-
2015 #RLFblog Top Bloggers @susanvaughn @sabrina_york
RLF Gem The Top Blogger for December was Susan V Vaughn. She wins a month
of free cover advertising on the blog.. Our Top Blogger of the Year is Sabrina York,
which gives her a year of free advertising.About Susan V Vaughn
Website: www.susanvvaughn.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/susanvaughn1124Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Susan-V.-Vaughn/e/B016H54WWITop Five Bloggers for the Month
Each month, the RLF Gems post ranks in the top ten, but is not
counted, in order to focus on guests. The winners are judged by page views. Congratulations
to each one! There is a tie for third place.1 Susan V Vaughn2 Ciara Gold3 Alanna Lucas3 Leslie Lynch4 Stacy Juba5 Barbara White DailleRLF Chatter Honorable mention: Christmas
Romances (Kayelle Allen, Barbara Cool Lee, Beate Boeker, Lee Strauss, Magan Vernon,
Melissa McClone, Pam Claughton), and Veronica BaleTop Chatters for the Month
Because the person who gets the most comments in a month is not always the
person who gets the most page views per month, I instituted the Top Chatter Award.
This is the award for the person who receives the most comments. To win, a guest
must have five or more comments (not counting the guest author’s).1 Susan V Vaughn2 Alanna Lucas3 Christmas Romances (Kayelle Allen, Barbara Cool Lee, Beate Boeker,
Lee Strauss, Magan Vernon, Melissa McClone, Pam Claughton)Top Bloggers for 2015
RLF Gem 2015 These bloggers were the top bloggers each month in 2015. The
top blogger for the year wins a year of advertising on the site. The bloggers
are listed in order of page views for their post for the year.1 Sabrina York (winner – one year of advertising)2 Liquid Silver Books3 Vicky Burkholder4 Collette Cameron5 Paula Millhouse6 KT Black7 Rebecca Hunter8 Mae Clair9 Susan V Vaughn10 KT Black11 Teasers and Tastes Authors (includes Sabrina York, Kayelle Allen, and
others)12 Barbara White DailleTop Chatters for 2015
These bloggers won top chatter during the month of their visit. I
checked the number ofcomments and put them in order by the most comments
received. Congratulations!1 Marianne Rice2 Vicki Batman3 Sabrina YorkRLF Chatter 2015 Romance Lives Forever features authors and new books. It has
a blogger’s FAQ page with a downloadable guide and six optional interviews. Readers
can follow via Google+, Networked Blogs, Linky Followers, email, an RSS feed, and
there’s a blog button readers and authors can grab. Authors can share previous books.
The blog uses author or publisher names as tags on posts, and author Twitter handles
in the titles. The site is broadcast over Triberr with a potential reach of over
3.5M readers via its Twitter-linked network. Twitter mentions are also gathered
in several Paper.li ezines, giving the author additional opportunities for promotion.
The Romance Lives
Forever Paper.li ezine features only guest authors, and the day’s guest is on
its front page every day.Each post is featured on the Romance Lives Forever Pinterest
board within a few days after it goes live. http://www.pinterest.com/kayelleallen/romance-lives-forever-rlfblog/Share your book cover on Romance Lives Forever
Limited spots to share book covers are available. Cost is $5 per month, with a 20% discount for one quarter and up to one year.
Covers can be changed monthly.RLFblog Admin – Nicole Morgan
Author Nicole Morgan assists me with scheduling for Romance Lives
Forever. She is the blog admin. Look for emails from her. Nicole and I want to ensure
everyone who requests a spot on the blog gets a personal response. Please use this
email if you have questions or need help: rlfblog-owner@yahoogroups.com We
both receive email sent here. You don’t have to join a group or do anything special.
This group simply provides a joint email for us and streamlines things for you.
