Guest Author: Lisa Dunster Moeller

JK: Hi Lisa, I want to say thank you for visiting today, and bringing us some sweet inspiration this Christmas season. Everyone welcome author Lisa Dunster Moeller!

First off, I’d like to thank J.K. for the opportunity to guest here on “Immortals to Die For”. As a reader I am a huge fan of romance and the paranormal and I enjoy visiting this site to find information about the latest and greatest good read. I too am a writer, but my current project doesn’t fit with the existing theme of this blog; at least it doesn’t on the surface. I want to talk to today about the need in society for all of us to make deeper, more meaningful connections with the people around us. I believe there is some romance in that idea, and I was able to convince J.K. to let me find out if you, her readers, agree with me. So let’s find out together!

I reached a time in my life, not that long ago, when I felt like turbulence and tragedy were going to be the norm forever. I suffered through the pain of divorce (not very romantic, I know, but stay with me here) all the while watching my beloved grandmother be devoured by Alzheimer’s disease. I was struggling, and although there were people around me who loved me, I still felt surprisingly alone. I felt as though the people who had been through the same things I was going through were the only people who really understood me. It was the connections with those people that made the difference for me; they were the ones who helped pull me through.

Oftentimes I found more comfort from a near stranger who had been through what I was going through than I did from the people closest to me. (I don’t however want to discount the love and support I received from the people in my inner most circle; without them I don’t think I could have found the strength to breathe during those dark days.) But it was those connections that came when I least expected them, from the people from whom I had never expected to find comfort, that I was the most amazed by.

The more I pondered the idea, the more I realized just how many life experiences there are that literally require having lived through them to be able to understand what a person in the midst of them is going through. Then I wondered: how many people out there are missing the chance to connect with others who know what they’re feeling? Yes, there are support groups for almost everything, but they’re not for everybody. Without them, how are people connecting? I mean really, truly, deeply connecting with one another.

Then I got an idea. What if I tried taking the art of journal writing, something that has always brought me comfort during difficult times, and used it as a tool to encourage people to connect with one another? What if I asked people to look for the things they share in common with others and ignore the little voice that often pops up first and identifies our differences? Interesting questions don’t you think?

Those who know me won’t find this next part surprising at all; I plowed forward like a wildebeest, refusing to see anything but the possibilities in my idea. I couldn’t see how anything bad could come from asking people to share their own experiences in order to help others, to connect with one another on a level that goes beyond the surface. The world needs more connections. A great disconnect is slowly taking over our world, something we have created in order to protect ourselves from the overwhelming amount of bad news. Deeper, more meaningful connections could only help to bridge the gap of that disconnect.

So I became a wildebeest with an idea and a vision, a vision for trying to make the world a better place. What could possibly be more romantic than that? Yes, a little delusional maybe, but still romantic. I poured all my time, energy and money into seeing that vision through. The result: the Common Threads Journals series. I invite you to check them out and let me know what you think. With or without my books, my wish for you is the same…go forth and make meaningful connections.

Blessings,
Lisa
Lisa Dunster Moeller, a Northwest native, was raised in a small town by loving parents who instilled in her the importance of service to others. Still a small town girl with a big sense of her responsibility to the greater good, Lisa works as an administrative specialist for a municipal police department in Washington State while managing the family pumpkin farm along with her husband. She also volunteers for various charities, including the American Cancer Society, and is active in her community.
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Before you go...I'm being featured all week at Candy Ready's blog, so be sure to stop in

Two of my books have been nominated for Best Book of the Week at The Long and Short: Whipped Cream reviews. Voting will be open Saturday and Sunday only. Click here

The reviews:

A 5 cherry review for My Immortal:
“While reading My Immortal, I became lost in the story and the world created by Ms. Coi and didn’t want it to end. I enjoyed each and every twist-and-turn and watching as the story and characters grew and changed. There is so much more that I could say about this great story as it was filled with many surprising developments and characters as well as a complex plot. I will say that My Immortal was a wonderful start to a series featuring the Immortals. Since I was definitely intrigued by many of the other characters in the story, I look forward to reading more in the series and finding out what happens next.” Lilac of Whipped Cream Reviews
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/1208/MyImmortal-JC.htm

A 4.5 cherry review for The Trouble With Destiny:
“...a lighthearted yet steamy urban fantasy packed full of action, fun and lots of laughs. Sarah is a great character, both resigned and ready to confront her destiny as a slayer of daemons. Dorian is a stodgy half-daemon with a heart of gold and a quick wit. His stoic demeanor pleasantly balances out Sarah’s hectic manner of thinking and acting, they make quite the exciting couple. And when they’re alone, the sparks sure fly! An all around engaging and enjoyable story.” Cholla of Whipped Cream Reviews http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/1208/TheTroubleWithDestiny-JC.htm

Thanks! Have a great weekend!

