Featured Author: Dorothy K. Morris

Dorothy K. Morris accepted my Dirty Dozen challenge and is here today with Fulani, her main character in her historical fiction novel, Dirty Rice. Before we talk to Dorothy, I'll let her tell you a little bit about Fulani.

About Fulani:

Fulani was a servant to a village of rice growers on the island of Baki on the west coast of Africa. She had been traded to them by wandering herdsmen when she was a child for four bags of rice. Her friend and companion was Edriam, the chief’s favorite daughter. While gathering reeds near the shore, for making baskets, they were captured by sailors and taken aboard a ship, which was sailing for Antigua. The ship was hit by a severe storm and all aboard were lost, except for the two girls, who had been locked in a compartment below deck. They were rescued by another ship and taken to Carolina Colony where they were placed in the care of an aristocratic lady, on a rice plantation. Now Fulani is a free woman, but still serving in a household while she tries to learn the language and adjust to living among strangers for the second time in her life.

Interview with Fulani:

Fulani, can you tell us how you met Dorothy? Want to dish about her?

I first met my writer while she was doing research for this book. She saw a pair of earrings made by the beautiful Fulani people of West Africa, and I was born.
I do not choose to dish about her. She is an honest writer, and she cares for me deeply. She has offered me the adventure of a lifetime, one I thought I would never get since I was merely a servant girl in an African village, with little hope of a happy future.
I never thought my life would end up in a book. I thought my life would continue on its treadmill way. I worked in the house of the village chief. I worked in the rice fields. I could only hope for an old man or an ugly man for a husband because I have no dowry, and no man will pay bride price for me.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

My favorite scene in this book is where I get to tell Edriam what a weakling she is being. She is our chief’s daughter and should be brave, but she is whining and crying because her life has changed so much. She, who patronized me as her servant, is now a servant herself, even though I am now as free as she was.

Did you have a hard time convincing Dorothy to write any particular scene?

I did not have a hard time convincing my author to write any particular scene for me.  We understand each other and like each other. She writes good scenes for me, and in the next book, she will give me even better scenes.

What do you like to do when you are not actively being read somewhere?

I like to hide in the shadows and watch people. I like to know their secret activities because knowing gives one power. I also like to hide and watch Upton because he has good face...he pretty to watch.

If you could rewrite anything in the book, what would it be?

I would make Upton want to make love to me instead of making love to the Lady Agnes.

Do you get along with all of your fellow characters?

I like some of my fellow characters, but there are some that I don’t like at all. I do not like Sir John Grenville. He is a mean man and does hurt to the Lady Corina. Captain Fredrick is kind and so is Ben. Edriam is lucky that Ben likes her. Lady Agnes is tricky, and I do not like the way she treats Upton. Upton is special. He is handsome. I don’t like the way that Edriam is always whining and crying because she finds herself away from our village and families. I try to get her to be brave.

Do you have any secret aspirations Dorothy doesn't know about?

My author knows all about my aspirations. She knows that I want to be Reginald Upton’s lover now that Lady Agnes is gone, and she knows that I want to have a son.

What would you do if you had a totally free day?

I would walk along the river and maybe go fishing with Hunter.

What do people think when they first meet you?

When people first meet me they see only a light-skinned African girl who is rather attractive. When they get to know me they see that I have a brain and that I have ambitions.

What's the worst thing that has ever happened to you?

I thought the worst thing that happened to me was being stolen from our village in Africa, but what I learned is that it was the beginning of the best part of life. I learned that some good things start by being bad.

Tell us about your best friend.

My best friend in the village was Edriam, the chief’s daughter. She is about my age and was a kind companion. But when we were captured I saw how spoiled and frightened she was. I had to be the strong one to help her. Then I met Lady Corina and she became my best friend. She made sure that we remained free and vowed to take care of us until we could be on our own. She even pays us a wage to be house servants. The village chief only gave me food and a grass mat to sleep on and one garment to wear.

What scares you the most?

I am most afraid of Lady Agnes coming back and taking Reginald Upton again. Then I am afraid that I will not find the right man to give me a son.

What's the best trait your author has given you?

A good mind.

What's the worst?

The worst is that since I am now a free woman, I don’t ever want not to be free again, so I will not marry. But I want a son.

What do you like best about Dorothy?

I like my author’s effort to be honest and to see people as human beings, no matter their color or gender or age. She sees the good and bad in all of us.

Who would you like to play you in a movie version of the book?

If my story were a movie, Logan Browning or someone like her and a bit younger would play my part, because I am of mixed race. I am part Semitic and part African.

What's an average day like for you?

An average day for me is to get up very early; fetch water for the kitchen and for Lady Corina and Lady Agnes. Sometimes I bring breakfast to Lady Corina if she is ill. After that, I tidy her room and maybe help Roundale and Edriam in the kitchen. In the afternoon I work in the kitchen garden with Amayo and Finda. I help with lunch and dinner and then to tuck Lady Corina in at night. Sometimes we spend an hour in the afternoon together while she teaches me to write letters and to speak the language.

Will you try to convince Dorothy to write a sequel?

Oh yes, I will ask her to write a sequel. I still want my chance to capture Reginald Upton’s heart and to have a son.

Wonderful. Thank you for talking with us, Fulani. It's been nice chatting with you.

About the book:

BEFORE KING COTTON THERE WAS AFRICAN RICE.

DIRTY RICE, a novel set in the early 18th Century in the Low-Country of the early South Carolina Colony, tells of love, passion, adventure and cruelty with totally believable characters. It is the first prequel to the four books of the Mockingbird Hill Series.

The early 18th Century saw vast expansion into the New World from England, the European Continent, and from Africa, and the establishment of rice plantations in the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia. Set against this background, Dirty Rice sweeps us away to a bygone era of adventure, romance, and brutal reality.

This is the story of African rice and African people, their knowledge, expertise, and their forced labor that made the Carolina Colony the wealthiest colony in colonial America. It takes us from the plush parlors of aristocratic English absentee land owners, who set policy in the Colony to maximize profit, to the swampy shores of Carolina amid the mud and muck of rice fields, where people kidnapped from West Africa because of their knowledge and expertise in the growing of rice, were forced to work to fill the coffers of the landowners with wealth. It is a story of exploitation by some and compassion from others. In this, as in her four previous novels, Morris’ emphasis is on the people who lived and were forced to cope with what life sent their way. These characters will continue into the next novel, Tally's Nook.

