Have a wonderful holiday, a Happy New Year, and thank you for a terrific 2015!
Create your own user feedback survey
Showing posts with label Readers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Readers. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Diverse Reader in 2016 ~ Take the Survey
Have a wonderful holiday, a Happy New Year, and thank you for a terrific 2015!
Create your own user feedback survey
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Saturday Author Spotlight: Meredith Russell #Interview #Giveaway
Lucas Madison is in the Bahamas for his sister's wedding on the beautiful and idyllic island of Sapphire Cay.
He has the weight of the world on his shoulders. With the stress of his job, the loss of his friend, and faced with his own medical crisis, Lucas arrives on the white sands of Sapphire Cay gray and exhausted. His only thought is to see his sister married and happy.
Dylan Gray is a free-spirited traveller who literally follows the sun. Never settling in one place for long, he earns his way from state to state and continent to continent. But there's something about Sapphire Cay that draws him back over and over. A feeling of home.
When these two men meet, both have decisions to make and directions to choose. And maybe together, they can make the right ones and follow not only the sun, but also their hearts.
This is the story of Lucas and Dylan, set against the stunning landscape of Sapphire Cay.
When Devin Reid returned home from his final tour in Afghanistan he thought he’d seen the worst of what people could do to other people. It turned out he was wrong.
The life Devin knew is gone. A deadly virus has infected the world’s population, leaving in its wake two types of people—survivors and monsters. Devin is a survivor, a man almost as broken as the world he struggles to survive in. Devin is part of a group who have found refuge in a high security penitentiary in Kansas State. Resources for the group are limited, but outside the safety of the prison walls, the newly-made undead monsters are hungry and hunting. It's down to a handful of people like Devin to risk their lives scavenging the cities and highways to meet the demands on food and supplies.
On one fateful venture, Devin finds someone with the potential to change a dark future, destined for blood and heartbreak, into one of hope and second chances. He finds Noah Weber.
Together, Devin and Noah work to keep the monsters at bay, but do they have the strength to overcome the hurt and loss they’ve both suffered in the fight for survival? And find love in this harsh, unloving world?
With a thousand miles between cities, it may be harder than either man could have imagined. In the end, Daniel and Ty have to decide, is what they have when they're together worth the heartache of saying goodbye over and over again.
When Harrison Kelley is banned from getting on Flight HA1710, it seems to be the perfect ending to a crappy couple of days. Not only did he wreck a wedding, but he’s drunk way too much and been on the receiving end of the groom’s brother’s fists. Being escorted out of the airport by security was just the icing on the wedding cake.
Elijah Pettifer has lusted after Harrison from afar for years but Harrison never sees him as anything more than a friend. If he ever saw him at all. While attempting to defend what little honor Harrison has left, Elijah gets caught up in the wave of chaos surrounding his teenage crush. But missing his flight home because of Harrison’s mess might just be the luckiest thing to ever happen to him.
With a 24-hour ban imposed by the airport, and having only each other for company, the two men grow closer. But will the fate of the airplane they should have been on be the push Harrison needs to walk away from the toxic relationship of his past? And can Elijah make Harrison see exactly what he’s been missing out on because of it?
Interview
Thank you, Meredith, for being here and allowing me to pick
your brain a bit. I have a few questions to maybe help get to know you a little
better.
You’re one of the ensemble of authors attached to the Flight
HA1710 series. It’s a very good series BTW. How did it ever come to be, and how
did you all make it work with so many authors?
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed the series. The initial
spark of inspiration came from RJ Scott. She has written within series with
multiple authors a couple of times and she was struck by the idea of a set of
books all revolving around one particular event, in this case a plane crash. It
wasn’t about the crash itself as such, but more the reactions and impact it had
on people’s lives, the aftermath. From there she reached out to certain authors
to see if they were available and inspired to write. When it came to planning
and discussion, we set up a couple of places to talk - a Facebook group to post
questions and share updates of how we were doing as we went, and a Google document
where we figured out the main details for the crash and also key
points/timelines of our books and possible scenes and characters that could
overlap stories.
I’d never written in a series like that before so it was
something new and I really enjoyed getting to talk things through and form a
plan.
Where did HA1710 come from? Was that just a number you all
came up with, or is it significant?
I can’t remember who settled on the HA part of the flight
number, but Amber Kell’s husband was kind of in the background advising on
certain aspects and names for airlines and manufacturers. The 1710, however,
came about after a discussion with Erika Orrick about her birthday and how the
date should be written. She’s American and as Brits, RJ and I may have disagreed
with her and so somehow it became part of the series name.
You have 6 Stories of Sapphire Cay books out there. Is that
series complete or are there more in its future?
