My Review of "The Stars are Falling"

Michelle is a fellow TWCS author, the publisher that will put out my first book, "Wrong Place, Right Time," in December. When she told me about her book, she downplayed it a bit and said I might not want to read it because it was YA and a bit on the paranormal side. Because of that I didn't read it at first. But then the opportunity for the blog tour came up and I figured I'd give it a shot. Boy was I glad I did. It was fast paced and descriptive and very entertaining.

This book was very intriguing from the start all the way through the finish. I wasn't sure about it because of the genre, but once I started reading it, I realized it didn't matter if it was YA or not, I enjoyed it! I have read YA before in the form of Michael Vey books by Richard Paul Evans and plenty of others.   In the end, who cares what the target audience is? You enjoy it if you enjoy it!

Books like these fascinate me because I always wonder how in the world the author comes up with the premise. As an author, I imagine and create things, but I never create whole different realms and worlds like Michelle Birbeck and other authors in this genre do. It takes quite the imagination!

The idea behind the book was interesting. Stars fall out of the sky to right wrongs. In this case, the wrong is that humans are destroying the earth. The fact that the idea behind the book is actually true in real life only makes it more poignant.

So overall I really enjoyed the book, though I would recommend it for older teens and adults and not for younger teens because of a few scenes she included. If you're looking for something out of this world that is grounded at the same time...or just something fully entertaining that will help your day fly by, read "The Stars are Falling."

Part of the fun of being with a publisher is supporting other authors that belong with that publisher. Prism Book Group is filled with a number of great authors whom I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know. I like reading their work, helping them promote it, and just being a part of their group. So it is my pleasure today to be a part of a cover reveal for the latest Sarah book...Sarah and the Scary Ferris Wheel!

Here's more about the author...P.S. I don't know why she's sideways.  Just tilt your head, it'll work. :)

Gay N. Lewis

Bio

Gay N. Lewis has a background in video production and interior design. Her credits include Psalms from the Mountains, and The Canadian Rockies. As a pastor’s wife and Bible teacher, she has written numerous church programs and newsletters. She is a mother of three daughters and four grandchildren and lives in Fulshear, TX., a small town west of Houston.

Four books in the Sarah series are currently available.  The new release, Sarah and the Scary Ferris Wheel will be released July 30.  Two more books will follow, and then a bundle of all three books will be released in September—available in eBook and print. 

Sarah is an angel who arrives on earth to help humans find romantic relationships.  Problem?  Her attempts to do so end up in antics worthy of Lucy Ricardo. 

Sarah makes readers laugh, but she causes one to think about a few deep subjects as well.  Sarah’s books have been on Amazon’s Best Seller’s List many times since the first one was released in March of 2012.

Sarah Wingspand has her own Facebook page.  Locate her and “like” her.  She sends messages to Gay N. Lewis and Gay posts for her.  When it comes to computers and technology, she’s a klutz.  You should read what she did to Karen and Jeremy in Sarah and the Internet Dating Service.

Take a glance at the covers and read the blurbs on Prism Book Group.

http://prismbookgroup.com/angels

WWW.Gay N. Lewis.com

http://gaynlewis.com/

I'm a writer...I write, right? :)  True, but once I have that book written, it's time to market!  Marketing is new to me and I'm admittedly learning.  I'm trying anything and everything I can think of in order to get these books off the ground so that I can make a career out of this whole author thing.  If you have absolutely any marketing suggestions for me, please don't be shy!  I'd love to hear ideas for anyone and everyone.  I'm willing to give it a shot!  In the meantime, here are some things I've been working on for specific books and all books in general.

For "Someone Always Loved You" my main goal is to spread the word on the book right now. Somehow, it has caught on a bit and it sells anywhere from 1-4 copies a day online through the kindle version. I have no earthly idea how that has happened, but based on the reviews it's getting, people are enjoying it as much as I enjoyed writing it. So now I'm just trying to spread it around even more. I'm doing this in a number of ways.

First, I've organized a blog tour for the book August 1-15. I am looking forward to visiting a number of blogs and talking about the book, hoping to connect with new possible readers.

