Cricket's Hearth

Proverbs and Reality

2012-01-29T08:44:00.000-08:00

There is a Persian proverb that states "Go and wake up your luck." Is it

possible, do you really create your own luck? An article in February 2012's "Allure" Magazine says yes. It's a belief system you incorporate into everything you do that creates opportunity and those lucky breaks that seem to fall in other people's laps. If that's so...I'm ready to experiment. How about you?

I'd say lighten up, think good thoughts...choose what you want to think about and let the doom and gloom lay. Be more open-minded to possibilities...network more - talk to strangers = ) within limits of course.

How observant are you? Do you really notice what's going on around you...in a way that is your source of opportunity. You have to be awake to notice it though.

Does wearing clothes that make you feel good count? I would say yes because then you project confidence and well-being.

Allure columnist says even what you write in your journal/diary may affect your luck..."There's a high correlation between people who say they're lucky and people who are upbeat.

Try it! What can it hurt and think of what you might gain. Let me know how it goes for you.

Hello Again

2011-12-22T13:53:00.000-08:00

Sorry for my absence I've been busy - I know no excuse. Please join me for a new writers course I will be teaching for Savvy Authors here is the information you will need.

Spice It Up, Creativity From The Kitchen

Instructor: Billie Williams. There's nothing worse than bland-as-oatmeal writing that doesn't evoke passion, laughter, anger, love…some kind of emotion from your reader. Story tellers who don't elicit emotion won't gain an avid readership. It's that simple.

If you've struggled, wondering how you can get your writing to sparkle like a new penny, or a just cleaned window, learn to see everything as a metaphor for your writing. Start by looking in your spice cabinet, or your herb garden with a fresh perspective.

Garlic, Life Saving but distancing

Easier to write from this perspective but it puts your reader at arm's length--remember readers want to feel, experience, get to be friends with your main character so they can help him/her escape the villains wrath.

Sage, Advice

Sage has several meanings from wise advice to healing properties - what does sage mean to your story? We'll explore.

Basil, The flavor of language, dialect, cultures

Ah Basil - language - should you use dialect in your dialogue? How do you show culture if not through language?

Lavender, Relax feel the flow--in sync [Chat here with a book giveaway as well as a book giveaway at the end]

In the flow, relax, meditate let things go where they may--don't lose site of the big picture but let your writing flow with a rhythm and cadence only you can create. Here's how.

Mace, Caustic, self defense, breaking the rules

An irritant chemical, a heavy club with a metal head and spikes - what could these possibly have to do with writing you ask..follow me--it's all about rules.

All Spice, Apple pie or American Graffiti

All Spice is for cookies and more from on genre to another all spice imparts its unique twist, it's unique flavor to your manuscript--your voice. We'll explore more.

Appendix: Handouts, "How to Hook A Reader", "Beginnings to the Work Day By the Masters"

WHEN: Jan 2, 2012 - Feb 19, 2012

COST: $15 for Premium Members
$25 for Basic Members

Cancellation policy: Registrations are non-refundable except when the workshop is cancelled by Savvy Authors.

REGISTRATION: Click Here to Register (Members will not receive member rate unless logged in.)

INSTRUCTOR:

Best-Selling, Award winning Mystery/Suspense author Billie A Williams aka Cricket Sawyer is a fiction, non-fiction and poetry author and has won numerous contests for her short/flash fiction stories, essays, and poetry. Currently she has over two dozen books published. She is published in various magazines such as the literary magazine Thema; Guide, a Magazine for Children, Novel Advice.com, Writing Etc. WritingNow.com, and Women In The Arts newsletter as well as Sister's in Crime, to list but a few.

Williams is currently a member of The Wisconsin Regional Writers Association (WRWA) Upper Peninsula Writers Association (UPWA)National Association of Women Writers (NAWW) Sister's in Crime, Women in the Arts Program, Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC), Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. (SCBWI) and Children's Book Insider, and the Children Writers Coaching Club. Visit her at her websites www.billiewilliams.com or http://writingwide.com and sign up for her Newsletter and/or Mystery a Month Book Club on her website.

Tags: Writing Life

*** PERMISSION TO FORWARD GRANTED AND ENCOURAGED ***

Promises to Go!

2010-01-03T11:13:00.000-08:00

Okay I've skipped a couple days - too many irons in the fire - I finished Zip - now renamed Cold Water and submitted it (it's a Young Adult Mystery/Suspense - the kid from Knapsack Secrets, now has his own book.) Had to send it to Wings for rights of first refusal - cause it's linked to the other book -- so we'll see what happens. (Just a query letter so far, we'll see if they even request the manuscript.) So okay

Today Promise yourself to forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the great achievements of the future.

I believe in light of the New Year just breaking ground, this is very good advice. 2009 will never appear again, what can you do to make 2010 The Best Year of Your Life?

If you are looking forward and not backward, if you are living in the now--you already have a good start on great achievements. Remember when you drive at night you can only see as far as the headlights can shine, when you walk upstairs you can only do it one step at a time(unless your a kid taking as many as you can at once), but that is enough - all you need to do is keep doing it again, and again, and again until you REACH your goal.

You do have a goal don't you? (not a resolution, but a goal a target)Short and long term goals - you have to aim at something or you have no direction. If you don't plan your success, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail". Make it a banner year. I'm looking forward to it.

Promises Promises!

2009-12-30T16:36:00.000-08:00

Today promise yourself that you will be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
Sometimes, being the shy violets that we are, as authors, we find it easier to be supportive and congratulatory about someone else's wins - new contracts, promotional coups and other things then we tend to be about our own. Because we were told "brags a good bargain, but hold on is a lot better," or "Let someone else toot your horn." Well, that doesn't work when you have to go the 9 miles to promote your own books and be "out there" where people may criticize or even applaud what you do.

But--and here is the best part, what you give you get. So if you are enthusiastic about other people's success, feel that feeling, know that feeling and then claim some for yourself as well.

When Christopher Paolini first met publishing success with Eragon, I dissed him as-- oh sure his parents are publishers, authors, business people...he has an edge - maybe, but this home schooled little boy (15 when he wrote it) had just gotten his GED and was looking forward to college. Instead of heading off straight to college he decided to write a book.

Hubby just finished reading the first of the trilogy Eragon, and asked me if I would get the other two for him. He said he found no mistakes in the editing (where he found several in the Harry Potter books he just finished reading) and he said the kid writes a great story.

I must swallow my ill-placed envy or is it jealousy, and read the first of his books to see how he made and is still making news. His series is number 3 on the New York Times best seller list, still.

Anyway, be happy for those who've succeeded. Your turn can't be far away, actually good vibrations from you will make it happen sooner.
Try it - it couldn't hurt.
Cricket
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

"I Think I Can, I Think I can!"

2009-12-29T09:38:00.000-08:00

Challenge - Promise Yourself: To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

When you are facing hard times either financially, emotionally, or spiritually it isn't easy to think only the best for yourself or any one else - but sometimes just smiling will help lighten the burden you feel. And create untold good for you and those you care about.

You can work for the best outcome, you can work to do your best - that doesn't mean perfect that just means the best for where you are and what you CAN do right now. (like parents raising children...you only do what you can do with what you have, know and are.)

If you expect the best - to paraphrase Henry Ford - you can think you can or you can think you can't --either way your are proven right.

So, if you expect the best, throw your dreams toward the moon, even if you fail you'll wind up among the stars - if you aim, expect - the best! You'll have a better chance of getting something more then not shooting for the moon at all. You can do it, if you think you can. "Little Toot, I think I can, I think I can,...." Go for it!

Hope your New Year will be your BEST year ever
Cricket
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

Where Have I Been?

2009-12-28T09:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes life gets in the way of the best laid plans of mice and men. Besides several new books coming out in the last couple months - I have a few more being released in the months ahead. Fury of Fire: A Woman Betrayed (book 3 in this series)(Crimson Moth Publishers) is due out in January, as is A Writer's Vehicle, Filbert Publishing is a book on the craft of writing. Watch for contests and blog tours associated with each.
However, today I would like you to concentrate on something else....
Its another challenge for you today:
Promise yourself to look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

That may be a little difficult, you may have to keep checking yourself when you don't really see the bright side - but if you look really hard I bet you can find one.

Today, we have near blizzard conditions - blowing, drifting, at times near white outs - so the weather is a bit of a bear, but I have a warm and comfortable home. It's a good day to stay inside and write - or bake bread or any of the household chores that make my home a place I love to be.

I'm sure when you look around you have a bunch of sunny just under the veil of "your crabby" or someone else's crabby exterior. Make a smile your umbrella and your rain will all turn to sunshine and rainbows.
Try it!
You can email me your results if you like.
at cricket@cricket-sawyer.com
visit my website at http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

Psst Have you heard?

2009-11-17T10:53:00.000-08:00

Psst… guess what I just heard?! SingleTitles. com got a facelift, can you believe it? You can search reviews by publisher, release month, even rating. They've got lots of book excerpts and author interviews. You can even win prizes. So write this down, bookmark it or whatever: http://www.singletitles.com Just stop by soon.
Cricket
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

Trick or Treat...

2009-08-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

Guaranteed! After you read your September fix in the form of Fury of Fire: A Woman Scorned - get ready for Halloween by picking up your copy of ZERO CEMETERY LANE

Nicole has stumbled upon the living history of the old rambling log business establishment that went from brothel, to organized crime retreat and everything in between. How does she separate Adam from her real world, or is he real. His love making is real - how? or is it? What about the escape from the .... Well, you'll have to read it to see. Just look at the awesome cover --- and imagine.

Watch for contests, launch party and more.
Cricket

New Contract - New Title - New Publisher

2009-06-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

It's like the first -- for those who are authors they know - it never gets old. Every new contract is as wonderful as the first. It validates your credibility as an author, it gives you reason to believe in yourself once again. You can make paper airplanes out of all those rejection letters and send them winging off into the wild blue yonder. Okay, here's the scoop...
Crimson Moth (a new publisher) has accepted Fury of Fire: A Woman Scorned for publication in September 2009.
The cover art completed already by one of the best - for now I'll just call him "R"
You'll see why I want to keep him all for myself {grin}

Here's a blurb about the upcoming book - I'm looking for pre-publication reviewers- if you're interested please email me at cricket@cricket-sawyer.com.
Fury of Fire: A Woman Scorned

Jo-Ellen is finally stabilized and able to speak with Detective Sam Levine. Her ex-husband, Roy Pardena, now becomes a person of interest, with means motive, and opportunity. Conflicting stories develop about the other suspects now with Jo-Ellen's perspective added to the mix.

A visit with the alluring Candy Price opens new insights into the animosity and trouble brewing at Thunder Ride that Detective, Sam Levine, didn't know about before.

"The Piano Principle" Brad Yates

2009-04-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

“The Piano Principle”

I read something to day that really brought home just how incredible we are as human beings. Brad Yates talked about an analogy between people and a grand piano. “I think human beings are like grand pianos—incredible creations capable of producing wonderful music.” I add or whatever good thing they dream of and work toward. Our self-talk can derail our dreams; uproot our fragile seedlings of beginnings before they get a chance to grow at all.

