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An Interview with an Audiobook Narrator – Frankie Holland (@voiceoffholland) #audio #audiobooks #audible #narrator

Hi lovelies,

I am absolutely delighted to be bringing you something a little different today. One of my superb narrators, Frankie Holland, has graciously agreed to be interrogated about her job for my blog. As an author AND a reader, I’m always fascinated by this side of the business, a side I know very little about, so it’s been fabulous to grill Frankie and find out more.

Please welcome Frankie!

When considering a project, what turns you on to a book, and what turns you off a book?

Would I want to read it myself?  Is it something that speaks to me?  Have I worked with this author before, so I know I like their writing style?  Is the project going to sell well?  Do readers like it if the ebook/paper/hardback is already available?

What’s your process when you’ve accepted a new project?

I will always read through the whole book first of all.  It’s really important to me that I know the full story that I am going to narrate.  I make note of any pronunciations I might need clarification on, and start to form ideas for voices as I get to know the characters in the book.  I will ask the author for any direction that they may have for me with regards to pace, tone, style, and any accents/character notes that they feel are important.  I then record a sample for the author, and that is where the honing in on what exactly they want, and what my imagination has come up with comes in.  Once the sample is nailed down and we are both happy, I get to work!

Describe your recording studio to us—include a photo (or more than one) if you have them.

I have a custom-built home recording vocal booth studio.  It is fully acoustic treated which means that my voice doesn’t bounce off the walls and echo, it means my voice will sound much more intimate, like I am right there in the listener’s headphones reading to them!

In my booth I have all the essential technical equipment – microphone, stand, pop shield, interface, headphones, computer, and I also have a comfy chair and cushions, kindle stand, my trusty vocal-zone throat lozenges, a mood lamp as I am without sunlight the whole time I record, and a cushion for my dog when he decides to join me!!

How do you prepare for a recording session?

I start with a vocal warm up, and then a physical warm up.  As I am going to be narrating for hours at a time, it is important to make sure I am fully prepared.  I have a range of vocal exercises that help get my voice ready for recording.  The voice is not just situated in the mouth though, the whole body impacts on your voice, so it is important to move my body, and stretch and warm it up too!  I also make sure I have a big glass of water, and normally a mug of earl grey too.

What are the biggest problems you come across in this job?

Probably time management!!  When the schools were closed because of COVID19 I was so aware of how key my time management is.  It is really important to have boundaries around my work time, I love it so much and if I’m not careful it could eat in to all of my family time too!  When my daughter was off school for 6 months, I found it extremely challenging to divide my time between parenting, crisis home-schooling and booth time.  Now that my daughter has returned to school it is much easier, but I still have to remember that I only have a specific amount of time in the day that the house is empty and I can be fully dedicated to my work.

What are the biggest positives in your job?

Oh my gosh!  That I am living out my actual childhood dreams in reality!!  I always wanted to be a voice actress and audiobook narrator.  I spent a significant portion of my life being consumed with self doubt, and being far too scared to even attempt to try narration.  Now that I live and breathe it, I feel like I have unlocked so much more confidence and happiness and pleasure in the rest of my life too!  I get to READ BOOKS for a living!!  I literally get to breathe life into stories for listening ears.  It is the ultimate honour to be trusted with an author’s work.  I feel such gratitude that I am trusted to do their words justice.

Tell us about the relationship between narrator and author when you’re working on their book.

This honestly depends entirely on the author.  Some authors have a lot more input, and others leave everything to me.  Either way I always keep the channels of communication open, so that no matter who I am working with they know that I value their input, as the book is their creation.  That said, all authors respect that once they have approved the sample of the book that the creative process is up to me after that.  They have final approval of the book at the end, so it is important that anything that they want to be done differently to my initial interpretation is highlighted to me before I start the lengthy process of recording, so that the final audiobook is true to their vision.

Do you have any favourite audiobooks you’ve worked on?

Oh my goodness, how can I pick a favourite?!  For Lucy…  probably our very first collaboration – Stately Pleasures.  It was so well written, so many fantastic saucy scenes, I absolutely LOVED it!  I also really enjoyed Chasing The Chambermaid for Lucy too.  I got to bring out my Scottish accent for a few characters, which was fun, and the mystery of the location and relationships was fun to bring to life!

What’s been your most challenging project to date?

I feel like my latest Lucy Felthouse novel – Search and Rescue has been a real challenge actually.  This book contains 4 male characters, each with distinctly different voices, and 1 female character.  My natural voice is not deep, and so maintaining so many deep voices and accents was quite a challenge, but a challenge I was happy to accept…  Let’s hope Lucy and our listeners enjoy it!

*****

Thank you so, so much to Frankie for taking the time to give us a little peep into your world. I’ve found it fascinating, so I hope anyone reading this will, too!

Here’s a list of the audiobooks Frankie has narrated for me. Please do check them out, and also, once you’ve listened, it’d be awesome if you could leave a review – they really help both myself and Frankie out in terms of us being discovered by other listeners.

And, of course, Search and Rescue, which is coming soon. The eagle-eyed amongst you may already have seen a sneak peek in Frankie’s booth photos 😉

Happy Listening!

Lucy x

  • October 21, 2020
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An Interview with Tiffany Reisz (@TiffanyReisz)

I’m delighted to share this interview with Tiffany Reisz, ahead of the release of her latest book, The Red. I’ve got my copy and I can’t wait to get stuck in!

Tell us about yourself. Both your writing self and your non-writing self. What are your interests and hobbies? Do you have a day job, etc?

