A Crimson Wonderland Blog Hop: A Touch of Fantasy

 

 

by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

 

 

I love stories. That’s why I read, that’s why I write.

I like my stories the old fashion way. I like them to have a beginning, a middle and an end. A happy ending, thank you very much.

And the stories I like best are those that have a touch of fantasy.

No surprise then that Two Moon Princess, the first book I wrote, takes place in an imagined fantasy world. This allowed me to play by my own rules and create a world that fit my fancy. And I enjoyed living there so much, I wrote a sequel and then, yet another book in a medieval alternate Spain.

As every writer knows to write the book is just the first step towards publication. The next step is to convince an agent to represent your work.

In real life, it took me a year to get my agent. But while I waited, I started writing a fictionalized account of my struggles. In this parallel world I created Carla, my protagonist, did not have to wait so long. In fact, she finds her agent in the first chapter.

But her agent is, she soon finds out, an immortal. The introduction of this paranormal element meant that, once again, rules could be broken and history rewritten. It meant that I could give my favorite poets, Lorca and Becquer who died young, a chance to live again.

And live they do in my latest novel, Immortal Love, taking Carla into their world and into an old blood feud that could cost her what she loves most.

Meet Bécquer.

He’s handsome, well-read, and can get you that book contract you always dreamed about. Never mind that he’s also an immortal and lives on human blood. Why would that matter? Your relationship is strictly business.

Or so you thought.

Until Bécquer’s life is threatened, and you discover that walking away is not an option, because he was hurt while protecting your son, because you are the only one who can save him now, because you care for him.

Welcome to Bécquer’s world.

Please, come inside. He’s waiting for you.

This is my contribution to the Crimson Romance Blog Hop.

Please, leave a comment for a chance to win dozens of giveaways and 3 grand prizes: One Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift certificate for $100!!! And two gift certificates for $50 each!!

To get more chances at winning, visit my fellow Crimson Romance authors’ blogs by clicking their name below.

1.	Sharon Clare	2.	K.M. Jackson
3.	Lynn Cahoon	4.	Tessa Berkley
5.	Black Creek Burning	6.	Erin Richards
7.	Shay Lacy	8.	M. J. Schiller
9.	Terri Herman-Ponce	10.	Sylvie Fox
11.	Ashlyn Mathews	12.	NLSScribe/Scribbles
13.	Carol Ritten Smith	14.	Beth Yarnall
15.	Peggy Bird	16.	Rowena May O’Sullivan
17.	Suzi Love	18.	nora snowdon
19.	Tara Mills Romance	20.	Vristen Pierce
21.	Embrace the Shadows	22.	Alicia Dean
23.	Heather Thurmeier	24.	Rena’s Ramblings
25.	Dare to Read	26.	Denyse Cohen
27.	Pam B. Morris Blog	28.	Becky Lower Author
29.	Nikkie Locke	30.	Nicole Flockton
31.	Rionna Morgan	32.	Elizabeth Boyce
33.	Amanda L. V. Shalaby	34.	Meline Nadeau
35.	Kate Fellowes	36.	Lola Karns
37.	D’Ann Lindun	38.	Jerri Drennen
39.	Kristina Knight Romance Author	40.	Morgan O’Neill
41.	Shelley Wall Blog	42.	Holley Trent
43.	Karen Sue Burns	44.	Patti Shenberger
45.	Tamara Gill

My Road to Publication: M.V. Freeman

 

Today my fellow author, M.V. Freeman, shares with us the road that took her from writer to published author. Her journey shows that, as it is the case for most of us writers, perseverance is key to getting published.

Here is her story.

First of all, thank you Carmen for allowing me to be here on your blog. It is a pleasure to be here.

I love adventure, mayhem, and larger than life stories. As a writer, my instinct is to create a fabulous saga to tell you of my road to publication, to fill it with fantastical details, maybe a car crash for good measure–actually, I put that in my story.

The truth? It is a simple tale. I finished a book.

Sounds easy enough? I rewrote the book five times.

