Fantastic Friday

End of the week Review
 
We had a freak snow storm... oh wait, that's right. It's January!! Winter time. So, not so freakish, although we've had some great, mild weather lately--40s and 50s since just before Christmas. One day of frigid and today we are back to 56 as a high. :D Should be like that all weekend. Not bad at all!!

I'm reading another Katy Regnery book, and it is GOOD! She was the third ebook I tried in one day. The first two were...freebies or something and, booo! They did not stand up. FWIW, Katy's book is self-published and it is wonderfully written, wonderfully edited and has a beautiful cover. Don't judge a book by its publishing status! Also, I picked up a paperback by Lisa Jackson, and Oh. My. Word. I read one scene--gruesome murder. An epilogue that left me hanging. But it made me think... I used to read stuff like this all the time! Tami Hoag, Sandra Brown. I've lost touch with the truly suspenseful, GOOD book. I've been reading these contemporary romances...sometimes with a mystery or suspense element, but nothing reads as well as a good, mainstream Romantic Suspense. Category just does not compare, even if it is a suspense.

My writing went really well this week. I did have two days here at the end of the week where I was banging my head against the wall, trying to find time to work. Lots of stuff going on this week--appointments, meetings, taxi obligations, etc. But I did at least 500 words a day, yesterday being the slowest at 526 words. And, of course, I'm loving the story... the contemporary romance--no suspense.

Maybe I need work on another dark story. It's been a while. I'm out of practice!!

There's a new link at the top of my Blog labeled "Home." It's my new webpage. It also reveals a few surprises, so come on over and visit. See what that's all about...and then forget you ever knew me. hahaha. Just kidding. :D

Have a wonderful weekend!
With Love,
Beth

Baby, It's Cold Outside!


And I'm doing a Fabulous Giveaway!!
Because you know what?
It's cold outside, and there is nothing like cold outside to made a booklover want to read...that's a given. But this year, I broke out from my mold.

This year, I did something I haven't done since I was in my teens.
I ice-skated! [and despite the photo, I was doing it without holding on! haha] That's my wee, sweet daughter, Darla.


It was absolutely addicting. I worried that I wouldn't be able to do it. That it wasn't like riding a bike, ya know, and I'd fall flat on my ass a few hundred times before the hour or two were up.

But I didn't. It was awesome. I even smoked the old man, who is determined enough to learn something new in order to keep up. ;) :D Actually, he's quite athletic and a runner, so I wasn't surprised at all that he caught on so well. A few more outings with him, and I'm sure he'll be passing me by! 

So, tell me, what's one thing you did as a kid [and this includes even the younger crowd!!] that you haven't done in years? Sledding? Ice skating? Skiing? 

Are you living in the south and it's been years since you roller skated? Bowled? 

Leave a comment!! I'm giving away a $5 Amazon Giftcard, randomly selected from everyone who visits the crazy fun Baby-It's-Cold-Outside Blog Hop put on by JustRomance.me

And if it's still January 3rd, you've blasted through the blog hop, and you're bored, I'll be on Facebook, doing another giveaway, being hosted by my publishing company on their page as I chat about my new release, Letters From Home. Come on and join the fun.

~*~*~

ON SALE NOW! Only .99 for a limited time.
This book and all Entangled Flirts...



Excerpt:
Zack finally caught Lena’s gaze from across the table, and he lifted a brow as if to ask her, what is this?

Not that he didn’t enjoy spending time with the family. As a matter of fact, until the holidays had come around, there’d only been a few dinners since summer ended. School, work, and life had taken precedence.

Lena shrugged and a slight flush rose on her cheeks.

“Lena, you and me, at the pool table for a game.” When it looked like she might refuse, Zack stood and went around the table.

“I play winner.” Juan called out.

“Oh, no. I can’t. I stink at pool, Zack. You know very well how badly I play pool.”

“Come on. Smart girl like you should have no problem setting up a table and sinking a few balls.

Practice, that’s all.” Zack tugged on Lena’s chair. He took her hand and was surprised to feel a slight tremble in it. He tightened his grip. “Relax, I’m not going to bite. It’s just a friendly game of billiards.”

She laughed, almost nervously. He let her hand go when they reached the little cove with a table in it.

They were just hidden from view, enough to be able to talk privately, or make out. But that was just his imagination running away with him.

