I am happy to announce that book 3 in the Sweet Seductions Series, Jinx’d!, will be released late next month. Stay tuned for cover reveal party, release party, and release date!
Category New Releases
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Jax Monroe has everything he has ever asked for out of life. He is the front man for the world’s hottest metal band, his name is on the lips of everyone between the ages of fifteen to fifty, he is the envy of everyone in the entertainment industry….but he also has a secret so dark, so destructive, that it will one day consume his entire soul.
Deals have been made, his promise bound in blood, and soon it will be his turn to pay the ultimate price. He’s resolved to his fate, but when Eva Lane Montgomery walks back into his life, he begins to question his blood oath, suddenly unsure if he has made the right choices.
In the end, the he must uphold the bargain, even when the game changes. Will his pact be too strong to break, or can love truly conquer all?
All’s fair in love, war, and rock’n’roll
Interview: Nicholas Tanek
Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Nicholas Tanek, author of The Coolest Way to Kill Yourself.
Tell us a little about yourself – your education, family, etc.
Nicholas Tanek: I am the author of The Coolest Way to Kill Yourself and Chipped Black Nail Polish. I was a punk rock skater kid from New Jersey who got swept away in the New York City rave scene in the 90’s. Although I was doing tons of drugs, I graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in English. Basically, I was a middle class white kid who grew up in Edison and New Brunswick, NJ. I love to write. I love being involved with anything dealing with the creative arts. This includes writing, music, comedy, and art.
What started you on your journey to become an author?
Nicholas Tanek: The love of my life died in 2012. Her name was Lynn and she was 37 years old. We both loved being creative and we loved to write. All this time, I would write poems and stories about and for women. I would get published but she would not. She was very upset about this. She would always say, “No one is ever going to write anything for or about me.” So, I wrote a book for the woman who thought that no one would write a book for her. Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey and I only had a generator. So, I used that to power my laptop. I wrote this tribute for her. At the same time, it became a memoir. It was also very therapeutic for me. In turns, it became therapeutic for the readers too. The book is titled The Coolest Way to Kill Yourself. After that, I wrote a prequel titled Chipped Black Nail Polish, which is a coming of age story about my first love. It takes place in the 1989 New Jersey/New York punk rock scene. The positive reaction to The Coolest Way to Kill Yourself inspired me to write Chipped Black Nail Polish. Now, I have been inspired to write my next book.
What is a usual writing day like for you?
Nicholas Tanek: I usually write during the evenings. I like to be emotionally honest and keep the writing style rooted in whatever emotion I am feeling. I need music. Every part of the book has a song that goes with it. So, I play it while I write the scene. Then, we edit, edit edit. After that, we edit more.
Do you have a specific writing style? Are you a plotter or a panster when it comes to writing?
Nicholas Tanek: I definitely start with a loose outline in my mind. The main aspect is me getting the words onto page. Because all of the stories are true, I know the beginning, middle, and the end. First, I have to get it out of my head and onto the page. Second, I have to make sure the structure works and there is a flow to the work. Finally, the editing makes it all come together.
How much of your work is based on first-hand knowledge? Is anything you write based on real people/events and if so, how did they inspire you to create your work?
Nicholas Tanek: My books are all true. I just change the names and label them fiction for legal reasons.
Do you get writers’ block and if so, how do you overcome it?
Nicholas Tanek: I look at it this way. I only work when I feel inspired. If I am not inspired, I do not want to put out anything. I absolutely love writing, but I only want to write something that I feel inspired about. So, I will go through a period of time when I am not writing, but that means that I am helping other creative people with their creative work. Creativity inspires creativity. So, in my opinion, surrounding yourself with creative people is a wonderful way to overcome writer’s block.
Who are your main influences in the writing world? Do you have favorite authors?
Nicholas Tanek: I like Anais Nin, Hunter S. Thompson, Herman Hesse, Richard Shannon, and many more. I also like comedians who write. Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Chris Gethard, and Julie Klausner are very funny authors. I think Tom Scharpling should write a book.
Are you trade or indie published? How has your experiences differed from your expectations prior to becoming a published author?
Nicholas Tanek: I come from the DIY punk rock mentality. I want total control of my work. I am not in it for money. I write books to create art and because I have a need to be creative. So, I am an indie author. With that being said, I welcome talks with publishing companies, but I would want creative control.
Do you have any regrets as an author?
Nicholas Tanek: In The Coolest Way to Kill Yourself, there was a memory that I wish I included. I was on ecstasy at a rave in Queens during the 1990’s. The fire department shut it down. The Evolution Vibe Tribe asked for one more record to be played. Even though the whole night was electronic dance music, the DJ played “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang. The crowd went wild and danced their asses off because they knew it was the last dance. I wish I included that in my book.
What is the hardest part about being a writer?
