Author Spotlight! Meet Jennifer Snow!

Today I'm celebrating the release of Jennifer Snow's newest book, The Trouble with Mistletoe!

Such an adorable cover!!!

Jennifer sat down to answer some questions! I love getting to know authors!!

1: I see you write contemporary romance. Can I ask why? What do you love about it?

I love sweet contemporary romance because of the challenge of creating an emotionally impactful story without the steamy love scenes or the extra intriguing elements such as vampires. Just the love story of two people with ordinary problems told in a unique way.

Awesome! Love it!

2: You’ve written a few holiday themed books. I’ve always thought of writing one, but just haven’t yet. What draws you to that? 

I think Christmas is the most romantic time of year, so for me it’s the perfect setting for a novel. The themes of forgiveness and second chances and new love just seem so much more magical when set with a holiday backdrop.

Christmas is such a magical time! The perfect setting for this type of story!

3: Tell me a little of what inspired The Trouble with Mistletoe.

The Trouble With Mistletoe is a story about getting a second chance at love and I think there are many people who remember their first love…and perhaps some who wouldn’t mind another shot at it, so this story came from a ‘what if…’ moment.

Ah…the memories of a first love :)

4: I love a return home story, especially set in a small town. Do you prefer writing small town or big city settings? Why? 

I love both-I have a few stories set in New York and a new WIP set in Hollywood…but there’s something special about small towns-the sense of community that appeals to most readers. Small towns-for me-are more challenging to write as I try to make each scene exciting to read…so coming up with unique things for my characters to do instead of filling 380 pages with ‘kitchen scenes’ can be hard lolJ

I love writing both too :) I was just in Hollywood and decided I definitely have to write a book set there some day soon!

5: Doing anything fun to celebrate the release of The Trouble with Mistletoe?

YES! I am holding a murder mystery/cocktail party for my family and friends. The premise of the mystery is a book launch party where the author’s agent is murdered (sorry Stephany Evans lol) so it fit the celebration perfectly and it should be a lot of fun.

Ooooh! That sounds really fun!!!!

6: I love to learn about authors and what they do beside writing. What are your hobbies? 

I do some freelance contract work for several magazines as well as writing and then raising my three year old keeps me busy-he is my hobby lolJ

Ha! The kids definitely keep us busy!!

7: And how about some favorites! Feel free to explain!

-       Drink- Coffee-8-10 cups a day (I wish I was exaggerating.)

-       Appetizer- Chicken fingers

-       Band- I like a lot of solo country artists, but my favorite band would be Pearl Jam.

-       Song- Changes all the time, but currently it is Beat of the Music by Brett Elridge

-       TV show- Beauty and the Geek or Faceoff

-       Movie- While You Were Sleeping-nineties Sandra Bullock Christmas romance.

-       Vacation spot- Las Vegas-I try to go once a year for the shows and the exciting night life atmosphere.

Cool! I just visited Vegas for the first time this past summer! Very fun! And I'm all about 90's movies!!         

Thanks so much for being here Jennifer!!

Visit Jennifer's website for info on all her books! Click here!! And visit her on Facebook and Twitter! 

Check out an excerpt from Jennifer's new book!

The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jennifer Snow

            Victoria’s gaze fell to his left hand. No wedding band. Her relief both irritated and confused her.

            “Well, we’re not actually interested in owning this store,” she explained. “My company’s client ran into complications obtaining a permit to build one of their own, with Legend’s still doing business nearby.”

            “Well, I guess they’re out of luck. I just bought the place and I plan on keeping it.” Luke collected the discarded packing paper from the new stock boxes. He crumpled the sheets and tossed them into a wastebasket near the counter.

She narrowed her eyes. “I’m surprised you’re interested in owning a run-down sporting goods store.” The Luke she used to know would rather remodel the old-fashioned buildings in the downtown core, not own a retail store in one of them. He’d always had a talent for designing and building things. When they were kids, his derby cars were always the best in the race and she remembered the lemonade stand he’d made for her from the wood left over from building his sister’s treehouse.

            “We haven’t spoken in a long time. Maybe I’m not the same guy you remember.” Pulling a Swiss Army knife out of his jeans, he tore into the remaining cardboard boxes, breaking them down.

Victoria had noticed the changes in him, despite her best efforts. Time had been good to him. He was bigger now, muscular and slightly wider around the waist. No longer the physique of a struggling, young, architectural student. His face showed signs of maturity, but the fine lines around his mouth and eyes only enhanced his looks.

Luke straightened and his gaze met hers. “Besides, this store has a history in the community. That means something to most of us.”

