Friday, January 21, 2011

Romance and Suspense from Joselyn Vaughn

The winner of the $10 Amazon GC, chosen by Random.org random number generator is commenter #7-Jenn Mathis. I will be heading over to Amazon to get the card later, and congratulations, Jenn. Thanks to those who visited.




I want to welcome all my friends to the Virtual Blog Tour for Joselyn Vaughn's new release, Courting Sparks, right here in My Odd Little World. I asked some questions I was sure you would all want answered, and got some interesting answers. Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Courting Sparks or her first release, CEOs Don’t Cry. And bring your friends to the party, too.  After all, the more the merrier, and who knows, your comment could be the winning one. Now for a few words from our visiting author...My fellow readers, may I present ... Joselyn Vaughn!

The Writer
What is the best thing about being a writer? The worst?

I love starting with a little idea or a picture and having a whole story come out of it. It’s so fun to watch the story grow and develop and take twists you never expected. The worst – finding time to do it. I have three children three and under and they don’t like to let me use the computer by myself. In fact, the youngest keeps trying to help me type.

What is your method of breaking through writer’s block?

I have an awesome critique group. Whenever I get stuck, I go to them and they come up with a whole bunch of ideas and set me off and running again. I recently had a problem with a timeline and they helped me figure out a plausible explanation.

Do you bring your own life experiences to your writing? Your own personality? If so how?

My own experiences definitely come into my writing. Not as a whole story, but as details. For example, in Courting Sparks, they talk about having goldfish as the table decorations in a wedding and my husband and I did that at ours.

The Person

Which season do you prefer? Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter?

I used to love winter and the anticipation of snow days, but now getting the kids ready to go out the door when it requires boots, hats, coats and mittens is daunting. I like the changing of the seasons, going from cold to warm and rainy to snowy and vice-versa. I think Fall is one of my favorites right now. I love the changing colors of the leaves and the scent in the air.

When you get a chance to read, what books do you love to read?

Romances, of course. I also like the classics and literary fiction.

What is your favorite food and what is your guilty pleasure food?

I love chocolate ice cream and it is definitely a guilty pleasure. I don’t have it very often because I’m lactose intolerant, so it has to be a very special occasion to make it worth it.

What do you think is romantic? What does the word Romance mean to you?

Having someone help you with something when you didn’t need to ask. Recently, our household was ravaged with the stomach flu. It was not pleasant. The day I was attacked, my husband stayed home from work, watched the kids and even folded the laundry. I was able to sleep all day and recovered much faster. It wouldn’t have been a pretty picture if I had been home alone with the kids all day. So I guess Romance means being there for someone you love.

What bores you as a reader?

Stories with characters I can’t connect with. I don’t know if that bores me or frustrates me. If I don’t know who I’m supposed to be cheering for, I get lost and usually put the book down.

Random thoughts

You’ve been given the honor of naming a planet, what would you name it?

What a unique question! I have no idea. Everything that comes to mind is astrological and probably already been used. If I was giving the planet to someone, I would probably name it after them. Maybe Krypton?

If you could share one major writing tip, to help other writers in their quest for publication, what would it be?

Find a supportive critique partner or writing group. Their advice and mentoring will be invaluable.

If you could write in any other genre what would it be, and why?

One of the members of my critique group said my current work in progress may be straying into literary fiction. It’s possible. I would like to write historical romance, but don’t have time for the type of research I would need to do. Maybe when the kids are off to school, that will be a possibility.

Where can we find out more about you and your work?


I have a blog where I write about the joys and trials of everyday life (http://joselynvaughn.com) . You can also find me on Facebook.

And finally, have you got a sneak peek excerpt from your current work in progress you can share with my readers and me?

This is from my current work in progress Locations of the Heart:

“Be right back.” Minnie patted her on the shoulder and headed for the door. She did a quick check in the hall mirror to make sure the fall wind hadn’t restyled her ivory curls. She feathered an errant curl back into place, then opened the door.

One should always put on a good face when meeting potential customers. It was mid-week, so walk-ins would be rare, but all her rooms were available—except the one with the leaky tub.

Minnie opened her mouth to say ‘Welcome to the Lilac Bower,’ but stopped before she made it to the second syllable, clapped her mouth shut and slammed the door. The slam wasn’t loud enough. Nor did it rattle the plastic skeleton hanging on the back of the door. She was tempted to open it and really give it a good swing, but that would mean setting eyes on a man she didn’t care to ever see again. Five decades hadn’t been long enough.

The doorbell rang again, and Minnie wondered if she could disconnect it. Desperate times called for desperate measures. But Mark warned her about playing with wires—or was it just the fuse box, she couldn’t remember. Unfortunately, it’d take too long and Gordon would just open the door and come inside.

How long could she could stall? Maybe he’d just go away. Back to whatever prairie dog hill he’d hid in for the last fifty years and stay there.

Fifty years? It couldn’t be that long, she thought, but a quick look at the math confirmed it. Seeing him again made it all feel like yesterday.

He rang the doorbell again, this time following it with an insistent knock.


I want to thank Joselyn Vaughn for making my blog the final stop on her blog tour for Courting Sparks, and I want to give everyone a brief look at what is in store from this one.


