Interview with Author Karoline Barrett
Please welcome Karoline Barrett, romance author!
JCS: What was the first story you had published?
KB: My first story was a piece called Chinese Noodles, published in The Storyteller in 2006.
JCS: If you had to pick one reason why you write, what would it be?
KB: I love seeing my ideas and characters go from my imagination to growing and developing on paper.
JCS: When you’re writing, is there anything you do out of habit (listen to music, sit in a particular spot, etc)?
KB: I sit at my desk, which faces a window so I can look outside. Sometimes I listen to music, but usually I have to have quiet so I can concentrate.
JCS: If there was anything you could say to potential writers out there, what would it be?
KB: Do a lot of reading in the genre you want to write in; don’t be afraid to put your words on paper; know how to present a professional manuscript; and submit, submit, submit!
JCS: What is your current work in progress?
KB: I am currently working on two short stories. I am also working on my first novel, which I hope to have finished before this summer is over!
JCS: When you were selecting a publisher, what were you looking for? Would you do anything differently?
KB: A romance publisher that would publish a smaller piece as opposed to a full-length novel. No, I don’t think I would have done it differently.
JCS: Can you tell us a little about your latest release or upcoming release? When will it be available? Where can people purchase it?
KB: My latest release is a paranormal romance titled Between Here and Ever After, published by Wild Horse Press on January 12th, 2010. You can get it from Wild Horse Press; Amazon (Kindle version); 1RomanceEBooks; All Romance EBooks; and Coffee Time Romance.
JCS: Would you like to share an excerpt from one of your stories?
KCS: Sure!
EXCERPT FROM Between Here & Ever After:
Brian’s face floated in front of me, the way he looked the last time I’d seen him. He’d been on my mind a lot since the invitation to my 10th year college reunion arrived last week. As I inched my Mini Cooper through Manhattan morning rush-hour, my heart fluttered and goose-bumps rose on my bare arms as I thought of him.
I tried a couple of times to find Brian despite our unhappy parting, but he had dropped from the face of the earth. His parents had retired to Florida, so I couldn’t ask them where he was. I suppose I could’ve hired a detective, but that seemed a little obsessive, even to me, especially since he didn’t want me in his life
JCS: Is there anything else you would like to say?
KB: I hope everyone enjoys my story and I want to thank everyone who buys it!
JCS: Thank you for taking the time to complete an interview with me Karoline. I look forward to reading your story and I’m sure others will be too.
For more information on Karoline Barrett’s works, you can visit her at http://karolinebarrett.weebly.com/.
Interview with Author J. L. Oiler
JCS: Thank you for joining me today! I know you have a busy schedule.
J.L. OilerWell Thanks for having me.
JCS: If you had to pick one reason why you write, what would it be?
J.L. Oiler: Writing is sort of my escape from the world. It allows me to be anyone, anywhere, with the only limitations being my own imagination.
JCS: When you’re writing, is there anything you do out of habit (listen to music, sit in a particular spot, etc)?
J.L. Oiler: I have this old beat-up recliner that I like to curl up in with my laptop and write, usually late in the evening or night. As far as listening to music, it actually depends what scene I am working on. If it is a fight or something that needs a lot of energy, I like the adrenaline that a nice hard rock tune has. Just seems to get my imagination kick started.
JCS: If there was anything you could say to potential writers out there, what would it be?
J.L. Oiler: Don’t be discouraged if others don’t view your story with as much enthusiasm as you do. There are so many different likes/dislikes out there that it is impossible to create something that everyone will immediately fall in love with. Just be true to yourself and your style. What one person hates may be exactly what sells to someone else.
JCS: What was the first story you had published? What is your current work in progress?
J.L. Oiler: My first story to get published is Blood Dance. It is part of my Seeds of Oden Series. As for work in progress I have two that are currently in the mix. The third in my series which is currently titled Blood Denial, and an untitled piece.
JCS: When you were selecting a publisher, what were you looking for? Would you do anything differently?
J.L. Oiler: There are a lot of publisher out there now and I scouted around reading the mission statements and looking at their sites, authors, and promotions. What I was looking for was someone I could be myself with and who was not afraid to get a little mud on their hands. I think Wild Horse Press was a perfect fit. They encourage me to be exactly who I am and help empower me to be the best author I can be without being condescending or indifferent.
