Only one way to be - Big On Christmas!

I loved writing this story! ♥ There are a few subplots within it that made my heart smile! 

* In this scene, Cassie is making homemade ornaments and taking care of Luke's father, to give Luke time away from the responsibility. His dad had drawn inward after his wife (Luke's mom) passed away a year earlier. He hasn't spoken since.* 

"You have a lot to be proud of, William. You raised a hard-working, kindhearted son." She nudged him with her forearm. "Not to mention he's so good looking I can barely breathe when he's around." She chuckled at the notion that the elder Stennett was storing everything she said for future use. "Do you want to know the reason I had a shovel in the car?" She spilled a container of beads. Kneeling to pick them up, she looked at William and winced. "For protection."

William coughed and set his eyes on her for the tiniest of moments.

Did she get through? Her heart jumped in her chest. His expression was still a blank slate so it was probably a fluke that he made eye contact. "One of these days you're going to be a human diary and expose all my secrets. That's okay. If it means you're back in Luke's life, you can tell the world that I'm a technology heiress who had a shovel in her car to ward off possible paparazzi. They probably won't believe you because I'm not fancy or swanky by any stretch of the imagination. I like blue jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. I'm a misplaced soul, of sorts. I have a ton of money that I didn't earn and I'm in Vermont trying to find myself. Weird huh?"

♥ If you'd like to read this heartwarming Christmas story and find out more about how Cassie Newman and Luke Stennett get their happy-ever-after, you can find it on Amazon ♥

  

Spotlight on Barrie Hill Reunion by Lisette Brodey

Welcome, Lisette! It's a pleasure to have you as my guest and to hear about your latest book release, Barrie Hill Reunion. 

For those of you who aren't familiar with Lisette, here's her bio:

Lisette was born and raised in Pennsylvania. After high school, she moved to New York City where she attended Pace University and studied drama. After ten years in New York, several of them in the radio industry, she moved to Los Angeles for four years where she held various positions at Paramount Studios in Hollywood and CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA.

Back on the East Coast, she worked for many years as a freelance writer, specializing in PR and the entertainment industry. In 2010, she returned permanently to the Los Angeles area. 

She's the author of seven novels that encompass General/Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age/Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction/Chick-Lit, and YA Paranormal. She's also penned two short stories that are published in an anthology. 

Lisette also edited and published a book of her mother's poetry, which was written 50 years earlier.

Her eighth book, due in 2018, will be a collection of short stories in the literary fiction genre.

Now that we know a little bit about Lisette, let's get to the interview:  

The Algonquin Hotel sounds luxurious, rich in architecture and history. You came up with the concept for Barrie Hill Reunion when your grandmother took you to the hotel for brunch when you were eighteen. She told you about the Algonquin Round Table, a group of literary New Yorkers who met for lunch every day. The tale and the place made an impact on you. The setting for your story takes place in a hotel based on the Algonquin. Can you give us a feel for it?

* The Algonquin most certainly is rich in history and architecture. However, as my visit was so long ago, I cannot remember any details, only the impact that the visit had on me. But what I can share is a tiny snippet from my novel that captures what I initially felt. Luckily, some descriptions survived from my original writing: 

Fatigued from suppressing her anticipation, Clare took a deep breath and turned to look around the room at the tired yet grand decor. Behind her, the massive velveteen drapes, adorned by gold tassels, had dulled over the long years, perhaps from the invasion of sunlight or possibly as a protest from the years of gossip that danced merrily and unmercifully upon their exquisite fabric.

You originally started Barrie Hill Reunion as a short story, then a one-act play, then a two-act play, but eventually it morphed into a novel. Was there a certain amount of difficulty or ease to add to/and convert it from one form of entertainment to the other?

* It has been many years since I turned my unfinished story into a one-act play. I felt the passion and the anguish of the characters so much that what I wrote came easily. Even years later, when I turned it into a two-act play, it wasn't very difficult to extend the conversation.

