The Fantastic Blog Hop: Introducing…

WRITE STAR

RACHEL RUEBEN

Author Bio:

Rachel Rueben went to school to become an administrative assistant but instead, wound up an author.  In her defense, she tried freelance writing, virtual assisting, and blogging to pay the bills, but creating worlds was her one and only passion.

This past summer, Rachel entered the sacred order of authorhood with the release of her first novel “Hag” which made it to #10 on the Amazon’s Women’s and Girl’s Literature list.

To find out what Rachel is up to you can check out her new site at: http://www.rachelrueben.com

A little Q & A with WRITE STAR Rachel:

1. What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

My favorite chapter was chapter 8 because it was the part where my heroine has to accept her new life as a vampire.

2.  What old/new author has garnered your attention the most?

I would say Mark Twain he was simple and honest in his work.  He taught without preaching down to the reader.

3.  Which author do you feel your stories are most like?

I have no clue, I would like to believe my work is a culmination of all the books I’ve read.

4.  Did you learn anything from writing your book(s) and what was it?

I learned to not force things and definitely not to chase trends.

5.  What is your writing process?  Do you follow a regular routine?

Yes, I generally write in the morning and  afternoon.  I also make sure all my chores and errands are done before I begin.   I don’t want any excuses .

6.  Tell me about your muse?

My muse is a funny little creature that likes to wake me up in the middle of the night with the darndest stories.  And when I’m wide awake she loses the ability to speak.

7.  What was the hardest part of writing your book?

My book was an abandoned work, a starter novel if you will.  So the hard part was picking up the pieces and reworking the project.

8.  Do you have any advice for other writers?

Yeah, this takes time as with any other career, you need to learn, practice and even explore.  Also, the business aspect is just as important as the artistic part.

9.  Are there certain characters you would like to work with again, or a theme/idea you’d love to work with?

I would love to work with Apollonia, she was probably one of the most outrageous characters I’ve ever dreamed up.  I would like to go into her past and see what made her what she is in Eternal Bond.

10.  What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?  What has been the best compliment? 

The toughest criticism was when someone called me an amateur which I was at the time, but what surprised me most was that it came from another author.  Needless to say, I was disappointed that someone felt the need to do that.

The best compliment was when someone said they loved my book so much that they wanted to give it to their daughter.

To keep up-to-date on this WRITE STAR and read more of her work, please follow RACHEL RUEBEN on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachelRueben

Website:   http://www.rachelrueben.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RachelRueben

Blog: http://www.writingbytheseatofmypants.com

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5786176.Rachel_Rueben

To learn more of Rachel’s stories click here:  http://rachelrueben.com/my-books/

    Coming Soon in 2013    

I interviewed with each one these amazing authors.

Check out their blogs to learn more about me.

 

Dellani Oakes: http://writersanctuary.blogspot.com/

Kristen Duvall: http://www.kristenduvall.com/blog.html

Ruth Davis Hays:  http://jorthusbooks.wordpress.com/

Juli Morgan:  www.julipagemorgan.com/blog

Karen Vaughan: www.karenwritesmurder.wordpress.com

Karina Gioertz: www.friedgatortail.wordpress.com

 

Advertisement

The Fantastic Blog Hop: Introducing…

WRITE STAR

KARINA GIOERTZ

Author Bio:

Although Karina Gioertz has been writing for most of her life, it never quite registered with her as something out of the ordinary or worth pursuing, because it was so closely connected to who she was. It wasn’t until she became a stay at home mom and finally took the time to write an entire book from beginning to end, that she understood what all of those ideas she had been jotting down all those years were really for. Since then, she has written several books, including Country Girls, Lucky In Love and Blood Bound.

While writing and motherhood have become her main focus over the years, she also enjoys many other creative activities such as painting and photography. Most sunny days she can be found in her courtyard working feverishly at painting and refurbishing old furniture…that is, of course, only if it wasn’t a suitable day to spend at the beach. 😉

Karina resides in sunny Florida with her family and two dogs.

A little Q & A with WRITE STAR Karina:

1. What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

Hm…that’s a tough one…well, chapter 16 – The Art Of Possibilities was fun (see excerpt below)! That was when I first heard about whistling pots and nuntius parchment, both of which are pretty cool.

2. What old/new author has garnered your attention the most?

Most recently, Judy Schachner has been fun to read. Now, keep in mind, most of the reading I do these days is with my 5 year old, but you can’t find better bedtime entertainment than Skippyjon Jones. I mean, really, a Siamese cat that thinks it’s a Chihuahua?! That’s nothing if not brilliant!

3. Which author do you feel your stories are most like?

Honestly, I haven’t a clue. Some reviewers have compared my writing to Fanny Flagg and Kristan Higgins…but they were two completely different books.

