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What a wonderful guest we have today on Out of Control Characters. Becky M. Pourchot, author of Forgive Me, Martha, shares an excerpt and answers a few questions in addition to giving us some of her advice. Wow! Becky is a woman after my own heart, and I can't wait to get started.
First, though, we have to learn a little about our visitor today. Take it away, Becky!
Becky M. Pourchot is the author of two semi-autobiographical humor books and the Hungry Ghost Series, a collection of paranormal books for young adults. She lives in Flagler Beach, Florida with her husband, fourteen year old son, and six year old twins and completely blames her demanding writing career for the state of her messy home.
Where can you find Becky on the web? Check out these links:
Here's a bit about her very funny, and all too true (for me) book:
After the birth of Ms. Pourchot’s twins six years ago, life seemed to slip into chaos. The family was eating Toaster Strudels for dinner, the house smelled of dirty diapers, and an infestation of moths descended on the kitchen like a team of unfed sumo wrestlers. She did what she could, but in her mind it was never enough. Rather than crumple under the unreachable demands of her new life Pourchot began a blog, confessing all of her hilarious shortcomings to Martha Stewart the “Great Goddess of Domesticity.”
The result became Forgive Me Martha an outrageously funny collection of short stories and poems full of honesty, humor, and humility, sending hope to those of us who fall short of being perfect.
Let's have a look at one of Becky's tongue in cheek excerpts. Warning - this will make you laugh out loud and compare your hectic life with hers!
The Roots of Imperfection
One afternoon in a moment of sleep deprived delirium I decided to create a floral arrangement out of scraps of colored paper. Martha Stewart was on the TV, demonstrating the complicated steps for making an arrangement that would look perfect in my home. Never mind that I had newborn suckling twins attached to my boobs or that that I was healing from a c-section, I was going to make a vase of paper flowers.
On that afternoon, postpartum psychosis had wiggled its way into my mind, and I believed wholeheartedly that my value as a woman depended on making that craft. But why stop there? I thought in a flash of grandiosity. Maybe with a little extra effort I’d decorate the entire dining room—no, the entire house—as divinely elegant as Martha’s television studio.
As my time exiled on the couch beneath an oversized nursing pillow progressed (and my psychoactive medications began to take effect) the reality of my situation sank in. The truth was my sweet and adorable angels were destroying all semblance of order in my home. There was no time to craft, let alone do the dishes. And ultimately my busy life with three kids, a job as a freelance writer, and only a weak desire to clean out my refrigerator left me little hope of ever becoming a domestic diva. Life during the early months with my twins was far from perfect. My husband, seven-year-old son, and I were eating fast food regularly—sometimes for both lunch and dinner. In our neglected pantry weevils took over, forcing us to eat oatmeal riddled with spidery web-like castings. The smell of dirty diapers and curdled milk permeated the house, and stacks of laundry towered to the ceiling. Meanwhile due to the hours I spent caring for my needy infants, my self care went down the tubes. Large mouse sized knots filled my hair, entwining themselves like cocoons at my neck. Fortunately I rarely left the house. My one hope at salvation was Martha Stewart, who seemed able to do it all. She was everything I wasn’t—well composed, organized, crafty, and her cakes always came out so much lovelier then mine. I was in awe of her mastery of everything I could never do. When I watched her show, I fantasized that I wasn’t tied down to my little ones, and imagined all of the charming things I would do with my home, all the parties I would host, all the perennials I would plant. But deep down inside I knew I could never be as good as Martha. As the babies grew, summer came and we were able to step outside into the light of day. I connected with the neighbor ladies from my upscale suburban neighborhood—a neighborhood for which Martha would certainly approve. I joined these stylish ladies and their families for potlucks, attended their kitchen supply home shows, and exchanged recipes for Jell-o dishes. Although I enjoyed their camaraderie, some days when I was with this attractive group of women I felt like I was under a magnified glass. I felt exposed, as if everyone could see how incompetent I really was. No one ate my potluck dishes, invited me to their book clubs, or asked me for a cup of sugar (perhaps they knew about the weevils). Unlike their kids, my children walked around with dirt on their faces, breakfast still on their shirts, and their disposable diapers swelling out of their pants. Presumably this group of neighbors wasn’t spending their free time adhering seashells to lampshades, but in comparison to my life of total disorder they appeared to have it all together. Their gardens overflowed with flowers and when I visited their homes, specks of stray cracker crumbs didn’t riddle the floor. Occasionally I’d smell the aroma of freshly braised pork chops or lasagna from their kitchens and feel a tinge of shame. I wondered if the neighbors were able to detect the charred smell of take-and-bake pizza as it wafted out my windows. Although I had been well versed in feminist ideology, and knew my self worth was based on more than the adornments on my cupcakes, I still began to feel that part of my identity was wrapped up in the state of my home, the type of parties I hosted, and even the shade of gloss I wore on my lips. I began talking with my therapist—with whom I consulted on all my neurotic matters—about my growing concern over my poor performance as a homemaker. She suggested I write about my perceived domestic shortcomings, compiling my humiliating events into little stories. By writing it out, I would expose myself to the rawness of my fears, with the goal of eventually being able to make light of them. Although hesitant at first to reveal myself on the page, I was up to the challenge. As I formulated a plan for my project, I decided to create a confessionary in the form of a blog, where I would confess the minutia of inadequacies that plagued me. I decided that in order to confess properly, I needed some sort of deity, who in my mind would listen and ultimately forgive me for my atrocious homemaking crimes. But what Supreme Being would care about the pattern on my napkins or the suitability of the wreath on my door? The answer was obvious. The Great Goddess of Domesticity herself— Martha Stewart. I quickly began writing poems to Martha about the dirt in my house, odes about ruined birthday cakes, and sonnets about my neglected lawn then posted them on a blog that I shared with family and friends. The more I wrote, the more outrageous they became. My friends laughed with me and egged me on. Pretty soon, whenever I felt the shame rising up in me, I was at my computer creating new confessions. As I worked on my new project, my home fell further into disarray, which ironically led to more confessions. Needless to say, I’m glad you cannot see my home right now. What you hold in your hands is a two year collection of my most disgraceful failures as a suburban housewife. Although some of the confessions have moved from non-fiction into the realm of utter exaggeration, they all most honestly reflect my grand sense of domestic inadequacy. As you read, I hope you’re able to see yourself in some of my stories (or if you’re the perfectionist type, at least are able to gain the satisfaction of knowing you’re not me). In the days that come, if you find yourself neglecting to sweep beneath your rugs, or baking Christmas cookies that no one will eat, just think of me and my imperfect life and remember there’s no need to worry. Whenever guilt overwhelms you, you can just confess your sins to the world’s most perfect homemaker. I can’t guarantee that praying to her will get the mildew smell out of your bath towels, but it might make you feel just a little bit better. And now, I have a few questions for Becky. After all, we all want to be not-domestic goddesses. Right?
I'm looking for answers from the Goddess you became in the book, at the end. Please advise my readers how to deliver a punch on a minimal budget with absolutely no talent for being Martha Stewart.
1. Have you figured out how to tell a russet from a Yukon Gold? Or does it matter? I have actually (thanks to Wikipedia)…but the real question is, can you tell them apart when they’re both decayed and rotted at the bottom of your pantry?
2. I'm about to host a party, but then everyone bails? Should I hide or continue with the party, enjoying myself with my family instead of fair weather friends? Well, the old me would taken all that uneaten food and in desperation try crafting it into some glorious tower on the dining room table—maybe the Eifel tower?
But of course cooked green beans and honey glazed meatballs aren’t structurally sound, so it would inevitably all collapse onto itself and at that point I myself would have collapsed into a heaping pile of shame. But now, I’d just leave all those leftovers out to get a nice dry crusty layer on them, turn on the TV and veg out with my husband and some really bad sci fi movie.
3. I failed to even show up at my son's cookie exchange in kindergarten. Will this scar him for life, or should I rejoice he enjoyed gobbling the cookies I made and forgot to take, thinking the exchange was the next day? It will scar him for life, but scars give character…and cookies in the pantry make everyone happy.
4. Is serving lime Kool Aid flavored mojitos in Sponge Bob cups more couth than handing out cans of soda I hastily dumped into a cooler of ice?
This is an excellent question.
It really depends what soda you’re using.
Grocery store brand?
That’s the worst in un-couthness (is that a word?).
However if you fill that cooler with cans of soda sweetened from beet sugar or locally harvested agave nectar, you’re headed to impress everyone involved.
But since you used the word “hastily” I’m guessing you’re talking about that discarded six pack of Mr. Pibb that only your Uncle Erv drinks when he comes over.
In that case I think Kool Aid is the winner in couthness.
5. Oreos sounds like a lot more fun than organic health food. I'm all for healthy eating, and have often agonized over serving that to my child. But isn't it better they eat than shove something that doesn't appeal to them around the plate?
The old me would have fed my kids boxed mac and cheese and then feel really guilty about it.
The new me feeds it to them too, but now instead of feeling badly, I just stare at the kids as they eat and wonder
if a buildup of that fluorescent cheese powder will make start to glow.
6. I'd love a pair of those "friendship bracelets" so my child and puppy can spend a lot of quality time together. Do you think they'll look nicer if I glue some stars and moons to them? Absolutely.
I like how you think.
Just be sure—if you’re using super to adhere your adornments—that it dries before putting the “bracelets” on your child.
7. My SUV looks like what the tornadoes left April 27, 2011, and I can't get my child to help me clean up his mess. He is old enough, seventeen. What should I do? Apologize or do it myself? Old me would bite my lip and do it myself.
New me would take a picture of the mess and post it to his Facebook page.
8. I love your idea of a backyard BBQ. Can you suggest ways to ignore those ever so nosy neighbors who just love to gossip about my lack of creativity? Scoop up and save the doggie doo your neighbor’s pups left in your yard and sculpt it (with gloves, mind you) into a portraits of their children and place it prominently in their window sill.
How’s that for creativity?
9. We have a family get together coming soon. Usually, I slave over a delightful Mexican style casserole along with at least one dessert. After all is said and done, I tote home more than half of what I brought, thanks to the critical commentary of those without taste buds. What should I do this year, prepare the dishes I've done for years, or go all out and bring a crockpot filled with Coney Island hot dog chili with the steamed dogs and buns wrapped in a foil pan, covered with a layer of foil, and a dessert I prepared out of a box mix? Now don’t forget Martha does approve of kitsch…I can hear her now saying “Coney Island hot dogs chili is a delightful way to celebrate summer with friends.”
That said, if you want to appease the Great Goddess of Good Things, Coney Island hot dogs are grand…especially if you have the charming little foil serving bags to put them in. Wonderful kitsch.
Now…that’s the old me speaking.
The new me would forget all this charming-ness, bring a stack of bowls, a one gallon of milk and a box of Froot Loops from the pantry and put it out there next to Susie’s beloved artichoke dip.
Think of it this way: it’s a meal and a dessert combined (and I bet you’ll be a hit!)
Let me tell you, I couldn't stop laughing as I read Becky's book. It's a total winner, all the way around. I'll never apologize for not knocking down those cobwebs that seem to accumulate far faster than a teenager goes through a lasagna again. Nor will I bust my backside decorating my house in the latest pastel colors for a summer barbecue. Nope. It's all about letting it all hang out for me now. Here's my take on Becky's delightful book:
Forgive Me Martha is a tongue in cheek look at keeping house with three children, two of them twins. Becky M. Pourchot tells the tale of failing to fit in with her neighborhood with a mix of poetry (which made me laugh) and tales of certain events sure to have most mothers rolling on the floor and comparing notes.
The story is engaging and real. Pourchot's writing muscles are Mr. Universe strong in this book. I constantly found myself nodding agreement with her poems about failed cookie events, children sneaking off to draw on themselves, and laundry stacked to the ceiling. She may have first asked for Martha Stewart's forgiveness, but eventually she is like me – willing to live in hapless clutter for the sanity of the family. This is a book I'd highly recommend for all women trying to balance career and family. It's our reality.
And here's the giveaway, with a catch. You have to comment to get the prize. If you're selected, we'll be calling for your address, so like Becky's Facebook page above to make sure you're in the gold for this drawing!
I started this blog a little over six years ago to highlight my books and short stories. As most of you know, the success stories started happening in 2010. Today, my book,
Softly Say Goodbye, goes on tour. Thanks to Penelope Bartotto of Around the Universe Tours there are fourteen wonderful bloggers ready, willing, and able to bring you an excerpt, author interviews, character interviews, fun interviews, and reviews of this wonderful book on one teen's quest to stop underage drinking in her school.
Where do you go to find all of this? Just check out the dates and locations of the tour hosts below:
April 26
Come back daily to find out what's new and enter for a Rafflecopter drawing. Then, if you live near LaFayette, Georgia, look for me at this event:
Welcome to today's review on Out of Control Characters. We're talking about a The Devil Knows by K.C. Cavanaugh.
