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Not Finished Yet: Guest Post by Michele Drier

6/7/2016

Good Morning, Booklovers!
Instead of the usual Wednesday Coffee Chat, I invited author Michele Drier to talk about the issues of working with characters within a series. She accepted, and without more fanfare, I'm turning the blog over to her! Take if away, Michele.

Not Finished Yet
by Michele Drier

When I began writing The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, I had a trilogy in mind.

Why three? No particular reason it just seemed that I could explore all the characters in these paranormal romances and wrap them up in three books.

Was I wrong! The characters, especially Maxie and Jean-Louis, the passionate but probably ill-matched lovers, grabbed the stories and wouldn’t let go.

“Wait a minute,” they shouted at me. “We’re not finished yet!”

Now, nine books later with probably more to come, I find that they have to grow, become different from their first book, learn things.

What do characters learn and how do they grow in an extended series? They have to remain interesting, tackle new challenges, overcome old barriers and show readers and fans that though they’re still the people you’ve grown to love, there are new complexities. They can develop internal changes—finding new depths or new fears—or react to outside influences—a death threat, a new baby.

This is a bit tricky as the Kandeskys, the vampires, are 500-year-old Hungarians who’ve lived a life of ease in their castles and manors in Eastern Europe. Sure they’ve had some ups and downs…a centuries-long feud with their neighboring vampire family, the Huszars; adaptation to new technology (they bought the first Mercedes in 1903); adaptation to new marketing and businesses…they invested in Hollywood gossip magazines in the 1920s and now own the world’s largest, most extensive celebrity gossip empire with TV shows and slick magazines covering Europe and the Americas.

Beyond the technology and increasing wealth, two of the unmarried male Kandeskys have run up against a formidable wall…twenty-first century women.

Jean-Louis and Nik Kandesky are beyond sexy. They’ve honed their attraction to, and interest in, women for centuries. What are Maxie and Jazz, two modern, L.A. women going to do when these beautiful creatures turn on their Old World charm?

There’s outside tension in the books. Other vampire families, Eastern European terrorists, rival business factions looking to carve a piece of their empire away, terrorists wanting to take down the family. By far, though, the tension is between the lovers.

It’s not enough that they come from different centuries and countries. Manners are different. Relationships are different. Women in nineteenth century Budapest didn’t have jobs. Men didn’t ask them for opinions on business…or much of anything.

Add to that, the men are vampires. A commitment to a vampire puts a whole new meaning on “forever.” As Maxie wrestles with loving Jean-Louis, she realizes that marrying him and becoming a vampire also is an irrevocable thing. As Jean-Louis says to her, “You come from the land of do-overs. Don’t like your situation? Change it. This isn’t my world.”

These characters have all become both closer to me and more independent as the series continues. They’ve all had to grow and change. Jean-Louis and Nik have haltingly, grudgingly, begun to share some of the dangers the Kandeskys face from outside forces. In SNAP: I, Vampire, Maxie is even acquiring the vampire ability to “mind read,” really opening up her mind to the collective unconscious of the Kandeskys and understanding the subtly of their communication.

Maxie and Jazz are losing some of their brittleness and are learning that actions from the men are not designed to take control, but are hard-wired reactions from nature and nurture training them to take care of their women. All of them are learning that it’s not a case of women being incapable, but of men having to take care.

There’s a lot of growing and changing in the future for the Kandeskys…now including some women…but they haven’t told me yet where they plan to go. Just invited me along, so far. It’s gonna be an interesting ride!

About the Author:

Michele Drier was born in Santa Cruz and is a fifth generation Californian. She’s lived and worked all over the state, calling both Southern and Northern California home. During her career in journalism—as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers—she won awards for producing investigative series. In addition to the San Jose Mercury-News, she was the City Editor of the Lodi New-Sentinel, the Executive Editor of the Manteca Bulletin and Assistant Metro Editor for the Modesto Bee.

Her Amy Hobbes Newspaper Mysteries are Edited for Death, (called “Riveting and much recommended” by the Midwest Book Review), Labeled for Death and Delta for Death.

Her paranormal romance series, SNAP: The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, has received “must read” reviews from the Paranormal Romance Guild and was the best paranormal vampire series of 2014. The series is SNAP: The World Unfolds, SNAP: New Talent, Plague: A Love Story, Danube: A Tale of Murder, SNAP: Love for Blood, SNAP: Happily Ever After?, SNAP: White Nights, SNAP: All That Jazz, SNAP: I, Vampire. A sci-fi thriller, Ashes of Memory, is scheduled for release late summer 2016.

She’s active in the mystery community and also teaches writing classes in Northern California.

Visit her facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMicheleDrier
her Amazon author page, http://www.amazon.com/Michele-Drier/e/B005D2YC8G/
her website, www.micheledrier.com
or contact her at mjdrier@gmail.com

Romancing the Reader by Serge de Moliere

10/28/2015

Good Morning, Booklovers! Yes, it's Wednesday, but we're doing something a little different today. Instead of our normal coffee chat, I'm posting a guest article discussing what it's like to be a male author in the female-dominated romance genre. I think you'll find it interesting to read his perspective. With that brief intro, I'll turn it over to Serge de Moliere...

Romancing the Reader by Serge de Moliere

Are women writers better at “romancing” the reader than men? I don’t think so. Perhaps the greatest romance ever written was Romeo and Juliet, the passionate, tragic story of two ill fated lovers from warring families. As everyone knows, that tragedy was popularized as a play penned by the great William Shakespeare. Whatever the true identity of the Bard, which remains rather clouded, one thing is certain: Shakespeare was a guy. And like many men, Shakespeare was a romantic. Yet in the contemporary world, women often seem to scoff at male romance writers, even though the single most popular romance writer of modern times is also a male: namely Nicholas Sparks (author of the tremendously popular tear jerker, “The Notebook” and many other titles).

I recently read an online interview with a senior editor at one of the major romance publishing companies. This was a woman who by all accounts is highly talented, established and well respected in the field of romance. Yet, during the interview, when asked her opinion of romance writers, she noted that “the ladies are great” (emphasis added). With that single off hand phrase, she unconsciously demoted the ranks of male romance writers to also-rans, assuming they were even included in her lexicon of romance writers.

Why is it the prevailing opinion still seems to be that only women can write compelling romance novels? Whatever the reason, it impelled many popular male romance authors of the last quarter century to write under female aliases. For example, Leigh Greenwood’s writing career spanned more than twenty-five years and a multitude of romance novels. And yet he hid his gender for most of that time, preferring to have fans believe that he was a woman. Asked why he chose to do this, he explained he believed that “cultural obstacles” prevented most people from considering men as “romantic”.

Another highly successful male romance writer was Thomas Elmer Huff, who also veiled his male identity under pen names such as Jennifer Wild or Beatrice Parker. But his masculine gender did not prevent him from creating admittedly strong, memorable romantic heroines. Bill Spence, another highly successful but disguised male author, wrote under the pen name “Jessica Blair”. He did not reveal his true identity until he was 89 years old (which fact, by the way, also busts the myth that only young people can write romantic novels). Bill said that it was his publisher who insisted that he write under a female pseudonym to help ensure his popularity with women readers.

Incidentally, women occasionally object to such subterfuge by male writers, even though this practice was followed by women authors for many years and still continues (e.g. Louisa May Alcott published as A.M. Barnard; also, J.K. Rowling recently wrote outside the Harry Potter genre, authoring The Cuckoo’s Calling, a crime novel published under the pen name Robert Galbraith. That is, until she was unmasked by journalists using forensic linguistics software.). Some claim that the “power disparity” between men and women makes such practice acceptable for women but prohibited for men. Personally, I prefer to write under my actual gender, although I would not criticize men who do not in order to gain an “edge”. Men who write successfully under female nom de plumes, however, do perpetuate the stereotype.

Recently, in one internet discussion of the subject, a woman tweeted that it made her “uncomfortable” if men wrote and/or read romance novels. I’m not sure why this is. Both men and women have romantic and erotic urges and impulses that may be directed towards either the same or the opposite sex. A male who writes romance, whether erotic or not, is no more or less “normal” than a woman who does so. Women who generically dismiss male romance authors appear as sexist as those males who disparage women who are surgeons or soldiers. The great mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey seriously debunked the idea that only men can be great fighters. She did this by her continued success and obvious skill in the hexagon, which rivals that of the great male fighters of our time. Sadly, despite his parallel success in the romance genre, Nicholas Sparks has failed to carry the banner for male writers; and so many readers retain outmoded ideas about the male romance writer.

After I identified myself as a male romance writer, a woman tweeted me, asking if I thought that my writing career was “hindered” because I don/t write under a female alias. I replied that, while I hoped this was not the case, I’m not really sure. Probably 95 percent of the authors carried by my current publisher are women. Further, most editors in the romance genre are female (just take a look at the staff listing of such behemoths as Harlequin, Loveswept or Forever Yours and you can confirm this for yourself). Consciously or unconsciously, some female editors may view a manuscript differently when they know that the author is male. If this is true, it is unfortunate.

Bruce Jenner and others have demonstrated that a person born biologically male may have a feminine persona and may successful convert to that gender, if they feel the urge. Likewise, authors, whether male or female, may have the sensitivity and skill to write from either a feminine or masculine perspective. In fact, many great authors write from both perspectives. Harry Potter, while not a macho protagonist, still represents a fully formed and highly popular male character who was created by a woman (J.K. Rowling). Contrarily, the great filmmaker James Cameron wrote Titanic”, the celebrated tragic romantic film, which boasts the memorable female character “Rose”.

There are many other examples of compelling females penned by males. Arya Stark is a fictional character created by American author George R. R. Martin. She is a prominent figure in Martin's award-winning A Song of Ice and Fire series, and also a main character in HBO's adaptation of the series, Game of Thrones. The romantic film, Silver Linings Playbook features Jennifer Lawrence as the female protagonist, Tiffany, a strong woman not to be trifled with, as the male protagonist/lover (played by Bradley Cooper) finds out. Tiffany is assertive and more than a match for the domineering father (played by the very macho Robert DeNiro). Notably, Jennifer was nominated for an academy award for that stirring role.

One of the strongest and most memorable female characters in Science Fiction is “Ripley” from Alien, who single handedly battles the horrific, acid spewing space monsters of that film. Daniel O’ Bannon and Ronald Shusett wrote the original story upon which the screenplay for “Alien” is based, and Shusett wrote the film script. The film, for those of you who may not recall this film classic, starred Sigourney Weaver as the outspoken and indomitable “Ripley”. We may also mention Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a TV character who engaged in romantic flings while battling vampires and demons. And her character was written by Joss Whedon.

My own writing is based on people- both males and females- that I have known or been acquainted with. While protagonists in my stories are blends of more than a single person, they are based on reality. And so are the romantic story lines. If anyone out there still thinks men cannot write stirring, romantic female characters, I urge you to try reading a few male authors, including yours truly. One proviso: my romances tend to be a bit spicy, so they may not be for everyone’s taste.

My ebooks may be found on Amazon (18+ adult content):

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Yoga-Serge-Moliere-ebook/dp/B00WZMJTNU
http://www.amazon.com/White-Heat-Serge-Moliere-ebook/dp/B00XZSMTEO
http://www.amazon.com/Hurts-So-Good-Serge-Moliere-ebook/dp/B011TD5TI4

NOTE from Ally: Watch for Serge's new romance novella coming soon, "The Abduction," about a young woman who is taken hostage by space aliens and falls in love with one of her captors.

Bio:

Serge de Moliere lives and writes in New York City, where he draws on the astonishing diversity of this great metropolis to create compelling and often racy characters and stories. Many of his titles are published by Etopia Press and are available on Amazon.

Contact the Author:

Twitter @Serge_deMoliere
Etopia Press: https://etopiapressblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/29/interview-with-serge-de-moliere-3/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Serge-de-Moliere

The Joys and Trials of Writing in Several Genres by Guest Author Joan Leotta

9/15/2015

The Joys and Trials of Writing in Several Genres
By Joan Leotta

This summer I achieved a writer's hat trick (ice hockey talk for three successive scores by same person in one game). None of them is self-published. One is a collection of short stories, another is a romance/mystery/YA and the third is a picture book. Each is out from a different press and each is in a different genre. It was not my plan to have all three come out in one summer. Two were delayed: one due to my problems with plot, the other because of my small publisher's schedule and health. Timing is the Lord's. Working in more than one genre is a joy because it allows me to express my creativity in different ways and a trial because I have to establish a series of relationships with editors and divide my time to market the books in three different directions. My plan for each marketing line was orderly, but this summer, I have had illness and death in the family and am becoming worn out trying to market all three at once while still writing new material.

The short stories in the collection called Simply a Smile were published by Cane Hollow Press. Many of the included tales were written for contests and several were winners, including one international first prize. Two were published by a national print magazine and two or three by small, web zines. Though varied in genre—mystery, romance, women's fiction—they have one thing in common. Each was inspired by an object, another obsession of mine as a writer. The first place winner is an ekphrastic tale (inspired by a work of art). It is my goal to market these for enjoyment and by teaching others how to draw stories out of art and ordinary objects, including appearing at middle schools. But I have only written one email so far in this direction.

Secrets of the Heart is the fourth in my Legacy of Honor series, a set that focuses on Italian-American women and their struggles with the backdrop of serving our nation in time of war. The first, Giulia Goes to War, takes place in World War Two, the second, Letters from Korea during that conflict, the third, A Bowl of Rice , deals with the experiences of a nurse in Vietnam , and the fourth takes place in Rome Italy during Desert Storm (with a prequel of Civil War activity!). These are marketed as romance. I belong to a Romance writers marketing site.

WHOOSH!, my picture book, began as a simple tale of going sledding with my dad.
Writing for children is a high calling and one I only dared to attempt because for the past thirty years I have also been a performer for children (story telling in schools, museums, at fairs and festivals). I love to work with children—what is done for them, lasts. It is still that, and thanks to the marvelous illustrator my publisher chose, it should resonate with urban children. I'm a city girl and I wanted this book on sledding in a park to remain urban.

Actually my eclectic nature is even more diverse than these three examples indicate. I'm a journalist (30 years), a poet (just google me), and a playwright—my first work, Pinpoint Wisdom was produced in Boston this year. When a topic comes to mind, it "tells" me what form it should be—sometimes the form changes and I rewrite in another form. Pinpoint started out as a short story and then became a poem, and finally, a play. In one day, I might work on a poem, finish an article for the paper, work on a novel, and search for possible publishers of my next picture book. As an omnivore reader, it's great to be able to indulge my love of each genre by contributing to it.

The disadvantage of my multi-faceted approach to writing is in the time it takes to market to varied genres, the number of organizations I have to belong to in order to find advice for various genres, and the time it takes to target and arrange book signings and appearances. Add to that several family crises this summer and well, my marketing plan for each of the three and the three together has been shredded.

So, am I scattered or eclectic? Am I broadly talented, or skimming the surface of a number of genres? That is a question only my readers can answer, but I can tell you this—I'm having fun.

Author has Hat Trick Summer—three books!

Three of this Calabash, NC award winning journalist and performer's books were released this summer. Moreover, each book is in a different genre! Simply a Smile, is a collection of short stories, the middle book is Joan Leotta's first picture book, and the third is romance/women's fiction.

Buy Links:

Simply a Smile: Amazon

WHOOSH!: Amazon

Secrets of the Heart (Legacy of Honor Volume Four): Amazon

Meet the Author:

For as long as I can remember I have been a writer and a performer. The joy of doing what I love as a profession came to be when in 1982 I left my job at the Department of Labor to stay home with my children. At home with them I began my own business as a writer for local papers in Washington, DC , magazines, and more.

After taking Jennie and Joe to see a storytelling show at Wolf Trap I realized I wanted to do that too, so I took a course at the Kennedy Center, read all I could about story performance, joined the local and national professional groups, watched, told tales and learned. After volunteering as a teller, my son’s preschool hired me to tell and so I began my dual career of writing and telling. Each facet is still equally important to me.

In each side of my creativity I seek to serve an audience, produce and present material respectfully, entertain and edify. It is my sincere hope that my performance, whether on stage or on paper, blesses you, my audience.

Contact Joan:

Through her blog.
Facebook
Twitter
If you want her to speak to your group, email her at joanleotta@atmc.net

How I Name Characters by Guest Author Liah Penn

9/9/2015

Welcome, booklovers! This week we're departing from our normal Coffee Chat to post a guest article by author Lian Penn. I hope you enjoy this insight into her writing process. Take it away, Liah!

How I Name Characters in My Novels
By Liah Penn

You probably think there is a science to naming characters. Well, there is. Sort of. Names are just as much a characteristic as the color of my character’s hair, or the way they walk.

My hero has to have the name of a hero: Jack, Blane, Hank, Jude. Single syllables. Hard consonants. The heroine must be appealing. When’s the last time you heard of a sultry heroine named Mildred? Or Agatha? Or Bessie? I give her a strong name with just enough uniqueness to show that she is special. Ada. Elizabeth. Grace. Maya. I look at the phone book or steal the name of a friend. In the case of my book “Pure Death”, I used the name of Ina as the name for the heroine. Ina is the name of a street in Tucson that is named after a pioneering woman. It is strong and unique. It seemed to fit my character perfectly.

Sometimes I name characters after friends or family members. My father, my son, my mother-in-law show up in my novels. A friend who has been supportive gets a role. If I can’t find a name among friends, I resort to the internet, or phone books, or a book propped up on my desk. A name on a spine. A publisher. A poster. Does it roll off the tongue? Is the name more suitable for a dog or a turtle or the five fish in your son’s aquarium? I don’t use it.

The villain can’t be Ashley or Bob. I give my readers something to chew on. Does it feel distasteful in my mouth? Damian. Vincent. Vlad. Somehow, without even knowing it, the reader has discovered the bad guy in my story.
______________________________
Copyright by Laurie Pennison

About the Author:

Liah Penn is an author and attorney who resides with her husband and two sons just outside of New Orleans, LA. A former prosecutr, she has practiced law on an Indian reservation, on the Mexican border, and in a small Louisiana town. A former baseball coach, she is also an accomplished visual artist and potter. Although she lives in Louisiana, she is a die-hard Red Sox fan having watched many games from the bleacher seats at Fenway.

My email is liah.penn@gmail.com; I can be found on Twitter @liahpenn and Facebook under Liah Penn.

PURE DEATH (An Ina Stone and Sam Fujimoto Mystery)

An Impure world, a perfect murder...

A murdered society debutante, her body sprinkled with 89 Costa Rican butterflies. A headless, gutted corpse washed up on shore with a beautiful, dead teenager. The case is anything but straightforward, and in an uncertain future, where resources are limited and the genetically defective are banished to a ghetto territory for Impures, Chief Detective Ina Stone and her partner, rookie detective Sam Fujimoto, must cross into Pure Territory to find a killer. An Impure herself, Ina must overcome her defect. And when her life is threatened, she must learn to rely on Sam, whose interest in her seems more than just professional.

Yet the Pures may have created a world in which even they don't want to live anymore. Resources have become too scarce to hide, and a black market for medicine comes to light. When a third murder is discovered, Ina and Sam know there's a connection. With too many suspects and not enough time, they must find that connection before the killer strikes again.

Buy Links: Amazon B & N Etopia Press

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Cheryllynn Dyess

9/1/2015

It's Wednesday again, booklovers!

Please welcome author Cheryllynn Dyess who brings us her paranormal fantasy, Born of The Veil!

How do you take your coffee, Cheryllynn?

CD: With coconut sugar and Irish Cream creamer!!!

Ally: Perfect. While I prepare our drinks, why don't you introduce yourself to our readers?

BIO:

Cheryllynn's vivid imagination comes through in all she does in life. Her writing started in junior high and although she never truly shared her work until recently, she kept them hidden away in an old tattered orange folder. Original works she wrote from 1984 still holding ink on the pages are now being shared. Science Fiction and Fantasy are her favorite genres with mystery and thrillers in close running.

Born in Northwest Florida and raised in Southeast Georgia she gained a love for nature and the outdoors. After almost twenty years in the health care industry and obtaining her Bachelors of Science in Healthcare Administration/Healthcare Information Systems she has returned to her love of writing. Currently living in Central Texas with two of her three children, she has begun a new chapter in life that has opened her heart and soul to many great adventures. Her dreams are to one day return to her native homes and settle in for life with her kids and all her family and to continue writing.

And something unusual: In school I played the trombone, loved it! Not many people think of me playing that instrument.

My links to the World:

Amazon Author Page
Authors Den
Blog
Email
Facebook
Goodreads
Google+
Personal Website
Twitter

Ally: What type of books do you write? Do you write in more than one genre? Or under more than one name?

CD: Currently I write fantasy / paranormal / ya under the name Cheryllynn Dyess, but I am looking at an adult series that will be under the name Stormy June.

Ally: What makes your heroine unusual or appealing enough to have a book written about her?

CD: In Born of The Veil, Tara is a young woman plagued with visions and visits from the dead and demons. She finds out that she is also Immortal. She is strong, funny and determined.

Ally: What's the best advice you've received as a writer?

CD: I was told to write what was natural to me, not to force it. I absolutely agree with this advice. Be yourself no matter what.

Ally: What's your next writing project?

CD: I have a few pieces in the works that are follow-ups to others I have out already and then one that is a stand-alone called Diamond Diaries. Diamond Diaries will be a journal type book from the view of a diamond through the course of time and its adventures.

Ally: That's a very unusual premise. Sounds really interesting.
Now it's time for a few quick answer questions:

a. If you could be any paranormal creature or person, what would it be? Fairy… always loved them.
b. A guilty pleasure: Oh my, let's see…Cheezits…
c. What's your favorite accessory? Rings and earrings.
d. Favorite nail polish color: Purple
e. Favorite after-five drink: Vodka and anything.

Ally: I've loved having you on the blog, and let's end on a high note. Please tell readers a little about your book...

Born of The Veil blurb:

The dead are all around us.

Tara can see them, hear them, and help them. All her life she has battled with this gift...curse.

Only her mother and best friend know the truth. Then she meets a stranger in a historic graveyard and he changes her life in ways she never could have imagined.

Tara was born already a member of a secret society known as The Veil. They are immortal and their mission is to help everyone they can. She is shown how to handle her gifts and discovers even more on her journey.

With the gift of immortality, Tara still battles one curse that has been there her entire life. Demons! Demons have tried to attack her as long as she can remember.

Can she learn to use her gifts?
Can she trust those around her?
Can she conquer her nightmares?
Can she finally be free?

YouTube Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/wyHwYO5Sq64

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1HaWNW3
amazon uk - http://goo.gl/9SL0Pi
amazon au http://goo.gl/GP6YYD
amazon ca http://goo.gl/x4HIoo
Smashwords: https://goo.gl/h6Wnqg
Nook: http://goo.gl/foZ0q0
iTunes/iBooks: https://goo.gl/MR8a5a

Thanks for visiting with us today! Come back soon...

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Maria Grazia Swan

8/26/2015

Happy Wednesday, booklovers!

We have another great author with us today. As you'll learn, she's a well-traveled lady, but she's here to talk about writing...and murder.

Welcome, Maria. How do you take your coffee?

MARIA: I drink my America coffee with 2 sugars and a drop of milk.
I drink espresso corretto, sugar and a drop of grappa, only after meals in Italy.

Ally: Since my magic pot can produce anything, shall we pretend you've just finished a scrumptious meal in Italy? That doctored espresso is coming right up. :) While I work the magic, please tell readers who you are.

BIO: Best selling author Maria Grazia Swan was born in Italy, but this rolling stone has definitely gathered no moss. She lived in Belgium, France, Germany, in beautiful Orange County, California where she raised her family, and is currently at home in Phoenix, Arizona--but stay tuned for weekly updates of Where in the World is Maria Grazia Swan?

As a young girl, her vivid imagination predestined her to be a writer. She won her first literary award at the age of fourteen while living in Belgium. As a young woman Maria returned to Italy to design for--ooh-la-la--haute couture. Once in the U.S. and after years of concentrating on family, she tackled real estate. These days her time is devoted to her deepest passions: writing and helping people find the perfect home.

Maria loves travel, opera, good books, hiking, and intelligent movies (if she can find one, that is). When asked about her idea of a perfect evening, she favors stimulating conversation, Northern Italian food and perfectly chilled Prosecco--but then, who doesn't?

And there is her latest attempt at conquering the world of readers-who-love-Italy-and-anything- Italian. Yes, she has a new series out thanks to Gemma Halliday Publishing. The Lella York’s series has released 3 books to date:
Murder under the Italian Moon, Death Under the Venice Moon and the newest addition Murder Under The Desert Moon.

Her existing series, Mina’s adventures, has five current titles: #1 Love Thy sister; #2 Bosom Bodies; #3 Italian Summer; #4 Ashes of Autumn; #5 A Cat to Die For.

Something unique about me? My father was the butler for the Vicomtesse de Walkiers. (Belgium)

Contact the Author:

www.mariagraziaswan.com
https://twitter.com/scrittrice
https://www.facebook.com/MariaGraziaSwan
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/298316.Maria_Grazia_Swan

Ally: Tell us what kind of books you write. Do you write in more than one genres or in more than one name?

MARIA: I write fiction and non fiction. For years I wrote a relationship column for singles over 50, that’s the non fiction part, it helped me land an agent. But my passion is fiction. I have 2 series.

The Lella York’s series is published by Gemma Halliday Publishing. It’s romantic suspense, with the main character, Italian born Lella York who is over 50. However..my publisher likes to list the books under cozy. No comment.

My indie series, Mina’s adventure is also romantic suspense, and it’s the one I’m more passionate about it, probably because I can write whatever I want. Maybe I’m a control freak????

Ally: What was your journey to publication? How did you make the decision of indie vs traditional? Are you happy with the choices you made?

MARIA: I’ve been writing for so long..when I started out Indie was a dirty word. I was originally published by traditional publishers. At some point I was able to reclaim the rights and self published that series. I guess I’m a hybrid author? One of my series is self published the other one not.

The publisher sells more copies, but self publishing allows me more freedom and I get to keep 100% of the royalties…decision, decision…frankly, I’m still trying to decide. Stay tuned…

Ally: How do you select names for your characters? Do you look up the meaning, seek a certain ethnic background, use a name associated with the character personality, or pick them out of a hat?

MARIA: You had to ask me that. Believe it or not, that’s the hardest part of writing fiction. For me. I’m Italian. All my main characters are Italian born women living in the United States. I hate, yes, H A T E parents who stick their kids with foreign or made up names no one can pronounce. It’s terrible for the kids. So I try to find names that are easy to pronounce and remember for people on both sides of the ocean.

Ally: When you've finished a project, how do you decide what to write next? What influences that selection? And BTW, what is your next project?

MARIA: Mina’s adventures #5 was released on July 15th. I am working on #6. Why? I tend to get into my character’s head and then I stay there weeks after the book is done. I’ve come to the conclusion that it is more time effective to just write the next book instead of mopping around feeling miserable because every time I attempt to work on the other series, I can’t rid myself of that voice from the book I just completed…it’s an Italian thing, it’s call passion…

Ally: Let's try a few quick get-to-know-you questions.

a. favorite suspense writer: Daphne Du Maurier
b. If you couldn't write, what would you do instead? Sewing, I have a background in dress designing.
c. An item on your bucket list: Visit New Zealand
d. Favorite snack food: yoghurt and nuts
e. A frequent pizza topping you refuse or pick off: anything spicy.

Ally: Thanks so much for visiting today! Come back anytime. Please show us a little about your book before you go.

Book Blurb:

Mina Calvi's new Furry Friends Foundation is a dream come true for the formerly footloose young woman. Her no-kill shelter rescues and places dogs and cats into new forever homes, and it gives Mina a purpose in life.

But changes are looming on a perfect Sunday afternoon at the Dana Point Marina where she is minding the adoption booth.

A Greek heiress, young, petite and beautiful, shows up on the arm of the love of Mina's life, Diego Moran. And worse, she wants to adopt Mina's calico cat, Houdini. The spoiled woman will not take no for an answer. Why is she so insistent on getting Houdini when she already owns a look-alike cat?

When Houdini is cat-napped, the cat-sitter murdered, and the ransom demand sent to the heiress, Mina has to keep her wits about her to get her beloved cat home safely, and to keep her heart from getting broken again by Diego, who inexplicably pops up at every turn of the unfolding drama.

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011HDCSIA
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cat-Die-Minas-Adventures-Book-ebook/dp/B011HDCSIA

Have a great week, and come back to visit again!

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Susan Roebuck

8/19/2015

Welcome, booklovers!
Romantic suspense author Susan Roebuck is visiting with us today.
How do you take your coffee, Sue?

SUE: Oh, how you’re going to be sorry you asked me that. Coffee drinking is a serious business here in Portugal. It’s a way of life and such a tradition that coffee is subsidized by the government. Everyone, but everyone, heads out to one of the lovely cafés that are on every street corner for their morning “caffeine hit”.

You could attend a course on the amount of different coffees that you can have here. Me? I’ll have a “pingado” which is a short expresso with a drop of milk in it. Then I’ll have another at lunchtime and that’s it – it’s so strong that, if I had any more, I’d be shaking in my socks.

Ally: Since I have a magic coffee pot, nothing is too hard for it. I'll have that pingado coming right up. :) In the meantime, please show readers your bio.

BIO:

My name’s Susan Roebuck. I was born and educated in the UK but I now live in Portugal with my husband (who’s Portuguese). So now you know where the inspiration for my latest novel, Rising Tide, came from, especially as my office where I write overlooks the glittering Atlantic Ocean. I’ve also traveled widely in the States (inspiration for Perfect Score, my first novel) and I honestly believe that being born in the US is like winning the lottery of life. I adore the country.
Something unique that isn't normally in my bio - I was a teacher and before I took up writing full time I designed e-learning/long distance courses which I loved because I could teach from home in my pajamas!

Contact the author:

Website: http://www.susanroebuck.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuRoebuck
Twitter: https://twitter.com/suemonte

Ally: How did you choose the name Luminosa for the village in your romantic suspense titled Rising Tide? What does it mean?

SUE: Luminosa is a Portuguese word for something full of special light, and definitely beautiful. My husband tells me I invented the word! But, you know, the houses of the Alentejo (where Rising Tide is set) are all white – so they reflect the warm sunlight in a bright light.

Ally: Is it difficult to write in different genres? How do you keep them from spilling over into each other?

SUE: You know, they’re not so different genres as such. Every book has the same theme running through it – injustice, the weak winning over the bullies. Two of them might be romance/suspense (Perfect Score is also LGBT), and the third is a dark fantasy – but those themes are well to the fore in all of them.

Ally: How long have you been writing--and how long published? Describe the process and time it took the first time from query to contract.

SUE: Um…have you got all day? LOL. As most writers I’ve always enjoyed writing – I was the geeky kid at school who whooped when given a composition to write for homework while everyone else in the class groaned. I’m also an avid reader, which helps. But, of course, I had to work for my living until only recently when I stopped (for health reasons) and found I had time for writing. The process? Gallons of sweat and tears: submission after submission; rejection after rejection. Don’t forget that Perfect Score is LGBT and was published in 2010 so I was subbing in 2009 when LGBT wasn’t exactly as popular as it is today – I even got rejections that said, “we can’t publish that subject matter” even though there is just one page of explicit sex (and it’s not erotic, it’s subtle) in the whole book! Mundania Press took a chance on me and I’m so glad they did. Perfect Score was a finalist in the EPIC (Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition) 2011 e-book awards in the mainstream category. And Hewhay Hall won their 2013 ebook award for horror, so I have a nice trophy.

Ally: What is your next project? What genre?

SUE: It’ll be romance/suspense again with a touch of magic, perhaps paranormal. All my books seem to have a thread of magic in them.

Refugio

Ally: Let's finish today with a few quick answer questions:

a. favorite restaurant: Refugio da Roca in Cabo de Roca (most westerly point of mainland Europe). Try the fresh seabass cooked in a casing of salt (and no, the fish isn’t at all salty, just juicy and fresh). (see photo “refugio”)
b. favorite flower: fuschia – my brother grew potloads of them. Unfortunately he’s no longer with us and I miss him terribly. In Portuguese they’re calls “brincos de princesa” or princess earrings.
c. last book or movie that made you cry: I don’t seem to cry at books – perhaps I don’t read the right kind – unless I’m sad it’s finished it was so good. I cried at the film “Philadelphia” with Tom Hanks ages ago. Oh and “Terms of Endearment”.
d. What is your secret indulgence? A reflexology session. I love, love my feet being rubbed and it does me good too!
e. Have you secretly based a character on someone you know? If so, are you going to tell us who? :) No. LOL – but watch out, if anyone’s nasty to me, I might put them in a future book as the baddy who makes everyone cry. :)

Ally: It's been a pleasure to have you visit, Sue. Before you go, please tell us more about your latest release...

Blurb: A suspense story with romantic overtones and a touch of magic, Rising Tide is set in Luminosa - a small feudal-style fishing village on the east coast of Portugal which time, and most of the world, has forgotten. The villagers quietly go about their business scraping a living off the land and from the sea in the old traditional ways. Their life is largely uncomplicated. Or is it?

Unbeknown to each other, three strangers turn up on weekend, each with the potential to destroy the village.

Leo Shine, a hardened fisherman immune to the perils of deep-sea fishing in Alaska, is convinced that the culprit for the deaths of his father and brother lives in Luminosa.