Dorothy's Dirty Dozen

1.    Name one thing you couldn’t live without.  Books

2.    If you could only keep one book, what would it be? The Eighth Evil

3.    Your last meal would be…Fried Chicken, rice, and butter beans.

4.    Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore? Library

5.    You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy? A horse.

6.    Would you rather be stranded on a deserted island or the North Pole? A deserted
      island because I could build things.

7.    You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do? Ride
      the horse I bought with the lottery money.

8.    You’re driven to a private plane and told it will take you anywhere your want to go.
      Where would it be?  Thailand

9.    You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be? Lady Agnes
       Grenville

10.   Where would your dream office be?  In Tucson, Arizona

11.   If you could do only one, would you rather read or write?  Write

12.   One of your main characters has to die. Which one would you kill off?
      Sir John Grenville

About the author:

Dorothy K Morris was born in Charleston, SC, a city her forefathers from England, France, New England and Barbados helped to establish in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. She grew up in the Low-Country of South Carolina, steeped in the tradition and pain still felt from the residue of slavery, the Civil War and its aftermath. Much traveled, she adopted the West as her home and has remained for many years, living in Arizona, California and currently in South Central Washington. She lives on a small ranch in Kennewick. In addition to writing novels, Dorothy is an accomplished equestrienne and competition coach for Combined Training. She also schools horses and rides dressage. Morris enjoys genealogy and obtains many of the elements of her plots from her extensive family history. She is a member of National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, is listed in Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who of American Women.


Connect with Dorothy:
Website / Facebook / Amazon

Margo Karasek Guest Post & Book Excerpt

Margo Karasek is the author of Work For Hire. She's making a stop here on her CLP blog tour to talk about writing and to give us a peek at her chick lit novel. Welcome, Margo!

Guest Post

Hello. My name is Margo, and I have a confession to make: I used to be the world’s laziest writer.

Yup. Before marriage and kids and part-time jobs and other pesky “adult” responsibilities—-when, theoretically, I had all the time in the world to write—-I couldn’t do it . . . because I was lazy. And I’m not just talking about the “delay the inevitable as long as possible” kind of lazy. We’re talking full-blown “find any excuse in the world not to write” kind of sloth. I mean, I’d clean my house and cook a four-course meal before I’d make myself sit down in front of a computer. And I hate cleaning and cooking. Really, “idle” should have been my middle name. I’d go for days—-weeks even—-without writing a single word. It’s amazing that I managed to produce anything.

Back then, my typical day looked something like this: Get up. Have coffee. Eye the computer. Decide to eat breakfast (you know, because thinking and writing usually goes better on a full stomach). Turn on the computer. Notice new dust next to computer. Decide to “tidy up.” Move the computer out of the way. Notice it’s time for lunch. Turn off the computer. Repeat process after lunch then dinner, filling in a different excuse as necessary. Rarely did I manage to actually sit in front of the computer. But on those rare occasions when I actually did, when even I ran out of excuses, I’d bend the proverbial stick the other way; then I’d go on a writing binge: I’d sit glued to my seat-—spitting out thousands of words—-unmoving, for hours. I wouldn’t eat or drink. Heck, the house could’ve burned down around me and I wouldn’t have noticed. All I wanted—-no needed—-to do was write. After twenty-four hours, I would collapse from exhaustion and sleep the whole of the next day.     

Of course, all this changed when I had kids. When my daughter was born, she pulled the rug out from underneath my old, trusty writing “routine.” Excuses? I didn’t need to come up with any because my screaming newborn provided plenty of legitimate reasons to avoid the writing chair. And writing binges? Please . . . no self-respecting infant would ever permit her parent twenty-four hours of uninterrupted me time in front of a computer screen. Suddenly, writing became a luxury, a rare commodity, that my sleep deprived brain craved like never before. I desperately wanted to catch moments where I could jot something down. I needed to be constantly writing, like I had never needed before. So I got myself a little journal with a pen attached and carried it everywhere I went.

I created my own writing opportunities: Napping infant. I instantly had a pen in hand. Taking a shower. I was writing in my head. Brushing teeth with a toddler hanging off my leg. Yup. You guessed it. The pen and journal were in my semi-free hand. And when my daughter, and then son, finally went down for the night, I got to transcribe all my little pearls of creativity. It was amazing, because with far less free time I managed to produce so much more work!

I started writing Work for Hire as a carefree single girl figuring herself out in the world. I finished the largest chunk of the book as an overworked, and often overwhelmed, mother of two. Now I’m readily tackling larger writing projects that I never imagined would be possible. So please, let me reintroduce myself. Hello, my name is Margo and I am finally a very busy, and productive, writer.             

Excerpt from Work For Hire:

The telephone screamed. 

At nine am. On a Saturday. 

What the hell…? 

I burrowed my head in a pillow. 

My mother. It had to be. Checking up on me after my night of partying. Calling to say she didn’t approve of sleeping late, even on weekends. She wasn’t going to mention that no well-bred young woman should be out until four in the morning, especially if she’s single and studying to be a lawyer.  

Well too bad, Mom, I yawned. I wasn’t going to answer. She could talk to the machine. Her monologue didn’t require my participation anyway.  

The phone rang again. Its cry seeped into my brain and made me painfully aware of an oncoming headache. 

God, for what sins are You punishing me with my mother’s early morning dose of parental concern?            

Of course, if I didn’t pick up soon my mother could possibly assume something horrible had happened to me on my one night out in more than a month, just as she’d predicted. Then she would spring into action, determined to find her baby. She would call my suitemate Lauren and drag her out of bed to come check on me. 

That wouldn’t be good. Lauren got in later than I had, and would probably be pissed upon getting a wake-up call from someone else’s mother. And that’s assuming she even answered. If she didn’t, my mother probably would call the campus police to come and check on both of us. Then she would hightail it into Manhattan after me. And I would have to live that embarrassment down for the rest of my law school career. I could just imagine the comments from my section mates.

“Hey, Tekla, how old are you that your mommy has to know your every move?”

Oh Lord, I groaned as I imagined their sneering faces—law students could be so vicious. I bolted up in bed despite the headache—it had arrived—and lunged for the phone, trying to avert social catastrophe. 

Too late. The room went momentarily silent. Then the machine clicked to life. I stood suspended over it, uncertain what to do, my hand on the phone’s receiver as a female voice filled the quiet.   

