#MyPOV - 0008 Jenny Lake

Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming


Wordless Wednesday

Visiting Chantel Rhondeau's Blog Today

Good morning, readers! Today I'm being interviewed by the lovely Chantel Rhondeau. Please follow this link to find out a little bit more about what makes this writer passionate about writing!

And...for the next three readers who purchase and review my story Eye of the Storm on either Good Reads or Amazon, I'll give you a copy of Something Borrowed, Something Blue which includes my story Sleepless in St. Lucia when it releases in June 2012. Leave me a link to your review and an e-mail address or a twitter address so I can contact you.


You can purchase Eye of the Storm on Amazon at this link.

All About Heroes Author Interview With Ingrid Michaels

Today, I'm interviewing Ingrid Michaels. I met Ingrid through Twitter. We became Triberr mates and now Ingrid is one of my best friends in the writing world. Welcome, Ingrid.

First, tell us a little about yourself.

Hi everyone! I'm Ingrid and I'm a Canadian Romance writer. I'm married, with one son, and one dog. I write in a variety of romance sub-genres, including paranormal, contemporary and, most recently, historical. Along with novellas, I also write commercial/romance novels. And I love cycling!

As writers, we often become emotionally attached to our characters. Who is your favorite hero you’ve ever written?

That's a difficult choice to make, mostly because many of my heroes tend to be anti-heroes. I like 'em all, but some I like because of their darker traits. Jakob, for example, is a vampire in my Diagnosis Love novella series. He is tall, dark and sexy, but my view of vampires is that they are basically bloodthirsty sharks dressed in nice suits. I do have a couple of 'normal' heroes, such as Jean-Marc Lalonde. He's a handsome, caring French Canadian doctor who signed up with Doctors Without Borders and helps refugees in Muhajeria, Sudan.

Have you ever fallen in love with or had a crush on one of your heroes? Tell us about him.

There's Dr. Jean-Marc... and also my new hero, JP. JP is an art historian! I taught college-level Art History for a couple of years, so I share his passion for art. JP is sensitive and passionate, both about art and the love of his life, his girlfriend Karen. He enjoys good food and good company. He's witty, urbane, refined without being pretentious. I would date him in a second if not for… um... you know... Mr. Michaels... :-)

How do you develop your heroes? Do you imagine their personality or their physical appearance first? Do they grow as personalities as you write or do you do a character sketch before you type the first word?

Although most if not all of my romances are character-driven, I develop my hero based on the role he plays in the story. So, I'd have to say that although I usually start with a thumbnail sketch partly based on his occupation, his personality grows as the story develops. Of course, everything changes as the story evolves.

I like to give my heroes a personality quirk, just so they aren’t too perfect. Have you ever written a quirk for one of your heroes and what was it?

*laughs* Well, Jakob likes to feed on people, and he began as a suicidal vampire, so that's a bit quirky. :-) Jake (no relation to Jakob-the-vampire, just some unfortunate timing in release dates between two different projects) is a normal CPA type of guy who has Friday Night Hookups with his very imaginative wife Maggie. Meanwhile Witman, a painter with some paranormal connections, likes to paint Sorelle's passions. JP is diabetic and in Illegal Forward Pass I have a hot, athletic NFL quarterback who puts his family and community ahead of everything else.

How do you name your hero?

Well, other than the unfortunate Jake/Jakob mishap, I go back and forth between a list of names I keep adding to and looking at geographical origins that might come into play in the story. For example, in Bahdria, Jean-Marc is from Quebec, because I wanted to feature a French Canadian hero. In Diagnosis Love, Jakob is from Hungary, because there's a strong literary connection between Central European countries and vampirism.

Who is your favorite hero in books, movies, or television?

