A Festive Welcome to Romance Author Sherry Gloag 

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Looking for a Christmas gift?

Sherry Gloag writes stories that go right to 'The Heart of Romance'
Her latest novel From Now Until Forever has just been awarded 5 strong stars

Here's a brief preview:
For Prince Liam, families meant bad news, unwanted commitments, and the loss of his personal freedom.  Love spawned white picket fences, slippers at the hearth with a wife and kids making demands, so why did those images disappear when he met Melanie Babcot?

Melanie Babcot fought hard to escape the horrors of her youth and vowed to remain single and free, so when paid to protect Prince Liam from insurgents why did her personal pledge fly out the window?

Take a look at the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D7sLoMWp0o

and read the fantastic review on Sherry's Goodreads page

Now Sherry Reveals:

Firstly, congratulations on your fifth published work! Thank you :-)

What inspired the theme of For Now Until Forever?
I watched the ‘royal wedding between William (get the connection!?) and Kate, and saw a spate of books coming out with Royal themes, so decided to try for some of the action.

How would you describe Prince Liam’s character? At the beginning of the story you could be forgiven for thinking of him  as arrogant, self-absorbed, and a womaniser, but as the story progresses past events are revealed that show him in a different light.  He is a strong, caring guy, who when faced with imminent death steps up to the plate.

And Melanie Babcot? As a child, Melanie survived life on the streets and stayed ahead of the system until rescued but a caring couple.  She works hard to improve herself and ends up working with her surrogate father.  

What did you enjoy most about writing From Now Until Forever? Everything about From Now until Forever had its own energy from the first letter to the last.  At every stage of the writing several people each had a major impact on its progress.  I loved that it started life at little over one thousand words.  Member of the crit group wanted more.  You told me about a certain anthology looking for submissions, so I extended it to five thousand words.  Before subbing it to the publisher I asked a friend, and fellow author Kay Springsteen to give it the once-over for grammar checks etc.  She sent it back with the demand she get first dibs if FNUF was rejected.  As you know it was.

Working so closely with Kay was an awesome experience and one I will treasure.  I learned a great deal from her, and so appreciate the time she gave me.  Although the road to publication for FNUF was influenced by many people, I strongly believe without Kay’s advice I might still be searching for a home for FNUF.

You have been complimented on your fast pace. Do you have a strategy to ensure the pace of your novels? No, Megan, I don’t have a strategy for pace.  The characters, Mel and Liam set the pace demanded their tale be told and usually I follow their lead, but  this time I also had the advantage of the brainstorming sessions with Kay.

I know you have described yourself as a pantser in the past. Do you find this is changing the more you write?

I’m still a Panster, but the biggest change I’ve discovered about my writing self is that I find it almost ompossible to switch off the internal editor.  My NaNo attempt this year was well and truly sabotaged by my internal editor.

Ever suffered from writer’s block? What would be your tips to overcome it? Sadly, yes, regularly.  Usually if I open a new doc head it ‘freewriting’ and simply start writing I subliminally give myself permission to write about anything.  My first ever short story evolved this way—and was published! Sometimes, and I did this with a scene in my second book, Duty Calls, I gave my self a deadline of 1k words and wrote a new scene to include – or not- in the story.  It worked, was fun, and I felt great when I’d finished.

As a reviewer, what do you think makes for successful book? Megan, this is not an easy question to answer.  I’ll try to explain.  A few months ago, I reviewed two books, two different authors.  Both with high, popular profiles, both authors I enjoy.  I gave the first book a 4.5, which for me is high.  The second I struggled to give it a 4.  Why?  When both books were well written, fluent, peopled with a great cast of characters, and an interesting setting, why did I struggle with the second book? Both had similar ingredients and yet one grabbed my attention, the second one did not.  The fact the second one disappointed when my expectations were high from this author also impacted my final rating., So you see, There is no one thing that makes a successful book.  It’s a bit like baking a cake.  You can bake the same recipe a hundred timed but at least one of those times, and probably more, the cake will fail to come up to expectations.

