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Poetry: About Life, Love, Everything in Between Jo Anne Myers @MelangeBooks #RLFblog
Poems About Life… Jo Anne Myers, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
your book,Genre: PoetryBlurb:“Poems About Life, Love, and Everything in Between”
is a poetry collection that provides a glimpse into the heart, mind and soul, of
its author. It is a heartwarming read, written with love and respect for others.
Some poems were written in times of sorrow, other poems were written in times of
joyous celebration. Life if like that.Buy links:Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/147837022xBelow are some sample poems from the book.ACHIEVED THROUGH STRIFE
In this bleak life of mine,I walk the dark alleys of broken dreams.A darkened corridor of lost tomorrows,within a collage of unraveled seams.My life simmered like a bad stew.Hidden within a clutter of tear stained cheeks.Living in darkness, an unbridled soul.Torn between life and death, my future seemed bleak.Despair cowered behind my eyes.Once beautiful, I was left aged and alone.Reflections in my sea of tears,reminded me I was forgotten and solitary.Stumbling over common life hurdles,like a babe learning to crawl.Losing everything to my lustful addictions,of fear, failure, and shame.Lost control of what was mine.That poison controlled me for a while.It felt bad and made me cry.As emotional pain went on for miles.I found courage with family and friends.No more shadows, cold or rain.The venom that once ruled my life,is a faded memory I achieved through strife.TO THE NEXT CHAPTER
Shadowed by pain, I slowly melt.Nowhere to go, nothing to do.Only aggravation and loneliness felt.My life left empty, with nothing to lose.Suffocating, I fall into seethe.Falling as my world crumbles.I’m left wanting to believe, searching for hope.Like an acrobat walking an unraveling tight rope.I call to those I’ve hurt.Leaving a message ‘remember me.’I’ve done things I want to forget.A obstruction I’ve tried to avert.I crawl out of the past,finding a way at last.To rise up instead of fall.Destroying this dreadful brick wall.See me now, strong and brave.For I will never be hurt again.I know I will adhere,shedding this torment and pain.The one I see in the mirror,is someone, special and kind.I now focus on what I am after,moving forward, to the next chapter.Interview
How did you get your start
in the industry?When my crime/detective story “Murder Most Foul,” was
accepted by Melange Books.What is the most important
thing you do for your career now, as compared to when you first started writing?A mass overload of self promoting.What do you enjoy most
about writing?The concocting of the plot.If you could give the
younger version of yourself advice what would it be?To have a career before family.What is your work ethic
when it comes to writing?Write what you are interested in even when others are not.How do you cope with stress
as an author?Painting and being reclusive.Do things your family
or friends do ever end up in a book?Yes, but they dont know it.What are some jobs you’ve
done before (or while) you were a writer?I am still working that 9 to 5 job for a notable chain hotelWhich of your books would
you recommend to someone who doesn’t normally read your genre, and why?Loves’, Myths’, and Monsters’ which is due out March 2014 through
Melange Books, because it stars characters some writers might not consider. Such
as: the Chupracabra, the Mothman, psychic visions, and time travelWhat is your major goal
in life?It is to be a successful writer-up there with Ann Rule and Aphrodite
Jones. To see my stories on television and the big screen.Books Coming Soon
“MURDER MOST FOUL,” due out July 31 2013“WICKED INTENTIONS” a paranormal/mystery anthology
due out September 2013“LOVES’, MYTHS’ AND MONSTERS’,” a fantasy anthology
due out March 2014
Jo Anne Myers “FLAGITIOUS,” a crime and paranormal novella collection
due out June 2014“THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY,” a biography true-crime“TWISTED LOVE,” a true-crime anthologySAMPLE POEMS FROM “Poems About Life, Love, and Everything
in Between”About the Author
Jo Anne Myers hails from the famous Hocking Hills region of southeastern
Ohio. She has
worked in the blue-collar industry most of her life. Besides having several novels
under my belt, she also canvass paints. When not busy with hobbies or working outside
the home, she spends time with relatives, her dogs Jasmine and Scooter, and volunteers
her time within the community. She is a member of the Hocking Hill’s Arts and Craftsmen
Association, The Hocking County Historical Society and Museum, and the Hocking Hills Regional
Welcome Center.