The email address is included in all downloadable interviews on the FAQ page.Sign Up for a Future Post
Sign up form http://goo.gl/forms/QvxzDtc53lGuest calendar http://bit.ly/rlf_datesMy thanks to all who took part this month. You made Romance Lives
Forever a great place to discover new books and authors.Other participants this month
in alphabetical order by first name are:Adele Downs, Allie Ritch, Belinda Williams, Chanta Rand, Eve Dangerfield,
Heather Boyd, Houston Havens, Jacquie Biggar, Jennifer Loring, Jessie Clever, Krysten
Lindsay Hager, Lauren Linwood, Livia Quinn, NN Light, Renee George, Shereen Vedam -
Jaine Andersen from Fooling Around With Cinderella by @stacyjuba #RLFblog #chicklit
Stacy Juba shares details about the creation of Jaine
Andersen in the book Fooling Around With Cinderella.About the Book
Title Fooling Around With CinderellaGenre Chick Lit/Sweet RomanceAuthor Stacy JubaBook heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13What happens when the
glass slippers pinch Cinderella’s toes?When Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the
local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling
Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Her reign transforms Jaine’s
ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother. Secretly dating
her bad boy boss, running wedding errands for her ungrateful sisters, and
defending herself from the park’s resident villain means Jaine needs lots more
than a comfy pair of shoes to restore order in her kingdom. First in the
Storybook Valley series, a blend of sweet romance, chick lit, and fairy tale
fun.Introducing Jaine Andersen
Name: Jaine AndersenAge: 25Gender: FemaleBirthplace: Catskills of NYProfession: Eager marketing coordinator for a theme
park/temporary and very reluctant CinderellaEthnicity/Species (if not human): HumanDescribe his/her body build, skin tone, height and weight.
Include any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars: Sandy caramel
hair that can’t decide whether it is brown or blonde, blue eyes, and glasses.
Slender, but didn’t quite fit into the outfit she wanted to wear on her job
interview.Who is the significant
other in your character’s life?Dylan CallahanTell us about this
character, please.Dylan is the general manager of the Storybook Valley Theme
Park and recently hired Jaine for a marketing position, and to assist with a
Cinderella crisis. A former ski instructor, he has a reputation as a bad boy
heartbreaker. He never showed much interest in his family’s theme park in the
past, and has a lot to prove. Dylan tries to fight his attraction to Jaine so
that he can focus on business.How does your hero
dress?While working as Cinderella, she wears a ball gown so puffy
that helium could have inflated it. Gleaming pearls and silver thread embroider
the rich gold. She also wears a blonde Gibson Girl wig and a tiara.How educated is this
character?She has a bachelor’s degree in marketing.What is your
character’s family like?She has two annoying sisters, twins Bree and Shauna. Bree is
a high-powered attorney and Bridezilla with an upcoming wedding. Shauna, a
divorced single mom, relies on Jaine for babysitting. In fact, the twins rely
on Jaine for all their errands.If someone from your
character’s past showed up, who would he most NOT want it to be, and why?Someone from her past does show up, an old high school rival
named Gabrielle Allaire. Gabrielle always bested Jaine in high school, whether
it was getting a higher grade on a test, landing a college scholarship, or
winning a class office. Now she works in a leadership role at the theme park
and acts as if she has authority over Jaine.Can your hero keep a
secret (why or why not)?Her biggest secret is that she is helping out as Cinderella
for a few months, before assuming a full-time marketing position. The park has
had a string of bad luck with Cinderellas and Dylan is tired of fooling around
with Cinderella. Jaine’s sisters would make fun of her if they knew so she
keeps it a secret from her family. So
yes, she is extremely good at keeping secrets.What inner doubt
causes your character the most difficulty?She always takes care of everyone else, putting their needs
before her own. She fears that focusing on her own needs is selfish.What is your hero’s biggest
hopes and dreams?To become marketing director of the theme park and to live
happily ever after with Dylan.What is your hero’s
breaking point?When she is sabotaged at work, and her reputation is in the
gutter.What is the hardest
part about playing Cinderella?Having kids wipe sticky ice cream hands on my dress,
teenagers who ask me stupid questions for You Tube videos, and aching feet from
the glass slippers.Who is your closest
friend at Storybook Valley?Krystal, the wardrobe supervisor. Krystal amuses me as she
also likes to dress up as Red Riding Hood. She wears a Red Riding Hood costume
to work. Voluntarily.What kind of training
went into playing Cinderella?Dylan’s grandmother was obsessed with making me the perfect
Cinderella. I had to learn to master Cinderella’s signature, practice a proper
princess wave, get used to always staying in character, and watch Audrey
