2013-11-27

Last week we talked about The Guardians, the new novel by T.M. Franklin.

Today T.M. Franklin will tell us more about

A Novel in 30 Days. Seriously?

November is wrapping up.  Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving, and then comes Black Friday—at least in the U.S. But did you know November is also NaNoWriMo month?

No? What is NaNoWriMo, you ask?



It stands for National Novel Writing Month, and it’s an annual writing project that brings together writers from all over the world. They gather in chat rooms, forums, and libraries, Twitter, Skype, and Facebook, encouraging each other in their endeavor to write a novel (or at least a good chunk of one) during the month of November. Fifty-thousand words in thirty days. That’s 1,667 words a day if you’re breaking it down. The NaNoWriMo website hooks you up with local writing sessions and even provides a word-count graph so you can keep track of whether or not you’re on track to finish the challenge.

A lot of people find the idea daunting—to write every single day, with a goal of just under seventeen-hundred words a day. It really helped me, though. To be accountable (even if it’s just to myself and my NaNo friends) to sit down and write every day helps keep me motivated and focused. It also taught me to write without editing, which is harder than it sounds. There’s always the temptation to go back and fix things as you’re writing along, but the idea of NaNoWriMo is to just keep writing.




You get the idea.

My first NaNoWriMo was in 2011, and I met the challenge that year, writing about two-thirds of my debut novel MORE during the month. I still had to finish it up in the following weeks and months, but it was published in October of 2012.  I didn’t do so well in NaNo 2012, mainly because I was promoting MORE at the time, but I still managed to write a good chunk of The Guardians during November.

And no, they don’t send you degrading e-mails or flog you on Facebook if you don’t meet the goal. You just have to go back in December and keep on writing.

MORE and The Guardians: Book 2 in the MORE Trilogy are now available!


-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Thank you, T.M. Franklin!

T.M. Franklin started out her career writing non-fiction in a television newsroom. Graduating with a B.A. in Communications specializing in broadcast journalism and production, she worked for nine years as a major market television news producer, and garnered two regional Emmy Awards, before she resigned to be a full-time mom and part-time freelance writer. After writing and unsuccessfully querying a novel that she now admits, “is not that great,” she decided to follow the advice of one of the agents who turned her down—write some more and get better at it. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Mike, is mom to two boys, Justin and Ryan, and has an enormous black dog named Rocky who’s always lying nearby while she’s writing. Whether he’s soothed by the clicking of the computer keys or just waiting for someone to rub his belly is up for debate.

In addition to MORE and The Guardians, Franklin penned the Amazon best-selling short story, Window, as well as another short story, A Piece of Cake, which appears in the Romantic Interludes anthology.

2013-11-26

I'm very pleased to share this message from Sylvain Reynard http://www.sylvainreynard.com/

New novel in sight!

All the best! Happy Thanksgiving,

- Raum


-------------------------------------

Dear Everyone,
Back in September, I wrote a post in which I mentioned my next novel. I'm pleased to be able to give you more information now.
My next novel is the first in a new series, and it will be entitled The Raven.  With this novel, I'm asking you to pack your bags and travel with me to the city of Florence. The Gabriel Series showed you the city during the day.  This time, I'll show you Florence's underworld, which is ruled by creatures of the night …

Here's the formal announcement:
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel Series comes a dark, sensual tale of romance in a city shrouded in mystery…

Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery restoring fine works of Renaissance art.  But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley.  Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams.  Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her …

Cassita vulneratus.

When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed.  She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week.  With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance.  Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets …

As I mentioned in my September post, readers of Gabriel's Redemption will be able to read an excerpt from The Raven at the end of both the paperback and e-book editions.

But what I didn't mention was that one of the characters of The Raven appears in Gabriel's Redemption.  Can you identify him or her? I welcome your guesses in the comments below and on social media.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there's a connection between The Gabriel Series and my new series - a connection that is more than simply me, or the city of Florence, or the Uffizi Gallery. If you've read the cover copy above carefully, probably you're beginning to guess the answer. But I'll be explicit and state that we won't be saying goodbye to the Professor and Julianne at the end of Gabriel's Redemption. Look for them to have cameo appearances in The Raven as well ...

While I don't have a release date for The Raven yet, I hope to have one soon. This novel marks my transition from a contemporary love story to a paranormal one. I hope you'll join me on this journey and that if you have friends and family who enjoy paranormal novels, you'll help me share the news with them.

As we approach the December 3rd release date of Gabriel's Redemption in North America, my American publisher has listed a giveaway of the novel on Goodreads.  US entrants can enter the contest  here.