Piper Pines, a young artisanal fisherman from the North Norfolk coast in the UK, has arrived to find the villager or villagers who have kept her and her father on the run since she was born.

An American racketeer is the third visitor. He has faux investment plans to develop the village as a tourist resort which could result in Luminosa being destroyed.

There are many questions to be answered, not least of which is just why do these simple Portuguese villagers all speak such good English?

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xk0XfQIDso&list=PLrRS_zogvFJL6DApAAYd79UCArYnuaZj2&index=33

Buy Links:

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Barnes & Noble UK
Omnilit
Mundania Press

Thanks for stopping by today. Come back soon...

Cover Reveal: Clouded by MS Kaye

8/17/2015

Cover reveal - YA paranormal

Clouded

By M.S. Kaye

A Sumerian water and sky god myth collides with a modern high school.

Ayanna is a math nerd, logical and rational, even cold, but Calder makes her feel things she never had before. Somehow, she’s able to accept it when she discovers he’s a reincarnated Sumerian water god. Will she be able to accept the full truth, that the story of Enki and Inanna has been reborn in a modern Ohio high school?

Release Date: 9/12/15

Inkspell Publishing

About the Author:

M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

To receive news on upcoming releases, sign up for email updates on her website.

Contact M. S. Kaye at:

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Google+ ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ TSU ~ Pinterest ~ LinkedIn

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Rosemary Morris

8/12/2015

Welcome to this week's coffee chat where we drink a little coffee, ask a few questions, and spotlight an author and one of his or her books. Joining us is Rosemary Morris, a writer of romantic historicals.

Greetings, Rosemary! What can I get you to drink?

RM: When I’m out and about I enjoy café lattes. At home I drink roibus tea and herb teas many of them made with fresh herbs from my garden.

Ally: Since I think this qualifies as "out and about," I'll whip up that latte. :) In the meantime, please show readers your bio.

BIO:

I was born in Sidcup Kent. As a child, when not making up stories, my head was ‘always in a book.’
While working in a travel agency, I met her Hindu husband. He encouraged me to continue my education at Westminster College. In 1961 I and her husband, now a barrister, moved to his birthplace, Kenya, where I lived from 1961 until 1982. After an attempted coup d’état, I and four of my children lived in an ashram in France.
Back in England, I wrote historical fiction, joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Historical Novel Society and Watford Writers and online groups.
To research, I read non-fiction, visits museums and other places of historical interest.
My bookshelves are so crammed with historical non-fiction, which I use to research my novels, that if I buys a new book I have to consider getting rid of one.
I am the author of Sunday’s Child, False Pretences and Monday’s Child, to be published in spring 2016, which are set in the Regency era, Tangled Love, Far Beyond Rubies and The Captain and The Countess set in Queen Anne Stuart’s reign – 1702-1714.
At the moment, I am revising a mediaeval novel set in the reign of Edward II of England and writing Tuesday’s Child, a follow on novel from Sunday’s Child and Monday’s Child.
Apart from writing,I enjoy time with my family, classical Indian literature, reading, vegetarian cooking, growing organic fruit, herbs and vegetables and creative crafts.

And you asked for something unusual - During the school holidays my family headed to Diani on the Kenya Coast. We stayed in a beach cottage 20 miles from the main road. At that time there were only two hotels and few tourists. We enjoyed time on the beach and swam in the warm Indian Ocean.

Contact the author:

To view book trailers & read extracts from my novels please visit www.rosemarymorris.co.uk Thank you, I will be happy to hear from you.

http://rosemarymorris.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/writerinagarret
https://museituppublishing.com
https://twitter.com/writerinagarret

Ally: What is the time period setting for the historical romance you brought today, and why did you choose it?

RM: The Captain and The Countess is set in the reign of Charles II’s niece, Queen Anne Stuart, who reigned from 1702 to 1714. The first reason I chose it is because few novels are set in this interesting era in which the Duke of Marlborough won the War of Spanish Succession. If he had not, the history of the United Kingdom would have been different and the course of world history would have been affected.

Ally: Do you fill out character sheets and detail the backgrounds of your MCs before you begin writing? How thorough do you get? I've known writers who spend days filling events from birth to adulthood, including school they attended, etc.

RM: Before I begin a novel I must name the hero and heroine. I then need to get to know them so I complete a detailed character profile which includes things such as family, education, likes, dislikes, religion and ‘what makes them tick’. This means that when I begin the novel I also fill in short character profiles for the other protagonists. I also consult the zodiac to strengthen the character profiles.

Ally: Have you suffered from Writer's Block or Writer's Procrastination? How did you get beyond it? Any other tips for motivation?

RM: I have neither suffered from Writer’s Block nor Writer’s Procrastination. I ward off Writer’s Block by planning my next novel before I finish my latest one. To avoid Writer’s Procrastination I adhere to a daily routine unless I am ill or it is Christmas Day.

Ally: What would you like to try writing that you haven't done? Will that be your next project or are you already working on something else?

RM: I would like to write fantasy fiction but I am now working on Tuesday’s Child a follow on novel from my Traditional Regency Romances Sunday’s Child and Monday’s Child. (By traditional I mean that I don’t open wide the hero and heroine’s bedroom door.) I am also revising a mediaeval novel set in the reign of Edward II.

Ally: Let's finish up with a few quick answer questions:

a. Favorite time of day to write: I usually wake up at 6 a.m and write until 10 a.m. with a break for breakfast.
b. Favorite comfort food: I’m partial to dark chocolate.
c. If you could live anywhere for the next year, where would it be? Nowhere other than my house because it is close to my family. If it were not, I would live in Woolacombe Bay in Devonshire.
d. Would you be more likely to go camping, bar hopping, or visit a museum? Visit a museum.
e. What's the most unusual thing in your refrigerator or freezer? Drained cooked turnip greens to which I added a vegetable soup stock cube, waited for it to melt, and then added a tin of drained black eyed beans. Delicious with a squeeze of lemon and flatbread.

Ally: It was a delight to have a visitor from over the pond. I hope you'll drop by again! Before you go, let's take a peek at your book...

The Captain and The Countess
By Rosemary Morris

London. 1706

Why does heart-rending pain lurk in the back of the wealthy Countess of Sinclair’s eyes?

Captain Howard’s life changes forever from the moment he meets Kate, the intriguing Countess and resolves to banish her pain.

Although the air sizzles when widowed Kate, victim of an abusive marriage, meets Edward Howard, a captain in Queen Anne’s navy, she has no intention of ever marrying again.

However, when Kate becomes better acquainted with the Captain, she realises he is the only man who understands her grief and can help her to untangle her past.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/zGAgF7S-834

Buy Links:

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/

www.amazon.co.uk and www.amazon.com

Barnes and Novel, AppleiBookstore, Kobo, Blio, Google Play, Overdrive, Omnilit, All Romance E Books, Bookstrand, Coffee Time Romance, Scribd, Smashwords, Flipcart – India, Tolina

Thanks for spending some time with us ... come back soon!

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Kim McMahill

7/22/2015

The coffee pot's on, and it's time for a book chat!

Welcome, everyone! Our author guest today writes romantic suspense, always an intriguing combination.
So nice to meet you, Kim McMahill. How do you take your coffee?

KIM: I prefer coffee made from fresh ground beans from Costa Rica, and maybe I'm a wimp, but I’ve got to have a healthy shot of French Vanilla creamer.

Ally: Not a problem. No one's defeated my magic pot yet. :) While I'm whipping that up, please show readers your bio and tell them something unique about yourself.

Bio:

Kim McMahill grew up in Wyoming, which is where she developed her sense of adventure and love of the outdoors. Since leaving Wyoming she has enjoyed many opportunities to see the world, and has lived amid some of America’s most stunning landscapes. Kim started out writing non-fiction, but her passion for exotic world travel, outrageous adventures, stories of survival against the odds, and happily-ever-after endings soon drew her into a world of romantic suspense. Along with writing adventure novels Kim has also published over eighty travel and geographic articles, and contributed to a travel anthology and cookbook.
Hmm, something unique? I’m a complete jigsaw puzzle geek. I know, not very adventurous, but it’s something I’ve enjoyed my entire life and the activity helps me relax.

Author Links:

Website: http://KimMcMahill.com
Blog: http://KimMcMahill.blogspot.com
Twitter at https://twitter.com/kimmcmahll.
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kim-McMahill/e/B007IK0EJW/

Ally: How do you begin a new novel? Storyline first? Characters? What comes next?

KIM: Most of the time the storyline comes first, but occasionally, like with Big Horn Storm, I imagine a character who must have a story. When I heard the name Deuce, I knew I had to write a story with this character playing a major role, and what else could a man named Deuce be except a rancher or a cowboy?

Ally: Do you write full time or part time? What is your writing schedule? Do you write year round?

KIM: Unfortunately, I can only write part time. I do write year round, but I’m not good at keeping to a set schedule. I definitely do my best work when the inspiration hits me, and I can’t really force the issue. If I’m not in the writing zone, I’ll use the time for social media and marketing.

Ally: Where do you get your plot ideas? TV news, movies, actual people you know?

KIM: I get my ideas from a host of different places. A lot of inspiration comes from my travels. I used to spend a lot of time in Mexico, which is where Marked In Mexico and Deadly Ruins came from. Big Horn Storm has a number of ties to my upbringing around horses, Deadly Exodus was inspired by a remnant of a dream I remembered one morning, and Shrouded In Secrets was spawned from watching a show on The Travel Channel about the legends surrounding a group of crystal skulls. My latest novel, A Dose of Danger, may be a manifestation of my mild conspiracy theory paranoia and suspicions of market manipulation on nearly every front, especially when it comes to the diet product industry.

Ally: What's your next project? Is it in the same genre? Tell us a little about it.

KIM: I’m nearly finished with a second novel in the series which begins with A Dose of Danger. The deadly market manipulation continues as the corrupt coalition wields its lethal influence in the manufacturing of those healthy frozen meals that fill the freezer section of every grocery store. As soon as I do a bit more polishing I’ll submit it to my publisher and keep my fingers crossed.

Ally: Before we wind this up, let's try a few get-to-know-you short answer questions:

a. Do you read in the same genre(s) you write? Mostly, but I enjoy a lot of different genres.
b. favorite food from the grill: hamburgers.
c. When and where did you last wear a hat? I’m not a fan of hats since it ruins my hair. I believe the last time I wore one was when we rounded the horn of South America. The wind was brutal and the air frigid, but I didn’t want to leave the deck of the ship and risk missing a moment of that epic experience, so I donned a hat.
d. manicure or pedicure? pedicure
e. Your vote for sexiest man on earth: Hugh Jackman (in real life or as the Drover in Australia, not Wolverine).

Ally: Lol. I admit I didn't find him sexy as Wolverine either. It's been great having you visit, Kim. Before you leave, please show us a little more about A Dose of Danger.

Blurb:

When researcher Grace Talbot and her team discover a possible solution for weight loss they become targets of a group dedicated to controlling the multi-billion dollar a year diet-product industry. Her unsanctioned testing methods bring tragedy to the family ranch, and the attention of the local sheriff’s deputy. With her colleagues either dead, missing, or on the run, she soon realizes she must trust the deputy with her life, but can she trust him with her heart?

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Dose-Danger-Kim-McMahill-ebook/dp/B00V50EEBA/

Thanks for joining us today. Come back soon!

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