“Tekla? Tekla, this is Lisa.”

My hand dropped.

Thank you, God. 

It wasn’t my mother. I contemplated returning to bed. It was early, and I had no classes. No work either. I could nap at least two more hours. And my feet were cold. Actually, now that I noticed, goose bumps dotted my entire body. Clearly, the tank top and shorts I had worn to bed were inappropriate for the cool New York fall weather. 

My bed looked so warmly inviting. But the short sprint, and the possibility of my mother, had me wide-awake, so I stayed where I was. 

“You know, Lisa Williams, Mr. Lamont’s assistant.”

I ran my tongue around my mouth. I needed a toothbrush. Bad. But later. Because I sure as hell knew Lisa. She was my employer’s current personal assistant, his children’s former nanny, and probably his current mistress. She had managed to land a job at Mr. Lamont’s billion-dollar firm by first taking care of his two children while his wife trotted around the globe snapping pictures for glossy fashion magazines and schmoozing with celebrities. 
Lisa was one of my least favorite people. Ever since I started working at the Lamont household as the children’s tutor she made my few hours there miserable with her nitpicking. So why the hell was she calling me at nine on a Saturday?

“Listen, you have to call me back as soon as possible. It’s very important. Gemma is missing and no one can find her.”

I frowned. How could Gemma, my student, be missing when I just saw her this Friday? I had worked on her biology homework while she told me all about her plans to go to her friend’s birthday party that night. Where would she be, if not at said friend’s house? And how could no one find a fourteen-year-old glued to her cell phone? I shook my head. All you have to do, stupid, is call her instead of me. 

“Call me back at the house. Please. Steven and I are really worried.” 

That’s “Mr. Lamont” to you, missy.

I walked away from the telephone, towards the bathroom. If I couldn’t sleep, I could at least enjoy a long, hot shower. Still, I left the door open to hear the rest of the message. I might not have liked Lisa, but Gemma was okay. 
  
“Monique’s on a shoot in Paris, but she’ll be flying to New York if we don’t find her soon.”

And wouldn’t that mess up your weekend plans: the wife coming home sooner than expected.

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror and examined the night’s damage. Dark circles made me look as if I had lost a round to a street brawler. Not that I hadn’t looked worse before. Law students weren’t known for their rested complexions. I turned away from the mirror and headed for the toilet. My bladder demanded immediate attention.   

“Look, I’m embarrassed to say this, but it seems no one has Gemma’s new cell phone number. We were hoping maybe you do.”

I stopped dead in my tracks. She had to be kidding. Gemma had had that phone for more than a week; her father had given it to her in apology for spoiling her mother-daughter night out the one weekend in months that Monique Lamont had managed to find her way back to New York and her children. It had to be registered in Mr. Lamont’s name then; why wouldn’t he have access to the number? 

Still, I abandoned my shower and walked back to the phone, picking up my day planner along the way. Gemma’s cell number was prominently scrolled in her teenage script on the last page. She had insisted on writing it there herself.   

“Please call and let us know if you do. Thanks.”

The machine clicked off. I stared at it. Gemma was missing, and her own father didn’t know her number. 

The rich never ceased to amaze.

About the author:

Margo Karasek decided to be a writer the instant she finished reading her first novel as a kid. She loved the possibilities and freedom in observing and writing about everyday people, whose experiences--through her words--could make a lasting impact. This passion led her to NYU, where she earned a journalism and anthropology degree, with the highest honors. But since she couldn't figure out how writers made a decent living, Margo went on to law school--where she had a blast. Unfortunately, actually practicing law was nowhere near as fun as learning about it in school, so Margo took the ultimate plunge: she quit her cushy law firm job to become a full-time novelist. And, to help make ends meet throughout the process, Margo also began tutoring for some of the wealthiest, best known families in New York as a side-gig. The latter job gave her some powerful ideas for her first novel. Margo currently lives in Queens, New York with her husband and their two children, and is busy working on her next book.


Buy the Book!
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Featured Author: Margo Karasek

I'm happy to welcome Margo Karasek here as a stop on her blog tour with CLP Blog Tours. Margo is the author of the book, Work For Hire, a chick lit novel. Tomorrow she'll be back with a guest post and an excerpt from her book.

About the book:

Tekla’s law school career couldn’t be any better. She has top grades. She’s on Law Review. She’s a frontrunner in a mock oral argument with a sweet prize: a judicial clerkship. One problem, though: Tekla has no more money to pay for school. She needs a part-time job. Fast.

Luckily, her roommate has just the solution: help two uber-wealthy prep school teens, the twin son and daughter of a billionaire Wall Street short-seller and a world-renowned model turned fashion photographer, with their schoolwork, and earn $150 an hour. Plus, enjoy an additional perk on the job, in the form of a gorgeous photo assistant who happens to have his eye on Tekla.

Easy money.

Well, not so much. Within days, Tekla’s job begins to unravel. In a world of super-wealth and high fashion, Tekla finds herself surrounded by a peculiar cast of players: two teens whose self-destructive behavior becomes ever more erratic, a father whose ambitions for his son constantly test Tekla’s notions of what is fair and ethical and what is cheating, a mother whose emotional negligence borders on abuse, and a gorgeous man who may or may not be what he appears.

As Tekla struggles to hold onto a job that takes more time and energy than she ever anticipated, her own school life begins to suffer. She makes an enemy of a professor who seems to want nothing more than to bring her down. And he’s succeeding. Soon Tekla’s life is a paradox: without her high paying part-time job, she can’t afford law school; but with it, she’ll surely flunk out of school.

Interview with Margo

Margo, ow did you come up with Work For Hire as the title of your book?
Finding the title for the book was hard. The book was called “untitled” for pretty much most of its writing process. It wasn’t until the very end that I forced myself to think about possible titles. I looked for lines in poetry and song lyrics. I asked for advice and suggestions from others, but nothing really stuck; nothing felt right, if you know what I mean. Then I put the whole title search on hold and decided to read the book one more time. By that point, I hadn’t read through the completed manuscript in a couple of months, so I approached the process more as a reader and not the book’s author. And that’s when it struck me: the phrase “Work for Hire” was pivotal to the plot, both figuratively (the main character needs to find work for hire) and literally (she has to argue the Work for Hire doctrine in her mock legal case). It’s like a light bulb went off.     