            Of course. Luke had worked in the store every summer when they were teenagers. His interest in preserving it made sense. “Okay, well I guess we should get to work.” She faked a smile, forcing her professionalism. She didn’t need or want any more time to get to know this man over again. What she wanted was for him to sign her contract so she could get out of Brookhollow. “I’ll have an offer by Wednesday, but we should go over the preliminary paperwork as soon as possible.” She scanned the store for a place to lay out her documents. “The major chain store interested in purchasing Legend’s…”

Luke turned off the lights and unplugged the strand of multicolored Christmas lights draped across the window. Only the glow from the pole lamp outside illuminated them.

 “Do you prefer we do this in the dark?” she asked sarcastically.

He slipped his coat on and wrapped his scarf around his neck. “I have dinner plans.” He stood next to the door.

The familiar scent of his musky cologne made her pulse race. She suddenly remembered the nights she’d fallen asleep in his T-shirt, when he’d been away at college. “Tomorrow, then.” She stepped out into the frigid air. “I’ll come by in the morning,” she said through the icy burst of wind and snow. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a silver monogrammed cardholder.  She popped it open with her freshly manicured fingernails and slid one of her cards free. Her hand shook as she handed it to Luke.

“Your card?” he asked.

 “It has my cell number on it.” Victoria’s teeth chattered.

“Victoria, this is Brookhollow.” He laughed. “I could stand in the center and call to you, and wherever you are, you’d hear me.”

The rich, deep sound of his laughter caught her off guard. Not at all the boyish laugh she remembered.

“What?” He asked, giving her a puzzled look.

Her cheeks heated and she looked away. “Anyway, let’s not test that theory. Use the cell number.”

Learn from the best!

In my opinion, one can never ever know all there is to know about any topic. But there will always be someone who knows more, or knows something different. There is always learning to be done. Things constantly change and evolve and no one can ever be all-knowing about anything.

And this is a great thing :)

When I started writing, just like starting anything else, I knew very little. I did what I could on my own, what my instincts told me, and then went to my number one resource for learning anything and everything these days: the internet! I learned a lot and soaked it up. But there was a lot of conflicting info out there. And that's bound to happen with anything. But then I started meeting people....other writers in the same boat as I was. We learned together, shared information, figured some things out together. We took the resources available to us from reliable sources who'd been where we were and were nice enough to share what they'd learned.

And then I came to a point where I could start helping others who were not as far along in the journey as I was. And that felt great! I knew I was no where near a point of knowing everything, but I could help. I could share what I had learned along the way. Point someone else in the direction they needed to go.

I'm in a great place these days, but I still need to learn more. I still turn to those farther along than me. I turn to the best! There are so many wonderful authors out there who seem to have it all going on. I read their books, study their methods, learn what I need to do next. Keep moving forward.

I know I'll never know everything and that's okay. But there will always be people ahead of me to learn from. I only hope they know how thankful I am they are there to guide me. And I hope to be a good role model for those not yet in the place I am :)

Desert Planet or Ice World????

That's the question of the day!! Today I have a guest post from Aubrie Dionne, talking about her new book!

Take it away, Aubrie!!

Thank you for hosting me today, Stephanie! I’ve been following your blog for some time, and I love hearing about your author journey. I also think it’s pretty cool we share the same publisher at LPI. 

I’m here to talk about Tundra 37, the second book in my New Dawn series, which released yesterday!!! Don’t worry if you haven’t read the first book. Each installment can be read separately and still make sense. So here goes my guest blog… Why I chose a frozen planet… 

For Contrast: The first book, Paradise 21, was mainly set on a desert planet. I wanted a completely different landscape for the next book, Tundra 37. 

In Homage to Hoth: 

Some inspiration came from the frozen ice planet of Hoth in Star Wars. I loved the abominable snow monster-called the Wampa, and the horned tauntauns, which Luke Skywalker and Han Solo ride across the frozen plain. I wanted to create my own ice world with its own unique inhabitants. In Tundra 37, you’ll see alien mammoths with hair that can extend and pull you into their mouths, and tentacled beasts that live in an underground ocean, covered by ice. They were immensely fun to write and provided great obstacles to torture my characters with.

Because of My Personal Experience with Cold Weather: 

Living in New Hampshire can sometimes feel like living at the North Pole. Temperatures fall below freezing from December to March, and we get Nor’easters that can dump up to ten feet of snow. I wear pants underneath a long skirt, two of more sweaters, a hat, gloves, a scarf, and knee high boots all winter long. Suffice to say: I hate being cold. I remember one day way back in high school where I almost passed out from the cold. I was playing piccolo in the marching band at the Turkey Bowl, which is always way too far into November to sit outside for several hours. First came the shivering, so bad that my teeth clacked together, then a hazy dizziness, and then numbness all over. A clarinetist kept yelling my name to keep me awake. He may have been teasing me, but he also kept me from passing out that day. People say write what you know: and in this case, I know a lot about being cold. 

My question to you: Would you rather crash land on a desert planet or an ice world?

