Is Technology making us Anti-Social...I SAY NO!

The debate has been ongoing for many years now. Technology is making it harder for people to interact with each other. Disconnecting us from people. I say nay! I think it's quite the opposite.

Think back...waaaay back to the 80's and 90's before everyone had a personal computer, Smartphone or IPad.

Okay, is your mind there?

In a time when only rich people had those big ass case-like cell phones, and one of your parents got their first beeper...yes, you remember. If you don't, you're young...watch some old movies. Now, think of a snow day back then. What did you do after you shoveled out, drank some hot cocoa, and dried out your clothes? Kids played, parents read a book or watched something cool on a new cable TV channel, or called someone on the phone--because you really couldn't go anywhere.

These past couple of snow days when people stayed home, for me, was kinda fun. I chatted with some people online, had a few Facebook conversations with people, checked out a bunch of great pictures people posted, played a couple of games to try to beat a high score, and even talked to a few people on the phone. WAY more interaction then a snow day in 1987.

But the cooler part of technology, for me, is that I'm still in touch with people I knew when I was 5 years old before all this stuff came around! Sure, I don't talk to them on the phone much, don't actually see them very often, because we have different lives now, but we are "in touch" and "keeping tabs" on each other online. Celebrating successes, offering our sympathies, and laughing at their anecdotes while watching their children grow.

Back in the day...when our parents and grandparents left high school and college, they pretty much did the same thing my generation did, made strong friendships with people we wanted to have in our lives and made sure to stay in constant touch. But then life, as you know, gets in the way.

I remember when my mother first started Facebook. She was super excited to get back in touch with people she lost track of over the years. Has being online made my mother anti-social. Um, no. It did not. In fact, many of my friends have become her friends, and now realize how funny my mother is, and now know where I get my twisted sense of humor from. (I love you mom! I know you never read this, but...it's okay)

Some of you also know that I play a Star Trek RPG Online. Every week a group of 6-15 people between the ages of 19 and 45+ get together in an AOL chat room and use our imaginations to basically play a self-created interactive Star Trek episode. It's super fun and has honestly kept my creative muse happy for the past ten years. (Gave me the Tiva character too) Yep, I've been playing this game with some of these people for almost ten years. I've made many friends from this group, friends I never would have met in the real world (though I have met some of them since), and I have the internet to thank for them. (Props ECF!)

The internet has helped me make friends with people who share interests with me that very few, if any, of the friends I see on a regular basis like. I can go to a blog or a forum and read and interact with someone who loves Inuyasha, or Indiana Jones, or Duran Duran. I can join a group online that talks only about weight loss or writing. I can post something on Facebook regarding my favorite TV show of the week and know at least one or two people love it as much as I do and will talk to me about it. I can see an awesome Final Fantasy drawing from someone in South Korea on Deviant Art, tell them I loved it, and watch their page for more of the same cool art.

I've watched TV and chatted with people in IM during the commercials. I spent one lonely New Years Eve in a chat room, talking to people about why they weren't or couldn't go out that night, but didn't want to watch Dick Clark alone.

So no, I don't think technology is making us anti-social. I think it has opened up the world to new people, experiences, and ideas that everyone can learn from. It puts knowledge and information at our fingertips that is so easy to share, all you do is click your mouse.

Technology is a tool, and if used properly and with respect, it can change your life for the better.

I know it has for me.

Snow and writing...

It feels like 1995 outside again. Mounds of plowed snow all over the place. Dogs diving into the snow banks and vanishing. FUN!

I do love the snow. Everyone loves how it makes everything so pretty. I like the quietness of it all. I noticed it fully the other day when I had the dogs in the tennis court. Suki always barks, loudly, and it normally carries through the air, back to the apartments, and makes another dog bark. With all the snow on the ground, it seemed like a whisper.

Someone mentioned more snow this weekend. I have no idea where it will all fit, but it's sure going to be interesting.

My new short is near 18K words now. I think I know where it's going, but since I didn't plot this one out very well, it's taking some time.

Next week I'm going to read through my latest novel, the Sci-Fi Romance and pick a few places to submit it. I'm still waiting to hear from four publishers about Tiva, but the news is slow coming.

Here's a portion of the query I want to perfect for my cover letter. I'm certain it needs work, but what do you think?

After Dina Ranger loses telepathic contact with her twin brother, Duncan, she breaks into his apartment and stumbles onto a special unit of the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for monitoring the psychic population in the United States. Due to an injury, Duncan offers Dina a consulting job, a place where she can use her psionic gifts to help people. She accepts and dives right into her first assignment investigating strange fires in Delaware possibly tied to psychic activity.

