Blog Tour: Running From Forever

What inspired you to write your first book? 

My high school years. I was in a YA reading spree, reading everything YA, and it got me reminiscing about how my young adult years were. Only problem was, my life wasn’t YA….

How did you come up with the title?  

Planning on Forever actually was a few different titles before being published. It’s first one was Closure. The second one was Letting Go, but neither of them sat well with me. Then one day Planning on Forever popped into my head and I loved it. There really wasn’t anything significant about it- it just fit. 

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? 

Yes. There are a lot of personal experiences in my book, and there are some of people I know. I always say, if I know you, there is a chance that you could show up in a book. 

Who designed the covers? 

Okay Creations designed Summer Rush and Planning on Forever’s original cover. B Designs has designed all the current Forever Series covers. 

Do you have any advice for other writers? 

Just keep writing. With all the crazy that this business can bring, just always remind yourself of one thing…just keep writing.

Thank you Ashley for the great interview! Everyone continue on Ashley's blog tour. Next stop: Romancebookworm's Reviews!

Synopsis:

Recent college graduate, Kayla Reynolds was ready to leave the university, sorority life behind. Leaving her boyfriend of over three years, she packed her bags and moved four hours south to the big city…New York City.  Bright lights, streets that never sleep, and a business lifestyle that she yearned to have were all at her fingertips.

Kayla Reynolds was chasing her dream.

Determined and eager to make it in the corporate world, Kayla changed everything- her image, lifestyle, and outlook on life, putting her career first and her personal life second. That was until her first day, the first time she got a glimpse of Miles Blackwell. Corporate CEO and part owner of ETV, and not to mention, incredibly handsome, Miles Blackwell took Kayla by surprise, stealing her heart as he did.

But nothing had ever come that easy for Kayla. Life had always seemed to have a personal vendetta against her, stepping in when everything seemed too good to be true, reminding herself of whom she really was. It wasn’t until she met Merrick Drake that she realized when to stop; when running was no longer an option. For the first time in her life she had someone she could relate to; someone who wouldn’t judge- who saw the person she was inside. She and Merrick connected…on more levels than one.

When life was too much to handle, they ran.

But there was only one person that could make Kayla stop for good. Only one man that made her want to stay.

Would Kayla finally stop running or would it all be too much to handle?

Giveaway: (1 Kindle Paperwhite & 2 signed copies of Running From Forever)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MjNhYzA3MmJiOGE1Yjg2Nzg5MzE0NzkwMGY2MzM3OjUw/ 

About the Author:

Some may consider me a jack of all trades, but I consider myself well rounded.
I’ve waitressed, styled hair, answered phones and, most recently, worked full time as mom to my two beautiful little boys.
Then there was this book… Everyone and their brother started talking about this book series titled Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James. I didn’t really pay attention to the craze at first, since I wasn’t a big reader- okay, I didn’t read at all. But curiosity got the best of me, so I downloaded it to my kindle.
I was immediately hooked. I read the whole series in three days. Yes, three books in three days.
I kept finding all these great books that I HAD to read (just ask my credit card!).
Then I started hearing voices. Voices that turned into stories; stories that were begging to get out of my head.
I started writing them down on scraps of paper. Then I transferred them to my computer. Before I knew it, Planning on Forever was born.
The voices in my head are still talking, so I’m still writing.


Links:

http://www.ashleywilcoxauthor.com/ 


http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ashley-Wilcox-Author/534100859949004

https://twitter.com/ashleywilcox55 

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6564533.Ashley_Wilcox?from_search=true

Author Interview: A.D. Trosper

1. Who inspired you to complete your novel and publish? (Please add information about your book)

My husband was the one behind that. He knew I was a writer before I did. It was encouragement and support that brought the writer in me to life.

Right now I have book one of my Dragon's Call trilogy out, Embers at Galdrilene. The second book in the trilogy, Tears of War, will be out September 13th of this year. I also have a small children's Christmas Fable out. Next year will be a very busy year. I have three books slated for release. The third book in the trilogy, and two other unrelated book. One a paranormal romance that is almost finished and one an urban fantasy. And through all of the crazy hours tapping away at the keyboard with the headphones on lost in music and my writing, my husband is there, still encouraging me, still believing in me.

2.What advice would you give to aspiring authors regarding the publishing and marketing process?

Find a good crit group, either online or off. When you are ready to send your book out into the world, stop. Get a good editor first. Then get a good design team to help you give your book the professional look it should have. It may cost some money, but nothing is worth every penny more than a good editor and designers. I businessman wouldn't walk into a board room in flip flops and sweats, a doctor wouldn't walk in to see his patients in his pajamas and his hair sticking out all over and your book shouldn't go out into the world in that condition either. You book is the first look at your professional self people will see. Make sure you make a good impression. Its too hard to get readers back after offering a sloppy presentation.

3. What would you tell authors to "Start Now" concerning social media?

Get an author Facebook page. Remember, you personal page is your personal page. You need one for your author self. If you don't have a book out yet, don't worry. Talk about your writing, your goals, the ups and downs of creating that first book. Talk about other books you love, etc. Gather a following. Get on Goodreads and set up and author page there. You don't have to have a book out first. Set up a Twitter account for your author self. And yes, you need two selfs. A personal one and an author one. Your author self is you going to into the office 9 to 5. Your personal self is the you that parties all weekend. Don't get the two mixed up.

Thank you, A.D., for the wonderful interview! I am so excited to read Tears of War! 

Embers is in Select, so the e-book is only available through Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Embers-Galdrilene-Dragons-Call-ebook/dp/B0080R4LPK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336343993&sr=8-1

Author Interview: Anne Elisabeth Stengl

1. Who inspired you to finish your novel and publish?

When I started writing the manuscript that turned into my debut novel, Heartless, my mother was my biggest cheerleader. She is a multi-published and award-winning novelist (best known for the Carol Award-winning Faithful Traitor), so she was able to give me practical guidance as well as encouragement about the story itself.

Since then, my mother has continued to be a  tremendous encouragement as I write more books in my award-winning Tales of Goldstone Wood series. My newest release, Dragonwitch, was a particularly difficult novel to write. I spent countless hours on the phone with my mother, brainstorming various ins and outs of the project. She was very patient and very supportive, and loved the story even when I hated it! Definitely an inspiration to this young novelist.

2. What advice would you give aspiring authors regarding the publishing and marketing process?

I always advise the young writers who come to me for help to take the time to do their research. Be aware of what is happening in the genre you prefer to write. Know which authors are selling, and research the kind of marketing and media those authors pursue. Also, take the time to research agents and publishing houses carefully before submitting your work.

And, most importantly, don’t rush into publication. Don’t sit on your book forever . . . but also don’t start sending it out to agents before it is truly ready. Take the time to edit properly, and get plenty of beta readers to check it out. Also, once you finish one manuscript, start another one. The more you write before you start publishing, the better. Each new manuscript will teach you so much about your craft!

In this budding new market with the option to self-publish looking better and better, it’s all too easy for writers to rush ahead with publication before they are truly ready for it. Publication is a big commitment, and it’s a brutal, competitive market out there. If a young writer rushes in too fast, the craziness of the publishing world could easily kill the love of creative writing . . . which is such a shame!

3. What would you tell authors to “Start Now” concerning social media?

Start blogging! Seriously, I wish I had been much more active in the blogging world before my debut novel released, and I have been making up for lost time ever since. Connect with other bloggers, host fun events, invite your favorite novelists to come for interviews and features, join blog tours and blog hops . . . all of this will help to build your platform long before you even start trying to promote a book on the market place! It’s also a lot of fun. I have found blogging to be the most effective and rewarding form of social media for my particular brand. I can’t recommend it enough to young writers trying to build toward a publishing future!

Thank you, Anne, for an inspiring interview! Your wisdom is appreciated by many. Everyone, check out the Dragonwitch. It is a wonderful book written by a very talented and accomplished author, Anne Elisabeth Stengl.

Author Bio:

Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a kindle of kitties, and one long-suffering dog. When she’s not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and practices piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of Heartless, Veiled Rose, Moonblood, Starflower, and Dragonwitch. Heartless and Veiled Rose have each been honored with a Christy Award, and Starflower won the 2013 Clive Staples Award.

You can find out more about Anne Elisabeth and the Tales of Goldstone Wood at:

www.AnneElisabethStengl.blogspot.com

Who Will Dare to Face the Dragonwitch?

Submissive to her father's will, Lady Leta of Aiven travels far to meet the future King of the North Country and a prospective husband she neither knows nor loves.
But within the walls of his castle, all is not right. Vicious night terrors plague Lord Alistair. Whispers rise from the family crypt. The reclusive castle Chronicler, Leta's tutor and friend, possesses a secret so dangerous it could cost his life and topple the entire nation.

And far away in a hidden kingdom, a flame burns atop the Citadel of the Living Fire. Acolytes and priestesses serve their goddess to the limits of their lives and deaths. No one is safe while the Dragonwitch searches for the sword that slew her twice...and for the one hero who can wield it.

