MEOW! Gem Sivad gives us some CAT NIP

Gem Sivad Stops in with some fresh CAT NIP!

    Part of the excitement of being an author is finding the opportunity to live out my fantasies on paper. Of all the abilities I don’t have but wish I did, the gift of healing is at the top of the list.

    Stories about healers who can lay hands on people and cure their ill health have always fascinated me. Imagine the satisfaction in being able to cure with your touch.  From that fascination, I’ve been able to create several fictional “healers” in my stories and have thoroughly enjoyed the endless possibilities.

Jamie Salisbury's Interview is great!

Jamie Salisbury... tell us about yourself!

 

Deanna:  Tell us a bit about yourself that our readers might not know.

Jamie: I spent three years as a teenager living in South America, Chile to be exact. I probably would have graduated high school, perhaps stayed longer, if it hadn't been for the shift in the political climate there. Lucky for my siblings and me, our parents were quite good at keeping things like that to themselves. But later as an adult, some things that occurred then, make perfect sense today. . .one day we're going to school, just being kids, the next we're packing up to move back to the U.S. (packing and out of the country within two weeks) - with a month long "vacation" of places like Buenos Aires, Rio, Lima. And yes, I would love to go back and spend a month or so just touring the various countries.. .

Deanna:  What do you do to relax?

Jamie: I love to travel, but lately my travels are a mixture of business and pleasure. I've been to some pretty amazing places and am far from done.  Apart from that I love to sail and ride horses. Reading and knitting are great relaxers too since I'm not a big fan of the TV.

Deanna: What type of hero do you like best?

Jamie: Well, of course we all want a strong, handsome hero. Beyond that, I want one that is believable. A hero that seems like he could be the guy next door, someone you would really know. Yes, I dress them up a little better than real life, but they should remind us of someone we know.

Deanna:  Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Jamie: My days have gotten more full. I try to do all my publicity, social media stuff in the morning, checking on it if I have a chance periodically throughout the day. I used to spend afternoons or evenings writing, but my life has gotten a little more complicated with some outside projects, so I write whenever I get the chance.

Deanna:  How many plots do you include in one of your books?

Jamie: Typically I try not to have more than perhaps two plots going on. I think too many confuse a reader - heck confuse a author as well. It makes things too complicated and I think takes away from the main plot/purpose of the book.

Deanna:  Is there another genre you'd like to try writing?

Jamie: Mystery/thriller type book. I actually have one I've been working on for over a year. It's a little harder for me to write because I'm trying to not let it go off course with a bunch of romance. There will be some romance in it, just scaled way back.  It's based on a true story and I think that also makes it harder to write.

I'd also like to try writing something humorous. It's difficult as a lot of people don't get my style of humor, so I'd have to find a happy medium.

Deanna:  Do you have a muse?

Jamie: Yes and no. It all depends. Right now I'd say I don't - or at least my muse has run away.  I don't know if I buy into the whole concept of muses. I just know when I have a good idea, everything flows as it should. Then there are other times when no matter what I try, nothing is going to come to fruition.

Deanna:  What's in the pipeline?

Jamie: I have a brand new series I'm planning to launch this summer. It is a spinoff  from the Tudor Dynasty series, and yes characters from the Tudor series will pop into the new one. . .I'm really excited about this one! The first book is entitled Encore!

I'm also working on a prequel for the Tudor series.

Lastly, with Secret Cravings Publishing, I have the final book of the Heartfelt series due out this summer and this summer will see the launch of a new series with them as well, titled Southern Heat.

Deanna:  What is the hardest thing about being a indie author?

Jamie: Staying on top of everything! You have all the social media sites, your platform, your blog, your website to keep up with. Not to mention trying to interact with readers and trying to get reviews. Getting reviews seems to be my hardest issue. Why? I have no clue. And all of this has to be done before writing, or should be.  Getting an assistant is not an option - for me at least. In the future perhaps-

Deanna:  Heroines? What sort do you prefer to write?

Jamie: I hate whiny women who have self-esteem issues, had a horrible childhood, etc.. . .You know the type. . .they are that way until they meet a man, who has issues of his own and together they overcome them. Ugh! If they have those faults I much rather they be strong enough to keep that to themselves for the most part, and go about their life. Sure let their insecurities pop out once in a while, but not the constant whining. Hope that answered that one. A real peeve of mine.

Deanna:  How did you come up with the story line for Tartan Deadlines?

Jamie: Somehow, I got into writing about older women/younger men relationships - in fact my Heartfelt series with Secret Cravings Publishing is about those types of relationships. I also have firsthand knowledge - I never really intended for the story to go that way, but it did - and now I think it couldn't have been written any other way.  Being an older, more mature woman does not mean that you do not have choices, nor does it mean you have to settle for what society believes you are destined for.

