Guest Author: Kim Bowman - Casting Your Characters

Chance to win! See below :-)

I don’t know about other writers, but trying to express what my characters look like is the hardest part of writing for me. I know what I want to happen and how I want my characters to react and feel, but I have trouble picturing what they look like. Maybe that’s what writer’s block is. Maybe it’s a lack of knowing the right words to use.

Anyways, I digress.

My problem with character description was solved when I bought my husband the Hoyle Card Games. He LOVES Euchre, Hearts, etc. and I thought it would be great if he could sit with his Net book and play cards while I wrote to my heart’s content. Guess what? You get to design your own player! I thought I’d have some fun, so I started designing my husband’s avatar. When I finished I couldn’t believe what I saw. I had created the likeness of my hero. WHAM! I just stared at the screen. I grabbed a piece of paper and started writing a description of what I saw: strong chin, wavy auburn hair, deep, soul-searching blue eyes. I suddenly saw what was in my mind’s eye.

I decided to try it with my heroine. I already knew she had emerald green eyes, but I couldn’t visualize how to turn a spirit guide into a human. I started moving face shapes around, trying different noses, lips, eyebrows. All of a sudden she was looking out at me. Her beautiful, raven hair and emerald green eyes accentuated her oval face and sharp chin. Her eyes were striking but sad. She was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Amazingly, if you look at the heroine and hero on my book cover, you see how spot on Elaina Lee got them. They were so close to the images I had in my head and the avatars I came up with (she didn’t have a clue I had created these) it was uncanny. The only thing she had to go on was the general description I provided her with, yet she captured the essence of my characters perfectly.

So now, the Hoyle Card Game character creator is my new best friend when it comes to constructing characters in my stories. It has solved the whole brain freeze problem I had going on. A strange and unusual way to write, but it works for me!

Images created in Hoyle Card Games © [2011] Encore Software, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.hoylegaming.com/

Excerpt from Wayward Soul.

Zanna awoke gasping for air. At first, she thought it was the impact of her spirit body returning to her physical body. The force of the two slamming back together after astral travel was uncomfortable. She expected the heavy pressure on her chest, the elevated heart rate, and the momentary paralysis reentry caused, but she’d never been breathless.

Fear took over when the weight increased, crushing her ribcage. Zanna’s hands flew to her throat where they encountered fingers wrapped around her neck, squeezing the life out of her.

She blinked many times before her burning pupils adjusted to the bright overhead lights. The swirling white beacons made her eyes water, blurring her vision. Tears streamed down her face and her empty lungs screamed.

Panicked, she placed her feet on the floor and bucked. She clawed at the hands around her neck desperate to loosen their grip. The vice-like hold only intensified, continuing to push down until she was sure her neck would break. Biting pain stung her smashed windpipe and deflated lungs.

“Cease,” a male voice ordered. The authoritative sound resonated all around the space.

Her attacker’s lethal hands fell away. Her compressed arteries opened, sending blood coursing through her veins so fast her head spun. She took a deep breath. The air stuck in her crushed throat made her gag and cough. She rolled into a ball, clutching her chest. Several agonizing moments passed before her aching lungs filled with oxygen.

As her physical pain subsided, the dam in her mind broke, flooding her senses with the sound of gunfire, the smell of burning gunpowder, and the sight of blood spraying. Her heart cried out in grief as the horrible memories assaulted her mind. The man she loved was dead.

For a chance to win a copy of Wayward Soul and a signed hard copy of Sylvia Browne’s Lessons for Life, post a comment by Tuesday night. Winner will be drawn Wednesday morning.
 
If you don't want to wait, my book is available at Astrea Press as well as online at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.
 
If you would like to keep up with me, feel free to drop by my blog  http://kimbowmanauthor.blogspot.com/ 

Special thanks to the ladies here at Happily Ever After Thoughts for having me.  I enjoy giving readers a little insight into my writing process.

Kim

Review: Too Hot to Handle by Robin Kaye

Waking up with the man of your dreams, hot in every way, is more like a nightmare when Annabelle glances his way. The man resembles her former fiancé who happens to be dead. Although, the living man who accompanied her home the previous night after a wedding has a different name, Mike.

Annabelle feels a disaster is imminent with any future man considering her past. There aren’t enough in Brooklyn to chance another relationship. Her first fiancé died and her second fiancé she was lucky to get rid of. Any thoughts about a third revolted her.

Mike has his own problems. They come in the form of his unknown father wanting to jump back in his life and being a doctor isn’t such a perfect job.

Robin Kaye makes her readers laugh and cry along with the characters as they stumble through their own misfortunes, not wanting to admit at the same time that they need each other. Annabelle may need an extra nudge or two after she discovers who Mike’s father is. Money means nothing when it comes to love.

I suggest staying up all night for this funny and sexy romance.

Dawn

Guest Author: Cathy McDavid

When Alexis moved away from Arizona last year, I was devastated. Yeah, I know she went to an island paradise to live, which is totally cool, but I still miss her terribly. Guest blogging at Happily Ever After is like spending the week with her, and I'm so happy to be here.

Alexis asked to share news about my newest release, THE COMEBACK COWBOY, and my upcoming three-book series, Mustang Valley. Of course, I'm happy to do both!

THE COMEBACK COWBOY is an anything-you-can-do-I-can-do-better story about a down on his luck professional tie-down roper who comes to Cowboy College, a roping school for recreationalists, in the hopes of honing his skills and — you guessed it — making a comeback. The school is run by a woman roper, one of the best in the country, who is unable to compete professionally because she's not a man.

The idea came to me a few years ago as I watched my neighbors over the fence. They have a private roping arena on their property and, often, young women practiced roping calves alongside the men. Some of these women were pretty darn good. They certainly earned my admiration, and I couldn't help imagining one of them as the heroine of a story.

Trust me when I tell you that researching this book was no hardship. Cowboys happen to be some of my favorite romance book heroes (go figure). While I did read about tie-down roping online and in books, the best part of researching the sport was going to rodeos and seeing all those guys up close and personal. Last summer, I also went to a tie-down roping 2-day event in Young, Arizona. While these guys were all amateurs, it was still fun to watch and a real education. I was only sorry there were no women competitors. I'd like very much to see that happen one day. Come on, guys, what's the problem? Are you scared? :)

In August, my next book, LAST CHANCE COWBOY, will be out. This is the first book in my Mustang Valley series. This series is very special to me for several reasons. First, it takes place in the McDowell Mountains. I live in McDowell Mountain Ranch and have a stunning view of the mountains from my backyard. I also walk the nature trails in the foothills weekly when the weather is nice. Great way to jumpstart the imagination. Another reason I'm so excited about this series is that the hero in book two has a prosthetic leg. He's a former Marine who was injured in a car bomb explosion while in the Middle East. I wasn't sure my editor would go for the idea when I first proposed it and am so glad she did. Lastly, I'm loving these books because the heroine in book two is named Caitlin after my daughter, and the hero in book three is named Clay after my son. I've been wanting to name characters after my children for a long time, and it finally was right.

Thanks again, Alexis, for inviting me to share your digs this week. And thanks to all my friends, old and new, for stopping by. We've got some books to give away, so don't forget to post a comment! And if you haven't had enough of me, drop by my website at: http://www.cathymcdavid.com/ for more updates.

Warmest wishes,
Cathy McDavid

. . . and they lived Happily Ever After

Why do you read romance novels, whether historical or contemporary? Is it the characters? The setting or time period? Love?

For me, it’s the Happily Ever After ending. I’m a sucker for it. Need it. Crave it.

No other fiction – and I enjoy mysteries, horror and suspense – gives you that deeply satisfying ending like a good romance will. The knowledge that the hero and heroine have overcome all obstacles to find their soul mates leaves me (and maybe you) filled with hope, filled with optimism this kind of happy ending can happen for us.

Real life, as we know, is not like romance novels – unless we’re very fortunate. My husband and I celebrated thirty (yes! Thirty!) years of marriage in January and I can truthfully say, I’m still in love with the man (and I think he with me). Like the heroine, I’ve found my soul mate and like romance novels, we’ve had our own obstacles to overcome but we’ve managed. We can still laugh with each other, trust each other to accept us for who and what we are, talk with each other or share quiet moments.

Happily Ever After. Yes, it can happen! And isn’t that why we read romances? To dream? To wish? To have faith we’ll have this kind of ending too?

Happy reading!

