Tempting Evil with Keira Kohl

Posted on by September 20, 2012

I’m thrilled to welcome my good friend/critique partner/writing buddy, Keira Kohl, to my blog today. I’ve known Keira for almost twenty years, and even though we rarely see each other in person these days, thanks to modern technology, ie. the internet, we’re in touch all the time.

Welcome, Keira. I’m so glad you could visit today. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
It’s always so hard to talk about yourself. 🙂 I grew up in Ontario, Canada and still live an hour away from where I was born. I work in IT for my day job. All that means is I get to play with software all day and try to break it. When it comes to genres I love the weird and unusual so I guess it’s no surprise that the erotica I write is paranormal. I’ve been writing for what feels like forever and I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t write. I live in Ontario, Canada with my honey and three cats.

I am a member of RWA and a graduate of Hal Croasmun’s screenwriting ProSeries. My interviews with writers of CSI and Flashpoint appeared in The Rewrit, the Scriptscene newsletter, the screenwriting Chapter of RWA. I write screenplays, thrillers, and paranormals, occasionally exploring an erotic twist. My characters have never complained.

So even though you grew up in Canada, I know you’ve travelled a bit. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?
So many places to choose from. But I would pick Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. It’s quiet, the people are friendly. It’s gorgeous there. I’ve loved Cape Breton forever as long as I can remember. My family is from there and I’ve been going there since I was a child. It just feels like home.

I’ve never been down east, but it is on my bucket list. What about other talents you have? Or are there talents you don’t have that you wish you did?
I paint landscapes in oil. I wish I had a talent for drawing. I know that sounds contradictory but the landscapes I paint are free style and don’t require any artistic talent at all. 🙂

As you know, I have no artistic talent whatsoever, so even freestyle painting is amazing to me. Now let’s get to the writing part of this interview. Where do your best ideas come from?
I get ideas from everywhere. Sometimes it’s a problem. I have so many ideas floating around there’s never going to be enough time to write them all. I do my best thinking in the shower. I have no idea why and I’m not the only author who gets ideas in the shower.

You know how jealous I am of your ability to come up with ideas all day every day. But when you’ve settled on an initial premise, which comes first, the plot or the characters?
For me, plot comes first. I learn about my characters as I write the story. I usually have a very definite plot in mind and then think of characters to put in that situation. Then the characters grow as the story progresses. Most of the time it works out for me. Sometimes it doesn’t and I get stuck because I have to learn more about the character before I can move forward.


Yes, that happens to me all the time, too. Having so many ideas is a good thing when you’re writing short stories 🙂 Tell us about your new release.
My release is due out the end of this month. It’s Tempting Evil, a short story collection of three paranormal erotica stories.
In Satisfaction Guaranteed, a wannabe succubus meets her match for her last assignment: The college boyfriend who broke her heart.
In Scale Deep, a reporter learns more than she bargained for when she discovers that dragons are real… and they walk among us.
In School Bites, a woman bumps into her high school crush at a reunion. Curiously he hasn’t aged a day in 15 years. When the bodies start turning up she finds out why.

Sounds like very interesting stories. What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on getting my collection ready for publication. Once that’s available I’ll be working on revisions of Silk Secrets, the first book in my Spirit Chasers series. Silk Secrets is a fun, sexy story about neighbours who start to see more in each other than they did before – with the help of a match making ghost.

I’m looking forward to reading it.

Thanks for visiting today, Keira. I’ll keep an eye out for your debut book and post the links here when it’s available.

You can read more about Keira and her books on her website, and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Kristina Knight talks about What a Texas Girl Wants

Posted on by September 12, 2012

This week, I’m thrilled to have my loop-mate (is that real word?), Kristina Knight, here to visit. Kristina’s debut release, What a Texas Girl Wants, is available now from Crimson Romance.

First, Kristina, for those who don’t know you, can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a refugee from the television news wars! I grew up in small town America, loving re-runs of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and WKRP in Cincinnati…so I guess it was only natural that I became interested in television and radio news. I’ve worked all over the US, and now I’m excited to call Ohio home, and work my own stories.

