Thursday, June 16, 2011

There's a 'Vixen' Coming Your Way-Mina Carter's Vixen



Hello everyone. Today we are welcoming Mina Carter to My Odd Little World, and I hope y'all will enjoy her visit.  Before we get to the interview questions, could you give us a brief bio to get us started.


Mina Carter was born and raised in Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England). After a slew of careers ranging from logistics to land-surveying she can now be found in the wilds of Leicestershire with her husband and young daughter…the true boss of the family.

Suffering the curse of eternal curiosity Mina never tires of learning new skills which has led to Aromatherapy, Corsetry, Chain-maille making, Welding, Canoeing, Shooting, and pole-dancing to name but a few. A veteran Star Trek RPGer, she’s run both games and groups of games but now finds her home in Bravo Fleet, one of the internet’s oldest Star Trek simm groups.

She juggles being a mum, working full time and writing, tossing another ball in the air with her cover artwork. For Mina, writing time is the wee hours of the morning before anyone wakes up and starts making demands, or any spare minute that can be begged, bought or conned.

Her first stories were penned at age 11, when she used a stationery set meant for Christmas thank you letters to write stories instead. More recently, she wrote for her own amusement and to save on outrageous monthly book bills. Now she’s totally addicted and needs her daily writing fix or heads roll!

The Writer

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

The best thing has to be the sense of adventure generated from writing. I always get a sense of wonder almost when I start a new project. Where is it going to take me, what worlds am I going to explore? For me it’s very like starting to read a book where the author will take me on a ride into their imagination but a hundred times better because I get to make the rules.

The worst? Time, as in lack of it. I work full time so I have very specific times that I write. People think nothing of interrupting me with “I know you’re busy but you’re only writing”. I could quite happily commit murder at that point.

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

Lol, usually I walk away from it and either read or do something completely different until I can see what’s wrong.

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

I’m always collecting experiences to add to and enrich my writing. If there’s a skill a character uses, I like to either have done that myself or questioned someone who has that skill (often to boredom and dribbling ;) ). There are always aspects of my own personality within my characters, even if it’s just one and the volume is turned way up. I feel I need to do that as a way of connecting with the character. It feels more ‘real’ that way.

What fuels you as an author to continue to write?

The stories in my head would drive me nuts otherwise.

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

Never stop. Keep writing and keep submitting.

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

High Fantasy. I grew up on a diet of the stuff and I still have a half finished fantasy novel stuffed in my closet somewhere.

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

On my website at www.mina-carter.com J

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

Sure J My current project is imaginatively entitled ‘Wolves’ (I’m terrible at titles). It’s a darker, full length paranormal. As the title suggests, it has werewolves as well as vampires and zombies.

The sneak peek is from partway through the story, with one of the secondary characters Lt Darcy Foster. It’s from the first draft, so you’ll have to excuse me for it being a little rough around the edges.

The sound of someone banging on the door at the top of the stairs froze the three of them in their tracks. Lillian gasped, her eyes wide in the light cast by the torch and her knuckles wide around it.

“Hey, there’s tracks down here. Someone’s opened this door,” The voice was faint but audible. The next thing they heard was gunfire.

“Shit, he’s shooting the lock out.”

Adrenalin hit Darce’s system at Mach one, pumping him full of energy and waking the rarely slumbering beast inside. Before either of them could argue, he bundled Lillian into Jack’s arms and pushed them both toward the tunnel door.

“Get her out of here, I’ll deal with this.”

“You sure, man?”

Jacks eyes mirrored his dilemma. The need to protect the tiny woman in his arms warred with his duty. The fact he didn’t like leaving one of his men behind was obvious but Darce knew that anyway.

Whenever they went on mission, the Captain was always the first in and the last out. He took the kind of damage most of them could only dream of and still came out kicking ass. Darce had no idea how he did it.

“Totally. Now get out of here before I kick your ass and take your woman.”

Jack snorted, amusement flooding his features as he stepped back to allow Lillian to enter the tunnel ahead of him. “When you’re big enough. Catch you on the flip-side, man. Remember,” he tapped his temple. “Thinking human.”

Darce grinned as Jack ducked into the tunnel and out of sight. The grin widened as he closed the door to and the room was plunged into darkness.

“Fuck thinking human.”

The Person


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

Anything and everything apart from horror. If it stays still long enough, I’ll read it.

What bores you as a reader?

Stupid or cruel characters. Also, if they do something completely out of character, I tend to close the book and not bother continuing.

