Friday, June 28, 2013

A Few Lines From . . .Pat Dale

A Few Lines From....Magic of the Chimes by Pat Dale

What is it with this guy and my chest?

His focus remained at that point when she set the food before him, random thoughts flitting through her mind.
“Here’s your breakfast, Mr. Williams. Howie. I hope everything is done to your satisfaction.” She knew instantly her choice of words was wrong again when he leered up at her.

“Oh, yes. Very much so.” Returning his focus to her chest, he added, “Full and firm, and very nicely formed.” He grinned and winked.

That did it. She’d begun to pour more coffee into his cup when her arm slipped. The hot brown liquid scored a bulls-eye in his lap.



 
http://bookswelove.net/dale.php

Please stop back next week for a few lines from Shirley Martin
.

Monday, June 24, 2013

A Date with a Vampire



 
by Shirley Martin
 
    Suppose you meet a vampire at a party, and you know he's one of the undead.  Now suppose he asks you for a date. Would you say (1) I never date vampires, (2) Let me think about it, or (3) Your place or mine?
    Within the last few decades, vampires have been portrayed as real sex symbols, handsome and debonair. But it wasn't always so. Centuries ago, people actually believed in vampires, creatures shown to be ugly and desiccated. In eastern Europe, especially, people dug up graves of anyone suspected of being one of the undead and drove a stake through the heart or burned the corpse. 
    All of that changed with the publication of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" in 1897. Now the vampire was portrayed as being more, well, human. At the time of its publication, "Dracula' didn't garner the fame that later years brought to the novel. Yet Stoker's novel set the standard for vampires that would last for years.
    With Anne Rice's publication of "Interview with a Vampire" the bloodsucker underwent yet another incarnation, this time as a troubled, introspective hero.  And since then, we have seen an absolute plethora of novels and movies centered around the undead. Now, we see the vampire as a sexy, romantic hero, one any woman would die for.
    In my contemporary vampire romance, "One More Tomorrow" my heroine, Stephanie (Stevie) doesn't at first realize that the man she has fallen in love with is a vampire. Imagine her shock when she finds out what he is and that he's over one-thousand years old. 
    Here is a truncated version of Stevie's reaction when she discovers that Galan, the man she loves, is a vampire.. . .
    Galan sat down on the bed next to her, but she slid away. "If only you knew how I wanted to tell you, how it hurt not to reveal what I truly am."
    "Yeah, I'll just bet that broke your heart."
    "Dearest, you are breaking my heart now."
    "You don't  have a heart."
    He nodded, pain and misery on his face. "My heart is not like yours. But this much I tell you, and I beg you to believe me. I never sought my vampirism. It was forced on my whilst I lay drugged and unconscious."
    "And you expect me to believe that?"
    "No matter, it's the truth." 
    She had to be by herself. It was all too much to take. If what he said was true--and she had to take him at his word--what a horrible burden to bear until the end of time.
    She raised a finger to catch a tear sliding down her cheek. "You'd better go now, leave me alone. And I think--" Her voice caught. "--and I think it would be best if we stopped seeing each other." 
    "You need time to get used to the idea. I'll call you later this week."
    "No!  You don't understand. This is 'goodby'.  I don't want to see you again."  
 
 
 

   Destined to live only in darkness Galan must defeat the evil Moloch to win the love of the mortal woman, Stephanie.
 
"--an enchanting book with the charm of a fairy tale and an ending that's pure gold."  Alma at Fallen Angel Reviews.



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006WSJZLO

Friday, June 21, 2013

Eclectic writer: Friday's How She Does It with Ginger Simpson

Eclectic writer: Friday's How She Does It with Ginger Simpson

A Few Lines From. . . Sheila Claydon

Kissing Maggie Silver by Sheila Claydon

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean that to happen.”

Her face was flushed, her lips still slightly parted as she looked up at him. “I know you didn’t,” she said, her voice and her gaze steady. “I know you are going away again Ruairi, and I know there won’t be a place for me in your life when you do but…but can’t we pretend it’s not like that, just for today.”

At a complete loss for words, he stared down at her. She was keeping whatever was going on inside her head to herself. All he could see reflected in her wide grey eyes were his own feelings of desire and frustration. It brought him to his senses and, his heart heavy, he shook his head.

“You know it doesn’t work like that Maggie. If we take today, then we’ll want tomorrow too, and the day after that.”

“And would that really be so terrible,” she whispered, her face pale now, her body rigid in the circle of his arms.

"Yes, because then I'd break your heart."

