Catie Rhodes suggested I try a Keurig. I didn’t think they had espresso K-Cups, but they do! I don’t know if they are as potent as a regular shot, but it’s definitely more caffeine than plain coffee. So the hubby and I did our research, and naturally he wanted the more expensive one.

So last night I came home with guy, and Rob and I both love it. It’s great for a coffee drinker like me who needs the boost in the morning and maybe a little later. And they have tons of different K-cups: apple cider, tea to the extreme, hot chocolate, and a bazillon kinds of coffee.

It’s so stinking easy! You fill up the water reservoir, let it heat, stick the k-cup in, and it quickly brews. And the coffee and tea we’ve tried so far is delicious! I’m currently drinking Cameron’s Velvet Espresso. Yum.

And I know I’m probably way late to the party and a lot of you are snickering at me, but for anyone who is debating if the cost is worth it, I’m here to tell you YES, it is. And Kohl’s has a sale right now. Just saying.

I’m counting on this baby to help me meet my writing goals this summer when I’ve got to work around the kiddo being home.

What about you guys? What kind of coffee do you drink? Or are you tea people?

Don’t forget about the 100 Review Giveaway!

The house on the cover is Ironwood, the plantation I created for SKELETON’S KEY. The exterior is based on Malmaison Plantation, which burned down in the 1940s.

And thanks to all of you who’ve tweeted and shared the cover pieces/teasers. TWO WEEKS until release!

SKELETON’S KEY (Delta Crossroads #2)
10.28.13

Cage couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Flashlight in her shaking hand, Dani shined the beam into the dark space. He peered over the top of her head and caught a glimpse of brass, dark wood, and an oblong table. She gave a little squeal and started to crawl inside.

“Stop.” He caught her by the arm. “You don’t know what’s in there. Let me go first.”

Her face fell, but she nodded her agreement. Cage took the flashlight. The panel was barely four feet tall. Crouching down, he stuck one leg and then the other inside the room. He shined the light on the ceiling. It was high enough for him to stand straight.

Cobwebs and stale air should have already assaulted them, but just like the master bedroom, the space smelled clean. “He cleaned up in here, too.”

“Let me in!” Dani shoved at him.

SKELETON’S KEY Delta Crossroads #2
10.28.13

“So is my being a killer. I have no motive.”

“But you do. And you had the means. And the opportunity. Look, Cage, I’ve been on your side until now. But frankly, it’s starting to look pretty dark for you. Your affinity for history is no secret. You tried hard to save the Semple farm, and the effort failed. Then you take to Ironwood. A psychologist might wonder if you were compensating for your inability to save Lana.”

Cage bit his tongue and tasted blood.

“Ironwood is alone and unloved. Maybe you feel some sort of odd kinship with the place. Protective. You’re putting your own sweat and blood into cleaning her up. Then these two men show up with no regard for the house. You snap. Bury the bodies where it’s convenient and figure you’ll move them later.”

————

“You need to drink this first.” The man thrust a crumpled, plastic water bottle at me. His surly expression did nothing to detract from his green eyes and the rest of his nearly perfect face.

“What is it?”

“Holy water.” Dean Winchester raised an eyebrow in challenge while his younger brother looked on apologetically.

Read the rest at Venture Galleries!

This is probably the first true crime show I ever watched, and it sucked me in from the beginning. Hosted by Bill Kurtis, Cold Case Files tackles any case deemed cold, some dating back as far as forty years. It’s interesting to think about how differently an old case might have been handled were it to occur today.

The best thing about the show is that the cases chosen are ones finally solved. Most of the time, a case has been dormant for months if not years until a determined detective or officer gets wind of it and looks at the situation with fresh eyes. Sometimes it takes decades, but dogged determination and advancement in forensic science have resulted in hundreds of solved cases.

