Transformational Fiction with Lisa Hilleren

Today’s book review post features author Lisa Hilleren and her hilarious transformational novel Reconstructing Eve. Lisa is generously giving away a 30% discount on e-book and paperback purchases. Scroll to the bottom of this interview for details.


Author Lisa Hilleren



Does life imitate art or vice-versa? Either way, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Like her fictional character Eve, Lisa Hilleren lives in the Garden State and drives a red convertible. Her personal journey of self-discovery began 15 years ago, when she learned the power of emotional intelligence, which she has since taught to countless others in her role as a professional trainer.

Let’s talk about Reconstructing Eve.

When Aidan Wharton asks Eve Merritt on a date, one might wonder why she refuses to go. After all, Aidan, a handsome, rich, well connected, 31 y/o, is most women’s dream date. That is, if you’re a supermodel look-alike, not a 44 y/o divorcée, with a grown-up daughter, and (even worse) jiggly thighs. To make matters more complicated, Eve used to babysit Aidan when he was little, and their parents know each other. However, temptation is hard to resist. Eve, who has been a good daughter, wife, and mother all her life, suddenly decides to kick over the traces and just take a bite of the apple. What she doesn’t expect is Aidan’s total adoration and commitment; her ex-husband’s bid to renew their relationship; a stalker from Aidan’s past creating trouble; and finally a crazed killer who seems to out to get both of them. Could things be any more complicated? Yes, when Eve finds herself falling hard for Aidan and tries to talk herself out of something that (of course!) can never work long term, especially not the happy-ever-after future complete with big wedding that Aidan has in mind. Has Eve got the courage to overcome the decades of old conditioning and for once put her own happiness and well-being first?

Q: In your own words, what is ‘transformational fiction?’ I’ve heard of inspirational fiction, but this is a new concept.
A: Thank you so much for asking this question! One of the reasons I chose to self-publish is that my novels don’t fit in any one of the established commercial fiction genres. Although there are strong romantic, comedy, and suspense elements in Reconstructing Eve, at its heart, it’s the story of a woman’s journey of self-discovery.


Princess Fiona rules!

 And that’s what transformational fiction is. Avatar, Shrek, and The Mask of Zorro are great examples of male protagonists transforming into their authentic selves. My novels center on women learning how to cast off the gender and generational conditioning that have inhibited them from leading truly fulfilled lives. Conflict abounds from both internal and external resistance to the heroine’s personal development, but at no point in any of my books does the heroine abandon her responsibilities in order to go find herself. Instead, as part of her transformation, she redefines the concept of what constitutes being a good wife, mom, and daughter, and by doing so, she ultimately comes to the realization that she can have it all. Hence the tag line, “Have your apple and your Eden, too!”

Q: What prompted you to take an inner journey, which you describe on your website, and turn it into something so hilarious and real that the reader can’t help laughing, nodding in acknowledgement, and saying, “Yep. I know exactly what she’s talking about!” (You could have written a serious non-fiction book with lots of reader exercises at the back – the kind we tend to buy and never read…).
A: Like countless other women, I grew up believing (thanks to fairy tales and television ads) that I should dedicate my life to taking care of everyone else’s needs. It’s not that anyone ever said as much, but when you are constantly barraged by images of women behaving in that manner--especially from a very young, impressionable age--you associate those actions (and through that association, form the belief) that that’s the ‘right and natural order of things.’

The carrot, as I saw it, for being sweet and selfless like Cinderella, was that I’d get to live happily-ever-after. So at 20, I married a prince of a guy, and by my 25th birthday I was mom to two beautiful children. Having been very poor growing up, I was determined give my children the material things I’d always longed for, and so, by my 30s, I was pulling down a handsome salary as a call center manager for a global insurance company. By society’s standards, I had it all: marriage, children, a career, a nice house, nice cars, etc. When I stepped back from my life and viewed it as a photograph, it screamed success!

But I didn’t feel successful. I felt restless. I felt that something was missing, and how could that be? I’d done everything right. I should have felt so fulfilled, should have been living--and reveling in--my richly deserved happily-ever-after. But no, the happiness I expected would be handed over to me (you know, in a ceremony rivaling that of the queen’s coronation) never happened. Leading me to the very unhappy realization that being self-sacrificing didn’t guarantee my own happiness as I’d falsely believed.

 

Bite that apple of life!

I was livid. I felt like I’d been suckered into the world’s biggest bait and switch. I demanded answers, which is what led to me to my inner journey and the discovery that happiness is a state of being, not a reward. Acknowledging that I was wrong in my thinking (and--gasp!--that I wasn’t perfect!) was so challenging for me. How I coped with it and kept myself moving forward was by focusing on the humor in my circumstances. That said, I initially wrote Reconstructing Eve for myself. Although Eve’s journey differs from mine, her emotions mirror mine and as difficult as it was to write about them, it was also tremendously cathartic. Too, being a storyteller, I still love fairy tales, and I wanted to honor that by writing one where the heroine is victorious because she has the courage to be herself, not because she’s being sweet and self-sacrificing.

Q: Do you think readers will better absorb the message in a wickedly funny and realistic package than if they pick up a book that outlines what they didn’t do/should be doing with their lives?
A: It’s been well-documented that our choices are emotionally-driven. That said, non-fiction can evoke certain emotions. For example, we can be inspired by the author’s journey, or conversely, intimidated by her credentials. We can be uplifted by the possibilities presented in a self-help book, or, as typically happens with adults, get stymied by our fear of failure. What’s different about novels is that the audience gets to "safely" experience the full range of emotions that the protagonist experiences in her journey of self-discovery: her hopes, her fears, her joys, her sorrows. The reader might fear for the heroine’s well-being, but on a subconscious level, she’s aware that her own well-being is not in jeopardy. Fiction creates an environment where the reader is comfortable lowering her emotional guard, and in doing so, vicariously lives the protagonist’s journey.

If what the heroine says or does strikes a deep emotional chord, chances are that the reader will respond with receptivity to the message as well as take into consideration the options presented to her for potentially leading a more fulfilled life.

Q: You’ve written other, still unpublished works (historical, paranormal and contemp. romance). What made you take the plunge and see Reconstructing Eve published?
A: I wrote the other books before and during my self-discovery journey. Although well-crafted, they didn’t sell, partly because like Reconstructing Eve, they didn’t neatly fit into a traditional genre. I believe the bigger reason, though, was that I was writing from my ego, not from my heart. The best advice I ever received as a writer was, “Write to express, not to impress.”

After years of receiving countless “good” rejections, I stopped writing and focused on my personal development. Reconstructing Eve is the result of me writing from my heart and from believing so passionately in Eve’s story that I chose to self-publish when once again, the “good” rejections poured in. As Aidan tells Eve, “You’ve got to put yourself out there.” (LOL, I’m laughing here because yes, I often take advice from my own fictional characters.)

Q: Eve is the original temptress, and she did go off the path a bit long long ago. In the book, are you giving readers a hint that it’s possible to, well, not turn back the clock, but start the path all over again? (and get it right)
A: My hope is that women continue to band together in rejecting the notion that by pursuing our own happiness we are somehow straying off the “straight and narrow path." Self-fulfillment is not selfish. Similarly, enjoying a healthy sex life does not make us immoral. Reconstructing Eve is about recognizing and addressing the dysfunctional aspects of conforming to the status quo. I deliberately had Eve give in to temptation as a way of showing how--once we stop letting the social norms dictate whether we are “bad” or “good” (and ergo, worthy and deserving of happiness)--we create the opportunity to truly have it all.