Courting Sparks
Joselyn Vaughn
Avalon Books


Dusting off the ashes of a failed relationship, Daphne Morrow decides she is ready to date again. But when her scorched prom photos are discovered to be the ignition point for a small forest blaze, marking her as the prime suspect for the arson, she finds they’re not the only part of her past sparking interest. After a friend’s wedding provides a romantic interlude with her longtime friend Noah Banks, Daphne tries to explain away her attraction to him: the atmosphere of the wedding, his resemblance to her ex, his heroic efforts as a volunteer firefighter. Still, their desire just won’t sputter out.

When the arsonist strikes much closer to home, Daphne fears she must risk Noah’s friendship to find the culprit and clear her name. She’ll know their love is real if his interest isn’t put out by her need to uncover the truth.



I want to thank Joselyn Vaughn for being my first ever Virtual Visitor.

After due consideration, and much checking of finances, I find that I am going to definitely sweeten the pot!! One lucky commentor to my blog today will win a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate. So be sure to come by!


Winner will be chosen using Random.org on January 22. Be sure to leave your email address so I can send your prize.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Raven Books-Not Your Average Bookstore-It's Much More

In order to promote Raven Books, home of Mandy M. Roth and Michelle Pillow among others, they are hosting a massive giveaway of gift cards, books, book downloads, and whatever else crosses their gloriously devious minds! (A brief announcement from their blog, with link, is below.)

Raven’s Recession Gift Card Giveaway!Raven’s Recession Gift Card Giveaway!


We know times are tight. We’re feeling the pinch too. We also know that the first things to be cut from most household budgets are the luxuries like book buying. Often we have contests that features free downloads or paperbacks (yes, we’re including those in this too) but we thought it would be nice to do more—to help ease the pinch as best we could. Our solution, a massive gift card giveaway contest. We’re giving away thousands of dollars worth of these people over the next few months! This will run through June 2011 (unless it’s a huge hit then of course we’ll extend it).


http://ravenhappyhour.com/ravenblog/

A taste of what they offer is also here-http://theravenbooks.com//
These are new for January-but you can swing by the site for more to look at.


The Unexpected
Rory Michaels

Best friends since childhood, Perry and Sean know each other’s deep dark secrets. The people of Macon Valley whisper of their deviant sexual ways—the fact they like kink and enjoy sharing women. But the town doesn’t understand they’re looking for that one perfect woman to fill the void in their hearts. They understand they’ll be sharing her both in and out of the bedroom and they’re fine with that. Trouble is the woman they’ve selected isn’t so sure she’s ready for both of them. Can they sway her heart and her mind?




Captive Of the Deep A Lords of the Abyss Book
Michelle M. Pillow
 
Merman Rigel the Hunter has prayed for an end to his people's curse. Immortality has come with a high price--loneliness. When a beautiful human female--Lyra Harne--is thrown into the ocean, her fate is in his hands. Unable to deny her, he saves her, but at what cost? Living in the lost city of Atlantes, women are rare and this sexy mortal is more than this hard up warrior can resist.


Is the beauty Rigel saves a gift from the gods? Or just another part of their curse? Temptation and desire are no match for fate, and the truth of Lyra’s shipwreck just might prove too much for this underwater affair.



Dance of Souls A Ghost Cat Book
Mandy M. Roth

Some dances are downright deadly.

Mason Blackwolf doesn’t want much out of life. He’s easy going. He’s alpha of his pack of werewolves, best friends with a shape shifting cougar and the great-grandson of a powerful Native American Shaman. A normal day for him consists of dealing with inter-pack politics, seducing beautiful women and then, if he’s lucky, relaxing and not thinking about much beyond that. When it becomes clear his grandfather has sent him on a wild goose chase, Mason stops at a roadside bar for a beer. He gets more than he’s bargained for when a tall, sexy blonde enters the establishment. She catches not only his eye but the wolf’s attention as well. She’s also off limits. In a big way. To Mason, it’s simply another layer that adds to her appeal. She’s a temptation he doesn’t want to resist and if he has his way, she’ll be thoroughly claimed before the night is out.


Again, stop over at The Raven Books, and see what they have to offer.

http://theravenbooks.com/

Monday, January 3, 2011

Coming Soon to a Blog Near You

Coming January 21, 2011, see my interview with  Joselyn Vaughn as she talks about herself and her upcoming release, Courting Sparks.

The full schedule, with links, for Joselyn's tour is below-follow her and comment at each stop to better your chances of winning, but be sure to be here on January 21 for the final stop.






January 7: Goddess Fish Party Pavilion

January 10: Grace Elliot - gripping historical romance


January 11: The Life (and lies) of an inanimate flying object

January 12: D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters

January 13: Long Live Chick Lit

January 14: Jennifer Shirk

January 17: Authors by Authors

January 18: Just Views

January 19: The Skylarverse

January 20: Sue Perkins, Fantasy, Romance & Young Adult Author


January 21: My Odd Little World
 
And who knows, I may just find a way to sweeten the pot with some prizes of my own! Stop in and comment, and bring your friends! After due consideration, and much checking of finances, I find that I am going to definitely sweeten the pot!! One lucky commentor to my blog will win a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate. So be sure to come by!