Rising Tide: Dark Innocence by Claudette Melanson @Bella623 #YA #Paranormal #AmReading

Caelyn was in the kitchen, pouring coffee into a travel mug to take to the office.  Her eyes popped wide when she saw me bound around the corner.  “Maura? Your hair is up?”

I rolled my eyes, but to be honest, her surprise was justified.  This really was a first.  I tried to smile nonchalantly, and shrugged.  “I wanted to try it out.”

“Weird…but ok…”  She shrugged as well and turned back to the counter.  I was on my way to the cabinet to dig out my favorite honey-flavored cereal, when my mom’s arm came across my path to block me.  In her hand was a plateful of scrambled eggs.

“Here, Maura, why don’t you eat this?” my look of disappointment caused her to use an infallible tactic—guilt.  “I got up early to make them for you.”

“And…what’s wrong with cereal?”  I took the plate obligingly.

She tried to sound indifferent, but I noticed the nervous tremble, underlying, in her voice.  “It’s time you put more protein into your diet.”

“Mom, I’m almost seventeen, and you pick now to become more concerned with my diet.”

“You’re right, I should have done that a long time ago.”  She patted my head affectionately, and of course with that, the battle was over for me.  I was now resigned to the eggs, my sugary, morning fix lost to me.

I took a whiff.  A cook Caelyn was not…that was another reason I took on kitchen duty, but they smelled mouthwatering.  “Mmmmm,” I surprised myself by scooping a wad of them up with my fingers, not bothering to grab a fork.  I wolfed half the plateful down in this manner before I noticed my mother staring at me open-mouthed.

I laughed nervously, blushing profusely.  “Hey!  You’re right, protein is good.”  I didn’t want to, but forced myself to take the time to fetch silverware and went to sit at the dining room table.

CHOSEN AS ONE OF 400 FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF THE AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARD FOR 2014!!!

ARE YOU A FAN OF VAMPIRE ROMANCE?

Rising Tide will sink it’s teeth into you, keeping you awake into the wee hours of the night

Maura’s life just can’t get any worse…or can it?

Isolated and sheltered by her lonely mother, Maura’s never been the best at making friends. Unusually pale with a disease-like aversion to the sun, she seems to drive her classmates away, but why?

Even her own father deserted her, and her mother, before Maura was born. Bizarre physical changes her mother seems hell bent on ignoring, drive Maura to fear for her own life. And her luck just seems to get worse.

Life is about to become even more bewildering when her mother’s abrupt…and unexplained…decision to move a country away sets off a chain of events that will change Maura forever. A cruel prank turned deadly, the discovery of love and friendship….and its loss, as well as a web of her own mother’s lies, become obstacles in Maura’s desperate search for a truth she was never prepared to uncover.

Featured on one of the most popular health blogs on the internet as a giveaway!

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Genre – YA Paranormal Romance

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Claudette Melanson on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://claudettemelanson.wix.com/author

Karin Rita Gastreich on Writing, Relaxing & High Maga @EolynChronicles #Fantasy #GoodReads

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

I really like the places where I live now: Kansas City and Costa Rica. In another life, I think I might have enjoyed living in Europe, in particular Germany. But the truth is, I’m pretty happy with where I am at the moment.

How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?

I wrote my first novel entirely by hand in several bound journals, before typing it up on my laptop.  My second novel was composed on my laptop using Microsoft Word; to organize my third novel, I began using Scrivener.  I try to avoid writing in bed, because if I get a story spinning in my head too late at night, I’m likely to lose sleep.  There are certain places in my house where I like to write: my office, the family room, the living room. Wherever I am, I like to have a window to look out of, so I don’t end up staring at the screen all the time.  I also occasionally write in coffee shops.

Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support? 

My most important partners in writing have been my editors, Eric T. Reynolds and Terri-Lynne DeFino (Finder, A Time Never Lived, Beyond the Gate), and my critique partner David Hunter (A Road of Blood and Slaughter). All of them are excellent authors in their own right, so please check out their novels and anthologies!

Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success in writing look like to you? 