Sex With Sue

Sue Johanson is Canada's foremost sexual educator and counsellor, and recipient of the distinguished Order of Canada. For the last 30 years, she has provided frank and honest sexual education to thousands of Canadians through her lectures, radio programs, and the Sunday Night Sex Show on television. Since 2002, Sue's wisdom and experience have been available to American viewers on Talk Sex with Sue Johanson, a live phone-in program airing on Oxygen TV. Talk Sex also airs in Brazil, Israel, and in 20 European countries in 5 languages on Club TV.

I remember seeing Sue's show on late-night television when I was younger and was amazed that there was actually someone out there right on public access television and radio, giving frank and valuable information to teens about sex without being prudish or condescending. She didn't preach, she didn't lecture. She understood that sex is a part of life, and that everyone is curious and is going to do it, and she just wanted them to know how to have fun with it and be safe.

Sue was recently on the Steven and Chris talk show, and here's a funny clip (It's a bit long, but try and watch to the end, it's really good):



When you were young, who was the person that you were best able to go to with questions about sex?

How do you deal withFRUSTRATION?

We all feel it. It can sneak up on you slowly as a gathering storm on a humid summer’s day. It can come on loud and fast like a Harley thundering into town. FRUSTRATION gets us all at some time or another. Whether it’s a houseful of bickering children, the stress of a busy holiday season, difficulties at the office. How do you deal with it?

Do you yell and scream and throw things at the wall, or get real quiet and feel the need to hide away for a while in a dark room? Do you confront the issue at hand to get it out in the open and clear the air, or do you let it go, believing that it will look like less of a problem in the light of a new day?

I tend to do a bit of everything depending on the source of the FRUSTRATION, and the situation I find myself in. Usually, I’ll get really quiet as I try to calm down. Sometimes I will ignore it, knowing that despite the way I feel, it isn’t worth making an issue over. However sometimes I can’t hold it in any more and I start yelling.

Online, I am always very aware of the fact that everything I do is caught forever in a public forum, and I think twice about going with my gut reactions. Sure, I see things that frustrate me at times, but I always force myself to step back and take a deep breath, let the matter sit before posting. And usually, if I’ve written something in response to a FRUSTRATION, after giving myself some time, I end up going back and deleting it—or severely editing—before I post.

So tell me. What makes you frustrated? What do you do about it?

PS I'm a guest over at Simply Romance Reviews today, so stop by and say hello!

INTERVIEW: C.A. Milson!

I love horror novels, I mean what's not to love? They're spooky and scary and spine tingling (I'm all about the 's' words today). So when Chris agreed to be on my blog I was ecstatic. I just finished reading his book, The Chosen and let me tell you that if you like devils and dark magic and the end of the world type stuff, this is your book. So, let's welcome C.A. Milson by getting right to the interview...

Tell us a little about C.A. Milson.

For most people C.A. Milson is just another "someone" who had a book published, yet there is more to this Horror Novelist than people know. I grew up in Brisbane Australia. At a young age I was fascinated with the world of writing, but never really did anything about it. Unfortunately reading was not one of my favorite subjects. For a time I attended Kedron State High School, and when I was in Grade 9, there was one time that the class had to do a book report. "DREAD"

Instead of reading a book and writing a report on what I thought about the topic, I decided to pen a short story. In about 2 hours I penned a short sci-fi story, which was my first attempt at the world of writing, and would no doubt, play an important part in my career later in life. The story received top marks from my English professor, who also encouraged me to continue writing.

That was the first and seemingly last time I put pen to paper.. until the summer of 1989....

So Chris, when did you start writing seriously?

In 1989, I was living in Melbourne, and once again I found myself writing. My first short story was titled "Shack of Evil", a 9 page tale based on the character Jamiesonn. The story idea came from a Hobbytex picture my mother had on the wall of her apartment.

Who was your inspiration?

I was not automatically drawn into the world of horror, but after reading stories by H.P. Lovecraft and Misery by Stephen King, I knew that I wanted to write novels that would entertain and scare the audience.

What was the hardest part of learning the craf?

Like most beginning writers, I had no idea how to get the storyline past the seemingly impossible short-phase and also written in the third person context.

