Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Meet Katie O'Sullivan


Our guest today in My Writing Corner is Katie O'Sullivan, author of the new book, My Kind of Crazy. We’d like to know about your writing journey.  Katie, How did you get started?
Hi, and thanks for inviting me onto your blog! I’ve wanted to be a writer since second grade, but it took me until my youngest went into full-day Kindergarten to get serious about writing fiction. A friend dragged me along to his writing class and I’ve been writing ever since. My daughter graduates eighth grade this year, and my fifth published book comes out this summer! All five have been with small press publishers, this last one with The Wild Rose Press. My Kind of Crazy is available on Kindle right now, and will have a world-wide all-format release on July 30.

Tell us a little about your newest book, My Kind of Crazy

My Kind of Crazy is a sweet romance, set in a seaside town on Cape Cod. Harwich Port in the off-season is a really small town, where all the year-round residents know you and all your business. My main character, Kendall, was recently dragged through the rumor mill because of her philandering husband and the ensuing divorce. She’s trying to keep her head down and get her bed and breakfast back on track for the upcoming season, and has no intention of getting sidetracked by the cute new guy in town. But we all know, life and love don’t always happen according to our plans. Here’s the back-of-book blurb:

Kendall Roarke is betting everything on making her Harwichport Bed & Breakfast into the premier wedding destination on Cape Cod, despite her recent messy divorce.

Jonathan Reynolds moved back to the Cape to take over his uncle's business and start fresh after his own marriage ended. He's not looking for anything complicated - until he meets Kendall, with her big plans and wild mop of curls.

Throw an unruly foster puppy and an uptight new neighbor into the mix and things get a little crazy. Now Kendall has to decide if it's the kind of crazy that she can live with... for the rest of her life.

 The story sounds fascinating. What gave you the idea for this story in particular?
I’m one of those year-round Cape Cod residents, and love how our bustling tourist mecca turns into a string of sleepy small towns in the off-season. Many of my quirky characters are based on real people, as my friend Dorothy would like me to point out. (She even let me name her character ‘Dorothy’ so she could tell people it was really her!) I also love stories of second chances that turn into happily-ever-afters.

This particular story was influenced when my husband surprised the family with a new puppy one spring. A Saint Bernard puppy, just like in the story, only I gave Kendall the option of saying no to the adoption, lol. Although we’d had plenty of dogs before, and smart dogs, we’d never had a Saint in our lives. They are a different and stubborn breed, and make for funny tales of misdeeds.
What are you working on now?
My current WIP is another Cape Cod romance, this one set in Provincetown. Most people know P-town for their flamboyant gay and lesbian festivals and events, or the thriving art scene, but because of its location at the very tip of the Cape, the town’s roots are based in fishing. There’s a great nonprofit organization based down there – The Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies. My main character, Charlie, is a visiting environmentalist studying ocean ecology. He meets Emma, a local girl with deep ties to the community and a jealous boyfriend. Problems arise… and I have to keep writing before I tell you any more!

What would you tell beginning writers?
You need to set aside time every day to write. Blogging counts, but you should add to your manuscript word count every day or it will never get finished. Every. Day. If you need help getting jump-started, take a class or join a writing group. There is nothing like a deadline to help motivate you to get the words onto the page!

What do you read when you are not writing?
I would describe myself as a voracious and omnivorous reader, which translates to I read a little of everything. My favorite genre of the moment is dystopian YA, just because it seems there’s a lot of good stuff out there right now. But I also love reading all types of romance, and love romantic suspense.

What are your favorite things to do when you are not writing?
Reading, walking the dogs on the beach, reading more, watching my oldest son play soccer (yes, I’m a soccer mom), watching my other son and daughter on stage (both in school and at the local community theatre), volunteering at school, watching movies with the family, hanging out with friends… nothing too crazy. I wish I had cool hobbies to talk about – surfing or kiteboarding or running marathons – but that’s not me. I’d rather curl up with coffee and a book or pour wine and laugh with my friends. I’ll have to think about this more and make up some good stuff for the next interview!

How can readers reach you or find you online?
Website: www.katie-osullivan.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKatieOSullivan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OkatieO

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/katieosullivan
Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/My-Kind-Crazy-Katie-OSullivan-ebook/dp/B00J9OV8P4/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399718896&sr=1-2&keywords=my+kind+of+crazy
Thank you so much for joining me in My Writing Corner. I love sweet romances and I've ordered a copy of My Kind of Crazy. Any questions or comments for Katie?

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Meet Diane Burton

Our guest today in My Writing Corner is Diane Burton, a writer of many talents. She combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides the science fiction romance Switched and Outer Rim series, she is the author of One Red Shoe, a romantic suspense. She is also a contributor to the anthology How I Met My Husband. Diane and her husband live in Michigan. They have two children and two grandchildren.  Diane, you write in a number of genres including romantic suspense, space adventure and space romances. What made you want to write those particular types of stories?

The short answer is I write what I like to read. Longer version: All of my stories are romantic suspense. That is, they all have a love story and the heroine/hero is in jeopardy. Some of my stories take place on Earth and others in space. I’ve been fascinated by space travel ever since we held our collective breaths as Alan Shepard was blasted into space. Once upon a time, I knew the names of the first astronauts. But it was the movie Star Wars IV, A New Hope, that captured my imagination and made me want to write my own space adventures.
How did you get started as a writer?
When I was high school, my girlfriend and I wrote stories set in our favorite television shows where we went on adventures with the heroes and they fell in love with us. We were writing Fan Fiction and didn’t know it. LOL Flash forward many, many years. My kids were in their last years of high school and I was facing empty nest. Yay! Don’t get me wrong. I loved being their cheering section and supporting their activities. But it was time for me. I loved reading romances and decided to write my own. Those first stories are better left hidden away.
How do you research something like your stories set in space?