Episode Highlights:

The Answer In The Box

On July 25, 1986 eleven-year-old Alison Parrott disappeared from her Toronto, Canado home. A male caller had convinced her he would be taking pictures of Allison and her track and field teammates. She was to meet the photographer at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Stadium. The man had also called a week earlier with the same request, and Alison was able to get her mother’s permission to meet him. She told the family housekeeper her plans, and then left her home. Source

She was found two nights later in Kings Mill Park on the Humber River. Alison had been raped and strangled.

Capture

The case went cold for 10 years until Francis Carl Roy was arrested in 1996. A runner with a known interest in photography, Roy had a criminal record that included assault and rape. When Alison was murdered, he’d been on parole after serving just 18 months of an eleven year sentence for the rapes of two teenaged girls. DNA evidence linked him conclusively to Alison.

He was convicted of first-degree murdered and sentenced to life without the chance of parole for 25 years.

Mommy’s Rules–the Murder of Suesan and Sheila Knorr

Theresa Knorr physically and verbally abused all her children but daughters Suesan and Sheila were targeted the most. Jealousy over their youth and beauty, and the crazed notion the two girls were witches who had forced Theresa to gain weight were used as her motivation to torture them. Source

Theresa burned her kids with cigarettes and beat them, and she trained her sons to beat and discipline her daughters.

Suesan

In 1983, Knorr shot Suesan in the chest. The bullet lodged in the girls back, but her mother refused to seek medical help. She left Suesan to die in the bathtub, but when she survived, Theresa started nursing her back to health.

A year later, Suesan asked to move out. Theresa agreed on the condition she could remove the bullet still lodged in the girl’s back. On the dirty kitchen floor with alcohol as an anesthetic, Theresa had her son Robert removed the bullet with a box cutter. Suesan quickly became infected and slipped into a coma–on the kitchen floor. She was left there to die, and Theresa instructed the other children to walk over her, telling them her illness was a result of possession by the devil. She convinced her sons Robert and Bill to take Suesan and burn her alive.

Sheila

Next, Theresa forced daughter Sheila into prostitution, and then accused her own daughter of giving her an STD. Sheila was locked in a closet and starved to death. Her body was packed into a cardboard box and dumped.

Daughter Terry managed to escape and then spent years trying to get law enforcement to listen to her. No one believed her until in 1993, she finally convinced someone to listen.

Capture

Finally, in November 1993, Theresa and her sons are arrested after an appearance on America’s Most Wanted. She was charged with two counts of murder, two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, as well as multiple murder and murder by torture. When Theresa found out her sons were set to testify against her, she pled guilty to avoid the death penalty. She was sentenced to two life sentences and will be eligible for parole in 2027.

These are just two of the dozes of harrowing and complicated cases A&E’s Cold Case Files have covered. For a full list, visit the show’s official site.

What do you think about these cases? Should Theresa have a shot at parole? How much should her sons be held accountable? And is the system to blame for Allison Parrott’s murder?

Don’t forget, Welcome To Las Vegas is on sale NOW with an exclusive excerpt of Into The Dark. 
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Into The Dark releases in digital and print November 30th, but you can pre-order your ebook right now.

Thanks so much to all of you for your amazing support!

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

This Thing Called Writing

A couple of weeks ago the 3^rd book of the Alvarez Murder Mystery Series, Death Runs in the Family, hit the eWaves. I’m beyond relieved. Not just because it’s out there, but because I don’t have to rewrite it again and again.

I mean, you start a novel. You’re excited, filled with energy, hope, and love of the craft. You can’t wait to start the process, do the research, meet the characters, and create a spiffy plot, all that good stuff. If you’re a mystery writer like me, you pretty much know what the ending is going to be, but the ‘how’ of getting there! It’s elixir for the soul.

In the beginning, you’re open to all sorts of possibilities that spur you on during the countless, never-ending months. Writing a novel–at least at the start of it–is a wonderful adventure. Just you, your ideas, a computer, and buckets of strong coffee.

