Eric Trant talks about Overconsumption: How Much Time Should You ~Really~ Spend Writing

Today is a special treat. Eric Trant is here with a special blog post on how much time you should spend writing to be a writer. He's currently doing a virtual book tour for his science fiction novel Steps.

He's also going to be giving away a copy of Steps to one lucky commenter! Leave a comment below for a chance to win! Feel free to leave a question for Eric, too, he'll be visiting during the day to reply to any comments.

About the author: Eric W. Trant is a published author of several short stories and the novels Wink and Steps from WiDo Publishing, out now! See more of Eric's work at Website | Goodreads | Amazon.

And now for the feature:

Overconsumption: How Much Time Should You ~Really~ Spend Writing

Did you know you can die from drinking too much water? Seriously, it's called water poisoning, and is caused by diluting your body chemistry to such a point that the pH tips the wrong direction.

Did you know you can exercise too much? Compulsive exercising can cause long-term damage to your joints and ligaments, and is often linked to such secondary disorders as anorexia and bulimia.

Did you know you can write too much? We don't discuss this disorder, because most writing advice reads like this: Write 1,750 words per day, or go home.

That's the word count for NaNoWriMo, or thereabouts and it's the word count you hear chunked out by professional writers, coaches, your writer-mates and critique partners. We encourage a spate of twenty-six odd-shaped characters, that somehow if we gorge ourselves on fictional characters we might become better writers.

But how much is too much? How many words per day? Perhaps that is the question most often asked by anyone new to anything. You hear it in the gym, on the track, from the new kid at work -- how many hours a week should I spend working?

The answer is always the same: The right amount.

I heard that advice in the gym. I was talking to a guy about lifting, and we were discussing pride. Check your pride at the door, bro. That's what one of us said. Amen, said the other. Pride can hurt you.

In the gym, dangerous pride is a literal truth. Pride can cause tears, rips, sprains strains and snapped ligaments. Check your pride at the door, and hold this true for your writing, work, and any other prideful activity you undertake. Pride hurts.

The ~right amount~ depends on your level of preparation, and the needs of the moment. From a writing standpoint, the right amount may be four hours per day during draft, two hours during revision, and an hour or two during plotting or brainstorming.

Use time as a gauge, ~not~ word count.

You do not walk into the gym and demand to your muscles they lift a particular weight that day. Sure, you have goals, but some days your body is simply not prepared. Maybe you are injured, underfed, tired, or have not healed from the last workout. The same is true for writing. Sit at the computer with a goal in mind, but meter that goal based on hours, not word-count.

Your goal is to write the right amount.

Personally, I set a 1,250 word-count daily goal, but limit the time to no more than three hours, no less than one hour. If I do not bleed out in three hours, or if I cannot start within one hour, then I move on to other chores.

Clear your head.

If you spend ~all~ your time writing, you never reset your mind. Let it rest. Spin the wheels on a backroad or open highway. Let the wind blow and imagine animals in the clouds. Then, when you come back to writing, you'll be refreshed and ready to create something meaningful, rather than simply pounding out another random word-count.

Do not slack.

With all that said, I do not mean you should slack. I mean you should ~write the right amount~. That's the whole point. Set goals. Challenge yourself. Work hard.

But do not forget to rest.

The first guy to run a marathon died at the finish line, and there's a whole list of artists who did not survive the pressures of their craft. Find your balance with work, life, and the joys of creative explosion that comes with writing.

Then, in the end, you will be a better writer.

Readers, don't forget to leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of the novel Steps.

Interview with mystery author R. Scott Mackey

Today I have an interview with mystery author R. Scott Mackey. We’re talking about his new novel, Courage Resurrected: A Ray Courage Mystery.

During his virtual book tour, Scott will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn person. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:
Scott Mackey lives in Northern California, where he writes both fiction and non-fiction. His first book, Barbary Baseball, achieved critical acclaim from baseball historians for its quality research and writing. He followed that with two young adult novels. His popular Ray Courage Mystery Series includes Courage Begins, Courage Matters, and Courage Resurrected. The fourth book in the series, Courage Lies Beneath, is scheduled for release later in 2015. 

