1. What was the name of the first novel you wrote? Did you try to publish it?
I don’t think I ever named it, and no, I never tried to publish it. I did re-read it about a year ago, and it was awful. It won’t go to any publisher until it gets a major re-write, and I do mean major.
2. What do you know now that you are published that you didn’t know pre-published that you wish you had known?
Hundreds of things. I didn’t know about loops, I didn’t know about blogs, I didn’t even know about ebooks. That’s how unprepared I was when I started 5 years ago.
3. Why did you pick the publisher that ultimately published your first book?
Actually my first publisher was found more by accident than plan. I was searching the net for agents to submit to, stuck into that ‘if you don’t have an agent, publishers don’t want to read you’ that I’d read, thinking that would be easier. I didn’t know about independent publishers, either, or that they were willing to take an unpublished author. An ad in a side bar caught my attention. I thought why not, clicked on it, read their submission preference page and thought, “I’ve got one that just fits that.” That was Swimming Kangaroo Books, sadly, no longer accepting submissions. Not only did I find a publisher willing to read work from an unpublished author, I found a friend and teacher in Dindy Robinson, the owner. We did 11 books together, an experience I’ll always be grateful for.
4. How did you pick the genres you write in?
I don’t pick them; they pick me without any kind of rhyme or reason. I might finish a science fiction and go straight to another western or contemporary. It’s just whatever strikes me at the time enough to grow into another story.
5. What do you consider your strengths in terms of your writing?
Characterization, I think. I live with those people. I know them better sometimes than even themselves. I know their history from the time they were born, what makes them act and react the way they do, what they look for in life. Of course, not all of that gets into the pages, but I have it all in my head to make them come alive with words.
6. What do you consider your weakness and what strategies do you use to overcome it?
Composition, where to put those silly little commas, things like that, along with what’s new in accepted style, what’s old, what does this particular publisher prefer. I edit, and edit, and use word grammar check, and edit, and listen to my editors and edit some more.
7. What other time period besides your own would you like to experience?
From the civil war to the turn of the century. I’m sure I’d get tired of it rather quickly, being spoiled by all our modern conveniences, but that time period fascinates me.
8. If you could ask your readers one question, what would it be?
Did you like it? If they said no, then of course, I’d have to ask why?
9. What’s your favorite quote?
You have nothing to fear, but fear itself.
10. Tell us about your current release and if you have more coming up for us to watch for.
I’ll start with the last part of that one. At this time I have four releases coming in 2011 and 2012, through Museitup Publishing, two westerns and two contemporaries. You can keep up with what they are and when they’ll be out on my website, http://www.larriane.com. My latest release is through XOXO Publishing, The Eternal Search, a science fiction romance. It begins sometime in our future. Here’s a blurb to tickle your interest and buy link if I have:
In sending him from the future to a burnt out wasteland, they meant to kill him, in a cruel and sadistic way. Their calculations were off. Garth landed in a mountain forest only a few feet from Judith, a woman who only existed and wished for death even before the war had killed billions. She had one emotion left, curiosity. Wanting to know who he was, where he came from, and how, she took him home. With Garth she learned to live again. When they came and took him back, they learned that revenge for an eternal knew no time limits.
http://www.xoxopublishing.com
Author Bio: Larriane Wills also writes as Larion Wills in multi-genres from science fiction to historical, sweet romances to hot, paranormal and not. Though born in Oklahoma she feels native to the state she was raised in and has settled in the high desert mountains of Arizona where she continues to present us with a wide variety of stories in a collection of strong characters and unique plots. She invites you to visit her at her website, http://www.larriane.com to see what she has to offer or email her at larriane@larriane.com even if it’s only to say hi. She also welcomes you to visit her facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/people/Larriane-Wills/1535007230 and her blog: http://larionmusing.blogspot.com/
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
ExcerpTuesday: E.F. Watkins
ONE BLOOD Excerpt:
A powerful force pulled the energy out of her. Kat knew she must be losing blood, but even that couldn’t be enough to explain this terrible sensation of life draining from her body. She could feel Sharpay’s hunger and intense pleasure as he fed upon her, drawing out something he needed, something that went beyond any mere physical substance.
At the back of her mind, Kat knew she should try to fight back, but both her body and her will seemed paralyzed. Her heart pounded faster, desperate to make up the loss of blood. She started to slip down into a dark vortex, the room swirling around her. She knew she would have collapsed to the floor, if not for the iron arm holding her.
