Passion is Energy

My daughter has been going through a rough time, learning to cope with anxiety and depression.  It’s hard to fight an enemy you can’t see.  I often find myself on the rollercoaster of emotions with her – sympathetic at times, encouraging at times, blunt at times.  And yet, somehow, she has a tenuous hold on the one thing that has been her passion throughout her life: stock car racing.

It relieves her anxiety.  It’s an escape from reality, or should I say to a different reality, for at least a short time. Even during off-season she can climb into the car and feel some relief.

Passion is an intense emotion, a compelling enthusiasm or desire for something.  Passion is energy.

In spite of her issues, she is clinging to her passion.  She’s setting an example for me.

In the midst of everyday life, between the challenges of work, family and self, I still have a passion for reading and writing. Maybe the order flip-flops at times, but it never goes away.

When I was young, I regularly checked out books from the library. Public, school, bookmobile…it didn’t matter. I just wanted a stack of books to read each week. We didn’t have the money to buy new books, but I didn’t care. Even borrowed books offered opportunties to get lost in other worlds, and to learn.

I also started writing when I was fairly young. My mom recently gave me a folder of papers she had kept from my youth. It was a lot of fun, and kind of emotional, to read the stories I wrote so long ago. Some I remembered, some I didn’t. But reading through them reinforced how important writing has been in my life. To this day, I'm comforted by the feel of a pen in my hand and words flowing onto paper. It doesn't matter if I'm writing letters, poetry or fiction; if I'm journaling, or even just making lists.

For me, there is a freedom in putting pen to paper. There is freedom in escaping into a good book. These are my passions.

My goal as a writer is to share with others the passion I have for reading. If my writing gives just one person the pleasure I’ve had from reading, and encourages them to read more, then I’ve done my job as a writer. Of course, I really want to impact more lives than just one, but one is a good start!

What is your goal as a writer?

As a writer you should not judge. You should understand.

-Ernest Hemingway

An Interview with T.M. Cromer

The Write Way Café welcomes T.M. Cromer, who believes in consistency and writing every single day. It's working well for her!

When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance?
     The first time I started to write—and yes it was romance—I was 14 years old. I scribbled ideas and dialog in a pink spiral notebook. Fearing my siblings going through my things, I buried it in the bottom of my closet.

What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do?
     I’m not sure what constitutes a “path” but basically, I hunkered down and wrote my butt off for about a month. It really is about being consistent and writing every single day. As far as publishing, I’m an indie published author. During the process of writing a story, an image of the characters comes to me. Somewhere along the way so does the cover. If it is ebook format, I usually create my own cover. When it’s time for the book to go to print, I have a cover artist friend who will take what I have done and expand on it for the full cover. Publishing is a simple matter of formatting a book to the retailers standard after it has been edited and uploading. It really is that simple. Then comes marketing and that is a whole different ball of wax.
     Reference the research: I write mostly romantic suspense. There is very little by way of research that I need to do. On the rare occasion when I need to know if a situation with police might be factual, I phone a friend—much like the gameshow. I rely on others to fill in the gaps of my knowledge base. :) One of my best friends has a husband on the force, and in the case of this story, I called and asked what were the steps for a homicide born of self defense.

Where did the idea for your story come from? 
     My story ideas come from every day life. But in the case of THE TROUBLE WITH LUST, it was spawned from the first in the series BURNING RESOLUTION. I created that story one day after the New Year when I did exactly as the main character and poked myself in the belly all the while lecturing myself on the need to get in shape. Neither me, nor my character, did so.

Why did you pick the setting you did?
     Initially, I had to have Erica’s friend (the MC of BURNING RESOLUTION) be out of town. She had to turn to Zack when the chips were down and her life was, quite literally, burning to the ground. After I’d decided to use Shonda for the love interest of Zack’s brother, Mason, in book two, I knew the perfect setting would be if they’d met on the plane, jetting off to their vacation. It made for a great awkward setting after they returned home and were forced to interact while trying to help rescue characters from book one.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
     In THE TROUBLE WITH LUST, I feel as if Mason is the alpha male we’ve all met at some point. We dislike his arrogance, and yet, we can’t help but be attracted to him. That we are allowed to reform those type of men as writers makes me happy.
     In BURNING RESOLUTION, Erica’s whacky character is ALL ME—lemon donut obsession and all.

Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret?
     I’m not sure I believe in blocks. There are times I’m not inspired to write, but I find another outlet for my creative energy. I design a cover, create an ad, clean the house, or nap in the hammock. All these things help free my mind of the clutter piling up in there.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after?
     I’m a panster. Every plot is a surprise. I have a general idea going in how I want it to start and end. I may even have a few ideas how I want specific scenes to play out, but mostly the story takes on a life of its own. On days I’m feeling especially devious, I throw in a plot twist. I can do that, I’m the writer.

What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about corporate espionage? 
     Well, for the month of September, I found I could knock out 100,000 words for the month. Between writing the novella, PICTURE THIS, for Marina Adair’s St. Helena Vineyard Kindle World Series, and writing THE TROUBLE WITH LUST to meet my pre-order deadline, I discovered the ability to dig deep. To woman up (doesn’t that sound better than man up?) and get the job done. The process made me proud, accomplished even. There I was creating two covers, two stories, and working through edits on two books—up to five minutes before my upload was due. That’s dedication. That is drive. I didn’t realize I was that passionate about any one thing to go without sleep.
     Learning about the process? I learned that a long time ago with my first two stories. Enough so that by the third book I felt like a pro. And because I enjoy trying new things, I took on the project for Marina’s SHVKW. There was a learning curve associated with using characters who crossed over in other author’s books. Also, in dealing with contracts and professional publishers like the team at KindleWorlds, I learned even more. I’m grateful for every new experience that comes my way. It sounds trite, but it’s 100% true.
     Can I confess to bluffing my way through the espionage? That is all from imagination. LOL But I did love St. Thomas when I was there a few years back. It was truly one of my favorite islands. The snorkeling was amazing, and we were fortunate enough to find a local driver to take us to great out of the way spots. It was like being on our own private island. I recommend everyone try that trip at least once in their lives.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
     My writing space is all over my house but mostly on the right side of the couch. My office is in the process of being decorated and is all torn apart at the moment. I’m going insane. However, because it is just me and the Hubs, I don’t have the standard distractions of most authors. There is no full-time job, no children, no commitments of any kind for me, well, except for my dog, Tink. She’s a high-energy handful. She’s the true house boss and keeps me on a tight schedule. I am allowed exactly one hour on Facebook, then we must play ball. I am allowed two hours of writing, then we must play ball. I am allowed… well, you get the picture.

What are some of your favorite books and why?
     I’ve been an avid reader since I was 14. For me, there are too many books to count. One favorite is DREAMING by Jill Barnet. I connected with that character on a level I have yet to connect with another. It would have been what my life would have been like had I lived over 200 years ago.

What are you working on now?
     There are four stories currently in my writing queue: SO GREAT A LOVE, THE BAKERY, DALLAS BURNING, and A LOVE TO CALL MINE.
     SO GREAT A LOVE is a novella for a collaboration I am doing for Hildie McQueen’s INDULGENCES series. I’ve finished it and am waiting for the edits to be returned so that I might get it off to my ARC readers by mid-December.
     THE BAKERY is a novella that ties into the Workout World & McAdams Pub series. All stories will cross over, as the McAdams family are the cousins to the Sharps from BURNING RESOLUTION & THE TROUBLE WITH LUST.
     DALLAS BURNING has 1.5 chapters completed and will be a novella for Paige Tyler’s Dallas Fire & Rescue Kindle World due out toward the end of January.
     A LOVE TO CALL MINE will be a full length novel and the third in the Workout World series. This story centers around the youngest brother, Dane, who readers have come to love. His story is actually going to surprise some readers. His past will be shocking to most and the plot twists should live up to the first two books in the series. Because he’s the most lighthearted of the brothers, I think he’ll be fun to write.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre?  Which one and why?
     Yes. I’d love to try historical down the road and maybe even some paranormal. I have a few chapters of a few books started and I work on them from time to time when I need a break from my current genres of Romantic Suspense and Contemporary Romance. One day, maybe a year or two down the road, I’ll release them.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?
     Make up artist to Jensen Ackles. That man is HAWT!