4. Did you learn anything from writing your book(s) and what was it?

Are we talking ‘personal growth’ learning or ‘I was researching the layout of a prison cell’ learning? ‘Cause I’ve learned plenty either way

5. What is your writing process?  Do you follow a regular routine?

It seems to be evolving lately. When I first started, I had several steps I followed, starting with notes before moving on to writing out the story in primarily dialogue and then going in and really fleshing out the story. Recently I’ve figured out that I’m ready to skip step number two and go straight from notes into writing the book.

6. Tell me about your muse? Life is my muse.

She’s an endless source of entertainment, ranging from drama to comedy and sometimes both at the same time. She never lets me down…although she often gives me more material than I have time to write about…

7. What was the hardest part of writing your book?

The hardest part was telling that negative voice of self-doubt to shut up and go away. It creeps up from time to time, mostly when I’m pushing myself to write things that might be a little out of my comfort zone.

8. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Keep on top of that negative voice. Don’t let it get too loud or you might start to listen to it and that would be a shame. There’s quote, “Be courageous and try to write in a way that scares you a little.” -Holley Gerth I think it’s probably the best advice any writer could follow.

9. Are there certain characters you would like to work with again, or a theme/idea you’d love to work with?

I definitely think I’ll be working with the Wilson Girls again…and the McCarthy boys have been hounding me to make a comeback as well…but right now I’m going for round number two with Lucky and the guys and, of course, everyone from The Final Descendants will be back again for book 2 of the series.

10. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?  What has been the best compliment?

I think it’s really hard when a reader totally misses the mark on what you were trying to say with your writing. Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but sometimes I read a review and I think – what book were you reading?? It doesn’t even have to be a bad review for that to happen, but it makes me wonder if I’m not articulating things as clearly as I would like. But then, when someone says that they completely related to my characters, that’s the best! When I’ve succeeded in making my fictional characters so real that people can connect with them and come to care about them, that’s pretty awesome!

To keep up-to-date on this WRITE STAR and read more of her work, please follow KARINA GIOERTZ on:

Facebook:     www.facebook.com/friedgatortail

Website:        www.friedgatortail.wix.com/karinagioertz

Twitter:          www.twitter.com/friedgatortail

Blog:               www.friedgatortail.wordpress.com

GoodReads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5768892.Karina_Gioertz

To learn more of Karina’s story click the book icon below:

Check back tomorrow as the FABULOUS BLOG HOP stops here again with another WRITE STAR to be premiered…. Author RACHEL RUEBEN

The Fantastic Blog Hop: Introducing…

WRITE STAR

KAREN H. VAUGHAN

Author Bio:

Karen H. Vaughan lives in Peterborough Ontario with her husband Jim and a cat named Sugar. She is the mom of a 23 year old daughter and four grown step children and a 3 year old grandson named Ike. DEAD COMIC STANDING is her second novel. Her first novel DEAD ON ARRIVAL garnered praise from friends, family and online gamers.  She also enjoys doing crafts and other hobbies. Her third  book and sequel to DEAD ON ARRIVAL  is called OVER HER DEAD BODY. DAYTONA DEAD is the third in that series and was released in May 2013. Other than writing Karen loves to read, do crafts and play online games.Currently she co-hosts an internet radio show with Dellani Oakes and will be hosting WRITERS ROUND TABLE starting January the 14th.  She has a quirky sense of humor and show this in her mysteries

A little Q & A with WRITE STAR Karen:

1.  What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

I liked Chapter 7 of Daytona Dead because Laura (my protag got to face off with the annoying cop Dave Meecham and basically put him in his place. It was a very comical moment in the story after she had to deal with her exes death.

2.  What old/new author has garnered your attention the most?

My fave author has become Janet Evanovich. I love her casual style and how she can pull off comedy in a murder investigation.

3.  Which author do you feel your stories are most like?

I think I write like Janet Evanovich and I have been told the same. Our characters are quirky and sarcastic and I think we both love the humor aspect. My stories are 90% comic relief.

4.  Did you learn anything from writing your book(s) and what was it?

That I am getting more and more warped and sarcastic with every book I write.

5.  What is your writing process?  Do you follow a regular routine?

No not really; I seem to write when the flash of brilliance hits me. I try to sit down twice a week when I choose to take a break from my real life and create. Sometimes it feels forced and I don’t do my best work

6.  Tell me about your muse?

My editor seems to play that role and when she doesn’t think I am writing enough she sends me pictures in my emails of stick figures hold guns to the heads of other stick figures write the $%^& novel—she even personalized that one on a t-shirt—or QUIT PIDDLING AND WRITE !  My muse is a task-master!

7.  What was the hardest part of writing your book?

I hate editing! That task a necessary evil.

8.  Do you have any advice for other writers?

Just keep to the writing. Don’t let people or rejection   letters discourge you.

9.  Are there certain characters you would like to work with again, or a theme/idea you’d love to work with?

I would love to work with the characters from DEAD COMIC STANDING again. It was a fun book to write. I got to mix the comedy with the acts of a serial killer.

