Author to Author Blog Hop, Day 6

Lissa Bryan is a fellow TWCS author, yay! I also met her while in Austin, TX for the book festival. Enjoy her interview! 

Lissa Bryan is an astronaut, renowned Kabuki actress, Olympic pole vault gold medalist, Iron Chef champion, and scientist who recently discovered the cure for athlete's foot.... though only in her head.

Real life isn't so interesting, which is why she spends most of her time writing.

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Ten Questions

1. Who's your favorite author, and why?

Asking an avid reader to name one favorite author is like asking a parent to pick a favorite child. There are so many authors I love, and they all taught me something about writing. But the one that sticks out for me is Emily Brontë.Wuthering Heights is an amazing novel. Every word—even the names— she selected to convey the proper mood for the scenes, and Brontë made every line a poem. I’m not that skilled and I probably never will be, but I try to follow her example in choosing words that enhance the mood I want to convey.


2. If you could have a conversation with one of the characters in your most-recently released novel, which one would it be and why?

I would pick Seth Fortner fromGhostwriter. He was a man both haunted and haunting, terribly damaged by his experiences in WWI, but as Sara says in the novel, he had a sweet poet’s soul.


3. Where do you get the ideas and inspiration for your characters personalities?

They seem to grow organically. A story begins in my mind with the simple question, “What if…?” As the story develops, so do the characters who tell it. They start as faint outlines, but as I get to know them, they seem to become people with a mind of their own, who sometimes steer the story in a different direction than I intended. And most of the time, they’re right.


4. What is the best thing (in your opinion) about being a writer?

Sharing with others these characters who have lived in my mind for so many years. There’s no greater reward than seeing people love the characters I’ve created.

5. How did you find your agent/publisher?

They found me, actually. I was writing fanfiction, having made the startling discovery that other people re-write books and movies, too and there are massive online communities dedicated to it. One of my stories became popular and that brought me to the publisher’s attention. They contacted me and asked if I’d ever considered writing a novel.

I’d never thought being published was a possibility. I thought that only happened by sending out hundreds of manuscripts and facing the inevitable rejection. I’m not bold enough or thick-skinned enough for that, and I was content with just letting my stories out “into the wild.” And then that email came and everything changed for me.


6. What's the best piece of writing advice you've been given?

I used to correspond with a published author and she gave me the best advice I’ve been given. She told me that every scene, every line, every word must drive the plot forward, or reveal something important about the characters. If it can be cut without affecting the story line, you should delete it.

This is difficult, to say the least. Writers tend to be in love with their own words, which is great because that passion shines through to the reader. But we have to look at our own work with a critical eye. However beautifully written, a scene that doesn’t drive the plot forward is dead weight.

In Ghostwriter, I had a long scene about the anarchist bombings of 1919. I really liked it, but it didn’t survive the first round of edits. I tried to make excuses for it, saying it added historical detail necessary for the reader to understand the time period. I finally faced up to the fact that it didn’t really advance the plot; in fact, it slowed it down. I could convey the necessary information in just a couple of lines.

Stephen King calls it “killing your darlings.” And that’s what it feels like, sometimes, but it’s necessary.


7. Biggest mistake you've made as an author?

“Show, don’t tell.” It’s something that I’m working hard to learn. With every book, I find a new area where I need to improve. Harsh reviews may sting, but there’s often valuable insights into where your work can be improved.


8. What would the lead character of your latest novel want for Christmas?

Justin Thatcher is the lead character in my latest novel, The End of All Things, a romance set in a post-apocalyptic world. He’s very practical, so he’d probably ask for a gun or canned foods.


9. Favorite Christmas music?

Carol of the Bells is my favorite Christmas song and my favorite version of it is Christmas in Sarajevo by the Trans-Siberian orchestra. Every time I hear it, It gives me chills.


10. What was the best gift you ever received?

Gift cards for book stores. It’s like giving me the universe in one small package. It gives me travel to another time and place, new “friends” I’ll meet in the pages of a novel, new ideas or new perspectives, and maybe —just maybe— what I read will spark that question “What if…?” and my imagination will catch fire with a new idea for a story of my own.

You can find Lissa's books at TWCS, Amazon and iTunes.