When I went to write the novel, that's when things changed somewhat. As in all of my novels, I like to write multiple story arcs that intersect with one another as I suppose that is how I see the make-up of the world around me. The creation of additional stories,  however, was a natural extension of some of the stories only hinted at in the play. But most importantly, while I still retained the soul of the characters, I made some fundamental changes in their lives, outlook, history, and basic nature. My purpose by this time was to write a great book, not to merely turn a play into a novel. I did follow some of the play in the beginning, and throughout, there is still some original dialogue. But for the most part, I just let the characters guide me as I wrote their stories.

It was a different experience to write a novel with characters that I'd known my entire adult life ... a most interesting one.

In the story, the characters had gone to college together in the 1960's and meet again twenty years later after graduation, in 1986. To do them justice, you had to 'know' them as they were in the 60's, then had to bring them up to the 80's. What kind of things did you have to pay attention to since you were actually dealing with three time-frames? (The 60's, 80's, and as the writer in 2017)

* Great question, Jan. First, I think that if I had created this story in 2017, it would have been more difficult. But as I had always known the characters to live in a world without the technology we know today, it was much easier not to rely on its existence and the subsequent changes in our society. As a matter of fact, the story relied very much on technology not existing.

I wasn't yet of college age in the 60's, but I chose that decade for the characters to have attended college because it was a colorful time, rich in history. Also, had I chosen to place them in the 70's, I couldn't fast-forward twenty years without too much technology creeping into the story, and I didn't want that.

What I believe most important about the characters in the 60's were the prevalent attitudes about free love, protest, the Vietnam War, and much more. That said, these attitudes don't define the characters, but are a part of their coming-of-age into adulthood.

I spent a good deal of time researching 60's fashion, too. There were some wild, colorful, wacky designs from that era, and I wanted to make sure to include them in the characters' memories.

Aside from all of that, I had to do a good deal of research in the 80's to remind myself what was happening and what was not. It's so easy for decades to merge into one another and not become the separate and distinct periods in time that they were.

Like most of us, we're very different from how we were twenty years ago. I'm sure your characters changed along the way too. Can you tell us a little bit about which characters grew better/worse/or didn't change one bit? Or is this something we as readers need to determine? 

* I think most of the characters evolved, though there is one who clearly devolved. I can't really answer this question without revealing too much about the story, but I can tell you that the evolution of character is definitely a part of this novel. 

There are eight characters. How was it to work with this cast? Did you find any of the characters troublesome? 


* It's not easy to have eight people having one conversation. But because I knew the characters well, things happened pretty naturally. I did create a graphic of where everyone was seated in a room so that all of my physical descriptions would match and make sense. I taped this graphic (and another of the meal seating) to my wall and referred often to them as I wrote.

That said, there are many scenes where there are only two or three characters. It was important for me to break it up so that the book had a good and natural balance.

A special nuance to your story about how this one-act play (and now a full-length novel) finally came about is that for a while it resided with a good friend who was supposed to 'Xerox' copy it and return it to you. The friend got busy and it was forgotten. Tucked away for years, she finally found it and put it back in your hands. Your book had basically been put on hold. Everything happens for a reason. Do you suppose it was so you could grow as a writer to do the story justice?

* I'd like to say yes, but remember, once I got the story back, I then turned it into a play and then waited years to write the novel. I do think the passage of time between completing the different versions of the play and now, definitely gave me the time to write the book as it was meant to be.

Because there are eight characters, will there be some spin-off stories? Perhaps a series as their lives progress?

* Well, interesting you should ask. There are two characters in particular that have won my heart in a huge way. In my head, I've already written a long spin-off story for them. It's actually quite detailed. And I have ideas for the others as well. But I don't see myself writing a spin-off novel at this time. That could change. I'm sure you've noticed that life has a way of taking us places we never thought we would go.

There are many matters of ethics in Barrie Hill Reunion that could prompt a lot of great discussion. What are your thoughts on a book club for the book?

* I had two editors work with me on this book. I finished the edits from the first editor, made a lot of changes, then gave it to another editor. (Yeah, I really wanted to get this right!) What surprised me was that the second editor had a very surprising view about one character. At that moment, I was reminded just how differently we all view people, matters of ethics, and just how much gray area really exists in so much of our lives.