Liam of Shria has been stranded on earth for a hundred years. While searching for a specific metal needed to repair his ship, he finds a woman in an alien escape pod and saves her life before it explodes. He reveals his true alien identity and learns that Dina’s psychic visions led her straight to him. Together, they investigate an alien plot to rebuild an ancient weapon while hiding the clues from Duncan and his unit team.

As the mystery and their relationship deepens, Liam helps Dina learn the truth behind her special psychic abilities, uncover the men searching for the weapon, and unlock dangerous secrets about the past, including her family’s connection to the alien presence on Earth.

New Ad-ventures

Most of you know I've been out of work for a while. It has given me the chance to do some heavy writing for sure! However, in between searching for a job every day, writing, and doing side projects, I rediscovered my love for advertising.

When I was younger and my father was building up his tax business, he bought a computer. I was SO excited. It was early in the 90's, not many people had personal computers then, but we had them in school and I knew how to use one. Of course, it just so happened that we were getting ours delivered the day I had my wisdom teeth pulled out.

I remember lying in my dad's bedroom, in pain...mostly from my mouth, but also from my thigh where a nurse gave me anti-vomit medication so I wouldn't barf out my stitches. (It took the better part of 10 years for the numbness to return to that spot in my leg, but that's another story.) Well, I didn't barf, but I was tired. Didn't matter. The moment that doorbell rang, I was up and ready to put the computer together and show my father how to work it.

He was impressed, I was kinda proud to teach my dad something too.

Anyway, after I got on Prodigy with our super slow 28 baud modem (yeah, that's right!), I showed my father other programs on the computer and what they could do. A few years passed, his business started to boom and he wanted a newsletter. Sweet!

I taught myself how to work a few old Microsoft Programs and created flyers and newsletters for the business. Totally hooked! I made coupons and pamphlets, even labels and business cards. It was a lot of fun and great for my creative juices!

I never really thought about it as a career. I want to be a singer back then. A "different" kind of Debbie Gibson, but that never worked out...

When my dreams of being a singer died (way before Idol), I turned to English and writing. It was my second passion.

I should have gone into advertising. I still love making flyers and brochures, coupons and newsletters. I love putting graphics together on a page to make some special.

After I decided I wanted to take writing seriously, I made a webpage. I honestly don't remember what the first few looked like, but I'm sure they were very bad. But I like to learn and HTML wasn't about to be me down, so I figured out the basics. Internet can teach you anything these days!

In the past few months I've been adding to my advertising skill and learned how to write proper press release, media advisories, specified content, and a plethora of other nifty things that I never thought I would know.

I'm a guru when it comes to social media and making a presence on the internet. Type in my name and the majority of the first page is me and some country radio chick. I did that all on my own. No agent, manager, or publicity specialist. Just little ol' me.

So my friend and I decided to start our own little promotional company. Now I'm using all the skill I've learned the last twenty years to help others and having a blast doing it.

www.webcomputersolutions.com

That's the site! My sister is involved too, doing computer repairs and networking stuff that still goes over my head.

I'm super excited! We have a few small business clients we're already working on and I'm loving every second of it. I remember that feeling I had when my first website went up. There are still many businesses and authors out there with no internet presences and I'm glad I can make it easy and affordable for anyone to be on the web!

Okay, yeah, this is a half-advertisement post, but as a writer aren't all of my blogs advertising anyway?

Shoot me an email if you like what you see and want a quote. Maybe I can help!

Now I know why I do it...

I just finished reading Shadowfever by KMM. If you know her, you know her, if you don't, doesn't really matter. Her last book of this series helped me today and I'll tell you why.

I know that my story ideas tend to come in epic formats. When I decided to take the character I created for a role playing game and give her a story, it turned into 300k words. Yep. That's how long it took to tell Tiva's story and I skimmed over her childhood big time. It was completely finished before I decided to send it out for submissions. Sure, I made changes along the way. Went back to the beginning when I was in the middle or near the end because something happened and I needed to connect it. Nothing major, but still, without finishing the last book I could have never made the changes to the first.

When Lucky came into my life she originally wanted seven books. Lucky Seven. Get it? Well, she's nuts. I had a shallow outlined for five but just couldn't make the plot stretch out that long without annoying myself, so I knew readers would hate it too. But the same thing happened. After spending so much time with Lucky and Kenji, they became very complex and some of it needed to be addressed earlier. By the time book three was finished, I noticed gaps. Missing information, too much information, repeats and complete messes that needed to be fixed. I fixed them, but again, only after finishing the last book because that's when I had ALL the information I needed to tell their story.

Shadowfever is book five in this particular series. I enjoyed it. It answered most of what I wanted to know about the characters, it had it's HEA ending everyone wanted, and it left me satisfied. The problem I saw was that the whole series could have been SO much better. In this last book she did so much telling and info dumping. So much of the MC's memories from the past, dreams, things she didn't realize, etc. were all spewed into the last book. Had that information been sprinkled throughout the entire series, the impact would have been a bigger payoff. SO BIG.