I never knew how long it would take to write my book… or how much I would learn. I thought once you wrote it—that was it. Editing what was that? I am embarrassed to admit how green I was. I have since rectified that little problem.

At this point I want to cue hysterical laughter because after I polished my manuscript, wrote my query letter and started to send it out. I expected—like every writer–the people I sent it to would love it. Everyone makes this mistake, I don’t care who you are. It is human nature.

I thought–who wouldn’t want a story about a dangerous Russian man, desperate and charming who will do anything to protect his people? Throw in some strange creatures, elementals, and a woman who wants nothing to do with him.

Apparently a lot of places didn’t want this story. My story was rejected—many, many, times.

I’d like to say I handled it in stride. Of course I didn’t. Knowing that people don’t want or like your story is hard. I won’t lie. The experience toughened me up. Publishing is a subjective business, not objective.

I could’ve given up. Instead, I decided I was going to be fearless. The worst I would get was a “no”. Heck, I was getting plenty of those. I kept submitting (and eating way too much chocolate when I go the rejections).

That’s why when I opened the email form Crimson Romance—I actually expected a “Sorry, but not this time.”  Instead–they wanted to take a chance on my story—as a Paranormal Romance. I had to read the email several times to comprehend that.

It was one of the best decisions I made accepting that offer with Crimson. With Publication I have been exposed to even more learning opportunities. I’ve had to learn about networking, marketing, more editing and other craft writing elements. A writer never stops learning or writing.

My road to publication isn’t very exciting—but I have no regrets and it is only the beginning.

What have you pursued in spite of rejections? Have you succeeded? Are you still working toward your goal?

Author Bio: M.V. Freeman is a native of Minnesota, but calls North Alabama her home. She is a member of RWA, and the chapters: Georgia Romance Writers and Southern Magic. By day her mind is filled with medical jargon at the local health clinic, but at night she finds herself exploring alternate worlds within our own. Heavily influenced by Slavic languages and culture, you will find she weaves these elements into her stories. Her award winning story INCANDESCENT is the first in a series. She is currently working on the second book in the series while plotting another project. When she is not writing, she’s reading, cooking, throwing around kettle bells, or making coffee.   www.mvfreeman.com  my twitter @MVFree

INCANDESCENT: Some gifts are unwanted, and Laurie Hudson’s affinity for fire is one she hates. It has destroyed her relationship with her family and she has few friends. She’s fought hard to keep the fire inside suppressed, living a low key life as a bartender, until a brutal and charming man blows into her life.

Around Mikhail Petrov, her careful control disintegrates. She is at once drawn to his urbane, cool demeanor and irritated by his overbearing manner. Her options are taken away when he kidnaps her, forcing her into a fight she wants nothing to do with.

As she learns to survive, Laurie faces the hardest choice of all, her freedom or the destruction of the frustrating man she’s come to care for.

Blog Hop for Crimson Romance Authors

Do Not Miss the Crimson Wonderland Blog Hop!

When you read a book, do you feel like you’ve escaped to another world?

Do you love to go back in time, travel to exotic places, or be swept away to fantasy lands? Does escape bring you the heat of a desert sun, a tropical beach, a western range? City lights? Small towns? Or all of the above?

The authors at Crimson Romance offer a wonderland of romantic worlds, and we’d love you to visit!
From Nov. 17th to Nov. 21st we’re celebrating our wide spectrum of romances with the first Crimson Wonderland Blog Hop! Forty-six authors will entice you to their worlds and offer prizes to lucky visitors. A wonderland of worlds and prizes too!

But that’s not all. As well as dozens of giveaways, there will also be 3 grand prizes!! One Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift certificate for $100!!! And two gift certificates for $50 each!! Every blog comment you leave during the hop is entered into a draw to win one of the grand prizes.

See the list of participating bloggers here. You won’t want to miss any of these fabulous authors, so be sure to follow each and every blogger!

My Road to Publication: M.J. Schiller

 

 

 

Today my fellow author at Crimson Romance, M.J. Schiller, tells us about what inspired her in this difficult road to publication.

Please help me welcome her here at Dare to Read.

Hello, all!

