Blakely’s Friday Interview with Jessica O’Gorek

Posted on October 11, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Jessica O’Gorek, author of Gemini Rising: Ethereal Fury.

What genre is your book?
YA paranormal romance

Do you write in other genres as well?
I can write in adult paranormal and horror/thriller

Who or what inspires you?
I’m inspired by my desire to make a living doing what I love, by my family’s faith in my ability as a writer, and by watching my dad click away on his typewriter as a child.

Do you have an agent and/or publisher or are you self-published? If self-published, do you use a professional editor? If traditionally published, who is your publisher?
I am published through Cogent Publishing, NY, but I am my own agent which has put my writing on hiatus. No time! It’s all spent promoting.

What advice do you have for writer’s just starting out?
Do not wait until you are published to start marketing yourself- start 1-2 years in advance and build an audience who are excited about your release. Line up reviews for 3-6 months into the future and keep track of who says they will review your book, use a spreadsheet. Count on 50-70% of your reviews coming through. You can never have enough reviews, guests posts, or interviews!

Do you outline your stories or just go with the flow?
Go with the flow, scene by scene, the plot comes to me

What does your writing space look like?
Just my laptop and me, I can write anywhere as long as it’s kind of quiet

What are your three favorite books including the authors?
Twilight saga, Stephanie Myer / Cell, Stephen King / Under the Lake, John Saul

Who is your favorite author and why?
Stephanie Meyer- because she inspired my imagination and Stephen King because he instilled a dark side in me and deep love of horror

What project are you currently working on?
Book #4 of the Gemini Rising Series

Is being an author your dream job? If so, how long have you been chasing the dream? If not, what would be your dream job?
Yes, it is my dream job. I’ve been chasing it hard for about two years now but I’ve been writing since I was 12.

What book are you currently reading?
Ella Medler– Blood Is Power

What has been your best moment as a writer?
When I found out someone wanted to publish my book!

What challenges have you faced in your writing career?
I’m facing one right now- how to get noticed amongst the slew of authors and books that the self-publishing industry has created. I feel like I’m doing so much work, I didn’t even need to go with a traditional publisher!

Is there a message in your book(s) that you want readers to grasp?
My upbringing taught me great respect for the earth and as a kid I always held a great contempt for what my ancestors did to the Indians and how we developed America. I remember being so angry in college when I discovered what horrible people all of our founding fathers really were. Why didn’t they teach me the truth in high school? So, yes, I would say my beliefs of how we treat the environment and how it might get even with us one day comes across loud and clear in my books.

How much time a day do you spend on social media?
4-6 hours or until my eyes bleed.

What do you do to stay sane as a writer?
I’m not sane.

Do you read your reviews and if so, how do you cope with a bad one?
I read all of my reviews and I haven’t had one under three stars yet. I have had some very good constructive criticism though. I like all feedback. If it’s bad it will most likely help me in some way to better future books in the series. If there was something I left out or didn’t make clear enough, if part of the book was too slow, or too long, it always helps to get as many opinions as possible! If I get a scathing review, well, I’ll just remind myself of Stephanie Meyer’s success despite all of those who don’t like Twilight.

Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?
Yes, the Twilight Saga. It evoked my adult imagination, which was something that no other books or movies had done. I honestly thought I was done writing…

If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
Serenity Now, and Later

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming. Please share three writers that you recommend for us to check out.

You can find Jessica on her website, Facebook page, Twitter, Goodreads, and blog.

Click on the cover below to buy Jessica’s novel:

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Savannah & Zeke Parker

Posted on October 4, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Savannah and Zeke Parker, authors of Billy Scarlet.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
-Our names are Savannah and Zeke Parker. We have been writing for ten years now. We used to just come up with stories while we playing when we were little, but one day we just decided that it would be really fun to start writing then down. Right now we are promoting our story Billy Scarlet. It’s being published by Ink Smith publishing. It’s going to be coming out on September 5th. This will be our first book to get published so we are really excited about it.

What genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
-Billy Scarlet is an Adventure/Fantasy story. That is the main genre that we write in, but we also write children’s stories and young adult fiction. We like exploring all different kinds of genres just to test our writing skills.

Do you outline your stories or just go with the flow?
-We never really do a written outline. We talk out what our stories will be about. Mostly we just set down an outline in our minds. Sometimes we follow it, sometimes we don’t. We tried written outlines before, but then when we start writing everything just takes a different course, so now we just always talk it out and if it goes in a different direction, then, that’s just how it goes.

Who is your favorite author and why?
-We have different favorites most of the time, but the one writer we can really agree on is Tolkien. His writing has influenced ours in so many ways. His stories are about adventure, different worlds, and unlikely heroes. He could put so much into one story that just makes you want to read it over and over. We hope to capture a bit of Tolkien’s style of adventure in our stories.