When RJ and I started the series we had several ideas of
pairings and stories that could take place on the island. I feel six is a good
number, though there could have been more, but that would have mainly been
about bringing in new pairings. We could have had couples getting married, people
hiring the island out, maybe mention more staff, but it kind of felt like those
stories could be set anywhere, they didn’t have to be on Sapphire Cay. They
might have been enjoyable reads and fun with our main island characters popping
up in the background, but we felt the series lay with that main body of
characters and wanted to keep them as the focus. But beyond that, I think the
only story we considered, if it was something we felt comfortable writing,
might be the story of Alfie and Peter, a pairing through the 1930s to 60s. But
definitely for me, I would be apprehensive because of the historical content
that would have to be researched to do it justice.
We always said we’d end the series with our very first
pairing, Dylan and Lucas, getting married, and we stuck to that. It gave the
series a kind of ‘coming full circle’ feel as it started with them and ended
with them. So I would say the series is complete, certainly in terms of published
books, though I wouldn’t be against a return visit in short extras on our blogs
maybe, that could be a possibility. Never say never as they say.
How do you, as a writer, keep the ideas fresh? How do you
constantly come up with more stories? Is there an inspiration or do you
actively go looking for them?
For me it’s inspiration. I have a notebook I jot ideas down
in as they come, because they can sure pop up at the most inappropriate of
moments, usually when I’m trying to get to sleep. But yeah, my ideas come from
all sorts, adverts, shows on TV, song lyrics, places I’ve visited, people I’ve
met. Sometimes I come up with a character, just a title, or a single scene and
they develop from there. I’ve never yet, touch wood, sat feeling like I’m all
out of ideas and had to go looking for something.
You were at the UKMeet this year. Can you tell us what your
favorite part of the Meet was and what the entire experience was like for you?
I was. It was the second UKMeet I’ve been to. I was a bit
more relaxed this time and probably enjoyed it that little bit more. Because I
am quite shy, it was kind of scary the first time having only really personally
met a handful of authors previously, so it felt like this big thing stepping
out from behind the computer and actually interacting with people face-to-face,
meeting with names I knew and some new ones. So this time it was great to
recognize people and be recognized. It was easier for me to be a part of things
this time round because last year had been so great I felt comfortable going
into it.
The Meet as a whole was good. There were a variety of panels
you could attend, a couple of keynote speakers, opportunities for downtime to
chat, an evening dinner and entertainment, a book fair. There were a couple of
things that I enjoyed the most – one was the chance to just sit and talk, to
share ideas, to plot, to laugh and I guess feel connected to people beyond a
like or a comment on Facebook. I loved meeting people and feeling part of
something. The second thing I enjoyed is more a personal favourite and was at
the book fair. I’m a cover artist as well and I can’t help but feel grateful
and excited every time I see one of my covers there as a print book, as
something I can hold.
What is one of your guilty pleasures, as a writer? One thing
you indulge in?
Oh, I guess if we’re talking tropes as in guilty pleasures,
I do love to write a bit of hurt/comfort with a good side of angst. Funnily
enough I attended the tropes panel at the UKMeet, discussing which ones we
enjoy, which we might avoid, how we can try and use them but with a twist. But
yeah, my favourite to read and write is hurt/comfort. I like a vulnerable edge
to characters no matter how strong or badass they might appear.
Can you tell us what you are currently working on?
I can. At the moment I have three WIPs. The first is a
sequel to my zombie story Dead Things, it follows the same group of characters
a few weeks after the first book and of course I’ve thrown more troubles their
way. I’ve also started on a second book in my Knowles Brook series, which is
all about the angsty drama. And then I have a YA book I’ve been working on as a
kind of break from darker tales, so it’s something sweet and gentler.
I know reading is limited, since you write so much, but if
we were to open your ereader what book would we see that you are currently
reading?
Is it bad I don’t own an ereader? I feel like I should now.
I guess when I’ve been sat at my computer all day for writing or art, I kind of
prefer a break from looking at a screen so I mostly opt for a paperback. So if
I went to my bedside there are currently two books on the go. The book I’ve
just started is Gone by Michael Grant, it’s a YA book, everyone over 15 has
disappeared and strange things are going on. Also I’ve been rereading some of
my favourites I’ve had since I was a teenager, I guess my comfort books, and
characters I fell in love with, so currently that would be a Frances Fyfield
book called Shadows On The Mirror. I love crime books and I still aspire to
write one of my own one day.
I do read on my computer sometimes and have a book lined up
to read, which, considering your first question is quite fitting, it’s actually
the last book in the HA1710 series, Amber Kell’s, Fracture. Nobody spoil me :)
With Halloween coming, do you have any spooooooooooky plans?
As Halloween is around my husband’s birthday I made the mistake
several years ago now to have a Halloween themed party for him with family,
because it seems to have now become a thing that’s expected. So I will be
having a party, one that’s now in daylight as my siblings started popping out
offspring but it’s nice to get the family together and see the kids and adults
dress up. I am quite a big kid if I’m honest so I love it really.
