Bruce Sarte: Towering Pines Room 509

Bruce Sarte, author of Towering Pines, is my guest today. Welcome, Bruce.

Tell us about your book.

Thanks, Susan. Towering Pines Volume One: Room 509 is the story of Liam Rider who is a basketball star. I like to say he’s the guy everyone guy wants to be and the guy every girls wants to be with. But then in a fit of rage he ends up in jail on an aggravated assault charge and that leads him to being sentenced to military school. Military school brings a whole new set of problems for Liam between the upper classmen harassing him and being told he isn’t going to graduate on time he thinks his life couldn’t get any worse. That is until the nightmares begin and the ghosts start appearing to him. Luckily for Liam, he meets and befriends the mysterious and intriguing Lisbeth Harrington. Lisbeth is quiet and closed up but Liam and Lisbeth begin to get close and he shares the problems he is having. This leads to the two of the working together to solve the mystery of the ghosts and sixty year old murders before they claim Liam as their next victim.

This story has drama, mystery, a little romance, ghosts and magic!

How do you develop characters? Setting?

I find that the characters tell me what they want to do and how they feel. I put them in a setting and let them guide me. Quite often the idea I start with is only faintly reminiscent of what ends up on the page. I try and create the mood for them and just let them go!

What are your protagonist’s strengths? Flaws?

My protagonists tend to be wounded and vulnerable yet they put on a stronger façade for the rest of the world to see. In my first novel, Sands of Time, Sam Shepard drinks heavily to mask his pain and get through each day. He thinks he is hiding it from the world and while it is painfully obvious to those around him, he works hard at it anyway. In Towering Pines, Liam Rider’s cool athlete exterior is shattered in a moment but he fights hard to keep up the act until he learns that he needs people around him to save him. Both protagonists struggle heavily with the idea that they need help to be saved but they are also on a mission to save someone they care about. Both stories have a circular motion about them.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

I really enjoy using the environment I grew up in as seed for my stories. Sands of Time is set in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ where I grew up and Towering Pines Volume One: Room 509 is set at Admiral Farragut Academy where I went to high school. I like hearing people say, “I know that place…” when they come to book signings.

How do you promote yourself online and off?

I do various book signings and appearances throughout the year as time allows. I am also easily found on various social media including Facebook, Twitter, GoodReads, ManicReaders and other sites.

Any current projects?

Currently I have two things I’m actively working on. I’m working on a short-story for the Bump In The Night anthology my publisher is putting together. It is a Towering Pines-based story starring Liam and Lisbeth who are called to a haunted hospital to banish the ghosts. The anthology will be out mid-October. The second thing is Winds of Change, the sequel to Sands of Time. It takes Sam Shepard and puts him in an all-new environment when he finds out his fiancée, Natalie, is kidnapped just before the wedding. More vampires? You’ll just have to wait to find out!

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

I try and promote everything on Facebook and Twitter in addition to my own website (bruceasarte.com) and my publisher’s site (buckscountypublishing.com).

Bruce, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions. Best of luck to you!

Victoria Roder's BOLT ACTION

Victoria Roder, author of Bolt Action is here for friendly interrogation. Victoria, it's great to have you over.
Tell us a little about yourself.

Thank you for the interview, Susan. I’m author Victoria Roder and I write suspense thrillers and paranormal romance novels that are always wrapped in a murder mystery. I am a people person and I like to try and analyze criminals, so I enjoy reading and watching true crime stories with obsession. I’m a down home girl from central Wisconsin. I enjoy camping and hiking with my husband and our three dogs. I also have two spoiled cats and a blue tongue skink (lizard). We ride motorcycle, shoot bow at 3D targets, and snowshoe in the winter.

Tell us about your latest book.

My Action thriller, Bolt Action was released by Champagne Books in April 2010. You can check out the publisher’s website at http://www.champagnebooks.com/

With a Ruger Blackhawk .357 under her pillow, a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker rifle in her broom closet, and a Saturday Night Special in her road-hog cookie jar, Detective Leslie Bolt’s sarcastic attitude and inability to trust, alienates her from most people. Forced to work a serial murder case with her ex-lover, doesn't improve her disposition. The "State Quarter Killer” is selecting victims that appear to have nothing in common except for the State Quarter placed under their lifeless bodies. When her sister goes missing the question rises, will Detective Bolt capture the serial killer before her sister is the next victim?

Check out the awesome book trailer YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqcYL_G7h7s

Detective Bolt reminds me of my protagonist, Logan Hunter. I love the title of the book, Victoria, and her name. Awesome! The video rocks.