Scott's career arc has included stints as a corporate communications manager, college professor, copywriter, bartender, and youth sports coach.

Welcome, Scott. Please tell us about your current release.

Courage Resurrected takes place a few months after the events in Courage Matters, the first book in the series. In Courage Resurrected, Ray Courage’s wife Pam died thirteen years before in a car accident. Or did she? Ray’s world is turned upside down when he receives a series of e-mails from someone claiming to be his dead wife, accusing him of attempting to kill her and vowing revenge. Ray sets out to find the identity of the e-mailer only to discover the circumstances of his wife’s apparent death appear to be all but accidental. Soon Police Detective Carla Thurber comes to suspect Ray of killing his wife, and of a subsequent murder of Pam’s confidant. Meanwhile, a murderous predator who does not want the facts of Pam’s death to surface aims to stop Ray. In the greatest challenge of his life, Ray must outrun the police and elude those who are out to kill him as he seeks the truth about his wife’s death.

What inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to continue the Ray Courage series in a way that would do justice to highly acclaimed first book. To do that I wanted to develop with plot elements and twists even more engaging and surprising than in Courage Matters. Though the first book moves briskly, Courage Resurrected races at a breakneck pace.

Excerpt from Courage Resurrected:

A much-needed rain began to fall, the heavy drops plinking the top of my car as I approached it from the IML office. It hadn’t rained this hard in a couple of years. Many of us in California wondered if the three-year drought had become the new normal, one of the consequences of global warming. Watching it through the window of my car made me feel good, as if the drought might be one less thing I’d have to worry about. My mind had already shifted from the e-mail to what to have for dinner when my cell phone vibrated again.

The muscles in my test tightened when I saw the message came from Pam1111. I opened it.

The body of the e-mail was blank, the message contained only an attachment. I debated the wisdom of opening the PDF labeled only “article,” but my curiosity overcame my fear of infecting my phone with a virus. The Sacramento Bee article from thirteen years before recounted the fiery car accident that had killed my wife Pam. At the bottom of the article someone had scrawled in ink:

Nice try, Ray.

Pam

My giddiness about the rain suddenly evaporated.

What exciting story are you working on next?
Well, along with Courage Resurrected, I also released Courage Begins: A Ray Courage Mystery Novella in April. If it isn’t already Courage Begins will be Permafree on Amazon and other online retailers. So if your readers want to see if my books are for them, that’s an easy and inexpensive way to go. Book four in the Ray Courage series is due out this fall. And I’m at work on the fifth book this summer. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that the Ray Courage No-Nonsense Cookbook, featuring recipes from meals featured in my books is also available.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I first started getting paid for my writing back when I was a sportswriter for the college newspaper and then the college town newspaper. After that I became a corporate communications writer and wrote my books on the side. Now, my books are the sole focus of my writing.

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 write about four hours a day. I do have a day gig in higher education. I write for two hours in the morning before work and two hours afterwards.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Maybe that I write standing up. I used to sit on an exercise ball. But a few months ago I bought a desk desk whose height can be adjusted by an electric motor. So now I stand while I write. It’s easier on my back.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Center fielder for the San Francisco Giants. That didn’t work out so well. I couldn’t hit the curveball and my baseball career petered out in college.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thank you for all your great feedback on my work. I really do like engaging with my readers or potential readers and respond to every e-mail I receive. If anyone wants to contact me, please do so at scott@rscottmackey.com.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

Thanks, Scott!

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Interview with writer and debut thriller novelist Jeffrey Hunter McQuain

I’m wrapping up the week with an interview with nonfiction writer and now thriller novelist Jeffrey Hunter McQuain, with a focus on his debut novel in the Christopher Klewe series,The Shakespeare Conspiracy.

