Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Today I have paranormal romance author Eva Gordon who contacted me about scheduling an author interview, author guest blog and book reviews. I've already read and reviewed her first two books in her Wolf Maiden Chronicles series which are called Werewolf Sanctuary and Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf. But that is not all because I will be chatting live with Eva Gordon on my live podcast show TAMFA—Phoebe Jordan on Thursday, October 8th at 9PM EST (8PM CST or 6PM PST). Also don't forget that I interviewed Eva here on Monday so read my interview with her as well. Now onto Eva's guest blog about her current release in her Wolf Maiden Chronicles series called Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf:
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The concept for Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf, came about when I was finishing up Werewolf Sanctuary, book 1 in the Wolf Maiden Chronicles. My main character Wyatt was doing research on lycan history and he mentioned a wolf maiden once taken by Vikings. The next day I read the travel section and there was an article about the Gascony Coast in South Western France. I found the area to be beautiful and read about Viking raids when it was part of the Frank Kingdom. I decided that my heroine would be a Frank wolf maiden, Emelisse, daughter of a powerful Frank lycan knight. My hero, Sigurd, would be a werewolf from Scandia who became a Viking in order to find the berserker bear men who slaughtered most of his pack. I kept to a strict schedule and finished the rough draft in four months. After editing with both my critique partners and my editor the story was ready in a few more months. My research was just as much fun as the writing of the story.
I always loved Norse mythology and werewolf lore so I truly enjoyed creating this story. In the Viking world to be a member of the Wolf Clan, Ulfhednar was the greatest honor. Viking warriors believed that if they died a heroic death they would be turned into magnificent wolves. Vikings also believed wolves chasing and devouring the sun and moon caused eclipses. Two wolves accompanied Odin, ruler of the Norse Gods. He created the wolves Freki (Hungry One) and Geri (Greedy One) as loyal companions. I introduced Fenris as the wolf god of my Norse werewolves. Their enemies became the berserker bearskins, men who shift into bears. Like berserkers of legend who raided with massive weapons, wearing nothing but animal skins my berserkers lead the pillage throughout and were feared even by the Norse Jarls who hired them.
In my world my characters not only had to deal with enemy lycan packs and the berserker bear men but also the dreaded disease we all know as rabies. What happens when a werewolf gets rabies? Throughout history there had been stories of wolves that boldly attack village people. The culprit for these attacks must have been rabies, which causes animals to attack in rage. The disease makes swallowing extremely painful so the animals salivate. Rabies is known as hydrophobia, which literally means fear of water. In my story Emelisse is directed to find a cure to hydrophobia from her wolf goddess, Feronia. My story is filled with werewolf lore, disease, magic and the romance between an alpha and wolf maiden. Emelisse and Sigurd must learn to love one another despite their different culture and wolf gods.
Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf is a historical paranormal romance that takes place during the Viking Era of the Dark Ages. A time when only the strong survive. It is the second book in the Wolf Maiden Chronicles, which depicts alpha lycans and their human wolf maiden mates. Sigurd, an alpha Norse wolfskin, son of Gunnolf the Red seeks revenge against shape shifting bearskins, Bork the Mad and his son, Mord the Blood Claw for the death of his parents and his older brother Guda. Orphaned, he has been raised by his older sister Brynhild, who convinces him to take a wolf maiden in order to increase their small pack. Despite the warning by Hungerd the wolf witch, he takes a farmer’s new bride with tragic consequences. Alone he joins a long ship until the day he can avenge his pack’s demise.
Emelisse, a Frank wolf maiden, has been raised and educated in the classics, science, literature and languages by female lycans of the Lupercal. Born a runt with a weak heart her father has been overprotective. She refuses to be treated like a delicate vase and rebels by seeking out riding and falconry. Now at age eighteen Emelisse frets that her father wants her to accept Radulf III the Cruel, an alpha lycan of a pack of powerful warriors. She tries to run away with her human lover. Viking werewolf, Sigurd rescues Emelisse, from the claws of the berserker bear men. He claims her as his ulf hexen or wolf maiden, but she wants to leave lycan society and live with humans. To complicate matters she has been called by her goddess Feronia to save the lycans from a dreaded disease. Their union is wrought with great peril in a world where werewolves must battle against their own kind as well as their fierce enemy, the berserker bear men. Will Emelisse accept Sigurd a foreign lycan as her alpha mate? Sigurd vows to protect her from their enemies but how can he save her before she dies from her ailing heart?
Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf is a historical paranormal romance that takes place during the Viking Era of the Dark Ages. A time when only the strong survive. It is the second book in the Wolf Maiden Chronicles, which depicts alpha lycans and their human wolf maiden mates. Sigurd, an alpha Norse wolfskin, son of Gunnolf the Red seeks revenge against shape shifting bearskins, Bork the Mad and his son, Mord the Blood Claw for the death of his parents and his older brother Guda. Orphaned, he has been raised by his older sister Brynhild, who convinces him to take a wolf maiden in order to increase their small pack. Despite the warning by Hungerd the wolf witch, he takes a farmer’s new bride with tragic consequences. Alone he joins a long ship until the day he can avenge his pack’s demise.
Emelisse, a Frank wolf maiden, has been raised and educated in the classics, science, literature and languages by female lycans of the Lupercal. Born a runt with a weak heart her father has been overprotective. She refuses to be treated like a delicate vase and rebels by seeking out riding and falconry. Now at age eighteen Emelisse frets that her father wants her to accept Radulf III the Cruel, an alpha lycan of a pack of powerful warriors. She tries to run away with her human lover. Viking werewolf, Sigurd rescues Emelisse, from the claws of the berserker bear men. He claims her as his ulf hexen or wolf maiden, but she wants to leave lycan society and live with humans. To complicate matters she has been called by her goddess Feronia to save the lycans from a dreaded disease. Their union is wrought with great peril in a world where werewolves must battle against their own kind as well as their fierce enemy, the berserker bear men. Will Emelisse accept Sigurd a foreign lycan as her alpha mate? Sigurd vows to protect her from their enemies but how can he save her before she dies from her ailing heart?
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Glossary for the Wolf Maiden Chronicles
Pack Hierarchy
Lycan: An ancient line of humans that shift into large bear sized massive wolves with distinctive tattoos depicting their specific pack. Also known as wolfen, wolf men, wolfskins and werewolves. Their shape shifting is not painful but rather pleasurable. Lycans are superior to humans in many ways. They have the strength of ten men, and the alpha has the strength of five or more lycans. They can heal over night from severe wounds and are immune to most diseases except for the dreaded rabies and the toxin from wolf bane flower. They are very loyal and gentle with their young and pack members.
Alpha Lycan: Dominant lycans that are leaders of their packs and can are not under the influence of the moon. They can shift at any time. The alpha male must control his pack of betas.
Male Alpha: The male alpha leads the pack. He is the result of a lycan and human woman mating. He is the most powerful member of the pack and like all alphas can shift at any time. Alpha males can only marry a wolf maiden, a human life mate.
Female Alpha: A female lycan not under the influence of the moon. She helps protect the pack and serves as a surrogate parent to all the pack children. Alpha females are barren. The Lupercal or Lycan secret governmental body is run by twelve alpha females.
Wolf Maiden: A human woman with the special palm facing 5 toed wolf print birth mark, which turns bright red when she is imprinted by her alpha life mate. A wolf maiden can be born to a pack or randomly among humans, unaware of her role. She is also known as an Ulf hexen in Viking culture. During the Middle Ages she was also called a wolf witch or a woman marked with the sign of the beast. Though she is meant for an alpha mate, she can marry and though it takes longer can get pregnant by a human and have normal males who can then have future wolf maidens.
Beta Lycans: Lycans that shift only during the full moon. They must be controlled by the alpha since they can become mindless beasts that roam around and kill.
Omega Lycans: Lycans that have been deemed the lowest of the low. In ancient times they were no more than slaves for the higher ranked lycans. The Lupercal no longer allows pack members to be treated like omegas since a near revolt during ancient times.
Lupercii: Human men that serve the Lupercal and Lycans. They serve as spies for the secret lycan society and worship the lycan goddess, Feronia. They often take alpha female lycans as consorts. The Lupercii hope that in their next life they will be born as lycans.
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Lycan Gods and Society
Feronia: The goddess of the lycans. She is said to have been a wolf maiden who took a shape shifting giant wolf as a lover. She communes with her oracles, especially with the leader of the Lupercal and wolf maidens.
Lusna: Moon goddess that gave them the gift of painless shifting.
Lupercal: Governmental and spiritual body of the secret lycan society. It is run by twelve alpha female lycans. The leader of the Lupercal is often a seer and or sorceress. Their word is law and any who disobey will be considered rogue and or be punished by returning to their next life as a prey animal.
Lupercalia: Early spring festival when most wolf maidens and beta lycans become fertile. Rituals allow for wild sex escapades.
Den brother or sister: Pack that a lycan grew up with, not necessarily related by blood.
Valeria Luperca: A wolf maiden that has the healing touch. Can heal any lycan both physically and emotionally. Mentioned in White Wolf of Avalon.
Bear men: Also known as bearskins. An ancient line of humans who could shift into bears at anytime. Their shift is painful. Like bears they hibernate during the winter. They can be slow witted, strong and have a short temper. During ancient times lycans killed most off from the continent.
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Conditions that Harm Lycans
Lunar Madness: A condition, though rare, which can occur when an alpha suppresses his shift for too long. It will cause the alpha to shift with the pull of the moon until his system stabilizes.
Rabies: A viral disease transferred from the bite of an infected animal. Can cause a lycan to kill many.
Werewolf Bite fever: An infection that can kill a human from the bite of a lycan.
Wolfsbane: A flower that is toxic to a lycan. It is often used as poison because a lycan cannot smell or taste it.
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WEREWOLF SANCTUARY by Eva Gordon $ 15.95 (Book 1)(248 Pages)
Since ancient times, the Lupercal Council has kept their people’s werewolf identity a well-guarded secret from man. They refer to their kind as lycans. The lycan shifts into a bear-sized wolf, bearing unique markings reminiscent of Maori or Celtic tattoos. The pack shifts during the full moon and are under the control of their alpha male leader. The alpha male and alpha female are not bound by the full moon and can shift at will. Lycans can only breed with their kind. The exception are the alpha males, which can only mate with human women known as wolf maidens. These human women bear the five-toed paw print or mark of the wolf on their left hip. Female alphas are sterile but are the leading lycans governing the Lupercal Council.
The Lupercal society is in peril due to an unknown disease infecting their young offspring. The children that survive the pestilence shift too early into wolf cubs, lose their distinct markings, and end up becoming normal wolves unaware of their human consciousness. Normally immune to most known diseases, the Lupercal has few of their own doctors and must seek the help of a human outsider to find the cure. Wyatt Weylin, the alpha male of the Montana pack and leader of a team of mercenary lycans, flies to a World Wolf Conference in San Francisco, where he hopes to convince leading authority on wolf diseases, veterinarian Dr. Madeline Styles to come to his wolf sanctuary and find a cure. The minute he sees her he feels drawn to her striking good looks. The sensory chemistry is instant. He tries to suppress the feeling knowing that he is forbidden to fall for a human. Life gets complicated when Wyatt discovers that the vegetarian animal doctor has the mark of the wolf and is his life mate.
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WHITE WOLF OF AVALON: WEREWOLF KNIGHT by Eva Gordon $ 15.95 (Book 3)(Coming November 28, 2009)
White Wolf of Avalon is book 3 in my Wolf Maiden Chronicles and takes place during Arthurian times. There are cameo appearances by well known characters such as King Arthur, Morgan le Fey and Mordred to name a few but the story revolves around the secret society of lycans that reside in ancient Britain. Bledig, an orphan raised by a childless couple near the magical Isle of Avalon dreams of someday becoming a knight of the Round Table. Bledig refuses to become a beast and wants no part in marrying a wolf maiden and begetting lycan children. After Bledig helps King Arthur defeat the Saxons at Badon Hill he is knighted and is advised by his close friend Sir Uwain that he knows of a priest that can cure him of his wolfen curse. Bledig heads toward Avalon to tell his great aunt Silvia of his plan. Once cured, he will serve as a knight, marry a courtly lady and earn a title.
Annora a Romano Greco wolf maiden, is more interested in intellectual pursuits than romantic ones. She is a scribe and historian who preferred to marry an older alpha lycan who would better understand her need to focus on her writings. As Annora travels up north to meet with her brother and family, they are attacked by Gorlagon’s she-lycan Trivia and her pack of warrior lycans. In the wilderness Annora and Bledig meet. She is the beautiful woman he has dreamt of nightly while heading to retrieve his brother’s moonstone. He the knight in shining armor she had fantasized about, brave, handsome and chivalrous. Their attraction is instantaneous. She is stunned to learn he is a lycan, the white wolf destined to unite all the lycans of Britain. Her mate. On learning she is a wolf maiden, Bledig hardens his heart. He tells her that after he delivers her to the safety of Avalon he will visit a priest who will cure him of his wolfen curse. She is saddened that he refuses to follow his destiny and that he does not wish to claim her as his.
Danger lurks everywhere. Gorlagon and Gargol have not given up on their hunt to find Annora and the Pict wolfen she released from his dank dungeons. But most of all they wish to use her as a breeder. Intrigue and secrecy abound in King Arthur’s court at Camulod. Mordred, who Arthur is unaware, is his son by his own sister Morgause, plots to rule. He has become Gorlagon’s secret Lupercii in the hopes of having a lycan army to defeat his father in battle. Will Bledig reject his true destiny as the prophesized lycan leader of Britain, and most importantly can he deny his feelings for the lovely wolf maiden, Annora, who has already captured his heart and soul? Can Annora survive the lycans who hunt her? Will Bledig finally submit to his lycan nature and forever claim her as his wolf maiden? Will magic save their kind, the fae of Avalon and King Arthur’s Britain?
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You can find out more about me and my books by going to my website, blog, publisher page, book tour page, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
So who loves a good Christmas story? Or a story about Santa Claus? Well I know I sure do especially when I found out about Penny Watson's upcoming debut paranormal romance novel called, Sweet Inspiration, which is about the oldest son of Santa Claus who is one of five big strapping single, sexy sons and also the first book in her Klaus Brothers Series. I was lucky enough to have Penny contact me about scheduling an author interview, author guest blog and book review. The author interview and author guest blog will be schedule to post in December because that is when her debut novel will be officially published for everyone to buy so don't forget to check back to read more about Penny and her debut novel. I was given by Penny an advanced readers copy of the book to review here on my review blog and I was so excited to be given that chance because I really wanted to read this book. I was really intrigued about reading a novel that is Santa Claus family since that is not an ordinary plot in paranormal romance novels. As I read the novel I really feel in love with the characters and was happy to find out that it's a 5 book series for each of the 5 sexy brothers.
Nicholas Klaus is a master pastry chef, a strict disciplinarian, and the eldest son of the legendary Santa Claus. And reading about him was such a pleasure because he is one unique man who I fell in love with along with the heroine. And one look at café owner Lucy Brewster sends him into an unexpected tailspin of lusty desires which he didn't expect since baking sweets in his kitchen have been his only desire in such a long time. They only know each other for less than a day but they an instant attraction that neither of them ever expected to happen when they speak to one another for the first time. But when Lucy is injured, Nicholas makes a decision that catapults both of their lives into turmoil that will help them decide if they are meant to be with one another or if they are just meant for a brief fling. Lucy Brewster, the free-spirited proprietor of Sweet Inspiration, has a flair for concocting sugary confections but no time for adventure that she so desires to happen for her. She gets more than she bargained for when she awakens in the North Pole...rambunctious elves, a fitness-obsessed Santa, and the man of her dreams making her fall in love with him with every day that passes by. But then she asks herself if she has what it takes to become the next Mrs. Klaus?
Well of course Lucy has what it takes to become the next Mrs. Klaus but that may not be what is destined to happen for her and Nicholas as a couple. As I got to know both Lucy and Nicholas I just fell in love with both of them because I knew they were right for one another from the very start but I saw that there would be obstacles that they would have to overcome to make that happen. I also really fell in love with the entire Klaus family because they were just so together even though they were all differently unique with their own talents it didn't get in the way of them caring and loving one another for who they are. Now the elves were a different case because I had a bit of trouble with the elder elves council who were not understanding of Nicholas' passion for cooking as well as his love for Lucy who is a "Suddie" who wasn't supposed to find out about the Klaus family without their permission. I was conflicted with the ending because I was happy that Nicholas and Lucy ended up happily with one another but I was a bit sad to see the novel end. But I was cheered up when I found out that there would be more books about the wonderful Klaus family in the future to look forward to. Penny Watson delivers an exciting and magical debut novel that will have you falling in love with the Klaus family from the very beginning and will not let you go even after the story has ended. I look forward to all of Penny Watson's future books especially the next 4 books in her Klaus Brothers series which I recommend everyone to put on their to-watch list immediately. Also I got some inside information from the author Penny Watson herself that she is now working on the second book in the Klaus Brothers series which is Oskar Klaus' story called Sweet Magik. I give this book 4.5 Open Books:
Here is the description of the book from Penny's website and picture:
SWEET INSPIRATION by Penny Watson $ 6.99 (Book 1)(206 Pages)(Coming out on December 2, 2009)
What if the legend of Santa Claus and the North Pole is in fact, true? What if Santa has five big strapping sons who help him run his empire? Five single, sexy sons looking for romance...
Nicholas Klaus is a master pastry chef, a strict disciplinarian, and the eldest son of the legendary Santa Claus. One look at café owner Lucy Brewster sends him into an unexpected tailspin of lusty desires. When Lucy is injured, Nicholas makes a decision that catapults both of their lives into turmoil...
Lucy Brewster, the free-spirited proprietor of Sweet Inspiration, has a flair for concocting sugary confections but no time for adventure. She gets more than she bargained for when she awakens in the North Pole...rambunctious elves, a fitness-obsessed Santa, and the man of her dreams. Does she have what it takes to become the next Mrs. Klaus?
Monday, September 28, 2009
Today I have paranormal romance author Eva Gordon who contacted me about scheduling an author interview, author guest blog and book reviews. I've already read and reviewed her first two books in her Wolf Maiden Chronicles series which are called Werewolf Sanctuary and Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf. But that is not all because I will be chatting live with Eva Gordon on my live podcast show TAMFA—Phoebe Jordan on Thursday, October 8th at 9PM EST (8PM CST or 6PM PST). Also don't forget that this Wednesday Eva will be guest blogging about her Wolf Maiden Chronicles series. Now onto my author interview with Eva:
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Phoebe Jordan: When did you know that writing romance was going to be the thing that you would do with your life?
Eva Gordon: I’m a sucker for happy ever after endings. I hate finding out at the end that the two lovers cannot be together.
Phoebe: Which author inspired you to start writing romance?
Eva: Diane Gabaldon with her Jaime and Claire stories.
Phoebe: Did you know what type of romance you wanted to write about or did you experiment with different genres before you chose the one that you felt was for you?
Eva: At first I thought I was going to write fantasy and science fiction novels. But my stories always ended up having a strong romantic element. I love paranormal and fantasy romance, and also hope to write science fiction romance. I love historical romance as well and love combining paranormal and historical romance in my ‘werewolf historical’ series The Wolf Maiden Chronicles.
Phoebe: What was the first fiction you ever wrote besides any school work? And do you still have it with you?
Eva: I re-wrote the story of Little Red Riding Hood. I made the wolf the good guy. This was in my high school days and no, I don’t still have it.
Phoebe: How much research do you have to do for your novels and does it take you a long time to gather that research?
Eva: Quite a bit. I have done research on real wolves and for my paranormal historical novels I do a lot of research. I love the research process.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your current release novels, Werewolf Sanctuary and Beast Warrior, which is also the first two books in your Wolf Maiden Chronicles Series?
