In the Author Spotlight

TRACEY H. KITTS

AL: Hi Tracey! Welcome back to Blog Bites.

Tracey: Hi, Ann. Thanks for having me.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Tracey: Well, I’ve recently been reunited with an old love of mine. Kickboxing. I used to be a certified instructor and am considering getting re-certified sometime next year.

AL: What book would you like to share with us?

Tracey: The book I’d like to share today is Sex Symbol. It’s my latest release from Ellora’s Cave.

AL: What other tales are you busy weaving?

Tracey: Well, I’ve always got a few in the works, but no definite titles right now.

AL: What do you feel is the most important thing that a first-time author should know?

Tracey: You will be expected to promote your book. The publisher does not automatically do this if it isn’t in your contract. It isn’t like the movies.

AL: What is one glaringly/specific personality trait that you put into your hero/heroine that is all Tracey? One that a family member or friend says, “Hey, this is so you.”

Tracey: Everyone says that when they read my Lilith Mercury: Werewolf Hunter Series. The character Lilith is definitely me, right down to her flaming red hair. Ha. Ha. It’s probably her sarcasm that is most obviously mine. I do that from time to time in other characters. When people say, “Hey, so-and-so has a sassy mouth.” (Meaning it in a funny way) That’s usually when I let the character say what I was really thinking.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Tracey: The biggest goal is to be able to make a living solely from my writing. I’d like to reach a bigger audience, continue to get my name in front of people with new releases. I’m always working on how to make this happen.

AL: Get comfy and let’s get personal! Besides writing, what other things do you like to do in your spare time?

Tracey: Well, like I said before, I enjoy kickboxing. I also like to paint and draw. Sometimes I sketch my characters just to get a clear picture of them in my head. I love music too, of all kinds. And I like to sing. I was in an opera once years ago. Ha. Ha.

AL: With the holidays around the corner what's your favorite tradition?

Tracey: My favorite tradition had just passed. Halloween. I absolutely love to dress up.

AL: Sometimes people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. I like to set them straight, so tell us what’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?

Tracey: Clean my tub, which included removing some of my long hair from the drain. Yuk. If it isn’t done once every two weeks (cause I have a lot of hair) it gets clogged. I also dusted the entire house and next I’m going to shampoo my carpets. Definitely not glamourous.

AL: What would people be surprised to know about you?

Tracey: I’ve studied hand-to-hand fighting techniques and know how to blind someone and break their bones in under five minutes. Okay, so maybe some people won’t find it that surprising.

AL: Fun question! If you could go anywhere in the world and in any time…where would you go? What would you do? And why that time-period?

Tracey: I’d go back to when I was around 8 years old and harvest pumpkins with my dad, just because it was so much fun the first time around. Daddy still grows pumpkins, but not like the huge ones he grew when I was a kid.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Tracey: “Your home is a scrapbook of your life.” – Shubhra Krishan

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Tracey.

Tracey: Thanks again for having me. I had a lot of fun :-D

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Tracey please visit:

http://www.traceyhkitts.com

FEATURED TITLE: SEX SYMBOL

Blurb:

Sex Symbol is the story of Lucy Harper, an ordinary woman who suddenly finds herself in extraordinary circumstances. Not only is her new boyfriend a werewolf, but her new tattoo might be more than a picture of her favorite flower. According to the local werewolf pack, it’s a “sex symbol.”

Excerpt:

The room was lit by candles. There was one small table and a few shelves in one corner of the room. A shelf of some sort blocked my view, but when I stepped around it I saw where the sound had come from. Eramus was chained to the wall. One arm was locked above his head and his feet were shackled where he stood. I ran to him.

“Eramus, who did this to you?”

I started to look around for a key, but he stopped me, putting his free hand on my shoulder.

“I did.”

I stood there for a moment and just stared at him.

“I don’t understand. Why would you do this to yourself? How do you expect to ever get free?”

“The shackles are controlled by a machine. In twelve hours, it will release me.”

“Why? What happens for the next twelve hours?”

The look on his face was pained and though I made a move toward him he turned his face away, stopping me once again.

“The full moon,” he answered.

