ALYSON REUBEN: Making The Transition From Aspiring To Published Author

My guest is historical author, Alyson Reuben. A several months ago, she virtually disappeared for a while. It freaked me out, so I wrote to her and asked if all was well? That’s when I learned she was in the process of getting published and deep into edits and such.

Now that she has a bit more free time, I asked her to be a guest on Over Coffee, even though her book wasn’t yet available. I will be featuring her book in September.

I love hearing how writers deal with the call and the transition from aspiring author to published author.  How she reacted when she learned her book was to be published ( I do believe I heard a very loud squeal).  How did she work through the excitement of getting a book ready for publication. 

What kept her going through rejections over the years? Had she ever thought of just giving up? 

 

Hello! I’m so excited to be Sia’s guest author today!  

Author. Wow, I can still hardly believe I’m using that noble label in reference to myself. There were times I thought my story would never move beyond my own computer screen.

The writing bug bit me back during my second grade year, when a children’s author visited my school. I loved to read—still do! So to meet a flesh and blood person behind such entertainments had me craning my neck, ears pricked to hear his every word. Unfortunately, the man’s name has long since escaped me, leaving behind only a vague impression of a Santa Claus-looking gentleman with a short white beard. But he also left behind another impression, greater than any Christmas present. One that has stuck with me all these years. And, because of that, I wish I could shake his hand. Heck, I wish I could throw my arms around his neck and kiss him! He helped me realize, even at such a young age, what I wanted to achieve in life. To write a book. To write lots of books. 

One thing he didn’t tell us author-hopefuls—or, at least, not that I can remember—was how long it takes to break into publishing. It might not take everyone as long, but it’s been a long haul for this ol’ girl - over twenty *ahem* years. I started writing A Beautiful Cage a few years ago, filed it away half-finished, then picked it up again, because the characters kept returning to mind, urging me, goading me, begging me to finish their story. WWII is a subject I’ve always found fascinating, not because I love war—just the opposite—but because of the many true tales of heroism and courage that have come from such a catastrophic event.

Gustav and Rebecca, my hero and heroine, are fictional products of this tragic and yet gutsy period in time. I’m sure they’re as relieved as I am to finally break into publication. Did they cry when receiving the news? I’m not sure, but I do know that my ever-supportive husband and daughter had to keep the Kleenexes coming for me. I sobbed for days, in between cheering and dancing. 

I’ve been asked what has kept me going through the years, especially after receiving several rejections. My first answer is love. Love keeps the desire to write strong and keen. The second (and, perhaps, most important) thing that keeps me going is pure perseverance. I’ve refused to give up in the past, and I refuse to give up in the future. My zeal hasn’t diminished with the arrival of publication. It continues, a living, vital part of me that pulses, pushing me to write even better. And for the times I need an extra push, my critique partner, Elle J. Rossi, is always ready with her encouragement.

•  A few things I've learned:  writing takes practice, patience, and persistence.  And a lot of all three. 

So, now I’m working on A Beautiful Cage’s sequel, A Beautiful Tempest. Am I running into rough spots? Naturally. Do the rough spots tempt me to throw up my hands in surrender? Sorry to say, at times, yes. Am I loving my characters? You bet!

Most of all, will I ever give up?

No way! 

• Are you an aspiring author? What keeps you going in the face of rejections?

~*~*~

Back in elementary and high school, Alyson was often in trouble for writing stories when she should’ve been studying for math tests.  Detentions and trips to the principal's office aside, she was determined to become an author someday, no matter the price.  A few years later Alyson began writing historical romance.

Now Alyson gets in trouble for writing stories when she should be cooking dinner for my her family.

You can find Alyson at her Website, Facebook, Blog: Reuben Sandwich

Coming in September 2011

Monday's Musings: How Often Do You Use Real Experiences In Your Stories?

I had a situation happen to me this past weekend and it was a totally new situation for me. Not particularly a welcomed one, but funny as hell. My mind immediately leaped to how to incorporate this into a story. Even had the characters in mind. Poof and they were there. Very weird. But I did write it down, just in case.