Second, I continue to seek reviews from others so that word will also spread through the reviews and blogs that post them.

Third, as often as I am invited and able I attend Facebook parties for other author's book releases etc and talk about the book, give away copies and so on.

Fourth, I list it with free promotional websites or those that cost little amounts like the Fussy Librarian, Book Bub, and anything else I can find to get the word spread.

The book has been out for years but this is the first time I've ever really done any marketing and pushing of it. I'm anxious to see that at work!

Now that "Someone Always Loved You" has taken off a bit, I would like to repeat that process with "Beyond the Bars." Problem is, I don't know what happened with the first one. :)

My main goal with this book, again, is just to get it out there for people to enjoy. I have no illusions of making a living from it. I currently have it priced at just .99 of which I get .30. So goodness, I'd have to sell quite a few even to get to $10. :)

What I'm trying to do on "Beyond the Bars" right now is to reach that magical threshold of 10 reviews on Amazon. I'm new to the game and I don't understand it all, but apparently something magical happens on amazon when a book has 10 reviews.  I think, in part, amazon sometimes sends emails to customers saying, hey you might be interested in this. And a book, if it has enough reviews, might be included.

Also, once a book has 10 reviews, it is eligible to be listed with some of the promotional websites I mentioned above, the Fussy Librarian and so forth. If it does not have those reviews, it will not be considered. Until I get the reviews, I feel like my hands are tied.

So how am I going about getting reviews? I belong to a number of Facebook writing groups and I've offered many authors a trade. You read and review my book and I'll read and review yours. Honestly. If they don't like it, I want them to review it that way!

I'm also giving away free copies to people with the stipulation that they review it honestly once they finish reading it. I just attended a facebook party for a book release last week and gave away a good 20 copies.

Of all the trading and giving, I'm hoping I can garner 10 reviews somewhat soon so I can do more promotions with this book.

For my December release of "Wrong Place, Right Time" (the cover is complete, but I can't reveal it yet!) I'm doing a number of things as well.

I'm making as many connections with other authors who have blogs as possible. I do author interviews for them on my blog and review their books. I'm hoping when the time comes, they will do the same for me. In the meantime, I enjoy it anyway!

I'm contacting a lot of local groups around the area in anticipation for the release. I have emails in to specific people at three TV news stations asking about the possibility of an interview (the book's main character is a TV traffic reporter, as was I for a whole 5 months several years ago!) I have emailed area libraries about signings or speaking events as well as many different mom's groups.

I just completed my portion of the work on the book's trailer and am anxious to see it all put together. I am using the two above books to experiment with what works and what doesn't so that I can hopefully put those things into action with this one.

For my February release of "Accept this Dandelion" I have contacted (and am waiting to hear from) a couple of local businesses about the possibility of having a release party.  I want to do something that allows the profits from the book at the event to go to a local charity. I'm waiting on return emails from a few different people on that one.

I've also been working on an angle to somehow connect this book to the TV show, "The Bachelor" as it is about a local Bachelor type show. I have not yet figured out how to go about getting that connection, but I'm thinking on it and putting out feelers.

I am also doing many of the above things, like contacting local libraries and bookstores etc about signings or speaking events.

I also have "Mamarazzi" (August 2015) and "Baby Sheep Gets a Haircut (February 2016) to consider, but those are far enough off that I'm not worrying about specifics just yet.

Once the book is written, it's like you have to switch gears and become a marketing genius. A genius I am not, but I do have some out of the box ideas I'm testing out. If you have any, please please let me know! I want these books to do well enough that the publishers will want to keep working with me. It's the only way I can justify sitting around in the 1-2 hours a day I get to myself making things up and calling it my job. :)

I've probably left some of my ideas out, but those are many of the things I'm working on. In addition to keeping up with my paying clients and working on a new book. Geez, when I read all that, I'm not sure how I'm doing it!  And now I'm tired just thinking about it!  Ha

Sydney Logan offered me an advanced reader copy of "Soldier On" and I'm honored and thrilled that she did. This book was a really great romance with no scenes that would really make you blush, which I appreciate in a romance. I like to see the connection without seeing the connection if you know what I mean.

