Author Interview: Calvin Davis

Welcome, Calvin Davis, author of the newly released novel, The Phantom Lady of Paris!

Who is the Phantom Lady, and why do readers want to get to know her?

The Phantom Lady, who is she? I made her the personification of what we all are or want to be, and that is…FREE. There is something in our nature, especially in the nature of Americans, something that detests confinement and chains, restrictions that clamp the body as well as the mind and spirit. In that sense, The Phantom Lady of Paris is a portrait of ourselves.




We, like her, strongly believe we were born to be free, or, to use The Lady’s own words, born “to fly like an eagle mountain-high,” up among clouds, where inhibiting laws of society and earthly gravity don’t exist, where we are free.

I trust that in examining The Phantom Lady of Paris the reader sees not some meaningless fictional character, but a portrait of his inner self. For after all, that’s what a good novel is about. It’s about us. We with our flaws, virtues, struggles, hopes and dreams. All of which The Phantom Lady had. With special emphasis on the latter – dreams. For she had a dream. Don’t we all?

What genre is this book?

I don’t have the faintest idea. When I penned The Lady I didn’t worry about genre, didn’t’ even think about it. There was only one thing on my mind: Can I write a good story? Nothing else was important. When you have told a good story someone smarter than you will decide what genre it is. If I had thought about genre when scribing The Phantom Lady, I probably wouldn’t/couldn’t have written it.

There’s an interesting tale of an insect asking a centipede how he was able to walk with so many legs.

“Um,” replied the centipede, “I never thought about it.”

“You should.”

“OK, I’ll give it some thought.” The multi-legged insect then started walking, tripped and killed himself.



Not wanting to end up like the centipede, I didn’t think about genre when penning The Lady. If I had, she probably would never have been born, and I’m happy I gave birth to her. She’s a good looking kid. But then again, all parents say that about their children, don’t they?


When you held your book in your hands for the very first time, how did you feel?

I felt the same way The Phantom Lady of Paris does at the end of my novel: as if I’d escaped the confines of earth’s gravity. In a word, I felt Free, and that’s with a capital “F.” Novel in hand, I suddenly glimpsed a rush of mental reruns, a few going back five and a half years, the time it took to pen The Lady.

In many of these scenes I was sitting at a sidewalk cafe in Paris, filling blank sheets of paper with word sketches of a woman I was determined to breathe life into. Then more reruns. In these I was in America, slouching in a McDonald’s booth with my legal pad before me and a cup of black coffee beside it. Writing. Writing. Ever writing.



And in every one of these scenes, I heard a voice ask, “Why are you doing all this work?”

“Work? Not work. Putting words on paper may be as close to heaven I’ll get here on earth.”

“Oh. But anyway…why?”

“Because God has declared that finishing The Lady is my mission on this planet. And I must do what The Omnipotent dictates.”

“But if you finish your novel, the book may not be printed.”

“I know.”

“And if it is printed, critics may rip it to shreds.”

“Look, many critics panned Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address in the press the day after he delivered it. So, let critics do what critics have always done. I must do what I must do.”

“Oh, I see…ah…sorry I disturbed you. Meanwhile, keep writing.”

“That’s for sure.”

What's it like being a published author who's married to another published author?
Delightful. It’s wonderful to be around someone who is interested in the same thing you’re interested in. When we met, I was the one who was writing. Vonnie wasn’t. But she, like The Phantom Lady in my novel, had a secret dream: she longed to put to paper not one novel, but many. However, she didn’t even dare think of turning that desire into reality. She found it impossible to envision that she could.

That’s where I came in. I convinced her that novelists were not super human beings. What they did – as she could do – was sit in front of a blank computer screen and write just one good and true sentence, and make that the first sentence of a novel. Then write another and another until the writer, without giving up, finishes a novel. And once she accepted this premise, soon afterwards, voila, Vonnie Davis, the woman who “knew” she couldn’t write a novel, was writing a novel.

Writing a novel? Wrong. Writing several novels. My God, she writes them faster than I can. It’s incredible. Things it took me years through trial and error to learn about the novelist’s craft, she picked up in months. She now mentors other novelists. Editing their material. Giving internet courses in points of view, etc., etc. And all this from someone who knew she couldn’t pen a work of fiction. Not bad. All she needed in the past was to adopt this credo: “I will write a novel and nothing on this planet can stop me – period. NO, EXCLAMATION POINT!”


Vonnie finally made that her credo her own, and now she’s on her way. Me? I’m smart enough to see that the pilot gets ample flying space. To her I say the same thing the narrator said to The Phantom Lady of Paris in my novel when The Lady was emancipated, “Go! Beyond the speed of sound. Go! And, like an eagle on outstretched wings soaring mountain-high, fly on…fly on…fly on.”






Will you share an excerpt of The Phantom Lady of Paris?

Certainly, here’s the beginning --

The Phantom Lady of Paris? I knew her well. On the other hand—as I later discovered—I didn’t know her at all. The woman did everything wrong. She did nothing wrong. She was a Jezebel, deceptive in every way. I’ve never known a more honest and straightforward person. During our relationship, she kept me constantly jittery and perturbed. The happiest days of my life were those I shared with the Phantom Lady of Paris. They were the golden days, the good times, good, that is, until…


Don’t let her name mislead. She was not an apparition, nor a creation of some writer’s fantasy, a fiend-like character in, say, an Edgar Allen Poe tale or one by Stephen King or Franz Kafka. No, she was real all right and, above all, she was human, more human than anyone I’d known and, I’m sure, will ever know again. And in spite of my blundering ways, she taught me what it really means to be a human being.

The Phantom Lady was a down-to-earth mortal possessing a unique dream, one fabricated from her passion for living, some of which passion she shared with me and with others fortunate enough to have known her.

As her name suggests, she lived in Paris, lived there during the most turbulent times the city has known since the bloodletting and mayhem of the French Revolution. She resided in The City of Light during the Vietnam War and peace protests in the United States and Europe, Sorbonne student riots on the Left Bank and worldwide clashes between “The Establishment” and “The Flower Generation.” It was an era of cataclysmic social eruption and revolutionary clashes of ideas and age groups.

I was a grown man when I met the Phantom Lady. All was going well with me. My life was in balance, and I knew how to live it. In spite of that, the moment the Phantom Lady and I met marked the real beginning of my life. Everything preceding that instant was meaningless prologue. During our initial chat, which lasted about three hours—though it seemed a fleeting moment, I learned for the first time what life is all about and how I should live mine.

On the morning we met, she taught me many things about myself that were, until then, mysteries. And what did I learn about her? Very little. Basically, I learned that she was more question marks than periods, and that something mysterious lurked behind each question mark.

I wasn’t prepared for what the hidden thing turned out to be. But looking back at what happened the morning I met her and everything that ensued, I wonder, what human being could have possibly prepared for the startling revelation that developed and how it would change not only my life, but hers…and change both forever?

Who could have been prepared?

No one.

Buy Link: http://amzn.to/oaRJQ6

http://www.calscosmos.blogspot.com/

http://www.calvindavisbooks.com/

Author Interview: Vonnie Davis

A big, giant welcome to my friend and romance author, Ms. Vonnie Davis! Vonnie is here today as part of her virtual book tour to promote Storm's Interlude--a fabulous romance, complete with a sassy heroine and a muscular cowboy hero.

Enjoy the interview!!!

Your debut novel Storm's Interlude just released this month. Congratulations! Tell us a little about your journey to get to this point.