10.  What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?  What has been the best compliment?

My editing sucks and that I should fire my editor. However, people think my writing is hilarious.

To keep up-to-date on this WRITE STAR and read more of her work, please follow KAREN  H. VAUGHAN on:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-H-Vaughan/432730506846324     AND

https://www.facebook.com/FansOfOverHerDeadBody?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite

Website: www.karenvaughanbooks.com

Blog:        www.karenwritesmurder.wordpress.com

Twitter:   http://www.twitter.com/karenvwrites

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1378692.Karen_Vaughan

To read Karen’s story click the book icon below:

Check back tomorrow as the FABULOUS BLOG HOP stops here again with another WRITE STAR to be premiered…. Author KARINA GIOERTZ

The Fantastic Blog Hop: Introducing…

WRITE STAR

JULI PAGE MORGAN

Author Bio:

Juli Page Morgan is a former rock ‘n roll radio announcer who had the great luck to meet and interview lots of bands over the years. During those interviews she heard lots of interesting stories, but it was when the microphone was turned off and they were just hanging out that she heard – and saw – the really juicy stuff! Incorporating these revelations in her books (with names and locations changed to protect the innocent, and often the not-so-innocent!) lets her remember those wonderful people that briefly rocked through her life, and to take her readers on a hard rocking journey full of love, music and happy endings while giving a “backstage peek” at some of the things that really happened.  Her Romances that Rock™ include Crimson and Clover published by Crimson Romance, and Athena’s Daughter from Carey On Publishing.

Juli lives in Arkansas with her husband. When she’s not writing, she’s recording voiceovers for television commercials, remodeling her old house,  and trying to convince her husband the world won’t come to an end if the television is turned off.  She also listens to a lot of music at maximum volume and has never met a speed limit she didn’t exceed.  Juli’s an unapologetic lover of rock ‘n roll, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, and French onion dip, not necessarily in that order.

A little Q & A with WRITE STAR Juli:

1.  What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

I think it would have to be the chapter in Athena’s Daughter when Athena and her sister Andi are unpacking the boxes after Athena’s moved into Derek’s house. That particular chapter almost wrote itself, and didn’t need a lot of editing afterward. Plus, I really like the juxtaposition of Athena seeing all the mementos of her past with Derek compared to the unsettled reality of their present.

2.  What old/new author has garnered your attention the most?

Debi Matlack, hands down! I can’t even begin to describe how much I love the way she writes, and I think I’ve read her book Old Dogs about a thousand times since it was released last year. I can’t wait for her to release her next one!

3.  Which author do you feel your stories are most like?

Honestly, I don’t know.  I’m not being coy or anything, but my books are different from other rock romances, so I don’t have a lot of comparison. Not only are my books set in the 1960s and 1970s (I’m on a mission to create a new sub-genre – Mid Century Romance!), but since I was fortunate enough to hang out with rock bands and musicians when I worked in radio, I was able to get to know them as real people, and not just that public persona they put out there. As a consequence, I don’t sugar coat the rock ‘n roll lifestyle – I put it all in there, the good, the bad and the ugly.

4.  Did you learn anything from writing your book(s) and what was it?

I learned to write books the way they want to be written. (Oh, yes; they’re very demanding!) I almost killed Crimson and Clover by trying to change it to fit the rules and the formulas of conventional romance novels, but it was only when I went back to the original manuscript that it found a home with a publisher. I was told that the storyline of Athena’s Daughter wasn’t believable, but I’d learned my lesson by trying to change my first book, so I let Athena’s Daughter stand as written, and it’s done very well!

5.  What is your writing process?  Do you follow a regular routine?

Oh, have mercy – I try.   I like to write for a couple of hours in the morning, and then for a lot of hours in the afternoon. If I’m on a roll, I’ll write at night, too, but I try to leave the evenings open to actually spend time with my husband.

6.  Tell me about your muse?

She’s just evil.  Out of the blue, she’ll just take off and leave with no warning, and sometimes she doesn’t come back for weeks! I keep on writing whether she’s here or not, though, and I think that makes her jealous. Then she’ll come back and real progress will be made.

7.  What was the hardest part of writing your book?

With Crimson and Clover it was knowing when to quit writing it! It was my first book, and I kept going back and tweaking things until one day I realized I was going to have to stop that and let the book stand. With Athena’s Daughter, the hardest part was typing fast enough! That book came to me fully formed, and I couldn’t get it out fast enough!

8.  Do you have any advice for other writers?

The only way to write a book is to sit down and write it. All the rules and things? You can’t put those into play unless you’ve written the book, so just do it and then worry about that other stuff. That’s what the editing phase is for.

