- Ernest Hemingway
Friday, January 29, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Thursday, January 28, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Best Writing Advice by Ellen Parker
The Write Way Café welcomes author Ellen Parker, who says her decade of membership in a writing group has been educational sprinkled with laughter and fun.What is the best writing advice I’ve received?
Join a writing group.
These four words, given by the instructor of a one day writing workshop, opened a new world to me.
“Join a writing group.”
They’d take me? I’m an unknown, unpublished, medical technologist writing on the side? Aren’t writing groups multi-published authors sitting around discussing high literary concepts?
A little detective work at the public library followed. I managed to find the website of Romance Writers of American in a craft book. Click, click, click and I learned that a chapter held their monthly meeting two miles from my home. They were making it difficult to turn down.
I visited one spring Saturday. I gathered my courage and walked into a room without knowing any of the twenty or so women present. I listened to a presentation by an author I’d never heard of from another part of the state. People mingled. They offered introductions and asked non-threatening questions. I was hooked.
A few months later, after events in my personal life began to settle, I walked into another meeting. This time my dues to national had been paid and I filled out the form to join.
That was ten years ago. It’s been an education sprinkled with laughter and fun. I learned I knew less than I thought. And then a member would point out a resource useful to fill in the gaps. Others found fault with my writing – and then suggested two or three or more ways to improve it. I’ve attended workshops and presentations by experts in their field, travelled to new places, met writers from other cities struggling with the same concepts.
And I was forced to learn more and more computer skills. Like writing, I’m far from a being a computer “expert”. (I yelled “help” to my geek sons recently when my CPU tipped over and filled the screen with gibberish –errr…code.) But I can do a little more than last year.
So….if you want to write and release the voices whispering -- or shouting -- in your head, I’ll pass along important words from years ago.
Join a writing group.
Letting go of the past is the only way to grab the future with both hands.
Grasping the future with both hands requires letting go of the past.
Tucking a weapon into a holster is part of getting dressed for Detective Maylee Morgan of the St. Louis Police. Her new assignment is the case of an unidentified body, and she soon discovers her new neighbor is more than a potential jogging partner.
Surgeon Dave Holmes is optimistic about his future. He has a new job, a new apartment, and an immediate attraction to a woman running in the park. He intends to discover more than her beautiful legs and unusual name. Then his boss is murdered and Dave lacks an alibi. Maylee’s questions and the handgun on her hip revive horrible memories.
Maylee’s search for hard evidence clears Dave, but brings her to the personal attention of the killer. In a tangle of career, family, and budding relationship all their lives could unravel if the wrong thread is tugged.
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About Ellen: Raised in a household full of books, it was only natural that Ellen Parker grew up with a book in her hand. She turned to writing as a second career and enjoys spinning the type of story which appeals to more than one generation. She encourages readers to share her work with mother or daughter – or both. When not guiding characters to their “happily ever after” she’s likely reading, tending her postage stamp size garden, or walking in the neighborhood. She currently lives in St. Louis. You can find her on the web at www.ellenparkerwrites.wordpress.com or on Facebook .
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Tuesday Special: Alexia Adams
Alexia Adams
http://alexia-adams.com/
It’s all fun and games until someone falls in love.
Maya Tessier needs a fresh start after her last boyfriend dragged her deep into an organized crime ring, putting her life in danger. After inheriting a cottage and acreage in France from her great-grandmother, she hopes to escape her turbulent past to concentrate on her art. Unfortunately, her inheritance is within the estate of a privacy-obsessed billionaire. And he wants it all back.
Jacques de Launay has led a life of rigid control, working hard to repair the family’s fortunes after his playboy father nearly destroyed them. His one attempt at happiness ended in tragedy when his pregnant wife was killed in a car crash. He’d rather be the last in the illustrious de Launay family line than open himself up to that kind of heartache again. Then Maya Tessier arrives on his doorstep and he discovers it’s not only the ancestral land he wants to reclaim.
But if he lets her stay, more than his heart may be at risk.
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About Alexia: Alexia once traveled the world. However marriage and the birth of four children clipped her travel wings, so she took to vicarious voyages through the characters she creates in her romance novels. Her stories reflect her love of exotic destinations and unique cultures and feature locations as diverse as the wind-swept prairies of Canada to hot and humid cities in Asia. To discover other books written by Alexia or read her blog on inspirational destinations, Journey to Love at http://Alexia-Adams.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up-to-date with new books and adventures.
