Author Interview Jay Got Married

Author Interview

       1.How long have you been writing?

I have been writing seriously since 1995 or almost 30 years. I know that might seem like a long time but I struggled with my first book. The final copy didn’t come out until 2012. I’m working on my 7^th book so they’ve come a lot faster since then.

2. Can you tell us a little about your book?

My sixth book Jay Got Married, is a book of 9 humorous essays consisting of various subjects. The book revolves around one essay which carries the title of the book and centers around modern marriage and, in particular, what would happen if my wife of 43 years would suddenly pass away. Although the content sounds serious, it is handled in a very humorous manner with clipart to bring out the points. Other topics discussed are celebrity and George Orwell’s book, 1984. The book is very different and I think a lot of people will really enjoy it.

3. What did you find most challenging about the book?

I find putting together the subject matter to fit the topic to be the toughest part. And getting the essay to flow properly.

Which aspect of writing do you enjoy the most?

First drafts or beginning drafts are the pits. Sometimes I want to abandon the project because the initial drafts are so awful. But once I get going, the humor gets flowing, and I can add the art, I begin to really enjoy the project. When I begin to chuckle at my own jokes, I’m really having fun.

5. Are you working on another book at the moment?

I’m just starting a sequel to my first book, Fighting the Effects of Gravity: One Man’s Journey Into Middle Life. The sequel is tentatively titled, Old Age Sucks. I was just starting to feel the effects of Middle age while writing the first book but now at age 67, old age is now taking over.

Book Excerpt

Yes, apparently, violence is okay. But strangely enough, foul language in films is still a bit of a problem. Many movies are weighted down with an R for that reason—primarily the ever-popular F-word. Those 100 that I counted in the first half of a mob movie are extremely rude.

Westerns use the F-bomb. You even hear it in romantic comedies. It has a guttural, nasty ring to it. It just sounds ugly, as it comes off the tongue. That’s why many of us use it in our everyday speech. That’s why scriptwriters use it so much in gritty films. It doesn’t make for a better movie, but they think it promotes realism. I use it occasionally, but only to make a point.

Recently, I watched Airport, made in 1970, on cable. There were no F-bombs used for emphasis, and I enjoyed the movie just fine. Yes, I know, I’m getting old, but watch a “clean” classic movie like The Way We Were, and you’ll see what I mean. F-word free is to movies as gluten free is to food. Airport did move at a snail’s pace until the end, when a bomb smuggled on the plane in an attaché case by one of the passengers (Yeah, I know, that’s laughable.) was detonated. And the technology was so ancient that it was funny to watch.

Martin Scorsese apparently figures that any group of men who kill and cut each other up must use the F-word plentifully. But he has never really lived for any particularly extended period of time with a mob. He might discover that their verbal skills are quite different than he portrays.

“Hey, Scorsese,” they might say. “Why do you use all of those F-bombs in your movies? It’s an ugly word. We don’t use it.”

Sex is a whole other matter. I’ve seen some sex scenes on Cinemax After Dark that I would describe as porn. Beyond NC-17. They should’ve been rated X, if we were still using it. Too intense for regular movies. (Of course, I only watched them for research purposes.)

The trickle-down censors who control the TNT crowd are adamant about this.

“We don’t care about you adults,” they say. “We know you’re pigs. But we owe it to the innocent children to save them from this puke. If you allow them in the room while you’re watching HBO or that Cinema After Dark crap, well, shame on you! But we run a pretty tight ship. Sure, we may allow a goddammit or two. But the F-word is simply forbidden.”

Indeed, goddammit has been given the green light by just about every TV channel. The extreme moral right has a cause with this issue but doesn’t seem to care. The once taboo four-letter word shit is slipping into the mix in some circles. I heard a lot of shits in a movie on FX recently. DiCaprio’s Wolf of Wall Street had very few goddamns, and all the naughty F-words were removed, but every other invective was left in. I can’t list them here. All naked breasts were shadowed out.

I watched a Kevin Hart concert on Comedy Central in which all of Kevin’s F-bombs (and there were many) were nixed, but the shits were flowing profusely, and goddammits were running like water. Kevin uses the word goddammit like you or I would say golly or gee whiz.

Kevin might be setting himself up for a rude awakening. I can see him standing before St. Peter (if that’s indeed who waits at Heaven’s gate).