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
     Research. It’s time consuming, and I don’t really enjoy it. My dream assistant would be someone who spoon fed me the information I needed without me having to break stride in typing. :)

Who is your favorite hero/heroine?
     Is it wrong to put forth my own characters? I’ve fallen in love with Zack from BURNING RESOLUTION. He is funny, sexy, smart, and protective. Sigh.

The Bakery:  tmcromer.com/the-bakery
Burning Resolution:  tmcromer.com/burning-resolution

THE TROUBLE WITH LUST
     Mason Sharp has sworn off relationships, but he’s not opposed to a casual affair. He thinks he’s found the perfect woman for a little fun in paradise in Shonda Grant. What he’s really found is a hot mess.
     It only takes one look at Mason, and Shonda’s internal alarm is screaming “Danger!” However, the real trouble starts when someone breaks into her suite.
     As Mason fights against his ever-growing affection for Shonda, they try to solve the mystery surrounding the break-in. In the process, they stumble upon corporate espionage and a person willing to go to any lengths to keep from being exposed. What started as fun in the sun could end in tragedy unless they discover who is the master player in this deadly game of chess.

tmcromer.com/the-trouble-with-lust


PICTURE THIS
     Hope Fiore is happy with her existing life in the small town of St. Helena, CA. Sure, she might be a little lonely, but she doesn’t have time for romance. Even if she did, with the Fiore Curse in play, she recognizes that she doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in Hades of ever having a successful relationship.
      Enter Royce Anderson. A New Yorker with a charming smile and a playboy attitude. After only one day in town, he’s run afoul of the Fiore family and had nothing but bad luck. However, he’s helpless to resist his attraction to Hope.
      Hope and Royce embark on a romance, knowing it can only be temporary. Yet, as things heat up and emotions run high, they start to think it might be possible to be the first to overcome love’s curse in the Fiore family’s history.

tmcromer.com/skvkw-picture-this


About T.M.:  T.M. Cromer (aka Tara Cromer) is originally from New Jersey, but spent most of her growing up years in Flagler Beach & Palm Coast, Florida. More recently, she relocated with her husband to Illinois, where she met and fell in love with her fuzzy soulmate, Tinkerbell. She claims her hubby has come to understand Tink ranks first in her affections, as she ranks in Tink’s. He’s cool with it. :)
     Job titles she currently holds:  Author, Professional Waster-of-Time, Hammock Mounting Safety Instructor, Margarita Mixologist and Spoiler of Dogs.

Discover her website here: www.tmcromer.com

Join her mailing list for all the latest: www.tmcromer.com/newsletter or text TMCBOOKS to 24587

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Tuesday Special: Barnes & Noble Spotlight Feature with R.T. Wolfe

R.T. WOLFE

www.rtwolfe.com

This Barnes and Noble Spotlight features book one, Black Creek Burning, in a connected 8 books series. 

Barnes and Noble Spotlight

Barnes and Noble

Free Nook app (compatible with all devices)





NEW RELEASE: Savage Betrayal is now available in print or ebook. It is exclusive to Barnes and Noble for 3 months, and then will be released everywhere else.  


The child trafficking crime ring Detective Nickie Savage is chasing--the one responsible for her own childhood abduction--is growing. The traffickers have infiltrated the police department, the FBI and even her home, steeling Nickie's resolve to find the abducted girls and take down the crime ring once and for all. But discovering the King Pin's identity, the very person who sold her into slavery, just might bring Detective Nickie Savage to her knees.

Barnes and Noble - Savage Betrayal


Watch for the final book in the series to be released in February 2017!


R.T. Wolfe enjoys creating diverse characters and twining them together in the midst of an intelligent mystery and a heart encompassing romance. It's not uncommon to find dark chocolate squares in R.T.'s candy dish, her Golden Retriever at her feet and a few caterpillars spinning their cocoons in their terrariums on her counters. R.T. loves her family, gardening, eagle-watching and can occasionally be found viewing a flyover of migrating whooping cranes.

Don't be afraid to write crap because crap makes great fertilizer.

- Jessica Brody

An Interview with Zrinka Jelic

The Write Way Café welcomes Zrinka Jelicm, author of Gypsy Stone, and other contemporary suspense romance novels. Her unique outlook on life is expressed in her writing in interesting and imaginative ways.