I’m the most fantastically boring person alive. Probably the main reason I can write so many books as I do not do anything else with my time. I read. I swim sometimes. That’s…about it. Everything else is writing, writing, writing. No day job. Takes away too much writing time. But I used to have a job at a bookstore. I had a job at many bookstores. Six, in fact. If I got a job again…it would be at a bookstore.

Give us the background on your latest release.

THE RED is kind of an odd book. It originally began as a fictional book in a novel I wrote called THE ANGEL, book 2 in the Original Sinners series. My main character Nora is an erotica writer and this was one of “her” books. Lots of readers asked me over the years if they’d ever get to read one of Nora’s books so I finally wrote it. It was a ton of fun writing a book as if I were Nora. It’s much filthier than “my” books and a bit stranger, too, believe it or not (and if you don’t believe it, read it and you’ll see I’m not kidding).

How did you get started with writing? And what was your route to publication like?

I’ve been writing since I was a little kid. I won a blue ribbon in the first grade for poems I entered in the Art Fair. In middle school I started writing scripts for TV shows I loved. In high school I wrote erotic poetry and fan fiction. I’ve always written all my life. I started writing my first novel THE SIREN back in 2003 and it took years for me to learn the craft of writing a novel so that book went through many many drafts. I had to completely rewrite to get my agent and I’m so glad I did because that draft has one of my favourite scenes in it I’ve ever written (the “I’ll fly” scene for Original Sinners fans). It took many years to get published but it was worth the wait.

What are you currently working on?

I just turned in my edits on a book called THE LUCKY ONES that will be out in February 2018. It’s a modern gothic suspense tale about a young woman who returns to the family that almost adopted her as a child thirteen years after she was forced to leave them. She discovers the idyllic childhood she remembers wasn’t quite what she thought it was…

Do you have a particular Muse for your writing? Do any of your characters bear startling resemblances to sexy celebrities or people you admire?

Everything and everyone comes straight from my imagination except for the settings. I love to visit the places I’m writing about and get the real nitty gritty of a setting down in the story.  For THE NIGHT MARK lighthouses were my muse and I had a blast visiting as many of them as I could. The more real and grounded the setting it, the more wild and imaginative you can get with your story and characters and the book will still feel “real.”

Where do you see yourself in five years? Both writing-wise and non-writing-wise?

In five years I will still be writing a lot of books. Non-writing? Hmm…In five years I’ll still be too busy writing books to do anything non-writing. But maybe in five years I’ll be able to fit into my skinny jeans. Maybe if I write enough I’ll be too busy to eat.

And now for some silly questions…

Muscled or skinny?

Skinny.

Tall or short?

I’m five foot zero. Even short dudes are taller than I am.

Boxers or briefs?

Whatever floats his, um, boats.

Moustache or beard?

Five o’clock shadow.

Long hair or shaven head?

Long hair, no skinheads need apply

Tattoos or piercings?

Surprise me, sir!

Intelligent or funny?

Can’t be funny if you’re not smart!

Blond, brunette or red head?

Blondes. Cary Elwes started my blond fetish many moons ago.

Hottest celebrity (tell us why, if you like)?

Emily Blunt. My God, just look at her.

Top same-sex crush (or opposite sex if you already like same-sex!)

Same answer as above.

Favourite food

Addicted to Chobani Greek yogurt.

Favourite book (tell us why, if you like)

“All the King’s Men” by Robert Penn Warren. There’s never been a character more real to me than Jack Burden.

Favourite place in the world (tell us why, if you like)

I’d live in Key West, Florida if my husband would let me. He would not.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Read more books! And eat your yogurt. It’s good for you.

*****

The RedNever make a promise you don’t intend to keep…

Mona Lisa St. James made a deathbed promise that she would do anything to save her mother’s art gallery. Unfortunately, not only is The Red painted red, but it’s in the red.

Just as she realizes she has no choice but to sell it, a mysterious man comes in after closing time and makes her an offer: He will save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for the period of one year.

The man is handsome, English, and terribly tempting…but surely her mother didn’t mean for Mona to sell herself to a stranger. Then again, she did promise to do anything to save The Red…

Excerpt: http://www.tiffanyreisz.com/the-red-excerpt

Buy links: Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | iBooks Australia | iBooks UK | iBooks Canada | Kobo

*****

Tiffany ReiszAuthor Bio: 

Tiffany Reisz is the author of the award-winning and international bestselling Original Sinners series from Harlequin Mira. She lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband, author Andrew Shaffer, and her two weird cats.

TiffanyReisz.com

Twitter.com/TiffanyReisz

Facebook.com/LittleRedRidingCrop

Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this interview and wish you the best of luck with your latest release. Many sales!

Thank you, Lucy!

  • July 4, 2017
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An Interview with Jodi Ellen Malpas (@JodiEllenMalpas)

I’m delighted to welcome Jodi Ellen Malpas to the site, where she talks about her route to publication, her celebrity crushes and her favourite city on earth. Take it away, Jodi…

 

This ManTell us about yourself. Both your writing self and your non-writing self. What are your interests and hobbies? Do you have a day job, etc?

My name is Jodi Ellen Malpas, affectionately known as JEM to many of my readers. I’m 34, a mother of 2 boys, and I’m a sucker for an alpha male! I live just outside London – my favourite city on the planet. I wrote This Man in secret, wondering the whole time what anyone would think if they were to read it. My imagination run riot and shocked me with what I was capable of dreaming up. It was my soul on paper. Putting it out there for a stranger to read seemed a ridiculous idea. But I did. And I’ve never looked back. My perfect love story turned out to be millions of other women’s love story, too. Two months after sharing my story with the world, I found myself in New York meeting agents. It was then I made the decision to leave my day job. That was tough as I worked for my father, but he came to NYC with me, soaked up the opportunities that I was been presented with and let me go off into the big wide world with his blessing.

