Interview: Sinners' On Tour, Backstage Pass

It’s my pleasure to have as my guest, Olivia Cunning, erotic romance author. Olivia has brought along lead guitarist of Sinners, the delectable, Brian Sinclair. Ladies he’s lookin’ hawt! (I’d still love to donate my body, in the name of ecology, of course, for him to use. Sigh, but one must be professional when conducting interviews.)


Brian, welcome to Over Coffee. It wonderful to have you and Olivia here and I’ve been so looking forward to this interview.

Since you're short on time, we'll get right to it.


Tell me a bit about Sinners. How did you guys come together?

Hard to believe, but Sinners has been together for ten years now. Well, most of us have. Jace Seymour took over for our previous bassist just two years ago. I’ve known Trey Mills, our rhythm guitarist, since before he grew pubes. Met Eric Sticks at a party in high school. Trey and I were playing a gig with our band, Crysys, and Eric thought we sucked. Actually, Eric and Trey got in a fistfight over it, which somehow ended with Eric joining the band. He was trying to decrease our suck. Did a pretty good job with that actually. Crysys did suck until Eric joined us.

The three of us played together for a couple years, then Sed Lionheart decided he wanted to be our lead singer, took over, and rearranged things. He’s the one who renamed the group Sinners.

So even though he wasn’t an original member, Sed just took over?

Yeah, Sed is like that. He told Eric that he was hurting the band by being lead singer and that he should play drums instead. Eric sings pretty good actually, but he doesn’t have much star quality. Sed’s got both the pipes and the stage presence. He’s a great front man. And Eric wails on the drums. So win/win for Sinners. Right?

I suppose so. As long as there were no hard feelings.

Now I didn’t say that.

Your father was also a famous lead guitarist in his day. Was he the one who encouraged you to pick up the guitar?

Not really. When I was a kid, he’d go out on tour and I’d sneak into his studio to play his guitars. I don’t know how he knew I was messing with them, but man, that made him mad. No one touches Malcolm O’Neil’s guitars. Eventually, Mom bought me my own guitar, so I’d stop upsetting Dad. And despite all my success in Sinners, I’m still not good enough to impress the old man.

Can we talk about something else?

Sure. Whose music influenced you, Master Sinclair, to become the iconic guitarist you are today?

I do have a few influences, but I tried to find my own sound early on. You can’t be a great musician if you copy others your whole career. I think Hendrix was my biggest influence. I started trying to copy his sound when I was eight. I also learned from fast-fingered soloists like Randy Rhodes and Eddie Van Halen, as well as, masters of the metal riff, like Metallica and Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell Abbot. You’ll hear bits of all of them in me. I guess my dad influenced me, too. People say I sound like him. I don’t hear it.

Hey, did you know Olivia Cunning dedicated her novel, Backstage Pass, to Dimebag?

Yes, I saw that. He was an awesome guitarist.

I suggested it to her. His loss was a terrible tragedy. Playing Cowboys from Hell helped me build up my speed. Great workout for the fingers. Sick song! Uh, sick meaning good.

I really like the song too, Brian. I think I’ll let anyone who wants hear it give it a play.




If you had to pick a band on today’s scene you respect for their songwriting or music ability, who would it be and why?

There are lots of great bands out there right now. I don’t think I can pick just one. I do respect bands who aren’t afraid to vary their song structures and sound. Variety is good as long as you don’t go overboard.

We’re going to try to add even more variety to Sinners’ next album. So says Eric Sticks.

As a popular band, what are some of the good things that have come your way? What are some of the not so great things?

Fans are great. Performing live is great. Getting paid to do what I love is amazing. Living on a tour bus with four other slobs sucks. Just kidding, the guys are great. Just don’t feed them chili. I beg you.

I read on your website that you had some problems this past year with losing your creative spark or your muse. That must have been hard. Was it burn out?

Sed has a big frickin’ mouth. I don’t know why he posted that on our website. I’m not sure what the problem was. We’ve been on the road for a long time, but that usually inspires me. Maybe it was the pressure. Everyone always being on my case to write something. I think I just needed to relax and let the music come. Not force it, you know? I’m over it now. I’ve written a lot of new stuff recently. Great stuff.

So how did you finally find a way to relax and let it come? Come? Ummm....
Why, Brian Sinclair, are you blushing?

Psssh, no.

If you say so, lol! So what exactly inspired your creative spark? You can tell us.

Might as well. It’s all being published in the novel, Backstage Pass, anyway. There’s this woman. This amazing, sexy, wonderful, brilliant, beautiful, intelligent woman. When we, uhhh... how do I put this, get it on, I hear music in my head. It’s as if we were destined to be together. I think I’m being rewarded for finding her. Now I just have to figure out how to keep her.