Now, I have to say, I’m an observer and some strange things capture my interest.  I’ve sat down to eat at the local diner and I have to say, some of the conversations, a turn of phrase, a name, the way something looks, how someone walks or dresses can send my mind into a storytelling mode.

Some things truly are stranger than fiction.

So, my question is: 

• Have you had something happen to you where your mind jumped to how to incorporate the situation, good or bad, into a story or even built the story around it?
• 
  
• Were your characters instantaneously there like magic?
• 
  
• Or did you just use the situation in a WIP?

Clichés–Are They Really That Bad?

Summer is the time for conferences and vacations. Time to use the longer days and time off for writing and editing.With so many writers doing serious editing right now or doing word count challenges and preparing for NaNo summer camp, I thought it would be good to offer a few craft articles.

Here's one from, Beth Hill, Fiction Editor.

Are clichés really that bad for your novels? The short answer is yes, they truly are. And a slew of clichés in a novel or short story is much worse than a single one that manages to get past your internal editor.

But because I’m not one for a short answer, I’ll expand and explain why clichés don’t add anything positive to your novel and why instead they detract from it.

Clichés are overused expressions that at one time might have been original. They can be used as shortcuts—she’s as cute as a button, I’ve painted myself into a corner, it’s as easy as pie—when we don’t want to make the effort of searching for a new description or finding that perfect verb. In speech, clichés are common; using them makes for quick communication.

But in novels, and even in shorter fiction, clichés serve to make the reading bland and stale. They are someone else’s words brought into a new plot. The cliché may not fit the character, the setting, the era, the social background of the story, or the genre.

Using clichés is like wearing someone else’s old and dirty clothes. They might have looked good at one time, but they don’t look good anymore. They don’t fit right and they don’t smell too good and they do nothing to improve your looks and bearing.

They. Don’t. Fit. Not as well as fresh words written for a particular story and specific characters would fit.

Instead of bland and lifeless, old and stale, you want to create phrases that are fresh and new and eye-catching and arresting. You want to draw readers deeper into your fiction by matching words and phrases to your characters and plot, phrases that no other story has. If you’ve used common phrases—phrases that fit any story—you know they don’t fit yours. Not the way new and exact phrases, crafted specifically for a particular story, would fit.

Puzzle pieces can’t be forced into a puzzle where they don’t belong, not if you want the puzzle to come out right. Words shouldn’t be forced into a story where they don’t fit.

Word choice is one of the strongest tools for making your story original. Unique. Why force inexact words into your writing? Why take the tired and common and mix them into your fresh passages? Why dump in bland when you’re trying to write something that stands out?

You could argue that a character speaks in clichés. And she might. There’s nothing wrong with giving quirks to a character. But all your characters won’t use clichés. And your omniscient narrator shouldn’t (unless you’re going after a certain effect).

Words carry a story’s flavor. Sprinkle yours with phrases that are sweet or spicy or bitter, not with old words that reek of rot and decay.

Don’t serve your readers tired words. They want vibrant phrases that mean something, not dull phrases that have lost their significance.

Go for bold and fresh rather than trite and sour. Use your words. Create new phrases, new similes and metaphors, that tighten your story threads. Use phrases to anchor your characters to your setting and plot.

Using clichés is like using someone else’s melody in your music or thinking someone else’s thoughts—their melody would be discordant inside yours; their thoughts wouldn’t help you get through your day.

Not only don’t clichés add to your writing, they can weaken it. Common phrases can turn off readers, they can keep you from weaving a tight story with no holes. Because they come to us so easily, we may write clichés without thought, without asking what those phrases add to the story and which direction they’re sending the plot.

Do clichés say exactly what you mean? Not often. And if you slave over your other words, why would you let less exacting words slip in to dilute your descriptions or dialogue or action?

*******

Practice creating fresh phrases. Take clichés and change them—as cold as ice, as black as sin, he’s got a couple of screws loose, her head’s always in the clouds. Be creative. See what happens when you put your slant or personality on such phrases.

