tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22082605629971364492024-03-13T17:04:12.241-04:00One Writer's Life -- Barbara MountjoyWords from a writer, for writers, readers, and everyone else.Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-87347857776969369562017-10-14T13:22:00.000-04:002017-10-14T13:22:13.740-04:00I read the most delightful story this morning--it's called <i><a href="https://everydayfiction.com/england-expects-by-george-hamilton/" target="_blank">England Expects</a>,</i> and it came out on Everyday Fiction, a paying market for short-shorts. Less than 1,000 words about a well-loved pub patron, and it sparked a huge argument/discussion/brouhaha over creating characters who embody ethnic slurs. Go check it out. I'll wait. The comments will take longer than the story.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;">Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/innpictime/4693923584/in/photolist-89MzWY-9Vd4Ea-5TCDAE-uvVE6-ehHASg-aDfVUu-aDc5SD-aDbz8z-aDc9a4-aDbv9K-aDbvp8-aDfC4U-aDfWMA-aDfZLq-aDbTqD-aDc96T-aDbvbH-aDg1nh-aDc5gk-aDc5Ac-aDg1tj-aDfJZG-aDbTKZ-aDfqzC-aDbT5a-aDc94B-aDc55D-aDc5xF-aDg1rf-aDfZAf-aDbvzi-aDfKuw-aDc5ie-aDc9tt-pFmSVq-aDc8XF-aDfWGf-6ZyD3j-aDc8KX-aDfnib-aDbvhe-aDc8ST-aDfWDA-aDca42-aDc8Hx-aDbz5B-aDc938-aDc8Zk-aDfJTQ-aDbyc6" target="_blank">Howard G</a></i></td></tr>
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Okay, so I'm not Irish.<br />
<br />
Maybe that makes a difference, maybe it doesn't.<br />
<br />
But I read the story as it was offered, the tale of a man who, for whatever reason, spent his money for alcohol and was well known for it, and what happened to him.<br />
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The onslaught of comments, however, troubled me, especially when it came to the point that the administrator went in and altered a previously-approved story to excise a reference some commenters took as offensive.<br />
<br />
Are we really so fragile?<br />
<br />
These days so much is offensive, intentionally or otherwise. There is much commentary about free speech and who's allowed to say what and whether kneeling at a football game constitutes an offense and who can gather and who can't. Is what people say in locker rooms really all right to ignore? or is it absolutely equivalent with what happens in Hollywood moguls' offices?<br />
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I understand--and agree--that lines can be crossed. Using a caricature of a Native American, i.e., appropriating cultural symbols, for a sports team? Wrong. Calling a person with diminished capacity a "retard"? Right out.<br />
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But in my opinion, especially in writing, sometimes what you see is what you get. In my <a href="https://lyndialexander.wordpress.com/windmills-coming-this-summer/" target="_blank">WINDMILLS series </a> the character of Terry Johnson is a young black man from the city. He speaks in a certain way. He has been in juvie. He took the fall for a gang member to save his family. I don't think this makes him a stereotype. Not all black people in the story are like him. He does come, as do other real people in the world, from this place, and from this place he teaches others (whites who view him as that stereotype) the truth (without having to be a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro" target="_blank">magical Negro</a>).<br />
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Same in this story. The man is, what he is. Yes, he's Irish. Yes, he drinks to excess. It's because of this fact that the story works. But I don't understand how this, or calling him an "Irish pisshead" makes every Irish person a drinker to excess. It says that THIS man is. Period.<br />
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Do we all have the right to collectively attack any piece of work because it might have offended some people and force editorial/artistic change? Should publishers second guess themselves when they get a few complaints? Can't we just take each piece and characterization for what it is?<br />
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I'd be interested in hearing thoughts. Feel free.Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-47653462737400232652017-10-14T12:38:00.000-04:002017-10-14T12:38:39.040-04:00For verification purposes...Come find me, Technorati!! :) JN2TR572GQURBabs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-83084554137093434932013-02-28T16:19:00.000-05:002013-02-28T16:21:55.054-05:00I'm teaching a fiction writing class--with Pennwriter Kathy Otten!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="uiGrid mvm"><tbody>
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<span class="fsl"><span itemprop="location"><span class="visible">Meadville Market House, Second Floor</span></span></span></div>
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<span itemprop="description"><span class="fsl"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lxBnmgzz9rPnk5t-m5VuLgsWH0OW96EpDUVm9OGnozL5GbJKj1PhAbCrGUt5keHpo5qhvdx5Ocb-joQsK0JddmIFl-hZnfPnTednJxGrw67YGNi93dNo6h51EL7z96W_LfcrBGeei7nb/s1600/DSCN0195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lxBnmgzz9rPnk5t-m5VuLgsWH0OW96EpDUVm9OGnozL5GbJKj1PhAbCrGUt5keHpo5qhvdx5Ocb-joQsK0JddmIFl-hZnfPnTednJxGrw67YGNi93dNo6h51EL7z96W_LfcrBGeei7nb/s1600/DSCN0195.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span itemprop="description"><span class="fsl">A Workshop Presented by the Meadville Council on the Arts</span></span><br />
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<span itemprop="description"><span class="fsl">No matter what genre you write in, good fiction comes from the basics.
Multi-published and award-winning authors Babs Mountjoy and Kathy Otten,
will lead this workshop, full of discussion, models, exercises and fun,
too! </span></span><br />
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<span itemprop="description"><span class="fsl">Sessions will include—</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="description"><span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show"> <br /> INTRO TO CREATIVE FICTION-WRITING - Bring a short piece to share, and we'll learn each other's writing inspirations. <br /> <br /> DIALOGUE- We'll look not only at how to write<br /> believable conversations, but how they enhance your story.<br /> <br />
INCREASING CONFLICT AND TENSION IN YOUR STORY- Do you want to write a
story your reader can't put down? We'll examine what conflict is and how
it drives the story.<br /> <br /> DIVERSITY IN YOUR FICTION – We’ll use
exercises like those in Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward's, Writing the
Other, and other sources to expand your thinking about using characters
of other race/class/ethnicity in your stories.<br /> <br /> PACKING AN
EMOTIONAL PUNCH - We'll talk about ways to show how a character feels
through visceral reaction and fresh description that will ramp up your
reader's investment in the story.<br /> <br /> WEAVING AN ALTERNATIVE
SETTING INTO YOUR STORY- Learn how transport your readers to another era
or alternate world without sounding like a text book.<br /> <br /> Classes will be held on Tuesdays,<br /> At the Meadville Market House <br /> March 26th through April 30th 2013<br /> 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm <br /> <br /> Members-$60.00 <br /> Non-members $65.00 <br /> For more information contact<br /> <br /> Meadville Council on the Arts<br /> Phone & Fax (814)336-5051<br /> <br /> Or to reserve and mail in your payment before the limited seats are gone, send to:<br /> <br /> Meadville Council on the Arts <br /> P.O.Box 337<br /> Meadville PA 16335 <br /> <br /> Questions? artscouncil@zoominternet.n<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>et </span></span></span></div>
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Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-86027258481411809942012-10-29T11:28:00.000-04:002012-10-29T11:28:21.423-04:00It's hhheeeeeeeeerrrreee!Yes, folks, NaNoWriMo is just around the corner. We're all getting out outlines, plot bunnies and other assorted necessaries in line before the big day.<br />
<br />
I'm writing a romantic suspense set in the Montana forests with ecotage! And pagans! And Native Americans! (no elves, tho....that's another series.)<br />
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So stay tuned...you can check my progress at the site under my nickname babs1e....wish me luck!<br />
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Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-21892086325113870212012-08-25T09:23:00.001-04:002012-08-25T09:23:38.297-04:00Context is coming--and I'm teaching there!It's almost time for <a href="http://www.contextsf.org/" target="_blank">Context 25</a>! This is a wonderful science fiction and fantasy con in Columbus, Ohio where in additional to panels on a variety of subjects, gaming sessions and filk concerts, attendees can (for a minimal fee) take writing workshops provided by a number of multi-published writers and professors from great writing schools like Seton Hill.<br />
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This year. I'll be teaching a workshop on Saturday morning about writing diverse characters: <br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Saturday, September 29th, 10am-noon)<br />
The world is full of different ethnicities and cultural groups; unfortunately,
most writers tend to only write about people like themselves. Others who want
