MY WRITING LIFE IN 2013 & LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

MY WRITING LIFE IN 2013 & LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

 

   Now that 2013 is drawing to a close it's time for me to do what I do every year...reflect. Yes I know it's cliché but every year I reflect over what has happened the last year and make new goals for the future. Do I meet those goals? Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't.

   2013 was a monumental year for me. After buckling down and finally listening to the voice that had been telling me to write for the longest, my first novel was published. Goddess of Legend is my baby and I am extremely proud of it. I am so grateful to everyone that took the time to read it. It means a lot to me.

   With the happiness that I felt at finally becoming a published author, there also was tons of rejection. I had a hell of a time finding someone who believed in my vision for Goddess of Legend. There were times when I was ready to give up on being published at all. But I kept going and now I'm telling myself to do the same thing.

  I'm currently shopping around my second novel, Siren's Choice, and hoping to find a publisher or land an agent. I have already received some rejections, but I'm determined to keep going. After all, rejection is part of the game when it comes to writing.

   This year I also completed my third novel, The Diary of An Ugly Stepsister, a new take on the Cinderella myth from the viewpoint of one of the stepsisters. I wrote this novel in about six months and I'm really proud of it. Do I think I will have a hard time shopping it around? Probably. After all, I write multicultural fantasy romance. And that is a hard genre to shop around, but we'll see what happens.

    Overall in 2013, I completed 2 novels and have started writing my fourth novel, Goddess By Chance. So with a new year approaching what are my writing goals?

1. Complete the first draft of Goddess By Chance, Book 2 in The Demi-God Daughters Series

2. Complete the first draft of Siren's Embrace, Book 2 in The Mermaids of Astaeria Series

3. See the publication of Siren's Choice, Book 1 in The Mermaids of Astaeria Series

4. Start second draft of The Diary of An Ugly Stepsister, Book 1 in The Fractured Fairytale Series

5. And if I'm really lucky, find an agent.

So what are your goals for 2014? Drop me line and share.



BAD WRITING HABITS

BAD WRITING HABITS

 

 

           Regardless of whether or not you are a writer or not, we all have bad habits when it comes to grammar and writing. I am no different. I have recently started writing my fourth novel, GODDESS BY CHANCE. After writing three novels in first and third person, I think I have a base to pull from when it comes to recognizing some of my own writing bad habits. And today I will be brave enough to share mine with you.

 

 

TENSE USAGE. I am the world's worst at slipping in and out of correct tense. One minute I am writing in present tense. The next I'm writing in past tense. This is a big problem of mine and I have to remind myself constantly to be on the lookout for this as I write. I think I run into this a lot when I'm shifting between telling backstory that has happened and what is presently happening in the story. It's a problem and I know it.

 

 

DESCRIPTIONS. I struggle with writing descriptions, not because I can't, but because I don't like to. I'm the type who wants to get to the story. I don't like wasting time writing long descriptions because I feel like they can in a sense distract from the story. If you spend so much time with the long descriptions, they can cause your reader to lose track of your story and you to lose the flow as you write. There needs to be description in your novel, but you have to make sure that you walk the line between too much and not enough. My problem is I tend to write not enough description. I have a habit of skipping over it to get to the story. But I need to do better, so I am making a conscious habit of trying to take the time to have adequate descriptions throughout my novel. After all, I want my readers to be able to clearly imagine the world I have created.

 

 

WORD CHOICE. I am guilty of the sin of using the same word over and over again. I don't try to do so, but it just happens. I've taken note of this while transcribing my third novel, THE DIARY OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER. I have used the word "look," like a thousand times in the first few chapters. Clearly I need to have a thesaurus to refer to when I'm writing to vary my word choice.

 

 

POINT OF VIEW. Yes, this too is a bad habit that has been brought to my attention. The last time I did it was today. Forgetting that the story was supposed to be in third person, I switched to first person and had written a whole paragraph before I realized what had happened. Needless to say I shook my head at my own foolishness and quickly went back and edited the paragraph. My preference is first person. I like writing the character as if it were me, but third person allows you a wider view of the world so I'm trying to stick with that.

 

 

DIALOGUE TAGS. I've heard many writers say the only dialogue tag you need is "said." I absolutely do not follow this rule. I am the Queen of Inventive Dialogue Tags. I love them. I feel like they jazz up what is being said, but I know they are bad. Pray with me as I try to stop using them so frequently. I already know I cannot go cold turkey just yet.

 

 

So those are my "deadly writing sins," that I watch for during the first draft and try to clean up during edits. Be brave. Share with me a few of your own bad writing habits.

SEPARATE BUT UNEQUAL....DIVERSITY IN THE WRITING WORLD

SEPARATE BUT UNEQUAL....DIVERSITY IN THE WRITING WORLD

 

 

      America has a long and complicated racial history. In 1896 in the case of  Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation,( also known as separation) was equal. Things only finally changed in 1954 in the case of  Brown v. Board of Education when, the Supreme Court ruled separate but equal is inherently unequal. We like to think that since those dark days in American history, things have changed for the better and in some way they have. But in others, they remain the same. Things are the same in the publishing world, at least that is what I've been seeing in my many years as a reader and now in my short time as a published author.

    Today I went to the two bookstores in my city, Books-A-Million and Barnes and Noble. When I walked into BAM, I saw that in the front of the store the new arrivals in fiction were displayed. Right next to those books was the African American category. Now I cannot fault BAM for where they decided to place these books. They were up front in the store for everyone to see. But as I stood and watched people come in and out of the store, the African American section was ignored completely. People went over to the new arrivals, skipped over the AA section and then moved to the fiction section right next to it. My heart sank.

    I found myself angry. As I looked at the books on the shelf in the African American section I thought about how so many of these books would fit in other categories and gain so much more exposure instead of being put adrift in a category, readers walk right past. Simmering with aggravation, I continued my browsing around the store. I came to the romance section and was shocked. I saw a brown face on the cover of a romance book. I picked it up to investigate further. It was a Beverly Jenkins book. In the entire romance section, she was the only African American author that had not had her books put in the African American category. I had no idea what to think. I was happy to see heroes and heroines that looked like me, but it shouldn't be up to just one author to carry that weight. I made my purchases and left, but something nagged at me so I went across town to Barnes and Noble.