Then look at your own writing. Take out the common and put in something new, something that your character would think as he looks at the sky or at his wife or at his enemy. What kinds of words would he use, a man of his background, especially in the circumstances in which he finds himself?

Use words and phrases that reveal character that reveal motivation or intention. Use words that reflect your story’s genre and reveal your story’s theme.

Root out clichés and tired phrases from your manuscripts and then create your own phrases. Produce melodies in your words. Give your works a fresh and vibrant flavor, a flavor your readers will appreciate and savor and want to experience again and again.

*******

For fun, a cliché-riddled blurb…

I had to reach the end of my rope before I could reach for the stars. I had to hope against hope that I’d soon see the light at the end of the tunnel. After all, what comes around goes around, and I’d spread it around pretty thick.

I wasn’t yet out of the woods or in the clear. But time was running out and I needed to wake up and smell the coffee. The mob wanted to see me six feet under, but I wasn't ready to buy the farm. Their enforcer had tried to eighty-six me, but he missed by a hair and now he’s eating crow. He’d come armed to the teeth, yet he’d bitten off more than he could chew with me. I had an ace in the hole—when Armand sent him after me, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back and I was madder than a wet hen and fit to be tied. Ordering a hit on me got my dander up, and I saw red, so I fought back like a man possessed.

Nah, I’m not just another pretty face; I’m built like a tank. That enforcer discovered actions speak louder than words. When I clobbered him, with both of us sweatin’ like pigs, you could hear a pin drop. I laid down the law and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him since.

So, life goes on. At least mine does. And while I’m reaching for those stars, my feet firmly tethered to the earth, I’m gonna roll with the punches, remember I’m in it for the long haul, and fly by the seat of my pants when I’m not dancing with the devil. I’ll be cool as a cucumber and as sweet as sugar unless someone gets my goat. And then I’ll turn over a new leaf.

Life’s too short to always be fighting against the tide; sometimes you gotta go with the flow. It’s not always win-win because you win some and you lose some, and besides, it’s not about winning, but how you play the game.

I've been laying it on thick, but this could be the start of something big, so I want to be ready for anything.

Better quit while I’m ahead. Besides, I've got other fish to fry.

"Oh, brain! Oh, brain! Why have you deserted me?"

Please welcome back to Over Coffee, one of my favorite romance authors, Cheryl Brooks.


I've love visiting Cheryl's version of the galaxy. And those Zetithian's are hot. But more than sexy heroes, what won my heart for this series was her delightful secondary characters. I look forward to each book to see which hero will be showcased but also what fun new characters will show up. 


Wait until you meet, Kots, Waroun, and Quinn. Oh and, Threldigan, is an intriguing character who whets your appetite for more about who and what he is. If you haven't yet read any of her Star Cat Chronicles, you are missing out on a fun sexy series filled with exotic place, sexy heroes, adventures, battles and love. 


The Virgin does well as a stand alone and a great place to start.  Just sayin'. :-D


Cheryl's discussion is one I can certainly relate to. Enjoy.

There was a time when my brain never forgot a single thing. It could recall facts, figures, and bits of trivia in an instant. It could interpret 99% of all situations correctly. What it didn’t already know, it could easily absorb. Problem solving was its specialty. Given enough time, it would come up with the perfect solution all by itself. People used to borrow my brain when theirs got tired. But now that I’m working full-time, writing for two publishers, and trying to get a book ready to self-publish on Amazon, my trusty noggin has deserted me.

Granted, this desertion began at the time of life when most women’s memories decide to retire, but since it’s about ten years prior to the accepted retirement age and I need it more than ever before, the timing couldn’t be worse. At present, I’m using every spare moment to write and the things I used to do in my spare time have slowly been preempted. My garden is neglected. My horse herd has dwindled from five down to two, and neither of them have worn a saddle in years. I could probably figure out just how many years it’s been if I gave my sluggish mind enough time, but that would be too depressing. I still ride, but it’s a half hour lesson at a local stable once a week instead of the day long riding/grooming marathons at my own barn. My horses don’t complain, but on those days that I spend an hour or so brushing and clipping and spraying for flies, their appreciation is quite clear. They miss me.