He says, “Kevin, you’ve used the Lord’s name in vain an awful lot in the process of performing His work—making people laugh. He’s very disappointed. He can forgive the rest of your colorful language, but your blasphemy is troubling.”

 

About the Book

Title: Jay Got Married

Author: James Robinson Jr.

Genre: Non-Fiction Humor

Jay Got Married consists of 9 humorous and, at times, poignant essays chronicling the ironies of everyday life in word and picture. Take for example the lead essay, aptly titled, “Jay got Married,” where I find myself mired in a horrendous dream.

In the fantasy, my aging father–dressed in his favorite Champion t-shirt with stains covering the front–marries my wife and I like he did 42 years ago but, this time around, the my 92-year-old ex-clergy dad forgets his lines causing me to coach him through the event with hints like: “ask for the rings, ask for the rings.” All the while, my best man sings Sonny and Cher’s, “I Got You Babe.”

Finally married, my wife and I end the ceremony with a kiss. But as I turn to exit, my eyes catch a glimpse of the bridesmaid who is no longer my wife’s best friend but now Gal Gadot from Dell Comics and Wonder Woman Fame. She is dressed in full Wonder Women regalia and looks totally shocked by the whole affair.

My mother turns to my father (now in the audience) with a quizzical look and says, “Dad, look at that bridesmaid. Isn’t that Superman?” She doesn’t get out much.

As we exit the church, and the bubbles fill the air–no one uses rice anymore—my wife ignores the limo and takes off on a sleek motorcycle, leaving me in the lurch—hence the cover.

Sure, it’s sounds crazy. But, in truth, isn’t the world of marriage crazy these days? In my case, what would one do when faced with the prospect of losing their beloved wife after 42 years? At age 67, would they remarry? Would they even want to remarry? These and other marital tidbits are discussed with humor and as much reverence as I could muster.

P.S. The author pairs up with Wonder Woman again in a final bit of photo wizardry Why? How? How are tricky copyright infringement laws avoided? Read Jay Got Married and find out.

 

 

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Get “Jay Got Married” from Amazon

Author Interview Refraction Blog Tour

1) How long have you been writing?

 

My earliest memory of writing was when I was five. I’d been to see The Neverending Story at the cinema and wanted to create my own story with those characters. I’ve not stopped writing since.

2) Can you tell us a little about your book?

 

It’s amazing and you should definitely read it! (Laughs) Even though I do believe that, it doesn’t matter what I say, as the author will always praise their own work. The only thing that really matters is what the readers think of it. So far, every review has been 4 or 5 stars and the thing I hear the most is, “I don’t usually like science fiction, but I loved your book.” Science fiction is a wide genre. Anything that isn’t currently real can be placed under that banner, although most people think of Star Wars or Star Trek, Refraction is nothing like either of those. It’s a modern-day drama with relatable characters, set in the present day where a fictitious company has invented the technology to record and project people’s dreams into our world.

 

If you could dream anything into existence, what would it be? That question rolled around my head for a long time before I started writing the book. I’m a huge geek and have varied interests, so Refraction is filled with many pop-culture references from animation, film and history. It has a diverse cast of relatable characters, a lot of emotion and I’m really proud of it. I’ve written a lot in my life and this is the story I have chosen to tell first. I believe it has universal appeal and is a book most people will enjoy reading.

3) What did you find most challenging about writing your book?

 

Finishing it! It’s a real struggle to motivate yourself to write, especially when the entire story is being invented as you type. I worked 12, sometimes 16 hours a day, and I would often shiver as if I were cold while typing, even in the heat of summer and I knew it was because all of my strength was being pumped into my brain. Once I’d finished the story, it was then in the editing stage for three months. I’ve read the whole of Refraction at least 20 times, my editor read it 10 and there were also three proof readers who read it a couple of times each. Everything has to be perfect when publishing a book because so many eyes will be scrutinising it once it’s out there in the wild.

4) Which aspect of writing do you enjoy the most?

 

I love bringing things into the world which once never existed. Even with all the pop-culture dream apparitions, Refraction is a very unique story. I don’t think there’s another book like it and the excitement of writing something new is an incredible feeling. I’m a very creative person with a vivid imagination. My brain is constantly thinking up new stories and scenarios, even when I’m trying to sleep! We all have things that excite us, mine is writing. It’s the outlet my brain craves and seeing the world I create, unfold as I type, is exhilarating.

