Author Interview – Kelly Pawlik

Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I’m a mother of three, a mediocre gardener, and an avid RPG player. I live on Vancouver Island, BC with my husband, our three inquisitive children, and two lazy cats.

In addition to writing the Olympic Vista Chronicles novellas, I am a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) writer and have released multiple RPG supplements with my husband under our micro-publishing company, Dire Rugrat Publishing. I’ve also contributed to several best-selling works with Kobold Press.

How do you make time to write? 

It can be tricky at times for sure! I often set a timer, carving out twenty minutes here or there. If I’m on a roll with it, I might write longer.

Do you believe in writer’s block? 

Yes, and no. I think there can be a bit of a hurdle, but I think sometimes you just have to push through it. Or write something else! Sometimes, when I’m not feeling as inspired with the novellas, I work on short stories. They can be a fun change of pace and a good way to work around writer’s block. 

Tell us a bit about the genre you write and why you love it. 

I write YA sci-fi and YA horror. I’m not even sure how I stumbled into it, but I had this story and I started writing it. I love YA. I devoured YA books when I was younger, and at some point, I’m not sure when, I stopped reading YA. And then I hit a reading slump. I picked up some YA books again and it was like finding an old friend. I hope when people pick up my books, they get the same feeling. 

How are you publishing your recent book and why? 

I published the books myself. Some people look down on self-published books, but many indie book authors hire professional editors and proofreaders. I did for these books. An upside to self-publishing is retaining more control over the books. Also, Yesterday’s Gone is the first book in a series of novellas and I feel novellas are more difficult to have traditionally published. I have a vision for the series that wouldn’t fit as well with a traditional publisher. 

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

Absolutely an introvert! I’m not sure how much it affects what I write, but it certainly affects my ability to promote the book. Being self-published means I do the marketing and promotion myself, and that isn’t as easy when you’re an introvert. 

What is your favorite motivational phrase?

“The goal is not to live life perfectly, but to live it completely.”

My philosophy teacher in college said that in one of our classes and it really stuck with me. Sometimes, when I’m paralyzed with a fear of failure, I remember that quote and I push forward. 

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Just do it. Write. Read. Edit. Practice. 

Read books in your genre, read books outside your genre, read books on writing. 

And just write.

Where can readers find you on the World Wide Web?

You can find my website here: http://olympicvistapublishing.com/

But you can also join me on Facebook and Instagram. 

Do you have an excerpt you’d like to share with us?

Laughter and playful screams echoed across the lake. The light sparkled on the water as Adelaide floated on her back and kicked her feet gently back and forth. She closed her eyes and turned her face up toward the sun. The air was still. Combined with the clear sky and warm sun, it was the perfect summer day, which was a rare feat for Olympic Vista.

She needed to be here today. Rico, her mother’s latest boyfriend, was over. Adelaide hated being around Rico. She sighed in contentment as she stretched her limbs like a starfish and basked atop the water. 

Her eyes snapped open as something wrapped around her ankle. Adelaide tried to kick her leg free, but whatever it was held fast. She opened her mouth to call out, but only took in a mouthful of water as she was pulled below the surface. 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kelly Pawlik dabbled with story writing from a young age. She spent her childhood reading, dressing her beloved cat, Midnight, up in doll clothes and hunting garter snakes in the backyard. Her childhood dream was to be a writer and she is proud to have made her fiction debut with the Olympic Vista Chronicles novellas.

Kelly is a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) writer and has released multiple RPG supplements with her husband under their micro-publishing company, Dire Rugrat Publishing. She has also contributed to several best-selling works with Kobold Press.

Kelly lives on Vancouver Island, BC with her husband, their three inquisitive children, and two lazy cats.

Yesterday’s Gone is available on Amazon.com

Songs from the Wood, book two in the Olympic Vista Chronicles series, will be available on Amazon in September 2021. 

You can follow Kelly on:

Facebook: kellypawlikauthor

Instagram: kellypawlikauthor

Twitter: @KellyPawlik84
Or visit her website at olympicvistapublishing.com

FREE SHORT STORY: Sign up to receive Kelly’s newsletter and get access to sneak peeks of upcoming novellas, behind the scenes information and other exclusive content. PLUS, you’ll get “Snow Day,” a short story set in the Olympic Vista Chronicles universe, right away!   Sign up now.

The book will be on sale for $0.99.

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

Kelly Pawlik will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Saturday Spotlight – Brute’s Strength by Karen Renee

Title: Brute’s Strength

Series: Riot MC Biloxi Series Book 2

Author: Karen Renee

Genre: MC Romance (can be read as standalone)

Release Date: July 16, 2021

‘If I had a checklist as to what aspects I love best in a romance novel, Brute’s Strength would fulfill every requirement on that list…’ ~5 Star Amazon Review (Ellie K.)

‘What a wonderful story! I’m a sucker for a good MC book, and this definitely did not disappoint.’ ~5 Star Amazon Review (Nichole R.)

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The sexy, action-packed second book in the Riot MC Biloxi series from Karen Renee.

As Vice President of the Riot MC Biloxi Chapter, Brute lives for his motorcycle club. Meeting Kenzie Whitehall challenges his dedication to his carefree lifestyle. Everything about her appeals to him, but he knows she’s looking for commitment. She’s forced to tell him she’s a single mom which should send Brute packing, but he can’t stay away.

Meanwhile, Brute has a homicide detective breathing down his neck. The officer believes Brute has answers in an unsolved murder, and he isn’t above playing Kenzie against Brute to solve the case.

When Kenzie’s ex-husband finds out she’s dating a biker, he threatens to drag her back to court regarding custody and child support payments. Kenzie refuses to give up her shot at happiness with Brute to appease her ex-husband.

Even though he’s falling fast for Kenzie, Brute knows walking away from her is the best thing for her and her daughter. Leaving should be easy. But with three hearts on the line, will Brute find the strength to fight for love?

AuThursday – Jayce Carter

Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?

A lot of this story takes place in Lucifer’s Court, which means it deals with the politics there. We get to see a very involved and detailed culture and world as opposed to Ava living in a world she knows well. This takes her out of her element and forces her to really learn on the fly. 

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

I have so much love for Grant. I feel like he is a perfect example of someone who smiles all the time, who makes jokes, but is suffering inside. In a lot of ways, I think he is the darkest of the men, the most broken, but he hides it the best. He’s quick to make a joke out of something, to put on a jovial attitude to hide anything he really thinks or feels. In this book, we get to see a little more of him, but he is still hiding so much.

Was the writing process different that your other books and did you face any challenges from it?

Yes, it was! This book is the first series I’ve written that focus on a main character rather than changing from book to book. This means I had to spread a plot out over three books and deal with pacing over a series. Because this is book two, that meant having to learn how to progress the story, that is in the middle, while giving enough closure to feel good about the end. I also had to draw the line between offering background information to remind reader without beating them over the head with things they already knew!

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel? 

Yes! There is one more book to this trilogy, which will wrap up Ava and her men’s story. The last book, Saving the World and Other Bad Ideas, will bring us to the end and let us see if Ava can overcoming everything against her and whether or not she and her men will find a way to make things work. 

What was the highlight when writing this book?

I don’t want to give too much away, but there is a point where Ava accepts what she is. During so much of both this book and book one, she rejects what she is. She runs from it, wanting to be normal, fighting against the idea of being different. At one point in this book, however, she lets that go. She realizes that accepting her own power is the only way to keep her and those she cares about safe, and it is a really empowering moment in the story and her arc. 

BLURB:

Lots of people have told me to go to hell—I guess they finally got their wish.

I’ve finally accepted the fact I might not be entirely human, so you’d think life could give me a minute. Instead, I find myself sucked into hell at Lucifer’s demand, and I realize death is even more complicated than my life was.

I’m still searching for how to stop the missing spirits before it’s too late, and with no suspects other than Lucifer, I have to survive hell—where everything wants to kill me—so I can confront the devil himself. Not even my love life can be simple, though. Troy is terrified of his werewolf side hurting me, Kase and Grant are lying to me, and Hunter is keeping his own secrets. I know better than to trust anyone, especially the men who have taken over my life.

Get to Lucifer’s Court, find out the truth about the missing spirits, figure out exactly what I am, and try not to die along the way. Oh, and don’t fall in love with the men who will for sure break my heart and possibly get me killed.

Easy enough, right?

Excerpt 

Why was it that men walked out of quickies like some sort of victory lap, but women felt like we had whore tattooed across our foreheads?

Troy had already headed downstairs after dressing. He hadn’t said a lot, had regained a little of that distance he’d had before. I chalked that up to the awkwardness of the moment.

Besides, I had needed a moment to get myself ready. I’d cleaned up as best I could, using a tiny bit of the water Kase had left for me. No one wanted to walk while still sticky…

Still, as I went down the stairs, as all four sets of eyes swung toward me, I felt like each of them could see what I’d done.

They’ve all seen you naked. They’ve all been inside you. There isn’t much mystery.

My cheeks burned as I tucked my hair behind my ear and tried to look as if I didn’t care.

Men could screw everything that walked. Why not me?

No one spoke at first, and I had a moment of thinking everyone would pretend nothing happened. We didn’t need to address anything, right?

“So what did you think of a knot, shadow-girl? Always wanted to try it myself, but I’m a chicken.” Hunter paired the words with a grin so wide, he looked like some sort of jester.

So much for pretending…

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Jayce Carter lives in Southern California with her husband and two spawns. She originally wanted to take over the world but realized that would require wearing pants. This led her to choosing writing, a completely pants-free occupation. She has a fear of heights yet rock climbs for fun and enjoys making up excuses for not going out and socializing. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaycecarterauthor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JayceCarterAuthor/

Website: https://www.jaycecarter.com/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jayce-carter

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jayce-Carter/e/B07Y4T7CHH

Amazon Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Raising-Other-Pastimes-Concerns-ebook/dp/B092JPHT6B

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/es/ebook/hell-raising-and-other-pastimes

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hell-raising-and-other-pastimes-jayce-carter/1139226451

Publisher: https://www.totallybound.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=71321

JAYCE CARTER WILL BE GIVING AWAY: 

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal – TNT by Giulia Lagomarsino

Title: TNT

Series: Reed Security Series

Author: Giulia Lagomarsino

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 18, 2020

After walking into his girlfriend’s house and finding her murdered, Tony is struggling to get back to normal. Everyone’s looking at him like he’s damaged, but they don’t know the truth. And when they find out, they won’t ever look at him the same again. But a one night stand changes everything. Suddenly, everyone at Reed Security is trying to set Tony up with this crazy woman that can’t cook, shows up at his work, and calls him at all hours of the night. He doesn’t want to hurt her, but how long is a man supposed to go along with a crazy person that thinks there’s a relationship where there isn’t one?

After meeting Tony one night, Molly knows without a doubt that he’s the man for her. He’s everything she’s been waiting for, and she’s not going to let this opportunity slip through her fingers. She knows that he’s slightly damaged and dealing with a lot, but with a little encouragement from Tony’s teammates, she refuses to let him push her away. She has a whole arsenal of tips and tricks to keep a man’s attention, and with her momma’s advice and her best friend’s help, there’s no way she’ll fail. Now she just has to make Tony see that what they have is forever.

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“Uh…you know, this isn’t working,” I said briskly.
She tilted her head, all cute like and looked at me in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Us…whatever this is. It’s not going to work. You’re nice and all, but it’s just not working.”
I waited for the tears and the drop of her face. I braced myself for the yelling and name-calling. But no matter how much I steeled myself for her reaction, I just wasn’t ready for what she actually said.
“Hmmm. Well, I appreciate your input, but I think it’s going good. Pop tarts?”
“What?”
“I’m sticking some in the toaster. Want some?”
I blinked several times, shook my head, and even slapped my own face, but nothing changed. She was still standing in front of me, asking me if I wanted fucking pop tarts after I just broke up with her. She actually refused to break up with me. Could that really happen? Did I not get a say in this? And if so, was I destined to just be with her the rest of my life? I’d never been in this position before. I’d never had a woman refuse to let me break up with her. What was the protocol for this? Did I just go along with it? Maybe I should just not return her calls. Of course, that hadn’t really worked so far. She always showed up, with food.
“Honey?” She quirked her head to the side and smiled sweetly at me. “Pop tarts?”
Shaking my head, I tried again. “I’m serious, Molly. I’m breaking up with you. I don’t want to be with you anymore. It’s been fun, but let’s just end this now.”
“I hear you. I really do, and while I think you make some not very valid points, I’m going to pretend like what you said makes total sense. But we’re not breaking up. You’re just freaking out and you want to end this before it gets too real. I get it, but we’re still not breaking up.”
And with that, she turned around and left the room. I stared at the floor, trying to figure out what to do next. How the fuck had this happened? Was I being too sweet? I mean, I was never too sweet. I was never that guy that women felt they could walk all over. Yet, here I was, standing alone in my pretend girlfriend’s bedroom as she walked out after telling me we were not breaking up.
This was not happening. She couldn’t make me stay with her. She couldn’t force me to date her. I wasn’t some chump. I was Tony-fucking-Tacos. I groaned and rolled my eyes at myself. I was not Tony Tacos. I was something much cooler. I wasn’t even Mexican, and if I was honest with myself, I didn’t even like tacos all that much. Not that I would tell Molly that. She had been really sweet yesterday, bringing me food at work because she thought tacos were my favorite. 
I cursed myself for thinking of her as sweet when I was trying to break up with her. Damnit, I would not be forced to date a woman that I really liked. Fuck, I was screwed. I marched into the kitchen and slapped my hand down on the countertop.
“Listen, Molly, this is over between us. I’m not going to let you tell me that we’re not breaking up, because we are so breaking up. I’m walking out that door and you will not follow me. You will not bring me food at work, and you will not call me later tonight to ask where I am. Do you know why?”
She smiled at me. “Because you think we’re breaking up.”
“Yes. No!” I shouted. “I don’t think we’re breaking up. We are in actuality breaking up. It’s for sure. Not a possibility or a probability. We are one hundred percent broken up, as of right now,” I said, punctuating the statement by punching the counter with my pointer finger.
She nodded, her eyes wide with a very serious expression on her face. “I hear you. I want you to know that I really do hear you, but it’s just not possible for us to break up. We have that dinner with Momma and Daddy tomorrow, and they already planned dinner. Momma did all her shopping and got everything we could possibly need for your favorite dinner.”
“What dinner?” I asked hesitantly.
“Tacos,” she grinned.
“Fucking hell,” I said, throwing my hands up in the air. “I’m not even fucking Mexican!”

Sinner (Reed Security Series #1) Cap (Reed Security Series #2) Cazzo (Reed Security Series #3) Knight (Reed Security Series #4) Irish (Reed Security Series #5) Hunter (Reed Security Series #6) Whiskey (Reed Security Series #7) Lola (Reed Security Series #8) Ice (Reed Security Series #9) Burg (Reed Security Series #10) Gabe (Reed Security Series #11) Jules (Reed Security Series #12) Sniper (Reed Security Series – Book 1 of a 3 Book ARC) Jackson (Reed Security Series – Book 2 of a 3 Book ARC) Chance (Reed Security Series – Book 3 of a 3 Book ARC) Phoenix Rising (Reed Security Series #16) Alec (Reed Security Series #17) Storm (Reed Security Series #18) Wolf (Reed Security Series #19) A Mad Reed Security Christmas (Reed Security Series #20) Rocco (Reed Security Series #21) Coop (Reed Security Series #22)

I’m a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, “No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book.” I didn’t think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn’t already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven’t been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.

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Cover Reveal – Losing Hope by Michelle Windsor

Title: Losing Hope Author: Michelle Windsor

Genre: Contemporary Standalone Romance

Cover Design: Amanda Walker Designs

Hope is beautiful, successful and humiliated. After walking in on her boyfriend with someone else, and working endless hours to forget, she escapes to her family lake house in Vermont. Gage is handsome, rugged, and an ex-marine. He’s in Vermont to photograph a friend’s wedding and now that it’s over, all he wants is to get back home to New York City. A chance encounter leaves them stranded, igniting into a night of passion. Neither of them are looking for love, but after deciding to spend the weekend together, that’s exactly what they both fall into. Until she offers him a ride back to the city and he discovers who her family is. Until she learns the one secret both men in her life tried to hide. Until the one man she knew best becomes a stranger. How does she pick up the pieces and keep herself from losing hope?

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Michelle Windsor is an Amazon and Barnes & Noble Best Selling Indie author specializing in sizzling contemporary romance stories. Her books include Tempting Secrets, the 2019 Best Contemporary Romance Passionate Plume Award winner, and The Winning Bid, a 2017 nominee of Metamorph Publishings Indie Book Awards. She was just recently announced as a contributing author to Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland’s Cocky World, with her title, Tattooed Tuxedo releasing in 2020. Michelle resides just outside of Boston, Massachusetts with her husband, and two teenage sons and can usually be found behind her computer writing. 

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