Welcome to Chrys Fey!

Today Debra welcomes fellow TWRP author Chrys Fey to Book Beat Babes. Congratulations on your new release, Chrys. 30 Seconds sounds like an exciting read!

Hello, Book Beat Babes! This is my first visit to this lovely blog, so I wanted to do a special post inspired by Book Beat Babes.

Dani Hart, the heroine in my newest romantic-suspense, 30 Seconds, is a babe in many ways. Allow me to demonstrate:

Rock Babe: Dani’s parents were true rockers in the 70’s. Her mom continued to rock out even when she was pregnant, which is how Dani was born at a Kiss concert. She has a vast collection of rock albums including John Lennon and Bob Marley. She also has a rock-inspired tattoo on her back; string notes to Led Zeppelin’s song "Stairway to Heaven."

Horror Babe: Dani is a huge fan of horror movies, especially the classics like The Birds, The Shining, and Halloween. Even after working at the ER where she sees gore daily, and being threatened by the Mob, she still can enjoy a good horror film.

Intellectual Babe: Dani speaks fluent Spanish. She’s also a doctor. She pulls all-nighters at the ER, fights to keep gunshot victims alive, and performs emergency surgery. Although most of 30 Seconds takes place outside the hospital, there is an exciting hospital scene where we get to see her in full doctor mode.

Book Babe: Lastly, Dani is a book babe. When she goes into protective custody to hide from the Mob, what does she grab? A pile of books, of course! And she reads all of them, too.
What kind of babe do you like your heroines to be?

Blurb:
When Officer Blake Herro agreed to go undercover in the Mob, he thought he understood the risks. But he's made mistakes and now an innocent woman has become their target. He's determined to protect her at all costs.

The Mob's death threat turns Dr. Dani Hart's life upside down, but there is one danger she doesn’t anticipate. As she's dodging bullets, she's falling in love with Blake. With danger all around them, will she and Blake survive and have a happy ending, or will the Mob make good on their threat?

Book Links:
The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5801
NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/30-seconds-chrys-fey/1120324958?ean=2940150711938
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/30-seconds-1
Amazon US: http://amzn.com/B00N26EU9G
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00N26EU9G
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22591698-30-seconds

Bio:
Chrys Fey is a lover of rock music just like Dani Hart in 30 Seconds. Whenever she's writing at her desk, headphones are always emitting the sounds of her musical muses -especially that of her favorite band, 30 Seconds to Mars, the inspiration behind the title.
30 Seconds is her second eBook with The Wild Rose Press. Her debut, Hurricane Crimes, is also available on Amazon.

Discover her writing tips on her blog, and connect with her on Facebook. She loves to get to know her readers!

Author Links:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chrysfey
Blog: www.writewithfey.blogspot.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ChrysFey


Chrys, thanks again for joining us today and sharing Dani's babeness with us...I can relate to being a rock babe and a book babe, but not so much the horror babe!

The Holiday Season is Upon Us

Hard to believe, but with Thanksgiving this coming Thursday, the holiday season is upon us.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love that it's a time set aside to gather with family and friends and count our blessings. Holidays for me are all about tradition. Growing up, we always hosted Thanksgiving at our house. My favorite memories are waking up in the morning to the smell of turkey in the oven and getting out Mom's good china and silverware and setting the table. Soon the family would arrive, and we'd have fifteen, even twenty people gathered around the table. Grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins...we all came together to eat good food, to share, to laugh, and to love.

But as life goes on, traditions sometimes change. Grandmas pass on. Kids grow up, get married, and have families of their own. New routines are established...new traditions born.

This year we'll gather at my sister's house to watch the Bears and eat. It's a small group this year, but that's okay. We'll still have plenty of food, laughs, and love to go around.

A few years ago I penned a Thanksgiving novella which celebrates all the things I love about the holiday. Family gathering, delicious food, hand turkeys drawn by little children, crisp fall weather, and especially a heroine who shares my view of not doing anything that has to do with Christmas until Thanksgiving has had its due.