The characters were really well laid out and it was easy to fall in love with them individually. You wanted to be friends with them and you understood where they were coming from.

The book was written in the first person and it went back and forth between the two main character's perspectives. I didn't think I would like that, but I got used to it quickly and really started to enjoy that different format.

The storyline surrounded the main character's lives and their love interest in each other and there was never too much for the reader to grasp or take in. Sometimes authors take away from the romance by adding too much else, but Sydney Logan had a great mix. People's lives are complicated. They don't stop when love happens. And this book proved that beautifully.

I would definitely recommend others read this novel when it comes out and I look forward to being part of the blog tour to help spread the word!

As part of what I do as I review, I try to pick out at least one area I think the author could improve.  As a reader, there is hardly ever a book that I find absolutely perfect.  Part of that is because I am a writer myself, always looking to improve.  Sydney writes very well and I have very little to say about her style etc.  She's the real deal!  The only thing I would even point out to her was one particular phrase that she used at least three times.  The first time I read it, I actually thought, wow, what a cool way to say that!  I can't remember the exact wording, but it was something to the effect of "ghosting her fingers across his face."  It meant a light, meaningful touch.  If it had been the same character who had done it again later, it would have been better.  Since it was a phrase that stuck out to me, I noticed it later when someone else did it and then a third time when someone looked at someone else.  Such a unique phrase stood out to me and I think it should have either only been used once or been attributed to just one character.  A minor thing I picked out just to pick something out! :)  Great work, Sydney!

Welcome to Donna Weaver, who is providing a guest post today in honor of her "Torn Canvas" blog tour.  Enjoy Donna's musings on her road to publishing!


My road to publishing? Hmm

I wasn’t ever going to be published. I got into this writing gig because I wanted to learn how to write my personal history.  Now I’m having so much fun, I wonder when I’ll get back to that.

·        * Wrote first book

·         * Knew I needed to learn more

·         * Joined a critique group

·         * Started attending writing conferences

·         * Wrote another book

·         * Continued editing the first one

·         * Spent two months writing a query, including submitting for online critique

·         * Started querying and collecting rejections

·         * Submitted to a small press I’d been watching for a while and received an R&R

·         * Reworked manuscript for three months and resubmitted.

·         * They made an offer, and we had a deal.

·         * Published in June 2013

·         * Submitted second book, which they wanted

·         * Audiobook released

·         * Due to personal family situation, publisher closed their doors five months after my first book published




Um...

So, what do you do when you have a series where the first book’s been published by someone else? I write clean romance, and I didn’t want to be pressured to write steamier. My old publisher had been wonderful to work with, so how could another publisher even compete?

·       *  Got my rights back and went down the indie road

·        * Went to work on old publisher’s suggestions for Torn Canvas

·        * Hired old publisher’s cover designer

·        * Hired old publisher’s editor

·        * Hired old publisher to do interior formatting of paper book

·       *  Hired old publisher’s publicist to do my launch




I’m grateful for what I learned and the publishing connections I’ve made. I can’t imagine going indie on my own.




Being indie is wonderful and awful.

·         * Wonderful--I love the freedom of making the final decision, but I’m careful to consider seriously anything my trained professionals advise me to do.

·        *  Awful--I have to work harder for the same credibility, and I don’t have the connections or reach that a publisher has.

Torn Canvas, Safe Harbors #2

Tagline:

Even a hero needs rescuing sometimes

Blurb:

Modern-day pirates took more than Jori Virtanen’s friends; they stole his face. Not only does the twenty-four-year-old former model have to confront months of reconstructive surgery, he discovers his previous life was as superficial as his looks. Jori struggles to make a new life for himself as an artist while evading the press. They expect a hero, but he knows the truth. His beauty masks a beast.

Olivia Howard’s given up a normal life for her job, and the sacrifices are finally paying off. The twenty-six-year-old talk-show host’s ratings are heading to the top of the charts. Her dream is to make a difference in people’s lives, but the studio wants mind fluff—like interviewing hot model Jori Virtanen. When Olivia learns the guy helped rescue passengers on a cruise excursion from kidnappers, she knows this is the story she needs to make her case. The only problem is the hero was injured, and now he’s disappeared.