First, let's get to know a little bit more about K.C. Cavanaugh.
K.C. grew up in a small town in Northeastern PA, she still lives close to her hometown, remaining close with her friends and family. She has been writing since a young age, and always wanted to be a writer. Before now, she focused on poetry and short stories. The Devil Knows is her debut novel, and was written after K.C. found out that a family friend was diagnosed with cancer.
With lots of projects in the works, she is hoping to release her second novel this summer. You can look for her YA apocalyptic trilogy, Eternal Trilogy (with a few additional shorts), and a YA paranormal mystery.
Here's where you can find K.C. on the web:
K.C. has a great book about friendships and going the extra mile. Here's a synopsis and links to pick it up in Kindle or paperback:
The Devil Knowsis a paranormal romance-drama. It starts off with Megan learning that her best friend since birth has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Megan’s life is then consumed by the drive to find a way to save Anya. She scours the internet looking for medical answers, as well as those that seem far-fetched and impossible.
Soon, her computer leads her to the possibility of making a deal with the devil. Megan wonders if it’s even possible for her to give up her soul to save Anya. Not knowing where to begin, she soon discovers clues and signs that seem to be left for her, which leads her to an occult shop where she tries to find some answers.
But it doesn’t take long for Anya to get worse, as it seems each day her condition deteriorates. Even the doctors are baffled by the progression of the cancer, as it’s much more aggressive than anticipated. During a trip to the emergency room with Anya, Megan meets Dr. Carson who is Anya’s attending physician.
Quickly a spark between Megan and the doctor ignites, even though there appears to be something that just isn’t right about the emergency room doctor. Besides he treated Anya, so that makes Megan feels weird. Plus there is the fact that she’s been thinking about selling her soul, so a relationship is the last thing on Megan’s mind! But after a few encounters, Megan realizes that Jeremiah Carson may not be exactly who he has portrayed himself to be.
Who holds the answers to curing Anya? Could Megan reallysell her soul when it comes down to it? Only the devil knows…
Before we get to the review, here's a quick peek behind the cover page:
"Are they talking about admitting her?" Megan asked, trying to keep the horror out of her voice. From their conversations the doctors hadn't thought hospitalization would be necessary and she could receive her chemo as an outpatient. If the emergency room doctors were considering hospitalization for anything other than dehydration and nausea, then Anya was not in good shape. If so, all the optimism and perky tones in the world wouldn't do her any good.
"I don't know," Bryan repeated, clearly frustrated. "I don't think the doctors know!"
"Okay, okay," Megan said, trying to calm Bryan down. "I'll be there soon. Let her know, okay?"
"Yeah," he said weakly and mumbled that he needed to go and he'd see her soon.
The phone clicked, signaling the call was disconnected and Megan had to fight the urge to put her head back and close her eyes as she merged onto the interstate. Thankfully the rush hour traffic was dissipating.
Minutes later Megan was maneuvering through downtown, silently cursing every red light. She had been able to see the hospital since she exited the interstate and was anxious to reach her destination.
Finally, the light turned and car in front of her rolled through the intersection. Megan made her right turn into the hospital parking garage and felt her pulse begin to race.
It wasn't fear of being too late, but the fear the unknown. Having just seen Anya earlier, Megan wasn't sure what kind of state her best friend was going to be in.
The parking garage was across the street from the hospital and Megan collected the ticket so she could proceed further into the underbelly of the garage and begin her hunt for a space.
Parking was a nightmare—almost as bad as the ones she had been suffering at night. She reached the third level before she found a parking spot in a distant corner of the garage. She quickly trotted to the elevator, waited for what felt like hours, and wrote it down to street level.
And now what you've been waiting for. My review of K.C. Cavanaugh's The Devil Knows
College student Megan has nothing more to occupy her day than going to class and editing a few student papers, how she earns her living. Then her best friend, Anya, calls, and Megan is sent whirling into the diagnosis of cancer. But Anya's cancer is a rare form, one where the doctors can't figure out where it started. Even worse, the disease is eating away at Anya so fast, she may only have weeks to live. Enter Jeremiah, the dashing and charismatic Dr. Jeremiah Carson, who may have the answer to Megan's conundrum. But is she willing to make a deal that will leave Anya bereft? Is Megan willing to damn her eternal soul to save her friend?
K.C. Cavanaugh draws the reader into the tale right from the beginning. Her characters spring off the page, and are loveable. They're fallible, and yet they're also vulnerable – to the vagaries of life, relationships, and incredible pain. Soon, you're pulled into a battle between good and evil, rooting for the win to come out on the side of good, yet knowing evil must have a victory to maintain the balance. Cavanaugh weaves a tale of a young woman facing a decision that will irrevocably change her life, but she sees no other way to save someone she loves. The ending was a surprise, but on further consideration, Cavanaugh had hinted all along there were other avenues, ones that maintained the precious balance while also providing answers. I can't wait to read another book by this talented author.
What's a great book without a giveaway? Well ... we wouldn't know, and K.C. Cavanaugh is hosting one of these contests that is so very simple to follow. Just click on the Rafflecopter below and take your chance.
We're stepping away from blog tours today on Out of Control Characters and featuring author, Lori Verni-Fogarsi. Her book Unexpecting is all about surprises for a couple about to embark on their golden years.
First, let's get to know a little more about Lori:
Lori Verni-Fogarsi has been an author, speaker, and small business consultant since 1995. Her nonfiction book, “Everything You Need to Know About House Training Puppies and Adult Dogs,” was published in 2005 and continues to be one of the most highly recommended books in its genre. Her novel, “Momnesia,” was published in 2012 and has been awarded as a finalist in both the National Indie Excellence Book Awards and The USA Best Book Awards. Just a few of her media appearances have included The Lifetime Women’s Network, My Carolina Today Show, Boston Globe Forums Live, and a multitude of others. Her seminars have taken place at public and private venues for many years, just a few of which include North Carolina State University and Nassau Community College. Lori is a happily married mom of two, step mom of two more, and has two cats, both rotten. Originally a native New Yorker, she now divides her time between Raleigh, NC, and Lake Gaston, VA, where she is hard at work on her next novel.Unexpecting is a very unusual title for a book, one that certainly grabbed my interest. Here's a synopsis, and it lives up to the name:
Shelley and David are a couple of almost-empty-nesters whose children are just about all off to college. Preparing to embark on the next stage of their life, they’ve just ordered white furniture and are planning the vacation they’ve waited their entire lives to take. Everything changes when Alexandra, seventeen and pregnant, shows up on their doorstep and announces that she’s the daughter he never knew he had! Their life is catapulted in a completely different direction, abounding with dilemmas: Not only do they have an additional child, but also a baby in a household that had been just about to become serene. How much should they help her? And how could they not? Shelley feels like she no longer fits in anywhere and to top it off, having two seventeen-year-old girls suddenly plunged into being sisters and school mates is not exactly warm and fuzzy. When Alexandra’s behavior starts to become erratic, the couple is faced with even tougher decisions to make. Hold on for an emotional yet witty ride as you join this family of characters in a story of love, loyalty, heartbreak, and humor that will stay with you long after you turn the last page! Sold on this story yet? I am! Here are some links where you can buy not only Unexpecting but also Lori's other books:
Lori is certainly a creative writer, and her books sound like a lot of fun. Where can you find her on the web? Check out these links:
What's a fabulous book release without a giveaway? We have one for you to link to, and here are the details:
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7″ HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends 4/30/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.comand sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $199 US.
It's been a blast having Lori here today. Check out her books and don't forget to sign up for the giveaway!
Good morning to all from Out of Control Character. Here's hoping the un-lovely weather we're experiencing today isn't affecting any of you, but we won't let rain and other problems keep us from sharing Flash by Barbara Morgenroth.You can pick up the Flash e-book for .99 during the tour!First. let's get to know a little about Barbara Morgenroth:Barbara was born in New York City and but now lives somewhere else. Starting her career by writing tweens and YA books, she wound up in television writing soap operas for some years. Barbara then wrote a couple cookbooks and a nonfiction book on knitting. She returned to fiction and wrote romantic comedies.
When digital publishing became a possibility, Barbara leaped at the opportunity and has never looked back. In addition to the 15 traditionally published books she wrote, in digital format Barbara has something to appeal to almost every reader from Mature YAs like the Bad Apple series and the Flash series, to contemporary romances like Love in the Air published by Amazon/Montlake, and Unspeakably Desirable, Nothing Serious and Almost Breathing.
You can find out all about Barbara here: BlogSynopsis:She’s been pretending to be 18 for so long, it feels like the truth.
When the only way for 15 year old photographer, Kip Chanin, to earn a living is as paparazzi, she can’t say no. Kip’s first photo is of Alex Milne, the handsome and volatile young actor. That one photo changes both their lives. Kip finds herself challenged to be a better photographer, a better daughter and to be a better friend. For someone used to getting by on her own, this could be Kip’s biggest lesson. The second biggest--You do what you have to in Hollywood to survive
Review: Kip Chanin will tell you she's eighteen, but the truth is she's almost sixteen. She's a photojournalist – not a paparazzi – in the LA celebrity scene, trying to keep her and her mother – a wannabe actress – afloat in a town not known for it's empathy. One night, searching for the one shot that will get her notices, she captures Alex Milne leaving a club, and gets the attention she wanted from an agency that pushes her to get more of those paparazzi type shots, much to her disgust, but the rent has to be paid, and food is a necessity, so she goes on the hunt. Alex tracks Kip down and they begin an uneasy relationship, which leads to an introduction to his agent. The agent, Shari Felder, rescues Kip when one of her mad plans to get the perfect shot goes awry. Thus begins an adventure that has Kip living in a more stable home, her mom getting work in Hollywood, and a relationship with the drop dead gorgeous Alex, who may or may not be affected by the Milne family curse in addition to an unsolved eighty-year-old mystery.
Barbara Morgenroth writes this novel in a staccato style that has the reader enthralled from the first page. The doors to a glamorous world that is far from glamorous to those who've tried and failed are opened, and they reveal the glitz and seamy underbelly of a world many a teen has longed to join. No punches are pulled at how it's hard work, and sometimes connections, that bring the lucky breaks, and the reader will find themselves cheering for Kip as she attempts to maintain the lifestyle she's used to. The opportunity to work with a world famous photographer putting together her memoirs also gives Kip the opportunity to learn so much, and discover the true story about her father, and her mother's undying devotion to a rock musician who took a final step many years ago. The mystery Kip finds herself involved in proves difficult to solve, as most of if not all of those involved are long dead, but she pushes on, and also finds herself feeling for Alex's older brother, who may destroy all the good Kip has found in her life.
Flash is a mature young adult novel that opens a teen's eyes to the less than glamorous lifestyle most of Hollywood lives, and gives her an opportunity to work hard to achieve her goals. Morgenroth weaves a compelling tale without adding glitter to a harsh life. The maturity of this novel doesn't come from sex or profanity, but from a growing up experience that may rip from Kip the security she has finally found in her life. I highly recommend this novel for all teens and their parents.
What would a great book like this be without a giveaway? Here's the Rafflecopter link for your chance at goodies!
Boy, do we have a tour for you today, hosted by Around the Universe Tours. Out of Control Characters brings you J.L. McCoy and her The Bloody, Sinful Legacy books. Currently, this vampire series has four novels in it, but a fifth is forthcoming sometime this year, and these are not your normal vampire stories. McCoy has crafted a well-written good versus evil tale, where the prize isn't what you expect.
Before we dive into a synopsis and peek at these books, let's meet J.L. McCoy.
J. L. McCoy resides in the beautifully weird city of Austin, Texas with her opinionated Pekiweenie Isabel and handsome husband Kenny. She has always been a passionate reader and enjoys watching movies, traveling, listening to heavy metal/classic rock/80s music, getting mani/pedis with her girls, and singing karaoke. She loves body art and is hopelessly addicted to Sonic’s ice and Route 44 un-sweet raspberry iced tea.
If you’d like more information about her or her upcoming books, please visit her at the following links:
If you want a signed copy of the book mailed to you, check out J.L. McCoy's store:
Here we go, peeks at the books and a synopsis of each one!
Synopsis: After a shocking admission by Archer Rhys, Skye Morrison and the rest of The Mausoleum's vampire crew have to deal with the aftermath of Houston business owner and fellow vampire Greyson Mead's murder. A gruesome discovery in Skye's driveway forces her out of her house and temporarily into Archer's lakeside mansion with her co-workers Trey, Hunter, Quinn, Seamus, Lochlan, Jameson, and of course the ever jealous Aoife. Skye must now live under the same roof with the two men she wants most and things are bound to get complicated. With a psychotic murderer on the loose hell bent on killing vampires and the appointed army of The Faithful having no luck in finding them, will Skye's new boss and co-workers live to see next week? Will Skye make it out of Archer's mansion alive?
