How to help an author

By Bonnie Harris

I recently read a post by Laura Bingham. (For the life of me, I'm struggling to find the exact post, but here's a link to her blog!) She talked about someone begging for her next book and gave us what she was really thinking. Something along the lines of, 'If you really liked my book so much, you'd go and tell 25 friends about it,' and then went on to say that the next book we see from her won't be from the same series. That makes me sad and yet I see the truth to it.

As readers, we don't want to sift through the thousands of books to find the one good one. We ask people for recommendations. We read what's popular at the time. In short, we read what other people tell us to read (sort of). Some books and authors I have come to love, I would never have heard of if it wasn't for my membership in ANWA or other people suggesting them to me.

So how can we help these authors? Tell people about their books. Review their books on amazon, goodreads, facebook, blog, really anywhere to get the names out there. Marsha Ward recently had a support an ANWA sister week. I admit, I didn't get to it that week, but I saved all the links and will get to them.

In fact, I've been doing a Book Buzzin' Tuesday since the beginning of the year. I've now decided that there are enough books out there that I should have been doing a post every Tuesday. Since Marsha's email, I've been doing just that. Now, every Tuesday I'm posting about someone's book, whether it be about an upcoming release, one I've already read, or one I've just discovered. Hopefully it will help get the word out.

If you ever find yourself with nothing to read then, hop on over and there will be a ton of suggestions on my blog. Consider this an invitation to join me in my quest to get the word out about some amazing books!

Book Review--Royal Target by Traci Hunter Abramson

Royal Target by Traci Hunter Abramson. At the LDStorymakers conference this past year, I was told that my writing style was similar to Traci's. So, I had to pick up one of her books and see. I did realize how many books she had published and had a difficult time choosing just one--sometimes I don't like budgets :-)--and to be honest I don't remember why I bought this one. I'm glad I did though. I can see some similarities and I'm anxious to read more of her work.

I liked the setting and premise of this story. The intertwining love story worked really well and the I felt for the characters. I learned a lot about how the CIA operates and loved trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I would highly recommend this for anyone that loves a good mystery wrapped in a love story. A definite :) :) :) :) :) Here's a blurb about and an interview with Traci. Let me know what you think!

When CIA agent Janessa Rogers meets the royal family of Meridia on assignment, she expects to use her skills in linguistics and security detail to protect and serve, but she doesn’t expect to find herself engaged to Prince Garrett Fortier, Meridia’s most eligible bachelor, as part of the security plan. And she certainly doesn’t expect to fall in love with him. Janessa resists her feelings, fearing conflicts in her personal and professional life, yet when the Prince admits his feigned affection has become genuine she can no longer pretend. Matters of security, society, and spirituality make their unlikely romance even more complex, and escalating political intrigue gives Janessa an excuse to ignore the questions in her heart. But when a terrorist plot against the royal family endangers them both, Janessa and Garrett must face the challenges of loyalty to family, to country, to God—and to love.

What made you decide to become a writer?

Being a writer was one of those dreams I've had since I was little. I loved to read so it followed that I would love to write. Of course, I was also going to be a veterinarian, a jockey, a journalist, an Olympian and any other number of things.

Who inspires you?

People who serve. I am so often inspired by people who are dedicated to serving in the armed forces or in one of the many other organizations whose primary goal is the safety of others. I am also inspired by the those people I see all around me, regular people who so often step out of their comfort zone to lend a helping hand to someone simply because they see a need.

What would you like your readers to get out of your writing?

That's a hard question. I write because I want to read a story that has yet to be written. In short, I write for my own entertainment. My hope is that my readers will laugh and cry along with me and my characters and just maybe find a perspective they haven't considered before.

Where did this idea come from?

An opening scene in Royal Target, one that takes place in Caracas, Venezuela, was born out of an actual incident, but mostly this book developed from tidbits of experiences combined with a lot of imagination.

Who was your favorite character to develop?

For this book, my favorite character was definitely Janessa. I loved the way she always seemed to find trouble without looking for it even though she typically was trying to make good choices.

