Blog Archives

Will the Real Ally Shields Please Stand Up?

1/29/2020

Good Morning, Booklovers!

It’s my birthday, and I thought this would be as good a time as any to do something a little different. A friend recently asked me why I don't talk about myself or my writing on the blog. And I guess she's right, except I promote each book when it's released, and there is a biography you can read. But I've never answered the kind of questions I ask guest authors.

I'm going to remedy that today. I’ve taken the list of questions I send to others, made my selections, and answered as honestly as I could. I hope you enjoy this brief interruption in normal programming. (Regular author interviews will be back next week.)

I have my mug of coffee - black, of course - so here goes...

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

Q: What do you find most rewarding about a writing career? Most negative or frustrating?

Ally: Writing itself is basically fun for me. Of course seeing the first book in online bookstores and holding the first print version were huge thrills. And even better was hearing someone say, “I really loved your book.” Let me tell you, folks, it never, ever gets old.

The most negative or frustrating? The marketing and the struggle to get reviews. Many authors - like me - have no head or taste for sales. I’d prefer just to write, but the crowded book field means a lot of marketing is necessary just to get your novels seen. (You can help your favorite authors to keep their books coming, faster and longer, by writing reviews online. Access to many marketing avenues depends on how many reviews each book has. And publishers love books and series with lots of reviews!) (for another author's article on the importance of reviews, click here.)

Q: What are your reading habits? Favorite genres. Books read per month, year? Print or ebooks? Current favorites?

Ally: I have been an avid reader all my life. I still average two to four books a week, depending on my current writing schedule, and too often I substitute reading for sleeping.
I read fantasy, of course - who can resist adventures like Tolkien? - urban fantasy, and several subgenres of mystery. I rarely read straight romance, but love when it's added to other genres, such as JD Robb’s In Death series. I own five Kindles and have quit adding to my print library (the shelves are already full). My current favorite series is C.S. Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries, but I can’t wait for the next book of Anderle’s scifi/urbanfantasy Kurtherian Gambit/Endgame series.

Q: Do you prefer to read standalones or series books? Is it the same for writing?

Ally: Nine times out of ten I look for a series to read. Once I get invested in the characters, I want to read everything I can about them. And yes, it is the same for writing. I fall in love with my characters, they become like old friends, and I'm interested in knowing what happens in their lives, including how they’ll react to any obstacles I put in their path. :)

Q: If your house was burning (your family and pets are already out safe), what one thing would you try to save? Why?

Ally: I bet you thought I’d say my kindles, right? But no, I could buy those again. I’d grab my two portable fire safes. One has my important legal documents (that’s the lawyer side of me), the other has precious old family photos and genealogy info that is irreplaceable. I want my kids and grandkids and their children to know their heritage.

Q: You’re thrown through a black hole into an unknown world, what book hero would you want with you? Why?

Ally: From my own books, it would be Andreas. I’m afraid I’m still smitten with the master vampire prince. He would be a clever, resourceful partner in handling any situations we faced in the new world.
From other books, I’d go all the way back to Aragorn from Tolkien’s Trilogy. He is such a strong, confident character, a reluctant hero who takes up the sword to save the world knowing the odds are against him. My kinda guy.

Q: What is your favorite social media?

Ally: Twitter by far. I love the immediacy and its worldwide reach. I promote the blog on Twitter every day, converse with friends, and make contact with readers. It’s my daily dose of feel good. And I keep it that way. All the garbage and nastiness that sometimes goes on gets blocked by me. :) You can find me here: @ShieldsAlly.

Q: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

Ally: Good question. Wish I had a good answer! Two things have happened: my publisher is concentrating on romance, and I’ve been writing in a new genre - historical Regency mystery. I have two books drafted but not finished in that genre. When the manuscripts are ready in a couple of months, I will look for an appropriate publisher or maybe consider self-publishing. Both routes have advantages.
But just when I thought I was taking a break from fantasy, I woke up with a new urban fantasy story in my head yesterday morning. Who knows where my muse may take me next?

Q: Which short answer questions did I chose to answer out of the 27 possibilities on the list?

Ally: It was hard to pick just five...so I fudged with six:

a. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: Vince Flynn (taken too soon by cancer). I loved his Mitch Rapp thrillers.
b. the supernatural character that got you hooked on the genre of urban fantasy: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and ironically, master vampire Jean-Claude from Laurell K Hamilton’s Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake series)
c. a movie you’ll always remember: Dead Poets’ Society (1989)
d. a little known fact about you: I have a concealed carry permit that I've never used.
e. last time you rode a train (not subway): 15 years ago. A friend and I took the train from Washington, DC to NYC. (First time I rode a train I was only five. My father worked for the railroad.)
f. color of nail polish you have on: Crystal Pink - on my toes!

That’s it! Anything else you’d love to know? Ask me in the comments. I might even answer. :)
Hope to see you next week!
Ally

Available at most online bookstores, including
Amazon: http://amzn.to/13LH078
and
Kobo: http://bit.ly/18unCxl

How do I ‘Write What I Know’ if I’m Not a Dragon?

1/22/2020

How do I ‘Write What I Know’ if I’m Not a Dragon?
by Kath Boyd Marsh

Bet you’ve hear the phrase ‘write what you know’. So what does that mean? Really?

Let’s start with what it doesn’t mean. I doesn’t mean I have to be a dragon to write about them. I’m not a dragon. If I were, I’d never tell.

But it does mean the dragons in my books need feelings, experiences, opinions, and families just like anyone. And that’s where I start. With my own experiences, especially with my family.

Sure. Okay. What does that mean, ‘starting with my own experiences’? In my first book, I needed a very spooky mountain, so I went back to stories my grandfather Jesse told of camping in the Grand Canyon and seeing Ghost Rock. I remembered the chilling feeling of hearing about that rock glowing in the moonlight. I took that and decided on a Ghost Mountain that needed to be just as creepy as my grandfather’s stories.

Most dragon tales make the dragons the bad guys. But being contrary, my dragons are the good guys, most of them. What in my life made me think that way? I go back to a summer with my grandparents at their cabin at Mormon Lake, AZ. My grandparents’ cabin skittered with Daddy Long Legs spiders. They danced over my sister and I as we slept. No biting. Just a kind of curious stomping on the guests. Spiders are supposed to be scary? Not for us.

My dragons engage in quests, and they don’t give up. I remember that from that same summer vacation in the mountains north of the Grand Canyon. A favorite game was the ‘puzzle tree’ game. My sister and I would break off bumpy pieces from the bark of the huge pines. We’d close our eyes and run around the tree. When we opened our eyes we had to find the place the piece came from on the trunk. Not easy, and never quick. But we did it.

My dragons have to eat. I remember summer Sunday potluck dinners at the Grange. New dishes we’d never tasted, including tough as leather but tasty venison. Chewing was declared good for your teeth. What might my dragon have to eat that he’d never tried? What would he like to eat, and how would he do that with long fangs?

Before I was a grown up, I published my first book, a fantasy. It was that summer at the cabin. I employed many crayons on lined paper and all my graduate-of-the-first-grade skills to make up the story of the PB. Not a dragon, but a round bald character named for my beloved little sister. I promise my little sister is not an alien from outer-space, but I drew on her adventurous nature. And later I drew on the mystery of how different my sister and I are to give my dragons Cl’rnce and his sister Hazel their relationship.

You get the idea. Now go get some paper and a crayon or pencil, or just practice it in your head. But go back into your experiences. Use how you felt, what you noticed, how you dealt with those experiences, then use them for your characters and your story. Need fresh experiences? Observe your friends, neighbors, and strangers. Give one of your characters the walk of someone interesting you pass. Give another the warm, three-cornered smile of your best friend. Write what you know.

Kath

About the Guest Author:

Before Kath Boyd Marsh moved to Pennsylvannia to write about dragons, wizards, and other fantastic creatures, she lived in eight states, Panama, and one very haunted house. The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard (CBAYBooks.blog) was her debut novel. Visit her and the dragons at KathBoydMarshauthor.com.

The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard-http://amzn.to/2c6IOH4,
Dragon Bonded- https://amzn.to/2MMNhhF
The Pendragon Crystal from the Dragons and Witches anthology- http://amzn.to/2nOX8tv)
Perilous Princesses- https://amzn.to/2In05gn

Bubbles and Smush: Closet Monsters - https://amzn.to/2mW7OrJ
Bubbles and Smush: Trick or Treats- https://amzn.to/2mWjf2C
Bubbles and Smush: Dragon Rescue: https://amzn.to/2lQSRas

Book Spotlight: Missing Deposits by Leeann Betts plus Giveaway

1/17/2020

Missing Deposits
Author: Leeann Betts
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Carly looks forward to a vacation when Mike is hired to assist a rancher family in western Colorado catalogue their various mineral rights following the discovery of a large copper field on their property.

However, Carly soon learns that the real wealth—and the real danger—aren’t below ground. Someone is out to keep a secret bigger and more profitable than copper.

And they’re willing to kill for it.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Missing-Deposits-Numbers-Leeann-Betts/dp/1943688540

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/992895

WANT IT FREE? Enter a comment, and one random commenter will win a free ebook of Missing Deposits!

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

Carly gritted her teeth. Would they never get off this plane and begin their working vacation? Well, working for husband Mike, vacation for her. The door of the jet stood wide open, the ramp waiting for their exit, but nobody was moving.
She should have insisted on sitting closer to the front. But Frugal Mike—cheap to some—insisted they didn’t need to spend the extra few bucks to choose their seat. And besides, everybody knew sitting nearer to the back of the plane was safer in the event of an airborne incident.
Who was he kidding? No in-the-air event was likely to have a good outcome.
At which point, she’d reminded him that flying was safer than driving a car.
Not true of Bear Cove, of course, since it had no airport and only a couple hundred vehicles. Accidents were few and far between, and even more rare was a fatality.
Despite her best arguments, they occupied the seats three rows from the back.
Finally, the illuminated seatbelt sign went dark, and people filled the aisle, pulling all manner of carry-on items down, handing them along the line to their owner, or setting them on their seats. Inch by inch, minute by minute, the hundred and fifty or so passengers ahead of them filed out.
When she thought she would scream, Mike stood, retrieved their items, and smiled at her. “Our turn. Hurry up. What’s taking you so long?”
Then down the aisle he went, smiling and nodding like the life of the party he was, as though he owned the entire airline.
She sighed. Vacation. Vacation. If the next seven days were anything like this flight, she’d return home more tense than she left.
And she left Bear Cove uptight for a good reason. Their return flight was booked for the evening of the day before Thanksgiving. Then they had the four-hour drive from Bangor to get home. And she was hosting dinner. Sure, Denise was cooking the turkey, and Sarah volunteered to look after desserts, but seriously? Who knew what mischief Doc the cat would get into in their absence? They might return to find he’d shredded the sofa or chucked up hairballs all over the dining room table.
Of course, Mike poo-pooed her worries, saying everything would be fine. And he was probably right. Didn’t stop her from fretting, however.
She followed her husband out of the plane and up the jetway, glad he took stewardship of their small carry-on cases. Especially the one with the wonky wheel. As he stopped to right the bag, she chuckled. If it was up to her, she’d toss it in the trash and get a new one.
Not Frugal Mike, though.
Welcome to Denver.
No matter how much she traveled, she never tired of that rush of excitement at being in a new place. Her first time in the Mile High City, so named for its altitude. She recalled her recent research that advised ‘lowlanders’—folks from sea level—to be sure they drank lots of water and limited physical activity for the first few days. Well, flying and water didn’t mix—at least, not for her. She’d make up for it now, though.
She dug her phone from her purse. “Mike, hold up. I want to get a picture of you under the welcome sign.”
His brow pulled down but he paused and posed, and she snapped the picture. Nope, that wouldn’t do. A stranger had inserted himself into her keepsake photo. She held up a hand as Mike turned to continue his trek. “Hold on a minute. Let me try that again.”
But the man seemed intent on remaining right where he was. She caught his eye and gestured with her phone toward where Mike stood and then indicated for him to move in the opposite direction, but he either didn’t get the message, or didn’t speak Carly-ese.
Maybe a different angle. She took a couple of steps to the left. Nope, the sun through the glass meant Mike would be in shadow. Perhaps the other direction? The stranger was now more in the frame than ever.
Well, it had to be done. “Excuse me, sir? Could you move aside while I snap this photo? Then you can stand wherever you like.”
In response, the intruder shifted a millimeter to his left and broke eye contact with her.
She clamped her jaw tight. Fine. At this rate, she’d need dental work before getting back on the plane next week. “Mike, let’s go. I’ll simply crop him out of the picture.”
And out of our lives, I hope.

About the Author:

Leeann Betts writes contemporary romantic suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical romantic suspense. Missing Deposits is the 11th title in her cozy mystery series, and together she and Donna have published more than 30 novellas and full-length novels. They ghostwrite, judge writing contests, edit, facilitate a critique group, and are members of American Christian Fiction Writers, Writers on the Rock, Christian Authors Network, and Sisters in Crime. Leeann travels extensively to research her stories, and is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary LLC.

Contacts:

Website: www.LeeannBetts.com Receive a free ebook just for signing up for our quarterly newsletter.
Blog: www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6
Books: Amazon http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE and Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2z5ecP8

Coffee, Tea, and Book Talk with Mystery Author Lida Sideris

1/15/2020

Welcome to the Coffee Chat!

This week’s guest author for our book chat is Lida Sideris, bringing us her featured mystery, Murder Double or Nothing.

Good morning, Lida. May I get you something to drink?

LS: I’m a tea drinker - passion flower being my current favorite for when I like to relax. I like it hot!

Ally: Especially on a cold, winter morning! While I pour coffee and tea, please introduce yourself to readers.

BIO:

Lida Sideris' first stint after law school was a newbie lawyer's dream: working as an entertainment attorney for a movie studio...kind of like her heroine, Corrie Locke, except without the homicides. Lida is the author of a Southern California Mystery series, and the picture book, The Cookie Eating Fire Dog. She was one of two national winners of the Helen McCloy Mystery Writers of America Scholarship Award for her first book. Lida lives in the northern tip of Southern California with her family, rescue dogs and a flock of uppity chickens.

Something unique/unusual about you that isn’t in your regular bio: I’m currently big on watching Hallmark movies, something I thought I’d never do. I like the feel-good tones where everyone is kind, thoughtful and good-natured. Also, the background scenery is beautiful and reminds me of the small town where I live.

CONTACT INFO:
www.LidaSideris.com
Lida@LidaSideris.com
https://www.facebook.com/lidasideris
Twitter: @lidasideris
Instagram

INTERVIEW:

Ally: How did you get that first book or story published?

LS: I thought writing a mystery was an impossible task…until I won a scholarship to the San Francisco Writers’ Conference. I’d submitted the first chapter of a historical fiction novel (a work in progress) and won. When I got to the Conference, I was surprised to find that people thought I could actually write. That gave me the boost I needed to write #1 of my Southern California Mysteries. I got rejections along the way, but then I won another award! I was one of two national winners of the McCloy/Mystery Writers of America scholarship. After that, I completed my manuscript and sent it out. I got a bite from a small press in New York, and I happily accepted.

Ally: What do you find most rewarding about a writing career? Most negative or frustrating?

LS: Most rewarding are the wonderful people I get to meet – other readers, writers, librarians, bookstore owners and staff, bloggers and so on. Best people ever! And the incredible satisfaction of completing a novel is unparalleled. Most frustrating is writing the next book. I write by the seat of my pants, which is like finding your way out of a maze…blindfolded. I tried outlining first, but it wasn’t nearly as fun. I guess I’m a fan of surprises (and driving myself crazy)!

Ally: Do the people in your real life show up in your writing? In what way?

LS: Only people with whom I’ve had very limited contact. For instance, I was once on the golf course with my junior golfer/younger son and we happened to run into a basketball superstar. He seemed so pleasant and courteous, I inserted him into my first book. I pegged him as a cat lover, too, which played a part in Book #1.

Ally: What's the best writing/marketing advice you can pass on to other writers?

LS: Be persistent. Never ever give up! I wrote a children’s picture book twenty years ago. I got a bite right off the bat from a big publisher, but they ultimately declined and did their own similar book (about a fire dog). Fast forward to 2018 and The Cookie Eating Fire Dog was published! The difference was I didn’t give up after a few tries the second time around.

Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Good reviews are wonderful, but are you affected by the bad ones?

LS: I am so grateful for anyone who takes the time to leave a review, and I’m beside myself when the review is a stellar one. I write to have fun and try my best to pass along that fun to my readers. When they enjoy reading one of my books, I know I’ve hit bulls-eye. As to bad reviews, I’ve only had a few that made me feel bad. But I tell myself that there’s no way to please everyone, as much as I’d like to. I don’t respond unless they are good reviews.

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

LS: I am currently writing #4 in my SoCal Mystery series: Slightly Murderous Intent.
It should be out late summer.

Ally: Which of the quick answer questions did you select to answer?

LS:

a. memorable book you’ve read – I really enjoyed The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired A Nation
b. book you're currently reading – Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
c. ebook or print? Print – I love the feel and smell of books, but truthfully, most of the books I read these days are audio. I commute to my day job and it’s the best way to spend my time.
d. color of nail polish you have on - I’m a big fan of nail polish. Currently wearing a darker berry, kind of a deep pink-red.
e. the best thing a book fan has ever said to you – I love your books!
f. pie or cake? – Pie, almost any kind, but especially lemon meringue
g. Your pets - Two old sheps, Barbie and Duncan and an assortment of hens. I’m big on rescue dogs. They are the best!

Ally: It was a pleasure having you, Lida. Good luck with your career. Before you go, please show us your featured book...

Murder Double or Nothing
(Southern California Mystery Series )
Genre: traditional mystery
Rating: G/PG

Corrie Locke, newbie lawyer and daughter of a late, great PI, is learning the ropes at the Hollywood movie studio where she works--and where things are never what they seem. Life imitates art when a fictional murder attempt turns real--right before her very eyes.

With more than a little help from friends and a crazy movie legend, Corrie trips down a trail littered with wisecracks, mysterious messages, and marginally legal maneuvers to track down the killer. Meanwhile, clues keep disappearing and Corrie makes an enemy whose deadly tactics keep escalating. Will her impromptu sleuthing skills be enough to catch the mysterious assailant before he takes her down?

Amazon buy link.

Paranormal Romance Guild's Reviewers Choice Awards Nominee

1/12/2020

I'm thrilled and honored to share with you that RING OF FIRE (Guardian Witch Legacy #3 and the last novel of the Guardian Witch saga) has been nominated in two categories for PRG's Reviewers Choice Awards!
If you'd like to vote for any of the nominated books, here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/e/1FAIpQLScpElcY3jOO7rg_Uv3SfKaRRr6YG3ssKGQfx5W6vVb9KfBnxg/formResponse

Author Interview: Donna Schlachter (and featured book, Double Jeopardy)

1/8/2020

Happy 2020, Booklovers!

I hope you're ready for another year of sharing books and meeting new authors you might not have read before. This week's guest is Donna Schlachter with her historical romantic suspense novel, Double Jeopardy.
Happy New Year, Donna! How do you take your coffee?

DS: With cream only, please.

Ally: Coming right up. Please introduce yourself to readers while I pour.

Bio:

Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick. As a hybrid author, she writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts, and has been published more than 30 times in novellas and full-length novels. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Writers on the Rock, Sisters In Crime, and Christian Authors Network; facilitates a critique group; and teaches writing classes online and in person. Donna also ghostwrites, edits, and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, and travels extensively for both. Donna is represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.

Something personal that isn't in your regular bio: "I am a Canadian by birth, an American by choice."

Contacts:

www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com
www.HiStoryThruTheAges.com Receive a free ebook simply for signing up for our free newsletter!
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter
What Can Be Online University: https://what-can-be-online-institute.teachable.com/

INTERVIEW:

Ally: What’s the most meaningful thing a fan has said about your book?

DS: A successful fellow writer of contemporary suspense said she loved Double Jeopardy. It was like having Agatha Christie compliment my work.

Ally: Tell us about your reading habits. Favorite genres. Books read per month, year? Print or ebooks? Current favorites?

DS: I read suspense/mystery, contemporary and historical. About 4 books a month. Prefer print to ebook, since I spend so much time on the computer during the day. Current favorites are anything by Agatha Christie or Patricia Moyes.

Ally: Do you prefer to read standalones or series books?

DS: I prefer to read series, because if I like the characters, I want to read more about them. If I don’t—well, then that series just became a standalone for me. I also binge watch crime drama the same way—one season after the other, often from Season 1.

Ally: Tell us about your writing habits. Do you write on a desktop, laptop or on paper? Does it make a difference whether it’s a first or last draft?

DS: I write on a laptop which is also my desktop. I use a separate mouse and keyboard, and when I pack up and go to a coffee shop or anywhere else to write, I carry another separate mouse and keyboard with me because I hate my laptop’s keyboard and mouse.

However, I often use a notepad to help me flesh out an idea or a scene. And I keep index cards of characters in my file so I can keep track of whether their eyes are blue or green, and how far one place is from another.

And no, it doesn’t matter if it’s a first or final draft.

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

DS: Next project is editing some historical mystery/suspense novels I’ve written, getting them ready for my agent. No release date yet. However, my alter ego, Leeann Betts, who pens cozy mysteries, has releases twice a year. Number 11, Missing Deposits, just came out in December. Find her on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com

Ally: Which short answer questions did you pick to answer?

DS:

a. memorable book you’ve read: Dead of Night by Brandilyn Collins
b. book you're currently reading: Winnie the Pooh on Management
c. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: Agatha Christie
d. an item on your bucket list: Visit Europe
e. ebook or print?: Print

Ally: It was a pleasure to chat with you, Donna. Before you go, please show us your featured book, Double Jeopardy.

Double Jeopardy
Genre: historical romantic suspense
PG

Set in 1880, Becky Campbell leaves her wealthy New York lifestyle in search of her father, only to learn he was murdered in the small town of Silver Valley, Colorado. Unable to return to her mother in humiliation and defeat, she determines to fulfill her father’s dream—to make the Double Jeopardy profitable.

Zeke Graumann, a local rancher, is faced with a hard decision regarding his land and his dream. After several years of poor weather and low cattle prices, he will either have to take on a job to help pay his overhead expenses, or sell his land. He hires on with this Easterner for two reasons: he can’t turn his back on a damsel in distress. And he needs the money.

Becky isn’t certain Zeke is all he claims to be, and after a series of accidents at her mine, wonders if he isn’t behind it, trying to get her to sell out so he can take over.

Zeke finds many of Becky’s qualities admirable and fears he’s losing his heart to her charms, but also recognizes she was never cut out to be a rancher’s wife.

Can Becky overcome her mistrust of Zeke, find her father’s killer, and turn her mine into a profitable venture—before her mother arrives in town, thinking she’s coming for her daughter’s wedding? And will Zeke be forced to give up his dream and lose his land in order to win Becky’s heart?

Buy Links:

Print: https://shoplpc.com/double-jeopardy/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Double-Jeopardy-Donna-Schlachter-ebook/dp/B07YSZRZQS

Other Books: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq and Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2gZATjm

Happy New Year!

1/1/2020

May All Your Dreams Come True In 2020!

Let's get the New Year off to a terrific start! I am away this holiday season visiting with my amazing family, but the regular Coffee Chat author interviews will be back starting January 8, 2020.
Hope to see you then!
Ally Shields