Television news sounds very exciting. But when did you start writing, and what inspired you?
I really can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing, even before I learned my letters. I’ve been making up stories and playmates and exciting adventures from birth according to my mom! But I never took my talent seriously until a good friend told me my stories were as good as the books she’d been reading. That was a great light-bulb moment for me…as for what inspires me, it’s that first flash for a story or character – I just have to know what happens next!

What has been the toughest criticism you’ve ever received? The biggest compliment?
I think the toughest criticism is no criticism. Form rejection letters are very tough because they don’t offer any idea of what went wrong. I understand the need for them, but I don’t like them. On the other head, the biggest compliment I’ve gotten (so far) was in a rejection – an editor told me my writing voice was ‘sparkly and fun and wonderful’…she turned down my book because it wasn’t right for her list…but that was very encouraging!

Do you have any advice for those authors just beginning this journey?
If you want to make writing a career, you have to make it priority. Turn off reality TV, stop talking about the story you have inside you and start writing it down. If you want to make a career out of writing you have to do it – because there will be a million people telling you that you can’t. Sometimes the only person telling you to keep going will be you, so tell yourself to get started and then keep moving forward.

On a personal note, if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?
Anywhere with a beach! I love the sound of waves on sand, it’s totally relaxing and invigorating and exciting all at the same time. Some of my most productive days are spent on the beach!

Now what about relaxation? Complete this sentence: “When I want to kick back and relax, I …”
This depends – in the middle of winter I grab my favorite blankie and turn on Soap Network. Other people’s drama relaxes me. I don’t know why! In the summer when I’m in need of a mental health day, I head to the pool. A little music, some hot sunshine and a floatie are all I need!


Can you tell us about your upcoming release?
What a Texas Girl Wants, my debut, is on cyber shelves now…it’s a marriage of convenience book, set in Texas (obviously!) and I hear it’s going to print soon. So I’m very excited about that!

Blurb
Kathleen Witte is a down-to-earth girl. She has to be, with the family ranch on the verge of success. After seven months of keeping it all together by swearing off men, however, Kathleen needs a bit of fun in the sun. Waking up with a husband she can’t remember isn’t how she planned to blow off steam. The last thing Jackson Taylor wants in his life is a down-to-earth girl. He has four weeks of freedom in which to find his birth mother. He’s done well avoiding commitment until now, so when he wakes up on a Mexican beach with Kathleen his first reaction is curiosity. When he spies the matching wedding rings on their left hands curiosity turns to concern. Neither Jackson nor Kathleen want to stay married, but when her family shows up, they have no choice. Once back in Texas, however, can they keep this all-business marriage from turning into an all-consuming love?

Excerpt

         “So the man calling you sweetheart on the patio isn’t your husband?”
         Kathleen blanched. “No, idiot. He’s my grandfather. What do you think I am some Anna Nicole wannabe?”
         “No, but. . .Well who else would call you sweetheart besides your husband?”
         She glared at him. “Start talking, Cowboy. Am I remembering last night?”
         “I’m not sure, either.” When Kathleen would have socked him in the shoulder, he continued. “I was sent down here on a photo shoot for Sports Weekly last Monday. It wrapped and I decided to stay for a few extra days. I have a show booked in New York in a couple of months and I thought some shots of the crowds on the Malecon would do well. That would have been. . .Wednesday. Then I woke up on the beach this morning with you. So assuming this is Thursday, yeah, we’re both remembering the same night.” “Kathleen?”
         She ignored Grandfather and focused on Jackson. “You seriously don’t remember how this”-she wagged her right index finger between their left hands-“happened?” His only response was a slow shaking of his head from side to side. Wonderful. Wait. Wouldn’t that make the annulment that much simpler? All the celebrities did it. Get drunk, get married, plead incompetence because of alcohol and get a quickie annulment. If it was good enough for Britney it was good enough for Kathleen. As long as she could get the annulment ball rolling before Grandfather found out.