Where did you go from there?

After writing "Shack of Evil" I went on to write an additional 25 short stories, all of different genres, including a children's story. Shack of Evil would later become the base for what is now the trilogy of The Chosen, Bloodline of Darkness, and Prophecy's End.

After finishing an anthology of short stories, I put aside my writing, but came back to it in 1994, and re-wrote Shack of Evil under a new title--The Chosen.

From 1994 to 2006, I set aside my writing completely to pursuit prospects in Marketing. Then, in 1999 I moved to the US to pursue prospects there. For 14 years, I worked in marketing, working with SME to Fortune 50 companies. My career in marketing saw me become one of the most sought after freelance marketing agents in the US.

In 2007, I submitted my novel to Hazard Press in Chrischurch New Zealand. After reviewing it, the publisher said that the story needed tweaking and recommended that the novel be submitted to mainstream publishers in the US. With some reworking and editing, I submitted my story idea to several publishers in the US.

51 rejection slips later, I received a letter from Amira Press in July 2007, offering to publish my debut novel.

51 rejection letters is pretty good, Chris. And by that I mean it's a respectable degree of rejection to make your ultimate success that much sweeter :)

So what are you doing now?

Since early 2008, I have spent a majority of the year travelling to places such as China, Russia and Japan. In April, I set foot back in my home country, Australia, after almost a 10 year absence. I now live in Samara Russia with my wife, Anna, and spend my days writing and running the recruiting efforts for a global mystery shopping company.

Tell us a little bit about your next book.

My upcoming novel is titled Bloodline of Darkness, the second in the trilogy in the life of Alex Manning - A man who is put in the middle of a spiritual conflict he otherwise wants no part of. Bloodline of Darkness is set 7 years after The Chosen. Alex has forsaken his powers to live a "normal" life, and the forces of Tartarus have arisen to harvest the souls of humans and fling the world into damnation and darkness. Alex once again must stand and save humanity but can he overcome the ever present darkness that also reigns in his own heart?

You can get more details from my website at: www.authorcamilson.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for joining me today, Chris!

HAVE YOURSELF A PARANORMAL CHRISTMAS

This Christmas season I'm joining fellow authors Dani Harper, Catherine Stang, Karen Wiesner, Sam Cheever, Diana Castilleja, Cheryl Dragon, Selena Illyria, Deborah Macgillivray and many more in an amazing giveaway. And it's so easy!

Go to http://www.romancingthewolf.com/contests.html for details on how you can enter our Romance Authors Web Hunt for three chances to win a terrific prize package of books, ebooks, coffee mugs, goodies, and more!

Today I'm being featured at the Raven Blog, home of the awesome authors Michelle Pillow and Mandy Roth! Make sure you leave me a comment to be entered into the contest for a free print copy of The Trouble With Destiny!

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE LEMURS!!

I'm off to the movies this weekend with my son. He LOVED Madagascar when he saw it in 2005 and now the sequel has been the only thing he can talk about since it came out. I'm looking forward to seeing it myself, although I do wonder when I'll actually get out to see an "adult" movie again. *sigh*

So what are your weekend plans?

Today is my first blog over at Happy Endings. I'll be a regular there every third Tuesday of the month.

This is a great community of writers, and it's going to be a lot of fun. Come on out and join us!!

Make sure to check out the Forum while you're there. It's still under development, but our authors have posted great excerpts from their books, as well as reviews of the books we've been reading and other fun stuff.

GUEST AUTHOR: Ashley Ladd

Hello! I'm so happy to be able to bring another guest to the blog today. Ashley is one of those authors that I come across in many of the groups I belong to and after seeing her name so often, I just had to get her over here so I could pick her brain. I hope she's ready for it. :)

Please welcome her to the blog!

Some days are easier than others to get into the zone to write romance. Some days the stars align and romance just flows from my fingertips. The characters behave, they do what they’re told without argument, and my emotions run rampant onto the pages. I love these days.

Unfortunately, I don’t wake up on the right side of the bed every morning. Or if I do, something happens to destroy my mood, much less the ability to feel so much romance as to make two other (sometimes three) fall in love. Today, for instance, I received a rejection – a big one. I thought this particular book was one of my best in a long time. I had big hopes for it. And then, my dreams are dashed.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), I have two edits on contracted stories I have to work on. I have other stories to work on I’ve promised to turn in. I obviously have to fix the rejected book.

So what do I do when this happens?

