Of Ink and Quille

1. What drew you to writing, and why did you pick the genre you write i I grew up in the pre-computer era. If you wanted factual information you found it in paper books and newspapers. The "Word" was powerful and depending on how you used the words, could influence peoples attitudes and behavior. I realized this before I was nine years old when I decided I wanted to pursue journalism. By the time I was in 8th grade, I published a weekly newsletter of local and upcoming events. Since we didn't have copy machines, I mimeographed my newsletter. I had a readership of over a hundred subscribers paying a dime to me each week.  Big bucks in that era. I continued to work pro-bono as an editor or journalist in high school, college, and in my professional organizations gaining experience in publishing. During my federal career I was only writing non-fiction, but my desire was to become a mystery novelist by the time I reached age sixty. I enjoy writing romance and Young Adu...

PROM NIGHT SUMMER ANTHOLOGY Secrets in the Fog: Danny's First Love by Ellen Spain Danny Fennchar is a short and somewhat pudgy teen prodigy wearing broken glasses who looks forward to attending his high school Prom in a few weeks, and to attending college. There is a problem, at least to Danny. He is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and thinks his future plans are totally messed up. He doesn't have a date and in fact, being home schooled most of his life, never had a date except for his mother.. Danny is a shy and insecure 12th grader, until he meets Christine Dillon from his senior class, who is quite mature for her young age. Their romance blossoms.

Thanks so much for coming by Lorelie, glad to have you. LC: Thanks for having me.  Prepared to go through the wringer lol... LC Sure fire way. PB: Why did you pick or rather why did the genre pick you that you write in?   LC: I write romantic suspense and that’s what I enjoy reading most of the time, but also enjoy authors such as Harlan Coban and Andrew Gross. 2. How long does it usually take you to write your books?   LC: About 6-8 months roughly, with lots of time for research, revisions, edits and plotting. PB: Where do you get your inspiration?  LC: A lot of times from day dreaming. PB: Name at least two things about writing that you love/hate (can be one of each)  LC: I love getting edits back from the publisher. It’s another ‘take’ on my story. And I hate when my characters take over and keep changing the plot. PB:  You're faced with someone whose looking to break into the industry - what would you tell them?  Be...

For the moment, I'm going to turn the mic over to Lillian - who was kind enough to bring a couple of guests...but don't go anywhere when the interview is over... there's plenty more to follow today! Lillian smiles at Jacob and Jonathon Deveraux, the two Hollywood hunks currently sat on her sofa. The younger of the two winks at her as he slides his right foot up on to his left knee and relaxes back against the cushions. His equally delicious older brother checks his watch. Trying to maintain some level of composure, Lillian reads her notes and clears her throat. Lillian: Thank you both for coming. Jonathon: The pleasure is all ours. Lillian: I’ve read a bit about your background. Jacob, it seems you fell into acting but I get the impression it was more of a deliberate choice for you Jonathon. Jacob chuckles: I didn’t know what I planned to do with my life and acting came along but Jonathon was born to perform. Although, we figured he was destined...

Please welcome our guests today for our coffee and biscuit chat. Allow me to introduce everyone, first we have Lillian Grant - Siren Author. Welcome SPEAK TO ME OF ABDUCTION   LILLIAN GRANT He maintained eye contact as she dragged the shirt over her head, but when she pulled her face free, she caught him admiring what had been hidden underneath. Jacob’s focus traveled up to her face. Her cheeks flushed as his face lit up with a slow, sensual smile that started with his mouth and ended with his eyes. He ran his tongue slowly over his lips, his gaze roaming her exposed body, and Charlene shivered. The look of desire in Jacob’s face as he stepped towards her made her pulse race with anticipation. Would he pull her into his arms and kiss her? Would she get to press her naked breasts against his chest? Her stomach lurched with disappointment when he broke eye contact and wrapped the towel around her shoulders. Once she had covered up, he looked back into her eyes and chewe...

Welcome back Pembroke, Margaret, hope those chairs are comfy. Your readers have put together some questions for you...   What made you pick your genre? PS:   I write in several different genres, including western,science fiction, fantasy, horror and nonfiction, and really, I just write whatI feel like .  Sometimes a story will be more insistent than others, so I writethat and get it out of the way. MK:  I am deeply interested in various paranormal and mystical subjects and  have been for years.  My interests include reincarnation, out of body  experiences, out of body travel, near death experiences, ghosts, after  death contact, UFOs, alien abduction, ESP and more.  It is natural for  me to think in these terms, so often my writing includes those  subjects.  Both of my novels have been about reincarnation and my  short stories are often SF, magic realism or mystical.