At the same time, her belly stirred with another sensation—half sexual, half suicidal—to surrender and let him have as much of her as he needed.
It seemed an hour before she felt Sharpay, with difficulty, tear himself away. Released from his grip, she tottered and saw stars. He pulled up one of the straight-backed dining chairs and sat her in it.
He left her briefly. Slumped, head spinning, she heard him rummaging in her cabinets. He came back with a juice glass half-filled with a pale gold, acrid-smelling liquid.
“Drink this.”
Kat obeyed. The brandy seared her throat until she coughed, but then she drank some more. In a minute, warmth began to seep back into her depleted veins.
Bent over her, Sharpay pressed a finger against the spot he had bitten. At first Kat thought he was staunching the wound, but then realized he was taking her pulse.
“Much better,” he murmured, in a clinical tone.
She glanced up at him. No trace of blood showed on his lips, and as she watched, the sharpness of his canine teeth reverted to normal. The red light also left his eyes. His face had recovered a healthier color and his hair had darkened again, with silver only at the temples.
He spoke now in a cold, crisp tone. “After I leave, eat some of the dinner you’ve prepared and go to bed. You’ll have the weekend to recover. If you have to cancel any activities, make up a plausible excuse. You will come to my house again Monday night. Do you understand?”
Still dazed as a sleepwalker, Kat could only nod.
He gave her a last, tight smile. “You’ll be fine. You have an excellent constitution and a strong will to live. Just what I would expect from a Van Braam!”
Blurb:A vampire travels to Princeton University to hunt down and romance a brilliant and beautiful archaeologist, the last living descendant of his arch-enemy. She fights his control, though, and resolves to destroy him. After centuries of preying on humanity, has he finally met his match—in more ways than one?
BIO: E. F. Watkins specializes in paranormal thrillers and mysteries. Her novel DANCE WITH THE DRAGON won the 2004 EPPIE in Horror, and her s-f thriller BLACK FLOWERS was a 2006 EPPIE finalist in Action/Thriller. She also has published the romantic mystery RIDE A DANCING HORSE and the paranormal thrillers PARAGON, DANU‘S CHILDREN and ONE BLOOD.
At the back of her mind, Kat knew she should try to fight back, but both her body and her will seemed paralyzed. Her heart pounded faster, desperate to make up the loss of blood. She started to slip down into a dark vortex, the room swirling around her. She knew she would have collapsed to the floor, if not for the iron arm holding her.
At the same time, her belly stirred with another sensation—half sexual, half suicidal—to surrender and let him have as much of her as he needed.
It seemed an hour before she felt Sharpay, with difficulty, tear himself away. Released from his grip, she tottered and saw stars. He pulled up one of the straight-backed dining chairs and sat her in it.
He left her briefly. Slumped, head spinning, she heard him rummaging in her cabinets. He came back with a juice glass half-filled with a pale gold, acrid-smelling liquid.
“Drink this.”
Kat obeyed. The brandy seared her throat until she coughed, but then she drank some more. In a minute, warmth began to seep back into her depleted veins.
Bent over her, Sharpay pressed a finger against the spot he had bitten. At first Kat thought he was staunching the wound, but then realized he was taking her pulse.
“Much better,” he murmured, in a clinical tone.
She glanced up at him. No trace of blood showed on his lips, and as she watched, the sharpness of his canine teeth reverted to normal. The red light also left his eyes. His face had recovered a healthier color and his hair had darkened again, with silver only at the temples.
He spoke now in a cold, crisp tone. “After I leave, eat some of the dinner you’ve prepared and go to bed. You’ll have the weekend to recover. If you have to cancel any activities, make up a plausible excuse. You will come to my house again Monday night. Do you understand?”
He gave her a last, tight smile. “You’ll be fine. You have an excellent constitution and a strong will to live. Just what I would expect from a Van Braam!”
Blurb:A vampire travels to Princeton University to hunt down and romance a brilliant and beautiful archaeologist, the last living descendant of his arch-enemy. She fights his control, though, and resolves to destroy him. After centuries of preying on humanity, has he finally met his match—in more ways than one?
BIO: E. F. Watkins specializes in paranormal thrillers and mysteries. Her novel DANCE WITH THE DRAGON won the 2004 EPPIE in Horror, and her s-f thriller BLACK FLOWERS was a 2006 EPPIE finalist in Action/Thriller. She also has published the romantic mystery RIDE A DANCING HORSE and the paranormal thrillers PARAGON, DANU‘S CHILDREN and ONE BLOOD.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
After this week
After this week, the blog is going on hiatus for two weeks. Whew.