Hepburn movies to absorb the regal way she carried herself.About Your Writer
Why do you think your
writer chose to write about you?She has spent a lot of years writing murder mysteries. They
are intriguing whodunnits, but I think Stacy felt like writing about something
more cheerful, hence a theme park Cinderella.What do you wish your
writer had not told others about you?I wish she hadn’t mentioned the difficulties of using the
toilet in a ball gown.What other character
from your book do you think your writer should write a book about, and why?I know she is working on a book about Rory, Dylan’s sister,
who is named Aurora after Sleeping Beauty. I think she should also write about
my friends Krystal and Tiara, as a start. I also want her to write a short
story leading up to how Dylan got himself into such a princess problem.Why do you think your
writer loves to write?She has always been on the quiet side, and writing has been
a way for her to express herself since she was a child. Stacy also loves to
read – she is obsessed with books.Is there anything
you’d like to say to your writer?I had so much fun appearing in this book and I can’t wait to
return to Storybook Valley as a supporting character in Prancing Around With
Sleeping Beauty and the other books in the series.Buy This Book
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fooling-around-with-cinderella-stacy-juba/1122680940?ean=2940152324976CreateSpace https://www.createspace.com/5662757Author Bio
Stacy
Juba got engaged at Epcot Theme Park and spent part of her honeymoon at
Disneyland Paris, where she ate a burger, went on fast rides, and threw up on
the train ride to the hotel. In addition to working on her new Storybook Valley
chick lit/sweet romance series, Stacy has written books about ice hockey, teen
psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths. She has
had a novel ranked as #5 in the Nook Store and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid
List. When she’s not visiting theme parks with her family, (avoiding rides that
spin and exotic hamburgers) Stacy helps writers to strengthen their manuscripts
through her Crossroads Editing Service. She is also the founder of the Glass
Slipper Sisters, a group of fifteen authors with Cinderella-themed romance
novels. She is currently writing the next book in the Storybook Valley Series,
Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty.Author Social Media
Website and blog http://stacyjuba.com/blog/Twitter
https://twitter.com/stacyjubaPinterest https://www.pinterest.com/stacyjuba/Amazon
Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Stacy-Juba/e/B002OXLSDE/ -
Cover Love: 25 Years Ago Today @stacyjuba #RLFblog #mystery
25 Years Ago Today Cover Love at Romance Lives Forever is a short intro to a
book and includes a cover, blurb, buy links, and social media contacts for the
author. Today’s featured book is Twenty-Five Years Ago Today by Stacy Juba.Genre Mystery/Romantic SuspenseBook heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13Blurb
Should we dig for the truth when Pandora’s Box is a coffin of
buried secrets? Kris Langley has always been obsessed with murder. She blames herself
for the violent death of her cousin when they were kids and has let guilt invade
every corner of her existence. Now an editorial assistant and obit writer, Kris
stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling “25 Years Ago Today”
items from the microfilm. Determined to solve the case and atone for the death of
her cousin, Kris immerses herself in the mystery of what happened to Diana Ferguson,
a talented artist who expressed herself through haunting paintings of Greek mythology.Not only does Kris face resistance from her family and her managing
editor, she also clashes with Diana’s suspicious nephew, Eric Soares – until neither
she nor Eric can deny the chemistry flaring between them. She soon learns that old
news never leaves the morgue and that yesterday’s headline is tomorrow’s danger,
for finding out the truth about that night twenty-five years ago may shatter Kris’s
present, costing her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.Buy This Book
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Five-Years-Ago-Today-ebook/dp/B003U4WVKA/refBarnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twenty-five-years-ago-today-stacy-juba/1017979048?ean=2940011980930ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-twentyfiveyearsagotoday-924179-152.htmlKobo http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Twenty-Five-Years-Ago-Today/book-fc55-OLdikey2hFgy_jaDA/page1.html?s=ujwec_jtbU2U134hnmDkXA&r=7Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/17652Author Social Media
Website http://stacyjuba.com/blog/Blog http://stacyjuba.com/blog/posts/Twitter https://twitter.com/stacyjubaPinterest http://pinterest.com/stacyjuba/Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Stacy-Juba/e/B002OXLSDE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 -
Taste of Summer: Chocolate Heath Bar Trifle @stacyjuba #RLFblog #MFRWorg
Chocolate Pie Taste of Summer By Stacy Juba
If you’re a writer, then you won’t want to miss MFRW Summer Camp.