Nicholas Tanek: I do not want to hurt anyone with my writing. At the same time, I write from real experiences. So, there are people who I love who may get hurt if I write about them. That breaks my heart. Still, I have an overwhelming need to be honest with myself and true to the story. So, dealing with that is the hardest part of being a writer.
How long on average does it take for you to complete a book, from the first time you sit down to write until it becomes a published book?
Nicholas Tanek: The first book took more than a year to write and edit, but it took a lifetime to live the story.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Nicholas Tanek: Write. Be original. Just write… even if 99% of it is garbage, that 1% may be good. One sentence can change everything. The key is to actually write that one sentence. And, for the love of everything cool, be original. There are too many people just trying to write to make what they think will sell. Be original. Write for yourself and from the heart.
What are you currently working on?
Nicholas Tanek: My new book is a sequel to The Coolest Way to Kill Yourself. It is a tribute to the wonderful, wild, and weird people of the New Jersey / New York BDSM fetish community. It is about how people deal with loss and emotional pain through sex. When Lynn died, I was devastated. So, I used the BDSM fetish community as a way to distract myself and ultimately, heal myself. Although it is a very sexual book, it is not masturbation material. The book is a celebration of kink, but mainly, a celebration of friendship. It is very emotional. Hopefully, it may help very sexual people who are going through an emotionally tough time. The working title is Your Kinky Friends.
Follow Nicholas on the web:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.tanek
Website: http://thecoolestway.net
Twitter: @NicholasTanek
Author Interview: David Alan Morrison
Today I had the pleasure of interviewing David Alan Morrison, author of Guild of Immortal Women.
David received his B.A. in Deafness, Theatre, and Cultural Diversity and his M.A. in Theatre Arts. His plays have been produced in Louisville, Seattle, Lexington and Houston. His middle-grade fantasy, RESCUING AWEN has been adapted to a graphic novel, his memoir TRAVELS WITH PENNY; OR, TRUE TRAVEL TALES OF A GAY GUY AND HIS MOM has been nominated for LGBT awards and GUILD OF IMMORTAL WOMEN was an Indebook finalist. All are available from Amazon.
Tell us a little about yourself – your education, family, etc.
I had the kind of upbringing that makes a very boring bio-pic; middle class family living in the suburbs of Chicago, family dog, neighborhood schools. My dad was a truck driver and my mother worked for the phone company. My dad’s family was from the deep south, causing a wonderful juxtaposition with my mom’s New England family. Luckily, they were all kind of crazy and dysfunctional. It’s the most interesting character study a writer could ask for.
What started you on your journey to become an author?
I can’t remember a time I didn’t write. As a kid, I would watch unhealthy amounts of TV and, when I didn’t like the show, would re-write the endings. It evolved into making me the kind of writer who spread scraps of paper around my room (and later my apartments) with fragments of ideas, plot points and quotes.
What is a usual writing day like for you?
I wake up, drink much too much coffee, procrastinate by cleaning my house, washing dishes and talking to myself. Luckily, this kind of mindless busy work helps my mind free itself to the point that – about 7 pm or so – I have written whole scenes in my head. I then head to the computer and hash out several pages of material in a frantic flurry before heading to bed. It’s not the most effective way to write, but it works for me.
Do you have a specific writing style? Are you a plotter or a panster when it comes to writing?
I have spent much of my writing life flying by the seat of my pants. I’ll envision a scene and write it, then repeat this process until I have lots of ideas to work with. Only then do I back up and begin pulling the pieces together by writing a plotline. It has its own set of problems, such as discovering plot holes that you could drive a truck through. My latest work I’m trying to reverse that process and layout the plot first. So far, it’s maddeningly slow, but much more useful.
How much of your work is based on first-hand knowledge? Is anything you write based on real people/events and if so, how did they inspire you to create your work?
Much of what I write about has some link to real life: a quote I overheard, or a scenario I’ve experienced. If it’s not a direct link, I do base a lot of my dialogue and action sequences on some real life events. It provides an authenticity to the work.
Do you get writers’ block and if so, how do you overcome it?
I get writer’s block all the time. If I’m blocked on a current project, I force myself to sit at the computer and write something: emails, letters, thank-you notes…anything that makes me get words on paper. The more drudgery sort of work the better, as after a short time, my brain can’t handle the monotony and it starts being creative.
Who are your main influences in the writing world? Do you have favorite authors?
I love the early Stephen King work. I idolize Janet Evanovich – she’s a genius. I thoroughly enjoy reading new authors – the Stephen King of tomorrow is out there.
Are you trade or indie published? How has your experiences differed from your expectations prior to becoming a published author?
I’m indie published. This had a dramatic effect on my self-esteem, as I thought nobody’s a “real writer” unless they were published by Random House (or some other publisher). As time went on, I realized this is not true. The Indie publishing market has opened up a whole new world. The work is harder when you’re doing your own PR, but the rewards are great. Plus, good writing is good writing. It doesn’t matter how it gets out into the world.
