Friday, May 24, 2013

Interview and Giveaway with Sandy Wolters



Do you write in different genres?

My first love is romance.  I do write in a couple of different sub-genres of romance, contemporary and romantic suspense.  To date, all of my books have had a paranormal aspect to them as well. 

My first book, Maggie Mae, is a steamy contemporary romance with a ghostly paranormal twist.  My second book, Justice For Emily, is a steamy romantic suspense with a ghostly paranormal twist.  A Brother's Love is a romantic suspense with some pretty cool psychic abilities with animals.  Soul Mates is a steamy paranormal (magic)/time travel romance.  Soul Mates was really fun to write because it's both a contemporary romance and a historical romance all in one.

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

So far, I've had all the titles before I started writing the books.  Generally, when I get close to finishing a book, the next idea will just pop into my head.  By the time I start writing it, I generally have a good handle on the characters and the direction the book is going to go. 

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

It's so funny you are asking about this.  Last night, I had a conversation with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law about this very thing.  We all sat around laughing about the funny little true stories I put into my books.  I do this in all my books.  I think this type of sharing makes my work more personal between me and the reader.  I love it when readers try to figure out what actually happened in real life in my stories!

What books are in your to read pile?

This is a little embarrassing.  My only explanation is that I'm an avid reader.  While my true reading love is romance, I do have very eclectic tastes and will read just about anything I can get my hands on.  Right now I have almost 5,000 books on my Kindle TBR.  LOL  Nope.  I'm not kidding.

What is your current “work in progress” or upcoming projects?
I currently have two books started.  Carley, is a sequel to my first book, Maggie Mae.  This will be a contemporary romance that I hope to have completed by the end of this year.  Till Death Us Do Part is a romantic suspense/crime drama which should be released in mid 2014.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Carley is going to be another steamy, contemporary romance. I haven’t decided yet if there will be a paranormal twist in this book. I will only add it if it makes sense to the story and elevates it. I’ll just have to see as I go along.

Carley will face some medical issues in this book. She is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This is a particularly gut-wrenching story for me because my oldest daughter was diagnosed with MS twelve years ago.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

My all time favorite author is Nora Roberts.  I've been reading her work for years.  What I really like about her books is that they're all so different.  She writes all sub-genres of romance which gives the reader a lot of different choices. 

Who designed the cover of your latest book?

My good friend and editor Dannye Williamsen designed the cover for Soul Mates.  Here's a funny story about this cover.  The characters in Soul Mates are named Shandelle (my oldest daughter's name) and Ian (her boyfriend's name).  Shandelle saw the cover and got a huge smile on her face.  She said, "Damn!  I'm hot!"  LOL 








Soul Mates
Sandy Wolters

Genres:  Paranormal Romance
Magic, Time Travel Romance

ISBN:  9781301079049
ASIN:  B00C89GDIY

Number of pages:  142
Word Count: 50,573

Cover Artist:  Dannye Williamsen


Book Description:

Pulled Back Through Time, Shandelle Is Caught Between An Enduring Love And A Wizard’s Magic.

In the beginning of time, one soul splits into two. Lifetime after lifetime, the two souls are reborn and seek to reunite. Like a beacon of light from heaven above, their light shines for each other. Without the other, there is only darkness. A wonderful blessing that can only come from a deeply-bonded love, the sharing of one soul can also be a black curse if something disrupts the moment of their coming together.

Ireland 1323 - Donovan, chieftain of the Clan O'Brien, has unsuccessfully searched his entire adult life, to the detriment of his clan and all those around him, for that elusive possession that will bring his soul peace. He doesn't know what it is, but he will give up everything to find it. One day, he is summoned by the Wizard and told the secret of his obsession—his soul mate. She is no longer living in his time, but there is a way to bring her back to him.

Phoenix 2013 - Shandelle and Ian are embarking on their new life together. She is everything Ian ever wanted but never realized he needed before he met her. Shandelle is a generous soul who lives to make Ian and everyone around her happy. Unfortunately for them both, evil is stalking them. The blood bond duty of a close friend brings betrayal and evil into their lives. How were they to know that the death of a six-year-old girl in the early fourteenth century could have such grave consequences on their lives today?

About the Author:

I’ve been an avid reader for years. To my husband’s dismay, I have bookshelves full of books, rooms full of books, boxes full of books. My cars have books in them. I just can’t seem to get rid of them after I read them. You just never know when you will want to read it again, right? When my husband bought me a Kindle, it cut down on our need for storage, but it opened me up to books that I might never have experienced otherwise.

The biggest transition in my relationship with books occurred, however, when I, much to my surprise, became an author. I had started having dreams about people I didn’t know. I started looking forward to my dreams every night. Then I realized that I was daydreaming about these people as well. I'd just be sitting there, and these people and their antics would pop into my mind. Finally, I gave in and began writing their story down, something I had never dreamed of doing.

After I wrote my first book Maggie Mae, I had do idea what to do with it. After trying the traditional route for a little while, my husband pushed me in the direction of ebooks, and I’ve never looked back.

My books invariably feature strong women. My husband, Michael, and I have raised two strong daughters, Pilar and Shandelle, and they inspire the characters in my stories. As a matter of fact, Pilar was the main character in my book A Brother’s Love, and Shandelle is the main character in my new release Soul Mates. Justice for Emily was the most difficult book I’ve written, and that was because Emily was the victim of a sadistic, cruel, and abusive husband, who just happened to be the Chief of Police. One of my readers described this books as a “good mystery laced with sex, violence, ghosts and spirits.” The only thing her summary left out was the strength of the two women in this story: Emily and Rachael.

I’ve had fun with all the books I’ve written. I think the fact that I insert real events into my books, things that have actually happened in my family’s lives, is like having a private joke. Knowing that Michael Rogers in Maggie Mae is based on my husband tickles my fancy. I am a very lucky woman!

Although I write romance novels, they always contain a paranormal twist. My latest, Soul Mates, has the added element of time travel accomplished through the magical arts. I imagine my future writings will always contain romance with strong women and men of character, influenced by events that reach beyond what we consider normal, and perhaps seasoned with a little touch of whimsy.






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Thursday, May 23, 2013

In Flames by Jessica Jayne Guest Blog and Giveaway





I’d like to give a special thanks to Roxanne for hosting me and my new book, In Flames, on her blog Roxanne’s Realm.  

I got to work with Roxanne on my previous blog tour in April for my first book, More Than Friends, and had so much fun that I booked another tour with her for my latest book, In Flames, released by Evernight Publishing.  

I didn’t get the opportunity to visit Roxanne’s blog last go-round, so I’m thrilled to make this stop.

Roxanne asked me to do a guest blog.  In most circumstances, the stops I’ve made looking for a guest blog don’t give me a topic.  It’s sort of a free-for-all and I have to come up with something creative and interesting on my own.  

But not Roxanne… she gave me a super-hot topic that flows nicely with my book, In Flames… sexy firefighters!  

My main character, Matt Riley, is a sexy firefighter.  As far as fantasies go, a hard body, sexy firefighter is at the top of my list, so creating Matt’s character was a dream come true for me!  :-)


Why are these guys so damn sexy?  I ask myself that question many times as I drive past our local firehouse and find myself slowing down to check to see if the guys are out washing the trucks or shooting hoops in the driveway… with their shirts off, of course!  I do have lucky days!  :-)

What is it about a fireman that makes the women go crazy?!    I know I’m not the only one!  It’s true, a lot of them have hard bodies, as evidenced in these glorious pictures.  And as a warm-blooded female with a very healthy sexual appetite, I like a hard body like the rest of you.  :-)  But it’s got to be more than the uniform (or lack thereof) that makes these guys a top fantasy for most women.  For me, what pushes these guys to the top of the fantasy list is found in two words:  Selfless and Courage.


Selfless.  Firefighters may have some downtime during their shifts (thank God - because that’s when I get to catch them outside the firehouse horsing around J), but when a call comes in, it’s all work and no play.  And that’s because lives could be at risk, including their own.  They suit up in their turn-out gear and boots and head to a scene not knowing exactly what they may have to face, but ready and willing to face any danger that may await them, even at the risk of their own lives. 
 
Courage.  Firefighters face precarious situations on the job.  Saving the cat thirty feet up in the tree, rescuing a child from the fourth floor of a burning building, or pulling a man from the wreckage of his car, these guys save lives… every day!  They are heroes!  

Forget Superman.  Move over, Batman.  These guys are for real! 

And so are their hard bodies!  ;)  Enjoy!



Thanks for joining us here today and talking about sexy firefighters, Jessica.

I knew as soon as I seen the cover of your book I'd have to have you here as a guest and the topic would be firefighters.

See, I have a special reason for loving firefighters...my house is adorned with firetrucks, fire fighting memorabilia, antique fire equipment...and hanging on my living room wall are plaques from 1999 and 2000- Rookie Firefighter of the Year and Firefighter of the Year.

My husband was a firefighter when I met him. And while I love his heroic qualities, courage and selflessness -I'm so glad he doesn't run into burning buildings for a living anymore- but no matter what, he'll always be my hero ;-)

~Rox





In Flames
Jessica Jayne

Genre:  Contemporary Erotic Romance

Publisher:  Evernight Publishing

ISBN:  978-1-77130-387-3
ASIN:  B00CIOFYVG


Number of pages:  110
Word Count: 42,780

Cover Artist:  Sour Cherry Design

Evernight     Amazon      ARe      Bookstrand


Book Description: 

Gracelyn Riley married a firefighter.  She knew that came with risks.  But she never imagined herself widowed in her early thirties with two children to care for on her own.

As a fireman, Matt Riley was at the scene when his brother, Chad, was killed.  He suffered greatly from survivor’s guilt and depression after the accident.

The last year has been difficult for both Gracelyn and Matt.  They’ve relied on each other to get through the tough times.  With the anniversary of Chad’s death upon them, Gracelyn and Matt once again turn to each other for comfort and support.  They find it in each other’s arms (and bed).  Will their desire for each other consume them?  Can they overcome the guilt and scrutiny to find love again…together?

About the Author: 

I am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor's degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!

In the journey of life, I also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure. But the love of writing has never died.

My favorites:  I love to read and write... obviously! But I also enjoy all sports, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes!  Go Steelers!  Go Rays! I LOVE to travel... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. I love to drink Teavana teas! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a member of that!    I love hanging out with my family and my friends!  Big fan of music, but love nothing better than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw belt it out!  I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat!  

Favorite quote:  “If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”




Twitter:  @JessicaJayne13

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Interview and Giveaway with Rhonda Parrish

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Interview with Sylvia McDaniel

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