Author Jo Robertson: What Keeps You Awake At Night?

Please join me in welcoming award-winning author Jo Robertson as the special guest blogger today as she tours with her debut release, THE WATCHER.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the book: Forensic psychiatrist Kate Myers believes the killer of two teenage girls in Bigler County, California, is the same man who savagely murdered her twin sister over fifteen years ago. Working with a single-minded tenacity, she sets out to prove it.

Deputy Sheriff Ben Slater hides his personal pain behind the job, but Kate's arrival in his county knocks his world on its axis. He wants to believe her wild theory, but the idea of a serial killer with the kind of pathology she proposes is too bizarre.

Together they work to find a killer whose roots began in a small town in Bigler County, but whose violence spread across the nation. A Janus-like killer, more monster than man, he fixates on Kate. The killer wants nothing more than to kill the "purple-eyed girl again."

Jo joins us to talk about something that as mystery lovers we all understand …. ‘What Keeps You Awake at Night?’ and a ‘Funky Five’ challenge I think you‘ll find fun. See what you come up with.

Because my debut release THE WATCHER is a romantic thriller, I started thinking about its "scare" level. When I wrote the book, I wanted it to be chilling, a little frightening, and heart-stopping at the denouement (the point of greatest excitement). But I also wanted it to have moments of wry humor and lightheartedness, so my readers could take a break from the thrill factor.

That led me to think about the kinds of things that scare me enough to keep me up at night.  Some movies and books, for sure. I still think George Romano's 1968 version of "Night of the Living Dead" is freak-scariness at its zenith!

Most of us have known the stress of a restless night.

When I was a young mother of two small boys, six months and eighteen months, my husband had an overnight conference and I stayed up late reading. I never liked going to bed alone, and reading was a luxury for a mom of two babies. However, I made a horrible choice for my late-night reading.

The book wasn't a badly written one, but it was so terrifying that I nearly packed the babies up and went to a neighbor's house. The story involves a poltergeist-type ghost that haunts the house of the heroine. The spirit is so viciously evil that he seemed alive to me. I recall vividly turning on all the lights and checking the front door for intruders. The villain-ghost is wickedly draw and fantastically real. Although I was paralyzed with fear, I couldn't stop reading!

When I finished the book, I was furious with myself because I was so agitated, my adrenaline so revved up that I couldn't go to sleep. I stayed awake all night, listening to every creak and shudder inside and outside our small apartment. When daylight finally came, the kids and I spent the day in the park.

THE WATCHER is not quite that frightening, but the villain is chilling. When I created him, I wanted a multi-dimensional character, horrifying to ordinary people, but still able to wring a bit of reluctant sympathy.

But the best part of the book? Because it's a ROMANCE, we know the hero and heroine will defeat the antagonist and have a happy ending.

Here's an excerpt in the killer's point of view:

The girl was pretty in a fresh, outdoorsy way. 

The bounce and tangle of her yellow hair fascinated the boy-man. When she bent to ruffle the dog’s fur and attach the leash, the frisky animal danced away from her. Finally looping one end around her hand, she set off, long legs stretched before her as she matched her stride to the dog’s pace. 

With her free hand, she clutched the coat front that covered a dress the color of buttercups, and she wore black strappy shoes made for church, not a brisk walk. Early winter wind whipped her dress up and blew hair across her eyes. 

But he knew their color well. Her eyes were as vivid as the violet blood of an eggplant’s skin. The deep purple of the pansies his grandmother grew in boxes beneath the kitchen window. The flowers woven in his mother’s hair in a faded picture he’d once seen. 

The brilliance of that color made him notice the girl several months ago as she stood outside the Cavalier Store on Ramsey Avenue. Juggling a carton of milk in one arm and her school books in the other, she nearly bumped into him. When he reached to steady her, those flashing eyes narrowed in the challenging way of teenage girls. 

Under the force of her scowl, he touched the sparse hair above his lips, the sprinkling of zits across his chin. She didn’t say a word to him, but her eyes darkened with irritation. 

Why the hell was she mad at him? He’d only tried to help. 

A familiar wash of shame flooded over him, his face burned, and he ducked his head to slink away. After a block he risked a backward glance to find the girl balancing her load, oblivious to his existence. She’d forgotten him already. He clenched his fists at his side and hurried away. 

She wore her soccer uniform that day, and he figured out she’d be at practice on the high school soccer field after school. Every day until the season was over. 

During daily practice, the grassy edges of the field were deserted, so he’d found a good hiding place some distance from the field where he watched the players through his binoculars. The rocky outcropping banked up to several scrub pines, and his dusty green outfit camouflaged him from the coach. 

His body tingled with a secret thrill as he spied on her. He never gotten tired of watching her race down the soccer field, her toes teasing the ball in front of her, the sudden right turn she made before she slammed the ball into the goal. Her slender legs were surprisingly strong, the muscled sinews tightening beneath the skin.