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

I never outline on paper, but I do have to have the main characters and the major plot points straight in my head before I begin writing. Same goes for the ending. I need to have it figured out before I commit to anything on paper. So I guess you could say I sort of outline in my head—-and I rarely deviate from that outline. However, I leave plenty of room for my characters to grow and develop as the story unfolds, and they very much dictate what I write from chapter to chapter.   

Did you have any say in your cover art? What do you think of it? Tell us about the artist.

My cover was designed by Scarlett Rugers, and she is an absolutely fabulous artist! She read the manuscript and asked me to show her examples of covers that I liked. Then she pitched a few concepts for me. I absolutely loved the very first one she suggested. Within days, she created a cover that I absolutely fell in love with because it represented the book—-the feel of the book, really—-in such a subtle, sophisticated way. Scarlett gave me exactly what I was looking for without my having to articulate it. Creating the cover art was great fun.  

I’m constantly on the lookout for new names. How do you name your characters?

Wow. Naming characters. That’s a tough one. Some of the characters (like Gemma and Xander) were easy for me to name because I sort of had the name in mind before I developed the character. Tekla’s name took way more effort. As the main character, I had to get her name right before I could go forward with the book. I also had to keep in mind her background; she’s of Polish descent so the name had to work in both languages. Plus, I wanted it to be unique. So I went to all the trusty baby naming books and websites—-both in English and Polish. I think I spent as much time coming up with Tekla’s name as I did with my own kids’ names. But hands down, the hardest character to name was Julian. For most of the book’s writing, I used a “place holder.” I’m embarrassed to admit that I initially called him Niko. But that name didn’t sit right and none of the others I came up with from my baby books worked any better. In the end, I referenced people that I knew in the past and chose the name of the person whose character traits best resembled Julian’s. 

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? 

Pretty much all of my characters are inspired by real people. The rub is that I like to morph a couple of people into one character and then add my own, imaginary, spin to the mix. So, for instance, Professor Johnson is a representation of the numerous law professors I encountered while in law school, but some of his features and character traits are heightened for dramatic effect. Gemma and Xander, too, do not reflect any one person, but I’m sure a few of my former tutoring students can probably recognize parts of themselves in the characters. I really like to observe people, and it’s hard for those observations not to filter into my fiction.  

With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?

Hands down, it would have to be Markus. He’s just so organized and capable, I know he would take care of all those pesky details, like building shelter and getting food. He would never complain and would go out of his way to make sure I was happy. He’d always put my needs above his own. 

What are your favorite books or favorite authors?

As a child, I loved reading the Anne of Green Gables series. Lucy Maud Montgomery was my idol, so much so that I drafted a few stories in her style. You could say that Ms. Montgomery inspired me to take up writing.
As a teenager, I challenged myself to finish the 1000+ pages of Gone With the Wind, and I became obsessed with Scarlett.
As an adult, I really discovered Jane Austen. I never got all the hype surrounding the Bronte sisters, but Jane Austen rocked my world, especially when I read Pride and Prejudice and Emma (did I mention that I named my daughter after Emma?). I also love Old Man and the Sea and am a huge fan of George Orwell.

Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow?

Music helps me out a lot when I write, especially when I’m stuck with something. If I need to work out a tricky plot point or get passed some writer’s block, I slip on the headphones and blast Mozart at full volume. I love his pieces because they can be melancholy or full of energy, depending on my particular mood. Other music works well, as long as it does not have lyrics. I get too distracted by lyrics. I guess they clash with the words I’m forming in my head. I also sometimes like to walk away from writing and focus on mundane tasks like house chores, to let the brain relax and just let the thoughts flow at their own pace. You’d be amazed how many great writing ideas I’ve had while brushing my teeth. 

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

The following quote from Kate Chopin’s The Awakening really struck a chord with me: “To be an artist includes much; one must possess many gifts—-absolute gifts—-which have not been acquired by one’s own effort. And, moreover, to succeed, the artist must possess the courageous soul.”

I like that. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

When I’m not writing, I absolutely love to read. I average about a book or two per week (law school taught me speed reading—-to my eternal gratitude). I also do a lot of walking with my dog. In the past, I trained in ballet, and I still love to dance. My favorite time of day is that hour before my kids go down for the night. I pump up the volume on our stereo, and we all bust out with our improvised dance moves. Recently, I’ve also taken up learning how to play the piano. Instruments intimidated me when I was younger, and now I take great joy in learning to play. I love the repetition of practice. It’s my personal form of meditation.   

About the author:

Margo Karasek decided to be a writer the instant she finished reading her first novel as a kid. She loved the possibilities and freedom in observing and writing about everyday people, whose experiences--through her words--could make a lasting impact. This passion led her to NYU, where she earned a journalism and anthropology degree, with the highest honors. But since she couldn't figure out how writers made a decent living, Margo went on to law school--where she had a blast. Unfortunately, actually practicing law was nowhere near as fun as learning about it in school, so Margo took the ultimate plunge: she quit her cushy law firm job to become a full-time novelist. And, to help make ends meet throughout the process, Margo also began tutoring for some of the wealthiest, best known families in New York as a side-gig. The latter job gave her some powerful ideas for her first novel. Margo currently lives in Queens, New York with her husband and their two children, and is busy working on her next book.

Buy the book:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Double Feature: Kathleen Shoop and Alex Akira

Guest Post
How to Avoid the Rejection Blues

by Kathleen Shoop 

How to Avoid the Rejection Blues—well, once you decide to go indie, you find the type of rejection shifts from agent/editor rejection to reader rejection. It’s hard when readers don’t like your work—actually that’s not as hard as the blanket, “I hate this, it’s the worst, most depressing thing I’ve ever read...” It’s so important to recognize everyone will not like or love or even tolerate your work. That’s what makes all this work. There’s something out there for every reader and dealing with the negatives is just part of the job. Again, I can’t say how glad I am to be able to participate. That’s what matters to me.

Why Book Covers are So Important—A book cover draws readers in, gives them a feel for what the book is about even if the image isn’t a literal representation of the content. A good cover is everything!

Practical Advice for Beginning Fiction (or other genre) Writers—Just write. Don’t worry about it being fantastic. It won’t be—the first draft won’t be. But you have to have a draft in order to mold and shape it. The first draft is akin to an artist formulating her own special clay to shape. Your first draft is your clay—the recipe is complete—after you have your clay you need to actually sculpt, shape, mold...for me that’s the hard part. Just start.