She believes in family values and following your dreams.Find Me Here
Website http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com
(Includes original canvass paintings)You May Also Like
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New Adult: Death of a Waterfall | Interview @KaraLeighMille1 #RLFblog
5 Easy Questions: Mate Not Wanted @Selena_Illyria #RLFblog #ShifterRomance
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What I did during #MFRWorg Summer Camp @AuthorTinaGayle #RLFblog #MFRWcamp
MFRW Summer Camp Today Tina Gayle shares her take on Marketing for Romance Writers Summer Camp, held last weekend on the Coffee Time Romance forum.= = =I can’t tell you how excited I was
for MFRW summer camp to start. Not only had I signed up to give a class, but there
were so many wonderful classes to take. I love learning new things so I’ve been
biting at the bit to get started.I was blown away with the pre-camp
class by Kristyn Phipps. She explained how to use Buffer, had pictures and diagrams
and cyber popcorn…oh, my. Best of all, I was able to read it a day later. I couldn’t
attend the class on the day she posted it, but managed to learn it a day late. Man,
how I love internet classes.Now with the stage set for camp to
begin, I had to get my stuff up and going. My class of “Cut the Crap”
(on editing) needed to be ready to run with the rest of the classes by Friday. I
had the handout ready and then sat down to fill in all the things that weren’t in
the outline. It is amazing how a one page outline can morph into pages of explanation.
I broke the class up into several parts so as not to overwhelm my students and to
concentrate on one point at a time.I posted the new thread and watched
as the number of views when up. Silly, I know, but I was surprised by the number
of people who could relate to the points I was making. While I waited for comments
or questions, I ventured into the other classes.Wow, talk about finding useful information.
From discovering how to form a Street Team group to understanding POV, there were
classes on so many topics I struggled to read all the information in the time I
had allotted for camp.The best part is that even though
camp is officially over. I can still go back and read through the parts that I missed.
Check it out at http://coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1977&page=4&order=descI can also download all the handouts
so I can review them later. Check them out at http://marketingforromancewriters.org/camp.htmCoffee Time Romance did a wonderful
job of making this appear seamless. I know it wasn’t, but as an attendee, I had
no problems with viewing classes or leaving comments.Also, there were fun games on Pinterest.
I didn’t play, not because I didn’t want to, time became a factor for me. My husband
decided a round of golf was needed to round out his weekend so what can I say, I
indulged.For those of you who didn’t attend
the camp, I strongly recommend that you check out the above sites and gain what
you can from some excellent information. RWA is having their national convention
this week. I have to say summer camp was better. One, it isn’t as expensive (Free
for the camp.) Two, no crowds. Three, great information, and four, all while living
in the comfort of your home. What more could you ask for?Man, summer camp so rocks, I can’t
wait till next year.Thanks to everyone who made this happen.
You guys are the best.About the Author
Tina Gayle After years of working in
the business world doing a variety of jobs, she decided to try her hand at writing
and hope to incorporate the joy of being a mother into her books.Currently working on a series
about four executive wives, she is excited about combining elements of women fiction
with the passion of romance. The first three books have been released and the last
one is coming out in 2014.Married twenty-five years,
she and her husband love to travel and play golf. She can’t wait for Mike to retire
so they can do more of both.Read the first chapter of
any of her books by visiting her website.Find Me Here
Home http://tinagayle.netBlog http://tinagayle.blogspot.comFacebook http://facebook.com/tina.gayleLinkedIn http://linkedin.com/pub/tina-gayle/11/689/759 -
Character Interview: Sean from The Final Line @kendallmckenna #RLFblog #LGBT
The Final Line Kendall McKenna, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. We’re excited
to interview your character, Sean Chandler from the book, The Final Line (Book 3
The Recon Diaries).Genre: M/M, military, mystery/suspensePublisher: MLR PressCover artist: Jared RacklerLength: 108,000 wordsHeat rating: 4 FlamesTagline: Love and Dog TagsBlurb:Staff Sergeant Corey Yarwood is an instructor
at the Basic Reconnaissance Course. His last deployment ended in horror, but he
can’t remember those events. Battling severe PTSD, Corey’s drinking is growing out
of control.Sean Chandler walks into a dive bar, and
into Corey’s life. An actor and a musician, Sean has the empathy and compassion
to sooth Corey’s pain, and the strength to support him as he struggles to heal.Corey’s lost memories are pivotal to a civilian
murder, and a military investigation. Remembering could mean salvation, or destruction.