They both took a cue, and Zack set the table. Her silence put him on edge. Usually he knew what she was thinking, now he felt out-of-sorts. He’d asked her out on a date—hadn’t he?

She’d come with an entourage.

“Zack?”

He looked up and found her waiting for him. He made the opening break and nodded to her. “Your turn.”

She stared at him with a blush rising on her cheeks. “Where do I start?”

He relaxed, smiled at her, then studied the table, looking for her first move. “Over here,” he started and took her arm to guide her around to where the cue ball sat. “Go for the solids. You can hit the four in, no problem. Easy peasy.”

She stood behind her cue and leaned over the table.

“No. Not like that.” Zack moved in behind her.

The idea hadn’t started out as a ploy, but now that he was here, breathing in the delicious scent of her perfume, he enjoyed the heat of her against his skin where his arms met hers. They were hip to hip. He cupped her hand in his and rested the cue stick on top of it. She fit perfectly under his arm and against his body.

He cleared his throat as lust shot straight through his bones. “Ready?”

She turned her head and eyed him suspiciously. Her gaze fell to his lips for a fraction of a second, but she turned back to the table and took her shot. The light bracelets at her wrists chimed, and the purple ball rolled into the corner pocket. “Okay.” She grinned, turning into his space. His hands went to her shoulders where they met skin, supple and smooth.

“That wasn’t too hard at all,” she whispered. Her breath seemed caught in her throat, as if maybe, maybe she felt something too.

Zack stayed where he was, absorbing her warmth, the happiness that seemed to roll off her. This was what he’d wanted for her when he asked her to go out with him. Just a chance to have some fun, remember what it was like when they were younger.

He brushed strands of her hair from her face, the touch making his heart stutter. The urge to kiss her overwhelmed him. “Lena.”

“Yes?”

With his thumb, Zack traced a line along her collarbone. He tunneled his hand under the thick weight of her dark hair. Her eyes were wide with wonder. When he dipped his head to taste her, her lips parted, and she sucked in a breath.

Zack’s heart was pounding. Like the staccato of his M16, beating against his chest.

The kiss was soft and slow, and at first she didn’t respond at all. On the verge of letting her go completely, he felt her hands come up and grip his waist. Her lips moved against his.

Nothing in his entire life had felt so right before. He sank into her.

“Hey guys…Whoa!”

Zack groaned at the intrusion. Lena broke away, sucked in another breath, this one filled with shock and what-did-I-do?

His eyes slid shut. Damn it.



Sunday Summations

I'm going to tell you what I'm reading, but you can't laugh. You got it?

Okay, here it is....

Yup... that's it. Published in 1987. Best cover ever. I wish publishers would go back to creating art that reflects the story. The updated cover pales in comparison. Go ahead, get on Amazon and see what I mean. In any case, I'm enjoying it.

What?!

Yes, I know. I'm crazy, but I am really laughing out loud at this story, and I'm enjoying all the fun facts that the characters are learning on their scavenger hunt in New York City. Books like this are exactly why I wanted to move to NYC when I was a kid. This one, and before that, the Judy Blume's Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing had me fantasizing a life of metro adventure! Not to mention From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler... I mean, seriously, run away and hide at The Met?! I was all over that growing up.

As a matter of fact, I still hold onto that dream a little. And someday, maybe I'll get my chance to live in the city...shop at local markets, walk through Central Park,...and completely drain my life savings. LOL Just kidding!! By then, I'll be a multi-published author, making millions of dollars.

...if you're going to dream, dream big.

With Love,
Bethanne

Summer, don't ever end...and Saturday Snippets

Oddly enough, I'm feeling that way this year.
Everything is so relaxed.
The kids are moderately happy with almost nothing to do.
The climate in Colorado is heaven. I wish I could take the climate with me, like a blanket and drape it over our next duty station. No, I don't have a "next" duty station. I'm just saying... I haven't had my A/C on but for a few days right over that time when the fires broke out. Even on the hot days, there is a cool that blows through, and no matter what, when the sun goes down, the world becomes a perfect sixty degrees. I would like to bring my beautiful, green mid-west hills to Colorado...and maybe a lake and a few friends. ;)

As usual, trying to stay up on the blogging, I've decided to introduce Saturday Snippets. Could be from a book--mine or someone else's. Could be from a movie--I don't write movies. Or maybe just a funny snippet I heard during the week--in a conversation, eavesdropping on a conversation, on the radio. You get the idea. :D Today's snippet is brought to you by my son, Sean.

Sean: What does a soldier become?
Me: Uh, I don't know. What do you mean?
Sean: I mean, what do they become?
Right, clear as glass. Me: ...well, they can become nurses, or engineers, or--
Sean: Veterans!

Wounded Warriors in Action

If you're on my blog at all, you've notice the new image in my side bar. It's the logo for Wounded Warriors in Action, an organization motivated to get soldiers back into the game. Hunting. I know not everyone likes hunting or likes the idea of the hunt, but but for those men and women who do appreciate its value, not being able to get out anymore would be tough.

My husband is one of those guys. He loves a quiet morning in the woods, in a tree stand or even on an overturned bucket. He finds it peaceful, and I find it rehabilitating...for me too! haha. He's a much happier person after a day in the woods.

My point is, I like this organization for its focus. There are others I looked at, like the ever popular Wounded Warrior Project. That one's really big. I'm kind of a small-town girl myself. :)

Indefinitely, all proceeds for For Love or Duty will be donated to WWIA.

My husband says, now that I've made that statement I'll make thousands. That's okay with me. The average self-published novel makes $125. That's it. Well, I've made a little more than that....and the numbers keep falling. So before you think I'm some wonderful philanthropist...

I have so much on my plate right now...new submissions, new manuscripts. I have high hopes for this year to sell a few manuscripts and make headway in this industry. Hopefully that will help my first book sell a few copies, too. Either way, I don't expect much...

But if Murphy puts a foot in it, you never know. I might make the bestseller list!
It's a new year so enjoy it.
With Love,
Bethanne


The Next Big Thing


Okay, so I wasn't actually tagged for this Blog Meme. But I hopped over to David Powers King's blog where he'd been tagged by the awesome Ilima Todd. David didn't tag me either so I stole it. Just out and out stole it from his blog. ...but it really is a great way to give you a heads up on what I'm working on...

The Next Big Thing.

1-What is the title of your book?
Final Intention[s], it's working. Give me a break. I just don't do titles well.

2-Where did the idea come from for the book?
It popped in my head...this one kind of came out of know where. I'd been looking for something short to write during the month of October. It started with a paragraph about a witch...

3-What genre does your book fall under?
Paranormal Romance

4-Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

Mila Kunis, I like her sass in That 70's Show, and that stands out to me more than how pretty she actually is...and she is pretty--on screen. :D

I'll admit it, my first thought for male lead would be Heath Ledger. That could be pretty telling for how I need to change up my male leads--his face comes up often... So, I'll stretch my imagination and pick this young actor Daniel Burda. Not much on his resume, yet... but he's got a nice smile.



5-What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
With only 2 weeks left before crossing over to the afterlife, Rachel has nothing to lose when guardian angel, Aarden Marks, comes begging her to change the weather.

6-Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
No agent for me, and I will probably send to an epublisher or two before I decide if I want to self-publish this one. There's something about allowing an editor and company to guide you through marketing and promotion that is truly appealing. Still, I'm game, either way.

7-How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? May we see an intro?
I’m still drafting it – about a week in with 6,000 words down.
But here’s the first bit of it:

The shimmering lights of the rooftop affair twinkled against the autumn New York sky line. A familiar tune thudded against the waist high brick wall that surrounded the party on three sides and the soaring exterior wall that rose another level on the fourth side. The caterer had chosen barbecue  a southern tribute, which had been approved several weeks in advance. The savory aroma drifted on the still, cold night air, enticing complete strangers from the street below to make their way up.

8-What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I hate to admit it, but I don't know. I've never read an angel/demon novel...I don't think. I read paranormal occasionally. Hopefully that doesn't end up being my downfall.

9-Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I just wanted to do something fun and different that I could draft up quickly. <--this is exactly what David said, btw. But it just fits so well. I wanted something I could do in October. A sort of warm up for Nano in November. I intended the story to be short, short. It'll be closer to novella length at the rate I'm going....and I might end up writing into Nano a bit, too.

10-What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
This book has an element of fun to it, putting aside the darker tones of a lot of other paranormal demon stories. As a gal of Faith, I like the idea of featuring a guardian angel [instead of a Fallen Angel]...well, at least, he's not fallen yet!