The Author to Author Blog Hop is hosting a giveaway for a prize package of eBooks from our contributing authors. Enter below, and the winner will be notified by e-mail. You have a chance to enter every day on any of the participating author's blogs - so keep checking back. (Note: eBooks labeled 18+ will not be awarded to a winner under the age of 18.)

The Author to Author Blog Hop Giveaway Prize Package includes:

Legacy of a Dreamer by Allie Jean (16+)

Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan (16+)

Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan (16+)

Behind Closed Doors by Sherri Hayes (16+)

Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever by L.V. Lewis (18+)

Riverbend by Andrea Goodson

Serial Summer by Angel Lawson (18+)

MORE by T.M. Franklin

Valerie, Daughter of the Dragon by Robert S. Fuller, Jr.

Ghosts of our Pasts by N.K. Smith

My Only by N.K. Smith

The Six by K. B. Hoyle

Damaged Goods by Alexandra Allred

CLICK HERE to enter PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY

Author to Author Blog Hop, Day 5

Featured today is Andrea Goodson, and she is the one who actually came up with the idea for Author to Author. I don't know her personally, but she's been a great help to all of the authors involved in this blog hop. I hope you enjoy reading about her and learning about her books! 

Andrea Goodson was born in 1982 and had a love of and fascination with writing since she was very young. Always imagining ways in which the world could be different, she began to write short stories when she was very young. It wasn't until many years later that she put pen to paper and began to work on what has become her first novel,Riverbend, part one in a trilogy. Upon completion of that work she found that writing was something she felt meant to do and would never be able to give up. Using her own experiences with hardship and tragedy, Andrea uses her writing to reach others in an effort to show the world that we need not be victims of circumstance. Her main characters endure many conflicts yet find the courage and strength to better themselves. Andrea spends long days walking in the forests of Northwest Pennsylvania dreaming up her next novels.

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Ten Questions

1. Who's your favorite author, and why?

This is almost impossible for me to answer. There are so many authors whose work I adore. From Romantic Suspense to Young Adult to Fantasy to Chrsitian Fiction, there are countless whose books have changed my outlook on life. If I had to choose an absolute favorite it would be the author who first inspired my soul to dream of life in another time and place. Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables was the first book that I lost myself in as a child. Without her work, I may have never aspired to be an author.


2. If you could have a conversation with one of the characters in your most-recently released novel, which one would it be and why?

Lena Woodruff from Riverbend. She is strong, bold, and unforgiving of herself. I would love the chance to tell her that life isn't supposed to be easy and she should just give herself a break!


3. Where do you get the ideas and inspiration for your characters personalities?

My characters personalities are a blend of traits from many people I have encountered throughout my life. A favorable character might get the traits that I most appreciated from a handful of people I have known, while the villians get the worst!


4. What is the best thing (in your opinion) about being a writer?

Daydreaming, imagining, and thinking up stories. Coming up with plots and characters functions as a great stress reliever from the everyday havoc of the real world.


5. How did you find your agent/publisher?


This is actually a long story. I will keep it short and sweet for you. I sent countless query letters out with little to no response. I almost gave up after weeks and weeks of frustration. My child, who has been battling Dyslexia, was having great difficulty with some homework one night. She had been crying and was ashamed and embarassed that she was having such a hard time completing her work. My exact words to her were, "You can accomplish anything you set your mind to as long as you have the motivation. Don't ever give up. Nothing is impossible. You are smart and you have ambition.You can do this!" She looked back at me and said, "Then why don't you just publish your book yourself?" I was speechless and instantly realized that to be an effective parent and successful in my own attempts, I needed to practice what I preached. After a few days of research and reading, I made the decision to self publish. I am very happy with my decision. It gives me control over my book's marketing and promotion while keeping me very involved with my readers. Also, it has impacted my daughter in an amazing way. She suddenly developed a love for reading that was not there before and has started an idea journal of thoughts for her own stories!

6. What's the best piece of writing advice you've been given?

"Love it or leave it." Writing is fun for me and there is nothing I would rather do. Someone told me once that if it begins to feel like too much of a job that I shouldn't do it. I now see why. Although I absolutely love writing, editing and marketing are an entirely different story. I don't necessarily dislike them, but they are not exactly loads of fun. So, you must love writing enough to make the rest of the work involved worth it. For me the benefits always outweigh the downfalls.