I need a break and to get ready for 2011.
If anyone is interested in guest blogging, contact me at chrisreddingauthor at yahoo dot com.
cmr
I need a break and to get ready for 2011.
If anyone is interested in guest blogging, contact me at chrisreddingauthor at yahoo dot com.
cmr
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Authorsday: Jennifer Wylie
Book Blurb: Jump (short story)
If you were told to jump off of a bridge would you? Perhaps it would depend on who was doing the asking. Our heroine has spunk and a sense of humor, however suffers from an extreme case of inappropriate clothing. When things take a turn from dangerous to worse what will she do when fantasy becomes reality? Warning: May include hot leather clad men, singing and demons.
1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
In my head, I've always been a writer. I started writing back in public school and have wrote on and off since then. Now a published author, that was an occasional dream. It wasn't until a few years ago I actually decided to give it a try and see what happened. I'm glad I did (and slightly irritated with myself I waited so long!)
2. How did you pick the genre you write in?
I grew up reading fantasy and science fiction from a very early age. I had barely reached my teens before my mother had me reading Pern books. So far I don't think I have the technical savvy to write sci-fi, so all of my stories are some type of fantasy.
3. Do you plot or do you write by the seat of your pants?
Plot? That word sounds familiar... :) I don't write things out, or do story boards. I will imagine scenes in my head, like a movie, until they are perfect, and then write them down. Occasionally near the end of a book I will jot down a sentence or two of notes, mostly to make sure I don't forget to tie up lose ends.
4. What was the name of the first novel you wrote? Did you try to publish it?
I had written a few books back in high school. I don't remember their names, if they even had any. They all died in horrible computer crashes. (I'd cry again, but they were probably very bad anyways) My first book I finished and didn't die a terrible death is called Sweet Light. It is being published by Echelon Press and due out in 2011.
5. What do you know now that you are published that you didn’t know pre-published that you wish you knew?
So many things! How to write a proper query letter, that you don't have to have an agent to find a publisher. A big one is how much I have learned in regards to editing. Also do your research! The Internet can tell you pretty much anything if you look. Don't just jump in, learn everything you can first!
6. How many rejections have you received?
Before I signed on with Echelon and had been querying agents I lost count of my rejections over the year and half I was sending them out. Certainly over 50, perhaps even 100. I didn't let it get me down. Obviously I query wasn't good enough (so I kept rewriting). The problem is getting someone interested enough to want to read more, hard to do in so few words!
7. Why did you pick the publisher that ultimately published your work?
I had read about Echelon Press online and found them interesting. I started following them on Twitter and had some nice tweets with Karen there and also in a comments section on another's blog. I checked out the publishers website, and also the books they'd published so far and thought they would be a great publisher for me. I have been very pleased with everything!
8. What do you consider your strengths in terms of your writing?
I am a very emotional person, and that really comes out in my writing. You will feel for my characters, which I think is the way it should be. :) Oh, and I also like to add in twists. Everyone loves a good twist! (or five)
9. What do you consider your weakness and what strategies do you use to overcome it?
I have had a number of technical issues with my writing. The last number of months I have been working really hard on learning all my proper punctuation and grammar use. I guess I should have paid more attention in English class in school. :)
10. What are you working on now?
I have a second short story, The Forgotten Echo, coming out March 1st, and my novel Sweet Light later in 2011 so will be doing edits for them. I also just finished a YA book, Broken Aro, I'll be submitting soon. I've also finished the sequel to Sweet Light and am editing it prior to submission and I'm working on the sequel to Broken Aro.
You are welcome to make up your own questions if you like also. Anything you think will illuminate what you want your readers to know.
Author Bio:
Jennifer Wylie was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.
Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people don’t. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories. Sweet light is her debut novel to be published in 2011.
Jennifer resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her husband, two boys, Australian shepherd a flock of birds and a disagreeable amount of wildlife.
In case you need:
My website: www.jenniferwylie.ca
My blog: http://jlwylie.wordpress.com/
Book available for sale link:
OmniLit: http://www.omnilit.com/product-jump-493574-234.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jump-ebook/dp/B004FPYT4O
B&N: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?ean=9781590807354
If you were told to jump off of a bridge would you? Perhaps it would depend on who was doing the asking. Our heroine has spunk and a sense of humor, however suffers from an extreme case of inappropriate clothing. When things take a turn from dangerous to worse what will she do when fantasy becomes reality? Warning: May include hot leather clad men, singing and demons.