Eva: Since I love wolves, wolf and werewolf lore I knew I wanted to create a lycan universe. After volunteering at a wolf sanctuary I decided to start my series with a contemporary Werewolf Sanctuary, where we learn about the secret lycan society that leads to the other ‘werewolf historical’ novels. Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf takes place in 840 AD. I love Norse mythology and Viking history, which I was delighted to include in my lycan universe.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your upcoming novel, White Wolf of Avalon: Werewolf Knight, which is also the third book in your Wolf Maiden Chronicles Series? And what are your titles and plans for any of your future books in your Wolf Maiden Chronicles Series?
Eva: I love early Britain. I read about a werewolf in King Arthur’s court named Gorlagon and who sometimes goes by the name of Marrok. Gorlagon became my ‘bad guy’. White Wolf of Avalon: Werewolf Knight is my Arthurian werewolf tale where there are cameos by Arthurian characters but the story is about my lycans and most importantly Sir Bledig, a lycan who rejects his nature to become a knight of the Round Table. Annora, is the wolf maiden who simply wants to be a scribe and historian. Court intrigue and lycan battles bring danger to all. Currently I am working on Lycan Gladiator, which takes place in Ancient Rome. Many more are planned which will touch on known werewolf lore. Even a Western one is in the works.
Phoebe: How do you come up with each of your characters for your novels? How do you choose their names out of so many names out there?
Eva: There is always a hero who is an alpha lycan and a heroine who is his chosen wolf maiden or human life mate. All other characters are lycans, humans or other shifters such as bearskins. How they are chosen depends on the story and time period. For naming characters I go on several websites of names from various periods in history.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your current release novels, Werewolf Sanctuary and Beast Warrior? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your current release novels, Werewolf Sanctuary and Beast Warrior?
Eva: I like Sigurd from Beast Warrior because the idea of a Viking werewolf was fun to work with. His love for Emelisse is all encompassing. I can relate to Madeline Styles from Werewolf Sanctuary because like me she is scientist and I could relate to her because she refused to believe in werewolves, until Wyatt, the hunky alpha lycan drops into her world.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your upcoming novel, White Wolf of Avalon? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your upcoming novel, White Wolf of Avalon?
Eva: I loved Sir Bledig, the reluctant werewolf because unlike my previous heroes he only wants to be human and fights his true nature. I can relate to Annora because she prefers intellectual pursuits rather than being the intended mate to a powerful pack leader.
Phoebe: Do you have a process of how you start to write your novels?
Eva: I select a time period and a place, I then research the local werewolf lore of that particular area. For my forthcoming novels I create the world and the major conflict.
Phoebe: Which do you like best, writing a series or writing stand alone novels? How is writing each different for you?
Eva: I love the series but unlike most, each of mine can be stand alone novels. In my soon to be released fantasy trilogy, The Realm Trilogy you follow the couple throughout all three books.
Phoebe: What process did you have to go through to get your first book published and did it take you long?
Eva: I sent hundreds of query letters both to publishers and agents. It seemed like it took forever but in reality less than a year.
Phoebe: Do you ever get writers block? What do you do to get rid of it so you can get back to writing your novels?
Eva: Fortunately, I don’t get writer’s block. My problem the opposite. All the stories in my head want to come out. I have to focus on my work in progress.
Phoebe: What is your biggest reader pet peeve, if you have any? (stock characters, unresolved endings, predictability, everything wrapped up hurriedly in the end, etc.)
Eva: Unresolved endings, which are rare in romance but not in fantasy novels that are part of a series. I think each book should have a solid ending and not leave you hanging for another year or more.
Phoebe: Which aspects of writing do you enjoy the most and why? And what is your biggest writing pet peeve? (overuse of exclamation points, adverbs, bad guys named Wayne, etc.), if you have any?
Eva: I enjoy creating the first draft because I watch the characters develop and fall in love for the first time. Editing is fun because you are making your story better. I don’t really have a writing pet peeve.
Phoebe: What is the one writing tool can you not live without?
Eva: My computer. I don’t know how Jane Austen did it.
Phoebe: How do you handle your writing schedule and your personal life without going insane?
Eva: I try to write 2000 words per day after I clean up the previous chapter. I’m an early bird and do most of my writing in the morning to early afternoon. I try not to let it interfere with my personal life, including my time working with animals.
Phoebe: What do you do to relax after having spent a long while writing? Do you have any hobbies?
Eva: Part of my routine includes going on a run with my dog or biking. I also try volunteer at local animal sanctuaries. I want to be a falconer’s apprentice but for the moment that has been suspended while I start my writing career.
Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Eva: Get a good critique partner who will help without changing your story and voice.
Phoebe: Is there any writing tips, research tips, promotion and marketing tips that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Eva: For research create a folder for each particular book with bookmarks. In terms of promotion and marketing I am still a novice, but a good internet presence is a must. Be everywhere. I still need help with marketing because all I really want to do is write.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite genre you like to read? Who is your favorite author(s)?
Eva: I like fantasy and historical novels. I like Jacqueline Carey, Terry Goodkind and Diane Gabaldon. I don’t have a particular favorite author for historical novels. I also like non-fiction natural history books as well.
Phoebe: What are you reading now? And what do you plan to read after that?
Eva: Nothing at the moment since I’m writing my current novel and the only reading I do for the moment is research material. But I will read Diane Gabaldon’s next Jaimie and Claire novel due out next month.
Eva Gordon: I’m a sucker for happy ever after endings. I hate finding out at the end that the two lovers cannot be together.
Phoebe: Which author inspired you to start writing romance?
Eva: Diane Gabaldon with her Jaime and Claire stories.
Phoebe: Did you know what type of romance you wanted to write about or did you experiment with different genres before you chose the one that you felt was for you?
Eva: At first I thought I was going to write fantasy and science fiction novels. But my stories always ended up having a strong romantic element. I love paranormal and fantasy romance, and also hope to write science fiction romance. I love historical romance as well and love combining paranormal and historical romance in my ‘werewolf historical’ series The Wolf Maiden Chronicles.
Phoebe: What was the first fiction you ever wrote besides any school work? And do you still have it with you?
Eva: I re-wrote the story of Little Red Riding Hood. I made the wolf the good guy. This was in my high school days and no, I don’t still have it.
Phoebe: How much research do you have to do for your novels and does it take you a long time to gather that research?
Eva: Quite a bit. I have done research on real wolves and for my paranormal historical novels I do a lot of research. I love the research process.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your current release novels, Werewolf Sanctuary and Beast Warrior, which is also the first two books in your Wolf Maiden Chronicles Series?
Eva: Since I love wolves, wolf and werewolf lore I knew I wanted to create a lycan universe. After volunteering at a wolf sanctuary I decided to start my series with a contemporary Werewolf Sanctuary, where we learn about the secret lycan society that leads to the other ‘werewolf historical’ novels. Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf takes place in 840 AD. I love Norse mythology and Viking history, which I was delighted to include in my lycan universe.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your upcoming novel, White Wolf of Avalon: Werewolf Knight, which is also the third book in your Wolf Maiden Chronicles Series? And what are your titles and plans for any of your future books in your Wolf Maiden Chronicles Series?
Eva: I love early Britain. I read about a werewolf in King Arthur’s court named Gorlagon and who sometimes goes by the name of Marrok. Gorlagon became my ‘bad guy’. White Wolf of Avalon: Werewolf Knight is my Arthurian werewolf tale where there are cameos by Arthurian characters but the story is about my lycans and most importantly Sir Bledig, a lycan who rejects his nature to become a knight of the Round Table. Annora, is the wolf maiden who simply wants to be a scribe and historian. Court intrigue and lycan battles bring danger to all. Currently I am working on Lycan Gladiator, which takes place in Ancient Rome. Many more are planned which will touch on known werewolf lore. Even a Western one is in the works.
Phoebe: How do you come up with each of your characters for your novels? How do you choose their names out of so many names out there?
Eva: There is always a hero who is an alpha lycan and a heroine who is his chosen wolf maiden or human life mate. All other characters are lycans, humans or other shifters such as bearskins. How they are chosen depends on the story and time period. For naming characters I go on several websites of names from various periods in history.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your current release novels, Werewolf Sanctuary and Beast Warrior? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your current release novels, Werewolf Sanctuary and Beast Warrior?
Eva: I like Sigurd from Beast Warrior because the idea of a Viking werewolf was fun to work with. His love for Emelisse is all encompassing. I can relate to Madeline Styles from Werewolf Sanctuary because like me she is scientist and I could relate to her because she refused to believe in werewolves, until Wyatt, the hunky alpha lycan drops into her world.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your upcoming novel, White Wolf of Avalon? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your upcoming novel, White Wolf of Avalon?
Eva: I loved Sir Bledig, the reluctant werewolf because unlike my previous heroes he only wants to be human and fights his true nature. I can relate to Annora because she prefers intellectual pursuits rather than being the intended mate to a powerful pack leader.
Phoebe: Do you have a process of how you start to write your novels?
Eva: I select a time period and a place, I then research the local werewolf lore of that particular area. For my forthcoming novels I create the world and the major conflict.
Phoebe: Which do you like best, writing a series or writing stand alone novels? How is writing each different for you?
Eva: I love the series but unlike most, each of mine can be stand alone novels. In my soon to be released fantasy trilogy, The Realm Trilogy you follow the couple throughout all three books.
Phoebe: What process did you have to go through to get your first book published and did it take you long?
Eva: I sent hundreds of query letters both to publishers and agents. It seemed like it took forever but in reality less than a year.
Phoebe: Do you ever get writers block? What do you do to get rid of it so you can get back to writing your novels?
Eva: Fortunately, I don’t get writer’s block. My problem the opposite. All the stories in my head want to come out. I have to focus on my work in progress.
Phoebe: What is your biggest reader pet peeve, if you have any? (stock characters, unresolved endings, predictability, everything wrapped up hurriedly in the end, etc.)
Eva: Unresolved endings, which are rare in romance but not in fantasy novels that are part of a series. I think each book should have a solid ending and not leave you hanging for another year or more.
Phoebe: Which aspects of writing do you enjoy the most and why? And what is your biggest writing pet peeve? (overuse of exclamation points, adverbs, bad guys named Wayne, etc.), if you have any?
Eva: I enjoy creating the first draft because I watch the characters develop and fall in love for the first time. Editing is fun because you are making your story better. I don’t really have a writing pet peeve.
