by Angela Smith | Mar 1, 2014 | Guests
Welcome Cassandra Ulrich on my blog today! I’ve interviewed her about her novel, Love’s Intensity. But first, a bit about her story:
Brad loves fast horses, cars, and bikes. Life would be perfect if his stepmother could only mind her own business. Instead, his father hired a longtime friend and her family to work in their home, turning his world into a feudal mess.
He wants to hate the new arrivals and it doesn’t help that Kressa, daughter of the newcomers, is the most gorgeous girl he’d ever laid eyes on. With a scent that draws him to her, Kressa causes him more internal conflict than he ever dreamed possible. He falls for her so deeply, he tells her a secret he’d never even told his best friends – that he’s training to be a ninja warrior.
Kressa adores her country and loves hanging out with her many cousins. News of the move to Massachusetts comes as a shock to her. She refuses to be happy in this new place working as a servant for a rich man and his mean son, who had the nerve to be cute. And why does her skin tingle every time her hand brushes against his?
Despite her efforts, she finds herself desperately longing for a friendship with the one boy who scowls at her. Matters are only made more complicated when his family and hers clash. When he goes on a dangerous mission, she wonders, will he return so she can tell him he’s won her heart or will their families manage to keep them apart?
What intrigues you about your book “Love’s Intensity”?
I am intrigued by the complex and realistic characters in “Love’s Intensity”. It’s not easy to make characters multi-dimensional, but it’s worth the extra effort.
Who or what is your greatest writing influence?
My fifth grade teacher encouraged me to write after reading one of my stories. I didn’t act on it then, but I’ve never forgotten. I’m glad I took his advice albeit many years later.
When did you absolutely know that you had to be a writer?
I didn’t. Writing books happened to me. I didn’t know what was going on until I talked to a couple of good friends who encouraged me to write a chapter and let them read it.
What was your favorite part of writing “Love’s Intensity”?
Letting the characters take over my mind so I could capture their essence on paper. I got to know each of them very well over a nine month period.
What is your favorite aspect of reading a novel?
I enjoy being sucked into the world created in the story. It’s thrilling when the author writes characters I wish I could meet.
Are you a plotter, a panster, or both?
I am definitely a panster. Only after much of a story is written do I write down character details and such. I’m driven by inspiration.
Do you have a certain theme in your writing?
Love. Love can heal broken hearts and wounded souls. Love can lift the spirits but the lack of it can tear apart a life. People fight to have it, protect it, or steal it. I’ve written inspirational, romance, and adventure stories, but the central theme in them all is love.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Perhaps the best description is periodic. My stories tend to have a few climaxes with increasing intensity.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
That both our words and actions affect others, for good or for bad. The specifics are depicted in the stories.
Do you ever use your life experiences in your novels?
Absolutely, but not in the exact way they happened. It’s more like taking a puzzle piece, cutting it up, and combining them with other pieces to create a different picture.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one book with you, what would you take?
The Bible. There are so many juicy stories in there about human interaction. I never get bored.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one song with you, what would you take?
Happy by Pharrell Williams.
Are you working on any projects right now?
Yes, a few stories concurrently. However, I hope to focus on a story about a South African girl later this year.
Do you see writing as a career?
I do. Although I’m just getting started, I treat it like a business. Now that I’ve had a taste, I don’t want to stop releasing books, stories and poetry.
If you had the career of your choice, what would you choose and why?
At this point in my life, I’d like to be an accomplished author.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I started writing poems in grade school. This continued on through my college years. I actually have four unpublished poetry books that I intend to release over the next couple years.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Keeping pov straight when writing in 3rd person. Thank goodness for editors who catch those errors.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Never stop reinventing yourself. It’s tons of fun if you don’t mind adventures.
Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
I would like to meet Queen Latifah. She seems like a really neat, down-to-earth person.
If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
Wow, that’s a tough one. I enjoy many kinds of books, but if I wrote them, they wouldn’t be the same story. I think I’ll abstain.
How can readers discover more about you and you work?
Website: http://cassandraulrich.com/
Blog: http://cassandraulrich.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CassandraUlrichAuthor?bookmark_t=page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CassandraUlric1
Lnkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/cassandra-ulrich/62/866/6b3
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/288793394825730035/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cassandra-Ulrich/e/B008H7H6SW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1393121477&sr=8-1
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6925111.Cassandra_Ulrich
by Angela Smith | Jan 30, 2014 | Guests
Today, I am featuring Andrea R. Cooper as a guest, who talks about merging genres. But first, a little about Andrea:
Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always created characters and stories. But it wasn’t until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels.