It makes me curious. Is she a plotter or a pantser? If she plotted it to happen this way, I guess that's how she wanted it, but some of it seemed forced. Shove down my throat so I can fully understand the end when I reach the end kinda information. If she pantser-erd her way through books, I totally understand.

Sometimes characters surprise you. You invest your time, energy, mind and heart into them to make them real and in a sense they do become real. They occupy you, haunt you, whisper to you when you're watching a TV show and tell you they can totally do that or want to do that or wish they could do that. They make you view the world as they do, for a time. Make you think like they do. They alter your reality and suck you in to their mind, their heart.

So if you're a pantser, and all this awesome information is revealed by your character at the END of the series...(something you SHOULD know all along) how do you--the author--make it work?

Me. I wait. Well, I've wait so far. All of my stories have been complete and completely worked through beginning all the way to end to make sure it works. We all know outlines can change. We all know characters don't always let you do what you need to do for the plot. But, it's time consuming writing three 100K books. It's worse when you finish that first one, want to submit it to get the ball rolling, but know you can't because you didn't finish the whole story.

But now I understand WHY I do it. I understand that my head works in an epic fashion, that my characters take on their own personalities and lives and don't always share the juicy bits with me in the beginning. Like any relationships, my characters need to trust me and tell me things when they're ready. However, as a writer, you sometimes have to give a little insight to keep the reader interested and invested in the character.

So what's the problem? Well, this new idea I have has epic written all over it. Super epic even. It's also the first time I've written a stand alone book with potential for a series. It will follow the more traditional series type in the romance world. Two different MC's for each book.

I have no idea where it will go. I have no clue what these characters want. But I know that they will all be connected, fluid, one large story centered around a small group of people. Three books are already doable with the characters I have fleshed out in the first, but the potential is outstanding.

I'm curious how series writers deal with this. What happens when something in book three or four has a connection to book one but you didn't write about it in book one? Something that is obvious or essential to the character, something we should already know. How do you tell the readers the news without it being forced or seemingly placed there just for continuity? I would love to hear thoughts on that.

I have a headache

I'm sure sitting at the computer will not help my headache, but I promised myself I'd get back into writing some blogs. So here I am.

It's been a while since I've done any type of writing update but most of you already know Lucky's Charm has been picked up by Wild Child Publishing! I noticed their open submission status on Duotrope (<--Authors you need to sign up for that) and submitted the very first day they opened for their reading period. Well, it worked! The submissions editor suggested a couple of changes to the beginning and wanted to make sure I knew how to edit and take direction, then POOF! I had a contract!

Would you believe, two days later another publisher wanted Lucky? When it rains it pours, eh? Well, the second publisher mentioned in their email that I could submit short stories before the book was published. I wrote back, explaining I already contacted out to another publisher but would love to submit a short story when I had one. She said to send it directly to her when and if I did! Sweet. So I wrote a story that's been in my head for a while.

The short came out great. I surprised myself to be honest. But like all of Jenn's ideas, this one blew up in my head! The characters want another story. Go figure. I'm working out the details for a sequel to the first short and trying to keep in short story format, though I think these characters want a book. We'll see.

I submitted my newest novel MIND: The Beginning to Harlequin after meeting an editor at my November LSFW's meeting. The editor told me there were too many genres mushed in for her to market it properly, but she loved the concept. Ah, back to those comments again. I heard that over and over with Lucky!

It probably isn't Harlequin material to be honest. They're not big on the Sci-Fi side of things just yet. I'm going to read through it and edit once more, then probably send it off to the agent I met at the meeting!

Tiva is still our with four publishers. No news just yet, but I've got my fingers crossed!

Are you writing? Submitting? Tell me! I'd like to know.

Book Cover!

Book Cover coming soon!

I'll be showing my book cover first to my wonderful friends who signed up for my newsletter. I know, I know, a catch, I'm horrible! But I have to entice you to somehow. Please sign up on the blog or just follow the blog and you'll be included! http://jennnixon.blogspot.com/

Blog Tour Over....For now!

Thanks to everyone who participated in my blog tour! It was a success! I've had contact with other authors who want to do another tour so stay tuned for more blog tour news!!

Blog Tour Day Nine! Interview with Rick Silva

1. As an editor and publisher, do you think the ever changing publishing industry has helped or hurt small press publishers?

Would it be too much of a cliche to fall back on Dickens' famous line "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"? Right now technology has made it possible for anyone to be a publisher. The startup costs are pretty much as low as you could want them to be. I pay for small print runs on my comics at a reasonable price to sell them profitably, and the print-on-demand technology allows me to scale back print runs if I don't have the money available to fund the business. And I could operate for even less if I went to a strictly e-publishing model. Prose publishers will incur even lower costs than comic publishers because they have less graphic design and artwork expenses.

