Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Interview with Jessica Aspen


Thanks for having me as your guest today Bernadette. I had a great time answering these questions, and I’ll be looking forward to responding to comments.  Leave a comment today on Warrior Princess and register it HERE to enter to win prizes. I’m giving away books, chocolates and more, in celebration of the upcoming release of Little Red Riding Wolf, my sensual novella due out on February 18th.



What genre(s) do you write?
I write paranormal romance, and it’s a little on the spicy side, so watch out! My current novella is a fast paced werewolf meets boy story twisted off of the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. I love fairy tales, paranormal and romance, so it seems a natural fit. One of the things I love about writing paranormal romance is the strong women and alpha men I can fantasize about. Worlds where anything can happen, as long as you stay within the world building rules, and that’s pretty easy since I build the worlds!

What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Actually Little Red Riding Wolf was pretty easy to write. When working with a twisted fairy tale, you have a framework to start with, so all I had to do was re-work the characters, time period, and some of the plot. Okay, I had to re-work the whole thing. But it’s like re-decorating an empty house, I still had walls. And since this is a novella, it moved very fast. This is the first novella I’ve ever written and once you are used to writing long stories, novellas seem pretty easy. That’s why I’m working on the sequel right now. Zipping through a novella after slogging through a long novel is exhilarating.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Oh this is a toughie! I am a pantser by nature, but I am working hard on switching to being a plotter. Each book I write gets a little more plotting and a little less pantsing. And I’m finding that the more I plot, the easier the writing. That may be one of the reasons Little Red Riding Wolf was written so fast, I was able to outline most of it before starting. My current WIP, about Red’s moody brother Seth, has been outlined using Randy Ingermanson’s Snowflake method, which is fast and still leaves a lot of room for creativity.

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?
I’m a multi-tasker. Put it down to a lifetime of juggling kids, jobs and whatever else life throws at me. I like to have more than one project going at a time. That means I almost never deal with writer’s block. If I am having trouble writing, I can move on to editing a different project. Not feeling well enough to edit, I can always plot or write a blog. Or  whatever needs doing. Having said that I find that the flip side of being a multi-tasker is sometimes I need to sit down and tell myself that I need to finish what I’m working on and not dance off to something else. Multi-taskers can also be great justifiers of why they are procrastinators.

Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer?
Good question! Wish I could say that I now spend many hours writing on my yacht in the Virgin Islands, but the truth is that my lifestyle is pretty much the same. I’m still working at my job and still worrying over the bills. But I am hopeful that the yacht is somewhere in my future! Actually the thing that has changed the most is my attitude about myself. I used to sort of apologetically tell people I was writing. It’s taken a little while, but now I say I am an author. And I am confident. There is something about having a book in hand (or nearly in hand) to boost an author’s confidence. The other major change really started before I even came close to publishing. That happened when I started to think of writing as a job and not as a hobby. But I’m not sure you can publish successfully without that attitude change. Either way I’m on my way now, and Little Red Riding Wolf is just the beginning.


A little more about Jessica Aspen

Jessica Aspen writes paranormal romance near the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. Her books are full of elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk on the dark side of the knife. She loves dark chocolate, walking the dog, hiking and is obsessed with her new lap-top. Jessica is also obsessed with writing and learning about writing. She is a member of RWA, CRW, FF&P and PRO. You can find Jessica the first Friday of the month at http://ParanormalFreebies.com and most days during the week at http://jessicaaspen.com
Follow Jessica on twitter @jessicaaspen and on Facebook.com/Jessica.Aspen and don’t forget to enter her contest HERE to win novellas, chocolate and more!
Come into the woods with Little Red Riding Wolf, Jessica Aspen’s spicy paranormal novella due for release February 18th from Passion in Print Press. What if Little Red Riding Hood was a werewolf and a sexy forest ranger wandered into her woods?

Little Red Riding Wolf:
Fraternizing with humans is taboo, but when feisty werewolf Red runs into hunky new forest ranger Evan Brewster, she jumps on the opportunity to let loose her desires. Evan is stoked when he meets the petite red haired hottie, and combined with his new discovery of wolves in Colorado, thinks his career and life are made. Then Red pushes him away, her hostile brother threatens his life, and things begin to spiral out of control. Caught between her sexy lover and her pack can Red trust Evan with her secrets, or must she sacrifice her human lover and her heart?

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Guest Blogger Martin Lastrape


Please welcome my guest blogger today Martin Lastrapes

Since publishing Inside the Outside in July 2011, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time on GoodReads. If you’re not aware of it (and why wouldn’t you be?!) it's a social network for book lovers.

I was a member of GoodReads before I published my novel, so being an official author on the site is super cool. One of the great things about GoodReads is it’s a place for readers to leave reviews about the books they’ve read.



I’m not sure if other authors (Stephen King, for instance, or Chuck Palahniuk) read their reviews on GoodReads, but I do.