to include </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
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This workshop will use exercises like those in Nisi Shawl
and Cynthia Ward's <i>Writing the Other</i> and other sources to expand your
thinking about using characters of other race/class/ethnicity in your stories. We’ll
look at the power of first impression—what you glean from your first sight of
someone—which may or may not truly give you their essence. Participants should
bring pen and paper to work through some simple but eye-opening "What
If?" questions that will show you how to expand your story's diversity. Finally,
we’ll conduct an exercise designed to teach you how to convey the diverse
uniqueness of your characters in subtle ways—i.e., without having Fred say,
“Hi, John, this is my black friend Mike.”</div>
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The two-hour workshop costs only $20 and leaves you plenty of time the rest of the day for classes with Maria Snyder, Tim Esaias and Linnea Sinclair, as well as a multitude of panels. </div>
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The workshops are filling up, so get on over to the site and sign up!</div>
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You'll also be able to be one of the first to get a print edition hot off the press of my new book <em>LOVE ME, KISS ME, KILL ME</em> from Hydra Publications, which will be released at the con!</div>
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For those who are reluctant to attend conferences because you feel overwhelmed, I thoroughly recommend this one. The people are nice, the workshops intimate, and there's a very welcoming vibe. Definitely something for everyone here--you could attend the con to get your fill of gaming play and talk, or just take writing workshops the whole time, at an extremely reasonable cost. Tim Esaias of Seton Hill recently pointed out that his workshops are essential the same module he teaches at the University--but much less expensive. Don't miss it!</div>
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</span>Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-64377413981152671342012-07-20T09:06:00.000-04:002012-07-20T12:02:03.327-04:00All by myself...?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've got to say, a lot of times I feel like I'm all alone on my writer's path.<br />
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Okay, most writers feel like they labor in a solitary profession, and to some extent that's true. But this is more than that.<br />
<br />
I belong to a couple wonderful critique groups through Pennwriters, but because of where I am on my particular path, I have so many issues/problems/questions that they can't help me with, most of them having yet to be published. Other writers in Pennwriters, of course, are published and might have some advice, but they're traditionally published, so they tend to look down on the way I've chosen--indie publishers.<br />
<br />
I'm a little fortunate, in that I'm not one of the "self-published." (see <a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/how-self-publishing-has-helped-all-writers-welcome-to-the-revolution/" target="_blank">today's post from Kristen Lamb</a> on this always-controversial subject.) I have contracts and royalty agreements for every one of my novels, with varying levels of support from the different small press publishers. And I have six novels coming out THIS YEAR. Six. It's crazy. I'm trying to write and promote all at the same time. I just finished a trip across the country for research and booksignings in person during the same period I'm running a 38-stop online blog tour. I've just turned in one contracted book for next year, I'm writing another, I have edits waiting on my book coming out in September and I have another set of edits due by November 1.<br />
<br />
Oh, and there's the day job. And the family. And the bills, etc. Like everyone else.<br />
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Granted, I wanted to be a published writer. Now I am. I have no grounds to complain, and this isn't really a complaint at all, but just a cry of despair in mid-journey, feeling overwhelmed.<br />
<br />
Thanks to Red Tash for<a href="http://indiereviewtracker.com/the-indie-author-stigma/" target="_blank"> this blog</a> today, which really made me feel a little better. I am alone, but there are people out there who understand what I'm going through. You came along at just the right time, friend. :)Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-77034055467375397632012-07-19T11:18:00.002-04:002012-07-19T11:18:48.852-04:00Thirty-five years after first published, local author finds success<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<em>This is an article that appeared in our local paper--something very similar appeared in the Peru Tribune a month or so ago. But because neither made their stories available on the Web, I wanted to share them with you here. I was pretty tickled!</em></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Most authors are excited to publish one novel, or maybe two
in a lifetime. Writer Barbara Mountjoy will see six novels published this year,
two of them this month. </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Mountjoy, a family law attorney in Meadville, Pennsylvania
and mother of seven, is pleased to be a working novelist at last.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">“This is definitely my life’s dream come true,” she said.
“I’ve written legal briefs, I’ve written articles and reviews, but seeing my
novels come to reality makes all the work worthwhile.” </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Because she still practices law, she uses pseudonyms for her
fiction work, Lyndi Alexander for her fantasy and science fiction stories, and
Alana Lorens for her romances and women’s fiction.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">“If I were writing legal thrillers, like John Grisham, I
might use my professional name, but when I’m writing about elves, space battles
and other fantastic stories, it felt right to create another identity.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">She wrote her first novel at the age of fourteen, but didn’t
receive a contract for one to be published until 2010. Plenty of rejections in
the intervening years discouraged her from time to time, but she persevered,
knowing there was a market out there for her work, and readers who would be
delighted by her words. The five-star reviews she’s received for the novels
already out show her determination has paid off. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZTRWIHr70Xfwf0ziJ85P4ESd5UDD3s8BAh-X5qw_BBQ9vXSbnADRUK0q0Tw4gxXqXXxAEUm65w9UgUGJRdA_4DZw_y_3m-NEAdTPU1pLAIyUFi8RvvMD5gPfgGZ26S8kwN9s-MLiUWE2/s1600/ConvictionoftheHeart_w5381_750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZTRWIHr70Xfwf0ziJ85P4ESd5UDD3s8BAh-X5qw_BBQ9vXSbnADRUK0q0Tw4gxXqXXxAEUm65w9UgUGJRdA_4DZw_y_3m-NEAdTPU1pLAIyUFi8RvvMD5gPfgGZ26S8kwN9s-MLiUWE2/s320/ConvictionoftheHeart_w5381_750.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">June brings the romantic suspense novel CONVICTION OF THE
HEART from the Wild Rose Press, the first in the Pittsburgh Lady Lawyers
series, a book that draws heavily on her twenty-five years’ experience as a
family law attorney to set up the story about a lawyer who takes on a case
involving domestic violence and politics, nearly losing her client’s life and
her own in the process.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7Rrc-yaJcCttPXMeMNxcvYT1XSG6VK4lgss_Fcza4lUbMdtanKn65f3wytlvKbD2gaCC-jXlztzViA1nSBn_FSfVQbR4C-ynQs50tn7tqY5vgqaT6E66BEKc-s_mbEz5VkZnW6ONvP5Z/s1600/SecondChances-promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7Rrc-yaJcCttPXMeMNxcvYT1XSG6VK4lgss_Fcza4lUbMdtanKn65f3wytlvKbD2gaCC-jXlztzViA1nSBn_FSfVQbR4C-ynQs50tn7tqY5vgqaT6E66BEKc-s_mbEz5VkZnW6ONvP5Z/s320/SecondChances-promo.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Then in July, SECOND CHANCES, a women’s fiction novel about
a lawyer who gets laid off during the economy downturn, and recovers her life
with the help of a young <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region>
war veteran with cancer. The two help each other cope with the tragedies
impacting their lives, in this second volume in the Pittsburgh Lady Lawyers
series, released by Zumaya Publications.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">“Lawyers often are exciting heroines for novels, and these
two are no different. They hold a position in society that hangs between a seat
of power and a genuine vulnerability,” Mountjoy said. “Both stories involve a
real sense of danger, generated from the cases the lawyer takes on. In the
family law arena, the stakes for your clients are so high that emotions and
trigger points are quite volatile.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Mountjoy has been a published writer for more than
thirty-five years, publishing her first paid piece in the Peru Tribune in 1975.
She completed a novel as her senior honors thesis at <st1:placename w:st="on">Kent</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">State</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype>
in 1977, and went on to work as an editor and reporter at the South Dade News
Leader in <st1:city w:st="on">Homestead</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Florida</st1:state>
for several years before law school at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Miami</st1:placename></st1:place>.
