This past week has been super busy for me. I had so many writing assignments, but I did take the time to keep track of the books that came in the mail.
1. Vexing the Viscount by Emily Bryan
2. Love Not Forgotten by Ellen Ashe
3. Fire at Midnight by Lisa Marie Wilkinson
4. The History of Now by Daniel Klein
5. For Joy and Wisdom by Jason Mallory (e-book)
My name was selected as the winner of a guest blog with Rowena Cherry. She really is a gracious lady and I absolutely love the hat she wears. I’ve read her books before, so I opted to select the prize of a box of Godiva chocolates. Yum!
Hopefully, things will slow down for a little while and I can get my desk cleaned off, the stacks of papers on the floor gone through and several new blog posts written!
I’ve seen several blogs that now have this weekly feature, so I thought it would be fun to add it to mine. The idea is to list all the books I got in my mail the past week.
I'm doing mine a little differently than others, but I hope you'll enjoy it and leave a comment!
Here’s my list.
1. Why We Hate Us: American discontent in the new millennium by Dick Meyer
2. Bride Island by Alexandra Enders
3. On Borrowed Wings by Chandra Prasad
4. The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson
5. What a Family Means by Geri Krotow
6. The Journalist by G.L. Rockey
7. Inherited: Baby by Nicola Marsh
I also got an envelope of bookmarks and magnets from Tracy Anne Warren!
On Saturday, my husband and I attended a fund-raising banquet for the local junior rodeo association. There were lots of kids in attendance and bull fighter Rowdy Barry and his family were there to sign autographs and hand out pictures and bandanas. The meal was prime rib (of course, it was a western theme!), along with baked potatoes, salad and desert. The fund-raising was done through the purchasing of the meal tickets, plus a live and silent auction. I bid on a few items and took home two baskets. One was a movie basket, which I bid on to give to my son. It had a certificate for lots of free movie rentals. The other was a "relaxation" basket. It was filled with two lap blankets, a diffuser (lavender scent), a little candy dish and the book "Shoot the Moon" by Billie Letts! So, I'll add that to my list, even though it didn't come in the mail -- the invitation to the banquet did, so that (loosely) counts, I suppose!
At your best you are logical, intellectual, idealistic, rational, objective, social, clever, inquisitive and adaptable.
But focus your inner work so that you do not become detached, unaffected, scattered, impractical, inconsistent, superficial, overly analytical or shallow.
The challenge you seek to address is: How can you reclaim the energies tied up in maintaining false perceptions of your selves and the word?
Your guide is the Owl: teach you to see past the darkness of illusion to find truth and to hold fast to your convictions.
Blodeuwedd is the Lady of Initiation. She calls us to cast off the garments of expectation and to peer into the darkness of the self to find, and ultimately live, our inner truth.
You are now a priestess of the Coven of the Callanish led by Lady Morag in the story ANCIENT WHISPERS which was in part inspired by the Pagan Avalonian Tradition. You can help get ANCIENT WHISPERS published by casting your vote
Today, I'd like to welcome K. Celeste Bryan to my blog. She has graciously agreed to tell my readers all about herself!
Kat will be discussing why she started writing and why she writes romance. She will also talk about her books, her hobbies and more.
So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back and relax. Enjoy this little look into the life of Kat Bryan.
Tell us a little about yourself?What is your typical day like?
Kat: First off, thank you so much for having me here today. I live in the Midwest portion of the U.S., on an environmental lake named after a famous Indian chief. Here, we commune with nature (think owls, loons and eagles). I love to write, read and garden and I’m very fond of animals.
Most days you’ll find me at the computer, probably in an old pair of faded jeans and a comfy t-shirt. There’s an overweight kitty perched by my computer mouse (she’s fascinated with it) and a big old dog curled up at my feet. Between writing and promoting my books, I probably spend nine hours a day in front of the screen. Although, at times, the day seems long, I wouldn’t change it for a thing.
How did you break into publishing?
Kat: I’ve always written in one form or another. I began writing family histories and became very intrigued with the lives of pioneers, their hardships, their joys and tragedies. Some of the stories really moved me and from there, historical “what ifs” took flight in my mind. My first novel was more of a historical fiction, with a small element of romance, but then, the market called for more romance.Now, my novels are more romance than anything else, with a smattering of historical facts tossed in.
What influenced you to write?
Kat: I love books, the smell of them, the feel of them, and I’ve always found it intriguing that one can go anywhere in the world through books. I remember reading To Kill A Mockingbird when I was about 10, and fell in love with Jem, Scout and Atticus. I felt the sultry summer air, tasted the prejudice in that small town and imagined myself Scout. Then, I wondered how in the world Harper Lee could bring a book to life like that with words. I was forever hooked and the rest was history.
What inspired you to write romance?
Kat: Well, my publishers inspired me (ahem!) to put more romance into my books. It’s a changing world and let’s face it, romance sells, the hotter the better! And, I must say, there’s nothing more rewarding than watching a man and woman change and grow from the beginning to the end of their relationship or from the beginning of the book to the end.
Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.
Kat: Thank you so much for asking about my favorite subject. I’ve been very blessed with my two latest releases, Sojourn With A Stranger through New Concepts Publishing (a paranormal/historical) and Where The Rain Is Made released by The Wild Rose Press (a paranormal/time-travel). Sojourn is fairly new yet, but Rain has been out for three months and has received some stellar reviews. Here’s a portion of one from Cheryl’s Book Nook. You can read the full review here: http://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com.
“First off let me start off my saying . . . I loved Where the Rain is Made! I predict this book to be a best seller. It is so good that words can’t describe it, but I will try.”
What are you working on now?
Kat: I’m having to rethink my schedule. Several reviewers have been asking for a sequel on Where The Rain Is Made. I also write under another name for six publishers in the erotica genre, so I have my hands full.Most of the time, I have at least one full-length novel going and
several novellas, with a short story thrown into the mix. I hop back and forth between them, working on each a little every day.
What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead (plot) or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?
Kat: I confess I’m a “punster.” I don’t use note cards or outlines, but I do plot heavily in my head for weeks before I begin. I know my characters inside and out by then, have gone through every scene, every conversation and know what makes them tick. By the time I sit down the write the story, it pretty much writes itself. Once in a while, something will come up that I didn’t expect, but I just roll with it and work it into the story.
What do you like to do when you aren't writing?
Kat: Did I mention I was a cat and dog lover? I visit the local animal shelter more often than I should. I wish I could bring them all home. Last year, I adopted Emma, a 6-year-old cat who was so despondent the staff couldn’t get her to eat or drink. She was literally dying by the day and she had very little interest in me when I visited her for three weeks. Her family moved, took their furniture but left her behind. Go figure! So, I adopted her and now, we’re bonded at the hip. She’s “Queen of the Abode” here and trust me, she’s eating me out of house and home. That’s a good thing, though.
Other than spending time with my animals, I love to read and garden.
What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?
Kat: Oh, that’s easy. I love it when I hear from readers and they tell me how much they loved my book. There’s nothing more rewarding. The thing I like the least is that there aren’t enough hours in the day to write everything I want to. So many ideas roaming about in my head and not enough time to bring them to fruition.
If you could spend an hour talking to anyone from any time in history, who would it be? And why?
Kat: John Wayne. Isn’t that corny? I just love his movies, his westerns, and I think he was such an interesting person. Years ago, I was in Acapulco with my aunt and some friends. Well, my aunt, bless her heart, likes her martinis and after several, she gets carried away with cuss words. We were having dinner with a large group of people and half way through the dinner, my aunt looked across the table and said to this big, handsome man, “Sorry, I didn’t get your name.” And he replied, “John Wayne, ma’am.” I wanted the floor to swallow me up! I was so tongue-tied I never did get to speak to him. All I could think about was all the cussing my aunt had done through dinner.I missed my chance!
What is your all time favorite book?
Kat: Without question a book called “Windflower.” Written by a husband and wife team in the 80s, I simply love this book. They had the ability to draw you in until you felt as though you WERE the heroine, bailing water from a sinking skiff with her moccasin. The dialogue sparkled, the prose was unbelievable. I’d give anything to be able to write like them. The book was put out under the name Laura London and I highly recommend you try to buy a copy. Mine is so tattered and worn from reading it, I’ll have to buy a new copy one day soon.
What advice would you give aspiring writers today?
Kat: Patience, perseverance and politeness. You must have a thick skin to survive in this arena. Rejections are frequent, praise rare and many naysayers exist everywhere. Don’t listen to them. If you want to write, you can. If people tell you you can’t, or tell you to get a “real” job, ditch them.
Don’t forget to enter my contest at my web site to win free books. I give them away every month.
Thanks, Kat, for joining us here today. I enjoyed interviewing you and I'm sure my readers will want to find out more about you by visiting your Web site and checking out your books.
One thing I like more than anything when I read it to pick up a book and get hooked by the first sentence or paragraph.
K. Celeste Bryan does that with “Sojourn with a Stranger.” Check this out:
“Under a gray sky, Derek stared out the nine-pane window in his study and watched the leaves dance at the feet of the massive oaks.”
Doesn’t that hook reel you right in?
This book is actually what I call a novella. At only 135 pages, it’s perfect for a rainy day when you want to curl up for a couple hours and enjoy the warmth of a plushy comforter!
Besides, it’s a fun read that I know you’ll enjoy.
Tomorrow, Kat will join me here at Reading Frenzy to talk about her books, her writing and her hobbies. I know you’ll enjoy learning more about her.
If you are an author who would like to be interviewed by an award-winning journalist ... yours truly! ... I'd love to have you on my blog. There are only a few requirements to make the task easy for both you and me. The information is listed on the right side of this page under "author interviews."
Here's a great contest for readers! Walnut Springs Press is giving away a book of quotes titled "Love: The Greatest Gift of All." To win, you just need to post a comment on your own blog and on the contest blog entry at this link http://walnutspringspress.blogspot.com/2009/02/february-giveaway.html Give it a try! Personally, I love to look through books filled with quotes. It a guarantee I'll find something to add to my favorite sayings. Hurry, though, the deadline is February 28.
Here's a great contest for readers! Walnut Springs Press is giving away a book of quotes titled "Love: The Greatest Gift of All." To win, you just need to post a comment on your own blog and on the contest blog entry at this link http://walnutspringspress.blogspot.com/2009/02/february-giveaway.html