To pass this great Meme along, I'm going to tag a few people from my critique group:
Moira Keith
Silke
Debora Dennis
Tina Vaughn
Ava Delany

Have fun with it, gals!
With Love,
Bethanne





Busy Plotting and Writing

This morning the DeeJay, DJ, Deejay announced a song by a newish singer... I'd never heard of her.

It occured to me that I'm not that up on new artists. Not only that, but there seem to be so many new ones--all the time! It's not like the 80s and 90s when we'd see a new artist on the scene every few years. Not only that, but aren't they all a bit similar? I was listening to country this morning and the song could have been sung by at least two other artists that I do know.

This made me think of writing.

There are so many similarities within a genre!
But, just like music, people eat it up. As a matter of fact, I'd go so far to say that people like having the familiar in their hands.

So, write away good writing friends.
And no worries about getting it just right.
...unless you're talking about grammar then please get it right.
:D

With Love,
Bethanne

September goal, complete--ms subbed to Entangled.
October goal, started--new story [can't wait to tell you about it!]

Friday Fanks

Sorry. Couldn't help myself. I LOVE ALLITERATION!

I should have done this yesterday. That would have made much more sense.

So, I happened to be on Goodreads this morning and I hopped over to my book's page. There were so many nice reviews!!  A couple I hadn't seen yet. :D People I don't know and who don't say they love me [or my books] because they have to. haha.

Thank you. Thank you to those who have read my book. And thanks to those who liked it and left a review for me, whether it was on Goodreads or Amazon or BN...

I feel a warm glow....

The Witness

I read two books this week. I know! Two! crazy!! Actually, that's stretching the truth. I started two books. Both called The Witness. One by Dee Henderson. The other by Nora Roberts.

The story lines were similar, as you might expect from a romance story called the witness. Heroine sees a crime, goes into hiding, and eventually must come out of hiding.

I wanted to write about this, not to go on and on about what I didn't like in Henderson's book... she is highly acclaimed. People love her books. They say her writing is grittier, edgy. [than most Christian Fiction] I suppose that's true. It's definitely true! Unfortunately, I did get bored. I started skimming, then skipping. Until finally I stopped. And in that time...about through chapter five, I was never once in the heroine's POV. It also bugged me that the hero, the Police Guy, never once suspected the heroine. Didn't even for one instance think to detain her at the crime scene. His assumption that she was the damsel in distress... eh. Why did it bug me? I'm not sure I can say. Maybe it was because I hadn't been in her POV. I would think a story like this would need to start in her POV. She has the most at stake. As writers, that's the question we ask when we are comtemplating, Whose point of view should I be in during this scene? The answer is always, who has the most to lose? Who is risking the most? Who has the most at stake? In any case, now I am going on about it. Over all, though, the story didn't capture me. It fell flat as I struggled to feel as if I knew anyone.   There was a distance in the writing of the characters. I didn't not feel connected to them. And I'm a Christian! I want to feel connected to people in Christian books! But, I don't... it's like Christian writers are too worried about how their characters will come across, how they'll be perceived. The writing is stilted instead of filled with life. It's...what's the word, formulated...planned...something.

Which brings me around to Roberts' book, The Witness. Right away I'm thrust into the life of a young lady, a girl. I feel for her. The more I get to know her, the more I love her and want the best for her. I feel sorry for her and indignant and even scared. I can't put the book down. It's her story...the story of THE WITNESS. As far as technique goes, NR hit this one on the head. Over the last several releases, I would have admitted that it seemed Nora had been influenced by publishing house rules... no POV changes midscene. Her writing had become somewhat predictable, perhaps a little flat. But this book proved that she is still going strong. Her POV switches, even midscene, were done to perfection. The book actually reminded me of her book Public Secrets, which, btw, is my all time favorite book EVER.

Lesson learned this week.
Keep the writing real. Draw your readers in with your characters. I'm convinced that story line comes in second place to well-written characters. This is the perfect example of that... two books, same title, similar [sort of] story lines, night and day on the characters. :D

BTW, this is NOT a review. :D
Have a wonderful Thursday,
Bethanne

Count Down Day 5

Chocolate Cake Day!!!

Send me some... haha. Just Kidding.

Go get yourself some chocolate cake. I'm going to...chocolate cake with whipped cream. Oh yeah. YUM.