What’s the hook for the book? (Bolt Action, Champagne Books 2010. Buy link http://www.omnilit.com/product-boltaction-426568-152.html)

Secrets of the past, murder, revenge, deception, sexual tension, and the “State Quarter Killer”; Bolt Action offers it all.

What are your protagonist’s strengths? Flaws?

Detective Leslie Bolt is a tough talking, gun hording, motorcycle riding investigator with as much insecurity as the rest of us. After a life of abuse at the hands of her father, she has a kick ass outer shell and a chip on her shoulder. She stashes a collection of pistols, revolvers, and rifles about her apartment. Leslie is a top investigator, but no one wants to work with because she is stand-offish and down right rude. We may all think sarcastic thoughts about other people, but in addition to thinking them, Detective Bolt says them out loud!

Where do you write? When? What do you have around you?

My main place to write is in my den, and I have to have coffee. My husband bought me a laptop computer, so now I can sit on our open porch to write and enjoy the sunshine. In restaurants and driving down the road, I’ve been know to write on napkins, gum wrappers, and receipts. I also keep a notebook, pen, and flashlight beside the bed.

Any current projects?

I am excited about, and in the final edits of my paranormal horror, The Haunting of Ingersull Penitentiary: A penitentiary founded on the system of separation and torture, built on land cursed by a witch from the sixteen hundreds, now converted into a bed and breakfast…what could go wrong?

I am also working on a children’s puzzle book and two picture books, An Important Job to Do – A Noah’s Ark Tale and Baby’s First Book of Jesus.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events? www.victoriaroder.com

I enjoy hearing from readers and can be contacted through my website.

Victoria, I've enjoyed having you guest on the blog. I'll be ordering that book. Continued success!

Ami Blackwelder: The Hunted of 2060

Ami Blackwelder is my guest today. Amy, welcome. Tell us about yourself
I am a forbidden romance writer in the paranormal and historical romance genre. My unique experiences allow me an original perspective and a plethora of ideas to entertain readers.

I grew up in Florida and went to UCf. in 1997 had my BA in English and teaching credentials. I decided to travel overseas and teach and have worked in Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered my second home now. I have always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, my novels began when I was in Thailand.

http://amiblacklwelder.com

What books came along at just the right time to influence your reading/writing?

Pride and Prejudice, Twilight, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Star Wars...

What are your writing goals?

To establish myself with a collection of books/novels, about three or four written yearly.

Wow! That's ambitious.


Is there a message in your writing you want readers to grasp?

Usually I tend to swerve toward wildlife protection and conservation. I also play with themes involving prejudice, and oppression.

Tell us about your latest book The Hunted of 2060.

Three Lovers. Two Species. One Way to Survive.
Summary: Set in Alaska in 2060, when April enters her sophomore year at University, she thought Robert might be the love of her life, but as she discovers, she is hiding something inside her, something the rest of the world believes to have died out. She struggles with who she was and who she is becoming as she learns of a family she never knew existed and of enemies she will have to outrun, outfight or outwit to survive. As April embraces her new identity, will she have to leave the life she loves behind?

With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages of April’s story.

Do you think your writing has improved since your first attempt? If so, in what way?

Greatly, since the birth of my first novel, I have learned to edit myself while I write and re-read my sentences a few times before moving onward. I have also to sit side by side with my thesaurus. I’ve learned to professionally edit and professionally cover design my work before release, because the product I believe to be finished will still have important changes to undergo which I have not seen.

Were any of your books more challenging to write than the others? If so, why?

I found my first two books more challenging the the last two and that is simply because I love the characters in my last two books so much that writing their stories became effortless. The first story I wrote, The Gate of Lake Forest, an elfin romance, included a few fun characters and an interesting storyline, but the story was more difficult, along with the sequel Prisoners of Pride, because I could not relate as an author to the main characters as much as the characters in my later books. However, young adults seem to love the first two books.

How do you develop characters? Setting?

I usually have a few main characters in my head that have strong voices and they are the reason the story is born. However minor characters and others are conceived through-out the stories development. I also have the beginning, part of the middle, and sometimes the ending in my end. I work loosely with a written outline, but usually swerve off of the lines. The rest of the story is created as the characters venture off...I try to let the characters tell their story, instead of me telling the story for them.

That is another main difference between my first two novels and my last two novels. Who is telling the story? Now, I let my characters tell the tale.

What are your protagonist’s strengths? Flaws?

April is the protagonist in my latest novel, The Hunted of 2060. One reviewer, the most critical of this piece, said April was too ‘go with the flow’. She wanted to see more rebellion I guess.

April really is not a ‘go with the flow girl’ and doesn’t go with the flow of humans ever. However, April does listen to her ‘clan’. April’s weakness is she doesn’t know who she is, who she is becoming, if she can control it, where she belongs and who she wants to belong with. She is thrown into the middle of much confusion, violence, and uncertainty.

