Author Interviews: Kim Bailey Deal

Posted on September 21, 2016 by conniejean

Author Kim Bailey Deal

Let’s give a big hello to Kim who has graciously accepted my invitation to visit with us today. Kim Bailey Deal writes Women’s Fiction, short stories, poetry, and creative non-fiction. She’s been published in Firefly Magazine, A Journal of Luminous Writing. Kim has also been a guest blogger for Robert Lee Brewer’s blog at www.writersdigest.com. She authors a weekly column and is Social media manager for www.five2onemagazine.com. Kim also has a creative non-fiction piece published in Pilcrow & DaggerAugust/September Issue http://pilcrowdagger.com/issues/, and three poems, two short stories, and a creative non-fiction piece to be published in September and October 2016. Kim is mom to three sons and one daughter, Nim, to her grandchildren and step-daughter. She lives with her husband, John, near Chattanooga, TN.

1. Let’s start with something fun. What’s your favorite hobby?

There are so many. Reading, playing guitar, and watching movies are my top three.

2. If you had the opportunity—who would you like to spend an afternoon with and why?

My dad. He’s been gone 28 years now, but I’d like to tell him that I learned no one is perfect and he was the best dad he could be, and I’m proud to be his daughter.

3. Coffee, tea, soda or something else?

Coffee in the morning, peach tea during the day, water in between.

4. What are you working on right now?

Several things. I write a weekly column for Five2One Magazine. Also, a couple of poems, two short stories, a song I wrote for my kids, and my finished first draft of my women’s fiction novel I’m also helping to co-edit an anthology..

5. How would you describe your writing style?

I don’t hold anything back. It’s raw, honest, and unflinching in my examination of life, whether it’s fiction and non-fiction.

6. Do you have any advice for a person just beginning their writing career?

Do it. Now. Carve out the time. Don’t stop and don’t write for anyone but yourself.

7. Do you immerse yourself in new situations for writing ideas or do your ideas come to you through your normal, day-to-day life?

My writing comes to me from my past, from current events, and when dealing with messy life situations. It’s a kind of therapy for me.

8. Where can we find you on the interwebs?

I’ve been published in MORE magazine, Member Voices, The Pull of Strays at http://www.more.com/member-voices/your-stories/pull-strays?page=2; a poem “Spirit Awakening” and featured short story Nu Na Da Ul Tsun Yi in the 3^rd issue of Firefly Magazine www.fireflymagazine.weebly.com; on Robert Lee Brewer’s blog, There Are No Rules, as a guest blogger at www.writersdigest.com; and I write a weekly column, Breaking The Legacy Of Silence, at www.five2onemagazine.com. I blog at least weekly on my website, www.kimbaileydeal.net. I can be found on Facebook and Instagram at Kim Bailey Deal, and on Twitter @wordjunkie1966.

Thank you so much for visiting with us today, Kim.

Readers, you can learn more of what Kim is doing by visiting one or more of her pages. It will be worth your time!

Author Interviews: Dawn Simpson

Posted on September 7, 2016 by conniejean

Author D.M. Simpson

I want to welcome D.M. Simpson to my Author Interviews today. Here’s what Dawn has to say about herself.

I am a native Floridian. Most do not believe anyone is native to Florida, but I am here to tell you there are many of us. I am from a large family. I have six siblings, four sisters, and two brothers. I have seven incredible children, five boys, and two girls. I love animals. I have a cat, and a dog, who are now the only children in the house. I am an eclectic spirit. I have a BS in Criminal Justice. I have lived in two foreign countries. I have traveled to Germany. I have traveled from coast to coast here in the states. I, however, prefer the east coast. I have been writing now for three years, and I would not give it up for anything. I started this adventure of writing as a challenge to myself after reading several books written by self-publishers and even some traditionally published. I sat down on my birthday and just started writing. I had a twelve-chapter book staring back at me after four weeks. I wrote every spare moment. I wrote while I cooked dinner. I wrote while the kids did their homework around me at my desk. I wrote on my breaks at work. I wrote while my husband watched TV. Motivated by friends and one of my sisters, who would read as I wrote, begging for more as I completed each chapter. The support was euphoric. My first book was originally going to be my only book, but once the writing bug bites, you cannot stop. Here I am three years later writing two thrillers, the fourth book in my erotic romance series and editing the third book in the erotic romance series.

Wow. That’s a lot going on. But let’s get into the rest of the interview.

1. Let’s start with something fun. What’s your favorite hobby?

I love horseback riding, but I don’t get to do it very much.

