An Author Should Be Able To Write a Blog Post, Right?

Authors are word people. That’s what we do, string a bunch of words together and hope they make sense to somebody out there in the big, wide world. Nothing stresses me more in my author life than facing a blog post deadline and having no idea what to write. I stare at my blank Word document, and the empty page mocks me. I embrace ideas as if they are the answer to my dilemma, write the posts hurriedly at insanely late hours of the night, and then delete them the next morning, tossing my not-so-good late-night ideas aside like a rejected lover.

Maybe as a blogger, whether you are a writer or not, you’ve faced the same writer’s block. I Googled the topic and found some sites to get the blogging creative juices flowing.

Author Molly Greene’s blog post: 101 Fabulous Blog Topic Ideas

Fizzle’s post: 81 Topic Ideas For Starting a Blog That Matters

Start Blogging On-line’s post: 101 Blog Post Ideas That Will Make Your Blog “HOT”

The Blog Stylist’s post: 32 Of the Most-Popular Blog-Post Ideas

Chris Brogan’s post: 100 Blog Topics I Hope YOU Write

All you need is a basic skill at Googling to find something to write about. Right? No, it’s not that easy. When has anything about writing or blogging ever been that easy? The difficult part isn’t finding a topic on which to write. No, it’s finding a topic that your blog readers will be interested in reading. Stopping long enough to read a blog post takes time, and time is one thing most blog readers do not have in unlimited supply. If the topic bores them or doesn’t have relevance in their life, the reader is going to “x” out and watch a Youtube video about the ten rudest contestants on American Idol or read an Eonline article about the Kardashians.

It seems simple. Identify the intended readership. Write to the readers’ interests. Post your masterpiece on your blogging platform. Ta-da! Done! Watch your view stats rise to magnificent heights. Um…no.

The blogs I find most interesting relate to the craft of writing and navigating the publishing world, but my readers may not find those same topics entertaining or informative. Only another author wants to read a discussion of character development or point of view breaks or the dreaded, nasty telling versus showing concept. Even though I love other authors, those wonderful people are not my intended readership.

Okay, so I'm going to peruse the lists and blog about something, but I want to ask…Dear Reader, what blog topics get your attention and keep it?

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.

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.

All About Heroes - Author Interview With Krista Ames

I want to welcome author Krista Ames to Suspense, She Writes. I've come to know Krista as part of the Still Moments Publishing team.

First, tell us a little about yourself.

Well I was born and raised in Indiana, even lived in Florida for a while but now I live in the northern lower part of Michigan with my awesome husband and our 4 kids.  Our house is never dull, never clean either lol. 

I write contemporary romance at the moment but I would love to venture into maybe some romantic suspense and paranormal/shape shifters. 

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

So far I haven’t written too much, I have 4 short stories, 1 novella and I had a 24k contest submission that I’m still waiting to hear about but I think my favorite so far has been the contest submission hero.  This character is a cowboy running from his life of being an EMT and a huge mistake that cost a life. 

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

I fall in love with all of my heroes because I want my readers to fall in love with them too so I try to make them as irresistible as possible.  To name one though it would be Gentry,  my cowboy/EMT.  He’s just sexy and he knows how to handle horses and women or maybe it’s just the fact I love cowboys. 

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?

When I start a story, I normally have a hero in mind and I develop him to match the heroine but I think I create his personality first.  I don’t really sketch any of my characters; I let their personalities grow as I write.  It’s more fun to have them develop on their own as the story grows. 

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’m actually not sure I’ve done that, at least intentionally but I think.   that’s a really great idea and thanks to you, I may just have to start incorporating that so it’s noticeable.

How do you name your hero?   

I have a huge list I’ve compiled of names and places, possible titles, things like that so I just pick a name that seems to sound good and matches the personality of the hero.  I don’t make it too complicated.  Sometimes my husband will suggest names and I just know when a name sounds right. 

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

I always like the underdog or the quiet one that flies in and saves the day.  For example, I’m watching the new lifetime series The Client List where Jennifer Love Hewitt’s brother-in-law is in the wings after his brother left her, helping whenever he can. She comes home to him mowing the lawn (which makes her so mad because it’s her husband’s job only he’s not around) or he goes to her kids’ concert and helps put them in bed afterward.  Tells her he will do whatever she needs, she only need to ask.  You can tell there’s chemistry there at least on his part.  Of course this is only my opinion but she just doesn’t see it yet because she’s still hurt that her marriage fell apart. 

Who is your hero in real life?

My husband.  He stands by me no questions asked and he’s my biggest fan.  I love him to pieces J

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 most current release is a novella called Second Chances and released through Ruby Lioness Press and is now available, yay!

The hero of  Second Chances is Nick Prescott and he’s a navy man.  I love military men so this one is especially yummy to me.  I love this hero because even though it broke her heart, he did what he needed to do to keep her safe.  He thought of her first and foremost. 

Would  you like a blurb?

If you could get a Second Chance...

When the love of Dana's life leaves without a word, she is forced to move on with her life.  Despite loving him, she believes she will never see him again but, little does she know, she's being set up for a night that will change her life forever.

Nicholas, A Navy man, did the only thing he could to save the woman he loved.  Driven by a secret, he disappeared and now returns, years later, with hope for love.  With one opportunity, will he be able to make things right, or is it just too late?  Will she deny any desire for Second Chances?

Thanks for joining us today, Krista. It was great getting to know you better. Check out Krista's book at 

Ruby Lioness Press

Amazon

 Smash Words

All Romance eBooks

Barnes & Noble