Word Building

I just had to post this on here. Over on my review blog we had the pleasure of hosting JM Sullivan. She gave us some amazing world building tips. I wanted to make sure to include the link on here to give all my readers a chance to check it out. The advice she gives is really helpful. Be sure to check it out here!  Happy Writing!!!

Rachel Magee

Hey everyone, thanks for stopping by for today's Author Talks. I'm so thrilled to have Rachel Magee as a guest today on the blog. Today she shares with us why she writes what she writes, more insight to her writing, an excerpt from her novel Happily Ever Afters, and writing tips.

Tell us a little about yourself:
Hi Becca! Thanks so much for having me. I love to write, talk about writing and encouraging others to write. I write contemporary romance and romantic women’s fiction mostly because I love strong female characters and happy endings.

What inspired you to start writing?
Good question. I’m a writer by nature. Ever since I was a little kid, stories were in me. I would hear a song or witness a conversation at the airport and a story would start to form in mind. My childhood room was full of spiral notebooks with these tales scribbled in them. I have to write. It’s who I am. Anyone with me?
But it was sweet husband who inspired me to take the leap into the world of being published. For years, my stories were locked away in the depths of my computer for my eyes only, while I stared longingly at the place in the library where my name would be shelved. Mike was the one who finally encouraged me to let others read them and start looking into what it would take to find a publisher. It was a long, slow, and sometimes painful road, but I’m so glad I ventured down it!

How do you write? Do you plot? Or do you just go for it?
I’m a total plotter. I once tried being a pantser, and it was a hot mess. What can I say? I need a plan.
I tend to favor the Save the Cat! method of plotting. If you’re a plotter and you haven’t read it, it’s worth picking up. I write each of my plot points on notecards, which is a tip I got from another writer, because occasionally I will have to shift some plot points around to make the story work better. Plus, I’m tactile and I like to hold them. It helps me connect more with the story.

How many stories have you written?
If you are counting only the stories I’ve written since I’ve become serious about being published, the answer is three. Right now, there are three complete full-length manuscripts on my computer and one in the works. I feel very fortunate that my first complete manuscript, Happily Ever Afters, will be the first one published. It’s being released September 19! Book #2 is on submission right now, and I’m excited to see where it ends up. Book #3, which is related to Happily Ever Afters, is in the final editing phase before I send it to my publisher later this summer.

Tell us about your new novel that will be released in September, can you give us an excerpt?
Happily Ever Afters is about type-A doctor, Lainey Stratton, who happens to fall in love with someone she meets on vacation, which isn’t part of her plan. With her life in Dallas and his is D.C., she doesn’t see how it can possibly work out. Still, since she could use a date to an upcoming destination wedding, she’s has an excuse to at least see him again. But when her well-planed life falls apart, her vacation romance might be the only one who can help her put it back together. That is, as long as his past doesn’t catch up with them.
It’s full of fun settings, interesting characters, and the emotional journey of overcome life’s unexpected hurtles. There might be a bit of humor in there, too.
Have a peek at a scene from the first chapter.
“Excuse me.” The deep voice came from above me.
I cracked one eye enough to see a man standing there. He motioned to the large storage bin holding all the passengers’ bags stowed under the bench where I was sitting. Shifting out of his way, I didn’t let the interruption distract me from enjoying the tranquility of the sail.
“It’s the ugly green one,” a girl’s voice called from somewhere near the front of the boat. I wanted to completely ignore the bag-fetching stranger, but curiosity piqued my interest. I needed to know what the ugly bag looked like. Through my half-opened lid, I saw him hoist an apple-green and white chevron print bag with a large pink flower printed on one side.
“Oh.” I pointed to the bag dangling from his finger. “That’s actually my ugly green bag.”
He pulled a face to show his embarrassment and handed me my bag. “Sorry about that.” Squatting down, he continued to dig through the bin.
He moved two more green bags to the top of the pile. One was a lime Hawaiian print and the other chartreuse with a bright lemon geometric design. Stroking his jaw, he studied both.
“Any thoughts on which would be ugly?” he asked.
“Beauty’s in the eye of the beholder?” I offered.
He shrugged and picked the chartreuse bag, holding it up for the girl at the front to see. She nodded her approval. He removed a bottle of sunblock and dropped the bag into the bin.
“May I?” He motioned to my bag. I handed it to him, and he placed it on top of the pile before returning the bin to its storage place. “Mission accomplished,” he said, displaying the bottle. “Who knew finding sunblock would be such a challenge? Anyway, I’m Carter.”
Annoyed he was interrupting my relaxing moment, I plastered a fake-friendly smile on my face before shifting my complete attention to the chatty stranger. Then, I momentarily lost my train of thought.
The man standing in front of me was much more attractive than I had first noticed. He had thick dark hair and a strong jaw, but his playful smile softened his features. He wore only a pair of teal swim trunks, showing off a sculpted body that had clearly spent some time inside a gym. And from the look of his sun-kissed skin, I guessed this was not the first day of his vacation. I had to force myself to regain focus.
“Lainey Stratton. And for the record, the bag wasn’t my first choice either.” I bought it at the hospital gift shop the day before we left because I realized I didn’t have any sort of beach bag to bring with me on the trip. My choices were between the one I got and one featuring the poop emoji. That’s what I get for not planning ahead.
“Nice to meet you, Lainey.” He flashed a charming smile and settled against the rail. “What brings you to Puerto Rico?”