Q: Many women shy away at the idea of taking on a younger partner, who could easily have a young gorgeous woman in his life (sans jiggly thighs). What do you think is the reason so many younger men DO, in fact, gravitate to an older woman, and can this relationship work? (You can hear I am as much a Doubting Thomas as Eve is!)
A: LOL, I was too! Until I researched why younger men are attracted to older women. The top responses were:
1) Maturity

2) Their life experiences creates the opportunity for great conversation and camaraderie

3) They’re upfront about what they want

4) They aren’t looking to be endlessly entertained or forever on the go

5) They are interested in having a relationship, not just looking for a baby-daddy

6) They don't thrive on unnecessary drama; Instead, they tend to approach life's hiccups with a sense of humor, and for the most part, choose to overcome their challenges rather than incessantly dwell on them

In the articles I read, many of the May-December relationships outlasted those where the partners were of a similar age. And for those that didn’t, the men stated how much they valued the experience and continued to hold their former partner in the highest respect and regard.

Q: You do not have to answer this one (ha ha question) - is Aidan Wharton your husband in disguise?
A: He definitely challenges me the way Aidan challenges Eve! He’s more “alpha” than Aidan, though. I'd say he’s one-part Aidan and two-parts Will Merritt - which makes for a very lucky me!!!

Q: The secret question that no one has ever asked...do you have a garden like Eve’s?
A: Don’t I wish! My mother had a magnificent garden, though, and my vivid memories of it are what I visualized when I wrote the book. Me, I’m a brown thumb through and through! It’s only because my husband looks after my four rose bushes and two lilac plants that they have somehow managed to thrive.

My review:

This is more than just a fun, chick-lit read. Lisa Helleren taps straight into most women’s anxieties and insecurities when faced with a new relationship after the end of a long marriage. In many cases, women struggle to reinvent themselves after their former role of dutiful wife and mother has ended and it appears that they failed in their task. The dialogue is real and snappy, and the author takes readers right into Eve’s head. There is an underlying message that gives women hope, and the author herself says, “Supporting women on their journeys of self-discovery is my passion; it's the driving force behind my writing.” Eve learns her life lessons, and finally cultivates self-belief through love, regardless of jiggly thighs. The characters interact in a most credible way, making them believable and ultimately appealing. The author has a deft touch when it comes to characterization and there are no one-dimensional actors in this theater of life. Readers will laugh, and empathize. There’s passion, humor, tenderness, sadness, and ultimately self-discovery and redemption. There are a few adult love scenes but they flow seamlessly into this excellent story. Highly recommended.

Please visit Lisa’s excellent site, where her mission is to empower women through self discovery and celebrate the right values for them. In Lisa’s own words: “As I was writing Reconstructing Eve, I was privileged to have the most amazing conversations with other women about our journeys of self-discovery. This sharing of knowledge and insights inspired me to create an on-line community for women to connect and support one another.”

Be it through training or fiction writing, Lisa is passionate about sharing the knowledge and tools that help women to discover and embrace their authentic selves. Lisa has some excellent articles on her site. Read them. You’re in there somewhere.

Get your 30% discount off a Smashwords purchase using this code VL52H.

Get your 30% discount off a paperback purchase on CreateSpace by adding the book to your cart and on the checkout page, enter discount code BRQHNBWF.

Beyond Adversity: Author Arlene Crenshaw

For many authors, writing is a means of expelling the demons, getting rid of burdens and baggage, healing the pain of past hurts, and sharing a story with many others who may have experienced similar events in their lives. Author Arlene Crenshaw has used her experiences to heal and change her life. I'll let her tell you in her own words...

Hello everyone, my name is Arlene R. Crenshaw, the author of Twelve Roses for Uretta. I wrote my book because I felt it was a story that needed to be told for my sake of healing within. I also hope that by putting this story out there it will raise awareness to many, many people that suffer with domestic violence as well as child abuse. My story is a true story of my life growing up—watching the abuse of my mother and also the abuse I suffered from my best friend’s brother, being molested over and over at age 14, which led to me being a mother at age 15.

Most of my life I have struggled with anxiety, depression and I struggled even more after the untimely death of my mother. After 47 years of struggling to finally get my life under control, I decided to write everything down. The first thing I did was stop crying behind closed doors. Everyone who ever knew me always thought I was a happy person, full of joy. The truth was I wasn’t. I was miserable with my life and the only thing after the death on my mother that kept me going was my son; he was all I had.


So after 47 years of crying, I decided to stop and take charge of my life. I had been through a lot of challenges that I didn’t at first realize I had overcame. When I began writing, I started emptying out all the old baggage I was carrying within and I started noticing I felt better and stronger. I cried and cried while writing and sometimes I found myself writing so much that hours went by, but it felt good right to the soul. The more I wrote, the more I sensed a feeling of healing coming over me.


I realized I had been carrying a lot of stuff and for an awful long time. I prayed and prayed to God to help me…and he did. I got it all out and I ended up writing a book and it’s all true. My own story healed me within. I no long suffer from anxiety or depression. I have not taken any medication going on 2 years now. I live my life beyond adversity. I have also written a second novel due out this month called Hidden Closet’s Book of Short Stories. It is not a true story but it’s all about secrets that people have that they want to keep hidden for fear of being exposed to their real truths about themselves.


Life is wonderful for me now I love life and I even write every day on Facebook and Blogger. I call it “My quote of the day,” which I write a quote to try to inspire people and uplift their spirits, I do this daily. Also below is a poem called Living Beyond Adversity. To all stay blessed and soar high as eagles!!!


Living Beyond Adversity


Adversity means different things to different people and it depends on what their experience was and the attitude they have about it.


In the beginning when life was out of control, it meant something like this:


It shows up uninvited.


It took control.


It changed your life in ways you didn't want.


It took what you wanted away from you.


It forced you into situations you didn’t want to be in.


It stopped you from doing what you wanted to do.


It's was ruthless and cruel.


It's was unfair.


After working through its challenges, life became something like this.


It helped you to become a better person.


It made you achieve more than you ever thought you could.


It made your relationships deeper and more meaningful.


It showed you what was most important in life.


It helped you become more compassionate and understanding.


It made you appreciate life much more.


It leads to the discovery of true joy, in life.


It gave you wisdom and now you soar beyond the clouds (awesome feeling within).


And know you live your life beyond adversity; because now you’re in the best place you can be for yourself emotionally… now you’re living beyond adversity.


By Arlene R. Crenshaw

Thanks for sharing these thoughts and feelings with us. For more information, visit Arlene's website.

Imperfect: Author L. E. Harvey

Say hello to someone who flies in the face of convention, both as a writer and a person. L. E. Harvey is a writer and model in Harleysville, PA. She greatly enjoys all that Philadelphia city life has to offer. She is also an activist for human rights, animal rights, women's rights, and gay rights. When L. E. is not writing or working on the political scene, she models as a pinup and  "alt" (alternative) model. L. E. admires women like Betty Page, and "Rosie the Riveter" has been her idol since childhood. She is currently affiliated with The Gypsy Queens, Angels With Ink (AWI), The Cherry Girls, and Curvy and Rocker Pinups. L. E. Harvey is a proud participating author in Operation E-book Drop, sending e-book copies of her books to the men and women of the U. S. military across the globe!

Imperfect, L. E.'s first full-length novel, is the story of Carol Mathers. Carol was born a sickly child, and received a blood transfusion in the early 1980s. Now in her mid-thirties, she's a highly sought IT guru in St. Louis. She has built a great life for herself with her partner of twelve years, Alexandria. Carol and Alexandria face prejudice as lesbians, and as an interracial couple. Fighting tragedy and sometimes finding triumph, both of the women live day to day. During her tumultuous life, Carol discovers that she has acquired AIDS as a result of her childhood transfusion. Now, they face even more obstacles, prejudice, and a new life as AIDS patients. Carol learns just how much her chaotic past has affected her, and how she can never really escape it, even as she tries to move on with her life. An unexpected hostage event creates even more pain and tragedy in Carol's life, and causes her to wonder about the meaning of and purpose of her own life.

Chatting to L. E. is extremely interesting so let's get to know her better!

Imperfect is your first full length novel. How did you make the leap from short stories to full novel? Was it difficult/easy/like falling off a log?
The leap from short stories to a full length novel was definitely difficult and not at all like falling off a log! My publisher encouraged me to try writing a full-length. With a background in non-fiction and short stories, she knew this would be a good challenge for me. The storyline came very easily, but the time and work weren't always easy. I did feel like I was falling off a log into some kind of strange abyss, but in the end, it actually worked out!

Tell us something about that inner and outer journey and inspiration for the book. It's a pertinent topic right now.
The inner journey for Imperfect is that it challenged me emotionally as well as just being my first full-length novel. I began writing it in the beginning part of a year and a half of some serious health issues. I was very vulnerable as I wrote Imperfect. I allowed the book to showcase the emotions of a difficult health issue as well as my own insecurities and self-perception. The outer journey was that I studied computers and technology, as well as HIV/AIDS. I was able to learn a lot in my research and I feel that the studies that went into this book have helped to make me more aware, more understanding and much more attuned with the HIV/AIDS cause.

Tell us about the follow up you have planned, how do the themes expand?
Impeccable, the sequel to Imperfect is almost complete. I'm really excited about it individually and these two as a complete story. What you find in Impeccable is much more character growth and development, even of secondary characters. You really get to know my characters, their thoughts, their emotions, their motives and perspectives on life. Impeccable also shows us all the real meanings of love, devotion and family. The reader will gain a tremendous amount of peace and knowledge, too.

What was your publishing journey like? How did you get published etc? Any funny moments etc?
My publishing journey was actually fairly simple. Like every writer, I got rejected from publishers and agents alike. I happened to stumble across Vanilla Heart Publishing's website, queried them and the rest is history! As far as funny moments, probably the joy and elation I had when I received my acceptance letter from them. I'm normally a fairly calm person, but even I couldn't help but jump around the house when I got that good news!

How do you hone your craft as a writer—do you read books by authors you admire, do you attend classes, do you have a critique group?
Honing my craft is extremely important, especially since my background is in non-fiction. Fiction writing is so much more difficult, so it's important to me to keep improving my fiction writing. I read as much as I can from the other authors in our publishing house. These are people with doctorate degrees, tremendous accolades and years of professional writing under their belts. I have an incredible classroom at my disposal! I also study style manuals, the dictionary and thesaurus. I know that sounds ridiculously nerdy but it helps to improve my vocabulary and writing skills.

Modeling and writing—that's an interesting combination and what is an alternative model? Tell us how you came up with this multi career?
Yes, I do have an interesting career. I've been writing since childhood, and was nationally published for the first time at age 14. So writing has simply always been there. As far as modeling goes, I literally fell into it. A few photographers saw my picture and thought that I had an interesting look and it sky-rocketed from there. Within my first year, I was already in a calendar! I was Miss November 2007 for the original Pinups for Pitbulls calendar. My pictures have been featured in art exhibits and were even in the Philadelphia Enquirer! I NEVER imagined I'd ever model, but it worked out well for me! An alternative model is someone who is not 6 feet tall and only weighs 80 pounds. I am only five foot one and I wear a normal dress size. Alt models are also typically tattooed and pierced, which I am as well. You won't find us on the cover of Cosmo, but we do much more artistic work and you can find us in art exhibits and in more creative photography. It's a very unusual pairing, but I love the creative outlets each provides, and I've had some incredible experiences in my life from them both!

Some advice to writers who perhaps hesitate over contentious topics such as mixed couple, HIV, gay relationships—what is the best way they can get their work out there?
When dealing with difficult or controversial matters, there's really only one way to handle it: just do it. It's not easy at all, and it is a risk to put such books out there. You don't know how they will be received, but creating a piece that's dear to your heart is far more important. Be sure to do your research as well. You don't want to tackle these issues and not have your information be correct. Yes, it takes time. Yes, it can be tedious and boring at times, but the end result from your efforts and research will show. Your book will be so much stronger and sharper, and that is key, no matter what the subject matter.

Thanks for being my guest today, L. E. Readers who'd like to learn more about L. E. and her books can visit her website.

Travel in Time with Author Laura Vosika

I have an interesting guest here today, author Laura Vosika.

Laura grew up in the military, visiting castles in England, pig fests in Germany, and the historic sites of America's east coast. She earned a degree in music, and worked for many years as a freelance musician, music teacher, band director, and instructor in private music lessons on a winds, brass, piano, and harp. Laura is the mother of nine, living in Minnesota. Laura’s debut novel is a romance set in two different centuries. Blue Bells of Scotland is historic fiction with a time travel twist. The first in a trilogy, it is the story of two men, polar opposites but for their looks and love of music, who switch places in time and are caught in one another's lives. Laura has an interesting mix of inspirations for her writing, which we’ll find out about.

Blue Bells of Scotland

Shawn Kleiner has it all: money, fame, a skyrocketing career as an international musical phenomenon, his beautiful girlfriend Amy, and all the women he wants—until the night Amy has enough and leaves him stranded in a Scottish castle tower. He wakes up to find himself mistaken for Niall Campbell, medieval Highland warrior. Soon after, he is sent shimmying down a wind-torn castle wall into a dangerous cross country trek with Niall’s tempting, but knife-wielding fiancée. They are pursued by English soldiers and a Scottish traitor who want Niall dead. Thrown forward in time, Niall learns history’s horrifying account of his own death, and of the Scots’ slaughter at Bannockburn. Undaunted, he navigates the roiled waters of Shawn’s life—pregnant girlfriend, amorous fans, enemies, and gambling debts—seeking a way to leap back across time to save his people, especially his beloved Allene. His growing fondness for Shawn’s life brings him face to face with his own weakness and teaches him the true meaning of faith.

Blue Bells of Scotland is both a historical adventure and a tale of redemption that will be remembered long after the last page has been turned.

Laura your story sounds fascinating. Where does it come from?
Books are born of multiple inspirations. For Blue Bells of Scotland, a historic adventure with a time travel twist, a lifetime of experiences brought the story to life: my favorite childhood book about four children who go into a Scottish keep and come out in medieval Scotland; the lyrics of the trombone showpiece Blue Bells of Scotland; and a flash of an image of a musician gambling away his instrument and conning his girlfriend into getting it back for him.

You have a degree in music: how much has music played a part in inspiring you?
My life in music plays heavily (no pun intended) in my writing. I considered having Shawn play a more typical star soloist sort of instrument, like saxophone or trumpet. But Shawn is unique and able, as his conductor says, to turn even a tin whistle into stardom. It’s part of his charisma and confidence. Also, as the lyrics which loosely inspired the novel come from a trombone piece, it made sense for my hero to play that instrument, and it was a great chance to bring to life some of the pieces I have loved playing, myself, as a trombonist: not only Blue Bells, but Monti’s Czardas, a beautiful piece of music with a gypsy flavor, which Shawn plays at a medieval fair, while his pursuers watch. I reference music pieces quite often throughout the trilogy, and have made a page at my site that links to many of those pieces on YouTube.

Tell us about your research.
Music is the ‘write what you know’ part of my story. But a novelist cannot possibly write only what he or she knows. I knew almost nothing of Scottish history when I started. I’d never heard of Bannockburn until I looked into battles which might be a backdrop for the noble deeds and streaming banners of the Blue Bells lyrics. The deeper I got into writing, the more I loved researching. With my youngest three not yet in school when I started, I relied on anything I could do from home: a wide variety of internet sites, books, movies, and DVDs on Scotland, castles, medieval life, warfare, and more. Caltrops, murder pits, and Bruce’s guerrilla strategy have all been topics of conversation at our dinner table. My poor children!