It took me a minute to find my voice. “Eramus, a wolf chased me he—”

“I don’t know who’s doing this,” he said. “But if I am to have the strength to fight him, I have to stop suppressing what I have become. I thought that I could pretend to be a man in order to…in order to love you.”

Tears stung my eyes, but I ignored them. “If you’re not a man, then what are you?”

“A beast.”

The pain in his voice was like nothing I had ever heard. And all the sadness in the world was in the eyes that looked back at me as they slowly turned to amber. I understood what he was trying to say and it made no difference to me. I touched his face and as his fangs grew he started to cry.

“Get out of here,” he said.

“I’m staying.”

He was still human to all appearances except for the short fangs and amber eyes. He looked like something wild and a passion stirred in me such as I have never felt before. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and when I placed my hand against his chest it seemed to me that his flesh burned.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he pleaded.

“Then don’t.”

When he looked at me I felt a flame ignite in my soul like hellfire. Anything I felt before was in comparison to a match. The tortured look in his eyes broke my heart in two. I didn’t think it could ever be repaired, but he was surely welcome to both pieces.

I kissed him and my heart leapt. It danced against my ribs to a beat all its own and Eramus trembled at my touch. Sweat shown on his forehead like a fine mist and as I trailed my hand down his face I could feel his stubble already starting to grow.

A low growl escaped his throat as he said, “You should be running.”

“Didn’t you know? Beauty is incomplete without the Beast.”

I didn’t call myself beautiful because of my own opinion, but because he always said that I was. It may seem ridiculous, but I was not afraid. Not just because he was chained, but because whatever he became, he was still my Eramus underneath. And I was completely and irreversibly in love with him.

In the Author Spotlight

J. R. Lindermuth

CONTEST: J. R. will give a print copy of Being Someone Else to a commenter. He’ll select in a random drawing. Best wishes!

AL: Hi John! Welcome back to Blog Bites.

John: Thanks for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

John: I’m librarian of my county historical society. We are visited throughout the year by patrons from all over the U.S., Canada and even abroad who have roots in this area. We close down at the end of December for two months to give the staff a rest and get caught up on cataloging, shelving and related tasks. After a busy summer, I’m ready for a break.

AL: Please tell us about your current or upcoming release.

John: My current release, Being Someone Else, is the fourth in the Sticks Hetrick mystery series set in Swatara Creek, a fictional community near Harrisburg PA. Daniel ‘Sticks’ Hetrick is the former police chief and he’s come out of forced retirement to serve as unofficial consultant to his less experienced successor.

I’ve also signed a contract for Fallen From Grace with Oak Tree Press for their new Western line. I don’t have a release date yet.

AL: What other works are you deep into?

John: I’m nearing completion of the first draft of another Hetrick novel, tentatively titled Practice To Deceive.

AL: When you write do you do a detailed outline before you get started or do you have the idea then just 'fly by the seat of your pants'? :-)

John: I’m definitely in the pantser category. I have a general idea where I’m going and jot some notes to keep me on track, though they’d be meaningless to anyone else. I’ve tried the detailed outline procedure and it doesn’t work for me. I like my characters to surprise me. If I knew every step along the way I’d get bored before I reached my destination.

AL: How do you decide upon your settings? What about the names of characters? Do you ever change either mid-stream into a story?

John: With the Hetrick books I’ve been using the same setting and cast of characters long enough they’ve become almost real to me. For my other novels—if it’s unfamiliar territory—I’ll do the necessary research. In fact, thanks to my newspaper and genealogical background, I enjoy research. As to names of characters; yes, I have changed them at times when they didn’t resonate with what I later discovered about the character.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

John: I wouldn’t mind making the New York Times bestseller list or having one of my books made into a movie. But, seriously, my primary goal is just to keep on writing and, hopefully, make each book better than the one before.

AL: Let’s get personal! What would people be surprised to know about you?

John: I’m a skinny little guy and you wouldn’t believe how much I like to eat. If I’m adventurous in any area it would be in willingness to try any dish once. I’m not Andrew Zimmern, but I’ve sampled some ethnic fare many might consider bizarre.