9.  Are there certain characters you would like to work with again, or a theme/idea you’d love to work with?

All my books are Romances that Rock, so that theme will always be prevelant in whatever I write. I learned a long time ago that rock musicians are just people – just because they’re rock stars doesn’t mean they’re all the same, so even though my books are rock romances, they’re all different to some extent. For example, Jay Carey from Crimson and Clover and Derek Marshall from Athena’s Daughter are both rock stars, but they couldn’t be more different from each other! As far as characters, some of the people from Crimson and Clover are pestering me to tell their story, and I plan to do that soon!

10.  What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?  What has been the best compliment?

I’d have to say that the toughest thing I’ve heard so far is when my publisher told me that the storyline for Athena’s Daughter wasn’t believable. I mean, that didn’t destroy me or anything, but it did cause some consternation. I didn’t see it as unbelievable, and it had been read by several beta readers and my critique partners, none of whom found it unbelievable. And these are people who would tell me if it was. So after a bit of thinking, I went ahead and published it, and it’s sold very well and received fantastic reviews. That brought it all home to me that not everyone is going to like the same thing. I mean, I’ve loved books that my friends were all “Meh” over, right? No, that publisher didn’t love Athena’s Daughter, but there are readers out there who do, so it’s all good. The best compliment I’ve received? Those four and five star reviews that readers have left for the books. That absolutely floors and humbles me more than I can ever express!

To keep up-to-date on this WRITE STAR and read more of her work, please follow JULI PAGE MORGAN on:

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/JuliPageMorganAuthor

Website:      www.julipagemorgan.com

Blog:             www.julipagemorgan.com/blog

Twitter:        https://twitter.com/julipagemorgan

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6887176.Juli_Page_Morgan

To read more about Juli’s stories click the book icons below:

                                         

To Purchase the book click here:  http://www.amazon.com/Juli-Page-Morgan/e/B00B2O07QA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

OR HERE:   http://julipagemorgan.com/buy-the-books/

Please VISIT these other blogs today.  JULI has a different interview with each one on the hop. While you’re there take a moment to LIKE their page. They are all WRITE STARS in my book.  🙂  ENJOY

Juli Page Morgan: www.julipagemorgan.com/blog

Ruth Davis Hays:  http://jorthusbooks.wordpress.com/

Dellani Oakes: http://writersanctuary.blogspot.com/

Rachel Rueben: http://www.rachelrueben.com

Karina Gioertz: www.friedgatortail.wordpress.com

Karen Vaughan:www.karenwritesmurder.com

Kristen Duvall: www.kristenduvall.com/blog

Crimson Kildare and Kat Marlow: www.thrutheglass.net

Check back tomorrow as the FABULOUS BLOG HOP stops here again with another WRITE STAR to be premiered…. Author KAREN VAUGHAN

The Fantastic Blog Hop: Introducing…

WRITE STAR

RUTH DAVIS HAYS

Author Bio:

Ruth Davis Hays has been a stay-at-home mom, a writer, a costumer, and a data entry clerk. Not all at the same time, of course.

A Florida native, she was born in Jacksonville and graduated with a BA from Florida State University, School of Theatre. Having a love of fantasy from an early age, she took inspiration from anywhere; staring at a picture, the clouds in the sky, or walking down her grandmother’s driveway. Studying theatre and humanities since high school, she and her friend Khanada would write short stories to entertain each other.

When she moved to Orlando with her husband, Ruth worked in the Costuming Department at Universal Orlando for four years before leaving to work as a data entry operator with Harcourt Publishing. Deciding to stay at home with her new son, she freelanced on a research project for Wizards of the Coast. Later, helping on independent films such as The Last Will and Legend of the Red Reaper, she had the fun of being an extra as well as stretching her artistic wings behind the scenes. She was allowed to design and create individual costumes for some of the lead characters on the upcoming Legend of the Red Reaper (and got to die in it, too!).

During all these adventures, she spent her spare time writing a few more adventures down and produced two fantasy novels based on fictional worlds that had infected her brain in college. The series, Translations from Jorthus, is her chosen place for mental vacations. She tries to visit there as often as she can; bringing back tidbits that may entertain the hearts of others. Her books, The Dawnstone Tale and The Convergence, introduce the readers to an idyllic world of elemental magic and fairytale creatures, then plunges them into bigotry, betrayals, and war. Just an average, relaxing afternoon, right?  The third book in the cycle, The Excursion is in post-production and number four, The Illusion where many loose ends get tied up and gagged, will be done (hopefully) later this year.

A little Q & A with WRITE STAR Ruth:

1. What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

Actually, my favorite chapter is in the “work in progress,” book four. It is a scene of simple symbolism and character emotional growth. I call it The Waterfall scene.

2. What old/new author has garnered your attention the most?

I’ve read quite a few new authors that I have appreciated, many from my online writers groups. They all have such unique voices and styles. I’ve enjoyed writings from Dellani Oakes, Kat Marlow and Crimson Kildare, Heather and Christopher Dunbar, and Tracy Angelina Evans. There are so many more that I need to catch up on, though.

