Friday, August 17, 2012

Why do I Write? Guest blog by Olivia Hardin


Why Do I Write?


I wonder if anyone realizes how simple and at once difficult that question is to answer. 


I mean, my heart says it’s simple… I write because I’m a writer. It’s just who I am. It’s a drive, a yearning and even all those years I wasn’t physically doing it, I was spinning tales somewhere in the recesses of my psyche. It just is. It’s like asking a parent why do you love your kids? You just do. And that love a parent has for their kids is just as simple and complex as why I write. I’m not a parent. I have a little pup and that’s about as close as I’ll likely come to being a mommy. But I have a mom, I’ve talked to moms, I listen and I pay attention. 


So it seems to me that writing is a lot like that. I mean it starts with this spark of an idea… a flash of brilliance. The conception of a story takes root and starts to grow. And as it grows, you might have some bouts of panic. OMG… have I lost my mind? This story is stupid. I can never do this story justice. Will anyone like this story? You start to make yourself sick about it. 


 But you press on. Keep writing, keep spinning, keep going. So the little story is growing, it’s developing. You go out for an evening with friends and the persistent little guy gives you a huge kick in the gut. It just wants you to remember it’s there, waiting for you to get back to it. So those nights with friends get fewer and fewer. As the story gets closer and closer to the end you get more uncomfortable, anxious to see it through. It’s crowding you and making it difficult to breathe sometimes.

You’re enjoying every bittersweet moment of it, but you can’t wait to see that wonderful story get written so that others can finally see it too. So your story is born, but you’re nervous all over again. What if others don’t love it the way I do? What if my crit readers rip it to shreds? What if my editor says it terrible and needs a complete overhaul. 


Whew… okay, so your little bundle needs some work. You can handle it. Start training, molding, rewriting it to make it better. You know this could take a long, long time, but your story will grow up to be a wonderful novel one day. And so it’s ready. Your book has graduated from the beta and proofreading steps. You’ve dressed it up in a beautiful cover and you hit the publish button and send it off into the world…


And if you’re lucky, if you’ve truly done your job, everyone once in a while your story will come back to you with love. It may be in the form of a kind note from a reader, a nice review, a pleading request from a fan who wants more stories… Yep, that means it’s back to the grind. Time to knock boots and write another one and start the process all over again!



Bitten Shame
Book 2 of the Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy
By Olivia Hardin

Genre:  Paranormal/ Romance

ISBN-10: 0615645380
ISBN-13: 978-0615645384
ASIN: B0085W2BAW

Number of pages: 232
Word Count: 52,310

Amazon  BN  Smashwords


Book Description:

Jill Prescott returned from self-imposed seclusion to help save her best friend Devan’s life. Throwing herself into Devan’s problems and bringing an evil organization to its knees might just be the distraction she needs to keep living without the only man she’s ever loved. Her life changed forever when she was hired to spend a week with Doc Massey.

On the day she became a vampire her youthful innocence ended, but Doc’s love rescued her from being consumed by the darkness. The shadow of that former life continues to loom over her, keeping her from realizing her own self-worth. Running from her past only brings her closer to a destiny that is inextricably connected to what she is trying to escape…

Every gift has both a reward and a price, because All of it fits…




Author Bio:

Olivia Hardin realized early on how strange she was to have complete movie-like character dreams as a child. Eventually she began putting those vivid dreams to paper and was rarely without her spiral notebooks full of those mental ramblings. Her forgotten vision of becoming an author was realized when she connected with a group of amazingly talented and fabulous writers who gave her lots of direction and encouragement.

With a little extra push from family and friends, she hunkered down to get lost in the words. She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and is sometimes accused of being artistic, though she's generally too much of a perfectionist to appreciate her own work. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband and their puppy Bonnie.