AL: Do you and your family have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

John: Since my children live nearby we manage to get together for all the major holidays. My daughter’s and her youngest son’s birthdays are near Thanksgiving, so that’s an additional incentive for getting together. The main traditions are being together and eating too much.

AL: What book(s) are you reading right now?

John: Elmore Leonard’s Djibouti and Douglas Starr’s fascinating book about the birth of forensic science, The Killer of Little Shepherds.

AL: Do you have a favorite sport, &/or team that you follow?

John: I’ve never had much interest in team sports. Three of my grandsons participate in baseball and I do try to attend their games. I used to hunt and fish when I was younger. My son was never interested in hunting, but we occasionally target shoot. My son-in-law recently got interested in that, too.

AL: Fun question! If you could have any car in the world; would it be a slow rider, or one that the wind has to hurry just to keep up with you?

John: In regard to my driving, my kids call me A. J. (Foyt). Does that give you a hint? Actually, I’ve never been much of a car buff. My main interest in a car is that it get me from point A to B in comfort and without any problems.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

John: “The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the same as the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” Mark Twain

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, John.

John: Thanks again for the opportunity to share some information on my writing. I’ve enjoyed it.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about John please visit:
 
http://www.jrlindermuth.com/
http://jrlindermuth.blogspot.com/
 

FEATURED TITLE: BEING SOMEONE ELSE 
Fourth book in the Sticks Hetrick mystery series.
 
Blurb:
 
Some people believe violence is foreign to our nature. Dan ‘Sticks’ Hetrick, retired chief and consultant to the Swatara Creek police department, knows better. We put a lid on our natural tendency to violence when we started living in groups, devising moral codes to hold it in check and allow us to live in harmony with others. But, deep down in the Id, there is always that tendency to violence.
 
When an out-of-state reporter is found murdered in the restroom of a disreputable bar the tendency to violence spirals in the rural Pennsylvania community, and the investigative trail keeps bringing Hetrick and his team back to the family of a wealthy doctor who has come back to his hometown in retirement.
 
Hetrick and his protégé Officer Flora Vastine are joined by an old friend from his State Police days as they unravel old secrets and mysteries in a tale with as many shocking twists as a country road.
 
Excerpt:
 
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/BeingSomeoneElse_JRLindermuth.shtml
 
REMEMBER: J. R. will give a print copy of Being Someone Else to a commenter. He’ll select in a random drawing. Best wishes!

In the Author Spotlight
 CIARA GOLD

AL: Hi Ciara Thanks for being in the “Author Spotlight” this week.

Ciara: Hi Ann! Thank so much for having me.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Ciara: OMG, my life is a roller coaster right now. This is the week we close the magazine that I work for which means a ton of work, but fun work. When this interview posts, I’ll be taking students on a field trip to a college workshop, and at the moment I’m writing this, I’m in a hotel room waiting for a wedding to begin. The weekend prior to this post, we’ll be hosting about 60 folks in our backyard for Orphan’s Thanksgiving. Yeah, my life is crazy fun.

AL: What are you currently working on?

Ciara: I just finished work on the sequel to On the Silver Edge of Time, a Viking time travel and I just dived into another fantasy that will be a sequel to the book I have coming out in December; The Keeper of Moon Haven.

AL: Who inspired you to follow your dream of writing?

Ciara: Many hold this honor, but the one writer who pushed me into writing more than just first chapters was Kim Lenox who has the Shadow Guard series. Not only is she a wonderful writer, but she’s true inspiration for other writers and a good friend.

AL: Out of all your stories do you have one that is more near and dear your heart?

Ciara: Each holds a special place, but I think Sarah’s Brass Token is by far one of my favorites. It’s my mom’s fave, too. Mom thinks I fashioned the hero after my father. I just know Tabor has a heart of gold. This was my first completed book though I didn’t contract it until after my first came out, Celestial Dragon.

AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

Ciara: I love the freedom of creating my own world. For me, writing is all about the creative process and allowing my imagination a chance to run wild. My least favorite thing about writing is working on the ending. I tend to have to rewrite endings at least five times before I’m comfortable with what’s happening. Maybe, it’s because I don’t want to say goodbye to the characters.

