guest post from brand new author Brian Sweany!

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Brian Sweany’s new book, first book, Exotic Music of the Belly Dancer, will be out on april 25! Read this fantastic bpost from Brian about what it’s like to be a first time author.

April 22nd – sherrygomes.com
Author Highlight/ Guest Post
Guest Post – How hard was it to break into publishing, and how does it feel to be a first time author?
The short answer is that breaking into publishing was for me akin to childbirth in its sheer level of abject demoralizing pain juxtaposed by ultimate redemption. But I have some time, so I’ll give you the long answer too.
I only started writing at the tail-end of college when I discovered I had a knack for sappy, romantic poetry. One of my English teachers, a Catholic nun by the name of Sister Stella, read one of my, uh, “saucier” poems in a class note she confiscated from a girl. Rather than scold me, she took me aside and said there was a real writer in me trying to get out. She said that I should think about writing prose instead of poetry. I enrolled in Sister Stella’s class a business major, and by the end of the semester was an English major, so Sister basically changed my life.
Right out of college in the mid 90s, I penned a 110,000-word sci-fi novel called THE MESSIAH PROJECT that upwards of a hundred agents and publishers rightfully told me was a pile of crap. I shelved the book and my dreams of being a writer, taking a job as an editor for a publisher of computer manuals and cookbooks.
That’s when life happened. I got married, had kids, and I got a “real” job as the Director of Acquisitions for audiobook publisher Recorded Books. The job took me to New York once a month to negotiate book deals with publishers and agents, and being so relentlessly exposed to great writing, I couldn’t help but get the itch again. I started going back to the writing that meant the most to me, and that was my own personal journals I had written during some tough times in my early 20s. I wanted to mine that passion and fearlessness and see where it took me. Ultimately, it took me to around the year 2006 and an agent who wanted to represent me, and after that about a year of working with my agent to tweak my manuscript. Five years and 55 rejections later—not to mention 17 years after I wrote my first novel about cloning Jesus—I signed my first book deal. Just as a postscript, my publisher signed me up for a sequel earlier this past fall, so I basically went from 17 years and roughly 150 rejections to four months and zero rejections. At this rate, I might need to travel back in time to sign my third book.
As for how it feels to be a first time author, I’m conflicted. There was the honeymoon phase, that brief period of euphoria right after I signed the deal in which people came out of the woodwork to congratulate me and I felt this overwhelming sense of accomplishment and affirmation. But then there was the editing, followed by the marketing, and now I often wake up and think, “What the hell did I get myself into?”
Not that I mind it really. My experience with my editor was intense but fantastic, and the story that emerged from our back-and-forth was immeasurably improved from the first draft to the last. But from a marketing standpoint, publishing in the age of social media, especially as a first time author, is just a very hands-on experience. Between your computer, your smartphone , your e-reader and your tablet, you’re almost never unplugged. I sometimes find myself more than a little envious of the Hemingway archetype—you know, that writer on an island honing his craft or getting drunk every day while people just leave him the f*** alone. But then somebody likes one of my posts on Facebook or retweets me, and I’m all, “Man, I am totally awesome!”

book review, Code Red

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Code Red
By Amy Noelle

One day in college, Nicole decides to surprise her boyfriend with some cookies. As she goes through the dorm after retrieving the cookie dough, she is the one who is surprised, when passing a room, to find her boyfriend with another girl, a girl who knew nothing about Nicole. She tells off the guy, befriends the girl, and together, with three other friends, they form a pact to help each other refrain from getting too involved with men. Their code phrase is Code red, and when one of them says it, the others come together to help. Years later, three of them have gotten married or seriously involved, one is ready to let go of the past, and only Nicole clings ferociously to her plan to avoid all handsome decent guys and avoid all serious non one-night stand involvement. That is until Josh Daniels walks through her office door, and nothing is ever the same. As she desperately tries to cling to her code red, and her friends try to talk her into getting involved, the story really takes off into a glorious and funny romance.
This book was delightful. The humor had me laughing out loud constantly. The characters, the friendships between the women were strong and believable. In some ways, many romances are a dime a dozen with a formulaic beginning, middle and end. That’s all right, because it’s what we all expect from a romance novel. But Amy Noelle’s humor and somewhat quirky character makes this book fresh and new, unique in the genre. Normally, I scoff at a young girl who gets her heart broken once and swears off men. I was certainly never that way, and I mutter to myself about waiting till you’ve had half a dozen or more before you start giving up, girl. But again, though I would normally stop reading the book at this point, the author makes this situation seem perfectly natural and believable and just plain funny. I loved this book from the very beginning straight through to the end. Few romance novels can make me laugh and so totally captivate me as this one did. Amy Noelle and her delightful storytelling gives us a breath of fresh air, and I will be looking forward to more from her.

