As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Isabella White is a USA Today Bestselling author. She published her first novel Imperfect Love in 2015, which is finally available in audio now, with Secret Love following two years later. Endless Love the third and final part was published in 2018.
When she isn’t writing she is listening to audios as her time is limited and found a new way of reading books. Or she spends it with her family and pets, enjoying the journey that life takes them on.
Imperfect Love (The 4ever Series Book 1) by Isabella White ~ Genre: Contemporary Romance
Two people begrudgingly perfect for each other, creates the ideal recipe for imperfect love.
At 24 years old, Holly Scallanger has the perfect life. Everything a girl could want; a beautiful man, a stunning home, as well as being in the midst of preparing for the wedding of her dreams. This all vanishes the night she catches her fiancé, Brandon Morgan, in bed with her worst nightmare, Donna Sinclair, just a week before Holly is set to walk down the aisle.
Attempting to recover from his betrayal, Holly swears off the affections of men in order to pick up the pieces of her crumbling life. Unfortunately, meeting Jake ‘Hooligan’ Peters is not part of her plan. The tall, dark-haired and handsome as hell med student, sweeps Holly away from the pain of her past and reveals to her the bright future that lies ahead. That is, until she falls pregnant just as Jake begins his internship at P&E; his family’s hospital.
Will this love at first sight lead her to the fairytale she has always craved? Or, will she fall victim to a betrayal of the heart yet again?
Guarding a secret and playing with fire has never been a good combination.
Four years ago, Holly Scallenger embarked on the most difficult journey of her life. As if being a single parent isn’t already stressful enough, Holly also attended med-school, in hopes of helping other pregnant women in a way she wasn’t helped. But things don’t look so good as she has to embark on a new journey – a journey that would take her back to Boston, back to the man who broke her heart and discarded her and her babies.
Sworn to never fall for him again, Holy is put to the test once more when a chance encounter reunites them. Secret Love is the second novel in the 4Ever series by Isabella White
Death comes to us all, but true love conquers all?
For once, Holly Scallanger has it all. After more than her fair share of ups and downs, fate intervened and changed her life the day she bumped back into Jake Peters’ life. Now her Now her future seems brighter than ever before. She’s training at the best hospital in Zurich, she shares a love with the man of her dreams—the type of love most women only ever dream of—and her little girl has everything her heart desires. But fate has other plans. When an old acquaintance crashes back into Holly’s life causing havoc at every turn, Holly’s perfect existence falls to pieces around her. Will the couple survive the turmoil entering the lives, or will their happily ever after come to an end?
It’s the third and final part in the 4Ever series by Isabella White Make sure to watch out for the What If novellas, alternative endings and stories happening in the 4Ever series.
Would you like a chance to win a SWAG PACK? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
How I handle being a parent and a writer?
LOL…LOL….LOL
That is how I start with this post. Let me tell you how I found this topic and why I chose this one to write about. I suck at finding topics, and the internet is seriously my BFF when it comes to finding new things.
When I saw this topic, I really laughed so much. Maybe I’m just overtired, but I decided to actually do a post about this.
In my whisper voice, I still struggle to handle this one. HELP PLEASE, my kids will end up on a psychiatrist couch and complain about her mother, who writes and works all day long, if I do not find a way to balance this one soon.
I promise I’m not a bad mother. I’m a mother who thinks quality time is better than quantity, but I really do struggle to handle this one.
We all have those deadlines, and with multiple pen names, the workload doubles like mad.
I feel so sorry for my babies at times, and I actually have substitutes to fill in for me, take them on adventures and see the outside world. Plus, I have an amazing husband who basically became a full-time dad and runs my finances as I suck at it. So at least they have one parent present in their everyday life, right?
I can’t tell you guys how bad I feel that sometimes I literally can’t spend time with my kids because of deadlines. But I do make times before bed to ensure that we get that quality time, over the weekends to watch a movie, and take at least a week off every three months to go on holiday if COVID allows it.
Any help to balance this, please, please, leave it in the comment section as I feel so bad when it comes to my girls. So bad…
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.)
The Odd and the Strange: A Collection of Very Short Fiction by Harvey Havel ~ Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Surrealist, Fabulist
A Collection of Very Short Fiction from a variety of genres, including but not limited to horror, science fiction, politics, and the surreal. These celebrated very short stories have been collected over a number of years and have been published in a variety of online e-zines and posted on various websites.