    At Barnes and Noble, there was no separation of books by race. As I browsed the shelves, I noticed books by African American authors on the same shelves, in the same section as everyone else's. I was happy. Quite pleased. It seemed B&N had the right idea. Separate is not equal. But at the same time, I noticed there were less books overall at B&N than BAM, limiting your selection.

    So now that I'm home thinking about things I have a lot of questions. Who decides where a book is shelved? Is it the publisher? Is it the bookstore chain? Or is it up to the discretion of each book store?

    Whoever came up with the idea for an African American section may have thought they were doing a good thing. Maybe their intention was to encourage more people of color to read by showing them books with people who looked like them on the cover. And while a few more people of color may be reading more, authors of color are losing out. With the diversity of books in the African American section that could easily fit in other categories such as romance, chic lit, women's fiction, suspense, ect., these authors are missing out on those markets because readers seeking these types of books will never see their books because they are placed in the African American section. It's sad, but true.

  A separate category is not an equal category. In my opinion, I think the African American section needs to be done away with. Period. If you want to have an urban section to put novels written about the ghetto and crime, fine. But the rest of the authors unfairly stuck in the African American category need to have their books placed on the shelves in the appropriate genre they belong to. African American is not a genre. It is a race based category and it needs to go away forever. All writers want to have the chance to have their books exposed to a wide audience and they deserve that chance. So when it comes to having an African American section in the bookstores, thanks but no thanks. The Supreme Court ruled separate is not equal and I wholeheartedly agree.



FEELING PRESSURE

FEELING PRESSURE

 

   Contrary to what many think, nothing about being a writer is easy. Not everyone has it in them to write a complete novel. For those that do, it is a major accomplishment. To have said novel, published is an even bigger accomplishment. But what happens after your novel is out? What happens when you start the process of trying to build a career as an author? I don't know how it is for others but I can share my experience.

   After seeing the successful publication of my debut novel, Goddess of Legend, I became even more motivated to pursue my love of writing. I spent months re-writing my second novel, Siren's Choice, and finally felt ready to submit. After giving my previous publisher first dibs and receiving a rejection I was devastated. And so begins the hard process of finding someone to accept my vision and love it as much as I do.

    Right now, I'm pretty frustrated. I remember the hell I endured trying to find someone to publish my first novel and I'm in no hurry to experience it again. I'm feeling under a lot of pressure. What if it takes forever to find a publisher willing to accept my novel? What if I can't find a publisher willing to take a chance on this novel? What if I have to try and attempt to publish on my own? But worst of all, what if by the time is out, my readers have forgotten about me?

   Let's face it. I'm a new author with 1 novel out. I do not have a built in fan base. I'm still trying to get people interested in me. Time is a luxury I cannot afford. In order to build a fan base, I need to keep myself on the forefront of their minds when they're thinking about buying a new novel. But in this, I'm helpless. I can't make a publisher look at my submissions any quicker and were I to decide to self publish that too would take time. So I'm stuck, waiting and under pressure.

  But the waiting game is not the only source of pressure I've been feeling. I take note of what's popular in the writing world. The genres and things that seem to be selling well. And getting the unexpected rejection for my second novel made me think about it more. I started to think, maybe I should take a stab at something I know will guarantee a publisher picking up my story. Why don't I try a romance with shapeshifters? Why don't I try a ménage? Or what about a male/male novel? My mind has been in turmoil. Do I? Or don't I?

   Let's face it. I don't have an established fan base. I probably could venture out and try something else.  I'm sure I could write a novel with the above mentioned things, but I probably wouldn't enjoy it so why do it? I'm not going to. Despite the pressure I feel I'm going to stick with writing the things that I love. There's no point in me trying to write a book I personally wouldn't want to read. Besides, there are enough writers out there doing those other genres. They don't need to add me to the mix.

   When I decided I wanted to become a serious writer, it was because I wanted to carve my own path in the writing world. I want to write novels that people may not have thought about before. I want to write my way. So no matter how much pressure I may be feeling I have to remain true to myself. After all, if I don't want to read it, who will?



SPOTLIGHT ON STEPHANIE DRAY'S "DAUGHTERS OF THE NILE"

SPOTLIGHT ON STEPHANIE DRAY'S "DAUGHTER OF THE NILE"

 

I recently had the pleasure of reading this novel and I would like to spotlight it today.

From critically acclaimed historical fantasy author, Stephanie Dray comes the long-awaited new tale based on the true story of Cleopatra's daughter.

After years of abuse as the emperor’s captive in Rome, Cleopatra Selene has found a safe harbor. No longer the pitiful orphaned daughter of the despised Egyptian Whore, the twenty year old is now the most powerful queen in the empire, ruling over the kingdom of Mauretania—an exotic land of enchanting possibility where she intends to revive her dynasty. With her husband, King Juba II and the magic of Isis that is her birthright, Selene brings prosperity and peace to a kingdom thirsty for both. But when Augustus Caesar jealously demands that Selene’s children be given over to him to be fostered in Rome, she’s drawn back into the web of imperial plots and intrigues that she vowed to leave behind. Determined and resourceful, Selene must shield her loved ones from the emperor’s wrath, all while vying with ruthless rivals like King Herod. Can she find a way to overcome the threat to her marriage, her kingdom, her family, and her faith? Or will she be the last of her line?

 

Read the Reviews

"A stirring story of a proud, beautiful, intelligent woman whom a 21st century reader can empathize with. Dray's crisp, lush prose brings Selene and her world to life." ~RT Book Reviews

"The boldest, and most brilliant story arc Dray has penned..." ~Modge Podge Reviews

"If you love historical fiction and magical realism, these books are for you." ~A Bookish Affair

 

Read an Excerpt

Below me, six black Egyptian cobras dance on their tails, swaying. I watch their scaled hoods spread wide like the uraeus on the crown of Egypt. Even from this height, I'm paralyzed by the sight of the asps, their forked tongues flickering out between deadly fangs. I don't notice that I'm gripping the balustrade until my knuckles have gone white, all my effort concentrated upon not swooning and falling to my death.

