Behind The Words // Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick

As a writer, Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick is as prolific as he thinks I am, if not more so. The author of four novels, plus the purveyor of an author-centric and review blog, Joel also devotes time to marketing, self-publishing and is the newly anointed Acquisitions Director for Journalstone Publishing.

Joel and I met late last year and soon, I was honored to be included as a guest at his blog. He was a gracious host and I aim to return the favor -- despite the sale of my tractor falling through. I don't hold Joel accountable for the tractor, of course. It was old and I was apparently unaware that I owned it.

So, how does Joel work? Where does he work? For those answers and more, let's look to the man himself, as it appears, he too is perpetually looking for something (over there --->)

So. Who the heck are ya? 
Miles and Colin’s Dad.

What have you written that we would know?
Harmony’s Passing, Caraliza, Breathing into Stone, Shared

Describe your writing space. 
It's a comfy chair. Sometimes my desk upstairs, but that's only very late at night.

Do you eat while you write? 
Lots of candy.

Listen to music? 
Constantly. Music drives my creative muse – keeps me focused.

Talk radio? 
No. Conversations not allowed. I can tune out lyrics/singing; not speaking voices.

Is there a sheep grazing outside your window? 
Elk. Seriously.

Behind The Words // Ann Mauren

Author Ann Mauren pays attention. She pays attention to the details of story, character, plot and book marketing. And, what's even more impressive, she pays attention to the details of her tweeps' lives and all the various things they're doing. On Twitter--and in life--Ann Mauren is a pleasure to know. 

I was lucky enough to get some time with Ann and learn a bit about what she's working on, what excites her and how she works to produce her novels and stories. She's also arrived with a wonderful prize pack to give away to celebrate being ranked this week as #8 on Amazon's list of Top 100 Free Kindle eBooks, and #1 in its category, Romantic Suspense. But more about that in a minute... First, come with me and learn about her, in her own words...

I am Ann Mauren, an indie author who writes romance with elements of humor and suspense. My debut novel “In The Spotlight” is the first in a collection titled “Mayne Attraction”, named for the series’ heroine, Ellery Mayne, a young woman who discovers that she is being observed and protected by a private security force, and her efforts to get to the bottom of who, what, where, when and especially why.

Ah. Food. (And an Award)

I've been bestowed the "The Irresistibly Sweet Blog" Award by fellow blogger, author, and wonderful person S.B. Poscente. Check out her awesome digs here.

That cake looks so good but I'm an hour or two out from lunch so I'll stop licking my monitor. I suggest you do the same. But, S.B. is right when she said, "Doesn't that make your mouth water?"

Here's a great big THANK YOU to S.B. who I shall forever think of as "Po" for throwing me in with her lot, and with those that she admires. She likes it in the Reaches, hey? She has GOT to get out more.

East Meets West

East Meets West is a short story from my upcoming anthology BLACK LIGHT OF DAY. It will appear on this website for one day and then be removed. Tell your friends about it if you think they like freaky dramatic tension in the Burbs. I know I do.

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EDIT (10:10 PM Sunday, May 15, 2011): Well, the day is nearly done and so is the free, limited-edition version of this short story. I had a blast with all these readers and authors coming to spend a few moments here. Thanks to you all for reading and commenting.

Just to let you know, today's story was my most successful post at this website ever. I had close to 500 visitors between 7 this morning and a few minutes ago at around 10 PM local time. It's the most comments and most visitors I've ever had in a single day. And it was a slow Sunday on the web to boot.

Thanks again! I would love to hear from any of you with your thoughts on whether I should do something like this again.

Cheers!

j. //

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East Meets West concludes here, but there will be a pile more stories in the anthology from which this one comes: BLACK LIGHT OF DAY -- coming soon to all online book sellers. If you liked this, I have more for you to enjoy. Check out my growing catalogue at Amazon.

Behind The Words // Eden Baylee

Erotic Author Eden Baylee's website is so provocative, I'm not allowed to look at it. Seriously. When I want to check in on what my favourite Torontonian adult author has on her upcoming agenda, a firewall leaps up and says, "Uh-uh-UH! Not so fast, my dear Canadian suspense author!" I've had the opportunity to read one of Eden's novellas and upon getting three or four pages in, I put it down and went to inform my wife of what I was reading. My thinking? Reduce my wife's confusion or shock should she stumble across Eden's work on our coffee table.


That said, Eden's work is more than titillating. She has a focus on lifestyle, on our modern world and the place we inhabit therein. She goes into the parts of characters that exist below a scratched surface and who we are as people, sexual or not. But, heck, enough of what I think. I'm happy to welcome Eden Baylee as my guest this week and we'd be better to get her own words about what she does and how she does it. Oh, Eden?


Eden on Eden... 

Okay. I’m brilliant, of course (in my own mind), but I think you’ve even told me I’m wittier than you are, so I have confirmation from one person at least.


I'm a Canadian gal, quit banking after 20 years, now write full-time. First book of erotic novellas called Fall into Winter was officially released February 2011. Now in process of writing the next anthology while promoting current release. As I’ve told you, Jason, I straddle the wobbly fence of promotion and continuing to write, but I’m loving every moment. It’s a true gift to be able to finally do what I want to do in life. I would have died if I remained in banking for another couple of years. They would have found my body in some dark meeting room, staring at the wall, with the look of horror on my face from realizing I was a “lifer.”

Behind The Words // Thea Atkinson

Author Thea Atkinson has over one million different titles available. Okay, I exaggerate . But she is prolific and every encounter I have with her is fun and insightful. She has a number of shorts and full-length novels available and she's writing new material all the time. I feel a certain kinship with Thea as she tends to write really character-driven pieces that each look at some of the darker corners in a room. Let's peek into her world and see how she maintains such a furious writing pace and what she's up to.

Thea on Thea...

You would know nothing of mine. Ha. So there. I’d love to say I wrote all the Amanda Hocking stuff or the Harry Potter stuff, but unfortunately, I write weirder stuff than that. Somebody dies. Every time. Well, maybe not the last novel. I think they all lived, but it was close. Seriously, I write what would be termed psychological fiction. Anomaly is my latest, One Insular Tahiti was my first Kindle offering and then Secret Language of Crows. All drama, character driven fiction. On the dark side in places…enough to make some readers cringe, but in the end, I hear they root for the characters, so it can’t be all bad.

Thea on her writing space...

My laptop is in my kitchen but it is guarded by two 4 inch gargoyles. I have space for tea. I’m always drinking tea when I write. It’s better libations than booze, truth betold. It lubricates my psyche. I listen to Tool and A Perfect Circle and Black Crowes and Dave Mathews band and Fiona Apple and….well, you get the picture. I listen to music a lot while I write. It lubricates the typing fingers.

I’m usually wrapped in my polar fleece housecoat—even when I’m fully dressed. I like to be warm, you see and it’s pretty cold in NS in the winter. It might be ‘Spring’ now according to the calendar, but someone forgot to tell the North wind.

My black lab is inevitably lying at my feet. Sometimes groaning because she wants attention, sometimes groaning because she wants fed. Most of the time, she’s snoring: another reason for the music.