And, so far, Inside the Outside has faired extremely well with readers. In no particular order, I wanted to share the kind words readers on GoodReads have been saying about my debut novel.

(Side Note: I truncated some of the longer reviews. You can read them in their entirety by following the links below).
Joanna wrote:
I rarely give a 5 star review but this book is original and compelling. I read it in 2 sittings as I found it hard to get out of my head.
Emma wrote:
“One of the best books I've read all year. Creepy, original, with a tight story and enviable prose. I plan to read it again, which in today's media clutter, is the biggest compliment I can bestow upon it. It's just that good.”
Jennifer wrote:
“Fantastic book. I was completely captivated; I'm still thinking about it days later.”
Chanel wrote:
“This book had me on the verge of tears, laughter, and terror, sometimes at the same time.”
Natasha wrote:
“I totally loved this book. It was hard to read at times imaging what was laid out about cannibalism. Made me cry and laugh. I want more, more of the same twisted story but also more of Martin Lastrapes amazing imagination and his talented writing.”
Cassandra wrote:
“5 STARS AMAZING! I absolutely LOVE Inside the Outside by Martin Lastrapes. I strongly recommend everybody read this book. After reading the first few pages, I already knew I'd be HOOKED. YOU MUST READ THIS! Happy, Sad, Intense, Creepy...YES, YES, YES!”

To those readers who read the book, enjoyed it, and thought enough of it to take a little time out of their day to write a kind review, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

For those readers who read and enjoyed the book, but didn’t leave a review on GoodReads, I appreciate you too.

And for anybody who hated the book, but chose not to review it, I appreciate you the most!

To find out more about Martin Lastrapes please visit the following sites:

Website/Blog: MartinLastrapes.com
Twitter: @MartinLastrapes
GoodReads: GoodReads.com/author/show/5041733.Martin_Lastrapes

Join us here tomorrow for a chance to win a copy of Inside the Outside



Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Interview with Martin Lastrapes


I am very pleased to have with me today author Martin Lastrapes.  Martin grew up in the Inland Empire. He studied at Cal State San Bernardino, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Composition. Inside the Outside is his first novel.

Martin will be here again on Thursday January, 26, 2012 and will also be our Friday Freebies guest on the 27th.  

Please Welcome Martin Lastrapes!

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
 I suppose if there is any one message I’d like for readers to take away from my novel, it would be that the world is much bigger than we often realize and it could do all of us a little good to go inside the outside from time to time.

How long have you been a writer?
I wish I could tell you I’ve been writing since I was old enough to hold a pencil, but the truth is I didn’t start writing with earnest until I was about 19.  So I’ve been a writer for about 15 years—of course, for most of those years, I wasn’t very good at it.

What’s something fans would find fascinating about you
Fans might be fascinated to find out that many of my storytelling techniques come from my love of professional wrestling. If that doesn’t do it for them, perhaps they’ll find it fascinating to hear I didn’t watch The Wizard of Oz until I was 28. If neither of those work, tell them I’ll be running for president in 2012 (it’s not true, but I’m feeling sort of desperate).

What books or authors have most influenced your life?
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Still Life With Woodpecker by Tom Robbins, The Los Angeles Diaries by James Brown, and The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien have all had profound affects on my life for varied reasons.

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?
One at a time for me.  Although the novel I’m currently working on is a bit complex, so it feels like I’m multi-tasking. 

Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.
I’m currently working on my second novel.  It’s a vampire story.  There’s blood, horror, romance, and laughs.  My goal, among other things, is to write a vampire novel for folks who don’t like vampire novels.

Thank you, Martin Lastrapes, for joining us today.  
If you'd like more information on Martin Lastrapes and his books you can find him with the links below.
Website/Blog: MartinLastrapes.com

Please enjoy an excerpt from INSIDE THE OUTSIDE.

During the course of her life, at various points, both in her youth and as an adult, Timber Marlow was, what you might call, a murderer.  But she wasn’t a murderer so far as I’m concerned.  For certain, she killed—and, so that there is no confusion, she was a killer of men.  The word “murder,” however, has sinister connotations and Timber Marlow was not sinister.  Nor was she cold, callous or without conscience.  And she was by no means a sociopath.  She was simply a girl who’s view of the world—by which I mean her perception of right and wrong—was skewed by the circumstances of her upbringing.  Timber Marlow was raised as a cannibal.

I won’t lie to you—once you learn the details of some of Timber’s bloodier deeds, you may very well find it difficult, if not impossible, to sympathize with her.  I hope, however, you would feel differently if you knew Timber Marlow was born and raised in a cult, growing up on a remote combine deep in the San Bernardino Mountains.  I’ll tell you about the strange rituals she was raised to believe were normal, of the men and women she saw killed in the name of righteousness.

Perhaps it would help if you knew Timber was raped before the age of fifteen as a punishment for breaking the rules of the cult and that the seed planted inside her young womb would give her a daughter.  I’ll tell you about the courage it took for her to run away with only her little girl in her belly, entering the mainstream society most of us take for granted.