On Tuesday of this week I discussed my “Road to Publication” on The Ladies in Red blog, a blog that was set up for all of the Crimson Romance authors.  Today I’d like to tell you a little bit about what got me onto that road in the first place.  For you youngsters out there, this may come as a shock, but…just the other day I was twenty, trying to figure out my place in the world, and the next day, all of a sudden, I was forty, still trying to find my place in this world.  I’m afraid that’s how it happens.  Time passes far too quickly.  When you get to be my age, you start to look around and realize that the rest of your time will go just as rapidly, and you better do something with it.  So you begin to ask yourself The Big Question, why am I here?

As I began to search around for the answer to that question, I ran across Rick Warren’s The Purpose-Driven Life.  (Coincidentally, Warren put forty chapters in his book because, not only is forty the age that you begin to question your life, but it is also a spiritually significant number in the Bible.)  The main premise of Warren’s book, and, of course, I’m simplifying here, is that God gave you your talents for a reason; He wants you to use them.  The book then suggests that you do some thinking and inventory those talents.

I have two skills of which I am proud.  I can fall asleep just about anywhere, at, pretty much, any time.  And, I can write.  Now, I couldn’t see how to work that first one into some kind of purpose for my life, so I was stuck with the writing thing.  ( ;

At about this same time I was watching the Emmy Awards show.  They were giving a lifetime achievement award, post-humorously, to Aaron Spelling.  You probably remember him as the man who gave us such classic television as The Mod Squad, S.W.A.T., Starsky and Hutch, Family, Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Vega$, Hart to Hart, T.J. Hooker, Dynasty, Hotel, Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210, and 7^th Heaven, my favorite being The Mod Squad.  Yes, when I grow up I want to be just like Julie, Pete, and Lincoln.  I also discovered, when looking him up for this blog, that Spelling produced one of my favorite movies of all time, Mr. Mom.  Ho But I digress.

I believe it was Jaclyn Smith who got up to talk about Aaron Spelling and quoted the producer as saying something profound like, “Reach for your dreams.”  I don’t know how many times I’d heard or seen that phrase before, but somehow, that night, it struck me.  Aaron Spelling had once, perhaps, been a geeky, pimple-faced junior high student like the rest of us, but had eventually made himself a household name.  How?  He put his talents to use.

I started writing my first book the next day.

Incidentally, I also read that “Aaron Spelling was so severely taunted by his classmates for being Jewish, he was rendered psychosomatically unable to walk for more than a year,” according to NNDB.  Had he not risen above that to use his God-given gifts, my childhood would have looked a lot different.  So that is what got me started on the long road to where I am now, about to publish my debut novel Taken by Storm.  If you’d like to hear more about that journey, read Tuesday’s blog at http://crimsonromanceauthors.com/ .

Or you can check me out at  www.mjschiller.com or M.J. on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest.

Taken by Storm can be purchased at Amazon, BN.com, and other e-Book retailers.

So, what are your talents?  I’m betting you don’t have anything as cool as super-sonic sleeping power.  Ever have one of those wake up moments like I described above when watching The Emmy’s?  Owe a little push down the road to your success to anyone?

Thank you for your attentive ear today.  Or should I say attentive eye?

Taken by Storm is a romance about Prince Tahj of Avistad and begins with a coup in the palace.  Tahj escapes with his captain, Radeem, and a young woman he finds bound and gagged on his bedroom floor, Bashea.  He falls in love with Bashea, but has to overcome a lot of obstacles to win her love–being on the run from Lord Boltar’s men, facing desert storms, even fighting off a panther.  But perhaps the toughest impediment to their happiness is Bashea’s own insistence that a prince can’t love a sheep herder’s daughter.  If you’d like to hear the rest of their story, you can purchase Taken by Storm at Amazon.com, BN.com, and through other E-book retailers.  Come visit me at www.mjschiller.com.

Check Taken by Storm and other titles at: www.crimsonromance.com

My Road to Publication: Kristina Knight

Today I’m very pleased to introduce my fellow author at Crimson Romance, Kristina Knight.

Hi, Carmen, thanks for having me over to your blog home today! I’m getting ready for the release of my second book from Crimson Romance, The Saint’s Devilish Deal, and I’m thrilled to tell you all a little bit about the book. Here it goes!

I wanted to tell a true reunion story, because reunions are some of my favorite romances to read. As I was working on another book – a yet to be finished book, Saint & Esme got a little mouthy! – the characters of Santiago & Esmerelda came to me, arguing. They argue a lot. They’re passionate people, devoted and loyal people…both have been badly betrayed by family members – the people you think could never betray you. And so they have some serious issues to overcome. This is a contemporary romance and it’s set in Puerto Vallarta – one of my most favorite places in the world. I love the sun, sea, the relaxed atmosphere of the city.

I think the setting is represented well on the cover – I just love it! It was designed by the cover goddesses at Crimson Romance and I think it reflects the story very well – both Saint & Esme are very attached to a villa they must work together to save, so I love that the villa plays a part in the cover.

I mentioned above that this is my second romance from Crimson, and I’ve had a ball with them over the past six months. My road to publication has been filled with fits and starts. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but my fiction career was interrupted by 1) a career in journalism and 2) a couple of cross-country moves with my amazing husband and 3) the adoption of our amazing, wonderful and creative daughter. Among all the drama I continued to write, but a lot of what I wrote was for me – to quiet the voices in my head, to learn story structure. In 2008 I got serious about my writing and then came another interruption (our daughter’s adoption) and I stalled. By 2009, the adoption was finalized, my life had come to a place where I knew it was time to either 1) take this writing thing seriously or 2) give it up entirely. I took it seriously. I took some online workshops, joined a local RWA chapter and started sending my work out.

The best advice I have is to send the book out. Seriously, the only way anyone is going to ‘find’ you is if you first put yourself out there. So write and polish until the book is as perfect as you can make it, and then send it out. Contests are great and can get you some valuable information, but definitely send the book to publishers and see what happens!

The Saint’s Devilish Deal is available in e-formats, wherever e-books are sold, on October 1; a paperback version is planned but that release is still a few weeks away.

BIO: Once upon a time, Kristina Knight spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local police – no, she wasn’t a trouble-maker she was a journalist. When the opportunity to write what she wanted – business and family/parenting articles – and to focus more energy on the stories in her head, she jumped at it. And she’s never looked back. Now she writes articles for magazines and such by day and writes romance novels with spice by night. And any toddler-free, five minute break she has. She lives on Lake Erie with her husband and 4 year old daughter. Happily ever after.

Links:

My website: http://www.kristinaknightauthor.com
FB – http://www.facebook.com/kristinaknightromanceauthor
TW – http://www.twitter.com/authorkristina

Buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Saints-Devilish-Deal-ebook/dp/B0096D6WFE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348683048&sr=8-1&keywords=the+saint%27s+devilish+deal
B&N: (link isn’t ready yet)
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-saints-devilish-deal/id559862469?mt=11

 

Check Saint’s Paradise Deals and other titles at: www.crimsonromance.com

My Road to Publication: Kate Fellowes

 

 

Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban talks to Kate Fellowes

 

 

Today my fellow author at Crimson Romance tells us all about her exciting road to the publication of her novel Thunder in the Night. Please help me welcome her.

Here is her story:

My new romantic suspense novel, Thunder in the Night, has its roots in a betrayal from the distant past.

You see, there was this elephant.

Lota lived in a zoo for over thirty years before being sold to a circus for one dollar.  She was stuck there in that circus for over a decade, as her health deteriorated and as the USDA investigated allegations of abuse.  Eventually, she and all the rest of the circus herd were confiscated by the USDA and poor sick Lota finally got to sanctuary, where she should have gone thirteen years earlier, straight from the zoo.

But it was too late.  She was dying.  For only three short months, she lived at the Elephant Sanctuary, but at least for those last months, she felt grass beneath her feet and knew the touch of loving hands.

I’ve always thought this was a horrible betrayal of that animal.  Those entrusted with her care were meant to protect her and see to her well-being.  Instead, they sent her to her doom.