But these are the things that happen to anyone who begins a second career later in life without relinquishing the first. True, I could have quit my nursing job when my first book, Slave, was published, but let’s face it: Romance writers do not enjoy the same kind of income that nurses do. At least, not in the beginning. With all the money some of my fellow authors are making by self-publishing on Kindle and other e-book formats, I’m beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. But in order to jump on this bandwagon, I must work on three projects at once. I have thirteen unpublished manuscripts to play with, but now that my seventh book, Virgin, is about to be released, I find that I have grown as a writer. I can’t simply reformat those manuscripts, piece together some cover art, and throw them out there. They must be rewritten, polished, edited, and proofread. But for that, I need time and a clear head.

So, what else am I doing now that I never did before? I’m taking naps. I once read a humorous essay by a woman who wanted to know who that “old woman” was who had taken up residence in her house. The one who climbed stairs so slowly, the one who took naps in the afternoon, and whose bedtime coincided with that of her grandchildren. I’m here to tell you, that woman is me. Me, who used to walk briskly, could stay up all day and then work all night with no ill effects, and who seldom forgot anything. I could sure use her brain—and her body—right now. Wonder if she’d let me borrow them?

What about you? What changes have you seen in yourself as time goes by?

VIRGIN BY CHERYL BROOKS—IN STORES JUNE 2011 

 He’s never met anyone who made him purr…

Starship pilot Dax never encountered a woman he wanted badly enough. Until he met Ava Karon…

 And he’ll never give his body without giving his heart… 

Dax is happy to take Ava back to her home planet, until he finds out she’s returning to an old boyfriend…

 As their journey together turns into a quest neither expected, Ava would give herself to Dax in a heartbeat. Except he doesn’t know the first thing about seducing a woman…Excerpt: you read the first chapter on Amazon 

My review of The Virgin

Buy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble Borders, Books a Million, Indiebound

Cheryl Brooks is a critical care nurse by night and a romance writer by day. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America. She is the author of The Cat Star Chronicles series and lives with her husband, two sons, five cats, five horses and one dog in Indiana. For more information, please visit http://www.cherylbrooksonline.com/.

The Winds Of Change: Self-Publishing

Isn’t amazing how things change, isn’t it?


In 2008, the new technology, Print On Demand, was becoming more readily available to not only small independent publishers but also individuals. There were those authors who had gone the self-publishing route, and may I add, with the prevailing attitude from their peers of lips curled. I knew many who had decided to publish their books as e-books. Attitudes were better but there were still those who sniffed and declared these authors weren’t “real” authors—as borne out by some writing associations and review sites.


On the sidelines, a close eye was kept on these bold and daring authors and small independent publishers and their failures and successes.


In 2009, e-books were on the rise and by early 2010 print books were fighting for equal footing in sales, as traditional publishers scrambled to make the new technology work for them.


Around this time some of the traditional publishers were starting to put out trade paperbacks of some of their authors and not just mass paperbacks. Business wise this makes perfect sense with digital printing, especially with exorbitant cost of returns. Trade paperbacks became more acceptable (which is funny when you consider trade paperbacks are the norm in other countries). While e-books had grown to a thriving business, and were beginning to level the playing field, trade paperbacks published with traditional publishers still had national exposure that self-published and some smaller independents didn’t.


What the traditional publishers had to their advantage—and still do—is distribution on a national level, in-house editors, cover artist, and active PR departments. Oh, and let’s not forget carrying the cost of the all-important, ISBN numbers and distribution through companies such as Ingrams (not cheap).

The latter part of 2010, we started to see the winds of change. Traditionally published authors opting to go the self-publishing route for many reasons; not the least is the ability to publish stories they know will be read even if their publishers initially shot down these books as too risky or not marketable. Another reason was allowing the authors greater profits on the e-books, longer shelf life, and basically, greater control over their work.