Panicked that he’d lose track of her when the season was over, he followed her home after one soccer practice. He discovered the isolated farm where she lived with her parents and a giant chocolate retriever named Shamus. He hunkered beside an outbuilding that night and watched her as she completed household chores. She worked energetically and sometimes seemed to be everywhere at once. Her quick, lively movements stimulated him in a way he didn’t understand. 

When the lights went out in the farmhouse, he hunted for a place to camp out in the woods, his bedroll and backpack hidden in the dense forest. He ate his food cold from tin cans and drank from the creek, this outdoor lifestyle familiar to him by now. 

He waited nearly a week to make his move. On a late Sunday afternoon, he saw the parents drive away in a battered pickup without the girl. Silence descended on the farm in the near darkness. She’d been left alone. 

This was his opportunity. 

The dog now pulled the girl along after him, straining at the leash. The animal must weigh at least a hundred pounds, almost as much as the girl. That could be a problem. 

The boy-man trailed the girl and dog as they made their way down to the creek bed. She let the dog tug her forward along the water’s edge. Her voice reached the boy-man where he watched from a grove of aspen trees, their bendy white limbs dipping down to cover him. 

He glanced through the gloom toward the farm house. How long before her parents returned? How long after that before they missed her? He kept downwind of the dog and hurried after the girl, his heart drumming a staccato beat in his chest. He’d never found a purple-eyed girl before. 

It was a sign.

In today's 21st century world, there are many things other than scary stories that give us a restless night's sleep.

I thought it'd be fun today to play "Funky Five" with this topic: Five things that keep you awake at night. I'll go first.
1. Clearly a very scary book, movie or TV show, especially if I'm alone in the house. When I was a frequent drive-in movie-goer, a horror movie at an outdoor theatre was the height of spook fright!
2. Heartburn – stupid, I know, but I've often been dumb enough to eat something spicy at night, knowing that it will give me heartburn. Thank goodness for antacids.
3. Noisy neighbors or a barking dog. Our neighbors are actually pretty good, but the ones to our right have a nice hot tub and redwood deck and they enjoy inviting friends over. Friends that love wine. Lots and lots of wine.
4. Fussy babies or restless husbands. No babies for me any longer, but sometimes my husband keeps me from getting a good night's sleep with his tossing and turning.
5. Money worries. Hardly anyone escapes life without thinking about bills and payments. No matter how much money you have, you still think you don't have enough and worry about finances.

What about you, readers?  What keeps you awake at night?  If it's a really scary book or TV show, be sure to share. We all want to enjoy the fright!

If you're a writer, have you ever stayed up all night working on your latest project? How'd that go?

Jo, thanks so much for blogging here today. Your book sounds most intriguing. Wishing you much success with your writing.

I especially like your take on what keeps us awake. Here’s goes with my Funky Five: #1. Health and financial status of family. #2. A good scary book or movie. #3. Severe weather (blame it on my grandmother). #4. The quiet. #5. A new noise in the house - leaky faucet, change in the air conditioner sound, etc.

Here’s a bit of background on Jo. A former high school English teacher, Jo lives in northern California, near the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills. She enjoys reading, scrapbooking, and discussing the latest in books, movies, and television shows. When her Advanced Placement English students challenged her to quit talking about writing and "just do it," she wrote her first completed manuscript, THE WATCHER, which won the 2006 Golden Heart Award for romantic suspense. For more on Jo and her writing, visit her website at www.jorobertson.com and she blogs at Romance Bandits. 

Thanks everyone for stopping by. Looking forward to finding out what your Funky Five are. 

Murder By Mocha by Cleo Coyle

Opening the pages of MURDER BY MOCHA is like stepping inside my favorite coffeehouse with friends there waiting and a few new faces to greet. The sights, sounds and smells are brought to life by the talented writing of author Cleo Coyle.

Readers who aren’t coffee drinkers don’t need to shy away from this tantalizing book and series. While there are references to coffee and all it’s amenities; there is murder, mayhem, and suspense all wrapped up with a splash of romance, a dollop of humor and a lot of love for family and friends.

Clare Cosi is the manager and head barista of the landmark Village Blend coffeehouse in Greenwich Village. Clare’s boss, Madame Dreyfus Allegro Dubbors (who is also her fromer mother-in-law) has gone into partnership with an old friend. Madame has agreed to use the Village Blend coffee beans to create a new java love potion, ‘Mocha Magic Coffee,’ billed as an aphrodisiac.

The new product will be sold exclusively online at Aphrodite’s Village, a popular website community for women. At the launch party, however, one of the website’s editors is murdered. When tragedy continues to strike the website’s Sisters of Aphrodite, Clare thinks the secret formula behind the ‘Mocha Magic Coffee’ is the key and could be illegal.

Clare works to find the answers to the murders and save her beloved Village Blend’s reputation at the same time. Can she uncover the killer before she becomes the next victim? The twists and surprises will keep you guessing.

To add to her mounting problems Clare’s boyfriend, police detective Mike Quinn, is asking ‘that’ question; her daughter, Joy, is home from Paris and closer than ever to Sergeant Franco; and a cold case involving a slain police officer has surfaced that implicates Madame.

Author Cleo Coyle has created a group of multifarious characters who are intriguing and likeable. She also introduces a group of eclectic minor characters who further add dimension to the story. As Clare undertakes to solve the murders, she also maintains her determination and loyalty to keep her family safe.

MURDER BY MOCH is the 10th installment in the Coffeehouse Mystery series and each new adventure just keeps getting more captivating. Readers are able to pick up any books in this series and not feel as though they are missing half the story. There’s just enough back story to help new readers understand, while reminding returning fans of exciting past adventures.

An extra feature of the book is the coffee-making tips and recipes included at the end. The scrumptious recipes include such treats as ‘Aphrodisiac Brownies,’ and ‘Roasted Rock Cornish Game Hens with Rosemary and Lemon Butter.’ For even more recipes and to find out more about MURDER BY MOCHA, the Coffeehouse Mystery series and author Cleo Coyle visit www.coffeehousemystery.com 

Murder By Mocha by Cleo Coyle, A Coffeehouse Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2011, ISBN: 978-0-425-24143-1, Hardcover, 384 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

If you’re a writer, does your protagonist enjoy the same favorite beverage or foods you do? As a reader, do you enjoy books with a theme such as a coffeehouse setting? Thanks so much for stopping by.

Sunday Salon: WORKING STIFF And A Birthday Celebration

It’s time once again for Sunday Salon where we take a few moments to relax, unwind and share thoughts on good books.

Today while you’re enjoying that second cup of coffee (or tea), I have a book review to share with you and news of an upcoming birthday celebration that Sourcebooks is hosting for the author Georgetta Heyer who would have been 109 years old on Tuesday, August 16. First up, the review.

WORKING STIFF by Rachel Caine

While I love scary books and movies, I’ve never been a big fan of zombies. Just too creepy and unbelievable, I guess.

Author Rachel Caine has changed my mind with WORKING STIFF, A REVIVALIST NOVEL. This is the first installment in a new zombie trilogy that will have you laughing, crying, shaking your head in disbelief, and holding your breath when the suspense builds.

Bryan Davis believes she’s found a good job and can finally start planning a future. Having just return from the military, she isn’t afraid to be around dead bodies so working for Fairview Mortuary seems a good move. However, Bryan’s first day on the job turns out to be filled with tragedy including her own.

Learning that her boss is selling illegal drugs that bring dead people back to life, Bryan gets caught snooping and is killed by one of her co-workers. A short time later, however, Bryan wakes up alive only to learn she’s been brought back from the dead by espionage types from Pharmadene, the pharmaceutical company developing the illegal drug.

Bryan can remain ‘alive’ with the help of the drug on a trial period as long as she helps Pharmadene find the mole who is stealing the drug and selling it on the black market. It make matters worse, she learns the drug has an usual side effect - making the recipients susceptible to mind control.

With the help of a rogue Pharmadene employee and his cast of unique assistants, Bryan tries to find the leak and put a stop to Pharmadene’s madness at the same time. She also has to deal with the clean-up operation of the ‘clients’ her former boss had been supplying.

This is not a cozy murder mystery. It has gory details of decaying bodies, death and a bit of colorful language, but it is a book about zombies after all. It’s also filled with humor, intrigue, a bit of romance, and suspense. The greed and power struggle portrayed within the drug company is very plausible. The potential abuse of a drug being created to help combat diseases is the central theme and a scary reality.

WORKING STIFF is a fast-pace adrenaline-driven read. It’s filled with twists, turns and surprises that will keep you guessing until the last moment. Author Rachel Caine has created a protagonist in Bryan that is strong, determined, witty, and a bit comical at times. Can’t wait to see what lies ahead for Bryan and her troupe of unconventional collaborators.

Author Rachel Caine’s website is www.rachelcaine.com. 

WORKING STIFF is also available in mass market from ROC.

Working Stiff, A Revivalist Novel by Rachel Caine, Read by Julia Whelan, Penguin Audio, @2011, ISBN: 9781101540237, Unabridged Digital, Listening Length: 12 hours, 7 minutes.

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Now the upcoming birthday celebration.

In honor of author Georgette Heyer, who many call the Queen of Regency Romance, Sourcebooks is discounting EVERY SINGLE one of her eBooks they currently have available to $1.99 for one week, getting Georgette’s Birthday Party started a day early on Monday, August 15! 