The more Olivia learns about the man behind the scar, the more intrigued she becomes. But Jori is no girl’s happily ever after. Once she finds him, Olivia has to free his heart and help heal the beast.

Links:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | iTUNES | KOBO | GOODREADS

Trailer on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z07kxkS53Ys

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/z07kxkS53Ys" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Author Information:

Author of the Safe Harbors series and Second Chances 101, Book 5 in the Ripple Effect series. A wife, mother, grandmother, Harry Potter geek, Army veteran, and karate black belt.

Contact the author: donnakweaver@gmail.com

Find the author on:

Blog | Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube | Google+

On Friday, I signed a document known as the final editing sign off deed for "Wrong Place, Right Time."  It means that I am happy with the manuscript as it is and that the editing stage is completed.  The manuscript will still go through line editing.  I'm not sure what that is, but it doesn't have anything to do with content, grammar, punctuation and so on.  I'm excited to have that part of the publishing process behind me for this particular book.  I know there's a lot of marketing work to be done before the release.  I've seen the cover and have an email out about the trailer that I'm waiting for more details on.  Plenty to be done!  But it's nice to have it coming together.

I will then have to await editing on "Accept this Dandelion" which is due out only two months after "Wrong Place, Right Time."  I will have to learn fast with a December release followed by a February 2015 release.  With any luck, the two books will help one another out!

On another note...

So last week I told you about a novel writing contest I'd entered.  I'm supposed to find out this Friday if my entry goes any farther than the first page.  If it does, they will want the first three chapters of the novel along with a 5-10 page summary of the novel overall.

At this point, all I have written is the first page that I entered.  IF they want more, I would have to write it.  Within a week.  So I'm not sure if I want my entry to go on or not!  But since the novel isn't under contract and it belongs to no one but me at this point, I thought I'd post the first page and see what you think.

Tell me...would you read more?  If so, perhaps I'll keep writing it whether this particular contest wants it or not!

Love is a Roller Coaster...Page 1...by Brooke Williams

            The roller coaster slowly climbed the first big hill. Maisy Green watched, her hand over the emergency stop button. There wouldn’t be a problem. There never was. But she couldn’t leave anything to chance. She didn’t take chances.

            Maisy listened as the cars raced down the other side of the hill. The telltale screams told her that the riders were either enjoying the thrill, or completely terrified. She knew which would describe her. But she had never been on the ride herself. She just operated it. And that was how she planned to keep things.

            The coaster jolted the amusement park guests to the left as one of the automatic brakes engaged to slow them down for the last turn. Maisy narrowed her eyes so she could see the looks on their faces as the cars pulled into the loading dock. She didn’t need to ride it in order to experience it. She got to see what it felt like through each and every person that went through the exhilarating 60 seconds.

            One of the girls patted her hair back into place while a group of guys gave one another high fives. Maisy was especially captivated by a young boy, just over the 42” height requirement, who looked as if he never wanted to leave his chosen car. If only she had his bravery, if just for a moment.

            The riders chattered as they exited. The roller coaster was behind them. They had the rest of the day in front of them. Maisy turned to the next group and began allowing people to enter the loading dock. It was then that she noticed a familiar pair of green eyes. Eyes that greeted her over and over again every night from the other side of her TV. Only this time, Gram Chance wasn’t staring at the camera giving a report. He was staring at her.

I met Mary online in a very strange way.  I actually received an excited email from her about her latest work (which is featured below).  I replied and asked if she would be interested in an interview on my blog.  She was curious as to how I got the email from her in the first place.  I have no idea!  And neither does she!  But we're glad to have crossed paths and I enjoyed her enthusiasm immediately.  This is the first time I have featured poetry works on my blog and I hope you enjoy getting to know more about Mary Harwell Sayler and what she writes.  Here is my interview with her:

Tell us a little bit about your background.