*Be advised: This book contains adult situations, steamy sex scenes, and cursing.*
Excerpt:
“With all those late hours, doesn’t Mrs. Rhys miss you?” I asked.
He raised an eyebrow. “No,” he said with a slight smirk. “There is no Mrs. Rhys.”
“Oh, sorry” I replied, a little embarrassed. “I just figured a guy like you would have been snatched up long ago by some gorgeous girl.”
He smiled and chuckled a little. “You’d think so, huh? I haven’t had much luck in that department...at least long term.”
“Sorry if I seemed nosy,” I said, looking down at my clasped hands. I felt like I had pried.
“Not at all, Skye. These are things you’ll need to know if you work for me,” he said soothingly. “Let me ask you a few general questions. Would that be alright?”
“Yes, please. Fire away,” I said, eager to change the subject.
“What do you like to do for fun?” he asked.
I looked up at him and wondered if I should give him the safe answer or the true answer. I decided to throw caution to the wind and let him see the real me. “Well, um, I enjoy painting. Abstract mostly...on big canvases. There’s almost nothing better than channeling your love, fear, pain, bad day, good day down into something and seeing the beauty of those emotions emerge. It helps me realize that no matter how bad my day was, or how hurt I felt...there’s always beauty in everything; that every emotion I feel is important and helps make me who I am. I love it. It’s freedom incarnate.” I smiled and remembered the last painting I did. It was after Jesse and I broke up. I put all the anger, tears, frustration, and ugliness down on the canvas. It turned into one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever done.
“I love to read,” I said, clearing my throat and continuing. “I’ve always preferred that over watching television. There’s not much imagination to television in my opinion. Also, dancing has always been in my blood. I love dancing whether it’s out at a dance hall or around my house. If hear music, my body just kind of responds to it. I like to catch Karaoke Night at the Blue Lagoon Lounge whenever I can. Their Cult Movie Show Tunes night is to die for. Don’t laugh. I know it’s cheesy, but I love it. And, I have to say, one of my absolute favorite things to do is go to my weekly Krav Maga class that I take with my best friend, Nikki,” I said, hoping that that wasn’t too long winded of an answer.
“Impressive, Miss Morrison,” he said with a cock of his head and appraising eyes. “I like a strong woman.”
I blushed and looked down at my hands. Small butterflies fluttered around in my stomach and I adjusted my body uncomfortably in the seat. I was embarrassed but a little excited at the look in his eye as he watched me talking. What is that...the way he’s looking at me? He likes a strong woman...what does that mean? Is he coming on to me? I laughed inwardly at the absurdity of my thoughts. Yeah right, Skye. He’s WAY out of your league, girlfriend. But, nice try. I looked up, into his eyes, and gave him a small smile and a shrug. “Me too. I grew up on Red Sonja comics. I wanted to be just like her when I was a kid.”
His eyes sparkled with his laughter and the butterflies in my stomach picked up again. Dammit, stop that! I silently told myself. Out of your league! And, he just might be your boss someday. Chill, hormones...
“What kinds of books do you like to read?” he asked.
I was surprised by the question. I guess when he said general, he really meant general. “I mainly read paranormal fiction, though I do enjoy the occasional historical drama or biography.”
“I’ve read up on preternatural things myself,” he said with a knowing smile. “What are your favorite subjects?”
“Well, I suppose it would be vampires, werewolves, fae, and similar mythological creatures,” I said, hoping that’s what he meant.
He laughed and nodded his head. “I’m glad you enjoy those. I do, too,” he said.
I started wondering how these questions pertained to the job I was interviewing for. But, I shouldn’t complain, I guess. These questions were very easy to answer and it seemed like he was genuinely interested in hearing my answers.
“Do you have any first-aid knowledge?” he inquired next.
“Hm...well, yes. I took a first-aid course in summer camp when I was 15. I still remember the basics,” I said, a little confused as to where this was going.
“Good,” he said, and then looked thoughtful. “Would you know how to...let’s say for example...dress wounds and control bleeding?”
What the hell kind of interview question was that?! I thought to myself. I’d expect that if I was applying at a hospital or something, but... “Yes,” I said slowly, confused as to why I would ever need to know something like that working in a nightclub.
“Excellent,” he said smiling. “You never know when something like that will come in handy.”
Where can you find this book:
Synopsis:
After a shocking admission by Archer Rhys, Skye Morrison and the rest of The Mausoleum's vampire crew have to deal with the aftermath of Houston business owner and fellow vampire Greyson Mead's murder. A gruesome discovery in Skye's driveway forces her out of her North Central Austin, Texas townhome and temporarily into Archer's lakeside mansion with her co-workers Trey, Hunter, Quinn, Seamus, Lochlan, Jameson, and of course the ever jealous Aoife. Skye must now live under the same roof with the two men she wants most and things are bound to get complicated. With a psychotic murder on the loose hell bent on killing vampires and the appointed army of The Faithful having no luck in finding them, will Skye's new boss and co-workers live to see next week? Will Skye make it out of Archer's mansion alive?
Excerpt:
“Did you need something?” I asked.
Archer leaned forward in his chair and took off his expensive charcoal gray sports coat. “I wanted to see how you were handling all of this,”he said, throwing the coat onto the couch and moving to take off his cufflinks. I watched him struggle for a second before I intervened.
“Here, let me help you.” I said as I got up from the chair and walked around his desk. He smiled tiredly, sighed, and thanked me. I hopped up onto the desk, sat in the same place Aoife had only moments ago occupied and pulled his hand onto my lap. I slowly took off his left cufflink and sat it down on the dark desk beside me. I looked into his ice blue eyes as I rolled the shirtsleeve up his muscular forearm. “Honestly, Archer, I don’t know how I am handling this.”
He stared intensely into my eyes and searched them for clues. “Are you scared?” I nodded my head and gave him his arm back. I picked up his right one and began the same process again. “You know I’ll never let anything happen to you, don’t you?”
I watched my hands work as I thought about that for a few seconds.
“I know,” I said finally, looking back up into his beautiful eyes. Neither of us said anything for a long moment. “I’m worried about you...about all of you,” I admitted reluctantly, my fingers finishing their work.
Archer took one of my hands in his and leaned closer. “We’re going to be just fine,” he said, tucking a stray hair behind my left ear and then lifting my chin. “We’re a lot stronger than we look, Skye.”
I had a sudden flash of Greyson’s mutilated body and I swallowed hard, shaking my head. My eyes glistened with unshed tears. “But Greyson...,”
Archer shushed me with a gentle finger to my full lips. “Don’t,” he whispered, looking deeply into my eyes. “Don’t think about that.” He cupped my cheek and tenderly ran his thumb over my mouth, tracing my bottom lip.
“I’m sorry for how I acted earlier tonight,” he apologized gently, his eyes remorseful.
“I know,” I whispered. I tilted my head into his cool hand and closed my eyes. His touch was so comforting, his strong arms safe. I felt my body slowly start to relax for the first time tonight.
“I want you to stay with me tonight, Skye.” My eyes flew open in alarm and I sat up straight. “Us,” Archer amended quickly. “I meant I want you to stay with us...at my house.”
Here's where you can pick up Sins of the Father:
Synopsis:
"Skye Morrison's life lately has been anything but ordinary. Attempting to pull together the pieces of her life that have been ripped to shreds after being kidnapped and tortured by Amun- who happens to be the father of all vampires-her dreams are haunted by memories of those recent fateful and horrific events. Skye struggles with her split feelings and the raw sexual tension with her lover, Jameson Doyle and boss Archer Rhys-the continuous object of her sexual fantasies. Residing at Archer's lakeside mansion with the rest of the vampire clan, Skye attempts to maintain a normal routine. With the vampire army, The Faithful, attempting unsuccessfully to capture Amun, her nightmares take her down a twisted spiral of entrapment and terror, taking its toll on her daily life. Haunted and hunted by the psychotic and mind-twisting Amun, Skye goes through dark and violent changes, revealing a side of herself she didn't know existed and ultimately leading to a shocking conclusion. With a climax that will leave you breathless and wanting more, don't miss the third chapter in the life of Skye Morrison.
Excerpt:
“Stop,” I whispered as the tears finally began to spill down my face. “I can’t bear to hear anymore.” My heart constricted with the pain his words brought. “How can you do this to me? How can you when you know I’m with Jameson.”
I roughly wiped the tears from my cheeks, stood up, and stormed over to him. “What am I supposed to do with this, Archer? Huh? Leave your brother and jump into your bed? What about him? What about his feelings? How can you do this to me? Why couldn’t you have just left it alone? Why did you have to tell me?”
“You deserve to know how I feel,” he growled. “You were mine before you were his.”
“No,” I shook my head sadly. “I wasn’t.”
“Why couldn’t you have just talked to me, Skye?” Archer asked, his voice full of pain. “Why didn’t you give me an opportunity to explain the kiss you saw between Aoife and me before you ran into my brother’s arms?”
“I thought I knew what I saw,” I whispered, losing my fight.
“You knew nothing,” he whispered, matching my tone, as he closed the gap between us and pulled me into his arms. He bent down and nuzzled my hair, taking a deep breath in.
I wrapped my arms around him and clung to him tightly. I buried my face in his chest and succumbed to my waterworks. “I knew nothing,” I finally admitted tearfully.
He held me for a long time, neither of us saying anything. I think we were both just content to be in each other’s arms. We had been denying ourselves for the longest time. Holding him felt like coming home; like a cool drink of water after a long week in the desert.
“I’m so sorry, Archer,” I sniffed. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“I’m sorry, too,” he mumbled into my hair as he placed light kisses about the top of my head. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. The girl I love is sleeping with my brother.”
Find The Original Sin here:
Synopsis:
Skye Morrison begged for death. Fortunately, someone didn't listen.
Skye awakens to discover she has been irrevocably changed and the unprecedented circumstances of her rebirth have now created a new threat to her very existence. Sired by both the monster Amun and the vampire Archer Rhys, Skye must prove to the army of An Dilis (The Faithful) whose essence is most dominant within her and that she is not a danger to them or society. The Faithful soon discover that she is unlike any vampire ever created before as she struggles to adjust to her new life and the changes that come with it.
Her recent brush with death has made Skye realize that life is precious and she wastes no time telling the one she loves how she feels about him.
But, Amun finds out that someone interfered with Skye's transformation and the intrusion makes him livid. He gives Skye 7 days to come to him or he threatens to begin killing the ones she loves most.
Will Skye be able to survive long enough to enjoy her new life now that Amun is hunting her and everyone she loves?
Excerpt:
As soon as my head hit my pillow, and I fully relaxed, my eyes began to grow heavy. All of the excitement I had been through today had taken its toll on me mentally. I desperately needed to sleep and recharge. Before I knew it, I was out cold.
Images flashed behind my eyes, interrupting hours of deep, sound sleep as I softly heard someone whispering my name. Something was pulling at my psyche, demanding entrance, and I finally gave in to the request.
Amun was standing by large body of water with his back to me. As soon as I took a step toward him, he whirled around looking surprised but relieved.
“What took you so long?” he demanded, his black eyes taking on anger. “I’ve been reaching out to you all day. I could feel you but I didn’t have access to you…I couldn’t access your mind. Something is interfering. HOW are you keeping me out?”
“Ha!” I laughed and sneered at the small victory. “You mean to tell me you can’t just come into my dreams whenever you want to?”
He flashed to me and grabbed me by my throat. “You drank their blood?!” he raged in my face as he glared back and forth between my now colorless eyes. “But you are mine!”
“I am no one’s!” I yelled back as I ripped his hand from my neck and pushed him away from me; the action utterly shocking Amun. “No one owns me! No one will EVER own me!”
“A piece of my very soul is inside of you,” he growled, quickly recovering. “You are mine and you will do as I say. You will come to me this night! I DEMAND IT!”
I put my hands on my hips and smirked at him. “Demand away, Amun. I don’t know what you’re expecting, but I’m not going to just come crawling to whatever hole you’re off hiding in. You have no control over me. Get used to it!”
“Oh, I have plenty of control over you,” he sneered evilly as he took another step toward me. “All those disgusting feelings of love and desire you felt for that Day Walker…Archer? I put them there. I made you dream of him, want him, make love to him… I made you want to stay with him when you were so set on leaving. I couldn’t very well allow you to leave and ruin all my plans! But in the end, you betrayed me, Damu. There will be a heavy price to pay for that. You were supposed to stay, complete your change and then kill him and all his children. Instead you drink his blood and pollute yourself?! You could have been something great, something beautifully fierce and exquisitely savage, but now you are just another common, pathetic Day Walker!”
I felt my eyes flicker black as anger consumed me. “I’m not your fucking toy, Amun! If you think you can force me to feel things and do things for you, you have another thing coming. I’m going to kill you for what you’ve done to me! As God is my witness, you will DIE by MY hand!”