Aubrie Dionne

Romantic Science Fiction and Fantasy
Get Swept Away to Other Worlds...
http://www.authoraubrie.com  
http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

Buy on Amazon! 
Buy on Barnes and Noble! 

Looking to connect with your fav author?? Here's how!

***Content Warning***

Today's post is for 18 and older only!

Today I have a guest post by a friend, and fellow RWA member, Cassandra Carr!!!

How to connect with your favorite writer

by Cassandra Carr

I'm often asked - "How can I talk to an author directly to tell them I love their book/I want another book in this series/I wish there had been more sex scenes?" Well, maybe not the last part, since my books are pretty hot, but you catch my drift. Here's what I tell readers:

Website. All authors should have a website. And on that website should be an area called "Contact" or "Contact Me". At the very least, an author should have an e-mail address on there, and we love to hear from readers! There might also be links to other places you can find them, like...

Facebook. Facebook is an invaluable tool for writers. Each writer should have a fan page, and possibly a profile in addition to that. Here's my advice about Facebook - "like" the fan page and don't worry about the profile. Why? Because Facebook limits the number of "friends" any one person can have. Dumb, but true. So most authors, if they become popular, have to close their profile to new people because Facebook won't let them be friends with more.

Twitter. Twitter is another invaluable resource for us writers. It's also a great place to see the every day behind-the-scenes workings of a writer. Writing is a solitary profession, so many writers "check in" through Twitter a few times a day just so we can talk to someone other than our cats. Yes, some of us are crazy cat ladies.

Goodreads. Many authors are on Goodreads. Some like it more than others. Some blog there, some don't. But if you want to see what books your favorite author is reading, possibly engage in a Q&A with them, etc, Goodreads is a good (heh) place to be.

Chats. Authors engage in chats on review sites, other authors' blogs, Facebook, and Yahoo groups. Oftentimes you can have a conversation one-on-one - or as one-on-one as you can get during a chat - with the author. Another perk? There are usually prizes!

Those are some of the most popular and prevalent ways to connect with your favorite authors. Where else do you find authors?

BIO:

Cassandra Carr is a multi-published erotic romance writer who lives in Western New York with her husband, Inspiration, and her daughter, Too Cute for Words. When not writing she enjoys watching hockey and hanging out on Twitter. Her debut novel, Talk to Me, was released by Loose Id on March 22, 2011. Head Games, Buffalo Intimidators book 1, released on November 2, 2011 from Siren Bookstrand, Caught released December 6, 2011 from Loose Id, and Impact is coming in early 2012 from Ellora's Cave. For more information about Cassandra, check out her website at http://www. booksbycassandracarr.com, "like" her Facebook fan page athttp://www.facebook.com/ AuthorCassandraCarr or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ Cassandra_Carr.

Cassandra's newest release, Caught, is the perfect read for the holiday season!

Read a sample:

 

'They’re really taking this politically correct thing too far.'
 
Stepping from the foyer into the living room, Callie spied a twinkling Christmas tree in the corner. On the mantel, a lit menorah burned, the candles flickering as the people nearby jostled for position as more and more guests crammed into the room. This was a boisterous crowd; already drinking like it was New Year’s. Advancing further into the room, she noticed the Kwanza decorations and rolled her eyes.

'Pick a holiday and go with it, people. You can’t please everyone.'

She sought out the host and hostess, old friends from her grad school days, and said hello, handing over the obligatory “Thanks for inviting me” bottle of wine. They chatted for a bit to catch up before she grabbed a cocktail and made her way toward the dining room in search of other former classmates and some food. The smells of the various delicacies wafted by, making her mouth water in anticipation. She had just gotten into town and was starving. Plopping a slice of Cheddar cheese onto a cracker, she stuffed it into her mouth and then looked up -- and everything inside her came to a screeching halt.

Jack was there.

With a beer hanging from his long, rough fingers, he leaned against the wall, casual as can be, while her world tilted on its axis. He looked so good-- still the same tall, well-muscled body, still the same olive skin, black hair, and full lips. His Italian ancestry lent him an air of exoticness, and she’d always been a sucker for that. 

 
Her stomach roiled. The cracker caught in her throat, choking her. As she began to cough and sputter, he turned to see what the commotion was, and their gazes met. Callie watched as his eyes went dark with heat and recognition. A blush rushed up her chest through her neck and into her face. With suddenly cold fingers, she touched her burning skin.

He brought his beer to his lips and took a long pull, his tongue sneaking out to catch a stray drop from his top lip. Her gaze followed the movement. His own intense gaze never left her face. Even when his companion said something to him, he merely nodded and kept the whole of his attention on her. She took a fortifying sip of her vodka and cranberry juice, then another, longer gulp, trying to dislodge the cracker from her throat. And still he stared.