Deanna:  What got you started into writing and publishing?

Jamie: I've always written, either professionally or personally. I was fortunate enough in high school to have a remarkable Creative Writing teacher who encouraged me to pursue my writing.   I was recovering from one of about a half dozen surgeries to my left foot. I was bored out of my mind having to sit in bed or on the sofa. So I started going over some old manuscripts. I had been reading online about ebooks and indie authors, self publishing and decided, why not? So I did, and I'm addicted to the entire process!

 

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Meet Maggie Greene - Romance Author

Maggie Greene

Romance Author

      Maggie Greene grew up in small town Wyoming. Without much else to entertain her, she set about creating characters in her own mind. When it finally came time to put pen to paper (or more accurately, fingers to keyboard), the people she'd dreamed up demanded romantic plot lines. She was more than happy to comply. She is currently living her very own happily ever after in Pittsburgh with her husband and cat.       Maggie also writes erotica and erotic romance under the name Emily Cale. 

Blurb:

 Kiersten Hart left Honey Creek the minute she graduated high school and never looked back. When her sister Jeanine is widowed and left to raise two children alone, Kiersten moves back on a temporary basis. When Charles steps in and sweeps her off her feet, she has to decide if the wounds from her childhood can be mended.

After his wife died, Charles Webber swore he'd never love anyone again. He buried himself in his work and didn't look up until he found out his son was sick. Moving to Honey Creek was supposed to make things easier. Kiersten does little to help keep things simple. Though he is taken with her, he soon realizes the casual relationship they agreed on is turning serious. As their expiration date approaches, Charles must decide if Kiersten is worth the risk.

Amazon


Turquoise Morning Press


Web site

Visit Maggie's website for more

info on her books and trailers.

Interview with Romance Author Maxine Douglas

Join us in Paradise as we chat with Romance Author Maxine Douglas. We have leis for everyone to wear and ice cold pomegranate and mango juice to quench the thirst. 

Maxine will join us shortly. So while we wait, here's a little bit about her.

An avid horse lover and reader, Maxine Douglas loves spending time in the saddle, curled up with a good book, catching up with her oldest grand-daughter, or chasing her youngest grand-daughter around the house. She resides in Oklahoma with her husband, and is a member of both Romance Writers of America and the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition.

 
Reader’s Haven: There's Maxine. Hi! *Deanna and Louise wave her over to sit on the rocks* It's beautiful here. Thanks for inviting us. Tell us a bit about yourself  that our readers might not know.

Maxine: Hi Deanna and Louise. I was totally a single mom (meaning never married) until 11 years ago, when I married a very good friend from high school. We just took separate paths during those 28 years apart, but I believe we were always meant to be together—obviously one of his brothers did as well when he said “Welcome to the family and it’s about damn time too!”  LOL  I married my best friend not only in this life but also in past lives. 

If it's one thing I've learned over the years of my life it's that you can never stop dreaming and reaching for the stars, because sooner or later you just may get to touch one, and it'll bring you more happiness than you can ever imagine. I've been lucky enough over the past couple of years to have been able to reach out and touch two stars...and I'm still reaching for more.

Originally from South-central Wisconsin, my husband and I traded the snowy winters for warmer days and nights. I currently am a member of such writing organizations as Romance Writers of American, Oklahoma Romance Writers of America, and Electronic Publishers Internet Coalition.

Reader’s Haven: Such a romantic story about you and your husband. What made you want to become a writer?

Maxine: I took creative writing in high school and liked it. Although I wanted to be a songwriter, I’m not writing longer versions of those songs of the heart. It took a friend’s sister, who is now an agent with 3 Seas Literary Agency, to become published that I finally put my storytelling skills to work. I thank Cori every day for that.

Reader’s Haven: Please share a bit about your new release without giving away any spoilers.

Maxine: RINGS OF PARADISE comes out today in fact. It started out being a rock-n-roll storyline and ended up being about professional wrestling. I know, do the two really go hand-in-hand, probably not. But I grew up in a home where it was on t.v. all the time, and my father, brothers and I went to as many live matches as possible. The sport kinda grows on ya … and what red blooded woman is immune to a great male body?

Reader’s Haven: No wonder the cover is on fire with Jimmy on it! Excellent design. Do you write under a pen name?

Maxine: I also write erotic romance as Debi Wilder when I’m feeling a bit on the wild side of passion in my storylines.

Reader’s Haven: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?

Maxine: I like my heroes to be strong and sensitive, while my heroines are sassy and loving.  At least I think so anyway. LOL
 

Reader’s Haven: Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Maxine: LOL—not as productive as it maybe should be that’s for sure. I had my 5 yr old grand-daughter during the day until school started a week ago, so I didn’t get much accomplished. I don’t write when family is around—too big of a chance of being interrupted in my train of thought or in what my characters are trying to get across to me. Now that school’s in session I’ll be working outside the home for 10-20 hours a week, so that’ll leave my days off and evenings to get things done.

