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Friday, August 31, 2012

Jacki Kelly speaks on the writing process


Today we are sitting down with Jacki Kelly, whose first Passion in Print book  - The Sweet Road Home -- will be released Nov. 17.


Colleen: Jacki, thank you for spending some time with me today. First, tell us why do you write?

Jacki: I’ve always been that person that cheered for the underdog or saw a news story and wondered how it turned out. Writing gives me the opportunity to tell their stories and end them the way I think they should. It gives me the chance to live in the world that I built. 

Colleen: Where/when do you like to build those worlds? Do you write everyday? 

Jacki: The majority of my writing is done in the evening, between 7 and 10 pm. That’s when the pressures of the day have subsided enough to allow me to be most creative. I write or do something writing related every day, whether it’s revising, editing or research.  I even write on vacation. I can write almost anywhere. While I do most of my writing at a desk, it’s not unusual to see me writing in bed, at the airport or even on a beach.

Colleen: What is your least favorite book you wrote? 

Jacki: I really don’t have a least favorite book. If I don’t like it, I keep revising until I get it right. I have some manuscripts stuffed in my desk drawer right now waiting on my attention. No one beyond my critique group will lay eyes on them until I think they are the best that I can do. 

Colleen: Well, I would love to take a peak at them! So are you a plotter or pantser?

Jacki: I’m definitely a plotter. I need to know where the story is going and how I plan to get there.  I’ve found out the hard way that this also makes me much more productive by not spending time dreaming up scenarios that don’t mesh together at the end. Even though I have an outline, my characters have been known to highjack my manuscript and take it in another direction.

Colleen: Last question - do you listen to music while you write? 

Jacki: Yes, music helps to set the tone for the scene I’m writing.  My music choices vary depending on what I need to accomplish that day.  If I’m writing a love scene then I might pick something mellow and relaxing. If it’s a conflict scene I’ll chose something more upbeat, maybe something with a lot of bass. Believe it or not each of my manuscripts has a theme song. A song that I play before I sit down to write that helps bring those characters to life and to ground me in the story.

Jacki Kelly has been writing since her fourth grade teacher made her keep a journal for a grade. Now she does it to keep track of all the fascinating and heartbreaking moments that life throws our way. Poetry, personal essays, short stories and novels have all occupied space in her heart and her hard drive. Jacki can be found at http://jackikelly.com/ as well as on twitter and facebook.


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

New Release: Unexpected Consquences

TitleUnexpected Consequences
AuthorTessa Berkley
ISBN#978-1-60820742-8 (ebook) $4.99
Release DateAugust 2012
Cover ArtistDeana C. Jamroz
Page Count77 pages
Word Count:21,000 words
Heat Rating:Spicy
Available At:Passion In Print BookStore (ebook)
 Amazon.com (ebook)

New Release: Something Tangible

TitleSomething Tangible
AuthorAliyah Burke
ISBN#978-1-60820-745-9 (ebook) $4.99
Release DateAugust 2012
Cover ArtistDeana C. Jamroz
Page Count:79 pages
Word Count:21,000 words
Heat Rating:Racy
Available At:Passion In Print BookStore (ebook)
 Amazon.com (Ebook)

New Release: Betrayal


 
Betrayal 
Angels of Death
AuthorM.L. Guida
ISBN#978-1-60820-693-3 (print) $14.99
 978-1-60820-694-0 (ebook) $7.99
Release DateAugust 2012
Cover ArtistDeana C. Jamroz
Page Count:304 pages
Word Count:80,000 words
Heat Rating:Racy
Available At:Passion In Print BookStore (ebook)
 Amazon.com (Ebook)

Friday, August 17, 2012

Destiny Blaine stops by with her latest book


Colleen: Today, we have Destiny Blaine sitting down with us here at Passion in Print. Thank you for coming, Destiny. I have been a fan of yours for quite some time, so I am quite excited to find out a little about you and how you write! 

Let's get started. Where/when do you like to write? Do you write every day?

Destiny: I used to write daily. Hopefully, I’ll be back on a strict writing schedule soon. My husband recently completed construction on a ‘writer’s cabin’ which is located in our backyard. It’s a quiet place to go and work without interruptions. 

Colleen: A writer's cabin!! I am jealous, it sounds like heaven. So I know which of your books is my favorite to date, but what is your favorite book that you wrote? 

Destiny: It’s so difficult to choose a true favorite, but Waking up the Arguably Dead, a Passion in Print publication, is definitely right up there at the top of the list. Set in my current hometown of Blountville, Tennessee, Waking up the Arguably Dead was inspired by some of the locals here. 

Colleen: Hmmm well now I really can't wait to read it! Do your stories require research? Do you travel or just go to the library/web to gather your information?