That being said, the competition has never been tougher. When everyone can be a small press publisher, then everyone is a potential competitor. And all of those publishers are competing for their reader's time with an array of literature, comics, and other entertainment available for free on the internet. Large publishers are cutting back and taking chances on fewer new authors, which means that there are fewer book contracts available that actually pay an advance. Bookstores are in trouble, threatening the distribution network that still drives a large percentage of sales.

All of this makes for an environment where it is easier to publish or get published, but considerably harder to make a living doing so. Although this can be discouraging, I do like the fact that degree success is much more in the hands of the individual creator. The opportunities to reach a large audience are still out there, and the individual can take actions that will directly affect his or her exposure to those audiences. Marketing is much more creator-driven, but that means that the creator has more control over their own message.

2. Tell us how you got started writing, who inspires you, and what to you plan to write in the future?

I've been writing since high school. I get my inspiration from all over the place: Fiction and nonfiction of many genres, classics, comics, old movies, nonfiction and history, and gaming. My future plans for comics are mostly focused on finishing the series that I have started. Perils of Picorna and Stone are both limited series with definite endings plotted out. Kaeli & Rebecca is more open-ended, although there is still a specific eventual plot direction. Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire has one more issue scripted. I take a different approach to Minions because I consider comedy to be a very different kind of writing. I don't want to continue the series if I don't feel like I can continue to write enough jokes to make it work. So I'm leaving open the possibility of doing more Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire if I feel inspired to write enough funny material.

As for prose, I have half of a novel written (a zombie western!) that I might go back to. I've also got some short story ideas. I just finished up my run at www.edgeofpropinquity.net, which frees up some writing time and creative energy now that I'm no longer responsible for a serial fiction installment every month. I've never really made a serious effort at getting my name out in the short fiction market. In fact, I have only picked up a couple of rejection letters. It might be time for me to start working on paying my dues submitting short stories.

3. Writing is considered a solitary art, several of your past projects had co-writers, how different was it writing with a partner, did you enjoy it and what did you learn from writing with others?

Collaboration is tricky, but very satisfying. I've enjoyed all of the collaborations that I've worked on, but I've learned that it's necessary to take different approaches depending on the collaborative partner. When I collaborate with my wife, Gynn Stella, on Zephyr & Reginald: Minions for Hire, we tend to talk through plot and then I go off on my own and write a script, which she then looks over and suggests changes to. With Amy Kaczmarowski, my Perils of Picorna co-author, we've got a very good "vibe" for working together directly. We write our scripts on AIM, usually with a fair number of brainstorming sessions before we get to the actual scripting. We have very similar tastes in plot and characters, so we tend to work well together. Amy likes the world-building a bit more than I do, and I have a bit more affinity for fight and action scenes.

One of the biggest advantages I see to collaborative writing is that it's a great way to fight through writers block. When one partner is stuck, the other partner almost always has an idea.



Rick Silva has been involved in small press publishing since his college days. He published and edited Kinships Magazine. Along with his wife Gynn, Rick is a partner in Dandelion Studios. He publishes his own print zine, Caravan, and he is one of the featured contributors for the fiction webzine The Edge of Propinquity. Rick Silva grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, attended Cornell University, and currently teaches chemistry at a high school on Cape Cod, where he resides with his wife, their son, and three cats. My comics are available at www.dandelionstudios.com My serial fiction can be found at www.edgeofpropinquity.net My short story "Roadkill" appears in the anthology Close Encounters of the Urban Kind published by Apex Books

Blog Tour Day Eight! Interview with Chris Redding.

You’ve recently changed gears from writing suspense and mystery to a romantic comedy. How did the change come about and what challenges did you face in the new genre that you weren’t expecting?

It wasn't so much a change of gears. A View to a Kilt is still a romantic suspense, it just incorporates more humor than I've put into books in the past. I've tried writing romantic comedy, but there is always a dead body, so you go with what your strengths are. I knew this book was not for traditional publishing. I find smaller presses and e-publishers are more open to different types of stuff.

Your feature authors on your own blog: http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com/, what have you learned from networking with other authors and how has it benefited you and your writing?

I've learned that there are a lot of amazing and energetic writers out there. The advantage of hosting authors? I have many places to guest when I am doing a blog tour and now that I have a Kindle, I have a dearth of authors' work I can fill it up with.

Tell us more about your latest release and how you came up with the idea.