1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
In my head, I've always been a writer. I started writing back in public school and have wrote on and off since then. Now a published author, that was an occasional dream. It wasn't until a few years ago I actually decided to give it a try and see what happened. I'm glad I did (and slightly irritated with myself I waited so long!)
2. How did you pick the genre you write in?
I grew up reading fantasy and science fiction from a very early age. I had barely reached my teens before my mother had me reading Pern books. So far I don't think I have the technical savvy to write sci-fi, so all of my stories are some type of fantasy.
3. Do you plot or do you write by the seat of your pants?
Plot? That word sounds familiar... :) I don't write things out, or do story boards. I will imagine scenes in my head, like a movie, until they are perfect, and then write them down. Occasionally near the end of a book I will jot down a sentence or two of notes, mostly to make sure I don't forget to tie up lose ends.
4. What was the name of the first novel you wrote? Did you try to publish it?
I had written a few books back in high school. I don't remember their names, if they even had any. They all died in horrible computer crashes. (I'd cry again, but they were probably very bad anyways) My first book I finished and didn't die a terrible death is called Sweet Light. It is being published by Echelon Press and due out in 2011.
5. What do you know now that you are published that you didn’t know pre-published that you wish you knew?
So many things! How to write a proper query letter, that you don't have to have an agent to find a publisher. A big one is how much I have learned in regards to editing. Also do your research! The Internet can tell you pretty much anything if you look. Don't just jump in, learn everything you can first!
6. How many rejections have you received?
Before I signed on with Echelon and had been querying agents I lost count of my rejections over the year and half I was sending them out. Certainly over 50, perhaps even 100. I didn't let it get me down. Obviously I query wasn't good enough (so I kept rewriting). The problem is getting someone interested enough to want to read more, hard to do in so few words!
7. Why did you pick the publisher that ultimately published your work?
I had read about Echelon Press online and found them interesting. I started following them on Twitter and had some nice tweets with Karen there and also in a comments section on another's blog. I checked out the publishers website, and also the books they'd published so far and thought they would be a great publisher for me. I have been very pleased with everything!
8. What do you consider your strengths in terms of your writing?
I am a very emotional person, and that really comes out in my writing. You will feel for my characters, which I think is the way it should be. :) Oh, and I also like to add in twists. Everyone loves a good twist! (or five)
9. What do you consider your weakness and what strategies do you use to overcome it?
I have had a number of technical issues with my writing. The last number of months I have been working really hard on learning all my proper punctuation and grammar use. I guess I should have paid more attention in English class in school. :)
10. What are you working on now?
I have a second short story, The Forgotten Echo, coming out March 1st, and my novel Sweet Light later in 2011 so will be doing edits for them. I also just finished a YA book, Broken Aro, I'll be submitting soon. I've also finished the sequel to Sweet Light and am editing it prior to submission and I'm working on the sequel to Broken Aro.
You are welcome to make up your own questions if you like also. Anything you think will illuminate what you want your readers to know.
Author Bio:
Jennifer Wylie was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.
Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people don’t. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories. Sweet light is her debut novel to be published in 2011.
Jennifer resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her husband, two boys, Australian shepherd a flock of birds and a disagreeable amount of wildlife.
In case you need:
My website: www.jenniferwylie.ca
My blog: http://jlwylie.wordpress.com/
Book available for sale link:
OmniLit: http://www.omnilit.com/product-jump-493574-234.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jump-ebook/dp/B004FPYT4O
B&N: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?ean=9781590807354
Monday, December 13, 2010
ExcerpTuesday: Cara Marsi
Cara Marsi is a former corporate drone and cubicle dweller with a romantic soul. She craves books with happy endings and loves to write about strong heroes and feisty heroines. She loves to put her characters in dangerous situations and see how they’ll get out. Cara has recently gone over to the dark side with her romantic suspense, Murder, Mi Amore, set in Rome, Italy, and involving murder, jewel thieves and terrorists. And she’s gone even darker with her paranormal romance, Cursed Mates.
She credits her love of romance to the old Thirties and Forties romantic comedies she watched on late night TV growing up. Cara is published in traditional romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and has published numerous short romance stories in national magzines. Cara and her husband enjoy traveling and she loves to write about the places they've visited. They share their house with a fat black cat named Killer.
Excerpt:
Dominic sprang up and flew at the mugger, knocking him to the ground. The two men grappled, rolling together on the cobbled street. Lexie, her heart thumping wildly, looked for an opening to bean the mugger again, to give Dominic a better chance at overcoming him.