Okay, to be honest, sometimes my fingers get busy on my cell phone and I order expensive Chinese food or I join the daughter in a chocolate fest. Or I soak in the tub, scented with lilac, while I drown my sorrows.

Honestly, I can’t afford to wallow in self-pity long. Sometimes I can’t afford to give up any time for the pity-me bit.

Since this is my job as well as my passion, I have to hurry up and eat the Chinese, brush my teeth, and get back to work. Unfortunately, it’s not good enough to merely get back to work. I have to perform quality work and since I’m a romance writer, quality means being more than being technically good but I have to spin magic and weave emotions enough to snarl readers in my romantic web.

I think all writers have their own methods to get in the mood, and so do I.

My number one tool in my romance writing arsenal is music. I pop my headphones into my ears, turn on my favorite romantic music, and drown out the rest of the world. My favorite songs change with time and also with the type of story I’m writing. Presently, I’m on a David Cook and Chris Daughtry kick. But I also have a lot of eclectic songs I have programmed into my MP3 player.

Ashley Ladd
http://www.ashleyladd.blogspot.com
http://www.ashleyladd.com

P.S. Ashhley also had an awesome excerpt that she asked me to post, but it was a little too good for this blog...if you know what I mean. But you're definitely going to want to read it, so click on over to her website.

I made art with my WIP (with the help of Wordle)!
Well, one paragraph of it anyway...but it's a really good paragraph.
Maybe the only one that I managed to get written this weekend with all the distractions I made for myself.



It's small here, but if you click the pretty picture, you'll magically be taken to a fascinating full page version. Oh, um...don't choke on the naughty words.

Wylie Kinson has so graciously awarded me this Great Attitude/Gratitude Award because of my support of other authors! Thank you, sweetie!!



So, these are the rules for passing it along:
*Put the logo on your blog or post
*Nominate at least 10 blogs which show Great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
*Be sure to link to your nominees within your post
*Let them know they have received this award by commenting on their blog
*Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award

And the award goes to (in no particular order):

1. Amy Ruttan, because she's always sharing little pieces of her life with us.
2. Maggie Robinson, because she always has some sage words of wisdom.
3. Maria Zannini, for her awesome market advice.
4. Melanie Anderson, for her fun and quirky interviews.
5. Shiela Stewart, for hosting her awesome monthly blog parties.
6. Three Wicked Writers, for their socially conscious discussions.
7. A Place for Originals, for the relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
8. Cathy Stang, for hosting fellow authors.
9. Love is an Exploding Cigar, for keeping things fun and fresh.
10. Bitten by Books, for always having awesome guests and cool contests for readers.

GUEST AUTHOR: Bobby Ozuna

I first met Bobby while I was blog-jumping over at Melanie Anderson's little slice of internet and saw that she had another guest for one of her wacky interviews. Intrigued, I searched for his book, Proud Souls, and was even more intrigued by the blurb and the great reviews. So when Bobby contacted me and asked if I had some space on my blog for another guest, I jumped at the chance to have him visit so that I could hear more about his book -- and 'cause he's such a cutie!

Please welcome Bobby Ozuna:

In the summer of 2003 I visited a small west Texas town called Seymour. And just north of the town whose population was just over 2,900 people, sat the beautiful still waters of Lake Kemp. I had my family with me-—my wife Michele, my daughter Elizabeth and my son Dominic who was just a baby at the time. And there to greet me was my special friend and his family, Ralph Ponce of Abernathy, TX. By 2003 I had seen my friend every year since we departed our lives as US Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. We would share a cabin between our two families and “rough it” for an extended weekend, without running water, cell phone usage and the plagues of city life, we spent a wonderful time together talking beneath the stars of the west Texas sky. At night I sat on their porch swing overlooking Lake Kemp and listened until the calmness of the night's sky was all I could hear. It was truly magical. It was a time with my friend and his family I will never forget. I came home that weekend and after my wife and children fell to sleep, I wrote fourteen pages of descriptive material for nothing more than fulfilling my necessity to write. Below is a sample from my journal, written in 2003.

Journal Entry, 2003:
“The sun was winding down behind him and shadows danced before him on the ground—shadows of the blackbirds that gathered on the roof of his cabin. They gathered every evening in small bands, feasting on left-over bread he tossed upon the roof. He sat still in that porch swing, as if he was nailed to the wood on his back and thighs. He watched the shadow of his porch extend further and further away until it finally reached the water's edge.”