Think of some one you know and respect – your hero – be it Michelangelo or Bach, Beethoven, Natalie Goldberg, Kenny G, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Ronald Regan, Suzanne Lieurance, Jack Canfield, Joe Vitale—whatever field they are in – Do you think they had a special break, or the luck of the draw?

Chances are they worked, faced defeat and rejection numerous times before they “won”. Joe Vitale was down and out, homeless, penniless, he's worth millions today. Not by luck, but through hard work and following his dream.

Not everyone can climb Mt. Everest, or design an Empire State building, Or be the thing someone else already is – I read a church billboard that said “Be Yourself—[the best you, you can be] — everyone else is already taken.” That is enough. That is what you should be. But, do not go to your grave with your music, your talent, still trapped inside you.

“Imagine a world where people felt free to share their grandest music…” Yates

What is your greatness? What if…? Think about it.
http://eroticpress.blogspot.com

A season to celebrate!

2009-04-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

Drop on over to my website, click on the books link to see all the special bonuses you can get for buying one of my books from now until April 15, 2009. Guaranteed, you are sure to find something to please the most discriminating tastes.

Angeni has gone to print from Red Rose Publishing! Thank you Red Rose.
Shape shifters and paranormal transporting - multi-cultural entertainment. She a spider - he a wolf, she a singer, he a promoter--but nothing is quite as it seems and when this dynamic duo connect evil is bound to be on the run.

Lavender Lust and Spider Island are available (around June in print) from Bookstrand
Lavender Lust is more than black and white and Spider Island makes a person look at Stephen King's Dome in a whole new light. How could two authors have the same ideas - basically, at the same time. Mine was published long before his however {smile} and mine --is an island in Lake Superior, bound to chill your spine and thrill your need for a romantic suspenseful read.

And Dark Thunder and Valentine Express are available at Erotique Press.
Thunder is the noise, the lightening strike precedes - clairvoyance doesn't always protect its owner - and the raven-eyed warrior may be the devil in disguise.

Visit the website at http://www.cricket-sawyer.com click on the books link - hurry before this offer expires.

Changes

2009-03-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

When you live in Northern Wisconsin you expect changes (winter/spring/winter) rain/snow/rain I love it.

When you are a writer you expect changes. Some publishers open doors others close theirs. One of my publishers will be closing their doors at the end of the month. I'm very sad to see Forbidden Publications going by way of the also rans.

Irish Whiskey - that just came out late last month with them and Inferno which was scheduled to release the 5th will not be released. Two others which were contracted by them will also be looking for a new home.

It's never ending this submission/rejection/acceptance route in this business. As an author one must have a calloused and turtle shell psyche, other wise I'm afraid we would all just give up.

But, you know what they say, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Time to pull up the bootstraps and dig in for yet another round.

Meantime you can still find Cricket releases on Erotique or Red Rose or Siren/Bookstrand--so come on up and see me some time! (Special Thanks to Mae West - "She Always Knew How" a bibliography by Charlotte Chandler (and Mae's verve.)

The Morning After {smile}

2009-02-15T07:56:00.000-08:00

Did you see the post on the Erotique blog yesterday about the great ladies of the silver screen - Mae West being only one of them. Go there and see for yourself - Anabel defines a kiss using these stars - WTG Anabel. Erotique Press
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What do romance & passion mean to erotica authors? Romance? Passion?
Fervor, ardor, obsession, infatuation, excitement, enthusiasm, zeal, craze, delight, eagerness, devotion, dedication, all these words may appear somewhere in a romance authors repertoire.

Romance to different people probably means the same thing. A love story. That story may be complicated or enhanced by mystery, suspense, thriller, intrigue, adventure. It may be anything from the old fashioned sweet love affair between consenting adults. Or, for more modern tastes and reasons, it could be ménage trois or a same sex relationship. Anything is, tastefully, open to exploration. You can be sure it will be entertaining and the plot that carries the story will be well thought out and inclusive.

Passion can and does include many things. A desire to please, an ardor that grows from kiss to physical intimacy by degrees.

No, erotic romance is not all about sex. AND Yes, erotic romance is all about sex, but with a plot, a story that the sex fits into. – An erotic romance novel is a romance novel. A romance novel is no different from any other novel in its basic structure. It demands conflict; an arcing plot with subplots often woven in; well-developed protagonists and possibly antagonists, each with their own goals and motivations; and a setting your readers can visualize. These are all the fundamentals of any good story. The genre’s trademark is sexual tension/pressure. And because it is an erotic romance it also requires sex.

Passion can be how someone feels about their career. I have a passionate urge to create compelling fiction. My passion is writing. Or, it can mean the heat of the moment in a sexual encounter. Passion then, is in the mind of the beholder.

According to Alison Kent “…women make love because they are emotionally involved; men make love to determine if they want to become emotionally involved.”

Looking for passion – read any of the Erotique authors – be sure to bring a tall cool drink and maybe even a fan – or just a willing partner. {smile}
A valentine read is good no matter what time of year so why not pick up a short love story Valentine Express (http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-ve.htm )
awaits – and if you hurry you can get the Valentine Bundle
(http://www.cricket-sawyer.com ) on sale from the author Cricket Sawyer.

Nathan and Cyan - Valentine's Day Romance

2009-02-14T06:54:00.000-08:00

What would my characters do on Valentine's Day?

Nathan and Cyan are an unusual couple. They went to fetch their property from across the country from their other lives only to wind up nearly picked up by a tornado.

They seem to get caught up in the most unlikely and passionate interchanges possible. Could a barn fire and subsequent rescue be a Valentine sortéé or would they prefer to find their passion explode on the dance floor of the set for Dirty Dancing?

I think a roller coaster ride could be in order. I would imagine Cyan would find that just dangerous enough to give her libido a kick in the wherever. Once you read the story, I’m sure you will wonder where Blue Interlude will take you next. Watch for it coming soon from Erotique.
Dark Thunder Buy link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-dt.htm
www.cricket-sawyer.com
http://cricketshearth.blogspot.com
www.cricketsawyerinfo.com
Valentine Express Buy Link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-ve.htm
Jeff’s words: Rule Number One: To be successful selling books, or anything for that matter, is to have a desire to succeed.

Rule Number Two: Go out and do it.

What to do on Valentine's Day?

2009-02-13T19:28:00.001-08:00

1. Perfectly R mantic things to do on Valentine's Day
Go for a long walk. It doesn’t matter where you live there is something in the motion of a long walk that brings you closer together. Hold hands if you like, or not. You will find the silence or the quiet conversation as you walk will bring out thoughts you haven’t expressed, perhaps for a long time. The rhythm of footsteps is kin to meditation. Try it, you might like it.
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

Erotic Romance, or Christian Romance, or...

2009-02-13T08:50:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be for couples, but if you are a writer – why not give yourself a gift or ask your significant other to buy that in lieu of chocolates. Guaranteed these books will not add to your waist line. They just might give you some new ideas, for both writing and personal use. {grin} Below you will find some from my arsenal. I have shelves and shelves of how to books.

I was perusing my writing romance books for a writer’s group I founded and host once a month in my home. These writers are in various stages of discovering they want to write. Some haven’t decided what genre yet, some write sermons, or lesson plans and want to do more. Some are into genealogy and creative non-fiction, yet there are those who want to write mystery, suspense, plays, screen plays, Young Adult, Thriller and yes even romance. While most of these books would be appropriate for all of them. I think I would have to keep those below that deal with the erotic to myself. They are all full of good methods for writing however – so don’t shy away from a how to book just because it isn’t your genre.

I have found I learn from every manual I read.

How to Write Romance for the New Markets, by Kathryn Falk
Writing the Christian Romance by Gail Gaymer Martin
Writing Romances, A Handbook by the Romance Writers of America, Edited by Rita Gallagher, and Rita Clay Estrada
Writing a romance novel for Dummies by Leslie Wainger
The Easy Way to Write Romance, by Rob Parnell
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to: Getting Your Romance Published, by Julie Beard
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing Erotic Romance, by Alison Kent
Secret Sexual Positions, Ancient Techniques for Modern Lover’s by Kenneth Ray Stubbs, Ph D
Extraordinary Sex Now, by Dr. Sandra R Scantling
The Bald-Headed Hermit and the Artichoke, an Erotic Thesaurus. By A.D. Peterkin. “Entertaining and very funny,” says Hustler Magazine.
Just so you know A. D. Peterkin is a Toronto psychiatrist and journalist. Kind of makes you wonder what beat he covers.
But if you are bored with the trite and over-used check this book out.
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

Time Flies and Turtles Take One Step at a Time

2009-02-12T08:49:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when you are in Turtle mode you get there, eventually mean time you may miss out on a whole lot... So,for today I'll be in time mode and fly over here to say - HEY!

Oh! Oh! Oh! Would you believe Blue Interlude is in edits -- it won't be long before you will get an eye full of Cyan and her blue-eyed hunk. Can you imagine getting stuck in a tornado in a root cellar in the middle of Oklahoma? If it was with a hunk to die for you wouldn't really mind would you? What if his Camaro wound up deposited in a tree by the same tornado? (shhh, I don't want to give it all away--but if you thought Darien was a dark knight in search of a love story- wait until you meet...Nathan {VEG}

========================
Did you get your VALENTINE BUNDLE YET? If not you better hurry Valentines Day is only two days away and I wouldn't want you to miss out. Here is the information again.

Extra, Extra – Special Valentine Bundle Sale
VALENTINE BUNDLE
In celebration of Valentine’s Day
From now until February 14, 2009

Buy either
Angeni from Red Rose Publishing OR Dark Thunder from Erotique Press

(Angeni –The e-book edition available now.
Dark Thunder is available in Print or e-book now.)

And as a Bonus from the author, Cricket Sawyer, receive:
1. Valentine Express (Erotique Download)

2. Hunks and Hero’s from the Valentine Express Booklet (PDF file)

3. Spaghetti Variations Cook Book (PDF file)

4. Angeni Book Marks (PDF printable file)

Send your proof of purchase to Cricket at cricket@cricket-sawyer.com and she will send you your bonus items. Hurry while all the items are still available. Do it Now while you are thinking of it before the offer disappears.

ANGENI Buy Link
http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=357

Angeni weaves her web to entangle evil in its own cocoon of destruction. Shape-shifter, singer, protector her life is in turmoil, is Kaus Borealis soul mate or an evil that won’t be trapped?

DARK THUNDER Buy link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-dt.htm

Dark edgy romance, a vulnerable woman plucked from a loveless marriage. Saved, she thinks, by her dark knight. The dark knight becomes a dark warrior with problems of his own. Sucked into a spiral of bizarre behavior and terrifying consequences, she soon realizes what her vulnerability has cost her. Is there a way out?

Nociception

2009-01-29T06:53:00.000-08:00

Nociception

Any idea what that word means? I didn’t either when I first saw it in my morning reading. The Intellectual Devotional by David S. Kidder and Noah D Oppenheim.

