Monday, April 29, 2013

Goddess Fish Promotions - Drama Queens with Love Scenes by Kevin Klehr



 
Virtual Book Tour: Drama Queens with Love Scenes by Kevin Klehr. Goddess Fish Promotions is organizing a Virtual Blurb Blitz Tour for Drama Queens with Love Scenes by Kevin Klehr, a Humour/Speculative Fiction/Gay Fantasy Romance available now from Cambridge Press US.
 

The tour will run April 22-May 3Kevin will be giving away a $30 Amazon gift card to one randomly chosen commenter.
 

Please follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/02/blurb-blitz-tour-drama-queens-with-love.html


 
DRAMA QUEENS WITH LOVE SCENES

By

Kevin Klehr

 



BLURB:    
Close friends Allan and Warwick are dead. They're not crazy about the idea so to help them deal with this dilemma are Samantha, a blond bombshell from the 1950s, and Guy, an insecure angel. 

They are soon drawn into the world of theatre - Afterlife style, with all the bitchiness, back-stabbing and ego usually associated with the mortal world. 

Allan also has a secret. He has a romantic crush on his friend, Warwick, but shortly after confiding in his new angel pal, his love interest falls for the cock-sure playwright, Pedro.


Not only does Allan have to win the heart of his companion, he also has to grapple with the faded memory of how he actually died.

 

EXCERPT: 
The thought of my demise was hard enough to face, but this version of the Afterlife with no link back to concepts favored in religious texts, made it harder to accept. There was not an omnipotent being in sight. We had one angel surrounded by a cast from different eras of earth-bound time, going about their business with no qualms. And still, no one wanted to elaborate.  

“Heaven or Hell?” Warwick asked. 

“Perhaps Limbo, or maybe we’re just having a weird dream?” 

“Of course, Allan, at exactly the same time.” My friend winked at me. 

“Yeah maybe. Your wet-dream with Pedro and my, my...” 

“Your buddy-genre dream with an angel.” 

He made me smile. As he looked out at the garden again, a more believable explanation came to me. 

“Warwick, maybe I’m just in a coma, and somewhere near my hospital bed you’re talking to me, trying to wake me up.” 

“Allan, if I am talking to you from your hospital bed, how will I know you can hear me?” 

“Look, Warwick, I’m wiggling my toes.”  

My friend turned to see me lift my legs and shake both feet. 

“Allan, what if you’re covered by a blanket, and I can’t notice your toes?”  

“Don’t be silly, you’d notice my toes wiggling under the covers.” 

“Maybe there’s a serving tray or a hospital chart on the sheets?” 

I thrashed my legs more violently, just in case there was some truth in my theory. 

“Allan, you’re not in a coma.” 

“How can you be sure?” 

“Because from my point of view, I might be the one in a coma.”  

My legs stopped kicking.


 

AUTHOR INFORMATION: 

Kevin lives with his long-term partner in their humble apartment (affectionately named Sabrina), in Australia’s own ‘Emerald City,’ Sydney.

From an early age Kevin had a passion for writing, jotting down stories and plays until it came time to confront puberty. After dealing with pimple creams and facial hair, Kevin didn’t pick up a pen again until he was in his thirties. His handwritten manuscript was being committed to paper when his social circumstances changed, giving him no time to write. Concerned, his partner, Warren, snuck the notebook out to a friend who in turn came back and demanded Kevin finish his novel. It wasn’t long before Kevin’s active imagination was let loose again.

His longest running passion is a weekly radio program he produces with Warren for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander station, Koori Radio. Since 2004 they have been discovering music, both new and old, and interviewing local artists and community leaders. Every Friday night, The Rhythm Divine is heard across Sydney and via the world wide web.

Kevin is currently at work on the sequel to Drama Queens with Love Scenes.

 

LINKS: 

Author Page – www.kevinklehr.com



                     https://www.facebook.com/DramaQueensWithLoveScenes



Sunday, April 28, 2013

Sexy Snippets


Hey everyone! Welcome to Sexy Snippets. This is seven sentences, taken from a work in progress, or published book, and brought to you every Sunday. For this week, I thought I’d do something from Perfect, book #2 in The Gods series from Dreamspinner.sP:

Perfect    
       A low, sexy moan of pure need sounded from Cam’s throat and those lush lips opened, the invitation clear. Another low, guttural moan sounded from Cam as Jeff explored the mouth that had attracted him from the moment he’d seen Cam kneeling on the floor by that slot winner. A long, hard cock rubbed against his leg as he tasted Cam and, unable to resist, his hand drifted down to rub what was pressing into his thigh. Things were going great when, quick as a wink, Cam flipped him over on his back.

“Yeah”—Cam settled against a surprised Jeff—“much better this way.”

Jeff barely heard the words, but his body registered the touches as Cam took control. Helpless, he couldn’t do anything but hang on. 
 
 

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Cover reveal for Pure

Good morning! LOL. Hey, I'm up before noon, so yay me! *snort* This doesn't happen too often, lol. Of course, I'm up all hours of the night too.

I wanted to share to final cover of Pure with y'all. The cover artist is Catt Ford. She's done the covers for series.
 
I've been through one round of edits and the blurb is done. The release date is June/July. I also got the email informing me Shadows in the Night has gone into editing. :) The blurb is finished on that also. The release date is July/August. The Yellow Rope comes out in June also, lol, so edits/cover should be showing up just any time now.
 
 
It's going to be a busy couple of months! And it all starts with Be My Alien coming out May 8th!
 
 
What else... humm. *thinks hard* Hopefully, everyone has heard the news about The Harvest:Taken being released late October. I'm very excited Storm Moon Press has contracted it and the next book. I'm going to be in several bloghops coming up over the next few months, so keep an eye out for those. :)
 
 
The kiddo has just a few weeks of school left then she'll get out. She'll have about ten days from then to graduation. That still boggles my mind, lol. My baby will be heading off to college shortly there after. o.0
 
 
Hope everyone has a geat weekend! It's raining here... again. *sigh* So, lol...
 
~M
 
 

 

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Welcome Hayley B. James


Hey everyone! Today I have fellow DsP author Hayley B. James visiting. She's here to talk about her upcoming release Paid Leave. Which, by the way, is a cool title for a book. And check out that cover y'all!

LOL, okay, I'm gonna hush and let Haylet get on with it!


 
 
 
 
 
 
Thank you for hosting me today, MA Church! 

I like to know a location (or at least vacation there once) before I attempt to write a story based in the city. I’ve also made up locations or took liberties with existing ones. When I read for pleasure, the little facts in cities don’t matter to me. A big change like having Hollywood a city in Arizona might make me tilt my head and frown, but for the sake of storytelling, I’m willing to go with the flow.

I introduced some fantasy into reality for my first novel, Undercover Sins. The story is set in Las Vegas but decided against setting it in too much of a reality since the plot itself is a little fantasy. Water Waltz and Fire Tango are both set in one fantasy world created exclusively for the series. I built the land to best suit the story. I took some inspiration from places I’ve visited, but nothing is set in an alternative version of a real city.

Paid Leave is the only novel I’ve written so far that’s set in a strict reality. (Due out May 3, 2013) Paid Leave takes place in Albuquerque, NM. As a NM native, this setting was very easy to write. The police officer’s beat is my backyard, and I had a police ride along through the command center in the story. I used my personal experience and my hometown to ensure the reality in Paid Leave stays true.

Even though the setting is Albuquerque and I used street names from the area, I kept it vague. There are no turn by turn directions to Officer Benji’s house or Neal’s café. Many of the calls Officer Benji Miller takes during the book are calls I witnessed during my ride along. I took a citizen police academy course through Albuquerque Police Department and gained a lot of useful knowledge and helpful contacts.

The location of Paid Leave was the easy part of research, and the citizen police academy was the fun part of research. All together I put more time into Paid Leave than in other books but most of it came before the plot or characters had formed. I had a great time writing this story and I believe readers will enjoy Benji and Neal’s story.

 

 

Paid Leave Blurb:

Albuquerque police officer Benji Miller made the choice to hide his sexuality and devote his life to his career. He guards his secret carefully, believing he is protecting his job and happiness. Then, during a routine traffic stop gone awry, he shoots a suspect to protect a young girl, and his life spins out of control. A department-mandated paid leave rips away the only distraction he had, and he has to deal with the unsympathetic media who criticize the police department’s every move.