Reader’s Haven: Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Maxine: I would say yes and no. Some of them are contemporary, while others have a paranormal or time-travel twist to them. Depends on the hero and heroine and their story to tell.

Reader’s Haven: How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?

Maxine: I’m a muse writer and a punster on top of it. What this means is that it can take me several months, years, to write a story getting it the way I want it to be. I tend to write very slow, careful to get the scene just right before moving on. I’m trying to plot it out a bit more so we’ll see if it works with THE QUEEN or not.

Reader’s Haven:  Do you have to be alone to write?

Maxine: I have found that I can’t write if I’m around famiy—they like to talk to you, or the t.v., and it takes a second to pull me out of my work and 15 minutes to get back into it. That being said, I like to have noise around me whether it’s the t.v., radio or just people milling about at McDonalds or the park because I know the chances of these people interrupting me is next to none.

Reader’s Haven: How do you go about naming characters?

Maxine: Well…they tell me their names. It might be a cat and mouse game to begin with but in the end they let me know who they are.

Reader’s Haven: Is it easier to write about the characters if you find pictures of them before you write or do you write then find character pictures?

Maxine: Sometimes I get a feel for what they might look like. For instance, in THE QUEEN, my heroine Hanna, is from the late 1920s/early 1930s so I knew sort of what I wanted but just couldn’t visual her. Then one day while shuffling through some old photos at a local Goodwill I found her!  This is young woman is my inspiration for Hanna Amery, my heroine in THE QUEEN.  Cole is still a bit of a mystery to me and I don’t think he’ll truly reveal himself just yet.

Reader’s Haven: How do you pick locations for your stories?

Maxine: Actually, my characters pick them. LOL, I know it sound strange but it’s true. One they—the hero and heroine—have let me into their lives they take me on a journey and I don’t always know where I might end up.

Reader’s Haven: What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?

Maxine: I’m currently working on a novella for FOUR SEASONS OF PASSION to be published by www.museituppublishing.com in 2013/2014. THE QUEEN will be one of the summer stories and takes place on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, which I totally fell in love with while at a writer’s conference held there a few years back. It inspired this paranormal story line when I got home:

Cole Masterson is the lead investigator of GHOST, Ghost Hunters of Spiritual Transcendental and professional ghost hunter who’s aboard the Queen Mary investigating its paranormal activity. Cole’s about to realize the ship’s paranormal activity can be more than just shadows and cold spots.

Hanna Amery is a spirit looking for the man she lost decades ago aboard the Queen Mary during the early 1900s. What Hanna doesn’t understand is how she can see the man with the electronic equipment, but can’t figure out how to communicate with him.

What happens when two dimensions collide as Cole and Hanna struggle to find a way to be more than passing shadows?

Reader’s Haven: Oh, we do love a ghost story! Where can readers find out more about you and your books? 

Maxine: Best places is on either my blog or my FB page .. I’d love to hear from readers! 
Contest
I'll give away an eBook copy of Rings of Paradise. Enter the contest through the Rafflecopter below and good luck! Winner will be drawn Sunday, Sept 2.

One man’s quest to find the truth. One woman’s desire for more in life. A mistress that won’t let go.

Dear Reader,

I’m not much on putting words to paper, action is more up my alley. I’m Flame, the reigning champion in the Universal Wrestling World (UWW). So why am I here?

I grew up in a wrestling family and cut my teeth on the squared circle, which by the way is the only “lady” I trust any more.

I’ve gone and bought out a small press magazine in Madison, Wisconsin that was going nowhere fast, hired a woman by the name of Khristen Roberts, who according to the editor-in-chief is untrained and wants nothing more than to be a journalist.

Okay, I’m a sucker in helping people out, it’s my one weakness, if I have any. Problem is she’s on vacation in Hawaii. I’ve got to catch up with her somewhere along the line for her to join up with me and the UWW. I just hope Khristen is up for the ride…it’s always a trip.

Yours truly,

The Flame

Excerpt:

The beautiful eyes of the man from the plane seemed to appear as an apparition in the deep-blue-green pool water. Thoughts of him ran wild in her mind, and Khristen felt the warm wetness of desire grow deep between her thighs. She shivered from wanton desire. Something about him seemed familiar.

No. Surely, I would have remembered if we’d met before. His eyes, if nothing else, would have been burned into my memory.

It seemed as if she’d seen them, and the challenge in them, once before—a dare to defy him in any manner.

Challenges. That’s what gave Khristen her drive. In her career, she had felt like a lamb lost in the fog in search of its home. She longed for the type of position that offered her the unexpected excitement of a contest each and every day.