FIVE FRICKIN' DAYS! Whoot!

Tomorrow I take my formatted documents and upload them to the appropriate publishing arms of the great internet, digital WORLD. Since this is my first time, I want to be SURE that everything goes up smoothly and the book doesn't look like a hack job as far as formatting goes...

I might need the extra day to fix something. Who knows?

Have a great week, friends.
With Love,
Bethanne

Countdown Day 6 -- Silke Juppenlatz

Six days until the big day, the day my book goes up for sale! Whoot. I can't thank my crit partners enough for all the love and support they've given me. ...and the help. Because believe me, I've needed some help. But, today, I've got a good friend to introduce you to...


My crit partner, Silke Juppenlatz. When I joined Passionate Critters, I met Silke over one of my WW2 novels. Being new to the group, I was all starry eyed and smiley. Well, meeting her didn't change that. :D But she did draw out my protective streak--for my work and for the group itself. I like our Silke because she truly knows how to separate the wheat from the chaff. We are a strong group of writers, and it takes a strong person to join us and stick it out. Well, I did. I stuck it out and I'm better writer because of that...and because of her. 


Now, that I've scared all my readers. LOL :D Welcome to my blog, Silke!! Thanks for joining me on my countdown to Release Day! I've got my own virtual bakery on hand because you just can't celebrate without cake and ice cream. So, what'll you have?



SJ: Favorite cake...oohh...errmm... *scratches head* I’m a sucker for the cakes my gran used to make. Träublekuchen (Which, I guess, would be Redcurrant cake) Zwetschgenkuchen (Plum, or more precisely Damson cake) and there’s also the Rabarberkuchen (Rhubarb cake). Stollen!
Damn, I’m hungry now.
PS - Paul just went into the cupboard and yelled “Did you eat all the Jaffa Cakes again?!” (Guilty as charged. If you want Jaffa cakes in our house, best eat them before I see them.) Ice cream? Not so much. I can take it or leave it. But I am partial to the “Soft” Ice cream they do here in the UK. (Mr. Whippy ftw!) Or proper Italian Ice Cream (Stracciatella!).



I married a German so I like to think Silke and I are practically related... I'm constantly inspired by how much you write. What drives you to create your stories?


SJ: My brain. *cough* It’s like an ever churning story machine, and it goes from one “What if?” to the next. I see something, hear something, smell something -- and go “What if…?” And boom. There it is. It really can be anything at all. Something someone says. Something like the smell of bacon drifting out of a window. A forgotten, half deflated beach ball stuck in some hedge. Anything.
It’s weird though. I’m a master at brainstorming and I run with it -- but I can’t do it on my own stories. In them, I get stuck.
I don’t plot. I don’t even do an outline. Nothing. It comes out of my brain straight on the page. If I plot…I don’t finish it. It’s like a disease. Every time someone asks me where it’s going, and I try to come up with something, I lose interest the moment I have worked out what’s going to happen.
After all, I already know how it ends, why bother writing it down?
First and foremost, I write a story for myself. If I know how it ends, I lose interest and don’t finish it.
That’s why I never plot. :)



Now, that is a little crazy...and interesting too. I can see your point, though.
You've got a book coming out later this summer. You want to tell us a little about it? Just a tease...? How about a one word description to wet our appetites?



SJ: One word? Yikes. Okay. “Betrayal”. There it is. :)
As for a tease… If you’ve read “Howl”, then you’ve met the heroine of “Watch Me” -- but not the hero. This is Tiffy’s story and while it follows on from “Howl”, it’s standalone and you don’t need to have read “Howl” to get what’s going on. You’ll meet characters from “Howl”, and you’ll get to meet new ones. Like…Keric, who is hot and sexy and on a mission. But his mission is set to clash with Tiffy’s fragile heart and…well. Best read it, eh?
Watch Me is scheduled for release in August.

I do have a third one in mind…but…something came up. :)

I’m working on a February 2013 release right now. It’s part of a series, and mine is Caedir (Gatekeepers - Book 2). Nope, not werewolves this time…

OMG! Are you really going to do it?! Not werewolves...does that mean?? No. Don't answer that. I love your stories....

So, tell me. When you made your first sale, how did you celebrate?