2. If you had the opportunity—who would you like to spend an afternoon with and why?

Marjorie Collins; I would like to ask her if she was proud of the person her rebellious granddaughter has become. To hear her laugh, see her smile and to feel her arms wrap around me as she hugs me.

3. Coffee, tea, soda or something else?

Green tea or Black tea or soda just depends on my mood.

4. What are you working on right now?

Currently, writing two thrillers, editing the third book in my romance series and writing the fourth book in the romance series.

Here’s a bit about my newest book, The Ties That Bind, Lyric and Michael. https://www.amazon.com/Lyric-Michael-Ties-That-Bind-ebook/dp/B00DKMKGFO

Career was the focus as Lyric headed to the big city of Boston, she had no interest in anything else. Running from her past to a place where no one knew who or what she was or was not, on a path of the destiny of her choosing. However, fate had other plans. Finding herself and learning there was so much more than she ever imaged. Caught in a love triangle of danger and death.

5. How would you describe your writing style?

I would have to say mental and eclectic. I write as I think and a lot as I speak. My writing is related to my mood as I write. I attempt to draw the reader into the story, make them feel what they are reading. I do not feel I fit in a single genre, eclectic, I incorporate several genres in all my stories.

6. Do you have any advice for a person just beginning their writing career?

If you find yourself getting easily agitated because you cannot sit down and write, you are a writer. Writing is the easy part, putting yourself out there for the world to review is the challenging part. I would not say you have to have a thick skin to be a writer; you have to have the ability to take a review of your writing and make it a learning experience. Not a negative/positive thing. Not everyone is going to like what you write or your style of writing, that doesn’t make it wrong or right, it makes it yours and that is what writing is, it’s yours.

7. Do you immerse yourself in new situations for writing ideas or do your ideas come to you through your normal, day-to-day life?

Ideas come to me through normal day to day life. I also have them come to me in dreams.

8. Where can we find you on the interwebs?

My blog: http://simpsondm7071.blogspot.com/

My facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dmsimpson7071

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/DM-Simpson/e/B00KYRQQTI

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7211741.D_M_Simpson

Dawn, Thank you so much for coming by my blog today and talking with us a little about your work.

All, please stop by Dawn’s pages and say hello. She’ll be happy to see you.

Posted on September 5, 2016 by conniejean

Mom and Dad

Newest News:

Happy Labor Day everyone. My mom and dad were blue collar workers and both were in unions. Mom, because she worked for White Mop company making steel mop heads, buckets, wringers and such, was a steel worker. Dad was a Laborer, meaning he did the heaviest grunt work in the construction world. I’m proud of both of them for providing all of us kids a home, food, clothes, and a knowledge of the value of a dollar and hard work. Thanks Mom and Dad.

Zoe Ohale rewrite is with my editor for the second time. I’m am working on my cover and it’s taking longer than I thought. I still want my “A” Team to review possible covers and tget to select which of the draft covers will be my release cover. If you’d like to be in on the action, respond to this blog and let me know your name and email address. Do it now cause who knows when I’ll finalize those covers and get ready to release. Cover reveal will be to the “A” Team first, then the newsletter subscribers, then here on the blog. Want to be in the know first? Comment on this blog to join the A Team.

The Northern Gila County Fair again took up a lot of time last week with meetings, last minute details and other work. The fair starts this Friday, the 9^th, at 8am, so this week will be filled with the setup in preparation for the opening. I also attended a meeting for the Book Festival finalizing details of a new venue. All of my book festival goers and authors, stay tuned for an announcement about that. Are you in Central Arizona this coming weekend? Come to the fair! www.NorthernGilaCountyFair.com

Giveaways:

The Red Hot Summer has been extended to the 8th, so you have just a little more time to get in on the fun. You can find the Rafflecopter link above on my website. You do have to sign up to Rafflecopter but after that, you’re free to click away. I have links to it on my facebook and twitter pages, too. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, Mystery at the Fair, or for second prize, a $10 Amazon card. Over a hundred prizes from 50 authors plus a grand prize of $150 Paypal Cash. It’s not hard to enter, there are multiple ways to enter, and it doesn’t cost you anything. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, enter today and every day but hurry, only 14 days left!