That’s 46 books by Georgette Heyer, plus the reader companion, GEORGETTE HEYER’S REGENCY WORLD by Jennifer Kloester, available for $1.99 from August 15 through August 21. This is the perfect time for everyone to read Georgette Heyer, and celebrate the woman who was such a prolific author. Please note that this promotion does not start until MONDAY. 

Here’s a link with a look at those gorgeous covers: http://www.sourcebooks.com/readers/casavip/happy-birthday-ms-heyer.html. The eBooks will be available through Sourcebooks.com and major eBook retailers (and please give them some extra time if prices aren’t adjusted right away on Monday—this is a long list and a lot of data to update). 

Here’s a full list of Georgette’s titles separated by category (regency romance, mystery, historical fiction and non-fiction):
REGENCY ROMANCE - Arabella, Bath Tangle, Beauvallet, The Black Moth, Black Sheep, Charity Girl, The Convenient Marriage, The Corinthian, Cotillion, Cousin Kate, Devil’s Cub, False Colours, Faro’s Daughter, The Foundling, Frederica, Friday’s Child, The Grand Sophy, Lady of Quality, The Masqueraders, The Nonesuch, Powder and Patch, The Quiet Gentleman, Regency Buck, The Reluctant Widow, Sylvester, The Talisman Ring, These Old Shades, and Venetia.
MYSTERY - Behold, Here’s Poison, A Blunt Instrument, Death in the Stocks, Detection Unlimited, Duplicate Death, Envious Casca, Footsteps in the Dark, No Wind of Blame, Penhallow, They Found Him Dead, Unfinished Clue, and Why Shoot a Butler?.
HISTORICAL FICTION - The Conqueror, An Infamous Army, My Lord John, Royal Escape, Simon the Coldheart, and Spanish Bride.
NON-FICTION - Georgette Heyer's Regency World.

What are you reading this week? Have you read any of Georgette Heyer’s books? As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful and safe Sunday. 

POUNCE by Erika Engebretson

POUNCE is a delightful story youngsters, as well as adults, will enjoy.

This the true adventures of a kitten who explored, climbed and sometimes even got into a bit of mischief. Pounce’s journeys fueled strong imagination of more vivid adventures.

Author Erika Engebretson used the love of her childhood pet as inspiration to boost others’ self-confidence.

The colorful and crisp artwork of Illustrator Peng Wu enhances the story and gives readers examples of how Pounce’s imagination soared.

POUNCE is a fun book to add to a child’s library.

Author Erika Engebretson’s website is http://erikaengebretson.com/

Pounce by Erika Engebretson, Illustrated by Peng Wu, AuthorHouse, @2011, ISBN: 9781452099446, Paperback, 20 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

HOT, SHOT AND BOTHERED by Nora McFarland

This book appealed to me for many reasons and I wasn’t disappointed by any of them. Here are just a few examples why I enjoyed it so.

First, it’s a cozy murder mystery. It tackles murder and mayhem, but is sprinkled with humor and just enough zany mishaps to be believable and fun. It’s suspenseful while taking readers on a fast-pace ride filled with likeable characters.

Second, the protagonist is a journalist. Well, actually Lilly Hawkins is a shooter - a nickname for a TV news photographer. Her dedication to her profession plays a role in the story and gives a lot of insight into who Lilly is. Author Nora McFarland relates the pulse-pounding adrenaline rush one feels when on a breaking news story.

Another reason HOT, SHOT, AND BOTHERED caught my eye is because author Nora McFarland lives in my home state, Georgia.

In the book, Lilly has been assigned to cover a deadly wildfire bearing down on the town of Elizabeth Lake. Capturing the images of the massive evacuation and approaching inferno are demanding and keep Lilly on the move.

When a reckless party girl is discovered drown amidst the wildfire, Lilly doesn’t give it much attention at first glance. Then she learns the woman is someone she knew as an environmentalist, not a wild child, 13 years earlier. Lilly can’t accept her friend’s death as accidental and begins to search for answers. Can Lilly find the answers she’s looking for before the fire - or the murderer - ends her latest assignment?

HOT, SHOT, AND BOTHERED is the second installment in the Lilly Hawkins trilogy, but is a stand alone book. The book also includes a reading group discussion guide. The first book in the series is A BAD DAY’S WORK and the third book is scheduled for release the summer of 2012.

Lilly Hawkins is a delightful, funny, and engaging character you will adore. She deals with work, family and her love life with zeal and zest. Can’t wait for Lilly’s next assignment.

Author Nora McFarland’s website is www.noramcfarland.com and for more information on the book, visit Simon & Schuster.

Hot, Shot, And Bothered by Nora McFarland, A Lilly Hawkins Mystery, Touchstone Books/Simon And Schuster, @2011, ISBN: 9781439155561, Paperback, 304 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

The Cosy Knave Baton Relay

Crime writer and fellow blogger Dorte Hummelshøj Jakobsen’s novel THE COSY KNAVE has just been released and she has embarked on a most unusual and fun tour.

Here’s the synopsis of THE COSY KNAVE: The vicious attacks begin when the prodigal son of Knavesborough returns to the sleepy village after forty years in Argentina with fame and fortune. No wonder that spiteful Rose Walnut-Whip is killed, but when the violence escalates, Constable Penrose knows he needs help from his fiancée, librarian Rhapsody Gershwin.
 
It’s now available at Smashwords, Amazon and Diesel E-Books.  It’s listed at $3.99, but if you buy at Smashwords and use this coupon code: PN22N, you get a 25% discount. Not that you need that excuse to get it. THE COSY KNAVE is a terrific novel and I’m proud and honored to be a part of the book’s launch. 

Instead of doing the traditional blog tour, Dorte decided to do something new - a launch relay race or baton relay. As we celebrate the launch of THE COSY KNAVE, several of us in the blogosphere are joining together to help you get to know Dorte and her writing a little better. I'm thrilled to be a part of this group.

In this baton relay, instead of batons, we’re passing questions and answers. The relay started with Dorte’s own fabulous blog and moved to Margot Kinberg's Confessions of a Mystery Novelist, then to Judith's Leeswammes' Blog, from there to Clarissa Draper’s Listening to the voices blog, then to Helen's blog How Mysterious!, and then went to Kerrie’s blog Mysteries in Paradise, next was Bill’s blog Mysteries and More from Saskatchewan, then back home to Dorte’s own fabulous blog, from there to Col Reads, then back to Clarissa Draper’s blog, and now here.

For my part….
Here’s the answer to Question # 10 (What are the best things about being a self-published writer?) posted on Clarissa's blog yesterday. 

No beating around the bush; if I had had a choice before the first of August, I would probably have jumped at any offer from an agent or publisher. But while turning fifty may send some women, and perhaps even more men, into a jittery panic, I am quite determined to live my life while I am here. No posthumous fame for me; I´d rather be a total disaster today. (Okay, go ahead and think this is my midlife crisis - as long as you don´t tell me face to face).

First of all, I enjoy the freedom to decide when and where to publish. I can write my stories, polish them at leisure, and when I think they are ready for publication, I can just push a button - and poof, they are out there! It´s also up to me to decide what is a reasonable price for an e-book, and if I want to offer a story for free, have a sale or whatever, I can just go ahead and do it. (With Amazon, it is not quite as simple as that, but then there is always flexible Smashwords.)

And now that I have tried it a couple of times, I also begin to enjoy creating my own covers (assisted by generous bloggers who allow me to use their pictures). I am far from professional, and there is a thing or two I would have liked to do differently, but on the whole the final cover of "The Cosy Knave" expresses what I want it to - and it seems that my readers love it.

So all in all, I wonder if I am just too old and stubborn to bother about agents and all that. Because even if it still seems to be a daunting project in some ways, I´m also having so much fun being my own boss. 

And…
Question #11 - What are the worst things about being a self-published writer? 

Be sure to check out Joanne's blog, A CERTAIN BOOK tomorrow at for the answer and the next question.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you’re enjoying this relay tour as much as I am.

Author Jeanette Baker Talks About Genre Labeling

It’s my pleasure to welcome award-winning author Jeanette Baker as the special guest blogger today as she makes a stop on her virtual blog tour for her latest release, CATRIONA.

Here’s a brief synopsis of CATRIONA: Kate Sutherland has always felt out of step growing up in Southern California, but it isn’t until her adoptive mother’s death that she travels to Scotland to discover the truth about her heritage. There, with the help of a high-priestess of an ancient Scottish sect, she experiences the visions that reveal she is one of the twice-born and that five centuries before she walked the earth as Catriona Wells, daughter of an English earl and a Scots princess, first cousin to James IV of Scotland, English spy and harbinger of a shameful secret.

Catriona, determined to save her young brother from the deadly political clashes of 15th century England and Scotland, embarks upon a fragile balancing act between the court of Jamie Stewart and his arch rival, Henry Tudor, King of England. But Cat’s cunning is no match for Patrick MacKendrick, laird of Hermitage, legend of the borders, right hand to Jamie Stewart who suspects her story for the lie it is. As intrigue in the Scottish court builds and Jamie Stewart’s enemies are unveiled, Cat realizes that the man who deserves her loyalty is the one she has bargained to destroy.

Meanwhile Kate, whose visions rapidly take on a reality of their own, is caught between a present-day attraction to Niall MacKendrick, a Scots historian, the drama of her own adoption—and risking everything in Catriona’s world of passion and bloodshed.

Jeanette is here to share her thoughts on genre labeling, how romance has evolved and on which shelf or shelves her novel belongs in a book store.

CATRIONA is, I think, my most sensual novel currently in print and yet, I would still classify it as historical fiction rather than romance. Because there is no designated spot for historical fiction, all romances from the steamy to the sweet are shelved under Romance in your local book store, and thankfully so. I'm not sure I would have been as avid a romance reader if I hadn't started with Georgette Heyer, Jan Cox Speas, and Mary Stewart, books heavy on plot and character with great tension, subtle romance and intensely satisfying, albeit innocent, happily-ever-after endings.

Romance, as a genre, didn't actually come about until the 70's. Before that, romantic stories and other genres, were lumped together as fiction. I remember standing in front of the shelves in my local library reading book jackets to insure that I would find a book with enough of a love story to keep me interested. Romance as a genre has come full circle. Although the bodice ripper is still out there, romantic fiction covers a tremendous span from the steamy heat of Virginia Henley and the wise-cracking comedy of Janet Evanovich to the satisfying warmth of Marcia Willett. 

A good friend of mine always makes a point of introducing me to his male friends as, "This is Jeanette Baker. She writes romance novels." Then he asks the proverbial question: "Have you ever read a romance novel?"

I know why he does it. He loves the reaction, the look on their faces that reveal the dilemma. Will she be offended if I say no? Will she think I'm strange if I say yes? Does this woman who looks like my Sunday school teacher really write those novels?

I don't know whether to put them out of their misery or keep silent and enjoy the game. The truth is, I have written those novels, the sensual kind like CATRIONA, and I have also written the kind that aren't the least bit R-rated. It depends on the story and whether or not the plot is enhanced by a sensual scene. 25% of those who read fiction, read romance. Amen to those publishers who continue to offer readers a wide variety of romantic fiction. 

CATRIONA began, as you might expect, in Scotland, at the ruins of Stirling Castle. After exploring the grounds, I climbed the stairs to the watchtower where Margaret Tudor, daughter to Henry VII of England and James IV of Scotland, waited for her husband to return from the Battle of Flodden Moor. This was a particularly difficult time for her because her husband and father fought on opposing sides. I’d read in the small brochure handed out when I turned over my nominal fee for visiting the castle, that she had carved a poem into the wall. The poem is no longer legible and no one really knows what her thoughts were, but standing there with a death grip on the parapet because of the terrifying wind, I imagined what they might be. 

Jamie Stewart was a handsome, charismatic king who spoke 8 languages, fathered 38 illegitimate children, founded universities and demanded that the nobility learn to read. History tells us the marriage was not a love match, I decided, for purposes of my novel, that it would be. That very day, the idea for CATRIONA was born. Why not, I thought, create a woman, with ties to both England and Scotland, a woman with a shameful secret who needed Jamie’s protection for her own purposes? Why not pair her with her equal in intelligence, Jamie’s favorite, a powerful border lord, who’d helped him win the crown? Why not set the two of them amidst the intrigue of the Tudor and Stewart royal courts? 

Then it was time to create the contemporary plot of my novel: enter Kate Sutherland, her descendent, an American born 400 years later, an educated woman searching for answers to the odd circumstances of her birth and her frightening ability to see what others could not. 

CATRIONA is offered in print as well as electronic format. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did creating it. Jeanette

Jeanette, thanks so much for guest blogging. I enjoyed your outlook on genre labeling. I especially like stories that fall into several genres as you mentioned. Life is not filled with just one emotion so why should books be labeled under just one. Wishing you much success with your writing and CATRIONA.

Now for a bit of background on Jeanette. She is the author of 15 novels, published by Pocket, Kensington and Mira Books, many of them set in the lush countryside of historical and contemporary Ireland where she lives and writes during the summer months. Her ancestors, the O’Flahertys, hail from Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands located off the coast of Galway. Jeanette takes great pride in the prayer posted by the English over the ancient citygates, ‘From the wrath of the O’Flahertys, may the good Lord deliver us.’

Jeanette graduated from the University of California at Irvine with a degree in journalism and international relations and holds a Masters Degree in Education. When not in Ireland, she teaches in Southern California, reads constantly, attempts to navigate the confusing world of Facebook and, more recently, e-publishing, concocts creations from interesting cookbooks and enjoys the company of friends and children. She is the RITA award-winning author of NELL.

For more on Jeanette and her writing, visit and blog with her at www.jeanettebaker.com.

If you’re a writer, do you think genre labeling sometimes helps or hurts when readers are searching for your style of work? As a reader, do you go strictly by the genre labels or do you browse the shelves for your reading pleasure? Thanks, as always, for stopping by and sharing your thoughts today.

National Book Lovers Day

Does today feel any different to you? Maybe it should.

Today, August 9, is National Book Lovers Day, a time to celebrate all things books. For those of us roaming around blogdom, that’s a very good thing.

As you celebrate this special day, try something a little different with your reading. Take a chance on a book that is out of the genre you normally read, select a book on impulse rather than on reading the blur or a review, and if you’ve never listened to an audio book – give a try, you never know you might find a new way to enjoy books.

What are you reading today? What book would you like to read that you don’t have in your TBR stack? Thanks for stopping by.

Author Quinn Barrett: Get Off Your Butt To Write

Please join me in welcoming author Quinn Barrett as the special guest blogger today as she tours blogdom with her current release, INVISIBLE SNOW.

INVISIBLE SNOW is a classic family drama about wealth, power, greed, and redemption. Marriage is a delicate dance of power between lovers, but Kate and Paul Delacroix are strangers caught in a disparate union somewhere between betrayal and truth. Confronting their true selves for the first time results in an epic clash of wills where only one will prevail. The legacy of the family business is at stake, but power is not always about money. Their showdown results in a shocking twist of fate—a destiny Kate never saw coming.

Quinn, a first-time novelist, takes readers on a riveting journey about personal empowerment and self-realization. She explores conventional perceptions about families and the illusions we attach to them. This complex family drama challenges us to consider the personal choices we make and why we make them.

With her first book behind, Quinn has agreed to share her thoughts on ‘How I Got Off My Butt To Write My Novel, INVISIBLE SNOW.’ She is also offering an eBook giveaway of her book. Read on for details.

For everybody who thought I was crazy to major in English... HA!

I did it... I finally did it.

Okay... yes, it took the better part of two years, but I wrote, re-wrote (more times than I care to admit), and published my first novel, INVISIBLE SNOW... and it feels great.

Like exercise, the hardest part of writing is getting started. Once I got going, the book developed a life of its own. Then it was about learning to stay out of my own way, trying not to make things difficult for myself by overwriting, and not micro-managing the flow of content.

Publishing one novel hardly makes me a confident expert in dispensing pearls of wisdom for other aspiring novelists, but then again, who better to give you a heads up on how to get going than someone whose keyboard is still warm from the finished product?

The number one question I get from friends, family, and readers is... how did you do it?

My answer isn't going to surprise anyone -- there is no magic formula. What works for me might not work for you or someone else, but I have always found it interesting to hear and learn about the process of other writers so I have compiled Quinn's 7 Steps to Getting Your Butt in Gear to Write and/or Finish Your Novel:

1. Notice what works for you and keep doing it.
It took me several months to get into a groove. Once I did, I noticed a pattern to my more successful writing days. I preferred to write in the morning, but I was more productive at night; so I stopped trying to conform to an "office hours" ideology and wrote when the juices flowed which often happened to coincide with the swing or graveyard shift.

2. Don't get fancy... write about what you know.
I am from Southern California. I was raised in a dysfunctional Mormon family. Guess what my story is about? You got it... okay, there's more to it than that, but you get the idea. If I were writing about being a teenage Jewish boy in Paris, I'd have to do a hell of a lot more research. Unless your genre is sci-fi or fantasy... stick with what you know, initially anyway.

3. It's okay to get advice from other writers, but trust your instincts.
I've had many opportunities to join writing groups, but I shy away from these types of gatherings as I find them too subjective. If you ask a group of 12 aspiring writers their opinion, you could get 12 distinct opinions and you may feel pressured to conform. You may end up being more confused than you ever bargained for. Writer input is great, but be careful how many people you bring into the mix and have the backbone to ignore everybody if you are committed to your vision for your story.

4. Be willing to go against convention.
My novel, INVISIBLE SNOW, has 74 chapters. More than a few people told me to consolidate the chapters because readers will psychologically shy away from books with high chapter counts. When I started combining certain sections, however, I knew immediately it hurt the flow of the book. I wrote each chapter like a scene with lots of dialog. Rather than infuse the novel with excessive narrative, I let the characters explain their POV in dialog. I took a chance, broke from the conventional approach, and I think the book reads better as a result.

5. Feeling uncomfortable can be a good thing.
Certain chapters and scenes are always going to be more difficult to write, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Give yourself permission to feel awkward, especially when you are writing a sad, poignant, or intimate scene. As soon as you find yourself mentally editing your work, you've got to shove those feelings of concern and judgment aside and go for it. The deeper you go as a writer, the more your audience will benefit.

6. Don't worry about the money... write for joy.
Worrying about marketing the book before you've finished your first draft can play serious tricks with your head. I have done a lot of copy and technical writing in my career. Fiction comes from a different place. The writing is its own reward on one level, but once the final edit is complete... hell yeah, I'm trying to conjuring up creative ways to make my book go viral along with thousands of other writers, but I think the actual process needs to be a more organic experience.