My favorite part of the research was traveling to Scotland to visit the locations in my book—Inverness, Loch Ness, Rannoch Moor, Stirling, Bannockburn, and the Monadhliath Mountains. I took over 1300 pictures and dozens of pages of notes. I changed a few things in the final draft as a result, while many other experiences show up in book two, The Minstrel Boy.

Is historical accuracy important to you as a writer?
There is debate among both readers and writers regarding the level of historical accuracy in novels. As a reader, I enjoy a good story regardless, but as a writer, I lean toward being as accurate as possible, partly because I don’t want to destroy the suspension of disbelief for those who know their history, and partly because I love learning and want to know, myself, what it would really be like to go back.

Time travel … and the inevitable comparisons with The Time Traveler’s Wife. What are the pitfalls facing a writer when it comes to time travel?
Many time travel stories fail to explain how the time traveler gets along in a new world. It is passed off as simply part of the time travel mystique, for instance, that the traveler inexplicably speaks the language. I prefer explanations. Niall is of the educated, multi-lingual upper class of his time and a quick learner—the primary reason he is the laird’s future son-in-law, and hence in the tower that night with the laird’s daughter. As a musician, he has a sharp ear. When he arrives in the twenty-first century, he struggles with modern English. He relies on a head injury to explain his difficulties, while he listens, watches, and learns.

Your average modern American does not speak Gaelic. However, of all the things of which Shawn has been accused, average is not one. He pushes for the orchestra’s Scottish tour exactly because of his background—a grandmother from Skye and a father who embraced that heritage, including his mother’s native Gaelic. Like Niall, Shawn struggles at first. Like Niall, he is a musician with a good ear. In addition, he excels at lying and deception, and quickly learns of Niall’s head injury, all of which help him until he adapts to the unfamiliar accents.

This is a first in your planned trilogy—what can readers expect in the future?
Just as a book grows from multiple inspirations, sometimes an inspiration grows into multiple books. In addition to a non-fiction on the history behind the story, look for the story of Shawn and Niall to continue in The Minstrel Boy and The Castle of Dromore, in which Shawn and Niall’s own inspirations and self-revelations culminate in final choices which transform the futures of many.

It sounds fantastic, Laura. Thanks for sharing this amazing story with us. Readers can visit Laura’s interesting and informative site and purchase on Amazon. By the way, stop by to read some of the excellent reviews Blue Bells of Scotland has garnered.

A Passion for Writing: Author Tasha Wright

Say hello to my VBT guest number 14, Tasha Wright. Her passion for writing began at an early age and drives her ever onward to create and publish more books. Tell us about yourself and your work, Tasha.

I was born in a small Texas town, so I had to find creative ways to occupy my time. At a young age I discovered my passion for writing. I have always embodied what my mother preached, anything in life is possible! In holding on to her words I’ve had the chance to publish my work, Carelessness of the Heart and When a Tattered Past Catches You, with many more to come. I write to allow people to drift into another world, if only for a moment.

Tasha’s latest book sounds interesting. Here’s more on it!

Tough willed, strong as nails Willa will do whatever it takes to provide for her family even if that meant putting her life in danger or on hold. Living the street life meant not allowing anything or anyone to get close enough to hurt or destroy her. But, after the death of her mother she is forced to return home and confront a past she tried to erase from her memory. As Willa confronts a tragic past she also has to confront something else, her long lost love, Damon. Living the street life and becoming the head woman in charge was something Willa did with ease but there was always something or someone missing in her life. Will Willa let down her guard and allow Damon back into her life again or will she continue to live the street life?


Q&A with Tasha Wright.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
That is a funny story. When I was 16, I turned into a drama queen. My mother grew tired of me having meltdowns and fabricating things. So, she bought me a computer and made me sit down and write. From that day on, anytime I would come out of my room and start an argument with my brothers, she would simply tell me to turn around and go write something. Lol, I’ve never stopped writing. As I touched on earlier, my mother really allowed me to be creative and she would read the things I wrote. Writing was the one thing I set for my life goal and I am doing it. I live on cloud nine each passing day.

How long does it take you to write a book?
If I dedicate the time needed to write, I can write a book and determine where I am going with it in about six months. Now, to get it exactly where I want it to be I would complete it totally in eight to nine months. But, I also write at least two or three books at one time.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Well, I am not a New York Best Seller YET. I still work full time and I am also a full time College student.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I would say my humor. When I write, somewhere in my work I want my sense of humor to shine through. I would like to believe I’m quite the character.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
When I write, I do not brainstorm and chose one certain thing I would like to write about. When I write, I take the first sentence and let it flow. By the end of the chapter I will see where I want to take it or scrap it. Remember, if you write bored and it bores you. Either fix it or get rid of the entire thing.

When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I wasn’t intending to write my first book. It was just a short story I had written because I was a bored housewife. My sister-in-law read what I was writing and she became excited and told me she had to read more. So, I gave her more and it keep going until I noticed I was about to complete an entire book.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
When I am not writing, I love to just relax and sit at home. Now, that I have accomplished my goal of publishing I have so much on my plate. So, when I am home and I do not have any commitments that would be my relaxation time.

What does your family think of your writing?
My family is very supportive and they are my biggest promotion. I love that my family is excited for me. They make me feel like I am already that bestseller I strive to be. When I call home, there is always that excitement and love. There is nothing that could beat it!

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
The most surprising things would be my imagination. My books are very different and they all hit a different aspect of life. I feel that is what will keep my readers intrigued on what I will write next.

Do you have any suggestions to help other authors become better writers? If so, what are they?
Learn the basic structures and grammar. I thought I had it down until I signed with Passionate Writers. They were hard on me but I also learned a great deal. They understand a character will have their own way of speaking but when it comes to my writing and my narration, I have to be on point or I will have to fix it. But, they only work with quality work and that will help both the writer and the publishing company in the end. Your readers deserve quality work.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I do hear from people who have read my work and the majority always say they enjoy not knowing what is going to happen next. Every time they thought they had me figured out, I took a different route.

Do you like to create books for adults?
I do have adult scenes but I have not written a book that is designed specifically for adults only. Maybe one day I will create a hot steamy romance but that is a very particular craft and has to be written well to evoke passion and feelings in your readers.

What do you think makes a good story?
Life makes a great story. Many things that occur in relationships and daily life can be pushed to the limit to create something so huge and will always keep readers intrigued. Your readers will say, “I know someone who’s going through this right now. This is such a coincidence.”


Thanks for sharing so much information with us, Tasha. Readers can visit Tasha's author site and purchase her latest book from Amazon.

A Different Kind of Romance with Margaret West

Lucky me, my Virtual Book Tour authors are becoming more interesting with every post. Please say hi to my tenth guest, paranormal romance writer Margaret West.

Born in Croydon, Surrey, Margaret is married with two children. She has always found writing to be a creative as well as a cathartic process, especially during difficult periods in her life. She found her true writing voice after becoming a spiritualist. Her love for literature extends from writing to reading and she is always willing to embrace new ideas and philosophies. She likes nothing better than to sit with a good book in the quiet realms of the countryside, with her dogs, Milo and Chester. A true animal lover, Margaret’s warmth and sensitivity are reflected in her writing.

Let's find out more about Margaret and her genre of writing.

For those not in the know, what exactly is 'paranormal romance?' Does the hero/ine have special powers or rather a spirituality that sets them apart from ordinary people?

