REMOTE CONTROL by Cynthia Polansky: The Trailer

In REMOTE CONTROL by Cynthia Polansky, Judith McBride is dead and never looked better...but giving up the ghost, so to speak, proves harder than she thought.

Check out the trailer below and head to Cynthia's (website) to learn more about her inspiring book!

Steeple Hill Love Inspired Author: Lisa Mondello

Lisa Mondello published her first novel in 1998 and continued on, selling 4 books in her Texas Hearts series to Avalon Books. Lisa's ninth published novel, an Inspiration Suspense called Her Only Protector, will be published August 2008 by Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. For 3 years, Lisa worked in elementary education working in grades one and two writing classes and discovered that even at that early age, she could identify who was a pantser, a puzzler, plotter or a linear writer. She has developed a workshop called Understanding Your Writing Profile that helps writers get organized so they can write more efficiently. She is currently completing her next manuscript for Steeple Hill and along with her novel writing works as a freelance writer.

INTERVIEW

What is your earliest memory of your love for writing?
I was in the fifth grade, and it was during summer vacation. Everyone else was outside, and I was on my back porch handwriting my first novel. It was 53 pages long and of course it was a young adult romance.



Why do you think this love of writing manifested itself in you?
I don't know, and I don't question it. It just is, very much like a fingerprint. Like any other passions that we have in life, the writing bug hit me early and never let go.


From your website, I learned that you published your first novel in 1998. I've heard from a lot of writers that the first thing published is often NOT the first thing written. How many stories were written before your first novel was published?
I'd written two full length manuscripts before I published All I Want for Christmas is You. Both were very different from each other. The first one was supposed to be a Harlequin Romance, and it ended up with a dead body and being full of suspense. I guess it's not a shocker that I write suspense now because it naturally comes out in my writing. In fact, my first attempts at writing when I was very young were all suspense's. My second book was an over the top romantic comedy. I still love writing comedy, but I prefer romantic suspense.


How difficult was your journey to publication?
Easier that some. I have writers in my RWA chapter who've been writing for 15 years and haven't published yet. Once I got serious about writing, it only took me 3 manuscripts and 2 1/2 years to get a contract. The biggest difficulty for me is one that all writer's face and that is life. My kids were young when I started, they're teenagers now and both ages present difficulties in different ways. Some authors are going to school and have full time jobs in addition to their writing and that can also get in the way of writing. But the thing is, writer's write and even with distractions of life, you find time to do it. When I worked in special education for 3 years, I'd write during my lunch break. The cafeteria was right next door to the classroom and teachers always asked me how I could concentrate and get work done. It was easy. I learned to tune the kids out during that 1/2 hour I was off the clock and just write because I knew that was the only time during the day I had to do it.


Your ninth novel, HER ONLY PROTECTOR, will be released this August by Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. If you had 50 words to make readers buy the book, what would you write?
Her Baby Niece Had Been Kidnapped! A perilous journey to South America is the only way to retrieve the child. With her missing brother's daughter back in her arms, Sonny Montgomery finally feels safe. Until a handsome, cold-eyed bounty hunter stops her moments before boarding a plane to the U.S.

Gil Waite is after Sonny's brother. All he cares about is "finding the fugitive" and collecting his money. Sonny won't betray her family. Yet she has no choice but to go with Gil. A man whose rugged exterior hides the heart of a hero.

Click cover to order your copy of HER ONLY PROTECTOR today!

Process: From thought to completion, how long did it take you to write HER ONLY PROTECTOR?
There was a gap in between writing the proposal and selling it to Steeple Hill. In all it took about a month to write the proposal and about 2 months to finish the book.


Did you utilize critique groups or friends to develop your story?
It always helps to have someone else read the story to pick up on things that I miss. I get too close to the project that sometimes the obvious is overlooked.


What's your favorite thing about HER ONLY PROTECTOR?
I love Sonny. She has gumption and she steps outside of her shell to discover an inner strength.


Why do you choose to write inspirational fiction?
I like writing inspirational fiction because while I know readers read my books to get closer to their faith, I write them for the same reason.