Someone asked me if my journey to publication was a walk in the park or a tiring jog over hot coals? I replied it was more like a roller-coaster ride. My family told me, when I first expressed a desire to write at the age of twelve, that I had no talent. I folded my dream and tucked it into that secret, yearning place of my heart where private dreams are warehoused. Every so often, I’d take the treasured dream out, unfold it and wonder. And like that long, slow, eerily quiet ride up the steep first hill of a giant roller-coaster, I kept asking myself could do it? Could I? Could I?

Two years ago, I finished my first book and was able to get an agent. Too bad we couldn’t get a publisher. I set the project and my wounded pride aside and started Storm’s Interlude on the 4th of July last year. The story just flowed, and I had it written in 3 months. Once my agent got around to reading it, she sent me a text saying she was “loving it.” Dawn read it in two days. We did two back-and-forth’s with Tract Changes before she felt it was ready to “shop out.”

Then the roller-coaster executed its first dip, leading to a wild ride of twists and turns. Dawn started shopping it out on a Monday to a list of publishers of varied sizes that we’d agreed upon. A small publisher sent a contract the following Monday. Dawn and I talked on the phone for over an hour about the pros and cons of their offer. I told her I was hoping we’d hear from The Wild Rose Press. Her reply? “If that’s the one you want, let me see what I can do.” Not only did she contact TWRP, but she also emailed all the publishers she queried and told them I’d been offered a contract, but that she’d hold me off from signing for two weeks to give other publishers a chance to offer. I thought at the time she was being very ballsy; I mean, I’m a nobody—and an unpublished nobody, at that. Almost all of them agreed to the two-week deadline. My nerves were a mess. What if no one wanted it? What if the first publisher got miffed because I was stalling on signing and rescinded their offer? Then I’d have nothing. I was living on Tums.

One week later, TWRP offered. So I had two contract offers in two weeks. I was ready to sign to end the angst, believe me. Dawn wanted me to wait—just to see. Calvin went to the drugstore for more Tums.

No more contracts were offered, but I did get the nicest rejection from an editor at Harlequin, who said she loved my characters and story. But since I wrote similar to Linda Lael Miller, she’d have a hard time convincing the acquisitions committee to take on another writer in the same vein. I cried. I mean, just the thought of Ms. Miller and me in the same sentence was overwhelming. I’m sure the lady was just being kind; I could never be in Ms. Miller’s league, but who wouldn’t love such a complement?

So from the time I typed “Chapter One” to the day I held the book in my hands exactly one year passed. One wild, exceptional, lovely year.

You recently had a book release party. How did that go? Any tips for writers who might be thinking about having their own event?

Our book release socials are something we do for all writers in our writers group here in Lynchburg. We have 4 published authors and several who publish in magazines. Our socials are nothing fancy. Everyone brings a dish. We eat, we laugh, we party and the author reads selections from the book. Someone from the local newspaper comes. Friends and family of the author are also invited.

Why romance?

Romance is what I read. It’s what I love. I love stories of hope, and that’s what every romance is—the hope that everyone can be loved exclusively, warts, phobias, cottage cheese thighs and all, by another person.

Any plans to write in another genre?

Have you been inside my mind lately? I’m a “what-if” kind of person. I have to see if I can write all forms of romance. Storm’s Interlude is a contemporary romance. I also write historical and romantic suspense. I’m doing research on werewolves and shapeshifters to try my hand at F,F and P’s (fantasy, futuristic and paranormal). Could I write women’s lit or young adult? I doubt it. I’ve spent so much time studying the tenets and expectations of romance, that I’d almost have to start over with studies on another genre’s form. Of course, one must never say, “Never.”

If your main characters, Rachel and Storm, could each say one thing to readers, what would it be?

Storm would tell you that dreams can come true.

Rachel would encourage you to turn every heartache and every adverse experience into an advantage. Be strong. Be a force to be reckoned with. I love strong female characters.

What's going on in your writing life right now? Anything upcoming or in the works?
This week I’m focusing on the 4 writers I mentor. Seems they’ve all sent me chapters to critique. Their timing isn’t always the greatest, but how are they to know when others need help, too. And face it, we all need help now and then.

I have a short story (38,000 words) under the critical eye of a senior editor. That one is a contemporary romance, involving a wounded vet from the Iraq War. Keep your fingers crossed.

I also have a novel going through the second layer of evaluation; an editor liked it and passed it onto her senior editor. Mona Lisa’s Room is a romantic suspense set in Paris. It’s the first of a trilogy in The Red Hand Conspiracy. The first book involves an older woman, a younger government agent and vengeful terrorists—and, of course, a few chuckles. Both editors tell us we should hear by mid-August, so, it is major nail biting time. Did I say keep your fingers crossed?

What do your kids and grandkids think of their mom/grandma being a published romance author?

My kids are proud; they know how long I’ve dreamed of doing this. I talked to my oldest son last night on the phone. “Mr-Uptight-Assistant-Middle-School-Principal” said he hadn’t worked up courage to read my book yet. Claimed that reading a sex scene written by his mother would be akin to incest. Of course I laughed. He knew I would.

Only 3 of my 6 grandchildren are old enough to read Storm’s Interlude. I did ask my twenty-one year old grandson, Mr-WildńCrazy, to read a sex scene for his opinion. He read a few paragraphs and slid his eyes to mine. “Grandma, this is a side of you I’ve never seen. Gotta tell ya, gives me the willies.” Men! Go figure. And they say women are weak and squeamish.

I’d like to share the beginning of my novel, my hook—

Someone swaggered out of the moonlit night toward Rachel. Exhausted from a long day of driving, she braked and blinked. Either she was hallucinating or her sugar levels had plummeted. Maybe that accounted for the male mirage, albeit a very magnificent male mirage, trekking toward her. She peered once more into the hot July night at the image illuminated by her headlights. Sure enough, there he was, cresting the hill on foot—a naked man wearing nothing but a black cowboy hat, a pair of boots and a go-to-hell sneer.

Well, well, things really did grow bigger in Texas. The man quickly covered his privates with his black Stetson. Rachel sighed. The show was evidently over. Should she stand up in her Beetle convertible and applaud? Give a couple cat calls? Wolf whistles? Maybe not.

She turned down the music on the car’s CD player. Sounds of crickets and a lonely bullfrog in the distance created a nighttime symphony in the stillness of this isolated stretch of country road. Lightning bugs darted back and forth, blinking a display of neon yellow glow.

The naked man strode toward her car, and Rachel’s heart rate kicked up. Common sense told her to step on the gas, yet what woman wanted to drive away from such a riveting sight? Still, life had taught her to be careful. She reached into her handbag and extracted her chrome revolver. Before he reached her car, she quickly slid her gun under the folds of her skirt. Just let him try anything funny—I know how to take care of myself.

Both of his large hands clasped his hat to his groin. His face bore annoyance and a touch of chagrin. “I need a ride.” By his bearing and commanding tone of voice, she guessed the man was used to giving orders and having them followed.

Her eyes took a slow journey across his face. Even in the moonlight, she could see traces of Native heritage. His shoulder-length ebony hair, too long for her tastes, glistened against his bronzed skin. Proud arrogant eyes sparked anger.

Because Rachel believed in indulging herself, she allowed her eyes to travel over his broad shoulders, muscular chest and tight abdominal muscles. She saw a thin trail of dark hair starting below his navel, knowing full well where it ended, and fought back a groan. Her eyes slid back up to lock on his. “You need a pair of pants, too.” Knowing her voice hummed with desire, she cleared her throat, hoping the naked man hadn’t noticed.

He looked up at the sky for a beat. “Just my freakin’ luck! A birthday party gone bad, and now I’m bein’ ogled by some horny kid with damnable blue eyes.”