Speaking of getting it on, how does it feel to have your sex life made public in a novel?

Hey, it's not so bad. Olivia Cunning makes me look like a total stud in the book. Well, except that part on page 253. I was just too excited before I started, you know, and Myrna had me all worked up and I just got off stage and...

Brian, you're looking a little flushed again, would you like some ice water?

Actually, I'd appreciate it if everyone would just skip that part.

Myrna? She the one who revived your muse, right? Is she traveling with the band?

Yeah, Myrna’s doing this research project on our groupies. Trying to figure out why they keep ripping off Sed’s shirt or something. She’s a human sexuality professor. I think she got her degree in how to make me a very happy man.

How do the other band members get along with her?

Oh, they love her. She busts their balls on a regular basis and they get off on it. Not many chicks feel comfortable bossing around a bunch of famous rock stars, you know. Myrna tells it like it is, so they respect her. Even Sed, who has no respect for women.

Being the significant other of one of the hottest band members can’t be easy. How does she deal with all the women who come on to you?

Women come on to me? [laughing]

Actually, though Myrna is still researching everyone else’s groupies, she stopped interviewing mine. I think she might be jealous. She has absolutely nothing to worry about. I’m a one-woman kind of man.

Unlike Sinners’ lead vocalist, Sed Lionheart. Or so I’ve heard.

Never fails. No matter who interviews me, they bring up Sed’s rep.

That’s because he tends to boldly flaunt it, Brian.

Seriously, you’ve got cut the guy some slack. After his fiancée, Jessica, dumped him two years ago, he became a real a-hole. I say good riddance to that gold-digger, even though it meant I had to deal with a bunch of b.s. from Sed while he got over her. Actually, I still don’t think he’s over her. Not sure what’s so great about her. You’d think he’d hate her after what she did to him.

Crap, I gotta go. I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve got to get on the tour bus now and head out for our next show. I’ll try to stop by your blog later and answer any questions.

Brian, it’s been a pleasure talking with you. I really appreciate you and Olivia taking time out of your busy schedule for the interview.

Sia. You’re a real sweetheart for having me. Olivia said she’ll stop by sometime, too. And maybe the rest of Sinners. You never know.

Oh, that would be fun.

~*~*~*~ 

For him, life is all music and no play...

When Brian Sinclair, lead songwriter and guitarist of the hottest metal band on the scene, loses his creative spark, it will take nights of downright sinful passion to release his pent-up genius...

She's the one to call the tune...When sexy psychologist Myrna Evans goes on tour with the Sinners, every boy in the band tries to seduce her. But Brian is the only one she wants to get her hands on...

Then the two lovers' wildly shocking behavior sparks the whole band to new heights of glory...and sin... EXCERPT: Adult or PG-13 Read my review

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million

COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF TWO COPIES OF BACKTAGE PASS!

Combining her love for romantic fiction and rock ‘n roll, Olivia Cunning writes erotic romance centered around rock musicians.
 
You can find Olivia:
 
Website, Blog, Facebook Fan page

The Rewarding But Sometimes Lonely Life Of a Writer

My guest is romantic suspense author Cherish D’Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif).

She was quite the encouragement to me when I began this blog, almost two years ago, and relatively unknown. Cheryl encouraged me to be bold in using my promotion/PR background with launching this blog and was a guest during the first month I was live.

Cheryl also spurred me on to be persistent in my writing. If it’s your passion, keep writing and the magic will come together. A writer writes.

I’m fortunate to have many friends who are authors and have encouraged me to keep writing despite rejections and all have their tales of their own.


Cherish touches upon the need of having a support system as a writer because, “[the] world of creating, writing, promoting and keeping up with all the industry changes isn't something easily shared with family or friends.” But I’ll let Cherish tell you a bit more about that.


Thank you, Sia, for hosting me during my Cherish the Romance Virtual Book Tour.

riting and the pursuit of publication, for the most part, is a singular venture fraught with ups and downs that only other writers truly understand, and it's because of this lonely world we write in that we must strive to make time for ourselves, our families and our friends. Sometimes that's easier said than done.

I've often found myself in my office for hours without speaking to another human being. While I'm there, I'm quite happy. I'm creating. Imagining. Fantasizing. I'm anywhere other than standing in my kitchen doing dishes or vacuuming the living room. In this respect, it's not a difficult choice to stay in my office and write. Dishes and vacuuming don't exist there. I don't think any of my characters have ever picked up a cloth and dusted.