JCS: Can you tell us a little about your latest release or upcoming release? When will it be available? Where can people purchase it?
J.L. Oiler: This is actually a busy year for me, I have three releases scheduled for this year with Blood Dance being the first on January 26th (wow that is now). It is available from all the vendors that carry Wild Horse Press, including All Romance e-books, Coffee Time Romance, and 1romance e-books.
JCS: Would you like to share an excerpt from one of your stories?
J.L. Oiler: Sure, here is little excerpt from Blood Dance:
“What is going on?” Cere asked Loki as they both peered around the wall leading into the small kitchen, then ducked back just as a large serving plate burst into a million pieces against the wall.
“Suckers attacked Ares and Andrea. Turns out that Andreas boyfriend was one of them.” Loki began to explain as another crash sounded nearby and a few stray pieces of glass slid out into the hallway. “Andrea is dead, and from what I understand the bastards shot Ares up pretty good.”
“Is she alright, shouldn’t we be in there trying to heal her?” Cere asked, the concern for her sibling obvious in her worried expression, as she absently stroked Cerberus, their pet cat, who had come to see what all the commotion was about.
“I think that’s part of the problem,” the freckle faced red head said as she chanced a peek around the corner. “Kaden showed up and killed off all the suckers and gave her his blood.”
The small kitchen was silent for a moment until a flood of obscenities and the sounds of silverware striking the wall filled the air once again. “Oh.” The small blond smiled, “So she is bloodmated.”
When she finally ran out of things to throw in her tantrum, Ares collapsed in the only chair left upright. Her entire body shook in rage as she put her face in her hands and attempted to regain some thread of self control. She could still taste him on her lips, and it only added to her torment. How could she have allowed this to happen? Her own arrogance in her ability to protect herself and Andrea had now left her bound by blood to the large Nicaea male that had been stocking her.
Cerberus arched his back and rubbed against her leg, demanding her attention. Picking him up Ares dropped him into her lap and rubbed behind his small ears until he began to purr loudly.
How could this have happened to her? This was the last thing she had expected or wanted. Yes sure, he was sexy as hell and just being near him made her panties wet, but he was also domineering and arrogant. Anyways she still had things that she had to do, she had made a blood pledge to find and reunite her sisters, a task she had truly only begun. No, she could not accept this there had to be a way out of this.
New Erotic Romance Author — Alexis Duvall
JCS: Today I have with me Alexis Duvall, a new erotic romance author. She was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to stop in and chat for a moment. Thank you for joining me today Alexis!
Alexis: Thank you for having me. 
JCS: I understand that you’re new to erotic romance. How exactly did you get started with your writing career?
Alexis: Well, I’ve loved writing since I was a little girl. My mother still has some of the first short stories I wrote, and much to my horror she drags them out when she has company! But I finally wrote a story I felt was worth publishing — All Tied Up.
It all started from a conversation I had with a friend who was frustrated over her latest boyfriend. I won’t go into details to spare her any embarrassment, but it made me start thinking about all of the women out there who think they’re duds in bed. Not because they are, but because they’ve chosen men who couldn’t care less whether or not they get any enjoyment out of sex… it’s all about them and not the women they are with.
JCS: Could you tell us a little bit about your upcoming release?
Alexis: Anna hasn’t had many serious relationships and none of them have been satisfying. After a visit to the Crystal Palace, a place where all of your erotic desires can come true, she opens up a little more and meets an incredible man – David. Their relationship has a really unconventional start, but as Anna begins to explore her sexuality more she becomes more open to a lasting relationship with David.
I have to warn you, it comes with an x-rating. The sex scenes are detailed with light bondage, menage, and even some female/female sex scenes. So it definitely isn’t a story for everyone.
JCS: It sounds like an interesting read! When will it be available for purchase?
Alexis: It’s being released by Wild Horse Press on February 23, 2010. But it’s available for pre-sale right now at All Romance Ebooks!
JSC: Would you feel comfortable sharing an excerpt with us?
Alexis: Absolutely!
Excerpt from All Tied Up, (c) 2009, Alexis Duvall
I’m not sure how I ended up in this predicament, and yet here I am – blindfolded and tied to a bed. If only I hadn’t let Todd talk me into this! As best friends went, he was the greatest… until now.
“You need to get out more, try new things,” he’d said. “I bet you’ve never let anyone tie you down.”
Being completely naïve, I’d asked, “What do you mean?”
“I mean that you’ve never let anyone tie you to a bed, stripped naked, laying open to them.”
I’d blushed the color of a strawberry and gaped at him. After a moment, he’d reached over and snapped my jaw shut.
“You’re catching flies,” he’d teased.
“You mean you want me to let someone tie up and have sex with me?” I’d asked in shock.
I mean sure, I’d heard of people doing that, but I’d certainly never tried it! I wasn’t exactly sexually experienced. I’d been with exactly three guys and all of them had been out the door the moment I’d given it up. I was starting to think there was something wrong with me.
“Don’t be such a prude,” he’d said with a roll of his brown eyes. “I think you’d actually enjoy it.”
“But… I don’t know anyone into that!”
He’d given me a wicked grin then. “You don’t have to. There’s a place in town, the Crystal Palace. They specialize in just such things.”
“And how do you know of this place?”
He’d shrugged. “I heard about it at work.”
“Todd, you work in a bar. Just because you hear about something at work, doesn’t mean you should have your best friend go out and try it.”
Against my better judgment, I’d allowed him to talk me into it. So now I found myself in the Crystal Palace, devoid of clothing, blindfolded with a black satin cloth, and tied to the bed.
JCS: Wow, that was some excerpt! Thanks for stopping in and sharing a little about yourself and All Tied Up! I think I need to unsteam the windows now. I can’t wait to see how that scene ends!
Alexis: Thank you for having me! It’s been a pleasure!
JCS: If you’d like to visit Alexis and keep up to date on her future releases, you can visit her at her website.
Publisher Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary
Wild Horse Press is celebrating their one year anniversary this month. As part of the celebration, they are offering 30% off all titles listed at All Romance Ebooks and giving away a tote bag filled with goodies, including autographed paperbacks. For more details, please visit their website at www.the-wild-horse-press.com!
WHP has published all of my titles thus far:
Whispering Lake (prequel to the Ashton Grove Werewolves series)
Moonlight Protector (Book 1, Ashton Grove Werewolves)
Moonlight Hero (Book 2, Ashton Grove Werewolves)
Moonlight Guardian (Book 3, Ashton Grove Werewolves)
Magnolia Magick
Vicus Luna
Christmas Wishes Come True
and various free short stories….
They have also published T. L. Mitchell’s Dark of kNight, Blood Dance by J. L. Oiler, and Angel’s Fire, Demon’s Blood by Tamela Quijas. If you enjoy YA titles, you should definitely check out Storm Swept and Jaguar Moon by Linda Palmer, who was previously a Silhouette author.
If you’re interested in winning the tote bag, simply email wildhorsepress@gmail.com with the subject NEW YEAR DRAWING or ANNIVERSARY DRAWING… the winner will be contacted by email on January 15th.
Thoughts on Sigmund Freud …
I know, off topic for me, but why not…
Did you know that Freud started out studying neurology? He was studying under Dr. Charcot in Paris when he came up with the idea that hysteria didn’t stem from biological issues but from emotional ones. Rather radical idea for that time. However, because of Freud’s sudden interest in the mind from a psychological standpoint, we have psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, and several other ideas/therapies that came about from his original ideas. Actually, we have Freud’s followers to thank for several of those forms of therapy (such as his daughter, Anna, and Carl Jung).
OK… so Freud was a little obsessed with inappropriate sexual thoughts and feelings. Obviously he had some personal issues to work through, but aside from that, he really did have great insight into the mind for that period of time. After all, we wouldn’t have “talking therapy” today if it weren’t for him.
Now… you may ask, why on earth is a romance writer interested in psychology? Simple. How can you have well-rounded characters if you don’t understand the psychological make-up of personality? It’s hard to create a person from scratch if you don’t first understand what makes a person tick. Another thing we can thank Freud for — defense mechanisms. And let’s face it, at one point another in just about every romance novel, someone uses a defense mechanism for something (repression, denial, etc.). It’s easier to write those scenes and provide actions for your characters if you know a little more about the subject matter.
