Interview with novelist J.M. Anton

Today’s guest is novelist Jackie Anton. Reviews and Interviews is just one stop in Jackie’s virtual book tour for her novel Fateful Waters.

Jackie is going to be giving away a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card at the end of her tour to a lucky commentor. So if you'd like to be entered for a chance to win, make sure to leave an e-mail address with a comment below.

And if you'd like more chances to win, visit her other blog tour stops and leave comments there.

Welcome, Jackie. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

As an accomplished equestrian with a lifetime of experience: as trainer, exhibitor, 4-H and youth club coach, as well as a horse show judge, I am able bring many years of experience working with horses and young riders to my “Backyard Horse Tales.” Traveling extensively has given me many opportunities to research life in other parts on the country, and get to know their residents.

Please tell us about your current release.

Fateful Waters was my NaNoWriMo 2011 winning competition novel. This writing challenge is sponsored by the Office of Letters and Light. The characters took hold of their direction and after the word count of 50,000 words was reached I had to rein them in. Almost a year later the novel came out in print.

Follow Melinda Potter and Alexandra Parker, across the country, as the friends travel from their home on the shores of Lake Erie to the drought-stricken state of Texas. After graduation from The Ohio State University, Melinda has a date with an online Romeo. Lexie, who is supposed exert a moderating influence on her impulsive friend, winds up in a hospital where she wakes to everyone calling her Mrs. Ross. She doesn’t have a clue how she got there, or who Mr. Ross is.

What inspired you to write this book?

Our family lived in the Texas Panhandle when I was still in elementary school. We still have family there struggling through the draught. That and the current online dating trend sparked the idea of sending two Ohio raised college grads to Texas to meet with an online match.

Excerpt:

“Are you in a hurry to be hamburger? I could have run you over in this blinding rain! Now, look, you’ve killed Mel’s Cadillac.” The beast wouldn’t move out of the road. Pushing on its rump didn’t accomplish anything, nor did smacking it on the hip. That little bout of temper left her with a stinging hand.

The white face was halter-less—it’s not a horse, she reminded herself—and she didn’t have a rope or even a belt. Now nearly knee-deep in slop, she stood there, hands on her hips, glaring at the cow. While she was assessing the situation, the cow let out a bellow. A small echo bounced back from a few feet away. Lexie spotted a small calf stuck in the mud. All that was visible was the head and a small portion of its back. The little one was sinking in a run-off of muck that had flowed from the slightly higher terrain behind it.

She removed her navy jacket that had matched her now trashed slacks. Lexie waded closer to the calf, hoping she didn’t sink along with it. Keeping a wary eye on its watchful mother, she slipped the jacket around the calf’s neck and gave a tug. She managed to raise its head a little higher, but it was stuck and could not get any traction to assist in its rescue attempt. Giving a little stronger tug she lost her own traction. She was sitting on her butt in the mud, propping up the small creature’s head when the ghost riders just appeared from out of the storm.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am again trying my hand at the writing challenge. My 2012 entry involves a young woman who lost her family and at a young age goes to live with her maternal Grandmother. She finds out that she is an heiress via mail from a Denver law office. Casey discovers that she was not an orphan and sets out to find out why she was abandoned.

Writing life: My writing life is pretty diverse; I author adult romance and adventure novels under the pen of J.M. Anton. As Jackie Anton I author the popular Backyard Horse Tale series. Backyard Horse Tales: Sox 2^nd Edition was awarded the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award of Excellence for Family- Friendly Media. Based on reviews, I have high hopes for Fateful Waters as an entry in 2013 writing competitions.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

It’s only been recently that I was willing to call myself a writer, and now an author. I think my first short stories were written in junior high, and have developed from there.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like?

Some days inspiration takes a holiday. On those occasions I turn to editing, and usually that will usually get the creative juices flowing.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Usually I have several projects going at a time. If one group of characters won’t cooperate, I work with the group willing talk to me on that day.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

As a young child I wanted to be a cowboy! How does that country song go? I wanted to ride with Gene and Roy.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

For fun I usually ride my horse. I love to read, bake, and sketch or paint. I love to hear from readers. They can contact me at talesbyjackie@yahoo.com. I try to answer all fan e-mail.

Also, there’s a 10% discount through my book’s website, and also through the “Backyard Horse Tales” website. The discount code to use at checkout for each is 1DepCart0.

Thanks, J.M. Readers, don't forget about a chance to win a $25 B&N gift card. Leave an e-mail address with a comment below so you can be contacted if you win.

Interview with non-fiction writer Rochelle Melander

Today's guest is Rochelle Melander. She has a book for people who want to get a book written and is stopping here as one of several virtual book tour stops with VBT Cafe.

Readers: Rochelle is offering a print copy of Write-A-Thon to a lucky commentor at each of her tour stops, so comment here and at other blogs she stops at to increase your chances of winning.

Bio:
Rochelle Melander is the CEO of Write Now! Coach, a writing, editing, and coaching practice that she founded in 2001. Her 10th book, Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (and Live to Tell About It) released in October 2011.

As the Write Now! Coach, Melander coaches professionals, executives, writers, business owners, and aspiring authors. Write Now! Coach Rochelle Melander values the power of writing to change the lives of writers and readers. She teaches aspiring authors how to make time to write, shape their ideas into a book or product, sell their work, and navigate social media.

Write Now! Coach evolved from Ms. Melander’s related careers as an author, feature writer, copywriter, editor and coach. Rochelle writes a popular Ezine, Write Now! Weekly Writing Tips, blogs regularly, and hosts the Write Now! Mastermind Class.

She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her husband, the writer Harold Eppley, and their two children.

Please tell us about your current release.
Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It) is designed to be a complete guide to writing a fiction or nonfiction book fast. Write-A-Thon is different from other books in several ways:

*Write-A-Thon presents a complete system for training for and writing a book in 26-days.
*The book is about HOW to write. It’s not written just for people who are already writers (thought it can help them, too). It’s written for the ordinary person who wants to write a book but does not know how.
*The book is packed full of tools and ideas for getting writing done. No more excuses!
*Write-A-Thon includes information specifically designed for two groups of writers: those who want to plot and write a novel and those who want to research and write a nonfiction book.
*The book is easy to use and follow. I recognize that people who pick up a book on writing want a tool they can access quickly. For that reason, Write-A-Thon is divided into short chapters.

What inspired you to write this book?
I have always liked marathon-style writing. I do best when I can focus intensely on one project for a few weeks at a time. I meet a lot of people who want to write a book but never seem to get around to it. I wrote Write-A-Thon for people who want to write a book, but don’t know how to write a book, manage their crazy schedules, or finish a project. I wrote to help these writers overcome their excuses and doubts and finish their book projects.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am revising last year’s NaNo project, a series of chapter books for young people. Last year I wrote two and a half of those books. I am thinking about writing a few more for this year’s NaNo project. I love the characters I created for that project, so I am looking forward to getting back to them.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve been writing for many years—since I was a kid. In the early days of my career, I wrote a lot of books and articles with my husband. In 2000, when I started attending coaching school, I also began writing a monthly ezine. Even though I had already published books, the regular discipline of writing that ezine helped me to define myself as a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I do not write full time. I am a certified professional coach, so I also see coaching clients and lead coaching groups. In addition, I also edit a periodical and books for individual clients. I’m fortunate in that I am able to do all of my work on my own schedule, so I can write first thing, when I am best able to write. I do my client work later in the day.

On a typical day, I get up early, and read something inspiring while I eat. I work a bit on writing before my kids get up. During the summer, I walk the dogs and then come back and write. During the school year, I take my daughter to school, go to the Y to work out, and come home and write. I take a break around 11 AM to eat lunch. After lunch, I check email, Facebook, and Twitter. I spend the afternoon working with clients. I do have a few days when I see clients in the morning. On those days, I try to get up early to get in my writing time. At the end of the day, I check in with email and social media again. On a good day, I am out of my home office by 5 and ready to hang out with my family, walk the dogs (again!) and read a book. When life is busier, and I have a book deadline, I will sometimes do reading or research at night.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have been known to wear a tiara at times, especially when I need to write in a royal voice! I keep it on my bookshelf for days when I need that little extra oomph to get going. Also, I like to write first thing in the morning. I am like a guard dog, fiercely protecting my morning time. When I have to go to a meeting or talk to people before I write, I get really crabby.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be Cher or Carol Burnett. I watched their television shows and thought there would be nothing more wonderful than performing all the time! In the summer, I would make up skits and plays and put them on in the back yard.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Write your book. Don’t write what other people want you to write or what you think will sell. Write the book that you most want and need to read. When you fall in love with a project, you will have no trouble finding the time you need to work on it.

People can find me on Twitter at @WriteNowCoach.

Folks, Rochelle is offering a print copy of Write-A-Thon to a lucky commentor at each of her tour stops, so comment here and at her other blog stops to increase your chances of winning.

Thank you so much for stopping here as you tour Write-A-Thon, Rochelle. Write on.