The characters are struggling with many different personal situations, and yes, I think a reader discussion about them could make for a very lively conversation. 

Last question, I promise. Have you been back to The Algonquin Hotel since you had brunch with your grandmother? 

* No, sadly, I haven't. But the next time I go back to New York City (my favorite city), I absolutely will do so. 

Thanks for having me on your blog again, Jan. Always an honor and pleasure.

It's been a joy having you, Lisette. Come back anytime.  
   
If you would like to read this amazing novel you can find it here --

Amazon

Here's how you can follow Lisette and her career: 

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Instagram

Pinterest

MollyHacker.com

  

  

Nancy Christie: author interview, rafflecopter giveaway, and special deal

Today's spotlight is on fellow Ohio author Nancy Christie! 

Welcome, Nancy!

Hi Jan and it’s so nice to be back in Ohio! All month long, I’ve been on a blog tour and even though the travel is virtual, for some reason I’m still as exhausted as if I flew everywhere! But it’s all been great fun and I can’t thank you enough for having me here!

Nancy is here today to discuss her latest book release, RUT-BUSTING BOOK FOR WRITERS. As a published writer myself, I’m especially interested in hearing what she has to say regarding this incredible book. I thought readers and aspiring authors would also like some insight into the things that writers go through during the writing process. First, let’s find out a bit about the woman behind the book –

Nancy Christie wears many hats in the writing world. She’s an author of fiction and non-fiction, an editorial consultant, writing instructor, blogger, and so much more. Nancy has been writing since second grade—she would have started sooner but she had to learn how to print first—and, except for some “life intermissions,” hasn’t stopped since. A writer by profession and preference, Christie began her writing career working for newspapers and magazines, branched out into copywriting for companies and ad agencies, and eventually added writing workshops to her repertoire. Her articles, fiction and essays have appeared in numerous print and online publications. The founder of “Celebrate Short Fiction” Day, an annual celebration of short stories and those who write them, Christie is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), Short Fiction Writers Guild (SFWG), and the Florida Writers Association (FWA).

Now that we know a little about you, Nancy, can you tell us about your book, RUT-BUSTING BOOK FOR WRITERS and what inspired you to write it?

Rut-Busting Book for Writers is actually an outgrowth of presentations I’ve been doing: my “Rut-Busting” workshop series. And they are the result of my first book, The Gifts of Change. When that book came out in 2004, I created a “Rut-Busting” Workshop to help people embrace change and get out of their ruts.

Then I developed one just for writers—“Rut-Busting” Workshop for Writers—and this past spring, I decided it was time to put all the tips I developed plus all I learned from the authors and writers I have interviewed over the years on my blogs (One on One, Focus on Fiction and The Writer’s Place) and voila! A book is born!

Jan's review for Rut-Busting Book for Writers:

Whether you're an aspiring writer or published author, this book is a valuable resource. I read it not knowing what to expect, but I'm always on the lookout for advice that will make me a better writer and help me deal with the self-imposed pressure I put on myself in my career. What I found in Ms. Christie's book is practical information. One chapter in particular spoke to me. It was the one about forgetting where you are in the writing process and in your career. Another chapter hit home for me. It involved identifying the rut I was in. Face it, at some point, we all dig a rut and it isn't always easy to climb out. Ms. Christie stressed defining goals (for me it was redefining my goals). I smiled when I read the part  about not being afraid to celebrate success. There are so many common sense things in this book that I already knew, but I have to admit there were a lot of important things I'd forgotten. Not only does the author share her advice, but also advice from others. I found this book incredibly helpful. 

Nancy, would you care to say a few words regarding your other published books?

I’d love to! (What author doesn’t want to talk about her babies?) My “firstborn” is The Gifts of Change—an inspirational book about helping people make the most of the changes that come into their lives, even the ones they don’t want! It’s available through Atria.