This free event is sponsored by Marketing for Romance Writers, which began as a
Yahoo group of a dozen authors who wanted to know how to market their books. Today
the group has nearly 1800 members. One reason I love this group so much is because
of its frequent free workshops, including the 2nd Annual Summer Camp slated for
July 12-14.What will you find if you join the Yahoo group? A supportive
environment to 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. You can take a class or teach one.While promotions are not allowed on the Yahoo group, news about
pitch sessions and calls for submission are. MFRW coordinates pitch events with
publishers for our members. On Facebook, we promote and share news. We link our
blogs in blog hops, pin books by members on Pinterest, show off our cover models,
and share tweets on Twitter. Those are just a few of the activities of this dynamic
group. We’re open to the entire literary community and we would love for you to
join us.What will you find during summer camp? Free classes, lots of
them, in all areas of marketing and promotion. You can ask questions, pick up some
new tools, and make new friends.You can find more about the group and summer camp here. We hope
you’ll join us!http://marketingforromancewriters.org/camp.htmTo help spread the word about MFRW and Summer Camp, a bunch of
us are taking turns blogging about the group and sharing a recipe. Today I’m sharing
my special dessert, Chocolate Heath Bar Trifle, which is sure to impress guests
at summer barbecues. My husband loves this dessert so much that he recently asked
me to make it for 50 co-workers!Chocolate Heath Bar Trifle
Ingredients:Shortening1 box chocolate cake mix2 boxes chocolate instant puddingPackage of crushed Heath Bar2 small Cool Whip containers (8 oz)Spread shortening over cake pan. Bake cake following directions
on box. Then make chocolate pudding following the directions on box. Keep pudding
at room temperature. Crumble up cake into chunks and set aside. In a large glass
trifle serving bowl, layer half of the crumbled cake, half the pudding, 1 Cool Whip
container, and half of the Heath bar candy. Repeat layers again. Refrigerate.Note: Although this looks especially impressive in a glass trifle
bowl, I’ve also used a disposable aluminum pan with a lid. It doesn’t look as magnificent,
but it will still disappear quickly!About the Author
Young Ladies of Mystery Stacy Juba has made numerous bestseller lists including GalleyCat’s
Barnes & Noble Bestsellers, GalleyCat’s Mystery and Thriller Bestsellers, and
multiple Amazon Top 100 lists, and she has also been ranked as one of the Most Popular
Authors in Mysteries on Amazon. She has had a book ranked as #5 in the Nook Store
and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. Stacy has written about reality TV contestants
targeted by a killer, an obit writer investigating a cold case, teen psychics who
control minds, twin high school hockey stars battling on the ice, and teddy bears
learning to raise the U.S.
flag: she pursues whatever story ideas won’t leave her alone. She is a former journalist
with more than a dozen writing awards to her credit.Find Me Here
Website: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacyjubaPinterest: http://pinterest.com/stacyjuba/Permalink to Stacy’s recipe post on her own blog: -
Character Interview: Cassidy Novak @stacyjuba #RLFblog #Suspense
Young Ladies of Mystery Stacy Juba, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. We’re excited to
interview your character, Cassidy Novak from the book, Sink or Swim.Genre: Mystery/Romantic SuspensePublisher: Thunder Horse PressCover artist: Karen A. Phillips (through Mainly Murder Press
as originally published in paperback)Length: 241 pagesHeat rating: PG13 (Sweet romance subplot)Tagline: For reality show runner-up Cassidy Novak, it’s hard
enough being famous and not rich. When a stalker shows up, reality TV has never
been so real.Blurb: A fun beach read endorsed by contestants from Survivor,
Big Brother, and The Amazing Race. Ambitious personal trainer Cassidy Novak has
gained fame for starring on Sink or Swim, a hit reality show. Not only does she
lose and have to walk the plank, but after the game show ends, the terror begins.