 

5) Are you working on another book at the moment?

 

At the moment, I’m dedicating all of my time to promoting Refraction. Next month, I’ll start work on book 2. This is a trilogy and I’m giving myself a year to write each book. There is also another story in my head, not related at all to this series, which I need to start writing soon. I’m hoping I can get time in-between books 2 and 3. It’s speculative fiction and a stand-alone story, but I’m not ready to share any details just yet.

 

About the Book

Title: Refraction

Author: Terry Geo

Genre: Science-Fiction / Fantasy

Most stories start at the beginning; this one begins at the end. At least for Maria. Her sudden death sends shockwaves through her family and pushes her grieving mother to the very brink of insanity. After exhausting every avenue conventional medicine has to offer, Maria’s father, Henry, brings together the world’s greatest minds in the hope of carving out a new path. Months pass, and as Henry watches his beloved Elena slowly drift away, he begins to lose faith. It is only then that a solution presents itself. A discovery so momentous, it saves Elena and reveals the most important scientific and technological breakthrough in modern history.

Silicate is founded; a privately funded facility which delves deeper into the human mind, able to discover answers to questions we are yet to ask. Securing Silicate’s secrets becomes of utmost importance; even after treating hundreds of patients, the public are still unaware of the wonders and terrifying reality Silicate has unearthed . . .

The world you know is only half the story.

 

 

Author Bio

Born in Derbyshire, raised in Yorkshire, resides in London, Terry learned from a young age that he was different from his peers. He preferred the company of girls over boys, didn’t like sports and would write at every opportunity. He was bullied throughout his school life both physically and verbally and had to deal with the cruelty of others from an early age.

Terry Geo wrote and directed his first play at age eleven. At sixteen, he started work in television, writing scripts and becoming the youngest director in the country. Terry applied for a job while taking his final exams and started work in television the week after he finished school. For the first time in his life, he found a world where he could shine and be accepted for who he was. He came out as gay to his parents the following week and never again hid his sexuality from anyone. At seventeen he became the youngest director in the country, producing a light entertainment show for Yorkshire Television. After a short stint in a boyband, Terry went back to writing, editing two national publications. He toured the world as an actor, moved to London and in 2017, wrote and directed a musical for the London stage. A year later, Terry married Ken, the love of his life, in London. After their honeymoon in Thailand, he returned to a book he had started some years before. In January 2019, his cat Megara sadly passed away. This hit Terry hard and in memorial to her, he wrote her into the book he was writing. She is now a part of Terry’s debut published novel, Refraction.

 

Links

https://refractedworld.com/

https://twitter.com/terryjgeo

https://www.facebook.com/refractedworld

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07XDC1PPS

Book Release Highway to Hell

About the Book

Title: Highway to Hell

Author: Lydia Anne Stevens

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

Death. Reapers. Atonement.

Catriona Clarke is a mercenary demon leading a gang of reapers and working with Lucifer to atone for her sins. The Hellcats’ mission is to collect the marked souls of the damned and bring them to Hell once they perish. When Catriona returns from collecting a soul, she discovers the rival gang of demons, the Hellhounds, have marked her ex-boyfriend.

Conflicted about going to reap Zeke’s soul, she reluctantly goes to collect. In a whirlwind of chaos, Catriona discovers that the son of Satan, Damien, has mistakenly marked the innocent and pure soul of Zeke’s twin brother, Lowell. Her gut instinct tells her to stand up against Lucifer and the demons of Hell, but in doing so, she will lose everything she’s worked hard for.

Is her ex-boyfriend’s brother worth the trouble?

Readers of Patricia Briggs, Darynda Jones, and Kevin Hearne will devour this Hellishly fantastic series.

 

Author Bio

Lydia Stevens is a full-time author and freelance writer having written over 75 novels for clients – with two series having become Amazon Bestsellers. She is an active member of the Maine Romance Writers Association, The Horror Writers of Maine, The Fantasy Writers of Maine, The Maine Women Authors, The Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, Sigma Alpha Pi’s, National Society of Leadership and Success, and Sigma Tau Delta’s, International English Honor Society. Lydia graduated from the University of Southern New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and English on May 12^th, of 2018 and she graduated with a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and English on May 11^th, 2019.