My second book, Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories, from Pixel Hall Press, came out in 2014. It’s a literary short story collection about people who can’t or won’t get their life on track so they keep going “left of center.” Some stories are funny, some serious, and a few more than a little weird in a Shirley Jackson-ish sort of way. Two of the stories, “Annabelle” and “Alice in Wonderland” are also available as e-book singles.

I’ve had two short stories published in Woman’s World Magazine, but the experience only gave me a limited understanding of writing freelance. Can you tell us more about the freedom, joy, fear, and challenges you've experienced as a freelance writer?

Well, I actually separate my freelance writing life into two categories. There’s the professional part: that’s how I earn a living, pay my bills and keep the cats fed. I write primarily for ad agencies and PR firms, everything from 4-minute on-hold scripts to several-thousand-word case studies. When I started freelancing, it was for newspapers—back before computers!—then I shifted to magazines, and now do almost exclusively the corporate work. More money and faster payments!

The good side: having the freedom to work on my schedule—which generally translates to 7 days a week! Seriously, though, when my mother was ill with cancer, it gave me the flexibility to travel to where she was and spend weeks with her. Then, when my father was diagnosed with cancer, I moved him from Florida to live with me, and being self-employed enabled me to provide him with the level of care he needed without losing my income, although I did have to cut back as the cancer spread.

The bad side: the instability of the income and the need to be constantly looking for work. While I have some regular clients, I have learned that you should never stop prospecting so that’s what I do: send emails and make cold calls in search of writing assignments. My fantasy is to someday win the lottery so I can relax, just a little. But until that happens, I am always job seeking!

The other category is my passion for writing. That's the essay/fiction writing. I do it because I love to write, especially fiction, so although I don't turn down any money someone might offer me for a piece, my primary motivation is first just to write it and only then to try to get it published, if possible. I've had some short stories published, have the first collection out and have finished a second collection, Peripheral Visions and Other Stories, that I hope to release next year. 

I’ve also finished two novels, one of which has interested a publisher to the point where she wants to see it again after I do some rewriting and editing and polishing and perfecting. I love the story and I know it needs some renovating so that’s on my list for 2018!

You’re an amazing author, but also a great champion of other authors as well. You host an incredible blog called, One on One: Insights Into the Writer’s Life. Can you tell us about this project? 

Thanks for the compliment! (Imagine me blushing…)

As for the One on One blog, it came about after I fought tooth and nail against doing any kind of blogs at all! Then I started the one for The Gifts of Change (Make A Change blog), Focus on Fiction (originally named Finding Fran) and The Writer’s Place (for writers of all genres).

I had an idea that I wanted to write a book about living the writing life but didn’t want it to be just my experiences—I don’t think that would be very interesting!—so I decided to start by interviewing other authors to see how open they would be to answering my questions. God bless them all, they were and it’s been fabulous, with a lot them also contributing to Rut-Busting Book for Writers.

But I still want to write the book that triggered the blog idea so that’s on my To-Do list (which keeps getting longer and longer and longer…)

Writing is clearly your passion. When you’re not writing, what do you like to do? What helps you clear your head and recharge your batteries to go back to writing with eagerness and a fresh perspective?

I love to be outside! That comes from me being such a tomboy when I was a kid, always playing outside. I work in the garden or the yard, run, walk, bike ride—anything to get the blood flowing and work out the kinks. This summer, I hauled out my rototiller and redug my garden, then moved shrubs and saplings, then trimmed branches (the ones the storms hadn’t already knocked down!) and hauled countless bags of mulch and topsoil. My poor car—I treat it like a truck!

Physical activity is perfect for when I am feeling frustrated or frightened or tired—and sometimes I feel all three at the same time!

Two questions you posed to me when I was on your blog, made me smile. I’d like to pose them to you as well to see how our answers are alike or different. What’s the worst advice anyone gave you about being a writer? What’s the best?

Hmmm… the worst advice... Well I don’t know if it qualifies but it was something someone (who shall remain nameless) said to me when I was in one of my “bad” writing times. I just couldn’t write anything—this was before I started writing professionally—and was desperately afraid that I would never be able to write again. And that person said, “Why don’t you pick another hobby?”