History fascinates me to the point of obsession and I have a slight Converse addiction.

 

Beneath This ManGive us the background on your latest release.

After This Man was received so enthusiastically, I was so nervous about my next project. I wrote almost the entire trilogy in secret – no pressure, no expectations, just a story for me. That all changed with One Night. I suddenly had a following of readers waiting for something new from me. Jesse Ward, the hero of This Man, is widely loved. Dreaming up another male lead who could capture my readers as much worried me. I didn’t want to replicate Jesse. He’s a man on his own, but I wanted equal intensity, but on a different level. Miller Hart of One Night evolved very quickly. He’s very different to Jesse and was intended to be. He holds similar qualities, like dominance, but on a more subtle level. He also has an array of traits that Jesse doesn’t. Whereas Jesse took emotion to extreme, sometimes crazy levels, Miller is emotionally shutdown. His impassive persona, along with his devastating looks, is what captures Olivia’s (the heroine of One Night) attention. She’s fascinated by him to the point of obsession. Olivia has spent the best part of her adult life closed off from the world – something she’s done willingly for reasons that evolve during the course of the story. Her brief encounter with Miller Hart, plus the note he leaves on a napkin in the bistro where she works, ignites something within her that confuses and scares her. And she offers him a solace that he’s never thought possible. The one night he offers her is the very beginning for their epic love story.

 

This Man ConfessedHow did you get started with writing? And what was your route to publication like?

Like I said before, I wrote This Man in secret. Women lose themselves in the fictional world of books every day. I lost myself in my own story. After confessing to my best friend, she convinced me to let her read it and the rest is history, I guess. I approached a few London agents without success, then looked into self-publishing. I released This Man in October 2012 with that mind that if 100 women read it and loved it, I’d be happy. The reality is very different. I suddenly had thousands of women following me, eager for the continuation of Jesse and Ava’s story. I released Beneath This Man in January 2013 and it went to #1 in the Amazon erotic charts in both the UK and US. My mind was blown! I was signed by ICM, a US based talent agency, in January 2013 and had an amazing publishing deal presented to me soon after. The release of This Man Confessed, the final book of the This Man Trilogy, in July 2013 under Grand Central Publishing was the highlight of my new career so far. It went to #1 on The New York Times, which sent my already blown mind to a whole new level. I still don’t think I’ve quite gathered myself since.

 

What are you currently working on?

I’ve just wrapped up One Night- Unveiled, the final book of the One Night Trilogy. I’m telling myself I need a break as it’s been a fast and furious 2 years, but I feel a little lost when I’m not writing. Another man has invaded my thinking space, so I’m delving into a new world with a whole heap of new characters that I already love 🙂

 

Do you have a particular Muse for your writing? Do any of your characters bear startling resemblances to sexy celebrities or people you admire?

I never set out evolving a character with anyone particular in mind. I know exactly what they look like in my head and sometimes I get sent pictures by readers and I’ll think…’yeah, he could work.’ Or ‘Wow! He’s perfect’ but I never publically express that. I think it’s important for my readers to visualise their perfect muse.

 

Where do you see yourself in five years? Both writing-wise and non-writing-wise?

Ooohhh… Writing wise, I hoped to have consumed the minds of many more readers with many more stories. On a personal level, I can only hope I’m as happy as I am right now.

 

And now for some silly questions…

Muscled or skinny? Muscled…but not TOO muscled. I guess lean is more me.

Tall or short? Tall! The taller the better!

Boxers or briefs? Boxers.

Moustache or beard? Beard.

Long hair or shaven head? Long!

Tattoos or piercings? Tattoos.

Intelligent or funny? Can’t I have both?

Blond, brunette or red head? My taste is quite diverse. Jesse has dirty blond hair, Miller is dark.

Hottest celebrity (tell us why, if you like)? Now? Hmmmmm, Justice Joslin.

Top same-sex crush (or opposite sex if you already like same-sex!) Angelina Jolie.

Most disliked celebrity (tell us why, if you like) Really? I dare not say. She’s a viper. I don’t want any backlash!

Favourite food. Smoked salmon or cheese. It’s a close call.

Favourite book (tell us why, if you like) The Da Vinci Code. I love how Dan Brown incorporates history on such a detailed level. Fascinates me.

Favourite place in the world (tell us why, if you like) London! Always London. Everywhere you turn, there’s something beautiful to look at. It’s grand and drenched in history.

Anything else you’d like to add? Only a thank you for having me 🙂

 

One Night PromisedBlurb (One Night: Promised)

ONE NIGHT WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH . . .Livy notices him the moment he walks into the coffee shop. He’s heart-stoppingly stunning, with a blue-eyed gaze so piercing she’s almost too distracted to take his order. When he walks out the door, she thinks she’ll never see him again. Then she finds the note he left on his napkin . . . signed M. All he wants is one night to worship her. No feelings, no commitment – nothing but pleasure. Every defence mechanism Livy has adopted during her solitary life is at risk of being obliterated by this confounding man. He’s obnoxious but well-mannered. He’s a gentleman but aloof. He’s passionate but emotionless. Yet the fascination is so powerful, Livy can’t deny him…or herself. M awakens something in Livy, Something deep and addicting that she never knew existed—and that she fears only he can satisfy. But she senses that behind the fast cars, fancy suits, and posh apartment, he’s aching inside. To have him, body and soul, she’ll have to brave his dark secrets. Delving into his world and breaking down his defences becomes her obsession – an obsession that could shatter her heart beyond repair…

Available from: http://www.jodiellenmalpas.co.uk/purchase-links-one-night-promised/

 

One Night DeniedBlurb (One Night: Denied)

He’s amazingly wealthy, sinfully gorgeous, and can bring her to heights of pleasure she’s never before known. For Livy, there’s no turning back. She’s determined to be the light in Miller Hart’s dark world. Yet this new life comes with a steep price…

Miller knows that the power he possesses hasn’t come without sacrifices—but he won’t let Livy be one of them. Though he wants nothing more than to have her in every way, his first duty is to protect her at all costs . . . from his sins, his enemies, and especially himself.