AL: It’s time to get personal! I love the fun fact about the cover of, On the Silver Edge of Time. When you opened the jpeg did you see the resemblance of the hero to your brother right away, or did you have to blink several times, cock your head and figure out where you’ve seen that face before?

Ciara: Oh, no. The moment I saw that cover, my jaw dropped and I groaned. I actually went – ew, cuz who wants to think of their brother as a sexy, to-die-for Viking? Once I got over the “ew” factor, I decided this was the neatest thing ever. Oh and my SIL was really excited. Of course, her first reaction was “wow, I want one of those – oh, wait, I have one of those,” meaning the sexy bod the model had. My brother blushed a pretty shade of red and has been a great sport about it all.

AL: What is this romance writer's idea of the "perfect romantic evening"?

Ciara: A moonlight sail under a full moon. There’s nothing more relaxing that being surrounded by nothing but miles of rippling water, an endless blanket of stars and your hunky man sitting next to you. I am married to my soul mate and I’m very lucky. He brings me flowers just because.

AL: Where would you like to travel if you had the chance?

Ciara: Ireland. We both have Irish roots so I guess it just calls to me. And – I love traipsing though old buildings so yep, I’d be sure to tour a castle or two.

AL: Did you dress up for Halloween and if so, what has been your most outrageous costume?

Ciara: ROFL. My DH and I used to go all out for Halloween and we’ve kept every costume we’ve ever done. Our favorite was Popeye and Olive Oil. We won several awards for that one. This year we went as recycled teenagers.

AL: If you could meet someone famous in either history, or present day…who would you like to meet and why?

Ciara: I’ve actually met several famous folks and what I’ve learned is that they’re just regular folks like you and me, so hmmm. Okay, you’ll laugh, but I’d like to meet David Cassidy just because he was my idol when I was a teen and I’d like to thank him for all those years of fantasies. Too funny.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Ciara: I’ve got a horrid memory for things like this and I don’t know if I heard it somewhere or what, but I’m always telling my students, “don’t sweat the little things.”

AL: Thanks so much for joining us, Ciara

Ciara: Ann, thank big time for letting me come and hang out.

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Ciara please visit:

http://www.ciaragold.com/

FEATURED TITLE: THE KEEPER OF MOON HAVEN

Blurb:

On the southern fringes of the Mendip Hills sits the Castle Hamingjur, an abandoned structure most fear haunted. Yet, on the rare occasions when the Hunter’s Blue Moon occurs, the Keeper occupies this mysterious castle where he guards the bridge to Alfheim Haven.

Noreen Willshire discovers more than fairytales hidden between the pages of Beletania’s diary. She opens the ancient book and finds a bridge to a Faery Realm where all manner of mythical creatures reside. In her naïveté, she summons the Keeper before his scheduled time in the human realm. In that brief moment, the mysterious wizard touches her soul with more than magick. She promises to return the diary during Mefylleth, a time when the barriers between the two realms melt away, but danger stalks her path. Torn between her desire to make a new life for herself in America and her growing love for the Keeper, she must bridge the gap between magick and time to follow her heart.

Excerpt:

He turned away from the cluster of faeries. He’d learned many things since becoming the Keeper, one of which was to use a firm hand when dealing with the Beings of Alfheim Haven. As a result, he rarely bowed to another’s will. He glanced down at the translucent quality of his hand and bit off an oath.

The blasted woman continued to read. Her throat must be hoarse by now. Time flowed differently in Alfheim Haven. A minute in the human realm equated to nineteen minutes here. She must have read that story for almost three hours. If anything, she was tenacious.

He walked slowly. Her voice pulled at him. He resisted. Doesn’t she have anything better to do with her time?

By the time he reached the keep, his skin was completely transparent. He swung his cape over his shoulder and yanked the front door open with more force than he intended. He must reign in his temper and not give into the human emotion. In Alfheim Haven, he was an elf, a wizard. His humanity had no place in the Faery Realm.

I won’t go. She can read until she has no voice and still, I won’t go.

“Vin?”