Which authors have influenced you as a writer? Nora Roberts is a word magician, and been a huge influence.  At the other end of the scale, Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen both have places on my ‘keepers’ shelf.  There are so many current writers I enjoy and always look out for their new releases—too many to mention.

What is the best writing advice you have ever received? Be true to yourself, and don’t give up.  A quote attributed to Nora Roberts says it all. “You can fix a bad page, you can’t fix a blank one.”

What can we look forward from you in your next project? A few years back, as part of that year’s NaNo challenge, I started a Regency novel, that I keep putting it away and taking it out and shelving it again, so I decided to pull it out and try and whip into shape as a Christmas story.  That didn’t happen, and yes it got sidelined for a few weeks, but I am now working on it again and who knows, perhaps I will send it off home-hunting in the not too distant future,
I am also kind of ‘listening’ to Henry, Liam’s brother –From Now Until Forver- Perhaps if luck is with me I can create a Valentine story here.  I happened to write my first offering for Tuesday Tales at the beginning of December and several people asked for an extension, (sound familiar?) and while I was out walking the next day, I ‘knew’ how to bring Henry and the Tuesday Tale together.

Any exciting plans for Christmas?
‘Fraid not. :-)  Being at home with family is exciting enough. Plus Sherry's hubby cooks the dinner! 

What do you hope Santa brings you this year? Given the saga with my PC this summer, I’m tempted to say a Mac! LOL. But since I was eventually given a voucher to get a replacement PC, I think I’ll have to wait a while on that one.

And finally...

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish my readers, friends and everyone a very happy festive holiday, and best wishes for the New Year.  And thank  you, Megan for having me on your blog this week.

Links: You can read more about Sherry on her website and her blog. Find her on facebook, on twitter and goodreads
More BUY links: amazon.com   amazon.co.uk   Barnes & Noble   Nook

Thank you for being here and sharing with us, Sherry - From Now Until Forever sounds like a winner!
Thanks also to all who visit this blog, A very happy Christmas and prosperous New Year to everyone and I hope that 2012 brings you everything you wish for.
'May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through the door.'

Back next year - don't forget to email meganjohns12@gmail.com if you would like to book a blog slot.
Remember to put 'blog booking' in subject line.

A WARM WELCOME TO WRITER KATE LYND 

Kate Lynd was born in and currently resides in Kentucky. She loves college basketball, marathoning, the University of Kentucky and all things Hollywood. Her latest release is No Ordinary Love, a sci-fi erotic romance available at Muse It Hot Publishing. Her upcoming release is Another Way to Die, also from Muse It Up Publishing.



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HERE'S THE BLURB FOR NO ORDINARY LOVE 
A human rebel against the Capturian Forces, Caliope was enslaved for five years and tortured.
She never expects to meet James, a half-breed too human for his own good.
Their connection is electric. Their love is forbidden. Their daughter may be Earth's only hope.
KATE REVEALS

From where do you get inspiration and what inspired you to write No Ordinary Love?
Daniel Craig’s bad ass character from Cowboys and Aliens.

Who controls the story – you or your characters?
I rarely control anything about my stories. And when I resist  them it becomes difficult to write at all.

What do you hope your readers come away with after reading the book?  That they’re as in love with my characters as I am.




PRE-ORDER

 

What do you like best and least about writing?
I love losing myself in  my work and letting the world fall away.  I hate the torturous process of coming up with the next idea.

Do you have a writing routine?
I get up in the morning and write until I go to bed at night when working on a project.

Anything special you require to keep the creative juices flowing? Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?
I live my writing life by three rules 1) You gotta reject rejection. 2) Seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.  And finally 3)Don’t get it right get it written.

What can we look forward to from you in the near future?
Another Way to Die is set to release this month as well and it is dark romantic suspense it is Casino Royale meets The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. And I’m currently at work on a post apocalyptic erotic romance GLADIATOR.