Blog:            www.oliviahardinwriter.com

Twitter:        https://twitter.com/OliviaH_Writer

Facebook:    http://www.facebook.com/oliviahardin

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5354958.Olivia_Hardin

Youtube Trailer:    http://youtu.be/9I0C2V6DFUQ
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Thursday, August 16, 2012

Release Day Blitz: Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy

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HOW MOTHERS FIND TIME TO WRITE Guest blog with Bernadette Walsh



HOW MOTHERS FIND TIME TO WRITE

I’m in the middle of my latest WIP, The Devlin Witch, and when I’m writing I tend to avoid reading fiction. I find that it interferes with finding my own writing rhythm. So while writing I tend to read mostly non-fiction. Earlier in the week I read Stephen King’s On Writing.
He was exceedingly honest and I really enjoyed the book, but there were a few parts that sorta blew my mind, and not in a good way.
The first was that he said in order to write, he recommends that writers establish a sort of writing cave. One place that was devoted primarily to writing, preferably one with a door.
And this is where I laughed.
Do you know where my special writing place is?
-   It’s on a plastic chair, my feet propped up on another plastic chair, while ten little girls “shuffle” to blaring Irish dancing music while the teacher shouts “Lift higher!” and “Kick your butt!”
-   It’s in the crowded hallway outside religious ed, where people inevitably stop and ask me what I’m doing. I try not to answer directly if I’m in the midst of writing a steamy sex scene.
-   It’s on a crowded commuter train where someone munching on popcorn always seems to sit next to me.
In other words, Stevie, my special writing place is EVERYWHERE. And if I could only write in the beautiful home office that we just refurbished I sure as hell wouldn’t be working on my sixth novel. I am writing this blog in my family room, where my husband is puttering around the kitchen and asking whether I want tea (Yes, DH, after I finish this blog) and my daughter is watching Netflix on my iPad less than one foot from my ear.
I think the one reason why Stephen can retreat to his writing cave is because Stephen King has a WIFE!
Another thing that made me laugh is where Stephen recommended that writers who are serious about their craft devote several hours a day to reading and writing. You know what that sounds like to me, Steve. It sounds like heaven. It also sounds a wee bit unrealistic for those of us who haven’t yet retired to Florida.
I know I haven’t reached the heights of Stephen King, and I likely (very likely I suppose) never will, but here’s some advice aspiring writers that you might find a little more useful. Write whenever and wherever you can. It will take focus, it will take an ability to block out distractions, but if you wait for the perfect place, perfect time, I suspect you’ll be waiting a long, long time.
Hub, I think I will have that cup of tea now.

August 3 Guest blog

Mama Knows Books- 



August 4 Guest blog
Paranormal Cravings - Paranormal Book Review Blog

August 4 Promo

August 5 Guest blog
A Great Book Is The Cheapest Vacation 

August 6 Guest blog
Lisa’s World of Books

August 7 Interview
Coffee Beans & Love Scenes 

August 9 Guest blog
Mila Ramos, Paranormal & Contemporary Romance 

August 9 Promo
A Dream Within A Dream

August 10 Guest blog
Fangs, Wands & Fairydust 

August 11 Interview

August 12 Interview
FireStarBooks


August 13 Guest blog
Roxanne's Realm
www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com

August 14 Guest blog 
Romancing the Muses 

August 14 Interview and review
Zombiegirl Shambling

August 15 Promo/Playlist and review
whoopeeyoo :D

August 15 Promo
A Bibliophile's Thoughts on Books

August 16 Promo
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom

August 17 Tour Wrap Up Post
Fang-tastic Books

Devil’s Mountain
By Bernadette Walsh
Book One of the Devlin Legacy

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Horror
Publisher: Lyrical Press
ISBN: 9781616503697
Number of pages: 122
Word Count: 39,000
Blurb/Book Description:
You will hate Him for all that he's taken, but you will love Him. God help you, you will love Him.

Mary Devlin accepted her fate years ago, to serve Slanaitheoir, the mountain spirit who saved her ancestors from the Irish Famine. The hauntingly beautiful woman submitted to His every caress, His every humiliation, but He’s gone too far by threatening her family.

Mary’s daughter-in-law is now an unwitting pawn in the fickle spirit’s game. Mary must challenge her fate and that of all future Devlin women, but Slanaitheoir is the most powerful being in the land. And when part of her still yearns for His touch and love, how can she fight him and win?