Five Mistakes Writers Make When Querying Publishers

Booksigning Tips to Sell That Book—Pull a theme from your book and create an event around that theme. Yes, you’ll be signing books and that’s great, but make the day enjoyable for readers. With my first book The Last Letter, the tagline was “for every daughter who thought she knew her mother’s story...” And we had a pre-mother’s day signing complete with sets of books, stationery, letter boxes, mother/daughter stuff, relaxation baskets both for sale and for raffle. Find a theme and exploit it!

How I Made My First Sale—I put an ad in Mary Jane’s Magazine, and I got an email from a woman who couldn’t wait to read it. She did and she loved it, and she became my northeast territory sales person! She gave my book away, asked indie book stores to carry it and was just incredible to me. It was like something straight out of a movie. I will never forget that.

What Inspired Me to Write My Book—

My Publishing Journey or How I Became a Published Author
Why Blogging is Important—I’m not sure blogging itself is important. There are fabulous, wonderful, powerful bloggers who land book deals. But there are many more fabulous writers who stink or are unable to focus energy on blogging. There was a time I thought having a strong blog was important (and it can be for many, many people) but with Facebook and Twitter, I don’t feel the need to spend a lot of time blogging. I LOVE twitter because it’s not a mini-article that I have to proof and suffer over. It’s just fun. I’m probably wrong about this though, because I am not a marketing pro at all, in the least!!!

What Makes the Perfect Book Blog—one that is funny and reveals the true personality of the author...some authors have fantastic reader blogs and they converse with readers about all manner of topics and issues as well as their books. Others have sites more oriented toward writing and they draw an powerful following as well. For me, my blog is used to offer news, invite other writers for interviews, and to be a landing pad for everything related to my work. I don’t use my blog the way awesome bloggers do, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having other writers and bloggers to my blog to talk.

How to be a Good Guest Blogger—Guest blogging is fun. You are exposed to new readers and often can entice them to pick up your work or follow you on Twitter, etc. Be sure to be gracious and have the owner of the blog guide you in what she wants to see in your post. However, if she invited you to her blog she probably understands your perspective, writing style and topics of interest for you.

Why Mentors Are Important I have too many mentors to count—writing mentors, marketing, pr, networking mentors. Even people in other fields who have started their own businesses are my mentors. Just like there’s never a shortage of material to inspire my writing, there’s never a shortage of people I can learn from. And, I return the favor. If someone needs help with any component of publishing I do my best to help them or find the person who can if I can’t. Mentors and mentoring is vital to being successful, I think.

Inside the Mind of the Author—it’s crowded, noisy, crazy...I hate the inside of my head and wish I was more organized and methodical in my writing. The only thing I can say is that I am exceptionally methodical in my dedication to the craft—I just wish the work came out in a packaged, neat form instead of the mess it does!!!

About the author:

Thank you for reading about me here and for purchasing my novel! I'm married with two children. I've been seriously writing for almost a decade although I dabbled much earlier than that! I've had short stories published in four Chicken Soup for the Soul books, am a regular contributor to a local magazine, Pittsburgh Parent, and have had essays in local newspapers as well.

I have a PhD in Reading Education and have worked in schools for over twenty years. I work with teachers and their students in grades k-8 and am lucky to learn something new from them every time I walk through their doors. This experience was a huge help in writing LOVE AND OTHER SUBJECTS--a quirky, post-college coming of age story.

My first novel, The Last Letter (2011 IPPY Gold Medal--Regional Fiction, Midwest, 2011 Indie Excellence Finalist Award for Historical Fiction and Regional Fiction, 2011 International Book Awards Finalist for Historical Fiction and Best New Fiction), was a fascinating trip through history, punctuated with fictional characters and events. The idea for the story grew from my great-great grandmother's letters (see My Dear Frank for the complete set of letters!) written during the year of her engagement to Frank Arthur. The beautiful letters are the inspiration for the novel, the seed from which The Last Letter's characters and their voices grew.

I've also written women's fiction--Love And Other Subjects--and have written another historical fiction novel, After The Fog, set in 1948 in a town not far from Oakmont, Pennsylvania. After The Fog is also an award winning book--silver IPPY and WINNER in the literary category of the National Indie Excellence Awards.

Right now, I'm finishing up a 20,000-word short love story for an anthology and am also using my characters and setting from The Last Letter as per reader request to show what happened between the two timelines in the original book! I hope readers will enjoy the fact I write about varied eras and places and that they will love each book for its unique setting and time.

About the book:

For every woman who wonders if she chose the right career...
In Love and Other Subjects Carolyn Jenkins strives for two things—to be the greatest teacher ever and to find true love. She’s as skilled at both as an infant trying to eat with a fork. Carolyn’s suburban upbringing and genuine compassion for people who don’t fit effortlessly into society are no match for weapon-wielding, struggling students, drug-using colleagues, and a wicked principal.

Meanwhile, her budding relationship with a mystery man is thwarted by his gaggle of eccentric sisters. Carolyn depends on her friends to get her through the hard times, but with poverty-stricken children at her feet and a wealthy man at her side, she must define who she is. The reality of life after college can be daunting, the road to full-fledged adulthood long and unscripted. Can Carolyn take control and craft the life she’s always wanted?


Website / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon / Smashwords

Guest Post

A Day In The Life of Alex Akira

by Alex A. Akira

Well, I’m  a creature of habit, so at least four days of my week go like this:
I rise at four o’clock in the AM (yes you read that correctly) throw on some workout clothes and either run on my treadmill for thirty minutes or do warm-up calisthenics, followed by some light free weight work. I then go out to the dojo and do some bag work, generally punches. Then I kick the  heavy bag around some. If my partner is up (about three days out of seven) we do a little sparring, sometimes he drills me on a new or a particular skill. For those of you who don’t know this, my partner is my Sensei.

By six o’clock I’m in the shower wondering if the stuff I wrote the previous evening is any good. By six-thirty, I’m dressed, grab the bowl of oatmeal that my guy microwaved for me and seat myself before my iMac and check said stuff, out. Generally I’m surprised, it’s not as bad as I thought, but the errors are glaringly obvious.

After I munch down the oatmeal I start to make the changes as my partner tells me information relative (not) to my day...the weather, world disasters, what Obama said...you catch the drift. By now I’ve got my Thesaurus up and I’m probably on Wiki researching some information that I want to use in my story. Shortly after, I’m checking my email, answering it and if possible sending out a Tweet or checking FB.

