Work in Progress

Eight is Enough Q&A with Lori Strongin

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

Does my 14 lb cat trying to eat my computer count?

No unusual habits I can think of, actually. I do most of my writing taking up space in various coffee shops around where I live (Central Florida), and most of my editing at home. I guess that could be counted as weird—I produce better original content when away from home, and can better edit it while sprawled out on my couch at home.

2. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

I think I might be semi-unique in that I submit my novels chapter-by-chapter to my critique partners. They never actually see the finished project until it’s published. So, I guess editors/agents/publishers are the first ones I share my completed manuscripts with.

3. When asked when they first discovered their love for writing, most people will say their childhood. So I won’t waste your time by asking something I already pretty much know the answer to. What I want to know is when you decided to go pro, instead of just writing as a hobby.

Freshman year of college, October 1997, around 2:00 a.m. Yeah, specific, I know. But I remember it was then that I woke up after having a super vivid dream and knew it would translate into a great novel. I stayed up all night, typing out my dream and fleshing out the ideas and plotlines and characters, and the next day, I went to my advisor’s office to officially change one of my majors from Journalism to English-Creative Writing.

And for anyone curious, yeah…that “great” novel? Not so great. I did finish it. But as I went through my degree program, I learned more and more how that travesty of the English language should never see the light of day again.

4. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie ninja, all the way. You’d hear the pirate coming because of all the bling he’d wear. But unless the ninja’s arm falls off mid-stalk to alert you, you’d be zombie chow.

5. Name one (or more) pet peeves you have about other people’s writing. For example, I can’t stand when eyes are referred to as orbs.

Ooh, ditto on the ‘eyes are orbs’ thing!

My biggest pet peeve definitely has to be head-hopping POVs. I don’t mind multiple POVs in a book—I write that way, myself!—and so long as they’re separated by scenes or chapter breaks, we’re good. But if it flips from paragraph to paragraph, or even in the same sentence, that book is going back on the shelf.

6. Everyone has bad writing days (or weeks, or months). What do you do when you start to hate everything that you’ve written?

Haha, oh God, good question. Especially when I’m working on a longer novel, it hits me about ¾ of the way through, right before I plough into the final climax of the book. That’s when I start angsting if anybody will like my characters, or if the plot has holes in it, or if I should just go drown myself in an extra large chai latte and be done with it.

To combat it, I let my writing group partners beat me up. No, really. Any time I start whining about hating the book and everything in it, they’re allowed to slap me. And some of those guys and gals are strong. So, fear of bruising is a good motivator to keep me charging through until the end.

7. What is one thing that you would like the non-writers in your life to understand about writing?

That when I say I have a second job, I mean it. I honestly spend the same amount of time on my writing as I do at my full time job, sometimes more if I’ve hit a good writing stride on a particular week. So when I tell my coworkers, “Okay, I’m off to my second job now,” it would be nice if they didn’t look at me weird when I grab my laptop and head out the door.

8. When there is a scene you’ve written that you just adore, do you feel satisfied with a job well done, or are you suspicious that it may actually suck?

There’s one scene in my upcoming book, Bite Me, that is two pages of an enchanted marshmallow Peep® dive-bombing my characters like a Nazi fighter plane. I honestly have no idea where the inspiration for that scene came from, and it doesn’t exactly advance the plot, but for some reason it was the funniest thing in the world to me as I was writing it. I just hope other folks feel the same!

But I guess that’s a fear all writers face—whether the created worlds they love so much will be embraced and enjoyed by readers, too. All I know is, if *I* don’t enjoy what I’m writing, it shows. If I don’t find a scene as funny/touching/exciting as I wanted it to be, then it either gets scrapped or rewritten. Many, many times.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

Released from Mundania Press, Bite Me, Or The Obvious Title for a Novel About a Vampire and a Werewolf

This summer at Hedgehill University: take one totally screwed werewolf, a vegetarian vampire, and the psycho who wants to kill them both.

Surfer-boy werewolf Talbot Osbourne is under pressure to get a summer job, find an apartment, and make up for the classes he failed last semester. The fur will fly when Talbot is forced to partner with Julian St. George on a class assignment. Unfortunately, the vegetarian vampire brings more than just a set of fangs to the table when a stalker takes special interest in the unlikely duo.

Time is running out for the ParaNorms of New York as they’re picked off, one by one. Talbot and Julian will have to work together catch the ‘Slayer’ before the psycho finds them. If they don’t kill each other first, that is.

Throw in a shapeshifter with ferret envy, a wizard who makes people’s clothes disappear, and an apartment with cannibalistic furniture and zombie squirrels, and these boys are in for the summer of their lives. Or deaths.

Check out the book trailer!

If you'd like to learn more about Lori, visit her website or follow her on Twitter.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Brian Young

2012-01-13T04:00:00.004-05:00

1. Say you’re writing the best scene you’ve ever written. It’s poignant, it’s heart wrenching, it’s utterly perfect. Every sentence makes you sob with the beauty of it all. You are so close to finishing, but you need a moment to think of the next crucial line of dialogue. And then somebody comes into the room and peers over your shoulder. “Hey, whatcha working on?” they yell into your ear, words garbled by a mouthful of the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward for finishing the most fantastic scene in the history of ever. How do you respond?

Externally, fairly well. The only people who would interrupt me at home would be my wife or daughter. My wife knows how hard it is for me to get in a groove. I need absolute solitude to write, so she would only interrupt me if it was important. My daughter is one so she has me wrapped around her little finger and infinitely more important than even the most well written scene. Internally, I would be frustrated because it doesn't take much to break my rhythm and once its gone its gone. I usually would have to take a break.

2. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Peanut butter M&M's

3. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My mom is the first person who read my new novel Blood Veins. She is a writer and runs RougePheonixPRess.com so her input is invaluable to me.

4. When asked when they first discovered their love for writing, most people will say their childhood. So I won’t waste your time by asking something I already pretty much know the answer to. What I want to know is when you decided to go pro, instead of just writing as a hobby.

Blood Veins is my first novel, and I think I decided to go pro when other people read it and told me how good they thought it was. Yes, these people were family, but they are all avid readers and honest enough that I know they would have told me if Blood Veins wasn't any good. Blood Veins is the first piece of fiction I have written that I had anybody else read so it was a big step for me.

5. This is the most important question you'll ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie Ninja. I think my older sister would argue fiercely in the other direction, but Ninja's are much better than pirates. Anyone can be loud and boisterous or shoot a pistol. A ninja has to be stealthy and know how to throw ninja stars. I would be impressed if a zombie could do that.

6. What is your day job and how does it help or hinder your writing? If writing is your day job, how long did it take for you to reach that point?

I work in customer service at Sterling Savings Bank. It helps my writing for several different reasons. First, I get to meet a lot of different people. This helps me with my characters because I get to see how different people, act, speak and think. I also have a lot of experiences with these people; some of them are fairly bad. Writing gives me a way to express these felling that I can’t share with the customers or my coworkers. It hinders me a little because I work full time so don’t have the time I would like to have to write.

7. When there is a scene you’ve written that you just adore, do you feel satisfied with a job well done, or are you suspicious that it may actually suck?

Suspicious that it may actually suck. I have confidence in my writing abilities, but I also know that I still have a lot to learn about writing. Having other people view my work is nerve-racking for me.

8. Based on the amount of writer characters Stephen King introduces that wind up inhaling a big old batch of insanity peppers, it seems as though he would have us believe that writing is a dangerous profession. Do you agree?

I don't agree. Writing is a huge stress reliever for me. It allows me to get all of my thoughts out in a constructive manner. It is sort of like talking to a therapist, in my opinion. I can have all the arguments and actions that I imagine in my head over the course of a day played out through my characters without any negative consequences. I think anybody who has ever worked in customer service can relate to that, or just had a bad day at the office with co-workers and such. There are so many times when you just have to take it or bite your tongue. Not so when you make up the story. I couldn't point to any specific examples in Blood Veins. Most of those scenes end up getting dramatically tempered down.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

A black wave has passed over the thriving kingdom of Larista. Mysterious invaders calling themselves the Dolus have swept over the land laying waste to everything in their paths and leaving ghost towns in their wake. No one knows where they came from and no one knows what their purpose is. Tasting nothing but defeat after defeat the light of hope is fading in the kingdom; but the guerrilla forces resisting the Dolus invasion have received new information. This news has provided a small glimmer that could possibly spark into something more. Captain Maximus Rex leads a daring rescue mission deep in the Laristan forests to save the lone surviving member of the royal family.

Once freed Prince Alexander Novelle along with his friends and comrades face a perilous journey deep behind enemy lines. Their destination is Castle Varanasi. The once proud Laristan capital, gateway to heaven and salvation, lies in ruins under Dolus occupation. Mysterious assassins, underworld savages and renegade Dolus survivors stand between them the answers they seek. What they find there will shatter their perceptions and lead to unknown perils none of them are ready to face.

To learn more about Brian and his writing, please visit him on Facebook.

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Book Review - HUNTER by Skyla Dawn Cameron

2012-01-08T11:35:00.002-05:00

Hunter is the second in the Demons of Oblivion series by Skyla Dawn Cameron. I really enjoyed the first (Bloodlines), and was anxious to read the sequel.

Let me preface this review by stating that I am a friend of the author, and received this book as a gift. However, she did not ask me for a review, and I wouldn't be giving one if I didn't think the book was deserving of one.

Hunter is narrated by Ryann, an orphan who is chosen to become a demon hunting nun. On her very first assignment, Ryann's faith in everything she has been raised to believe comes into question as her sworn enemy becomes her friend, and the church, her only family, proves itself to be less than trustworthy.

You'd think that reading about the trials and tribulations of a nun would be boring, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Ryann was an amazingly crafted character, and I loved her right from the first page. She has what I adore in characters - duality. On one hand, she is naive and insecure, on the other, she is a kick ass, never-give-up heroine. I was drawn into her journey, and I laughed and cringed as she explored the world outside the confines of the church.

The supporting cast was equally engaging. From the alcoholic psychic to the newborn vampire, the new characters introduced were funny, tragic, and inspiring all at once. Recurring characters from Bloodlines were welcomed additions to the mix. Zara Lain is, of course, an awesome epitome of an anti-heroine, and it was fun to see her from someone else's point of view. It makes her that much more complex.

One thing I love about Skyla's writing is her ability to make the universe seem real. Little snippets here and there about things going on outside the main plot, both fantasical and day-to-day (eg. all the references to Canadian culture are great!), made me even more emotionally invested in the story.

But what I loved best about this book was the romance between Ryann and Ellie. And that says a lot because normally romances make me gag. I think it was how naturally it progressed, rather than being shoved down my throat. It was sweet without being sickening, and had tension instead of over done angst. Also, because of Ryann's upbringing, the relationship didn't rely on sex to show how much they cared for one another, which was really refreshing.

I highly recommend Hunter to anyone looking for a new take on the urban fantasy genre, and I look forward to reading the next in the series, Lineage, which is due to be released in the next few months. To learn more about Hunter and the rest of the Demons of Oblivion series, please visit the official Zara Lain website.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Tom Mach

2012-01-06T04:00:00.000-05:00

1.Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

The thing that distracts me from my writing is the easy access to the internet. There, I could check my emails, my Facebook, my Twitter. I am seriously considering buying a second computer that has not internet connection whatsoever so I could just use that one to write and only turn to the other computer to do research when needed. What helps my writing is when I am left completely alone with no one in the house to possibly come into my room and talk to me and shatter the thoughts in my head.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Plot bunnies sounds an awful lot like dust bunnies. They’re there under the bed and you don’t notice them until you look there. I find a synopsis helps me get the book started but I soon realize that when the book takes off it wants to go in a different direction—sometimes aided by characters who often seem to have minds of their own rather than the ones you envisioned for them.

3. Say you’re writing the best scene you’ve ever written. It’s poignant, it’s heart wrenching, it’s utterly perfect. Every sentence makes you sob with the beauty of it all. You are so close to finishing, but you need a moment to think of the next crucial line of dialogue. And then somebody comes into the room and peers over your shoulder. “Hey, whatcha working on?” they yell into your ear, words garbled by a mouthful of the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward for finishing the most fantastic scene in the history of ever. How do you respond?

If that happens I try to at least finish the sentence I’m typing although I realize I can’t continue with the interruption so I hope I can revisit that page later to finish it. Sometimes this is a blessing in disguise since, when I go back to where I left off I think of a better way to finish that page.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Chocolate ice cream, although a package of dark chocolate almonds will do.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

Usually my wife, unless it’s a genre I know she doesn’t much care for. Sometimes I share it with a member of the Kansas Authors Club. Other times I keep it to myself.

6. When asked when they first discovered their love for writing, most people will say their childhood. So I won’t waste your time by asking something I already pretty much know the answer to. What I want to know is when you decided to go pro, instead of just writing as a hobby.

That occurred many years ago when I sold my first article to a string of newspapers in the South Bay in California. The editor paid me $25 for it and asked me to write more, which I did for the next consecutive six months until I decided to write for magazines. (One of these magazine articles made the front cover of Writer’s Digest).

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

I’ve received several unexpected backhanded compliments but the one that stands out occurred a few years back after I published my historical novel called Sissy! The protagonist in Sissy! was a young woman named Jessica Radford. Albert, a member of our church choir read my novel and asked me where Jessica Radford was buried. I smiled and said she isn’t buried anywhere—she’s a fictitious character. I knew right there that I created a strong, realistic character.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

I don’t know what a frickin zombie pirate is or what a &%$##@ zombie ninja is. Tell you what, look up the longest word in the American dictionary, and I’ll bet THAT’s what it is.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

I’m working on two novels at the same time. One is a historical novel of the 19th century called Angels at Sunset and it will be out in the spring of 2012. The other (about a third completed) is a Christian suspense novel concerning the discovery of an important relic.

To learn more about Tom and his writing, please visit him on Tumblr, Facebook or Twitter.
Follow Tom's blogtour and comment often to enter to win a $25 Amazon gift certificate.

Marketing on a Budget Part One

2011-12-03T12:47:00.003-05:00

Getting published is not the financial boon some people expect. I've read that it takes at least nine books before being able to earn enough off your writing to quit your day job. And even then, it's not like your raking in the dough or anything. Success stories like Meyers and Rowling are few and far between.

Half the battle is getting published, the other half is getting people to buy your book. That's where marketing comes in. You need to make people aware of your book if you hope to sell any, and that can be a hard thing when there are literally thousands of new releases every month.

Now if you already have a bunch of money to spare, you could hire yourself a publicist. But let's face it. You're broke. You're hoping to make money, not spend it. Especially when you're uncertain about how much demand you'll be able to whip up for your product in an over saturated market.

When Thief was first released, I thought I had a sure fire marketing plan. And I made so many mistakes, and wasted so much time and money that even now, I cringe when I think about it. If only I knew then what I knew now.

And because I am the nicest person alive, I'm going to share what I've learned with you. You may now kiss my hand and throw flowers at my feet. Or not. Virtual cookies are just as good.

My first lesson will be GETTING REVIEWED

Sounds easy, right? Give someone a free book and they'll review it and love it and it will entice others to open their purses and throw money at you. Wrong!

See, it costs money to print books. Your publisher will only give you so many freebies. The rest you will have to pay for. Not full price, but still. And then there's the shipping fees. Never forget about shipping fees. They add up.

So you've already spent money on books and postage, and then what? Who do you send them to? Anybody with a blog? No. Just no.

Just like submitting to an agent or publisher, you need to research which reviewers to submit to. Do they take your genre? Do they have clear guidelines on their site regarding what they want, when they want it, and what they are willing to do for you in exchange?

I wasted a few copies of Thief on reviewers who never ending up letting me know they received it, let alone read it. I wasted copies on sites that only get maybe 10 visitors a month. And I wasted copies on sites that prefer vampire porn to my brand of gritty, not-so-happily-ever-after fantasy.

This is why I started my Book Reviewer Index. I wanted to create a quick and easy list that authors can use to target reviewers who are right for them.

Quick Tips:

* Look for places that accept e-books. This will save you tons of money.

* You can convert PDFs to kindle formats

* Negotiate a turnaround time for the review. You don't want to be waiting 3 years.

* Divide your list into sites that will give advance reviews, and sites that don't have a time limit. Spreading reviews out over a long time period will help keep interest alive even months after release.

* High monthly hits means more people reading the review. Which means more people aware of your book. Always a plus.

* If the review site also hosts interviews, so much the better

*Giveaways (again e-book will save you money) help to boost the number of people reading and commenting on the review. So make sure to offer.

* Just like publishers and agents, there are shady reviewers out there. Research their reputation before contacting them. Some reviewers have been known to sell review books, or upload them to free download sites. How rude!

Was this helpful to you? I'm hoping it was, and if you agree, please leave me a comment. Comments are love. Also, if there is another topic you'd like advice on, please let me know and I'll see what I can do for you.

Turning on the Light

2011-11-27T13:41:00.005-05:00

Well, I've finally gotten off my butt and starting working on Masquerade again. I was supposed to have this book done by June, so that it could be published around this time of year. A bunch of crap happened, and basically I decided that I just couldn't get it done.

To be honest, I probably could have, but it would have sucked. And I didn't want that. I want to make each story I put out there better than the last. This need for improvement has been a major factor in my lack of progress.

I've blogged before about writer's block, and how I don't believe in it. I don't. It's an excuse. There is nothing preventing me from writing, just like there is nothing preventing me from exercising, or eating healthy, or any number of things that are good for you but not as much fun as doing the opposite.

The fact is that I didn't want to write because I was afraid to write. Writing is hard work. Writing takes time. It can hurt the brain, frazzle your nerves, disrupt your sleep, and basically suck the life out of you if you let it. And I just didn't want to let it. It was easier not to.

So I didn't. Since July, I haven't worked on Masquerade or Red Rover even though I should have finished both these projects long ago. And I knew this, and it nagged at me constantly. I started hating myself and my lack of motivation. I started believing that I was a coward who couldn't cut it in this industry. I grew very jealous and bitter of the writing prowess of my friends. And the fear just kept on growing.

Finally, today, I just told myself to shut the fuck up and either write or just give up the ghost of my dreams. And I wrote. And then I reread what I wrote, and you know what? It doesn't suck. It's not perfect, but it's something. I spit in the face of my fear, and I laughed. It feels good. Great even. And it reminds me of why I love to write.

To all you writers out there who feel stuck, let me assure you that there is no such thing as writer's block. It's just a boogeyman that you can put behind you, just like all your other childhood monsters.

So what are you waiting for? Go write!

New Interview and Giveaway

2011-11-18T14:23:00.005-05:00

I've got an interview online at 21st Century Writer today, and to celebrate, I'm giving away two ebook copies of THIEF. Clickity click here to check out the interview and enter the giveaway!

Eight is Enough Q&A with Cas Peace

2011-11-18T13:58:00.003-05:00

1. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My husband, Dave. He’s extremely supportive of my work and I know I can rely on him to give me honest feedback. He’s not generally a reader of fantasy but he is a huge fan of my writing. He also has an instinctive knowledge of what works and what doesn’t, and because we’re so close, I can accept any criticism he might make in the spirit it is given. It’s never easy to hear someone pick your writing apart but it is often necessary. If I do have to hear it, I’d rather it be from someone I love and trust!

2. When asked when they first discovered their love for writing, most people will say their childhood. So I won’t waste your time by asking something I already pretty much know the answer to. What I want to know is when you decided to go pro, instead of just writing as a hobby.

Well, that’s not as simple a question to answer as it might sound because I never intended to be a writer, let alone a published author. Yes, I quite liked writing when I was a child, at least in the context that it was something I felt I was adequate at in school – as opposed to anything vaguely mathematical, where I was woefully poor! Yet I didn’t really even begin to explore writing as a hobby until my teenage years. Then it was poetry, although I doubt my poems were much good. I sometimes used them as a way of expressing emotion, but I do seem to remember trying to make them sound intellectual, rather than simply using language that was meaningful to me. I suspect many of them were pretentious drivel but as I lost the notebook I wrote them in years ago, I can’t subject them to analysis! (Convenient, huh?) In my twenties I turned to prose as a way of escaping the discontent I felt in my first marriage, and I still have the beginnings of a YA novel about unicorns I started at that time. It’s not as twee as it sounds and I might one day revive it. But my tour de force, my nine-novel fantasy series Artesans of Albia, came about quite by accident in 2001, and it took me some time to realize that these novels might just be good enough to publish. I spent the years between finishing the novels and signing with Rhemalda Publishing in 2010 in submitting, rewriting, and polishing my work.

3. Name one (or more) pet peeves you have about other people’s writing. For example, I can’t stand when eyes are referred to as orbs.

I agree; pretentious writing, or writers who use lots of fancy words instead of good old plain English, get my back up. I can’t really call it a pet peeve, but I do find it extraordinary (and pretty amusing) when writers use phrases such as “his eyes rolled about the room”, or “there was complete silence except for Vlad the Vampire’s stertorous breathing”. Clearly, they don’t realize just how funny they sound. But I have to admit (and here I apologize to US and Australian citizens) that what really gets me mad is the recent trend for phrases such as “the most winningest”. My stomach turns every time I hear or read it! It sounds so juvenile – like a little kid saying “my friend’s the most bestest there ever was”. I have no problem with language evolving and writers using or coining new words, but this one really gets up my nose. Another I heard recently was “the most funnest time I ever had.” Cringeworthy!

4. Everyone has bad writing days (or weeks, or months). What do you do when you start to hate everything you’ve written?

If it’s a particular scene or story I’m trying to write, I’ll leave it for a while and go walk my dogs. Or take an exercise or yoga class. Concentrating on something different for a while always helps my perspective. But if it’s writing in general, then I find I either have to take a complete break – like go on holiday – or just work through it and ignore my own feelings. This is when you need real friends who will read your work and give you honest feedback. I also think writing groups are great for this kind of problem, as are writers’ sites such as www.authonomy.com. I spent a couple of years reviewing on Authonomy and got King’s Envoy its gold medal for reaching the top 5 most popular books. I learned so much from reading other writers’ books and reviews, and when you intentionally expose your own writing to a peer critique site, you get the widest possible range of suggestions and reader opinions. It can be quite a daunting and humbling experience and you’ll soon realize that EVERYONE thinks their writing sucks at some point in their career.