For that reason, she follows the advice of her clan, instead of rebels. She clings to Robert, because he is one of the few humans she can trust and she needs him to remind her of her humanity.

She is not mentally incapable of being separate from Robert, but he provides the emotional qualities she doesn’t want to forget as she metamorphosis.

How do you determine voice in your writing?

Characters have a story to tell. In my first novel I really wanted to tell the story from the human point of view who falls in love with an elfin. In the sequel the story continues. In my third novel, I needed to tell the story from two points of views as well as show the demise of a country and needed third person for that.

In this latest novel, first person voice works, because this novel is April’s story. As readers, we are privy to her thoughts, emotions and life. April is polite enough to allow us on that journey with her. However the prequel, The Shifters of 2040, will be written in third person, because I want to dive into three different sources, the Militia and Melissa (April’s natural mother), the shifters, and the politics with Josephine and Taylor (April’s adoptive parents). I want to provide the reader with ample background to how April’s story is born. Those who love The Hunted of 2060, will devour this prequel.

Do you have specific techniques you use to develop the plot and stay on track?

Some writers use and need outlines, what characters are going to do, details of what the story will be before writing. I let the story and characters take me where they want. I have to write an outline while writing to keep up with everything. But I don’t want to limit myself beforehand.

How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?

I spent eight years in Asia, and so my perspective on life is different from most Americans. I imagine that comes out in my writing at times. Also my love of nature and animals is usually present inadvertently. In looking at my four novels thus far, three of them take place mostly in a forest.

How do you promote yourself online and off?

I use many online venues such as twitter, facebook, digg, allvoices, posterous, VBT, websites, Review sites, Writer sites, Author sites

Where do you write? When? What do you have around you?

I usually write at home on my lab top, but I do go to Barnes n Noble, outside and generally write whenever I can. Morning. Night.

Any current projects?

The prequel, The Shifters of 2040.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?

http://amiblackwelder.com

Title: (The Hunted of 2060)

Author: (Ami Blackwelder)

ISBN: (ISBN: 1452805474)

(e-ISBN: 9781452805474)

Page count: (80,000)


Thanks for being a guest on my blog, Ami, and I wish you the best with all endeavors.

Erotica

My special guests today are Linda Houle, Loretta Wheeler, and Randall Rohn, all contributors to  the anthology, Erotic Dreamspell. Welcome, you all.

Linda Houle is an author and the co-owner of L&L Dreamspell, a Texas based independent publishing company. Her favorite part of the job is designing book covers. She also runs a small wildlife ranch, Westwind Dreams, in the beautiful Texas Hill County.


She writes some of her fiction under the pen name Linndah, including the story for Erotic Dreamspell.

Here's a synopsis of her story:

"Black Earrings" by Linndah

When a padded envelope with black earrings and an invitation arrived in Marilyn’s mailbox she felt compelled to meet the man named Ladislov. He’d seen her work in a gallery, and wanted her to paint his portrait. His striking resemblance to Dracula both intrigued and frightened Marilyn. Did he know she had a vampire fantasy? Could he be one of the undead?

Loretta Wheeler: Hello Susan, thank you so much for having us here today.

My pleasure, Loretta. Tell us a little bit about you.

In the Erotic Dreamspell anthology I’m writing under the name L Reveaux. Works of mine that have a darker side, graphic language, or sexual content are written under the pen name, L Reveaux.
I live in the south, in Texas, with my Australian husband, and our cat named Lil’ Dickens. Our home is surrounded by lush vegetation with decks that run the parameters and a porch swing tucked at one side, which has become my most favorite spot to tempt my Muse to join me and “sit a spell”.
My writing style encompasses thrillers and the paranormal. I write under two names; Loretta Wheeler when I’m writing a more typical thriller, and L Reveaux for my darker works.

What's your particular story?

My piece, “Siren’s Call”, is releasing in the Erotic Dreamspell anthology, and is the story of Michael, a charter boat captain who thinks he has seen almost everything—until the day he witnesses something so unbelievable, alluring, and beguiling, that he finds himself compelled to enter the depths of another of reality—a reality that shimmers like a moon-kissed wave, and promises delights that will take his breath away—and may or may not return it.

Randy, fill us in on your writing and the story in Erotic Dreamspell.

Randy:  I’m an award-winning creative director for Keller Crescent Advertising, the largest independent agency in the United States. I have also worked for DDB and Leo Burnett in Chicago before coming to Indiana about eight years ago. Although I have a novel coming out in 2011, so far I’ve only had short stories published, mostly with L&L Dreamspell, although I was thrilled to have a short story of mine picked as one of the "Best American Mystery Stories 2009" by Jeffery Deaver and Otto Penzler.