3. Which author do you feel your stories are most like?

I’m not sure, but one of my readers described them as Anne Rice meets Margaret Weis.

4. Did you learn anything from writing your book(s) and what was it?

I learned that I need better organizing skills, at least where computers are concerned.

5. What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?

My novels developed over a long period of time, changing from short individual scene concepts to being plotted and molded into a singular timeline. So, it is hard to say if I have an exact writing process. I think the best portions of my work come from quiet imaginings that I draft initially as if I’m taking dictation or transcribing a movie I watched. That way, I can utilize the liberty of free forming ideas, but can edit the inspirations to fit the story where they are needed. Listening to music is an important part of that process.

6. Tell me about your muse?

In reality, my muse (as in what prompts me to keep writing) could be pinpointed as my best friend, Khanada, because I started writing these stories for her to read, and my desire to entertain her is still a motivating factor. But in a theoretical sense (as in something or someone that I wish to write about or “puts words in my pen”), my muse could be considered the characters that populate my fantasy worlds. Their stories and personalities constantly careen around in my head, begging me to spill them onto paper.

7. What was the hardest part of writing your book?

For me, one of the hardest parts was deciding how to structure the events to make a coherent story. Another part was gathering all the little files that I had made over the years, comparing them, and then eliminating the duplicates and picking the best ones. This was tedious, time consuming, and at times seemed endless.

8. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write what you love. Tell the story that you want to read.

9. Are there certain characters you would like to work with again, or a theme/idea you’d love to work with?

Oh, yes. I have a couple of characters that demand I tell more of their stories. Evolution of the self as well as the world around the character is endlessly fascinating to me.

10. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

The toughest criticisms, in my first draft of The Dawnstone Tale, were that my heroine was unbelievably gullible and a couple of scenes were so long and detailed that they brought the story to a halt. Needless to say, I did my best to address these issues in the second draft. I think the best compliment so far was recently from my father. He is not a reader of fantasy novels. In fact, he was averse to diving into mine for fear of not “getting it,” but he called me to tell me how much he was enjoying the stories. He said that while reading The Dawnstone, he had to slow down and read every word, discovering that this helped immerse him in the tale and made it a more intimate experience. He then went back to his old favorite detective novels and read them again, slower. He said my books increased his enjoyment of storytelling all around. That was a great compliment!

To keep up-to-date on this WRITE STAR and read more of her work, please follow RUTH DAVIS HAYS on:

Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/the.world.of.jorthus

Website:       http://jorthusbooks.wordpress.com/

GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/2969621.Ruth_Davis_Hays

To learn about Ruth’s story click the book icon below:

Please VISIT these other blogs today. RUTH has a different interview with each one on the hop. While you’re there take a moment to LIKE their page. They are all WRITE STARS in my book.  🙂  ENJOY

Juli Page Morgan: www.julipagemorgan.com/blog

Ruth Davis Hays:  http://jorthusbooks.wordpress.com/

Dellani Oakes: http://writersanctuary.blogspot.com/

Rachel Rueben: http://www.rachelrueben.com

Karina Gioertz: www.friedgatortail.wordpress.com

Karen Vaughan:www.karenwritesmurder.com

Kristen Duvall: www.kristenduvall.com/blog

Crimson Kildare and Kat Marlow: www.thrutheglass.net

Check back tomorrow as the FABULOUS BLOG HOP stops here again with another WRITE STAR to be premiered…. Author JULI PAGE MORGAN

The Fantastic Blog Hop: Introducing…

KAT MONROE

CRIMSON KILDARE

 

 

BIO:

Crimson M. Kildare and Kat Marlow are good friends who decided to take their friendship and their creative camaraderie and turn it into a fabulous writing partnership.

Kat lives in a beautiful little town in one of those picturesque American coastal states. She is a lover of films, t.v., books, music and comedy as well as football and baseball. She especially loves sci-fi and like so many of us has a special place in her heart for Star Wars and Star Trek. She is a proud geek and collector of sci-fi toys and memorabilia. Her professional dreams, aside from the success of her books is to get a job writing in Hollywood for, tv., films or comic books! She has a truly stellar personality, warm, funny, kind hearted and honest. She’s the best friend you could hope for and a great partner.

Crimson lives in one of those picturesque Midwestern American states in the suburb of a large city. Like Kat she’s over 21 and ready to meet life head on.  She lives with her family, sans pets due to the terror of allergies. She’s also a lover of books, films, t.v., music, art and especially sci-fi fantasy, adventure and romance. Her first favorite book was Alice in Wonderland, her first favorite film was The Wizard of Oz, her first favorite song was Afternoon Delight by  Starland Vocal Band and her current favorite is In The Mood as made famous by Glen Miller, although she also favors versions done by the Puppini Sisters and Brian Setzer and his Orchestra.

These women are eclectic and unpredictable and full of excitement for their future.

