Wednesday, August 29, 2012

This Blackened Night - L.K. Below (release countdown)

L. K. Below joins us today to announce the upcoming release of her third book of 'The Order.'

26 Days until the release of This Blackened Night, The Order: Book 3!

Every author has a set of characters more dear to their hearts than any others. In most cases, this stems from these characters being among the first ever created. I won't claim Lori and Terrence were my very first, but they did come close. Their first book, Stalking Shade, which released in 2011, was originally written in 2007. And rewritten. And rewritten.

And now it feels like a dear friend is moving away. With the release of This Blackened Night on September 24th, 2012, the trilogy will come to an end. Lori might be a prickly character, not easy for anyone but Terrence to love, but I had a lot of fun with her. When I wrote this third book late last year, I dragged my feet to see it finished for the same reason. I didn't want to let the pair of them go. A not-so-secret part of me is hoping for an overwhelming response from readers asking me to continue so I have an excuse to revisit my favorite characters.

For now, I'm counting down the days until the third book releases. Maybe you'll fall in love with Lori and Terrence every bit as fiercely as I have. Lori might be stubborn in pushing people away, but Terrence is the most persistent character I've ever written. Good thing, too.

Join me in celebrating the release of the third book a bit early with this short, sweet teaser excerpt:

This Blackened Night by L.K. Below

With murders cropping up all around, who should she trust? 

After months of searching, Lori finally scrounges up a clue as to the whereabouts of the missing leader of her secret organization. But her vision isn't encouraging--it points to her vampire companion Terrence as the culprit.

Terrence is adamant that he isn't at fault. Even though she knows she might be walking into a trap, she follows his lead to a shabby island port. When her informants start turning up dead with puncture wounds in their necks, Lori wonders just how well she knows Terrence. And why does he act different during the search than in their hotel room?

Lori doesn't know who to trust anymore. She only hopes that she won't be the next victim.

Six Sweet Sentences from the book:

Terrence’s eyes opened. “Are you thinking about killing me, Lori?” His voice was low, gravelly. Masculine.

But Lori had to keep thinking of him as the Spenta Michos’s kidnapper, rather than a man. “If I’d thought about it, you’d be dead."

Learn more about the series as a whole on the Lyrical Press, Inc. website: http://bit.ly/TheOrderSeries

Read a longer excerpt from This Blackened Night at http://bit.ly/ThisBlackenedNight.

Bio: If L.K. Below gets far too attached to her characters, well, that's because they're interesting people. Read two of her favorites in her urban fantasy series, The Order. Join her online at www.lbelow.net to learn more. Want to keep up to date with her tour stops? Follow her on Twitter or Facebook

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Voices of Fiction - Influences on Life/Writing - Part Four

Welcome to another edition of Voices of Fiction.

We have another wonderful group of authors here today to discuss those who have influenced them in both life and in writing.

Please welcome our guests.

Jade Varden is the author of the Deck of Lies series, a collection of YA mystery books that show what happens when dark family secrets are exposed. Jade also provides professional writing tips to other indie authors on her blog. Blog, Twitter



Karina Kantas is the author of five titles, including Huntress which is published by MMP. She originates from the UK but now lives in Greece with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Website


Pat Andres - author of MAGGIE: A SAVANNAH DOG, Roseanna the Savannah Squirrel, LOVE FROM the ASHES, and It’s Hard to Be Crystal: Life in the Tranny Lane. Website

Vicki Batman likes to kick back with a diet Coke and write crazy things for her characters. She has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories. She is a member of RWA, and the DARA, Elements, and RWA-WF chapters. In 2004, she joined DARA and has served in many capacities, including 2009 President. DARA awarded her the Robin Teer Memorial Service Award in 2010. Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??" Blog, Blog, Link



Welcome Authors! It’s wonderful to have you back for another round.

Now the question is: Who has been the biggest influence in your life? in your writing?

Jade Varden: V.C. Andrews, to both. I knew I wanted to be a writer when I read “Flowers in the Attic,” her first book.

Karina Kantas: The author S.E.Hinton was the first person to inspire me to write. The amazing talents and awesome music from Iron Maiden continue to inspire me.

Pat Andres: Other female writers since I was very present at the feminist movement of the 70s. Favorites are Toni Morrison, Anne Seton, Clarissa Pinkola Estes (we share a Hungarian heritage) and Anne Rivers Siddons.

Vicki Bateman: I've been very lucky to have several people in my life who care about my writing. My friend who sparked my interest. My sisters, sons, close girlfriends who have cheered me on. Handsome (husband) who continues to say and do "interesting" things and have found their way into my stories.

Thank you all for joining us today and sharing your influences in both life and writing.

Readers feel free to ask questions concerning this topic in the comments. Also feel free to send questions to chergreen@chergreen.com Subject: Voices of Fiction Question, and have them answered by the participating authors in later editions.

There’s also room for more authors to participate. Drop me an email, Subject: Voices of Fiction.

(Disclaimer - Bios and answers have been posted as submitted by author) 

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Voices of Fiction - Influences on Life/Writing - Part Three

Welcome to another edition of Voices of Fiction.