Tell us a little about your new romantic suspense Gypsy Stone. 
It set in Zadar, a Dalmatian town (coastal region of Croatia). The story is told entirely from the hero’s POV. After 14 years he still cannot get over parting with his high school sweet heart who married a man her parents insisted upon and moved to Canada. She’s back in town, but danger follows her in the form of her husband.  

If your romantic suspense was made into a movie, who would play your main characters, and why?
The hero’s name is Dario (if you’re watching The Game of Thrones you’d know there’s a character name Daario Naharis), and heroine’s name is Irena. She has unusual blonde hair (though in the book she dyed it brown to hide it) so I guess she kind of resembles Daenerys Targaryen. 

What or who has been instrumental in or to your writing journey?
It was a dream I had, one of those that are so sad you wake up chocking on tears. It was just so uncanny, I was under the influence of that dream for the rest of the week. 

If you could be a character in any book you’ve read (or written), which character would you be and why?
Oh gosh, too many. I’d love to be Mina in Bram Stocker’s Dracula. 

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? 
Definitely an entrée. It was such hard job to get it out of my head and onto the pages. I guess I’d call it the prime roast. 

What is your favorite social media?  Why?
Facebook, I get most of the stuff there and I’m most familiar navigating it. 

Do you have any compulsions you must do for no particular reason?
Not really. I wouldn’t call them compulsions exactly. I love my yoga classes and my workouts. Helps me clear my mind when I’m stuck. 

Tell us about the book in your closet.
Would this be a book I’m reading secretly? I would never be ashamed to be seen to read any book no matter how bad or “dirty” it is. If I’m enjoying it I’m reading it openly. Not in the closet. 

And now for the fun stuff!

If you were a punctuation mark, what would you be?
Probably a question mark. Many things make me scratch my head. 

If you aren’t a full-time writer, what is your day job?
Well, actually I’m a part time writer only. I still have my day job so I’m a Credit Analyst. 

What is your biggest shopping downfall?
Summer clearance sales. All those cute things I’ve been keeping my eye out for all summer long are finally on sale. 

Are you a glass half empty or glass half full personality?
Neither, glass is refillable. 

What is something you do that people would be surprised at?
Most are surprised to hear I write and publish books. I’m not sure why is that so hard to wrap one’s head around, but it seems it is. 

Are you a dog/cat/other person?
Both, but if I’m not allergic to cats, I’d chose them first. 

What is your favorite season and why?
Summers that are dry and hot. Can’t stand rainy and cool summers. The long days, warm nights, crickets chirping, fun wardrobe, freedom from coats and boots. 

If you had to write with a pen instead of a computer, what type of pen would be your preference?
My first book was written by pen, I think it was just an ordinary pen. Nothing fancy. Whatever I can grab. 

There are a lot of top ten lists.  What list would you be number one on?  
A list of abandoned hobbies. I tried so many and while I was good at each, none stuck as writing. 

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done in the name of love?
Drove for miles just to be with him. If I knew then what I know now, that wouldn’t happen. 

Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
Used to try to remember everything I’d heard or read someplace to incorporate it into the book, but finally bought a notebook so I can write these things down. The problem now is that I don’t remember writing it. It was easier having it stored in my memory. 

For fourteen years, Dario Vitez accumulated wealth and made a name for himself as the owner of Mezzaluna restaurant. Love is the only thing missing from his life ever since his childhood sweetheart, Irena Novak, was forced into a marriage of convenience and lives half a world away. Wondering about her for all these years, he puts his work on hold to find her.

Irena is not free from her marriage contract. Danger follows her in the form of her husband, Fred Penne. Fred decided she knows too many of his secrets to live and doesn't care who else he hurts to get her. 

Discovering the truth about the danger Irena is in, Dario will stop at nothing to protect her.

Suspenseful, romantic, and awash in Gypsy magic and Slavic folklore, "Gypsy Stone" captures the enchantment of the Adriatic coast and the power of love, family and friendship.