What the heck was wrong with her eyes? She quickly glanced in her rearview mirror and saw nothing amiss. She narrowed those “damnable blue eyes” and sneered. “Look, buster, I’m not the one prancing around Texas naked as a jaybird. I’ll have you know I’m hardly a kid.” She glanced down at the black cowboy hat. “And, furthermore, stop hiding behind that big ol’ Stetson. From what I saw, a French beret would do the job.”

There, let the arrogant fool stew on that while he strutted back to whatever rock he crawled out from under. She slammed her car in gear and sped off.

She swore she wouldn’t look in her rearview mirror. Nope, she would not look. Like a magnet emitting a powerful homing signal, her eyes slowly slid to the glass surface. He was standing where she’d left him…what do you think? Did she go back?

Buy links:

http://amzn.to/pkkcLq -- Amazon.

http://bit.ly/pb9DQd -- Barnes and Noble, NOOK version only.

http://bit.ly/rcCIMa -- The Wild Rose Press

Visit my blog sometime. www.vintagevonnie.blogpsot.com

Website: www.vonniedavis.com

What's New?

I’m taking a few minutes to share what’s new in my busy world.

MomsEveryday.com—My first post was published on MomsEverday.com this week, and I’ve already submitted something new to the editor. My goal is to contribute weekly, and I’ve quickly discovered this to be somewhat like book publishing on a smaller scale. I write. I edit. I submit. I worry that it sucks. I get an email from editor. I’m scared to click it. I click it. I get a YES! I relax…for about 5 minutes before plotting the next story. Repeat.

It’s stress. It’s validation. It’s every week. I guess I’m a bit of a masochist because I like it.

Amazon Blogs—I’ve submitted Whispers for publication on Amazon blogs. I have no idea what this means, but I know I can un-publish if I don’t like it. I know it’s a service whereby readers can subscribe to blogs and have new posts delivered directly to their Kindles…for a small fee. I have no control over the fee, nor do I care about making a dime off my blog, (I really, REALLY don’t) but I always pursue opportunities for exposure and to meet more people.

Blog Tour—I’ve monopolized space on several blogs for almost two weeks now. Daily. My hostesses have been gracious and amazingly supportive. It’s a fun experience, but I’m happy to be finishing the tour tomorrow with one final stop. Blog tours are a lot of work. Not that I mind a lot of work (I really, REALLY don’t) but I have other stuff to do, too. You know?

Speaking of other stuff to do…

New book—It’s that time again! I completed and signed a new contract with Agent Lady in February for Bonded In Brazil’s sequel. Since that time, I’ve taken a break from book writing, mostly to take part in promo opportunities and let my mind breathe. But my persistent muse is back…better than ever, I must say. I’m super excited about this project (one that I started and fell short at years ago) and feel that I’ve come far enough in my craft to pull it off…finally. It’s a tad ambitious, but I’m going for gold with this one.

I’m also going back to my writing roots--women’s fiction, southern setting, and with strong romantic elements.

I’m only about 2500 words into the manuscript, so don’t look for any news concerning it anytime soon. But I’m working again, so that’s pretty awesome.

Other than all that, hubby’s birthday is this weekend, and my daughter wants to make a cupcake family. My son got Cars (the movie) tighty-whities and they’re the funniest things I’ve ever seen. And I accidently discovered that my beautiful stepdaughter looks an awful lot like Britney Spears in her Baby One More Time video…which scares me a little bit. Okay, a lot. It’s also frightening because my 5-yr-old looks just like her big sis did at that age.

Excuse me while I have a preemptive heart attack.

Tour Dates

~Online Book Tour Schedule~

3/28--Ramblings of a Chaotic Mind
3/29--The Write One
3/30--Lizzie's World
3/31--Moxie Girl Musings
4/01--Vintage Vonnie

4/04--LoveRomancePassion
4/05--Inside the Mind of a Literary Blonde
4/06--Musings from the Slush Pile
4/07--Elaina Lee
4/08--Musings of a Dilettante

To be eligible to win 1 of 4 prizes, leave a comment on at least 1 of my guest posts/interviews before 4/09/2011. Winners will be contacted via email. Losers will, too, only that won't be quite as much fun. Lots more blog stops coming soon! In the meantime, join me on my 3/28-4/08 virtual book tour. It'll be fun.

***Special stops***
4/15--BookWenches
6/02--Kelly Moran
6/20--Ramblings of a Chaotic Mind Blogaversary
6/21--Night Owl Reviews

*Links to blogs on the right------>

Author Interview: Dutch Henry

Dutch Henry is a freelance writer and novelist who resides in Virginia with his wife of 35 years, horse, dogs, cats and chickens. He is also a staff writer for the American Competitive Trail Horse Association (ACTHA). You can find Dutch on the Web at http://www.dutchhenryauthor.com/.

We'll Have The Summer: The doctors say she’ll be gone by fall, but they have one last summer. One hot summer to consummate a lifetime of love, to cry together, laugh together … remember together. When a troubled teenage girl and an injured horse turn to them for help, Mary and Sam Holt find enough room in their own large and breaking hearts to show the girl life’s glories and restore a champion’s will. We’ll Have The Summer is a magnificent story about life, love, and horses.


Welcome, Dutch! Thanks for stopping by. Everyone who has read We'll Have the Summer says the same thing--that it's a touching story and a box of tissues is required while reading it. As a male, how tough was it for you to reach deep down inside and write a compelling story about love and loss?

When I wrote We'll Have The Summer, I wanted to write a story about an uncommon love so enduring it could overcome insurmountable obstacles. I believe in the power of love. I really don't believe this is a story about loss. But it is about love. In her review Carole Herder (Owner of Horse & Rider Inc.) said, "Everyone who has felt the bitter sweet pull of love and loss should read this book."”So perhaps it is about loss as well, but I think my strength to write it came from the love between Mary and Sam.

I don't really believe the feelings about love and loss are gender specific. My love for my wife and our long wonderful life together certainly effected my thoughts as I wrote.We've had 35 years of experiences, good and bad, and I pulled from that ... And besides, I'm a very emotional guy ...

Horses play a big role in this story. Can you tell us a little about that role? And what role do horses play in your own life?

My passion for horses and the way they can enrich a person's life needed to be part of the story. People like me, who are deeply involved with horses, know the power of the spirit of the horse. There is a parallel between Mary, who is dying, and Comanche the horse she is nursing back to health. His spirit not only gives strength to Mary, but also helps the young girl to realize life is worth living. Chester, the old lesson horse, teaches Barbara that she can find challenges fun and worth pursuing.

My connection with horses started at a young age. As a foster child growing up on a dairy farm the first friends I ever remember having were the heavy work horses. As an adult I helped rehabilitate horses who had had a rough go of it. I've competed in long distance endurance racing. I currently have one mare who I ride for my own enjoyment and actually my physical therapy.

In We'll Have the Summer, one of the characters only has a short time to live. From your Facebook statuses, I know how much you love your wife, the Ravishing Robin. Was it emotionally trying for you to immerse yourself into a world where a man faces losing the great love of his life?

Well the power of our love helped me to write this story. There were times when writing this I had to stop because I couldn't see the screen for my tears. And even in the editing and revision process, those same scenes held their power over me. I never got used to them. Yes, Rhiannon it was very emotionally trying . We are all going to deal with loss. It is my hope that by sharing this story of such a powerful love readers might understand that a rich and unwavering love can see you through.

Dutch, can you tell us a little about your childhood?

As a very young boy I had a rough life. Then at the age of eight, I was Farmed Out. That is to say I was placed on a farm and worked for my keep. We had no electric or running water, but we did have a nice outhouse. There was no love, either. I fell in love with the horses. Oh I loved the cows, the chickens and my dog, too. But it was the horses who saved me. I didn't know it then, but I had been exposed to the "Spirit of the Horse."”