7. Biggest mistake you've made as an author?

I published my first novel before attempting to build any kind of website, platform, or fan base. I didn't even have a Twitter at the time. A novel isn't going to get read very much if nobody knows that it was even published! I spent a great deal of time doing what I can only describe as "back up" posting.

8. What would the lead character of your latest novel want for Christmas?

At this point in the story (Riverbend is book one in a trilogy), all Lena would want is a one way ticket to Georgia!


9. Favorite Christmas music?

Anything instrumental, piano, or Trans-Siberian Orchestra!


10. What was the best gift you ever received?

My laptop. It was the first tool I used to begin research for my first book.


Thank you, Andrea!

You can view, sample, and purchase Riverbend on Kindle, paperback Amazon, and all eBook formats on Smashwords. The second book, Rapid Water is due for release on Dec. 15, 2012

The Author to Author Blog Hop is hosting a giveaway for a prize package of eBooks from our contributing authors. Enter below, and the winner will be notified by e-mail. You have a chance to enter every day on any of the participating author's blogs - so keep checking back. (Note: eBooks labeled 18+ will not be awarded to a winner under the age of 18.)

The Author to Author Blog Hop Giveaway Prize Package includes:

Legacy of a Dreamer by Allie Jean (16+)

Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan (16+)

Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan (16+)

Behind Closed Doors by Sherri Hayes (16+)

Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever by L.V. Lewis (18+)

Riverbend by Andrea Goodson

Serial Summer by Angel Lawson (18+)

MORE by T.M. Franklin

Valerie, Daughter of the Dragon by Robert S. Fuller, Jr.

Ghosts of our Pasts by N.K. Smith

My Only by N.K. Smith

The Six by K. B. Hoyle

Damaged Goods by Alexandra Allred

CLICK HERE to enter PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY

December News!

Hey Y'all! (As I live outside of Birmingham, AL, I am allowed to use "y'all" even though I am a professional writer, FYI.) December is going by so quickly, I feel like we are going to be at Christmas before we know it. Here are a few of the exciting things going on with me/my publishing house this month...

My day for the 12 Days of Christmas sale at TWCS is December 19th, but there are lots of other titles in a variety of genres to check out! Click HERE to visit TWCS and view the schedule.

Also this month, TWCS is proud to announce an official Young Adult division on Facebook! Now you can keep up with JUST YA book news from yours truly and the other YA authors at The Writer's Coffee Shop. Visit our Facebook page HERE and click "like"!

And don't forget, with Christmas almost upon us, that The Gateway Chronicles make great Christmas presents for readers of all ages. Here's what a recent new reader said in an e-mail to me this month after reading my books for the first time: 

I started your books last week and finished "The Enchanted" today. I consider myself a very avid reader, as I read constantly, and I must inform you that your books are my new favorite series of all time. I loved them more than Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Narnia, and even the Hunger Games. 

Just click on any of the covers in the sidebar to be redirected to the TWCS bookstore to purchase copies. Feel free to contact me directly at kbhoyle@yahoo.com with any questions! 

Author to Author Blog Hop, Day 4

Meet N. K. Smith! N. K. Smith is another YA author with my publishing house, TWCS. I have not had the privilege of reading her books yet, but I met her in Austin this fall, and I'm looking forward to learning more about her and what she writes.

    

1. Who's your favorite author, and why?

I hate to be a party pooper, but I can’t answer this. There are too many fine novelists out there to pick just one. I wish I could narrow down to even just one genre I like over the other, but I cannot. In high school, I couldn’t get enough of Steinbeck and Shakespeare, but I’m not sure I’d call them my favorites right now. The world of literature is incredibly diverse and populated by people who have such beautiful stories to tell that it would be a disservice to name just one as my favorite.

2. If you could have a conversation with one of the characters in your most-recently released novel, which one would it be and why?

I would talk to Henry from Ghosts of Our Pasts because he’s my favorite. We’d have tea and probably some veggies and hummus after doing a bit of yoga. We’d talk about various topics, but mostly about philosophy, deep breathing, and the power of thought.

3. Where do you get the ideas and inspiration for your characters personalities?

The characters usually just appear in my mind. Sometimes it’s just a glimpse of them, other times it’s the full character, complete with nervous tics and backstories. I think it’s my subconscious taking tiny bits and pieces of those around me, mushing them together, and pushing out a brand new person who has a story to tell.