My favorite fictional hero is Clark Kent, aka Superman, Smallville version. I love how the writers made him so vulnerable! Even though he had all of these superpowers at his disposal the poor Superboy/Superman was fraught with emotional and psychological insecurities. Yes, the show felt like a soap opera, but I always appreciated how the viewers sympathized with the human side of Superman. Smallville also offered writers a lesson: no matter how invincible a character appears, one can always find weaknesses to exploit in dramatic situations - in Superman's case this is a universal trait shared by every viewer; our heart and soul, our very humanity.

Who is your hero in real life?

My hero in real life is my big brother! Several years ago he was diagnosed with fourth stage non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, with a 30% chance of survival. He not only beat the odds, he made a full recovery! He had chemo and radiation treatments, and he came through better than ever! He was so courageous. There was simply no way he would let cancer beat him. He truly is my hero - and the inspiration for my Diagnosis Love novella, along with my as-yet unpublished novel-length love story: Love and Death.

Tell us about your most recent release and where we can find it. Who is the hero and what do you like about him the most?

My newest release is a sweet contemporary/historical romance novella titled Giovanna's Dilemma, available from Noble Romance Publishing. The aforementioned JP (the art historian) is just one of my heroes! This novella is set in the present and also, in a neat flashback, in 1434 Bruges, Holland. In the historical section, the hero is a sweet sixteen-year-old boy named Pieter Baes, Jan van Eyck's assistant, who is in love with Giovanna Cenami, the young maiden betrothed to the much older Giovanni Arnolfini. What I love about both of these heroes is how Pieter and JP are so devoted to the love of their lives. Of course, Pieter has much stricter social mores to contend with than contemporary JP, and my heart really goes out to the boy. I assure you, yours will, too.

You can purchase Giovanna's Dilemma from Noble Publishing at https://www.nobleromance.com/Books?author=178 Or it will be coming soon for Kindle on Amazon.com. See Ingrid's Amazon author page at http://www.amazon.com/Ingrid-Michaels/e/B0050JT86I

Thanks for joining me on Suspense, She Writes, Ingrid. It was great getting to know you better. I look forward to reading Giovanna's Dilemma. I enjoyed Bahdria very much, so I am sure this book will be terrific as well.

You can find Ingrid Michaels' blog at this link.


Ingrid's Twitter @IngridMichaels

And now dear bloggy readers, Ingrid is giving away one copy of Giovanna's Dilemma to a lucky commenter. Leave your comment as well as an e-mail or twitter address so I can contact you. I'll draw one winner at random on Wednesday, May 30th.

#MyPOV - 0007 Downtown Disney, Orlando

Even unapologetic commercialism can look beautiful if you blur reality enough.

All About Heroes - Interview With Carmen DeSousa

I'm excited to have Carmen DeSousa here on Suspense, She Writes today. I met Carmen through Triberr, and I am sure she will become one of my closest writing friends.

First, tell us a little about yourself.

My books are sensual but not erotic, gripping but not graphic, and filled with romance, mystery, and suspense.

As writers, we often become emotionally attached to our characters. Who is your favorite hero you’ve ever written?

I tend to fall in love with the character I am working with personally, and right now that would be Chad from Land of the Noonday Sun.

Have you ever fallen in love with or had a crush on one of your heroes? Tell us about him.

I pretty much love them all while I’m writing them, but I think my publisher has a crush on the new character mentioned above, Chad.

How do you develop your heroes? Do you imagine their personality or their physical appearance first? Do they grow as personalities as you write or do you do a character sketch before you type the first word?

I’m a pantser in every term of the word. I start with just an idea and build from there. I’ve literally started a book in the middle and then went back to the beginning and filled in the missing pieces.

I like to give my heroes a personality quirk, just so they aren’t too perfect. Have you ever written a quirk for one of your heroes and what was it?

Oh, my heroes are full of quirks. I love both of my male and female protagonists to have deep-seated issues. I have previous addicts, anger management issues, abused emotionally and physically, suicidal, shall I go on? There’s not a subject I’m afraid to tackle, and believe me; in my four books publishing this year, I systematically take on all issues.

How do you name your hero?

I do a lot of research, but more importantly, I try to come up with a name of someone I don’t know. 

Who is your favorite hero in books, movies, or television?

Don’t laugh…I really like Edward…do I have to elaborate and embarrass myself?

Who is your hero in real life?

Hands down that would be my husband. I don’t want to make anyone gag by being mushy, so let’s just say, I couldn’t write my stories if I didn’t believe in “Happily Ever Afters” that my husband made believable.

Tell us about your most recent release and where we can find it. Who is the hero and what do you like about him the most?

My new novel, Land of the Noonday Sun, releases this week.

The hero is a man with a traumatic past who has turned his life around and is happy with his chosen career as a whitewater guide. Everything changes though when fate hurls a woman into his path. His carefree life is in turmoil, and his former weaknesses threaten to overtake him. When tragedy strikes and he is once again in danger of losing everything he loves, he must be strong enough to overcome his past demons.

That sounds like an interesting premise. I love whitewater rafting. I will surely be one of the first to purchase Land of the Noonday Sun.

You can find Carmen at the following sites:

Author's Website

Amazon Author’s Page

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Barnes & Noble

You can purchase Carmen's books at the following links:

In celebration of her new release, you can purchase She Belongs to Me from Amazon for .99

Coming Soon - Land of the Noonday Sun - Read more here.

 

Readers, want a FREE copy of Carmen's new book on the day it releases! Click here to find out how.

Some More #FridayStuff About Me # 9

Each week, Hilary lists four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blog. If you want to join the fun and come up with four fill in’s of your own, please email them to her at feelingbeachie@gmail.com. If she uses them, she will add you as co-host to the hop! This week’s co-host is Jen from what would jen do – she came up with the last two statements.

Hilary would LOVE it if you could please help her spread the word about this hop…. So, please tweet, FaceBook share, and add the linky to your post…

This week’s statements:

1. I like to avoid _cooking on Friday night__ if possible. Okay, actually I try to avoid cooking.

2. _Waiting patiently for someone to e-mail back__ is a virtue I do not have. I’ll check my e-mail every other minute if I don’t stop myself. A little compulsive, right?

3. Sometimes the __quiet moments when I’m snuggling my kids___________ are the ___best times___________. Um, no. The ARE the best times.

4. I think that ___Godivas__________ are the best __chocolates___________

Come Join Me on Carmen DeSousa's Blog

That first kiss. The magical moment our reader has been waiting for, holding her breath for. The beginning of the happy ever after for the protagonist and her hero. Carmen DeSousa has compiled a collection of first kisses from published or not yet published books.  And an excerpt from my story, Eye of the Storm, is included! Here is the link to her blog. Come by and indulge in some magical first kiss moments.

#MyPOV - 0006 Fireworks

Wordless Wednesday


Today my POV is a threefer. These three shots were taken at the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. What heroine doesn't want fireworks for that big first kiss scene?

Wordless Wednesday

Conversations With #MyMuse - 0003

Image in Public Domain as a faithful reproduction
of a work of art in the Public Domain.

So my muse has been coy lately. Teasing me with tidbits of ideas, but never quite whispering a full premise in my ear.

Muse: "Oh, look at that. Wouldn't it be fun to write about that?"

Me: "Yeah, muse. What a great idea! What if it was late one night and there was a--?"

Muse: "Wait! Forget about that. Look at that woman. Don't you think her story is interesting? Bet you could write a whole book on that."

*Writer has an ooh-shiny moment.*

Me: "Oh, this is good. This is great. The heroine could say, 'But I have to leave you, Bob.' And Bob could say--"

Muse: "You need to write a Christmas story...soon. Time's running out. What with submitting and editing and whatnot. You gotta get 'er done, girl."

Me: "A Christmas story! Yeah. Yeah. I could write about this woman who has uptight friends and they want her to get this guy to do this thing...and candlelight."

Muse: "Hold up! Writer, where do you get those ideas from? I know it ain't from me, girl. You been hanging out with another muse? Are you cheating on me?"

Me: "What? No! I swear I've been faithful to only you, Muse."

*Writer narrows eyes at manipulative muse.*

Me: "Is that why your ideas have been lame lately? Are you holding back because you think I'm cheating? That's...that's...that's just mean. I oughta--"

Muse: "Whoa, writer. Would ya look at that?"

*Writer turns attention toward ooh shiny object while Muse slips away.*


MyMuse Update 5/9/12

My muse and I had a come to Jesus meeting this morning on the way to work. Muse whispered three premises complete with plotline in my ear. I shall be busy this week.

All About Heroes - Author Interview With Jan Romes

I am so happy to have Jan Romes with me today. One night on Twitter, Jan Romes and Sandy Owens were busy drooling, twitting, and tweeting over the men of NCIS. That was something I could easily relate to, so I tweeted my way into their droolfest, and that’s how I met Jan. So on with the interview...

First, tell us a little about yourself.

Thanks for having me on your blog today, Denise!

Let’s see, a little about myself…

I’m a shy person by nature, but life keeps pulling me out of my shell in one way or another (and that’s a good thing). I enjoy writing humorous contemporary romance, but I love to read all genres. When I’m not creating stories, I can be found working as a part-time fitness instructor or gardening. But enough about me, let’s talk heroes!

As writers, we often become emotionally attached to our characters. Who is your favorite hero you’ve ever written?

Each hero has a special place in my heart, but if I had to pick the one that stands out from the rest it would be ‘Kiptyn Thomas’ from my book One Small Fib. Kiptyn grew/changed the most. He was a billionaire who got a rush from making money; it was his world…until he met Allie Blue. (I still get excited about this love story!)  

Have you ever fallen in love with or had a crush on one of your heroes? Tell us about him.

I think we fall in love with each hero we write. They represent bits and pieces of the men in our lives. I think I had a crush on Jared Kelly from Kiss Me. He’s a handsome cop who understood Lacy Goodlow better than she understood herself. For a guy to  understand you, to really ‘get’ you, is incredible! 

How do you develop your heroes? Do you imagine their personality or their physical appearance first? Do they grow as personalities as you write or do you do a character sketch before you type the first word?

Once I figure out my story line and my heroine, the hero is easy to develop. I have to know her before I can know him. (Does that make sense?) I can easily picture him from that point, and I have a pretty good idea where I want his character to go.

I like to give my heroes a personality quirk, just so they aren’t too perfect. Have you ever written a quirk for one of your heroes and what was it?

I love heroes with quirks; gives them depth, makes them real. For Kiptyn Thomas in One Small Fib he had to deal with a touch of OCD. In Lucky Ducks, Kasen Isaak had a mild case of dyslexia.

How do you name your hero?

To name my hero, I consider who he is (i.e. billionaire bachelor) and his personality --- Kiptyn Thomas, III, says wealth/old money. Tough, but loveable – Jared Kelly. 

Who is your favorite hero in books, movies, or television?

My favorite hero at the moment is from television: Leroy Jethro Gibbs from NCIS!! Sexy, in-charge, but flexible! (Tony Dinozzo runs a close second – great sense of humor)

Who is your hero in real life?

My husband! He’s loving, supportive, and laughs at my jokes! (He ‘gets’ me!)

Tell us about your most recent release and where we can find it. Who is the hero and what do you like about him the most?

My recent release is Kiss Me. It was published by Champagne Books on 4/2/12. My hero is Jared Kelly; handsome cop and all-around good guy, who has to deal with a dysfunctional family just like my heroine, Lacy Goodlow.  The way he handles his situation and Lacy’s, makes you like him straight away.

Blurb:

Falling for the cop who wrote her a speeding ticket and dated her spoiled stepsister throws Lacy Goodlow’s world into chaos, but ignoring her heart to keep the peace is not an option.

Excerpt:

“Sir, seriously,” she whimpered. “I haven’t been drinking. And I need to get going.” She held her wrist up so he could see her watch. “My sister’s bachelorette party has already started, and if I don’t get there soon, she’s going to blow a gasket.”

Deputy J. Kelly’s eyes widened perceptibly.

Crap. He was picturing the same thing she was—drunken women and lots of alcohol.

Regardless, she was late. Lacy blew out a weighty breath of frustration, and contemplated making a move for his gun or handcuffing herself to his cruiser; anything so she wouldn’t have to face the wrath of Angela.

Deputy Kelly’s first command was for her to walk a straight line. Ha! Her sandal teetered on a stone and she swayed sideways. Next, touch the end of her nose. The earth must’ve shifted, because she missed and almost jabbed herself in the eye. And because of the diet cola she’d downed on the way there, she was fidgeting all over the place. “Are we done?”

Without answering the question, he leaned forward and took a big whiff.

An involuntary prickle of pleasure pulsed through her.

“I’m not going to administer the breathalyzer because your eyes aren’t glassy or red, your speech is not impaired, and I don’t smell alcohol on your breath.”

Duh. He’d been sniffing for alcohol, not enjoying her perfume.

She mumbled a feeble thank-you, but it was drowned out by a car filled with teenagers who buzzed past and hollered “Strip-search her.”

You can buy Kiss Me at the following link: Champagne Books

Website - www.janromes.com

Blog – www.jantheromancewriter.blogspot.com

Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/JanRomes

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/people/Jan-Romes/1418424489

Kiss me sounds like a fun read, Jan. I'll have to get me a copy. Thanks for being here today.

Some More #FridayStuff About Me #8

Each week, Hilary at Feeling Beachie plan on lists four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blogs. If you want to join the fun and come up with four fill in’s of your own, please email them to her at feelingbeachie@gmail.com. If she uses them, she will add you as co-host to the hop! This week’s co-host is Megan from Monday Morning Musings.  She came up with the last two statements.  Hilary can really use co-hosts, so please email her some statements!

She would LOVE it if you could please help me spread the word about this hop…. So, please tweet, FaceBook share, and add the linky to your post…

This week’s statements:

1.       I can’t stand when people say _I'll call you tomorrow and don't___

2.       If you are going to __tailgate me_ please_know that I'm going to slow down__

3.       Call me a _catering service____ because __I don't want to cook tonight!____

4.       If I had a dollar for every time I heard _my kids say "Mom" in that voice that means they can't find something that's really only hidden beneath that pile of clothes on their bedroom floor_____, I swear I’d be a millionaire by now.

Guest Blogging on Jan Romes' Site Today

I'm blogging over on Jan Romes' site today at http://jantheromancewriter.blogspot.com/2012/05/welcome-denise-moncrief.html

Please come show me some blog love!

#MyPOV - 0005 Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Review of Bahdria by @IngridMichaels

Bahdria: A Love Story by Ingrid Michaels
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ingrid Michaels has a crisp, clean writing style that engaged me from the very first word. Bahdria is subtitled A Love Story, and truly this is one of the sweetest love stories I’ve read in a long time. I’m looking forward to reading more of Ingrid’s work.

Jean-Marc is a true hero, practicing medicine for Doctors Without Borders in a refugee camp in the Sub-Saharan desert. The camp suffers from limited supplies and a broken water well. When a preteen boy attempts to fix the ruptured mechanism and falls in, Jean-Marc doesn’t hesitate to descend into the depths of the well to save the youngster. Such is his dedication to saving lives.

The high point of the story centers on the selfless love of Jean-Marc for his wife Sharon, whom he affectionately calls Bahdria. He succeeds in rescuing the boy, but slips and hangs on the side of the well, struggling to gain purchase. Sharon grips the rope surrounding his waist desperately trying to keep her husband from plunging to his death, and in so doing endangers her own life. A light of selflessness shines around this couple. Bahdria is a tale of courage, commitment, and unconditional love. I won’t reveal the beautiful end of this story, but I will tell you this closing scene brought tears to my eyes—something that doesn’t happen very often.


View all my reviews