Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Eileen Granfors interview





1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?
I am definitely a morning person.  I get up and walk the dogs, thinking about a chapter or a scene.  I come home and write it.  That’s Monday-Friday.  I can’t go into my writing zone when my husband is home.  I need quiet!

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?
I may take some research notes on note cards or conduct a warm-up on paper from a prompt, but my novels are written on the computer.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?
I have so many different genres that I have worked in. . . inspiration comes to me from snippets in the newspaper, thinking about people in my life, and the lives of minor characters in classic books. I started a book about bad girls that became a tribute to a high school Chicana friend, and very much about a good girl! (Some Rivers End on the Day of the Dead). My fans are restless for the sequel, but that’s down the queue a bit.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?
I don’t consider it a finished working day until I have 1500 words, one chapter. If I haven’t written by 9:45 a.m., I go to the gym because there’s no way I’m going to write that day. I grew up in a military family—I have to stay on schedule!

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up with your cover art?
My novels are self-published, although my new novel, Stairs of Sand, received some nibbles from agents. Some of my poetry and short stories have been published in anthologies and on web sites. My cover art is the product of Internet research and permissions from the artists, drawn directly from CreateSpace or purchased from Getty Images.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?
In my life, books have been very important sources of information and inspiration. I shared my excitement and love of literature in my teaching career. Once I was no longer teaching, I found that writing helped me to sort out my life, especially after my mom died.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?
I received a Kindle last week for my birthday.  I love it immensely.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors?  What are you reading now?
I have a couple hundred favorite authors, but I would definitely list Emma Donoghue (Room and Slammerkin); Vanessa Diffenbaugh (The Language of Flowers); Gwen Gross (The Orphan Sister); Carolyn Parkhurst (The Dogs of Babel) and any book by Margaret Atwood. Right now I am reading The Concert Killer by RJ McDonnell—he writes rock ‘n roll mysteries with a sardonic private investigator, who narrates.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?
I love making book trailers. I am not sure how much they help to sell the books. I have four on youtube. Search youtube for Eileen Granfors, and there they are!

10: How did you come up with the title of your latest book?
My latest book out, Stairs of Sand, is one of those titles with layers of meaning.  I always liked the image from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice (“cowards, with hearts as false as stairs of sand. . . “), and it fit well with my story of a girl moving to her grandfather’s beach town where she also finds that a lot of good intentions collapse like stairs of sand.

11: What are you working on now that you can talk about?
I am working on a prequel for the Dickens’ classic, A Tale of Two Cities. This is a book I was asked to write about thirty years ago by class after English class, kids who fell in love with the morose and yet heroic, Sydney Carton.  Right now the book is called Sydney’s Story. I’m imagining his youth and the influences that turned him into such a depressed alcoholic. It’s fun, but the research about 18th century London and Paris is slow going.  I’m about half-way through writing the book. And I need to get finished with the sequel I promised for Some Rivers End on the Day of the Dead—ya, multicultural—never a dull moment for this author.



http://www.eileengranfors.blogspot.com  (my reviews of others' books)










Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Jimmy Pudge BAD BILLY now on Kindle


Product Description
Born out of shame and sin, he is an abomination that has been shunned from the world. But one day the chains confining him to the basement floor weaken. Now, Bad Billy is about to step out into the sunlight, and he's bringing hell with him across the Georgia red clay.

"Bad Billy" is a novella, approximately 20,100 words in length.


A Reader's Review

"What do I think about 'Bad Billy?' It's like 'Of Mice and Men' meets 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.'" --R. Scott McCoy, Publisher, Stygian Publications, author of Feast and The White Faced Bear.



Monday, September 19, 2011

Stuart Jaffe Interview



1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

It's changed a lot over the years. Right now, I get started around 9am and put in 1,000 words by 10 or 10:30. Then I do promotion, social media, that kind of thing as well as plotting the next few chapters and revisions on other work.  Later, around 1pm, I'll sit down for another 1,000 words.  This is the first time I've tried it this way and so far it's great.

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

I have a spiral notebook for each book I write.  In it I jot down notes, research, etc and do all my plotting. The actually writing is done on the computer (though not always the same computer) but revisions are pencil and paper.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

Um, everything? Seriously. The Way of the Black Beast came from my interest in samurai movies, mixing anime archetypes with monomyth plot structure, post-apocalyptic stories, tattoos, and blues. A different series I'm working on draws from my hometown's history. I've had ideas from books, movies, music, everything. And, frankly, that's how it should be. If you only draw inspiration from one source, pretty soon all you create will become the same. But if you open yourself to the world around you, you'll have infinite sources in which to find the Muse.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?