She’s the author of a paranormal/humor trilogy, The Ginger Davenport Escapades and is contracted with a second trilogy, The Fire Series with LM Vintage Publishers. The first book, Phoenix Fire, is slated to be released in 2019. Lydia currently works as an internist in the second semester within a literary agency and plans to pursue future endeavors within this line of work, as well as a PhD in Creative Writing. Her creative writing research proposal is under review at Lancaster University in Lancaster, England.

Lydia lives in Maine where she enjoys living life with an active eight-year-old and a black cat, Sirius Black, who is equally competitive for her attention. In her spare time, Lydia loves knitting, reading, coaching soccer, completing fantasy-themed jigsaw puzzles for inspiration, traveling and having a laugh with her best friends.

 

Links

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Character Interview The Fire God Tour

Character Interview

1.Tell us a bit about yourself?  My name is Miles Aridio Moore and I am the hero of the novel, The Fire God Tour. I have been fortunate to be born in a loving family that supported my aspirations to be a hip-hop star. I’m the owner of AriMusic, an international musical conglomerate.

 

2. What is your role in the story?  I’m the hero of the story which recounts my adventures as an adult on my international music tour starting in California and travelling throughout Europe named The Fire God Tour. I also have a role in the prequels Act I. Seed on Fire and Act II. Playing with Fire. I’m known as a masterful entertainer who can set the stage on fire, but I’ve been hiding another fact about me. I reveal to Bella despite knowing I may lose her love for me.

 

3. When and where were you happiest? Prior to meeting Bella Wahlberg, my Chief Marketing Officer at AriMusic, I was happiest in my studio creating music. After meeting Bella and falling in love with her, I’m happiest in her presence and spending time with her.

 

4. If you could make one wish, what would it be?  I try to spread love through my music and my one wish would be to have more love in the world.

 

5. What are your best / worst attributes?  My best attribute is that I’m accepting of different attitudes and beliefs and I respect that we have more in common with each other as human beings than differences. My worst trait is I can be impatient at times.

 

6. Describe yourself using one word. Passionate

About the Book

Title: The Fire God Tour

Author: Michele Sims

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense

Miles Moore is obsessed with fire. He can’t help it—it’s in his genes. He’s also the famous performer Ari, an international hip-hop sensation. There are some negatives that come with fame—death threats and life on the road among them—but there’s also a lot of good: fast cars, fast women, international travel, and more money than he can handle. When Bella Wahlberg joins his team as the chief of marketing, she seems like the antithesis of what he’s looking for, so much so that Miles dubs her Belsa the Ice Queen. It would be unprofessional for them to get together, but more than that, she’s unavailable—and deathly afraid of fire. But as they prepare for The Fire God Tour, Miles can tell something is changing. Is he ready to commit himself to one woman? Can fire and ice come together?

 

 

Author Bio

Michele Sims is the creator of the Moore Family Saga and the Fire God Series. She loves writing hot love stories and women’s fiction with multidimensional characters in multigenerational families. She is the recipient of the 2018 RSJ Aspiring Author Award and first runner up in the Introvert Press Poetry Contest for February 2018.  She is a member of the LRWA, in Charleston, SC and the From The Heart Romance Writers’ online group.

She lives in South Carolina with her husband who has been her soulmate and greatest cheerleader. She is the proud mother of two adult sons and the auntie to many loved ones. When she’s not writing, she’s trying to remember the importance of exercise, travelling, listening to different genres of music, and observing the wonders of life on this marvelous planet.

 

Links

Amazon Autor Page

Email: michelesims2122@gmail.com

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Website

 

Purchase Act I. Seed on Fire and Act II. Playing with Fire.

Guest Post: Clemency Crow (Author of Taking Wing) about the Editing Process

 

Please welcome Clemency Crow to my blog today, the author of Middle Grade adventure “Taking Wing”. Welcome, Clemency, and thank you for taking the time to write a post about your editing process!

Guest Post – My Editing Process

I visited 5 schools last week during my Book Tour, and the most common question that was asked was “how long did it take you to write the book?”

My answer was always the same.

It took me two months to write the first draft and over a year to get the book to publishable standard.

 

Scrivener

I have found this programme to be an invaluable asset. After completing my first draft, I would fill in the character sheet using the information I had written in the book. If there was not enough detail or juicy bits, I knew I’d have to go back in and develop that character more. I didn’t do this for everybody, just my main 5 – Freya, Winnie, Elialdor, Elamra and Rald.