Amun chuckled as he looked me up and down and then tsked. “Oh, my sweet Nisiqtu…you are still so headstrong. I believe I was wrong about you. You carry my mark in your eyes. We are not so different after all, you and I. You may be a Day Walker now, but the potential for greatness is still there. The possibilities are endless now. There is so much we can do to them now that you are one of them. They will never suspect-”
“Fuck you!” I spat as I turned and walked away. I didn’t have to listen to his bullshit. He may have pulled me into this dream but, come hell or high water, I was going to walk out of it.
“You have one week to come to me, Skye,” Amun yelled at my back. “If you do not obey me, I will start killing your friends and family one by one and I’ll start with that fiery girl who shares your home. I believe I’ll sew her colorful skin into a new hat.”
I whirled around, my eyes wide and fearful. “You lay one finger on her and I’ll-”
“Silence!” Amun roared angrily, his voice echoing loudly all around me. “Seven days, Skye. And you had better be wearing the presents I left for you when you come to me.”
This is where you can pick up your copy of Legacy of Blood:
I can tell all of you, I just can't wait for book 5. I'm not a vampire fan. Personally, I feel they've been overdone, but this series hooked me right from the beginning. Thank you, J.L. McCoy for joining us today.
Out of Control Characters is today part of a blitz for the pre-release of Unsinkable, and we'll feature the short story prequel: A Broken Bond.
Fifteen years ago, Laurel Handfield was a single woman living in a tiny one bedroom in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She worked a monotonous nine-to-five handling copy equipment leases. One day she decided to get back to what she loved most—writing. She decided to write a novel. But what would it be about?
A month later, she went on vacation to the Bahamas. In true Stella fashion (See Terry McMillian-How Stella Got Her Groove Back) she met a Bahamian. The rest is history, as they say. She came back from vacation, quit her job several months later and moved to Maryland to live with her sister while she wrote her first novel based loosely on how she and her husband first met. She has since moved to the Bahamas where she has lived for thirteen years with her husband, three children and Abigail, the family hamster. She writes full-time.
Her first upper middle grade novel,
Unsinkable, will be released May 21, 2013 by Simon & Schuster/Strebor Books.
Unsinkable gives the day-by-day account of the only black family aboard the doomed Titanic. The prequel novella,
A Bond Broken, is an ebook that will be released April 16th for the anniversary of the sinking. Both novels were written in her penname, Nicole Bradshaw. Her first picture book,
Cassi da Conch, will be released by Xist Publishing in 2014.
When she’s not writing, she’s sipping piña coladas on the beach. (seriously)
Fifteen-year-old Corinne LaRoche’s life changes one evening when she returns home and witnesses her father being harassed by racist French policemen. That’s it! Her frustrated father decides the family is leaving France and moving back to Canada.
After boarding the beautiful Titanic, Corinne meets Christopher, the Captain’s nephew. Coming from a wealthy British family, Christopher is privileged in every way. He matches perfectly with Sophia, the daughter of a dear family friend he plans to wed.
Unsinkable is the tale of how two teens from seemingly different worlds come together amidst a tragedy that changed thousands of lives forever. They could have never imagined their impending fate as well as the family secrets revealed four days before the sinking. This novel gives a day-by-day account of the doomed voyage as told from a minority perspective.
Reserve your copy of this exciting novel here:
To find out all about the great people in Unsinkable, pick up this novella today:
Corinne’s big sister, Astrid, has always looked out for her, even if Astrid believes Corinne has favor with their parents. But Astrid has a secret. She confides to her younger sister her plans to leave the tiny town of Cherbourg, France to become the first colored fashion designer in New York City. She’ll finally be on her own and rid of the family’s strict rules.
When their father loses his job, Astrid is commanded to leave school in order to assist the family financially. Trying to help, Corinne reveals Astrid’s secret but only makes the situation worse. Astrid feels betrayed by her younger sister and promises revenge. She seizes the perfect opportunity with Corinne’s blossoming friendship with a boy from class.
The sisters become mortal enemies and vow to hate one another until the day they die. That day may come sooner than they think. On April 10th, 1912, the family boards the beautiful Titanic on a voyage that will change their lives forever.
A Bond Broken is the prequel novella to the novel Unsinkable, which tells the fictitious story of the only black family on the doomed ship, the Titanic.
We welcome Nicole Bradshaw, author of Unsinkable, to Out of Control Characters today. This is a great book about a minority family on the ill-fated ship, Titanic.
First, we'll get to know a little more about Nicole:
Nicole Bradshaw was born and raised in Malvern, PA. She spent some time in Silver Springs, MD and currently resides in the Bahamas. Her first taste of writing was when she and her older sister created plays from Archie comics. She uses the pen name Nicole Bradshaw to differentiate her adult novels from her children's novels, and is currently writing children's stories for an IPad app. Unsinkablecame to her after she viewed the movie Titanicand wondered of there were any minorities on the ship. After doing the research, she discovered the LaRoche family, upon whom the story is based.
Fifteen-year-old Corinne LaRoche leaves Cherbourg, France with her daddy and older sister after an incident with the local police. Momma stays behind as Corinne boards the ill-fated Titanic. As a treat for his family, Daddy has purchased second-class cabins, but even those don't protect Corinne from the bigotry thrown at her. She's biracial, Daddy is a Negro and Momma is white. Still, Corinne follows her heart, falling in love with Christopher Smith, the ship captain's nephew. Can this love survive? Or will Corinne's heart desire fall victim to the prejudice she's endured all her life.
Nicole Bradshaw's tale of the fate of two lovers aboard a ship doomed to sink is a wonderful, a fast read. The story concentrates on the love Christopher and Corinne have for each other, but also on the outward hatred at the time for anyone not Anglo-Saxon. Bradshaw neatly weaves in storylines about upper class snobbery, a family separated by bigotry and illness, and a love destined to always live within Corinne's heart. Not once did the story drag, and the reader will feel at home with Bradshaw's understanding of a young woman caught up between two worlds. This is one of the best stories I've read in a long time, and easily deserving of the five star rating.
Now is the time to find out where to find Nicole and her fabulous book on the web:
These are the links to the book:
Here is where you can find Nicole on the web:
As a special treat, we have a look at the prequel to this story, A Broken Bond, available tomorrow on Amazon:
A Bond Broken Description (Prequel e-novella to Unsinkable)
Corinne’s big sister, Astrid, has always looked out for her, even if Astrid believes Corinne has favor with their parents. But Astrid has a secret. She confides to her younger sister her plans to leave the tiny town of Cherbourg, France to become the first colored fashion designer in New York City. She’ll finally be on her own and rid of the family’s strict rules.
When their father loses his job, Astrid is commanded to leave school in order to assist the family financially. Trying to help, Corinne reveals Astrid’s secret but only makes the situation worse. Astrid feels betrayed by her younger sister and promises revenge. She seizes the perfect opportunity with Corinne’s blossoming friendship with a boy from class.
The sisters become mortal enemies and vow to hate one another until the day they die. That day may come sooner than they think. On April 10th, 1912, the family boards the beautiful Titanic on a voyage that will change their lives forever.
A Bond Broken is the prequel novella to the novel Unsinkable, which tells the fictitious story of the only black family on the doomed ship, the Titanic.
Today, Out of Control Characters hosts a very special guest. Donna Alice Patton and I met through a critique group many, many years ago, and I had the very special privilege to assist her not only with Roses are Red but several other projects. We cemented our friendship by attending Springmingle 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia.
We're talking to Laura Barkley, the main character in Roses are Red, Diamonds are Blue. But first we'll let Donna have the forum, so we get to know a bit more about her.
KCS: Talk to us about Roses are Red, Diamonds are Blue.DAP:
Roses are Red, Diamonds are Blue is a historical suspense novel set in the 1970s. My main character, Laura Barkley, has to find a rare blue diamond so that her life can get back on track after the death of her husband. It was a fun book to write because it’s set during the ‘70’s (which I remember well!) The clues in the book are based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books. I adored the Little House books as a child and still read them once a year. It was fun to add in some Laura lore and to see if my readers can guess the outcome.
Author Bio:
Donna Alice Patton is a freelance writer living in rural
Ohio. She is also the author of two books for children –
The Search for the Madonna and
The Gift of Summer Snow: A Tale from the Garden of Mysteries. An avid history buff, she writes regularly for publications such as History Magazine and enjoys the challenge of tracking down an elusive fact for research. With two other writers, she co-edits a monthly page for children, “Cookies and Milk” syndicated in four
Ohiocounties.
Her hobbies including gardening, scrapbooking and sewing vintage doll clothes.
And now we're inviting Laura Barkley to take over, and let us know a few things about herself and her author:
KCS: Introduce yourself to our readers. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?LB: Hi, my name is Laura Barkley and the story pretty much revolves around me. My husband, Peter, was curator at a museum –
Wainwright Historical Museum – and he was murdered. Some people (even the police) think he might have either stolen the rare Anastasia Diamond – or helped someone else take it. I’m not sure. All I know at the beginning of the book is that I need to keep my twin daughters safe.
KCS: What do you think about the author? Tell us everything. We want to know.LB: Well, I think she’s a pretty good writer because I let her tell my story! We both have this kind of fixation about Laura Ingalls Wilder. I love the Laura books and so does Donna. It was just a natural that my Peter would use clues from the books to help me solve the mysteries. I do think she could write faster and keep better track of how long books take her to write. People always ask that question and she doesn’t know. It drives me batty!!
KCS: What are your feelings about this story? LB: It was hard to live through but I’m happy with the solution to the mystery.
KCS: How do you feel about being a character in this book?LB: It was fun! (Now that it’s over.) But I do wish that the climax hadn’t included a blizzard. . . and that’s all I’m going to say on that subject!
KCS: What do you see in your future? (No spoilers please!)LB: Hm . . . it would be spoiling to tell so you’ll have to read to the end.
KCS: Say a movie producer comes knocking. What actor/actress would you want to play you and why?LB: Oh, gosh – you’re asking me about movie actors in 2013!
Since my story takes place in the 1970’s I’m not sure I’d have any idea of who is popular today. I mean it was so
far out learning Ronald Reagan became president in the future!
This would be a better question for Donna. . . or for Aunt Bessie. I’m sure she’d pick James Garner, her favorite, for one role – even though he was way too old to be one of the main characters. Maybe he could play the police detective?
Delightful! And now we're going to let you know where you can pick up this enjoyable book:
Donna has several books available, and she's a very talented writer of not only fiction, but also non-fiction. You can find her on the web here:
Today on Out of Control Characters we interview Dana Newman, author of the romance Found in Prague. This is a delightful love story, a tale about a couple from very different countries meeting and finding their attraction too much to ignore. I had the very good luck to read this book, and I'm as in love as Katica and Michal.
KCS: Please tell us about your latest book.
DN: Found in Prague is a sweet, romantic fiction that will leave you sighing aloud as American college freshmen, Katica Coleman, traverses across the Atlantic Ocean to Prague in the heart of Europe to find herself, meet her long-lost relatives, and experience all the giddy waves of excitement and dizzying stomach butterflies that are the essential elements of first-time young love. Leave your body in your bedroom/living room/kitchen and allow your mind to be transported into the red-roofed, black-spired city of enchantment. Follow Katica as she meanders through the winding cobblestone streets, snow-covered castles and aromatic crepe cafés, losing and finding herself again and again. KCS: How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
DN:Found in Prague is absolutely chock full of both my personality and life experiences. While I would not go so far as to say that Katica is me, because I did take many artistic liberties with her personality and mannerisms, there are certainly similarities between us. And, once again, while Found in Prague, is definitely not my true travel story, I did use many events from my own explorations and adventures living in Europe to write the book. Insider scoop: the terrifying toilet scene in the creepy hotel did really happen to me!
KCS: What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
DN: About a thirty minute walk from my apartment in one direction is a gorgeous, Gothic-style downtown area, and about twenty minutes in the other direction is a Baroque palace with sprawling green grounds, wooded trails to get lost in, a moat of sorts, and numerous bronze statues. When I need to recharge, I simply zone out and go for a stroll in either direction.
KCS: Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre?
DN: Definitely! I’m currently working on a book that is written in a very different style and genre than Found in Prague. More poignant, my next book will be a candid and moving yet light-hearted coming of age-type novel aimed at everyone who has ever felt lost in life. Written in the first person, I will use some of my own experiences within the story, however, as with Found in Prague, I will add pizazz, stretch the truth, and outright make stuff up as I deem fit. This book is shaping up to be “PG-17,” but still something I could allow my mom to read. Probably. Maybe not my dad, though.
KCS: Fill in the blank favorites -
DN: Dessert: Rich, moist flourless chocolate cake with fresh strawberries and either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Peanut butter could be substituted for the strawberries if not in season.
City: Prague, of course! Season: Summer
Type of hero: The sexy bad-boy who outwardly acts as though he doesn’t want to help people and couldn’t care less, but is actually a soft, loveable teddy bear on the inside and ends up risking his life to save the world at the end.
Type of heroine: Answers to nobody, takes no crap, was destined to save humanity--knows it and is proud to do it; uses her sheer sexiness and seduction skills to outsmart men and her ability to whoop ass whenever necessary.
KCS: Where do you see yourself in five years?
DN: The fantasy or the more pragmatic reality? You can decide which option is which...
Option 1) Living on a quiet, serene island in a simple yet elegant bungalow (with all the modern amenities, of course) just a five minute walk from the ocean front with my goldendoodle dog (who does not yet exist in my life) and my husband (check, have him). I’d spend my days writing while the sea air breezes through the house, and perhaps in the evening I’d bartend at the shack next door for a little extra cash.
Option 2) Writing more and working at my “real job” less. Within five years I’d like to have published at least two more books. By then, I hope to have flexible enough work hours that I can get the aforementioned goldendoodle doggie and spend my mornings and evenings walking her with my husband and tossing the frisbee in the park, which is of course conveniently right down the street from our home.
KCS: What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you?
DN: Let’s start with the easiest part of writing for me: coming up with ideas. Scattered all over my apartment are torn scraps of paper of different sizes and shapes, all brimming with concepts, plots, character names and scenarios for the next, self-acclaimed “Most Amazing Book in the World.” Only problem is, I’d have to live to 150 to turn them all into books or even short stories! And since my goal is to live to 125, I must concede that it simply won’t be possible...
Now we come to the hardest part: Writing the first ten chapters. I write the first draft from beginning to end, and the first ten chapters are make or break for the book. I don’t do outlines, which means that during this period in the book’s creation, I’m still working out the characters, the plot and the storyline, trying to figure out whether the original angle is actually a viable one or not, and if not, can I go in a different direction with it or should I simply broom the whole thing. If the book idea makes it through the first ten chapters, I consider myself officially in too deep to quit; I’ve already put so much time and effort into the work that I’m fully invested in seeing the project through to the end.
KCS: What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
DN: Being able to create something that is part me--my experiences, emotions, doubts, worries and personality--and part imagination and fantasy. I am not just present within my main character of this book, but in every character I’ve ever created. Even if they are nothing like me, my thoughts, experiences and emotions make up who they are, what they do and where they go. However, the beauty of writing fiction is that I am not bound by the things I’ve actually seen or by how the events truly played out in real life. I can weave parts of the truth into the fantasy I’ve created and then sprinkle a little fairy dust on top just for good measure.
KCS: If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?
DN: Baking. Always a hobby of mine, baking is yet another outlet for the creative fantasies and boundless imagination that floats around my head.
KCS: Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
DN: It’s NOT easy, but it IS doable. There are times when the project is going to feel too unimaginably big; times when you are going to seriously consider giving up; and probably even times when you will doubt your abilities as a writer. Don’t give in to any of those fears! Keep typing away, building your book one word at a time. If it’s too overwhelming to consider the project as a whole, focus on one chapter or even just one page at a time. One day you will wake up and realize that, seemingly overnight, each one of those words, pages and chapters you wrote have grown together to create the full work. And that will be a glorious day.
Just to whet your whistle, we're including a synopsis of Found in Prague: After receiving an odd email during her first semester of college, Katica Coleman traverses fearlessly across the Atlantic Ocean to Prague in the heart of Europe looking for answers to her family's past but ends up finding so much more. Katica quickly learns that it's easy to fall in love while meandering through the winding cobblestone streets, snow-covered castles and aromatic crepe cafés of the magical country that is her family's homeland. But is the charming Czech boy with the intoxicating accent and cool, charismatic gait someone she should let herself get lost in? He always seems to come to her assistance at just the right moment, but can he really be trusted? Katica cannot help but wonder whether she should listen to her wary gut or give in to the giddy waves of excitement coursing through her body....
Here are the links where you can purchase
Found in Prague:
Here is all you need to know about Dana Newman:
Dana Newman, like Katica Coleman, the main character in Found in Prague,
is a second generation Czech-American. Her childhood was filled with dinner table stories about dynamic adventures of life in another land during another time. After graduating from the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida in 2008, she set off on her own adventure with Prague as the destination. To write this book, she has woven the vivid stories from her childhood into her own travel experiences and then sprinkled a little fairy dust on top.
After my Library Book Event I received several questions from my blog readers and other authors about how I planned and presented the event. There are probably many different answers to the question: How to do a Book Event. So, I will share my process.
My first step was to contact my local library and speak with the events planner. We agreed on a Book Event date and time.
My next step was to determine the agenda for the event based on the tine allotted to me and share it with the events planner. She allotted me an hour and a half with an additional 20 minutes to set up. She arranged seating and advertising. In addition, I posted some flyers in places that had bulletin boards—Starbucks, Pete’s Coffee
So, here is the agenda I created and how the actual event worked:
10:40 I arrive and set up my table. On the table I displayed my books and recipes for foods mentioned in my mystery book—Lamingtons, Pavlova and ANZAC Biscuits. I also baked six dozen ANZAC Biscuits for attendees to taste.
11:00 I mingled with people as they gathered for the event while my husband assisted me by selling books to those interested in purchasing them.
11:15 I shared a brief introductory piece about myself. I talked about my earliest writing experiences, influences on me as an author, my blog, the novels I had already published. I explained why and how I started writing mysteries.
11:30 I described my writing style which is character driven and contrasted it with plot driven writing.
11:40 I shared a synopsis of the novel I was highlighting for the event, “Murder Down Under.”
11:50 I described the traits and origin of three of my main characters and two of my secondary characters.
12:15 I took questions, sign books.
12:30 The event ended, but people stayed to chat and ask more questions.
Why have a Book Event rather than just a book signing? Simple, it provides a great opportunity to interact with readers, it sells books and it’s fun.
Now take that leap in the dark and plan your own Book Event.
Our second feature today is from Katy Krump, author of the teen fantasy Blue Dust: Forbidden. She's talking about how hard it is to write teen fantasy.
Honestly, I don’t find it too hard. I suppose it’s because basically I’m a teenage girl masquerading as a middle-aged woman. I once asked my mother what it felt like to ‘be old’ and she said, ‘I don’t feel any different now from how I felt when I was sixteen.’ I did the required eye-rolling and snorting and thought, ‘Pshaw, rubbish,’ or words not as complimentary, and continued with my happy, uncluttered teenage life, boiling with fury when I was dismissed or treated as insignificant because of my youth. Now, I realise she was right.
I still feel sixteen in my head, though of course I’m much wiser. I am, really I am. I remember the feeling of disempowerment and in direct contrast to that, the rush of knowing I was invincible and would never get as old as my mother. Those moments of pushing the boundaries just to see what would happen are as clear now as they were back then. I was often treated as if I was too young to have valid opinions or thoughts and constantly told that I’d ‘understand’ when I was older. Those feelings have influenced my writing and are a major motivation for my choosing to write teen fiction. I clearly recall the muddle in my head as I tried to find my true self, the surging hormones that made me feel out of control and dangerous, and Qea, the heroine in Blue Dust : Forbidden, reflects these emotions. I think it’s vital for a writer to draw on life experiences. My book is sci fi/fantasy about an alien. Obviously I’m not an actual alien, but I do understand what it’s like to be a stranger in a strange place after emigrating, so I took what I knew and turned it on its head. For me, using personal experiences makes the writing easier. It’s not necessary to write exactly what happened, but turn it around and you have a fantasy story.
I have clear memories of my childhood and teenage years and the uncontrollable passions that could swamp me in an instant. I was a bit of a loner, but I spent a lot of time observing others (in a non-stalker way of course) and it was through these observations that my writing began. Times have changed so much with all the technology and social media that young adults are involved in, and yet the essence of growing up, discovering your true persona, parental and sibling relationships, negotiating the quagmires of friendship and love, remain constant. I store up my observations of people’s behaviours and dialogue, and use them in my writing. Once you learn to do that, the writing gets easier.
As far as writing fantasy is concerned, I’ve always had an over-active imagination, so writing for the teen market helps me excise and share some of the weirdness in my head. We didn’t have a television until I was fifteen and so I read prodigiously and spent a lot of time making up stories in my head. I loved sci fi and fantasy television programmes, which back then were filled with dodgy special effects and cardboard rocks, because they made me realise I wasn’t the only one with thoughts about other worlds. There has to be an exciting story and strong characters who undergo challenges and face terrible dangers. Fantasy enables the monster to be bigger and scarier. The worlds can be more bizarre because nothing is impossible in fantasy, and I love the freedom of this genre. I love words, and spend a lot of time finding the ‘perfect’ word for a sentence. I don’t dumb down my writing even though it is for teenagers and I’ve had some interesting comments from young readers who enjoy the words I use. My thought is that if someone doesn’t understand a word they can look it up, which is what I used to do and nowadays ‘Doctor Google’ makes it easy.
Blue Dust : Forbidden didn’t start out as a fantasy. Halfway through I realisedit was taking a direction I didn’t like and so I stopped and thought about what kind of story I really wanted to write, and instantly came to ‘fantasy/sci fi’. I turned it around and immediately it became easier as I was able to let my imagination run riot, unbound by having to keep it all ‘real’. As with any writing, teenage fantasy needs to have a strong story, believable characters and the correct structure. Structure and character development can all be learned, but it’s what you do with the technical skills that matters most, in my opinion. Correct spelling and grammar are important, but for me with fantasy, it’s the story and characters that matter most. Dodgy structure, grammar, spelling etc., can be fixed. A writer must believe in the writing and the genre. It would be no good my trying to write a book about the joys of motorcycles, because I don’t care about them, but strong female protagonists and fantastical worlds, that’s what I care about.
My advice to writers is to find the genre that makes your soul sing, spend some time learning about the technical aspects and then do it. Write whatever you want to no matter how weird it might feel or seem to others. Fantasy is ideal for people with vivid imaginations, like me. The writing is the easy apart. It’s what comes afterwards that’s difficult; re-writing, editing, learning how to take out a superfluous passage or even chapter, even though you love it, that’s hard. As with anything, discipline, perseverance , willingness to take constructive criticism from an editor and self-belief are vital when writing. Getting what you’ve written published is a whole other story...
Katy was an English and music teacher before almost losing her sense of humour (and mind) and deciding she needed to devote herself to the thing she loved most - writing. She published a number of children’s musicals and then became a full-time television scriptwriter for children, entered a nationwide scriptwriting competition and was selected to be on the writing team of a popular South African soap. She also worked as an advertising copywriter, wrote radio ads and jingles, educational textbooks and readers...anything writing-related to keep the wolf from the door. Basically, she’s constantly writing, books and TV scripts and if not that then plotting, planning and scheming how to take over the world!
Like her creation Qea, the feisty heroine in Blue Dust: Forbidden, Katy understands something about being an alien after she embarked on a new journey, crossing the galaxy to settle on a new planet (England) many moons ago. Some like to call this process 'immigration'. Katy is now a proud possessor of a maroon Intergalactic Wayfarer Permit and has come to love the aliens she mixes with daily.
You can find Katy's book at
Amazon. Interested in knowing more about Katy: Check out these websites:
Today on Out of Control Characters, we bring you the first of two fabulous books available for kids. This one is about living in alternative family situations, My Two Uncles by Jeff Rivera.
Here's where you can find this book:
Look at this interview with Jeff Rivera for all you need to know about
My Two Uncles:
Jeff Rivera is an author and inspirational media personality. He has appeared on national television, radio and print in such outlets asForbes.com, The Boston Globe, Publishers Weekly, Right On! Magazine, Rotarian Magazine, TMZ, WABC, WNBC, WCBS, SITV, American Latino and NPR.
His humble beginnings of living in American poverty on welfare and food stamps as the child of a single mother, to his days living in his car and final rise to becoming a published author, journalist and media personality have inspired many.
Finally, here's where you can find Jeff on the web:
Whether you live in an alternative family or are interested in explaining one, this is the book for you. Thanks for stopping by, Jeff, and we hope your book does well.
Today on Out of Control Characters, we're talking to Brae Wyckoff, author of The Orb of Truth, Book 1 of the Four Horns series. Before we start, a little more information about this delightful book I had a chance to read this week:
Synopsis:
In the hundreds of years since the Holy City disappeared, darkness has fallen over the land. Human kingdoms have seized control of the realm, scattering the other races into hiding.
Bridazak, a skilled thief, and his friends, a Dwarf and a fellow Ordakian, have dared to remain within the human communities and live relatively quiet lives, until they discover a mysterious, magical artifact. The three friends are thrust into an adventure that will challenge their faith, their purpose, and their destiny as they chase a forgotten and lost prophecy across the realm of Ruauck-El, where they hope to discover the origins of the strange item and their place in its history.