Here's a snippet:

One morning she opened the door to Joe’s smiling face. Her answering smile faded as she noticed the snow shovel in his hand.
“Why do you have that?” she demanded.
She peeked over his shoulder and moaned. A light dusting of snow covered the lawn. It sparkled in the sunshine. But she couldn’t appreciate its beauty. “No,” she whined. “It’s only November. It cannot snow.”
Joe raised an eyebrow.
She paused in her tirade to appreciate the effect it had on his face. But only for a brief second. “Snow is for Christmas. Not Thanksgiving. Ugh.”
He chuckled. “Wow. You are really hung up on that, aren’t you?”
She put her hands on her hips. “Shut up.” The words held no rancor.
He leaned in and kissed her. Only a mere brush of his lips against hers. But it was enough.
Her heart pumped into overdrive. At the same time the breath left her lungs. Her dismay over the weather vanished. She leaned in, eager for a more intimate touch.

Another tradition I have is being a rereader. I'm a firm believer that books are not meant to only be read once and put away. So, this coming week, I'll be opening up An Unexpected Blessing and revisiting Katy and Joe's story.

Until next time,

Happy Reading and Happy Thanksgiving!

Debra

An Unexpected Blessing from The Wild Rose Press.

Single Mom Katy Roth thinks life can't get any worse. In the past six months she's been let go at work, had to move back home with her parents, and found out her ex is cutting his child support payment. As Thanksgiving approaches, she finds little to be thankful for in a life that is quickly spinning out of control.
Joe Mason is the town's bad boy. Literally. He's just returned from a four year stint in prison. He wants nothing more than to put the past behind him and get on with his life. He's had a secret crush on Katy since grade school, but when Katy's parents hire him to be their handyman, she's less than thrilled to have him around.

But soon, through her young son's eyes, Katy discovers the good in Joe. As their feelings for one another deepen, small town gossip and prejudice threaten to ruin everything. Will Joe's past come between them, or will they be able to get beyond it and hold onto a love neither expected?

When A Grant Writing Class Turns Into A Character Traits Workshop! by DL Larson

Last week I mentioned I had to attend a grant writing class. The title of the class was, "Grant writing that gets results!" Since I hope to apply for a grant in the future, I was interested in learning all I could about the serious side of writing grants.

The class failed miserably in that aspect. The instructor was an accountant and numbers, numbers and more numbers was her entire presentation. As a word person, I found the class and information dull. Yes, I brought home a few good website addresses on places to go for fundraising, but that had not been my purpose for attending this writing class. I wanted to study up on the lingo on what grant givers might be looking for. I had been in need of a word interpretation class and received a math class instead. Dare I say, shoot me!?!

The instructor never presented a sample grant. She did not expound on the government grants which I was quite interested in. She used her power point overhead as we, the class, read the very same thing in our notebooks she handed out. I do not enjoy being read to as if I'm ten years old. I was looking for fresh insight to grant writing.

What I brought home was a plethora of ideas for character traits! The elderly man behind me decided clipping his fingernails after lunch was a good time to do his personal grooming. Each clip, clip, clip, echoed throughout the room. A few ladies across the isle were still eating their lunch and stared in disbelief. I don't believe he noticed.

The plump woman in front of me had the chatty-Cathy syndrome. Since no one else sat in her row, she put her feet up on the chair in front of me and proceeded to chat with me even when I pointed at the instructor who was talking. It didn't phase her. She had a story to tell and by gosh she continued on despite the other conversation going on in the room.

Another woman complained about her board not helping out as they were supposed to. She said they did nothing and complained when she asked for help. She should have canvassed the room before she shared her woes. One of her board members sat in the back of the room.

Then two men sauntered in half-way through the class. They lumbered up to the front and plopped down, then began unpacking their belongings and taking off their coats as the rest of the class watched. Their tardiness didn't seem to bother them and the instructor finally got back on task of talking about finding money in small communities.

The instructor spent a great deal of time complimenting the one man who raised BIG bucks for a hospital. She was from the suburbs and obviously felt a connection to him and his impressive portfolio. She referred to him throughout the presentation as if he was there as proof to her expertise, and not in attendance to learn.

I may not have garnered much in the way of grant writing, but the character traits I discovered served as a great refresher course for my fiction writing. I've stored them in my writer's tool box. I wonder how long it will be before I use one?

Til next time ~

DL Larson
www.DLLARSON.com

Please Welcome Mystery Author, Marilyn Meredith

Marilyn Meredith on the right, with granddaughter, Jessica

Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty-five published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest River Spirits from Mundania Press. Marilyn is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She lives in the foothills of the Sierra. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com and her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/

Contest: The winner will be the person who comments on the most blog posts during the tour.

He or she can either have a character in my next book named after them, or choose an earlier book in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series—either a paper book or e-book.

Where do the Minor Characters Come From?

In my Deputy Tempe Crabtree series, there are a few continuing minor characters who at times have major parts.

The most important one is, of course, Nick Two John. He’s been in nearly every one of the mysteries. Another Indian, Nick is the one Tempe often goes to for answers though he tends to be enigmatic. His life partner, Claudia, pokes her head in now and then.

Other minor characters who make regular appearances are the two sheriff’s detectives, the crime scene investigator, the coroner, and the Tribal Police Chief.

In River Spirits, Miqui Sherwood makes a second appearance. She played a big part in Raging Water, picturing herself as an amateur sleuth. The character was based on a friend who begged to be in one of my books. After her first go-round, she asked to do it again.

Usually, the new minor characters consist of the murder victim and the suspects. River Spirits revolves around the murder of the male star of a low-budget film being made on the Bear Creek Indian Reservation. The cast and crew of the movie company make-up the majority of the new minor characters with a few Indians thrown into the batch.

And of course, there is the legendary Hairy Man. He’s made a couple of appearances in other books, and pops into this one too. The Hairy Man is a big presence on the Bear Creek Indian Reservation whether he’s seen or not.

Where these characters actually come from is a bit hard to pin-point. First, my imagination, though I can see each one clearly in my mind’s eye. Some of the characters are people I’ve met along the way—not necessarily as they look, but the essence of their personalities. My goal, of course, is that the reader will see them just as clearly as I do.

Marilyn Meredith

What River Spirits is About:

While filming a movie on the Bear Creek Indian Reservation, the film crew trespasses on sacred ground, threats are made against the female stars, a missing woman is found by the Hairy Man, an actor is murdered and Deputy Tempe Crabtree has no idea who is guilty. Once again, the elusive and legendary Hairy Man plays an important role in this newest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery.

I’m leaving here to meet with Cheryl Malandrinos at http://bookscanbedeadly.blogspot.com/ and writing about what might be next for Tempe.

WHERE TO FIND RIVER SPIRITS:

From the publisher, all formats:

http://mundania.com/book.php?title=River+Spirits

For Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/River-Spirits-Tempe-Crabtree-Book-ebook/dp/B00O3R83TQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412345856&sr=1-1&keywords=River+Spirits+by+Marilyn+Meredith

Amazon paperback:

http://www.amazon.com/River-Spirits-Marilyn-Meredith/dp/1606594117/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412900595&sr=1-1&keywords=river+spirits+by+marilyn+meredith

For Nook

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/river-spirits-marilyn-meredith/1120425385?ean=2940150347090

Please leave a comment to welcome Marilyn Meredith to Book Beat Babes.

Talking To Publishers! by DL Larson

I've decided to continue in the self-publishing arena, but I'm searching for a publishing house that will help me. I simply don't have the desire or the time to do this completely on my own. So I inquired and searched many possibilities on-line. I verified my interest to a few and to my delight and surprise I've received a few phone calls from these businesses.

Both callers were friendly and professional. I think I surprised both of them by asking questions regarding marketing and book cover design. I realize making cold calls is difficult, but I was intrigued that both representatives had good answers and seemed quite knowledgeable about their particular publishing process.

It always comes down to money. How much do I want to spend and on what. I learned from my last self-pubbed book that good design and real marketing avenues are essential in creating a profit for me, the author. Last spring I entered my book, 'Promises My Love,' into a writing contest. The judge emailed back her thoughts. She spent most of her time telling me what was wrong with the cover, the book layout, etc. rather than on the contents of the book - which she liked. She told me the story should start on the right side of the page, which I knew and assumed the publishing house I contracted with did as well. When I read the proofs, I couldn't tell it would be starting on the left side of the page. Only after I received my first book, did I notice. I wasn't happy, but there was nothing I could do about it then. The money had been exchanged and the books printed. And now I must live with this or pay more to re-edit. I don't see much profit in doing that.

The other comment this judge made was about my cover. She said it was too modern a picture for a historical. Okay. But again, in picking out a cover, I was limited in choices. So, this time around, I want to either hire a graphic designer on my own or pay more for a better design vs. one from over-stock records.

I learned so much self-pubbing my last book. This time around, I am better prepared to discuss what I consider important. I will not simply assume things are done in a standard format. Each publishing house has their own unique way of doing business. They may sound very similar at first glance, but upon further investigating, I'm seeing trace differences that will affect me in the future.

My advice if you are pursuing self-publishing: leave a message on a publishers website and see what happens. Talk and ask pertinent questions that will assist you in making a decision as to whether that publishing company is for you.

Good luck!

Now I'm off to a grant writing class! I'll tell you about that next week!

Til then  ~

DL Larson
www.DLLARSON.com

Don't Let Your Reader Down

I happened to watch the long-awaited wedding episode in the Castle TV series. I'd heard the wedding would take place in that episode, but for a long while into the show I couldn't tell how that would be possible. The plot seemed far from revolving around a wedding. Instead, it focused on alternative universe stuff. What did that have to do with Beckett and Castle getting married?

Well, finally, toward the very end of the show, Castle got back into the real universe, instead of the make believe. Then, glory of glories, he and Beckett decided to almost instantly get married.

Seemed like a rush job, hardly any buildup. Yes, there had been plenty of buildup before that episode, but I had hoped to savor the wondrous event at least for a while.

Yes, the wedding was lovely, including the scenery and her dress. Still, a huge disappointment to me, and I suspect, others who had waited so long for the big event.

Don't be like the writers of that show. When you write, Don't Let Your Reader Down.

Deliver what you promise, and in the best way possible.

• Let your cover reflect the genre and type of book it will be. Let the back cover copy hint at that also. 
• For a Romance - Don't pretend a book will be spicy when it isn't, and vice versa. Don't make the hero and heroine instantly fall in love for no reason. Instead, offer hints that readers can catch and understand. Don't make up silly reasons to keep them apart, when ones that make sense will work better.
• For Mystery - Don't throw in a bad guy out of nowhere. Throw in just enough clues to get the reader thinking, but not too many to make the bad guy too obvious. Don't make the good guy a complete saint, and don't make the villain a complete no-gooder. Make them real people, not cardboard characters.

Can you think of other examples of how not to let your readers down? Or, maybe another example of how you've been let down in a book, TV show, or movie?

Find all of Morgan Mandel's mysteries and romances 

on her Amazon Author Page:

http://www.amazon.com/author/morganmandel

Excerpts from all books at:

http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com

Twitter: @MorganMandel

 

Blue State Turning RED! by DL Larson

I'm glad the ugly, nasty, no good political commercials have ceased. I didn't believe any of them. Taking half-truths, words out of context, and twisting words of an opponent to a slanderous degree is shameful. I'm sick of it! Our politicians need to be better than this. The next election comes in two years. I'd like to see ALL politicians stand on/run on something they believe in, rather than demoralizing an opponent with ugly words. From folks I've talked to, I'm not the only person who feels this way. The American people are disillusioned with our government as a whole.

The polls revealed many things. We Americans are tired of the shenanigans going on in Washington. Constant campaigning doesn't benefit the American people. Constant stone-walling, blocking progress and demanding things must be one way only is not what our forefathers had in mind. There are three branches of government for a reason. When one does not function correctly, it hinders the others. This hindrance affects the American working class the hardest.

Let's hope with this major change in Washington, we can re-set our goals. If the three branches will try to work together, they may realize everyone benefits. It becomes a win-win scenario. By-partisan committees need to find common ground where they can establish a system that provides stability for our nation. So many feel insecure in our government's decisions. Job security, immigration security, and health security hang heavy on many of us. I pray the new governmental elected officials have learned from other failed programs. No one side of the three branches has all the answers. Only by working together with a common sense approach will true progress happen.

Whether you voted blue or red, doesn't matter. What matters is we Americans must stay alert to what happens in Washington. Our voting rights are one of the few ways we show our beliefs. It's called democracy. We must stay informed and keep our politicians from running a muck again. Write to your Congressman, Senator, or Governor. They need to know the way of things in your area.

I'm asking all who read this to stay alert. Our silence does not help our cause. Ignorance surely not either. Learn to become a well informed, educated American. Read the local paper, listen to the national news. Watch more than one TV news reporter. Don't take someone else's version and make it your own - research a topic that interests you. Read the pros and cons from more than one perspective.

Illinois moved from being a democratic state to a republican state this last election. The citizens of Illinois are tired of being at the bottom of every progress chart reported. Many are ready for new blood in this state. We have such a beautiful, resourceful state and no leadership. Perhaps this change will swing things in a positive direction.

I will be watching our new state officials. I'm expecting great things to happen for the betterment of our state. I hope we can once again be proud to be from Illinois. Only time will tell.

Til next time ~

DL Larson
www.DLLARSON.com