My latest is Incendiary. Years ago a friend had an idea for a story. Whenever there is a suspected arson, a police photographer will take pictures of the crowd. Then if there is more than one arson and the same face is seen in the pics over and over, they can be a suspect. My friend's twist was that the arsonist be the photographer. I took it one step further and made it someone who had even more knowledge about fire investigation. A firefighter.

I'd like to thank Jenn for letting me guest host on her blog today!

Chris Redding lives in New Jersey with her husband, kids and various animals. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in Journalism. When she isn't writing, she works part time for her local hospital.

Blog Tour Day Seven! Interview with Joanna Aislinn

Describe for us what a sweet romance novel entails: Direct from The Wild Rose Press, a sweet romance “will make a reader sigh, cry, and everything in between. The relationship between the hero and heroine is the centerpiece of the story. This is the type of romance that we consider…old-fashioned.” Emotions drive the story. Sexual tension can—and I would imagine should—exist between the couple but there are no explicit love scenes, or shall I say, no peeking into the bedroom for this pair.

How I came to start writing them: No Matter Why actually developed out of flashbacks in what would have been a three-part series. It was intended as a prequel to showcase the hero and heroine’s early days. Since both characters were very young (approximately 22 and 26)—and the hero being of a strong Christian bent—going the sweet route was appropriate. I also think I was way too shy about writing a more sensually descriptive scene. (I’ve since gotten over that, lol.)

Do you see yourself writing other genres in the future and what challenges do you think you’ll face? No Matter Why was written for adults, but is easily appreciated by (and appropriate for) a teenage crowd—a ‘safe’ work to add to a school’s library. The sequel’s content, though still primarily emotion-driven, definitely has a more mature audience in mind. (Took me a while to get that first love scene written. The second came a little more easily—and now I keep ramping them up, keeping them more sensual-spicy than anything else.)

I consider myself a pantster, but now that I think about it, I knew where both No Matter Why and its sequel (tentatively and so very originally titled No Matter What) were headed before I started them. Another book in this series is slated to have more elements of suspense and is still being fleshed out. Writing suspense is all new; it’s forcing me to realize how important outlining is. The ideas are coming in bits, pieces and the occasional flash-vision, so I just started a running list of the ideas as they come. Eventually, I’ll figure out how many of them will work as scenes.

As a working mother and writer, how do you find time to write, where do you do most of your writing, and do you write every day? As a mom of two boys (now ages 14 and 12), a wife and four-day-a-week job holder who gets to bring lots of her work home this has become a real challenge. When all I had to worry about was writing and revising a single story, I did so much better, especially the writing every day part! Promo is a major challenge. I’ll come clean here and say I’m not doing anywhere near enough of it; I can’t manage keeping my own blog consistent. Promo is not just hosting a blog and/or making blog visits. It’s creating and booking live appearances, buying vendor space, putting together workshops and finding creative ways to sell those books. It’s a career unto itself, a time-consuming, frustrating one when time is as crunched as it is in my world these days. (My curls off to those of you who can work this in along with everything else you do! Haven’t figured out the organizing magic yet.)

As per where I write, any place that’s visually peaceful and distraction-free works. Sometimes it’s my kitchen. As I write this I’m on my sofa in the living room opposite the Christmas tree. I would love a secluded space. The closest I have is my enclosed front porch (for which I definitely need a space heater) and a screened-in second floor porch at my cottage in the woods where I look into the branches of the surrounding trees every time I take my gaze from the computer screen. (Unfortunately, it’s only available to us from April-October). Interesting though, the places one can scare out to write. My laptop usually travels with me to places as simple as the skate park; the boys jump the ramps while I sit in the car and tap away. The best time to write? Early in the AM when the men of my house are asleep, on weekends and any time school isn’t in session for extended periods of time!

Thanks so much to you and your readers, Jenn, for allowing me this opportunity. I can’t communicate enough how those of you who take the time to read an author’s work (be it book, blog or other pieces) humble and inspire me to keep going; to persevere and to believe in that next work that doesn’t seem to want to take shape; to write that next blog post and stay in touch with all of you when the rest of life shouts for my full attention instead.

Blurb: Trust and stability became empty words the day motherless, sixteen-year-old Carrie Norwell came home to find her brothers murdered. Within moments, her father arrived and his heart gave out at the scene. Five years later, is it any wonder the walls with which she’s barricaded her heart are virtually impenetrable to anyone looking to get close and offer what she wants more than anything? The security only a loving family can give? Or someone with whom to build her own? Confident and charismatic Billy Jay Eldridge believes Carrie is the right girl but is clueless his noble career aspirations will be the biggest obstacle to getting her to accept what she wants and needs most. Is the love he’s offering enough to break through Carrie’s mile-high barriers?

So who is Joanna Aislinn?