With my new approach I'm shooting for one of two goals.  Either 2k words or finishing as far as I've outlined.  While I have the overall plot laid out, I do the detailed outlining only a few chapters ahead at a time. That way when one of my characters decides I should go left instead of right, I can adjust on the fly. It's my happy median between pantser and plotter.

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up with your cover art?

I've been both (small press and self) and plan to continue to do both.  The Way of the Black Beast is self-published.  I've often advocated for new writers to go a traditional route to start because even if it doesn't work out, they'll learn about how this business works (or doesn't work) and they'll make great connections along the way.  As a result of my own journey, I've become friends with many talented cover artists who are willing to give me a "friend rate" to help me out.  The result -- I have a beautiful, professionally made cover at a price that I can actually afford.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

Madness.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?

When I decided to try indie-publishing, I bought a Kindle. I thought it'd be a good idea to see what others did well and what I didn't like. The second I held it in my hands, I thought, "Now I see what all the fuss is about." It was a real eye-opener.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and What are you reading now?

John Steinbeck is my all-time favorite author. Also, for sheer intensity, you can't do better than Jack Ketchum. I've also recently discovered John Jakes. For fantasy writers, I highly recommend reading Jakes or any historical fiction. Those authors have many similar world-building issues that we have, and it's an education to see how they handle it.  As for what I'm reading -- I just finished Brandon Sanderson's Hero of Ages, a fantastic conclusion to a fantastic trilogy. I'm now in the middle of Winter Journey by Diane Armstrong about a dental forensics doctor being called to Poland to help excavate a mass grave from WWII.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

A few have been amusing but I don't really care for them. I've yet to find more than a handful of authors who think book trailers did anything for their sales. Considering the cost of doing one well, I probably won't do one.

10: How did you come up with the title of your latest book?

The Way of the Black Beast had a long gestation period and at one point was call The Way of the Sword and Gun. I wanted to keep the "The Way" idea which is partially a martial arts/samurai nod, but the Sword and Gun technique belonged to a character that no longer fit into this book. The working title became The Way of Vengeance, because the heroine, Malja, spends much of the book hunting down two magicians as she seeks vengeance. But that title didn't really say enough about the book, seemed a bit of a turn-off, and limited the reader to only one idea regarding Malja.  In the course of writing, the concept grew that vengeance was a shadowy Beast Malja must learn to deal with and as I wrote that metaphor into the story it took on greater layers of meaning, and the title emerged.

11: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

I'm working on the sequel called, amazingly enough, The Way of the Sword and Gun. The character cut from Book 1 now has a place and so, for now, the title gets to be used. Sometimes things just work out.



The Way of the Black Beast -- a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel


10 Bits of My Brain -- a short story ebook collection


website -- http://www.stuartjaffe.com
blog -- http://www.stuartjaffe.com/blog
Co-Host of The Eclectic Review Podcast (http://eclectic.libsyn.com)




THE WAY OF THE BLACK BEAST -- a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel

Malja wants answers.  She wants to know why the two most powerful magicians in all of Corlin ripped her from her mother's arms, raised her only to fight, and then tossed her away to die at age ten.  She wants to know why they are trying to recreate the spells which caused the Devastation that wiped out most of the world's population, leaving behind skeletal cities and abandoned technology.  And she wants to kill them.
With Tommy, an orphan bearing the tattoos of a sorcerer, she crosses this shattered land.  Despite the challenges they face -- crazed magicians, guitar-playing assassins, mutated beasts -- Malja pursues her vengeance with a single-mindedness that may destroy all she holds dear, forcing her to make a terrible choice 
between the family she lost and the one she has built.




10 Bits of My Brain -- a short story collection

This collection of ten short stories, including three all-new tales, runs from the tiny life of a fly to the far reaches of space, from an elderly witch in WWII’s Lublin ghetto to a dragon detective in the modern world’s harsh streets, from tattoos and chess games to robberies and betrayals.  These stories are packed with action, drama, and a bit of the weird.
“Stuart’s work defies pigeon-holing . . . All of these pieces, though, show a master storyteller at the top of his art.” — from the introduction by David B. Coe.