Within a year of that moment I was divorced from my wife and acclimating to lonely nights in a bed without her or my children to kiss goodnight. The rage that comes natural with being Bobby Ozuna was amplified and the hate I tried to put to sleep every night since leaving the US Marines became personified in my attitude and my perception of life. In essence, a part of me had died and in exchange, I allowed a darker more vindictive side of my persona to take hold. In October 2003, I began adding more detail to my journal.

10.13.2003
“There were only a handful of things left in the world that he cared for anymore, and none of which was himself. He just as soon let God strike him dead where he stood; but God doesn't work that way and that was something he had to learn...The only evidence to prove he was alive came from the steady breeze that slapped his face at intervals as the porch swing rocked back and forth. He sat in the same position overlooking the same settings as he had for the past six years.”

I put the journal away for two more years before attempting (or even considering) to write a novel. Before this time I only produced short-stories, completely fictional, with traces and hints of my own personal life. Like my hero Justin, my journal sat in a corner of my life like his Holy Bible sat in the corner of his cabin off Lake Kemp. It would stay dusty and untouched until May 16th of 2005 where I began extending the storyline and working on what would become my debut literary novel. The story of Justin Bower is not a story of my own life. It is the story of many lives. By October 29th of 2005 I would change the title from The Cabin to Proud Souls.

Those years of my life tested my faith in a higher power and my trust in relationships. No matter how much I smiled or who I was able to charm with my wit and romanticism, still inside I wrestled with the notion of a life full of hope. At the recommendation of a very good friend named Ladd Holder, I scrounged enough courage to start working on telling the story of Justin Olerude Bower. On May 16th, I wrote the following lines:

5.16.2005
“Most people were obliged to stay away from the hobbling, broken-spirit who trotted through the bar like a pirate, slant-eyed and bitter, carrying not a parrot on his shoulder but the burdens of a past life and the hatred of those patrons who clung desperately to hope.”

This theme written in the late Spring of 2005 became the driving force behind my novel, Proud Souls. And as much as I would like to say I had a plan for how the story would turn out, I did not. Using mythological archetypes I created a supporting cast in the life of Justin Bower. To challenge his cause to die I created the character Tessa Jameson, who in her fear of being alone and unloved became the epitome of the lonely damsel in distress. With her sexual aggression she would help me find my place as an independent author and publisher by scaring away my first print press. In early 2007 the manger of the print shop clapped his hands to me and said, “We wash our hands of you and this book.” But in a relentless pursuit to see my book in print, Ozuna Publications was created and my book hit an online storefront and gained immediate recognition.

I took the feelings of being without my children and gave them to Justin. Instead of three children like myself he had only one. A son he lost along side his wife in an accident outside the town of Seymour, Texas. I allowed myself to trust a scattered few for advice and guidance and in the essence of their spirit, the Reverend Hillard Ray Polk was created. He would represent the spiritual guidance Justin would need to make his decision to end his life or move forward with what life he had yet to live. And like any chapter of our lives, there stood for Justin the living symbol of guilt and regret. It came in the form of a lonely grocery store manger named Ralph Winslow Parison. These characters and the stories of their lives within their metaphorical prisons would become the binding force in my novel Proud Souls.

I put a lot of myself into this story. For many who have read it, it seemed to “hit home” and it jostled the nerves of many past scars for many readers. I have been asked about the details within the pain of this story and whether I lost a family member or contemplated suicide or even dammed God Almighty for my adversities. All I can say today is this: All fiction stems from some form of truth within the author...and...with my characters I thereby confess my sins.

I have never read my own book, cover to cover. I lived many of the emotions in simply writing the tale of the broken soul within Justin Bower, the sexual prowess of Tessa Jameson, the spiritual confusion of Reverend Polk and the agonizing guilt of Ralph Parison. I know the story inside and out because each of them became real within my imagination and my daily routine of life. It has been two years since finishing the book and walking away from that chapter of my life. And although I know I have grown far from the man I was when I created this story, it's ironic how much has stayed the same. It took some time to find the perfect opening quote to establish the theme for this story but I found it. Below is a sample from the completed published version of Proud Souls, opening with a quote from W. Somerset Maugham.

***

“How the gods must have chuckled when they added Hope to the evil's with which they filled Pandora's box, for they knew very well that this was the cruelest evil of them all, since it is Hope that lures mankind to endure its misery to the end.”

Six years had passed since their accident and with each day spent without his wife and son Justin deteriorated, shrinking into a dismal world, a prison he created within his mind. And now there were only a handful of things left in the world that Justin Olerude Bower truly cared for anymore, and not one of those particulars included his own soul. He had become a bitter man who would just as soon let God strike him dead where he stood. The sun was setting behind him and he stared out towards the lake in front of him.