If you’re ready to learn more about Timber Marlow, the story of who she was and why she did the things she did, then I encourage you to read on.  As for me, my role here is to be something of a balancer, to tell you the whole story, to tell you the truth.  I can’t force you to understand the truth, but I can ask you to listen.  I can’t tell you that Timber did not kill, but I can tell you why.  And if you wonder why I know so much about Timber Marlow, while you know so little, well that—and so much more—will be revealed in the pages that follow.


Friday, January 20, 2012

FRIDAY FREEBIE 1-19-2012

Friday is here and that means, FRIDAY FREEBIE!
My guest this week has been Deb Houdek Rule.  Today she's here to give a lucky reader a FREE copy of her book Of All the Western Stars.  All you have to do is leave a comment and an email address.  (don't want to leave your email address here?  Email me at info@bernadettemarie.com)



Here's a little sample of what Deb has to offer:

 Lost in time, a man from the far distant future, Ashur, crash lands in Tudor England. Bearing a heavy burden of guilt for horrific actions he committed in his own time, he finds comfort and aid with a young woman, Lisette. Sold into a loveless marriage to advance her family's fortunes, Lisette wishes for escape and love, herself, from the future she faces. With the help of Lisette, Ashur searches for redemption, and a way home. But all may be taken from both of them either by the dangers of England of the 16th century, or by the powerful 'wizards' who pursue Ashur, stopping at nothing to make him pay for his crimes. Set in 1518, "Of All the Western Stars" combines historical romance with time travel science fiction.




An excerpt from Of All the Western Stars: Ashur’s older brother had laughed at him once, saying, “You could be tossed into the very pit of Hell and you’d still find a way to get the most gorgeous woman in the place.” The memory brought a smile to Ashur’s lips. This may not be the pit of Hell… well, he amended, maybe it could. He’d spent much time learning old Earth history, yet there was far too much to memorize details of each era. Ashur tried to recall what he knew of the year 1518. Filth, famine, disease and ignorance, were the things that came to mind. Cowering and superstitious primitives, ugly and inbred…  Yet that amazing creature Lisette who had appeared before him draped in a cloud of translucent white had been none of those things. The pure, sultry simplicity of her look gave her an allure that all the makeup, clothing and hair designers in the galaxy couldn’t match with their most expensive and exotic efforts.

Ashur imagined Lisette beside him on the Grand Promenade at night, the Nebula painting the sky with radiance such as had never been seen in Earth’s plain sky. He pictured her ready flush of delight as he squeezed her lovely hand and pointed out the twin moons racing across the heavens. She’d be wearing, he built the scene in his mind, a few wisps of luminous green fog clinging to, but not concealing, the crinkle of her nipples. Gems that glowed from within twined in her cascade of hair would sparkle like stars.
She’d be amusing in her innocence, her wide-eyed wonder at the marvels of his world, mistaking machinery for magic. Still, her native dignity, and his able strength guiding her, would make her a fine prize, a pretty new pet for his collection. His mother and father would beam with pride at him, proud of their second son… the rebel, the stray… the unregarded one…

The happy image shattered. Leaden reality enveloped Ashur like the stench of the cesspit that wafted in through the poorly fitted window casement. Here and now he was lost, trapped in time, his mother and father as yet a thousand years unborn. Even there and then they were dead, destroyed by his own hand. No matter that he’d had to do it, no matter that he’d had no choice. He had killed them, them and every being on that world far away in both time and space.


Thursday, January 19, 2012

Guest Bloggr Deb Houdek Rule


Please welcome my guest blogger Deb Houdek Rule,

I am Deb Houdek Rule, a long-time devotee of Tudor history. I first encountered the Tudors of English history at the age of eleven, when the movie Anne of the Thousand Days finally made it to our rural Minnesota town. This movie changed my world by opening up my realm of knowledge to this astounding view of the past and the people in it. I was thrilled, enchanted, excited and – yes – bitter.


Why was I bitter? I was bitter that no one had seen fit to let me know this glorious view of history existed. Why had it been hidden? Oh, we had “history” taught in our school, though I use even the word “taught” loosely. As I entered seventh grade world history class, I found a horrific approach to teaching that involved meticulously copying down a formal outline of events as read out by the ‘teacher’. Everyone who thinks history a dull and tedious recitation of dates and events must have had something similar inflicted upon them. Had that been my only view of history I may never have known what truly exists in the brilliant world of the past.

Fortunately, Anne of the Thousand Days rescued me from that bleak and gray view of history and let me step into Tudorland. To be sure, the realm of the Tudors is no longer my only historical interest. I am a U.S. Civil War researcher with published research credentials and documentary appearances. I’m also keenly interested in the Norse Viking era in Norway and Iceland. All eras of history hold an interest, as all eras intertwine and affect each other, but my first love has always been the era of the Tudors.