Upon returning home, Cassidy discovers she has attracted a stalker masterminding
his own twisted game. She struggles to focus on her health club job and celebrity
endorsement opportunities, but her stalker has other plans. As her former competitors
get knocked off one-by-one, Cassidy refuses to play by the stalker’s bizarre rules.
She’s also being shadowed by hunky photographer Zach Gallagher, who has been assigned
to capture her personal moments for a spread in the local newspaper. She wants to
trust Zach, but fears he may not be what he seems. When the stalker forces a showdown,
Cassidy must once again walk the plank…this time for her life.Buy links:Amazon http://ow.ly/kEygvBarnes and Noble http://ow.ly/kEywiKobo http://ow.ly/kEz7KiBookstore http://ow.ly/kEzdSAlso available as part of the Young Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set:
http://stacyjuba.com/blog/young-ladies-of-mystery-boxed-set/What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?Cassidy Novak: 25, personal trainer and fitness director for
a health clubInterview with Cassidy Novak
Tell us about yourself.I’m a personal trainer and fitness director for Spike’s Muscle
Madness. (I’m trying not to cringe as I answer.) I LOVE helping people to lead a
healthier lifestyle and educating them about fitness and wellness, however, Spike
is interested in his bottom line and not in advocating health. I have a hard time
working anywhere that offers tanning beds, which can cause skin cancer. My goal
is to establish my own chain of fitness centers, but I’m in debt due with my college
loans. That’s why I went on the new reality TV show Sink or Swim, because I was
hoping to win enough money to start following my dream.Tell us about (insert lover name here).Zach Gallagher. He is a photographer for the local newspaper
that’s doing a series on my return home after my months competing on Sink or Swim.
He’s gorgeous and has this sexy Texas
drawl. He looks cute in a cowboy hat, though who knew I was attracted to cowboys?
He’s so easygoing though, that it drives me crazy. We’re complete opposites because
I’m so driven. He’s hiding something though, and I’m starting to wonder what’s going
on with him.What do you think is your strongest point?My determination and my vision. When I have a goal, I see it
clearly in my mind and I do whatever it takes to pursue it.What would Zach say is your strongest point?He’d probably say that he admires how I want to help people have
healthy lifestyles. He’s always teasing me about how I nag my family to watch what
they eat, but I think he admires how I want to take care of people.What would Zach say is your biggest weakness?He thinks I’m afraid of failure. Zach thinks I ought to start
with opening one small fitness center and to forget about launching a chain of them,
at least for now. He thinks I’m focusing on this unattainable goal that could take
years to accomplish because I’m afraid to open my own business. Zach thinks I’m
procrastinating. That’s ridiculous. Did I mention that he thinks I’m stubborn, too?Sink or Swim What was it like where you grew up?I grew up in a small suburban town in New
England called Garrett. My dad took off when I was four and I never
saw him again. My mom, Pepper, is flaky but I love her. I was psyched when she married
my stepfather Glenn, but they’re divorced now. He’s still an important part of my
life, though. So is Bo, my younger brother.What do you wish was different about your life?I wish I had enough money to open that chain of fitness centers!
I don’t like working for other people. I really want to be self-sufficient and not
have to depend on anyone else for my income.If you were given your fondest wish, what would it be?It would be for my dad to have stayed in my life instead of running
away from his family.Describe a place of perfect refuge.Jogging around the track or lifting weights. Exercise helps me
to escape from my thoughts and to be fully present in my body. It clears my head.As a child, who was your best friend? Tell us about him/her.I don’t know if I ever really had a special best friend. I wasn’t
anti-social by any means – I did have friends. But a best friend? I guess it’s sad
that I can’t answer it. I wish I knew Zach when we were kids. I wonder if he still
wore a cowboy hat?What do you wish I had asked you? Please ask and answer it
now.I wish you had asked me how I am dealing with the stalker who
is terrorizing Sink or Swim contestants. I don’t know who this psycho is, but he’s
messing with the wrong girl.About the Author
Stacy Juba has made numerous bestseller lists including GalleyCat’s
Barnes & Noble Bestsellers, GalleyCat’s Mystery and Thriller Bestsellers, and
multiple Amazon Top 100 lists, and she has also been ranked as one of the Most Popular
Authors in Mysteries on Amazon. She has had a book ranked as #5 in the Nook Store
and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. Stacy has written about reality TV contestants
targeted by a killer, an obit writer investigating a cold case, teen psychics who
control minds, twin high school hockey stars battling on the ice, and teddy bears
learning to raise the U.S.
