Month: March 2016

Today I’m featuring  Allaina Daniels and her debut book, Infinity. Welcome Allaina!

Blurb: Professional animal trainer, Carmen Rockwell, is happy living her life on the edge of society. She owns a high profile business that is run by her best friend, Lissy, the only person she thinks she needs in her life. Because of an unusual gift, she is the best in the country at what she does. She goes away for work and finds herself suddenly drawn into a new world- one that she never knew existed and against her will, it follows her home, demanding that she enter into the life she was destined to live. An important date is approaching fast, but will she turn away from this new world and hide or will she face her fate head on? One man could make all the difference- but does he love her or is she only a means to an end?

Excerpt: (This is the first 5 chapters from the amazon sample.) https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B012UF5K2A&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_XY5Rwb1HDCEEY

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012UF5K2A

Character interview:

(To read the previous part of this interview please visit
http://www.michelleabbott.com/blog.html)

A: “So I am curious, and I want an answer from each of you. What is your worst fear or most prominent nightmare?”
C and G: Look at me while frowning.
A: “Go on. You know it is best if you get it out in the open anyway.”
G: Runs his hand across the back of his neck and looks away while mumbling, “I’m afraid of being alone again.”
C: Smiles at Gabriel while placing her hand on his cheek, “Silly man. I am going to drive you crazy until the end of time.”
G: Looks back at Carmen with a small smile. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
A: “Your turn, Carmen.”
C: Blows out a breath while tucking her hair behind her ear. “My dreams are always great. It is the memories that haunt me. If I could erase seeing Gabriel bleeding out on Lissy’s floor from my mind, I would.” She looks me in the eye, “There is nothing like watching the one person you love above all others dying in from of you and you are helpless to stop the process.”
A: “I understand better than you know. But this interview is about the two of you, not me.”

(To read the next segment of this interview please visit https://carissaannlynch.wordpress.com
on Mar 14th.)

Author Bio:
Allaina Daniels is a sassy domestic goddess from Georgia whose addiction to caffeine is surpassed
only by her passion for the written word.

Her debut paranormal romance, Infinity, was released in August 2015; and, her second novel is expected to be available by summer 2016.

Allaina is an avid reader and reviewer of all genres and enjoys connecting with her readers on social media.

Stalk Allaina at these places.
www.facebook.com/allainadaniels
www.allainadaniels.com
http://www.amazon.com/Allaina-Daniels/e/B012XNGVP4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
https://www.goodreads.com/AllainaDaniels
https://twitter.com/AllainaDaniels

Today I’m featuring  Allaina Daniels and her debut book, Infinity. Welcome Allaina!

Blurb: Professional animal trainer, Carmen Rockwell, is happy living her life on the edge of society. She owns a high profile business that is run by her best friend, Lissy, the only person she thinks she needs in her life. Because of an unusual gift, she is the best in the country at what she does. She goes away for work and finds herself suddenly drawn into a new world- one that she never knew existed and against her will, it follows her home, demanding that she enter into the life she was destined to live. An important date is approaching fast, but will she turn away from this new world and hide or will she face her fate head on? One man could make all the difference- but does he love her or is she only a means to an end?

Excerpt: (This is the first 5 chapters from the amazon sample.) https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B012UF5K2A&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_XY5Rwb1HDCEEY

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012UF5K2A

Character interview:

(To read the previous part of this interview please visit
http://www.michelleabbott.com/blog.html)

A: “So I am curious, and I want an answer from each of you. What is your worst fear or most prominent nightmare?”
C and G: Look at me while frowning.
A: “Go on. You know it is best if you get it out in the open anyway.”
G: Runs his hand across the back of his neck and looks away while mumbling, “I’m afraid of being alone again.”
C: Smiles at Gabriel while placing her hand on his cheek, “Silly man. I am going to drive you crazy until the end of time.”
G: Looks back at Carmen with a small smile. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
A: “Your turn, Carmen.”
C: Blows out a breath while tucking her hair behind her ear. “My dreams are always great. It is the memories that haunt me. If I could erase seeing Gabriel bleeding out on Lissy’s floor from my mind, I would.” She looks me in the eye, “There is nothing like watching the one person you love above all others dying in from of you and you are helpless to stop the process.”
A: “I understand better than you know. But this interview is about the two of you, not me.”