 

Sentence Crafting

When I am satisfied that the characters are in tip-top condition, I go back through each chapter at a time and read it with the eyes of a book reviewer. I have a conversation in my head, as you do!

“If I was reviewing this for Crowvus, how many stars would I give it?”

“Well, probably about 3 stars at the moment.”

“Hmmm, would I be happy with 3 stars?”

“3 stars is a respectable score, but I think you could do better.”

“What would take it up to 4 stars?”

You see, it helps to be a little bit bonkers when you’re writing!

 

Proofread, proofread and then, guess what…proofread again!

When I am satisfied that the book is well written, I start the slog of painstakingly glaring at every sentence to find mistakes in the actual spelling and grammar. The computer will pick up some of this, but not all. I make myself promise that I will never say editing is my least favourite thing. Proofreading is now the bain of my life.

 

It’s time to pass the baton

Finally, the manuscript is ready to pass onto the editor. For me, that’s my sister. Some people would frown at using their sister as the editor but I’m lucky in two ways. Firstly, she is the professional editor for Crowvus so she knows her stuff. Secondly, I can give her full licence to be as mean as she possibly can…

“But do you really want the editor to be mean?”

Absolutely! The meaner the better! You can trust a mean editor, as you know they will not give you false praise. I wanted Judith to rip apart my novel looking for flaws. I would much rather that than have ‘proper’ (sorry, Jude!) readers do that when the book is for sale.

When a book is published, it’s very hard to change it. You have to get a new ISBN, and make a big hoo-ha about it being the 2^nd edition. It’s really not worth it for a fiction book.

No, you want the mean comments out of the way before the book gets published. My advice would be to get an editor (or a group of beta readers first if you prefer) to look at your manuscript with the meanest, wickedest eye possible. Then, brace yourself.

There is some passing back and forth between the editor and you and the occasional argument can ensue…

“Elialdor is too disrespectful.”

“That’s part of his character.”

“Well, it doesn’t work.”

“But he develops through the book.”

“Not enough.”

“Well…I don’t like you.”

…but there’s occasionally some compromise…

(Judith’s favourite meme)

 

Finally…after much work and exhaustion…you’re done and you can be sure you’re putting a polished, quality book out there.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Taking-Wing-Feather-Down-Book-ebook/dp/B07S63XNQS

www.clemencycrow.co.uk

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46847925-taking-wing

 

About the Book

Title: Taking Wings

Author: Clemency Crow

Genre: Middle Grade Adventure

12-year-old Freya enjoys karate and is the only one in her class who’s trusted with a part-time job. But everything changes when she meets a boy with yellow eyes. She learns about the guardians, and how an age-old fight has stopped them from fulfilling their purpose. Freya finds new friends in the crow tribe but not everything in the castle is blissful. A destructive shadow lies within her and all she needs to do to summon it is close her eyes. But as the guardian’s war rages on, Freya realises that, although the shadow’s power can be useful, it can’t create peace. Freya and her friends must solve the crime that began the war, but can they bring the guardians together before they destroy each other?

 

 

Author Bio

I can’t remember when I wrote my first story. We had a word processor when I was very little. It was an archaic piece of technology with no mouse, which meant you had to know the codes for it to work. My sister, Judith, and I wrote several stories using this. I think one of my stories was about a mammoth, probably during my I-want-to-be-a-mammoth-when-I-grow-up stage.

When I was a bit older, during Year 3 at Primary School, another sister brought home several A5 grey jotters and gave one to Ginny and Judith to plan and write their stories in. Naturally, I wanted a notebook too, so I said I was writing a story called “The Rule of the Unicorns”. I never finished that rather peculiar tale, but it meant I got one of those A5 grey jotters!

A good few years down the line and I’m a Primary Teacher in the tip-top north of Scotland. To encourage a love of reading in my pupils, I write a story with them in for their Christmas present. The first thing they do is flick through and try and find their name – but I hope they enjoy the story too!

When I’m not teaching, I love writing, working on my allotment and I’m crazy enough to be doing a Science degree at the same time.

 

Links

Goodreads

Author Website

Guest Post After Gardens

Today I’m hosting a guest post by author Katharine Coldiron, the author of women’s fiction “After Gardens”. The author is sharing her editing process with us.