Do you have any regrets as an author?
I wish I had been more fearless at a younger age. I wish I could have been less self-conscious.
What is the hardest part about being a writer?
The loneliness. I enjoy going out, meeting people and doing social things. A writer’s life requires solitude. I’m still balancing solitude and loneliness.
How long on average does it take for you to complete a book, from the first time you sit down to write until it becomes a published book?
The time frame varies so much this question is impossible to answer. My advice to new authors is this: finish the book! There is plenty of time to edit and change later. Just. Finish. The. Story. Figure it will take about the same amount of time to do your edit, then another ¼ of the time to fret about if the work is worth it. You can cut down this time by ceasing the fretting. It’s worth it.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Write. Read. Be honest with self-critiques, for it takes a lot of manure to yield a rose. Don’t pay attention to people who don’t “get you” or “understand you”. Be true to the material. Kill some of your favorite scenes – they mean a lot to you, but probably bores the reader to tears.
Below is an excerpt from David’s current WIP:
He glanced to the clock again. 2:36 AM. Maybe he should pop a couple of the Quaaludes Kevin had given him. But as much as he craved sleep, a small part of him feared slumber, for recently, during the few hours his body did shut down, horrible dreams haunted him, dreams in which a red-haired woman stalked him from the shadows.
All his life, he had enjoyed vibrant, joyful, colorful dreams that stayed with him long after he awoke. But nowadays, he awoke from catnaps shaking, covered in sweat, and infused with a deep sense of fear. For all the meditation, journaling and therapy, he could remember only portions of the dream; a violent, angry woman dressed in bright red with a name that sounded noble, like Veronica, Vivica…something with a “V.” His brain allowed previews of the picture, but never the entire film.
Ever since the accident, his relationship with Jake had deteriorated, his sleep patterns had been destroyed and the only steady commitment he could fulfill was the volunteer position at the animal shelter. It was as if his whole world had been overturned like a giant Etch-A-Sketch. But through it all, good ol’ what’s-her-name in the red dress had seared a place for herself in his nighttime jaunts. And he knew that in his dreams, she was killing people.
Dane knew he should tell Jake that these vivid dreams had started again, but he didn’t want to concern him. Admit it, he said to himself, you don’t want Jake to think you’ve totally lost it. You’re afraid he’ll think less of you.
But there was also another reason he couldn’t tell Jake about the dreams. He harbored a feeling that was impossible to describe, an inner sense that through the dreams, he was fighting some kind of battle…a battle that was his and his alone. It’s personal.
Check out David Alan Morrison on the web:
Website: www.davidalanmorrison.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DAMauthor/?fref=ts
Twitter: @davidalanmorris
Interview: Author Kathy Steinemann
Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Kathy Steinemann, author of Megan and Emmett (WIP).
Kathy has loved writing for as long as she can remember.
As a child, she scribbled poems and stories. During the progression of her love affair with words, she won public-speaking and writing awards. Her career has taken varying directions, including positions as editor of a small-town paper, computer-network administrator, and webmaster.
Her short stories and poetry have appeared in various online and print publications, including Shoreline of Infinity, Boston Literary Magazine, and The Quarterday Review.
She has published multiple novels, anthologies, and self-help books. Kathy tries to write something every day. Her WIP is another anthology in the Megan and Emmett series.
Tell us a little about yourself – your education, family, etc.
I pursued several avenues of post-secondary education, but always gravitated back to my first love: writing. I’m a homebody who enjoys a good novel or television show that engages my imagination. My family—a long-suffering husband, three grown children, two grandchildren, and a pair of mischievous cats—help keep me young at heart.
What started you on your journey to become an author?
I can’t name a single thing. However, I can remember losing myself in fiction as a child—running through meadows with the Black Stallion or speeding through space to distant planets. Winning a few writing and public-speaking contests helped fuel my enthusiasm.
What is a usual writing day like for you?
I don’t have an ironclad routine, but I generally manage social media tasks early in the day. I might do a critique at Scribophile, transcribe information from sticky notes into my computer, record new ideas, and then tackle the serious task of writing, editing, or designing book covers. I get away from the computer every twenty-five minutes or so—with the help of a nagging timer—to stretch my legs, refill my coffee, or see what mischief the cats are up to if they haven’t been trying to take control of my keyboard.
Do you have a specific writing style? Are you a plotter or a pantser when it comes to writing?
I attempt to make every word count, omitting most adverbs, employing active verbs, and keeping descriptions—especially of characters—to a minimum. I believe that if you tell readers a woman is a long-distance runner on a trail in the woods, they’ll see what she’s wearing. Why bore them with details they’ll forget in a few paragraphs? Do they need to know she’s wearing turquoise-blue jogging pants and a red sweatband? I keep to the important facts. Does she rub her elbow because she hurt it playing tennis? Will that affect how she reacts in five minutes when she’s attacked by a strange man in a ski mask?
