Category Archives: Writer Wednesday

Writer Wednesday: Meet Kathleen Bittner Roth

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Kathleen Bittner Roth#WriterWednesday. #WriterWednesday! Whee haw, it’s #WriterWednesday!

Today we have Kathleen Bittner Roth joining us all the way from Budapest! Isn’t the internet grand? Budapest, people! I’ve had the pleasure of being Facebook friends with Ms. Roth for some time now, and I always look forward to what she has to say – she’s whip-smart and has great insight.

I hope you enjoy this little interview, and leave her a comment or two!

Thank you for having me as your guest today, Margaret!

[ML: Thank YOU for joining us! Woo hoo! Romance author in the house!]

allanaWhat inspires you to write?

When it comes to inspiration, I’m a real addict. I live in Budapest, Hungary, a fascinating city both historically and architecturally. Just about any place I go around here is a visual inspiration. People inspire me as well. Not long ago, my twelve-year-old nephew asked if I would include him in one of my stories. Since I write historical romance, I didn’t think I could. He’s fascinated by anything having to do with WWII. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head to transpose his age from 12 – 21, make him a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot and a story was born. I just returned from Northern France for some fabulous WWII research. Talk about inspiring!

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?

I love historical romance, particularly those stories set in the Victorian era, a time when women were willing to stand up and fight for their rights, when new laws were being set in place, and when the idea of marrying for love was taking hold. Aside from getting carried away in a setting far removed from the oftentimes raw world of today, I love the research.

celineName one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book.

My latest book, Josette, which released yesterday, takes place in New Orleans in 1857. My heroine runs an exclusive shop for women where she concocts creams that are meant to both heal and keep a woman’s skin soft and ageless. Of course, this meant tons of research in order to write as much as one paragraph in the story. I found it fascinating that back then spider webs were placed over a wound to protect and enhance healing. I wonder why we stopped using some of the natural remedies that actually worked.

Name two things people don’t know about you.

Thing one: I was once a serious ballet student.

Thing two: I lived four years along the Adriatic Sea in Opatija, Croatia. Emperor Franz Joseph built the town as a spa area for his wife, Empress Elizabeth. Soon, the wealthy followed suit which accounts for all the grand old baroque villas both in town and lining the coast. If you ever get a chance, vacation there.

What fellow romance author do you recommend reading, and why?

Heather Ashby’s Love In The Fleet series. Not only does Heather write riveting stories, she is ex-Navy herself. She also co-writes with active pilots so her details are spot on. Heather donates half her royalties to Fisher House to benefit families of wounded soldiers and sailors.

sarahWhat one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

I wish someone would have told me not to listen to naysayers, to listen carefully to my intuitive heart, write what I love, and connect with good, supportive critique partners. Early on, I made the huge mistake of showing what I had written to someone I respected but who knew nothing about the industry. This person tore me and my work apart. Devastated, I put my manuscript aside for years. She also dogged me to use a pen name so as not to embarrass my family. I boldly write under my own name and my relatives love my work.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

The Devil In Winter by Lisa Kleypas. The banter between the hero and heroine is priceless, the hero is a badass I loved and detested at the same time, and the lamblike heroine turns out to be strong-willed and tough as leather. The chemistry that builds between the two, and the personal growth that takes place keeps the story moving forward on several levels. I couldn’t put the book down. Once finished, I started reading it again for a slower, more seductive read.

Josette_coverAnd now, a bit on Josette!

“Monsieur Andrews, welcome to my home.”

At the smoky, velvet sound, Cameron swung around. Every function in his body–heart, breath, blood ceased to function.

She was lovely. More than lovely.

Tendrils of raven hair framed a face so exquisite, it disarmed him. Her mouth, a soft, dewy pink, parted. And those eyes, as dark as Creole coffee, intelligent and assessing, roamed over him and then back to take hold of his. He needed to step closer, to stroke her skin. To possess her. But would his wealth and worldly experience be a match for the free-spirited Cajun-born widow?

Across the oceans, between worlds old and new–two lost souls find themselves at a crossroads.

