Books

From the Authors of 8 Slices of Cake

March 21, 2013 1 Comment

FINAL COVER IMAGE

Interview with the authors “8 Slices of Cake”

Where inspired co-writing “8 Slices of Cake?”

Monica: I was thrilled to be asked by author Melanie Toye to contribute to “8 Slices of Cake,” and I was excited to try writing fiction for a change.

Lisa: Some idiot in this group I belong to suckered me into it. They decided it was a great idea. I go along with any idea someone has, because you never know who might turn out to be a genius.

Brenda: As far as I know this was all Melanie Toye’s idea. I just went along for the ride.

Yvonne: The idea was the brain-child of Melanie Toye. She cooked up the co-writing idea and then, through brainstorming, the setting of the book and the title came about.

Meadow: I was inspired to join the project by my mother, Paige Bleu, who was already involved in writing it with her other friends.

Melanie: As creator of our author promotion group, I wanted to bring together our different writing genre’s and style and came up with the idea that we all write a short story together. The writers were keen and ideas bubbled with excitement from everyone, on what the theme of the stories should focus on and that’s how 8 Slices of Cake was created. It may have been my idea but without the effort from everyone, 8 Slices of Cake wouldn’t be as awesome as it is now.

Paige: My chapter was inspired by a combination of things including personal experience, friends stories and some fiction.

Tell us about the book:

Monica: “8 Slices of Cake” is a romance anthology. The short stories all revolve around the same wedding. The characters all know or know of groom Michael and bride Ava, and they all experience — or cope with — adventures in love. Michael and Ava serve a fancy 8-tier wedding cake at the reception, and each short story references one of the flavors.

Paula: It’s a viewpoint story from different guests at the same wedding.

Lisa: It’s about a wedding from different authors. Some things are the same and other trivial items are different allowing each story to have a flavor of its own. Then each author chose a cake flavor to feature.

Brenda: 8 Slices of Cake is an Anthology created by 8 girls from all around the world. Australia, Chicago, Ireland etc. This book is was published just in time for Valentine ’s Day. There are 8 short stories. The common thread is a wedding and an 8 tiered cake. That is where the title comes from. Each story has its own cake recipe. Every writer had picked their favorite cake. The two things we all share in common is the love of writing and of course, cake. Each story is in our own unique style. 8 Slices of Cake will make for a fun read about marriage, divorce, romance, dating, failed relationships, and maybe even finding everlasting love.

Meadow: The book is a story about love of all shades, portraying a wedding from different points of view.

Paige: The book, in my opinion, is a fabulous way of merging different points of view, writing styles, and the personalities of 8 unique woman with one common thread and story.

Yvonne: 8 Slices of Cake is a romantic eBook. We each wrote a short story about two or more characters attending Ava and Michael’s wedding, at which there would be an 8-tiered cake. Each author chose her favourite cake for her characters and included a recipe for the cake. Californian author, Brenda Perlin, created the name, and Southern Belle author, Lisa Day, created the cover image. Along with Melanie, Lisa and Brenda, the other 5 stories are written by Yvonne McEvaddy from Ireland, Paula Mills from the U.K., Paige Bleu and her daughter Meadow Bleu from Washington and Monica Lee from Illinois.

In the collection, as well as the bride and groom, you will meet Melissa who is plagued by a bad memory of a wedding, Lisa, a woman who dislikes weddings, Lilly the best friend of the groom, who wishes she were more, Brooklyn a woman who found her way out of a bad marriage, Chantelle and Olivia who go to the wedding as single girls and find love and possibilities where they were not expecting to find them, the unavailable Beth, lovable uncle Rufus and two of the women in his life, Hope and Georgia.

We are comparing this book to the movie “Love Actually,” as there are 8 individual stories linked by the wedding of Ava and Michael and of course the 8-tiered cake.

How do you know each other?

Melanie: Most of us met through LinkedIn and then we came together through the Author Promotion Group. I met Paula Mills, taking our children to the library and immediately we bonded and discovered we both loved to write.

Lisa: Most of us met through Linkedin. Then we moved to Facebook while there, eight of us seemed to have a similar outlook about branding and marketing ideas. So we formed a small second group to prefect our ideas.

Paula: I literally bumped into Melanie Toye one day. We bonded over our passion of writing and a refreshing and honest conversation about how scared we were to be first time mums.

Brenda: I personally met everyone in an author group on Facebook sometime last year. It has been a great experience. I love these girls and they just happen to be super talented.

Yvonne: We made initial contact on LinkedIn and became great friends through the author promotion group that Mel Toye set up on Facebook.

Paige: We are involved in some online networking groups like Linkedin. We have become a close group and thought it would be a fun experience to do something together. And it was!

Monica: The eight authors, most of them independent, became acquainted through social media.

Meadow: The glorious world of social networking!

Describe the writing/editing/publishing process:

Lisa: Some of us used pen and paper. Some used the computer. I being the oldest used chisel and rock. When finished we compared the rough drafts and pulled some events from others stories into our final drafts. Then we all dumped them into Ms Mel Toye’s lap to straighten out.

Paula: For me, I argue a lot in my head. The creative V the attention to detail freak. I spin my ideas, bulk it out with the narrative and add the scenes later. I can see it all in my head and I take myself to the moment, each scene and character. Editing, I try and leave until the end. But I never do. Ten spaces forward and eight back. Don’t look to my method for inspiration – It’s cruel.

Monica: For “Habits to Break,” my offering in “8 Slices of Cake,” I brainstormed my theme first, and settled on a story about good habits and bad habits, and how they affect ones lives and loves. Hope is a young divorcee, modelled roughly after a younger me. Aunt Georgia is a recent widow, and I tried to imbue her with the wisdom I hope I have someday. The man they have in common? Uncle Rufus, a thrice-married smoker who enthusiastically embraces life and all its ups and downs. After I wrote the first draft, I ran it by a couple of beta readers: my husband, my mother and my sister, who suggested some small improvements in description and clarification. The creativity came from describing what heretofore existed only in my mind.

Paige: The writing process reminded me of a ’round robin’ writing circle. A lot of passing each others stories back and forth to make sure that even though they were all different, there was some consistency in the story.

