Guest Blogger: Megan Hart

My guest this week is Megan Hart, best selling author – and good friend. She will be discussing her newest book, All Fall Down, among other things.

   BLURB FROM ALL FALL DOWN:

In the midst of a chaotic midnight assembly, Sunshine is forced out into the darkness. Holding a scrap of paper scrawled with a stranger’s name and address, Sunny grasps the hands of her three small children and begins her escape.

Liesel Albright has dreamed of starting a family. She never bargained on inheriting one already in progress…or one so deeply damaged. When nineteen-year-old Sunshine appears on the Albright’s doorstep claiming Liesel’s husband Chris is her father, all they can think to offer is temporary shelter. The next day, they’re stunned by the news that the Family of Superior Bliss, led by a charismatic zealot, has committed mass suicide. Sunny and her children haven’t just left the compound–they’ve been left behind.

Now, instead of a baby of her own, Liesel must play mother to the four survivors while Chris retreats into guilt and denial. For Sunny, however, a lifetime of teachings is not easily unlearned. No matter how hard she tries to forget, an ominous catechism echoes in her mind, urging her to finish what the Family started.

INTERVIEW WITH MEGAN HART:

  1. What genre do you write in? Why?

    I write in many different genres, including spicy romance, historical fantasy, young adult horror and           mainstream literary fiction. Why? Because…I…can? Or because I am an overflowing cauldron of ideas? Or because I’m crazy! Your choice.

 2. Please tell us about your latest book.

 All Fall Down is the story of a young woman raised in a cult by her mother, who forces her to leave and seek shelter with her biological father. Sunshine takes her three kids and flees to her father’s house, where he and his wife take them in — but are they all really ready to become a family?

 3. What can we expect from you in the future?

 More mainstream fiction. More horror. More romance. More of everything I’m doing and maybe some new stuff, too!

 4. How do we find out about you and your books (URLs, blog, etc.)

 www.meganhart.com

www.readinbed.net

www.twitter.com/Megan_Hart

www.facebook.com/megan.hart

 5. What motivated you to start writing?

 I’ve been writing stories for as long as I can, which is since kindergarten. I decided when I was twelve it was what I wanted to be when I grew up.

 6. What kind of research do you do?

 It depends on the story. For All Fall Down, I read a lot about cults and their methods. For the short horror serial I’m writing, I researched natural disasters. If I don’t know something and can’t reasonably make it up, I try to make sure I’m accurate.

 7. Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?

 I mostly write Monday – Friday from about 9 am to 3 or 4 pm. I work on other things in the evenings, editing or research or promotion. If I’m in between writing drafts, I’ll edit during the day, etc. So I do have a set schedule, but the content of what I’m doing is fluid.

 8. Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?

 Stephen King, absolutely, as a kid.

 9. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

 YES.

 10. What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?

 The letters  that say “I loved your book.” The ones that say “you’re my favorite author” are amazing. But the ones that say “your book taught me something about myself” — those are precious.

 11. Among your own books, have you a favorite book?  Favorite hero or heroine?

 Tempted. Alex Kennedy. He’s also a fan favorite. But I love and hate all my books. Love all the characters.

 12. Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

 Keep working. Learn your craft. Pay attention. Don’t try to skip ahead of the line — put in the time. Make sure you’re really putting your absolute best work out there.

 13. Where can we buy your books?

 Everywhere books are sold, I hope!

 14. Now for something fun (Please pick a few of the questions below to answer – do not feel that you have to answer all.):

Chocolate or vanilla? chocolate

Favorite color? purple

Favorite TV show?  Supernatural

All time favorite actor?  Keanu Reeves

 Actress?    Kate Winslet

All time favorite book?   Hmm. That’s a tough one. I usually say The Stand, but I also love Imajica by Clive Barker, Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey, Swan Song and A Boy’s Life by Robert R. McCammon…so many favorites…

Favorite Movie? The Matrix, The Wizard of Oz

What makes you laugh out loud? I’m blessed in that many things make me laugh out loud.

If you could go anywhere in the universe where would that be? To sleep.