My next release is coming up on October 1, it’s a reunion romance called The Saint’s Devilish Deal. This is the book I’ve most enjoyed writing (but don’t tell my other books that, I don’t want any jealous rages!) because it’s set on a beach in Puerto Vallarta – one of my favorite places!

What a Texas Girl Wants is available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

You can learn more about Kristina and her books on her website , and follow her on Facebook and Twitter

Thanks so much for joining me today, Kristina.

Gemma Murray – Keeper of the Golden Dragon’s Heart

Posted on by September 5, 2012

Thanks so much for dropping by. Today, I have the pleasure of chatting with Gemma K. Murray, author of the Keeper of the Golden Dragon’s Heart. This book is one of the Cedar River series of paranormal romances which take place in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Welcome, Gemma. I’m so happy to have you here. Can you tell our readers a little about yourself?
         I was born and raised in a small town in lower Michigan. A farmer’s daughter, my greatest ambitions were to become a large animal vet and to read every book ever written. The veterinarian dream fell by the wayside, but I’m still working on reading every book I can get my hot little hands on.
         But I’m a dreamer…I love to sit and look out the windows, daydreaming about what could be. I love getting tangled in my dreams when I fall asleep at night. That is how Keeper of the Golden Dragon’s Heart came to be. It started with a dream and spun into something beautiful.

That’s quite a goal. You still live in Michigan, but if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?
I think I live in the most perfect spot on this earth. The Upper Peninsula has everything I require to keep me happy: forests and water. There is so much peace to be had here and I honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else. This is my idea of heaven.

I have friends from there but I’ve never visited the UP. I’ll have to put that on my travel list. Now tell us something about yourself that others might find surprising.
I’m a HUGE football fan. It happened only after I married my husband. It was either spend a lot of time apart or learn to love the game. I chose to love the game. We don’t cheer for the same teams, but our fall weekends are filled with lots of fun.

Ah, a little family rivalry isn’t such a bad thing 🙂 Now let’s get to the writing questions. When did you start writing?
I’ve always been a writer. I started writing at the age of eleven or twelve. I began to take it seriously about ten years ago.

What inspired you?
My husband. He knew I loved to write, but I was clueless on where to start. I sat down with a pen and some paper one night. A love story came pouring out across the paper. It was amazing.

What has been the toughest criticism you’ve ever received?
The toughest criticism was from a publisher who thought Keeper of the Golden Dragon’s Heart should be made into a YA novel and nitpicked every little detail of the 3 chapters she held in her hand. The biggest compliment? My husband (who is not a reader) picked up my book and began to read. He loved the story and began to ask me questions about the characters and the storyline. We’ve been together for 20 years and NEVER have we discussed a book before.

That’s quite a compliment. What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working on books to continue the Cedar River series. Book 3 will contain an opportunity for a spin off series so I’m working on the stories for that as well.

Can you tell us about your upcoming release(s)?
Keeper of the Golden Dragon’s Heart is out now from Leap of Faith Publishing. It is the story of a small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan called Cedar River. The town is home to shifters of every shape and size. The main characters in Keeper are Bowie Golden, a dragon shifter and sheriff to Cedar River, and Anastasia Plum, a puma shifter/witch hybrid. Bowie and Ana have been friends for years, but their feelings are changing. A religiously fanatical group wants to wipe out the shifters and targets Cedar River.

Book 2 doesn’t have a title yet (I’m waiting on edits). It is the story of Adam Thomas, a black puma shifter, and his childhood sweetheart, Luna McIntyre, a wolf shifter/pack shaman. Someone is bound and determined to keep this sheriff’s deputy and the chocolate shop owner apart.

The series sounds intriguing. Tell us about KEEPER OF THE GOLDEN DRAGON’S HEART.