Here is what Deb Houdek Rule has coming up next. 

Of All the Western Stars is a foray into the land of the Tudors. The novel is a romance with history meeting science fiction as a young man, Ashur, comes from five hundred years in our future to the world five hundred years in our past. One of my objectives was to write people who have no connection to our time and culture. Lisette comes from 500 years earlier, and Ashur from 500 years after us.

The book, and the relationship of two people with such a gulf between them, is a direct result of the romance I had with the man who is now my husband. My dear Geo gave me the truth of love and romance, and our own two thousand mile separation during our years of courting very much inspired the yearning and desire between Lisette and Ashur. 


Stars That Sing the Requiem: Five of my science fiction short stories, several of which have been published in various magazines and ‘Best Of’ collections. They include the title story, “Stars That Sing the Requiem,” “Silence At the Fall of Night,” “Terra Formation,” “Those We Left Behind,” and “Flowers on the Moon.” All feature women in the main roles. This will be available on Kindle by February 2012.

Call of the Stars: This is a novella and two accompanying short stories about a young man breaking away and reaching for his own future.

Sultana: A Case For Sabotage: This is the groundbreaking article I wrote on a case of Confederate Secret Service operations in the Trans-Mississippi theater of the U.S. Civil War. My research was the first in-depth study of this area and the spies and saboteurs knows as the “Boat Burners.” I will be republishing the article that appeared in North & South magazine,  which led to my appearance on the History Channel in “Civil War Terror.”

I have a number of other books and stories in progress. Following up on Of All the Western Stars, I have two sequel novels plotted.

My main website: www.debrule.com
My Tudor/novel website: www.tudorland.com

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Interview Deb Houdek Rule


Welcome to Tuesday on the Warrior Princess Blog!  Today I'm interviewing Deb Houdek Rule.
Deb Houdek Rule is a native of Minnesota, growing up on a farm near Pine City, MN. A graduate of the University of Southern California in Cinema-Television Production, she has worked in broadcast engineering since 1983. She has also worked extensively in television and video, writing, producing, and editing numerous video productions. Under the name D. A. Houdek she has published numerous science fiction and fantasy short stories As D. H. Rule she researched and published a groundbreaking piece of non-fiction Civil War research, “Sultana: A Case for Sabotage,” focusing on Confederate secret service operations in the Trans-Mississippi. Deb met her husband, Geo Rule, online on the Heinlein Forum.


Welcome Deb!

What genre(s) do you write?

I write across several genres. My first love, and one I use in Of All the Western Stars, is science fiction. Most of my published short stories are science fiction. But I also have a long-time love of history. I’ve been published with my non-fiction research on the U.S. Civil War, and appeared in a History Channel documentary because if it. I fell in love with the Tudor era of England when I was eleven-years-old and saw the movie Anne of the Thousand Days. My novel is set in that era.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Though I have a strong fondness for reading the romance genre, and have devoured novel after novel of romance, especially the historical, I have a hard time expressing my own romantic side. This novel came about because I was in the midst of the first real romance of my own with the man who is now my husband. We met online, on an Internet science fiction forum in the early days before things like online dating existed, and had a long-distance romance from 2000 miles apart. While this frustrated, distant, but powerful romance of our own was taking place, I took my first trip to England, visiting the very locations I use in the novel. All these things twined for me from these experiences of my own—love with a distant, unreachable man in a strangely science fiction way combined with the locations and people of Tudor England. In many ways, Of All the Western Stars is a bit autobiographical!

How long have you been a writer? 

I started writing in the sixth grade, writing my first “novel” then. It wasn’t much of a novel, but it was a start that would never stop. I’ve always written, whether in fiction, or in whatever other ways that presented themselves. I’ve done technical writing, script writing for technical instructional videos, industrials, and business promotional writing. My first and always writing love and devotion is fiction, however, because that’s where I can set my imagination free and travel to new places.

What other careers have you had?

I have been a farmer, a waitress, briefly a factory worker (to pay off a car when I was nineteen), but primarily I work in broadcast television. I graduated the University of Southern California with a degree in Cinema-Television Production. I’ve worked in television for nearly thirty years, doing pretty much every job there is to do in the field, from writing, producing, editing, running a camera, technical directing, and broadcast engineering. It’s been fun, but the field is changing and now I’m looking to get out and move on to more concentrated work in writing and web design.

Do you write under more than one name? Why?

I started writing science fiction as D. A. Houdek. That’s my maiden name, “Houdek,” with my initials. This is because writing as a woman in that genre could be a hindrance. When I published my first non-fiction history I used D. H. Rule, my married name, “Rule,” with my initials used for the same reason. I research and write a very hard-core area of Civil War research and didn’t want my gender to impact perceptions of my research. I’ve worked in male-dominated fields all my life, from when I was working on my parent’s farm to working in an area of television broadcasting as one of the first women in television engineering, and not always welcomed, so I’m not unaware of perceptions of gender and how they have an impact. Now, however, the world had, indeed, changed and I’m putting all my writing under my full name, Deb Houdek Rule. My science fiction stories, and non-fiction history will all be republished as by Deb Houdek Rule. It’s a pleasing change to make.

