Book Trailer for The Hungarian

My book, The Hungarian, releases on 1 MAY 2010 with Desert Breeze, and I just got the book trailer for it. *hehehe* I'm very excited about it and I just want to gush about Kerri Nelson's work. She does a great job with it. You can find the trailer on You Tube, but I've also enclosed it here. Enjoy! *smiles* Steph

Promo Wednesday - Be Mused

I'm very excited. The Be Mused anthology releases tomorrow with Desert Breeze. Here's an excerpt from my Story, "Matchmaking Amusements." Jane meets Antonio. Enjoy!

*****

"So, Ms. Ryan, would you like to go out to lunch?"

Jane glanced at her wristwatch and groaned. "I'm ten minutes late for a meeting with my editor."

He raised a curious eyebrow. "You're a writer?"

"Yes."
Sandra Bullock, my inspiration for Jane


"So am I."

Jane's smile broadened. Adonis was a writer! "Well, ah, I'd like to have lunch with you, but I – oh, heck. Let me call Gus and reschedule."

"Your editor won't be mad?"

"I'm sure he'll be upset, but he'll reschedule." She paused. "I scare him."

"You do?"
David Ponce, my inspiration for Antonio


"He's 5'6," said Jane. Thank God Adonis was taller than her.

"Ah, that explains it," said Antonio, grinning.

Jane reached into her purse and dialed a number on her cell phone, rescheduling her meeting for tomorrow. Then she spied Isolde sitting on the flower cart next to a male muse. They were holding hands and grinning from ear to ear. A male muse? Antonio's muse, perhaps? Holding hands? What was Isolde up to? Jane flashed her muse a disapproving grin. Isolde looked like a cat caught in the middle of a flower garden.








***
Be Mused will be available at the Desert Breeze Publishing website, The Amazon Kindle store, and All Romance Books - tomorrow!

*Isolde does the happy dance!*
Smiles
Steph

Genre Writing Tuesday - Romantic Conflict

I write the Romance/Love Newsletter for Writing.com and I wanted to share this bit about romantic conflict, especially for new writers, just starting to "hone" their craft.

Conflict must have layers. It's not satisifying if the hero and heroine and tackling a problem and getting along great. They have a problem to solve together, but no conflict.

So what is conflict? Honest to goodness meaty romantic conflict?

It's not:
Fighting or aruging - this is superfiscal.
Let's face it, fighting is not romantic.

A delay - where's the conflict in a delay?
A failure to communicate - your heo and heroine must be able to make a decision. They must know what they want.
Another person meddling - if this is the cause of the conflict, then hero/heroine might appear too passive to take charge of their lives.

ULITMATELY, confict centerrs around the type of character the hero and heroine are.

Short Term Conflict
This is the problem that brings your hero and heroine together.

Long Term Conflict
This conflict challenges them to find happiness.

Short term conflict is an external problem that usually oepns up the romance in your story. The long term conflict is the interal conflict that the characters have - lack of trust for example, or a painful past. This is the conflict the hero and heroine have to overcome to come together as a couple.

Trust issues, a fear of rejection, these are examples of the "meat and potatoes" of romantic conflict.

Once you get past the short term conflict, you need to explore the long term conflict. Then you ca draw out the deep emotions in your characters.

Mastering conflict can be challenging, but very rewarding in the end.

*smiles*
Steph

Excerpt Monday - Jane & Antonio from "Be Mused" Available 1 APR

The Be Mused Anthology is a collection of 5 lighthearted short stories about muses, their writers, and love. My story in the anthology is called, "Matchmaking Amusement."


The Set up:
In this scene, Isolde, Jane's muse, made Jane sneeze. Jane tripped and fell - right into Antonio's arms.

*********


Jane fell into the strong arms of the man walking behind her. Then she looked into his soft hazel eyes and smiled. "Ah, hi."

"Hi," he replied, his voice deep and rich.

Sandra Bullock, my inspiration for "Jane Ryan."