5. If you could meet your characters in real life, do you think you’d get along with them?

Some of them, certainly. Mainly the ones who have natures closest to my own! In common with many writers, I think, I base some of my characters on my own life experiences. It’s probably quite hard not to. I guess those are the characters I’d find it easiest to understand, and therefore to like. But some of my characters are based around values I aspire to and one – Sullyan – has such a powerful presence that I would be completely in awe of her. She would not be an easy person to get to know, deep down, unless that is what she wanted. She has a quality I particularly admire, and that is to be at ease with people, whoever they are. Even when she’s out of her depth, she maintains an outward calm that pervades her spirit, helping her cope with any discomfort she might feel when among strangers. I wish I could be like that but I’m afraid I often go to pieces and get tongue-tied.

6. When there is a scene you’ve written that you just adore, do you feel satisfied with a job well done, or are you suspicious that it may actually suck?

I am someone who constantly edits as they write. I don’t mean I edit while I’m writing, but once I have finished a scene I always go back further than that scene – maybe even to the start of the chapter – and read the entire thing, to ensure it fits. I also do the same thing when returning to writing the next day, or after a lunch break. I will alter anything that sounds wrong, and frequently remove several words or phrases. So it isn’t until some time later that I generally get a sense of a scene coming out right. Having said that, if I don’t feel in love with what I’m writing as I write it, I can’t complete it. I have to feel that everything I write is fantastic, and then once it’s done I re-read it and see where it doesn’t quite come up to scratch. So although I rarely get immediately satisfied with a job well done, I also rarely find a scene that I think really sucks. I usually know pretty early on if I’m writing well, or poorly.

7. What is your day job and how does it help or hinder your writing? If writing is your day job, how long did it take for you to reach that point?

When I first began writing my fantasy series, I wasn’t working. That’s what freed my mind in the first place. I’m someone who has to have a blank mind in order to receive ideas to turn into stories (some friends might say that if that’s the case, I should have written thousands of books by now). At that time, I was helping my husband by book keeping for his consulting business and it didn’t take up too much of my time. If I’d kept on working full time, as I used to do, I doubt I’d ever have written anything at all. A boring, monotonous job might have allowed my mind to wander and daydream, but I would never have found the time to turn those daydreams into real words. Now, however, I face a different challenge. All nine books in the Artesans series already exist, although seven of them still need rigorous editing. That isn’t work to me – I love editing. Because of this, I decided to launch my freelance Writers’ Services, where I offer editing, proofreading, manuscript polishing and a critique service to fellow writers. This is now my day job and it takes up much of my time and needs such intensive concentration that there’s no room left for new novel ideas. But the beauty of being freelance is that I can take time off if I want to, and concentrate on my own writing again. I’m also learning constantly about how other people write, and that is an interesting experience.

I don’t read much Stephen King, horror (I use the term broadly) is not my preferred genre. Maybe if you have the kind of mind that enjoys the psychological stuff you have a predisposition toward becoming what you write? Oh dear, do I hear howls of derision? Probably; that was quite a sweeping statement and one I don’t necessarily believe!

I think that writing can be what you want it to be. It can be lonely, especially if you are the kind of writer who needs silence and solitude, and loneliness can be dangerous. I think it’s good to be grounded and keep your writing and your non-writing lives separate. I like to have many interests that don’t involve reading or writing, a good balance in all things is the key to keeping healthy. Sounds boring, I know, but it works for me! My two dogs keep me very firmly grounded, as does a loving family. So I can’t say I agree that writing is inherently dangerous – only people are dangerous.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

Book Two of my fantasy series, Artesans of Albia, has just been delivered to my publisher. Entitled King’s Champion, it continues the events begun in King’s Envoy. Trapped in Andaryon by the nature of her injuries, Major Sullyan faces two stark choices. Wait passively for her inevitable death, or offer her remaining time and her Artesan powers to Andaryon’s ruler, the Hierarch, in the hope of destroying Rykan’s plans. Yet women hold no power in Andaryon, and are never permitted to bear arms, so in order to satisfy her desire for vengeance, Sullyan must first overcome the prejudice of the Hierarch’s war leaders. Faced with hostility, suspicion and hatred, she finds support in the unlikeliest of places. Meanwhile, Taran and his friends disobey a direct order to remain in Albia. Thinking only to help Sullyan, they follow her into Andaryon, finding a concealed vantage point from which to observe Rykan’s attempt on the throne. Their refuge, however, might not be as safe as they thought…

King’s Champion is scheduled for publication in August 2012. Book Three in the series, King’s Artesan, will follow in 2013.

Anyone interested in my editing services please see www.caspeace/writers-services for more information.

If you would like to learn more about Cas and her writing, please visit her website or her facebook page.

Evilness is Afoot

2011-11-09T17:11:00.004-05:00

In case you're new around these parts, you may not be aware that I am part of an awesome blogging community. The Evil League of Evil Writers is made up of some of the bitchiest bitches in the biz. We give no nonsense advice on writing, and give special snowflakes regular beatdowns. Clickity click here to read my latest offering: Are You a Writer?

In other news, expect the next batch of updates for the Book Reviewer Index to be added tomorrow. And might I add, if anyone has had problems with any of the book reviewers listed, please be sure to inform me via email. I've heard of some shady doings, book reviewers selling the ARCs and free copies they've received and such. I don't want to direct anyone to places like that, so let me know.

And finally, have you seen how good I'm getting with Photoshop? No? Then clickity click here to check out my latest pieces. No, I'm not art proud. Not in the least. Whatever gave you that idea?

Eight is Enough Q&A with Elaine Charton

2011-11-04T09:00:00.003-04:00

1.Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Depends on what they are plotting. Can be both.

2. Say you’re writing the best scene you’ve ever written. It’s poignant, it’s heart wrenching, it’s utterly perfect. Every sentence makes you sob with the beauty of it all. You are so close to finishing, but you need a moment to think of the next crucial line of dialogue. And then somebody comes into the room and peers over your shoulder. “Hey, whatcha working on?” they yell into your ear, words garbled by a mouthful of the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward for finishing the most fantastic scene in the history of ever. How do you respond?

After yelling at the person, with every swear word my brothers have taught me. The idiot, who should have known better would be banned from my writing space ever again.

3. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Chocolate covered strawberries. Dark Chocolate.

4.When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My husband, he's also a writer and we are each others final read.

5. When asked when they first discovered their love for writing, most people will say their childhood. So I won’t waste your time by asking something I already pretty much know the answer to. What I want to know is when you decided to go pro, instead of just writing as a hobby.

I was taking an English class back in 1989 (I'm a bit fuzzy on the year). The professor was wonderful and showed me what to do with all those voices in my head.

6.What is your day job and how does it help or hinder your writing? If writing is your day job, how long did it take for you to reach that point?

I had to quit my job due to health reasons. This was a little over a year ago. When I did work, only toward the end did it affect my writing. It was affecting my health and consequently my writing. I'm more productive at this point.

7. If you could meet your characters in real life, do you think you’d get along with them?

For the most part, not sure I would like Dermot, the villian in The Man in the Mirror. Same thing for the villian in Pandora's Justice. He was an abuser.

8. What is one thing that you would like the non-writers in your life to understand about writing?

That it is not a hobby and not every one makes the same money as Stephen King. (unfortunately)

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

There's a new store in town and it's selling more than antiques. Mari Connell thought she was the only witch in tiny Coals Well, until she started seeing enchanted items pop up all over town. Imprisoned inside a mirror is Dylan Ryan. Placed there over 200 years ago by his twin brother Dermot. Can Mari find the spell to free him and bring Dermot to justice?

THE MAN IN THE MIRROR was one of the few books that sprung into my mind fully formed. It is a take off on the old musical THE MUSIC MAN. Instead of band instruments our salesman has an antique shop that sells enchanted mirrors, along with great-grandmothers armoire.

It is also the first paranormal I ever wrote, but not the last.

If you would like to learn more about Elaine and her writing, please visit her website, or follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

GIVEAWAY! Elaine will give a free PDF of The Man in the Mirror to one lucky reader. To enter, simply leave a comment. Winner will be drawn at random midnight November 10th.

Book Review Blogs - Updated Regularly

2011-11-01T15:38:00.040-04:00

If you are a book reviewer and would like your site added, please refer to this page.
If you are an author, please note this index is just a starting point. Each site has their own rules and protocols. Please be sure to properly research before querying.

About Books Blog
Founded: December 2008
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Almost any
Preferred format: E-book, PDF, but willing to read print
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: ?
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Not at this time

Best Friend's Book Affair
Founded: July 2010
# of reviewers: 2
Preferred genre: Young adult
Preferred format: Print, but may accept e-book
Preferred length: No
How to query: Email
Deadlines: close to release date
Average monthly hits: 500
Average turnaround time: one month
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Bitten by Books
Founded: ?
# of reviewers: 50+
Preferred genre: paranormal fiction, urban fantasy, horror
Preferred format: accepts both paperback and e-book
Preferred length: ?
How to query: By form
Deadlines: No, but new releases take priority over backlists
Average monthly hits: ?
Average turnaround time: no guarantee of time frame
Posts reviews elsewhere: No

Bittersweet Enchantment
Founded: November 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Chick-lit, fantasy, horror, manga, mystery, paranormal, sci fi, suspense, thriller, paranormal-romance, urban-fantasy, dystopian. (prefer YA within these genres)
Preferred format: Any, but prefers print and ARC
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 4,707
Average turnaround time: Varies, but willing to work with schedules
Posts reviews elsewhere: On request

Blkosiner's Book Blog
Founded: 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Young adult
Preferred format: Print, kindle
Preferred length: ?
How to query: Form or email
Deadlines: No, but must discuss first
Average monthly hits: 5,000
Average turnaround time: Must discuss first
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Book Faery
Founded: Feburary 2010
# of reviewers: 1 regular, 3 guest
Preferred genre: Paranormal romance, urban fantasy, dark fantasy, YA PNR/UF/Dystopian
Preferred format: Print or MOBI; some guest reviewers do not accept MOBI, but may accept PDF
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email containing summary and excerpt
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 3,500
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Book Junkie
Founded: ?
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: generally accepts any genre except DIY/how to books
Preferred format: accepts both paperback and e-book
Preferred length: ?
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 840
Average turnaround time: ?
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Book Labyrinth
Founded: August 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: YA -- contemporary, romance, dystopian, fantasy, paranormal
Preferred format: Print or epub
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 3,000-4,000
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Books...Looks and Takes
Founded: Oct 2011
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: many genres including a limited selection non-fiction
Preferred format: Any
Preferred length: novel
How to query: Usually through publisher
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 260
Average turnaround times: fairly quick
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Book Monster Reviews
Founded: June 2011
# of reviewers: 5
Preferred genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense and all other genres of Romance, Erotica, Urban Fantasy, Sci Fi, YA, Horror/Thriller
Preferred format: any
Preferred length: any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 6000-9000
Average turnaround time: up to two months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes, at least four other places

Book Spark
Founded: August 2011
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Any, excluding non-fiction, erotica and poetry
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: Novellas, novels, series
How to query: Form
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: ?
Average turnaround time: ?
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Books, Sweets and Other Treats
Founded: November 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: YA, paranormal, fantasy, contemporary
Preferred format: Any
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: 2-3 months in advance if author wants review ready for a specific date
Average monthly hits: 5,000
Average turnaround time: Varies. Reviews posted one week after reading
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Can't Find a Bookmark
Founded: October 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: All, excluding middle grade
Preferred format: Print, but may accept e-book
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 30
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Curling Up By The Fire
Founded: December 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: All, excluding western and erotica. Accepts some non-fiction
Preferred format: Any
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 4,000-5,000
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Electrifying Reviews
Founded: December 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Young adult, middle grade, some adult
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: Novel
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 20,000
Average turnaround time: varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Emily's Reading Room
Founded: June 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Young adult
Preferred format: Printed, e-galley. No self published
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: Advanced notice appreciated
Average monthly hits: 12,000
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

E-Publishing a Book
Founded: 2011
# of reviewers: 4
Preferred genre: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, mystery/crime, romance, young adult
Preferred format: ?
Preferred length: ?
How to query: ?
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 146,615
Average turnaround time: ?
Posts reviews elsewhere: ?

Escape Through the Pages
Founded: August 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Young adult -- fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal,
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 1,200
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

e-Volving Books
Founded: May 2009
# of reviewers: 310
Preferred genre: Fantasy, urban fantasy, mystery
Preferred format: e-book, any
Preferred length: 300+ pages
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 2,000+
Average turnaround time: 1 month
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Fantasy Book Review
Founded: December 2006
# of reviewers: 40 total, 10-15 regulars
Preferred genre: Fantasy, sci fi
Preferred format: UK authors -- ARC/print preferred. Other countries -- e-book
Preferred length: Novella minimum
How to query: Email. Gives priority to queries from publishers/agents
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 200,000
Average turnaround time: From publishers 1-3 months. From authors 1-6 months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Occasionally on request

Fictitious Musings
Founded: 2011
# of reviewers: 2
Preferred genre: Urban fantasy, paranormal, horror, YA, paranormal romance,
Preferred format: Print, will occasionally accept e-books
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: ?
Average turnaround time: 2 months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

First Novels Club
Founded: April 2009
# of reviewers: 4
Preferred genre: Young adult, no self-pub
Preferred format: ARC, e-book
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: 3 months in advance of release date
Average monthly hits: 5,000
Average turnaround time: Within 1 month of release date
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Fishmuffins of Doom
Founded: August 2008
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Urban fantasy, horror, young adult, science fiction, mystery, open to others
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 1,200
Average turnaround time: varies, willing to work with release dates or deadlines
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Forever Young Adult
Founded: Sept 2009
# of reviewers: 5
Preferred genre: Young adult literature
Preferred format: Any
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 36,000
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: No

Freelance and Fiction
Founded: March 2011
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Any excluding erotica
Preferred format: Print, though occasionally accepts e-book
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Form
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 520
Average turnaround time: 3 weeks
Posts reviews elsewhere: No

Girl in the Stacks
Founded: 2009
# of reviewers: 4
Preferred genre: YA, speculative fiction
Preferred format: Any
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 7,000
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

I am a Reader, Not a Writer
Founded: June 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Young adult, clean romance, fantasy, eclectic
Preferred format: Print, but does own kindle
Preferred length: Any, excluding epic
How to query: Email, see policy page
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 60,000
Average turnaround time: 3-12 months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

I Read Banned Books
Founded: June 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: YA fiction
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 8,000
Average turnaround time: Varies, average 1-2 months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Ink and Paper
Founded: March 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Fantasy, all sub-genres excluding erotica
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: No
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 1,265
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Jenn's Bookshelves
Founded: March 2008
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Thriller/suspense, horror
Preferred format: Any
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Form or email
Deadlines: 2-3 months prior to publication
Average monthly hits: 6,000
Average turnaround time: 2-3 months. Posts no sooner than one week prior to publication
Posts reviews elsewhere: No

Lost for Words
Founded: December 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Urban fantasy, fantasy, dsytopian, YA, mystery, thrillers, adult fiction
Preferred format: Print or epub
Preferred length: Varies
How to query: Email
Deadlines: 3 months pre-publication date preferred, but willing to work with deadlines
Average monthly hits: 3,000-3,500
Average turnaround time: Several weeks
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

My World in Words and Pages
Founded: July 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: fantasy, urban fantasy, dystopian, some sci-fi, young adult
Preferred format: print, but may accept shorter works such as novellas as e-books
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No, but pre-release notice is helpful
Average monthly hits: 3,500
Average turnaround time: Usually a week, but will work with release schedule
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Once Upon a Bookcase
Founded: June 2009
# of reviewers: 1, though sometimes has guest reviewers
Preferred genre: Most genres within YA. Prefers urban fantasy. No historical or crime.
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: No
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 3,094
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Rachel Cotterill
Founded: 2008
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, thriller
Preferred format: Kindle (mobi or prc)
Preferred length: novels, series
How to query: Email with first chapter
Deadlines: By mutual agreement
Average monthly hits: 7,000
Average turnaround time: 1-3 months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Read a Book Review
Founded: April 2010
# of reviewers: 4
Preferred genre: fiction, inspirational, social justice
Preferred format: Any
Preferred length: Novel
How to query: Email, form
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 3,000-4,000
Average turnaround time: Approx one month
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
Founded: May 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Almost anything, excluding sports and romance
Preferred format: Print, but may consider e-book
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 7,500
Average turnaround time: Varies, but may be willing to work with schedules
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Some Books and Coffee
Founded: August 2011
# of reviewers: 3
Preferred genre: General YA
Preferred format: Any
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 150
Average turnaround time: one month
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Spellbound by Books
Founded: February 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Young adult -- dystopian, paranormal, urban fantasy, horror
Preferred format: Print, but will accept e-book
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: minimum 1-2 months
Average monthly hits: 6,000
Average turnaround time: Varies. ARCs/new releases take priority
Posts reviews elsewhere: If requested

The Aussie Zombie
Founded: November 2011
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Post-apocalyptic, dystopia, horror, zombie, general fiction, historical fiction, WWII non-fiction
Preferred format: E-book, print also acceptable
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: ?
Average turnaround time: 2 months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

The Book Cellar
Founded: February 2009
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Any YA, Fantasy
Preferred format: Print
Preferred Length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: ?
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

The Compulsive Reader
Founded: 2006
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: YA
Preferred format: Print, but will accept Kindle formats
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Any deadlines: Prefers 3-5 weeks prior to date author would like review posted
Average monthly hits: 25,000 - 26,000
Average turnaround time: see above
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

The Book Monsters
Founded: June 2011
# of reviewers: 2
Preferred genre: Young adult, middle grade
Preferred format: Print or kindle
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 4,000
Average turnaround time: 1 week - 1 month
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

The Cozy Reader
Founded: November 2007
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: all genres YA, dystopia, paranormal romance, historical romance, some contemporary romance
Preferred format: e-book, but does accept print and ARCs
Preferred length: Any
How to query: see review policy
Deadlines: 3 months pre-publication date
Average monthly hits: 1,600
Average turnaround time: 1-3 months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

The Reading Fever
Founded: January 2011
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: All young adult genres
Preferred format: Print, occasionally accepts Nook compatible format
Preferred length: Novel
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 2,884
Average turnaround time: 1-3 months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Tricia Kristufek
Founded: June 2011
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Any, especially fantasy and YA paranormal
Preferred format: Prefer ARC prints, but accepts ePub or PDF
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Form or email
Deadlines: ?
Average monthly hits: ?
Average turnaround time: 2-4 weeks
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Tynga's Reviews
Founded: June 2009
# of reviewers: 2
Preferred genre: Urban fantasy, paranormal romance, YA fantasy, dystopian
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: Novels
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 10,000
Average turnaround time: No guarantees unless negotiated in email
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Uniquely Moi Books
Founded: October 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Young adult
Preferred format: Print or MOBI
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No, but needs 2 months prior for coinciding with release
Average monthly hits: 5,000
Average turnaround time: 1 to 1 1/2 months
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

WORD for Teens
Founded: October 2007
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Young adult
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 8,000
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

YA Bookie Monster
Founded: August 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Young adult, especially young adult romance
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: Any
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: 4,500
Average turnaround time: Varies
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

You Gotta Read Reviews
Founded: 2009
# of reviewers: 15
Preferred genre: ?
Preferred format: ?
Preferred length: ?
How to query: Email
Deadlines: No
Average monthly hits: ?
Average turnaround time: ?
Posts reviews elsewhere: ?

YzhaBella's BookShelf
Founded: January 2010
# of reviewers: 1
Preferred genre: Paranormal romance, urban fantasy, contemporary romance
Preferred format: Print
Preferred length: Novel
How to query: Email
Deadlines: negotiable
Average monthly hits: 849
Average turnaround time: 1 month
Posts reviews elsewhere: Yes

Book Reviewer Round-Up

2011-11-01T15:18:00.004-04:00

Back after a bit of a hiatus to start a new project. Having a couple books published, and more upcoming, I'm always looking for promotion opportunity. And what I've learned, through trial and error, and advice from the pros that the best promotion is word of mouth.

Nowadays, word of mouth is evolving just as the publishing industry is. More and more people are looking to bloggers to find out what to read next. There are literally thousands of book review bloggers out there, and sifting through them all is not only tedious but frustrating. So many blogs are inactive, unresponsive, or don't properly and clearly list their criteria.

Which is why I want to make my own list. I want to create a database of book review blogs so that newbie authors can target reviewers that fit their needs without having to sift through site after site.

If you are a book review blogger, or know of one that you would like to add to my data base, please email as much of the following information as possible to sarah-janelehoux@live.ca

* name of blog
* url of blog
* date founded
* how many reviewers on staff
* preferred genre
* preferred length (short, novelette, novella, novel, series)
* who should query (publisher, agent, author)
* how to query (form, email)
* do they post review anywhere else besides their blog? (eg Goodreads, Amazon, etc)
* format preferred (ARC, print, ebook)
* any deadlines? (eg 3 months pre publication, etc)
* average turnaround time (length of time from story submitted to review posted)
* average monthly hits

Pretty

2011-09-12T16:45:00.003-04:00

A struggling writer has to make money somehow. So for my day job, I work in the veterinary industry, which as you may have noticed is dominated by women. Since April, I've been lucky enough to work alongside a wonderful bunch of people, who are intelligent, talented, passionate, caring, and overall awesome. And yet this same group of women will, like so many other women in our culture, engage in the age old rite of obsessing over their physical appearance. Instead of priding themselves for their virtues and their accomplishments, they demean themselves by calling themselves "fat" and "gross." Sometimes it feels like they are in competition to determine who is the fattest or laziest among them. "I ate soooo much this weekend. I'm such a pig." "Dude, I haven't exercised in like forever." It makes me sad. Really fucking sad.

Now, I'm not perfect. I have as many body issues as the next person, but it really bothers me to hear these awesome people put themselves down so much. I wish I could make them believe how incredible, and yes, how attractive they are. Thin or heavy. Short or tall. They are all beautiful.

