Gabriella Hewitt

The other night on the news there was a brief segment on a disco dancing 78 year old. My oldest son looked at me and said, “Sugoi, Mamma,” which is basically, “Wow.” This Japanese senior started dancing when he was fifty years old after seeing a dance contest on TV from America.

They interviewed his wife as to what she thought and her response was she was embarrassed at first. Nobody in the neighborhood danced and look at the way he dresses, she added. Now, though, everybody is used to it (though she’s seen him dance just twice in all the years he’s been doing this). This gentleman goes to the disco at least once a week to practice hand moves and break dancing. His weak point is that he can do it for two minutes and then needs to sit down and take a breather.

I tell you, “Go Grandpa!” I want to be like that when I’m his age, living life to the absolute fullest, doing what I want to do and not caring at all if I’m supposedly too old to be doing it. I hope I’m still writing and creating fabulous characters, but even if I’m not, I’d like to think that I will be doing something else equally fulfilling. Life really is too short to be worrying about what “others” think. I want to look back on my life and say I have no regrets. That I did what I wanted to do and more.

So, what is it you’ve always wanted to do? And have you?

Another Thursday has come by and I’ve survived almost one week of spring break with the kids. You can see what I’m talking about in the post below and while you’re at it, check out the interviews with Caridad Pineiro and Vivi Anna if you haven’t already.

So, Spring is on the way. The weather is close to 20C (almost 70F for you non-metric folks ) and I went outside today without–gasp!–a jacket. The signs have been piling up for a while now but in case you have any doubts, here are my thirteen reasons why Spring is in the air!

1… The closer to Spring the more dh sneezes. He has the regularity of a five am freight train 2… The sakura have started blooming. See the picture? It’s picnic time! 3… I am now down to three layers of clothing instead of five 4… I feel the itch to wear even brighter colors 5… When I tell the kids to go outside for an hour and play, expect them back two hours later 6… The amount of sand and mud tracked into the house rises in direct proportion to the temperature 7… It’s time to remember where the Easter bunny put those Easter baskets last year 8… The school year ends and another begins (see post below) 9… It’s bug hunting season–ick! 10… Do I smell barbecue? 11… That dreaded in between time is approaching when it’s neither warm enough to put away your winter clothes nor hot enough to pull out all those summer ones. 12… The thought of Spring Cleaning puts a smile on my face–NOT! 13…The panic of fitting into a summer swimsuit has officially begun. Exercise can no longer be put off until tomorrow or the day after or the day after that.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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It’s that time of year again. For the next two plus weeks I have three kids underfoot as we wait for the new school year to begin. (It’s an April to March school year in Japan). Already I’ve grooved a few more lines in my forehead as I try to figure out what we’re going to do to stay entertained and out of my hair.

I have to renew my oldest son’s passport which is always fun–Not. At least he’s big enough to sit on the passport photo seat in the booth at the U.S. Embassy. I had to prop up my middle son a couple of years ago and he didn’t know where to aim his face. Instead of a full frontal head pose, he’s got this three quarter shot with him peering up at the ceiling from the corner of his eyes and this monkey grin. At ten bucks for two small photos I was so not re-doing it.

As a kid I looked forward to Spring Break–heck, any break from school. I had no idea the agonies my mom must have suffered having two kids at home when she had to work. Luckily, we lived where my folks worked, which made life easier on them. Plus, we lived in the country. I’d go off with my brother on our bikes or go exploring in the woods. We didn’t have DVDs, i-Pods, cable or even a quarter of the technology that kids have today, but we managed to find tons of stuff to do to keep us occupied.

Then I had to grow up and live in an apartment, an apartment that seems to get smaller as my boys get bigger. Of course, there’s plenty to do in cities, but it usually involves trains and distances and me going with them, which means less type time at the computer.

So what are your plans for Spring Break? How do you keep the kiddies from driving you crazy?

Vivi Anna,

Thanks for sitting courtside with me.

1) If you had to summarize your style of writing what would it be?

Razor sharp.

I once had a reviewer say that my writing was strong…that if she had to summarize my writing in one word she would say strength.

2) This month Blood Secrets, the first in the Valorian Chronicles came out from Nocturne.
Could you tell us more about Necropolis and the inhabitants that live there?

Necropolis is the Otherworld city, completely segregated from the rest of humanity. It is a separate entity which governs and polices itself, under the watchful eye of humans of course. Vampires, lycans, and witches have settled in the city to live, work and play like regular people around their own kind.

3) Who is Caine Valorian and what does he have to do with an otherworldly crime unit?

Caine, a 200 year old vampire, is the chief investigator of the Otherworld Crime Unit, or OCU. He was the one that funded it and set it up. It’s his baby, his pride and joy.

4) Is Blood Secrets part of a three-part series or will there be more?

I’m thinking there are going to be more books. But not necessarily set in Necropolis. There’s another Otherworld city….but that’s all I’m going to say.

5) Why paranormals? What is it that you think attracts readers when it comes to Vampires and Werewolves?

I love paranormals. Anything out of the ordinary. I live in the ordinary so I don’t want to read about it. It’s the fantasy that attracts readers, in it’s truest sense. Pure fun and fantasy. Suspending disbelief to go on a wild ride. What could be better than that?

6) Also, another paranormal series I see you have out right now is Draconian Legends – Book 1: Of The Moon from Samhain. Can you tell us about the story?

Of the Moon is the first book in a trilogy of stories about a very arcane world. A savage and harsh reality. The Draconians are a barbaric race of people, vampiric in nature, and they have invaded the lands of Romania, claiming it for their own and enslaving the people. The books are about the rebellion of the Romas and the various people, both Roma and Draconian that help shape the future.

I wanted to write an epic type of series, one part historical, one part paranormal. I wanted it to feel very moody but also hopeful.

7) Now that you are in print will you continue to submit to epublishers?

Yes. Epublishing is a great way to keep your name in front of readers, also it holds the opportunity to publish some books that may not have a place at the big NY houses, or shorter works. It’s also a great venue to stretch an author’s writing chops and maybe try a new genre. I love the epublishers that I’m with.

Which book or character holds a dear place in your heart?

Every book means something to me, or I’d never have written it. The book I’m working on is the book that holds a place in my heart. It’s the one that matter most right now.

Hell Kat will always be a special project to me. Because it got me my agent, it was my first print novel and I think it’s the purest form of Vivi, in all its raw intensity.

9) I noticed you have five WIP’s in the works. Where do you find the time and inspiration for all your stories?

I can never find the time. I make the time. Writing is my full time profession now, so I write every day. And when I’m not actually writing, I’m plotting inside my head 24/7. I find inspiration in everything around me, from movies I watch, to songs I hear, things people say, just random thoughts. All of those things I have turned into book ideas.

Will all of those WIP’s find homes? Probably not. It would be nice, but it’s not realistic to think that EVERY idea will come to fruitition and get published. I have a cool book idea almost every day. I write it down in my plethora of idea binders and hope that it will flourish. Some do, and some don’t.

There are also some WIP I don’t talk about for various reasons. Because I’m possibly working on the deal now, or it’s so friggin’ cool that I don’t want other authors to glom on to it.

10) How many books in all have you published?

I’ve epublished 2 novels and 4 novellas, print pubbed so far, 4 titles.

Wow! Vivi ain’t talking trash. Blood Secrets is available now in stores or in e-format Check out her website for more titles at http://www.vivianna.net

Caridad,

Thanks so much for doing the Q&A.

1) When did you first realize you wanted to write romance?

I had wanted to write since the fifth grade when a teacher assigned a class project — to write a book. When I got into high school, I decided to finally try my hand at writing a novel. It wasn’t until I was in college and I worked in the book department of a store that I realized that what I liked to read and write was romances.

2) Darkness Calls, the first book in THE CALLING series came out with SIM (Silhouette Intimate Moments) and now you are continuing the series in Nocturne. Has this changed your writing or influenced the series to take a different direction?

I was actually kind of shocked with Harlequin sought out the first book. It was originally a single title and much more graphic. I knew it would have to change for them to publish it and we worked to make it more of a romance. I had no idea where they would put it, but it ended up in SIM. By then I had a firm idea of the first 3 or 4 books and moving to Nocturne hasn’t changed the basic development of the stories. Moving to Nocturne has allowed me to beef up the paranormal elements and be a little darker and sexier, though.

3) Death Calls makes a revisit to the original characters that first appeared in Darkness Calls. Can you tell us a little about them?

Diana Reyes is a hard-edged FBI agent. Diana has experienced the dark side of human nature, including her own. The last thing she needs is someone who is darker than she is and who wants to protect her which makes vampire Ryder Latimer the perfect foil for Diana. The original concept when Darkness Calls was a single title was for each of the books to feature Diana and Ryder as the leads. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to do this in a category line, but I was so pleased when Harlequin agreed to allow Diana and Ryder return. I think we all knew there was more to their story (and there’s still more to go) and that readers wanted to see it.