Her handsome stranger helped her to her feet. She tried to stand up, but only had on one pump and stumbled again – right into Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. He wrapped his arms around her again. Their eyes caught. Jane's breath hitched. He was Adonis brought to life. He nipped at his lower lip with his teeth as he drank her in.

The urge to kiss those pouty red lips washed over her like a river current. Someone slap her silly. She'd just made a fool out of herself! Slowly, she disengaged from his muscular arms and stepped out of her good pump so she stood flat footed on the ground. "I'm sorry, I seem to have lost my shoe when I sneezed."

He playfully nodded his head as he smiled at her. She knew that type of smile. He was admiring her from head to toe. It had been a while since a man admired her. Two years? Three? Longer?

David Ponce, my inspiration for "Antonio."


"That sounds lame, doesn't it?" she asked.

"A little. I’m Antonio Martinez."

"Jane Ryan."

"It's nice to meet you, Jane," he said.

Jane took a deep breath as she ran her eyes over him. Again. He was older, late thirties, early forties maybe, and he had a grin that could light up a moonless night. She wasn't quite sure what to do next, but she knew she wanted to redeem herself. She didn't want Adonis thinking she was a ditz.

*******

Be Mused will be avail on 1 APR 2010 through Desert Breeze Publishing; http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com, at the Amazon Kindle store, and at all Romance Books

The Friday Review - "The Phoenix Rebellion, Book 1, Revolution"

I just finished this awesome book by Gail Delaney. If you enjoy a good science fiction story, you'll love this. *smiles* Steph

***

Book Review for: "The Phoenix Rebellion, Book 1: Revolution"
Written by: Gail Delaney
Desert Breeze Publishing
ISBN: 1-936000-08-3
Released: Oct 1, 2009
Ebook Format
$5.99
5 Stars

Delaney scores with Book One of the Phoenix Rebellion, "Revolution." Set in the near future, Delaney puts together an ensemble cast of characters and pits them against the Areth for the survival of the human race.

The Areth come from outer space and appear human. They've come to Earth and shared medical technology with us, but little else. A group of humans, "The Phoenix Rebellion," believe the Areth do not have peaceful intentions toward the human race. Covertly, a member of the Rebellion, Dr. Caitlin Montgomery, infiltrates the Areth's medical complex in New Mexico. Caitlin learns that an Areth scientist, Kathleen, gave birth to a half-human, half-Areth child, Michael. Michael's father is a human, Col. Nick Tanner. Caitlin finds Nick in Maine and shares the information with him. He's stunned. He thought his wife and son had died in childbirth. Without a second thought, Tanner joins the Rebellion, despite the fact that his feelings for Caitlin are complicated due to their previous affair which ended badly.

Nick finds General Castleton in Colorado and meets other members of the Rebellion – a married couple, Lilly, who is a doctor and her pilot husband, Jace. There's also an empath, Dr. Beverly Surimoto. After a carefully coordinated plan, the Rebellion attack the Areth's complex in New Mexico, hoping to free the Areth's subjects – including Michael. An Areth scientist, Victor, has befriended Michael and helps the Rebellion. All is not well with Victor though, as he begins having a mental breakdown. The escape from the Areth's complex in New Mexico is a thrill ride, but one of the Rebellion loses his life and the fate of the human race hangs precariously in the balance.

Delaney's writing is sharp. After a quick introduction to the Areth, Delaney jumps into the story. The plot flows well, never lingering. Delaney uses a good economy of words to paint descriptions. It's easy for the reader to visualize her futuristic world.

Delaney's characters are what makes this science fiction story shine. Col. Nick Tanner is a passionate man who has been hurt deeply in the past. Learning to trust Caitlin again is a struggle. Caitlin, for her part, realizes the folly of her youth, and tries to make up for it. The couple's chemistry is on a slow, smoldering burn that threatens to consume both when ignited. Victor's plight is heartbreaking, especially since he's an alien who shows Michael compassion. Michael's condition is intriguing. It's never fully explored in this book, leaving the reader wanting to discover more about him.

The story is "sophisticated" for romance readers. Delaney's love scenes are intense, yet tasteful. Book One: Revolution is a story packed with adventure, excitement, and love, making it a thrilling start to "The Phoenix Rebellion" series.

Tuesday Fun - Writing & Reading

Today I'm playing a little catch up with my posts, so I've had fun with my hodgepodge - I hope you do, too.

My opening picture is the "Wolf" Moon. Usually, the January moon is the Wolf Moon. It's the moon just after the start of winter. January is a cold month at night and the wolves are known to come out and howl their discomfort. Thus, the name of "Wolf" Moon. So why am I talking about wolves in late March?

*grin*

Because I'm working on a newsletter article about alpha, beta, and omega men for my Writing.com Romance/Love newsletter and I've learned some interesting stuff about each.

Since I'm a paranormal fiction writer and I've taken on werewolves in my writing, it's good to know the difference between alpha, omega, and beta men. I think we're all a little familiar with Alpha men - loners, mostly, they are confident, cocky, powerful or in postions of power, assertive, masterful - let's face it superior. He usually has one weakness that brings him down to earth. They are the quintessential "romantic" man in romance fiction.

The "beta" man is the everyday man. They are charming, affable, and are a family type guy. Unlike the alpha male, the beta guy has lots of friends. They'll stand up for what they believe in, but don't care for confrontation. Alpha males will embrace head-on confrontation. The "beta" guy is found more often than not in contemporary romance novels.

An "omega" man is somewhere in the middle of the alpha and beta. The alpha must have the recongization of being the toughest, meanest, smartest guy. The omega knows he is - he doesn't need the recoginzation. The omega male does seek out friendship. He has one or two meaningful relationships around him. He doesn't care for shallow relationships. The Omega man doesn't want to be a leader of a group. He doesn't want to belong to any group. Think of it this way - the Alpha male is all out in everything he does. The omega male is much more subtle in everything he does.

My hero in my upcoming release, "The Hungarian," Matthias Duma, is an omega man. He knows he's the bomb, but he keeps it to himself. He has several meaningful relationships with Lazlo and Janos, example, but he doesn't have an acquaintances. (like a beta would have) It fits him and the story.

WHAT I'M READING

One Snowy Knight by Deborah Macgillivray.




This is an historical story, taking place during the late 1200's in Scotland during the time of Edward I (Longshanks) of England. Edward has taken Scotland and is placing his England lords in Scotish holding. Noel de Servian has been awarded Cragienden, but on his way, the winter wind and snow take charge and his horse bolts from him, leaving him alone and injuried in the snow just outside of the castle's wall. The current lady, Skena MacIain, finds him and nurses him back to health.

This is a story rich in the time period. Both Noel and Skena are interesting characters and the supporting cast is just as enjoyable. Skena has faced a lot of hardship. Noel has led a hard life.

While I generally stay away from Scots tales, what really intrigued me was Macgillivray's book trailer. The book trailer had me sold. I'm glad I picked up this book. It's a wonderful tale to lose oneself in. I also like how Mcgillivray has captured the "flavor" of the language without dragging the story down. I can read and understand what the characters are saying with ease.

THE LONG & SHORT EASTER EGG HUNT

I'll be participating in the Long & Short Easter Egg Hunt this month. It starts on 29 MAR which is just a couple of days away. Long and Short are giving out some great prizes. The egg can be found on my blog, here, so be on the lookout for it.

*smile*

Here's a link to their promotion: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/promo.htm

Have fun today all,
Steph

Interview with Nicole Zoltack, author of "The Kingdom of Arnhem"

Hi everyone! I have author Nicole Zoltack popping in today to talk about writing and her "Kingdom of Arnhem" Series. I read Nicole's first book in the series, "Woman of Honor" and I enjoyed it very much! Enjoy the interview!

STEPH: - How did you come up with the idea for the Kindgom of Arnhem series?

NICOLE: I'm obsessed with everything related to the Middle Ages and the Reniassance and knights and chivalry. My wedding was Renaissance themed (there are a few photos on my website). My hubby and I have a sword collection. Many times, we're gone to the Pa Renaissance Faire, and I'll wear period garb.