(To read the next segment of this interview please visit https://carissaannlynch.wordpress.com
on Mar 14th.)

Author Bio:
Allaina Daniels is a sassy domestic goddess from Georgia whose addiction to caffeine is surpassed
only by her passion for the written word.

Her debut paranormal romance, Infinity, was released in August 2015; and, her second novel is expected to be available by summer 2016.

Allaina is an avid reader and reviewer of all genres and enjoys connecting with her readers on social media.

Stalk Allaina at these places.
www.facebook.com/allainadaniels
www.allainadaniels.com
http://www.amazon.com/Allaina-Daniels/e/B012XNGVP4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
https://www.goodreads.com/AllainaDaniels
https://twitter.com/AllainaDaniels

This week on the Blog Hop we’re talking about the writing game, and how it works in our world.

I’d written essays throughout grade, but the first short story I remember writing was in eighth grade. It was a class assignment, and I was inspired by a book I’d read a few days before. It had an “open ending” where I didn’t spell out the finishing action in detail, trying to get the reader to the point where they would understand what had happened without me actually saying it. My teacher hated it.

That incident didn’t destroy my desire to write. In high school, I found my voice in poetry, and wrote poetry for years. Some of it was pretty good—good enough to be published in national magazines.

But just as I’ve had to recreate myself in terms of paid jobs, I got to a point where I needed to recreate myself in terms of writing.Some stories floating around in my head wouldn’t become a poem no matter how I played them. So I wrote a book. On paper. By hand. Then I rewrote it. Again on paper.

I decided it wasn’t half-bad, but not good enough. So I started another book. Again, by hand, On paper. And it was better.

And I was hooked. I haven’t stopped writing books since. Although I have made the switch to writing my stories on a computer. It’s so much easier to edit that way.

So how do I do it?

I get a lot of inspiration for my stories from dreams. The basis for both the Free Wolves series and the Oak Grove Mysteries came from little snatches of dreams. Of course, those little snippets grew into much more as I listened to my characters and let them tell me their stories. I never expected Tasha from Wolves’ Pawn to demand her own book, but she did. That’s where Wolves’ Knight came from.

Unlike some other writers, I write the entire first draft of my book in progress before I start editing. That’s because sometimes my characters surprise me as I write there stories. I didn’t plan for the romance in Wolves’ Knight to end up like it did, so I had to go back and change some of the action in the beginning.

And as I’ve mentioned before, I really did plan to have Eli in The Marquesa’s Necklace be a ghost. But Harmony wouldn’t put up with it. So he became a real man. (Well, as real as a character in a book can be!)

Once the story is complete, it’s time for the real work to begin. Editing. I use an online tool to help me with the first round of edits. It points out overused words, bad grammar, run-on sentences and a wealth of other errors.

Once I’ve thoroughly beat up my manuscript, I’m ready to allow other eyes to see it. Because other people will spot things I’ve missed. There’s a website called Critique Circle, where I can get anonymous feedback from writers from all over the world. I also have developed connections with other writers and we exchange critiques.

When I’ve beat up my story for a second time with their help, it’s time for a third round of editing. That’s done by listening to my story being read out loud. Not by me, (Well, sometimes I read it to myself) but by the built in voice of my iPad. Hearing the words alerts me to things that had been missed by more traditional methods of editing.

Once that’s done, it’s time to let  my work go. But usually I have another story working in my brain just waiting for me to write it. (Right now I have two stories waiting, and two in progress. Is that crazy?)

If you have any questions, please leave it in the comments. I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

To find out what other authors have to say, follow the links below.

#OpenBook #Writing

March 7 – Behind the scenes post. How does this writing game get done in your world?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use ?#?OpenBook? when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

This week on the Blog Hop we’re talking about the writing game, and how it works in our world.

I’d written essays throughout grade, but the first short story I remember writing was in eighth grade. It was a class assignment, and I was inspired by a book I’d read a few days before. It had an “open ending” where I didn’t spell out the finishing action in detail, trying to get the reader to the point where they would understand what had happened without me actually saying it. My teacher hated it.

That incident didn’t destroy my desire to write. In high school, I found my voice in poetry, and wrote poetry for years. Some of it was pretty good—good enough to be published in national magazines.

But just as I’ve had to recreate myself in terms of paid jobs, I got to a point where I needed to recreate myself in terms of writing.Some stories floating around in my head wouldn’t become a poem no matter how I played them. So I wrote a book. On paper. By hand. Then I rewrote it. Again on paper.

I decided it wasn’t half-bad, but not good enough. So I started another book. Again, by hand, On paper. And it was better.

And I was hooked. I haven’t stopped writing books since. Although I have made the switch to writing my stories on a computer. It’s so much easier to edit that way.

So how do I do it?

I get a lot of inspiration for my stories from dreams. The basis for both the Free Wolves series and the Oak Grove Mysteries came from little snatches of dreams. Of course, those little snippets grew into much more as I listened to my characters and let them tell me their stories. I never expected Tasha from Wolves’ Pawn to demand her own book, but she did. That’s where Wolves’ Knight came from.

Unlike some other writers, I write the entire first draft of my book in progress before I start editing. That’s because sometimes my characters surprise me as I write there stories. I didn’t plan for the romance in Wolves’ Knight to end up like it did, so I had to go back and change some of the action in the beginning.

And as I’ve mentioned before, I really did plan to have Eli in The Marquesa’s Necklace be a ghost. But Harmony wouldn’t put up with it. So he became a real man. (Well, as real as a character in a book can be!)

Once the story is complete, it’s time for the real work to begin. Editing. I use an online tool to help me with the first round of edits. It points out overused words, bad grammar, run-on sentences and a wealth of other errors.

Once I’ve thoroughly beat up my manuscript, I’m ready to allow other eyes to see it. Because other people will spot things I’ve missed. There’s a website called Critique Circle, where I can get anonymous feedback from writers from all over the world. I also have developed connections with other writers and we exchange critiques.

When I’ve beat up my story for a second time with their help, it’s time for a third round of editing. That’s done by listening to my story being read out loud. Not by me, (Well, sometimes I read it to myself) but by the built in voice of my iPad. Hearing the words alerts me to things that had been missed by more traditional methods of editing.

Once that’s done, it’s time to let  my work go. But usually I have another story working in my brain just waiting for me to write it. (Right now I have two stories waiting, and two in progress. Is that crazy?)

If you have any questions, please leave it in the comments. I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

To find out what other authors have to say, follow the links below.

#OpenBook #Writing

March 7 – Behind the scenes post. How does this writing game get done in your world?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use ?#?OpenBook? when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
WordPress:



Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

Title: R.O.S.E Riders of Sins Eternal
Release Date: March 11 (re-release)
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance (18+ due to language, sexual content)
Author: Lisa Ann

Tag line: Riders of Sins Eternal have only one law: Always pay your debts
Link to cover (if needed): http://lisaawritesreads.com/2016/02/04/cover-reveal-r-o-s-e/

Blurb:
Riders of Sins Eternal have only one law: Always pay your debts.

Alexandra Scott was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Striving to become a reporter in the fast paced world of journalism, she can’t believe it when she becomes the ‘breaking news’ after a night out with her best friend.

Garrick Donovan had come to terms with the deal he had made over a century ago, he had been able to get his revenge and nothing would make him regret that. While out cruising, he comes across a bunch of hoods attacking a young woman, something he can’t ignore.

Alexandra finds herself immersed in a world of dark secrets that could destroy both her and Garrick. It is now up to her to decide if what she and Garrick may have is worth the consequences or to get out while she still has time.

Add to your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28937181-r-o-s-e-riders-of-sins-eternal

Excerpt:
He hadn’t noticed that the woman was now out of the car, hunched down by her door, memorizing everything that was happening. Unfortunately, Happy had.

“Guess we’re going to get messy,” Happy answered, his voice high-pitched with nerves. Pulling her by the hair, he held her in front of him like a shield. Garrick wanted to double over laughing but kept his focus on rescuing the woman, clearing his throat instead.

Happy smiled when he mistook Garrick’s cough as nervousness. Alexandra struggled against his grip but Happy just laughed and held her tighter by both arms. “Oh, a fighter, I like that in the bedroom,” Happy whispered into her ear as he licked the side of her face.

Alexandra’s stomach rolled with disgust. She raised her knees into her chest and pushed her feet back as hard as she could; her three inch heels made contact and the howl that escaped his mouth was beyond satisfying to Garrick. Losing his grip, Alexandra spun around and punched him square in the nose.
Garrick wanted to stop and applaud but it would have to wait; he was engaged in his own battle. Taking on the two remaining men, he had decided to put away his gun. One of the men laughed at the move and pulled out a switchblade before lunging at Garrick.

With one swift move, Garrick side-swiped the man, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back, making him drop the knife. Raising his leg, he delivered a kick directly to the last man’s chest, knocking all the air out of him before turning around and delivering a head butt to the man he was holding that should have knocked them both out cold.

Free from her predicament, Alexandra rushed back to her car and frantically searched for her cell phone.

I’m in the biggest story of the night and I can’t reach my cell phone because I have hands the damn size of Sasquatch! Damn you, Dad!

She continued to curse her father’s name until she finally fished the phone from between the console and seat.

Garrick had subdued the other men and now had Happy, blood pouring from his nose, pinned against the back of her sedan when he heard the distinctive click.


You’ve got to be kidding me. He sighed. I stop to do one good thing, he thought as he gave Happy a left hook to the temple, watching as the man crumpled at his feet.

Another click sounded, then another and another. Alexandra didn’t want to miss one shot. Leaning over to get a close up of one of the men’s faces, she jumped when Garrick grabbed her hand.
A bolt of electricity passed between them as he held her hand, wrestling the phone away. Their eyes met for a brief second before he took it from her grasp.

Purchase Links:
Fighting with Amazon at the moment, they won’t let me mark it for a pre-order. This book will be on Amazon only for now.

Author Information:

Lisa Arrington works as an Information Security Associate by day and Writer by night. Lisa attended

a local technical college and received an associate degree in Computer Networking which she put right to use. Lisa lives in Southern Arizona with her two sons and when not writing she can be found curled up on her favorite chair with Kindle in hand, reviewing books for her blog. Or chauffeuring the boys around town for basketball games or playing candy crush soda on her phone. She loves the color blue, can’t get enough cherry cheesecake ice cream or junior mints and will forever be in a power-struggle over the big screen TV with her youngest child.

Webpage: http://lisaawritesreads.com/
Email: lisaawrites@gmail.com
Twitter: @lisaawrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisaawrites/

Character Interview:
Garrick Donovan

Interviewer: Belonging to a motorcycle club (MC), I take it that you have a nickna
me the guys like to call you?
GD: {Grumbles} I got one, but they know better than to use it.

Interviewer: Oh, well, okay. What do you do for a living?
GD: I’m a soul collector
Interviewer: Not a man of many words are you?
GD: {just stares}

Interviewer: Ok. What’s your birthday?
GD: {Shrugs} Not exactly sure, they didn’t keep great records back then. If I had to guess, September 1849.

Interviewer shuffles question cards: Do you have a fear or nightmare that plagues you?
GD: {Sits up straight} As a matter of fact, I do. Recycling scares the shit out of me.
Interviewer: {puzzled} Why does recycling scare you? It’s good for the planet!
GD: {shaking his head} No, this recycling is when I die.

Interviewer wanting to get the heck of there: So is not getting recycled your most important goal?
GD: Not anymore. Protecting the woman I love is.

Title: R.O.S.E Riders of Sins Eternal
Release Date: March 11 (re-release)
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance (18+ due to language, sexual content)
Author: Lisa Ann

Tag line: Riders of Sins Eternal have only one law: Always pay your debts
Link to cover (if needed): http://lisaawritesreads.com/2016/02/04/cover-reveal-r-o-s-e/

Blurb:
Riders of Sins Eternal have only one law: Always pay your debts.

Alexandra Scott was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Striving to become a reporter in the fast paced world of journalism, she can’t believe it when she becomes the ‘breaking news’ after a night out with her best friend.

Garrick Donovan had come to terms with the deal he had made over a century ago, he had been able to get his revenge and nothing would make him regret that. While out cruising, he comes across a bunch of hoods attacking a young woman, something he can’t ignore.

Alexandra finds herself immersed in a world of dark secrets that could destroy both her and Garrick. It is now up to her to decide if what she and Garrick may have is worth the consequences or to get out while she still has time.

Add to your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28937181-r-o-s-e-riders-of-sins-eternal

Excerpt:
He hadn’t noticed that the woman was now out of the car, hunched down by her door, memorizing everything that was happening. Unfortunately, Happy had.

“Guess we’re going to get messy,” Happy answered, his voice high-pitched with nerves. Pulling her by the hair, he held her in front of him like a shield. Garrick wanted to double over laughing but kept his focus on rescuing the woman, clearing his throat instead.

Happy smiled when he mistook Garrick’s cough as nervousness. Alexandra struggled against his grip but Happy just laughed and held her tighter by both arms. “Oh, a fighter, I like that in the bedroom,” Happy whispered into her ear as he licked the side of her face.

Alexandra’s stomach rolled with disgust. She raised her knees into her chest and pushed her feet back as hard as she could; her three inch heels made contact and the howl that escaped his mouth was beyond satisfying to Garrick. Losing his grip, Alexandra spun around and punched him square in the nose.
Garrick wanted to stop and applaud but it would have to wait; he was engaged in his own battle. Taking on the two remaining men, he had decided to put away his gun. One of the men laughed at the move and pulled out a switchblade before lunging at Garrick.

With one swift move, Garrick side-swiped the man, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back, making him drop the knife. Raising his leg, he delivered a kick directly to the last man’s chest, knocking all the air out of him before turning around and delivering a head butt to the man he was holding that should have knocked them both out cold.

Free from her predicament, Alexandra rushed back to her car and frantically searched for her cell phone.

I’m in the biggest story of the night and I can’t reach my cell phone because I have hands the damn size of Sasquatch! Damn you, Dad!

She continued to curse her father’s name until she finally fished the phone from between the console and seat.

Garrick had subdued the other men and now had Happy, blood pouring from his nose, pinned against the back of her sedan when he heard the distinctive click.

You’ve got to be kidding me. He sighed. I stop to do one good thing, he thought as he gave Happy a left hook to the temple, watching as the man crumpled at his feet.

Another click sounded, then another and another. Alexandra didn’t want to miss one shot. Leaning over to get a close up of one of the men’s faces, she jumped when Garrick grabbed her hand.
A bolt of electricity passed between them as he held her hand, wrestling the phone away. Their eyes met for a brief second before he took it from her grasp.

Purchase Links:
Fighting with Amazon at the moment, they won’t let me mark it for a pre-order. This book will be on Amazon only for now.

Author Information:

Lisa Arrington works as an Information Security Associate by day and Writer by night. Lisa attended

a local technical college and received an associate degree in Computer Networking which she put right to use. Lisa lives in Southern Arizona with her two sons and when not writing she can be found curled up on her favorite chair with Kindle in hand, reviewing books for her blog. Or chauffeuring the boys around town for basketball games or playing candy crush soda on her phone. She loves the color blue, can’t get enough cherry cheesecake ice cream or junior mints and will forever be in a power-struggle over the big screen TV with her youngest child.

Webpage: http://lisaawritesreads.com/
Email: lisaawrites@gmail.com
Twitter: @lisaawrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisaawrites/

Character Interview:
Garrick Donovan

Interviewer: Belonging to a motorcycle club (MC), I take it that you have a nickna
me the guys like to call you?
GD: {Grumbles} I got one, but they know better than to use it.

Interviewer: Oh, well, okay. What do you do for a living?
GD: I’m a soul collector
Interviewer: Not a man of many words are you?
GD: {just stares}

Interviewer: Ok. What’s your birthday?
GD: {Shrugs} Not exactly sure, they didn’t keep great records back then. If I had to guess, September 1849.

Interviewer shuffles question cards: Do you have a fear or nightmare that plagues you?
GD: {Sits up straight} As a matter of fact, I do. Recycling scares the shit out of me.
Interviewer: {puzzled} Why does recycling scare you? It’s good for the planet!
GD: {shaking his head} No, this recycling is when I die.

Interviewer wanting to get the heck of there: So is not getting recycled your most important goal?
GD: Not anymore. Protecting the woman I love is.