Guest Post

Most of the best writers I know who’ve shared their writing process seem to be quick drafters and painstaking revisers. Writing is rewriting, they say, and my unscientific study has told me that writers who enjoy revising are going to keep writing in the long term instead of giving up in frustration. Writers who dash off something that’s immediately perfect are so rare as to be nonexistent; most need heavy editing to be any good at all.

Which kind of leaves me out in the cold. Although I’ve gotten used to it over the years, I hate revising. It depletes me, makes me depressed that I couldn’t write it ideally the first time. (Perfectionist much?) Instead of writing and revising the way a normal writer should, I’ve created an entire writing process with the explicit aim that I spend as little time revising as possible.

Here are my seven steps:

1. I draft by hand. I used to be quite precious about which notebooks and which pens I’d use, but I’m more indifferent to all that now. As long as the paper’s generous and the pen writes smoothly, I’m good.

1. As I’m writing, I correct the draft by hand. The arrangement of words in one sentence affects the next sentence, and vice versa, so I’m keeping around three sentences in my head at once. Also, sometimes I feel like two or more synonyms might work, so I’ll write all three in just in case. My drafts are a mess! Sometimes I’ll X through whole paragraphs and start over. It feels safer to do this by hand, because the paragraph isn’t lost forever to the delete key.

1. I type the draft into my computer, correcting as I go. Sometimes the paragraphs I Xed out in the previous step are better than I thought. Sometimes I have a “what was I thinking?” moment and leave out whole pages of drafted material.

1. I set the project aside for a bit—at least a week, preferably a month. I’m too deeply inside the story right after drafting to even comprehend what a non-me reader will make of it.

1. I come back to the project and check carefully for revisions. Because of steps two and three, this step is like a third revision rather than a first. Sometimes this step involves physically cutting and taping paragraphs together!

1. I give the story to my husband. He’ll be the first to tell you that he’s awful at feedback—most commonly, he returns to me and says “It’s good,” and that’s about all—but if I press him, he can tell me things about the story I can’t see for myself. It’s important that he’s my first reader, because he knows me well enough to know what I was probably thinking vs. how it came out on the page.

1. I go through the draft once more to correct for what my husband has explained, if anything, and to catch any other issues. If it doesn’t seem finished, for any reason, I’ll go back to step 4.

Then, it’s ready for prime time. And it was relatively painless! All I had to do was come up with a writing process that no normal writer would ever use.

A bit of advice to close us out: don’t be like me. Learn to love revision. It’s the best way to sustain a writing life, and it’s the most effective way to make finished writing better than a first draft ever could be.

About the Book

Title: After Gardens

Author: Katharine Coldiron

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Maya, a weekend at a hot springs with her boisterous friend Rhondey is just what she needs to move forward after her divorce. For Rhondey, it’s an opportunity to help Maya cut loose a little, shed some of her inhibitions. Maya doesn’t see the need to shed anything, and she’s not looking for a teacher. But the more Maya clings to her privacy, the more difficult it is for her to recognize her true teachers…and the right moment to step free.

Author Bio

Katharine Coldiron’s work has appeared in Ms., the Times Literary Supplement, the Rumpus, the Manifest-Station, horoscope.com, and many other places.

Find Katharine at kcoldiron.com or on Twitter @ferrifrigida.

Links

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

 

Book Release: After Gardens

About the Book

Title: After Gardens

Author: Katharine Coldiron

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Maya, a weekend at a hot springs with her boisterous friend Rhondey is just what she needs to move forward after her divorce. For Rhondey, it’s an opportunity to help Maya cut loose a little, shed some of her inhibitions. Maya doesn’t see the need to shed anything, and she’s not looking for a teacher. But the more Maya clings to her privacy, the more difficult it is for her to recognize her true teachers…and the right moment to step free.

 

Author Bio

Katharine Coldiron’s work has appeared in Ms., the Times Literary Supplement, the Rumpus, the Manifest-Station, horoscope.com, and many other places.

Find Katharine at kcoldiron.com or on Twitter @ferrifrigida.