And I would swoon if I were not so filled with rage. Someone has arranged for this. Someone who knows what haunts me. Someone who wants to send me a message and make this occasion a moment of dread. My husband, the king must know it, for he calls down, "That's enough. We've seen enough of the snake charmer!"

There is commotion below, some upset at having displeased us. Then Chryssa hisses, "Who could think it a good idea to honor the daughter of Cleopatra by coaxing asps from baskets of figs?"

The story the world tells of my mother's suicide is that she cheated the emperor of his conquest by plunging her hand into a basket where a venomous serpent lay in wait. A legend only, some say, for the serpent was never found. But I was there. I brought her that basket. She was the one bitten but the poison lingers in my blood to this day. I can still remember the scent of figs in my nostrils, lush and sweet. The dark god Anubis was embroidered into the woven reeds of the basket, the weight of death heavy in my arms. I can still see my mother reach her hand into that basket, surrendering her life so that her children might go on without her. And I have gone on without her.

I have survived too much to be terrorized by the emperor's agents or whoever else is responsible for this.

If it is a message, a warning from my enemies, I have already allowed them too much of a victory by showing any reaction at all. So I adopt as serene a mask as possible. My daughter blinks her big blue eyes, seeing past my facade. "Are you frightened, Mother? They cannot bite us from there. The snakes are very far away."

I get my legs under me, bitterness on my tongue. "Oh, but they're never far enough away."

###

Available now in print and e-book!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Powells | IndieBound | Goodreads

WHAT TO DO WHEN LIFE THREATENS TO KILL YOUR CREATIVE MUSE

          WHAT TO DO WHEN LIFE THREATENS TO KILL YOUR CREATIVE MUSE

 

       Life is full of ups and downs, things expected and things unexpected. Many people find themselves so busy with working, raising a family and keeping house that there is no time for much of anything else. Life can get in the way and prevent you from having any time for yourself.

 

 

     Right now, life is getting in my way. I am currently in the last few weeks of  (what I hope) is my last semester in graduate school. Between a few final class projects and a whole lot of studying in preparation for a final exam, my brain feels as if it is well and truly fried. This semester has been the most busy and stressful of all my semesters in graduate school. I have had to read inordinate amounts of text that would bore pretty much anyone to tears. On top of that with writing assignments every week have taken up much of my free time. Add to the mix, the arduous task of job-hunting every day in preparation for graduation and you have one pretty burned out grad student with little free time.

 

 

      As a result of my myriad of life responsibilities, my creative muse has started to suffer. What do I mean by this? I mean that the voice inside my head that tells me what to write is having a hard time speaking lately. With less and less time, when I do make an attempt to write, I'm finding that I'm starting to struggle. It's getting harder and harder to pick up my story and work on it in irregular spurts. I'm finding that the passion I had when I started the story is diminishing. But most of all, I can find myself fearing that life will always get in the way of my writing.

 

 

    So what do you do when life threatens your creative muse? I've thought about this long and hard as I struggle to build my writing career. Here is what I have come up with

 

1. YOU MUST WRITE EVERYDAY- I've heard this said more than once and it couldn't be more true. While writing may be a talent, it is also a skill. To sharpen your skill, you must practice and that means writing everyday. It doesn't matter how much you write. What matters is that you write something. This will not only keep your skill up to par, but it will keep your enthusiasm for your story going. As you work on your story, day by day, not only do you get closer and closer to completion, but you get affirmation that your muse was not just a fluke. It's there to stay.

 

2. DO THE BARE MINIMUM- What do I mean? My mother is likely to disagree with this one. What I mean is we all have things to do, but that doesn't mean we are required to spend all of our free time doing these tasks. For instance, I do all my laundry on one day of the week, as well as my cleaning. When I make cook I do a lot of crock pot ready meals. That means I don't have to spend valuable time making my meals. Instead I'm free to write as the crockpot does all the work. When it comes to my schooling, I have stopped reading materials that I know will be lectured on in class. It frees up more writing time for me.

 

3. READ, READ, READ- A writer will never be successful unless he or she spends time reading the works of others. Reading will keep your mind stimulated and often provide you with new ideas that you could incorporate in future works. Besides that reading exposes you to different writing styles that can help influence your own particular style.

 

4. KEEP UP WITH OTHER AUTHORS- There is nothing better to motivate you and your muse, than seeing that there are other authors out there trudging along through the mud that is life. Whether it's a NY Times bestselling author or an indie author, seeing someone else talking about their work and the new release they have coming out will motivate you to keep going with your current work and keep your mind open for new ideas that will keep you writing.

 

     Since I've started trying to adhere to these techniques, I'm finding that my muse is slowly starting to come back to me. I find my mind conjuring new twists and turns to add to my current work in progress. My muse has even come up with a new novel idea in the past month. With 32 more potential stories to waiting to be written I have no choice but to find something that works and stick to it. After all, these novels aren't going to write themselves.

 

What kinds of techniques do you use to keep your creative muse alive?





THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR FIRST NOVEL AND YOUR SECOND

The Difference Between Your First Novel and Your Second

 



 

 

I’ve heard other authors say that their second novel was much easier to write than their first novel. When the second novel comes along is usually when an author has figured out what their writing style is, what their daily writing routine is and whether or not they are a pantser or a plotter. My experience writing my second novel was completely opposite. I struggled heavily while writing my second novel and there were many times that I threw it to the side and thought about scrapping the idea altogether.

  
My first novel Goddess of Legend was written between February 2012 and December 2012. My inspiration for my novel was Aimee Carter’s Goddess Test series and the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone. Writing GOL was fairly easy for me. I fell in love with both Hades and Cameryn.When I finished writing GOL I was proud of myself because not only had I completed a story that I believed was beautiful, unique and moving, but after years of talking about completing a novel I had finally done it.
 