Instafreebie September 18- 20th, 2016

Starting 1 September, I’m involved with a group doing a promotion on Instafreebie. The main promo is going to be September 19-20^th. There will be a lot of authors involved and we’ll be cross promoting the books so you get the best selection of cozy mysteries we could put together. Click on http://annertan.com/free-mystery-books/ and then click on the book cover to take you directly to the book you want. My link on Instafreebie is https://www.instafreebie.com/free/rXIZT and the book, Mystery at the Fair, is free! I know! Last week I said .99 but nah, it’s free! Hashtags for the giveaway will be #instafreebie, #mystery, #freemystery, #20Mysteries. Please share the tweets and posts. Let everyone in on the fun. More details as they come out. But check for us on Facebook and Twitter.

Shout Out:

On August 7^th, my author interview is with D. M. Simpson, author of Lyric and Michael. An author of paranormal romance, Dawn lives in Florida with an assortment of pets, kids and husband. You can find Lyric and Michael at http://www.amazon.com/DM-Simpson/e/B00KYRQQTI as well as her newest book, Christine and Daniel!

Garden News:

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes. Paste, Early Girl and Cherries. Then there’s the zucchini. Lots and lots of zucchini. We eat them at just about every meal. I made a spaghetti sauce from mostly cherry tomatoes on Saturday because I had so many. Some paste and Early Girls went into the sauce, too. I thought it’d be sweet but an application of red pepper flakes gave it a nice balance. Yay! Sunday I froze a bumper pick of green beans. We’ll have plenty for all winter long. That’s very satisfying. How’s your garden doing? Are you enjoying an abundance of something? Do tell.

Where Will I Be?:

The wonderful people at Dog-Eared Pages Book store (http://www.dogearedpagesusedbooks.com/) were nice enough to put a few of my Mystery at the Fair books on their shelves. If you’re in Phoenix, stop by the shop and say hi to the nice people there.

9^th annual Fall Festival in Pine, AZ. October 8^th and 9^th. http://pinestrawberrybusinesscommunityaz.com/fallapple.html. I’ll be there all weekend as part of the local author book signing. My hubby will be there as part of the chili cook-off at noon on Saturday. There are also crafters and a very excellent antique show scheduled, not to mention music and food!

Want more details about this event? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I’ve put sign-up prizes on both the regular and the Brown Rain newsletter sign-ups. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. Be prepared for fun and contests! Click on the video link for a short video from me. Hear what I’m working on. Join my “A” Team! I’m getting ready to share some things on the Zoe Ohale book. I’d love to see you there.

Newest Book Release:

Kindred Spirits released on March 14th! I’m pretty excited about it. You can buy it and my other books at: Apple, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Gumroads or Chatebooks today! You can also see all of my books on www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s a big help to me in the book rankings each vendor uses to promote the books on their sites. Thanks in advance.

Author Interviews: LeeAnn Jackson Rhoden

Posted on August 24, 2016 by conniejean

Author LeeAnn Jackson Rhoden

I’d like to welcome author LeeAnn to the blog today. LeeAnn Jackson Rhoden is a wife, mom, and author. She lives with her family in their fixer-upper house they’ve been renovating for three years and hopes it will be finished before her six-year-old goes to college. She is the publisher and an editor for Pilcrow & Dagger, has six short stories published and is still reworking her first novel. Thank you, LeeAnn for visiting with us. Let’s get to it, shall we?

1. Let’s start with something fun. What’s your favorite hobby?

Knitting. I learned to knit about 5 years ago. I made two scarves using the garter stitch then made a striped sweater vest for my husband that actually turned out pretty good. He wears it, anyway. I’ve taught myself how to knit in the round, and how to do strand knitting and I’m about to tackle Aran knitting. I like the complex patterns and rhythms and to me, knitting is very restful. I can shut out the noise and the rest of the world and just knit.

2. If you had the opportunity—who would you like to spend an afternoon with and why?

Hmmm…. good question. Probably Benjamin Franklin. He was a printer and publisher, an accomplished author under several pseudonyms, a diplomat, a scientist, a historian, and an all-around fascinating person.

3. Coffee, tea, soda or something else?

Coffee. In the afternoon more coffee. If it’s hot, iced coffee. In the evening, bourbon. On the rocks.

4. What are you working on right now?

I publish a literary magazine, Pilcrow & Dagger, that takes up the bulk of my time. I finished the first draft of my first novel a couple of years ago. With the aid of a beta reader I discovered a GAPING hole in my plot. And so I set out to rewrite/revise it. And in the process, I discovered that my novel is actually three novels and, of course the sequel to those. I’ve taken too much time out from writing recently and to get back into the swing of things I’ve been entering short story contests. Don’t care if I win, it’s the writing that I need to do. But I’ve set a goal to complete the first novel in my series.