Fixer, book review

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Fixer
By Gene Doucette

Fixer tells the story of Corrigan Bain, a man who can see accidents of any kind before they happen, giving him just enough time to arrive on the spot to prevent it. An ex-lover FBI agent asks for his help on a case involving the deaths of several people, who all worked on the same mysterious project. The deaths appear to be accidents, seemingly no way for someone to have caused them, but it’s too coincidental that everyone on that project is dying.
What I loved about this book was the character of Corrigan. In a world of mostly cookie cutter heroes, Corrigan is unique and fun to read. He’s not perfect. He isn’t smooth and suave. He seems like a guy who could be that new neighbor who just moved in next door, and I like him more than I’ve liked a male lead in a book in a long time. He has an interesting gift, but he doesn’t come off in any way like a super hero. He has all too human flaws, including how he hates to be in crowds, an almost claustrophobic reaction. He’s extremely likable, though not always nice. He’s horrified if he isn’t able to prevent one of the accidents he sees, and he wants nothing to do with the FBI case. He’s an everyman character, believable, like you and me, and that’s what makes me love him and what made me love this book!
Gene Doucette has given us a new story, fresh and delightful, and I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Blood Flows Deep in the Empire, book review

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Blood Flows Deep in the Empire

This erotic fantasy begins with a prologue set 11,000 years before the rest of the book. A group of gods whose job had been to protect has turned against the universe and is causing calamity everywhere. Dyletri, God of Fertility, views it all from a distance and is enraged. He vows to make them pay someday. He also begs for the life of the one human woman he has come to love. He makes a bargain with the Fates that in 11,000 years, she will be brought back, at the expense of another life. Ismini is meant to be that sacrifice, but he has watched over her since her birth. What will happen when the inevitable time comes? Can he watch her be sacrificed to his long-ago bargain, especially when he feels a pull to her, a desire for her like nothing either of them has ever known?

I was sucked into this world and adventure from the very beginning. Finding myself completely wrapped up in what was happening to them, greedily racing through it to discover the outcomes, longing for what I wanted to happen. The author created strong vibrant characters, people you care about and want to see triumph over all that comes against them, from outside and from within their own hearts and souls. A masterpiece.

Here is a small guest post from the author.

-What would you tell a new author (or whatever you want to talk about)

It’s not as easy as you think! Honestly, if you really want this career, buckle-up and prepare yourself. It’s sad how many amazing, talented authors I see freak-out and give up because they realize going in that it’s not just writing a book and that’s it. There’s a whole pile of other things that go into being an author and you gotta have resiliency to stick to it.

Red Zone, book review

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Red zone
By Sherri Hayes

A fun romance with a twist.

And the twist is not a surprise. You know from the beginning. Instead of having the sexy hunk of a guy hired to protect the girl, REBECCA is the FBI agent working with her partner to protect Gage Daniels. He’s a pro football player who is being stalked, and Rebecca comes in, pretending to be his girlfriend in order to try to stop the stalker and keep Gage safe.
Gage is sexy and kind. Rebecca is tough, no-nonsense and confident, in everything professional but not in her personal life.
This was a fun delightful book, my first in the Daniels Brothers series by this author. All the characters were likable, including Rebecca’s sister, who is absolutely nothing like her. We got to meet the rest of the Daniels clan, and I’m planning to run off and buy any other books in this series, because I think the scenes with the family were my favorite in the book. I come from a big loving crazy and wonderful family like the Daniels clan, and I wanted to jump right in and become an honorary member!
The sexual tension between Rebecca and Gage was great. She’s trying to be professional and he’s trying to break down her defenses. They are both people you’d like to know, people you could imagine being friends with. I like that Rebecca is so smart and tough, and Gage is the sort of man I most like, kind of cocky, confident and strong, but with a goodness under it all that makes you feel warm and safe around him.
Overall, this was a delightful read, with characters you care about, a good mystery without overwhelming the reader with mystery induced stress with a truly satisfying plot and outcome for all. I loved it. It was one hell of a good ride!

book review, Breaking Point, the Order of the Elements

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Breaking Point, Order of the Elements
By Jess Bowen

This was one of those books I bought for my kindle on a whim. I don’t remember when or why, but I like fantasy, and the description sounded interesting. I was browsing my kindle the other day and decided to give this one a try. That simple, spur of the moment decision led me on a journey of wonder and fun, taking me on a truly delightful adventure. I love fantasy anyway, and this book had a perfect blend of fantasy and mythic elements with fresh new ideas and twists.
The book is about six young people, about age nineteen, who are brought together, two of them from our world and time, destined to save another world and time from an evil overlord. Classic fantasy theme. But these six characters and the world they need to save are different. The characters are strong with more complicated personalities, the good in them counter balanced by their own human flaws. They are brave, impulsive, and prone to act without thinking, struggle with things like anger, while still working hard to learn all they need to know and ready to sacrifice themselves to save their world. They have individual talents and powers, and together they have something very special.
There is romance, but it’s not overpowering the story, because the story is about them all and about their quest. There was no sexual content, but it didn’t need to be there for this story to feel complete and satisfying.
The book ended with the cliff-hanger to end all cliff-hangers, and all I could do was sit stunned and cry out, “No wait! I need more. I need to know what is going to happen next!”
The only disappointing thing about this book is that the sequel isn’t out yet as far as I can tell, and I want it.
I finished this book last night, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking of it ever since. I applaud this author for giving us a book that left such an impression on me, so that all I want to do is go back and read it again. I’m already recommending it to everyone I know who loves fantasy of this sort. Well done, Jess Bowen! Thank you.

Waiting

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WAITING

Waiting. I do not do it well. On the surface I appear calm and steady. You may look at me and think, “Wow, she’s handling it well.” But you’d be wrong, because you don’t see the churning turmoil going on inside.
Waiting. I hate it. I can be patient when I must be patient. When life throws some sort of sledge hammer in my plans, a crisis, a catastrophe, I can make my way through it day after day, patient, slowly getting there. But when it comes to the things of my dreams which are dependent on the whims and schedules of others, there is no patience inside me.
So, here I sit, going crazy inside from the anxiety. Those who interact with me, those who see me or talk to me in person don’t have any idea. Even worse for the friends in email, facebook and twitter. They don’t know the constant frenzy going on in my heart and my mind and even my body. They read my nonsense, and they think I’m handling the wait so easily. HA! Nobody knows.
Over eighteen weeks have passed. I was told twelve. At twelve, I was told sixteen. Now it’s eighteen. I alternate in the extremes of my thoughts.
It’s been so long, maybe they love it.
It’s been too long, they must hate it.
Despair and disappointment, discouragement fills me, rolling through me, till I almost feel I can’t breathe. I want to fly! I want to bury myself in the depths of the earth. I want to scream the frustration of the hideous wait. I begin to doubt myself and my work. I fear my effort is wasted, the expression of my being worthless. The questions circle, around and around, an endless loop of why’s, when’s and how’s. Those all-consuming what-if’s.
I wish it was just over.
I withdraw. I stop tweeting, finding the excitement and fulfilled dreams of others to be like daggers. I speak to few, only one trusted friend, but I don’t discuss the wait, even with him. I pray, but can I expect God to care about something so unimportant in the course of the universe.
People ask me, have I heard anything. Smiling I say no, but I’m sure I will hear soon. Inside, I want to screech at them, tell them please do not ask. Asking brings it all to the forefront of my mind. I have tried hard to stuff the questions far back, away from the light of my daily thoughts, so the worry and waiting won’t kill me.
I pace. I pound my fist, grind my teeth, clench my hands. I tell myself to wait, wait, wait. And I hate it.
It’s dreary and lonely. Life goes on, work, sleep, eat, care for the dogs. Start the cycle again. Work, sleep, eat, care for the dogs. I feel mired in a never-ending spiral of a dull sort of quiet desperation.
My frantic typing slows. I’ve vented. I’ve ranted. The constant anxiety doesn’t get any better, but the release of words, as always helps me focus. I cannot say these things to anyone else, so I pour them into a document, post them on a blog, save them in a folder, sure that no one will read.
And I sit back, sip from my cup of coffee, take a deep breath and then another. I allow a semblance of calm, an image, a mirage of calm to come over me. I prepare myself to begin again.
I wait.
And I hate it.

End of All Things review and special outtake!

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The End of All Things
By Lissa Bryan

I’m so excited about today’s blog tour! Not only do I get to review this marvelous book again, but we have a truly special surprise for everyone who stops by to read. An outtake, written by Lissa, and not posted anywhere else! Lissa Bryan is an incredible author and a great person, and she has generously written this outtake for you all. This is a scene that will not be in the book. Read on to enjoy, and don’t miss the chance to get The End of All Things when it is released! Also, as usual, if you want the chance to win a copy of this book, send an email to me at sherry@sherrygomes.com with End of All Things giveaway in the subject and your name and email address in the body of the email.

And now, the outtake, by Lissa Bryan.