An ancient, unknown enemy threatens the completion of their journey at every turn. Bridazak is about to face the biggest adventure of his life, one that may change the known realm, and answer the questions he has carried all his life. Will they unlock the truth?
Wow! Even though I've already read this book, I want to read it again. It sounds very fascinating. Now, to introduce Brae:
And now we get down to the nitty gritty. Oh, I just love these character interviews. We get to know about how they feel about their story.
For the author:
1. Talk to us about The Orb of Truth
The Orb of Truth is a classic adventure set in a realm filled with good vs evil, magic, and intrigue. I love to take my readers on an incredible journey where they will be whisked away from reality and become friends with the rich characters of Ruauck-El. If you love Lord of the Rings then you will love The Orb of Truth, first book of the series. The sequel is due out later this year (2013) and is called The Dragon God.
2. Author Bio
Brae Wyckoff was born and raised in San Diego, CA and is working toward a Psychology degree. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Jill, for 20 years, and they have three children; Tommy, Michelle, and Brittany. He has a beautiful grandson named Avery. Brae has been an avid gamer since 1985. His passion for mysterious realms and the supernatural inspired him to write The Orb of Truth, the first in a series of fantasy action adventures. Brae describes The Orb of Truth as a cross between the Lord of the Rings and the Wizard of OZ where you will be swept away into a magical land of Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings.
For the character: Bridazak
1. Introduce yourself to our readers. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?
Hello everyone. My name is Bridazak. This is my first interview ever so I’m a little nervous. Halflings don’t do these kinds of things normally.
Well, Brae Wyckoff and I first met over twenty years ago when roleplaying Dungeons and Dragons. That is where I told him of my story and he wanted to write about it. You see I was an orphaned Ordakian, Halfling for those who don’t know what an ordakian is, anyway, I tell you this because I have always asked myself two questions. “What is my purpose in life and do I matter?”
My life was forever changed on that fateful day I met The Orb. It seems like yesterday still. Anyway, I am forever indebted to Brae for bringing my story to your world. You only have part of the story and the next books will be even better than the first. I was told not to give anything away.
2. What do you think about the author? Tell us everything. We want to know.
Well, glad you asked. My take is this, Brae is a stand-up human that really has a way with words on paper to capture the surroundings and feelings of everything that transpired. Brae and I are now working on the 3rd book, The Vampire King, while the 2ndis being edited. I am amazed how Brae can take my story and write is so precisely. It is hard to believe that what he is writing actually happened to me.
Brae visits what you would call an “office”, but in Ruauck-El, we call it a tavern. His “office” is called Starbucks. We do a lot of work at this Starbucks place, talking through the story and me trying to explain the creatures of the realm so he can describe them perfectly.
I do know this, and he probably won’t like me saying so, he snores. I snuck into his house a couple times because I needed to tell him some important information that couldn’t wait and well, holy crap, this human was louder than my dwarven friend, Dulgin. I realized that I didn’t have to sneak at all. He wouldn’t hear a thing. Brae also refuses to acknowledge his nightly snorting and tells us we don’t know what we are talking about. He reminds me of Dulgin in some ways.
3. What are your feelings about this story?
I realize that your world finds it entertaining, but in reality this story is my life. My feelings are heavy at times remembering the hurtful past but overall my journey has been fruitful. I can say that HOPE found me during my travels and I will never regret the outcome. When you read The Orb of Truth then you will understand what I’m talking about.
4. How do you feel about being a character in this book?
I’m not sure why Brae chose me to be the focal point of this story although I play a big part in it but there are so many others who also played a big role. Don’t get me wrong, I love to be the center of attention most of the time and understand my role as a leader with my friends, but there are times when I think Brae should have highlighted others more.
5. What do you see in your future? (No spoilers please!)
Well, I’m no fortune teller, but there are times that I get glimpses within my mind of what is to come. I have seen great things coming that I have not even told Brae yet, but he is in store to behold a great adventure himself that will rival my own.
I’m working on writing the 3rdbook with Brae which revolves around Vampires but I wasn’t there most of the time as I was on my own adventure. I can’t tell you more than that, but you will understand when you read the 2nd book entitled The Dragon God.
6. Is there another The Orb of Truth in the future? Will you be part of it?
Did you know that Brae’s original title was Bridazak the Brave? I thought it was a horrible title and I’m so thankful he changed it to The Orb of Truth.
There is only one Orb but what comes next revolves around the basis of what the first book foretold.
I am indeed part of the future books. There are so many stories to be told but so little time. Brae is working with me on the foundation of the series and then we can go back and share all the side adventures that happened with me and my friends.
I remember breaking into the Pasha’s Palace and barely escaping with my life. This is just one example of hundreds to share.
7. Say a movie producer comes knocking. What actor/actress would you want to play you and why?
Brae mentioned this also, but I am uncertain as to your Hollywood realms ways. Brae showed me the Lord of the Rings movies and I was deeply enthralled. I later found out that the story was made up and I could not understand why. This Earth realm is strange, but I do fancy the talking shows.
I also saw The Avengers and though I did not understand all of the magic these heroes wielded, I did like the Jeremy Renner actor who portrayed Hawkeye. He is a natural with the bow and I feel that he could pretend to be me in one of your movies through the Hollywood town.
So, now that we have your interest, are you ready to find out how to follow Brae on the web, or pick up his work? Check out the links below:
Here's where you can purchase your own copy of The Orb of Truth:
And, drum roll please, here's the book trailer:
Just for you, we now present a surprise:
A good young adult book is hard to find, but find one I did when I read Becky Pourchot's latest tale in the Hungry Ghost series. To Kiss A Ghost kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end. Read my review below:
Fifteen-year-old Gala Rhyce is an illustrator for comic books, touched by one ghost, and has this fantastic paranormal power. She sees ghosts and their auras. She also see human auras. All this makes her different, and she wants to be normal as she approaches her first day of a brand new school, in her new hometown of Flagler Beach, FL. But the spirits are determined Gala won't be normal. She has a job to do, and a boyfriend, Cy, to break up with now that he's in college. Her latest adventure doesn't start off great, what with a ghost dog causing her tremendous physical damage, but Gala meets a "Ghost Boy" she names Jaylen. Things really heat up when a prank crazy ghost, Roy, attaches himself to her. Just when she thinks she has things figured out, life throws Gala a curve ball she never saw coming.
Becky Pourchot weaves a paranormal tale of one teen's calling to help clear ghosts from the human plane with ease. To Kiss a Ghost is a fun easy read for any and all teens. The action is believable, and hysterically funny as Gala's ten-year-old brother gets into the act by "enchanting" food for the ghosts. There is heartbreak when Gala must give up a ghost she's come to love, with a sweet, enduring kiss, but there is also hope for the future when she discovers her ghost is actually a teen not much older than her recovering from a fire that destroyed his home. To Kiss a Ghost garners five stars for it's entertainment value, it's realism, and for being good enough to hope the sequel comes out soon.
Becky Meyer Pourchot was a writer before she knew she was a writer. She was the kid who could tell scary stories at a Halloween party, giving everyone goose bumps, then the next day proudly make her family laugh at the dinner table. In her debut book, I Look Better In Binary, Becky draws on her childhood experiences as a Jewish kid growing up in the Midwest to create a collection of short stories that are, at once, hilarious and touching. Becky credits her family, friends, and one special teacher for the encouragement she needed to become the writer she is today.
Today, Out of Control Characters hosts Jessica Burde, author of Polyamory and Pregnancy. First, a little bit about Jessica: Jessica Burde is an author, freelance writer and poly activist. She has been in polamorous relationships for nearly 10 years and is a member of the Polyamory Leadership Network and Yahoo PolyResearchers group. Jessica is also the author of the PolyonPurpose blog, which covers topics such as STIs and safe sex, children in polyamory and religious views of polyamory. Much of her freelance writing has been for medical and parenting websites, including advice for new parents, the stages or pregnancy and more.
Jessica has several future books planned
for the Polyamory on Purpose Guides series, including Safer Sex for the
Non-Monogamous, The Poly Home and Raising Children in Polyamory. She plans to
publish one guide a year. Jessica also writes fiction, and has a novel-length
erotic fantasy that she hopes to release as a webserial in October 2013.
A mother of 3 children, all born into
polyamorous relationships, Jessica currently lives in western Tennessee with
her long-term partner and youngest son. She misses the Appalachian mountains
and hopes to move east in the next few yearsBefore we get into your interview, tell us about Polyamory. I've never heard of this before. Polyamory can be defined as the practice of having or desire
to have more than on sexual/romatic/intimate relationship at one time, in an
honest and ethical manner. A person in a polyamorous relationship might be part
of a group marriage, a swinger, a single person with several SOs, dating a
person in a married couple, in an open marriage or any combination of the
above. The central focus of polyamory is that these relationships occur with
the full knowledge and consent of everyone involved.
Poly folk face some unique challenges in
a culture designed for monogamy. Polyamory on Purpose was started first as a
blog and now as a book series to discuss some of the daily-life challenges and
ways to navigate them.
Here's a synopsis of Polyamory and Pregnancy: The first complete guide to pregnancy in polyamorous relationships, Polyamory and Pregnancy covers every step of welcoming a new life into your polycule. Whether you are planning ahead for future children or are on your way to the baby shower, you will find something here to help on your journey:
Unexpected pregnancies
Planning for pregnancy
Important decisions during and after
pregnancy
Poly-friendly prenatal care
Birth certificates and paternity
Custody and co-parenting
And more... Can you tell us a little about Your Book? Sure. It’s written for people in non-monogamous relationship who are dealing with a pregnancy in their relationships, or planning for a pregnancy. I’ve been involved in polyamory for nearly ten years, and have three kids. In a world build around heterosexual monogamy, having a child in a non-traditional family creates some unique challenges, and there isn’t much information publicly available on what those challenges are or ways to cope with them.
Is there a historical angle you can share with us?
The modern polyamory movement originated in the 1980s. I don’t actually know much about the development of polyamory as such, but there has been various forms of non-monogamy practiced throughout human history. Religious polygyny is the most well known in America, and has an understandably bad reputation given the infamous (and well publicized) actions of people like Warren Jeffs. However, non-monogamy has taken many different forms, and most of those forms have led to healthy relationships.
Prior to polyamory, the US saw swing culture and before that the free love of the 60s and 70s. While the free love movement died out, swinging continues to be popular in many parts of the country. During the Victorian era, the practice of a wealthy man keeping a wife and a mistress was a socially sanctioned but never acknowledged form of non-monogamy. In Tibet and Nepal sometimes a man will marry several men, which is known as polyandry. The Musuo culture is becoming widely known as a representative of a family style that breaks all of our assumptions. The badly named “walking marriages” they practice are nothing resembling marriage at all. Instead, women and men both live with their mother’s clan. At night men go to visit the women of their choice. The women can let them in, or shut the door in their face. These relationships aren’t formal arrangements – they last as long as both parties want it too. Sometimes for a single night, sometimes for decades. In the morning, the man returns to his mother’s clan, where he helps to raise and support his nieces and nephews. Any children of these relationships are raised by the mother and her family.
In ancient Persian culture, and some branches of modern Islam, there is the tradition of marriages “for a set period.” So you could get married with the intention of only being together for a few weeks or a few months.
I think that polyamory has learned and developed from all of these. The crucial idea of polyamory is that as long as everyone is honest and treats each other with respect, anything goes. This means that any of these forms of non-monogamy and many others can be found in poly circles. However, unlike stereotypical non-monogamy (which bears as much relation to reality as stereotypes ever do), with in polyamory everyone is involved in their form of non-monogamy by choice, with the honest and and enthusiastic agreement of everyone involved.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but I think it was in high school that I decided writing was what I wanted to do with my life. I joined a creative writing class and had an amazing time. For the first time I had people who took my writing seriously and were willing to give the critiques and suggestions I needed to make my writing better.
Of course I always intended to write fiction or poetry. A decade ago, I never would have guessed my first book would be non-fiction.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Mercedes Lackey’s Bedlam’s Bard was my introduction in modern non-monogamy.
Jonathan Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull was my inspiration for years.
Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet. I’ve gone through more copies of that book than any other. I just keep coming back to it.
Anne McCaffery’s short story “The Littlest Dragon-Boy” was my introduction to sci-fi/fantasy in seventh grade English. Never say that there is nothing good in English text books. You may find the story in there that shapes the rest of your life.
Are there any new authors that currently interest you? And which is your favorite author of all time?
Oh god...
Well, Patty Briggs isn’t “new” any more, but she was when I picked her up for the first time. Ryk Spoor isn’t as new as he used to be, but is still hitting his stride. I’m looking forward to seeing were he goes from here.
A.G. Carpenter, Balogun Ojetade and John Scalzi are authors I’ve discovered in the last year that I am looking forward to reading more of.
Do you have any little ‘things’ you do or traditions you follow when you write?
Nope. I squeeze in writing when I can, around a rambunctious two year old and keeping up with my paid work. When I get half an hour and inspiration, I sit my butt down and write.
Actually, yeah, there is one thing. When I get half an hour and no inspiration, I put on a YouTube playlist I called “Energize,” full of songs whose beat and lyrics both are designed to kick me in the ass and get me typing.
Do you have a dedicated space, a particular office or piece of machinery?
Well, there is my laptop. I’ve been through 3 in the last two years, so I’m not sure how ‘dedicated’ it is, but it’s what I got.
Do you ever write longhand? Do you ever use a tape-recorder?
Longhand is for poetry, the rare times I write it. Prose is almost always typed. I do use dictation software. I think better when I pace, so being able to walk around and talk at my computer sometimes is nice. Also was very helpful when the little guy was younger – I could hold him when he was teething or falling asleep and keep writing.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your published works?
This is my first published work, so it’s a bit early to say. I do wish I’d been able to find other people will to share their stories of pregnancy and polyamory, but I didn’t think to look until late in the writing process, and many people are very private about that kind of thing. I’ve recently heard of a quad who had a child together and write an article about their experiences. It would have been nice to have a chance to talk with them and see if they’d be willing to share some stories for me to include. Many for the second edition.
What do you love most about writing?
Hard to say – I love the feeling of a sentence that fits perfectly – there are a few sentences in my current fiction project that I’ll go back and read over and over again. I love sharing my thoughts and experiences and the way my writing can help other people and help shape the world. I love words and the way they can have so many different meanings depending on how they fit together.
What kind of research did you do for this book?
Surprisingly little. Mostly it was the research of living this stuff for nearly a decade. I did some factual research for sections on contraceptives and infertility, since those aren’t areas I know much about. For the section on legal issues and DNA testing, I had to do some research into how things are handled in other countries. One of the major criticisms of a lot of poly books is that they are US centric, and I really wanted to make this as accessible as possible for an international audience.
What's a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal?
I don’t think I have a “typical” day. Every so often I’ll set a schedule for my day, and stick to it for maybe 2 or 3 weeks and then it flies out the window. I try and do my writing in the morning, I seem to be at my best then and get the most done with the least delays.
I do set writing goals, but not word counts. I break my writing into tasks: “I want to finish writing this scene, complete these two freelancing projects, and get two blog posts up.” If I don’t finish in the first go, then I’ll get up and do some dishes, play with the boy, run errands, and come back for a shorter stint in the afternoon, then again after the little guy goes to bed. But the bulk of my work is done in the morning – around 2 pm my brain switches to low gear and stays there. Afternoon is best for more active stuff.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Trusting myself. It’s not so bad with the non-fiction. But with fiction writing, I’ll get caught on a single sentence, not sure how to find the words to convey the image I want.
With the non-fiction, the biggest challenge is believing that I have something to say that people want to here. I don’t doubt my stories the way I doubt my non-fic. The support I’ve gotten from the poly community and my family and friends has made a big difference.
What’s the best thing about being an author?
Get back to me in 10 years and maybe I’ll have figured it out.
What are you working on now?
I have an erotic fantasy that I’m hoping to release as a webserial in the fall. It’s taken the backseat the past few months, so I’m looking forward to giving it some more attention now. The main character is man who sells himself to a sadistic fae in order to save his sister – and ends up getting a lot more than he bargained for.
I’m also planning out the next few Polyamory on Purose Guides. I have several topics I want to write on (Raising Children in Polyamory, the Poly Home, Safer Sex in Non-Monogamy, etc), not sure yet which one to tackle next.
What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Take a couple of years to just write for fun – don’t worry about publishing or finding any agent or finishing a novel. Just write. You’ll get better without even realizing it.
Spend some time working as a freelance writer. It will give you practice for dealing with rejection and picky editors, and it’s a great way to learn about the business side of writing – marketing yourself, crafting proposals, etc.
Anything else you wish to share …
Polyamory isn’t for everyone, and if it’s a new idea to you, check out some of the great resources available for learning about poly before you go picking up a book specifically about polyamory and pregnancy. If you are dealing with the really fucked up situation of a person cheating in a supposedly monogamous marriage and someone getting pregnant, there may be some things in here that may apply to your situation, but this book is written with the assumption that readers all openly and freely choose to be non-monogamous.
Very Interesting. Now, the most important part. Where to find Jessica Burde.
A new book is a coming, Paint Me Beautiful. Here's a quick look at what it's all about. Let me tell you, I can't wait to get my hands on it and read the story. It's a story many, many teens live every day.
“I'm dying to be beautiful.”
My story isn't unique. You've heard it before. I'm just a girl who doesn't eat as much as she should. See, I have goals, big ones, and nobody is going to stop me, not even a boy named Emmett. He has good intentions and he's hot as hell, but he doesn't understand what it's like to want something so bad that you'll do anything for it. I'm going to become a model, even if it kills me. Dream big or go home, that's what they always say, right?
Always a fan of the indie scene and 'sticking it to the man,' Ms. Stunich decided to take the road less traveled and forgo the traditional publishing route. You can be assured though that she received several rejections as to ensure her proper place in the world of writers before taking up a friend's offer to start a publishing company. Sarian Royal was born, and Ms. Stunich's books slowly transformed from mere baking chocolate to full blown tortes with hand sculpted fondant flowers.
C.M. is a writer obsessed with delivering the very best and scours her mind on a regular basis to select the most unusual stories for the outside world.
A threat to remain silent or she ends up like the kittens silences Neal Marchal for eight years. She's an orphan, connected to her stepmother's family, with no close kin to protect her. It's a life full of secrets, of a hidden dream involving music, and a group of people who are the only family she has, even if they are different … hurtful.
The intervention of a cop with a good heart after a neighbor is murder gives Neal hope, but she still holds back. Everyone knows the mountain people of apple country in New York don't abide by the same rules as other folks. Yet, these differences threaten to destroy Neal, until she meets a guy with a band, and an offer.
Barbara Morgenroth weaves a tale of a family steeped with "bad apples," and a teenager surviving by her wits and her dreams. Neal's plight mirrors the plight of so many children, so many families, and yet she finds ways to escape – through writing and eventually music. It's a testament to the strength of the human spirit as Neal journeys from terrified, hide away teen to a confident singer and a person willing to accept help from others. This is a story that will appeal to teens who have experienced hardship and survived. I highly recommend this book.
"You tell and next time you won't even be able to crawl away."
Neal Marchal lived with this threat for the next eight years. When she finds her neighbor murdered, she knows who did it. The why is the secret the family has been keeping forever. The reminder to never reveal the secret is her limp.
She rebuilt her life and now Neal has everything to live for--music, performing and a growing affection for the young man who pulled her to safety.
Then Joe comes home. Neal knows Joe's going to finish what he started 8 years ago because she told. But this time Neal vows the outcome will be different.
Barbara was born in New York City and but now lives somewhere else. Starting her career by writing tweens and YA books, she wound up in television writing soap operas for some years. Barbara then wrote a couple cookbooks and a nonfiction book on knitting. She returned to fiction and wrote romantic comedies.
When digital publishing became a possibility, Barbara leaped at the opportunity and has never looked back. In addition to the 15 traditionally published books she wrote, in digital format Barbara has something to appeal to almost every reader from Mature YAs like the Bad Apple series and the Flash series, to contemporary romances like Love in the Air published by Amazon/Montlake, and Unspeakably Desirable, Nothing Serious and Almost Breathing.
Title: Fade To Silver Character Interview
Today, Out of Control Characters brings you Catherine Converse. She's talking about her series The In Between, and specifically, the second book, Fade to Silver. This is a delightful fantasy series for young adults.
1. Talk to us about Fade To Silver
Fade To Silver is the sequel to The In Between, in what will be a four book series (The In Between Series). The overall, big picture premise of the series is that two girls (Adie and Dannika) that are completely opposite both have a psychic ability to dream about future murder. They are asked to join a covert intelligence agencies that uses the dreams to stop murder, and the agency headquarters are located deep in the earth to keep the ‘Visionaries’ safe. In the first book, the two girls are trying to navigate their own abilities as well as a relationship with one another, and the young men they are falling for. In book two, Dannika goes for a really wild ride, and goes missing, and Adie needs to find her before a huge corporate conspiracy goes incredibly sideways.
2. Author Bio
Catherine Converse lives with her husband and four children in beautiful Montana.
If not writing, or researching, she would really like to be outside with her family, preferably snowboarding in winter, and playing with their horses in summer.
Grateful for such a blessed life and the ability to do the kind of work she loves, she just hopes to bring stories of all kinds to life, and enjoyment to those who read them.
3. Website/Blog/Twitter links
Twitter: @catconverse
We're going to talk to Adie now, the main character in this very interesting series.
1. Introduce yourself to our readers. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?
My name is Adie Brighton. I guess you could say I was a pretty regular old teenage girl until one day when I had one of my crazy dreams, right in the middle of class. That day spiraled into something I never could have imagined, taking me into an unknown world, parallel with the one everyone lives in, yet invisible to them in their everyday lives. Yeah, being a Visionary is pretty awesome, once you get used to the idea. Living and working with the agency is, in a really strange way, a dream come true. I just didn’t know that when this all started. But using those nightmares to do something good in this world, it just feels right. I mean, yeah, I miss some things about my old life, but I think this life chooses you. And once you know you have a certain kind of power, how do you deny that you’re meant to be using it? It all happened really fast, and then there was Dannika, who became my partner, another whole challenge in itself, but now I can’t imagine life without her. And of course, there’s Jeff. I didn’t date much in high school, so, um, I guess you could say he really threw me for a loop.
2. What do you think about the author? Tell us everything. We want to know.
She’s pretty nice to work with. She can be kind of overboard, though. She mothers us too much. I mean, I know she has four kids, so that probably just comes natural or something, but I wish she would just stop worry about us so much. Her life seems pretty hectic with kids and family and everything going on, yet it seems like she’s always scheming about our next moves. I guess I appreciate it and all, but she probably needs to get a life outside of reading and writing. Her husband’s pretty cool, she’s lucky there. I bet he’d love to get inside her head a little. At least we get to know what she’s thinking, and sometimes I’m thinking, “No, please, don’t make us do that!” She’s pretty good about listening to us and to our ideas, and of course we throw her a curveball every now and then. So, far we’ve gotten along just fine.
3. What are your feelings about this story?
I love being part of this story. Saving lives is the best feeling ever. Watching someone save a life because of something I knew is the best warm fuzzy I could ever get. I just wish I knew guy I ended up with.
4. How do you feel about being a character in this book?
It’s cool. At first, it was really freaky, but the author talked me down from the literal ledge, and I decided I could handle it. Now, I’m loving it. Eager and ready for whatever is next!
5. What do you see in your future? (No spoilers please!)
Well, that’s the funny thing. We are considered psychic, but we don’t actually see the future. I wish we did, because between you and me, I love Jeff, I really do, but sometimes I can’t wrap my head around Witt’s deal, and why I keep feeling like I need to be a part of it. And it’s driving me nuts. So in terms of my romantic future, I’m lost on that one, but don’t tell Jeff I said that! As far as work goes, I think I’m both feet in with the agency. It seems like the right thing to do with my life.
6. Is there another Fade To Silver in the future? Will you be part of it?
Coded in Stone is next up in the series. I’m pretty sure Dannika gets herself into some trouble again, and pretty sure I’m going to have to help get her out of it, as usual. But, I don’t mind, that seems to be the way things work around here, and especially with her, and for some reason, that always seems to work out for the case we’re on. So, I figure all of her antics are just kind of meant to be. And Coded in Stone will be no exception.
7. Say a movie producer comes knocking. What actor/actress would you want to play you and why?
That’s a toughie. But I’d have to say that maybe a new up and coming actress that has many of the qualities of Ellen Page. I just love her wit and sense of humor, and then of course there’s Inception, where she basically rocked it. And I think she could really kick some butt if she had to. It would be cool to seek out an actress like her that’s breaking out.
As an author, I meed many, many other authors. And I recently had the great luck to meet Venessa Kimball, author of the Piercing the Fold series. I reviewed the first and am now proud to present my review for the second book in this absorbing young adult fantasy series.
See for yourself with the review for the exciting second book, Surfacing the Rim:
Jesca, Nate, and Ezra return in this second book of the Piercing the Fold series. They have a multi-fold mission this time, and a timeline that scares them for failure isn't an option. A world changing event is approaching and they have no idea how the change will affect humanity.
Kimball's tale of a group of Dobrian guardians protecting Earth from Sondians determined to consume humanity is captivating from the beginning. The personalities shift and meld into new friendships, show their determination to follow through with their mission, and are ready for anything – or so they believe.