 

Q & A with two WRITE STARS:

1.  What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

Together: It’s still a work in progress, so we’re still not far enough along to say.

2.  What old/new author has garnered your attention the most?

Kat: It’s a tie between John & Carole Barrowman, and Troy Denning. The Barrowmans because I’m loving their Hollow Earth series and Mr. Denning because the book I’m currently reading and the next book on my list are a couple of his Star Wars spinoff novels.

Crimson: There simply isn’t just one. Current authors that have my deep respect are Anne Rice, Laurell K. Hamilton and Jim Butcher. Past authors would be George Sand, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and so on.

3.  Which author do you feel your stories are most like?

Crimson: Oh wow, I feel a bit hesitant to compare myself to another author, that seems a bit self-aggrandizing, but in flavor and style perhaps a blending of Rice, Hamilton and Tolkien.

Kat: (nods) Yeah, I would agree with that.

4.  Did you learn anything from writing your book(s) and what was it?

Crimson: Writing is great fun, but it’s also work and endings are hard!

Kat: The latter two for sure! (laughs) The most important to me is learning how to collaborate and compromise, because I always worked alone before. We’re lucky that we’re on the same wavelength, so any conflicts are pretty rare.

Crimson: Oh wow, it’s all true, but she’s such a saint for saying that. Let it be known Kat Marlow is the best partner, she’s endlessly generous and I love her for it.

Kat: Aww… thanks, partner! (grins)

Crimson: You’re welcome, Love, gods know you’ve earned it. 😉

5.  What is your writing process?  Do you follow a regular routine?

Together: We write together each day for about five hours and if we have time, we play together (a game) for a couple after that. We each listen to music or play a movie or TV softly in the background to inspire our muse and we discuss things as we go. We write together in real time and also do separate editing, suggestions and note exchanges.

6.  Tell me about your muse?

Crimson: My muse is a gorgeous, androgynous, omnisexual, passionate being who loves mystery, magic, the paranormal, the spooky, the adventurous and romantic; a lover of high drama and grand gestures.

Kat: My muse is beautiful, omnisexual, passionate, daring, adventurous, and magical. It has an operatic flair for the dramatic and romantic.

7.  What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Crimson: For me, it’s been finding the time and energy to work on it on a regular basis. I have both a family and some serious health issues that can make that tough. Also keeping the muse on track and steering the muse away from bopping off to something else.

Kat: Figuring out where to take the story next and pacing can be pretty hard as well. Finding time can also be difficult, and writer’s block is the worst!

8.  Do you have any advice for other writers?

Crimson: The same advice I am always giving myself: Take your work very seriously, have patience, and be willing to put in the time and effort it takes to be polished and successful.

Kat: Always follow your passion, and don’t ever give up. The work can be hard and frustrating at times, but if you stick with it, the finished product will be worth it.

9.  Are there certain characters you would like to work with again, or a theme/idea you’d love to work with?

Crimson: This current story we’re working on is the first of a series of at least three, so we’re sure to be working with these characters for quite a while! Kat is interested in writing another steampunk novel. This series is a kind of sci-fi/fantasy/steampunk mash-up.

Kat: My ultimate dream is to write spinoff novels for Torchwood and Star Wars.

10.  What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?  What has been the best compliment?

Crimson: The worst criticism was that all my story concepts are too similar, and the best compliment was that my gift for description is so sharp that the depictions on the page play like a movie in the head of my readers. That was a lovely thing to hear.

Kat: That I do too many run-on sentences, which is true! (giggles) I guess the best compliment was someone saying how swept away they were by the emotion in my writing. I always strive to take the readers on an emotional journey, so I was very pleased by that.

Please VISIT these other blogs today.  Kat and Crimson have a different interview with each one on the hop.    While you’re there take a moment to LIKE their page.  They are all WRITE STARS in my book. 

🙂  ENJOY

Juli Page Morgan: www.julipagemorgan.com/blog

Ruth Davis Hays:  http://jorthusbooks.wordpress.com/

Dellani Oakes: http://writersanctuary.blogspot.com/

Rachel Rueben: http://www.rachelrueben.com

Karina Gioertz: www.friedgatortail.wordpress.com

Karen Vaughan:www.karenwritesmurder.com

Kristen Duvall: www.kristenduvall.com/blog

Crimson Kildare and Kat Marlow: www.thrutheglass.net

Check back tomorrow as the FABULOUS BLOG HOP stops here again with another WRITE STAR to be premiered…. Author KRISTEN DUVALL

The Fantastic Blog Hop: Introducing…

 

WRITE STAR

DELLANI OAKES

Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

Author Bio:

Dellani is a former A.P. English teacher, and photo-journalist. She’s a published author who avidly reads and reviews the work of others. She hosts two shows on Blog Talk Radio for the Red River Radio Network – Dellani’s Tea Time and What’s Write for Me.