My story, "Sex Machine", is a bit of a science fiction story set in the future. It’s about a man who has never slept with a woman and wants to very badly. He sets out to discover why women aren’t attracted to him and how he can correct the situation. Believe it or not, it’s a humor piece.

LOL. I must read this!
Folks, what books came along at just the right time to influence your writing this particular genre?

Linda: This story is primarily a Dracula fantasy, set in modern day. So Bram Stoker’s Dracula was my influence.

Loretta: I don’t know that any books in particular influenced my work when writing in the erotic genre. For me, it is the telling of a story that is my initial intention, and then if the story has a sensuous side to it, I will sometimes go deeper into that aspect. The two occasions where I have crossed the line into the erotic area, I felt the story needed it to set it free and tell the tale with the full range of emotions involved.

Randy:  Dave Barry

Where do you get your inspiration (and keep it clean!)

Linda:  I’ve read and written a variety of genres. As a publisher it’s helpful to know what works and what doesn’t in a good story, no matter the genre. I’m a fan of Dracula stories, so I decided to write one of my own. It just happens to have sex—as many vampires tales do, so it’s part of the Erotic Dreamspell anthology!

Loretta:  Sidney Sheldon’s writing has always made me feel that one could write a story and include a sensuous side to it, but the story remain dedicated to the storyline, not the sexual side. I feel the same about my works that have explicit sex, they cross the line to a degree, but it’s part of the plot, not the main emphasis.

Again, since my main focus is on the story, my inspiration could come from anywhere. In “Siren’s Call”, it came from a phrase used by one of the other Dreamspell authors, Sylvia Dickey Smith. The comment was made on her site that in a previous life she was a beautiful mermaid with gorgeous blonde hair and a tail to die for :) It stuck in my mind and I couldn’t seem to let it go, so I stopped work on the novel I was writing, took a break, and wrote the fishtail story (sorry couldn’t resist), “Siren’s Call”.

Randy:  Newspaper articles. Advertisements. Watching people. Really, I can’t pin it down because it depends on the story.

What makes a good story in your opinion?

Linda:  Anything that evokes emotion or curiosity. In the erotica genre, there should be a storyline besides the sex scenes—something to provide a reason for the sexual situations.

Loretta:  A good story, in my opinion, is one that holds the reader, and hopefully does it so well that they don’t want to put the book down until they’ve finished it. That, to me, is a good story. And of course then there are great stories that make you darn snappish if anyone dares interrupt you before you’re finished.

Randy:  Conflict. Interesting characters. A quest of some sort. I also like stories in which you learn a little bit about something of which you knew nothing. I wrote a suspense story that’s in Your Darkest Dreamspell about a glue factory. I put in little tidbits about the glue making process. I found that a little off beat but interesting.

How do you discipline yourself when writing?

Linda:  The right story comes pouring out with no discipline required. If I feel I am forcing myself to write, then I set that project aside for a few months. Later, if it still feels forced, then it should be scrapped altogether!

Loretta:  I’m laughing at this—I am truly not typical with my writing. There is a part of me that really wishes I were more typical. I try not to look at it as disciplining myself—that sounds way too restrictive to me. I do set deadlines and goals if the deadlines aren’t established. I tend to do my writing in increments of time rather than a daily routine, which seems to work better for me. Just visualize a temperamental artist at work accompanied by a wayward Muse.

Randy:  I set aside an hour a day to write

When writing a story, are there any particular themes you feel passionate about?

Linda:  For fiction, mystery and the paranormal/unexplained. For non-fiction, metaphysical themes, especially about the nature of consciousness.

Loretta:  I suppose my underlying theme if you could call it that, is that we look at life, and others, with a little more broadmindedness. For me, everything is not in a box and categorized, so I often travel to places and concepts that aren’t the “norm”.

Randy:  Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

Writer Anais Nin once said, “…and the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” How much sex is too much, and where do you draw the line in your writing?

Linda:  When the reader actually becomes bored, rather than stimulated, by the sex scenes, then there’s too much sex and not enough story. It’s true that erotic is primarily about the sex but there needs to be a reason for the situation. An interesting storyline, balanced with just enough sex, is the goal.

Loretta:  As I touched on earlier, I don’t write a story just for the sexual side. If it seems to flow in a more sensuous direction, then I write it that way. It was difficult for me initially. All the thoughts of how I would be perceived if I wrote more graphically, and if the person I am would be confused with my style of writing, bothered me. I finally decided to write the way I envisioned a story and try to stop anticipating people’s reactions. Once I came to this decision, it seemed much easier to do. I draw the line with rough sex enjoyed by the victim, and I don’t delve into S&M.