Nociception is the perception of pain. Simple huh? It’s essential to human’s survival.
Children are born every so often that have, what is called, a congenital insensitivity to pain and anhydrosis (CIPA). These children seldom live past the age of twenty-five simply because they don’t feel pain. If they survive the stage of teething without biting off their own fingers or something worse, they still are not out of the woods. They don’t know when they’ve injured themselves or have an infection that is eating them up.

We should be thankful for the sensation of pain. Seems like an odd thing, but it is essential as you can see from this one example.

The brain has a pain matrix that sorts out the intensity, location, duration and type of pain. This matrix is called anterior cingulated cortex. The funny thing about this brain center is it doesn’t distinguish between physical pain and emotional pain. This matrix responds equally to a broken leg or a broken heart.

So then, if I follow this logic (there’s that word again) a person could die from a broken heart. I used this emotional context in my mystery suspense novel The Pink Lady Slipper. The mother of the protagonist died from extreme fear. Emotional reaction can be as deadly as actual physical harm. I researched if it was possible to die from extreme fear at this time. I found it was. Amazing!

If all that follows as true, then there is truth to the clichés “Act as if,” “Fake it until you make it,” See it, believe it, achieve it,” wouldn’t you say?

BUY NOW! The Pink Lady Slipper
by Billie A Williams
http://erotiquepress.com
http://erotiquepress.blogspot.com

When You Think Gothic....

2009-01-28T08:21:00.000-08:00

What do you see? I think of pictures of KISS or The Bat Man's Cave or some other dark and scary thing -- Yet in the late 1100's and early 1200's it meant enlightenment. It meant the opening up to the sunlight and color,of churches and those structures meant to honor the rulers it meant letting in the light. They would build outer walls on huge pillars and enclose them but the windows were huge stain glass features to let in color and light.

It wasn't until the 18th century when in fiction Gothic became associated with grotesque and mysterious in literature.

It wasn't until the 1980's when music and dress were the dark Gothic - music such as Siouxie and the Banshees created an almost evil darkness that became associated with looking Goth in vogue with some.

What do you think when you think Gothic?

The book I'm reading The Intellectual Devotional by David S. Kidder & Noah D. Oppenheim and it certainly does spark your imagination, your curiosity and your wonder about what you believe and what is truth.
Dark Thunder Buy link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-dt.htm
www.cricket-sawyer.com
http://cricketshearth.blogspot.com
www.cricketsawyerinfo.com
Valentine Express Buy Link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-ve.htm

How One Author is Handling Fame, Fortune and … Cancer

2009-01-26T18:26:00.001-08:00

How One Author is Handling Fame, Fortune and … Cancer

Posted using ShareThis

Fire and Ice

2009-01-25T08:27:00.001-08:00

Fire and Ice, by Julie Garwood became breakfast conversation this morning when I asked my husband to write book reviews for my blogs. He reads two, sometimes three books a week. He just finished Fire and Ice. by Julie Garwood. The way he explained it to me it is three stories woven into a cohesive whole which sounded very good.

He is an analytic reader. He noticed that there were 42 pages of one thread in the book. I wondered how he figured that out. He said there are 42 chapters, each chapter has a one page reference to wolves which is this particular thread.

I thought that was interesting. I'm reading The Maltese Falcon - and nearly missed how Sam Spade got drugged by one of the villains in the story--that would never happen to him. He reads fast, but he reads deep, always on the alert for clues. Amazing. Perhaps I will yet convince him to review this book and others for this blog.

He says he doesn't dare review my books (Cricket Sawyer writes Erotic Romantic Suspense usually with a paranormal bent to them) in case I would take something he said wrong. The idea of building a dog house in a hurry is not something he looks forward to. {grin}. For now, I'll let him get away with it.
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Something of interest:
Valentine Bundle Sale
You'll want to get in on this before it disappears...what is it? A chance to get some no cost downloads. All the details are at http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

"All men by nature desire to know"

2009-01-24T08:07:00.000-08:00

Aristotle knows - curiosity is a natural thing. We want to know everything about everything. Aristotle believed philosophy should be studied in a precise order. Learning logic allows us to explain how facts about the world relate to each other. He actually developed the theory of syllogisms - you probably remember :

All men are mortal
Socrates is a man
Therefore, Socrates is mortal

That represents the sequence of logical thought.

After logic Aristotle says Science - or natural phenomena should be next and the final study should be practical philosophy which includes ethics and politics. Putting those two words in the same sentence seems a bit - well, like an oxymoron.
Ethics - combined as it should be with politics, does it ever? We can always hope.

Mean time Arie would make a good hero in my next novel perhaps - he was a very clear thinker - does that go with love? lust? or sex? Perhaps not. Does logic come into play in these circumstances? Perhaps not. Ethics? Politics? well maybe politics...
Some food for thought non-the-less.

www.cricket-sawyer.com
Valentine Express Buy Link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-ve.htm

Hey Hey Hey, Coming Soon...

2009-01-21T09:28:00.000-08:00

Yippeee -- it will be in time for St. Patrick's Day. I just got my first edits back for Irish Whiskey - due out early March - March 5 to be exact. We have a rock star -- we have two very defective twins bent on having him for their very own -- we have a heroine with a very different idea about that...when they are away on a much needed R&R weekend - the twins show up with much evil on their minds. Be sure to check out what happens in this unfolding drama - Romantic Suspense will never be the same.
www.cricket-sawyer.com
www.cricketsawyerinfo.com
Any questions, want more info - want to know about the contest? send me an email at cricket at cricket-sawyer dot com - I'd love to hear from you.

K Celeste is here only one more day! Come Talk!

2009-01-18T18:36:00.000-08:00

Advice for aspiring writers – Three words: Patience, Perseverance and Politeness.
The one word I would eliminate from the English Language is – ABUSE (in any form)
My family and friends are very supportive of my writing and have read everything I’ve written. They’re eager to offer suggestions and commentary and many times they have been spot on. Outsiders see things writers miss or don’t see in their own work.

19. What was the most usual way you came up with a story idea? What made you think, ‘hey, I could make that into a story?’

When my youngest son was ten, he became fascinated with Native American lore, particularly Cheyenne dog soldiers. We checked out everything from the library pertaining to the subject and I listened for hour upon hour about their customs, their beliefs and . . . their brutality, courage and honor. At some point, I figured, hey, I should put all those hours to good use and write a book about the Dog Soldiers, thus Where The Rain Is Made.

19. If you could spend an hour talking to anyone from any time in history, who
would it be? And Why?

Harper Lee. I’d pick her brain and find out just how in heck she created Jem, Scout and Atticus. What a marvelous writer. The first time I read To Kill A Mockingbird, I could feel my trousers scrape along that barbed fence, smell the hot, southern air and taste the prejudice. I knew then I would be a writer one day.

20. What is your all time favorite book?

Two, and they are entirely different. One I mentioned above and the other good old standby I read over and over is a romance from the 1980’s called Windflower by a husband and wife team called Laura London. So many times I’ve been reading that book in the middle of the night and laughing. Again, their scenes are so descriptive and I feel as though I’m there, digging out the sea water in the small skiff so I don’t drown. Today, their writing would probably not be acceptable – too much purple prose, but what an experience to read the way they write.

21. What advice would you give aspiring writers today?

Be patient, persevere and pay attention to everything in the market. Listen to your gut while you’re writing. Pretend the character is standing over your shoulder. Ask, would he really say that? Would she really do that? You’ll know the answer.

Thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed it. From now until the end of February, I’m hosting a contest. Go to my web site and e-mail me the name of the heroine from Sojourn With A Stranger (subject of e-mail should say “Contest”). On March 1st, I’ll draw a winner for a free download of your choice.
I hope you enjoy my new releases.

Happy reading!
K. Celeste Bryan
kcelestebryan@aol.com
http://www.kcelestebryan.com
http://katskwipsandrants.blogspot.com/ (Kat’s Kwips and Rants Blog)
======================
It’s been great fun having you here these few short days. I hope you will plan on coming back often. Please be sure to visit as your new books are released. We’ll be waiting.
Thanks for your time and your wonderful answers to some hard questions.

www.cricket-sawyer.com

Celeste is Reading --What?

2009-01-17T17:20:00.000-08:00

On my To-Be-Read list: The Serpent Prince and The Bookseller’s Daughter, then I’ll have to hit the Internet and see what else I can order. I generally read two books alternately and write in between.

(pssst…do you have a title she should read? Why not leave a comment on the blog and tell her what it is?)

Authors I like: Louise Burton, Julia Quinn, Jacquie D’Alessandro.

12. How do you write? Are you a pantser or a plotter? Is it your characters or your plot that influences you the most?

I’m a rather unconventional writer. I plan the story in my head for months, every scene, every conversation between the characters until I know them inside and out. I need to know how they would react to a situation, whether or not they would actually say what I write down. Then I begin a scene, and most often it’s not Chapter One, but ends up somewhere in the middle of the book. From there, I work backward or foreword if called for. I never outline and don’t use note cards. It just doesn’t work for me.

13. How do you choose your characters' names?

Telephone books, baby books, and from the credit roll at the end of movies. If I see a name that grabs me, I write it down in a file. Somehow, one of them will match my character to a tee.

14. Do you write with music playing? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?

I like to write when it’s quiet. Music distracts me.

15. What is the coolest thing about being an author?

Working for myself and not having a boss to tell me, “Get back to work.” I love the freedom writing offers. If I want to walk through the flower garden or play with the dog for half an hour, who’s to tell me I can’t?

16. What has surprised you about being a published author?

That people e-mail me and tell me how much they loved one of my books. I still can’t get over this. I love my books, but hey, I’m a little biased, so I don’t expect other people to fall in love with the story or the characters. It’s so nice when they do.

17. What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

Read, sleep and garden. And then sleep some more.

18. What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?

Least: That one must be very disciplined and rigid in order to meet deadlines, keep promises and keep writing to make a living. It’s a never-ending cycle. And promoting is my least favorite. I think about all the hours I could be writing my next book.

I think that means you like the writing the most – and you prove that by how prolific you are. Tomorrow we’ll ask you for some advice we can use if we decide to follow your footsteps.
Happy reading!
K. Celeste Bryan
kcelestebryan@aol.com
http://www.kcelestebryan.com
http://katskwipsandrants.blogspot.com/ (Kat’s Kwips and Rants Blog)

We've only got Celeste here with us for one more day. Please get your questions to her quickly so that she will read them in time to answer them before she leaves. She is a very busy author and we are lucky to have the time to chat with her. So come speak up - Maybe I can convince her to let us read a chapter of one of her current books. Shout out if you like that idea. = )

Celeste Returns

2009-01-16T17:27:00.000-08:00

I love writing about eras past when men were men and the women who loved them were strong and courageous. In a historical, the author can choose to write about any time and place in history and stretch her/his imagination when it comes to romance and love.
I began writing sensual historicals six years ago and gradually branched out to steamier, sexier novels. I write erotica for several publishers (under a secretive pen name –I have kids, you know) and will soon have my first M/M short story released by Phaze. Oh-oh, fasten your seatbelts!