Find Josette on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

goldenheartKathleen Bittner Roth thrives on creating passionate stories featuring characters who are forced to draw on their strength of spirit to overcome adversity and find unending love. Her own fairy tale wedding in a Scottish castle led her to her current residence in Budapest, Hungary, considered one of Europe’s most romantic cities. However, she still keeps one boot firmly in Texas and the other in her home state of Minnesota. A member of Romance Writers of America®, she was a finalist in the prestigious Golden Heart® contest.

Want to connect with Kathleen?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kathleen.bittnerroth.author

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bittnerroth/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/K_BittnerRoth

Website: www.kathleenbittnerroth.com

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing a bit of your very exciting life with us, Kathleen!
Wishing you the best with Josette, and all of your romances. 

Writer Wednesday: Guest Post from Kathryn Barrett

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Kathryn BarrettWriter Wednesday is back! Par-tay!

This time, we’re shaking it up a little bit. Instead of a standard interview, Kathryn Barrett is taking over the whole shebang (with my blessing, of course, especially since she was already subject to my quizzing in March) and giving us a little insight into her novels, including her latest, True Gold.

It’s kind of fun sitting back with the rest of y’all and seeing (okay, reading) what she has to say.

(Also, if you haven’t checked out her first book, Temptation, you should! I adored it – and have both Redemption and True Gold in my stack of books to read next!)

You gotta have friends…and so do your characters

Redemption Cover Kathryn BarrettLike any author, I love my characters, but sometimes, I love their friends more. My third release, True Gold, features a character who first appeared in my last book, Redemption. He’s the head of the company the main character works for, and he makes a brief appearance at the end, a supportive boss and friend. But as I was writing Redemption, I wanted to know more about this guy, who first appeared to me as a shadowy figure, a quiet man who didn’t have many friends, but who’d formed a friendship with Claire because they were very much alike in temperament.

My first book, Temptation, also features a friend of the main character Laura, who was also the hero of Redemption—Matt Grayson, a Hollywood A-list actor and director who, I knew, had been recently reunited with his true love.

When best friends pop in for brief appearances in my books—or even in the many book ideas that for now exist only in my head—I want to know their story too. When I first started writing I’d often be led astray by these friends. At its midpoint, the book I was writing became dull and difficult, so I let myself be distracted by the shiny new friend who’d appeared. Who is he? What’s her story? What’s he hiding? The tantalizing secrets they held intrigued me, tempted me away from the current work in progress. Finally I had to get tough with myself and just finish the book, promising myself I’d go back and write the other stories—discover what that character was all about—later.

temptationI think friends are easier to include than family members. There’s a reason why so many romance heroes and heroines are orphans: parents are often an inconvenient complication in a plot—unless they’re estranged, they need to show up once in a while if the story is to be realistic. But a friend can pop in long enough to offer valuable advice a character needs to get beyond the Black Moment she’s found herself in.

Other authors I like write the same sort of loosely connected stories: Nora Roberts, Susan E. Phillips, and Judith McNaught, whose books first convinced me I needed to write romance. And the best thing is, there’s never a shortage of story ideas. As long as a character isn’t totally friendless, there’ll be someone in my head, waiting in the wings for his story to be told. And then, I get to check in on my previous characters, too, as they inevitably make an appearance in their friends’ books.

What about you? Do you like to read or write about friends of previous main characters?

TRUE GOLD:

TrueGold_FINALConnor Forrest is a self-made billionaire only one generation removed from the emerald turf of his mother’s Ireland. Jaded by the high risk, high tech investment world he inhabits, he has little time for introspection, poetry, or true love. A piece of perfectly thought out logic, on the other hand, makes him weak in the knees.

Rebecca Evans is a brilliant computer programmer disguised as a ditzy blonde. She’s looking for love, but people are not as predictable as mathematical equations.

A fall in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park sends her straight into Connor’s arms, but getting into his heart is a much harder task.

Can Connor learn that true love, like gold futures, is worth a little risk?