 

One day, needing to get out of the house, Benji walks into a café, where he meets Neal McCoy—a gay man living without shame, unafraid to speak his mind or stand up against prejudice. Benji quickly falls for Neal but struggles to combine his new love interest and his career. With the media threatening the careful illusion he’s built around himself, Benji can’t stand the pressure.

 

Benji has to decide: sacrifice his happiness in the name of his career and an easy life, or find the courage to give up the lonely existence he knows and take a step into the unknown.

 

Paid Leave Excerpt:

“I’m surprised to see the uniform. Are you trying to seduce me? I’ll give you a hint—it worked.” Neal closed the door behind Benji and touched the silver badge. “You showing up is enough seduction, though.”

Benji dropped his duffle bag and gave Lucky an ear rub. He knew he wanted to see Neal but was still unsure how to act around him. Charles was easier. Those visits happened in Benji’s home, and nothing mattered with Charles. Benji never worried about how Charles would react but faced constant fear of upsetting Neal. He didn’t know how to keep him but couldn’t imagine letting him go.

“Sorry I didn’t return your call.”

“It’s okay. I figured you were busy. I was satisfied with the few text messages.” Neal’s smile softened, and his hands retreated from Benji’s uniform. Cop instinct told Benji he had lied. “I don’t want to be that fussy guy. Or smothering.” He laughed at himself and flashed his dimples. “I could so smother you. And I would if you wanted it.”

Benji smiled. Neal was perfect. He leaned down and kissed him, surprised by how right it felt. He cradled Neal’s head and took his time winding his tongue along Neal’s, enjoying every second Neal took to melt against him. He tasted like coffee and chocolate. Two things Benji had never believed could arouse him were fast becoming turn-ons.

“I’d like to change,” Benji whispered against Neal’s lips. He felt Neal’s hands resting on his belt, adding the slightest bit of weight.

Neal left a kiss beneath Benji’s ear before stepping back. “Do I get to watch?”

“If you want.” Benji started up the stairs with Neal and Lucky following.

“Do you have your baton?”

“I do.”

“Put it in your car.” Neal stopped at the top of the stairs. “I’ve seen enough porn to know where cops like to stick those, and that won’t be happening in my house.”

“Why are you so well-versed in porn?” Benji asked, trying his best to keep a straight face at Neal’s joke.

“I’m a gay man with an Internet connection. Why aren’t you more versed in porn?”

“There’s no coffee-shop-owner porn.”

Neal’s grin faded into a smile. “That might be the most romantic thing you’ve said to me all night, Officer Miller.”

Romance wasn’t Benji’s forte, and he’d only meant it as a tease. He felt out of his element with Neal, and the feeling only worsened when Neal took whatever he said in a way he hadn’t meant. He almost corrected Neal’s assumption to squash any belief he had a romantic bone in his body, but instead he added another tease.

“Will it get me laid?”

“The uniform is a sure bet.” Neal cocked his head. “Whoever designed your uniforms had an eye for a man’s ass. Turn around again.”

Benji rolled his eyes. The praise was not something he knew how to accept. “If you’re so turned on, help me take it off.”

 

Pre-order now from Dreamspinner Press (May 3, 2013 release date): http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3796

 

 

Find Hayley B. James online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HayleyBJames

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HayleyB_James

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118191274876570621165/about

Tumblr: http://hayleybjames.tumblr.com/

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Wednesday Briefs


Welcome to the Wednesday Briefers flash group. The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. The prompts for this week are: 

"Dream a little dream of me"

or use: molasses, wine, mist

or try a trope you've never used before

or "Don't stop until I tell you to..."

or use: roof, adjust, philanthropist

or "Tie me up, big boy..."

or write about book burning.

 

All That He Desires #17

“No, that’s not straight enough, thank you very much.”

“Ahhh, do what? Anslee, man, I hate to interrupt, but you’re not making any sense. What’s not straight enough?”

“Oh, good God.” Anslee dropped his head back in his hands.

Jules stood in the middle of the living area, staring at Anslee. His long dark hair was a mess, his eyes were wild, and he was arguing with himself… rather loudly. It was what had awakened Jules in the first place. Huh, could Fallen Angels have nervous breakdowns? Because if they could, Anslee looked like he’d qualify. Annoyed didn’t even cover the tension that surrounded Anslee. Maybe pissed, with a side helping of confusion thrown in, would be more of an apt description.

