Friday Firsts with Rebecca J. Clark

Come join me today.  I'm being spotlighted and I'd love to have you join me.

http://rebeccajclark.blogspot.com

Every Friday she spotlights a different author.  It's a great way to learn about your favorite authors and perhaps about some new ones too.

Kacey Mark Interview

I'd like to welcome Kacey Mark to my blog.

Kacey, thank you for graciously agreeing to be my guest today. 

KR:  Tell us about your journey to become a published author.  Have you always wanted to write?

Kacey:  My love for reading came first. During the summer of my sixteenth year, I fell in love with books. I could finish an entire 300 page novel in one day. It wasn’t until the school year started again, and I had this amazing teacher that actually APPROVED of romance novels, that I decided I’d try to write one.

KR:  You have two books in your Dark Muse Series, A Muse Gone Rogue and A Muse Gone Commando.  Tell us a little about them.

Kacey: I figured that as far as Greek mythology goes, every gift comes with a price. When I came upon the Muse I was sold. They offer so much inspiration, but what are they getting in return? In my books I like to make them more dynamic with a goal: To completely fill the empty ache in their soul, which will give them a shot at mortality. Now if we can just keep those pesky humans from becoming addicted to their powers.  

  

KR:  Do you anticipate a third in the series?

Kacey:  Not at present. Late in book two, Lochlan, one of my secondary characters, sat up and shook his fist at me. He demanded his own story for all the crap he went through protecting the heroine, so now he’s leading me off on another adventure.

KR:  What inspired your Dark Muse Series?

Kacey:  I love the thought of powerful men with deep, everlasting secrets. Vampires were pretty much out of the bag, so I turned to Greek mythology and the Muse

KR:  If you had to pick your favorite character from your stories, who would it be and why would you choose that person?

Kacey:  I love Kayla from book two. She’s so spunky and determined and she finds out the hard way that she’s still go a lot to learn. Unfortunately she has both the best and worst teacher at her disposal.

KR:  What are you currently working on?

Kacey:  I have a Merry-Go-Round Ran Down inspired ghost story near completion, and Lochlan beating down my door to write THE FALL GUY. Snippets of both are available on my website. http://www.authorkaceymark.com/Works_in_Progress.html

KR:  Who has had the most influence on you as an author?

Kacey:  My first influence was an amazing teacher by the name of Maryanne Barrett. I’m still trying to hunt her down to thank her. After that, my friends and family. I have a stellar support system that just doesn’t quit!

KR:  What do you do to set the mood for you to write?

Kacey:  I love playing music. In fact, I even set a theme song for every book. 

KR:  What’s the one thing you do to pamper yourself?

Kacey:  I get my nails done once a month. I’m not sure anymore if it’s really for the beautification or my chance for a one hour sit down with my nail tech. She’s such a fire cracker! I love chatting with her. She gives me motivation and drive that carries me clear though to my next appointment.

KR:  It’s the holiday season.  As an author, how do you juggle your schedule to find time to write and still enjoy the season?

Kacey:  Ugh! That’s a tough one. My writing tends to get sacrificed to the holiday gods this time of year, but I don’t mind. Going to family functions introduces me to some great characterization I wouldn’t have otherwise found. Seeing the snow, making cookies, playing with the kids, it all provides great sensory opportunities. I do it all in the name of research so I don’t feel guilty and I’m ready to start fresh in the New Year.

KR:  Do you have a holiday memory that stands out in your mind?

Kacey:  My sisters and I would play Mission Impossible to try and catch Santa in the act. We had walkie-talkies, elaborate rope systems—our baby brother was the mole. But we never caught the guy. He’s good!

KR: How funny.  Sounds like you had some fun.  If you could give an aspiring writer some advice, what would it be?

Kacey:  Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up. If you want to write, WRITE! You don’t have to be published to be a success, and if you have a gift for telling great stories, the world wants to hear them!

KR:  Great advice.  Where can readers get your books?

Kacey:  On Amazon and my publisher’s website.

http://www.amazon.com/Muse-Gone-Rogue-Dark-ebook/dp/B005HXXL5G/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323375327&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Muse-Gone-Commando-Dark-ebook/dp/B0065LW7GI/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323375327&sr=1-2

KR:  Where can readers contact you?

Kacey:  My facebook fan page is the easiest route. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kacey-Mark/218199808200456

You can also catch me on twitter @Kacey_Mark

KR:  Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

Kacey:  Thank you so much for the opportunity and have a fabulous holiday season!

Thanks Kacey.   I wish you, your family, and readers everywhere a wonderful Merry Christmas.

Something To Make You Smile

A great friend sent this to me, and I laughed and laughed.  Thought it might help brighten your day.

GOTTA PEE  
Two women friends had gone for a girls' night out. Both were very faithful and loving wives, however, they had gotten over-enthusiastic on the Bacardi Breezers.  Incredibly drunk and walking home they needed to Pee, so they stopped in the cemetery.  One of them had nothing to wipe with so she thought she would take off her panties and use them. Her friend however was wearing a rather expensive pair of panties and did not want to ruin them.  She was lucky enough to squat down next to a grave that had a wreath with a ribbon on it, so she proceeded to wipe with that.