“Stop it! Stop it! Leave him alone!” The mugger ended up on top, and she whaled away with her bag, getting in any shot she could.
Shouts and the slap of running feet vibrated through the alley. The mugger swore, jumped up, and raced away, a few men giving chase. Several others helped Dominic to stand, yelling in excited voices, and gesturing toward where their attacker had disappeared.
Dominic winced in pain. Lexie looked down at his ripped, blood-soaked pant leg. “Dominic, you’ve got to get to the hospital. You’re bleeding.”
“I’m okay,” he said. “It is nothing.” Brushing dirt off his jacket, he turned to the men and said something in rapid Italian. With nods, they strode away.
Breathing heavily, Lexie disagreed. “You’re not okay. We’ll get a cab and take you to the hospital.”
He cupped her shoulders. “I’ve been through worse. I’m fine. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No. I’m…” The full impact of what had happened hit her. The adrenaline that had given her strength suddenly dissipated and she began to tremble. “I’m not okay.”
“Lexie.” Dominic moved forward to take her into his arms. She held on for dear life, needing his strength. He rubbed his hand along her back. “It’s okay, Lexie. We’re both okay. You’re safe with me.”
She clung to him. It wasn’t her imagination. Strange things were happening. She had nothing anyone could want. She didn’t know who to trust. Dominic said she was safe with him. But was she really?
Blurb:
Lexie Cortese is in Rome to forget. The last thing she expects is to meet a sexy Interpol agent who suspects her of being part of a terrorist plot involving a stolen diamond. Suddenly thrust into a world of murders, muggings, and kidnappings, Lexie doesn’t know what to think—or who to believe.
Dominic Brioni’s assignment is simple. Befriend the American and bring her to justice. Only Lexie seems like the most unlikely terrorist Dominic has ever met. Sweet, determined, and direct, she faces life with courage and fire, a fire that sparks his protective instincts and a longing for something more—something he allowed himself to hope for only once before.
But that woman betrayed him, and his boss isn’t about to let him forget it. With his career on the line and Lexie in danger, will Dominic learn to trust his heart before they both get killed?
She credits her love of romance to the old Thirties and Forties romantic comedies she watched on late night TV growing up. Cara is published in traditional romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and has published numerous short romance stories in national magzines. Cara and her husband enjoy traveling and she loves to write about the places they've visited. They share their house with a fat black cat named Killer.
Excerpt:
Dominic sprang up and flew at the mugger, knocking him to the ground. The two men grappled, rolling together on the cobbled street. Lexie, her heart thumping wildly, looked for an opening to bean the mugger again, to give Dominic a better chance at overcoming him.
“Stop it! Stop it! Leave him alone!” The mugger ended up on top, and she whaled away with her bag, getting in any shot she could.
Shouts and the slap of running feet vibrated through the alley. The mugger swore, jumped up, and raced away, a few men giving chase. Several others helped Dominic to stand, yelling in excited voices, and gesturing toward where their attacker had disappeared.
Dominic winced in pain. Lexie looked down at his ripped, blood-soaked pant leg. “Dominic, you’ve got to get to the hospital. You’re bleeding.”
“I’m okay,” he said. “It is nothing.” Brushing dirt off his jacket, he turned to the men and said something in rapid Italian. With nods, they strode away.
Breathing heavily, Lexie disagreed. “You’re not okay. We’ll get a cab and take you to the hospital.”
He cupped her shoulders. “I’ve been through worse. I’m fine. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No. I’m…” The full impact of what had happened hit her. The adrenaline that had given her strength suddenly dissipated and she began to tremble. “I’m not okay.”
“Lexie.” Dominic moved forward to take her into his arms. She held on for dear life, needing his strength. He rubbed his hand along her back. “It’s okay, Lexie. We’re both okay. You’re safe with me.”
She clung to him. It wasn’t her imagination. Strange things were happening. She had nothing anyone could want. She didn’t know who to trust. Dominic said she was safe with him. But was she really?
Lexie Cortese is in Rome to forget. The last thing she expects is to meet a sexy Interpol agent who suspects her of being part of a terrorist plot involving a stolen diamond. Suddenly thrust into a world of murders, muggings, and kidnappings, Lexie doesn’t know what to think—or who to believe.
Dominic Brioni’s assignment is simple. Befriend the American and bring her to justice. Only Lexie seems like the most unlikely terrorist Dominic has ever met. Sweet, determined, and direct, she faces life with courage and fire, a fire that sparks his protective instincts and a longing for something more—something he allowed himself to hope for only once before.