4. What is the best thing (in your opinion) about being a writer?

The best thing about being a writer is being able to get the characters’ stories out. They pester me until I sit down and let them have a voice. It’s freeing and entertaining to get to know them Equally as awesome is connecting with people all over the world who love reading and meeting new characters.

5. How did you find your agent/publisher?

I was lucky. They found me.

6. What's the best piece of writing advice you've been given?

Just keep swimming. It wasn’t exactly writing-specific, but I think it applies. No matter how much I might want to give up on a scene or a character, I just keep writing. Eventually I break through the block, remove the barrier, or finish the manuscript.

7. Biggest mistake you've made as an author?

There are a lot of things I’d do differently, but I wouldn’t call them mistakes. I’d call them learning opportunities.

Holiday-themed questions:

1. What would the lead character of your latest novel want for Christmas?

The lead male character I’m writing at the moment would want two tickets to Anfield to watch Liverpool Football Club play.

2. Favorite Christmas music?

The kind I don’t hear. Okay, fine, my favorite is O, Holy Night!, but I like Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer as well because my kids love it, and I like to change the words so they’re the hero of the story.

3. What was the best gift you ever received? 

The best gift I’ve ever received didn’t happen at the holidays. I won’t say it’s my children, because it’s cliché and goes without saying. The best gift I’ve ever received was when I worked for a beachside bed and breakfast and my husband and I were broke. The normally abrasive chef asked me what was wrong. I told him. He reached into his pocket, pulled out all the money he had on him, and handed it to me. He said that he’d been where I was, and he and his wife made a promise to each other that when they could, they’d help someone else out when they needed it. Now, it wasn’t a huge sum of money. It was $15, but the meaning behind it affected me deeply. It was the gift that kept on giving long after the money was spent. It’s still giving something special to me each time I remember there are good people out there who want nothing in return for their assistance. It’s helped shape my worldview and helped me see to the core of people.

 

Based in the American Midwest, N.K. Smith is a Technical Writer for a Fortune 100 company. The author of the Old Wounds Series, she is a mother of two who finds the time to write very early in the morning when the rest of the world is still fast asleep.
An avid lover of history, art, music, books, and people, she is interested in telling stories that speak to the human condition.

Fun Fact about N.K. Smith: I love connecting with people who love to read, so come visit me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NKSmithAuthor ), on Twitter (@NKSmithWrites), on GoodReads (www.goodreads.com/author/show/5358547.N_K_Smith), and my blog (nksmithauthor.blogspot.com)

Buy N.K.Smith books here: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/authors/detail/10

The Author to Author Blog Hop is hosting a giveaway for a prize package of eBooks from our contributing authors. Enter below, and the winner will be notified by e-mail. You have a chance to enter every day on any of the participating author's blogs - so keep checking back. (Note: eBooks labeled 18+ will not be awarded to a winner under the age of 18.)

The Author to Author Blog Hop Giveaway Prize Package includes:

Legacy of a Dreamer by Allie Jean (16+)

Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan (16+)

Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan (16+)

Behind Closed Doors by Sherri Hayes (16+)

Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever by L.V. Lewis (18+)

Riverbend by Andrea Goodson

Serial Summer by Angel Lawson (18+)

MORE by T.M. Franklin

Valerie, Daughter of the Dragon by Robert S. Fuller, Jr.

Ghosts of our Pasts by N.K. Smith

My Only by N.K. Smith

The Six by K. B. Hoyle

Damaged Goods by Alexandra Allred

CLICK HERE to enter PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY

Author to Author Blog Hop, Day 2

Today's featured author in the Author to Author Blog Hop is a fellow TWCS author of mine. I met her in Austin this fall at the book festival, but I had no idea she had such an interesting life story until I read her bio for this blog hop. Read all about Alexandra Allred below! 

Alexandra Powe Allred graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.A. in History, saying,"As everyone knows, once you get a degree in history, all you can really do is teach or write. I'm just doing what I can!" As the daughter of a (now retired) U.S. Diplomat, Allred traveled all over the United States and around the world. Her writing career began before graduation with several pieces on bi-lingual education with national education publications.

But the real stories began while living as a youth in Moscow, Russia. Under a communist regime, imagination and the ability to create stories was the very best way to beat boredom (and the freezing cold!). As her career was taking off, Allred embraced her second passion -- sports. She trained for and made the U.S. women's bobsled team in 1994, becoming the first U.S. National Champion. She was named Athlete of the Year by the United States Olympic Committee and garnered much worldwide attention as she was also 4 1/2 months pregnant at the time! Her training regimen was (and is) used by the United States and International Olympic Committees for pregnant athletes. Following her retirement from the sport in 1998, Allred returned to the literary world with The Quiet Storm.

While living in the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY, she was able to talk to Olympic and National athletes from all disciplines and share with sports enthusiasts. From there, her career was launched. She did adventure freelance writing for Sports Illustrated, Muscle & Fitness for Her, and Volvo magazines. She held a sports column, worked as an editor for NOW magazines outside Dallas, Texas and began working as a Clean Air advocate, often testifying before the EPA.

Today, she writes (mostly) fiction, teaches kinesiology classes for Navarro Community College while enjoying her family and animals in Texas.

Quote from Stephanie Maddin, Earthjustice, Washington, D.C.:

“Alex Allred is an unforgettable force for change on environmental protection and children’s health. When others throw up their hands or throw in the towel, Alex just digs in deeper. Her limitless energy, commitment, and demands for environmental justice for all people inspires the work of so many in the green movement."

Ten Questions

1. Who's your favorite author, and why?

It changes from book to book. Erik Larson is my new favorite. I love the research he does to weave an amazing story. But check with me next week and I'll bet it will be someone new!


2. If you could have a conversation with one of the characters in your most-recently released novel, which one would it be and why?

My characters crack me up. I have to remind myself from time to time that they are just characters because I'll tell my sister, "___ just said the funniest thing!" and she's say, "You do realize she's in your head, right?" Oh, yeah. My most recently released book, Damaged Goods, has some wonderful characters but because they are based on real people, I feel a pretty heavy connection to them. Joanna Lucas is the only true fictional character in the book. For this reason, it would be fun to sit and talk with her ... see where her life takes her without me steering things. Does she stay in Marcus? Does her life include Roberto?

3. Where do you get the ideas and inspiration for your characters personalities?

Life. I also write freelance for magazines and am often given a subject not of my own choosing. It can be difficult but it also forces you to write outside your comfort zone. For this reason, I've been able to see and learn things I would not normally experience. All of these opportunities ... like running like hell to get out of a pasture when a cross breed of a buffalo and cow is coming at you like a freight train (Who knew how fast they could run?!), stay with you, mold you and allow you to create story lines you might not otherwise know.


4. What is the best thing (in your opinion) about being a writer?

Besides being chased by angry beef-a-lo??? Everyday is new, every person is a potential character. You learn to appreciate everything. I do an annual letter in which I make fun of everything that went wrong during the year ... being a writer allows you to express yourself but it also allows you to vent and redirect! That's awesome.


5. How did you find your agent/publisher?

Amazing luck!! I was stuck in an airport after a public speaking gig, picked up Fifty Shades (why not?), read it and then my sister introduced me to the publisher. It's a crazy, crazy, small world!


6. What's the best piece of writing advice you've been given?

Write what you know!

7. Biggest mistake you've made as an author?

Oooooh. What a great question. I waited too long to get going. I was embarrassed to share my stuff or admit out loud that I wanted to be an author.


8. What would the lead character of your latest novel want for Christmas?

Ha. What a fun question! Joanna would want all the trimmings and lights to really showcase her new home that she worked so hard on.


2. Favorite Christmas music?

All the old classics ... no songs by current pop stars. No! No! No!

3. What was the best gift you ever received?

That's tough. I have some favorite kid memories ... today, however, my husband is a TERRIBLE gift giver so ... and, he's in charge of kids getting me things and he really shouldn't be.


Thank you, Alex!

You can find Alexandra Allred's Damaged Goods at TWCS or Amazon.

Alexandra Allred's Facebook page
Follow her on Twitter
Check out her website

The Author to Author Blog Hop is hosting a giveaway for a prize package of eBooks from our contributing authors. Enter below, and the winner will be notified by e-mail. You have a chance to enter every day on any of the participating author's blogs - so keep checking back. (Note: eBooks labeled 18+ will not be awarded to a winner under the age of 18.)