Kindle Version:http://www.amazon.com/Black-Beast-Malja-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B005NRXT6W/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1316306316&sr=8-9  <http://www.amazon.com/Black-Beast-Malja-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B005NRXT6W/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1316306316&sr=8-9>
Smashwords Version:http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/89710
B&N and Print Versions are coming and might be out by the time this is posted.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Anne Holly interview






1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

Early in the morning, between 4 and 7am, and late at night, between 11pm and 3am. Sometimes all day, if I can get some time to do it.

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

I outline with pen and paper, but I almost entirely write on computer now, except for scraps of dialogue or description that come to me when I’m away from the keyboard. I wrote my first novel by hand, and I’m writing a couple of personal pieces by hand.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

Everywhere. Life around me, my own experiences, watching people, actors I like, people I’ve known. It all goes into the mill.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?

I do 1k a day, without fail, with 1-6k on my writing days. I usually make it. I have to set goals, since I am often tired and wanting to go to bed, since I write after my son goes to bed, usually – this way, I can tell myself not to quit until I’ve hit the count.

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up with your cover art?

I am published with small presses, so the covers usually fall to the companies, though I’ve generally had a lot of chance to give input. All the presses I’ve worked for have asked me to provide descriptions of what I’d like, and then I can let them know if I have suggestions/issues when I see the first draft. The cover for my contemporary Canadian romance Strings Attached, I personally commissioned the artist, Amanda Wood, because I wanted a dramatic, northern feel, and I knew what I wanted. Normally, though, we go with the couple and a few choice symbols of the season/setting/situation.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

I have a regular career, along side writing, so in a sense writing fiction is not my main career. I chose to do it because I love it, and I’m good at it. Sometimes, I wonder if I’m nuts taking it along side my day job and raising a child, but it makes me a little bit of money, and I find being read very rewarding.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?

I don’t, except for three or four programs for my PC (Kindle for PC, Adobe Digital and Copia). I’d like a Kindle or Nook some day, maybe, but not with a very active three year old in the house.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and What are you reading now?

I am a fan of Jane Austen, the Brontes, Graham Greene, George Bernard Shaw, Dickens, Trollope, and most of the Victorians. I don’t read a lot of very new fiction, as I’m still catching up on the classics. I get a lot of second hand paperback romances from family, though, since there is a thriving trade circle with those. I read a lot of nonfiction, for my work and my enjoyment. I’m always reading three or four books at a time, so it’s hard to list what I’m reading at the moment. I’m working my way through Order of the Phoenix again, though.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

I kind of like making book trailers for my books, as it gives me some neat promo stuff for my blog, but, to be honest, I don’t think they do much good. I’ve never, ever bought a book because of a trailer, and never once heard from someone that any of my trailers sold them on my book. It’s something to try, but I don’t think it’s a major necessity.

10: How did you come up with the title of your latest book?

This one that I’m writing now, it came to me in a flash as I was trying to fall asleep. Most of my books, I have titles during the writing phase, though one of them I had to change after release, and another I really struggled with right up until I was about to submit it to publishers – I had to mooch for suggestions and feedback from other writers for that one.

11: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

Right now, I am trying my hand at a paranormal shifter romance, which is not my usual field at all. But, I wanted to do something different, and a little darker than my regular stuff, which is usually quite happy. I especially wanted to make the female the shifter – why should guys get all the fun of turning into wolves and things? Females should have some superpowers once in a while, too.


Anne Holly is a Canadian writer of romance and erotic-romance, as well as a mother and teacher. She is the author of the novel Strings Attached, which was described by The Romance Reviews as “a classic contemporary romance.” She is currently at work editing the remaining installments in her five story holiday erotic-romance series published by Rebel Ink, as well as perpetually producing new stories. She has been published by Wild Horse Press, Decadent Publishing and Rebel Ink Press. Anne’s work is characterized by its unusual heroes, sweet/spicy balance, witty dialogue, responsible citizenship, and its positive, optimistic nature. You may visit Anne at her blog or website, or find her on GoodReads, Facebook and Twitter (@anneholly2010). You can find all of her releases on Amazon.

webpage







Thursday, September 15, 2011

Agatha Christie short stories on Kindle 25 in all for .99 cents each

Agatha Christie is coming to Kindle with 25 short stories each only .99 cents each looks like a fun collection.



























Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Future of Writing




Stop of at Tom Raimbault Blog where he features my short story Closing My Eyes Helps Me To See Clearly" and talks about a new age in writing very cool discussion.

http://talkaboutafterhours.blogspot.com/2011/09/closing-my-eyes-helps-me-to-see-clearly.html

Monday, September 5, 2011

Paige Love-Rose Interview



1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

I love to write at night or even midnight. Any time of the day while it is raining helps me focus. I don’t know what it is but those are the only times I am able to really sit down and let my imagination flow.

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

I always do paper first because you get to have the full effect. It’s like you are in the story and it plays out in your head like a movie.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

Inspiration comes from everything. Real life, old stories I have heard, family and friends give me that extra lift that I need.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?

No, not really. It just happens. If I set goals on whatever I’m writing it wouldn’t be fun to me. It would feel more like homework or a job.

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up with your cover art?

I am self published. The way I came up with the cover art is kind of weird. I love to collect masquerade mask, I have over fifty of them. So, I picked out one of my favorite mask and used it as the cover of my book. It’s plain but very dramatic.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

I didn’t pick writing as a career because I didn’t think of it that way. It was more of a hobby to me. I was a really quite little girl and it was so hard for people to get me talk. It’s funny, now that I look back at it. I wrote poetry to express myself.

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?

No, I don’t. I know it’s sad.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and What are you reading now?

Right now, at this point I am not reading anything because I’m trying to focus on school. If you hand me a book, I will read the book instead of doing my homework or studying. My all time favorite is Toni Morrison.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

Book trailers are cool. I actually made a book Trailer for “Beauty” but it was an Epic fail. Well, you are your own worst critic. Maybe it wasn’t that bad. I will definitely have a trailer for the next one.

10: How did you come up with the title of your latest book?

When “Beauty” was a short story, the main character’s name was Teisha Turttle. So, the title of the short story was “Tiesha”. Then later on I changed her name to Cleo, after my grandmother and it was
Cleo for a little while. My mother was the person who came up with “Beauty”, I think when you read the story line you will understand the title.

11: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

Right now I stopped writing to the second book to “Beauty” which is “Lavender Sky”.  This is like a little break for me but in time I will start writing again to finish the Journey.




Sunday, September 4, 2011

Dirty Harry Collection Blu-ray $28.99

This week only get the Dirty Harry Collection on Blu-ray for only $28.99 at Amazon Until Sept. 10



Thursday, September 1, 2011

NEW Stephen King Mile 81 released today

Stephen King releases his new short story MILE 81 as an Amazon Kindle Single an exclusive Kindle release.


Product Description

With the heart of Stand By Me and the genius horror of Christine, Mile 81 is Stephen King unleashing his imagination as he drives past one of those road signs...

At Mile 81 on the Maine Turnpike is a boarded up rest stop on a highway in Maine. It's a place where high school kids drink and get into the kind of trouble high school kids have always gotten into. It's the place where Pete Simmons goes when his older brother, who's supposed to be looking out for him, heads off to the gravel pit to play "paratroopers over the side." Pete, armed only with the magnifying glass he got for his tenth birthday, finds a discarded bottle of vodka in the boarded up burger shack and drinks enough to pass out.

Not much later, a mud-covered station wagon (which is strange because there hadn't been any rain in New England for over a week) veers into the Mile 81 rest area, ignoring the sign that says "closed, no services." The driver's door opens but nobody gets out.

Doug Clayton, an insurance man from Bangor, is driving his Prius to a conference in Portland. On the backseat are his briefcase and suitcase and in the passenger bucket is a King James Bible, what Doug calls "the ultimate insurance manual," but it isn't going to save Doug when he decides to be the Good Samaritan and help the guy in the broken down wagon. He pulls up behind it, puts on his four-ways, and then notices that the wagon has no plates.

Ten minutes later, Julianne Vernon, pulling a horse trailer, spots the Prius and the wagon, and pulls over. Julianne finds Doug Clayton's cracked cell phone near the wagon door — and gets too close herself. By the time Pete Simmons wakes up from his vodka nap, there are a half a dozen cars at the Mile 81 rest stop. Two kids — Rachel and Blake Lussier — and one horse named Deedee are the only living left. Unless you maybe count the wagon.