So here’s the thing: in the first place I didn’t choose writing. It chose me. As for the idea of never writing again—well, that would be akin to not breathing. I can’t imagine not writing. I certainly am thrilled that I have had some work published and that I have several books out, but those are all bonuses. Even if I were never going to be published again, even if no one ever would read my work again, I would still have to write. It’s what I do and who I am. (For heaven’s sakes, my license plate reads “Writer 1” and that costs me $100 a year to have!)

Best advice? I’ve been given a lot over the years and it all distills down to don’t give up. Keep writing. Keep perfecting your craft. Keep stretching your abilities. Keep raising the bar.

If you can, describe your writing life in one sentence.

It’s the framework on which the rest of my life rests and the addiction I have no desire to beat—the thing I love most to do and that makes me feel whole and complete.

You have something special for my blog followers for the month of October. 

I do, Jan. Thank you for mentioning it. If they order the paperback or digital version of RUT-BUSTING BOOK FOR WRITERS through the My Book Orders webpage and use code RBBW02, they will receive a 15% discount off the price. 

** Now on to the rafflecopter giveaway that runs from October 23rd through October 25th. One lucky winner will receive an ebook version of RUT-BUSTING BOOK FOR WRITERS. Be sure to enter for a chance to win this amazing book:

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

  

Keep up the great writing, Nancy! Thank you for being my guest today. You’re welcome to come back anytime.

My pleasure and thank you for having me! And I’d love to hear from any of your followers about any of my books, especially my new little one: what they liked, found useful or were amused by. Drop me a line or post a review. We writers live for readers’ comments!

If you’d like to follow Nancy and her career, you can find her here:

Website: www.nancychristie.com

Goodreads page: www.goodreads.com/NancyChristie

Amazon Author page: www.amazon.com/author/nancychristie

Twitter:  @NChristie_OH

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NancyChristieAuthor

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nancychristie/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+NancyChristiewriter/

To request an interview or schedule an appearance or workshop by Nancy Christie for your event or organization, contact nancy@nancychristie.com  or  www.nancychristie.com

Have you ever...?

...been smitten at first sight? Or been mystified by the physical pull you felt right away for someone? 

In my lighthearted romantic suspense -- STAY CLOSE, NOVAC! Jessi is disturbed by a tug toward Ian. ♥   

Jessi exchanged her shorts and T-shirt for the light pink camisole and matching stretchy Capri's she used as pajamas. She fell onto the bed and hugged the pillow. "Ahhh" whooshed out of her. Finally, peace and quiet. No hammers, power tools, or stalkers. She inhaled a deep breath and then slowly exhaled the tension of the last twenty-four hours. The second she closed her eyes, an image of Ian flashed through her thoughts. "Oh no you don't." She clamped her eyes really tight thinking it would send him away. But he didn't leave. In fact, he strutted across her brain like he owned it. She could see everything from the plain white T-shirt that stretched across phenomenal pecs to his boyishly handsome face. His sparkly green eyes were the next thing to keep her from drifting to sleep. Actually, it was a toss-up between his eyes and those darn lips.

Ugh. What the heck was she doing? She was supposed to be hiding out and getting some rest and relaxation. So far, no hiding out. No R & R. Only drooling over the clumsy nephew of the guy who owned the adjacent cottage. She was struck by a daunting thought. What if Ian wasn't who he said he was? Maybe he was the heavy breather and the author of those explicit notes. What if falling off that ladder was deliberate; to reel her in and win her trust? And then when she let her guard down... Jessi's hand went to her throat. She bolted to a sitting position.

P. S. The cute little dog on the cover is named Gordon! 

If you'd like to read more about Jessi, Ian...and Gordon, you can find Stay Close, Novac! at Amazon

Love,

Jan

www.authorjanromes.com

Oh Yes I Did...name my latest book --

                         

Charred Snake for Two!