We have a wonderful group of authors here today to discuss those who have influenced them in both life and in writing.

Please welcome our guests.


Joylene Butler is the author of Dead Witness and Broken But Not Dead. Links – Website, Blog






Cindy Huefner Cromer, formally a New Jersey resident, now resides in Stuart, Florida, with her husband, son, and daughter. Cindy works as a laboratory scientist and executive. As the president of a laboratory network, she has written numerous laboratory procedures and research documents. Driven by a passion for suspense and mystery novels, she dreamed of becoming a writer. Her dream turned into reality with the release of her debut suspense novel, Desperate Measures. She is currently working on her second novel, Desperate Deceptions. Plans are in place for her third and fourth books.  Website, Link, Link


 
Thea Landen writes erotic literature, frequently in a sci-fi/fantasy setting. When she's not writing, or thinking about writing, her hands and mind are occupied by either yarn crafts or role-playing games. Blog, Link, Link




Jared Gullage, an English Language Arts teacher in Alabama, is the author of Drinna, The Dustfinders, and The Afterknight. Through his father's introduction to books like The Hobbit, Great Expectations, and works by Ray Bradbury, Jared discovered a universe within his own imagination. Jared put his vision to work through role-play games and then storytelling. Following his father's words, "paint pictures with words", this compulsive writer plans to leave his mark upon the writing world, one dent at a time.



Children’s Picture Book author, Clara Bowman-Jahn, of “Annie’s Special Day” is living the life of her dreams an hour at a time. Link, Blog, Link




Welcome Authors! It’s wonderful to have you back for another round.

Now the question is: Who has been the biggest influence in your life? in your writing? 

Joylene Butler: Other writers. Every time I read a great piece of fiction I stop dead in my tracks. All I can think of is I want to write like this… I want to write like this… I want to write like this!

Cindy Cromer: I’d have to say my dad is the biggest influence in my life. As an only child he has always encouraged me to follow any dream I had. In writing, Lisa Gardner is my biggest influence. She has an amazing talent for writing a story with an ending the reader doesn’t see coming.

Thea Landen: Rand Miller, the creator of the "Myst" games and the co-author of the three accompanying novels. I played the games repeatedly and read the books more times than I can count when I was in middle school. He essentially built a world around world-builders, and as a result, nearly anything one can imagine is possible. I also love strong, realistic female characters, and the women of Myst fit this bill. To be shown in my formative years that there are no boundaries, and that anything my mind comes up with is fair game, is very liberating and inspiring.

Jared Gullage: Probably Ray Bradbury, if not my father. Both have always encouraged me to seek wonder and to write. Ray Bradbury was always a source of wonder for me. He wrote about everything and often blurred the lines between fantasy and reality. My father just always encouraged me to "create pictures with words."

Clara Bowman-Jahn: My mother was my biggest influence in writing and everything else. At age fifteen she shared her journal of quotes with me. She had copied quotes from books she had read that meant a lot to her. I was impressed and started doing the same thing. As I grew I started using the journal as a kind of diary and friend. I have kept a journal for over forty years now. I wrote everything down from venting my feelings to exploring my options to problems in those journals. It has been a long held hope that one day I rewrite my journals to become public essays helping others who struggle with life’s challenges and hope to ease the way for them. I used my journals as grief took me from its depths to healing after my late husband died and on through a traumatic brain disorder. As I look back on these writings I can’t help but hope there are some that would help others cope through the same kinds of things.

Thank you all for joining us today and sharing your influences in both life and writing.

Readers feel free to ask questions concerning this topic in the comments. Also feel free to send questions to chergreen@chergreen.com Subject: Voices of Fiction Question, and have them answered by the participating authors in later editions.

There’s also room for more authors to participate. Drop me an email, Subject: Voices of Fiction.

(Disclaimer - Bios and answers have been posted as submitted by author) 

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Voices of Fiction - Influences on Life/Writing - Part Two

Welcome to another edition of Voices of Fiction.

We have a wonderful group of authors here today to discuss those who have influenced them in both life and in writing.

Please welcome our guests.

Cara Marsi, an award-nominated author, is a former corporate drone and cubicle dweller who is finally free of her fabric-covered cage. She craves books with happy endings and loves to write about independent heroines and the strong heroes who love them. Cara is published in romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance. She’s also published numerous short romance stories in national women’s magazines. Cara and her husband enjoy traveling and she loves to write about the places they've visited. They share their house with a fat black diva of a cat named Killer.  
Website, Twitter, Facebook


Reno Charlton - I'm a full time copywriter, working from home to provide clients around the world with content for websites, magazines and other media. I am also an author, having written and published three children's fantasy novels and two short stories for older readers. The short stories were created under my pen name of Emily Ho. One of these stories, The Journey Home, won a Curtis Brown Short Story Competition. Link, Link, Link



Ellen Spain is a retired Federal Investigator, now turned author, editor, and educator. She is active with EPIC, PennWriters, RWA, SCBWI, and the Pittsburgh East Writers.
Website, Link, Link




