historical reenactment---it took a while to find the right publisher. But Decadent has been a great home for this book and they did a wonderful job of editing, and their work getting it out to the masses has been great. It’s selling steadily in ebook format, and the print version is coming out any day now.
If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?
I would recommend you start with my current release, TENDER IS THE KNIGHT (www.decadentpublishing.com). It’s a “sweet” contemporary romance that includes elements of time-travel (the historical reenactment part) as well as a lot of comedy and intrigue. This book showcases a lot of the qualities you’ll see in some of my other books. It’s also not super-sexy (though it’s definitely romantic!) so if you’re skittish about reading some of my erotic romance titles, you can start with this one first. Some of my other bestselling titles include KNIGHT MOVES, which is a red-hot medieval time-travel/erotic romance, which is due out in mass-market paperback later this year (the ebook is available at RavenousRomance.com as well as all the major ebook distribution sites), and my VITAL SIGNS erotic medical romance series, which was featured on national television last year.
Describe to us your typical day.
I’m a full-time freelance writer. I do write novels for some of my living, but I’m primarily a journalist. Plus I’m a stay-at-home mom to a toddler (though he’ll be entering preschool soon). A typical day will include getting up around seven, getting my son his breakfast, then spending an hour or so catching up my email inbox. Depending on what articles I have due as a freelance journalist, I’ll conduct interviews, pitch story ideas to my editor, and do some article research and writing---all the while watching and playing with my son. When my son’s naptime rolls around in late afternoon, I can spend some time writing fiction. Then it’s time to cook dinner, which I have hot and ready on the table when my husband comes home from work. After dinner I try to either get in a workout or maybe do some crafts, then it’s time to get my son in bed. After everyone’s in bed, I’ll do a little more writing, then I’ll tuck myself in to bed and read for a while before falling asleep just before midnight. Whew!
Please share any links you would like listed in the Interview. Website, Myspace, blog, facebook, yahoo group etc.
http://www.jamaicalayne.com/
http://www.jamaicalayne.blogspot.com/
twitter.com/jamaicalayne
What song would best describe your life?
“She Works Hard For The Money,” by Donna Summer
If you could be a paranormal creature, which one would you be?
A fairy.
What’s a guilty pleasure you have?
Cheesy retro pop music, like Barry Manilow, John Denver, ABBA, and Air Supply
What sound drives you crazy?
Snoring.
If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
WARNING: This lady is very intelligent, has a smart mouth, and LOVES a good argument----and by the way, she usually wins.
Who’s more fun, bad boys or perfect gentlemen and why?
I love a perfect gentleman with a secret “bad boy” side----like a guy who races motorcycles or flies jet planes, but still opens doors for you and defers to your every wish when you’re together.
What is your favorite candy bar?
Toblerone.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Kayden McLeod
With the exception of a short story here and there, my books are all part of my Coven Series, which breaks down into separate vampire Covens; the Jerichos, Foxworths and Cornwalls being the main ones. I would highly recommend Deadly Fetishes, published by Eternal Press. It is the book with the most aspects of my world. Also, it’s the beginning of the Cornwall Coven Trilogy, the next two books coming out by Silver Publishing in January 2011 are Carnal Magnetism and Demonic Pandemonium.How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published?
A long time, which to be honest, is a good thing to have happened to me. I’d written quite a bit of my Coven series before getting publishing, giving me the time to expand on my world and watch it grow. Even though Jezebel’s Article and Deadly Fetishes were the first of my stories to get published, I’d written the entire Foxworth Coven Series, consisting of five books, along with Carnal Magnetism in the Cornwall Coven Trilogy, coming out January 15th 2011 before I had signed the contracts.
What books or authors have most influenced your life?
Sherrilyn Kenyon was definitely a key-factor. The depth of her world inspired me in ways I never thought possible. I became hypnotized by the way she brought to life so many ideas and characters in such vivid dimension. Laurell K Hamilton and her journey into publishing gave me the courage to hold fast to my desire in writing primarily first person POV. Every time I was rejected for that choice, I remembered her, along with Kelly Armstrong, who like me, is also Canadian. Not only that, but these three authors all write in multi-genre. They have threads of romance, horror, science fiction and fantasy. That was what I always wanted to write; stories that could never be placed in a single flavour, because their stories aren’t told that way. The paranormal is brought to life not only with a romantic relationship, but with real problems and enemies that can’t just be written off. Even the villain has a story to tell, and sometimes, it can’t be just black and white, sweet and romantic. It is a colourful, endless globe with more layers that require a demanding range of emotion and sensations to display that same world to the reader.
How do you come up with the titles?
