Q&A Thursday - Interview with M. Flagg

Today's blogger is M. Flagg. Ms. Flagg was in my first ever critique group and boy did we have a blast. Sadly the group faded out due to travel issues, but we've been buddies ever since!

Enjoy & Comment!

Why did you start writing and when did you decide to go professional?

My trip into writing is somewhat interesting. I had just finished a second masters in educational leadership which required multiple weekly journals, a two-year action research project/thesis, and weekend classes—while teaching full time and going through a very difficult divorce. After graduation, I was mentally drained. One could say I didn’t have the brain cells left to analyze another 100 page reading assignment ever again!

To be honest, I fell into a depression. I think my family’s concern for me started to spin out of control. Then my son said, “Why don’t you write a story?” Okay. Nothing at all resembling reality sounded tempting. After we kicked around some ideas, I replied like an excited nut job, “I know! I’ll redeem a vampire.”

And that was that. I thought, write ten pages and get it out of your system. But the idea turned into my debut novel, Retribution! Not knowing about RWA, NJRW, or that any such writers group existed, I simply wrote from my heart and then struggled through the edit process. Three novels later, paying more attention to POV and sentence structure, my third novel will be released in 2011. I still feel totally blessed that my son cared enough to want to see me happy (and sane) again. In short, writing my vampire’s drama became a healing experience for this author.

Do you write in more than one genre? Which ones and which do you like the best?

Besides Paranormal? Is there anything else!? But yes. I’ve published a sweet romance short called Hollow Hearts. It’s a free read at Long and Short Reviews and it can be accessed on my website. Someday, I hope to turn it into a full-length novel because I really enjoyed creating Agatha and Darby. But right now, I’ve started a YA fantasy. Well that answer was all over the place, right?

As for which I like best, anything paranormal is such fun to write. The world an author creates can mimic reality or stray as far as any inter-dimensional portal can take you. Although many genres roll around in my head, somehow paranormal is where I end up. Sorry, too much info, right?

However, I like to read various genres. Except horror. Really. The very vivid imagination keeps me up at night and at my age, I need the sleep.

Do you read other author’s books when you’re writing? If so, do you read the same genre or something different?

No. I can’t read another author’s work while I’m writing. The last thing I need is someone else’s voice in my head! And absolutely never read a paranormal while writing one. I’ll tackle small things like articles about writing or I’ll visit a few fabulous blogs (like yours), but never a book or short story during the creation process. The only ‘other reading’ I can handle is the newspaper. And sometimes, what’s in it is scarier than a vampire.

Also, when writing I won’t listen to music. I know some writers can and often find inspiration in song lyrics and such. Being a musician, I hear music differently than someone who doesn't know what a Cmsus9 is. It’s like dancing and painting a portrait simultaneously. Total silence reigns when my fingers are flying over the laptop keyboard J

So now, The Champion Chronicles Trilogy is finished and His Soul to Keep has a July 2011 release date. I can relax and listen to my favorite recording artists again.

Author's Biography: Named a Distinguished Music Educator by Yale University in 2009, M. Flagg is currently a school administrator. Blessings in her life are many, and she’s eternally grateful for her supportive children, RM and Kara, and a loving circle of family and friends.

Book Info:

The Champion Chronicles: Retribution! Consequences… His Soul to Keep

Romantic Times Book Reviews (September 2010)4 stars for Consequences… Compelling – A page turner. “Book Two of the Champion Chronicles is a really wild ride. This is a story about a different sort of vampire. Very enjoyable!”

Retribution! Review: “Intricate and epic… Flagg’s writing style varies from exquisite word choice and imagery in many descriptions to the simplistic in others situations. Fans of both urban fantasy and paranormal romance should find plenty to enjoy here.” Bitten by Books

His Soul to Keep (coming in July):

Destiny is rewritten for Michael Malone, a mystically enhanced vampire, with an outcome so unexpected that everyone in his world is stunned—Michael most of all. Suddenly mortal, he faces challenges unlike any he has ever experienced.

Alana, his Guardian and soul mate, questions how the evil that lived within Michael was vanquished. Lukas, his human son, doesn’t trust his father’s heartbeat, and Michael himself has no answers.

The bonds of their love will face the greatest test of all when the ancient demon anchored within Michael for 317 years is discovered alive within an innocent human. Can Michael, Alana, and Lukas destroy the evil unleashed in order to give Michael his soul to keep?

You can find M. Flagg online:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/M-Flagg/132093746689

Website: www.mflagg-author.com

Blog: http://paranormalpassion.blogspot.com

Teaser Tuesday! Featuring Elle Beauregard

Shift


When Leah’s inability to control her new-found skill nearly sends her into a full blown shifter-tantrum in front of the entire high school, even she has to admit that the last week of school is no place for a new shape-shifter. 

Keeping her new, unpredictable shape-shifting skills a secret is paramount, so Leah agrees to spend her summer vacation with her eccentric Aunt Cecelia, a fellow shifter who lives in the deserts outside Tubac, Arizona. Begrudgingly at first, Leah learns what it means to be a shifter, discovering that, in nature, her kind is not as rare as she first thought. While coming to terms with her new identity and learning to control her skills, she meets the son of her Aunt Cecelia’s life-long friends. But Drake King is different from other boys, and not just because he is a shifter. When cornered by a pack of wild dogs one night in the unfamiliar desert, Drake reveals an additional, extraordinary gift that saves Leah’s life.
Amidst rumors of rogue shifters who have broken their oath and revealed themselves to the public—threatening the tenuous new life Leah has just begun to love—she and Drake embark upon a journey that will redefine them as individuals and forever solidify them as a pair.


Excerpt:
“Follow me,” Cecelia said when I came out of the nothingness of the shift.

I stood and followed her toward the bathroom.

She turned back to me, a little tense.  “Close your eyes.”

I did as she asked.  She took my hand and guided me until my fingers found the counter’s edge.  Was she about to let me see myself in the mirror?  I was so excited to see what I looked like with this amazing, fair skin and red hair!

“Okay.”

I opened my eyes to see someone else standing in the mirror. She wasn’t me at all.  There wasn’t any of me left.  Nothing. It wasn’t me, with red hair and fair, freckled skin.  It was the girl from the advertisement, as if she’d come alive and crawled out of the magazine.

Before I knew what was happening, I started to cry, my breath catching in my chest.  But I couldn’t look away.  I didn’t quite believe that was my reflection.  I didn’t believe that the person looking back at me was me at all.  It had to be some kind of trick.

The edges of my vision grew dark and suddenly the floor felt like it was moving.  I blinked, squeezing my eyes shut, my fingers tightening around the edge of the counter.  When I opened my eyes again, the darkness had encroached further, but still I couldn’t look away.  The only way I knew that girl was me was by the fat, wet tear that I could feel rolling down my cheek and see running down hers.

“Leah?” Cecelia’s voice was tense and firm.

My head was light and the floor continued to roll.  I felt my knees give out.

Social media & Web links:

SHIFT: www.smashwords.com/books/view/53300

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/ellebeauregard

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ellebeauregard.writer

Twitter: @ellebeauregard 

Fun Friday! Summer Shows

Mom recently started reading the Sookie Stackhouse books and finally started watching the show. And she suggested I talk about it for my fun blog today. So, I figured why not talk about all my favorite summer shows? 


Yes, we all know Jenn watches too much TV, but with the DVR it cuts my time down by half, at least.


I don't always watch TV for hot guys and kick ass girls, I am actually a character person. I love great characters. I will even watch a semi-bad show if I love one/some of the characters.


Aside from my regular History Channel documentaries, my favorites for this summer are:


So You Think You Can Dance: I know! Not really characters, but real people. I love dance. I love Nigel & Mary & Mia & Nappy-Tab & Adam & Cat & well, you get it. It's SO much better than DWTS for several reasons. #1 More & Different Dances #2 These kids WANT IT BAD! #3 It's a real competition not just popularity #4 They are already dancers.


Drop Dead Diva: The premise seems a bit out there...Skinny model chick dies, goes to heaven and her soul comes back into a plus sized smart-ass lawyer. But it works! What I love about this show is that she's not a size 2, the cases are honest and real, the characters are solid, and they have musical numbers! What can be better?


Rizzoli & Isles: I mentioned this show in an earlier blog post about Angie Harmon. Again, with this show, it's about the characters. I think it founds it's footing half-way through last season, and I'm looking forward to seeing more Bruce McGill!

Covert Affairs: I started watching this one because I like Peter Gallagher and that chick from Invasion, and Mohinder from Heroes. The other support characters are great too. I love Augie!! I'm a huge fan of FBI, CIA type shows, this one is fun and entertaining!