The Author to Author Blog Hop Giveaway Prize Package includes:

Legacy of a Dreamer by Allie Jean (16+)

Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan (16+)

Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan (16+)

Behind Closed Doors by Sherri Hayes (16+)

Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever by L.V. Lewis (18+)

Riverbend by Andrea Goodson

Serial Summer by Angel Lawson (18+)

MORE by T.M. Franklin

Valerie, Daughter of the Dragon by Robert S. Fuller, Jr.

Ghosts of our Pasts by N.K. Smith

My Only by N.K. Smith

The Six by K. B. Hoyle

Damaged Goods by Alexandra Allred

CLICK HERE to enter PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY

Author to Author Blog Hop Day 1

• Hi Everyone! I'm sorry I've been away for so long, but I've been busy writing. Is that a good excuse? I think so. At any rate, I'm participating in an author to author blog hop for the next couple weeks that will feature authors from all sorts of different genres on different days, and the first author is yours truly! So, please enjoy the following interview...
  
  
  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  1. Who's your favorite author, and why?

  This is a REALLY difficult question for me to answer! I love different authors for different reasons. If I can be perfectly honest, it would have to be a three-way tie between J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and J. K. Rowling. What these three have in common that keeps me going back to their books over and over again is depth of storytelling. They each cloak, under the guise of fantasy, incredibly complex and meaningful stories. The Lord of the Rings is like beautiful classical music. When you read it, you can feel the levels of craftsmanship that went into creating Middle Earth and the characters that populate it. The Chronicles of Narnia are so decpetively simple, and they introduced me to a love of fantasy literature as a very young child, but when I read them as an adult, I can now see the layers of meaning and symbolism that Lewis smuggled into the stories. And Harry Potter . . . oh, how I love Harry! I had an immediate, emotional connection with those stories that led me to dig deeper and study how they were written. Lo and behold I discovered classical and medieval literary methodology and symbolism that transcends anything one might expect to find in a modern children's commercial fantasy. I've sought to emulate the styles of all three authors in my own writing because there's a reason each of these three authors are some of the most widely-read in history. I want my books to connect with readers in the same ways.

  
  

  2. If you could have a conversation with one of the characters in your most-recently released novel, which one would it be and why?

  I would have a conversation with Tellius. Tellius has always been my favorite character from book 1, and it is in book 4 (the most recently released) that I finally let the readers in on a lot more of his personality. A lot happens to Tellius in book 4, and he kind of needs a hug, a cup of tea, and a good long talk. He's someone with a lot of depth to him, especially in book 4, and I would love to dig into his personal struggles with him a little more.

  
  

  3. Where do you get the ideas and inspiration for your characters personalities?

  Oh, I gather inspiration from all over. Because my current series is based loosely on experiences I had at camp as a child, many of the personalities from my camp friends found their way into The Gateway Chronicles. (I say "loosely" because obviously I never passed through a gateway to a new and magical world . . . or did I???) I also study my students for teenage mannerisms, and I mine the depths of my favorite books for inspiration on how the best authors have done it before me. There's a little of some of my favorite literary characters in some of the characters in my books.

  
  

  4. What is the best thing (in your opinion) about being a writer?

  I get to write stories I myself want to read! I've always had a ton of stories floating around in my head, begging to get out. I used to skip lunch at school to sit in study hall and write, but although I am really shy, I never wanted my stories to only be for me. As scary as it is, I've always known my stories were meant to be shared with others. It's just a bonus that I love them too, and that I get an outlet for my creative energy.

  
  

  5. How did you find your agent/publisher?

  That is a long story, so I'll cut it way down. It was kind of providential. I'm incredibly nervous about getting reviews (is any author NOT?), so I've always been shy about asking people to review my books. When I self-published my second novel, however, I just knew that I needed to do something more to get the word out about my books, so I psyched myself up and chose a random reviewer I had found on Twitter. She looked like someone who might like my books, and she accepted self-pub manuscripts, so I sent her an e-mail. She accepted the review and ended up loving my books (phew), and it just so happened that she worked for the marketting department of TWCS publishing house. She contacted me, inquiring whether or not I would ever consider traditional publishing, to which I replied, "Of course!" Basically it came together in bits and pieces after that, but it really was kind of crazy because she remains the only person, to this day, I have ever directly approached for a book review. (I'm still terrified of it and am SO thankful for the fabulous marketers at TWCS who help set all that up for me now!)

  
  

  6. What's the best piece of writing advice you've been given?

  There is no such thing as writer's block. If you are a professional author, writing is your job, so treat it as such.

