Happy Thanksgiving: I Love You, Man...

I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for all the people I have met through this blog, and the encouragement you all given me this last two years.

Thank You!

Cowboy Crack: Interview with Vivian Arend

Vivian Arend is one of my favorite authors and I was thrilled when asked to review ARCs of the first two Six Pack Ranch books, coming out November 15th and January 10th. Here is the scoop on this addicting series:

The Coleman family has ranched in the Rocky Mountain House area of Alberta for generations. These modern day contemporary cowboy romance stories follow the current family members as they find both their place in the community and happy-ever-afters.

They are amazing, folks. I will be reading them again and again. I emailed a few questions to Viv, who despite her crazy schedule, was kind enough to answer my fangirl questions.

Brenda: I just finished the first and second book in the Six Pack Ranch series, and I have decided they are Cowboy Crack, and you're my dealer.

Viv: Hehehe. Lovely. I need to add that to my bio. :D

Brenda: Seriously, they were sexy, feel good stories that kept me up until 3 a.m. reading. I do have a few questions though that are burning in my brain.

Your cowboys are from Canada, but I notice they do still say "darling" for which I am eternally grateful. What is the difference between a cowboy from the U.S. and one from Canada?

Viv: The weather? I had someone tell em they were surprised-- they didn't think that Canadians talked like that, but it's all in the location. No, people in Toronto don't usually say darling. Neither do the white collar workers in Calgary, Alberta. But when you pop out in the country, you find that there's a certain overlap. Don't know if it's from working the land, or dealing with animals and needing to have that slightly slower pace...but there's a drawl and a sway to the vocal patterns that while the accents aren't as strong, there's a lot of similarities.
Listen to the people on rodeo circuit sometime and you'll notice the things that are different and the same.

Brenda: I know these stories were published a couple of years ago, but some changes were made. Was it more on the editing end, or did you expand them a bit? I know when I reread stuff I wrote a few years ago I want to add WAY too many changes and have to hold myself back.


Viv: They changed a lot. I added 20K words to each book, and I went through and changed every line I wanted to. Rocky Mountain Heat was the third or fourth book I wrote, so you can imagine I've learned a bit since then. Changed sentence structure to make it stronger, added emotions and reasoning where it had been skimpy--and this is why I think a lot of older books you shouldn't try to redo. Book two took less changes, since I wrote it after a year more experience.

And I have to say my editor at Samhain is simply amazing. She helped refine the story a lot as well.

Brenda: Cowboys seem to have quite a bit in common with wolves: the need to protect, that alpha stubbornness, loving a good fight, etc. I'm waiting for someone to write a Cowboy Crack version of a shapeshifter story. (Hint, Hint) Do you find when writing nonparanormal stories that you think "Man, that would be a great moment for him to be able to use wolf senses?"

Viv: Lol! I did have a few times I had to reword to make sure I stayed in the contemporary world. And I can never write the phrase "...he shifted..." without thinking of my paranormals. But overall, when I'm into the groove of writing, I just write what comes next, so it's not too difficult.

Brenda: I know we have a third book in this series coming our way, but will we get to read the other cowboy's stories as well? You let some HUGE details come forth along the way.

Viv: :D You like all the teasers? Again, they were simply a part of what was happening in the characters lives. But yes, all the brothers will have HEA eventually, and I've got plans for some of the cousins as well, if people like them.

Brenda: I'm looking forward to more Cowboy Crack from you, and I'll try to head off the withdrawal symptoms by reading other cowboy stories if I must:)

Viv: So glad you enjoyed them. Just putting the polish on the third book today. :D And December 1, I start writing book 4.

THE SIX PACK RANCH SERIES
Book 1: Rocky Mountain Heat
Releasing November 15, 2011

Book 2: Rocky Mountain Haven
Releasing January 10th, 2012

Book 3: Rocky Mountain Desire
Releasing March 13, 2012

Viv has said on her website that there will be at least six books in the series.

Visit Viv's website for more information here:
http://www.vivianarend.com/books/six-pack-ranch/

Subscribe to Viv's blog for contests and snippets:
http://www.vivianarend.com/blog/

~Brenda

It's National Novel Writing Month O_O

Right up until the last minute I wasn't sure I was going to be able to participate in NaNo this year. Last year I learned so much about the writing process, and kind of flew by the seat of my pants with my WIP. However, I wasn't able to focus on much else during November, and there lies my dilemma. The only way I can write at home is to keep up my freelance non-fiction career and my blogs while I work on my fiction projects.

I made the decision to participate but my goal is not just a simple "write 50,000 words or die". This year I'm working to develop a solid schedule that allows me to keep up my freelance writing AND my fiction projects. If I can truly get a handle on this it will help me pay the bills and still write what I love. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that I figure it out:)

So, what am I working on this year? This idea popped into my head one day as I was driving home from grocery shopping. I was listening to Theory of a Deadman and the song Got It Made. This is part of the lyrics:

There's no time for a suitcase
Just grab a quick change of clothes.
You ask where we're going now, honey.
Well, I'd tell ya but nobody knows.
So sneak out the back door
Cuz you know they'll try to make you stay.
Make sure you got a seatbelt on
Cuz we're heading for the interstate.