5. How would you describe your writing style?

I’m a pantser. Just like the way I talk (I have no censor. I just blurt). I write what comes into my head, typically disjointed scenes, and then I move them around until they are coherent. And then comes the editing to get rid of the yucky stuff.

6. Do you have any advice for a person just beginning their writing career?

Set a daily goal of words and stick to it. Set it at a reasonable amount like 500 words. If you go over that amount then fantastic! And it doesn’t have to be related to any particular work in progress either. Many times you may feel stumped or bored with your project. You may be too tired or overwhelmed with what the day brought. Look out your window and write 500 words on what you see. Play with sensory descriptions – sight, sound, smell, touch/feelings, taste. Play with words. Make up new words. Just write your daily amount.

7. Do you immerse yourself in new situations for writing ideas or do your ideas come to you through your normal, day-to-day life?

Both.

If I’m done with my soul-sucking life chores (meal preparations, laundry and housekeeping, errands, etc.) and I am able to carve a few peaceful moments to be by myself I can open my mind and imagination and “see” the characters and story in front of me and write freely.

But, many days the soul-sucking chores get in the way of writing time. Still, ideas and phrases will come at you from what you hear standing in line at the grocery store, or something you see driving down the street. I carry index cards and a pen, always, and write them down for later.

8. Where can we find you on the interwebs?

I have six short stories self-published on Amazon.com in the Kindle Store https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=LeeAnn+Rhoden&rh=n%3A133140011%2Ck%3ALeeAnn+Rhoden

I publish a literary magazine, Pilcrow & Dagger, with 8 issues per year. http://www.pilcrowdagger.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeeAnnRhoden

Facebook (Author page): https://www.facebook.com/LeeAnnJacksonRhoden

And coming soon, my website: http://www.LeeAnnRhoden.com

Thank you so much LeeAnn for visiting with us today. Dear readers, take the time to visit LeeAnn on her sites and find out what she’s up to recently.

Author Interviews: DMG Byrnes

Posted on August 10, 2016 by conniejean

Author DMG Byrnes

I want to welcome DMG Byrnes to the blog today. DMG Byrnes is an author with a book addiction; reading and writing them. She is in the process of looking for the right agent to represent her first novel, The Foretelling Spark. She also writes poetry and short stories, publishing short pieces of fiction on the Fiction Fridays page of her website every week. She is a survivor of abuse and sexual assault, a chronic illness warrior, and on the side, a dragon tamer. She has a Bachelor’s degree in psychology that took her 9 years to earn and taught her that if it’s important enough to you, you’ll make it happen, no matter how slowly you have to go; a lesson she tries to remember when she’s writing.

1. Let’s start with something fun. What’s your favorite hobby?

I’m notoriously bad with “favorite” questions…my first thought was reading, but that’s more of a way of life for me than it is a hobby. I suppose possibly gaming, or crafting, maybe learning or drawing…I mentioned I’m not good with “favorites” right?

2. If you had the opportunity—who would you like to spend an afternoon with and why?

I really don’t know how to answer a question like this…there are too many variables and possibilities…if I was spending an afternoon with someone, though, I would hope it was good company.

3. Coffee, tea, soda or something else?

I’ll take water, thank you.

4. What are you working on right now?

Well, I need to be focusing on the revisions for my novel, The Foretelling Spark, but those have been slow. My time has also been filled with a story that started on my Fiction Friday page, it’s become much more involved that first intended, but it’s interesting to me so far. I’m also (I know, I need focus) planning to start writing a fantasy novel later this year for NaNoWriMo in November. Hopefully my revisions will be finished before then.

5. How would you describe your writing style?

I wouldn’t know how to describe it. My style can and does change to suit genre, character, plot, story, timeframe…I’m not sure what to say specifically about my style. I try to find that line between description and action, and most importantly, give the reader the feeling they are connecting with a character.

6. Do you have any advice for a person just beginning their writing career?

I’m still pretty new myself but my first thought is, start now. You will always look back and find time has slipped by and wish you’d started last week, last month, last year, last decade. Also, if it’s important enough, you will find the time and a way to make it happen, no matter how long it takes. But these are true for more than just writing, or so I’ve found in my life.

7. Do you immerse yourself in new situations for writing ideas or do your ideas come to you through your normal, day-to-day life?

I rarely sit down and try to specifically come up with ideas (unless I’m in the all-out plotting stage of a novel, but that’s a different story). I get a lot of ideas while I’m doing other things, or just musing to myself, so I often end up jotting ideas down as I go about my day.