 What do you like to do in your “down” time?  Play the Sims 3. Watch movies. Read. Sleep.

 

When your muse won’t cooperate

I’ve had a great morning writing, but it’s not always that way. Some days, I sit and look at the blank screen and my mind is as blank as that page. So what do you do on days like that? You figure out ways to jumpstart the muse. Here are a few tricks that might help:
1. Just start writing. Anything. Even if it’s only “I have nothing to write” over and over again – eventually you brain will figure out something to write besides that.
2. Change your surface – sometimes when I switch from the computer to the pen and paper, I can focus better. The writing becomes more sensory and flows better. Then when I go to type what I’ve done into the computer, it all comes together much better.
3. Go for a walk, and don’t just amble around the block. Go outside and really look at your surroundings. Let your mind take in the cold chill of the rain as it splashes on the sidewalk, or the shadows created by sunshine through the leaves of trees; or the noise and smells of the city. Really experience your surroundings and take that experience back to your writing.
4. Write something different. If you write one genre, try another. Try something new.
5. Interview your character – ask them questions, then write the answers as that character would.

These are just a few of the ways you can jumpstart your writing. What do you do when the words just won’t come?

Writing Challenges

My local writer’s group is doing what we call a 50-50 challenge. In this challenge, you write a minimum of fifty words a day for fifty days. In any one week, you are allowed to have two days of no writing, but must make up those words on another day, but if you go three days without writing, you are out of the challenge.

Fifty words a day doesn’t sound like much, does it? Especially with this being NaNoWriMo where everyone is trying to do over a thousand words a day. Even that little paragraph above has over fifty words. And yet, there are days when getting down even fifty words is a struggle. Days when you get home from work and your brain is fried and the kids are clamoring for dinner and, oh yeah, you have to make those three dozen cupcakes for school for tomorrow and… you get the idea. But still, fifty words… you can do that, right?

The idea is not to make writing one more thing to add to an already overloaded to-do list, but to make writing something you think about – and/or do – every day, even if it’s only one small paragraph. And you’d be surprised how many words you actually do get out when you sit down to write.

You may start out with the idea of only writing fifty words. One small paragraph. But those fifty often lead to fifty more. And soon you have a couple of pages. And it doesn’t matter if you write on the computer, or bathroom toilet paper – all that matters is that you get your fifty words down.

So…have you written your fifty yet today?

For all the Vets out there – thank you

In memory of my father who served during WWII, the Korean Conflict, and other parts of Asia. This is from his personal memoirs:

One day in WWII, I was working with an infantry outfit in a little village outside of Orleans and the Germans were acting up a little bit. We were walking down a narrow street and the Germans opened up with machine guns. Most of the section troops ducked into a doorway on the opposite side of the street and I ducked into one on the other side. The door was locked and I couldn’t get in and all I was doing was standing pressed up against the door and the bullets were nicking pretty close. I decided that maybe I could get across the street to where the other guys were hiding. The street wasn’t that wide, probably no more than an alley, but it was still open. I got jammed up against the door as hard as I could; took my helmet off so it wouldn’t fall off; got my rifle clutched tight, put my head down and took off across the street. I wasn’t planning to stand there and open the door, I was planning on going right through the door. Just as I got to the door, it opened and I ran through the room and into the wall on the other side of the room. Seems that my buddies had seen me through the window and knew what I was doing. They stood there looking at me on the floor and laughing and asked me “What’s the matter? Didn’t you think we’d open the door?”

Close to the end of the war, we were staying in an old chateau. Rumor had it that it had belonged to Napoleon’s daughter at one time. The Germans had been in there and when they got kicked out, we moved in. Written on the one wall was something in German that took my eye. I couldn’t read German so I wrote it down and got someone to translate it later. It was from a German soldier and said: “To the American soldier who reads this: May we never meet on the battlefield and may you return to your home victorious and I to mine alive.”
This is from his book “Memories Along the Tuscarora” (c1991)

“I was thinking of all the parades we have every year and I got to thinking about those forgotten men who sit in a dark corner in some nursing home and, yes, some memories can bring tears. I wrote this about WWI soldiers in 1988.”

“The Old Veteran”
Seventy years ago, he was young and proud,
Now he lives in the home, just one of the crowd.
Does anyone remember what happened this day?
Does anyone care as they go on their way?
Yes, he remembers the uniform he wore
As he fought in a battle on a distant shore.
His country’s flag he remembers with pride.
He remembers the men who fought by his side.
Ah, it is all past now, and many forgot
That he was a hero, believe it or not.
He carried that flag in Balleau Wood
And on November the eleventh, with it he stood
One of the proud victors of that war.
He remembers this and so much more.
He remembers his friends who died over there,
No wonder he weeps for someone to care.
So give him a smile as you pass him by.
If you have the time, hold his hand and try
to imagine him when he was there.
Try at least to show that you really care.
True, other wars were fought since then
And other heroes there have been,
But that does not lessen his duty there
Of keeping American so free and fair.

************************
‘nuf said.

I’ve moved

Please click on the link to find my new home:  http://www.victoriaallenromance.com

Thank you!

Under the covers

How much does the cover of a book draw you? At the small bookstore where I work, we front out books that have interesting (to us) covers. When I’m looking for a book, I know certain covers draw me in while others make me skip right over the book. That’s a shame, I realize, because I may be missing a perfectly good read. However, when I see badly drawn cartoonish covers or ones that were obviously photoshopped with someone of less than adequate ability, I tend to think the book may be of lower quality as well.

And yet, I have read really good books that had horrible covers. I’ve also read horrible books that had really good covers. What should matter is the writing – and it does. Once I’ve picked up that book, I read the blurb, the tag lines, and, maybe a page or two before deciding if I want it, but it is the cover that draws me first.

So what about you? Do you pick up a book based on the cover?

 

Guest Interview: Jeff Burkholder & Gloaming Gap

Today, I’m interviewing Jeff Burkholder (yes, we’re related – he’s my son. J). He has a site called Gloaming Gap. It’s about a town where anything can – and does – happen and the things that go bump in the night are very real. It can be found at: http://www.gloaminggap.com

Vicky:  Where did you get the ideas for Gloaming Gap?

Jeff:  Well, Gloaming Gap really started out with the first story, “A Bloomin’ Mummy”. I just got an image in my head of a guy eating in a restaurant, when a mummy comes in and curses him for not sharing his appetizer. From there, it kinda branched out! I also wanted to experiment with different kinds of storytelling and publishing

Vicky:  I know you have other writers who do stories for Gloaming Gap – can anyone write for you, or do you invite them?

Jeff:  Well, up until this year, they had all been by invitation. This year, though, we’ve opened up the doors a bit, and we’ve had some really great contributions.  We’ve got some really fantastic writers lined up for August.

Vicky:  Is Gloaming Gap based on a real town? If so, where?

Jeff:  Heh, no. As you are well aware, I grew up in small towns, and have a particular fondness for them. Although there is an…insular quality about a lot of them, which certainly lends itself well to the denizens of the ‘Gap.

Vicky:  All of the stories are paranormal. Is this a pre-requisite for writing a Gloaming Gap story?

Jeff:  The prerequisite for a Gloaming Gap story is that it should be a good story about people with real life issues. The paranormal part of it is just part of the setting.

In some ways, it’s similar to M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Sixth Sense”. It wasn’t a ghost story. It was a story about people trying to connect to others that involved ghosts.

Vicky:  Ah – interesting premise.

Jeff:  Thanks

Vicky:  If someone wanted to write a Gloaming Gap story, is there a word limit and can they contact you through Gloaming Gap?

Jeff:  Yeah, since Gloaming Gap is strictly online, the stories are intended to be really quick reads. We’ve found that 1,500 words (give-or-take about 300) gives enough space for a good yarn, without bogging down readers on their lunch break. For more info, people can either check out the site (GloamingGap.com) or contact me at GloamingGap@gmail.com

Vicky:  Is there any money involved – either to the writer or from the reader?