And if you'd like to read a new excerpt from Gabriel's Redemption and enter another contest, you can do so here at Romance Times.

Finally, I want to wish everyone who is celebrating Thanksgiving this week a very happy holiday. I have much to be thankful for and in particular, I'm thankful for you, my readers.

All the best and thank you for your continued support,
SR
-----------------------------------
Congratulations, SR!!!

2013-11-20

The Guardians

Ava’s life is...complicated.
After all, it’s not every day a girl learns she’s not entirely human, or unlocks hidden powers strong enough to make even the First Race sit up and take notice. After surviving an attempted kidnapping and standing up to the Race’s Ruling Council, Ava Michaels returns to college and what she hopes is a normal life. But Ava quickly realizes that for her, normal may not even exist anymore.
In fact, the Council wants her under their control, and they’re not the only ones. The mysterious Rogues have a plan of their own, and it turns out Ava’s a big part of it, whether she wants to be or not.
On top of that, her new relationship is tested in ways she never expected. Her boyfriend, Caleb Foster, has disappeared—accused of betraying the Race—and Ava herself stands implicated in a crime she didn’t commit.
Clearing their names will mean uncovering a web of deceit and intrigue with Ava woven right in the center. To unravel the strands, she joins forces with some unlikely allies; a Protector who once haunted her nightmares, a young girl with secrets as unexpected as Ava’s, and a group of rebel Guardians who have their own fight against the Council.
Together they stand in a battle to find the truth, bring Caleb home, and secure Ava’s freedom—not to mention save her life.



Review by Camilla

Do you remember Ava, the college freshman who discovered that the world around her held more secrets than she thought? We met her in MORE, and now she's back in The Guardians, second book of TM Franklin’s trilogy.

In MORE Ava discovers what she'd already suspected as a child: she could make things happen. It was, however, a talent she didn’t understand nor could control; therefore she had decided not to think about it anymore.

At college somebody is stalking her, though, and her life becomes a nightmare until her Physics tutor, Caleb, befriends her and unveils the mystery. After that, Ava finds herself in a world of magic and of an ancient race bound to protect humans, but only after protecting their secrets. Ava belongs with them, as well as Caleb. There's a war raging among supernatural beings, and it's very difficult to distinguish friend from foe.

So, let’s see where we left her at the end of the first book.

Ava learns that the leaders of the race want to control her because they hope to unlock her latent powers and use her as a tool against their enemies, the Rogues. But Ava refuses to be controlled in such a way. In the last part of the first book, she's taken in front of the Council, and the Council can’t decide yet whether Ava can be considered a danger for them. A shaky truce ensues, and for a little while life returns to normal.

But - the first volume concluded - She knew the days ahead were anything but certain. Yet, in that moment, she couldn’t help feeling hopeful for the future. Somehow, knowing Caleb would be there made her feel even stronger than she had in the Council chamber.

When the ground leveled and she finally caught her breath, she glanced at him shyly. “I’m glad you’re going to be sticking around.”

“Me, too,” he replied, pulling her in for a quick kiss. “After all, you know you’re going to need me.”
“In case of Rogue attack?”

“Well, that, too . . . but no.”

“The Council?”

“No.”

“What then?” She stopped, turning to face him.

He grinned widely. “Someone’s got to help you pass physics.”


In the second volume, however, we see that the normality is short lived. Caleb, whom Ava loves, and who seems to love her in turn, starts behaving strangely and then disappears. What happened to him? Ava wants to find him before the Council does and, strangely, she finds help in the Race’s agent who had stalked her originally. Together they embark in another adventure where, again, it will extremely difficult to separate friend from foe. A mysterious and apparently frail young woman seems to hold the key both to Caleb strange behavior and to Ava’s powers, that need to be set free.

To say more would spoil the pleasure of reading. The pace is fast and so engrossing that kept me reading well into the night.

Thank you, Camilla!


T.M. Franklin started out her career writing non-fiction in a television newsroom. Graduating with a B.A. in Communications specializing in broadcast journalism and production, she worked for nine years as a major market television news producer, and garnered two regional Emmy Awards, before she resigned to be a full-time mom and part-time freelance writer. After writing and unsuccessfully querying a novel that she now admits, “is not that great,” she decided to follow the advice of one of the agents who turned her down—write some more and get better at it. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Mike, is mom to two boys, Justin and Ryan, and has an enormous black dog named Rocky who’s always lying nearby while she’s writing. Whether he’s soothed by the clicking of the computer keys or just waiting for someone to rub his belly is up for debate.