BLURB
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan seems like it is another country. The rawness and beauty of the land draws people from every walk of life. What most people don’t realize is there is a little town nestled on the banks of Lake Superior that an entire group of supernatural beings call home. Shifters of every shape and size live there. They raise their families there. Tourists come from near and far to visit the quaint town of Cedar River, Michigan. The tourists never realize they are walking among some of the most unusual beings on earth.

Bowie Golden is a dragon shifter who is in charge of Cedar River’s safety. Until now, the biggest threat to anyone’s safety was Anastasia Plum, a witch/puma-shifter. She has been the town hellraiser since she was a teenager. Now someone has discovered the secret the residents of Cedar River keep for one another. These radicals are determined to eradicate the entire town. It’s up to Bowie to keep them all safe.

Ana has always idolized Bowie. She may have stirred up trouble from time to time, but Bowie or one of his brothers would always get her out of the trouble she was in. One day, it happened. The unthinkable, the unimaginable occurred. Anastasia Plum fell for the “golden” boy. What an unlikely duo- the sheriff and the hellraiser!

Just as these two discover their passion for one another, a group of people is determined to keep them apart. It’s up to Ana to prove that she is the only Keeper of the Golden Dragon’s Heart.

EXCERPT:

My name is Anastasia Plum. I’m the only living child of a puma shifter and a witch. I grew up in this incredible community of supernatural beings on the shores of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. From the tall pines that grace our forests to the most amazing body of water I have ever seen, there is no better place on earth. My earliest memory is of laying my head against my father’s chest and hearing him purr. I was three years old. Two years later, hunters killed my father, who was hunting in puma form, leaving my mother to fall into a deep depression. I was twelve when a spell my mother had worked for a human went wrong and the person returned in the night to burn our home to the ground, killing my mother.

Looking back, I think she was ready to meet my father wherever his soul was wandering, especially since she was able to get me out of the burning cabin. At the age of twelve, I was alone in the world except for a family of dragon shifters who had befriended my parents before I was born. Bernard Golden took me to the puma shifters who lived on the edge of our village. The pumas turned me away because I was a half-breed. There were no other witches in the community so the Golden family took me in as one of their own. With four boys, Lorelai Golden welcomed another female presence. To me, she always smelled of sugar cookies and cinnamon. Bowie, the oldest son, was my chief defender. He is seven years older than me and he took my protection very seriously. Brady, the second son was my trainer. He taught me to fight and hunt, which is hard for a dragon to teach a puma, but he did his best. Callum and Colin are the youngest. A set of twins, a rarity in the dragon world, they were allowed to get away with a lot. Being only a year older than I am, we three managed to get into the most trouble. They were, and are, my best friends.

The Keeper of the Golden Dragon’s Heart is available now from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Leap of Faith Publishing and Coffee Time Romance.

I’ve enjoyed talking with you today, Gemma. Please come back and visit any time.

To learn more about Gemma and her books, visit her website or follow her on Facebook or Goodreads

Six sentence Sunday – a mistake?

Posted on by September 2, 2012

Thanks for visiting today. After my little detour last week, I’m going back to one of my published books for this week’s sentences. In Out of Time, Josh and Amanda still have feelings for each other, but the bad memories and secrets between them make it impossible to let go of the past.

For what seemed like an eternity, their gazes held, breaths mingling. Thoughts whirled crazily in her head. She wanted him to kiss her, wanted to feel his lips on hers, his arms entwined around her. At the same time, she was well aware it would be a huge mistake. He would be leaving as soon as they caught the person harassing her. It was better – safer emotionally – to keep him at a distance.

I’d love to hear your comments, so don’t be shy. And don’t forget to check out the other authors here. Thanks for dropping by. Please come back again.

PJ Sharon is ON THIN ICE (plus free book + mystery gift)

Posted on by August 29, 2012

I’m thrilled to welcome YA author PJ Sharon to my blog today. Not only is she a fabulously talented author, but an accomplished athlete as well. Don’t mess with her – she’s a karate master 🙂 Now, here’s PJ.

Thanks so much for inviting me today, Margery. I’m happy to be here to answer your fun questions. I hope your readers find my answers equally as entertaining.

Thanks for joining me, PJ. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
         Writing “Extraordinary Stories of an Average Teenage Life”, I take what I’ve learned from my own life experiences and create characters and stories about the difficulties of walking that line between being a kid and becoming an adult. I’ve traveled far to get to this point in life, but I’m a happy, healthy person these days, and want to let teens know that no matter how bad life gets, it can always get better–have hope!
         I live in the Berkshires with a dreamy husband, a faithful lab/husky mix named Zak, and I’ve successfully raised two sons who are on their own hero’s journey. When I’m not writing and publishing my books, I spend my summers kayaking the lakes and ponds in New England, and my winters snow shoeing in the 6000 acres of woods behind my house…aaahhh, bliss!
         Fun facts about me: I have a black belt in karate, sing opera, and can still do a sit spin with the best of them.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?
I had a taste of the Mediterranean last year when I took a cruise with my mother-in-law. There were so many wonderful stops, but the Greek islands were amazing and Palermo, Sicily was breathtaking. I could definitely spend a few years living in Europe and traveling from country to country and island to island. Somehow, I can see myself settling in a villa on a vineyard in Naples or Tuscany. Oh yeah!

Tell us something about yourself that others may find surprising.
I’ll only share this with your readers so they’ll have a better understanding of why I write the books I write. I was a mom at seventeen. When I found out a week after my mother died of cancer that I was pregnant, I had just started my junior year of high school. Talk about growing up fast! My son turned out to be an incredible blessing to me. He helped me remember that life goes on and that there is always a bright spot on the horizon.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?
I’ve published three young adult novels this past year, with a fourth coming out at the end of September. I love them all like they are my children, but I think ON THIN ICE resonates with me the most. The main character, Penny Trudeau and I share many experiences in common, including several years of figure skating lessons, a sick mom, and a teen pregnancy. I was really able to share a lot of myself through Penny’s story. Writing it was very cathartic. I’ll be giving a signed copy to one of your readers today. All they have to do is leave a comment and let me know they’re interested in reading the book.

Seventeen year old figure skater Penny Trudeau is a liar. She knows it, hates it, and can’t help herself. The truth is too hard and ugly. Her mother is dying of cancer, her father treats her as if she’s invisible, and she is starving—for food, for love, for acceptance, and mostly for the perfection that is just beyond her reach. When she finds comfort in the arms of Carter McCray, a hockey hunk a few years too old for her, the lies begin a chain of events that have dire consequences, not the least of which are a rape she can’t remember and a pregnancy she can’t ignore. If she reveals her secrets, will the shock and disappointment mean the end for her mother? Or has her mother been keeping the biggest secret of all?

ON THIN ICE is available now (for your Kindle or in print), B&N and Smashwords

What are you working on now?
I’m in the final editing stages for the first book in The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy, a YA Dystopian story. Book One is called WANING MOON, which is set to release September 28th. Here’s the back cover blurb.

In the year 2057, in a post-apocalyptic world where a global shift threatens the remainder of the population with extinction, sixteen-year-old genetically enhanced Lily Carmichael has more immediate problems. Her uncle is dying of cancer and her healing abilities are ineffective against the blood ties that bind them. In order to find a cure, Lily must leave the protection of her quiet town and journey into the trading city of Albany, all while avoiding the Industry, an agency that would like nothing better than to study and exploit her abilities.
Seventeen-year-old Will Callahan has been searching for his father since severe storms blasted through the Midwest, killing his mother and sister. When he learns that his father may be in the city, he catches a ride with Lily, a girl who has come to his rescue more than once. As the two embark on a dangerous journey, the tension between them grows. But the secrets Will’s keeping could put Lily in far more danger than traveling to the city with him, and if he was any kind of man, he would have told her to run the minute she found him.

I also just finished a companion short story called SOUL REDEMPTION which will be part of the WG2E October Anthology. The story is a prequel to the trilogy and is told from the point of view of Lily’s younger brother Zephron, a troubled thirteen-year-old who is dealing with a powerful dark side that could cost his family everything…or might just save the world.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Great question! My earliest memory of a future profession was when I learned to read and wanted to be a teacher. Then I started reading Nancy Drew mysteries and decided I would be a detective…or a cop. That lasted for a few years until I decided I wanted to be a doctor. But after seeing my mother go through her cancer treatment, I decided I’d had enough of dealing with doctors and hospitals. I realized I still wanted to help people, and since I was somewhat of a jock, I found physical therapy fascinating. My dad suffered many orthopedic issues due to a bad motorcycle accident he’d been in when he was younger, so I got to see him go through years of PT. That’s where I finally landed in my twenties. I went to college as a single parent and worked as a PT Assistant for nineteen years while raising my sons. Eventually I became a personal trainer, yoga instructor, and massage therapist, and opened a private practice which is thriving and wonderfully satisfying.

What are you reading now?
I’m reading MY LIFE NEXT DOOR, a contemporary YA by Huntley Fitzpatrick. Huntley is a good friend through the CT Romance Writers of America. She is one of the sweetest people I know, and I am totally floored by her debut novel. It’s beautifully written, the characters jump off the page, and I guarantee you’ll want to be their best friend.

PJ loves to hear from her readers. You can keep in touch with her here:
E-Mail: pjsharon64@gmail.com
Website: http://www.pjsharon.comBook Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/pjsharon64
Follow PJ on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pjsharon
“Like” PJ on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pjsharonbooksFind PJ on Amazon’s Author Central page: https://www.amazon.com/author/pjsharon
Follow PJ’s Promotional blog @ http://pjsharonyawriter.blogspot.com
Follow PJ’s Tuesday Scribes blog @ http://secretsof7scribes.wordpress.com
Follow PJ’s Friday Healthy Teen Tips blog @ http://yabeyond.com
Good reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5238865.P_J_Sharon
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pjsharon/

Thanks so much for visiting with me today, PJ. I’ve enjoyed learning more about you and your books.

PJ is graciously offering “mystery swag gift” as well as a free book. Don’t forget to leave a comment for TWO chances to win.

Construction zone ahead

Posted on by August 27, 2012

There’s much construction going on in our little corner of the neighbourhood. Sawing, hammering, digging, you name it. And our house is right in the middle of it. We’re doing our own little project, replacing the concrete square front step with a new stone step, garden wall and pathway. We have a really small front yard, so I estimated a couple hundred dollars and a couple days. Uh … wrong. Sooo wrong. With only one worker boy (my middle son) and me changing my mind several times, my estimate is a teensy bit off. Okay, a lot off.

First came the grass removal and the digging out of the shrubs in front of the window. The two little trees were a bit tougher to dig out, but eventually the garden was empty.

Then the digging.

And the creative use of empty pop cans.

Then the sand.

And here we are. We’ve laid the stone three times already, and I’m still not happy with it. I did forget to take into account the fact that the driveway is on an angle, which throws off any pattern.

We’re taking bets how long this is going to take 🙂 Stay tuned. I’ll post pictures when it’s finally finished.

Six sentence Sunday – an experiment

Posted on by August 25, 2012

This week, I’m taking a huge detour from my romance-writing roots. And as the Monty Python movie offers, now for something completely different. This is the beginning of a mystery series I’m thinking about writing. I’d love to hear your comments. Should I go back to writing romance? Should I continue with this? Or should I give up writing altogether? For the record, the last option is not going to happen 🙂

         They say family should come first, that blood is thicker than water. But when your blood flows because you tried to be nice, to do a favor for one of the family, it’s hard to remember that. Especially when the cause of that blood spilling doesn’t even appreciate it.
         Family. The reason I’m lying here in a hospital bed, a chest tube sticking out of my side and all my bodily functions being monitored and recorded as if I’m a lab specimen. And the person responsible – albeit unintentionally and indirectly – is out dancing with my ex.

Thanks for visiting today. Please come back again, and be sure to check out the other authors’ sentences here