HB3 Update!

Hell’s Belle fans will be happy to hear that I made terrific headway on my pre-outline outline for Book 3. 

I know, weird, right? A pre-outline outline?

This is basically where I decide the major plot points, as well as identify the characters I need to carry the these plot points forward. It looks like our favorite surviving characters are back: Nina, Frankie, and Max, of course. Darcy and Matty return, and Casper too. Chuck will probably turn up a time or two, simply because the Beta Vamp really grew on me. Dr. O returns in this book, but we probably won’t catch much of him until the end. And, of course, our favorite demon Ami Bertrand is back pulling everyone’s strings. 

Plus, I am introducing a new, pivotal character. He’s a doozy, and I am crazy excited to write him. 

Nina and Casper are going to go through a major upheaval in this one. I know, how much more crap can I throw at Nina? But just like I needed to off a certain character in Tainted Blood so that Nina could grow as a character, this is the next step in her development.

Action lovers will be happy to hear that it looks like the action sequences are back in line with the original Hell's Belle. The crew knows exactly what's going on and what they need to do. So this time, it's all in the execution. 

Here's a playlist of music kept me going while I worked it all out.  Let me know how you feel about the tunes! 

I’m still here! And other odds and ends...

Since I've been busy as a beaver, here's a pic of a beaver dam that I took last summer!

Good news! The new paranormal romance is off to the publisher. I am taking a minute (seriously like a minute) to breathe and then kickstarting Hell’s Belle 3 plus working on the outline for a new PNR that I hope to sell. It’s going to be a slight genre departure for me, so I am kind of excited to work on it.

Add in the day job, and my schedule was hellish this winter. I am a bit exhausted. But I’ve loved every minute that I’ve been writing, and spending more time with my characters daily has been really amazing. It simply drives home that I would love to write full time.   

Since I've been slammed, I have been neglecting this blog a bit, as well as my fellow compatriot authors. I hope to remedy in the coming weeks. I have book review coming next week, and hopefully, I can get back in the swing of the author interviews. And I have a new adventure on tap that I will announce soon-ish. (When I am through the testing phase -- I am okay with tech stuff if I have the time to devote to playing with it, and I am carving out the time now!)

So, it’s all good. I’m still here!

Oh, by the way, did you know I have a mailing list? Sign up if you want book updates, freebies, and sneak peeks at stuff I am working on! (By the way, I don't sell names. You guys are mine, all mine!) 

Death Rejoices Mix Tape

You guys remember by love for Touched by AJ Aalto? Well, there’s a new book in the Marnie Baranuik Files out: Death Rejoices. Not only death rejoice, but readers too! (Oh, Karen, want some chicken to go with your corn?) 

Here’s the official blurb: 

Marnie Baranuik is back, and this time, the Great White Shark of psychic investigations has “people skills” and a new assistant who seems to harbor an unhealthy curiosity about Harry, her revenant companion. Together, they’ve got a whole lot of questions that need answering. Is an ancient vampire hunting in Denver? Who is stalking Lord Dreppenstedt? How do you cure a slipper-humping bat, ditch an ogre, or give a demon king the slip? And what the hell was she thinking, swearing off cookies?
Teaming up with her sexual nemesis, Special Agent Mark Batten, and their long-suffering supervisor, Gary Chapel, Marnie discovers that vampire hunters aren’t easy to rescue, secrets don’t stay buried, and zombies sure are a pain in the ass to kill.

I asked AJ to share a Death Rejoices mix tape with us, and it’s a wild one! Where else can Rob Zombie play footsie with Kool & the Gang but in Marnie’s wonderfully warped mind?

(Note from AJ: Yes, this book had a strange blend of music genres. But Marnie Baranuik is a strange gal. She makes no apologies. WAY HEY AND UP SHE RISES!)

AJ, one never needs apologize for Irish sea shanties!

Head over to AJ’s website, or find her on Goodreads. Join me in stalking her on Facebook and Twitter too!

Author Interview: AJ Aalto (Touched, The Baranuik Files)

I recently bought a copy of Touched, which is the first book in her Marnie Baranuik Files series. (How cool is that cover, by the way?) Immediately, I was sucked into Marnie's world, and having a blast with all the characters. So I jumped at the chance to interview AJ Aalto to talk about the series. And she loves goofballs!  