What inspired you to write your novel?
I was on a girls’ trip with some friends when a conversation sparked the idea for this book. What would happen if you fell in love with someone you met on vacation but their life was nowhere near yours? The rest of the story just sort of fell into place. I think I had the whole thing plotted before I flew home.

Do you have any tips you can give other aspiring authors out there?
Don’t give up!! I can’t say it enough. The journey to being published is full of rejection. Don’t let it stop you. Continue to write, continue to improve your craft, and don’t give up the dream of seeing it published. And if you feel like giving up, find a friend who won’t let you.

Which authors inspire you most?
I’m a huge Jane Austen fan. I love her work, the way she crafts her stories, and the way the romances are deep and thought provoking. I could read her books over and over.

If you could join in literary world, what would it be and why?
Do I have to pick just one? The truth is, I usually want to be part of whatever I happen to be reading at the moment. Right now, I’m reading a book with my son set in a space colony on the moon. The other night we had a great conversation about how we wanted to go there and live with them. Then I went downstairs and picked up the book I’m currently reading set in a summer camp. Now I’m ready to pack my trunk to go to camp. Minus the bugs, of course.

What are the first 5 things you do to prepare yourself for a day of writing?
1.    Get child care. Luckily, my hubby is very supportive and will entertain the kiddos when I need a full day of writing. But, as a mom of two active kids, a couple of hours of writing time is more the norm.
2.    Set a goal. I like goals because they help me focus. Sometimes I reach my goals, sometimes not.
3.    Pick out my music. I love to write to music because it helps me think. But I’m specific in what I’m listening to while I’m writing, because it effects my mood. Which brings me to…
4.    Think about the emotions. I think about the emotions in the scene, what each character is trying to portray, and where I want the characters and the reader to end up emotionally at the end of it.
5.    Get coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

Are you working on anything now? Can you share a little bit about it with us?
Most of my time right now is devoted to editing the book that follows Happily Ever Afters. It is about a bubbly, energetic event planner and a serious, career-focused lawyer who have to work together to plan an event that will make or break each of their careers. The only problem is they don’t see eye-to-eye on, well, anything. The banter between the characters has been a lot of fun to write, and it has some pretty great locations as well. Part of the story takes place at a hot air balloon festival, which was a blast to research.

Before you go, is there anything else you would like to share with us? 
I’ll leave you with a quote I love from Richard Bach. “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” Follow your dream. The world needs to read your story.

Thanks for having me!

About the Novel:

Lainey Stratton does not fall in love with strangers she meets on vacation. It simply doesn’t make logical sense. So when Lainey meets Carter Thompson on the first day of her Caribbean vacation, she knows it could never amount to anything more than a crush.  At the end of the vacation she will return to Dallas and he will return to DC, and that will be the end of it. Well, unless he wants to join her at a friend’s destination wedding, which would be considered vacation too, right?

