As the leaves fall and the sky darkens with Autumn's threat of snow, I offer you this little quote I tripped over:
"One little person, giving all of her time to peace, makes news. Many people, giving some of their time, can make history." –Peace Pilgrim, peace activist
As the mother of an Army Drill Sergeant, I pray for peace. How about you? Do you remember we still have soldiers in harm's way?
Veteran's Day is right around the corner. Attend a parade, shake the hand of a reservist, or donate to Disabled American Veterans...whatever you can.
I am guest author at Romance @ Random and am giving away a free ebook to one lucky person who leaves a comment. In fact, the winner will have their choice of either My Honorable Highlander or My Banished Highlander.
I am very glad Sue Grimshaw invited me to talk about how I research while traveling. Please check it out HERE And the winner is.... Gerri Bowen! *********************
I will have my kilted hubby choose a winner of an ebook at the Fierce Romance Blog HERE
And the winner is... EllaQuinnAuthor!
Why do I give books away?
Simple...readers who read my books, BUY MY OTHER BOOKS.
Today I’m interviewing R.T. Wolfe. Her book, Black Creek Burning is a romantic suspense and was released on September 24th.
Please welcome her! Nancy-Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.
R. T.-First of all let me thank you, Nancy, for having me on your gorgeous blog today. I’m honored to be here. Black Creek Burning is about murder and arson, family and trust. It’s a book with passion that might make you blush but won’t offend the even the most conservative of romance readers. I work to make my characters genuine and as realistic as they are diverse, and I enjoy making my secondary characters a big part of the story. Humbly, I’ve been given nine 5-star reviews thus far on Amazon. My readers overwhelm me and I mean that in the best of terms. Although, Black Creek Burning is the first of a trilogy, there are no cliff-hangers…that anyone has noticed.
Nancy-Great! My series are also considered stand-alone books so someone can take up book #2 and still understand what's been happening. Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in? R. T.-Black Creek Burning is a romantic suspense and contains a mystery. It’s not an edge-of-your-seat story and although readers have told me they couldn’t put it down, I don’t feel it is because they were on pins and needles. It’s more of an easy read that makes you furrow your brows at what is going on behind the scenes. As of now, romantic suspense is the only genre I’ve published in. I do have other genres buzzing holes in my head, but for now I’m taking one day at a time.
Author R. T. Wolfe
Nancy-Why have you become a published author? R. T.-I have become a published author because my compact but mighty group of before-I-was-published readers were pushy, manipulating and ruthlessly hounded me. And I thank them dearly for it. Nancy-What is your writing routine like? R. T.-Routine? If only. LOL I get in hours when and where I can find them. They might be early before my day job. Sometimes I can catch a few in the evening. It’s not uncommon to see me sitting on the bleachers of one of my sons’ athletic events with my laptop in my hand. Writing is my crack cocaine. Nancy-Chocolate does it for me!Getting back on track...What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help? R. T.-I’ve done all of my own promo with the exception of a Goddess Fish blog tour I have at the end of this month. I am blessed with many author friends (like you, Nancy) who have taken time out of their own crazy writing schedules to give me tips and allow me to serve as a guest on their lovely blogs. Thank you, Nancy!
Nancy-You are welcome! Mentoring is a pleasure and a blessing. Back to you, now. Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?
R. T.-The emails, notes, cards and reviews from my readers. They are my driving force. I would still write without them, but I most certainly wouldn’t write as often!
Nancy-Their words are food for the soul. Amen!What’s next for you? R. T.-Black Creek Burning is book one in the Black Creek Trilogy. Book two, To Fly in the Shadows, is scheduled for release on February 1, 2013. Book three, Dark Vengeance, has a release date of July 1, 2013. Book two is nearly polished and I am about ¾ done with book three. So fun. Thanks for joining us today, R. T. Tell us more about your book Black Creek Burning and how to buy it. Good luck on the next books! BOOK BLURB
Brianna Chapman has learned to handle just about anything. Witnessing the murder of her parents had that effect. Knowing the unsolved arson had been meant for her is the one thing she can’t handle. Instead of dwelling, she stuffs her guilt soundly into her subconscious through diving into the teaching job she loves by day and the dirt of the landscaping business she owns by night. Her habit of remaining aloof to personal relationships is, well, working.
Will her guilt be as easy to keep buried if the killer comes back to finish the job?
In the midst of juggling a scorched yard, dead animals on her doorstep and her vandalized car, the one thing she didn’t count on was the staggering Nathan Reed. A nationally renowned woodworking artist, Nathan and his two priceless nephews move into the run-down historical house behind her and over Black Creek. They have a canny way of maneuvering around her aloof demeanor and into her heart. Will they still want to be part of her life when they discover she is haunted by past memories and hunted by present dangers?
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Black Creek Burning, is the first in a series set in beautiful upstate New York. She enjoys creating diverse characters and twining them together in the midst of an intelligent mystery and a heart encompassing romance.
It’s not uncommon to find dark chocolate squares in R.T.’s candy dish, her Golden Retriever at her feet and a few caterpillars spinning their cocoons in their terrariums on her counters. R.T. loves her family, gardening, eagle-watching and can occasionally be found viewing a flyover of migrating whooping cranes.
Excerpt or Excerpt Link As she meandered up the path to their house, she
felt queasy, like she’d done this before. Nervously, she glanced over her
shoulder through her mass of wavy brown hair as she kept moving toward the
front door. Two people were walking along the street. She stopped and wondered
what reason anyone would have to take a walk at this time of night in such an
early bird neighborhood. It was then she heard the shrill of the smoke
detectors. Chest tightening, she bolted for the door. “Mom! Dad!” she screamed and tumbled inside, spotting
them almost immediately as they ran down the long upstairs hallway. Not again. Please not again,she begged, as she fought her frozen legs to make them move up the
stairs. The smoke detectors shrieked in her ears. Or was that the shrieking
coming from her lungs? Her parents yelled her name as they reached for the
bedroom door. She couldn’t stop gasping for air long enough to tell them to
stop. She wasn’t in there. Didn’t they know? They needed
to get out of the house. Couldn’t they smell the smoke? Just like each time, her viewpoint from the middle
of the stairs showed her the yellowish air sucking under the door to her
bedroom. Although trying to use the railing to give her momentum, every part of
her felt like it was in molasses. She cocked her head to the side, drawing her
eyebrows together. Her gaze locked on the eerie breeze. Almost simultaneously, her mother rotated the knob
as her eyes turned and met hers. For that fraction of a second, her mother
understood the fear on Brie’s face, but it was too late. It was always too
late. As she opened the door, Brie had just enough time to witness her parents
engulfed in flames before the explosion blew her back and everything went dark. * * * * Brie, wake up. Wake up, Brie. You’re dreaming.
This All Day Workshop includes coffee and pastries in the morning. Lunch will be on your own!
Morning workshop: The Book that Writes Itself
Editors demand good stories, and the heart of a good story is conflict. This workshop will explain how a strong central conflict will immediately improve characterization, plot, and pacing, and will drive the story so powerfully that it all but writes itself. The discussion will be followed by a hands-on session, during which workshop participants will analyze their works in progress (or next projects) to identify and strengthen the core conflicts and develop secondary and supportive conflicts. They will then use that analysis and brainstorming, along with Madeline’s guidance and template, to create rough drafts of conflict-driven synopses.
Afternoon workshop: An Industry Primer
Walk with Madeline through a virtual publishing house, and learn how the power flows, who does what, and which players can influence your career and how. Along the way she will describe the editorial pecking order, the roll of acquisition meetings, concepts such as publisher support, the distribution system, and the role your editor plays in all of this, from “the call” to the profit and loss report. The discussion will provide writers with knowledge that empowers them to make good decisions and become active partners in building their careers, and also enables them to position themselves and choose story ideas that will be the ones publishers want to bring on board. The potential benefits (and potential pitfalls) of self-publishing will also be discussed, along with an outline of what is involved in self-publishing.
Book Signing
Immediately following the workshop, there will be a book-signing featuring many of our local romance authors, free and open to the public. This will begin at 5:00 p.m. Authors planning to sign their books include:
A piper watches the competition at the 2012 NH Highland Games & Festival
I logged nearly 2000 miles in the car, recenty. My family and I drove to New England to volunteer at the annual New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival. Despite an awful bed and uncomfortable asphalt (those did a job on my feet and hips), we had a great time. Here are just a few of the sights:
The Gunn Clan in the Parade of Tartans
Lots of great Scottish food was available at the games!