Her current position at one of Madison’s once top magazines came very close to fulfilling that yearning. It offered variety in its article context, and nine times out of ten, they didn’t read like something out of Miami Vice. Plain Talk covered just about anything and sometimes everything. Still, something was missing.

She’d finally come to realize she wanted to be a staff member who did more than run around the office. She was going to spend the next few weeks thinking of a plan to convince Ric to move her up the ladder. One day, she would have her own byline.

Ric Scott, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, had become the big brother she never had. He drank too much coffee in a day for one human being and stayed at the office until well past midnight. She worried about his excesses in both areas and feared one day she would walk into his office to find him slumped over his desk.

More than once, she had wondered why their relationship had never gotten past the big-brother stage. Deep in her heart, she knew it was the lack of emotional and sensual challenges. The spark she felt with a total stranger wasn’t there with good ol’ reliable Ric.

Khristen slid a pair of red-framed sunglasses from the top of her head and perched them on her nose. She took a deep relaxing breath, leaned back, and forced the man’s image out of her brain. She knew she had to let this challenge go for what very well could be the first time in her adult life. If letting go was at all possible.

For now, one thing she knew for sure. Absolutely no way was she going to become caught up in another romance. The last one had almost destroyed her, both emotionally and professionally.

* * * *

His shadow draped across her skin. He’d known he would find her; he’d never thought it would be connected to one of his businesses. He had thoroughly enjoyed seeing her sweat earlier, looking for a place to escape the dining room. If looks could kill, she should have laid him to rest before noon.

Now it was his turn, and he couldn’t wait to see her reaction. It was going to get more interesting now that he’d decided in the length of time it took for him to reach her side that the game would start. He would have to proceed with caution before snaring her for himself.

Shadoe fought the temptation to pluck an ice cube from one of the glasses he carried and let it drip onto Khristen’s sunburned flesh. A mischievous smile played on his lips as he visualized the response he would get. It would be fun, but they had already gotten off on a bad foot, and he didn’t want to aggravate the situation further—or did he?

* * * *

“Khristen.” Someone repeated her name, and as she stirred, raised his voice, calling to her again.

“Huh?” Sleepy eyed and well-burnt, Khristen was not sure what had drawn her out of a groggy sleep.

“What’s your pleasure? Mai Tai, Piña Colada, or Aloe Vera?” Shadoe adjusted the two sweating glasses and one bottle on the tray he balanced with care.

Khristen shielded her eyes, suspiciously looking up at him. The touch of friendly sarcasm that had edged his over-exaggerated deep voice set off her warning light.

“Owweeee!” Pain and agony edged her voice, caused from the effects of too many hours in the sun and too little sunscreen.

“I’ve got just what you need.”

“Like what?” Khristen grimaced, seeing the bottle of lotion and look of concern in his eyes.

Or is it lust?

“Aloe Vera. It’s a great natural ointment with a cooling effect for skin that’s on fire.” He set the tray down on the small, round table next to her. “I could, ah, rub it in for you.” Another teasing smile played on his lips as he picked up the bottle.

Khristen smiled back and looked into his eyes. How sexy and sure of himself he looked as he gazed over the rims of his sunglasses, daring her to resist his charm, challenging her.

“Actually, I have a better idea.” She reached for the lotion and caught a look of satisfaction sweep over his face. With a crooked smile, she softly wrapped her fingers around the bottle and let them linger a moment too long before taking it into her possession.

“Mmmm, sounds very tempting.” He moved in closer to her.

“It is,” she said, reeling him in with her sweet, sexy tone, and placed her free hand on his bare chest, blocking his advance. As much as she’d love to feel his skin against hers, she wasn’t about to play on his web.

“Fortunately, there’s room for only one. You see, what I have in mind is, well...” She could see the anticipation grow in his eyes. “The ultimate total package of soothing the senses, everywhere, and all at once.”

Gathering up her belongings, Khristen walked away, in pain. After only a few feet, she turned and gave him a look of triumph.

His deep, sexy laugh did nothing to dampen her victory.

Buy Links:

MuseIt Up Publishing

Amazon

You can find Maxine hanging out on these sites:

Blog 

Facebook 

Twitter @waMaxineDouglas

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Interview with Emily Tippetts, Chick Lit and YA Author

This week we join Emily Tippetts on Pelican Bluff off the coast of California. The weather is awesome with a cool breeze and degrees in the mid 70s. We've set up several huge umbrellas for shade, and blankets and lounge chairs to relax on. There are coolers filled with cold beverages; bottled water, soft drinks and juice. So help yourself.

Emily is giving away an eBook or a paperback of either her new release Castles in the Sand or a back list book (winner's choice). Details below!

If you've noticed the police gathered a few hundred yards away, don't worry, they're just arresting Alex. Guess Alex was in a really bad mood since he bashed a police car several times with a large rock. 

The winner could find out what happens to Alex!

Reader’s Haven: Hi Emily, thank you for chatting with us this week. The cool breeze across the ocean is very welcomed! Tell us a bit about yourself  that our readers might not know.

Emily:  I started out as a science fiction writer and attended Clarion West Writers Workshop for Science Fiction and Fantasy in 2001. I’ve sold several short stories to magazines, but decided to write a chick lit book in order to get published in the Utah/LDS market and gain some experience taking a book from manuscript to final. It’s very strange to me that I now make most of my money from chick lit novels, as that wasn’t my original goal. Not that I’m complaining!

Reader’s Haven: What made you want to become a writer?

Emily: It’s something I’ve wanted for so long; I can’t really say what started it. Ever since I knew where books came from, I’ve wanted to write them.

Reader’s Haven: Please share a bit about your new release Castles in the Sand without giving away any spoilers.

Emily: The official launch day for this novel is Monday, August 20th. It will show up on Amazon a few days before, and may pop up on Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and iBookstore a little earlier as well. I hope to have the eBook in stock everywhere by the end of the day on Monday.

Madison Lukas lives in the fictitious town of Pelican Bluffs, which is on the coast of northern California, with her mother, who prefers to throw pots than to spend time with her daughter. When a Mormon missionary comes to town and reveals he is Madison’s brother, she’s shocked. She never knew her mother was even religious. Stranger still, this missionary remembers Madison as this beautiful, amazing girl, while Madison thinks of herself as plain and boring. Her brother’s not going to let her keep thinking that, though.

Reader’s Haven: Do you write under a pen name?

Emily:  Not really. I use two different variations of my name for my two types of writing. For chick lit and YA, I’m E.M. Tippetts. For science fiction and fantasy, I’m Emily Mah. My real name, as you can probably guess, is Emily Mah Tippetts.

Reader’s Haven: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?

Emily:  The ones who fight battles most of us don’t even notice. Without giving too much away, there are several in Castles on the Sand, including people who care for disabled relatives, immigrants who’ve crossed oceans to give their children a better life, and a big brother willing to stick his neck out to remind his little sister that she can demand more from life.

Reader’s Haven: Strong family ties and personalities make the characters realistic. Readers like that. Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Emily:  If only I had one! Every day when my husband gets home from work, I sit down and write while he cooks dinner and puts the kids to bed. Sometimes during the day I write too, but that depends on what else is going on and whether my kids will let me.

Reader’s Haven: Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Emily:  They all have a romance plotline, but I’m trying to do as many different variations on that as possible. Castles has a love triangle and I try to keep the reader guessing who Madison will end up with.

Reader’s Haven: How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?

Emily:  A novel takes at least six months, often longer. The thing about writing is that you can do a lot of it in your head. Writers who sit down and “just write” have actually done all the plot-breaking and scene visualizations already. Writers who write a ton of drafts are doing the same process, just in a different way. I do a lot of both. Some novels I’ve had on the back burner for so long they seem to write themselves - my last novel, Someone Else’s Fairytale, was that way. Others I have to do draft after draft of. That’s how it was for Castles on the Sand.

Reader’s Haven: Do you have to be alone to write?

Emily:  No. I’m a firm believer in learning to write anywhere, under any conditions, or else I’d never write.

Reader’s Haven: How do you go about naming characters?

Emily: I try to have each character’s name begin with a different letter - this helps readers who are very visual to distinguish them. I also aim to have a lot of ethnic diversity appropriate to the setting. Since Castles is in California, its characters are from everywhere imaginable. When I’m working with an ethnicity I don’t know very well, I use baby name websites. Having said that, I went to the United World College of the Atlantic for high school (“college” is the British term for high school and these schools started in the UK), so my Facebook profile has friend links to a lot of really great, diverse names.

Reader’s Haven: Another resource for names, thank you. Of course we would have to get their permission. Is it easier to write about the characters if you find pictures of them before you write or do you write then find character pictures?

Emily: I don’t care too much about the details of what a character looks like, so a lot of that I add in towards the end of the editing process. Their minds interest me a lot more than their bodies, I guess! For Castles, I decided to make a book trailer, so I dug around on Shutterstock for images and that’s why these characters look exactly how they do. Jean-Pierre, for example, was an image before I came up with a name and backstory.

Reader’s Haven: How do you pick locations for your stories?

Emily:  With the exception of Castles, they’ve all been places I’ve lived. I went to law school in LA, where Time and Eternity is set, and even went to church in the same chapel as the characters. I did my undergraduate degree at Oxford, where Paint Me True is set. Albuquerque, where Someone Else’s Fairytale is set, is where I started my law career, so I used my favorite courthouse building, favorite restaurant, etc.