The only evidence to prove he was alive came from the steady squeaking of the rusted chain that held his porch swing firmly in place and the intermittent breeze that slapped his face as the weight of his body carried him back and forth in a slow and steady rocking motion. He sat in the same position overlooking the same settings as he had every evening for the past four years of his life. And like the June beetle that fluttered aimlessly, slamming itself carelessly from wood to concrete and then finally resting into the fowl remains of leftover food in the dirt, he too was lost in a drunken stupor somewhere between the memories of his past life and the realities of a certain death.

***

I cannot say anything more about the story without giving it away. I will say this much. In the story the reader will face many human emotions, some that will anger them and others that will arouse them. In a nutshell, Proud Souls is a roller-coaster of emotions and feelings, with insights into the human struggle to survive. I can't say it is dark and I wouldn't call it a story of light. I will say this...it is merely a story common to all of us, the author and its audience. And looking back some five years after the opening lines were written...here at home with my wife Michele and my children...well...there is always hope, isn't there?

Sincerely,
~Bobby Ozuna

Today I'm visiting Cathy Stang's blog, talking about how we authors balance our everyday and our writing lives, and I'd love to have you drop by.

Also, make sure to click over to the Vauxhall Vixens blog today for our super special guest...Eloisa James!! Having been lucky enough to meet Ms. James while I was in New Jersey last month, I can say with all honesty that she is one of the nicest authors in the business and I've been looking forward to her new book, When the Duke Returns, which is being released November 25. She's joining us today to talk about characters. You know, the ones you don't plan on, who aren't supposed to be there, but pop in out of the blue.

And don't forget that my special guest here tomorrow is author Bobby Ozuna!

Also, some more great news from All Romance eBooks!!
All Romance eBooks is now available through Lexcycle Stanza for download directly onto your iPhone and iPod Touch! Time magazine featured the Stanza reader in their 'Top 11 iPhone Applications' article and the New York Times recently included it in their list of 'Seven Must-Have Offline Apps For Your iPhone/iPod Touch'. With a reading interface, which is unprecedented in its clarity and ease of use, Stanza is bringing the eBook revolution to the pockets of over half a million readers worldwide. And that number is growing daily. Through a seamless integration, All Romance eBooks' on-line library can be accessed through Stanza's custom catalog by adding the following url: http://allromanceebooks.com/epub-feed.xml. This groundbreaking endeavor will provide readers instant access to thousands of romance novels written by today's hottest authors.

I've got some great new reviews. This one for Immortal Kiss from Rita of the gottawritenetwork.com:

This book, very well written, is filled with fast action and deep drama as Maxine struggles to survive. It was a real page turner and I found dawn fast approaching as I read deep into the night. The characters living and undead will tug at your heart. It is part of a series, but stands well alone. I highly recommend this book and give it five bites out of five.

And my first review for The Trouble With Destiny from Crazy Lady of Readin' Something Crazy Book Reviews:

In true Buffy fashion, Sarah McInnes attacks her destiny with strength, skill and a quick wit. This lighthearted, yet very sexy story captured me from the first sentence and had me laughing and sighing ever after. Well-written and well-executed, J.K. Coi leaves you wondering at the end, hoping for just a hint at the future.

Thank you so much, Rita and Crazy Lady!

Also, I'd like to say thank you to Matthew Cory for visiting yesterday and telling us about himself.

And don't go away because this week is jam-packed with great stuff here on the blog...

I have a great interview up on Debra Parmley's Make-Believe Mondays, and I'm being interviewed on Michelle Pillow's blog today, so if you've always wanted to know what kind of superhero I would be, or what laws I'd enact if I were Queen of the World, then this is the day to find out.

I'm also blogging with my fellow Vixens at the Pleasure Gardens today.

I'm also blogging at Cathy Stang's little slice of internet on Thursday. The title of her blog, My Not So Secret Life is what gave me my inspiration for this particular topic.

And last, but certainly not least, author Bobby Ozuna will be visiting on Friday to talk with us tell us about his book, Proud Souls.

Guest Author: Matt Cory

J.K. Coi: First off, you can check out my brief review of Matt's book here.
So now, without further ado, please welcome Matthew Cory to the blog:


There are two questions I'm asked quite frequently, both dealing with aspects of the main character of Like Glass, Rob Jackson. The first question is, based on Rob's musical abilities, did I ever play piano?