Success is a state of being, rather than an ultimate goal. As a state of being, it evolves with the writer.  Finishing a novel or short story is success.  Having the courage to share your work for the first time with others is also success.  Sending out queries, establishing your path to publication, developing and implementing a marketing plan are all elements of success. Every time a reader says, “I loved your book!”, that is success. I suspect most writers, like me, would like to reach a point where sales from our novels generate enough to live on. Some might consider that the defining moment of success, but it’s important to remember that success comes in many forms, and can be experienced at every stage of the writer’s journey.

When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?

I love to seek out natural spaces and go for long walks or bicycle rides. I also enjoy dance, especially flamenco.  I like to go out in the evenings and listen to good music, and have a drink with my friends.  I very much like to spend time relaxing with my family, my parents and brothers and sisters, my nieces and nephews, and my husband’s family as well.

Sometimes it’s so hard to keep at it – What keeps you going? 

Well, when it gets too hard to keep at it, I take a break.  A bit of rest and relaxation does wonders for recharging the batteries.  In truth, I rarely have problems getting back into writing; if anything, I really wish I had more time to dedicate to my characters. One thing that contributed to my motivation for finishing High Maga was the enthusiastic support of my readers, who have been anxious to read the companion to Eolyn.

How do you feel about social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter? Are they a good thing?

I was hooked into Facebook before I became a writer. Though I do use it for marketing, I tend to do most marketing through my page for EOLYN, while my personal page is more about interacting with friends, family, and colleagues.  I enjoy Facebook. It’s a fun social platform.

I have to admit I am not so fond of Twitter. I joined last year, and have yet to figure out the social part of this social network. It does seem an effective tool for amplifying a message (as long as that message is no longer than 140 characters), but in terms of connecting with real people in a get-to-know-each-other kind of way, it seems very limited.

I recently joined Pinterest, too.  Though the jury is still out on that one, I like the visual focus of this platform. I think it has a lot of potential.

In the end, Facebook seems to be the only network that really brings it all together for me: social interactions, the opportunity to market, and the ability to share with friends and family, using both words and images.

How do you feel about self-publishing?

My favorite route to publishing is small press.  Small press hits a nice middle road between self-publishing and traditional large press, avoiding the hassle of the former and the headaches of the latter.  My press, in particular, is a wonderful community of gifted publishing professionals who have played an important role in my success as an author. I think self-publishing can be an excellent option for many authors, but personally I am happy to have landed a home with a small press like Hadley Rille Books.

How important are friends in your life?

Is this a trick question?  Life would be impossible without my friends.

What social issues interest you the most?

Equality and diversity on every level. I would like to see barriers to participation broken down in all aspects of life, so that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed and contribute to our society regardless of gender, race, ethnic origin, or sexual preference.  I am also a strong advocate of wildlife conservation and sustainable resource management.

Do you find the time to read? 

Yes.  Reading is my number one strategy for relaxing in the evening before I go to sleep.

Last book you purchased? Tell us about it.

Shirley Graetz’s novel She Wrote on Clay is part of the Archaeology Series published by Hadley Rille Books. I’ve read several novels in this series, which features short novels that portray the lives of ordinary people in ancient times, based on archaeological evidence. Graetz’s novel relates the story of Iltani, a young woman living in Sippar some 3800 years ago, who dreams of being a scribe. It’s a very interesting book that communicates a lot of information about the lives of women during a period about which I know very little. I’ve enjoyed reading it very much.

Lands Ravaged. Dreams destroyed. Demons set loose upon the earth.

War strikes at the heart of women’s magic in Moisehén. Eolyn’s fledgling community of magas is destroyed; its members killed, captured or scattered.

Devastated yet undaunted, Eolyn seeks to escape the occupied province and deliver to King Akmael a weapon that might secure their victory. But even a High Maga cannot survive this enemy alone. Aided by the enigmatic Mage Corey, Eolyn battles the darkest forces of the Underworld, only to discover she is a mere path to the magic that most ignites their hunger.

What can stop this tide of terror and vengeance? The answer lies in Eolyn’s forgotten love, and in its power to engender seeds of renewed hope.

HIGH MAGA is the companion novel to EOLYN, also available from Hadley Rille Books.