How do you like to spend your free time?    Going to the movies and the bookstore. I also like to cook.

What was your favourite book as a child/teen/adult?   Summer Of My German Soldier and Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.

Are you currently reading anything?   No, but on my TBR pile is Rock Crazy.

FINALLY KATE TREATS US TO AN EXCERPT FROM NO ORDINARY LOVE
When I woke I was in a small room, naked except for the salves on my skin and a warm blanket wrapped around my body. I looked around James was sleeping in a chair next to the bed with a shotgun at his side. I tried to sit up and his eyes flickered open.
"Keep still. they'll sense you."
His nearnes was enough to make me yearn for his touch. Relationships between Capturians and humans were taboo by their very nature. But James himself was an anomaly. He was the offspring of a capturian Master and his female human slave. He never talked about it, but I knew it left him with a bitterness and heaviness that not even the oldest of human survivors had.
He'd been a guard on the slave ship I'd originally been sent to, early on in the fighting. the 'experiments' had been tortuous. During my first six months there, they tried to break me. Every night I was in tears. angry, bitter, terrified tears. When I slept there was no relief, either, as I was haunted in my dreams by the things they had done to me in the daytime. Eventually, I lost all sense of time or place. I was about to fall on my sword when James was assigned to watch me and make sure I didn't rally the other human slaves. Instead ofplunging me into utter darkness and suspending me in air, he'd come to me, that first night, and held me through it.
  

Coming soon:  ANOTHER WAY TO DIE Link         NO ORDINARY LOVE   MuseItUp Buy Link

Thanks for sharing with us today, Kate - great to meet you!

A Warm Welcome to multi-published author JANE TOOMBS

http://www.janetoombs.com/


Jane Toombs, born in California, raised in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, has returned "home" to live in the beautiful Upper Peninsula on the shore of Lake Superior--with the Viking from her past. Jane has five children, two stepchildren, seven grandchildren, a calico cat named Kinko and two computers.
She's the author of over eighty published books, both in paper and electronic.  These include the various romance genres--gothic, suspense, contemporary, historical, Regency and paranormal--as well as other genres such as mystery, fantasy and horror. Jane has used pseudonyms--Ellen Jamison, Diana Stuart, Olivia Sumner--but is now writing under her own name except for her Zebra/Pinnacle romances for which she uses Jane Anderson.

With over 80 published books to her name, check out Jane's website to get a flavour of her vast range.

Today, Jane is promoting TAKEN IN -
Book I of THE DAGON HOUSE TRILOGY  from Champagne Books

Blurb:

In New York City Gail Sarandon watches the murder of a man she knows.  Afraid the hit man has seen her, she flees her apartment, heading in a rental car for the Adirondacks. Both  Secret Agent Jason Tregarth, who intends to turn her over to a US Marshal, and the hit man pursue her.  Jason reaches her first, but his attempt to get her to safety is thwarted by the hit man.  Jason, Gail with him, is forced to flee.  They evade the hit man but the car crashes and burns on a lonely mountain road.  Both are forced to take shelter in a old Victorian called Dagon House… 


JANE REVEALS...

From where do you get inspiration?

I’ve compared my mind to a busy airport with planes constantly flying in and out, with some waiting to land.  The planes represent the ideas constantly circling in my head--some coming in, some leaving, When one lands it becomes a story.  So the inspiration is always there,  circling and waiting,

My latest story, Christmas Catalyst, was written for Red Rose Publishing.  My original thought was to set a Christmas story  in the past near the Hudson River, but when I sat down to write, the story of this  ten-year-old girl whose soldier father was killed in Afghanistan suddenly unfolded before me, so that’s what I wrote.   Even the location changed from New York to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I have no idea why I suddenly had to write that story.

Who controls the story – you or your characters?

Essentially I do.  But the characters  let me know who they are and what they want. almost as though they’re talking to me  and I do pay attention to this.

What do you enjoy about writing romance?