So in honour of my co-workers who are lovely inside and out, I'm going to share a video which has really helped me in my journey towards a positive self image. I've linked to it a few times on facebook because I think it's something everyone should hear. I hope it will help, even just a little bit.

Good News, Everyone!

2011-09-11T18:52:00.003-04:00

MY SANCTUARY has been accepted by Vagabondage Press!! It will be released some time next spring. I can't tell you how excited I am about this. MY SANCTUARY is quite a departure from my other published works. It's not fantasy or horror, for one thing. It's also quite dear to my heart, more so than anything else I've written. I think that's because there is a vulnerability in it, and in it's main character, more so than other characters I've created.

(That's not the official cover, BTW. Just something I cooked up in photoshop.) MY SANCTUARY is a novelette, so it will only be released in e-book formats. All I'm going to say about the story right now is that it is narrated by Dot, a precocious teenaged girl who unofficially adopts a fellow orphan named Kenny. We've already started edits, so hopefully I'll be able to give you a release date soon.

In other news, I will be appearing at the Mississauga Book Fest on Oct 1st. I'm getting better at these public events, and this time will be bringing along something to snag the attention of the crowd. Will post more about that later.

So in summary, yay and yay!

Deleted Scene from Shades of War

2011-08-17T17:06:00.006-04:00

In the editing process, one must be ruthless. As tough as it is, passages, scenes, chapters, and even characters have to be cut in order to improve the story's flow.

I thought I'd share such a scene with you that I edited out of SHADES OF WAR around the third draft. Although I liked it (it reintroduced the readers to Sevy and Eloria), it slowed down the pacing and really didn't have much to do with the book over all.

This scene took place between the opening scene and Sevy arriving in Devenbourn. Keep in mind that it was never edited or read by any other person, so it is admittedly rough. If you've read SHADES OF WAR, you may recognize a few lines that I ended up using in the final draft. And if you've read THIEF, you may recognize the character of Orius. I did enjoy having Sevy beat the sh*t out of him once again, but he wasn't important enough to keep this time around.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The heady smell of wet earth pervaded the air, a sickly sweet sign that spring was well on its way. The city had finally begun to thaw and Sevy tried to maintain her balance as she made her way through the mud-slicked streets.

She passed a double row of guards as they went about their rounds, so prim and proper and organized. The gold plated buttons on their russet-coloured uniforms flashed in the light of the street lamps. The commander barked out orders as they marched by in perfect step. Quite impressive, but all purely for show.

For years now, the aristocracy had been demanding better security within the city walls. Non-humans were poised to take over, all too eager to fill the spaces left by the human families who had gone off in search of bigger and better things. As the economy struggled to stay afloat, the slums on the eastern side of the Elor River swelled to unmanageable sizes, spreading a great plague of poverty that infected the people with hunger and violence and dismay. Mobs of thugs roamed the streets without fear of reprisal because a slow death due to disease or starvation was more of a threat than a quick stop at the executioner’s block.

Time passed. Blood was shed by the gallon. No less than four failed uprisings and the burning of the shanty town, Tingarny, were endured. It wasn’t until three years ago, when the corpses of the last city guard were discovered in the dungeons of Eagleborn and the charred remains of what appeared to be an elvish woman was found in the castle keep, that King Grewid IX had bowed to the pressure of his wealthy supporters and returned some of his consideration to the crumbling city of Eloria.

Money talks a great deal, but rarely does little more. After an initial burst of royal activity, Grewid appeared to have forgotten his promises, thanks in part to the recent bloodshed in the Northern Jungles. Funds and manpower were redirected and Eloria was much the same as it ever had been. The guards stationed there were mostly new recruits, green and inexperienced. They situated themselves on the western side of the river where the gentry and the nouveau riche could see them and imagine that their king was actually making good on his word. Once a day, a small contingent would patrol the eastern slums, putting on airs, making a few arrests, and then scurry back to the safety of their barracks.

Sevy got a laugh out of this routine. The guards clung to their weapons and eyed even the smallest child with unmasked fear. No one took much notice of this unimpressive parade. It certainly did little to offer any real protection to the vulnerable, but it afforded Sevy great freedoms. She had learned there was money to be made preying on the gangs even as they preyed on the populace.

Giving the guards a mocking salute, Sevy turned the corner and arrived at her destination: an inconspicuous building with an unmarked door and boarded up windows. Abandoned? Not in this city. After all, even the most unremarkable rock would reveal a writhing jumble of pasty, scuttling life if you turned it over.

Sevy muscled her way past the bouncer, suppressed a cough as the smoke-soured air impregnated her lungs, and examined the room. A narrow stage ran down its length. Men and women, human and non-human, in various stages of undress gyrated to the sultry rhythms of a trio of Vasurach drummers. Clichéd, but crowd-pleasing. The audience cheered and leered, throwing pieces of copper at the feet of those who were their favourites and drinks on the faces of those who weren’t. The smell of sweat and semen owned this place. The walls virtually oozed with them. There were some men who tried to hide their lust, but most didn’t care if they were caught sticky-handed. And there were a few who seemed more excited by the prospect of being watched than they were of anything else. Slimy-toothed grins and hopping eyebrows, wolf-whistles and growled propositions--Sevy ignored them all and used contempt to blur them down into her subconscious until she picked a familiar face out of the crowd.

He was tall and robust. His bare arms were oiled so that they shone, bringing more attention to the musculature that he was obviously so pleased with. His hair had been carefully slicked and styled into coils that ringed the sides of his august face. Such a proud man, so concerned with appearances. She couldn’t help but smirk at the single glove he wore. It couldn’t hide the twisted claw that was his hand, which she knew was now almost completely useless.

He did not notice her approach as he was too busy shoving his face into the bosom of the dwarvish whore perched upon his lap.

“Take a break, darling,” Sevy said as she slid into the seat across from the man. The dwarf shrugged her shoulders and hopped down, her tiny hips swaying from side to side as she meandered away.

“Aw, come on, give a guy a break!” he moaned, aware of Sevy now that the bountiful distraction had departed.

“Orius, really. Is that any way to greet an old friend?”

“Do you have any idea how bad for business you are? Do me a favour and go harass someone else for a change.”

“Now we’ve been through this before. Start peddling your own damn ass and we won’t have a problem.”

“I swear to you, I dunno what that witch told you, but it’s all a pack of lies. I dunno who cut her up, but it sure as hell wasn’t me!”

“I have no idea who you’re talking about, though I’ll make it a point to find out. In any event, I’m here for a boy.”

A salacious smile crept over his face and he winked at her in a knowing, conspiratory manner. “Oh really? I knew you’d crack eventually. What’ll you fancy? Human? Elf? How’s about a troll, eh? You look like the type who likes it rough.”

Sevy leaned over and took hold of his gloved hand. That was enough to make his eyes widen. The thick veins in his equally thick neck pounded furiously. “Ah, ah! Just teasing with you. No disrespect.”

“His name’s Kordan. Young human. Has a sister with big teeth.”

“Oh, him. I bought him fair and square and I ain’t gonna give him up easy. He’s been bringing in shit loads of business.”

She held back a shudder. “I don’t care. Hand him over.”

“I let the girl go, didn’t I? Not that she’d earn me a penny with a face like that, but still! That’s gotta count for something, right?”

“Hardly. Hmm, I’m getting bored.”

She reached for her sword, but paused when Orius’ eyes darted across the room. Glancing over her shoulder to follow his line of vision, Sevy saw four burly men approaching. The first to reach her grasped her shoulders. “Ain’t nothing personal,” he said, sneering at her. “Just business.”

“Orius, why do you always have to make things so hard for yourself?”

Without warning, Sevy snapped her head backwards into the man’s abdomen. As he bent over in pain, she jabbed her thumbs into his eyes. He let out a howl, which instantly drew the brothel’s interest.

Sevy was on her feet when the second man lunged for her. She picked up her seat and smashed it into him, momentarily stunning him. Using one of the broken chair legs, she blocked the sword that came sweeping down at her head, and then with a quick twist of her wrists, she pulled the sword out of its owner’s hands. He burst into a froth of blood as she sliced the sword across his neck before impaling the next guard through the chest.

By now, the room was in chaos. The dancers screamed and stampeded from the stage in a flailing mass of naked limbs and exotic veils. Most of the audience had decided to use the opportunity to have a bit of sport or to settle old grudges and a large-scale brawl was underway. Fists flew, metal clanged. Blood and beer washed over the filthy floors.

Amidst all this, Sevy managed to subdue the remaining guard by pressing on his neck with her boot until she heard the snap that finally quieted his struggles. Orius had conveniently disappeared during the ruckus and it took a few minutes of ducking to avoid flying furniture and slashing randomly to clear a path for herself before she spotted him crawling away on all fours.

She caught up to him and stepped on his ankle to prevent him from worming away to freedom. In response, an uncanny, high-pitched squeal escaped his throat. He blubbered like a baby as she helped him up.

“Shush! Don’t cry, silly. You’re too much fun to kill. I’ve got a grand idea. How’s about you take me on a tour of your rooms, hmm? I’ll pretend I don’t know what goes on back there and you give me the boy. How’s that sound?”

The fool’s mouth twitched in protest. Sevy grabbed his hand and squeezed ever so slightly, just enough to feel the bones that had never properly set crunch out of alignment. Orius whimpered his consent and, hand in hand, they went through the backstage door.

The dancers shrieked and huddled together when the door opened, expecting the fracas from outside to spill in.

“Take it easy,” she reassured them, rolling her eyes. “And put some damn clothes on.”

Sevy and Orius turned down a stuffy hall lined with doorways covered in filmy cloths or strings of wooden beads. The air was choked with swirls of incense and the satisfied sounds of those within the rooms who were still oblivious to the madness that was happening within the dance hall.

Some of Orius’s workers not currently employed peeked out. A few were arrogant, unapologetically appraising Sevy as she passed them. Was she here to buy or sell? Others stared with vacant eyes and expressionless faces. They couldn’t care less about her or anything else, each simply awaited the next customer, the next trick. One young elf wiped half-heartedly at her face, telltale smears of kohl running down from her eyes. She was probably new at this, Sevy reasoned, if it still made her cry. The rest were dead inside and had been for a long time. A blessing, she supposed.

Her stomach churned. The heat from so many bodies and the smell of sex and incense suddenly made her claustrophobic. She steeled herself against it, shutting her eyes and ears to all around her. She was here for the boy. The rest were none of her concern.

Finally, Orius stopped in front of one of the doorways. Sevy poked her head inside. For a moment, she thought the room was empty until a bit of movement drew her gaze to a child cowering on the floor. Sevy could see why Orius prized him. She had been expecting a male version of the ungainly Cloa, but instead found herself looking down at a boy who could only be described as beautiful.

Delicate blond curls hung about his narrow face and slight shoulders. His lips, full as a woman’s, were currently set in a babyish pout. The simple tunic he wore only served to emphasize his cherubic countenance, but there were deep bruises mottled over his otherwise flawless skin that made Sevy’s heart strike against her ribcage. Yet another innocent fouled by the avarice and perversion that was Eloria.

In the muted light, he looked up at her, his breath quickening to a hiss, his body recoiling against the wall.

“Kordan?”

“Get away from me!” came the feeble reply.

“Hey, it’s all right,” she murmured as soothingly as she could. “Your sister sent me. I’m going to take you home now.”

He blinked at her, obviously torn between hope and fear. As she moved towards him, she tripped on a piece of chain lying on the floor. Affixed to a leg of the bed, it ran the length of the room to a shackle around Kordan’s ankle. As if he wasn’t inmate enough in this prison of pruriency.

“The key!” she snarled to Orius.

“Sure, sure.”

The boy shrank back even further when Orius approached, so Sevy grabbed the ring of keys from his hand and searched through them, testing each out before finding the right one.

Now free of his bonds, Kordan rubbed his leg and watched Sevy, waiting for her next move. She bent down to pick him up.

His tiny fist flew out and smacked her across the mouth. Orius laughed until a frosty stare silenced him.

Little brat, Sevy thought as she ran her tongue over the swelling in her lip.

“Listen, Kordan, you can stay here if you really want to. I’ll just have to tell Cloa that you didn’t want to come.”

“Cloa? You know my sister?”

“I told you, she’s the one who sent me here. I’m going to bring you to her now if you’ll trust me.”

After a moment’s consideration, he held out his arms and she scooped him up. She was almost out the door before she stopped and turned back to Orius, glaring at him over the top of Kordan’s flossy head. “When I come back, Orius, and believe me, I will be back, things around here better have changed. Got it?”

She didn’t wait for an answer. She strode down the hall, weighed down not by the boy clinging to her neck, but by the pressure of the many joyless eyes fixed upon her.

Anniversary Sale!

2011-08-07T14:38:00.003-04:00

Mundania Press is celebrating their 9th anniversary with a huge sale this month. All during August, you can save 29% off the cover price of any of their books (print or ebook). Just enter the coupon code NINE when you check out. If you haven't already bought yourself a copy of THIEF and SHADES OF WAR, now's the perfect time!

Clickity click here or here to take advantage of these great prices.

2011 is Trying to Kill Me

2011-07-28T09:50:00.005-04:00

If you've been following my blog, then you may have read about all the various medical issues that have plagued me since January. First a nasty, lingering case of bronchitis, then surgery to "help" my endometriosis, then a random bout of Benign Positional Vertigo, and more recently a minor nervous breakdown (which I'll blog more about later when I'm in a better head space). And just to make life more interesting, yesterday I took a tumble down the stairs at work and had my ankle twist at a most unnatural angle, accompanied by a resounding CRUNCH that made my stomach lurch.

The good news is the ankle is not broken, merely sprained and swollen as you can see in the above picture. I'm to wear a brace and keep off of it for the next little while. In the grand scheme of things, it's not so bad, but it just adds to my paranoia that 2011 is the year of a karmic smackdown. This is distorted thinking, of course, courtesy of my mental illness. A more rational thought is, as Skyla Dawn Cameron put it, my body is telling me, by force, to take some time off.

I want to get right with myself. I want to put an end to this trend of medical misadventures and get on with my life. So I'm attempting to make some changes. First is relieving some pressure, which equates to putting MASQUERADE on hold. I'm about 80% done, but have missed the deadlines I set for myself and that has caused exorbitant amounts of stress and anxiety. For my sanity's sake, I have to accept that the book will get done when it gets done. At this rate, it will not be published this year, but I have to believe that that is for the best. I'd rather take a bit longer to write a book I'm proud of than to write complete and utter shit just to prove something to myself.

I bit the bullet and have started taking medications to control my depression and anxiety, and am on a waiting list for therapy. I'm also looking into local support groups for survivors of abuse. Again, I will go into more detail on this journey once I'm a bit more settled with the idea of it all and my psychic wounds are not so raw.

But so far, the best thing I've done for myself is taking up an interest in art. I've never been an artist. I can't draw to save my life, as I've demonstrated a few times on this blog. True to life art is beyond my reach, but I've discovered the joys of abstract. If you have a moment to spare, please drop by my deviantArt gallery and check out my samplings so far. I'll never win any awards, but I've found it's a wonderful way to express myself and release some of that inner turmoil that, in my opinion, is the reason my body is rebelling against me.

There are five months left in 2011, and I'm doing everything in my power to make sure I survive them.

We Have A Weiner!

2011-07-09T08:00:00.004-04:00

Congrats to Eclairre who won an ecopy of Misdirection by Melinda Skye! Happy reading!

Happy Canada Day!

2011-07-02T18:13:00.006-04:00

A day late, but the thought still counts. Happy Canada Day (weekend)! And for my American friends, Happy Fourth of July (weekend)!

And what better way to celebrate than to buy a copy of THIEF, on sale now for just 99 cents on Amazon.

Help me gain my independence by buying my book. And when I earn enough money to start my own country, you'll totally be allowed over to chill for the weekend. I'll even supply the fireworks.

Sarah-Jane Lehoux: an author for the people, by the people, eh?

We Have a Weiner!

2011-07-01T11:12:00.004-04:00

Congrats to Big Fat Lion who won a copy of Murder Fortissimo by Nicola Slade. Happy reading!

Eight is Enough Q&A with Melinda Skye

2011-07-01T10:40:00.003-04:00

1. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

I’d love to say my husband, but in reality, it’s my critique/writing partner, Sonja Foust. She’s amazing at being really supportive and then giving me the critiques I need. My husband, love him, but he has a habit of forgetting to compliment the book first, which is an important part of being a first responder. One time, I handed over my manuscript for an urban fantasy novel about Norse mythology (see http://skyeforbes.com/ to learn more) and he read the whole thing and the first thing he said was not “It was amazing, I loved it, go you,” but was in fact: “What happens to the hammer?” While a necessary critique point that did need to be fixed (stupid magical hammers!), it could have come second to save my fragile writer ego :)

I think I may be unique, in that case. I didn’t always love writing. I’ve always loved BOOKS, but not the writing of them, just the reading. It wasn’t until college that I realized I actually liked writing. And then, conveniently, I had to write a senior thesis in college. So I talked my advisor into letting me write a thesis on romance novels (shocking to the Literature Department), which just sort of morphed into me writing an actual romance novel. Misdirection was the result, although much rougher than it is today. After that, I thought, “Well, I’ve got this manuscript… now what?” Not knowing anything about the publishing industry, I joined Romance Writers of America and attended their national conference. It was incredible, and by the end of it, I was determined to be a published author. Of course, real life got in the way, so I am only just now getting around to publishing Misdirection, but it was way back (okay, I’m not that old, it was only 2003) that I decided I wanted to be a pro.

3. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Frankly, I’d rather not be involved with the zombies at all. And if I really had to pick, I’d probably be Team Unicorn. But, not given that choice, I’m going to have to say pirate, all the way. I’m a big fan of Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19 – put it on your calendars) and I live in Portland, Oregon, where we take pirates very seriously.

4. Name one (or more) pet peeves you have about other people’s writing. For example, I can’t stand when eyes are referred to as orbs.

There is a very famous author, who writes at least three series. I LOVE her work, but the characters are always “popping” their jaws. She popped her jaw. He popped his jaw. First of all, I’m not even sure what that really is. I mean, I have kind of a mental image of what I think it might be, but no clue if I’m anywhere close to the mark. Second, it doesn’t sound fun/romantic/intense or anything – it sounds PAINFUL. Popping my jaw kind of gives me the heebie-jeebies. And every time I read it (and it happens at least once in every book, often more), it throws me completely out of the story, because I’m busy pondering both what it is and why it gives me the creeps.

5. What is your day job and how does it help or hinder your writing? If writing is your day job, how long did it take for you to reach that point?

The cover story that I am currently using is that I’m a lawyer. I don’t know how much it helps my writing, but it does take up a lot of my time, so that sort of hinders my dedicating my life to my next novel. My critique/writing partner, Sonja loves it, because she always has these great ideas for her next novel that involve some sort of legal twist and she uses me as a free research engine. Legal facts: cheap! I don’t mind and I love hearing the plot ideas she comes up with. Interesting side point about being a lawyer: An awful lot of published authors are former lawyers. They quit lawyering to be full-time writers (and I’d love to do the same thing someday), but I was a writer long before I even considered being a lawyer. When I decided to go to law school, some lawyer-authors who I knew told me I was doing it backwards- I should have been a lawyer first, not the other way around. I’m hoping to come full circle someday and be only a writer again :)

6. If you could meet your characters in real life, do you think you’d get along with them?

One of my best friends commented that she thought the heroine in Misdirection was a lot like me. Apparently she thinks and talks a lot like me, which makes sense, since when I wrote the book, I was told “Write what you know” and I know myself pretty well. I don’t really think Viv is much like me, but maybe my friend knows better. The only awkward part is that there are sex scenes in Misdirection. So my advice to my readers who actually know me: Don’t imagine me as Viv. Please. It’ll really blow my cover if people start to think I’m a spy.

Seriously, though, yes, I’d like my characters. I write people who I admire and want to be like, so I’d probably like them. Whether or not they’d like me is a different matter.

7. What is one thing that you would like the non-writers in your life to understand about writing?

I don’t want to write your books. I want to write my books. I constantly get people telling me, upon learning that I’m a writer, that they have this AMAZING idea for a book that will obviously be a bestseller. But, surprise surprise, they aren’t a writer. So, would I be interested in writing their book? The answer: NO. Not even a little bit. First of all, if I wrote your book, it wouldn’t be your book. The basic idea may start out the same, but I’m going to change it to suit myself. It won’t turn out how you imagine it. Second, I’ve got more than enough stuff on my plate as it is. I’m trying to juggle a real world job, a husband, and more plot ideas than I can organize. I don’t need your workload on top of it. My advice: if you have a great plot idea, try writing it yourself. In other words, write your own damn books!

Crazy? I went crazy once… Yeah, in some ways, writing is kind of crazy-making. I mean, most people who hear voices in their heads wind up in institutions. The rest of us (writers) sell books. So yeah, I try and keep the crazy to a minimum (but check with my husband to see if it’s working), but I think it’s easy to become lost in your own worlds and not venture back out to the real world. That’s what reading is, an escape. Writing can be the same way. I don’t think I’m too close to writing “All work and no play make Melinda Skye a dull girl,” however. But keep your fingers crossed, just in case.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

My romantic suspense novel, Misdirection, just came out June 23 in e-book format and will be out in print on August 10. Available now from Mundania Press.

In the fast-paced world of espionage, two partners must fight their way through a web of lies, misdirections, and red herrings in order to fight back against the terrorist plot that threatens the world.

Vivienne Holbrooke has been at the spy game for quite a while, but her new partner insists on treating her like a novice. But when terrorists threaten the country she's sworn to protect, they're going to have to learn to work together.

Alex Masterson had had it up to here with female agents. He didn't want a partner, he didn't need a partner, but he was stuck working this case with a little rich girl who wanted to play at being a spy. But when things get a little more complicated than they expect, he might find more than just backup in his partner.

Working together, the two partners tackle terrorists and false trails, eventually leading to a showdown that puts their country in danger ... and their hearts on the line. Can they save the world and fall in love?

If you would like to learn more about Melinda, please visit her website, or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

GIVEAWAY: Melinda Skye will give away a free copy of Misdirection (in any requested e-format) to one lucky commenter on this blog post. Contest deadline midnight July 7th.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Nicola Slade

2011-06-24T08:49:00.005-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

I’m very easily distracted – (oh look at that shiny thing!) so a phone call to ask me out for coffee or lunch or just to hang out will nearly always find me picking up my car keys and out the door.

2. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My husband – I tell him it’s done, but he doesn’t read fiction so I then get on to two other people: my younger daughter, Olivia, as she is my first reader and fiercest critic, and a writing friend, Linda Gruchy, who isbrilliant at spotting plot holes and inconsistencies.

Although my first short stories for children were published in my early twenties it was another twenty years before I started getting short stories regularly accepted by women’s magazines. I did have a book for children accepted in the mid-seventies but the publisher changed direction and my book was never published. My first novel, Scuba Dancing, a romantic comedy, was published when I was 62.

4. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

‘It’s actually not bad,’ – from a friend’s husband! Plus another, sweet one, by my elder daughter, Amelia, about my first novel, Scuba Dancing, a romantic comedy: ‘I loved it and got so deeply into it I forgot it was written by my mum!’

5. Name one (or more) pet peeves you have about other people’s writing. For example, I can’t stand when eyes are referred to as orbs.

I am irritated by novels written in the present tense; I rarely find it works for me.

6. Everyone has bad writing days (or weeks, or months). What do you do when you start to hate everything that you’ve written?

(See Question 1): I go out with friends or spend ages pottering round the shops. My best friend and I can spend a whole day without buying anything other than coffee – we call it research! This usually works well as my subconscious is working away on its own and I’m ready to start afresh.

7. If you could meet your characters in real life, do you think you’d get along with them?

As I’m now writing cozy murders there are one or two characters I think I’d prefer not to meet, but most of them would be fun, particularly the heroine of my Victorian series, Charlotte Richmond, as she’s an unusual and very engaging young woman, with a wicked sense of humour.

8. What is one mistake you’ve made while trying to market yourself and your book(s)? Conversely, what’s one bit of promotion you’ve done that worked out better than expected?

I was too shy to organise a book launch for my first novel and have regretted it since. The best thing has been contacting my local radio station and getting the brilliant Breakfast Show host on my side, so that he interviews me for regular updates on my publishing progress.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

MURDER FORTISSMO

When newly retired headmistress, Harriet Quigley, needs a good rest and somewhere comfortable to recover from a hospital stay, she believes Firstone Grange will be the ideal place. Upmarket and luxurious, and perfectly run by a competent and understanding Matron, Firstone Grange seems wonderful but there’s a serpent in this Paradise and Harriet soon realises that some of the residents are very frightened. When a particularly horrific death occurs, and Harriet finds herself at risk, she calls on her clergyman cousin, the Revd Sam Hathaway, and together they attempt to discover the truth.

Reviews have called it ‘witty and amusing’, and ‘a murder mystery in the true spirit of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple,’ along with the comment, ‘one of the best villainesses ever written; I would say she even beats Cruella de Vil!’

It’s a traditional cozy but with a sharp edge and a lot of underlying humour, so if that appeals, and you like the idea of eccentric characters, a gruesome and inventive murder, and the odd snippet of history thrown in, Murder Fortissimo is for you. This is the first of what I hope will be a new series with the second one hopefully coming along next year.

As another reader put it, ‘It’s Miss Marple with balls!’

If you would like to learn more about Nicola Slade, please visit her website.

GIVEAWAY: Nicola will be giving away a free copy of her latest book, MURDER FORTISSMO to one lucky reader. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment. Contest deadline midnight June 30th.

REQUEST AN INTERVIEW

2011-06-12T11:51:00.002-04:00

1. Professionally published authors only. Sorry, but no cutsies. I went through the official process, and I want to reward others who did as well.

2. No racist, sexist or otherwise offensive material. I am the final judge as to what is offensive.

3. I reserve the right to edit interviews if they violate the above rule. I also reserve the right to decline to post or to delete interviews.

4. If you are interested in being interviewed, send an email to sarah-janelehoux@live.ca with the subject heading: INTERVIEW REQUESTED. All others will be deleted without being read.

5. If you have a preferred date that you would like the interview posted, please let me know in your initial email. I will try to be obliging, but ultimately, I decide the date.

6. You will receive a list of questions. You must answer 8 of them, plus provide a blurb of your latest project in less than 300 words. It is your responsibility to return your answers to me in a timely fashion.

7. If you would like me to post a picture, you must attach it as a jpeg to your interview answers.

8. If you would like me to include links to your website, publisher, facebook, twitter, etc, you must provide the actual link.

9. On the date your interview is posted, it is your responsibility to find the link and announce it to your followers as you see fit.

10. Giveaways are not required, but they do help draw traffic to your interview. I will draw a winner from the list of commenters after one week, and email you the name. It is your responsibility to contact said winner, and send them their prize. Conversely, you may also link to any current giveaway you are hosting on another site.

11. If you have questions about any of these rules, please leave a comment. Do not leave a comment if you are requesting an interview. See above for contact info.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Resa Nelson

2011-06-03T09:16:00.004-04:00

1.Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

In an ideal world, I use voice recognition to write. About a year ago, the personal computer I used to write my first two novels finally bit the dust. It was old enough to send out applications for college(translation: about 17 years old), so I’m grateful to have had it for as long as I did. I’mkluging my netbook as my current computer for writing novels, so I’vefallen off the voice recognition wagon. I really miss it! It’s especially great forwriting dialog. When you have to listen to yourself say every word out loud, it’smuch easier to catch dialog that no one would be caught dead saying.

2.Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Many years ago I made a decision that changed my process: Inever write down story ideas or notes. If it’s not good enough to remember, it’snot compelling enough to write. Only the best ideas stick, so those are theones that end up as novels or short stories. So it’s a non-issue.

3.Say you’re writing the best scene you’ve ever written. It’s poignant, it’s heart wrenching, it’s utterly perfect. Every sentence makes you sob with the beauty of it all. You are so close to finishing, but you need a moment to think of the next crucial line of dialogue. And then somebody comes into the room and peers over your shoulder. “Hey, whatcha working on?” they yell into your ear, words garbled by a mouthful of the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward for finishing the most fantastic scene in the history of ever. How do you respond?

That never happens. I isolate myself completely when I write. I don’t answer the phone. I ignore anyone who knocks on my front door. I go dark (unplug from the Internet). It’s like taking a restraining order out on the entire world: No One Is Allowed To Come Within 500 Yards Of Me. Of course, living alone makes it a lot easier to do this, but it’s one of the reasons I live alone!

4.What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

There’s nothing like Boston Cream Pie. Sure, I could pick up some version of it at the grocery store or a local suburban bakery, but there’s a great bakery in Fanueil Hall in Boston that makes an incredible Boston Cream Pie as big as a hubcap. (OK, maybe a hubcap for a Big Wheel, but still it’s pretty big.) Perfect fluffy cake, perfect éclair-like filling, and perfect chocolate glaze. It’s always worth the trip.

5.When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My critique group. They are amazing. They let me know what works (so I know what to keep) and they work to understand what I want to accomplish so they can help me stretch and grow to get there. They always give me great advice for making my work better.

6.When asked when they first discovered their love for writing, most people will say their childhood. So I won’t waste your time by asking something I already pretty much know the answer to. What I want to know is when you decided to go pro, instead of just writing as a hobby.

I decided I wanted to go pro by the time I was 13, maybe younger. When I was in high school, I decided to learn how writers got paid and how much I could expect to make. I did my research and nearly fainted. I didn’t know how much money I’d need to live on my own, but it was obvious I’d need more than what magazines were paying for short stories. Plus, I figured, who could predict how many stories I’d be able to sell? (My game plan was to establish myself as a short story writer and then attempt novels when I felt ready.) So I completely ditched the idea of writing and went to college and grad school where I earned degrees unrelated to writing (or so I thought at the time). During my last semester in grad school I had an epiphany: what if I wrote fiction at night and on weekends? So as soon as I got my first day job, I committed 100% to writing and getting published. A few years later I went to Clarion. and a few years after that I made my first pro sale. I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to focus on writing, and I suspect I always will.

7.Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

I honestly can’t think of anything with regard to my fiction. But I had a great one when I was working full-time as a technical writer in the software industry. I was assigned to work with an engineer who hated technical writers with a passion. I took a deep breath and did my best to be respectful of his time and figure out how we could get the job done. Gradually, working with him got better and better. After we finished the project, we’d become so friendly that we’d even stop and chat whenever we saw each other in the hallway. One day he told me, “You know, I usually hate writers ... but you’re not so bad!” To this day, I take it as a high compliment.

8.This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

I’m going to have to go with zombie pirate, because there’s at least a chance of having some fun. I suspect a zombie ninja would be way too serious for my taste.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

My newest book is called Our Lady of the Absolute, and it’s about a modern-day society based on ancient Egypt. I would like to believe that it served as a catalyst for the real-life Egyptian revolution, but I strongly doubt that anyone in Egypt has heard of it. Our Lady of the Absolute is about four characters who go on really big journeys to find the truth about themselves and their lives, and ultimately these journeys intersect. It’s fantasy in the sense that there is no society based on ancient Egypt in our world today. Plus I’m a lifelong fan of ancient Egypt so there’s a lot of stuff about their gods and belief system. But it’s also a thriller/mystery. My readers tell me my books are full of twists and turns, and I think this is the twisty-est novel to date. Of everything I’ve ever written, this is my personal favorite. The main character, Meres (a real Egyptian name that means “she loves”), is a woman who works for the priests in the temple of Our Lady of the Absolute (aka Isis), and she’s devoted to country and government. But when her sister-in-law unintentionally commits treason against the pharaoh, Meres takes a big leap of faith and decides to help her sister-in-law defect, even though that means Meres herself is committing treason and risking a death sentence. Horrible things happen, including the emergence of a very unusual serial killer. There’s lots of action and adventure, but ultimately it’s a story about people who love each other and the risks they’re willing to take in order to protect and help each other. I also have a Dragonslayer series about a female blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers, and Book 2 (The Iron Maiden) is scheduled for publication this fall.

If you would like to learn more about Resa, please visit her website, or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

Sleep Paralysis and Excerpt from Shades of War

2011-05-28T19:31:00.005-04:00

I've always had an interest in the paranormal. I don't really know why. I was raised Catholic, which maybe made me more open to the idea of spiritual planes of existence. I was also a very lonely little girl, who spent most of her time alone, reading. Maybe I was just hoping that there was something more to this world, something magical and exciting. I was also abused as a child by a family member. Perhaps I was just trying explore and understand my feelings of fear in a way that I could control.

In any event, it's a fascination that has not left me as I've grown older. I've read countless books on the subject, and have formed my own opinions based on my knowledge of biology, psychology, and history. I no longer believe in ghosts, just as I no longer believe in God, but that doesn't stop me from trying to understand why other people do. And maybe a part of me still hopes to one day receive proof that there is more to life than meets the eye.

If I hadn't educated myself on the subject, I have no doubt that I'd be a believer. I routinely experience Sleep Paralysis, which in the old days was also known as the Old Had Syndrome. Sleep paralysis occurs in the state between REM sleep and waking. The parts of the brain that control motor function are still shut off (which makes one unable to move), while the parts of the brain that control dreaming are still turned on. All these crossed wires equate to some freaky hallucinations.

My first experience (that I can remember) happened when I was a teen. I was just falling asleep when I heard a man's voice say my name into my left ear. I remember sitting up and screaming for my mother because I was convinced there was a man in my room. Since then, I have had regular episodes, usually when I am over tired or over stressed (so, like, pretty much all the time!). I have felt people come into the room and sit down beside me. I have seen hooded figures standing by my bed. I have heard voices, most notably, a very rough voice who, when I asked his name, growled something that sounded suspiciously like the name of a demon that you'd read of in Revelations. I've felt knuckles running down my back and just last week, something grabbed my wrist, hard. Sometimes, the hallucinations are pleasant. I once thought I was having an extended conversation with my deceased grandmother, although once I woke up, I couldn't remember a word of it and was left with a lingering, bittersweet, melacholic sort of sensation. I've even had what some people call Astral Projection, where I leave my body behind and wander around my apartment for awhile before I realize that I'm still dreaming.

It all feels so real while it's happening that I can easily understand why so many people believe that it's not just the brain screwing up, but a legitimate experience with the supernatural. I could certainly fudge my way onto any number of popular ghost programming, like Ghost Hunters or Paranormal State. I could pass myself off as either a tormented victim, or a powerful medium, depending on what the occasion called for.

Instead, I've opted to draw upon my experiences to aid my writing. My dreams have always influenced my stories, from the time I could barely write, so I see no reason why I can't use my sleep paralysis as well. In SHADES OF WAR, a scene where Sevy is visited by the ghost of a murdered woman is a composite of my experiences. The feeling of pressure on the chest, the sense that you are no longer alone, that someone or something wants you to acknowledge them, the touching, the whispering, the feeling of leaving your body behind--it's all exactly what I experience several times a month. Sevy's fear and confusion in that scene are based upon my own.

I guess that's why that scene is one of my favourites. So I thought I'd share it with you now:

“Goddammit!” Sevy yelled, kicking the sheets away. There was no air in this room and she was bombarded with the piercing whine of mosquitoes as they navigated their way around the netting. She wondered what time it was. There was no way of telling as clouds shrouded the moon. Rain was coming. Again. How could anyone stand living here?

The sounds that came through the wall told her that Trena and Lon were having just as difficult a time falling asleep as she was. Lots of tossing and turning, Trena getting up countless times to use the lavatory, Lon murmuring to her, urging her to sleep. Poor guy. Sevy almost felt sorry for him, having to contend with a pregnant woman in the middle of the steaming jungles.

Or she would have felt sorry for him if he weren’t such a slathering idiot.

The image of Trena swollen with child dumbfounded Sevy. Lon’s child. Lon’s wife. Sevy had all but forgotten about the friend who had betrayed her and cast her aside for a greasy, hairy knuckled bastard. Now here she was, popping up in Sevy’s life again. It really was a small world, as Trena had said, and it had a truly sick sense of humor.

Sevy sighed and flopped onto her stomach. She wished that she could have pressed for more information. What had Trena been doing in Wilrendel? How had they met and how was it that Lon didn’t know about her scarlet career? Most curious was the fact that Didrianna and Baywyn knew nothing about Trena or the baby. By whose request had that information been kept hidden from Lon’s own family?

Tomorrow, once Lon had gone on duty, she’d get answers to all of these burning questions. Trena would have no choice but to reveal everything Sevy wanted to know. Otherwise, well, Sevy might just have to have a little heart to heart with Lon.

At the very least, she now had an advantage. Trena could be just the leverage needed to convince Lon to move back to Devenbourn. After all, why would anyone in their right mind want to raise their child in this festering hellhole? The weather notwithstanding, this place was on the verge of civil war. Now that the army had captured some poor sacrificial lamb to appease the general public, it was only a matter of time before the dark elves struck back. The farmlands, which seemed a world away, may have been bland and homogenous, but at least they were safe.

Right now, she’d give anything to be back amongst the gently swaying grain fields of Devenbourn than be stuck here, spending a sleepless night on a sweaty bed, eaten alive by insects. Even the stink of Eloria was better than this.

She threw her pillow to the ground, disgusted by the moist fabric. The mattress beneath it was no better. She had reached the point where she would have ripped off her own skin if that would bring her some relief. Just then, she heard Trena cry softly, imploring Lon to get her some cold water. Was that sympathy she felt tug at her heartstrings for Trena, trapped in an already miserable condition made that much more unbearable by the muggy milieu? But no. Sevy would not allow any concern. Not for her.

The cries persisted. She heard Lon’s exhausted sigh as he trudged out of the apartment, closing the door and locking it behind him. If she listened hard enough, she could hear the noises coming from the other parts of the building. Other families struggling with the night, just like she was.

A soft patter on her windowsill told her that the rain had started. She knew she should get up and close the shutters, but she couldn’t. Sleep had taken hold of her body, even if it hadn’t been able to claim her mind. She tried to silence the thoughts swimming through her head and waited for slumber’s blanket to be pulled over her consciousness.

Before that could happen, the door to her bedroom opened, haltingly, an inch at a time. There were no candles lit in the living room so no shadow was cast, but Sevy could tell that someone had come inside. Angrily, she tried to confront them for disturbing her, but her muscles were still locked in dormancy. Her eyes would not open to glare at the intruder and her voice would not sound to scream at them for invading her privacy as she lay naked, uncovered, on the bed.

It must be Trena, she decided. She hadn’t heard Lon return with the water Trena had asked for, and besides that, she doubted he would just barge in without knocking. He was an ostentatious oaf, but he had some manners. It must be Trena, come to beg her to keep her scandalous past a secret.

Sevy did not hear footsteps, but someone drew near. She felt the bed shift as they sat down beside her. It was then that an alarm within her began to sound. She didn’t know how, but she knew that it was not Trena. It didn’t feel like her.

Like the rippling of a snake as it slinks noiselessly across the forest floor, fear slithered inside of Sevy. It spread from the pit of her stomach, up her spine, through her limbs, quickening her breaths, making her flesh rise. Even though she could not turn her head, she knew that someone was staring fixedly at her helpless, paralyzed body, and without a word uttered, she knew that whoever it was, they wanted her to look at them.

Instantly, she was reminded of the woman from the barracks. It should have been a relief to know that her unwelcome visitor was just an old woman, but it was not. She remembered the odd smile, the bizarre movements, the hands drenched in unidentified liquid.

She shouldn’t have thought about those hands, for no sooner than the memory had flickered across her imagination, she felt the visitor reach out and touch her. Wetness, warm and sticky, was stroked onto the blade of her back as the hand caressed her. Sevy cried out in wordless protest. The sound of it should have ricocheted against the rafters, but the room remained silent. The hand patted her twice, as though her visitor was trying to reassure her. The gesture only served to frighten her more.

A click from the living room. A lock turned. Lon had returned. She heard him walk by her room. Surely, he would notice the door open and see the figure sitting on her bed. She called out to him. Why didn’t he answer?

The visitor grasped Sevy’s hand and pulled. Sevy felt herself rise. But wait. She hadn’t moved. Something was wrong. Something felt horribly wrong, but she didn’t know what. Her thoughts were hazy, as though she were under the influence of too much ale.

Gradually, she realized that although she was standing upright, she could still feel the bed underneath her.

She blinked. The room looked different. A fog had settled and Sevy had to squint to see through it. The objects she had taken for granted—the armoire, the dressing table, the bed itself—wavered in and out of focus, appearing to grow and shrink at random. She could not connect what she was seeing to what she was feeling. If her body was to be trusted, she was still lying in bed, flat on her stomach, head cricked uncomfortably to the side, but if she were to rely on her eyes, she was standing in the middle of the room, looking down at her sleeping self.

It was then that she became aware of the conversation she had apparently been having for some time with the unknown presence in her room. Words were spoken and acknowledged, then forgotten only a second later. Sevy felt a sense of urgency. There was a message she was supposed to understand. Something very important.

“Yes,” Sevy said, though she couldn’t remember exactly what she was saying yes to.

The presence was frustrated with her. It stood in front of the window now, a silhouette of a spindly woman, dress ruffling in the breeze the rain carried. Her hands were around her neck in the same position they had been when Sevy had first seen her outside of the barracks. Without moving, her head dropped down and her hands were abruptly up in the air, palms exposed, still shining wet.

The woman glanced up, smiling. She reached one hand out and pointed. Sevy looked to the source: her own hands. She held them up to her eyes and gasped when she saw them coated with the same wetness as the woman’s.

Blood!

It would not wipe off. She could not get it off. Panic rose. She yelled out for Lon again. For Trena. Anybody. No one came. She yelled at herself to wake up as this surely was some sort of nightmare. The bed pressed against her chest so hard she couldn’t breathe. The woman raised her head, back and further back, until her neck was exposed. Sevy screamed. A red line was scored across the woman’s flesh. It was a line that grew wider and wider as the woman continued to pull her head back, so much so that Sevy didn’t know how it just didn’t snap off and fall backwards onto the floor.

Then, in a bizarre shift that completely mystified her, Sevy was standing where the woman had been, clutching at her own garroted throat, feeling her own blood gushing through her fingers—

Rain spackled the floor beneath the window. The mosquitoes droned in her ears. Her eyes opened. She was lying on her stomach in bed. The woman was gone. She was alone. She was awake. It took all of her strength not to scream out loud. Sevy must have been the only person in all of the Northern Jungles who spent the rest of the night shivering under her blanket.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Paul Kane

2011-05-27T08:31:00.003-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

Not really unusual, but like a lot of other writers I guess I have my rituals. Because I started out doing it that way, I prefer to writer short stories on a desktop and novels on a laptop – mainly because they’re longer and I can sit in a recliner to work on those. I also don’t send anything off anymore without my wife Marie having looked at it. Not sure if that’s a ritual, just common sense really as she’s a damned good writer/editor herself and can usually spot if I’ve messed up, plus how to fix it. If I’m bored with a project, then Facebook’s a distraction I could probably do without. I might find myself on there instead of ploughing ahead with the task, so that detracts occasionally from my writing. But at the same time it’s nice to catch up with mates on there, and it’s also good for letting people know what you’re doing projects-wise.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Don’t think I’ve ever really had a plot bunny pop into my head. I get ideas all the time, but jot these down in a little hardback notebook – a writer’s best friend – so I suppose that gets rid of them until I can focus my attention on them properly. I’ve never had an idea come to me that I really had to do, right that instant, when I was working on something else. I also like to let an idea percolate for a while before launching into it, so storing the ideas up like this works quite well for me.

Depends on who it is. I’m quite a patient person, though, so I’d probably explain to them nicely what I was doing and why I could really do without being disturbed right now. I lock myself away when I write fiction anyway, as I can’t work when there are distractions around.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

I know it’s no good for me, but I love cheese. Marie gets loads of different ones in from time to time, so that’s a nice treat for when I’ve finished something off. We just got another sandwich toasting machine, so toasted cheese sandwiches are very popular in our house at the moment.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

Always Marie. She’s there before, during and then afterwards, in fact. I value her opinion and judgement so much, more than anybody in the world. And I do the same with her work, talking things through and then helping where I can during and afterwards. It’s really brilliant to have someone like that in your life, who you trust to give you an honest opinion, because they want to make your work better. No two ways about it, she’s an absolute star.