THE ODD AND THE STRANGE by Harvey Havel is a collection of urban tales that toe the line of reality.
The subtitle of Harvey Havel’s THE ODD AND THE STRANGE is A Collection of Very Short Fiction. A better one would be A Very Long Book of Normal-Sized Short Fiction. There are 89 stories in all, most 5-10 pages long (though a few stretch to nearly twenty), with unassuming titles like “Visitation,” “Girlfriend,” and “Daughter.” Though set in the real world, the stories tease reality with nameless characters–the candidate, the doctor, the Big Man–and fantastical occurrences, similar to the parables of Jorge Luis Borges (Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator, and a key figure in Spanish language literature).
Being a librarian, I was eager to read the story “The Librarian.” A young male librarian–unnamed, naturally–looks into a mirror in his office and sees not his reflection but a woman with “walnut hair luxuriously long and her skin as supple as a young girl’s.” He has seen her many times, and though the two cannot touch, they can talk. What do they talk about? The books he steals from the library and passes into the mirror for her to read. Eventually, his boss confronts the librarian over the missing books only to be told that the latter he gave them to his mirror-world girlfriend. To prove this claim, the librarian tries to summon the woman, and when she doesn’t appear, the librarian smashes the mirror. You can imagine the rest.
Some stories are less Borges and more Stephen Crane (author of The Red Badge of Courage): bleak, violent. Like “Lightning Love,” narrated by a wife whose husband changes into . . . something (the twist at the end is brilliant). Others are political fables, like “Santa Claus and Madam Secretary,” which makes Havel’s proclivities as clear as the image on a 98-inch TV. His style can be clunky–one woman’s breasts are described as “shaped like a queen’s”–and some endings are telegraphed. A few stories, like “Sex Toy,” are more like story fragments. Yet THE ODD AND THE STRANGE is quite an accomplishment: unusual, provocative, and honest.
Mixing the fabulism of Jorge Luis Borges with the bleakness of Stephen Crane, the tales contained in Harvey Havel’s THE ODD AND THE STRANGE draw the reader into a world they won’t soon forget.
~Anthony Aycock for IndieReader
**Get this book at 50% off at Smashwords and check out Harvey’s other books – a lot of them are FREE or on sale at Smashwords too!**
Would you like a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift cardor an ebook of your choice from the author (1 winner each)? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Harvey Havel is a short-story writer and novelist.
His first novel, Noble McCloud, A Novel, was published in November of 1999. His second novel, The Imam, A Novel, was published in 2000.
Over the years of being a professional writer, Havel published his third novel, Freedom of Association. He worked on several other books and published his eighth novel, Charlie Zero’s Last-Ditch Attempt, and his ninth, The Orphan of Mecca, Book One, which was released several years ago. A full trilogy of this work had been completed a few years after Mr. Big is about a Black-American football player who deals with injury and institutionalized racism. This book was published in 2017. It’s his fifteenth book.
The Wild Gypsy of Arbor Hill is his sixteenth book, and his seventeenth is a non-fiction political essay about America’s current political crisis, written in 2019. He has just now published his eighteenth book, The Odd and The Strange: A Collection of Very Short Fiction. Havel is formerly a writing instructor at Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey. He also taught writing and literature at the College of St. Rose in Albany as well as SUNY Albany.
Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I went to a tiny college in Hartford, Connecticut. In my sophomore year, I joined a fraternity. In my senior year, there was a fraternity brother of mine named Jason Morfoot who told me this story about a group of guys who wrote poetry and literature all the time, smoked a lot of pot, dropped a lot of acid, and drove around in a psychedelic-painted bus with the Grateful Dead.
Once I heard this story, I asked Jason to tell it to me over and over again, probably to his chagrin. I was so charmed by what the Beats did way back when that I said to myself, ‘Gee, maybe this writing thing is for me.’ Of course, it never turned out the way it turned out for them, but I never would have gone into writing had Jason not told me about the Beat Generation. At the time, it sounded like they lived a fairy-tale life. Perhaps they did.
Where were you born/grew up at?