But that woman betrayed him, and his boss isn’t about to let him forget it. With his career on the line and Lexie in danger, will Dominic learn to trust his heart before they both get killed?
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Here is where I am going to be this month.
Incendiary will be out in all electronic formats December 15.
December 10 http://www.donnafletchercrow.com/articles.php
December 14 http://www.wendygray.net/
December 16 http://www.morganmandel.blogspot.com/
December 17 http://maryogara.com/?p=297
December 22 http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com/
Stop by. There will be prizes!
And one lucky commenter will even win a free pdf of Incendiary, but I'm not telling you which blog I'll give it away at.
cmr
December 10 http://www.donnafletchercrow.com/articles.php
December 14 http://www.wendygray.net/
December 16 http://www.morganmandel.blogspot.com/
December 17 http://maryogara.com/?p=297
December 22 http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com/
Stop by. There will be prizes!
And one lucky commenter will even win a free pdf of Incendiary, but I'm not telling you which blog I'll give it away at.
cmr
Monday, December 6, 2010
ExcerpTuesday: Shobhan Bantwal
THE UNEXPECTED SON
Prologue
There was something odd about it, despite its plain and inconsequential appearance. Vinita gazed at the mystery envelope for a long moment, weighed it in the palm of her hand. Her instincts were prickling. It went beyond mere feminine intuition.
She didn’t receive any letters from her family in India anymore. Cheap long-distance telephone rates and email had put an end to that somewhat antiquated form of communication.
The smudged postal seal on the envelope read Mumbai—one of India’s largest and most populous cities—a place Vinita was very familiar with. It didn’t look like the occasional wedding invitation or the quarterly statements from the bank.
There was no return address, but it was sent to her attention—neatly hand-printed. She slit it open and eased out the contents—a single sheet of white ruled paper. Her hands shook a little. She wasn’t sure if it was anticipation or anxiety. Or both.
The message was brief—a few lines penned in blue ink. She scanned it quickly, trying to ignore the tingle crawling up her spine like a venomous spider. The subject matter was bizarre. The writer’s name was missing.
Only minutes ago it had looked like any ordinary Saturday morning—a day to recoup after five hectic days of poring over spreadsheets, memos, and databases till her eyeballs ached.
Her husband was on a business trip to Detroit, and wasn’t due to return until the following week, so she had the weekend to herself. She’d planned to indulge herself.
Working late the previous evening had prevented her from looking at the mail right away. Now, as she sat on the bed and checked the mail, she wondered if the weekend of self-indulgence she’d been looking forward to was already beginning to wilt and curl at the edges.
Who could have sent her the odd message? Perhaps there were clues she had missed the first time.
My dear Mrs. Patil,
I am writing to tell you about your son. He is suffering from myeloid leukemia. Many years ago, I had made a promise never to reveal anything about him, but this is a serious matter. A bone marrow transplant is his only hope. My conscience will not allow me to let a young man die without having a chance to try every possible treatment. Your brother may be able to give you all the details.
I leave the matter in your hands.
Blessings,
A well-wisher
Something about the message was disturbing.
Was it possible the letter was erroneously mailed to her? But what if it wasn’t a mistake and she was indeed the intended recipient?
Was this someone’s idea of a sick joke? But everything about the letter spelled serious intent.
This was no hoax ...
Bio:
Shobhan Bantwal calls her writing "Bollywood in a Book," commercial fiction about India, women’s issues & socio-political topics, with romantic & cultural elements. Her articles & stories have appeared in The Writer, Romantic Times, India Abroad, Little India, Desi Journal, New Woman & India Currents. Her short fiction has won honors/awards in contests by Writer's Digest, New York Stories & New Woman magazines. Her debut book, THE DOWRY BRIDE, won the 2008 Golden Leaf Award.
Visit her website: www.shobhanbantwal.com or her Facebook page
Book Blurb for THE UNEXPECTED SON:
What happens when a woman who's realized her dreams wakes up one morning to a shocking truth? Vinita Patil opens a mysterious letter from India that instantly turns her comfortable life upside down. It tells her an impossible story: she has a grown son in India, a child she was told was stillborn 30 years ago. Now his life may depend on her...
Prologue
There was something odd about it, despite its plain and inconsequential appearance. Vinita gazed at the mystery envelope for a long moment, weighed it in the palm of her hand. Her instincts were prickling. It went beyond mere feminine intuition.