Birthday
By Lissa Bryan

Carly slid the pan into the oven and turned the dial on the wind-up timer. Its ticking was loud in the silent kitchen. She still wasn’t used to how quiet the world was without the hum of a refrigerator motor or furnace, the rumble of traffic, the murmur of a radio or television.
She listened to it tick while she gazed out the kitchen window toward the barn, its outline almost completely obscured by the driving snow. Carly told herself it would take Justin a while to muck Shadowfax’s stall and lay down new bedding, and it would seem even longer if she stood by the window waiting for him.
Carly went back into the living room and snuggled up on the sofa under a throw. Sam was curled up on the floor beside the fireplace, his cat, Tigger, nestled up against his side. He thumped his tail when Carly smiled at him. He was waiting, too; he wouldn’t fall asleep again until Justin was back inside the house. When Justin wasn’t home, Sam made periodic patrols of the house, prowling silently from room to room in the low, slinking posture of wolves, his amber lupine eyes glittering.
Carly picked up the book she’d been reading and reached over to the end table to turn up the lamp. Now in a world lit only by fire, she missed flooding a room with brilliant light at just the touch of a switch, being able to read wherever she liked. And truth be told, she was a little afraid of the fire hazard presented by oil lamps and candles. It was a paranoia Justin shared; every room had a large fire extinguisher.
She tried to read, but found herself staring at the page without absorbing any of the words. Outside the wind howled and icy pellets of snow tapped against the windows. Carly frowned at the small pendulum clock on the mantle. Had Justin been gone too long? She hoped he didn’t get too chilled. What if he got sick? What if—
Stop it, Carly told herself sternly. Justin knew how to survive in adverse weather conditions. He wouldn’t risk himself. But she couldn’t help attempting to estimate how long it had taken to mix the cake batter, and add it to the time elapsed since she’d put it in the oven. She gave up and heaved herself off the sofa to go check the timer.
Her gently rounded belly was starting to make her awkward. She laid a hand over the mound of her stomach. She hadn’t felt the baby kick today, which worried her a little despite the reassurances of her books on pregnancy, it. She reminded herself it was early days, yet.
At first, Carly hadn’t been sure what she was feeling. The tiny flutters might have been her stomach growling, or even just her imagination. When she’d realized what it was, she’d tried grabbing Justin’s hand so he could share the experience, but so far, he hadn’t been able to feel anything.
The last time it had happened, she’d caught his worried frown before he was able to hide it, and Carly had inwardly kicked herself. It was just the kind of thing that would make Justin start worrying again. She’d even gotten out the book so she could read him the section which explained he might not be able to feel the baby move for another few weeks, but she could tell he wasn’t reassured by it.
He’d woken from a nightmare a couple of weeks ago, bolting upright in bed and shouting her name. He wouldn’t tell her what his dream had been, but she could guess, because the next morning, she found him at the kitchen table, squinting at the tiny print in his obstetrical text.
Carly had gone over to him and given him a kiss before firmly shutting the book and tucking it back in its place on the shelf. “I’m young,” she said to him. “I’m healthy and strong. Women were having babies for thousands of years before we had doctors and hospitals, Justin.”
“I know,” he said, and gave her a small smile, but his eyes had trailed back to the book.
The timer dinged and Carly jumped. She opened the oven door, pleased that no cloud of black smoke billowed out. Baking in a wood-burning stove was a tricky proposition at best. Justin had found her a cookbook printed in the 1870s that had given directions on how to tell if an oven was hot enough using pieces of paper, but Carly had struggled with cooking back in the days when she had an electric oven with a timer and thermostat.
She donned the oven mitts and took the pan out of the oven, sitting it down on the top of the stove, grinning ridiculously at her triumph. The cake looked gorgeous, a light golden brown, and the toothpick she poked into it came out clean.
This was the first time she’d ever tried baking a cake. Before the Crisis, she’d never seen the point in making the mess when the bakery down the street sold perfect, beautifully decorated cakes. Carly’s mom had loved to bake and she made her own cakes from scratch, instead of a powdered mix like this one, and it was from a vaguely half-remembered session of helping her mom in the kitchen that Carly remembered she could use a little oil in place of eggs.
She got a plate down from the cupboard and turned the pan upside down to dump the cake on it, giving the pan a little shake when nothing happened. To her horror, half the cake plopped out of the pan, leaving the other half stuck inside.
“Oh no!” she cried.
There was a scramble of claws on the hardwood floors as Sam and Tigger dashed to the kitchen, having heard the words that usually heralded one of Carly’s kitchen disasters and a helping of slightly-scorched peoplefood in their bowls.
Wincing, Carly snatched up a spatula and carefully worked the stuck side of the cake out of the pan and slid it onto the plate, fitting the two halves together the best she could. Really, if she covered it over with icing, Justin would never know, she decided. It wasn’t burned. That was the important thing.
Carly had hidden away a can of frosting. She’d been delighted to find the can jumbled in with some foodstuffs Justin had scavenged from one of the farmhouses in the countryside, delighted and very, very tempted to open it on several occasions when her pregnancy-induced cravings became almost maddening. But she had forced herself to save it.
She went back into the kitchen and found Tigger had jumped up on the table and was inching her way toward the cake. “Don’t you even think about it,” Carly warned her. She scooped up the cat and plopped her on the floor. Sam tossed back his head and sniffed at the air, giving Carly his best “starving doggy” look. Carly suppressed a laugh and went over to nudge his food bowl with her toe. Sam gave a long-suffering sigh and slouched his way back toward the living room, followed by Tigger, who gave Carly a haughty look, as though to say, “I didn’t want any of your dumb old cake, anyway.”