About the Author

Long Bio
          I have always been a bookworm and had always meant to write a novel “someday.” You know, when I won the lottery and could live in beach house and look out onto the water and feel inspired. Four years ago I decided to stop waiting for my winning lottery ticket and sat down and started writing in between work and family obligations, I piled the words on top of each other until they formed sentences, paragraphs, chapters and eventually a book.  My first book, a contemporary romance, Gold Coast Wives, was published in November 2011. The House on Prospect is my second novel. The first book of my paranormal trilogy, Devil’s Mountain -- Book One of the Devlin Legacy, was published in June 2012. While I’ve hopped around genres, all of my books to date have a common theme: strong women handling what life throws at them the best way they can.

Short Bio

Bernadette Walsh has been writing contemporary and paranormal romance for four years. She has published three novels to date (The House on Prospect (Echelon Press) and Gold Coast Wives (Lyrical Press)) and the first book of her paranormal trilogy, Devil’s Mountain -- Book One of the Devlin Legacy. While Bernadette has hopped around genres, all of her books to date have a common theme: strong women handling what life throws at them the best way they can.

http://bernadettewalsh.com

@BWalshWriter   Twitter
https://twitter.com/#!/BWalshWriter

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bernadette-Walsh-Author/196567653686807

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5321197.Bernadette_Walsh

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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Now on Tour Sunstruck

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Monday, August 13, 2012

Memories Excerpt




 Memories Excerpt at 1,000 words

Miguel sat at the bar of a small, crowded saloon in Saigon. He was on a three-day pass and spent it trying to forget why he was in this country to begin with.

He ordered another drink and turned a quick glance at his friend Billy, who was sitting at a table near the door with a young Vietnamese girl. Billy was an oversized, clumsy farm boy from the Midwest who thought himself a charmer with the ladies. But he was also tough, honest and brave, good qualities a man needed in this place and a friend needed in a buddy. Miguel and he had stuck close since being sent to the same unit in Nam.

Smiling and shaking his head at his friend, Miguel turned back to his fresh drink and took a swig. Something brushed against his leg and he looked down from the tall barstool to see a small beggar boy, one arm missing, his face grotesquely disfigured, carrying a small bag looking up at him. Miguel just turned away from the boy and he continued on his way looking for handouts. Young children, deformed and missing limbs, were all over Saigon; one of the cruelties of this damn war. Miguel, like everyone else who had been there too long, had learned to look through them and past them since he was unable to help them all.

Once again Miguel glanced at his friend, now leaning forward head-to-head with the girl. He noticed the beggar boy stopping only a second at Billy's table, then being brushed away by Billy, the boy headed out the door into the daylight. Through the light from the door opening, Miguel noticed that the bag the boy had been carrying lay under Billy's table and it took him only a second to realize what was in it.

"Billy, bomb!" Miguel yelled as he jumped over the bar for protection in one smooth motion. Other military men in the bar took cover under tables and behind the bar. So engrossed in his new lady friend, Billy only looked up, confused by all the commotion before the realization of what was happening crossed his face. He pushed the girl away from the table, but before he could move an inch, the plastic, homemade bomb below him exploded.

 Miguel screamed his name as he watched his friend tear into pieces before his eyes.

 "Billy, no!"

 Dani shot up in bed at the sound of a man screaming. Not even awake yet, she instinctively jumped out of bed and ran through the darkened apartment to the open sofa bed where Miguel was sleeping.

 "Billy!" he screamed again, loud and anguished, and in the moonlight through the patio doors Dani could see the horror in Miguel's face.

 Quickly she crawled into bed and held him tight, softly cooing, "Miguel, it's okay. You're home. You're safe. I'm here Miguel, I'm here." Over and over she said this until he finally stopped struggling and grew quiet in her arms.

 Dani cradled his head on her chest, rocking him back and forth like a frightened child. Still assuring him he was okay, she was there for him. She ran her fingers through his damp hair, brushing it away from his face, rocking him gently, assuring him he was home and safe. And even as he came to his senses, Michael continued to let her hold him. She was the only woman who could soothe his pain of remembering. It felt warm and comforting to be in her arms, so easy to allow her to soothe and comfort him.

