Thursday, March 28, 2013

AN INTERVIEW WITH ROMANCE AUTHOR JANE WAKELY


Welcome to Author Jane Wakely:

Today is a fun day because Jane Wakely and I are trading spaces for interviews! We’ve answered the same questions and given insight into our writing styles and our novels. And if you read to the end of this blog, you’ll see Jane is offering a $20 Amazon Gift Card and all you have to do to enter is to leave a comment with your email below. Thanks for joining us today. You can find my interview with Jane at www.janewakely.blogspot.com. Enjoy and enter!!! 

Author name: Jane Wakely





 

Interview:

1. How many hours a day do you usually spend writing? Do you write every day?

If I stick to my “work” schedule, I usually write about 4-5 hours a day, Monday through Friday. I don’t write on the weekends, but I will usually do admin or blog stuff for an hour or two on both days.  

2. Do you have a daily word goal? (Or other type of daily writing goal?)

I have a daily goal of 2K words, but I don’t always reach it. I’m a slow writer—I write and edit at the same time—and I will work on a section until I’m satisfied I can move on. Sometimes that gives me a lower word count for the day, but it’s worth it to get the words just right!  

3. How many books do you write/work on at a time?

I only work on one book at a time.  

4. Do you snack while you write?

Unless coffee counts, I don’t snack while writing!   

5. What’s your writing environment like? (Music, silence, etc?)

I have an office, but I use the kitchen table for writing when hubby and TG are at work/school. I enjoy the openness of the room and the view of our tiny backyard. I have to have silence when writing; no radio, TV, dishwasher, etc. When everyone is home, I use my office, but I can’t write unless it’s quiet. 

6. What’s your favorite genre/sub-genre to write? To read?

I love romance and will read any genre, but I prefer paranormal shifters and vamps. Shifters are my favorite genre to write!  

7. What are you reading now? Or just finished?

I just finished FOREVER by Rebecca Royce.  

8. Do you prefer to write series or stand-alone books? Which do you prefer to read?

I enjoy writing both, but I enjoy a series just a little bit more. It’s fun to put together a world and create characters that interact with each other in each book.

For reading, it’s a tie! I enjoy both and look for both when buying books—the only thing I don’t like is a cliffhanger ending!   

9. Do you plot? Or not?

Mostly not! I make a very flexible outline—sometimes a paragraph, sometimes more—and start writing. If things happen, I make notes and adjust the outline as needed. This tool is really useful when I have an idea I can’t start right way—I just keep adding notes/changes until it’s time to write the story.   

10. Finish this sentence: When I’m not writing I’m…

Reading! :) 

Please tell us about your book:  

Title: Jenn’s Wolf

Genre: Paranormal/Shifter Romance 

Blurb:

Jenn is used to being overlooked by men. She’s short, slim, shy and her past keeps her guarded against others—especially men. It also gets her labeled as having a “good personality.” When she sees Matt for the first time, she realizes he’s the first man she’s willing to take a chance on. 

Matt is a wolf shifter worried that he’ll never find his mate. Without a mate, a shifter’s life is incredibly drawn-out and lonely. Willing to try anything, he agrees to a blind date with Jenn and is stunned to find out she’s the one.  

A misunderstanding interrupts their first night together and leaves them both miserable. After determining she may have overreacted, Jenn apologizes and they agree to start over. When Matt tells her about his wolf, she has to decide whether to trust her heart or run from the only man she’s ever wanted. 

Excerpt:

Jennifer and Christina had been college roommates their senior year and became fast friends. They relocated to Chestnut Rock together and now shared a small, affordable apartment. That had been two years ago.  

Jennifer was happy she had Christina in her life. Her best friend kept her from locking herself away and hiding from the world. Christina taught her that people sometimes drink in social situations, but they didn’t always get drunk or make a scene. Though she still had qualms, Jennifer could now have a good time in situations where friends may have a drink or two.  

Christina had wanted to go what she called “man shopping,” which basically meant “go to the bar and look at hot guys!” Jennifer agreed to come along.  

While Christina had no trouble finding dates, Jennifer was a bit more challenged. The two friends were as different as night and day. Christina was tall and blond with blue eyes and a bubbly personality. Jennifer was short with brown hair and brown eyes. She was reserved which most people took as timid and sometimes rude or snobby. It was hard for her to meet people and without Christina’s help, she might have ended up friendless and alone for the rest of her life. Luckily, that didn’t happen and her friend even convinced her to go on a blind date set up by one of her co-workers. The date was tomorrow night. 

The group in the center roared with laughter again and the one with his back to her stepped to the right and bent over to look at his friend’s phone. Jenn could see the group more clearly now and her gaze stopped on the tall piece of awesome standing closest to the bar. If they were truly “man shopping,” she’d buy him and take him home. 

Buy links:


Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1458lX1

All Romance: http://bit.ly/WtMrsU

BookStrand: http://bit.ly/110XBUW
 

Thank you, Joanne, for hosting me today!
 

Readers:

I’m giving away a $20 Amazon Gift Card at the end of my Mini Blog Tour! How do you enter? Leave a comment below (with EMAIL)! Yes, it’s that easy! Want more chances to win? Visit all five stops on the tour! Every comment (with EMAIL) will go in the drawing! (Find all the tour stops here: http://janewakely.blogspot.com/2013/03/jenns-wolf-mini-blog-tour.html )! 

**Want even more chances to win? Visit Joanne’s interview on my blog today and leave a comment (with EMAIL) there! I’ll add every comment from both of today’s interviews into the drawing!  

I’ll draw/announce/post the winner on my blog on Tuesday, April 2!  

