New Exciting Adventure!

We now have three published works! The first in a series of books, and two short stories that were entered into a contest.

 Kai's Journey

Hiding in plain sight

The Curse of the Red Eyed Witch

 

 

To date we have three stories done and are working on book two of Kai's Journey. We have finished the story line and are now editing the book! Dan Peyton has drawn up a picture of Freya the dragon and Kai for the cover. We don't have a background yet but will soon. The beta readers are busily reading the second book so we can finish the editing portion before we send it off to the publishers! Here is a picture of what Dan has done so far on Kai's Journey Two, A new Beginning.

We are so thrilled with the way it has turned out! Now we just need to give it a beautiful background that Rebbekah White did on the first one and we will be off and running again! I am still doing what I can to get us out there. looking for places to be interviewed. We still do a few interviews, just not as many as we did before. I look forward to finishing the second book and seeing what the final cover looks like.
We are also currently working on a few other titles as well. My story that are basically about the kids when they were young called "Lost" and another called, "The Cimera Effect" and a new one called "Minitour". The latest one is really taking a life of its own and it is tentatively titled, "The Fallen Angel". If anyone is interested in interviews, we are more then happy to be interviewed! Stay tuned for more updates!



Prioitizing life

Well, today I think I have been doing a lot of soul searching and thinking. I have been pushing so hard trying to get our book out there and noticed that my family is getting neglected. Our writing stories are getting neglected. I just wanted too much to have Charlie's book be the success I know it can be.

 

My daughter is going to see her uncle for the last time. He is dying. And I can't be there with her. My husband on his last visit to the Dr. for his diabetes checkup had the EKG put on him due to an "irregular heart beat." Still don't have the results on that. My middle son is going through a pretty rough patch right now and there is only one me. I am working to help pay bills and keep caught up. I am trying to get caught up on things at home that have been neglected. Hence why I take flex when offered. I'm trying to do too much I think. It’s up to me to promote, to get reviews and blah blah blah. I think I am going to have to take a step back and just figure out what is important. My family is the most important to me. Bar none.

 

I found out this weekend that a friend on Facebook is possibly going to be homeless in a couple of months. Another young lady said pretty much the same. I want to help them but don't have the means or the knowledge of how to do that. It’s frustrating to feel so helpless. So many people with the same dreams of becoming "writers" and what ever that entails to each person. Many will think we are chasing a pipe dream by trying to become authors. We are frittering our lives away. The thought has crossed my mind.

 

I just want to help but there is only so much time in the day and only one me. I'm supposed to sit back and enjoy the fact that the book is finally "out there" again. I also get told not to sit back on our laurels thinking that things will take care of themselves. That readers will magically find our books.

 

I think I will just have to pull back, regroup, and figure out what is important and what isn't. Trim back what I am wasting time on and just do what we need to do. I think we just need to focus on the books we are writing and editing and let the promoting thing handle itself. Put effort where it will be most productive. I just don't have the time to schmooze online any more. I don't have the time to socialize and help everyone else sell their books. I will still promote where I can, but just not in the large quantities I have before. Am I dumping Facebook? No, not completely, just having to pull back and regroup. Family comes first, So if you don't see me on as much or hear from me or see me much anymore that will be why. Not giving up, just prioritizing.

Our Interview with Lynne Cantwell!

 

 

1.

What was the driving force that started you on the journey to write this book? 

 

 

For Annealed, the driving force was finishing the series!  I wanted very much to do a credible job in bringing Naomi’s story to a close.  That included being extra careful with the Big Mediation.  I realized sometime during the drafting of the third book, Tapped, that I was actually going to have to write the mediation scene. The thought of actually having to craft a discussion between Jehovah and White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman was more than a little intimidating.

 

2.

Are you organized or do you write as you go?

 

 

A little of both.  For this series, I’ve been writing a rough outline for each book, mainly so that I can keep everything within the series arc.  But the characters sometimes go off on their own tangents, as characters are wont to do, and if it fits my overall plan, I leave it in.

 

3.

How much time and research was spent in the writing of this book?

 

 

Probably four months, from starting the research until making the final edits and publishing it.  But because it’s the final book of five, I relied a fair amount on research that I’d already done for the earlier books.

 

4.

Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

 

 

My favorite author is Stephen R. Donaldson, who wrote The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.  I was writing long before I ever read any of his books.  But what I took away from his work was a sense that fantasy can be very much an adult genre, with a deep psychological basis.  I do try to incorporate that kind of thing into my own work, although I still strive to be entertaining -- it’s not all deep Freudian or Jungian stuff.