I am a wife, mother, day-job holder, fan of tennis (and recently football—Go Giants, Colts and Cowboys!) as well as an avid reader. My writing roots stretch back to my early teenage days. My debut novel, No Matter Why, hit the virtual shelves on January 15, 2010. At present, I’m fine-tuning its sequel, developing a third story in the series and working on some more free reads (for posting when the time is right J; there are, however, quite a few already at my blog). When I’m not writing reports for work I’m still learning about promo, building my web presence and looking for ways to connect with the readers out there. I’m also very excited to have added my name to the pages of Amazon Connect’s Author Central! (The page is currently under construction, so check in again soon!)

For those who’d like to know more, find me at my website, blog and Facebook. (One request re: Facebook: if sending a friend-request please let me know of your association with Jenn, that way I know who you are!)

Again I thank all of you and look forward to Jenn’s upcoming visit in my little corner of cyberspace. May your days be blessed!

Blog Tour Day Six! Featuring THE UNEXPECTED SON by Shoban Bantwal

THE UNEXPECTED SON:

What happens when a woman who's realized her dreams wakes up one morning to a shocking truth? Vinita Patil opens a mysterious letter from India that instantly turns her comfortable life upside down. It tells her an impossible story: she has a grown son in India, a child she was told was stillborn 30 years ago. Now his life may depend on her...

You can purchase Unexpected Son online:

Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/yzq3hc6

Barnes & Noble - http://tinyurl.com/yfje96j

Independent Booksellers: http://www.indiebound.org/

Shobhan Bantwal calls her writing "Bollywood in a Book," commercial fiction about India, women’s issues & socio-political topics, with romantic & cultural elements. Her articles and stories have appeared in The Writer, Romantic Times, India Abroad, Little India, New Woman, and India Currents. Her short fiction has won honors/awards in contests by Writer's Digest, New York Stories and New Woman magazines. Her debut book, THE DOWRY BRIDE, won the 2008 Golden Leaf Award.

Visit her website: www.shobhanbantwal.com

or her Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ShobhanBantwal.author

Blog Tour Day Five! Interview with Cherie Reich.

1. Tell us about your earlier writings and success in short stories. How did you get started and what did you learn that helped you write full length novels?

I feel like I started writing rather late. In 1999, I began roleplaying online. First, I wrote for characters from Phantom of the Opera and created my own characters into that world. Then, I became obsessed with Harry Potter and that wonderful magical world created by JK Rowling. I dabbled in writing Harry Potter fan fiction, as well, but I didn't write my first original story until 2005. "Soul Survivor" was inspired by Poe's "M.S. in a Bottle." I wrote that story, let a few friends read it, and then did nothing with it until 2009. In 2006, I wrote "The Case of the Tom Cat." It involved Sherlock Holmes and was written from Watson's point of view. I let a few friends read it, and then my friend Christine encouraged me to try to publish it. In 2009, I sent it to a publisher, and they accepted it as long as I changed the characters, since Sherlock Holmes was still copyrighted. Oops. I made the changes, and it was briefly published until the company fell under. Yeah, I had one of those experiences. It didn't stop me from writing and fueled my interest to continue. Since 2009, I've written nine published short stories, nine stories for Raven and the Writing Desk blog, and eleven short stories still looking for homes, and I'm currently working on two short stories this month that I plan to submit to anthologies.

With all those short stories, you have to feel like you've learned something in the process, and I have. Short stories are great to learn how to write when you write novels. Each chapter in a novel is a short story in a way. It needs characters, setting, plot, and conflict. Even if it is a cliffhanger chapter, it should offer a sense of some resolution. The characters grew in some small or major way through each chapter, just like in a short story. Unlike a novel, in short stories you have a tiny space to let people know your characters and put them in various situations. Short stories help a writer concise their words, leave out unnecessary back story, and focus on the task at hand.

I started my first novel in January 2009 before I wrote my third short story in May 2009. I've learned so much since the beginning, and I know when I go back to revise/edit that novel, I will have short stories to thank for teaching me about writing.

2. As a freelance proofreader, has this helped you hone your own writing skills and what advice would you give to someone who wants to proofread or edit in the future?

I haven't been a freelance proofreader for long, but it does help hone in my own writing skills. When you are proofreading someone else's manuscript, you pay attention not only to grammar and spelling, but also to the way words sound. Sometimes I have to read a sentence several times to get what the author is trying to say. If the sentence isn't working for me, then I have to figure out a way to make it work. I'm more conscious of how I use words to make things clear. I try not to have my participial phrases dangling with the wrong word. I've gotten rid of even more dialogue tags because when you read them a lot in someone else's manuscript, you realize how unnecessary they are. There are little, nitpicky things that you sometimes don't realize in your own work but come forth when you are carefully proofreading another's work. And, most of all, I try to think, "What can I do to make this manuscript better?" In the end, that's the main part of being a proofreader or editor.