Join Dellani as she interviews different authors the second Monday @ 4:00 PM Eastern and fourth Wednesday @ 3:00 PM Eastern of each month on Blog Talk Radio.

Dellani has two books coming out this fall. First, “The Ninja Tattoo” (see book icon below to read more) – romantic suspense published by Tirgearr Publishing. Next, “Shakazhan” – book two in her sci-fi series published by Second Wind Publishing. These two novels are in addition to “Indian Summer” – historical romance and “The Lone Wolf” – sci-fi adventure.    Writing Genre:   Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers, Romance

A little Q & A with the WRITE STAR Dellani:

1.  What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

I enjoy writing hot, steamy love scenes, but I think what I like more is writing the scenes where they almost get together and don’t quite make it. Someone calls, or there is a knock at the door. Those are fun because the tension is high, the horomones have kicked in, but the timing isn’t quite right.

2.  What old/new author has garnered your attention the most?

I’ve encountered dozens of authors from doing my shows. I’m impressed with all of them. I don’t know if I could pick just one. In fact, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t pick less than 50.

3.  Which author do you feel your stories are most like?

To be honest, I haven’t read an author whose stories are like mine. I don’t know.

4.  Did you learn anything from writing your book(s) and what was it?

I learned that I have this little switch in my brain that seems to be in the ON position all the time. There’s no OFF switch, it just keeps running, rather like Niagra Falls.

5.  What is your writing process?  Do you follow a regular routine?

Is chaos a process? I don’t really follow a routine. I seem to get distracted by many things (including Facebook) and don’t get as much writing done as I should. When I do write, I will grab time in little bits, or big chunks, depending upon what’s available. During NaNoWriMo, I take bigger slices of time and God help anyone who gets between me and my book.

6.  Tell me about your muse?

My Muse is a blabbermouth and she suffers from A.D.H.D. She hops around like a lunatic grasshopper on crack. I get inspired to write a little here and a little there, as it suits her. The only time she behaves is during NaNoWriMo because she knows I’ll tie her up and gag her if she doesn’t. She’s amazing and creative, always coming up with good plot twists, but her idea of fun is to leave me hanging in the middle of a story and not come back for a long, long time — as evidenced by the fact that I have more unfinished stories than I do finished.

7.  What was the hardest part of writing your book?

FINISHING! Sometimes, I labor over getting to the end. There are sometimes slow spots in the middle that I have to force myself past. Other times, I seem to keep writing long after the story should be done. Those times, I go back, reread it and hack at the excess growth until it behaves.

8.  Do you have any advice for other writers?

Don’t ignore the voice in your head telling you what to write. That inner voice is what keeps you going. Listen to it and trust it. It’s when you try to impose your will that you come to the realization that you really can’t write a lick.

9.  Are there certain characters you would like to work with again, or a theme/idea you’d love to work with?

I have several characters that I like working with. One reason I kept up my sci-fi series is because of the characters. Yes, there was still more of the tale to tell, but I absolutely fell in love with Wil and Matilda and the rest.

I also love the lead from “The Ninja Tattoo”. Teague is a fascinating character. I’ve gotten such great feed back on him, I decided to write a second book with him in it. He’s not the main love interest, but he’s certainly a focal point of the action.

10.  What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?  What has been the best compliment?

I had a friend tell me, “You write like an author, then you turn around and write like an English teacher.” It took some talking to her and reading through my work to realize she was right. (Not that I doubted her.) I found the areas that caused her the most distress and reworked them so they weren’t as stilted.

The best compliment I ever got was from someone I barely knew. She loved Teague (The Ninja Tattoo) so much, she begged me to do a sequel. Later, she helped me with promoting my work, out of the kindness of her heart. To thank her, I wrote her in as a character – the first time I’ve ever done that.

Find this WRITE STAR at these places:

Website:        http://dellanioakes.wordpress.com/

Twitter:         https://twitter.com/DellaniOakes

GoodReads:   http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2013144.Dellani_Oakes

To read more and purchase Dellani Oakes latest book,

Click the book icon below:

Please VISIT these other blogs today.  Dellani has a different interview with each one on the hop.    While you’re there take a moment to LIKE their page.  They are all WRITE STARS in my book.  🙂  ENJOY

Juli Page Morgan: www.julipagemorgan.com/blog

Ruth Davis Hays:  http://jorthusbooks.wordpress.com/

Dellani Oakes: http://writersanctuary.blogspot.com/

Rachel Rueben: http://www.rachelrueben.com

Karina Gioertz: www.friedgatortail.wordpress.com

Karen Vaughan:www.karenwritesmurder.com

Kristen Duvall: www.kristenduvall.com/blog

Crimson Kildare and Kat Marlow: www.thrutheglass.net

Check back tomorrow as the FABULOUS BLOG HOP stops in here with two more authors to be premiered:   Crimson Kildare and Kat Monroe

 

We’re Not So Different

Today’s post was inspired while reading Jenny Hansen‘s blog, R is for Relics I Want In My Office.  It got me thinking about museums and how both my girls love art. 