Most of my writing is of the pantser variety. I prefer to let my characters and story lead me in unexpected directions.
How much of your work is based on first-hand knowledge? Is anything you write based on real people/events and if so, how did they inspire you to create your work?
Most of what I produce is pure imagination, although real life sneaks in. The Megan and Emmett series, while not based on me and my husband, does have snippets that mirror our conversations and interactions. It’s always fun to hear friends speculate about what’s real and what’s fiction after they’ve read Nag Nag Nag, the initial book.
Do you get writer’s block and if so, how do you overcome it?
Yes and no. I find that writer’s block is usually a byproduct of staying away from my computer and finding excuses when I don’t feel up to writing. As soon as I scrap that mindset and open my word processor, the ideas start to flow. If I bog down trying to think of an appropriate word or phrase, I walk a few figure-of-eights around the room. That usually gets the creative juices flowing in the right direction.
Who are your main influences in the writing world? Do you have favorite authors?
I can’t say I’m influenced by anyone in particular. I admire Stephen King’s minimal approach, and I enjoy Ray Bradbury, Fredric Brown, and Rod Serling.
Are you trade or indie published? How have your experiences differed from your expectations prior to becoming a published author?
Indie all the way. I’ve never sought an agent or traditional publisher. With so many big-name authors switching to the indie model, I’ll probably stay where I am. I didn’t have many expectations when I began this journey, so whatever happens is a new experience.
Do you have any regrets as an author?
Yes. I wish I had started this process decades earlier. I have so many stories in my head and never enough hours to tell them. Oh—marketing. I regret having to strut my own stuff. If I didn’t have to market, I’d be more productive.
What is the hardest part about being a writer?
Forgetting that fantastic idea I had a few hours ago but never wrote down because it was so mind-blowing I’d never forget it. Reminder to self: Jot down that idea you had as you started on this interview. You know the—Crap! Why do I hear Britney Spears in my head singing “Oops! … I did it again”?
How long on average does it take for you to complete a book, from the first time you sit down to write until it becomes a published book?
That’s an impossible question. I have one novel on my hard drive, the third in my Sapphire Brigade Series, that has been gathering digital dust for over a year. It took me several months to research, and I’ll publish it after I run the earlier books through a critique cycle at Scribophile. My most recent creation, CreateSpace Graphics Primer, required almost as long due to the extensive graphics and numerous proofs I had to order before I was satisfied with it. I’m no George R. R. Martin, but I enjoy a relaxed approach. Rushing into publication is a typographical disaster waiting to happen.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Yes. Learn the rules and then learn when to break them, or you’ll end up as a copycat without a distinct voice. Advice can be like pasta—with exquisite texture when cooked properly, or pasty when overdone.
Oh, and avoid comma splices, I hate comma splices, they make prose difficult to understand, did you see how many I used, don’t they make this section complicated to comprehend? ’Nuff said. [Kathy grins.]
Here’s an excerpt from the next Megan and Emmett WIP, from the chapter, “Let Tiffany Take Care of You”.
“Hello, Mr. Wal—”
“Emmett. Please call me Emmett. ‘Mr. Walpole’ is too formal, considering what you’re about to do to me.”
“All right, Emmett. I’m Tiffany. You just lie back, think happy thoughts, and I’ll take good care of you.”
“Be gentle.” Heh heh. She can take care of me any day. What a beaut.
“You look nervous.”
“Nah, not me. I’ve been here a time or two.”
“Try to relax.”
“Relax? How can I relax with you standin’ over me?” With those gorgeous brown eyes. And whatever that is in your hand.
“There we go. How does that feel?”
“Just a little more to the left.”
“Better?”
“Mmmmmhmmmm.”
“All right.”
“I’d—”
“Shhhhhhhh. No talking.”
“Mmph.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“It’s okay. I like the rough stuff.”
“Well, I don’t. I’ll try to not to do that again. You’re all tense now. My bad.”
“Mmph.” Fishing. Fishing. Think about fish—
~*~
“Emmett … Emmett … Mr. Walpole?”
“Mmph.” She musta been gentle. I dozed off. Damn cat kept me awake all night.
“You were sleeping? Nobody has ever fallen asleep on me before. For a minute there, I thought maybe you’d passed out.”
“I can take whatever you dish out. Like I said, this isn’t my first time.”
“All done. How do you feel?”
“Pretty good. Much better than when I came in. How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing. Your senior’s medical insurance covers reattachment of dental bridges.”
Follow Kathy on Social Media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kathysteinemann.author
Twitter: @kathysteinemann
Website: KathySteinemann.com
Welcome to the Underground Lair of the Paranormal Princess 