Today I am honored to have Cynthia Racette here on the blog today talking about her novel Windswept.


First off, welcome to the blog.  Can you tell us a little about yourself?  I'm an original renaissance woman. My degree is in chemistry and I worked a number of years in that, then became a reporter, a photographer, and a painter. I still do the last two as hobbies. My love of writing, first exhibited as a reporter and editor, led to writing novels and Windswept was my first one to be published.

How old were you when you decided that you wanted to be a writer?  In my early 30's I decided I wanted to publish but life got in the way and a job as a chemist paid a lot more than writing early on when raising a family. I joined RWA a few years ago and learned more about how to write and how to get published. Now, here I am!

For those readers that haven’t had the pleasure of reading your work, can you tell us a little about it?
Windswept is about love and betrayal, forgiveness and survival. Caroline is left to fend for herself when her husband is unfaithful and leaves her. They try to overcome their problems but other people and events get in the way. Tempted by her husband's best friend's advances, Caroline must choose between the two. The choice may be taken out of her hands by Mother Nature's fury battling the elements in their sailboat, Windswept.

Do you see yourself in any of these characters?  Totally. Everyone tells me they see a lot of me in Caroline. I guess that's not unusual.

Do you have any odd writing habits or rituals?  Sort of. I write on my LR sofa with my laptop on one of those laptop stands so it's pulled up close. No TV, no music. I need quiet.

All writers have them, but what was that a-ha moment that inspired you?  My husband and I were sailing in our own sailboat, Capella, and we both had such strong feelings about the boat and about sailing that I felt like I had to show other people what it was like. That's why I started with that idyllic sailing scene in chapter one—showing what it was like before the s--- hit the fan, so to speak.

What are your most difficult scenes to write?  Love scenes, hands down. They're easy to envision but hard to write, like choreographing a love scene for a movie.

Describe your ideal writing place.  I would love to have an office of my own with a desk dedicated to just my writing stuff. But alas, my husband had confiscated our study so I write here on the sofa with piles of papers and notes, etc. piled on the seat next to me and implements of my craft crowding a side table that used to look very nice but now looks like a junk heap. Sigh…

When you first started out as a writer, what were some of your biggest challenges?  Craft. At first I knew so little about how to write, it's scary. I took some college courses on novel writing and read books and improved and improved.

Any advice for other writers that are just starting out?  Don't give up. If you want to write, then write. Even if the manuscripts go under the bed. Eventually, you will learn more and reach the stage where your books are publishable. Then go for it.

Are your family and friends supportive of you?  Infinitely, considering the number of years I've been at this. My husband lets me sit and write while he makes supper and does the dishes. My daughter, Cassandra Carr, who is a multi-published erotic romance writer, still critiques my work and I help her out too sometimes, although erotic is not my thing.

What writers have inspired you?  Jo Rowlings. I have read the entire Harry Potter series through twice and a few three times. I read her books just to enjoy the rhythm and syntax and imagination, completely aside from Harry, although I love the character of Harry.

Who is your favorite character from another author’s work?  See above… lol   Harry Potter. Also, I love Frodo.

What do you do when you are not writing?  My husband and I love to travel and both of us read voraciously. We're planning to spend two weeks in Italy this coming fall and we go to southern climes for the worst winter months. We love Buffalo, but--

What can we expect from you in the future?  I have a second novel I am preparing for submission within the next month. It's called Fall Down Flat and is about a woman whose husband is killed in an accident and is forced to learn to stand on her own two feet and provide for her family. Both kids have problems, with her teenager being arrested for shoplifting.

Windswept is a romantic novel of redemption and family values and fighting for what is important. Sailing Windswept has always been a family affair and many of Caroline and David Hartford’s fondest memories have taken place on Chesapeake Bay sailing in all kinds of conditions and exploring the bay.

When husband David is unfaithful and commits the ultimate betrayal by bringing his mistress aboard Windswept, Caroline’s world is shattered. He leaves her and she is forced to rely solely on herself for the first time in her life. She has to be a single parent to her daughter, Lily, and to decide if she can forgive David for tearing her family apart.

As David and Caroline work to put their marriage back together, events and other people conspire against them, over and over.  Their relationship begins to heal, but the couple is caught in a horrific storm and waterspout on the bay, heading straight for Windswept. They want a chance to love again but Mother Nature might have other ideas.

About the Author
Cynthia has been writing all her life, as a newspaper reporter, editor and novelist. She even asked for (and received) a play typewriter for Christmas when she was about ten.

To be near her children and granddaughters, she and her newly retired hubby, moved to the Buffalo, NY area. Through her daughter, who is also a writer, she got hooked up with RWA (Romance Writers of America) and good things started to happen.

She is now writing more novels, taking lots of trips and relaxing by the pool on gorgeous summer days in Western, NY.

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I decided about a month ago to put the first book in my Spiritus series into the Kindle Select program with Amazon.  I had heard mixed reviews and decided to try it for myself. 

I scheduled my first free days on April 25th and 26th.  Not a real smart move on my part.  I was just back from a trip to Chicago with my daughter for dance and was coming down with a sinus infection that from here on out will be referred to as the creeping crud.  This was also a rehearsal week for my daughter which meant that I was driving her back a forth to the studio.  Needless to say, my promotion for those free days was next to nothing.  I think a few sites picked it up and I mentioned it on Twitter a few times.

What surprised me was that even without much help from me, Spiritus made it to #7 in the Horror>Ghosts category and almost 900 people downloaded it.  Now this is a far cry from the results that most people brag about, but I still consider it a success since I did very little to get these results.  Obviously, I will plan better when I go to use my last three free days.

I will not say that Kindle Select is right for everyone or every book.  In my case, Spiritus had been out since October and had just about fallen off the radar at all other venders outside of Amazon.  The second book in the series has just come out and I wanted to stir up a little momentum.  I doubt that I would use it for a newly released book, but then again, it could be a very successful launch tool.

If you're a writer, have you used Kindle Select and what were your results?  Love it or hate it?

To honor the release of Haunted, Book Two in the Spiritus series, earlier this month, Spiritus will be FREE April 25th and 26th on Amazon.  This is the perfect time to give the series a try! 

Spiritus on Amazon

I am so excited to have Nana Malone here on the blog answering some questions about her later release Sexy in Stilettos!
First off, welcome to the blog.  Can you tell us a little about yourself?  Hi there!  Thank you so much for having me.  I’m excited to meet all your readers.  I’m a Ghanaian American romance author who currently resides in sunny San Diego with Hubster, Bratlette, and Wonder Dog. 

How old were you when you decided that you wanted to be a writer? I was twenty-three.  Before then it had never even occurred to me that the books I devoured were written by ordinary women like me, who’d chosen an extraordinary path.

For those readers that haven’t had the pleasure of reading your work, can you tell us a little about it?
I write sexy contemporaries and action packed steamy paranormals.  I love reading in both genres, so It feels good to write in both genres.  I’ve got a YA or two percolating in my head too.

My latest novel Sexy in Stilettos was so fun to write.  Jaya is probably the character that’s most like me.  She’d hyper-organized and loves her plans and has no idea what to do when life throws her a curveball.  My husband, though, an engineer, is far more spontaneous than I am.  So I started wondering what would happen if you paired someone like me with an extreme opposite fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kind of guy.

Do you see yourself in any of these characters?  Like I was saying, Jaya is probably the most like me, but for me all my characters have a little bit of me in them.  The hero in Sexy in Stilettos wants to be a free wheeling vagabond and there’s a part of me that’s like this.  And in my previous book Reluctant Protector, Cassie was a badass super power having action girl, and I like to thing I give some of her attitude some street cred.

Do you have any odd writing habits or rituals?  The only really weird tick is I have to follow my plan.  If I know I’ve got edits on one book an outline for another and a spew draft of another, I have to follow the plan.  If I deviate, I get pretty overwhelmed then give up and watch Bravo for more hours than can possibly be healthy.

All writers have them, but what was that a-ha moment that inspired you?  My romance writing career started with Bridget...Jones that is. I was in New York hating pretty much every aspect of my PR job but the writing when I picked up Bridget Jones's Diary from the library. After I stayed up all night to finish it, I wished I could do that, put words to paper and make people laugh or cry or cringe. Then I thought, why not.

What are your most difficult scenes to write?  Most difficult scenes are probably the scenes with Jaya and her father.  Coming from a pretty strict Ghanaian home, there was a lot of pressure to be perfect and never crack under the pressure, so I pulled a lot from those experiences.

Describe your ideal writing place.  Ha, with a toddler running around, ideal these days equals quiet.  Lol.

When you first started out as a writer, what were some of your biggest challenges?  So many!  So so sooo many.  I had no idea how to structure a story.  Conflict, motivation, and goal, never even entered my mind.  I kept wanting to write a Mary Sue everyone would love and forgot that there needs to be conflict.  So I took some classes and got a critique partner or two and rewrote a million times until I got better and things finally started to gel.

Any advice for other writers that are just starting out?  Write.  Learn. Write some more. Ask for hard core feedback from someone who will tell you the truth, and your mother does not count. Write some more

Are your family and friends supportive of you?  Yes! They’ve all been great.  My husband takes the baby on weekends so I can write and tells all his work folks all about my books.  My friends are usually the ones badgering me for more books.  Lol.

What writers have inspired you?  The queen herself, Nora Roberts, Helen Fielding,  Misty Evans, Eve Vaughn, Harper Lee.

Who is your favorite character from another author’s work?  Kali Sweet from Misty Evans Revenge is Sweet book.  Spunky is how I like ‘em!

What do you do when you are not writing?  Chase my daughter around.  Play with our dog and cuddle with my hubby.  Oh and work full time as a project manager.

What can we expect from you in the future?  My favorite question.  I get to let you know what mad goals I’ve got for the year.  My goal this year is to release seven books.  You read right, seven. The first, Reluctant Protector is already available on Amazon as is Sexy in Stilettos. The next in the Protector series, Forsaken Protector and the next in the In Stilettos series, Sultry in Stilettos are due out in June and August respectively. The end of the year holds three more book releases so stay tuned.  It's going to be an exciting year!

Sexy in Stilettos

Nana Malone

What’s worse than having to watch your sister marry your ex fiancé?  How about when that fiancé fires you from the family business?   

Hyper-organized, event planner Jaya Trudeaux is used to doing things by the book and never making waves.  It’s a strategy that’s served her well until she finds herself in failure alley with no fiancé, no job and her thirtieth birthday looming.  Maybe it’s time to change her methods.  Starting with an unlikely date to the wedding from hell.

The only thing that can tie carefree playboy, Alec Danthers down is his formidable step mother.  When she calls him home to help find his wayward brother, he never imagines an uptight, list making, sass- talking woman would make him think about putting down roots.

Can Jaya put the lists down long enough to enjoy the ride that is Alec?  Will Alec stop running long enough to recognize true love?

Warning: Sexy, sass talking women will make you laugh, cry and want a pair of killer footwear.

Nana's love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she borrowed from her cousin on a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana at a precocious thirteen.  She's been in love with kick butt heroines ever since.  With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.

Waiting for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, Nana, meantime works out her drama, passion and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.  Though, until that ninja job comes through, you'll find her acting out scenes for hubby and puppy while catching up on her favorite reality television shows in sunny San Diego.

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I'm doing my Six Sentence Sunday post a little early this week, but I couldn't help myself.  In this scene, Becca is talking to Dr. Langdon during her second session.

She looked up, just a brief flash of her darkened eyes and pale face before she looked away again.

"I haven't decided yet," she whispered.

Pulling a chair around again, I sat across from her. "I can't help you if you won't talk to me."

"It's too late to help me."

Patients often said such statements, but she seemed more resigned to the idea.

Thanks for reading my Six Sentence Sunday post.  I'd love to see your thoughts.  Also, don't forget that the first book in this series, Spiritus, will be free Wednesday and Thursday on Amazon!

I am always happy when I can interview another author and today I welcome Debbie Gould.

First off, welcome to the blog.  Can you tell us a little about yourself? Thank you for having me! Let’s see. I was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, but only spent a couple years there. Then my mom and I moved on to New Jersey , where I was very happy, until I was around 14 and she thought the city life was corrupting me, so she dragged me off to rural Vermont where I’ve been ever since, lol.

I live with my 21 year old son who is still in college, 2 Maine Coon cats and 2 mutts.


How old were you when you decided that you wanted to be a writer? It wasn’t until about 11 years ago. I grew up reading Stephen King, and then moved on to romantic suspense as I got older. I finally decided I had a few stories to tell of my own.


For those readers that haven’t had the pleasure of reading your work, can you tell us a little about it? There is a broad range of work I have out. 90% is Romantic Suspense. There are a couple on the dark side. I’ve got a couple contemporary romances out there, one with a touch of paranormal. I also have a writing partner, those books have a lot of paranormal or mystery/thriller mix in with some awesome romance.


Do you see yourself in any of these characters? Sometime, but not usually. These heroines are usually kick-ass and I could only wish to have half their confidence and determination.


Do you have any odd writing habits or rituals? Love writing to music. It always gets me in the mood, but that’s about it.


All writers have them, but what was that a-ha moment that inspired you? My daughter had gone through a series bad break-ups. The guys were real losers and broke her young heart. She then left for the Air Force shortly after the last break-up and I decided to write a story about the hero she should have had in her life.


What are your most difficult scenes to write? Sex. I don’t write it just for the sake of having it in the story, so when it’s there, the emotions are all there, but it’s still the hardest part to write. Not sure why. I guess I want to make sure the readers are able to feel the depth of emotions the characters are.


Describe your ideal writing place. On a beach, either early morning or just before dusk, lol. But realistically my desk works best. I sometimes write on the couch with the laptop, but get the most done at my desk.


When you first started out as a writer, what were some of your biggest challenges? Learning the ins and outs of the business. Who knew there was more to it than writing your little heart out, lol.


Any advice for other writers that are just starting out? Oh, Jeeze, where to begin. Keep learning your craft number one. Don’t assume you know all there is to know because it changes daily. Find a good critique partner or group to go over your work and when you think it’s flawless have someone else read it before you submit it somewhere. We authors never see our own mistakes, lol. That and research, research, research.


Are your family and friends supportive of you? Very, my kids tell everyone they know and my friends are always asking when the next one is coming out. They keep me going.


What writers have inspired you? Stephen King, Cindy Gerard, Cherry Adair, Lori Foster, Suzanne Brockman, oh I could go on and on.


Who is your favorite character from another author’s work?  Lori Foster had three great hero’s. I just loved Trace, Dare, and Jackson. Now those men where soooo hot. I feel in love.


What do you do when you are not writing? I work full time as a nurse in a rural family practice in VT. READ tons of books and love to cook.


What can we expect from you in the future? Tons and tons of new stories from me and L.J Garland. We love writing together and come up with some awesome ideas. I think we have enough lined up now for at least 5 years, lol.

Lieutenant Colin Beckett, US Air Force special ops, lost his wife in childbirth while off on a mission. Two years later, he’s still trying to come to grips with the guilt that tortures him. And to complicate matters, he finds himself undeniably attracted to his wife's sister, Emily. Struggling with his desire, he tells himself he doesn’t deserve a second chance with such an amazing woman.

Emily wants Colin in her life and her bed. Enlisting the help of Colin's teammate's and Madame Eve's 1 Night Stand dating service, she plans to prove to Colin he can have everything he lost once again.

Will their one night lead to the happy ending she longs for or the loneliness he thinks he deserves?

Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, at the age of two Debbie and her mother moved to New Jersey, spending many happy years on her grandparents' horse farm. You'll sometimes find this setting as a backdrop in her work.

As a teenager, she and her mother found a new home in Vermont, where she currently resides. With a daughter in the Air Force,  one son in college and the other working for the family business,  Debbie now shuffles her time between a husband and full time job as a nurse, and writing.

About seven years ago, while looking at over three hundred treasured books lining her shelves, she realized there was a multitude of stories of her own clamoring for release. Since then, she's seriously persevered in keeping the keyboard in constant motion.

With two novels, Mountain's Echo and Infidelity, and two novellas, November Rain and Second Chance now published, Debbie is now also working with a partner, L.J. Garland. Together the two have written Sins of the Mind and are hard at work on many more manuscripts.

Debbie has been a member of KOD, FTHRW, ELEMENTS and RWA Online.

Website / Blog


EXCERPT:

Colin took a step back and cringed. “Aw, shit, Bobby. What’ve you done?”

Bobby punched Zeke in the shoulder and shook his head. “Nothing bad. Actually, it’s so simple you’re gonna kick your ass for not thinking of it first, Ghost.”

He doubted it. More than likely he would kick Bobby’s ass. The man worked overtime to hook him up, like he was a damn charity case. If he wanted to get laid, he could go find his own. Unfortunately, the only woman that spurred his senses in the last year had been Emily. He wanted her so bad he caught himself thinking about her during the day and woke up sweat-soaked and hard at night from dreaming about her.

Shit! Maybe he did need to get laid. “I repeat, what have you done?”

Zeke jumped up. “See, there’s this woman named Madame Eve––”

Colin threw his hands up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! This is low even for you. I don’t need a freaking prostitute. Damn, Bobby. What the hell are you thinking?”

Bobby laughed. “Not that kind of madame. She runs an elite dating service and sets up one-night stands for consenting adults. It’s a no-strings-attached kind of thing. Just two like-minded adults looking for a night of pleasure. That’s it. You both go in with your eyes open and leave the next more feeling a lot less stressed.”

Colin crossed his arms over his chest and lifted a brow, “And how does she go about finding these people and matching them up?”

“Don’t worry I’ve checked it all out. You go on her website, fill out the application. Then she matches you up with someone who meets your needs. She names the date and place and the rest is on you. It’s all legit.”

“You sound like an infomercial.” Colin shook his head. “This is fucking crazy, ya know. I have no trouble finding my own women.”

“Never said you did, Lieutenant,” Zeke said. “But this way you don’t have to troll the bars, hoping to find a woman who wants to get her rocks off exactly like you. We know that’s not your scene, but this way everyone gets what they want and walks away happy.”

Bobby glared at Zeke. “Where the hell do you come from anyway?” He returned his gaze to Colin. “More like a night of mutual pleasure.”

“I have my own ways of relieving stress.”

Bobby snorted. “Uh, yeah. I’m not talking about whacking off in the shower, dude.”

Colin rubbed his hands over his face. Good God, had he really been reduced to this? "Fine."

First off, a super big thanks to everyone for making the release day for Haunted such a success!  If you didn't get a chance to check it out, you can get a copy here:

Amazon
Barnes And Noble

Here is a snippet from Becca's first session with Dr. Langdon.  Let me know what you think!

She looked up then, revealing a very pretty face that had a shadowed and bruised look around the eyes. My first thought was that if I were ten to fifteen years younger, I would've thought her irresistible. My second thought was that she was too beautiful to be in this place.

Her eyes were shining and slightly hostile as she pushed back her hair.

"Why are you wasting your time with these questions?" She demanded, "It's him you want to know about, isn't it?"


Thanks for stopping by and I look forward to your comments!

I love featuring new and exciting books on the blog!  Read on to learn more about Barcode: Legend of Apollo.....

Spencer's an infamously well-known “god” uninterested in his own fate. He turns nineteen-years-old on the first day of his last year at Colt Academy, the academic institution for gladiators. To celebrate, he unwillingly mentors a mysterious nerd, watches his family's helicopter plunge into the ground, and meets a strange Louisianan boy that may want to kill him. With the future of his family's fortune on the line, Spencer not only has to fight the occasional trip to Hades, but also train with his most hated childhood friend, discover the truth about his mother's death, and reestablish his legend as America's savior.

Excerpt:

I’m such a failure.

My instructors say I’m the first of the bloodline that isn’t naturally a top ranking student. Therefore, professors are inclined to boost my grades in order to keep “the great Apollo” at the top of his class.

I apologize dear ancestors. I will honor you by falling on my sword.

Damn. I don’t have a weapon yet. Give me a few days, folks.

I find a seat on a stone bench next to a small pond and watch as several lizard-fish swim and crawl through the shallow water. One has the flesh of a koi fish but the body of a garden lizard. The gold and black colors blur as my heavy eyes close and my head drops. I’m still jet-lagged.

As I open my eyes, a sharp kick lands between my ribs. Before my attacker can remove her foot, I grab it tightly and swing her into the pool.

The plague sitting in front of me with her butt dipped in an inch of water, and her arms folded neatly around her legs, just so happens to call herself Hannah’s best friend, though I knew her long before the two met.

This tomboy has a kick that’s out of this world. Her barcodes are powered by the goddess Atalanta. Every god and demigod has a code that they’re born with. That’s what separates us from Apes and humans. Some gods bond well with their bodies, while others pump so much power into their flesh that they can hardly stand. Ever. It can be a gift or a curse.

“You got my panties wet, jerk.”

“Why would a boy wear panties?”

“Don’t call me a boy, you ugly pig.”

“You walk like one, talk like one, but wait, you kick like a girl,” I tease, but my ribs scream in pain. Even more, I’m defiantly conscious that Michelle’s beauty competes closely with the most attractive girl on campus, Hannah. Still, she and I are mortal enemies that will one day battle to her death.

I’ve seen these visions in my sleep. Any morning I wake up after slaying her just so happens to be a great day. Yes. I’m very aware that many people consider these dreams, but if they are prophetic, The Writer does truly love me.

“What does Hannah see in you?”

“What do you mean? She said that in our first year you always gushed over my blue eyes, and wouldn’t stop raving about my face.” I watch the wicked witch’s eyes nearly leap out of their sockets, and her face turns pale. If the tattoos on her legs shine, I’ll need to flee for my own safety. “Geez. You look so upset; I almost think it’s true.”

For the past three years, Kashif Ross has been mainly known as a teacher. Yet, he's managed to pick up very random titles along the way. Previous jobs include Student Molecular Oncology Researcher, Camp Counselor, CGI Animator, Character Designer, and Professional Geek.

Now he's an author living in California's Bay Area. You can find posts about his random thoughts and adventures on his blog, www.kashifross.com.

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