If you were to challenge yourself, outside your comfort
zone, what would that be? (With your writing)
I think I would have to say as I mentioned above,
historical, and I don’t necessarily mean way back in the past, even just a few
decades I would consider a challenge. I have nothing but respect for the people
who commit themselves to so much research and learning and could tell me what a
Viking would have had for his lunch or the material used in the 18th Century
for a guy’s shirt if he was well off and lived in Spain. I’d be uncomfortable
about getting things wrong and frustrated if Google didn’t hand over the answer
after a click or two on suggested pages. So yeah, unless I write an alien world
where I can have the scenery and feel of something old but not worry if my
characters used 21st Century vocabulary, then historical is something I will
continue to avoid for the time being.
How can your fans/readers follow your career and books?
Twitter, Facebook, website?
Readers can follow me at in few places. My website and blog
where you can find mostly authorly goings on and info on my books is
www.meredithrussell.co.uk. I also have Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for a
mix of updates on my life and my work. You can find me at
www.facebook.com/meredithrussellauthor, twitter.com/MeredithRAuthor, and
instagram.com/miss_meredith_r.
And thank you, Meredith, for having me. It’s been a
pleasure.
Giveaway
Meredith will gift one person a $10.00 Gift Card to either All Romance Ebooks or Amazon.
Simply enter the rafflecopter below. Contest will run until October 2nd. Winner will be contacted via email so be sure to check your spam.
Thank you, Meredith, for being here today and good luck to you all and happy reading.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Saturday Author Spotlight: Anyta Sunday~ #Interview #Giveaway
When Cooper’s parents divorce, he finds himself landed in Week About—one week with his mum and one week with his dad.
Only, it’s not just his dad he has to live with. There’s Lila, too: The other woman, the one who stole the rock-solid foundation of his life.
And then ...
There’s Jace. Lila’s son. Lila’s smug, regurgitated-fish-scale-blue eyed son.
All Cooper wants is to have his family back the way it once was, but there’s something about this boy that promises things will never be the same again.
Sedimentary.
Resisting the realities of his new life, Cooper and Jace get off to a rocky start. But rocky start or not, after hundreds of shared memories together, they forge something new. A close ... friendship.
Because friendship is all they can have. Although it’s not like they are real brothers...
Metamorphic.
But how does that friendship evolve under the pressures of life?
Under pressures of the heart?
Shane is a little bit screwed. He has just started college and is stuck rooming with that bastard Trey. His sister's boyfriend. His sister's damn fine boyfriend. Uh-oh. This so wasn't going to happen. But try as he might, there's just a little too much to ignore between the two of them...
You can check out all the titles in this series here: Goodreads
Sam’s freaking out. He’s 30 in three weeks. And what has he done in his twenties? It’s pretty simple math: nothing exciting at all. But hey, he has three weeks right? Maybe that’s just enough time to tick his way through a 20s Must Do List . . .
Luke’s freaking screwed. He’s come out to his family, and his friends. Except there’s a certain someone who doesn’t know yet: his neighbor of 7 years. Who also happens to be his best friend. Who Luke needs to tell the truth, but he just . . . can’t . . . seem to . . .
Jeremy’s freaking over-the-moon. It’s the countdown to his 15th birthday, and his goal is simple. No matter what, he’s going to spend heaps of time with saucy Suzy. But first he needs to get his over-protective, no-girlfriend-'cause-you’ll-get-her-pregnant parents off his back. And what better way than pretending he’s gay?
Sam, Luke, and Jeremy. Three guys who have a lot of history together, and a lot of future too—
—well, if they can sort out their issues, that is.
A Friends to Lovers Novel
“… Five hundred kisses are all it takes to steal a heart.”
Chris Montgomery doesn’t believe it, and he’d know. He’s met— and had— many a man. None of whom he’d want to share five hundred kisses with. If you don’t like someone, you just don’t like them. End of story.
No amount of kissing will change that.
Dylan Halsworth doesn’t believe it either. But Chris and his arrogant, “always right, dare I be wrong” attitude has Dylan challenging him to try it. And who knows, maybe watching his most-loathed neighbor suffer through five hundred kisses with the same man is worth it? He’d sit back, crack open a Mountain Dew, and have a good laugh…
But… shit… there is one slight snag in his plan.
Chris has chosen Dylan with whom to prove his point…
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
Photo Description:
Two men are sitting close, a whisper apart, and their gazes are locked onto each other’s lips. The light glows behind them, bright, like the chemistry between them. They are about to kiss…
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
READ IT FREE HERE: FREE READ
You can see all of Anyta Sunday's books on her website: anytasunday.com
INTERVIEW
Thank you Anyta for being here today! I am so excited to
have this chance to interview you. Rock has to be one of my favorite books of
all time. Truly brilliant. I’d like to ask you a few questions, nothing
intrusive, but I want to get to know you, the writer, a little better. So,
let’s get started.