Reader’s Haven: What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?

Emily: Someone Else’s Fairytale has garnered such a wonderfully positive response from readers; I’m going to write a sequel. I’ve mulled over the plot long enough that I think I’ve got one that my readers will like, but they’ll have to take a little leap of faith, going from Fairytale, which is chick lit, to the sequel, which will be more of a police procedural. I expect a lot of my readers to see that and raise an eyebrow, but I hope to win them over in the end.

Reader’s Haven: Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Emily: My website is www.emtippetts.com, and if you sign up for updates, you can rest assured that you will only get them when I’m releasing a new book, or for other major news, like one of my books being nominated for an award. I don’t update that site often, because I really don’t think people want to know all the nitty gritty details of what I eat for breakfast and who I vote for. I do more updates on www.emilymah.com, and some of those are more personal. My Amazon Author page has links to all my books, as do my websites and my Goodreads page. People can reach me anytime through the email links on my sites or by tweeting at me

@emtippetts.

UK Amazon Author page

My books on US Amazon:

Someone Else's Fairytale | Paint Me True | Time & Eternity

My books on B&N    
Smashwords

Readers, enter to win through the Rafflecopter below. Each entry is a greater chance to win! Winner's choice of eBook or paperback of one book. Good luck.

Read a review of Someone Else’s Fairytale by Haven’s reviewer Lynn Reynolds.

Bio

My full name is Emily Mah Tippetts, and I write chick lit as E.M. Tippetts and science fiction as Emily Mah. I got my start in writing at the Clarion West Writer's Workshop for Science Fiction and Fantasy. Obviously, I wrote before I attended, but that's the first real credential I earned. From there I joined the Critical Mass writers group, an invitation only group that I had the privilege of working with for ten years. My first sales were to science fiction and fantasy anthologies and magazines, including Black Gate and Analog Science Fiction and Fact. I've gotten a few honorable mentions in the Year's Best anthologies for both fantasy and science fiction.

As for my chick lit writing, my first novel in that genre, Time and Eternity, came out in 2008 from Covenant Communications, a small press that caters to the LDS market. My second and third novels, Paint Me True and Someone Else's Fairytale, were first published in ebook format, with print versions to follow.

I'm originally from New Mexico, have a bachelors in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University, and a juris doctorate in business law from UCLA. I also design jewelry (and no, that doesn't fit in with any of the other stuff I've listed here.) Currently, I live in London while my husband does his PhD.

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Interview with Jamie Salisbury - Romance Author

Jamie Salisbury

Romance Author

     Thank you for stopping in to meet Jamie. You won't be disappointed in her books because they'll pull you right into the pages as though you stood next to her characters! She has several books so be sure to check them out on her blog.

     Jamie is here this week to discuss her new release, Timeless Sojourn. We can't wait to read this one after reading Tudor Rose...about the Tudor Rose Band and the lead singer Amadeus Tudor. Her writing will pull you in! Jamie is also featuring a contest - details below!

Reader’s Haven: Tell us a bit about yourself  that our readers might not know.

Jamie: What and spoil the mystique? Hmmm. . .long, long ago, in a entirely different space and time I was married to??? I’d have to do you harm, if I told you who he was!

Reader’s Haven: Now curiosity is going to kill us cats! LOL What made you want to become a writer?

Jamie: I didn’t suddenly want to become a writer - it is something that has always been with me as far back as I can remember. I’ve always loved to write and it has just naturally developed over the years.

Reader’s Haven: Please share a bit about your new release without giving away any spoilers.

Jamie: Timeless Sojourn is about a woman of a certain age, who finds herself divorced at a time when she should be relaxing and enjoying her life. Instead she’s forced to make decisions and changes she never thought she’d be faced with. And add to that some twists and turns and romance!

Read a draft excerpt here. Timeless Sojourn will release July 9th!

Reader’s Haven: Do you write under a pen name?

Jamie: NO

Reader’s Haven: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?

Jamie: I like both to have strong personalities. With the male, a more alpha personality, but not over the top where he’s in love with himself. He has to have a softer side to him as well. The woman should be strong, able to stand up and make decisions on her own.

Reader’s Haven: Jimmy Thomas is on a lot of your covers. He is definitely an Alpha Male. Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Jamie: I usually spend the mornings catching up and replying to email, visit social media sites, catch up and do any public relations or marketing I need to do. The afternoons I try to spend writing. Now that’s not to say that I might not start out writing and everything gets switched around. And I do write at night. It just all depends on the muses.

Reader’s Haven: Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Jamie: They’re all romance. There might be some common theme, but for the most part they are different. Once I started Timeless Sojourn, I decided there was a need for this type themed story line and have decided to write a sequel(s) and spinoffs.