After the girls did their business, they proceeded to go home. The next day, the husband of one of the women was concerned that his normally sweet and innocent wife was still in bed hung over, so he phoned the other husband and said: "These girl nights have got to stop! I'm starting to suspect the worst. My wife came home with no panties!!"

That's nothing," said the other husband, "Mine came back with a card stuck to her ass that said.....
'From all of us at the Fire Station. We'll never forget you.'

Aren't friends wonderful?  They share so much with us -- laughter, acceptance, even potty breaks!

Have a Wonderful Week and a fantastic Thanksgiving.  I know I've got so many things to be thankful for this year.

Murder and Lies

Murder and Lies is being released early!

If you pre-order a copy now or buy it before Nov 29, you can get it for 10% off.  Just go to http://www.bookstrand.com/murder-and-lies

I also just found out that Dangerous Deception is now available in paperback through www.Amazon.com

It's also available in most all e-book formats through http://www.Bookstrand.com/Dangerous-Deception

Had to share my news with you all -- Happy Reading!

Interview With Author Cindy Christiansen

I’m interviewing Cindy Christiansen, a good friend and a very gifted author of several wonderful stories.

Cindy, thanks in advance for talking to us today.

Cindy:  I always enjoy chatting with you, Kathy.

KR: I understand you have a new book, Braving the Blaze, coming out in November. Tell us a little about it.

Cindy:  I loved researching and writing this book. It gave my family a chance to get down to the southern end of the state of Utah to the beautiful Tushar Mountains near Beaver. The story involves two volunteer wildfire fighters—Ginger Warby and Dean Harward. Flunking out of culinary school because she’s too afraid to set her culinary dishes aflame, Ginger ends up becoming a volunteer on a wildfire to figure out how her friend could’ve possibly died in the fire.

Dean is in his senior year of veterinary college and works as a wildfire volunteer to earn the high pay to put him through school. Based on his father and older brother’s marriages, he’s certain involvement with woman has a way of destroying a man’s chance of success. He doesn’t want to get involved but ends up with Ginger as his buddy on the fire.

Things definitely heat up when Ginger has a series of accidents. Or is it that someone doesn’t want her sniffing around her friend’s death? Hmmmm.

I do a lot of research online, but there’s nothing like seeing and experiencing a place you’re writing about. I hope the fire really comes to life for my readers. I want them to smell that smoke as they’re reading.

K. R.: I know your book, Caskets and Corruption, had a funny, adorable dog in it. Does this story have one too?

Cindy:  You know me, Kathy. Life isn’t life without a dog. I write dogs into all my stories. Braving the Blaze has a wonderful Yellow Labrador. Dean adopted her. He leaves her with his brother in Beaver, but Dixie runs away to find Dean. I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say Dixie is very brave. She also made the cover of the book.

K. R.:  What was your inspiration for this story?

Cindy:  Several years ago, Utah had one of the worst fires ever recorded. People were trapped and killed, I-15 was closed to traffic and the air was heavy with smoke across the entire state for months.

I was working on another book at the time, so I collected all the news articles I could about the devastation. I knew I had to write a story about it one day. My brother-in-laws, a niece and nephew had all worked as volunteer wildfire fighters, so I drilled them for all the information I could get.

I’m very proud of this book.

K. R.:  Are you writing any other stories?  Anything you can tell us about them?

Cindy:  I’m excited to say, I’ve just finished my sixth book—Not Quite Zen! Who knew? It amazes me that story ideas just keep coming. I love writing and since my health is poor, I enjoy living through my characters. Although I have to admit, a lot of what my characters experience, I’ve dealt with in my own life.

I had a serious brush with fire, much similar to the fire Ginger experienced in her youth which made her pyrophobic. It helps to draw on my own emotions.

I haven’t contracted Not Quite Zen yet, but the setting is a senior living center. Baby boomers make up today’s biggest demographic group, so I thought it’d be fun to write a book about seniors. And yes, Kathy, this book has SEVEN dogs!

K. R. : Tell us about your normal day. Do you write every day?  Do you listen to music?

Cindy:  Someone asked me just last night, how many hours I write a day. I answered by saying I don’t put myself through that kind of stress. I love to write. If I’m well enough and my family responsibilities are taken care of, then you’ll most certainly find me clickety-clacketing (as my husband calls it).

When the kids are noisy or watching TV, I put on music to drown out the confusion. However if it’s too quiet, I turn on the TV sometimes while I’m writing.  It’s a balancing act.

K. R.:  Have you always wanted to be an author?

Cindy:  I never dreamed I’d be an author. A secretary, an attorney, a computer programmer, an artist—yes. I loved both writing and art through school. Every report I turned in always had a drawing on the cover. I was editor, artist and contributor to my high school literary magazine. I began writing my first full-length novel in college and also got my first rejection. But, I never once thought of becoming a writer for a living. I earned my Bachelors Degree in computers and became a Programmer/Analyst.