I was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1971. I immigrated to the United States when I was just a newborn. My family first moved to Buffalo, New York, and over the years, we found ourselves in New York City by the mid-1970s. Back then, New York City was in dire straits – high crime, intense poverty, drugs, etc. I still can’t believe how my mother got through it all, living in the toughest neighborhood in the city at the time, which was then known as Alphabet City, or what is currently known as the Lower East Side. God must have been with her the entire time. I am really amazed at how she persevered. She was incredible woman, even though our relationship was not.
What inspired you to write this book?
Interestingly enough, these stories were somehow stored on my computer for several years before I accidently found them in a hidden file on my hard drive. I discovered nearly ninety short stories that I forgotten I had ever written. It turns out that nearly seven or eight years ago, the poet, John Allen of Albany, New York, had asked me to submit stories for his website, The New Surrealist Institute, which is now defunct. This site had really been thriving, and a core group of authors had submitted avidly to it. It was also quite popular with many readers. When the website went offline, I had simply forgotten about the stories. When I found them, I just knew I had to compile them into a book.
I wouldn’t say that anything in particular inspired me to write these stories, though. The ideas came to me out of nowhere, which is why it took a lot of effort to construct them. Some of the political stories were inspired by the 2016 elections, for instance. There’s a science fiction story that is more a personal response to my past relationships with friends who have now grown up to do amazing things with their lives. A couple stories are tributes to old friends of mine who had passed on: a painter friend of mine who had committed suicide in the 1990s and also a Black-American bluegrass musician who had recently passed away a couple of years ago. But I can’t say exactly how I got the ideas for them, which is strange. They are very diverse and, I hope, fun to read.
What can we expect from you in the future?
Right now, I am working on a book about September 11, 2001, when the Word Trade Center in New York was hit by a terrorist attack. I haven’t been working on the project consistently as of late, though, but I hope to have it done in a couple of years. Sometimes, life gets in the way of writing every day, which is something I made sure to do. But I really do want the September 11th book to be my finest publication, so it is always on my mind, and when I am working on it, I am working really hard.
Who designed your book covers?
I have to do everything on the cheap, as I have self-published for a long time. I usually find ready-made covers on the web, purchase them, and use them for my book covers. I use a site called www.selfpubbookcovers.com. There’s a guy named Rob there who runs the show, and he has always been very responsive and helpful. He has hundreds of covers to choose from. Hiring designers for the job is just way too expensive for me. Ready-made covers from great designers are a great way to package my books.
Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Never give up! Never give up! Never give up!
How long have you been writing?
I have been a professional writer for nearly 30 years without much success. While I have published 18 books, it seems that it is hard to attract the public to read them. I am definitely not able to make a living off of any of these books. Instead, I have a fixed income every month from a variety of sources, including Social Security Disability, that has sustained me for all of these years. While I am very happy to see all of my peers succeed and do very well in life, it has been equally as difficult to remain within the same income bracket for so long. But then again, if you are concerned about the money, writing is definitely not the right career path to choose, or so is my experience.
Lately, I have been taking it easier. I hope to continue writing for the rest of my years, but I do admit that I am a bit tired of always being broke and pinching pennies all the time. That is the hard part. But somehow, I have made it through, and my books are all out there, should anyone find them.
What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?
I invest a lot in the research process. After a general story idea comes to mind, I refine that idea into a plot outline. Once that is done, I target those parts of the plot that I know nothing of.
For instance, I wrote a book about football. While I had known about football from playing it in my youth, I needed to investigate how professional players practice, not generally, but specifically. So, with that example in mind, I had to go to the library, or surf the internet, to find books that detailed the drills that professional coaches used in their practices. I took this information and then put them on notecards. Then, I added this information to the plot outline and created a chapter-by-chapter outline with the research included in every respective chapter. That’s how it has worked for me thus far.
Also, I find it extremely important to include a bibliography at the back of the book, should I use research. That way, the writing is based not only on my imagination, but also cold, hard facts. One should always cite one’s sources anyway. Plus, I have found it really fun doing the research. It’s incredible how much I have learned about a variety of subjects over the years. When writing historical fiction especially, research is always key.
What do you think about the current publishing market?
Not much. But then again, I haven’t read much of what is out there.
Pen or type writer or computer?
I usually hand-write a manuscript, revise it on paper, and then I type it into the computer, constantly revising it. I then print out the manuscript and revise it again. But I usually do this chapter-by-chapter, not the entire manuscript at once. I find it easier to break it down into manageable parts.