Reader’s Haven: How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?

Jamie: Anywhere from three to eight months. However, with Timeless Sojourn it took me over six months from the time I began writing until the edits were finished. I have one full length novel that I finished in 2010 that is still not ready to publish. It’s edited, ready to go, but there’s something and I can’t put my finger on it, but something that keeps me going back over it.

Reader’s Haven: Do you have to be alone to write?

Jamie: Yes. I have tried to write with others around and it doesn’t work. That goes for the TV too. I have to have silence to write, although sometimes I will turn on some music.

Reader’s Haven: How do you go about naming characters?

Jamie: Most of the time they name themselves. I’ve named characters before, then half way through, decided that they so aren’t that name and go back in and change their name. So I just let them speak to me as I start out.

Reader’s Haven: Is it easier to write about the characters if you find pictures of them before you write or do you write then find character pictures?

Jamie: Both. Sometimes I will have a very good idea of how I think a character should look. Other times it does not hit me until I’m well into the book.

Reader’s Haven: How do you pick locations for your stories?

Jamie: Hit or miss. Most of the time they are places I’ve either lived or visited. Some place familiar. If I use a location I’ve never been to before, I’ll spend a good amount of time researching so when I write it won’t look as though I know nothing about the place.

Reader’s Haven: Jamie, thanks for visiting with us this week. Where can the Readers learn about you and your books?

Jamie: On my web site, blog and follow me Twitter @JamieRSalisbury and Like my Facebook Fan Page. Also on Romance Novel Center.

Purchase Links: Smashwords and Amazon

CONTEST:  ONE lucky commenter (maybe TWO) will win an e-copy of the book so be sure to leave your comment and email addy so Jamie can easily contact the winner!

Be sure to check out Jamie's other books on her website.

Interview with Romance Author Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy!

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Romance Author

      We're visiting with Lee Ann on the top of Wyeth Hill, one of the locations in both Guy's Angel and her hometown of St. Joseph. It's a park on top of a windswept river bluff over looking the broad Missouri River as it flows past St. Joe with a fantastic view into Kansas as well.

     Thank you all for stopping in to meet the fabulous Lee Ann! Her books just keeping coming out and it's hard to keep up with her! She's having a giveaway so be sure to read what she's looking for in the comments!

Reader’s Haven: (Louise) Lee Ann welcome to our blog! Your stories sound wonderful and your sites look great for your readers. Tell us a bit about yourself  that our readers might not know.

Lee Ann: Although I’m a tail end baby boomer, my grandparents were my daytime caregivers during my earliest years.  They raised me the same way they raised their own children in the 1930’s and 1940’s so I ended up being out of sync in many ways with my own generation, with the values and tastes of another time.  Maybe it’s one reason I enjoy history so much!

I also grew up in an old Victorian house with all kinds of paranormal and unexplainable events so when supernatural elements creep into my fiction, that’s the root.

Reader’s Haven:  Deanna loves anything ghostly! What made you want to become a writer?

Lee Ann: I always made up stories, even before I could read or write.  My imagination was fueled with stories – both my parents and grandparents read to me.  My grandparents, my Granny in particular, also told stories from the past and captivated me with them.  I tried dictating a story to my mom when I was four and scribbled my “first” novel in the fifth grade.  I liked – and still do – being able to be in charge of what happens next.

Reader’s Haven: Please share a bit about your new release Guy’s Angel without giving away any spoilers.

Lee Ann: Guy’s Angel owes a lot to those old stories my grandparents told me.  It’s set in 1925, in my hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri and in the “old” neighborhood, not my own but where my parents, grandparents, and other relatives once lived.  Angel’s desire to fly comes out of my own streak of independence and my own fascination with flight.  The love story between Guy and Angel is, I think, particularly powerful and poignant because of who they are, their life experiences as well as the time and place.

When a young woman really believes the sky is the limit, amazing things can happen…

Lorraine Ryan wants to fly airplanes so she heads for the local airstrip in 1925 to make her dream come true. Most of the flyboys think she’s cute but a woman’s place is in the home, not the cockpit. When Guy Richter steps up and offers to teach her to fly, she’s captivated with both Guy and flight. He nicknames her “Angel” and takes her up into that wild blue yonder. Before long, they’re deep in love.

Love, however, isn’t always enough……

Guy, a former World War I flying ace, is haunted by his past. His demons include his war service, the death of his only brother in an accident the previous year, and the Valkyries that he evaded in France who trail him in the hopes that they can complete his destiny. But his dreams lie with Angel and as they grow closer and closer, he soon realizes that if anyone can save him, it’s his Angel.

Reader’s Haven: Do you write under a pen name?

Lee Ann: So far, no. I use my married and maiden surnames because I wrote and was published before I married.  If I’d had my way, I would still be Lee Ann Sontheimer but my husband, a little old fashioned with some deep Southern roots, thought I should have his name too.

Reader’s Haven: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?

Lee Ann: I like heroes and heroines to be as real as possible, human and not perfect.  I want my characters to leap off the page, to seem like real people the reader feels they could meet and sit down with for a conversation. 

Reader’s Haven: Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Lee Ann: I rise before the sun most days, even weekends.  My husband is required to be at work early and I’ve become (somewhat) used to getting up early too.  I check emails, Facebook, Google to see if there are new mentions of me or my work, do some promotion and make my to-do list before my kids get up.   After breakfast – and in the school year making sure all three make it to the bus or school – I dive into work.  I usually spend the morning in actual writing or editing, break for lunch and some necessary household chores, then work a few more hours.  I stop to make dinner, meet the kids, greet the husband when he comes home, and in the evening I do more social networking than actual work.

Reader’s Haven: (Deanna) I really have to try hard to make myself take meal breaks, whether I'm writing or at the office...bad habit to work straight through. Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Lee Ann: Although my books run a diverse gamut, I think the common theme through them all is that love is a powerful force, that love can and does change life.

Reader’s Haven: Readers love to hear about how an author writes. How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?

Lee Ann: It depends on the story and the season. A full length novel may take me several months to write, several weeks until I edit it to my satisfaction before submission. Some of my shorter novellas and stories can take a week to several weeks. The historical romances take a little longer because of the additional research – I am a stickler for making sure my facts are correct.

Reader’s Haven: Do you have to be alone to write?

Lee Ann: No and it’s a good thing since I often have three kids, one husband, and a dog underfoot. Last year I also had two neighbor children who came over at about 5:30 am everyday to stay with me until they could catch the bus so I had five kids in the house.

Reader’s Haven:  Wow! That's the sign of a true friend! How do you go about naming characters?

Lee Ann: Sometimes their names just come into my brain.  Sometimes – especially for the historical works – I look up what names were popular during the period.  I used to peruse baby name books but then I ran across Baby Name Genie online so sometimes I play with it until I find a name I like.

Reader’s Haven: Is it easier to write about the characters if you find pictures of them before you write or do you write then find character pictures?

Lee Ann:  I do it both ways.  Sometimes I see a picture and I like it so much, it’s the prototype for my character.  Sometimes I have an image in my mind and run across a photo so like my character I print it and hang it up.

Reader’s Haven: How do you pick locations for your stories?

Lee Ann: I write what I know as much as possible.  Thus many of my stories take place in my native Missouri, either the Ozarks where I now live or in my hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri.  I’ve also written works with locations in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee.  If I write about a place, I’ve been there and know it reasonably well.  The locations fit the story or the stories fit the location.  I’m not sure which comes first!

Reader’s Haven: What do you miss most about life before the first book sale?

Lee Ann: I miss anonymity. I go to the supermarket now in the small town where I live and almost everyone knows me and what I write.  I tend to forget people recognize me but when I send my kids to go find an item on my list and they return telling me three shoppers are huddled together at the end of aisle five talking about my books, I’ve learned to remember.  There’s nothing worse than yelling at your kid and looking up to have an approaching shopper say “Oh, I love your books!”.  And some people who I’ve known for years treat me differently now – they’re tongue tied and bashful as if they don’t know what to say.  I’m the same person and I don’t want the “fan” treatment.

Reader’s Haven: How wonderful! You can't ask for more of a compliment than that...to know others love to read what you write. Congratulations, LeeAnn! What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?

Lee Ann: Thank you! I have a contemporary romance set on Lake Taneycomo near Branson, MO called “Heart of The Ozarks” coming August 3 from Rebel Ink Press and another historical romance, this one set in the 1930’sin Oklahoma and St. Joseph, MO called “Dustbowl Dreams”.  It’s also from Rebel Ink Press and let’s just say it owes a lot to Charley Floyd, often better known as “Pretty Boy Floyd”.  Then later in the fall I have something a little different coming out, collection of connected stories called “Kosovo Tales: Two Hearts, One Love, again from Rebel.

Oh, and I have a short romance, part of a brand new line from Evernight Publishing coming in July, part of their “Romance On The Go” series, called “Red In The Hood”. It’s short, a little wicked, and a different kind of tale.

Reader's Haven: Our heads are already spinning with how busy you are, woman! Wow! Where can readers learn more about you and your books?

Lee Ann: Readers can find me on my Blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

A Page In The Life

Rebel Writer: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy 

Seanachie Stories: Tuesday Tales And More 

Facebook: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Twitter: @leeannwriter

Giveaway:  One eBook copy – although Guy’s Angel is also coming to print – to one winner who leaves a comment about what intrigues them about the story.