Pool Time

I'm fortunate enough to have a swimming pool.  Anyone who has a pool can tell you its a lot or work but usually worth it.  Having a day job, PE teacher, that requires me to spend a lot of time in the sun, I'm careful to mostly use my pool during non-peak sun danger time.  There's nothing like floating on a raft around midnight and looking up at the stars.


CiprianoIngroundPools NJ

But getting my point, when I use my pool during the daylight hours, I often take a book along as does my daughter.  I've never dropped one in the water, but it could happen.  Currently, a large part of my reading is done on my eReader.  I expect that percentage to only increase.  So how do I read in the pool with it?  I don't. 

I would take it on the beach.  I take it to visit my mother. I take it to ballgames and to work.  I take it on overnight trips.  But I don't read it in the pool.  There's discussion about the demise of the paper-based book but I know there are places where an eReader just will not do.  The pool, a long, sudsy bath, the hot tub...

Where do you see the paper-based book as always being needed?  When do you prefer a book instead of your eReader?

Bone-Picking

Today is the last day I can get the extra 10% discount at Borders.  I'm going to visit one last time and pick over the bare bones of books left. Lots of hardbacks are left in the mystery and fantasy rows.  A few tempt me but not enough.  I want to buy them but even with the discount and sales price most are going to be around fifteen dollars.  If they were by authors I put on the keeper shelf I would snag them but I'll probably wait for the paper back or the library to finally get them.  Once they're out in paperback I can get them much cheaper for my eReader also.

It's still sad to go in the store and see the cafe closed and that ugly, uncomfortable furniture with bright orange price tags on.  My daughter and I spent many hours together there, talking about books and sharing all kinds of talks.  We have found nothing to replace Borders yet, at least not within easy commuting distance. 

I composed at least a third of my blogs while sitting in that cafe as well as typing 'The End' on two of my novels while enjoying an over priced cup of iced coffee.   I already miss you.

Have any of you shopped at your local going-out-of-business Borders?  Any good buys?

The Fantastic Jon Sprunk

Please welcome Jon Sprunk, author of Shadow's Son, to speak on a wide range of subjects today.  If you love fantasy his book is one you shouldn't miss.  Don't start it if you have work the next day because you'll be up all night.  Read on to learn a little about this gifted author and his fantasy series.

I've heard lots of parents talking about the interactive books for children available on some eReaders. As a father do you see this newest technology as a useful tool in teaching your child to love books?

Yes, completely. The next generation (my little guy is two-years-old) is going to be so much more tech-savvy than we are. I think eReaders, as they evolve, will become great tools for learning. Of course, as an Old Guy, I still hope that my son appreciates paper books as well.

What is the best fantasy movie you've seen in 2010 and what book besides your own would you like to see made into a movie?
I haven’t seen many fantasy movies this year, unless you count Inception, which I thought was very cool. I enjoyed the latest Harry Potter installment. The only other major fantasy movie I can remember was the Clash of the Titans remake – and the less I say about that one, the better.
Well, I’d love to see The Keepers of Sulbreth on the big screen. (I’d make you sign my popcorn bag.) And I think a new Conan movie, with Arnold playing an older King Conan, would be interesting (but please, not another Destroyer fiasco).