Buy Now @ Amazon & Kobo

Genre – Epic Fantasy

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Karin Rita Gastreich on Facebook & Twitter

Blog http://eolynchronicles.blogspot.com

Jennie Goutet and the Organized Process of Writing #WriteTip #Memoir #Authors

When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?

I like to take naps and read Georgette Heyer books and watch mindless television series.

Do you have any tips on how writers can relax?

Lay off the caffeine. No seriously, my mind is bright and alert when I’m not going from one hot cup to the next. It’s nearly impossible for me to stick to, however.

How often do you write? And when do you write? 

I write nearly every day, and as often as I can. But those moments are usually in between teaching or picking up the kids or walking the dog, which means that I can rarely write anything of substance. I will need to find a new groove before I can manage the blog posts and marketing posts well enough to still have time leftover to write something lengthier.

Do you have an organized process or tips for writing well? Do you have a writing schedule?

My advice is this. Charge through and get the first draft done at all costs. Write whatever and whenever you can, without any thought for whether it is grammatically correct, or even any good. Write from your heart. And then go back and pick a reasonable goal - a chapter a week? Go over and over that section - refining, adding, removing, changing until it’s perfect. Let go of the idea that the end date will be anything sooner than however long it takes you to do a chapter a week (and then a zillion more revisions after that). But I think the hardest part is in between the first draft and the series of final drafts when there are all sorts of literary knots to sort out. It takes time and space to work through that.

Sometimes it’s so hard to keep at it - What keeps you going?

I can’t not write. It’s just not an option for me. It might be something simple  - processing my world in a little light-hearted blog post that is full of pictures. But it has to be something. I need to process my world this way.

What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?

I think there’s a reason I write with such brutal honesty, usually to my own disgrace. I want people to feel not alone - about addiction or depression or grief - or even not to feel alone about being alone! I want people to feel understood and to know that there’s hope. This is how I want my words to reach others.

What’s your favorite meal?

Roast chicken with its sauce over rice.

What color represents your personality the most?

Blue - the blue of clear water, the blue of a sunny sky.

What movie do you love to watch?

The A&E version of Pride and Prejudice. I can watch it over and over again. I also like the movie Bedazzled with Brendan Fraser.

How do you feel about social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter? Are they a good thing?

Yes. It suits my personality to stay connected in quick updates. It takes the pressure off needing to write a letter or talk on the phone. And of course for spreading the word about my writing, it’s priceless.

If you could do any job in the world what would you do?

If we were to go back to Africa, I would want to go as a doctor or a nurse. That way I could really make a difference.

At seventeen, Jennie Goutet has a dream that she will one day marry a French man and sets off to Avignon in search of him. Though her dream eludes her, she lives boldly—teaching in Asia, studying in Paris, working and traveling for an advertising firm in New York.

When God calls her, she answers reluctantly, and must first come to grips with depression, crippling loss, and addiction before being restored. Serendipity takes her by the hand as she marries her French husband, works with him in a humanitarian effort in East Africa, before settling down in France and building a family.

Told with honesty and strength, A Lady in France is a brave, heart- stopping story of love, grief, faith, depression, sunshine piercing the gray clouds—and hope that stays in your heart long after it’s finished.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Memoir

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Jennie Goutet on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://aladyinfrance.com

Author Spotlight on Billi Tiner @TinerBooks #Romance #Fiction #GoodReads

What inspired you to write your first book?

My first book, Welcome Home, was based on a patient I had my first year out of veterinary school. Animal Control brought in a large black Lab mix that had been hit by a car. The dog was unable to use its hind legs. I convinced the Animal Control officer to leave the dog in my care to give it a few days to regain use of its legs. The dog was a sweetheart. After a few days, Animal Control informed me that they were unwilling to invest any more money into the dog. I lived in a small apartment that didn’t allow pets, so I was unable to take adopt him myself. A nice couple agreed to take the dog home and he subsequently regained use of his legs.

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?

As a wife and mother, my biggest challenge is finding time to write. Once I can sit down and focus on writing, it comes pretty easily. I get lost in the story and it seems to flow out of me.

