Sunday, October 20, 2013

"True Nature" Author Jae Interview

"My biggest goal is to publish enough novels to make a living, but to avoid publishing so much that my writing becomes empty and all the characters start to look like weak copies of each other." -Jae

Jae is an award winning author of lesbian romances. I first stumbled upon her when I picked up her ebook Second Nature from Amazon. It is a shape shifter lesbian romance. I usually don't read those type of books (lesbian yes, but not shape shifter), but I really liked this one. I became a fan. Then I was looking up how to find Beta Readers, and landed on her site. I read the article and then saw that the header was her new novel True Nature. I knew then and there I would have to interview her.




Interview with Jae

Tell us a little about yourself. What is something most people don't know about you?
I’m a writer, an editor, a traffic psychologist, and an office supply addict. I’m German and live in the southwestern corner of Germany, close to the borders to Switzerlandand France.

Something most of my readers probably don’t know about me is that I hate public speaking. It makes me as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. A weird trait for a psychologist to have, I know.
 
 
You just released your book "True Nature." How does this book compare to your other books? Why is it a must read?
True Nature (Purchase Here)has all the trademark elements of a “Jae novel”—at 141,000 words / 480 pages, it’s a nice, long read, giving me ample time to develop my characters and their relationship.
Yet at the same time, True Nature is a fast-paced, plot-driven book. Unlike my other books, I think this one could appeal to mainstream readers too, since it has elements of thriller and urban fantasy. But instead of featuring a hero and a heroine, True Nature has two strong women for its main characters.
Both Rue and Kelsey are strong in their own way—Rue as a take-charge, human alpha and Kelsey as a submissive wolf-shifter, who’s in a conflict between following other people’s expectations and following her true nature.
  
My biggest complaint about lesbian fiction is the abundance of books with characters who "all of a sudden realize they prefer women." It is as if they were struck suddenly with some potion, and now they are gay. What do you think is important or makes a good lesbian fiction book?
Well, in my books, nothing happens “all of a sudden” or for no good reason. In my contemporary romance Something in the Wine, Annie has previously thought of herself as a straight woman who’s not good at and not interested in relationships. During the course of the book, she falls in love with a woman, lesbian winemaker Drew. But despite the title, there’s no potion in the wine, which is making her gay. She comes to the realization that she’s attracted to women—or at least one woman—through much soul-searching and as part of a process that involves finding out who she really is and what she wants from life, not just in regards to her sexual orientation.
The most important thing for a lesbian fiction book—or any book, for that matter—is to make any event and any action of the characters believable. Readers have to be able to understand what motivates the characters. Unlike movies, books give us a chance to dip into the thoughts and emotions of story people, and writers would do well to remember that this is why reader read books. They want to become part of the inner world of the book’s characters.
 
 
How much success have you experienced with your books?
I’ve been much more successful with my writing than I ever thought possible. My books have won a number of awards, among them four GCLS awards. Something in the Wine has been the #1 bestseller in the lesbian fiction category on Amazon for weeks. I’ve had great feedback e-mails from readers from all over the world. I consider myself pretty lucky.
 
 
As per your blog, you are moving to be a full-time writer December 22, 2013? Tell us about that transition? How did you come to that decision? What steps did you take to move toward that?
I switched publishers in 2012. Sales with my new publisher, Ylva Publishing www.ylva-publishing.com, have been great. For the first time, my life-long dream of becoming a full-time writer started to seem less and less like a pipe dream. I hesitated for a long time (and until I was sure I had enough money saved to have a financial cushion), but in May, I finally told my boss that I’d stop working as a psychologist at the end of the year.
I’ve taken a little more time off since then and played full-time writer on those days, testing what a new work schedule might look like once I work from home. I also contacted other writers who write full time and asked about their lives as full-time writers. I started posting a series of interviews with some of those authors on my blog: www.jae-fiction.com/blog
  
What do you think sets you apart from other writers?
I’m not sure if it sets me apart from other writers, but when it comes to my writing, I’m a perfectionist. I do extensive research for each of my books, I take my time developing characters that are three-dimensional, and I go through an extensive process of beta reading, editing, and copy editing for each of my novels. My whole heart is in writing, so I don’t do things by halves.

 
What do you love most about the writing process?
I love almost everything about it, from the research to the final editing. When the writing just flows, it’s a wonderful feeling.
 
I have read "Second Nature." I really enjoyed it. What was your inspiration for that book? How did you come into writing about shape-shifters?
Well, actually, a friend from Hollandis a big fan of Buffy, and she convinced me to watch a few episodes. One of the episodes had a werewolf that didn’t look or act very convincing to me. I told her that I could do better than that, and she challenged me to actually write a story about a werewolf. Since I’m more familiar with cats, I made it a story about a shape-shifter who can turn into a liger.
 