8. Where can we find you on the interwebs?

There’s my website, dmgbyrnes.com

I can also be found on Facebook (facebook.com/DMGbyrnes) and Twitter (@dmgbyrnes)

I want to thank DMG Byrnes for stopping by my blog and getting to know us. Please stop by her facebook or twitter pages and see what she’s up to.

Peachy August: Monday Blog Post

Posted on August 8, 2016 by conniejean

Newest News:

The book festival is over, now it’s time to go full steam ahead on the Northern Gila County Fair. www.NorthernGilaCountyFair.com. We have totally revamped the website and designed a new logo and they look so good! You should check it out right away. So much new stuff this year, I’m very excited about it. We have a Ranch Rodeo this year on Saturday right after the livestock auction. We have a dance troupe coming on Saturday morning who will perform for an hour and a half. We also have some hotdog, watermelon, and chicken wing eating contests, a magician, and of course, all of the wonderful exhibits the crafty people of Gila county have made. We’re open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Check the website for all of the details.

Giveaways:

The Red Hot Summer giveaway is still in full swing. Just click on the Rafflecopter link. You do have to sign up to Rafflecopter but after that, you’re free to click away. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, Mystery at the Fair, or for second prize, a $10 Amazon card. Over a hundred prizes from 50 authors plus a grand prize of $150 Paypal Cash. It’s not hard to enter, there are multiple ways to enter, and it doesn’t cost you anything. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, enter today and every day.

Shout Out:

Author DMG Byrnes

This week’s author interview is with DMG Byrnes. a fantasy author. If you’re in a hurry, you can find her at dmgbyrnes.com. We have a great interview lined up and you can see the cover to her new book, the Fortelling Spark. So stop on by on Wednesday!

Garden News:

Peaches from my tree

I picked my first batch of yellow beans a few days ago and ate some for supper and froze the rest. The patch is ready for picking again. I also picked a lot of cherry tomatoes which we’ve already eaten. They’re ready to pick again, too. The big news, I picked all of the peaches from the tree. That’s the picture above. They’re small because I didn’t thin them this spring but they taste wonderful, especially still warm from the sun. I’m running behind the zucchini production. I’ve made zucchini patties, those were delicious. Browned and crisp on the outside and wonderfully creamy and soft on the inside. Yummy! I’ve also added them to Saturday night’s Hot Chili oil and lemon spaghetti with fresh, halved cherry tomatoes. How’s your garden doing?

Where Will I Be?:

Want more details about this event? Click here for more information.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Newest Book Release:

I’ve been editing and rewriting Zoe Ohale. I still have some work to do. I’ve also thought of a cover for the book so I’ll be working on that soon. If you’re a Brown Rain Series fan, I think you’ll like Zoe Ohale. You may remember a short story I published on my blog on 8/20/15, Extra Baggage. That was the second story about Zoe. The first, Betrayal Moon, is in the Forward Motion anthology, due out in the next couple of weeks. Just 17, Zoe has been an orphan living on the streets of Baia Mare since she was 12. Street smart and fiercely independent, Zoe has been offered the chance to move back into legal society by the police officer that arrested her a few months ago. But first, she has to help protect the little kids in her group, help her friend save her father from assassination, and find a criminal ring that just stole all of the physical credits being delivered to the Planetary Bank of Baia Mare. The book, the first of a series, should be out in August, if I can find time to work on it between the Book Festival and the Fair.

Author Interviews: Elizabeth Hein

Posted on July 13, 2016 by conniejean

Today’s interview is with author Elizabeth Hein who self-proclaims she writes Snarky Women’s Fiction! Let’s let Elizabeth tell us about herself.

Elizabeth Hein writes women’s fiction with a bit of an edge. Her novels explore the role of friendship in the lives of adult women and themes of identity. How To Climb The Eiffel Tower follows one young woman as she navigates the world of cancer treatment with the help of her friends. Overlook and Escape Plan chronicle how a small group of women bands together to free themselves from terrible marriages and forge their own paths in life.

Elizabeth grew up in Massachusetts within an extended family of storytellers. Her childhood was filled with excellent food and people loudly talking over each other. She and her husband now live in Durham, North Carolina.

Great to know you, Elizabeth. Let’s get to those questions, shall we?

1. Let’s start with something fun. What’s your favorite hobby?

My husband and I love to travel. He loves to go hiking and I have developed a fascination with volcanos, so we are slowly exploring the world’s hot spots. We may only get to go on a trip once every few years, but I enjoy learning about the different locations and planning our next trips. I spend a lot of time putting together Pinterest boards and reading guidebooks.

2. Coffee, tea, soda or something else?

Tea. I take my morning tea very seriously. I have a favorite teapot that was my grandmother’s and make my own blends of loose tea leaves. I drink strong black tea in the morning and a jasmine green blend in the afternoon.

3. What are you working on right now?

I am working on a mystery series set in some of the places my husband and I have visited and featuring two best friends as amateur sleuths. The first one is set on the Galapagos Islands, then Midge and Snig will travel to Hawaii and Costa Rica.

4. How would you describe your writing style?

It’s very hard to describe your own style. It’s a bit like describing what your voice sounds like. What you hear on a recording is never what your voice sounds like in your own head. That being said, I write about serious topics with a snarky tone. I see the world through a psychological lens and am fascinated by what motivates people to do the things they do.

5. Do you have any advice for a person just beginning their writing career?

Find a few trusted writing friends and help each other become better writers. A writing career can be lonely and there will be times when you will feel discouraged. That is when you will need someone to pick you up and help you move forward. You can find writer friends through critique groups, on-line communities, and through networking events. One small caveat to my answer – beware of negative people. Writing is hard enough; you don’t need frenemies.

6. Do you immerse yourself in new situations for writing ideas or do your ideas come to you through your normal, day-to-day life?

Ideas for characters and plots come to me all the time, usually through very ordinary people. My first book was inspired by a woman I met in a hospital waiting room, and my next two books were inspired by a woman I met at a PTA bake sale.

7. Where can we find you on the interwebs?

Elizabethhein.com –http://elizabethhein.com

My writing blog – Scribbling in the storage room – http://scribblinginthestorageroom.wordpress.com

Facebook author page – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizabeth-Hein-author/447085108688361

Twitter – https://twitter.com/_ElizabethHein

Amazon author page- amazon.com/author/elizabethhein

Bits and Pieces: Monday Blog Post

Posted on July 11, 2016 by conniejean

Meyer Lemon Blossom

Newest News:

My friend, Carole Emma Mathewson has released her book World War II: On the Home Front. A look at the effect of World War II on a young girl from rural California. I’ll have to admit, there were some spots that had me in tears. Check it out at: https://www.amazon.com/World-War-Home-Front-California/dp/1534812725/.

Have you visited the website, AuthorShout.com? It’s a fantastic resource for readers to find their next favorite author. I’ll be promoting my book, Kindred Spirits, on the site for the month of July. http://authorshout.com/recommended-reading/ Take a look around the site. I think you’ll find something you’ll like.

Giveaways:

Only for the month of July, I’m participating in Smashwords.com’s Summer/Winter Sale. Four of my books, Mystery at the Fair, A New Start, First Encounter, and Lost Rainbows, are free on the site. Log in, get an account if you don’t already have one, and search on my book titles. Use the coupon code SFREE, when you check out and those books are free!

The Red Hot Summer giveaway is now open. Just click on the Rafflecopter link. You do have to sign up to Rafflecopter but after that, you’re free to click away. I have links to it on my facebook, twitter, and website pages. This giveaway I offer a free ebook, Mystery at the Fair, or for second prize, a $10 Amazon card. Over a hundred prizes from over 50 authors plus a grand prize of $150 Paypal Cash. It’s not hard to enter and there are multiple ways to enter. You could easily win a prize. If you haven’t entered yet, please enter today and every day.

Shout Out:

Author Elizabeth Hein

A heads-up. Author Elizabeth Hein is my Author Interview this week. Author of snarky women’s fiction, she’s currently working on a mystery series. Want to know more and can’t wait for the interview? Check her out at http://elizabethhein.com.

Garden News:

Twice the size it was two days ago. It’ll make great hash.

The green and yellow beans are just growing and growing. No flowers yet, I planted late. It won’t be long now. I have decided to take a chance and begin working the bed that had the mint in it. I’ve been fighting it for three years and it’s been months now since I’ve seen a sprig show its head. So, I dumped compost on it and watered it well this morning. We’ll see how it goes. I have managed to get a zucchini from my plant despite the chipmunks. Here’s a picture. I also see that my lemon tree, that had dropped every single lemon bud in late winter, has produced one new flower. That the picture at the top. Maybe I’ll get a lemon. I’m crossing my fingers. The peaches continue to grow and ripen. I should have ripe peaches in about two weeks. How’s your garden doing?

Where Will I Be?:

July 23rd is the Payson Book Festival, partly funded by the Arizona Humanities. It’s just 13 days away and I’ll be at my table all day, ready to talk to YOU! I hope you can make it as we will have over 90 authors attending as well as music, food, author presentations and workshops. It will be stupendous! www.paysonbookfestival.org and click on the Meet the Authors tab. Check us out on Twitter: @PaysonBookFest, and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PaysonBookFestival/.