Randy:  Too much is when I start getting embarrassed. I don’t really write erotic stories generally, so when I do, I put in just enough to push forward the story and to keep it interesting.

Do you have other writing projects underway?

Linda:  Too many to count!

Loretta:  I’m currently working on “The Image” which will be offered as an e-book, due to release by late summer or early fall of 2010. In it the reader is taken inside the belief of mind over matter, discovering that if it’s applied well; sometimes things aren’t what they seem.

After the release of “The Image” I will be returning to the editing of “The Midnight Dance/the Devereaux Chronicles”. This piece garnered me a PRO position within the RWA. I will also be completing the draft of “Dark Pleasures”, which L&L Dreamspell published as a short story in the anthology A Death in Texas.

Randy:  I’m working on a follow up to Hang on Sloopy, my novel which is to be published by L&L Dreamspell in 2011.

Where can readers learn more about you?

Linda:  www.lldreamspell.com/LindaHoule.htm

Loretta:  I have two websites: http://www.LorettaWheeler.com and http://www.lreveaux.com/
You can also find me on Facebook as Loretta Wheeler or on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/southernnuances

Randy:  On the L&L Dreamspell site. I have a blog, but I must confess, I’m pretty lazy about blogging. I do tend to write something every day on my Facebook page.

Thanks for the interview and continued success to all of you!
(For more information about Erotic Dreamspell and other Dreamspell publications, go to www.lldreamspell.com)

Anne Patrick returns with Fire and Ash

My special guest today is Anne Patrick, author of Fire and Ash and many other novels. Welcome back, Anne. Even though I’ve previously interviewed you, please tell new bloggers a bit about yourself.

I guess you could say I’m the female version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde…well maybe not that bad, but I do have an alter ego named Kinzie Monroe. Together we’ve penned over a dozen novels that are either published or under contract. When Anne’s not telling ‘sweet’ suspenseful tales of murder and mayhem, Kinzie fills in with stories of love and inspiration. Having a split personality makes life so much more interesting :-).
I bet.


Tell us your latest news.

Glad to, Susan. Kinzie and I both have new releases. Fire and Ash (by Anne) is an inspirational romantic suspense. Fire Investigator Sadie McGregor is called to her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri to investigate a suspicious fire which claimed the life of a local college student. By appearance the fire looks accidental. What Sadie and the handsome new sheriff discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community and may cost one of them their life.
And No Greater Love is an inspirational romance. Attorney Kirby Shelton has met a lot of wackos in her life. But the computer software queen, Leah Dalton, takes the prize. Leah, facing a losing battle with cancer, comes to Kirby with a plan to end her life on her terms. Leah invites Kirby and five of her closest friends to her estate, and offers to make one of them a multi-millionaire. All they have to do is kill her. Will they do it?

They both sound wonderful.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in either book? If so, why?

I’d have to say no on both counts. I loved the way they turned out and wouldn’t change anything about them.

Can you share a short excerpt from one of the books?

This excerpt is from Fire and Ash:

It was late afternoon before they arrived at the address the Ingram's had given them. Quinn parked his truck across the street and glanced up at the three-story brick building. "Third floor, right?"

Instead of an answer, Quinn heard Sadie's door close and looked over just in time to see her crossing in front of the truck, as usual, taking the lead. He smiled, grabbed the keys from the ignition, and reached for the door handle.

The sound of squealing tires caught Quinn's attention. He looked out his windshield as a black sports car pulled away from the curb. Shifting his gaze to the street, he saw Sadie was directly in its path. He jumped from the truck and yelled, "Look out!" then saw Sadie dive onto the hood of a parked car.

Quinn's heart pounded in his chest as he raced across the street. When he came around the front of the car she'd dove onto, he found her sitting with a dazed look on her face. He knelt beside her, "Are you okay?"

She blinked her eyes. "I definitely need to visit the gym more often."

He chuckled, relieved she was all right and that her humor was still intact. "I don't know. I haven't seen a move like that since Starsky and Hutch."
"Will I need to call my insurance agent?"

He rose on his toes to peer across the hood of the late model Buick and saw a fairly good size dent in the hood. "I'm afraid so."
He offered his hand in assistance and she stood on wobbly legs. "Whoa!" She grabbed hold of his arm.

He steadied her by slipping his arm around her waist. "Are you sure you're okay?" Beginning with her forehead his eyes worked their way downward.

"I'm fine."

He spotted a dark stain near the left pocket of her jeans. "No you're not. You're bleeding."
"It must be my elbow, it's beginning to sting."
He gently raised it. Sure enough, blood seeped out of a one inch cut just below the bone. He took both her forearms and guided her backwards to lean against the Buick. "Stay put, don't move." He ran across the street to his truck, removed his first aid kit from behind the seat. When he returned, Sadie was nowhere in sight.