  
  

  Because I am also a teacher, this made me think about how I don't necessarily feel like teaching every day, but because it is my JOB, I get up and go to work and do it regardless. In every job, you have good days and bad days. I wouldn't stay home when I don't feel like teaching simply because I have "teacher's block," so neither should I neglect writing when I have writer's block. I'd never thought of it that way before.

  
  

  7. Biggest mistake you've made as an author?

  I don't know if it's the biggest one, but it was one of the most embarassing mistakes I've made as an author. I have a friendly acquaintance who is a best selling author who volunteered to help me make a few connections when I was still self-published and seeking a traditional publishing house. He facilitated an introduction with his agent, who is one of the biggest agents in the industry, and all I had to do was take it from there and e-mail the agent, introducing myself. Well, I did, and I was so nervous about it that it took me something like four hours to write the e-mail. I wrote it, read it, re-read it, read it out loud to my husband, basically did everything I could to make it sound nice and professional. I'm usually an excellent speller, but I checked and double-checked all the spellings of any big words before I sent the e-mail, just to be safe. Well, my friend had asked me to keep him copied on the correspondence, so I did, and shortly after sending the e-mail, I got a response from him giving me a professional critique of my e-mail to the agent. I was very happy to receive this and thankful for the help, obviously, but I was also mortally embarassed, as my friend informed me (in a very friendly manner) that I had misspelled the word "referral" in the subject line of the e-mail. Maybe this doesn't seem like a big deal, but for how many hours I had put into it, and for the fact that the subject line was the first thing the agent would see, I just couldn't believe I had made such a ridiculous mistake. I still feel a little sick to my stomach today when I think about it! So, yeah... The agent was still kind enough to consider me, and we corresponded a bit more, but he did eventually pass on representing me. I'm sure it wasn't because of the spelling error, but it certainly couldn't have helped!

  
  

  Holiday-themed questions: 

  
  

  1. What would the lead character of your latest novel want for Christmas?

  Darcy Pennington, at the point I am at in the story (as I'm writing it... she's 17 right now, in the middle of book 5), would want nothing more than to be with the people she loves. That's a little hint (wink wink) to those of you eagerly awaiting book 5.

  
  

  2. Favorite Christmas music?

  My favorite Christmas music, hands down, is Handel's Messiah. I could listen to it all day every day this time of year. I think it's brilliant and beautiful, and it never ceases to bring tears to my eyes. Aside from that, I've always really loved the old sacred hymns. O Holy Night is probably my favorite of those.  

  
  

  3. What was the best gift you ever received?

  The best gift I've ever received? Hmmm... that's a tough one! It kind of depends on the situation. When I was 14 years old, my parents bought me and my siblings a dachshund puppy for Christmas. That was pretty awesome, and it's been on my mind this Christmas as they just had to put that dog down last week after 15 years. She's the last of my childhood pets to be put down, so it's been sad. On a happier note (and to tie it back to the first question), when I was sophomore in college, my roommates and I did a gift exchange. Kate, who had picked me to buy for, knew I was getting pretty "into" that Harry Potter series (this was a year after the release of book 4), so she bought me a box set of the first four. I still have it proudly displayed on my mantel, and like the velveteen rabbit, it shows many signs of much love!
  
  
  
  

  The Author to Author Blog Hop is hosting a giveaway for a prize package of eBooks from our contributing authors. Enter below, and the winner will be notified by e-mail. You have a chance to enter every day on any of the participating author's blogs - so keep checking back. (Note: eBooks labeled 18+ will not be awarded to a winner under the age of 18.)

  
  

  The Author to Author Blog Hop Giveaway Prize Package includes:

  
  

  Legacy of a Dreamer by Allie Jean (16+)

  Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan (16+)

  Ghostwriter by Lissa Bryan (16+)

  Behind Closed Doors by Sherri Hayes (16+)

  Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever by L.V. Lewis (18+)

  Riverbend by Andrea Goodson

  Serial Summer by Angel Lawson (18+)

  MORE by T.M. Franklin

  Valerie, Daughter of the Dragon by Robert S. Fuller, Jr.

  Ghosts of our Pasts by N.K. Smith

  My Only by N.K. Smith

  The Six by K. B. Hoyle

  Damaged Goods by Alexandra Allred

  
  
  CLICK HERE to enter PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY