Meet Author Heather Thurmeier

Heather Thurmeier is a lover of strawberry margaritas, a hater of spiders and a reality TV junkie. Born and raised in the Canadian prairies, she now lives in New York with her husband and kids where she’s become some kind of odd Canuck-Yankee hybrid. When she’s not busy taking care of the kids and pets, Heather’s writing her next romance, which will probably be filled with sassy heroines, sexy heroes that make your heart pound, laugh out loud moments and always a happily ever after. She loves to hear from readers on social media and her website!

Heather is a member of Romance Writers of America and a fellow member of the Hudson Valley Chapter in New York. I recently had the opportunity to ask her a few questions…

• How did you start your writing career?

I began my career a few years ago when my kids started school. I suddenly had this time to myself and had an idea for a book, so I figured why not try to write it. I’d always wanted to so that was my chance to do something for myself. Once I started I didn’t want to stop!

• Tell us about your favorite character from your books.

Two of my favorite characters will always be Cassidy and Evan from Falling for You. They were the first characters to tell me their story and I will always love them for that! And the chemistry they have together is awesome. They’re fun, flirty, sarcastic, and super sexy together.

• Where do you dream of traveling to and why?

I’d love to see England, Scotland, and Ireland. I’d love to travel the countryside, visit old castles, and submerse myself in the culture. It seems like such a romantic place to vacation!

• Does travel play in the writing of your books?

In the Unscripted Love book bundle, each book focuses around a different reality TV show. While the contestants don’t have to leave the country, they all have to travel to the location of the show. While they’re not traveling far, they still have to leave their home, family and friends behind to take part in this adventure.

• Does your significant other read your stuff?

Not usually. He will read excerpts here and there. But he’s always available for brainstorming during my writing process. He’s amazingly good at picking apart a story to figure out what’s missing and brainstorming solutions. Whenever I have an idea that I just can’t figure out fully, I go to him and we discuss possibilities for my characters or plot. I always walk away with a better idea of where the story is going after one of our chats.

• Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

I have both and both play important parts in the writing process. I rely on my critique partners to tell me when I’m on the wrong path and set me straight and when I need help, I have them to bounce ideas off of. Sometimes all I need to figure out the solution to a plot problem is to voice my issues to my critique partners. They might have the solution or something they say might trigger an idea I hadn’t thought of before. My beta readers are also important. Once the book is fully completed, I need to know if it stands up to my other novels, if it’s lacking anything, or if it’s reading the way I intended it to read. They are the first set of eyes on my completed stories and the first indication of when I can expect other readers to think. I couldn’t release a new book without at least a few of them reading it first to give me the all clear!

And Heather has some exciting news to share –  Unscripted Love: The Complete Reality TV Romance Collection, THREE Full-length novels, is bundled and available for just 99-cents [77-cents at Amazon!]

Hollywood and romance mix in this delightful trilogy that explores the passion that can develop from friendly rivals on reality television shows. It’s a behind-the-scenes dream come true sure to capture fans of The Bachelor, Survivor, The Amazing Race, and American Idol.

• Falling for You: Newly single Cassidy Quinn is thrilled to be a contestant on the new reality dating show, The One. But her excitement turns to horror when the gorgeous bachelor turns out to be her ex-boyfriend, Brad. Should she reunite with him or take a chance on hunky cameraman Evan?
• Stuck on You: If being forced to team up with reality TV’s favorite bad girl wasn’t enough, falling for her partner’s brother might just make this treasure-hunting reality show a real nightmare for Paige Anderson. But an alliance with Jack Miles might lead to more than just winning the prize . . .
• Lost Without You: Reality TV diva Zoe Oliver is used to putting up a good front, but she isn’t thrilled to rough it in the woods without indoor plumbing and electricity – and with producer Chip Carmack. When her secrets are revealed on camera, she worries she’ll lose everything – including her chance at redemption and the affections of the only man she’s ever trusted with her heart.

AMAZON:  http://ow.ly/J4Zqb
KOBO:  http://ow.ly/J4ZD6
NOOK:  http://ow.ly/JfKks
ALL ROMANCE:  http://ow.ly/J516B

for more information about Heather Thurmeier
visit her website at http://heatherthurmeier.com/

 

Meeting Voice Actress Wendy Tremont King

Hi everyone, I am honored to have a visit today from Wendy Tremont King – Wendy is the narrator for my collection of short stories The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero coming SOON in audio…

Wendy Tremont King is the self-proclaimed Chief of Laugh at Studiotozzi, her sound studio near the Giants ballpark in San Francisco, where she produces audiobooks and corporate/medical long format narration. Wendy is a proud dues-paying member of the Screen Actors Guild and a reader for the SAG Foundation BookPals literacy program. Wendy enjoys listening to audiobooks while sewing, knitting or riding her road bike on the fabulous hills of the San Francisco Bay Area. She is currently stitching hand puppets for the Allentown Art Festival in Buffalo NY next summer and listening to GRAMERCY PARK by Paula Cohen narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan.

1)     What made you decide to become a voice-over actress? What special training did it take?

 I was transitioning from working as a puppeteer to a stage actor.  It was a tough transition working from behind a puppet to being a human on stage so voice acting fit more comfortably.  I spent some time in London studying voice and after I returned, continued to study with a voice coach and took commercial voice acting classes.  As a sort of vocal workout I volunteered at The Lighthouse for the Blind in San Francisco, broadcasting three times weekly including a live audiobook program.  For the next 7 years, I narrated books for the blind, joined the Audio Publishers Association and attended their annual conferences and workshops and most important, listened to award winning book narrators… until I felt ready.  I’m not exactly what you would call ‘a quick study’. 

2)     What did you want to be growing up? Do you work at another career as well and was that career your original plans? How are the 2 careers/goals alike or connected?

 When I was a girl I loved needlework and sewing.  I made kookie clothes for myself and wanted to be a fashion designer.  But I was also good at math and science and went on to get a degree in electrical and computer engineering.  I worked as an engineer in Silicon Valley in the 80s and in the 90s started freelancing as a database developer which gave me time to work as a puppeteer and later as a voice actor.  The engineering background made it quite easy for me to learn the ropes with audio production equipment and software as well as project management.  So I’m grateful for that background.  But now I happily work full time as a narrator and spend my free time sewing while listening to audiobooks. 

3)     At a party, how do you answer folks who ask what you do for a living? What is the most common reaction?

I say I’m a book narrator and most often someone will say, “Oh, you mean like books on tape?” quickly followed by a sympathetic look the likes you might give to someone who still types on a manual typewriter and has to hand crank their car windows up and down. 

4)      Do you do your voice overs in a home office/studio? If so, what kind of equipment and special provisions does it take? Did you always work out of a home studio?

When I first started out in voice over, I recorded medical transcription and books for the blind in my closet at my apartment which was ridiculous considering the number of hours required for that type of “long format narration”.  I had to work around all sorts of noise including the extra-curricular activities of my neighbors downstairs.  It took a great deal of searching to find the right place but finally, luck came my way and I had a modest studio built in an artist’s collective in a converted warehouse near the newly built San Francisco Giants ballpark.  I had the floor floated to cut down vibration and contracted a custom-built sound booth.  It’s a very comfortable place to work and I’ve been lucky to have it.  Unfortunately, the location has become increasingly desirable and the collective is losing its lease at the end of 2015.  So it’s time to start looking for my next location and I’m thinking more along the lines of a rural setting. 

5)      Do you live in a city – suburbs – rural community? Which do you prefer? Have you traveled and visited any far-away places you would love to live in now?

In the last year I have spent time in western New York, where I grew up, helping to take care of my mother, who has been ill.  It’s been a difficult time but after 30 years in California, I’m enjoying the seasons and a slower pace.  Sweet corn and apples direct from the farm.  Housing prices that don’t make you snort organic grass fed milk out your nose.  I love California, don’t get me wrong, but I’m enchanted with western New York and thinking seriously about quieting things down in my life and returning to my roots.  I have visions of a studio with a view of the lake or maybe the Hudson River, a train ride away from NYC… wherever it will be, the main criteria is a peaceful place to work.  Once it’s built I hope you will come and visit! 

6)      Do you sing in the shower? What is your favorite song to sing? What is your favorite kind of music to listen to?

 My mother’s sister was an opera singer and my mother herself sang in some impressive choirs including one for David Brubeck.  My Dad remembers the lyrics to an encyclopedia of songs and sings them shamelessly whenever he hears the slightest reference.  Several people have endorsed me on Linked-In for Singing which, to me, is amusing because I absolutely did not receive the singing gene.  Whenever I have to sing a verse in an audiobook, I have to spend a great deal of time on it and cringe to have to hear it.

7)     When you are reading just for reading enjoyment, do you find yourself reading out loud? When you watch movies or TV shows do you try to mimic the voices your hear?

 I’ve always been a slow reader.  I think it is because I read out loud in my head.  I hear the words as I read them silently to myself.  I imagine this has something to do with auditory learning or some such thing.  With regard to dialect and vocal traits… I listen to people in airports and other crowded places.  I even carry around a little hand held recorder and catch snippets.  I studied the transcription of dialects and that helps a great deal as well as the many dialect resources online.  Dialects and vocal variety is a handy arsenal for a narrator but the voice for a character comes from the writer.  I take careful notes about each character; what they look like, their age, where they are from and under what circumstances they appear in the book, what motivates them and very telling… what they say about themselves. The actor’s job is to get to know the characters as true to the author’s intent as possible. There are a lot of characters in Many Faces but I didn’t have to worry so much about them all being in the same scene together so it was a little bit more forgiving than a novel full of characters.