But as their insatiable affair intensifies, the two attract the attention of an obsessive—and dangerous—third party. Discovering new revelations about Miller that rock her to the core, Livy will have to decide whether Miller is ruined beyond repair. And he must face his fear that in order to save her, he may have to lose her after all . . .

Available from: http://www.jodiellenmalpas.co.uk/one-night-trilogy/

 

Author Bio

‘A lingering idea that I just couldn’t ignore.’ – Jodi Ellen Malpas

Jodi Ellen Malpas was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys. Working for her father’s construction business full time, she tried to ignore the lingering idea of writing until it became impossible. She wrote in secret for a long time before finally finding the courage to unleash her creative streak, and in October 2012 she released This Man. She took a chance on a story with some intense characters and sparked incredible reactions from women all over the world. She’s now a proud #1 New York Times and Sunday Times Bestselling author.

Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters have become her passion – a passion she now shares with her devoted readers.

 

Social Media Links & Website

Website – www.jodiellenmalpas.co.uk

Twitter – www.twitter.com/JodiEllenMalpas (@JodiEllenMalpas)

Facebook – www.facebook.com/JodiEllenMalpas

Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6576110

 

Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this interview and wish you the best of luck with your latest release. Many sales!

An Interview with Elizabeth Morgan (@EMorgan2010)

Stepping Stones Tour BannerI’m delighted to be interviewing Elizabeth Morgan, where she’s dishing the dirt on her new and upcoming releases, celebrity crushes and her garden. Take it away, Elizabeth…

 

Tell us about yourself. Both your writing self and your non-writing self. What are your interests and hobbies? Do you have a day job, etc?

I’m Elizabeth Morgan and I’m a multi-published author of urban fantasy, paranormal, erotic horror, f/f and contemporary; all my stories have a degree of romance, a dose of action and usually a hit of sarcasm, sizzle or blood, but no matter what I give a unique and often humorous spin to my stories.

My secret identity resides in Cheshire, UK with my two cats Phantom & MJ – names after my fave musical; the phantom of the opera, and my fave musical artist; Michael Jackson. I do have a day job, but I don’t plan on staying there forever. Otherwise, I enjoy reading, watching films or good television shows, playing the sims, or I am usually in my garden growling at weeds, or planting seeds.

 

Give us the background on your latest release.

The idea for Stepping Stones came to me in a dream. I was Maggie, or rather in her shoes, the taxi I was in pulled up outside this beautiful church on the edge of a cliff. As soon as I got out of the taxi the bride comes running up to me; her maid of honour couldn’t make it so I needed to take her place. As you can imagine I wasn’t very happy about being her second choice or a last minute one, but I agreed.

The scene then jumps to me dressed in a bridesmaid dress walking down the aisle, and then me nearly going face first because my ex was the Vicar. Awkward. I am uncomfortable through the ceremony and as soon as it is over I try to get away from him only to bump into another man, but I’m angry at this one, hurt by him, confused. So I storm off. End of dream.

Well, there was a story there so I left the idea to stew in the back of my mind, and two years later I was ready to write it. I didn’t have a lot of research to do for this book, I just needed to find an area that had a church on the edge of a cliff or near the sea. So, naturally I was looking around the coast of the UK, which is how I came across Landewednack and Church Cove, which is where St Wynwallows is situated. Well, I loved the look of the church; this is where Maggie’s sister gets married, and the church her ex-fiancé is the Vicar too. I loved the area, and it all just seemed to fit perfectly for the story. So, once I had my church and my area I was good to go.

 

How did you get started with writing? And what was your route to publication like?

As a child I had always kept scrap books where I would copy quotes and segments of poems and stories I enjoyed, and as a young teenager I had a fan fiction site for one of my fave bands. So, the interest has always been there, but when I was eighteen I started writing scripts – mainly because I was studying musical theatre and we had the occasional assignment to write scripts etc – and then after a while I started sending them to theatre groups, but I had no luck. A friend of mind suggested I try writing a book as I would probably enjoy it more, and the detail – background info etc. – I was putting in scripts might not necessarily be seen. So, I was nineteen and a half when I decided to write a book.

I wrote a couple, sent them to friends and asked their opinions, looked over them and then submitted them. It took 50+ rejections and about two years before one of my manuscripts was accepted. So, my route wasn’t straight forward or easy, I did have moments where I wondered if I was wasting my time, or if I was any good at all; I wondered if I would truly be able to write more than one book, or write good books, but I have had every book that I have written since then accepted and so far readers have enjoyed my work, and I hope very much that they continue to.

What are you currently working on?

I’m currently in the middle of editing the first book in my urban fantasy series, Cranberry Blood (Blood Series: Book One.)

The novel – along with its prequel, She-Wolf – was originally published in 2011 and 2012, but after the publisher closed down and I received my edits back, I decided to self-publish the books and all that follow.

So, She-Wolf & Cranberry Blood will be re-released on August 25th. I will be starting book two in the series in the summer, once I finish my current WIP, which is a brand new fantasy romance.

Do you have a particular Muse for your writing? Do any of your characters bear startling resemblances to sexy celebrities or people you admire?

I never really have celebrities in my head when I am writing, and I never really compare characters in a physical sense to celebs once my stories are finished. Simply because I like readers to get their own image of each character, but I will say that in the case of Stepping Stones, Adrian looks a little like Matthew Goode, and Will looks a little like Orlando Bloom. They don’t look exactly like them, but if I were making the book into a movie I would go to those two actors first with an offer for those parts lol

 

Where do you see yourself in five years? Both writing-wise and non-writing-wise?

Writing-wise: still writing, I hope. I hope to have my Blood Series and Overseers series complete and be bringing new series out. I hope that I have gotten back in to the swing of writing on a regular basis as my personal life has made it difficult the last couple of years, and I hope to be connecting with more readers and bring y’all books that you really enjoy.

Non-writing-wise: I hope to be in a bigger house, and when I say bigger I mean I just want an office. I really need a room where I can keep all writing related materials; I need that creative space, which is untouched by anything else.

Otherwise, I hope to be writing full time so I don’t have to have a job alongside my chosen career, and well, I will be Thirty-one in five years, so hopefully I have found my prince charming by then. lol

 

And now for some silly questions…

 

Muscled or skinny? Muscled

Tall or short? Tall

Boxers or briefs? Boxers

Moustache or beard? Beard

Long hair or shaven head? Long hair

Tattoos or piercings? Tattoos

Intelligent or funny? Funny

Blond, brunette or red head? I don’t really mind what colour his hair is.

Hottest celebrity (tell us why, if you like)?
Justin Hartley. He played Green Arrow in Smallville. He just keeps getting better looking with age. He pulls really funny expressions and his smile makes me go weak at the knees.

Top same-sex crush (or opposite sex if you already like same-sex!)
I really like Emma Stone. I think she is funny, down-to-earth, and very pretty.

Most disliked celebrity (tell us why, if you like)
I’m not a fan of Beyonce. No idea why, but something about her has always bugged me.

Favourite food? Don’t have one. I love all types of food lol

Favourite book (tell us why, if you like.)
My fave book at the moment is The Spell of Summer by Dianna Hardy. It’s just an amazing, heartfelt, and hopeful story.

Favourite place in the world (tell us why, if you like.)
Currently it is my garden. Ha. I have spent a lot of time getting it tidy, pretty, and basically how I want it. So I like to sit and look at all my hard work.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I’ve had a lot of fun answering these questions. 🙂

 

Now give us the blurb, an extract and buy links for your latest release.

 

Stepping StonesBlurb:

There’s nothing like a wedding to bring the family together….

If not for her baby sister’s impending marriage, Margaret West would never return home. But after six long years, she finds herself a maid of honor who must answer to the people she left behind.

If her parents’ interrogation doesn’t drive her to drink, facing her foster brother, Adrian, just might. To make matters worse, her ex-fiancé is the vicar who will conduct her sister’s ceremony.

Everyone demands to know why she ran off. But the more time she spends at home, the more Margaret realizes even she doesn’t know the real reason.

Buy Links:

Decadent Publishing | Amazon UK | Amazon US 

 

~ * ~

Excerpt:

“When is Aidy getting here?” Jessica grabbed the large bowl of scrambled eggs and brought it closer to her plate.

“I think his flight is due in at three.” My mother placed a dish of bacon on the table and took a seat beside me. “He will be in time for the wedding rehearsal; don’t worry.”

My stomach clenched. “Wedding rehearsal?” I coughed, trying to clear the chunk of toast lodged in my throat. “What wedding rehearsal?”

“Today at four. We’re running through the service.” Jess scooped egg onto her plate. “I told you.”

Nervous laughter bubbled in my throat and try as I may, I couldn’t stop shaking my head. “No.” I patted my chest. “No, you never mentioned a rehearsal.”

“Oh.” She placed the bowl back in the middle of the table. “I could have sworn I did.”

“Nope, you didn’t. Believe me, I would have remembered otherwise.” I grabbed my mug and knocked the coffee back before finishing my piece of toast.

“Well, it’s no big deal.” Edward took the bowl of eggs and helped himself. “Just a quick run-through.”

“Will everyone be there?” Forcing a smile on my face, I looked up at them both, hoping like hell my question would pass as innocent and genuine curiosity.

“Anyone who is involved in the wedding itself will be.”

Great. So that meant Jessica, Edward, the parents, and the bridesmaids, plus me. That left Adrian and…. “Will Vicar Taylor, be there?”

Oh God, did my voice just go higher?

“Yes, Margaret, William will be there. He is the one who is marrying Jessie and Edward, so he needs to be there.” My father skewered some bacon and tomatoes onto his fork.

Grimacing, I reached out and grabbed another piece of toast. “Just a question, Pa.” A stupid one, but a question nevertheless….
“It is normal for people to have wedding rehearsals, Margaret. Just because you—”

Jess picked up the coffeepot. “Does anyone want more coffee?”

I straightened, my focus fixed on Pa. “I’m aware of that.”

“Maggie?”

My father’s shoulders went rigid. He lifted his head and our gazes locked. I didn’t miss the way the muscle in the side of his neck ticked. Arguing with my father in front of Jessica and Edward was not an option, so I looked away.

“Please.” I held out my mug and Jess poured the dark liquid.

I could kick myself. A wedding rehearsal hadn’t even crossed my mind. Having to stand at the altar before William on the actual wedding day would be hard enough, but having to do it twice…my stomach churned.

“So, will Adrian come straight to the church?” Edward cut the awkward silence.

“Yes. He will get a taxi to the church, and then we will bring him and his luggage back here.” My mother held her mug out to Jess.

“Adrian is staying here? Tonight?” I added sugar to my coffee. “Won’t it be crowded? I thought—”

“No more crowded than it was in your childhood.” My father took a bite out of his toast.

More and more good news. Of course he would be staying here; it was his family home after all. I guess, it was stupid of me to hope that he would go to a B&B, but my parents wouldn’t have allowed it even if he did suggest it. I hadn’t seen him in six years, hadn’t spoken to him. And yet, in a couple of hours I would be locked in the same house as him.

Now give us your author bio and website/social media links.


Author Bio:

Elizabeth Morgan is a multi-published author of urban fantasy, paranormal, erotic horror, f/f, and contemporary; all with a degree of romance, a dose of action and a hit of sarcasm, sizzle or blood, but you can be sure that no matter what the genre, Elizabeth always manages to give a unique and often humorous spin to her stories.

Like her tagline says; A pick ‘n’ mix genre author. “I’m not greedy. I just like variety.”

And that she does, author of erotic ménage horror, Creak, paranormal erotic horror and UK, US & Australian Amazon best seller (Gay/Lesbian, Fiction, Lesbian), On the Rocks, and erotic romance, US, UK and Spanish Amazon bestseller (Erotica Short Story) Truth or Dare? She also has her hand in self-publishing.

Razel Dazzle, her modern adult retelling of the fairytale Rapunzel, was her first taste of publishing her own stories, and now she has the hang of it, it will definitely not be her last. Look out for more information on her upcoming releases at her website: www.e-morgan.com

Away from the computer, Elizabeth can be found in the garden trying hard not to kill her plants, dancing around her little cottage with the radio on while she cleans, watching movies or good television programmes – Dr Who? Atlantis? The Musketeers? Heck, yes! – Or curled up with her two cats reading a book.


Where to find Elizabeth Online:
Website: www.e-morgan.com
Blog: www.xxxxmyworldxxxx.blogspot.com
Twitter: @EMorgan2010
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ElizabethMorgan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.morgan.944
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elizabethm2012/boards/
Blog: (Shared with Dianna Hardy): http://notjustastiffupperlip.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this interview and wish you the best of luck with your latest release. Many sales!

 

Thank you for having me over today and thank you to all of you for stopping by. If you would be interested in winning a copy of my new release, Stepping Stones or maybe a swag pack, then please do leave an entry on the rafflecopter. 🙂

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  • June 30, 2014
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An Interview with Lynn Crain (@oddlynn3)

I’m delighted to have Lynn Crain on my site today, where she talks about museums in Vienna, Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth. Take it away, Lynn!

 

BanSt250x300-HarvesterTell us about yourself. Both your writing self and your non-writing self. What are your interests and hobbies? Do you have a day job, etc?

I have to chuckle at this as it seems to be a question on every author interview. I see myself as a very normal person who just happens to be a writer. I know that some people think being a writer is glamorous and all but in reality I may have a day where inspiration hits me and I never get out of my pajamas. I can tell you I’m older than you think and have been married to the same guy for nearly 30 years. We have two full grown sons, a wonderful daughter-in-law and fantastic twin grandsons. And did I mention…we’ve run away from home to live in Vienna, Austria. My main hobby right now is to visit every museum in Vienna and trust me there are more than I thought. We’ve made it a Sunday habit that I really enjoy. I love to hike, catch up on TV when I’m in the States and of course, read.

I am also blessed with such a wonderful guy that when he gave me an offer to write full time about eight years ago, I took it. So my days are filled with writing all the fabulous things I want.

 

Give us the background on your latest release.

My latest release was The Harvester and it has a very unique background story. A group of us writers decided to have a girl’s night out by going to Thunder from Downunder. It’s basically a male revue show and from that the Girl’s Night Out series was born. There will be a couple of other books from some other authors but I have the first two slots.

And when they wanted me to decide on just one man to base my hero on, I was in a quandary. See, I loved a couple of them…and so did my heroine.

 

How did you get started with writing? And what was your route to publication like?

To be honest, now, I can’t remember a time I didn’t write. I started in earnest when I was twelve because I wanted to be the next Margaret Mitchell. I just knew I had a novel in me to rival Gone With The Wind. And I would say that my path to publication was pretty typical. I had a lot of rejections, won or finalled in a few romance writing contests and had almost given up. Then my Dad told me my Mom, who had Alzheimer’s at the time, would kick my butt if she ever thought I’d given up my writing to help care for her. That incident jump started me to push even harder. A friend encouraged me to submit to a specific publisher and finally, I agreed and in 2005, my first book was traditionally epublished. Since then I have published by a variety of publishers and have done a few books via the indie route as well. To date, I have twenty books published with anticipated five to eight more being published this year.

This past year, I also got an agent and she’ll be shopping a really hot series to some publishers in NYC. So, I guess you could say, I have arrived.

 

What are you currently working on?

I normally work on about three to four stories at a time. Currently, I’m working on a new adult series, completing book 2 in the Girls’ Night Out series as well as working on a couple of short stories for various places.

 

Do you have a particular Muse for your writing? Do any of your characters bear startling resemblances to sexy celebrities or people you admire?

I don’t really have a Muse for writing but I absolutely have to listen to music while I write. And I listen to everything from show tunes to hard rock in varying degrees of loudness.

 

Where do you see yourself in five years? Both writing-wise and non-writing-wise?

Hmmm. This is a hard one. I know we only have two more years here in Vienna and then it’s kinda hard to know where exactly we’ll be. Home will always be in Nevada and I will still be writing the stories I love. I see myself have a few NYC books under my belt by then and hopefully another twenty stories out there for everyone to read.

 

And now for some silly questions…

Muscled or skinny? Lean but muscled.

Tall or short? Tall.

Boxers or briefs? Boxers.

Moustache or beard? Moustache.

Long hair or shaven head? Long hair.

Tattoos or piercings? Tattoos.

Intelligent or funny? Both.

Blond, brunette or red head? Geez…this one is hard…I’ve gone out with all of these guys but married a blone.

Hottest celebrity (tell us why, if you like)?

Actually I have two…First, Hugh Jackman. I do like the way he looks obviously but he seems so normal otherwise when you see him with his kids and especially when he talks about his wife.  Second, Chris Hemsworth. This guy shares a lot of attributes with my husband and reminds me of a younger him. He’s just yummy.

Top same-sex crush (or opposite sex if you already like same-sex!)

If I had to pick a girl, it would be Mila Kunis. Again, she seems like a real person and there was one interview that sealed it for me concerning Justin Timberlake and their Friends with Benefits tour. She was awesome.

Most disliked celebrity (tell us why, if you like)

There are very few I dislike but the ones I do are arrogant jerks and some of the ones that come to mind are Alec Baldwin and Mickey O’Rourke. Now I don’t mind not liking something, just don’t be a jerk to people about it. I haven’t watched them in anything for years. Except Iron Man when Mickey was in it and it made me think he might have changed a little.

Favourite food

This is hard. I like food and I have a favourite desert as well as other dishes. I love anything like green olives or dill pickles. Here they have the Naschmarkt and you can get samples of all sort of green olives, stuffed and more. Right now, I’m loving something called an Esterhazey Tort…just scrumptious!

Favourite book (tell us why, if you like)

I love a lot of books and this is a really hard one. All time favourite would be Gone With The Wind and currently, I’m really digging my friend Gini Koch’s Alien series.

Favourite place in the world (tell us why, if you like)

I love Scotland best of all and the closest thing in the States to me would be Montana.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I think that you’ve covered everything most excellently…thanks for having me!

 

Now give us the blurb, an extract and buy links for your latest release.

The HarvesterBlurb:

Princess Sky Xera Nerezsh came to earth to avoid the normal succession to the throne. Being the oldest daughter, she will be required to murder her mother in order to secure her path to power. Sky loves her mother and refuses this way, choosing instead to disappear in the vast reaches of space. When her past collides with her present, she has to think quick on her feet, claim two men and a whole planet just to avoid the inevitable: a meeting with her mother. Along the way, she discovers true love and a burning need to be there for them always. Now if the other Harvesters can just keep to themselves, they’ll have no problems. But who said true love was ever easy.

 

Excerpt:

Boldness took hold of Sky and she wanted to touch them more, to fondle their packages just as if she had been a real Harvester again. Part of the job was to insure everything was in proper order. Sliding her hand down Jax’s front, she moved her hand under his kilt and a moan of pleasure rewarded her. She moved closer and felt the weight of his penis in her hand. It would be more than adequate in size once fully excited.

The man turned over and arched his cock toward her just a little. Sky moved her thumb across the tip and felt the organ jump a little. Wait a minute…she had barely enough time to get the words out in her mind when she found herself flat on her back as violet eyes moved over her.

“I want to know just what the hell game you’re playing.”

She stared at him a moment and stayed completely still. “No game.”

“Lady, you should have a better explanation than that one.”

She felt another set of hands on her body and she creamed herself in anticipation as they continued up her body.

“Jax…let’s just do her right now…screw the explanation.”

 

Buy Links:
Smashwords
Amazon US
Amazon UK
All Romance eBooks
Barnes & Noble

 

Now give us your author bio and website/social media links.

Lynn CrainLynn Crain has penned over 25 novels in  romance in the genres of science fiction, fantasy and contemporary romance, erotic to tame in nature. She always knew that writing was her calling even if it took years at other professions to prove it. She has belonged to EPIC and RWA for more years that she cares to think about. Currently, she lives in Europe while her husband of nearly 30 years pursues his dream of working internationally. Her state-side home is in Nevada where family and friends wait patiently for their return. You can find her hanging out at A Writer In Vienna Blog (www.awriterinvienna.blogspot.com) and various other places on the net (www.theloglineblog.blogspot.com; www.twitter.com/oddlynn3 ; www.lynncrain.blogspot.com ;  www.facebook.com/oddlynn3 ) as well as her website www.lynncrain.com. Still, the thing she loves most of all is hearing from her readers at lynncrain@cox.net.

 

Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this interview and wish you the best of luck with your latest release. Many sales!

An Interview with Shiloh Saddler (@shilohsaddler)

I’m delighted to welcome Shiloh Saddler to my site today, to talk about her latest release, her addiction to coffee and the hotness that is Matt Bomer.

 

Saltwater LoverTell us about yourself. Both your writing self and your non-writing self. What are your interests and hobbies? Do you have a day job, etc?

Let’s see I’m addicted to coffee. That’s like the first thing everyone who meets me learns. I’m a cat person and love spending a lot of time with my black cat. I enjoy being in the outdoors and am hoping we’ll get snow soon so I can go snowmobiling. I live a quiet life and spend a lot of time in my pyjamas, book in hand.

The best part about being a writer is setting your own hours. I’m a night owl and I’m often writing or editing until midnight or one o’clock in the morning. During the day I often make my office at the local Starbucks. And people watching has now become a hobby. So watch out!

 

Give us the background on your latest release.

Saltwater Lover primarily takes place aboard a slaving ship in 1800. I had to do a lot of research on the slave trade and voyages from Africa to America. I was surprised to learn there was no mandated size for a slaving ship and many were small ships with a barebones crew. The Captain had a lot put on his shoulders to look after his cargo, man the ship, and see to his crew. I hope I conveyed all of those responsibilities in my portrayal of Captain Mather.

 

How did you get started with writing? And what was your route to publication like?

I have many friends who are writers and they encouraged me to write some of my sexy ideas down. It took a lot of convincing to get me started and then I was hooked.

I was lucky. The first novella I wrote was accepted by the e-publisher I submitted it to. I like the digital age. I’m a big fan of ebooks.

 

What are you currently working on?

I’m working on a historical M/M interracial wolf shifter series set in the antebellum south. This will be my first time going outside the bounds of straight historical romance. I’m actually having a lot of fun with my wolf shifter guys.

 

Do you have a particular Muse for your writing? Do any of your characters bear startling resemblances to sexy celebrities or people you admire?

No. Every story is inspired by something different. I don’t keep track of celebrities very much. As a GLBT historical romance author my muse tends to be more of a historical nature. Perhaps a history textbook I read or a documentary I saw on TV.

 

Where do you see yourself in five years? Both writing-wise and non-writing-wise?

I see myself continuing to write GLBT historical romance, however I may expand to other genres: contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi. I will have built up quite a backlist of titles and hopefully gotten myself a website.

Non-writing wise I see myself owning a house and having a writing office and fighting over the computer chair with my cat.

 

And now for some silly questions…

Muscled or skinny? Muscled

Tall or short? Tall

Boxers or briefs? Briefs

Moustache or beard? Beard

Long hair or shaven head? Long hair

Tattoos or piercings? Tattoos

Intelligent or funny? Intelligent

Blond, brunette or red head? Blond

Hottest celebrity (tell us why, if you like)? Matt Bomer from White Collar. That guy is sexy and smart. I like a man who walks a little on the wild side.

Top same-sex crush (or opposite sex if you already like same-sex!) Carrie Underwood. She’s beautiful inside and out and she can sing!

Most disliked celebrity (tell us why, if you like) Miley Cyrus… I think she’s gone crazy.

Favourite food Chocolate

Favourite book (tell us why, if you like) That changes all the time! Right now I’ll say

Favourite place in the world (tell us why, if you like)

Anything else you’d like to add?

 

Now give us the blurb, an extract and buy links for your latest release.

In 1800, Kojo is a native African with deep connections to the spirits—but those spirits choose not to save him from the slaving ship. He’s captured and taken aboard, where he meets Captain Mather. During the long journey to America, not even the spirits can save him from their growing attraction. Love blooms. A doomed love. For when they land, Kojo’s fate is to be sold.

Captain Mather can’t imagine Kojo being treated as a slave. Desperate to spare him from that life, the captain hides him, taking him to his home. When he’s blackmailed by a mutinous former crewmember, there seems little choice but to sell his ship and pay. Anything to save the man he loves.

 

Excerpt:

When the captain reached him, Kojo’s pulse quickened, jumping several beats. The man’s green gaze scanned his muscular chest, glistening with sweat from the long walk. He wrapped a hand around Kojo’s chin, drawing his face gently toward him. His touch was not forceful as Kojo had expected, only enough pressure to direct the movement. The captain smelled of tobacco and rum and a spice Kojo couldn’t name. It was a manly, intoxicating scent.

The man’s calloused fingers trailed down Kojo’s neck, lingering for a moment at the base of his throat. Kojo felt the man’s hot breath on his lips, merely inches from his own. His round face and toned arms made it hard for Kojo to guess his age. A few strands of silver were mixed into his beard and at his hairline but were hard to see—perhaps forty?

Unbridled lust gleamed in the captain’s eyes and yet Kojo wasn’t terrified. It made him feel alive, wanted. Under the man’s predatory gaze, Kojo’s cock thickened, straining against the confines of his breechcloth. No man had looked at him or touched him like that before. And he liked it.

The captain smiled, the harshness in his eyes easing by a fraction.

Kojo’s cheeks burned.

One of the catchermen laughed, peering at Kojo’s loins.

The heat in Kojo’s cheeks spread throughout his whole body. He lowered his gaze, staring at his feet.

The captain shouted at the laughing man and he shut up.

The muscular white man guarding him started arguing with the captain. Kojo didn’t know what they were saying, but the man pointed at him. The captain must have told the man to guard another section of slaves, because his guard changed.

Returning his attention to Kojo, he tipped up his chin as if to tell him not to be ashamed. Then he slipped his fingers around the sacred bead hanging on a piece of leather from his neck. Kojo figured the man was going to cut it off with the small knife hanging in a sheath on his belt. But he didn’t.

The captain’s hand barely brushed his chest as he let go of the bead. The contact was so light Kojo wondered if he had imagined it. Gooseflesh rose on his arms. Then he was gone, leaving him alone with his strange, unmet desires.

 

Buy Saltwater Lover now:
Liquid Silver Books: http://www.lsbooks.com/saltwater-lover-p863.php
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/o4j6udk
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/m67rhqb
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-saltwaterlover-1374822-340.html
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/saltwater-lover

 

Now give us your author bio and website/social media links.

Shiloh SaddlerShiloh Saddler likes to do research for her steamy romances first hand. She has invented a time machine and travels back to the 19th century on a regular basis. There are experimental settings on her time machine which could propel her into the future and even other worlds. She believes love and a good book makes anything possible.

Social Media Links:

Blog: http://shilohsaddler.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiloh.saddler?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShilohSaddler
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00H6CN5D4

Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this interview and wish you the best of luck with your latest release. Many sales!

Important info: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This applies to any Amazon links you click from this site.

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