As promised here is the word on her other recently released book:

Sojourn With A Stranger is a historical/paranormal. Raine Brinsley’s parents drowned at sea on their journey to Norfolk, VA. Destitute, she must seek employment and finds a position as a house servant at Stafford House. She soon discovers there’s a ghost on the loose in the manor, and she’d like to help her find the woman’s killer, but she’s too busy fending off advances from the Lord of the Manor.
======================
Now back to the questions for Celeste…
=====================
7. What genre or sub-genre do you write? Why did you choose this genre?

Generally, I write historical romance (spicy or erotic) but somehow an element of paranormal worms its way into all my novels. I like the ingenuity of paranormal, the suspended belief concept. Anything can happen in a paranormal – ghosts, time-travel, shapeshifting, and let’s not forget vampires and werewolves.

8. What difficulty does writing this genre present?

For historical, your research must be very accurate. Readers are very astute and will call you on mistakes. My editor recently caught an oversight in my latest novel. I had referred to a book in the novel only to find out the book hadn’t been published until two years later. OOPS! Thank goodness for editors.

9. How much time do you devote to writing each day?

At least five hours, and then another three answering e-mails, promoting and marketing.

10. Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.

Presently, I’m working on a pirate historical and tossing around a Highland warrior novel. And there have been readers asking for a sequel to Where The Rain Is Made, my time-travel, shapeshifter book. Hmm, this is going to take some heavy plotting.

11. What are you working on now?

I also write under a pen name for Siren, Phaze, Ravenous and Noble Romance, so I always have at least three or four stories going at one time. Have to keep my publisher happy, you know.
Happy reading!
K. Celeste Bryan
kcelestebryan@aol.com
http://www.kcelestebryan.com
http://katskwipsandrants.blogspot.com/ (Kat’s Kwips and Rants Blog)

And if that wasn’t enough for you come back tomorrow and get the nitty gritty on what this lady reads in her “spare” (I use that word lightly) time. She may surprise you…

K. Celeste Bryan - Author of Where the Rain is Made

2009-01-15T18:21:00.000-08:00

Today and for the next four days we will have as our special guest and featured author K. Celeste Bryan. She is a wealth of information and inspiration. So without further adieu lets find out about K. Celeste.

Where do you call home Celeste?

I live on a lake in Minnesota and love the outdoors (excluding winters). I’m an avid reader of historical and fantasy and write full-time. I have a penchant for soy candles, natural soaps and stationary of any color, type and size. My loveable furry companion goes by the name of Emma LaPounce and was rescued last year from the local animal shelter -- hours before they were about to put her down. Yes, my other penchant is for animals, particularly those who have been neglected and abandoned. And, oh yes, I have a super-penchant for my three children.

1. So, now that we know a little about you, what is your typical day like?

Most days, you’ll find me sitting at my computer praying my muse is in a creative mood. There’s a fat kitty on my lap and a big dog curled up at my feet, but I wouldn’t trade one minute of my writer’s life.

2. You have two books out right now. Tell us a little about them.

Thank you for asking.

Where The Rain Is Made is a time-travel, shapeshifter. Ethan Gray is a curator at a museum in his every day life, but in his other life he travels back in time to help his beloved People, the Cheyenne. When he kidnaps Francesca and her brother during a raid, he bites off a little more than he can chew, so to speak.

*Tomorrow we'll tell you about the other one {grin}*

3. When did you start to write and how long did it take you get published?

I have written in one form or another most of my adult life. I started researching histories of pioneers in America and then joined the US Web Historical Sketches site. I was fascinated by the stories about out industrious ancestors and soon, the “what ifs” surfaced and full-length novels took flight. I began writing historical fiction and then branched into romance.

4. How many stories did you finish before you were published?

I was very blessed to be accepted by a medium-sized publisher for my first book. When my contract ran out, I submitted some novels I’d been working on for two years, and they were accepted. I now write for New Concepts Publishing and The Wild Rose Press, wonderful publishers.

5. How did you break into publishing?

Oh, I knew nothing about it, but had written a story and my cousin asked me every day to read the next Chapter. When it was complete, she encouraged me to send it in. I had no idea where to send so I bought a copy of Writer’s Digest and sent it to several publishers. One didn’t take romance and the other bought it.

6. What inspired you to write romance?

When I realized how many women read romance. Romance accounts for a majority of the sales in the book industry. And, of course, I love writing about dashing heroes and sassy heroines.
Happy reading!
K. Celeste Bryan
kcelestebryan@aol.com
http://www.kcelestebryan.com
http://katskwipsandrants.blogspot.com/ (Kat’s Kwips and Rants Blog)

Come back tomorrow to find out more about K. Celeste Bryan – her other publishers – why she writes what she does and so much more….Secrets we’ll uncover for you!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Auctioned Bride is live...

2009-01-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

AUCTIONED BRIDE
Victoria Chapman

Erotic Romance: Contemporary, Interracial/Multicultural
ISBN: 978-1-60435-281-8
Cover Artist: Shirley Burnett
Editor: Lara Parker
Word Count: 60,870
Release Date: January 15, 2009

Who will win the battle and who is going to win the war?

When Kathy Adams finds herself alone in a deserted building during a hurricane, the last thing she expects is to run into a stranger in the dark. He turns out to be a Peruvian billionaire who takes one look at her in the glare of his flashlight, and decides to add her to his collection of pretty toys. He offers her a dream job on his private island in the Caribbean, and their seduction dance begins.

He is handsome, arrogant, and thinks that every woman has a price. And she's a girl who won't be bought. She wants the real thing—she wants love. Paul Andros doesn't know the meaning of the word.

Kathy is falling for him against her better judgment, every instinct telling her to run. She'd never met his type of man before. Exciting, volatile and always in control. He uses sex as a weapon to leave her weak at the knees.

After one of their many fights, he bids for her at a charity auction, and pays three million dollars to teach her a lesson. The farm girl from Iowa, and the Inca King from Peru wage their final battle on their wedding night and find love and passion strong enough to bridge their differences.

Can hate turn to love? Find out if the Auctioned Bride…

Chat With Cricket about Spider Island

2009-01-13T09:46:00.000-08:00

The chat room is live see the icon on the top right? Come on in for your chance to win:
1.Shield earrings to protect you from the Islands powers
2. Cross stitch book marks as delicate as the spider's web
3. Unicorn - tiny but powerful to take you away from this Island of Amazons
4. a PDF of Valentine Express to make you dream of Love and Romance and better times
All you have to do is comment - and please be sure I have a way to contact you if you win.
Catch you later in the Chat room I hope.
Cricket

SPIDER ISLAND - Release Date January 13

2009-01-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

Come join me in the chat room All Day January 13, 2009 Prizes awarded on the hour - sign in - if your name appears in that hour you are in the drawing for some nice prizes = )
SPIDER ISLAND
By Cricket Sawyer
ISBN; 1-60601-203-7
Publisher: Siren/BookStrand
Release Date: January 13, 2009

Chief Storm felt the fog seep into every crevice on the boat penetrating even the clothing he wore. It was thicker, heavier; more charged then anything he had ever encountered. Silence so loud it engulfed them; he couldn’t hear the water lapping at the boat. Even the men's voices a few feet away seemed inaudible, like the air canceled sound completely as they slipped slowly under the fog and were swallowed up by it.

It wasn't named Spider Island. It had, I thought, an enticing romantic sounding name. Maizley Ortiz, poetic--almost--But then...

There is no escape from the beautiful tropical island Maizely Ortiz in the middle of Lake Superior. It defies detection and Siren-like, lures men into her embrace. Lady Belize plans world domination with a superior race of women using captured male specimens as the sperm bank for her chosen women.

Searching for the World's Best Lover

2009-01-09T19:28:00.000-08:00

Searching for the World's Best Lover

Contest sponsored by www.loveologyuniversity.com
The winner will be announced before Valentine’s Day, 2009 and get a $2,000 scholarship or $1,000 cash prize.

Inspired by Dr. Ava Cadell, Founder of Loveology University® says, “Our Valentine’s Day contest was propelled by the ever-growing demand from people who need to be coached in all matters of love, relationships and intimacy. Through Love U, an online College of Sexual Knowledge, anyone can learn how to enrich their relationships and become a great lover. Most people know ‘how’ to have sex, but being romantic and making love is a truly an art-form that can—and often needs to be--learned.”

Dr. Ava and Loveology University® are asking “Romantics” to submit a short entry essay on why they believe their lover is the “World’s Best Lover.” These entries can be completed for FREE at www.loveologyuniversity.com

Upon nominating your lover’s name, you will receive a FREE “Loveology Certificate” stating that he/she has been nominated for the World’s Best Lover – a perfect Valentine’s gift at no cost. PLUS you will receive a FREE e-Book entitled “52 Sizzling Sex Secrets.”
HOW TO ENTER: Nominate your partner by submitting a short entry essay on why you believe he/she qualifies as “The World’s Best Lover.” Your essay should be no more than 500 words.
DEADLINE: All entries must be submitted before Midnight, Pacific US Time on Friday, February 6th, 2009.
ELIGIBILITY: Contest eligibility is open to worldwide participants who are 18 years or older and may access the worldwide web.
CONTEST JUDGING: Beginning on February 7th, 2009 through February 12th, 2009, a panel of judges from Loveologyuniversity.com Faculty will select the winning Submission based on the judging criteria as follows: (a) 50% Uniqueness, (b) 25% Emotional inspiration and (c) 25% Seduction factor.
PRIZE: The winner will have the choice of a full scholarship for the Certified Loveologist® Love Coaching course at www.loveologyuniversity.com worth $2,000 or $1,000 cash, which will be awarded in the form of a check made payable to the winner. Prize cannot be assigned, transferred, or substituted.
WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: The winner will be contacted by phone and e-mail. The winner’s name and the nominator’s essay will be on posted at www.loveologyuniversity.com on Friday, February 13th, 2009.

PUBLICITY: The winner and his/her partner may have the opportunity to join Dr. Ava in media publicity including but not limited to Internet, Radio and Television appearances.

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT SUGGESTIONS: For single people who will be spending Valentine’s Day alone, Dr. Ava encourages them to give themselves the gift of knowledge and choose from the many different Certified Courses that Love U offers such as Communication, Love, Flirting, Dating and Kissing so that they can learn all the healthy ingredients; friendship, respect, trust, communication and passion—that will be required for their next great relationship.

For couples spending Valentine’s Day together, Dr. Ava recommends that each member submit their partner as the “World’s Best Lover,” contest and then purchase a “Loveology” Gift Certificate from the dozens of Certified Courses that Love U offers such as the Master Sexpert, Couples Enrichment, Intimacy, Foreplay and Tantric Sex so that they can enrich their relationship and expand their sexual horizon.

“Live to love, and feel more pleasure by incorporating Loveology into your daily life. That’s the advice I’d like to pass along to everyone,” says Dr. Ava.