 For a few days I basked in my accomplishment but I knew that I couldn’t just be idle. The voice inside my head was telling me to write again. I had no choice but to listen. My second novel Siren’s Choice is actually a very old idea. My heroine, Princess AaRiyaa was born as a character in my 10th grade English Honors II class during journal entry time. That was almost 10 years ago. During that time AaRiyaa made the typical journey associated with mermaids. She visited land and fell in love with a human choosing to stay with him on land. I liked my little short story but the only thing that differentiated AaRiyaa from other mermaids was that she was black. My story was too Disney-esque. In fact it was so Disney-esque that AaRiyaa and Ariel were best friends.

 Needless to say Siren’s Choice was soon shelved as I did what most people do, graduate from high school and head off to college. It was probably around the time I graduated with my Bachelor’s in 2009 that I decided to pick up Siren’s Choice again. I wrote ten chapters and absolutely hated it. I liked AaRiyaa, truly I did, but I just wasn’t feeling the story being told thus far. So once again, AaRiyaa and her story went away.

 In late 2011 I decided once and for all that I was going to fix Siren’s Choice. After all I loved mermaids too much not to have AaRiyaa’s story to share with the world. So I painstakingly re-wrote the first 10 chapters of the book and I started to think okay, maybe I can do this. Maybe I can write a believable adult mermaid/human romance with minority characters. Around this time however, the idea for Goddess of Legend was born and once again I put Siren’s Choice away.

 With GOL finally complete I returned to Siren’s Choice with problems I didn’t expect. For starters, it was hard to dive back into the story after being so engrossed with my first novel for so long. Once I finally started going again, I ran into a problem I had never experienced while writing GOL, I didn’t love AaRiyaa and my hero Jason. In fact I didn’t particularly like them. I constantly compared them to my hero and heroine from Goddess of Legend and found them lacking.

But I struggled on writing. With GOL I did virtually no plotting. I just sat down and wrote. With SC I had to plot everything and constantly struggle to find innovative ways to make my novel different from other mermaid novels out there. As time went on I started to like SC less and less. Once Siren's Choice was finished, I stepped away from it. I was too emotionally attached to my book to look at it objectively and decide whether I should trash it or start again. So I did the next best thing. I got myself a beta reader.
  
My Beta reader Monica has been the first person to read either of my novels and she always gives fantastic advice. I told Monica up front that I did not love Siren’s Choice like I did Goddess of Legend. As Monica continued to read chapter after chapter she kept asking me, “What’s wrong with it? I like it.” I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was. I just kept saying, “Something’s missing. I’m afraid of it being cheesy. I don’t like it.” Monica read on and soon she was completely done. Monica gave me some words of wisdom I won’t forget.

 She said to me, “Erin, this is a completely different story from Goddess of Legend. These are completely different characters. You have to give them a chance.” I thought long and hard about what she’d said to me. Monica was absolutely right. I was still so hung up on the romance I’d created between Hades and Cameryn that I wasn’t giving Jason and AaRiyaa a chance to have a romance of their own. I’d gotten comfortable writing characters with traits so similar to me that writing something new was scaring the bejesus out of me. But Monica’s words also made me realize something else, as a writer you cannot be stagnant. You must evolve. You must be willing to explore things that are outside of your norm.
 
Writing is all about creating worlds and emotions. You have to be willing to be open to creating new things. After taking in Monica's feedback and re-reading my story I started my second draft Siren’s Choice.  Yesterday I finished the second and final draft and although it was not easy writing, Siren’s Choice is not the terrible novel I once thought it was. In fact I'm starting to look forward to have a chance to share it with the world because I believe I have created a pretty unique story.

 Though writing my second story was much harder than writing my first, I have learned quite a few valuable lessons. For starters, it is okay to step out of your comfort zone and try something different. It's okay to not love your novel at first. It takes more than one draft for your story to start to shine. I also learned that no matter what you have to bulldoze your way through. You came up with an idea for a story. Not everyone can do that, so you must see your story to through the end. Don't give up on the vision in your head. But most importantly, remember all that matters at the end of the day is that you take a step towards change and see it through.

A BIG THANKS TO ALL MY READERS (GODDESS OF LEGEND STATS)

A BIG THANKS TO ALL MY READERS (GODDESS OF LEGEND STATS)

 

   I would like to give a big thank you to all the wonderful people that have purchased Goddess of Legend in its first two weeks of release. Your support means the world to me and I am exceedingly humbled that so many people have enjoyed the story I have created. Goddess of Legend is my first published novel and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I poured so much of myself into creating a story of two characters who desperately long for someone to love them for just who they are. In essence, Cameryn's story is a bit my story, except I haven't gotten my happily ever after yet. But I'm sure that one day my "Hades," will come.

   In the meantime I just would like to share with you all how much your support made Goddess of Legend  a bestseller.

• October 15th- Goddess of Legend reaches #96 in the top 100 African American Urban novels on Amazon.
• October 17th- Goddess of Legend reaches #98 in the top 100 African American Urban novels on Amazon.
• October 19th- Goddess of Legend reaches #94 in the top 100 African American Urban novels on Amazon.
• October 20th- Goddess of Legend reaches #89 in the top 100 African American Urban novels on Amazon.
• October 21st- Goddess of Legend reaches #78 in the top 100 African American Urban novels on Amazon.
• October 22nd- Goddess of Legend reaches #60 in the top 100 African American Urban novels on Amazon. Goddess of Legend reaches #81 in the top 100 Genre Fiction Urban novels on Amazon. Goddess of Legend reaches #89 in Fantasy Urban novels on Amazon.
• October 23rd- Goddess of Legend reaches #79 in the top 100 African American Urban novels on Amazon.
• October 28th- Goddess of Legend reaches #97 in the top 100 African American Urban novels on Amazon.

  So a big thanks to all of you! Again this would not have been possible without your support. So thanks again!