And of course True Blood. Seriously, what's not to like about this show? Okay, if you hate vampires, I guess that would be a good reason, but Alan Ball is a fantastic character writer and has turned these books into an amazing TV show. Yes, there are hot guys: Eric, Lafyette, & Alcide, lots of steamy sex, tons of blood and of course fairies! Still, it's all about the interactions and relationships between the characters that keeps me invested. Without good writing and detailed characters, it would just be another sex/blood show, but not True Blood.


How about you? What do you watch during the summer?

Q&A Thursday - Interview with Linda Parisi

Today's guest is Linda Parisi, a friend I met at an NJRWA meeting. We were both pre-published back then, but she beat me to the punch and put out her book first!!

Thanks for joining us today, Linda!

Enjoy & Comment!

What is the worst thing you’ve written, how did you learn or know it was bad, and what did you learn from it?

Wow, tough one. I'm a slow learner. I think it took 3 full manuscripts that are in the drawer for me to learn some of the right things to do. Over the years I've learned that we always write some bad stuff. I still get 'the email' or the 'look' that says 'you know better than that'. Of course I do. But maybe I was being lazy, maybe I didn't know exactly what I wanted to say, but I know, now, to forgive myself for it and just fix it instead of being crushed. I think the best teacher for me was writing book after book after book.


Why did you start writing and when did you decide to go professional?

I've been writing since I was a kid. I've always loved writing and reading. Despite my BS degree, I graduated college with 24 credits of English. I decided to write for publication in 1993. I learned h

ow to be professional as I learned how to improve my writing skills--through writing organizations, workshops, contests, and conferences.


Do you write in more than one genre? Which ones and which do you like the best? My favorite genre is Paranormal, my second Romantic Suspense. And I love combining the two. With Paranormals, I get to build my own world and make my own rules. With Romantic Suspense, I get to use my scientific 'who done it' background. Troubleshooting a problem in science is much like working your way through a suspense, you think you know the ending but you really don't. And you have to work your way to the solution following logical steps for both.


Do you read other author’s books when you’re writing? If so, do you read the same genre or something different?

I don't have a lot of time. However, I will always make time for a fellow Liberty States Fiction Writers member's book. It may take a while but I do try to read them all. As for favorite authors, well, I have many but Caridad Piñeiro and Sherrilyn Kenyon are at the top of the list.
What is the most difficult part of the entire writing process for you? Queries, pitches, editing..etc.

Editing. I'm not good at it, which is probably why it took me so long to get published. But over the years I've learned how to step back and really look at my work, something that is extremely hard to do.


If you could have the same type of career as any author currently publishing who would it be and why? Umm, Sherrilyn, of course. Because she makes lots of money writing books I wish I could write. But I'm getting there. :))

Author's Bio: Linda J. Parisi found her calling when as a scientist, she discovered romance. Her idea of the perfect hero is a cross between Frank Langella’s Dracula and his Zorro; tall, dark, handsome, and untamable. Her heroines will never give up or give in, so the sparks continue to fly through her books until her characters reach their happy ending. The road might not be easy but the fun is in the travel. She’s been a member of New Jersey Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America since 1993 and is now a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers. During the day she’s a research scientist and project manager for a diagnostic technologies company. But at night? At night, she gets to play with vampires.

You can visit Linda online: www.lindajparisi.com

Teaser Tuesday Featuring Paty Jager

Spirit of the Mountain - Available Now

Wren, the daughter of a Nimiipuu chief, has been fated to save her people ever since her vision quest. When a warrior from the enemy Blackleg tribe asks for her hand in marriage to bring peace between the tribes, her world is torn apart.

Himiin is the spirit of the mountain, custodian to all creatures including the Nimiipuu. As a white wolf he listens to Wren’s secret fears and loses his heart to the mortal maiden. Respecting her people’s beliefs, he cannot prevent her leaving the mountain with the Blackleg warrior.

When an evil spirit threatens Wren’s life, Himiin must leave the mountain to save her. But to leave the mountain means he’ll turn to smoke…


Excerpt: Wren’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “My gift is to save The People. The weyekin who came to me in my vision quest said this.” She wrapped her arms around herself as if staving off a cold breeze.


Himiin hated that they argued when they should relish their time together. He moved to her, drawing her against his chest, embracing her. The shape of her body molded to his. Her curves pressed against him. Holding her this way flamed the need he’d tried to suppress.


He placed a hand under her chin, raising her face to his. The sorrow in her eyes tugged at his conscience. To make her leaving any harder was wrong. But having experienced her in his arms, he was grieved to let her go. Even for the sake of their people.