That one's easy: yes, and still do on occasion. In fact, throughout high school I figured I'd be playing Carnegie Hall by now -- and, by some measures (namely my father) I probably would be if I'd kept at it. I received a partial scholarship to Texas Tech university for it as well (which I subsequently gave up to pursue software development and the almighty dollar, but that's a story for a different time). I wasn't as good as Rob is in the story, but I knew what I was doing, for the most part. Put it this way: Rob plays Chopin's Ballade in G minor, and plays it quite well; I started learning it, but could never get past the first couple of pages.

The second question I normally get asked is how much of "Rob" is really you?

That's a tough one. Honestly, quite a bit, in some form or another. In fact, when I was writing it -- before I even really took the idea that I'd finish a novel seriously -- I'd simply pictured myself in his place, with a couple of tweaks here and there. Mostly, I tried to make him a little more of a jerk than I considered myself, hopefully with some success.

Aside from that, I simply put him in a few different situations and asked myself "What would I do there? What would I wish that I could do there? What am I afraid that I'd do there?" Which ever answer seemed the most interesting, I used. Of course, eventually Rob got tired of me making these decisions and started making up his own mind. Characters will do that if you're not careful with them; then again, that's one of the joys in writing, when your characters start to write the story for you.

Now, there's a reason I'm answering these questions here, and it's not just that I really think everyone's so curious about what I have to say. Another question that every author gets asked is where do you come up with your ideas? Even authors worry about that -- they'll get stuck and spin their wheels trying to figure out where to go next. From my own experience, "writing" is the easiest thing in the world. Figuring out what to write is a different story.

With Like Glass, I did two things. First, I built off of my own personal experiences. Rob was a pianist, and that led to a fair amount of story line to build off of -- a concert, practicing, stuff like that. A few other events in there are also built from my own experience, but I won't get into those. Regardless, no matter what you might think to the contrary, your own life can give you some great starting points at least, if not a full novel.

The second thing I did was I put myself in Rob's shoes whenever he didn't want to take the reigns himself. It's really easy to do with any character, too. Ask yourself the same questions I asked myself, but if your character is obviously different from you, switch it up. What would you not do in a particular situation? What would you not say to someone? Your own choices will, believe it or not, write your story -- sometimes you realize it, other times you think it's the character themselves. If you're stuck, make it a conscious effort and don't just wait and see what happens.

If you're not an author, this probably doesn't seem that interesting. But remember, life is made of the same choices characters in stories make all the time. Granted, we don't all get to chose between two gorgeous members of the opposite sex every night, nor do our choices regularly save (or destroy) the world. But, as mundane as real life may seem at times, it's still more exciting than any novel -- we just don't realize it most of the time.

And the choices we make are much more important than what any character does, because at the end of the day, our choices matter. Rob makes a lot of choices himself -- some good, some bad -- but no matter what, when you close that book his choices disappear until you open it again.

So how does this apply to real life? Simple. We still get the chance to answer the same questions every day: what would you do? What do you wish you would do? What are you afraid you would do? And sometimes you got to mix it up, just to keep life interesting. Sometimes you need to do what you'd be afraid you'd do, just to find out if it was worth being afraid of. Sometimes you need to do what you wished you could do, just to let yourself live a little. And, of course, sometimes you need to do what you otherwise wouldn't do, just to keep everyone else on their toes ;)

Matt Cory
http://chocolatefordogs.com

MOVIE PREVIEW

With Quantum of Solace now in theatres (squee for Daniel Craig!!!), I thought I'd do a little preview of the 10 Best Bond Films:

10) Thunderball (1965): With the awesome and supremely sexy Sean Connery, this Bond movie was an Oscar winner for Best Special Effects.

9) Live and Let Die (1973): Introducing Roger Moore as Bond, this Bond movie was nominated for another Oscar, and had the most awesome theme song there ever was.

8) Moonraker (1979): Designed to chime with the second coming of the Space Age, this Bond film reaped close to the highest box-office dollars of any entry in the series.

7) Octupussy (1983): And this one's on the list just so we can say "Octopussy".

6) For Your Eyes Only (1981): A return to a harder-edged Bond, with Roger Moore giving probably his best performance in the role.

5) From Russia with Love (1963): Considered one of the best films in the series by Sean Connery himself, it was also named the ninth-greatest British film of all time by Total Film magazine.