On the occasion, I am lucky enough to have one pop into my head and stick, to embody the story in its entirety. But that is a very rare occurrence. With titles, the thesaurus is my best friend. I try to figure out the key elements of a novel or short story I want to focus on, and come up with a phrase or word that I find applicable. Most times, it doesn’t sound right, but it gives me a starting point. I keep a list, adding words, changing the feel of them, until I find something that fits.
Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?
I multitask far too much, which is why I don’t come out with nearly as many new releases as I should. My muse always comes at me with new ideas, while I am still writing something else. When she persists, I take a few weeks off my current project to write up the first half of the book, lose that thread, and then go on to something else, until it returns. This happens so much I have more partially written books than I care to count, along with a pile of unpublished ones that need some fine tuning.
*Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.
There are so many! I have three pending releases coming up over the next two months. More information on all of them can be found on my website, or on my Silver Publishing author page. The Cornwall Coven continues with Book Two, Carnal Magnetism (January 15th 2011) and Book Three, Demonic Pandemonium (January 29th 2011) both from Silver Publishing. As well, on February 12th 2011, I have a time-travel Valentine’s Day short story, the Martyr of the Flaminian Gate, coming out in a collection with two other excellent authors, Ashlynn Monroe and J.T. Seate. The anthology is called Captured…The Heart and Soul.
I recently began the process of rewriting the next segment in the Coven Series, the Foxworths. It is a five book paranormal romance series. The first book is called Death of Innocence. The introduction of this series and some of the characters is already out with Moongypsy Press, entitled Deep Water Legends.
Please share any links you would like listed in the Interview. Website, Myspace, blog, facebook, yahoo group etc.
The Cornwall Coven Trilogy Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlRYYJaT6jg
Silver Publishing Author Page: http://silverpublishing.info/index/typefilter/book_authors/book_authors_id/51
Website: http://kaydenmcleod.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1848048830
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KaydenMcLeod
My-Space: http://www.myspace.com/kaydenmcleod
Do you want a free access pass into my world? Download my free erotica series, Sara’s Story here: http://kaydenmcleod.com/freebies.php
What’s for dinner tonight?
Roasted rosemary and garlic chicken, rice pilaf and steamed broccoli.
Who’s more fun, bad boys or perfect gentlemen and why?
The grey area. I’ve had both, and found I prefer the middle ground. The ultimate bad boy is short term, while I find the perfect gentlemen a bit lacklustre. Give me the scorching feeling of spontaneity with a feral edge of the bad boy, while still maintaining the respect and emotion of the gentlemen.
Where is the craziest place you’ve ever had sex? Or where is the craziest place you made your characters have sex?
For me *grin* I think I’ll leave that to your imagination. As for my characters, there are two that pop up in mind. In Deadly Fetishes, Marcus and Kelly are half-dozing on the couch, with their friends all around them, while watching television after a hard day. Marcus is fantasying about her, about being tied up and at her mercy. When Kelly falls asleep, she gets sucked into his daydream. She finds herself in red lingerie and heels, with Marcus bound on a bed before her. The second would appear in Demonic Pandemonium, when Kevlar and Pandora take the motorcycle to the park, ending up having sex while speeding through the back roads, and Kev pops a wheel...and Pandora.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would be the most essential for you?
My fiancé, my cat and my dog. Because each in their own way have given me the strength and reassurance to move past my comfort zones, enabling me to do things that I wouldn’t have been able to do without them. They’ve gotten me through rough times in my life, just by their unfailing, unconditional love and constant presence.
What’s number one on your list of things you hope to do before you die?
Hit the New York Times best sellers list.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Penny Ehrenkranz
1) Tell me a little about your book.
My collection of stories, A Past and a Future, is published by Sam’s Dot Publishing. I’ve always enjoyed fantasy and soft science fiction. Eight of the sixteen stories included in the selection are fantasy, and the other eight are soft science fiction.
A PAST AND A FUTURE – stories in the collection:
FLIGHT OF THE ROC – Girl collides with a roc as she struggles to find her magic powers
BLURRED VENGEANCE – Vain and aggressive, Temur ignores the warnings as he seeks vengeance for his father’s death
WHO WILL HEAL THE HEALER – How can a young sorceress save her mentor when the powers of darkness threaten?
ASHLEY OF ASHLAND – Will the plain, younger brother win the heart of the fair princess or be executed as a traitor?
THE WATCHER – Her vision causes her to become a betrayer of all she holds dear. Can she be saved?
ENCHANTRESS – Merlin knows the one he loves will be his downfall, but can he win in the end?
DRAKONI – Torn from her modern day world and thrust into a world of dragons, evil magicians, and handsome elves, will Farah succeed or die trying?
HESHE- Forced to hide as a young man, will the young noble woman tell her benefactor who she is, or will her pursuers capture her and take her back into slavery.
THE BABY MAKERS – In a world where cloning is possible, will Reese be able to save his illegal newborn child from a government determined to make her a non-citizen?
3-D PICTURES – The government thinks he is crazy and sends him to a shrink. What will Avery do when the elves appear in the 3-D picture in the waiting room? Go or allow himself to be “cured?”
SCREEN SAVER – The program arrives as a demo. Will it be Clancy’s ticket to survival or a rip-off which brings him to destruction?
ISOLATION- The world as we know it is gone. The rich are isolated from the dying poor. Will Caryn and Rader make the right decision when they search for freedom?
LOVE IN A DIFFERENT HUE – What would you do if a blue-skinned robot wanted to protect and love you? Chiri isn’t sure until he takes her in his arms.
DOWN SO LOW, THE GROUND LOOKS LIKE UP – Sylvan drinks herself into oblivion to compensate for her psi talents. Can Deveneaux save her from her demons, or will he lock her up for propositioning an officer of the law?
REBELS WITH A CAUSE – Shayleena is tired of living her life through holovision. She wants a real life with real people. Will she find it as a volunteer for juvenile offenders, or will she be mugged and left to die?
CLOCKWORKS – John lives in Structured. His ancestors came from a country where time means nothing. What will he do when he tries to trace his roots and finds his structured life is now in chaos?
2) What gave you the idea for this particular story?
I’ve always enjoyed writing short stories. While some writers find them more difficult, I find them easier than writing a novel. I like the challenge of fitting a complete story within a limited number of words. I’ve written a number of these over the years and decided it would be fun to put them together into a collection.
3) Are you a full-time writer or part-time, and how do you organize your writing time?
I split my time between writing my own stories and editing for two small publishers. I sometimes find I spend more time working on other people’s writing than my own, but that’s okay. When a story idea strikes me, that’s the time I write. I tend to write in bursts, which is why I enjoy writing short stories more than novels.
4) When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
When I was just a child (Don’t most writers say this?), I entertained myself by writing stories, illustrating them, and binding them between shirt cardboard, tied with a ribbon. In high school, I convinced my English teacher to let me write a novel instead of doing my English homework. It was fun, but the novel was never completed. I continued to enjoy writing and pretty much always knew someday I’d be published.
5) What do you hope readers will take from your writing?
I read to escape, and I hope my readers will do the same thing. I am not into deep thought-provoking stories. I write to entertain myself, and I would like my readers to be entertained as well.
6) Which genres do you write, which do you prefer, and why?
I write in a lot of different areas. My middle grade novels are both paranormal mysteries. My adult fiction tends to be fantasy or science fiction, although I also dabble in romance. I like to write about relationships, and all my stories have some kind of relationship going whether it’s overt or covert.
7) What is the toughest part about being a writer and how do you get past it?
The toughest thing for me is marketing. I’m an introvert in a lot of ways and going out and “tooting my own horn,” is difficult for me. Internet marketing is a lot easier as it’s all done through the written word as opposed to a book signing where I have to meet and greet prospective readers. Unfortunately, marketing has to be done, or books aren’t sold. I’ve gotten better at approaching people to host me on their blogs, like you’ve done for me, and knocking on book store doors and asking to be a guest.
8) What about your book makes it special?
I think this is special because it is a collection of short stories. It is not a themed collection, but a little of something for everyone. There are eight fantasy stories and eight soft science fiction stories, yet each one is about a relationship and connecting with people in some way or another.
9) What is your marketing plan?
I have approached a number of bloggers, like yourself, who feature other authors on their blogs. I am appearing for the next couple of weeks talking about myself and my book. I have been writing tweets on Twitter and posting on Facebook. I will also be making announcements on various forums to which I belong. Finally, I plan to approach my three local bookstores to see if they will either host me for a book signing, or at least carry my book.
10) Where can people learn more about you and your work?
I have my web page and a blog where I feature other writers, occasional reviews, and writing tips. I am also on Facebook, Twitter, Jacketflap, Amazon, and a few other sites.
http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.yolasite.com/
http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com/
11) What are your current books out right now, and what are the books coming up for release?
Most of the work is written as Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz, with the exception of my middle grade novels and picture books, which are written as Penny Lockwood.