Brenda: Writing the story was a bit of a challenge for me because I am not used to writing fiction. I had to stretch a bit as a writer. When in doubt, I go to John Emil Augustine who wrote ‘Love Seen From Hell’. He is brilliant and always helps me out. Also, Yvonne McEvaddy gave me some really good advice. If you are not open to criticism you won’t grow as a writer or as a person. The entire process seemed to go down as smoothly as a fresh piece of red velvet cake!!!

Melanie: We had one month to write, edit and publish to release 8 Slices of Cake in times for Valentine’s Day. Everyone was really excited and didn’t waste time in getting it altogether. Some of the writers edited another writers work and then I proof-read all of them and structured them into a position that fit within the entire story. Our recipe writer pulled out at the last minute, but everyone pitched in to source their own cakes recipes and images to add something special and unique to 8 Slices of Cake. We self-published onto Smashwords, which was an easy process as everyone had the formatting guidelines to follow for submission of their story.

Yvonne: We each agreed to write a short story centered on two characters attending the wedding, to first self-edit, and then edit someone else’s story. We then sent all of the stories to Mel for publishing.

Meadow: Writing is the fun part, editing can be as well… publishing? I’d ask one of the more experienced ladies about that.

What was the most difficult part of creating “8 Slices of Cake?”

Lisa: It’s Cake man. Ever try to write about cake and not crave it.

Melanie: For me it was preparing the table of contents. I don’t know why but the linking and formatting just didn’t seem to work, once it was published. I tried numerous times. Then took the time to really read the instructions after the tenth time and it worked!

Paula: Not being able to scene set and having no idea, where I was.

Yvonne: I had immense fun in the creation of the book. I think Mel had the most difficult part, which was collaborating and publishing the whole thing.

Brenda: Writing about an 8 tiered cake without getting to eat any.

Meadow: Coordination.

Monica: All the stories share the same reception, but each of us writes only a sliver about it. It all had to fit together logically, and in the end, I think it does.

Paige: For my chapter, being that I was the ‘Bride & Groom’, the challenge was trying to include a little piece of each of the 7 other authors details. I needed them all to be represented for continuity.

Chocolate or vanilla?

Lisa: YES. Chocolate and vanilla will be just fine. Thank you.

Paula: Chocolate.

Brenda: Without question, chocolate!

Yvonne: Chocolate, without a doubt, unless being served with chocolate fudge cake, and then its vanilla.

Melanie: Chocolate! I love chocolate. Yvonne chose chocolate for her favour of cake, so I chose my next favourite – Caramel Indulgence.

Meadow: Personally, I’m a chocolate girl.

Monica: Vanilla. Top quality, high-fat vanilla.

Paige: Oh definitely chocolate. Hands down…I’m a chocolate girl!

Are any of the stories in this anthology based on reality?

Meadow: Not that I’m aware of.

Melanie: My story of Olivia and Chantelle is 100% fiction. But I do feel every woman reading 8 Slices of Cake would be able to connect with at least one character’s story amongst these 8 short stories.

Lisa: Actually yes, But I’ll never tell. Well. I really would be if I was threatened and then there’s that nasty gag order in place.

Paula: For me, it’s always a moment in time, a feeling, a reaction; I do draw upon that experience, in everything I do. Elements. I cannot write with passion without my elements.

Paige: Parts of my chapter were…but I’ll never tell which!!

Yvonne: Chocolate Heaven is a work of fiction, although I did draw on my own experience of missing my dad at weddings.

Brenda: I don’t know about any of the other stories but a good portion of my story, Red Velvet was from real life. I just had to add lib a bit.

Monica: My story is completely fictional. Little parts are based on my personal experience. After I read everyone else’s, I wondered if I should have written a science fiction bit, but it’s probably good I didn’t.

If this book were a movie, who would play the parts?

Melanie: Eva Mendes would play Chantelle, coming across as a snob with wealth yet really underneath it, she just wants to be loved. Olivia the woman who is easy to be walked over and believes in the fairy tale of romance, would be played by Taylor Swift.

Paula: Ryan Gosling is Tom I am sure.

Lisa: What a silly question. Why actors and actresses of course.

Brenda: For my story, Brooklyn should be played by Sandra Bullock and without a doubt Bo should be played by Richard Gere. Gerard could be played by John Travolta.

Yvonne: Anna Kendrick would play Melissa, and Zac Efron would play David.

Monica: Jennifer Lawrence plays Hope, Harrison Ford plays Rufus and Sela Ward plays Georgia.

Meadow: I’d like to see fresh new actors play the parts. Who wants their story to be tainted by preconceived notions?

Paige: Hard to say for each character, there are way too many. Ava, the bride, would probably be played by Drew Barrymore or Blake Lively.

How did you all agree on the title?

Yvonne: Hmm, not sure, I think when we agreed on setting the book at a wedding we just got talking about wedding cakes and our favourite flavours.

Paula: I am very diplomatic and went with the idea given to me.

Lisa: Brenda Perlin the big baby, threatened to leave the group if we didn’t use her Idea. Of course, after she paid me five dollars it was easy to vote for her.

Paige: We tossed ideas around, discussed, joked, then took votes. All of the ladies in this project were so amazing, it was really easy to find compromises. Everyone was open and willing to contribute ideas.

Melanie: Once we decided it was to be a wedding theme, we were all throwing in ideas and it was Brenda’s that made the cut!

Brenda: We racked our brains.

Meadow: Magically

Monica: I love the title! It says “sweet,” “short stories” and “slice of life” all at the same time.

What is the most memorable wedding you’ve been to?

Melanie: Can I say my own!! The beach wedding was absolutely perfect. Nothing unplanned went haywire! Just a beautiful day, filled with love.

Paula: Mine.

Lisa: My first one. My second one. My third one and my last one.

Paige: My oldest sisters. They were wed in a backyard wearing matching T-shirts, then we had a barbeque. It was really comfortable and fun.

Brenda: I would have to say my own. I was such a silly bride.

While I was greeting all the guests I realized I should have been locked away in a room so I wouldn’t see my future husband until I was walking down the aisle. While the ceremony was taking place I felt like I was doing stand up. I thought I needed to entertain everyone there. During dinner, I must have eaten close to ten rolls. I am the only bride I know that actually ate her entire meal.

Yvonne: My own. I have a kaleidoscope of memories from that day, and all of them involve smiling and dancing. It was a recession-friendly wedding, before the Celtic Tiger drove everyone and everything mad. We were young and in love and kept everything simple, because the important thing was us getting to spend the rest of our lives together, and as long as we got to do that, we were living a fairytale.