Any advice for aspiring authors?

My best advice is to find someone who will give you honest feedback and then listen. With the emergence of e-books and publication-on-demand, getting published is relatively easy now in comparison to years past. Getting published well is as much a challenge now as it has always been. Write your best book and then make it better.

What can we expect next from you?

My next book, Obsession, will be released next month (September 2011). I am currently working on a spin-off of Royal Targetwhich will hopefully find its way into publication early next year.

Where can we purchase your book?

My books are available at a lot of different bookstores, including Deseret Book and Seagull Books. All of my novels are also available on Kindle at Amazon.

Work In Progress Wednesday

So, another idea has sprung that has insisted on getting put on the page. Since I'm at a stand still with my other works I figured I must obey or pay the consequences. The working title is Anya's Trek about a gal's experience on a pioneer trek for the youth. So if anyone has any experiences they'd like to share . . . I'm all ears. Happy Writing!

Book Buzzin'--Pumpkin Roll by Josi S Kilpack

Release date: September 7, 2011

Sadie Hoffmiller is looking forward to spending her favorite baking season of the year making delicious New England recipes in Boston, Massachusetts, with her favorite leading man, Pete Cunningham, as they babysit his three young grandsons. But when the boys insist that Mrs. Wapple, the woman who lives across the street, is a witch, Sadie and Pete are anxious to distract the boys from such Halloween-induced ideas. However, it gets harder and harder to explain the strange things that keep happening, particularly after Sadie learns the eccentric Mrs. Wapple has been attacked in her home.

As the unexplained occurrences escalate, Sadie finds herself embroiled in yet another mystery with life-or-death consequences. Can Sadie discover whoever—or whatever—is behind the mystery before anyone else gets hurt? Or will this be Sadie’s last case?

I'm excited for this new addition to the Culinary Mystery Series by Josi. I've reviewed English Trifle and Key Lime Pie. Keep your eyes open for this one in September!

Book Review--Key Lime Pie and English Trifle

English Trifle and Key Lime Pie by Josi S. Kilpack. I picked up English Trifle at a writing conference because I love to read about places I've never been. Add a little mystery into that and I'm sold. I loved the book so much that when I found Key Lime Pie on an excursion I could actually spend money on, I picked it up without thinking twice.

Sadie is probably one of my favorite characters in a mystery novel. I love her nosiness that always seems to get her in trouble. She doesn't mean to, but . . . It makes for a good laugh yet at the same time gets your mind turning to try to solve the mystery before Sadie does.

English Trifle was set in England and I really enjoyed getting to taste Great Britain from Sadie and her daughter's perspective. I didn't realize this was a series until I had begun reading it, but it's done in a way that they don't need to be read in order. I would recommend this one who enjoys a good, light mystery with different culinary flavors. It's a definite :) :) :) :) :).

In Key Lime Pie , Sadie went to Florida, another place I've never been. I liked again getting to see the area through Sadie's eyes. I learned fun facts about a few different states that I didn't know and thought I had solved the mystery, but didn't. It's always fun to find a book where you're not quite right in how you think it ends. I would recommend this one to anyone who has a sweet tooth and loves a good mystery. It is also a definite :) :) :) :) :).

The next best thing about Josi's books are the recipes. I loved the idea of having the main character a food fanatic (even though I'm not) that always is finding new recipes along the way and sharing them as well. A few of them sounded good enough I might even try them. That's saying something.

Take a look at Josi's website (where she has all her recipes), blog and let me know what you think. Here are blurbs on both books and an interview Josi was kind enough to do for us!

England:

High Crimes at High Tea

• Visit Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and the London Zoo
• Take the Jack the Ripper tour — creepy!
• Sample authentic English scones and crumpets
• Discover a dead body

What begins as a holiday trip for amateur sleuth and cooking aficionado Sadie Hoffmiller and her daughter, Breanna, turns into a bizarre mystery. First comes the discovery of a dead body in the sitting room of an English manor belonging to the family of Breanna’s boyfriend, who is also heir to the family title. When the body comes up missing, Sadie and Breanna are stranded at the estate until the police can clear them to leave.

Armed with a jogging whistle, her personal recipe collection, and an unfailing sense of American justice, Sadie begins her own investigation to find the killer. But when she seems to encounter one dead end after another, Sadie wonders if anyone is telling the truth — or if the case is really as hopeless as it appears to be.

Layer by layer, Sadie uncovers a mouth- watering mystery with an English flair. Included are Sadie’s favorite new recipes for American English Trifle, High Tea Lemon Cookies, Coconut Macaroons, Wake ’Em Up Breakfast Casserole, Sausage Rolls, Crumpets, and Sadie’s Scrumptulicious Scones.

When Sadie Hoffmiller s new friend, Eric Burton, receives word that his missing daughter s body may have been found in Florida, he immediately packs his bags. Sadie is determined to stay home and prove to everyone that she is not a busybody.

But when she senses Eric is hiding something, Sadie is compelled to take action. Before she knows it, she’s in the heart of Miami, trying to piece together a trail littered with broken relationships, mysterious strangers, and forged documents that might just provide Eric the answers he’s been desperately searching for–or reveal a truth he might not be ready to face.

Sadie must also face a difficult question: Where is her heart leading her? Onward into Eric’s adventurous arms? Or back home to the stable and steady Pete Cunningham? If only love was as easy to follow as a recipe.

Once again, Sadie finds herself in the company of some colorful characters and some good ol’ southern cooking. But despite the drama and intrigue, all Sadie really wants is to go home . . . as soon as she does just one more thing.

When did you decide to become a writer?

Short answer: About a week before I started submitting my first book.

Long answer: Up until I wrote my first book I had never thought about becoming a writer, let alone a novelist. I’d never had a teacher tell me I was talented, I’d never really written for anything outside of what I needed to do. I’d gotten A’s in English through high school (which made up for the Ds in math) and taken just one year of college; during which I took all the writing classes I could. After that I got married and started a family and never thought about writing until, while on bedrest with a pregnancy, I started writing a short story because I had run out of other things to do and the idleness was making me neurotic. That story grew and grew and ignited something within me that I didn’t know was there. Even when I had this 300 page story I didn’t think about publishing—publishing was just SO big. I mean, to be a novelist? I was a mom, I was a homemaker. How could someone like me publish a book? However, I’d had a great time writing that book and after the encouragement from friends I jumped into it and a year and a half later I had my first published book. For me, writing was a bend in the road I didn’t see coming, but boy has it become a journey since then.

Looking back I can see that years of reading “taught” me a lot about fiction—what I liked, what I didn’t like, and the basic structure of fiction. Then the passion was struck, and I sought out to learn what I didn’t know I didn’t know.

What Inspires you?

I seem to find inspiration everywhere. People, place, food, TV shows, trivia, relationships, people watching, other books, etc. There is just so much in the world to see, feel, hear, taste, and shake a fist at that it seems tidbits of stories jump out at me all the time. The trick, of course, is to them make those tidbits into something worth writing that will be worth readers reading. In regard to Sadie, she was my attempt to prove some people wrong but she quickly grew into something else as she attracted a lot of little tidbits to herself and became very real to me.

What would you like your readers to get out of your writing?

The first thing I hope they get is good entertainment. I write clean and I try to keep the story gripping enough to keep the reader’s attention. I hope, at the end, they feel a sense of satisfaction, that the story ended the way it should have ended and that they thoroughly enjoyed the story. There are themes I love to have noticed, like the value of relationships, the power of integrity, and good conquering evil, but if people simply enjoy the story, I’m satisfied.

Who was your favorite character to develop?

Sadie has been my favorite character to develop. She started out much different than she is and became more sassy as the story grew. She’s changed in small ways, and yet is a “good” person. Her quest for truth isn’t about anything other than genuinely caring about people. As the series continues, it’s more and more of a challenge to keep her who she is, and yet allow her to continue her own development and become stronger in the process.