 

Links

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Release Blitz Anathema

 

About the Book

Title: Anathema

Author: Yoshiyuki Ly

Genre: Historical Fantasy Romance

Prepared to die for her country, Solaire Copeland is drafted to the Drakengard knighthood at twenty-two years old, and vows to stop running away from the one she loves. Guarding over her dark secrets in shame, she nevertheless takes a leap of faith and entrusts herself to her intelligent equal in Stella Azrith, an alluring, measured, and methodical young woman of magic. Solaire elevates her love for Stella in romantic showmanship and subservience, even as the two of them struggle to understand one another through their temperamental differences. Anathema is a historical fantasy romance that tells the tale of Solaire and Stella’s courtly relationship in their youth, as they grow into their characters—Archangel Vespair and Mistress Fury—from The Scorpion’s Empress, Venus and Lysander, and Black Waltz as a prequel to the existing trilogy.

 

Desperate to keep Solaire at home, Stella conspires to prevent her from getting sent off to fight in an unjust war for their country, the Monomyth of Astora. In her scheming at the highest levels of government, she forms an unstable alliance with Fey Murasaki, the wicked and wily ambassador from Astora’s closest foreign ally. Stella and Fey’s influence across the land slithers in the darkness while Solaire’s knightly powers shine to alarming levels in the light, causing them to become targets—for both good and ill—of the nation’s most powerful leaders. Through intensifying mortal perils, Solaire’s love for Stella deepens to maddening levels, restrained only by her distinct sense that her free will erodes more each time she kneels in fulfilling servitude.

 

Independent streaks contradict religiosity in service of loving a woman with a will so strong—Solaire bears both the light and the dark of enlightened empathy and burning hatred, with her secrets fueling her rise as the strongest knight of an age.

 

 

Author Bio

Yoshiyuki Ly was born in San Diego, CA. Her pen name represents her multiracial heritage and a unique, diverse outlook that reflects in her work. She is a writer and a gamer, primarily inspired by thought-provoking, well-written video games such as the Shin Megami Tensei, Dark Souls, NieR, and Drakengard franchises.

 

Buy the book: http://mybook.to/anathema

Website: http://yoshiyuki-ly.livejournal.com/

 

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mybook.to/blackwaltz
mybook.to/venusandlysander
mybook.to/thescorpionsempress

Promo Post Risking Forever

About the Book

Title: Risking Forever

Author: Tara Gallina

Genre: New Adult Romance

Risking Forever: Vol 1 (The Forever Series) by Tara Gallina

My best friend has been obsessed with Sebastian since our freshman year in college. She wants him to herself, which is fine by me. He’s a paycheck, a means to an end goal. He’s temporary. But he’s also tempting—the way he looks at me, the things he says, the way he touches me… If I’m not careful, I might do something I’ll regret. ~Ainsley Belle

THE FOREVER SERIES
At twenty, Ainsley knows it’s time to follow her own dreams and not the future her that was planned for her—a future she never wanted. Losing her job couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Sebastian Gianni isn’t the ideal boss, but he has a position to fill and Ainsley is desperate. The sexy twenty-two-year-old comes from money, owns a successful business, and graduates from college in three months. He has his life together in a way Ainsley could only dream.
No wonder her best friend is obsessed with dating him. Even his ex-girlfriend is determined to get him back, although threatening him seems like the wrong approach. Ainsley would be a fool to fall for the guy, too.
By no means, should she trust him. He has more secrets than anyone she knows, which makes her wonder if the mafia rumors about him are true. It doesn’t matter that he’s a good listener, and sweet and protective at times. That playful flirty side he shares with her alone means nothing. Right?
When a kiss turns into a secret romance neither can give up, Ainsley learns the truth about Sebastian’s corrupt family and why his ex-girlfriend won’t go away. A future together is near impossible and comes with a risk that could get them both killed—or give them everything they’ve ever wanted.

 

 

Author Bio

Tara Gallina author of Risking Forever: Vol 1 (The Forever Series)

Tara Gallina grew up breathing the salty air in a small town near Clearwater Beach, Florida. The sun and sand were her playground, bathing suits and jean shorts her go-to wear.

After moving to Orlando, FL with her hubs, she left the workforce to enjoy motherhood and rekindled her love of writing. While romance is one of her favorite genres, she writes young and new adult and has a soft spot for retellings.

She has two furry writing companions who often steal her seat when she’s working: a mini shih-poo named Bella, and an exotic cat named Tigerlily but who answers to Kitty because the menfolk in the house like it better. Speaking of kitties, she is obsessed with Hello Kitty, has a pink office, thinks everything is better with sparkles, freezes in temperatures below seventy, and is happiest when visiting local hotspots like Disney World or Harry Potter with her family.