And she did the same damn thing she’d done three years ago when she’d gotten scared by his demands, his power -- she ran. Cursing herself for her cowardice, she nonetheless wove her way through the crowd, setting her drink down on the nearest available surface as she rushed past. But before she made it to the front door, she felt his hand, still chilled from holding the beer bottle, curl around her overheated arm. “Long time no see. Leaving so soon, Callie?”

He pulled her around to face him, he backed her up against the wall in the foyer. With him this close, with his touch and his smell and his sheer size surrounding her, her body betrayed her, just like it always had where he was concerned. Her nipples tightened, her pussy ached, and her breath quickened. “What are you doing here?” She sighed at her own stupidity for asking something so obvious.

“These are my friends. A better question to ask is -- what are you doing here?”

“I came back to town for the holidays, and I wanted to see some of my old grad school buddies. I guess I-I didn’t think about the possibility of you being here.”

“Is me being here a problem?”

“No,” she answered too quickly.

“I miss you.”

“I miss you too.”

'Dammit! What else am I going to admit to him?'

“I still want you. I want to touch you. I need to touch you. May I?” At her silent nod, he lightly rested his hand around her throat. Not hard enough to choke, but enough to establish his dominance over her.

'Like he needs to establish that. How could I possibly forget who and what he is?'

Callie shivered. God, she wanted him. She’d never been as scared or as excited or felt as alive as she had during the year and a half she had subbed for Jack. Seeing him again made her want to get down on her knees and give him anything he wanted. If she remembered correctly, that was everything. But could he give it back to her? Before, he’d been unable or unwilling to, and when she hadn’t been able to handle loving him without reciprocation anymore, she’d left.

Her lips were parched, and she darted her tongue out to wet them. His eyes turned black as they blazed back at her. “I want you too.” And it was the truth. She wanted him, and this time, she’d have him. If she ran away again, she knew she’d regret it for the rest of her life.
 
“Are you collared?”

“No.”

“Seeing anyone?”

She turned the question around. “Are you seeing anyone?” A strange look passed over his face, but Callie couldn’t interpret it before it was gone.

“No. Answer me, Callie -- are you seeing anyone?”

“No.”

Letting out a soft growl, Jack cupped the back of her neck in his large hand and kissed her. There was nothing gentle in his kiss -- there never had been. This kiss was one of possession, of establishing even more control. He pressed in further, molding his body to hers while he continued to plunder her mouth. He didn’t force his tongue inside; he didn’t have to.

 

For more info,  go to the listing on Loose ID's website, Amazon,  or Cassandra's website!

 

Interview with Lindsay Below!!!

Today I have an awesome interview with fellow Lyrical Press author L.K. Below, aka Lindsay Below! Her newest release is out! Isn't that a sassy cover???


Hi Lindsay!!! So glad you can be here today! Your newest release, Never a Princess, Always a Frog, sounds fantastic! And super sexy! Tell us a little about it! Your inspiration??

The inspiration for this one came in a flash. I thought it would be cute and quirky for a heroine to walk into a Halloween party wearing nothing but green paint. When I started to write the story, that's when the story -- and the series -- really started to blossom. My heroine, Colleen's best friend Hannah stole the stage for me, ensuring it would continue. Her book isn't next (that's Colleen's plus-sized cousin, Amy's story -- Beauty in His Bed), but it will come soon after.

Learn more about Never a Princess, Always a Frog at http://bit.ly/NeverAPrincess. Learn more about the series as a whole at http://bit.ly/ModernFairytales.

Awesome! Don't think I'd ever be brave enough to walk into a party wearing only paint! That tells us a lot about your character right there! Love a sassy character!

I find that the longer I write, the spicier my scenes get! Have you always wanted to write erotic romance, or did it just kinda happen?

Originally, I wanted to write fantasy (and I still do). But my best friend and biggest supporter in high school read romance. So I started writing romance. And I have to say, I've fallen in love with the genre. The heat levels differ with every story. It all matches the personality and desires of the characters.

It's so easy to be swept away both reading and writing romance!

This is your second release with Lyrical Press, both in the "Shorts" category. Do you like writing this length of story?

I love it, and here's why: I'm a busy person. I often have to sacrifice reading time and don't often lose myself in reading a book for an entire day, even on the weekend. Instead, I read shorter stories. They allow for me to finish in one sitting (since I am loathe to put a book down) and give the satisfying feeling of knowing how the book ends. I look up after reading and still have time to get back to work, which I love. So I write shorter works. I have so many characters vying for my attention, that this also allows me to complete more of their tales. I still write longer books, but much more slowly. Often the idea for a short will broadside me and I'll be swept away with that for a week or two. Same as reading, I get the same journey and satisfaction in less time, which means more stories. I love to visit so many characters.