But I'll admit something. I am sometimes lonely. It's not just the aloneness of my work that gets to me; it's the aloneness that comes with others not quite understanding what I'm doing or attempting to do. It's easy for a friend or spouse to say, "Find another publisher." Or "Find another agent." Or "Maybe you should quit, do something else." What they don't get is that it's NOT that easy. As for doing something else, there's nothing I'd rather do than write, no matter what challenges I may face.

What others may not understand is it's not as easy as "quitting". A writer's brain rarely shuts off; we're constantly creating stories, some of us more than others. I get novel ideas anywhere―while shopping, going to the bank, standing in line at the post office, driving down the road, while I'm sleeping, eating, breathing...

I write full time and I know I'm blessed to be able to do that. Many writers juggle full time or part time jobs―and young children. I don't have either. My daughter, though still at home, is twenty. Even she has a hard time appreciating that I work full time, regardless if I'm multi-tasking with the TV on, which I sometimes do if I'm working on promotional stuff. She doesn't understand my schedule or my goals or that they change daily. She has no idea what I go through every day in my endeavor to become successful or that what I do now could pay off for her in the future. My writing is her inheritance and this is one of the reasons I work so hard.

My career isn't always about being holed up in a room working on killing someone off in the next thriller. Besides working on a novel, there is article writing, research, book promotion, interviews, ISBN registering, keeping up with industry news, website updating, blog updating, guest blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting, etc. There are times when I'm busy organizing events such as physical book signings or virtual events. I work about 10 hours a day, 6-7 days a week. By choice.

Because I'm considered to be an expert in book marketing, I coach other writers. I'm often asked how I do it all. Belief, persistence, organization and the openness to learn is key to promoting anything. My former job background was a mix of advertising, sales, marketing, business management and public speaking. I wasn't completely fulfilled, but these jobs prepared me for what I'd do later―find my passion. In writing.

I've always loved writing. I'd tried for years in my late teens and early twenties to learn everything I could about writing and publishing, and many a query went out to publishers, only to return months later with a neatly typed, generic form rejection letter. I have enough of those to wallpaper my office. Maybe twice.

Once I was published, I never looked back. I can't imagine doing anything else, regardless of the long hours and hard work. Emails from fans tell me I'm on the right track. The fact that schools have brought in my novel Whale Song as novel study material tells me I accomplished something even bigger than I'd set out to do. Hitting Amazon bestsellers' lists tells me my work sells. Having film producers and directors contact me because they're interested in turning my works into films means I am closer to the "big picture". I have big dreams!

But every now and then, a bit of loneliness creeps in. My world of creating, writing, promoting and keeping up with all the industry changes isn't something easily shared with family or friends, even though I really do have a wonderful support system. It would be the same if one of my friends tried sharing information on her job studying bio-engineering or anything completely over my head. There are times when the only people I see for days are my husband, daughter and her boyfriend.

However, aloneness doesn't have to be lonely. As a writer, it's important to not only feed the body and mind, but also the spirit. For me, this means seeking out a friend and getting out of the house every now and then. Sometimes we'll meet for coffee or lunch. Sometimes I'll go shopping with a friend or by myself. Sometimes I’ll head to the spa...and wish I could stay all day.

I've learned to treat myself, reward myself. After all, I'm a self-employed writer. There's no boss to pat me on the head and tell me I did good (expect maybe a publisher or my awesome agent). No one gives me a Christmas bonus. There's no company Christmas party. No pension plan. No yearly raise. The hours I work are long and sometimes grueling.

But in the end, I wouldn't change a thing. I'm a writer. And I love it!

• Writers, commit to taking time out for yourself even if only for one hour a week. Do something fun! What do you think you'll do this week?

• Non-writers: how did you perceive a writer's life to be?

Leave a comment here, with email address, to be entered into the prize draws. You're guaranteed to receive at least 1 free ebook just for doing so. Plus you'll be entered to win a Kobo ereader. Winners will be announced after October 10th.

Lancelot's Lady Blurb:

A Bahamas holiday from dying billionaire JT Lance, a man with a dark secret, leads palliative nurse Rhianna McLeod to Jonathan, a man with his own troubled past, and Rhianna finds herself drawn to the handsome recluse, while unbeknownst to her, someone with a horrific plan is hunting her down.


When palliative care nurse Rhianna McLeod is given a gift of a dream holiday to the Bahamas from her dying patient, billionaire JT Lance, Rhianna has no idea that her 'holiday' will include being stranded on a private island with Jonathan, an irritating but irresistibly handsome recluse. Or that she'll fall head over heels for the man.


Jonathan isn't happy to discover a drop-dead gorgeous redhead has invaded his island. But his anger soon turns to attraction. After one failed marriage, he has guarded his heart, but Rhianna's sudden appearance makes him yearn to throw caution to the wind.


To live fully in the present, Rhianna must resolve her own murky past, unravel the secret that haunts JT, foil the plans of a sleazy, blackmailing private investigator and help Jonathan find his muse. Only then can Rhianna find the love she's been searching for, and finally become...Lancelot's Lady.
Excerpt  Book Trailer

 Buy: Amazon, KoboBooks, Smashwords

~ * ~ * ~

When romance author Cherish D'Angelo is not busy relaxing in her hot tub, sipping champagne, eating chocolate-covered strawberries or plotting romantic suspense with scintillating sensuality, she is ruthlessly killing people off in her thrillers as bestselling Canadian suspense author, Cheryl Kaye Tardif.

Cherish's debut romance, Lancelot's Lady placed in the semi-finals of Dorchester Publishing's "Next Best Celler" contest and went on to win an Editor's Choice Award from Textnovel. Currently living in Edmonton, Alberta, she enjoys long walks on the beach, except there aren't any around so she has to make do with trips around the hot tub or a vacation to a tropical paradise. And margaritas.

You can learn more about Lancelot's Lady and Cherish D'Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif) at http://www.cherishdangelo.com/ and http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com/. Follow Cherish from September 27 to October 10 on her Cherish the Romance Virtual Book Tour and win prizes.

Review: BACKSTAGE PASS First In A Hot New Series

Five stunning guys, one hot woman, and a feverish romance...

Backstage Pass
By: Olivia Cunning
Product ISBN: 9781402244421Publication Date: October 2010
Available formats: Trade Paperback, Adobe ebook, ePub.

Backstage Pass Blurb:

For him, life is all music and no play...
When Brian Sinclair, lead songwriter and guitarist of the hottest metal band on the scene, loses his creative spark, it will take nights of downright sinful passion to release his pent-up genius...

She's the one to call the tune...
When sexy psychologist Myrna Evans goes on tour with the Sinners, every boy in the band tries to seduce her. But Brian is the only one she wants to get her hands on...


Then the two lovers' wildly shocking behavior sparks the whole band to new heights of glory...and sin... EXCERPT: Adult or PG-13

~ * ~ * ~

Dr. Myrna Evans, a Human Sexuality professor, had been talked into presenting her work by her boss to a “group of professors in her field [who] wouldn’t know an innovative idea if it stood on its head and sang The Star Spangled Banner.” As one of her colleagues told her, “Who would ever think to use guitar riffs in discussions of human psychology?” Pompous Ass.


Myrna decides rather than hide out in her hotel room she’d seek a diversion, which happens to literally fall at her feet in the guise of Brian Sinclair, Sinners’ sensual lead guitarist.


“Hello, Mr. Welcome Diversion.”


I loved this story for several reasons.

One:  Olivia Cunning is superb at creating sexual chemistry between Brian and Myrna. The sex is hot, creative, and frequent. It’s also well written but doesn’t have the feel of gratuitous filler.

Two:  Backstage Pass has a very strong, well-put together story of the romance between the two main characters. Well-paced and realistic with clearly defined character conflict; Myrna is looking for hot, no-strings-attached sex and Brian Sinclair is looking for something more permanent than a one-night stand. Ms. Cunning also uses a liberal amount of humor in telling the story and I found myself chuckling and laughing as I read.

Ms. Cunning flawlessly weaves into the story the members of the band so each is a distinct personality and very real. She shows the close-knit relationship between this group of wild and rowdy men but she doesn’t gloss over the natural conflicts, which come from close quarter living months on end. The guys are raucous, can be a bit raunchy, but they’re also a lot of fun and by the end of the book you fall in love with them all.

Three:  Ms. Cunning’s love and knowledge of rock bands and their music give an authentic feel to the story. It makes you feel like you are in the presence of a real rock band—the grueling tours, the groupies and sex, and the partying. You see it all, but you also see the hot men behind the rock personas, including their vulnerabilities as well as their strengths.

This is not your average erotica romance; it’s oh SO much better. This series is going to be a big hit with readers who like strong stories, hot sex, and a wild ride to their happily ever after!

My rating: 5 stars

Friday, October 1st, you'll have a chance to talk further with Olivia and learn much more about Brian "Master" Sinclair.

Combining her love for romantic fiction and rock ‘n roll, Olivia Cunning writes erotic romance centered around rock musicians.

Raised on hard rock music from the cradle, she attended her first Styx concert at age six and fell instantly in love with live music. She's been known to travel over a thousand miles just to see a favorite band in concert. As a teen, she discovered her second love, romantic fiction -- first, voraciously reading steamy romance novels and then penning her own.

Upcoming authors: Wednesday, Cherish D'Angelo Lancelot’s Lady

Friday, Olivia Cunning, Backstage Pass, Monday, 10/4, Christina Phillips, Forbidden

  

The Bane Of A Writer's Existence: Interruptions

Today, we step back into a gentler time period. One peopled with beloved characters, The Ton, balls, Almacks, sharing the latest on-dits, diamonds of the first water, and all those dangerously sexy rakes.

Haven’t you thought of stepping into a world where fortunes won or lost on a card, dress in the lovely gowns of the time, go riding in a phaeton, walk through the shops of Bond Street, or go to huge house parties or attend balls during the London season?

 My guest, Abigail Reynolds, creates that sort of world set in the Regency period of England, that authors like Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen made so popular.


Abigail says writing about that world, and when you’re in the zone, everything fades away but the world being created. Unless something wrenches you abruptly two hundred years forward…but we’ll let Abigail tell you about it.



Writing is the ultimate escape from me. When I’m writing – as opposed to trying to write, which is a horse of a different color – the whole world fades away. Dishes don’t need to be done, the house doesn’t need to be cleaned, and I don’t have to worry about the latest front-page news, because none of it exists. It’s a haven, a safe harbor from the shoals of life, full of the sunshine of creativity and abundant possibilities in every blank page.

But it’s a very temporary haven, which brings me to the bane of my writing existence: interruptions. A few hours ago I was deep in the throes of powerful fight scene, almost in tears myself along with the heroine, and my son came down, distraught because he had lost one of his games in the war zone we refer to as his room. Now, before you tell me I should set some limits and tell him to look for it himself, let me mention that my son has autism and that for him, this truly was a disaster of cosmic importance. And, since I have a vested interest in him being able to complete his homework without a meltdown, I helped him find his game and came racing back to the computer.

The inspiration wasn’t there. I couldn’t feel my heroine’s sense of betrayal or get inside the head of the hero who is desperately trying to explain himself. But because I really wanted to write, I sat down and wrote. Bland, boring, excruciatingly dull sentences free of any spark of life. They even bored me. And I know from experience that it’s likely to be a couple of days before the characters come alive for me again.

That’s what happens when I get ripped out of the story. Little interruptions are annoying but tolerable – letting the dog out, getting a drink of water, closing the windows to keep out the rain. My characters will usually keep talking in my head through something minor that doesn’t require much thought. But when I have to do something that requires planning and interaction with real life people, they vanish without a trace. To make matters worse, it’s almost painful to be torn out of story when I’m deep inside it. I usually surface with an intense desire to murder the source of the interruption, and while I manage to put that aside, my family will happily tell you – at length – that I am very testy indeed under those circumstances.

That’s why I have my office, which isn’t actually an office. It’s a comfortable coffee shop nearby where nobody interrupts me, plus they provide great tea and dainties on request, something that never seems to happen at home! But that’s not all, because I’m not the only one who uses my office to write. There are a half dozen familiar faces that I’m likely to spot there, hunched over their laptops and typing away with that distant look in their eyes. I don’t actually know most of them beyond a first name and that they’re a writer, too, but I do know one thing about them. When I walk in this evening, I can go up to any one of them and say, “I am going to kill my son,” and they’ll look up and nod sympathetically, perhaps even making the suggestion of using a very sharp knife. We’ve all been there, and that makes us comrades at arms.

Then we smile at each other, and the coffee shop reverts to its other plane of existence as Pemberley, a London alleyway, the sewers of Paris (not for my books!) , and a multitude of other places. All of them with good coffee.

• How do you handle interruptions? 

Mr Darcy's Obsession Blurb:

What if Mr. Darcy never had the opportunity to propose to Elizabeth Bennet at Hunsford, and did not meet her again until her circumstances were reduced? In Mr. Darcy's Obsession, Mr. Darcy has an even greater social distance to bridge if he wishes to marry Elizabeth. Add in some Fitzwilliam relations with links to the Prince Regent and the loose morals typical of Regency high society who feel that Elizabeth is the material of which mistresses, not wives, are made, and Mr. Darcy has to make a painful choice between the demands of a decadent society and his personal moral sense. The background of this novel is the morally bankrupt ton which Jane Austen knew well, but did not describe in detail in her novels, perhaps because it was a given to her and her contemporaneous readers. Against this backdrop, the characters of Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennet shine brightly as they seek to find an alternative to the bounds of decorum that constrain Darcy's usual marital prospects.  Excerpt

The more he tries to stay away from her, the more his obsession grows... "[Reynolds] has creatively blended a classic love story with a saucy romance novel." -Austenprose

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Chapters Indigo 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Abigail Reynolds is a lifelong Jane Austen enthusiast and a physician.  In addition to writing, she has a part-time private practice and enjoys spending time with her family.  Originally from upstate New York, she studied Russian, theater, and marine biology before deciding to attend medical school.   She began writing From Lambton to Longbourn in 2001 to spend more time with her favorite characters from Pride & Prejudice.  Encouragement from fellow Austen fans convinced her to continue asking ‘What if…?’, which led to five other Pemberley Variations and her modern novel, The Man Who Loved Pride & Prejudice.  She is currently at work on another Pemberley Variation and sequels to The Man Who Loved Pride & Prejudice.  Her newest release is Mr. Darcy’s Obsession, available October 1, 2010.  She is a lifetime member of JASNA and lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two teenaged children, and a menagerie of pets.
 
You can find Abigail:  Abigail Reynolds Website
 
Facebook, Abigail's Writing Desk Blog, Austen Author's Blog,

My Writing Journey And Lessons Learned

My guest is debut suspense author, Stephen Tremp.

I always enjoy learning about different authors’ journey to publication. We all learn lessons along the way of any career choice. When we apply them, it increases our chances at being successful. No matter what career we’ve chosen, it always involves the ambition succeed, a willingness to work hard, and self-discipline to stay on the course we’ve chosen and make the necessary changes for success. The journey is rarely an easy road to travel but it is worth the time and effort involved.

I didn't always want to be a writer.

From my childhood through teen years I wanted to be an artist. I could draw and paint just about anything; still shots of an old barn back dropped against a harvested field or actions scenes of heroes and villains locked in mortal combat. A lady friend wanted to write children’s stories and mentioned I would be an excellent illustrator. It was only after reading her drafts a transformation began inside of me. I decided what I really wanted to do was write. My journey began. Poems, short stories, and finally a novel that soon turned into the Breakthrough trilogy.

As I began writing every day, I hit the proverbial Writers Block. "Writers Block is when the voices in your head stop talking to you". I found two techniques helpful to overcome this obstacle.

First, I run “What if …” scenarios though my mind. These two words have inspired writers and poets to pen masterpieces that are now considered literary classics. I have taken this same premise and developed a trilogy. What if there has been a breakthrough in some of these scientific theoretical theories (what physicists believe may be true but cannot be verified in the lab). What if the discovery has been stolen and used to kill innocent people. What if a hero needs to rise up and put an end to technology gone too far before he is killed?

Also, here's a little exercise I do too. I ask myself a question, "What would I be if I could be anything other than a writer?" I would be a tour guide at a reknown museum like the New York Metropolitan, the Louvre Museum in Paris, or the British Museum. I would love to talk to people all day about art, history, and culture.

Okay, now what can I do with this?

There have been great books and movies with a museum as a setting. Dan Brown's Angels and Demons begins and ends in a museum. The Thomas Crown affair with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo was a very good movie about a rich and successful playboy who amuses himself by stealing artwork. Loved Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller.

So now the gerbil in my head is once again running inside the wheel and I'm thinking again. I can sit down and begin writing something, even if its just a chapter.

As with all authors, I've had my disasters and thrills.  One of my thrills was last year at Mission Viejo Reader’s Festival (Mission Viejo, CA), I had the pleasure of meeting readers, signing my books and I met some very interesting people. Later in the day, Dean Koontz was to speak. I was there, not just to hear him speak, but to meet him afterwards, have him sign a book, give him a copy of Breakthrough, and take a picture with him. I was four for four, hitting for the cycle. This is definitely one of the high lights of my young writing career.

I don’t know if he will keep my book, let alone read it. I would imagine he receives manuscripts and books every day in the mail from his fans. But who knows, maybe after one of his 80-100 hour workweeks, spending time with his family, and taking care of business, he’ll find time to read and enjoy Breakthrough.

I've learn a lot in my writer's journey and one of the most important things is having the support of your family. I would like to thank my wife and family for supporting me during these past three years of researching, writing, and promoting BREAKTHROUGH. Often, all they see of me is the back of my head as I’m writing. But I always allow them to interrupt. I never tell them, “I’m busy.” I’ll take a few moments, answer a question, solve a problem, or ask them to let me find a breaking point, and then they can have my undivided attention.

• What have you learned in your writing journey? Or if you're not a writer, in your career's journey?

 

Sia, thank you for inviting me to be a guest blogger. And thanks to everyone stopping by. It’s been a pleasure meeting you all.

Breakthrough blurb:

A scientific breakthrough of such magnitude it could radically alter the future of humanity—for better or worse—is in the wrong hands~ * ~ * ~

The Information Age is moving at breakneck speed. Breakthroughs in areas of science that were once fodder for science fiction are now becoming part of our everyday life.


A group of graduate students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology has stolen a breakthrough in opening and stabilizing Einstein-Rosen Bridges, commonly known as wormholes., that allows them to instantly transport people from one location to another. Their goal is to assassinate any powerful politician and executive controlling the world’s banking system that would use this technology for their own greedy gain rather than the advancement of mankind.


In south Orange County, California, young Chase Manhattan, part of a new breed of modern-day discovery seekers, seeks to leave behind his life of danger and adventure and settle down as an associate professor of physics at University of California-Irvine. He also desires to build a lasting relationship with a beautiful woman he has not seen since high school.


His idyllic plan is postponed when he soon uncovers the diabolical scheme on the other side of the country. He realizes he is the one person who can prevent more murders from happening and either control or destroy the technology. Once the M.I.T. group understands Chase and his friends have the ability and motivation to not only take the technology from them, but also thwart more killings, Chase finds himself in their crosshairs, the top-of-the-list target on their assassination agenda.


As the death toll mounts, Chase and his friends must battle this group of misled zealots from M.I.T. on both coasts and in cyberspace in a thrilling, desperate race to determine the outcome of this monumental, once in a millenium discovery that will drastically change life as we know it—for better or worse. You can purchase Breakthrough as soft bound or e-book here

Stephen has a B.A. in information systems and an MBA degree in global management. He is currently completing his doctorate program in business administration.

Stephen spent over ten years in consumer finance for some of the largest companies in the industry, holding numerous management positions. After many years of writing short stories and poems, Stephen has taken the last two years to fulfill his lifelong passion: write and publish Breakthrough.

He has four more suspense thrillers to follow.



AN IMAGINATION FIRED BY MYTHICAL WORLDS



When I was a kid I loved stories set around myths. I don’t know how many books I’ve read in my lifetime on various pantheons of gods and goddesses. I loved the worlds set around them. Magic and lore. 

I've always loved Boris Vallejo's work.

My imagination was always fired by stories of mythical animals and things like the mythical world of fairies and elves of the Celtic lore. I collected pictures or checked books out of the library and drew or painted some of the pictures or pictures based on what I read from my imagination from these stories. Much of my artwork through my teen years involved women warriors with various magical creatures, some not from this world but from portals opening into alternate worlds. I made up a lot of stories about such worlds. To me finding and taming a magical creature always held a special appeal Hagrit (from Harry Potter) and I are kindred spirits. Probably because I had a close affinity to animals to begin with and just imagine one with magic or telepathy (which all my imagined creatures had). Lol!

Dragons have always held special place in my heart. I love them. I have a dragon mascot sitting on my computer in my office. I have posters too. I’m afraid I was highly incensed with the perception of dragons being something that brave knights killed. Uh, no. To me dragons were majestic and honorable. It wasn’t until I was well into adulthood that a friend, who was involved with astrology and in the process of learning all about the Chinese end of things, told me I was a dragon. Hmmm, okay, makes sense.

I was visiting my brother over the weekend and I talk about stories I think of or ideas—very normal for me because I always told the *little kids* stories as we grew up. They were my captive audience. They cheered ohh and aahhed and begged for more.

 My brother reminded me of a series of stories I made up and told to them about shifters like wolves and cougars, cats with magical powers, and my mighty dragon warriors. You know, I’d forgotten much of it until he reminded me of one his favorite stories. My other two brothers were there and reminded me of my stories of Merlin, King Arthur and the round table and the very unique knights. Women warriors also figured pretty prominently in these tales. It was fun listening to them recount various stories I told.

My son, who will be sixteen shortly, was all round eyed. He told them of the stories I’d tell him when he was three onward about Lobo the wolf. Lobo was the protector of Jake in all the stories and adventures. Of course, my son found all sorts of trouble and hairy situations to get into when he was little and I wished I had a Lobo to watch over him. Lobo was loosely based on my own half Husky/wolf, Micah. But unlike Micah, Lobo was telepathic. He then told them about this really cool story idea I had been talking about to him the past few months and this time he added elements to the story. Will I write it? I’m in the process of another one right now, but I do have this one and the world outlined, so yes, I probably will soon.

• Don't you love imagination? So what fires your imagination?



Luis Royo is another favorite of mine and of course it's a woman warrior.



Where Do You Find the Time?

Fitting Promotion into Your Writing Life

I’d like to welcome, Janice Hardy, to Over Coffee. She is the creator of a fascinating world of Geveg and a young adult fantasy series called The Healing Wars: Shifters (book one) and Blue Fire (book two being released October 5th).


Promotion is a hot topic these days among writers. How do you use time available and make it count and not waste time with ineffectual techniques? How in the world do you balance your life, your writing time (you still need time to create something to promote), and still find time to promote your work? Janice discusses what she’s learned about promotion, including mistakes she’s made.


Chances are, early on in your writing career you’ll think about promotion and cringe. You won’t know what to do, where to go, or how you’ll fit it into your already busy schedule. Googling “book promotion” doesn’t yield nearly the help you were hoping it would.


When I sold my first novel, The Shifter, I knew promoting my book was going to be important, but I didn’t realize it was practically a full-time job by itself. Trying to do it all was impossible, but with so many options available, how did I know which ones would work for me?


I made mistakes. Like not realizing it was considered polite (and encouraged) to comment on the blog of anyone nice enough to mention your book. And spending too much time promoting and not enough time writing. And not realizing that you need to coordinate events with your publisher’s marketing person so you don’t book an event that will cannibalize another.


I was more prepared for my second book, Blue Fire, but it was still a challenge to balance the writing with the promoting. The trick was finding things I could do on a daily (or mostly daily) basis, and making them part of my regular routine. That way, I was always promoting my books and keeping my name out there. I was also making the connections I’d need when I had to do a major promotional push, like a book launch.


When I started thinking about promoting myself, I knew I didn’t want to be one of those folks who’s always shouting “hey, I’ve got a book!” from the rooftops. That didn’t make me want to buy books, and constantly focusing on sales sounded exhausting. I sat down and thought about things that I had seen that did make me look up a book or an author. One thing I noticed, was that I often checked out books that I’d heard about online.


I’m one of those odd people who’s not the least bit shy when it comes to meeting folks, but painfully shy about speaking to large groups (though I am getting better at it now). Connecting to readers online was a great outlet for me, because I got to be social without that “standing in front of people” terror. It also turned promotion into something fun I would enjoy doing and keep up with. I decided to spend my limited time on two online avenues. Blogs and forums.


The Absolute Write forum allows me to be part of a fantastic writer community, and I can answer questions (and ask them when I need to) and help other writers on a schedule that works for me. I get to display my name and book covers, links to my blog and website, and even links to stores that sell my books. Full-time promotion, and I don’t have to do anything but participate in a group I was part of anyway. Checking the forums is a fun break in my day when I need to de-stress.


I love talking about writing, so a blog was a natural for me. With the scheduling features, I can spend one morning a week writing my posts (I post every weekday) and I just check the comments every day. Like the forums, I get to talk with other writers and even build my own writing community. I can talk about my books in a way that offers readers more than just a sales pitch, and use my experiences in writing, querying, and publishing as examples to help others improve their own writing. The blog is always there, so it’s constantly promoting me as well.


Of course, the day to day stuff is only half the job. You still have to keep your website updated (which I’m woefully behind at the moment), and prepare for any upcoming book releases. I’ve found that setting aside one day a week for the larger tasks lets me stay on target and still maintain my writing and work schedules. I can research festivals and conferences I might want to attend, stay in touch with bookstores and schools I’ve visited in the past (and hope to visit again), and find opportunities to reach out to the book community (like this one).


One of the things I enjoy most about being an author is connecting with other writers and readers. Building those relationships is a lot more fun than placing an ad in a newspaper—and a lot more effective. When it comes to promotion, combine it with things you enjoy, and it won’t feel like work at all.

• How do YOU fit promotion into your writing life?

Blue Fire Blurb:


Part fugitive, part hero, fifteen-year-old Nya is barely staying ahead of the Duke of Baseer’s trackers. Wanted for a crime she didn’t mean to commit, she risks capture to protect every Taker she can find, determined to prevent the Duke from using them in his fiendish experiments. But resolve isn’t enough to protect any of them, and Nya soon realizes that the only way to keep them all out of the Duke’s clutches is to flee Geveg. Unfortunately, the Duke’s best tracker has other ideas.


Nya finds herself trapped in the last place she ever wanted to be, forced to trust the last people she ever thought she could. More is at stake than just the people of Geveg, and the closer she gets to uncovering the Duke’s plan, the more she discovers how critical she is to his victory. To save Geveg, she just might have to save Baseer—if she doesn’t destroy it first.  Excerpt

BUY: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Target

~ **~**~

Janice Hardy is the author of THE SHIFTER, BOOK I of THE HEALING WARS. BOOK TWO: BLUE FIRE is due out October 5, 2010. She is currently hard at work on book three, thinking up terrible things to do to imaginary people. She lives in Georgia with her husband, three cats and one very nervous freshwater eel. She blogs about writing at The Other Side of the Story (http://storyflip.blogspot.com/). You can also visit her online at http://www.janicehardy.com/