 

 

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Risking Forever is a serial novel and 1 of 3 volumes in The Forever Series.

Risking Forever: Vol 1

Daring Forever: Vol 2

Claiming Forever: Vol 3

 

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Author Interview Crystal and Flint

Author Interview

1) How do you plot novels? Do you outline?

I don’t do a lot of planning for the first draft. I’ll have a general idea of what the story is about and maybe a few key moments, but that’s it. I use the first draft to figure out the story. Then for every other draft I make a detailed scene list that go into depth on what happens in the scene, who’s involved, what’s the purpose of the scene and so on. I even go so far as to color code it each scene depending on how much work needs to be done anything from minor changes, to doing a complete rewrite, or even adding in missing scenes. So, by the time I’m done, I end up with this massive multi-tab spreadsheet that really lets me see how the story has evolved and changed with each draft.

2) Do you write in one genre, or multiple genres?

I’m finding that most of my story ideas fall nicely in the science fiction genre. Not to say that I won’t ever write in another genre, but for now I’m sticking with science fiction. Where I can see myself changing things up is changing from Adult to Young Adult depending on the story.

3) What is your favorite part of the writing process?

I actually really like editing. I really enjoy problem solving and the editing phase really lets me do that with my stories. I enjoy going through rough first draft and figuring out the scenes that are missing or where a character’s motivation isn’t right and figuring out what I change to fix it. It’s kind of like a big game for me when I get that point and I love finding a way to fit all the pieces together perfectly.

4) What is your dream as an author?

I would love to have someone write fanfiction based off of my books. To have someone so invested in the characters I’ve created that they want to write their own story with them, or to love the world I’ve created so much they want to write themselves in a character. That would be such an awesome feeling. I want to see all the crazy relationship mash ups, I want to see Crystal go bad and join Teria, or Ryan be redeemed. All the things that I can’t do because I know how the story needs to work. I want my readers to take it and make it their own. That’s when I’d know I’d made it.

5) What would you like your readers to take away from your story?

I want my readers to walk away feeling empowered to be who they are without hiding any part of themselves. Crystal and Desi are both strong females in what are traditionally male roles but no one even bats an eye at it. They are simply the most qualified person for their jobs. On the other side of things some of my most sensitive characters are the men but that doesn’t take away from their ability to fight when they need to. It’s really about embracing yourself regardless of what people think you should be.

6) What are your strong points when it comes to writing? What are your weak points?

My weakest point is descriptions. In fact, most of my first drafts skip over all descriptions completely and then I have to go back in the next draft and really make an effort to add all that in. I think to think my strongest point is my dialogue, at least that’s the part that comes the easiest to me.

7) Are you working on something at the moment?

I’m currently working on finishing up book 2 in The Journey Missions series, Family Binds so that I can get it to my editor and release it this summer. Once that’s done, I’ll jump right into editing book 3, Thicker Than Blood. I also have an unrelated project I’ve been working on off and on about eco terrorism called Cleansing Rain.

About the Book

Title: Crystal and Flint

Author: Holly Ash

Genre: Science Fiction

It’s been 300 years since humans arrived on Neophia and the planet’s intelligent species have yet to agree on how much influence humans and their advanced technology should have on the planet.  With the threat of war hanging in the air, Lieutenant Commander Crystal Wolf races to finish construction of the mega submarine, Journey, in order to calm political tensions on Neophia and cement her already stellar military career.

Lieutenant Desiree Flint never dreamed she would leave Earth to serve on Neophia, but with the end of her military career in sight she doesn’t see a way around it. Determined to rebuild her reputation on Neophia, no matter the cost, she sets her sights on dethroning Commander Wolf in order to prove her own superiority.

When Journey is attacked by someone from Crystal’s past, the two women must find a way to work together to save the ship, liberate an underwater colony from an oppressive government, and prevent a war.

 

 

Author Bio

Holly Ash is the author of the underwater science fiction series The Journey Missions. She has worked for the last ten years as an Environmental Engineer after receiving degrees in Environmental Science and English Literature from Central Michigan University. Holly lives in the metro Detroit area with her husband and two tiny people who constantly want her to do things for them.

Holly is also a member of The Cabin in the Woods Association of writers which works to help indie authors get their books seen.

facebook.com/hollyashwriter

hollyashwriter.com

Twitter: @hollyash85

 

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