How difficult is it for you to integrate the suspense genre into your inspirational stories?
Suspense comes naturally for me. My first manuscript, written 17 years ago, was supposed to be a Harlequin Romance type book. Dead bodies ended up in it and the heroine was running for her life. I love suspense so it's not difficult for me to put it in my stories.


Now that your novel is set for release, promotion arises. What have you done and what do you plan to do - as author - to help promote HER ONLY PROTECTOR?
I plan on doing some booksignings and continuing with my blog with other Love Inspired Suspense authors at www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com. I love hearing from readers so I always like to get emails and mail and I love writing back. I've developed a few friendships with some readers who contacted me at Cradle of Secrets was published.


What are three adjectives that best describe HER ONLY PROTECTOR?
Edgy, fast, and romantic.


What are three adjectives that best describe YOU?
Oh, now that's a hard one. Shy, creative, caring. I care about people and adore children.


How do you spend your time when you're not writing?
Hmm, I'm always writing. I spend time with my family, read, listen to music, and shop.


Lisa Mondello: The Soundtrack! What three tracks would make it onto a soundtrack of your life, and why?
Too hard! Your Song, about my husband. Live Like You Were Dying because I do like to try new things. I hate having fears and so I purposely put myself in positions to try to conquer them. I don't know that I'd go sky diving or get on the back of a bull, but I'm open to trying new things. Perhaps Love because that's how I think of my family and friends. Love is the most powerful emotion there is and the strength of love and prayer can see you through anything.


Word Association. What comes to mind when you see the following words:
WRITING: Pleasure
HER ONLY PROTECTOR: Suspenseful
LISA MONDELLO: Me
INSPIRATION: Strength
LOVE: Comfort


What advice would you offer aspiring-to-be-published authors?
Keep writing and enjoy the process. There are so many odds against you and so many things that can depress you in the writing business. But the thing that will keep you going is your enjoyment of storytelling and the desire to have your story told.

Want more of Lisa Mondello? You should! There are several places where you can check out Lisa:

Her website: www.lisamondello.com
The Ladies of Suspense Blog: www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com
Her MySpace page: www.myspace.com/lisamondello
The Authors of Love Inspired: www.loveinspiredauthors.com

What's In STORE for ChickLitGurrl?

Starting this upcoming week, CLG will interview authors from various publishing houses as well as conduct interviews with those behind the scenes that help authors and their works shine: publicists and agents!

Up first will be authors from Steeple Hill (and imprint of Harlequin) and Urban Christian.

CLG also introduces BOOK BYTES, book reviews (of works by women) of 50 words or less. Those interested in having a book read and reviewed for Book Bytes should e-mail Shonell at sdb6812@hotmail.com to get her mailing address to send review copies.

If authors have BOOK TRAILERS, you can send code of those trailers to Shonell at the e-mail address above, and she will be spotlighting a few trailers every week on the blog!

ONE LAST GREAT THING - CLG is now open for ADVERTISING. Want to learn more about how YOU can have your book, your blog, yourself promoted on CLG? Again, e-mail Shonell to receive additional CLG Advertising information!

Can't wait for Monday....:-)

Laterz - CLG

Have You Found YOUR Writing Voice?

Have You Found YOUR Writing Voice?

Today over @ Blogging in Black, the original chicklitgurrl™ - MOI - discusses why it's important for writers to find their voices; I also talk about how aspiring writers can begin to find their voices.

Definitely come back and check out my commentary, and PLEASE take the time to leave a comment - let me know you stopped by!

Here's the (LINK)!!See you there!

Is Age Really Just a Number :: Against All Odds Virtual Book Tour

Some would say you have “lived” your life; in your 40+ years on earth, you met and married the love of your life, you had children, you started your own company to much success…but they don’t talk about the loss of the love of your life….and the emptiness that has dwelled within you despite all the success.

Now, you’re at a time in your life where you truly know who you are, know what you believe, know what you want…and one thing you want is LOVE.