Have you developed a specific writing style?

My stories are completely character based. I develop the character’s identities and then let the story unfold around them. I also write in a simple, fast style. I don’t want the readers to get bogged down in the details of what a drape hanging in the window looks like. I spend more time developing the characters and trying to give the readers a sense of what the characters are thinking and feeling.

Can you tell us about your main character?

Catherine “Cat” James grew up in a very rough environment. She was kicked out of her house at the age of 15 and had to survive on her own. Through hard work and determination, she put herself through college and became an accountant. She chose that career because she likes things to be neat and orderly. She made a promise to herself when she was a teenager that when she was able, she’d become a foster parent. Her life changes dramatically when she takes in a troubled teenage boy whose life closely resembles her own.

How did you develop your plot and characters?

The male protagonist, Detective Mitch Holt, first appeared in Dogs Aren’t Men. Several readers wanted to read more of his story. I try to write books that are personal to me. I have adopted two kids from the foster care system, so I decided to develop the female character as a foster mom. Once I had the two characters, I let the plot unfold around them. I had to come up with a reason for an accountant who was a foster mom to come into contact with a police detective.

Who designed the cover?

Angel Nichols designs all my book covers. She is excellent to work with. She is able to take my ideas and turn them into reality. You can learn more about her at www.freewebs.com/angelnichols

Will you write others in this same genre?

Yes. I am already working on my next contemporary romance. It will also be set in Spring Valley and many of the characters in Dogs Aren’t Men and To Love A Cat will be included in the story.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I have adopted two kids out of the foster care system. I have a real empathy for the number of kids who only want a place to call home. The role of foster parent is an extremely difficult one, but it can also be very rewarding. I hope that readers get a sense of that when they read this book.

How important do you think villains are in a story?

I think a well-written villain can turn a good book into a great book. They can add so much depth to a story. We all love to hate a good bad guy.

Can we expect any more books from you in the future?

I recently quit my job to focus full time on my writing career. I hope to publish many more books over the next few years.

Have you started another book yet?

Yes. I am currently working on another novel set in Spring Valley. The female protagonist is a big city girl working as a Public Relations specialist for a large pharmaceutical company. She gets fired from her job and is offered a job running an animal shelter in a small city. She knows nothing about animals, but doesn’t seem to have any other choice, so she accepts the position.

From the author of “Dogs Aren’t Men” comes “To Love a Cat”, a contemporary romance novel.

Catherine “Cat” James’ life is simple and orderly, and she likes it that way. She loves her job as an accountant. Working with numbers is safe and routine, no surprises. Her childhood had been very abusive and unstable. She vowed not to live that way as an adult. She also made a promise to herself to become a foster parent. She wished someone had been there for her as a teenager, to let her know she wasn’t alone.

Cat agrees to foster Ethan Summers, a troubled teenage boy whose childhood closely resembles her own. Suddenly, her nice and orderly life is filled with chaos and uncertainty. Things really start to spin out of control when circumstances bring police detective Mitch Holt into the picture. He’s handsome, charming, and definitely not what Cat needs right now, or so she thinks.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Romance

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Billi Tiner on Facebook & Twitter

Website www.tinerbooks.blogspot.com

Author Spotlight on @GaryTroia #ShortStories #Fiction #BookClub

What would you love to produce in your life?

I would love to produce a simple, yet thought provoking novel like animal farm. Yes, it is good to set your dreams high!

How do you feel about self-publishing?

I think it is the way forwards, many traditional publishing houses are so behind in the times. I like the fact that you are in complete control when you’re self- published, you can market your work your way, you have full control over your final manuscript, you can select your own book cover, and you can publish when you want. Many publishing houses restrict your work to just one book a year.

How important are friends in your life?

We all need friends, but I don’t need many. One or two good friends is all I’ve ever needed. They are important for company, a different perspective and entertainment.

What does love mean to you?

Love for me means caring for someone, being affectionate, feeling passion for the person, wanting romance and commitment and to be emotionally connected to them.

What social issues interest you the most?

I like to keep up with national and international politics.

When you get free time, what do you want to read about?

Whatever catches my eye at the time, or something a friend recommends.