I used to hand-write it and then use a typewriter, but luckily for everyone, the personal computer came along.
Advice they would give new authors?
Definitely do not put all of your eggs in the one basket of writing. If you are going to write or edit for a job, or work as a journalist for a decent salary, that’s fine. But please do not make the same mistake I had made by banking it all on writing fiction novels at an early age. Even though I have developed as a writer through hardship, I don’t think it was really all that worth it.
If I had to do it all over again, I would have chosen a career with a good salary, so that I could have afforded a good car, attracted a nice girlfriend, afforded a simple house, and did what most of my peers have done, or at least developed how most people are portrayed in the media of today. I wouldn’t have had such a cavalier ‘all or none’ attitude about a becoming a writer.
Betting it all on the one hand and winning at it is the stuff of dreams and fantasy and not reality. I am definitely not saying that it won’t happen, though, because a new author definitely could hit the big time with a book or a number of books. But if you find yourself broke and on the street in the freezing cold, as I have witnessed in every city I have lived in, you should really stop and reassess where you are heading. In my opinion, it is not possible to write under conditions of abject poverty for too long. Better to get a roof over your head before writing that next line.
Meet author Valerie Evans; Valerie is a modern fantasy addict living in Georgia. She finally took the plunge, after 7 years, to self-publish her debut novel! In her free time, she likes to read all genres with a focus on fantasy, entertain her very clingy dog, and collect Funko POPS bobbleheads and journals!
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.)
OF SPELLS AND FUR – As the only known survivor of a horrific massacre years earlier, Molly Hastings has rebuilt her life as a dedicated member of the Anberlin sentries. It’s her job to protect and police the supernatural citizens who call the town home, but the discovery of several bodies has put everyone on edge with no suspect in sight.
Further complicating matters are a call from the home she left behind and the sudden arrival of a werewolf motorcycle club with ties to her past. An unexpected ally is found in Parker Hayes, a hunter facing down his own demons and searching for a future not based in bloodshed, who inspires feelings she hasn’t felt in years.
Amidst the clash between her past and present, Molly finds herself questioning everything she knows about not only those she’s meant to protect but the Sentries themselves. Could everything she’s been taught be a lie, and if it is, can she protect those she cares about?
Although this story takes place in the Anberlin world of my first trilogy, it can be read as a stand-alone novel.
Follow her on Social Media here:
Valerie Evans (@thevalerieevansauthor) • Instagram photos and videos
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Discover A Scorching New World Of Immortals In Lasasha Flame’s Tale Captive Of A Dark Prince! A Short Story In The Dark Immortal Flames Series.
Tiffany’s Life Is Turned Upside Down When She Is Abducted By A Dark Fae, Who Plans To Hand Her Over To A Sadistic King, Set On Making Her His New Queen. Rationally, She Knows She Should Hate Her Captor, But Her Heart And Body Long For His Touch.
Keanu Thought His Life Was Torture Being Enslaved To King Nimru, A Sadistic Fae King. After Meeting Tiffany, His Fated Mate, He Soon Realizes What He Has Endured Is Nothing Compared To Being Forced To Give Up His Mate To A Hellish Existence Or Sacrifice His People To Keep Her. Rationally, She Is Just One Life For Millions Of Innocents To Live, But Every Second In Her Presence Forces Him To Realize He Can’t Live Without Her.
Keanu Makes A High Stakes Gamble To Risk It All For Love And His People, But Will Odds Land In His Favor Or Will Everyone He Loves Pay The Ultimate Price For His Selfish Desires?
If You Enjoy Paranormal And Fantasy Romances With Dark Fae, Dangerous Males, Strong Female Characters, Explicit Language, Hot Sex Scenes, And Enemies To Lovers This Is The Book For You! Can Be Read As A Standalone But Be On The Look Out For The Main Series.
Would you like a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
My Name Is LaSasha Flame. I Am A Young Author From Chicago, Hoping To Bring Some New Heat And Sizzle To The Romance Genre.
My Favorite Genres Are Paranormal And Dark Romance. I Love Reading A Good Book But I’m So Busy In Life That I Only Gets To Enjoy Audiobooks. It’s The Only Way I Can Get Lost In A Good Book Nowadays. And You Know What? I Half Prefer An Audiobook Over Print Any Day! I Have A Long Standing Membership At Audible And I Plan To Publish Audio Books For Busy Bookworms Like Myself! Yay!
My Love Of Writing Started When A Friend Of Mine Encouraged Me To Write A Short Story And Just See What Happens. Turns Out I Had A Knack For Writing Because Everyone Loved My Short Stories. From Then On I’ve Worked On Improving My Craft. Growing From Flash Fiction To Novels.
I Would Like To Introduce The Series I Have Been Working On. I Am Basically Writing Thirteen Books At Once. Claimed Is The First Installment Of My Dark Immortal Flames Series!
And Not Only Do I Have The Main Series In The Works But I Will Be Releasing Mini A Series And Several Short Stories That Take Place Within The Same Multiverse Of The Main Dark Immortal Flames Series.
I Am Really Looking Forward To Sharing Some Of The Twisty Goodness I Have Planned!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Anzel Spectrus has been alone as long as he can remember. So long so that he has convinced himself he prefers it that way. At least until he discovers what it’s like to have others in his life.
Mongo the minotaur usually spends his time trying to bully Anzel, until one day he asks for Anzel’s help out of desperation. Mongo’s request leads to Anzel meeting Brucie, who tells him that his aura is the color of a powerful being that seemingly no longer exists outside of a children’s bedtime story that Anzel has never heard. The three set out together in search of answers in an attempt to either prove or debunk the details of that bedtime story, and to hopefully find an answer to who Anzel really is.
The question remains, who – or what – is Anzel Spectrus?
Rachel A Olson resides in rural Northwestern Nebraska, along with her husband, three children, two cats, and a yellow lab. She is a bit of a workaholic with a full-time day job, working as a freelance graphic designer and formatter in her spare time, as well as squeezing in her writing. Rachel is also passionate about her faith and stays involved in her church as much as she can. She enjoys the quiet outdoors, loves to travel, and often craves spicy foods. She considers herself to be a helper by nature and wants nothing more than to see other artists succeed in the areas they are most passionate about.
Meet author Starr Z. Davies; while pursuing her Creative Writing degree, Starr gained a reputation as the “Character Assassin” because she had a habit of utterly destroying her characters emotionally and physically.
ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF ORDINARY BY STARR DAVIES BY COMMENTING BELOW!!!
Check out STARR’s books below!
(Click on the image to order your copy)
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.)
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Texas Ranger Noah Morgan has his life together—with a great job and the girl of his dreams. Too bad it’s all based on a lie. A single phone call threatens to bring it all crashing down. After an irate citizen complains shoddy workmanship has left him with a booby-trapped driveway, and the local sheriff’s office is too busy to respond, Noah takes the call. The investigation of local scam artists uncovers a human trafficking ring. Noah fights to avoid being swept back into the sights of his murderous family—people he escaped at the age of seventeen.
Can he keep his past a secret or will his carefully crafted life come to a violent end?
A sixth-generation Texan with Scottish roots, Glenda Thompson can ‘bless your heart’ with the best of them. As a former emergency medical technician married to a south Texas Lawman, she’s used insider information from both their careers as inspiration to build her Broken world of Texas Rangers with hidden pasts and dark secrets. When she’s not busy embarrassing her children or grandchildren by dancing in the middle of a country road during a rainstorm, she can be found huddled in her writing cave with her law enforcement technical adviser/husband working on another story in her Broken universe.
Would you like a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
What kind of world ruler would you be?
Oooh, great question. What kind of world ruler would I be? I like to believe I would be a gracious, magnanimous ruler but my kids would tell you I’m more like a benevolent dictator. I believe people should have free will and be able to make their own decisions. However, I also believe that all actions have consequences. My dad used to say we could do whatever we wanted when we visited him, no matter what it was. He followed that proclamation with the statement that we also had to accept the consequences of our actions… no matter what.
What are you passionate about these days?
So many things…autism research, cancer research, family. Our youngest grandson is on the spectrum. I never realized what was meant by a spectrum disorder until I experienced first-hand. Autism is such an all-encompassing diagnosis. No two people with autism are the same.
Darlin’ and I were hit with hard news on November 5th this year. Good ole 2020, right? He was diagnosed with a very rare, very aggressive form of bladder cancer. So rare that only one to nine people out of a million have it and there is no standardized treatment for it. We’ve gone from celebrating his winning his election to being plunged into an overwhelming world of curious doctors, round after round of chemotherapy and radiation. But it’s okay. We have faith and I firmly believe in miracles.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
Play with the Grands, read, physically make things, walk the beach with Darlin’, drive fast, and mow the lawn with a push mower.
How to find time to write as a parent?
I’m an empty nester now but when the kids were young, I would carve out time to write when they were sleeping or on my lunch hour from work. As they grew up and became active in sports and other school activities, I learned I could write while sitting in my vehicle waiting for the bus to bring them back from wherever they went. Track meets were the best. My daughter and son both ran the mile and the two mile. Any parent with kids in track knows the two mile race is the first of the day and the mile is the next to last race of the day. I could write all day long sitting in the bleachers between the kiddos races. It was great.
Mel Gibson’s We Were Soldiers is my favorite movie. I love Sam Elliott and Madelaine Stowe. The movie shows both sides of the war…the soldiers and the family waiting at home.
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
Broken Toys would make a great action film. It has shooting, romance, an explosion, and lots of unexpected twists and turns.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
The wolf, definitely. Wolves are solitary creatures, but they are also pack animals. They symbolize guardianship, loyalty, ritual, and spirit. They make quick and firm emotional attachments and teach us to trust our hearts and minds.
If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?
I would love to spend time with Rochelle and try to undo the damage her father and his wretch of a wife have done. We would spend the day in nature, preferably near living water, just unwinding and talking or sitting in silence soaking up peace.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
My characters are a combination of people I know, stories I hear, and the phantoms who live in my brain. Most of them are a compilation of many people.
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
A little of both.
Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.
Broken Toys is a bumpy ride down a twisty country road full of surprises. It’s compelling fiction with real emotions. It shines a light into the darkness of human trafficking and teaches readers without preaching that it’s important to be yourself, to love yourself, especially if you want others to love you, too. (Can you tell marketing/sales is NOT my thing?)
If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?
Sunshine and gunpowder
What did you edit out of this book?
Three complete points-of-view. It was hard at first but I think it made the remaining POV characters so much stronger, deeper.
Is there any writer which brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
Oh boy, is there. Several as a matter of fact including James Patterson, John Sandford, JD Robb aka Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz, and Janet Evanovich. I love each of their styles and have tried to take bits and pieces of each of their writing flavors and blended them into a new flavor all my own.
Meet Danielle Orsino, author of Birth of Fae: Locked Out of Heaven. Her book delves into the realm of fairies and retells their origins from a completely new perspective.
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.)
Ride on the backs of fire breathing dragons with the Dark Fae and watch the Light Fae play in the shadows of primitive humanity as they build their magical world. Abandoned by their creator, two factions of powerful angels remain on earth after the Great War with Lucifer. They struggle to comprehend their Creator’s plan while their angel wings, a symbol of their angelic lineage, slowly and painfully decay. With no hope of returning to the Shining Kingdom, two groups of angels denounce their angelic lineage and develop into separate factions – the Court of Light, led by Queen Aurora, a former Virtue Angel, and the Court of Dark, ruled by King Jarvok, a former Power Brigade Angel. The two monarchs have opposing views on how to govern their kin, but the one belief they agree on is that human worship equals power.
Birth of the Fae: Locked Out of Heaven is an epic fantasy adventure of heartbreak, rebirth, and hope that examines the bonds of family, friendship, and love. It is a fantastic tale of good vs evil in a beautiful world, where the Light Fae and their potent elemental magick are tested by the raw power of the dragon riding Dark Fae warriors.
Today I would like to welcome Eugenia Fain, author of The Winter Years, to my website.
Eugenia Fain is a seasoned author with over forty years of experience in writing. She enjoys nature, animals, beaches, jazz and classical music. She also enjoys painting and coffee houses. Eugenia is a preschool teacher. She has also served as a private tutor. Eugenia regularly works with children at school and church. She is a songwriter on Amazon and Spotify. Eugenia participates in several writer’s groups. She does reviews in print and by video for all genres of books. Eugenia enjoys sharing her craft with others at books signings, and poetry readings here and across the country. Eugenia is also a listener for audio books for the blind and dyslexic doing quality control. She lives with her husband, Ivan, and tabby cat, Buddy in South Carolina. She has no children of her own. Check her out, and enjoy!
The Winter Years of the gray-headed are a time to laugh and cry. Readers will do both while seeing their own reflection from each poem. Learn the different types of poetry as you relate to life; no matter your age. Discover these types of poetry: Lento, Tanka, Triolet, Senryu, Monorhyme, Cinquain, Lento, anka, Triolet, Senryu, Monorhyme, and Cinquain.
Do you have any hobbies, other than writing? What do you enjoy doing?
I love reading. I like reviewing other authors. I enjoy strolls along the beach. And coffee houses are among my favorite hangouts. I enjoy listening to jazz and classical music. Painting is a past time.
What or who inspired you to start writing and how long have you been writing? I have been writing for over forty years. I am inspired by great British literature.
What was your dream growing up? Did you achieve that dream? If so, in what ways was it not what you expected? If you never achieved the dream, why not?
I have dreamed of writing since I was eight years old. I told my high school English teacher at fifteen that I would become a writer. I have begun to realize my dream, but I want to grow in my craft.
What is your favorite book genre at the moment?
A favorite genre of mine is Romance.
Have you ever read a book more than once, if so which one? Flowers For Algernon is a book I enjoyed during high school. I re-read it as an adult too.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is letting life pass me by.
Which do you prefer, eBooks, paper backs, hard covers or audiobooks?
I like all types of books. I like soft cover, hard cover, eBooks and audiobooks. I download eBooks and audiobooks onto my phone to entertain myself. So, I guess I have gotten away from physical books during the pandemic while the library was closed.
What is the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
The best advice I have been given is to advertise and network with other authors. They have helped me with critiques, reviews, and publishing. It’s good to have friends.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing?
The best advice I have for new writers is to try different styles of writing. Keep reading. You have to find your own voice and you can grow. Don’t be disheartened if success doesn’t come overnight.
What is next for your readers?
My latest book is being edited now. It’s hot off the press. It is called Written in Stone. It is another work filled with poems that have different forms and various topics. I hope it will be immortal.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
S. Courtney is new to the published writing community but has been a lifelong writer and began creatively writing in junior high. She is the author of the werewolf romance series, The Bound Series.
Would you like a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card, or your choice of either Bound to You or Bound by Destiny and an essential oil fragrance? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Bound To You (The Bound Series Book 1) by S. Courtney ~ Genre: Paranormal Romance
Kamari Lee was just a small hometown artist with an obsession with drawing wolves… She doesn’t know why she is obsessed but she is, she feels a love and attachment she just can’t describe. Her studio is popular among the residents but she refuses to sell any pertaining to her muse until one day a man walks in…
Kayden Miller is the Alpha leader of the Cheshire pack, he finds solace in drawing his mate, or features of her. He hasn’t found her but he draws what he sees in his dreams and fantasies.
When he runs out of supplies in the middle of an intense session, frustrated, he decides to go into town to get them himself. It’s when he finds her shop, he sees her painstakingly painting her white wolf, but wait…
This sparks a story for the ages because NOTHING about her is normal.
Bound By Destiny (The Bound Series Book 2) by S. Courtney ~ Genre: Paranormal Romance
In the second installment of the Bound Series, we meet Kayari and Kamden Miller, twins of Alpha Kayden and Luna/Violet Legacy Princess Kamari Lee-Miller. Once Kayd & Kam retire from their roles as Alpha & Luna of the Cheshire pack it’s the kids turn and with that dad drops the bombshell…they will share the Alpha role. But how do twins SHARE the Alpha title? How do they choose their Beta or Betas? What if one finds their mate before the other? All those questions to answer and still protect the pack and themselves, oh and don’t forget about LOVE. It’s quite the adventure to be a Miller heir.
Unapologetically Nessa (The Bound Series Book 3) by S. Courtney ~ Genre: Paranormal Romance
In the quiet town of Lovenshire, nestled in the deep forest is the almighty Cheshire Pack and among their members we meet Vanessa Vanderbilt, a spitfire who lives everyday like it’s her last and for a single girl fated to a mate, it’s only a matter of time before he comes for her. Outfitted with an out of control wolf with an unfiltered mouth and a hot tempered witch, they protect her while trying to live carefree. If it were her choice she’d party forever but she’s starting to feel the undeniable pull towards everlasting love and her trysts weren’t satisfying anymore. She could blame her love sick best friend for rubbing off on her but her fate was sealed by the Moon Goddess long ago. Until the tie comes, it’s going to be stiletto heels, endless drinks, loud music, and wild times! Her mate better be ready to tame the wild girl within!