Are any of your characters based on real people or events?

In Of All the Western Stars I chose some people who are a bit to the left of the major players of the time.  One of the families I use is historically real, the Stafford family. The first son was the Duke of Buckingham, who was later executed for treason by Henry VIII. The people I use are the second son of the family, Henry Stafford and his wife, Cicely, who was older than he was. Their son, however, is fictitious.

What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?

I know how to start a 1930’s John Deere B tractor, and how to run one. I have been to all fifty states in the United States. I love fast cars and have driven 115mph in a rented car on the Autobahn, and could have gone faster except I couldn’t think of how to say “I’ve blown the car’s engine” in German. I love snowshoeing. I do home renovation, more or less successfully. The wood floor in the dining room went very well, but I never want to do tiling again! I speak a bit of Icelandic.

What books or authors have most influenced your life?

Science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein has had the greatest impact on me, in more ways than I can really count. I found his books when I was quite young and was transported by his vivid stories of adventures in which we all can share, whether male or female. As I mentioned, I’ve been in male-dominated fields of work most of my life and I credit both my parents, who never tried to apply “girls shouldn’t do that” restrictions to me, and to Robert A. Heinlein, whose juvenile science fiction novel are shining examples of books that promote not the equality of girls to boys, but the superiority of girls and women in most areas! I’ve written articles on this subject. His main characters were boys, writing to the publishing market of the 1950s, but he always had female characters who were smarter, more skilled, braver, and just as adventuresome as the boys. Those lessons never left me. In Of All the Western Stars, the main character, Lisette is fighting her own battle against the roles and restrictions the world is trying to impose upon her, and is seeking that broader adventure and knowledge that I, myself, once sought.

Beyond his writing, Heinlein also directly influences my life every day. I’m on the Board of Directors of the Heinlein Society, a charitable organization dedicated to the concept Heinlein originated of “Pay It Forward.” We operate blood drives and have educational programs. I also am webmaster for all the Heinlein Prize Trust websites, that being the Heinlein literary estate, not only designing and maintaining their websites but writing articles and press releases on a regular basis. And, most importantly, it was the Heinlein Forum where I met my now-husband, Geo Rule.

I’m also a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder and have a long-running and popular website devoted to her and her stories. I also fond of Loula Grace Erdman, who wrote pioneer west historical romances.

Where are you from?

I’m from Minnesota. I lived out west for a number of years, but Minnesota is always my home and where I come back to.

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?

I am a complete multi-tasker. I always have many projects going at once.

Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.

Stars That Sing the Requiem: Five of my science fiction short stories, several of which have been published in various magazines and ‘Best Of’ collections. They include the title story, “Stars That Sing the Requiem,” “Silence At the Fall of Night,” “Terra Formation,” “Those We Left Behind,” and “Flowers on the Moon.” All feature women in the main roles. This will be available on Kindle by February 2012.

Call of the Stars: This is a novella and two accompanying short stories about a young man breaking away and reaching for his own future.

Sultana: A Case For Sabotage: This is the groundbreaking article I wrote on a case of Confederate Secret Service operations in the Trans-Mississippi theater of the U.S. Civil War. My research was the first in-depth study of this area and the spies and saboteurs knows as the “Boat Burners.” I will be republishing the article that appeared in North & South magazine,  which led to my appearance on the History Channel in “Civil War Terror.”

I have a number of other books and stories in progress. Following up on Of All the Western Stars, I have two sequel novels plotted. 

Thank you so much for joining us today.  Visit the following links for more information on Deb Houdek Rule:

Deb Houdek Rule's main website: www.debrule.com
The Tudor/novel website: www.tudorland.com






Thursday, January 12, 2012

Guest Blogger Tracey H. Kitts


Put a little umph in it
By Tracey H. Kitts

I get asked fairly often, as I’m sure other authors do, “Why do you write about that stuff?” Meaning one of a few specific things, “Why do I write about werewolves/vampires?” or “Why do you write romance?” or more specific, “Why do you write about sex?”
It amazes me that in the society we now live, people are so afraid of the subject. Sex is not a bad thing. I truly believe that both sex and romance are healthy and for one to work out right you really need the other. But, that’s just my perspective. As I have often said, I write what I enjoy. I also get asked, “Where do you get your ideas?” That’s a tough question, considering my ideas come from everywhere. I don’t think most people realize how difficult this one is to answer. They probably also don’t realize how they look at me like I’m a nut when I try to explain. Ha. Ha.
A good portion of my ideas comes from my dreams. Literally. I don’t mean my hopes and ambitions, I mean those little movies that play in my head when I sleep. (Another reason why I’m angry when I don’t get enough rest.) If it weren’t for my dreams, some of my best scenes would never have been written. Dreaming about something gives me the remarkable pleasure of being able to live it from the inside out. I believe that being able to tell a story as if you’ve lived it makes all the difference in the world.
For example, with my latest release Frank and The Werewolf Tamer, I saw every aspect of our hero, Frank. I envisioned him in all of his perfection, felt the heat rising from his skin, felt the stubble of an unshaved beard against his face. If you can’t close your eyes and visualize characters this way, how can you ever expect the reader to do so? By the time I put a character onto the page, I can tell you what his kiss tastes like and whether or not he needs moisturizer on his hands.
I don’t believe in just taking an idea and writing about it. I believe in taking an idea and putting a little umph in it.

You can find out more about Tracey at www.traceyhkitts.com
Her latest release is Frank and The Werewolf Tamer, an erotic paranormal romance, available exclusively on Amazon Kindle.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Freedom of Opinion! Its the best part of what I do!

Originally seen on January 11, 2012. Please enjoy my view on my very first bad review. I've had many, and this article still encompasses how I feel about it. The blessing is that those who do love my writing usually want to tell me personally and they tend to gather on my FB page.  If you love my writing join us there. Join Me!

Recently I realized I had made it!  I was not only a published author, I was a published author who was being read!  What a glorious feeling.  While watching my kids at karate I had this amazing three minutes.  First, I received my very first random fan email.  It was great!  I love that I connected with someone I don't know.  Someone who said, "I don't think I have ever been drawn to a book like this before!" Second, the person who inspired one of my characters said he couldn't wait for the book, he was going to build a shrine.  Well now, that's something!  Third, I found reviews and ratings on iTunes!  I'm a solid 4 star read with over 195 ratings for The Executive's Decision.  There were three reviews.  Two of the reviews were 5 star.  They loved the book, couldn't wait for the next one to come out.  The third review was entitled Blah!  Well this was a two star review  from someone who didn't like my character and thought the story was boring and predictable.

Yep!  That confirmed it!  I had a bad review and that means I'm on the in!

Now you'd think I'd be upset.  You'd think that wouldn't have wiped out my high, but no, just the opposite.  I laughed.  Not because I thought the person was wrong.  In fact, every aspect (except the blah) of the review was right.  My character is a woman trying to take back her life.  She's a bit on edge.  Some might not like her. Predictable?  Yeah, maybe just a little.  It is a romance.  Many of those end with happily ever after, that's how I like em.  But what was thrilling was that this person, who did not like my book, read it.  As uncomfortable as I should have been reading the review, I realize she had been that uncomfortable reading the book.  She downloaded something, and read and finished it, without liking it.  She stepped out of her comfort zone, apparently to read my book. She used the freedom of her voice to give that opinion.  And I used the freedom of my voice to create the book (which to remind you has 5 star reviews (minus this one.))

What would the world be if we all like the same thing?  How boring and predictable would that be?  We certainly wouldn't have the great opportunity of choosing our own paths in life.  We wouldn't be able to climb ladders and advance.  I'm not a fan of Regency Historical.  Does that mean the world shouldn't' read it?  Heavens no.  I've given my book to men who smile, accept it, and will never crack the cover.  And that's a-OK with me!  I'm just thrilled that they can enjoy something different.

So to the person who wrote the Blah! review, thank you.  Thank you for downloading my book (which you got for free, so I don't feel too bad.)  Thank you for finishing it and for taking the time to go back online and write your thoughts.  Thank you for using your words to express yourself and the freedom to do so.  Isn't it wonderful?  I would love to think you'll download another someday and maybe it'll be just the book for you.  But then again... I'll bet you have a favorite and it might not be something I'd enjoy.  Alas, we may not see eye to eye, but then again thanks to the freedoms we enjoy, I think we just might.

Always let your voice be heard.  Its a freedom we should embrace.  As much as I'd like to reel in the world with my words, for some I won't use the right words.  For others, my words will change their lives.  WOW, what an amazing opportunity we have in this country.  Freedom to use our words.

Happy Reading (no matter what you enjoy reading!)


Bernadette Marie

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Interview with Tracey H. Kitts


Today I am very exited to have with me Paranormal author Tracey H. Kitts!

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
 I love being able to share my thoughts and ideas with the world. This is what I’ve always wanted to do and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity.

What genre(s) do you write? 
I write paranormal, sci-fi, and fantasy romance, often rolled into one.


Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?
  Because I would buy them myself. I would never try to sell someone a story I wrote to “fit the market” or something like that. I write what I enjoy in the hopes that others will enjoy them as well. So, if you’re a paranormal romance fan, you already know that another person who loves the genre enjoyed the book.
 