What did writing this book teach you?

How many wonderful folks are out there who are willing to pitch in and help! My goodness I’ve met some fabulous folks on this journey. Like yourself, Rhiannon. When I started writing my first novel, five years ago, I didn't know the difference between then and than. I thought every sentence had a quota of at least a dozen comas. I had never touched computer, still type holding a pencil, one letter at a time, but I'm up to almost twenty words a minute now. I studied agents and writer's blogs, made friends who read and critiqued my early struggles and taught me many, many things.

Writing this novel has given me other opportunities, as well. It was the constant drumbeat on blogs of, “Platform”, that caused me begin writing for the American Competitive Trail Horse Association. (ACTHA). You know, build a platform to sell your book. Because of that I contribute regularly in a column in a national magazine, and have had feature articles published in five others. I also have a page on their website ACTHA Spotlights by Dutch Henry,”with a link to my novel, where I write stories about People and Horses Helping Horses and People. You can check it out here.

http://www.actha.us/index.php?option=com_association&view=guest&area=content&id=124

What's next?

I suppose the immediate next is to try to sell books! I'm having fun right now with a lot of friends on Facebook about it. I'm going to continue to write for ACTHA, and now also Best Of America By Horseback.”

I have two novels started, one I like more than the other. I like to write about love and horses, so we'll see where these characters take me! And of course I'll spend as much time as God allows loving my sweet wife,the Ravishin' Robbie, riding my mare, Kessy and birdwatching.

THANK YOU, Rhiannon for this opportunity!

Gitty Up
Dutch

Check out Dutch's touching story about love, life and horses! Available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon, also in e-book formats on Smashwords.

Author Yvonne Eve Walus

Welcome Yvonne Walus, author of the Christine Chamberlain mystery series. Yvonne is making several blog stops today and giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to a lucky commenter. Leave a comment to be entered into the drawing!

Hi Yvonne! Murder @ Play is the second book in the Christine Chamberlain mystery series. Tell us a little about it:

EVERY MARRIAGE NEEDS A TOUCH OF MYSTERY. OR DOES IT?

In the new free South Africa of 1994, men are still boss, women carry handguns for self-protection, and some mistakes can change your life forever.

When a body is found during their weekend away with friends, Christine Chamberlain must use her brilliant mathematical mind to prove her husband's innocence...

... whether he's innocent or not.

When it comes to your loved ones, is it possible to know too much?

What I personally love about series is getting to hang out with a beloved main character book after book. What makes Christine Chamberlain so special that readers will want to follow her around for a while?

Agreeing to marry a man literally five minutes after you’ve met him sounds like the most romantic as well as the most irresponsible thing you could ever do. Dr. Christine Chamberlain, a sober-headed somber mathematician, is neither romantic nor irresponsible.

Five minutes after meeting a nobody-artist at his painting exhibition, Christine said yes. She never looked back.

Until now.

Even after years of marriage, how well do you really know the person with whom you share bread and bed?

In “Murder @ Play”, Christine is about to find out.

Christine is a loyal person. I think readers love her chiefly for that, not for her brilliant brain or youthful idealism. She may have a doctorate in math, but she’s still the girl next door, the one you’ve always wanted to be friends with, except you were both too shy to make the first move.


What made you pick South Africa as your setting?

I lived in South Africa during my impressionable teenage years and I totally fell in love with the place. There is something about that arid air, sunburned grass and deep blue sky that gets under your skin all the way into your soul. The people of the land are like the land itself: beautiful on the surface, tough underneath.

South Africa’s history is not without its painful mistakes. I’m not ashamed of them: they make the country all the more poignantly fascinating.

You obviously have an affinity for mysteries. Do you see yourself exploring other genres in the future, or does your heart belong to the mysterious?

I love reading and writing murder mysteries, but I enjoy the realms of futuristic fiction as well. Under a pseudonym, I’ve written a number of romances. I always return to the mysteries, though.

What's next for you, Yvonne? Book 3?

Book 3 in the “Murder @” series is completed and should be published in the near future.

Interesting facts:

A Tourist Guide

South Africa in 1994

On a Wing and a Prayer

• When you go to a doctor or dentist, don't take your wallet. The bill will be sent to your home address...

• ... But if you're a woman, the bill will be addressed to your father or your husband. Women don't trouble their pretty little heads with bills.

• If you're a woman, expect to be stopped at the door to an alcohol bar: that place is for men only, and your husband is welcome to go in while you wait for him in the street.

• Even if you are a career woman earning more than your husband does, you will need his signature when opening a credit account in a supermarket or a department store.

• If you're a man, the size of your manhood is directly proportional to the size of your gun.

• Gambling is illegal.

• Sex with a person of another race has only just been made legal. The Group Areas Act, however, is still in force, preventing people of different races from living in the same suburb.

• Your car costs half as much as your mansion.

• This year, you will pay more for a security fence than you pay for your daily house cleaning.

Excerpt from Murder @ Play:

Daniel punched in Christine's number as soon as he got off the aeroplane at Johannesburg International Airport. He was aware of the looks he drew. Admiration from the women, envy from the men. All because of his cellular phone, the latest technological trump in the game of Show Off Your Business Status.

"Hi, Tom," he said into the brick-sized phone.

Damn it! He didn't want to speak to Christine's husband, not today of all days.

"Daniel." It was an acknowledgement, not an invitation. "I'll get Christine for you."

One of his fellow passengers bumped into Daniel's briefcase.

"Hello, Christine. Are we still on for lunch today?"

"You're back? I thought you'd still be in Hong Kong."

"I managed to get an earlier flight." He didn't mention he cut the trip short in order to make it to their regular lunch date. "I tried to call–"

Please don't say you have other plans.

"No problem. Same time, same place?"

Yes!

He refused to have his good mood spoilt by the you're-on-my-time look of the passport control officer.

"Your passport, please? Thank you." The official stamp fell in a sausage-machine gesture. "Welcome home. Next!"

Daniel jammed the passport into his pocket and headed towards the green customs exit. With more nonchalance than needed, he swung his overnight bag past the crowd gathered around the conveyor belt. One of the customs officials stifled a yawn, rubbed his eyes, and signalled for Daniel to stop.

"You've just arrived from…?"

"Hong Kong," Daniel kept his face calm and relaxed. It was easy, because his whole body felt awake, not only because his internal clock showed midday even though it was six A.M. South African time.

"You don't have much luggage." It was a question, even if it didn't sound like one.

"It was a business trip. No time for shopping. But you know, whenever I take a girlfriend along–"

The official laughed and waved him through.

Daniel waited until he was in the parking lot before he exhaled.

His phone rang just as he was loading the suitcase, with the contraband, into his car. Alice's number. He sent it straight into voicemail.

"Hi," he heard the throaty voice. "I hope you've had a wonderful trip." The words sounded artificial somehow, as though she had rehearsed in front of the mirror. "Please call me back when you get this." A pause, then a quick, "It's important."

Important, sure. Important to her. In her world, it was always Alice, Alice, Alice. She was the axel–what she thought, what she felt, what she wanted–and everything else revolved around her needs.

The Porsche yielded to his touch like a loving woman should. A loving woman…. It had been a while. Nobody since Alice, in fact. Why was that? Was he losing his charm? Getting old? Twenty-six already. Even without glancing in the rear-view mirror he knew his face was still that of a naughty boy, with smooth skin and sharp cheekbones. He tensed his abdomen muscles with satisfaction.

So, what is it?

Deep down, though, he knew well enough. He'd had a loving woman, once, long ago, and he had let her walk out on him. Today, though, today he was going to tell her. During their regular lunch date.