Bio:

Jeffrey Hunter McQuain, who holds a Doctorate in Literary Studies from American University, is co-author of several popular books, including Coined by Shakespeare and The Bard on the Brain. For more than a dozen years, he served as the researcher for William Safire’s “On Language” column in The New York Times. A poet and dramatist, he has also taught college courses in Shakespeare and occasionally performed in the Bard’s plays. His first novel, The Shakespeare Conspiracy, is based on his nonfiction book Ebony Swan: The Case for Shakespeare’s Race.

Dr. McQuain lives in Maryland and is currently adapting Ebony Swan as a stage play.

Welcome, Jeffrey. Please tell us about your current release.

I'm very excited about The Shakespeare Conspiracy. It's my first novel, a thriller based on the Bard's racial background. The main character is Professor Christopher Klewe. He is a Virginia expert on Shakespeare, whose best friend has been murdered in D.C. by a secret society. Joined by a female reporter, Chris, Klewe has only three days to outrun killers on two continents and reveal the biggest conspiracy in literary history. Much in the style of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, my novel uses the fast pacing of short chapters and cliffhangers to move the plot along and to allow readers a whole new way to see Shakespeare.

What inspired you to write this book?

As strange as it sounds, this novel was inspired by a dream. I was researching my latest nonfiction book, Ebony Swan: The Case for Shakespeare's Race, when I had a nightmare about being chased through a library. I had recently read Da Vinci Code and thoroughly enjoyed Brown's work. As a result, I decided to try my own hand at a thriller.

Excerpt from The Shakespeare Conspiracy:

Chapter One

Washington, D.C., late October

“WE ALL MAKE his praise …”

Mason Everly, coughing up blood, could not hear the words spoken behind him. With a long blade still firmly embedded in his back, the retired scholar stumbled down the Opera House steps into the main hallway of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He stopped there in the Grand Foyer, one of the world’s largest rooms, and felt the killer’s hand brace against him to extract the deep-thrust dagger.

Staggering forward, Everly released his grip on a briefcase, which dropped noiselessly onto the plush red carpet suffusing Kennedy Center. He lurched across the enormous hallway, awkwardly embracing the stone pedestal beneath a giant bronze bust of John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s face.

The gray-haired professor of Renaissance history glanced wildly about, but there was no one near him in the 600-foot corridor of marble walls and crystal chandeliers. It was Halloween, and a drizzly October afternoon in the District of Columbia meant fewer tourists in the Center than normal. Minutes earlier, Everly deliberately lagged behind a walking tour of the memorial. He had made his way unobserved inside the

empty Opera House. When he emerged from the theater a moment later, the dagger entered his back, tearing through the flesh, and he slumped forward, dizzied with pain.

Desperate to regain his balance, Everly clung to the base of the assassinated President’s sculpture. He pinched the gold stud in his left earlobe to concentrate on what needed to be done. Then he shoved himself away from the pedestal, lunging toward a set of tall glass doors leading out to a marble terrace and the Potomac River beyond.

Mere steps behind him, the hooded killer taunted him, repeating a mantra obscured by a mask. “We all … make his praise.”

Anguished by the effort, Everly inched open the nearest exit to find himself outside Kennedy Center in a steady afternoon rain. He pressed his face against the cool glass of the door as pellets of water cascaded into a shallow puddle at his feet. Realizing his left hand still clutched the London Fog coat he’d worn into Washington that morning, he knew what he had to do.

Everly carefully unfolded the coat onto the walkway. With his head spinning, he pushed wet strands of gray hair out of his eyes and knelt achingly down. His hand refused to work at first, but he reached slowly back to his wound and then outstretched his trembling fingers to mark the glass door in front of him. Then he

waited.

From close by him came the gentle whisk of another door being opened, and all too soon he heard the words one last time.

“We all make his praise.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

For the next novel in the Christopher Klewe series, I'm working on a prequel to The Shakespeare Conspiracy. It will tell how Klewe was originally caught up in solving 9 Shakespeare mysteries as he tracks a serial killer who leaves behind clues from the Bard's plays. This second novel takes place in and around Williamsburg, Virginia, where Klewe teaches at William and Mary College. The next book will be titled The Shakespeare Trap and should be ready later this year. (Also, I'm completing a stage version of Ebony Swan, the nonfiction book behind The Shakespeare Conspiracy, to be staged next year.)