Having said that, these established authors have something debut authors don’t have, a name and a healthy readerbase. That’s not to say a debut author can’t build that, but for a debut author to think they can achieve the same results initially is comparing apples to oranges. Everyone has to start out on the ground level and build their business. Building a readerbase is no different.

Another thing to keep in mind is quality editing still has to be done, ditto on good cover art, because regardless if the book is electronic or paperback, we’re drawn to well designed covers. This means hiring an good people, epecially a good fiction editor as a new author, to assist so quality work is put out. Authors have to count the cost both in time and in outlay of money when considering self-publishing.


As authors, is POD technology (e-books and trade paperbacks) the way of the future? Of course. I said it back in the latter part of 2008 and it’s even more apparent now. How we get there is still being defined and refined. And it’s exciting to see. I admire those daring serious authors and independent publishers who were ahead of the pack. I have nothing but respect for those who are now forging ahead and breaking new ground.

• What about you? Have considered it?
• Or have you done it already? Be interesting to hear your opinions. 
• What do you see as the pros and cons with regard to your work?

And Now for Something Completely Different

Apologies for the lateness--stoopid internet!

My guest is romance author, Olivia Cunning. She is the author of the hot new series published by Sourcebooks, Sinners On Tour (and #1 on Amazon in Kindle Fiction). I love this series.   

I've known Olivia for several years and have had the privilege of reading some of her other stories. She's an excellent storyteller and prolific writer.  My reaction to several of her books has been, OMG, you need to get this published, it's great!

I'm happy to say she has decided to publish her series, Lover's Leap. It's the perfect fun summer read.

She shares with us a bit about the first in the series and what's coming in the second and third book, plus a treat for the readers.  


I’ve made a name for myself with my hot, erotic romances about rock stars. My fictional band, Sinners, has fans all across the planet clamoring for more, more, MORE! So when I found out that the next book in the Sinners on Tour series won’t be available for at least another year, I thought, Now what? This waiting around and patience stuff is so not my style. Neither is thinking inside the box. First off, everyone knows that rock star romance heroes don’t sell. Oh really? I think I have some evidence to the contrary. I’ve also been advised not to cater to my fans, not to stray from my subgenre, and that self-publishing is not a valid option for any serious author. I’m really thinking outside the box now.


Meet Lara and Reece...


Lara Kensington is living a perfectly mundane life as a museum curator, when bad boy treasure hunter, Reece Jerhico, leaps into her life. Literally. Obviously distressed, Reece tells Lara that one year in the future she will be murdered. The evidence he uses to back up his incredible story doesn’t convince Lara. She thinks he’s crazy. Especially after he claims to be her future fiancé. Lara would have remembered dating someone as delicious as Reece Jerhico. Hot as Reece is, Lara has a difficult time believing anything the man says until the broken amulet he wears around his neck transports them into different bodies, during a different time, in a different place--an ancient place, a cold place, a place where Lara arrives naked, hysterical, and... Norse.


On the run through time, attempting to escape a man who is hell-bent on Lara’s lack-of a-future becoming a reality, the couple must leap from one time and place to another just to stay alive. In the first volume of this sexy and humorous new series, Lara and Reece share an existence with a ruthless Viking and his captive bride and then with a noble medieval knight and the feisty lady he is determined to win.


You can’t take anything for granted when you’re loving on borrowed time.

And this is what happens the first time Lara realizes those around her aren’t seeing the real her. Here’s a little peek behind the cover:


Every nerve ending in Lara’s body was alive with excitement. She didn’t understand any of this. She wasn’t the type of woman who got all stupid and excited over a man and a few vulgar words. It just wasn’t her. Was it?


Reece grinned at her. “Don’t look so mortified, sweetheart. It took me months to figure out that you like dirty talk. It really turns you on, doesn’t it?”


“Does not!” She shoved him away, to flustered to be angry about the knowing chuckle he emitted.