Meadow: Hmmm, haven’t been to many.

Monica: When the former CEO of a company I used to work for got married, she had the wedding in a convention center, she wore three dresses throughout the afternoon and evening, guests were served two entrees (fish AND steak), and I left feeling like I had been one to receive the gift, instead of the couple. It was an extravagant experience.

Can you give us any tips to co-writing?

Paula: Don’t think about it too much, use your creative energy to spur yourself on and worry about the detail at the end and don’t panic about the other writers being better than you!

Melanie: Be organized from the get go, be clear. One big email instead of several small ones is best. Find a fun group of writers that you have respect for and enjoy their writing style before you start.

Lisa: Keep a bottle of wine handy. Yes cheap wine is Ok too.

Meadow: Check your email and make sure to get back to your partners ASAP. I wasn’t too good at that.

Brenda: Stay true to yourself and don’t let yourself get intimidated or doubt your talent.

Monica: Be flexible. It’s fiction after all.

Paige: Communication is key. It is also vitally important to have one person be in charge so there is no confusion. We were incredibly lucky to have Mel Toye as our ‘fearless leader’. She was completely amazing, kept everyone organized and on task, and did a tremendous amount of extra work. She made the whole process painless and fun.

Do you have plans for another collaboration?

Paula: Yes, another one is on the cards. I hope.

Lisa: How would I know I just do as they tell me. Its better like…let the old lady know so she embarrasses us.

Meadow: Hmmm, maybe.

Yvonne: Nothing definite, but watch this space.

Monica: I’m always open to opportunities.

Paige: I definitely hope we do. We’ve tossed the idea around. It really was fun.

Brenda: That is up to Melanie. She is full of ideas. With her I am inclined to say “yes.”

Melanie: You will just have to wait and see. 😉

**Additional Comments: As you can tell from the above answers, we are all different people, living different lives, with different outlooks on life. And this is what has created such unique and interesting stories that combine 8 Slices of Cake. It is a must read.

**ABOUT THE AUTHORS**

Meadow Bleu: Meadow Bleu is an Indie-Author, currently working on publishing her first collection of poetry-‘Swallow the Sun’, due to be released by fall of 2013, in which she attempts to shine a light on the more dismal side of life, not popularly addressed in poetry. With an off-beat rhythm and a drop of her soul in each word she writes, Meadow reflects emotion rather than events, giving her work a unique feel. As a college student raised under the wing of her mother Paige Bleu, also an author, Meadow is stepping up to share her love of literature with the rest of the world.

**Contact: Facebook

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Yvonne McEvaddy: Yvonne McEvaddy lives and works in co. Galway, Ireland. She is the author of two novels, Passion Killer, available on smashwords.com, amazon.com, and amazon.co.uk, and Shadows of the Dead, available on amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. She is currently working on her third novel, Thief of Hearts. Yvonne has been longlisted in the Over the Edge New Writer of the Year competition.

Yvonne has been dabbling in the written word since early childhood, having decided at the age of 5, when she read her first Enid Blyton book, that she wanted to be a writer. Her summer holidays were often spent writing adventures in the remaining pages of her school copybooks. When not writing she was daydreaming about her books being available in her local bookstores, a dream which has recently come true.

She was first published under her maiden name, Yvonne Gaughan, at the age of 17 when she won a Western Health Board competition to have her essay published in 100 Natural Highs.

Also as Yvonne Gaughan, in college she was a member of the Mystic Poets’ Society and had two poems published in their collaboration, Mystic Spirits.

Yvonne McEvaddy is a member of the Javawriters, who have recently published Infusions, a collaboration of their work.

She took part in the first ever short story compiled by tweets, along with well known crime writers Val McDermid, Mark Billingham and Martyn Waites. The story is entitled First Stop: Revenge and can be found at: https://twitter.com/eastcoaststory.

**Contact: Blog Website Facebook Twitter Book Trailer for Passion Killer Book Trailer for Shadows of the Dead

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Melanie Toye: Melanie Toye is chasing her dreams in becoming an International Best Selling Author. Melanie is also a freelance writer and Mother who loves to inspire everyone to chase their dreams in life. Melanie loves to share her art of writing and creating stories to all those who love to read. Melanie lives in Australia with her husband, son and two dogs.

Books by Melanie include a fictional women’s read, ‘Entice Me’. Entice Me is a journey that explores life changing events that forces each woman to rediscover themselves and what they are seeking from life. Meltdowns, break-ups, love and laughter make Entice Me into an entertaining read. Entice Me can be purchased from Smashwords here https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/234817.

Other e-books written by Melanie include:

‘Kids, write your own stories’ which hosts 26 Creative Writing Activities for ages 8 +. Let your child create a story where anything can happen. This e-book is purely to inspire and excite children to take a step out of the technicalities and rules of writing. As they write freely letting their imagination guide them. Kids, write your own stories can be purchased from Smashwords here https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/256231.

‘Annabelle’s Angels’ is a sweet a sweet story about a young girl who can see angels. A great story that will show your child how magical a world can be, when one believes in the power of angels. Annabelle’s Angels can be purchased from Smashwords here https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/255635.

‘Activities for Babies’ is another classic example of Melanie’s creativity in the home. With a young son of her own, Melanie created an e-book for babies aged 6 months +. The activities included use items around the home that will surely give your baby a giggle and a new platform for exploration and learning. http://www.amazon.com/Activities-Babies-When-enough-ebook/dp/B00961P0XG

The next big novel release by Melanie is Destiny Lane, a fantasy novel that will take readers on a journey of living in a world where the mind creates what you want at the moment you want it. Let your imagination fly.

Make sure you become a fan of M-Toye on Facebook to read more about what great reads she is working on and recommend these great reads to all of your friends and social clubs. http://www.facebook.com/pages/M-Toye/146863872056871?fref=ts

**Contact: Blog Email: Melanie.toye@hotmail.com Facebook Twitter Book Trailer for Entice Me

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Brenda Perlin: I live in Orange County, California. I have spent most of my working life in the physical fitness arena. I love the gratification that comes with helping people achieve their fitness goals and I love the fulfillment that comes with having a healthy body.

I moved from the Los Angeles area where I was raised to Orange County in the Spring of 2005. During that time I was a housewife with a couple of dogs. Now I am not. Instead I am writing my adventures for all to read.

**Contact: Blog Website Email: homewreckerthebook@gmail.com Facebook Twitter Book Trailer

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Paula Mills: Born and raised in the depths of quintessential English countryside, I decided at nineteen, to lumber a backpack and off I stomped; as far from the rapeseed fields of home as I could get . I headed to the Australian Outback and talked myself up into a job as a Jillaroo on a remote Sheep Station. I learnt two things. Firstly the harsh reality of a sometimes cruel and dust ridden landscape. Secondly, there is nothing quite like a cold beer and true mate ship, to get you through. I fell in love with the red dirt and on returning to the UK, I left a piece of my own heart behind. Ten years later, the fate boomerang threw me back down under, and Australia is now my home; with my gorgeous husband and daughter. I write for the love of writing, I love (and I am proud to be known as) a Chick Lit writer and reader. Like the rest of my peers, I fit in the have to do list, the want to do list, and the wish I had the time for me list , in between raising a happy family and all the little trip hazard stuff life throws at us.

**Contact: Blog Facebook Twitter

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Lisa Day: Lisa Day hails from the southern part of the United States. She went from Northern flower the Southern belle years ago and swears she will never go north of the Mason-Dixon line again. She hates cold weather.

She was always an avid reader went the mood hit. At times years would go by and she’d not touch a book. Then she would bring home bags full and read at times three books a day for months. However it wasn’t until she retired that she found an interest in writing. Her stories can be intense and yet there must be a happy ever ending.

**Contact: Blog Blog #2 Website Facebook Twitter

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Monica Lee: Monica Lee, a personal historian, blogger and writer, has been a daily newspaper reporter and marketing executive. “8 Slices of Cake” is her first foray into romantic fiction, though she’s lived romantic (and unromantic) reality. She is the author of“The Percussionist’s Wife: A Memoir of Sex, Crime & Betrayal,” the true story of her first marriage to a man accused of a sex crime with one of his drum line students. She’s now working on a prequel which fictionalizes her coming of age in a small Minnesota town in the early ‘80s. She lives in northern Illinois with her second husband, the love of her life.

**Contact: Blog Website Facebook Twitter

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Paige Bleu: Paige Bleu is an Indie-Author, currently working on publishing and promoting her supernatural, fantasy series-‘The Ameryn Chronicles’. Volume 1-‘Finding Summerland’-became available in July 2012. This is the first officially published work of Paige’s, who was a ghost writer previously, as well as many other things! Paige is on her own journey of self discovery…learning the ropes of marketing, social networking, and self publishing simultaneously. She shares the experience with followers through blogging…candidly dishing over the perils of juggling work, life, and her passion for writing. Her style is unconventional and unique, reflecting her own eclectic, ‘free bird’ personality.

Right now Paige is working on the second installment of the ‘Ameryn’ series, ‘LivEternal’. Future projects include another young adult, paranormal series, as well as a few short stories and memoirs. Beyond that could be anything…that’s the beauty of being an Indie-Author…you never know what might come next!

**Contact: Blog Website Email: paigebleu@gmail.com Facebook Twitter Book Trailer

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Click HERE to see this interview in more in the online magazine, Imagine This, which is brought to you by Melanie Toye!

Book Cover Reveal – DOUBLE CLICK

March 18, 2013 3 Comments

I’ve been waiting a month to share this, so today, on my 32nd birthday, I’d like to share with you the cover reveal of “Double Click” by the lovely Lisa Becker!

“Double Click” is special to me because Lisa’s other book, “Click: An Online Love Story”, was the first review I conducted for Chick Lit Goddess! So, as you might assume, when I saw the quote that I’d written on the front of “Double Click”, I was touched so much that it brought me to tears. Lisa, thank you!

Now, if you “Click: An Online Love Story” as much as I did, then I know you’ll love “Double Click” just as much!

**SPOILER ALERT**
Fans of the romantic hit Click: An Online Love Story will enjoy another voyeuristic dive into the lives of Renee, Shelley, Ashley, Mark and Ethan, as Double Click picks up with their lives six months later. Are Renee and Ethan soul mates? Does Mark ever go on a date? Has Shelley run out of sexual conquests in Los Angeles? Will Ashley’s judgmental nature sabotage her budding relationship? Through a marriage proposal, wedding, new baby and unexpected love twist, Double Click answers these questions and more. Readers will continue to cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends.

DoubleClickFullCover

Francine LaSala

March 4, 2013 8 Comments

About author, Francine LaSala: Francine LaSala has written nonfiction on every topic imaginable, from circus freaks to sex, and edited bestselling authors of all genres through her company, Francine LaSala Productions. The author of novels Rita Hayworth’s Shoes and The Girl, The Gold Tooth & Everything, she lives with her husband and two daughters in New York. Drop her a line at francine@francinelasala.com.

GUEST INTERVIEW

Tell us about your books, “The Girl, the Gold Tooth & Everything” and “Rita Hayworth’s Shoes”: I’m that annoying kind of writer traditional publishers don’t trust because I can’t seem to write in one genre. Rita Hayworth’s Shoes is a quirky screwball rom-com, centering around a pair of “magical,” life-changing secondhand shoes. The Girl, the Gold Tooth & Everything is more of a kooky psychological drama/light mystery about a woman with amnesia lost in her suburban housewife life who, upon getting a gold dental crown, starts remembering things… So I guess they are alike in that they are both sort of wacky and involve objects that help the protagonists find themselves, and change perspective and destiny, etc., etc. But are completely different in the way they get there. 🙂

What is your favorite word? Starts with an F, ends with a K. (Hint: It’s not flask, though that’s not a bad one either.)

How do you come up with titles of your books? They come to me. Sometimes I need to start writing a while to get the title, which eventually pops out of the material. Sometimes I know the title and start from there. That was the case with both Rita Hayworth’s Shoes and The Girl, the Gold Tooth & Everything. Each started with an experience that sparked a title, and then Blamo! Books! (Well, maybe it took a bit longer than that, but you get it.) If I don’t have a title, it’s impossible for me to know a book. Which I guess is part of the reason I have so many WIPs floating around. (The other reasons being my severe A.D.D. and raising small children…)

Which other authors would you like to meet? Christopher Moore tops the list these days! But in reality, many of the authors I’d like to meet are all right there in your Chicklit Goddess Facebook group. I feel like I know so many of the ladies so well from our daily interactions, but how cool would it be to raise a glass and rage together! (Well, maybe not “rage,” but whatever grown-up goddesses do for fun…)

Who or what inspires you? Life inspires me. There are so many things that happen every day, large and small, that are just magnificent. You have to look for them–you can’t expect them jump in front of you like an old friend at the mall or something. You really have to be scanning for them. Sort of like stalker I guess. But truly, there’s just so much out there that inspires! When you look at the world with a writer’s eye, the question really becomes “What doesn’t inspire you.”

Name three things that must every writer have: 1. A burning desire to tell and share amazing stories. 2. A thick skin to guard and protect you when others don’t believe your stories are quite so amazing. 3. An editor to help show you the distinction between what you think is amazing and how your expression of such amazingness may or may not be working.

What is your favorite part of the writing/editing/publishing process? I love the whole process–when it’s working. When it isn’t, I hate the whole process. In all seriousness though, I love the writing. When it’s flowing, when I feel like I’ve really “hit it,” there’s no greater feeling in the world! (As a side note, I’ve been enjoying the marketing process much more now that it’s become more of a shared, “team” endeavor.)

What are you reading? Right now, I am reading Cindy Roesel’s Viewer Discretion Advised, as well as a horror novella by Douglas Clegg, and the galley for Patti Callahan Henry’s new novel, And Then I Found You, coming out this April. (Did I mention the A.D.D.?)

If you’re not working, what you doing? Drinking. (Ha! Just kidding. But it would be boring to admit I’m pretty much always working. Even when drinking…)

What time of day do you seem to work the best? My most productive time: 4am to 7am. I’m fresh from (maybe not quite enough) sleep, and the mayhem has not yet descended in my house.

Hard/paperbacks or eBooks? I always thought I’d be hardcover / paperback girl forever, until I got a Kindle this past Christmas. I’m almost embarrassed to admit how quickly I was converted… I think I’ll always love to have my most special books in non-digital formats, but the ebook thing really appeals to my “anti-clutter/simplify life” side.

Can you tell us about any of your upcoming projects? Too many projects, too little time!

A women’s fiction, multi-generational “fractured” romance that’s still sort of kooky but runs a little darker than my usual fare.
A trilogy of absurd “fairy tale” novellas, in collaboration with my husband (who’s actually not a bad writer for an architect).
A steamy erotic novel about a trophy wife who takes a break from that life at a reputably raunchy resort.
An as-yet-untitled and therefore in-limbo series about ancient party nymphs living in modern times.
A novel / screenplay / TV treatment (which will it be?) about college roommates who end up living together again in their 40s…

No wonder I can’t get anything done!

GUEST POST

Write What You Know

It’s unlikely that I’m ever going to write a sci-fi novel about time-traveling part-humans living at a space station on Jupiter. Even less likely that I’ll ever set a story in the Wild West. It may be cliché, but I definitely like to write about what I know. And then, of course, turn it on its ear…

Rita Hayworth’s Shoes comes from a point in my life when my heart (and self-esteem) were shattered by not one, but two relationships combusting over a short period of time. One was long-term and stale (like the relationship between David and Amy). The other was more of a flash-burn. In any case, I really did buy a pair of expensive shoes and did sort of make a wish that with that purchase, things might turn around for me…

The Girl, the Gold Tooth & Everything was born out of my own identity struggles with marriage and motherhood; with being a freelance writer, which many mistook for being a “free” writer when the economy tanked; with looking to “self-help” to try to help myself get my feet back on the ground. I also do have gold dental crown I never asked for and don’t want, but that’s besides the point!

So yes, I do build my fiction from life. I do sometimes I put into my stories the pain and confusion, the joy and the bliss I have felt. I steal snippets of friends’ and foes’ best lines and build dialogs around them. I create scenes inspired by my awkward times and my most wonderful moments.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that in any story, elements can be lifted right from the writer’s own experience, and there really isn’t anything wrong with that. Whether these experiences become foundation or flourish really depends on the writer and the story.

As for my recent experiences, I’m certainly not going to write a book about going to the grocery store. But I might write a scene about something unusual happening in a grocery store. Who knows–maybe part-human time travelers from Jupiter will land in the produce aisle and surprise my protagonist du jour, a woman in search of a fresh head of broccoli (and, underneath that banal quest, her life’s purpose), then everything will change for her…

And maybe not. I guess the point is that sometimes to make life bearable and understandable, and maybe a little more interesting, we writers sometimes steal from what we know and then switch the elements around and re-decorate them before we slap them down on a page. For me, the best part is being surprised with how it all gets re-expressed and turns out in the end. Life is definitely not like that. What do you think?

Click the links to buy Francine’s books!

Rita Hayworth’s Shoes

and

The Girl, the Gold Tooth & Everything

**Contact Francine!: Website Blog Facebook Facebook Group: “The Joy Jar Project” Twitter

Somewhere Between Black and White

February 27, 2013 Leave a Comment

Book review of “Somewhere Between Black and White”

SomewhereCoverPic

“Somewhere Between Black and White” by Shelly Hickman

Book Description:

Romance, humor, family drama, with a touch of Buddhism. Sound interesting?

When approaching life’s problems, Sophie sees in black and white. That is, when they’re someone else’s problems. So when it comes to her sister, Sophie is sure she has all the answers, and offers them without hesitation. If only her sister would listen.

Then, through a series of chance encounters, she meets Sam, who is witty, kind, and downright unflappable. Sophie has the overwhelming sense that she’s known him before, and as a relationship builds between them, odd visions invade her mind. Though she tries to dismiss them, their persistence will not allow it.

As someone who is quick to judge others, she is intrigued by Sam’s ability to accept people as they are. She begins to see him as a role model, but try as she may, his accepting nature is difficult to emulate.

Will Sophie ever be able to put her hasty judgments aside and realize not every problem has a simple solution?

My Review:

I was excited to start “Somewhere Between Black and White” because I wanted to read Sophie and Sam’s story. Quickly, I began to really enjoy this book and like the characters, especially the relationship Sophie has with her sister, Evie. When Evie’s situation seems black and white to Sophie, it’s not for her and wishes her sister would see that things aren’t always that way…

And then Sophie meets and gets to know Sam, someone she’s convinced that she’s known from a previous life.

I found Sam’s charm in this book to be adorable. As a teacher coworker of Sophie’s, he has a way of expressing things, not only to his students, but to her as well. Through intellectual conversations and passionate kisses, Sam opens her world, showing her that things don’t always have to be black and white, there can be a shade of grey, too.

I seemed confused by the flashbacks. I didn’t think they were understandable enough for the reader. But, I did like how Evie’s husband’s picture was what Sophie saw, as I think it brought them closer after what happened, (sorry, NO SPOILERS). Also, while I loved the sweet ending, I think it came too fast. I wanted to see them struggle more as a couple, and I want to know they can get through anything and stay together.

If you’re looking for a cute, fun, and fast read, I highly recommend “Somewhere Between Black and White!”

I give this book 4 stars!

Cari Kamm

February 25, 2013 Leave a Comment

About author, Cari Kamm: Cari Kamm has worked in the beauty industry for over a decade, building brands, working behind the scenes, and even selling her own skin care line. She has a master’s in clinical nutrition from New York University. Kamm currently works in corporate social media management with clients in the beauty, fashion, and restaurant industries. Living in New York City with her mutt Schmutz, Kamm loves finding inspiration in the most unexpected places, being a novelist, and convincing her fiancé that ordering takeout and making dinner reservations are equal to cooking.

**Contact Cari: Cari Kamm Facebook Twitter

GUEST POST

“Cari’s Writing Life: The Past, Present, and Future”

I connected with writing in my late twenties. I’ve always been a storyteller or that person that loved to entertain and make my friends and family laugh. It’s a characteristic I get from my father. In my early twenties, I started keeping travel journals. I moved to New York City at the age of twenty-two to attend NYU for graduate school with a goal to take advantage of JFK International airport. Growing up in a small town in West Virginia, I was eager to explore the world and wanted to document it all.

I decided to write professionally when I was twenty-eight and craving inspiration at a specific point in my life. Here I was in such an electric city, living and loving everything, even a shadow. However, there was still something missing in my life. There was a void. So… I researched new hobbies from cooking (high burn risk), painting (too messy), volunteer opportunities, and new career paths. I ended up taking a creative writing class with Mediabistro and it changed my life. I quickly learned that the void was passion . . . to write stories. The class challenged me, made me insecure, and sparked my spirit. The workshop assignments got me writing in class and at home. Sometimes, I would come home from a late dinner or having cocktails with friends and find myself writing until 3:00 a.m. Eight months later, I had a manuscript, my first novel–Fake Perfect Me.

Writing isn’t a job. It’s a habit. I begin first thing in the morning. Before anything can shift my mood or motivation, I make coffee and hit the keys. Writing is my morning stretch. I write from anywhere, anytime, and on anything. A notebook, a cocktail napkin, or even taking a photo of a person, place or thing that inspired me. I love being surrounded by music, strangers, voices… simply just life. When a theme moves me, I sketch out an outline breaking down Act I, II & III and write up descriptions of the characters I have in mind. Then, I just write. I don’t look back. I don’t reread. I would say it’s a crappy first draft and then I spend months on revising – editing – revising – editing.

My favorite part of the writing process is creating the outline of the story I have in mind. Then several months down the road realizing where the characters actually took me while reading the story they created. For the past two years, I’ve done just that. My second novel, For Internal Use Only, was released on February 14, 2013. Completing the book was the best birthday gift I could have given myself.

In November 2012, I had participated in National Novel Writing month and completed my third book. It’s my first romance novel! My 80-year-old Italian grandma will be thrilled. I always caught her reading books with Fabio decorated covers. I hope to release this novel later this year.

Writing has taught me one of the most important lessons. If I could go back in time and tell my younger self one thing, it would be that . . . ‘You grow more from criticism than you do from compliments.’

**Click HERE to see the trailer of “For Internal Use Only!”

Shelly Hickman

February 14, 2013 Leave a Comment

About author, Shelly Hickman: I have been married for twenty-two years to my best buddy and we have three kids. A teenage boy who I adore, but rarely see, a tween girl who is lovably goofy, and a 21-year-old angel daughter who died from leukemia when she was eight. I’m a middle school computer teacher, who recently has been using her summers to write. I have enjoyed writing since high school, but it’s never been a consistent practice for me. It has dropped in and out of my life, and I’m hoping this time it stays for good. (Smiles)

INTERVIEW

Describe yourself in five sentences: I love to laugh. I value my friends. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, probably even when I shouldn’t. The older I get, the less tolerant I am of people who are mean or rude. I hate to exercise.

Tell us about your book, “Believe” and “Somewhere Between Black and White”: “Believe” was my first book. I started writing it after my daughter’s first bout with cancer. At the time I was very into the power of thought and positive attitude and all that, because my daughter had overcome this life-threatening disease. The tone of “Believe” reflected that mindset at first, though the story was unfinished. Then my daughter relapsed and ultimately lost her battle. I was confused, hurt, angry, and lost. I went back to the story to work through all that. It was my expression of all the questions and frustrations I had. The story is not meant to provide answers to any of those questions, because I’m not sure we’ll ever have them. Instead it’s meant to convey a message of renewal, and reassurance that happiness can be found again after enduring such a loss.

Throughout the story, I tried to include little hints that explained the book’s ending, this idea that maybe prayers are always answered, but at times in ways we don’t see. However, reading reviews, I realize it may have been too understated for some. It’s difficult to find that perfect balance of getting your message across without beating your reader over the head with it.

“Somewhere Between Black and White” is a little bit harder to explain. Basically, I wanted to take a look at our tendencies to judge others for their choices. The story is a romance, but it’s not meant to be the main gist. It’s more of a backdrop for looking at the character, Sophie, and how she assesses others. She meets Sam, who becomes her grounding point because he’s so collected and non-judgmental. She constantly struggles with her urge to look at things as black or white, instead of acknowledging there are often many shades in between. It’s kind of a mesh of romance, humor, family drama, and even some bits about Buddhism thrown in. See why it’s hard to summarize?

What is your favorite word? Hmm, I’ve never really thought about a favorite word. I guess it would have to be Starbucks.

Are your characters based off anyone you know? The minor characters usually are, but not the main characters. Rachel in “Believe” is loosely based on me, just because of her struggle with faith, but she is way more outspoken and blunt than I’ll ever be.

Which other authors would you like to meet? Unfortunately, two of them are gone: Erma Bombeck and Nora Ephron. I would also like to meet Richard Bach.

How did you celebrate when your first book was published? I don’t remember. I’m not sure I did. All I remember was when I told my husband someone was going to publish my book, he said I needed to make enough money to buy him a monster truck. Yeah… that hasn’t happened.

What are you reading right now? “I Feel Bad About My Neck” by Nora Ephron

Hard/paperback or eBooks? eBooks, of course!

Where is your favorite place to write? Once or twice I sat in a Borders (before they went out of business) and wrote. That would be my ideal place, in a bookstore sipping on some coffee, but it never happens.

What is the best advice you’ve been given? This advice wasn’t given to me by anyone specifically, but it’s one that we always hear, and that’s to live for today. None of us know what our future holds, so why spend time stressing about it? And we can’t change our past; we can only learn from it. Be here now. It’s not an easy thing to do, but great advice.

When writing, what is your favorite thing to snack on? Dark chocolate M&Ms!

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects? I’m not working on anything at the moment, but have a few ideas floating around. You know how on sitcoms we always see the fairly average Joe with the hot wife? (According to Jim, Everybody Loves Raymond, Modern Family). I’ve often wondered why we never see the opposite. How come we never see the average Jane with a hot guy? I thought it might be fun to write something based on that idea. Still mulling it over. Maybe this summer’s project.

**Additional comments: I want to thank you, Isabella, for hosting me on your blog. I appreciate your kindness and positive attitude you’ve shared with me throughout my communications with you. This has been a great experience.

**Contact Shelly!:

Shelly Hickman

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**Click HERE to watch the trailer of “Somewhere Between Black and White!”

Colette Freedman

January 29, 2013 5 Comments

Bio of author, Colette Freedman: COLETTE FREEDMAN is an internationally produced playwright, screenwriter, and novelist who was recently named one of the Dramatist Guild’s “50 to Watch”.

Her play Sister Cities (NYTE, 2009) was the hit of the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe and earned five star reviews: It has been produced around the country and internationally, including Paris (Une Ville, Une Soeur) and Rome (Le Quattro Sorelle). She has authored fifteen produced plays including Serial Killer Barbie (Brooklyn Publishers, 2004), First to the Egg (Grand prize shorts urban shorts festival), Bridesmaid # 3 (Louisville finalist 2008), and Ellipses… (Dezart Festival winner 2010), as well as a modern adaptation of Iphigenia in Aulis written in iambic pentameter.

She was commissioned to write a modern adaptation of Uncle Vanya which is in preproduction and has co-written, with International bestselling novelist Jackie Collins, the play Jackie Collins Hollywood Lies, which is gearing up for a National Tour. In collaboration with The New York Times best selling author Michael Scott, she wrote the thriller The Thirteen Hallows, (Tor/Macmillan) The play version of The Affair (Kensington) is touring Italy next month.

INTERVIEW

Today is the release day for your book, “The Affair!” How are you feeling? Incredibly excited and hungry! When I get excited I eat so I can’t even imagine how many calories I’ll be devouring today.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? Yes. I wrote my first play when I was eleven and have been writing ever since.

Who and/or what inspires you? My parents inspire me. My teachers past and present inspire me. Good writers inspire me: Ann Patchett, Michael Scott, Eudora Welty, Charles Dickens and Gabriel Garcia Marquez inspire me.

Describe what the writing/editing/publishing process is like for you: I actually love the process. I come from a background of sports where my job was to train to be the best athlete I could while the coach, assistant coach, athletic trainer, grounds crew and school administrators did their jobs to make sure that I could play. The writing/editing/publishing process is the same way. My job is to create the material and deliver it on schedule and I have a terrific support team to make sure that it gets from my vision into the public arena.

Which do you prefer, writing plays or books? Plays. There is nothing like sitting in an audience and watching actors bring your words to life and feeling the collective energy as an audience experiences your story.

You’ve had the pleasure to work with Jackie Collins. What was that experience like? Jackie is unbelievable. She is a true pro, a wonderful writer and a savvy businesswoman. She was incredibly generous throughout the process and I learned a great deal from her. I can’t wait to see the play!

What must a writer have at all times? Thick skin, tenacious optimism a hard chair.

Hard/paperback or eBooks? Both. I used to be a purist who refused to give in to the digital age, but when my brother bought me a kindle…well….let’s just say I’m addicted to being able to hold 1,000 books in my hand.

What is the best advice you’ve been given? Believe in yourself

Can you tell us about any of your upcoming projects? I’m writing the novelization of my play Sister Cities and working on a Young Adult book about a boarding school for girls where not everything is what it appears to be.

GUEST POST

When I moved to Hollywood after grad school, I expected it to be the happiest place on earth. After all, everyone was beautiful, the sun was always shining, the air was fragrant with the smell of citrus and it was close to both the ocean and the mountains. Jay Leno drove his cool antique cars down my street, George Clooney frequented my favorite restaurant, I got my hair done by the same guy as Jennifer Aniston….what could go wrong? While Hollywood should be the happiest place on earth, it is often the saddest and the loneliest. When I first moved here, most of my friends were in committed relationships: They were in love. They were happy. Yet, time passed and now, only a handful of those relationships survived. Why? They were torn apart by affairs.

Affairs are dirty little secrets that no one likes to talk about; rather, they like to speculate, judge and gossip. It is so much easier to point fingers than to simply ask why. Why did it happen? And the answers, when you really ask the hard questions, are surprising. No one sets out to have an affair. Why would they? The universal answer to why people have affairs is “It just happened.” But nothing just happens. As humans we are constantly searching for the new experiences; the rush of adrenaline felt from something new, the newness of someone looking at us from a fresh perspective…seeing only what is presented to them rather than the heavy baggage loaded with history and shared experiences. “New”…that is always the operative word. We get bored by what we see every day and an affair, an illicit relationship with someone outside our mundane world of watching the kids and taking out the trash, offers a freshness which we so desperately crave.

Before I became a novelist, I was a commercial director and it was a world rife with affairs. We’d often be in an exotic location (okay, maybe North Carolina wasn’t terribly exotic..but it was different…and new) for a limited amount of time and people got frisky. There were so many affairs between the cast and crew I couldn’t count. And people didn’t go to North Carolina to shoot furniture commercials to have an affair…they “just happened.”As the director, I had to keep my distance from everyone. I was the authority figure, plus I was both young and a woman, so I had to keep a modicum of decorum. But that didn’t stop me from sitting at the bar and observing. A writer’s job is too observe…especially when people let down their guards and think no one is watching. A few of these affairs continued long after the shoots. And, eventually, one or two things would happen: the wife found out and kicked the husband out or the wife found out and forgave the husband. And there is no judgement to be placed on either decision. After all, we never know what goes on behind closed doors and what those confrontations boiled down to.

In The Affair, I tried to show the consequences of an affair from three different perspectives…placing the guilt equally on all three parties while trying to understand and empathize with them as well.

**Contact Colette!

**Buy “The Affair”

Toni Aleo

January 24, 2013 1 Comment

About author, Toni Aleo: My name is Toni Aleo! (and I’m a total dork!) I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic. I have been told I have anger issues, but I think it’s cause of my intense love for hockey! I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play! When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughter’s dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, scrapbooking, and reading the latest romance novel.

I have a slight Disney and Harry Potter obsession, I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, I might have been a Disney Princess in a past life…probably Belle, and did I mention I love hockey?

INTERVIEW

Welcome back, Toni! Since your last interview, what you been up to? What havent’t I been up to is the real question!! Things have been insane. I finished Blue Lines and thank goodness HOCEKEY IS BACK!

Congratulations on being published by Random House! How did you find out? Well it is the craziest thing. I remember being a dinner and I got an email on my author account and it was from the publisher but I thought it was fan mail and I was like, I’ll get to it when I get home because I didn’t want to be rude and type out a response, so I didn’t even read it all. Well I get home, and I read it and I swear I screamed so loud, running through the house telling my husband that RANDOM HOUSE WANTS TO PUBLISH ME! It was insane. I found out at the end of September that they wanted me and signed the contract in December.

What did you do to celebrate? We had a big party and it was so great. All my friends and family celebrating my accomplishment. It was a blessing.

You recently finished “Blue Lines.” Can you tell us a little bit about it? I am seriously excited about this book. It will be different from the other three in the fact that the Hero will not be chasing the Heroine. He will be running from her while she tries to convince him that she is a sure bet. It is going to be great.

Who and/or what motivates you to write? Hockey, my husband, and Shea Weber. 🙂

Are you characters and/or events in any of your books based on real life? Yes, all of it. Lol. My friends read my books and some get mad, while others laugh so hard they can’t breathe. People aren’t safe around me. I get inspiration from everything.

Walk us through a day in your life: Well, I wake up, get my kiddos off to school, come home, clean, run errands and then write. On special days, I get to go watch my daughter dance, my husband play hockey, my son play whatever sport he is doing at the time, and then of course, I go to as many Nashville Predators games I can get too!

You’re a huge hockey fan, but have or would you ever incorporate other sports into your books? I don’t know. I like to write about what I know. I know hockey, so I don’t think I’ll ever stray into another sport. Now I do plan to completely leave the sport behind one day and write something different, but for right now, I am happy with my little hockey romance.

What author(s) would you like to meet? Rachel Gibson, Richelle Mead, Kristin Higgins, Julie James, and Nora Roberts. They are all my heros 🙂

How do you come up with the titles of your books? By complete luck. I sit there and think of the book and then hockey terms and by the grace of God, they come to me! Lol.

If you weren’t an author, what would you be? A nurse. I quit my job as a nurse to become a full time author.

Tell us about your upcoming projects: Well I am about to start writing book 5, Breaking Away from the Assassins Series, but I also will start a new adult series with the first booked called Rush of Love. I am pretty excited, scared and nervous for the new genre but excited.

Additional comments by Toni: Thanks so much for having me!!

**Contact Toni!:

Toni Aleo

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**Click HERE to read my review of “Taking Shots” and to read my first interview with Toni!

Sarah Louise Smith

January 21, 2013 2 Comments

About author, Sarah Louise Smith: Sarah Louise Smith is a thirty-something, married, pet-loving writer from Milton Keynes, England. She’s been writing stories since she can remember and dreaming of being a published authors since high school. Her first novel Amy & Zach is published by Crooked Cat Publishing.

INTERVIEW

Congratulations on your book! How does it feel to be an author? Thank you so much! It’s amazing, a dream come true. In fact, pinch me!

Paper/hardbacks or Ebooks? Paperback and e-books are both available.

Tell us a little bit about “Amy & Zach”: Amy is a British girl who moves to Boston, USA, hoping to find her father. She meets Zach, who sweeps her off her feet and they fall in love quickly, but Zach has a secret which threatens to ruin everything. It’s more than just a ‘slushy’ romance though; it’s about people and family relationships, lies, betrayal and trust with a splash of humour.

Where is your favorite writing space? Usually at my dining table… one day I hope to have my own office space, I dream that I’ll paint it yellow and put up quotes and images that inspire me. One day!

How did you come up with the title of your book? I’m terrible at book titles. How can I sum up a whole novel in a few words? So I went with the characters names; but as the narratives alternatives between Amy & Zach, I think it fits quite well.

Walk us through your typical day: Dog walking, work (I’m a marketing executive), cooking, writing, reading/movie/tv watching, cuddles with my family… that’s a weekday. A weekend involves more of all of the above without the work 🙂

What other authors inspire you? Jane Austen is my all-time hero… I also love Lisa Jewell, Paige Toon, Marian Keyes.

Where is your favorite writing space? See above 🙂

Describe what the writing, editing and publishing process was like for you? The writing involved a lot of notes (inspiration seems to strike when I’m unable to actually write), converting those notes into something coherent, and then re-writing over and over. The editing process was great, my editor was fantastic and so helpful, and the publishing again, a great experience, my publisher walked me through everything. I’m very fortunate and grateful to them.

What is your favorite romantic comedy to watch? Love Actually. I also love The Holiday.

In your career as a writer, where do you want to be five years from now? I’d like to have written and published several more books…

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects? I’m working on my second novel, more chick-lit, which is untitled so far… I’ve also got a third and a fourth in note form!

Amy&ZachCoverPic **Contact Sarah!

Sarah Louise Smith

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