What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).
Andrea writes paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.
She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.
Merging Genres, called hybrid genres or cross-genre, is not a new phenomenon. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a romantic tragedy. Star Wars is a blending of Science Fiction (space, spaceships, etc.) with Fantasy elements (The Force, Princess rescuing, etc.).
Romance writers have been merging genres for years. Romance with suspense and/or crime becomes a romantic suspense novel. Paranormal romance is, typically, has one main character is a nonhuman and the other is human. Historical romance subdivided into eras or even time-travel.
There are many mixed genres some are: dark fantasy (fantasy and horror), comic science fiction or fantasy (comedy with science fiction or fantasy), tragicomedy (tragedy and comedy). I know tragedy and comedy sound like opposites, the 1956 movie The Visit incorporates both of these.
Newer hybrids are science fiction horror or crime and horror. So how would a crime and horror novel work? One example would be a crime with a villain who is a monster or demon.
Another example of a hybrid genre is a fantasy and paranormal like mine, The Garnet Dagger. The world, magic, and quest are all fantasy. The hero, though Elvin (fantasy character), is bitten by a vampire (paranormal character) and becomes an amalgam: the Vaer. Instead of craving blood, it is the life-essence or soul he devours by touch.
Now that you know a little about what merging genres, how do you write one?
• Think/Imagine the story you want to tell. The characters, setting, etc.
Or outline. Whatever you do for your writing now, try that. Alternatively, do the opposite if you feel stuck. Brainstorm about the different genres. It would be best in my opinion to start with two you love.
• Write the story. Don’t try and force a hybrid. Let the story flow.
• Re-read the story to see if it flows, or to sprinkle in more elements from another genre. For example, on my historical romance, Viking Fire, one of the villains is a spy in the clan. I didn’t plan this, but I let it come naturally as I wrote. When I did the edits, I added in a little more detail to amplify this aspect.
• Don’t overdo it. Unless the story logically takes both genres equally, it would be best to start with one main one and add more of the secondary genre as needed.
• Read other hybrid genres. See what other authors have done. Write down what you like and don’t like about their mixing.
You might not have to start from scratch if the task of merging genres is too daunting. Dig up an old manuscript you have in a drawer or an unfinished one. Read it over with the thought of adding another element to it. Recently, I did this with a Native American historical romance I wrote years ago, and adding in a paranormal aspect slipped in easily.
I cannot stress the value of another opinion or more. If you are thinking of creating blended genres, ask a source you trust or several. A critique group, beta readers, etc. are excellent resources when trying something different.
If the idea of hybrid genres appeals to you, do research, practice, read. Perhaps you’ll discover a new merging of genres that is as unique as you are.
Viking Fire Blurb:
Chapter One Ireland 856 CEIn 856 CE, Ireland is a land of myth, magic, and blood. Viking raiders have fought the Irish for over half a century. Rival Irish clans promise only betrayal and carnage.
Kaireen, daughter of Laird Liannon, is suddenly forced into an arranged marriage with her sworn enemy, a Viking. She refuses to submit. With no mention of love, only land and the protection of her clan, she endeavors to get her betrothed banished from her country. Will love find its way around her stubborn heart?
Bram, the Viking, finds himself without future or inheritance as a younger son in his family. A marriage to the Laird’s daughter would grant him land if he swears fidelity and if his men will fight along with the Liannons against any foe—Irish or Viking. However, the Laird’s feisty daughter only holds animosity for him and his kind. Is marriage worth the battle scars of such a relentless opponent?
With the blame for a rival laird’s death treacherously set against the Liannons, Kaireen and Bram must find a way to lay aside their differences as an unforeseen darkness sends death snapping at their heels.
Viking Fire Excerpt:
Chapter One Ireland 856 CE
“I renounce Father for this.” Kaireen threw the elderberry gown. Dressed only in her
leine, she glared at the new gown on the stone floor.
“Shame on you and your children for speaking such.” Her handmaid, Elva, gathered the damask and then dusted off the rushes. “It’s a wonder one of the clim has not scolded you from your hearth for such talk.” She wore her white hair twisted in a chignon, underneath a linen head cloth. Strands of white hair poked out the sides of her covering.
“No, curse Father for a fool.” She plopped on her bed and a goose feather floated away. With a huff, she leaned against the oak headboard. Red curtains puffed like a robin’s chest around oak poles supporting her wooden canopy.
Her bare feet brushed against the stone floor. Why was she not born plain like her two older sisters? Already they had married and expected their second bairns by spring. Well, at least so far she had enjoyed twenty years of freedom. Neither of her sisters had had matrimonial dreams of love matches. Both were arranged marriages.
“You know your da arranged a marriage within a season.” Elva smirked.
Kaireen shook her head. “To another land holder,” and waved a hand in disgust, “not t-this heathen. Twice they raided our land in the last month alone. Many a raid has come from them. Now father wants me as wife to one of them?” She clenched her fists. “No, I will not marry this Viking.”
Elva smiled, reminding Kaireen of the rumors of her handmaid’s uncanny foresight.
Whispers of Elva making strange things happen and often blamed as the cause of
Kaireen’s stubborn refusal to behave as a laird’s daughter should.
“You’ve not seen him yet.” Elva wiggled her brows.
“So?” Kaireen shrugged. “I would like to never see him.”
“Well then, would you not like to know if you have a handsome husband or not?” She waited for her response, but Kaireen scowled at her. Elva chuckled. “I would rather get a good look at him now than the morning after.”
Kaireen’s ears heated. “I am not marrying.” She shook her head for emphasis. “So there will be no morning, nor night, nor wedding.”
“If he is handsome, I may fight you for him.” Elva smiled, deepening the wrinkles around her eyes.
“Welcome to him either way.” Kaireen laughed.
Viking Fire Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
The Garnet Dagger Blurb: Everyone knows what happens when a vampire bites a human…but what if the victim is Elvin?
Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on the life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her blood for his cure.
Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and his world will die.
When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?
The Garnet Dagger Excerpt:I’ve known death. For over half a millennia, I escorted many to death at the end of my sword. In the eyes of the dying, I watched it shroud them. Foolishly, I thought many more eras would pass before death came for me. It came so swiftly that I could not run; I could not escape. At a village, dressed in human clothes, I took in everything. By observing for eons, I understood and spoke their language. The world of mankind fascinated me. Their hobbled homes burrowed into the ground.
Rocks crunched on top one another with thatched roofs woven from straw. Never had I seen a home or inn that was higher than three levels, as if they were afraid of the sky. I delayed my return to my people as I watched human jugglers bounce torches and knifes. It was autumn equinox and the festivities would continue well into the night. Children laughed as they chased each other. A trail of leaves from their costumes twirled after them. It was dark when I reached the forest. Since I was already late, I hiked uphill to a shortcut rather than take the long path back home. I didn’t need to alert any of my kind near the barrier at this hour. Liana would wonder why I was late.
Tonight was the two month anniversary of our hand twining ceremony. One more month as was custom, and then we’d be wed. A gasp rustled through the trees. The roots shot a warning through to me with stifled caution. Adjusting my pack, I continued on instead of changing back into my Elvin clothes. After I passed the border which kept humans from entering our land, then I’d change. In the distance, I heard a groan. Curious, I spun in the direction of the sound. The autumn wind breezed through my worn human clothes, chilling me. But someone needed help. I turned in the direction of the sounds. Whatever made the noise should be a few yards ahead.
I hiked slower than my normal speed, so as not to startle whatever human called out. My leather boots crunched upon dried, diseased leaves and bark. Horrified, I glanced up. Branches twisted around each other to suffocating. Lifeless limbs cracked in the wind. Flesh of the trees sloughed off in layers, exposing its bones. Gashes hollowed out chunks of warmth. Fragments of leaves clung to finger tips, marking sepulchers of the dying trees. Trees mourned with wails like splitting wood, and I brought my hands over my ears. I must flee before I became infected, they told me. Flee before the stain of this defilement creeps into you, they warned. Trees spoke to my kind, always had. Yet these trees were in such agony of death that I could not breathe. Felt as though my lungs had folded in on themselves, like a moth unable to break loose from its cocoon.
Nothing I could do for them, and if I lingered too long, whatever disease gnawed upon them may choke me. Where would I go if I carried something so foul as to devour trees from the inside out? I’d never return to Tamlon if I brought this infection with me. I drew away, but a movement at the base of a decaying tree to my right caught me. My night vision picked up the sight of a human. His sallow face seemed to glow in the moonlight. Poking out from rags lay his arms and legs, which resembled skin stretched over sticks. So cadaverous was his face, I’d have thought him dead if he hadn’t moved.
“Please,” he said and his voice sounded like cicada’s vibrations, “help me.”
“What ails you in this troubled place?” I wondered if my voice, foreign to my ears in speaking the human’s language, revealed my nature.
“I am lost.” His dark eyes crinkled around the corners. “Without strength to rise. If you would but assist me up, I’ll be on my way.”
I’d never touched a human on purpose before. Was it that that gave me pause, or dread that stilled my heart? My feet itched to flee. As soon as I helped him, then I’d leave. I gritted my teeth and reached a hand down.
His gnarled fingers snapped on my arm, making me wince. Jerking me forward, his face contorted. Surprised by his strength, I fell beside him. Blackness curled around me. Teeth, fangs, broke through the skin on my neck. Then I knew him for what he was, a vampyre.
The Garnet Dagger Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndreaRCooper.author
Twitter: @AndreaRCooper
Author Website: www.AndreaRCooper.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6934877.Andrea_R_Cooper
Blog: http://andrearcooperauthorblog.wordpress.com/
by Angela Smith | Dec 18, 2013 | Guests
Liza will be awarding a digital copy of “Worst Week Ever” to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop, and a grand prize of one $50 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during this tour and her Virtual Book Tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Welcome to today’s blog tour with author, Liza O’Connor. I’ve invited Liza to answer some questions I had for her, and he’s what she had to say. Also, be sure to check out the rest of her blog tour (click banner to follow her tour) and enter for chance to win a digital copy of “Worst Week Ever” or a $50 Amazon GC!
Two sexy English brothers. One irresistible ghost. Who would you choose as your lover?
Completely broke and with a criminal record to boot, Senna Smith is one day from eviction from her apartment when Brendon, her promiscuous roommate from London, suggests she go to England, marry him, and manage his fortune. With few other options, she agrees to an open marriage. But she’ll never, ever, have sex with him, knowing if she falls in love with him, he’ll break her heart.
As trustee of Brendon’s family fortune, there is no way Brendon’s older brother, Garrison Durran, is going to let him marry a self-professed American gold-digger. As Senna tries to embrace castle life and English society for Brendon’s sake, Gar discovers Senna is the perfect woman for him–beautiful and intelligent, kind and caring. Now, if she wasn’t already engaged to his brother…
The ancestral ghost of Durran Castle has to intervene if the Durran brothers have any chance of an heir. He can’t leave them to fix matters on their own. They are useless buggers when it comes to love. As counselor to Gar, matchmaker for Brendon, and lover to Senna, a ghost’s work is never done.
CONTENT WARNING: Allergy warning: Ghost cat in book.
Excerpt…
“So my brother steals all your money and to compensate you, he suggests you come to England, marry him, and he’ll give you his trust fund.” Only his brother could contrive such an absurd plan.
“Yes.” By her brief answer, he gathered she thought it a perfectly reasonable solution.
His brother might be an idiot, but this gold digger would soon discover Gar a force to reckon with. “Did he steal a half million from your bank account?”
Brendon laughed. “Do you have any idea how long that would take? Cash machines only allow you two visits a day at two hundred dollars a pop.”
“How much did he take?” Gar restated his question.
“Four hundred,” Senna replied.
Gar stared up at the ceiling praying for patience, then glared at Ditz. “So why didn’t you pay her back the four hundred?”
Ditz stubbornly refused to answer, and instead glanced at the girl.
She sighed and faced Gar. “Precisely what I asked. He said he didn’t have the four hundred, but if I married him, he would come into a half million. Since the landlord planned to evict me, I really had no choice but to accept the offer.”
Author Interview:
What intrigues you about Ghost Lover?
Since I have a ghost in my house, I believe they really exist. Therefore letting them in my books as another character occurs on occasion. However, one morning I woke from a dream where I made love to a sexy male ghost. That sent me downstairs to my computer to determine if making love to a ghost can actually happen. Turns out people have been reporting ghost lovers all through history. Thus, I declared it fair game, and wrote the book.
Who or what is your greatest writing influence?
Reality triggers a great deal of my stories. Turns out reality is far stranger than fiction. It is so weird, that people block out a great deal so they can pretend to live in a sane, understandable environment. I, however, was not destined for this simplified view of life. My world is complex and incomprehensible, and often just downright freaky. Thus, I accept in my works of fiction a great deal more than the average person believes possible. Ironically, most of what I write about has happened, or is widely reported to have happened, even though many readers, while enjoying the book, declare me way over the top.
When did you absolutely know that you had to be a writer?
Before I knew how to write. I used to entertain my friends with verbal stories when I got old enough to wander out and find other little people. I believe I was 3. From there onward story making, then writing took a major role in my life.
What was your favorite part of writing Ghost Lover?
I love the beginning when Senna agrees to marry Brendon to manage his half a million dollars, even though she doesn’t love him and will never ever have sex with him. It really gets funny when she tries to explain this to Brendon’s older brother, who thinks her the most brazen gold-digger he’s ever met. Then there comes a crisis that forces the sexy ghost Lassier to make love to Senna in order to keep her from leaving the castle, only he does his job too well and falls in love with her, and then there’s the fabulous happy ending, which I can’t tell you about. I can’t decide. Let’s just say, I love the book.
What is your favorite aspect of reading a novel?
Being surprised. I can usually guess how the novel will end by the first chapter, so I enjoy a book that keeps me guessing. However, the game has to be fair. You can’t have the villain show up on the last page.
Are you a plotter, a panster, or both?
I create my characters and they create my plot. Some wear pants, some wear dresses, so I avoid the word pantser.
Do you have a certain theme in all of your novels?
Not that I am aware of. Right now I’m bringing out my humorous novels, so you can expect to laugh presently, but somewhere in the future, I will turn in a different direction. However, one thing won’t change: I present life lessons in all my stories. So maybe that’s my theme: Bizarre Life Lessons from Liza.
Is there a message in Ghost Lover you want readers to grasp?
Off hand, I can think of several:
Emotions can make you illogical, both anger and love;
New beginnings can be good for you;
A person can love many people in different ways.
Never be afraid to love.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I have a definite voice, which has been called unique by several reviewers. I spend a great deal of time protecting it during the editing process.
Do you ever use your life experiences in your novels?
All the time. It’s normally the crazy things in my book that you might think could never happen.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one book with you, what would you take?
I would take a notebook so I could write new stories while I waited to be rescued.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one song with you, what would you take?
I have thousands of songs in my head and I like to hear me sing, so I don’t think you can limit the number of songs I take. However, you are starting to worry me with your questions beginning with me stuck on a deserted island. If your next question is who would I like to be stranded with, my answer is President Obama, because I don’t want to be stranded on a desert island away from my pc, electricity and the internet. However, if Obama is with me, I’m pretty sure the Secret Service would be there to rescue us before I could finish telling him about one of my stories.
Are you working on any projects right now?
I should be finished with edits on the last book of my series A Long Road to Love: Coming To Reason, coming out in Feb 2014.
And working on edits for my Xavier and Vic series to begin in April 2014.
Do you see writing as a career?
Yes. I work at it 17 hours a day, so it’s definitely a profession, but it is without doubt the WORST PAYING JOB EVER!
If you had the career of your choice, what would you choose and why?
Writing. I had a great career in business, which I gave up to be a poor starving author because all I’ve ever wanted to do is write.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Even at three, I wanted to tell people stories. It’s a compulsion that has never waned.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Nothing. It’s a pure joy to do.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Don’t change my future. I’m very happy now.
Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
I would like to meet President Obama. I think we’d get along really well. Michelle can join the conversation, but I’d want the Secret Service guys to leave. Otherwise, they’d probably shoot me when I just wanted to hug those two. I get into trouble all too easy.
If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
I suppose I would be Jane Austen, and I’d be writing Pride and Prejudice. It’s my favorite book. I get such a great sense of peace when reading it. Jane manages to write a brilliant love story without a mention of sex.
How can readers discover more about you and you work?
Website & Blog: http://www.lizaoconnor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Liza.O.Connor.Wakes.UpTwitter: @Liza0Connor
Lnkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=187609819&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lizaoconnor/ghost-lover/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Liza-OConnor/e/B00A82LHNO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6537428.Liza_O_Connor
Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview!
Thank you for having me.
ebook: http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Lover-Liza-OConnor-ebook/dp/B00H1J5OS6/
Print: http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Lover-Liza-OConnor/dp/1493667386/