What project are you currently working on?
-We are currently working on getting our story “Billy Scarlet” published. We are also working on revising some of our other stories that go along with “Billy Scarlet”. This story is the first in a series. There are two books that follow it, “The Curse of Laquendor”, and one that doesn’t have a title just yet. It also has a prequel call “The first Beginning”. We are also working the revisions of three other books that are tied into Billy’s story, “The Secret of Nautilus Island”, “Stakes on Life and Death”, and “The Dragon’s Empress”.

What challenges have you faced in your writing career?
-I’d have to say that the biggest challenge we faced was trying to get an agent or publisher. We were basically shooting in the dark when it came to writing query letters. It was a huge challenge just to figure out what to say in the letters. We sent off to more than two hundred agents and at least sixty publishers. When you get to the point where you are getting at least four rejections a day, it’ll either do one of two things for you. It will make you give up or it will make you revise and try harder. It only takes one letter saying that they want your story and then those two hundred who didn’t really don’t matter anymore. We’re very glad to be working with Ink Smith. It’s a great company and you couldn’t ask for better people to work with.

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?
-Yes. We have a tendency to write a bit of ourselves into some of our characters. Honestly, sometimes we don’t even mean to, it just happens. It started in the first story we ever started writing “The Secret of Nautilus Island”. The character Jonny, who is also in “Billy Scarlet”, was pretty much just writing Zeke into the story. Jonny was his character from the beginning. I put a bit of myself into the character Billy Scarlet. Her story is told from a first person narrative, so it was hard not to put at least a little bit of myself into the character.

Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
-Yes. The character that was most challenging was actually from “Billy Scarlet”. The character Rafe Newheart was pretty tough to write. He is a villain in the story, but he’s almost a sidekick. We’ve never really had trouble writing the main villains like Nate Grayheart, and Rossaletta, but there was something different about Newheart, something more complex. His story runs deeper into the plot. There were so many things about him that were hidden and secret. He was just really hard to explain.

Do you base your characters on people you know?
-Sometimes. It’s a way of knowing your character better. If you know who you want them to be like, it makes it easier to know how they would react in certain situations. We never fully base a character on any one person, but we always like to have an idea of what we want our characters to be like.

Click the book cover below to buy Billy Scarlet

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Tamala Callaway

Posted on September 27, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Tamala Callaway, author of the SuperNatural Novel Series & Hostile Series

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
I am a wife and mother of two. I work for the Coweta County school system transporting children to and from school, aka “Bus Driver.” Currently, I am working on part two of my Second Generation series which is a spin-off of my SuperNatural novel series. All together, the entire series is 7 novels long.

Who or what inspires you?
Initially I was inspired by my oldest daughter to write the SuperNatural series. As a storyteller to my children, they would always want me to revisit my made up stories over and over again. By suggestion, my daughter asked me to write a story so that she could read it over and over again whenever the mood hit. When a few pages weren’t enough for her, and the request to continue the story was becoming an everyday plea, I ended up a year later with five full novel length books in one complete series. Even when I said enough was enough, she and others who had been brought into the trap of SuperNatural begged for more. That then inspired me to do a similar story but focus on the offspring of the original characters, thus begetting “The Second Generation series, part 1 & 2.”

What genre is your book? SuperNatural is YA/Adult. It fits into the paranormal, fantasy, romance genre. Do you write in other genres as well? Yes. I have also written a suspense, thriller, romance series called the “Hostile Series.” Hostile Contact & Hostile Vengeance.

Do you have an agent and/or publisher or are you self-published? I am self-published. If self-published, do you use a professional editor? I do not. I would love to, however, it can be quite expensive for the amount of books I’ve written in a short period of time and not to mention the page/word count. Like I said before, I am a school bus driver with limited funds outside of family necessities.

What advice do you have for writer’s just starting out?
If you or someone you know has a story to tell whether fiction or non-fiction, just start writing. Don’t worry about editing, embellishing, or critiquing while you’re writing. It distracts you and can be daunting. Besides, you can always come back to clean and polish later.

Do you set writing goals and if so, what are they?
Sometimes. If I find myself procrastinating on writing, I will give myself a week to write a chapter. Usually, I will start when I only have 2 or 3 days to do so, then suddenly I am tapping away on the keys to my laptop and will have written 4 or 5 chapters within a few days. I believe I work well under pressure. But that’s just me as far as I know.

What does your writing space look like?
I have a spare bedroom that I have set up as a professional office. Book shelves, desk, lamps, curtains and wall décor. I have a desk top computer that sits unused because I prefer to write on my laptop, but change up the screen saver to keep the look fresh. My office must be clean for me to concentrate, so when the family infiltrates my space, I have to reorganize in order to get back to work.

What project are you currently working on?
The final book in my SuperNatural “The Second Generation” series. It will make the 7th book and I’m looking forward to the bitter/sweet end of an era. It is where it all began for me as a writer, but I have taken on other genres and look forward to expanding my horizons as an Author.

Is being an author your dream job? Yes. If I could financially support my family as an Author, I would be in heaven. I didn’t know that I would love writing so much if I hadn’t been challenged by my daughter and preview readers. If so, how long have you been chasing the dream? 4 years – 8 novels later.

What book are you currently reading?
I recently finished “The Ex Wife” for a book club. However, I am doing the re-read thing on “The Second Generation book 1” as I am anxious to complete book 2, already 111 pages written so far.

What has been your best moment as a writer?
I have two: A book signing event that I wasn’t expecting to do so well, and sold out of the 45 copies of my books, wishing I had brought more; and walking up on a group of teenagers in Barnes and noble reading my books and discussing them, and asking… “Hey, how are you enjoying SuperNatural?” The looks on their faces that they actually recognized me was priceless and euphoric.

Is there a message in your book(s) that you want readers to grasp?
In SuperNatural, yes. Not judging a person for their exterior or what you think you may know about them, and recognizing the differences in others as a useful resource rather than a hindrance, and loving unconditionally between you and one other individual proves more fulfilling than mindless courtship with many.

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?
Quite a few. Some have my mentality, some my aggression, some my ability to love hard, & others have my habits (bad and good).

Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
Yes, Ramone has always been one of my favorites. He is a male version of me in my younger years. (Hardworking, resourceful, loving, caring, supportive, & extremely protective of the ones he loves. Not to mention, people tend to be drawn to him for whatever reasons.)

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Decorating, rearranging, cleaning, or spending time with my family. Working is a must, but not my favorite pastime.

How much time a day do you spend on social media?
More than I need to. Approximately 2 hours daily. It used to be much more, but I’m embarrassed to say truthfully.

If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
Living in the fast lane, beware of dangerous turns.

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming. Please share three writers that you recommend for us to check out. Here is what Tamala had to say:

I chose these people as they have been a force in helping others create platforms and fan bases as Authors. Wherever you see either of them, you will find positivity, motivation and growth.

You can find Tamala on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Amazon.

Click on the icons below to buy Tamala’s novel:

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Joelle Casteel

Posted on September 19, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Joelle Casteel, author of Out of the Night: Book One.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
I’ve been writing since my first English teacher succeeded in teaching me how to write a sentence. I got into erotic fiction as a teen, specifically into BDSM fiction when my first girlfriend introduced me to Anne Rice’s “The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty.” While I have multiple projects going, my focus is on my “Vala’s Story” series. It began as a birthday present for my dominant at the time, who was the original inspiration for my character The Queen. The first book Out of the Night: Book One is available for purchase and the second book Gates of the Garden: Book Two is with my editor. I’m working further on in the series with my beta readers. The series is planned at nine books.

What genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
I’m still struggling with the words. When I look at tags, they don’t seem to fit. I describe my writing as “hardcore pansexual BDSM erotic romance” and then proceed to explain what I mean after I’ve said those things. “Hardcore”- I use that word because too many see romance and expect Harlequin, the verbal equivalent of soft-focus camera work, soft core pornography. My writing is not focus; it’s graphic, sometimes brutal even. “Pansexual”is one of those newer, created words whose definition isn’t universally agreed to. I use pansexual to mean that my writing contains homosexual, heterosexual, and anything in between, in terms of sexuality, of the genders that find themselves being intimate. BDSM of course is the acronym around all sorts of alternative sexualities involving hundreds of different activities, from pain play to age play to role play… and sometimes not even play :D. I’ve taken the erotic romance label because yes, my characters are very love, even tell each other “I love you,” but I struggle with the label because the loving often enough doesn’t look like the mainstream culture thinks it “should look.” BDSM erotic writing- whether fiction or non- is the focus of all my non-spiritual writing.

Who or what inspires you?
Living the truth of my life and showing diverse characters living the truth of their lives.

Do you have an agent and/or publisher or are you self-published? If self-published, do you use a professional editor? If traditionally published, who is your publisher?
I self-published using a combination of Lulu, Kindle Direct Publishing, and B&N’s “Pub-it” as well as software like Calibre and friends’ help. I use beta readers, but I also have a friend who copy edits for me. Why I’ve gone this way is answered under other questions.

Do you use test readers? If so, how many?
I do use them and the number of readers fluctuates between 2 and 5. Part of my issue with writing BDSM erotic romance is that sometimes, a person who isn’t personally into BDSM just doesn’t understand my writing and ends up giving non-helpful comments. As well, someone into BDSM but not practicing it similarly to me or my characters may or may not give valuable feedback. Then there’s the last type of reader, those not into BDSM at all, who give their own particular flavor of feedback.

What are your three favorite books including the authors?
1. Philosophy in the Bedroom by Marquis de Sade.
2. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce.
3. Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice.

Who is your favorite author and why?
Anne Rice. As I saw in the introduction to one of my novels, I love her “Beauty Books” as they’ve come to be known because she shows male and femdom in the same book as well as how fluid the notion of sexuality is in her books.

What challenges have you faced in your writing career?
Besides the struggle around what to call my genre, I have struggled through chronic health issues (I’m bipolar and hypoglycemic), balancing life & family (I’m a home educating mom of a teen, a lifestyle submissive and have 2 at-home jobs beyond those 2), bad beta readers (my very first BR with Vala’s Story stopped reading in a child-ish fit of “You don’t write BDSM like I want you to” that stopped me from writing for years). Throughout all of this is the topic of being “out of the closet.” I am very out of the closet on a variety of issues, all of which put me on the edges of “polite society.” When I decided to publish erotic romance under my legal name, much discussion took place in my household around that, but finally it was agreed, yes, publish as Joelle Casteel, as yourself.

Is there a message in your book(s) that you want readers to grasp?
That sexuality, love, romance, relationship are too varied among the human family to say that anything consensual is wrong.

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?
Pieces of me are in all my characters, although most thoroughly in the title character for my series, Vala. The Queen leads her through changes to become what she wants to be. I’ve described her as “me to the Nth degree” because she’s gone further than I ever thought to go in many experiences.

If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
She Pushed the Envelope Off the Edge

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming. Please share three writers that you recommend for us to check out.

You can find Joelle on her blogger, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Goodreads.

Click on the cover below to buy Out of the Night: Book One.

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Elizabeth Laura Abrey

Posted on September 13, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Elizabeth Laura Abrey, author of The Gift of Love, Abigail and The Foxwood Creek Murders. Click on the story titles to read her work.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
My name is Elizabeth Laura Abrey. I’m 32 years old, single with no children. An only child to a British dad and a South African mom. I was born and raised in South Africa but moved to the UK 11 years ago. My parents are now deceased, my mom from cancer in 2008 and my dad was murdered in 2009, 8 months after my mom passed. I have diplomas in Creative Writing, Forensic Science, Parapsychology and Child Care. My short story The Gift of Love has been published in the June edition of The Wordsmith Journal, an online Christian based publication. I have two other short stories published called Abigail published by The Writers Drawer online publication ~ June 2013 and The Foxwood Creek Murders published by The Writers Drawer online publication ~ August 2013. I’m currently working on a couple other short stories for competitions and have just enrolled in a Romantic Fiction Writing course with Stonebridge College.

Who or what inspires you?
My mother has always been a huge inspiration to me and my memories of her continue to inspire and motivate my writing. Another huge inspiration to me is the amazingly harmonious classical crossover band Blake. Having met them and enjoyed their music on numerous occasions, they provide me with endless inspiration that I turn to whenever I feel lost or need a creative jolt!

What advice do you have for writer’s just starting out?
Never give up hope! Persevere, stay motivated, keep dreaming and learn from criticism.

Do you have any writing rituals or interesting writing quirks?
I have to listen to Blake in order to be in the right frame of mind to write. I know it’s weird but it works for me! The creative juices just flow when I have their music on in the background! I also have a pair of fuzzy slippers that I consider my ‘writing shoes’!

What are your three favorite books including the authors?
Gone with the Wind – Margaret Mitchell
The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen

Is being an author your dream job? If so, how long have you been chasing the dream? If not, what would be your dream job?
It is most certainly my dream. It’s taken me just over three years to have one of my short stories published.

What book are you currently reading?
Inferno – Dan Brown

What has been your best moment as a writer?
Having my short story The Gift of Love published in the June issue of The Wordsmith Journal.

Is there a message in your book(s) that you want readers to grasp?
To never give up hope!

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?
I do. My female characters are a part of me and they do reflect on myself as a person, however small the comparison may be.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Apart from working an 8-5 job, the little free time I allow myself is usually spent reading or watching re-runs of Criminal Minds or CSI – I’m a bit of a crime show addict.

What do you do to stay sane as a writer?
Sanity is not part of my vocabulary! 😉 Honestly, I do yoga and deep breathing exercises that help me to focus mentally and clear my head of all the daily rigmarole!

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming. Please share someone that you recommend for us to check out: Anna Andrews

You can find Elizabeth on her blog, Facebook page, and twitter.

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Celeste Carrara

Posted on September 6, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Celeste Carrara, author of Give Me Pleasure.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
I am a stay at home mom to 2 awesome kids. Now that they are older (10 & 15), it’s my time to chase my dream. My husband and my children have been hugely supportive as I do that. What’s my dream? Honestly, I don’t have that dream of becoming rich off of my books. I don’t even need to see my books on a bookshelf to feel like I’ve made it. You know what I want? I want people to love my stories. I want fans that can’t wait for the next book to be released. I want people to relate to and fall in love with my characters. When I read a review that says all of that, that’s what makes me happy. That’s what reinforces that I am on the right path, chasing the right dream.

I’m currently promoting my book Give Me Pleasure. It is the 4th book in my Paranormal City series. Feel free to read them out of order or even pick one that looks interesting to you. Yes, it does help to read them all in order, but you don’t have to!

What genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
My books are erotic paranormal romances, but I will be releasing an erotic romance in the coming months. No matter what I write, there always has to be explicit sex and romance! I can’t help it 😉

Do you have an agent and/or publisher or are you self-published? If self-published, do you use a professional editor? If traditionally published, who is your publisher?
I am self-published and I use a professional editor. Her name is Lindsay and she completes me lol. I don’t know what I would do without her. My stories would be one giant run on sentence if it wasn’t for her!

Do you use test readers? If so, how many?
Yes I do. I have 2 test (or beta) readers that I use. They are wonderful ladies who take time out of their busy schedules to read my work and do it all for nothing in return. Well, I do give them shout outs at the beginning of my books as payment lol.

What advice do you have for writer’s just starting out?
My advice to writers just starting out would be to write what you want to write. Don’t let genre rules dictate how your story goes.

What project are you currently working on?
Currently I am working on Give Me Your Love. It will be the 5th book in my Paranormal City series. This one is tough to write and has been kicking my butt, but it’s going to be a great book. The characters are some of my favorite supporting characters from my other books in the series.

Do you base your characters on people you know?
Yes I do! That’s bad, no? I can’t help it. I know some pretty interesting people in real life and their personality traits show themselves in my characters. I have talked about this in my blog, but in book 1 of my series, Give Me Forever, my main character Serena’s father Sebastian is my father. His personality and the relationship between the two are very similar to my relationship with my father. It was actually therapeutic to write their scenes.

Is there a message in your book(s) that you want readers to grasp?
Oh yes there is! Even though I write about vampires and witches, my characters go through real life struggles. At the core, my books are about relationships. The struggles one goes through when they have a difficult relationship with a parent. We can all relate to trying to find our own way in life, finding our own voice and place in this world. Everyone has their cross to bear in their lives. We love, we fight, we live, we die, we party, we cry, you get the point lol. My characters go through their share of strife, but in the end, they persevere. Just like we all do.

Who or what inspires you?
Music is my biggest inspiration. It has always been a huge part of my life, but when I started writing, I thought it would be a distraction. I was wrong! I almost always have music playing while I’m writing. I even created a playlist for each book and have it on my website! As for who inspires me? I would have to say, my husband and our children. They are my life and they inspire me everyday to be the best I can be.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
When I’m not writing I’m promoting myself. I’m all over social media! When I’m not doing that I am doing all the normal things moms do. Oh, I can’t forget that on my down time, or “me time” I like to plan our family vacations. Every year we go to Disney World because it is my happy place and I love it. 🙂

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming. Please share three writers that you recommend for us to check out.

You can find Celeste on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, AllRomanceEbooks, and Goodreads.

Click on the cover below to buy Give Me Pleasure:

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Ann B. Harrison

Posted on August 29, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Ann B. Harrison, author of Outback Gold.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
I live in the beautiful Hunter Valley wine region of Australia. It’s hard but someone has to live here and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Currently I’m working on another rural romance which I should have available in a few weeks. In the meantime, Outback Gold is my latest rural book.

What genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
I mainly write rural romance because that is what I know. Growing up on farms instilled a great love of the outback in me and it remains my favorite genre. I also write YA as Ari Harper and have another release on Halloween called Changling.

Who or what inspires you?
It can be a song, something I see when I’m walking (that is where my head seems to go into ideas mode the most) or a song I hear.

Has a dream every inspired any of your stories?
Yes definitely. I had a dream last year and quickly wrote it down, something I normally forget to do thinking I will remember, and I’m working on that book now. Its another YA called The Book Exchange.

Do you have an agent and/or publisher or are you self-published? If self-published, do you use a professional editor? If traditionally published, who is your publisher?
With my first few books I went the publisher route, mainly to prove to myself that I was good enough to snaffle a contract or two. Now I like to self publish my rural romances and I always use an editor for that. Its amazing how often you can look at your work and not see the mistakes.

Do you use test readers? If so, how many?
I have a couple of CP’s who give me great feedback before I do my last draft and then once its all edited I send out to my street team.

What advice do you have for writer’s just starting out?
If it is the stuff your dreams are made of, don’t give up, ever! Learn your craft and don’t be too precious to take criticism. We all did the hard yards and took a heap of rejections before we were ready. Its like anything worth having in life, you have to practice and then practice some more.

Do you outline your stories or just go with the flow?
I just go with the flow. I’ve tried to plot and plan and it doesn’t work for me as I don’t know what is going to happen until it does. My readers get as surprised as I do.

What does your writing space look like?
An absolute mess. My desk is tiny at the moment because we aren’t in our forever house yet. I have a lovely antique desk in storage a friend gave me that is the size of a large dining table and that is great. It has room for my two computers and all my bits of research and photos. Until I move into my next house I have to work in a small space but I manage.

What project are you currently working on?
I’m working on my latest rural romance From the Outback and a YA The Book Exchange.

Is being an author your dream job? If so, how long have you been chasing the dream? If not, what would be your dream job?
Most definitely it is. I started writing seriously about six years ago and now I write full time. I couldn’t think of anything I would rather do.

What has been your best moment as a writer?
Getting my first contract. That is such a buzz and something you don’t forget in a hurry.

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming. Please share three writers that you recommend for us to check out.

Téa Cooper, author of Matilda’s Freedom
Annie Seaton, author of Italian Affair: An Affair Series Book
Susanne Bellamy, author of White Ginger

You can find Ann on Facebook, her website and Amazon.

Click on the cover below to buy Outback Gold:

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Monica D. Pitts-Lack

Posted on August 23, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Monica D. Pitts-Lack, author of Chance & Crossroads.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
My name is Monica D. Pitts-Lack. I live in Laurel, MS with my husband and two daughters. I currently am working on the C4 Series. Book one, Chance, was published in November 2012 and Crossroads was released this past April. There will be four books to this series and the third, Courage, is due for release sometime in Sept/October 2013.

What genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
Fiction/Romance/Suspense

Do you have an agent and/or publisher or are you self-published? If self-published, do you use a professional editor? If traditionally published, who is your publisher?
I am self-published. My editor is Melissa Ringsted with There For You Editing Services and she is fantastic!

Do you use test readers? If so, how many?
When Melissa edits my manuscripts she has at least two beta readers “test read” my material once it’s finished. I also have a few friends that I work with that also beta read for me as I write.

What advice do you have for writer’s just starting out?
I am still new to all of this myself. My first book has only been published for 8 months. My biggest advice would be… Make sure that you have fun while you’re writing. Don’t ever think of it as a job. Writing is the easy part. What you don’t know or, unfortunately, don’t get told is the hard part is marketing. Getting your book out there. Hitting publish on Amazon was easy. Finding true author friends and staying connected in the literary world is the hardest part. Make friends with people that have “been there, done that”. We authors stick together, so find bloggers, reviewers, and other authors who don’t mind you picking their brain because I bet you at one point or another; they have been exactly where you are and are willing to help you.

Do you outline your stories or just go with the flow?
I do an overall outline. Where I want the book to go and how I would like it to end. But as far as getting there… totally with the flow.

Do you have any writing rituals or interesting writing quirks?
I have a few ((giggle)) I have to CONSTANTLY read while I’m writing. I can read 2-3 books a week. I find that it helps me with writers block. I pay attention to the grammar and vocabulary an author uses so I don’t get too repetitive in my own manuscript. I also listen to music. I find a song that I like to set the tone and will repeat, repeat, and repeat until that thought is finished or until I need a new song or I see the mood is changing in the book.

What are your three favorite books including the authors?
• This Man Series by Jodi Ellen Malpas
• Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
• Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

What project are you currently working on?
Right now, I’m working on, Courage. It’s the third installment of the C4 Series.

What book are you currently reading?
Saving Dallas by Kim Jones

How much time a day do you spend on social media?
Literally every break I have. I know that seems like a lot, but I work a full-time job at our local hospital, so when I get a break or I’m at lunch I get on Facebook or Twitter and shamelessly self-promote. At first, I wrinkled my nose at self-promotion, but I need the confidence to be my biggest fan because if not I get discouraged easily.

Do you read your reviews and if so, how do you cope with a bad one?
I do read my reviews and honestly, I freak out! I tend to be a perfectionist, so in the beginning I wanted to go back and rework my manuscript every time I got a negative review. But, once I started looking at them as only opinions, that people will have different taste in books and it’s okay if they didn’t like it, I realized that my reaction to those negative comments were a bigger reflection on myself as an author than what they had to say.

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming. Please share three writers that you recommend for us to check out.

Saving Dallas by Kim Jones
Redemption Series, Acropolis Series, and The Scribes of Medeisia Series by R. K. Ryals
Where The Four Winds Collide by Hildie McQueen

Please be sure to like Monica’s Facebook page, follow her on Twitter and check out her blog!

Click on the covers below to buy her books:

Coming soon:

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Nicole Dunlap

Posted on August 9, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Nicole Dunlap, author of Miss Nobody and Miss Scandalous. Please make sure to scroll all the way through to see Nicole’s cover reveal for her newest novel, Miss Perfect.

Tell us a bit about yourself, and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
I’ve honorarily dubbed myself as “the gumbo genre” novelist because books shouldn’t be lightly seasoned. I write stories with drama, drizzled with suspense, seasoned with romance, and peppered with a few good laughs and an occasional cry. My stories are real, raw and edgy because they deal with dysfunctional relationships. I have a Masters Degree in Counseling from Azusa Pacific University, and I love to tell a story about the dynamics of others’ relationships. My current family saga is a series about a mother and daughter, Charlene and Raven. These women deal with ups and downs from loving themselves to the men–good or bad–in their lives. In Miss Nobody, the first of the Shaw Family Saga, Raven is a teen and dealing with depression. She also has an awful boyfriend. I chose to highlight this moment in her life because it plagues so many young women who haven’t determined their own self identity.

What genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
Miss Nobody is a drama with elements of romance and suspense. The series evolves while mother and daughter come to terms with themselves and the people they interact with. Raven is a sort of “hot head” which is really depicted in Miss Scandalous, giving it suspense, psychological flair. The third book, Miss Perfect, which will be released in Fall will compound on their issues and develop into more of a mystery, action novel. My brain functions within an array of frames, so even with my family saga the stories will incorporate new genres. I love just about every genre out there–except, horror is specifically for watching. I’m too afraid to simmer in that type of mentality long enough to write a story.

Has a dream every inspired any of your stories?
Oh my God, this is the greatest and worst question. Yes, I’ve had so many dreams that have inspired me. I kid you not, I dreamt one of Bruce Willis’ movies even before he stared in it. I can only shake my head at myself for not writing it down. Different parts of my saga have come from dreams, such as the ending of number two. If I’m indecisive on a scene and a think about it all night, I can dream up a good enough conclusion.

What does your writing space look like?
A laptop and my hairy, sometimes clean shaven, legs. Hehehehe. All I need is my computer, a quiet living room, and I can type the morning away.

What has been your best moment as a writer?
The physical book. There is nothing like touching a fully completed manuscript. It’s your baby, you nurtured– and hopefully molded by way of editing etc–it into the best bits of yourself that you can possibly present to the world. It’s like graduating college. You finally made it.

What challenges have you faced in your writing career?
One, stop being so shy! I have to chant that to myself all the time. Writing is highly a introverted task, where I bask in my invisible dome and interact with cool characters that I will never meet. But, I have to remind myself that this –though the fun part – is only the beginning and networking will be the key to success. Two, take the criticism and run with it. Miss Nobody and Miss Scandalous have an average 4.7 on Amazon, but not all 4s or 5s. I read reviews. I gush over the good ones, and go into a self-induced pity party over the bad ones. I’m cutting down the self depression for the 3 star reviews as of recent and learning that not everyone will love my stories. To me, everything I’ve written is off the rickety scale, but to others…eh. When I get criticism with substance, I take note.

Is there a message in your book(s) that you want readers to grasp?
My stories are riddled with messages. Miss Nobody teaches that others’ can talk about you, hate you, bully you, but only you can determine the path you will take. Another take away is “what are the lengths that you will go for love?” In Miss Scandalous while Raven is taking revenge for being abandoned by Charlene and her child hood best friend/boyfriend, the message is the depth of such vindication. Oftentimes, concentrating on hatred so profoundly is more problematic for the person pulling the trigger.

Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
I have lots of villains in my stories. Usually it’s fun to be bad–am I right or am I right? I have this one stand alone story where everyone is busting each other up’ side the head, blood and gore, the whole nine yards. But with my family saga, Roy Timmons the truck driving rapist was difficult to write. I channeled him well, but him being a racist and hating black women, I had to really purge myself of all feelings when he appeared in Miss Nobody and Miss Scandalous. On the end of the spectrum, there is Raven who has been through so much; I also had challenges of writing her depression. I’ve dealt with depression myself, so getting into her character is easy, stepping out is the ultimate challenge.

What do you do to stay sane as a writer?
Writing. No joke. It’s marketing the book and reading reviews that take my breath away. Even when I go on Goodreads and see that I have another 5 star. My heart skips a beat as I click on the link and actually read what the person has to say. So writing a good story is my escape from life. I’ve been through a lot, my home caught fire and I lost everything I owned. I had a boyfriend about as awful as Raven’s in Miss Nobody. I was a teen mom and working on a bachelor degree while dealing with an idiot. So I write. If my fingers get tired there’s always Billy Blank’s Taebo, date night with the hubby, or Disney movies with my daughters. And, heck, if I have Macy’s coupons or there are sales going on, you can believe that I’m catching a deal.

A big hug, cheek kisses and a thank you to Blakely for having me! A total pleasure for me. I highly enjoyed reading your responses.

Please find Nicole at the social media links below:

Website
Amazon
Goodreads
Twitter
Facebook
Youtube
Pinterest
Google Plus

Nicole recommends you check out Beth Winokur, a fellow author.

Click on the covers to buy Nicole’s books!

Miss Perfect: Shaw Family Saga, Book 3

BOOK BLURB:
Their desire for perfection will be… shattered
Charlene Shaw embodies perfection as a highly-acclaimed actress. Within her gilded walls of beauty, she is scrambling to save her daughter, Raven, from sins she can’t even fathom. This is her self-imposed curse for abandoning Raven as a child.
Raven Shaw is captivatingly gorgeous but burdened by a closet of skeletons. After a rough childhood, she is finally living life. Jon, her best friend and the only man she’s ever loved, has returned. Yet, a stalker looms just out of reach, blackmailing her for Jon’s fortune. She’d do anything to keep this man–even if it means turning to another… Mysterious, handsome Tyriq may have the key to erase her deepest, darkest secrets forever. Yet, this savior might threaten her mind’s rationale of “happily ever after” with Jon.
In this intense third installment of the Shaw Family Saga there will be blood, murder, and a beloved …will be shattered.

Join the Paperback book Giveaway
1. Add Miss Perfect on your Goodreads list
2. Like facebook.com/authornicoledunlap (if you have already, you’re in the clear)
3. Wait til September 12, book launch day. Winner will be contacted through Goodreads within seven days. Good luck!

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Judith Barrow

Posted on August 2, 2013 by blakely

Please give a warm welcome to Judith Barrow, author of Changing Patterns. Make sure to check the bottom of the page for a giveaway.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on or promoting.
My name is Judith Barrow, and I feel that, finally, I can say I am an author. A lifelong ambition. I grew up in a small village in the Pennines, North West England and for the last thirty four years, have lived with my husband, David, and my family in Wales. Currently I am promoting Changing Patterns, the sequel to my first book, Pattern of Shadow.

What genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
Pattern of Shadows and Changing Patterns (which came out earlier this month) could be described as sagas, the life stories of my characters. But, because they’re written during WW2 and in the fifties I think of them as Historical fiction as well. And there again there’s also touches of romance and crime … so, in the end I leave it to the reader to decide.

I have also written a book that is fictional but based on fact. Silent Trauma is a story of four women affected in different ways by a drug. Stilboestrol is an artificial oestrogen prescribed to women between the decades of the nineteen forties and seventies, ostensibly to prevent miscarriages. Not only was it ultimately proved to be ineffectual it also caused drastic and tragic damage to the daughters of the women. I learned about the charity (DES Action) some years ago through a relative and became involved.

Your next question – “Who or what inspires you?” – could be covered by the reason I wrote Silent Trauma. I was inspired after I wrote an article for the annual newsletter and the mothers and daughters, affected by the drug, began to contact me. The characters in the book are a mixture of all the women I have spoken to.

Do you have an agent and/or publisher or are you self-published? If self-published, do you use a professional editor? If traditionally published, who is your publisher?
I don’t have an agent. I did but we had different ideas on what would work for me so I decided to go it alone. It’s worked out well. Honno, a small independent publisher took me on for Pattern of Shadows and Changing Patterns and it’s working well. I self -published Silent Trauma because I’d been trying traditional publishers for years and they were wary of what they called “an issue-led novel”. I donate ten per cent of the royalties to the charity.

What advice do you have for writer’s just starting out?
Join a writing group or class if you can (I run one or two in Pembrokeshire where I live and it always amazes me how much untapped and unrecognized talent there is) The main thing I would advise is to listen to feedback, take it on board, and then use as you wish, always remembering opinion is subjective.

What does your writing space look like?
Now our children are grown and flown, I’m lucky enough to have my own study. It’s an L-shaped room with one end for my writing and the other for my painting (purely a hobby). The ceiling slopes and has two Velux windows to give me as much light as possible. I have units and shelves for all my files and folders of material for teaching creative writing and a lovely big desk. I am very lucky to have my own space. From my window I look out over the roofs of a couple of houses and then over fields filled with tree and a few grazing horse. I know that just beyond the horizon there is the sea. I can’t see it but I know it’s there.

What are your three favorite books including the authors?
A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou. And anything by Pat Barker, which also answers your next question “ Who is your favorite author and why?” I think her writing is so complex; she mixes absolutely exquisite description with dialogue that is so believable the reader lives within the internal lives of each of her characters. I am, and have been for a long time, a real fan of her work.

What project are you currently working on?
I’ve just finished a novella, The Memory, the story of a woman living with her mother who has dementia. Something I have personal experience of. It started out as a memoir/ short story and finished up as a thirty-four thousand novella. I’ve never written one before. I’m now starting the outline of the third book that will follow Pattern of Shadows and Changing Patterns.

Is being an author your dream job? If so, how long have you been chasing the dream?
Yes. And too many years to mention.

What has been your best moment as a writer?
Holding Pattern of Shadows before my first reading in front of an audience. Feeling sick with nerves – yet ecstatic at the same time.

What challenges have you faced in your writing career?
Too many to mention – but mainly my own lack of confidence and belief that I could actually write.

How much time a day do you spend on social media?
It varies. Initially not a lot. Nowadays I find myself drawn in. I want to read everybody’s blog and look at all the websites and answer all the posts on Facebook and Twitter. Not long ago I was ‘Unfriended’ on Facebook by a ‘real life’ friend because of all the shares I was putting on my Timeline. She said I was doing too much; it cluttered up her page. It threw me for a while – perhaps there is a balance I’ve yet to find.

Do you read your reviews and if so, how do you cope with a bad one?
Yes. And take it on the chin. Evaluate it. If I think it’s warranted I bear it in mind for the next WIP.

I have found the writer’s community to be very supportive and welcoming. Please share three writers that you recommend for us to check out.

Juliet Greenwood – website, Facebook, Twitter
H E Joyce – website, Facebook, Twitter
Kim Cresswell – website, Facebook, Twitter

Please be sure to friend Judith Barrow on Facebook, follow on Twitter and check out her website. Honno Press has a fabulous Facebook giveaway for both wonderful WWII novels by Judith Barrow! Like and/or share Honno Press FB page for a chance to win.

Click on the cover to buy Changing Patterns.

Blakely Bennett

Author of erotic romance, erotic suspense, and romance.

Category Archives: Author Interviews

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Jessica O’Gorek

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Savannah & Zeke Parker

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Tamala Callaway

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Joelle Casteel

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Elizabeth Laura Abrey

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Celeste Carrara

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Ann B. Harrison

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Monica D. Pitts-Lack

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Nicole Dunlap

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Judith Barrow

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