When did you first consider yourself a writer?I always wanted to be a writer, but I suppose I became serious about it as a journalism student in high school.My very first interview was with the Broadway actress Julie Harris, a delightful person who made the whole experience less intimidating than I'd expected. Then I started college as a journalism major but switched to an English major after I discovered the plays of Shakespeare

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?

Yes, I do write full-time, but I have no typical writing day. I'm on the road most of the time, so I've learned to write at any time of day and in any environment. At first it can be daunting, but you teach yourself to concentrate and avoid the distractions. Also, I doubt that I'd ever 'find' the time to write, I force myself to 'make' the time to write.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I mentioned the dream behind The Shakespeare Conspiracy. My writing quirk, probably from my journalism training, is never to be without pen and paper. At night I keep supplies near my bed in case inspiration strikes and I'll jot down an idea in the dark. Of course, I can't tell you how long I've sometimes spent in deciphering those midnight hieroglyphics.

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

Even as a child, I loved words, especially long ones. I probably startled some adults when I announced at age four that I planned to be 'a mathematician,' I'm no longer as fond of numbers, but still love words.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

When I'm asked about my years as a New York Times language researcher, I tell people about my job interview with William Safire. (I may be the only person in history who was ever hired for knowing the difference between 'who' and 'whom.') I put those years of experience as a researcher to work in The Shakespeare Conspiracy. As a lifelong fan of mystery writers, from Agatha Christie to Martha Grimes, I hope readers will get as much pleasure from reading my novel as I enjoyed writing it.

Thanks, Jeffrey!

Interview with sci-fi author Tegon Maus

Today’s special interviewee is Tegon Maus. He’s here to chat about his new soft sci-fi novel, Bob.

During his virtual book tour, Tegon will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly-drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

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

I was raised pretty much the same as everyone else... devoted mother, strict father and all the imaginary friends I could conjure. Not that I wasn't friendly, I just wasn't "people orientated". Maybe I lived in my head way more than I should have, maybe not. I liked machines more than people, at least I did until I met my wife.

The first thing I can remember writing was for her. For the life of me I can't remember what it was about... something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married me shortly after that. I spent a good number of years after inventing games and prototypes for a variety of ideas before I got back to writing.

It wasn't a deliberate conscious thought it was more of a stepping stone. My wife and I had joined a dream interpret group and we were encouraged to write down our dreams as they occurred. "Be as detailed as you can," we were told.

I was thrilled. If there is one thing I enjoy it's making people believe me and I like to exaggerate. Not a big exaggeration or an outright lie mine you, just a little step out of sync, just enough so you couldn't be sure if it were true or not. When I write, I always write with the effort of "it could happen" very much in mind and nothing, I guarantee you, nothing, makes me happier.

Please tell us about your current release, Bob.

Veteran newspaper man, Peter Anderson’s career is slipping away. When he's sent to do a fluff piece about lights in the Arizona night sky, he discovers far more than he ever expected. His investigation leaves him with more questions than answers. The only thing he knows for certain, the only thing he can count on are the two words offered repeatedly by Bob, his friend and guide . . . “IS BELT.”

What inspired you to write this book?

The lights in the night sky over Arizona. When the governor came out at the news conference with the guy in a costume it pissed me off.

Excerpt from Bob:

I blinked in disbelief, too stunned to speak.

Standing in front of me, dressed in black jeans, a dark blue tee shirt with a picture of Bob Marley and a backward baseball cap was a small, no more than 5' 2", twenty something, black man.

"Hi. I'm Pete," I said, offering my hand.

"Ahh, is sad story. Bob's cousin not speak English," Bob said pushing my hand away.

"Awhhh," the little man breathed hoarsely, turning away, his arms swung loosely in response.

"Bob, he just said dude to me when he came in," I said, pointing an insistent finger at the little man.

"He tries, broken English not so good. Is Fred," he answered, spinning his hand playfully in the air, pointing, draping a large, affectionate arm over the man's shoulder.