4) What are your future plans with the series?

I already have another 3 book proposal with my editor. I’d like to do stories with Stacia and Blake (who share some time and loving in DESIRE CALLS, a free read from eharlequin.com in April). I plan on introducing new characters in book #9 and also plan to finish up the story arc with Diana that begins with the events at the end of DEATH CALLS. Those of you who have been reading THE CALLING know that Diana has been changed by those events and each book after that will provide a little more info about what’s happening with Diana.

5) If you could be one of your characters, who do you think you would be?

Without a doubt I’d love to be Diana Reyes. She is the character of my heart because she’s tough, but wounded. Strong, but also capable of taking Ryder into her heart.

6)You also have written fiction for women. How would you define the Chicas?

The Chicas are bright, independent, sexy and smart. They are four successful women who know what they want out of life and have a lot of things to balance — friends, family, men and work. The SOUTH BEACH CHICAS stories are really women’s fiction, but with an edge. A fun and sexy edge. A serious edge. A romantic edge. The Chicas books are a blend of all of these and I think women of all ages and ethinicities will identify with the Chicas and all that they have to deal with in order to find balance in their lives.

7) One thing that drew me to your stories was the strong Latina women. Do you have a preference when it comes to writing characters to be Latino/a?

I guess I do have a preference for writing Latina characters because of the old adage — write what you know. But I also like showing that many Latinas have found success through various paths in life and that Latinos are a part of the American mainstream. I’ve heard many people say that it’s nice that I include Latino characters and culture without beating them over the head with it. I do that because my first goal is to entertain, but my second is to educate. I think that once people get to learn more about you, and that there’s a lot you share in common, the better we will all get along.

I see something on the radar that has caught my attention — Moon Fever from Pocket in 2007. Care to elaborate?

MOON FEVER is a paranormal anthology that I’m doing with Maggie Shayne, Susan Sizemore and Lori Handeland. My contribution is a story set in the Amazon and revolving around a tribe of were-people. The heroine goes to the Amazon to finish the work of a dead ex-colleague and finds herself involved in a fight between the tribe and some loggers who are destroying the rainforest. The hero, Javier Dias da Costa, is a guide and turns out to be something unexpected.

9)) Why paranormals? What is it that you think attracts readers when it comes to Vampires and Werewolves?

I think paranormals appeal to us on many levels. We fear what we don’t know, but want to understand it. We relate to the inherent battle between good and evil that occur in most paranormals. Then there’s the sensual elements. Vampires and werewolves possess all kinds of physical powers and needs beyond those of humans. The possibility of either controlling that or being controlled by that is enticing.

10) During the day you are a patent lawyer (please correct if I am wrong) and during the nights a writer and on the weekends a mom and wife. How do you do it all and remain sane?

I’m a trademark attorney during the day, a writer on the train and weekends and a mom and wife all the time. It’s a lot to juggle but I’ve been blessed with a supportive family that helps me have the free time so I can write. The train ride is a big help as well. For 40 minutes the only person who I need to answer to is the conductor when he checks my ticket.

11) What advice could you give to those looking to break into category romance?

Read, read, read. Check out the books in the line you want to target and make sure you follow the guidelines. See what’s being done, but don’t be afraid to be innovative with your story. Editors are always receptive to different stories — look what happened with DARKNESS CALLS!

Thanks so much for coming down and shooting a few hoops with us for March Madness!

More on Caridad Pineiro and THE CALLING series, check out her website http://www.caridad.com

Death Calls and Devotion Calls available in now in stores and e-format!

Did everyone have a great St. Patrick’s Day? Freeze your butts off? I did! Brrr, it’s cold. But I’ve got news to warm you up. Today is the day the winners of my March Madness contest are announced. Yeah!

The contest asked you which two prolific Nocturne authors I’m going to interview this month. And the correct answers are Caridad Pineiro and Vivi Anna!!!

Now for our winners
Drum roll please…
Marilyn
Ann Thayer-Cohen

Congratulations! Marilyn wins a copy of Blood Secrets by Vivi Anna. Ann wins a copy of Caridad Pineiro’s Death Calls.

Expect an email from me soon ladies. Thank you everyone who participated. I hope you will come back to enjoy the interviews I will be posting with Vivi Anna and Cari. In fact, you’re welcome to stop by anytime and leave a comment. Cheers!

This week NY and other states across America participated in the Mega Millions Jackpot. $370 Million Dollars! I bought my ticket and kept my fingers crossed. I didn’t win but if I had here is what I would have done with my big wad of cash.

1… Buy a small country, preferably an island nation with lots of pina coladas 2… Eradicate Malaria 3… Hire a fulltime massage therapist named Javier 4… Buy a mansion in Malibu overlooking the ocean 5… Hire the supernanny, get teams of maids, bodygaurds, chauffer and stylist 6… Buy a jetplane 7… Cruise around the world with my friends and family 8… Nip, tuck, & liposuck 9… Go on a scuba diving vacation in Australia to see the Great Barrier Reef 10… Build a house that says “me” from the architecture to the interior design to the state-of-the art home office with the sign saying “Keep Out!” 11… Go wild in Amazon (the bookstore not the river ), B&N, Borders and others 12… Spend a week or more at a resort spa getting totally pampered from head to toe 13…Give it all away to charity. My life is rich enough with with my family and friends (TT’s included)

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

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Finished one project and as a treat to myself I picked up Jaci Burton’s Surviving Demon Island. (Actually it had been sitting on my nightstand taunting me for weeks)

All I have to say is WOW! An action packed ride that just sails through from page to page. Surviving Demon Island is intense with a kick-ass heroine and an equally dynamic hero.

At first I wasn’t sold on Gina Bliss, might have been the name. After the first chapter did she truly open up and blossom on the page. I embraced her whole-heartedly like my very own fresh-mouthed daughter. Sassy and full of snappy retorts, she and hotty survival specialist, Derek (who I would do a 100 pushups for any day) really burned up the pages.

The plot was easy to follow, totally not convoluted like so many paranormals today. Easy, straight to the point, sequentially competent, and totally grotesque demon villains made it easy to decipher the bad guys (Sons of Darkness-Demons) from the good guys (Realm of Light-Hunters) Also, the location on a remote steamy tropical island really upped the passion and suspense level.

Best of all the supporting cast had their own identities and never intruded upon the main story, only adding their unique talents to heighten the story, including the villains. Really have to appreciate this, so many authors today feel a need to inundated readers with a whole cast that needs their own spotlight. Jaci Burton found just the right mix in Surviving Demon Island.

Call me a sappy romantic but I love happy endings and best of all sequels. Looking forward to Hunting The Demon. All I have to say is bring on the demons!

If your like me and can’t wait till fall to get your hands on another of her books.
Go check out her latest from Samhain, Nothing Personal

I do some freelance writing here and there when I have the time. I stumbled across this site that posts a variety of leads for writers. The site’s author takes the time to troll various job boards to gather leads for writers and put them all in one place. I’m grateful as are others, but apparently not everyone is. Deb gets emails complaining that she’s increasing the competition. I read a comment on the site by a freelancer who couldn’t understand why Deb went to such effort since the commenter couldn’t be bothered to help newbie writers. Nice don’t you think? By the way, if you’re interested in doing some freelance writing check out Freelance Writing Jobs.

This little debate got me thinking about romance writers. I have found romance writers to be extremely generous with their time, knowledge and expertise. It doesn’t matter if they’re published or not, I’ve never met anyone who didn’t respond to a question I had. When I received my first rejection of my first manuscript a few years back Karen Templeton offered to read the first chapter and give me advice. Yes, we’re talking that Karen T. An award-winning author whose ability to bring settings and atmosphere to life make me drool with envy. I was a newbie to writing. I think my jaw hit the floor when I saw her offer. And sure enough, she read my first chapter and gave me some pointers. How awesome is that?

I’ve often had questions and have contacted such authors as Julie Miller, Caridad Pineiro and Debra Webb. They have always replied with as much information as they could and never made me feel like I was imposing on them. I wouldn’t be where I am either if fellow writer and critique partner Maggie Nash hadn’t encouraged me to submit my manuscript to Samhain Publishing. In my experience, most people involved in the romance industry seem to go out of their way to help one another if they can. And maybe that’s the power of the genre because romance novels are about hope, about reaching for your goal or destiny, about overcoming obstacles in the way. When we help one another we all succeed and we’re all winners.

I believe strongly that what goes around comes around. When you’re spiteful and mean to others, expect it to come back and bite you on the butt. And when you’re generous and caring, you can bet something good will come out of it.

So I’d like to thank all those who mentored me on my path to get me where I am today. Your help was and has been greatly appreciated, is not forgotten and will be paid forward.