Imagine being sixteen again without losing the worldly knowledge gained from age. In Replacing Fiona, a "dead" ninety-four year old woman accepts such an assignment, finds herself in the body of a teenage suicide and attends the girl's senior year of high school. Only now, it is 2004 instead of 1928 and she is acutely aware that her spiritual growth and possibly the fate of the world depend upon her success. Sincerely, Margaret Karmazin

Life after the Undead by Pembroke Sinclair The world has come to an end.   It doesn’t go out with a bang, or even a whimper.   It goes out in an orgy of blood and the dead rising from their graves to feast on living flesh.   As democracy crumples and the world melts into anarchy, five families in the U.S. rise to protect the survivors.   The undead hate a humid environment, so they are migrating westward to escape its deteriorating effects.   The survivors are constructing a wall in North Platte to keep the zombie threat to the west, while tyranny rules among the humans to the east.   Capable but naïve Krista is 15 when the first attacks occur, and she loses her family and barely escapes with her life.   She makes her way to the wall and begins a new life.   But, as the undead threat grows and dictators brainwash those she cares about, Krista must fight not only to survive but also to defend everything she holds dear—her country, her freedo...

Please welcome both authors to the blog and feel free to ask questions - they love talking about their work lol. Both Pembroke and Margaret write for eTreasures Publishing, a small press that's growing. To read their books you can check the out here .

What is your next big project? HH-A I am currently in the final revisions of a darker mystery that takes place during WW II. Then I have a 3-act play to revise, plus several short stories calling to me. I tend to have 4 or 5 things going at one time. This way I never have writer’s block. I just move on to something else that seems to be more compelling. But I always finish what I start. It’s a blessing, it’s a curse. I can’t think of one writing project I haven’t followed through. PB-A Currently, I'm working toward finishing the first book in a series that features immortal characters with a spin. Instead of working with the traditional characters, we selected afew that were different, trolls, centaurs, merpeople, demons, angels, elves, and more and gave them life. The series is planned for 10 books but we're marketing the first four to a prospective publisher at the moment.

If you could be any character, who would you be and why? HH-A A: Well, for the sake of argument, we’re going to make it a character from the Alvarez Family Murder Mystery Series. In that case, I would say Lee Alvarez. I knew I wanted to write a mystery series with a human and likable protagonist, who had a few things going for her. Not perfect, but striving. I didn't want yet another protagonist who learned nothing, who was ostracized from those she loved, who owned one crummy black skirt and life was one, long penance. Lee Alvarez loves life. She’s funny and though she makes mistakes, she learns from them. Like most of us, she grows as she goes along. After all, life is what happens while you’re making other plans. Lee’s lucky to have strong familial support to see her through it all, even though they are often a pain in her jazzercised derriere. If you mean any character from any book, that’s a lot tougher. Maybe Mame in Auntie Mame , by Patrick Dennis. She was...

Grab a cup of Jo, some of these wonderful chocolate chip cookies, and join us as we grill our guests Heather and Patricia...who gets the nice big comfy hot seat err chairs lol. Welcome Heather, I hope you're doing well. Thank you for having me. So our readers have posed some questions for you. Why this genre? What was it about mystery writing that drew your attention? HH-A: I love mysteries, always have. The first book I can remember reading as a kid, aside from Uncle Remus , was Nancy Drew’s The Secret of the Old Clock . I was nine at the time and it changed my life. I absolutely loved it! So when I decided to write a novel, I knew that would be the type. You know, a writer lives in her or his head 24/7 on a project. You’d better like what’s going on in there. PB-A What could be better than romance. I write what strikes my fancy, be they historicals or even some paranormals. As a reader I'm well rounded, I think writing what I read makes sense. And what ...

Not That I Write Literature “Not that I write literature” was a phrase uttered by a well-known author at the book signing I attended for his recently released book, Perfect Alibi . Sheldon Siegel is an established, New York Times best selling author. More importantly, he writes books that are beautifully crafted, with flawed, well-rounded characters, intricate plots, easy, clear dialogue and superb pacing. In short, Mr. Siegel is a writer of such that he gives credit to the writing profession. His sincere, self-deprecating comment surprised me. Webster Dictionary describes the word literature as “creative writing of recognized artistic value.” Hello there, Mr. Siegel. Possibly all fine writers have the element of self-doubt as this author, the need to perfect their craft in each succeeding book, the looking back on preceding books as slightly lacking. It made me wonder. Did Fitzgerald ever say at any of his book signings, it’s just a love story about a girl ...