Carly chuckled and made a mental note to chip off the crumbs still stuck to the cake pan for them. They deserved a little treat, too. She took a butter knife from the drawer and peeled off the icing lid. She needed to hurry. Surely, Justin was almost finished with his chores, and she wanted to have the cake ready for him. She scraped all of the icing out of the container and began to spread it over the cake, humming as she worked.
It sure didn’t look like the cakes at the store. The icing had a gooey, runny texture she wasn’t expecting. She couldn’t even get it to stick to the sides. It kept running off, pooling on the plate rim. Carly frowned. Perhaps it had to dry or something. Maybe that was how bakery cakes got their perfectly smooth frosting.
The kitchen door opened and a blast of chill air made her shiver. Snow swirled inside as Justin closed the door behind him. Carly moved to conceal the cake behind her back.
Justin stomped to knock the snow off his boots and jeans. He peeled off his gloves and laid them on the bench beside the door before hanging up his coat on the hook, then headed over to the stove to warm his hands above it. “What’s that I smell? It’s delicious.”
He craned his neck to try to see around her but Carly adroitly blocked his view. “It’s a surprise. Warm up first. You look half-frozen.”
“I am. It’s colder than a polar bear’s … uh … nose.”
Carly giggled at his efforts at self-censorship. Justin was trying to break his habit of swearing before the baby was born, with varying degrees of success.
“Are Shadowfax and Storm okay?” Carly knew that wild horses did just fine in this kind of weather, but she worried about the filly. She was so small…
“Snug as bugs in a rug,” Justin promised. “They’ll be warm in the barn, but I went ahead and put the blanket on Storm just in case.”
“Thank you.”
“Am I warm enough? Can I see my surprise now?”
Carly grinned at his eagerness. She stepped aside and pointed to the cake. It wasn’t as pretty as she had envisioned. It looked more like a stack of pancakes, standing in a puddle of molten chocolate. “Happy birthday, Justin.”
He looked at the cake and then back to Carly in confusion. “Birthday?”
“Your driver’s license fell out of your pack when we were moving our things into the house.” Finding the license had surprised her. She’d had to talk him into keeping his passport because he said there was no point; the American government was dead. Finding the license had made her wonder if he had just a little bit more hope for the future than he let on.
“I know we’re not sure of the exact date, but according to your driver’s license, your birthday is around now.” Carly licked her lips, a little nervously. His face had gone impassive, as it did when he wanted to hide what he was thinking.
He looked away before he spoke. “It’s probably not my real birth date, anyway. According to my Children’s Services file, they searched for my mother by trying to track down any babies named Justin born on that date. They were all accounted for.”
Carly inwardly winced. She hadn’t thought about the possibility celebrating his birthday might bring up thoughts of his abandonment as a child. It must have shown in her face because Justin’s eyes softened and he smiled. “This was really nice of you, Carly. Thank you.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“I know.” He took her into his arms for a kiss. She remained in his arms for a moment, her cheek resting against his chest.
“Well, this is your official birthday now,” Carly declared. “It’s a new world, Justin, one we can make into whatever we want. And this is going to be a happy day for you from now on.” She went over to the cabinet and got two plates, wishing she’d thought to get him a candle.
Justin was staring down at the cake. “Um, Carly… Was this the first time you ever made a cake?”
She had to giggle. “That bad, huh?”
“I guess you didn’t know you’re supposed to let it cool before you put the icing on.”
Carly felt her cheeks heat up. “No, I … um … I was in a hurry. I’m sorry. I guess I should have asked you to help rather than trying to make it a surprise.”
He kissed her again. “It was a very nice surprise. And I’m sure it will taste great. Here, let’s have some.” He cut them both a slice of the gooey cake and they sat down at the table to share the still-warm confection. Despite the texture, it was pretty good. Carly held the bite in her mouth for a moment to savor it. This was the first cake she’d had in almost a year, since the Crisis had destroyed the old world and ended the luxury of treats like these. She realized it might be the last cake she ever had.
Justin took their plates to the sink and washed them while Carly wrapped up the remains of the cake and stored it in the pie safe. She’d learned quickly not to leave anything edible out. Tigger would hop up on the counter and knock it to the floor so she and Sam could share it. Carly suspected the wolf had somehow trained the cat to do that. She added a couple more pieces of wood to the fire.
Justin came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you, Carly. You’re always doing these sweet things and I don’t think I’ve told you how much they mean to me.”
Carly leaned back against him and smiled. It would take Justin a bit of time, she reflected, to get used to having someone who loved him; small gestures like these still caught him off guard.
Justin carried the lamp to light their way upstairs. He’d laid a fire in the bedroom earlier, and combined with the heat rising from the kitchen below, the room was toasty warm. Carly stopped by the window before she climbed into bed and looked out at the swirling snow, thankful they’d found a safe refuge for the winter. Justin moved behind her and set the lamp on the dresser as he stripped off his clothes. The changing angle of the light made her reflection sharpen in the window. Under her flannel pajamas, her gently rounded belly protruded. Carly turned to the side, trying to imagine how she would look in a few more months. Her baby would be born in late spring, the closest they could guess, in the time when the world was fresh and green, a time of new beginnings.
Justin slipped into bed behind her and snuggled up against her back, one of his hands cupped around her belly. Carly gave a soft sigh of contentment. “Good n—”
“Did you feel that?” Justin blurted.
“Feel what?”
He paused. “There! There it is again!”
She felt the tiny flutters of her baby moving and smiled even as her eyes welled with tears. “Happy birthday, Justin.”