The paranormal romances are those that contain elements of the supernatural. It can be anything from the characters having certain gifts or the story containing ghosts, demons etc. In one of my paranormal romances, Abigail Cottage, that’s being looked at by a publisher as we speak, the paranormal elements are a demon and a shadow queen who rules the shadows of the physical world. The romance is between the characters that exist on the earth plane. So here you have a combination of two elements, paranormal and romance. My other paranormal romance, Spirit Intervention, which is also being considered by a different publisher, is about a woman who sees spirit people. One of these spirits is her dead mother, who tries very hard to fix her up with a husband. It’s a comedy romance, with paranormal elements i.e. the dead mother.

You only discovered your writing talents and urges later in your career. What was the spark that inspired you to suddenly say, "Today I am going to write my paranormal romance?"

I wrote Abigail Cottage when I was in my twenties (many moons ago!) It's a dark paranormal. So really, I've always leaned more to the supernatural side of things as it’s always been an influence in my life. My mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all mediums of some degree. I wrote the book because the characters were always rumbling around it my head to some extent. It was as if they needed to be brought alive. Hence the book.

You have your own spiritual talents - parapsychologist and angel therapist. What does this mean for persons not in the know; and a) how do you use these skills in your writing and b) how do you incorporate these aspects into your characters?

I am a person who likes to know the ins and out of everything. Because I had such an interest in the unknown I did a degree in parapsychology. That deals with everything from, the big bang, UFOs to ghosts etc. But it still wasn't enough for me. So afterwards I took more mind, body and spirit courses. I became a crystal therapist because I'm fascinated how crystals work. Angel Therapy, is working with angels for healing purposes. I'm hoping to do a course on becoming an Angel Reiki Master. Reiki is healing and the angels are the healing guides. I use my knowledge and understanding of the spirit world to mould my characters. But they grow and develop as the story does.

There are many paranormal writers around - why are you different? What sets you apart from the others?

I feel I'm a bit different, because I don't write about vampires or werewolves or mythical beings etc. I write about a place that really exists, that I have knowledge and understanding about from people who are on the other side of life. I feel that sets me apart from other paranormal writers.

What can people expect to discover or take away from your writing? What messages do you convey in your books?

Apart from one book, Abigail Cottage, all my books have an inspirational message. The Heart of a Warrior leaves the thought that nothing is insurmountable, even if it seems so at the time. In Two Faces One Life, the message is that a disability can be life changing, but never life ending. I hope readers take away those thoughts, rather than a memory of a story.

Well, I have learned a lot today from my guest. Thanks, Margaret, for visiting my blog. Margaret has a great website with loads of information for authors as well as readers.
 
Readers can purchase The Heart of a Warrior at Eternal Press.

Jo Davis & "Domestics"

Say hello to my eighth Virtual Book Tour guest. Jo Davis has published two books, several short stories, and numerous web content pieces throughout the World Wide Web. She also writes periodically for the local news and is currently working on another local history text. Jo holds a bachelor's degree in English from Purdue University. When not writing, Jo helps others get their writing right. Her company Bylines by Jo specializes in content creation and editing. The BBJ team is comprised of seasoned freelance writers with experience in areas from construction to web design, gardening to midwifery. All writers are experienced in tailoring the voice and content of the article or piece of text to match that of the client.

We’re going to talk about Jo’s book Domestics.

Domestics is a terrific read comprising two short stories that waste no time getting into the action. Sarah is married to Keith and severely abused by him. The day he beat their child Brandy to death, Sarah’s life forever changed. In a heated rage, Keith learned exactly what he has put Sarah and Brandy through. After the death of her husband, Sarah becomes a counselor for domestic violence. She helps these abused women in more ways than one. The day Rick comes into Sarah’s life, she finds herself attracted to a man after ten years of solitude. They seem to be a perfect pair, talking until all hours of the night. Rick is a Private Investigator and retired police officer. After the sudden death of his partner, he vows to prove it was murder. Little does he know that his new found love is tied into it. The last short story in this title is Smoke. Charlie finds himself craving the one thing he is most trying to quit....cigarettes. While on a plane, the craving becomes unbearable. He suddenly finds a cigarette in his belongings that he didn't know he had. Knowing he had a cigarette made it that much worse. When he decides to create his own fire, the airline attendants become worried about what he may be doing in the bathroom. Lucky for them, there is a Fire Marshall on the plane, but not so lucky for Charlie.

Review Comment: Davis did a magnificent job with this title. Full of action from beginning to end, I loved this book. I give Domestics ***** (5) Stars, B.K .Walker, Author of "Near Suicide" and "Dares And Dreams."

Chatting with Jo
Your career is steeped in helping other people get their websites or writing up to the mark—how and when did you decide to branch out into writing?
I found that a lot of my freelance work was doing just that. The clients that I created content for started asking other questions about their sites and keeping their material fresh. At first, I raised my prices to accommodate these extra tasks, but it became easier to just offer a separate service.

Your two books are completely different—one is non-fiction, and the other a short stories collection. Tell us how that happened!
I was actually commissioned to write the manuscript for Michigan City Marinas by the Michigan City Port Authority, as a 50th anniversary review. I got the manuscript published and found the accompanying photos to get the book that you see today. Domestics was a short story for a competition that grew to a small novel. I actually used Domestics to get the commissioned job.

You have a university background in English—did you ever dream or plan to be a writer?
Oh yes. I was an avid reader as a kid and a daydreamer. Writing was my way to create the different worlds like the ones I read about. Surprisingly, I began my college career as in accounting. I never knew anyone who made a living as a writer, so I believed that I had to make a living first and then write as a hobby. I know now that is not true.

What's the fun part of writing? Creating the people, places and things that make up the stories.
I am a daydreamer, as I said before, so it isn’t very difficult for me to imagine these what-if’s that make up fiction stories.

What's the hard part of writing?
Editing my own work. I see what I intended to put on the page, not what is truly there. I have to set my work aside for a while, detach from it, before going back and editing. That is part of the reason why I write longhand. I edit as I am typing the words in. This forces me to pay attention to the words. Even then, it is still work.

Do you have new books planned or outlined in your head?
I have a handful actually. I am currently editing Carrying On, a mystery novel about a single mother who is thrown into the middle of a murder mystery. She is under qualified and her best detective is a career criminal who is constantly getting caught. Meanwhile, another case surfaces that involves two grown men, a pink Cadillac, makeup and drug deals. There is also a very hyper ferret that goes by the name Fred.

Switching from nonfiction to fiction—was it easy/hard/a cinch?
I wrote the nonfiction book like a novel, with characters, plot, conflict, etc. I am told that the book isn’t like other local history books. It is full of pictures, but beneath them are not captions, but the story behind the marinas’ rise from mud pit to a yacht harbor.

Some advice to writers—the best advice you ever got/something you should have done but didn't...
I was much younger when I heard a famous actor say to find your passion, think of the one thing that you think of when you lay down at night and that is on your mind when you get up in the morning. That is your passion. Practice it often and it will become your life’s work.

Tell us something you'd like readers to know about you or your work.
I am not one of the disciplined writers with outlines, plotlines and structure about doing the work. I just write. I create. I sometimes wish that the disciplined, structured way was mine, but what fun would that be?

My thoughts exactly! Want to find out more about Jo and her books? Visit her website Bylines by Jo for more info and book purchase.

Find Your Passion: Omegia Keeys Did!