Jules edged farther into the living area. “Who were you taking to? Or were you just thinking out loud?”

Anslee lifted his head. “I was just… talking to myself, I guess you could say. Nothing important. I didn’t mean to wake you, Jules.”

The tension was thick as molasses, and Jules couldn’t stand it. It really needed to be broken. His lips twitched and he grinned. “So, did the two of you work things out?”

“Um… huh?”

“Well, you said you were talking to yourself, so I just wondered what y’all decided.”

Anslee shook his head, a smile crossing his face. “Have I mentioned what a smart-ass you are?”

“Maybe, in passing. Once or twice.” Jules sat by Anslee. There was something Anslee wasn’t telling him, but he decided to let it pass. “So, having trouble sleeping?”

“Yes, actually.”

“And you seem a little tense.” Jules choked back a snort. Yeah, Anslee was, just a bit. “Tell you what. How about we have a glass of wine? What I’ve got isn’t what you’re probably used to, but it’ll get the job done. Maybe that’ll help you sleep.”

Anslee put his hand on Jules’ knee. “I must admit, after all that has gone on between us, I am slightly amazed you’d give a damn about my ability to sleep. So, thank you, Jules.”

“I… ah… yeah. No prob. Be right back.”

Jules was off the couch and in the kitchen in a flash. Anslee wasn’t the only one ‘slightly amazed’ at his behavior. What the hell was he thinking? Why should he care if Anslee could sleep or not? When had he started to give a damn? Shit. Jules grabbed the wine and opened it… then drank straight from the bottle. Instead of drinking from it, maybe he should bash himself over the head with it?

“I care, dammit. How the hell did that sneak in?”

Lost in thought, he looked outside. Morning was creeping over the horizon and there was a thick mist on the ground. He had an early class today, but there was no way he was going to make it. Too little sleep, and he had plans for that wine. Quickly, he fixed him and Anslee each a glass. As tempted as he was to drink straight out of the bottle… that might cause questions he wasn’t ready to answer.

Jules brought the glasses back to the living area. Anslee was still on the couch, looking as shell-shocked as Jules felt. Whatever had happened while he was asleep… well, he didn’t want to know about it. He had enough of his own problems to deal with right now.

“Here you go.”

“Ah, thank you.” Jules held his hand out for the glass.

“I didn’t have any fancy wine glasses, so hope these are okay.” Jules jumped when his fingers brushed Anslee’s and sparks flowed through him. Shit, that hadn’t happened before.

“At this point, you could hand it to me in a drinking horn and I wouldn’t care.”

“Yeah, kinda how I feel.” Jules wrinkled his nose as he sat down next to Anslee. A drinking horn? Really? “Okay, I have to ask. Have you drank from… you know.”

Anslee coughed out a laugh. “I have indeed. My favorite were the drinking horns made by the Vikings. They were made from domestic cattle or goats. You’d be surprised what Man has come up with through the ages to hold his drink in.”

Well, now, didn’t that just bring everything roaring back? What a wakeup call. Jules tipped the glass back, gulping down his wine. He so wasn’t thinking about all that right now. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Anslee drinking steadily too. Shit. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Last thing I need is a drunk Fallen Angel to deal with.

Fallen Angel. Oh, fuck me. How did my life turn into this?

Anslee held his glass out for a refill.

Jules blanked his face. Wow, that was fast. Really fast. Anslee practically downed the glass. “Ah, one glass should be enough, don’t you think?”

Anslee’s eyebrow rose. “Worried about your virtue? Don’t be, little one. If I haven’t taken what I wanted by now, no amount of booze—or anything else, for that matter—will change that. Besides, this isn’t enough to make me lose control and force you. I don’t want you unwilling, Jules. I want you very, very willing.” Anslee leaned closer. “Panting, gasping, moaning with need, and willing to do whatever I demand. When I make you come, you will scream with pleasure, not fear. That’s what I want.”

Jules swallowed. Anslee was close enough to kiss, and suddenly all Jules could focus on was Anslee’s lips. Jesus, the man had a mouth made for sucking cock. Why had he never noticed that before? Holy smokes, is it hot in here?

“Not to me. Are you hot, Jules?”

“Aw fuck, did I say that out loud?” Jules squeaked.

Anslee touched his lips to Jules’, then sat back. “Finish your wine and let’s go back to bed. It’s been a long night and you need to rest.”