Jeff:  Heh, nope. Gloaming Gap – as well as pretty much all my other projects – currently exists in a free-as-in-beer model. I’m not saying that will never change, but that’s my preference. These are stories for the sake of creativity; not cash.

Vicky:  Is there anything else you’d like my readers to know about Gloaming Gap?

Jeff:  The stories are largely meant to be stand-alones. You don’t need to read them in any real order. Characters from one story do pop up in others, though, so it’s a fun, kind of rewarding experience to recognize them when they appear elsewhere. Plenty of different genres in the stories, too. I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll like.

I’m working on it….

It has been a busy month for writing. In the last few weeks, I’ve attended a four day writer’s retreat with my local writing group. Four days of nothing but writing, and time for fun. I managed fifty pages of new work on my straight fantasy as well as plotting out another book, two short stories and editing of another novella. It was an intense time, but well worth the trip.

After I got back from the retreat (brain dead), my latest Captiva Press story came out – Heartmates, which is the prequel to my story “The Chosen”. This story lets the reader know where the legend of the Emerald Stone of Destiny got its start and why it works for the family. If you liked The Chosen, I know you’ll like Heartmates. And coming soon will be the sequel, “Building Love”. All three are erotic, with Captiva giving them a heat level of 3 out of 5. They contain adult situations and scenes and are not suitable for those under 18.

In addition to the ongoing work and promoting my current works, I’m also working with Renee Mastersen to update my websites. Keep checking back for updates.

And now, playtime is over and I must get back to work. A writer’s job is never done.

HEARTMATES is out!

“Heartmates”, the prequel to “The Chosen” is now out at Captiva Press.

(Book One in the Stone of Destiny series.)

Combine a magic sapphire, a witch and a stubborn hero and you get double trouble.

As a healer, Selena welcomes all to her home. Then two strangers show up on her doorstep, one badly injured, but it is the other who draws her notice. Did her mother’s last act of enchanting a beautiful sapphire bring this handsome man of her desires to her?

Tristan had been against the journey with his godfather, Jacob, but a promise is a promise. An attack by outlaws sealed his fate. Injured and on the run, they come upon a secluded cabin and a beautiful woman. When she displays powers unlike any he’s ever seen, he is certain he’s been bewitched. Yet for some reason, he doesn’t mind as much as he thought he would.

When treachery uses Selena’s compassionate nature against her, can the two heartmates overcome vast odds to fulfill the future promised to them by the Stone of Destiny?

Content Warning: Contains graphic scenes of m/f sexuality.

available as an ebook for only $2.99!!!  Where else will you find satisfaction for that small a price?

Guest Author : Mary Hughes, tips and a contest!

As Simple as ABCBC

I’m a pantser. I love to take a strong man and a stronger woman, throw them together and let ’em have at it. So you might think I’d be the last person promoting order.

Except… what makes the difference between clear and huh? Or even between believable and not?

The right order.

The wrong order is like stumbling on the stair that’s not there, or drinking from an empty glass. Like reciting the alphabet backwards. I’m not talking about deliberate red herrings or plot twists, but ABC turned into ACB-what?

I have a story to illustrate. I once played a maid in the play Gas Light. Set in the 1880s, I was supposed to enter under dialog and light two gas lights on either side of the set. Not real gas lights, but as I touched my long pole to each the lightboard brought up the electric light hidden within.

I managed one but didn’t get to the other in time. The lightboard had to bring up the second light anyway, making it look like it’d been lit by ghosts (or the really bad error it was). And yes, I got yelled at. Never did that again.

ABC can get muddled in many ways. Besides my ghost lighting (B without A) there’s ABCBC and AC.

I’m taking my examples from Biting Me Softly because I know how I changed it. Well, and because it’s In Stock at bookstores across the US ☺ “I” is Liese, a Saint-Pauli-girl-next-door programmer. Her hero is Logan Steel, over six feet of golden, graceful vampire.

Problem: Redundant orderbABCBC vs. ABC.

Before: The instant Logan touched me, he knew and the smooth, seductive lover morphed into marauding pirate. “Liese. You’re so ready—treasure for the taking. I’m going to plunder you, princess. Prepare to be boarded.” One hand captured my face, securing me for easy ravaging, and he breached my pitiful defenses with a devouring kiss.

The problem? He touches, he knows, he morphs. Then in his speech we go backwards to where he’s knowing again. Then he morphs again. What has more impact, ABCBCbor ABC?

After: The instant Logan touched me he knew. “Liese. You’re so ready—treasure for the taking. Prepare to be boarded, princess.” The smooth, seductive lover morphed into a marauding pirate. One hand captured my face and he breached my pitiful defenses with a devouring kiss.

Problem: Causal order. A>C vs. A>B>C.

Before: His tongue invaded me, stole my breath. His taste overwhelmed me, his heat fierce and unyielding. His hand slid into my hair, anchoring my head. The other yanked me into his muscular body. He seized my bottom, cupping and fondling. I arched helplessly into him, banging up against his pirate’s prow, and it was a monster.

One hand anchors, the other yanks. Then he seizes her (which hand?) and she arches. This is actually okay (if you can overlook the phantom hand), but inserting a cause for his yanking adds a layer and increases the tension between them.

After: His tongue invaded me, stole my breath. His mouth overwhelmed me, his heat fierce and unyielding. Fingers slid into my hair to anchor my head for an even deeper kiss. When I moaned and tried to evade his plundering, his arm wrapped around me and yanked me tight into his muscular body. He seized my bottom, cupping and fondling. I arched helplessly into him, banging up against his pirate’s prow, and it was a monster.

In short: To order attention to pay a difference makes. And, um, it makes a difference too J

PROMO:

Biting Me Softly is in bookstores around the US, and I’m celebrating by having a giveaway! Just comment on this post to enter. For a second chance, let me know the city or bookstore where you’ve seen Softly! Through April 29, 2011. Adults only please. Winner will receive choice of Biting Me Softly in paperback (if US or Canada) or one of Bite My Fire, Biting Nixie, The Bite of Silence or Biting Me Softly in ebook.

He’s a candy box of sex appeal wrapped with a golden bow. She’s on a diet.

  Blood, sex, violence. Blood, okay, but computer geek Liese Schmetterling had enough S&V when her cheating ex fired her. Now security expert—and lip-smacking gorgeous—Logan Steel saunters into her Blood Center, setting fire to her libido. And threatening her job.

Visions of pink slips dancing in her head, Liese tries to push Logan away without touching his jutting pecs…or ridged abs. Or petting the Vesuvius in his jeans. He’s hiding something, but it doesn’t seem to matter when his smiles stun her, his kisses crank her to broiling and his bites rocket her to heaven. Fangy bites which, if she weren’t grounded in science, would make her think ampire-Vay.

Centuries old and tragedy-scarred, Logan’s mission is to fortify the Blood Center’s electronic defenses against his nemesis, the leader of a rogue vampire gang. He’s ready for battle but not for Liese, who slips under his skin, laughs at his awful puns, charges beside him into dark, scary places—and tastes like his true love.

No matter how often Logan declares his love, Liese can’t bring herself to trust him. But when his archenemy comes after her, not trusting him may cost her life…

Warning: contains explicit vampire sex involving absurdly large male equipment (hey, they’re monsters), unbelievable stamina (just how long can he stay underwater in a hot tub?), hide-your-eyes violence and horrendously bad puns. And, just when you think it can’t get any worse, a computer geekette trying to play Mata Hari.

Buy at Samhain Publishing

Check In Stock at Barnes and Noble

Hugs from Hughes! Bestselling author Mary Hughes is a computer consultant, professional musician, and writer. At various points in her life she has taught Taekwondo, worked in the insurance industry, and studied religion. She is intensely interested in the origins of the universe. She has a wonderful husband (though happily-ever-after takes a lot of hard work) and two great kids. But she thinks that with all the advances in modern medicine, childbirth should be a lot less messy.

To learn more about Mary Hughes, please visit www.maryhughesbooks.com.