New Release! Knowing Vera

Knowing Vera, a thrilling romantic suspense and cross-cultural family drama, released September 6 on Amazon.

Excellent and exciting read! – Cate Beauman

The tension just ups and ups!  Well, done. – H. Elliston

Vera’s dating Zach, casually, not committed, when she finds out her long-departed father is the killer of Zach’s mother many years ago.

Meanwhile, Zach reevaluates his life after a tragic accident and realizes he's falling in love with Vera.

Can their timing be so wrong? Vera knows the relationship is doomed, but she cannot resist the tugging of her heart and Zach's panty-melting grin.

Caught in a web of family secrets and hidden agendas, Vera and Zach must depend on each other for survival. A dangerous killer is on the loose, and Vera must find the truth, wherever that leads, even if it’s shocking news for Zach.

From the Author:
Vera Custodio is possibly my most favorite character. I never planned on making her a heroine, but she grew on me. In Broken Build, she first appears as the sister of a dead man, and then as the flirt enticing Dave Jewell with her pancit malabon. From there, she grew to be Maryanne Torres’ best friend in Hidden Under Her Heart. She met Zach Spencer, a playboy triathlete, and succumbed to his charms, but under her terms. Since she was a side character, she had several bad traits she had to grow out of to become a true heroine. She was a flirt, had trouble keeping her panties on, and dropped boyfriends like used nail extensions. But she was also caring, loyal, and a darn good cook. When Zach Spencer suffers a crippling injury, I knew Vera would be the perfect woman for him. But first, she has to overcome the mystery in her past and open her heart enough to trust. And that’s the theme of Knowing Vera.

So, download Knowing Vera for 99c, kick up your heels and enter my awesome Giveaway, featuring the all NEW Improved Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, a paperback, and giftcard.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AUTHOR LINKS
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

BUY THE BOOK
Amazon (worldwide) | Amazon (India)

Author Interview: David Lawlor

Who inspired you to complete your novel and publish? 

My first novel, Tan, is set during the Irish War of Independence in 1919. The

British recruited Temporary Constables to fight the republicans. These men were

ex-soldiers, fresh from the horror of frontline warfare in France and not really

suited to the more nuanced approach to urban policing required at that time in

Ireland. They were soon nicknamed the Black and Tans and became synonymous

for their cruelty.

My grandfather fought in the war. He attacked an armoured car containing Tans

and was even tortured by them at one stage. I often wondered what it would have

been like to live through those times, which is what inspired me to write the story.

It follows Liam Mannion, who for various reasons, finds himself serving as a Tan

in his old home town of Balbriggan.  Liam is a veteran of France, still dealing

with his wartime memories and torn between loyalty to his republican friends.

I thought Liam was an interesting character with more than one story to tell, so

I returned to him for my second novel, The Golden Grave. It is a tale in which

Liam and four other veterans are lured back to the old battlefields of Flanders

in search of lost gold. I liked the idea of putting these diverse characters back in

what had become their crucible.

The nightmares and ghosts of their imaginings combine with the greed and

double-dealing of those around them leading to tragic results. It’s a story in which

things aren’t as they seem and motivations are hidden. I liked writing about that

and seeing how the characters would deal with it.

2.What advice would you give to aspiring authors regarding the publishing
and marketing process?

Take your time when it comes to publishing. People get excited and want to rush

the process but do so at their peril. It is better to be methodical and to slowly work

your way through publishing your book. There are some great writer forums out

there which will give you advice if you hit a little bump – use them. Seek advice

on all aspects of your work, from the formatting and the synopsis to the blurb and

the cover. Getting a good cover is vital.

I am not the best to be giving advice on marketing. I try, but it’s practically a

full-time job and if I was to devote all those hours to it then when would I have

time to write? Get your book out for review early - and get it to lots of reviewers.

Also, book in author interviews and articles you can write for other blogs well

in advance. Plan your five-days of free Amazon giveaways if you do decide to

go that route. Interact with people on Twitter, but don’t bombard them with info

about your book. I have a blog – historywithatwist.wordpress.com – where I post

quirky stories about ordinary people in history. I also have information there

about my books.

3. What would you tell authors to "Start Now" concerning social media?

Get active on Twitter, Goodreads, write a blog, join in on author forums and

write guest posts. From what I’ve seen so far it’s a matter of starting and never

stopping. Critique Circle is excellent for finding tips and advice on your work in

progress, so I would definitely join that. Regarding Twitter, when you do tweet,

don’t be too heavy on the promotion of your book. When I tweet, I pepper promo

tweets with other ones about articles on my blog. I think I have got quite a few

people to come to my books through those articles. The last thing you want to be

doing is spamming people – that is just a real turn-off.

Thank you, David! Your advice is inspiring and your book covers are amazing! Write on...

TAN  

It’s 1914 and Liam Mannion is forced into exile for a crime he didn’t

commit. He flees Balbriggan, the only home he has ever known and travels to

England, where he enlists and endures the torment of trench warfare in France.

Five years later he’s back in England, a changed man, living in the shadow of his

battlefield memories. Liam finds work in a Manchester cotton mill but prejudice and

illness soon see him destitute. Starving and desperate, he enlists in a new military

force heading to Ireland - the Black and Tans - and is posted to the very town he fled

as a youth.

While he has been away Liam’s childhood friends have joined the republican cause,

while his brother has allied himself to the Crown forces. Liam must wrestle with his

own conflicted feelings about duty to the ruthless Tans and loyalty to his friends.

The potent combination of ambition, patriotism and betrayal collide, forcing him to

act as he comes face to face with the man who spread lies about him all those years

THE GOLDEN GRAVE

1920 – Former British soldier turned republican

fighter Liam Mannion is on the run with a price on his head. He looks up with old

comrade Ernie Wood, who is being lured back to the battlefields on the Western

Front in search of lost gold.

The source of the story is Liam’s former lover, Sabine Durer, who ran a soldier's bar

close to the frontline. Blinded by thoughts of her and buried treasure, Ernie and Liam

enlist three other ex-soldiers to find it.

What starts out as a simple excavation soon becomes much more. Wartime

memories and old rivalries are resurrected. The men discover that Sabine has not

told them the whole story and that their lives are in danger, but who can you rely on

when greed and lust cloud your judgment beneath Flanders' fields?

BIOG: I have worked as a journalist for the past 22 years and am currently Associate Editor with

The Herald newspaper in Dublin. To date, I have written four novels and am currently working on

a fifth, which also follows the central character portrayed in Tan and The Golden Grave.


Website: historywithatwist.wordpress.com

Twitter: @LawlorDavid

Goodreads: http://goo.gl/TNKB7j

Amazon:  Tan  http://goo.gl/alyxtZ

The Golden Grave http://goo.gl/2fLbxE

Smashwords: http://goo.gl/Wy2SIg

Meet Author Andrea R Cooper

Featured Author: Andrea R Cooper

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always enjoyed creating characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late twenties that she started writing novels.

What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).

Once she heard about a writer who never let her characters deviate from the script. If they did, she just killed them. How sad, she thought. For her one of the best parts of being a writer is letting the characters have a mind of their own and seeing where the story takes them.

She loves this quote from Robert Frost, which sums up her opinion on allowing the characters their freedom: “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”
― Robert Frost

Andrea writes fantasy, paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.

She is excited to work with Crimson Romance on her forthcoming debut paranormal romance, The Garnet Dagger. Everyone knows what happens when a vampire bites a human...but what if the victim is Elvin?

Viking Fire is a forthcoming historical romance set in Ireland during the Dark Ages. What if you were engaged to marry your enemy-a Viking?

She hopes you will enjoy the stories as much as she did writing them.

She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.
Even if she has to fight for it.

Where can I find Andrea?

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6934877.Andrea_R_Cooper 

http://www.andrearcooper.com/

https://twitter.com/AndreaRCooper

Forbidden to cross the Elvin barrier into human lands, Brock cannot sate his curiosity. Cursed by a vampyre bite that forces him to feed on the life-essence of others, he is unable to touch another without taking their life. Chained by prophesy, he must find a witch, pierce her heart, and draw her blood for his cure.

Celeste must escape the monks who have held her prisoner for years. Her magic has been kept dormant by her captors. An ancient powerful Warloc craves her powers. If he succeeds in devouring her magic, she and the world will die.

When Brock falls in love with Celeste before realizing her demise is his cure, will love triumph over his desire to be healed? Will he risk everything to save her from a Warloc, an oath breaker, who also wants her dead?

Released March 2013.

Where can I buy this book?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garnet-Dagger-Andrea-R-Cooper/dp/1440565597/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377688374&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Garnet+Dagger 

http://www.amazon.com/Garnet-Dagger-Andrea-R-Cooper/dp/1440565597/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377688430&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Garnet+Dagger

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-garnet-dagger-andrea-r-cooper/1115218093?ean=9781440565595

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-garnet-dagger

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 *****WIN A COPY OF THE GARNET DAGGER ON GOODREADS*****
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/62622-the-garnet-dagger