Phoebe: What is the one writing tool can you not live without?
Eva: My computer. I don’t know how Jane Austen did it.
Phoebe: How do you handle your writing schedule and your personal life without going insane?
Eva: I try to write 2000 words per day after I clean up the previous chapter. I’m an early bird and do most of my writing in the morning to early afternoon. I try not to let it interfere with my personal life, including my time working with animals.
Phoebe: What do you do to relax after having spent a long while writing? Do you have any hobbies?
Eva: Part of my routine includes going on a run with my dog or biking. I also try volunteer at local animal sanctuaries. I want to be a falconer’s apprentice but for the moment that has been suspended while I start my writing career.
Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Eva: Get a good critique partner who will help without changing your story and voice.
Phoebe: Is there any writing tips, research tips, promotion and marketing tips that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Eva: For research create a folder for each particular book with bookmarks. In terms of promotion and marketing I am still a novice, but a good internet presence is a must. Be everywhere. I still need help with marketing because all I really want to do is write.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite genre you like to read? Who is your favorite author(s)?
Eva: I like fantasy and historical novels. I like Jacqueline Carey, Terry Goodkind and Diane Gabaldon. I don’t have a particular favorite author for historical novels. I also like non-fiction natural history books as well.
Phoebe: What are you reading now? And what do you plan to read after that?
Eva: Nothing at the moment since I’m writing my current novel and the only reading I do for the moment is research material. But I will read Diane Gabaldon’s next Jaimie and Claire novel due out next month.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Romance author turned Young Adult author Linda Palmer who I've met online through the wonderful online publisher Wild Horse Press is here today to guest blog about her YA novel, The Cinderella Swap. She contacted me about me reviewing her debut young adult novel, The Cinderella Swap, and then J.M. at Wild Horse Press contacted me about reviewing Linda's upcoming young adult novel with them called, Jaguar Moon. That led Linda to contacting me about scheduling an author interview and author guest blog. You can read Linda's interview that I posted this past Tuesday which I had fun reading it again myself. And don't forget that on Thursday, October 15th I will be chatting live with Linda on my live podcast show TAMFA—Phoebe Jordan about her change from writing print romance novels with Silhouette books to writing young adult novels in ebook format. Now onto Linda's guest blog:
* * * * * *
Meg Cabot is my idol. I own every book she ever wrote, and my favorites of those are her paranormal YA novels. I read her for the first time during the ten-year non-writing period that followed my ten years of writing Silhouette Romances. By then I was pretty burned out on adult genre romance, and Meg's YA books made me laugh, cry and want to write again. I deliberately analyzed her stories, trying to figure out why I loved them so much. I made a list of elements in her books that I wanted in my own: feisty heroine, inappropriate boyfriend, messy family, and a paranormal twist. My first YA novel, Nightmare, Interrupted (available TBA from Sugar & Spice Press), definitely had every element, as did my second, Operation: Normal (available in 2010 from Uncial Press).
By the time I wrote The Cinderella Swap, currently available from Sugar & Spice Press, I'd found my groove, and my paranormal twists began to determine the plot. I wanted Ren Montgomery, heroine of The Cinderella Swap, to have a secret psychic gift, and I wanted that gift to be different from anything I'd ever read about. With that in mind, I sat down and deliberately made up her ability to see a flash of color (or soul shade) when she touched people for the first time. Naturally this talent had to be a gift and a curse. So it came in handy when her maybe boyfriend tried to convince her he was a loser (she knew better). But it wasn't so handy when that same maybe boyfriend's beloved mentor flashed black, which meant he was evil to the core. I've written two more books using my "formula," and the paranormal aspects continue to dominate the plot. In Jaguar Moon, heroine Livvie deals not only with her own psychic powers, but the hero Alex's curse. In Storm Swept, heroine Jenny and hero Jase have to survive a week at a haunted bed and breakfast inn with an evil entity out to get them. Those titles will be available in the upcoming months from Wild Horse Press. Writing is my passion. YA paranormal novels are my joy. And I'm very, very excited to have the opportunity to restart my writing career in a genre I love.
Blurb:
When high school sophomore Ren Montgomery rescues a shy teenaged girl from a bully, she has no idea that the girl’s big brother, senior Dugan Donovan, is her secret crush. He not only thanks her in person, but drives her home, which should be the beginning of a wonderful relationship. Unfortunately Ren’s mom, a juvie judge, greets Dugan by name, which is never a good thing since it means she first met him in court. Though Ren is ordered to forget the boy, she can’t. Her secret psychic gift—a flash of color that reveals the soul—tells her that Dugan is as good on the inside as he looks on the outside. And while she’s perfectly happy to have a secret boyfriend, Dugan will not cooperate. It’s mutual need that finally brings them together. But will their “Cinderella Swap” remain strictly business? And how is she going to tell him that his boss/mentor/idol flashes black, which means he's evil through and through?
Excerpt:
Around noon, Mom called to ask about road conditions. I walked out on the front porch to double check, then told her we had snow, but the streets weren't slick. Naturally, I didn't mention that I'd had a wreck last night in a car I wasn't supposed to be driving going to a dance to meet Dugan, a boy she'd told me to stay away from. She asked how I was doing, then before I could answer, began to talk about their meeting and the nice dinner they'd had with Hayley's parents.
Someone clicked in. A number I didn't recognize.
"Mom, can you hold that thought for a sec?" I asked, now en route to the kitchen for a soda. I switched to the other call.
"Hello?"
"Hi."
Dugan! "Hi. Would you hold on long enough for me to get rid of my mom?"
"Uh...sure."
Click. "Mom, I've got to go."
"Why? Who was that?" She sounded very suspicious, which suddenly made me wonder if I'd inherited my psychic powers from her.
"A new friend who's asking a favor of me."
"Oh, okay then. We'll see you Sunday, honey. Love you."
"Love you, too." I clicked her off. "Dugan? Still there?"
Dead silence.
My heart leapt into my throat. Oh God. Had I pushed the wrong button? Was Mom still on the line?
"Ren?"
Whew. "I'm here."
"Sorry about that. Bo needed me."
"No problem." God, I hated deception. I mean, there's nothing more stressful in my opinion. You not only have to remember what lie you told, but who you told it to. It can get so confusing, which is why I'm all for honesty if it will possibly work.
Unfortunately, in this case it wouldn't.
"I've been thinking about tomorrow," Dugan said, "And I believe it might be best if you just met Payton and me at the mall, maybe by that fountain at the south entrance. That way I can pay for everything with my debit card."
He was going to shop with us?
Now that was a turn of events I had not anticipated.
My heart kicked into high gear, pounding joyfully in my chest. I immediately began to think up ways I could stretch out the afternoon. Why, we could—
"Ren? Are you still there?"
Oops. "I'm here."
"So does that work for you or not?"
"It totally works."
"Good."
In the silence that followed that single syllable, I tried to think of something to say—something that might keep him on the phone a little longer.
"About the dance Friday..."
"What about it?" I asked, hoping he was going tell me he'd had a good time, too.
"I'm sorry I kissed you goodnight."
"What? Why? Was I bad at it?"
He inhaled sharply. "Don't talk crazy. You're a fantastic kisser."
That was better. "Then why are you sorry you kissed me?"
"Because I think I gave you the wrong impression about us."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning there is no us, at least as far as kissing goes."
"So why'd you do it, then...?"
"I did it because I'm a guy and you're a girl, and it was late, and we were in a car in the snow, wearing dress-up clothes, and you smelled so damn good—"
My knees turned to Jell-o.
"And your eyes are so blue, and you'd been crying, and I wanted to make it all okay—"
"You kissed me out of pity?"
"No. Hell no. Haven't you been listening? I got caught up in the moment and lost it."
"Your point?"
"My point is that it won't happen again. Ever. I swear. I just want you to know that so you'll feel comfortable around me while we do the whole Cinderella thing."
"Great. Wonderful. Big whoopee. Bye-bye."
"Wait! Are you...mad at me?"
"Does it matter?"
"Of course it matters. I want us to be friends."
"You can't have everything."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means—" I took a deep breath, trying to put my complete and utter frustration with him into small words he could easily understand "—it means....Oh, I don't know what it means."
"Then we can still be friends?" he asked.
"Yeah. Sure. I guess." I made no attempt to hide my disappointment.
I swear I heard him swallow.
"Good. I'm glad we got that straight. Gotta go. See you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," I echoed dully.
He hung up. I went into my cell contacts and added his phone number, bitterly tagging it "Un-boyfriend."
******
You can find more information about me and my books by visiting my website.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I have read a couple of ebooks published by Wild Horse Press which include ebooks by Jessica Coulter Smith, Linda Palmer and Paige Warren. So when Wild Horse Press contacted me to inquire if I accepted review requests from publishers and asked me if I would like to review Paige Warren's short contemporary romance story I accepted. I love their website because it is so clean and easy to find everything you would like to know about their authors, books and submission guidelines and more. I might really consider submitting my manuscript to them if I ever get it finished and editing enough to fit their requirements for submission. I have read and reviewed Paige Warren's other short story called Baby and All for Wild Horse Press so I was looking forward to reading her newly released short story. Well onto the book review for Paige Warren's latest short contemporary romance story, Unexpected Wife, that I will say right off I finished off in less than 6 hours after starting it.
This novel when I first read the blurb reminded me of her novel, Baby and All, because it was about a woman on the run from a man. It begins with Ainsley McCullough, the heroine, being on the running from her past for a while and when she stumbles across an abandoned farm house, she thinks that maybe things will start to look up. Getting a job in the small Texas town, she's surprised to learn the man who owns her home is in jail since she is on the run from the police because she thinks that she killed her ex-boyfriend when he tried to kill her. Braedan O'Connor, the hero, was falsely accused of a crime and has spent the past year in jail and so he's anxious to get home and see what kind of damage has been done to his home. When Braedan enters his home and smells homemade apple pie, he's surprised to say the least because then he spots the woman responsible for the mouth watering smell and all of his senses come alive. Ainsley hadn't expected to get caught in the man's home and so when she comes face to face with the handsome stranger, she isn't sure what to expect. Knowing he was in jail frightens her, almost as much as his good looks turn her on and so now she wonders what price will she have to pay for invading his home?