8)     How do you feel about public speaking, especially if it is impromptu? Do family or friends often ask you to do public readings for a group, make toasts, or give a speech?

I love public speaking so much that I participated in the SFMOMA special program titled SCULPTURE L.A. in conjunction with the Muistardeaux Collective.  It involved training at the Marina Abromavic Institute West, in the delivery of improvisational lectures.  The performances were given on Thursday evenings for a series of weeks.  Each of us was given the title of a future exhibition one minute before standing up before a roaming audience.  Standing on a small platform without props or supporting materials each of us, in our designated locations of the museum, delivered a 45 minute improvised fictional lecture on the subject followed by a 15 minute Q&A.  You can read about it here.  http://www.sfmoma.org/about/press/press_events/releases/854

9)      I know that you’ve read all kinds of works – novels, short stories, documents… How did you feel about reading the variety of stories in Many Faces? Did you have a favorite story?

 The variety of voices in Many Faces made it a really fun project filled with heartbreak and joy.  The Vacation even steamed up the window in the sound booth!  Each story resonated with some memory or part of my life.  I Swear That Raccoon Just Knocked on my Door reminded me of my own girl-time camping experiences at Letchworth State Park.  I don’t recall a raccoon knocking on the cabin door but they sure did visit.  A Mother’s Love really touched me because I had been taking care of my mother while working on the stories.  But my favorite story to narrate was The Meeting because I’m a sucker for true romance. 

10)  Giving Thanks…

I know that writing can be a very solitary activity, as is narration.  I love working on books because it connects me collaboratively with another artist and his/her work.  Thank you for trusting me with your stories.  I know it sounds cliché but it really it is an honor to work with you.

Wendy, thanks so much for joining me today AND for working on Many Faces – From what I’ve heard so far you’ve really made my stories sound great!

Wendy’s Sound Studio

For a sample of Wendy’s work on The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero,
link here: http://bit.ly/1eBobKC

AUDIOBOOKS AVAILABLE ON audible.com

 http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=wendy+tremont+king&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

Links

https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A12GEBJ9NB2R78
http://www.linkedin.com/in/wendytremontking
https://www.facebook.com/WendyTremontKingNarrator
http://wendytremontking.com/audiobook.html

 

Meet Dani Collins, “a debut author with a mission”

Today I am sharing a cup of Peppermint Tea with Dani Collins in the Potpourri Parlor. Dani is the author of More Than A Convenient Marriage? (Harlequin Presents) with a publication date of December 1, 2013.

Dani Collins spent twenty-five years dreaming of writing full time and finally made her first sale to Harlequin Mills & Boon in May of 2012. She’s still dreaming of making Romance Author her day job, but for now she writes around work, family, and enough exercise to keep her out of traction. For more information about Dani, you can visit her website at www.danicollins.com, listen to her interview with Nice Girls Reading Naughty Books, or watch her interview on GFTV.

Thanks for joining me today, Dani. Let’s get started…

1. What’s the elevator pitch for your most recent release?

The biggest selling feature is that it’s two original romances for the price of one! They also happen to be linked books.

The heroine in More Than A Convenient Marriage?, Adara, goes looking for her half-brother in Greece. He’s the hero of the other title in this book, No Longer Forbidden?, but Adara’s husband, Gideon, thinks she’s having an affair and chases her down. From there, all the secrets they’ve been hiding from each other begin to come out. 

2. Do you work on more than one novel at a time?

To some extent, yes. People often ask how I kept myself going as an unpublished writer and one of my tricks was to always start something new the minute I sent something off. This started my ability to switch gears fairly quickly. Nowadays that usually translates into writing a draft of one, revising something that has come back, doing line edits on a third, then jumping back to my first draft. 

3. What historical time period is your favorite? Why?

Mostly I write contemporary, but I do have an eBook, The Healer, written in a fantasy medieval world. (Recently names a finalist in Epic’s 2014 ebook Awards!) I think I could be drawn into setting a story in just about any time period if that’s what the characters and story demanded. There’s something deliciously taboo about passion against a backdrop of strict customs or very conservative societies. I’m always intrigued by that sort of contrast.

4. Do you have a vision board or other `trick’ to help motivate you?

I don’t collage or do a lot of pre-work, although I usually have a brief synopsis and character back stories as well as a few plot points outlined. As I’m writing, I love jumping online—no, it’s not goofing off if it’s research—when I arrive at something I want to describe. For instance, in the third book in this series, An Heir To Bind Them (June 2014), my heroine is Punjabi. I wanted to describe the atmosphere of an Indian wedding in a few sentences. I googled for images and went from there. Same goes if the hero whisks her to his villa on Lake Como or she has to put on a gown for a fancy ball.

5. Do you schedule time to write or is writing all-consuming to the exclusion of everything else and you schedule time to do other things? Like eat.

Well, for years I got up early to write before my day job. My children were young and my husband worked shifts so that was the only time I could really schedule. I still get up an hour early to write before work. In the last few months I’ve had some really tight deadlines so the writing has become all-consuming out of necessity. I’ve discovered that there are times I can’t be bothered to eat, or eat well. I’m a bit of a hippy so I’m shocked that I’m letting myself fall into these bad habits. Also, I recently went away for eleven days for my day job. When I called my husband, he said, “It’s like you’re upstairs writing. We don’t even notice you’re gone.” This reinforces the message for me that I have to make changes. I will. Just as soon as I get my December book submitted.

6. What three words do you think describe you as a human being?

Hilarious. Just kidding. I mean self-deprecating. Haha, see what I did there? I suppose I’m driven, given the pace I’ve kept to the last year. People would say I’m nice and bubbly. I tend to say yes to things and worry about the how afterward. That gets me into these over-committed situations.

7. Please tell us what you are most passionate about outside of writing.

I can get pretty worked up about women’s rights.

8. Do you have any pets? If so, introduce us to them.

We have a cat, Buddy, who drives me crazy. He’s nice, quite affectionate and a heck of a mouser, but talkative and very determined. Just try locking him out at night. He climbs to the deck outside our bedroom and yowls until we let him in. We’ve tried three different ways to block him and he’s managed to outsmart us and climb up anyway. If he would only learn to tell time and come in by ten, we’d all be fine, but no. He breaks curfew and I wind up in a domestic dispute with him at one in the morning when he finally gets home sticking of the neighbor’s fireplace. Such a pain.

9. If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing with your life?

I like to garden and travel and golf.

10. Where did you find the strength to persevere until you got the “call”?

I get asked that a lot, especially because it took twenty-five years for that to happen. I always say that you don’t know going in that it’ll be that long. I always started a new year thinking it would be The Year. Eventually I developed a Scarlett O’Hara ‘tude where I was not gonna let them lick me. I had too many years invested to believe it would never happen so I just kept throwing the spaghetti at the wall. Eventually something stuck.

11. Can you describe the time you realized you were indeed a “real” writer?

That’s a great question because I was always wary of calling myself a writer, even when my family called me one. I would say ‘I write’ but I didn’t feel like a writer because I hadn’t sold. I’ve since reframed that in my own mind. If you write regularly, you are a writer. If you publish, you are an author. Having said that, when I was among other writers, I always felt like a writer. I spoke the language, I knew the pitfalls and triumphs. In my day to day life, however, it took the validation of a sale to make it easy for me to call myself a writer.

12. Who are your favorite authors?

Elizabeth Lowell and Linda Howard occupy a large section on my keeper shelf. I have a ton of Harlequin Presents and really don’t want to play favorites. When it comes to reading, I’ll try any sub-genre so long as it’s romance. There are a ton of newer authors in print and digital I haven’t had time to try and it’s making me crazy. Again, it’s time to make changes.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon: US | Canada | UK | Nook | Kobo

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Meet Atty Eve, author of My Beautiful Suicide

Author Atty Eve took some time to meet with me in the Potpourri Parlor today. She describes herself as “a writer, mother, wife, and business owner, but not always in that order”. Her debut novel My Beautiful Suicide was just released October 15^th.

Thanks for stopping by Atty,

 

Can you tell us a little about your next book to come out?

Sure, the main character Cosette is having a horrible life, her brother died in a car accident, her father left her mom for a newer version, and her high school bully is relentless. But it wasn’t until she accidentally kills someone that she decides to end it all. She understands the impact that suicide has on friends and family so she figures the best way to kill herself is to become a victim of the local serial killer called The Poser.

The real trouble starts when every time she goes out to become a victim, instincts take over and she ends up killing her attackers. And I would say more but that would spoil the fun.

Do you work on more than one novel at a time?

No, when I get an idea I write the outline down but that’s it. I get distracted easily so I have to concentrate on one thing at oh, hey, did I tell you I have a book coming out?

What historical time period is your favorite? Why?