*Pauses while you either frown, crack up laughing, or raise an intrigued eyebrow*

The working title had been:  Survive with Me. It didn't excite me, so I changed it to Just Us. Still not enthused, I held onto Just Us until almost the very end. When I was tweaking the last scene, it hit me -- Charred Snake for Two. As bizarre and out of the norm as it sounds, I had no choice but to embrace it.   

I bounced the new title off my husband. He gave me squinty eyes and a half-smile. I laughed and told him it would grow on him. (First, it had to grow on me...lol)

Then I put the name out to social media. I didn't get much reaction from my Twitter tweeps. My Facebook friends, however, weighed in with a few comments. The overall sentiment: romance and snake didn't go well together.

The story, I'll admit, is creative madness. And it needed an equally mad title. 

With that, I give you the....

Blurb:

Unable to get her head and heart back on track after her marriage crumbled, Alexandra Henry signed up to take part in an expensive, radical self-help, self-esteem program that would put her on a secluded island for seven days with someone just as broken. Together they would team-up to survive, renew trust in the opposite sex, and grow mentally stronger through candid conversation, while taking on nature at the same time.

Expecting someone tired and downtrodden, Alexandra was shocked when they delivered energetic, dark-haired, cocky, Adonis - Carson Jack.

How could someone like him know about heartache? Hope fizzled on the spot. She wouldn't come out of the experience any better than when she went in. Or would she?


I hope you'll take a chance on this uncharacteristic madness! If so, you can find it here:

AMAZON 

Any and all feedback (good or bad) will be welcomed! Even if it's - 'What was she thinking?' 

Hugs to all!

~ Jan

www.authorjanromes.com

Life can be a Wild Goose Chase!

Life can sometimes be a Wild Goose Chase! You find yourself pursuing something, but what? In Olivia Pence and Dezz Casey's case they were chasing what was already there -- Love! When you think about it, that sums up their story. It's contemporary romance and they're guaranteed a happily-ever-after or happy-for-now. So why read the book? I'll tell you why...

Because Olivia isn't easy; neither is Dezz.

Because they got the storm before the calm. 

Because Dezz was a pair of plaid pants and Olivia a flowered shirt. Separately they were fine, together they seemed downright gaudy. Or were they?

Because Pence and Casey will have you thinking there's no way they'll ever fix the things that have kept them apart. 

Small snippet...

Olivia was too troubled to flinch. She covered her face with her hands, thankful irony wasn't fatal. She'd fought with Dezz for an eternity and he'd hung on like his life depended on her. Finally, he'd had enough and let go. Now the tables were turned and it felt as if she'd die without him. Her heart ached to go back to how they were a month ago -- two squabbling people who cared deeply for each other. 

Tied in with the book is another Wild Goose Chase - Ponce de Leon's quest to find the Fountain of Youth. He was given misinformation. Instead of landing in Bimini, he landed in St. Augustine, Florida.

Have you ever searched for something that didn't pan out? Or wished for something you all ready had? 

Love,

Jan

www.authorjanromes.com

Special guest - Marcia Carrington

Today I have a special guest who shares a very genuine, heartfelt post about her writing career and the things we all struggle with at some point. Welcome prolific author and sweet friend, Marcia Carrington.

~ ♥ ~

I was not going to release any books this year, but...

By Marcia Carrington

Thank you very much, Jan, for the chance to discuss my experience this year with books and writing. 

At the end of 2016, I was thinking about whether to release any new books in the New Year 2017. Over the course of three years, from 2014 to 2016, I had released 21 books. Breaking it down, in 2014 I released 7 books, 2015 brought 8 books, and in 2016 I did 6. While the vast majority of these were novelettes, some novellas, and to a lesser extent short stories. I felt that I needed a little break and that I would not be releasing any new books in 2017. Instead, I would write at my own pace and try to do some reading, which I had largely left to the side over the last few years. How quickly my defenses on this crumbled, though...

Around November 2016, my short story Alicia Day would not leave my thoughts alone. A personal wrestling match occurred; no, I would leave the story until 2018, no, I would release in 2017. This went on for a few weeks. In the end, I decided it was coming in 2017. While it needed a little editing, I  knew I had to release it. Alicia Day arrived on screen in late March.