The internet. Movies—like Avatar, Oblivion, Star Trek—give me so many ideas. Then I search the internet for whatever I need to know. But I sure wish I could research by doing. I’d love to go into space. I know I won’t get that chance, but maybe my grandchildren will.
What are your personal favorite space adventure stories?
Linnea Sinclair is my go-to writer for space adventure. Hope’s Folly is my favorite because the characters seem so real—an older, washed up (according to him) admiral and a young woman who wishes she weighed twenty pounds less. Jayne Castle’s Harmony series are fascinating. Both writers make me suspend belief and draw me into their stories. Another writer I just discovered is Ann Aguirre. Her concept of space travel is so different, fascinating.
Tell us a little about your newest book, The Chameleon (An Outer Rim Novel: Book 2).
Legally Blond meets Mata Hari.
Socialite Jileena Winslott appears to be the spoiled, bubble-headed daughter of an industrial magnate. In reality, she’s her father's smart, savvy aide, who yearns to run the family business. When her father sends her on a covert mission to the Outer Rim, she has the chance to prove herself. But he insists she take along a fake fiancĂ©—the man she’s secretly loved for years.
Although this is the second book, it’s a stand alone. You don’t need to read The Pilot first.

This was part of a series. What gave you the original idea for the series?

During a trip from Michigan to Phoenix, I thought about how brave and strong the early pioneer women had to be in order to survive. The hardships they endured, many times alone. Then I thought the frontier of space must be just as wild. What would women on the Outer Rim have to do to survive? Those women gave rise to the Outer Rim Novels. The Chameleon is the second book in the series.
What is your next project?
I’m finishing the final touches on a book starring a female private investigator in a fictional small resort town on Lake Michigan. The Case of the Bygone Brother will be released in July.
What would you tell beginning writers who might want to write space romances?
Write what you love to read. Science fiction romance is a niche sub-genre. In fact, the designation isn’t even listed on the major retailers. Every writer has to develop a thick skin. Even more so in sfr. Some die hard sci-fi writers don’t like romance contaminating “true” sf. That’s why I say if you really love sci-fi romance, do your research and write from your heart.
How can readers reach you or find you online?







The Chameleon is available at:



Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-chameleon-diane-burton/1119480831?ean=2940149208616


Thanks, Diane and good luck with your new book.  Any comments or questions for Diane?

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Meet Terri Rochenski


My guest today is Terri Rochenski, who writes historical romance and fantasy. Her love affair with writing stories began in 8th grade when a little gnome whispered in her brain. The result was Gundi's Great Adventure. It never hit the best seller list, but it started her on her way. We’d like to know more about your writing journey.  How did you eventually get started on the road to published author?
I didn’t start to seriously pursue writing until around 2003 when I met Anne Tyler and she encouraged me to strive toward the dream of becoming published. It’s been a long couple of years, but I’ve finally met that goal – and I’ve no wish to stop!
You are also a mother. With three children, it must be tough to find time to write. How do you schedule writing time?
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as scheduled writing time. Both of my girls are in school on Tue & Thur for 3 hours, so if Little Man konks out for a nap, I scramble to write. Other than that, it’s whenever & wherever I can jot a few lines down.
Tell us a little about your newest book, Love’s Sorrow. What gave you the idea for this story in particular?
I’ve written a guest post on this subject, so I’ll keep this answer short – being a woman in the 19th century has always intrigued me. From lack of say in much of anything to having no job, career, or social status unless they had money, I can’t imagine living in that time. I wanted to bring to light how easily we women in this century get to enjoy life.
Love’s Sorrow is historical romance, how do you research your stories?
Painstakingly LONG hours. I spent days in the library (years ago before I had the internet) and hours on the internet once it was available to me. I try to stay as true to history as possible, but there are times when things need fudged to fit within the story.
You also write fantasy.  How did you get interested in writing fantasy?
As a kid, I grew up reading the Chronicles of Narnia books. Wore them to shreds. Literally. Checked into every closet I could, desperate to find out the make believe could become true.
What are you working on now?
I’m cramming rewrites on a very old manuscript – Love’s Revenge, Means of Mercy #2!
What do you have coming out in the future?
Love’s Revenge comes out in November of this year, book #3 of Means of Mercy has a tentative of spring ’15, and the 2nd in my fantasy Pool of Souls series, Secret of the Souls, releases on October 6th of this year.
How can readers reach you or find you online?
These are my usual haunts:
Website Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads


 How about a short blurb for Love’s Sorrow?

Hired as a nanny for her cousin’s children, Anne Tearle finds security and a loving family. The children are a dream, but London society is a world of its own, one where a displaced farm girl has no business being. But, wealthy rake, Gavin MacKay, helps her to see associating with the upper class might not be as horrid as she first assumed.

Like all things worthwhile, love comes at a price, and the cost soon bestows more anguish than joy. Lost, but not undone, Anne must find the courage to begin life anew, or succumb to sorrow's unrelenting waves of grief.

 Thanks, Terry, for being my guest today. Any questions or comments for Terry?

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