By the time I’d left university I’d pretty much decided I wanted to be a writer for a living. As part of my History of Art, Design and Film course, I did a module on ‘Professional Writing’ and to get your grades you had to submit articles and reviews to major magazines and newspapers, so I started making contacts that way. It took me a little while to build up a list of places I’d do regular work for, including reviewing movies for my local paper, but I’m lucky enough to have been making a living at all this for about fifteen years. It was only after I’d done a home writing course that I started to think about writing stories again, because I’d done some tinkering around with them in my teens. I got some positive feedback from my tutor and decided to start sending stories off – the first was ‘The Cave of Lost Souls’, which I sent to John B. Ford at Terror Tales. He loved it enough to invite me along to a gathering of local writers. The rest is history, really.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

Never really had a backhanded compliment – people either like or don’t like what I do, and don’t have a problem letting me know which it is. I’m most proud of the nice things that some of the people I was reading myself when I was first starting out have said about my work. Night of the Triffids author Simon Clark saying I was ‘one hell of a talented and visionary writer’ for example; Christopher Fowler stating that I ‘could well be the first of the next new wave’; or the ultimate from my literary hero Clive Barker, that I was a ‘first rate storyteller’.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Well, seeing as one author described me recently as a writing ninja, who gets in there and gets you hooked before you’ve even realised it, I have to go with the zombie ninja. In fact zombie anything is all right in my book, I absolutely love zombies. In fact, I have a bit of a Walking Dead addiction going on at the moment.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest projects.

My most recent books are the novel Arrowland – the third book in the bestselling Arrowhead trilogy for Abaddon, plus the collections The Adventures of Dalton Quayle from Mundania, and Shadow Writer from Mansion House Books which is also being distributed by Cemetery Dance. I have a collection forthcoming from the award-winning PS Publishing, which is very exciting. That’s due to launch at FantasyCon, which I’m co-chairing again this year. It’s in Brighton – where World Horror was held last year – September 30th to October 2nd, and our Guests include World Fantasy Award-winner Gwyneth Jones, bestselling author of Let the Right One in, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Hollywood scriptwriter Peter Atkins, and OBE and SF legend Brian Aldiss. The other big thing I’ve got going on at the moment is a film adaptation of my story The Weeping Woman, which I turned into a script myself. It was made by award-winning director Mark Steensland, stars Fright Night’s Stephen Geoffreys and has music from Lucio Fulci collaborator Fabio Frizzi (of The Beyond and Zombie Flesheaters fame). That premiered at Motor City Nightmares in Detroit last month. I’m also working on a number of things, include a novel, novella, a feature script and various short stories. I always like to keep busy...

If you would like to learn more about Paul, please visit his website or his facebook page.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Janet Lane Walters

2011-05-20T09:16:00.004-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

Maybe not unusual but I always write my rough drafts our by hand as well as at least one to two of the other drafts. I also sit in a recliner and the pen must be a fine point one, lined paper in a notebook so I can tear the pages out when I finish a chapter.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Since I have no idea what plot bunnies are, I’ll make up an answer. I’m good at that trick. Shall we equate them to dust bunnies one finds under the bed? If so, then we must dust with care. One of these creatures could be the little bit of magic that turns the story into a dynamite tale. Or the creature could be something you forgot and it wants in. The dust bunny could be a viral creature that must be removed before the story destructs. The moral of this bit is to approach all bunnies with caution until you learn what they are.

True story sort of but with a writer’s gift for down-playing. My children used to tell their friends if their mother is writing, do not talk to her. She will bite your throat out. While this never really happened, they learned quickly not to bother me. But then I’ve learned to write just about anywhere and sometimes I’ve been told I can carry on a conversation and write at the same time.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Snacks depend on the mood. I go from tart to spicy, either tart cherry pie or pepper jack cheese.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

I don’t share until I have a real handle on things and then it’s not usually a person but with my critique group. If I need to brainstorm a call to Jane Toombs usually gets the story heading on track.

I've had two careers and they have sort of overlapped. I was a nurse and when I had children, I decided to return to writing. I began writing short stories and sold about a dozen before the markets for short stories dried up. I also had an editor reject a short story saying it sounded like the synopsis for a novel. Thus I tackled novel writing and had a moderate success with four nurse romance stories selling. Then the children grew up and needed further education. I returned to nursing as a career. During this time I also earned two degrees a BA in English with focus on Creative Writing and a BS in Nursing. After working for about ten years in nursing I returned to writing and began selling. I’m not sure there was ever a time when I looked on writing as a hobby.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

N/A

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie ninja. I have no love for pirates of any variety.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

If you had the chance to visit a time that’s always fascinated you, would you go even if it meant you could never return? This is Tira’s choice and the bargain seems a good one, Ancient Egypt has always been her interest. The drug lord who murdered her sister and wants her dead allows her to answer an ad. When she reaches her destination, she finds her life could still be at risk but she will have a partner, Kashe. She becomes a Warrior of Bast and he is one of Horu. Together they set off to find the talismans of the rule and to confront the priests of Aken Re. Will they be able to fight the strong attraction that’s forbidden for them to explore until they have succeeded? Will they succeed and will Tira find love and a place to belong.

If you like a feisty heroine who is a martial arts expert and a hero with weapon skills, you’ll find this a book to enjoy and one for your keeper shelf. An ancient Egypt beckons, but it’s not entirely the Egypt you’ve read about. Share the adventure with Tira and Kashe. And you have your choice or reading methods. It’s available in electronic format and print for the Kindle, the Nook and from Vanilla Heart Publishing.

If you would like to learn more about Janet Lane Walters, please visit her website. Keep an eye on her blog. She'll be hosting a contest there in July.

This Book Will be the Death of Me.

2011-05-19T10:04:00.005-04:00

READERS, BE WARNED. HERE BE POTENTIAL SPOILERS

Once again, the universe has been conspiring against me. Every deadline I have set for myself has been broken thanks to a string of health issues. First bronchitis, then surgery, then side effects of said surgery, and then a recent bout of vertigo. Vertigo, people. Who the hell gets vertigo? I feel like Xander on that episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer where he rants about being the only member of the Scooby Gang to get the funny syphilis.

In between one illness or another, I've been struggling to finish Masquerade. Every time I think I'm making good progress, I get a rush of insecurity that makes me long to scrap the whole thing and start fresh. So far, all the plot points are not joining together as nicely as they did with Thief and Shades of War.

But I think I finally figured out why.

Masquerade, as you can probably guess from the title, deals with issues of identity and of pretending to be someone you're not, as well as themes of acceptance. Acceptance of yourself, of others, of letting go of things you have no control over. Which is all very well and good in theory, except I'm dealing with Sevy here, and she has yet to behave like a good little heroine and do what I say.

And if Sevy weren't bad enough, I have to deal with a new problem child. I never thought I'd have a character as stubborn and contradictory as her, but I have apparently created one even worse. Kirydan. I want to kill him. He is messing everything up. He is ruining my carefully crafted story and trampling all over everyone else's character arcs.

But I finally figured out why.

You see, Kirydan is a con man. And he has some tricks up his sleeve that makes his game particularly good. So good that he has me conned. When he cries on one character's shoulder and pretends to be a lost little boy, I believe him. And when he tells another that he is madly in love with them, I believe that too. Then the next scene, when he does something completely opposite of what he should do, I get lost. I feel like I need to rewrite everything to explain his motives, but today it just hit me. He does all of these things because he can do them. He says and does what he has to in order to manipulate the other characters, and he has yet to reveal his true self despite how heart wrenching and believable some of his so-called confessions have been.

Now that I know this about him, I feel more at ease and able to move forward instead of glance back. But I'm worried about how to convey this to the reader. I decided long ago that none of the chapters will be written from his POV because I wanted to keep him distant and mysterious. But dammit, he is making me question my ability as a writer.

Will readers be able to tell Kirydan's lies from his truths? Will they be as confused as I am? Will they chalk it all up to bad writing? Am I a bad writer? Gah!!! I'm driving myself mad.

Above all this constant chatter, I struggle to remind myself that this is only the first draft and it doesn't have to be perfect yet. I just need to shut up, buckle down, and kill this beast before it kills me.

If there is one thing I've learned from writing is that a story is like a living being, and as Ian Macolm said in Jurassic Park, "Life finds a way." This novel will get itself finished one way or another. The only question is whether I'll still be breathing when it does.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Patricia Snodgrass

2011-05-13T12:47:00.002-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

I like to play a couple of rounds of scramble on Facebook before writing. It’s like stretching before running. I also enjoy putting together jigsaw puzzles. http://www.jigzone.com/ is one of the places I like to frequent. I usually do these for about ten to fifteen minutes prior to writing.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

It depends. I’ve found some brilliant things when following a plot bunny. In my novel, Glorious, for example, I found Glorious’ ghost playing on a swing set in an abandoned school yard. The scene that came from that is probably the most poignant in the book. At least it was to me.

What am I working on? Oh nothing special. By the way, remember that set of diamond earrings your grandmother gave you? That really expensive pair you keep in the safe deposit box? I just sold them on E bay for ten bucks.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Tiramisu. A very large piece. And she ate the whole damned thing. That greedy cow.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My husband. He’s my hero.

Ahh I was trying to go pro in my teens. Yes, I was that delusional. I sent a really awful science fiction short story to Analog Magazine. I think I was sixteen or so at the time. I got a written rejection slip back, in which the editor said that I had a great imagination, but needed to focus more on my sciences in school, and for godsakes, clean my typewriter. I kept that rejection slip until it literally fell apart. It wasn’t until much later that I found out that hand written rejections slips were worth their weight in gold when it comes to writing advice. I took that advice too, and got a Master’s Degree. (and I got rid of the typewriter)

I had already published a number of essays, book reviews, and short stories, but most of them were gratis. I didn’t consider myself truly professional until Samhain Publishing picked up my novel, Mercer’s Bayou.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

Ahhh yes, that would have to be from the reviewer at a certain (cough cough) large romance review site. The reviewer was put off by the intensity of my latest novel, Glorious. She said that it wasn’t for the faint of heart, or stomach. She did, however, give me an excellent review and a great recommendation. But yeah, it was pretty backhanded compliment wise. I may have scared her so badly that she may never pick up another one of my novels.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie ninja, hands down. Zombie ninjas are just so hot.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

I have two, count them two, novels coming out this summer. Marilyn, by Phaze books is scheduled for an August release, (paranormal romance, and something of a comedy) and The Man Who Loved Yolanda Dodson, (paranormal romance, shapeshifter) will be released by Mundania. I don’t have an exact date for that one yet, but I should know soon. I also have another story that was recently submitted entitled Wild Swans. I’m very excited about that one. It’s also a paranormal romance of a sort.

And there’s a sequel to Glorious that I hope to have finished by September, and yes there’s plot bunnies everywhere. Needless to say, this is going to be a great summer.

If you would like to learn more about Patricia, please visit her website, or follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Patricia is going to give away a free ebook of Glorious to one lucky reader. Please leave a comment to enter to win. I will draw a name next Friday. Good luck!

Eight is Enough Q&A with Marilyn Meredith

2011-05-06T10:11:00.000-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

Chai tea latte aids, e-mail and Facebook detract—plus everything on my to-do list.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

I had to look up what you meant by plot bunnies, after seeing all the references, I wonder if I’m the last one to find out that it could be a story idea that won’t go away until it’s written, or when the plot goes somewhere you don’t really want to go. Usually when one of those pops up, I know that it’s something that I really ought to do whether or I want to or not, so I’d say it’s a blessing.

I know what I would want to respond, but probably wouldn’t. I get interrupted all the time and usually if it’s a very special snack, I’ve hidden it where no one can find it.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Something chocolate. Chocolate is something I find hard to resist.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My husband, not that he’s going to be too thrilled because he knows I’ll just start another.

I probably should say when I was a teen because I wrote and printed my own magazine—about 6 pages of stories and articles and sold it. Also wrote plays for the neighbourhood kids to be in and we charged for admittance. I made stabs at sending manuscripts off when my kids were still young, but I forget submitting for awhile when I was rejected. All my kids were grown except one when I started writing what I hoped would be published. It ultimately was, but after nearly 30 rejections and many rewrites.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

I’ve had lots along this line. “H’mmm, nice book. If I had the time I could write a best seller.”

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie ninja, definitely.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

Angel Lost is number seven in the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series. Officer Stacy Wilbur is wrapped up in plans for her coming wedding to Detective Doug Milligan. He is unhappy about the lack of time he has to spend with her, but much more upset about her undercover assignment to catch a pervert exposing himself to women who jog on the beach. Sergeant Abel Navarro’s mother is showing signs of Alzheimer’s, the new transfer from the LAPD has a problem that won’t be solved merely by transferring to a small town, Officer Gordon Butler has his usual problems including trying to find a place o live, and a reflection on a plate glass window downtown is seen by some as a sign from God because it appears to be an angel. The Rocky Bluff PD sees it as a distraction because of the crowds that gather each night to see it. When it looks like everything is going to work itself out, the unthinkable happens.

Each book in the series is written as a stand-alone, and though many of the same characters make repeat appearances, the focus changes from one set of characters to others. When I began the series, my goal was to show the family life of the cops as well as what is happening on the job, and how one affects the other.

This is a quote from one of my readers. “Meredith wraps everything up in a most satisfactory fashion. These books are a sort of cross between The Waltons and Hill Street Blues, and I hope there are many more to come.”

If you would like to learn more about Marilyn, please visit her website or her blog.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Dina James

2011-04-29T08:33:00.003-04:00

1.Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

I can't think of any. I mean, I'm weird, but I don't need to touch the wall three times and spin my chair around before I can write. Tea and music are helpful, but not required.

2.Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Bunnies make good stew and excellent chocolate.

Wait, you said PLOT bunnies! Oh, those. Well…both, I'd say. Great if they bounce in when there's time to indulge and include them, annoying if they pop up for something completely unrelated to what I'm writing. If that happens, I usually just scribble a note somewhere and go on with my work. I have an excellent plot-bunny control system. Rabbit-proof writer.

I think they fear I will eat them, for they do indeed make good stew (AND NICE FUR COATS. DO YOU HEAR ME, BUNNIES?!*).

*Don't get all upset. I don't wear fur coats. Mostly because I don't have that kind of money. I'm also a member of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals). Also, I'm mostly evil, in case that wasn't already made clear.

3.Say you’re writing the best scene you’ve ever written. It’s poignant, it’s heart wrenching, it’s utterly perfect. Every sentence makes you sob with the beauty of it all. You are so close to finishing, but you need a moment to think of the next crucial line of dialogue. And then somebody comes into the room and peers over your shoulder. “Hey, whatcha working on?” they yell into your ear, words garbled by a mouthful of the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward for finishing the most fantastic scene in the history of ever. How do you respond?

I would respond with a double-pointed knitting needle (usually close at hand) to the hollow of their throat, without looking up from my work. The person would still be able to breathe with a sliver of wood lodged in their trachea, so they would leave me alone while they go to the emergency room. I'll have time and peace and quiet in which to finish the scene I was writing before the cops arrive and arrest me for assault and attempted murder.

Then I'll be insulted because "attempted" means I tried and failed. When the judge asks me why I plead not guilty to the attempted murder charge, I'll tell him that if I'd intended to kill the person, I'd have jammed the knitting needle in their eye and scrambled their brain instead of merely poking them in the throat.

I would also call the plaintiff a crybaby.

And would still be mad that they ate my special snack.

4.What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

The best French fries ever made from a restaurant in the UK and their accompanying garlic-mayo dipping sauce.

I would then be known as "that chick who stabbed that person over a French fry" and be feared in prison. And possibly taunted for the rest of my life by people waving French fries at me.

5.When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

Wait, "finish?" I'm supposed to…ohhhhh! You mean when the characters finally shut up, who do I talk to first? That? Totally my hottie bartender. He knows I need a drink afterward.

I don't show Hottie Bartender what I was doing, though. He wouldn't understand. No.

When I finally do stumble out of my lair (I have a writing LAIR – it's all evil and scary with Darth Vader everywhere), I mumble incoherently and wave pages with words on them at my husband as I get another cup of tea and something that looks like food. Husband's eyes light up and he gets this fab grin as he takes the pages from me and runs away, cackling with glee. He comes back as I'm finishing my food and asks me for more pages.

You can see why I married him. The fact that he's a fantastic cook is merely a bonus.

6.When asked when they first discovered their love for writing, most people will say their childhood. So I won’t waste your time by asking something I already pretty much know the answer to. What I want to know is when you decided to go pro, instead of just writing as a hobby.

2007. I'd finished my first draft of my current WIP (I know…I KNOW! I hear it all the time from my characters, okay? I KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN!) and thought that was the end of it. Ohhh, no. Fateful words spoken by a friend one December night in a Japanese restaurant in Soho, London changed everything.

7.Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

"You should totally publish this on Amazon."

8.This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie ninja. Though a walking corpse, I can at least be assured he saw a bath before he died, and the guy will tear off his own arms and beat you with them, then beat you for dying. Also, as a zombie, he doesn't have to worry about that whole "dying" thing, so he can do all sorts of new ninja tricks. No one ever suspects a corpse.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

I have a couple.

One is All Wounds, a young adult novel coming from Mundania Press October 2011. It's the expansion of a short story found in the anthology The Eternal Kiss: 12 Tales of Blood and Desire [Running Press Kids, July 2009], in which the most unpopular girl becomes the center of attention – of beings most people consider to be monsters.

Vampires, werewolves, demons, ghosts, goblins, and other things thought only imaginary all need help sometime, and Rebecca was born with the unique ability to heal ethereal beings. She is about to turn seventeen, the age at which her talent will manifest in its entirety, and become a true Healer…if she lives through the event. A war between various ethereal factions is brewing, and Healers are a valuable commodity. Only two vampires and a rogue werewolf stand between Rebecca and those determined to make her serve them, and Rebecca's naiveté doesn't help matters. If all that weren't enough, Rebecca finds herself attracted to both Syd, the blond Master vampire, and Ryan, the dark-haired bad boy she's trying to keep alive. Then there's her homework….

The other is titled "Light in a Dark World: Legends of the Destrati." It's a collection of my short stories focusing on the vampire clan Destrati. Clan Destrati is unique in that the whole of its members have turned away from the one they traded their soul to in order to gain immortality. Destrati feel that the parasitical cost of their existence is too high, and have sworn to redeem themselves in the hope that the soul they traded for immortality might find salvation. Destrati work to keep others from being coerced into trading their own souls, alone or with the guidance of others. These are their stories. Coming from Mundania Press, January 2012.

If you would like to learn more about Dina James, please visit her website, like her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.
Dina would also like you to know that the Evil League of Evil Writers will be giving away an Ilona Andrews Book!

Eight is Enough Q&A with Kelly Stone

2011-04-22T16:54:00.003-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

Ever since childhood I’ve been a very early riser (before dawn). That’s when I do most of my creative writing, so it’s been useful that way.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Blessing—Some of the best ideas come that way. I carry a notebook with me and write down all those great ideas that drift through my mind at inopportune times.

This is one of the nice things about writing so early in the morning—no one else is up. But if this did happen, I’d probably holler in frustration and try to write down my final thought as quickly as possible.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

A dark chocolate Reese’s peanut butter cup.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

Nonfiction—my editor.
Fiction—my cold readers.

After I met a bunch of published authors at some big writing conferences and realized that 1) it was possible to make a living as a writer and 2) that I wanted to have as much fun making a living as they were.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

Someone told me once that they absolutely loved one of my books, and they were
particularly thrilled that they had managed to read the entire thing in the store.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

I’ll settle on just the zombie.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

I’ve written a series of craft books for writers on how to find time to write no matter how busy you are, and how to capitalize on that time by using the power of your subconscious mind. TIME TO WRITE: No Excuses, No Distractions (Adams Media Jan 2008), No More Blank Pages, THINKING WRITE: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind (Adams Media Sept 2009), and LIVING WRITE: The Secret to Bringing Your Craft Into Your Daily Life (Adams Media, October 2010), are all available now.

To learn more about Kelly and her writing, please visit her website, like her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter. Kelly also sponsors a bi-annual 90 Day Daily Writing Challenge on Facebook with a draw at the end for some great giveaways from bestselling authors.

The Fashionistas of Axlun

2011-04-17T13:22:00.010-04:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to take part in the Mississauga Spring Literary Festival. I'll be posting pictures of that event later on this week, but right now, I wanted to share a little something I've been wasting time with. I found a site called Looklet which is the internet's version of paper dolls. I'm not much into fashion--my idea of style is a pair of jeans and a zombie t-shirt--but I couldn't resist playing with that site. And so I proudly present the results of an afternoon's worth of procrastination:

The Ladies of Axlun as Fashion Models

First up, we have Sevy, wearing this season's "yeah, I'm hot, but I'll still cut you" look. A rusted old copper coin serves as the outfit's sole accessory and a pair of faded leather, crotch stomping boots completes the ensemble. Style never looked so deadly.

Up next we have everyone's favourite femme fatale, Irea, who proves that while less is more, more is better by far. Rock out your royal ambition in this shimery purple number, and give a playful hint of that inner undead demon with sheer black sleeves.

Bringing a bit of class to the world's oldest profession is Trena is this simple yet sweet girl-next-door number sure to turn the head of any farmboy-cum-Captain in the King's Army. Remember, ladies, just because you are cheap doesn't mean you have to look cheap.

Which brings us to Yy'voury, mixing business with casual to great success. The wool cape not only brings a splash of vibrant colour but warmth as well; perfect for frosty mountain mornings full of mediations and meddling, as well as evening strolls with any one of your four husbands. Add a few pieces of tasteful heirloomed bling, and claim your spot as the Ullydran's best dressed matriarch.

(And then make your creator spend hours in Photoshop trying to get your skin and hair colour just right. She's not even real, and yet she bosses me around.)