Compelling for sure.
How about sharing a review or two with readers?

Since these two are new releases, I haven’t had any come in yet. I do have a couple from my May releases, though, I’d love to share.

Go right ahead.

Amazon Nymph gave Ties That Bind the Golden Blush Recommended Read Award! "Anyone that loves intense mystery and suspense stories is going to love Ties That Bind. The author has a way of keeping you on your toes as you read this book. There are so many twists that you will have a difficult time guessing who the killer is. Ms. Patrick keeps you guessing until you get close to the end of the book. This story has a lot of romantic and subtle Christian undertones but they don't detract from the mystery. I could not put this one down...Ties That Bind is one book to be placed on every mystery lover's bookshelf to be read more than once."

Great review. Congratulations!
Ginger at Examiner.com said this: Out of the Darkness is a perfect example of a story done right. You'll keep turning pages because you can't wait to find out who the villain really is and how the story will play out. Once you finish this book, you'll be searching for more from Anne Patrick.
Out of the Darkness was also chosen as the 'Publishers Pick' for the month of June at Champagne Books!

Where can we purchase a copy? You can find buy links to all my books on my website http://www.annepatrick.weebly.com/

Do you have plans for another book? I have another book coming out in November with Desert Breeze Publishing called Sabotage, and I’m working on the first book in a romantic suspense series.

Where can we find you online? My website: www.annepatrick.weebly.com, my blog: www.suspensebyanne.blogspot.com, and you can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

Anne, it has been a pleasure to chat with you on the virtual deck this morning. Continued success with all endeavors, my friend.

Latest Hell Swamp review

I’m always thrilled to find an unsolicited review. This morning, this was on Facebook:

"Hell Swamp, a lovely place for a vacation if you like finding floating skulls, cottonmouths, being pushed into the river, shot at, whacked over the head and stately southern plantations. Lest I forget, the plantation had an addition that I should mention. An old lady, dressed out like a freshly-killed deer and hung from the main chandelier in the foyer.
This is the situation that SBI agent Logan Hunter discovered when she was called off of vacation to head up an investigation in rural North Carolina.
The story spins along at an entertaining pace as you follow Logan through her investigation.
Peculiarities abound as you meet the suspects. Whitfield has drawn a cast of characters from 'down by the Black River' that rings delightfully true and scary, injected with just enough humor to make HELL SWAMP stand out from the pack. Read this book. It's a good 'un."

If you want a copy,  Hell Swamp and the rest of the Logan Hunter series (to date), pick up a copy at my site http://www.susanwhitfielonline.com/ or http://www.lldreamspell.com/, online stores, or your favorite store. If they don't have it in stock, they'll be glad to order it for you.

 

Red Storm Regime

Since men first started recording words on the walls of caves and on parchment, the greatest stories handed down through the ages deal with the battle between good and evil. The first four volumes of The Regime Guard’s 1,000 Years of War continue in that tradition with four separate but interlinked stories of the fight for dominance of an entire galaxy. The stories are set approximately three hundred years apart. They show the evolution and the rise and fall of the three primary societies, as the eternal struggle to balance good and evil rages on.

Red Storm Regime is the first volume of the series by authors MJ Goodnow and Marie Pacha. In a unique twist to the norm, it is not the adults who are the saviors of the forces of good, but rather a group of eight pre-teen children who are willing to give up their youth and their innocence to preserve the way of life of an entire galaxy.



One by one, these youngsters instantaneously morph from children into adults through the power of their god, Elahim, who represents the ultimate good. They are lead by Lena and Elana, twin sisters torn from one another at birth, yet retaining a psychic link. 



They step forward to fight forces that range from the savage Strigoi, to the mystic Lucid, and a minion of the evil goddesses. They put their faith in ancient prophecies and become the Storm Regime. This initial war lays the groundwork for the sequels. As this manuscript ends in a spectacular battle, the Damanite race is decimated and the Zaeferi race survives to rebuild its civilization.


My guests today are the authors, Marie Pacha and Mike Goodnow. Welcome, you two. Please tell us more about you.

Susan, thank you for the opportunity to introduce ourselves and our work to your readers.

MJ Goodnow: I was born, raised, and educated in Connecticut. Over the years I traveled between Connecticut, New York City and Buffalo before finally settling in Minneapolis where I live with my wife and two children. In those interim years, I attended college and focused my studies in Religion and Theology.


Marie Pacha: I was born, adopted, and raised in Iowa. Aside from a few brief periods as a young adult living in Buffalo, NY and Lincoln, NE, Iowa was home until almost three years ago when I moved to a mountain ridge in West Virginia. I tell everyone that I ran away from home when my youngest went off to college so that my three kids couldn’t come back home to nest, but the truth was that all three of them needed a chance to fly on their own. So did I.


When did the writing bug bite, and in what genre(s)?


MJ: I had a teacher in high school, Wally Lamb, who has since gone on to win awards for his novels. I was a freshman and he gave me the encouragement I needed to begin writing the story that eventually became Red Storm Regime. The worlds that exist within the series were, in a way, my refuge as I dealt with issues above and beyond the normal growing pains of a teenager. Each climactic moment, each battle is a symbol of something that happened to me, although obviously not a replication. This book is science fiction, but I also write YA novels.

Marie: I started writing poetry in high school and have continued writing in that genre, and obviously also in fiction. I honestly never considered that I would be a novelist, especially in the genre of science fiction.

 When you started writing, what goals did you want to accomplish? Is there a message you want readers to grasp?


MJ: I used writing as catharsis, while I struggled with inner demons. I felt it was my opportunity to heal and cleanse myself of those issues. As the story evolved, I felt others could benefit from my approach and also be entertained by the drama that unfolded on the pages of the manuscript. I wanted to see my idea published and I came in contact with Marie through a classified listing for a co-author. From day one, we were a good fit and I told her frequently that “she was in my head” as she immediately grasped my vision and expanded upon it. We had spent about five months evolving the plot and characters before it was accepted for publication.


Marie: Initially, I wanted to share my thoughts so people could understand me better, and in the process find like-minded people. Prose has taken me beyond those purposes. Now, I want to entertain people, and at the same time express some of my philosophies about life and make my readers take a deeper look at the world around them. And yes, that means there’s more to my work than just an entertaining story.


Briefly tell us about your latest book. Stand-alone or series?

 MJ: If you have written both, which one do you prefer? Red Storm Regime was written to stand alone. It is complete as it’s written and I think some readers may not expect a sequel, but it is part of a series that covers over 1,000 of war between two primary races. I think the story dictates which it should be.

 Marie: But Red Storm Regime is part of a series conceptualized by my co-author, MJ Goodnow. It is a rather detailed and complete story as written, but the full story as indicated in the sub-title will be revealed in the sequels. My works in progress are intended as stand-alone works. I don’t have a preference, because I feel the plot and characters dictate if there is a need for a series.

 What’s the hook for the book?


MJ: We’ve taken the age-old battle between good and evil and given it some unique twists. Our heroes are young and unproven in war and battling some really nasty creatures.


Marie: Since men first started recording words on the walls of caves and on parchment, the greatest stories handed down through the ages deal with the battle between good and evil. The first four volumes of The Regime Guard's 1,000 Years of War series continue in that tradition with four separate, but interlinked stories of the fight for dominance of an entire galaxy. The stories are set approximately 300 years apart, and show the evolution and the rise and fall of the three primary societies as the eternal struggle to balance good and evil rages on.

Red Storm Regime lays the groundwork for the rest of the series and establishes the main characters that will be present throughout. Each regime of guardians has specific powers and abilities and the titles allude to those. In this manuscript, members of the Red Storm Regime have the elemental powers of nature as their weapons.

 How do you determine that all important first sentence?


MJ: The first sentence in this manuscript gives the reader a sense of the power and sometimes the violence that occurs within the novel. We wanted to grab our readers immediately and not let them go until they finished the final page.

 Marie: Our first sentence is part of the prologue and we wanted to jump right into the back story. The sentence, “The thunder of war rumbled below the dimly lit cavern” sets the tone for the chaos of the storm and battle scenes within the book.

How do you develop characters?


MJ: Funny you should ask. These characters have been inside my head for 20 years. I had names for most of them and the idea of what would happen to some of them, but my character development was superficial. Marie expanded on my ideas and refined them. She also added a few new characters. For instance, at one point I had the twins (you’ll meet them in the book) as combatants against each other. In the finished version they are allies and act as one person. So we talked on the phone and hashed it out. Setting? The settings were revised to fit the actions of our characters.


Marie: MJ had a ‘vision’ for many of the characters and he created the basic plot. Once we joined forces, he allowed me to take them beyond his original concepts and further define their individual traits and characteristics. Because MJ had a rough idea of where the sequels were headed, characters had to be developed that could either survive or die within the course of this story. That limited me somewhat, but it also gave me the freedom to expand the main characters and action.


Setting?


Marie: When a writer creates a galaxy, he or she has the advantage. In this case, we built it to suit the story and characters. We tried to set limits that would make it believable, but at the same time define it as “otherworldly.”

 What are your protagonist’s strengths? Flaws?


MJ: Our protagonists are young, but they are a determined group. Their strengths are based on the powers they receive with their swords and the fact that they are fighting for good and the survival of their species.

Marie: They have powers and weapons their enemies don’t possess. And, they are fighting for the survival of their species, a huge motivator. If that’s not enough, they have a god on their side and a few other advantages. As for flaws; they are young and inexperienced at fighting. Their enemies have no sense of right and wrong, no sense of mercy, and seek total domination.

How do you determine voice in your writing?


MJ: Our characters age and backgrounds dictated the voice we used.


Marie: Parts of this manuscript, the prophecies, are written in very formal voice. That was done in part to distinguish them as coming from a separate time and place and to set them apart from the main text. The Damanites, our bad guys, also retained a rather formal voice.


When we wrote dialogue for the members of the Regime we had to lighten the tone. After all, they were children who were suddenly thrust into the shape and responsibilities of adults, and we decided that although they matured physically their language skills would stay on par with their chronological ages.


Ultimately, I guess I’d have to say our characters dictated the voice we used.

Do you have specific techniques you use to develop the plot and stay on track?


MJ: Once we decided where we would start and end, we discussed how the action was going to progress. I envisioned the story scene by scene. Marie tied them together and refined them.


Marie: We had the basic plot determined, but in the process of the collaboration it expanded and changed a great deal, as did the characters. Obviously, the basics were in place and we had to have protagonists and antagonists, and conflict and then resolution. Within this book, we have a number of conflicts and subplots playing out.


How does your environment/upbringing color your writing?


MJ: I see things in black and white, which is obvious to most people who know me on a personal level. Good and bad are clearly defined for me. Death and loss of love were part of my childhood, more than most peoples, and I incorporated that into the book.


Marie: Both MJ and I believe in good and evil, although our formal education in religion varies considerably. We have tried to incorporate aspects of those beliefs into the book.

Our environments and upbringings are drastically different; especially when you consider that I am twenty years older than he is. My voice as a writer is a product of my education and experiences. Those have been pretty varied and allow me some latitude.


Excerpt: 
Tonight, with the sounds of war still ever present, Kapulin finished polishing the sword. He felt the power within, as if it were a living thing, waiting to be set free. He knew he achieved his purpose in this life. He also knew that soon he would be called to the presence of Elahim and his final home on Paradise Isle.


He placed the sword in its hiding place within the cavern, and lay down on his pallet one last time, exhausted.


Immediately, a burst of lightening streaked across the sky. It crashed through the mountaintop that housed the final sword and struck it, intensifying the power that it held.


In the village below the Damanites stood and stared in disbelief as the mountain was torn apart by lightning. They were unaware it was the beginning of their destruction.


Interrans recognized it as a sign from the great Elahim. They rallied together and took the remaining Zaeferi with them to safety.


The Damanites ran, desperately trying to save themselves as additional bolts of lightning turned against them. The peril they now faced was greater than the control they once held over their captives. Each element of the swords: lightning, rain, ice, wind and all their counterparts, soon filled the atmosphere seemingly aimed directly against the Damanite forces. The Damanites dropped to their deaths unable to save their own wretched souls.

Have you started any online networks or blogs to promote yourself and others?


MJ: I have a website in development. I am a member of Redroom.com and I have my own google blog.


Marie: I just set up a blog: http://onewordatatimebymp.blogspot.com/ and I have a Facebook page. I also hope to have a website soon.


After hours of intense writing, how do you unwind?


MJ: I play video games, play with my children, and spend time with my wife just talking. I relax sometimes with a can of pop and a television. Music really helps. I listen to epic music like “Nightwish.”


Marie: I play a pretty terrible game of chess, but I love the battle it represents. Or I sleep! If I feel the need for comedic relief I watch the Housewives of NYC and Orange County.

What are your current projects?


MJ: I am working on the sequels to Red Storm Regime with Marie. Also, I am working on another novel, Evolution of the Fallen, which is about four teenagers challenged by mental illness who find peace and recovery through music. I am also working on a manuscript titled Syn, and a heartwarming tale called What Heaven Looks Like.


Marie: MJ and I are developing two of the sequels to Red Storm Regime simultaneously. One is a more detailed back story for the races that exist throughout the series, and one of my favorite characters, Lucid. The other covers the next period in the 1,000 years of war.


I’m also working on three manuscripts of my own: Alpha to Omega and Ewetopia, A Land Far from Normal and I, Entity. And I do ghostwriting and editing for clients.

Where can folks learn more about your books and events?


MJ: They can go to Weaving Dreams Publishing website


Marie: Look me up on Facebook, under my name or check out Weaving Dreams Publishing: http://www.weavingdreamspublishing.com/welcome.html

Continued success with the other books!