For those who are considering becoming a proofreader or editor, I do have some advice. For one, learn grammar and spelling. It sounds simple, but it isn't. In high school, I took an advanced grammar course. I recently bought the Chicago Manual of Style, 16^th Edition to help with some things I still don't know or completely understand. Learning another language can help your grammar more than anything. You learn what verbs, nouns, adverbs, adjectives, etc. are, and you would be amazed at how many people can't pick those things out of a sentence. I've studied five languages while in high school and college (Spanish, French, German, Latin, and Ancient Greek), and I have to say a lot of what I know of English grammar comes from them. Read, read, and read some more! Find critique partners. You learn and find more in another person's work than you own most often. Join a writing group. I'm part of Valley Writers, a chapter of the Virginia Writers Club. We meet twice a month, and we critique each other's work. You learn so much while finding out what other people think of a story. And, of course, write and get your own work critiqued or edited. You learn so much about your own faults when you have a good editor, and it makes you aware of those same faults in other people's writing, so you can help fix it.

3. Who are your favorite authors and why do they inspire you?

What a wonderful question, Jenn! Let's see….

Michael Crichton – He taught me the value of research. You need to know everything you can about what you are writing, but you don't have to put everything you know into the novel. If you know, though, it'll come across to the readers, and they'll keep reading.

Stephen King – He taught me about horror and mystery and that aliens control everything we do. Oh, wait, that last one might not be right. *grins* I enjoy writing horror, and he is the master of it. I've learned about characters from him too. Scary things happen, but if you are scared for the character involved, then it makes it all so much more terrifying.

Aubrie Dionne – She's actually one of my friends and critique partners. She has taught me so much of the beauty of words.

Lisa Rusczyk – She is one of my friends, too, and critique partners. She has such a distinctive voice, and she has a way to say a lot about a character with saying so little.

JK Rowling – What hasn't she taught all of us? She inspires me to want to create magical worlds (even if they may be a bit more toward the Muggle side).

Christine Rains – She is also a friend and a critique partner. I wouldn't be writing without her believing I had some talent. She helps me see the big picture in what I write and how to fix it if it isn't working.

Cherie Reich is a writer, freelance proofreader, and library assistant. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies, and her e-book Once Upon a December Nightmare was published in August 2010 by Wild Child Publishing. She is a member of the Virginia Writers Club and Valley Writers. She was the third place winner in Roanoke Valley's BIG READ writing contest. When she isn't writing short stories, flash fiction, and blogging, she's working on her three work-in-progress novels.

Once Upon a December Nightmare by Cherie Reich

Book Cover Art by Valerie Tibbs

They were only going out to dinner and a movie.

But when their plans go astray, friends Cassie, Mary, Denise, and James decide to take a detour down a lonely mountain road. A felled tree blocks their passage and forces them to turn around in a clearing containing a disturbing arrangement of four deer carcasses.

But when their truck breaks down, and their cell phones don't work, they must brave the cold December air, nightfall, and a long hike. Yet this is the least of their troubles. Tension runs high between the four young friends…and they are not alone. Each step brings them closer to safety, but will they make it to the main road alive?

You can find Cherie online:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/cherie.reich

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/bookworm0753

Blog: http://cheriereich.blogspot.com

Website: http://cheriereich.webs.com

Raven and the Writing Desk blog: http://aubcherlis.blogspot.com

Book Reviews blog: http://surroundedbybooksreviews.blogspot.com

Blog Tour Day Four! Interview with Leigh Ellwood.

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Blog Tour Day Three! Interview with Jeffrey Barbieri

1Q. What do you currently write, why do you love it, and what are you looking forward to writing in the future?

1A.The world around us is full of real- life stories that can provide a basis for successful fiction.

There are stories that grip you and some that linger with you for a while. My latest book "Viola - Field Of Flowers" is one of those books I felt compelled to write. Based on real events, it allowed me the freedom to create and express all levels of emotions for each of the characters.

I enjoy finding creative ways in story telling in order to set an emotional stage. If I get the reader to feel for a particular character, whether through laughter or tears, then I have done my job.

I am currently moving in the mystery and romance genre. I've written short romance stories and believe in time that I can develop my skills in order to hopefully release a book in this genre.

2Q. As a member of a new writer’s group, Liberty States Fiction Writers, what have you taken away from the members and why do you think aspiring writers should join groups?

2A. For me, I have found Liberty State Fiction Writers to be a wealth of knowledge.

LSFW concept is to educate and support all fiction writers. So LSFW has given me the opportunity to attend classes in helping me in my craft as well as attend conferences where I can network and attend valuable workshops. If you’re interested in gaining knowledge in the publishing business this is certainly the place to do it. There is support for all fiction writers here.

3Q. Where do you find your motivation and inspiration to continue writing?

3A. My motivation comes from a simple desire to express and create. Words often shape our lives, emotions and thoughts. If I can stir and trigger a response within a reader, then I have done my job.

Jeffrey Barbieri was born in Dover, NJ. As a young teenager he fell in love with music and through music he discovered the power of words.

Experiencing life between NJ and PR became the product of his first book - Lets Find You - that shares this adventure.

After enlisting in the Army from 1985 – 1993 he attended Chubb Institute. He is a member of the Liberty State Fiction Writers Association and the American Legion.

He currently lives between NJ and PR and is an active member of two charity organizations: Save-a-Gato in Puerto Rico and Paper Houses Across The Border, Acuña, México.

Jeffrey is a musician and plays the guitar, piano and drums. He enjoys song writing and creating emotions through music. He has taught Sign Language for more than 13 years and enjoys meeting others who share the passion of changing lives through words.

Viola – Field Of Flowers:

In the heart of Savannah, Ga. Two girls come together to form the unlikeliest of friendships.

Separated by the color of their skin, Viola and Ruth tell a story of truth, love, and the power of family.

Walk with them as they find each other in "Field Of Flowers."

You can find Jeff online: www.JeffreyDBarbieri.com

Blog Tour Day Two! Featuring ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY GLUE GUN by Lois Winston.

Lois Winston is both an award-winning author and award-winning designer. Her latest release, Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, the first book in her Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries series (available now online at Amazon and B&N, in stores Jan. 8th), received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Booklist. PW said, “Crafty cozies don't get any better than this hilarious confection,” and Booklist stated, “Winston has hit a home run with this hilarious, laugh-until-your-sides-hurt tale. Oddball characters, uproariously funny situations, and a heroine with a strong sense of irony will delight fans of Janet Evanovich….” Kirkus Reviews called it, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum. Funny, gutsy and determined, Anastasia has a bright future in the planned series.”

When magazine craft editor Anastasia Pollack's husband permanently cashes in his chips at a roulette table in Las Vegas, her comfortable middle-class life craps out. Suddenly, she’s juggling two teenage sons, a mountain of debt, a communist mother-in-law, AND her dead husband’s loan shark. And that’s before she becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a coworker she discovers hot glued to her office chair. Anastasia now must add reluctant amateur sleuth to her job description in order to clear her name.

As if Anastasia weren’t busy enough, she and her fellow editors blog at Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers. You can find it at http://www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com/. Mondays through Thursdays one of the magazine’s “editors” blogs about her area of expertise -- crafts, recipes, decorating tips, fashion, etc. On Fridays the blog hosts guest authors, many of whom give away copies of their books.

In celebration of the release of Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, Lois is doing a blog tour throughout January. You can find the schedule on her website, http://www.loiswinston.com, and at Anastasia’s blog, http://www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com. Everyone who posts a comment to any of the blogs over the course of the month will be entered into a drawing to receive one of 5 copies of Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun. (If your email isn’t included in your comment, email Lois privately at lois@loiswinston.com to let her know you’ve entered.)

Blog Tour Day One! Featuring FINDER by Carlene Rae Dater

All her life, Carol Reston has wanted to be a published author. She's looking for a dynamite idea for a novel that will sell when her husband David suggests she look into a series of women missing from their small town of Oakdale, a suburb of San Diego. Carol decides to investigate the disappearances and write a fictionalized account. David takes their overweight dog, Chauncy, for a walk but soon blasts through the front door telling Carol he found dead body. Her response? Cool! That might just work. But David's not kidding.

Carol is both horrified and fascinated by the thought of a dead body, and as a lover of mysteries, she's thrilled to be so close to the police action. Whose body is it, and more importantly, what did she die of? The police aren't talking. Meanwhile, Carol sets out to follow clues determined to track down the missing women. She becomes so involved with her search she doesn't realize her husband is acting strangely until it's almost too late. Could David be having an affair? What about her best friend, Elizabeth? Is she one of the missing women? Will Carol figure out the mystery before it's too late?

With the help of her thrice-divorced, martini-drinking, Jaguar-driving, world-traveling Aunt Sissy Montgomery, Carol locates all the women and discovers the identity of the body. In the end, Carol has a book contract, Chauncy has a new playmate, David has his dream job and Sissy has found a new calling. She’s a Finder

FINDER is a humorous mystery with a little romance mixed in for fun, now available through Wild Child Publishing

Carlene Rae Dater began her writing career as a journalist writing hard news, feature articles and humorous essays. You can find her online:

www.Facebook.com/CarleneraeDater

www.carlenedater.com

www.themysterystartshere.com

www.Manicreaders.com/CarleneRaeDater