 After a time, still holding him, Dani softly asked Miguel, "It was the bar dream again, wasn't it?" She knew all his bad dreams, the jungle dream, the bar dream, the body bag one, each in detail from when he had told her about them years ago. She was the only one he'd ever told them to, because she had been the only one who had ever cared to listen.

 Miguel nodded his head in her arms. "I should have done something," he said hoarsely. "I should have saved Billy."

 "You did the best you could," Dani said softly. "No one could control who lived and who died. You have nothing to blame yourself for."

 Dani sat quietly for a while longer, still holding Miguel close. She thought of his pain, of her pain and of the pain they had caused each other. "We make a great pair, you and I," she whispered, shaking her head. And then, slowly, she lay down under the covers beside him, all the time holding him close, both finally falling asleep from exhaustion. And for the first time in years, Michael slept soundly and dreamlessly, feeling safe in Dani's arms.


Sunlight streamed through the patio doors across the sleeping bodies of Michael and Dani. He stirred slowly and carefully sat up, not wanting to disturb her sleep, and was surprised to see the clock on the opposite wall read 11:00 A.M. He hadn't slept this late on a Saturday morning in a very long time, and a smile played across his lips when he remembered the last time he had slept this late. And he had woken up with the same sweet woman beside him then, only a younger version. It was like they'd never parted.

 As Michael studied Dani's sleeping face, he liked what he saw. In sleep she had the softness he remembered, not the look of bitterness she had shown him last night. He thought of last night and how she'd stroked his hair and soothed away his nightmare so tenderly. She was still the same sweet person he had known so many years ago, no matter how hard she'd tried to convince him otherwise. And she must still have some feelings for him other than hatred.

 "Good morning," Dani interrupted his thoughts and looked up at him through sleepy eyes. 
"What are you staring at?"

 "The past, the present, all rolled into one," he told her, smiling.


August 10 Interview
Roxanne’s Realm

August 10 Promo
Mila Ramos

August 11 Interview
Fang-tastic Books

August 12 Promo and review

August 12 Interview
Lauries Non-paranormal Thoughts & Reviews/  

August 13 Promo
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom

August 14 review
Novel Reflections, 

August 14 Promo
My Escape 
http://myescape84.blogspot.com

August 15 review
Boekie's Book Reviews   

August 16 Promo
Loves 2 Read – 

August 17 Promo
Lisa’s World of Books




Memories
By Deanna Lynn Sletten

Genre: Romance/Women’s Fiction

Book Description:

Michael DeCara came home from the Vietnam War a wounded man, both physically and emotionally.  He tried putting his life back together, but found civilian life difficult after all he’d experienced in Nam. Raising his young daughter, Vanessa, by himself after his wife left, he found it difficult to commit to one job or one woman for any length of time. 

Then he met a young woman who made him feel good about himself again and who fell in love with Vanessa as well. But a life-changing event occurred and he had to choose between his past and the present. He chose to leave without a word to the young woman, believing he was doing what was best for her. Now, years later, she has walked back into his life and he believes they may have a second chance at love–except she hates him and he doesn’t understand why.

Danielle Westerly fell in love when she was only eighteen and her heart was broken when he left her without a word. Her heartache was increased when she made a fateful decision that would alter her future, and she blamed him for her loss. Years later, she is single and has built up a successful career when she accidently runs into the man who was responsible for her past pain. Yet, their chemistry is undeniable. Can Dani give up her anger and let go of the pain of the past and fall in love again with the man she has hated all these years?

Dani and Michael share a journey of heartache, loss and painful memories that threaten to keep them apart. Can they break past these and finally find love again?





About the Author:

Deanna Lynn Sletten is a novelist who writes women's fiction and has also written one middle-grade fiction action/adventure novel. 

Her novels include Memories, Widow, Virgin, Whore and Outlaw Heroes. She started her writing career as a freelance writer for parenting publications in the early 1990s and transitioned to writing for blogs and websites until she made the jump to novelist.  

Deanna is currently working on her next novel which will be released in December 2012. Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, Deanna enjoys walking the trails around her northern Minnesota home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd.

Website/Blog: http://www.deannalynnsletten.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/DeannaLSletten

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeannaLSletten

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/555634.Deanna_Lynn_Sletten
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