I agree! Love these short stories and being able to concentrate on only one plot and minimal characters!

Thoughts on digital publishing?

Digital publishing allows me to publish the novellas I love to write. I love having this opportunity. Not to mention, I get to read these shorter stories too! I love digital publishing even though I'm a bibliophile. If a book is in print, chances are, that's the format I'll be purchasing it in, to add to my huge and growing library. But I don't read that many full-length novels these days, so digital grants me my reading fix. :)

I agree!! Before digital publishing, there was not a home for shorter stories!

Where would you like to see your career five years from now?

Five years from now, I'd like to see myself in a position where I can afford to put out one or two books a year. Right now, I'm struggling to launch my career into that place so that later in life, when I have kids, I'll have more time to devote to them. I'd like to see all aspects of my writing flourish. Not only romance, but also fantasy (my first urban fantasy, Stalking Shade, comes out from Lyrical Press, Inc. on October 3rd) and young adult (my first young adult novel, Lurkers comes out in print and ebook later this month). I've got a lot of stories to tell. I hope to wade through a good chunk of them in five years time (as unlikely as that sounds lol). Most of all, I guess I just want my writing to be lucrative and successful. Don't we all?

Sounds a lot like my five year plan! (But I already have kids!) :)

Just for fun:

Favorite vacation spot: Newfoundland. I'd love to be adventurous, but when it comes down to it, the quiet of the country (Gros Morne Park) is what I love the most.

Favorite snack: Miss Vicky's Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar chips. I can't resist them.

Favorite movie: Changes with my mood. I love fantasy movies, when done well. The Lord of the Rings was fantastic. Just as much as the books.

Did you have a teen idol? Not particularly lol.

Thanks for having me, Stephanie!!


Thanks so much for being here! Wishing you lots of success! Can't wait t read your book!

BIO: L.K. Below writes romance and speculative fiction. Under her full name, Lindsay Below, she pens young adult novels. Visit her online at www.lbelow.net or on her blog at http://lbelow.blogspot.com.

Romance Author Sandra Sookoo!

Today I have the fabulous Sandra Sookoo on my blog, a fellow Lyrical Press author! She is just awesome!!! Her new book just released yesterday!!!



Your newest release from Lyrical Press is Midsummer Night's Steve (love the title!). What's it about?

Well, this story centers around a newspaper reporter (Steve). We first came into contact with him in the third book--Five Leaf Clover. In that story, he pretty much made a jerk of himself, so in this book, he's returned to Crystal Falls to make amends--and to try to get that one "big" story that will make his career. Unfortunately, nothing goes his way and the girl he likes turns out to be the Tooth Fairy.

Here's the blurb:

She's not your grandma's Tooth Fairy.

Three months have passed since Steve Compton's last visit to Crystal Falls. Now he's back, but far from pleased about it. Convinced there is more in the air than clean living, he's a journalist on the hunt for a story that'll launch his career into the stratosphere.

Zoe Nickles loves the small-town atmosphere, the people, and most especially the great hiding places in Crystal Falls. She's heard rumors about the magical aura in the tiny town, and when her powers come to fruition one June night, she knows the whispers are true. She's the Tooth Fairy--with a sexy new look!

But there's a problem: a nosy reporter is on Zoe's trail, with just enough street smarts and cynicism to thwart her ability to practice her newfound skills. Can she convince him Cristal Falls is harmless before he tells the world about the town's"unique" quality, or will Steve blab the news, putting Zoe and all the paranormal residents at risk?

Sounds awesome! I need to read this series asap!

This is the fifth book in your Holiday Magic series, correct? Very cool! Why write a holiday series?

Why not? Lol The concept behind this series was the fact that any holiday is a special time and lends itself well to romance. I also wanted to put a little magic and mystery in with this series of shorts, so Crystal Falls was born--and nothing is ever as it seems.

I love that you try all different things with your writing!

Will there will be more?? Can you share any details with my readers?

After this book, I have one last story coming out in October called Tail on the Moon. In order to understand the dire circumstances in this book, you'd need to read Book #4 No Such Thing. The powers-that-be are changing in Crystal Falls and someone needs to step up and make sure good wins over evil.

In Tail on the Moon, it's a Halloween story and I had a great time writing that particular short.

Awesome! I noticed all the books in the series are what Lyrical calls a "Short", falling between 15,000 and 20,000 words. Do you like writing stories this length? Why?

I love writing stories of all lengths. I do shorts, novellas and full-length books. It all really depends on the story, how much plot I want to take on, if there will be sub-plots, extra characters, complicated story lines. Right now I've just come off writing back-to-back-to-back full length books so for the next few months, everything I create will be shorts. It gives my brain a rest and gives the reader a nice low price point.

Oh I so know what you mean! It is quite refreshing to work on something short after a long project!