Tell me about Touched. What inspired you to tell Marnie’s story?

I had been working on an epic fantasy novel that was breaking my brain and needed a break. My good friend who was acting as a beta reader suggested I try something lighter, something just for fun. I started Touched as a joke, actually, making up a silly main character who was an amalgamation of several of my goofiest friends and myself, asking myself how they (and I) would face serious monster problems. That's how Marnie was born. I fell in love soon after. I abandoned the epic fantasy and focused on having fun with Marnie.

I am only part way through the book, and I love it so far. She is such a bad ass, take no shit character, and her side kick revenant is just wonderfully drawn, and they have such a tight relationship! Correct me if I am wrong, but in the Touched world, psychics like Marnie are paired off with vampires in a very interesting way. Can you explain that a bit more?  

Usually the revenant chooses a mundane mortal companion to guard him during his daylight sleeping hours, when he is most vulnerable. He will share his particular psychic Talents with this DaySitter. They will live together, and he will feed from her, and they will share a unique metaphysical Bond. In Marnie's case, Harry was an inheritance from her grandmother, Vi. Harry and Marnie both had the option to opt out of this, and it was merely a suggestion in Vi's will, but they both accepted and went forward together. Before Bonding with Harry, Marnie was not psychic at all. She gained her Talents from the Bond with Harry and from continued cohabitation. 

What sparked the idea to pair revenants with human caretakers?  

I always wondered why Dracula and other vampires didn't have an army of bodyguards. Sure, they're immortal, but they have so many vulnerabilities. Even being monsters, they have the ability to sway human minds, and they have an obscene amount of money, it only made sense they'd have protectors. That thought lead to: what if it was just one person, but they had some extra superpowers? Maybe borrowed psychic powers? And that lead to: what if this main character was a bodyguard of sorts, but she kinda sucked at it in funny ways? I mean, who says the vampire/revenant would always pick a successful bodyguard? Maybe they'd choose badly based on some personal quirk. Harry chose Marnie because she made him laugh. That's not the best reason to basically hire someone who will be caring for your life, but Harry was bored by four hundred years of people who were good at things, was surprised by her unusual ways. He also saw an opportunity to take a hot mess and reshape her into someone more manageable. Much to my delight, Harry hasn't had much success with that though bless his heart, he keeps trying. 

When we first meet Marnie, we learn that her first job with the FBI turned out to be a total fail. I love that we were dropped into the world with this situation already done and over. But, I have to ask, have you considered doing prequel?

I have considered it, and may. I'm still toying with it. I'd like to see early Batten. He's really mellowing in the later books (I'm currently writing the fourth in the series) as he gets more familiar with Harry and Marnie and the realities of immortals who live within the law, but I'd prefer to see him at Full Jerk strength, the way we meet him in Touched. I've always had an inexplicable urge to boff jerks. 

Touched is the first in a series, can you tell us about the others?

In Death Rejoices, Marnie starts working full-time with the FBI's Preternatural Crimes Unit and deals with the early days of a possible zombie plague, and an assistant who may or may not be trying to steal her job. You can perhaps imagine how our accident-prone, goofball heroine might deal with that. In Dirt Nap, Marnie must deal with a stone boggle in a pit mine. In Cold Company, a much darker short story, Marnie pops home to Canada to help trace a missing person. In Last Impressions, Marnie returns home again, this time to explore whether or not the Welland Canal is haunted by a killer ghost, and what's happening at an underwater graveyard. The fun part about Last Impressions is that the underwater graveyard I wrote about actually exists about five minutes from my house. I was able to tromp around that area and the local "haunted" Blue Ghost Tunnel for research. Readers can Google the area and learn about the true stories that inspired this book.

What are you working on now? And when can we expect to see it?