But at the end of this wretched, back-breaking process you want to run screaming into the night. There are eighty-four thousand words of what I suspect is pure, unadulterated drivel. This drivel is dripping with my blood and sweat–virtual, of course–but very real and bad clichés. True, that suspicion comes only in my more insecure moments. Much of the time, I believe it to be my best work. Healthy ego, don’tcha know.

Nonetheless, it’s been the same words and chapters over and over again, months on end. Reading, rereading, working, reworking, adding scenes, taking out scenes, and visiting my chiropractor when I could pry my creaking body out of the chair. Then it goes to the Editors.

Enough already. I’m sick of this book. I’m sick of finding out I’ve used the same stupid phrase or adjective multiple times in one chapter, which means I have to haul out the thesaurus to find something else that means the same thing. I’m sick of reading a sentence with the sinking feeling it needs to be clarified if anybody else besides me is going to get it. I’m sick of dashing over to a site called Popular Baby Names because I discovered, rather late in the game, too many of the characters’ names began with the letter ‘N.’

And what’s with one of the characters taking off for Ipanema like that in the middle of my story, anyway? I don’t know anything about Ipanema. This poor slob of a writer had to do all kinds of fast research on the fancy schmancy, Brazilian vacation spot. I had to study dozens of photographs, maps, articles, learn the monetary exchange, how they say hello, goodbye, etc. in Portuguese, which is a foreign language, fer cryin’ out loud! Honestly, characters have a way of getting a life of their own when you least expect it and then dictating to you what they are going to do. It sucks.

But I am currently free of Death Runs in the Family until I start the process all over again. I have this great idea for the 4^th book of the Alvarez Family Mystery Series and I can’t wait to start it!  Then it’s more of the above, because as every writer knows, writing is rewriting. It’s not so much talent as sheer stamina.

Heather Haven is the acclaimed award winning writer of The Alvarez Family Murder Mystery Series, Murder is a Family Business; A Wedding to Die For; and the newest release Death Runs in the Family.

EXCERPT from Death Runs in the Family

Chapter Seven

I Don’t Know Who’s the Bigger Idiot

Without much conversation, we jostled Nick out of the room and down the stairs. As a precaution, we used the back exit, Flint flinging boxes of DVDs every which way so fast, the clerk only managed one “hey” before we were out the door. The exit led to a narrow back alley filled with garbage, trash, and more small scurrying animals that should be calling the SPCA to complain about the conditions under which they’re forced to live.

While Flint went to bring the car to the side of the alley, I waited in the shadows next to Nick and pulled out the Glock. The irony of the situation hit me like a double charge on a credit card bill for shoes not only too tight to wear but last year’s style.

On the left, a disgusting dumpster; on the right, an even more disgusting ex-husband. And me stuck in the middle as usual—a reluctant PI if ever there was one.

Rather than inhaling the stench of fly-ridden garbage, I’d really rather be sniffing out dastardly doings of computer sabotage or thievery, in particular, long after said dastardly deeds have gone down. It’s my idea of a good job, especially when I get to zip off whenever I want and have a great lunch.

The part I like best—besides the food—is sitting at a highly polished, recently vacated mahogany desk in an air-conditioned office, sifting through the rubble of high-tech deceit and betrayal. I like gathering enough evidence to point a manicured fingernail at the culprit and shout j‘accuse! Backlit by enough briefs, memos, emails, and other telltale papers, the culprit is mine. That is a real high.

This was a real low. But I had to think about Stephen. My cousin was dead, and Nick knew something about it. Hell, maybe he even had something to do with it. And, of course, there were the cats. If Nick was in any way responsible, I might do him in myself and save whatever goons there may be the trouble.

All these things were flitting through my mind when Nick—the stupid idiot—made a lunge for my gun, muttering he could take better care of himself than I could. Sometimes an ex-marine, like an ex-husband, needs to get over himself.

One of the first lessons you learn as a PI is to not to carry a gun if you’re going to let anybody take it away from you. All the years I’ve been carrying, ten to be exact, people have taken all sorts of things from me—including my virtue—but never my gun.

So when Nick came at me, my knee went up fast, strong, and accurate. Ex dropped to the ground in a fetal position. God only knows what else was lying there with him, but I left him on the dirt, anyway. He was busy moaning while I cocked the Glock and gave a 360-degree spin, prepared to do whatever was necessary to keep the jerk safe. At least, for the moment.

Fortunately, no one showed up except a passing rat or two, excluding the one I stood over. After what felt like a lifetime, I saw Flint’s headlights, although I’m sure it didn’t take him more than three minutes to get there. I helped Nick up. He limped to the car, and Flint, bless him, raised an eyebrow over Nick’s condition but didn’t say a word. What a guy.

Death Runs In The Family

Lee Alvarez’ ex-husband, Nick — a man she divorced with joy in her heart and a gun in her hand – sprints back in her life only to disappear again. She’d love to leave it at that, but could he be responsible for the recent death of her cousin, who keeled over at the finish line of a half-marathon in front of hundreds of spectators? As PI for the family run business, Discretionary Inquiries, Lee follows the clues to Vegas, where she joins forces with Shoshone PI, Flint Tall Trees.  Together they uncover a multi-million dollar betting syndicate, a tacky lounge lizard act, and a list of past but very dead runners, plus future ones to off. At the top of the ‘future’ list is the love of her life, Gurn Hanson. Hoping to force the culprits out in the open, Gurn and Lee’s brother, Richard, vow to run San Francisco’s famous Palace to Palace footrace in only a few days. Can Lee keep the two men she loves from hitting the finish line as dead as her cousin? With more at stake than she ever dreamed possible, Lee is in a battle against time to stop the Alvarez Family’s 12K race with death.

Positive reviews for Heather’s books:

‘A fresh voice in a crowed genre. We will be hearing more from this talented newcomer.’

‘The writing was clever and I couldn’t stop laughing. This is the perfect beach book.’

‘Wonderful! Charming! Fun.’

‘This is an exceptionally fun read for those who love strong female characters, a bit of mystery, and a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor.’

Death Runs in the Family book trailer 

Buy Links

          MuseItUp Publishing            Amazon           Heather Haven Stories

Connect with Heather

Twitter      Blog

You started out in Business Education and spent many years helping people develop various marketing skills. What made you decide to become a writer? Was it something you always dabbled in, or did you one day just decide to pursue your dream?

I was sitting on the shores of Owasco Lake watching my children frolic in the water. They were at the ages that they still needed a constant eye, but I could sit and read a book while they played. This one summer I read a lot. I think I read and re-read every book that Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts ever wrote and I thought I could write a book. We didn’t have a laptop or computer at the cottage, so I pulled out pen and paper and wrote In Two Weeks. When I had it all typed into my computer at home, I started looking up how to get published. I joined the Central NY Romance chapter of RWA and began to learn publishing. A few short years later I signed my first contract.

What was your path to publication? Did you pursue traditional publishing at all before partnering with Bob Mayer to create Who Dares Win Publishing?

I pursued traditional publishing, but got my start with an ePublisher. Unfortunately, they went bankrupt. My second contract was with The Wild Rose Press, another ePublisher. I published 4 novels and 2 short stories with them. I also have worked with two agents. I have a stack of rejection letters a mile high.

I met Bob at a conference many years ago. I took a few of his workshops and struck up a friendship after I took one of his day-long retreats. He was interested in my experience with ePublishing and I was still looking to break into traditional publishing. He had just gotten the rights back to some of his books and wasn’t sure what, if anything, he could do. The partnership developed when I made a mock-cover for one of his Atlantis books and told him how he could get an eBook edition on Amazon. At the time, our plan was to re-release his backlist while we both pursued contracts in New York. Things changed very quickly when we realized where digital was heading and what that meant for our individual careers as well as our business partnership.

You grew up in Rochester, New York, a city with a very high murder rate. What stories inspired your fascination with crime and suspense?

The first story that caught my attention was that of Arthur Shawcross, better known as the Genesee River Killer. Shawcross was in prison twice. First for arson and burglary. He was paroled in 1971. He was later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 25 years, but was paroled in 1987 after serving 14 years. I did not know this until much later, but he lived only a block away from one of my first apartments off of Alexander Street. He started murdering prostitutes in 1988. He was caught in Spencerport (another place I lived) on January 3, 1990.

I remember the reports on the news about the murders and I remember the day they captured him. I never thought anything like that could happen in my town…then someone told me about the Alphabet Murders. There was a movie called The Alphabet Killer that came out in 2008 that was loosely based on the Alphabet Murders.

The most disturbing to me was the murder of Kali Ann Poulton. Kali disappeared on May 23, 1994 and she was just 4 years old. It struck so deep because my little girl was about the same age. Kali had been missing for 27 months before they found her body submerged in a 30,000 gallon water tank. Mark Christie was eventually convicted of murdering Kali.

These stories, in many ways, broke my heart. The last one made me want to make sure all killers got what they deserved. In my books they usually are punished pretty badly. A little sweet revenge is always justified when loved ones are taken from us.

However, these stories and others like them lead me to ask one simple question: why would any human being kill another? Which lead to: what would it take for a seemingly normal person to be pushed to such an extreme? They started my fascination in crime stories and understanding characters. It is important to understand the antagonist of your story, even if you never show his point of view. In order to have him/her be real in the readers mind, they have to be real to you, so I dug pretty deep to try to understand something that is uncomprehendable to the “normal” person.

There is one story that led me to write a book (not published yet) called the Harvester. This book is based on a story that broke out a few years ago about local funeral homes harvesting body parts (such as bones for marrow) and replacing them with PVC piping. I’m hoping to release this story by the end of the year.

My books are romances, or at the very least, have a romance subplot, but my bad guys are about as bad as they can be, but the good guys always win.

How do you come up with your ideas? Do you write about experiences based on someone you know/news, or about events in your own life?

Mark Twain said, “write what you know.” Bob Mayer said, “write what you want to know or feel passionate about.” 

There is a little bit of my life in every book. For example, the hero Jared Blake in my novel In Two Weeks is a controlling freak. My husband is a controlling freak. In my book Jane Doe’s Return the heroine is terrified to fly. I’m terrified to fly. My current work in progress, I hate to admit, the hero has a couple of Bob’s traits and mannerisms and another character is based on someone I used know in high school that drove me absolutely bonkers. Are these characters based on the people in my life, but they aren’t these people at all. I use their language, their hobbies and their idiosyncrasies to develop rich three-dimensional characters, but they are far from “real”.

As far as ideas its usually breed from books, movies or things I see. I love the ‘what if’ concept for ideas. For my book, Jane Doe’s Return the idea was: What if the one person who could unlock the mystery of who killed your sister showed up in the most unlikely of places; in your office as your knew partner but you had no idea she was Jane Doe. My current work in progress the idea is: What if, while searching for the daughter you gave up, your patients were being killed one by one and your daughter is next? Once I have an idea, I have to really dig for characters. Character is key. There are times I wish I could start with character, but the plot idea always comes first for me.

Tell us about your latest book, IN TWO WEEKS.  What’s your favorite thing about the book? Is it based on a true story or incident?

In Two Weeks is the first book I ever wrote, so that right there makes it special. My favorite part is the setting: Lake George, NY. I spent all my summers there as little girl and to me, its the most peaceful place on earth. There is nothing factual about the story, but the imagery is real. The house and carriage house that Jared owns in the story is the house my family rented when I was a child. We rented what I describe as the carriage house. The opening scene at the bar is a bar that was right down the road. The hotel that the heroine works at is a very famous hotel on Lake George, although I changed the names of all these places.

Is this ever-changing publishing world, what advice can you offer a new author about marketing?

An author has to have a marketing plan, but the key to that marketing plan is CONTENT. More books. I have three books out right now and I have not done a lot of marketing for myself until now because what does a reader do when they like your book? They buy everything you’ve ever written. But if you have nothing, they have nothing to go buy.

Another thing to consider with marketing is that it’s not always about “sales”. It’s more about building community and finding your readership. The hard part is making the connections. It’s easy to convers with other writers, but where do the readers hang out? I believe the best thing a writer can do is be consistent in their efforts. Bob and found that once we fully committed to what we were doing AND we were consistent in all our efforts (social media and other forms of marketing and advertising) things began to happen. I call it having an internet presence and that is part of the Write It Forward Author Branding Plan, which in a nut shell develops over time as you figure out who you are as a writer and how you interact best with the world.

Learn from those who are succeeding. Watch what they do and figure out what works for you. No need to reinvent the wheel.

There are so many options out there for marketing. I always recommend building a foundation based on what you do well and expand outward. For example, Bob is great on Twitter, Kindleboards and all the blogging he does. If he is consistent in those areas, he can then expand it out simply by posting information on Facebook and Pinterest, but those two things are not his strong suit, so its simply an extension. I’m good at Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. I use Timbre, Pinterest and LinkedIn as an extension of what I’m good at by simply putting the information out there. Once I get more comfortable, I can expand and create more real social circles, but remember, you can’t be everywhere all the time. Pick and choose and whatever you decide to do, do it well.

With so many social media forums out there, which ones do you feel are the most effective?

I sort of touched on that above. The first thing to consider is where you as a writer feel comfortable. Start there and then expand. Most social media sites don’t “sell”, but most have an effect in the long run.

I’d say pick 3 to really work and explore others when you have time. I use Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads. Bob uses Twitter, Kindleboards and Blogging. I’ve expanded to Pinterest (love it!), Digg, Timbre and Google+ while Bob has expanded to Pinterest, other forums and trying to work Facebook.

What do you think the best strategy is for writers to reach READERS, meaning the ones outside our writing blogosphere?

This is the hardest question to answer. In any of the social media sites I participate in, most of the conversations are with other writers. The interaction I have with readers are through those that take the time to write reviews or email me. We make a connection with our readers through our books. This is one reason why I caution writers about spending too much time blogging etc before the book comes out. Content is king and it is the first interaction we have with our readers.

I’d say the best way to engage is to offer free books when possible. Do an author Q&A at Goodreads. Do blog tours, this gives you exposure to other authors’ fans.

The biggest thing you can do is write more books.

You’re offering several workshops through Write It Forward – what’s one you recommend everyone take?

I recommend them all, but it depends on what your goals are and what you need currently. If you want to work on craft, take the Conflict workshop. If you want to learn about ePublishing, take our workshop on Digital Publishing. If you want work on you Internet Presence, we have a workshop for that. We also offer workshops on Time Management and Historical Research.

Let’s get a little personal now. You’re a hockey mom, right? What’s that like?

INSANE! You know you’re a hockey mom when someone asks how old your children are and you say, “I have a 91, a 93 and a 97.” I think at one point when all were still at home we were averaging about 170 hockey games in five states and two countries. My daughter now plays D3 college hockey and we don’t get to see her often since she is 7 hours from home. My middle boy is graduating HS and going on to play D3 Golf, so his hockey days are officially over (unless he joins his dad in men’s league) and the baby boy is a freshman in HS. We still have 3 years left of watching and traveling with him. He wants to try and play college hockey.

I have written many scenes sitting at an ice rink waiting for practice be over and if you ask any of the hockey dads on the team, they will tell you that they are the hero’s in my books! LOL.

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing or attending one of the kids games?

I love to read and watch movies or TV shows. I just finished reading a fabulous horrorish book by Laura Benedict called The Devil’s Oven. I loved it. I also went and saw the movie Hunger Games. Very good. My guilty pleasures this season for TV are Dance Moms, Revenge and reruns of Friends. I also am addicted to Southland, