AuThursday – JJ Montgomery

Please welcome Romantic Suspense author, JJ Montgomery to the Clog Blog.  JJ can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I’m a mother of two and I work full time, and even though my time is always stretched, writing is a part of who I am – I do it because I love it. Someday I would love for it to be a full time job, but for right now it’s something I do as often as possible. I started writing my first novel when I was really, really young, but it took me until I was in my mid-thirties until I finally completed a book. And that first one was just awful! But the thing you learn from that first awful book is that you will get better! And I think I have, over the years.

How do you make time to write?

This question almost feels like a joke – I carve out moments when my daughter is napping, when my son is at school or busy doing something else. Late at night in bed before I sleep and definitely, when I’m flying for work. That’s probably my most productive time.

What genre are your books?

I write romantic suspense, but would love to do a more “traditional” boy-meets-girl romance someday. Maybe fewer deaths, more humor.

What draws you to this genre?

I have always loved suspense novels – horror, adventure, spy novels – anything where there is a lot of action and you can get lost in the plot. And romance…look, the fact is that almost all suspense/action novels include a romantic sub-plot, whether written by men or women. It’s a question of branding, at the end of the day. And if that means I’m targeting my writing for a female audience, I’m okay with that. I’ve always been a girl’s girl. My writing reflects that.

What are your current projects?

I’m working on a sequel to Gun for Hire involving Samantha’s sister, Josie, and Grady’s partner, Kai.

Are you an Introvert or Extravert?  How does this affect your work?

I’m such an introvert! I find it hard to imagine being extroverted writer – I’d think the solitary nature of the work would drive an extrovert batty! To me, being an introvert feels like a very natural extension of being a writer (or is that vice versa?) I spend a lot of time being quiet, dreaming up new characters or stories.

What is your writing Kryptonite?

The pressures of being a mom to two young children, of being a wife, of working full time. If I could only clone myself, I’d be incredibly productive!

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Do it if you love it. The money isn’t great, and the chances of big success in the writing world are slim. But do it if you’re called to it, if you love it. And for no other reason, because you’ll be disappointed otherwise!

Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?

Thank you as well! I’m so thrilled you allowed me to be on your blog, and would encourage readers to get in touch with me! Find me at www.jjmontgomery.com, on Instagram (my favorite!) at www.instagram.com/jmontgomerywrites or Facebook www.facebook.com/authorjjmontgomery, a platform that still confounds me every time I log on. I also highly recommend checking out some new authors at www.17scribes.com — I’m on there, too!

Join me on Saturday when we read an excerpt from JJ’s latest story Gun for Hire!~Tina

AuThursday – Candi Fox

Please welcome Paranormal Romance Author Candi Fox to the Clog Blog!   Candi, can you Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I find as the years pass along, I’ve become more fearless. I hope that my writing reflects this. I live in Tulsa, with my large fur family and my wonderful husband. We enjoy ghost hunting, Ren Faires, and horses.

How do you make time to write?

I’m lucky I get to stay at home. I write every day. When I am not writing, I’m either researching or pimping books.

What genre are your books?

My books are all in the paranormal category. Some more erotic, some thrillers and suspense.

What draws you to this genre?

My paranormal journey started when I was two and saw my first ghost. From that day on the paranormal was drawn to me. Maybe, I was drawn to it. Either way, it’s been a big part of my life.

What are your current projects?

I’m more than half way finished with Darkest Knight, the third book in the Killing Chronicle series. My novella for a hot summer anthology is at the editors. My WIP is my first contribution to the multi-author Tulsa Immortal series. I also have a YP series in the works.

Are you an Introvert or Extravert?  How does this affect your work?

I can be both. I have PTSD, depression, and anxiety. I have weeks where I am completely happy not to see anyone but my husband. When I am out and about or in a group of people talking, I am a complete extravert. I love talking to people. This combination is great for writing. During my anti-social times, I get a lot of writing and research complete. When I am in a social mood I get a lot of ideas for characters.

What is your writing Kryptonite?

Squirrel. Everything. I have days where EVERYTHING distracts me.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Write every day. Just put it on paper and worry about making it good during the editing process. Read at least twice as much as you write.

Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?

www.candifox.com

Join me when we read an excerpt from Candi’s story HARLEQUIN’S DECEPTION, part of her NAKED TRUTH Series.  ~Tina

AuThursday – Erinn Stevens

Please welcome Author Erinn Stevens to the Clog Blog. 

Erin, tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I’m a wife to Mike, mother to Jack, OCD gardener, and writer of paranormal romantic suspense. I live in St. Paul, Minnesota.

How do you make time to write?

I write first thing in the morning when I’m not fully awake and the house is quiet. If I try to start after 10 a.m., it’s a lot harder!

How did you come up with the idea for MER CHRONICLES series?

It’s basically a little series of daydreams I pieced together starting in childhood. When I thought about it often enough to equate it with mental illness, I took that extra step, writing out a full-length manuscript to make sure it would, in fact, be mental illness.

What are your thoughts on writing a book series?

It’s what feels right to me for this story. I get caught up in my characters and think of ways to torture them in a more focused narrative.

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?

I was raised by my dad along with two brothers. Then I grew up, married a man, got a male dog, and had a son. And all my guys are these really strong, supportive, loving men. I want to show these kinds of attributes in my male characters, and I want to give my male characters the respect they deserve.

Are you an Introvert or Extravert?  How does this affect your work?

I’m an introvert, although not on the far end of the spectrum. I think the contemplative nature of writing is a good fit for someone like me because of this.

What is your writing Kryptonite?

I’m a dodger. I’m much more comfortable executing marketing tasks or other busy work, and I allow myself to get distracted from writing.

What are your current projects?

I’m wrestling with my third and final in the Mer Chronicles series, Outrush; and my audio book for Updrift will be out in the next couple of weeks. I’ll start audio production of Breakwater… and then I have an idea for another project, but I’m not ready to talk about it yet!

Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Updrift-Mer-Chronicles-Errin-Stevens-ebook/dp/B06Y4YZ9X7

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/updrift-errin-stevens/1122810229?ean=9780998296128

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/genre/books/id38?mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/updrift-2

Join me on Saturday when we read an excerpt from Erinn’s book, UPDRIFT. ~Tina

AuThursday – Paul Lonardo

Please welcome writer Paul Lonardo to the Clog Blog.  Paul can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I’ve been writing in various forms my entire adult life. I really began telling stories in the medium of film when I was a teen, making movies with my friends around the neighborhood. I attended a film school in California and came away with an interest in screenwriting. Gradually, I turned to other forms of writing, including short fiction, typically in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres. My first novel was in that vein. Since then, I’ve been doing a lot of ghostwriting and collaborative nonfiction. As much as I enjoy creating my own characters and stories, I’ve found that the truth really is stranger than fiction, and have been fortunate to work on a number of very interesting and inspired projects with people who needed assistance telling their own amazing stories. Writing romance began as somewhat of an experimental phase for me, and also I believe as a way to get back into fiction writing again. Being more mature now, there is a whole new world of possibilities for me to examine and write about.

How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

It was a big moment having had my first novel published close to twenty years ago by a small press, but a lot has changed since then, particularly in the publishing business. Having been working on nonfiction projects for so long, with the fortune of having several published by larger houses, I was unsure that I would have any success writing and placing my fiction. In 2015, with my first romance novella finding a home with a romance publisher, it gave me the confidence to continue writing, in the romance genre, which led to the publishing of my second romance, Enchanted Desire, published by Wild Rose Press last year. I know have several fiction projects and ideas I am currently working on along with my nonfiction.

 

What excites you most about your current WIP?

Early on in life I’ve had an interest in all things paranormal, and while that element is certainly present in Soul Awakening, my latest romance novella, due out in May 2017, is more of a pure paranormal story, only instead of involving horror and fear it is encapsulated in a romance, a love story with a bit a twist. I’m hoping this book, Soul Awakening, will jump-start a new stage of my fiction-writing.

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

I would say a bit of both. The energy I feel when I get into a story that starts to develop ahead of me – which I have to keep up with so it doesn’t get away from me – is very invigorating. You can’t stop until it does, until you catch up with it, or until the story comes to an end. At the same time, once you get to that point, and you catch up with the story, you may have used so much energy in the process that no amount of coffee is going to offset that. The exhaustion sets in then. And that’s a good thing, because rest is really important. Whenever you can, you try to make up for all that lost sleep.

Do you believe in writer’s block?

Sometimes, such as when I mentioned above that the story is ahead of you and you’re trying to catch it. When that happens, the story may not be done, and it seems as if everything has stopped and you’re in the dark, not sure where the story should go from there. You try to figure out where to go, and just set off in one direction to continue the story toward its conclusion. If it doesn’t lead anywhere interesting, you can always just go out in another direction. I guess you can call that writer’s block, or just uninspired writing. But as long as you’re writing something, making an attempt, it will happen again where the story is leading you and you are following it.

Are you an Introvert or Extravert?  How does this affect your work?

I am very much an introvert. It’s probably one of the reasons why I turned to story-telling early in life, and became a writer. If I was any other way, I may not have found refuge in writing. I believe that being introverted allows me to express myself through my characters in ways that I could never imagine in real life. Writing provides an outlet for so many expressions, feelings and desires that are inhibited or restrained in some way. You hear about certain performers, actors and musicians, who are reserved and shy until they get on stage or in front of a camera. I think there are many writers who are the same way, me being one of them.

What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

I don’t know if what I’m about to say would be considered a literary pilgrimage, but I have mentioned that I had an early interest in the paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy and horror genres. Literary influences ranged for me, but I always tended to gravitate more toward the likes of Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, as well as H.P. Lovecraft. So it was with a somewhat morbid fascination for the macabre that I was drawn to a New England college to earn a degree in mortuary science. Yes, an education for people who wanted to work as a mortician, funeral director or embalmer. I would say that this was more of an exploration than a pilgrimage, but it was very short-lived career. Writing romance now, I don’t know what pilgrimage I might embark on in order to get a more comprehensive understanding of this genre, but I am open to suggestions.

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

The only thing I would add is that my writing is fluid, and I enjoy writing no matter what the genre or topic. I find being open to change is a form of freedom. That’s why I do as much freelance writing as I can, regardless of how much time I put into my own fiction or collaborative nonfiction. Contributing to a local monthly magazine allows me to write personal profiles on interesting and inspiring people, and I feel fortunate for all the readers who find the topics I write about worthy of their time.

Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lonardo/e/B000APQ0Z4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/734960.Paul_Lonardo

http://paullonardo.com/

http://smithfieldtimesri.com/

Join me next week when I interview Susan V. Vaughn.  ~Tina