His mother’s gentle voice broke through his thoughts. His eyes met hers. A flitting worry etched her features before it fled from view. “She calls to you again, doesn’t she?”

He frowned. He should have never told his mother of his visit to the human realm.

“Just because she calls, doesn’t mean I must go to her. I won’t be manipulated.”

His mother turned her head away, but not before he caught her gentle smile. She studied the flowing fabric of her gown with more interest than it deserved. “Vin, when you saw the woman, did you think to ask her name?”

His mouth gaped. He clamped it shut. Awiergan! What had he been thinking? How would he find her when he bridged to the human realm if he didn’t know her name. Mefylleth drew near, and he wouldn’t have much time to locate the girl or the book. “Aye, but she managed to avoid telling me. It’s an oversight I intend to correct. Have no fear, Mother, this situation will resolve itself soon. I give you my word.”

Before he could change his mind, he disappeared from her sight and into the timeless void that would take him to the human realm -- and the nameless woman who summoned him.

In the Author Spotlight

PATRICIA BATES

CONTEST: I’m delighted to put up for offer a copy of my latest book Phantom’s Pleasure, a Paranormal romance, for giveaway. To enter to win, simply respond each day I’m featured between November 1 and November 6. On November 7, 2010 I’ll be announcing the winner with the most posts. You can leave a comment, post a question, or just say hi!

I’m also proud to announce that I’ll be giving 2nd and 3rd place prizes. These special little bags will be a hand crafted clutch type bag with some ‘bling’ in it.

AL: Hi Patricia! Welcome back to Blog Bites.

Patricia: Thanks for having me this week.

AL: So, tell us what’s happening with you.

Patricia: Wow, life is hectic as always. I’m currently looking to expand on my editing business as well as learning the ins and outs of teaching because I’ve been invited to share my knowledge with a group of Intermediate students locally.

AL: What book would you like to share with us?

Patricia: I’m super excited to be sharing with you the newest book to my back-list. Phantom’s Pleasure is my first foray into the paranormal genre, and is a fun, saucy book about a 19th century Southern Belle that haunts her familial home – and falls in love with the playboy cowboy that current resides in it.

AL: What other tales are you weaving?

Patricia: I have three books in the works at the moment. One is still in the planning stages, and is about a lady outlaw set in the 19th century USA. I’m working on completing the 9th century Irish Celtic romance I’ve been workingon for over a year, and am polishing up a short Historical Romance I’m going to be submitting to HQ in the next few weeks!

AL: Have you ever wanted to write your book in one direction but your characters wanted to go in another direction. What did you do in such a situation?

Patricia: All the time. When I first started writing (after I was pubbed) I would do these intensely detailed outlines for each chapter that were 20 or so pages…and after chapter five I’d look at them and shake my head because the story was going in another direction. I’ve learned to plan for the first chapter, get the characters to meet and then let them do the hard work of writing the novel…saves me having to ditch a perfectly good outline! LOL

AL: What do you like best about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

Patricia: World Building!!! I love to be able to create a world that readers can fall into and experience through the characters. Its always been the most fun to do, especially when you’re dealing with historical places, events, people. Least fun would have to be writer’s block. I hate it with a passion. Not only do I find it to be a perfect opportunity to procrastinate but if the characters aren’t talking to me its frustrating, I like to be able to keep the pace of my writing strong throughout the process and writer’s block hinders that.

AL: What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

Patricia: I would like to get at least two books on audio. I have a lot of fans who like to listen to books when they’re traveling and can’t take my books with them so that sucks. One thing that I have set for myself and haven’t quite succeeded at is to get NY pubbed. I’m hopeful with my HQ submission but again, until I have the contract in hand its still in the planning stage and not a reality.

AL: Time to get personal! What favorite movie; or T.V. show makes you hunker down on the sofa and settle in for the night? Favorite Movie?

Patricia: Anything with John Wayne in it. If its one of his westerns I’ll watch it for hours because he’s such a great actor. Just recently, we got a new channel called Investigative Discovery – which has a lot of awesome shows on it…one of which is called Deadly Women and I’ll shut down for that since it features some of history’s most lethal women…like the Blood Countess – now there was a scary woman!