Her eyelids fluttered closed. Her pulse quickened under his fingers. Shrugging off the consequences, he lowered his lips to hers. They were softer than he imagined. Her breath hitched as he touched her intimately. Parting his lips, he touched her with his tongue, wanting to see if she tasted as sweet as she smelled.


Honey.


She tasted of sweet honey straight from the bosom of a bee tree. 

Paty Jager is a member of RWA, EPIC, and COWG. Wild Rose Press has published eight of her books with Spirit of the Lake to release in May 2011.  Perfectly Good Nanny, won the 2008 EPPIE for Best Contemporary Romance.  She edited for an e-publisher for four and a half years and teaches workshops at conferences, writers meetings, and online.

You can learn more about her at her blog; www.patyjager.blogspot.com  her website; http://www.patyjager.net or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/paty.jager and Twitter: @patyjag. 

Blog Tour Coming!

In anticipation of my upcoming Romantic Suspense novella release Wild & Wicked from Tease Publishing, I've set up a blog tour from May 3rd through May 13th. My release date is May 15th!!!

I'll be posting the links soon. I hope you'll pop around the internet and join me! 

May 15th From Tease Publishing!

Do you write this....

I didn't find many new open submissions this week, but a few to share. Remember to check out the submission guidelines and the publishers! I make no guarantees! Just sharing the info...

Drama Writers Academy 2010

The BBC Drama Writers Academy 2010 is now open for applications.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/drama_writers_academy.shtml

MuseItHOT Publishing
Deadline: August 1st, 2011
Payment: 40% royalty on ebooks sold via our bookstore and 40% minus discounts from third party vendors. Contract is for three years.

MuseItHOT Publishing is seeking romance erotica for our Short ‘N Spicey lineup for 2012. Stories can be anywhere between 3000 ­ 20,000 words. Please send your full ms with a short synopsis as attachments to sub.musepub@gmail.com with Short ‘N Spicey on the subject heading. Stories can be in any genre but must include a romantic theme. Can be F/M, F/F, M/M.

Call for Submissions: SHAPESHIFTERS!
Liquid Silver Books is always looking for great paranormal romances, especially shapeshifters.

Have a hero or heroine wolf, cat, bird, etc. who is looking for their mate or found them unexpectedly? Or a shifter who has lost their mate and reason for living? Maybe your shapeshifter is on the run? If you have a suitable story with a fantastic plot, we’d love to read it!

As always, we ask that the stories end with a HEA (Happily Ever After) or HFN (Happy For Now) but the key piece being plot-driven, dramatic, intriguing and hot and sexy romances.

This call is open to any heat level. All stories will be published as single titles.

Submission requirements:
 Full manuscript in Arial, 12pt saved as RTF.

 Length: 15k – 80K
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat Level:
Open to all our current heat levels – Sterling, Liquid and Molten. Please refer to our submission guidelines for further information.

Fun Friday Guilty Pleasure-Girl Crush #2

Since I'm always FBing or Twittering about hot guys, it's only fair I talk about hot girls, right? I have my fair share of girl crushes and picked a new one for today!

Angie Harmon

First of all, I LOVE her voice, deep and husky yet still feminine. Second, she's super pretty and funny and a kick ass tough girl! My favorite kind.

I first saw her in L&O (RIP, I still can't believe it's over...) and followed her to SVU and even watched that Woman's Murder Club show she was in for a second. (Hated the books!)

Now, she's found another great role in Rizzoli & Isles. She's the sarcastic tough tomboy detective who bounces off the Foo-Foo brainiac ME chick. Some may say she's type-cast as the cop chick, but if it works, go with it right? Another great thing about R&I is Bruce McGill. If you don't know who he is, shame on you. He's the new JT Walsh. If you don't know who JT Walsh is, BIGGER shame on you!

She also did the voice of Barbara Gordon in the Batman Beyond cartoon, which is a great use of her awesome voice!

I'm looking forward to the new season of Rizzoli & Isles. How about you? Have you seen it?

Q&A Thursday - Interview with Jae Lynne Davies

Q&A Week 3!!

Thanks for stopping by! Today's interview is with Jae Lynne Davies!

Enjoy & Comment!

Do you write in more than one genre? Which ones and which do you like the best?

Yes, I write both Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy. I don’t necessarily prefer one over the other, but I find I have the most fun, occasionally blending the two.

Do you read other author’s books when you’re writing? If so, do you read the same genre or something different?