"Fred... your Russian cousin?"

"Da," he answered simply without blinking.

"Bob... he just spoke to me and it wasn't Russian," I protested.

"Ahh, Bob's friend generous, not make Bob's cousin self-conscious. You good man, but Fred speaks no English," he argued, folding his arms.

"Ahhh, damn it, Bob. You promised me... you said I could talk this time. Shit man," Fred cursed in a raspy whisper, stomping his foot, turning away.

"Nyet, nyet," Bob scolded, grabbing Fred. He began to speak Russian, shaking his finger in the other man's face.

Fred's shoulders slumped. His head swung loosely from side to side, avoiding Bob's gaze.

"Da," he said dully, turning in my direction once more.

"His English not so good," Bob added, wiggling his hands dismissively.

"Sounded damn good to me," I said honestly.

"Bob understands. Bob's friend speak Spanish?" he asked with a little annoyance in his voice, threading his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Nope. Can't say as I do," I answered, folding my arms.

"How you say... no speak Spanish?" he asked, folding his arms as well.

"No habla Hispano."

"AAAHHH, to Bob, Bob's friend sound like native. Bob thought he smelled burritos, heard waves on beach. Very impressed. Bob's friend has gift for language. Sure not speak Spanish?"

"Fred," I said flatly, stepping directly in front of the little man. "Do you speak English?"

"Da. Fred speak no English," he responded dully, tilting his head from side to side, his arms hung slack, swinging loosely as he spoke.

"Very sad, like Bob say. Fred's parents live too close to nuclear plant. Sure, sure, rent very cheap but Fred... no brain for English," Bob said, closing his eyes, shaking his head in a pretentious, melancholy way.

"Bob," I started.

"Very late. No time for Fred's story. Bob's friend want to see house tonight or no?" he asked, pushing himself to stand between me and Fred.

"Alright, have it your way. Let's go," I demanded now irritated, angrily grabbing my coat off the back of the chair.

"Nyet, nyet. Bob's friend almost forget," he said, turning his back quickly, wriggling his fingers.

"Dear God. Money? Now?" I said, throwing my coat across the back of the chair again.

"Business before pleasure... makes good fences."

"The saying is, 'good fences make good neighbors' not..."

"Bob's friend knows what Bob say. Not want money to be sticky bug between us."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. How much this time?" I asked aggravated, removing my wallet.

"Bob not know about such things. Must speak with cousin," he said, wrapping a huge arm around the tiny man, pulling him to the other side of the room.

"Bob, you gave me your word," Fred whispered forcefully, sending a pointed finger into Bob's chest.

"Fred say, must think about it. Fred likes Bob's friend Peter, wants give good price," he said, smiling in my direction and then began to speak rapidly in Russian.

"Damn it, Bob. You promised me," Fred whispered disappointedly.

"Fred say, four hundred dollars," Bob said, holding up four fingers of his right hand, all the while maintaining his grip on Fred's shoulder.

"Three hundred," I countered, folding my arms, returning my wallet to my hip pocket.

"Oooh, Bob's friend breaks Bob's feelings. Bob's friend would steal bread from Fred very mouth?"

"It's not in Fred's mouth just yet... three hundred," I insisted.

What exciting story are you working on next?

Service before Self.

Toby Grant has landed his dream job as a service tech for Handy Dandy Services. Things don’t go well from day one, when he's teamed up with Ryan Burnell, a twenty year veteran of the company. Toby quickly learns the hardships of being Ryan’s partner, and finds himself in one uncomfortable situation after another. Toby learns the true meaning of the company’s motto—“Service Before Self.”

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

After my first book The Littlefield Chronicles was published. I panicked because I didn’t have another to follow it up.

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’m an REO contractor… I write nights and weekends. Actually I write in my head during the day and then put it down on paper at night.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Writing quirk?? I can’t imagine such a thing… I do like to have a box of Fig Newtons on hand for inspiration… does that count ??

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

I’ve always wanted to build robots, androids… as time went by I switched to building parts for amputees.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Please feel free to send me a note about any of my books! You can reach me at Tegon.maus@Verizon.net.

Links:

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Tirgearr Publishing

Thanks, Tegon! 

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Special excerpt from psychological suspense The Last Dreamgirl by Shane Hayes

Today I’m featuring a special excerpt from the psychological thriller, The Last Dreamgirl, by Shane Hayes.

During his virtual book tour, Shane will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn person. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops, too!

A little bit about the author:

A native Philadelphian, Shane Hayes earned his bachelor’s and his law degree from Villanova University, and studied for a year at Princeton Theological Seminary. He worked as a writer/editor for Prentice Hall and an attorney for the federal government. He is married, has four children, and lives in suburban Philadelphia. His nonfiction book The End of Unbelief: A New Approach to the Question of God was released by Leafwood Publishers in the fall of 2014.

Two young men meet on ship when both are recently out of college. They share a flaming ambition. Each aims to write novels that will be internationally acclaimed and win him a place in American letters. One of them, Paul Theroux, achieves the dream in all its glory: becomes world famous, writes over 40 books, and three of his novels are made into films. The other, Shane Hayes, fails completely, but keeps tenaciously writing, decade after decade, plowing on through hundreds of rejections. Then almost half a century later, Shane contacts Paul, who remembers him, reads three of his books, likes them, and praises them with endorsements.

In writing to agents and publishers Shane could now say, “Query for a novel praised by Paul Theroux.” No one offers a book deal because of an endorsement, so rejections keep coming. But more people let him send at least a sample and are predisposed to see merit in it. At his age, time is crucial. In the month he turns 75, Shane receives contracts on two of his books from different publishers. He will always be grateful to the literary giant who remembered ten days of friendship half-a-lifetime after it ended.

A little bit about The Last Dreamgirl:

For every man there’s a girl who grips his imagination and his heart as no other girl ever did or will. She may be in her teens or a mature woman. He responds to her as a boy to a girl. Whether she comes early in his life or late, there is a throne in his subconscious that she takes possession of, without trying, often without wanting to.The image he forms of her reigns there in perpetuity, even if she has left his life, or this life. Her enchantment never fades or fails, and he is never immune to it. She may not be for him the last wife or paramour, but she is the last dreamgirl.

Excerpt from The Last Dreamgirl:

Traffic was light enough that Ron could pull out and follow Bower, a car or two behind. Bower drove to a local Acme supermarket, parked, grabbed a pushcart, and went in to shop.

Ron did the same. While he avoided trailing Bower through the aisles he effectively followed him by going down aisles that Bower was coming up, and sometimes pausing near Bower to search for products on one side of the aisle while Bower was scanning the shelves on the other side. Viewing the man’s features at close range Ron had no doubt that this was the Vulture. Ron got so close to him in the drug and cosmetics aisle that he made two notable observations. First, from a sharp side angle Bower’s deformed eye-placement could be seen under his dark glasses. Second, he was working from two shopping lists—which seemed to be in different handwriting. At a glance Ron perceived one as a small neat feminine hand, written in blue ink, and the other as a larger, though equally neat, hand—probably masculine—in pencil.

Ron’s heart leaped at the thought that the penned shopping list had been written by Sandra Moore. But he knew how much he wanted to find evidence of her being alive in Bower’s house and feared he might have seen what he wanted to see. Seconds after the observation, when he had moved down the aisle, he began to question it.

The fact that both lists were so neatly written made him doubt that they were done by different hands. The pencil versus ink could have created that illusion; and sometimes one’s mood and the size of the paper can prompt one to write smaller than usual....

Ron’s doubts about handwriting were resolved when he made his next pass of Bower’s cart near the feminine hygiene shelves and saw in it a box of women’s sanitary napkins. Why in God’s name would Bower be buying Kotex if he lived alone? There had to be a woman there and a menstruating woman at that. Ron couldn’t check but would be willing to bet that the Kotex had been written on the blue-ink shopping list in what had first struck him as a feminine hand. It was a feminine hand, and he would lay odds that it was Sandra’s.

Ron got right behind Bower in the checkout line and noticed that he had also bought a woman’s scented bath powder, a feminine underarm deodorant, and a supply of hairpins. Ron had to resist an impulse to cry out in joy and triumph. None of the female items were things a young man would bring to a girl he was dating. None was the equivalent of a bouquet, a box of candy, or a bottle of perfume. These were things a man would typically pick up for his wife or mistress, a woman he was living with. Or a girl he held captive.

Links:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook

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New interview with fantasy author Debbie Peterson

Fantasy author Debbie Peterson is back with a new interview! Debbie is currently touring her newest novel, Court of the Hawk.

During her tour, Debbie will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card (winner’s choice) to a lucky randomly drawn person. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Debbie was here last November. You can check out that interview here.

Bio:

Debbie is an author of paranormal and fantasy romance because she has a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, making an impossible love possible, and happily ever after endings. She loves music, art, beautiful sunrises, sunsets, and thunder storms.

When she is not busy conjuring her latest novel, Debbie spends time with the members of her very large family within the lovely, arid deserts of southern Nevada. She also pursues her interests in family history, which she also teaches, mythology, and history.

Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews.

Thanks Lisa! I’m so happy to be here with you today!

Please tell us about your newest release.

Court of the Hawk is a paranormal/fantasy romance that takes place in a long-forgotten, hidden kingdom in Wales. Garreth ap Daffyd–the enigmatic ruler of this kingdom–is in need of someone who can decipher the ancient writing on a pictograph he found in a cave. He believes this pictograph holds the key to saving his realm and so calls for Dr. Essie DeSpencer. The journey to answer the riddle leads to danger and romance between our hero and heroine who are worlds apart.

What inspired you to write this book?

The legend of Llys Helig, a Welsh Kingdom lost to the sea in the sixth century. As I thought about that legend, I wondered, What if… and my imagination took over.

What’s the next writing project?

Beyond Oath and Honor is a book concerning a specific descendent of an ancient English king and the guardian assigned to protect her from the danger she faces.

What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book?

As petty as it might sound, my biggest challenge usually comes in finding just the right name for my characters. They have to be perfect and fit every aspect of the character. Sometimes I agonize over that particular dilemma far longer than anyone might suspect.

If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?

Once I have the concept of the book down, I begin the research. There are a lot of historical facts that I need to include in all of my books and they must be accurate unless for one reason or another, I am using creative license. Google is a handy tool and I use a lot of copy and paste in my notes. However, I also have a personal library of over well over one thousand books about history, fables, myths, magic and almost anything else you can think of. These books are consulted as well. Once I have the research complete and have a pretty good stack of notes at my fingertips, I begin writing the book. However, always, somewhere along the way, something arises and I have to stop add a little bit more knowledge to my file. For me it’s inevitable.

What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.

Off to the right of that library I just told you about, is an office that my husband and I share. He has his desk against one wall, and mine is just opposite his. Even though we share the office, the walls are filled with things that represent some of the books I have already published and at his suggestion. I have a wall dedicated to the civil war for “Spirit of the Rebellion.” This wall includes hats worn by the Confederacy and the Union, their dress swords and some pictures of civil war battles alongside the bullets found on those sites. Then I have a wall dedicated to “Spirit of the Revolution.” On this wall we have a boxed American flag, a powder horn, a black powder pistol, a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence and a painting of George Washington entitled “Prayer at Valley Forge.” I also have a wall for “Spirit of the Knight.” The beautiful painting “Prayer for the Fallen” we used as a giveaway for that book tour is the centerpiece of that particular wall. Believe me, with all of that, the muse never sleeps.

What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?

I’ve been reading the classics, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time now. So, right now, I am thoroughly enjoying Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Edgar Allen Poe, a bit of Shakespeare and I’m sure you get the drift. Coming a little more forward in history, I am also rereading some of my favorite books by Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart.

Thank you for coming back to Reviews and Interviews, Debbie!

Thank you so much for the invitation! It was indeed a pleasure!

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