My parents loved to read. Books and Bible stories filled our home, and each night, bedtime stories and prayers were part of our routines. Church attendance was too. Although I didn’t think about it at the time, being a regular part of the church encouraged my faith, while learning hymn lyrics trained me to listen for the sounds, sense, and nuances of words.

One of my favorite books at home was A Child’s Garden of Verse by Robert Louis Stevenson, which connected poems to everyday life and nature. Thinking about this now, I just realized that my first poetry book, Living in the Nature Poem, could have been called An Adult’s Garden of Verse!

Now tell us how you got into writing.



I started writing poems in elementary school, but as an adult, I wrote in every genre but poetry! When my children were small, I began with parenting articles for a magazine published by our denomination, then church curriculum and children’s stories for “take-home papers.” Those led to children’s novels for B&H, a picture book for Concordia, and inspirational romances for Zondervan. When I had a problem with my neck and spine,  I heavily researched and wrote a couple of life-health encyclopedias for Facts on File, and some of those books can still be found on my Author’s Page on Amazon.


Was getting published hard?

Yes and no! I studied how-to books and annual market guides that helped me know how to go about submitting my manuscripts and book proposals to publishers in a professional manner. That was the only real option for writers, so it surprised me to learn that Christian poets and writers starting out now rarely know the basics beyond self-publishing. Hopefully, my Kindle e-book the Christian Writer’s Guide will help and the Christian Poet’s Guide to Writing Poetry e-book too.

Often, my books and articles placed on the first, second, or third try, but if not, I’d just matter-of-factly send out that manuscript to the next potential market. Not so with poetry!  If a batch of poems came back, I’d feel so devastated, I stopped sending them off for years! I kept writing poems and mostly stockpiling them, so by the time the Internet came along, I had hundreds of poems sitting around. As I became acquainted with e-zines and the websites of print publications, however, I felt confident again to at least try sending out my poems, so those began to be published too.

Give us a summary of your current work.

Most of my poems have something to do with God, faith, nature, social concerns, or the Bible. After the environmental publisher, Hiraeth Press, published my nature poetry, I began looking for a publisher for my Bible-based poems. For both books, many of the poems had been accepted by journals, e-zines, or anthologies that I discovered through the classifieds in Poets & Writers magazine or on the social networks. I stress this because those previous publications interested book editors, who might not have even bothered to read a full-length manuscript of poems if my poetry had never seen print. That’s what interested my editor at Kelsay Books too, so even though that’s a secular press, they just released my book of Bible-based poems, Outside Eden, and also plan to publish Beach Songs & Woodchimes, my first book of children’s poems this year.


Where do you get your ideas?



Everywhere! This morning a haiku came to me as I looked out the window and saw our lovely spring colors had greyed in the rain. Just before that, a poem came about when I saw a band of vultures beside the road. This reminded me of a cryptic Bible verse in Luke 17, which found a place in the poem. And before that, a humor poem arose when I spotted a lizard beside three crayons my grandson had left by his little desk, and I wondered which color Lizzy would choose!


How long does it take you to write a book or manuscript?



I used to take at least a week to write an article, but blogging honed that down to an hour or two. Nonfiction books, children’s books, and novels have taken me anywhere from a month to nine months, depending on the research involved since I write full-time and would take the time to do a synopsis for each novel and an outline for each nonfiction book. This not only kept my writing on track, it gave me what I eventually needed for a book proposal.

When it comes to poetry, however, one poem  might come to me full-blown in ten minutes, while another might take ten years to show me what’s needed or how to revise. In a way you could say my poetry books have taken a lifetime.


What do you enjoy doing outside of writing?
 

I enjoy being involved with the sweet-spirited people of our little country church where I love hearing their insightful responses in our weekly Bible study group.

Since we live in a rural area, we’re on an unpaved road, which works well for leisurely walks or a quick bike ride, and we’re only 45 minutes from the Atlantic, so we enjoy beach strolls too.

Also, I like to read the Bible so much, I began the Bible Reviewer blog to tell other people about each of my favorite translations or editions, and now Bible publishers send me free review copies, which is nice! I enjoy reading poetry, too, and occasionally will review books of poems sent to me by traditional publishers on my Poetry Editor & Poetry blog.


Do you find certain times of the day or certain things inspire you to write?



When I first wake up, I’m apt to catch whatever God puts on my mind, but during the day, my thoughts often race so much, it’s harder to hear. Usually, a “time out” on our deck or other quiet time will help me to feel refreshed and inspired again.


What advice would you give to a new writer wishing to make it in the publishing world?



Make friends with grammar and syntax. Study your favorite genre by reading classical literature and the works of prize-winning poets and novelists. Learn, learn, learn, and put what you learn into practice as any other artist or musician or chef or seamstress must do.


We'd love to hear a few quirky facts about you...things that don't normally come up in an interview!

On my first day of school, my teacher called my mother to come in and made me stay late too. For years I thought it was because I’d been messy when my left hand smudged the paper, but no. Mother told me I’d written everything neatly and perfectly – backwards. When I’m tired now, that touch of dyslexia kicks in again, so do not even try to beat me at Boggle!

Anything else you want to add?

Yes, Brooke, thank you for asking. I love the church, and I believe it’s  time for Christians to stop acting like sibling rivalries!

We ARE God’s Family. We ARE the church. We ARE the Body of Christ with the power of our Risen Lord working in and through us, and yet we’re not having much of an impact in the world.

As Christian Poets and Writers, however, we have a unique opportunity to change this! So I pray for God to guide, empower, and inspire us to forgive our Siblings in Christ, administer healing to one another, and focus on what each denomination has in common. May we write lovingly, accurately, biblically, and well in all genres in Jesus’ Name.

…

It's so much fun to be a part of the literary world on Facebook and other social media groups.  I run into so many writers with projects and I get to take part in book cover reveals and many other things.  Today, I am proud to present to you the cover of "Hawk's Nest" by Darcy Flynn along with more details about it and it's author!  Enjoy!

Hawke’s Nest book blurb:

Running away is nothing new for Annie Dell, aka high-fashion model Anna Delany. With the paparazzi hot on her trail, an out of town wedding couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. What better place to hide out than the quaint Florida beach town Liddy’s told her so much about. But a delayed flight, the mix up with the car rental, then a speeding ticket from the local Sheriff of Nottingham, her getaway is looking anything but relaxing.

Franklin County Sheriff, Levi Hawke, is tired of the spoiled, out-of-control students on fall break, who think they can speed through his county without consequence. After giving a ticket to a beautiful young woman he assumes is just another daddy’s girl looking for some fun in the sun, he discovers she’s his weekend date at his best friend’s wedding.

Through gritted teeth, masked by a half-hearted truce, they survive the weekend, only to find themselves stranded alone in the middle of a hurricane. You can discover a lot about a person while spending thirty-six hours without the comforts of electricity and modern conveniences. When circumstances further extend her stay in town, Levi pries deeper to find out what Annie’s running from. He knows when someone is haunted by their past. As the saying goes ... it takes one to know one.

Excerpt:

Annie took a sip of Sauvignon Blanc and glanced at Levi. He had shoved his chair back from the table and sat holding his wine glass in his right hand while perusing her with his keen baby blues.

Blatantly.

Openly.

Audaciously.

Fine, she could handle his rude stares. She’d been ogled by far worse than him. She tilted her head to one side and smiled. The smile photographer Dave Mandel of Glamour Magazine claimed was irresistible. Well, no time like the present to put that ridiculous statement to the test.

“So, Sheriff.” She scooted her chair closer to his and the sudden alarm that entered his eyes was delicious. She lifted her glass in the air. “I propose we call a truce. After all, we’re here to celebrate the wedding of your best friend and my best friend. And since we’ve been paired for the weekend, by the matchmaking bride, we may as well make the most of it.”

She gave him her most candid, but coy expression, daring him to disagree. “What do you say?” she coaxed softly.

“How could I deny such an earnest and sincere request?”

Something about the way he said it churned her insides, but she gave nothing away as she smiled brightly at him. Tilting his head in salute, he raised his glass and touched it to hers, the sound of crystal sealing the deal.

Bio:

Darcy Flynn is known for her heartwarming, sweet contemporary romances. Her refreshing storylines, irritatingly handsome heroes and feisty heroines will delight and entertain you from the first page to the last. Miss Flynn’s heroes and heroines have a tangible chemistry that is entertaining, humorous and competitive.

Darcy lives with her husband, son, two English Setters and a menagerie of other living creatures on her horse farm in Franklin, Tennessee. She raises rare breed chickens, stargazes on warm summer nights and indulges daily in afternoon tea. 

Links:

Website/Blog: http://www.darcyflynnromances.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/darcyflynn

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/DarcyFlynnAuthor

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0077AG3ZM

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2975929.Darcy_Flynn

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dflynnauthor/boards/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/116563609469381811624/posts?tab=XX

I recently heard about a novel writing contest and when I first heard the details, I thought there was no way I could avoid it.  I had to enter.  The problem was (be it a good problem to have!) all of the novels I have written are committed to publishers.  They're contracted.  They can't be shared or entered into anything.

The contest didn't start for a week so I decided to think it over.  After a few days, I figured oh well.  I have three book contracts!  And a children's book contract as well!  Who needs a contest, right?  I have lots of novel ideas that I want to eventually get out of my head and onto paper, but I have to be inspired to write them down.  I have to have a basic background idea to get me going.  Once I go, it's hard for me to stop, but I have to have that initial spark.

Over the weekend my family and I went to Adventureland.  It's a smaller theme park with lots of fun rides.  There are some larger rides, but there are also smaller kid-friendly things, which is where we spent most of our time.  I used to visit this park at least once every summer when I was a kid and I remember such trips were what I looked forward to all summer long and what I remembered as the best part of my summer.

I hadn't been to Adventureland in several years, but when we were thinking of shorter little trips to take this summer, it automatically came to mind.  I knew my older daughter would be at the perfect age to enjoy it and she was.  She was just over the height requirement for most rides, even many of the really big ones!  She rode and rode and rode!  Even one ride that I felt bad for putting her on alone once I saw it going.  It was a bit too large for a kid her age to be on alone!  She said she didn't know if she liked it or not, but she didn't act like she had been scared.  My little brave girl!

We had a blast and a half with my older daughter running from ride to ride and going again and again and again, despite one really rainy morning.  Any my younger daughter had just as much fun stomping in puddles, collecting rocks, and wandering here there and everywhere along with occasional rides as well.

It was the drive home, though, that brings us back to the contest.  I had an idea!  One for a sweet little love story entitled "Love is a Roller Coaster."  Gee, I wonder where that came from! :)

So last night I wrote the first page of the novel.  Haha.  That's all the contest calls for at first.  If they like what they read, they ask for the first three chapters for stage two.  We shall see if they want more.  If they do, I'll write it!  If not, I'll probably write it anyway, but maybe not right away.  There are lots of irons in the fire right now!

When I decided NOT to enter the contest, I was rationalizing. But now I realize, when there are opportunities presenting themselves, I have to take them.  I can't miss out.  That doesn't mean I have any illusions that I'll win. But there's a reason I know about the contest.  There's a reason "Love is a Roller Coaster" came to me.  Perhaps it just needs me to write it!  In some ways, it's hard because I have lots of other ideas that are just dying to be written.  This is a brand new one.  But at the same time, who am I to challenge inspiration?! :)

Enjoy this great interview followed by a book review of Searching for LAdy Luck!


Tell us a little bit about your background.

I’m a retired elementary music teacher and classroom teacher. Now I teach future teachers at Grand Valley State University and take care of my grandkids from time to time. I have five kids, nine grandkids (so far) and one great-granddaughter. My husband and I live in southwest Michigan.

Now tell us how you got into writing.

I think I started writing after reading a book that had so many errors I knew I could do better. I found a local chapter of RWA and started working on several different story ideas, but it was until I retired from full time teaching that I started writing with a goal toward getting published.

Was getting published hard?

It was a lot of work getting that first book finished, but getting it published was surprisingly quick and easy – I think it was a combination of a lot of things, including good luck. A fellow member of my writing group had an ebook published through Astraea Press, and when they put out a call for novellas to benefit victims of the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster in Japan, I knew I had to try. My paternal grandfather came to American from Sendai, the area hit by the earthquake. Fortunately, the novella I came up with The Legacy, was accepted at Astraea Press and I’ve enjoyed my association with them.

Give us a summary on Searching for Lady Luck

Searching for Lady Luck is a historical novella set on the Boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey during the Depression Era. It was inspired by a trip my daughters and I took during the summer of 2005. Family friends invited us to spend a week at a cute little house only a few blocks from the Boardwalk – it was the most restful vacation I’ve ever had!

Where do you get your ideas?

I like to start with the central conflict, and then create the characters who have to deal with it. For example, I wanted to write a story set in Wildwood, but in order to write it I had to start with a problem. Since Wildwood has always been a vacation area, its residents suffered greatly when tourism declined during the 1930s. That idea inspired two characters who had been affected in different ways by the stock market crash, and I came up with Charlie, an artist, and Rose, a former socialite.

How long does it take you to write a novel?

It varies. My first full-length novel took over seven years to write. Since then, I’ve learned a lot, but it still takes four to six months for me to get the story the way I like it.

What do you enjoy doing outside of writing?

I have many hobbies – sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, and general crafts.

Do you find certain times of the day or certain things inspire you to write?

I write whenever I have time. Since retiring, my schedule has filled up with lots of other things, all happening at various times of the day, so I write whenever I can. As for inspiration, I think ideas come from reading the news, listening to friends’ conversation, and generally being observant.

What advice would you give to a new writer wishing to make it in the publishing world?

Keep writing. Keep learning – there are writing groups all over, many of them online. There is a ton of great advice out there. Have at least two or three other people read your work - not friends and relatives who are going to love anything you write, but people who will be honest about what your book needs.

We'd love to hear a few quirky facts about you...things that don't normally come up in an interview!

I always read the beginning of a book, then the end, and then the middle. I write them pretty much the same way.

When I eat a meal, I usually have to portion each item on my plate so that I run out of everything at the same time.

In college, I worked as a music librarian. I also typed papers in exchange for food.

Blurb for Searching for Lady Luck:

Only seven years have passed since Rose Sheffield was a carefree college student, though it seems like a lifetime ago. Her father’s position at a major bank provided her with luxuries she took for granted. Now she works at menial jobs to support herself and her mother, and they live in what used to be their vacation home in Wildwood, New Jersey. Rose’s days are pure drudgery, until she meets Charlie. As luck would have it, she just happens to have the perfect place to display his artwork.

Before the Great Stock market crash of 1929, Charlie Brannigan was hailed as an up and coming artist in Manhattan. But now he’s back at his family home in Wildwood, delivering newspapers in the mornings and selling his paintings on the Boardwalk in the afternoons. He needs some luck in his life, and it seems every time a pretty lady named Rose appears, good things happen.

Searching for Lady Luck can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords,

and other ebook outlets.

Patricia Kiyono can be found at her website, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Brooke's Book Review of Searching for Lady Luck

When I discovered this novella was a historical romance, I was skeptical.  Historical books are not usually my style.  Partly because it's hard to do it well and partly just because of my tastes.  When I began reading this novella, I wasn't sure I was going to like it just because of that.  But it has a lovely cover.  I know, I know, don't judge a book by its cover, right? :)

Anyway, the novella is fast paced because it's short so the story had to clip along.  I found that it didn't take me long to get into the story and enjoy the characters.  They were going through a hard time due to the economy after the depression and they really found a way to pull together and help each other along.

The book didn't give me a history lesson, but I still get the feel of a different era, which I liked.  The author did the whole historical romance thing really well and I found myself shaking my head at my pre-reading judgments.  I was pleasantly surprised that not only did I enjoy the historical romance, but I also was interested in reading others!  Especially by this particular author.  She writes beautifully and the storyline and characters were very vivid.

A very sweet, fast read that doesn't take up much time, but is well worth the time spent.