Do you find the time to read?

Absolutely! I find the time, I love reading. I generally have about five books lined up at any one time. At the moment my reading list is mainly the early novels of George Orwell.

Last book you purchased, tell us about it.

The Rubicon by Tom Holland is about the triumph and tragedy of the Roman Republic.

What is your favourite quote, by whom and why?

I like “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. It is self-explanatory.” Pablo Picasso

If You Could Have a Dinner Party and Invite anyone, Dead or Alive, Who Would You Ask?

Bill Hicks, Johnathan Swift, Voltaire, and Jane Austen.

Do You Have any Tips on How Writers can relax?

Walking is my way of relaxing and I would recommend this to any authors. It frees the mind.

For the first time ever, this collection of short stories by Gary Troia brings together, in chronological order stories and memoirs from Spanish Yarns and Beyond, English Yarns and Beyond and A Bricklayer’s Tales into one complete volume.

“Excellent! A collection of short stories about depression, alcoholism and drug use. Very compelling reading. I read this short story collection all in one go.” (Maria, Goodreads.)

A Bricklayer’s Tales is the ultimate “I hate this job” story, written as a collection of short stories and memoirs, each one revealing a snapshot in the life of Ray. Troia captures the tedium of working in a low paid, menial job and living hand to mouth. This book of short stories is sad and questions the reader to ask questions about their own life. This book achieves clarity without trying.

Ray has three expensive hobbies: drinking, drugs, and running away. Without the income that Bricklaying provides, he would not be able to maintain his chosen lifestyle, so he compromises his principles and continues with his trade.

A collection of short stories and memoirs that include:

The Cuckoo’s Egg. Boyhood antics lead to tragedy.

My Grandfather’s Shed. The making of an English key

No Comb on the Cock. Gypsies, champion fighting cocks, and career choices.

What I Did In My Summer Holidays In 1000 Words. Could having an idea ever be considered a criminal act?

My Best Mate’s Head. Did a weekend of boozing save Ray from certain death?

The Shetland Isles. A trip to sunny Benidorm, a chance meeting with some Glaswegians, and a cold, miserable job in Lerwick.

Pointing a House in Islington. Too much alcohol and cocaine don’t mix well on building sites!

Angel Dust. The peculiar story of a man whose new life in America leads to conversations with Ancient Greek philosophers

Peyote. Hippies, LSD and an idyllic refuge

Return Ticket. Handcuffed and ready for deportation. A sad departure from the States

When I Joined a Cult. Sober dating as Ray discovers religion.

Bilbao. How very, very English!

Teaching Other People. The grass is always greener-the escape from bricklaying.

A Week in the Life of Ray Dennis. With the prospect of no money for food or alcohol this Christmas, Ray has to find work quickly.

Catania. A meeting with a Sicilian fox, some Neapolitans, and a man with a camel haired coat.

Advert In The Art Shop Window. Will a new building job in Spain be the start of a new life?

Gaudi. A flight to Barcelona for a kebab, and a look at the Sagrada Familia.

The Day My Soul Left Me. “To be or not to be? That is the question”

How Not to Travel to The Alhambra. Hung-over, the wrong fuel, the car breaks down. Will they ever make it to Granada?

The Road To Ronda. A terrifying drive to Ronda, was it worth it?

Poking A Carob Tree. A new home and new neighbours, just in time for Christmas.

Spain Reborn.No more commuting to London. Lets celebrate!

Home From Home. A parallel world where the Spanish have taken over Weymouth.

Three Common Carp.An epic battle with a whale and marlin it is not.

Mrs. McClintock. An absurd farce in which a Glaswegian couple retire to Spain

Steak, Egg and Intensive Care. A harmless dinner leads to hospitalisation.

The Unchangeable Chameleon. Can a leopard change it’s spots?

A Bricklayer’s Tale. The story of a disillusioned, alcoholic bricklayer

A collection short stories and memoirs of British dark humour.

 Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Fiction, Short Stories

Rating - PG-16

More details about the author

Connect with Gary Troia on Facebook & Twitter

Lichgates (Grimoire Saga) by @TheSMBoyce #Fantasy #AmReading #BookClub

Something rustled in the far corner. She spun around, but instead of a gray soldier or the brunette woman, she saw only a small white fox. The little creature leaned against the bars and cocked its head, eyeing her as its giant ears flicked around to absorb the trolls’ hulking movements.

The fox trotted over and sniffed the torn hem of her jeans before looking up with its striking blue eyes. She reached out with her bound hands and gently scratched its chin. It hummed with pleasure. Kara grinned.

“At least not everything here is scary,” she said.

The little fox popped its eyes open and stared at her for a moment before it changed shape. Its fur melted away into the wet scales of a red lizard with a single black stripe running down its spine. Kara yelped as the fox-now-lizard creature scurried over the wood and out of sight. She covered her face with her hands and cursed beneath her breath.

She stifled a sob. “I want to go home.”

“Ourea isn’t the sort of place you can leave. It always drags you back,” Braeden mumbled, awake now.

“More comforting words of wisdom?” she asked, peering through her fingers to catch his bruised and battered gaze.

“No. You hardly seemed fond of that.” He stretched his fingers out behind him, and drops of the black liquid fell faster from around the cuffs as he moved.

“What’s wrong with your hands?”

“These shackles have poisoned spikes.”

She whistled. “Wow. Can I do anything to help?”

“No, but thank you.”

“Is that black stuff the poison?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Is that a yes?”

Braeden frowned. “It’s my blood.”

“Wait, your blood is black?”

Well, it wasn’t the weirdest thing she’d seen in the last twenty four hours. She had yet to recover from those stupid roots and the book that turned its own pages.

“You know, blood is kind of important, Braeden. It’s not usually a poisonous thing.”

“It’s a long story.”

She gestured at the cage. “I’m not exactly going anywhere.”

“I think everything will become painfully obvious if we are headed for the same place, which I hope we aren’t.” His expression darkened, his eyebrows casting a shadow over his eyes. He looked up at her, and a chill crept down her neck.

“Wow. It’s been a pleasure talking to you, too. To think, I was going to take those cuffs off you.” She leaned against the cell wall as they took another bend in the road.

“As kind an offer as that is, only the person who put them on can take them off. And I meant only that you will not want to go where I’m being taken.”

“The writing is flawless. The kingdoms and surrounding landscapes breathtaking. The Grimoire is a piece of imaginative genius that bedazzles from the moment Kara falls into the land of Ourea. – Nikki Jefford, author of the Spellbound Trilogy

Spring 2013 Rankings

#6 Kindle Store | #1 Science Fiction & Fantasy | #1 Epic Fantasy | #1 Sword & Sorcery | #1 Teens

Now an international Amazon bestseller. Fans of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Eragon will enjoy this contemporary remix of the classic epic fantasy genre.

—————-

Kara Magari is about to discover a beautiful world full of terrifying things: Ourea.

Kara, a college student still reeling from her mother’s recent death, has no idea the hidden world of Ourea even exists until a freak storm traps her in a sunken library. With nothing to do, she opens an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire and unwittingly becomes its master, which means Kara now wields the cursed book’s untamed power. Discovered by Ourea’s royalty, she becomes an unwilling pawn in a generations-old conflict – a war intensified by her arrival. In this world of chilling creatures and betrayal, Kara shouldn’t trust anyone… but she’s being hunted and can’t survive on her own. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn’t know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.

For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this human girl, there is something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.

Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.

—————-

Novels in the Grimoire Saga:

Lichgates (#1)

Treason (#2)

Heritage (#3) – Available Fall 2013

Illusion (#4) – Available Fall 2014

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Fantasy

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

 Connect with SM Boyce on Facebook & Twitter & Pinterest

Author Spotlight on Tracy Weber @TracyWeberTypes #CozyMystery #GoodReads #Yoga

Do you have a writing schedule?

I write in fits and spurts, meaning there is no such thing as a defined schedule. I’m more productive in the afternoon and evening, so when I write, I usually start after lunch, and I often write until very late in the night. Some weeks I don’t write at all, because I’m focused on running my yoga studio or developing my yoga teacher training programs. Other days I write twelve hours or more.