I do read books when I’m writing. In fact, if I experience writer’s block during the process, I’ll often stop and lose myself in another author’s world to escape for a while.

What is the most difficult part of the entire writing process for you? Queries, pitches, editing..etc.

I wouldn’t call editing a challenge. Instead, I’d call it tedious and constant. Even after my novel was published, there were things I wished I could go back and change.

If you could have the same type of career as any author currently published who would it be and why?

After meeting one of my favorite authors, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and spending a good part of the day surrounded by her staff, I would love a similar outcome. She has such a genuinely positive energy and appears to have a blast with fans and anyone else she comes into contact with. I could only hope to achieve such success!

Author’s Biography: Jae Lynne Davies has been an avid fan of the paranormal since childhood, when her imagination developed in the form of written word. Shortly after the birth of her second child, she began to weave tales based on elaborate ideas, and before she knew it, she’d created worlds where the passion is hot, relationships are forbidden, and the constant struggle of power leaves readers feeling for the villain today, and the hero tomorrow.

When not playing in her fantasy world, Jae Lynne—a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, now residing in Southern New Jersey, is a wife to a wonderful and supportive husband, and a mother to two young children.

Book blurb: Centuries after the death of her family, human/vampire hybrid, Gianna Marino is determined to shed the blood of the vampire responsible.

Disguising herself as a human wanting to be turned, she infiltrates the enemy’s coven with the hope of bending him to her will and destroying him from the inside.

But when a handsome stranger enters the scene and is lured into their seductive game that results in a heated love triangle, she discovers a secret that blurs the lines between good and evil, forever changing the course of her existence, and destiny will soon determine on which side she’ll stand.




You can find Jae online:
Website: http://www.jaelynnedavies.com
Blog: http://jaelynnedavies.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Jae-Lynne-Davies/100001587731488
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JaeLynneDavies
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jaelynnedavies

Tips & Tricks to Market Yourself

Go on Google, type in my name. With the exception of some Country Radio Chick, I take up the entire first page, most of the second, all the way down to page 8. Same goes for Yahoo and Bing. Granted, I've had my own website before I really needed it...way back in 2006. 


Now, almost six years later, I'm all over the freaking internet like a virus. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogger, Gather, Goodreads, Libarythings, yeah, even myspace...you get the idea.


I don't need all of them, nor do I use ALL of them regularly, but they've helped me connect with new readers and friends! The best part of it? The majority of them are free!


Internet Marketing is still a growing concept. I am not a pro, but you should definitely sign up for the following three if you're a writer.


1. Facebook. I know, beating a dead horse right? SO CRUEL! Seriously though, you should have Facebook. 1 out of every 10 people has a Facebook profile already. The great thing about FB is you can have a page separate from your profile. This allows you to keep your family life and writer life apart if you choose. 


2. Blog. The great thing about blogs right now is that you can use the platform to create a workable website as well. Using the blog platform also allows you to make quick updates that serve as the home page for your site! If you do have the cash to spend, you can purchase a domain (website) name and take out the blog name making your blog an actual website. You can also embed your blog into most websites, which is a great benefit to your readers!


3. Website. Often, this is the one that scares people the most. However, there are many services (ie Godaddy) out there which  have web builders giving you the control to make your own site. Yes, there are free ones, but if you take your craft seriously, you should have your own domain (website) name.


Other great marketing ideas:


Sing up for Bookmark services like Digg, Stumbleupon, Tumblr, they allow you to easily share information with social media sites with the click of a button.


Learn about submitting free press releases! These are great for blog tours, new releases, book signings, etc.


Email Newsletters are a great way to keep in touch with people and create a database of people interested in your writing. I use a blog and Feedburner for mine right now because the list is still growing, but there are companies like Constant Contact which offer the services!


Hope these help you as much as they've helped me!


*Reminder: I still have spaces open for Teaser Tuesday! April 26th is open and most of May! Contact me for details!

Teaser Tuesday! Featuring...Once Upon a December Nightmare by Cherie Reich

Once Upon a December Nightmare: 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.

Their truck breaks down, their cell phones don't work, and 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?

Excerpt:

“I think we should stay together,” Cassie spoke up. “The lights went out. The cell phones don’t work. We’re stuck in the middle of freaking nowhere. This has all the makings of a horror movie, and I know something about horror movies. You never split up.”

“I don’t want to stay here,” Mary squeaked. She trembled, looking cold and scared.

“What if someone comes up here after we leave? Then we’ll miss out on a ride back,” Denise said and wrapped an arm around her sister. “Mary, we’ll be fine if we stay here. It’s safe in the truck.” She didn’t think she could walk three or four miles to the main road. Despite being twenty-years-old, she was more than forty pounds overweight and always a little out of breath from smoking.

“No one will be coming up here.” Cassie laughed, although the sound held no mirth. “James said that the forestry service checks this road once a week. It could be several days before they check the road again. The road behind us is blocked, and very few people will come out here during the winter season, as well,” she argued. “I’m going with James. I won’t stay here.” She began to put on her gloves. It was already getting cold in the truck.

“Cassie has a point,” James admitted. “We don’t know when they’ll check the road, but we all don’t have to go.”

“Well, I’m staying here,” Denise said, crossing her arms. Cassie may be a few months older than she was, but it didn’t mean she had to listen to her, and there was no way she was going to walk out there in the dark. Besides, Cassie was being childish with that horror movie nonsense. “There could be wild animals out there and who knows what else.”

To Purchase Once Upon a December Nightmare at:

Amazon
Wild Child Publishing
OmniLit
BookStrand

Do you write this....

I use Google alerts for a few things. One of them is Open for Submissions.


I figured, why not share with the rest of you? So, maybe I'll make this a Sunday post since I'm super tired on the weekend and can't really think of anything else to blog about at the moment.


I haven't vetted these completely, but they are fiction related. Please make sure you research the publisher or magazines listed. If you need suggestions as to where to go for research help, let me know!

Call for Submissions – DANGEROUS CURVES Erotic Romance Anthology

Editor: Mira Paul

Publisher: Ravenous Romance

Deadline: May 15, 2010

Story Length: 2500 – 5000

http://www.ravenousromance.com/general/submission-guidelines.php 

RedStone Science Fiction

We will be open to submissions between
May 1st and May 14th.

Original Short Story Submissions
We publish science fiction, anything from
post-cyberpunk to new space opera.
We do not want supernatural horror, urban or heroic fantasy.
No vampires, sparkly or otherwise.

We will consider stories of between 750 and 4000 words.
Maximum story length is 4,000 words, firm. 
Payment is .05 per word, on publication.

http://redstonesciencefiction.com/guidelines/

Exalt Press is now open to submissions. We’re primarily seeking book-length manuscripts from 65,000 to 120,000 words in length. We’ll consider shorter works (novellas and singles) when they’re proposed as a series.

Keep in mind that we give more weight to story and voice than spelling, grammar and punctuation. If you hired a freelance editor to “polish” your manuscript you’ll probably be better served submitting the unedited version of your writing to us.

http://www.exaltpress.com/authors/submissions

Pill Hill Press

The world is ending. Humanity is on the brink of extinction. Read the electronic communications of Earth’s last survivors… What are we looking for? The ePocalypse will feature apocalyptic collaborative stories told/narrated exclusively through e-mail. Each story MUST have 2 or more collaborating authors. All e-mails must take place as the world as we know it is ending… earthquakes, floods, virus/disease, meteors, aliens, etc. We’re not really looking for zombie stories, though we will consider them if unique to the apocalyptic genre.
 

http://www.pillhillpress.com/open-submissions.html

Happy writing & Good Luck!

Fun Friday! With TV Recap!

Thanks to everyone for stopping by yesterday for the Q&A with Larry Payne. Stay tuned for more excerpts and interviews in the coming weeks!!

Now, for some fun.

What did you think of Idol? I've been pretty good at predicting the top three, but this year, the talent is amazing and it's been hard, but I think I'm ready to commit.  I know, I know, some of you think Pia should win, but she's more Adult Contemporary than Pop, which is why she didn't get votes this week, though she was amazing. What a voice! In American Idol, the little girl vote rules and they love James & Lauren, with good reason, they are both outstanding. Casey is getting a bad rap for some reason, but he's fantastic. Scotty is perfect for Country and he'll have no problem getting a deal. I don't like Stefano, sorry. Jacob's singing is not my favored style, but he's good. I don't think Paul is radio material, but he's a great performer. Halley keeps surprising me. She MAY be the dark horse cuz she is getting better each week...So I predict, (which is actually the same picks I had during the top 20) that Casey, Lauren, and James will make it to the end.

And for even more fun: (It's with love I did this!)

Survivor was AWESOME this week. Poor Matt, done himself in, didn't he? I know people are hating the fact that Rob is running the show right now, but he's the best and he's showing you why! At this point, he's the only one who deserves to win (Aside from Matt the underdog, who has a good shot if he gets back in again) But the previews show Grant trying to make a move. Smart, but he doesn't know Rob has the idol and that's going to bit him in the ass.

For you Smallville fans out there, the Pilot is on tonight! 

I want my Gossip Girl back, damn it.

Criminal Minds was okay this week, not a very good plot, but the side plot with Hotch and the team was great. I love how Morgan and Rossi always get under his thick armor. 

I AM SO SAD that Courtney got voted out of Biggest Loser! I had her pegged to make it to the end! She so deserves it. <3 Courtney!

Am I the only one still watching The Event? Actually, at this point, I hope so, because some of the plot is eerily close to the book I finished a few months ago. UGH!

Big Bang Theory, always great. Love "Blossom" on the show, she's super. Now they just need to get rid of Priya cuz she's ruining the dynamic between Penny & the guys.

I checked out that new show CHAOS, it was pretty good. I'll give it another go.

Oh, I watched Tangled yesterday. LOVE LOVE LOVE! The songs weren't as good as Princess & the Frog, but the story was great and it was VERY funny. I totally want that braided, flowery hair she had!!

I watched Eat, Pray, Love the other day and thought it was a great movie. Doesn't make me want to read the book though.

Did you watch anything you loved this week? I'm all ears!

Q&A Thursday - Interview with Larry Payne

Week #2 of my Thursday Q&A!

A special thanks to Larry Payne for stopping buy!

Enjoy & Comment!

What is the worst thing you’ve written, how did you learn or know it was bad, and what did you learn from it?

A: The worst thing I’ve written is now wadded up in some landfill never to be viewed by human eyes. I learned, “when in doubt, throw it out.” I forget who said it, but it fits.

Why did you start writing and when did you decide to go professional?

A: I started writing about 15 years ago and was my first and only attempt at Science Fiction. I didn’t take writing seriously until I started writing Western Fiction. I posted a story on a writer’s site one day and a comment came back that I wrote in a style similar to Elmore Leonard and was advised to read a Leonard western and learn. I went to the local used bookstore and bought every Elmore Leonard western I could find and read them all. I re-edited the piece I was working on with what I learned and when I was happy with what I’d done, I submitted it. That piece was Ride The Savage Land. The rest is history.

Do you write in more than one genre? Which ones and which do you like the best?

A: My passion is Western Fiction, but I’ve recently entered the world of Crime Fiction and am putting finishing touches on a hardboiled PI short story, featuring my newest character, Private Investigator Blake Tanner.

Do you read other author’s books when you’re writing? If so, do you read the same genre or something different?

A: Since I’ve read most of Elmore Leonard’s, when I’m writing westerns I read mostly Ralph Compton. And my author of choice when writing the Blake Tanner short story has been Mickey Spillane

What is the most difficult part of the entire writing process for you? Queries, pitches, editing..etc.

A: Waiting has been the most difficult part of the writing process for me. Queries, pitches, blurbs, etc., you can work on and perfect. There is no remedy for waiting. You submit, you wait and you hope for the best. Weeks seem like years to me.

If you could have the same type of career as any author currently publishing who would it be and why?

For obvious reasons, if my writing career came anywhere near Elmore Leonard’s, I would die a happy man.

Author's Biography: Larry Payne grew up in East Chicago, Indiana and now resides in Chandler, Arizona with his wife, Susan, and two cats, Emily and Molly. He is a US Navy veteran where he served as a Hospital Corpsman. He is currently employed at Banner Heart Hospital in Mesa, AZ as a Cardiac Monitor Technician.

Wild Child Publishing has agreed to publish his debut western fiction novella, Ride The Savage Land. A release date is yet to be determined. He is currently working on Books 2 and 3 of his Savage Land Series.

Book blurb: When his wife is abducted by a Comanche raiding party, Jake Hollister unpins his badge and ventures out on a quest to find his beloved, Suzanne. Now, six years later, his close friend John Henry Parker’s wife, Sarah, has befallen the same fate.

Agreeing to ride with his friend until Sarah is found, Jake and John Henry enlist the aid of ex-buffalo soldier Zac Benson, to lead them. But, an encounter with a Comanche war party forces them to return home to recover from their wounds.

Their relentless search resumes when Jake visits an old friend, Charlie Bold Eagle, and persuades the Comanche tracker to help them. A chance encounter with a trader soon brings them face to face with the feared Comanche War Chief, White Buffalo.