Good luck and thanks for visiting! :)

 

 

Sunday, March 17, 2013

INTERVIEW WITH LORI J. GORDON


Today I’m pleased to offer insight into the imaginative mind of a Rebel Ink Press author---Lori J. Gordon. Join me for a peek into her writing life and her novel: Black Night, from The Lost Night Trilogy series. She has good news for her fans--she just signed a contract with Rebel Ink Press for Book Two in the series: Castle of Doom. Her other works include: Jenny Hits the Jackpot and Victim of Circumstances. I asked Lori the following questions:
How long have you been writing?
6 years.
Why did you choose the genres you write?
It’s what I always read.
How do you come up with your titles?
They usually don’t come until I’m halfway through. I have a hard time coming up with something and even after I finished Black Night I had no title. I just try things over in my head until it pops then I have to ask all my friends and family if it’s okay.
Do you work off an outline or just wing it?
I totally wing it and it often results in someone dying or something totally unexpected.
How many drafts do you write before you submit to a publisher?
One. But I have gone over and over it. I usually review the previous chapters before starting the next. I can’t just write to the end without editing along the way.
How many hours a day do you devote to writing?
Not enough! Seriously there are days I’m just too tired from my day job to concentrate. I try to get at least 1 hour in before work but with my crazy schedule it doesn’t always happen. I do a lot on my days off.
What is your writing goal – how many books of yours would you like to see published?
As many as I can write.
Are any of your novels in print format as well as ebook format?
I am only e-book. I would love to see my work in paperback but I am realistic and know I’ve probably hit the scene too late.
What did you find was the hardest or most difficult part in your path to becoming an author?
Finding a publisher.
Tell me a little about your novel and how it came to be.
Black Night, came to life when my best friend’s son told me I had an amazing way of telling a story and I should use this talent to write him something to edit for his English class. Being a huge Star Wars fan I decided to set my YA Romantic Adventure in Outer Space. He liked it so much I let others read it and they all wanted to know what happened next so I spun it into The Lost Night Trilogy.

Blurb:
Sienna James must face the harsh realities that exist outside her sheltered world when she falls in love with the grandson of a rival planet’s evil ruler. Attempting to break off the doomed relationship, Sienna is kidnapped and forced into a marriage designed to destroy her father’s empire.
          Johnny Black risks his life in order to rescue his unrequited love, Sienna. In order to escape, the duo must work together on a harrowing journey to the other side of their captive world. Sienna admits that for her, Johnny's always been the one. But when until a dark secret from his past is revealed, putting the couples love to the ultimate test, Sienna must decide if she can ever trust Johnny again.
Excerpt:
Over the next several months I found a number of excuses to visit Ryder where I hung out with bad-boy Marc. Because most of our conversations centered on me, Marc knew my weakness for coffee and we spent a lot of time hanging at the local coffee houses. Soon I found myself becoming much too comfortable with the guy I knew very little about. Deciding it was time to learn some of his secrets, I asked, “So, what’s the story between you and Johnny.”
Marc’s eyes went dark. “What’d he tell you?”
I flinched at his apparent anger. “Nothing. That’s the problem, he won’t tell me anything.”
“Good.” The hardness in his eyes frightened me. “Let me ask you something?”
I swallowed hard. “Umm…sure.”
“What’s up with you and Johnny?”
“Me?”
Marc drew his eyebrows in. “The two of you looked rather friendly the first time you came here. It makes me wonder why you keep coming back to see me.”
Once the shock of his words wore off, I realized the implications and I was furious. “You think I’m spying on you…for Johnny?”
“Aren’t you?” he challenged.
That didn’t sit well. “Look,” I raised my voice. “I don’t know what the two of you are hiding and frankly I don’t care. I…”
A wave of his hand stopped me. “Oh, you care, or you wouldn’t be so pissed at my question.”
“As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, I don’t care what secrets you and Johnny have. Johnny’s my best friend. We grew up together. He’s never treated me with anything but respect. He’d never ask me to spy for him.”
Marc snorted. “I guess he knows better than to use you…thanks to the reputation of your father.”
“Oooh,” I growled. “How’d I ever fall in love with a jerk like you?”
Marc’s eyebrows shot up. “What? What’d you just say?”
My cheeks burned as I wished for the ground to open up and swallow me. This wasn’t the way I’d envisioned telling Marc I’d fallen in love with him. But I’d said it and now he knew it. And while I just stood there, turning red with embarrassment, the hardness in his eyes was replaced by a gentleness that astounded me.
He took a step closer. My mouth dried up and a chill ran through my entire body when he pulled me against him.
“I love you, too,” he whispered before giving me my first kiss. A kiss better than anything I’d ever dreamt of.

Lori Gordon lives in Northern California with her husband and their Jack Russell Terrier, Skittles. When she’s not writing or reading, Lori works as a Retail Supervisor.
            Black Night is her third published e-book from Rebel Ink Press. All are available on Amazon and All Romance E-Books.

            Visit Lori at www.ljgordon.com or http://www.ljgordon.wordpress.com

 Thank you, Lori, for sharing your story with us and I wish you much success with your novels!

 

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Available for sale now: On Angels' Wings & My Life, My Heart

$5.99 ebook
A novel of romance during the turbulent years of WW II. Buy it now from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Allromanceebooks.com and Bookstrand.com.
 
$5.99 e book
 
A time travel romance taking you back in time to the American Revolution. It combines the present with the past with twists and turns that will leave you gasping and wanting more!
 
 
 
 

Sunday, March 3, 2013

HERE'S A FIRST LOOK AT MY LATEST NOVEL DUE OUT MAY 3RD!

Love’s Sweet Vengeance is an action packed romance set in 1866 in Arizona and New Mexico. Look for it to come out May 3rd from Rebel Ink Press. Read all about love and revenge in the old West.