You can visit Yvonne at:
• website: http://yewalus.kiwiwebhost.net.nz/
• blog: http://yewalus.blogspot.com/
• facebook: http://www.facebook.com/yvonne.walus
• book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJpbOiFkPkU
• buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Play-ebook/dp/B003CT30GC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=A3QI763M62X7GQ&s=books&qid=1274234575&sr=1-2
• publisher: http://www.echelonpress.com/

Author Interview/Review: Cole Alpaugh

Cole Alpaugh's newspaper career began in the early 80s, starting with small daily papers in Maryland and Massachusetts, where his stories won national awards. His most recent job was at a large daily in Central New Jersey, where his "true life" essays included award-winning pieces on a traveling rodeo and an in-depth story on an emergency room doctor that was nominated by Gannett News Service for a 1991 Pulitzer Prize. Cole also did work for two Manhattan-based news agencies, covering conflicts in Haiti, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Thailand and Cambodia. His work has appeared in dozens of magazines, as well as most newspapers in America. Cole is currently a freelance photographer and writer living in Northeast Pennsylvania, where he also coaches his daughter's soccer team.

What inspired you to write this book? Years ago, I’d taken my oldest daughter to see a traveling circus. It was an old, broken down troupe with license plates from down south, but they had an enormous African elephant with a headdress made of pink ostrich feathers. We were walking through the maze of animal cages when we noticed a bird had landed on the elephant’s head and was picking at the feathers. The elephant was prodding it with the tip of her trunk. My six-year-old daughter was amazed by the interaction, and we stood watching the bird trying to steal feathers, perhaps for its nest, while the elephant tried gently coaxing it away. Then, one of the circus workers walked up and, for no apparent reason, cracked the elephant across the side of its head with a long wood bullhook. The bird flew away, and the elephant began to cry, as did my daughter. It made me want to tell the story.


I spent a good chunk of the 1980's and early '90's as a war correspondent for two Manhattan picture agencies. Maybe a glamorous sounding gig when trying to pick up girls in bars, but it was sweaty, awful work most of the time. For what came out to be about a buck an hour, I went on at least a hundred patrols, basically trying to get shot at on three continents. If the patrol you latched onto got into a firefight, you might make four bucks an hour from photo sales. We learned to supplement our income by shooting feature pictures during downtime. Some of the most amazing people are traveling performers in third world countries. In Asia, the circus is revered, even the ragtag bands crisscrossing the most impoverished regions of Burma, Vietnam, and Cambodia. My story -- BEAR -- is set along the New Jersey shore, but most of the roustabouts and performers were based on these people who made their way from village to village, often sending kids ahead to scout whether there'd been any recent fighting. In BEAR, I tried to convey the obvious pride carried by these folks, from the aerialists to the congenital twins in the "freaks of nature" tents. I've seen real magic, the transformation that happens when an eighty-year-old man takes off his rags and puts on a glittering, handmade costume and leads a bear in a dance.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? I suppose it's a message about hope. How important hope is, yet all the dangers that come from opening yourself up to it. In
GARP, John Irving wrote about the sinister Under Toad lurking just beneath the surface. I suppose I'm just another writer who stole a bit of the Under Toad for my characters to deal with. But in every traveling circus I've encountered, sad stories easily outnumbered the good. One of my roustabouts in BEAR spent years perfecting an awesome defense against things that sneak up and cause pain. He learned to sit real quiet and still -- until he became invisible. If they can't see you, nothing can get at you.

As you know, I've had the pleasure of reading your work and feel there's a unique quality to your writing. How would you describe your writing style/voice? Thank you! Well, I had a tough time coming up with a family-friendly passage for readings. I was a little surprised when I noticed how often I used the word fuck and how often my characters fight and piss on each other. In some countries, whacking someone with your shoe is the ultimate display of contempt. I guess those people have never been pissed on.

You wear many hats--husband, father, coach, photographer, writer. Do you plan to make a long-term career out of writing novels? Would you care to buy five thousand copies of BEAR after this little talk? When my now 10-year-old was born, we moved to our vacation home full-time. My wife, Amy, left her job as a bio-chemist, and I went from staff photographer to freelance. We
simplified and downsized our lives so we could concentrate on things more important than paying a huge mortgage. Writing is incredibly satisfying and provides a daily dose of validation. It's the same feeling at the end of soccer practice, when I huddle up my eighteen girls and everyone puts a muddy hand in the middle. I hope to do both until I'm really old. Uh, oh, there's that word hope. I should edit it out.

What's next? My favorite story -- THE TURTLE-GIRL FROM EAST PUKAPUKA -- has entered the query-go-round. I'd love for it to find a home. It's about a tsunami that sweeps across a remote island in the South Pacific, the lone survivor being a young girl clinging to the back of an old sea turtle she'd been caring for. It's a story about trying to find the way back home. There's cannibalism, Fijian coke thieves, and a drunken salvage boat captain named Jesus, who hums Verdi's Rigoletto while blissfully peeing into the wind. To sum up what's next: more piss and hope, I suppose.

You can visit Cole at his website. The Bear In a Muddy Tutu is available in print, on Kindle, or ebook.

A deftly written story driven by raw and vivid characters and rich with evocative language and colorful descriptions. With every page another layer is peeled back as this fascinating, magical tale unfolds--sad or humorous, but always thoughtful. Alpaugh's writing does not rely on cheap tricks or predictable plot points, but slowly pulls you in and compels you to stick around for a while. Rest assured, in The Bear in a Muddy Tutu, you will constantly be surprised by what happens next.

--review by Rhiannon Ellis

Author Ami Blackwelder

Ami Blackwelder is a forbidden romance writer in the paranormal and historical romance genre. Growing up in Florida, she went to UCf and in 1997 received her BA in English and teaching credentials. She travelled overseas to teach in Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered her second home now. She has always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, her novels began when she was in Thailand.

Having won the Best Fiction Award from the University of Central Florida (Yes, The Blair Witch Project University;), her fiction From Joy We Come, Unto Joy We Return was published in the on campus literary magazine: Cypress Dome and remains to this day in University libraries around the country. Later, she achieved the Semi-Finals in a Laurel Hemingway contest and published a few poems in the Thailand’s Expat magazine, and an article in the Thailand’s People newspaper. Additionally, she has published poetry in the Korea’s AIM magazine, the American Poetic Monthly magazine and Twisted Dreams Magazine.


Be sure to stop by Ami's website!

Eloquent Enraptures and author Ami Blackwelder proudly presents the six part science fiction/paranormal romance saga! Like nothing you have ever experienced!

Shifters of 2040:

“I’m pregnant. Her eyes peered over the edge of the cloth and confronted her mirrored reflection with that truth. I’m pregnant…by a SHIFTER. Oh, god!”

In “The Shifters of 2040,” Scientist Melissa Marn finds her world swirling on its axis with that one revelation. Shifters — a sentient alien species of light — look to Earth for refuge. In doing so, both shifters and humans are forced to confront prejudice, betrayal, adversity and oppression.

Methodical scientist, Melissa Marn, and her coworker, Dr. Bruce Wilder, conduct experiments on the shifters. Through her pregnancy, she becomes more compassionate and humane and finds herself defending the very species she’s supposed to eradicate.

One of the hybrids, Diamond, falls in love with Keenan, a soldier trained to kill her. Between the four, the reader is led from conflict to resolution, from despair to hope, from loneliness to love.

Much of the book’s originality lies in the shifters, common characters in science fiction, but whose origins are rarely explained. In this series, their alien DNA allows them to metamorphose into not just wolves, but a variety of animals. As the plot unfolds, the shifters discover they can have children with humans — hybrids.