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination? I believe my main female characters are versions of myself, the exception is Unapologetically Nessa in which she is my character’s best friend and so Nessa is based off of my best friend. Of course I had her read the story for approval and I came to her for advice on particular parts.
If your book had a candle, what scent would it be? Ironically I created essential oils blends based on all my book characters and I sell them in my shop, I Smell a Story, on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ISmellAStory
Since Nessa is a spitfire and wild child her candle would be cinnamon scented. Sweet and spicy, bold and would fill the house with the fragrance before it was even lit.
How long on average does it take you to write a book? Typically I would say a month or two but with this year being the way it is, it has given me more available time to write and edit stories and get feedback from my Beta readers. I would say it can be a month if I really buckle down and concentrate on a story.
Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time? I am a multiple story writer, all the way. I know it sounds crazy to some people but my method is when I get stuck on one story I move to the next until I can work out the problem. At one time I was writing four stories at once and it worked for me, I would cycle through them until one story really needed my attention. One of the main reasons I had a few stories completed before I even published my first book. I have stories currently ready now but sometimes other story ideas “cut the line” and move to the front.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex? I don’t always want my male characters to be macho, arrogant jerks. I wanted them to be masculine and have some emotions. I read a lot of stories where the men were loud, arrogant, abusive, and promiscuous and the female would be weak and powerless and would let him talk down to her and wouldn’t be upset to see him with another woman. I would run into this reading story after story and I finally said no, this is not how I would handle this and this isn’t how my male character would act. The most difficult part is to balance strong and powerful with emotional availability.
Do you believe in writer’s block? Absolutely! Going through the worst bout right now with #4 of this series, which will involve a character who shows up in Nessa’s book. I have written the story twice, the first time had 28 chapters and this second time 5 chapters written but it’s just not flowing like I’d like. I know the ending but the beginning is surprisingly the most difficult right now. I have put it to the side and am working on another story that’s already written until my main character starts talking again. Yes, my characters do talk to me. I’m just the writer of their story.
How did you come up with the title of your first novel? Bound to You came from the movie with Christina Aguilera and also the ballad she sang in the movie. That song became the soundtrack to their story. It also emphasizes being “bound” to someone by love and a powerful bond between a werewolf and their mate.
Where did you come up with the names in the story? Usually it’s off the top of my head but I also have a list in my notes of names because most of the time my names are not common names. A lot of times I give them strong names and they embody their name and it reflect their character and their attitude. I don’t think their are no weak names but for my characters I want their name to be unique to them.
What can we expect from you in the future? As stated earlier I have a lot of stories and ideas readily available. I just released my first MC (motorcycle club) on December 1st which is my birthday, named the Black Aces MC. I would like to finish up the Bound Series with the last two books but writer’s block. So I am currently working on a Coffee romance, I also have a mafia style romance, and a friends to lovers romance that deals with tough issues such as abuse, infertility and surrogacy.
Those stories are either complete or need just a bit of work. I also have ideas on character stories for the Aces and a story based on just a book cover, that will be my challenge because it’s also a darker genre. I’m excited to give it a chance!
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie? Ooh that’s an interesting question. Hmmm I would say the Black Aces because who doesn’t love bad boy bikers? Especially one who is against all aspects of love but fate deals him a funny hand when he becomes a hero to a down-on-her-luck bartender who stupidly followed love and ended up in the middle of nowhere New Mexico. I would love to see this as a movie especially with the many plot twists in the story.
Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author? Of course! My pen name is S Courtney but I go by Kia, it’s just easier. I am a romance writer who loves a happy ever after but I am looking to branch away from that and explore other options. I love to read as well, my TBR list is probably a mipe long and I love supporting my fellow Indie writers. I consider having a very solid support system in my circle and they keep me motivated. I having been writing since junior high school, I’ve always loved to tell a story. I restarted my passion two years ago on Wattpad just wanting feedback from people. When Bound to You hit 10k reads on the site, a friend said, “You should really consider publishing it.” And so I did and here we are, my first year of publishing and four books completed. I’m shocked and proud at the same time. I look forward to the future!
Nina Soden 