Drawn by: L. M. Hussey at 5 1/2 years old.

The oldest loves to paint while my youngest loves drawing and sculpting.  Their favorite place:  Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.  As artists they deeply appreciate all the amazing works that are housed there, and it’s through their eyes I see the little things that escaped my notice and make me value the beauty within the paintings, sketches, and sculptures.   Now that the eldest is in college and it’s just me and kidlet, I’ve begun to really observe little Ms. Thang while she holes up and works her magic. 

Drawing pads and sketch paper litter every room along with pencils, pastels, and chalk…some days the house is an artist’s playground.  I personally never knew there were so many different types and quality of paper to work with, nor did I realize the vast assortment of pencils –various sizes and colors – that would become strewn about the house.  A varied hodgepodge of paint brushes sit on my windowsill, some in water others held upright in painted containers or glass cups.  Everyday this sundry collection of supplies is picked up with nary a grumble (ok, a lot of grumbling) but then I look at the magic drawn on the acid free, medium weight quality paper and smile.  Like her older sister, Little Ms. Thang has artistic talent.  

Every day she’s drawing something or sculpting, and of course leaving it around the house.  When I rave on about said picture, kidlit laughs at me and says, “Mom, it’s a doodle.” (?huh, a doodle…really?).  I knew early on she had a thing for art.  While most kids nibbled, chewed, or ate their pink lemonade crayon little Ms. Thang sat with her big pad of paper and scrawled her magical squiggles and scribbles across extra large, heavy white, all-purpose paper.  I don’t remember the color of the fridge from all the paper on it from both children’s pièce de résistance.   

Little Ms. Thang has taught me color, light, and shade and that a pencil is not just a pencil.  You need “special” pencils to draw and oh yes, by-the-way, she needed to restock with real supplies.  (What an eye-opener this was)

 We walked through the local art store, well I strode rather quickly and impatiently while little Ms. Thang floated down the aisles as her eyes took in all the bright and shiny paraphernalia.   Beads of drool dripped from the corner of her upturned lips then nestled on her chin while she fingered a deluxe kit of something or other over by the easels.  This was little Ms. Thang’s candy store and she didn’t want to leave. I incessantly barked about her making it quick and snappy, and watched as she overloaded the hand basket with papers and pencils – lots of pencils with numbers and weights.  I mean seriously can’t one draw with a Ticonderoga yellow #2 on cheap beige paper – worked for me (hey wait…maybe that was my problem). 

 My mini coronary came when I saw the prices on some of the pencil kits.  I mean these are pencils, right?  Filled with lead, not gold?  The full blown heart attack came at the register.  Holy sheep shit and cow paddies, these were art supplies I was purchasing, not the Mona Lisa.  With the “must have” supplies restocked my child was over-the-moon ecstatic. When we got home she momentarily disappeared to open all her bright and shiny items.  I put on a pot of coffee to drown my sorrows and ease my shakes.  Gripping the mug tightly I drank the dark brew as my excited child explained the use of an artist’s eraser (yes, they do exist…really).  At first all I could think of was, Really? An artist eraser. A regular pink eraser doesn’t cut it?  (insert heavy sigh here)  I feigned interest as I slurped my java.

Then something hit me.  I saw it.  I saw her goofy grin, the twinkle in her eye as she held the eraser out to me like it was gold.  The way her hand lovingly held the pencil as she focused and concentrated on the picture she began drawing.  Her head phones on, music playing, her head bopping.  It was right there in front of me.     

I saw me explaining my writing and stories and why I wanted Scrivener and why I bought a Dragon, and how old Word was better than the new Word and how my dream is to own a Mac (excuse me while I dab at the drool on my chin), how college ruled paper pads are better than standard lines.  I prefer to do long-hand writing in pencil (#2 yellow Ticonderoga).  I have USB fobs everywhere.  Piles of papers sit next to my computer, along with pens, sticky notes, motivational cut-outs, bottled water, coffee cups, and a bottle of Motrin.  I have notebooks regular and fancy leather bound ones.  I have a feathered quill and a Harry Potter leather journal my eldest brought home to me from Disney and I haven’t used yet because I want to put something special in it.  I love quills, nibs, ink and various fonts. 

I love that when we walk the beach little Ms. Thang takes in the beautiful palette of colors in the sky and itches for her paints, brushes, chalks, and pencils.  While I see a story laid out before me itching to be written.  I see the setting, hear each  of the characters tell me their story, and I want to know their story.  I want to breathe life into it.  From the elderly man sitting on the weathered bench reading the newspaper, to the little girl with pig tails who giggles at the black and white spotted puppy licking her face as he wriggles his body in her arms.  There’s always a story or a picture if you look for it and observe.

“Yanno,” I told little Ms. Thang.  “You and I…we’re not so different.”