 

But when an unexpected tragedy sends Lainey’s logical world spiraling out of control, she realizes her vacation crush might be the only one who can help her pick up the pieces of her shattered life.  That is, as long as she can get out of the way of her own happiness.  And as long as Carter’s past doesn’t catch up with him before she gets a chance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author:

Rachel wrote her first novel when she was twelve and entered it into a contest for young author/illustrators. Unfortunately, the judges weren’t impressed with her stick figures. So she dropped the dream of becoming a world famous illustrator and stuck to spinning stories. When she’s not busy working on her latest book, she loves to travel with her family and friends. By far, her favorite destination is the beach, which tends to work its way into most of her stories. Between vacations, you can find her at home in The Woodlands, TX with her wonderful husband, their two adventurous kids and a couple of spirited pets, all of whom share Rachel’s love of the ocean. Well, except the cat and dog. They’re both afraid of water. Find out more about what Rachel has been up to at rachelmageebooks.com.

 

Author Links:

 

Website | Facebook| Twitter| Google +

 

 

 

Loved having Rachel on the blog today! I'll leave you all with a fun question to answer. What do you love most about contemporary romance and why? Leave your answer in the comments!

Leslie Hauser

 

I am so excited to have Leslie Hauser on the blog! Leslie shares with us about her writing, her writing style, her debut novel Chasing Evaline, and helpful tips for other aspiring authors out there. Also be sure to check out the excerpt for Chasing Evaline, I cannot wait to read it!

 
Tell me more about yourself: I live in Southern California with my dog Mr. Darcy. When I'm not writing or working, I run, do CrossFit, read, watch too much TV, and send cat gifs to my friends :)

Tell me more about your debut novel (read the excerpt after the interview):
Chasing Eveline is a YA contemporary novel about 16 year old Ivy Higgins who goes on a quest with her friend Matt to reunite 80s band Chasing Eveline.

What inspired you to be an author?
I’ve been writing since the third grade when I penned my award-winning story “Wild Strawberries” about a talking strawberry that takes a young girl on a wild adventure. It was published on the front page of the school gazette. Haha. But in all honesty, I think that was the moment when I realized I had stories to tell and that I loved telling them. (It was also the moment I learned I would never be an artist. My strawberry graphic was not so fabulous.)

How many stories have you written?

I've published two short stories and a novel. I have another completed unpublished novel and one that I plan to complete by August 1.

Is writing your full time profession? If not, what else do you do and how do you manage both jobs? No, I am a part-time writer. I also teach 6th grade English and history. I work mostly on my blog and short writing pieces during the school year and save my long summer break for novel writing.

What is your writing process?

First, I outline in my head. I walk around with the story brewing in my mind for weeks or months, if necessary. I need to create a basic movie for how I want the plot to unfold. Then I map out the story on Post-it notes. Each chapter gets a Post-it note, and the chapters are divided into a beginning, middle and end. This helps me hit a high point in each chapter, which keeps the story moving and helps maintain a sense of drama. It keeps me from having chapters that serve no purpose. Only after I’ve mapped out the entire story do I begin writing. Of course, things may change as I go, but I need to have a set plan—a set of directions—before I can begin. Otherwise, I feel too overwhelmed.

How do you create the world you are writing in? Since I write contemporary, it's usually just the world we all live in :) A lot of times, I'll go on Pinterest or Google search towns and houses and people to get an idea of what I want my fake setting to look like.

How do you pull us in with amazing characters?
I try to create real characters that are likeable. Even in my unpublished YA, there is a friend who is the antagonist and I like her because she's truly hateable! :)

What authors inspire you to write?
Sarah Dessen is the inspiration behind my YA. Her book The Truth About Forever is the book that hooked me on YA, and I feel a sense of loyalty to her and her books because of that.

Have you ever thought about self-publishing? What are the pro-s and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing?
I considered self-publishing. An interesting fact I learned is that the majority of authors who make a career of writing are self-published writers. I would have thought it'd be the opposite: the ones with the major publishers behind them would be the ones making a career of it. But self-publishing keeps the profits going directly to you, so that's a benefit. The drawback is that there's so much to do to put out a book and promote it, and you'd have to do all of that yourself.

What is some advice you can give to other authors out there that are struggling to get their work published?
I sort of laugh when published authors say, “Don’t worry so much about getting published. Just write and everything will fall into place.” You know, that’s easy to say once you have a publishing deal. But if your dream is to see your book in print, you will worry and you will stress and you will be sad at times. My advice is just to accept that as part of the process. Go with it. If you’re sad, be sad. If you’re angry that it seems so easy for some people, be angry. I would also tell writers to consider indie publishers. I’m very happy with my decision to go with Pen Name Publishing. The whole experience has been great, and I get to see my book out in the world. This may not have happened if I’d only considered the traditional publishing route.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us before you go?
I just hope you all will go out and buy Chasing Eveline and that it will entertain you and put a smile on your face. That's why I wrote it! I wanted to put some happiness in the world :)

Goodreads

 

Purchase Link 

Amazon

 

Excerpt:

They say music is the key to the soul. Or maybe it’s the heart. I can’t remember exactly what my mom said that day she danced into my room with a new record for me to hear. I was only in the fourth grade, but I became a believer. I remember so vividly how the drums rattled deep within my chest and the lyrics I didn’t even understand seemed to whisper secrets meant only for me. The song lingered inside me for days. My mom swooned and told me that’s why music must be shared.

So when I saw the desperate school blog post calling for a volunteer DJ at tonight’s Back to School Dance, I jumped at the chance. The music my friend Matt and I plan to throw into the mix is a giant master key. I just hope it will open the teenage hearts in this musty gym and linger inside them long after the last balloon deflates. This music is important to me.

I nudge Matt, whose face is glued to the computer screen at our DJ table. A vibrating speaker to our left thumps out music, so I yell into his ear, “Is the set list ready?”

He tilts his head toward me. “Geez, Ivy. I just plugged in the flash drive.”

“Okay, sorry.” I step away. He sweeps his blond hair out of his eyes and returns his focus to the computer.

I pace behind him, a nervous left followed by an excited right and back again. The musical brilliance of the greatest guitarist of all time will soon weave through these bodies and drift into every ear. My heart floats up with the blue and yellow balloons hovering like a latex fog.

My hand strums on my thigh while Matt continues to fuss with the computer. Near the gym entrance, Principal Henry stands with Narc 1 and Narc 2, and a wave of yawns travels across them. The newbie freshmen line the walls and cluster in groups. The scene resembles a casting call for an acne medication ad.

The dull atmosphere isn’t helped by the annoyingly synthetic pop noise blasting through the speakers. After I offered our free DJ services to Karen, the Dance Committee Chairperson, she gave us a mix of music tracks to play. She was grateful to have saved some precious dollars for this year’s prom, but I’m not sure she trusted two no-name juniors to get the job done.

However, after listening to thirty minutes of her set list, I’m seriously questioning the cool factor of the popular crowd. Karen’s mix features some of the worst radio music of all time. Every song is a mere echo of the previous one—peppy beats and vacuous lyrics about hook-ups and partying. I can’t even tell if the voices belong to boys, girls, or machines.

I tap Matt’s shoulder. “Are you almost finished?” I nearly have to scream.

“Yeah. I’m just making sure we have the songs in the right order.” He turns around and leans toward me. “Ivy, you really want to do this?”

I smile at him and hope he doesn’t see all the tiny cracks waiting to splinter. “We’re just sharing some great music. It’ll be fine.”

About the Author:

 

I am a YA writer and middle school teacher. I have a B.A. in English from UCLA and a Master’s degree in Educational Administration. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and currently reside in Los Angeles, California, with my dog Mr. Darcy.

When I’m not living in fictional worlds inside my head, I run all sorts of distances, torture my body at CrossFit, and DVR entirely too many television shows. I dream of one day returning to the Midwest to live on a farm. Or perhaps owning a cookie delivery service.

Author Links:

Web Site | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

 

What music do you most enjoy listening to? Who is your favorite band? Leave your answer in the comments and thanks for stopping by!

JM Sullivan

 

I am so excited about today's guest on the blog, author JM Sullivan answers exciting questions about her writing, her debut novel, and some sound advice for inspiring authors out there. Her novel, Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles was released on May 16, 2017. Let me tell you, I cannot wait to read this novel. Check out JM Sullivan's interview questions plus an excerpt of Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles.

Tell me a little about yourself:
Hi! My name is JM Sullivan and I am a teacher, a mommy, and now, an author! When I’m not working or writing, you can find me watching movies  with my kids and husband, attempting to become a better runner/yogi, or playing servant to my two cats, Ember and Moki.

What inspired you to be an author?
I have always loved reading and writing. Growing up, Language Arts/English were always my favorite classes. I loved learning more about books and literature and all of the different elements of storytelling, and thought that I would love to be able to create something of my own. It took a while, but I finally got the courage to believe in myself enough to actually do it!
I read on Twitter that you are a Science Teacher? What grade do you teach? What drove you to teaching?
Yes! I teach sixth grade science! I actually grew up in a family of teachers, my mother taught Elementary School and my father was a PE teacher until he moved to his role as a guidance counselor. So I guess you could say it’s in my blood!

How many stories have you written? 
Including Alice, my three biggest projects are The Wanderland Chronicles and currently, it’s sequel. But I have also written a Sci-Fi retelling of Peter Pan that I am currently working on getting published. I tend to stay away from short stories, although I did have a short (Daylight) recently published in Pen Name Publishing’s Anthology From Words to Water.  Aside from those I have a few other stories that I have shelved to come back to later—if I ever have time! ;)

Now a days, authors have the choice of choosing a traditional form of publishing, or choosing the self-publishing route. Can you tell us a little bit about why you chose a boutique publisher, and a little more detail about what a boutique publisher is?
I went with a small press because even though I didn’t have agent representation, I knew I wanted to go the traditional publishing route. Some people do very well with the complete autonomy of self-publishing, but since I had (and still have) so much to learn about the publishing world, I wanted to have a team of people to work with me to help fulfill my vision. For people like me a boutique publisher is the best of both worlds. The company is there to help guide you through the process and take care of finer, more technical details, but they are small enough that you still get a lot of say in the creative process, such as cover design and self-promotion. While they may not have as big a reach as the ‘Big 5,’ if you’re willing to put in the work and time to your book, they are a great option.

What is your writing process? 
Does forcing myself to write count? LOL. I don’t know my writing is organized to be classified with a process. Normally, I start off with a basic outline for where I want the story to go, but from there I let the story take over. I don’t like being too detailed in my outlines because more often than not I’ll end up changing and veering off on different tangents so providing a starting and ending point with a few key events in the middle to keep me anchored is about as structured as I get.

 Where do your ideas come from?
My ideas come from all over the place! Mostly I pull from my favorite stories and movies, but if I see something or read an article that I think would play in well to my work, I don’t hesitate to include it!

 What advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
Be nice to yourself! Writers (and most creatives I find), are hard on ourselves far too often. An inner critic can help keep you on your ‘A-game’, but only if you don't give it so much free reign that it derails your work. Remember, someone needs your words. No one can tell your stories. To get them out there you have to write them!

 What authors inspire you?
I think all my favorite authors have inspired me in some way, but specifically, my favorite retelling authors have become writer goals for me. Marissa Meyer and Jackson Pearce are two incredibly talented writers who inspire me constantly. Seeing how they brought new life into some of my favorite stories to create breathtaking new worlds made me want to see what I could do with my own reimaginings.

Where did your inspiration for Alice:The Wanderland Chronicles come from?
This may sound strange, inspiration didn’t come so much from the story itself rather than the ‘fit’ of the retelling. I’m a huge horror movie fan so I watch them all: werewolves, vampires, demons, ghosts, zombies, you name it. And one night, the idea hit me—the only way you can get rid of a zombie is by chopping off its head, and isn’t that what the Red Queen is all about? It was just too perfect a coincidence to let slide, and I outlined the whole story that night,

 I love your cover of Alice, did you get to choose the cover? What was the process like for your cover of Alice?
Thanks! I got to have a lot of input with the cover (another benefit of a small press).
When I started the publishing process, my Editor had me fill out a form answering some questions about Alice and what I visualized and what covers I liked on other books to get a feel for what I was looking for. From there she designed 5 mock covers and I got to choose which one I liked best. After we had the base design done, we played around with fonts and color schemes. It was definitely one of my favorite parts of publication!

Tell us about Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles. Can you give us a short excerpt?
THE WANDERLAND CHRONICLES is a YA Dark Fantasy retelling of Lewis Carroll’s classic with an undead twist. It follows the story of sixteen-year-old Alice Carroll as she leaves the safety of the Sector to find an antidote to save her sister from becoming one of the momerath. Along the way, she enlists the help of the charming but flighty Chess, his friend Bug, and even the Red Queen. But Wanderland is a long way from home, and as Alice is quickly learning, momerath may not be her biggest threat. Will she overcome and save her sister? You’ll have to read to find out!

 “Don’t come out ’til morning,” he growled, piercing her with his golden gaze. Another animalistic screech sounded through the streets. The momerath were close. The boy glanced over his shoulder anxiously and grabbed the door handle. He tensed his arm to swing it shut.

“Wait!” Alice cried, realizing her voice sounded more than a little frantic. A million thoughts ran through her mind—Whose car is this? Why did you bring me here? Where are you going? Why are you leaving me here? These questions and more clashed into each other, demanding an answer. The winning query spilled out before she could stop it. “Who are you?”

The boy flashed her a sly grin and tightened his grip on the door. “I'm Chess,” he said. “Welcome to Wanderland.”

 And before you go, is there anything else you'd like to say to our readers?
Sure! If you have a Twitter, make sure you check out #AuthorConfession! It’s a monthly game where writers answer questions about their work, their process, or just themselves. It’s a ton of fun and we’d love to have you! Or, if you’d rather, you can find Author Confession on YouTube! Either way you’ll get to connect with great writers and learn all about their work! I hope to see you there!

About the Author:

J.M. Sullivan is a Science Teacher by day, and an author by night. Although known to dabble in adulting, J.M. is a big kid at heart who still believes in true love, magic, and most of all, the power of coffee. If you would like to connect for a healthy dose of sparkle and positivity, you can find her on Twitter or Instagram @_JM_Sullivan.

 Author Links:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

 

Interested in JM Sullivan's debut novel?

 

Book Synopsis:

 

ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR QUEEN
Ever since the outbreak of the Plague, life hasn’t been easy, and for seventeen-year-old Alice Carroll, it just got worse. Her sister, Dinah, has contracted the ‘un-deadly’ Momerath Virus and without a cure, will soon be worse than dead. She’ll be momerath.
Alice must leave the safety of the Sector and venture into Momerath Territory to find the antidote - if it exists. Chasing a rumor about a mysterious doctor with the cure, Alice falls down the rabbit hole into Wanderland, where ravenous momerath aren’t the only danger lurking.

 

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

 

Here's a fun question for  ya'll, what zombie world would you most want to be trapped in and why? Leave your answer in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by!

Keeley Webb

 

Hey everyone, thanks for stopping by my site for my first official interview with author Keeley Webb! Keeley's debut novel, Death Made Me, was published on May 25, 2017. Learn more about Keeley, and check out her great advice for aspiring authors out there!

 

Interview Questions:

Where are you from?
I'm from Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire UK

How long have you been writing for?
I've always loved writing ever since my school days. I loved having to do essays and I'd often write poetry. I began properly writing just over a year ago though.

What inspired you to be a writer?
One of my best friends J D Hughes wrote a book and told me to just go for it!
How many books have you written?
Published one. Unpublished I have 2 part written and 2 more burning away in my mind.
Do you have any places you go to write?
I like to get myself comfy on the settee with my laptop and type away.
What do you do when you have writer's block?
I have never suffered from this. I often have too many ideas that I actually struggle not to blurt them all out onto the page at once.

Where did you get the idea to write Death Made Me?
The main character came to me in a dream whilst on holiday. I actually started writing it on my phone.
Can you give us a little more details about Death Made Me? Perhaps a quote or small excerpt you would like to share.
Death made me ... where to start it's a story with everything in it! There's a ghost, well actually several, a psychic, romance, family values, great friends, humour, tear-jerky moments and even a serial killer. It's very hard to define it but the feedback I'm getting so far is that it works.

 

Here's the blurb...Some people live each day as if it were their last, embracing every possibility. What if today was your last day? Have you lived enough?
Barry never took chances. Today he tried. Katherine was out of his league: beautiful, kind, well-travelled. What would she ever see in him?
Successful in his line of work, but sadly lacking in every other aspect of life. On his last day, he got his wish to be with Katherine. Only, fate bestowed a bittersweet irony upon him, forcing him to watch as she was mistreated by the one person he hated the most.
Unbeknown to them both, Barry would leave a mark on Katherine’s life that would impact generations of her family yet to come.
A tale of death, love, life and hope. And a different perspective on all the ‘what ifs’ lies within…
What are some writing tips you have to share with inspiring authors?
Trust in yourself. I massively suffered from self-doubt and it took me ages to get this book out there. Oh and check and re-check before you submit those drafts ... typo's are a curse that just keep creeping out when you least expect it.
Are you working on anything new? If so, can you share a little about your current project.

Yes I'm working on the sequel to Death Made Me. I'm just under halfway through writing it with plans for a trilogy.
Before you go, is there anything left you would like to share with our readers?
Yes, I'd just like to say good luck to anyone just having a go. There really is nothing to lose. We're all so different that something you write will always appeal to someone. The hardest part is getting the word out there so on that note if any of you lovely people would like to download my book I'd be most grateful ?
About the Author:

I'm a Mum to two beautiful children that keep me very busy. When I'm not knee deep in laundry and housework I love to either read or write.

My favourite genre is crime fiction, specifically anything with serial killers or something clever with a twist.

I've just published my first book Death Made Me which is quite a mix of genres it's a paranormal/romance/suspense thriller! I intend to keep on writing and just hope that people will enjoy my books.

Author Links:

Amazon | Goodreads | Twitter

 

Interested in Keeley's debut novel?

 

 

Book Synopsis:

Some people live each day as if it were their last, embracing every possibility. What if today was your last day? Have you lived enough? Barry never took chances. Today he tried. Katherine was out of his league: beautiful, kind, well-travelled. What would she ever see in him? Successful in his line of work, but sadly lacking in every other aspect of life. On his last day, he got his wish to be with Katherine. Only, fate bestowed a bittersweet irony upon him, forcing him to watch as she was mistreated by the one person he hated the most. Unbeknown to them both, Barry would leave a mark on Katherine's life that would impact generations of her family yet to come.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

If you have any questions or comments for Keeley be sure to put them in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by!

Blogger Recognition Award

 

Awe, this was so thoughtful and kind! Thank you so much Ashe from Subliminal Wish. Thank you so much for nominating me and recognizing my blog! To check out Ashe's blog, visit it here: https://subliminalwish.blogspot.com/

I took this next part from Ashe's site, she explained this nomination beautifully:

 

"If you're not already familiar with the concept, the Blogger Recognition award is just an "award" given to a blogger by another blogger to appreciate and recognize all the hard word that we all put into publishing new content and keeping our websites fresh and updated. Blogging takes quite a bit of work and this is just a small way of showing our fellow bloggers that we all see the effort they put into their little corners of the internet."

How did I get the award?

I was nominated by Subliminal Wish by Ashe. I would like to thank her for taking the time to view my blog and nominating it for this recognition. Ashe's site is pretty cool. She blogs about her life and real life problems and what she has learned by them.

 

How did my blog start?

I started this site as my author site. I figured it was time to have one since I've been trying to get one of my novels published. It has since then turned into helping inspire other authors with tips of my own, and now I'm interviewing authors and asking for their advice for aspiring writers as well. It's been a fun adventure!

Advice for new bloggers:

Be brave! Blogging is so much fun! Find what you love, whether it be books, movies, or television, find your passion and write about it. It's your voice that people will be drawn to and want to hear from your words. It's the passion you have in what you're blogging about that people want to see. Don't stress about the small stuff. Write what you love.
If you are struggling to find more followers, look to social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook. I personally don't want my email loaded with a bunch of newsletters every morning, so I rarely subscribe to any blogs. Because of this, I focus mostly on gathering followers with Twitter and Facebook. It's easy to do too, just start following other blogs and they typically will follow you back. :) People are pretty cool that way!
Good Luck! :)
Since this is all about passing the award on, here are my nominations (They are all book blogs):

1. Hall Ways by Krstine Hall. Kristine blogs about books! Kristine is also an organizer for book blog tours through Lonestar Literary Book Tours. She's amazing! Check her site out.
2. Texan Girl Reads by Holy Flora. Holy blogs about books! Check out her reviews, they're great! She's a real book lover and it shows! She's very dedicated to this blog and is always trying to help promote authors and their books.
3. The Librarian Talks by Tabatha Pope. Tabatha also blogs about books. I love all the hard work that Tabatha puts into her blog. Amazing!
4. Story Book Reviews by Leslie Storey. She blogs about books. It's obvious how much Leslie loves books! I love this site!
5. My Book Fix by Kelli Quinto. You should check out all the great books Kelli blogs about!
6. Ruthie Jones by Ruth Jones. Another great book blogger! She's dedicated and hard working and it shows how much she puts into her blogs.
7. Books and Broomsticks by Belle Willington. Her site is amazing! Definite book lover! I could spend hours at this site!
8. The Page Unbound by Haley Ringer. She and I co-blog this site, but she puts so much amazing work into it that I have to nominate it.
9. Chapter Break by Lynne Pope. She has some great books she blogs about on her site. I also love reading her book reviews. Very insightful!
10. Texas Book Lover by Michelle Newby. Michelle is a huge Texas author and book promoting. I love how patriotic her site is and how much she helps these amazing and talented authors.

All these lovely blogs have put so much effort into writing about what matters to them, and they deserve the recognition! Congratulations!
Here's what you need to do now:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
2. Write a post to show your award.
3. Give a brief story of how your blog started.
4. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
5. Select 10 other bloggers you want to give this award to.
6. Comment on each blog and let them know you have nominated and provide the link to the post you created.

Thanks again to Ashe for nominating me!

A Writer's Writing Zone

I love having places to go to write. My most recent love is the Roanoke Library. For some reason I prefer if there's shelves of books! Every visit is the same as it is with Barnes and Noble, I prowl through the young adult books with purpose. Hunting, searching, looking for new book titles and publishers. I've worked on my books in several different places, from the park, to Walmart, to Subway and Starbucks... but a place surrounded by books is by far the best. Even at home, my favorite place to write is my book room which I have dubbed "spare oom". I'll post pictures of that one another day because today is the day for the Roanoke Library.



Oh and if you are wondering whose those strange feet are, they are mine and my husbands feet. (Sweet husband came with me today to the library to loves in the same place makes it extra wonderful!)

So, some things I love here:

The young adult section.

This is by far the coolest teen section ever. And I love that the cool couches and tables are specifically for teens, no adults allowed on these awesome chairs. I love that this library has created a special place just for teens.

And of course who couldn't pass up free coffee?

That's right! FREE! I am a coffee connoisseur! It may not be the best coffee in the world, but it's decent... and FREE. So for coffee fans, this is definitely a bonus for coming to this library. Not to mention there's cream, sugar, hot water for tea.

LOVE!

And, this library is connected with tons of other libraries. It would have costed me 10 dollars to get a library card here since I don't live in the city. But since I live in the next city over, I was able to get a library card from there for free, and now can check out books here. Which is exciting!

What makes this place so fabulous for writing? I personally think having places to go to for writing are so important to an author. When I'm at home, I'm usually interrupted by my pets. Dog wants out, dog wants in. Cat wants to sit on my laptop. Love them, of course, but when I fall into the realm of the world I'm creating, being pulled out of it is frustrating. So I like having places to go to write.

But again, why this library? Well, it's quiet. It's comfy. It's inviting. And it has books. Lots and lots of books. And being around books gives me so much positive energy.

I simply love it.

Where do you go to write? Leave your answer in the comments!