Are any of your characters based on real people or events? 
There’s a little bit of truth in everything, even jest. Or so I’ve always said. To some small extent, most everything (including characters) is based on something real. My stories are about 95% stuff I made up and 5% based on real events. I suppose that’s one reason I’ve been annoyed when someone compares one of my characters to someone else’s. I kept thinking, “Seriously? But he’s based on MY personality!” Ha. Ha. Ha. Not to mention he had my garish fashion sense.


Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.
  •  I love horror movies.
  •  I was one stripe from my black belt in Krav Maga, but didn’t want to have to register myself as a weapon.
  •  I’m a huge Batman fan, mostly because I’ve had a crush on Joker since I was little. 
  • I love video games. 
  • I am not a morning person.


Tell us what you have coming up!
My latest book is called FRANK AND THE WEREWOLF TAMER. It’s about a vampire who gets involved with a modern (and sexy) version of Frankenstein.
Katherine has had a hard time finding work, mostly because she’s a vampire. Turns out, people aren’t clamoring to work with the undead. She goes to the massive theme park, Notte Oscura, as a last resort. However, she soon finds there is more waiting for her than just a job.
Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Werewolf-Tamer-ebook/dp/B006PU2JBW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325201201&sr=8-1


EATEN BY THE WOLF – Free Read
Nicki is curious about her neighbor Max, who happens to be a sexy werewolf. When she sneaks into the woods one night to "get a look" at him, she may be in for more than she bargained for.
Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/118453


Thank you, Tracey for joining me on my blog today!  If you'd like to learn more about Tracey and her books follow the links below!


Also look for Tracey back here on Thursday January 12, 2012 as my guest blogger and again on Friday for Friday Freebies when she'll be giving away free books!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Guest Blogger Sandy Wolters


A Mother's Sense of Peace and Contentment Moving Into the New Year
Guest Blogger, Sandy Wolters

Speaking as an overprotective mother with 31 years of experience, I have made it my life's work to ensure the growth and happiness of my two daughters.  They know in their hearts and minds that mom will always be there for them to hold their hand when they have the unfortunate experience of going to a phlebotomist, or if they just need someone to talk to about their day.   While both of my girls are no longer living with Mike and I, they are still my children and the bond we have is strong.

In mid 2011, I started to notice a change in both of my girls.  I wasn't hearing from them as often as usual.  They weren't coming home as much as they used to.  I chalked this up to the fact that my daughters were leading busy, fulfilling lives and my pride for them swelled.  I started noticing in the conversations we were having that men, two men in particular, were being introduced into the equation.   Keep in mind that my daughters are both beautiful women inside and out.  There have been men in their lives, but never "the one" for either of them.  No man had ever been important enough to bring up in casual conversations.  Until, that is, 2011.

December 2011 changed everything.  Mike's birthday is December 23rd.  It's become a tradition for our girls to take us out to a special birthday dinner for their dad.  It's always just been us, the close knit family.  The week of Mike's birthday, Mike and I found out that Shandelle and Pilar had invited their boyfriends to join us.  This was a first.  Never before in our children's adult lives had Mike and I been allowed to meet the current boyfriends, let alone meet them at an important family function.  While I was excited that the men in my girl's lives were important enough for us to meet, at the same time, I was feeling trepidation.  This was, after all, a special "family" event.  Just who did these guys think they were?

On the way to the restaurant, I was feeling panicked.  I knew in my heart from that night forward things were going to be different.  I knew as a mother, I would be stepping down the ladder of importance and some man was going to be taking that place with both of my girls.  I was having difficulty breathing.  What if I didn't like one or both of them?  Did these men understand that as I mother, I would gladly spend the rest of my life in jail if either of them hurt one of my baby girls?  I was in a frenzy by the time we got to the restaurant. 

As Mike and I were walking inside for the impending meeting, my legs were shaking.  My knees were buckling.  In just moments, I was going to meet the men important enough to join us on this very special occasion.  We moved to a gigantic table that was never needed before.  I did what every mother does.  I sat back, tried to control my breathing and watched.  What I saw brought tears of joy to my heart.  My baby girls were in love.  Both of them.  They were glowing with it.  Sitting next to them, their men were giving them stolen glances that reflected everything a good romance writer loves to write about.  Both of the boys ... men were just as in love with my baby girls.  It was tangible.  You could feel the love in the air.

At that moment, a warmth enveloped me.  It started at the tip of my head and slowly moved down to my feet.  I felt peace.  I felt the love at the table. I realized that I had just been given a very special gift.  I had just gained two sons.  I knew in that one perfect moment that my baby girls would always be taken care of.  If something were to happen to me tomorrow, they would have the support and love they would need to move on.  In that one moment, every wish a protective mother has for her children was granted to me.

So I move into 2012 knowing that my baby girls have each found a love that I found 33 years ago with their father.  It leaves me with an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment that their lives are fuller and as happy as my life has been with their father over the years.  My next adventure, grandbabies, lots of grandbabies.  :o)







Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Interview with author Sandy Wolters


I am very happy to welcome Sandy Wolters to my blog today!
Sandy is an author and a blogger.  Her genre of choice is contemporary romance and romance/suspense/thriller, both with a ghostly paranormal twist.  She hosts a blog called Sandy's Spotlight that introduces fabulous authors to avid readers every other Friday.