FOR COMPLETE RULES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR “THE WORLD’S BEST LOVER” CONTEST GO TO WWW.LOVEOLOGYUNIVERSITY.COM AND CLICK ON THE CONTEST BANNER. For updates on the contest, visit www.worldsbestlover.blogspot.com

Valentine Bundle Sale

2009-01-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

Extra, Extra – Special Valentine Bundle Sale
VALENTINE BUNDLE
In celebration of Valentine’s Day
From now until February 14, 2009

Buy either
Angeni from Red Rose Publishing OR Dark Thunder from Erotique Press

(Angeni The e-book edition available now.
Dark Thunder is available in Print or e-book now.)

And as a Bonus from the author, Cricket Sawyer, receive:
1. Valentine Express (Erotique Download)

2. Hunks and Hero’s from the Valentine Express Booklet (PDF file)

3. Spaghetti Variations Cook Book (PDF file)

4. Angeni Book Marks (PDF printable file)

Send your proof of purchase to Cricket at cricket@cricket-sawyer.com and she will send you your bonus items. Hurry while all the items are still available. Do it Now while you are thinking of it before the offer disappears.

ANGENI Buy Link
http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=357

Angeni weaves her web to entangle evil in its own cocoon of destruction. Shape-shifter, singer, protector her life is in turmoil, is Kaus Borealis soul mate or an evil that won’t be trapped?

DARK THUNDER Buy link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-dt.htm

Dark edgy romance, a vulnerable woman plucked from a loveless marriage. Saved, she thinks, by her dark knight. The dark knight becomes a dark warrior with problems of his own. Sucked into a spiral of bizarre behavior and terrifying consequences, she soon realizes what her vulnerability has cost her. Is there a way out?

Creativity - Music and Writing

2008-12-19T11:13:00.000-08:00

What is Music Anyway? What is Writing Anyway?

In The Intellectual Devotional by David S Kidder & Noah D Oppenheim we are given a lot of food for thought. One thing they say is that Music has a pattern where noise only has sound. I’m afraid that could define Heavy Metal for me. Noise, loud and busy that has no rhyme or reason for being. Sorry Heavy Metal fans, it just doesn’t translate for me.

Kidder and Oppenheim say the basics of music compared to noise have to do with
Pitch —How high or low a sound is to the ear;
Scale—a stepwise arrangement of pitches;
Key—which is an arrangement or system of pitches usually based on one of the major or minor scales.

Simple isn’t it? The Ghost Music of Vaudeville by Billie A Williams, as a mystery has a similar basic set up. Pitch: how intense (high) or relaxed (low) the action
Scale: an arrangement of pitches that take us from each paragraph with a beginning, middle and end, to each chapter with its beginning, middle and end; to the book as a whole with a beginning, middle and end.
Key: That is a little harder, but I think of it as all the system of pitches – the paragraph, page, chapter, and book according to one of the Major (genre) or Minor (sub-genre) scales –genre and subgenres of the mystery from cozy, procedural, true crime, or hard boiled. Check your romance against the styles created with the analogies to music. IT works there too.

Therefore, everything in writing the mystery/suspense/romance can be reduced or elevated to its musical counter part. Our culture influences our pitch, scale, and keys whether that is in writing or in music. Extremes may abound even while the rules are followed. For instance music in India compared to the music here in the west such as opera, R & B, Jazz. Or, compare the Native American Drum, to the drum of modern rock – they are nowhere in the same playing field – the Native American Drum is spiritual, the rock drum is entertainment. Both, however, are entertainment and in some circles could be called spiritual.

Music and writing are both creative processes. Whether we use pitch, scale, and key or whether we use some other method to join the parts into a complete whole – they compliment each other, and I believe they embody each other.

It is said that we each “march to our different drummer,” and I believe that is as true in creating fiction as it is in creating music.

Sing Loudly, Write like the wind and enjoy the rhythm you create!
Cricket

Appropriate Reasoning when Giving Gifts

2008-12-04T11:13:00.001-08:00

You have to admit these are perfect gifts - Books that is - The printed word will never go out of style for any gift giving reason.

--
Two pertinent lists from Jessica James, author of Shades of Gray, posted on Amazon:

Top Five Reasons Why Guys Should Give Books as Gifts

5: She can't connect with a new sweater like she can with a book.
4: Hey guys, they're easy to wrap!
3: They come in all sizes, shapes and colors--what could be easier?
2: It's cheaper than a romantic getaway but can produce the same result.
1: Books are gifts of love and joy--and can create everlasting memories.

Top Five Reasons Why Girls Should Give Books as Gifts:

5: They're easy to store--on coffeetables, bookshelves, nightstands or countertops.
4: They never go bad no matter how long they're stored--and they can be used quickly or savored over time.
3: Books can teach, educate, entertain--and distract him from football.
2: It's a small investment that can return dividends for life.
1: Books are the perfect gift of enjoyment that don't require him to leave his chair.

[Thanks to Traci A. Lower.]
Billie

Prolific Writers - Are You One?

2008-11-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

So you think you write a lot — How many books have you written? As a reader, how many books do you read a month?

Barbara Cartland, who my college Women’s Lit Instructor disliked intensely, wrote a stunning 723 books and made the Guinness Book of World Records for her efforts. She wrote a novel in one or two weeks. The critics say she actually didn’t write them she dictated them to her secretaries and they typed them up. I beg to differ with them. It was her creative genius that dreamt them up in the first place. If she hadn’t dictated them would each of her secretaries have written a best seller and had them published?

I take issue with the big name authors who have an understudy of sorts write from their outline and create a book for the named author. I see James Patterson and a few others are finally listing those as co-authors on the covers of their books. But now does that make them author of those books or the co-author? Who gets to count coup – will Patterson have 300 books because of their efforts or will he let them count those as their own?

Isaac Asimov wrote over 200 books, by himself – he then, in my humble opinion, especially with all the special issues Sci Fi authors face, was a prolific writer.

Georges Simenon wrote 400 books each book took him eleven straight days of writing. I’m sure he took food breaks and a nap break here and there – but that’s profound. Imagine fellow NaNoWriMo authors if you could write a novel in 30 days, why not one in eleven days?
How many words a day would that be? Approximately 4,500 words a day. Hey you could do that couldn’t you? {smile}

So write like the wind, read like a Tsunami and perhaps you will earn a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for your effort. After NaNoWriMo I’m sure many of you are thinking you deserve at least that commendation. I am proud of those of you who tried, even if you didn’t finish. And I am doubly proud of those who did – included in that my own daughter who finished her novel at just under 54,000 words ahead of the deadline. GO BECKIE!

www.Cricket-Sawyer.com

Coming Soon! Inferno From Forbidden Publishing

2008-11-18T09:11:00.000-08:00

Forward for Inferno

When an author re-reads something they have written long ago it’s sometimes very disconcerting, at least I thought so. I thought I was the only one who looked at my once written, even once published books and thought, oh my good gracious how could I have let that go as a publishable piece? I don’t feel so bad any more after reading this from Aldous Huxley (Brave New World 1932 among other novels) This was in the revised/republished 1946 edition of Brave New World. “…Chronic remorse, as all the moralists are agreed, is a most undesirable sentiment….”

He goes on more eloquently but it boils down to what we both feel after pouring over the short comings of a novel written at a younger more inexperienced time in an attempt to patch a faulty piece into a perfect masterpiece. That particular piece having missed that mark the first time around—should be repaired to a place where growth had taken me. To spend time trying to mend the artistic sins committed by that different person, the person I was then—is surely vain and futile. Its defect may be part of its charm.

I could rewrite the whole book as an older, perhaps wiser, other person. What might happen then though is I probably would get rid not only of some of the faults of the story, but also rid it of some of its merits as it originally possessed them.

So, resisting the temptation to wallow in artistic remorse, I leave well and ill alone and move on to ‘next’ with what I have learned and am able to create in my next novel, with much thanks to Aldous Huxley for making me feel less alone and imperfect.

Cricket Sawyer
www.cricket-sawyer.com
Forbidden Publishing.com

Free Reads and Free Prizes - find out how!

2008-11-15T09:21:00.000-08:00

Hi,
Are you ready to relax with some free reads if it means you could walk away with some awesome prizes and awards?

Don't know what a Street Team is? Go here www.cricket-sawyer.com/STREETTEAM.html

Then be sure to send me an email to get your membership information. Then let the fun begin.
Cricket~

Do Yourself a Favor -- Hurry!

2008-11-12T18:08:00.000-08:00

The One Minute Coach: change your life one minute at a time

By Masha Malka

CONTENTS
Foreword (by Cary Johnston)
Introduction

Part 1: Freedom To Be Who You Are
Whose Life Are You Living?
The “Impossible” Is Often the Untried
If They Can Do It, So Can You!
Are You Starving Your Soul?
What Fulfills You?
The Gift of Personal Freedom
It All Comes Down to Faith

Part 2: The Secrets of People Who Are Successful
What Successful People Know
What Is Success?
One Word to Define Success
What Determines Success?
How to Get What You Want
Can You Really Change Your Life in One Minute?
Do Not Underestimate Your Skills
The Most Important Ingredient for Your Success

Part 3: Why Do We Suffer?
Are You Looking For Problems?
How to Get What You Want
An Opportunity for Guaranteed Enlightenment
Success Is Not Forever, and Failure Is Not Fatal
How Successful People Deal with Failure
Are You Guilty?
Eliminating Worry
Why Do We Argue?
How to Eliminate Self-sabotaging Beliefs
Everything Is Relative

Part 4: The Secret to a Great Life
Who Are You Not to Be?
Life Is About Creating Yourself
What Does It Take to Be Attractive?
How Much Do You Love Yourself?
Have a Great Day!

Part 5: Are You a Natural Leader?
Leadership Begins With You
The Power of a Team and Cooperation
Using Words with Good Purpose
Personal Satisfaction at Work
Helping Is Not Always Good
What Is Your Greatness?
Are You Busy Being Busy?

Part 6: Time Management and Decision Making
Effective Decision Making
How Much Do You Rely on Logic?
Are There Bad Decisions?
The Currency of Today
Creating a Balanced Life
The Value of an Hour
The Slower You Go, the Faster You Will Get There
Are You Living for the Future?

Part 7: The Best Source of Wealth
Produce the Results You Are Looking For
What Did You Miss Out On Today?
The Power of Questions
Ask and You Will Receive
Excellence Is Not an Act, but a Habit
You Have The Power – Mind Power!

Part 8: It Is Never Too Late
You Make a Difference!
Can One Person Change the World?
NOW is the Right Time

Conclusion
The Most Important Job You Do
Thank You!

References and Recommended Reading
About the Author
About the artist

To order the book got to http://mashamalka.com/bookpromotion/

Need Some Motivation, Masha Malka will deliver!

2008-11-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

Masha Malka is a former Soviet refugee who knows first hand what it is like to be living below poverty level; to have low self-esteem; to start out without the language, money, or contacts and to make a great life for herself!

Masha went from living a life with little clarity and focus to becoming a successful entrepreneur, author, Clarity and Focus guru, international speaker and trainer as well as the mother of 3 children.

Understanding what it takes to successfully balance the demands of a growing career as an author, international speaker and a life coach with 3 children, husband, family, friends, and personal needs - she is passionate to show others how they can do it too!