Well though I found some similarities in this book from her previous short story it was unique with it's own plot that had me wanting more. I really enjoyed reading about Ainsley and Braeden who are complex characters in their own right which is something I like in a story. I don't read that many short stories because I feel that I don't get to know the characters that well in such a short space of time but I couldn't stop reading this short story because it was GREAT! It was a bit fast paced but I loved reading about Ainsley who is a woman that wants to make a life for herself even though she's scared that she may have killed her abusive ex-boyfriend. I also really loved reading about Braeden who is a strong and handsome man who is so honest and a real gentleman though he was sent to prison for a crime that he didn't commit. Paige Warren delivers yet another wonderfully romantic romance short story that will keep you reading from start to end wondering what will happen next for Ainsley and Braeden. I'm a fan of Paige's short stories and will be looking out for more in the future but I'm hoping that she will one day write a full-length romance novel for me to enjoy because these short stories are only whetting my appetite. I give this book 4 Open Books:
Here is the description of the book from Paige's website and picture:
UNEXPECTED WIFE by Paige Warren $ 3.98 (56 Pages)
Ainsley McCullough has been running from her past for a while. When she stumbles across an abandoned farm house, she thinks that maybe things will start to look up. Getting a job in the small Texas town, she's surprised to learn the man who owns her home is in jail. Braedan O'Connor was falsely accused of a crime and has spent the past year in jail. He's anxious to get home and see what kind of damage has been done to his home. When Braedan enters his home and smells homemade apple pie, he's surprised to say the least. Spotting the woman responsible for the mouth watering smell, all of his senses come alive. Ainsley hadn't expected to get caught in the man's home. Face to face with the handsome stranger, she isn't sure what to expect. Knowing he was in jail frightens her, almost as much as his good looks turn her on. What price will she have to pay for invading his home?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Romance author turned Young Adult author Linda Palmer who I've met online through the wonderful online publisher Wild Horse Press. She contacted me about reviewing her debut young adult novel, The Cinderella Swap, and then J.M. at Wild Horse Press contacted me about reviewing Linda's upcoming young adult novel with them called, Jaguar Moon. That led Linda to contacting me about scheduling an author interview and author guest blog so today's the day I post my interview with Linda. And don't forget that on Thursday, October 15th I will be chatting live with Linda on my live podcast show TAMFA—Phoebe Jordan about her change from writing print romance novels with Silhouette books to writing young adult novels in ebook format. Now onto my interview with Linda:
* * * * * *
Phoebe Jordan: When did you know that writing young adult romance was going to be the thing that you would do with your life after having written Silhouette Romance novels? Which author inspired you to start writing young adult romance?
Linda Palmer: After ten years and 21 books with Silhouette Books, I was very tired of genre romance. I really didn't want to read it, much less write. I focused on other things for the next ten years, specifically my mother, who had breast cancer, and my daughter, who had a baby. I became "Nana" and had a ball with that. When I began to read again, I found Meg Cabot. Her YA novels absolutely captured me. I could not put them down. I decided then and there that's what I wanted to write. Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books have been a total joy, too, and really confirmed my choice.
Phoebe: Did you know what type of young adult romance you wanted to write about or did you experiment with different genres before you chose the one that you felt was for you?
Linda: I deliberately dissected my favorite YA books to find out why I loved them so much. Based on that, I made a list of what I wanted in mine. I've tried to stay with that "formula" since it ensures a book that I would want to read, myself.
Phoebe: What was the first fiction you ever wrote besides any school work? And do you still have it with you?
Linda: Writers write, and that's what I've always done, starting with poems in grade school and moving up short stories in junior high and high school. I still have spiral notebooks of handwritten poems and romance short stories from that time period. Hopefully, no one will ever read them!
Phoebe: How much research do you have to do for your novels and does it take you a long time to gather that research?
Linda: I research as I write, using the internet. Everything has to be looked up from the weather in a certain state to the food in a restaurant. Sometimes a quick peek will work, and other times I print off entire articles and maps. For the book I'm working on now, I've already printed off articles on the Appalachian mountains, a holistic health college, and the University of Alabama, as well as a list of mystical herbs...and I'm only twelve pages into the story.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your current release, The Cinderella Swap?
Linda: Meg Cabot's 1-800-Where-R-You series really inspired this book. The heroine in those books is a tomboy with a psychic gift and a boyfriend to die for. Keeping those things in mind, I created Ren Montgomery, a girl who can't stay out of trouble for all the right reasons. I deliberately brainstormed her psychic gift—seeing a flash of color that reveals character—trying to come up with something different.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your upcoming novel, Jaguar Moon?
Linda: Twilight and "Ghost Hunters" on the SyFy channel inspired me to think outside the box for this one. I wound up with Livvie Merick, an empath, who encounters a couple of ghosts and a shapeshifter in the course of the novel.
Phoebe: How do you come up with each of your characters for your novels? How do you choose their names out of so many names out there?
Linda: My characters just come to me. Not sure how. But I always have a clear picture of them in my head and can hear each one's distinct voice. I choose names very carefully off the lists that are on the internet. I get last names from the phone book. I say them out loud and try to match them to my character. I also look at the meaning of the name, and sometimes I honor people or beloved characters from books or movies. For example, I got Livvie's last name, Merrick, from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Almost all my characters have nick names. Ren is short for Serena. Livvie is short for Olivia.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your current release, The Cinderella Swap? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your current release, The Cinderella Swap?
Linda: My favorite character in this book is Dugan, the hero. As senior, Dugan has a lot on his plate, including a mom and stepmom who've died of cancer, a dad whose not around, a stepsister going through her awkward junior high school phase, and a grandmother with Alzheimer's. He's hard working, self-deprecating, and totally perfect for Ren. That said, I relate more to Ren, who sympathizes with the underdog and often takes on more than she can handle.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your upcoming novel, Jaguar Moon? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your upcoming novel, Jaguar Moon?
Linda: My favorite character and the one I relate to most is Livvie, the heroine. She's a bit of an outsider, as I always was, and has a very open mind. Unfortunately, I'm not psychic.
Phoebe: Do you have a process of how you start to write your novels?
Linda: I usually start with a single scene and from there build up the back story. I make charts and lists and timelines. I also write short character summaries. I usually have a whole file of back-up stuff by the time I've finished.
Phoebe: Have you ever considered writing a series or are writing stand alone novels your preference? How would writing each be different for you?
Linda: I think a series would be hard to write if the same characters were used over and over because the relationship between the hero and heroine would have to be spaced out over the course of the books. That could get tricky since I'm all about happy endings. On the other hand, it might be fun to take minor characters from one book and give them their own story in another. I know that some of my "test readers" have wanted to read more about the secondary characters in Jaguar Moon.
Phoebe: What process did you have to go through to get your first book published and did it take you long?
Linda: The first time around, it took me 2 ½ years and four books to find an agent. The seventh agent I queried took me on. She sold my first paperback romance, Heart of the Matter, to Silhouette Books in six months. I didn't know at the time how lucky I was. The second go round, ten years and a new genre later, I tried for 2 years to get an agent and bombed out. So I did a little research and turned to e-publishing. Though a lot of paper writers seem leery of e-books, I think they're the wave of the future, and I'm having a ball writing them.
Phoebe: Do you ever get writers block? What do you do to get rid of it so you can get back to writing your novels?
Linda: I read. What goes in must come out, at least in my case. I read books that open me up to new ideas, for example Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books and Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books. Before long, I have to write again or explode.
Phoebe: What is your biggest reader pet peeve, if you have any? (stock characters, unresolved endings, predictability, everything wrapped up hurriedly in the end, etc.)
Linda: Point of view mess ups drive me nuts. I'm a real purist where that's concerned. I'm also a grammar nut, which is not to say I don't make mistakes. I do, but I try to catch and fix them.
Phoebe: Which aspects of writing do you enjoy the most and why? And what is your biggest writing pet peeve? (overuse of exclamation points, adverbs, bad guys named Wayne, etc.), if you have any?
Linda: I hate to plot. I'm lousy at it, and it's stressful. Thank God for the friends who brainstorm with me. But once I've got the story in my head and a synopsis on paper, I'm good to go. And nothing makes me happier than finding the right word and condensing a ten-word sentence into a five-word sentence with clear, concise meaning. It's all about word play and rhythm. It takes me about an hour to write a page, but when I'm finished with it, I'm finished. No second and third drafts for me.
Phoebe: What is the one writing tool can you not live without?
Linda: My computer. I started with a manual typewriter, worked up to an electric typewriter, then a word processor, then a computer. Couldn't live without it now.
Phoebe: How do you handle your writing schedule and your personal life without going insane?
Linda: Good question. I've always worked full-time and written on the side, which means a lot of late nights, early mornings, and weekends at the computer. I try not to get stressed when I'm kept away from my story for weeks at a time, but it's hard. And there are days when I want to give up. But the rewards are worth the sacrifices. I know that I'll be able to retire from the "day job" in a couple of years, and then the challenge will be to stay off the computer.
Phoebe: What do you do to relax after having spent a long while writing? Do you have any hobbies?
Linda: I read and watch movies to relax and refuel. I also like to draw.
Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Linda: I can't really think of anything. I will say that s lot of amazing writers helped me get on the right path by offering kind, constructive critiques.
Phoebe: Is there any writing tips, research tips, promotion and marketing tips that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Linda: The single most important thing I ever did was read Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain. That book showed me the way, and I'd recommend it to anyone. Another good book is Writing Novels That Sell by Jack Bickham. As far as promotion and marketing tips, I'm still learning those, myself. I think the main thing is to create a web presence. There are a lot of wonderful e-romance web sites out there, including this one. Take advantage of their promo ideas.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite genre you like to read? Who is your favorite author(s)?
Linda: I'm totally into paranormal books at the moment. I particularly admire JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Meg Cabot, Charlaine Harris, and Jim Butcher.
Phoebe: What are you reading now? And what do you plan to read after that?