In addition to MORE and The Guardians, Franklin penned the Amazon best-selling short story, Window, as well as another short story, A Piece of Cake, which appears in the Romantic Interludes anthology.

Connect with T.M. Franklin

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Rafflecopter Giveaway - a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buying links


  1. TWCS - http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/105
  2. Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-guardians-tm-franklin/1116891763?ean=9781612131719
  3. Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Guardians-T-M-Franklin/dp/1612131719/ref=la_B009NV2HHG_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381263081&sr=1-2

2013-11-18

Edward talks openly about his mindreading abilities in chapter 23. How does it affect his choices? http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8955111/23/




Camilla's short poem (SatinCoveredSteel helped to translate it):

ll vampiro, che ha mangiato,
anche a Bella ha poi pensato.
Dopo fatta colazione
dei Volturi fa menzione
.


After a snack, the vampire proceeds
to think about his Bella’s needs.
Breakfast time for the human,
then they have a Volturi discussion.
 
 

The new chapter is due to be posted in two weeks.
Reviewers get a little gift.


2013-11-13

Language was invented to woo...your readers?


Let's follow Professor Keating's lesson:


2013-11-09

Here's the solution to Mike Walker's "Gossip Game" question, posted on November 2:

The Question:

This star, who’s famous for playing a big-screen superhero, shocked cast and crew on the set of his latest flick when – after flubbing a line on-camera – he suddenly broke into ear-splitting barks and howls, like a wounded dog. Freaked by his batty behavior, everyone froze…but a moment later, our star calmly stepped back into character and nailed the scene. Later that day, after flubbing a line again, our star instantly started yipping and yowling like a werewolf in heat – then stopped abruptly, signaled for a retake and delivered his dialogue perfectly. And later, during a break, our star explained to his bewildered co-workers that his mad dog outbreaks are just his way of clearing his head.

So, Gossip Fans, who is our yipping, yowling star? Was it:

A)   Henry Cavill, (Superman)
B)   Chris Hemsworth, (Thor)
C)  Robert Downey Jr., (Iron Man)
D)  Val Kilmer, (Batman)
The Solution:

Val Kilmer

-x-x-x-x-x-

Had you guessed it?

I hope you will enjoy Mike Walker's novel, Out For Blood.

2013-11-06

The Weather Girl by Amy Vastine is a wholesome, contemporary romance; it's slated to be published on January 1, 2014 by Harlequin Heartwarming.


Turbulence is in their forecast
Summer Raines knows when it's going to rain. She can feel it. That's why the local weather girl's so good at her job. Too bad she couldn't have foreseen the tumultuous arrival of Travis Lockwood, everybody's favorite star NFL quarterback. Make that former star NFL quarterback. Sidelined back to Texas after an injury, the golden boy is trying to steal her precious on-air time. Summer is reduced to reporting from…football games. It's enough to make her quit and become a storm-chaser like her parents. She's stuck with a career that's going nowhere and a man who delights in her refusal to be charmed. Falling in love isn't nearly as easy as predicting the weather.





Excerpt

“Weather Girl.” Travis was all smiles as he sat on the corner of her desk. “Did you have a good weekend?”

“I had a great weekend,” Summer said, taking a good look at him. His hair was shorter, a lot shorter. It made him look older, less like a boy and more like a man. “It looks like someone attacked your head with some clippers.”

Looking sheepish, he rubbed his clean-shaven jaw with his knuckles. “I got a haircut,” he said, stating the obvious. “My aunt Kelly’s neighbor’s book club apparently thought it was too long. Kelly agreed and called my mother, who called me and said she wasn’t going to bake any red velvet cupcakes when I came to visit if I didn’t get it cut.”

“She drives a hard bargain.”

“You have no idea. Her cupcakes make me cry,” he whispered.

“Interesting,” Summer said, not interested in the least.

“I’ll ask her to bake you some. She likes you.” He cringed and closed his eyes. His cheeks turned pink. “I mean she watches you and likes you, you know, as a weather girl.”

If anyone knew about sticking her foot in her mouth, it was Summer. “If it makes you feel any better, my grandmother thinks you’re cute,” she confessed to ease his embarrassment.

“She does?” His eyes were bright like the clouds had lifted. “And would you say you consider your grandmother a wise woman?”

“Oh, Mimi is completely off her rocker. I mean, she is more than a few cards short of a full deck. Bonkers. Mad as a hatter. Crazy as a—”

“Okay, okay!” Travis put his fingers on her lips. “I get it.”

