Category: Authors

Ahem…Attention Please

by Jen Barry, posted in Authors, Books, Final Score, Let's Get Serious, Melissa Fox, Uncategorized

I have some fun news of the book variety, and probably a bit of a surprise for many. For the past nine months or so, Melissa Fox and I have been working on a contemporary romance novel about a fiery chef and a hot hockey player. We were tagged by Lisa Hanna Wells in The Next Big Thing blog hop and thought this would be the perfect time to unveil the book. There was just one small problem.

We had no title.

Never fear! I work with a team of skilled writers who were all too happy to share their inspired suggestions. Thanks to Robert Coles, Jasmine Henry, Richard Foshee, and Jonathan Illig, we had the following possibilities from which to choose:

Trapped In The Penalty Box

Love Between the Blue Lines

Forking and Pucking

Of Pucks and Men

Icing the Cake

Pucks and Prejudice

Crosscheck My Heart

Pucks and Petit Fours

Love in Slippery Places

As brilliant as these titles are, we’re happy to announce the working title is Final Score, and we have a little blurb to share with you.

Chef Anna Bloom studied and sacrificed for years to open her own restaurant. Her dream finally within her grasp, she doesn’t have time to get knocked on her ass by a NHL bad boy, no matter how gorgeous he—and his abs—might be.

Connecticut Clippers star Brody Clark likes his life just fine. He’s put his wild rookie days behind him and has the Stanley Cup in his sights. But when he gets checked by a pretty redheaded cook, his free agent days might be over.

‪Crazy schedules and roaming paparazzi are just part of the deal, until Brody gets mixed up with the wrong publicity-seeker on the biggest night of Anna’s life. Anna’s star rises, while Brody’s takes a hit and crashes the boards.

In the midst of a celebrity machine hungry for scandal, Anna and Brody reach for the most ambitious goal of all: falling in love.

Next week, Melissa and I will be back to answer some questions about Final Score, and we’ll tag some more authors so you can go see what their Next Big Thing is. In the meantime, take a trip over to Melissa’s site and check out her debut, Wraith Redeemed, which will be released in print in just a few short weeks.

A Moment with RJ Burroughs

by Jen Barry, posted in Authors, Books, Interviews, Martin Sisters Publishing, Uncategorized

RJ Burroughs is one of the newest members of the Martin Sisters Publishing family. His book, The Boys of 58, is a coming of age story told with RJ’s unique humor and insight. No matter when you were a kid or what kind of trouble you got yourself into, you’ll see a bit of yourself in The Boys of 58.

RJ was nice enough to answer my usual questions, and he even gave extra attention to those originally designed with women in mind. He’s a good sport, and his answers will make you laugh. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to get to know him better, and then head over to one of the many places The Boys of 58 is available to take a look.

As my husband always says, “What’s your book about?”

The Boys of 58 is about 5 twelve-year-old boys growing up in the much slower time of 1958–all the trouble they seem to get into and the way they get out of trouble.  It’s not one story, but a combination of several stories.  When I wrote this novel, I did my best to make each page different and funny.  I tried to put a little something in it for everyone–if you can please everyone that is.  From a fainting goat to the zombie, or the boy and girl killed fifty-years before the boys were born.  A person would be hard pressed to read The Boys and not laugh out loud several times.

Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?  Can you tell us about it?

That would be to a girl named Rita in the 3rd grade.  Rita was the fastest runner in our elementary school, and she was going to represent our school in the 100-yard dash at the city-wide elementary track meet.   I thought Rita was about the prettiest girl I had ever seen. Of course, I hadn’t seen all that many girls, living on a farm and being nine years old.

I saw a senior boy and girl kissing at the Big Burger one afternoon when my uncle took me to get a cherry limeade. The look on that senior boy’s face after he finished with that kiss was something I had never experienced before–kind of like the look people get today when OU beats Texas.  I though kissing must be something special, so being who I am, I decided the only way to find out would be to give it a try.  That’s when I wrote Rita a one-page note expressing my desire to find out what it feels like to kiss a girl.

She wrote me back, stating if I could catch her at recess she would let me kiss her.

Well, as I said before, she was fast–darn fast. I spent almost all of the fifteen minutes chasing that girl, and I finally trapped her between the monkey bars and the old slide.  I will give her this–she was a girl of her word. She let me kiss her square on the mouth just like that senior boy. However, I didn’t have that look he had when I finished. It was more like the look people get when Texas beats OU. From that day on, I gave up on girls for good–or until I first saw Pam in her cheerleader outfit in junior high school a few years later.

Do you prefer plaid or stripes?

Well, that is a tough question for me. The only thing I can say is, I don’t have a clue. I guess if Sally Field was wearing a long plaid dress or a pair of shorts with stripes on them, I would have to say stripes.  On the other hand, if Sally Field was wearing a long dress with stripes on it or a pair of plaid shorts, I would have to go with plaid.   To me, it doesn’t matter the material or the color, but what a person does with it.

Was choosing to publish independently something you always wanted, or an option you hadn’t considered before? (Independently being defined here as NOT one of the Big Six.)

I have written a lot of different stories in the past and tried several times (several times being a heck of a lot) to find an agent and or publisher.  I don’t know for sure if my material was ever looked at, much less read.  After hundreds of attempts, I just stopped trying. I have a lot of family members and friends that enjoy what I write, be it horror, sci fi, mystery, or humor, so I wrote just for the enjoyment of writing and the pleasure my friends got out of it.

After I finished writing The Boys of 58, I sent out several queries to agents/publishers. Still nothing.  I just happened to be checking the spam on my computer when I found an answer from Martin Sisters. To make a long story short, they loved the novel, and now it’s in print.

If it hadn’t been for the Sisters I would still be writing for family and friends. Still, it is hard to get the word out about a new book, but I just keep plugging along in hopes that people who do read it enjoy it and pass the word along.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? 

Yes, I am just about finished with The Boys of 59, the sequel to The Boys of 58. I won’t be sending it off until The Boys of 58 has been out awhile. I am also about 3/4th finished with a mystery novel called Marriage, as well as a fiction novel about how the names of creeks in Oklahoma came about. I have several others planned as well.

Do you have any rituals before writing?  Music or silence?  Coffee or tea?  Twizzlers or M&Ms?

No, I just write when I feel like it–just walk into my office, sit down, and write.  I always carry a small pad with me, just in case I happen to think of something I want to write about or something I would like to add to a novel. Then when I get to the computer, I take out the pad. Otherwise I would forget my thoughts.  This is something I believe all authors should do, as I can’t ever remember all the things I have thought of and forgotten before I could get to the computer.

The only other ritual that helps me write is when my wife gets upset with me about something or she happens to cook liver. Either one of those send me to my office quick.

Have you ever based a character on someone you know? 

No, I haven’t based any characters on anyone I know. I have used the names of some of my friends, however.  As for places, yes. The Boys of 58 takes place in a small Oklahoma town called Verden, a little town my grandmother lived in and where I attended the second and third grade.

In The Boys of 58, one of the boy’s names is Sonny, and my nickname is Sonny. Now I kind of wish I had given Sonny a different name, as people seem to think the story is about me, and it is not. It is pure fiction.

The grandmother in the story does have some of the traits of my grandmother. The snuff and flyswatter came from her.

I enjoy making up the last names myself.

What color is your umbrella?

Jen, I don’t have an umbrella. If I did, I am sure the wind in Oklahoma would be more than happy to take it away from me.  Being a young lady as you are, I am sure you have no idea what runs through a man’s head about being macho. It is something we men strive to be.  I can’t speak for all men, but it seems kind of hard to run into Wal-Mart, or Rexall Drugs holding an umbrella and still feel macho.  Ok, if I had an umbrella, it would have Sooners on it. 

Who is your favorite author and why?

I guess that would have to be Stephen King.  I wrote a book called Unholy Ground a few years ago. A lot of the people that read it thought it was something from Stephen King.  I have a little part in The Boys of 58 about a boy and girl that were murdered fifty years before the boys were born. The head of the young girl was never found.  As I said before, I tried to put a little something in it for everyone.  By no means is The Boys a horror novel or is the murder part scary; it’s all humor.

As for what I like about Stephen King: when you read his novels, there is always a part a person can relate to in it. Some of it is even funny.  He is very different from me, however. He taught English; I flunked English. He is from the north (Maine); I am from the southwest (Oklahoma.)  If I had to bet, I would say his wife doesn’t cook liver mine does.  I think he talks funny, but I am sure if he were to hear me talk, he would think the same thing about me. The only thing we have in common is he has been in a lot of movies same as myself. The only difference is that he was acting, and I was in a chair eating popcorn with butter and drinking a small coke.

What was the last book you read?

That would be Huckleberry Finn. I have read it several times.  I enjoy Mark Twain’s writing.  That just happens to be the last one I read. However, I am waiting on Side Effects to get here. You know about Side Effects, don’t you?

Do you write about locations you’ve visited, or do you rely on research?  Or do you make up entire settings in your head?

As I said before, I used Verden from my childhood. However, I make up 99% of the locations in my head. That way, if I need a fire station down the block or a Dairy Queen across the street from something, I can always add it in.  Again, I like to make things up in my head. As I write about it, I make notes. If I didn’t, I would end up with a fire station on each block and four or five Dairy Queens in the same town.

After the last word is written, then what?  Do you have pre-readers and editors who take over?  Do you begin query letters immediately?

I really don’t do anything other than send it to my editor.  I type so fast (or at least I use the excuse of typing so fast) that I have to have someone edit it.  If it hadn’t been for sports and girls in school, I might not have passed.  My spelling leaves something to be desired.

After the military, I did try to go to college, but it was in the 70s and the students were all protesting Vietnam. Since I was ex-military, I was given a cold shoulder by most.  I dropped out and went into the pipeline field–something I still do to this day.

So yes, as soon as I finish a story, it’s off to my editor.

What song would be on the soundtrack for your book?

Red River Valley by Stevie Nicks. Why, I have no clue, other than I like the fire out of that song.  I guess that is the southwest coming out of me.

Where can people find your book? 

Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Martin Sisters Publishing, or it can be ordered at any bookstore.

Can we read a little excerpt?

When I reached the store, I saw Sally Majors coming out carrying a large sack of groceries. That wouldn’t have been much of an inspiration before, but Sally had been the talk of the town a few months back. She ran off with the high-school French teacher and got married. She was seventeen and Mr. Baxter was thirty-seven. That was about the biggest thing since the Bible salesman came to town and stole the cash box from the Baptist Church. Seeing Sally’s large stomach that day, I just knew she was going to have a baby.

She wasn’t pregnant, mind you, saying that word was another no-no. Sally was either in the family way, with child, or just going to have a baby. Pregnant was only used for bad girls that lived out of our little town or by the doctor.

Seeing her ‘in the family way’ gave me the perfect idea for paying Miss Mary Sue Bailey back. It came to me in such a flash I forgot all about the Garrett Snuff. I turned on my heels and, in a dead run, started for Charlie’s house. About halfway there I remembered the snuff and thoughts of flyswatters and yardsticks came to mind, but there was no turning back now, and the respect I’d get from the guys was worth more than just a couple licks.

Reaching Charlie’s house, I banged on the door till the usual greeting came.

“Stop that banging, you little fart,” Charlie’s mom said.

Everyone was a fart to her. Dumb fart. Old fart. Young fart. Stupid fart. Young, no-account fart. That was my favorite.

“Is Charlie home, Mrs. Shaffer?”

“Yes, the little, no-account fart is here,” she said, turning to fetch her son who was already headed up behind her.

“What you want, fart-head?” he asked, sidestepping the slap he knew would be coming his way.

The fart word was used a lot in his house, but only from his mother. When she heard Charlie or one of us use it, you could bet a slap across the top of your head was soon to follow.

“Have the guys meet at the depot after supper tonight. I think I know a way we can pay Mary Sue back for all the trash she’s been spreading about us.”

“What you thinking?”

For a second, I was going to tell him, but when you get an idea like that, you can’t just waste it; you got to tell everyone at once so they can all talk about how brilliant it was.

“Just get the guys together, Charlie.”

Be sure to leave a few words for RJ. You can also visit his website and “like” The Boys on Facebook.

 

A Moment with Elizabeth Hunter

by Jen Barry, posted in Authors, Books, Interviews

Twitter’s amazing, isn’t it? I get some of the best replies to my silliest comments. Some of those replies lead to hilarious conversation or, in the case of Martha Bourke, some sympathetic hand-holding. With Elizabeth Hunter, the discussion was David Gandy and his nose. I don’t even know who David Gandy is, but I did look him up. If I were going to talk about any part of him at all, it wouldn’t be his nose. That’s all beside the point. The point is that I asked Elizabeth to answer my usual questions for the site, and she agreed! After the silly conversation we’d had, I couldn’t help but get excited about her potential answers. She didn’t disappoint, either. Without further ridiculousness from me, I present to you Elizabeth Hunter, the author of the Elemental Mysteries series.