The buying link is: http://amzn.to/10hfmBq

Next week it's a few lines from…Pat Dale
 
 
 

Friday, June 14, 2013

A Few Lines From. . . A.M. Westerling

A Few Lines From "A Knight For Love" by A.M.Westerling


“I am Warin de Taillur,” he said simply. He gestured with his chin to the fresh mound and crudely fashioned cross. “Your traveling companion is now in a better place.” 

Alyna nodded, mute in her misery, the words slowly penetrating her mind. Traveling companion. David. She blinked hard, once, twice, against the tears, forcing them back. She had no time to cry anymore.

She sucked in a huge, ragged breath. How rude the man must find her. 

First she had hailed him, now sorrow over David’s death held her tongue. In truth, she hadn’t expected the knight to stop but he had. She opened her mouth to thank him and lifted her gaze enough to finally look him full in the face. 

And froze, mouth yet gaping. 

He radiated power. It emanated from his every pore, permeating the area around him with a tangible force she could almost reach out and touch. 

http://www.amazon.com/A-Knight-for-Love-ebook/dp/B00C8HC146/

Do stop by on June 21 for A Few Lines from Sheila Claydon! :)

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Author Resources

By Michelle Lee
BWL Art Director

Came across a couple of good posts (in my opinion anyways) that might be helpful for authors out there.

I have already shared these with the BWL authors, but I wanted to make sure BWL readers (who are also authors) get the info too.

First up are two about the dreaded book description. : )

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/11/16/how-to-write-back-blurb-for-your-book/

http://catherineryanhoward.com/2012/10/05/the-11-ingredients-of-a-sizzling-book-\description/

If you are looking to do a print run of your elf-published releases, or of a release with a strictly electronic publisher, then this post about CreateSpace might be helpful to you.

Or not ... ; )

Mileage can and does vary. LOL

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2013/03/12/tips-self-publishing-createspace/

A while back, I posted on the Inside Books We Love blog my Top 5 website suggestions.  If you haven’t read it, you can check it out here:  http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2012/03/website-suggestion-top-5.html

One of the posts I found is a really good bit of information about Author Websites, and whether an author's website is hurting their sales.

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2012/01/06/is-your-website-hurting-your-writing/

Might be interesting reading. And for those of you who are reading it and
thinking, I can't do anything fancy, it isn't saying that. Just that it fits
your writings, and that it is, well, professional looking.

For example, Jamie Hill has a simple website (http://www.jamiehill.biz/) but it FITS her writings.

Victoria Chatham is another BWL author who has a simple, yet elegant website.   http://victoriachathamauthor.com/

So it isn't anything that requires a lot of money and time.

BWL author Janet Lane Walters shared this link on her blog, and I thought some others might also find it interesting. I know I did.

Evidently there is something called a LOGLINE that we should also have for books. I've only ever been using a TAGLINE.

http://rwasd.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/loglines-and-taglines-are-different-and-yo\u-need-both-for-your-novel-by-r-ann-siracusa/

Hope you find it informative.

Another post I did was on some Bio suggestions.  I hope I have provided some tricks and tips that you will find useful.

http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2013/05/whats-in-biography.html

Friday, June 7, 2013

A Few Lines From. . . Jamie Hill


This week enjoy a few lines from Books We Love author Jamie Hill’s novel, Family Honor. 

 
He pulled a bigger knife from his pocket. “I know you’re gonna be whoever I want you to be. I’m gonna call you ‘Mama’, and you’ll call me ‘Dickie’. If you don’t like it, our little game will end a lot sooner. It’ll be disappointing for me, but I can live with it.” He smiled. “Not sure you can.”


Family Honor by Jamie Hill
Available here:
 
Find Jamie’s other titles here:
 
Come back next week for A Few Lines from BWL author A.M. Westerling.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Rita Karnopp delivers with her Tango of Death Series

I'm not just an author, I'm an avid reader, and although issues with my vision have slowed me down in both departments, when I find an author I love and discover that reading that person's work helps me to enhance my own novels, I can't pass up that opportunity.  Besides, I love to be entertained and this particular author has never disappointed me..

Don't be surprised that Rita Karnopp is that person, and one of the main reasons I asked her to join me on my blog (Dishin' it Out).  She knows the importance of historical research, and even though we are fictional authors, one thing we both know is that facts pertinent to the era and people about which we write is vastly important and frequently scrutinized by historical buffs.  Besides, Rita is filled with wonderful ideas both for her novels and her blogs.  If I wasn't already a senior citizen, I'd want to be her when I grow up, but that doesn't mean I can't still admire her talent and aspire to reach the heights I feel she has.





I hated the realism shown through the persecution of a young Gypsy girl and her family, learning through a well-researched novel, that the Jewish people were far from the only ones who suffered at the hands of Hitler.  What I abhor the most is we still have these types of  people, but we call them bullies, politicians or terrorists.  Will history repeat itself?  I certainly hope not, but it's true there are those out there who hate us for our differences. This book is an eye-opener.