I would love to go back to the very beginning when Adam and Eve were in the garden before she ate the apple. Think of how cool it would be, no rain, no fear of lions or tigers or bears. No need of clothes because all you ate were fruits and veggies and there were no defects, diseases, viruses, nothing to worry about.  And there’s no one to compare yourself to. Everyone in the garden is perfect. You walked with God every morning as he taught you things about your new home and how you have to peel an orange and banana to get to the good stuff. And you could talk to the animals. Eve didn’t freak out and run away when the snake talked to her so it must have been the norm. It would’ve been nice to warn her too, our lives would be so different if she wasn’t curious.

Do you have a vision board or other `trick’ to help motivate you?

I have a few movies I pop in to stir me up. Shine (my favorite movie), A beautiful mind, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Do you schedule time to write or is writing all-consuming to the exclusion of everything else and you schedule time to do other things? Like eat.

Eating is good, no, I write best between 2 and 4 in the morning. I’ll wake up and cuddle in a blanket and write by nightlight. It’s quiet and no one calls or knocks on the door. If they do I’m in trouble because someone hacked into my search history.

How do you “connect” with your readers? Can you tell us about any memorable author-reader interactions?

I would love to tell you but I don’t have a lot of readers yet. I did have a beta reader who read the book in one sitting and begged every week for the second. That was nice to have a fan at such an early stage.

When you are not writing, what do you do to unwind?

My oldest son and I are obsessed about several TV series. Breaking Bad, Heroes and 4400 are our favorites. We black out the room, load up on snacks and watch 3 to 4 episodes at a time.

Aside from yourself, of course, who are your favorite authors? Was there any particular author who inspired you to write?

No author inspired me but my favorite author is Neal Shusterman. I haven’t read a book of his I didn’t like. They suck you in immediately and the characters are so well written you wish you could hug them or shake some sense into them.

Morning Person? Or Night Person? How do you know?

I do well in the morning. I think it’s called coffee.

Is there any one particular character in your novels that you feel is most like you?

Unfortunately yes, the main character. She starts off with a crappy life, she’s picked on, she’s too insecure to know when she’s being hit on, and then something snaps. It changes her whole future and also how she views herself. Not all the changes are good. Not all are bad. It was easy to write her because she’s just like me.

Can you describe your favorite place to write? Do you listen to music or watch TV while you write?

It’s not the most ideal place for proper posture, but I sit on my leather recliner in my living room. I have a fan cooling laptop desk and a large screen laptop. On the side table is usually a bag of veggie fries, water and an oversized mug of coffee so sweet you could stand a spoon up in it. No music. No TV. Easily distracted remember?

What do you prefer to read, a print (paper)) book, an ebook, or an audiobook? Does it make a difference what you are reading as to what format you prefer?

I like my Nook because I can read late into the night while my husband sleeps. No noise of turning pages.

Please tell us a little about your home life- family, pets, community?

I am lucky, I have a hot husband who has some sort of Shallow Hal crush going on for me, and we’ve been married for 19 years, go figure. I have two well behaved teenage boys who were born on the same day 3 years apart. No I didn’t plan that. One was 2 weeks early, one was 2 weeks late both were almost 10 lbs. yeah, it hurt. And unless you count the spiders in my basement, I have no pets. I live in Kenuckiana, that is Louisville Kentucky and surrounding towns, I also wrote this as the setting for my book. It helped having a frame of reference.

At what point in your life did you first feel comfortable calling yourself an author/writer?

When my husband told me to call myself a writer. I used to just say I was a stay at home mom who works every now and then.  I was in the military, worked in retail, restaurants and I used to be a clown. But I retired from all that and started getting serious about my writing. Then poof, a writer was born. BTW my husband hates clowns. I had to call ahead so he would be out of the house when I came home.

Can you tell us where to find more information on you? Website?Blog?

I have a blog called www.AttysAttic.com and a website you can reach me at www.AttyEve.com or www.ThisBeautifulSuicide.com .  You can also friend me on Facebook as long as you don’t try to sell me stocks or religion.

Is there a place where readers can reach you or find your book?

Sure, my phone number is… just kidding.

Amazon—  http://www.amazon.com/My-Beautiful-Suicide-ebook/dp/B00FUUHQA2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1381669933&sr=1-1&keywords=my+beautiful+suicide

Smashwords— https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/363915

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-beautiful-suicide-atty-eve/1117053371?ean=2940045306386

Is there a question you wish I asked?

You could ask me what is the answer to the universe? But everyone knows the answer is 42.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Yes, keep an open mind when reading and don’t spoil the ending for when you pass it on!

 

Meeting Jerrid Edgington, Paramedic & Author

 Jerrid Edgington is a Paramedic for Le Flore County EMS in Poteau Oklahoma. He has over 17 years of experience in the field. Jerrid has worked in Phoenix Arizona, Boise Idaho, Spokane Washington, Moses Lake Washington, and now calls Poteau Oklahoma his home. He is married to Jody Edgington, an ER Nurse.

 

Jerrid, thank you for spending time with me in the Potpourri Parlor.

You are writing a series of books based on EMS and you are a Paramedic – What made YOU choose a career in EMS? How much of your actual life in EMS  is reflected in your novel(s)?

I didn’t choose EMS, it chose me. When I was 22 years old I suffered a spinal cord injury that left me 100% paralyzed. After four days, I regained limited movement on the right side of my body. Over time, I slowly regained movement throughout my body. I spent two months in the hospital learning to walk again, care for myself, and do normal everyday tasks. After a year, I was completely healed and didn’t have any deficits. Up until that point, I worked as a tool salesman. After my injury, I took an interest in the medical field, became an EMT, and after two years of working on the ambulance I went to Paramedic school. I truly believe that God put me into the direction I needed to get into EMS. Before that injury, I had no interest in the medical field whatsoever. A lot of my life in EMS is reflected in my books. I would gather to say around 50% of the situations I put in my books were from experiences, the rest was pure imagination. 

What three words do you think describe you as a human being?

Caring, compassionate, and tolerant. I believe those are three things that are vitally important traits to have as a Paramedic. Not all calls are life or death. So you have to be tolerant as what some people consider an emergency isn’t so much to the trained professional. You have to love people and respect life. I’ve seen too many people, over the years, use their job as a way to be a control freak. I’m in the field because I believe God put me there.

In your novels, is there a character you love to hate? Why that one?

I would have to say it’s Dr. Young in my second book, Racing the Reaper-Resuscitation. He was a complete jerk and tried to control Bridge. He let jealousy cloud his judgment and tried to get Jacob into trouble every time he turned around. He remained cold and callous all the way through the book to the end.

In one sentence—what do you want people to say about your writing in fifty years?

I hope they will say that I was a very talented and passionate writer.

What were your thoughts when you made your first sale as an author?

I was in complete shock when my first book sold. And when the sales kept coming, it was an unbelievable feeling of elation. If I could bottle up that feeling and sale it, I would be a millionaire in a heart beat. I still feel that way each time a book sales. When I started writing, I never thought in a million years that my books would be read as much as they are. I receive messages all of the time from readers telling me how great the books are. And I find it very humbling. I don’t feel like I’m a great writer, yet. I still have a lot to learn.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

The hardest part, for me, in writing my books is the rewrites and edits phase. If I could sit down and write the book perfect the first time, I would be extremely happy. By the time I finish rewrites and edits, I want to throw up I’ve read my work so much. Lol. It’s a necessary part of the writing process. But not my favorite part in the least.

What books have most influenced your life?

I would have to say that Candace Calvert has influenced me the most. She’s a retired nurse that writes medical fiction, like I do. I read her books and I’m completely amazed at how well she is at describing imagery. I feel like I’m in the middle of the scene I’m reading. I’ve been lucky enough to trade e-mails with her often, she’s truly my inspiration.

What would you tell someone who wants a career in EMS?

I would tell them to really sit back and think about why they want a job in EMS. It’s a low paying job and can be very difficult at times. If they have a passion for helping people, then EMS is the right job for them. I often wonder if I should’ve gone into nursing, rather than becoming a Paramedic. But I know I wouldn’t be happy. There is so much freedom in EMS and the system I work in has extremely progressive protocols. We are lucky enough that we get to treat our patients without having to call in for orders.

Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers? If so, what are they?

The best piece of advice I can give is for beginning writers to read A LOT of books by writers in their genre. It’s very important to see how others write and it helps you develop a writing style. The second piece of advice I can give is to have your work professionally edited before you publish a book, if they choose to go the self publishing route. You can lose a reader if your work isn’t pristine. I learned that one the hard way on my first book.

Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received 

The best letter I received was from a reader that had been in the EMS field for a very long time. She loved how my first book chronicled the the main characters experiences as a rookie in the field. Our job is very hard and a lot of people get into thinking they’re ready once they finish their training. My first book showed how hard it is in the beginning as a rookie. It also showed a side of EMS the normal person doesn’t know or understand. I always thought that when someone called 911 it was life or death before I got into EMS. It didn’t take long for me to realize that wasn’t the case. She said she was going to buy extra copies of my first book to hand out to anyone interested in starting an EMS career. That made me feel very good.

Can you tell us where to find more information on you? Website? Blog?

My website is http://www.jerridedgington.com. I have a blog in production and will announce that address on my website once it’s complete.

Is there a place where readers can reach you?

My readers can reach me through the contact page on my website or directly at jledgington@yahoo.com.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I want to personally thank each and every one of my readers. I love to hear their thoughts on my books and appreciate everyone that has posted a review. I couldn’t do this without their support. Again, thank you. 

Racing the Reaper
Racing the Reaper Resuscitation

 

Meet Author Karina Fabian

Winner of the 2010 INDIE for best Fantasy (Magic, Mensa and Mayhem), Karina Fabian has plenty of voices in her head without being psychic.  Fortunately, they fuel her many stories, like the Mind Over trilogy. Mrs. Fabian teaches writing and book marketing seminars, but mostly is concerned with supporting her husband, Rob Fabian as he makes the exciting leap from military officer to civilian executive, getting her kids through high school and college, and surviving daily circuit torture…er, circuit training.  Read about her adventures at http://fabianspace.com

Hi Karina,
Thanks for joining me today in the Potpourri Parlor. This must be a very exciting time for you with the upcoming release of the second book in this trilogy. How do you feel about that?

Sometimes, people talk about “second book syndrome,” where the second book in a trilogy doesn’t match the energy of the first.  The characters refused to let that happen with Mind Over Psyche.  In this book, Joshua and Deryl accidentally end up on Kanaan, the planet of Tasmae.  Tasmae, you may remember from Mind Over Mind, was in psychic contact with Deryl, demanding information from him to save her world.  Now, he’s come to her, live and in person!

Joshua practices a form of psychiatry called neuro linguistic programming.  He used it extensively in Mind Over Mind.  Will he use it in Mind Over Psyche?

Some, but it really doesn’t work with aliens.  He will, however, save a child’s life with it, and will use some techniques to help Deryl and Tasmae out of danger.  This book, he also gets to exercise his musical talents.

What’s the challenge about writing about a psychic people?

They don’t communicate just in words, but also images, emotions, and simple knowing.  For example, why have a name for a person when you can pass on the knowledge of who that person is?  Ditto for places.  However, to reach a reader, I have to use words.  No one wants to read “the captain of the Kanaan guard” ten times a page, so some characters needed names, and I needed a reason for them to have one.  In the end, humans and the Barin (who also have verbal language) name certain things.  This will be fun in Mind Over All, because Joshua will joking name a young boy who clings to him, “Axel,” and it sticks, to Sachiko’s ire.

Also, with no written language, there needs to be a way to preserve history.  This is vital in Mind Over Psyche, as memories are stored in psychic plants.  You experience things as the person experienced them—no sanitizing, no skimming, no skipping the yucky parts (unless the plant allows it.)

What is your personal definition of success?

Fulfilling your worth as a human being.  For me, that means raising my children to be responsible adults, supporting my husband in his career, keeping a good home, and writing books that give people a few hours of escapist fun and/or help them in some way.

If you could have one power what would it be, and what would you do with it?

One of two:  The ability to focus more fully, because I’m way too easily distracted; or the ability to separate myself into different parts, do several things at once, then reintegrate.  I’d love to be able to clean house and walk the dog while writing my novels!

This is a year of changes for you.  What’s happening?

In the past 12 months, Aug 2012-Aug 2013, we lost our beloved dog to cancer, then adopted two others.  My husband was deployed to Iraq and came home just in time for our daughter’s high school graduation.  Our oldest didn’t do so well his first year of college and is enlisting in the Air Force.  Our third born went to Spain to volunteer at an English immersion camp, and Rob and I took the opportunity to fulfill a dream with an Eastern Mediterranean cruise.  Our youngest turned 13, so we have four teens in the house.

Rob retired Aug 22, and (as of the time of this writing) is searching for a job in the civilian world, preferably in manned space operations.  In September, we moved our daughter and her dog to college.  At the time of this writing, I’m not sure if my son will have gone to basic training yet or decided to go back to college, but either way, we’ll be down to two boys in the house.  So everything has changed from career to home to family, even pets.  As for my writing, I have taken on some nonfiction writing jobs and am exploring some new avenues for my fiction.  My hope is to have a more stable writing career, though I anticipate that might be a 2014 goal.

Are you a list maker?

Yes!  I make lists all the time.  Then I lose them, make new ones, find the old ones, and combine them into new lists.  Right now, I have a general To-Do list, a list of blogs I need to write, a list of things to fix to put our home for sale, a list of writing tasks and goals, a list of things my kids need, a list for marketing my books, a daily list…and, of course, this list of lists!

Where do you get your ideas? 

All over—from TV, from conversations with friends, from something on the news (or Facebook), from another book I’ve read, from a call for submissions for an anthology…  There’s actually a psychological term for it:  cognitive dis-inhibition.  People with CD do not organize/file away information as well as people who don’t have it.  As a result, we have a lot of stuff floating around in our minds, synapses snapping around until they link up with something else, and BOOM!  Idea!  Interestingly, schizophrenics also have CD, but on a more extreme level.  So to all the people in college who thought I was inhibited—HA!

What’s a common mistake new writers make?

Following “rules” too closely.  Really, there aren’t rules, just guidelines.  For example, I had a friend who tried to remove every single adverb in her novel because “the rules” say “No –ly words.”  Those words are a legitimate part of the English language and used judiciously (Look! -ly word), they can have an impact.

What one piece of advice would you offer readers who are working on their first novels?

Thicken your skin.  You need critique to improve, so be ready to listen with an open mind to what your fellow writers or readers say about your work.  Also, expect rejection and keep writing, anyway.

You can find more about Karina Fabian at:

Website: http://fabianspace.com, http://dragoneyepi.net

Blog:  http://fabianspace.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karina.fabian

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/KarinaFabian

Google +:  https://plus.google.com/103660024891826015212

Come back on Sept. 30 to hear all about Karina’s new book

A re-post from Let’s Talk Romance…

This post appeared on the Let’s Talk Romance blog in January 2010

An Interview With Chelle Cordero

How did you get started writing?

In high school I took a creative writing class under the tutelage of the late poet Daisy Aldan, she helped my organize my earlier scribbles into cohesive thoughts. Later, while I was in college, I volunteered with the NYC Auxiliary Police and wound up working with the community relations officer of our precinct. Henry (Hank) Spallone taught me to write press releases and deal with the media – when a 16-year old boy was killed when he came to the aid of a mugging victim, Hank asked me to write an article for the local newspaper, the piece was published. That was the start of my professional writing career.

What do you love most about what you do?

I love knowing that my words have an effect on people – they can share emotions with my characters in my novels and hopefully they will “think” about the situations. Since I am also a freelance reporter for several publications, I also like providing valuable information to my readers and hopefully help them make sound decisions about their health, home and lives

Is there anything you would like to share about yourself or your work?

My work is an extension of me so I feel I do share myself with every story – while my characters may not resemble me in who they are, they do share many of my ideals. I believe that I have done many interesting things in my lifetime and I like adding some of those adventures and mis-adventures into the subplots.

How would you describe your love scenes?

HOT, but always appropriate My sex scenes tend to be explicit but I don’t believe in violence or force – just two people wanting to show each other great tenderness and pleasure.

How would describe your voice?

My “voice” comes through my characters – they write their own stories. I build a character by giving each a history and they react to the situations I throw at them based on past experiences and attitudes.

Where can fans follow you?

My personal web-site is http://chellecordero.com and my author blog is http://chellecordero.blogspot.com

Any professional advice for other authors?

Keep at it. Don’t let rejections deter you. Hone your craft, keep your writing tighter and keep writing and submitting. Read A LOT and don’t limit yourself to only one or two favorite genres – open your mind and absorb those words.

What is your favorite television show?

I enjoy shows such as Ghost Whisperer and Medium because I like the idea of exploring things we can’t see and may not believe in (btw, I DO believe in ghosts and ESP) – this gives our minds a chance to stretch beyond our known comfort levels.

What kind of music do you like?

I like most music but have a fondness for country songs and ballads that tell a story. I often work with music playing and enjoy allowing the music to “grab me”.

What is the most memorable book you’ve read?

The Bible. I took a theology class in college and the textbook was the King James version of the Old and New Testaments. I am Jewish and I enjoyed seeing the common origins between Judaism and Christianity. I also enjoyed the morals and lessons throughout this great book.

Do you have any pets?

Yes, aside from my hubby and kids (lol), I currently reside with three rambunctious cats – Tigger, Mario and Luigi. We’ve had cats all of our married life (34 years) and I feel a great love and have terrific memories of each cat that has since passed on.

Thank you for visiting A History.

—

April Dawn

L. E. Harvey interviewed me

My very good friend and terrific author L. E. Harvey
interviewed me today on her blog

The writings & ramblings of a Philadelphian

L. E. Harvey is the author of Unbreakable Hostage & Loving Her

I was interviewed by Anne Patrick

Please check out the interview on Suspense by Anne today…

“Please join me in welcoming, multi-published author, Chelle Cordero. Thank you for joining me today, Chelle. Help yourself to a brownie, sit back and relax, and tell our visitors a little about yourself?

Hi Anne, thanks for the Brownie. I live in the lower Hudson Valley of New York. Boy am I ever married – 34 years today (Dec 28)! We have two grown kids who constantly continue to amaze and delight us. Our daughter is married to a terrific guy and our son’s significant other is a wonderful young lady. I also have three rather mischievous cats.” (read more…)

& please, leave comments ;>

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