Find True Gold here:

Simon and Schuster: http://books.simonandschuster.com/True-Gold/Kathryn-Barrett/9781623422158

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/True-Gold-Kathryn-Barrett-ebook/dp/B00ZPNZJIU

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/True-Gold-Kathryn-Barrett-ebook/dp/B00ZPMWPK6/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/true-gold-kathryn-barrett/1122135938

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/true-gold/id1006823331?mt=11

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/true-gold-1

BooksAMillion: http://www.booksamillion.com/search?query=9781623422158

Bio:

Kathryn Barrett reluctantly put aside childhood dreams of becoming an author and took a more practical approach, majoring in Business Administration in college. But after marrying an Air Force officer, she realized a career in high finance didn’t suit an itinerant lifestyle. She happily returned to her first love, writing stories that feature larger-than-life characters, family relationships, and of course, a happy ending.

Her award-winning novel Temptation was published in 2013, followed by Redemption in 2014.

Having lived all over the world, Kathryn and her family have recently relocated to northern Virginia. She enjoys long walks with her squirrel-obsessed dog, traveling to tiny European countries, cooking vegan feasts, and, only occasionally, she still reads the Financial Times.

Website: http://kathrynbarrett.com

Twitter: @KathrynSBarrett

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKathrynBarrett

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-Barrett/e/B00BHSWH00/

Thanks so much, Kathryn!
I, for one, LOVE series interconnected by siblings or friends (as all my stories will be).
I’m so glad you could share your insights today. 

Writer Wednesday: Meet Josh Bertetta!

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JoshBertettaHey hi howdy-ho, pardners! It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means. Yup – it’s WRITER Wednesday. Wahoowa!

Today I’m delighted to have fellow Flash Friday competitor Joshua Bertetta here to visit. Josh writes some amazing flash (I know, because when I was serving as judge, I picked one of his pieces to win! Bwah ha ha!), and is an all-around friendly and fascinating guy (how many people do you know who hold a doctorate in Mythological Studies? And why didn’t *I* pursue that in grad school?)

He’d love to hear from you in the comments, so spread the writerly love, will you?

Also: authors, I have some openings coming up for future Writer Wednesdays, starting in October. Please email me if you’d like to take part!

What inspires you to write?

Ooh, this is a tough one. I have a very broad base of interests as demonstrated on my blog. We’ve probably all heard the adage “Every picture is worth a thousand words.” Can’t we reverse it too, and say every word is worth a thousand pictures? Images (visibility not required), ideas, words, they all inspire me in one way or another. As long as something moves me in one direction or another–that is all the inspiration I need to write at least something.

ffbadgeName one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book.

My WIP is a biography about the first person to ever be arrested for selling steroids. I learned there is a lot more to issues surrounding steroids than the media has presented over the past 30 or so years. In particular, I learned anabolic steroids developed in the 1950s America essentially as a Cold War weapon employed in the international sporting arena.

[ML: Holy cow, really? I need to read this book.]

Name two things people don’t know about you.

That depends on the who. As far as the flash community goes, I’d say most don’t know I am three-plus years sober and that I have an autistic son.

What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

Join on-line flash fiction communities. They are a great way to meet other fantastic writers and hone your own craft by playing with genre, style, voice, etc.

[ML: I absolutely agree. Flash Friday was my first public venture into writing–and the first time I received acclaim from people other than my friends and family for fiction I’d written. I owe a lot to those confidence-boosting mentions.] 

What’s Josh Up To?

clotheslinebooksI don’t have any publications to speak of, but I would invite readers to stop by my blog at joshbertetta.wordpress.com, where in addition to my flash fiction stories, I have excerpts from my first novel (for which I’m seeking publication) and essays on mythology, religion, spirituality, psychology, culture and society. A good sampling of all my little interests and inspirations.

Bio:

Josh Bertetta holds a Ph.D in Mythological Studies and teaches in the Religious Studies department at a small private university in central Texas. He is an aspiring author and a father of three boys. He loves to cook and garden.

Thanks so much for popping in, Josh! Can’t wait to feature you again when your novel is available!

Writer Wednesday: Meet Christy Carlyle

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christycarlyleIt’s Writer Wednesday, baby, and we’re gonna party like it’s 1999!