She didn’t receive any letters from her family in India anymore. Cheap long-distance telephone rates and email had put an end to that somewhat antiquated form of communication.
The smudged postal seal on the envelope read Mumbai—one of India’s largest and most populous cities—a place Vinita was very familiar with. It didn’t look like the occasional wedding invitation or the quarterly statements from the bank.
There was no return address, but it was sent to her attention—neatly hand-printed. She slit it open and eased out the contents—a single sheet of white ruled paper. Her hands shook a little. She wasn’t sure if it was anticipation or anxiety. Or both.
The message was brief—a few lines penned in blue ink. She scanned it quickly, trying to ignore the tingle crawling up her spine like a venomous spider. The subject matter was bizarre. The writer’s name was missing.
Only minutes ago it had looked like any ordinary Saturday morning—a day to recoup after five hectic days of poring over spreadsheets, memos, and databases till her eyeballs ached.
Her husband was on a business trip to Detroit, and wasn’t due to return until the following week, so she had the weekend to herself. She’d planned to indulge herself.
Working late the previous evening had prevented her from looking at the mail right away. Now, as she sat on the bed and checked the mail, she wondered if the weekend of self-indulgence she’d been looking forward to was already beginning to wilt and curl at the edges.
Who could have sent her the odd message? Perhaps there were clues she had missed the first time.
My dear Mrs. Patil,
I am writing to tell you about your son. He is suffering from myeloid leukemia. Many years ago, I had made a promise never to reveal anything about him, but this is a serious matter. A bone marrow transplant is his only hope. My conscience will not allow me to let a young man die without having a chance to try every possible treatment. Your brother may be able to give you all the details.
I leave the matter in your hands.
Blessings,
A well-wisher
Something about the message was disturbing.
Was it possible the letter was erroneously mailed to her? But what if it wasn’t a mistake and she was indeed the intended recipient?
Was this someone’s idea of a sick joke? But everything about the letter spelled serious intent.
This was no hoax ...
Bio:
Shobhan Bantwal calls her writing "Bollywood in a Book," commercial fiction about India, women’s issues & socio-political topics, with romantic & cultural elements. Her articles & stories have appeared in The Writer, Romantic Times, India Abroad, Little India, Desi Journal, New Woman & India Currents. Her short fiction has won honors/awards in contests by Writer's Digest, New York Stories & New Woman magazines. Her debut book, THE DOWRY BRIDE, won the 2008 Golden Leaf Award.
Visit her website: www.shobhanbantwal.com or her Facebook page
Book Blurb for THE UNEXPECTED SON:
What happens when a woman who's realized her dreams wakes up one morning to a shocking truth? Vinita Patil opens a mysterious letter from India that instantly turns her comfortable life upside down. It tells her an impossible story: she has a grown son in India, a child she was told was stillborn 30 years ago. Now his life may depend on her...
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Authorsday: Wendy Ely
I always feel weird when writing a post for another person’s blog. I’m grateful that I’ve been given the opportunity to blog but don’t know what the readers expect. I worry that I won’t get any comments since a lot of people don’t like change and here comes another author posting something totally random. But often I get to meet a variety of new people. Being a guest blogger opens up the opportunity for new connections I didn’t already have. This is one of the many joys of being an author. I get to meet so many different types of people. Who would’ve thought and eighteen year old guy would read Jesse’s Brother (my first novel) and send me fan mail? I certainly didn’t but loved getting to know him.
So setting up a blog tour was the first thing I did in my preparations of my new release. So, dear readers, take a peek at the Confessions excerpt and let’s chat on here for a bit. Or you can send me an email (wendy_ely@wendyely.info).
Excerpt from Confessions:
Jordan sat down on the couch and patted the floor in front of him. “Sit down. Let me get those knots out.”
She took a few steps in his direction, stopping out of his reach, afraid to let him touch her. If he touched her, then she’d fall madly in love with him all over again. That couldn’t happen.
She watched as he leaned forward far enough to grab her by the hand. He pulled her to him.
“Are you sure you want to?”
“Yes,” he said. He guided her down to the floor between his legs. Before leaning back, she slipped her t-shirt off, revealing the navy tank top. His strong hands slid over her skin and she sunk back against him. She’d forgotten how strong he was, how needy she felt when he touched her. As if by magic, her body slowly began to relax underneath his touch. He kneaded her skin with the palms of his hands. The more he touched her, the more she felt at ease. She leaned forward a bit, making his legs embrace the rest of her body. His hands trailed down the length of her back toward the top of her jeans. A small moan escaped her lips. If only he would go lower.
