HAPPY HOLIDAY 2012

TO ONE AND ALL, A HAPPY HOLIDAY AND WONDERFUL NEW YEAR

THE DEVIL'S OWN DESPERADO!

Today I’m interviewing Lynda J. Cox.  Her book, The Devil’s Own Desperado is a western historical romance and was released for Kindle through Amazon’s KDP program in September and will be available for all formats and in hard copy on January 11^th, 2013.

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.  

The book for Colt Evans and Amelia McCollister is a western historical.  Amelia is raising her two younger siblings, forced into being a parent when her parents were murdered.  She’s resigned herself to that role and to probably never marrying.  She’s not necessarily opposed to guns but she doesn’t carry a lot of love for the weapons or for those who live by the gun, so when a wounded gunslinger wanders onto her homestead, she’s very torn.  Part of her wants to turn him away but her conscience and upbringing won’t let her.  Colt Evans, though he’s deadly accurate and blazingly quick with a revolver, is a very reluctant shootist.  He wants to hang the hardware up, but he’s a realist.  He knows he has a past and that past is well armed.  He knows that most men who live by the gun stand very good odds of dying by the gun.  Add in a younger brother infatuated with gunmen and the lore of the shootist, a little sister so traumatized by being a witness to her parents’ murder that she won’t speak, and an over-protective marshal, and you’ve got The Devil’s Own Desperado.

Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?  

Western historical romance is any romance set in the wide open spaces of the American West, usually any time after the American Civil War (or, depending on which side of the Mason-Dixon line you fell on, either geographically or politically—The War for  Southern Independence or The War of Northern Aggression) until about 1890.  Most often there are cowboys in this genre but the days of the cowboy that we know from Hollywood were very short because by the very early 1880s, barbed wire was already sectioning off the American West.  There are stock characters to be found in the genre: the drifter usually embittered by his experiences in the Civil War (as most of the cowboys were veterans of that war), the wall-flower school marm, the harlot with a heart of gold, the cattle baron, the gunslinger with a dead soul and a frozen heart…and you won’t find a one of those in this novel.  I prefer to write in the western historical romance genre because it’s a place that I’ve very comfortable. 

How did this story come to be?  

The Devil’s Own Desperado wasn’t supposed to be written when it was.  I was eyeball deep in writing the creative project for my master’s degree, and struggling to write a critical introduction (minimum of 25 pages with at least 15 sources) to the same.  If you think writing a synopsis and blurb is difficult, try writing a scholarly paper on the influences that shaped your work, where that work fits into other published works within the same genre, and what is new or unique about your work. At one point in the middle of that semester, Colt Evans walked into my subconscious—fully formed—and he was hand in hand with Amelia.  He demanded that I write their story and he wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.  So when I wasn’t pulling my hair out with that critical introduction or the creative project itself, I was writing Colt and Amelia’s story.

Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold?

Actually, yes.  I had my creative project finished which is a fantasy romance and I have three other manuscripts in varying stages of completion—from one sitting on my editor’s desk to one in just rough draft form.  Other than my master’s project, those three manuscripts are all western historical romances and are set in the same small town where The Devil’s Own Desperado takes place.  Characters introduced in Colt and Amelia’s story have their own stories to tell.

What is your writing routine like?

I try to set aside at least three hours a day to write, but sometimes that just doesn’t happen.  I often find that I’m writing for hours on end when I can’t get those three hours in.  Before I start writing, I do a quick review of the manuscript, figure out where the characters are going in the next couple of scenes, decide who has the most to lose in that scene, and start writing.  I don’t write from an outline.  The one time I did, I discovered I had put so much creatively into the outline that the story itself was flat and lifeless.  Now, I just let the characters “tell” me where we’re going.

Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?    

Oh, my…I think it would just be seeing my name on the cover of a published book.  All those hours spent dreaming of seeing that, all the hours spent writing, and sending out queries, getting ever so close…to finally see my name on the cover of a book that is published by a real publisher, not self-published—and there is NOTHING wrong with being self-published, but I had set the goal of being published by a more traditional publisher.

Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?

I’m a member of RWA.  While I’d like to join my local RWA chapter, I frankly don’t have the time.  Between teaching full time, raising our grand-daughter (she lives with us and is truly the light of my life), taking care of critters (two horses, chickens, cats and collies), and showing those collies, I really don’t have time.