Find Larry Online!

Website: http://larrypayne.jimdo.com

Blog: http://larrypayneauthor.blogspot.com.

New Segments on Jenn's Blog!

Just a reminder, Q&A Thursday continues tomorrow! Stop by and meet my new friend Larry Payne, another Wild Child Author!

And, if you're interested in being a part of Q&A Thursday or my other new segment Teaser Tuesday, please let me know!

And, and...if you want to see the cutest dog ever, Meet Holli!

Teaser Tuesday! Featuring...ME!

Okay, okay. I know it's cheesy to start off a segment with oneself, but Oprah does it, why can't I? Heh.

Seriously, though...I'd like to start a new segment to go along with Thursday's Q&A, so why not a blurb tease from current and upcoming book releases?

Sounds good? I thought so too!

If you want to participate email me your blurb, cover, and your website!

This excerpt is from Wild & Wicked, my spicy Romantic Suspense Novella coming out May 15th 2011 from Tease Publishing!

***** Some words are not work safe :-) ******

Set up: Veronica Chance’s sister has gone missing. In order to find Valerie, “Roni Starr” takes a waitressing job at Foxxes Gentlemen’s Club, the last place her sister worked, to search for clues. First day on the job, the club owner makes her give a lap dance to his VIP guest, former detective, Mason Storm.

Excerpt:

“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to get busted…you don’t have to do this," Mason said.

“He’s probably going to watch,” Starr replied, eyes roving to the spots Karl had surveillance. Now why would a waitress know where the cameras were? “And it’s my first day.” She stepped close, drawing his attention. Long shapely legs, covered to the knees in leather, straddled his thigh. Her hips and waist were within reach, and her full bust directly eye level.

She swayed back and forth, stunningly hypnotic.

When she moistened her lips and spun around giving him a rear view, the blood rushed from Mason’s brain. Starr bent down and pressed her ass against his thighs, his entire body flashed with heat. She grinded in a circular motion, awakening and enlarging his cock surprisingly fast. Spinning again, she dropped to his lap, put her hands on his shoulders, and stared down at him.

With her face clear, he tried to remember where he’d seen her.

She gyrated, eyes seductively peering down. He fought the strain in his jeans with each movement, though she made it impossible. She was hotter than hell during a heat wave. Starr lifted one leg, straddled a single thigh and shook her hips again. The woman bit her bottom lip. So naughty. So his type, he loved it.

Then an image of her with red hair flashed in his mind. She’d been in the club, disguised, sitting alone at the bar, drinking here yesterday. He glanced up at her, knew he was right.

Murder for Sale!

I have a fascination for murder. Serial Killers and Assassins to be specific. No, I don't want to date one or become one, I just can't seem to get enough of crime fiction. I watch L&O:SVU L&O:UK, Criminal Minds, CSI, Dexter, The Mentalist, Hawaii 5-0 and many others. Love assassin movies, any type. I read mostly thrillers & suspense where someone is investigating/hunting a murder(er) or running away from one. I've even read some non-fiction serial killer and crime books, some by John Douglass a former FBI Profiler.

Getting into the head of these dark and dangerous characters can be fun, but scary at times. In my own writing, I can come up with twisted characters, think I'm going way too far, then see on the news that there is someone even worse out there. It's sick, really, that we as humans keep coming back to read these nasty, awful books and watch these shows and movies over and over again when it actually happens all over the world.

Why is that?

Death is all around us. Many of us suffered the loss of a loved one early on only to realize that it's a never ending aspect to life. When people are taken away for horrific and unimaginable

reasons we always want to know why. In fiction, it's easy to give the reader a why and a who. Give them closure at the end of the book, show, movie, and leave them satisfied that some sense of justice was served.

For me, it's all about catching the killer in the end. Not necessarily the whole good vs. evil situation, but seeing how and why the bad guys get caught. The investigating, forensics, interrogations, profiling, etc is a process that actually works and in reality, keeps us all safer in the end.

I love the chase. I love piecing the clues together. I love trying to figure out why they did it almost as much as how.

I've yet to take on the serial killer aspect in my writing with a slight exception to Lucky. I don't actually see her as a serial killer, though assassins certainly have many of the characteristics, thankfully, in Lucky's case, not the same motivation.

Crime is bad. Period. But...several of the top TV shows are crime related. Many of the books in the best sellers list are crime or murder related. People are always dying in the movies!

So I guess it's not just me after all?