My Next Big Thing

Welcome to this blog hop.

What is a blog hop? Basically, it’s a way that readers can discover new authors, because with bookstores closing and publishers not promoting new authors as much, we need to find a way to introduce readers to authors they may not see in their local bookstore.

Here you have the chance to find many new authors. Here you’ll find information about me and the book I currently have out.  Also see links below to other authors you might like to check out.

I’d like to thank fellow author Mimi Barbour for tagging me to participate. Click the link below to find out about her latest book Vegas Rift

In this particular hop, I and my fellow authors, in their respective blogs, have answered 10 questions where you get to learn about our current work in progress as well as some insights into our process, from characters and inspirations to plotting and cover decisions. I hope you enjoy it!

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts and questions. 

Here is my Next Big Thing!

1: What is the title of your book..  BE STILL MY LOVER'S HEART

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

I originally wrote it as a short story for a contest for another publisher. My husband liked it and I sent it to another and just lengthened it to a full novel.

3: What genre does your book come under?

It falls under the Paranormal Romance genre but has Science Fiction and Futuristic elements as well. There are two lines at The Wild Rose Press and mine fits under the Black Rose Line.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Erin Sanders as Shea, Gage Golightly as Cami, Ian Somerhalder as Tempest, Jackson Rathbone as Rivera and Landon Liboiron as Aveal. Good guys anyway.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

One woman with nothing to lose joins a Universal Military to fight whether or not it causes her death until she meets the one man, an alien, who claims she is his bondmate and have been meant to be together from time preordained even though they have to fight a madman in order to keep all they hold dear, including their future.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by    

an agency? THE WILD ROSE PRESS an independent publisher.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?  6Weeks

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I'm not quite sure as there are many different elements to this story.

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?  I love to be challenged to write different types of stories and I hadn't written a futuristic space one at that point and decided to try it.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? It is the first book in a five book series. Also, the term "Vatamp" or "Atrisvazhamp" means "Memory Makers." This allows each member the unique ability to draw on the memories of his or her relatives who have passed on before them to solve unusual problems.

You can find my book at Amazon.com   Barnes&Noble.com & most online booksellers.  

Below you will find authors who will be joining me by blog, next Wednesday. Do be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates on WIPs and New Releases! Happy Writing and Reading!

  Jennifer Barry  www.jennifermbarry.com
 

 

AN UNUSUAL SOLUTION TO UNLOCK THE MUSE

Most authors write because it's what we love to do. Most of us have been doing so from a very young age, or at the very least, have been telling stories throughout most our lifetimes. If you've ever sat down and actually talked to one of us, even a group of us together, you'd swear we were destined for a sanitarium at some point and probably wonder why we weren't already there. You might wonder what kind of medications we were taking and then wonder why they weren't working. Unless you've ever sat down in front of a blank page and had at least one voice tell you what to write, (this voice being in your head), there's really no way of understanding the how of what we do. The why of what we do, is because we are driven to it by a love for the characters that speak to us out of, literally nowhere.

Our inspirations come from many different places. For some of us, it's a favorite restaurant where we go each week to get coffee and or lunch or a favorite treat, for others, it's sitting in a crowded mall on a Saturday afternoon and watching the many people come and go. Sometimes, a line in a song can inspire an entire novel or a single painting, or color in that painting, a series of novels. Many of us tend to dream in full technicolor with digital Dolby surround sound. One single dream can turn into an epic series. The muse as we like to call it, comes from anything, place, sound, sight, touch or smell. Perhaps, even the even cadence of a pleasant voice.  That's the easy part.

The hard part, and it doesn't happen often, is when that muse freezes. When you end up staring at the page, whether it be a blank one or at the last sentence where you left off a few days ago and can't write another word. You know how the story ends, your characters are screaming at you to finish because most of us are working on more than one thing at a time and they don't want to be left hanging, and yet there you are, hands ready to type, and there is nothing flowing through you. It goes by another name, too. Writer's Block. When this occurs, it's physically painful, causing heart palpitations because time is moving on and you know you have to get the work done.  That's called a deadline. For me, a deadline often means a flat line, as in heart monitor flat line.  Once I figured out what was happening, I discovered a simple solution.

As writer's we all deal with this at one point or other. For me, and for others I suspect as well, freelance work is my "Waiting tables until my big Hollywood Star Break."  Sometimes these projects require a deadline, some don't. Recently, my biggest one asked for a deadline and then it happened. I was in pure writer's block.  I couldn't write word one on any project, mine or anyone else's.  I ended up talking to my client and we came to an understanding that caused the jump start to my heart monitor flat line. I have normal sinus rhythm again, but have to take it easy for a day or two to recover completely. 