At least, that’s this author’s humble opinion.
Talking with Phoebe Jordan
I had an radio interview with Phoebe Jordan this evening on Blog Talk Radio. Did you miss the show? Don’t worry, you can still listen to it! Just click the link below and select show #16.
Want to know what I’m currently working on? Want to know about my upcoming release, Vicus Luna? Be sure to listen to the show!
Interview with Author Julie Kimbrell
Julie Kimbrell, a new up-and-coming author, agreed to do an interview with me. She’s published both YA and Adult Romance with two e-publishers and is currently seeking an agent.
When did you first become interested in writing?
I’ve always had an interest but no time or initiative. About a year ago, I had an idea and mentioned it to my mother who told me to write it down. I wrote it down and began to add to it and a couple weeks later, I had my first YA book.
What made you decide to become a published author? What process did you go through when selecting your publisher(s)?
I felt so proud that I actually wrote a whole novel. I mean, 50,000 words is a lot. I thought I’d never be able to do it, and I did. That motivated me to write query letters and mail them to different agencies in an attempt to find an agent to represent me. I haven’t found one yet, but I’m not giving up. After I finished my next two books, I decided to try e-publishing. It seemed to be the latest technology in writing. When I submitted my first Adult Romance, A Knight in Shining Tow Truck, Hearts On Fire Press picked It up so I went with them. They took all the books I had written up to then, which were all YA Romance.
If you could give advice to someone interested in writing, what would it be?
Don’t give up. Sometimes it feels like you’re stuck. Put it aside and come back to it later. You’re mind and ideas change all the time. Stick with it until you find what you’re looking for. Every book will be better than the last.
Could you tell us a little about your latest work?
My latest book which is an Adult Romance due out Spring 2010. Mr. Irresistible is published by Wild Horse Press.
Mr. Irresistible Blurb: This story is about Kate Simon, a sensible, independent young woman, who’s thrown for a loop when Gage Morgan steps into her life. She’s not ready for the feelings that result every time they’re together, which is often since she’s helping him run his friend’s new bar. For some reason, he’s irresistible. Gage is so motivated to make the business successful for his friend, he struggles with his feelings for Kate as well. Does he have time for a relationship? Could it be love? And what will happen when Gage’s selfish friend, Charlie decides he wants Kate for himself. Can Gage keep his so-called friend from ruining everything?
What inspired you to write Mr. Irresistible?
Nothing in particular. I had several ideas about how I wanted to begin the book and one morning while I was at Wal-Mart getting groceries, I heard someone’s name being called over the intercom and it hit me.
Are you currently working on something? If so, can you tell us a little bit about it?
Yes, I am currently finishing up on another Adult Romance that I’ve named “Hiding Hope”. It’s about a woman named Kinley who just lost her grandmother who was all the family she had left. Her friend Mia convinces her to move back to the town she grew up in where she meets Grayson. He’s alone, just like Kinley and they begin to hit it off. Kinley finds a stray dog and she and Gray hide it until they get caught and she gets evicted from the apartment she just moved into. They begin to spend time together and realize they have feelings for each other, but Kinley isn’t ready to deal with them. She wants to focus on herself and starting a new business. Gray loves her and becomes a very good support system for her. Can Gray break down the barriers around her heart? Will Kinley find that she feels the same way about Gray?
If you could go back and change anything in your writing/publishing career, would you? And if so, what would it be and why?
I wouldn’t change anything. It’s been a fun and exciting process for me. I will continue to try and find an agent although it is becoming apparent that might not happen. I will not give up on the idea of having a mass market paperback, but until then, I want to share my work with anyone who will be willing to read it and the web is the best way to do that.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us today?
I’d like to say that I have a couple books due out in print in the next couple months. Look for them at Heartsonfirebooks.com and amazon.com I would love for anyone that has read my works to email me with their comments. juliekimbrellbooks@yahoo.com and I have a website www.juliekimbrell.com
Thanks for having me, Jessica!
