The Next Big Thing!

Welcome to my next big thing!  

Recently my friend Regina Andrews asked me a few questions about my latest work in progress.  Check out where I'm at with my Bride series! (and read on to win a copy of my latest release, Devil's Details).

What is the working title of your book?

My current work in progress is Traveling Bride, book 3 of my Bride Series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

When I first wrote Indentured Bride (book 1) I’d intended it as a stand alone story.  As I got to know the secondary characters, particularly Brett’s brother Kendrick and their friend Rick I realized they had stories to tell too. 

I’ve also always been fascinated with the idea of time travel.  Aside from Jude Deveraux Knight in Shining Armor one of my all time favorite movies is Final Countdown starring the USS Nimitz.  In Final Countdown the Nimitz goes back in time to December 6, 1941 and Kirk Douglas, as the captain, has to make a decision about what to do.

I often need to enter a federal building near my job and have business to take care of in the basement.  While down there one day, seeing some of the locked doors my mind started to wander and I began to wonder just what was going on behind those doors.  What if there was a top secret project? What if that project had something to do with a certain sheriff in 1861 Wyoming. Rick will shortly have his story in Traveling Bride.

What genre does your book fall under?

Time Travel, western historical romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Hmmm…..Rick is kind of your Taylor Kitsch kind of guy. He’s a blond but Taylor could definitely carry off the part as a guy who has a great sense of humor but it hides a painful secret from his past. He’s also pretty set in his ways and very much a man – a lawman – of 1861.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Don’t let time or distance keep you from the one you love.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Neither – it will be (hopefully) published by Awe-struck (Mundania) which is where the first two books of the series are housed.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

That’s a kind of difficult question because I work a day job and have had several other books (World in Her Hands, Devil’s Details and With All Dispatch) released in between starting Traveling Bride and finishing it.  I do my research up front but there is always some minute detail that I stumble on that needs a bit of attention. 

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Hmmm – I think pretty much any historical western romance.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The characters.  Definitely the characters as they developed in the earlier stories.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

The reaction of the Parker Brothers’ wives to some of Samantha’s….friends…

Next week, on November 7, drop by my friend's blogs to see what is their next big thing!

http://ellencross.blogspot.com.au Ellen Cross

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/  Kelley Heckart

http://puretextuality.com Jena Gregoire

erinsinclairwriter.wordpress.com Erin Sinclair

 www.poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

 To win a copy of Devil's Details  leave a comment. 

 And next weekend Mel 

The Delicious Meloicious

will pick a winner!

The Next Big Thing!

Welcome to my next big thing!  

Recently my friend Regina Andrews asked me a few questions about my latest work in progress.  Check out where I'm at with my Bride series! (and read on to win a copy of my latest release, Devil's Details).

What is the working title of your book?

My current work in progress is Traveling Bride, book 3 of my Bride Series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

When I first wrote Indentured Bride (book 1) I’d intended it as a stand alone story.  As I got to know the secondary characters, particularly Brett’s brother Kendrick and their friend Rick I realized they had stories to tell too. 

I’ve also always been fascinated with the idea of time travel.  Aside from Jude Deveraux Knight in Shining Armor one of my all time favorite movies is Final Countdown starring the USS Nimitz.  In Final Countdown the Nimitz goes back in time to December 6, 1941 and Kirk Douglas, as the captain, has to make a decision about what to do.

I often need to enter a federal building near my job and have business to take care of in the basement.  While down there one day, seeing some of the locked doors my mind started to wander and I began to wonder just what was going on behind those doors.  What if there was a top secret project? What if that project had something to do with a certain sheriff in 1861 Wyoming. Rick will shortly have his story in Traveling Bride.

What genre does your book fall under?

Time Travel, western historical romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Hmmm…..Rick is kind of your Taylor Kitsch kind of guy. He’s a blond but Taylor could definitely carry off the part as a guy who has a great sense of humor but it hides a painful secret from his past. He’s also pretty set in his ways and very much a man – a lawman – of 1861.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Don’t let time or distance keep you from the one you love.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Neither – it will be (hopefully) published by Awe-struck (Mundania) which is where the first two books of the series are housed.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

That’s a kind of difficult question because I work a day job and have had several other books (World in Her Hands, Devil’s Details and With All Dispatch) released in between starting Traveling Bride and finishing it.  I do my research up front but there is always some minute detail that I stumble on that needs a bit of attention. 

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Hmmm – I think pretty much any historical western romance.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The characters.  Definitely the characters as they developed in the earlier stories.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

The reaction of the Parker Brothers’ wives to some of Samantha’s….friends…

Next week, on November 7, drop by my friend's blogs to see what is their next big thing!

http://ellencross.blogspot.com.au Ellen Cross

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/  Kelley Heckart

http://puretextuality.com Jena Gregoire

erinsinclairwriter.wordpress.com Erin Sinclair

 www.poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

 

 To win a copy of Devil's Details  leave a comment. 

 And next weekend Mel 

The Delicious Meloicious

will pick a winner!

Meet My Friend Susan Elizabeth Alvis

I always get a thrill when one of my friends has a new book come out.  It's one of those moments when you get to see creativity in action.  This week my friend Susan Elizabeth Alvis is here talking about her latest, A Killer's Field.

Hey!!!!! Susan! So what do you have to show us?

Hi Regan,

I’m stopping by today to share an excerpt from A Killer’s Field, a new fictional novella motivated by the senseless I-45 Texas killings, most of which have remained unsolved.  

A few years ago, I became aware of the overwhelming number of unsolved crimes along the I-45 corridor located south of Houston. In an area known as the Texas killing fields, this property has become a dumping ground for some of the country’s most horrific crimes.

Since the early 70s, bodies have been abandoned in these Texas swamps. Many young lives ended too soon and families were devastated as bodies were recovered but never truly laid to rest. Killers seemingly committed the perfect crimes and thanks to the mysteries surrounding so many of the murders, questions were forever left unanswered.

A Killer’s Field is a short young adult Halloween story available in e-format. 

Published by Devine Destinies, the novella is fictional but the inspiration behind the story was developed over time by researching some of the true, and quite brutal, unsolved Texas killings.

A Killer’s Field isn’t a true story. However, when I wrote the novella, I tried to write a short story that would appeal to young people and in some small way let the victims’ families know their loved one hasn’t been forgotten. At the same time, this short story includes a warning for all readers with an    underlying message in regards to social networks, a tool often used when criminals make their first connection with their future victims.

I’d like to invite your readers to check out A Killer’s Field, on sale now at Devine Destinies. Readers, please leave your comments about the cover, short story, or any aspect of A Killer’s Field. I’ll stop by again today and choose one random winner for one free e-gift. If you’re posting a comment, please include an email address or check back to see how you can claim your prize.   

Thank you for sharing your blog with me, Regan. :) 

Susan Elizabeth Alvis

A Killer’s Field by Susan Elizabeth Alvis

“A deadly event turns participants into victims as a Texas killing field becomes ground zero for a Halloween hunt….” A Killer’s Field, Susan Smith Alvis

Blurb: 

Kristen McMurray is flabbergasted when her boyfriend decides to take her to the Texas Killing Fields for Halloween.  She’s not at all impressed with his plans for a romantic evening, let alone the idea of frolicking on the very grounds known to harbor the deadliest of secrets. 

Picturing a moonlit sky high above them and a murderer lurking in the shadows, Kristen is convinced her boyfriend has either lost his mind or worse. Perhaps he’s become a quiet lunatic waiting to emerge. 

Reluctantly, Kristen agrees to spend Halloween in the fields. Unbeknownst to her, they enter the heart of a huge Halloween hunt, an organized event and obvious trap used to entice unsuspecting victims to the very place where dozens of bodies have been previously dumped.

One brush with death leads to another, but Kristen keeps her wits about her as her boyfriend turns their Halloween night into an evening she’ll never forget. While the fields live up to their harrowing name, Kristen faces the horrors of the past. Somewhere along the way, she discovers an inner strength and a will to survive, realizing determination and the desire to live are the only elements ensuring she’ll leave the fields alive!

Excerpt for A Killer’s Field by Susan Smith Alvis

      I’m about as flabbergasted as my Dobermans were when I went outside to feed them prime rib and a vulture swept down and stole the raw meat straight from the pan. The event occurred last week but I can still picture their wide eyes as they stretched their necks upward and barked at the heavens. They were in terrible shock, poor things. After the clever bird escaped, all they could do was stand there and pant, foam forming in the corners of their mouths.

Okay, so I’m not panting or wiping drool from my chin. I am, however, stunned.

“Well, what do you think?” Dennison asks, backing away from his pickup. “Say yes, Kristen. It’ll be a lifetime experience. One you’ll remember forever.”

“What makes you think we’ll live to later share our experiences?”

“You’re so dramatic,” he says, returning to work on his truck. “Most women would see this trip for what it is—an overnight getaway.”

“Visiting the Texas Killing Fields, on Halloween no less, is not my idea of a romantic weekend.” I stare at his back. “Where will we stay?”

“I’ll pack a tent and a sleeping bag.”

Wonderful. For a minute, I consider his idea of snuggling inside confined spaces. That is, until a body bag comes to mind. After all, those fields symbolize decades of horror.

Copyright © 2012

A Killer’s Field by Susan Elizabeth Alvis is available at Devine Destinies. Cover art for A Killer’s Field was created by Carmen Waters.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

I haven't posted in awhile.  I've had friends come by on our summer reading tour but I haven't talked much about me or what I'm up to.  In part it's because life has been pleasingly quiet and stable.  Reading and writing has been my primary focus and it's been great.  Given I've been doing a LOT of reading -- my commute has gone from an hour each way to an hour in the morning and almost two hours at night -- I have a lot more reading time.  The past week I've been deep into Deborah Harness's Shadow of Night.  I really enjoyed book 1, A Discovery of Witches and looked forward to Shadow since my first read of Discovery. I read it again a few weeks ago so catch up for book 2.  Since time travels are one of my favorites it's no surprise I'm enjoying it.

There is talk about the movie rights being sold and speculation on who will play Matthew.  Hugh Jackman comes to mind -- I think he'd be great in the role.  Diana is a bit harder for me to think about who I'd like to see.  Any ideas?

So is anyone else reading it or has read it?  What did you think?  How did it compare to Discovery of Witches?  Who would you like to see cast in the movie?

What are you reading this week?



I had a few other thoughts from the chapters I read last night.  In Shadow of Night Diana meets Christopher Marlowe and his Faust comes up several times.  Diana's reaction to Marlowe and Faust was inspiring enough that I ordered a copy of Faust to read.  So another question is have you ever read a book where a character was so interested in something you had to look into it yourself?  Have you ever picked up a book by an author that a character referred to?

Our Favorite Quotes -- What are Sue Roebuck's?

On our last week of our blog tour we're talking about our favorite quotes.  Sue had this to say:

Many many thanks to Regan for hosting me today. It’s been a fabulous experience to take part in the Best Summer Reading Blog Tour.  We’re on Week 8 already and today’s topic is on our favorite quotes from our books.

I've chosen a few sentences from my novel, Perfect Score, which is a non-explicit, m/m suspense/romance. It was a finalist in the 2012 EPIC eBook Awards in the Mainstream category and it was also a Honorary Mention in the 2011 Rainbow Awards in the General Fiction category.

Here's when 12 year-old Sam first meets his saviour and mentor, Itinerant Dan:


       His name was Itinerant Dan. “But you can call me Itinerant for short.” He swigged a long draft from a bottle of clear liquid, the fumes of which made Sam's head swim. Itinerant looked like so many on the street—dirty, smelly, hairy, ageless, in need of a dentist and with more than a whiff of insanity about him—but his eyes were bright with life that hadn't quite been snuffed out. “Here,” he handed Sam a moth-eaten blanket which smelt of a thousand unwashed bodies, “someone always dies at night— we'll get their shirt and pants.”

You can read more on the Publisher's site.

And from my other novel, Hewhay Hall, I’ve chosen this snippet. It features firefighter Jude who is recovering from being caught in a bomb blast:

Jude met Jolon for the first time on the street when Jude had ventured out for the first time using two crutches instead of sitting in a wheelchair. An old geezer was nonchalantly leaning against the carpet store window in the High Street, his lower face foliated by tendrils of beard growing in clumps.

Jude wouldn’t have noticed him if the guy hadn’t called across the crowd of Goths wearing industrial boots who lurked on the sidewalk. “Mathematically speaking,” he’d shouted, “we’re both fucked.”

Jude rested on his crutches and felt an instant attraction to the guy. 

“Smells like rain,” the guy said.

“Probably because it is raining,” Jude replied.

Buy Hewhay Hall here: 

Amazon

       Barnes and Noble
       Kobo
       OmniLit

 You can read mine at Regina Andrews' blog at:  http://reginaandrews.wordpress.com 

Leave a comment to be entered in both this week's drawing on July 29 as well as our grand prize drawing of a $50 Amazon gift certificate.