Purchasing info:

The End of All Things is available for pre-order on the TWCS site (link below)
or iTunes. It will be available in paperback and ebook on Amazon, iTunes,
B&N.com and TWCS site on January 24th.

Link to purchase book:

http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/81

Author Webpage:

http://lissabryan.blogspot.com/

Author Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/lissa.bryan?sk=wall

Author Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5442345.Lissa_Bryan?auto_login_attempted=

true

Author Bio:
Lissa Bryan is an astronaut, renowned Kabuki actress, Olympic pole vault gold
medalist, Iron Chef champion, and scientist who recently discovered the cure
for athlete’s foot…. though only in her head. Real life isn’t so
interesting, which is why she spends most of her time writing.

Her first novel, Ghostwriter was released October 11, 2012, and her second,
The End of All Things, will be released on January 24, 2013.

Book Review
The End of All Things
By Lissa Bryan

Carly believes that she and the puppy, Sam, she rescued are the only survivors in her area to live through a terrible virus that has swept over the world, killing untold numbers of people. She meets Justin, another survivor, but can she trust him. Gradually, he shows her he is trustworthy, and they begin a trek from Alaska to a warmer climate, hoping to make it to Florida before the weather gets cold and threatens their survival. Together, with Sam—who turns out to be a wolf cub—a horse and a cat they rescue along the way, they make their way through a world changed beyond recognition, meeting other survivors, good and bad. How will they survive? Can humanity go on? What about future children? They face danger along with wonder and love as they try to figure out answers to these questions, particularly, how to live in a world without electricity, refrigeration or medicine.
I loved this book. I’ve read several post-apocalyptic novels, two of which I’ve enjoyed, The Stand and Alas Babylon, and The Stand is one of my all time favorite books. But Lissa Bryan’s entry into that genre is sure to become another much loved book. She gives us the devastation mixed with hope of other such books, but without the supernatural or weird elements of The Stand. As she always does, she creates vivid, believable characters, people you feel you could know and wish you could meet.
Carly, who doesn’t think of herself as courageous and yet finds strength in herself she wouldn’t have imagined. (Not to mention the delightful way she names her animals after Lord of the Rings characters.) Justin, who thinks he’s not worthy of being loved, who is one of the most endearing male leads I’ve read in a long time.
And of course, there’s Sam, the beloved wolf, who protects his “pack”, human, equine, feline and whatever else Carly decides to adopt on the journey. Shhh, don’t tell the humans, but I think Sam is my favorite character of them all!
I had to take a week after finishing this book, just to think about it and process it. It moved me deeply, and I knew I would never be able to find just the right words to say how much and why. One of the things I love is the humanity of this book. We don’t learn much of the gory details of the virus or follow the tragedies of characters before during and after the sickness. What the author gives us is a story of characters who are strong, who can survive and can love, even in the midst of heartbreak and a world changed forever. That’s why I love it so much, and why I’m still pondering it today and wishing I knew more and could see the world the survivors will create.

book review and giveaway, Eire’s Captive Moon

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I have the great pleasure today of introducing an amazing book and author to you all. Eire’s Captive Moon, by Sandi Layne, a glorious and sweeping historical saga, first in a trilogy. Read on for my review, for a special look at how the author researched for this novel—she even gets me to want to do research, something that has never interested me—and for info about Sandi and how to get your copy of the book! And, there just might be a chance to win a free copy.