As one of the lucky writers who gets to stay home and write all day, what is your favorite part of your job?

Yes, when I was laid off four years ago, I couldn't find a job in my industry so I got serious about writing. Is it a hardship having one income? You bet and it leads to creative finances, but I wouldn't trade the time it affords me for writing. My favorite part of my job? Continuing to learn the craft, make my stories better and receiving reader mail.

Love how you turned something unpleasant into something fantastic!

And one last question for fun! I know how big a fan you are of Disney World (just like me!!) and good food (also, just like me!). Where is your favorite place to eat while at the World?

Oh, gosh, now that is a huge question! I adore the French bistro in Epcot. They made some of the best onion soup I've ever had. But then there's the Chinese place in Epcot. Ginger ice cream. That's all I'll say lol I also really love the breakfast at the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom. My husband and I eat there every time we go to Disney.

Oh, I could talk about Disney food all day long!!

Thanks so much for being here, Sandra!!

Thanks for having me on your blog. As a thank you to your readers, I'm offering a prize to a random commenter. You'll receive a subscription to my monthly newsletter, book swag plus a vial of "fairy dust" and a Tooth Fairy "coin". Remember to leave an email address and check back to see if you won!

If you'd like to find out more about the Holiday Magic series or everything else I write, pop over to my website http://www.sandrasookoo.com From there you can connect with me on Twitter, Facebook or drop in on my Believing is Seeing blog.

Do you think authors can be vindictive?

I know some authors choose not to read reviews of their work. I thrive on them...probably because they've all been good. But I know a bad review will come and it will probably sting, but I am mature enough to understand that not every story is for everyone.

My debut, A Bitch Named Karma, has a pretty good rating on Goodreads, about 4-1/4 stars. Most rate it 3, 4, or 5. I know not every book can appeal to every person and I am completely open to critisism. I expect bad ratings now and again. But it irks me when someone gives it a low rating and no explanation.

There is one particular rating- only one star. The reader is a fellow author. Today I was on Goodreads and for the heck of it, checked when she had given me the rating. Yep...it was after I read and rated her short story. I did not enjoy it, it had almost no plot, and it just didn't make much sense to me. But in my review, I tried to be as courteous as possible.

Do you think she could have read the review and without even reading my story, gave it a bad review?? I know bad reviews sting, but should an author be vindictive like that?? I have no way of knowing if my theory is correct...she could have read my book, disliked it, and then rated it poorly. But she gave no reason as to why there was such a low rating.

I have since deleted my review of her book, but I may go back in and write something to explain my reason for the low rating. And BTW, the book has only a 2-1/2 star rating overall...so I'm not the only one who didn't like it.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this???

My first book review! Cinders!

This is my first book review ever!! YAY!!!

A few months back, fellow blogger Michelle Davidson Argyle had asked for reviewers for her soon to be published novella, Cinders. I jumped at the chance. After having been a follower of Michelle's Blog/Website and The Literary Lab for some time now, I knew Michelle was fantastic!! So I jumped on this opportunity.

I've never read a fantasy type story before, but this one intrigued me right from the start. I am such a huge lover of fairy tales, and I was very interested to know what happens after the fairy tale ends...if the "happily-ever-after" really happens. For Cinderella...it had all been such a whirlwind and once the dust settled...she wasn't exactly sure she liked what she had been given.

In Cinderella's new word, everything is blanketed in magic. How can she know if her prince really loves her? And can she live the rest of her life never knowing the answer?

In Cinders, Cinderella decides that she can't live her life that way. And if that isn't bad enough, her fairy Godmother has been imprisoned for black magic. Cinderella secretly visits her and with her help, she now has a spell to break the other spell.

Michelle is such a great writer...she knows how to pull a reader in and creates such a vivid world for them. And I think for this genre, it's even more important. In all honesty, I am not real up on my history of that time period and I don't read much historical fiction, but that didn't matter. Michelle's descriptions gave me no trouble in imagining the world she'd created.

I don't want to give the story away, so I won't say much more, but you should definitely check out Cinders and Michelle Davidson Argyle!

Check out the book trailer:



Click here to view a list of options for purchase!

And another thing that makes Michelle and Cinders so interesting, she self published the book, promoted it...even photographed the cover, all on her own. The model is a friend of hers who created the gown herself!

Interview with Sandra Sookoo!!!!

Today I have an interview with fellow Lyrical Press author, Sandra Sookoo!! Check her blog here!

First question I always ask, when did you start writing and when did you know you wanted to make it your career?

I “unofficially” started writing at the age of 10. I wrote an “epic” fantasy using all the kids in the neighborhood. 600 pages longhand LOL Thankfully, I matured and the writing got way better. I think sometime in my twenties I knew I wanted to make writing a career. It was either that or be a cake decorator. Even though I’m really good in the kitchen, I can’t bake a cake or decorate it to save my life! Good thing I’m pretty talented in the writing field, huh?

I see you’ve had quite a career so far! How many books have you published? Got a favorite?

How many books? Let’s see. 6 in 2009. And 7 in 2010 so far. I’ve been very lucky and have met some great editors along the way. As for a favorite? Hmm. That would be a toss up. I have too many “favorites” I guess to pick just one. LOL

You’ve been published by several houses. I was once told not to “put all your eggs in one basket” when it comes to publishing. Do you agree with this? Are there pros and cons to having your “eggs” in several baskets?

I totally agree that an author needs to write for a few houses. This gains you readership and showcases your work to different sets of readers. Not to mention that every editor worth their salt will teach you something different so it would behoove a writer to seek a new house every once in awhile.
One of the cons about having multiple houses is the release dates for books. Often they will coincide with other releases you have out and you’ll end up with back to back releases which makes promotions tricky.

I have all of your Holiday Magic books on my “To-Read” folder on Goodreads! What inspired you to write holiday themed books?

Well thank you! I guess you could say I have a “thing” for holiday romances LOL I liked the idea of centering a series, not only around holidays, but also romance and magic. So the Holiday Magic series was born and I’ve been beyond pleased with the results.

Now let’s talk about your newest release, Dead Ruby Slippers, from Lyrical Press! Tell me a little about it!

Dead Ruby Slippers came about because of my excessive love of cozy mysteries. I’ve read tons of them and one day decided to try my hand at writing one. Wow, was that an eye opener! It’s hard work and for me, it confuses my brain trying to drop clues, keep up the mystery, etc. I’m so thankful for my editor on this project because she helped me keep my facts straight.

Blurb: Dancing may be hard…but no one expected it to be murder.

When sexy tap dancer Abigail Carlton, a.k.a. Ruby Slippers, is found dead and arranged in an artistic fashion on her coffee table, it’s up to Special Agent Quentin Banks to solve her murder.

But nothing is ever as it seems. Not only is Quentin a FBI career man, he doubles as an officer for the Institute of Magical Instruction…and the dancer’s death has super natural energy written all over it.

Quentin must find who murdered Abigail, and he only has 24 hours to do it before it’s taken over by his superiors.

Book video: Click here

Buy link: Click here

Will I write another mystery? I want to say no, but who can say what my Muse will want later? LOL

It sounds like an interesting mix of murder, romance and fantasy! Is commingling genres something you do like to do?

It’s one of my passions, I guess you could say. I’m a firm believer that a writer should have a range of things they can write. Try a new genre. If you don’t like it, that’s okay, but at least you spread your wings. I love writing across genres. It keeps my brain engaged and prevents me—the writer—from being bored. And as a reader, I read across genres to prevent boredom. I think this is a key to a long life as a writer.

And lastly, something non-writing related….I see that you love to cook—me too! I’m always on the lookout for tasty, low-cal meals! Got a recipe that qualifies?

I do love to cook. When I’m stuck in a story problem, I’ll head to the kitchen. I do have a recipe to share. It’s one I fussed around with a few times because I had a craving for Chinese food but didn’t want to deal with the heavy breading and high calories of traditional food.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

There will be recipes out there that tell you to marinate your chicken in egg white and corn starch. I’ve done it that way and I can honestly say I don’t buy into that step. So, this is how I do it.

Ingredients
1 pound of boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1" chunks
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 10-ounce can fresh pineapple chunks (reserve juice) If using canned pineapple, make
sure you buy the one marked “juice” not “heavy syrup”
1/4 cup juice from the pineapple
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup (I use Red Gold because it’s an Indiana product)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
3 tablespoons brown sugar (or, if you taste the sauce before you cook it, you can add
another tablespoon for a more concentrated sweetness)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cooking oil (I use canola oil)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ to 1 teaspoon sambal sauce (or any hot sauce you like) optional
Method

1 Whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, salt, hot sauce, ginger, corn starch and brown sugar.

2 Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the chicken out in one layer. Let the chicken fry, untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side the same for 1 minute. The chicken should still be pink in the middle. Remove chicken to a plate, leaving oil in pan.

3 Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat and then add the bell pepper chunks. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple chunks and the sweet and sour sauce. Turn the heat to high and when the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking.

Serves 4. (or two if you’re really hungry) I like to serve over plain white or brown rice.

Sounds tasty! Can't wait to try it!!

Thanks for having me on your blog! As a special gift, one lucky commenter will receive a romance themed pizza cutter and some book swag. Be sure to leave your email address. Winner will be drawn the following day.

Oh how cool! Thanks for being here!! Wishing you all the best in your career and with your newest release, Dead Ruby Slippers!


Ps- Make sure you check out Monday's post and enter to win a copy of my new release, A Bitch Named Karma!

My very first author interview: Aubrie Dionne!

Aubrie Dionne is an author, flutist, and teacher in the New England Region. She uses visually imagery and fairy tales to teach music and make it come alive for her students. Over the years she has combined her two passions: music and story telling.

Her young adult fantasy novel, Dreams of Beauty, is published by SynergEbooks. Her work will be showcased in the fall issues of Niteblade and Silver Blade magazines, Wyvern Publications Dragontales Anthology, and Nightbird Publishing's Night Bird Singing in the Dead of Night Anthology. She currently teaches flute at Plymouth State University and a local community music school.

Hi Aubrie! Nebula’s Music is your first publication with Lyrical Press? How does it compare to your other publications?

Nebula's Music is my first venture into science fiction! I love writing fantasy, but I also love science fiction and I wanted to branch out and challenge myself as a writer.

I always like a challenge!!

Describe the feeling you had when you first got “the call” or “the email” for your first publication.

It was an email, and I didn't believe it. I had to read it three or four times and then get my husband to read it as well. Then, I thought it was fraud or spam and checked out the company to make sure they were legit! I'm still waiting for that agent call, and I query every book length novel I write for a chance.

LOL! I pretty much did the same thing when I got that email...just stared at it for a while! And I too am still hoping to snag a fab agent one day!

What was your inspiration for writing Nebula’s Music?

The character Data from Star Trek The Next Generation. I watched Star Trek growing up at 7pm and 7:30pm every night. Data was my favorite character (and my crush as well, but we'll get to that later) There was one scene where he plays the violin perfectly and I wondered if his playing would have any emotion in it and also marveled at the fact that he can take up an instrument and play it perfectly in minutes compared to a human that has to spend a lifetime perfecting their skills.

My character, Nebula, is made from human parts, and experiences human memories. She's more human than Data, but still primarily a cyborg.

Very interesting!

Did you always want to be an author? What started the desire?

My day job is teaching flute lessons. I work at a Community Music School and a University. I make up stories to go along with the music to make my students play more emotionally and bring the music to life. A few of my students said I should publish these stories, and here I am today!

Amazing how one little spark can put the idea in your head!

What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?

I'd love to get an agent and get widespread distribution of my books. The next full length novel that I'm writing is another chance at that, and so I'm taking my time trying to make every sentence perfect. It's about space pirates and a colony vessel traveling to a paradise planet three hundred years away. It's by far the most original writing I've ever attempted and if anything breaks into the agent circle, this one will!

What an awesome feeling! I wish you the best of luck!!

What are your thoughts about digital publishing? Do you own a DBR (Digital Book Reader)? Which one? And do you like it?

I love my Sony E reader! When I went on a trip I took it with me on the plane. Plane rides are so boring for me and I get really antsy in my seat. This time I had 300 books at my fingertips, and it flew (excuse my pun!) by in no time. When I got bored reading one book, I scrolled to another. I still like having real books at home, but I love the idea of being able to take them with me where ever I go.

I have a Sony Reader too and I really love it! Haven't used it on a plane yet...but I will be next month!

I will soon be celebrating the release of my first novel-length publication and to me, that calls for a party! Did you do anything special to celebrate your first novel?

I got a website! The whole journey seemed more real to me and I realized that I needed to promote the book on my end. Having a website makes it that much more professional!

Congrats! I checked it out....very very cool!

What is your best advice for aspiring authors?

Keep writing and find some critique partners to look at your work. My writing greatly improved after I had other people pick through it and smooth it over. Also, you may need to write three or four books before you write that "Breakthrough Novel" and that's okay. It took Stephen King multiple tries, and if it took that long for him, it may take even longer for me.

I agree 100% Just keep writing...the more you write, the better you get!

And just for something fun, it is well known that I am a HUGE New Kids on the Block Fan! Did you have any teen celebrity crushes when you were growing up? Spill!

Oh my goodness, I was a hormonal teen. I loved The cabin boy on TNT's Treasure Island, who grew up to be the very handsome Christian Bale. He's my all time crush. I had signed pictures in my room and wrote to his fan club. I must have watched that silly pirate movie thousands of times. And, of course, Data from Star Trek was another strange crush of mine. I also liked Jesse from Full House (John Stamos). And get this: when I was really young I liked Smendrick the magician from The Last Unicorn. He was my first crush ever.

LOL! I so love hearing about celebrity crushes!!

Thank you so much Aubrie...I truly enjoyed this interview!!! Bloggers out there, please take a look at Aubrie's site: www.authoraubrie.com, very cool! And check out her blog: authoraubrie. Nebula's Music released last week- buy it at the Lyrical Press website or on Amazon.

And don't forget...only one more day to enter for a chance to win one of three Chicken Soup for the Soul book giveaways!! Click here to enter!