Summer’s heart skipped a beat, then flew into overdrive. Before she could process this unexpected physical reaction, Travis pulled his hand away and shoved it deep in his pants pocket.

“Did you know that the highest temperature ever recorded was 136 degrees Fahrenheit in Azizia, Libya?” she blurted out. “Can you imagine?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “That’s crazy hot.”

Here's a quote banner for you!




Are you curious about the book? Pre-order an ebook version at Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble:
Paperback and ebook will be available January 1, 2014 for purchase at eHarlequin: http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=49965

Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. It's been a dream come true that people want to read them now that she's written them down. An eternal optimist, she studied social work with the hope she could teach others how to find their own silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read. Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart turned husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet puppy dog.

Author Links
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/amyvastineauthor
Twitter – https://twitter.com/vastine7
Website – http://www.amyvastine.blogspot.com

Disclaimer: All cover art used by arrangement with Harlequin Ent. Copyright © Harlequin Enterprises. All rights reserved. ® and ™ are trademarks of Harlequin and/or its affiliated companies, used under license.
A new story by Lindsey Gray is due to be published by The Writer's Coffee Shop on November 19, 2013

http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/authors/detail/9

Not the Same Season
Two broken hearts embarked on a holiday season in a way they never had before. Divorced.

Mitch had been badly burned by love, but was willing to take a chance...with the right woman.

Hannah had lived everyday with the grief love had brought her and followed her everywhere.

Can two hearts find love and heal each other during the most difficult season of the year?

Lindsey Gray dreamed of being several different things as a child such as a doctor, an actress, and a chef, but none held her attention like putting pen to paper and creating her own world through words. Those words led her to The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House and the rest, as they say, is history. Revisited, her third full-length novel, is the second in The Redemption Series, and she has no plans to slow her creations down any time soon. A mid-west native, Lindsey enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, reading on her new e-reader, and making life interesting at each and every turn.

2013-11-05

Edward's showing his vampire nature in chapter 22. Are you upset? http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8955111/22/

What's wrong?” Bella asked, alarmed, taking a halting step down the corridor.
He raised his hands in front of himself. “Don't move,” he warned.

Camilla's short poem (SatinCoveredSteel helped to translate it):

Lo psicologo immortale
ha una casa niente male;
ma la sete s'è destata
e da sola l'ha lasciata
.


The psychologist immortal
owns a house most beautiful;
but his thirst comes back full force,
and Bella he must leave perforce.


The new chapter is due to be posted in less than two weeks.
Reviewers get a little gift.


2013-11-02

Are you ready to meet a vampire gossip columnist? Clark Kelly is waiting to tell you his story. So let's talk about Mike Walker's new novel, Out for Blood.

http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/104
Category: Fantasy / Paranormal, Publication date: Oct 31, 2013, ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-157-3, ISBN (e-book): 978-1-61213-158-0


Buying links:



 
~SUMMARY~

National Revealer’s Clark Kelly carved out his killer career as Hollywood’s most-feared gossip columnist by exploiting mankind’s most ancient vulnerability:
“Everyone’s got a secret...and someone’s dying to tell it!”
Clark never reveals his to-die-for secret!
NEWS FLASH:
Dude’s a vampire!
CUE SCARY MUSIC...our undead gossip guru flies the night skies to spy on Hollywood’s hottest stars—then inks about their bedroom kinks! Imagine our studly, urbane journalist jotting notes as he hovers outside Scarlett Johansson’s bedroom window, or peeks into Tom Cruise’s “bachelor pad.”
Star secrets...?
This vampire BITES!
And what’s sexier than vampires, ladies? Just ask smokin’ hot starlet/tabloid terror TayLo Logan—this Wild Child gets crazy with bad boy Clark because his bite makes her blood boil!
Then it’s LIGHTS...CAMERA...ACTION! But not in a good way: Vampire Boy and Tabloid Train Wreck TayLo unwittingly end up stars of a sizzling sex tape—destined for worldwide display on the notorious vampire fan sex site, FANGBANGING.COM.
Still, the duo’s beyond-the-grave love story simmers away as Clark rips the lid off a murder cover-up—then discovers a murderous plot against TayLo!
DANGER! Can Clark stop a stalker who wants to drain his lover dry? Or wreak revenge on Tinseltown billion-heiress Roma Kane for her poisonous plot to paralyze TayLo—and her career? Can he foil a murder cabal so evil it feeds stars’ pets to coyotes?
AND THEN...talk about the plot thickening! Roma’s billionaire granddaddy, mogul Montague Kane, taking a breather from the nymphet “nannies” paid to play his naughty high-chair games, springs a backstab surprise—buying out Clark’s beloved National Revealer.
Suddenly, “deadline” takes on a whole new meaning
Triggered by vengeful fury, Clark goes “rogue vampire!”
Evil is punished...and the sun shines once more when he creates a Hollywood happy ending that makes everyone (undeads included) a STAR!
Hold the front page! Because Clark Kelly’s . . .
Out For Blood!

~BOOK REVIEW by Camilla~


How many times have we exclaimed–while reading gossip trash sheets or websites about celebrities–that those journalists really are bloodsuckers? Sometimes, together with the paps, they feed to the public all the lurid details of stars’ life, with no respect for privacy or even for truth.

But…what if the journalist were an actual vampire?

Come, meet Clark Kelly, king of gossip and vampire extraordinaire.

Well, Clark is not a Twilight-like supernatural creature. He doesn't sparkle in the sun, I mean, and particularly, he's not venomous. He can drink and leave his victim alive, which, you will admit, changes things a lot. He's absolutely a ladies' man, but he has different ways to establish a relationship with a woman. So, from some ladies he takes blood, from others only sex, and from some both. The best of two worlds.

Born Dragomir Craiovescu (Yep, a Carpathian) and changed on his own request, Clark had a first fling with Hollywood some decades ago; then, depressed by the death of James Dean–a great human pal of his–he took a long nap near the beloved actor’s grave, to emerge in present times and create, under a new alias, the National Revealer’s gossip column. He never lies or invents, because his preternatural senses and his glamour allow him to discover the best concealed secrets.

He is extremely successful, feared and loved, and he adores his chosen playground: Tinsel City, that is to say. Our hero has a sense of humor, you see, not common among immortals. In his own words:

Vampires truly are, as human lore depicts us, a damn somber bunch. “Funny vampire” ain’t no proud sobriquet among my undead homies.

And there is plenty to make you laugh in his description of Hollywood. You will make outrageous discoveries and will be fully entertained. For instance, did you know that not only the celebrities, but even the horrible paparazzi have an intriguing life?

Here’s Hollywood’s dirty little secret, brought to you by Clark Kelly: quite a number of modern-day camera-flashers—the so-called paparazzi—are actually werewolves. It had happened gradually over the years.

I am sure that if you think about it, you will exclaim “But of course!”

What is the rest of this story about?

~ A GUEST POST by Mike Walker~  

Mike Walker does "Gossip Games" on several media outlet.  This is one of those games.  You can leave a comment on who you think the post is about, and then in a week the answer will be revealed.
Here is your "Gossip Game" Question:

This star, who’s famous for playing a big-screen superhero, shocked cast and crew on the set of his latest flick when – after flubbing a line on-camera – he suddenly broke into ear-splitting barks and howls, like a wounded dog. Freaked by his batty behavior, everyone froze…but a moment later, our star calmly stepped back into character and nailed the scene. Later that day, after flubbing a line again, our star instantly started yipping and yowling like a werewolf in heat – then stopped abruptly, signaled for a retake and delivered his dialogue perfectly. And later, during a break, our star explained to his bewildered co-workers that his mad dog outbreaks are just his way of clearing his head.





So, Gossip Fans, who is our yipping, yowling star? Was it:


A)   Henry Cavill, (Superman)



B)   Chris Hemsworth, (Thor)



C)  Robert Downey Jr., (Iron Man)



D)  Val Kilmer, (Batman)

Leave a comment with your answer!
 
About MIKE WALKER

Dubbed “a one-man media conglomerate” by New Yorker magazine, Mike Walker became Tokyo’s youngest-ever foreign correspondent.
After launching his iconic gossip column, The National Enquirer's #1 feature, and his show on CBS radio nationwide, Walker became weekly co-anchor on TV's Geraldo and guested on such top shows like Nightline. After writing and hosting two successful MGM-TV specials, he created the daily series, National Enquirer TV!
Mike became the only reporter ever to write two bestsellers on one story when his books on the O.J. Simpson trial hit #1 and #5 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
Dubbed “The King of Gossip” by Publisher’s Weekly, he played his weekly “Gossip Game” on The Howard Stern Show for a record 16 years.
He’s lectured at distinguished journalism schools at Columbia University and UC Berkeley; and received a prestigious invitation to become a Fellow of Ireland's legendary Trinity College, Dublin.

Keep up with MIKE (and get some great gossip) on
Follow me on Twitter!