Masha has delivered workshops, seminars, written articles and books, and provided personal training and coaching in the field of success and the skill of learning since 1998.

She graduated with Highest Honors from Florida Atlantic University majoring in Elementary Education. She then continued her graduate studies at Capella University completing a graduate certificate in Teaching and Training Online as well as Instructional Design for Online Learning. A life-long student, Masha is currently taking courses for an MBA. She is also a certified trainer in Accelerated Learning Techniques as well as Transformational Thinking.

Come back tomorrow for some exciting news about her book and for your chance to pick up a bunch of free stuff. See you Wednesday!
Cricket

How Safe is Your Chocolate - or Toys?

2008-11-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Barcodes aren't just for books you know.

Something we all need to know - a note in Cynthia Sterling's excellent newsletter today.

The whole world is scared of Chinese made goods. Let me tell you how you can differentiate which one is made in Taiwan or China...the first 3 digits of barcode690, 691, and 692 are MADE IN CHINA. - 471 is Made in Taiwan .

This is our right to know, but the government and related departments never educate the public, therefore we have to RESCUE ourselves.
Nowadays, Chinese businessmen know that consumers do not prefer products "made in china", so they don't show in which country it is made.
However, you may now refer to the barcode, remember if the first 3 digits is 690-692 then it is made in China .
00 ~ 09 USA & CANADA
30 ~ 37 FRANCE
40 ~ 44 GERMANY
49 - JAPAN
50 - UK

Lavender Lust available at Siren/Bookstrand.
www.sirenbookstrand.com

Don't Wait For Your Ship to Come in Swim out to it!

2008-10-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

In my morning reading today I came across this quote by Jonathan Winters: "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to meet it."
There was another a day or too earlier that said something, "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." Abraham Lincoln.

In other words, the only thing that will create success, or create that book you've been waiting to write, or create some other printed words you dream to have written, is ACTION. There is no way around it if you don't put your butt in a chair and write - you will never publish a word. You need to banish all fear of failing, of making a mistake -- mistakes are the lessons of life.

This Frank and Ernest cartoon strip says it all. Frank is at the counter at an employment office he has a long long sheet of paper he is apparently reading from to the guy who is taking his application. The caption says--"I don't have any formal education so I brought you a list of the mistakes I've learned from."

Feel the fear and do it anyway is almost a buzz word nowadays, but it's absolute truth. Do not be afraid of mistakes, no one is perfect. Perfectionism will stall you in your tracks. Not that you should adopt a careless, reckless, not-give-a-darn attitude. You should do the best that you can do with what you have at this very moment and let the rest happen.

"You can never learn less; you can only learn more. The reason I know so much is because I have made so many mistakes," says Buckminster Fuller (a mathematician and philosopher who never graduated from college but received 46 honorary doctorates.

Imagine!
Write Like The Wind
Billie/Cricket
Lavender Lust
ISBN 1-60601-136-7
Dark Thunder
ISBN 1-59080-597-6
978-1-59080-597-8
www.cricket-sawyer.com

We Are Way Better Than We Think We Are

2008-10-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

Well Okay, perhaps we don't even begin to live up to our potential. I was reading an article by a gal named Melissa Galt today--Her great grandfather was Frank Lloyd Wright famed architect, her god mother Edith Head -- do you know she was a teacher and it was a couple of her students sketches that started her on her career as the designer of Hollywood fame and fortune. Well Ms Galt's mother was Ann Baxter...talk about blue blood - okay so maybe she wasn't rich - certainly Mr. Wright wasn't rich when he died -- he said he would rather have the luxuries of life then the necessities {grin} and Ann Baxter wasn't rich by the time she died -- but Ms Galt had a vision, and her mind was rich with possiblities and she followed it.

Some psychologist - James Joyce I think? said that we use less then ten percent of our brain - can you imagine if we engaged that whole mass what wisdom, what creative talent, what potential we would have to be as great as our greatest relative, whoever that might be.

Stretch yourself - stretch your mind - grow into what you might become. I double dog dare you to = )
Cricket
Oh and you can still enter the Lavender Lust contest see the earlier post September 30. Good Luck

Its not too late

2008-09-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

IT’S A PARTY AND YOU’RE INVITED!

RELEASE DAY PARTY FOR

Lavender Lust

By Cricket Sawyer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RFv1VugU1s

Release date: SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

Men from the Recreation League basketball team

Are dying one after the other. Each of them

Murdered. Each corpse has the serial killer’s

signature of a Purple feather. And fledgling

psychic Heather Highmark sees something no

one else can see…

Purple haze floats above each of the victims

A face appears in it—who is it? She needs

To find out, her life, her brother Roy or her

Lover Langdon Cruise could be the next

Victim of the Purple Feather Murderer.

It’s Time for a Party to celebrate!

Come join me at Cricket’s Hearth on Tuesday, September 30

All day – prizes galore, excerpts and more…

http://cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Order your copy of Lavender Lust from

Siren/Bookstrand (http://www.sirenbookstrand.com )and send me your receipt for a

Chance to win the grand prize of an uncut, lavender/ Amethyst stone

or a join in the festivities to win a Dream catcher key chain— or one of many other

Prizes to be given away. To see more of the prizes visit Cricket’s website

at http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

Then join the fun at the Hearth on September 30, 2008

http://www.cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Do the jigsaw puzzle of the cover —the fastest time will win a download copy of The Great White Bull—a paranormal erotic romantic suspense. You’ll find the jigsaw puzzles at

http://www.cricket-sawyer.com/PUZZLES

Send me your time for doing the Lavender Lust cover – you have a chance between midnight September 29 to midnight September 30 — I will take the fastest time from all players – if there is a tie I will draw a winner.

You Tube - Lavender Lust

2008-09-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RFv1VugU1s

Violet Stones or purple stones stimulate the brow chakra, easing pain agitation and stress. Would someone please tell Lavender Paige this. It seemed every time Elinore Muich stepped into her Lavender world she was bent on murder.
Purple/lavender/violet should also boost concentration and metal awareness.

Amethyst, the name of this stone originates from the Greek word "amethystos," which means "not drunken." Amethyst can be used to treat alcoholism, and it can also help to boost the body's immune system.

Amethyst is a water crystal: The evaporation of the depositing of water is a component int he formation of many crystals, including stalactites and stalagmites. Water also achieves balance by finding its appropriate state as a gas, liquid or sold. Therefore, water crystals help balance your emotions and influence your dreams by shifting ideas between the conscious and unconscious mind.

Amethyst the stone of spiritual growth and protection it is per perhaps the most useful crystal for healing. Amethyst is a perfect stone for practicing your meditation skills and in healing it is of benefit to migraine suffers.

Enjoy a little purple/lavender lust - er - intellectual stimulation.
Cricket

Amethyst - Lavender Lust

2008-09-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

Hi again, Jupiter's stone is Amethyst. Each planet, and its related sign, is associated with a particular type of gemstone. Purple has long been considered a royal color, so it's not surprising that amethyst has been so much in demand throughout history. Amethysts are featured in the English Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Egyptian royalty and Catherine the Great. Leonardo da Vinci wrote that amethyst could dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence.

Again it didn't seem to work for Elinore Muich when she turned her Lavender Paige attention on those perceived to have wronged her.

It's lonely in here!

2008-09-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

Where is everybody - there must be a glitch in the system - I've been here watching it rain on my parade = )
Not to worry there is always a rainbow after a storm. Hey a tidbit about Lavender/Purple -- Shades of purple have been used to help calm people with nervous or mental imbalances. Purple is a color of transformation at the deep level. A very spiritual color, it is traditionally worn by the clergy and denotes spiritual peace and awareness.

To calm you, place a piece of purple velvet across your brow and relax to soft music. What have you got to lose but your anxiety.

Unfortunately, purple had the opposite affects on Lavender Page in Lavender Lust
Stay tuned for an excerpt.

Release Party - September 30, 2008

2008-09-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hear ye! Hear ye! Cricket Sawyer - Lavender Lust - Bookstrand

IT’S A PARTY AND YOU’RE INVITED!
RELEASE DAY PARTY FOR

LAVENDER LUST ISBN 1-60601-136-7
By Cricket Sawyer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RFv1VugU1s

Release date: SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

Men from the Recreation League basketball team Are dying one after the other. Each of them Murdered. Each corpse has the serial killer’s signature of a Purple feather. And fledgling psychic Heather Highmark sees something no one else can see…
Purple haze floats above each of the victims A face appears in it—who is it? She needs To find out, her life, her brother Roy or her Lover Langdon Cruise could be the next Victim of the Purple Feather Murderer.

It’s Time for a Party to celebrate!
Come join me at Cricket’s Hearth on Tuesday, September 30
All day – prizes galore, excerpts and more…
http://cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Order your copy of Lavender Lust ISBN 1-60601-136-7 from
Siren/Bookstrand (http://www.sirenbookstrand.com )and send me your receipt for a Chance to win the grand prize of an uncut lavender/ Amethyst stone or a join in the festivities to win a Dream catcher key chain— or one of many other Prizes to be given away. To see more of the prizes visit
Cricket’s website at http://www.cricket-sawyer.com
Then join the fun at the Hearth on September 30, 2008
http://www.cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Do the jigsaw puzzle of the cover —the fastest time will win a download copy of The Great White Bull—a paranormal erotic romantic suspense. You’ll find the jigsaw puzzles at
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com/PUZZLES

send me your time for doing the Lavender Lust cover – you have a chance between midnight September 29 to midnight September 30 — I will take the fastest time from all players – if there is a tie I will draw a winner.

Enter to Win - Get your Name in Lights or???

2008-09-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

Time Sensitive material:

Of interest to authors who are published electronically. Please distribute to your membership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EPPIE Contest in Full Swing to Highlight Excellence in ePublishing

Worldwide–September 16, 2008—EPIC, the Electronically Published Internet Connection, proudly announces the annual EPPIE contest. This is the premier contest in the book industry that celebrates the outstanding achievements of electronic books by authors and publishers. The EPPIE Awards have been given annually since the first EPIC conference to recognize outstanding achievement in ePublishing. The contest deadline for entries is October 4, 2008 at Midnight CST.

Categories are judged by volunteers, the largest percentage of which are members of EPIC, an organization consisting of electronically published authors and industry professionals. Guest judges, all of whom are either published authors or publishing professionals, are used only as deemed necessary by the EPPIE Chair/Committee.

The First Round Judging delivers our EPPIE Finalists, whose works are forwarded to a second panel of judges before the winners of our thirty categories are selected. Winners from each judged category are announced at the EPIC conference's gala award ceremony, taking place at the annual EPICon Convention, taking place March 5-8, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

EPIC is also the proud sponsor of the QUASAR/ARIANA Awards for excellence in graphic cover art for eBooks.

For contest guidelines, please visit http://www.epicauthors.com/eppierules2009.html

Electronically Published Internet Connection
Contact: Karen L. Syed, EPIC Publicity Coordinator
9735 Country Meadows Lane 1D, Laurel, MD 20723
410-878-7113 (v) 410-988-2864 (f)
erevolution.epic@gmail.com
www.epicauthors.com

Good Luck
Cricket

What would you eat to increase your appetite for sex?

