Author: Katie L. Carroll (Page 85 of 142)

Campus Crush by Ashelyn Drake Book Blast

March 5, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

Check out this book blast for Ashelyn Drake’s Campus Crush, a compilation of four new adults novellas in one book. Grab the ebook for only $1.99!

Campus Crush:

The co-eds of Timberland College know a little romance is good for the soul.

Follow four couples as they try to find love in the Campus Crush Series boxset, including Nothing to Tell, Romancing the R.A., Behind Closed Doors, and Rushing Into Love.

When you’re looking for love, you have to be willing to break the rules.

A closer look at the four novellas in Campus Crush:

Nothing To Tell

Some guys have the art of hooking up down to a science. They know all the right words to say and all the right games to play.

Except…for guys like Mike Hannigan. The dude has got no game, his pick-up lines never work, and to make matters worse, his wing-man is his female best friend, Mindy.

Until one day, a mysterious raven-haired beauty catches Mike’s eye and he’s determined to have her. He doesn’t care what lengths he has to go to. He’ll do whatever it takes to perfect his game and figure out what to say without sounding like a sleaze.

But… There’s always something strange about mysterious girls. They’re usually mysterious for a reason and this girl in particular might be more than Mike bargained for.

Romancing the R.A.

Noelle Buckman is looking forward to making a fresh start in college, one that doesn’t involve immature high school boys. The second she steps on campus for freshman orientation, she can sense the possibilities. Especially when she spots Andy, a resident advisor who’s not just hot but also thoughtful enough to open doors for a girl.

And Andy has his eye on Noelle. Even when her nerves take control and she thinks she comes off as a hillbilly with no direction, Andy can see what she’s really like and he’s more than a little interested.

But orientation is less than two full days and there’s an entire summer between Noelle and Andy. Will her attempt to romance the R.A. be as short-lived as college orientation?

Behind Closed Doors

Julia Monroe is through wishing she had an older guy like her best friend Noelle does. It’s time for her to act on her desires. So when she sees sexy, twenty-three-year-old Darren McEntire eating dinner alone at the pub, she decides to make her move. The attraction between them is undeniable, and even through Julia isn’t looking for a one-night stand, she winds up back at Darren’s place the same night she meets him. Only being with him makes her realize what she’s been missing dating other guys. All she wants is Darren.

But Julia allows Darren to think she’s his age and a grad student at the nearby college. She knows she has to confess the truth, but she’s afraid to shatter what they have. Not knowing what to do, she starts the semester only to discover that her new teaching assistant is none other than Darren. With the lies out in the open and campus policy against them, Julia and Darren know the relationship should be over before it even begins. But the chemistry between them is too strong to deny.

Can they find a way to be together or are they doomed to only see each other behind closed doors?

Rushing Into Love

As a college junior, Mindy Stanton has no interest in dating a freshman.

That is until Ben Whitmore shows up and serenades his way into her heart at the dorm social she’s running. And after hearing him sing, even Mindy can’t deny that he has a deep, sexy voice that makes her melt.

Even though Mindy makes it clear that she doesn’t date younger guys, Ben pursues her anyway. After all, he doesn’t seem like the typical college freshman, who is only interested in hooking up, partying until he can’t remember his name, or joining a frat. He’s a gentleman, a romantic, and definitely knows all the right things to say to sweep a girl off her feet.

So Mindy drops her guard. She allows herself to fall for him. Before she knows it, Ben is all she can think about. To her, he’s perfect.  But it doesn’t take Mindy long to discover that even the most perfect guys…  Have secrets.

Add Campus Crush on Goodreads or buy it a Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

About the Author:

Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult romance author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family. She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

Find Ashelyn online:

Blog: http://ashelyndrake.wordpress.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AshelynDrake

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7075461.Ashelyn_Drake

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshelynDrake

Interview with Christina Weigand Author of Sanctuary of Nine Dragons

February 28, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

A hearty welcome back to Christina Weigand as she celebrates the release of Sanctuary of Nine Dragons, the third book in her YA fantasy series Palace of Twelve pillars. She’s been gracious enough to answer a few questions. Hi, Christina!

What made you want to become a writer?

A shark. When I was a kid for the longest time I thought I wanted to be a nurse. I desperately wanted to wear one of those little white caps that they wore back in the day. When I was a junior in high school, I went to see the movie Jaws. That night I had nightmares and couldn’t sleep. It was then that I decided that maybe nursing was not for me. I had always written. I wrote for the school newspaper and a local newspaper. Journalism seemed a natural choice.

What inspired you to write Sanctuary of Nine Dragons?

I can’t put my finger on one particular incident that inspired this book, except for the one when I finished the second book in the trilogy and realized that the story wasn’t finished yet. For the whole trilogy though, I don’t remember a bolt of lightning, or any particular thing that inspired the story. It started out as a lonely farm boy being told that he was a prince and wizard and blossomed from there.

What one book do you wish you had written?

There are so many books out there that I love, but the reason I love them is because the talent of a particular author are behind it. They were the best person to write that book. I couldn’t have written their book just as they couldn’t have written mine.

At what moment did you truly begin to feel like an author?

It was my first NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) when I was writing Palace of the Twelve Pillars. It was the first draft and writing the funeral scene of King Theodric. I stopped and reread after writing it. I couldn’t believe that I wrote those words, that they came from my fingers. I ran through the house showing it to anyone who was there. Of course my husband was the only one there and he just didn’t get that feeling.

What is your favorite part of the writing process? What is your least favorite part?

When the characters take control of the story and things just flow. My least favorite part is when the characters are silent and the words won’t come.

What is the single best piece of advice you have for aspiring authors?

If it is your passion, your calling, to write then don’t give it up. Don’t listen when others tell you not good enough or you should be doing something else. Write, read and write some more.

What is next for you in your writing career?

I just submitted a middle-grade novel to my publisher. God willing it will be published by the end of the year. I have another series that I have started.

Sanctuary of Nine Dragons blurb:

Joachim banishes Brandan to prison island of Hyogo. His infant son, Prince Airyn disappears from his cradle. A chain of events is set in motion that will pit brother against brother, friend against friend, parents against children as Brandan and Joachim struggle for control of their sanity and their very lives.

With Brandan declared dead and his son missing Joachim sinks into despair and anger, where those close to him fear he may never return.

Is Brandan really dead and if he is, who is manipulating the Mantion and enemies of Crato?

Can Maeve save her country and her husband from the tentacles of evil pervading the land?

Find it at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and other ebook retailers.

About the Author:

Christina Weigand’s a writer, wife, and mother of three grown children and a middle school daughter. She is also Nana to three granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Pennsylvania, returning there after a short sabbatical in Washington. Currently, she’s working on fantasy novels and inspirational writing. Through her writing, she strives to share the Word of God and help people young and old to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone.

When she’s not writing, she’s active in her local Church as a lector, Bible Study, or with the church theater group, volunteering at her daughter’s school helping the children develop a love for reading and writing. Jesus fills her home with love as she shares Him through her writing.

Find out more about Christina on her blog, Twitter (@CAWeigand), Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Meet Rosemary Morris Author of The Captain and The Countess

February 21, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m very pleased to have historical novelist Rosemary Morris, author of The Captain and the Countess, share some of her writing wisdom today on the blog. Let’s give Rosemary a big welcome on her book b-day!

Thank you very much for inviting me to be your guest.

As you know I am a historical novelist, and one of the questions frequently put to me is: “Where do you get your ideas from?”

Usually, the idea for a plot comes from something I have read in a non-fiction book. While I am working in my organic garden, where I grow herbs, fruit and vegetables or while I am using them in my vegetarian cuisine, I think about the plot and theme. I ask myself the following questions. “Who are the main characters? What is going to happen? Where will it happen? When will it happen? Why will it happen?”

Before I can begin to write a historical fiction novel I name the characters. This is very important. They must be appropriate for the period when the story takes place. After I have chosen their names, I compose detailed character profiles. By the time I am ready to write the first sentence, I know who their ancestors were, what they look like, where they were educated, when they were born, what their favourite perfume is, their eccentricities, their hopes and fears etc. Although I only use a fraction of the four page profiles they create people who live and breathe in my imagination.

A frequent remark which people make is: “I could write a book.” I am sure they could if they set aside time to write. I wake at 6 a.m. and with short breaks I work until 10 or 11 a.m. If I am at home for the rest of the day I work from 1.30 p.m. until 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.

To complete a novel an author must be self-disciplined. The important thing is to keep to a routine. As I sip my early morning tea I revise the pages I wrote on the previous day and then continue the story. Whether my muse is with me or not my goal is to write 2,000 words but if I need to research something, depending on how much time that takes, I write less.

Part of my writing time includes reading historical non-fiction to research a wide variety of subjects – for example, clothes, food, furnishings, economic and social history. I also read poetry, fiction, letters, biographies and auto-biographies dating back to the era I am writing about. I believe historical novelists have a duty to reconstruct the life and times of their characters and recreate their world. In my opinion, the further back in time a novel takes place the harder it is to enter the minds of people who lived then, but although their culture and attitudes might have been different, they were driven by the same things as we are – love, hate, greed, revenge, duty, etc.

Apart from writing and research, which from time to time includes visiting places such as a stately home, garden or museum, I blog, apply critiques of my chapters from members of groups which I belong to and critique their chapters. This is mutually useful. We comment on rogue punctuation and spelling, query possible historical inaccuracies and tell each other what we like about each other’s novel

One thing is certain, my characters and I are never bored.

The Captain and the Countess blurb:

Set in England in the reign of Queen Anne Stuart – 1702 -1714

Why does heart-rending pain lurk in the back of the wealthy Countess of Sinclair’s eyes?

Captain Howard’s life changes forever from the moment he meets Kate, the intriguing Countess and resolves to banish her pain.

Although the air sizzles when widowed Kate, victim of an abusive marriage meets Edward Howard, a captain in Queen Anne’s navy, she has no intention of ever marrying again.

However, when Kate becomes better acquainted with the Captain she realises he is the only man who understands her grief and can help her to untangle her past.

E.books published by: MuseItUp Publishing available from the publisher, Amazon and elsewhere.

Tangled Love, Far Beyond Rubies (also available as a paperback) False Pretences, Sunday’s Child. New release 21^st February 2014 The Captain and the Countess.

About the Author:

Rosemary Morris was born in 1940 in Sidcup Kent. As a child, when she was not making up stories, her head was ‘always in a book.’

While working in a travel agency, Rosemary met her Indian husband. He encouraged her to continue her education at Westminster College. In 1961 Rosemary and her husband, now a barrister, moved to his birthplace, Kenya, where she lived from 1961 until 1982. After an attempted coup d’état, she and four of her children lived in an ashram in France.

Back in England, Rosemary wrote historical fiction. She is now a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Historical Novel Society and Watford Writers.

Apart from writing, Rosemary enjoys classical Indian literature, reading, visiting places of historical interest, vegetarian cooking, growing organic fruit, herbs and vegetables and creative crafts.

Her bookshelves are so crammed with historical non-fiction which she uses to research her novels that if she buys a new book she has to consider getting rid of one.

Time spent with her five children and their families, most of whom live near her is precious.

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk

http://rosemarymorris.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/writerinagarret

My Writing Process Blog Hop

February 17, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

I’ve been tagged! Author extraordinaire Kai Strand asked me to participate in the My Writing Process blog hop. Make sure to check out Kai’s post about her (many) works in progress and her blog at http://kaistrand.blogspot.com/.

Now on to the questions I must answer:

1. What am I working on?

I’ve been really mum on the blog lately (and in general) about my WIPs since putting myself in a creative bubble last fall. I’m not exactly ready to bust open the bubble, but a little sharing won’t hurt.

So I’ve been working on drafting two different YA projects. Elixir Saved (which I’ve mentioned on the blog before) is a companion novel to my published YA fantasy Elixir Bound. It has three point of view characters, is epic in scope, and has a central theme of sacrifice. My other YA project is tentatively titled Black Butterfly. And that’s all I’m going to say about that one.

I’m hoping to have good drafts of both done before Baby Boy #2 arrives, but that may be wishful thinking. We’ll see how the drafting progresses.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

My work is different from others in its genre in exactly the same way as any other writer’s is (how’s that for a paradoxical answer!). What I mean is I write stories that only I can tell in a way that only I can tell them. Okay, you want me to be more specific. One important way I try to stand out in the fantasy genre is to feature dynamic female characters with complex relationships among themselves and with the males around them. (Admittedly, there are other fantasy stories, particularly YA ones, that do this, but I think there aren’t enough.)

3. Why do I write what I do?

I write for teens and kids because that is what I love to read. But it goes beyond that, too. Kids and teens are learning and growing in ways an adult never will. A book read by a child has a far greater impact on his/her life than a book read by an adult had on that adult’s life. I think it’s important to offer kids and teens important, deep, diverse, fun, and entertaining reading experiences (not necessarily all provided by a single work). And I’d love to feel like something I’ve created can have even a small impact on a child.

4. How does your writing process work?

I’m not sure I’d say it does work. I often feel inadequately equipped to be a writer. Not because I can’t write well, but because the process can be elusive. Most of my stories start with a driving plot point and a character and grow from there, but I’ve never written two books in the same way. But they eventually get written, so maybe it my process does work.

****

Thanks for reading about my writing process. I’m tagging two more authors extraordinaire Erin Albert and Suzanne de Montigny. Be sure to check out both their posts next week!

Erin Albert (http://www.erinalbertbooks.com/erins-blog.html) is an editor at BookFish Books and author of The Fulfillment Series. Since she picked up Morris the Moose Goes to School at age four, she has been infatuated with the written word. She went on to work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by her family and friends for being a member of the “Grammar Police.” In her free time, Erin enjoys acting, running, kickboxing, and, of course, reading and writing. Her favorite place to be is at home with her family and easygoing tabby cat.

Suzanne de Montigny (http://suzannesthoughtsfortheday.blogspot.ca/), author of The Shadow of the Unicorn: The Legacy, was an elementary music teacher for twenty years where she discovered her knack for storytelling. She has nearly completed The Shadow of the Unicorn: The Deception.

A Sweet Valentine’s Post from Penny Estelle Author of A Float Down the Canal

February 14, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

A sweet treat for all of you on Valentine’s Day from Penny Estelle, author of the MG short A Float Down the Canal. Leave a comment and your email address for a chance to win a copy. Welcome, Penny!

Since Katie was nice enough to let me visit her blog on Valentine’s Day, I though I would talk about what some folks have done for their sweethearts on this special day. I put out a request for some of my blog followers and friends as to what they have actually done. I received many stories of going to dinner, receiving candy and jewelry, going to a favorite Bed and Breakfast, etc…..all wonderful stories. I did receive three that I thought were quite unique.

1. Mr. X happened to be off work on this particular Valentine’s Day and flipped the TV to the Oprah Show. She suggested having her favorite dinner ready, spreading rose petals from the front door to the couch where a new nightie would be spread out. Run a bubble bath for her just before she gets home and have chilled champagne waiting for her at the door. He ran out and bought all the above and completely set this scenario. He had just finished the bubble bath when Mrs. X drove into the driveway. He grabbed the two glasses of champagne and waited at the door. The door opened and in walked his wife, with their neighbor’s twelve year old son. (The neighbor’s other son had broken his wrist at school and asked Mrs. X to pick up her other son.) Now this is why men should NEVER go off track with a proven, first class, plan), He decided to be naked…with a rose tied to his….uhm…best friend. After Mr. X ran to the bedroom, the neighbor’s son said, “Somebody’s planning on getting lucky tonight!”

2. This time Mrs. X went to where her husband works and completely decorated his car. She painted all the windows with “Happy Valentines Day” “Hurry home for a big surprise”. She put helium filled balloons inside the car with messages about what her plans for him were when he got home. Pairs of sexy panties were laying in the front seat complete with a picture of Mrs. X in a bubble bath holding a glass of champagne and blowing him a kiss. Well he was hurrying home when he got pulled over by a policeman, because he felt his car was a distraction. With a penlight, the policeman, saw the panties and read some of the balloons. He looked at Mr. X and said, “You are one lucky man. Drive safe!”

3. THIS WAS MY FAVORITE – This Mr. and Mrs. X lived off the PacificBeach. Mr. X loved steamed clams. The day before Valentines Day, at night, Mrs. X and a friend went to the beach and buried a bottle of champagne, plastic glasses, clams (in Ziploc bags) a deep sauce pan, two gallons of water and lighter fluid. She also had wood that she hid up against a cliff wall. Now it’s not warm in February, so as the sun was just starting to rise, Mrs. X got Mr. X up and headed to the beach, with a blanket. She drew a huge sigh of relief when nothing was bothered. So as the sun rose into the sky Mr. and Mrs. X had a fire going, clams steaming and toasting champagne. Now that’s love!!!

A Float Down the Canal blurb:

Not a Valentine’s Day story, but a sweet story of puppy love

and one where the underdog finally wins!!!

Twelve-year old Pam Simpson gets dumped on when her mother is called into work. She must cancel her plans for the mall to babysit her younger brother and his friend and take them to the public pool. To make matters worse her cousin, Candy, is also coming over for the day. She doesn’t even like Candy!

Much to Candy’s dismay, transportation to the pool is on inner tubes, floating down the canal. One thing leads to another and it is Pam who, once again, must save the day.

When things couldn’t seem worse, the day takes a drastic turn for the better and it is Candy, and the float down the canal, that makes this the best day of Pam’s life!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CUQEZYE

About the Author:

I write stories for the young and for the young at heart. More about my stores and myself can be found at the following links. Stop by anytime. I love visitors!

http://www.amazon.com/Penny-Estelle/e/B006S62XBY

www.pennystales.com

www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/Pennystales

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5820078.Penny_Estelle

http://www.facebook.com/pennystales

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146&Itemid=82

Thanks to Katie for having me today. I would love to offer a PDF copy of A Float Down the Canal to one commenter who stops by and leaves an email address!