If you were faced with a new author, what is one thing you would tell them is a must to do and what would you tell them to avoid? HH -A: First of all, avoid nothing. It’s all grist for the mill. Read authors whose work you like. Don’t be afraid to take the best of what they have to offer, whether it be plot, characterization, location, phraseology, or descriptions, whatever. I don’t mean plagiarism but try to emulate what makes the story sing for you. Everyone “borrows” and there’s no sin in it. We all learn from one another. Then, write, write, write. You can’t be a writer unless you write. Join a writing group. Take classes. Learn, grow, experiment, and discover yourself and what you excel in, your strengths and weaknesses. Lastly, never let anyone tell you, you can’t write. Scoff them, sneer them, expunge them. They don’t know what they’re talking about. They are projecting their own feelings of inadequacy upon you. Got it? Now, get out there and write. And revel in i...

Please join me in welcoming Elaine Lowe and her special guest today. Thank you Patricia, for letting William and I come visit your blog today. Will is the hero of my fun summer read, Magic Eights , available at Ellora’s Cave, and I’m sure you’ll welcome him with open arms. First, a quick blurb for Magic Eights: A casual wish by a frustratingly horny wife results in a most unexpected bit of magic… Susanna walks into her kitchen to see two copies of her husband of eight years, William. When they both seduce her, she’s helpless to resist. Who would want to? When another copy walks in and makes love to her, and another, she ceases to ask why, only, how much can she take? Seven copies, one original, and all of them want to push her to the very brink. Can she handle them all? Sinful satisfaction is the best anniversary present, and eight is Susanna’s lucky number. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? You know you want to sample a taste of it. An excerpt can be found here: http://www.jasmine...

Pull up a chair, grab that cup of jo and have some of these wondeful cookies. Today we're talking to Cindy Cromer, our guest for the round table. Welcome Cindy, glad you could stop by. So, what motivated you to write in the genre you write in? CC: Ever since I was little I have loved to read.  In elementary school, I'd rather read Nancy Drew mysteries than play in the playground.  Nerd right?  In eighth grade for an assignment I wrote a descriptive essay and was placed in the honors Literature and English classes in High School. At that time I had visions of becoming a best selling author but my favorite subjects were science and math.  Nerd again!  I majored in Chemistry and Biology in college, went on to become the president of a laboratory network, and wrote numerous research and technical documents, but in all of my spare time continued to read any mystery/suspense novel I could.  I always jokingly said one day I would write a book.  My fami...

Desperate Measures by Cindy Cromer The secret is out AGAIN…! This time lives are in jeopardy. What should have been the perfect vacation soon became a nightmare. Caitlin Martel made a stop before meeting her family at Miami International Airport. A cryptic message waited for her. She dismissed the threat and assumed it was directed toward the brilliant scientist that she recently hired. Caitlin has no idea that a forgotten secret was about to explode and put her life in jeopardy. When Caitlin and her family arrive on the Caribbean Island of St. Kitts, they find their dream home vandalized. In the kitchen, another message has been left. In blood, leaving no doubt that Caitlin personally is the target. In a flashback Caitlin recalls the secret that her father, Jack Spencer, revealed to her sixteen years ago. He didn’t tell her everything. Will Jack be able to confront the truth and reconstruct the past in time to save his daughter?  Caitlin’s husband Scott, FBI Assistant Direc...

Allow me to introduce today's victims er guests with some amazing books out. I hope you'll have plenty of questions for our guests. Today we're featuring Cindy Cromer - author of Desperate Measures, a writer who is driven to succeed. Welcome Cindy, come on in and have a seat in one of the big comfy leather chairs.

Join me as I celebrate the Twelve days of Christmas until my reprint Cowgirl's Christmas comes out. Today is day one... so see if you can find on my blog a wonderful, delightful picture of a horse... collect all 12 and you're entered into a draw for copy of my latest print release Bordering on Love and a copy of Cowgirl's Christmas. HINT: The horse is brown.

Please join me in welcoming Pamela from Beachwalk Press for today. This new publishing house, is the new home for my reprint, The Cowgirl's Christmas. Welcome Pamela, thanks so much for joining us. First, I’d like to thank Patricia for giving me the opportunity to visit here today. A little about myself: I started in this business as a romance author, several years later I moved into editing, and eventually became the managing editor for Lyrical Press. Now with the opening of Beachwalk Press, I’ve stepped into the publisher position. Beachwalk Press is strictly a romance publisher. We publish all sub-genres of romance. Our books range in length from 15,000 words to 75,000 words. All of them have a rating of “sensual” or higher. We are currently publishing only eBooks, although we may eventually move into print publication. At this time our books are available in five different formats: pdf (for Adobe Reader), lit (for Microsoft Reader), mobi (for Mobi and Kindle...