Everything.  How and why each hero and heroine get together even though inner and outer forces vie to keep them apart. Each time , it’s almost like falling in love all over again.

What do you like best and least about writing?

Well, I have to write or I’m miserable.  So writing is not a chore for me.  But I’ve always hated deadlines. That’s one of reasons I left New York pubs for epublishers. 

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

Use active verbs, learn to edit yourself and keep your language always understandable even if you vocabulary far exceeds that of the average person.  All this from either English instructors or editors.

What can we look forward to from you in the near future?

I have one more book to finish in my Dangerous Darkness Series from Red Rose Publishing: Darkness On The Shore.  Also two more books to write in my Dagon House Ghosts Trilogy for Champagne.:  Where There’s Smoke and Ghost Hunt.   Plus three more books to write in my Underworld Series for Eternal Press: Uncanny, Unearthly, and Unspoiled.  Once I get these in, I’ll be starting a new series called Dangerous Metals.

How do you like to spend your free time?

Reading.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions you wish to accomplish? What would you most like to accomplish this year?

In  2012  I hope to be able to finish all my current series so I can get started on some of the others I have outlined: The Sun Gates. Prime and Null, The Raffin Family, to name some of them.

What was your favorite book as a child/teen/adult? Are you currently reading anything?Child: Millions of Cats  I still recall chanting “Hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and bilions and trillions of cats…”

Teen: Poe’s poetry and the Nancy Drew mystery series

Adult: I have so many favorites I can’t narrow it down to one book or even one author. Fantasy and murder mysteries run neck and neck  for favorite  authors.  Two of my favorite fantasy authors,  Anne Mccaffery and Andre Norton are, alas, no  longer with us. 

Michael Connolly and Lee Childs are my two current favorite mystery writers--and both are still alive. 

Currently reading  and enjoying  SCARPETTA by Patricia Cornwall.

AND NOW JANE TREATS US TO AN EXCERPT FROM TAKEN IN

Excerpt:

       Inside Dagon House, one of the three women Jason didn't know took his arm and led him to a chair, standing over him.  Gratefully, he sank onto it, glad to be sitting down inside a house, out of the rain.   Between the throbbing in his head and the pain in his arm, he couldn't think straight.  He had no idea where he was, though he knew one of the women had brought him here from—what?  Some kind of accident?  But all three were strangers.

       "In case you didn't catch my name, Jason," the woman said, "I'm Anita, and I'm a nurse.  We're going to get that jacket off and take a look at that injured left arm of yours." 

       Even though she was careful removing the jacket, he was forced to clench his teeth against the pain.   Anita set a towel on his knees and he watched blood drip onto it.

       "Krystal," she said, "please bring me my first aid kit."

       "I know where it is," a child's voice said. "I can get it."

       "Krystal will take of that,"  Anita said.  "Just what are you doing out of bed?"  

       "I heard someone knock and I got scared."

       "As you can see, everything is all right. Take Rex upstairs with you for company. "

       "That man's arm is all bloody, Mom."

       "I'm going to fix it.  Go back to bed. Now."

      "Come on, Rex, " the child called. The brown mixed-breed dog wuffed and followed the dark-haired girl from the room. Jason figured she was about ten. She had her mother's hazel eyes. The blond woman who must be Krystal had already disappeared. 

       "You have a long gash on your forearm that needs stitches," Anita told him. "I don't know what else might be wrong with the arm, but I don't think any bones are broken." 

       Krystal returned with the kit, set it on the table beside Anita and opened it. 

       "I'll pad your arm with gauze to stop the bleeding till we can get you an emergency room.," Anita said.

       "No ER."  Jason's tone was clipped. 

       Anita gave him an assessing look. "Do you have any other injuries?"

Involuntarily, Jason's right hand rose to his forehead.

       She took a penlight from the kit , bent over and shone it into one eye, then the other.  Then she ran her hands over his head,  He winced when she touched the left side. 