The solution? Remove the deadline! By doing that, I am able to finish everything I am working on without further worry. That's not to say that I won't still have to face deadlines again. That's a hazard of this job. Hopefully, when that time comes again, I will be working on only one project; mine.

STARTING THE NEW YEAR GENEROUSLY

Sometimes I feel a little bit overwhelmed. As a freelance editor, proofreader and ghostwriter, not to mention freelance screenplay writer, it is hard to meet the demands of everyone I work with on a daily basis.  Then, there are those stories, poems and other little writing projects for myself. One of which, I hope you are currently enjoying.   I do have goals for this year, but am not into resolutions. I have outgrown those thank heavens!  My goals?  1) To finish the projects I am working on for other people, 2) To score three contracts for my own works, (this is a big one) and 3) To host other authors and to help promote their works and learn more from the wonderful group of ROSES at The Wild Rose Press at how to become better at what I love to do, which is the business of writing.  My heart and soul! My Joy! Well, you get it! 

Now, the part of being generous?  I've always wanted to do things for others and make that my mantra and have for many years.  This year I've taken a book that has reverted back to me and uploaded it at Goodreads for a free download.  That's right, one of my own.  Here's the link.

 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17206886-queen-of-hearts

The book is called Queen of Hearts. It was given a 5 star review and nominated for best Paranormal Romance of the Year in 2007.  For those of you who love vampires, your going to really love this one. It's a look, a different glimpse into my imagination. A look at the world of my vampires.  I hope that one of the contracts I intend to score this year is another of my vampire novels, one that was originally planned for this series.

I hope you let me know how you like it! I would love to hear from you.  Enjoy!

Last Post of 2012!

Dear fellow authors and fans, readers of all our romantic dreams brought to life on the page, I wanted to say thank you for being you! Thank you for sticking with me through the ups and downs and the first release I've had in quite a while.  BE STILL MY LOVER'S HEART began as just a short story for a contest and became a wonderful novel full of adventure, romance and the beginning of a five book journey with THE MEMORY MAKERS.  2012 was a very difficult year for me, losing a job and multiple health issues, yet I have prevailed with only the help of God and my wonderful husband.  

I know without doubt that 2013 is going to be a spectacular year! I have many goals including three contracts I hope to secure for three wonderful books you're sure to love! Book 2 in The Memory Maker's series is underway but is still being fleshed out. I hope to have it completed by the end of next year and out to you all by 2014. Know one thing for sure, I have so many wonderful tales to get out to you that you are going to absolutely love!  Many have already been written and are just in need of editing. Many are on hold for a short while.  I will have a wonderful Christmas story for all of you for next Holiday Season, I promise. 

Now, you are all getting ready, if not already celebrating the coming in of 2013. Please be safe, be responsible and know that I look forward to seeing you all next year!  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

HOW DO THEY KNOW?

Every year, whether or not we put up the Christmas tree, our kids (the four footed variety) cats to be more specific, always know what time of year it is. I think it's rather funny. I have three 7 year old male cats that are all indoors. They have kitty t.v., the front balcony, when the door is open, and more furniture than we do.  It never fails to amaze me that when Christmas time comes around, they act differently. How? Well, they tend to be nicer to one another, leave the garbage alone and shred less paper products. They are on their best behavior. I swear it is like having children in the house again.   This year, we decided to put up the tree after three years of not doing it. I decorated it very nicely, making sure that the more expensive ornaments are in the upper part of the tree and the cheap, unbreakable ones are on the lower branches. Even though
they are older cats, they still love to bat at the ones on the lower branches. At least they don't try to climb up inside the tree anymore. You'd think that with all the toys and things they have to keep them  happy, even home grown kitty weed, they wouldn't pay attention to something like a human holiday.  I know that animals tend to pick up on our moods and I think that is part of their charm.  My three boys are like excited three year old children this year. Fortunately, we still have toys in a drawer that they have never seen yet. We thought we might get away without putting stuff out for them this year. We thought wrong. Everyday, they look at the tree, check under it for something that might be for them and then wait until the next day  and repeat. I love my boys dearly. I do have grown children, but they celebrate a family Christmas in New York with their dad and stepmother. I did get to spend Thanksgiving with two of them and that was priceless. But, I get off the subject here.

This year, like in previous years, we'll put out new toys for them under the tree with the other few gifts and then hurry to beat them upstairs on Christmas morning. (They have their own room and like to be put to bed at night.) It will be a joy just watching them picking out their prizes and begin to play with new toys. Then, when we have celebrated our own gift exchange, the cats get the boxes, paper and bows to play with for a few hours. Then it's time for one of their many catnaps per day.  Still, I can't help but wonder... how do they know?

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!