There are surprises, moments of "I never saw that coming!" Mostly this is a tale of religion and science coming together taken to the next level. The scientific information is revealed in a way most teens will understand.
Venessa Kimball stretches her storytelling muscles in this latest installment far, and succeeds in Surfacing the Rim. The reader is immediately caught up in the suspense of will Jesca and Nate take their relationship to the next level, and will they be able to stop the collision of Earth and Andromeda? What effect will this collision have on humanity? Nothing is clear as the people we came to love in Piercing the Fold return to solve the next problem on their radar.
Here's the biggie. Venessa created a very special YouTube video. These are the people she wants to play her characters if it ever comes to a theater near you:
What would a fabulous tour such as Venessa is running be without a giveaway - Book 1 of the Piercing the Fold series.
What do you think? Does this book sound like something your teen might want? Or something you might want to read?
Venessa is giving away an e-copy of Piercing the Fold Book 1 to one lucky commentator!
All you have to do is leave a thank you comment on this post … preferably one that an over-the-top gush about how great her book is and thanking her for her generosity.
Giveaway open today only!
Where can you find this book? Try these links:
You can find Venessa and her work here:
So, check out Piercing the Fold Book 2: Surfacing the Rim today!
You have your contract. It's signed and back to the publisher. Then you get it, the cover of your book – what it will look like to the consumer when they pick up the book and decide if they want to purchase it. What next? Why we reveal the cover to those many fans gathering for the big release date, so they can ooh and ah over it with you.
Today we're revealing the cover for Beyond the Iron Gate by Alicia Michaels. Beyond the Iron Gate is the second installment of the The Lost Kingdom of Fallada Novella series. This fantasy series takes place in the nineteenth century, and here's a taste of what you can expect:
In the year 1845, before the mystical land of Fallada was separated from the realm of men forever, the two worlds coexisted in harmony. Man could mingle freely in the world of the Elves and Faeries at will and peace reigned.
In the hills of Shropshire, England, just miles from the gate separating the village of Ludlow from the world of mystical creatures, farmer’s daughter Zara Wells longs for answers. It is not only the golden hair that trail feet behind her, or the strange hue of her violet eyes that separates her from the other girls her village. There is something inside of her, something touched by magic that longs to know more about what lies on the other side of the gate.
In Fallada, darkness has begun to spread. As the youngest and most beautiful girls of her village begin to disappear, Zara comes closer to discovering the true circumstances surrounding her birth. Little does she know, that the closer she comes to the answers she so desperately desires, the closer she will come to being ensnared in the dark queen’s web of growing treachery.
Now, there's a video about this story you can watch here:
Giveaway!
Do you wonder who Alicia Michaels is:
Ever since she first read books like Chronicles of Narnia or Goosebumps, Alicia has been a lover of mind-bending fiction. Wherever imagination takes her, she is more than happy to call that place her home. The mother of two and wife to an Army sergeant loves chocolate, coffee, and of course good books. When not writing, you can usually find her with her nose in a book, shopping for shoes and fabulous jewelry, or spending time with her loving family.
Is this your story?
Kamy, eighteen, woke and wondered where she was and what had knocked her from sleep. A persistent buzzing from her pocket made her pull out an I-Phone. She stared at the screen, until the word "Mom" penetrated the hazy fuzz making it hard to think.
"OMG! What does she want?" Kamy answered the call. "What?"
"Where are you?" Mom screamed. "It's three in the morning. You were supposed to be home at eleven."
"Whatever." Kamy shook her head, it had just started spinning in these really weird circles.
When that didn't work, she lay back and stared at the dark sky, but things only got worse.
"Where are you?" Mom demanded.
"Party," Kamy slurred. "Hardy's Field."
"You're drunk!" Mom screeched.
A horrendous throbbing took over the spinning in Kamy's head. She rolled her eyes.
Stupid. I should have told her I was at Mysty Valley.
"I'm coming to get you," Mom said. "Meet me at the highway."
"No!" Kamy bolted upright and regretted it. "I'll get one of the guys to bring me home."
"I'll be there in five minutes."
Kamy shut off the phone. She tried to stand, but her legs didn't feel like they belonged to her body. She laid back and shut her eyes.
Just five minutes," she promised herself. I'll just rest for five minutes, and then I'll get everyone out of here.
The next thing she knew, blue lights flashed all over the place. A huge cop yanked her to her feet and fastened handcuffs around Kamy's wrists. She jerked and cried.
"What's going on?" Bill, her guy, yelled. "We didn't do anything wrong. All we had was a little beer."
"That's the problem," another cop said. "None of you are old enough to drink."
Scenes like this play out daily across the world. Maybe in a field, or at a house party, or even in a club. Teens are turning to alcohol for many different reasons. And their lives can turn from the fast track to success to loser just as fast. Underage drinking is an epidemic. It's that simple. Facts from the CDC don't lie, and those facts are enough to scare most parents.
In 2003, a mere ten years ago, eighty percent of high school seniors admitted to trying alcohol. The numbers are somewhat improved for 2012, seventy-two percent of high school seniors admit they've tried alcohol, but then we look at the numbers for nineteen and twenty year olds for the same time period. Seventy percent of those old enough to have graduated high school, but not old enough to drink legally, admit they get drunk on a regular basis.
The consequences of this problem are many and varied.
1. Get drunk underage, but over eighteen, and you will have a criminal record that will follow you for the rest of your life. With the tough competitions for scholarships to college, it could mean the difference between having your higher education paid for or going to work at a dead end job and forgetting your dreams.
2. A juvenile record can be sealed, but there are some jobs where that seal means nothing. So, your partying might follow you into a career you've hungered after all your life.
3. The younger you are when you start drinking, the harder it is to quit. Start drinking before fifteen and chances are really good you'll be a lifelong alcoholic. Before you shrug this off, think of looking ten to fifteen years older than you are, blacking out, and constantly facing a judge for your habit.
4. A woman who drinks while pregnant, especially to excess, stands a very good chance of giving birth to a baby suffering from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. This particular syndrome causes poor growth in the womb and afterward, decreased muscle tone and poor coordination, thinking, speech, movement, and social skills will be delayed or have problems, and heart defects. The baby will also have narrow, small eyes with large upper eyelids, a small head, small upper jaw, a host of other problems.
5. Drink and drive, especially underage, and you'll find yourself with a whole lot of legal problems. First, you will lose your driving privileges. That means public transportation in urban areas, and walking or begging others for a ride in rural areas. You'll have a criminal record. Insurance rates will skyrocket.
6. Get into a wreck while driving and things just got a lot worse, especially if someone is hurt or dies.
Not enough yet to quit drinking before you're old enough? Ask yourself these questions –
Is alcohol really what I want to be addicted to the rest of my life?
When everyone gives me a hard time for not drinking, am I really willing to let them bully me into getting into trouble?
Are my friends really acting like adults, or are they just being stupid?
Peer pressure can work two ways. You can give in, take the easy way out, and face a lifetime of medical problems, legal issues, and ridicule as you grow older. Or you can walk away and ignore the drunken laughter. Find a party where teens are having fun without booze, throw a party like that yourself, don't fall into the trap of "everyone else is doing it." Be the first in your group to stand up for yourself.
KC Sprayberry is the author of the teen novel, Softly Say Goodbye. In this book, an eighteen-year-old teen, Erin Sellers, takes on underage drinking in her high school. Twitter and YouTube provide her a way to get the message out, but nothing can help when three guys are victims of underage drinking accidents – one when he was drunk and the other two being run off the road by a teen drunk.
She lives in Northwest Georgia with her husband and youngest son, a seventeen-year-old. KC's stories have appeared in many magazines for teens, four anthologies (
Passionate Hearts Anthology (2010),
Mystery Times Ten (2011)
, The Best of Frontier Tales, Vol. I (2012),
Mystery Times Nine (2012).
You can find me on the web at:
Looking to pick up your own copy of Softly Say Goodbye? Try these links:
Lola Savullo is heavy, hates wearing a swimsuit. There's a dysfunctional family, caught up in their own narcissistic existences, except for Grandma Rose, who seems to understand Lola and her unusual way of dealing with the incessant bullying by most other teens in her school.
Lola's BFF calls the ability a superpower. Lola thinks differently, it's an escape, a way of avoiding the hurtful words and painful punches and slaps – both physical and verbal. What can she do? Lola disappears when she's overwhelmed by those around her. Grandma Rose calls it "The Vanishing." Lola is different, a negative, but she can also disappear, what every teenage girl wishes she could do.
Jeanne Bannon drops the reader into Lola's predicament right from the beginning, a humiliating moment at a public pool, and we immediately feel for this young woman. This is a story for all teens, a story about learning to cope with what gets you down, and rise above it. There are moments of humiliation most will know for a fact, and moments of utter joy. I highly recommend this book not only for teens, but also for their parents as a way to learn how to discover a way to stand up against bullying.
Jeanne Bannon has worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years. She started her career as a freelance journalist, then worked as an in-house editor for LexisNexis Canada. Jeanne currently works as a freelance editor and writer.
Invisible, her debut novel, is about a teenage girl who isn't happy with herself and wishes she could disappear. And one day she does.
And now it's time to reveal how I feel about the delightful romance,
Falling into Paradise!
Sophie Redmond is warm and loving but hurt by her past – hurt by people who should know better, and others who would use her to their own ends. Damon Watson has never had a deep relationship. This small town sheriff is known as the Romeo of Paradise Falls. He gives her a speeding ticket their first day in town, and she remembers all her rules about men when he faces her again. Those rules came about after a career breakdown, and the memories of her less than idyllic childhood, but Damon's bent on getting as close to her as he can.
Secrets from the past rule her their heads, but not their hearts. What begins as an erotic romance quickly morphs into a fascinating, breathtaking romantic suspense. Mistakes of the past no longer rule Sophie and Damon as they realize what is most important to them.
Kemy Chetty turns up the heat in this novel right at the beginning, yet this book is more than two people attracted to each other. The reader will be able to relate to the humanness of Damon and Sophie. They will feel the pain of each of these star-crossed lovers as they fight to overcome their pasts and move forward with their futures. Chetty draws out the ache of losing a precious child, and how it brings these two adults closer and closer. Every moment is fraught with danger, and even injured Sophie manages to push herself past the pain of all rejections to see the future – even if means she has to be alone. Damon's surprise will have everyone sighing with romantic happiness. There are moments of "I never saw that coming" followed by "oh, she didn't." But the one thing I know about Falling Into Paradise. It's a page turner I want to return to many times in the future.
Ah romance! Those sweet moments we all love. The delight of watching a couple come together. And the ever so happy ending. This is the best escape in the world. There's a romance out there that will have you reading it over and over again.
Welcome to Falling Into Paradise. Here's what it's all about:A woman too afraid to commit. A man too hurt to love again. A passion that refuses to be denied. Sophie Redmond knew betrayal, she knew mistrust. She knew everything that was wrong with the world, until Damon Watson charmed his way into her life. The rules she used to shield her heart were broken one by one, as Damon showed her compassion and kindness. When no one else believes in her, he shows her hope. But is hope ever enough? Damon knew trouble when he saw it. He was the sheriff. He could spot it a mile away and Sophie was trouble with a capital T. What was it about this City Slicker doctor that made him want to forget everything but those whiskey brown eyes and that honey blonde hair spilled against his naked chest. Can Damon put the past behind him and choose to love again?Are you ready to discover where to get this gem? I sure am. Check out below the links where this book is available, or you can learn more about the author:
Find out more about Kamy here:
And now I'm going to tell you all about Kamy Chetty!
There hasn’t been a time in her life that Kamy hasn’t been writing, or dreaming up some magical love story in her head. As an avid reader, it wasn’t long before she realised her talent for turning a phrase, and add to that a profession of nursing, it’s only natural that her stories have a medical theme with that happily ever after ending.
Recently she’s discovered that all those years she’s been fascinated with TV shows like CSI and Bones, has just been foreplay for her dark side and she now enjoys writing suspense with a dash of medical and a dollop of romance.
Originally from South Africa, Kamy now lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her very own hero and two children who keep her busy. She has two dogs who keep her out of trouble and shelves overflowing with books that she loves reading when she isn’t chasing deadlines.
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Yay, Kathi! And it's an awesome book too, BTW. I highly recommend it.
Kathi, great book. I'm excited to be part of this blog tour.
Thanks. It's fun so far!
I found your great blog through the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! Great to connect!
Hello Kathi! I came across your blog via the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! I am so glad I did. I'm following you now (via GFC)! :D When you visit my blog, please "Like" or leave a comment if you enjoy my post. I appreciate the support.<br /><br />Thank you,<br /><br />Vashti
I found your great blog through the WLC Blog Follows on the World Literary Cafe! Great to connect!<br /><br />You can find me here: http://lynnthompsonbooks.blogspot.com/