During this process I am also rigging my iPod to my person. I have to be at my real life job between seven-thirty and eight o’clock. Okay I’m supposed to be in at seven-thirty, but I’m head of the design team, so they don’t really care if I’m late. Generally by seven-fifteen I’m saving whatever changes I made in my writing, shrugging into my scarf, grabbing my supplements and a protein bar to hold me over until I return home. After kissing my partner, I jump in the Jetta, crank up my music and drive the short four miles to the design studio.

Once I enter the studio, I turn on my iPod, make myself a hot drink, (coffee or tea) suck down my supplements and check out what design work I’ve got lined up. I design giftware, accessories, jewelry and other stuff for a long-standing firm that sells in the UK and America. It’s not rocket science, so generally I’m on automatic and am working out some feature in the story I am writing. The music coming though the iPod helps me isolate. Although no one is supposed to wear earbuds at the studio, when I was hired I made it a point in my contract...no iPod, no Alex. Plus everyone knows to “leave Alex alone.” They get better designs if they don’t interrupt me.

By two o’clock the protein bar I ate at noon is waning and I’m readying myself to go home. Two thirty is my official quitting time, but if I’m done, I’m done. I get in my Jetta, switch off the earbuds, switch on the cd player and return home.

Once home, I strip, throw on something more comfortable and if I didn’t have a coffee, I make  a cup. If not then it’s tea and some kind of snack like banana chips, both of which I take over to my iMac. I’m home alone in one of two ways, either my lover is sleeping because he’s working the night shift or he’s already left and I’ll see him after eleven.
So, this two-thirty and on time, is when I get most of my writing done. After bringing up iTunes or Pandora, I put my other headset on. Then I grab all the little Post-it notes I’ve scribbled on all day, sort them and add the prevalent information to my outline, timeline or appropriate place. I’ll generally take a quick look at what I worked on in the AM, maybe make some additional changes and then I’m checking my outline to see what passage(s) I think I can work on. I select the appropriate music for which character or scene I’ll be working on and lose myself in the story.

I’ll work until about five thirty, then take a break and fix something to eat. Generally steamed veggies or yogurt and fruit and sometimes soup. While I eat this I check my email, Twitter, and maybe send in that book review that is due. Afterwards I’ll wash the dishes and then bundle up, pod up and go out for a walk-about or sometimes jog-about. This clears my head and since I live in a college neighborhood, I re-energize as I walk/run among the students on campus.

By seven or seven-thirty I’m back at my keyboard, either writing or researching.  Sometimes I go into Photoshop and work on a cover illustration or a book trailer image. If I’m researching, I’ll put up another window and watch some MMA fights while I research for a couple of hours. If I get inspired, I’ll take a break, try some moves, do sit ups or some type of movement for a half hour, before sitting back down to resume writing/researching/drawing.

At about ten-thirty or eleven, I hit the shower, grab my Kindle and retire to the bedroom, where I’ll read to review whatever books are on my list. I keep my notebook nearby, because I am still fine-tuning my WIP, if anything comes to me, I make a note. I generally fall off  between twelve-thirty and one-thirty, depending on if my partner comes home and we make happy.

So that’s pretty much it, a winter day in the life of Alex A. Akira.

About the author:

Alex A. Akira spend a number of years traveling internationally as a jack of all trades dabbling in wide array of creative fields, theatre, martial arts, metaphysics, yoga, weightlifting, and accessories, jewelry and giftware design to name a few, before deciding to put pen to paper and later finger to keyboard, to craft various tales of young males struggling with emotional turmoil and internal conflict as they try to navigate their way through love and life in general. Why, yaoi, boy's love and m/m romance tales, you ask? ... well you do what you know. Alex is the author of Dojo Boys: The Italian Connection.

About the book:

This swiftly-paced two-volume romantic Yaoi love story tells the tale of the multi-talented thief/dancer Philippe Michael Ponty. First introduced in Dojo Boys: Dragon & Crow Volume II, the now twenty-two-year-old platinum haired petite Adonis struggles to make a home for himself in America.

Volume I finds Philip settling in Connecticut in disguise, as he doesn’t want to draw too much attention to his true line of work. Despite his caution, he meets and befriends a local rock musician, Tommy Sear, who despairs of ever having his band make it.

Quickly smitten by the dark-haired, shy Asian male that is Philip, Tommy seeks to make the young man his, but Philip doesn’t believe in love; besides, he has a very real problem. He can’t seem to get the victim of his last burglary, a green-eyed, virile Italian male...out of his mind.

With Philip’s encouragement, Tommy renews his efforts to get his band, Sear, a record deal. He makes a demo and shortly after a scout contacts him, from Italy no less. The Italian scout is coming to America hear them play in the hopes of signing Sear to the much sought-after label, Romano Studios.

But Tommy has a secret and he’s afraid that without Philip’s help, they may not get the deal.

Publisher’s Note: This book contains sexual content, explicit language and situations that some readers may find objectionable: male/male sexual practices.

Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads/ Amazon

Featured Author: Amy Muniz

Amy Muniz says her book, Water is Many: 50 Poems, is poetry for people who don't necessarily like poetry.

Amy is an Arizona native, hiking enthusiast, and edible/poisonous plant expert. She speaks sign language, Spanish, and Arabic. Loves to try a new recipe every now and then. Married to a hot, older Hispanic gentleman.

Author Interview

What do you like best about writing? What’s your least favorite thing?

My favorite part is realizing that I have a good idea or finishing the first draft of something. My least favorite part is the editing and formatting of a book because then I obsess over every little detail.

Your book has an interesting title. How did you come up with it?

Water is Many is the title of one the poems inside the book. I picked it because like my book, one drop of water either acts alone or with other drops of water to come to a conclusion. It's a metaphor for the variety found inside my book. I've written everything from love, loss, friendship, nature, universe to even two ghost stories.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

It's not really a job, but I make a little off of my YouTube account so I'm always making a video. I teach languages there. I take temp work when I can find it, otherwise my husband likes it that I stay at home and write.

Why did you decide to write this book?

Poetry seems to be forever a dying art, and the American culture doesn't make room for poetry. I wrote something that I hope is of literary quality. And right there, I'll probably lose some people, but having read all 1800 of Emily Dickinson's works, one would hope that I could also produce poems of beauty. So I did it to try to contribute to our culture.

Tell me about your cover art.

For the cover I went to the cemetery where my parent-in-laws are buried, a nice Catholic mausoleum called St. Francis. There's a fountain there that I thought was a perfect match for the title. I photographed it, which is a challenge, because you can't catch your own reflection in the water and the lens can't get splashed. I did some moving around and got it.

What's your favorite poem in the book?

The long ghost story poem called “The Bells of San Xavier” takes place at the old mission south of Tucson, San Xavier del Bac. I used to live on the Papago Indian reservation, and I remember seeing the towers over the fence. In the poem, the Padre is standing among empty pews. The altar is full of lit candles and it's after hours. In real life, there is a skeleton in a display case to the left. Depending on your point of view, this is either comforting or creepy.

Who are your favorite authors?

Lately, I have discovered H.P. Lovecraft, who I've always heard was a good writer, but I'm just now delving into his works. I like them because they're short, succinct, and his wording really draws me in. Before discovering him, I was into Edwin Arlington Robinson, who is just like Poe.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

I'm not really reading anything, but what I'd like to do is pay it forward because of people who've helped me. I'd like to take some time out to write some reviews for self-published authors. There's a couple in mind, some of them poets, who seem to have a good product.


I know a good mystery you might like...< cheesy smile > Do you work better at night, in the afternoon, or in the morning?

People are surprised to learn that I get up at 4AM to start writing. This is when I'm most alert, when I first get up and am able to concentrate the most. It's quiet outside. My husband keeps on sleeping for some hours. I get the most done. By 10AM, the street outside turns into Times Square with horns blaring and kids kicking a ball against my door. Not good.

Do you ever get writer’s block?

Never, since I brainstorm and write down a list of ideas before I ever start writing, I don't get writer's block. I used to think of things throughout my day, then I'd forget them. Now when I have an idea, I write it down, explaining it with one or two sentences, so I can't possibly lose it.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I enjoy figuring out what is edible in the desert. I've tasted dandelions and they're surprisingly tasty, just like salad greens. In Phoenix, they're considered a noxious weed. During the Great Depression, a lot of people survived on dandelion salad, the leaves and the flower heads. I mistrust the dollar, wouldn't count on it to feed me, so that's why I'm learning this stuff. One day I'd like to experiment with cooking palo verde beans and trying it with some salsa.

What are your favorite books?

As a child: I loved The Cay, in which a Dutch boy gets stranded on an island with a Negro, even though I hated that the Negro died near the end.
As a teenager: I read The Shining and loved it.
As an adult: I am reading The Arabian Nights and love how it's a story within a story.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

A little known country called Belize. It's east of Mexico and north of Guatemala. I was denied a visa two years ago. Yes, I actually tried to leave. I have half a mind to drive to Corpus Christie, TX and float on a tube down to there.

What are you working on now?

My first book, Envious of the Clouds, is getting a makeover. I'm much better at covers now and the cover on my first book is beneath what I'm capable of doing so I'm changing it and sprucing up the inside. After that, I will begin an anthology of horror stories.

Great! I hope you'll come back and tell us about it when it's released.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Goodreads / Twitter / Amazon

Class of '85 Mega Blitz

Today I'm featuring five fantastic authors with books from the Wild Rose Press Class of '85 series that will be listed as FREE on Amazon February 15, 2013. All five authors have multiple books published with the Class of '85 series.

Jannine Gallant

The Lonely Road to You by Jannine Gallant

Kate Abbott isn’t looking for excitement and is perfectly content with the secure life she’s built in Seattle, even if her son thinks she’s in an uninspired rut. Former rock star Tyler North has no intention of shaking up his life on the Montana ranch where he fled years before to escape the ravages of fame and fortune. Neither plan to attend their 25 year high school reunion in Summerville, but fate throws them together on a lonely road, leading them on a journey of discovery.

 From the majesty of Yellowstone to the shores of Lake Ontario, Kate and Tyler fight unexpected attractions and old insecurities. Their journey is full of surprises and odd twists. From bison and bears to a deep crevasse and a crazy old man, they work together to overcome the obstacles in their path. But will these two opposites be able to put aside fear of change and rejection to take a chance on the promise of love?

Website / Blog / 
Facebook /  
Twitter /  
Goodreads /  
The Roses of Prose  / Amazon

Margo Hoornstra

To Be, Or Not by Margo Hoornstra



Barry Carlson had it all, a successful career in professional baseball and the adoration of any woman he wanted. Except one. Forced to retire in his prime, Barry returns to his hometown of Summerville, New York to coach the Minor League Hornets.

Twenty years ago, Barry broke through Amanda Marsh’s trust issues. He melted her ice, won her love, then walked away without a backward glance to survey the wreckage. Now Amanda is the head of public relations for the Hornets and happily single—until Barry slides back into her life.

Still reluctant to trust, Amanda gives Barry another chance. But the announcement of their twenty-fifth high school reunion leads to an asinine bet between Barry and his old buddies, and threatens to ruin their newfound relationship. As scandals of the past and present converge, can Barry and Amanda get beyond their differences to find their second chance at love?



Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / The Roses of Prose / Amazon 

Kat Henry Doran

Embraceable You by Kat Henry Doran

Award-winning photojournalist Dru Horvath doesn't stay in one spot for too long. Her vocation of documenting abuses against women worldwide prevents her from risking her heart. Every day working stiff Rory McElroy is a two-time loser when it comes to women—and he doesn't plan to take a chance on a relationship again, thank you very much.

But when Dru comes back into his life, he's not sure which poses the greater risk: protecting her from third world thugs who want to silence her permanently—or allowing the one woman who captured his heart years ago to embrace him for good.

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon

Silver James

Promises, Promises by Silver James

Betrayed former society wife Kelly Kincaid only wants to make things right. Paying off her ex-husband’s debt of honor is tough when a minimum-wage job back in her hometown is the only one she can find. Could the answer to her problems be right in front of her?

 The moment pub owner Michael Doogan sees Summerville High School’s former golden girl at the train station, he loses his heart. Again. He’d give Kelly Kincaid the world on a platter, but the stubborn woman is intent on going her way alone. A threat to her safety provides him the incentive to stand up for what he wants, but will he have the patience to win her love?

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon  

Keena Kincaid

Something More by Keena Kincaid

If she could, Nora Emerson would demand a "do over" of the last twenty-five years. An emotionally abusive marriage, failed fertility treatments and a nasty, public divorce have left her bruised, skittish and determined to remain independent at all costs.

 With an all-consuming business and a furious teenage sister on his hands, Nora is a complication Nick McPherson doesn't need. It's one he wants. Her vulnerability and kick-ass competency intrigue him, and the sexual sparks between them could set Summerville on fire. The more she insists the sex is just for fun, the more determined he becomes to turn their fling into something more.

Website / Facebook /  
Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon  

Character Interview: Karen Stivali's Daniel Gardner

I'm happy celebrate Valentine's Day with Daniel Gardner, Karen Stivali's main character in her contemporary romance Holding On, the sequel to Meant To Be. Karen was here in December, and you can read that interview here to find out more about her and her work. Today we have Daniel all to ourselves.

If you're not yet familiar with Daniel, here are some things you need to know about him: Daniel is a transplanted Brit, living in the United States with his lovely wife Marienne and stepdaughter Ella. He's an English professor, a brownie addict, and he's hopelessly in love. Sigh. I wonder what he's giving Marienne for Valentine's Day...

Interview with Daniel

Daniel, first tell me how you met Karen. Want to dish about her?

I met Karen one day while she was writing at a café. She was staring at me so intently it made me curious, so I went over to talk to her. She said I reminded of her of the character she’d had in mind for a story. No one had ever said that to me before, so I was quite intrigued.

Dish about her? *chuckles* I can imagine the scowl on her face as she waits to see what I answer for this question. She’s a very petite woman, but she can give the death stare when she wants to. Let’s see...what can I tell you that won’t get me in too much trouble? She does most of her writing in the middle of the night, which is fine with me as we’re both total insomniacs. She’s rather addicted to chocolate, which is also fine with me because I am too, and she’s always willing to share. And she likes to...never mind. She’d kill me off if I told you that. *winks*

You're a cruel man, Daniel! Did you ever think that your life would end up being in a book?

Never in a million years. I wouldn’t even write a book about myself. Karen insists there’s something special about me, but I think she’s a bit biased. I’m just an ordinary bloke.

Did you have a hard time convincing your author to write any particular scenes for you?

Convincing her to write scenes? No. I try to convince her NOT to write some scenes and she does anyway. She likes to know everything and write it all down. I’m more one to sweep certain memories away or lock them up in the nearest cupboard. She never lets me do that. Stubborn woman.

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?

I actually rather like reading myself. Give me a good book and a comfortable chair, and I’m quite content.

Do have any secret aspirations that your author doesn’t know about?

I don’t think I do. Karen pushes me to do things I didn’t even know I could do, and she puts me through all sorts of things in Holding On. I can’t think of anything else I’d possibly be doing. She’s given me a very full life.

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?

I’d spend it in bed with my wife, Marienne. With a picnic basket of food next to the bed. But you probably already guessed that if you’ve read Meant To Be. 



Yes, I saw that one coming. What impression do you make on people when they first meet you?

I think when people first meet me they probably think I’m fairly quiet. Then they get to know me and realize I rarely shut up. 



What's the worst thing that's happened in your life? What did you learn from it?

My mother dying when I was in my teens. It taught me that you need to appreciate the people in your life while they’re there with you and that you should let them know how much they mean to you as often as possible. I hope I do that.

Tell us about your best friend.

My best friend is Marienne, who, thank God, also agreed to be my wife. There’s a line in a movie “You’re everything I never knew I always wanted.” That’s how I feel about her. I didn’t know it was possible to have another human being know you so well and yet totally love and accept you. She’s my soul mate. No question. I’m an exceptionally lucky man.

I'd say you're both exceptionally lucky. What are you most afraid of?

Losing the people I love. 



What’s the best trait your author has given you?

Best trait? I like to think that I’m kind-hearted and a bit of a romantic. I also like to think I’m funny, but I’m not so sure about that one.

What’s the worst?

I’m a compulsive worrier. I even get on my own nerves with that at times.

Will you encourage your author to write a sequel?

Well, she already has written one sequel. Holding On is the sequel to Meant To Be. And she wrote a short story about my wedding to Justine ("All I Need," in the Foreign Affairs Anthology) and another short story ("White Wedding," in the upcoming Wedding Anthology---both anthologies from Turquoise Morning Press) about my wedding to Marienne. I’ve also heard that I’m going to be in the upcoming novel Just In Time, which is Justine’s story. Karen’s being very secretive about that one though, so I don’t know what happens. I hope she keeps writing about me. I love it when she brings me to life. 

We do too, Daniel, we do too!
 

About the author:

Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker, and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. When she’s not writing, she can be found cooking extravagant meals and serving them to family and friends. Prior to deciding to write full time Karen worked as a hand drawn animator, a clinical therapist, and held various food-related jobs ranging from waitress to specialty cake maker. Planning elaborate parties and fundraisers takes up what’s left of her time and sanity.

Karen has always been fascinated by the way people relate to one another so she favors books and movies that feature richly detailed characters and their relationships. In her own writing she likes to explore the dynamics between characters and has a tendency to craft romantic love stories filled with sarcasm and sexy details. 

Karen has published three erotic romances with Ellora’s Cave: Marry Me (June 2012), Long-Distance Lovers (co-written with Karen Booth, March 2012) and Always You (Passionate Plume First Place Novella Winner, RWA 2012).

Karen’s women's fiction stories, published with Turquoise Morning Press, include Meant To Be (August 2012) and its sequel Holding On (November 2012). Both full length novels are currently available in e-book and paperback. A prequel to these novels, the short story "All I Need," appears in the Foreign Affairs Anthology (August 2012). Another short story, "White Wedding," which takes place between Meant To Be and Holding On, will be in an anthology due out in June 2013.

Also coming in 2013, Karen will have two contemporary romances releasing from Samhain Publishing. The first of these, Then, Again is due out on May 23, 2013. Leave The Lights On will be out in November/December 2013. A new erotic romance novella will release from Ellora's Cave in Spring 2013, and Just In Time, a follow-up to Meant To Be and Holding On that will focus on Justine, will release from Turquoise Morning in January 2014.


Connect with Karen:
website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon   

Buy the Book!

Amazon / AllRomance Ebooks /  
Barnes & Noble / 

Turquoise Morning Press