The story had been simmering in my mind on and off in its various
incarnations for years until it got to a point where I HAD to write it. I
paused halfway through another novel, because the story was begging to get out.
The rocks were one of the triggers that pushed me to that point. My son
collects all manner of sticks and they are each unique and intensely valuable,
and I just knew Cooper collected too. He collected stones, and so I brushed up
on my geology, lol, and researched native New Zealand rocks, as well as the
histories and folklores and beliefs of certain rocks in different cultures.
Struggles . . . A writer constantly faces challenges! When I first started
writing, I had no idea how to go about publishing. What did that mean for my
book? Did I write up query letters and search for agents? Did I write directly
to publishing houses? Did I attempt self-publishing?
I tried a bit of everything, and that first book I submitted to agents
for months before deciding to self-publish. Now I’m a hybrid author, who both
self-publishes and works with an agent in the hopes of traditionally
publishing. I love both!
Some of my books get titled before they get written! Rock was like that.
I knew right away. Same with (In)visible, Noticed Me Yet?, Liam Davis & The
Raven, The F Words. The others came during or afterwards. Usually I’d be in the
proofreading stage when a name might pop out at me.
A bit of a mix, really. I love romance books, so most of the books I pick
up will have a romantic storyline. I love contemporary stories (both MM &
MF), historical stories, fantasy, paranormal, and fairy tales.
Every book I write, no matter how much I “feel” it, I hit a slump
somewhere. Some slumps are bigger than others—in fact, as I was writing the
last book in my Guardians of the Angels series, I hit the biggest one yet. I
had to put it aside and write something else (which happened to be rock). Then
I got back into it and finished. So sometimes my method is to write something
“fun” or something that just begs to be written first. But in all cases, I walk
a lot. I find being active helps me suss out the issues I was having with the
book.
Go out into nature with no paper or pen, and of course the perfect
solution uncovers itself! :P
Hard. I like a variety of things. But . . . I was a huge fan of When Harry Met Sally in my early
twenties. Kings of Convenience’s I’d
Rather Dance With You is special as it was the only song I didn’t like on
the mixed CD he gave me shortly before we started dating. (I LOVE it now).
There are heaps of bands I love, but Stars
(Canadian band) come to mind. Their songs are always so emotional. I love it
when they perform in Berlin!
Do you insert yourself in to each book you
write or do you try to avoid placing yourself there?
I’m always there, but not by design, I just “feel” a story, and usually
after writing it I notice that the reason I might have felt it as much as I did
was because of a past experience, or because I find certain traits attractive.
Lol. In all stories I’ll explore some family element. And I’m a big fan of
friendship, so I’ll weave that in someway too. Usually my boys develop their
love through this.
How do you celebrate a book release?
Lol! I buy books! I’m a book-buying addict. :P
Can you tell us about your upcoming projects?
Other Anyta Sunday novels in the works . . . well, I’ve a couple of
projects I’m working on. One is a gay urban fantasy—think Buffy Meets Harry Potter
with a gay twist (and dragon-shifter warriors). Another is an historical set in
the 1700s inspired by the life of James Annesley (but with a HEA). Quite
different projects, but I felt like experimenting.
After these babies have been done, I’m focusing on more contemporary
novels.
How
can readers/ fans follow your career? Twitter, Facebook, website?
Actually, I have a quarterly newsletter where I write bits and bobs about
how my writing is going. And sometimes I throw in freebies or specials for my
reader friends! ;)
You can subscribe here: http://www.anytasunday.com/?page_id=386
I also have a website: http://www.anytasunday.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anytasunday
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anytasunday
Thank you, Anyta, for sharing a little about yourself with
us! I look forward to your future work.
Author Bio:
A born and raised New
Zealander, Anyta Sunday has been exploring the literary world since she started
reading Roald Dahl as a kid. Inspired, stories have been piling up in her head
ever since. Fast forward to her mid-twenties and jump a few countries (Germany,
America, and back again), and she started putting pen to paper. When she’s not
writing or chasing her kid around, she’s reading, hiking, watching a Joss
Whedon series, attempting pilates, or curling up with her two cats. Updates on
her projects can be found at anytasunday.com.
GIVEAWAY
As a giveaway, Anyta Sunday will gift ONE fan any 3 ebooks... Reader's Choice! At the end of the contest, which is June 26th, I will email the winner and you can choose any 3 Anyta Sunday books. Make sure to check your spam. Enter the Rafllecopter below to get your name in this! Thank you to Anyta for being here, sharing some of herself with us, and for this awesome giveaway!
Good Luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)