#Author Kirsten Mortensen on Being Able to Think for Herself @Kirstenwriter #AmReading #Suspense

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

I’m a strong believer in facing your fears. In fact, I’ll go even further and say that facing our fears is one of the most important, and fulfilling, things we need to do during our lives. Fear can be an asset if we make friends with it, but if we habitually respond to fear by shrinking away from experiences, it can be enormously limiting. And what’s the point of being alive if you’re living inside a cage?

What scares you the most?

Reaching the end of my life and realizing that I’d failed to make the most of every opportunity that came my way. I’m not so worried about failing, but I’d consider my life wasted if I felt I hadn’t given my best effort to the things that mean them most to me: my writing and my connections with the people I love.

What makes you happiest?
Wringing the most out of any given moment, whatever it is I’m doing. It’s so important, in my opinion, to be fully present, whether you’re boiling water, making love, jumping out of an airplane, or holding the hand of a family member in a hospital. When I’m fully present, I’m happy in the deepest sense of the word.

What’s your greatest character strength?
My independence. I pride myself on being able to think for myself. And although I am part of a web of relationships—and rely very much on my family and loved ones for support in many ways—I am also comfortable with being on my own and taking care of myself and people dependent on me, if I need to. I believe this independence leads to personal happiness, for me, because if something in my life is bothering me, I automatically ask myself what I need to do to make changes for the better. I know that it’s up to me to fix my own problems, or if they can’t be fixed, find healthy ways to cope with them.

What’s your weakest character trait?
Lack of trust. It’s the “shadow side” of my independence. Sometimes it manifests in a hesitancy about trusting others, but most troubling, I suspect that I have a “go it alone” streak that cuts me off from support that would help me achieve the things I want to achieve in my life.

Why do you write?
This may come out as clichéd, but I write because I have to. There’s a part of my mind that is constantly assembling experiences—whether real or imagined—into words. I can’t imagine not giving that impulse room in my life to fulfill itself.

What motivates you to write?
There are three primary motivations. It starts with the pleasure I derive from writing—I simply enjoy it. Second is the desire to say certain things or explore certain scenarios. In my most recent novel, Dark Chemistry, for example, I wanted to explore some ideas I have about what love really is, and how people distinguish between physical attraction and “true love,” which is a spiritual and karmic bond. A third, and equally important motivation is my desire to share my creations with other people—and hopefully bring them pleasure in the process.

A woman's worst nightmare

Drugged by something...that makes her think she's fallen in love.

All Haley Dubose has ever known is beaches and malls, clubs and cocktail dresses.

But now her father is dead.

And if she wants to inherit her father's fortune, she has to leave sunny Southern California
for a backwater little town near Syracuse, New York. She has to run RMB, the multimillion dollar
chemical company her father founded. And she has to run it well.

Keep RMB on track, and she'll be rich. Grow it, and she'll be even richer. But mess it up, and her inheritance will shrink away before she gets a chance to spend a dime.

Donavon Todde is her true love. But is it too late?

He's RMB's head of sales – and the more Donavon sees of Haley, the more he's smitten.
Sure, she comes across at first as naïve and superficial. But Donavon knew Haley's father. He can see the man's better qualities stirring to life in her eyes. And Donavon senses something else: Haley's father left her a legacy more important than money. He left her the chance to discover her true self.

Donavon has demons of his own.
 
He's reeling from a heartbreak that's taking far too long to heal. But he's captivated by this blond Californian, and not only because of her beauty. It's chemistry. They're right for each other. But has Donavon waited too long to woo this woman of his dreams? Because to his horror, his beautiful Haley falls under another spell. Gerad's spell.

A web of evil.

Gerad Picket was second-in-command at RMB when Haley's father was alive. And with Haley on the scene, he's in charge of her training. But there are things about RMB that Gerad doesn't want Haley to know.

And he must control her. Any way he can.

Romantic suspense for your Kindle

Will Haley realize that her feelings are not her TRUE feelings?
Does Donavon have the strength left to fight for the woman he loves?
Will the two of them uncover Gerad's plot to use RMB pheromones to enslave the world?
And even if they do – can they stop it?

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Romantic suspense

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Kirsten Mortensen through Facebook & Twitter

Website http://kirstenmortensen.com/

@DMoncrief0131 Shares 10 Things That Make A Reader Cringe #Romantic #Suspense #WriteTip

Before I was a published writer and an acquisitions editor, I was a reader. I began reading romances when I was in high school. My friend Brenda and I traded books and read every Harlequin we could get hour hands on. I’m not going to tell you how long ago that was.

Over the years, I’ve collected some reading pet peeves. The editor in me can spot them in someone else’s work with ease. Unfortunately, I can get so close to my stories that sometimes I don’t see these flaws in my own writing…until a reader points them out to me, and then I want to bang my head against a wall because I know better.

So here they are…the top ten things that make me cringe as a reader and a writer.

10. When paragraphs are too long to fit on my eReader page – Even though I still LOVE the feel and smell of a real paperback in my hands, I’ve gone digital. When the paragraph fills the page without giving me a breather, I start skimming.

9. When the author goes on a tangent in the middle of an intense scene – When the story gets to the point where something important is about to happen, I don’t want the author to tell me the backstory or what the characters are wearing, set the scene, or discuss the weather.

8. When the author treats you like you’re stupid by over explaining – When an author tries to impress me how smart she is, I tune her out. If I think the writer is condescending to me as a reader, I’ll stop reading.

7. When the author dwells too much on an insignificant character – If the author tells me what the character looks like, what she thinks, where she came from, and what her cat’s name is, I expect that character to have an impact on the plot.

6. Missing scene transitions – It slows the story and lessens my enjoyment when I have to figure out how long it’s been since the last scene ended. I don’t want to struggle to understand what’s going on and when it’s happening. It makes a difference whether two hours, two days, or two years have passed.

5. Frequent typos and obvious grammatical errors – When errors are too frequent, I stop and try to refocus every time I come across an error. Too many stops and I’m going to close my eReader and watch something on Netflix.

4. Switching points of view too frequently – I can’t connect with the character when I’ve just gotten used to being inside her head and the point of view switches to another character. I can only handle being inside one person’s head at a time.

3. When characters obviously act out of character – Characters should change and grow over the course of a story, but even then, they should sound act and sound like the personality that’s been created for them. A forty-year-old man should not act or sound like a twenty-something woman unless it’s obvious he’s trying to be funny.

2. When the ending feels rushed – It leaves me unsatisfied when I’ve gotten used to the pace of a book and it ends too soon, as if the writer just wants to get the story over with. Maybe I want the plot to unravel at the pace I’ve gotten used to.

My number one pet peeve as a reader?

1. Unrealistic dialogue – I cringe when the writer tries to give me an information dump in dialogue. When one character tells another character what she is wearing or how someone is related to her, I nearly fall on the floor.

When I see these things in a book, it makes me want to turn on tracking changes and do some editing, but I found out I can’t edit a Kindle download. Too bad. Or…maybe that’s a good thing.

Sometimes the end is only the beginning.

Almost a year after her husband dies, Ellie Marston opens the file for Tab’s last manuscript, a thriller so compelling it reads like a true story. His manuscript needs an ending, so Ellie writes the obvious conclusion. The same morning she types The End, her career as an assistant district attorney falls apart. Accused of throwing the high profile Patterson case, she resigns in disgrace. The only friend she has left in the criminal justice system is Det. Paul Santiago, a man she has worked closely with on numerous cases. While she was married to Tab, she squashed her growing feelings for Paul, determined to make her deteriorating marriage work, but circumstances after Tab’s death bring Ellie and Paul together.

Ellie’s paranoia increases as she becomes convinced Patterson is harassing her, certain that someone is searching her belongings for any hidden evidence she might have that would reopen his case. It becomes clear there was a conspiracy to release Patterson. She seeks help from her former co-worker, Presley Sinclair, but soon discovers Presley is deeply involved in the subsequent cover up. Worse yet, Tab’s affair with Presley drew him into the twisted conspiracy as well.

Together Paul and Ellie attempt to uncover the conspiracy in the District Attorney’s office, the set up that forced her to resign. The key to the mystery is hidden in the pages of Tab’s manuscript. Once Paul and Ellie come to the correct conclusion—Tab’s manuscript is a true story and Ellie’s added ending is the only logical outcome—Ellie attempts to reveal Patterson’s hidden partner in the District Attorney’s office, but the co-conspirator she uncovers is not whom she suspects. Danger swirls around her as she steps further and further into the conspirator’s trap.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Romantic Suspense

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Denise Moncrief on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.denisemoncrief.com/

@CASzarek on Choosing the Right Writer's Conference #WriteTip #BookMarketing #Romance

So you want to attend a writers’ conference? First time? Even BETTER!

There are so many great ones out there. Before you make any decisions, make sure you do your research, talk to others that have gone; listen to what they might have to say.

Most conferences have their agenda listed with plenty of time to review it beforehand. Read over it carefully so you can plan your conference experience.

What do you want to accomplish? This is important to decide, because if you’re there just to socialize, you’re not maximizing the resources writers’ conferences offer. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with meeting other authors, but it probably wouldn’t be beneficial if this is your main attendance goal.

Authors attend conferences for many reasons, but here are a few main benefits that draw people.

*Pitching: This is a fantastic opportunity that is rather unique to writers’ conferences. Personal, face-to-face contact with editors and agents who want to give you a shot. Believe it or not, they attend conferences for some of the same reasons authors do, but the positive thing here is these particular editors and agents make time because they are actively seeking quality work.  No waiting on that pesky email.

Sometimes these are what we would consider big deal editors from the coveted New York Houses that you don’t get into without an agent. This is a major benefit of a conference. On the same token, agents are not always easy to gain. Speaking to one face to face, whether from a big agency or not is a great opportunity. You can make an impression so they remember you, even if your current project isn’t for them.

This alone can be a great reason to attend a conference. But make sure you research well. Some conferences charge extra for this perk, and some don’t.

If you’re a conference virgin, even the thought could have you shaking in your boots, but don’t. Editors and agents are people, too. They enjoy talking to you. Just think of it like this: You can practice your pitch all you want, but if it’s not natural, it can lose appeal even if your words are awesome. So speak to an editor or agent as if you’re telling your best friend about your book. No one knows the book better than you do.

Don’t let nerves make you miss out on this conference-unique opportunity.

*Workshops: Most conferences have a variety of sessions that cover everything from craft to marketing. What the conferences offer can also be a deciding factor in which conference you choose. No matter what stage you’re at in your career, whether you’re pre-published or have several books out there, you never stop learning as an author. The more you write, the better you get.

So, look at the agenda (most, if not all, will have it available beforehand) and see which would benefit you. Workshops can be a great reason to attend a conference. 

*Book Signings: A perk of many a conference is a book signing that’s open to the public. Hopefully this won’t be your only reason for attending a conference, but it can be a nice experience as well. You can get your name and your book(s) out to other authors as well as the general public.

If you are going to take part in a signing at a conference, ask questions. Will they have a sponsor? Will you have to be your own cashier for the books you sell? Will sales benefit a charity? (This is very common at conference book signings) and research what turnout they usually have, if the conference is annual so you can plan the number of books and swag you need to bring.

*Networking: Another awesome reason for attending a conference! Read the brochure/agenda to see what headliners will be at the conference of your choice. Then, make it a point to speak to these people. Yes, you really can talk to famous authors! Just like editors and agents, they’re people, too! You never know what kind of friends you could make—for life.

Let your inner social butterfly can come out and shine! It pays to talk to people. Writing, like any other industry can depend on who you know. So make some contacts! Get business cards and keep them handy.

Other authors, editors, agents, you never know who can be around the corner, at a meal, even hanging out in the lobby at the conference. Make use of free time by being observant. Read name badges. Don’t be afraid to ask other authors what they write. And remember, when someone asks what you write—they really do want to know.

You could end up with a fantastic critique partner or some awesome new reads.

Other factors to consider in choosing which writer’s conferences to attend are:

*Genre Specific: Make sure you pick a conference that includes the genre in which you write. If your stories are mainly thriller or science fiction, then attending a romance based conference won’t be as helpful. There are plenty of conferences that are more specific to a particular genre that gears many of their workshops and key speakers to that genre. Pay close attention to those. But of course don’t completely disregard the broader conferences like the Writer’s Digest Conference (http://www.writersdigestconference.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=61986&), where many big editors and agents always attend looking for new talent to add to their lineup.

*Budget: How much can you spend in a given year on these conferences? Between registration fees, airfare, hotels, food, books, contests, and other miscellaneous items, the endeavor can get expensive. The best conferences are those that do not charge extra for pitch sessions, specific workshops or even parking. Make sure you choose one that has all of those included (unless you don’t plan to pitch your manuscript).  Another tip is to choose conferences that are geographically close, saving you the cost of airfare and/or hotel. Or if you have several friends all attending, split the costs by sharing a hotel room and make a road trip out of it. Most conferences also offer an ‘early-bird’ rate, so book early if you can. Some conferences also give out ‘scholarships’ to help ease the cost to a few individuals who present a financial or business need.

*Workshops: Make sure you review the list of workshops presented, and who is presenting them. The best conferences are packed with exceptional workshops on a variety of topics, on improving craft, managing your business, and industry trends. Workshops that will be relevant to where you are in your career. You shouldn’t have any ‘free’ blocks in your schedule. There should be so many interesting classes you just have to attend, how can you possibly choose between them. Research the presenters as well: are they experienced in what they’re presenting? Have they given it the presentation before and have others found it helpful?

*Attendings Agents/Editors/Authors: If you’re pitching a novel or just want to meet the experts in the industry, make sure the ones you’re really interested in plan on attending. Conferences will always list the names of presenting authors, agents and editors on their websites in advance, especially those that will accept pitches. They often include the kinds of things the experts are actively looking for. So research the editors and agents attending and see if they cover your topic/genre. If you’re spending this much money, make sure it’s worth your while. www.querytracker.net

Conference Etiquette

Dress appropriately. No one is asking you to wear an uncomfortable suit or dress or three-inch heels for an entire day of workshops, presentations and pitch sessions. But be professional. Don’t show up in ratty jeans, tank top and flip flops.

Don’t stalk agents/editors in the bathroom or just before they present. They are clearly focused on other things and they won’t give you their full attention. And it’ll annoy the hell out of them, and that’s not the kind of impression you want to leave.

Networking is a must, but monopolizing conversations with constant reminders of what you’re story is about is a turnoff. Give others a chance to talk, and LISTEN.

What to Bring

Business cards with your email address and contact info www.vistaprint.com

Notepad or Notebook and a good pen

Synopsis/Query Letter http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2010/08/how-to-write-query-letter.html

A prepped 1-line ‘elevator pitch’ of your story. http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2010/05/how-to-write-one-sentence-pitch.html

A small messenger bag to carry the ‘goodies’ you’ll get

Cash- for buying books, the cash bar, raffles, tips for housekeeping

Light Jacket/Sweater- you never know how powerful the air conditioner will be

Extra Luggage Bag- to cart home the extra books and stuff you’ll get (if you’re flying, and if you don’t leave extra space in your original bag)

Snacks- if you’re staying at the hotel overnight, do you really want to pay hotel prices for a bag of chips or granola bars?

What to Leave

Laptop (leave it in the hotel room)

A copy of your full manuscript. If agents ask for it, they all prefer email. (Why would you want to cart around that extra weight, anyway?)

Shy or Wallflower Tendencies- this will kill your experience at conferences, and the whole point is to network and meet people who will help advance your career and/or skills.

Crossing Forces series:

Small Town Texas doesn’t always mean small time crime.
Welcome to Antioch, population fifty thousand.
With a police department full of detectives and officers who are good at what they do, throw in the occasional FBI agent, and the bad guy doesn’t have a shot, no matter how big the crime.

They work together and fight together. Relationships will be forged and changed along the twists and turns.

When fate intervenes, love and happiness can be found in unlikely places.

Crossing Forces by C.A. Szarek

This is book two in the Crossing Forces series

Vowing to protect her had nothing to do with feelings.

Detective Pete Crane catches a new shooting case and considers it business-as-usual. But when the lead witness is the Chief of Police’s fiery assistant, he never anticipated she’d challenge him—personally and professionally. Especially while under his protection.

Little do they know, the shooting she and her grandmother witnessed was anything but random.

Thrown together, their attraction sizzles, even though she’s squarely in the no-fly zone. She makes him break every rule in his little black book.

Nikki Harper has been attracted to Pete since they met two years ago. Witnessing a brutal shooting throws her into a stigma that’s always been her greatest fear—a victim. She has no choice but to accept his protective custody and let him help save her and her beloved grandmother.

Can Pete protect his witness and solve the case, while fighting the intense heat with Nikki?

Buy Now @ Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Totally Bound | ARe | Sony | Kobo | Barnes&Noble

Genre – Romantic Suspense

Rating – R

More details about the author

Connect with C.A. Szarek on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://caszarekwriter.blogspot.com/