7. Get to know your characters.
First, I'll say that I don't think a writer truly gets to know their characters' strengths, idiosyncrasies, proclivities, and even phobias till the first or second re-write. Writers use many techniques to get inside the heads of their characters. One writer suggested that I cut and paste each character's scenes and lines into individual Word documents to read each individual character's dialog from beginning to end. Frankly, that sounded like too much work to me. Instead, I used a social media profile template (such as Facebook) to get to know minutia such as favorite foods, color, TV shows, movies and even my characters' favorite books. By the time I was done, I knew Kate's favorite color was blue, she loved sushi, soft rock, An Affair to Remember, and The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.

I have learned so much about myself during the writing, publication and now marketing process. There's so much more I could add, but none of this advice will matter an iota if you can't do one simple thing... get your ass off the couch, stop watching TV, put your Kindle down, or whatever excuse you're making that's holding you back, and just start writing... NOW!

Invisible Snow Giveaway

Connect with me on Facebook, like my INVISIBLE SNOW fan page, and follow me on Twitter to become eligible to receive an INVISIBLE SNOW eBook. Once you connect with me, email me at info@quinnbarrett.com. My first 10 new friends, fans and followers will receive an INVISIBLE SNOW eBook in the digital version of their choice: PDF, .mobi or ePub.

Quinn, thanks for guest blogging. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head here. If you don’t start writing, you can never have a finished book. Your 7 steps are very inspiring and helpful. Wishing you much success with your writing and INVISIBLE SNOW.

Now for a bit of background on Quinn. She is a native of Southern California, currently residing in the West Los Angeles area. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in English, she worked as a corporate business development strategist specializing in emerging growth technology, software and Internet companies. 

She is married and raising a teenage son. Her hobbies include reading, walking, golf, cooking and travel. For more on Quinn, her writing and INVISIBLE SNOW, check out these sites: her websites at www.invisiblesnow.com and www.quinnbarrett.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/quinnbarrett and www.facebook.com/invisiblesnow, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/quinnbarrett.

INVISIBLE SNOW is available at the following locations: Amazon Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Snow-ebook/dp/B004XZRWK4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303879269&sr=8-2;  Barnes & Noble Nook:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/invisible-snow; Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/62525; Amazon Print Book:  http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Snow-Quinn-Barrett/dp/098306881X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305226130&sr=1-3; Create Space:  https://www.createspace.com/3567565; and PDF eBook, ePub, .Mobi, etc. available at:  http://www.wisebearmedia.com/invisiblesnow/about/buy-the-book/.

If you’re a writer, do you have steps you follow when beginning a new story? As a reader, have you ever pondered the idea of writing? Thanks for stopping by and be sure to share your thoughts today.

Savage Nature by Christine Feehan

After seeing only the cover of this story and the title, I told Sarah at Penguin Audio I’d love to review it.

I didn’t want to know anything about SAVAGE NATURE when I started so I would have no prior misconceptions. It was a ‘new-to-me’ author and I didn’t realize it was part of a series. I began listening with an open mind and was treated to a unique and tantalizing story.

Saria Boudreaux grew up in the Louisiana bayou, works as a tour guide in the swamps, and has seen a lot of things in her life. But when she begins finding murdered bodies in the bayou, she knows something is terrible wrong. Because of the circumstances of the bodies and what she overhears, she fears one or more of her five brothers may be involved. Saria finally decides it’s time to bring in outside help.

Leopard shifter Drake Donovan is sent to check out the situation in the bayou and hunt down the serial killer. He hires Saria has his guide, unknowing she was the one requesting help. Drake is good at his job. He leads an elite group that deals with leopard shifters all the time. What he hadn’t counted on was finding his life mate in the midst of all the trouble brewing in the bayou. 

Author Christine Feehan’s vivid descriptions of the bayou makes you feel you are there with the extraordinary sights and sounds of the swamp all around you. She brings the characters to life with her emotion-filled dialect.

There is no doubt SAVAGE NATURE has romance in it. There are explicit and steamy sex scenes throughout the story. In fact, they sometimes appear at the most unusual times. However, given the nature of the subject matter the author blends the scenes well to make them more understandable and perfectly normal.

There is also suspense and mystery woven in with the paranormal aspect of the story. There is a serial killer running amuck in the bayou and a long list of possible suspects. When Saria becomes the next target, Drake will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. While you may be able to discover the killer’s identity before the end of the book, the motive may still surprise you. 

Not knowing the genre of the book in the beginning, I began to wonder what category it would fall under. In the end, I think it covers many genres including: romance, paranormal, suspense, and mystery.

Author Christine Feehan has created a fantasy world where leopard shifting blends smoothly with everyday life and you will want to believe. This is the fifth installment in the Leopard People series, but is a stand alone book.

Author Christine Feehan’s website is http://www.christinefeehan.com/

Savage Nature by Christine Feehan, A Leopard People Series, Read by Karen White Penguin Audio, @2011, ISBN: 9781101539644, Unabridged Digital, Listening Length: 15 hours 12 minutes

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio version was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by today.