What other ways have humans betrayed animals, I wondered, and a thousand examples flooded my mind.  After sifting them, combining them, discarding some and keeping others, I had my plot.

In Thunder in the Night, Allison Belsar is a journalist assigned to write a travel piece on a tour to Belize sponsored by the local zoo.  She finds adventure and danger and, yes, betrayal while on the trip.  And she also finds, most unexpectedly, love, in the form of Mart Lawler, assistant director of the zoo.

While Thunder in the Night covers a lot of ground geographically, at its heart are the hearts of Allison and Mart, who see in one another a strong and compassionate partner.  As with all my novels, (Thunder in the Night is my fifth) I’m aiming for wide appeal.  You can read this book—and so can your daughter and so can your grandmother.

My own favorite authors from what I think of as the golden age of romantic suspense—Barbara Michaels, Mary Stewart, Phyllis Whitney—all sprinkle details of their settings, occupations and events into their books and I’ve tried to do that as well.  There are no elephants in my novel, but you will meet a lot of other species.

A launch title with new publisher, Crimson Romance, Thunder in the Night has a fantastic cover, hinting at the mystery of the rain forest.  The publisher did a wonderful job of accurately reflecting my story.  There’s a good-looking guy with a glint in his eyes and you can tell he knows more than he’s saying.  The book is available in two formats—e-book and paperback.

And it’s all happened so quickly!

I read on one of my writers lists about a new publisher taking submissions, so I sent off a query straight away.  In less than a week, I had a request for the full manuscript and a week after that, a letter of suggested revisions.  I took a few weeks to make those changes and shortly after I submitted the new and improved version, I was signing the contract.

The line launched on June 4, 2012 with twenty-five titles, one of which was mine.  I’ve been talking it up on blogs like this one and encourage anyone with a completed romance to check out Crimson Romance at www.crimsonromance.com.  They have been terrific to work with and I’m already planning my next romance.

Thanks so much for having me here today.  I know firsthand the value of writers sharing information and ideas and hope my path to publication will encourage someone else to take that next step, too.

Kate Fellowes’ working life has revolved around words—editor of the student newspaper, reporter for the local press, cataloger in her hometown library. She’s the author of five novels and numerous short stories and essays. Married, she and her husband share their home with a variety of companion animals.

You can find her at: http://katefellowes.wordpress.com/

Bécquer Eternal and Crimson Romance

 

by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

 

 

 

Buenas noticias: mi novela paranormal Bécquer Eterno será publicada a finales de año a través de la editorial norteamericana Crimson Romance.

La portada de la edición en inglés será distinta de la versión en español, pero ambas evocan el espíritu romántico de la historia.

La edición española estará a la venta a través de Cultiva libros (http://www.cultivalibros.com/) la semana entrante y en edición digital en Amazon.es and Amazon.com en las próximas semanas.

Si vivís en Sevilla no os olvidéis de visitar la Exposición Bécquer tan cerca… A través del arte que tendrá lugar en la Fundación Valentín de Maderiaga del 25 de mayo al 24 de junio. En ella un centenar de artistas homenajearán al ilustre sevillano. Mi libro Bécquer eterno es mi humilde contribución a la Exposición. (http://www.facebook.com/becquertancerca)

Y si os animais a leerla y escribir una reseña por favor uniros a la lectura conjunta que LAKY en “Libros que hay que leer” ha organizado (http://goo.gl/cnJZ2).

¡Muchísimas gracias, LAKY!

 

I’m thrilled to announce that my paranormal story Bécquer Eternal will be published by Crimson Romance at the end of 2012.

They had agreed to keep the gorgeous cover Elaina Lee created for me back when I was signed with Astraea Press.

If you speak Spanish, you are in luck because the Spanish version, Bécquer Eterno, will be available next week through Culitiva Libros and Amazon.com.

And if you have your own blog, you can join the Blog Tour that LAKY at “Libros que hay que leer” has organized for me (http://goo.gl/cnJZ2). Thank you so much, LAKY!