Book Review

Eire’s Captive Moon
By Sandi Layne

I love grand historical fiction, with strong characters, with details of life as it was then, with romance and drama and delving into a world so unlike my own. And it doesn’t get any better than this book!
The place is what we know as Ireland, moving to the land of the Vikings. Charis is a healer to her people. Cowan, the son of a king, returning home. Agnarr, a Norseman, looking for adventure, slaves and wealth before returning to his home to marry his betrothed. When the Vikings raid the villages along the Irish coast, no people can withstand against them, no gate can keep them out. Everyone is swept away, to death or captivity. History, and that’s where the story begins.
What did I love? Better to ask what I didn’t love, and the answer would be, I loved everything. I’m all about characters. If I don’t like the characters I don’t like the book. Sandi Layne created people about whom I cared deeply. I ached for them, hoped for them, cheered for them. I was fascinated by the details of life, in both lands we visit. Some of it I’d read before in other books, but many details were new, making me want to learn more.
The very best thing was that Sandi Layne kept me guessing to the very end. When Charis had a choice to make, I honestly could not guess which way she would go. I knew what I wanted to happen, but I was not sure Charis wanted the same thing. Few authors can keep me wondering to the very end of the book. I almost always figure things out before it’s answered in the story. I found myself thinking, come on, come on. What is she gonna do? Holding my breath, and feeling absolutely delighted that I did not have a clue! This book is not like the typical historical fiction romance, and that’s one of the many reasons I loved it so much!
If you love historical fiction and romance do not miss the chance to read Eire’s Captive Moon. It’s the first in a trilogy, and I can hardly wait for the next. It’s a long time since a book like this captured my heart and mind so completely.

Have I got you interested yet? Can you tell how much I love the book? Read on to hear from Sandi.

Guest Post from Sandi Layne
On Finessing Google and Other Forms of Research

Once upon a time, I had the crazy idea to write a romance novel set shortly after the time of Saint Patrick on the island of Éire. At that time, I had a preschool-aged son, no internet, and no car since my husband had to use our family car for work. And though I considered myself widely read, I wasn’t so much so that I could even imagine I could do a credible job on the era without research.
Back in that “once upon a time,” I went to the local library, after having arranged for a day away and all that. It was a productive day. Early research is often as much about finding what you want to know as anything else. I recommend researching as soon as you have a general idea about what the plot of the story might be about, as a matter of fact. Sometimes, research will tickle your imagination and send your story on a whole new course. It’s far easier if this happens before you’ve written a substantial amount in a different direction.
I really didn’t get rolling for the detailed part of the research for the book that became Éire’s Captive Moon until about 2002. I think we were still on dial-up modem, then, but the databases available to me were so much more comprehensive than I had had before that I wallowed in information for an incredible amount of time.
Research, as many authors will confess, can be addictive.
Initially, I went seeking herbals—resources for Charis’s craft. At the time I first began the research, many of these listings and treatments were connected to belief systems of Wiccans or other pagan traditions. The challenge was finding (a decade ago, remember) sites that just discussed the plants. I found one of my best resources to be something I had had for long years: The Earth’s Children® series by Jean M. Auel. Moral of the moment: works of fiction can be excellent resources for other works of fiction.
After I had a fair idea of how to apply the herbals, I went to research the laws that pertained to the society I was writing about, as well as the poetry and mythos of the time I was thinking to visit. I found wonderful information about the Brehon and their laws, as well as the early church’s different interpretations of scripture in the society, but. . .
I also discovered at this juncture, once I had a headspace for Charis and the people with whom she lived, that I couldn’t write the kind of story I wanted to in that time. A decade ago, I needed a bigger conflict, something huge and encompassing. It will come as no surprise that my imagination went to the Vikings. So I researched their history regarding raids in Ireland only to find that the earliest incursions took place centuries after my desired timeframe.
Which is why I now recommend doing more research before you start getting too heavy into a plot.
I chose to use the Norwegian Vikings and concentrated my research there. For this, I first sought where the Vikings came from by poking online for references to artifacts that could be dated to approximately the early 9th Century. Then, I looked at the art and craftsmanship for this era and looked into their belief systems, which led me to a better understanding of Northvegr, or The Northern Way.
Though I am a Christian myself, I wanted to make sure to portray the other beliefs represented in Éire’s Captive Moon with respect and as well-rounded a comprehension as I could, that I would utilize in characterizations and society-building. My personal background in theology and ecclesiastical history came into play as I determined the kind of Christianity my Christian characters would have practiced as well as how they might have shared their faith with others, as the story touched on these matters.
Some people ask me how I find what I find, when I’m researching. Well, as with anything, the key is to know how to look. For Google (and other search engines, I’m sure) you need to narrow your parameters so that the results you obtain are useful to you. Type in Vikings and there are more than 54,000,000 results—some of which have nothing to do with the fearsome invaders. Ask the engine to search for “vikings ninth century” however, and your results are pared down to barely over 2,000,000. Okay, still a lot, but this just illustrates that specificity is the key. By the time I asked for “Vikings ninth century raiding Ireland” there were 800,000+ results, less than 1/6th of the original search. The front page is thus much more productive.
Once upon a time, I wanted to write an historical romance novel that involved my favorite Celtic themes. Through research, I discovered a whole new world, with vibrant people far beyond my original notions of “hero” and “heroine.” I immersed myself in a time and place previously unknown to me.
I’m still there.

