Goals for the remainder of 2014

My exams are finally over! Today was my last day at college EVER (except for collecting my certificates later this year and my artwork in January, but let's not think about that just yet). Now it's time to crack on with some writing. We are now half way through June and I've only posted nine things on here. That means half the year is already gone (scary or what?). Anyway, from now on I promise to make more time for you guys and I will be posting a lot more.

Today I want to share with you some of my writing related goals for the rest of this year (feel free to post some of your goals in the comments section).

1. Tweet!

I'm not the most active person on Twitter (as you might have noticed) but all that is about to change. Please follow me @KatieLThompson1

2. Finish Cameron by the middle of October.

I've been writing Cameron on and off for over a year. Now it's time to ignore all those other characters who are pestering me to write their stories and focus on the Snowdon sisters. Another 15,000 words and a little more polishing and it'll be ready to join Daisy on the top shelf of my bookcase.

There's an extract from Cameron on the 'Coming Soon' page of my website. If you haven't yet checked it out, you can do so by clicking here. 

3. Win Camp NaNoWriMo for the second time this year.

In April I took part in Camp NaNoWriMo for the first time. I was busy revising for my exams so I set a small target of 10,000 words. By the end of the month I'd managed to write 23,327 words. This July I've set myself a target of 50,000 words. During NaNoWriMo I will be posting regular updates here, on my blog, which will include word counts, short extracts and other exciting stuff.

4. Finish Poisoned Blue by the middle of October.

Poisoned Blue is a murder mystery novel which I'll be working on during July's Camp NaNoWriMo. I planned the novel last year but, as of yet, haven't got around to writing it. Poisoned Blue will be my first non-romance novel. It will be the first in the Jamie Stanley Crime Scene Investigation Series. 

5. Book Signing at WARFARE in November.

The wonderful Wargames Association of Reading are letting me have a stand at their annual show, which is being held on the 15th and 16th November. Click above for details on the show. I intend to have both Cameron and Poisoned Blue paperbacks to sign as well as Dying to Live and Daisy.

6. Win NaNoWriMo for the second year running.

Last year I wrote 50,000 words of Spring Showers, yet another novel I am yet to finish but which will be completed by the end of 2015. I haven't yet decided which novel I want to work on this year, but it's most likely to be one of the fifteen I currently have planned.

It looks like I'm going to be busy for the remainder of 2014. Of course, these are just goals and are no way 'written in stone' but I will do my best to stick to the plan. I hope you'll be here to enjoy the rest of 2014 with me.

One Lucky Night

Happy book birthday to One Lucky Night!

One night can change everything…

The crew at Boston’s Brazen Head Pub hasn’t been very lucky in love. Can a mysterious visitor inspire them to look past old hurts and misconceptions and give romance a chance? One Lucky Night is a collection of five sexy interwoven novelettes by Aria Kane, Grace Teague, Ana Blaze, Constance Phillips, and Melinda Dozier.


Lucky Break by Aria Kane

Four years ago, chef Derek Chase walked out of Andrea Rivera’s life after a tragedy neither of them were prepared to deal with. When she’s called to the Brazen Head to repair a dishwasher, old sparks ignite buried feelings.


Lucky Star by Grace Teague

When her life is threatened by a mugger, Charlotte Price realizes she's in love with her best friend, Tommy Leung. The Brazen Head seems like the perfect neutral place to confess her feelings, but nothing goes according to plan.


A New Tune by Ana Blaze

When it comes to dating, Holly Hall has one unbreakable rule: no musicians. Not even gorgeous ones. Especially not gorgeous ones. Dating them only leads to heartbreak. So why did she let singer-songwriter Cian O’Neill kiss her? And why is she thinking about doing it again?


Lexi’s Chance by Constance Phillips

As a bartender, Sean Whelan meets all kinds of women every night, but none turn his head the way that Lexi has. She’s been playing cat and mouse with him for weeks. Tonight, Sean’s determined to get Lexi to quit teasing and take a real chance on him.


Drink or Dare by Melinda Dozier

A bachelorette party Drink or Dare game pairs paramedic students, Rachel Robertson and Killian Whelan, in a flirting match. Soon, the dares threaten to turn their academic rivalry into something much
more.


Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Other retailers
Check out the book trailer!






About the Authors

Aria Kane is a recovering mechanical engineer and romance writer. As a military brat, she grew up all over the country, but now lives in sunny Florida with a 60 lb mutt who thinks he's a chihuahua.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads


Grace Teague lives in Pittsburgh with her spouse, children and a cat named Mr. Sushi.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Ana Blaze lives near Washington DC with her charming husband and three cats who firmly believe they are royalty. Ana is a member of Romance Writers of America.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Tumblr

Constance Phillips lives in Ohio with her husband, two ready-to-leave-the-nest children, and four canine kids. Her perfect fantasy vacation would involve hunting Dracula across Europe with her daughter, who also digs that kind of stuff.

Website | href="https://twitter.com/CPhillips">Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Tumblr

Melinda Dozier teaches English to middle schoolers by day and writes at night. She lives in Guatemala, Central America with her college sweetheart and three sons.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads


Giveaway

The authors are giving away two Amazon Giftcards!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview: Justine Alley Dowsett

What have you had published?
Mirror’s Hope is my fifth published novel. The first was Neo Central; a love story and coming of age novel set in a futuristic dystopia. After that, I wrote and published the Crimson Winter trilogy which follows a Japanese high school student named Yukari as she is transported to another planet and told that it is her destiny to save it from a man known only as the ‘Vile Emperor.’

What genre(s) of book do you write?
Most of my books are a blend of science-fiction and fantasy. Mirror’s Hope is my first romance, but it is still set in a dark fantasy world. I prefer to write books that are set on another world or that are a re-imagining of this one.

What inspired you to write your first book?
I’ve been writing a long time, but usually it is role-playing with friends that inspires me. I bounce ideas off of my friends and come up with vivid worlds and characters for them. Usually if they really like what I’ve come up with then I know that I have the beginnings of a good book. My first published book, Neo Central, I wrote with my sister, Murandy Damodred and a friend of ours, Lori Rule. We wrote it as a conversation on an internet forum and it evolved from there into the full length novel it is today.

How long did it take you to write “Mirror’s Hope”?
Three months. It’s about three hundred pages and my sister and I set ourselves a goal of a hundred pages a month. We mostly kept to that goal and had a complete story after three months. The editing and re-working took longer, of course.

What is the working title of your next book(s)?
We’ve just finished writing the sequel to Mirror’s Hope and it’s called Mirror’s Heart. It’s going out to test readers now. As of the other day we’ve begun brainstorming for our next book, but it doesn’t have a working title yet; it’s still too soon for that. However, we will be blogging about the world that we’re developing for this next story which will be fantasy/romance as well. At the moment we’re planning what I’m calling a ‘letter campaign’ which will showcase letters sent from one character to another each week on our blog.

When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve always wanted to be a published author. It’s been my dream for as long as I can remember. The first novel I ever wrote was when I was fifteen. It was about anthropomorphic cats. It was terrible, but I learned a lot from the process and in the end that’s what matters.

Do you self publish your books or go through an agency?
I started by self-publishing and learned a lot doing it. I’m still learning, but with the launch of Mirror’s Hope, Murandy Damodred and I have opened up our own publishing company, Mirror World Publishing and we’re happy to be accepting submissions from other authors and helping them to do what we’ve always wanted to.

What part of writing books do you find the hardest?
Keeping your momentum. I don’t tend to do a lot of planning before starting to write and whatever planning I do is usually in my head and not on paper, so I find it important to write as often as I am able to keep myself ‘in the story.’ If I take too many days off I find it difficult to pick up where I left off and the writing goes slower as I try to get back into the swing of things.

What do you do in your spare time?
I love to role-play with friends. I have a background in theatre and am fortunate to have made friends with very creative people. I also like to sew and I try to make time to make at least one mascot costume each year.

Who is your favourite author?
Anne Bishop, Melanie Rawn, and Brandon Sanderson are my top three at the moment. Anne Bishop for her dark fantasy, Melanie Rawn because her books are fantastic and I feel she’s underappreciated and Brandon Sanderson because I haven’t read anything of his yet that I haven’t liked.

What’s your favourite genre to read?
I prefer reading epic fantasy or historical fantasy/romance. I like books that take me away to other worlds and times. I also like my fantasy books to have aspects of other genres in them like science-fiction, romance, or adventure.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
If you have a story you want to get out of your head, then KEEP WRITING. Don’t second-guess yourself or try to edit as you go. Write every day, or as often as possible, and keep getting the story down on paper. Once you’re done, feel free to criticize yourself and re-work what needs re-working, but in the writing process it’s more important to write than to do anything else.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Mirror’s Hope is a full length novel set within a fantasy world and is now available through most major retailers. It has witty and modern dialogue, a fast paced plot and strong romantic elements. So if you're the kind of person who likes to escape into or is looking for a novel that is both inspirational and entertaining as it takes you through a what-if scenario in an exciting world filled with interesting and believable characters, then Mirror’s Hope is the book for you and we hope that you will not only read it but also help me spread the word about it.

One Lucky Night - Cover Reveal

One night can change everything…

The crew at Boston’s Brazen Head Pub hasn’t been very lucky in love. Can a mysterious visitor inspire them to look past old hurts and misconceptions and give romance a chance? One Lucky Night is a collection of five sexy interwoven novelettes by Aria Kane, Grace Teague, Ana Blaze, Constance Phillips, and Melinda Dozier.

Lucky Break by Aria Kane
Four years ago, chef Derek Chase walked out of Andrea Rivera’s life after a tragedy neither of them were prepared to deal with. When she’s called to the Brazen Head to repair a dishwasher, old sparks ignite buried feelings.

Lucky Star by Grace Teague
When her life is threatened by a mugger, Charlotte Price realizes she's in love with her best friend, Tommy Leung. The Brazen Head seems like the perfect neutral place to confess her feelings, but nothing goes according to plan.

A New Tune by Ana Blaze
When it comes to dating, Holly Hall has one unbreakable rule: no musicians. Not even gorgeous ones. Especially not gorgeous ones. Dating them only leads to heartbreak. So why did she let singer-songwriter Cian O’Neill kiss her? And why is she thinking about doing it again?

Lexi’s Chance by Constance Phillips
As a bartender, Sean Whalen meets all kinds of women every night, but none turn his head the way that Lexi has. She’s been playing cat and mouse with him for weeks. Tonight, Sean’s determined to get Lexi to quit teasing and take a real chance on him.

Drink or Dare by Melinda Dozier
A bachelorette party Drink or Dare game pairs paramedic students, Rachel Robertson and Killian Whelan, in a flirting match. Soon, the dares threaten to turn their academic rivalry into something much more.


One Lucky Night will be available in print and at all major ebook retailers on May 7th. For now, you can add it to Goodreads!


About the Authors

Aria Kane is a recovering mechanical engineer and romance writer. As a military brat, she grew up all over the country, but now lives in sunny Florida with a 60 lb mutt who thinks he's a chihuahua.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads


Grace Teague lives in Pittsburgh with her spouse, children and a cat named Mr. Sushi.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Ana Blaze lives near Washington DC with her charming husband and three cats who firmly believe they are royalty. Ana is a member of Romance Writers of America.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Tumblr


Constance Phillips lives in Ohio with her husband, two
ready-to-leave-the-nest children, and four canine kids. Her perfect
fantasy vacation would involve hunting Dracula across Europe with her
daughter, who also digs that kind of stuff.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Tumblr


Melinda Dozier teaches English to middle schoolers by day and writes at night. She lives in Guatemala, Central America with her college sweetheart and three sons.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads


Giveaway

The authors are giving away four print copies of One Lucky Night before you can buy it!

Enter here.

Interview: Joanne Troppello

What have you had published?
Bella Lucia (2012) – romantic suspense
My S.E.D. Label (2012) – psychological drama
Mr. Shipley’s Governess (2014) – inspirational romance

What genre(s) of book do you write?
I’ve written in three different genres. My two favorite genres are romantic suspense and inspirational romance. I am interested in working on a fantasy novel at some point. I like keeping my writing and technique fresh by trying new styles.

What inspired you to write your first book?
Bella Lucia is a romantic suspense novel, but the themes of infertility and adoption play a part in the storyline. This was a personal story for me since my husband and I have dealt with similar issues. I also enjoy reading suspense novels so it was fun adding a suspense plotline as well.

How long did it take you to write “Mr. Shipley’s Governess”?
At the time of writing Mr. Shipley’s Governess and my other novels, I was working full time and did not have many hours to devote to writing. So, it took about 1 year to write each book and run it through a series of edits. I now co-own a marketing company and have more time to devote to writing.

What is the working title of your next book(s)?
My current work in progress is entitled, Innocence Reborn. It’s a mystery / police procedural novel. I started this book many years ago, but put it on the back burner to focus on other projects. I’m looking forward to finishing this novel. It is the first book in a series.

When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing when I was 17 years old, but went on a long journey before I became published. In one of my high school English classes, my teacher brought a love for reading and writing to his students. I’ve always had a desire to start writing since I was younger, but didn’t try my hand at it until that year. I’ve learned so much about writing along the way and continue to desire to better my writing.

Do you self publish your books or go through an agency?
Bella Lucia is published with Astraea Press and my other two books are self-published. I am keeping my options open and am looking to publish future works with another publisher and also self-publish other books.

What part of writing books do you find the hardest?
The hardest thing is letting go of my book once it’s completed and has gone through the editing process. I hope that it’s the best that I can do and am always thinking maybe I could’ve written it even better. Maybe I’m too much of a perfectionist and don’t know when to let go.

What do you do in your spare time?
My husband and I enjoy going to the movies. We both like spending time outdoors and sightseeing. I have 7 nieces and 7 nephews and my husband and I love to spend time with them. Reading is another pastime I enjoy.

Who is your favourite author?
My two favorite contemporary authors are Karen Kingsbury and Anne K. Albert. My favorite literary author is Jane Austen.

What’s your favourite genre to read?
I like to read romance as well as mystery novels.

Do you have any advice for other writers?
Following your heart is vital. Be true to yourself and write from your heart. Learn to accept constructive criticism and always work to become a better writer. Network with other authors, as critique partners, and learn to help promote each other. Accept the fact that self-promotion comes with the territory if you’re in this field. Whether you write articles or books, continue to write…even if you’re not seeing immediate success. Perseverance will win out in the long run.

About the author
Joanne Troppello is an author of inspirational and romantic suspense novels. She and her husband are Network Marketing Coaches and owners of Mustard Seed Marketing Group, LLC. They have several active blogs and readers are encouraged to visit their Author's Corner Blog, a place for authors and readers to connect. They host various blog parties throughout the year and many guest authors stop by to meet with readers.

Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon Page

Interview: James Grey

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Interview: Darcy Daniel

What have you had published?

“Playing the Part” and “The Devils’ Cradle”.

What genre(s) of book do you write?

Contemporary romance and thrillers.

What inspired you to write your first book?

A scary event that happened to my mother when I was only about 10. I’ve never forgotten it and used it as a germ of an idea for a story.

How long did it take you to write “Playing the Part”?

About 6 months.

What is the working title of your next book(s)?

Dreaming of You (definitely a working title).

When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve always been an avid reader and did well in English classes at school, so it just seemed to come naturally to me. I started to become serious about it just after my son was born.

Do you self publish your books or go through an agency?

“Playing the Part” was published traditionally, but I decided to give self-publishing a try with “The Devils’ Cradle”.

What part of writing books do you find the hardest?

Marketing! The writing part is much easier.

What do you do in your spare time?

I work full time and write in between, so I rarely have spare time. I guess the only break I get is when I actually go away for a holiday.

Who is your favourite author?

Dean Koontz is my all-time favourite.

What’s your favourite genre to read?

Thrillers with some romance.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Just write what you yourself would like to read.