While I hated the subject matter of Gypsy Spirit, I have to salute my favorite author for taking on such a difficult topic and putting history into perspective through her story, research, and ability to create characters who grab your heart and work their way into your soul.  Kudos again to Rita Karnopp for delivering another winner.

After Gypsy Spirit, be sure to read Book #2, Partisan Heart, and then Book #3, Jewish Soul, of the Tango of Death Series . . . you won't be disappointed you did.  Ginger Simpson



Friday, May 31, 2013

A Few Lines From. . . Jude Pittman

A Few Lines From Deadly Consequences by Jude Pittman:

A shot rang out from the direction of the stables. Kelly leapt out of his chair, grabbed the gun out of his jacket pocket and slapped the screen door open.

“What the damn hell?” He yelled as he raced towards the brood barn, where Jake, alerted by the gunshot, stood in front of the closed doors barking like a beast gone rabid.

“Easy boy,” Kelly said, approaching the door with his weapon drawn. “Gilly, you okay in there?” Kelly reached the door and pulled the handle. It held fast. Someone had apparently locked it from inside.

“Gillian?” Kelly called in a voice laced with fear and Jake once again started his frantic barking.

“Okay. Stand down.” Kelly spoke to the dog, then placed his ear against the door and listened.

From inside came the sounds of sobbing.

“Gillian.” Kelly yelled again. “For God’s sake, open the door.”


Stop back next week for a few lines from Jamie Hill.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

On the Casting Couch with Maggie Silver



I'm sitting on the Casting Couch myself this week to talk about my latest book, Kissing Maggie Silver and what prompted me to write it.

What prompts any writer? It can be a photo, an overheard conversation, a personal experience, a snippet of news, a throwaway remark by a friend...the list is endless.  In the case of Maggie Silver it was two things.  The first was a visit to a nature reserve in New Zealand, a place where seals, penguins and sea birds are allowed to breed and feed naturally without any interference from the rangers who protect them. The peace and the wild  beauty of the place is magical and especially memorable is a spectacular beach of pale sand that belongs to the tiny blue penguins that live there. No human had walked on it for many years. Instead the penguins and visiting seals  are viewed from camouflaged hides that are built into the surrounding cliffs.

The second inspiration was a photograph of a lovely red-haired model whose clear gray eyes seemed to be full of wistful  longing. I couldn't get her face out of my head and thus, Maggie Silver was born.

Once I'd found Maggie Silver I knew she would visit that beautiful beach in New Zealand one day; the problem  was how to get her there. I knew it was so far from her own life experience that she had a long way to go...much further than the geographical distance she would have to travel...to reach it. As soon as I understood that, then her whole personality clicked into place.She was the youngest of a large family, the only girl, used to being teased and treated as little more than a child. She was also kind, helpful, sparky and full of life. Deep down, however, she was still immature and lacking in confidence. I also knew she was someone who was actually more comfortable with her own company than she realised.

Ruairi was far more difficult.  I knew he was the person who would open up the world for her, but how? His face came to me long before I knew he was a wildlife photographer and there were no prompts. He just appeared, fully formed, in my imagination, the absolute counterweight to Maggie. After that it was only a matter of time before his tan skin, his size and strength and his casual confidence turned him into a world traveller, someone who could quickly be at home wherever he was.

After that it was easy because I already knew that Maggie had fallen in love with him when she was far too young to know what her feelings meant. I knew, too, that she had always had a special place in Ruairi's heart, so all I needed to do was to find a way for them to meet up again, and with Maggie's large and ever present family ruling her life, it wasn't difficult. What was difficult was finding a way for them to be alone.

Then there were the small glitches in their personalities that I had to overcome; Maggie's temper and her tendency to feel sorry for herself, and Ruairi's obstinacy. Maggie had to grow up and Ruairi had to learn that sometimes he was wrong. Fortunately they had good people on their side, people who wanted the best for them because they loved them, and because they knew, even if Ruairi and Maggie didn't, that they were absolutely right for one another.

To find out what happened and how they  got there go to http://amzn.to/10hfmBq or http://bookswelove.net/claydon.php. When you do you will understand how much I enjoyed writing about them.

And finally, who would I most like to meet? It's the question I ask all the authors who sit on the Casting Couch so I can't avoid it myself. In this instance it would be Ruairi. Maggie I already know intimately because I lived with her through every emotion and I suffered her frustration with Ruairi when he walked away. Ruairi is another matter entirely.  He has been to so many places in the world and seen so many things that he would be the ideal dinner companion, and the fact that he is easy on the eye would just be another bonus.

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