Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Welcome author A.R. Von


COMING 2015


BLURB

Caedmon, is a sexy dragon shifter who has never known love, has never even craved it…until now. It’s been years since his last mission helping his friends Dezso and Iria. Witnessing their bond, their love for one another. Now he’s had the strange desire for a mate, a companion. Someone to…love for too long.

Mia Silver has worked hard for years to be where she is right now. She’s worked even harder keeping her secret. Most of her tireless work has paid off. All has been smooth sailing and hopefully, it will remain that way for the rest of her years. She can’t help but to think that her current situation might possibly be the calm before the proverbial storm. She knows something is coming. Just not what it is…

Two very different beings that both have an unfathomable focus, hearts of gold and deep desires have been brought together by the hands of fate. Will their choices be the right ones? Who provides wisdom to the guides?

Add to your Goodreads shelf: 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23160608-dragon-s-destiny

Find more about A.R. here: 
http://ar-von.com/


~A.R. Von~The Wunder Series

Friday, September 19, 2014

welcome author Joanne Myers

I'd like to welcome to my blog Joanne Myers. Today she is sharing her knowledge of writing mysteries with us. We also find out about her book "Murder Most Foul."  Thank you Joanne.

Writing Mystery by JoAnne Myers
 Before writing a word, take some time to jot down key story points. As you're writing, the story will want to take on a life of its own. Having a handy reference of key points will help keep your story on track and you from pulling your hair out. A list of key points is also helpful when outlining the story plot. You may very well find that the story begins to unfold as you're writing down the key points. If this happens...let it! Write down any ideas or details that come to you, they'll come in handy later.

Some key points to consider are; what is the mystery? This is the underlying theme to the entire story so be as in-depth as possible (has there been a murder or a theft or a kidnapping? If so, how and where was it committed?).

Hunt for the culprit. Every good story has at least one antagonist, but what steps must the hero or heroine take to find him/her? How will the villain evade the hero? How is the mystery solved? In mystery writing there are a lot of twists and turns. Write down your initial thoughts for plot twists, red herrings to throw the readers off the trail of the true villain, and of course the final stages of how the good guy will prevail...or does he? You need to decide whether or not the hero or the villain wins in the end. Many hero’s die trying to solve their case. Many are involved in physical altercations with other characters. You must decide how many altercations, the number of characters involved, and what weapons if any are used. It is not a good idea to only engage your characters with fist fighting. Throw in some knives, chains, falling from windows, or my favorite, a poisoning, and other nasty assaults.

Every great story has well rounded characters. We read fiction because we want to be entertained and develop a connection with the characters. Outlining items such as personality traits, physical features, and quirks can help bring your characters to life; a speech impediment, or limp, or a nervous twitch.

For the Protagonist, decide the name, age, where does he/she live, does he/she have a family or pets, what is their driving goal for taking on this particular case? Is the hero a police officer, a person sworn to honesty, pride, and valor. Or is the good guy a private detective being paid to find a certain someone. Or your main character could be a parent or sibling searching for a missing loved one.

For the Antagonist, decide the name, age, where does he/she live, is there an underlying reason for being the antagonist? Perhaps this person is a career criminal. On the other hand, maybe he/she is a good person that suffered an unjust and turned to crime out of bitterness and despair. Then you have your support characters, who are the color of the story. They provide depth to the story whether good or bad. A support character could be as simple as a loud mouth hot dog vendor standing on a street corner or as in-depth as the villain's partner in crime. In writing a mystery story, support characters can take on a life of their own with the reader, so make them interesting. Just because they are labeled support characters does not mean they are any less important than the main characters.

Next is the location of the story. When and where is the story set? These two key elements are what bring your story to life. Mystery story writing is a broad genre and could be set in any time period and in any place. When working with actual locations it is a good idea to do research on the location first. Readers want to feel as though they are there with the characters, so being able to accurately describe a location is vital. Time periods are no exception. If the story is set in 1940's New Orleans, the reader will want to see their surroundings, not just be told the story is taking place in a speakeasy or church. Be descriptive!

 A mystery story is not a story without a solid well thought out plot. Some things to consider when developing the story plot: What is the driving force of the mystery? To solve a murder, or rescue a kidnap victim? What does the villain do to thwart the hero? Does the villain get his goons on the hero? Is the hero being set up by the villain and now he is being hunted by police. What other obstacles get in the way of solving the mystery?

 One of the most important elements of writing a mystery story is suspense. Giving away too much too soon will bore the reader. It is best if the suspense is sprinkled throughout the story; bring the mystery to light within the first few chapters, then as the story progresses add a clue here and there without revealing the outcome until the final chapter. Do not be afraid to add a "red herring" or false clue, within the stories context. Readers love nothing better than to think they have everything figured out only to find in the end they were mistaken the entire time. The final few chapters of the story should hold the climax of the conflict and resolution between the hero and villain, including how all of the clues scattered throughout the story cumulatively solves the mystery. A good conclusion gives the reader a sense of closure in finding out how the hero solved the mystery. Remember that not all mysteries have to be completely solved or have a "happy" ending. If you are writing a series of stories, the villain may get away at the end of story #1 with the hero using clues from story #1 to track down the villain in story #2. In mystery story writing, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.


 Blurb for “Murder Most Foul” a detective/mystery

When two dismembered torsos wash up on the banks of the local river in the small industrial town of Pleasant Valley, residents are horrified. Between contradicting statements, police ineptitude, lust, lies, manipulation, incest, the motorcycle gang The Devil’s Disciples, crooked cops, and a botched crime scene, everyone becomes a suspect. The young beautiful Jackie Reeves, a registered nurse, believes the killer is a man from her past. She contacts the dangerously handsome FBI Agent Walker Harmon. An arrest is made, but Harmon and Jackie believe an innocent man is being railroaded by local cops. How far will these lover’s go to solve this heinous crime before anymore killings. Determined to find the truth, Agent Harmon and Jackie are forced to run a gauntlet of deep trouble and turmoil, which marks them for death.