       "Some swelling," she said.  "So you banged your head in that car wreck. Your pupils are both the same size, so you're okay so far, but you really need an X-ray to be sure you don't—"

       "No X-rays. No hospital."

       Anita looked at the woman who'd brought him here.

       "He has a reason," the woman said.

       So she knew him.  A blade of fear sliced through Jason. Why didn't he know her?  But she was right. There was some reason he couldn't be taken to any hospital. If only he could remember what it was.

       Anita looked from her back to Jason.  "Since I told you no one asks questions in this house, I'll have to give you both the same courtesy.  But I do recommend you see a doctor, and will be glad to drive you to an ER. "

       "That's not an option,"  Jason told her.   

       "Okay, understood. You both need to get out of those wet clothes." She turned to Krystal. "Why don't you take Gail upstairs and get her into something dry. Once she's set, you could see if there are any men's clothes in those attic trunks."  Focusing on Jason, she told him,  "I'll stitch you up first.  Got to warn you, though. I don't have any local anesthetic, much less any curved needles or sutures. I'll have to sterilize a regular needle and thread for the job."

       "Do whatever needs to be done."   Now he knew Gail was the name of the woman who brought him here.  Why didn't it sound familiar? What the hell was wrong with his mind?  And what was this no questions business?

       The stitching-up hurt him every bit as much as Anita had warned, plus her moving his arm caused excruciating pain. When she finished and was bandaging up her work, she shook her head.  "What is it with men?  Wouldn't have bothered me a bit if you'll yelled every time I stuck the needle in.  But, no, men like you always have to prove how rugged they are."

       Men like him? What did she mean?  When she finished, he rose from the chair and had to grab the table top when  the room whirled.  Without thinking he used both arms and couldn't avoid grunting from the pain in his left one. He sat back down and closed his eyes.

       "So you're dizzy. Not surprising," she said. 

       "Arm hurts if I try to use it." he confessed. "May need some aspirin."

       "I told you I didn't find any broken bones when I checked. My guess is you've got some bruised muscles from whacking that arm on something during the accident.  They'll heal in time, but they'll go on hurting till they do.  I'll fetch some aspirin. In the mean time, you sit right here.  Put your head down on the table if you feel faint.  Don't try to get up until Krystal comes back downstairs.  All the bedrooms and the only bathroom are upstairs. It'll take the two of us to get you there."

       Jason hated the fact he needed help, but she was right.  He wouldn't make it on his own.  He hoped the aspirin would help clear his head.

       After the hot shower she'd dreamed of, Gail, dried off and put on the gray sweat pants and T-shirt Krystal had given her.  The watch resting on  the washbasin had both hands on twelve. Midnight.  She left the bathroom just as Anita hit the stair landing. 

       Anita opened a door and gestured for Gail to enter. "I'm putting you in this bedroom with the twin beds. Your husband will need checking on during the night, so I'll bring you an alarm clock and a flashlight."

            Gail opened her mouth to set Anita straight about their relationship, but bit back the words.  If she  didn't check on Jason, then Anita would have to, and she'd done enough already.

CHECK OUT JANE'S AUTHOR PAGES at CHAMPAGNE BOOKS link,  at RED ROSE link and at Amazon link.
Also read more at her website http://www.janetoombs.com/

Jane's next book - Christmas Catalyst, one of the Twelve Days Of Christmas stories, will be available from Red Rose
on Sat 31 Dec Mark your calendars!

Thank you, Jane, for taking time out of your busy schedule to be with us today.
It has been a pleasure to meet you.

Who are the Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road?

Those most dangerous  rule-wreckers from Alternative-Read.com 'We took away the rules and let them write whatever the hell they liked.'