Edited to Add: Aliss and Leonetta, priestesses of Annu-nial, goddess of death. Their sexy goth-look has Jarro's seal of approval.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Michelle Scott

2011-04-15T07:26:00.003-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

I’m not sure if my habits are unusual, but I’m a very regimented person, so writing is a part of my daily routine. And when I say ‘routine’, I mean it! I exercise, eat breakfast, meditate, and then write. If I don’t complete the tasks in that order, I’m lost. I guess that the exercise and meditation help me focus on the day’s work. The breakfast just keeps me from getting hungry.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Blessing for sure. I’ll chase any idea down, no matter how crazy, and see if I can make it work in a story or novel. In fact, I like the chase itself because if I’m heading in one direction, and the plot takes off in another, then I know that something interesting is about to happen.

“Go ask your father!!” With three kids in the house, this happens me to all the time. The kids know enough to not bother me when I’m working (and I try not to work when they’re in the house), but sometimes, at a crucial moment, I’ll get interrupted. That’s why I write with a pile of pens next to the computer. They’re easy to throw, and don’t hurt very much when they hit you.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Chocolate. Especially Trader’s Joe’s salted caramels.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

Depending on the book, either my husband or my older daughter. Both of them are wonderfully adept beta readers.

Many years ago, when I was first married, I moved to Detroit with my husband. At that time, I knew exactly one person in that entire city (yes, that would be my husband). I also had no job and was stuck all day in this basement apartment where our living room windows were just high enough above ground for me to see people’s ankles when they walked past. I was really bored and really lonely, and I started to hallucinate. Er, write.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

A reviewer once told me that she’d started one of my books at around eleven at night, thinking she’d get a chapter in before bed. But what happened was that she ended up staying awake until three because she couldn’t put the book down, and just had to read the entire book. I was thrilled!

8.This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Pirate. Definitely pirate.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

My latest book is a fantasy entitled An Anthem for the Battle Lands and is available at the Mundania Press website.

Desperate to maintain their superiority, Magicians are fighting to keep machinery and inventions out of the hands of their serving class, the commons. To this end, the Magicians have waged a war – a terribly destructive, magical war – against any and all who dare to allow the unmagical commons to improve their lives through mechanical means.

In the midst of this terrible battle, a small group of commons struggles to survive. They make their living by serving the dead, charging five cents to dig a grave, sew a shroud, and ring a peal. And in a land decimated by war, plague, and famine, they have plenty of work.

When the group meets a charismatic man by the name of William Rufflit and learns that he is working to build a militia of commons armed with his terrifying new invention – the fyrestick – they feel something they haven’t experienced in a long time: hope. But what they don’t realize is that Rufflit may not be their savior after all. He may, in fact, be an enemy even more fearsome than the one they are already facing.

To learn more about Michelle Scott and her writing, please visit her website, follow her on Twitter, or add her on Goodreads and Facebook. And just because she's so awesome, Michelle will give away a free copy of her YA fantasy novel, Uncommon Magic, to the first two people who e-mail her at mscott@mscottfiction.com

Eight is Enough Q&A with Frances Pauli

2011-04-08T12:53:00.004-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

Does procrastination count? I think that’s my big detractor, that and negotiating writing time in a busy schedule full of toddlers. I have a slew of hobbies that I think add to the writing, exotic pets, rockhounding, space, art, most of which have found a way to enter the picture as supplemental subject matter somewhere.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

I’d have to say blessing. How could you resist the cuteness?

I might just bite them. Actually, I’d probably thank them. If I’m that overly thrilled with a passage it usually will get the axe later….or at least, it should get the axe later. What do they say, “kill your darlings?”

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Chocolate. It’s always chocolate of some kind. Truffles being the strong favourite.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My husband gets to hear about it first. He rarely has time to read anything more than my short stories. Novellas and novels go to one of about three different beta readers. (made up of my writing group and very good friends.)

When I turned thirty, or sometime close to that. I kept little notes with story ideas and one day I went back to read them and there were a few I couldn’t for the life of me remember. That scared me. I thought, I’m losing stories! Time to get them down on paper. But it was always there in the back of my mind, you know? I’d do it eventually. I just needed that kick of fear to get my fingers moving.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

Oh, you mean my “Hobby Job?” That one always makes me snarl. My little hobby job is going so well. Grrrr.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Oh dear. Both are fantastic, but I have to go with Zombie ninja. I think Pirates have the popular vote, and I hate to follow a trend. Ninja, definitely. The under rated Zombie.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

The fairies are loose! Revel, Revel! Wait, that’s not even close to three hundred. I’ll just give you the blurb. Thanks! The boundaries between the worlds have fallen. Forced to integrate the creatures of fantasy into real life, humanity struggles against its disillusionment, prejudice and an inevitable feeling of inadequacy. Once an agent for the embassy that mediates between the worlds, Elizabeth Larson has abandoned her past and slipped into a world of nostalgic addiction to fairy revels, dancing, and the dark lure of her own memories. But when Lockland Sheen, her former partner and lover, goes missing, she is pulled reluctantly back into service. She must venture once more across the borders, into the land that haunts her, facing a string of gruesome murders, the imposing Sidhe rulers and her own addiction in the process. While the Embassy’s agents attempt to soothe tensions between the races, Liz and her new partner search the fairy realm for Lockland. Fighting the constant temptation of the revels, they piece together the trail of an unknown enemy. But the longer they follow it, the more it appears that the man they came to rescue is more villain than victim. And the more they rely on Elizabeth’s ties to the fairies, the closer she inches toward the madness that lurks behind her fantasies. A Moth in Darkness, by Frances Pauli….. revel, revel!

To learn more about Frances Pauli, please visit her website

Grrrrl Power

2011-04-07T08:10:00.004-04:00

This writing break brought to you by Minou, the psycho cat featured above. For the past three weeks, Minou has been mutating into a screaming ball of fury who kicks the crap out of every other cat I have. For awhile, I thought the cause of my future noise-based eviction was my two big boys, but no. They are merely pawns in Minou's evil scheme for apartment dominance.

So now, it's an hour post-fight, and I am still guarding against round two. Cassie, the old mee-maw seems unaffected. She's sleeping in her Narnia cupboard. Spooky, the stoner, is tiptoeing around, seemingly confused as to why he feels the need to tiptoe. The ex-barncat Boo is a quivering mess under the couch and will not emerge for at least ten hours. Tuffy, big boy #1, is perched like a gargoyle on the couch, just in case he needs to leap into action. I thought I had successfully distracted George, big boy #2, with noms, but he too is lying in wait.

Which brings us back to little miss Minou, who is owl-eyed and prickly and looking for an excuse to bring the pain. I first met Minou when she was 6 weeks old. At that time, she was nothing but a dust bunny, but she still crab walked towards me with all the attitude of a tiger. She was born in a barn, but brought to live at an animal hospital as the new clinic cat. The staff named her Harmony. Harmony spent several months there, but shortly before she was spayed, she attacked a client's daughter. Realizing the potentail lawsuits, it was decided that she should be adopted out, and I, the vet tech there at the time, immediately scooped her up because, despite her naughtiness, she was fricking adorable.

The first thing my husband and I decided to do was rename her. Harmony was just too ironic a name. My husband wanted to name her Sevy, the kick ass, bitchy anti-heroine from my novels. Looking back, that would have been perfect. We settled on Minou, which although innocuous, has come to be synonymous with the devil.

Update: she has wandered off into the bedroom, away from all the other cats. Everyone else remains in their former positions, except for George, who is currently giving open mouthed sniffs to a patch of carpet. I suspect someone fear piddled. Awesome. Even if we don't get evicted based on early morning screams and yowls, we will certainly lose our security deposit.

This is supposed to be my writing time, but here I am, the mother of all this madness, wondering why I was fool enough to adopt 6 cats. I need some little cat-sized stasis chambers for mornings like this. Or a tranquilizer gun.

Serious business

2011-04-06T09:38:00.002-04:00

Eight is Enough Q&A with Colleen Helme

2011-04-01T19:26:00.000-04:00

1.Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

Well – mostly I have to have a diet soda by my side or I just can’t function.

2.Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

They are both actually – because usually when something hits me, it’s in the middle of the night. I resist writing it down because then I’d have to get up – so I think everything through until I’m satisfied with it. Then the next morning, I can’t remember what I had figured out. Usually once I start writing, it all comes back to me. But I’ve also learned to have a pencil and paper by my bed to save me the trouble. I mean seriously, if I can’t sleep, I might as well be writing!

3.Say you’re writing the best scene you’ve ever written. It’s poignant, it’s heart wrenching, it’s utterly perfect. Every sentence makes you sob with the beauty of it all. You are so close to finishing, but you need a moment to think of the next crucial line of dialogue. And then somebody comes into the room and peers over your shoulder. “Hey, whatcha working on?” they yell into your ear, words garbled by a mouthful of the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward for finishing the most fantastic scene in the history of ever. How do you respond?

Well – I’m the silent ‘give you the look that would kill you’ type person, but in this case, I’d probably totally lose it and end up having to apologize for breaking their arms or something.

4.What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

My friend, Whitney bakes the most amazing cakes and lots of times she brings over samples for me to try – so anything she brought would be my reward. My personal favourite is her coconut cupcake with custard filling, but the red velvet with cream cheese frosting is a close second. Plus her cheesecake is to die for – along with anything else she makes. I’m drooling just thinking about it!

5.When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My husband – then my kids.

6.When asked when they first discovered their love for writing, most people will say their childhood. So I won’t waste your time by asking something I already pretty much know the answer to. What I want to know is when you decided to go pro, instead of just writing as a hobby.

It was after I’d read a silly romance novel and I thought – I can write better than this! So I started writing a book in my favourite genre which happens to be fantasy. I always wanted more romance than in the books I’d been reading and I had quite a few ideas rolling around in my head. My husband signed me up for a novel-writing class at the community college (what a sweetheart) so I could learn the trade – POV, etc – and I just kept at it. Getting published was one of the biggest moments of my life!

7.Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

“You mean you’re not self-published?”

8.This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

A swashbuckling Zombie Pirate who kind of looks like Johnny Depp of course!

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

I’m working on the edits to THE RELIC which is the sequel to FLAME OF DESTINY, and due out in September. I don’t want to give too much away because Flame of Destiny just came out in January, and I want everyone to read it, but even without it, The Relic could easily stand alone. I’ve spent a lot of time with Justin and Callista and it’s hard to let them go – but it won’t be without a huge send-off! If you’re looking for epic fantasy romance with a stirring and unforgettable climax these are the books you need to read! Please check out my website for more information – and thanks Sarah-Jane!

To learn more about Colleen and her novels, please visit her website or her Facebook page.

The End of an Era

2011-03-31T13:27:00.000-04:00

Today is my last day of freedom. On Feb 18th, I quit my full time job as the office coordinator/vet tech at an animal hospital for a few reasons. One was that I no longer liked the job. I was being forced into more of a managerial position and getting stuck with a bunch of new responsibilities while none of my support staff seemed interested or able to take over my old responsibilities. I was miserable there for a looooong time, and it was affecting other aspects of my life, including my mental health (as I've mentioned, I have a history of depression).

So I made a deal with my husband: let me quit my job and have until the end of March to de-stress. I also scheduled a minor surgery during the month, so I had plenty of time to recoup before I started working again.

I was so excited on Feb 18th. I couldn't wait to get home and start writing. My publisher wants Masquerade done by the summer for release in late fall of this year, and I was convinced I could get that done, as well as finish up Red Rover and get a good head start on a new YA I've been thinking about by the end of my sabbatical.

Well, long story short: I got rid of the stress from my old job, but I'm a stress monkey! I found other sources to get myself worked up over. The surgery took longer to recover from than anticipated, which sucked balls. Spending all day everyday in bed sounds cool until you actually have to do it. And as for all the writing I was sooo sure I could get done, it was all I could do meet half of my desired daily word count for more than half the month.

In sum: I've basically just used this precious time off to dick around and feel sorry for myself.

Thinking positively, I have made great strides with Masquerade. And even though I'm not as far along as I had hoped for, I will have it done by the summer. So yay me! Pat myself on the back for that. I have to take these small victories and cling to them, otherwise I might just scream.

Another positive side note is that I did a hell of a lot of thinking. Deep, introspective, why-am-I-like-this type of thinking. I came to the conclusion that I am effectively paralyzing myself because I'm measuring my own success on the success of others. I see other writers out there making a living just from their books, and I whine, "Why can't that be me?" I see other writers finishing project after project, and I beat myself up that I'm not as disciplined or prolific as they are.

I was basically defeating myself before I ever got started. The fact of the matter is that I am not these other authors. I don't write the books they write, I don't work the way they do, I don't have the sales they do. That doesn't mean my books are bad, my work ethic is bad, or my sales are bad. They are just fine, and more than that, they are mine. I need to pay more attention to what I'm doing than what others are doing.

Because, god dammit, I am a special snowflake! And I mean that in the best sort of way possible, not in the "OMG, what an effing tool!" way.

Tomorrow, I start job hunting. I have no idea how long it will take to find something else. This really isn't the best economy, and I want to make sure I don't land myself a position that has the same issues as the last one. In the meantime, I will continue to plug away at my writing and see what comes of it.

And now that I've fully embarrassed myself with this little whine fest/pep talk, I'll leave you with this final thought:

A Picture in Place of A Thousands Words

2011-03-29T12:38:00.002-04:00

Eight is Enough Q&A with Skyla Dawn Cameron

2011-03-25T09:49:00.002-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

I’m obsessive compulsive when it comes to word counts and the like; I track progress on a spreadsheet daily and like to work in chunks of 500...so I don’t rest until I hit 1K, 1.5K, 2K, etc words. Usually it’s good because it drives me to get a chunk of writing done.

One that sort of detracts from my writing is my desire to cook/bake whatever my characters are eating. In a current WIP, I have a protagonist who works in a bakery...and I get little writing done because I’m always baking cupcakes and doughnuts.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

I have a love/hate relationship with them. I would hate to be one of those “writers” who bitch that they have no ideas (seriously, I don’t know how that kind of person is even a writer, but whatever), but it would be real nice to finish one project without worrying about the other ten hounding me on any given day.

I think I love plot bunnies, but would by happy to get a few of them spayed.

That has happened to me. I glared with such loathing that he backed out of the room and didn’t speak to me for the rest of the weekend.

We are no longer together.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

I don’t really do the reward thing—it just doesn’t work with me. I think, “Hey, why save this when I could have it now?” and then I eat it.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

Trusted beta reader Judy Bagshaw. She’s read most of my work over the years as I’ve written it—from the time I was five years old, actually—and then I pick her brain to find out how stuff reads.

High school. When I was about seventeen.

I was in OAC Biology class. I hated it. We had a supply teacher and were supposed to be watching a video; I was drawing. Now, my sketch sucked. Hard. I didn’t have the patience for art. But I sat right by the two top students in class—people with like 99% and up for the Biology award at the end of the year—and they were watching me draw. One whispered to the other, “If I could draw like that, I wouldn’t be in Biology.”

Something clicked in my head. I said to myself, “Self, you have natural talents. Art isn’t one of them, but these science geeks don’t realize that. You’re a writer. You always have been. What are you doing in Biology?”

The next day, I dropped all the science classes I was taking and used those new spare periods to work on the fantasy novel I was dabbling in. Pursued writing straight out of high school and signed my first novel contract at age twenty-one.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

Oh...gosh, there are many. Recently I got, “I’m such a fan of your work. I decided to order Books X & Y of yours because they sound really unique, not cliché like Book Z.”

8. This is the most important question you will ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie ninja, baby.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

A few years ago, my second published novel was released: it was a fun, action-packed, urban fantasy. I’ve put off the sequel because as the years passed and I grew as a writer, I came to loathe all of my earlier work. Last year I was given the opportunity to rewrite and re-release it prior to the sequel coming out. It’s now around 20K words heavier with extra scenes and a facelift. More information is available at http://www.skyladawncameron.com/novels/bloodlines

Here’s the blurb:

After three hundred years of unlife, vampire Zara Lain has seemingly done it all, and she's now making a living as a successful thief-turned-assassin. Her newest assignment seems simple enough: kill the aging leader of the O'Connor Coven and his only heir, and she'll have another ten million in the bank.

But in the dangerous world of the supernatural, few things are ever "simple."

When a massive assault decimates the continent's population of powerful witches and warlocks, and its orchestrator has vampires being hunted down and captured, Zara realizes the tables have turned and now she'll be playing the hero. Forced to join with a smart-mouthed fellow vampire, a demonologist who's also a fan of hers, a recently widowed--and frequently brooding--warlock, and her best friend's mom, Zara's grudgingly willing to do what she can to save the day.

If only people would stop ruining all her outfits...

I seriously suggest that everyone head on over to Skyla's website and check out her other work, including River and Wolfe. And you should also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and FormSpring. Otherwise, she just might cut you and you'll have no one to blame but yourself.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Barry Napier

2011-03-18T10:18:00.002-04:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

If I know a project is going to really require a lot of in depth thought—particularly with character development—I always compose a soundtrack before I even start writing. With my recent self-published book, The Masks of Our Fathers, I listened to a lot of Harold Budd and Aes Dana. Making a play list for the writing usually comes before the actual writing for me. I find that it really helps to set the mood.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Blessing, for sure. Of course, this is why my WIP folder for novels is always overpopulated. The one thing about my ideas…so long as they can survive a few weeks of being ignored, they usually find a way onto the screen/paper.

With a roll of the eyes. And I’d likely answer with a quick one-word reply and then turn the music up.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Nestle Crunch ice cream bar.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

There’s no set-in-stone answer to this. I usually seek a beta reader for my darker or obscure stuff. In a case where I am working on something that isn’t blatantly of the horror genre, I’ll usually have my wife give it a look. This, of course, doesn’t happen too often.

While I am far from pro, I made the decision to at least try to make it to the pro level sometime in college. I remember working on this novella for several months, putting time and sweat into it, only to read it when it was done and find that it was horrible. I decided then and there to get better at writing. I studied it in college, I studied it in private and I read tons of books. Later on, I wrote a series of short stories—I think there were five of them—and decided that if I could sell even one of them, I’d try to make a go of it. I ended up selling three of them…one to a pro market, even.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

The Wife: Wow, that’s a really great, creepy story.
Me: Aww, thanks!
The Wife: Yeah, so, I don’t think I’ll ever read anything else you write.
(I am happy to report that she had since retracted down from this statement).

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie ninja. I’m bored with the pirate stuff. Plus, a zombie pirate would likely get eaten pretty quickly by his zombie parrot.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

The Masks of Our Fathers is my first foray into the self publishing world. I did not self publish it because I feared it would not eventually find a home, but because it was incredibly fun to write and is a very shot-in-the-arm sort of horror story. I believe stories have personalities aside from the characters that inhabit them; The Masks of Our Fathers seems to have a very laid back and adaptable personality. It felt like the right sort of tale to test the self-publishing waters. Its aim is to scare but, more importantly, make the reader uncomfortable yet unable to stop reading. I’m a huge believer in that one of the best ways to induce uneasiness in readers is to convey a sense of claustrophobia that pushes the story along. I think Masks of Our Fathers does not only that, but reaches even further into the cookie jar for ways of dashing hope.

If you would like to learn more about Barry Napier and his writing, please visit his website and follow him on Twitter.

Eight is Enough Q&A with CD Reimer

2011-03-11T10:18:00.000-05:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

If I'm writing a short story that doesn't want to be written from beginning to end, but I can outline all the scenes, I'll write the scenes in reverse order on my typewriter. It's a great way to get the rough draft done. Revising, however, becomes a pain in the neck when smoothing out a disjointed manuscript.

My rough drafts usually start out being written by hand or on the typewriter. I'm in the process of embracing the mythical paperless office. I recently started editing exclusively on the computer. Often this is a blessing because I go through a manuscript faster than spilling red ink on the page and updating the computer file. Other times it can be a curse when I spend an entire night trying to smooth out one paragraph before I can move on to the next one. I still print out the submission copy to do an eyeball check for stuff that looks fine on screen but not on the printed page. The more writing I do on the computer, the less money I spend for office supplies.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Flash stories can distract me like nothing else. An unusual idea is enough to trigger writing one. Writing a single flash story wouldn't be bad. Unfortunately, like haiku poems, I tend to write four or more in a row until the frenzy has subsided. I wrote eight 500-word flash stories last month for publication in two daily flash anthologies by Pill Hill Press that will be out later this year.

The best advice I ever got was when I worked at eBay. The help desk manager ordered me to leave my desk everyday for lunch. So I started taking my hour-long lunch breaks in my car, where I wrote 2/3 of my first novel behind the steering wheel. When you write everyday in a consistent fashion, the manuscript pages really do add up.

One day I had left my car door opened wide enough to make it obvious that it was open for anyone passing by. A rent-a-cop came by to investigate, jerking open my car door. He demanded to see my company badge and asked me what I was doing. I got out to confront him, told him I was taking my lunch break and was writing my novel. He looked at me as if I was doing something illegal and wanted to bust me. Alas, there was nothing he could do. It wasn't against company policy to take a lunch break to write a novel out in the parking lot. We were both contractors, and, since I was paid three times more than him, I was least likely to be fired if he did report for doing something illegal.

Fortunately, I was at the south campus when this happened. If I had been at the north campus where the executive management team was located, I would have been water boarded by a rent-a-cop with a German shepherd. Disgruntled eBay users tend to show up at headquarters with pitchforks and torches.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

A tequila shot. I normally don't drink or smoke because both of my parents were good examples of what drinking and smoking can do to your health. The only time I drink a tequila shot is on the holidays and I'm not driving for the next 12 hours. (I'm something of a lightweight.) After three years of revising the 700-page rough draft of my first novel, I'll be ready for a tequila shot--or a whole bottle.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

Close friends, either through email for short works or in person for longer works. I seldom share my short stories with my non-reading family. If they don't see my writing on display when they walk into a bookstore, it doesn't exist. I once gave a binder with my short stories printed out to my father, and, as I expected him to do, he promptly recycled the paper to use the binder for something else.

My mother died from breast cancer in 2004. At the time, I was going back to the community college on part-time basis to learn computer programming. I quit my job, cashed out my 401K, and went to school full time for the next 18 months. For two semesters I had counselling appointments with a psychology intern who was working on her master degree at the university. Through these conversations I learned how to give myself permission to be creative without restraint by doing all the things that I wanted to do but wasn't allowed to as a child. I learned how to paint without numbers, took three semesters of ceramics, and I started to write again.

