Can you read this post in "30 Seconds"??

Chrys Fey is on a mammoth blog tour to celebrate the launch of her book 30 Seconds, and it's my pleasure to host her today.

Blurb:

When Officer Blake Herro agreed to go undercover in the Mob, he thought he understood the risks. But he's made mistakes and now an innocent woman has become their target. He's determined to protect her at all costs.

The Mob's death threat turns Dr. Dani Hart's life upside down, but there is one danger she doesn’t anticipate. As she's dodging bullets, she's falling in love with Blake. With danger all around them, will she and Blake survive and have a happy ending, or will the Mob make good on their threat?

Links:

The Wild Rose Press // NOOK // KOBO // Amazon US 

Amazon UK // Goodreads 

Welcome to my blog, Chrys, I'll start with the obvious question, where did the Mob idea come from?

I got the idea for this story seven years ago. Wow! It doesn’t seem that long ago but it was, and I can’t quite recall how the Mob made it into my story, but I know I wanted the hero, Blake Herro, to protect a woman from dangerous criminals. Somehow Red, the Mob boss, and his cruel followers evaded my brain. Maybe it’s safer that I don’t remember...

What kind of research did you need to do?             

I always preach the importance of research, but I didn’t have to do all that much. I took my experience from having spine surgery and applied that to the hospital scenes. As for the police officer parts, I wanted to be a cop when I was growing up and I’ve always had a sixth sense about police work. Now the Mob...well, I cannot reveal whether or not I went undercover like Blake. *wink*

From cop to writer? What made you start writing?

I actually always knew I'd be a writer from the time I was six when I'd watch my mom write and illustrate children's books for me and my siblings. When I was twelve, I started writing a series. Writing was always my dream, but when I was in high school I wanted to be a police officer on top of it. I was ambitious. 

On your blog, you mention listening to Adele and Alanis Morrisette while writing your first book, Hurricane Crimes. What music influenced 30 Seconds?

Thirty Seconds to Mars, my favourite band, was the biggest influence and the inspiration behind the title. I listened to their song “Attack” on repeat while writing an exciting scene when Dani, the heroine, runs from the Mob.

Tell me about your writing day...

I always start the day by checking my emails, blog, and social media. Once I get all of that out of the way, I settle into writing one of my current works-in-progress. The best time for my writing is after dinner and I write until I hit the sack.

After all that writing, what's your favourite way to relax?

I like to lounge on the couch and watch my favourite TV shows: Scandal, Once Upon a Time, Revenge. I also love to take walks while the sun is setting, which I try to do every day. It’s a great way to clear my mind and release stress.

Which books could you read over and over?

- The Young Wizard series by Diane Duane

- Chill Factor by Sandra Brown

- After the Night by Linda Howard                                            

What are you working on next?

Right now I am working on the sequel to Hurricane Crimes, which I hope to release at the end of 2015. Down the road, I have a prequel planned for readers who enjoy 30 Seconds. I am also looking into publishing two paranormal short stories in the spring of 2015. One is about a witch and the other is about a ghost. 

Thanks for visiting, Chrys, and good luck with 30 Seconds.

Bio:

Chrys Fey is a lover of rock music just like Dani Hart in 30 Seconds. Whenever she's writing at her desk, headphones are always emitting the sounds of her musical muses -especially that of her favorite band, 30 Seconds to Mars, the inspiration behind the title.

30 Seconds is her second eBook with The Wild Rose Press. Her debut, Hurricane Crimes, is also available on Amazon.

Discover her writing tips on her blog, and connect with her on Facebook. She loves to get to know her readers!

Author Links:

Facebook // Blog // Goodreads 

And relax...

There's nothing quite like decorating to annoy/infuriate/make you want to leave home and never pick up a paintbrush again... but there's also nothing quite like sitting down in your brand new room and feeling calm and relaxed.

My living room used to be yellow, and now it's blue. I'm sure writing in this new room will inspire me - it's been yellow for a very long time, and change was well overdue. There are some pictures to put up, and a new sofa to buy early next year, but apart from it's all done!

It gave me a good excuse reason to reorganise all my writing folders that have been stacked up in my bedroom for weeks. I probably don't need so much paper any more (two versions of the book I'm working on at the moment??) but I really can't bring myself to throw it all away. Sometimes there will be a gem of an idea scribbled in the margin, or a beautiful phrase that didn't make the final cut but will be perfect in another piece.


Last week, before we picked up our paintbrushes, I was really getting into that current ms. I've had it on ice since February, and as I started rewriting, I found a few inaccuracies that I needed to straighten out and a few character traits that didn't ring true. All written out and replaced with something more believable. I can only imagine what I'll find in the next two-thirds of the book. And I can't wait.

I've also got a great short story bubbling away in the back of my mind, but no idea how to start it or how to write it. Should be interesting!

What was your last decorating project?

Do you still use more paper than strictly necessary?

Always check before you submit!

Luckily, I did check... but what I almost did was submit a novel without making the final changes. I still had all the 'track changes' mark-ups intact. Oops.

In February, I sent my novel out to three wonderful ladies, who said my novel was great and made several very good suggestions for improvement. I incorporated the changes, using 'track changes' so I could un-change them later if I thought of an even better idea. Then I put the doc to one side and got on with lots of other stuff.

And completely forgot about it until this week when I decided I should submit it. At first I thought it was a few easy 'accept change' issues, but then I got to a part where a character arc needed to be clarified - going right back to his introduction, I think. So now I'm heavily into revision mode.

(You'll note I'm finally using the word novel... It's 50,600 words - which is very, very long for me. I just hope I don't revise too much and bring the word count down too far.)

I did manage to submit another piece though, which came back a day later saying 'D'oh, check our guidelines, we don't do this!' - which would have been fair enough, if I hadn't tweeted them to check the very thing they complained I hadn't checked. I was a little bit annoyed, so I immediately sent it out again - at about 11pm last night. I'm not entirely sure I do my best work at 11pm, so I'll just have to see what happens.

Have you ever made/almost made silly submission errors?

Nobody Knows by Kyra Lennon

And today, it's Kyra's turn - she's revealing the cover for her new book Nobody Knows, and it's a cracker! I've had a sneak peek at this book, and Kyra's style is getting more and more distinctive. Mark the date of the release in your diary.

Title: Nobody Knows

Author: Kyra Lennon

Genre: NA Romance

Type: First in Series (Razes Hell Book 1)

Cover Design: Najila Qamber Design

Photographer: Lindee Robinson Photography

Release Date: November 3rd 2014

It's not easy being friends with rising rock stars - especially when you're the glue that holds them together.

Razes Hell has taken off in the charts, and Ellie can't believe her childhood friends, Drew and Jason Brooks, are on TV and drawing crowds after years spent playing in dodgy bars. From obscurity to overnight success, Ellie soon realises life in the public eye isn’t all it’s cracked up to be as dark secrets become headline news and old conflicts are re-ignited. When a fake feud meant to boost the band’s popularity threatens to rip the boys apart for real, Ellie finds herself torn – a position which only gets more uncomfortable when her loyalty to Jason collides with her blossoming relationship with Drew.

Nobody knows how deep their issues run; nobody but Ellie. With friendship, a music career and a new love on the line, can Ellie keep their tangled pasts from ruining their futures?

AmazonUS | AmazonUK

Kyra is a self-confessed book-a-holic, and has been since she first learned to read. When she's not reading, you'll usually find her hanging out in coffee shops with her trusty laptop and/or her friends, or girling it up at the nearest shopping mall.

Kyra grew up on the South Coast of England and refuses to move away from the seaside which provides massive inspiration for her novels. Her debut novel, Game On (New Adult Contemporary Romance), was released in July 2012, and she scored her first Amazon Top 20 listing with her New Adult novella, If I Let You Go in November.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Amazon | Goodreads

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The Turnagain Arm by Julie Flanders

It's my huge pleasure to present Julie Flanders' new book, The Turnagain Arm, a prequel to Polar Night. I can't wait to read it!



Polar Night's Aleksei Nechayev leaves war-torn Russia in 1917 and makes his way to Alaska. Settling in at a railroad camp, Aleksei comes up against an adversary who seems to know the truth about the newly-turned vampire's identity, and who soon gives Aleksei much more than he bargained for at The Turnagain Arm.

Cover design by Michael Di Gesu

Only 99 cents on Amazon Kindle

Book Blurb: 

Locomotive wheels screech to a halt. Potters Creek, Alaska is nothing more than a small camp set up alongside the tracks. A weathered sign dominates the scene.

The Turnagain Arm Saloon 

Est.1917

Only one passenger remains and exits.

The early afternoon full moon peaks through a shimmering snow fall as a shadow casts over each split rail. The wind howls, sweeping the cloak of a hooded figure. He follows   the tracks toward the distant saloon. A hulking man crunches through the snow, attracting his attention.

Calling out to him in a foreign accent, the townsman stops in mid step. The stranger catches up and engages him.

Until…

The man disappears under the stranger’s cloak.

Blood drips from his lips, and he wipes the remaining trickles from his mouth. After disposing of the body, the mysterious figure continues on his journey. He glides through the snow as if on a sleigh, leaving no footprints behind.

*          *          *          *          *

Within a short period, he convinces Vasyl, the owner of the saloon, to hire him. Aleksei charms everyone he meets. But soon mistrust enters every tense line on Vasyl’s face as others disappear, and his wife falls under Aleksei’s spell.

The classic game of cat and mouse continues, but who will win?

Is a mere mortal any match for Aleksei?

A spark ignites within Alexei after yet another of Vasyl’s attempts to disgrace him.

This man knows of me. He must be a witch. Aleksei laughs. You are no match for me or my plan.




About the Author: 

Julie Flanders is a librarian by day and a writer all the rest of the time. Julie is also a television show addict with a particular fondness for Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead and a slightly obsessive sports fan who cheers for the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Cincinnati Bengals. She is a life-long animal lover and an animal rescue advocate and shares her home with her rescued dog and cat.

Julie’s published novels include the paranormal thriller Polar Night and the historical ghost story The Ghosts of Aquinnah. Both are available from Ink Smith Publishing. Polar Day, the sequel to Polar Night, will be published by Ink Smith in January, 2015.

Julie is a proud member of the speculative fiction writing group Untethered Realms. Meet the rest of the group and explore their books at http://untetheredrealms.blogspot.com/.

Please visit Julie at her website at julieflanders.net or contact her by email at julie@julieflanders.net. She can also be found on Twitter at @JulesFlanders.

Enter to win one of two prize bundles featuring a $15 Amazon.com gift card and an ebook copy of The Turnagain Arm. 

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IWSG Facebook anniversary!

Today the IWSG Facebook page is a year old. It's a closed group, dedicated to helping fellow writers every day of the year. I'm a member of the group over there, but I'm not very active on it. I sometimes don't think I have any advice to offer... I really do still feel like a beginner.

This month, most posts will be taking the form of  tips and instructions in the areas of writing, publishing, and marketing. I decided not to take part for the reason stated above. I'm just posting this so Alex won't bump me off the list, and to keep up my record of posting (I think... I hope) every single month since its inception.

I'll definitely be grabbing my copy of the anthology, when it's available.