Pseudonyms … who needs them? 

            That’s the question that’s been plaguing me and I’m not even sure if I should worry about it.  I do have some books in other genres that I’m working on and when I submit to publishers or agents I need to make the ultimate decision, do I use my name or do I publish under another one?

            Should Michel Prince publish in a contemporary romance genre or young adult adventure books?  I can’t just drop down to my initials M. Y. Prince, too tacky.

What about M.H. Prince for the YA adventure book, maybe.  Then there’s always Michel Yvonne for contemporary romance and let’s not forget my stripper name Samantha Pleasant.  Since I chose to work editing for public policy think tank instead of stripping to pay for college I never got to pay homage to my first pet and the street I grew up on.  Samantha Pleasant does have that girl-next-door feel to it. 

            But then there’s Judy Blume, she was able to have best sellers from Freckle Juice and Superfudge to Forever and Wifey.  She is able to write Adult, Young Adult, and Children’s books.  All with the same name.

            Then you have J.R. Ward who wrote as Jessica Rice then had to reinvent herself as J.R. Ward and now she has a link on her J. R. Ward page for Jessica and has rereleased her Rice books.  Sherrilyn Kenyon did the same thing and now all the books are under the same website, but then again websites weren’t a major part of marketing when she first wrote as Kinley MacGregor.

            I’ve read other articles about those who say they did everything right by publishing under different names and still stalled out and failed and then had to find a new name and agent to publish under. 

            Who do I ask for help?  My Rebel marketing rep Bethany who has her wicked and then sweet side.  You are branded not only with a name, but also with what you write in that genre … She’s successfully written under multiple names, but does say it is hard.  Heck, between Ellie’s music picks, my blog and interviews I’m swamped just using my name.  Now what will I do? 

            Do I create an alter ego or do I allow the narcissist in me to take over and possibly hurt my sales?  How ‘bout I get the dang books written and quit worrying about what might be until it is.

            

Melissa Keir Is another of the wonderful author’s at Rebel Ink Press.  She has two books coming out this year from Rebel as well as being part of a Valentine anthology through Ruby Lioness Press.  Hope you fall in love this romance writer that has found out alls not fair in love and publishing. 

MP-Since you’ve been an avid reader all your life I know that picking a favorite book is as hard as picking a favorite child, but if you were stuck on a desert island and only five books survived, which five books could you read over and over and not lose your mind on the island?

MK-Choosing five…That is like asking me shove three children out of the life boat! I actually have many series that are keepers where I read and re-read the whole series year after year.  Each time I find something new to enjoy. But since I have to choose,  I would select Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton.  It is a part of her Anita Blake series. Also Naked in Death by J.D.Robb, which is her first book in the Eve Dallas series. Stardust from Yesterday by Lynn Kurland is another favorite of mine.  Who doesn’t love a sexy ghost? Another great book is The Werewolf’s Kiss by Cheri Scotch.  It is a series about a curse and a witch. My final book would be Piers Anthony’s With a Tangled Skein, book three of his Incarnations of Immortality series.  Do you think it’s strange that most of these are series books?

MP-Absolutely not, I love finding out what happens after the happily ever after.

What season is the best setting for romance?

MK-There is something to be said for each season.  The summer you get the sun and scantily clad bodies, heated and needing quenching.  But the winter gives you blankets and warm, cozy fires to snuggle into.  Not to mention the wonderful holidays to spend together.  Spring and Fall both have their own special touches as well, from Spring’s pulsing rain and thunderstorms to the new growth of flowers and Fall has spicy cider, hayrides and cooler nights for stargazing.  I believe that every season is wonderful for romance.

MP-As somebody who wrote poetry, who is your favorite poet?

MK-My favorite poet is Margaret Atwood.  She writes from a place that gives women power and questions what everyone else thinks of as status quo.  I love her way with words and how she gives life to those simple words.

MP-In your book, Second Time’s the Charm, Lissa is burned once so she’s shy to try again.  What in your life has burned you so you won’t do it again? (eg..A food, A city, A car etc)

MK-I actually don’t believe in letting things that have burned me stop me from growing and learning.  I’ve been burned or hurt by different things and have always found the strength to get back up and keep going.  There are definitely things that I’d do differently the next time.  I was married at 18 to my first real boyfriend. Like Lissa, we went through a divorce with children involved. My divorce wasn’t like Lissa’s.  Today I still talk to my ex-husband and we live about 10 minutes apart.  I’d hate to go through another divorce but it was worth finding the life I have now.

MP-Having had to requery your book due to a previous publisher issue do you think that made you more sure that you had a good book, but wary of publishing houses or did it not effect your process?

MK-It certainly was devastating to have the publisher close just when I realized my dream of becoming a published author.  Knowing that MMP wasn’t the only publishing house that closed around that time, I was wary of small publishers.  I wanted to submit my book to a larger publishing house.  I was lucky to have good friends and a sweet husband who were supportive of my dream and encouraged me to try another publishing house.  Of course I did doubt myself and worried that I wasn’t cut out to be a writer.  However, I’ve also been fortunate to receive feedback from a couple of publishers and authors that I shouldn’t doubt myself.  They felt I had real talent. Those small gestures meant a lot to me and kept me going.
 I have two books that are due to be published with Rebel Ink Press, “Second Time’s the Charm” and “Protecting Her Wolfe” as well as a short story ‘Forever Love’ in the Ruby Lioness Press Valentine Anthology “Love, Again” coming out February 14th.

Forever Love Blurb from the Valentine Anthology- “Love, Again”:

Forever Love is a story of a woman who comes back to her hometown, fifteen years after leaving it for the bright lights of Chicago. When Syndie Wilder returns to Amherst, Ohio, she comes back to take care of her ailing father and doesn't expect to run into the childhood friend who dumped her in high school.  Thom Johnson had regrets for how he treated Syndie but hasn't ever stopped loving her.  When fate causes the two to meet, sparks fly again.  But will a childhood friendship turn into a forever love?

I love to hear from readers!

Website with blog:www.melissakeir.com

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100003150554229

Facebook Fan page:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Melissa-Keir-Fan-Page/143020369136928

Twitter: www.twitter.com/melissa_keir

            If nothing else Ellie, from Chrysalis, shows us the importance of music in her world.  She’s got music to pump her up, put her in the mood or speak for her when she can’t.  If I could have an official playlist for you do download with the book I would. 

            I usually listen to music when I write and every time when I edit, which can be hard.  While writing I hear a song and sometimes I play it while I reread a scene to make sure that the right song is used.  Although Ellie is a teenager she has a very eclectic taste.  This isn’t too hard for me to imagine because I have a young niece that listens to every genre … all she wants is a good song. 

            Now listening to the song with my characters has caused me to cry, have my chest tighten up and I had to walk away from the computer.  (The third book will make you cry, especially if you listen to the songs with it.)  With all the technology you’d think that it would be an option to add that awesome feature.  I know I’d love it. 

            As I said before, Ellie uses music to express herself because she has problems telling people how she really feels.  So, when I heard a new artist called Sierra I thought I’d give her song a listen.  To say it was perfect for Chrysalis would be the understatement of the year.  The words (which to Ellie is the most important, half the time she doesn’t know the melody … but the words she’ll have memorized.) were exactly how Ellie is in the first book. 

            Starting out with “I may not be your first, I may not be your last …” Totally Oscar and Ellie.  Oscar has a past where Ellie’s been afraid to step out into the dating world.  She’s very weak and has little belief in herself and her abilities.  But when she’s with Oscar or sees that he’s threatened in anyway, she ramps up and becomes protective.  

            “I’m not the dreamer that was born to fly, I like the view from the ground.”  Totally Ellie.  Becoming obsessed with this new artist I contacted her agent and then the co-writer of the song and When I’m With You is the official song for Chrysalis.

            How cool is that!!!  A little background on the singer.  Sierra is from Western Iowa and is Ellie’s age.  Please support her and like her facebook page.  I made sure the links for all are on this website.  I’d also like to thank Ashley Nguyen for the amazing job that she did on the video and by two actors who for now shall remain  anonymous.

I'm sitting down today with Leanore Elliott who was recently awarded the Reviewers Choice Award of 2011.   With 10 titles under her belt lets look into her circle.
MP-Can you tell us about Soul Circle?

LE-I started it in 2008 to help authors. I learned a lot while building it and I spotlight almost 100 authors from almost every genre. They get a huge colorful spot for cover, blurb and links. All free. I have 160 books there. The traffic comes all by itself now, about 150 visitors a day.   

MP-What is your favorite paranormal creature to write?


LE-One that I believe only I have written about. Human-like Chimeras, Gargoyles but not animal like.The Beasts Of Forever Series. They are immortal except if attacked by another gargoyle. They appear as human as you or I. They can change their skin tone and texture like to stone, silver and so on. I even have a bad guy who can become black as opal. They do fly through the skies. They are physically human, so you may have never known they weren't.The floating sex scenes blew my mind!  They do not crave blood but do like the kill. They have a huge appetite for one thing. LOL Yep, you guessed it... hot sex.

MP-Which of your characters do you relate the most to?


LE-None of them. I write for the same reasons readers read. To get away from myself.

MP-Tell us a little bit about Nowhere, Arizona?


LE-A modern day folklore tale. Madeline, an LA executive goes out to the middle of the desert to complete her mother's deathbed request. She meets Devon, her polar opposite. He finds more ways to seduce her than anyone has ever dared. He has a secret though, and you wonder if Maddy will run away from him. The heat in this book does not come from the desert alone. Once you visit Nowhere? You will never want to leave.

MP-As the Reviewers Choice Award of 2011 winner have you seen an increase in website traffic?  


LE-It's hard to tell. It is linked to my Soul Circle site. I have one page there for my own. However, my sales are up at Amazon and I have had many fans ask me about book two In the Nowhere, Arizona series. It has been written for many months, and now it will be published.

Nowhere, Arizona : The Sunset Warrior

BLURB: Out of the ashes of a dying mothers' last request, Madeline Sayers finds herself in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere, Arizona, that is. On her simple quest to return an item, she finds herself stuck in the desert. Out of the blistering heat of the sun, she sees Devon. Although in her eyes he is truly magnificent, she fears him. Will he make her tear down the walls that she had built around herself? The seduction is hot and the colors are bright in Nowhere Arizona. "


AMAZON PAGE:  

NOWHERE ARIZONA PAGE: 

LEANORE'S PAGE: 

                                              Wicked Muse Publishing { Leanore's Wickedly~Erotic~Paranormal Tales } 
                                                        The Soul Trilogy   The Beasts Series   The Nowhere Series
                                                                  AUTHORS HELPING AUTHORS NETWORK

We are almost two months out...Chrysalis is set for April 17th release and I'm trying to remain calm.  I'm looking for things to distract me.

As a romance writer you think that Valentines would be a great way to distract me.  Nope.  It's not that my husband isn't romantic and tried to distract me, but my husband doesn't wait for special occassions to be romantic or treat me to a nice dinner, roses and time alone.  Yes, you can gag now.  

As another day ticks away on my countdown clock (which, by the way still amazes me that I figured out) I look back to look forward.  I've set the goal of reading an hour a day and thanks to First Grave on the Right, by Darynda Jones that's not a problem ... this week.  In fact I've quite enjoyed her snarky character Charley and have to say I'm a little miffed.  See I've been holding back for fear of rejection which I shouldn't have been doing.  Oh sure she had to go through the Young Heart award to get a publisher, but I haven't done my normal stalker things and read her back story.  For all I know that was the first place she submitted or it was the thousandth.  I like the mystery of it all.  

But back to her book, Chrysalis' second book is called The Beam and I haven't posted anything under WIPS not because it's not done, but my backside blurb would give away some of Chrysalis ... and like I said before, I like mystery.  How 'bout you?  Chrysalis is the love story it lays the foundation for the next three books.  The Beam is one that is the comedy of the series.  Sure it has battles, hard choices and even ... I'll save that for later.  It's just strange that Beta readers and writers groups know all these rules.  Wait they aren't published so why did I listen to them?  Desperation I'll assume, and occasionally they do point out stuff that makes sense in my head, but then again I can hear the inflection of the voices in my head why can't they. Those who have broken the rules of writing tend to get published and make millions ... so now who do I listen too?  

I'm snarky, so why do I censor my characters?  I don't know?  But stress increases my sarcasm ... and now we've come full circle like a Seinfield episode.  Ahhhhhh ... to avoid stress of the wait I shall turn up the dial on my snarky witty retorts and I hope you all understand that sarcasm is the last bastion for ... oh who cares.  

TWO MONTHS ...

A Single Man’s Valentine blurb:

Kris Goodwin wants to spend his first Valentine's Day since his divorce alone in his apartment with a case of beer. But his best friend Jake has other ideas and shows up unannounced. Jake has brought supplies for what he calls the perfect single man's Valentine's Day; take-out, flowers, romantic comedies and a box of chocolates.

As the evening progresses, Jake admits the harmless crush he's had on Kris isn't quite as harmless as he's made it out to be. He's actually in love with Kris. Then Kris tells Jake the real reason behind his divorce.

--Publication Date: February 3rd, 2012 from Rebel Ink Press in the anthology Tempting Cupid

M.P.-What do you think led to you submitting to Rebel verses a larger publisher?

P.M.-A friend of mine suggested Rebel Ink and a few other places because that’s where she was getting published. Then I saw their submissions for a Valentine’s Day anthology and, well, the rest is history.

M.P.-As someone who is also very inspired by music, more by the words than the song writer, I have to ask, what would you say was your most inspirational song?

P.M.-“Whataya Want From Me” by Adam Lambert. It inspires me on a personal level rather than a professional one.

M.P.-What have you learned as you work through your first publication?

P.M.-Well, I’ve learned that writing the story is definitely the easy part. The hard part is the promotional aspect of things.

M.P.-What emotion do you want to spill from your readers?  Break out crying?  Laughing?  Goosebumps?

P.M-Since this is my first publication, I’m just hoping I pull some kind of emotion from my reader! I want them to be able to feel what the characters are feeling, whether it be anxiety, happiness or fear.

M.P.-Are you working on any future projects?

P.M.-I am always writing and hope to get more published works under my belt. For now, my writing is off to the side a little as I work through some promotion. But then I’ll be right back on the writing wagon!

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            Okay, the best book on writing is called On Writing, by Stephen King.  How do I know that?  Because it gets mentioned only about seven thousand times when you talk to writers, whether in person or in a forum.  Which is great, since I’ve yet to read it, but all the good points have been brought up in the conversations. 

            Recently I took an online class through RWA and while sifting through all the commentary I found this little nugget.  A good writer has to be a good reader.  

            Sure it makes sense, you want someone who enjoys reading to write for you just like you want a chef who enjoys the subtilties in seasonings. But what of the fear of if I start writing and my world looks very similar to the author’s that I’m reading?

            It’s no secret that I wrote Chrysalis after being inspired by the Twilight series.  I had written the prolog a dozen times before, but never wrote more because I wasn’t even sure what I was doing anyway.  Then I just went for it like Stephanie Meyer had.  In three weeks I had lost almost thirty pounds and finished my rough draft and that was just the beginning of my series, sadly I started sleeping and eating again so it was the end of my weight loss.

            Then there’s The Frozen.  I had the idea in my head since college.  It was a running joke between my now husband and I that all the evil in the world came from a Hells Mouth in the town where we went to college.  As I read the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward the image became clearer.  Since I was dealing with angels and demons I didn’t start her Fallen Angel series until I was over 60 thousand words in because I didn’t know what her angels were doing, but I wasn’t about to copy her ideas.

            Let me tell you when I finally sat down and read about Jim Heron and his overgrown sidekick angels I breathed a small sigh of relief.  Her series had a soul war, where mine was an all out war.  Hers had men that were inherently good and hadn’t committed any sins, where mine had.  Hers were angels, where mine are men and women walking the line.

            If nothing else it made me breath a sigh of relief and believe in myself as a writer more.  These ideas were mine.  The stories were mine.  The MUSE was mine.  That’s a wonderful feeling. 

            So back to Stephen King, another writer I was inspired by, not because his stories give me a spark, but because it took him twenty years to get published.  Reading is fundamental.  We learn this in school, but after this weekend I realized it more than ever.  I worked as a campmaster down at my favorite camp Phillippo, which gives you hours of free time in between running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  And I read.  As I fell into Kristin James’ story about a woman recovering from loss I could hear my characters talking to me again.

            Silly Girl has been stalled at about fifty thousand words.  I debated on trying a short bridge between my beginning and ending and calling it a novella.  But no.  I didn’t short change Oscar and Ellie or Kiri and Nye and I wouldn’t do that to Sylvia and Matthias.  Their story deserved to be told and so it shall.  

            Guess I’ll have to read On Writing and stop taking the cliff notes off of blogs and classes, who knows what might happen.

There is one thing I've learned since joining with Rebel Ink Press, and part of the reason I queried them, there isn't a mold for a "rebel writer".  Although romance of the erotic or sensual nature are their bread and butter, Rebels like a little cake now and then.  Sometimes they like a little steak, lobster or even a nice apple.  Rebels are writers that have a story to tell, and do it well.


Winfield Strock writes science fiction and steampunk, if nothing else I got to learn what this mystical genre was.  For those of you who don't know, it's the sci-fi sub-genre set in the time when steam power was still widely used, but the writer usually provides alternative technology.
M.P.-What guides your writing?

W.S.-A thought, a concept, an idea for a character; each of these has driven me to write.  My best first effort began while working at a hotel in the middle of the night.  I realized how many people make the world work the way it does and all of them not really seen as people while they work.  So I wrote about a cab driver who wondered each night whether he would perpetrate evil or good based on his fares.  My first book came from a series of imaginings that started with the thought that maybe history’s greatest adventures might not have ever been written.  If so, why?  What if the first radio transmission triggered an invitation to another world, not so far away?  Why is Mars red?  Why is it so dead and yet shows tiny signs of life not so long ago?

M.P.-Since you intertwine the past and science fiction how much research do you put into your books?

W.S.-I research in spurts.  One of my characters is pulled straight from history, Nicolai Kibalchich.  Of course I’ve imagined life for him within my book, but it begins with his place in history assassinating Russia’s Czar.  I concentrate more on the story and the characters’ development than any great technical detail or accuracy.  I want enough detail to put the reader in the scene, nothing more.

M.P.-Your first book was a trilogy wrapped in one book, do you see yourself writing a series in the future?

W.S-Short answer, definitely.  I’ve recently released a prequel short story Voices Amongst the Aether and I’m writing a sequel, tentatively titled Aether Legions.  From here I see a third book forming in the clouds on the horizon.  I really like the idea of characters developing over the course of time, although I can’t imagine ever writing my lead characters into their old age.

M.P.-Since steampunk is a reflection of the works of Verne and Wells which writer would you say influenced you when you were young?

W.S.-First was Frank Herbert of Dune fame, then Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, Michael Morcock, and Edgar Allen Poe; though several people have likened my style to Edgar Rice Burroughs.

M.P.-Can you tell us a little about your current book?

W.S.-Voices Amongst the Aether begins the Aether series.  Goaded into adventure by an old friend, writer Julian Turleau invites a young inventor and his wife into his home. Their goal? Invent the first wireless communications and make their mark on world history. When fear and jealousy collide with excited pride, all hell breaks loose amidst their breakthrough.  Amidst the turmoil they nearly miss an unexpected surprise.

What’s next for you?

I’m writing a sequel for ‘Adventures’ and two other works, one is a short story that keeps growing and the other is a contemporary science fiction novel about alternate means of interstellar travel and a strange sort of contest between alien enemies to court Earth in their millennial war.
Be sure to check out Wilfred at http://adventures-above-the-aether.blogspot.com/

Yeah, I've heard it.  Oscar Jeffreys from Chrysalis can't be a Boy Scout.  Boy Scouts are the quiet nerdy guy that never gets a girl to look at him, let alone have a female following that is similar to a young Gene Simmons.  That's a great stereotype that I hope to quash with my book.  We all know about the U.S. Presidents, Senators, astronauts, film makers such as Steven Spielberg and who doesn't love Eagle Scout William Hanna (you may know him as the Hanna in Hanna Barbera -Yogi Bear's creator for my youngins')
For all you doubters I had debunked all your arguments.

First Oscar's a star athlete.  
Oh, dear doubter, I give you Deuce Lutui Offensive lineman for the Arizona Cardinals. Not impressed enough.  Fine, DREW BREES.  Who is that you ask?  Nothing more than a Super Bowl winning quarterback.  Would he be star athlete?  Yes.  Would he be a Eagle Scout.  YES.  He also works in the New Orleans area with the Boy Scout council.   

Second Oscar's known as being a "player".
Dear doubter are you saying that an Eagle Scout couldn't know how to attract a woman let alone ... mmm ... mmm her.  Ever heard of Alfred Kinsey?  He literally wrote the book on SEX and he's an Eagle Scout.

Third he's black.  
Dearest doubter the first African-American (I have to be politically correct, cuz the Boy Scouts tell me too) to earn the rank of Eagle Scout  came in 1926 (although there were no specific records on the race of previous scouters that earned the rank so it is up for debate).  But let's see, the Boy Scouts of America were founded in 1910, sixteen years later with Jim Crowe still in effect an African-American earned his Eagle.  

So dear doubters the only mold for a Boy Scout is someone with drive to break the mold.  Were else can Michael Moore and Donald Rumsfeld sit down and discuss a blood circle without it being anything more than a safety issue with knives.  Sure Harrison Ford and Bill Gates only made it Life Scout rank, but Ozzie Nelson is there to represent for the actors and Ross Perot for the business men.  As Neil Armstrong made his way to the moon, L. Ron Hubbard was there to explain it to him (again for the young ones L. Ron created Scientology).  And while Jon Heder got you to vote for Pedro in Napoleon Dynamite, Mike Rowe was doing the dirty work for America.

If this list of notables has done anything to change your mind about what makes an Eagle Scout then I'm happy.  For an Eagle isn't a Republican or Democrat, he's not the nerd in the back of the class or the class clown.  He's not white, black, asian or hispanic.  A ball player like Albert Belle or Bill Bradley, a political figure like President Gerald Ford or Mayor Marion Berry (yeah, I debated on that one but the BTK killer was also an Eagle Scout) or a hero like Manuel Rivera Jr., the first casualty from the Gulf War.  Anyone can be an Eagle scout, because being an Eagle is more about who you are as a person than your social connections, your ability to play ball and your race.

It's about being Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent.

Many thanks to the District Executive that let me take his picture at a meeting. (I was almost peeing my pants saying 'oh my god it's the grown up Oscar', but he was too short, he couldn't have been more than 6'2" ...sigh)