And if any of you know someone you think would like to read Goddess of Legend here are the links where you can purchase it: http://www.amazon.com/Goddess-Legend-Demi-God-Daughters-ebook/dp/B00FVGCZN8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382975405&sr=1-1&keywords=erin+tanner

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/goddess-of-legend-by-erin-ashley-tanner/

http://www.bookstrand.com/goddess-of-legend-mf

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-goddessoflegend-1318073-143.html

THANKS AGAIN!!!!



MY WRITING INSPIRATION (PART TWO)

MY WRITING INSPIRATION (PART TWO)

 

 

THE LATE GREAT, L.A. BANKS

 

   Growing up I liked to read all kinds of genres, but I particularly loved all things paranormal and fantasy. Part of me felt that since real life was so boring why not escape into the pages of a book in which you knew the fantastical things could never happen. And that is what I did. I read Terry Brooks, the late Anne McCaffrey, Anne Rice. When I got older new authors made their way to my bookshelves like Lillith Saintcrow, Amber Benson, Kristina Douglas, Jenna Black, Nalini Singh and Mercedes Lackey. The day I discovered L.A. Banks my reading world changed forever.

    I was in Barnes and Nobles, browsing, smelling the books, just enjoying being in a bookstore like I normally do when a cover caught my eye. I picked it up. It was The Hunted. The book was white and on the front was a woman that appeared to African American wrapped in white covers sitting on a bed. In the distance a man in shadows watched her. I thought, "Oh snap now this looks interesting." I read the back cover of the book and was immediately intrigued. I also realized that this was the third book in The Vampire Huntress Legend series. I quickly searched the shelves for the first two books in the series. I quickly found Minion and The Awakening. I bought all three books and went home happy and ready to read.

    I read through the first three novels in record time and immediately fell in love with the series. Here was an author that had started a fantasy series with minority characters. The heroine, Damali Richards was African American and her love interest bad boy Carlos Rivera was Latino. Finally! For so long I'd read stories of fantastical worlds in which there were no minority characters and if they were, they were not the main protagonists of the story. The years rolled by and as each novel in L.A. Banks' series came I out I bought and enjoyed every last one of them.

   I am a fan of The Vampire Huntress Legend series for so many reasons. Above all it is a fantastically well written series that interweaves all the mythologies of the world, all the religions, people of all backgrounds, the love of a man and woman and the epic battle between good and evil all rolled into one. This series is EPIC! It is a work of art. Not only did Ms. Banks create a fantastic series, she also was a groundbreaker for minorities when it comes to the genres of fantasy and paranormal in writing. For so long there has been a stigma that African American authors can only write one thing African American fiction, whether or not it's Urban or Women's Literature. L.A. Banks broke the mold when she created The Vampire Huntress Legend series. She proved that African Americans shouldn't be pigeon holed. That we could write anything. She inspired me to want to take a stab at writing something different as well.

     When the series ended I was sad. After all I'd gotten used to looking for a new book every year and after Ms. Banks created the ultimate bad boy who is tamed by the love of a good woman, I was missing my book boyfriend Carlos Rivera as well. But Ms. Banks was not done with the world of fantasy. She created The Crimson Moon series, that had a half Native American and half African American protagonist dropped into the world of werewolves. Once again she was doing something different.

   L.A. Banks was diagnosed with late stage adrenal cancer and she died August 2, 2011. It was a sad day when I heard the news. Ms. Banks had completed The Crimson Moon series and was two books into a new series for adults The Dark and The Neteru Academy young adult series. In addition, there was talk of The Vampire Huntress Legend series being made into a movie. Ms. Banks had the whole world ahead of her and her premature and unexpected death robbed the world of one of the greatest writers ever. I personally feel that Ms. Banks never got all the accolades and recognition that she should have. When I mention her name, many have no clue who she is. Ms. Banks should be mentioned in the same sentence as many popular writers of today such as Stephen King, Anne Rice, Mercedes Lackey and Kim Harrison. She was just that good.

    So I am left to treasure the works that she created and remember her being a role model for me in the writing world. She showed me I could write anything and I didn't have to stifle my creativity just because I wasn't writing what was expected of me. I can write in any genre I choose and be just as good at it as anyone else. RIP Ms. Banks. You are missed.



HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING!

EVERNIGHT IS TURNING THREE!!!

 

Celebrate like a ROCK STAR because Evernight Publishing is THREE!

In three short years, Evernight has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to readers like you! Evernight is pulling out all the stops and throwing an extreme BIRTHDAY BASH BLOG HOP in your honor!

That’s right! It’s Evernight’s birthday but YOU get the presents…

Prizes include:

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Kindle Paperwhite

Kobo Touch

$100 Evernight and Amazon Gift Certificates

Mega Evernight Swag Pack

Plus, each author on the hop will offer his/her own special prize!

As an author, I’m thrilled to share my stories with you and Evernight helps make my books shine! Here’s one reason why I love Evernight Publishing:

I love Evernight because they believed in my talent as a writer and allowed me to express my creativity when others would have stifled it. Evernight has made me feel as if I belong to a large supportive family.

Stay tuned for my upcoming title from Evernight: Goddess of Legend

Available October 14th at: www.evernightpublishing.com; www.amazon.com; allromanceebooks.com; www.bookstrand.com

Blurb:

Cameryn Kane is a Private Investigator with a spirit problem. She can talk to spirits, solve any homicide and has no love life. When an unexpected death sends her world into a tailspin, Cameryn finds comfort in the arms of a talk, dark and handsome stranger, Hades, God of the Underworld.

When Hades promises to bring her loved one back from the dead if she allows him the chance to woo her for six months in the dark Underworld, Cameryn readily agrees. While fighting her growing feelings for Hades, Cameryn must deal with the return of his ex-wife, Persephone, who is determined to get her husband back.

Cameryn will soon experience love and betrayal while discovering powers she never knew she had. Along the way she will also learn that she is at the center of a prophecy that could cost her, her life, while contending with the emergence of a mother who will stop at nothing to see her destroyed.

Excerpt:

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said lazily.

 “I think we should talk,” she said cutting right to the chase.

“Okay. I’m all ears.”