Author Photo

Elizabeth Hunter is the author of the Elemental Mysteries Series. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College in the Department of English (Linguistics) and a former English teacher.

A native of Central California, she currently lives in Southern California with her husband, son, and an assortment of dogs.  She enjoys reading, writing, travel, and bowling (despite the fact that she’s not very good at it.) Someday, she plans to learn how to scuba dive. And maybe hang-glide. But that looks like a lot of running.

As my husband always says, “What’s your book about?”

My book series, The Elemental Mysteries, is a paranormal romance that dives into a mystery about lost libraries and long-buried secrets. In the first book, A Hidden Fire, Giovanni Vecchio, my main character, is a very “other” Italian book collector, and he’s helped by Beatrice De Novo, a student librarian at the university where he’s researching.The two main characters may start out in very different places, but as the story progresses, they find out that their pasts tie them together in unexpected ways. If you’re a fan of paranormal romance that’s a little more on the suspense and intrigue side, then I think you might like the series.

Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?  Can you tell us about it?

I honestly don’t remember the first thing. The first thing I remember showing anyone was a short story I wrote in college for my mother. It was a fictionalized account of a story my grandfather had told me a few years before he passed away. In fact, a rewritten version of that story can be found in my writing site, ElizabethHunterWrites.com.

Do you prefer plaid or stripes?

Ha! I love plaid on other people, and on myself in very small amounts. A purse or a scarf, maybe. My son is six and quite adept at mixing both plaids and stripes, but unfortunately, I’m not that style-savvy.

Was choosing to publish independently something you always wanted, or an option you hadn’t considered before? (Independently being defined here as NOT one of the Big Six.)

I was a technical writer for many years, but I started to get serious about creative writing in late 2010, just as indie-publishing was starting to make news. I had never queried or submitted traditionally, so I decided to just start my career on my own terms. It’s a good fit for me, personally. I’m independent by nature, and I like to control all aspects of my books. I’m not afraid of the marketing, and I like being able to write and produce work at my own pace. My first series of books will all be published within a year of the first book’s release. I wouldn’t be able to do that with a traditional publisher.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? 

My husband will tell you that I’m always working on something! Right now, I’m editing the last book in the Elemental Mysteries, A Fall of Water, which will be out in June 2012. I’m also writing a companion novel for one of the supporting characters that explores the Elementals world a little more. I may write more in this particular universe, but I also have plans another series swirling around.

Do you have any rituals before writing?  Music or silence?  Coffee or tea?  Twizzlers or M&Ms?

No rituals, per se. I’m a mom, so I often have to write when I can snatch time. I’m a meticulous planner and plotter, though, so my books are all time-lined, outlined, sketched, and plotted out in long-hand before I ever sit down to write at my laptop. I do have playlists that I create for each book that snap me into “writing mode.” I like coffee and tea, but coffee is, by far, more crucial for everyday survival. As for candy? I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, but I do love almonds and pistachios. I suppose my guilty pleasure are M&Ms with peanuts or almonds.

Have you ever based a character on someone you know? 

Not directly, but I think there are aspects of characters that always sneak in or reflect the people closest to me. One of the characters in A Hidden Fire has an outrageous sense of humor like my husband. Beatrice’s best friend in This Same Earth, the second book, reminds me of a few of my girlfriends. Though I’ll admit, Doyle, the cat in A Hidden Fire is a direct homage to my Grandmother’s cat, Bibi.

What color is your umbrella?

Black. But I once saw an umbrella that was black on the outside and had panels from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel on the inside! I wish I had bought it at the time. If I ever find another one, I’m buying a dozen.

Who is your favorite author and why?

There is no way to answer that question! I don’t have a single favorite. It’s impossible. My favorite in fantasy is Tolkien. My favorite poet is Neruda. I love Shakespeare and Austen and Morrison and Ondaatje. Within my own genre, I love Jeanine Frost and Charlaine Harris. I love variety, most of all. That’s part of the reason I became a writer. Writing is never boring for me.

What was the last book you read?

Thea Harrison’s third book in the Elder Races series, Serpent’s Kiss. I just discovered the Elder Races series a couple of months ago, and I really enjoy them.

Do you write about locations you’ve visited, or do you rely on research?  Or do you make up entire settings in your head?

The Elemental Mysteries are pretty international. The story starts out in Houston, but then travels all over Europe, South America, and China. The first two books are mostly locations where I have traveled, but in the third book, The Force of Wind, Gio and B go to China, so I had to rely on research and help from my brother, who has traveled extensively in Asia. So, it’s a combination. I’ve traveled, but I also do a lot of research. Some of the locations are completely made up or based on traditional myth, like Mt. Penglai, the legendary home of the Eight Immortals in Asian mythology.

After the last word is written, then what?  Do you have pre-readers and editors who take over?  Do you begin query letters immediately?

I have a few readers who actually read while I’m writing. After I finish the first draft, I set it aside, then do the first self-edit. Then I send it my beta-readers, both of whom are writers; they go over it, then finally I send it to my editor, who then sends it to the proofreader, and so on. All in all, the books are usually read by about ten sets of eyes before they’re published!

What song would be on the soundtrack for your book?

There are so, so many. But two songs that jump to mind for my main characters, Giovanni and Beatrice are “Set Fire to the Third Bar” by Snow Patrol and “Anytime, Anywhere” by Sarah Brightman.

Where can people find your book?

They can find the first three books of my series on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. The first book is also available at iBookstore, Diesel, and Kobo (the second and third will get there eventually, but those stores take longer!) and the paperbacks are available on my book website, ElementalMysteries.com or on Amazon for $11.99.

Can we read a little excerpt?

Absolutely! Here’s one of my favorite excerpts from A Hidden Fire:

“Tell the truth, Giovanni Vecchio.”  A mischievous look came to her eye.  “You have a butler, a cool car, and I’ve only ever seen you at night…”

He froze, tension suddenly evident in the set of his shoulders.  Beatrice leaned closer and whispered, “You’re Batman, aren’t you?”

His mouth dropped open in surprise before the grin overtook his face.

She smiled back at him, chuckling until he joined in.  Soon, they were both laughing.

“You looked so serious for a second!  What did you think I was going to say?  A spy?  Vampire?  Hired killer?”

He shook his head in amusement.  “You’re confounding.  No, I was just surprised you guessed.  I am, in fact, Batman.  I would appreciate your discretion.”

She nodded with a smirk, and took another sip of the coffee he’d brought her.  It had just a touch of cream, exactly the way she liked it.  “Sure you are.  I’m a skeptic until I see the rubber suit.  You’re not fooling me.”

He looked at her, smiling mischievously.  “You really want to see me in a rubber suit?”

 
(Can we pause for a moment and discuss how delicious Giovanni is? Yes? Good. Let’s proceed…)

 

A Hidden Fire, This Same Earth, and The Force of Wind are now available from all major online e-book retailers. Book Four, A Fall of Water, will be available in Summer 2012.

Learn more about the Elemental Mysteries series at ElementalMysteries.com or contact her by e-mail at elizabethhunterwrites@gmail.com. You can follow Elizabeth on twitter @E__Hunter or on Facebook on her page “Elemental Mysteries by Elizabeth Hunter.”

A Moment with Matt Tomerlin

by Jen Barry, posted in Authors, Books, Interviews

Guys, the Twitter has done it again. I got a follow request from a fellow author, and the synopsis of his book intrigued me. I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with pirates, but I do have a soft spot for Peter Pan and Pirates of Penzance…okay, and Pirates of the Caribbean, while we’re at it. I don’t get to hand these questions over to many men, so I was excited to see what Matt had to say. I hope you’ll take a moment to learn more about him, and then enjoy the brief excerpt from his book, The Devil’s Fire, at the end.

As my husband always says, “What’s your book about?”

“The Devil’s Fire: Pirate’s Bane #1” is about a young woman from London, Katherine Lindsay, who is kidnapped by pirates in the early 1700s. The phrase “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger” definitely applies, as Katherine is forced to find an inner strength she otherwise would never have realized she had. She evolves throughout the story, and by the final chapter she is barely recognizable from the woman in the beginning. I wanted to write a realistic pirate story without all the supernatural stuff that did not shy from scenes of brutality or sex (though it is not a romance novel).

Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?  Can you tell us about it?

Yes! In my mid-teens I wrote a screenplay about a rich man who fakes his death and then spies on his wife to find out if she really loved him. It was ambitious, but at that point I hadn’t had enough life experience (particularly relationship experience) to make it convincing.

Do you prefer plaid or stripes?

Stripes, because Smee wears a striped shirt in Peter Pan.

Was choosing to publish independently something you always wanted, or an option you hadn’t considered before? (Independently being defined here as NOT one of the Big Six.)

Like so many others, I grew tired of agents/publishers rejecting my work without bothering to read a single paragraph. Bottom line is I wanted people to be able to read the story, and self-publishing was the fastest way to guarantee that. Amazon hasn’t let me down. I’ve sold over 5,000 copies of “The Devil’s Fire” so far, and that’s 4,999 more than I thought I would.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? 

I’m nearly finished with the follow-up to “The Devil’s Fire,” which is called “The Devil’s Tide”. The second book is open ended, and there will likely be a third.

Do you have any rituals before writing?  Music or silence?  Coffee or tea?  Twizzlers or M&Ms?

Total silence. Lots of Pepsi or Mt. Dew, and sometimes wine (later at night). Too many varieties of snacks to list… although you’ve inspired me to add Twizzlers into the mix.

Have you ever based a character on someone you know? 

Not specifically, but I do incorporate personality traits from everyone I know into nearly every character. In “The Devil’s Fire,” Katherine Lindsay has elements of the strongest women I know, who have faced hardship and emerged stronger, chin held high. The main antagonist, Edward Livingston, contains the very worst traits of humanity; a personification of those dark thoughts we never entertain. Nathan Adams is very much the naïve youth I was and many other teenaged males were. Captain Jonathan Griffith represents blind ambition, and proves to be the most difficult obstacle in Katherine Lindsay’s path, because there’s an undeniable attraction between them, despite the horrible things he has done.

What color is your umbrella?

I have a blue one from Disneyland, with Mickey Mouse on it. Don’t judge me.

Who is your favorite author and why?

Yikes. This is the hardest question yet. At the moment it would be Mark Twain, because he’s one of the few authors who can make me laugh out loud.

What was the last book you read?

I’m currently reading “Hunger Games,” because all my female friends insisted. It’s surprisingly addictive. Before that, I read “The Holy Road,” by Michael Blake, a very depressing but exquisitely written follow-up to “Dances With Wolves”.

Do you write about locations you’ve visited, or do you rely on research?  Or do you make up entire settings in your head?

With historical fiction, I have to do thorough research. I think it adds to the authenticity of a story, even if it’s only on a subconscious level. For example, much of “The Devil’s Fire” takes place in Nassau during the golden age of piracy, so I did extensive research on what Nassau was like at that time. I peppered the narrative with little details that may seem inconsequential, but hopefully help in transporting the reader to that time period.

After the last word is written, then what?  Do you have pre-readers and editors who take over?  Do you begin query letters immediately?

First I read it and edit it myself, and then I send it to a select group of friends who are very detail oriented. My sister is an editor, so that is a big help. Query letters are the last part, though I must admit I’m not really bothering with them anymore. The book seems to be finding an audience on Amazon, so that’s good enough for me.

What song would be on the soundtrack for your book?

“Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” by U2. The lyrics totally fit Katherine’s character.

Where can people find your book?

It is currently exclusive to Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.com/B005GL93LA

The second book will be out in 2012, hopefully by June.

Can we read a little excerpt?

It was six hours before the pirates discovered her cowering beneath the bed.

Several pirates spilled into the cabin, laughing and cursing. She glimpsed only their feet. Some wore boots, but most were barefoot. She watched through a hole in the heavy quilt that was draped over the bed as they thieved most of her clothes and jewelry. They took whatever perked their interest and then left, their boisterous laughter fading into the roaring pandemonium that had enveloped the main deck.

After what she presumed to be two hours, she heard a loud scuttle and a subsequent shriek that was abruptly cut short. A riotous commotion lasted for nearly five minutes before it broke into uncontrollable fits of laughter. For the next hour she was left to ponder her husband’s fate. Her mind played out a relentless torrent of ghastly possibilities, with Thomas meeting a grisly death in every one of them.

And then, with a glorious flood of relief, she heard his voice. Her eyes burned. She squeezed them shut, refusing to allow any tears to burst free; there would be time enough for that later, when she held him in her arms again, and the present ordeal was nothing more than a memory.

Thomas was conversing with a man whose voice held a distinctive air of authority. As this man spoke, the pirates gradually calmed. Katherine found herself transfixed on the voice, even though it was far too muffled through the cabin walls for her to distinguish words. He possessed a tranquil tone that she rather liked, and she temporarily forgot her peril while listening to him.

Thomas and the man with the fair voice eventually ended their conversation, and the pirate uproar started anew. This went on at some length, and the cabin remained empty over the next few hours. Gradually, the clamor outside grew even louder, and the unmistakable sound of a shattering bottle prompted her to wonder if the pirates had discovered the cases of wine in the cargo hold.

The endless ruckus numbed her senses, and she found her eyelids growing heavy. The floor’s wooden planking seemed to stretch away from her. Her vision thinned to narrowing slits that soon receded into darkness.

The door was thrust open, and the ruckus outside flooded the cabin like a tidal wave. Katherine lifted her head and smashed the crown of her skull against the underbelly of the bed. Her eyes shot open in accordance with the jolting pain.

A pair of buckled shoes marched deliberately for the bed. The man who wore them reached down and tore the quilt away, spoiling her hiding place. With the velocity of a striking snake, his hand shot under the bed to grasp Katherine’s hair, dragging her painfully from cover.

“This ship’s treasures never cease,” said the man with the voice that she had liked so much. But his pleasant enunciation was no match for the hunger in his eyes.

Be sure to follow Matt on Twitter, “like” him on Facebook, and check out his GoodReads profile. You can also follow his blog for updates on the series.

A Moment with Martha Bourke

by Jen Barry, posted in Authors, Books, Interviews

On Tuesday, the tornado sirens in Nashville started screaming, and I ended up in my closet, clutching my laptop and my bowl of ramen noodles. I tweeted my fear, and I received comfort from loving friends and even a few strangers. Martha Bourke was one of those strangers, and she promised to “hold my hand” through the worst of it. It turned out to be a false alarm, as most tornado sirens are in my city. In the end, I left the closet floor with a new friend.

Martha then agreed to answer my usual questions, and I can’t tell you how much this excites me. With a Young Adult novel focusing on the Mayan prophecy regarding the end of days, her work is timely and interesting. I hope you’ll take a moment to meet my new friend, Martha, and read about her first novel, Jaguar Sun.

As my husband always says, “What’s your book about?”

Jaguar Sun is the story of Maya Delaney, a sixteen year old high school junior of Mayan descent. As she and those around her begin to develop unexplained abilities, Maya learns that she is part of a worldwide plot much bigger than anything she could ever have imagined. She must harness her new found powers in time to fight off this evil and bring humanity through to a positive transition on December 21, 2012, the day that the Mayan calendar ends. Maya’s basically forced to reevaluate everything; her relationships, her identity, her whole place in our world.

Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?  Can you tell us about it?

Oh, man. The first thing I remember writing was an acrostic poem using my first name in third grade. I was asked to read it in front of the school with other kids from each class. As if that’s not bad enough, after a read it, my old first grade teacher made a sour face and I saw her do it. Can you imagine? I mean, it may have been a tad bit morbid, but hello! I was NINE.  Luckily, my fourth grade teacher, who was hands down the best teacher I ever had, encouraged me. She even tried to get some published in magazines. They never were, but I was hooked.

Do you prefer plaid or stripes?

Um, stripes. I’m not sure I could carry off plaid.

Was choosing to publish independently something you always wanted, or an option you hadn’t considered before? (Independent being defined here as not part of the Big Six.)

Actually, I had no other option. I took a sabbatical because of a health issue in December 2010. I started the book in January and finished it in April 2011. I went to a conference in May. I had signed up for one of those manuscript critiques where an editor reads the first chapter in advance and then meets with you. He really liked it, but he basically said that because of the whole Mayan Calendar December 2012 issue, no trad publisher would touch it. It had an expiration date, literally. It takes them too long to get a book out. So, I spent the summer doing service work, not sure what to do with it. In the fall I sent the first chapter to Pedernales Publishing on a whim. They only work with Indie authors, but they also only accept about forty percent of the manuscripts they get. I called them and sent it in. A week later they sent me an e-mail asking for a phone call. They had accepted it, thank God. The first YA manuscript they had ever taken. They did the cover, the formatting, and my website.  And we had it edited, proofed, formatted and out in two and a half months. Thank God only Book 1 has that kind of time constraint.

Are you working on anything new at the moment?

Jaguar Sun is the first book in the Jaguar Sun Series. I’m just starting to jot things down for Book 2, Jaguar Moon, which I’ll start very soon. It will be out in 2012.

Do you have any rituals before writing?  Music or silence?  Coffee or tea?  Twizzlers or M&Ms?

No, not really. I can’t write with music or the TV on.

Have you ever based a character on someone you know?

In little ways I suppose the people I know creep into my characters, but I’ve never flat out based an entire character on someone.

What color is your umbrella?

Ha! That’s such a funny question to me because I’m never prepared enough to have that sort of thing. But I actually have a mini umbrella right now. It’s pink with white polka dots. I think it’s for breast cancer awareness.

Who is your favorite author and why?

Charles Dickens, if I had to pick. That’s my mom’s fault. She’s big on the classics. Lots of Alcott and Austin. And my father was an English teacher.  He taught American and British lit. So, there you go! But, Dickens was a genius. His characterizations are amazing. And he had a very hard life as a young man, which colored his work and made him a champion of the poor as an adult.

What was the last book you read?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. I read it just before going into editing on my book in November. I haven’t had time since! Fabulous book, btw. I would love to have blue hair. I’m so Jealous.

Do you write about locations you’ve visited, or do you rely on research?  Or do you make up entire settings in your head?

I write Paranormal, as opposed to Fantasy, so my world is our own world, but enhanced. My first novel I wrote five years ago took place locally. Jaguar Sun takes place in New Mexico and Mexico. I did a little research about New Mexico, and I knew a lot about Mexico already.  But that’s not to say I wouldn’t travel if I need to! Sounds good, actually.

After the last word is written, then what?  Do you have pre-readers and editors who take over?  Do you begin query letters immediately?

I have a terrific reader’s circle and they actually read it in two halves. Then I have my editor, who I contract out for, gets started. She lives in CA and I live in MA, so we e-mail it back and forth using “track changes”. We talk on the phone. Then the work goes to Pedernales and we start talking proofing, cover, etc.

What song would be on the soundtrack for your book?

This is probably not going to make any sense to anyone, but I was an elementary Spanish teacher for fifteen years.  My knowledge of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture sort of smacked into my love of YA and that’s how the concept for Jaguar Sun was born. So an important song for the book is a song called “Tu Y Yo” (You and I) by Ricky Martin. It’s Matt and Maya’s theme song. And it has a very native feel to it at the end, which works perfectly for Maya’s character. The album came out while I was writing the book.

Where can people find your book?

At Amazon, in both Kindle and Paperback. It’s also at Barnes and Noble for Nook.

Can we read a little excerpt?

Okay, just for you, Jen. I’m just going to pick one at random, okay?

I turned and quietly opened the door to my and Matt’s room. He was sitting with his back to meon his side of the bed. As I watched, he leaned forward on his elbows, rubbing the stubble on his unshaven face as if deep in thought. I closed the door behind me with a quiet snick.

“Matt? Are you okay?” I whispered.

He turned his head. “Yeah. I was just thinking. Come here.”

I walked over and sat down next to him. I stared at the floor, wondering what he could be thinking about me and this newest display of my freakish powers. I could feel a massive stress headache coming on. I rubbed my temples.

“Are you okay?” he asked, putting an arm around me.

“I guess.”

“That was pretty incredible, what you did out there.”

All I could do was shake my head. “It may be incredible, but it’s not normal, Matt.”

“Come on, don’t do that.”

“My hands were glowing—for real—while I was working with Adriana.”

“Okay, so you can manipulate mind-blowing amounts of energy. We knew that. That’s why we’re here, babe.”

“Yeah.”

December 21, 2012

Will that fateful day destroy our world, or did the Mayans have something else in mind? 

Maya Delaney knows. Unfortunately.

Maya Delaney is just an average sixteen-year- old. She’s busy dealing with exams, her soon to be ex-boyfriend and fitting in. But Maya’s got bigger problems. She’s hiding a major secret from her dad and having strange visions she can’t control. In her struggle to figure out who she is, she learns that she is meant to fulfill an ancient Mayan Prophecy and bring forth a New Age on earth. Will the spirit magic Maya wields be enough to defeat Toltec, an evil society bent on keeping her from her destiny? Or will that destiny destroy her? 

There you have it! Thanks for having me, Jennifer. And thank you to readers who are taking a chance on a new author and letting my characters into their lives for a bit. That’s the best thing about writing after all.

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And a huge thanks to Martha for stopping by.  I hope you’ll take a moment to find her on Twitter, visit her Facebook page, and become a fan on GoodReads. You can also learn more about Jaguar Sun on the website, and follow her blog.