Publisher Clayton Bye says: I know many of these authors; they are passionate, committed and professional; whatever else they do in  their lives, these people live to write

Editor and site owner Sassy Brit says: Being different and standing out from the crowd has always been my major focus for my authors and readers with my aptly named site, Alternative- Read.com

DRUM ROLL!!! AND HERE THEY ARE, THOSE INTREPID WRITERS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD
click on the author names and book links to find out more

Lucille P Robinson, author of SHORT  STORIES THAT KILL TIME  has written HOLD UP, in which a rapist learns  why crime doesn’t pay. Will he survive this lesson? In a second  story, Lucille offers us MAN SLAUGHTER: a woman accused of killing three  family members may not be guilty. Read the Book.

 Angelika Devlyn, author of Black  Ice: The Training Ground(The Dark Kingdom Chronicles) Book One  has offered us JUDGMENT DAY, in which an injured woman  falls into the hands of a psychic psychopath. Read the book.

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 Elizabeth Coldwell, author of HIS has written FOR ART’S SAKE, in which the reader learns just what Danni is prepared to do for art’s sake. Read the book.

Nathan L. Yocum, author of The Zona has written SIMON SEEKS... “You gotta find someone, go to    Simon Craig, but don’t get on his bad side.” Read the book.

Tim Fleming, author of Murder of an American Nazi has written THE BAREFOOT HERO, in which a grieving man stumbles upon a remarkable form of heroism. Read the book.

Megan Johns, author of The Path of Innocence has written THE JOURNEY, in which a complex woman—wife and    mother, has a most surprising secret. Then, zeroing in on a more    specific audience, Megan writes A NEW LEAF, "For real women who    understand life is not clear-cut." Read the book.

Casey Wolf, author of Finding  Creatures & OtherStories  and first-time author Päivi Kuosmanen co-authored
TRIONA’S BEANS, in which a teenage girl  saves a world between first and last dinner call. Casey also wrote  two other stories for the anthology: CENOTAPH, in which an angry  young man learns what enduring commitment and duty means, and   PRONGHORNS, where you'll discover that Sylvia should have paid attention to her memory of the Pronghorns. Read the Book

Mike Brecon, author of A Dangerous Remedy has written THE MEAL, in which reality TV is at its    ugliest and most brazen. Then he goes on to tell us a dark, sad story called FRAME OF REFERENCE, which is about the way we see things and the way we don't. Read the book.

Karen Cote, author of Erotic  Deception who has never tried writing horror, bravely  offers us the raw and disturbing
SEVEN DEADLY SINS. This is a great  read about a unique serial killer who won’t stop until there are  seven to forgive his own sins. Read the book.

John B. Rosenman, author of several speculative fiction novels and at least 150 published short  stories (and a few poems), is an active member of HWA (Horror Writers Association) and SFWA (Science Fiction Writer's Association)  and has been a guest at both Sci-Con and Balticon. For two years    (1998-1999), he was Chairman of the Board of HWA. John has written THE SMILE IN HER EYES, a story that  asks the question, "Can a young girl and an old man find love in an    intolerant society?" Read the book.

Tonya Moore, author of Blood  Binds has written SLUMFAIRY, in which a jaded mercenary    is enlightened by her strange world. Read the book.

Kit St. Germain, author of the novel The Thirteenth Fairy (Amazon) and a number of short stories like As He Was (Strange Horizons), also happens to be Tabitha St. Germain,  an award-winning stage and radio actress who has become one of the  foremost female voice over talents in North America. Tabitha's alter  ego, Kit, has written TAKE TWO, which is post-apocalyptic  humour with an edge. Read the book.


For Hat#4 go to http://www.megan-johns.com/

  

Marion Webb-De Sisto, author of Samael's Fall: The Angelic Chronicles has written the novella MALPAS, in which her  invisible and insatiable dream lover wants things his way. Not  likely! Read the book.

Published by   Chase Enterprises whose owner Clayton Bye  is also an editor of the anthology.

JOIN THE HOLIDAY HAT HUNT LAUNCH PARTY
WIN A KINDLE
Follow the contest on twitter on facebook 
and at Alternative Read
Grab yourself an alternative read

For next hat go to John Rosenman's blog

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Megan Johns' 'The Path of Innocence'.