Hi Vicki! Welcome to Turning The Page – thanks so much for visiting today.

Thank you so much for having me, Stacy.

Your tag line is “sassy writer of sexy and funny fiction.” Is your main goal to make readers laugh? I would hope readers like the story. I believe if I made someone laugh, I did a good job with my writing. 

Your short story Store Wars is releasing from MuseItUp in August. I love the title–can you tell us about the story and what you’re doing for its release? Thank you so much! Handsome worried it sounded too much like the famous movie. I just laughed. Here’s a blurb: Janie’s heart’s desire is to open her own store, but that’s about to be thwarted when her old love comes back to town and is running the competition’s business.

Do you prefer writing short stories or full-length novels? I’ve written 3 unpublished novels and love them dearly. Just haven’t sold them. And frankly, I can write a lot of shorts in the year it takes me to write one book. I’m slow with books.

You’re a part of a very cool blog, The Plotting Princesses. What’s your favorite part of working with them? Oh, I can’t wait to tell the PP girls you said so!!! We all get along so well and help each other with our writing business. I love them dearly!

Your novel, I Believe, is a romance with a sexy storyline. What inspired it? I Believe is my sexy novella with a touch of magic. I was at RWA and woke up from a dream saying the chant. My roommate, the fabulous Elizabeth Essex, threw a pen at me and said to write it down. Since I excel in following directions, I did and worked and worked. (BTW, the chant is a poem I wrote for Handsome!)

What is it about romance that makes you love writing it? HEA’s are happy for me. I like to feel good when I finish a book.

You’re a member of RWA–what’s the biggest benefit from belonging to such a vast organization? Networking. I have met so many people from all over the world. I can’t wait to see them each year.

What are you working on right now? Do you have plans for any more releases this year? I have a release, Twinkle Lights, coming in December from MuseItUp Publishing. I’ve submitted two very shorts to Woman’s World–cross fingers! And for some weird reason, am writing another holiday story.

I’ve got to ask the personal questions: what are your favorite free-time hobbies and dream vacation? I always have a needlepoint project going. Two years ago, Handsome and I went on our dream vacation-we cruised the Mediterranean with extra days in Istanbul, Rome, and Venice. Sigh. Oh! I need another dream vacation. Maybe a cruise around Australia…. hehehehe

 Find Vicki Online

Website     Facebook     Twitter     Pinterest     Goodreads

Find Vicki’s books

MuseItUp Publishing           Amazon                Barnes and Noble

Like some of her characters, Vicki has worked a wide variety of jobs including lifeguard, ride attendant at an amusement park; a hardware store, department store, book store, antique store clerk; administrative assistant in an international real estate firm; and a general “do anything gal” at a financial services firm. The list is…endless.

Born in Dallas, a graduate of Texas Tech, she is married to Handsome, has two big boys, an attention-demanding cat, and two adorable poopies.

She has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories. She is a member of RWA, and the DARA, Elements, and RWA-WF chapters. In 2004, she joined DARA and has served in many capacities, including 2009 President. DARA awarded her the Robin Teer Memorial Service Award in 2010.

Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking “What if??”

Hi, Susan! Welcome to Turning The Page.

Thanks so much for having me.  It’s great to be here.

Tell us about your current release, Not Long Ago. It’s a time travel romance set during medieval times, complete with knights and jousting, crop circles and ghosts. How’d you come up with the idea?

I had the prologue written for at least six months, and it could have gone in so many different directions.  While running errands one day, a woman sees a stranger through a store window.  Their eyes meet, and the impact of his glance staggers her.  Who is this man and why is she drawn to him?  How can she feel all these emotions about someone she doesn’t even know? Ultimately, I decided on making it a time travel.  The idea of a love that transcends through the ages appeals to the romantic in all of us, and the time travel aspect allows me to bring sci-fi into the mix.

Not Long Ago is your debut release. How long have you been writing, and why did you decide to go with a small press like MuseItUp Publishing instead of jumping into the indie fray? 

I’ve been writing all my life.  I’ve been serious about finishing something for about ten years and serious about being published for about five.  I queried editors and agents steadily for two years with varying degrees of success.  Good friend and fellow writer Cyrus Keith suggested I try MuseItUp, and I am so glad I took his advice.  Their editing process helped make Not Long Ago a better book.  The support group of other Muse authors and Lea Schizas’ expertise has been invaluable. This is something I would never have experienced if I’d decided to self-publish.

You’re also an accomplished short story writer. Was it hard to make the transition from writing shorts to full-length novels, and do you have any advice for novelists looking to add short story writing to their resume?

I started writing short stories for the experience, the exposure and with the hopes of adding to my bio.  My advice?  Just do it.  It’s a learning experience that’s totally worth the effort.  On a small scale I learned to deal with rules and guidelines and (wince) rejection.

What’s the hardest thing about being a new author?

I’m impatient, so the waiting and not knowing what and when to expect something was the hardest for me, but of course, it was all worth it in the end.

What message do you want readers to take from your books?

My main character, Erin and Griffin, learned to take a chance on something they really believed in.

You live in a haunted 100 year-old farmhouse. Tell us about the ghost, and are you planning to venture into the paranormal genre?

My son has played guitar for years.  When he was still at home, he’d practice upstairs when the house was empty (so he could jam all he wanted no one yelling at him to keep the noise level down) On several occasions, when he played and sang, he heard a female voice, singing harmony.  At first he thought it was his sister or me.  Each time he checked to see who was there, but he was alone. Seems our ghost is a music lover, his music in particular.

One of my WIPs is a paranormal story about a boy growing up in the sixties, living with his grandparents in the Texas hill country in a small fictional town.  Eli encounters ghosts everywhere in the old town.  He thinks they are trying to tell him something about the family who lived there long ago, but why have they singled him out?    

Tell us a little about you–what do you do in your free time?

First and foremost, I write. It’s something I feel compelled to do, especially now.  There’s always a new story to tell.

This old house where we live is forever in a state of remodel.  Next on the list is the laundry room/office.  Hubby has decided since I’m a published writer now, I need the right atmosphere to create and I totally agree.  I cook (when in the mood),sew and paint with acrylics, and am a repurposing crafter and love garage sales.  I’m an avid shopper (with my daughter and my sister) My husband and I camp out several times a year and enjoy spending time in Arkansas.  We share a love for music and the movies. We have four unique grandchildren we thoroughly enjoy. I do have a day job.  I’ve worked as secretary in the administration office at our local school for over twenty years.

Dream vacation?

Australia, Scotland, the Isle of Man (in that order)

Dream author (living or dead) you’d love to meet?

Jim Butcher – The man has a fantastic imagination.

What’s next for you?

I have finished and am submitting a fantasy adventure with romance, In My Own Shadow.  Lara’s life is turned upside down when she’s chased from her world to an alternate universe, because she carries a secret in her subconscious that everyone wants. Who left the secret with her and why?  With handsome guardian, Rhys and a bear of a man, Azle, she searches for answers.

Currently, I’m working on a sequel, that takes up where Not Long Ago left off and continues with Griffin and Erin’s story.  My daughter read the first book when she was creating my trailer.  When she got to the end, she told me I had to write a sequel, because I wasn’t finished with the story.

Buy Not Long Ago Here:
MuseItUp      Amazon

Susan Royal’s Blog

The WIP (formerly known as The Prophet) and now renamed TIN GOD is completed. Now, it’s just a first draft of a very complex plot, so after my vacation, I will be digging in for some serious editing. But I’m celebrating because I set the goal of having it complete before vacation, and I made it with two days to spare.

Ironically, INTO THE DARK (my debut from MuseItUp Publishing) was complete a year ago this week. My life has changed so much the last twelve months, and I’m so grateful to all my writing friends for their help and support.

I’ve got some big things coming up at Turning The Page. If you haven’t heard of Kristen Lamb’s #WANA Love Revolution or her new venture, WANA International, take a few minutes and check it out.

I recently asked fellow suspense/thriller writers in my Suspense, Mystery, and Mayhem group, “how can we help each other?” Well, I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve been inspired by Kristen’s WANA methods, and I have not one but two big surprises for you all this summer. Stay tuned!

Finally, I’m excited to announce the release date for my suspense novel INTO THE DARK is November 30. Merry early Christmas to me! I just returned my content edits and am looking forward to the line edits. To celebrate, I’m sharing the first ever excerpt of INTO THE DARK with you all.

He sees her when she’s sleeping. He knows when she’s awake. Her life he’s determined to take.

Crazy seemed to understand this. He paced the room, reminding Emilie of a caged tiger she saw in the zoo as a child. The animal’s huge paws had worn a bare path in the green grass as it constantly circled its enclosure. Like the tiger, the man’s eyes shifted from person to person, spot to spot but never settled. He knew he was as trapped as the hostages.

But the man sitting next to her was calm. Serene. And he scared her to death.

“Why are you here?” Butterflies swarmed in her stomach. Sweat rolled down her forehead and stung her eyes.

Laugh lines appeared at the corner of the man’s eyes. Was he smiling underneath the mask? “You don’t know, Miss Emilie?”

Her heart skidded to a stop. How did he know her name? Throat constricted, she shook her head.

“For you, Miss Emilie. I’m here for you.” 

How is your summer going? Are you all close to meeting your Row80 goals this round? Have you joined the #WANA Revolution yet?

When I first began my writing career, I made a choice that didn’t sit well with my mentor. I was advised that I should pick one genre and stick to it. Well, I’m from Missouri, stubborn in the trace, and kind of mule-headed generally. I like several genres and couldn’t pick just one. Oh, I could have, and that would have been mystery. Always loved those mystery novels of the old days.

As things progressed, I decided to prove that a man can write a successful romance (check out above Missouri references). My wife, not a romance fan, argued with me but my intransigence won out, and I wrote several romantic comedies and suspense novels. Got them published. Got some good reviews. Okay, I proved that point. Now, what?

I’m back to writing what I enjoy the most; mysteries. But, good old Missouri mule that I am, I still cannot confine myself to just one type of mystery. No problem. After a lifetime of doing things the hard way and persevering, I’m ready for this latest challenge.

I have the first of a series coming out in May, Toccata. It’s a romantic (see how corrupted I am by that genre?) adventure set in the city where I grew up: St. Louis. This is an experimental extension of the traditional whodunit novel and damn hard to put together. Book one is on the way to my readers, and book two is in the publisher’s hands, ready for editing, with book three on the drawing board as we speak. Things are moving along nicely.

So how can I screw that up? Simple. I’m beginning work on a different series, a more traditional kind of mystery, set in another city I know and love: Kansas City. Series one is written in third person, utilizing principally the voices of Dan Quinn and Sera Moreland, my male and female protagonists, to tell the tale. Series two is written in first person, in the voice of my sleuth, CT Archer, with a turn toward sarcastic enthusiasm in his pursuit of justice. St. Louis Blues Mysteries are 90-100K in length, but Archer Chronicles will be much shorter, in the 50-60K realm.

I suppose I could have written two series using much the same format, but I prefer this system. If you deem it a system, that is. Why? For much the same reason that I’ve written some very dark gritty tomes to violence and mayhem, alternating with sunny little comedies. The dark and the light – kind of a Beethoven of the written word. The Maestro wrote alternately dark and light symphonies, probably for much the same reason I do what I do.

How will it all turn out? Now, that’s a question I’d like to know the answer to, but I doubt I’ll know in the years I have left. And that’s the way it should be, in my view. If I’d undertaken to write for money and fame, I’d have listened to that mentor’s sage advice. I write because my damn head is so full of characters and plots, I have to clean them out on a regular basis. Were I mentoring today, I’d definitely give the same advice I rejected sixteen years ago. That is, unless I had some mule-headed yahoo on my hands, and then I’d tell him to write what he wanted, but don’t cry if it never made him rich. LOL

If you want to check out what makes a crazy writer tick, click on the links below to the sites where you can get a glimpse of how I’ve done so far. Happy reading, all.

Pat Dale

Books at Amazon: http://www.tinyurl.com/78eu63o

And at Barnes & Noble: http://www.tinyurl.com/6v8wwzt

Coming soon:

TOCCATA

MuseItUp Publishing

Just released:

LAST COWBOY IN TEXAS

A lighthearted look at romance

Available through:

www.bookswelove

I can’t believe it’s April 2nd (only twelve days away from my thirty-fifth birthday, a day of equal celebration and mourning in our house) and time for Row 80, Round 2.

Some big goals for me this time around. INTO THE DARK releases from MuseItUp Publishing in November, and I’ve got to have “The Book Formerly Known As The Prophet, But Now Needs A New Title, a WIP” ready to query by then – or earlier. Whether you self-publish, go with a small press, or by traditional means, having more than one book out is a big key for a new author to build their readership. That means WIP needs to be done asap.

Round 2 runs from April 2nd – June 21st. 
Goal: Finish the first draft of WIP by then. That’s roughly 85,000 words, depending on how much I’ll need to cut with the new plot adjustments. I’ve got until June 13th, as we’re going on vacation shortly after, so in a five-day work week (weekends are always iffy), I need to average at least 1600 words/day to get it done. Thanks to Catie Rhodes, I’ve got a fifty scene outline, something I’ve never had before. So I WILL get it done. I’m determined. This means you’ll be seeing me at the Row80 Sprints on Twitter!

Additional Goals: I’ve also got some ideas for a series to work on after this, so I’m hoping to find the time to study up on forensic psychology. If you have any good resources, please share.
Continue to blog and market Thriller Thursdays.
Continue to promote fellow authors/bloggers.
Continue to work on marketing plan for INTO THE DARK.
Continue to maintain healthy eating regimen.

What about you? What are your goals for this round?

Want more Thriller Thursdays, Giveaways, and other Fun Stuff?
Sign up for my newsletter, Twisted Minds and Dark Places.

P.S. Bones returns tonight. Woo-hoo!

2012 Round 1 Goals:

Write 2000/week on The Prophet
Continue to query Into The Dark
Implement Dark’s theme of stalking into Thriller Thursdays **
Exercise minimum of 20 minutes/day
Comment on at least two new blogs/week.

First off, the good news: I finished querying INTO THE DARK because I signed a contract with MuseItUp Publishing, as you all know. I’m thrilled to be a part of such a supportive and talented group. Cyrus Keith, author of Becoming Nadia, just won an EPIC award for best suspense thriller, and cover artist Delilah Stephans won for two of her covers. Muse authors Heather Haven (A Wedding to Die For) and Rhobin Courtright (Crewkin) were finalists in their categories as well. I’m honored to be working with the same publishing house as these talented writers.

Blog Commenting: I did pretty well with that and commented on several new blogs over the past few months. I think Triberr has been a big help in providing new blogs and helping my own gain exposure. I’m also honored to have been the first stop on Donna Galanti’s blog tour for her debut novel, A Human Element.

I did do one post on stalking for Thriller Thursday, but decided to hold back on doing any more until closer to INTO THE DARK’S release date. Stay tuned!

The Prophet: I did write about 8000 new words, but ran into several plotting issues. This was frustrating to me because I spent a fair amount of time plotting and outlining before starting to write. My goal was to get the first act completely set so I could solidly write the rest of the book. After sorting out a few back story issues, I think my critique partner and I have finally ironed things out. Reading K.M. Weiland’s book helped quite a bit, and I do suggest it to anyone with plotting questions. My goal for this week is to finish getting all my index cards for the entire book done in Scrivener (a feature I love) and do a (new) rough synopsis. I want to start seriously writing next week.

Exercise: Meh. My own personal demon. I’m still struggling with the ten pounds I desperately want to lose. I lose five, gain five. For some reason, I’m having a hard time finding the willpower I once had. I thinks it’s because it royally pisses me off I have to watch everything I eat. It’s one thing to be healthy, but another to have to worry about every carb, etc. I do think I can get past this once I lose those 10 lbs, but it’s hard. Somehow I’ve got to get into the right mindset.

So all in all, I’m calling this round an altered success. Since signing with Muse, I’m feeling some pressure (not from them). I’m just beginning to realize ALL the work that goes into promotion, and figuring out where to focus my energy is an all day job. I know I’ve got to get a good draft of The Prophet written before the marketing kicks into high gear, so I’m going to buckle down soon.

News and Links:
Major congrats to Row80 founder Kait Nolan for her performance in DABWAHA. She was the only indie-pubbed writer in the bunch and held her own against Veronica Roth.

The lovely Amy Shojai just announced her thriller, LOST AND FOUND, will be published this fall from Who Dares Win Publishing. Congrats, Amy!

Roz Morris is one of my favorite bloggers, and she wrote an AMAZING post defending indie publishers and the quality of their work.

How did Row80 go for you? Did you accomplish your goals or have to readjust? Are you planning for round 2?