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

Favourite food…hmmm, probably a nice Spaghetti Bolognese. Guilty pleasure food has to be cheesecake :D I LOVE cheesecake.

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

Anything can be romantic if someone has taken the time to get to know their partner. Romance to me personally means the little things, like remembering to put the toilet seat down and taking the rubbish out (sorry, I’ve been married WAY too long). Romance in my writing? Totally different matter. My heroes have to be so into the heroine that nothing else matters, that all their energy and thoughts are dedicated to making their woman happy.

Who would you go out on a date with if you could?

My husband. Yeah, I’m soft like that. If we’re talking complete fantasy then I have a list …;)

You’re having a dinner party, what five people would you invite?

Hmmm, interesting question. My closest friends are located all over the world. I’d get them together and we’d have a ball :D

Random Questions

Aliens have landed on the planet. What are the three things you would tell them that are great about this planet?

Cheesecake. Wait, there’s something better than cheesecake? Lol. Humanity’s capacity to love, to imagine and to create a new reality.

If you could create your own drink what would go in it and what would you call it?

Caffeine and chocolate. I’d call it the ‘writers answer to deadlines’.

If your life were turned into a cartoon, what cartoon character would you want playing you?

Oh my, now I can’t think of any cartoon characters. Does Toothless from ‘How to train your Dragon’ count?

If you were a pirate what would your booty consist of? What would your pirate name be?

Books. And cheesecake. My pirate name would have to be Captain Raven Black


 

Blurb for Vixen

Whatever else he was, she had to admit he had guts. She wouldn’t want to be shut up in a room with an angry Kyn either. Whilst his pixie heritage might have protected him from being turned into a vampire, it did buggar all to protect him from being dead.

The only vampire warrioress in existence Vixen has spent most of her life proving herself in a man’s world, but she’s never been able to squash some very feminine thoughts where fellow warrior Kalen is concerned. Kalen however, has sworn off love, preffering to deal in lust instead.

But a passionate encounter blows their carefully constructed indifference to each other and when Vixen is kidnapped will they be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to give their love a chance?

Excerpt for Vixen

She turned her head as her sensitive ears picked up a sound from the other room. A frown creased her brow as she snapped the shower off and listened.
Nothing.
“Hello?” she called out just in case, wondering if one of the guys had wandered in by mistake. Although there was only one of her, Marak had made sure she had her own showers and changing rooms. Didn’t need the rookies falling over their own tongues the first time they had to take a shower he’d said. Early on with each batch of rookies the older warriors always dared them to try to sneak a look at Vixen in the showers. A bizarre initiation ritual, it tended to die down after she bounced the first few off the walls.
She stood for a few seconds, ears still perked for any sound from the changing room, until the air on her wet skin made her shiver.
“You’re going nuts, Vixen.”
She stepped from the stall and reached for the towels. Wrapping the larger one around her body, she blotted the water from her hair with the smaller one and headed back out into the changing room.
She got less than three steps. Hard hands closed on her even as she started to turn. In the next instant, she found herself pinned against the wall by a hard male body. The impact drove the breath from her lungs as a familiar scent filled her nostrils and sent her senses haywire.
“You seem to be going to some lengths to avoid me, blondie,” Kalen’s voice by her ear kicked her body into high awareness. “Any particular reason for that?”

Once again, I want to thank Mina carter for bringing us a glimpse of her new book, Vixen, and to remind everyone she is offering a copy to one lucky commenter on the tour. I will be giving something as well, to one of the commenters, using RANDOM.ORG for a totally fair selection.


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Be Sure to 'Please Remember Me' with Wendi Zwaduk




I want to welcome Wendi Zwaduk back to My Odd Little World. She enjoyed her first visit so much, she decided to come back to have some more fun. And Wendi is awarding one lucky commenter on her tour a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC.

First, a bit about Wendi, for those new to the site, or who missed her last appearance.


I always dreamed of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I tend to write books with titles taken from songs because music is one of my many muses.
I earned a BA in education at Kent State university and as well as a Masters in Education from Nova Southeastern University. I've tried my hand at teaching, waitressing, and retail sales, but writing holds my heart.
I love NASCAR, romance, books in general, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, and my menagerie of animals. I have eleven books under contract and more than my brain can handle percolating. I can't wait to share them with you!




Friend me on FaceBook and Follow me on Twitter!


Since I interviewed Wendi last time, I thought we'd try something a bit different this time. I asked Wendi to imagine that one of her books was being made into a big Hollywood movie, and asked her to cast the movie for us. Here is what she came up with.