Of the three, writing is what I still do everyday. I started writing short stories for the first time since I wanted to be writer in my childhood. Most of my early short stories were therapy stories that recaptured a moment from my childhood, and required extensive revisions for publication later on.

After two years of writing short stories, I had my first publication. Another two years went by before I discovered that my speculative fiction was more popular than my literary fiction. I have been on a publishing streak for the last year with two-dozen short stories accepted for magazines and anthologies.

Since I always wanted to be a small business owner, I decided to pursue writing as a part-time profession. When I get my multi-million dollar book contract, I'm going to buy some land on the outskirts of Silicon Valley to raise chickens and write full time.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

I don't ever recall getting a backhanded compliment. However, out of 300+ rejection slips over four years, the worst comment I ever got from a reading panel was PURPLE PROSE. Those two words got me frothing at the mouth for days on end. The editor explained to me that I needed to remove all the flowerily language from the short story. I did that, rewrote the short story from top to bottom, and got it published elsewhere.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie pirate. I can see a zombie pirate chugging down a bottle of rum and jumping overboard for shark brains.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

I have two original ebooks coming out in March and April.

The first is a novella, "Marigolds For A Vampire." Jeremiah Smithfield, an 80-year-old vampire hunter, comes home for the first time in 25 years to attend his ex-partner's funeral. The widow--a professional assassin--pulls out a machete from underneath her skirt and tries to kill him. The ex-partner's son is a homicide cop investigating a bloodsucking serial killer of unborn children. A mysterious girl in white and a cigarette-smoking raven leads him to his family crypt, where he discovers the body of his twin brother--a master vampire--is long gone. A horrible secret kept by friend and family threatens to unravel his hard work to personally bring the vampires to extinction.

The second is a long personal essay, "Being Educated MENTALLY RETARDED in America." I was misdiagnosed as being mentally retarded in kindergarten due to an undiagnosed high-frequency hearing loss. My early years were spent traveling to special ed classes across the county in the little yellow busses for four hours a day. Even though I blew out the evaluation tests at the genius level, I was kept in the special ed program because the school district earned three times more and teachers appreciated a well-behaved idiot. I dropped out of high school, couldn't get into the adult high school program because I was overqualified, and spent four years getting my associate degree at the community college. After being the first person in my family to attend the university, I flunked out a year later for starting up a dialup bulletin board system that was doomed by something called THE INTERNET. Ten years later I went back to the community college to earn an associate degree in computer programming, where I got straight A's and made the dean's list.

If you would like to learn more about CD Reimer and his writing, please visit his website, or follow him on Twitter. Use coupon code RE100 to get free downloads of his ebooks over at Smashwords.

Blog Post from Zombie Land

2011-03-10T15:23:00.003-05:00

I have rejoined the living long enough to blog about my latest interview. Clickity click here, s'il vous plait. And now the couch is calling to me. Being upright for so long is not a good thing. I shall leave you a video that expresses the WTF-ness I am experiencing in my post-surgical daze.

Another Uppity Update

2011-03-07T11:08:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I had an interview with author Leigh Ellwood. I talked a bit about SHADES OF WAR, my bizarro dreams, and my writing schedule among other things. Please stop by and leave a comment! Much appreciated!

Since quitting the day job, I've been a very good bunny about writing on a daily basis. My word count is plumping up nicely and I'm working out the bugs in the plot that had hampered progress. Only problem now is that I'm feeling a bit burnt out from this story. I desperately want to work on other projects, but I know that's just my mind being a devious little bastard and trying to stop me from finishing MASQUERADE.

Nice try, Brain, but I've seen through your evil ruse.

I will be taking a bit of a breather from writing this week, and no, I'm not procrastinating. On Wednesday, I'll be having some surgery done to try to correct a lot of pain that I've been experiencing. Nothing too serious, but I'll be out of commission for a week at least, maybe more. Hopefully, I'll be up and running again soon so that I can get another chunk of this book done.

I have entered the "This book must die!" phase. Let's hope it doesn't kill me first.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Danielle Ackley-McPhail

2011-03-04T10:51:00.003-05:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

I wouldn’t call it unusual, but I obsess over email, or get drawn into my online vice, www.pogo.com … the only way I can play Boggle, because everyone that knows me knows better.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Hmmm…I actually had to look this up, and even then I got several different explanations! LOL Definition 1) ideas that gnaw at you and insist on begin written down – I get these all the time and I’m not particularly bothered by it unless I don’t have anything handy to write it down. Some of them get used, most of them don’t, but I always remember them fondly. Definition 2) when the plot insists on going a direction you didn’t intend – this one is frustrating in the moment, but I have learned that if I resist it has a detrimental effect on my writing, so I go with the sudden change and replan from there because invariably the new direction the story goes in has more life in it than if I forced it the way I wanted it to go to begin with. If there were more definitions they weren’t immediately evident and I wasn’t going hunting. So…the long of it is, no matter how much I curse at the time, blessing.

Oh…oh no… my husband knows better. In fact, when I am writing he will bring me snacks and tea and even full meals, but doesn’t interrupt. Kind of placating a tiger, if you know what I mean. The lights go out, the computer goes on, with perhaps some of my Celtic music and other than making sure that I’m alive and fed and hydrated, he steers clear.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

That’s a hard one. Either fresh buttered popcorn or mint chocolate chip ice cream. Turkey Hill, because they are the only ones I can find anymore that use the chocolate flakes instead of huge hard chunks.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

It really depends on what I’m writing and who I think would most appreciate it. Mostly by default it is my husband because he’s right here, but if I’m sending it out I have some tried and true friends that like to beat me up in a manner where I can’t press charges so they get first crack at any story: L. Jagi Lamplighter, Jeffrey Lyman, Bernie Mojzes, and David Goldstein are my usuals. The first three are writers in their own right, and the last is a very good friend and fan.

Well, there was this bunny that popped out of a conversation and that bunny turned into a story, and over a year into writing that story and posting excerpts on line, I was approached by someone who clamed to be an agent and they said they would be interested in it when it was done…which was news to me because I hadn’t realized I was writing a novel. That one email put the whole thing into focus and ultimately I learned the guy was not an agent. No, he was a publisher. Three years later my name was on a book and I’ve been damned ever since ;) That was about ten years ago.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

One reviewer said, I would say this was a poor attempt at mimicking Charles DeLint, only the author claims to have never read his work.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

What?! No redneck zombies? I was told there were going to be redneck zombies! Well, in that case, pirates, of course! It’s a matter of family pride!

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

Right now we are in the finishing stages of producing No Man’s Land, book four in the award-winning Defending the Future anthology series. True to the name, all the stories in this collection are written by women about women, something never before seen in the military science fiction genre. The only two men connected with the project are the series editor, and David Weber, who—as the creator of the most famous female character in military science fiction—is writing the introduction. We are very excited about this project and feel it will be a spectacular addition to the series. And for once, I won’t be the only woman in the book! We will have stories by Brenda Cooper, Maria V. Snyder, Deborah Teramis Christian and many others.
No Man’s Land is scheduled to publish in May 2011 and will launch at the Both Barrels Launch Party at this year’s Balticon, in Hunt Valley Maryland. The launches are a tradition for us and we expect a record turnout this year. For those attending the convention, the party is Sunday, May 29th, from 7pm to 9pm in the Garden Room. For those who would like to learn more about the book you can visit the series website.

If you would like to learn more about Danielle and her writing, please visit her personal website, Badass Faeries website or follow her on Twitter or one of three livejournal accounts.

And because she is awesome, she will give away an ebook copy of her latest release, The Halfing Court to whoever amuses her with the most creative comment! Contest deadline is midnight March 10th. Whatcha waiting for?

Eight is Enough Q&A with Kathryn Lively

2011-02-25T13:03:00.003-05:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

Oh, I have enough distractions that keep me from writing. Two jobs, a six-year-old, social networking…every day there’s a new excuse pulling me away. I find I have to force myself to become productive, so I usually end up doing most of my writing on the fly. I compose mainly on my iTouch – most of DEAD BARCHETTA was written on the device’s Notes app. I would then email the work and clean it up.

Used to be I would handwrite my first draft. My last novel, PITHED, was done that way. I find I might have to do that again with the next book. It seems it’s the only way to get it down – I just hope I can read my handwriting afterward.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

For me, a blessed curse. Everywhere I go, everything I see, inspires a story. Just yesterday I took my daughter bowling, and I’m sitting there at the bowling alley thinking, hey wouldn’t it be interesting if such and such happened. Then I have to slap myself, because I already have a huge backlog of story ideas from other trips skating, to the mall, the movies, etc.

3. Say you’re writing the best scene you’ve ever written. It’s poignant, it’s heart wrenching, it’s utterly perfect. Every sentence makes you sob with the beauty of it all. You are so close to finishing, but you need a moment to think of the next crucial line of dialogue. And then somebody comes into the room and peers over your shoulder. “Hey, whatcha working on?” they yell into your ear,words garbled by a mouthful of the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward for finishing the most fantastic scene in the history of ever. How do you respond?

I suppose I should have the number of a good lawyer handy in case something like that happens. Seriously, I’m used to interruptions, so they don’t phase me. Take me food, however, and it’s war.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

I love salty treats – Chex Mix, flavoured popcorn, pretzels. Probably a combination of all three.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My closest friend is also my beta reader. As I finish work I send it along to him for his analytical eye. He helps find the spelling errors and plot holes.

Well, I had taken journalism and writing course in high school and college. It wasn’t until I turned eighteen that I decided to submit my work to magazines. I collected a fair share of rejections from around the country – and this was before e-mail, you got back your SASE and some nice stationary saying no thanks. At 19, I sold a short story to a Colorado magazine for $150 – still have the Xeroxed check. Since then, I’d sold greeting card verse, poems, stories, contracted novels, and now I work full-time as a Web content writer and social media manager. You can say I’ve known all along I wanted to write in some capacity, but I’m going on twenty years of doing it professionally.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

Probably the closest example I could give is when I called my mother one day (this was about 15 years ago) to say that I’d sold a story to a national magazine. She came back, “Well, if you sell some more, I won’t have to send you any more money.” Sure enough, she was right.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie pirate. I have the feeling they are more easily bribed.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

Dead Barchetta, a mystery, is now available from DLP
Books! In digital and print – http://www.deadbarchetta.com

Music tutor by day and tribute band guitarist by night, Matt “Lerxst” Johnston doesn’t have an enemy in the world…so he thinks. One night a pretty young woman tries to smother him in his sleep, and it’s not for the usual reasons a woman would have for wanting to inflict harm upon him! The dream he enjoyed at the time quickly spirals into a nightmare of mistaken identities and nosy investigators who threaten Lerxst’s freedom, to say nothing of coming close to discovering his grandmother’s secret “herb garden.”

Armed only with a guitar and endless questions, Lerxst escapes the discomfort of his beach home and hides out in New York City to learn the true identity of his would-be assailant. Instead he learns more about himself and what he needs to do to survive the next attempt on his life.

And what a long, strange trip it is…

For more information on Kathryn Lively and her novels, visit her website, or follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Seleste deLaney

2011-02-18T13:41:00.005-05:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

To get into my best writing groove, I have to have music playing. I make playlists for anything longer than a short story, though I do tend to recycle songs a lot. Also, I cannot write on my laptop with the internet off. I can edit that way, but I’ve tried disconnecting when I write and I just lock up and can’t do anything. Oddly enough if our connection is just down, I’m okay, but I can’t do it by choice.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

I love plot bunnies. Sure, sometimes they make it hard to focus, but when it’s time to pick a new project, I like having lots of options. Plus, often (for me at least) my plot bunnies come in the guise of a single scene rather than a whole story. So I can jot down the scene really quickly and move on. A couple times, I’ve discovered those random little scenes fit into projects I was working on even though I didn’t see it that way at the time. Long live the plot bunnies!

“Plotting the death of this annoying jerk who yells in the main character’s ear while eating her frozen custard. He has one path to redemption though. He might live if he leaves now and buys her a new custard and flowers. But he better buy the damn flowers first, because if her ice cream melts, he’s a dead man.”

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

Chocolate éclair frozen custard in a waffle cone. Yum…

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

If I share it with anyone right away, it would be my alpha-reader, Katee. We’ve been crit partners for a couple years now, and she’s the one person I trust to completely understand what I’m going for. She has no qualms about ripping it apart for me though. That’s why I love her.

Thank you for wording it that way. I really started to get serious about my writing in 2007. That’s when I found my writing group and first got my ass handed to me on the novel that is now hiding somewhere on a back shelf in my very messy closet.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

I once offered to let my mom read something I’d written (once I started writing seriously). She told me she’d read my stuff “when it’s published.” Considering the first piece that was published starts off with an oral sex scene and ends with murder, I bet she’s regretting not reading the nice, sweet piece now LOL.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie pirate, no question. Ninjas just don’t do it for me. Plus, pirates aren’t as sneaky as ninjas, so they’ll be much easier to both hunt and avoid.

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

Badlands is my steampunk romance novella coming from Carina Press on February 28. Here’s the cover copy and a little teaser. Hope you’ll check it out!

After a brutal Civil War, America is a land divided. As commander of her nation’s border guards, Ever is a warrior sworn to protect her country and her queen. When an airship attacks and kills the monarch, Ever must infiltrate enemy territory to bring home the heir to the throne, and the dirigible Dark Hawk is her fastest way to the Union.

Captain Spencer Pierce just wants to pay off the debt he owes on the Dark Hawk and make a life for himself trading across the border. When the queen’s assassination puts the shipping routes at risk, he finds himself Ever’s reluctant ally.

As they fly into danger, Ever and Spencer must battle not only the enemy but also their growing attraction. She refuses to place her heart before duty, and he has always put the needs of his ship and crew above his own desires. Once the princess is
rescued, perhaps they can find love in the Badlands— if death doesn't find them first...

Excerpt:
The tent flap swished open and Ever shielded her eyes from the glare. Her second-in-command eased inside. “We’re behind schedule, Catherine. Where have you been?”

Stripping out of the simple tunic and pants the border guards wore in the desert, the curvy brunette shrugged. “Jaye announced her engagement. It was all I could do to get the other women back to their tents to change.” She raised a brow as she looked at Ever. “I’m surprised she gave the news without you there.”

“Jaye knows I do not approve.”

“Of men or marriage?”

If you would like to learn more about Seleste deLaney and her novels, clickity click to visit her website, twitter, and facebook page.

A Different Drummer Book Signing

2011-02-15T16:15:00.011-05:00

This past Sunday, I visited A Different Drummer Books in Burlington to sign copies of my latest novel, SHADES OF WAR. I had a great time at this fantastic little book store: it's quaint and cute and there is a resident cat named Abby who kept me on my toes all day. I met a lot of nice people, and even managed to sell a few books.

For me, the highlight of the day had to be when an elderly woman approached my table, announced herself as a "Scottish Presbyterian realist" who preferred "reality to fantasy, thank you very much," and gave me a side eye the likes of which I've only ever seen in movies. Quirky little interactions like that are the stuff that authors adore.

Eight is Enough Q&A with Elaine Corvidae

2011-02-11T14:39:00.003-05:00

1. Do you have any unusual habits that either aid or detract from your writing?

I do most of my writing in the morning, after I eat breakfast and see my husband off to work. Before I sit down at my desk, I light a scented candle. The time between lighting the candle and blowing it out is “writing only” time. It’s a small ritual, but it gets me in proper mind frame to write, instead of surfing the internet or obsessively checking my twitter feed.

2. Plot bunnies – blessing or curse?

Assuming the “story ideas breed like rabbits” definition of plot bunny, then blessing. Like most writers I have far more ideas than I could ever use, but they’re just that—ideas, not stories. They all go into a big pile at the bottom of my subconscious, where I ignore them until two or more hook up and give birth to a full-fledged story. I may have to wait years for that to happen, but I’ve got plenty to work on in the mean time.

My lawyer has advised me against answering this question, but I would like to say that it’s hard to prove anything if they never find the body.

4. What was the special snack you were saving for yourself as a reward?

A truffle from The Chocolate Fetish. Mmm.

5. When you finish a new writing project, who is the first person you share it with?

My husband. I bounce ideas off him when I’m putting a project together, then later when I’m actually writing it. Once I’m done with a draft that I’m not ashamed to show to another human being, he beta-reads it and gives me helpful suggestions. He’s not a writer himself, so when he points out things that don’t work or don’t make sense, it’s up to me to figure out how to fix them. Sometimes, that can lead to a plot-twist or an opportunity that I wouldn’t have come up with otherwise.

The same time, actually. I never even considered writing just for fun; I always knew I wanted to get paid for my words.

7. Please share the best backhanded compliment you’ve ever received about your writing.

“I guess you never really know what goes on inside another person’s head.” – said by a friend who had just read the first draft of Wolfkin.

8. This is the most important question you ever answer. Your life depends on it. Zombie pirate or zombie ninja?

Zombie pirate, of course. After all, when was the last time you heard of a ninja hanging out on the beach drinking rum?

Last but not least, in three hundred words or less, please pimp your latest project.

Daughter of Snow is my latest release, and is book four in my Shadow Fae series (pro tip: don’t write “trilogy” on anything unless you’re really, really sure that’s all you’ve got to say about these character). It continues the story of two of my most popular characters: Pook, the handsome, streetwise Prince of Faerie, and Alexandreya, the brainy engineer who builds ass-kicking inventions.

Unlike the rest of the Shadow Fae books, which feature faeries based on Celtic folklore, Daughter of Snow delves into the fascinating world of Slavic fae. And, as usual for my writing, there are plenty of real-world themes mixed in. Daughter of Snow tackles the issue of domestic violence, which as a survivor is near and dear to my heart. Not to worry, though—there’s plenty of action, adventure, and romance to go around.

Daughter of Snow is available in trade paperback and ebook formats direct from my publisher, or from any of the major online booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

If you'd like to learn more about Elaine and her books, visit her website, or follow her on twitter and facebook. And because she is so awesomely awesome, Elaine is offering a free PDF of one of her books on backlist. To enter, simply leave a comment and I'll draw the name of the lucky winner 6pm (my time) Sunday night.

And if you are an author who would like to be interviewed, send an email to sarah-janelehoux@live.ca (Professionally published authors only. Spots are booking up fast!)

Sarah's Eight is Enough Q&A

2011-02-08T14:35:00.008-05:00

In my quest to be a better little bunny and update this blog more often, I've decided to implement a new series of guest posts. I'm putting out the call to fellow writers who are looking for a bit of pimpage for their new projects. I'll be posting one Q&A every friday, and if you are a professionally published author and would like to sign up for this awesomely awesome opportunity, email me at sarah-janelehoux@live.ca

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2011-01-25T17:51:00.005-05:00

I haven't really updated this poor little blog properly in quite some time. My brain has been fried and frazzled over 2010, and I've decided to make some changes that will hopefully improve both my productivity and my enjoyment of life in general.

First off, I'm going to be taking a sabbatical of sorts from my day job, which is both a terrifying and exciting prospect. Terrifying because I like money. I kind of need it to survive. Hopefully I won't be putting my family on a path leading towards a poor house. Exciting because, hey, who the hell hasn't dreamed of quitting their job to follow their dream? I'm going to concentrate on finishing MASQUERADE, the third novel in the Sevy series because my publisher has given me a tentative release date, but I also hope to finish up RED ROVER and get started on a new YA novel I've had swimming around my head for a couple of months. I'm probably biting off more than I can chew, but I'll never know until I try, right?

In other news, I've been asked to be a part of a new blogging community called the Evil League for Evil Writers. I'll be contributing a couple posts a month on various writing topics -- all in an attempt to rid the world of special snowflakes.

And lastly, I just scheduled my first official book signing. Clickity click here for details. This is a really big step for me because I'm shy as hell and tremble at the prospect of talking to strangers. But as much as that scares me, I know that this is all a part of the job so I'm gonna do my best to be personable and pleasant and not have an expression of abject terror on my face. But even more frightening than the idea of talking to people is the idea that no one will show up. So be nice to me and come so that I don't end up like this guy:

Creativity

2011-01-18T20:50:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T09:18:00.001-05:00

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Shades of War

by Sarah-Jane Lehoux

Giveaway ends January 31, 2011.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Shades of War

2010-12-01T17:15:00.004-05:00

I'm very pleased to announce the release of SHADES OF WAR, my second novel. Hard to believe that I am now a published author of not one but two novels. Makes me feel special. But you know what would make me feel even more special? If you bought a copy or two of SHADES OF WAR. And if you are an extra super duper nice person, you might want to buy a copy of THIEF while you're at it.

Clickity click here or here for details on how to purchase. I'll update as more sources (like Amazon and Chapters) become available.

Oh, and while I'm at it, clickity click here to check out the sparkly map of Axlun (the kingdom in THIEF and SHADES OF WAR) that my dear friend, Krista Carre, made for me. It made me squee when I first saw it, and I hope it'll make you squee too. Or go buy the book. Whichever.

Now I'm just gonna sit for a minute and be happy and proud of myself. Because I don't often just stop and reflect on my accomplishments without stressing about what I should have/could have done and what I still need to do. And that's a shame really.

So to repeat what I said back in May of this year...today I am happy.

Woo Bookmarks!

2010-11-05T15:39:00.005-04:00

When I was a kid, every couple of months there would be a book sale in our library at school. My parents would give me five bucks and I would be in heaven. Funny thing was that I hardly ever bought books. I would buy bookmarks with baby animals on them. Five dollars worth of 25 cent bookmarks with baby animals. Every couple of months. I had more damned bookmarks than books. I would sign the back of each "Sarah-Jane" or "Property of Sarah-Jane" in bubble letters (remember bubble letters?) or that lame ass writing where you put hats on top of the letter a (I have no idea how to explain this any better) because I couldn't stand the thought of losing a single one of them. They had faces on them. Cute faces. That meant they had feelings and would cry if I lost them.

In my storage room, I have a shoebox full of stupid mementos. There are two or three baby animal bookmarks in there, the last of my collection. Nowadays, I use post it notes or squares of tissue paper. I think I do this so a part of me won't die when I lose one of them.

I have issues. Irritating issues.