Will the truth be too much for Sean to handle?Buy links:
MLR http://kendallmckenna.com/books/the-recon-diaries/What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?Corey Yarwood, 27 years old, Staff Sergeant, US
Marine CorpsSean Chandler, 30 years old, actor/musicianInterview with Sean Chandler
Tell us about yourself.Well, okay. My name is Sean Chandler. I’m thirty years old. I’m
an actor, a singer, and a song writer. I graduated from USC as a musical theater
major. I’ve had several roles on Broadway as part of ensemble casts. Recently, I’ve
been getting some high profile supporting roles in movies. Mostly, though, I’ve
had a lot of guest roles on popular and genre television shows, and I voice a lead
character in a very successful animated film franchise. Most of my success has been
in acting, so far, but I would really like to work in music a little more.Tell us about Corey.Corey. Oh, excuse me. That would be Staff Sergeant Corey Yarwood,
USMC Force Recon. He’s a big, blond, blue-eyed, tattooed Marine. He’s so strong
and so capable, he doesn’t feel the need to prove any of it. He’s really sexy, and
really funny, and has no idea. He’s also the strongest person, emotionally, I’ve
ever met, but he doesn’t know that about himself, either. He puts up with my crazy
job and my unpredictable hours, like it’s nothing.
Fire for Effect What do you think is your strongest point?My creativity or my sensitivity. They’re probably intertwined.What would Corey say is your strongest point?My patience. He thinks I’m more patient than I really am, though.
For some reason, he thinks it’s a burden to talk to him about the things going on
in his life and his career. But it’s not. He’s interesting and enjoyable to be around,
so no patience is involved. He just refuses to believe me.What do you wish was different about your life?I love my job and I wouldn’t want to do anything else. But it
requires a lot more travel than I wish it did. If there was anything about my life
I wish was different, it would be that I didn’t have to travel quite as much. Corey’s
job doesn’t let him travel with me very much, and it even takes him away for days
or weeks at a time. I guess it’s not the travel that I’d change, it’s the being
away from Corey so much. I don’t want to think about him getting deployed again.If you were given your fondest wish, what would it be?I’ve already been given my fondest wish.About the Author
Kendall McKenna’s first work of fiction was written at the worldly
age of nine, and was a transformative work that expanded on the story told in a
popular song of the time.She tried her hand at vampire and cowboy fiction, winning high
school poetry and short story contests along the way. It wasn’t until she discovered
the world of m/m erotic fiction and found
her stride with cops, Marines and muscle cars,
that she felt inspired to share her stories with readers who enjoy the same things.Putting herself through college by working in a newly-created
HIV testing clinic in her local Department of Health, introduced Kendall to the gay and lesbian community. Understanding and
empathy has made her a lifetime advocate of GLBT issues.A brief bout of unemployment gave Kendall
the time and focus she needed to finally produce a novel worth submitting for publication.
Her first novel, Brothers In Arms, introduced the world to her authentic
military stories and characters.Kendall
was born and raised in Southern California, where
she still lives and works. A non-conventional relationship has kept her happy for
the last decade. Her four dogs enjoy it when she writes, as she sits still long
enough for them to curl up around her.
Brothers in Arms Previous Books
Brothers In Arms (The Recon Diaries)Fire For Effect (The Recon Diaries)Strength of the Pack (Tameness of the Wolf)Nights In CanaanBooks Coming Soon
Strength of the Wolf (Tameness of the Wolf)Contest
Leave a comment with your email to be eligible to win an e-book
copy of The Final Line (Book 3 of The Recon Diaries).Find Me Here
Website: http://kendallmckenna.comFacebook: http://facebook.com/kendallmckennaTwitter: http://twitter.com/kendallmckennaBlog: http://kendallmckenna.com/kendalls-blog-3/Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/kendallmckenna -
MFRW Summer Camp: A Deleted Lesson on Twitter @MFRW_ORG #RLFblog #MFRWcamp
Marketing for Romance Writers — Summer Camp Marketing for Romance Writers Summer Camp 2013
Join our workshops here:http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1977Sign in, or join. You must also join the MFRW group. We are listed
at the top of every page. Full instructions for joining are here: http://marketingforromancewriters.org/media/CTRforuminstructions.pdfWhat kinds of things do we teach at camp? See yesterday’s post for a full listing of the schedule. Everything from writing tips to blogging, making the most of Triberr, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media. We have podcasting, using Paper.li, and how to handle queries and pitches.Here’s a peek at one of the workshops that **did not** make it into this year’s camp.Top Ten Tips for Finding #Followers on Twitter
Whether you’re a reader or a writer, or both (like me) you might have questions
about Twitter. I have a few answers for you. These are basics, but they have helped
me, and I hope they help you.Do I need an avatar?
