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Friday, April 27, 2012

Oh, My Hero! Blog Hop + Bonus Interview at the Bottom ;)



VictoriaHello, everyone out there in the blogoshere! Jaycee Delorenzo and I combined our interviews and we would both like to thank you for joining us here today to meet the two hot heros from our novels.  Today we have the swoontastic and deliciously mysterious hero Luca Grinaldi joining us from my novel The Crimson Hunt.
JayceeAnd we have my equally delicious “bad boy” hero, Ian Hollister, from my novel The Truths about Dating and Mating.
VictoriaIan and Luca, thank you for joining us today.
JayceeYes, thank you.
LucaHello, and thank you for allowing me to be here.
Ian:  Yeah, thanks.
VictoriaOkay on to the questions boys, how would you describe yourself in one word?  You first, Luca.
Luca::thinks for a moment::  I find this question…rather difficult to answer.  For how one sees oneself does not matter.  It is the impression one makes on the world and how one treats others which is the most important, but if I had to answer I suppose I would consider myself logical.  Logical is my word. 
 JayceeThank you.  And how about you, Ian?
 IanIs badass one word or two? 
 Jaycee:  ::shrugs::  One works for me.
 VictoriaOkay, next question.  How would you describe your heroine?  How about you first this time, Ian.
 Ian::grins::  Ivy?  Ivy’s incredible.  She smart, fearless, and tons of fun to hang out with.  If you’re her friend, she’ll be your biggest cheerleader.  She’s loyal to a fault, even when you don’t deserve it, and I include myself in that lot.  She… ::brow knits as he gets serious::  She’s always been there for me.  Always.  In fact, there’s very few childhood memories I have without her in them, and the ones I do aren’t worth mentioning.  She’s the only person in my pathetic, fu--screwed up life that made getting through the days bearable.  Ivy’s special.  ::clears throat; shifts uncomfortably, then smirks::  And she’s cute, too.
 Jaycee::Smiles::  She sounds like quite a person. 
 Ian:  She’s the best.
 Victoria::makes Aww face::  Luca?
 Luca::Quirks a small smile in the corner of his lips::  Ariel is a rather interesting woman.  She is actually the only woman I have ever been around that flusters me.  I have yet to figure out why this is, but she does.  As far as describing her, that would take me a great deal of time.  If you are looking for a physical description, I could do that, but I feel the qualities that make Ariel unique are not so simple.  She is very kind and very grateful for everything she has.  She sees the world in a beautiful way and in return the world reacts to her.  She warms it with her light…her spirit.  It is hard to describe.  It is almost as if she creates a balance just because she is near.  Does that make any sense?  ::he looks up, noticing he’s looked down.  Almost lost in his thoughts::
JayceeMakes sense to me.
VictoriaOf course.  ::stares doe eyed::
IanWell, this has gotten a little deep.  Bring on something a little more fun.  I can see something naughty there lingering in your eyes, ladies. 
Victoria::stops mid-giggle.  Clears throat::  So, Luca, next question for you.  ::She leans in close::  Do you believe in love at first sight?
Luca::Puts fingers to the curl of his lips::  I believe anything is possible since transferring here.  ::smiles warmly.:: 
Jaycee::smiles, charmed.:: 
Victoria::fans out shirt::  Ian?
Ian: Not even a little bit.  One look and bam! You’re in love?  No way.  That’s lust; a pure chemical reaction.  Love -- deep, all-consuming love-- takes a lot longer to develop, and is done with every part of you:  your heart, your head, and your soul.  What you see is irrelevant.
JayceeAlrighty, then.  Next question, what is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?  Ian, how about you take this one first?
IanHer curves.  I can’t stand stick figures.  Not to get all poetic, but a woman with curves is a work of art.  She’s gives a man something to hold on, something substantial to hold close.  I like curves.
:: Jaycee and Victoria both study their curves::
Luca::  I can definitely respect Mr. Hollister's answer, but for me, I believe it is the eyes.  They really are fascinating.  They tell so much about a person.  A flicker or a glance could mean so many things if you look deep enough and when they are bright and full of life, like the color blue for example, they can be quite intriguing. 
Ian::shrugs::  I’m a fan of big brown eyes, myself. 
Jaycee:  ::Melts inside and opens eyes a little wider so Ian can notice their brown coloring.::  
 VictoriaOkay, guys.  Our audience is dying to know.  What is your idea of the perfect date?
 LucaMy job does make dating to be quite difficult...  ::His eyes slightly shift.::  With the time commitment and all, of course, but I did take Ariel to a small cafĂ© once.  The light was warm, the mood magnificent…but I really believe that the perfect date is one in which the person you are with is never happier.  This is what is most important.
 JayceeWow ::sighs::  Ian?
 Ian:  ::scoffs::  I don’t date. 
 JayceeNever?
 Ian:  ::shrugs::  The closest I come to dating are the nights I spend the Ivy.  Heck, that’s way better than dating.  There’s no need to be this guy everyone seems to expect me to be.  She already knows who I am and what I’m all really about, so I can relax and just be me. What’s better than that?
 JayceeSounds like a great way to spend time to me.  Okay, next:   who’s is your favorite comic book character and why?  Ian?
 IanI’m a fan of Spiderman, myself.  I relate to his story the most.  He’s a nobody, then one day something happens to him, something out of his control, and suddenly he’s given all this power he’s never had before, and he had to decide what to do with it.  Yeah, I can relate.
 Victoria:  Very awesome, Ian.  Luca?
 LucaThough I do believe that comic books provide little functionality beyond leisurely enjoyment, there is one hero I do hold in high regard.
 VictoriaOh, and who would that be?
LucaSuperman.  He has been forced to live in a strange world all while at the same time holding the weight of its safety on his shoulders.  I have respect for this. 
JayceeThank you, Luca.  Okay, we have time for one last question for the both of you.  Luca, what do you value the most in a potential love interest?
Luca:  ::Thinks to himself for a moment.  Looks up slowly::    Trust.  Trust above all else.
Ian:   He took my answer, so I’m going to go with my number two, which is almost as important as trust:  honesty.  Be honest about who you are and what you want, and you’ll get the same from me. 
VictoriaGreat.  Thank you so much for joining us today, guys.  I’m sure our audience has really enjoyed getting to know you two.  As well as Jaycee and myself.  ::Grins::
JayceeYes, thank you.  I’ve very much enjoyed getting to know the both of you better, and have to say, I’m a little surprised by some of your answers.  In a good way.  A very good way. 
LucaThank you.  It was great to be here today and discuss with you lovely ladies.  I did indeed enjoy this session.  :: kisses Victoria’s hand and then Jaycee’s::
Victoria::Melts a little bit inside::
Jaycee::Blushes.::
IanAnd thank you, ladies. 
JayceeNo, thank you.
VictoriaNo problem, Ian.  And thanks again for joining us.  





And as an extra special little treat to all you hero loving ladies and gents out there I present to you the hero of my New Urban Fantasy which I can now tell you I have titled:  Story World.

Meet:  Christopher "CK" Kincaid
Pardon Mr. Kincaid for his lack of shirt in this photo, but when he’s outside and enjoying life he can never be found wearing one since he’s always playing football or basketball with his mates on his off days.  He unfortunately was wearing a shirt for our short interview to my dismay.  He can’t help, but dress “professional” in professional settings :(



On to the interview:



Victoria:  Hi, CK.  Thank you for joining us today.  I know it was short notice.



CK:  ::Crosses leg at the ankle over his knee::  Hey, how ya doing?  Oh and not a problem.  I can always make a time for fan ::Winks::



Victoria:  ::Victoria smiles a little too wide::  On to business, sir.  How would you describe your heroine, Rae Evans?



CK:  ::Thinks to the air for a moment::  How would I describe Rae of Sunshine?  She can be a little bit of a hard pill to swallow, but contrary to HER belief I actually don’t mind spending time with her.  She can be pretty cool when she isn’t snarling or scowling and I do consider us friends.  She’s bit of a nerd, but hey, we can all be that way sometimes and we shouldn’t be ashamed of who we are.

Victoria:  Whoa, you guys seem to have a love/hate relationship.

CK:  You’re telling me.  Can you believe she called me a man whore?  I mean, really?  Totally uncalled for.