Please leave a comment for Sandy below and help me welcome Sandy Wolters!

I would like to start out by saying how great it is to be on a blog called Warrior Princess!  The lead female characters in my books are fierce.  Now they are being introduced by a fierce blog hostess.  Does it get any better than that?


What genre(s) do you write?

To date, I've written three books. 

My first, Maggie Mae, is a steamy contemporary romance with a ghostly paranormal twist.

My second, Justice For Emily, is a steamy romance/suspense/thriller with a ghostly paranormal twist. 

My third, A Brother's Love, is a romance/suspense/thriller with a ghostly paranormal twist.  The steam level in this book is very low for those that prefer less explicit sensual content.

I'm really excited because I've just started my fourth book, Soul Mates, that will be mainly a steamy historical romance with some pretty cool magic thrown in. 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I could never outline a book before writing it.  I never know where a book or characters will take me.  That's half the fun!  I really enjoy letting the characters come to life and see what kind of circumstances they find themselves in. 

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?

The paranormal in my books is a little different than the norm these days.  I like vampires and werewolves, but I just don't know enough about them to write a good story. 

My paranormal deals with the loss of character's loved ones, and those loved ones coming back to help those left behind in a time of crisis.  In some cases, they come back to interfere with personal relationships.  I love writing about ghosts, how they interact with people, how they can give us signs that they're alright.

When not writing, how do you relax?

Relax?  Hang on a minute.  I have to go look that word up.  Oh, so that's what that means.  LOL  I love to read.  I've started a blog called, Sandy's Spotlight, that introduces fabulous authors to avid readers.  I had never been involved in a book discussion before, but was recently invited to one.  It was wonderful to have interaction with the author about the book I had read.  It was also really great to see how readers interpreted characters and situations that the author had a completely different take on.

Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.

1)  I enjoy camping in a tent, fishing, hiking, looking for wildlife.
2)  I absolutely love old movies, Gaslight, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, anything with John Wayne in it. 
3)  I've recently found out that I am addicted to my computer.
4)  I love to read.  My first love is romance, but my tastes are very eclectic just as they are with movies.  I like suspense, thrillers, horror, you name it, I will give it a try.  I've just recently finished my first Sci-fi novel and loved it!  Who'd have thought?
5)  I'm a chocoholic. 

You can connect with Sandy Wolters here:

Website:  www.sandywolters.weebly.com
Sandy's Spotlight Blog:  http://sandywolters.weebly.com/sandys-spotlight.html
Twitter:  @SandyWolters
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4772120.Sandy_Wolters
FaceBook:  Sandy Wolters, Tempe Arizona

Here are a few bites for you to enjoy from Sandy Wolters



Justice For Emily:
Rachael Merchant, a Phoenix Homicide Detective, is running from the images of her last case that are embedded deep in her soul. Before her journey is over, she will find herself embroiled in a twisted murder investigation that involves the Chief of Police of Brownwood, Texas, as the main suspect. Officer Patrick Sheehan will do whatever it takes to keep Rachael near him to get Justice For Emily.

Purchase Links for Justice For Emily:
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Justice-For-Emily-ebook/dp/B004VB8QJG
B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/justice-for-emily-sandy-wolters/1100125648
Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/51639



A Brother's Love:
Unable to locate FBI Special Agent Pilar Campos, the woman that killed his brother, Boone Baker, the leader of the Snowflake Militia Group, goes to extreme measures to draw her out in the open. In one fell swoop, he will destroy her life as she knows it. Will she be strong enough to continue on, or will he get his wish and kill her?

Purchase links for A Brother's Love:
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/A-Brothers-Love-ebook/dp/B005CDAFOG
B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-brothers-love-sandy-wolters/1104361637
Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/73103

Monday, January 2, 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2012

Here we are!  I have been looking forward to 2012!  I just have a really good feeling about all the great things that are going to happen this year!

This week I have Sandy Wolters as my guest!  I will be interviewing her tomorrow (Tuesday 1-3-2012) and She will be my guest blogger on Thursday (1-5-2012.)  I'm very excited to have her here.

Next week I will welcome Tracey Kitts!

As for me, the Warrior Princess Romance Author... I've been working hard!  My publishing house 5 Prince Publishing has just released, this past December, a paranormal romance anthology, Finding Ms. Wright, by M.L. Guida, Hillary Seidl, and Lori Corsentino.  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/105200
Also available is She Belongs to Me, by Carmen DeSousa.  This is a 5 Star reviewed romantic suspense guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very end.  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/117000

Keep an eye out for my next book, a Sweet Treat Valentine Novella, entitled Candy Kisses, due out January 14, 2012.

Thanks for joining me.  Happy New Year!
Bernadette Marie