Linda: I'm re-reading Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (love that Eric!). After that, I'll continue with the Harry Dresden books. I'm on number six now and loving them.
Linda Palmer: After ten years and 21 books with Silhouette Books, I was very tired of genre romance. I really didn't want to read it, much less write. I focused on other things for the next ten years, specifically my mother, who had breast cancer, and my daughter, who had a baby. I became "Nana" and had a ball with that. When I began to read again, I found Meg Cabot. Her YA novels absolutely captured me. I could not put them down. I decided then and there that's what I wanted to write. Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books have been a total joy, too, and really confirmed my choice.
Phoebe: Did you know what type of young adult romance you wanted to write about or did you experiment with different genres before you chose the one that you felt was for you?
Linda: I deliberately dissected my favorite YA books to find out why I loved them so much. Based on that, I made a list of what I wanted in mine. I've tried to stay with that "formula" since it ensures a book that I would want to read, myself.
Phoebe: What was the first fiction you ever wrote besides any school work? And do you still have it with you?
Linda: Writers write, and that's what I've always done, starting with poems in grade school and moving up short stories in junior high and high school. I still have spiral notebooks of handwritten poems and romance short stories from that time period. Hopefully, no one will ever read them!
Phoebe: How much research do you have to do for your novels and does it take you a long time to gather that research?
Linda: I research as I write, using the internet. Everything has to be looked up from the weather in a certain state to the food in a restaurant. Sometimes a quick peek will work, and other times I print off entire articles and maps. For the book I'm working on now, I've already printed off articles on the Appalachian mountains, a holistic health college, and the University of Alabama, as well as a list of mystical herbs...and I'm only twelve pages into the story.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your current release, The Cinderella Swap?
Linda: Meg Cabot's 1-800-Where-R-You series really inspired this book. The heroine in those books is a tomboy with a psychic gift and a boyfriend to die for. Keeping those things in mind, I created Ren Montgomery, a girl who can't stay out of trouble for all the right reasons. I deliberately brainstormed her psychic gift—seeing a flash of color that reveals character—trying to come up with something different.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your upcoming novel, Jaguar Moon?
Linda: Twilight and "Ghost Hunters" on the SyFy channel inspired me to think outside the box for this one. I wound up with Livvie Merick, an empath, who encounters a couple of ghosts and a shapeshifter in the course of the novel.
Phoebe: How do you come up with each of your characters for your novels? How do you choose their names out of so many names out there?
Linda: My characters just come to me. Not sure how. But I always have a clear picture of them in my head and can hear each one's distinct voice. I choose names very carefully off the lists that are on the internet. I get last names from the phone book. I say them out loud and try to match them to my character. I also look at the meaning of the name, and sometimes I honor people or beloved characters from books or movies. For example, I got Livvie's last name, Merrick, from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Almost all my characters have nick names. Ren is short for Serena. Livvie is short for Olivia.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your current release, The Cinderella Swap? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your current release, The Cinderella Swap?
Linda: My favorite character in this book is Dugan, the hero. As senior, Dugan has a lot on his plate, including a mom and stepmom who've died of cancer, a dad whose not around, a stepsister going through her awkward junior high school phase, and a grandmother with Alzheimer's. He's hard working, self-deprecating, and totally perfect for Ren. That said, I relate more to Ren, who sympathizes with the underdog and often takes on more than she can handle.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your upcoming novel, Jaguar Moon? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your upcoming novel, Jaguar Moon?
Linda: My favorite character and the one I relate to most is Livvie, the heroine. She's a bit of an outsider, as I always was, and has a very open mind. Unfortunately, I'm not psychic.
Phoebe: Do you have a process of how you start to write your novels?
Linda: I usually start with a single scene and from there build up the back story. I make charts and lists and timelines. I also write short character summaries. I usually have a whole file of back-up stuff by the time I've finished.
Phoebe: Have you ever considered writing a series or are writing stand alone novels your preference? How would writing each be different for you?
Linda: I think a series would be hard to write if the same characters were used over and over because the relationship between the hero and heroine would have to be spaced out over the course of the books. That could get tricky since I'm all about happy endings. On the other hand, it might be fun to take minor characters from one book and give them their own story in another. I know that some of my "test readers" have wanted to read more about the secondary characters in Jaguar Moon.
Phoebe: What process did you have to go through to get your first book published and did it take you long?
Linda: The first time around, it took me 2 ½ years and four books to find an agent. The seventh agent I queried took me on. She sold my first paperback romance, Heart of the Matter, to Silhouette Books in six months. I didn't know at the time how lucky I was. The second go round, ten years and a new genre later, I tried for 2 years to get an agent and bombed out. So I did a little research and turned to e-publishing. Though a lot of paper writers seem leery of e-books, I think they're the wave of the future, and I'm having a ball writing them.
Phoebe: Do you ever get writers block? What do you do to get rid of it so you can get back to writing your novels?
Linda: I read. What goes in must come out, at least in my case. I read books that open me up to new ideas, for example Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books and Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books. Before long, I have to write again or explode.
Phoebe: What is your biggest reader pet peeve, if you have any? (stock characters, unresolved endings, predictability, everything wrapped up hurriedly in the end, etc.)
Linda: Point of view mess ups drive me nuts. I'm a real purist where that's concerned. I'm also a grammar nut, which is not to say I don't make mistakes. I do, but I try to catch and fix them.
Phoebe: Which aspects of writing do you enjoy the most and why? And what is your biggest writing pet peeve? (overuse of exclamation points, adverbs, bad guys named Wayne, etc.), if you have any?
Linda: I hate to plot. I'm lousy at it, and it's stressful. Thank God for the friends who brainstorm with me. But once I've got the story in my head and a synopsis on paper, I'm good to go. And nothing makes me happier than finding the right word and condensing a ten-word sentence into a five-word sentence with clear, concise meaning. It's all about word play and rhythm. It takes me about an hour to write a page, but when I'm finished with it, I'm finished. No second and third drafts for me.
Phoebe: What is the one writing tool can you not live without?
Linda: My computer. I started with a manual typewriter, worked up to an electric typewriter, then a word processor, then a computer. Couldn't live without it now.
Phoebe: How do you handle your writing schedule and your personal life without going insane?
Linda: Good question. I've always worked full-time and written on the side, which means a lot of late nights, early mornings, and weekends at the computer. I try not to get stressed when I'm kept away from my story for weeks at a time, but it's hard. And there are days when I want to give up. But the rewards are worth the sacrifices. I know that I'll be able to retire from the "day job" in a couple of years, and then the challenge will be to stay off the computer.
Phoebe: What do you do to relax after having spent a long while writing? Do you have any hobbies?
Linda: I read and watch movies to relax and refuel. I also like to draw.
Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Linda: I can't really think of anything. I will say that s lot of amazing writers helped me get on the right path by offering kind, constructive critiques.
Phoebe: Is there any writing tips, research tips, promotion and marketing tips that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Linda: The single most important thing I ever did was read Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain. That book showed me the way, and I'd recommend it to anyone. Another good book is Writing Novels That Sell by Jack Bickham. As far as promotion and marketing tips, I'm still learning those, myself. I think the main thing is to create a web presence. There are a lot of wonderful e-romance web sites out there, including this one. Take advantage of their promo ideas.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite genre you like to read? Who is your favorite author(s)?
Linda: I'm totally into paranormal books at the moment. I particularly admire JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Meg Cabot, Charlaine Harris, and Jim Butcher.
Phoebe: What are you reading now? And what do you plan to read after that?
Linda: I'm re-reading Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (love that Eric!). After that, I'll continue with the Harry Dresden books. I'm on number six now and loving them.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Today I have romance author Wendy Ely, who I met through one of the various online romance writing and reading communities I'm a member of, guest blogging about her debut novel. She contacted me about being on my review blog and I was happy to have her because she has her debut novel, Jesse's Brother, with Lyrical Press, Inc. on Monday, September 21. This Thursday she will be back to share how she came to write her debut novel, Jesse's Brother, as well as give a sneak peek into the novel with an excerpt. I interviewed Wendy this past Tuesday on this review blog and next Thursday, September 24 I will be chatting live with Wendy on my live podcast show TAMFA—Phoebe Jordan about what she feels now that her debut novel, Jesse's Brother, is finally released as of Monday, September 21. Now you can read my review of Wendy's debut novel Jesse's Brother which I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy before it's release date
* * * * * *
I came up with the idea of Jesse's Brother while dating two very different men. One was in the military and older than I was. The other was a gardener, delicious, and a few years younger. While I was on a date with one of them, the other called. Luckily the date had gone off to the bathroom. It got me thinking... and now we have Jesse's Brother. The book takes place just outside of Portland, Oregon. It's where I'm from and miss Portland tons. Having the book take place around that area provided me with an opportunity to remember what it's like there. The novel took about a year to finish.
Blurb:
One woman, two men: a single summer to choose between them.
Sacrificing a summer to fix her relationship with her mother and find out what’s troubling her father isn’t so bad...right? Wrong. Or so Samantha learns upon her return to Portland. As if family drama wasn’t bad enough, first comes Noah. Then comes Jesse. Samantha is torn between the way her heart skips a beat each time Noah looks at her, and the way Jesse’s touch make her yearn for more.
Content Warning: This title contains sex, family drama and a tough choice. You can find out more about me at my website, Facebook and MySpace.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Today I'm reviewing the debut novel of romance author Wendy Ely who I met through one of the various online romance writing and reading communities I'm a member of. She contacted me about being on my review blog and I was happy to have her because she has her debut novel, Jesse's Brother, with Lyrical Press, Inc. on Monday, September 21. This Thursday she will be back to share how she came to write her debut novel, Jesse's Brother, as well as give a sneak peek into the novel with an excerpt. Yesterday I interviewed Wendy on this review blog and next Thursday, September 24 I will be chatting live with Wendy on my live podcast show TAMFA—Phoebe Jordan about what she feels now that her debut novel, Jesse's Brother, is finally released as of Monday, September 21. Now lets get to my review of Wendy's debut novel Jesse's Brother which I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy before it's release date. This novel starts with the heroine, Samantha, who is sacrificing a summer to fix her relationship with her mother and find out what’s troubling her father as well isn’t so bad an idea...right? Wrong or so Samantha learns upon her return to Portland and finding that things haven't changed one bit between her and her mother.
As if family drama wasn’t bad enough, first comes Noah who works for her father on the ranch who makes her feel like she could be herself around him. And then comes Jesse who she met one day at a bookstore and feels an instant attraction to him because he makes her feel like the person she wants to be when she left her small town home. Samantha is torn between the way her heart skips a beat each time Noah looks at her, and the way Jesse’s touch make her yearn for more. Now to make this clear this is a short story but it packed filled with family drama and sexual tension between th heroine and the two guys she's torn between who she doesn't know are brothers until it's almost too late. I had fun reading this novel because it kept me on my toes wondering when Samantha would find out about Noah and Jesse being brothers as well as which brother she would end up choosing to spend her life with. Wendy Ely delivers a wonderful debut novel that hooked me from the start and made me crave for more even though the novel finished. I very much look forward to reading any of Wendy's future novels because like I said she has me hooked. I give this book 4 Open Books:
Here is the description of the novel from Wendy's website and picture:
JESSE'S BROTHER by Wendy Ely $ 4.50 (81 Pages)
One woman, two men: a single summer to choose between them.
Sacrificing a summer to fix her relationship with her mother and find out what’s troubling her father isn’t so bad...right? Wrong. Or so Samantha learns upon her return to Portland. As if family drama wasn’t bad enough, first comes Noah. Then comes Jesse. Samantha is torn between the way her heart skips a beat each time Noah looks at her, and the way Jesse’s touch make her yearn for more.
Content Warning: This title contains sex, family drama and a tough choice.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Today I have romance author Wendy Ely who I met through one of the various online romance writing and reading communities I'm a member of. She contacted me about being on my review blog and I was happy to have her because she has her debut novel, Jesse's Brother, with Lyrical Press, Inc. on Monday, September 21. This Thursday she will be back to share how she came to write her debut novel, Jesse's Brother, as well as give a sneak peek into the novel with an excerpt. And don't forget next Thursday, September 24 I will be chatting live with Wendy on my live podcast show TAMFA—Phoebe Jordan about what she feels now that her debut novel, Jesse's Brother, is finally released as of Monday, September 21. I have exciting news and that is that I was gifted with an advance copy of the novel and will be reviewing it for Wendy soon so keep coming back to find it before it's release date. Now onto my interview with Wendy:
* * * * * *
Phoebe Jordan: When did you know that writing romance was going to be the thing that you would do with your life? Which author inspired you to start writing romance?
Wendy Ely: Until January of 2008 I thought of my writing as a hobby. I thought long and hard about my writing and what I wanted to do with it. It was at that time I decided I wanted to be published. Katherine Stone inspired me at that time. Every single book of hers touched me in some way. Rachel Gibson inspires me now.
Phoebe: Did you know what type of romance you wanted to write about or did you experiment with different genres before you chose the one that you felt was for you?
Wendy: I started with contemporary but have moved onto romantic suspense.
Phoebe: What was the first fiction you ever wrote? And do you still have it with you?
Wendy: I started my first romance novel at age thirteen. I don’t remember what it was about but I remember writing it between classes in junior high. My math teacher asked me one day what I was doing. “Writing a book,” I had told her. She smiled and asked if she could read it someday. I never let her but as an adult I found out she’d been a creative writing teacher as well.
Phoebe: How much research do you have to do for your novels and does it take you a long time to gather that research?
Wendy: It depends on which book I’m working on. I think suspense requires me to do a bit more research. At the end of one of my books I had to figure out how a rattle snake strikes. I watched you tube videos to figure it out. So sometimes it takes a long time. Other times, it’s just a few minutes.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your debut novel, Jesse’s Brother?
Wendy: I was dating two guys at once. They both knew about each other. One night I was on a date with one of the guys. He’d gone to the bathroom when the other guy called me on my cell. I answered but kept the call quick. The plot popped into my head then.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your upcoming novel, Confessions?
Wendy: I came up with the character first. She evolved the plot into what it is today.
Phoebe: How do you come up with each of your characters for your novels? How do you choose their names out of so many names out there?
Wendy: Sometimes I’ll see someone out in public and think they’d make a wonderful character or I might think of a name first and let the image just come to me.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your debut novel, Jesse’s Brother? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your debut novel, Jesse’s Brother?
Wendy: I was surprised by Jesse’s character in Jesse’s Brother. He started out a lot nicer but changed into a whole new character. It was fun though! Samantha. She feels sort of lost in her life, not knowing where she fits in. I’ve felt that in the past. She had to figure out who she was just as I have.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your upcoming novel, Confessions? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your upcoming novel, Confessions?
Wendy: My favorite character would be Chelsea. It was a journey watching her go from someone hiding to exposing all the secrets about her life and accepting them. I think I could relate to Jordan in a way. I had someone disappear in my life without saying a word. He left all his things behind and I had no idea what had happened or why.
Phoebe: Do you have a process of how you start to write your novels?
Wendy: I do not plot. The first draft is done without revisions without editing. I edit several times once the first draft is done and then send it off to my critique partners.
Phoebe: Have you ever considered writing a series or are writing stand alone novels your preference? How would writing each be different for you?
Wendy: I like writing stand alone novels. However, Confessions, is the start of a romantic suspense series. I hadn’t planned it that way but Allison (Chelsea’s sister) was such a strong character so I decided to give her, her own story.
Phoebe: What process did you have to go through to get your first book published and did it take you long?
Wendy: I got a request for a partial and a full from one publisher and one agent a month after I started submitting Jesse’s Brother. A year later I got my contract with Lyrical Press, Inc.
Phoebe: Do you ever get writers block? What do you do to get rid of it so you can get back to writing your novels?
Wendy: I sure do! I usually get blocked by stress totally unrelated to writing. I deal with my feelings or the situation (depending on if I can fix it) so I can continue to write. If the block is because of what I’m writing, like if I’m stuck, I’ll chat with my critique partners and see if they have any ideas for my novel.
Phoebe: What is your biggest reader pet peeve, if you have any? (stock characters, unresolved endings, predictability, everything wrapped up hurriedly in the end, etc.)
Wendy: Lots of description. I think it’s important to describe the surroundings and characters but pages? That bothers me.
Phoebe: Which aspects of writing do you enjoy the most and why? And what is your biggest writing pet peeve? (overuse of exclamation points, adverbs, bad guys named Wayne, etc.), if you have any?
Wendy: I like writing the first draft the most. It puts me into a different frame of mind. I get to sit back, relax, and let the words flow from my fingertips. My biggest pet peeve is the word was. It’s because I’ve had to change so many sentences that contained the word while editing my two novels.
Phoebe: What is the one writing tool can you not live without?
Wendy: The find and replace option in my computer program. It makes writing so much better once all the extra words are taken out!
Phoebe: How do you handle your writing schedule and your personal life without going insane?
Wendy: I’ve been asked a lot lately if I actually sleep. I sure do and love it! I attend college full time, am a single mother, run a childcare, and now write as much as possible. I get a break while the kids are sleeping so I use the time to write, edit, book promoting, or do school work. My evenings are spent with my kids and when they decide they’ve had enough mommy time, I work some more until bedtime. The weekends provide me with a lot of writing time. When I feel the pressure building, I’ll take the entire day off and do something fun with my kids.
Phoebe: What do you do to relax after having spent a long while writing? Do you have any hobbies?
Wendy: Reading and swimming are my hobbies. Once I’m drained from writing, reading is the last thing I want to do so we head out to the pool. If we don’t feel like swimming, I’ll curl up on the couch or my bed and watch TV.
Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Wendy: Find a good critique partner. A good partner is priceless.
Phoebe: Is there any writing tips, research tips, promotion and marketing tips that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Wendy: This was told to me before I got my first contract but I’d like to share it anyway. Even if you’re not published yet but are working on a book get a website now. Start meeting people (other authors) and getting your name out there.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite genre you like to read? Who is your favorite author(s)?
Wendy: I like contemporary romance and suspense. Combine the two and I’m in heaven. There are so many authors I love so I’ll just put a few down. I love Rachel Gibson’s books in the romance genre. In suspense, I couldn’t pass up James Patterson book.
Phoebe: What are you reading now? And what do you plan to read after that?
Wendy: I’m reading Daisy’s Back in Town by Rachel Gibson. I don’t know what I’ll read after that… I have a ton of books on my TBR bookshelf.
Wendy Ely: Until January of 2008 I thought of my writing as a hobby. I thought long and hard about my writing and what I wanted to do with it. It was at that time I decided I wanted to be published. Katherine Stone inspired me at that time. Every single book of hers touched me in some way. Rachel Gibson inspires me now.
Phoebe: Did you know what type of romance you wanted to write about or did you experiment with different genres before you chose the one that you felt was for you?
Wendy: I started with contemporary but have moved onto romantic suspense.
Phoebe: What was the first fiction you ever wrote? And do you still have it with you?
Wendy: I started my first romance novel at age thirteen. I don’t remember what it was about but I remember writing it between classes in junior high. My math teacher asked me one day what I was doing. “Writing a book,” I had told her. She smiled and asked if she could read it someday. I never let her but as an adult I found out she’d been a creative writing teacher as well.
Phoebe: How much research do you have to do for your novels and does it take you a long time to gather that research?
Wendy: It depends on which book I’m working on. I think suspense requires me to do a bit more research. At the end of one of my books I had to figure out how a rattle snake strikes. I watched you tube videos to figure it out. So sometimes it takes a long time. Other times, it’s just a few minutes.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your debut novel, Jesse’s Brother?
Wendy: I was dating two guys at once. They both knew about each other. One night I was on a date with one of the guys. He’d gone to the bathroom when the other guy called me on my cell. I answered but kept the call quick. The plot popped into my head then.
Phoebe: How did you come up with the concept for your upcoming novel, Confessions?
Wendy: I came up with the character first. She evolved the plot into what it is today.
Phoebe: How do you come up with each of your characters for your novels? How do you choose their names out of so many names out there?