Anyhow, I love to read everything I can about this period as well. During some research, I began to wonder if any females were knights, knowing how women were treated back then. To my surprise, there were. In fact, I learned about an entire order of female knights! When Aislinn goes to the king to ask about becoming a knight, she cites these brave women as to why she should be given her chance.


STEPH - Do you cast your characters? If so, who plays Caelan? Geoffrey? Aislinn?

NICOLE: Sometimes. I find it a lot harder to cast my female characters for some reason so I didn't cast Aislinn. But Caelan is Gerard Butler (only with darker blue eyes) and Geoffrey is a short grey-eyed Paul Walker.

STEPH: Sigh... Paul Walker. He's a handsome guy, isn't he? Swoon... I love Paul Walker. I used him in my Moldavia series as "Viktor."



STEPH - What story was easier to write? Book 1 or Book 2 in the series?

NICOLE: I would have to say Book 2 just because Woman of Honor had a deeper historical slant while Knight of Glory opens up the fantasy aspect more. It was a lot of fun to explore the world through Geoffrey and to be able to introduce other races. There are dwarves. Unlike a lot of fantasy books, I actually mention the females. And there are trolls. I harken back to the Scandinavia myths about trolls. The females are actually beautiful (definitely not the typical outlook on trolls!) and are always elegantly dressed. The men are large and muscular and hairy.


STEPH: - How do you write? Do you plot the story out or do write a scene and go from there?

NICOLE: I can't completely plot out a story or else I won't finish it! I like to be as surprised by the ending as the readers will be. I guess you could say that I write to entertain, both my readers and myself.

I usually start first with a character or a situation and work from there. Definitely a panster. I don't always write scenes in order either, sometimes I'll skip a scene if the characters refuse to cooperate. And yes, my characters do talk to me. :)



STEPH - Do you write other genres than fantasy? What are your favorite genres.

NICOLE: I write lots of genres: medieval, YA, paranormal, contemporary, horror, and romance. I'm not published in them all (yet!).

My favorite? Wow, that's a hard one. Most of my stories have some aspect of romance in them, even if only a subplot, and sometimes even though I didn't plan for it. The hardest for me to write is contemporary, because I love to add magic or mythological creatures to my stories, which is probably why I write so many fantasy/paranormal stories. Even the horror WIP that is currently on the back burner has a zombie in it.


STEPH - Who are your favorite authors? Did the way they write or the stories they wrote influence or inspire what you write?

NICOLE: I have so many that it would be impossible to list them all!

I love Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. The combination of time travel, history, romance, action and adventure... Each book is a heavy tome but they are well worth the read.

Another series I love is Tamora Pierce's The Lioness Quartet. This series is also about a girl that wants to become a knight, but she lies and pretends to be a boy. All of her books set in her Tortall world are great, but I must confess that I don't care for her Circle of Magic books.

Because of my background in forensics, I love to read true crime books as well as books on serial killers. I have some story ideas for mysteries but I don't know if I'll ever write them. In order to make mysteries work, you have to be a plotter, so I don't know. But I'm always up for a challenge so maybe someday! STEPH: I that's so neat that you have a chemistry degree and a background in forensics! How diverse!

Speaking of mysteries, I love Mary Higgins Clark. My favorite book of all time is Les Miserables. And if I don't stop now, I'll just keep listing books and authors....


STEPH - What's the latest movie you saw?

NICOLE: Avatar. I thought it was visually stunning. The special effects were incredible. But the plot was lacking. I was really disappointed with the storyline. At first, I was swept up in how wonderful and pleasing to the eye it was, but then I reflected on the story, and my enjoyment level shifted. I don't make it out to the movie theaters very often so I wish I saw a better movie instead. I'm sure a lot of people disagree with me but that's just my opinion.


***

You can find Nicole on the Internet at:
http://www.nicolezoltack.com
and on facebook.

Her books are available at the Kindle store on Amazon and at the Desert Breeze Publishing Website: http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com