It's really an upbeat and fun song that made me picture two people who are almost 30. They've been best friends since college, but never dated. As I thought about the story, replaying the song 2 or 3 times, I could picture this lean, good looking cowboy and a pretty, slim woman who thought she was going to be the next Lois Lane until she figured out the life of a reporter was nothing like she thought it would be. Mix this all up with a feisty grandmother, a man with a plan and a road trip that will change their lives. It might end up as a short story rather than a novella, but I have another story idea semi-outlined that I can work on next if I wrap this one up before the 50,000 words.

If anyone wants to follow my NaNo progress, or become my writing buddy, my page is here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/moonsanity

~Brenda

Ghost Hunters Goodness Galore!

This Halloween Dodge presents Ghost Hunters Halloween Live 2011, a chilling Syfy-exclusive, six-hour event. For one night only. They'll have interactive events set up for the event too! You can get the scoop on all of the scary action on Syfy HERE. It begins at 7 p.m. Central time on Halloween, Monday, October 31st.

After you get your scare on with Syfy you can continue it with two cool books from the Ghost Hunters. The first is Ghost Files: The Collected Cases from Ghost Hunting and Seeking Spirits from Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson.

Ghost Files
The Collected Cases from Ghost Hunting and Seeking Spirits
Trade Paperback, 560 pages
Published by Simon and Schuster
Available on Amazon


"In this hair-raising omnibus, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, founders of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (T.A.P.S.), reveal the memorable and spine-tingling cases featured in their smash-hit collections, Ghost Hunting and Seeking Spirits. From their never-seen-on-television adventures as budding paranormal investigators to the behind-the-scenes accounts of heart-pounding supernatural encounters featured on their popular show, these fascinating and frightening real life tales will keep you up at night!"

My Thoughts: This is a cool book written in journal style by the guys, and it includes pictures. Over 500 pages of ghostly goodness. I liked the way it was set up because it was fun to read much like an anthology where I could read a story at a time. Fans of the show will consider it a "must read", but even if you've never watched the show it's a compelling, eery book.

Ghost Trackers
By Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson and Tim Waggoner
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Pocket Books
Available on Amazon

SUMMARY: For fifteen years, Amber, Drew, and Trevor have barely been able to recall—let alone explain—what happened the terrifying night they decided to explore the old, abandoned Lowry House. According to local legend, the house was cursed by a dark past and inhabited by evil. It burst into flames on the night of their visit, leaving the friends traumatized and nearly dead with only vague memories of the frightening events they had witnessed inside. Now, on the eve of their high school reunion, they have gathered to reopen their investigation and figure out, once and for all, what took place that fateful night . . . before the supernatural entity they escaped threatens to overtake them again.

My Thoughts: After you get into the adventures of Jason and Grant as they hunt ghosts, give yourself a scare by reading their creepy, fast paced novel, Ghost Trackers. It's the perfect companion to Ghost Files even though it's fiction. The story is gripping and eery, which will make it perfect for readers that love horror and suspense. Again, if you haven't seen the show you'll still love it for the plot, characters and scare factor.

Find out more about Jason and Grant on the T.A.P.S. website:
http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/

Find out more about the Ghost Hunters on Syfy here:
http://www.syfy.com/ghosthunters/

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
~Brenda

Authors4theCure: Entangled Anthology

Entangled
A Paranormal Anthology
File Size: 537 KB
Publisher: Authors4theCure
Available on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords

Eleven authors have banded together to support breast cancer research with their writing. Authors4theCure, which includes award-winning, USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors, as well as two breast cancer survivors, is donating proceeds from the sale of their paranormal anthology, Entangled, to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

SUMMARY: Ghosts, vampires, demons, and more! Entangled includes ten paranormal short stories from authors Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Edie Ramer, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, and Michelle Miles, plus a Seven Deadly Sins novella by Allison Brennan. Stacia Kane contributed the foreword.

I bought the Entangled as soon as it was released but I wanted to wait until October when the book tour was over, and perhaps reach a few people who still hadn't heard about this amazing anthology. I loved the stories-all ten are worth buying on their own, so $2.99 is a bargain. Some of the authors were favorites, but others were new to me. That's the joy of an anthology. This one though is special for another reason; proceeds from the sales are donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

After each story the author shares why they decided to participate. It's a very special e-book that brings awareness and support for survivors and their families. It's so much more though, because as we all promote and talk about this anthology we are encouraging women we know to take care of themselves by doing self exams and going in for their physicals and mammograms.

MY FRIEND DIANE
A dear friend of mine, Diane, died before my children were born. She had skipped her physicals for two years, thinking it would be okay because she felt fine. She was short on money being a divorced, single mom, with one teenage daughter still at home. When she finally went in to the doctor, they found out she had ovarian cancer and it was too late for the treatments to work. She was at home as long as she could be, and then went to hospice. I still miss her and it's been over 20 years now. She taught me to open myself up to friendship and hugs, instead of holding back. She also taught me that it was okay to take a chance on love again after ending a bad relationship. If not for her, I might not have given my husband the chance he needed to get past my defenses.

I wish Diane and I had discussed our health and been as open about things as I am now with my family and friends. I would have encouraged her to go to the doctor, and paid for it, or at least helped her out with the payment, if I had known. She may have been able to fight the cancer and would have been alive to meet my children, who only know her through my stories. She would have loved them, and I could have told her what a difference she made in my life. I became a better person and opened up to my husband and later my children, because of the lessons she taught me.

Buy Entangled because it's a wonderful 5 star read, but also buy it because the proceeds will benefit others. Discuss the stories, and the authors, with the women in your life. Don't be shy about reminding your friends to take care of their bodies. They won't mind:)

*My Book Addiction and More has some amazing guest posts this month:
http://mybookaddictionandmore.com/

*Cynthia Eden has details and an excerpt here:
http://www.cynthiaeden.com/books/entangled/

*Stacia Kane has a wonderful post on Entangled here:
http://www.staciakane.net/2011/09/08/entangled-anthology-is-available/

*The Entangled Goodreads page is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12373508-entangled

~Brenda

Interview With Kersten Hamilton

Last year I read an author new to me, Kersten Hamilton, and fell in love with the characters in her book Tyger, Tyger. You can read that review here. I was so excited when she emailed me and asked if I would like to read an ARC of her new book In the Forests of the Night, the second book in the Goblin Wars series. I shot off an email to Kersten when I finished her amazing new story, and she graciously answered my questions.

Brenda: I loved In The Forests of the Night, possibly even more than the first book in the series, which I didn't think would be possible. I have a few questions if you have time to let me pick your brain.

We have to talk about the continuation of the series. You didn't leave us with a huge cliffhanger, which I appreciate SO much, but obviously there's going to be amazing adventures ahead. Is the third one in the works yet? How many books would you love to see in the series?

Kersten: I’m glad it wasn’t too much of a cliffhanger. Each of the books has to have a little bit of a cliffhanger; like the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, this is one story arc that spans multiple books. I do like to leave the story at a breathing place though—a place where something big has been resolved, and the reader can catch their breath before plunging straight back into the story. That helps me, too, because the story is very intense, so it takes a great deal of emotional energy to write. I would like to see a four book arc, but it may end up at three. If it does, the third book will be a bit longer than the first two.

Brenda: I love your use of poetry and songs. Authors sometimes do this and it falls a little flat or they go on too long, etc. I found myself waiting to see what you would use next, plus it made me realize that I hadn't read poetry in way too long. How did you decide what to use in the story?

Kersten:I choose my very favorite poems and songs—I am writing for kindred spirits, after all. If the words resonate with me I know others will love them as well. Usually they are very well known, like William Blake’s The Tyger. But a new song, Future of Forestry’s Set Your Sails, features large in book two, In the Forests of the Night. It fit the theme perfectly:




Brenda: Do you have favorite books from your childhood that inspired your imagination?

Kersten: I loved A Wrinkle in Time, The Borrowers, My Side of the Mountain, Where the Red Fern Grow, Owls in the Family, Over Sea Under Stone, Podkayne of Mars, The Star Beast, Have Spacesuit Will Travel, Ender’s Game (it came out when I was a little older), The Dragonriders of Pern, The Borribles (which also came out when I was a little older), The Three Musketeers, The Lord of the Rings trilogy … lol lots and lots and lots of books. I was inspired to write about goblins by George MacDonald’s book The Princess and the Goblin.

Brenda: If you could give one message or lesson to your readers through your books what would it be?

Kersten: That creation is deeply good, and the choices we make, even small choices, really do matter.

Thank you for having me on your blog today, Brenda!

In the Forests of the Night
By Kersten Hamilton
The Goblin Wars, Book Two
Available for Kindle and in Hardcover from Amazon

MY THOUGHTS
Kersten Hamilton's writing is vivid, descriptive, and captivating. Sometimes her words grab the reader into her world with a jerk- causing surprise, horror or disbelief. Other times her words bring about joy, whimsy or sadness because they convey what the characters are feeling so clearly that we experience their emotions right along with them. I loved In the Forests of the Night, and I cannot wait for the third book in this magical adventure. The hero and heroine, along with their friends and family, continue to learn, grow, fight and love in this second book in the series. If you enjoy Melissa Marr, J.R. Tolkien, The Narnia series or Terry Brooks you'll love Kersten Hamilton.

Find Kersten:
On Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17046.Kersten_Hamilton
Her Website: http://home.comcast.net/~kerstenhamilton/

Steampunk Goodness!

First, I'm giddy today because the amazing Meljean Brook answered two of my steampunk questions on her blog. It really helped clear up a lot for me as far as if steampunk HAS to be Victorian, plus she gave some great information on cyberpunk, dieselpunk and more. Read her post here: http://meljeanbrook.com/blog/archives/6349

Also, if my fellow steampunk fans haven't seen this creepy, but amazing video from Panic at the Disco you will love it since it's filled with steampunk coolness:



~Brenda