“Why don’t you go see if someone has something you can wear?” he said, as he continued undressing. “If you keep dropping those pants, I can’t be held accountable for trying to get in them.”


She scrambled out of the room, holding up her pants with one hand as she fled. She wasn’t going because he told her to. Or because she was so aroused that she’d probably let him get into her pants with no protest. Or that he was getting naked and she so wanted to ogle every inch of him. She was fleeing his presence because she wanted to. Yeah.


She closed the door behind her and went to find someone who looked like they knew what was going on. A tired-looking, middle-aged woman stood near the center of the main room, stirring a pot of stew over the fire. Along the walls of the longhouse were bunks built into the wall. Situated in front of the bunks were long, wooden tables. Some of the men were sitting on the bunks talking amongst themselves and enjoying enormous mugs of what Lara decided was mead.


As Lara passed one of the bunks, she heard a loud grunt. She caught sight of a large, blond man rhythmically thrusting into the flushed woman beneath him before he grunted again and collapsed on top of her. They were having sex right out there in the open! No one seemed to notice but Lara. Wide-eyed, Lara diverted her gaze and made a beeline for the woman standing over the fire.


“The chieftain would like some warm water so he can wash,” Lara said in perfect Norse, surprising herself again.


“Well, I ain’t about to get it. I’m cooking here, if you can’t tell.”


“I will get it. I just need to know how.”


Lara glanced down at the interesting stew bubbling over the fire. Various roots and chunks of meat floated to the top and sank beneath the rich broth again as the woman stirred. It didn’t look very appetizing, but it smelled edible. Lara’s stomach growled. She wasn’t sure how long it had been since she last ate. They’d been offered no sustenance except for a bit of water on the boat ride here.


“Well, fastest way would be to grab a pot of snow and melt it over the fire, now wouldn’t it?”


Lara realized the woman was insulting her intelligence, but she had no choice but to ask. “So where do I find a pot?”


The woman nodded towards a wall near one of the bunks.


“Thank you,” Lara said, “My name is Helga.” She hadn’t meant to say Helga. She’d meant to say Lara. She tried again. “Helga, my name is Helga.” Every time she tried to say Lara, Helga came out instead. “Helga. Helga. My name—”


“Your name is Helga, I understand.”


“No, my name is,” Lara gritted her teeth, concentrating very hard to say her real name, “Helga.”


The woman gave her a very strange look, which she definitely deserved. With a frustrated huff, Lara gave up on niceties and went to collect a pot from the wall. She hurried to the end of the long house, tripping over the ballooning legs of her pants. She pushed the heavy door open and stepped outside. At once, she realized she was missing something important. Shoes! She’d taken them off soon after climbing into Reece’s bed. It was freezing. She did a high-stepped march to a bank of snow next to the cleared walking path, scooped snow into the pot and high stepped it back into the building. It had been a long day. She knew she had lost her reasoning ability, but walking barefoot through the snow seemed a tad over the top. But not nearly as ridiculous as being unable to say your own name.


“Lara. Lara. Lara,” she repeated under her breath on her way back to the fire. People were staring at her as she passed. Not that she blamed them. She could do this. She could tell the cranky, tired lady her real name. She set the pot of snow next to the fire and stood up confidently. “Helga!” she announced loudly.


The woman shook her head.


“Damn it,” Lara cried. “I give up. I can’t say Lara no matter how hard I try.” She glanced up at the woman. “I said it.”


“You said what?” She was obviously getting annoyed.


“My name.”


“Helga?”


“No, my real name. It’s Helga.” Lara stomped her foot angrily. “Helga.” She huffed out an annoyed breath. Forget it! The snow was starting to melt. “Eirick…” She’d tried to say Reece, but Eirick came out instead. “Eirick…”


“What about Eirick?” the woman asked.


“Eirick told me to find appropriate clothing.”


“Ingrid,” the woman called to a young girl. “Bring this daft woman a dress to wear. She looks about Olga’s size.”


“Yes, mum!”


So she was labeled as daft? Well, she supposed it was fitting, the way she’d carried on about her name. What kind of lunatic tells someone her name twenty times? A few minutes later, the young girl brought Lara a woolen gown of deep blue.


“This will look very pretty with your blonde hair,” the girl said. She handed the gown to her and scampered away before Lara could thank her.


“Blonde hair?” Lara murmured, perplexed. She had brown hair, some reddish highlights, but in no way was she a blonde. She used the bottom of her linen shirt as a potholder as she picked up the pot of melted snow and glanced down at her reflection. Instead of her own familiar face, some beautiful blonde woman stared back at her. Lara screamed.

Buy: Smashwords, Amazon. Book available in ebook format and soon in paperback

So what’s in store for the rest of the series?

In book two, Reece and Lara will continue their adventures in a Turkish harem and then in Feudal Japan. I don’t know where they’ll go after that.

I’m going to let the fans decide.

That’s right. Fans will choose the next two whens and wheres.

Should be fun! And a little different.

• Where do you think it would be fun to send Lara and Reece?

Olivia Cunning blog, website (you can see what else she's working on), Facebook

Interview with Tonya Kappes

It's my pleasure to have my friend finally visit me here Over Coffee. It feels like I've been waiting forever. So it's with great pleasure I introduce, women's fiction author, Tonya Kappes. To reward her for visiting I decided to put her on the hot seat and ask lots of questions.

Before I get to the questions I have to tell you I read her latest book, Carpe Bead 'Em. I loved it! It's a fun summer read that leaves you feeling good after you put it down. I'll admit, I shook my Kindle in disbelief when I got to the end. I was sure it would magically continue on with Hallie's story, but alas it didn't. Darn it. Her story shares the best elements of women's fiction and chick-lit and yes, there are quirky characters, lots of laughs, and few tears. I would recommend Carpe Bead 'Em for a fun summer read and introduce you an excellent story teller.

 You can read the Blurb and Excerpt here

Buy: Amazon, Smashwords Available Kindle and Paperback

Carpe Bead 'Em book trailer

Tonya, I'm so glad to have you visiting here Over Coffee. Tell me a bit about you. I know you’re married and the mother of four teenaged boys. From what I know of you the past few years, it sounds like a big boisterous family setting. Do you work outside the home?

Yes! I do work outside the home with….KIDS!! Can you believe it? I can’t escape it!

I’m a Developmental Therapist for children birth to three-years old. I work with all sorts of children with disorders like shaken baby syndrome to speech therapy etc…


How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?


I put it on my head and hope it sinks in while walking really fast.

No, seriously. I keep all my writing stuff with me at all times. When I have a free second between therapy appointments I pull it out. When we are at one of many sporting events~I pull it out. The community we live in is use to seeing me with pencil, paper, laptop in hand.


What do you do to relax and recharge?


What? We can do that?? I do walk my dogs every day. Being with my family keeps me going. Plus I love my day job, and I get rewarded from helping those sweet little ones. It charges me up.


You’ve been writing for some years, how long have you had the goal to be published?


From day one. From the day I started seriously writing, I was writing for publication. I only wanted my name on a book. When that happened, I wanted to touch readers. Readers are my number one priority. It doesn’t matter about the amount of books sold, or the amount of money, it’s all about my readers.


How did you go about making that a reality? (How did writing groups, continuing education, etc help?)


I have to say, I’m very blessed to be surrounded by such a great group of writing women. My local RWA chapter has Lori Foster, Shelley Shepard Gray, Heather Webber, Jules Bennett, Dianne Castell, Toni Blake, Cathy Liggett, Kay Stockham, Becke Davis, Gabrielle Edwards, Tina Wolfer, just to name a few. They are great women who encourage me. Plus my critique group, that I meet with every other week, Heather Webber, Shelley Shepard Grey, Hilda Linder-Knepp, and Cathy Liggett, keep it real for me.


I really took a lot of classes to hone my craft. The story part is easy and flows, it’s all those grammar rules that flub me up. WHO NEEDS RULES??


You have a blog, The Naked Hero, with Misa Ramirez. How did the blog help you with fulfilling your goal to be published?

Yes, Misa Ramirez! Amazing woman! It helped me build a platform and establish a presence on line before I was published. I really do believe in connecting with readers and I found it there. I make sure I email each person who comments on my blog. I want them to feel like I hear them. I do.


How have you handled discouragement that comes with submitting and getting rejections?


I’m a “glass is half full” girl! I’m all about karma, destiny, and giving back. When I got rejections, and I did, I never got upset. It only fueled my fire, and I continued. I would send out sixty-one-hundred queries at a time. I can honestly say, I never ever got mad or upset. I accepted it and moved on.


I teach my children this every day!


You tout yourself as a high-class hillbilly (*snork), so does this tag make Tonya Kappes quirky? Or does designing and beading make her quirky?


Ummm…it’s me! I love to go barefoot, packing my Gucci bag, and calling everyone y’all. I’m a people person and can get along with the richest and the poorest, the smartest and the dumbest. There is good in everyone and I find it no matter what.


You say you love writing about, “quirky characters and even quirkier situations.” So, define for me quirky, and how it applies to your writing?


Quirky, to me, is living outside the box and letting the world know it is okay. Society lives in this box of rules, and I don’t, nor do my kids.


I love writing about these kinds of characters. They are entertaining and make a great character! It takes my reader away from their life and makes them smile.


You write woman’s fiction. What drew you to this genre?


I love reading about the growth, learning something to make your life better. It was just a natural write for me. I’m sure it’s because it was all I use to read. Now I read anything I can get my hands on.


What’s something you admire about Hallie, your heroine in Carpe Bead ‘em?


I love the fact she was able to come full circle in her life before it was too late. She discovers how important family is no matter where you come from. She has such a wonderful growth and her spirit, in the end, was gold.


(I love her friends and her interaction with Bo and his shirts, cracks me up.)


This might be like asking a mother to pick her favorite kid, but do you have a favorite scene?


I love all the scenes when Aunt Grace calls her in the middle of the night. Hallie never, not once, didn’t take her Aunt’s call.


What's easiest (or hardest) for you-dialogue, plot, character, or something else?


I love to cross tenses! My editor always corrects me for this. I write the full novel, then go back and make myself look at the tenses. It should get easier with each novel, but it hasn’t.


I know you are hard at work on a series. Can you tell us a bit about it and when it will be released?


OH! I love this series. It’s my first series that just flowed through me. All three novels are set in a fictitious town of Grandberry Falls, and centered around the residents there. The town is so charming with a waterfall in the middle of town square where you can throw in a penny for good luck, have lunch at The Fatted Pig, dessert at The Trembling Cup Café, or a cocktail at The Thirsty Turtle. It’s a town you will want to live in.


The Ladybug Jinx is the first in the series that will be released at the end of July. The second book, Happy New Life, will be released in September. The third and final book (I say that…) is Never Tell Your Dreams Before Breakfast, and will be released in January.


Readers will follow this town and some main characters throughout a major growth in all their life and community.

Tonya, I'm eagerly awaiting reading this series! You are such a good storyteller. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

~*~*~

Tonya Kappes, the queen, princess, and jester in her family of 4 boys, 2 dogs, and best friend husband, is the author of two novels, Carpe Bead 'Em and The Ladybug Jinx. She writes contemporary women's fiction and humorous cozy mysteries with quirky characters and quirkier situations. Tonya teaches on-line classes at savvyauthor.com about those heroes/heroines/villains we love to write and read about. Tonya's Promotional Toolbox is a must-go-to workshop, where Tonya works with authors on how to effectively promote and market themselves and their books. She is the co-founder of The Naked Hero(thenakedhero.com) website, and The Writer's Guide to E Publishing (www.thewritersguidetoepublishing.com). Find out what's going on with Tonya at www.tonyakappes.com. You can also find Tonya on Facebook.