Author Interview - Ashley Nemer!

Please welcome Author Ashley Nemer with us today as I interview her!


1. Have you always had a passion for writing?

Yes I have – it started at a young age and it’s something that has always been a part of my being.

2. Does what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favourite authors/books?

I don’t think there is a way to get out of having what you read influence you, even if it’s just to say, ‘I don’t want to do it like this’ for something particular. My favorite authors are Tami Hoag, Catherine Coulter, Kay Hooper and Nora Roberts.

3. What are your biggest inspirations?

Music. Eminem in particular.

4. Do you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings?

No they really just pop into my head. Sometimes its while talking with a certain friend at the time and then that character tends to have traits that take after that person who inspired it. But in reality, when I start a project, I have no idea what I’m getting into.

5. Do you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces?

See #3. My play list is about 8 hours long for writing only.

6. What do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block?

My husband motivates me along with my Beta’s and friends. They really keep me going with ideas and keep the juices alive.

7. How has becoming a published author (independent or traditional) changed your perspective on life and is it everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published yet – what changes do you foresee?)

No changes on outlook on life … except maybe now everything is up for grabs to be used in one of my masterpieces, lol.

8. What are your biggest challenges as an author?

Grammar.

9. Do you have any pets?

I have a turtle named Mikey, after the Teenage Mutan Ninja Turtles. He is a red-eyed slider. I have two dogs, Toto and Doogie. Cairne Terriers.

10. What hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing?

Movies with the hubby. We used to camp all the time so we are going to try to get back into that.

11. Where is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world?

Nassau Bahamas’ for my high school graduation gift.

12. Tell us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work…

Maverick Touch: The Cat. Think April O’neal (from TMNT) Meets Dexter. She is a sassy reporter who has loads of trouble follow her. Here’s the blurb.

Reporter Nadia Maverick takes an adventure through the underbelly of her town where she discovers that even the criminal life she had been reporting on isn't quite like it seemed. Things turn bad for Nadia when in the middle of an investigation the tables are turned and she becomes the one under the watchful eye of Mr. A. Everyone becomes a suspect when Nadia turns up missing. Who will be there to set her free? Read and see.

You can find it here at Amazon or here at Createspace!

Problems with Character Naming

Before I get stuck into my editing today, I'd like to share a brief story and a link to an awesome blog piece I stumbled across, written by Karen Charlton. I read this piece and found myself smiling right away. I could more than identify with the things she described. The naming of characters seems like an easy thing but it is most definitely not.

When I began to write The Mercenary I was very careful to choose first names for the main characters that did not occur within my circle of immediate family and close friends. I could never have imagined that between the start of writing my book series and getting to publication that a member of my family would name their newborn child the same name as one of the characters in my book.

I'd not told my family of what the story was about or who I had named what. I had the great agony of deciding whether to keep the name as it was one of the main characters. In the end I chose to keep it as now I could not imagine this character as anyone other than what I named them.

My husband and I had long talks about this and in the end he told me that you are going to see movies and read books all the time with names you have in your family. If you are looking for them, they're going to be out there somewhere. My book is a work of fiction and in no way suggesting our new young family member anything like my character. The fact I wrote it several years before this child was born was a huge plus in my favor.

I sympathize with any authors struggling with the name thing. Sometimes it can be impossible to keep every name in the book ambiguous and unrelated to people we know. I love how this blog entry takes a light-hearted perspective on it, it's well worth a read.

To read the blog entry by Karen Charlton PLEASE CLICK HERE

Author Interview: Tracey Steinbach

Please welcome Author Tracey Steinbach!

1. Have you always had a passion for writing? 

No, I was an avid reader. I still am. When I was in school, I hated writing essays, reports and the like.

2. Does what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favourite authors/books? 

Not usually. Sometimes it will inspire me to write, but not what I write. I love reading, so I have many, many favorite authors. My favorite well-known authors include Nora Roberts, Johanna Lindsey, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Laurell K. Hamilton. I love Johanna Rae, LS Broomfield, Tymber Dalton, Stormy Glenn and A.L. Kessler. 

3. What are your biggest inspirations? 

Music, movies and my active imagination.

4. Do you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings? 

I see the characters and the settings in my head, so no.

5. Do you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces? 

Sometimes I do and sometimes the television is playing. I seem to do my best writing in the garage while my husband is working on a vehicle.

6. What do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block? 

Writer’s block is unavoidable, in my opinion. To stay motivated, I take reading breaks. My TBR list is loooooong. Compliments and encouragement go a long way to motivate me. I know everyone says this but I have THE best friends ever. They boost me up, they listen, or they kick me in the butt if I need it.

7. How has becoming a published author (independent or traditional) changed your perspective on life and is it everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published yet – what changes do you foresee?) 

It hasn’t, not really. It’s not as easy as I’d hoped it would be. Editing and writer’s block stink. 

8. What are your biggest challenges as an author?

Time is one of the biggest challenges I face. With kids, a full-time job outside the home and a husband that actually likes talking to me, there aren’t enough hours in a day. 

9. Do you have any pets? 

No pets.

10. What hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing? 

Watching movies, listening to music, NHRA Drag Racing.

11. Where is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world? 

My own home. In any given day, there is drama, comedy, action and adventure. There is romance, teen angst, self-discovery and laughter. I’ve been as far north as Grand Rapids Michigan, as far west as St. Louis, as far east as New Jersey and I’ve been to Florida. I’ve marched on the Silverdome field in Detroit and on the field in the RCA (formerly the Hoosier Dome) Dome in Indianapolis. 

12. Tell us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work…

I have a new series, Heroes of Trasco County, coming in July. The first book, more of a short story, is called Libby’s Fireman. I’m currently working on writing book 2. It’ll be my first ménage.

Miranda works for the arrogant vampire, Matthias. She lives in a wing of his home so she can be at his beck and call whenever the mood strikes him. Matthias knows that Miranda is his mate but he has no desire to bind himself to a human, fall in love and watch her die, so he keeps his distance. When Miranda asks for a Christmas Tree for the house, he reluctantly agrees. Miranda has an accident before she can get the tree, though and he uses their bond to rescue her.

After Matthias is shot, Miranda must let Matthias feed to regain his strength and possibly save his life. This bonds them closer together. He gives up the fight and throws himself into winning her over. The first thing on his list? Her Christmas Tree.

Her Christmas Tree on Amazon

You can find Tracey here: 

Facebook

Website & Blog

Tracey Steinbach Amazon Page

Twitter

Unexpected Inspiration

Isn't it funny how you think you know where things are at, when 'boom' something hits you and turns that all upside down?

There has been a lot on my plate these past few months. Some health challenges, a lot going on with my kids, moving house...  on top of that I have been working on re releasing the first novel in my Therian Secrets series - THE MERCENARY. After that I have book two - THE FURY all set to follow. That's enough to make anyone's head spin right? Apparently in my case, the universe decided that no, it was not enough.

I've been exhausting myself working on my series for a long time now. In the back of my mind I have wisps of ideas, little sparks waiting to be set aflame. There are a number of projects I could begin but they were all waiting for me to get past the release of The Mercenary and The Fury.

The stress and pressure of getting my books out as soon as possible began to get to me. I felt as though I was living/eating/breathing just to get the next page of my edit done. As you can imagine, that takes a lot of the fun out of it. Most of us writers began this journey because of our heartfelt joy in telling/sharing a story. So I started to wonder if perhaps I should take a break from the edits.

For the next twelve hours I felt at a loose end, trying to decide how to fill the void left by the editing I kept telling myself I should be doing. When I'd done all my chores I found myself sitting right back in front of the laptop. All of a sudden I had this burning need to tell a story. A specific story...

Characters that I had toyed with once before became very prominent in my mind, demanding my full attention. The last thing I need right now is another WIP but these guys are very persistent! So, somehow I have found the time to do a little research and planning. I'm not sure when this WIP will get fully underway but it is exactly the reprieve I needed. I've decided that maybe the universe doesn't have it in for me after all...

Author Interview - Amy Kessler!

Happy to have the fabulous Amy Kessler on my blog today for an interview!

1. Have you always had a passion for writing? 

I've always had a passion for stories, but I didn’t really start putting them on paper until middle school. I really got serious about it in high school. Now I can’t imagine not writing, I’m pretty sure my head would explode.

2. Does what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favorite authors/books?

 I think what I read does influence my writing, mostly I learn tricks of the trade by reading the same genres I write. I think you grow as an author when you read. My all time favorites are Sherrilyn Kenyon and Karen Marie Moning. I will read just about anything I can get my hands on, though.
3. What are your biggest inspirations? 

I’ll find inspiration in anything really, but I find music will keep me going. Each character seems to speak to me with different songs. Occasionally I’ll find a picture that strikes up an idea and I’ll go from there. Even something as simple as an over heard conversation can bring on inspiration. I’m an author, I observe, and from observation comes inspiration.

4. Do you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings? 

Characters chose me. They start as a little voice in my head, some times they tell me a piece of their story, some times I just know a name or what they look like. There is not method to that madness. With Kassity, I knew she was a panther who had control problems, and that’s where she started out. I gave her a name and she flourished from there. With Mae, I knew she was searching for someone named Josh and I had to discover why. Cora I knew played violin and snuck out at night. I formed the story around that. As for location, I base most of my (non-alternative world) locations off of Colorado Springs, CO, because it’s a place I know. Occasionally I refer to small town life, and base that off Grand Junction, CO or Delta, CO. (I’m a Colorado girl, what can I say?) It has everything I need, mountains, deserts, and spontaneously wacky weather.
5. Do you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces? 

When I write, yes! I love having music speak to my characters and playing as I type away. However, when I edit, I prefer silence. I don’t always get it because of having a child and a husband, but I do what I can.

6. What do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block?

 I work on multiple projects at once, so if I get stuck I switch gears. Occasionally when I’m super stuck, I’ll do something not writing related, go for a walk, take a shower, do those dishes that always seem like they are there and normally something comes to me.
7. How has becoming a published author (independent or traditional) changed your perspective on life and is it everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published yet – what changes do you foresee?) 

I’m shocked at what I've accomplished. Every day I look around at what I have going on and think “Is this really my life?” When I first started on this journey I dream't of big money and being famous, obviously I didn't get that (yet! ;) ), but really I’m enjoying what I've gotten from this experience. My favorite part is hearing that a stranger has enjoyed my book and meeting new people. Every corner I turn, every obstacle I get over, is a new adventure and I’m loving it.

8. What are your biggest challenges as an author? 

Social networking, as much as I love to interact with my readers, I struggle with creating an engaging social networking experience for them. Also writing blurbs, I hate blurbs. I rather gush on and ramble about my writing, not fit it into a nice, neat paragraph.

9. Do you have any pets?

 I do, I have two black cats, Jynx and Sophie. They are rescue cats and are part of the family. They look almost identical, except Sophie is a bit smaller and poofier than Jynx. Originally I adopted Jynx to eat the spiders in my apartment, but leave it to me to get the only cat that doesn’t hunt spiders. Sophie was a wedding present from my husband.
10. What hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing?

I’m supposed to have other hobbies? Okay, when I have time for it I sew. I love making costumes and I’m self taught. I’m an anime nerd so I watch a lot of that. Occasionally I’ve been known to play video games with my husband.
11. Where is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world? 

The Isle of Skye, Scotland. It was beautiful and I fell in love with it. We stand at the neatest hotel there and got to mingle with the locals. I was between my junior and senior year in high school when I got to go on a school trip. It was breath taking and I love the lore and history of Scotland. I really want to go back one day.

12. Tell us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work… 

Friday I released the prequel to In the Light of the Moon (book one in the Dark War Series, DWC for short), The Touch of Night (DWC #0.5). It’s a free read short story where you first meet Kassity, but it’s Mae’s and Josh’s story. The series is a paranormal romance series about a war between all supernatural creatures, where everyone is fighting for something different. As for the humans, only those who have had an encounter or are part of the government know about the supernatural world. There’s lots of love, some sex, and fantastic characters. I’m excited about this series because it doesn’t just focus on vampires and shifters, but will bring in all sorts of creatures. Different sides of the war will be seen and my hope is to keep the readers on their toes. In the Light of the Moon (DWC #1) will be released June 11th in both e-book and paperback. 

You can pick up The Touch of Night here on smashwords: 

Author Interview - Mary Wehr

Please to welcome Author Mary Wehr here today!

1. Have you always had a passion for writing? 

Yes, I believe I did. When I was a kid I’d always think up stories in my head. They always had a HEA 

2. Does what you read influence what you write and what are some of your favourite authors/books?

I’m so used to reading stories with Alpha hero’s and sassy heroines so my stories have the same type of characters. I always look forward to reading books by Maya Banks, Shayla Black, Cara Bristol, Renee Rose, Sandra Hill. And that’s just mentioning a few.

3. What are your biggest inspirations? 

Bringing a smile to a readers face. Without readers writing wouldn’t be worth it.

4. Do you have a technique in how you choose characters and/or locational settings? 

I stay in my own back yard which is Northeastern, Pennsylvania. Love can happen anywhere. It doesn’t have to be in a romantic expensive setting.

5. Do you listen to music while you are creating your masterpieces? 

I usually have the TV on low. LOL, that drives my hubs nuts.

6. What do you do to stay motivated and avoid writer’s block? 

I do get writers block a lot. I walk away from the computer for a while and attack the house in a cleaning frenzy or, if the weather is nice I go for a walk.

7. How has becoming a published author (independent or traditional) changed your perspective on life and is it everything you expected it to be? (If you are not published yet – what changes do you foresee?) 

I really don’t feel any different. Writing a story takes a lot of hard work and dedication. I have a new found respect for authors.

8. What are your biggest challenges as an author? 

I need to remember that ideas come to me better if I don’t think as hard about what my next story will be about.

9. Do you have any pets? 

LOL, inside the house I have a dove. He’s 13 yrs old and I also have a guinea pig. Outside, there are all kinds of critters I feed. Squirrels, chipmunks, birds and deer. I love animals.

10. What hobbies do you have outside of reading and writing? 

I love to bake and make candy. I also love being outside and doing yard work. LOL, I’d rather cut the grass than do laundry.
11. Where is the most exciting/memorable place you have been in the world? 

I don’t like to travel far from home, but after I graduated high school I went to California and the highlight of the trip was Disneyland.

12. Tell us about your latest work in progress or most recent published work… 

‘A Heart’s Endeavor’ is my first published novella. I tackled the subject of depression and the affects it can have on a person. After seventeen years of marriage my heroine is diagnosed with depression and her husband turns verbally abusive. He makes her feel worthless and treats her as if she was a mental case just because she needs medication to keep her illness and panic attacks under control. After his death she vows to pick up the pieces of her life and never trust her heart to another man. But, she doesn’t expect state trooper Jack Horan to pop into her life. He turns out to be totally different and throws her for a loop.



You can pick up Mary's book A Heart's Endeavor at the following places:

Beachwalk Press

Amazon

B & N

All Romance 


Contact links: 

Share some laughs. Connect with Mary on:

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Win a FREE ebook! (May Promo)

Would you like to win an ebook by Mary Wehr? (book info to follow) All you have to do is go to my Author Facebook Page and post on the promo note. Tell us your favorite fruit!

Mary's book is called A HEART'S ENDEAVOR. Here is the synopsis:

There are times when it's best to allow your heart to overrule your head.

Being diagnosed with depression not only messed up Melanie Manning's life, but her marriage as well. Her husband made it very clear that he considered her "damaged goods" and he didn't have time to coddle a mentally ill wife. After his sudden death, Melanie knew she was destined to be alone. Loneliness sounded a hell of a lot better than exposing her illness to another man. Her self-esteem couldn't survive another blow.

When state trooper Jack Horan meets Melanie, the attraction is immediate. Her deep blue eyes make him weak in the knees, but those eyes also hold a hint of sadness. Jack is determined to wipe away her pain, but how can he do that when Melanie refuses to let him get close to her?

Can Melanie learn to face her fears and trust her heart in the hands of another man?

Content Warning: some strong language, spanking, and sex play with a piece of fruit wielded by a hot guy in uniform.

You can buy Mary Wehr's book by clicking HERE