    

My next release, due in August 2017, was another book I was going to leave for 2018. Champagne Charlie came together so quickly from its initial draft in late 2016 that I decided this would be another story for 2017. A good example of resolutions falling apart and in record time...

  

In January, seeing that I had just two releases for 2017, I was feeling antsy. I had decided early on that a larger project I envisioned for 2017, Grayson's Dilemma, was one better suited for 2018, giving me longer time for editing, as it is a book I have wanted to write for a while. Instead, two other novelettes came zooming across to me, both appealing for very different reasons. 

Amanda's Payback, due in October 2017, is an adult work that gave me the chance to take on more mature material and content than I had previously written.

Beautiful Beau Montague, a November 2017 release, goes into investigative territory which I have done before, but this time the person being searched for is a movie star who is either alive or dead. 

Both, Amanda's Payback and Beautiful Beau Montague divert from my usual books as their romantic elements are much smaller than my books from other years.

Looking at my book experience for 2017, I have found that this year four books is just right for what I wish to achieve. It is enough to keep me going, but also allows for longer editing times, and hopefully, an even better product for readers. I think that we as writers are always seeking balance in whatever we do, and this can be difficult to maintain over time without realistic aspirations. To be able to write the number of books I have other years has come at the expense of other things for several reasons.  

In the beginning when I first began releasing books in 2011, I was on Twitter every day, interacting as much as I could. After a year and a half, I found that I could do very little writing with this system. As I began to cut back my tweeting in mid-2013, I found that I could write better, and more. Coupled with the fact that my neck does not adapt well to staying in front of the computer for too many hours, I devoted most of my free time to writing and editing, and a smaller component to catching up on Twitter. It has worked out better for me, and as a result, I am happier than when I was doing the daily tweeting. Life is the sum of all our experiences and I have found that with writing, as with everything, you learn from your lessons and place yourself in a better position to adapt to your lifestyle, and how you feel at specific times in your life. My 2017 writing experience has highlighted certain points for me; there is no wrong but all rights, what works for you may not work for others, but that is what makes us all very different as writers but also as people. 

If you'd like to follow Marcia...

Smashwords

Goodreads

Twitter

Amazon US Page

Marcia's Book Talk

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

  

Author James Moushon joins me today!

I read and write romance and women's fiction, but I love to dive into other genres as well. One of those genre's involves Mystery, Murder, Intrigue, and Politics! And who better to supply all four? Author James Moushon.

About James...

James Mouson is a Mystery writer and Author Advocate. Starting over 15 years ago, he helped lead the startup of the electronic forms industry in the creation, conversion and usage of electronic forms by supplying that industry with a continuing source of published literature, software products and training seminars.

In 2003, James changed his focus to ebooks and their development. The result is an incredible list of creativity:

Jonathon Stone Mystery Novels
Black Mountain Secrets
Game of Fire
The Cajun Ghost
Jonathan Stone Mystery Short Stories
Operation Alpha Dog, a collection of short stories
Operation No Sanctuary

* All featuring CIA Agent Jonathon Stone.

James is currently wearing two hats. He's a mystery writer and a book publishing blogger. When he says he's an Author Advocate, he means it. He's always there helping his fellow authors shine. You can find his blogs at:

HBS Author's Spotlight

The blog's purpose is to help author's get exposure in the book publishing industry. He has interviewed and showcased over 600 authors to date. 

You might also want to check out his:

HBS Mystery Reader's Circle

The HBS Mystery Reader's Circle provides information about the latest novels and what is coming next from a collection of bestselling and outstanding authors in the mystery, thrillers, historical fiction and crime genre.

James doesn't stop there. He also features the:

eBook Author's Corner 

The Corner is a collection of Author advice and studies including marketing, social media and other major topics created to help writers in today's ever-changing world of book publishing.

He's spent the majority of his adult life developing computer systems and thinking about writing mysteries. James has put all those great thoughts into books for our enjoyment. 

He has a summer short story series, with book #1 - Operation No Sanctuary available now and at a great price - 99 cents. You can find it here:

OPERATION NO SANCTUARY

Blurb:

A gang war erupts in East LA between neighborhood gangs and the notorious MS-13 gang from San Salvador and a Mexican cartel from Tijuana is right in the middle of the conflict. CIA Agent Jonathon Stone is assigned the operation. He joins a crime task force to try to stop the violence and capture the cartel leaders. Along with FBI Agent Jodi Shannon, he pursues the elusive Raul Romero, the cartel kingpin who he has been after for a decade.

Drug trafficking, gang shootings and politics all play a role as Jonathon battles the sanctuary city LA which seems to protect the innocent and the guilty. 

Be sure to keep an eye out for the other books in this series. You can do that by hitting the 'Follow' button on James' Amazon Author Page and you'll get a notice when the next book is published:

James Moushon's Amazon Author Page 

Show James some love and visit his website at www.jamesmoushon.com.

Follow him on Twitter @jimhbs

 

To contact him by email:  james.moushon@gmail.com

My special guest: C. B. Clark!

Today my special guest is fellow Wild Rose Press author, Christine Clark who writes under the pen name C. B. Clark. She's here to celebrate the release of her newest book, BITTER LEGACY.

Before we get to Christine's book, pour a cup of coffee and read about this fantastic author.

Author Bio:

C.B. Clark has always loved reading, especially romances, but it wasn't until she lost her voice for a year that she considered writing her own romantic suspense stories. She grew up in Canada's Northwest Territories and Yukon. Graduating with a degree in Anthropology and Archaeology, she has worked as an archaeologist and educator, teaching students from the primary grades through the first year of college. She enjoys hiking, canoeing, and snowshoeing with her husband and dog near her home in the wilderness of central British Columbia.

A few words from Christine:

Summer:

In my part of the world, summer doesn't really begin until mid June when the days heat up, and the sweet smell of warm, rich earth, growing plants, and newly mown grass permeats the air. There's so much to look forward to...long, hot sunny days relaxing beside a crystalline lake, opening that book I finally have time to read, hiking along forest trails beneath a canopy of evergreen trees, swimming in a cool, clear lake, hamburgers sizzling over hot coals, sipping a cool drink (or two), and relaxing with friends as the days slow down. The warm nights in front of a campfire toasting marshmallows, or watching bats flit between the branches of the trees, and the stars sparkle in the night sky.

There are downsides to summer...oppressive heat and humidity, swarms of pesky bugs, sunburn, heat rash, wearing a swim suit and exposing all that well-fed flesh, long car trips, and crowded campsites. But that's all in the days ahead. Right now, today, as I sit outside on my desk and listen to the chirping of the birds, I breathe deep as every cell in my body embraces this new season. 

Now that you know a little bit about C. B. Clark, let's find out about her book.

Awesome cover art, C.B!

'Thanks, Jan!'

C.B. has happily shared her blurb and an excerpt.  

Blurb:


Sharla-Jean Bromley returns to her hometown after a seventeen-year absence with vengeance in her heart. From the very beginning, her plans go awry when she meets devastatingly handsome Josh Morgan, the man to whom her father left half of his multi-million dollar lumber mill.

Josh, suspicious of Sharla-Jean's reasons for returning to town after such a long absence, vows to keep control of the company he feels is rightfully his. She is equally determined to prove she can run her father's mill, even though it means working side-by-side with Josh, a man whose very presence evokes an attraction that is increasingly difficult for her to ignore. In the process, they must overcome a villain who's determined to destroy both the lumber mill and their lives.

Will Sharla-Jean succeed and heal the anguish that has long filled her soul? Will she and Josh find the passion of a lifetime?

If you'd like to find out how Sharla-Jean and Josh deal with all that's thrown at them, including the attraction, you can find the rest of the story here:

Amazon

The Wild Rose Press

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

iTunes

You can follow C.B. Clark here:

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Goodreads Author Page

Amazon Author Page

Thanks for being here today, Christine. It's been a pleasure finding out more about you and your new book! Come back anytime!