You betcha. Get yourself an avatar, and you’ll start getting new followers.
Folks without avatars (only the egg showing) are referred to as eggheads on Twitter.
Spammers don’t usually bother with avatars because they get kicked off so fast,
so people are wary when they see one. Twitter will let you use almost any picture.
If you have one for Facebook, you can usually use that.Should I tell people I’m on Twitter?
Absolutely, and give the full URL. Don’t do the @myname thing. Does
@kayelleallen look cool? Yes. But can you click that? Nope. Always give people a
clickable link. Want followers? Give people a link to follow and they will. Write
it out this way: http://twitter.com/kayelleallenWhere do I put the link?
Start with your author
signature in email. Definitely put it on your website and blog. Are you self published?
Add it to your book in the “about the author” section. If you’re on a
forum or group, add it to your signature there. Put it in your profiles on other
social media. List it in print flyers. Put it anywhere your name is going to be
seen.Is it necessary to be on Twitter?
Here’s my opinion. Are
you an author? Then yes, it’s necessary. Can you survive without it? Of course.
But it’s like opening a store downtown and thinking that you don’t need a phone.
Why wouldn’t you take advantage of one of the most popular tools for sharing information
in the world? Do you watch TV? Ever notice those little words at the bottom of the
screen that have a # mark in front? Those are Twitter hashtags. People can share
info about the show live using those hashtags on Twitter. If Twitter is that popular
and that much a part of our culture, can you afford not to be there?How many followers do I need?
Your followers will
talk about your book, help it go viral, and spread the word. Let’s say you have
100 followers. To make this easy, let’s say each of them has 100 followers. If ten
of your followers each share a tweet you send out about your book, your one tweet
just went to 1000 people. Twitter sharing is exponential. Imagine if you have more
followers and a higher percentage shares a tweet? The reach could be huge. On Twitter,
you want lots of followers. How many you get is up to you and how much you share
that’s of interest to your tweeps.Where do I find followers?
Follow people who interest
you. Here are some easy things that attract followers.- Look at the lists others make and consider
following the people on them. - Retweet other people’s info. They may follow
you back. - Tweet 10 things about other people. Then
one thing about you. - People love to be talked about. Say something
complimentary. They will notice. - Spend 10 minutes a day reading and replying
to random tweets.
Anything I shouldn’t do on Twitter?
Yes, and please heed
these.Never send direct messages
(DMs) unless you are getting in touch
for a personal reason. People view automatic DMs to new followers as spammy. They
don’t like it.What about those verification programs? Any good?
I don’t recommend them.
The systems require your would-be-followers to do an anti-spam thing. If you are
an author you should want followers. Let them follow you.Should I follow everyone back?
No. Follow people who
interest you. You don’t have to read every tweet everyone sends — but it’s fun
to see new material and you’ll get that if you have a lot of followers. I don’t
recommend using an auto-follow service. Sadly, if you do you’ll inadvertently follow
spammers.
MFRW.org What’s a hashtag?
A hashtag is a search
word on Twitter. It’s a word embedded in the message and marked with a #
symbol. When you click the word, it triggers a search for the word. You can make
anything a hashtag. They cannot contain any type of punctuation.Bonus: Remember to have fun.
Twitter is social media.
Social means hanging out, having fun, and being natural. Twitter is like sex. If
you’re not enjoying it, you’re probably doing it wrong, or with the wrong people.
Lighten up, relax, and do it from the heart. You’ll enjoy it a lot more.Find Me Here
Kayelle Allen is the owner of The Author’s Secret. She’s also a blogger,
writer of immortal role-playing gamers,
warriors who purr, and agents who find the unfindable–or hide it forever.Homeworld http://kayelleallen.comBlog http://kayelleallen.blogspot.comPinterest http://pinterest.com/kayelleallen/Goodreads http://goodreads.com/KayelleAllen - Look at the lists others make and consider
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MFRW Summer Camp: Schedule and Workshops @MFRW_ORG #RLFblog #MFRWcamp
A Taste of Summer Camp What is MFRW? It stands for Marketing for Romance Writers,
which is a peer group for authors and others in the literary community. Our
motto is “Seek, teach, share, learn, succeed.”The group helps us focus on learning marketing and publicity.
We seek ways to advance our careers, brainstorm new ventures and ideas, get feedback,
and find others interested in working together. We provide free workshops. You can
take a class or teach one.We welcome marketing-related material that asks a question, offers
a promo or idea, or is a request for help, advice, or opinions. We offer opportunities
to promote and join others in promotional efforts. As fellow authors (published
and not-yet), publishers, and other members of the literary community, we are your
support group and co-workers. Need to buy pens, pins, or other goodies? Found a
great place to do that? We hope you’ll share the news.We’re open to the entire literary community. Our writing is not
discussed; we focus on creating an image and using it effectively. We provide ways
to learn new ideas, new skills, to gain new opportunities, and share them with others.While promotions are not allowed on the Yahoo group, news about
pitch sessions and calls for submission are. We coordinate pitch events with publishers
for our members. On Facebook, we promote and share news. We link our blogs via a
unique software “ribbon” in blog hops. We pin books by members on Pinterest,
and show off our cover models. We share tweets on Twitter. We interview each other
on BlogTalkRadio. We’re about to open a Goodreads group. You are welcome to join
us at all our locations. We offer assistance to our members in every way we can.Why? Because we want you to succeed.This is our second annual Marketing Summer Camp. This year’s theme is “A Taste of Summer Camp” and we’ve promoted it by sharing recipes on our blogs, Facebook pages, and with tweets. We partnered with Coffee Time Romance to hold the three-day all free conference in their forum. We have volunteer speakers giving classes, and panels on how to promote books. Here is the schedule.
Friday July 12
Start — End — Day — Instructor — Class12:00 PM — 1:00 PM — Friday — Wt Prater — Podcasting1:00 PM — 2:00 PM — Friday — Tonya Callihan — Street Team2:00 PM — 3:00 PM — Friday — MFRW Staff — How to Use MFRW’s Promo
Options3:00 PM — 4:00 PM — Friday — Trish Owen — Who’s on First? Handling
POV4:00 PM — 5:00 PM — Friday — Kayelle Allen — Blogging5:30 PM — 6:30 PM — Friday — Tina Gayle — Cut the Crap (Editing)6:00 PM — 7:00 PM — Friday — Kristyn Phipps — Buffer7:00 PM — 8:00 PM — Friday — Killarney Sheffield — Everything I
Don’t See8:00 PM — 9:00 PM — Friday — Kristyn Phipps — Social Media9:00 PM — 10:00 PM — Friday — Kristyn Phipps — Paper.liSaturday July 13
Start — End — Day — Instructor — Class8:00 AM — 9:00 AM — Saturday — Kristyn Phipps — Paper.li9:00 AM — 10:00 AM — Saturday — Gina Ardito — Hips Don’t Lie (Body
Language)10:00 AM — 11:00 AM — Saturday — Kristyn Phipps — Social Media11:00 AM — 12:00 PM — Saturday — Tina Gayle — Cut the Crap (Editing)12:00 PM — 1:00 PM — Saturday — Mary Caelsto — Guardian Muse1:00 PM — 2:00 PM — Saturday — Wt Prater — Podcasting2:00 PM — 3:00 PM — Saturday — Kristyn Phipps — Buffer3:00 PM — 4:00 PM — Saturday — Killarney Sheffield — Heroes and
Heroines4:00 PM — 5:00 PM — Saturday — Kayelle Allen — Back to Basics5:00 PM — 6:00 PM — Saturday — Karen Cote
— Pinterest Game6:00 PM — 7:00 PM — Saturday — Monica — Log Lines7:00 PM — 8:00 PM — Saturday — Ann Siracusa — I Wish I’d Known
Before I PublishedSunday July 14
Start — End — Day — Instructor — Class2:00 PM — 3:00 PM — Sunday — Wt Prater — Podcasting3:00 PM — 4:00 PM — Sunday — Trish Owen — POV4:00 PM — 5:00 PM — Sunday — Tina Gayle — Cut the Crap5:00 PM — 6:00 PM — Sunday — Ann Siracusa — Career Planning6:00 PM — 7:00 PM — Sunday — Mary Wilson — Query & Pitches7:00 PM — 8:00 PM — Sunday — Kristyn Phipps — Social Media8:00 PM — 9:00 PM — Sunday — Kristyn Phipps — Paper.li9:00 PM — 10:00 PM — Sunday — Kayelle Allen — The Next Step10:00 PM — 10:30 PM — Sunday — Kayelle Allen — Farewells and Next
Year
Summer Camp! How much does this cost? A lot of time and energy, but the camp itself is free. We do this for our members every year. So how much is membership? That’s free too. We’re a Yahoo Group of about 1800 people, from every part of the literary community. We are mostly romance writers, but we’re also poets, technical writers, and bloggers. We have publisher members, cover artists, and other professionals.Why not join us and find out what it’s like? Wander over to the Coffee Time Romance forum and join up. Come by our Yahoo group and see what we’re up to. We promote for our members on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, BlogTalkRadio, and we’re about to open a Goodreads group. Maybe you’ll find a place you feel at home. Bring your questions. -
Contemporary: A Good Time @SSchroeder_ #RLFblog #contemporary
Shannyn Schroeder, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about your book,
A Good Time.Genre: Contemporary romancePublisher: eKensingtonCover artist: The Killion GroupLength: 291 pagesHeat rating: RTagline: He’s got game, but can she play for keeps?Blurb:A passionate free spirit and a sweet-talking playboy sound like
a match made in heaven—until life gets in the way of all the fun and games…Indy Adams values her freedom above all else. She works hard
to support herself, moonlighting as a waitress while she fights for her first big
sale in the Chicago real estate market. The last thing she needs is to be tied down,
so she doesn’t think twice about declining her philandering boyfriend’s marriage
proposal. Besides, she just landed a new client, a wealthy lothario—exactly the
kind of guy who would understand her no-strings approach…Handsome, rich, and charitable, most women jump at the chance
to even talk to video game developer Griffin Walker, let alone date him. So he can’t
understand why Indy wants nothing more than a few steamy nights together. Despite
his romantic track record, Griffin longs for real love—complete with a home and
family—and he wants it with Indy. But a blessing in disguise may lead them both
to a life they never expected, and give Griffin a chance to show Indy that it’s
okay to want more than a good time…Buy links:Amazon http://amzn.com/B00BNKMFHCBarnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-good-time-shannyn-schroeder/1114794299?ean=9781601830081iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-good-time/id611522820?mt=11Kobo http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/A-Good-Time/book-2seTqp_OTUqZQpWcTmAofw/page1.html?s=XEL7FzsYoEGEamzW9upmZw&r=3What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?Indy (Independence) Adams – 35, real estate agent, waitress, interior decoratorGriffin Walker – 35, video game developer, CEO Walker IndustriesInterview
If you could change something about your first book, what would it be?If I could change one thing about my fist book, it
would actually be a bunch of little changes. Although I read through that book many,
many times, both before Kensington acquired it and after, once I was in the final
proofing stage, I was still finding words and phrases that I wanted to change. It
might be a word that I used multiple times too close together or a sentence that
just reads awkwardly aloud. Overall, I love the book, but it’s those little nagging
things that drive me nuts.What do you enjoy most about writing?I love drafting. Drafting is sitting down to get words on the page for the first
time. My characters are new and talkative in my head and I love spending time with
them. I’m not much of a plotter. I have some specific scenes in my head before I
start to write and I try to know my characters well, but during drafting, it’s all
about letting them go wherever they want. I don’t worry about story structure or
beautiful language. I just write as it comes.If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what would it be?I would tell my younger self not to stop writing.
I wrote as a teenager and straight through college. All of my electives in college
went to creative writing courses. But when I became a teacher, my energy went there
and I stopped writing. I’d never seriously considered a writing career. Back then,
the stable paycheck was more important.No matter what the future me might say, that wouldn’t
have changed, but if I had kept writing, I probably would’ve launched my writing
career much earlier than I did. I didn’t start writing again until my youngest started
preschool. Then I needed to learn about the publishing business while I honed my
craft.A big part of me wishes I’d never walked away from
my first love.What is your work ethic when it comes to writing?For me, writing is a job, and I try to write every day, but I’m also a realist.
There are some days when it’s not going to happen. I try to accept that. I set goals
for myself and break those goals down into manageable steps.For instance, my next book is due at the end of October. When the summer started,
I hadn’t done anything other than think about my characters. I want the draft done
by the end of the summer, so I have time to set it aside before revising. That means
I have to write about 1500 words a day, 5 days a week.There are some days that I don’t feel like writing, but I’ll still open the
laptop and look at the book. Sometimes an idea will flow, other times I have nothing.
But come the end of the week, when I look at my word count total, I will make myself
write something, anything to meet that goal because I can always go back and fix
words as long as they’re on the page.Do things your family or friends do ever end up in a book?I use situations, not people that I know in my books. I never base characters
on people I know, although I might use a trait from someone. Situations and stories
from friends are things I love. Since I’ve been married for 17 years, I haven’t
dated for a really long time. I rely on my single friends to share their dating
stories. When I’m done laughing, the next words out of my mouth are always,
“That is so going in a book.” I can’t think of a specific example that
I’ve used (they do tend to change to suit my characters), but I have a list of possibilities.What are some jobs you’ve done before (or while) you were a writer?I worked at a hot dog stand to put myself through high school and college. After
college, I jumped right into teaching, where I stayed for 10 years before having
kids and staying home to raise them. At that time, I also helped my husband get
his construction company off the ground and became the office end of the business.
When my youngest started preschool, in addition to starting my writing, I worked
as an editor at a couple of small epubs and at an education company. I’m still working
for the education company because I love the job (steady paycheck and flexible hours).
I also teach a few college-level academic writing courses a year for a local school.Which of your books would you recommend to someone who doesn’t normally read
your genre, and why?My go-to recommendation for contemporary romance is Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie. If I can add more, I tend to offer authors
instead of titles: Julie James, Victoria Dahl, Ruthie Knox, and Jill Shalvis all
exemplify what the genre is all about.What do you think is the future of traditional publishing?I think the future of traditional publishing is going to be in ebooks. I signed
with eKensington, which is Kensington’s digital first line. I read a lot of ebooks,
but I still do buy some paper. I think there will always be the lure of seeing my
name on the shelf at a bookstore, but since most bookstores are gone…I talked with some bestselling authors while at RT, and I was surprised to find
that the vast majority of their sales were digital. I thought having Bestselling
Author after their names came from being in print, but it wasn’t. I think readers
have determined that digital is the place to be and traditional publishing needs
to find a way to make it profitable for everyone.What is your favorite holiday and why?I love Christmas. First, I love to bake and my best friend and I do an all-day
baking session and give cookies away. Everyone loves Christmas cookies. But my favorite
part is Christmas morning, watching my kids get excited over everything. It doesn’t
matter how big or small the gift, their faces light up.What good book have you read recently?I read all the time. It’s how I unwind before going to sleep, so choosing just
one book is hard. I’m currently reading It
Had to Be You by Jill Shalvis. I love the Lucky Harbor series. Before that,
I read Sultry with a Twist by Macy Beckett,
which I had sitting on my Kindle for some time. I liked it so much, I immediately
downloaded the next in the series.What do you like to do when you’re bored?I read a book or watch TV when I’m bored. I buy lots of books for my Kindle
when they’re on sale, so I always have something new to read. I also have my DVR
set to record an obscene number of TV shows. I love to get lost in the lives of
characters whether it’s on the screen or on the page.Please underline which statement is more like you:“I am a vacation spa because I am laid back and relaxed.”“I am a ten-countries in ten-days tour vacation, because I do things as
fast as possible.”Please
complete the sentencesI love pizza with pepperoni.I’m always ready for something to throw a wrench into my plans (3 kids =chaos).When I’m alone, I like to stay in bed and read (which never happens since
I have 3 kids).You’d never be able to tell, but I love Disney movies. I started collecting
them before I had kids.If I had a halo it would be mostly shiny, but
it would sit a little crooked over my head.If I could quit all my other jobs I’d love to write all day, every
day.I can never fall asleep quickly because I have a hard time turning
off my brain.Previous Books
More Than This (O’Learys Book 1)Books Coming Soon
The third book in the O’Leary series will be release in January 2014.Contest
To have a chance to win a digital copy of the first book in the O’Leary series,
More Than This, tell me how you prefer
to read: digital or print? (please include your email address)Find Me Here
Website: http://www.shannynschroeder.com/Blog: http://www.shannynschroeder.com/category/blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/SSchroeder_Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/seschroeder/