 
Of all your characters you have created, who is your favorite and why?
That’s like asking a mother who’s her favorite child J

I have a soft spot for Luke from Backwards to Oregon. She’s such a bundle of contradictions. To the outside world, she’s a tough, successful rancher. But on the inside, she’s a big softie.
I also love Kelsey and Rue from True Nature. They have an interesting dynamic together.
  
How much time to you spend marketing your writing? What venues do you use? Any marketing tips?
It varies. Some days, I don’t do any promotion at all; sometimes, it’s about two hours a day. I do most of my marketing online. I’m on Facebook and Twitter, I have my own website and a blog I try to update regularly, and I participate in online groups.
The best marketing tool is still word of mouth, so the advice I can give you is to write good books, invest in a good editor and a good graphic artist for the cover.
Don’t spam your readers online with repeated posts of “buy my book, buy my book.” Build a relationship with your readers instead, write more good books, and publish a few short stories, either for free or at a low price, because more readers will be willing to try out your writing for $0.99.
  
What do you think is most important to be a successful writer?
Dedication. Writing is not just an art; it’s a craft like any other. And like any other craft, writing requires years to master. A lot of writers expect the very first novel they ever wrote to become a bestseller instead of seeing it as an apprenticeship.
Ideally, every novel will teach you something for the next one. It’s a life-long learning process, and that’s part of what I like about it.
 
 
Your Favorite books or authors?
I’ll list just the favorite authors of lesbian fiction; otherwise, this interview would become longer than one of my novels.
My favorite authors in the lesbian fiction genre are KG MacGregor, Gerri Hill, K.E. Lane, L.J. Maas, Fletcher DeLancey, Meghan O’Brien, and a few others that I now forgot to mention. I also like Radclyffe’s early novels.

 
Tell us a little about your plans for the future. Where do you see yourself as a writer in five years? Do you have any other books in the works?
I hope to be a full-time writer and a part-time editor for Ylva Publishing in five years. My biggest goal is to publish enough novels to make a living, but to avoid publishing so much that my writing becomes empty and all the characters start to look like weak copies of each other.
Right now, I’m working on a Christmas short story titled The Christmas Elf. The next novel I will publish will be the revised second edition of Hidden Truths, a historical romance and sequel to Backwards to Oregon.I’m also working on a series of nonfiction books about writing.
I have a million ideas for novels I’d like to write after that, but I’ll let my muse pick which one to start with.
  
Anything else you would like to say to your readers/fans?
I’d like to take the chance to thank my readers. Each of you has contributed to making my dream come true, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
Purchase any of Jae's books HERE.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Cate Beauman's NEW Book Coming Out


Cate Beauman’s newest release is available now through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  Visit www.catebeauman.com for more information and to read excerpts from her best selling series The Bodyguards of L.A. County.

When the past and present collide…
 
Wren Cooke has everything she’s ever wanted—a thriving career as one of LA’s top interior designers and a home she loves. Business trips, mockups, and her demanding clientele keep her busy, almost too busy to notice Ethan Cooke Security’s gorgeous Close Protection Agent, Tucker Campbell.  

Jaded by love and relationships in general, Wren wants nothing to do with the hazel-eyed stunner and his heart-stopping grins, but Tucker is always in her way. When Wren suddenly finds herself bombarded by a mysterious man’s unwanted affections, she’s forced to turn to Tucker for help.
 
As Wren’s case turns from disturbing to deadly, Tucker whisks her away to his mountain home in Utah. Haunted by memories and long-ago tragedies, Tucker soon realizes his past and Wren’s present are colliding. With a killer on the loose and time running out, Tucker must discover a madman’s motives before Wren becomes his next victim.

 The Unofficial Waiting For Wren Soundtrack
As I have discussed with previous book launches, music plays a huge part in my writing process. I typically listen to Pandora or YouTube and compile a collection of songs that I feel represent my characters or the situations they face as the novel unfolds.  Here are a few of the songs that I had on “repeat” while I created Tucker and Wren’s story! 

 

The soundtrack, of sorts, for Waiting For Wren:

·        Gone, Gone, Gone by Phillip Phillips
      ·        Lego House by Ed Sheeran
      ·        Wanted by Hunter Hayes
      ·        What Would Happen If We Kissed by Meredith Brooks
      ·        Trying Not to Love You by Nickelback
      ·        Beneath Your Beautiful by Labrinth Ft. Emeli Sande
      ·        I Hate How Much I Love You by Rhianna Ft. NeYo
      ·        Be Still by The Fray
      ·        All Along by Remedy Drive
      ·        Clarity by Zedd
      ·        Mirrors by Justin Timberlake
      ·        To Build A Home by Cinematic Orchestra
 
Read an excerpt from Waiting For Wren:

She pulled in her drive, dropped her phone, and gripped the wheel with trembling hands as heat from the vents rushed over her. She stared at her darkened front steps in the shadows cast about from the neighbors’ tall trees. What if he was here? His texts weren’t threatening, and technically neither were the flowers, but Rex wasn’t healthy. In the two years she’d owned her home, she’d never been terrified to get out of her car and go inside like she was now.

This is what he wants. He wants you to be afraid while he plays his games. Steeling herself, she grabbed her phone and got out with her key fob clutched in her unsteady hand. The cool rush of wind tossed her hair in her face, and she swiped wavy locks behind her ear as she strained to hear over the rustling leaves. She walked quickly, her eyes darting everywhere.

She just had to get to the door and step inside. The panic button was in the entryway if she needed it. The police would come help her, along with whoever was fielding calls at Ethan’s company tonight. “I’m almost there. I’m almost there,” she whispered, flinching, blinking, startled as the sensor lights flashed on to brighten the walkway. The security lights. It was just the security lights. She forgot she reactivated the feature the night of the gala. She took another step forward and saw the blood by the pretty pot of red mums. “Oh my god. Oh my god.” A black cat lay on her step, decapitated and bloated in a pool of dark, congealed crimson. “Oh my…”

Her breath rushed in and out as she stumbled back. The cellphone in her clammy hand rang, and she screamed. Blindly, she pressed “talk.” “Hell—hello?”

“Do you like it?” someone whispered.

She whirled, scanning, searching for Rex. He was here, somewhere. He had to be.

“Why won’t you call me?” The whisper turned into a pathetic whine. “Why won’t you call me, Wren?”

“Stop,” she shuddered out as she hurried to her car, looking over her shoulder from time to time, sure he was waiting to pounce. “Stop doing this. I’m calling the police.”

The whining stopped abruptly and turned into mad, riotous laughter. “They won’t believe you! They won’t believe you!”

“Leave me alone!” She hung up, gasping for air. Tears poured down her cheeks, and her hand shook as she opened her door, took her seat, and locked herself in. She had to get out of here. She had to get away. It took her two tries to shove the key in the ignition as she glanced at the bloodstained step once more and backed out with a squeal of tires. She sped off, heading toward Ethan’s until she remembered he was gone and a quarter of his house had been gutted for the new edition. All of them were gone—Ethan, Hunter, and Austin. She pressed ‘one’ on her speed dial, listening to the repetitive ringing. Ethan’s smooth voice told her to leave a message, but she hung up instead. She turned down another street, taking her farther from her home, and punched in Ethan Cooke Security’s twenty-four hour assistance line.

“Ethan Cooke Security. This is Mia.”

“Mia, it’s Wren.”

“Wren, are you okay?”

“Yes.” Her voice broke, and she shook her head as she clutched the wheel with one hand. “No. No, I’m not. There’s a dead cat on my porch.”

“Oh.”

That didn’t exactly describe the horror she’d just backed away from. “Someone killed a cat and left it on my front step.”

“Oh my god. Where are you?”

“In my car.” She sniffed. “Driving around. I don’t want to go back to my house alone.”

“Of course not. Let me patch you through to Tucker Campbell. He’s on call.”

Tucker? “No, wait—” But it was too late. Soothing music played in her ear.

“Wren?” Tucker’s deep voice hummed with concern.

Her lip wobbled, and tears began to fall again. “Yeah, I’m here.”

“What’s going on? Mia said something about a dead cat?”

“Someone chopped some sweet cat’s head off and put the body on my front step.”

He muttered a swear. “Are you there now?”

“No, I’m in my car, driving around. It freaked me out. I don’t want to be at the house by myself.”

“I don’t want you there either. Come to my place until we get this figured out.”

If choking fingers of terror didn’t have her by the throat, she would’ve refused, but Tucker was offering his help. She needed help. “I don’t—I don’t know where you live.”

“Ocean View Apartments, off Highway One.”

“What if he follows me? He might be following me right now.” She glanced in the rearview mirror and cringed as headlights trailed behind her.

“Who?”

“Rex.”

“Who the hell is Rex?”

“The crazy bastard who left the dead cat on my porch.”

“Son of a bitch, Cooke. Don’t stop. Don’t’ pull over. Drive on a flat tire if you have to. Just get here. I’ll be waiting outside.”

“Okay,” she sniffed, too afraid to be prideful. “I’m about ten minutes away.”

 
Did you enjoy the excerpt?  You can read the first three chapters on my website, www.catebeauman.com.

 About the author:
 
Cate currently lives in Tennessee with her husband, their two boys, and St. Bernard, Bear. She is the author of the best selling romantic suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County.  Before her career as an author, Cate worked in special education for 12 years.

“I’m a pretty lucky girl; one day I woke up and my entire life changed. I saw the light, so to speak, and decided I was going to be a writer. Now, two years later, I’m working on my sixth novel and I’m an Amazon best selling author.  I’m very grateful for the support and success I have had.  - Cate “

Contact Cate 
Amazon Author Page
http://www.amazon.com/Cate-Beauman/e/B00A05KHVM/

Social links:
www.catebeauman.com
www.facebook.com/CateBeauman
www.goodreads.com/catebeauman

 

 


Monday, October 14, 2013

Author Seeking Beta Readers

I am finding that being a writer is a life-long process of learning. My first book I did a lot of things wrong, and I am learning from those mistakes. One of those mistakes is not having beta readers. So, I have researched places to find beta readers and posted that I am seeking beta readers.
I, also, added a tab on my blog.

My next effort is to write a post about wanting a Beta Reader. I need someone to read my work, and to give honest feedback. What was a good chapter? What worked and what didn't work? What was hilarious and what was boring?  If on top of all that you are a spell and grammar checker, that is great too.

I know this will improve my writing. I don't have many people built in that can read my work and give me honest feedback. It is hard for family and friends to do this. There are all those emotions bundled up in all that. Then there is so
much sugar-coating that I will need an additional dentist appointment.

Send me a message at michelemreynolds30@gmail.com if you would like to be a Beta Reader or if you know where I can find one. My most dire need right now is for Love's Autograph which is a lesbian romance.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Finding Beta Readers

So I am searching for Beta Readers for Love's Autograph. I will reveal soon what I have found so far in my search. First what is a BETA READER? The Alpha Reader is considered within house. So I guess that would be a writers wife, husband, kids, family or friends. A Beta Reader is from the Greek letter B and is also the 2nd letter in the alphabet.  The phrase is used in companies testing their products. They put it out there to the public.


So, I am searching for Beta Readers. In this search, I scoured a few dozen websites and blogs looking for suggestions on how to find them, and to see why they are important.

Here is what I found as far as how to find Beta Readers:
 (Why they are important will have to be in another post)

  1. Join a Writing Group. Not sure why that seems so not enticing to me. I guess because I don't want to deal with personalities, and pleasantries.
  2. Go to Writing Conferences. That is a way to network, and I would like to go to one soon, but have to AGAIN research the best ones to go to, and then see if I can afford it.
  3. Advertise on your blog that you need/want Beta Readers.
  4. Writer Blogs
  5. Websites & Forums.
Websites & Forums In Order of How Helpful I Found Them to Be
  • World Literary Cafe
  • Ladies Who Critique
  • Passion & Perfection
  • GoodReads
  • Fanfiction.net
  • Golden Crown Literary Society ($20 year membership fee)
  • Lesbian Fiction Forum
  • Absolute Write
  • Indie Unlimited
  • The Anthenaeum
  • Rainbow Romance Writers (seems really good but had to join RWA for $95 then RRW for $25)
  • My Writer's Circle
  • Writer's Digest
For some of them I made an account and posted on some of the forums. I sent some messages to Beta Readers. I hope this is helpful.

Do you have Beta Readers? Where did you find them? How many do you use?



Beta Reader Inquiry: While Love's Autograph is in Surgery


My newest completed book Love's Autograph landed with my editor in Vermont yesterday. In three weeks I should see all the stitches and bruises from the surgery. My cover artist is about done with the cover. I will post that as soon as it is done. It is my first attempt at a full-out romance novel. Trail Swap had some romance in its skeleton, but it was not the main focus of the book.

I am excited to get some feedback from my editor and to put the finishing touches on the book. Currently, I am putting the last and hopefully final edits on the PROOF of Trail Swap. My plan is to send it to the publisher tomorrow.

One big thing I am missing from my writing, author world (besides selling a lot of copies, a marketing tactic, and knowledge of the field) is beta readers. How do you get Beta readers? What is the best author forum for this? Anyone have any luck with this?

I will have to research this for you all and get back to you or I would love some comments on this.