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Other books by Alexia:
The Vintner and The Vixen
The Greek’s Stowaway Bride
Her Faux Fiancé
Miss Guided (a Guide to Love novella)
Played by the Billionaire (a Guide to Love novel)
His Billion Dollar Dilemma (a Guide to Love novel)
Love, International Style (3 book bundle)
An Inconvenient Love
An Inconvenient Desire
Singapore Fling
Tall, Dark, & Wealthy
Romance in Color
Friday, January 22, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Thursday, January 21, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
An Interview with J. Arlene Culiner
The Write Way Café welcomes J. Arlene Culiner, who discusses her very interesting road to publication and offers advice: Never. Ever. Throw away any writing.Where did the idea for your story come from?
Years ago, I worked for Radio France. Because I’m North American, my program consisted of presenting the history of country music and interviewing musicians who came to town. Only once, however, did country musicians show up — this was long before that music became popular in France. I was also in a very boring backwoods city situated in a boring backwoods part of the country, so no musician in his right mind ever wanted to come there.
The country musicians who did show, were two brothers dressed in flashy cowboy regalia but, even so, they were unlikely candidates for a Texas ranch. Both rather rickety, even shop-worn, they were French but had been born in Poland. They were also dreadful musicians. However, they were kind, funny, had great stories, and loved beer. I stayed in the bar with them all evening, chewing the fat, drinking much beer, and learning about the music circuit. I even managed to tape an excellent interview.
The next day, back at the radio, I sat down to prepare the interview tape for my program… and discovered it was perfectly blank. In my soggy, beery, over-excited state, I’d obviously forgotten to push tab A, or button B, or plug in wire C, or even turn the infernal machine on. There was no way I could get another interview — the guys had left town and, anyway, I certainly wouldn’t have been brave enough to admit such total incompetence. But they had given me great material for a book — one I didn’t get around to completing.
I have, over the years, acquired many chaotic, torn, stained, utterly unpleasant pieces of paper — a sort of personal slush pile. In it are all the mysteries, romances, autobiographies, biographies and short stories I’ve worked on, then abandoned. Now and again, with a sort of frenzied hysteria, I actually shuffle through the pile. And, lo! One day, I discovered that old, half-begun country music story.
And so, thirteen years later, older and presumably wiser, I knuckled down, wrote about the music circuit, about Sherry Valentine, the country singer heroine of A Swan’s Sweet Song, and added all the information I have about the acting world (because, from time to time, I do actually work as an actress). I also used the information about country music (and truly awful musicians) in another romance, All About Charming Alice.
The moral of this story? As a writer, never throw anything out. Never. Ever. Even if you have to buy a castle to stock all those old papers in, even if you have to hire a very long freight train to get them there, keep all that stuff. You never know when you’ll have the urge or talent to turn rubbish into a great tale.
Why did you pick the setting you did?
As I mentioned, I was living in the backwoods back then. Today, I also live in a backwoods. Before I lived in this backwoods, I lived in another backwoods. I’ve pretty well always lived in some fairly dreary backwoods, so it’s normal for me to set my stories in such a place. However, there are many different settings in, A Swan’s Sweet Song. The book starts in a very dull backwoods town, moves to another, even duller, backwoods town, then jumps to Hollywood’s world of heart-shaped swimming pools and casting couches, then comes back to a teensy backwoods town again. Actually, the secret is, I hate big cities and prefer the backwoods with all its strange characters. In a big city, everyone remains anonymous.
Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
Despite what some writers claim (or even seem to believe) no character in any book is ever imaginary. They are always composites of people we’ve known, people we’ve observed, heard or read about. Added to the mix, are the writer’s own traits, hopes, wishes, projections and fantasies.
Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret?
I always get to a point where I violently hate everything in the manuscript I’m working on. I hate the style, the story, the characters. I can’t find the slightest reason for continuing. So I don’t. I give up, and go do something else, work on another story, or book, or project, or go build a stone wall, or devote more time to playing music. Then, I come back to the manuscript I hated weeks, or months, or even years later.
What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about the difference between musicians and playwrights?