flag: she pursues whatever story ideas won’t leave her alone. She is a former journalist
with more than a dozen writing awards to her credit.Previous Books
Twenty-Five Years Ago Today (adult mystery/romantic suspense)25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back (essay
anthology)Dark Before Dawn (YA paranormal)Face-Off (YA sports novel)The Flag Keeper and the Teddy Bear Town Children’s Bundle (children’s
picture books)Books Coming Soon
A brand new romantic comedy/sweet romance inspired by the Cinderella
theme.Find Me Here
Website: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacyjubaPinterest: http://pinterest.com/stacyjuba/ -
Suspense: Young Ladies of Mystery @stacyjuba #rlfblog
Young Ladies of Mystery. Stacy Juba, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk
about your new release, the Young Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set.Genre: Mystery/Romantic SuspenseBuy links:Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/young-ladies-of-mystery-boxed-set-stacy-juba/1112510487?ean=2940014880077&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-UdkW8xQ2SN0-_-2%3a2940014880077&iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/young-ladies-mystery-boxed/id556216498?mt=11Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Young-Ladies-Mystery-Boxed-Set/book-LYpEix78KkeRcjLUgHwX2g/page1.html?s=lpSITyn9zE6mxAiVcLNAqw&r=8Publisher: Thunder Horse PressCover artist: Mark Juba (for the boxed set cover)Length: 595 pagesHeat rating: Clean romanceTagline: Solve a cold case with aspiring reporter Kris Langley;
discover the downside of fame with former reality show contestant Cassidy Novak;
and meet teenage psychic Dawn Christian, who discovers that ESP spells D-A-N-G-E-R.
3 books in one download.Blurb:The Young Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set features Stacy’s
adult mystery/romantic suspense novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim,
and her young adult psychic thriller Dark Before Dawn, in one bargain-priced download.
Solve a cold case with aspiring reporter Kris Langley; discover the downside of
fame with former reality show contestant Cassidy Novak; and meet teenage psychic
Dawn Christian, who discovers that ESP spells D-A-N-G-E-R. More on the three books
included in the download:Twenty-Five Years Ago Today – For twenty-five years, Diana
Ferguson’s killer has gotten away with murder. When rookie obit writer and newsroom
editorial assistant Kris Langley investigates the cold case of the artistic young
cocktail waitress who was obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology, not only does
she fall in love with Diana’s sexy nephew, but she must also fight to stay off the
obituary page herself.Sink or Swim – How do you change the channel when reality
TV turns to murder? After starring on a hit game show set aboard a Tall Ship, personal
trainer Cassidy Novak discovers that she has attracted a stalker. Can she trust
Zach Gallagher, the gorgeous newspaper photographer assigned to follow her for a
local series? As things heat up with the stalker and with Zach, soon Cassidy will
need to call SOS for real.Dark Before Dawn – When teen psychic Dawn Christian gets
involved with a fortuneteller mentor and two girls who share her mysterious talents,
she finally belongs after years of being a misfit. When she learns her new friends
may be tied to freak “accidents” in town, Dawn has an important choice
to make – continue developing the talent that makes her special or challenge the
only people who have ever accepted her.What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?In Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, Kris Langley is in her mid-twenties
and is a newspaper editorial assistant, obit writer and aspiring reporter. One of
her duties is compiling the 25 Years Ago Today column from the microfilm.In Sink or Swim, Cassidy Novak is in her mid-twenties and works
as a personal trainer for a health club. She is also a recent reality show contestant
hoping to gain some income through endorsements.Dawn Christian, the heroine of Dark Before Dawn, is a teenage
psychic who gets involved with a fortuneteller mentor.Interview
How did you get your start in the industry?I wrote my first novel, a young adult book called Face-Off, during
high school study halls when I was 16 years old. I entered it in a competition for
teen writers and it won a publishing contract with a major New York publisher. This was an exciting experience
for me, and it gave me the confidence to keep writing and submitting to publishers
and agents.What is the most important thing you do for your career now,
as compared to when you first started writing?The publishing industry has changed so much since the early 1990s,
when I was originally published. Now I have a web site and a blog, and am very active
on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as with many author groups.