When you write do you like it quiet? Music? TV? Or can you work regardless of any distractions?
When I’m creating fresh material, I like to listen to music. Typically heavy metal. But that’s about it. Having the TV on, or someone talking nearby, are distractions I cannot abide. Fortunately for me, I have a very understanding family who give me lots of free time in my writing cave. They even toss down snacks once in a while.
Are you making any appearances in 2011 where your fans can meet you in person?
I’m in the process of seeing where I want to go, versus the availability of funds and time. I’d like to attend more local conventions this year, like the Pittsburgh Comic Con, Balticon, and PhilCon. I won’t be going to Dragon*Con this year, although I loved it.
Those interested can keep an eye on my website where I post my upcoming appearances.
Shadow's Son is the start of a series (and I can't wait for the next one), can you tell us the title of the forthcoming second installment, the release date and how many more books we can expect in this particular series?
Well, thank you very much. The sequel is titled Shadow’s Lure, and it will be out sometime in early summer 2011. The third and final book in the series should be out the summer of 2012.
Shadow’s Lure takes the main character, Caim, back to the land of his birth in search of clues about his mother’s disappearance eighteen years earlier. But what he finds in the cold North is a new threat with world-shaking implications.
How about a blurb for Shadow's Son?
Sure. Here if the official blurb:
In the holy city of Othir, treachery and corruption lurk at the end of every street, just the place for a freelance assassin with no loyalties and few scruples.
Caim makes his living on the edge of a blade, but when a routine job goes south, he is thrust into the middle of an insidious plot. Pitted against crooked lawmen, rival killers, and sorcery from the Other Side, his only allies are Josephine, the socialite daughter of his last victim, and Kit, a guardian spirit no one else can see. But in this fight for his life, Caim only trusts his knives and his instincts, but they won't be enough when his quest for justice leads him from Othir's hazardous back alleys to its shining corridors of power. To unmask a conspiracy at the heart of the empire, he must claim his birthright as the Shadow's Son....
And I was just telling people at my last signing, as they wandered past me in the bookstore, that – at heart—this novel is about Caim’s self-discovery. He begins the story believing he knows it all, that he’s happy in his little world where he controls everything. But as the book progresses he starts to understand there is more to life than just appeasing your own appetites, that other people matter, too. In that way, it mirrors the growth from adolescence to maturity.
Can you tell us where to buy your book in print or where to buy it for our terrific new eReaders?
Well, you can find it in major bookstores across the country (or order it from them if they don’t have copies in stock). The publisher’s page (http://www.pyrsf.com/ShadowsSon.html) has purchasing links on the left side. It’s also on Amazon, both in trade paperback and Kindle.
Thank you, Susan, for this chance to talk about my books. Best of luck to you and your readers!

This book is already on the eReader I received for Christmas.  Follow the buy links and add it to yours.  One of the best things about fantasy is the world-building.  You can read a book over and over again and discover something new each time.  Shadow's Son is one of those books you'll want to read many times.

Wonder Woman aka Natalie Damschroder

Please welcome today, my friend and writer or great note, Natalie Damschroder.  I can't count the number of times I've turned to Natalie when I had a question about publishing, grammar, social networking and the other hundreds things I don't know but she does.  If you don't know her already, please make her acquaintance now.
I know you have a Kindle yourself. How easy is it to buy and read books on it?


It’s FANTASTICALLY easy. I set up folders (called collections) on it, and whenever I see a new or
upcoming book I’m interested in, I go to Amazon and send a sample file to my Kindle, if one is available,
and save it in the “To Buy” folder. I also add it to my Kindle wish list. Then, when I have money to buy
books, I just go down the list and buy via the Kindle, or via one-click on Amazon.com. It downloads in
about 20 seconds.
Last month, I took Number One to see the midnight showing of Harry Potter, so of course we got there
an hour and a half early to get decent seats. I had the Kindle with me, but the lights were dim, so for the
first time I changed the font size. AWESOME. I love that I can set the Kindle down flat anywhere and still
keep reading, without having to use something to prop the book open. (I read a lot while I’m cooking,
brushing my teeth, taking out my contacts, doing simple chores, etc. LOL) I will say that e-books cannot
totally duplicate the experience of reading a real book, though. I don’t like that I can’t see how far to the
next chapter, or have a true visual of how close to the end of the book I am. And I don’t feel like I get as
lost in the book as I do with print books. So I’m right down the middle in my book love. :)

Your family is supportive of you and I know your children love to read also. How did you as a parent
instill the love of the written word in them as they grew up?

It was probably the most important tool I wanted to give them. I’ve been a voracious reader since I was
4 years old, and knew it would only benefit them to be, as well. My husband started reading to them
every night before they were born, and it was a nightly ritual from the time they were a few months old.
One of our favorite stories is how Number One loved The Foot Book so much, she’d take it out of the
right hand as soon as we were finished, and put it in the left hand so we’d read it again. My husband hid
the book under the couch, he was so sick of it. :) Number One and I had a 45-minute or more commute
to and from work, so she had a box of about 30 books next to her. She’d flip through every single one,
toss it on the floor, and move on to the next. When we got back in the car I’d pick them all up and she’d
do it again on the way home! LOL
Since we did such a good job instilling it in Number One, it was easier with Number Two, because
everyone reading all the time was what she grew up with.

We know you as an author of fantastic fiction but tell us about all the other jobs you work at in the
writing industry including any you volunteer to do. (or at least some of them)

I do freelance work as a writer, editor, and proofreader. My clients range from a novelist to an ad
agency for dentists and an articles-based website. I’m currently a volunteer on the PRO Steering
Committee in Romance Writers of America and was just elected librarian for my local RWA chapter
board. Over the 14 years I’ve been seriously pursuing a career in writing, I’ve held dozens of volunteer
positions. I think it’s important to keep my hand in, in as many ways as possible. It not only gives back to
an industry that has given me so much, it helps me keep in touch with everyone I need to.

I have a special place in my heart for your novel, Kira’s Best Friend. Do you have a favorite?

Aw, thanks! That one’s my favorite published book, too! :) I’m a big sucker for best friends stories. I have
a couple of unpublished books I love even more, though.

Can you give us a blurb for your latest release?

My latest release is Afterlife, a novella published by Amber Quill Press.

When adrenaline junkie Chloe Franklin’s chute fails, she’s whisked directly into the afterlife. Almost

immediately, a corporate-like processing committee tells her that she’s had the rare luck to find true

love in life not once, but three times, and they present her with an intriguing yet daunting task.

Given one more day with each man, Chloe must rediscover what each meant to her as they take each

other to heights of ecstasy they’d barely known in their first go-round.

But at the end of the three pleasure-laden and heartbreaking days, Chloe will be forced to set her

eternity...and choose only one lover to be with her forever...

Buy it at: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/Afterlife.html or http://amzn.to/fjtJgE.

What are you working on right now?

I recently turned in final edits for Fight or Flight, a romantic adventure coming out in March from Carina

Press. In Fight or Flight, the heroine races to save her daughter from an enemy she’s been hiding from

for 18 years.

Give you give us some titles and links to your books for all those lucky people who received wonderful

new eReaders for Christmas?

Readers can find links for all my books, with buy links for anything still in print, at

http://nataliedamschroder.com/booklist.htm.

Thanks so much for having me, Sue! :)

Thank you, Natalie, for guesting today.  We'll be sure to have you back before the release of Fight or Flight.  How many of you received Kindles for Christmas? Have you bought some books for on it?  Don't forget to check out Natalie's list of terrific romances.

Introducing the Master: Cate Masters Visits

To kick off a week of suggestions for great buys for your new eReaders, I'd like to introduce you to Cate Masters.  Cate is one of the most prolific writers I know, full of orginal ideas and the real 'master' of happily every after.  These cold winter days are best spent with a warm romance. 

Cate, you have so many novels published. How long have you been writing?


Hi Susan! Thanks so much for having me at your lovely blog – great redesign! The past few years have been a bit of a whirlwind, I admit. My stories are all lengths, from short story to novella to novel. Writing has always been a passion. Poetry in my preteens led to a foray toward journalism throughout high school (strange segue, I know) then to fiction in my twenties. That was, ahem, awhile ago.

What genres do you write in and what genres do you read?

I’m an eclectic reader, so it carries over to my writing. I love to read any well-written story with a compelling plot and engaging characters, regardless of genre. For the most part, I write contemporary, historical and paranormal/fantasy. A little something for everyone. :)

What is your writing process like? Do you work on more than one project at a time?

One of my goals is to be more organized about my writing. I tend to start many more stories than I can probably ever finish. I use spreadsheets tracking my WIPs, and once I start a story, I keep what I call a Spec Sheet so I can remember which characters go to which story. I have notebooks full of ideas, and about a dozen stories actually in the works, and usually switch between a few at a time. As you can guess, getting to The End takes awhile. Then the story goes through a few revisions on my own before I send out to several trusty critique partners.

If you were giving advice to a new author, where would you tell them to look for help in getting started?

First, learn your craft. Read how-to books, and take workshops. Find honest critique partners who will guide you with a firm but gentle – and truthful – hand. My biggest rule is: go with your gut.

Where on the web can readers learn more about you and your books?

If you Google me, you’ll find me in many a far-flung nook and corner. Two main sites contain links to the rest, though – my web site : http://www.catemasters.com/, and blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com.

Can you tell us a little about your latest release and where it can be purchased?

Absolutely! Surfacing, a contemporary fantasy, released in August from Whiskey Creek Press: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=824 It’s available in ebook and print.
In researching mermaid lore, I ran across a video of the Weeki Wachee Mermaid Show in Florida. Besides being a fun setting, it seemed the perfect place for a real mermaid to surface.
I entered it in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, and it actually made it through the first round, lol.
I wrote it through the POV of the hero, AJ Dillon, who’s a down and out indie rocker. He travels to his grandfather’s home in Weeki Wachee, Florida, his last refuge after his band falls apart and everyone else throws him out. His grandfather, who’s a bit obsessed with mermaids, gets AJ a job captaining the Wilderness Cruise at the Weeki Wachee Springs amusement park, where women perform underwater as mermaids. AJ doesn’t believe in the real thing until he meets Cassiopeia. She changes his life in many ways, and when she’s in danger, AJ learns things about himself he never knew.

How about a blurb?

AJ Dillon is trouble. The former lead singer of an indie band has no home, no money and no future. His grandfather is the only relative willing to take another chance on him. AJ arrives in Weeki Wachee, Florida, with his guitar, a few clothes and a bad attitude. The only good thing about Weeki Wachee is the ocean -- the one place AJ feels at home.
Grandpa lines up a job for AJ at Weeki Wachee Springs, where beautiful women perform as mermaids. Grandpa says real mermaids exist, but AJ doesn’t believe – until he meets Cassiopeia. She helps his passion for music resurfaces. But greedy Chaz finds out about her, and threatens to kill them if AJ doesn't go along with his plan to make a fortune with a real mermaid show. Can AJ save Cassie, even if it means losing her?

What is next in the works for you in 2011?

In June, Lyrical Press will release Rock Bottom, a contemporary romance I’m excited about. It combines my passion for music with a fun setting – a reality dating show featuring rock star Jet Trently. It makes a few stops in central Pennsylvania too. :) I dedicated it to my friend Jerry, a fellow Beatlemaniac who tragically died of a brain tumor. I loved writing him a happy ending in which he could go back to his farm in Berrysburg, which Jerry loved so well.
Sometime next year, Whiskey Creek Press will release The Bridge Between, a mainstream novel. It’s one of the first novels I wrote, and I’m also excited it’s set in my hometown of Lambertville, New Jersey.
Two shorter fantasies are currently subbed to publishers, as well as the fantasy novel, The Magic of Lavender.

Please give us some more links to scope out your books and make purchases.

Thanks so much for asking! On the Books pages of both my web site: http://www.catemasters.com/epress.html and my blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com/p/books.html readers can visit the individual pages for each story to read excerpts, reviews, blurbs and view the book trailer.

Thanks again for having me today Susan. It’s been a pleasure.

There you have it.  Buy some great ebooks from one of the best story tellers I know.  Cate's books never disappoint. 

Overload of Fun

What a Christmas! Lots of time with loved ones, new games to play and more food than could be good for anyone.  Today is leftover day for all meals so I'm going to be having fun catching up with my blog friends and figuring out my Kobo.
That's right.  My husband purchased an eReader for me.  I didn't give him any demands for type but he knew I wanted one.  I bought my daughter a Nook and my son a Kindle so somewhere down the road I should be able to give a good comparison between the three styles of readers.
What am I doing with it?  Buying books.  Today I bought The Limehouse Text by Will Thomas and tomorrow I'm buying Follow the Stars home by Cate Masters.  Join me here on my blog tomorrow and meet Cate.  She's one terrific writer.
I hope lots of you received your own eReaders and some gift cards for books.  It's a great time to purchase books from those wonderful authors who write for smaller publishers.  Often their books are not sold in the large chain bookstores but you can usually buy them from the company's ebook store or a place like Fictionwise.  I like supporting those small publishers who were willing to take a chance on a new author or a story that didn't fit comfortably into any of the big pubs lines.  This entire week I'll be bringing you interviews from some of those authors.  I'll hope you'll visit and decide to fill your new eReader with some great books.
Did you get or give an eReader for Christmas?  What kind? Where do you purchase your ebooks from?

Weak Week

I confess.  I did not meet my writing goals for last week.  I missed it by tons.  I did minimal promotion for my upcoming book signing in State College this weekend and didn't update my website at all.  So here are my goals for this week.

1.  15K this week on my WIP.

2.  Some promotion EVERY day for the upcoming booksigning with Jon Sprunk.

3.  Continue to set up blog tour for January release of Beyond the Gate.

On another issue, I'm going to take the plunge and buy some ereaders for Christmas gifts.  I found a link to this article on FB and am going to share it with you.  It compares the demographics of consumers who prefer Ipad versus Kindle.  I'm not telling which one I'm thinking about purchasing but it was interesting reading this.  So tell me, where do you fall and why do you think it works out the way it does?  Or you the Ipad type of the Kindle type?  No other types of readers are compared so I assume the two written about are the ones with the biggest chunk of the market.