AL: What annoys you enough to be considered a pet peeve?

Patricia: Having someone call me at 8 pm and ask me if I’m eating dinner. LOl doesn’t sound like much but when you get that call every night, 7 days a week, it gets annoying quite fast. Doesn’t help that the entire conversation is the same every night – same five questions, same distracted tone…but hey they’re family so you have to luv ‘em!

AL: Sometimes people envision an author’s life as being really glamorous. I like to set them straight, so tell us what’s the most unglamorous thing you’ve done in the past week?

Patricia: Having to explain to someone the difference between writing and breathing! A lady I met said that writing was a hobby, something I should do in my spare time…of course I had to explain to her that for me, writing, is as natural as breathing! Word the wise – don’t try to convert those who have no idea what they’re talking about! Let them hold onto their illusions.

AL: When you have time just for you (if only) what do you do?

Patricia: Watch reruns of the Young Riders, crochet, watch tv. It’s not often that I get “me” time so I tend to wallow in it and let my creative batteries recharge.

AL: Fun question! If you could meet someone famous in either history, or present day…who would you like to meet and why?

Patricia: I’d have to say Queen Bouddica. A powerful, influential woman leader in her own right, who led her people to greatness in the face of an enemy that ultimately either enslaved, slaughtered, or overruled all other nations for the sake of the glory of Rome! I’d just like to find out what she was thinking when she went against the Roman army for their crimes against her and her daughters.

AL: Please share a favorite quote(s) with us.

Patricia: "Perseverance is much like an ink well….top it up and you’ll never run out!" – Patricia Bates (taped to my office wall) "Success is like chocolate, once you’ve had a taste you can’t help but go back for more!"

AL: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Patricia.

Patricia: Thanks for having me. Its been great and I hope everyone has lots of questions!

AL: If you’d like to find out more about Patricia please visit:

http://www.patbatesromances.com/
http://www.scarletscribeedits.com/

FEATURED TITLE: PHANTOM'S PLEASURE

Blurb:

What’s a one hundred and forty year old ghost to do when she’s drawn to the rugged cowboy in her home? There’s only one thing Frances MacKenny can do…seduce him. Amid deceit, weddings, angry ex-lovers, and general insanity, Frances wants Logan Harris any way she can get him…including their haunting nightly tryst.

Excerpt:

The shower shut off. Curiosity plagued her, and she stepped around the door. Steam swirled and danced around Logan as the shower door swung open. The silk of her skirts slipped from her fingers, and her jaw dropped, heat flooding her face. Dear Lord, is that even possible? At the sight of the man who stepped from the shower, she cupped her burning cheeks and whimpered. Lust fired through her.

Wet, auburn hair was plastered to his skull. A shadow covered his square jaw. Broad shoulders, tanned by hours spent under the sun, glistened with water. Silvery beads glided over his sculpted chest, trailing through the hair that narrowed along his belly to the wild patch around the base of his penis.

As he stepped from the shower and reached for a towel, thick, muscled legs bunched and gathered with each movement he made. She swallowed at the sight of his manhood, swinging back and forth with the motion. She moved closer. Without a thought to how her actions would be taken, she raised a hand and trailed one finger down his chest, following a drop of water over the toned muscles.

His gaze lifted, a shiver coursing through him. Could he feel her touch? Was it possible?

“Dear Lord! What have…?” She blinked. A wave of heat crawled along her neck. Clasping her hands to her breasts, she backed away from him until she passed through the wall and obliterated her view. Fanning herself desperately, Frances turned and high-tailed it back up the stairs to her private retreat.

“Oh, goodness me.”

REMEMBER: Will be offering a copy of her latest book Phantom’s Pleasure, a paranormal romance, for giveaway. To enter to win, simply respond each day she is featured between November 1 and November 6. On November 7, 2010 I’ll be announcing the winner with the most posts. You can leave a comment, post a question, or just say hi!

She's also proud to announce that she’ll be giving 2nd and 3rd place prizes. These special little bags will be a hand crafted clutch type bag with some ‘bling’ in it.