Susan A. Royal talks writing, family and her May release IN MY OWN SHADOW (Fantasy Adventure/Romance)!

I'm happy to welcome fellow MuseItUp Author Susan A. Royal to my blog! Thanks Susan for giving us a glimpse into your family, thoughts on writing and your upcoming release, In My Own Shadow, a Fantasy Adventure/Romance. Readers, please leave a comment with your email address to win an ecopy of In My Own Shadow...

 Hi Jenna! Thanks so much for having me. I’m delighted to be a guest on your blog. I signed with MuseItUp for the first time in June 2011, and what a journey it’s been. My life is filled with things I only used to dream about. In short, it’s been a wonderful experience. Along the way, I’ve met some wonderful people. Some of them live on the other side of the world, some on the other side of the country and some in my own little part of the world, but we all have one thing in common. We are wordsmiths. We write about worlds that exist only in our own minds. The voices of our characters speak to us, and we feel compelled to tell their stories.                                                       
     
I live in a 100-year-old farmhouse in a small east Texas town that comes complete with a female ghost who harmonizes from time to time with my youngest son when he plays guitar.  I’ve never heard her, but at sometimes on a cold winter night, I’ve felt the covers moving across the end of the bed as though she’s making sure my feet stay warm. Sounds like a story, right? Some day…
    
I’m married, with three children and four grandchildren who have been wonderful support in my efforts to be a writer. I couldn’t have done it without them. My family is rich with characters, both past and present. I spent my childhood listening to my grandmother’s stories of living on a farm in Oklahoma Territory with three sisters and three brothers and working as a telephone operator in the early 20^th century.  My father shared stories of growing up in San Antonio in the depression, and through her mother’s eyes I was able to experience how it felt to be a teenager during WWII. 
     
My current book, In My Own Shadow, is a Fantasy adventure/romance and will debut May 10, 2013. My first book, Not Long Ago, is a time travel adventure/romance. Both ebooks are available through MuseItUp/Amazon/B&N.  I am currently working on a sequel to Not Long Ago, because my daughter insisted there was still more of Erin and Griffin’s story to tell. She was right.

     Let me tell you a little about In My Own Shadow.

     Talk about the worst day ever! Lara lets her friend Carrie talk her into a blind date, only it turns out the handsome stranger waiting for Lara after work isn’t Carrie’s cousin after all. And, when they’re chased through a portal to another world, Lara realizes Rhys really is out of this world.
     Lyra, her alternate in another dimension, has left clues to the whereabouts of the Book of Secrets that explains the mystery of time travel in Lara’s subconscious.  Or so Rhys thinks. Power-hungry telepaths pursuing them will stop at nothing to get it, even if it means breaking Lara’s mind. To complicate matters, Lara gets tangled up in her feelings for Rhys while exploring her connection with Lyra.
     With Rhys as her guardian, a bear of a man named Azle to guide her, and the spirit of Lyra haunting her dreams, Lara must find the Book of Secrets before it falls into the hands of those who want its power.  Only then can she return to her world safely.
     
I had fun writing scenes between Rhys and Lyra. At first she’s furious with him for ripping her away from a perfectly ordinary existence. Never mind that Rhys has saved her from the crazies in the parking lot and the nut job that appeared at her front door. Everything he says sets her teeth on edge, and sometimes he acts like he can barely stand to be around her. Every time it looks like they’re going to come to an understanding, something happens and it’s back to square one. Your typical love-hate relationship.


Here’s a little sample:
     Rhys seemed to have a hard time answering a simple question. “This is all too
bizarre for words. You can’t…I don’t…” With an unsteady breath, I threw my
hands up, fingers splayed. “You’re out of your mind, and so am I for trying to
make any sense out of this.”
Rhys rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “I know someone who might
be able to explain things to you better than me. And he can be trusted. I know
where to find him, but it’s a long, hard journey.”
     I raised my eyes to the sky. “Sure, why not? I’ll just cancel my dental appointment this afternoon. No biggie.” Above the trees, the constellations
glittered in the evening sky, but the moon was ringed like Jupiter, and the stars
were spinning. “What’s wrong with the moon…and the stars…?”
     He stared up into the darkness. “We’ve stepped through a portal into an
alternate universe—”
     I snorted laughter. “Sorry, I didn’t bring my passport. I wasn’t planning on
leaving the country, let alone the damn planet!” His blank expression told me
either he didn’t get my joke or else he didn’t think it was funny.

Please comment and don’t forget to leave your email address to be entered in a drawing to win an ecopy of In My Own Shadow. Thanks so much for having me. I have enjoyed it!

Buy link for In My Own Shadow: http://tinyurl.com/bqbxm4l
Buy link for Not Long Ago: http://tinyurl.com/85vgye3
Web Site:  http://susanroyal.moonfruit.com
Blog:  http://ssnroyal.blog.com/

Get the scoop on devious Princess Arabella from Author Mary Waibel's debut novel, Quest of the Hart!

I'm pleased to welcome author Mary Waibel to my blog today. She's interviewing two characters from her release Quest of the Hart and giving away a copy to one lucky winner (details at the end of post). Join her and get the inside scoop on Princess Arabella and her devious plans for Prince Devlin and the kingdom! 

Me: Oh, look! I've managed to find Ladies Maeryn and Deirdre, Princess Arabella's close friends, here in the library. Excuse me, ladies, but would you care to share a bit about the princess?

Maeryn: Princess Arabella? Certainly. She's beautiful, talented.

Deirdre: Oh, y-yes. (She bobs her head.) Tell about the tournament.

Me: Oh, a tournament? Did she give her favor to the winning knight?

M: (Snorts) No, the princess faced off against the best of the realm, defeating knights with swords and bow. If only her father would have allowed her to do hand-to-hand combat, she would have been champion. Instead, Prince Devlin was.

D: Hmm. Pr-Prince D-Devlin. (Her face takes on a dreamy look.)

M: I tell you, King Gareth should reconsider his heir. Breniera would do much better with Arabella ruling.

D: I d-don't know, M-Maeryn. She's so bl-blood thirsty. We'd pr-probably be at w-war all the t-time.

M: True, she can be quite determined to get her way. Sometimes I wonder why I spend time with her. I mean, I know we're the only noble girls close to her age, but she can be quite mean when she wants to. Of course, without her, we'd be quite lonely.

D: Y-Yes, we w-would. (She looks outside and gasps.) Oh, m-my! W-we're l-late!

M: (Jumps to her feet and grabs hold of her sister.) Sorry, but we have to leave. The princess is expecting us to help with her latest plans to take the throne from her brother. This one's a special spell.

Me: Wait! I don't want you to be late, but what kind of spell are you talking about?

M: I can't say, really. Don't want to spoil it. I'm sure you'll hear all about it soon! (They hurry from the room.)

Me: I guess we'll just have to read Quest of the Hart to see what that was all about!

Quest of the Hart

A reverse Sleeping Beauty tale where the princess goes on the quest to save the prince.

Princess Kaylee has never had to fight for anything. Her entire life has been arranged, even her marriage. But when Prince Devlin falls under an enchantment, she finds she is willing to do anything to save him, even if it means fighting a dragon.

Devlin's own sister, Princess Arabella, is behind the deadly plot. She wants the throne and will use any means necessary to gain it. Her perfect plan unravels, leaving Devlin caught in a magical sleep that is slowly spreading through the kingdom of Breniera. All Arabella needs to finish her spell and claim the crown is a drop of Kaylee's blood, but obtaining the single drop is proving more difficult than expected.

To save her betrothed, Kaylee embarks on a quest to find an ancient sword and gather a drop of dragon's blood, while trying to stay out of Arabella's traps. But Arabella's traps aren't the only danger. Time is everything. For once the last inhabitant of the kingdom falls asleep, the spell will be sealed, and not even true love's kiss will break it.





Mary lives with her husband, son and two cats. When she isn't twisting fairytales, she enjoys reading, playing games, watching hockey, and camping. Her debut novel, Quest of the Hart, will be available from MuseItUp Publishing April 19, 2013. Charmed Memories, a companion novel, will be available from MuseItUp Publishing in August 2013.


You can find Mary Waibel at:
http://marywaibel.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/authormarywaibel

Twitter: @mewtweety14

Buy Link (Quest):
https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=620&category_id=6&manufacturer_id=292&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

Book Trailers (Quest):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5SvEAbFQtE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d-ohY2CEVo

For a chance to win a copy of Quest of the Hart please follow the link: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out Jenna Storm's Fantastic Forty Interview on Jane Wakely's blog

I'm over at Author Jane Wakely's blog today participating in a fun Fantastic Forty interview. 

Stop by and let me know how you would answer some of the questions...it's all about your favorite things.

Click the link to visit! http://janewakely.blogspot.com/2013/03/fantastic-forty-jenna-storm.html

The Burning Seal, Paranormal Romantic Suspense, https://museituppublishing.com

Blog: http://jennastorm.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenna-Storm/111299362263109
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JennaStormWritz

What the Heck????

When we come into this world, there should be a handbook rolled up in our little palm so that we have an idea of what to expect. Every milestone has been somewhat of a shock. I shall explain from the female's perspective, since I can't speak with authority for the other gender:

As a young girl, you wake up one day, get dressed, and discover that you have embarrassing bumps in your t-shirt. What fit perfectly snug against you one day, now looks like someone has glued peas to your chest. When you're cold, it's even worse. It really doesn't matter what you wear, the evidence of blooming is ever present. You try to ignore the boy's snickers.

As a teenager, you've gone from a t-shirt to at least a training bra, but now you face having a period every month. If your mother didn't tell you the facts of life, you go to the bathroom, discover blood, and think you're dying. If she did explain mother nature's calling, then you just FEEL like you're dying.