Advice for aspiring writers:

First, ask yourself why you want to write. Money isn’t a bad motivator, but most writers I know have a day job for many years as they wait for their career to take off and so if money is your only motivation, you will likely burn out before it feels like you’ve succeeded. If you want to change the world, that’s a good motivator too, but remember that there are 50,000 books published in the US every year. A lot of them are trying to change the world. The motivation, therefore, that everyone needs is to love it. If you love to write it can work, but if the love of it isn’t there, then you’ll make yourself crazy with unfulfilled expectations.

Second, drown yourself in writing experiences. Write anything you can, read about writing, attend writing conferences, become part of a writing group, enter writing contests, and show the people in your life that this is real by treating it as such. Writing is not easy but if it enriches your soul and gives purpose to your life, then pursue it with fervor and embrace the challenges it presents with a can-do attitude. I don’t know anyone who had a publisher knock on their door and say “I hear you like to write?” you have to be the one to put yourself out there; only then can you be discovered.

What can we expect from you next?

I’m just finishing up book seven in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. It’s titled Banana Split and takes place on the island of Kauai. As soon as I finish, I’ll be diving headfirst into book eight. I’m putting out two books a year right now and it keeps me running. I have a side project I’m working on with some friends, but, for the most part, Sadie is dominating my writing life. We’re looking to do ten books in the series, then evaluate where we’ll go from there.

Where can we purchase your book?

You can find me on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Deseretbook.com. You can also request copies through your library, which is a great way for my books to discover new readers.

Work In Progress Wednesday

I really don't have anything to report. I seem to be stuck in a rut and when that happens, I turn to reading. So that's what I've been doing a lot of lately. Take a look at my buzzin' and reviews every Tuesday and Thursday. Also, if you know of something you'd like me to buzzin' and/or review, let me know. I'll put it on my list!

Book Buzzin'--Marsha Ward

The Man from Shenandoah, Ride To Raton, and Trail of Storms by Marsha Ward. All fabulous books that are on my list of books to read. Here are blurbs about each of them, links to excerpts, and where you can buy them. Let me know what you think!

The Man from Shenandoah--book trailer

Carl Owen doesn't intend to lose anything—not his land, not his cattle, and certainly not his girl—ever again!

The young cavalryman returns from the Civil War to find the family farm destroyed, his favorite brother dead, food scarce, and his father determined to leave the Shenandoah Valley to build a cattle empire in Colorado Territory. Crossing the continent, Carl falls in love with his brother's fiancée while set to wed another girl, but he might lose everything if the murderous thug Berto Acosta has his way. Carl battles a band of outlaws, a prairie fire, blizzards, a trackless waterless desert, and his own brother—all for the hand of feisty Ellen Bates.

Ride To Raton--book trailer

Thinking he's been treated unjustly by his father, James Owen leaves the family homestead to make a new life for himself.

The turbulent world of post-Civil War Colorado Territory is fraught with danger and prejudice that increase his bitter loneliness as personal setbacks threaten to break him. Then James's journey brings him into contact with another wayfarer, beautiful young Amparo Garcés, who has come from Santa Fe to Colorado to marry a stranger. Through a twist of fate, their futures are changed forever when their lives are merged in a marriage of convenience. James and Amparo undertake a hazardous horseback trek over Raton Pass to Santa Fe, battling their personal demons, a challenging language barrier, and winter's raging storms.

Trail of Storms--book trailer

Jessie Bingham put heartbreak away to tend to her sister's needs, but when she settled for second best in love, she didn't foresee that James Owen would come back into her life.

The aftermath of the Civil War creates cruel circumstances for the Bingham family. A brutal attack on Jessie's sister, Hannah Fletcher, drives the extended family to flee to the West. They are soon joined by Heppie Bingham's beau George and his brother, Ned, who bring news that the Binghams are being pursued by cronies of Hannah's attacker. Even after they fight off that onslaught, poverty, bad weather, and Hannah's frightful secret plague their journey. Nursing her battered heart when she hears James Owen took a wife, Jessie accepts Ned's offer of marriage. But a stop on the trail holds surprises that launch Jessie into a bewildering tangle of values, emotions, and high adventure.