Strengths of the novel include the complex characters, its writing style of poetic prose and rich description, and the well developed, thought-provoking, yet highly entertaining plot.
This fast paced book will appeal to the young adult and adult market. It fits nicely into the paranormal romance and science fiction romance genres and would make a great movie, a captivating TV series and an intriguing video game.

Readers will enjoy the fresh approach and original concept of the world thirty years from now, and will find the characters come to life in their minds long after they read “The End.”

Purchase options at her website.
http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com/

Character Interview: This interview will be conducted for the characters of the Shifters of 2040. Scientist Melissa Marn and the hybrid Diamond.

Do you always love what you can’t have?
Melissa Marn: The Smithsonian, Bruce Wilder. I guess I do. But my life is controlled by the SCM now, by my father and General Raul. They decided this fate for me. If I had my way, I’d run off with Bruce somewhere far away...
Diamond: I fell in love with the enemy on accident. I didn’t plan to love Keenan, the military soldier sworn to kill me and my kind. He didn’t plan to love me. We just happened.

If you were a quality?
Melissa Marn: The River. I am methodical like waves. I do the job needed to be done, whatever the cost of erosion, and flow continually. Close to the Earth, but I am cold, because the SCM coaxed me since fifteen, and trained me since twenty-five.
Diamond: The Hawk. This is my other half, the beast inside of me, that the humans fear. I fly above the world and watch. Silent, and steady, but strong.

If you were a flaw?
Melissa Marn: Ice. I am cold, and hard. And too easily I melt and conform to the shape I am enclosed in, that prisoner the SCM has built around my life.
Diamond: The Heart. I feel too much. Emotions explode inside of me, and I sense my heart will be the end of me one day. If I could only feel less...

Do you always walk on the moral slippery slope?
Melissa Marn: It’s my job! It’s all I know. And if I didn’t do it, someone else would. What then? I know the shifters are more than the SCM tells us they are. They must feel something. But what? My curiosity and scientific training drives me. I have to find answers to my questions. I have to perform my duty!
Diamond: But I love him! I know being with him draws danger to my kind, to my family. My sister. But he would never betray me, willingly. I know he loves me too. And though I am sworn to stay away from him, from all SCM, my heart dominates my head.

Favorite food?
Melissa Marn: The Italian restaurant Little Milan. Bruce and I have shared many discussions, heated arguments, and romantic memories there.
Diamond: Mice...I am half hawk.

Author Interview: Lizzie T. Leaf

Award winning author, Lizzie T. Leaf, started life in Kansas, continued her growing years in North Carolina, and currently shivers through the winters in Colorado. She has numerous e-Books of varying lengths and her first print novel, Struck by Lightning, won dual 2007 Beacon awards. Not a bad track record for a gal who came out of the closet with the dream to write after she turned fifty.

Her novellas at Aspen Mountain Press fall into two categories…erotic contemporary or paranormal romance in the DEAD series. She also had her first historical, Making Christmas, through the Aurora Regency line at AMP.

Beyond Magic, released through Passion in Print Press, is the first book in the Magical Love Series.

She also has a monthly column, Leaf’s Legends, debuting February 2011 for Night Owl Reviews Magazine, where she explores the worlds of myths, fantasy and the paranormal.

When not writing, traveling, reading, gardening and family consume her time.

Hi Lizzie! Tell us little about yourself.

Thank you so much for having me, Rhiannon!

Writing is a love I developed as a young girl, but like so many of us, life got in the way and I became distracted with the corporate job and raising a family. When my then husband passed away about twelve years ago, I found myself alone for the first time in my life. Even during a prior divorce, I still had two children to focus on.

Since all my children were adults with families when I faced being a widow, I had plenty of time to think and explore. Reading had continued to be my number one hobby, no matter how business life became and with time alone, the desire to write resurfaced.

Since then, I’ve had numerous novellas published and prior to Beyond Magic, my only other novel, Struck by Lightning, won the Beacon in two categories and was a finalist in several other contests. My family and current husband of seven years are my main supporters and encourage me to branch out into whatever genre I enjoy writing.

When I’m not working, I spendtime with my family, reading, traveling and meeting new people.

In fact, if any of your readers are going to attend Romantic Times 2011 Convention in April, please come up and say hello. Would love to meet you!

You have a new release. How exciting! What can you tell us about Beyond Magic?

Beyond Magic started out as an entirely different book. Originally it was to be the follow up to Struck by Lightning, but the publisher ended up closing down. The book set in my files for a couple of years and then one day I opened it and decided I could use the base,with some changes, to create a new series.

I knew I wanted some of it set in Scotland and the Cailleach idea popped into my head. Take the old crone out of her element of tending the earth and have the Powers direct her to unite lovers.

Of course, there had to be a handsome hero and that led to the creation of Ian McCabe, a cross-blood immortal. With his family gene pool, gods on his father’s side and Fae on his mother’s, he could be nothing short of gorgeous and powerful, even if he wanted to ignore his powers.

The heroine Emma would be a little older, late 30s, and with not exactly the greatest track record in the love relationship department. This makes her a bit insecure and determined to focus on her new career in tourism. She’s developed sort of a ‘who needs men’ attitude.

Between the supporting characters in Emma’s life and the godly/magical ones in Ian’s, there’s humor and major frustration to go with the love connection between the two.

Beyond Magic hit the shelves in January. How has your publishing experience been so far?

This is my first book with Passion in Print Press and I’ve found them very supportive and easy to work with. From the publisher, editor(s) and cover artist…each and every one of them has made me feel valued as an author and as an individual.

Do you have any advice for other authors with new releases?

Promote! Try and think outside the box, too. In today’s market there is a lot of competition for the reader’s attention and sometimes it takes a different approach to get noticed. Brainstorm with your friends and fellow authors if you have problems coming up with ideas, or run some of yours by them to get their feedback.

And while you’re promoting, don’t forget to write. Some days that is a challenge!

Are you working on another writing project now? If so, when can we expect to see your next book?

I’m working on the second book in the Magical Love Series. If my editor had her way she’d have it…tomorrow! But since she has to wait on me, release will probably be late summer/early fall 2011.

Where can we find you on the web?

http://www.lizzietleaf.com/

http://lizzietleaf.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=826769827
http://twitter.com/lizzietleaf

Where can readers purchase Beyond Magic?

http://www.passioninprint.com/ShowBook.php?CR=LTL_BEYONDMAGIC

At Amazon in print & eBook http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Magic-Lizzie-T-Leaf/dp/1608202429/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

At All Romance eBooks http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-beyondmagic-509908-143.html

And Beyond Magic can be ordered at your local bookstore if they don’t have in stock.

Thank you so much, Lizzie, for stopping by. Best of luck following your dream!

New Release: Power Play by Xondra Day

Evernight Publishing releases Power Play, by Xondra Day, today! If what's in between the cover is as good as the cover itself, I can't wait to read this one!

Blurb: Daria Desmond is a woman hell bent on exploring not only herself, but also the boundaries of her marriage. With the firm belief that variety is the spice of life, she heads into the adventure of a lifetime with a most agreeable husband. Her life is an erotic journey of self discovery, and in the end, only one thing matters—her marriage and the bond that comes with it.

Visit Evernight Publishing's website to get your copy of Power Play.

You might remember the author of Power Play visiting Whispers before under another name, Vivian Kees. Find out more about her and her sexy books by friending her on Facebook.

Related posts: A Sordid Situation's author, Vivian Kees, tackles interview questions here. Quick! Happily Ever After Reviews is giving away a free copy of this fabulous historical romance here.