 

5.

It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

 

 

In terms of writing/editing/publishing, no.  I mean, I complain a lot when it comes to wrestling with the various Meatgrinders, but I can’t think of any part of the process that I dread.  The only part I don’t really like -- or at least, I’m not sure I’m all that good at it -- is marketing my work.

 

6.

Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

 

 

Yes! I’m always reading something, and over the past year or so, I’ve been reading a lot of work by my fellow indie authors.  Right now, I’m reading the first “Allie’s War” book by J.C. Andrijeski.

 

7.

How did you come up with the idea to write this book?  Is there personal life experience in the writing?

 

 

Not directly.  I’ve been sort of studying my “heritage” mythologies, if you will, over the past few years, and all of my novels so far have had some connection to a myth or legend in one of my own hearth cultures.  But none of the characters or events in the Pipe Woman Chronicles is based on something that actually happened to me.

 

8.

Many books are going the indie publishing route; Do you see the publishing industry headed this way? Or do you think the tried and true will win out?

 

 

Publishing is certainly undergoing a profound change right now, as a result of the indie revolution.  What fascinates me is how the big publishers can’t seem to grok what’s going on.  They appear to believe that vanity publishing and the indie revolution are the same thing -- and they’re not.  Author Solutions and the other vanity publishers have as much to do with indie publishing as does a guy pushing a pyramid scheme with his mark: both the grifter and the vanity publisher might fool you and take your money -- once.

 

9.

Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

 

 

Absolutely.  I blog every Sunday at hearth-myth.blogspot.com.  I also write a weekly post for Indies Unlimited, and a monthly post for The Indie Exchange.

 

10.

Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?

 

 

I’m still working this out, but I have a feeling that it will be another fantasy series, and it will probably be set a few years after the end of the Pipe Woman Chronicles.

 

11.

Who would be your first choice to play narrator of your book if it were ever to become a documentary?

 

 

My first choice would be Linda Ellerbee, just because I think she’s awesome.  But if she’s not available, I’d be happy to do it myself.

 

12.

If you could meet anyone from any time, who would it be and what would be your first question?

 

These kinds of questions always stump me.  I’m not really the sort of person who looks backward in history, other than to draw lessons from it.  I think it would be more fun to meet, say, Naomi, and ask her what she thought of the way I told her story.  (With any luck, she wouldn’t whack me over the head with a two-by-four....)

Pipe Woman Chronicles – series synopsis

Seized (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #1)

by Lynne Cantwell 

The winter solstice 2012 won't be the end of the world. It will be the beginning of the end....

Naomi has a pretty sweet life. Respected as a skilled mediator, she has an almost uncanny knack for getting people on both sides of a dispute to agree. And her handsome boyfriend Brock has just proposed to her. But a white buffalo calf is bowing to her in her dreams. And who is the Native American man who has been following her around?

Naomi doesn’t know it, but things are about to change.

 

Fissured (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #2)

by Lynne Cantwell 

Naomi’s having a bad week. She’s already overwhelmed by setting up her solo mediation practice and second-guessing her relationship with Joseph. An old acquaintance seems to be setting up shop down the road from their friend Charlie’s ranch. And Charlie has a new pal: a filmmaker who might be the Investigator – except that he doesn’t exactly believe in teamwork.

Then a jaguar attacks her in downtown Denver

 

Tapped (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #3)

by Lynne Cantwell 

Ah, winter in South Dakota…

Naomi’s caught some kind of bug, and she hasn’t seen Joseph in weeks. But she lets Shannon drag her on vacation: a road trip to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to find Naomi’s father. There, they find more than they bargained for: a dream wolf, a mysterious walled compound that might or might not belong to Loki, and a lot of snow.

Shannon certainly knows how to show a friend a good time.

 

Gravid (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #4)

by Lynne Cantwell

Denial is not just a river in Egypt…

Naomi Witherspoon, back home in Denver after her “vacation” in South Dakota, has amassed a catalog of things she doesn’t want to think about. Her due date is just around the corner, but she has yet to buy a single diaper – let alone look for a bigger place for her, her boyfriend Joseph, and the baby. Speaking of housing problems, Joseph’s grandfather is in failing health and needs to move out of his wickiup, but the old man won’t budge. Naomi and Joseph may have found a replacement for their woo-woo teammate/nemesis Jack in TV reporter Antonia Greco – but Antonia comes with her own set of problems, not least of which is that she’s dating Naomi’s ex-fiance, Brock. Meanwhile, Jack has escaped from the Mexican drug lord who owns him, and the thugs sent to find him aren’t above roughing people up.

Best of all, Naomi hasn’t shared any of this with her mother, who wants to sell her house in Indiana and move to Colorado.

 

Annealed (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #5)

by Lynne Cantwell 

It’s zero hour…

Naomi has just two weeks to find a new home for Joseph's grandfather. The old Ute shaman is fighting for his life against a mysterious injection of toxin he received at the hands of the Norse Trickster god Loki. If Naomi is to defeat Loki once and for all, she must learn what it is he seeks under the old man's wickiup.
She has just one week before she must mediate between the Earth's pagan gods and goddesses and the Christian God. If her efforts fail, all of humankind will suffer the consequences.
And her baby is due any day.

In this, the fifth and final book of the Pipe Woman Chronicles, Naomi is in a race against the clock to balance the demands of her body, her family, and her friends – and she must do it while the whole world is watching.

 

Our interview with Author Melody Anne!

                                                             Submit by Melody Anne


                                                                        Bio
Melody Anne is the author of the popular series, Billionaire Bachelors, and Baby for the Billionaire. She also has a Young Adult Series out; Midnight Fire and Midnight Moon - Rise of the Dark Angel. She's been writing for years and published in 2011. She hold a bachelors degree in business, so she loves to write about strong, powerful, businessmen.
When Melody isn't writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets. She lives in a small town that she loves, and is involved in many community projects.
See Melody's Website at: www.melodyanne.com. She makes it a point to respond to all her fans. You can also join her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/authormelodyanne, or at twitter: @authmelodyanne.
She looks forward to hearing from you and hopes you enjoy her stories.


1.    How has your life changed since you started publishing ? 

"Wow, my life has changed in a lot of ways and yet stayed the same in a lot of ways. I can do more vacations with my family, but I also work 7 days a week. I can now just take my work with me. My family is so great, and it's all about them, and spending time together. I always wanted to work from home so I wouldn't miss out on their activities. Now, I'm able to do that and still pay the bills. :)

 

2.    How do you come up with so many story ideas?

Romance is the easiest thing in the world to write about. It's all around us. I constantly talk to people, and ask questions and learn about their love stories and then twist it in my mind. Several times, I will be talking to people and then have to rush to grab a pen and paper and write it down before I lose the idea. I also read a lot, and get inspired that way, or watch sappy romance movies. There is romance everywhere we look. We just have to find it and utilize it.

3.    How much time and research was spent in the writing of each book?

Some books take longer than others to research. I'm writing a book now that involves a boat rescue. I had to order several books on the coast guard rescues so that I have accurate language and don't mess that up. I want to keep it as real as possible while still being original. Another thing I do is go to the websites of the places I am writing about and send for their chamber of commerce catalogs listing the activities in the areas. I haven't done a lot of traveling to all these places, so again, I want to be accurate, so I research the cities and sometimes, I'll ask fans what they love about their areas and use that information.

 

4.    Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

I don't have one favorite. I love Nora Roberts. I can't imagine a romance author out there who doesn't. :) I also love Stephen King and Dean Koontz, and JK Rowlings. Some of my favorites are people I have met the last couple years such as Randy Mixter, Ruth Cardello, Kathleen Brooks, Sandra Marton (who I have loved for years) Lynn Raye Harris, Terri Marie. The list goes on and on. I could write a book on the authors who I love.

 

5.    It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

Honestly, no. I used to hate editing, but Kathleen Brooks said something that has stuck with me. She said editing was her favorite part, because it meant she was no longer staring at a blank page waiting for inspiration, but a page full of words. That really changed my attitude on it. I love my job. I love that I can take it with me no matter where I go, and that I can see the world if I want to. This is about as great as it gets.

 

6.    Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

Yes, yes, yes. I love to read. At the moment the book on my kindle is Ruth's newest release, rise of the billionaire. I have been in editing right now, so haven't got to read the last couple weeks. I'll be soaking up about 10 books while on vacation.

 

7.    Have you seen any changes in the publishing industry since you started?

Definitely. When I first published, self-publishing was really looked down upon. It still is by some, but that is fading with rising stars such as Bella Andre out there. I've had an offer to publish traditionally, but I don't want my book prices raised so high my fans don't want to buy them. I like the small house, Gossamer, that I'm with. Jack is amazing. I may go with a series with a traditional NY house, but at the moment, I'm happy where I'm at.

 

8.    Many books are going the indie publishing route; Do you see the publishing industry headed this way? Or do you think the tried and true will win out?

I think NY will need to make some big changes if they want to stay around. I have several author friends who have switched from traditional to indie. If you have a good team with you, especially a good editor, then there isn't much a NY house can do that you can't do on your own. I think there are benefits to both ways of publishing.

 

9.    Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

No. I offer 3 free books right now, and a couple discounted books, so I don't post my writing anywhere else. I like the security of picking up the books through amazon, iBooks, or the other places. I have an amazing manager at amazon, too, who I love. My books are now being made into audiobooks, thanks to him.

 

10.Do you have any more stories in the works? Have you ever thought of writing in any other genre?

I have my stories planned out for at least a year, and I can't seem to write fast enough. I wish there were more hours in the day. :) The Andersons have a new line coming out, starting this June 30th. It's available for pre-order now. I have 2 more books for the Surrender series, and then I have to complete the Tycoon series. As for another genre, yes. I have my YA series out now with the final book in that series coming in December. I am also working on a horror book, but don't have a release date on it right now.

11.Who would be your first choice to play Arianna of your book Submit (Surrender Series Book Two) if it were ever to become a movie?

I honestly don't know. I watch very little tv anymore. I get in maybe a half hour a day on my ipad. I just download show on it, but I would rather write than watch tv. I do love a good movie, but even those have been slow lately. I think Alice from twilight may be good for her. I don't even know the actresses real name, but I love her.

 

12.If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

That's a tough question because having this opportunity is priceless. Instead of really meeting someone for a moment, I would love to have 2 hours to sit down with Nora Roberts and ask her some of these questions you've asked me. I would love to know how she keeps her stories fresh after having 200 books published. This woman is amazing. I do get to sit down with Sandra Marton in July who has over 80 book out, and believe me, I will pick her brain. She is an amazing woman. I love learning the different creative processes of these powerful, strong women who have taken the world by storm. They are my heroes.

You can find out more information on Melody Anne’s books on her blog site here

http://www.melodyanne.com/

 

also you can follow her on her Facebook page here too!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/authormelodyanne

Childhood Memories with Natalie Star!

 

 

 

 

 

                                        Childhood Memories – I have so many!

I used to be a imaginative child, so maybe that’s why I can write paranormal and feel okay in doing so.

I used to have an imaginary playmate. I’m sure I drove my mother nuts with him. I don’t remember what he looked like; I only remember it as a “him”. His name was Doomus. I don’t know where or how I came up with that name, but I believe we had a dog by that name too, whether it was before or after my playmate I don’t recall. What I do remember is that his “house” was an exact replica of mine, but it was upside down on my ceiling. I could look up and see his as a mirror image, and he was usually doing what I was, just above me. Except when we ate, played games, or left the house he came down to join me.

I remember once we were trying to cross a busy four lane road to go eat dinner at a local pizza place. When traffic was finally clear my mom tried to get me to cross and I wouldn’t. She was upset with me and asked why I wouldn’t go. I said, “Doomus wasn’t ready, and I didn’t want him to get run over.”

A favorite of mine is when my mom tells a story of when I was young and I got a bottle of soy sauce (the kind that comes out in spurts when you shake it), and I got on top of my bed and jumped up and down with the bottle open. It spurted all over my ceiling and when my parents found me they had no idea what it was all over the place. My father stuck his finger in it to smell it then he tasted it (brave move). They eventually found the empty bottle under my bed where I stashed it, and that identified what was all over my room. I don’t remember the fallout from that, but I do know I blamed it on Doomus. You see, Doomus was the trouble maker in my family, not me!

Thanks for stopping by to read my guest blog, I hope you enjoyed it and have many days jumping on your bed -minus the soy sauce! (Can you imagine how much fun that must have been?)

Looking for PR, interviews on blogs, radio or newspapers!

 

 

Bruce Goldwell gave me the idea, I know its gonna stretch things but I am willing to give it a try. Every day make a media contact. Radio, PR, blog interview, what ever. So I think I will put it out there, if you have a blog or a radio show... or a newspaper and would like to interview us, do a story on us or what ever. I can provide info, answer questions or what ever you need. We are up for the challenge! Starting today we are going to try and contact one media outlet a day. Hey, its worth a try!

