Sara Reyes | Book Club Hang Over...

Linda Howard Book club
Originally uploaded by freshfiction

Pat saw a tee shirt on wireless.com -- "Not so loud, I had book club last night." A wine glass on its side was also featured. Some Thursday mornings I do feel that way, especially after a really exciting book club dinner. I'd call it a meeting as in book club meeting, but to be honest, it's more a wild dinner party.

This week we had new visitors and for a portion of the evening...say until the lasgna made it to the table...we were on our "good" behavior. Then it went down hill or wild after that! All I can say, is good thing our dogs are quiet. They do get petted on the way out the door so I guess that is their reward. Husband and son just hide out. It's safer that way!

Our food theme was "Italian" but we had to add a Southern twist in honor of our guest, Linda Howard. Not only was it a Southern twist but also a recipe plucked right from one of Linda's books! Claire's Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding! And let me tell you, it must have coffee! In fact we completely lost the Italian theme after the main entrees of lasagna and chicken alfredo...the desserts were bountiful: orange-cranberry bread, pumpkin bread, blackberry pie, bread pudding and of course, killer chocolate cake! And coffee! It's a wonder no one went into a sugar induced coma!

We did talk talk talk about Death Angel which for some reason I just want to call DARK ANGEL. I even had a reminder jotted down so I wouldn't screw it up. We found out the death scene in the middle came from an idea Linda Howard had years ago and finally came together when she got the idea that the hero (not sure he's all traditional hero material) kills the heroine. If you haven't read DEATH ANGEL we highly recommend it! Not your usual heroic material for either protagonist, but there is some hot hot scenes! Oh, yeah, and a few twists and turns. Unexpected ones at that! Read it! Our book club urges you!

Since we had Linda Howard on the phone, the conversation did wander off to our favorite books: MR. PERFECT and the MacKenzies. I mean, seriously, who could not wish there were more MacKenzie stories? EVERY ONE!!!! And discussion ran heavy on which one was THE BEST! I think we finally agreed everyone could have their own opinion. Still think Gwen is wrong btw.

After the call we also talked about which was the first Linda Howard we read and loved...versus which one we read and hated. I say, look at it this way, with a Linda Howard book you love or hate but either way you read the whole thing!

Sara Reyes
reporting for DFW Tea Readers
"sheesh it's only Saturday and I'm still recovering from book club!"

Lori Handeland | Where do you get your ideas?

By far the question I’m asked most often is “Where do you get your ideas?” Not only by interviewers but by readers and by friends and family. I get the impression that those who know me best can’t believe I come up with all the creepy, violent “weird” stuff without some help. Which I guess is a compliment.

I get my ideas in several ways. For instance, from something I’ve read. The concept for Any Given Doomsday came to me several years ago when I was researching another book and came across the legend of the Grigori, and it fascinated me. How the Grigori, or fallen angels, came to earth to watch the humans, then mated with the daughters of men and produced a supernatural race known as the Nephilim.

I bought a bunch of books on prophesy, Revelation, angels, demons and read them whenever I had the chance and an idea started to nag at me—one of those ideas that captures an author and won’t let go. In the world of The Phoenix Chronicles, the Nephilim have been here since the beginning of time, wearing human faces, but beneath they are the monsters of legend—vampires, shape shifters and more.

I had long wanted to write a series with a continuing character—a cross between Stephanie Plum and Anita Blake—two of my favorite heroines in fiction. I had the vague idea that my heroine would be psychic; I wanted the series to be set in my hometown of Milwaukee.

I came up with the character of Elizabeth Phoenix, however I had to admit to myself that the zaniness of Stephanie would never work for Liz. Liz is dark, dangerous; she does not screw around. If she does, people die.

I continued to build on Liz’s world little by little, uncovering her background as a foster child, meeting her foster mother Ruthie, her childhood love Jimmy and her mentor, the Navajo witch, Sawyer.

Liz discovers there is a secret society that fights these supernatural creatures, and she’s just been put in charge of the ground troops. One little problem—the end of the world has been set in motion—doomsday is right around the corner—and she has no idea what she’s doing.

Sometimes an idea comes from someone I meet in my travels. For instance, when I decided to set the second trilogy of my Nightcreature Novels in New Orleans, my husband and I took a three day tour. I’d been to New Orleans twice before, but I needed more specific knowledge.

The first day we were there, we ended up in an Irish bar off of Bourbon Street. The place had a terrific juke box that played Patsy Cline. The bartender was a gorgeous red head from Boston whose name was Diana.

The bar appears in Crescent Moon as Kelly’s, where Patsy Cline sings “Crazy” while the heroine, a red head named Diana, asks pertinent questions of the bartender and the patrons.

At times I get an idea from my own life. The little boy in my Harlequin Superromance Leave it to Max is very similar to a little boy who used to live at my house (he grew into a very large, bearded young man when I wasn’t looking). A lot of my son’s best lines ended up coming out of Max’s mouth. My little guy always opened all the doors and cabinets in every room he was in. You never knew what might be in there. He was accident-prone big time.

The day I went to the fed ex box to mail the manuscript (about a little boy with a broken arm who got into all sorts of trouble) I returned home to a phone call from the school informing me that my version of Max had one too. That was kind of creepy. My husband begged me to “never put him in a book.”

Sometimes I get ideas from a line in a magazine, newspaper, an image in a movie or a TV show, a dream. I even got one once from a license plate. It was pretty cool.

I’m always interested in other people’s thought processes so tell me—Where do you get your ideas? Where do you think writers get their ideas? What have you heard from others? Share!

Lori Handeland
www.lorihandeland.com

Tim Maleeny | The world just out of sight.

When a U.S. Senator is found dead on a golf course in Mexico, it falls to his estranged daughter to find out what really happened. That’s how the story begins in my latest novel Greasing The Piñata, which Library Journal called “a cracking good mystery.” The plot moves between San Francisco landmarks to some beautiful regions of Mexico, but the characters soon discover that even the most tourist-friendly destinations can harbor criminals and reveal dangers never seen on any postcard.

As a writer I’ve always been intrigued by what lies beneath the surface, just out of sight. My first novel Stealing The Dragon explored the back alleys of San Francisco’s Chinatown, a city within a city that transforms from a bustling tourist destination by day to a world of shadows and secrets by night. The local Tong gangs are never mentioned in any travel guides for the city, and the local gangsters never mentioned in the local papers, and yet they exist in an unseen underworld, unless you’re willing to take a walk down the right (or wrong) alley and have a look.

My second novel Beating The Babushka is a satire of the move industry that reveals what really goes on behind the scenes in Hollywood. Some shady financing deals involving the Russian mafiya change the course of a blockbuster movie and trigger an investigation that wreaks havoc on an industry already sorely out of touch with reality. None of that is seen on screen of course, but it happens out of sight, before the cameras start rolling.

I confess that my fascination with how things really are — as opposed to how they appear —can sometimes lead to some funny and even bizarre scenarios. Publishers Weekly said Greasing The Piñata “smoothly mixes wry humor with a serious plot”, and much of the humor comes from taking a different perspective on things we all take for granted. Even in the midst of a murder investigation you might find a spark of humor, an irreverent take on the world, or an unexpected moment of compassion that reveals our humanity and gives us hope as it makes us smile. Great stories offer a chance at redemption for the characters, and books worth reading should still be fun, unapologetically entertaining.

Sometimes when you turn things upside down you get a whole new appreciation for what makes our wonderful but often dysfunctional world come together. Thanks for reading; I hope you have fun exploring the world just out of sight.

Tim Maleeny
www.timmaleeny.com/

Sara Reyes | Book Club Night is ...

Late as always ... it's laughingly (I hope) called "Reyes time" by our reading group and friends, but I blame trying to fit too much in a short period of time. Of course, when I do show up on time, or, gasp, EARLY, I hear it from them too. Some people you can never make happy!

Tonight is our monthly book club meeting, and since it's at my house, I also have to get ready. In this case make sure the menu is on track, the people coming, and, oh, yeah, the book read. But that isn't usually a problem with me, because I love to read and am fortunate enough to have friends who love to share good books I may have missed. I really believe the sharing of opinions is the best part of a book club. Well, the getting together a couple of times per month is great fun too! I'll admit to enjoying spending time with fellow readers.

Candace Havens signing in Hurst
Originally uploaded by freshfiction

This past week-end I managed to squeeze in three great reader events: first was a signing with Lisa Jackson and her sister Nancy Bush. They flew in from Oregon for the grand opening festivities at the new independent book store in our area: Legacy Books. A new independent is a cool thing in the Dallas area. We haven't had one in YEARS!!! And Legacy is not a cozy little used/new book store but a splashy contemporary place. With a cafe. And they serve wine. Maybe beer too, but I'm not a beer drinker so I'm not sure. Anyway, best of all, they have wireless so I have an excuse to hang out and work and very comfortable chairs with good lighting to read by. PLUS a good selection of books. After all, isn't that what a book store should have?

My second event was the launch celebration of Candace Haven's THE DEMON KING AND I in Hurst. Yup, a fast 50 mile or so drive across town and after getting stuck in the mall parking lots I did manage to make the last 10 minutes in time to get photos. THere had been a crowd every one was eager to tell me, and there were only five books left...except if I wanted to download a kindle version. Course, it would help if I had a kindle (hint hint). But I didn't miss the next event -- the book party. You know, when you hang out with friends and the author at a good Tex-Mex restaurant after the signing and talk books! Margaritas, books and friends to talk books with.

Linda Howard and Faye McMichael
Originally uploaded by freshfiction

But I'm supposed to be talking about book clubs, so let me get back on track. Tonight our guest via the telephone is Linda Howard. We'll be talking about her latest book, DEATH ANGEL. But trust me the conversation will wander all over. we'll talk about the one book most of our group loved -- we have one hold out but we won't name names *grin* That book is MR. PERFECT. So this will be a special book club meeting. It's not often...like NEVER ... we all agree on a book. So I think a celebration is definitely in order.

Now the only decision to make is...celebrate with wine, diet Dr. Pepper or coffee? Definitely chocolate though!

Sara Reyes

DFW Tea Reader Group

Gwyn Cready | Inspiration for my Stories

Hi. I'm Gwyn Cready, author of Seducing Mr. Darcy and Tumbling Through Time. I write sexy, funny time travel romances—stories that sparkle. I’ve been writing with the intent to publish for eleven years, but it took me forEVER to sell my first book, which just came out earlier this year. I’m deep at work on my third, but Fresh Fiction has kindly offered me the chance to talk to you and, quite frankly, I’m happy to ditch the ol’ manuscript and relax. As Springsteen once said, “I’m sick of sitting ‘round here trying to write this book.”

I’m a big movie buff, and I think the inspiration for my stories comes from a cross between my love for time-twisting movies like Back to the Future, Groundhog Day, Sliding Doors, and Kate and Leopold with my absolute addition to any sort of romantic comedy. If it’s gotten more than one star in the last twenty-five years, I’ve dragged my unwilling husband to see it.

Tumbling Through Time (Pocket Books, $6.99), my debut, is the story of a woman who tries on a pair of magic sandals at the Nine West store in the Pittsburgh airport and ends up getting transported back in time to the deck of a privateer ship in 1705. Seducing Mr. Darcy (Pocket Books, $6.99) is the story of a woman who goes to a masseuse where you can imagine yourself in a story and ends up not just in Pride and Prejudice, but in the arms of Mr. Darcy himself, a very good thing until she realizes her little adventure with him changes everything about the book. Oops. Do you have to be a Jane Austen fan to enjoy it? Absolutely not. But if you’ve ever imagined what it might be like to have a fling with your favorite literary hero—Jamie Fraser, are you listening?—I promise you’ll love it.

One of the things I like to do is show readers the things that have served as inspiration for my stories—sort of the story behind the story. I usually do this with pictures. I’m quite famous for whipping my cell phone out and taking a snap at things I think I can use in the book. You can view the stuff that inspired/appear in both stories by going to my picture page at cready.com.

I’m hard at work on my third book, which is due January 15 (eek!) In this one, a dead painter comes back to Earth to settle the hash of the author of The Girl With the Coral Earring, whose series of sexy, tell-all biographies are driving the dead art world nuts. Any fans of The Girl With the Pearl Earring out there? You’ll love it.

Whenever I blog I try to deliver some gifties. Today I’ve got three. First, here’s a link to a great online jigsaw puzzle using the cover of Tumbling Through Time. I did it in four minutes and 28 seconds. I want to hear from anyone who can do it faster. Next, from Seducing Mr. Darcy, I can offer a link to a very sexy excerpt. Trust me; you’ll never look at Scrabble the same way. Third—and this one is really cool—is going to be catnip for readers out there who ever played with paper dolls.

To mark the launch of Seducing Mr. Darcy, DesignHerGals.com created a great free gift for Gwyn Cready fans -- the opportunity to pair up with the hero, Mr. Darcy, forever!

If you've never been to DesignHerGals.com, go. I just adore it. You get to design an illustration of you or a friend selecting hair color, hair style, eye color, clothes and other "fun stuff." It's all free, and when your digital "gal" is complete, you can send her in ecards to your friends. If you love you gal that much, you can also buy stationery, note cards and mugs, etc.

To have a gorgeous and very Colin-Firth-like Mr. Darcy standing next to your gal just like the one standing next to me below, just select "Outfits," and he's near the bottom, alongside a beautiful Regency dress for your gal to wear! You can also go to "Fun Stuff" and have your gal hold a copy of Seducing Mr. Darcy. The first person to send me an ecard to me at gwyn@cready.com with a gal holding Seducing Mr. Darcy wins free autographed copies of my books.

The DesignHerGals Foundation was set up to help women with Stage IV breast cancer. A portion of all their sales go to this worthy cause. I lost two very close friends to breast cancer so this means a lot to me.

Finally, I run a survey every month on my site that’s grown hugely popular. This month I’m asking visitors to vote on their favorite romantic famous couple. Vote and find out who’s currently in the lead. I think you may be surprised.

Thanks so much for letting me join you for a day. I'm open for questions and eager to hear your thoughts.

Best,

Gwyn
www.cready.com

Jodi Thomas | Writing the West, Texas Style

I’ve been lucky in writing. I’ve been in the game 20 years with twenty seven books on the shelf with my name on them. I’ve had a wonderful time, lots of fun, many dear friends and only a few bumps along the road.

My brother says we have Irish Luck in our family. He knew it the month after he came home from Viet Nam wounded. Someone said to him, “Man, are you lucky. You were hit bad enough to send you home but not so bad that you won’t recover.” My brother’s one thought was that if he’d been lucky, he wouldn’t have been hit at all.

Sometimes I feel the same way about my writing career. Man, am I lucky. Lucky it only took me four or five years to find an editor. Longer to find an agent. Lucky I picked a field, Historical Romance, about the time it died. Lucky my wonderful editor kept getting pregnant and finally quit.

But, remember, I have Irish luck. In all those years of waiting I kept writing so when I did sell, I sold five books in 15 months. Lucky I picked Historical Romance and stayed in until finally as it comes back I’m at the top of the game. Lucky my editor kept having babies because after she quit, she became my agent.

So, after twenty years, I doing what I love, I’m writing the west in Historical Romance and in present day fiction. My newest book, TALL, DARK, AND TEXAN is the story I feel like may be the best I’ve ever written. It’s a tender love story that will make you laugh and cry and feel good all over. It’ll make you believe that even people who’ve never loved can find someone they’ll love forever.

So, before I say happy trails to you, I wish you all Irish Luck. May whatever you want in life come to you, not always when you want it, but always when you need it. In the mean time, I’ll meet you when you open one of my books and we’ll take an adventure together.

See you soon,
Jodi Thomas
www.jodithomas.com/

Sandi Shilhanek | Holiday Wish List Reading

Sandi and Candy Havens Reading on Sandi's Kindle
Originally uploaded by freshfiction

Just because I told you I feel like I’m in a reading slump doesn’t mean I don’t eagerly check Amazon each week to see what titles have been released for my Kindle. My wish list is growing by leaps and bounds, and unless I suddenly decide to not only play the lottery but also win it will most likely continue to grow.

So, as I scan this list I think to myself which book are you most looking forward to? Well, that’s easy the ones I’m really looking forward to are the upcoming Virgin River books by Robyn Carr. However, I’m sure you’re most tired of me being all fan girlish over Ms. Carr, so it’s time to see whom else is on the list and who else has me totally excited to be reading again.

As it turns out I have two wish lists. One is my I want these titles that are released list, and one is my I want these titles that are upcoming list. From my released list title I am most anxious to own Silver Bells an anthology, Home for the Holiday by Lisa Plumley, and a McKettrick Christmas by Linda Lael Miller.

So it appears that I’m quite anxious to help myself into the holiday spirit by getting lost in some good reads. What is on your wish list? Are you like me and have a list of released titles, and a list of upcoming titles? What makes you move a book from the wish list to the TBR pile?