Author Interview: Shirley Kennedy

Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming author of the newly released historical romance, Heartbreak Trail, Shirley Kennedy. Shirley and I are practically family because we have the same agent and the same publisher!


Hello, Shirley, and thanks for stopping by. Tell us a little about yourself.

Hello, Rhiannon, thanks for inviting me. I can divide my adult life into stages: 1) my housewife and mother stage wherein I raised two lovely daughters, 2) my career woman stage wherein I worked for twenty years as a computer programmer and system analyst, 3) my "don't quit your day job" stage wherein, overcome by a combination of job burnout and my passion for writing, I did exactly that and never looked back.

Now, happily single, I live in Las Vegas with my daughter and two cats. I write several hours a day and am not beyond taking an occasional break to enjoy a buffet at any one of many nearby casinos. Not a bad life indeed!

Heartbreak Trail was just released by Camel Press. What's the story about?

While reading diaries of the pioneer women who traveled west in covered wagons, I was struck by the fact that few, if any, really wanted to go. Lucy, my heroine, is one such woman. She's happy with her comfortable life in Massachusetts until her husband, hearing about the gold rush, sells the farm so they can head for California on a wagon train. My story is about Lucy's courage in the face of the dangers and hardships she encounters along the way.

Heartbreak Trail is a historical romance that takes place in the 1800s. What kind of research went into creating an authentic setting for this wagon-trail love story?

The women's diaries were a great source. Also, there are many books available concerning the Overland and Oregon trails. The book I used the most was Wagons West, the Epic Story of America's Overland Trails, by Frank McLynn. And of course I consulted Internet sites for everything from 19th century slang, to Indian tribes, to Bible quotations for every occasion.


I always imagined women like your heroine Lucy must have been very strong to endure the many hardships brought their way while traveling by covered wagon for months on end. How difficult do you think it was for the real pioneer women? And what joys do you think they experienced that only those on the wagon trail could?

In my book I have attempted to describe both joys and sorrows. On her way to California, Lucy encounters raging rivers that must be crossed, buffalo stampedes, an Indian attack, deadly diseases, childbirth tragedies and more. On the other hand, she gains inner strength and a new appreciation of the beauty of the Old West: "astonishing sightings of tens of thousands of galloping buffalo; pristine lakes, streams, and forests never seen or touched by a white man; the mightsnow-capped peaks of the great mountain ranges; the edge of the continent where giant waves of the Pacific crash against the rocky shore."

I noticed on your website that you've also written Regency romance. Have you ever considered writing contemporary or paranormal romance, or does your heart belong to historical?

Almost but not quite. It just so happens I have two completed novels waiting to be sold. One, a contemporary Paranormal Romance, involves a haunted casino in Las Vegas. The other is a larger Regency. I used to write the small "traditional" Regencies, but the big publishers don't publish them anymore. So my latest Regency Romance has more pages and more, shall we say, "steamy" love scenes that were ever required in those sweet little Regencies.

Do you have any other books coming out in the near future? If so, when can we expect your next one?

I plan to write another western romance. I have a working title, Wagon Train Cinderella, which is either a great title or the worst title on the planet, I haven't decided which yet.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Before you go, where can readers/writers find you and your work online?

Heartbreak Trail has been published in several formats. Find it in print or e-book, including Kindle. It's on Amazon.com, Amazon.com Kindle, Smashwords, and more.

You can find all places it's sold at http://camelpress.com/2010/12/06/heartbreak-trail-by-shirley-kennedy-passion-blossoms-on-a-perilous-journey-west/

Or I list them at my website, www.shirleykennedy.com

Thanks! It was a pleasure.

Thanks for stopping by, Shirley. Be sure to check out Shirley's website and read more about Heartbreak Trail.

Publisher Interview: Stephanie Taylor from Astraea Press

Astraea was formed in 2010 when two friends saw the need for a non-erotic e-publisher that offers wholesome reads but still maintains the quality of mainstream romance. The first titles for Astraea will be launched in February 2011.

With over six years experience in the publishing industry and avid readers, owners Stephanie and Jane look forward to working with their authors, having fun, and bringing you the best books available.

With us today is Editor-in-chief of Astraea Press, Stephanie Taylor.


Welcome, Stephanie. First, I'd like to ask you a little about the genre/type of books Astraea Press will be publishing. The word "wholesome" is used. Tell us what this means.

I’d like to think that it means…wholesome! LOL. Astraea will be publishing anything from inspirational to mainstream where the focus is solely on the relationship. Think romance from the 1950’s. Remember a time when romance wasn’t about Sex Ed 101 and was a beautiful thing? That’s what Astraea strives for. We also publish genres outside of romance.

It’s hard to put a definitive answer on what we accept. For instance, a more sensual love scene between married couples would be more appropriate than one between unmarried couples or two people who don’t love each other. In essence, if you have something you think Astraea would like to see, we’d love to look at it! We only ask that sex scenes not be graphic with euphemisms or language and focus on the emotional aspect of the relationship, not the physical.

Writers love getting an inside view of the mysteries of publishing. What are you and the rest of the Astraea Press staff doing to get ready for your February 2011 launch?

In one word? READING! We’re reading submissions, we’re working on edits, we’re marketing, we’re spending a great deal of time online trying to get our name out there and doing interviews with wonderful people like you!

I'm sure you're getting pelted with questions about your sustainability as a new press on the block. It's a valid concern we writers have that a small/new press will close its doors and our precious work will be lost forever. Do you offer any guarantees to authors who sign with you concerning the rights to their work should Astraea Press calls it quits in a couple years?

This is a question I keep getting over and over and I appreciate you addressing it! It’s hard to maintain a reputation when you start with nothing. When my close friend Jane and I decided to open this e-publisher, we decided we wanted to be a step above the rest.

Sure, everyone says that, right? On a personal level, I’ll just be honest. We’re southern belles. We’re friendly, we’re Christians and we’re going to treat you right. I’m an author, too, and I can’t imagine how scary it would be to lose the rights to one of your “babies” and then your publishing house just disappears! I live by the old adage, “treat others as you would have them treat you”. I have people who have questioned whether or not we could handle this since we have families and marriage and LIFE. Well, let me tell you. Just like our family and our marriage, our religion, everything is a PART of our life that makes up the whole. Jane and I have an understanding that we will step in for each other if we are needed elsewhere.

Also, many publishers who fold are only run by one person. I began with a team of five people, all talented, excited and willing to step in no matter where they’re needed. I only hope to add to our team as we grow.

In a professional capacity, we offer a clause in our contract that we will have the rights to your work returned to you within 30 days of Astraea’s official closing, should that happen. If we don’t have it back to you by then, we EXPECT a call from an attorney, because it’s YOUR book! Astraea is only the house lucky enough to publish it.

Most writers start off with visions of BIG contracts and BIG publishing houses dancing in their heads. And most writers will end up finding their home with a smaller press. For those still unsure as to whether or not a small/newer press is right for them, can you tell us some of the advantages of signing with one?

Smaller presses equal closer relationships. Don’t care about that? Well, at Astraea, we hope to have your book available in digital and print form within 6 months, most likely less. Right now, all edits are done by me and I have experience with five different publishing houses in editing and experience in the industry that goes back over six years.

We’re also planning a wider distribution through third party vendors than a lot of other houses, so you not only get the close relationships with our staff, but also the availability of larger houses.

I noticed you had a pitch contest on December 7th. Is that over? If not, how do writers enter this contest? If so, will you be having another one anytime soon?

The pitch from Dec. 7th is over, but I’m hosting another one in January. I’m also in negotiations for a few other places, so stay tuned for those to be announced.