Victoria:  ::Picks up magazine from table and reads::  Well you are known as the “Playboy Prince,” CK, according to this here magazine.

CK:  ::shrugs::  Yeah, that’s what the tabloids call me.  But can you really buy into those things, Ms. Smith?

Victoria:  ::Puts magazine down::  I suppose you’re right, CK.  And actually I must end this interview now.  I’m so sorry, but Luca Grinaldi and my critique partner’s hero Ian Hollister took up most of the time.

CK:  No problem.  I have to go “annoy” Rae anyway since she seems to be convinced that my sole purpose in life is to torture her.  Eh, women.  No offense, Ms. Smith.

Victoria:  None taken.

CK:  Well thanks for having me.  ::Shakes hand::

Victoria:  Thank you, CK.  And have a good one.

CK:  Same to you.



Hop Around the Other Blogs Folks!

Monday, April 23, 2012

The Playlist to My New Urban Fantasy!

Hello, all!

Today I bring you the playlist that I just got completely put together which is the music I wrote my new Urban Fantasy to!  We have a little bit of everything on this mix, but the most important to note are the artists above especially Kimbra and her song "Two Way Street" and Rihanna's "We Fell In Love."  Rihanna's song is the theme song to the whole book and Kimbra's song is my heroine's (Her name is Rae :D) personal theme song!

Now I won't be revealing too much more about the project just yet, but it does have a title and that title will be revealed April 27th during the Oh, My Hero! Blog Hop that I'm hosting with my critique partner Jaycee Delorenzo.  Why is the title going to be revealed that day you may ask???   Well my hero from the new project, CK, will be dropping in for a quick question and the title will be given to you then, so yeah!  

You will find out what the "CK" stands for and get a little tidbit about him so you have to come back this Friday, April 27th, to meet him and my other hero Luca Grinaldi from my other work The Crimson Hunt!

Enjoy the playlist from my new work and I can't wait to show you my heros! :D

Rae's Theme:  Kimbra "Two Way Street"


Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Research and Your Audience Featuring: The Geico Cavemen!




Hello, all!  Well to start off today's post I would like you to watch one of my FAVORITE commercials featuring the Geico Cavemen above!




So what does this post have to do with the Geico Cavemen you may ask?  Well Geico made these two Cavemen pretty perturbed when they ran a commercial without bothering to research if Cavemen existed, thereby offending the whole Caveman Community!



The same goes in writing, my friends.  Research and how it effects audiences.  Author's don't want to offend their audiences so they always research, research, research to not play on stereotypes or cliches.

Now in the writing world they say you should always "write what you know" first and foremost.  So that's what I do personally.  My stories will pretty much always be set in the Midwest or at least feature a character who has lived there at one time in their lives because that's what I know!  I've lived there my whole life so I feel that that's a great starting point from me.  But what do you do to supplement that with things that you don't know to get your story really amped up with variety?  RESEARCH!!!

I call my friends, social network, head to the library, google, and all kinds of things to make sure everything in my stories can be the best that they can be portrayed to wide audiences and I love the process.  I find out so many cool things about the world and how it works through the eyes of my characters.  Heck, I grow as much as them :D  I use my writing to explore new worlds, customs, and environments that I otherwise would have never been able to be introduced to before!

Now I ask you?  What's your research process?  Is there a common theme to your writing as well like my connection to my good ole' Midwestern roots?  I'd love to here it!

Laterz,

Oh, My Hero! Blog Hop Sign Up Reminder :D




Hey, Everyone!  

I just wanted to post a quick reminder about the blog hop that my Critique Partner Jaycee Delorenzo and myself are hosting!

You have a little over a week and a half to sign up and the turnout has been great so far!  I can't wait to see everyone's entries :D  Now don't forget there will be prizes so show us your delicious heros writer's and authors for a chance at some swag!

Here's The Details Again:

Rules:

1.  Pick a hero from your writing in progress or novel. 
2.  Post a Picture of your Hero!
3.  Interview your Hero by:
  • Picking at least five of the sample questions below and having your hero answer them, or
  • Creating your own set of questions to surprise us all!
4.  Follow Both Jaycee and I
5.  Post our blog button to your blog!  Also, it's not required, but feel free to repost the hop!
6.  Post your entries on April 27, 2012 and hop around the other blogs through the linky!

Sample Interview Questions:

1. How would you describe yourself in one word?
2. How would you describe your heroine?
3. Do you believe in love at first sight?
4. How would your friends describe you in one word?
5. What's your favorite pastime?
6. What's your idea of the perfect date?
7. Are you a morning or a night person and why?
8. If you won a million dollars what would you do with it?
9. If you had 24 hours to live what would you do/ where would you go?
10. What's your favorite comic book character and why?
11. If you had three wishes what would they be?
12. What's your favorite movie?
13. What is the first thing you notice about a woman that you find attractive?
14. What do you hold value the most in a potential love interest?

Prizes:

Jaycee and I will each pick one winner of the hero we wouldn't mind getting to know a little bit more of ;) 

From Me: An ebook download or up to $15 Book from Book Depository

From Jaycee: An ebook of your choice up to $15 from Amazon OR a Custom Blogger/WordPress Banner (up to 2 images). Your choice.



Link Up Below!

Monday, April 2, 2012

Setting the "Mood" with Song!


So as I'm finalizing putting together a physical playlist of all of the music I listened to while writing my newest manscript, I decided to do a post on setting the mood in song when writing.

Now not everyone listens to music while they write, but I do!  I love feeling those tunes and hearing those lovely lyrics to set the tone for the scene in which I'm writing.  One song can change the entire feel of a scene, so we must always have the right one to create the best scene we can!  I would like to share with you a few of my faves while writing romance.

Scene Topic 1:  Smexy

Now I use all kinds of goodies when writing smexy scenes.  You can use a lovely dovey one for a sensual scene or just a raunchy one for an intense I-just-want-to-bite-the-clothes-off-your-body-scene.

Sensual Smexy
"Colorblind" by Counting Crows

Blouse Ripping Smexy
"I Know What You Want" by Busta Rhymes ft. Mariah Carey

Scene Topic 2:  That First Meeting

Your characters can meet under all kinds of scenarios.  It can be love at first sight or a disaster!

Love at First Sight
Landon Pigg "Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop"

Disaster Meeting!
Karmin "Crash Your Party"

Scene Topic 3:  The Epic Battle

So many different songs can go here.  You can have a true fight guns blazing as your heros fight their ultimate enemy or a final fight in a contemporary romance where the final confrontation is just as epic, but not so intense, like an argument that's been a long time coming between two lovers.

Guns Blazing Battle!
"I Will Not Bow" by Breaking Benjamin

Final Battle, but less Intense
"I Hate this Part" by Pussycat Dolls

So there you have it my friends.  Do you do this?  Or does listening to music just distract?  

Laterz! And don't forget to sign up for the "Oh, My Hero" Blog Hop!

I Finished My Urban Fantasy!

3.5 weeks...  95,000 words...  and multiple cans of Sprite later...

MY URBAN FANTASY IS DONE!

Ah!!!  I'm so excited!  I have finished my 4th manuscript and let me tell you I celebrated.  Something about eating like a bucket of ice cream and about half my body weight in pasta or something...  Haha!

It's been fun.  I stressed.  I laughed.  I cried.  But now it is done!  What's next for me you may ask?  Well, I plan on doing a read through for enjoyment and then tossing it to the side for about a week and editing another project.  This is usually a routine with me.  It's always good to put the work away for a while to recoup.  Then you can look at it fresh and edit the hell out of it later!

And now, my friends, I give you a little sample.  Now remember this is a first draft so it's pretty rough, but I just wanted to share.

I noticed that with my Lucky 7 entry and my original sample I shared with you a while back, I always seem to have my characters at each others throats.  So today, you get one of those warm tender moments from them.  They don't happen often so this is a rare treat for them, haha!

May 6, 2012-
Hey, all!  Took the sample down for polishing.  Thanks to all who read for their input!



Thanks for reading, my friends.  It's been a wild ride for my two characters!  Don't forget to check out the blog hop that myself and my critique partner are hosting featuring swoon worthy heros called the Oh! My Hero Blog Hop!  I will be interviewing the deliciously mysterious Luca from my first novel The Crimson Hunt!  Look out for it and enter the hop to show us your heros as well :D

Laterz!


 
   

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