Author Bio: JoAnne has been a long-time resident of southeastern Ohio, and worked in the blue-collar industry most of her life. Besides having seven novels under her belt, JoAnne canvas paints. When not busy with hobbies or working outside the home, JoAnne spends time with relatives, her dog Jasmine, and volunteers her time within the community. JoAnne is a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, Savvy Authors, Coffee Time Romance, Paranormal Romance Guild, True Romance Studios, National Writers Association, the Hocking Hill's Arts and Craftsmen Association, The Hocking County Historical Society and Museum, and the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center. JoAnne believes in family values and following your dreams. Her original canvas paintings, can be found at: http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com/

Buy Links: Available in EPub, HTML, PDF. http://www.melange-books.com/authors/joannemyers/MMF.html

For Paperback:  http://www.lulu.com/shop/joanne-myers/murder-most-foul/paperback/product-21183493.html Other books by JoAnne: "WICKED INTENTIONS" a paranormal/mystery anthology "LOVES', MYTHS' AND MONSTERS'," a fantasy anthology "THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY," a biography true-crime “POEMS ABOUT LIFE, LOVE, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN” "TWISTED LOVE," a true-crime anthology Other books soon available: “FLAGITIOUS,” a detective/mystery anthology available in September

Contact JoAnne: http://www.facebook.com/joanne.myers.92

http://facebook.com/authorpage.joannemyers

 http://amazon.com/author/joannemyers

 Email: authorjoannemyers@yahoo.com

Respectfully Yours,

JoAnne Myers-Author of Murder Most Foul, Wicked Intentions, Twisted Love, Loves, Myths, and Monsters, The Crime of the Century, and Poems About Life, Love, and Everything in Between.

Website: Books and Paintings by JoAnne http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com

Blog: http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com/page2

Sunday, September 7, 2014

welcome guest author Jean Roberta

I'd like to welcome author Jean Roberta to my blog.

1. How long have you been writing?

Most of my life! I was thrilled to win a major award for a short story I entered in the Canada Permanent Trust Student Writing contest in my last year of high school, many years ago. (There were nine winners from different provinces. One of them was chosen as the national winner.) After I graduated, I applied for a typing job with the company that had sponsored the contest, and got turned down. My five minutes of fame hadn’t launched me into a career of any kind, so I went to university instead.

In 1988, I had a book of lesbian stories published by a one-woman publisher, and I attended the Third International Feminist Book Fair in Montreal, partly to flog my book. There I saw a call-for-submissions for lesbian erotica. How edgy was that! I wrote three stories, feeling very daring, sent them in, and got a letter in the mail saying that all three were accepted! Soon afterward, the small press that had posted the call went bust, so my stories gathered dust for a few years.

In 1998, my sweetie and I acquired our first computer, and I joined the Erotic Readers Association, which put me in touch with a writing community and up-to-date calls-for-submissions. About a year after I began sending out stories and getting no response, one of them was accepted for Best Lesbian Erotica, then I had four stories in two Black Lace anthologies. I was finally launched as a writer with a steady stream of publications.

2. What is your favorite genre to write?

Fiction that focuses on desire, whether it is sexually explicit or not. Desire is the emotion that moves plots forward.

3. What are you working on now?

Several stories to submit for anthologies. I also have regular blog posts to write. I post something on the 26 th of every month here: www.erotica-readers.blogspot.com and every other Friday here: www.ohgetagrip.blogspot.com I also have a bigger project in mind: a book about erotica, feminism and censorship in Canada in the 1980s and 1990s, focusing on my own experiences. The local university press is interested, and I have a collection of contemporary articles (by me and by other people) to draw on.

4. When you begin a story, do you start with character or plot?

When I write for myself, I usually start with a character: someone I have met in a dream, or who haunts my mind in some way. When I write in response to a call-for-submissions, the theme usually suggests a plot, and then the characters follow.

 Tell us about your latest/upcoming release.



5.

 What inspired it? My latest story is “Shelter,” and it appears in Forbidden Fruit: unwise stories of lesbian desire, which was launched on September 6, 2014.


Here is the opening scene:

“I didn’t intend to open my door for anyone at 1:00 a.m., but I couldn’t resist looking through the peep-hole to see who was there.

Cheekbones, long nose, full lips, short dark hair, direct gaze, evil grin. Unmistakably Renee Sharp.”

Anna, the narrator, is a fairly naïve young woman from a middle-class family who first met Renee, the “bad girl,” in elementary school. As a neglected ten-year-old foster child, Renee seemed to embody the phrase “at-risk.” She followed a predictable path by dropping out of high school and entering a life of crime while Anna was keeping up her grades, then attending university. Anna and Renee are both attracted to each other, but by the time they meet again as adults, there is an almost unbridgeable culture gap between them. This story was inspired by my experiences with people who are different from me in various ways. Even when there are some good intentions on both sides, mutual acceptance doesn’t always seem possible.

Forbidden Fruit is available directly from the publisher:  or from ladylit

ladylit publishing


Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Fruit-stories-unwise-lesbian-ebook/dp/B00N55URLO/.

Bio: Jean Roberta teaches English in a Canadian university and writes in several genres. Over one hundred of her stories (mostly erotic) have appeared in print anthologies. Recent publications include The Flight of the Black Swan: A Bawdy Novella (soon to be launched as an audiobook) and The Princess and the Outlaw: Tales of the Torrid Past (both from Lethe Press). More here: www.JeanRoberta.com.