Okay, maybe not, because if it were 1999, it’s unlikely y’all would be online as much as you are now, and you’d likely miss this great little interview with historical romance author Christy Carlyle. Which would be a travesty, as these little author interviews make my week, and I hope they do yours, as well.

Read on to learn more about Christy and her new release, One Scandalous Kiss (and when we say new, we mean NEW! The book debuted yesterday. Wahoo!).

What inspires you to write?

I’ve been jotting down stories since I was a kid, so I’ve been driven to write for a long time. The characters and stories in my head compel me to write, and creating the kinds of books I like to read keeps me motivated.

scandalouswagerWhich type of romance do you love most, and why?

That’s a toughy. I adore historical romance, but I also read contemporary, paranormal, and romantic suspense. If I can feel emotionally connected to the characters, get caught up in their conflict, and care about them achieving their happily ever after, I’ll read just about any kind of romance.

Name two things people don’t know about you.

I suffer from a belief I will never own enough pens. I literally own hundreds of them, and I keep finding an excuse to buy them. It’s a bit like my book-buying preoccupation.

I have a modicum of artistic skill and have provided illustrations for two children’s books.

What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

Just write. I spent a lot of time worrying that my writing wasn’t good enough or not knowing if my stories were worth telling, but there’s this simple and unavoidable equation I failed to grasp. You can only hone your writing skills by writing. 

And now, a bit on Christy’s latest release!   

onescandalouskiss

One Scandalous Kiss:

Can one kiss change everything?

When a scheming marquess’s daughter offers her one hundred pounds to publicly kiss a nobleman, a desperate Jessamin Wright agrees. She believes the money will save her failing bookstore and finally free her from her father’s debts. But when Jess bursts into an aristocratic party and shocks the entire ton, she never expects to enjoy the outrageous embrace she shares with a grim viscount.

Lucius Crawford, Viscount Grimsby, has never met, or kissed, anyone like the beautiful suffragette who unsettles him with a single touch. He has always strived for control and avoided passion at all costs. Lucius is determined to protect his title and restore the estate he’s unexpectedly inherited, but Jess’s appearance in his life poses a threat to his plans and his heart. After a country house party brings them together once more, neither can resist temptation, and both find that one scandalous kiss just isn’t enough.

Publisher: Harper Collins/Avon Impulse

Find One Scandalous Kiss here: 

OSK’s Goodreads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25204333-one-scandalous-kiss

Amazon: http://bit.ly/OSKAmazon

Nook: http://bit.ly/OSKNook

iTunes: http://bit.ly/OSKiTunes

Kobo: http://bit.ly/OSKKobo

Harper Collins: http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062427991/one-scandalous-kiss

And a bit on Christy herself …

wantonwagerFueled by Pacific Northwest coffee and inspired by multiple viewings of every British costume drama she can get her hands on, Christy Carlyle writes sensual historical romance set in the Victorian era. She loves heroes who struggle against all odds and heroines who are ahead of their time. A former teacher with a degree in history, she finds there’s nothing better than being able to combine her love of the past with a die-hard belief in happy endings.

Want to connect with Christy? You’re in luck, because she’s everywhere! I stand in awe.

Website: http://www.christycarlyle.com

Blog: http://romancingthegenres.blogspot.com

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/christycarlylenewsletter

Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/ccamazonpg

Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/ccauthorFBPage

Twitter: http://bit.ly/ChristyCTwitter

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/CCGoodreads

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/ChristyCPinterest

Google+: http://bit.ly/ChristyCGooglePlus

Tumblr: http://bit.ly/ChristyCTumblr

Tsu: http://bit.ly/ChristyCarlyleTsu

Authorgraph: http://bit.ly/CCAuthorgraph

LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ChristyCLinkedIn

Wattpad: http://bit.ly/CCWattpad

Instagram: https://instagram.com/writerchristy/

Woot! Thanks so much for hanging with us today, Christy!
I’m wishing you the very best of luck with One Scandalous Kiss and all of your other books – they look wonderful! 

Writer Wednesday: Meet Lizzie Leaf!