A Past and A Future (short story collection) is now available
http://www.genremall.com/anthologiesr.htm#pastfuture
Ghost for Rent – writing as Penny Lockwood (middle grade novel) is now available (also on Amazon)
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b8656/?si=0
Dragon Sight (YA illustrated chapbook) is now available
http://www.genremall.com/fictionr.htm#dragonsight
Love Delivery, (contemporary romance) coming August, 2011
Lady in Waiting, (historical romance) coming November, 2011
https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2
All the following are written as Penny Lockwood:
Funny Dog, (picture book) coming May, 2012
Ghost for Lunch, (MG novel) coming September, 2013
Many Colored Coats, (picture book) coming October, 2014
Boo's Bad Day, (picture book) coming June, 2015
http://4RVpublishingllc.com/Childrens_Books.html
12) Any tips for new writers hoping to write in the genre of your book?
Read, read, read. Always read both current and classic authors in the genre you wish to write. You don’t want to copy their work, but you do want to read with an open mind to see what they have done to make their stories work. I also encourage everyone not to give up after a rejection. What one editor may not like, another will love. You won’t get published by leaving the story sitting on your hard drive or in your file.
Thanks for having me as a guest today.
BY PENNY LOCKWOOD EHRENKRANZ
PUBLISHED BY SAMS DOT PUBLISHING
A COLLECTION OF SIXTEEN FANTASY AND SOFT SCIENCE FICTION STORIES WITH A TOUCH OF ROMANCE
FLIGHT OF THE ROC – Girl collides with a roc as she struggles to find her magic powers.
BLURRED VENGEANCE – Vain and aggressive, Temur ignores the warnings as he seeks vengeance for his father’s death.
WHO WILL HEAL THE HEALER – How can a young sorceress save her mentor when the powers of darkness threaten?
ASHLEY OF ASHLAND – Will the plain, younger brother win the heart of the fair princess or be executed as a traitor?
THE WATCHER – Her vision causes her to become a betrayer of all she holds dear. Can she be saved?
ENCHANTRESS – Merlin knows the one he loves will be his downfall, but can he win in the end?
DRAKONI – Torn from her modern day world and thrust into a world of dragons, evil magicians, and handsome elves, will Farah succeed or die trying?
HESHE- Forced to hide as a young man, will the young noble woman tell her benefactor who she is, or will her pursuers capture her and take her back into slavery?
THE BABY MAKERS – In a world where cloning is possible, will Reese be able to save his illegal newborn child from a government determined to make her a non-citizen?
3-D PICTURES – The government thinks he is crazy and sends him to a shrink. What will Avery do when the elves appear in the 3-D picture in the waiting room? Go or allow himself to be “cured?”
SCREEN SAVER – The program arrives as a demo. Will it be Clancy’s ticket to survival or a rip-off which brings him to destruction?
ISOLATION- The world as we know it is gone. The rich are isolated from the dying poor. Will Caryn and Rader make the right decision when they search for freedom?
LOVE IN A DIFFERENT HUE – What would you do if a blue-skinned robot wanted to protect and love you? Chiri isn’t sure until he takes her in his arms.
DOWN SO LOW, THE GROUND LOOKS LIKE UP – Sylvan drinks herself into oblivion to compensate for her psi talents. Can Deveneaux save her from her demons, or will he lock her up for propositioning an officer of the law?
REBELS WITH A CAUSE – Shayleena is tired of living her life through holovision. She wants a real life with real people. Will she find it as a volunteer for juvenile offenders, or will she be mugged and left to die?
CLOCKWORKS – John lives in Structured. His ancestors came from a country where time means nothing. What will he do when he tries to trace his roots and finds his structured life is now in chaos?
http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.yolasite.com/
A PAST AND A FUTURE Blog Tour
http://ciaragold.blogspot.com/ - Feb. 1, Jamie Bevans
http://www.seriouslyinterviewed.blogspot.com/ - Feb 1, Romance Reader
http://mgddasef.blogspot.com/ Marva Dasef – Feb 2
http://janiefranz.wordpress.com/ Janie Franz – Feb 3
http://heatherkuehl.blogspot.com/ - Feb 4, Heather Kuehl
http://barbaraehrentreu.blogspot.com/ - Feb 5, Barbara Ehrentreu
http://lovesbooksandmore.blogspot.com/ - Feb 6, Dawn Roberto
http://jaletaclegg.blogspot.com/ Feb 7, Aleta Clegg
http://www.jqroseauthor.blogspot.com/ - Feb 8, Janet Glaser
http://lizzietleaf.blogspot.com/ - Feb 9, Lizzie Leaf
http://joyce-anthony.blogspot.com/ - Feb 10 & 11, Joyce Anthony
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/ Feb 10 - Judy LASR 13 Stories from APAAF
http://www.kaydeeroyal.blogspot.com/ Feb 12, Kay Dee Royal
http://mizging.blogspot.com/ Feb 13, Ginger Simpson
http://writerschatroom.com/ Feb 13, 7 PM EST, The Writer’s Chat room
http://kellyaharmon.com/Kelly Harmon – Feb 14
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