Barbara Ehrentreu, a retired teacher with a Masters degree in Reading and Writing K-12 and seventeen years of teaching experience lives with her family in Stamford, Connecticut. When she received her Masters degree she began writing seriously. If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor, Barbara’s first YA novel, published by MuseItUp Publishing was inspired by Paula Danziger. Her novel is also available on Amazon for Kindle and paperback, Barnes & Noble for both paperback and Nook, Smashwords, Omnilit and of course The Muse Bookstore. In addition, Barbara has a story in Lavender Dreams, a memorial anthology for which all the proceeds go to cancer research. She has three poems in Prompted: An International Collection of Poems by the Anthologists for which all the proceeds go to Literacy research. Her blog, Barbara’s Meanderings, http://barbaraehrentreu.blogspot.com/, is networked on both Facebook and Blog Catalog. She hosts Red River Writers Live Tales from the Pages on Blog Talk Radio every 4th Thursday. In addition, her children's story, “The Trouble with Follow the Leader” and an adult story, “Out on a Ledge” are published online. She has written book reviews for Authorlink.com. and several of her reviews have been on Acewriters and Celebrity CafĂ©. She is a member of SCBWI. Writing is her life! Blog, Facebook, Twitter 

Bobbi Carducci, also writing as Barbara Simpson Carducci, is the author of Storee Wryter Gets a Dog, A GOLD Mom’s Choice Award winner for excellence also named A Best Dog Book for Young Readers in Cesar’s Way Magazine (the official publication of Cesar Milan, TVs the Dog Whisperer) The book for young readers ages 6-10 not only tells a story kids enjoy, it also encourages them to write their own stories. Bobbi Carducci is a former senior staff writer for a Washington, D.C. area newspaper, she is professional book reviewer and an award winning short story writer. She lives in Virginia with her husband Michael. Together they are the directors of the Young Voices Foundation, an educational nonprofit established to mentor young writers. Blog, Link, Link


Welcome Authors! It’s wonderful to have you back for another round.

Now the question is: Who has been the biggest influence in your life? in your writing?

Cara Marsi: Biggest influence on my writing? All those wonderful authors in all those books I've read since childhood. In my life? That's hard to say, there have been so many wonderful influences. Maybe my Aunt Ann and Aunt Rosie. I was close to both of them. And they believed in me.

Reno Charlton: In terms of general people, my three older sisters. They used to encourage my reading as I grew up and always had tonnes of cast off books for me to read. They also used to encourage me to write stories when I was younger. When it comes to other writers, Enid Blyton and Stephen King have both influenced me, which explains why I write magical fantasy books with a hint of horror!

Ellen Spain: My late mother and late father (my loving parents who I still miss) were and still are the biggest influence in my life, encouraging me to do my best and never stop learning and always be compassionate and understanding to those around me. My writing: Years ago, I enjoyed watching "Murder She Wrote" and over the next twelve years of that TV program, watched many of the main characters evolve. Before I decided to take the retirement package, I knew I wanted to write mystery stories like those "clean" Murder She Wrote TV programs. As far as a real person, it was and still is my best friend, the Regency Romance/Mystery novelist and university professor, Barbara Miller, who appears to churn out book after book with minimum effort.

Barbara Ehrentreu: When she was alive, my mother was a very big influence on my life. She kept telling me how to live and it was only after I was an adult that I realized how right she had been. The biggest influence in my writing is Paula Danziger. She helped me to see the mistakes I was making and how to correct them. She guided me to rewrite the first chapters of my first novel and she encouraged me to continue writing it. Her workshop has stayed with me for years with all of the writing ideas she gave to us.

Bobbi Carducci: My mother was always an avid reader. Seeing her with book all the time definitely sent a message that reading was something interesting and enjoyable. She is the person who introduced me to the library where I would go every Saturday. It was a magical place of infinite possibility. I would carry home as many books as they would allow, often arriving home with deep indentations on my arms from the book covers. Then I’d find a quiet spot under a tree or on the front porch and read until lured away to play a rousing game of kickball or tag. I loved the stories so much I decided I’d write some myself. I poured over my favorite books, counting words in sentences, sentences in paragraphs, paragraphs in pages, pages in chapters. I studied the words in the sentences that appealed to me tried to emulate the voice and cadence I liked most. I wrote my first story at the age of eight and have been writing ever since.
     My writing is influenced by the authors of all the books I’ve read and continue to read. It was through reading I learned to appreciate voice and characterization. A well thought out plot and a scene that comes to life in my imagination served as life lessons for me.
      Of course I have to mention my mentors, fellow members of Pennwriters, Inc., Lorraine Henderson and Denise Meyers. They encouraged this closet writer to step out into to the light and begin submitting for publication. My husband Michael is my biggest fan and he gave me the encouragement to follow their lead. It is because of their faith in me that I now do all I can to assist other writers in pursuing their goals.

Thank you all for joining us today and sharing your influences in both life and writing.

Readers feel free to ask questions concerning this topic in the comments. Also feel free to send questions to chergreen@chergreen.com Subject: Voices of Fiction Question, and have them answered by the participating authors in later editions.

There’s also room for more authors to participate. Drop me an email, Subject: Voices of Fiction.

(Disclaimer - Bios and answers have been posted as submitted by author) 

 
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