Today I'd like to welcome my sixth guest on the Virtual Book Tour: Omegia Keeys, the author of Passionate Playmates, Seduction.com, and Can You Keep a Secret? (due out early next year). She started out writing short stories about her siblings as a way to keep herself busy when they all moved out the house, leaving her behind. Being the youngest child of seven, she was lonely when all her siblings took off in their own directions. In high school, her English teacher noticed she always had a book to read when she was finished with her studies. Her teacher also started a book club for African American girls. She encouraged the girls to write their own stories and Omegia did just that. In college, Omegia worked part time at Jo Ann’s Books, owned by her mother. While working there, she had plenty of time to read other great authors as well as continuing to write her poems, short stories, and anything to keep the older customers laughing. People soon realized that Omegia had more potential than just being a great track star, but she had yet to realize it. Omegia finally came out of her shell and began working on her first novel in 2002. When she was half way though it, her computer crashed and she lost all of her work. Discouraged and focusing on being a good mother, she did not return to writing her novel again until 2005. She completed Passionate Playmates and submitted it for publication with a great reception at the end of 2006. The novel was released June of 2007. In 2009 Omegia signed with Passionate Writer Publishing and completed her manuscript for Seduction.com which was submitted and released in October of 2009.


Omegia hails from Indianapolis, IN by way of Michigan City, IN. She has three sons. While still focused as a mother and provider, she takes time out to continue her passion for writing and does not plan on stopping.

Let’s take a look at Passionate Playmates…

Erika has it all: the good looks, money, fine men, and a job that she dares not tell her father about. Passionate Playmates is an enticing story of a woman’s power over her sexuality in the adult entertainment industry. Erika is more than a sexy woman who can control men with a mere glance—she is an educated woman on a mission. Determined to take care of her son and start her own business, Erika fights to avoid being caught up in the fast life of drugs, prostitution, and of course the vindictive ways of the other entertainers. Follow Erika aka Ecstasy as she mesmerizes her clients with her bold and explicit moves as a dancer in an exclusive lingerie modeling club. This is a behind the scenes view of a multi-million dollar industry guaranteed to keep you intrigued and wondering, what is your passion?

Phew! Omegia, you certainly picked a sizzling topic to kick start your writing career. What inspired the book and your subsequent works?
When I first came up with Passionate Playmates it was me thinking about what I would have done had I not joined the military to provide for my son. Like my character, I went to college earning my BA in Criminology. However, at the time, I was too young to join the FBI. I looked for jobs but it was always the same thing—lack of experience. Because of this, potential employers didn't really want to pay me all that much. I joined the military instead to gain some experience and provide for my family. I picked up the lingerie modeling concept from a bunch of shops in my area getting shut down. The follow up, Seduction.com, was just the natural progression of my main character.

How did you came up with the title(s)?
I wanted something very seductive without using the words “sex” or “strippers” to catch the reader’s eye. For Passionate Playmates it was kind of a spinoff of Playboy and Seduction.com sounds like it would be an adult website. I checked … it’s not!

Who inspired your characters?
Erika is like my alter ego and the people around her a mix of my friends, family, and people I have come across. They all have a mixture of several people.

Writing about passion and erotica—how does this challenge, inspire, and empower you?
It inspires me because it is very sensual without being porn. It’s getting the person in the mood to be with their mate. It empowers me because, as a woman, deep down inside we all want to be that woman of every man’s desire, or at least the man we have.

Thanks for this interesting interview Omegia. I wish you every success in your future books. For more of Omegia and her work visit Omegia's website and publisher site.

You can purchase Passionate Playmates on Amazon.

Author Nedyne Shorts Nettles & Poison Reality

I’d like to welcome my fifth Virtual Book Tour guest today: Nedyne Shorts Nettles, who’ll be sharing the hows and whys of her first novel Poison Reality with us.


Nedyne grew up in Los Angeles, California, in a family of three children. She attended Cal State Northridge for three years right out of high school. She is currently attending Argosy University where she will finish her bachelor’s in psychology. Nedyne and her husband Kevin reside in San Bernardino, California, where they have lived for ten years. She is a nurse at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. She is very proud to be able to present her novel Poison Reality to the world.

Let's look at Poison Reality.

Vierna Bates, a woman scorned, finds herself staying in a hotel the local newspaper labels “a rape den.” She decides to stop bemoaning her pending divorce and venture downstairs to the hotel's club. As fate would have it, something jams the elevator doors open. As she gets closer, she sees the limbs of a person. Still closer she finds a woman, beaten, bloodied, and barely breathing. Unbeknownst to Vierna, the woman in the elevator is an old classmate named Terry Trainer, who happened to be attending a travel and tourism convention in the same hotel that day. Because of Vierna's discovery, Terry survives her attack but vows to not rest until she finds her attacker. Captain Bill Meays, a handsome investigator, finds himself embroiled in a serial rape case involving several women acquaintances. One woman in particular holds the key to solving the puzzle but time is not on his side. This is a spellbinding, heart-stopping saga with the intertwining lives of many echoing the poison reality of life. Life isn’t always harmonious but it is a symphony of bittersweet.

Nedyne took a few minutes out her busy Virtual Book Tour to share some thoughts with us.

Your book Poison Reality is your first foray into publishing and it's quite a contentious topic (abuse/thriller/detective etc). What inspired you a) to write and b) to write this particular story - where did the idea come from?
I love movies that are suspenseful and real. Lately I have seen remakes of everything and I thought that my novel is different. It places my characters in situations that cannot be figured out. It challenges the reader to continue to read.

Your career as a nurse means you get to deal with many people and experience their hurts and their hopes. Has this influenced or increased your ability to tap into people's emotions better?
At the time this novel was written I wasn’t a nurse, I was a home maker. Nursing has definitely giving me a new perspective and also I majored in psychology which will be seen in novels to come.

How do you manage a career and writing? When do you write? How does your family life fit in with your fiction life?
I write part time. It is pleasant escape. My children are grown and my husband is my biggest supporter. He loves to hear about my characters and give input into what should happen to them.

What inspires you—is it music? Places? Other people's writing? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I draw my inspiration from life. You never know what you will see or hear about that will give you that creative edge. I am a people watcher and places like the beach, the mall, work, and past relationships all culminate to help me write my stories.

What other writers do you see as role models, or maybe there’s a person in your life who kicked your butt when you thought you couldn't do it—a mentor and guide?
My mom was my kick in the butt. I had learning disabilities growing up that caused me not to be the brightest bulb in the chandelier but my mom always said it took all the bulbs to make the light glow brightly. She made me believe in myself. It wasn’t about winning the race so to speak, but how well I ran in it. I like ‘for real’ books like books written by Tom Wolfe. One in particular, is The Bonfire of the Vanities. Another great book is Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMIllan and Tara Road by Maeve Binchy. Each of these authors paid attention to realism and wrote a very action oriented book that took the imagination to the same heights as an epic movie. My favorite is by Maeve because she writes her books soap opera style as well.

What was your journey from wanna-be writer to published author?
When I was younger I read a lot of books and I wrote a lot of short stories. I never dreamed that I would be called author because it seemed so unattainable, but here I am. So I want to say to others, tell your story someone will listen.

Is there anything you'd like readers and fans to know about you?
My final thought is that we only have one life to live and we should use it to leave an indelible print on the world. Poison Reality: A Symphony of Bittersweet is my mark. By writing I hope I have inspired others to write. When I was little I said my name should be in lights. And having my name on books just goes to show you nothing is impossible. There is a song that said “If you believe it you can achieve it.”

What's next on your writing agenda?
I have begun to write Poison Reality 2 because I feel the world is ready to read about real life situations.

Thank you for stopping by, Nedyne. I am sure your story is inspiring to others who are just thinking about writing or who perhaps don't feel enough confidence in their abilities to begin.
Thanks for having me.

You can find Nedyne's novel Poison Reality: A Smphony of Bittersweet at PublishAmerica. You can also visit Nedyne's website.

Reader Bonus from Virtual Book Tours: For everyone that leaves a comment with each author, they will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 Visa Gift Card, book light, a free of charge virtual book tour, and one writing package which includes a journal, pen, book light, and book marker.

Love At First Bite?: Author Sindee Lynn

On the list of what’s hot right now in publishing is, of course, vampires! Suave, sensuous, sleek, and absolutely gorgeous, these twenty-first century vampires are a long way from ugly ole’ Drac along the lines of Nosferatu. My second Virtual Book Tour author is Sindee Lynn, a writer with a grip on the passionate side of vampires. Her first book is called (no, not Love At First Bite) Prince’s Donor. I was intrigued by the title, which doesn’t really hint too much about fangs, jugulars and oozing sticky kisses. Here’s a little teaser about this very special prince among vampires.

Four years ago Jenna James signed up for the donor database with fanciful thoughts of lying in the arms of a vampire. Now four years later, she finds herself wishing she had never heard it. How depressing is it to think not even a vampire will have sex with you to survive? Feeling lower than she has in ages, Jenna is convinced she's finally ready to remove her name from the list. That is until she opens her door to find her fantasy standing on the other side. Syrian Roskonovich is next in line to be the king of vampires. But nothing in his years of training could have prepared him for the betrayal of his blood brother and his donor. It's been months since he's properly fed, living only on the synthetic blood his people create when he finds himself in a strange city holding on to his sanity by a thread. His only hope is in the database he helped bring to life but has failed him in the past.

Let’s have a chat with this interesting author and find out how and why she combines the dark side of passion with the paranormal.

Q. How did you become a writer? Did you grow up among books?

Growing up, my love of reading was nourished by my aunt who used to bring me bags of Harlequin Romance novels; back then they had almost cartoonlike characters in them. Those books are still at my childhood home. Today I am the single parent of a very active teenager, which means I don’t have much free time for me but what time I can squeeze out I split between reading and on my writing.

Q. What inspired this unusual first book?

I have always loved books about vampires, beginning with Anne Rice and Interview with a Vampire. When vampires began showing up in my romance novels, which I have loved since I was younger, it was like the best thing ever. But what I noticed was even with all the many vampire romance novels out there, a lot of them were similar in how vampires react to humans, how they find their love interest, how they take blood and I wanted to come up with something different. Then it hit me—what if there was a list of humans whose sole purpose was to provide blood and sex to vampires and other creatures of the like when needed. I had never read a vampire romance based on that. The thought fascinated me at first until it became a fully blown idea.

Q. How did you come up with the title?

It didn’t a whole lot of brain power there. Syrian, my hero, is the Prince of Vampires and he is in need of a donor to provide him with the blood and sex he needs to maintain his existence. So I just put the two together and there you have Prince's Donor. I wish all of my book titles were that easy to come up with and actually work.

Q. How did you come up with your characters and the vampire angle—what was the inspiration there?

I draw inspiration from all sorts of places. A movie I'm watching or a song I'm listening to. But because I love vampires, I do a lot of thinking of story lines specific to vampires, werewolves, and other shifters. I always have paper and pen everywhere I go because I never know when I'll get an idea. As far as my characters go, my heroine will most often be a plus sized female because I don't think we have enough stories about us finding love (I'm a plus sized woman myself). The hero will always be sexy, even if a side of him has a dark, dangerous element like with Syrian and his animal side, but in addition to that I like to make my hero almost unobtainable on some level so that when my heroine gets him ... she's getting the cream of the crop!

Q. Writing about passion, paranormal, and erotica—how does this challenge, inspire, empower you?

I'm not even sure where to begin with this question. Let's tackle the passion issue... it's always a challenge because if you don't build the relationship and then the sexual tension which moves towards the passion between your hero and heroine, you have a real problem. Because you find yourself with two characters whom you have put together and they're not working. Something's missing. I find myself asking how did I get from the first hello to the bedroom, and if I can't answer the question then I haven't done my part with passion between them. So it's back to the drawing board.

For me the erotica part is the easiest part of the book to write. My friends, who read my work, have asked how I came up with the love scenes. And I answer honestly ... they come from my crazy odd imagination. If I can see it in my mind, then I can put it on paper. It may take a few revisions to get it into words as I see it in my head, but I will get there. And it is very empowering because I don't have to sugar coat anything. If my heroine gets turned on by having her hero talk dirty to her or vice versa, I can do that. There are very few limits in the erotica field. So wherever my mind and imagination can take me is where I can go. It's great.

Q: Vampires are so ‘in’ right now. How do you make sure you stand out from the crowd of authors cashing in on this boom?

I admit to finding writing in the paranormal genre a challenge sometimes because I don’t want my books to be like another vampire book that has already been done. It’s hard to find new ways to spin the same tale and I want my books to stand out so I will admit to putting extra time and effort into writing my paranormal stories.

Sounds like a whole lot of lovin’ going on behind those paranormal doors. If you want to dip into something different or you’re looking for a vampire love story with a difference, get Prince’s Donor on Amazon.
Thanks for being my guest, Sindee, and I hope readers will comment and ask questions. You may just get some inspiration from them!

The Benefits of Book Reviews

I never thought much about book reviews until I wrote my first children’s book and was desperate for reviews. Suddenly I began seeing book review pages everywhere—in magazines, in newspapers, online … everywhere! Why wasn’t my book there? I began reading other people’s reviews, appraising other people’s opinions, and wondering how I could get my book reviewed. Although my publishers did send out review copies, I came to the conclusion that it was up to me to drive my own marketing machine.


Are Book Reviews Vital?
Book reviews, in my opinion, are very necessary. Perhaps they aren’t vital, but how many people rush to see a movie without first watching a trailer? That’s why movie makers have trailers—to entice viewers. Book reviews are written book trailers, to entice readers. People don’t want to spend money on something they might not enjoy. They read a book review, hoping to extract some idea of whether the author will appeal.

In her article How to Submit Your Books for Review, marketing guru Dana Lynn Smith has this to say about the value of book reviews: “Book reviews can be a powerful marketing tool for books of all types. Potential customers learn about books by reading reviews in newspapers, consumer magazines, professional journals, newsletters, e-zines, book review Web sites, online bookstores, and other blogs and Web sites. In addition to bringing books to their attention, well-crafted book reviews also help the reader determine if a book is a good fit for them.”
Dana’s excellent article also includes lists of online sites, people, and organizations that do book reviews.

How to Get Your Book Reviewed
How do you get book reviews? You ask for them. Your options are: dedicated book reviewers, bloggers, an organization, library, journal, or company.

Rule Number One: don’t just send a book in the post with a hastily scribbled note begging for someone to review it. All sites, magazines, journals, and libraries will have submission requirements that may include: a cover letter, power testimonials, book excerpts, a marketing plan, and ARC’s or book copies. They may also prefer only pre- or post-publication material. Be sure to read the guidelines carefully, especially if you are a self-published author. Some people won’t accept a self-published book. However, don’t panic, there are many sites and organizations that do. For step-by-step guidelines, read this excellent article on 1st Turning Point: Getting Your Book Reviewed—Preparing the Book Kit by Lillian Cauldwell.

Is Your Book Right For The Reviewer?
Another consideration is whether your material fits the reviewer’s criteria and target market. Don’t send a children’s book to a romance book site or general interest publication. Don’t waste your and other people’s time sending to a tiny niche market outlet if you are an author with a general appeal book. Spend some time reading reviews on various sites or publications to get a feel for the tone and style of the reviews. Get an idea of what kind of readership the publication or site has, or if it’s an individual, what kind of following that person has. School and public librarians are great for children’s books because the reviewer will have a captive, interested audience on hand.

Dead Ends?
Yes, you can send 100 books out for review and not get much back in the way of reviews. So, before you do the ‘spray and pray’ method, really refine and hone your targets carefully. If individuals have agreed to review your book, always keep in mind that this is not their job, and they may not have time to fit you in for a while, if at all. Some people (alas) promise to review but spend more time enjoying the free books they get than actually doing a review. Big sites, journals, or newspapers may not even get back to you. There are many other smaller sites that can still, through sheer volume and hard work on your part, give you enough of a response. Big sites and publications also may not be able to give your book the personal attention you feel it deserves.

Are You a Book Review Snob?
If so, don’t be. Perhaps you think that a big important review site is going to give you more sales than Fred Bloggs from Baltimore or Shirley Jones from Florida? Maybe … but then again, maybe not. Fred Bloggs may just tell twenty or thirty friends about the fantastic book he read, and put a review on Amazon to express his admiration. Shirley Jones may be a very active member of a book club and her praise could result in other book clubs picking up on your novel. While professional reviews are both hard to come by and great to have, it’s the average person out there who is buying your book and their opinion does count. Amazon has some excellent advice to offer authors looking for Amazon reviewers, and explains how these reviews can benefit sales.

What About Bad Book Reviews?
This brings me to the next point. What to do about a ‘bad’ book review? The old adage “There’s no such thing as bad publicity. No publicity is bad publicity” should hold true. Most people realize that a book review is an opinion, that’s all. Top authors like Dan Brown and James Patterson have also been criticized for a variety of perceived writing defects. It’s important to remember that if a reviewer criticizes an author’s writing techniques (style, grammar, plot construction, dialogue), then there is a problem with the book. One always hopes the person reviewing a book will go for the genre he or she enjoys. However, the mark of a good reviewer is someone who is able to judge a book on how it will appeal to a general or (in some cases) a niche market. That’s why authors on specialist subjects should really aim for niche market review outlets to get the best results.

A book reviewer’s job is to tell the potential reader about the book, not about themselves. At the end of the review, the reader should have a very clear vision of the book and its contents and a very fuzzy picture of the person contributing the review. A book review is not about self or personal views, but about the book and how it can benefit others.

I recently began reviewing books and deliberately offered my services in other genres, books I would not go for as my first choice. I have reviewed women’s fiction, romantic suspense, and am about to tackle a collection of horror short stories. That’s a challenge for me and I am enjoying it, keeping in mind my advice above.

Should You Pay For Book Reviews?
The jury is still out on this one because there is an opinion that paid-for reviews are generally more favorable because the author has paid for it. Professional sites and publications usually have too much integrity to risk their reputation on this score and most times advise the author that honesty is their policy. Paying for a review also means that there is a motivation to get it done. Free reviews end up with the site or publication being inundated with demands. You may have to wait a while to get reviewed.

Good old Google is a wealth of information on book reviews sites. Some other leads to pursue are: the Virtual Book Review Network; The Midwest Book Review; ReaderViews. Check out Anastasia Suen’s Literacy Blog for children’s books as well as the list of 100 Best Book Reviewers on Twitter. John Kremer offers a list of magazines that review books.

Book reviews are just one part of the wide scope of marketing possibilities available to authors. Don’t say no to review requests because you never know where your book will end up. It could just arrive on the desk of someone very important to your book’s future.

Are you a book reviewer? Share your opinions with us!

Book Review: Candy, Corpses, and Classified Ads

 If you like murder mysteries with a dash of something else tossed in for that extra 'je ne sais quoi' then JL Wilson is an author you'll enjoy. When I began reading this book, I was surprised that the romantic leads in this entertaining tale of murder, mayhem, and more hilarious mishaps were not quite your standard 'youth and beauty' objects of desire. The heroine is well past her first blush and the hero, while still attractive, cannot be called youthful. (Well, neither can George Clooney and he's still gorgeous!) Curious, I read up more on the author and discovered why she has created this kind of romantic suspense for a slightly older (or should I say mature) reader.

In her own words, JL Wilson says: "I was born in a small town in Iowa, and have traveled extensively in the U.S. and overseas, finally ending up back in the Midwest where I'm married to a glass artist who spends a lot of time in the studio, making amazingly beautiful things. We have assorted animals who live with us and who make regular appearances in my books under various pseudonyms (they know who they are). In 2003, I read my first romance novel and immediately decided this was the genre for me. But there was a problem: the books I read all featured young heroines, interested in starting a family and having babies. So I started writing romantic suspense (with an occasional side trip into paranormal fantasy) about older women, with some age on 'em, who are interested in men and sex and having a good relationship (which may or may not include a marriage). I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoy writing about them."

It seems that mature romance is finding its place both in novels and in the cinema (Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman in Harvey and Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin in It's Complicated) and people are loving it.

This intriguing romantic suspense novel involves a potbellied pig, Melvin, a septic tank, a pitchfork, and Molly Lawson’s dead (murdered!) ex-husband. Could things get worse for Margaret Olivia Lawson, since the police officer investigating the case is none other than the deliciously still attractive JT McCord, who jilted her eighteen years ago? JT McCord has returned to Tangle Butte as Chief of Police. Candy-loving Molly, now the News Editor of the Tangle Butte Daily Tribune, finds herself in an invidious position.


After JT ditched her for someone else, Molly moved on to marry twice… except that her first husband, Delbert, died and her second husband, Sam, ran off with a hairdresser, or so everyone thought. Molly has given up on romance but finds that her resolve is somewhat shaken by JT’s reappearance in Tangle Butte.

By helping JT with the case, and trying to prove she is not the Number One suspect in her ex-husband’s murder, she finds that old attractions die hard and her original feelings for JT soon resurface … just like her ex-husband Sam Ferris’ body! Our feisty heroine finds murder on her doorstep, under the living room window, to be exact, and when Molly’s life is threatened several times, things turn downright dangerous.

The problem is that when Sam’s body resurfaced, with a little help from Melvin, the pot-bellied pig with a penchant for digging up flowerbeds, so did some past dirty financial deeds committed by the less-than-honest inhabitants of the town. Tangle Butte, population 4,145, isn’t a hotbed of passion, or greed, or power... or is it?

The author accurately paints an often hilarious picture of small-town life interspersed with sex, murder, gossip, copious amounts of M&Ms, alarmingly accurate Tarot card readings, cryptic romantic classified ads and, it seems, quite a lot of adultery. As the investigation progresses, old hurts, memories, and grudges are exposed. Lost loves, affairs, financial shenanigans, and possible motives for murder abound.

Molly, a budding crime novelist with three murder mysteries under her belt and a fourth in the making, finds that she is in more danger than she suspected. Sam wasn’t quite the louse everyone thought he was, and when it’s discovered that poison, and not a pitchfork, was the weapon of choice, the net starts to tighten on a guilty member of the Tangle Butte community. Will JT make the arrest before Molly meets an unfortunate end?

J. L. Wilson has created appealing, believable characters in Molly and JT. They are a tad older than in a usual romantic suspense novel, but still desirous of love and passion. The quirky secondary characters, especially Molly’s mother, Yolanda, are well fleshed-out and add piquancy to this exciting murder mystery.

A well-paced plot and realistic dialogue show that the author has an excellent grip on what makes a small town tick. A particularly amusing note is the local book club, Monday Readers Social Exchange, (known to its members as ‘Mr. Sex’), whose members eschew literary masterpieces and have banned Oprah’s Book Club selections as being too ‘uplifting.’ They prefer romance novels, murder mysteries, and sci-fi. Such delightful incidents and more abound in this enjoyable novel, giving a touch of wonderful realism and charm to the tangled exploits taking place in Tangle Butte.

To purchase visit Amazon. For more titles by this author visit The Wild Rose Press.
I originally reviewed this title for Readers Favorite.