Lights, Camera, Action! Casting Please Remember Me

I wanted to thank Nancy for having me at her blog again. I love being here. Always love hanging out with friends. Now on to the question at hand. She got me good with her interview questions last time. This time, she's asked me to cast a book. Talk about a tough job.

Ok, so here goes.

When I wrote Please Remember Me, I actually did have a cast in mind. A big cast. I write with the characters in my head, visually. They tend to take the form of someone I’ve seen in a recent movie or television. I’m a visual person. So for Please Remember Me, I certainly had a cast in mind.
Marlon would be played by Ewan McGregor. Hands down. Jaden even mentions at one point he reminds her of Ewan. The light hair, scruff, greenish eyes, crooked smile. Oh and the physique. Can’t forget that.
Jaden would be played by Cameron Diaz. Again, no question. She’s got the scrappy streak, the gorgeous looks, the slight air of fun and confusion. Oh and she’s tall and skinny. She has the look of “I know I’m pretty but it doesn’t mean I won’t kick your butt.”
Logan comes back in this book to a small degree. He’d still be played by Jonathan Togo from CSI Miami fame. I just can’t see him as anyone else. He’s not super tall, handsome, but a little rugged. Cocky but still sweet underneath.

Cass...she’s hard because I see so much of myself in her. If I could play her, I so would.
There are some minor characters who will become major in their own stories. I’d love to cast those as well.

If you know any country music you’ve probably come across Keith Anderson. He is the only person I can see to play Ray Russell. Tall, brooding, but with a smile. No hair. Huge muscles. Could crush you in his bare hands, but takes care of kittens because their tiny bodies amaze him. He’s a softie for critters.
Maggie would be Naomi Watts. Elegant, blonde, air of affluence, but she still knows how to have a good time.

There are a ton of characters, but those are the biggies. Thoughts? Did I pick the people you saw when you read Please Remember Me? I’d love to know. I could be swayed, you know.
Now we'll all have to read Please Remember Me, just to see if we agree with your casting of the characters, Wendi. Stay tuned for a blurb and an excerpt from Wendi's newest release, Please Remember Me.

 
Sometimes the hardest role in life is being true to yourself.
Jade Weir did the social scene. She played the ditzy Hollywood socialite and ran with the requisite fast crowds. Until one night. One night and a shooting changed everything. How? She met Deputy Marlon Cross.
Now she’s ready to go toe to toe with the handsome sheriff’s deputy. Toe to toe or kiss for kiss, whichever comes first. She’s not that celebutante from television and she’ll do whatever it takes to prove it.
But is he ready for her?
Marlon liked his quiet and simple existence. No ties so no one gets hurt. And then came Jade. She’s a hurricane in high heels and totally trouble for him. She has the power to raise the ghosts in his past, but his heart won’t let him walk away.
Can they find a way to make the lust simmering between them work or will they part the closest of friends?
Contains anal play, sex on the dining room table and a hero bound and determined to get his way.

Excerpt from Please Remember Me

“I’m sorry. I’ll get out of your w—Marlon?”
Despite his common sense not to touch her, he tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear. Sizzles went straight to his groin. Dear God, what if they really did become lovers? He’d never survive, and yet he liked the odds. Dying in her arms sounded rather pleasant. Satisfying.
When she licked her bottom lip, he came close to coming unglued. Her eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”
“Getting my boss’s order. I should be angry since you avoided me, but I can deal.” When her gaze raked over his body, he fisted his hand to keep from wrapping her in an embrace. “I see you’re checking out the want-ads. Which flyer caught your attention?”
She held her palm open. Three slips of paper lay crumpled in her hand. “One’s for a babysitter, one’s for a dog walker and the third is for a companion.”
Companion? His throat constricted. “Which one?”
“Which one what?”
“Who wants a companion?”
She pointed to a pink flyer. Elder in the community seeks companion. Must be able to lift a hundred pounds and willing to work nights and weekends. 555-0089 Ask for Dan. Dan Denoon, local businessman and suspected pimp. Hell, no. She didn’t know his story, but she wasn’t going to fall into his trap. Having a former celebrity would boost his popularity and get Jaden into a world she could probably handle but didn’t deserve.
“You don’t want to be his companion. He’s not looking for someone to care for his Gramma.” Despite his trust in her decisions, he sighed. “He wants an escort-slash-plaything. It’s bad news.”
Shrinking away from him, she handed him the paper. “Oh. Sorry.”
Her sweet nature would be the death of his sanity, but shit if she wasn’t cute when she was out of her element. Wriggling in his polo shirt, he shifted. When did the air get so damned hot in the little foyer? It was late October for crying out loud. “You didn’t know. Which one is for the dog walker?”
“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you. You shot my other option down.” The hint of a frown marred her coral lips. “Oh, what the hell? You’re a cop. I should trust you.” She pointed to a simple handwritten flyer. “This one. For a lady named Judi Pennywood. Know her? Does she run some sort of prostitution ring, too?” She put her hands up. “I can see it now. Granny’s Girlie Show. Come one, come all...or don’t come at all. No refunds.”
Gritting his teeth, he groaned and chuckled. “Jaden, honey, I didn’t mean that. I just—
Before he could finish his answer, she clamped a hand over his mouth. “I’m giving you grief. I know how to do that without any training.” She scrunched her nose and winked. “So what’s the skinny on this Pennywood character?”
Wrapping his fingers around hers, he removed her hand from his mouth. Being with her felt so natural, so right. He wanted to do it some more—every day. If she’d let him. “I work with her great niece, Carol Ann. She’s a nice lady. Around eighty-six-ish. I believe she still owns a Basset hound.”
Jaden cringed. “Do they drool? I hear they make a mess.”
Rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, he considered her questions. As far as he knew, Saint Bernards drooled. Did Bassets? “I guess you’ll have to call her and find out. Carol Ann loves to tell me stories. I’d say you, Judi, and Carol Ann would get along great.”
Slowly, her gaze met his. Eyes the colour of sea glass with twinges of azure mixed in for good measure, framed by dark lashes. A man could lose himself in those eyes. “You really think this is a good deal? I don’t want taken for a ride, but I can do this, Marlon.”
“Never said you couldn’t.” He nodded to the diner. “Although I’d love to stay here and talk, I need to take the order back to the department. Want to come along?”
Thanks once again for visiting, Wendi. Remeber, everyone who leaves a comment with their email address is entered for a chance to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC from Wendi, as well as a surprise gift from me. My winner will be chosen using RANDOM.ORG, as always.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

T. Harrison Takes You-"In Her Closet"


I want to welcome T. Harrison to My Odd Little World. Before we get to the interview questions, could you give us a brief bio to get us started. I want to thank her for visiting, and remind folks that one lucky commenter on the tour will win a Kindle.


T. Harrison is an erotic romance author currently living in the south with her impish husband, two smallish men and one smallish boxer pup. She can often be found with her nose pressed to the screen of her Kindle, reading red hot erotica, nail biting thrillers or bone chilling horror and paranormals by the small halo of illumination created by her book light. She writes stave off the boredom of living in a small town. Her stories generally fluctuate from urban/contemporary to paranormal romance but, are always dirty.

The Writer
What is the best thing about being a writer? The worst?
The best thing about being a writer is that instant you know that people are reading and enjoying the story you took so much time to craft.
The worst thing about being a writer is finding enough hours in a day to take care of your family and still feed your creativity and add to your word count every day.
What is your method of breaking through writer’s block?
I came to the realization a while ago that ‘writer’s block’ is just a fancy term for procrastination or laziness and I made an effort to avoid it. I write or do something writing related every day. In the last few years that has helped me to remain productive.
Do you bring your own life experiences to your writing? Your own personality? If so how?
I think most writers inject life experiences and their own personality into their plots and characters. I think that the most common traits I attribute to the characters in my books is my scrappiness and feistiness.
What fuels you as an author to continue to write?
I don’t know that I necessarily have to be fueled to write. Mostly the stories beg to be told. If I don’t tell them I imagine I would become that old lady muttering to herself on the bench at the bus stop.
If you could share one major writing tip, to help other writers in their quest for publication, what would it be?
Write every day and pursue your goals with the tenacity of a marmoset.
If you could write in any other genre what would it be, and why?
Horror. Definitely horror.
Where can we find out more about you and your work?
I can be found at www.dirtyscribbler.com and @dirtyscribbler on twitter.

The Person

When you get a chance to read, what books do you love to read?
I love thrillers and paranormals. I’m currently reading Night Season by Chelsea Cain and rereading Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles.
What bores you as a reader?
I think I’m getting a little bored with the vampire bit. It seems that what has been done well has already been done. I just re-read my old favoritesJ
What do you think is romantic? What does the word Romance mean to you?
I think the word Romance is overused. It comes with all these expectations like flowers and candy and some manner of extravagance. To me, nothing is more romantic then spending a quiet moment alone with the one that you love and doing nothing but each other. J
Who would you go out on a date with if you could?
My husband. He’s been working overseas for several months and a date with him would be awesome with awesome sauce.
You’re having a dinner party, what five people would you invite?
I have to invite five? My best good friend and her husband. My mom and dad (if they can manage to get along) and my sister. That’s it. Really simple. I don’t live close to any of these people anymore so I’ve gone from seeing them almost every day or weekend to only once a year.
Random Questions
Aliens have landed on the planet. What are the three things you would tell them that are great about this planet?
Booze. True Blood and Rockband. Wow, I sound like a college kid…
If you could create your own drink what would go in it and what would you call it?
Hmm…that’s tough one. I think I would use a drink already in existence like the Skinny Girl Margarita but, it would actually make you skinny when you drink it.
If your life were turned into a cartoon, what cartoon character would you want playing you?
Hmmm…I guess it would be Jem from Jem and the Holograms. Because she’s truly outrageous…truly, truly, truly outrageous. Although any one of the Misfits would do a pinch.
You’ve been given the honor of naming a planet, what would you name it?
Heh…Uranus is already taken so, no clue!

Thanks for visiting here today, and now lets have a tast of In Her Closet.

Fresh off of a night of anonymous sex we join Yves Santiago on the curb for a cigarette. Yves is a self-proclaimed slut who vows to live her life as carelessly as a man and make no apologies for any of it--though her meddling mother and ex-fiancé seem intent on making it difficult for her to do so. She’s determined to avoid anything that looks even remotely like love and escapes most encounters with her heart and her pride intact.

 Then she meets Elijah Weinstein…

Elijah saunters in like a dream proclaiming to be the next great love of her life--a declaration that Yves finds ridiculous, though it doesn't make him any less enticing. With his mossy green eyes, broad, sun-kissed shoulders and a mouth so sensual that it should have an NC-17 rating, Elijah Weinstein is damn near irresistible. She willingly accepts his challenge, certain she will be able to get what she wants without relinquishing her heart.


Excerpt from In Her Closet


I dress casually for my evening at the Erotic Literary Salon. I’m excited about this meeting with Elijah Weinstein but, I don’t want to make too big a deal of it. I don’t believe in fairy tales, romantic or otherwise, so I’m always careful not to get my hopes too high. So in my favorite Bob Marley t-shirt and yummy ripped jeans, I sit down at my usual table and settle in to listen to the poets and wordsmiths until it’s my turn to take the stage.     

I have no idea what Elijah Weinstein looks like. He told me that he would be wearing a green polo shirt. I scan the room but, I don’t see a Jewish guy in a green polo shirt. He’s late or maybe he just changed his mind all together.

“Now calling the poet Yves Santiago.”

I wipe my sweaty hands on my jeans and make my way to the stage. Reading my poetry in front of a crowd still makes me nervous even though I’ve been doing it for years.

“Good evening,” My voice bounces off the back wall and I hate the way it sounds when it makes its way back to me. Any other time I fancy that it sounds deep and sultry but, up here it sounds high and nervous.

“This is more of a ramble than a poem. I call it ‘Sleek and Tawny’.”

I clear my throat, close my eyes and take a deep cleansing breath.



“She’s lost all the parts of her that were pretty.

Her shine and nubile beauty wore off long ago.

Rubbed off--rubbed raw by men.

She’s nothing sweet anymore.

She’s something feral,

something wild.

Sleek and tawny, un animal.

Something constantly in search of something--

someone to devour.

She sees her prey and when he passes her way

the scent of him enlivens her.

She pursues him because in this moment, he

is what she needs.

What she hungers for.

That tender morsel she draws across her teeth

hungrily…

But when her passion is spent

she remains discontent

until a hint of some other succulent scent

rattles her cage.”



I open my eyes. A wave of satisfaction washes over me from the appreciative smiles of the crowd. “Thank you,” I murmur, backing away from the microphone to a chorus of whoops and applause.

A man approaches me as I walk back to my table. Mmm, tasty, I think as he offers me a smile.

“Yves Santiago?”

“Yes?”

“I’m Elijah Weinstein.”

I can barely able to keep my mouth from dropping open. This is Elijah Weinstein? Elijah Weinstein is gorgeous. Fuck gorgeous. He is damn fine. He reaches for my hand and shakes it, holding on for far longer than is necessary for a greeting. Our hands sway gently between us--a frizzle of friction forming between our palms.

“Nice to meet you,” I sigh, trying my best to keep from licking my lips.


 Once again, thanks to T. Harrison for stopping in today. Be sure to leave a comment and include your email address so we can contact the winner. As always, winner will be chosen using RANDOM.ORG