Anyway, I just received a box full of SHADES OF WAR bookmarks that I ordered from printsafari.com and they are so pretty, I thought I would share them with you. And then I realized that I never put up a picture of THIEF's bookmarks, so my ever suffering husband made this little collage for me. He's such a good little servant, isn't he?

Since the books are in the same series, I decided to keep the same theme. Plus I have a thing for pretty eyes. At least it isn't a whole face though. If it was, I wouldn't be able to give them away because they would miss their families. ISSUES!!!!!

If you would like one of these bookmarks and happen to live in Canada, send an email to sarah-janelehoux@live.ca

If you would like one of these bookmarks and happen to live outside of Canada, I'm sorry. I can't afford the postage. But I love you all the same.

Turkey Vulture Jiggle Cam

2010-10-19T14:15:00.001-04:00

So a couple weeks ago, I was home sick from work and I happened to look out of the window and saw a huge bird swoop in front of my window. A second later, I saw another and another. It made me curious enough to get off the couch and look outside. There, in the sky, were around a hundred or so turkey vultures. I guess they were migrating or something, but they were swooping around and around in circles and there were so many of them, I feared the worst. Zombie apocalypse. Because my mind automatically goes to zombies whenever I see scavenger birds. Or hear sirens. Or need an excuse not to go into work the next day.

Before the birds moved out of sight, I was able to get some video of them. Some very jiggly video. So if you get motion sickness, you might not want to watch this. It's like Blair Witch on crack. I apparently have very weak wrists and holding a camcorder steady is beyond my abilities.

Oh, and note the music. I originally wanted something from The Birds, but this does nicely, I think.

Sneak Peak at Shades of War

2010-10-19T13:48:00.003-04:00

Hello once again to anyone who stumbles upon my humble little blog. I haven't had a chance to update recently as I've been working on the edits for Shades of War, which is due to be released at the end of November. And I thought that since I can't think of anything to say today, I'd share a sneak peak at the first scene of Shades. So away we go!

Sally’s pub, a dismal little dive located in the south-eastern quarter of Eloria, was as it had ever been: dank, run down, and saturated with the body odor of the city workers who made up the bulk of its clientele. But what it lacked in ambience it made up for in cheap ale, of which Sevy was currently partaking.

Seated at a table near the fireplace, she was in her own world. The other patrons knew not to bother trying to chat up the tall brunette; her temper was as quick as the sword that hung at her waist. She surveyed all with glacial green eyes as emotionless and piercing as a bird of prey’s, her mouth seemingly fixed into a frown except for the times she allowed it to slide into a sneer. The message was clear to even the most drunken or stupid of men: stay back.

The only one courageous enough to approach her was Hal, the barkeeper. His back was more hunched than it had been in years past and his eyesight was weakening, but he could confidently invade Sevy’s bubble of personal space without fear of reprisal. So long as he always brought more drinks. Wordlessly, they exchanged coin for ale. Their familiarity didn’t demand stilted attempts at pleasantries.

Sevy took one long swallow after another until the mug was empty save for the last slippery bits of fragrant foam. Satisfied, she sank low into her seat, folded her arms over her stomach, and rested her feet up on the opposite chair. The fire warmed the timeworn leather of her boots. She wiggled her toes and stretched out her calf muscles, their soreness almost pleasurable now that they had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Her eyes closed. Her head fell to the side. The clinking of glasses and low murmurings in the room around her faded into a blissful blur.

“Ma’am? Excuse me, ma’am?” a tiny voice chirped into her ear.

Sevy made no effort to conceal the scowl that crossed her face. A sigh shook her chest as she looked up at the intruder through hooded lids. Before her was a young girl. Fourteen, fifteen maybe. Very gaunt and lanky. An uncertain grin revealed crooked teeth and excessive gums. She pulled self-consciously at the threadbare dress she wore, as well she should. It was a few sizes too small and didn’t leave much of the girl’s burgeoning, if not angular, womanhood to one’s imagination.

“What?” Sevy snapped, as her neck knotted with irritation.

The girl’s wide mouth opened and closed a few times, like a great fish, as she tried to speak. Once she found her voice again, the words came out in a garbled rush. “I don’t mean to bother you, ma’am. You...you’re Sevy, right? I just, well, I was told you could help me.”

Sevy sat up. With one foot, she pushed the empty chair towards the girl. Two fingers crooked in the air signaled Hal over for another drink as the girl almost fell over herself taking her seat.

“Who sent you?” Sevy asked.

“I don’t know. People around town. They said you’re good at this sort of thing.”

“What sort of thing are we talking about?”

“Um,” the girl gulped. “Well, you see, my name is Cloa and me and my brother, Kordan, came here to go to school, but then, um, the woman we boarded with, she—”

“I don’t need your life story, kid. Just tell me what you need done and how much you’re willing to pay.”

“Pay? Oh, right. Well, I don’t guess I could pay you right now.”

“Then I don’t guess we have anything more to talk about. Nice meeting you. Goodbye.” Sevy turned to the fresh mug Hal had placed in front of her, fully expecting the gawky nuisance to take the not so subtle hint.

“Wait!” Cloa pleaded. “That’s not what I meant. I’m sure my parents will pay you whatever you want once you get us home. Please, I really need your help! They have my little brother. And they say we gotta earn our keep and, well, they figure they can get more money outta Kordan than me. I promised I’d look out for him. I promised! And we just wanna go home, ma’am. Please, ma’am, it wasn’t supposed to be like this! We were just here to go to school, that’s all. That’s all.”

The girl curled into herself, sniveling until her freckled face grew red and soggy with tears. She snorted and wiped her running nose with the back of her sleeve.

Sevy grimaced. “Stop that. Pull yourself together. Let me get this straight. Someone’s got your brother working for them and you want me to go get him for you?”

“Uh-huh. And then take us home? I wanna go home. We’re not from the city. We just came here to go to school. The lady lied to my parents. She took their money and promised to watch over us, but then...I just wanna go home.”

She was absolutely pitiful, this wretched and awkward child. Despite her air of detached indifference, Sevy felt rage ripple within her. Memories stirred of a time long ago—a time of loneliness and despair, when her face was just a little too sallow and her bones were just a little too prominent. When it felt as though there wasn’t, and never could be, an instant when hunger didn’t gnaw at her innards and the cold didn’t shroud her like a second skin. When desperate cravings for human contact were cast aside because the only time she felt safe was when she went unseen, unnoticed.

But even so, there were hundreds in Eloria alone who shared such similar memories. If Sevy worked for free for every sob story she heard, she’d have starved to death by now.

“You’re certain your parents will pay?”

“Oh yes, ma’am. My dad’s a weaver in Devenbourn. He has heaps of money.”

“Devenbourn?” Sevy asked, her voice suddenly sharp. Her hand shot up to her neck, to the copper coin she wore on a light chain. She rubbed it between her thumb and forefinger, feeling the pattern of an S etched onto one side. The edges of the coin’s engraving had once scratched her, but by now had been worn smooth, and the coin itself gleamed from being polished so often with the oil of her skin.

“Yeah, my hometown. West of the—”

“I know where it is.” Sevy took another long drink of ale, finishing off the second mug as quickly as the first. “Right. You got a deal, Cloa. I’ll get your brother. We’ll worry about payment once we reach Devenbourn.”

“Oh, thank you, ma’am! You don’t know how much this means to me! Thank you so much!”

The girl seized Sevy’s weathered hands in her small, pink paws and kissed them. Sevy jerked away, wrinkling her nose at the wet globs of spittle and tears that now coated her fingers. She wiped them on her cloak distastefully, and then stood up, motioning for Cloa to follow.

The girl clambered to her feet, bumping into the table and into Sevy in the process. Suddenly, the prospect of a four day journey with two children did not really seem worth the money that a farming town weaver would be likely to pay.

I’m getting soft.

Cloa practically skipped alongside of Sevy, but was too uncoordinated to keep it up for long. She was all legs and no balance. Sevy caught her wrist just before she tripped. An unfortunate lapse of judgment. The girl took it as a sign that it was all right to hold Sevy’s hand and, based by the hardy chuckle Hal was having at her expense, Sevy’s hard earned reputation as the resident bitch of Sally’s pub was in dire jeopardy.

Too damned soft.

If you'd like to read more, then BUY MY BOOKS! Kidding! If you'd like to read more, you can check out my website, where I have another scene posted, or you can sign up for my newsletter. The next issue is out in November, and I'd be including another sneak peek at Shades of War in it, along with other goodies. So whatcha waiting for?

My Cat is a Necromancer

2010-09-25T14:14:00.006-04:00

The victim

Suddenly, a cat appears. Is she going to have herself a light snack? No! She whispers a super secret incantation passed down through generations.

And voila! One zombie who is more than happy to scoop out her litter box, dangle bits of string, and spoon feed her tuna snacks.

Just working on the trailer for Shades of War. As you can see, we've been having a hell of a lot of fun.

Congrats!

2010-09-22T17:08:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to Felicia for winning a THIEF gift pack just by signing up for my newsletter! The gift pack includes a signed copy of THIEF, tote bag, mug, mouse pad, pen, keychain and bookmark. Because everyone likes free junk.

Thank you to everyone who entered. With the upcoming release of SHADES OF WAR, I'll be running more contests in the next couple of months. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter for info on how to enter!

Mississauga Literary Festival 2010

2010-09-20T09:21:00.011-04:00

Selling books is hard work. You have to *shudder* talk to people! I don't like talking to people. That's why I'm a writer. I like to stay in my cave and have 100% control of the conversations of people who exist in my head. I'm not crazy. Cross my heart.

My mental health aside, yesterday I took part in the Mississauga Literary Festival put on by the Mississauga Library. I met a lot of people, both writers and readers, and I had a lot of fun. Which is rare, considering the fact that I'm such a grumpy old hermit.

If I Ran MuchMusic - The Fuck You Edition

2010-09-14T18:14:00.001-04:00

Yeah, this has naughty language, so if you have virgin eyes, then kindly look away. It's been one of those days/weeks/months/years where every little thing pisses me off. I'm generally an easy going girl, but even I have my limits.

And it's not a pretty sight when someone like me finally blows her top, so I do my best to avoid all the negativity by finding an outlet. Writing is one. Music is another.

If you want to read about how I let off stress through writing, pick up a copy of THIEF. That book was so cathartic to write because of all the hack and slash and general bad behaviour.

When it comes to music, I thought I'd post some of my favourite fuck you songs. Feel free to share yours.

Frustrated Incorporated

2010-09-13T15:12:00.003-04:00

Being a writer ain't all it's cracked up to be. I thought the toughest part would be getting my work accepted for publication. I was wrong. This whole marketing and promotion thing makes trying to get published look like a walk in the park. Maybe it's me. Maybe I just don't have the personality necessary for getting my book out there. But it gets kind of frustrating when it appears easier for a self published book to wind up on a local bookstore shelf than my professionally published book.

Any marketing geniuses and/or publicists out there who wanna work for free? Yeah, didn't think so.

Anywho, in my never ending quest to bring THIEF into the public eye, I will be appearing at the Mississauga Literary Festival on Sunday, September 19th. Clickity click here for more details. If you happen to be in the area, please stop by and make me feel like I have a purpose for being there.

And in completely unrelated news, Skyla Dawn Cameron is hosting a birthday bash in support of humane societies. Clickity click here to read all about the event, how you can help, and what you can win.

Woo to the Hoo

2010-08-31T16:59:00.002-04:00

Got the cover for SHADES OF WAR, my novel which will be released in November. Isn't it pretty? The artist kept the same theme as the cover for THIEF since they are part of a series. I love it! Now I do happy dance!

Can't be a Pimp and a Prostitute too

2010-08-30T12:08:00.001-04:00

Today, my emotions are like a rollercoaster. A really old, boring rollercoaster that pretends to be all "WEEEEEEEE", but is more like "meh" and you don't get your money back for riding it. So it's not so much that I'm experiencing a lot of ups and downs, but rather that I'm expecting the ups and getting nothing but downs. Which makes me sound like I need medication or 20cc of rainbow farting kittens, but there you go.

Despite being Monday, my day started out all "WEEEEEEEE" because I don't have to work today. And better yet, I don't have to work tomorrow either, and I've spent the weekend imaging all the stuff I'm going to get done. I was gonna be all productive and awesome and not procrastinate for once.

And then I got a phone call that said I have to go in to work tomorrow after all, and a major case of the sads wacked me in the face. So because I can't be productive and awesome tomorrow due to unforeseen circumstances, I'm going to be unproductive and unawesome today as well because I'm pissed. Having a day off taken away from you is a million bazillion times worse than having no day off to begin with.

So then I was like, "I know what to do! I'll fart around on the internet until I'm in a better mood." I went to a bunch of sites I like and found some funny stuff that I can totally share here, but then I got the sads again because these sites are funny and productive and awesome and have like a million viewers and the people running them must be like super rich-ish by now thanks to ad revenue. And here I am with my poor widdle blog that I never update, that never gets many hits and I'm like, "This is what you get for being unproductive and unawesome, Sarah." Boo-urns to you indeed.

Now because I'm contemplating drowning my sorrows in junk food and Arashi videos until my mood swings again, I'll leave you with two pictures that sort of express my feelings.

Monday, Monday, so blah to me

2010-08-30T10:29:00.010-04:00

Here it is, the last week of August and I have no idea where the time has gone. Is this what it feels like to be old? It sucks. But being young sucked too, so no worries.

So what's new? I've been picking away at MASQUERADE and RED ROVER and I'm happy with the progress I've made. I'm hoping I can keep at it and get the bulk of them finished soon so that I have time to concentrate on the release of SHADES OF WAR in November.

Back in July, I provided prizes for a Young Adult flash fiction contest. The winner got a signed copy of THIEF, and I provided a critique of their query letter and first five pages of their manuscript. I received the files last week and man, was I ever impressed! Keep your eyes on Genevieve Ching, people, because she's on her way up.

And before I run away to try to get some writing done on this loverly Monday morning, I want to share with you my attempt at art. I can't draw, but thanks to the internet, I don't have to. Here's a South Park version of the characters in THIEF, just for you, just because I was bored yesterday. Dozo!

Happy Sunday!

2010-08-22T12:09:00.002-04:00

Hello, hello. Hope everyone is well on this lazy Sunday afternoon. It's drizzly here and I'm trying to resist the urge to take a wee snoozle. So instead, to try to get going, here I am, updating my blog.

So what's cooking? Well, I've been a reasonably good girl this month. I've managed to get some work done on both Masquerade and Red Rover. It feels good to get into the swing of things again. And I can tell that I'm accomplishing something because I'm getting all these ideas for other stories. Good in a way because it means the creative juices are flowing. Bad because it's diverting attention away from the two projects I've promised myself I would get done before I work on anything else.

Today I'm hoping to finish a scene in Masquerade. I had mapped it out last week, thanks to Dr. Wicked's Write or Die. Now I just need to flesh it out. I'm pretty pleased with the direction it's going though. I think I can beat this book yet.

I've also been brainstorming ideas for the book trailer for Shades of War, due out this Nov/Dec. My one problem is the lack of good music. SoW is set in an Amazon-ish jungle, so I want Amazon-ish sounding music. You know, with pan flutes and drums. Ever listen to music with pan flutes? It's all spiritual and uplifting. Not the sound I'm going for. I want it to start out mysterious and sort of eerie, then swell into something intense and omninous.

I've been scouring royalty free music sites and finally found two songs that I could piece together to get the effect I want. Went to purchase them, and wouldn't you know it? You have to live in Australia to be able to buy them. WTF? Why have an international site if you won't sell to international clients? Grr argh! So it's back to searching. Which feels a lot like procrastination to me, and for once, that doesn't make me happy. If anyone knows some good sites to get creepy South American styled music, let me know, pretty please.

Before I go, just want to direct your attention to my website, where I've been updating my progress with Thief. Clickity click here to find new reviews, new interviews, and a list of where you can get your paws on a copy. In the near future, I'll also be releasing the dates of my in person appearances. Yeah, that's right. Sarah-Jane will be hitting the book stores. Which means I'll have to talk to people. Writing books is a scary business.

Random Thoughts about Writer's Block

2010-08-01T14:48:00.007-04:00

I've mentioned a few times that I don't believe in the concept of writer's block, but to date, I don't think I've fully explained my reasoning for said belief. To be honest, I don't fully understand it myself, so it's hard to articulate.

First, I suppose it would help to define what writer's block is. Thank you, Wikipedia.

Writer's block is a condition, associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task at hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked" writers have been unable to work for years on end, and some have even abandoned their careers. It can manifest as the affected writer viewing their work as inferior or unsuitable, when in fact it could be the opposite.

So from this definition, it looks as though we're talking about a variety of conditions here. From "I don't feel like writing today/this week/this month!" to "Everything I write sucks so why bother?" to the inability to write as a symptom of mental illness.

I can get on board with the idea of writer's block as a symptom of mental illness because I've been there, done that. I've mentioned before that I have chronic depression, and a lot of the days I don't feel like writing have to do with this. Just like my mental illness also causes me not to want to eat sensibly or exercise or clean house or get out of bed, etc. Sometimes, I give in to these lethargic impulses. Sometimes I don't.

I'm well aware that people have varying degrees of mental illness, so the strength it requires to force one's self to get to work can be extreme. While it may be an annoying yet simple thing for me, it may be near impossible for others.

That being said, I'd say that the majority of the time people talk about having writer's block, they are not so mentally ill that they honestly can't write. If they were, they'd be exhibiting other symptoms as well. So for the sake of argument, let's ignore the extreme examples of writer's block and focus on the mundane.

These day to day cases, the kind you hear about in conversation with writer friends or on blogs or what have you, these are the ones that I am referring to when I say I don't believe in writer's block. It's a cop out. An excuse for lack of progress. Taking the blame off the writer and placing it squarely on some artsy fartsy concept.

Why do I take such offense to this notion? I have no idea. Maybe it's because I do have a mental illness so I know the difference between "I can't write today" and "I don't want to write today." Maybe because I am a huge procrastinator and giving in to the idea of writer's block means giving myself a free pass. I don't need justifications for what I view as bad behaviour. Give me an inch and I'll take a mile, as they say.

Excusing lack of progress on writer's block does nothing to solve the problem.

I've been doing a lot of interviews and such lately to help promote THIEF, and the vast majority have all had the same question. "How do you overcome writer's block?" I know what the standard answers are. Read, take a walk, do something else creative, blah de blah blah. Which for me translates to "Do something else until I feel like writing again." This does make sense, as does the "Just force yourself" approach. I've done both.

But neither of these approaches satisfy me because neither of them stops the problem from happening again. They're just a bandaid solution. To solve a problem, you have to understand why it exists in the first place.

Is it lack of ideas? Nope. I've got more ideas than I will ever be able to get out on paper.

Is it lack of talent? Arguable. Some days I think I'm a genius. Others I think I'm a hack. The happy medium is that I'm a decent writer, who has her good and bad days.

Is it lack of time? Yes and no. Lack of proper time management would be a better way to phrase it. I've admitted over and over again to being a procrastinator. I've even taken pride in that fact before (on this very blog, in fact).

So to figure out why I don't feel like writing, I have to figure out why I enjoy procrastination. After all, I must enjoy it seeing as how I do it so often. I found this blog today which gave me a lot of fresh insights. It's about dieting, but I think it can be applied to all areas of life.

I woke up this morning feeling slightly terrified. Yes, I believe a person can be slightly terrified, though it might be more elegantly expressed as a feeling of dread, or impending doom. It’s quiet; it’s in the background — but it’s definitely there. It’s omnipresent.

Since I believe in kindness and compassion, for other people, as well as for oneself, I decided to figure out what was going on with me.

The thing is, I set up this website, like, a metric eon ago, and I haven’t worked much on it since. I’ve tweaked some settings here and there, and I’ve gazed at it, and I’ve wondered about what to put on it, and I’ve had a million ideas that stayed in my head.

In short, I’ve worked myself up into a state of near-panic about it. Rather than just being excited and happy about having a THING that’s all mine, that can be a blank canvas I colour in as I like.

So, naturally, I haven’t actually been writing anything for it.

When I get scared, the second thing that happens is, I become paralyzed. And whatever is HIGHLY IMPORTANT that I do at that moment, whether it’s studying for an exam or going to bed at a decent time, is exactly the thing I cannot seem, with any amount of force, to actually do. It’s gotten to the point where I damn near have a phobia about stuff like schoolwork. I actually cannot remember the last time I studied properly for an exam — I take them all by the seat of my pants, just because I find it too scary to study. Talk about conterproductive.

But, as it turns out, this morning I figured out what purpose this paralysis serves. And its purpose, apparently, is to 1) protect me from the scary, scary thing, but more importantly, 2) to act as a signal that I have lost touch with my intrinsic motivation to do whatever that thing is.

That last sentence hit home with me. So I started thinking about the past few years. When I first starting writing THIEF, I was writing pretty much every day for hours at a time. Soon as I finished THIEF, I moved on to SHADES OF WAR. I wrote short stories. I wrote the beginnings of other novels. And then a funny thing happened.

As soon as I started submitting stories for publication, my writing progress dwindled. I became overly concerned with getting published, with what readers would think, with marketing and promotion and sales and expenses and reviews and and and. I started worrying about living up to the expectations placed on me by myself and others.

"How's your book doing?" is a question I hear almost daily and I've reached a point where it makes me feel impossibly angry and defensive.

In just a few days, I'll receive the first royalty report for THIEF. It will only cover the first six days that THIEF was available for sale solely from the publisher, so I know, logically, to expect a low, low number. Single digits. I know this, I'm preparing myself for it, and yet, the thought of it makes me physically ill.

And I take that feeling with me when I sit down to write. Is it any wonder I haven't made much progress on the two novels I'm currently working on? Somewhere along the way I lost what it means to write simply for the sake of writing. I've lost the joy I used to take in creation. And now I have to find my way back.

I'll end this overly long post with a link to Skyla Dawn Cameron's blog post, On Permission, and this little girl:

Once Again, Ruminants Get the Last Word

2010-07-17T14:51:00.001-04:00

First there was the Jerry Lewis Goat. Now this cheeky little devil. Learn from them, people. If you don't like what someone is saying, just keep yelling "Whaaa?" over and over again. That'll learn 'em. And if it doesn't, you can always just spit in their face.