Dishing it up with Laura Vosika

Today I’m dishing it up with Laura Vosika, the author of the Blue Bells Trilogy. In addition to the Trilogy, she is working on several other novels and a non-fiction book on raising a large family.

Laura grew up in the military, visiting castles in England, pig fests in Germany, and the historic sites of America's east coast. She earned a bachelor's degree in music, and worked for many years as a freelance musician, playing trombone for pit orchestras, ballets, and symphonies, and flute and harp for other venues. She spent three years as a member of the Buz Whiteley Big Band and Farragut Brass Band in Bremerton, WA.

After earning a master’s degree in education, she took a job as a music teacher and band director. She has also taught private lessons on wind instruments, piano, and harp, for twenty years.

In her spare time, Laura likes to play piano, harp, and flute, do sudokus, and learn Gaelic.

She currently lives in Minnesota with her nine children, and assorted menagerie.

JET: Can you tell us about your most recent book?

Laura: The Minstrel Boy was released on February 16, 2012 for kindle, and soon after in print. It continues the story started in Blue Bells of Scotland, in which Shawn Kleiner, a self-centered, gambling, drinking, womanizing musician of the 21st century falls asleep in a Scottish keep and wakes up in medieval Scotland, mistaken for Niall Campbell, a Highland warrior, and sent on a dangerous mission, with Niall's beautiful and tempting betrothed, to raise troops for the upcoming Battle of Bannockburn.

Niall, meanwhile, is no happier to find himself caught in the roiled waters of Shawn's life, dealing with a pregnant girlfriend, angry mistresses, and a conductor who threatens to 'fire' him if he doesn't play Shawn's sell-out concert--all while learning of the destruction of the Scots at Bannockburn and trying to find a way back across time to save his people.

JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

Laura: Time. Always time. Not only does it take a phenomenal amount of time to research, write, re-read, research more, edit, and do it all over again, but like most authors, I also have a job, family, and home to take care of.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

Laura: Of The Minstrel Boy--publishing! Of the entire writing process, it has hands down been the chance to go to Scotland, before Blue Bells of Scotland was published, and visit all the locations in the book. I climbed a mountain (well, to a Minnesotan it qualified as a mountain!) in medieval-style boots, was given a tour of Eden Court Theatre where Shawn's orchestra plays, visited many castles, and much more. Besides that, the people I have met and new friendships I have made as a result of writing has been an unexpected and hugely rewarding experience. Some are other writers, some are readers, a couple have actually been distant relatives who have contacted me as a result of seeing my rather unusual last name, and it has been wonderful meeting for lunch. Some are right here in my area, people in my writers group who have become very close friends, and other local writers, and some new friends are around the world.

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

Laura: I read quite a variety of authors growing up. It would be hard to pin down one, but I especially like C.S. Lewis, and Margaret J. Anderson, author of the children's book In the Keep of Time, has had a huge impact because her idea of four siblings going into a Scottish keep and coming out in a different century was the seed for my own story, although my novel is quite different.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

Laura: I'm one of those who has known from almost the start that I would spend my life in writing and music. I was writing stories when I was eight, and started a novel when I was ten, although it didn't get far.

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?

Laura: Well, I have no idea what people would consider crazy, but I did make a point of having medieval-style boots to climb a mountain in Scotland so I could really experience it, as nearly as possible, to the way Shawn would have. Just like Shawn, I'm not used to extensive hiking, and I certainly appreciated after only one day's hike, how much pain he must have been in after his trip with Allene! (If I'd had time during my stay, I would have followed his exact four day route, but I had to settle for one day.) I have studied Scottish Gaelic since 2009 to get a feel for the language Shawn speaks. I suppose some people would find that crazy, but I enjoy learning languages and feel I know a little more of my characters through it.

I've been researching the times of Bannockburn and Robert the Bruce for so long now, it's hard to say what the most interesting fact is anymore--it's all become very much my everyday world. But although I only touch on it in one of the books of The Chronicles, I did come across a fascinating account, penned by medieval monks, of a vampire-like priest at Melrose Abbey who refused to remain dead and in his grave. Edward I also made a rather gruesome demand, on his deathbed, of what his son must do with his body.

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?

Laura: I think The Blue Bells Chronicles is my favorite, in part because I've spent so much more time in its world, with its people. But also, I tend to write about some serious issues, and a time travel adventure is light, fun reading in comparison.

JET: Any advice (from a writer’s standpoint) for the novices out there?

Laura: Find a writers' critique group and attend every week. Sift through the advice and choose for yourself which to follow, but you must be willing to listen to the opinions of those hearing the story for the first time and willing to make changes. Be prepared to re-write dozens of times.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten…starting with…Paper or Plastic?

Laura: Paper.

JET: Steak or Tofu?

Laura: I rarely eat either, but if I had to choose, I'd pick tofu.

JET: Beach or Mountains?

Laura: Can I take both? If pressed, I'd pick mountains. Probably. Depending on the weather and the day of the week.

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

Laura: Rock and roll!

JET: Leather or Lace?

Laura: Lace.

JET: Angels or Demons?

Laura: Angels

JET: Paper or Digital?

Laura: Paper.

JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

Laura: Cheesy B Rated Horror--my kids would probably get a huge kick out of sitting down together and watching one.

JET: Twilight or True Blood

Laura: Neither! If I must read about vampires, I'd take The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. (In fact, for someone who's not into vampires at all, I liked her book very much.)

JET: Coffee or Tea?

Laura: Hanging in the chasm between the two, desperately trying and often failing, to break my current coffee habit by switching back to tea.

JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?

Laura: I have three books left in The Blue Bells Chronicles. They're all written, but still need editing. I have a piece of contemporary fiction set in Boston in the early 90's, called Friday's Child which just needs a cover and a final read-through before being released. I'm particularly looking forward to getting back to Castle of Dromore, the story of an American widow escaping the ugly turn her life has taken by moving to Scotland where she buys an old castle for herself and her boys. She finds, however, that the castle holds its own ancient secrets.

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about Laura Vosika and her work at the following places:

http://www.bluebellstrilogy.com/

http://bluebellstrilogy.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/laura.vosika.author

www.twitter.com/lauravosika

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Bells-Scotland-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B002T460DG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1308762525&sr=1-1

BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-bells-of-scotland-laura-vosika/1102513903?ean=2940011060083&itm=1&usri=vosika

itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/blue-bells-scotland-blue-bells/id450416815?mt=11

smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16271

Until next time,

Ciao,

JET

Manic Monday with Jasmine Dubroff

Welcome to another Manic Monday. Today I’ve got Jasmine Dubroff on tap. Jasmine is a horse rider, an author, a reader, and a lover of Mythology and ancient history. She’s been writing for the past five years and just last September she self-published the first half of my book “Beauty In Itself”, which is the first book in the Omega Series.


She currently lives on Cape Cod and is writing up a storm with the second book in the Omega Series, named “The Three Gifts” along with her version of the Eros and Psyche Myth called “More Than Life”.

Check out “Beauty In Itself” on Blurb.com and Jasmine also has a few free reads as well. Links for her free online reads along with “Beauty in Itself” are listed at the bottom of this post.

Without further adieu – here’s Jasmine…

Writing From The Soul

By Jasmine Dubroff

I do not know where it comes from, this hunger, this need to write, to create, but this passion is a part of my soul and from my soul these words pour onto parchment and screen alike. I am a writer, an author, it is within my soul to create, to share ideas, beauties, loves and tears with the world and no man, woman or any other being can tell me it is not as such.

I cannot tell you how to write, that comes from within you, a place so deep inside that you yourself may not have known it existed until you began writing. That is where those words come from, those times that creativity flows from you and the words you type are almost written by some muse rather than yourself, and as you look back at them, you find it hard to believe that you could write something so wondrous.

There are times when I cannot write a word for weeks, then suddenly, it happens. Sometimes it is like a lightning bolt, an idea so astounding that is leaves you stunned as you try to write or type it down as quickly as you can, not caring about misspellings or mistakes of any kind, so long as you get the idea down in its entirety before this perfect thought leaves your mind. Other times it is more subtle, like a whisper on a breath of wind that gives you the need to write, even if it is just a few good words.

NEVER force yourself to write, if the words do not come to you, come from within you, then the results will be less than satisfactory. Writing is a lot like life, you never seem to end up where you expect to be, but always where you needed to go.

The greatest stories have a life of their own and take control so that the writer feels as if he or she is merely a vessel, a kind of messenger writing these words down while they are being whispered into your mind. It takes just one idea, sometimes just one word to inspire you to start writing, and once it gets inside of you, there is no stopping it. No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, ideas will come to you and drive you mad until you finally write them down.

My friends, my fellow writers and authors, pour every ounce of your soul into your writing. Your hopes, your dreams, your fantasy’s, your loves, your losses, your pains, your sorrows, your triumphs as well as your failures, everything that has made you who you are. If you do so, you will find as I have that as your understanding of yourself shifts and changes, so too will your writing evolve into something greater and more beautiful.

You are a writer, a creator, a voice and a pen, a keyboard and a screen. If writing is as much a part of your being as it is of mine, then please, do yourself and the world a favor and do not lose heart in your works, for they, like you, are beautiful. And remember my friends, there is no ‘can’t’ in writing, the possibilities are endless.


Jasmine Dubroff

Author of:

Beauty In Itself: Part One: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2928072

Beauty In Itself: Part Two:  http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6544367/1/Beauty_In_Itself

The Three Gifts: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7473089/1/The_Three_Gifts

More Than Life: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7817559/1/More_Than_Life

Special Guest Spotlight: Dishing with J.A. Todd

Today, I have the pleasure of dishing it up with special guest J.A. Todd, author of The Boy in the Back Row, which was released yesterday. Jim is a native of California, and now calls Atlanta his home. A graduate of Duke University and former naval aviator, he now works with a Fortune 100 company as a Lean Six Sigma expert on two multi-billion dollar programs. Over the course of his lifetime, he has experienced several brushes with death. He imbues his stories with the thoughts and feelings we often ponder when the world is fast asleep and we’re alone in the dark with just our thoughts—all alone.


JET: Can you tell us about The Boy in the Back Row?

J. A. Todd: Thanks, Jane. In The Boy in the Back Row, eight year-old Danny Christopher awakens from a near death experience with the power to raise the dead. When he unknowingly resurrects one of Hell’s prized souls—a notorious contract killer—Hell unleashes the Dark One to reclaim its property and deal with the boy. But three unlikely heroes— a repentant hit man, a guilt-ridden school teacher and a meek businessman—risk their lives to protect the innocent boy whose destiny will ultimately change the world.

Meanwhile in the Negev Desert, an ancient ruin stirs with dark foreboding when a mysterious seal is unearthed and burns a timid businessman with its divine mark—powerful enough to shake the foundations of Hell but useless unless he confronts his own demons.

When Danny resurrects a politically connected attorney, a video of the extraordinary event is broadcast around the world. Her killers—members of a secret, global drug cartel—suffer intolerable embarrassment at the woman’s resurrection. Threatened by the young dead raiser, they draw him out of hiding when a high value target—the country’s beloved First Lady—is assassinated.

With brutal gunmen on their heels and Hell’s Dark One closing in, a deadly showdown climaxes between Good and Evil, but not without unexpected consequences. These events trigger the prophetic countdown toward the end of the world or perhaps a new beginning.

JET: What drew you to paranormal thrillers?

J. A. Todd: I’ve always been fascinated with the supernatural even as a child. I grew up in a haunted house, which is fertile ground for a young boy’s imagination. There’s a certain fascination about the paranormal and the possibility of something existing beyond the veil of death.

JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

J. A. Todd: Okay… this one’s an easy answer. It’s the discipline of writing and having the internal fortitude to shut the door and stare at a blank computer screen until the words flow. Talk about self-doubt, I’m sure every writer experiences this countless times in their career.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

J. A. Todd: Another great question. For me, it’s when I feel “in the zone”. Every writer feels it, I’m sure. For me, it didn’t come for five or six weeks after I began writing my first manuscript. But when it happens, it’s magical. I feel I’m “one” with my story and the hours of writing literally fly by.

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

J. A. Todd: At the top of my list are Dean Koontz and Stephen King.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

J. A. Todd: About thirty years ago, I suppose. And now that I’m writing nearly every day, I’ve discovered one immutable fact that the closest we ever come to being like God is when we’re creating something. And isn’t that what we’re doing when we write? Aren’t we creating our own worlds?

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?

J. A. Todd: There is one section in my book where my main characters take a dangerous road trip from Atlanta to DC to save the First Lady. On a lark, I decided to drive the same route from Atlanta to DC, retracing my characters’ steps through the District, all the way up to the Capitol steps. It was a bit eerie to be quite honest, because I felt at times that my characters were real. What a feeling!

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?

J. A. Todd: The Boy in the Back Row is my first published novel so that limits the playing field, I would say.

JET: Any advice for the novices out there?

J. A. Todd: Yes. Have faith in the discipline of writing and never waiver from your passion to create new worlds through your words. It’s as close as we can come to being god-like.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten…starting with…Paper or Plastic?

J. A. Todd: Paper.

JET: Steak or Tofu?

J. A. Todd: Steak. I’m a carnivore.

JET: Beach or Mountains?

J. A. Todd: My favorite would be mountains. I enjoy the serenity and the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning.

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

J. A. Todd: Geeze…I really couldn’t say. I love both.

JET: Coffee or Tea?

J. A. Todd: Most definitely coffee.

JET: Zombies or Demons?

J. A. Todd: Zombies.

JET: Top 10 best seller or Unknown Back Shelf Find?

J. A. Todd: I am especially fond of Suzanne Collin’s trilogy on The Hunger Games. Her writing is simple but she’s a master at spinning a good yarn. I love her description—not too much and not too little—that draws me into her world and makes it believable.

JET: Sword wielding ninja or Gun toting momma?

J. A. Todd: Gun toting momma, especially if she has a vulnerable side.

JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

J. A. Todd: This is a no brainer: Silent film classics. It was the beginning of a new art form.

JET: 2012 Mayan Prophecy Believer or Ain’t Gonna Happen?

J. A. Todd: Hmmm… I’ll give you my answer on the morning of December 22nd.

JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?

J. A. Todd: I’m working on the second story in the trilogy of The Boy in the Back Row. I’m also beginning work on a third manuscript entitled Eddie and Esther. I might describe it as a cross between Cocoon and Night at the Museum.

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about J.A. Todd over at http://www.novelconceptpublishing.com/.

You can purchase The Boy in the Back Row in e-book form at the following places:
Amazon       Barnes & Noble       Smashwords       All Romance        

and in paperback here. 

Until Next time,

Ciao

JET

Dishing it up with John Blackport

Today, I have the pleasure of dishing it up with John Blackport, author of Raingun and Resolution.


JET: Can you tell us about your most recent book?

John: Resolution is the sequel to Raingun. In it, Rick directly confronts his temptation to rebel against the established order. He still feels the same internal conflict, but the stakes in the world around him are rising fast.

Rick’s guarding a mining camp full of slaves, and he sees a lot of cruelty. But the same army that is the instrument of the slaves’ oppression, is also protecting the people from other (very real) threats. The decision to start (or join) a rebellion isn’t easy, and anyone who decides to do it will find themselves neck-deep in many other decisions that must be made. And all these decisions are difficult.

JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

John: Editing. I love the process, it’s just hard to find time to do it.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

John: I love the second half of the editing --- when the checked part of the checklist is bigger than the unchecked part. It all starts to come together, like a sculpture that finally looks like its subject. At that point, you can experience the same satisfaction building a novel that you’d get from building a house.

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

John: Hmm. James Thurber. Edgar Allan Poe. Mark Twain. George Orwell. John Le Carre.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

John: Oh, I’ve wanted that forever.

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?

John: Sometimes I drive to specific spots, that remind me of the perfect setting for specific scenes I’m writing, and just hang out there, trying to make the setting a part of me. The farthest I’ve ever gone for that was an hour and a half from my home.

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?

John: My favorite might be The Drillerist. I’ve always been impressed by the dedication of ancient and medieval surgeons. Those that understood the scientific method understood just how much there was to learn, and how slow their progress was. They understood they didn’t have a chance of seeing their efforts bear fruit in their lifetimes. And they understood just how pervasive the superstition was that they were up against.

JET: Any advice for the novices out there?

John: Don’t misinterpret advice to “Never give up”. Sometimes, you should give up on a specific endeavor. I did it a few times. I always came back to writing, but I often gave up on short-term goals and projects. The point is to shift your efforts into something more rewarding, or more productive.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten…starting with…Paper or Plastic?

John: Paper! The rise of e-books will reduce overall paper production and reduce the environmental impact of that entire industry.

JET: Steak or Tofu?

John: What, no Port?! I mean, Pork?! (Actually, pork and port would be good). Um, Tofu!

JET: Beach or Mountains?

John: Beach! The food is better!

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

John: Bhangra! Oh, that’s not a choice. Rock-n-Roll, I guess. It’s close.

JET: Top 10 best seller or Unknown Back Shelf Find?

John: I’m gonna go against the “indie” grain and say Top 10 Best Seller. Though I sort of sense that changing about myself.

JET: Zombies or Demons?

John: Zombies.

JET: Paper or Digital?

John: Digital.

JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

John: Cheesy B Rated Horror!

JET: Sword wielding ninja or Gun toting momma?

John: Gun-totin’ momma!

JET: Coffee or Tea?

John: Coffee. Straight! Black! No sugar, no milk, no nothin’ wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?

John: I’m starting the editing on the third book of The Raingun Chronicles. The title’s Balislanka, which is the name of a place. Rick moves against Lucan, a powerful necromancer, in a decisive confrontation. He wants this over with, to concentrate fully on what he truly wants to do: clean up the injustice and corruption in the country he loves.

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about John Blackport’s books on his Amazon Page.
Until Next time,

Ciao

JET

Dishing it up with Consuelo Saah Baehr

Today I have the pleasure of dishing it up with Consuelo Saah Baehr. She is a repurposed writer who got off the couch several months ago, formatted her out-of-print backlist books published them on Amazon and now sell them in the Kindle store. The idea of publishing another book with a traditional publisher was so daunting, she remained silent for several years until e-publishing set her free.

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JET: Can you tell us about your most recent book?

Consuelo: One Hundred Open Houses (most recent) was a book I wrote when I was sure I would never write again. I couldn't make my mind settle down. I couldn't make my body settle down. Both of these are necessary to write a full length novel. My agent, Charlotte Sheedy got me to write this book over lunch in a pleasant restaurant in Sag Harbor, New York. We had started out at a different restaurant but she couldn't find anything she liked on the menu so we moved across the street to another restaurant. She mentioned a book that was currently popular. You could do a book like that, she said. I was sure I couldn't. Of course, you could, she insisted. Bolstered by several gulps of Merlot, I agreed to begin. For the next several months I pulled this book out of me inch by inch. I was jumpy, the book was jumpy. I wasn't used to sitting still. I wasn't used to thinking things through and being honest. I have no reliable memory of how the book progressed from chapter to chapter. When I had only a few pages left, I was finally able to write smoothly and quickly. One day the book was done. When I read it through I fell madly in love with what I had written.

JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

Consuelo: I was sending Op-Ed essays to the New York Times. They accepted the fifth submission. In the three line bio at the bottom I put that the essay was from a book in progress. In a couple of days I had several offers and sold the book that I had yet to finish writing.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

Consuelo: My favorite moment was coming home from shopping and finding a note from the babysitter on the back of the phone bill. “Howard Goldberg called. N Y Times.” My six-year old son had spoken to him. “Is this about my mother’s writing? he asked, “You should take it. She wants you to.”

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

Consuelo: F Scott Fitzgerald for his insight into the way we live and his sentence structure. Here’s an example. “The evening progressed from phase to phase with the sheer nervous dread of the moment itself.” He’s talking about the dinner at Gatsby’s house in “The Great Gatsby.” I like some of Ann Tyler’s “Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant.” E. L. Doctorow’s book Ragtime was a triumph for the simple declarative sentence. Love Sue Grafton’s alphabet P.I. series. I guess the last few are contemporaries but they definitely have influenced me.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

Consuelo: I have always wanted to be a writer. When I was about seven I was in a convent boarding school and there was a book in that sparse library titled Chum. It was about an orphan girl who discovers her mother is a famous actress. I considered the plot fantastic and realized that if I were a writer I could write any fantastic set of circumstances that I wanted.

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?

Consuelo: For my most recent novel, One Hundred Open Houses, I visited more than 100 open houses for apartments in New York City. It was an eye-opening experience and taught me that most apartments in New York City are not fit for human habitation.

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?

Consuelo: I have two favorites. Daughters is an epic novel loosely based on my paternal grandparents lives as Palestinians living in a little Christian village ten miles north of Jerusalem . I used oral history, the diaries of the Society of Friends and the memoirs of a number of well-known writers who lived in Jerusalem during that time. I am very proud of the authenticity of the details and of the seamless manner in which they were woven into a very interesting and dramatic family saga. Readers love this book.

JET: Any advice for the novices out there?

Consuelo: I always recommend that any would be writer start by submitting short essays to their local newspaper. Getting into print quickly gives you the courage to try again and repetition is what makes writing better. I learned how to write efficiently while I was a copywriter for the Macy Corporation writing newspaper ads every day about everything from handbags to electroplated charms.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten…starting with…Paper or Plastic?

Consuelo: Paper (not so much for ecological reasons although that’s good, too) I love the brown paper that bags are made of.

JET: Steak or Tofu?

Consuelo: Steak

JET: Beach or Mountains?

Consuelo: Definitely beach.

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

Consuelo: Rock-n-Roll

JET: Leather or Lace?

Consuelo: Neither.

JET: Angels or Demons?

Consuelo: Demons.

JET: Paper or Digital?

Consuelo: Digital.

JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

Consuelo: Silent Film Classics

JET: Twilight or True Blood

Consuelo: Twilight

JET: Coffee or Tea?

Consuelo: Coffee

JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?

Consuelo: I have two titles-in-progress. The novelization of a screenplay titled: Softgoods about two suburban women who unwittingly sell “hot” designer clothes. Also halfway through a “woman sleuth” novel titled “Tough As Nails.”

I am always writing on my blog, The Repurposed Writer.

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about Consuelo Saah Baehr and her work at the following places:

Amazon U.S. Kindle Store: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_7?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=consuelo+baehr&sprefix=

Blog: http://setthiswriterfree.blogspot.com/

Until Next time…

Ciao

JET

Manic Monday Special Guest Ashlynne Laynne

Today I have a special guest on my blog. Ashlynne Laynne has agreed to come on and chat about her latest book coming out this week.

JET: Can you tell us about The Progeny?

Ashlynne: At its core, The Progeny is simply a story about a man and woman who fall in love. It started as research about the Salem witch trials, some rough sketches of a special family heirloom that my guys would wear and two names—Ascher and Shauna. In the beginning, of the book, Ascher is grumpy. Frankly, who could blame him? He’s engaged to seal to Ursula—a cold and careless vampire who wants nothing more than to get her hands on a bloodstone— and he feels conflicted about his existence. All of that changes when he meets Shawnette McCutchin. She’s beautiful, intriguing and possesses some of the most potent blood that he’s ever smelled. A war immediately begins inside Ascher. He craves her blood just as much as he craves her body and the closer they get the harder it is for him to control his urges. After Ascher calls off the sealing to Ursula, the trouble begins. The peaceful period essentially ends when Ursula’s army attacks the Rousseaus. Throw in a kidnapping and Wiccan rage and the plot is complete.

JET: What drew you to paranormal romance?

Ashlynne: I’ve always loved stories and movies about witches and I, admittedly, have a soft spot in my heart for vampires. I grew tired of the garlic fearing, sun loathing creatures of old. An avid horror movie fan, I tend to enjoy media and music that is of a younger, more eclectic nature. This was the catalyst for my writing The Progeny. The vampire/witch pairing is unique and different when most paranormal media pairs them with werewolves. The infinite possibilities, for such a wicked couple, intrigued me. I like to think of Ascher and Shauna as the damned version of Romeo and Juliet with supernatural gifts.



JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

Ashlynne: Finding a publisher that I was comfortable with. I turned down one larger publisher and a smaller one because they didn’t feel good to me. The Progeny was my baby and you don’t just let anyone babysit your child. I wanted my baby to be in good and capable hands. I found those hands at NCP. My characters and ideas have been respected, nurtured and I’ve been encouraged throughout the process—all of the things I knew that my story deserved.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

Ashlynne: The moment that I got the email of acceptance from NCP. I really wanted to be a part of this publishing family. It just felt like the place that my baby belonged.

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

Ashlynne: As a pre-teen, I adored Judy Blume books. Their personal approach spoke to me on a deep and profound level. As an older teen, I loved V.C. Andrews. I’m also a poet and have loved the insightful works of Maya Angelou. When I was sixteen, I discovered Danielle Steel novels (I now realize that I wasn’t the target age group for the books I was reading, but this spurred my love of romance novels). As an adult, I’m wild for anything Stephen King or Kresley Cole but I love a good vampire or witch story.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

Ashlynne: I got serious about my writing career a year ago.

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?

Ashlynne: I spent three hours researching gestation and mating habits of mice for part of The Progeny’s back story. I learned that they have a twenty day gestation. I doubt I’ll ever use that knowledge again but it was worth it for the two or three lines it generated.

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?

Ashlynne: The Progeny, of course. For some reason, this story and the characters are very near and dear to my heart.

JET: Any advice for the novices out there?

Ashlynne: Don’t give up and write as often as possible.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten…starting with…Paper or Plastic?

Ashlynne: paper

JET: Steak or Tofu?

Ashlynne: tofu

JET: Beach or Mountains?

Ashlynne: beach

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

Ashlynne: rock-n-roll

JET: Leather or Lace?

Ashlynne: leather

JET: Angels or Demons?

Ashlynne: Both. Yin has to balance Yang.

JET: Paper or Digital?

Ashlynne: digital

JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

Ashlynne: cheesy b rated horror

JET: Twilight or True Blood

Ashlynne: True Blood

JET: Coffee or Tea?

Ashlynne: Yuck…neither.

JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?

Ashlynne: I’m currently working on the sequel to The Progeny that promises just as much steam and romance as the first with some very special parties you won’t want to miss.

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about Ashlynne Laynne and her work at the following places:

Twitter: @qlane

Facebook: ProgenyBook Page- http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Progeny-Series-by-author-Ashlynne-Laynne/129418917161599

Author Page- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Ashlynne-Laynne/118945981513261
Author Blog: http://authoraslane.blogspot.com/
Email: ashlynnelaynne@aol.com


Until Next time…

Ciao.

JET

Dishing it up with Michelle Scott

Today, I’m dishing it up with Michelle Scott. Michelle’s stories have appeared in such places as Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, All Possible Worlds and Realms. Her fantasy novel, The Dragons of Hazlett was nominated for a 2009 EPPIE Award. Her YA novels include the vampire romance, Blood Sisters, and the fantasy Uncommon Magic and An Anthem for the Battle Lands. Michelle’s latest release, Straight to Hell, is now available on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble. Michelle lives in southeast Michigan with her husband and three children.

JET: Can you tell us about your most recent book?

Michelle: Straight to Hell is an urban fantasy about a woman who dies, is sent to hell, and discovers that she must become a succubus. It seems that her great-great-great-great-great grandmother made a deal with the Devil in order to escape being hanged as a witch and, unfortunately for Lilith, the deal mandates that every female in the family serve the Prince of Darkness. Now, Lilith must balance her life as a single mother with her new occupation as the devil’s handmaiden. Luckily, she meets a very yummy incubus named William Darcy who takes her mind off her misery.

JET: What drew you to fantasy and young adult genres?

Michelle: Although I love reading all kinds of books from fantasy to historical fiction, I’ve never been able to write a book that doesn’t contain a touch of the supernatural. No matter how much I try to write a realistic story, sooner or later magic crops up. I write adult fiction as well as YA, but my YA stories were written for my daughters. They had been begging to read my books, so I wrote stories that were suited for them.

JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

Michelle: Being patient! Back when I started writing, I never imagined how much time would be involved. This isn’t simply a matter of being patient with the publishers and the publishing process (although, that takes a great deal of fortitude!), but I’ve come to realize that I cannot rush a story when I’m writing it, either. If I want to produce the best fiction I can, I must let the story work itself out, and that can take time.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

Michelle: I’ve had a number of wonderful moments, but the one that I’m most fond of is my very first publication of a short story. I’d been submitting my stories for quite a while, but when I received an acceptance letter in the mail, I was overjoyed! The magazine has long been out of print; however, I keep a copy of the issue in which my story appeared in my office.

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

Michelle: There have been so many! The first author I was infatuated with was Laura Engles Wilder who wrote the “Little House” books. That was the first series that I read beginning to end. After that came James Herriot who wrote all of the books about the life of a veterinarian in England. Both of these authors took me to places and times that I could not have visited on my own. I was an avid reader as a child, and it was my love of books that made me want to become a writer. Since then, I’ve changed my tastes to speculative fiction writers such as Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice, and Charlaine Harris.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

Michelle: I had written stories all my life, but it wasn’t until about twenty-five years ago that I actually decided to take a crack at writing. My husband and I had moved to Detroit for his job, and I was newly married, unemployed, and very lonely. We lived in a ‘garden terrace’ (aka basement) apartment in a bad part of town (Detroit has a lot of those.) I didn’t quite dare leave my apartment on my own, so while my husband was away, I started to write to keep myself occupied.

JET: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of book research? Most interesting fact you uncovered?

Michelle: Well…for Straight Shot, the upcoming sequel to Straight to Hell, I asked my sister-in-law, an avid gun collector, to take me to the shooting range. Until then, I’d never shot a handgun in my life! It was more fun than I’d anticipated, and my sister-in-law proved herself to be a saint when I pestered her with a million questions about guns.

JET: Of all the novels and stories you’ve written - which one is your favorite? Why?

Michelle: I’ll go with my current project – the Lilith Straight series. Until now, I’ve never written a series, and after working so intently on this project, I’ve fallen in love with the characters. Which is good and bad. I’m glad that there are enough crazy antics to fill these books, but I’m going to be mighty sad when the series comes to an end.

JET: Any advice (from a writer’s standpoint) for the novices out there?

Michelle: Know your audience. This was a bit of advice I’d heard when I began writing but, unfortunately, I passed it off thinking that a writer should give in to her whims. (What was I thinking?)

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten...starting with...Paper or Plastic?

Michelle: Paper

JET: Steak or Tofu?

Michelle: Steak

JET: Beach or Mountains?

Michelle: Mountains

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

Michelle: Jazz!! (sorry)

JET: Leather or Lace?

Michelle: Ooh…both please

JET: Angels or Demons?

Michelle: demons

JET: Paper or Digital?

Michelle: Digital. Always!

JET: Silent Film Classics or Cheesy B Rated Horror?

Michelle: Pass the cheese, please!

JET: Twilight or True Blood

Michelle: Oh, Eric Northman, how I lust after thee.

JET: Coffee or Tea?

Michelle: Coffee. With lots and lots of cream (not skim milk).

JET: Thank you for indulging me and taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about Michelle Scott and her work at the following places:

Goodreads       Amazon        Barnes & Noble     Smashwords

Thanks for swinging in!

Until Next time,
Ciao
JET