 

We are a mother and son writing team. This started as a school project that blossomed into what it is today. We have met many people along the way, signed on with a small publishing company called MasterKoda Select Publishing, found a wonderful artist who also happens to be an author in his on right who drew the wolf and young man on the cover of our book. Dan Peyton put in a lot of love into that drawing. Our story is varied in that we are not solitary as most writers tend to think. We have a team of people who we work with. Editors, artists, cover designers, publishers, marketing groups, the list is endless! We all work together to put out a book that is worthy of the big 6 publishing company standards. So if you need someone to interview, or are looking for someone for a radio show, to do an article on for your magazine, e-zine, newspaper or what ever you are publishing. We are ready willing and able to be that subject!

 

this is me, plain and simple

Hi, my name is Wendy and I am one half of the writing team of a mother and son writing duo. Charlie is my son and the reason this all got started in publishing. I have always loved books, everything from getting my first joke book from those book ordering things we got from school; the scholastic readers, to the Nancy Drew and the Hardy boy’s mysteries. I read everything I could get my hands on as long as it was fantasy and YA or even just fantasy. The thought of being published never crossed my mind because I didn’t even have a clue as to how or where I would start. I loved authors and thought they were the best people because they could create worlds and people and take you into away from your everyday life and make it a wonderful life.

I grew up and got married and had children. We read books, but only had a few and the kids always wanted more stories. So one night I started telling my kids stories with them as the main characters, anything from meeting Billy Ray Cyrus to My boys solving a haunted house mystery. The stories always involved the kids and always varied from night to night. I then hit on one where they basically do like a Narnia thing and go to a parallel universe. I had never read or even heard of Narnia so didn’t know it existed. But the kids had grand adventures and always saved the day. If the kids were fighting a bit more I told a story where they were in a cave of mysteries to rescue a friend and got separated. They knew in those caves once you disappeared you never came back. And it got them to stop fighting, as much.

All the kids love to read books. My youngest had learning problems in school but loved stories. He had stories in his head but didn’t know how to express them in writing. So he would tell me his stories. As he grew older he got to writing and worked very hard on getting his ideas out on paper. The principal gave him the task of writing a book, editing it and publishing it. We took that challenge even though neither of us or the principal had any idea of how to go about it. We contacted local authors; we read everything we could get our hands on. It was like some big mystery and you had to sort through a ton of stuff to find out how to do it. No one wanted to share advice or give away how they did it.  We worked on the story but since I was the eldest and Charlie was still a minor I contacted editors and people and submitted to agents so they could deal with me. I doubted everything and since we were broke couldn’t snatch up the first golden ring dangled in front of us with a price tag.

First we found how to publish independently via the Amanda Hocking story in the Des Moines Register but Charlie wanted a paperback book. Not an e-book. He wanted something tangible and he could hold in his hands to say, “I created this.” We discovered that CreateSpace was for paperback books and allowed him to have that. So we were off and running. Fast forward a couple of years, we got published, Charlie graduated with a grade for publishing a book and we managed to sell books almost every month.

Then we met Kim Mutch Emerson and got signed on with MKSP. We had edited the book to the best of our ability but since we don’t have a formal education in it and we didn’t know much about formatting. We did the best we could. MKSP helped us do it better, much better. Has it always been an easy road? No. it hasn’t but it has been a road, but I would be willing to travel again. Is it always easy trying to keep the writer happy and the editor happy? No, but it’s all a learning experience I wouldn’t trade for the world. I would love to write full time and argue with Kim over whether or not we can create an additive that would stabilize gas to last more than a year  by just agitating it to mix it up and it’s good to go again. Lol

So in a nut shell that is our story. We are still on the road and still on the journey and I am excited to see where it goes and how it all comes out. I hope to someday be able to just be a writer and co-author and make a living at it. But for now, I have to write and work as well. It severely cuts into our discussing story time but we are trying to make it work. We chatter when we can and create when we can. I look forward to getting to know everyone! Have a great day!

 

this is where you can find our book that has finally been re published! http://www.amazon.com/Kais-Journey-Chronicles-Clover-ebook/dp/B00D3O48DK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370626322&sr=8-1&keywords=kai%27s+journey

 

 

Out of my Head: Check it out!!

Out of my Head: Check it out!!: A while back, okay several years ago, I met a fellow writer on Facebook. Wendy Siefken, who introduced me to other authors and to a Facebook...