Marie

Description: More Than Just Setting the Scene

When you read a novel, do you read the descriptive narrative? Or do you skip ahead to the dialogue in your rush to reach “The End”?
I know a lot of people who skip ahead and look for the “white spaces” but I’ve never been one of them. Don’t get me wrong. I love the dialogue just as much - the witty banter between hero/heroine, the arguments, the misunderstandings, all written much better than real life (and admit it, things we wish we could say) but I never rush through the descriptions.

The descriptive narratives are where I find an inkling of back story, the reasons why a hero or heroine acts the way he/she does, says what he/she does. The author wants me to know everything - what the hero/heroine is seeing, feeling, thinking, even what clothes he/she is wearing. I love those parts. I devour each word, each sentence so I can truly escape into the world the author has created.

And isn’t that why we read these wonderful novels? To escape? To live a life not our own? To experience everything the hero/heroine experiences?

Happy Reading!

Marie

Review: Last to Die by Kate Brady

I’m a die hard romantic suspense reader so I had to snag up Kate Brady’s fall release and fit it into my reading time as soon as possible.

Brady begins her story in Lancaster, Maryland during a fall festival where the families gather to entertain children with balloons, rides, and all things fun. The smiles and entertainment are prematurely interrupted with the bloody, and left for dead, body found in nearby shrubbery.

Detective Dani Cole has a personal agenda to fulfill when she’s assigned to the case and discovers the victim is a former prostitute Dani had helped straighten out.

The clues lead to a non-profit foundation. And a former love. Mitch, part of the foundation, came back from Sweden. That wasn’t the first location he had escaped to when the short, yet intense love affair ended.

Mitch spontaneously left for Iraq. For war and left Dani behind. His experiences in Iraq later led him to expand his photography talents to third world toilets where he thought he could help the underprivileged. Now he was back in Lancaster.

Back in Dani’s heart. Back in the discovery of clues. The murders multiply as other prostitutes are bludgeoned. Mitch has connections. How will Dani contend with the overload of work and pressure on her heart? What does Mitch have to do to convince Dani he didn’t run from her? Especially when he has business relations with the foundation full of secrets.

The blame of the murders bounces back and forth between the extraordinary cast of characters causing the pages to turn faster and faster. Be ready for a surprise ending.

Dawn

You Did What?

First of all, I’d like to thank Alexis, Dawn and Marie for guesting me on their lovely blog. It’s so nice to be here today, ladies, and visit your cyber home.

And for one intrepid reader who makes their way to the end of this monster post and leaves a comment – I’ll give a digital (pdf) copy of BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER. Jasper (my writing partner) will select the winner on Wednesday morning and the winner will be announced on my blog as well as contacted via email.

I adore writing paranormal romances. I get home from the day job, fire up the laptop and disappear into my worlds. *happy, contented sigh* I admit it. I’m addicted to writing and one of the reasons is because it’s a safe, solitary process. You guessed it. I’m painfully introverted. A people watcher. One of those who keeps to the shadows and takes in everything all around them.

So, imagine my horror when the following scene played out: It’s the end of a long day. I stumble into the house with my over-stuffed purse and lunch bag falling off my shoulder and the mail sliding out of my grasp. I make it to the kitchen island and throw everything onto the counter before it hits the floor. Finally. I’m home. Safe in my nest. The kitchen smells great. Hubby’s at the stove stirring a pot but something’s not right. He’s got “that look” on his face.

We’ve been married over thirty-one years. I recognize “that look” in a heartbeat. “What have you done?”

The “look” blossoms into a mischievous grin. “I’ve been busy today calling all the newspapers, TV and radio stations in the area. I’ve got you all kinds of contacts lined up. Look at the notepad over there.”

My heart stops beating and falls like a chunk of ice into the now roiling pit of my stomach. “You did what?”

He returns the lid to the pot he’s been stirring (I know – ironic, huh?) and turns to tap excitedly on the notepad. “Look! All you have to do is send press releases to all these places. They said they’d love to know more about you and your book since you’re a local author. I bet they’ll even want to talk to you. This one radio station does interviews all the time.”

“What?” I squeaked when I found my voice. “I can’t do that. I don’t know how to write a press release. I can’t TALK on the radio. Out loud. To people.”

Then he turns into understanding, supportive psychoanalyst husband. I hate it when he does that. “Yes. You CAN do this. Look at all you’ve already done. You’ve come so far. The girls and I believe in you. It’s time you believed in yourself.”