The opportunity to network with readers and have access to all of this insider information
about the publishing industry has given a big boost to my career. Also, the rise
of e-books has had a tremendous impact on my career. Years ago, I remember thinking
that it wouldn’t even be worth being published if they had electronic books someday,
as I was tied to the concept of holding a printed book in my hand. Boy, was I wrong!
The growth of e-books has allowed me to make a living as an author and I find e-books
very enjoyable to read on an e-book device. It’s like a toy for book lovers. As
a result of this e-book trend, I spend a great deal of my time targeting my marketing
toward e-book consumers via social networking.If you could change something about your first book, what
would it be?Luckily, I had the opportunity to change something about my first
published book, my young adult hockey novel Face-Off. It was originally published
in the early 1990s, and I recently brought it back into print and released digital
editions. I deleted the names of some retired hockey players, as well as the names
of music groups and TV shows and movies that today’s kids wouldn’t identify with.
I’m now more careful about what real life details I add into a book, as I’m more
aware that someday it will be out of date.If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what
would it be?It would definitely be to lighten up, go with the flow, laugh
more, and take more time to relax!What does “balance” mean to you as a writer?It means balancing family, fiction-writing, marketing my books,
and my freelance clients, while not overextending myself. This is challenging, but
I am learning to take more time to exercise, read, and just “be.”What are some jobs you’ve done before (or while) you were
a writer?Since high school, I’ve worked in a drugstore, as a trainer and
lifeguard at a health club, as a college writing tutor, as a newspaper editorial
assistant, newspaper reporter, and as an administrative assistant, publicist and
event organizer. I currently write and edit newsletters for a few freelance clients,
in addition to being a full-time author.Which of your books would you recommend to someone who doesn’t
normally read your genre, and why?I’d recommend Twenty-Five Years Ago Today as a starting point
for someone who doesn’t normally read mystery or romance novels. I’ve visited a
few book clubs that read literary fiction, and not genre fiction, and they really
enjoyed Twenty-Five Years Ago Today as it has a lot of discussion points for a book
club. However, some of the members said they normally wouldn’t have stumbled across
it as it was in the mystery section and they don’t usually read mystery novels.What kind of books do you read when taking a break from your
own writing?I enjoy reading mystery novels, romantic suspense, sweet romance,
romantic comedy, and occasional young adult novels.What is your favorite holiday and why?I love Christmas, and the excitement of exchanging presents on
Christmas morning. I also love the carols on the radio and driving by houses with
Christmas lights. It’s a nice time of year.Where were you at midnight, on December 31st when the new
century started?I was kissing my husband in the living room of our then-apartment
as the ball went down on the television.What do you like to do when you’re bored?I love to read, play Just Dance games on Wii, and take walks.If you were a color, what color would you be?Yellow. I feel like yellow is a happy color, and I have it on
several walls in my house. I also wear bracelets with yellow in it, to give me a
lift.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.”Definitely ten-countries in ten days as I like to be on-the-go
when I’m on vacation, though my goal is to become more laid back and less of a Type
A personality!Please Fill in the Blanks
I love pizza with green peppers and onions.I’m always ready for a good book.When I’m alone, I like to blast music very loud.You’d never be able to tell, but I’m very introverted.If I had a halo it would be yellow
and sparkly.If I could win a million dollars I’d go for a massage
every week.I can never read enough books because it’s one of my
favorite things to do.Previous Books
Adult: Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or SwimYoung adult: Dark Before Dawn; Face-OffAnthology: 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look BackChildren’s: The Flag Keeper; Teddy Bear Town Children’s E-book
BundleStacy Juba Books Coming Soon
Watch for a new romantic comedy in 2013, followed by some fun
short story spin-offs for my books!Find Me Here
Website: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacyjuba