Saddle up for a ride on the range with Oklahoma author Callie Hutton!

Hi Callie, and welcome. Please tell us your latest news!

I recently signed a contract with Soul Mate Publishing for my third book in the Oklahoma Lovers series (Michael’s Story).

Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

I develop my characters as I write. I know (vaguely) what I want the story to be about, but as for how each character is, that comes to me while I’m writing. Sometimes they surprise me.

How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?

When I’m writing historical, a little bit more research is involved because a lot of readers are history buffs—and know their facts. But I still do research when I’m writing contemporary. Right now in a short story I’m writing, a woman is giving birth in a bar, so I had to do research on emergency births.

What main genre do you write in?

Historical Romance – mostly western, but I also delve into contemporary romance.

How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?

My family is very supportive. Some of them have read a couple of my books, but others are waiting for them to come out in print. A niece is waiting for my contemporaries to come out because she doesn’t like historical. I don’t think there’s any one person in my family who has read them all, lol.

If you had to choose one person to have dinner with, who would it be? And why?

Hillary Clinton. I think she’s an amazing woman. I hope to see her as POTUS one day.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

Yes. When I was a little girl, I started making up stories in my head to entertain myself before I fell asleep at night. This habit continued on well into adulthood. One day I decided in order to get the voices out of my head, I needed to write them down.

Do you write full time?

I write full time hours because I work as a substitute teacher in the high school. At that level, the teacher will generally leave work for the students to do, which they do on their own. I bring my laptop and write.  

What did you do before you became a writer?

I’ve had many jobs, but sales was the one I had for the longest time. 

What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?

I am a combination writer. I pretty much know what I want my story to be about, but I get about half way through before I actually do any kind of an outline. And that gets changed as I go along, depending on what my characters have to say about it. They don’t always agree with me, and have been known to gang up on me, as well.

If you could be one of your characters - Who would you be? And why?

I would be Sylvia, Angel’s step-mother. She starts out unlikeable, but later on in the story her full personality is revealed, as well as her motivation for what she did to Angel. She’s a hoot.

Can you please give us a sneak peek at any of your upcoming books?

The book I just sold, A Prescription for Love, is the story of the oldest nephew in A Run for Love. Michael was one of my most popular characters. I’m also working on a short contemporary story about a bar in Amarillo, and when I finish that, I intend to get back to a regency I’m writing, The Elusive Wife.

Who is your favorite cover model?  And why?

I don’t have a favorite cover model. I like Jimmy Thomas—another nice guy. But I have a policy of ‘no bare chests’ on my book covers. There are a few Jimmy does, and if I self-pub, I would use one of his pre-made covers (where he’s dressed, lol).

Is there a genre of book you would like to write but haven't yet?

Yes. There is definitely a Highlander book in my future, as well as a strict mystery/suspense. I would also like to write a time travel one day.

What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website?

My website is: www.calliehutton.com, where my blog also lives. I love to get e-mails from my readers, at calliehutton11@gmail.com.

How can readers find out more about you and your books?

By visiting my website, where I have excerpts from all my books, as well as coming attractions.

What is the best and worst advice you have ever received?

Best advice: Write, write, write, read, read, read.

Worst advice: Write the book that editors want to buy.

Do you belong to a critique group?

Yes, I do, and I also have other critique partners who are not in my group. If so, how does this help or hinder you? Definitely a help. I don’t always take suggestions that my CPs make, but many times they pick up things that I hadn’t noticed or thought about.

What's your favorite genre to read?

Romantic comedy.

What type of book have you always wanted to write?

A ‘Sandra Brown’ type story, with intrigue, many sub-plots, and a well written, well thought out story.

When did you first decide to submit your work?

After I finished my first manuscript. Please, tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step. I didn’t need a whole lot of encouragement. To my way of thinking, if you write a book, you send it out. You get rejected. You re-write it. You send it out again, and again, and again. It’s part of the process. If you’re going to be a writer, you have to write. If you want to be a published writer, you have to send it to someone.

Do deadlines help or hinder your muse?

Definitely help. I’m pretty disciplined as far as writing every day, but if I know someone is waiting for it, I pull the all-nighters like I did in college, and get the job done.

What was your first published work and when was it published?

A Run For Love was contracted by Soul Mate Publishing in August of 2011, and released in November of that year. It was the third book I wrote.

Is there anyone who really mentored or inspired you to keep writing until you were finally published?

Not really. I’m pretty good at motivating myself. I’m sure my sales background has something to do with that.

A small wooden table in the corner drew her. She placed the glass on the table and eased her sore and tired body onto the chair. One leg shorter than the other three, the chair rocked as she settled. A woman the size of the counterman came through a curtain separating the area from whatever was in the back. With a brisk nod in Angel’s direction, she headed her way.

Excerpt/Soul MatePublishing / Amazon

Make a comment and win a download of An Angel in the Mail! Winners will be drawn randomly on Saturday, June 1.

Vampires abound with J.D. Brown. Let's see what she's sunk her teeth into ...

Welcome J.D.! Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?

Absolutely. I’m J.D. Brown, the author of Dark Heirloom, a new urban fantasy vampire series published by Muse It Up Publishing Inc. I’m from Chicago but currently living in Wisconsin and have been trying to find my way back to the city ever since I left. I love paranormal characters and have made a living out of creating my own. Humans have no place in my stories. Instead, I let the dark creatures tell it like it is and take you along for the ride.

How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?

I research a lot before every new story and sometimes I end up doing a little research while I’m writing too. With urban fantasy, a lot is based on factual information, “what-if?” scenarios from history, real locations, etc. I need to know where things are and how they work. Seriously, if a cop ever searched my computer history, they’d have me committed. I have little notes like “Where is this old Nazi bunker located?” Haha.

I didn’t think I’d like researching because I never liked when I had to do it in collage or high school, but it turns out I can sink deep into weeks’ worth of facts when it comes to getting ideas for a plot and I love it! I get so engrossed in the possibilities and ideas just start snowballing in my head. I’ve learned a lot of cool tidbits along the way. I think my favorite of all are the old original vampire folk tales I read while getting ideas for the vampire world in Dark Heirloom. They old myths are so completely different from how vampires are portrayed today or even how they were portrayed twenty years ago.

What main genre do you write in?

I write urban fantasy with a little romance woven into the mix.

How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?

My family actually shocked me a bit. I knew they would be very supportive, they’re always behind me no matter what crazy thing I do, but I wasn’t expecting them to read my work at all. I’m the only one in my family that reads for fun, so when my mom, sister, and uncle read Dark Heirloom cover to cover, I was so touched I didn’t know how to react. They’re all waiting for me to get a phone call from a big-time Hollywood producer. I don’t have the heart to tell them it will be many years before that happens.

What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?

I do a little bit of everything. I plot, research, and outline like fiend, but when it comes time to write all my planning seems to fly out the window and the characters take over. I feel like the mom, trying to keep them in line, but it’s pointless and truth be told, they know the story better than I do.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I think I definitely have my own style. I like to write in deep first-person point of view, allowing the reader to experience everything as it happens to the main character. That’s my goal for every book I write; to give the reader an experience. I also love to inject humor and exaggeration in high-tension areas, but this is also kind of my main character’s doing. Ema can’t stay serious for more than five minutes without injecting some sort of witty remark into the scene.

Current Release Details:

Dark Heirloom is the first book in the Ema Marx series and is now available on Amazon.com and MuseItUpPublishing.com. I’ll leave you with the blurb:

“You’re a vampire” is so not what Ema Marx wants to hear when she wakes from a two-day coma in a cryptic yet exquisite castle in northern Finland. Unfortunately, it explains a lot. Like why she’s able to see in the dark and walk through solid objects. What she doesn’t understand is why the other vampires expect her to have all the answers. It’s their fault she turned into one of them…right?

Jalmari’s hatred for his old-man intensifies when he’s ordered to bring that troublesome girl to their castle. He has a clan to run, there’s no time for babysitting newborn vampires no matter how they were converted to their culture. But when a two-thousand-year-old premonition threatens to take the crown and his life, Jalmari sees no other choice than to take out the catalyst. Ema Marx. Fortunately for Ema, she could also be the clan’s only savior.

The race to figure out her vampiric origins is on. And maybe she’ll get the hang of the blood-drinking gig along the way…

Who is your perfect hero? And why?

If I could take Jalmari and Jesu (two of my characters from Dark Heirloom) , melt them down, and mix them together, that would be my perfect hero. I absolutely love a strong tempered alpha male that’s going to take charge and challenge my world every day (Jalmari), but he also needs to know how to be a sweet gentlemen that can treat a lady like a lady (Jesu). But in my opinion, perfect is boring so I made them two separate men.

How can readers find out more about you and your books?

I’m all over the web but the best place learn more about me and my books is at my website http://authorjdbrown.com

And the best way to chat with me or stay up to date with my happenings is by liking my Facebook fan page at http://facebook.com/authorjdbrown

Is there anyone who really mentored or inspired you to keep writing until you were finally published?

My mom has always been the backbone of my life, always supporting me and encouraging me to dream big and make those dreams come true. But I also owe a huge thank you to my author friends, Charlene Wilson and Anastasia Pergakis. Those ladies believed in my writing even back in the very early days of conception. They held my hand through the good times and the bad times and they refused to let me give up. We’ve grown incredibly close through those shared experiences and I’m forever grateful for getting to know them.

Author’s Links: ·       Facebook Fan Page ·       Twitter Profile ·       J.D.’s Blog ·       J.D.’s Book Club

Buy Links: ·       Amazon Kindle ·       MuseItUp Publishing Inc.

Let's take a turn through history with Lisa Lickel. Welcome Lisa!

Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin writer who lives with her husband in a hundred and sixty-year-old house built by a Great Lakes ship captain. Surrounded by books and dragons, she writes inspiring fiction. Her published novels include mystery and romance, all with a twist of grace. She has penned dozens of feature newspaper stories, short stories, magazine articles and radio theater. She is the editor in chief of CreativeWisconsin magazine. Lisa also is an avid book reviewer, a freelance editor, an editor at Port Yonder Press, a writing mentor, a hostess at Clash of theTitles and enjoys blogging at The Barn Door and Reflections in Hindsight. She loves to encourage new authors. Find her here or at her blog.

Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Because my stories are character-driven, they usually start out telling me about what’s going on. I often have the gist of who they are before I begin, but their quirkier sides tend to come out as the story unfolds. For instance, I could see Ardyth’s outsides, that she wore plaids a lot, and kept her figure girlish by bike riding well into her seventies. As we got to know each other, I learned about her insecurities and how she handled them, and how she “sniffs” when she disagreed with something so she doesn’t say (much) she’ll regret later. Although that tends to happen anyway.

How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?

I’m also a historian, so most of my stories have a tiny bit of history in them. I’ve had to research laws in different states regarding ownership of property, eminent domain, what kind of money was minted in the US in the 1850s-1860s, what banks were open where, where the Underground Railroad went. Although I knew tobacco is grown still in Wisconsin, it surprised me because we usually think tobacco is a warmer-weather crop. I loved learning about the round barns that freeman Alga Shivers built in west central Wisconsin, and about the Cheyenne Valley settlement that I use in The Map Quilt.

What are your hobbies?

I like to sew and quilt, although I don’t have as much time for that any more as I used to. I guess I use my time differently from when I was raising my family. I like to plant things, but I’m not very good at taking caring of them. I like to go camping and travel.

Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer? Or Still do?

I spent a lot of years preparing to tell stories before I turned to full time writing. I worked several secretarial jobs in different places, a school, a church, and as a temp went into different businesses on short-term bases to help with special projects or step in for someone on vacation or on leave. I’m a local historian, as I mentioned before, so research is just plain fun and a great help to building the background for books, as well as generating new ideas. I still do that with my local historical society.

What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?

I start out my books with the basic plot, which is flexible. I try to write the dreaded synopsis by building on my loose ideas of what the story is about and how the hugest problem is resolved. From the synopsis I get my chapter goals which I use as a sort of outline in the manuscript. I usually try for word counts, with around a certain number of pages per chapter, which again is flexible, but helps me gauge my work in progress. I can write the scenes then, as they come, in the right chapters in the manuscript, which is not necessarily in order as they happen. Sort of like directing a movie by using the sets that are built, or doing all the scenes on the location they happen, then cutting and arranging them in order later.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I get a lot of house-cleaning done when I’m in write mode. I know that sounds really odd to some people who have to go away to write, but I’m distractable, have to have quiet, and need to get up and pace or think on my feet, waving my hands around and having a discussion with my people. That would just be too weird in public. I like to clean something while I think. In public, I prefer to people-watch.

Can you please give us a sneak peek at any of your upcoming books?

I’m excited about a new contract I signed for another mystery that I enjoyed writing after The Map Quilt. It involves Egyptian Mau cats, a pet food company, and biogenetic engineering which I found fascinating. Yes, I had to do a lot of research, and it was a hoot. The title is not set yet, nor a release date, but here’s a peek:

Ivy Preston keeps other people’s secrets for a living. When a small town mayor invites Ivy Preston and True Thompson to move their businesses to Apple Grove, can their love survive the sudden rise in crime?

After being left at the altar, Ivy Amanda McTeague Preston uproots herself and her cat, an Egyptian Mau named Memnet, from her boring and lonely life to start over at the urging of Mayor Conklin, a fellow pedigreed Mau owner. Truesdale Thompson is ready to move in a fresh direction with his life. A private man whose physical wounds are the only outward sign of a tragic accident in his past, True and his cat, Isis, open a branch of his trendy little bookstore and coffee shop in Apple Grove. When Ivy takes a mysterious message while the mayor is away on business, only Ivy’s criminology professor mom, and True believe there’s something rotten in Apple Grove. Can Ivy carry on her romance with True while saving the town from further Mayhem?

Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder you?

After struggling with critique groups when I still had the umbilical cord attached-new writer, I can say looking back that it’s an invaluable experience, although excruciatingly painful when you’re new and in love with your words. Going through critiques teaches writers how to listen to other readers, to pick out those gems of fantastic advice from sometimes a lot of rubble, how to read for other writers and discern what they need, not what I need to say. If a couple of critiquers have the same problem, then I sit up and take notice and try to make adjustments, but if one person points out a problem or potential problem, I feel that I can be more subjective and decide what to do, if anything. Writers must always be adaptable, always learning, always be able to look at their work objectively from a business standpoint. Who’s going to buy and read this, and what am I willing to do to give them what they want?

What's your favorite genre to read?

I especially love to read what I don’t write – thrillers, spies and conspiracies, but also fantasy and science fiction. I’m afraid if I read too much of my genres I’ll start subconsciously picking up ideas.

What was your first published work and when was it published?

The Gold Standard, the first book of the Buried Treasure Mysteries, was the first book I had published, fourth manuscript I wrote. The book and I were put through a wringer washer. I signed the contract in 2007, but the book didn’t come out until 2009 due to a lot of ups and downs, including a re-write, in between. I wrote The Map Quilt in 2008, and now, three years after The Gold Standard was published, which is also three years’ time in the series, The Map Quilt was released. I think that’s pretty cool.

Contest info:  On May 22 the official book launch takes place on the web, with lots of freebie gifts if you purchase a copy of the book that day, and hopefully the publisher will have The Map Quilt on sale, so if you can wait til next week to buy, great—if you have to have it immediately, I understand and thank you.  Buy here.

Also coming is the print version from Two Small Fish/Five Loaves Books soon.

Death in rural Wisconsin is only the beginning to new chaos in Robertsville. What do a stolen piece of revolutionary agricultural equipment, a long-buried skeleton in the yard, and an old quilt with secrets have in common? Hart and Judy Wingate, who met in The Gold Standard, are back to solve the mystery of The Map Quilt. Hart’s new battery design could forever change the farm implement industry. But after the death of Hart’s most confrontational colleague in a fire that destroys Hart’s workshop, the battery is missing.

Throw in a guest speaker invited to Judy’s elementary classroom who insists she owns the land under Hart’s chief competitor’s corporate headquarters, and a police chief who’s making eyes at Hart’s widowed mother, it’s no wonder Hart is under a ton of pressure to make sure his adventurous pregnant wife stays safe while trying to preserve his company and his reputation.

Read Excerpt

Website link http://www.lisalickel.com            

Blog link:http://livingourfaithoutloud.blogspot.com

Are you ready for A Taste of Honey? Honey Jans is here, so lets dip into the sexy sweetness.  Welcome Honey!

Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?

I’m romance author Honey Jans. I guess you could say that I'm a natural born romantic who tends to daydream. Sometimes it gets me into trouble. But on the plus side it sparks my vivid and sometimes kinky imagination. I love writing erotic romance and it's my fervent hope that readers will enjoy my books. To find out what I’m up to check out my blog. While you’re there stick around to check out my red hot covers...some of those cover-models are truly drool-worthy. Read my excerpts, and enter my giveaways. I hope we'll be friends. I'd love to hear from all my readers. Feel free to post on my blog.

Please tell us your latest news! 

I have several new releases coming out this summer.  “Ride a Cowboy; Save a Horse,”  is a multicultural spicy romance with Red Rose Publishing.  “Arrested by her Sheik,” the second book in my sheik series is a multicultural erotic romance six part serial also coming out with Red Rose Publishing.  I hope everyone will take a peek because the first part of the series will be a free read as a thank you to my readers. 

In June WCP Torrid will release my erotic romance “Rescuing a runaway Bride.”  In July WCP Torrid will release a mega book compilation of three of my twisted tales; “A Wolfs Tale, Cindy Revisited, and Goldie and the three Bears.” 

And last but certainly not least is the print version of Blue Moon Magic by Debi Wilder, Honey Jans, Shari Dare, and Lynn Crain.  It was a wonderful paranormal erotic romance series I was honored to be a part of.  The print version of our award winning series will be published by Muse It Up Hot Publishing this April as a complete set. The ebook versions of each book is available from Loose Id.

Please describe your writing environment. 

I actually have two offices.  One is a nook in my old Victorian homes foyer and the other is a quiet corner on my sun porch.  Of course with my notebook can and does make my office portable.  I’ve been known to go to the park or poolside to get inspiration.

Do you have a favorite object that is pertinent to your writing? 

Well I’ve started toying with dictating some of my writing using natural speaking.  It’s amazing how closing your eyes and letting your imagination run wild can spark some interesting scenes.

Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write? 

Not really.  I’m not a plotter I’m actually a seat of your pants kind of writer.  I wish I was more organized but it stifles my creativity to be put in a box.  Sometimes my characters even surprise me with their reactions and I like it that way.

How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research? 

I do some light research for my books.  And if I’m setting a book in an unfamiliar local I really try to go there and soak up the atmosphere.  For instance I’m currently writing a new erotic romance set in New Orleans title Bayou Heat and I traveled there to kindle the sultry southern feeling for this book.

What main genre do you write in? 

I write all kinds of romance and erotic romance from paranormal to suspense to sweet and hot to BDSM.    

How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books? 

My family is actually very proud of me which warms my heart and I know they’ve read some of my work.

What are your hobbies? 

I love art and have taken a few classes where I dabble in oils and acrylics.  I also love to travel whether it’s a road trip cross country to New Orleans of a Caribbean Cruise.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book? 

Not really.  I write the books as I feel them and I wouldn’t change a word.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? 

I started out as a voracious romance reader who one day thought I just might be able to put pen to paper and write one of these babies.  That’s how it all started for me.

What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both? 

I like to write in the morning and edit in the afternoon although inspiration does hit at odd times and so sometimes you’ll find me at the computer in the middle of the night.  And I’m strictly a fly by the seat of my pants writer.

Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen and a comfy place to nest in. 

I like to get coffee or tea, sit down at my computer, and use the end of my last scene as a springboard to the next one.

Current Release Details:       

Ride a Cowboy; Save a Horse       Red Rose Publishing April 2012

Blue Moon Magic                          Muse It Up Publishing  April 2012

Arrested by her Sheik                    Red Rose Publishing May 2012

Rescuing a Runaway Bride           WCP Torrid  June 2012

Torrid Twisted Tales Megabook   WCP Torrid July 2012

Can you please give us a sneak peek at any of your upcoming books? 

Coming April 2012 from Red RosePublishing

Ride a Cowboy; Save a Horse

Savanna Brown returns to Wyoming to save the reputation of the cowboy she ran away from on their wedding night.  She makes the ranch owner an offer he can’t refuse if he wants to hang onto his ranch.  She’ll pretend to come back to him until the talk dies down, then she’ll be on her way.  Rafe Halliday is thrilled that his plan to lure his bride back to his place has worked.  Now all he has to do is focus on getting sexy Savanna back into his bed where he figured their links of passion, love, and sex will complete their bond.  But will love happen with evil forces trying to tear them apart?  To find out lasso a copy of, “Save a Horse; Ride a Cowboy,” today.  It’s sure to singe your lariat.

________________________________________________________________________________

Coming April 2012 from Muse It Up Hot Publishing (print only)

Blue Moon Magic by: Debi Wilder, Honey Jans, Shari Dare, and Lynn Crain

One father.

Two mothers.

Four siblings.

One incredible story about that special night which changes them all. Forever.

________________________________________________________________________________

Coming May 2012 from Red Rose Publishing

Arrested by Her Sheik

Mix one quiet librarian looking for a good time.  A sexy Arab-Greek sheik in cops clothing signing on to teach her all about sex.  And criminals who will stop at nothing to get what they want...namely her dead.  And you have Arrested by her Sheik.  I hope you’ll love this 6 part serial and come along on a thrill ride of adventure as Mandy Wilson finds out what it’s like to be Arrested by her Sheik.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Coming June 2012 from WCP Torrid  

Rescuing a Runaway Bride

Samantha Logan is a runaway bride. Jake Ramsey is a PI on a stakeout. When they meet in the dark after midnight all their formerly suppressed desires explode.  Samantha so needs to prove her sexiness and rough after finding her fiancée in the sack with another woman and Jake has wanted his bosses daughter for years.  But will the fire burn out when she finds out he’s here to arrest her brother?  To find out come along on the thrill ride as they battle her kinky ex-fiancée, espionage, and each other. Will Jake be able to rescue this runaway bride?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Coming July 2012 from WCP Torrid

Honey Jans Torrid Twisted Tales Megabook

These 3 scorching twisted and tangled modern-day fairy tales will make your heart race and your toes curl.  So sit back and enjoy A Wolfs Tale, Cindy Revisited, and Goldie and the Three Bears all in one volume at one low price.

________________________________________________________________________________

What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group? 

I’d love for readers to contact me.  First I have a website, as well as an email address, so drop me a line.  And last but not least I’m just constructing my first blog.  Sign up to follow me for a chance to win a $25 Amazon.com gift card or a free download of one of my titles.

How can readers find out more about you and your books? 

To find out more about me or to check out my books please visit my website at or go to my blog.  You’ll get all the latest news and be able to sign up for my newsgroup and contests. 

Do deadlines help or hinder your muse? 

Deadlines actually help focus my efforts.  As a fly by the seat of my pants writer I can be a little scattered at times and deadlines help me.

Is there anyone who really mentored or inspired you to keep writing until you were finally published? 

Actually a lot of people mentored me. 

My first mentors were the members of my Twin Valley chapter of WisRWA.  This was a branch of the Romance Writers Of America and was instrumental in getting me started.  Through them I joined my first critique group and learned the nuts and bolts of writing a good story.  Of course since then I’ve been inspired by many fellow writers particularly Debi Wilder who’s program I’m thrilled to be part of. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to be a part of Romancing the Heart, Debi. 

 

      Yee Haw! To celebrate my upcoming western sizzling romance, RIDE A COWBOY; SAVE A HORSE, I'm having an extra special giveaway with 3 prizes to be drawn July 4th.

      The two runners up will recieve a free download of their choice from my library. And the Grand Prize winner will recieve a $25 Red Rose Publishing gift card. All you have to do to win is stop on by at my blog http://atasteofhoneyjans.blogspot.com/  

      Leave a comment even if it's just to say Yee Haw and sign up to follow me.

                                                                                    Thanks and happy reading!

                                                                   Honey Jans

Today’s guest is Ashley Christman of Entranced Publishing.

Welcome! Please tell us your latest news!

Who is Entranced Publishing and what do you do? Entranced Publishing is a romance, YA, and erotica eBook publisher based out of Minneapolis, MN. We’re composed of a talented team, most of our staff has several years of experience in the ePublishing, marketing, editing and graphic design.

What genres are currently open for submissions?    We are only accepting romance (novellas and novels; all subgenres), erotica (novellas and novels; all subgenres), and YA (novels only; all subgenres).

Are there any subjects or plots that you won't accept?          We are pretty accepting of everything, but we are not interested in rape for titillation, incest, pedophilia, and things with an ick factor.

Do you accept multiple submissions?            We do, provided they are clearly labeled and in individual files (do not submit a zip file with multiple submissions). In the case of series, we actually prefer it if all manuscripts that are completed in the series are available for submission upon request.

How does an author submitted to Entranced Publishing?   If an author is interested in submitting, we advise them to check out the submissions guidelines on our site and email. Our editors have also posted what they are particularly keen for at the moment so an author can address a submission to an individual editor, but it still must go through the main submissions address.

How long until you respond to a query?       Currently our turnaround time is 12 to 16 weeks, due to the fact that we request the full manuscript at the time of submission.

Do you charge fees to authors to be published?         Of course not. Money flows to the writer, not from. We make our money from our portion of the royalties from book sales.  

How often do you pay royalty?          We pay royalties once per quarter.

What do you offer authors?   We offer our authors 40% royalties on list price. We also have a marketing budget and marketing director who will contact the author upon contract signing to formulate a plan to market both the author and the book. For new authors this is beneficial because it helps them build a platform and learn how to market themselves and their work. This is also beneficial to established authors because it gives them a chance to learn something new and enter new markets they maybe haven’t thought about before.

In addition to marketing help, we believe that one of the best ways to generate buzz is to garner advanced reviews. This is helpful because sometimes authors don’t know how to approach reviewers, but one of the best ways to get your book noticed is to put it in the hands of readers that other people read.

Do you provide review copies?           We will provide the author with review copies, however, we also submit to review sites and will provide the author with a list of sites that we submit to in order to prevent double submissions to the same site.

Why should an author publish with you?     We understand that if an author’s book doesn’t succeed, we don’t succeed, so every step of our processes have to do with making sure we release quality eBooks and help authors get their names out there, build a base, and ultimately sell books.

How does an author contact you?     We advise that an author visit the contact section of our website to determine which person is the best to answer their question.

Do you have any advice on editing? Have a beta reader or critique partner look over your manuscript. They’ll help you polish your work and smooth out any kinks or major problems before an editor reads it.

Do you publish books set in places outside the US and Canada?    Yes. If its exotic and well-drawn, per say, then we are happy to consider it. We want readers to be entranced with what their reading and lost in an alternate world.

Do you accept unagented submissions?        Absolutely.

Will there be a charged to publish a book with Entranced Publishing?      We are not a vanity press. No fees will ever be charged to authors.

For more information on Entrance Publishing click here for Website / Blog

Interview with Brenda Woody and Steve Tindle

Steve Tindle and Brenda Woody were high school friends in Georgia who reconnected, on a social network, after 30 years of leading separate lives. They now write erotic romance as a couple and a team. Check out this writing duo!

Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?

Please tell us your latest news!

Brenda: Debbie, thank you for asking us to return to chat here! We had fun last fall chatting with your readers. We released Rainie’s Lake on January 15. Rainie’s Lake has received very good reviews and is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

Blurb:

Taking a long over due vacation, Art Instructor, Dylan Bishop is eager to start his trip to the cabin in the mountains. When he saw the photo online with the rental ad, he knew this was his destination. Being drawn to the lake nestled behind the cabin with a private dock, Dylan hopes to regain his inspiration to paint.

His vacation takes an erotic turn when he meets Rainie Marks on a foggy morning by the dock. She is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. However, there is sadness and a mystery about her. Finding his inspiration, he sketches her one evening and unable to resist the passion that has sparked between them, Rainie and Dylan share a sensual night together.

When Rainie tells him the truth about her past and the lake, the mystery she hides unfolds. The key to everything is the lake. Will Dylan be able to help her put the past to rest?

Readers can read an excerpt here: http://brenda-steve.blogspot.com/p/excerpts-from-temptation-triggers-and.html

Watch the book trailer here: http://youtu.be/wD6SIsnAKeY

Do you have a favorite object that is pertinent to your writing?

Brenda: Steve! LOL Without his support, I would not have sent him my two page story back in 2008. We write and work very well together. Our open communication allows us to bounce ideas off each other and ask questions other couples are afraid to ask.

Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?

Brenda: When we get an idea for a story, the names of our characters come to us easily. And yes, they do develop as we start writing the story or take over! LOL

How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits in your research?

Steve: Brenda and I love to do the research. Writing erotica means we get to read and watch all things sexy. This not only helps our writing, but keeps our relationship healthy. We talk about what affects the male and female mind and body, and then use that knowledge in our books and lives.

What main genre do you write in?

Brenda: Our main genre to write in is erotic romance. A few of our stories are erotica. We are working on a murder/suspense series under another pen name.

What are your hobbies?

Brenda: When I’m not writing or reading a book for a review, I crochet and dabble in gardening. Our herbs and vegetables are sprouting and will be ready to transfer to the ground soon.

Steve: I just enjoy spending time with Brenda; it's rare we are apart from each other. I take the skein of yarn and roll it into a ball for her crochet as I sit next to her and watch TV. I also help with the gardening and I'm doing research on hydro-gardening. We are looking into adding a fish pond in the courtyard to fertilize our hydro-garden.

If you had to choose one person to have dinner with, who would it be? And why?

Brenda: Harriet Tubman, she has always been my heroine. Harriet had to be so brave to hide all those slaves and take them to the north. I think she would be a fine person to have a chat with.

Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer? Or Still do?

Brenda: Fortunately, we get to write full time now. Call it early retirement. *smiles* It’s not that the sales of our books are making us rich (that would be nice though!) We saved for a few years to be able to work from home. I worked in commercial insurance, claims and foreclosure in the corporate world. I do not miss sitting in a cubicle. One bit!

Steve: I was a Microsoft Excel VBA programmer; I wrote software for large Dallas based companies. I still utilize my knowledge by creating and updating an Excel spreadsheet for Tonya Kinzer and Brenda's web business. I love to "WOW" the girls with what I know and can do with Excel.

Do you have a website recommendation for other writers?

Brenda: Tonya Kinzer and Steve & I created A Naughty Reader’s Boudoir. A place for readers and authors to meet and chat about the naughty books they read and write. We offer author interviews on our blog, book reviews and have a nice selection of promotional ads that meets any author‘s budget.  All is welcome to join our main site http://www.naughtyreaders.com/ and follow us on our blog http://naughtyreaders.blogspot.com/.

Do you have a specific writing style?

Steve: I enjoy writing with symbolism. I want the reader to read our books then see something in during the day to remind them of us. For example: in our first book, Best Lover in Town, Janet loves her BLT sandwich. With all the new commercials from fast food restaurants we hope readers will smile knowing the new meaning of BLT.

If you could be one of your characters - Who would you be? And why?

Steve: I would like to be Gnat of Gnat and FLO from Temptation Triggers, our erotic anthology. Gnat took an adventure even when FLO was telling him not to. Exploring became his obsession and he didn't realize where he had been until he stepped back and saw the entire picture. We all need to seek a new adventure sometimes whether it is following a dream such as for us in writing or taking a trip to explore new horizons.

When you have writer's block how do you break free?

Steve: Writing as a team we rarely have writer's block. We have several scenarios to choose from. When we have different opinions of which one to use we talk it out, normally in the hot tub. There is never a shortage of ideas.

Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder you?

Brenda: We have a critique partner, Tonya Kinzer. Tonya has also mentored us these last two years to help us write better. We also critique Tonya’s books. Steve loves when we edit her soft BDSM series. *winks*

What's your favorite genre to read?

Brenda: I read all genres, but my favorites are mystery/suspense, thrillers and erotic romance/soft BDSM. I recently created a book review site Bren’s Book Reviews http://brensbookreviews.blogspot.com/, after a few authors contacted me to read and review a book for them.

When did you first decide to submit your work? Please, tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Steve: Being published was the goal; writing was the tool to get there. Brenda and I had written for pleasure since high school but didn't pursue our dreams to be published. When we re-connected 30 years after high school we felt it was time. Our combined desires fueled the passion for writing our first book.

What was your first published work and when was it published?

Steve: Best Lover in Town was our first published book. Brenda and I wrote BLT by connecting our computers between Dallas and Portland, OR. While writing the book we learned about each other and learned our writing styles were very similar. We have been told readers can't tell where Brenda stops and I begin. Brenda moved to Texas in 2009 to finish the last chapter and we published the next year.

Is there anyone who really mentored or inspired you to keep writing until you were finally published?

Steve: We allowed a few family members and friends to read a variety of chapters for feedback of how we were writing as a team. Once Best Lover in Town was in print, we signed copies for them to thank them for their time.

Do deadlines help or hinder your muse?

Steve: I like deadlines because it keeps me focused. However we normally beat deadlines by a few weeks. I'm used to working with deadlines, or milestones, in my former programming jobs so its second nature to me.

Brenda and Steve: Debbie thank you for featuring us today. We look forward to chatting with your readers.

RAINIE'S LAKE

Taking a long over due vacation, Art Instructor, Dylan Bishop is eager to start his trip to the cabin in the mountains. When he saw the photo online with the rental ad, he knew this was his destination. Being drawn to the lake nestled behind the cabin with a private dock, Dylan hopes to regain his inspiration to paint.

His vacation takes an erotic turn when he meets Rainie Marks on a foggy morning by the dock. She is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. However, there is sadness and a mystery about her. Finding his inspiration, he sketches her one evening and unable to resist the passion that has sparked between them, Rainie and Dylan share a sensual night together.

When Rainie tells him the truth about her past and the lake, the mystery she hides unfolds. The key to everything is the lake. Will Dylan be able to help her put the past to rest?

Buy Link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/123476