Book release and purchase info and Autho Bio
Purchasing info:

Eire’s Captive Moon is available for pre-order on the TWCS site (link below)
or iTunes. It will be available in paperback and ebook on Amazon, iTunes,
B&N.com and TWCS site on January 10th.

Link to purchase book: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/80

Author Webpage: http://sandyquill.com/

Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sandi-Layne-
Author/115692828503745

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2264252.Sandi_Layne

Author Bio:

Having been a voracious reader all her life, Sandi never expected to want to
write until the idea was presented in a backhanded manner. Once the notion
occurred to her, though, she had to dive in the deep end (as is her wont) and
began by writing historical fiction. She has since written more than twenty
novels—most of which will never see the light of day.

Sandi has degrees in English and Ministry, has studied theology, spent years
as an educator, has worked in escrow and sundry other careers, but research is
her passion. She won an award for Celtic Fiction in 2003, but as well as
history, she is also fascinated with contemporary research and has self-
published several novels in the Inspirational Romance genre.

She has been married for twenty years to a man tolerant enough to let her go
giddy when she discovers new words in Old Norse. Her two sons find her amusing
and have enjoyed listening to her read aloud—especially when she uses funny
voices. A woman of deep faith, she still finds a great deal to laugh at in the
small moments of the everyday and hopes that she can help others find these
moments, too.

Now back to me, Sherry:
If you want to enter your name in a drawing to win a copy of this book, send an email with the words

Giveaway, Eire’s Captive Moon

In the subject line and your name and email address in the body of the message. Send this to sherry@sherrygomes.com

But whatever you do, rush to get this book the day it is released!

holiday thoughts

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December 27, 2012

Here we are, another post Christmas, pre New Year time. Christmas was fun. My friend Doug came to visit, bringing his guide dog, chumley. We had a restful visit. I worried that I didn’t get enough food, but he said it was okay. He’s vegetarian,a nd I am not, but after being friends for nearly 14 years, I’ve learned to cook for him in ways I can enjoy too.

He gave me for Christmas, a guitar, a new pair of comfy warm sweats and top in black and purple, a seater in deep rose, another sweater in burgundy and cream with a cream tank top for underneat–the sweater pattern has holes. music, he got me Sweet baby James by James Taylor of course, a double CD greatest hits of the Rolling Stones–funny, I didn’t like the Stones growing up, I mean seriously, Jagger can’t really sing, but as I’ve gotten older, I like them better. Also a CD with the Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A minor which also has an oboe and bassoon concerto and the soundtrack for the Hobbit Unexpected Journey. And the 25th anniversary concert of Les Miserables. mmmm. how manby versions do I have of Les Mis now? Never enough, really.

The dogs all got along well. I got one of my bad stomach aches on Christmas so by the time we went to my friends house, I wasn’t feeling too good. Didn’t eat and couldn’t eat yesterday. Ugh. Feel much better today though.

Now Doug and Chumley left to return to their home in Washington State, and I miss the hell out of them. Maybe i should move back to WA someday. after all, working at the job I have, working from home, I can live anywhere, time zone doesn’t matter much.

So, now i have a few days before returning to work. Need to eat today, feeling shaky from not eating for two days. Need to do laundry, clean the kitchen. Need to get back to writing What the Heart Wants.

Speaking of writing, since I don’t think i’ve posted anything here for ages about that. I submitted Haven to the publisher on October 5, 2012. I have not received an answer yet. tomorrow will be 12 weeks, and they said I should have an answer in that time. But I know they closed for a couple weeks at the holidays, so maybe I’ll hear soon after new year. I feel like everything in life is holding its breath till I hear yea or nay on that one. I love Haven and missed the characters so much I wrote a Christmas short story for my group, those who were my support during the writing. if haven gets published, perhaps I’ll expand it and publish it next year at Christmas.

What the Heart wants is a sort of sequel to Haven, focusing on a secondary character from Haven, someone who became so special she needed her own story in order to find her happy ending. i haven’t written on that story since around Thanksgiving, too much burn out from working 50 hours a week at my regular job and not sleeping well. sigh.

Anyway, I guess that’s it for this time around. I have more to say, but there is much to do in recovering from company, so time to take the dogs out and come back to do a bit of laundry, a little kitchen cleaning and other such boring but necessary tasks.