“Yeah, right, rest.” OMG, he kissed me!

~TBC

Make sure to check out the other flashers! ;)

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Harvest is coming... Are you ready?


In the year 2020 humanity found out it was, indeed, not alone in the universe. They appeared without warning above the capitals of all major nations. Huge, menacing, and completely unresponsive space ships dominated the skies and sent the media into a complete tailspin. 
 
First contact came within hours of the sightings. The question of what these aliens wanted prompted emergency closed-door meetings at NATO. The name of their planet was Ta’Nar—and it was dying. Originally, the Ta’Narians were a dual-sexed warrior race. Chemical warfare had essentially rendered them sterile.
 
The Ta’Narians required DNA for their harvesting program. Since we couldn’t duplicate their technology, those males who were to participate had to be transported to their world. Here in the United States a lottery system was set up, and each young man between the ages of twenty-three and twenty-eight was assigned a number. 
 
Once a year, for the next five years, numbers would be drawn and a new set of one thousand males would be collected. The media coined the expression ‘The Harvest’ for the time when the Ta’Narians returned to collect these young men. I was seventeen when the aliens first appeared. My parents assumed I was safe since the final collection would be done before I turned twenty-three. I didn’t fall within the established guidelines. I thought I had nothing to fear.
 
I was wrong. 
 