“What happened between us was extraordinary. You made me feel like I was special, and I will always treasure that.”

“But?” H asked prodding.

“I’m a mess right now. My sister was killed in an accident yesterday. That’s why I was at the bar last night. It’s also why I brought you home with me. I wanted to forget about my pain.”

“I can sense your heartache. I would never want to do anything to add to it.”

“You’re not. You’ve been so sweet. Any other guy would’ve probably run away as fast as he could if he woke up next to a hysterical female.”

“I’m not like most guys. What is it, Cameryn? Tell me.”

“I think it’s best if we don’t see each other again.”

“I see.”

“I’m not trying to hurt you. It’s just I have a lot to deal with right now, and I can’t devote myself to a relationship. I’m sorry.”

“What if I want a relationship with you?” he asked quietly.

“I can’t, H.”

“If you weren’t grieving for your sister would you consider giving us a chance?”

“I’m not sure,” she said honestly.

“You’d give anything to have your sister back, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course I would. Anything. But death is final,” Cameryn said climbing out bed and grabbing her robe.

“No, it isn’t. You can have your sister back.”

 “Are you out of your mind? Deena’s dead, and nothing can bring her back,” Cameryn said as tears started rolling down her face.

“I can.”

“You can’t. Nobody can. Just go … please.”

“Not until you listen to me,” he said getting out of bed and walking over to her.

            Cameryn tried to ignore his nakedness as he stood in front of her.

“I know this is going to be hard for you to believe, but I’m not really human. I’m Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, and I can give you back your sister,” he said softly touching her face.

            Cameryn laughed. A deep bellyaching laugh. He was out of his mind. Trust her to pick up a crazy one night stand. What a waste.

“Listen, H, or whoever the hell you are, I’m not sure if you bumped your head or something, but clearly you have some mental issues. I really think you should go now.”

“Cameryn, I can assure you that I’m in complete control of my mental faculties, and I’m more than willing to prove it you,” he said smiling.

“Go ahead. Knock yourself out,” Cameryn said now fully convinced her dream lover was certifiable.

            She crossed her arms and watched as he closed his eyes. He seemed to be concentrating hard. Cameryn couldn’t stop the gasp that came from her throat as she watched his naked body become magically swathed in black robes. She blinked rapidly, just to make sure she wasn’t imagining things. Nope. He was still standing in front of her wearing dark black robes. She started to shake when she saw a bright blue light surround him. When he opened his eyes and stared at her, she could see flames dancing in his eyes.

 “Okay. You’re a magician, but you’re going to have to do better than that,” Cameryn said brazenly refusing to believe what she was seeing.

“Very well,” he said in a voice that now boomed.

            Since when had his voice boomed? Cameryn screamed as he disappeared right before her eyes. When he reappeared in front of her a moment later, black clouds swirled around him. What had she gotten herself into?

“What are you?”

“I’m Hades, God of the Underworld.”

“You mean as in Greek god Hades? No. That stuff is only a bunch of myths.”

“And yet I stand before you now. You of all people should know that everything is not as it always appears, Cameryn.”

“What are you talking about?”

 “You can talk to the dead. You find their spirits that cry out for rest.”

“How do you know about that?”

“I know a lot about you,” he said staring at her intently.

“What do you want?”

 “A chance.”

“A chance for what?”

“To woo you. Come to the Underworld with me.”

“Huh?” Cameryn asked too dumbfounded to believe what she was hearing.

“Come to the Underworld with me. Give me six months to show you that I can love you the way that you deserve. I want to make you immortal and have you rule at my side as my wife and queen for all eternity.”

             He wanted her to be his wife! She had to be hallucinating. Maybe he’d drugged her last night when she wasn’t paying attention.

“If I agree to this, what happens at the end of six months?”

“Your sister will be returned to life, regardless of whether or not you decide to remain with me in the Underworld. It is my sincerest wish that during our time together you will come to love me as I already love you.”

“And if I stay with you, I’ll become immortal?”

“Yes. You will never grow old. You will never die. You will be eternally beautiful.”

“This is a lot to process. I don’t know what to say,” Cameryn said plopping down on her bed.

 “I don’t expect you to make a decision right now. I’m a patient man. Take as much time as you need,” he said starting to fade away.

“Wait. How do I reach you?”

“Just call for me, and I will come. Farewell, beloved,” he said caressing her face.

GIVEAWAY

In addition to the awesome prizes Evernight is offering, I will be giving away two e-book copies of Goddess of Legend. To enter to win all you have to do is leave a comment on this post about who your favorite Greek god or goddess is and why. Random winners will be selected. Make sure to leave your name and email so winners can be contacted.

 Enter to win the Grand Prizes using Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e561a316/

Hop to the next stop here: http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=314265

 

It’s the perfect time to buy the Evernight titles on your TBR list, as well as new gems you find during the event, because Evernight’s entire backlist is on sale at evernightpublishing.com and allromanceebooks.com through October 7^th!

 

MY WRITING INSPIRATION (PART ONE)

MY WRITING INSPIRATION (PART ONE)

 

 

        I have always loved to read. In school, I discovered that I was also a pretty good writer too. But I never seriously  considered being a serious writer until I discovered Jackie Collins.

 



 

 

  The first Jackie Collins novel I ever read was Dangerous Kiss , A Lucky Santangelo Novel. At the time I read Dangerous Kiss, it was the most recent in the Lucky Santangelo series. I fell in love with Jackie's writing. It was descriptive, interesting, and to top it all off, she'd created a female character who was so tough she could kick anyone's ass! Lucky didn't take crap from anyone and to top it all off she was a gorgeous, business savvy mob princess. Call me biased but I think Lucky Santangelo is the greatest female character ever created.

 

      After devouring Dangerous Kiss, I read the rest of the books in the Lucky Santangelo series before moving on to reading every book Jackie had written at the that time. Today I own them all. I love how Jackie would always tell aspiring writers that she was a reform school drop out with no writing background. She just sat down one day and decided she wanted to do it. And that is the same advice she gives to her fans. If you want to write, stop talking about it. Just do it.