Keep in mind that even though the pitch contest is over, we’re still trying to fill our schedule for the February 2011 launch and accepting submissions in all genres. Our goal is to have ten books at this launch. You can see our fabulous cover art by Elaina Lee on our Facebook page. You won’t be disappointed!

Elaina will also be hosting a free header giveaway in January, so watch our site and Facebook page for details on that, coming soon!

Where will Astraea Press's books be sold?

Of course the biggest dream would be for us to be in brick and mortar. But right now, we’ll be available at amazon, B&N, overdrive.com, and numerous other third party vendors, as well as our website. Print books will also be available on Amazon.

Thanks so much to Stephanie Taylor for stopping by and telling us about Astraea Press! Visit Astraea Press here or by going to http://www.astraeapress.com/ where you will find their submissions guidelines, contact information, and blog.

Book Giveaway with Elaina Lee!

I'm very excited to welcome romance author Elaina Lee to Whispers. Elaina is the author of the newly released romantic suspense, Written In Blood.

Anyone who leaves a comment on today's interview will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of Elaina's book, Written In Blood.

Enjoy the interview, and don't forget to include your email address when you comment so Elaina will be able to get in touch with our winner.

NOTE: This contest has ended. Elaina will contact the WINNER soon!


Hello, Elaina, and thanks for stopping by. Tell us a little about yourself.

Thank you, Rhiannon. I'm really excited to be here! Well, let's see… About me. I live in the South, but I'm a transplant. I was raised in Oregon and moved here after I married. We have a teenager now, and a toddler. I don't know which one's worse, LOL! They both whine, scream and get on my nerves. Yet they both amaze me as they evolve into individuals. I've been writing since I was twelve, when my teacher gave us our first assignment. We had to write a fantasy. Mine was about a young girl who lost her parents and discovered she could talk to the animals on her aunt and uncles farm. I wrote almost twenty thousand words! Next was an RL Stine contest our English teacher wanted us to enter, we had to write fives pages. I wrote an entire notebook. I haven't stopped writing since. The characters just won't leave me alone!

Written In Blood was released last month by Noble Romance. What's the story about?

Lyndi Crisdean is a defense attorney representing a serial killer. She's unaware that a cult is after her, hoping to use her as their next sacrifice. Alek Trevian, the lead investigator for the DA's office, is investing her client. He shifts his attention to the cult when Lyndi begins being harassed by them. Working for opposite sides of the law, Alek and Lyndi's relationship is forbidden, especially since Alek is investigating her client. But, as the dangers being to mount against her, and Alek is the only person who can help, they find themselves drawn together and sooner or later, they're going to break the rules…

Your heroine is a defense attorney, and your hero is an investigator. What kind of research did you have to do in order to create authentic characters?

Oh my gosh, well, for starters I read every field manual I could get my hands on. I found Tennessee had the best one, as their police force has an investigative unit, similar to the FBI's. The manual is amazingly thorough. For Lyndi, I read about five law books and enlisted the help of my good friend and fellow writer, Amber Green, who is a lawyer by day (and an amazing erotica writer by night). I tried to keep the career descriptions to a minimum since I didn't want a legal thriller, but focus more on their careers affecting their personal lives, rather than their careers being the focal point of the story.

Written In Blood is a romantic suspense, but you write many other genres as well. If you had to pick a few as favorites, what would they be?

Romantic suspense is definitely one of my favorites. I love angst and torture and all the heavy and difficult emotions that come with suspense. I enjoy writing alpha males who have a purpose, LOL, and heroines who can be strong, yet need help because they can't do it alone. If I could ever get one to work, Historical's are also a passion of mine. But my characters hate conforming and history is full of rules I rarely like to break. History buffs know better and I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone. I recently ventured into romantic comedy, for fun. A way for me to write what it's like living in the south as a transplant. When Reese Witherspoon said, "You need a passport to come down here" in Sweet Home Alabama, she wasn't kidding! I've been having great fun with it. Describing the amazing sweet natured way people are down here, coupled with football obsessions, the slower way of life, and the massive bugs, from the view point of a northern city boy, how could you go wrong?

Do you have any other books coming out in the near future? If so, when can we expect your next book?

I do have another book coming out in the future! The title is First Kiss, it's a New Years novella, being released through Decadent Publishing. I don't have a release date yet, but I'm crossing my fingers it's released in time for readers to bring in the New Year with that warm fuzzy feeling we all adore when we read romances.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Before you go, where can readers/writers find you and your work online?

Thank you so much for having me! I can be found at either http://www.elainalee.com/ or http://www.forthemusedesign.com/. My blog is http://www.elaina-lee.blogspot.com/ and of course http://www.nobleromance.com/ and soon http://www.decadentpublishing.com/.

Big thanks to Elaina Lee for stopping by and participating in a giveaway. Leave a comment along with your email address, and you might win a copy of Written In Blood.

Author Interview: Mike Archer

Interview with Mike Archer, author of the newly released novel, The Mystery Within.

Hi Mike! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi my name is Michael Archer; I was born and raised in East Wenatchee, WA. I have 2 beautiful kids. My son Ian, he is 6 and my new daughter Rion who was born on the 4th of Nov. I started writing my book back in 2004. Finally able to have it completed for people to enjoy it. I continued writing my 2nd and 3rd book of my series. All is needed is for them to be edited and they will be ready for people to enjoy them as well. I wrote these books because I always loved anything to do with Vampires and Werewolves but I didn’t like certain things about them. So I created my own story in the ways I felt they should have been written.


Your novel, The Mystery Within, was just released on Amazon Kindle. What genre is it? What's the story about?

My book is a Mix between Many types of Genre. It is a Suspenseful mystery mixed with fantasy.

A young man named Adelmo Madison was sheltered from the dark secrets that his family harbored. Now, years later he is the successful owner of quaint little book store in the heart of New Orleans with no idea of the danger he is about to face. Until one day a mysterious man enters the bookstore, acting strange. This man opens his world up to a new uncharted territory for Adelmo. This disturbing event shatters his quiet little life as he knows it and broadens his experiences further then he realized.
Nightmares and horrific visions start to haunt Adelmo and he must now start an investigation into his past to uncover the secrets that his family so desperately tried to shield from him at such a young age. Discovery of old journals, belonging to Adelmo’s ancestors, take him on a journey to his home country of Romania where his grandfather and the explanation he has been so desperately searching for awaits him.

Adelmo must now take his place in a long line of protectors and prepare to risk everything to keep the ones he loves from danger. Fighting the unseen enemies, which throws him into danger, Adelmo will do whatever it takes to survive.


Part of your story takes place in Romania. What kind of research did you have to do to make sure you created an authentic setting?

This is the beginning of a series that I have written. This first book is based in New Orleans as well as Romania. I did as much researching as I could to get all the information needed to be able to let the reader feel like I have been to these places. I also chose important landmarks, such as Dracula’s Castle, His birth place, well as where he was buried. There are actual true historical statements that were plugged into the story to give people a feel of some truth to the story I wrote. I figured this would peak peoples interest on wanting to visit these location.

Is this your chosen genre or do you write other genres as well?

I thought about writing other types but this area is what flows easiest for me. So I will stick with this until I get a solid story line for a different type of genre.

When can we expect your next book?

My next book is nearly completed, I am waiting on the funds to allow me to get through the editing process. This is the sequel to my first and its locations are based in New Orleans as well as Germany this time around.

Where can readers find you and your work online?

http://themysterywithin-bookseries.com/ This is my Personal Website. It tells you about my current book. I am in the process of making a buy option but currently the only place you can buy it as of now is Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Within-1-Michael-Archer/dp/1456452320/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1299788926&sr=8-2

Thanks, Mike. Best of luck to you! Check out The Mystery Within.