My name is Dale. Are you ready for The Harvest? I hope so, because it’s coming to Storm Moon Press in late October.
~~~~
 
That's right, it's coming, guys. Are you ready? The Harvest:Taken will be released by Storm Moon press late October. And... they contracted the second book too. YAYAYAYAY!!! And... lol, they're interested in the young stories. 
 
 
I've set up a FB page for The Harvest. https://www.facebook.com/#!/theharvest00 Dale and the gang will be there if y'all want to talk to them, check in, or ask questions. If you stop by, give Dale and rest some love since it's a new page. P-pppppppplease?
 
 
Dale will also have his own Twitter too... just as soon as I get it set up, lol. It took forever for me to get their FB page done, lol.
 
 
It's been a long time coming, and now that it's here... *laugh* I'm still in shock, I think. So, there we are! We have about 6 more months then it'll be out. I'll update on edits, covers, and stuff. Can't wait to see a cover!
 
 
Get ready for The Harvest!
~M


Monday, April 22, 2013

Welcome Sandrine Gasq-Dion

Hey guys! Pull up a chair and join me. Lovely day for an interview, huh? :)

Today I have the fab Sandrine visiting. She's going to talk a little about her latest M/M release A Betting Man from Wilde City PressPlus, she's going to reveal all, lol, in an interview. o.0 Hope y'all enjoy! :)






A BETTING MAN

By Sandrine Gasq-Dion

 

SYNOPSIS:
 
How bad could one harmless bet be? Kent Samson is about to find out. Raised in Alabama, Kent has hidden his past and now loves his life as a big time ad exec for a prestigious advertising company in New York. But when he makes a bet with his best friend, Blaine, Kent is thrown for a loop—for Kent has to make the next person to walk through the door fall in love with him.
 

Terry Barron is hiding out in New York. Raised in England in a wealthy family, Terry escapes to New York to avoid arranged marriages and the lifestyle he's grown to hate. When he delivers a package to an advertising firm, he meets the unbelievably sexy Kent Samson. Suddenly, secrets and lies complicate everything and both men find themselves in uncharted waters. How will Terry feel when Kent is revealed as a betting man?

 

RELEASE DATE: April 17, 2013
 

LENGTH: 27,000 words
 

EBOOK PRICE: $3.99
 

ISBN: 978-1-925031-05-8
 

CATEGORY: Gay Romance
 

SUB-GENRES: Comedy, Contemporary, Erotic
 

HEAT LEVEL: 3 Stars

 

AUTHOR BIO & LINKS:

Sandrine (Sandy) was born in Inglewood, California. Raised by "Old School" French parents, she later moved to Tucson, AZ. It was there that writing became a hobby. Always told she had a great imagination, Sandy wrote short stories for her friends in high school. In college, she took more writing classes while working on her Criminal Justice degree, but it wasn't until a soap opera caught her eye that she got involved in male on male romances. On the advice of a friend, Sandy dipped her toes into the world of M/M Romance. Sandy takes the writing seriously and has had countless conversations with gay men as well as hours of research. She's been involved with the military in one way or another for over twenty years, and has a great deal of respect for our men in uniform. She's traveled the world, but is currently enjoying the South.

 
 

And now for the interview...




~How do you come up with a title?
It’s been interesting how many times I’ve bounced ideas off my friends who are close to me. “Reflash” was me talking to firefighter friends. Since the book revolved around Firefighters and Cops, “Reflash” became the only title I even considered. Mostly I’m looking at the storyline itself and what one word brings it all together. In the instance of “The Nik of Time”, I let my readers name it!

 
~When do you do your best writing… morning, afternoon, evening, night?
There really isn’t a set time of day. I TRY to write when the kids are at school, but half the time I’m up until about two in the morning typing like a mad woman. So I’d have to say I get more done in the early morning hours. My editor hates it because I do less punctuation at that time. lol
 



~Out of all the stories you’ve written which one are you most proud of?
I would have to say “Second Time Around” it was really my first try at first person and I realized I LOVE writing in the first person. I think in a lot of ways it’s easier and the words flow faster. I like putting myself into that character and bringing him to life.

 
~Do you plan your stories and, if so, to what extent?

I do and I don’t. I know with the Assassin-Shifter books, I have couples that I plan out way ahead of time (Wyatt and Preston, Devin &Andrei and Keegan and Vince) Then there are the ones that come to me as I’m driving down the road. I’m 16 books into the Assassin-Shifter series and I have so many more to write! Coming up with fresh storylines is where the planning starts. I don’t want to rehash the same story over and over so I’ve added a few characters to mix it up a bit! I’ve also got the books I’m writing for Wilde City Press and those will not be a series, but you’ll see past characters come in!

 
~How many stories do you work on at any one time?

Oh God, right now I’ve got five going at once. It’s like a never ending voice in my head. Usually it’s when I’m driving down the road I’ll get an idea for a book. Sometimes it’s in the middle of the night!

 
~ What was your favorite character to write, and why?

I think Riley Flynn is my favorite. He’s just so much fun and he has innocence about him. He’s spontaneous and has an inner child that loves wreaking havoc. He’s also very loving and to an extent-- naïve.



~ What's your guilty pleasure?


ANGRY BIRDS! lol

 

 





~ What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
In the beginning I couldn’t afford an editor. My friend and I tried our best, but I’ve never been one to care about where a comma goes and if that period needed to be there.  So I think the flack we both took in the beginning hit us both hard. I changed editor’s right after “Half Moon Rising” but still keep anyone involved in this close to me. They were here from the beginning and shall remain here throughout.

The best compliment hands down are from my readers. When I get an email telling me how much a book lifted someone’s spirits, or just made their day, any five star review can’t beat that.

 
~How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