4) Goldfinger (1964): Another Oscar winner, this Bond film was also the first to use a pop star to sing the theme song during the titles (Shirley Bassey), and the first Bond blockbuster, it made cinematic history by recouping its production costs in record-setting time.

3) GoldenEye (1995): The first to star Pierce Brosnan and we all love that. But unlike previous Bond films, it is unrelated to the works of novelist Ian Fleming.

2) On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969): Even with George Lazenby as Bond, this is one of the best, with some scenes on par with a Hitchcock thriller. The Bond girl is a real character instead of just an extra, there is a compelling love story, and the ending packs an emotional punch not often seen in Bond films.

1) Casino Royal (2006): The twenty-first in the Bond series, this was the third adaptation of the Casino Royale novel, which was previously produced as a 1954 television episode and a 1967 satirical film. But it was the first Bond film to star Daniel Craig. Meant as a reboot of the Bond franchise, it established a new timeline and narrative framework not meant to precede any previous film, which not only freeed the Bond franchise from more than forty years of continuity, but allowed the movie to show a less experienced and more vulnerable Bond.








Ah, but now there is Quantum of Solace, and I have a feeling I'll have a new number 1 for my list.



What's your favourite Bond?

GUEST AUTHOR: MIMA

You know those days when you need to call a friend and say, "Remind me I am a good person. Tell me again that you love me?" Writers would call these sorts of episodes the "character arc crisis" or the "black moment." As an author, whenever I get down about writing, I go to my webpage, www.mimawithin.com, and read the lovely reviews. That is my celebration list, my proof that people read my work and like it so I should park my ass and edit through the grind of polishing a book. Do you have a celebration scrapbook? Everyone should have one!

I'm a reader, too. I was wondering how others felt about authors putting review notices out. As a reader, they do catch my eye if I know and like the reviewing site. Plus, I sometimes click through to a review site just to see if it's a new place to check for ideas. There are so many books out there, I use a couple review sites to help me find "treasures" from publishers I might not usually go to. I wonder, though, if readers care about reviews and stick strictly to covers and blurbs for selling points.

If anyone is interested, here's the KICK ASS review I was delighted by at Sensual: 5 Stars for my scifi menage In Service: http://sensual.ecataromance.com/index.php?p=1001

About the Author: Mima is an erotic romance writer from Western NY. She has a guy, a black cat, and really busy brain. Her first series, the Bonded fantasies, is a bestseller at Liquid Silver Books.

Like Glass by Matt Cory

When Matt asked me to read his book and do a review for him before he comes to visit the blog next week, at first I was skeptical, I'll admit. He describes the book as a romance at the core, and it's not everyday that I read a romance written by a man. Having said that, I was also intrigued. What would a romance sound like from the man's point of view?

Now that I've read it, I have to say that in reality, I wouldn't term this book a romance. Matt was right, at the core, there is a lasting love story between Rob and Janet, but Like Glass is more about Rob's own journey. As a promising pianist in college, Rob Jackson meets Janet and instantly falls in love. They have only four days together, although it is enough for them both to realize that they could have something very special.

But when a drunk Janet betrays Rob by sleeping with his brother Bill, Rob writes them both out of his life for good. He thinks that he's moved on...until one day years later he gets a call telling him Bill is dead. Not even sure why, Rob feels compelled to go to the funeral, and meeting Janet again turns his whole world upside down. Anger, jealousy, bitterness and regret torment him, but after so many years spent holding onto all of that pain, he finds himself finally wanting to let it go. But then the death of Rob's father triggers a downward spiral that leaves him shaken, battered and broken. And yet one person has stayed by his side--Janet. Can Rob pick himself back up and find a way to forgive? Can they be together after all that has happened, and after all the pain they have caused each other?

Like Glass is about learning to forgive, learning to deal with the hardships, betrayals and disappointment that life throws at us and still finding a way to see beauty and meaning in it all. Like walking through the dingiest, rundown old neighbourhood and taking note of that one house that has a pretty curtain in the window, or a flower pot on the porch.

I very much enjoyed reading Like Glass, and I'll be looking for Matt's next book.

Find Like Glass on Amazon here

And join me on November 17, 2008 as I welcome author Matthew Cory to the blog!

So I DO have a blog today...really. Just click over to the Wild on Books blog. I'm talking about how hard it can be to start a new project, and how different my current WIP is for me, even though my characters are familiar and the world of my Immortals has become like my second home.

But wait! Even more exciting is...

The All Romance eBooks Charity Calendar
Now available here. Go forth and purchase for the good of all hottie kind!
(And it's for charity, what could be better?)