Damn him. Don’t you hate it when they’re right? Grrrr. So, with the help of Google and some priceless advice and guidance from my wonderful “Roses” at The Wild Rose Press, here’s the press release I wrote:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information: Maeve Greyson (You need to include your email address and phone numbers here. I deleted them for this post. I’m sure you understand.)

Local author blends Celtic legends and magical lore to weave paranormal romances.

BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER (ISBN: 1-60154-879-6) will be available from The Wild Rose Press (http://www.thewildrosepress.com/ ), Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/ ), Barnes & Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ ) and various other online outlets on February 18, 2011.

Which will triumph? The vengeful wrath of a cruel witch or a love spanning across time?

The last time Latharn MacKay walked among his kinsman was in Scotland of 1410. Sensuous and charismatic, all the women wanted him, but none captured his heart. Latharn's charm became his curse when a wicked sorceress didn’t accept his rejection. She snared his soul into a crystal globe until the one woman destined to be his love whispers his release. Now all Latharn has to do is find her and convince Nessa to break the curse without speaking a word to tell her how.

One of the youngest archeologists in St Louis of 2010, Nessa credits one thing for this achievement: the recurring dream of a heart-stopping Highlander since the summer she turned eighteen years old. Little does she know, he's not some fantasy cooked up by her subconscious. He’s a trapped soul determined for Nessa to end his six centuries in hell. Can love prevail over the dark magic of a woman scorned?

About the author:
Maeve Greyson writes paranormal romances with a Celtic twist from her cozy little home not too far from Kentucky Lake. Tucked away in the middle of nowhere, she pours her daydreams into the keyboard while her husband of over thirty-one years and Jasper the dog keep the household running.

Her debut novel, BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER, releases from The Wild Rose Press on February 18, 2011. She just contracted a second book, THE HIGHLANDER’S FURY, also with The Wild Rose Press. Maeve is a finalist out of 500 writers entered in the Kensington Brava and RT Book Reviews Writing with the Stars Contest. Her paranormal romance, ETERNITY’S MARK is one of three remaining entries in the final round for a publishing contract from Kensington.

For more info about Maeve and her books: Website: http://www.maevegreyson.com/

Blog: http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/

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I’ll let you know if anything comes of my little press release. All I can say is God help them if they ignore it because Hubby still has all their numbers.

And if you’d like to give a poor shy author a little love and vote for Eternity’s Mark in the FINAL round of Writing With the Stars –please click below, and it will take you to the voting link for the final round. Thank you EVER so much!

http://www.rtbookreviews.com/content/writing-stars-vote-love-scene

The rest of Maeve’s links:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maeve.greyson OR http://www.facebook.com/maeve.greyson#!/maeve.greyson.page

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/maevegreyson

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/maevegreyson

The Wild Rose Press: http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=maeve+greyson

Beyond a Highland Whisper excerpt:

However, tonight Latharn was different. He didn’t go any further then the hungry possession of her mouth or the desperate, crushing embrace. Nessa sensed he needed this night to be different. His body tensed beneath her touch, he restrained his caress as if he wanted her to reason rather than just shatter into mindless bliss.

He raised his head and gazed into her eyes. Nessa flinched at the depths of pain and frustration etched in his face. He struggled, trying to communicate, to connect with her deepest emotions without the use of words. He took his palm, flattened it against his heart then placed it upon her chest. His brows drawn together in a questioning frown, he tilted his head and waited for a sign that she understood.

Her lower lip quivered at the very obvious gesture. Nessa whispered and covered his hand with hers. “Are you telling me you love me?” Her whisper caught in her throat.

One corner of his mouth pulled up into a relieved smile as Latharn nodded and brushed his lips across hers. He took a deep breath as though steeling himself against his own deepest fears. He took her hand and repeated the heart touching gesture from her chest to his. Then he raised a brow and awaited her answer, anxiety filling his eyes.

 A lone tear escaped down her cheek as Nessa stared at her hand splayed upon his broad chest. “You know I love you,” she murmured with a moan. “I just wish that you were real.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, pulling her into his arms to cradle her against his chest. Holding her close, he stroked her hair as she gave way to tears.

If you liked this, don't forget to comment for a chance to win BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER :-)