Almost all of it! There are places I’ve been, people I’ve met, situations I’ve been in that most people would say, “Well, that could never happen!” But it does! I think almost all writers pull from their own life, that’s what makes great storytelling! I’ve been involved in the military for over twenty years and the stories from that alone could make another ten books!  My personality is most definitely in all my books. I think it comes out the most in my snarky characters.

 
~When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Middle school. My English teacher told us all to write an essay about where we saw ourselves in ten years. It was due by the end of the week and I wrote it in one day—all ten pages front and back. I got an ‘A’ and she told me I had one hell of an imagination.





~ What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?

I had another author tell me never to read reviews below five stars. Normally, I try to adhere to that advice, but there’s still that part of me that wants to see if I could do better. I’m a glutton for punishment.


 







~What was the hardest book for you to write, or the hardest scene in one of your books to write, and why did you struggle with it?

“Second Time Around” and “Summer of Awakenings” Tie as the books hardest to write. With “Second”, I pulled a lot of emotion from my own loss. I lost my father and my grandmother in a plane crash and I think for me, losing someone so suddenly takes one hell of a toll on you. So the funeral scene in Second drained me emotionally.  “Summer” Was hard to write as well, especially for the character of William and the kids that had been abused. That book was mainly for all the teenage kids I have been blessed to meet, and some of the names in the books are actually theirs.
 

~When you sit down to write a book, do you go with the flow? Or do you outline and plot all the important details out first?
Both. Some books just write themselves and I’m going with the flow. Other’s I’ve had to actually sit down with a pad of paper and write down how I wanted it to go chapter by chapter. Sometimes I’m writing the ending of the book and then I fill in all the spaces in between. It’s crazy!

 
~Who are your favorite authors (in your same genre or not) and some of the best books you’ve ever read? What is your favorite book that you remember from childhood? 

I fell in love with “The Thorn Birds”. I think that all-consuming-can’t-have-it love makes a story that’s much more compelling. And the movie was done beautifully! That book has remained my favorite all this time.

I love Stephen King; he’s just got this twisted mind that I love! Dolores Claiborne is my favorite, with Misery close behind!

I love MA Church (Hehe) GA Hauser, Mercy Celeste, Mary Calmes, Ethan Day and Geoff Knight, just to name a few!

 
~If your “Muse” were an actual flesh and blood person, what would he/she look like?

A seriously tall, tatted man with bulging muscles!!

 
~Name three things that would surprise your fans to know about you?

I speak fluent French.
I actually hang out with tatted, bulging military men.
I have actually lived in every state I’ve written about. And not just for a few months, we’re talking YEARS. 



~Want to tell us about any projects you have in the works? Or any releases coming soon?
I’m actually writing a follow up to “A Betting Man”. I’ve also got “The Littlest Assassin-Shifters” As well As “Lesson’s Learned” in the works and four more other books, some in the Assassin series and some off on their own. “The Nik of Time” Should be out soon. I’m going to be very busy this summer. J

 
~Where can your readers find you on the web?
I have two facebook pages, a blog and a website.





 
~ Have you ever doubted yourself as a writer and if so, how did you overcome it?

Oh God, all the time! I am so lucky to have friends that back me up and shout in my face when I become a babbling, crying idiot. I don’t think you ever really overcome it. I think you’ll always have that little voice in your head that pokes you and tells you that you’re just not good enough. I think for me, I write the best I can and when I look at a finished manuscript, I know at least ONE person is going to love it, and that’s all I need.

 
~ Is there any message you'd like to share with readers?

First off, thank you! If it wasn’t for all of you, I would not be where I am. So thank you, thank you, thank you!! Second, I look forward to bringing you many, many more books in the future!

 
~ What part of the writing process do you dread?

Research. Although I’ve lived in every state I’ve written about, I still go back and make sure I’ve got that right street, or that building is where I said it is. Researching Russian Prey started with me trying to find a maximum security prison in Russia out in the middle of nowhere. FUN! lol


 

 
~Do you prefer hot or cold weather and why?

Now this is funny. I was born in California, but raised in Arizona, so I LOVE hot! BUT, on that same note, I was stationed in Fairbanks Alaska for two years and LOVED the cold. I think in Arizona, I loved the fact that I could just go dip in the pool and get a tan in five minutes. In Alaska, I loved the cold because I could bundle up and watch the Aurora Borealis from my front porch. I’m at an impasse…lol
 

 ~ Are you a romantic?
Oh God yes! I believe in love at first sight!

 
~Do you listen to music when you're writing?

All the time. I also incorporate songs into the books so my readers know just what song I was listening to when I write that hot/sexy/steamy love scene.

 
~If there was one piece of advice you could give a new author, what would it be?

Edit, edit, edit. Try not to take that one star review to heart. If there is one thing I learned over the last year and a half, it’s that you can’t please everyone!
 

~If we could see your writing space, what would we see?
I’m so organized it’s pathetic. You’d see a very clean desk with little to no clutter. I keep little knick knacks on it that the kids have made for me, or readers have sent me. Other than that, my coaster for my coffee cup and the cat bed.



 
~Do you own a pet? If so, tell us about him/her!

I own two cats, one dog, three fish and four rats. I’ve had the dog the longest though. She’s a Siberian Husky and fourteen. She set in her ways and loves to drive me up the wall. I had another Siberian, a male named Nikoli, my readers will know that name ;). I lost him last June and adopted my cat, Mateo. (My readers will know that name too). He sits on my desk and watches me work. Nikoli used to sit in my office all the time and I would talk to him about what I was writing. So in a way, Mateo has helped me heal just a bit!
 

~ What are your favorite TV shows?
Supernatural, Castle and The Vampire Diaries. I’ve cut out so much TV in the last year I’ll have to watch all the shows I dumped on Netflix.