Want more details about these events? Click here for more information.

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Newest Book Release:

Zoe Ohale is out for editing and is about 50% done at the editors’. If you’re a Brown Rain Series fan, I think you’ll like Zoe Ohale. You may remember a short story I published on my blog on 8/20/15, Extra Baggage. That was the second story about Zoe. The first, Betrayal Moon, is in the Forward Motion anthology, due out in the next couple of weeks. Just 17, Zoe has been an orphan living on the streets of Baia Mare since she was 12. Street smart and fiercely independent, Zoe has been offered the chance to move back into legal society by the police officer that arrested her a few months ago. But first, she has to help protect the little kids in her group, help her friend save her father from assassination, and find a criminal ring that just stole all of the physical credits being delivered to the Planetary Bank of Baia Mare. The book, the first of a series, should be out in August, if I can find time to work on it between the Book Festival and the Fair.

Author Interviews: Lynne Hinkey

Posted on June 8, 2016 by conniejean

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So this week we have the wonderful Lynne Hinkey in to chat with us. Here’s a little bit about her.

Lynne is a marine scientist by training, a writer by passion, and a curmudgeon by nature. An Olympic-caliber procrastinator, she honed her skill through years of practice and dedication to life on island-time. She uses her experiences living in the Caribbean to infuse her novels with tropical magic, from the siren call of the islands to the terror and hysteria caused by the mysterious chupacabra.

Her short stories and essays have appeared in The Constellation International Literary Review, Skylines, The Petigru Review, Infective Ink, Two Hawks Quarterly, and other print and online publications. Lynne’s debut novel, Marina Melee, was released by Casperian Books in 2011, followed by Ye Gods! A Tale of Dogs and Demons (2014). Look for the sequel, The Un-Familiar: A Tale of Cats and Gods, coming from Casperian Books in July 2016.

When not busy writing or procrastinating, Lynne is an adjunct associate professor of biology. She lives in Charleston, SC with her husband, cat, and two dogs.

So let’s begin.

1. Let’s start with something fun. What’s your favorite hobby?

I wish I had more free time since I really prefer hobbies to work. I golf, but not nearly as much as I’d like–although I plan to do a lot more this summer as research for my WIP–and I swim a few days each week. My favorite hobby of all, though, is dog agility. I love to spend time with my dogs, Muggle and Lupin. I’m not a rigorous trainer or particularly accomplished competitor in the sport. I’m in it to play with my dogs and give them something interesting to do and we really do have loads of fun.

2. If you had the opportunity—who would you like to spend an afternoon with and why?

Wow. That’s a long list. As a writer, I think it would have been Terry Pratchett. I feel like we’re kindred spirits and I admire his work, his philosophy of life, and how he approached his illness. As a scientist, it would be Neil deGrasse Tyson or Edward O Wilson, again, because I admire their work and approaches to life and to overcoming obstacles.

3. Coffee, tea, soda or something else?

That would depend on the time of day. Before 10 a.m., coffee, please, and after 5 p.m., wine, thank you. In between, water.

4. What are you working on right now?

I’m getting ready for the release of my third novel, The Un-Familiar: A Tale of Cats and Gods (the sequel to Ye Gods! A Tale of Dogs and Demons; both published by Casperian Books) on July 1, 2016. The story continues the search for the chupacabra, who–once again–is hiding in plain sight. I’ve got the start of an outline for the final book in the trilogy, Ye Goddess! A Tale of Girls and Gods, but have put that on the back burner.

In the meantime, I’m working on a golf-buddies novel called A Rattling of Bones. It’s based on Golf Goes On (published by Infective Ink, July 2015), the story of four long-time golf buddies. When one of them dies, the others are desperate to reconstitute their foursome so use a Bible verse (Ezekiel 37) to bring Marty back from the dead. When their attempt succeeds, they have to deal with the consequences and mayhem that ensue. I hope to complete the first draft of the manuscript in the next few months, then go through the long process of editing and revising before querying, and eventually publishing, so don’t expect it will be out before 2018.

5. How would you describe your writing style?

I love books that use humor to explore human nature, point out our foibles, and use language in beautiful, unexpected, and quirky ways. I aspire to my own, unique style, and hope that it’s some mash-up of the styles of my favorite authors: Christopher Moore, Tom Robbins, and Terry Pratchett. Like all three of those authors, I tend to tell a story from multiple points of view. I love reading and writing stories that are revealed from multiple perspectives because that’s how the real world works. We’re all in the story together, and no one person has all the information. We don’t get anywhere until we all come together with our piece of the puzzle. Curiosity about how and when that will happen keeps me turning the pages in the books of my favorite authors and I hope it keeps the reader turning the pages in my stories, too.