I've retired from my day job and am writing full time now, currently working on the fourth full-length novel in the series, called Wrath & Bones. I have no estimate for the deadline yet. I figure I'll be looking at a spring release.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Every night, I get my desk ready for the morning's work, set out my tea supplies and do a quick read to set up what I might need to start with. I set my alarm for 4 AM, and get up early every morning (unless I'm sick). I write until the kids are up for school, and return to writing by 9. I write again until late afternoon. Evenings are for exploring what I've done and deciding what I might need my editor's advice about; he's good to brainstorm with. Some Sunday mornings, I print out a few chapters and take my red or pink pen and go to a local breakfast place to eat eggs and drink tea and do edits on paper. I almost always do my own edits on paper. I do ten or fifteen editing passes before I give it to my editor for him to do his first pass. I may have to do two or three rewrites after he's done his work, so I face more 4 AM work mornings when I get his notes. After release day, it starts all over again with the next book.

Where is your favorite place to write?

My office used to be our dining room. It's been invaded by bookshelves, cork boards, and my desk. I'm most productive there.

What inspires you to write?

The short answer would be: human goofiness. I love all the different, hilarious ways that normal, non-heroic people mishandle difficulties. I'm not interested in writing about people who are awesome at everything they do, or flawlessly beautiful, or always have the right answer. I find that boring and I couldn't face writing that sort of character unless they were truly secondary...or the bad guy. I love regular people who screw things up and then make good. I love the final victory of a lovable doofus. 

What five books are on your bookshelf right now?

I have over four thousand paperbacks on my bookshelves. They groan. They whimper. I have a couple dozen beside my bed right now, too. The one I'm currently making my way through again is Stephen King's The Stand. I hadn't read it in about five years and was in the mood to revisit the characters. I'm also reading the Winter King by Bernard Cornwell. It's excellent.

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

If you haven't seen Shaun of the Dead, you must. It's awesome. (Warning: graphic near the end.) I loved reading the Janet Evanovich books; she just cracks me up. Exactly the kind of goofy characters I was talking about. I enjoyed the Belgariad series by David Eddings and am still working through the Harry Dresden books by Jim Butcher. I would highly recommend anything by Martin Amis.

Author Interview: Ashlynne Laynne (The Progeny)

The Progeny is book one of a series about half vampire, half human Ascher, a “half-bloodling” from a vampire clan with the purest bloodline. Ascher is like the misfit vamp, unsure of his role in his clan, forced into a prearranged partnering that he does not want. Enter Shauna, a beautiful wiccan, who steals his heart, and you just know why I am cheering for this book! (And did I mention there are tattoos?)

The Progeny is a seriously sexy read, and I am thrilled to chat with author Ashlynne Laynne about the book and the series. 

Tell me about The Progeny.

The Progeny is the first book in a paranormal romance series that chronicles the love story of half-blooded vampire, Ascher Rousseau, and his eternal love, Wiccan-human Shauna McCutchin. In my world, vampires are not night-stalking killers, but rather immortal men who are just as real as any human. They live by an honor code “No fate other than the one I choose.” This motto just happens to be part of a tattoo each Rousseau man bears on his bicep.

What inspired you to tell the story of Ascher?

Ascher began as a weird dream after a grueling day at my morning job. I dreamed him just as he came to be on the pages. I wasn’t exactly sure what to do with the dream at first, but I knew there was something there. I immediately woke and began sketching the special amulet each of my boys wear. I am not blessed with the talent to draw or sketch, so to say the picture is hideous is an understatement. My husband and fan artist are the only people to ever see that sketch. (Ed note: Of course, now I want to see it too!) 

Most paranormal romance books are told from the point of view of the women. Why did you chose to tell the story from Ascher’s point of view?

The Progeny starts in Ascher’s POV, but I also use Shauna’s as well. Most romance novels I read as a teenager included both the hero and heroine’s POV. In the beginning, Ascher was my progeny because of his human/vampire existence. As I wrote Shauna, I realized that she too was a progeny of sorts.

This book is spectacularly romantic. From the short excerpt I fell a little bit in love with him! What do you find sexy about this character?

Ascher is beautiful in the literal sense of the word with his silky, dark locks and pale blue eyes. But that is only the superficial surface of what makes him unique. Even as he is in the middle of a hot sex scene, there is still this innocence that shines through. For all of his faults, he loves Shauna’s with a purity and passion that I think endears him to a reader. His appearance and demeanor change over the course of the series, but I am intent on keeping his tender core intact. Under all of the angst and doubt we see in The Progeny, the heart of a warrior beats strong within his chest.  In Blood Bewitched, that warrior finally breaks the surface.

My intention for Ascher was always to show him grow up, so to speak, as the series progresses. I love books where we meet a hero who is already secure and sure of himself. For Ascher, I wanted him to start off as an unsure man, and then show him evolving and changing when Shauna enters his life. I’m a hopeless romantic by nature. I’ve been married to the sweetest man for eleven years. I’ll tell anyone that he is the reason I am able to write such passion between this couple. 

My motto as a writer will always be hard sex mixed with harder love. This simply means that no matter how much these two tear into one another between the sheets, this amazing love will always be the reason for such intense actions and emotions. In life, I believe that to be true as well. Anyone who has read through to book five will also see a shift in the intensity of the love scenes in the books. The Progeny was my test book, it was my first shot at writing a novel, so I wasn’t exactly sure of how hot I wanted to write. In Blood Bonds, I ventured closer to where I wanted to be as far as heat. When I started writing Blood Promise, I was sure that I wanted to write erotically, and the scenes definitely reflect that. 

Some of the best advice my editor has given me was that a writer not only writes a love scene for the heroine, but you are also writing to satisfy the reader as well. I’m always asking my husband if I went too far with a particular scene. His answer is for me to write what is in my heart and I’ll never go wrong. I’ve had readers write to me and say that they don’t usually go for books written as explicitly as mine tend to be, but that they don’t really mind it because of the way they are written. My hero will never force the heroine to do anything she doesn’t want to do. Her pleasure, comfort, and well-being will always be his greatest concern. 

What do you think it is about vampires that make them such wonderful romantic leads?

If I am to be honest, Interview with the Vampire and the yummy Brad Pitt started my love of the fanged ones. I am a vamp girl, through and through. The appeal for me, I think, is the fact that they are usually very self-assured and polished. They are strong and loyal. And I imagine that centuries of experience in what pleases a woman would make them excellent lovers.

Now that The Progeny is released, what’s next for you?

The Progeny was actually my first release back in 2012. Blood Bonds, Blood Promise, Blood Reborn and Yearning have followed since. Blood Bewitched is the sixth in the series and it is set to release February 10, 2015. (Ed note: I have some catching up to do!) Book seven, Belonging, will follow next spring. The Progeny got a voice back in September. I was fortunate enough to connect with this awesome voice artist, Shana Pennington-Baird, and she has taken on the task of giving my books an audible life. She is doing an excellent job, too. She has all of this theater experience and can do crazy accents, so she is literally making these characters came to life outside of the book. The Progeny audio book is in post-production, and will release later this month. Blood Bonds goes into production next week. So, that is exciting. I’m currently writing Belonging, Blood Rising, and a related novella attached to the series. Yes, my plate is full and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Do you have any writing rituals?

I like to do a rough outline before each project, just to have a starting and end point. It was easier earlier in the series. Now, my characters are resistant to the plotting and tend to be most uncooperative when told what to do. I am a Chapstick addict, so I keep it in a tiny glass box on my computer desk. I usually apply it to my lips the entire time I write. 

Where is your favorite place to write?

I write all over the house on my laptop, but when I need privacy to really think about a scene, I go to my writing room. I have a comfy leather chair, my iMac, and huge posters of my characters all around to help inspire me.

What inspires you to write? 

My brain is funny. I dream a lot of the scenes that end up in my books. But anything might set me off—a fight scene in a movie, a love scene. Oddly, I do the most thinking about plot points and such in the bathtub while I’m getting ready for work in the mornings. I usually just keep my tablet nearby and plug the thoughts into my note program for later.

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

Sadly, my own books are on my virtual book shelf right now. I tend to keep them queued to fact check. With a six book history for this series, writing the seventh and eighth requires me to constantly refer back.

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

For contemporary romance reading, I love Sylvia Day’s Crossfire Series. Gideon Cross is my book boyfriend. The thought process and depth she uses to develop those characters is simply amazing. They are, honestly, the only books I will stop writing to read. For vampire lovers, I recommend the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward. I’ve only read three of them, but they were awesome. I look forward to finishing the series once I’m done writing my Progeny books. I also love Anne Rice’s vampires. She is the mother of the modern day vampire in my mind. My favorite recent horror movies are The Conjuring and Sinister. For a tear-jerker young adult movie, I loved The Fault in our Stars, even though I never read the book. And my favorite TV shows are Chrisley Knows Best, Family Guy, and Stalker. 

I’d just like to take a moment to thank you for having me on your blog today. It has been an absolute pleasure and delight. I do hope your readers will give the series a try. Book one is only 99 cents, so it’s the perfect way to discover the books and get to know Shauna and Ascher. 

Author Interview: Nicky Peacock, Bad Blood (Battle of the Undead Book 1)

Nicky Peacock’s Bad Blood, book one in her Battle of the Undead series, is one kick ass novel. Set in a futuristic London, the novel features a bad ass female vampire slayer who is also a vampire. (My readers know this is my heart!) What if there was a zombie uprising? Bet the vampires don’t look so bad now! This book is an action packed, fun read.

I am stoked that Nicky took the time to do a Q&A with me. 

Tell me about Bad Blood (Battle of the Undead Book 1).

At its heart, its kind of a Walking Dead meets True Blood for teen readers and up. Once I had the basics down, it came together relatively quickly and ended up being one of my favorite stories - although books are kind of like children, so perhaps I shouldn't say?  

What inspired you to tell Britannia’s story?

Brit, as a character was developed to progress the story forward. To ensure I just wasn't writing a simple zombie survival book, I had to have subplots regarding the vampires. So, I needed a character who although is hopefully like-able, is hard and stubborn and doesn't always see what's in front of her. I didn't want her to start off the hero who fights for humans out of the goodness of her heart, but more like a real person would be - conflicted, but ultimately doing what's right, or perhaps more likely, what they think is right. 

Britannia is almost a savior of humans, at the opening of the book, we see her stopping a young vampire from claiming a victim. Can you bring us into your world a little bit and tell us about it?

At the start of the book Brit is blinded by revenge more than anything else, saving the girl at the start is more a byproduct of what she wanted, rather than her end goal. She's kind of an accidental hero. She still kills people for the blood and has set herself apart from the world as a kind of coping mechanism for everything she has been through. She's tough and kicks some serious ass, but readers get more of a glimpse into her past and how she got that way in the second book I'm currently writing, Bad Timing. 

I love that you got vampires and zombies in this book as (im)mortal enemies. What was your ‘ah-ha’ moment for that really brilliant idea?

I actually went looking for a book that featured vampires in the zombie apocalypse - and didn't find one. There were plenty of urban fantasies which had both zombies and vampires featured in their series - but none that had real vampires pitted against undead hordes as they spread across the globe. So I decided to write it myself. To be honest, once I had the concept of enemies having to work together to save their food supply and a magic VS science theme, it kind of wrote itself!

Do you often write in the YA genre? What draws you to it? And, what would people who generally read “adult” fiction find surprising about it?

I tend to write more adult fiction. There are obvious limitations with YA fiction which usually turn me off it. But this story lent itself more to YA - and from an evil commercial viewpoint, adults enjoy YA fiction just as much as teens so YA opens up a wider audience for your work. In terms of Bad Blood, it does deal with some very adult themes, and I never pull punches with violence and gore. I don't believe in 'dumbing it down' for younger readers - the only thing I would never include in a YA novel is a sex scene.

Now that Bad Blood is released, what’s next for you?

I'm still beavering away writing whilst promoting at the same time. It's hard work being an author - the work doesn't stop once a book comes out; you have to get online and promote your literary baby in a rather overcrowded marketplace. You have to keep writing to get out your next book and the next, and the next and so on. I've actually just finished an adult horror/thriller which I'm preparing to pitch to publishers and also putting the finishing touches to an adult re-telling of a Hans Christen Anderson fairy story. Of course all the while still plotting and drafting the next Battle of the Undead book too. No rest for the wicked!

Do you have any writing rituals?

I'm not really a ritual type of person - I don't have the time to be. Like most authors I still have to work a full time job and attempt to have a social life, so my writing fits around that. I have a good mini laptop which an excellent battery life (I think this is key to getting more done) I carry it round with me and when I'm waiting to meet a friend, or simply chilling with a cup pf tea in a cafe, I can tap away any random thoughts that come my way, ready to be drafted, edited and slipped into my manuscript when I get home.  

Where is your favorite place to write?

I'm a bit of a hobo writer - so any place really. Coffee shops are good, nice smells and lots of people around, so you don't feel so isolated. I also write in bed, and on my lunch hours at work. 

What inspires you to write? 

The money, no I'm kidding! I've just always wanted to tell stories (not in a liar, liar sort of way but for entertainment) I'm also an avid reader myself, so I know the impact of a good book. The world we live in is a bit dull and painful at times, books can transport you away, introduce you to new friends and make you feel that there's some magic left in the world - I'd really like to do this for my readers.

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

Heart Shaped Box - Joe Hill

Sea of Shadows - Kelley Armstrong

Frozen - Melissa De La Cruz & Michael Johnston

The Witch of Salt & Storm - Kendall Kulper

Among the Missing - Richard Laymon

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

To See -  The series The Strain (currently on Watch in the UK)

To Read - Any of Sebastian Gregory's 3 books out - really dark and well written.

To Hear - The Album, Broods by the Broods

A huge thanks to Nicky for taking the time to chat. And seriously, guys, buy this book! It's fantastic!

Author Interview: Camela Thompson, All the Pretty Bones

Camela Thompson's new urban fantasy, ALL THE PRETTY BONES, features a new kind of heroine. After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Olivia Kardos decides to take on the stalker that's terrorized her for a decade. Is revenge really that sweet? I checked in with Camela to find out.

Tell me about ALL THE PRETTY BONES. What inspired you to tell Olivia’s story?

When I was fourteen, a nineteen-year-old man took an unhealthy interest in me. It was surprising because I only knew him from a French class in high school, and it escalated quickly. I was very lucky it ended well. Since then I’ve been sensitive to stalking cases in the news, and I suppose it wasn’t a big stretch for me to wonder what would push a woman to feel that she had to fight back.

ALL THE PRETTY BONES sounds like a hybrid detective mystery/thriller and paranormal. How do you straddle the two genres?

Looking back on it, it wasn’t a conscious decision to blend the two. When I started, I thought I was creating a contemporary thriller. One day I was writing a scene, and suddenly I was looking at a murder with elements that expanded beyond the laws of nature. This new theme sounds dark, but I think my mind went there because I needed hope. Hope is a very important thing to me, and the paranormal element allows for the unexpected to happen. Suddenly a woman with a bleak future has more options. On the flip side, there’s a darkness that comes with the paranormal genre that lends itself very well to mysteries. 

What type supernatural elements are in your novel? 

I don’t want to uncover spoilers, but vampires and demons exist in this alternate world. From the beginning, there is a sense that things are not adhering to the rules of nature. Eyes have a rich spiritual meaning, and they play a really important part in All the Pretty Bones.

Olivia has a stalker — and he sounds like a career stalker (10 years!). What kind of research did you do to create that character? Did you find out anything that surprised you?

The character was heavily influenced by my own stalker. I also researched the more prevalent cases in the news, and used resources like the National Center for Victims of Crime and the Bureau of Justice Statistics to learn more. 

A pleasant surprise was uncovered in an interview with a police officer. Stalking is taken much more seriously by law enforcement compared to fifteen years ago, and some laws have been updated to offer a little more protection. Unfortunately, victims still bear the burden of ensuring their own safety because police involvement is reactive (dependent on a crime being committed).

You gave your main character terminal cancer. That’s really unusual, so I am curious about your choice. Why was it important to give her a terminal illness? How does this inform the character? 

This is a very good - but difficult - question. My writing began with a question: what would push a victim to feel that they had no choice but to fight back? 

Olivia is isolated from everyone by her stalker, and she has no family. She spends her days hiding. The police did nothing for her because no one could prove Mark was breaking any laws. A terminal illness forces her to choose - does she run, stay locked away, or fight? Olivia is strong and independent, but she repressed her true nature for years. Instead of lashing out, she hyper-focused on work. With her mortality breathing down her neck, she decides she will not spend her final days living by someone else’s terms.

Now that ALL THE PRETTY BONES is released, what’s next for you?

I need to wrap up book two in the series, and plans are on the board for book three. I’m also working on a horror novel. Charlie's Shadow is about a struggling couple who finds a dog under their front porch. When they invite Charlie into the house, they get more than they bargained for. Things begin to go bump in the night, and a dark secret about their house is discovered.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I love sitting down with a hot cup of tea. Because I tend to procrastinate, I make a habit of closing my browser windows unless they are absolutely necessary for research. When the words are flowing, I have a tendency to forget to eat. My husband is wonderful about sticking a plate of food under my nose. It’s a shared writing ritual.

Where is your favorite place to write?

I have a sectional couch with a chaise, and that is my home base. I have two wonderful dogs. Annie, the little one, curls up next to me and is a bit of a dictator about break time. My old gentleman, Champ, prefers to stretch out next to the chaise. He likes being close but isn’t clingy. Unlike someone else.

What inspires you to write? 

It’s so cliché, but I have to say, “Life.” There are some experiences that stay with me longer than others, and writing is a way to deal with the emotions. My books don’t retell my story or reflect my experiences, but thoughts and feelings get channeled into them.

What 5 books are on your bookshelf right now?

I have so many books I need to read – many surfaces in my house are covered with them. The five in my immediate queue are Stardust, Vampire Academy, Zeus is Dead, Outlander, and Etiquette & Espionage.

What do you recommend people see/read/hear?

I have guilty television obsessions, but I’ll admit that I am hooked on Once Upon a Time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (classic!), Firefly (geek classic!), and The Strain. Movies that blur genres intrigue me, especially horror and comedy. Tucker and Dale versus Evil, The Cabin in the Woods, and Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon are all highly recommended. Reading lists should include The Shining, I am Legend, Sharp Objects, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone. 

Tainted Blood is out, tour time begins!

Today is the official release day for Tainted Blood, book 2 in the Hell's Belle series! I've opted for 90 days exclusive with Amazon, and will release on Nook in a few months (more on this for another post).

The Tainted Blood blog tour begins today. Here's a list of my stops. Hope you can swing by these awesome blogs over the next several weeks!

October 20 Interview 

Urban Fantasy Investigations

http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/

October 21 Guest blog

Jill Archer

www.jillarcher.com

October 22 Interview

Valerie Twombly

http://www.valerietwombly.com/blog/

October 22 Spotlight

Fantasy Book Lane

http://www.fantasybooklane.com/

October 23 Spotlight and review

Gizmo’s Reviews

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/

October 24 Interview

Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.com/

October 27 Spotlight

Books Direct

http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com.au/

October 28 Guest blog

Fang-tastic Books

www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

topic: anything Halloween related

October 29 Interview

Angel’s Guilty Pleasures

http://angelsguiltypleasures.com

October 30 Spotlight

Soaring Eagle Publicity

www.soaringeaglepublicity.com

October 31 Guest Blog

Roxanne’s Realm

www.roxannerhoads.com

November 3 Spotlight

Sizzling Book Blog   

http://chelssizzle.blogspot.com/

November 4 Spotlight 

Jodie Pierce's Ink Slinger's Blog

www.jodiepierceauthor.blogspot.com

November 5 Spotlight 

Cover Reveals 

http://CoverReveals.blogspot.com

November 6 Spotlight and review

Penny For Them...

http://pennyforthemuk.com/Tour

November 7 Guest blog and review

happy tails and tales 

http://happytailsandtales.blogspot.com/

November 10 Spotlight

Madison Sevier, Romance Author

http://madisonsevier.blogspot.com/

November 11 Top Ten

Darkest Cravings

www.darkestcravings.blogspot.com

November 12 Character Interview

Eclipse Reviews

www.eclipsereviews.blogspot.com

November 13 Interview

Author Karen Swart

www.authorkarenswart.blogspot.com 

November 14 Spotlight

Lisa’s World of Books

www.lisasworldofbooks.net

November 17 Interview

The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom

www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com 

Tainted Blood paperback cover is here

E:readers never get to see the full cover. I love that Dog is featured on the back.

Cover Reveal: Tainted Blood

It’s cover reveal day! Whoo Hoo! 

Here is the cover for Tainted Blood, the second book in the Hell’s Belle series, which releases on October 20th. 

TAINTED BLOOD

After surviving a vampire assassin (not to mention an awkward affair with a hot FBI agent that ended worse than she could have imagined), witch/vampire hybrid Nina Martinez is reunited with the full Blood Ops team in Providence, Rhode Island. Her Aunt Babe is tutoring her in all things witchcraft, and her vampire partner Frankie is enjoying the benefits of daywalking, courtesy of a demon spell.

When a segment of the Rhode Island vampire population is marked for death by a tainted blood supply, Nina and her team race to find Patient Zero before the local vampire population is wiped out. But when a demon infestation threatens to take control of the city, Nina must join forces with newly elected mayor—and closet demon— Ami Bertrand before the city falls into ruin.

Filled with fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat action, Nina and her group of supernatural misfits battle a surprising new enemy that threatens their very existence.

No wonder she still can’t get a date.

Want to read a quickie now?

There is a free Hell’s Belle prequel short available for download. River Vamp takes you on an early  Blood Ops mission with Nina and Frankie in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

Download via:

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

It's also available on Apple's iBooks. 

Tainted Blood Update

Phew! Tainted Blood is at the copy editor. 

I am excited for the release. Beta reader feedback was really great. There’s a lot going on in this one. Hopefully, it’ll be met with the same excitement as Hell’s Belle. 

Here’s a pic of my line edit notes. Fascinating, isn't it?  

Someone is going to die

I've been struggling with Book 2 of my Hell's Belle saga for a few weeks now. Part of it is being too damn busy. Work exploded and the promo for the Hell's Belle release is picking up, cutting into my writing time. And when I do squeeze in the writing time, it feels like slogging through syrup.

It's frustrating, but it's also confusing. Hell's Belle felt almost effortless, especially in comparison to this. So what's my problem? I think it's because I have to kill someone off.

I don't consider myself an old softie. For the most part, I am a tough broad. By the end of Hell's Belle, I knew that someone was going to die in book two. I have a ton of other characters that want to get onto paper, and I am no George RR Martin. I can't handle character overwhelm.

But I love my characters, even the ones that I personally think are enormous pains-in-the-asses and want to punch every time I write them. So I am struggling with who's going to get it, which is keeping me from seeing my ending clearly. And I am the type of writer who needs to see the end. I need to know where I am going so I can chart my path there.

So someone is going to die in book two. Time to start mourning.

is Stephanie Meyer a "bad writer"?

There's a hot debate happening over on Goodreads about Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series about sparkly vampires and the humans that love them. It was sparked by the question, "Is Stephanie Meyer a bad writer?"

I found myself in the bizarre position of defending her (odd since I was not a fan of the book). 

Anyway, Dan says she's a bad writer. Her grammar is awful. She misuses words. She's a menace to the English language.

I contend that she could have used a better editor to fix her grammar/usage issues, but ultimately she wrote a mega-best selling novel that spawned a major film franchise and her success snowballed. Clearly, there are readers out there that think she's the bees knees. Otherwise it would have come to a screeching halt, like Beautiful Creatures (speaking of bad writers). So she cannot be classified as a "bad writer" since her success speaks otherwise.

Dan counters that it's all marketing. Meyer ain't no Oxford educated linguist a la Tolkien. 

Now I think we are getting into apples and oranges territory, but in my opinion, Tolkien could have used some judicious cutting for Lord of the Rings, a book that frustrated me with its self indulgent ramblings. 

So, the debate continues. But I stand by Stephanie Meyer. She is not a "bad writer." She knew her market and wrote something that resonated. She may not be grammatically proficient, but she can clearly tell a story that engaged readers. And isn't that the point?