Did I learn anything? I wonder. Of course, it was a challenge to turn notes into a story, to rearrange events so that they’re funny and make a great tale. But the difference between playwrights and musicians? There isn’t one. Being creative, is being creative. Whether I’m practicing music and getting ready for a concert, or playing in a chamber music group with musician friends, or writing a story, I’m functioning on a more intense level than when I’m chopping onions.
Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
In the warm months, I live in a five hundred-year-old house. My office is huge, with ancient beams, rough stone walls, and an ancient quarry tile floor. It’s very beautiful. None of my good, very productive, writing sessions take place here.
What are some of your favorite books and why?
This is a dangerous question to ask me, because my answer is radical. I’ve read so many books that I’ve loved, I can’t possibly pick a favorite or two, or three, or six, or twenty. What I do think is important, is to read in as many different genres as possible, and that includes serious literary criticism (not just in genre fiction), history (not just historical romances or historical fiction), literary fiction and serious travel literature written by informed writers who have analyzed how a country functions (not brochures or dreamy commercial books with totally fictitious quaint characters). Too many people read only romance, or science fiction, or mystery, or women’s fiction, and that’s just not good enough. Writers have a responsibility because we pass on information, style and language; to do this correctly, we must keep sharpening our mental tools.
Even those with no desire to write have to keep their minds finely honed. Why? Because we’re so very lucky to have been born with something quite wonderful: a brain. It’s our duty to feed that brain, keep it working at top level, and not dump it in front of a television set, pacify it with the stupidity of reality shows, video clips and chewed-out sitcoms. We should never, ever, forget what the main role of television is today: pacifying and brainwashing as many people as possible so they’ll go out, buy lots of products, and never question anything effectively.
Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre? Which one and why? What are you working on now?
I’ve had three romances published and I’ve just completed writing a fourth, but I do write in other genres. I’ve had one literary mystery published, and I’m looking for a publisher for another. I’ve written a history of Romanian immigration to North America, which won a history prize, and I’m just completing the biography of a Ukrainian poet. I intend to start writing a series of portraits in the next few weeks — unless I have the courage to go back to a half-finished manuscript about Hungary.
Frankly, there’s nothing as stimulating as moving across the board, trying my hand at many things. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll be successful in all I’ve undertaken, but that’s just the way things go.
What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
The first draft. Getting it all down. This makes me suffer horribly. This is when I give up. But after — and if — I’ve managed an entire first draft, then life becomes wonderfully easy. Rewriting — I usually rewrite at least five times, perfecting each phrase, making each sentence sing — is pure pleasure. This is when I know I’ve made the right choice in life.
The air sizzles when a country music star and renowned playwright meet, but can opposites fall in love?
The instant Sherry Valentine and Carston Hewlett meet, there’s desire and fascination in the air…but they’re complete opposites.
Smart-talking Sherry fought her way up from poverty to stardom as a country music singer. Now, she’s ever in the limelight, ever surrounded by clamoring fans, male admirers and paparazzi, and her spangled cowboy boots carry her all across the country, from one brightly lit stage to the next.
A renowned but reclusive playwright, Carston cherishes his freedom, the silence of his home in the woods and his solitary country walks.
Any long-term commitment is obviously out of the question: how about a quick and passionate fling?
But when their names are linked in the scandal press, Sherry’s plans to become an actress are revealed. And the budding relationship seems doomed.
Can you ignore a passionate attraction? Of course you can't. Carston soon decides he'll do anything in his power to bring Sherry into his orbit again. And that also means letting go of a few well-kept secrets...
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About J. Arlene: Born in New York, raised in Toronto, J. Arlene Culiner has spent most of her life in England, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Hungary and the Sahara. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no real interest. Much to everyone's dismay, she protects all living creatures -- especially spiders and snakes -- and her wild (or wildlife) garden is a classified butterfly and bird reserve.
In her perfectly realistic contemporary romances, heroines are funny, and heroes are dashingly lovable. All are proudly over the age of forty.
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Tuesday, January 19, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Tuesday Special: T.F. Walsh
T.F. Walsh
www.tfwalsh.com
Newly divorced Inspector Connell Lonescu trusts no one but himself. He’s convinced relationships are a waste of time and thinks burying himself in work will ease the pain. Yet he’s attracted to the gorgeous and mysterious Daciana, even if there’s something slightly odd about her. Can Connell learn to trust the sexy but secretive woman?
Cloaked is the prequel to Cloaked in Fur, book 1 in The Wulfkin Legacy Series. Find out how Daciana and Connell fell in love and set in motion the paramount events that forever change their lives and those around them.
Cloaked is only 0.99c
Grab Your Copy: Amazon | B&N | Kobo| Google Play | iTunes
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Coming Soon
Cloaked in Secrecy (Book #2) – March 2016
Cloaked in Blood (Book #3) – May 2016
Sign up here for T.F. Walsh’s newsletter to keep up to date with latest releases, special offers, and exclusive content.
About The Author:
T.F. Walsh emigrated from Romania to Australia at the age of eight and now lives in a regional city south of Sydney with her husband. Growing up hearing dark fairytales, she's always had a passion for reading and writing horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and young adult stories. She balances all the dark with light fluffy stuff like baking and traveling.Author Links: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon
Friday, January 15, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Thursday, January 14, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
An Interview with Cheryl Rees-Price
The Write Way Café welcomes author Cheryl Rees-Price, who discusses her latest book, The Silent Quarry, and her interest in cooking up ways to kill off characters.Tell us a little about your DI Winter Meadows series.
The DI Winter Meadows series follows Detective Meadows and his partner DC Edris as they solve crimes in the Welsh Valleys. Meadows is not your typical detective, he was born to hippy parents and raised on a commune. He is charismatic, intuitive and always likes to see the best in people. Meadows partner DC Edris is young, attractive and a bit of a lady’s man. He’s full of mischief and is always trying to set up Meadows with a date.
While parts of the book deals with some of the darker side of human nature there is also humour and a growing love interest as the series progresses.
If The Silent Quarry was made into a movie, who would play your main characters, and why?
The characters from my book are very lifelike in my imagination. I know what they look like, but it is sometimes difficult to portray them to the reader. I would love to be an artist so I could bring them to life. With this in mind it is very hard to choose an actor that would play the part of the main characters. For most of the characters I would be happy just to see the book on screen. The only character I would be selective about is Winter Meadows. I would possibly go for Santiago Cabrera or Misha Collins. Both have the same dark good looks and it is what I imagine Winter to look like. They would have to put on a good Welsh accent.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve been given? What’s your best writing advice for others?
The best writing advice I’ve been given was to watch out for ‘head hopping’ I write in third person P.O.V and it was an easy mistake to slip in another characters thought. Now I tend to become the character and write as if I was sitting on their shoulder.
My advice would be to always keep good notes on your character descriptions. Before I start writing I create a cast and each member has a profile. This way when I start on the first draft I can refer back to a character’s description so I don’t make a mistake.
What “keepers” are in your home library?
I have over 400 hundred books in my library. Among them is the whole collection of Roald Dahl books. I read them several times to my daughters when they were young. I love the dark humour and morals in each book.
If you could be a character in any book you’ve read (or written), which character would you be and why?
I would like to be Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. All the juicy gossip and solving murders while pretending to be an innocent old lady. I guess life would never be dull!
What book do you wish you could have written?
I would have loved to have written The Lord of The Rings. It would be fantastic to have an imagination like Tolkien. I think it’s awesome to be able to create a fantasy world with such diverse characters. I love Gollum with his duel personality.
We’re adding books to our Café menu. Would your book be a drink, an appetizer, an entrée or a dessert? What would you call it?
I think my book would be a dessert. Something warm and filling, perfect for a dark cold winter’s night. I’d call it Death by Indulgence.
What is your favorite social media? Why?
I’m a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to social media but have managed to master Facebook. It’s easy to use and I love keeping up to date with friends and family and looking at their pictures. I have a personal and public profile. I love getting notifications of likes.
Do you have any compulsions you must do for no particular reason?
I love to clean. My daughters accuse me of being OCD but I find cleaning helps me think and I can’t work in chaos.
Tell us about the book in your closet.
The book in my closet would be the Twilight series. I love YA books, they are my guilty pleasure. I was hooked on Twilight.
And now for the fun stuff!
If you were a punctuation mark, what would you be?
I would be a question mark as I can be a little bit quirky.
If you aren’t a full-time writer, what is your day job?
My day job is a little boring. I’m a finance director for a project management company. My day involves spreadsheets, budgets and tax returns. I much prefer cooking up ways to kill off characters.
What is your biggest shopping downfall?
It has to be chocolate. I can’t resist buying a few bars each time I go out. I keep a stock in my study.
Are you a dog/cat/other person?
I’m a cat person. I share my home with four cats. Two black and white gentlemen who curl up on my lap in the evenings. A ginger Maine coon, who is a large fella but scared of his own shadow and a mad Bengal who is boss cat. She struts around the house voicing her displeasure and knocking paper and pens off my desk while I try to work.
If you had to write with a pen instead of a computer, what type of pen would be your preference?
I prefer writing with a pen instead of a computer. I find all the red lines on the screen distract me. (I’m not a good typist.) I always write the first drafts of my books on paper then transfer it to computer. My preferred pen is a frixion, great for rubbing out errors.
Now, nearly thirty years later, Gwen has gone missing and DI Winter Meadows is assigned to the case. Charismatic and intuitive, he has an uncanny gift for finding the truth. But in this small and close-knit community, the past is never far away, and those who have secrets will go to any lengths to keep them. Tensions run high as old feelings and accusations are stirred. And DI Meadows has to battle his own demons as he uncovers a truth he wished had stayed in the past …
Amazon
Cheryl Rees-Price was born in Cardiff and moved as a young child to a small ex-mining village on the edge of the Black Mountains, South Wales, where she still lives with her husband, daughters and cats. After leaving school she worked as a legal clerk for several years before leaving to raise her two daughters.
Cheryl returned to education, studying philosophy, sociology and accountancy whilst working as a part time book keeper. She now works as a finance director for a company that delivers project management and accounting services and sits on the board of a local circus company.
In her spare time Cheryl indulges in her passion for writing. The success of writing plays for local performances gave her the confidence to write her first novel. Her other hobbies include walking and gardening. which free her mind to develop plots and create colourful characters.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Tuesday Special: Leslie Garcia
Leslie Garcia
Six Women—Six Cowboys Forever
Six Cowboy Love Stories by the best selling authors who brought you Cowboy Up 1&2
ISBN: 978-1-939590-98-5
Marry Me Again, Cowboy by Allison Merritt
An unlikely match made in Texas...
Greer Daily is happy running the ranch she inherited from her father until a resort opens up next door and unruly guests terrorize her livestock and destroy her fences. After she confronts two of them and the situation gets sticky, she finds herself venting her fury on sexy resort owner Guy Carter. But the smooth-talking cowboy isn't getting out of this mess easily. She wants reparations for her trouble.
Guy's first initial meeting with Greer could've gone better, but he hopes to placate her fiery temper by making amends for the fences. When a judge calls them out for being irresponsible and self-absorbed, then orders them to marry, Guy's whole world is upended. Their choices: Six months of marriage or a month of jail time. How bad can a few months with the queen of the cattle range be?Heaven if he can get her to bend, hell if she maintains her starchier than pressed jeans attitude.
Just as something deeper than friendship blossoms between them, Guy's personal assistant throws a wrench into the marriage of inconvenience. If Greer and Guy can't overcome that particular pothole, they have more to lose than their freedom--a lifetime of love.
Cowboy Apocalypse by Leslie Garcia
Can a former Marine and a Hollywood diva facing apocalyptic changes in their lives salvage new beginnings together?
When Stone Winters joined the Marines, he always meant to come home. A woman’s impossible dream kept him away so long that he doesn’t think there’s anything left—especially not when he meets Price Adams, a film star with another impossible dream. He just doesn’t think he’s up for that again.
Price Adams traded in a childhood on her grandparents’ ranch for Hollywood glitz in spite of being a teenage mother. Torn between the stardom she won and full-time custody of her daughter, she accepts one last role—in Cowboy Apocalypse, an inane movie about zombies being filmed on ranches around deep south Texas. Burned by men more times than she can remember, Price doesn’t want a man in her life—especially not one who looks down on her career and the courage she needs to let it all go.
Claiming A Cowboy’s Heart by Melissa Keir
Even broken souls deserve a second chance at love…
Elementary Teacher, Michelle Alt’s faced untold trials in her life, yet she continues to do what’s right to make things better for the next generation.
Cowboy Veterinarian, Preston Hall has lost everything in order to follow his dreams and return to his grandfather’s small town practice.
These two broken souls recognize each other’s pain and come together to heal, but fear and misunderstandings send their blossoming relationship into a tailspin. Will they be able to put aside their pain to find the love of a lifetime?
Rock-n-Roll Cowboy by Autumn Piper
Never judge a rock band by its cover song.
A cowboy leading a rock band? Logan gets an earful from his dad every time he leaves the house to perform. His rock persona destroys his ranching cred with the old-timers, and sticking to the cowboy life instead of running off to Hollywood cost him his girlfriend. Yet, he dreams of success in both worlds, and he’s determined to find a way.
Melody agrees to run a publicity campaign for a local rock band, fully immune to the sexy lead singer’s magnetism—she had childhood experience with a rocker’s absences. Still, Logan is charming, and vulnerable. And persistent…
Logan can tell Melody’s PR plan is his passport to popularity. He has to keep his hands off her, or he just might blow his one shot at making it big.
A Cowboy's Princess by Sara Walter Ellwood
Oil and water don't mix...neither does Texas oil royalty and an ex-Navy SEAL turned rodeo cowboy until danger forces them together.
All retired Navy SEAL turned rodeo cowboy Justin Tanner wants is to get to his next rodeo when a vision in a pair of tight fitting jeans walks up to him and hands him his deepest desire on a silver platter—the deed to his father’s ranch, land her grandfather had swindled him out of.
Lacey Mackenzie is true Texas oil royalty, but when her grandfather dies and leaves her the keys to the kingdom, she finds herself with more enemies than friends and only Justin’s name as the one who can protect her, but can he after she discovers only the oil under his promised ranch can save her company. When her enemies attack, he’s duty bound to save her, but can he give her the one thing she wants after a hot night of passion—his heart?
Ride, Cowboy, Ride by D’Ann Lindun
Can they find freedom together?
A locked up heart.
After imprisoned in a federal penitentiary for ten years over a woman's betrayal, the last thing Lyle Landry is looking for is love. A quick tumble? Sure. A cold beer? Absolutely. And then he's on to the rodeo circuit to reclaim his title.
Broke, busted and blue.
After her ex-husband leaves her high, dry and dead broke, another man isn’t high on Sarah Reed’s list. Especially a sexy ex-con who makes it perfectly clear he’s not interested in more than a one night stand. But his determination to make something out of himself impresses her more than she wants to admit, and she falls hard for the cowboy.
www.facebook.com/LeslieP.Garcia
E-mail: lesliegarcia2000-author@yahoo.com
Twitter: @LesliePGarcia
Website
Friday, January 8, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Thursday, January 7, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
An Interview with T.F. Walsh
The Write Way Café welcomes T.F. Walsh, who takes us on a ride-along into her world of fantasy. When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance?
As a child I remember scribbling short stories on the inside cover of my sister’s books, and I have no idea why. Perhaps I was pretending my stories were published, or I secretly wanted everyone to pay attention to me, after all I was the middle child, but whatever the reason, one thing is certain, I’ve always loved telling tales. It may have something to do with my father’s passion for writing. He’s a well-respected Romanian poet and author, and holds the same dedication to books I do. It was only later that I found myself drawn toward romances. J
What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do?
I’m a plotter. I need to know where the story is going, what I want to happen at the end, and who the characters are before I start writing. So I always start with a lot of details and research. For Daciana, I didn’t need to do a lot of research. Even before I started writing, she was in my head loud and clear. I knew exactly what she was like, what she wanted, and how she’d respond in different situations. But when it came to Romania, I did spend many hours reading up on setting, animals, Carpathian Mountains, cultures and I even watched YouTube tourist videos of the city of Brasov. And after enjoying every show / documentary I watched on wild wolves and packs, I feel comfortable to answer any question about them. J
When it came to publishing, I did a lot of research to find the right publisher for me, who their target audience were and where my book would best fit in. J
Where did the idea for your story come from?
I grew up listening to bedtime Romanian stories that could only be compared to the Brothers Grimm tales, and ever since then folklore and mythology has fascinated me. These influences have trickled into my stories, and in particular The Wulfkin Legancy series, which is based in Eastern Europe—a place steeped in legends. Now, when it comes to love, I’m a sucker for stories about two people from different worlds falling madly in love and fighting against the odds to stay together. This is the story I wanted to tell; showing how far someone was willing to go to hold onto true love.
Why did you pick the setting you did?
Cloaked is set in Romania, more specifically Braşov. Braşov is located within what is the region traditionally known as Transylvania. I was born in Romania so I have a special place in my heart for stories based there, particularly those stories set in Transylvania. The region is steeped in lore and history and is about 30km from the Bran Castle, one of the historic homes associated with Vlad Tepes. Vlad Tepes is also known as Vlad the Impaler and is often cited as the historical basis for Bram Stoker's Dracula. Whilst many people consider him a villain, the local populace generally consider him a hero. Interesting fact is that is it is said Vlad the Impaler never lived in the Bran Castle, despite the Dracula stories. The region of Transylvania also contains stretches of the Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians spread through a number of European countries. Large tracts of forest, deep gorges, steep cliffs and cave systems make it a dangerous and beautiful area. With a large population of animals including wolves and bears it makes a wonderful setting for any story. And that’s exactly why I set Cloaked in Braşov.
Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
They are completely imaginary, but I won’t deny the fact that all my characters have traces of me in them.
Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret?
Absolutely. I’m not sure if there’s a writer who has zero blocks while writing. For me, I wanted to write this book fast to meet a deadline, and the difficulties were building in time for research. So, I spent my days writing / editing and at night, while hubby watched TV, I read up on bears and wolves and the black market of animal kidnapping.
What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after?
Actually not very much with this book. I knew the characters already since they were in a previous book I’d written – Cloaked in Fur. J
What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about wulfkin, and the paranormal world?
I learned that mixing up non-fictional facts with fictional ideas makes for a solid world-building. Story ideas that lend themselves to real life always make a novel that much more interesting for both me, writing it, and the reader. J
Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
In the living room, I have a corner table with my desktop mac, bottle of water and lots of writing pads. Actually I have lots of books too and other things I should clean out, but I keep ignoring it to write. J It’s my little spot where I vanish into fantasy worlds.
What are some of your favorite books and why?
I love the Anita Blake series by Laurell Hamilton. It was one of the first series I read that made me want to write about strong heroines and alphas, who wanted those heroines.
What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on book 3 inof The Wulfkin Legacy Series.
Cloaked – Prequel – Coming out Jan 4, 2016
Cloaked in Fur – Book 1 –Already out
Cloaked in Secrecy – Book 2 – Coming out March 2016
Cloaked in Blood – Book 3 – Coming out May 2016
Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre? Which one and why?
I’ve always wanted to write noir mystery thrillers. My stories always have mysteries in them, but the idea of just writing a detective based story has always appealed to me.
If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?
Graphic designer.
What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
Editing. While it gives me the most trouble, it’s the part that brings the story alive.
Who is your favorite hero/heroine?
I really can’t go past my characters in Cloaked and Cloaked in Fur. Daciana and Connell.
T.F. Walsh emigrated from Romania to Australia at the age of eight and now lives in a regional city south of Sydney with her husband. Growing up hearing dark fairytales, she's always had a passion for reading and writing horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and young adult stories. She balances all the dark with light fluffy stuff like baking and traveling.
Author links:
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Tuesday, January 5, 2016
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Tuesday Special: Peggy Bird
Peggy Bird
www.peggybirdwrites.net
Until chemistry enters the picture.
Jack and Quanna can’t fight their attraction, but Quanna worries his family and friends will exhibit the anti-Indian prejudice she’s only too used to encountering. And if things go badly between them, Quanna will lose her job and Jack’s boys will have lost yet another mother figure. When her worst fears come true and a feud erupts at the Thanksgiving table, will Jack be able to convince her that their love is strong enough to overcome any obstacle?
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About Peggy Bird
Born in Philadelphia, I’ve spent most of my adult life in the Pacific Northwest where I have happily grown webs between my toes and moss behind my ears. Over my adult life, I pursued a number of careers—nurse, legislative staffer, lobbyist, public affairs consultant, non-profit association executive, workshop teacher, oh, and mother and wife—before deciding to leave it all for what I’ve loved through every stage of life—writing.But instead of the intricately plotted mysteries and deeply moving memoir pieces I assumed I’d write, the characters in every piece of fiction I started wanted their love stories told. Even when I had many of them hanging around questionable people or involved in murder, intrigue and general mayhem.
That’s how my Crimson Romances were born. All the stories are set in some of my favorite places in the country—Portland, Oregon, the Puget Sound, Philadelphia. My second series, A Holiday For Romance, includes some of my favorite times of the year—Independence Day, Halloween, Christmas/Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving. Still no mysteries but I’m working on it.
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You may also email Peggy at peggybirdwrites@gmail.com.
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