What character is most like you or least like you?

I don’t think any of them are like me or not like me.  I try to let my characters be their own persons, but if you’re going to press me for an answer, I’d have to say that the marshal is the most like me.  I’m incredibly protective of those I love and care about.  For a while, there was a Facebook picture that pretty much summed me up.  It said, “I’m easy-going but mess with my dogs and I’ll break out a level of bad on you that will make your nightmares seem like a happy place.”  That would also go for my family and friends. 

What most inspires you in life?

Oh goodness.  I find inspiration everywhere: in stories of the underdogs, in nature, in watching my grand-daughter grow into a self-assured, beautiful young lady.

What’s next for you?

Right now, I’m working on an idea that I started for NaNaWriMo (and it’s not even close to being finished).  And, I’m looking forward to the upcoming show season with the collies.  I’ve got a young male who has really come into his own and we’re going to be campaigning him, hopefully into the top ten.

BOOK BLURB

He's everything she fears…

Wounded gunfighter Colt Evans stumbles onto a remote homestead never expecting to find compassion. But beautiful Amelia McCollister is like no other woman. Suddenly, his dream of settling down with a wife and home is within reach—but only if his past never comes gunning for him.

She's everything he dreams of…

Amelia had to grow up fast after outlaws murdered her parents, leaving her to raise her siblings alone. With a young brother who idolizes shootists, she dreads having a notorious gunman in her home. But as Colt slowly recovers, he reveals a caring nature under his tough exterior that Amelia can't resist.

Just when Colt starts to believe he can leave the gunfighter life behind, his past returns, bringing danger to them all. Can a shootist ever hang up his hardware? Or will their dreams disappear in the smoke of a desperado's gun?

A little bit about the author

I earned both my B.A. in English and history and M.A. in English from Indiana State University.  I’m an adjunct instructor of English, teaching mainly freshman composition.  Growing up on a steady diet of John Wayne Westerns and the television series Lassie, I’ve incorporated those influences into my life.  My historical romance novels are set in the Wyoming Territory and when I’m not writing or teaching I can be found on the road to the next dog show.  I love to talk books and can be reached at lynda.cox@aol.com.

Excerpt

“Colt. My name is Colt,” he interrupted.

She froze for a moment near the stove. “I would feel very forward to address you by your given name, Mr. Evans.”

His laughter boomed through the room. Amelia whirled. His head was tilted back and the strong cording of his throat stood out in relief. “Amelia, you didn’t have a problem taking care of me while I was unconscious and naked as the day I was born, but you think it would be forward to use my given name. There is something that doesn’t add up there.”

She twisted her apron between her hands, staring at  the floor. A moment later, Colt caught her chin in his            palm and tilted her head to him. She hadn’t heard him cross the floor. Her breath caught in a mingling of fear and some nameless anticipation.

“My name is Colt. Try it, Amelia. Colt.”

Amelia’s skin burned with the light touch of his fingers and her heart hammered against her breastbone. She wet her parched lips.

“It’s a simple name, really. Four little letters. Colt.”

Her throat was frozen. She was falling into the depths of his gray eyes. The pad of his thumb brushed along her lower lip. The butterflies returned to her stomach and that curious ache renewed. She shook her head, freeing herself of his gentle hold. She staggered a step away and broke the spell.

How can my readers buy your book?  

Readers can go to the publisher’s home page after January 11, 2013 and find The Devil’s Own Desperado at  http://www.thewildrosepress.com or it is currently available on Amazon (for Kindle only) at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Devils-Own-Desperado-ebook/dp/B009KA3ORW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353864507&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Devil%27s+Own+Desperado  After January 11^th, it will be available in all formats.

  

You can find more information about Lynda J. Cox and my book, The Devil’s Own Desperado by visiting my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LyndaJCox or my blog at http://lyndajcox.blogspot.com

Just a few fun questions to answer if you don’t mind.

1)    What’s your favorite movie?

You’re going to make me pick just one? 

2)    What is your favorite season?

They all have their good points and bad points, but I like fall the best.

3)    What is your favorite thing to eat?

A rib eye steak, medium rare, smothered in sautéed mushrooms and onions.

4)    Who is your favorite author to read?

J.K. Rowling.  I admit it, I am a Potter-head.

5)    What’s your favorite vacation spot?