But when my health went downhill, writing saved my life. I struggle with every single stinking word, but I love the creativity. I love living life through my healthy characters.

K. R.:  Who do you feel has been most instrumental in helping you become a writer and why?

Cindy:  Definitely, Laura Hillenbrand. She has Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction like I do. I have a multitude of other health issues, but I could relate with her. She spent years struggling to write Seabiscuit and getting it published, and I figured if she could do it, so could I.

Although I’d already been writing, I’d never had that drive to attempt becoming published until I heard of her. Unless you’ve experienced constant sickness and pain, you can’t even comprehend what it takes to keep going every day. She’s truly an inspiration.

K. R.:  If you had to pick your favorite hero from your stories, which one would you pick?  Tell us about him and why you would choose him.

Cindy:  I love all my heroes because they’re REAL men—someone you could actually met and fall in love with. They’re not make-believe. Despite their flaws, they’re hardworking and caring.

If I had to choose but one, I would choose Ryan from Love on Laird Avenue. The guy is smart, talented, and good-looking but has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). He doesn’t know he has ADD so he has low self-esteem. But you couldn’t meet a more wonderful guy.

My first editor doubted that in today’s society someone wouldn’t know about ADD and already gotten help. Not all parts of the country are the same, and not all people are willing to accept and deal with mental illness. Believe me, there’s a lot of people out there running around who need mental help. “)

K. R.:  If you were to give new writers one piece of advice, what would it be?

Cindy:  Never give up your dreams, no matter your age or disabilities. If you love writing, then write. The rest will follow.

K. R.:  What is your number one pet peeve about writers/books today?

Cindy:  As a society, we are inundated with information. Therefore, as with most industries, it seems the oddity or unusual draws the most attention. It doesn’t mean that that particular writer or that particular book is the best, just the most different.

If readers like a clean romance, with humor, suspense and dogs, then they’ll enjoy my books. I’m not seeking to be the next Stephenie Meyer. I love writing, and I hope my readers will enjoy my stories.

K. R.:  Where can readers find out about you and your stories?  How can they contact you?

Cindy: My website is the best place to find out the latest information. It’s www.dragonflyromance.com. I have buy links to my publisher, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. on there. You’ll also find writing articles, contests and even games based on my books. My books are available in both ebook and paperback.

You can contact me through my website or directly at: cindy@dragonflyromance.com with any questions or comments you might have. I love to talk with readers about my books.

K. R.:  Any last thing you’d like to share with us?

Cindy:  I love dogs. The last dog I adopted is a Schnauzer. We rescued him from an abusive environment at the age of nine months. He’s now five years old and still struggles from being abused. He also suffers with seizures mostly likely caused by the abuse.

I’m donating a portion from the sale of my books to help abused and homeless dogs. Please join me in helping these wonderful companions and also donate what time you can at shelters.

Thanks so much, Kathy.  This was fun.

K. R.:  Thank you, Cindy, for sharing so much with us. 

Cindy is a remarkable woman, and if you haven’t read Cindy’s books, you’re missing out on some great adventures. 

Have a good day.

Thought for the Day

The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this ---- decide what you want!
          Ben Stein, Actor and Author

Isn't this just so true? How many times do we wish we had something, but then when we get it, we really don't want it?  I know I've heard, the grass is always greener on the other side, but then when you get to the other side, you want to go back.  We humans are like that, aren't we?  It's hard to decide just what we want.  So I challenge you, decide what you want in life!

Take that first step and make a decision.  It's the hardest part.

Then, and only then, can you start making a plan and taking small steps to accomplish what you want.  Be the person you want to be.  Decide what you want.  Do it today -- I challenge you.

   

Heart of the West Annual Conference

The leaves are changing to the bright, bold beautiful colors of fall in our Utah Mountain.  That means it's conference time.  I just got back from attending our annual RWA Conference in beautiful Park City at the Grand Summit Hotel in the Canyons Resort.  It was a superb conference where I got to meet with other writers, good friends, publishers, editors, speakers, and attend wonderful workshops.  There was so much information provided that it's hard to take it all in, but everyone who attended definitely got their money's worth.  If you didn't attend this year and love writing, learning and networking, put it on your schedule to attend next year.

I had a wonderful surprise the first morning.  We had a brunch with other published writers and to my great surprise, one of our guest speakers was author, Anne Stuart.  I just started reading one of her books and it was great to meet her and talk to her and gain from her wealth of experience.  I also had the opportunity to meet Lisa Mangum, Editor, Shadow Mountain Publishing.  What an interesting young woman who also has several books published and available at Deseret Books.

One of the great perks of this conference is getting loads of free books, many by new authors, some by long-time published authors.  I love reading these books and finding new favorite writers.  

It was two days full to the brim with information, great food, wonderful networking and time spent with good friends and fellow authors.  If you are a writer, or want to be one, definitely plan to attend the Utah RWA Conference next year.