“Feel good?” The words floated through the air like music from a past dream.
“Mm hm.”
He rubbed the small of her back, his hands working every muscle imaginable. “Remember when I would rub your feet each night after work?”
“The best part of the whole day.” His hands. His voice. He had cast a spell over her.
“I loved those times with you, Chels.”
Butterflies swarmed in her stomach, breaking up her intoxicated sensation. Chels? He used to call her that when they were teenagers. He was the only person who’d ever had a pet name for her.
“Me, too,” she mumbled.
“That’s what has gotten me through until now. Those memories of us from before you disappeared.” His hands stilled, but she could feel their heat against her.
Damn it! Tears welled in her eyes. He couldn’t see them, she wouldn’t allow him to. She scooted away him his touch, far enough away so she could stand up on her own without using his assistance.
“I’m sorry, Jordan. We shouldn’t be doing this.”
“What are you talking about, Chelsea?” He tried to grab her by the hand again but this time she walked away from him. She went over to the windows, dried her eyes and then turned around.
“I told you everything, so now I should go.” She walked past him toward the stairs.
“No, you won’t.” The words were ice cold. It seemed like his massage had been some sort of dream.
She froze. “What do you mean, I won’t?”
“Let’s get something clear. Okay?”
She slowly turned around. She had never heard this tone from Jordan in the whole time she had known him. It scared her.
“What?”
He stood up from the couch and walked over to her. His hands jammed into his jean pockets. “There’s a choice to be made here,” he said. “You either stay here to help me locate my daughter or I contact the authorities.”
***
If you’d like to read more, you can find Confessions at www.lyricalpress.com/wendy_ely
So setting up a blog tour was the first thing I did in my preparations of my new release. So, dear readers, take a peek at the Confessions excerpt and let’s chat on here for a bit. Or you can send me an email (wendy_ely@wendyely.info).
Excerpt from Confessions:
Jordan sat down on the couch and patted the floor in front of him. “Sit down. Let me get those knots out.”
She took a few steps in his direction, stopping out of his reach, afraid to let him touch her. If he touched her, then she’d fall madly in love with him all over again. That couldn’t happen.
She watched as he leaned forward far enough to grab her by the hand. He pulled her to him.
“Are you sure you want to?”
“Yes,” he said. He guided her down to the floor between his legs. Before leaning back, she slipped her t-shirt off, revealing the navy tank top. His strong hands slid over her skin and she sunk back against him. She’d forgotten how strong he was, how needy she felt when he touched her. As if by magic, her body slowly began to relax underneath his touch. He kneaded her skin with the palms of his hands. The more he touched her, the more she felt at ease. She leaned forward a bit, making his legs embrace the rest of her body. His hands trailed down the length of her back toward the top of her jeans. A small moan escaped her lips. If only he would go lower.
“Feel good?” The words floated through the air like music from a past dream.
“Mm hm.”
He rubbed the small of her back, his hands working every muscle imaginable. “Remember when I would rub your feet each night after work?”
“The best part of the whole day.” His hands. His voice. He had cast a spell over her.
“I loved those times with you, Chels.”
Butterflies swarmed in her stomach, breaking up her intoxicated sensation. Chels? He used to call her that when they were teenagers. He was the only person who’d ever had a pet name for her.
“Me, too,” she mumbled.
“That’s what has gotten me through until now. Those memories of us from before you disappeared.” His hands stilled, but she could feel their heat against her.
Damn it! Tears welled in her eyes. He couldn’t see them, she wouldn’t allow him to. She scooted away him his touch, far enough away so she could stand up on her own without using his assistance.
“I’m sorry, Jordan. We shouldn’t be doing this.”
“What are you talking about, Chelsea?” He tried to grab her by the hand again but this time she walked away from him. She went over to the windows, dried her eyes and then turned around.
“I told you everything, so now I should go.” She walked past him toward the stairs.
“No, you won’t.” The words were ice cold. It seemed like his massage had been some sort of dream.
She froze. “What do you mean, I won’t?”
“Let’s get something clear. Okay?”
She slowly turned around. She had never heard this tone from Jordan in the whole time she had known him. It scared her.
“What?”
He stood up from the couch and walked over to her. His hands jammed into his jean pockets. “There’s a choice to be made here,” he said. “You either stay here to help me locate my daughter or I contact the authorities.”
***
If you’d like to read more, you can find Confessions at www.lyricalpress.com/wendy_ely
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