 

      So I took Jackie's advice and I did it. I wrote my first story ever, One In A Billion. It was about a young woman who won a contest to spend a month with her favorite male singer who ultimately left his girlfriend for her. I can honestly say that the story was so bad and so cheesy I ripped it to shreds (literally) and threw it in the trash. It was terrible, not the idea itself but some parts about it were. Still I was encouraged. Years later, the idea for my own mafia series was born: Mafia Marriage. I have written 17 chapters of the first novel in the series, For The Sake Of Convenience. Interestingly enough it is the first novel I started as an adult. One day I hope to finish it. That is if I can stop coming up with new ideas for new novels.

 

    Without Jackie Collin's simple, but yet very important advice, I probably would've never kept attempting to write a novel. Because Jackie's kick ass writing has always shown that women can do anything, I'm doing just that: following my dream of becoming a published author and continuing to write so that I can share my stories with the world.





AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHORESS PERRI FORREST

         AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHORESS PERRI FORREST

     Today I am pleased to host Ms. Perri Forrest on my blog. Perri and I connected on Twitter and became fast friends. Not only is she funny, and a sweetheart, but she is also a talented writer and is in the process of building her own empire. Her writing is thought-provoking, heart-wrenching and multicultural. As she once told me, she doesn't write urban novels. She writes suburban novels. Take a minute and enjoy the interview I did with this lovely lady. And don't forget to check out her various works.

AN INTERVIEW WITH PERRI FORREST

Ladies and gentlemen today I am happy to have with me Ms. Perri Forrest, the author of Revolving Doors, Rendezvous, & The Color of Lies.

Q: Perri thank you so much for taking the time out to talk with me today. To start with tell us a little bit about yourself. I am a passionate individual who loves to write, who is obsessed with miniature golf/badminton, and who is a perfectionist. I am addicted to knowledge, and attracted to intellect. There’s nothing sexier than a man who is intelligent…genuinely intelligent. I’m vocal and will defend my point to the death. Anyone in my immediate circle will attest to that. I’m a person who explicates just about everything when it comes to inspirational quotes – or any quotes for that matter. I think people say, and post things all the time just because they sound good without really challenging the words or looking at it critically. I don’t care whose quote it is, I need to fully assess it first before I go, “Liking/Sharing”, or otherwise. Oh! I’m an admitted control freak. And a Leo. I think that’s it. No, wait! I love life and am the kind of person who will come down really hard on myself if I feel like I’ve gone through the day without identifying something different/new about myself and those around me. Weird, huh?

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to become an author?

I’ve known I wanted to be an author since I was 12 years old. I used to write short stories with two primary themes: 1) Walking through the woods with a group of friends and finding a magical cottage with a little old lady inside telling really magical stories about the future. I remember once we got inside her house it would be glamorous and way bigger than it looked from the outside. I was really living a dream through these stories and I saw it metaphorically. It was a picture of how I saw my life at that time, versus what I wanted it to look like. Probably my obsession with glamour. 2) I also wrote a lot of stories about kids with invisible friends, though I didn’t have one myself J I think I needed one to help curb that overactive imagination.

Q: What is the most frustrating thing about being a writer?

The most frustrating part about writing to me, is not the actual writing itself, but the worrying about whether anyone will like my work or not. So much so that whenever I write a story, I never go back and read it again for fear I will find something that would give any reader ammunition to hate me and chalk me up to a wannabe. Don’t get me wrong, I know I can write and I have total faith in my writing, it’s the “acceptance” factor. I’m slowly shaking that and simply reveling in a place of finding comfort in the fact that I’m writing after having put it off so long because of fear.

Q: Are you a pantser or plotter? 100% #TeamPantser!

Q: When you think up a story idea do you concentrate on characters first or the storyline? I tend to concentrate on a single character first, and build a story around that person.

Q: So tell us a bit about your two novellas Rendezvous, & The Color of Lies? Where did the inspiration for these novellas come from? Oh! I love talking about that! Rendezvous was actually part of an anthology with the instruction to just “go for it…make it no longer than 10,000 words…setting Mardi Gras…start it out with a bang!” Enter the limousine scene. I came up with the bang first and built from there. I had a complete ball writing that story because it took even me to another place and it was what I wanted for the reader as well. Gabriella Alexis Sandoval, the main character in my debut novel, was introduced in this novella. Rendezvous tells a small portion of her life – the secret portion of her life – and that is her time spent in Brazil as a high priced call girl. This particular piece of her lifestyle is something that she’s held onto since a young adult because it was a release there for her during a tumultuous time in her life. She has her own wealth and a full life outside of that secret life, but continues it because for her it’s a place of comfort for her that was there for her when she felt she was at the end.

Now The Color of Lies is my absolute favorite story. I think it’s my favorite because of how it was developed. There are so many memories with that story. Let’s begin with the fact that it was written in four days out of a nervous energy. Imagine working every day all day on a book and then all of a sudden you’re done. It’s the one thing you’ve done every day for months – morning, noon, and night. Then it’s off to be edited and you’re inside your own head about what the feedback will be and wondering if the editors and beta readers will hate it. Since I’m a girl who wants the truth, and sugarcoating, I was prepared for the worst and I had nowhere to put that energy. So what did I do? I wrote a story and honestly as I wrote TCoL, it flowed so fluidly I was scared. That had never happened to me before and I was deathly afraid of what it meant instead of embracing it as a talent (something I have a hard time doing). The story has several characters, but its focus is on an agency called Pandora’s Box that outs the cheaters of the world. In this particular installment, we had Erik Warren a super dog! He is a married man living a single life and when his wife’s women’s intuition kicks in, she enlists the help of the beautiful Brooklyn Kellogg, and her agency to get to the bottom of things. The Color of Lies is my best seller to date, ironically and I am currently at work on the next installment which closes up some loose ends with a few characters, and introduces some new ones along the way. 