Affirmations… by guest author Linda Palmer
Time and again, I’ve noticed that when I begin a new book, I start receiving what I call “affirmations” that I’m doing the right thing. I actually have a list of affirmations I received while writing Storm Swept, my December ’09 release from Wild Horse Press. In that book, a character that is in the military is called up to help repair damage from a hurricane that I named Farrah. My affirmation? Right after I named my hurricane, I met a woman named Farrah at work. Coincidence? Maybe, but also an affirmation because I picked the name at random, and she was actually looking for another office. Another example is my decision to have my heroine enrolled in classes at a culinary institute. I immediately received two affirmations for that decision: I started seeing ads for a culinary institute while watching Ghost Hunter on the SyFy channel, and I heard one of my coworkers on the phone talking about her daughter actually enrolling in one. If I hadn’t already made that choice for my character, I’d think that hearing about the institute subconsciously made me choose it. But it just didn’t happen that way.
Yet another example is my choice of “mermaid” as a nickname the hero gives the heroine. After I wrote that, I immediately received three affirmations. First, the movie Mermaids starring Cher came on television. Second, there was a story on the news about a prosthetic mermaid tail created for a woman who didn’t have legs so she could swim. Third, a coworker randomly mentioned that her husband called her that.
In this same vein, right after I wrote a scene where a character is attacked by an evil spirit, but is rescued in the nick of time, I heard this lyric in a rock song “if not for me then you’d be dead.” Okay…I admit that’s a stretch, but it worked for me! And right after I decided that my heroine would be cooking breakfasts at her sister’s B&B, I got an e-mail from Kraft foods full of breakfast recipes and heard one of the characters on Big Bang Theory mention a B&B.
Receiving affirmations is not new to me. I remember my Silhouette Romance days and two particularly unusual incidences. While plotting a book about a hero whose job is to stop illegal immigration from Mexico into Texas, I realized I didn’t know what branch of the government controlled that. At the time, the internet wasn’t as huge, so the world wasn’t at my fingertips as it is now. Before I had a chance to research my question, I ran into a man who had the words Border Patrol on his cap. We were both giving blood at the time, which meant neither of us could go anywhere, so I was able to ask him a lot of questions. Another affirmation from that same book was my need for a stretch of lonely highway. I wanted my heroine to stop and change a flat tire for the hero, whose entire arm was in a cast. If there was a lot of traffic on the road, a man would already have done the job. I needed for my heroine to know that no one else would be able to help him. I found the answer to my question when the woman who sells me make-up stopped by my house and began talking about her recent vacation. Out of the blue, she said that she’d driven down a road for over an hour without seeing another car. I got out an atlas. She pointed out the road, which was, believe it or not, in Texas!
I have many more examples; they’re all lots of fun. And amazingly enough, my daughter, who recently began writing romance, has started getting them, too. She phones and e-mails me often, telling me her most recent. Jessica Coulter Smith recently told me that she dreamed about the last book in her series and woke up knowing how to write it. Well, no dreams for me so far, but I do get affirmations straight from my personal muse. And they never fail to encourage and inspire me.
Reviews at Long & Short Reviews….
I write the occasional review at Long & Short Reviews… I’ve been MIA lately due to some health issues, but thankfully will be reviewing again. Anyway, I thought I’d post a brief synopsis from a few of my favorites over there along with a link to the full reviews.
Love on a Harley
As a woman who has enjoyed the occasional ride on one of man’s greatest inventions, I can say that the women did a good job describing the feel of riding on the impressive machines. Each of the men had that “bad boy” feel, but hid a good heart. The women were strong, yet pining for the love of a good man.
(read the full review)
The Feline Fugitive
The Feline Fugitive is definitely worth your time. I haven’t read anything of Ms. Bishop’s before, but I will definitely keep my eye out for her other stories.
The Feline Fugitive is full of humor, romance, action, and suspense – just what every good romance should have!
(read the full review)
Stranger in His Bed
I found the characters to be believable and sincere in their emotions. While this may be an unconventional romance by normal standards, I found myself reading page after page, anxious to see where the story would go. Ms. Henderson did a lovely job, painting scenes that I could easily see in my mind.