Goodreads        Amazon US        Amazon Canada

About Zrinka: A member of Romance Writers of America and its chapter Kiss Of Death, as well as Savvy Authors, Zrinka Jelic writes contemporary fiction—which leans toward the paranormal—and always adds a pinch of history. Her characters come from all walks of life, and although she prefers red, romance comes in many colors. Given Jelic’s love for her native Croatia and the Adriatic Sea, her characters usually find themselves dealing with a fair amount of sunshine, but a little fall of rain is unavoidable in everyone’s life.   

Find me on:   Amazon         Facebook          Twitter          Blog   

Where Ideas Come From

I’m one of the few writers who has never been asked where my ideas for stories come from. I’ve heard it’s a common question. Sitting at my computer thinking on ideas, I stopped and wondered about my answer to that question. Hmm…where do my ideas for fiction come from?

I’m pretty sure if someone had asked me this question a few years back I would have said my ideas come from life around me. There is so much diversity of life that the “What if” question can result in many story answers. What if planet Earth had two suns? What if two sisters who truly loved one another decided to work together? What if those sisters were orphaned at a young age? What would be their underlying issues that drive them?

So yes, life is full of ideas for stories. As an author, my problem is not so much having too few ideas but having ideas popping up all the time.

But sitting at my computer I realized my ideas come from some of my basic beliefs: Life is not what we think it is; average individuals are true heroes; internal problems drive us but typically are the way out of pain and lack of awareness.

I want to triumph the ordinary hero and heroine and illustrate how great humans can be, so my stories develop around characters with heart. I consider the man down the street who has clarity about how to live a life of inner strength and quality character. Or the young woman at the grocery store who feels different but faces what that does to her and comes out on the other side of it with more self-awareness and respect for herself. Those struggles are very human, and the way characters travel those types of journeys can speak to life lessons we all can benefit from.

Here’s an excerpt from Dancing with Detective Danger in which heroine Lacy Aegar faces her fear of letting down her walls of protection and getting hurt, a coping mechanism from childhood when her father was murdered.

“Dog?” Sterling started, just as the streak of black and brown fur rambunctiously rounded the corner. “Mr. Teeth! What is he doing here? He’s still limping?”

 

Ben crouched to corral the dog, and began scratching him affectionately under the chin. “The neighbors at the condo said his name is Joe, not Mr. Teeth. Somebody had to take him in. The animal control guys wanted to keep him, but he’s our only witness to the Witt murder.”

“Excuse me, did you say witness?”

“Yes, witness. And yes, he’s limping. The vet said he has a bruised muscle. Probably got kicked.”

Sterling watched uneasily, thinking of stepping out through the still open front door. “Well that might explain why Lacey and I could get away from him at the condo, he had a lame leg. You two seem to have hit it off.”

“He’s not so ferocious once you get to know him. He’s all bark. Besides, we have a lot in common. We’re both trying to get over broken hearts.”

Sterling’s temper instantly flared. “It won’t work, you know. Your little comments won’t change anything. You’re only driving me crazy!”

    

“I’m driving you crazy? I’m driving you crazy?” Ben stood to face her as Joe ambled away into the living room.

“Yes.” Slamming her hands on her hips, Sterling stared Ben down. “Your comments keep bringing up old stuff. Stuff we settled two years ago.”

In one second, he slammed the door shut and strode close to her. Standing inches from Sterling’s face, Ben peered down at her. “We never settled anything. You may have, I don’t know, but we never settled anything.”

Ben’s eyes locked hers and suddenly Sterling felt her walls tumble. The pain filling his face gripped her heart. She knew she caused it. She had never meant to hurt him so terribly. Doing the right thing shouldn’t be so painful. Caught between the fear of what could happen and the agony of the moment, Sterling closed her eyes and collapsed against his chest. “I’m so sorry, Ben.” Ben’s body, rigid and hard, instantly drew up the buried cravings for his touch from deep and low inside her. As she let her mind relax, she felt a matching response, the taut muscles of his chest molding to her body.

It’s in these moments when average individuals challenge their status quo that their lives can change, and that is exciting fodder for story ideas.

Dancing Detective Danger is presently $1.99 at  https://amzn.com/B00YDM8HQA 

https://youtu.be/UUbKNNxOe3w

Have you ever learned a life lesson from a book? What was it and what book?