As an adult, you most likely give birth to a child. No one can describe the pain associated with that. The best I heard was a joke that said, "Take your bottom lip and try and pull it over your head." I think it's more like trying to get a school bus out of the garage using the doggie door, but that's just me.

As a middle age woman you notice lines and wrinkles beginning to appear. It happens overnight just like the t-shirt bumps. One day you have smooth skin, the next you don't.

Then it really becomes tense. Your breasts, once perky and upright, have developed magnets that seem to be attracted to the toes of your shoes. Whatever held up the skin on your neck has disappeared and someone fan-pleated your lips. Mother Nature thinks your hair needs a frost job, and the color isn't at all attractive. As a protective device, your body begins building a shelf to catch the boobs that are headed south. As if that isn't enough, your legs have more blue lines than a road map.

At fifty-five, you become eligible for a senior meal at Denny's. You order it and pray someone will card you. They don't.

Of course, this is just a 'thumbnail' of the horrors of aging, but wouldn't it have been nice to have a warning? Now I'm facing sixty-seven (gasp). The years went by so fast, I didn't even get to say I was sixty. It's scary.

I went to the doctor recently because my legs and feet had been swelling. Of course, I've put on a few pounds because I sit at the computer most of the day instead of exercising. I get up everyday and say, "Hmmm, jogging or checking my email... sit ups or writing another chapter?" Well you can imagine which I choose. So, the doc tells me I need to walk more and gives me an RX for a very strong water pill.  Great, now I can't walk around the house without wanting to pee, but that day, I was so depressed over being weighed that I resolved to start walking.

There's a little park not far from his office. I pulled in and got out of the car and decided to walk the one mile track there. Let me just say... you should not try to walk a mile on your first attempt if the most exercise you've had recently is moving your fingers over the keyboard. Halfway around I thought I was going to die. Literally. My legs turned leaden, sweat was pouring from my forehead, and every step was torture. At the half mile turn, I spied my car. I focused on it, and forced one foot in front of the other until I got there. I collapsed in the seat and had to rest a minute before driving, but once I got off my swollen feet I felt pretty satisfied that I'd actually done a half mile. I decided to go to Walmart and do some shopping, and I'm pretty sure I did another half mile there.  I barely noticed the pain from the swelling and I got some pretty good bargains.

So....at 2:00 A.M. I  woke up with leg cramps that rivaled childbirth. I have never had my big toe lift off of the floor and point at me. Try walking like that, or attempt climbing the stairs to the kitchen to get some orange juice to restore the lost potassium with Charlie horses in both legs and your big toe standing at attention. I can't actually say I walked, rather crawled to the refrigerator, but the pain passed.  I'll settle for the swelling because no one told me the water pills come with a surprise.

I had my orange juice, but then I was afraid to go back to sleep. What if it happened again? Or what if something else that holds up the few things remaining upright on my body decide to go south?  Growing old isn't for the faint of heart. I need a muscle relaxer. :) Wow...maybe relaxing anything isn't a good idea.  Actually, I need a good stiff drink, but of course, I can't imbibe with my new medication so I guess I'll check out the Guinness Book of World Records and see who holds the the honor of staring at the ceiling for the longest time.  In 'calendar speak,' my birthday isn't for a few months yet, but I'm pretty sure it'll be here tomorrow as fast as time is blazing by.  At least I can admit to having shared my real age with someone this year. 

Thanks Ginger for visiting my blog! If you'd like to read more about my fellow Muse author please visit her links below. 

http://www.gingersimpson.com

http://mizging.blogspot.com

http://cowboykisses.blogspot.com

Sunday Musings...the joy of writing a series

It's a lazy Sunday and I'm at Starbucks where I always do my writing and thinking how happy I am that my current work in progress is part of a series. Maybe it's because I'm a creature of habit and once I've found my groove I do my best to stay in it. I consider myself lucky to be able to carry on with the characters introduced in The Burning Seal, Book One of The Elements series.

I'm able to revisit my main characters and even though they are now sliding back to the role of secondary I still enjoy interacting with their personalities. At the same time the secondary characters I provided glimpses of in book one are now getting their chance to shine--at least that's my goal--as I develop their personalities, motivation and of course, conflict.  

For me creating a series gives me the chance to build my characters, deepen their relationships, add layers and twists to the plot and watch the story spread in new directions...my mind conjures the image of gnarled tree roots flexing and groping the ground as they spread. I'm sure the vision comes from my attraction to dark stormy days, the paranormal and anything that's eerie and suspenseful.

Well, that's enough musing for one day. Now I want to go home, open my Kindle and read something with vampires, demons and a happily-ever-after.

It's here!!

The Burning Seal is here!

I'm happy to announce the release of the first book in my new paranormal romance series! The Burning Seal is now available for download at MuseItUp Publishing. Soon, it will be available at countless other bookseller sites.

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=341&category_id=157&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1