6. Do you have any advice for a person just beginning their writing career?

The two best pieces of advice I got at the very start of my writing career were:

Write. Read. Write more. Read more.
When you’ve finished your first manuscript–novel, short story, essay, whatever it is–stuff it in a drawer and forget about it for a month. Then come back and look at it with fresh eyes, as a reader, not a writer. Then rewrite it, only better.

7. Do you immerse yourself in new situations for writing ideas or do your ideas come to you through your normal, day-to-day life?

A bit of both. The ideas come from my day-to-day life and situations, but then I might delve into different and new areas that I need to learn about or experience to write about them.

8. Where can we find you on the interwebs?

http://www.lynnehinkey.com

Thank you so much, I’ve enjoyed chatting with you!

~Lynne

And I’ve enjoyed having you on the blog.

Readers, check out Lynne’s books, they’re sure to be fun!

Author Interviews: Jason Meadors

Posted on May 25, 2016 by conniejean

Today we’re talking to author Jason Meadors. An eclectic author of suspense and mystery, Jason has three books out and three more on the way. Here’s a little bit about Jason.

Married for nearly 42 years

Three kids, five grandchildren

One old dog

Court reporter, mostly in Colorado, some in Wyoming, occasionally coast to coast, in Alaska, and in South Korea.

Former Marine

Former soccer player

Decent cook

Appreciator of single-malt scotch and fine tequila

Motorcycle enthusiast, except currently without a motorcycle

Writer

Multiple articles in state and national trade journals

Blog: grandpa-tells-stories.com

Titles for sale on the Internet:

Chance Encounter, a novella of suspense

Up and Down, a collection of short stories

Out of Time, a novella of mystery

Pending completed works:

Tomas, a novel of suspense

Hidden View, a literary dramatic novel

Pending, nearly complete

One for All (working title), a story of apocalypse

That’s certainly a full life, Jason! So, let’s get started, shall we?

1. Let’s start with something fun. What’s your favorite hobby?

It actually, really, is writing. Then photography, if you don’t want to count writing. But I also like to cook, travel, and work out. Social media is a bit of a curse as a hobby. (See, I’m starting out by not answering your question correctly.)

2. If you had the opportunity—who would you like to spend an afternoon with and why?

Living or anyone ever?

Currently, Barack Obama. Not because I’m a fan or not a fan, but he’s had unparalleled experience and views in current world affairs and goings-on, and I’d like to hear about them. Plus, he likes craft beer, so we could drink beer and chat.

Anyone ever, Theodore Roosevelt, just barely ahead of T.E. Lawrence. Roosevelt was just so well-traveled, had a marvelous array of experiences, and it would not only be interesting but provide a wealth of stories, I’m sure.

3. Coffee, tea, soda or something else?

Coffee, although I wouldn’t turn down the tea.

4. What are you working on right now?

Expanding my novel Tomas out to a size that an agent wants before she looks at it. (I recently blogged about my frustration with that.)

5. How would you describe your writing style?

Cooked straight up with mild seasonings, and calculated to finish off with a final surprising taste.

6. Do you have any advice for a person just beginning their writing career?

Read, hobnob with writers and others in the profession, and keep writing. Just keep writing.

I can’t offer marketing advice. I’m still trying to find my own way there.

7. Do you immerse yourself in new situations for writing ideas or do your ideas come to you through your normal, day-to-day life?

Ideas come to me out of experiences I’ve never had, mostly, and I pepper them with things I know from my own life to give the stories a dash of authenticity.

8. Where can we find you on the interwebs?

Blog: grandpa-tells-stories.com

Facebook: facebook.com/Jason.meadors and facebook.com/grandpatellsstories

I have LinkedIn and Twitter, but don’t use them much.

Thank you so much, Jason, for taking the time to chat with us all. I certainly appreciate it.

So readers, look for Jason’s books on Amazon, stop by his website (lots of good stuff there including recipes), or visit him on Facebook!

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Thoughts and Activities About My Writing

Tag Archives: Author Interviews

Author Interviews: Kim Bailey Deal

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Author Interviews: Elizabeth Hein

Bits and Pieces: Monday Blog Post

Author Interviews: Lynne Hinkey

Author Interviews: Jason Meadors