Since then, she’s practiced law in <st1:state w:st="on">Florida</st1:state> and
<st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pennsylvania</st1:place></st1:state>,
but her first love has always been writing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalk_d5e2AeNFMlnQ_8_fl6GwbvklVfM92kCqxmTCLigX0irTS6QNsKvLhP2c4gimjBneMmYAexTTeipVWSObdNU8MWUeemhn_OG2b3thHlhHtgRm-WCd6PMm4ApZ4MtlEA7pcoznegGUs/s1600/cvr200x300triad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalk_d5e2AeNFMlnQ_8_fl6GwbvklVfM92kCqxmTCLigX0irTS6QNsKvLhP2c4gimjBneMmYAexTTeipVWSObdNU8MWUeemhn_OG2b3thHlhHtgRm-WCd6PMm4ApZ4MtlEA7pcoznegGUs/s1600/cvr200x300triad.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Her urban fantasy books, the Clan Elves of the Bitterroot
series, are set in the forests just north of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Missoula</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Montana</st1:state></st1:place>,
and her first science fiction novel, TRIAD, was released in February of this
year.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">There’s no indication that the prolific writer will slow
down any time soon. “Now that I’ve finally hit my stride, I don’t intend to let
up. Not as long as stories are still coming to my fingertips!”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZXcfCBKfbxpNGkG-cVLHmG8LCxofI9ihcRxLhRW1b5f8T9nk44cK2O9V7gmLgM-paS1umRzVw5sz4axd5nuB5p5YdThIQ6vv2AhtAVxLK2U-hc1uOb2PzA68Bs_3DvL7H0iHFjkKiaF-/s1600/ThatGirlstheOneILove_w7116_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZXcfCBKfbxpNGkG-cVLHmG8LCxofI9ihcRxLhRW1b5f8T9nk44cK2O9V7gmLgM-paS1umRzVw5sz4axd5nuB5p5YdThIQ6vv2AhtAVxLK2U-hc1uOb2PzA68Bs_3DvL7H0iHFjkKiaF-/s1600/ThatGirlstheOneILove_w7116_300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Still coming this year are LOVE ME, KISS ME, KILL ME, a
horror story with vampires coming in August, and contemporary romance THAT
GIRL’S THE ONE I LOVE in September.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Scheduled for 2013 are the first two books in a
post-apocalyptic young adult series, THE COLOR OF FEAR—PLAGUE, and THE COLOR OF
FEAR—SURVIVORS, and also the fourth book in the Clan Elves series, THE ELF
GUARDIAN. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has also just signed a
contract for a contemporary romance with Desert Breeze Publications, BY ANY
OTHER NAME, that will be released in March 2013 as well. </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">For more information and updates, see Mountjoy’s writer’s websites at
<a href="http://clanelvesofthebitterroot.com/">http://clanelvesofthebitterroot.com</a>, <a href="http://lyndialexander.wordpress.com/">http://lyndialexander.wordpress.com</a> and <a href="http://alanalorens.com/">http://alanalorens.com</a></span></div>Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-53305398573222941932012-06-27T15:43:00.000-04:002012-06-27T15:43:03.195-04:00<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", times;"><span style="font-size: small;">I just got the word that my class is coming up from Pennwriters-- if you're a beginning/indie author looking for tips and tricks on self-promoting, with lots of links to more reading, check this out!</span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", times;">Promotional Basics</span></span><br />
<em><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", times;">with Babs Mountjoy</span></span></em><br />
<em> <img alt="babs_mountjoy" height="130" src="http://www.pennwriters.org/prod/images/stories/wpThumbnails/babs_mountjoy.jpg" style="float: right;" width="195" /></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", times;"><strong>Date</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">August 3 – August 30, 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" /> <input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="FGPVTVVWYTMAQ" />Pennwriter members' cost $79; non-members $89</form>
<br />
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" /> <span style="font-size: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Limited class size. Early bird prices end soon.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", times;"><strong>Course Description</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Congratulations! Your work has just been published. Now comes the hard part.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting your audience to find your work, buy it, and share it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Most publishers now want to know your “platform.” What website, blog, or other publicity do you use to sell and promote you work? Such tools are part of the package you are often expected to present as a showcase for your laboriously forged words.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Online and social media are now your best means of broadcasting your efforts and reaching your target audience. Pennwriters upcoming online course, Promotional Basics, will teach you the arts of publicity and marketing, showing you standard techniques and modern tricks to make your release a success.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Learn the four most important things to include in your website. Discover how to get your work noticed on and offline. Tour successful blogs, learn to make your own, and understand why they are a great way to spread your name. Find out what freebies and giveaways attract your readers and followers. Plan ahead for compelling personal appearances and book signings that feature more than just a chair behind a table.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Plus, as a free bonus, receive a list of 50 sites where you can submit you books for review.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Boost your sales and traffic by learning proven promotional methods!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", times; font-weight: bold;">About the Instructor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Barbara “Babs” Mountjoy has written since she was a little girl, unable to restrain the stories that percolated through her fingers onto her keyboard – or, back then, onto the old Royal typewriter. Babs has been a published author for more than thirty-five years, with a number of publications under her belt. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Her non-fiction book, 101 LITTLE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SURVIVING YOUR DIVORCE, was published by Impact Publishers in 1999. Her first novel, THE ELF QUEEN, was released under the pen name Lyndi Alexander in 2010. THE ELF QUEEN launched her Clan Elves of the Bitterroot series, under which the second and third titles, THE ELF CHILD and THE ELF MAGE, released in 2011 and 2012. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Wild Rose Press released her romantic suspense novels, SECRETS IN THE SAND, in 2011, and, CONVICTION OF THE HEART, in June 2012. Will Rose Press will also release Babs’ THAT GIRL’S THE ONE I LOVE in September 2012. Zumaya Publications published her women’s fiction title, SECOND CHANCES, in July 2012. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Also in September 2012, Hydra Publications will publish LOVE ME, KISS ME, KILL ME, Babs’ upcoming vampire story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Babs is a contributor to two CUP OF COMFORT anthologies. She blogs about autism, writing and life at <a href="http://awalkabout.wordpress.com/">awalkabout.wordpress.com</a>, and spent seven years of her career as a news reporter and editor in South Florida. Her romances/womens fiction books are published under the pen name Alana Lorens, and her fantasy/sci-fi under the pen name Lyndi Alexander. For more information on Babs Mountjoy or this course, email her at
<a href="mailto:bmountjoy@zoominternet.net">bmountjoy@zoominternet.net</a>
<span style="display: none;">This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
</span>.</span>Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-20726622418427905692012-06-01T08:10:00.001-04:002012-06-01T08:10:10.015-04:00The writing....life?It's been a couple of years now that I've been a contracted, published novelist, and I've been writing pretty steadily on works that some editor or other wants for that whole period. At the moment, I've got two novel manuscripts due by the end of July---at the same time I have two other books being released, one in June and one in July, the beginnings of the Pittsburgh Lady Lawyer series, and I've got a massive blog tour/publicity campaign going on to promote them.<br />
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This is all in addition to the day job, and family and, well, life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJX1lbwhcPCRbZik0hIlxmHT6F_pJtxh0zDdwRh27wVRMiICzfTFe-6cgMUkZgXi8x2y-wpTddAMZWU1DdkrmkqlPjc9S-EeMs8y4TRpwNEwKPOWJzR3R4Ie3pjNgjzgwHaGs_9gz_pXB/s1600/typing.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJX1lbwhcPCRbZik0hIlxmHT6F_pJtxh0zDdwRh27wVRMiICzfTFe-6cgMUkZgXi8x2y-wpTddAMZWU1DdkrmkqlPjc9S-EeMs8y4TRpwNEwKPOWJzR3R4Ie3pjNgjzgwHaGs_9gz_pXB/s1600/typing.GIF" /></a></div>
Sometimes it feels like I spend every breath thinking about writing. Which is, of course, what I always thought would be AWESOME back in the day. But every once in awhile, I can't help feeling a little burnt out about it.<br />
<br />
Moderation in all things...I don't know who said it originally, but my father used to quote it a lot. Yesterday, I found that it worked.<br />
<br />
In addition to writing my 1,600 words, talking to a reporter from an Indiana paper, mailing out books for a signing I've got scheduled next month in Montana, writing two posts for the <a href="http://alanalorens.com/" target="_blank">blog tour</a>, and spending the evening with my writing critique group, I also sewed together a coverlet I'd had laying on the table staring at me for three weeks, and painted some decorative pieces for our newly-revamped bedroom.<br />
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Funny how those other creative tasks really seemed to recharge my mind for more words. If I wasn't worried how it might look, I might almost admit my parent was....right.<br />
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*gasp*<br />
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Does that mean I'm finally growing up?Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-74458147496927198362012-04-11T16:20:00.000-04:002012-04-11T16:20:45.628-04:00Kelly Moran shares a fantastic TRUE story of love and crime-- Win a copy here!<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>Today's guest is author Kelly Moran, award-winning author of romance and children's books, who's really taken kind of a turn to the dark side as she revisits a murder case that I remember well from my younger days. What a fascinating study of a real-life mystery!! Thanks for being with us, Kelly.</em> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks so much for having me today, Barbara! I'll give away one eBook copy of YOU NEVER HAVE TO REMEMBER THE TRUTH to a commenter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWZ6GwPqWE1qntTVjANqU5iRoLAUGNpxndjSPh0JTLbVOI_xmRAuc7rUBbn_Y1YVJxXSdgKGEwMoggQDhTQEFX0-BirINgPaiX7HHRFPo690xhTlWAOb5ZOY8BDI7nWZkpMkYP2UrI0VN/s1600/cover+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWZ6GwPqWE1qntTVjANqU5iRoLAUGNpxndjSPh0JTLbVOI_xmRAuc7rUBbn_Y1YVJxXSdgKGEwMoggQDhTQEFX0-BirINgPaiX7HHRFPo690xhTlWAOb5ZOY8BDI7nWZkpMkYP2UrI0VN/s320/cover+final.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was one of the most sensational murder cases in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:state></st1:place> history. Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek, a former Playboy waitress and ex-Milwaukee police officer, was arguably railroaded and convicted of murder. When all hope of proving her innocence seemed lost, she planned a daring escape from prison with her boyfriend, and together the lovers slipped into <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region></st1:place> under assumed names. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, nearly twenty years after the escape, Dominic Gugliatto wants to set the record straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man who laid it all on the line tells a different tale — one of deception and betrayal. For the first time, Gugliatto speaks out about the lies and secrets long buried. That Bembenek knew more about the murder than she professed, and that the prison escape involved co-conspirators, including a retired <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Milwaukee</st1:city></st1:state></st1:place> police officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is coming, told by the only man who knows it all.</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p>Follow us on Facebook at </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/thetruthiscoming"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.facebook.com/thetruthiscoming</span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">See the Youtube trailer </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq41R-5OEKM"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq41R-5OEKM</span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To tell you a little about me and the book, here's my Dear Reader page from the book. After reading, I'd love to answer any questions you have!</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Dear Reader,</span></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Awhile back I got a call from an old friend and colleague asking me some publishing questions. As I've always wanted to be a writer, and I spent the better part of ten years researching the industry, this wasn't unusual. Imagine my surprise when she tells me it's about writing a book for Dominic Gugliatto!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was four years old at the time of Christine Schultz's murder, five when Lawrencia Bembenek was found guilty, and thirteen when Dominic helped Lawrencia escape prison. Though I was young, I remember <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:place></st1:state>'s outcry and the media blitz, and the eventual world-wide pandemonium this case created. Ergo, I was interested in talking about a book with Dominic.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In saying that, I'm also a romance and children's book writer. I deal with fiction and happily ever afters, not dates and facts and figures. So I was reluctant, as I didn't know if I could give Dominic the book he deserved. I was also concerned about the possible emotional toll that writing a book like this might have on my family. So over dinner one night with my husband and then three-year-old twin boys, I discussed the project. Well, the twins discussed Toy Story, my husband, Darren and I discussed the book. Halfway through my spiel, my husband lifts his hand to stop me and says, "Do it." My response was somewhere along the lines of, "Huh?" He said, "Do it. It's a great opportunity and it can help your career."<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now that really got my brain churning. It could help my writing career, open doors, and challenge me. After getting back on the phone with Dominic however, I knew this book and my agreement to write it would never solely be about my career. There were many reasons for me to do and not to do this, and one why I should-- It was the right thing to do. It's about telling his story, the one no one's ever truly heard, and giving him some closure. For weeks we met in person and over the phone. I watched this guy sitting on my couch, torn and upset even after all these years, and I saw what was inside the man behind the media craze. He's loyal, compassionate, forgiving, and strong beyond any means I can literate. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I stayed objective, pouring over information to make sure we got this right the first time. Dominic and his family kept nearly every document, letter, and article ever written about this case. And he kept it in an old luggage case I now refer to as "The Suitcase From Hell." It took me weeks to go through all of it. Once I had the facts, I added Dominic's story. And what a story it is.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I'm glad we became friends through this process, Dominic and I. And I honestly can say I'm a better person for having known and met him. I can only wish the same for those reading this book, but then again, I feel that's pretty much a given.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sincerely,</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kelly Moran<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApZgeVi2PVrXk1XaczDTPGp9yWv4oD1obm59MvAjPne40DT3VMkUszos1nVVyW1qqp2pHeFlo-m6iCblupiSODky-xNyZAoTxvNSC4nYlScEXlgAbpnGUwWnd7S_PkfLgbICay5vZyGEL/s1600/Kel+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApZgeVi2PVrXk1XaczDTPGp9yWv4oD1obm59MvAjPne40DT3VMkUszos1nVVyW1qqp2pHeFlo-m6iCblupiSODky-xNyZAoTxvNSC4nYlScEXlgAbpnGUwWnd7S_PkfLgbICay5vZyGEL/s1600/Kel+Photo.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Learn more about Kelly and her books here: </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><a href="http://www.authorkellymoran.com/index.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.authorkellymoran.com/index.html</span></a></o:p></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></div>Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-76207207225050740432012-02-08T09:32:00.000-05:002012-02-08T09:32:39.116-05:00Hydra Publications introductory splash sale!Hydra Publications, which is publishing my book LOVE ME, TOUCH ME, KILL ME this fall is having a whiz banger of a sale this week! Stop by and check out these titles!<br />
<br />
Publisher Frank Hall says the following: <em>As a special treat to all book lovers out there we are releasing all of our ebooks for free today. There is something for everyone in what we offer and we hope you enjoy your free books.</em><br />
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For book descriptions, see the Hydra website <a href="http://www.hydrapublications.com/2012/02/08/free-ebooks-from-hydra-publications/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
The Universal Mirror: <a avglschecked="1" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FThe-Universal-Mirror-ebook%2Fdp%2FB006VYHLNS%2F&h=1AQHWyel8AQGYqgL4K5DXme-7-19dPBZw2bYyM2fTuES3SA" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>The-Universal-Mirror-ebook/dp/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>B006VYHLNS/</a><br />
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Secret: <a avglschecked="1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-ebook/dp/B005IAZEX0/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1328666115&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>Secret-ebook/dp/B005IAZEX0/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=A<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>G56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1328666115&sr<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>=8-1</a><br />
<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show"> <br />
Bridgeworld: <a avglschecked="1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Bridgeworld-Academy-ebook/dp/B005IAZEYO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>Bridgeworld-Academy-ebook/dp/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>B005IAZEYO/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UT<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>F8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-1</a><br />
<br />
Andraste: <a avglschecked="1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Andraste-ebook/dp/B0051ZRV1K/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-3" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>Andraste-ebook/dp/B0051ZRV1K/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UT<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>F8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-3</a><br />
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The Heart Denied: <a avglschecked="1" href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Heart-Denied-ebook/dp/B004E3X9NY/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-4" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>The-Heart-Denied-ebook/dp/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>B004E3X9NY/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UT<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>F8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-4</a><br />
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Heart of the Hunter: <a avglschecked="1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Heart-of-the-Hunter-ebook/dp/B0073LBJZ4/ref=sr_1_8?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-8" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>Heart-of-the-Hunter-ebook/dp/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>B0073LBJZ4/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ref=sr_1_8?s=digital-text&ie=UT<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>F8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-8</a><br />
<br />
Anon: <a avglschecked="1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Anon-ebook/dp/B005CXVRBG/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-5" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>Anon-ebook/dp/B005CXVRBG/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UT<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>F8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-5</a><br />
<br />
Gnosis: <a avglschecked="1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Gnosis-ebook/dp/B006QPJ1K8/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-7" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>Gnosis-ebook/dp/B006QPJ1K8/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UT<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>F8&qid=1328666207&sr=1-7</a><br />
<br />
Ukishima: <a avglschecked="1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Ukishima-ebook/dp/B0075CP4CA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328666396&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>Ukishima-ebook/dp/B0075CP4CA/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UT<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>F8&qid=1328666396&sr=1-1</a></span><br />
<br />
Enjoy!Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-86828531498128858072012-02-02T11:34:00.000-05:002012-02-02T11:34:31.902-05:00THRILLERS! ON SALE!!<div style="font-family: "times new roman", "new york", times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span>Although my books with Zumaya Publications aren't yet available, I'm excited to report that Zumaya has scheduled a Kindle Sale on titles with Thriller elements. </span></div><div style="font-family: "times new roman", "new york", times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtaPfIbwehFMI2PhBkS3R_g0ySGqKp9W6K_wiz1Q-ty21VYdbPPvyZh5OnErn6Icd11vIYXkrP8A4WmdbzUXzZXXBbxr2nMy4YUCHZk2WWym2yq9mYpXoYaeuhYmUOxJkKqJcOseW77V0/s1600/CatalystWEBfs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtaPfIbwehFMI2PhBkS3R_g0ySGqKp9W6K_wiz1Q-ty21VYdbPPvyZh5OnErn6Icd11vIYXkrP8A4WmdbzUXzZXXBbxr2nMy4YUCHZk2WWym2yq9mYpXoYaeuhYmUOxJkKqJcOseW77V0/s320/CatalystWEBfs.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "times new roman", "new york", times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span>The sale starts this SUNDAY 2/5/12 and runs through March 3. The first week they're featuring the science fiction thrillers, second week general thrillers, third week fantasy thrillers, and the last week a mixed batch! So many books, so little time! Catch all the details at Zumaya Tales - </span><a href="http://zumayatales.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/february-thriller-special/" style="font-size: 12pt;">http://zumayatales.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/february-thriller-special/</a> </div><div style="font-family: "times new roman", "new york", times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7vLjLRsb4i2pGDy3OD-deLn3xRzmAtEGOKAaw0ySGnOb-uRMAs5BlNHdmRntJ1-yza5xqJ7wTODtPDb3bOOx7CQc4OTLD1aQiRT936Oo2WqVinheFnujvQpY3TIXDtYJruBbzPMS09s9/s1600/RedactedWEBfs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7vLjLRsb4i2pGDy3OD-deLn3xRzmAtEGOKAaw0ySGnOb-uRMAs5BlNHdmRntJ1-yza5xqJ7wTODtPDb3bOOx7CQc4OTLD1aQiRT936Oo2WqVinheFnujvQpY3TIXDtYJruBbzPMS09s9/s320/RedactedWEBfs.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "times new roman", "new york", times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </div><div style="font-family: "times new roman", "new york", times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Come see which book will suit your last-six-weeks-of-winter reading list!</div>Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-63094388827275266022012-01-07T06:23:00.001-05:002012-01-07T06:23:00.406-05:00Snippet for SFFS! Come get you a taste....<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .25in; text-align: justify;">At <a href="http://scififansat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday </a>you have the chance to read snippets from works in progress, contracted works, as well as published novella and novels from a variety of authors... Check it out each Saturday!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">This week I've included a snippet from the soon-to-be-released novel TRIAD, which tells the story of three women commanders who are in a battle over a certain sector of space just before all of them are attacked by an outside force of space pirates. The attack makes them take a new look at their relationships--some may become closer, and others might be pushed to the edge of assassination...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"> Here's my piece for this week:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i>Stefan, dressed in gaudy teal jacket and slacks, piloted the vessel while Julian took the second seat, wearing a simple gray suit as befitted a male servant. Catava waited in the cabin behind them, dressed in the filmy peach-toned slave’s garb Stefan had chosen. A short fitted piece trimmed in gold barely covered her breasts, trailing a gold chain to a short skirt she kept tugging under her. She also wore thin-corded gold sandals and gold ribbons in her hair, wrapped into a psyche knot.</i></div><i> </i><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .25in; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hardly abashed, he coached her briefly on the comportment of female slaves, how they didn’t speak until they were asked to, and how they were no better than animals with natural urges. “You’re expected to be hot,” he said. “A slave covets the touch of men. So in situations where you don’t know what to do, a seductive look is as good as anything.”</i></div><i> </i><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She studied him a long moment. “Do you often sell women into slavery?"</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e4cP4EU9TSc/TwXCwBSVsvI/AAAAAAAAAFE/o6rlLiTq0lo/s1600/cvr200x300triad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e4cP4EU9TSc/TwXCwBSVsvI/AAAAAAAAAFE/o6rlLiTq0lo/s1600/cvr200x300triad.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"> For more information on this and other books by Lyndi Alexander, see her website http://clanelvesofthebitterroot.com , or the Dragonfly Publishing site: http://www.dragonflypubs.com/excerpts/triad.html</span></span>Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-7386542106277690002012-01-05T10:11:00.001-05:002012-01-05T10:16:53.711-05:00New Cover!!I'm sharing the new cover of my first science fiction book, TRIAD, coming out this spring from Dragonfly Publishing:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jwFBvrujIEk/TwW9TmeKCWI/AAAAAAAAAE4/YCJV0HBF6ZM/s1600/cvr200x300triad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jwFBvrujIEk/TwW9TmeKCWI/AAAAAAAAAE4/YCJV0HBF6ZM/s400/cvr200x300triad.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
What do you think??? For an excerpt, check out the<a href="http://www.dragonflypubs.com/excerpts/triad.html" target="_blank"> DFP page</a>--Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-37197993498280484562011-12-31T15:41:00.000-05:002011-12-31T15:41:16.703-05:00All a matter of perspectiveIt's always a toss-up at the end of the year: look back on the year that's passed, or set that aside and concentrate on the year ahead. Or both. I think that's the kind of year it's been for me. <br />
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Personally, the year has been a hard one, as we've struggled with the issues of our special-needs kids, some of them improving, others not so much. The stress has taken a toll on the marriage, as so often happens. I suppose it says something that we're still hanging together. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be. We'll find out, I guess.<br />
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We're getting older and falling apart a little more--but that's the way of things. Resolutions for next year include to find a therapeutic pool exercise class handy, since the Lyrica didn't work out. Fibromyalgia is such a frustrating condition. You need to get good sleep to bolster pain management, but the pain prevents good sleep. They recommend exercise, even when you feel like you couldn't stand to move an inch through your aching muscles. Best practice for me so far is to take something for pain and just soldier through. Hopefully it'll be better next year.<br />
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Professionally, though, what a raft full of blessings! I scored a part-time job with the county as an attorney for families working through Children's Services, that came with benefits and a regular paycheck. This opened up my time formerly spent chasing new clients to spend writing.<br />
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I haven't wasted that time, either. In 2011, I signed contracts for five new novels to come out in 2012 and 2013. This is what my new email signature looks like now:<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: darkgreen; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Also writing as Lyndi Alexander:</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: darkgreen; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The Elf Queen</span></b><span style="color: darkgreen; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">, 2010 <b>The Elf Child</b>, 2011 and <b>The Elf Mage</b>, 2012, all from Dragonfly Publishing</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span><a href="http://clanelvesofthebitterroot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #159ab7;">http://clanelvesofthebitterroot.com</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Triad</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">, coming from Dragonfly Publishing in 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
Also writing as Alana Lorens:<br />
</span><b><span style="color: darkred; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Secrets in the Sand</span></b><span style="color: darkred; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">, a novel of romantic suspense---The Wild Rose Press, April 20,2011 <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #4bacc6; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: accent5;">http://alanalorens.com<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Conviction of the Heart, </span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">coming from The Wild Rose Press in 2012<b><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Second Chances</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">, due out from Zumaya Publications in 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #984806; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;">Post-apocalyptic YA Series <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Color of Fear: Plague</i></b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Color of Fear: Journeys</i></b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Color of Fear: Survivors</i></b> debuts in 2013 from Zumaya Publications</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #984806; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">It took nearly forty years, </span><span style="color: black;">but I've finally achieved my life's dream: to become a novelist. Best of all, that last YA series is the book(s) of my heart, the one I've sunk my soul into. To find a home for it has been the pinnacle of the year for me. I can't wait to work with editor Liz Burton and Zumaya and get that into print. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #984806; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Rockwell;">But not today. Today I'm tending to my neglected blogs, which have taken second seat to all my novels and galley proofing the last two months. I'm grateful to have had a plethora of guests on particularly the <a href="http://clanelvesofthebitterroot.com/" target="_blank">Clan Elves blog</a> and my <a href="http://alanalorens.com/" target="_blank">romance blog</a> to help keep my readers entertained. I want to set a schedule for the new year to tend to each of them at least weekly. With four books coming out in 2012, I need to make sure people can find them!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #984806; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Rockwell;">Next week I'm spending reviewing Margie Lawson class notes and several other writing books I've purchased over the last six months and stalled off reading. I've got a lot of writing to do in the next year, and I want to make sure it's the best it can be. I'm sure you all will let me know if it's not!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #984806; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Rockwell;">In the meantime, I wish you all a satisfying 2012, in whatever flavor and definition that means to you. Our family will be celebrating a new arrival in the spring--one that's not between two book covers!-- so we have much to look forward to, as well as travel, family and hopefully some sun here and there. May you have many blessings come to you.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span>Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-56297254619812960192011-11-11T12:26:00.000-05:002011-11-11T12:26:26.375-05:00Here a guest post, there a guest post...This has been a busy week for me--in addition to real life intrusions, I've been working steadily on NaNo, with 22,000 words in 11 days, and I've had a <a href="http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/content.php?1645-The-Birth-of-a-Novel" target="_blank">blog on Savvy Authors </a>and Lyndi's books are featured on Jerri Hine's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Novel-Works-by-Jerri-Hines/112059205487095" target="_blank">Facebook Novel Works</a> today! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xpfEOyYSmMgq0jhpiNj-42m25RnLgMsQg0_YfK9pUe8MacRTVIPeEfDxJLxXwnZp41vCqtcj3OKL2M1EO3MQbq3uxIwB5Vbjj5JeAPloKFO5RMkX9xSz9HAkSGQjzbmifp_Djnw1bE4k/s1600/tashafair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xpfEOyYSmMgq0jhpiNj-42m25RnLgMsQg0_YfK9pUe8MacRTVIPeEfDxJLxXwnZp41vCqtcj3OKL2M1EO3MQbq3uxIwB5Vbjj5JeAPloKFO5RMkX9xSz9HAkSGQjzbmifp_Djnw1bE4k/s320/tashafair.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Then I have competing blog posts today: On the irony of being a divorce lawyer writing love stories, at <a href="http://icysnowblackstone.com/" target="_blank">IcySnowBlackstone</a> (click through to the blog page) and on how being a fantasy writer has helped me deal with our youngest, who's diagnosed with autism, sensory integration disorder and other language delays at<a href="http://www.tony-paul.com/" target="_blank"> A Splash of Scarlet</a>. That's her proud face with her fair ribbon above!<br />
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If any or all of these interest you, I invite you to stop by!Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-40047712587063782732011-11-04T10:52:00.000-04:002011-11-04T10:52:54.973-04:00Getting a real workout!Come see Lyndi go through her paces--and pages--at the blog of <a href="http://kelliekamryn.blogspot.com/2011/11/time-to-tumble-with-lyndia-alexander.html" target="_blank">Kellie Kamryn. </a> today. (Don't worry, my post is white bread; you can safely click through the content warning!!) Kellie has a great romance series based on gymnastics coming out in the spring, which just goes to show what happens when you write what you know. Thanks, Kellie! And come see <a href="http://clanelvesofthebitterroot.com/overcoming-painful-memories-by-writing-pleasure-taking-a-positive-approach" target="_blank">Kellie's post</a> at the Clan Elves homepage, too! I admire the way she's used her painful breakup to inspire positive writing experiences.Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-63931506120238207822011-10-25T16:45:00.002-04:002011-10-25T16:46:52.894-04:00My new cover! Round two!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7-8OK8GFzbPh2KAW2oGfX4jwzrylz_SgXjeZvmCfS-jhteQYXMR8kvLJ-qL3isk9KPiCJcKIJzqUWqZVYSsL157N5-yO-W4b7lU7pVL9yczjcRpOA6YdRNh2FlAdwr0bphLUVc29GRYM/s1600/ConvictionoftheHeart_w5381_750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7-8OK8GFzbPh2KAW2oGfX4jwzrylz_SgXjeZvmCfS-jhteQYXMR8kvLJ-qL3isk9KPiCJcKIJzqUWqZVYSsL157N5-yO-W4b7lU7pVL9yczjcRpOA6YdRNh2FlAdwr0bphLUVc29GRYM/s1600/ConvictionoftheHeart_w5381_750.jpg" /></a>This is my latest book, due out from The Wild Rose Press early next year. It's the story of a single mother who's a family law attorney working in the domestic relations field, and a case that not only gets her on the wrong side of a powerfully-connected city councilman, but also brings her close to a handsome Pittsburgh police lieutenant, who falls pretty hard for her, too. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">The cover artist really captured the look of menace I was going for--can't wait to get the edits done on this one and send it in!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-72019203233957184302011-10-18T15:01:00.000-04:002011-10-18T15:01:07.587-04:00It's coming!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidI2pibh4VVhq_i31MsNjISpNmup2gx0054o9AECTiYnYcqTuPZw5ks_blHsckF6W0RwN7hyOGPz6YYasmMp8IDBoeWh5vhGhBfhbrn6StbFSv36Lm7dJ0Tt5vCAK0QNGj7s-H-MG_MMYY/s1600/Participant_180_180_white.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidI2pibh4VVhq_i31MsNjISpNmup2gx0054o9AECTiYnYcqTuPZw5ks_blHsckF6W0RwN7hyOGPz6YYasmMp8IDBoeWh5vhGhBfhbrn6StbFSv36Lm7dJ0Tt5vCAK0QNGj7s-H-MG_MMYY/s640/Participant_180_180_white.png" width="640" /></a></div>Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-20096955113324142472011-10-11T09:49:00.000-04:002011-10-11T09:49:35.758-04:00Flash fiction: By Me!Come by Every Day Fiction and read a short story in honor of National Coming Out Day. Didn't intend for it to appear today, but how appropriate it is.<br />
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<a href="http://www.everydayfiction.com/personally-by-barbara-mountjoy/">http://www.everydayfiction.com/personally-by-barbara-mountjoy/</a><br />
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(And it's published under my own name! That hardly happens any more... :) )Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-52870486791522598992011-10-09T16:28:00.000-04:002011-10-09T16:28:35.275-04:00Our newest creationYes, yes, I know I haven’t posted here as often as I’d like–hopefully you’ve missed me! The good news is I’ve been doing substantial amoounts of writing-related work, which is a good thing! The latest venture is this little bit of video, a book trailer for my first published novel, The Elf Queen. A book trailer is supposed to be like a movie trailer, giving enough of the story to entice folk to come see/read my book. (and hopefully the rest of the series!)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9ASCJ8H5wO4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
So what did you think? Is it exciting? Suspenseful? Must you go buy the book at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elf-Queen-Clan-Elves-Bitterroot/dp/193638101X/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281231645&sr=1-11">Amazon</a> right now? Okay, if you must. Pssst: pass it on… :)Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-82366899551007273322011-09-08T13:57:00.000-04:002011-09-08T13:57:04.961-04:00Meet the booksellers! Frank and Kim, That Book Place<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwIChEjDny3hbj-ZtOJv_0ga4O00oSPTjM8xQlvKOZDrn1hWxUWusjGPdiY1rT1LWtlvx8WFCb0_quDMgYPfoQA_TDhA38BJyu9ql_7zy8T_HrdwSXjqeGDQnWRexvzyku6CKPs_xQub0/s1600/thatbookplace.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="41" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwIChEjDny3hbj-ZtOJv_0ga4O00oSPTjM8xQlvKOZDrn1hWxUWusjGPdiY1rT1LWtlvx8WFCb0_quDMgYPfoQA_TDhA38BJyu9ql_7zy8T_HrdwSXjqeGDQnWRexvzyku6CKPs_xQub0/s320/thatbookplace.png" width="320" /></a></div>Today’s guests are <a href="http://vewfromthebookside.blogspot.com/">Frank Hall </a>and Kim Hall, the owners of That Book Place in Madison, Indiana. We met recently at Context 24 at sci-fi/fantasy con in Columbus Ohio, where we made new friends and learned a lot. Welcome, guys!<br />
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<em>Thank you, glad to be here!</em><br />
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Tell us about your bookstore: what do you carry, when did you start, what makes your store different?<br />
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<em>Our doors opened to the public on the Ides of March 2006. We are primarily a used book store. We do carry some new books in stock of local authors within a few hours drive of us and from some local publishing houses. I like to think that we are different because I don’t try to push the newest bestseller on you. I try to get to know our customers and make recommendations based on what they have read and what other people have read that have also read what they like. </em><br />
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Do you have new books? Used books? Not a library, right? How do you decide what new books to carry? What are your criteria for used books?<br />
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<em>We are definitely not a library and we carry both used and new, mostly used. With the new books we do focus on local authors and local publishing houses but I will also have something in that I know people are wanting. Right now we have a few copies of <strong>Game of Thrones</strong> in stock new. Once the TV show came out, probably we have a person each week who learns it’s a book series and comes looking for it. We carry pretty much everything so our only criteria with used is that it needs to be in good shape at least and still current for non-fiction.</em><br />
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What’s the most important thing that distinguishes the kind of experience a reader will have at a small, indie bookstore from the big box store?<br />
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<em>For us it’s just more personal. I am here pretty much everyday Monday through Saturday. Over the years I have gotten to know our customers so I can help them better. Also, since I am here all the time I see what comes in for trade and what goes out so I have good idea if we have a certain book or not and where it is. I also know what is going on in most of their lives, so I make it a point to ask how things are. Of course that also goes because we are in a small town.</em><br />
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At Context 24, you said, “Independent bookstores are the future.” What are the implications of that? What purpose will indies have in the future?<br />
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<em>It’s going to have a profound impact on the industry. We are down to only one national chain. Two, if you count Amazon. When you start getting big stores that are more worried about the bottom line instead of helping customers then you start having issues. I don’t see a time when B&N will move into a small town like mine. They don’t see enough customer base to turn a profit. So we smaller stores are beginning to flourish. I think you will see more and more stores like mine pop up in smaller and midsize towns. The big Houses are going to have to take notice and start working with us smaller venues to help increase sales. </em><br />
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What do you see as the ways independent bookstores can most help authors?<br />
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<em>Work with them. They are the reason we have a business, so work with them. It doesn’t matter if they went through a small press, vanity press, self published or is from a big house. They make the product we sell. So encourage them. If they are local, set up a spot for them in your store. Host readings for them or if there is a local writing group, invite them to your store. Make them know that what they are working towards is not in vain.</em><br />
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What are the ways authors can help independent bookstores?<br />
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<em>That’s simple. Keep writing.</em><br />
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What would you like to have authors do when they want to schedule an event at your store?<br />
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<em>Call us or email me at least 2 or 3 months in advance. I like to advertise in the store that we have someone coming so that the customers can decide whether they want the book or not. If the customer can’t make it in that day they can go ahead and buy it and I will get it signed to them and they can pick it up after the event. </em><br />
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What’s your favorite event of the year?<br />
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<em>My new favorite event is our Authors fair. This past year for our 5 year anniversary we did an authors fair and had around 30 authors here along with one of our big outside tent sales. We have decided to make it an annual event, so this coming March 17th we are having another one. We are shooting for 50 authors and I am really excited about it. I guess a very close second will be October. The entire month. We decorate for Halloween and have a blast in the store.</em><br />
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What’s the nicest thing a reader has done for your store? An author? Does it involve chocolate?<br />
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<em>Actually it does involve chocolate. We have a few customers that will bring us gifts during our anniversary celebration. Sometimes it’s candies and such. We even have a few that will occasionally bring us cookies if they pass by the bakery before coming to the store. The nicest thing that any author has ever given me is after the signing they shake my hand or give me a hug and say thanks. I love being able to have a spot where the authors feel welcomed.</em><br />
What do you think of the book printing kiosk? <br />
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<em>I think they are an intriguing idea. And being able to load them up with classics and such would be a wonderful way to make sure you always had a particular book in stock. There are lots of things that I can see that could come from them that could revolutionize the industry.</em><br />
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What would you like people to know about your store? <br />
<em>I think, all in all, the best thing to know about our store is our motto. It sums everything up in a nutshell. “No such thing as too many books.”</em><br />
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I've got to agree with you there! Thanks for being here and best wishes for the next year. Find out more about <a href="http://www.thatbookplace.com/">THAT BOOK PLACE</a> at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thatbookplace">their Facebook page</a>, and if you're passing through, stop in and say hello.Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-59050482197782786472011-08-18T11:39:00.000-04:002011-08-18T11:39:06.060-04:00Common Ground<br />
Today’s guest is author Sherry Isaac. Sherry and I met on top of a mountain in Colorado at one of Margie Lawson’s Immersion Master Classes in writing. Since then, she’s gone on to do marvvelous things, and her collection of short stories, STORYTELLER, is out this summer. Please welcome her.<br />
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COMMON GROUND<br />
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<em>by Sherry Isaac</em><br />
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Someday. What a magical word.<br />
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For years, I dreamed of being a writer. Someday.<br />
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I’ve spent decades, dollars and devotion honing my craft in the pursuit of Someday.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tPn5QIIn6GZ8bKVPICOp_V56R1ibtqJtvv_s5iSu6yw0rEnS1x0NOuKztVaBuUeOVLx4-7qrzB5xRO4gBcwybY_cuV9giIp4uF9v7qMQvfQ6E45tOiXlAo8fjw4OZWKJB3nz9zQ2EZEj/s1600/Storyteller+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; height: 320px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; width: 323px;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tPn5QIIn6GZ8bKVPICOp_V56R1ibtqJtvv_s5iSu6yw0rEnS1x0NOuKztVaBuUeOVLx4-7qrzB5xRO4gBcwybY_cuV9giIp4uF9v7qMQvfQ6E45tOiXlAo8fjw4OZWKJB3nz9zQ2EZEj/s320/Storyteller+Cover.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Someday is here.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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Uh-oh.<br />
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It’s time to promote.<br />
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There are plenty of resources on self-promotion. Books and websites and downloadable pdfs. Even online classes.<br />
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It’s a whole new industry, full of great ideas. One of my favorites, the one I’ve been engaged in for the last three weeks, is the virtual blog tour.<br />
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Networking with other writers is reciprocal. If Author A gives Author B a slot on their blog, Author B will bring their fans. Some fans will stick around and become fans of Author A. Author A’s audience will be introduced to Author B and start following Author B’s blog and buying Author B’s books.<br />
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Tit for Tat, a total Win-Win.<br />
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Bonus: Author B doesn’t have to come up with a post that week. Ahhh. Time to focus on the reason behind the blog: The Novel.<br />
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But first, you need authors to network with.<br />
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I signed up for my first Margie Lawson class a year and a half ago. Up until the online class on Defeating Self-Defeating Behaviors, all my contacts were local. So local, in fact, that I had trouble unloading copies of the anthology I was a part of, because, fine as the anthology was, everyone in my circle was either in the publication, so already had a copy of the book, or knew someone who was in the publication, so had already bought a copy of the book.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvWOHhoVz4bzGIsLscHq8_tP9otyuPxM1KgDqD6Rgd4L5SmYgpjRoru2jlBndOSneUiPYcY6-xpNVsn1mdC7uGog50lm5mAYlQAw5l1MB3nm8ZAq6rSX_hazxy7hRtojEtF4trsVRpcxq/s1600/sherry+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 320px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 342px;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvWOHhoVz4bzGIsLscHq8_tP9otyuPxM1KgDqD6Rgd4L5SmYgpjRoru2jlBndOSneUiPYcY6-xpNVsn1mdC7uGog50lm5mAYlQAw5l1MB3nm8ZAq6rSX_hazxy7hRtojEtF4trsVRpcxq/s320/sherry+pic.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Growing a national audience, let alone an international one, seemed impossible without a powerhouse publisher behind me.<br />
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Until Margie.<br />
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That first one-month class expanded into a year spent with Margie Lawson. It was, like the A&E channel advertises, time well spent. I learned so much last year. My writing techniques multiplied faster than a den of unchaperoned rabbits.<br />
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And so did my network.<br />
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What a fun side-effect, and certainly one I hadn’t bargained on when I signed up for DSDB, Enhancing Character’s Emotions, Deep Editing (The EDITS System) or any one of Margie’s other classes.<br />
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And then I went to Denver. Four intensive days of writing and revising and rhetorical devices.<br />
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And four new friends.<br />
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All right, all right, all right. Gloria Richard was already a friend.<br />
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Friendships are not based on geography, but rather, they are based on common ground. In Joan and Jessica, Barbara and Gloria, I found peers. As writers, we shared similar trials and aspirations, fears and passion, goals and dreams. Each understood the sting of rejection, how high the stakes are and how stiff the competition. A sisterhood, if you will.<br />
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A family.<br />
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And then I participated in IMC II.<br />
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Laura and Susannah. Lisa and Carole.<br />
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All right, all right, all right. Carole was already a friend.<br />
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Over the past few months, as my launch has crept closer, the support, enthusiasm and generosity of these eight women has blown me away. Not only have they opened their blogs to me, but they began to spread the word, long before my book went to print. They found blog space for me among their contacts, and Joan, a fine Twitterer in her own right, hooked me up with a Master Twitterer. Barbara invited me to share book signing space at a Pennsylvania bookstore. At a Colorado reading, Jessica gave up an opportunity to promote her own work and chose instead to read an excerpt of mine.<br />
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What ever had I done to deserve such favor?<br />
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It pleases me, too, that these connections billow over with downy goodness, just like an plump, over-stuffed pillow. My fans and friends are now their fans and friends. There are far too many to name here, and what would be the point? There will be more tomorrow.<br />
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The circle grows.<br />
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And so this, the final stop on my virtual tour, is a dedication to all the writers I’ve had the pleasure to befriend on my journey. May your ideas never stop flowing, and may your ink never run dry.<br />
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~<br />
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Winner of The Alice Munro Short Story Award, Sherry Isaac’s tales of life, love and forgiveness that transcend all things, including the grave, appear online and in print. Her first collection of shorts, Storyteller, debuts July 2011. For more information, or to order an autographed copy, click <a href="http://livepage.apple.com/">HERE</a><br />
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Learn more about Sherry at her website: <a href="http://www.sherryisaac.com/">http://www.sherryisaac.com/</a><br />
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Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-2560908262044313212011-07-25T10:07:00.000-04:002011-07-25T10:07:55.664-04:00On the road!This week I'll be posting in several places--today I'm with author <a href="http://alisonchambers.blogspot.com/?zx=31bb11dbbadbc5e5">Alison Chambers</a>, talking about the genesis of the Clan Elves of the Bitterroot stories. Tomorrow I'll be at <a href="http://www.vintagevonnie.blogspot.com/">Vintage Vonnie</a>, talking about the real-life love story that inspired my novel SECRETS IN THE SAND. <br />
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Next week I'll start teaching my first class for Pennwriters, on basic promotion for small press authors. <br />
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I've just had a science fiction novel, TRIAD, accepted for publication, and I'm polishing book three of the Clan Elves series. Looks like I might be a novelist when I grow up!Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208260562997136449.post-87097214487367209152011-07-07T23:38:00.000-04:002011-07-07T23:38:21.153-04:00Alyssa Fox heats up the medical arena with her new book, Road to RecoveryWelcome today author Alyssa Fox, whose first novel ROAD TO RECOVERY has just been released.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSOE73Xm8tsIdl_LU-CGM0gsyBexM7KkGDvUVxb9ssjp3u-qtht118EKosy88QtIgLvH9nvuOfSYCkx1A0QRhQbb82JbAQTvnbo06y5Z9ALMAKihIXUrDyMoIYFLZQSb3NYM5OjJpQ_uV/s1600/RoadtoRecovery300dpi-1+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSOE73Xm8tsIdl_LU-CGM0gsyBexM7KkGDvUVxb9ssjp3u-qtht118EKosy88QtIgLvH9nvuOfSYCkx1A0QRhQbb82JbAQTvnbo06y5Z9ALMAKihIXUrDyMoIYFLZQSb3NYM5OjJpQ_uV/s1600/RoadtoRecovery300dpi-1+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br />
First off, I want to thank Barbara for having me on her blog today. This is how I came up with the plot, my characters for my debut book <em>Road to Recovery</em>. Well, I was writing another medical book at the time, and it just came to me while cleaning my house. I know, glamorous life right? I was trying hard to get a contract with Harlequin’s Medical line at the time, but have since learned my sex scenes are too steamy for them.<br />
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Anyways so, I thought what would happen if two doctors were competing for the same mentorship at the hospital. Then I thought what if they were both attracted to each other, but they didn’t want to admit it to one another. And that’s how the book was started. It was a fast write for me both characters came to me really stronger.<br />
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Kyle came to me first, and he was very demanding in my head. I mean, what else would you expect from an alpha man, but that? At first he didn’t want to tell me his dark secrets, but finally, I was able to squeeze it out of him. Since I started writing I’ve never had a character surprise me with their back story, but he sure did. As I wrote more he still at times would reveal things I never saw coming throughout the book. He even made me cry while writing in a few places with the things he had been through with losing his wife and daughter.<br />
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Erin pretty much laid it all out there on the line for me as I started writing their story. She was one pissed off woman that a man had used her in the past. And she wasn’t looking to fall in love at all. She had a neatly outlined five year plan, and no one was going to mess with it. Then the mentorship came along, and she could move that plan up to a two year plan. She never even saw Kyle coming to knock her on her butt and turn her plan upside down. She didn’t take to kindly to it either.<br />
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I’ll admit the title took me some time to come up with. It gave me so much trouble! And then one day it hit me really hard out of all the words I had thrown together. My family more than likely thought I had lost my mind, as I was asking them does this work? So that’s how I came up with my plot, characters and the title of the book.<br />
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I can be found at my <a href="http://www.alyssa-fox.com/">website</a>. Twitter and Facebook. <br />
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<em>Here's a blurb for the book: </em><br />
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Dr. Erin Miller’s life was going great; for the most part, anyway. She was single, had a career she loved, and a cherished circle of friends, but something was missing. When a mentorship with the Chief Pediatric Surgeon becomes available, she couldn’t be more thrilled. Maybe this is just what the doctor ordered! That is, until the handsome and charismatic Dr. Kyle Reynolds decides he wants the mentorship as well.<br />
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Kyle Reynolds has lost everything including his wife and daughter. With nothing left in his life except for his job, he sets his sights on the new mentorship position with single-minded determination. The only obstacle he faces is the sexy Dr. Erin Miller.<br />
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<em>Excerpt</em><br />
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Erin leaned back in her chair. She sat surrounded by the tomes she’d pulled from the shelves. It made no sense to her. The tests she’d been waiting for had all come back fine. Those two hours she’d hoped it would take had turned to six. She was still waiting for an ultrasound report, which should be coming any moment. She placed the latest report on the table and reached her hand to her head, slowly rubbing her temples. It wasn't like her not to be able to figure out what was going on with a patient. She dreaded the look on the parents' faces when she had to tell them. Sometimes it seemed like days before reports came back, and that was the only part of her job she hated. Her stomach knotted as she glanced at the clock. Only twenty minutes before she had to give them an update.<br />
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Her mind wandered back to the meeting six hours ago, and the way her body had warmed under Kyle's gaze. It had only been for a brief moment. Girl, you seriously need to get laid, that's all it is. There's nothing to the way he looked at you. You're imagining things.<br />
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“Good afternoon, Erin,” She jumped at the deep voice coming from her left. A glance over her shoulder confirmed what she already knew.<br />
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Kyle.<br />
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“Afternoon.” She fumbled to grab the chart in front of her, hoping he'd leave. He sat down next to her. His gaze singed her cheeks, but she couldn't look up; instead, she concentrated on the chart in front of her.<br />
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The memory of their first week working together came to her mind again. When she walked into the office, she'd been drawn to Kyle, who had sat in a chair across the small room, so arrogant and sure of himself. Kyle wasn't her type at all; she normally stuck with the safe, boring guys. Everything about him had screamed he was more. Just once, she wanted to take a chance and not do what everyone else expected. It had been time to let go and have some fun. Well, that's what she had wanted to do, and based on his flirting he’d seemed to be into her too.<br />
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For a moment, her mind drifted back to the dance they’d shared at the Christmas party three years ago. Against her best judgment, she’d said yes to Kyle's offer to dance. Really, what could one little dance do? Boy was that ever wrong, from the moment he’d taken her in his arms. She could feel the chemistry between them. The smoldering heat took over, and she couldn't think of anything but him, as fire raced down her spine, consuming her. Her mind told her to break the dance, that it had been a mistake, and yet she couldn't. The pull between them was greater than her need to move away.<br />
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Her gaze had traveled upward. His eyes had darkened, her knees had weakened, and it had taken everything in her to fight the strong attraction she felt toward him. She saw the unspoken question in his eyes. The song ended. "I'm sorry...I just can't," she had whispered and left him on the dance floor.<br />
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Instead of taking a chance on Kyle, she’d gone the safe route and starting dating Dr. Lopez. Someone she had thought was ready to settle down and start a family like she had been. Too bad the safe route had turned into the biggest mistake of her life. It had caused her to re-examine her plans. To wait until she was more established in her career before she seriously started dating again.<br />
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She continued pointedly ignoring Kyle, and relief washed over her when Jenny, one of her interns, walked up and said, "Here's the CAT scan report."<br />
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“Thanks,” she said, taking the report. She studied it. Erin closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. This keeps getting crazier. She opened her eyes slowly to skim over the report again. Nothing had changed. “This makes no sense,” she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else.<br />
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“What's doesn't make sense?” Kyle asked.<br />
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Setting down the piece of paper, she turned to look at him. “I've got a three year old patient, and it shows he has no appendix, yet he has all the classic symptoms of having appendicitis. I don't get it; I've run every test I can think of.”<br />
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“Here, let me take a look at his chart.”<br />
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Erin handed him the chart and watched him as he read it. His eyebrows drew together as he concentrated. Her fingers itched to trace the scar above his right eye, and she wondered how he'd gotten the injury. He cleared his throat, jarring her back to reality.<br />
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“This doesn't make sense. Come on, I want to check him out myself.” Kyle stood.<br />
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Although she wasn’t crazy about his taking over like that, she was so relieved to have another brain working on the problem that she let it slide. Her bruised ego was nothing compared to the well-being of her young patient.<br />
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Kyle’s hand brushed against the small of her back as he let her precede him into the room. Shivers of pleasure raced down her spine so quickly they were gone in an instant.Babs Mountjoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03910576655068155166noreply@blogger.com0