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Lizzie_T__Leaf_pic-smallerWhoa, baby. Can you believe it’s Wednesday again already? Where does the time go? But Wednesday is always a time for celebration around here – not only is it hump day (which really has no meaning to writer who works odd hours, you know), but it’s Writer Wednesday, the day fellow writers grace me with their presence just long enough to spill a few of their secrets (maybe) and chat about their latest release. Fun, fun for everyone.

Romance writer Lizzie T. Leaf is burning up the Writer Wednesday hot seat this week! I’m pretty sure that T. stands for terrific; she’s not only loads of fun to chat with, but she’s also written a number of romances (paranormal, contemporary, and others) for y’all to read. Win, win!

Settle in with that cup of tea (or Diet Coke, or chocolate bar, whatever your poison is) and get to know Lizzie a little better. And if you have chocolate, would you please share some?

What inspires you to write?

The stories playing through my head pushes me to put them on paper. If not, they only get louder. At times when I’m in the middle of one book another pushes its way to the front and demands at least jotting down notes.

The stories have been there since childhood. I spent a lot of time alone on the swing under the Pecan tree swinging and making up friends. Like me, the friends have grown into adults and the stories have changed, but they remain.

What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

NordicHeatThere is more to writing a book than typing the end. Your journey has only started. From those two words you move on to the reality…sending the manuscript out to publishers and agents or making the decision to self-publish.

If self-publishing is the road you travel, then find an editor to catch all the things you can’t see in your baby. I relate an unedited book to…I can’t see the forest for the trees. The mind sees what it thinks should be there not necessarily what is there.

Whatever way the book ends up published, the promoting begins and that is an endless job at which most days I suck. But as you strive to get the word out, there is the next book that needs to be written and needs starting immediately. As the old saying goes…no rest for the wicked, and some days I must be very wicked the way my Muse bugs me.

Name two things people don’t know about you.

I don’t think a lot of people know I’m a Master Gardener. Love gardening and find digging in the dirt a good way to vent my frustrations. When the fruits of labor produce in late spring and summer, there is nothing better than sitting on the patio with my laptop and writing. The buzzing of the bees and songs from the birds stimulate my wee brain.

The other thing most don’t know is I’m a Certified Tour Guide and Tour Director. Though I don’t work the profession I’m always mentally critiquing the guides on travel excursions. Some are really entertaining and information, while others can put me to sleep the way the drone on about a subject.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

I love The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. I fell in love with the epic romance novel then. The Meggie & Ralph experience had me in tears. [SPOILER ALERT] When he dies in her arms at the end, I sobbed. Yeah, you have to love a great angst ridden story!

And now a bit about Lizzie’s latest release: 

DeadAwake_300x450Lizzie T. Leaf books have heat, but humor comes into play too.

DEAD Awake is re-releasing at Decadent Publishing and the pre-sale is on now.

Here’s the story:

Socialite Deb Stein lives a life of luxury until she takes the hunk dressed as a vampire to her bed. When she wakes up one of the living dead, she’s pissed-off. To complicate matters more, she has to find a new identity since everyone thinks she dead. Plus, if she’s dead, she can’t touch her trust fund, and that means she has to work! How can someone who has never held a job find one?

And her social life is in the tank. Her new friends are a street guy called Rat and fellow strippers at the dive where she works. If she ever sees Aaron Lowell again, she’ll put a stake in his heart.

Aaron Lowell feels guilty he took his mentor’s advice and left town after taking the sexy socialite into the undead world. Concerned, he returns to check on her and discovers she’s become a stripper—and not a very happy one when she sees him. But she’s still hot, and he can’t stay away from her, even if their meetings are explosive.

Can two vampires move beyond anger, combined with a strong sexual attraction, to find the kind of love they both crave?

Find it here, and on Amazon Kindle.

Want to connect with Lizzie? Stalk (er, I mean, find) her here:

Website: www.lizzietleaf.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizzie.t.leaf

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizzietleaf

Like her author page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Lizzie-T-Leaf/559039194149272?ref=bookmarks

Thanks so much for joining us, Lizzie!
Have fun with your gardening – I’m staying right here, in my air-conditioned, bug-free living room. Bwah ha ha!