Wyoming.  Anywhere in Wyoming.

6)    What’s the best piece of advice you have been given?

It’s not advice, but I have this on a sign hanging over my desk.  It’s a quote from John Wayne that says “Courage is being afraid but saddling up anyway.”

7)    Coke or Pepsi?

COKE!

JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

On the planet Megasta, colonists live in an uneasy peace with native tribes until the advent of Terran fever threatens their tenuous coexistence.  Can the efforts of a medical technician from Old Earth and her love for a Megasti man avert bloodshed between their people?

This Christmas-themed novella, first available in DCL Publications’ anthology Season of Love, is now available as a stand-alone for only .99 at the following locations:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/259419

http://www.amazon.com/Peace-on-New-Earth-ebook/dp/B00AEGID2M

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Peace-on-New-Earth-by-Miriam-Newman?keyword=Peace+on+New+Earth+by+Miriam+Newman&store=ebook

UPDATE ON TIA THE RESCUE PUPPY

It seems impossible that it was only last June when I was idly clicking through pictures of pups on a site that belongs to a friend who runs a rescue group.  I had already adopted a hound puppy from my friend and another from Lab Rescue, as well as two cats and a horse!  My ark was full--or so I thought.  And then when I accidentally clicked on one of the pictures it somehow magically linked me to Home Free Rescue in Red Bank, NJ and there was Tia.  Her name was Peta then, but no matter what you called her she was the spitting image of my first rescue dog, Dancer.  It was as if my pit bull/whippet cross Dancer had come back to life.  Call me a sentimental fool, but I knew I had to have this pup.

Fast forward to November.  This morning I was awakened by a warm little belly pressing against me while a little snout rooted in my face.  Like most pit bulls, Tia doesn't have a soft muzzle.  No, she has those folds of sandpaper skin the pitties have, and stubby whiskers, so it feels like being kissed by a shark.  Little Miss Shark wanted to go out even though it was only 5:30, so up I got and put her in the yard with a stuffed hedgehog I knew would be history in minutes.  It was, but she had fun and I saved his squeaker and batting to stitch later into a square of fake fur remnant from my local sewing shop.  Tia can't tell the difference between that and a toy, so we recycle to save money since she can shred the expensive ones to bits quicker than you can say, "Bob's yer uncle."

Then it was in to a breakfast of kibble and warm hamburger...oh, and a bite of my whole wheat waffle, of course.   Thank goodness she lets me have my own coffee.  Then out for a walk on a 20 foot training lead so she could check out every blade of grass, pounce in the leaves for anything that might be underneath and crane her neck at the wild geese flying overhead.  They scared her at first, but she's used to them now.  Next we'll go for a walk to the local garage where my car is being inspected.  She's still afraid of cars, I guess because every time she was in one she was taken and left somewhere...first at a kill shelter by her owner who said they had "too many dogs," then up I-95 from South Carolina to New Jersey and to a rescue, a foster home, a vet and finally to me.  Tia isn't too fond of cars, so after she has greeted her friends at the garage I'll take her to Arby's to share a roast beef sandwich.  I'm hoping maybe she'll eventually realize that the car always takes her to good places and then home again.

Home isn't much--a small Victorian cottage with well-worn floors and doors scratched by a number of dogs.  But it's warm and smells like food and her friends and she seems to realize this is her own forever place where she'll be cared for.  She had her first Thanksgiving turkey and I think today I'll get the Christmas tree and she can help me decorate.  She helps me do everything, from my first eye-crack of the day to the last puppy sigh at night as she curls up against me and dreams sweet dreams.  At least I hope they're sweet now, because she's home and she'll never leave again.

Won't you consider sharing your home?  There are so many rescue dogs and puppies, cats and kittens, all of them desperate for a warm place and a dish of food.  In return, they'll give you every ounce of joy and devotion in their little cuddly bodies.  Please think of them this holiday season and adopt, foster or donate--whatever you can do.  Call any local shelter or rescue group or consider a group like Home Free Rescue, Recycled Tails or Middlemutts/Last Chance Rescue.  Just check them out on Facebook.  Thank you and Happy Holidays.

Love,

Miriam and Tia     

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2012

WISHING A SAFE, HAPPY AND BLESSED THANKSGIVING DAY TO ALL WHO OBSERVE

BOOKS BY SUZANNE SABOL

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Today I’m interviewing Suzanne M. Sabol.  Her book, Pool of Crimson, is an Urban Fantasy and was released on July 11, 2012.  Midnight Ash, the next in The Blushing Death Series, will be out in November of 2012.

 

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.    

Pool of Crimson is an Urban Fantasy set in Columbus, Ohio.  Urban Fantasy is a gritty genre based in an urban environment with a paranormal twist.  The undertones are darker, the sex and violence are more graphic and there isn’t always a happy ending.  I write in both Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.

How did this story come to be?  

I tend to develop a character first, what his or her problems are and what their reactions would be in any given situation.   Dahlia came about after talking to one of my employees.  This particular woman was named after a flower and it seemed to fit her.  She was sweet and gentle.  I started thinking about a woman who was named after something delicate and beautiful like a flower but hard as nails who saw all the darker things in life.  Since I’m most comfortable in the paranormal genre, I started putting together a story to force her into the preternatural underworld and situations that would test her mettle.   

Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself?

I had several manuscripts completed prior to Pool of Crimson selling to Soul Mate Publishing.  I had four for this particular series, The Blushing Death Series, completed as well as another dystopian paranormal romance.  I sent out manuscripts religiously.  I always had at least six queries out at a time.  I currently have Pool of Crimson in publication, Midnight Ash (#2) coming out in November, a contract for #3 and #4 in The Blushing Death Series, and requests from two publishing houses to view the dystopian paranormal romance. 

What is your writing routine like?

I write important dialogue and outlines out long hand.  I have notebooks for each novel with important plot points and conversations, as well as post-its on the wall, chalkboard walls filled with information.  I plot out characters, their likes/dislikes, their backstory, fears, and family histories prior to starting the hard work of starting chapter 1.   I also outline chapters so that I know what the conflict is and where the story’s going. 

What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help?

I am very active on facebook, twitter, goodreads, and pinterest.  I have ads running on facebook, romance divas, and bookdaily.com.    I’m also active on several listservs that help promote my work. 

Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?    

I think the most rewarding part for me is seeing my work out there, having people reading it and disappearing into the world I created.  I love seeing my name on my work.   Seeing my name on something that is published is a real sense of accomplishment. 

Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?

I’m a member of Romance Writers of America and my local RWA chapter, Central Ohio Fiction Writers.  My local chapter helped me a great deal.  They have been incredibly supportive, providing moral support, critiques on my work and providing me with the ability to learn with workshops, wonderful guest speakers every month and conferences.  I have met some fantastic people in my local chapter.  I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

What’s next for you?

I’m always writing, editing, and revising.  I’m currently working on The Blushing Death series #5 and #6.  I am also working on my dystopian paranormal romance trilogy.  I started a master’s program at The Ohio State University in August.  This means a lot of course work but it’s very rewarding. 

BOOK BLURB

Killing vampires is easy. Trusting one will be the hardest thing Dahlia Sabin has ever done.

Dahlia has lived a lonely existence as a killer of the undead. Known as The Blushing Death to those that fear her, Dahlia uncovers a plot by Columbus’s Master Vampire, Ethan. He intends to raise a demon from the depths of hell to destroy the city, cement his power, and take control.

In her pursuit to stop a demon from manifesting, Dahlia sinks deeper into the city’s supernatural underworld and discovers that vampires are not only deadly; one in particular could be dangerous to her very soul and her heart. Patrick, the Master vampire’s second-in-command with dark penetrating eyes and a cool, deadly sophistication, can’t stay away and Dahlia can’t tell him no. There’s something that neither of them knows; Ethan wants Dahlia’s unleashed power for himself and is willing to do anything to get it.

Dahlia is in a race against time to send the demon back to hell, at war with her better judgment, trusting a dark and intriguing vampire with his own agenda, while struggling to save her own neck. As the portal to hell opens, Dahlia has only herself to rely on in order to survive, if she can …

A little bit about the author

Suzanne M. Sabol began writing at a young age, completing her first full-length novel at the age of 17.  Her love of everything paranormal and romance began shortly thereafter.  She is an avid reader and writer, focusing mostly in the urban fantasy genre.    She loves reading anything from contemporary single title romance to detective noir as well as the classics.
Suzanne published her first novel Cursed in 2009, Pool of Crimson in 2012, and Midnight Ash will be available in November of 2012.  She is a graduate of The Ohio State University with majors in Criminology, International Studies, Russian and Political Science.  She is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration at the John Glenn School of Public Policy.  She works full time as a Human Resources Professional and Fiscal Officer.
Suzanne was born and raised in Eastern Ohio where she was more likely to see a deer on the road than a sports car.  She currently resides in Columbus, Ohio with her husband Ross.  When she’s not working, writing, or reading, she’s spending time traveling and looking for the next great story.  She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Central Ohio Fiction Writers.

How can my readers buy your book?  

Readers can go to the publisher’s home page at www.soulmatepublishing.com 

You can find more information about Suzanne M. Sabol and my book, Pool of Crimson by

visiting my website, http://www.suzannemsabol.com or

my blog at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2889259.Suzanne_M_Sabol/blog

Just a few fun questions to answer if you don’t mind.

1)    What’s your favorite movie?

a.     The Thin Man with William Powell and Myrna Loy

2)    What is your favorite TV show?

a.     Once Upon a Time

3)    What is your favorite thing to drink?

a.     Iced Tea

4)    Who is your favorite author to read?

a.     Jane Austen

5)    What’s your favorite vacation spot?

a.     Barcelona, Spain

6)    What’s the best piece of advice you have been given?

a.     It’s not brain surgery.  Everything else can be fixed.

Thank you for allowing me to interview you here. Good luck to you in your future!!!

ARE YOU READY FOR WINTER'S MAGIC?

Today we're joined by author Cynthia Gail talking about her new book, Winter's Magic. This is Cynthia's first appearance at The Blue Rose and I hope you will make her welcome. So, Cynthia...take it away.


Thank you for inviting me to join you and your fans today. I’m so excited to finally reveal the cover to my debut novel, Winter’s Magic. It’s the first in a four-book series called Music City Hearts.

It’s kind of ironic that I decided to keep the cover under wraps until my contest launch, because I’m rarely able to keep secrets. When I was in grade school, I was the daughter who snooped around in closets before Christmas, trying to find out what my presents were, before Mom had time to get them wrapped. Maybe that’s why I love to read romance so much. I can enjoy the story – all the ups and downs, the tears and laughter, breakups and black moments – without anxiety, because I know the end is always happily-ever-after.

So, the wait is finally over.  I’m kicking off a month-long contest with the unveiling of Winter’s Magic:

Back Cover Blurb
Owner of La Bella Vita, a five-star day spa nestled in the affluent suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee, Beth Sergeant knows her elite clientele first hand. She attended their private schools. She was even engaged, although briefly, to one of their most recognized bachelors. But she never fit in to their social-elite world.
After losing his parents to a car accident at a young age, Nick Chester was raised by his grandfather, the wealthiest man in Nashville. When he chooses to socialize, he has a never-ending list of exclusive events and beautiful women vying for his attention. Yet he never lets himself forget that everyone has an agenda.
Beth can’t resist Nick’s charm and accepts an invitation to dinner, despite her deep-seated insecurities. She proves she’s nothing like other women Nick's dated and learns to trust him in return. But just as the last of their resistance crumbles and true love is within reach, challenges from Nick's past threaten to destroy everything and force Beth to reveal her most guarded secret.


Did you catch that? There’s a secret!
But I’m not going to tell you what it is.
I can’t.
I won’t.
No matter how hard it is to keep it inside, I have to make you wait until October 24th, when Winter’s Magic goes on-sale, so you can read the book, meet Beth and Nick, and experience their story first-hand.

In the mean time, I’m hosting a fantastic contest. All you have to do is follow my blog http://cynthiagail.com/ or like my Facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/#!/CynthiaGailRomance (you receive an entry for each) and you’re automatically entered in the drawing.

The prizes? I CAN tell you what those are: 5 copies of my ebook, a $25 Visa GC, and a $50 Visa GC. Oh, and of course lots of swag. (If your name is drawn and you’ve already purchased my ebook, I’ll give you one copy of any ebook from the Soul Mate Publishing website.)

But that’s not all. Join me at my launch party, November 2nd from 3pm – 6pm EST, on Facebook. We’ve got lots of games lined up – each with more great prizes. And at the end of the launch party, we’ll announce the winners of the October drawing.

So, tell me - Do you peek or wait?