Destiny: Some books required research. Some research was obtained by visiting the locations used as settings. The internet sure comes in handy, too! 

Colleen: The internet is a good resource for sure. There is nothing that can't be Googled! What is your current story? 

Destiny: I’m working on a young adult novella with horror-romantic elements. I know. It’s a strange combination. ;) 

Colleen: What groups or social media networks can readers frequently find you posting and chatting in?

Destiny: Destiny B Chatting, my Yahoo group, is very active. Started in October of 2006, we’ve undergone various changes throughout the years, but one thing has remained constant. The readership and support received there is second to none. Join us if you have a chance. I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.  My website is updated frequently as well. 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Aliyah Burke chats with us about a writer's life


Colleen: Hi, Aliyah thanks for stopping by! Let’s get started, first tell us why do you write?

Aliyah: Thank you for having me here today, Colleen, I'm honored. I write because I can't not do so. The characters talk in my head all the time and putting their words down on paper is the only way to make them happy. I love creating a story which will hopefully bring joy to those reading it, take them away from the everyday and give them a moment or two of escape. Let's face it, real life isn't always mai tais and fun, so to be able to create a place where worries don't follow them and they know they will have a HEA (which is the one thing in my stories I will always have), it makes me happy.

Colleen: Where/when do you like to write? Do you write everyday?

Aliyah: I write almost everywhere. If I am out of the house, I always carry a notebook just in case I see/hear something which gives me a story idea. In the house I work mostly in my office, but I do occasionally write outside as well, also in the living room, I'll write during breaks in sports. Yes, I do write every day. Writing is my career not a hobby for me, so I have my schedule and I do what's necessary to stick to it.

Colleen: Plotter or pantser?

Aliyah: Definitely a pantser. I've outlined one book in my writing career and after all the hard work I put into that, the characters looked at me and laughed saying, "Yeah, so not gonna happen that way. It's like this…" That was my first and last attempt to try and control my characters. It's not my story to tell, it's theirs and I let them. I get to be on the adventure as well unsure of how things will all work out until the end. I don't have the ability to put it down to tell where a first kiss will be, that they'll be in bed together by page "x," or other specifics. I learn about them as we go and I will admit there are many times I try to get them to go in a direction but won't push it if they dig their feet in. Like I said before, it's their story and it doesn't ever seem to fit into a box where it could be predicted.

Colleen: Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

Aliyah: Love music. I have my iPod, which is almost always on, headphones or in a docking station. Who I listen to depends on a few things, the scene, the mood, etc. I mean, I can't listen to a Disney song if my hero/heroine is in the middle of a life or death fight, doesn't help me too much.  And yes, I do listen to Disney soundtracks. I listen to almost anything. My shuffle can take me from classical, to rock, to a soundtrack, to a running cadence for the military and much more in-between. To me, music is a way to express emotions and feelings you may not be able to verbalize and it helps me feel the scene, if that makes sense.

Colleen: Makes total sense. Do your stories require research? Do you travel or just go to the library/web to gather your information?

Aliyah: Yes, my stories require research. Even coming up with names can take a few hours for me. I do both, travel and look online. I also have a lot of research books in my office which I'll spread out on the floor and spend hours pouring over. I tend to get lost in doing research, which really isn't a bad thing, since I enjoy it, but it does keep my word count down for that day.

Colleen: What is your current story?

Aliyah: I'm working on a few, but for PIP I'm working on a themed story, which I hope to be released under the Titillating Treat line. That's all I can say about it right now.

Colleen: What do you have coming out next with Passion In Print Press?

Aliyah: I have a release coming out this month titled, Something Tangible. Part of the Summer Heat series line. This is the story of Brett Kingston and Lydia "LJ" Johnson. Here is a blurb: Brett Kingston is an acquirer, of signatures, giving ownership of properties to Midas Development, his father's company. Never has anyone distracted him from the heartless business of sealing the deal, until during a final test he meets LJ, a woman who refuses to sell to him, no matter the offer. Agreeing to an insane pact for a mere shot at securing his contract, Brett discovers there is more to life than what he's known. Lydia "LJ" Johnson learns not only is there more than meets the eye when it comes to the rich wheeler and dealer, but anything can happen.

There is a connected story to this one, which deals with Brett's older half-brother, Asa Kingston, which will be out the same time titled, Unexpected Consequences, written by Tessa Berkley.

Colleen: I have already had the pleasure of reading both Something Tangible and Unexpected Consequences. They go together quite nicely and are fun reads. A nice escape from the doldrums of life! What groups or social media networks can readers frequently find you posting and chatting in?

Aliyah: I'm in a few places.

Thank you so much for having me here. I had a lot of fun!