Q: What made you decide to continue Gabriella’s story in Revolving Doors? I knew early on that I wanted to give her a full story. I wanted to read her story! Lol! I wanted to see what led her to that secret life in Brazil, and what else she had going on in addition to that life. Gabriella told me that she wanted her story told and it was my job to tell it. There’s depth to her and it needed to be revealed alongside her life at the beautiful resort of Belo Paraiso. I wanted to tell the story of how heartbreak led her to become one of Valentina’s girls, how she found herself there, and how she developed as both a woman and a businesswoman from that experience.

Q: What do you want readers to take away from your work? I want them to see that I work extremely hard to make my stories, and characters individuals. I don’t look at other author’s characters and take from them, I build these characters…these stories from scratch, and I feel that I owe it to them to tell their stories as thorough as possible, from the glorious to the imperfections. I want them to take from my work that I put my all into it because it’s important for me that I deliver a fine piece of work.

Q: What was your road to publication like? What made you choose the self-publishing route? I haven’t had a road, per se. I just got in my car and drove, and am still driving until I reach a destination. I will say that the beginnings were awesome in how it all came to be. It came in the form of, “you never know who’s watching.” Literally. I used to blog heavily. I’ve since retired that blog (but will resurrect it one day soon), and had a pretty decent following. Well, there was one follower who I didn’t even realize was watching my work. Never commented, never emailed, but I knew she was a follower because I kept up with that list of people, for the sake of seeing who my audience was. After about two years of blogging, I received a message one day from her asking me if I’d like to participate in an anthology. I was so green that before I responded, I had to look up what that even was. I have always been an avid reader, but had only ever read complete novels, so wasn’t up on the lingo. As soon as I got the definition, I responded back with, “you know I’ve never published anything before, right?” to which she responded, “well you should. I’ve followed your blog for years now and you can write!” I think I started crying at that moment in front of my keyboard. It was the first time that my writing had been officially validated, and it felt good. It was years in the making.

With the self-publishing route, I decided that it would be much more effective for me to just write and get editing and publish my works to get my name out there, rather than wait for weeks, months, and YEARS, to find a Literary Agent who believed in me to get behind my work, or a huge publishing house that already has their focuses on a particular genre of work. I wanted to see who Perri was first before I introduced her to that population of individuals. It was kind of like finding myself, and building my brand before I got my “30 seconds to tell me your story,” type deal going. I want to get to a place where if I meet someone in the Literary world one day, I can tell them without blinking, why I’m their girl and be able to sell that with confidence and truth. Right now, I’m figuring out where I fit and thus far, I can tell it isn’t in any one box so I need to figure out how to clearly articulate that. I do feel that my day is near though. It isn’t wishful thinking, I just feel it. I’m hardworking and this writing thing is what I would for free, so I know I’ve found my purpose.

Q: What’s easier for you? Writing the first draft or editing? Definitely the first draft! Which brings me to something that is so embarrassing to talk about. Don’t judge me when I tell you! Lol! Okay, so you know how when we get our first jobs we are so new to everything? Well, when I got my first job I started it in I believe May. One day I was talking to the office manager and asked her, what day do we begin our summer break? I just remember her staring at me for the longest time and then as clearly as she could explaining to me that grown ups don’t get summer breaks. I think she wanted to laugh, but when she saw the seriousness in my demeanor, she decided against it. What does that have to do with the question? Well, let me first answer the question and say that “first draft,” is easier. Then, I’ll tell you that I was under the impression that when it got sent off, that the editor would make the changes for me! I had no idea that I’d have to get that beast back and do more work! Not once thinking that if I allowed someone else to make said changes, it is no longer my story! Whatever, don’t judge me. I told you. I was as green as Kermit!

Q: What’s coming down the pipeline next? I’m finishing the second installment of the Pandora’s Box series and have just ordered the cover for the 3^rd installment so those are back to back projects that I plan to deliver on before Thanksgiving. Then I’ve gotten a lot of feedback lately for Revolving Doors and am going to begin mapping out a sequel to that. It may be a bit shorter, and in fact I may make them into smaller series of one another versus trying to tackle a full novel again. I think I might have tackled a complete novel too early in my career. A Type-A like myself needed to start small. I am too much of a perfectionist! I was actually reading and re-reading while the book was gone to editors. It made the work more difficult for me because I was finding errors that I knew they would find and fixing them before they came back so the cross-referencing process was a bit tedious. Thank God for dual monitors!

Q: Besides writing are there any other hidden talents you have? Oh boy…let’s see. I LOVE to build Wix websites. I like watching them come to life. I love writing business proposals. For some reason a lot of people come to me for advice in their relationships. I read somewhere that the people with the best advice are the ones who have been through a lot. That would be me, so maybe they sense that when they come. I hear I’m pretty good too. I braid hair. I keep that a huge secret though, but I’ve been braiding hair professionally since I was a young girl. There’s actually really good money in that. Okay here’s one that some might find a bit weird, but that I’m very proud of…explicating dreams. I love helping people decipher their dream’s meanings.

Q: Before we go what’s your advice to aspiring writers? I would say more than anything don’t try to impress others before impressing yourself because then you begin to lose touch with your organic writing voice. I did that for a bit – and in some ways am still trying to get away from it. In my case, it almost made me not want to write anymore. I’m thankful that didn’t happen. I think that aspiring writers should just write from the heart and that no matter what comes during their day, to make sure they at least give a part of that day to writing something! Keep the ideas fresh and flowing. Even if it’s building a dream character on paper, just write. It’s the most important thing you could for your career. Also try as hard as possible to surround yourself with like people of like minds. Don’t get so caught up in the popularity game that you allow anybody into your space. If they must be deleted, do so. Add and follow the ones who want to see you do well. Seek healthy relationships that you can learn from and grow with. When I entered this world, I automatically expected others to embrace me and that didn’t happen so I had to feel my way around – much like everyday relationships. There will be trial and error, but at the end as long as you have a healthy balance of genuine people, it will be worth the trouble.

Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your works? The best place to go would be to my website: www.perriforrest.com. There you can find what I have up to date, complete with links to their location.

Thank you so much for your time today Perri. I look forward to more from you.