Wendy: Sometimes I’ll see someone out in public and think they’d make a wonderful character or I might think of a name first and let the image just come to me.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your debut novel, Jesse’s Brother? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your debut novel, Jesse’s Brother?
Wendy: I was surprised by Jesse’s character in Jesse’s Brother. He started out a lot nicer but changed into a whole new character. It was fun though! Samantha. She feels sort of lost in her life, not knowing where she fits in. I’ve felt that in the past. She had to figure out who she was just as I have.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite character that you really enjoyed writing about in your upcoming novel, Confessions? Did you have a character that you felt you could really relate to in your upcoming novel, Confessions?
Wendy: My favorite character would be Chelsea. It was a journey watching her go from someone hiding to exposing all the secrets about her life and accepting them. I think I could relate to Jordan in a way. I had someone disappear in my life without saying a word. He left all his things behind and I had no idea what had happened or why.
Phoebe: Do you have a process of how you start to write your novels?
Wendy: I do not plot. The first draft is done without revisions without editing. I edit several times once the first draft is done and then send it off to my critique partners.
Phoebe: Have you ever considered writing a series or are writing stand alone novels your preference? How would writing each be different for you?
Wendy: I like writing stand alone novels. However, Confessions, is the start of a romantic suspense series. I hadn’t planned it that way but Allison (Chelsea’s sister) was such a strong character so I decided to give her, her own story.
Phoebe: What process did you have to go through to get your first book published and did it take you long?
Wendy: I got a request for a partial and a full from one publisher and one agent a month after I started submitting Jesse’s Brother. A year later I got my contract with Lyrical Press, Inc.
Phoebe: Do you ever get writers block? What do you do to get rid of it so you can get back to writing your novels?
Wendy: I sure do! I usually get blocked by stress totally unrelated to writing. I deal with my feelings or the situation (depending on if I can fix it) so I can continue to write. If the block is because of what I’m writing, like if I’m stuck, I’ll chat with my critique partners and see if they have any ideas for my novel.
Phoebe: What is your biggest reader pet peeve, if you have any? (stock characters, unresolved endings, predictability, everything wrapped up hurriedly in the end, etc.)
Wendy: Lots of description. I think it’s important to describe the surroundings and characters but pages? That bothers me.
Phoebe: Which aspects of writing do you enjoy the most and why? And what is your biggest writing pet peeve? (overuse of exclamation points, adverbs, bad guys named Wayne, etc.), if you have any?
Wendy: I like writing the first draft the most. It puts me into a different frame of mind. I get to sit back, relax, and let the words flow from my fingertips. My biggest pet peeve is the word was. It’s because I’ve had to change so many sentences that contained the word while editing my two novels.
Phoebe: What is the one writing tool can you not live without?
Wendy: The find and replace option in my computer program. It makes writing so much better once all the extra words are taken out!
Phoebe: How do you handle your writing schedule and your personal life without going insane?
Wendy: I’ve been asked a lot lately if I actually sleep. I sure do and love it! I attend college full time, am a single mother, run a childcare, and now write as much as possible. I get a break while the kids are sleeping so I use the time to write, edit, book promoting, or do school work. My evenings are spent with my kids and when they decide they’ve had enough mommy time, I work some more until bedtime. The weekends provide me with a lot of writing time. When I feel the pressure building, I’ll take the entire day off and do something fun with my kids.
Phoebe: What do you do to relax after having spent a long while writing? Do you have any hobbies?
Wendy: Reading and swimming are my hobbies. Once I’m drained from writing, reading is the last thing I want to do so we head out to the pool. If we don’t feel like swimming, I’ll curl up on the couch or my bed and watch TV.
Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Wendy: Find a good critique partner. A good partner is priceless.
Phoebe: Is there any writing tips, research tips, promotion and marketing tips that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?
Wendy: This was told to me before I got my first contract but I’d like to share it anyway. Even if you’re not published yet but are working on a book get a website now. Start meeting people (other authors) and getting your name out there.
Phoebe: Do you have a favorite genre you like to read? Who is your favorite author(s)?
Wendy: I like contemporary romance and suspense. Combine the two and I’m in heaven. There are so many authors I love so I’ll just put a few down. I love Rachel Gibson’s books in the romance genre. In suspense, I couldn’t pass up James Patterson book.
Phoebe: What are you reading now? And what do you plan to read after that?
Wendy: I’m reading Daisy’s Back in Town by Rachel Gibson. I don’t know what I’ll read after that… I have a ton of books on my TBR bookshelf.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Today I'm reviewing my online friend Eva Gordon's contemporary paranormal romance novel, Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf, the second book of her Wolf Maiden Chronicles series. I also reviewed her paranormal romance novel, Werewolf Sanctuary, which is the first book of her Wolf Maiden Chronicles series about a week ago if you would like to know what I had to say about it before you read my review for this book. I'm also happy to say that in a couple of weeks I'll be interviewing Eva right here on TAMFA so keep looking for it this month. Now to my review of Eva Gordon's novel which I had such fun reading that I finished it up so quickly because I couldn't stop reading it that I didn't sleep until I completely finished reading it. Now in the novel Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf which is a historical paranormal romance that takes place during the Viking Era of the Dark Ages. A time when only the strong survive which depicts alpha lycans and Sigurd, an alpha Norse wolfskin, son of Gunnolf the Red seeks revenge against shape shifting bearskins, Bork the Mad and his son, Mord the Blood Claw for the death of his parents and his older brother Guda. Orphaned, he has been raised by his older sister Brynhild, who convinces him to take a wolf maiden in order to increase their small pack. Despite the warning by Hungerd the wolf witch, he takes a farmer's new bride with tragic consequences which ends with his pack's demise and leads to the journey he has to take alone. He joins a long ship of Vikings until the day he can avenge his pack's demise as well as kill Bork and Mord for the death of his father and brother as well as his mother.
Emelisse, a Frank wolf maiden, has been raised and educated in the classics, science, literature and languages by female lycans of the Lupercal. Born a runt with a weak heart her father has been overprotective but she refuses to be treated like a delicate vase and rebels by seeking out riding and falconry. Now at age the age of eighteen Emelisse frets that her father wants her to accept Radulf III the Cruel, an alpha lycan of a pack of powerful warriors. So she tries to run away with her human lover which ends in tragedy for all parties but also begins the journey to her destiny which was foretold the day of her birth. Viking werewolf, Sigurd rescues Emelisse, from the claws of the berserker bear men and when he finds out that she is has the 5 toed paw print on her hip he claims her as his ulf hexen or wolf maiden, but she wants to leave lycan society and live with humans. To complicate matters she has been called by her goddess Feronia to save the lycans from a dreaded disease and that means that she will have to stay in the lycan society if she wants her lycan family to survive was is foretold to be a disease that could wipe out both lycan and humans from the face of the earth if it is not stopped. Their union is wrought with great peril in a world where werewolves must battle against their own kind as well as their fierce enemy, the berserker bear men. Will Emelisse accept Sigurd a foreign lycan as her alpha mate? Sigurd vows to protect her from their enemies but how can he save her before she dies from her ailing heart?
OMG and Wow! That is what I had to say when I finished reading Werewolf Sanctuary and it's exactly the same thing I had to say when I finished reading this novel because I couldn't believe how great a read it was. From the first page to the very last page, this novel tells of an entertaining journey into the the lycan world that will give you a thrill ride in this historical paranormal romance. At the end of the first novel we find that Wyatt and Madeline are researching about the past alpha lycans and their wolf maiden life mates and reading this novel was so much fun because it gave us a past story to compare with the past of the lycan race with the present of the lycan race. I also loved that I got to learn more about alpha lycan Lupa who we only got to know a little about in the first book as a retiring alpha lycan leader of the Lurpercal. Now in this book we see her as a younger alpha lycan who is close to Emmelise and is trying to save the lycan race from a disease that is going to wipe out their race if they don't find the cure soon. Beast Warrior: Viking Werewolf has more than enough romance, dangerous journies for both Sigurd and Emmelise that leads to plot twits and turns to give readers a page turner with satisfying experience. I very much look forward to more of Eva Gordon's wonderful Wolf Maiden Chronicles series especially her next book in the series which is a historical paranormal romance called, White Wolf of Avalon. I give this book 4.5 Open Books:
Here is the description of the book from Eva's website and description:
BEAST WARRIOR: VIKING WEREWOLF by Eva Gordon $ 7.49 (Book 2)(158 Pages)
Here is the description of the book from Eva's website and description:
BEAST WARRIOR: VIKING WEREWOLF by Eva Gordon $ 7.49 (Book 2)(158 Pages)
Beast Warrior is a historical paranormal romance that takes place during the Viking Era of the Dark Ages. A time when only the strong survive. It is the second book in the Wolf Maiden Chronicles, which depicts alpha lycans and Sigurd, an alpha Norse wolfskin, son of Gunnolf the Red seeks revenge against shape shifting bearskins, Bork the Mad and his son, Mord the Blood Claw for the death of his parents and his older brother Guda. Orphaned, he has been raised by his older sister Brynhild, who convinces him to take a wolf maiden in order to increase their small pack. Despite the warning by Hungerd the wolf witch, he takes a farmer's new bride with tragic consequences. Alone he joins a long ship until the day he can avenge his pack's demise. Emelisse, a Frank wolf maiden, has been raised and educated in the classics, science, literature and languages by female lycans of the Lupercal. Born a runt with a weak heart her father has been overprotective. She refuses to be treated like a delicate vase and rebels by seeking out riding and falconry. Now at age eighteen Emelisse frets that her father wants her to accept Radulf III the Cruel, an alpha lycan of a pack of powerful warriors. She tries to run away with her human lover. Viking werewolf, Sigurd rescues Emelisse, from the claws of the berserker bear men. He claims her as his ulf hexen or wolf maiden, but she wants to leave lycan society and live with humans. To complicate matters she has been called by her goddess Feronia to save the lycans from a dreaded disease. Their union is wrought with great peril in a world where werewolves must battle against their own kind as well as their fierce enemy, the berserker bear men. Will Emelisse accept Sigurd a foreign lycan as her alpha mate? Sigurd vows to protect her from their enemies but how can he save her before she dies from her ailing heart?
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