An old adage states you don’t find love; it finds you. It’s true. While you’re busy, looking for someone who is your age, who is established, mature, and cultured, love plops someone directly in your path that looks nothing like the image you’ve conjured up. Well, he could be that image, if he were 10, 15 years older.

People say that age ain’t nothing but a number, but when it comes to real love and relationships, is that really true?

So often, we see older men with younger women; we see it in the news (older male anchor, younger female anchor), we see it on TV programs, we read about it in books, we watch it in movies, etc. By the time we see it in real life, directly in front of us, it seems normal. It has become a staple in our everyday diet.

Flip the scenario, and you get a whole other reaction…What if he wants to have children? You know women mature faster than men do – how can he even reach your level? So, is he looking for another mother? You look good, girl, but you’re not 30 anymore. What can someone that young see in you? The sex might be good, but what else can he offer you? Are you so desperate that you’d steal from another mother’s crib? That boy is old enough to be your son’s best friend – that’s disgusting. You do know that when you’re 60, old, and wrinkled, he’ll still be fine and in his forties – he will leave you for another. So, you practicing the art of the cougar now?

Sad thing is many of these questions will come from the woman involved in the relationship. Just like women have been trained since birth to await Prince Charming, they have also been trained to wait for someone who is older, someone who can not only love them but also protect them.

It’s hard enough to discern love within yourself; it’s even harder when family and friends put their five cents into your love life and make you question the feelings you have for your younger mate.

In the end, despite what your family and friends think…despite the worrisome questions that flood your mind, you have to ask yourself, "Do I love him and is love enough?" YOU’LL have to look at your list of must-haves in a man and honestly assess the man before you. With his age out of the equation, is he the man that connects with you mind, body, soul, and spirit? If so, toss those worries away, and give the hand to every family member and friend who offers a disparaging word.

One woman I know who is going through this exact same issue – among others – is Ayo Montgomery, the strong-willed main character of Niambi Davis’ debut novel, FROM DUSK TIL DAWN.


Will Ayo let age be a deciding factor in finding AND keeping love a second time around? Read the book to find out…and then ask yourself, “What would I do?”

From Dawn to Dusk

Niambi Davis

Parker Publishing, May 1st, 2008
$10.95 US; ISBN-10: 1600430368

About Niambi Brown Davis:

Niambi has written confessions for Dorchester, produced a digital novella for Arrow Publications, and worked as a publicist for Black Boaters Summit. She owns Sand & Silk, for which she produces her own line of handcrafted body products. From Dusk to Dawn is her first novel.

For more information on Niambi Davis, please visit: http://www.niambibrowndavis.com

To purchase From Dusk to Dawn, please visit: Amazon.com

Why Should You Subscribe to ChickLitGurrl™: high on LATTES & WRITING?

Why Should You Subscribe to ChickLitGurrl™: high on LATTES & WRITING?

Initially, author-editor-educator-everywoman Shon Bacon created the blog ChickLitGurrl as a way to express her angst as she tried to break BACK into the publishing industry as a solo author, but she quickly realized that she cared more about words and writing and talking about writing with other writers than she did waxing pathetically about her rejection woes. Thus, ChickLitGurrl™: high on LATTES & WRITING was born.

Since 2005, Shon Bacon has interviewed several women writers to include Marissa Monteilh, Wendy Nelson Tokunaga, Abiola Abrams, Patricia Sargeant, M.J. Rose, Angela Henry, P.C. Cast, Brenda Janowitz, Electa Rome Parks, Libby Street, Bettye Griffin, Donna Hill, Kayla Perrin, Mary Castillo, Deanna Carlyle, Karen Siplin, Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Melissa Senate, Reon Laudat, Alesia Holliday, Jennifer O'Connell, Bernice McFadden, Gena Showalter, and Carly Phillips.


Starting at the end of this month, CLG will be interviewing authors from various publishing houses: the first three houses/imprints will be Harlequin/Steeple Hill (Love Inspired/Love Inspired Suspense), Kensington/Urban Christian, and Simon & Schuster/Strebor Books...


In the future, CLG will also interview those people who help authors SHINE - publicists, editors, agents, etc.

To SUBSCRIBE to the CHICKLITGURRL™ group and be kept abreast on new interviews and CLG-related information, click HERE to apply for group membership!

The Importance of the WORD: Death & Language

"We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives" - Toni Morrison


I'm blessed for the WORD, whether it be the word of God or it be the words that I come in contact with as a writer.

One of the first classes I took while in pursuit of my MFA degree back in 2001 was Form and Theory of Poetry I. Even fiction writers had to take it, and I can see why. In this class, I learned to appreciate the word: the look of a word, the sound of a word, the way a word felt in my mouth when spoken, the relationship of a word to other words. I learned, truly learned, how to make meaning in a way that not only told a good story or revealed some great "truth", but also revealed remnants of myself.

Toni's right; we do die.

We live to die. That's the big thesis to which the essay on the meaning of life is constructed; it's the thesis we don't want to talk about...no matter how inevitable it is.

Toni's also right when she says we do language, too.

Our time here on Earth is not in vain. Through the LIVING Word, through OUR words, we can leave traces of our journey, of our time, of our culture, of our beliefs, of our loves, of our losses, of our joys, of our heartaches -- of our TRUTHS.

And though we die, those who live, those who shall be born will be able to link themselves to our traces and build upon what we left behind.

Why Hire CLG for Editorial/Writing Services?

http://chicklitgurrl.wordpress.com/kudos2clg/






the link above will tell you.

New Editorial Services...and Fees

To anyone who is interested in editorial services or know someone who is, I just wanted to let you know that my fees have changed effective June 1, 2008.

I currently edit short stories, novellas, novels, synopses, query letters, essays and articles, and screenplays.

With novels and screenplays, in addition to editing, I do a manuscript evaluation of the project.

For those who have ideas for stories but have NO IDEA how to get the story OUT, I offer my WRITERS BOOT CAMP, a four week, one-on-one program that will have you ready to jump into the story by week five!

To learn more about my editing, you can go to my page at Wordpress and click on the NEED EDITING? tab.

If you'd like to learn about fees and turnaround times, you can e-mail me at sdb6812@hotmail.com!

The Nubian Chronicles Mag Seeks Stories, Essays, Book Excerpts, Etc.!

**PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CIRCULATE THIS TO ANY GROUPS YOU MAY BELONG TO**



The Nubian Chronicles Magazine (http://www.tnc-magazine.net) is currently seeking submissions for its SUMMER 2008 issue, slated to be released on Monday, July 21, 2008. The deadline for submissions is Monday, July 7, 2008.


DO YOU HAVE gripping stories, thought-provoking essays, engaging articles and commentaries you want the public to read? If so, then you definitely want to consider submitting to TNC's column: NUBIAN belles-lettres.

N b-l is our column dedicated to short fiction, essays, articles, and commentaries written by African American writers.

ALSO - if you have a book that's due out and you'd like to get a little promo for it, you may submit excerpts to your book along with other information for TNC to publish!


If you are submitting short fiction, essays, articles, and/or commentaries, please submit the following:
1) work to be published, no longer than 2,500 words (within the e-mail)
2) contact information (e-mail, website, myspace)
3) picture of you (if you would like)
4) short bio
5) one- to two-sentence teaser of your work

If you are submitting an excerpt of a published work, please submit the following:
1) excerpt of your work, no longer than 2,500 words (within e-mail or as a WORD attachment)
2) contact information (e-mail, website, myspace)
3) picture of you (if you would like)
4) short bio
5) book cover image (in .jpg or .gif file)
6) purchase link


@ TNC, we know that writers have their own individual literary flows, and for that reason, we do not limit writers as to types of work they can submit to us; however, we do not do PORN- or HATE-related material. If you wish to submit erotica, that is fine.



=====
Again, the deadline for TNC's SUMMER 2008 issue is Monday, July 7, 2008.



E-mail ALL WORK to either submit@tnc-magazine.net or sdb6812@hotmail.com.



THANKS!


Da Management
http://www.tnc-magazine.net