2008-08-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

I vote for chocolate covered ants with

perhaps oysters on the side? Well of all the things that are supposed to be edible - and good for you - and ahem! 'other' things I think chocolate is my best bet. Now Dark Thunder was released this month and I polled the characters -
Cyan said pepper is hot and it makes her hotter
Derian said anything that doesn't eat him first -- well he hedged on that he said sometimes eating him can be a good thing -- then he said he's game if any woman is.
Then in came Sharee - now there is a woman who prefers ceremony before anything - so even chocolate should be presented with ceremony and flair - .
Dark Thunder - that would be Derian -- you know what they are saying - well here try this on:
This summer has been weather intense. Dark storm clouds on the horizon signify danger, the potential for heavy storms. In a novel these same storm clouds signify danger of another sort. Dark Thunder is a knife-edged tale of desperation, passion and yes even perversion that strikes with lightening-like intensity at the heart of our comfort zone and reverberates across the fiber of our being, thundering through the atmosphere of our status quo, ordered world.
Pick up a copy and see what you would eat to satisfy your needs.
Cricket

California's Burning, The midwest is in hot. humid flooding conditions

2008-06-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

and Forbidden Press has just sent me a contract for Inferno - If that doesn't crank up the heat nothing will. Can you say I'm jumping and doing a snoopy dance. Well if it wasn't so hot I would be {grin} I'm looking forward to getting to work on this one with the editors from Forbidden. I don't have a release date yet, but I'll let you know when I do.

And it won't be long before Lavender Lust hits the stands from Siren/BookStrand - October sounds like forever away - but you know by the time the 4th of July is done -- so is summer just about, or so it seems.

So stay tuned for more news from this author
Cricket Sawyer,
Accidental Sleuths,
Incidental Romance,
Heat Index~~Inferno

It's Here, it's published, it's ready to buy

2008-04-01T07:44:00.001-07:00

The Ghost Music of Vaudeville

by Billie A Williams

ISBN 978-1-59705-310-5 (electronic)

978-1-59705-728-8 (print)

April 1, 2008

CONTACT: Billie A Williams

P O Box 134

Amberg, WI 54102

billie@billiewilliams.com

Wings ePress, Inc

www.wings-press.com

HEAR YE! HEAR YE!

Stepping center stage to entertain you ….

None other then –

In this day and age of razing landmarks to make way for High Rise Apartments or concrete parking ramps there is little left of the old world. When it comes to entertainment, the environment changes even faster. The Ghost Music of Vaudeville is about a troupe of actors, actresses and musicians who were part of the vaudeville stage at one time. The theatre sits in disrepair, and a greedy land developer is out for revenge. Part of that revenge is to demolish every Keith Theatre in the United States.

Charlie Wolfe, reporter for the Ironwood Daily Globe, Tommy Forester, teenager and champion for the down trodden, and Piano Man, (aka Rudy Poncigrau) who used to play for the vaudeville acts, the black and white movies, and more all have other ideas.

Will one last performance bring out enough support to stop the bulldozers before Damien Callistrari and his henchmen extract the revenge he seeks? Roberto Callistrari is going against his father’s wishes when he begins to fall for Charlie Wolfe –with his ties to Hollywood and Broadway he entices Bette Midler to bring her creativity and personality to help bring the Keith Theatre back from the edge. Together will they be enough to save this Keith Theatre and those lives so intrinsically entwined with the Ghost Music of Vaudeville that still haunts the walls and stage of this Keith Theatre in Ironwood, Michigan.

IT'S TIME TO PARTY!!! Jordan Dane

2008-03-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

We've been enjoying her posts, her visits to our blogs, we've been reading her excerpts and chapters and more - this dynamite tour is about to end but we don't want to stop so we are going to go out with a rip roaring bang with a huge PARTY

Are We Ready to P-A-R-T-Y!?!

The “Show—Not Tell” Virtual Book Tour is almost a wrap and we’ve been gearing up all month for the “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” for debut author Jordan Dane. Be here Sunday March 30th at 7:00 p.m. Eastern US time. (The virtual bar will be open, but feel free to BYOB.) The place: The Writer’s Chatroom, of course!

Since March 5^th, “newcomer” Jordan Dane has been the guest of honor at 7 virtual book tour stops sponsored by The Writer’s Chatroom. She’s been open to all questions and has shared personal and business information with anyone who stopped by. The last stop on the tour is hosted by Glenn Walker, founder of TWC, on March 29^th at http://www.monsura.blogspot.com/

There will be prizes galore up for grabs at the P-A-R-T-Y. Every person who interacted with Jordan at the VBT stops, except for the host at each tour stop, is eligible to win one of FIVE gift cards to B&N bookstores. (If the hosts stopped by at other tour stops, they are eligible and entered there.) The more comments left by each person, the more chances to win. So far, Tina M. Russo holds the record for having the most entries. Her prize for that? Just click on her name/hotlink to her website. It’s all about the marketing, folks. (Tina has a very nice website, btw.)

More opportunities to win prizes:

The Browse Inside Link: http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x)

Jordan’s contest page: http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

And … there will be even MORE prizes given away during the P-A-R-T-Y!

Jordan sold SIX books to Avon/HarperCollins before the first one, No One Heard Her Scream, was released on March 25^th. She has back-to-back releases in April and May for the next two! And, she’s currently at work on her next series.

Don’t know about you, but I wannabe like Jordan! I want to learn just how she managed to do that, how she markets, how she plans her stories, how she sells them, and how she plans to get to the top of the New York Times Bestseller list! If you’re a Jordan wannabe like me, check out what she had to say at the VBT stops:

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com

Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com

Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/

Cricket Sawyer at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Diana Castilleja at http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com

Renee’ Barnes at http://msqtpi.livejournal.com/

Glenn Walker at http://www.monsura.blogspot.com/

See you at the “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30^th at TWC!

Linda J. Hutchinson

TWC team member/moderator

Freelance writer/copywriter

www.lindajhutchinson.com

You Won't Want to Miss This!!

2008-03-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

WHAT A TRIP!

If you’ve been reading these announcements you’re aware that we have been conducting a Virtual Book Tour for debut author Jordan Dane for over a month.

We’re down to the final stretch—and who better to bring it home than The Writer’s Chatroom’s own—Renee’ Barnes and Glenn Walker!

Stop by these last two stops on the tour to find out even more about our featured author—who sold SIX books to Avon HarperCollins before the first one hit print.

Jordan is a dynamo! She not only writes well but understands the publishing industry and knows how to market herself. Learn from her while imagining yourself in her position. She is one to watch, one to learn from, and one to emulate if you want to be a successful novelist. “If you can see it and believe it, you can achieve it!”

Every comment you leave at a tour stop enters you to win one of many fabulous prizes!

March 26 Renee’ Barnes at http://msqtpi.livejournal.com/
March 29 TWC founder Glenn Walker at http://www.monsura.blogspot.com/

More opportunities to win prizes:
The Browse Inside Link: http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x)
Jordan’s contest page: http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

And then GET READY TO P-A-R-T-Y! Sunday, March 30th is the date and you are invited! The party starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern US time. http://writerschatroom.com

If you’ve missed any of the tour stops, please stop in before the P-A-R-T-Y! to read the interviews with Jordan. Be ready to L-A-U-N-C-H your burning questions at her this coming Sunday.

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com
Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com
Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/
Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/
Cricket Sawyer at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com
Diana Castilleja at http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com

She's here -- She's finally here!! Jordan Dane

2008-03-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

Jordan I'm so excited that you agreed to come speak with my readers today. Come grab a cuppa what ever is your favorite and sit a spell. Put your feet up, I'm sure you could use a break after your whirlwind virtual tour so far this month.

Thanks so much for spending time with me, Cricket. I really appreciate your support of a new author.
1. What is the toughest part of your job as a writer?
Not having enough hours in the day to do everything I’d love to do—including having a life.  I’m kidding, because I really love writing full time now, but I do need to find a better balance between my writing and my personal life.
2. Cast your book as a miniseries. What channel would it appear on--the “old fogey” channel of CBS, for example, or the “youth catering” Fox or WB, Cinemax? Who would play the leads? Would four hours be enough to tell the story, or would you need six?
I’d be on cable late at night. No kiddies or editing. I already cast my books as I’m writing them and create a power point file on images. So here is my Diego Galvan, as played by Eduardo Verastequi. And my cop heroine would be played by the woman who was the prison doctor on the TV show ‘Prison Break’, Sarah Wayne Callies.
3. The emotions that you have Becca showing are so well done. Do you have a sister? If not, how did you come up with the feelings Becca is experiencing as she tries to keep her mind occupied with her job, in spite of her desire to focus on solving her sister’s kidnapping and possible murder? If you do, did your feelings for your own siblings play apart in your writing this story?
I do have quite a few sibs, 2 brothers and 2 sisters. We are all very close. Author Lee Child said that it’s not about writing what you know, but writing what you fear. I can only guess at what it would feel like to lose a love one to violence, but I had a friend who shared her story. Her sister was murdered and the killer was never found. That incident defined her whole life and I never forgot her telling me about it. I had to tell her story. And the Natalee Holloway story (the girl abducted from a school outing in Aruba and never found) also touched me a great deal and still does.
4. I'm always interested in writers' schedules... Do you manage to adhere to a fixed number of hours of writing per day or week, or do you write just when inspiration strikes?!
I try to write mainly 9am-3pm each day and on weekends when I’m on a project (which I’m always on). But I get up in the middle of the night and write if I have to. I lead a crazy life. My poor husband is very patient.
5. What do you deem to be the most distinctive feature of your novel (characterization, setting, plot...)?
I focus on every detail, but if I were to be pinned down, I’d say I focus mainly on character and creating an atmospheric nature to my stories so a reader is THERE with all their senses. My brand slogan is “Take a Front Row Seat to Suspense” for a reason, I hope. 
6. What would you like to see evolve from this novel?
This is an interesting question, but I’m a really pragmatic person. I don’t speculate on someone making a movie of it or making a wish list for SCREAM. I keep writing. I’m on book #5 and am well down the road to selling another series beyond the six I already have under contract. The business woman in me wants to stay focused on my long term writing career.
7. Your Title “No One Heard Her Scream” sends shivers down my spine, perhaps because I’m a woman – but…How did you come up with your title.
The title came from a dialogue line in the book. When the woman detective realizes something about the skeletal remains buried behind a wall. The young girl had been buried alive. And all my woman detective can do is flash back to the tragic death of her baby sister. In her grief, she says, “No one heard her scream.” And her CSI guy replies, “Until now.”
8. What are the titles of the two others in this serial line? Did you decide on those titles in a similar way?
My other two books had different names, but my publisher wanted the titles to be similar with a “No One” related titles. NO ONE LEFT TO TELL was previously called “Crossing the Line” and my Brazil story NO ONE LIVES FOREVER was entitled “In the Shadow of Redemption” (even standing in its shadow, redemption can seem like a world away). I still like that title. These titles are now reflected in dialogue within each book too. It’s something I like to do.
I jokingly told my family in my crazy Christmas letter in 2007 that there was a 4th book, entitled NO ONE GETS A GIFT. They thought that was funny until they realized I wasn’t kidding.
9. I guess everyone wants to know if you model your characters after anybody you know, or anybody famous you admire? Or do they just sort of evolve from your head as the story unwinds?
I let my characters come to me organically. They usually have to wake me up in the middle of the night. Sometimes they are a composite of many types of people too. I like deep portrayals and complex personalities, even for my beloved antagonists. After all, villains are the heroes in their own stories.
10. What genre does “No One Heard Her Scream,” fit into? Do you write in any other Genres? Are there genres that you would like to try your hand at? What made you decide to write in this genre?
I made a decision to write the type of story I wanted to read—the kind of books on my bookshelves. And since I love mystery/suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, humor, forensics, thrillers and romance, I thought I would try it all. It’s not such a stretch to create a tapestry of these elements if you love them as much as I do. And I really love a challenge. I’ve been referring to my writing as romantic thrillers, but I’m not sure that says it either.
As for other genres attempted, I have two completed romances under my bed and one partial of a humorous paranormal crime fiction (Harry Potter meets Buffy story meets Cops). My agent really loves these and still wants to sell them. But I’m afraid that by leaping into other genres, if I find success there, I might not have the quality time with any of it. Quality is important to me.
11. Is there anything you would like to tell my readers? And where can they buy your book?
My books are available for presale at Amazon, Borders, BooksAMillion, Barnes & Noble, and your great independent stories near you on Booksense. I have links on my website to these sources. NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM (March 25th), NO ONE LEFT TO TELL (April 29th) and NO ONE LIVES FOREVER (May 27th). The first book is standalone in plot and the 2nd and 3rd books are connected by characters and story and should probably be read in order.
For you readers, I’d like for them to know I’m busy writing my next series – Sweet Justice. And I am really jazzed about these characters and the pace of the plots. The first of that series is tentatively set for release in Feb 2009 – EVIL WITHOUT A FACE. Here’s a sneak overview of the series:
“An illusive web of imposters on the Internet lures a deluded teen from her Alaskan home and launches a chain reaction collision course with an unlikely tangle of heroes. This is the initial driver to a new 3-book series from suspense author Jordan Dane and Avon HarperCollins. With an international setting, these romantic thrillers will focus on the lives and loves of three women—a bounty hunter operating outside the law, an ambitious vice cop, and a former international operative with a mysterious past.”

Thanks so much for having me as guest blogger, Cricket. You’re awesome! And best of luck to you and your readers in 2008.

Thank you Jordon for your insightful and inspiring answers to my questions. I really truly enjoyed your visit please do stop by again.

Review for No One Heard Her Scream

2008-03-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Title: No One Heard Her Scream

by Jordan Dane

Avon Harper Collins

ISBN: 9780061252785

Dani Montgomery is but one of the missing, and presumed dead, young women from around San Antonio, TX. She is the focus, and the force, of tough homicide detective Rebecca Montgomery. When Becca is told to stay away from the investigation into Dani’s disappearance, her boss puts her on another case—that of a body found behind a brick wall in an old theater that has been torched.

As Becca investigates the crime scene she realizes she’s being watched by more than one stranger, but one is deliciously tall, dark and dangerous. When she visits the former owner of the theater, a notorious mob boss, she is loathe to find her stranger is his enforcer.

Becca trusts her gut to tie it all together, with the help of one watchful stranger and without the help of the other.

Piecing together evidence at the theater gives rise to the title. NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM by debut author Jordan Dane is a romantic thriller with all the great elements; intrigue, debauchery, retribution and redemption—with libido to match.

Reviewed by: Linda J. Hutchinson http://www.lindajhutchinson.com/

Labels: Billie A Williams, book reviews, Jordan Dane, No One Heard Her Scream, printed words

Excitement is building - be here March 19

2008-03-16T11:56:00.001-07:00

We’ve certainly had some great comments during each stop of the Virtual Book Tour
for Jordan Dane.

Why was she chosen to be our first vic … I mean featured author?
Because she has a very professional website.  
Because she has a very professional blog.  
Because she has a presence on MySpace and other networking sites around the ‘Net.
Because she attends every writer’s conference she can possibly get to
to network with successful writers, editors, agents.
Because she promotes herself as a professional writer.

She isn’t resting on her laurels after having sold SIX books
to Avon HarperCollins before the first one hit print.

If you’re like me and wannabe like Jordan, take a look
at how you’re promoting yourself. Does your website look
like a novice put it together  Do you remember to blog
more than once a month  Do you network with other writers?

Or do you do like too many very good should-be-published writers
… and hunker down in the corner pretending that you’ve done
everything you can and the publishing world and all
its agents are against you?

Think about that as you visit the next stops on
The Writer’s Chatroom’ “Show—Not Tell” virtual
book tour featuring debut author Jordan Dane.

Jordan and Avon HarperCollins are offering
opportunities to win great prizes all along the tour.

Next up:

March 19 Cricket Sawyer

at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com

March 22 Diana Castilleja

at http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com

Give yourself every advantage to learn from this marketing dynamo—

who just happens to also be a very good writer—

and read the interviews and comments at previous stops:

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com

Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com

Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/

And don’t forget to come to the “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30^th! There are prizes galore!

NEWS READ ALL ABOUT IT! Jordan Dane Contest

2008-03-14T19:14:00.000-07:00

WIN!  WIN!  WIN!

·        Visit each stop of the Jordan Dane
Virtual Book Tour
and leave a comment (with your name).
Each stop enters you into the drawing
to be held at the live “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!”
on March 30^th.
(Up for grabs are FIVE $20 gift
cards to B&N bookstores.)

·         Stop by Jordan’s website:  
Jordan Dane says, “By going to my
website contest page, you get an
exclusive sneak peek inside my
book-up to 20% of it. And to
celebrate my first release, my
publisher is giving you three d
ifferent ways to WIN MY BOOK
or OTHER BOOKS from HarperCollins.
Click on the links below for more details.”

·        The Browse Inside Link:
http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x)

·        Visit Jordan’s contest page:
http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

·        Show up for the live “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!”
on March 30^th!  
Who knows what might be up for grabs there!
After all is said and done, this is TWC.

Next up on the tour:

March 19 Cricket Sawyer at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com

March 22 Diana Castilleja at http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com

March 26 Renee’ Barnes at http://msqtpi.livejournal.com/

March 29 TWC founder Glenn Walker at http://www.monsura.blogspot.com/

Jordan has had plenty to say in our TWC interviews.

If you haven’t already done so, visit these previous

stops for some first-hand info on how to succeed as a novelist:

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com

Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com

Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/

No One Heard Her Scream, by Jordan Dane

2008-03-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

An author to watch - You'll want to start taking in her tour - she will be here on March 19, you will not want to miss this. She is a powerful writer and a dynamite person who will show you just what it takes to be a Avon Harper Collins star -- her debut book No One Heard Her Scream is receiving rave reviews - here is one from blog tour organizer Linda Hutchinson:

Debut author Jordan Dane was in top form at the first stop of The Writer's Chatroom's "SHOW--NOT TELL" virtual book tour at the blog home of Billie Williams. http://printedwords.blogspot.com

Next stop? My own blog: http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com on March 8th.

Please feel free to leave comments. Since Jordan has thrown a contest into the fray, your comments automatically enter you into a drawing for one of FIVE $20 gift cards to—what else?—a great bookstore. Winners will be announced at the live “Launch P-A-R-T-Y!” on March 30th at THE WRITER'S CHATROOM. We'll also be drawing for those valuable first copies of NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM at the party.

Here's my review:

Title: No One Heard Her Scream

by Jordan Dane

Avon Harper Collins

ISBN: 9780061252785

Becca trusts her gut to tie it all together, with the help of one watchful stranger and without the help of the other.

Reviewed by: Linda J. Hutchinson http://www.lindajhutchinson.com/

Good Morning World

2008-03-01T12:25:00.000-08:00

Hope this day is sunny and bright for you - but if it isn't make the best of it by curling up with a good read. Need something to set you up for St. Patrick's Day? How about a little Irish Whiskey Check it out at www.silksvault.com

Logan W Blue just happens to be a pseudonym of Cricket Sawyer - she writes a little darker then Cricket but its still romantic suspense and you will get a read worthy of your time.

BLURB:

When a rock singer becomes famous, his life is no longer his own. His life is usurped by the fans, the tours and the gigs. When he decides to take his long time girlfriend on a much needed weekend of R & R, their plans ends up taking a backseat when a pair of jealous twins kidnaps them in exchange for ransom.

Caught in the middle of their plans, Trixie decided that she wasn’t going down with out a fight. Will they both be dead when the twins leave with the ransom? Only time will tell as Trixie is forced to use her clever wits and resourcefulness to thwart whatever tenuous plans the deranged twins may have.

Coming Soon!

2008-02-28T16:50:00.000-08:00

You have to wait until May to see this one - but the cover will get you thinking about it, and I hope you will think it worth the wait. The title is Dark Thunder, due to be released in May 2008 from Erotique Press.

Cyan is aProgram Assistant in the Minorities Program at a local college. She has always been clairvoyant, but she never expected the dark figure who haunts her dreams to capture her heart until she meets him in person.

Darien sweeps her off her feet because she's seen him before. He's heated her dreams long before he exploded into her life. Be prepared for some thunder -- make that Dark Thunder.
More Later
Chirp, chirp,
Cricket

The Weather Outside is Frightful

2008-02-26T11:32:00.001-08:00

Ah, but cozy up by the hearth - Cricket's Hearth - with just the warmth of a good book, or a good man or both.
Welcome to my Hearth - grab a cup of your favorite toe-warming beverage and be prepared to be entertained.

Cricket Sawyer writes Romantic Suspense - and has played around with other genres always mixing romance with something else to see what she can shake from the muse this time. Valentine Express [available from www.erotiquepress.com was just right for your February read) Irish Whiskey - gets those St. Patrick's Day wishes flowing [available from Silks Vault, are you ready to challenge or chase your complacent look at the world try Beyond The Shadows - little paranormal touches speak from beyond to you there, or Maybe you are into shape shifters -would a shift to spider make you cringe not Angeni Angeni or The Great White Bull, also available at Silks Vault may be just enough shift for you to want more.

Current works in progress (WIP) include Dark Thunder which will be available from Erotique/Echelon in May of this year. If you are ready to follow the drum beat of Native American minds as they unravel a dark past and try to capture a future enjoy this interracial love story - visit with my characters as they take turns here telling you a little about them and their dreams. Coming here to Cricket's Hearth soon.

Mean time look for a very interesting interview with a current debut author whose rise to best seller status has just begun. Jordan Dane author of the soon to be released No One Heard Her Scream, has only dipped her fingers in the ink and already she has been offered a contract for more- this is the first of a three part series already contracted by Avon Harper Collins - be prepared to be shaken from your comfort zone when you read her words. Watch here for the interview coming in March!

Stay warm, loving and happy - catch you next time! They say a Cricket chirping on your hearth is a good omen. Chirp!
Cricket