What’s your favorite meal? 

A black bean pita burger with extra three-pepper salsa and a pink shortbread cookie for dessert. 

What color represents your personality the most? 

Red. I’m spicy.

How do you feel about social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter? Are they a good thing? 

On the whole, I think they’re a good thing. I’ve been able to reconnect with long-lost friends and make plenty of new ones because of social media. I love seeing cute puppy pictures and the occasional funny yoga cartoon. The trick is not letting social media take the place of your real life. I always shake my head in wonder when I see a table of people at a restaurant ignoring each other while texting on their cell phones. There has to be a balance somewhere.

Are you a city slicker or a country lover?

A little bit of both, I guess, and it changes with time. I grew up on a dairy farm in Montana and moved to the city at the age of eighteen, swearing that I’d never live in a small town again. Thirty years later, I yearn for country life. I dream of a house in the middle of nowhere with a zoo-like menagerie of German shepherds, chickens, and goats.

What’s your next project? 

I’m currently teaching an advanced yoga teacher training, and that will keep me pretty busy for the next year. My second book, A KILLER RETREAT, is at my publisher, Midnight Ink, so I’ll probably start revisions on that sometime soon. I’m also working on book three, tentatively titled KARMA CAN BE KILLER. If I sound busy, I am. That house in the country is sounding pretty darned good these days. 

Tell us some things readers might be surprised to learn about you 

This is always a tough one for me to answer. Maybe that although my mysteries are set in Seattle and my protagonist grew up in the city, I am actually a Montana farm girl. I grew up on a dairy farm in Billings, Montana, and moved to Seattle for college. People are often also surprised to learn that I spent the first six years of my career working as a Chemical Engineer. And although I own a yoga studio, I didn’t take my first yoga class until I was thirty-five. How’s that? Any surprises there?

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author? 

Thus far, I’m traditionally published, but I toy with the idea of becoming a full-time hybrid author. If only I had the time (or the energy!) to write more than one series!

How do you feel about self-publishing? 

I think it’s great! For now, I’m happy to be with a publisher who can help me navigate this crazy process, but I would definitely consider self-publishing or becoming a hybrid author in the future.

Do you know your neighbors? 

Some of them yes, some of them no, and none of them as much as I would like to. That’s the craziness of life in the city.

Do you find the time to read? 

Not often enough. I read while I ride the exercise bike and at night in bed if I’m not writing. I would definitely like to carve out more reading time.

When George and Bella—a homeless alcoholic and his intimidating German shepherd—disturb the peace outside her studio, yoga instructor Kate Davidson’s Zen-like calm is stretched to the breaking point. Kate tries to get rid of them before Bella scares the yoga pants off her students. Instead, the three form an unlikely friendship.

One night Kate finds George’s body behind her studio. The police dismiss his murder as a drug-related street crime, but she knows George wasn’t a dealer. So Kate starts digging into George’s past while also looking for someone to adopt Bella before she’s sent to the big dog park in the sky. With the murderer nipping at her heels, Kate has to work fast or her next Corpse Pose may be for real.

Praise:

“Cozy fans will eagerly await the next installment.” —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Murder Strikes a Pose, by Tracy Weber, is a delightful debut novel featuring Kate Davidson, a caring but feist yoga teacher . . . Namaste to Weber and her fresh, new heroine!” —PENNY WARNER,AUTHOR OFHOW TO DINE ON KILLER WINE

“[T]his charming debut mystery . . . pieces together a skillful collage of mystery, yoga, and plenty of dog stories against the unique backdrop of Seattle characters and neighborhoods. The delightful start of a promising new series. I couldn’t put it down!” —WAVERLY FITZGERALD, AUTHOR OF DIAL C FOR CHIHUAHUA

“Three woofs for Tracy Weber’s first Downward Dog Mystery, Murder STrikes a Pose. Great characters, keep-you-guessing plot, plenty of laughs, and dogs—what more could we want? Ah, yes—the next book!” —SHEILA WEBSTER BONEHAM, AUTHOR OF DROP DEAD ON RECALL

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Cozy Mystery

Rating – PG

More details about the author

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