SJ: I was actually pretty gobsmacked. (Now there’s a Brit word for you.) I’d written Howl in a week (No, I pretty much didn’t sleep.), submitted it -- and had the contract land -- all in the space of 10 days. Seriously. From the first word to putting my X on the dotted line…ten days.
So yeah, I sat there with my chin on the floor, staring at that email. I didn’t think it would be accepted. I’d sent out quite a few stories before, usually targeting agents, and generally got back good feedback, but no offers.
I don’t remember how I celebrated. :) It’s all a blur lol.

Seems like it comes when we least expect it. :) Love your story, Silke.

If there was one book--of all the books and stories you've ever read--that you could live, which one would it be?

SJ: Oh wow, that’s a hard one!
I don’t think I’d want to live any of them. It would mean I’d have to give up my real life hero, and I’m just not prepared to do that. :) I have favorite books, ‘natch. My all time favorite read is Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café. I think every woman should read this at least once.
It’s a book about being yourself, self-discovery, overcoming opposition and just…having fun.
It just really appeals to my inner rebel.
Tuwanda!

What a great answer! My instinct is to want to live the fantasy even if I do have a real life hero. :D

Some people have kids. Some people have dogs. You have a horse, which I've seen pictures of and it's gorgeous. Does this mean you'll be coming out to visit me soon in the wild, wild west?? I can find a stable for you...and horses too. And mountains... just sayin'.

SJ: You know…I want to visit every state in the US at least once. (Though a few I’ve done repeatedly already.) If I can afford it, I will most definitely come and visit you in the Wild, Wild West. :) That’s somewhere top of my list, actually. I want to stand somewhere in the prairie and just soak up the atmosphere. Mainly because I cannot imagine such a vast space. So Wyoming, Colorado and Montana are top of the top of the top places to go see. Arizona too. But I love the Deep South and the East Coast states and would happily live somewhere like North Carolina or Kentucky.
People always worry about what I might enjoy seeing. You know what? Package holidays and tourist attractions can go hang, as far as I’m concerned. One of my favorite memories is a Halloween spent trick or treating with a friend’s kids. I had a ton of fun. Or the summer where I got drafted into helping the trainee EMT’s at a friend’s fire station. I spent half the day being put in traction by hunky firemen lol… Then there was sitting in the grass behind some tiny out of the way ice cream parlor, munching totally spectacular ice cream. What can I say…? It beats any tourist attraction, any day, hands down. I want to see what you’d likely consider totally mundane and not worth seeing. Real life, real people. And quite frankly--I’ve never met anyone over there who wasn’t nice and helpful. Maybe I was just lucky, but I think Americans get a bad rep for no reason. I have yet to meet anyone who didn’t go out of their way to make my stay enjoyable, and that goes for all the states I’ve ever been to -- and that’s quite a few, over the years.
For that I’d like to say a hearty “Thank you. You guys are awesome.” :)
Ohh… Mountains tempt me. Having grown up in Germany, and spending over half my childhood skiing down some black run somewhere in the alps…yeah. It’s something I truly miss in the UK.
They have “Mountains” here, but erm…sorry. If you’re used to something like Mont Blanc (15,782ft) or the Zugspitze (9,718ft and a glacier), then Mount Snowdon (highest “Mountain” in Wales, a whopping 3,560ft) is more like a steep rocky hill to me.
I would LOVE to see the Rocky Mountains, but forgive me if I stay about 50ft away from the edge of the Grand Canyon…I have a fear of falling lol. (I’ll go right down the middle at low level in an aircraft, no problem.) Believe it or not, one of my dreams is to go East Coast to West Coast on horseback. If I could afford to, I'd get started tomorrow. (And if anyone would like to know my choice of horse: I'd take a Paso Fino and a Rocky Mountain. A Paso because I own one and just love his character, and a Rocky because I want one for much the same reason. Plus side? Both are gaited, and the most comfortable rides you could wish for--unless their name is Oscuro, and he has to get there really, really FAST.) 
I'll swing by when I do that East-West crossing, okay?


Yes! I can't wait...for you to win the lottery. :D 
Like you, I think I'll have chocolate cake, too when this countdown is over...and a nice glass of Merlot! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your stories with us. 

I can't wait until August! When you get a cover for that thing, come on by again because...love that Caedir cover! It's fantastic. :D



Count Down to June 8th with Debora Dennis



Ack! Seven Days. I said it would go fast! I just didn't realize how fast until it snuck up on me and bit me in the... *cough* uh, behind.

I'm excited though, because for a week, I'm going to celebrate my book release with my closest friends. You...and my wonderful writing friends from Passionate Critters. Years ago, when I joined PC, I met Debora Dennis. She's the mother figure in our group, always with an encouraging word or a firm reminder to do what's right.

...plus, she's from my corner of the world, and on my last visit there, I got to stop in and have coffee with her. :D And it was just like we'd  done it a dozen times before. When my husband poo-poos the idea of meeting and truly making friends online, I have proof through Deb and my friends at PC that it is possible.

Thanks for being here, Deb! I've got my virtual bakery open because in my house, a celebration doesn't go by that doesn't include Cake and Ice Cream. So, what'll you have?

DD: Ice cream cake - I'm a sucker for the Carvel cakes with those chocolate crunchies in the middle yummo!
Oh man! Do you know what i remember and love about Carvel? We'd go during the summer with my grandparents and if you ordered a cup of ice cream with sprinkles, they POURED the sprinkles on with a fairly generous hand. I love sprinkles!


My followers know that I love history. Which is the reason why I can't wait to get a hold of your new book, A Pirate in Her Dreams. What do you love that drew you towards writing a story about pirates?

DD: History has always been something I loved, it was always my favorite subject in school. But, true to my eclectic style, I can't say that there is any one particular time in history I love the most. When a hero pops into my mind, he usually shows up dressed in period clothing and I hear accents in my head - that's when I know where I'm taking my readers next. My next hero happens to be a pirate and it's truly been a fun adventure.



Your most recent book is your first Indie Published book. Of your four books, which was the most fun to create?

DD:Whatever I'm currently working on is always fun, because I'm going to someplace new (in case you're wondering, I am known in my house for not paying any attention to my GPS and making turns to the unknown. There's just something special about finding some place new!) Indie Publishing give me the opportunity to take my readers to new times and places, and I love that.

Which Hero/Heroine pair is your favorite? [Mine is still Fistful of Fate's William and Rebecca!] I love their story, a true ghost tale. You captured my attention with that one, Deb.

DD: William and Rebecca from A Fistful of Fate will always have a special place in my heart, probably because they were truly my first couple. Their bond across two hundred years still resonates with me, I'm so thrilled to hear that they touched you too, Bethanne!

When you made that first sale, how did you celebrate? 

DD: My husband brought me home flowers and a chocolate mousse cake (and I think I ate most of it myself!)
That does sound good, though...

If there was one book--of all the books and stories you've ever read--that you could live, which one would it be?

DD: Something Wonderful by Judith McNaught. Alexandra Lawrence is just an average country girl and when she first meets her hero, the Duke of Hawthorne, she has no idea who he is, only that he's a man being robbed at gunpoint by highway thieves - she rushed to his rescue dressed in armor astride her twenty year old horse. She's a heroine with moxy and I was instantly drawn to her. 

Tell me about your next project? Will you continue on with Indie Publishing?

DD: When my pirate story is done, my next project will take me to the old west! Right now I plan to write my adventures in whatever time period calls to me. I will continue to explore all my publishing options with each and every book.

Oh yes! I love that you feature stories from all different eras. I've read a few good westerns, too! :)

Thank you  for being here, Deb. I wouldn't have gotten this far without your help and the help I've received from all the gals at PC.

DD: Thanks Bethanne, for giving me the opportunity to join in the thrilling ride of celebrating your first release!


Deb is offering a copy of her book, A Knight in her Arms to one lucky commenter. :D It's a good one! A time travel, too.

Excerpt:

Hannah Falcon loves her job cataloging medieval artifacts and setting up the displays at the Natural History Museum in New York City. What she doesn’t love is her friends insisting she date more. When a man dressed as a medieval knight shows up in the museum, Hannah mistakes him for her friend’s latest attempt at a blind date.


Sir Gavin of Rogueforth is a battle-hardened twelfth century knight who expects nothing more from life than to live and die by his sword. Sent through time to protect a woman named Hannah and claim her as his own, he expects a reward. He doesn’t expect a woman who refuses to be protected.


Can one passionate night, ten days before Christmas, convince a twenty-first century woman to follow her heart and show a medieval knight there's more to life than being a protector?





Romancing an Era

I read something a few weeks ago.


I hear this from the critics of romance. And it makes me a little nervous about writing in certain genres. One, my time travel to WW2 and two, my contemporary military romance. I've heard people say it's too soon after WW2 to romanticize the events. If that's true, I'm in big trouble! 

There's always two sides to the story. Even today. When so many men are leaving their homes and some of those men are not returning, can we write the happy stories without feeling bad for the people living the unhappy ones, feeling as if we're betraying their sacrifice? That's what I wonder. Wanting to appeal to a certain audience is very different than actually appealing to them. Something tells me that the people who read military romance are not the people living military romance. I'm my own example! You ever hear of that show, Army Wives? I can't watch it.

Way. Too. Much. Drama.

On the other hand, I know Army wives who watch it...

So, maybe it's a crap shoot after all.

Captain Woolridge was right. War. It is what it is. But war is part of a bigger picture. Sometimes, life can be put into a different perspective. One a tad more hopeful. The end of WW2 is more than 60 years ago. Keeping the memory alive isn't about battles and dates and strategy, at least, not to a romantic. It's about the people and telling stories--partials, truths, even lies. That way we remember WHY we fought.

Guess that means I'll just have to put my stories down after all, even if they make people roll their eyes.

Me and Self Publishing?!

Despite the naysayers and the wary warners, at the end of last year, I decided that I was going to publish something this year, even if that meant self-publishing. I'd done my research, but the venture still seemed daunting... [thanks to Starving Author for the word choice!] The hardest part...promotion and marketing. How to get a book out to reviewers? to book websites? to READERS?

[understatement of the year alert] Without readers, my book won't sell.

This issue, even now, makes a publisher ideal. Even the smaller presses have connections it would take me twice as long to make only because I'd have to do the research first. It's hard to write and promo/market at the same time. I've watched authors do this and I've seen them get dragged down by the process.

Really, we all just want to write.

For eight years, I've been writing. Now, I have several manuscripts. Yes, I'll keep writing, but I don't mind the thought of slowing down in order to put my work out there.

What did I do first?

I picked a manuscript and hired an editor. Why this manuscript?

Because it was different than most of my other work, a contemporary romance when I'd been writing romantic suspense for years. It had been through my crit group and a few beta readers already. I was happy with this story and had gotten some decent, positive feedback already.

Why hire an editor?

Because the biggest complaint about self published work is crappy writing, typos, misused words, overused words, incorrect grammar/punctuation... Overall, stuff that should be easily found by an editor or critique group. I picked someone I knew of, but wasn't friends with. I checked her reviews and feedback. I sent her a five page sample so I could see her work. All my dealings with her at this point had been professional, business-like. Her price wasn't the cheapest, but I found it to be reasonable and within my budget. That's when I hired Rhonda Helms. I don't mind putting a shout out to Rhonda. She did a great job on line edits... on my next manuscript, I'll put her through her paces for content edits.

What next? [besides revisions]

Where to publish. This might seem inane, but there are several means of self-publishing out there--not to mention digital vs hard copy. There's direct, going straight to the book seller, like Barnes and Noble [Pub it] or Amazon [Kindle]. Or through third party distributors, like Smashwords. Smashwords will take your [formatted]ms and distribute it to a number of book sellers, including BN and Amazon. Tempting as that is, you have to be sure you're willing to hold out on the money end. Word is that there is some delay in seeing your proceeds. I imagine this would be true for most third party distributors.

Me?

I decided a good while ago that digital was the only answer anymore. With all the technology out there, people want digital--unless they don't, and in those cases, I find they are living with their heads in the sand. All that aside, I love to hold a book, too! But I like my ereader for practical reasons... Now, there is my grandmother, and I might concede a POD [print on demand] publishing strategy [like Createspace or Lulu] so I can get a book in her hands. But that, I still have to look into. :) I also think that if formatting is my job anyway, I might as well publish directly through the big two [BN and A]. And upload to Smashwords for the more obscure sellers. Maybe I'm crazy!! If you've done this before, let me know your thoughts. I'm interested.

Apparently, I've done some thinking in the past several months.
Now that I know what direction I'm taking, next blog post I'll touch on the actual book. After that, perhaps my thoughts on promotion??? Am I boring you yet?! Let me know if you have any questions...

And have a great week!
With Love,
Bethanne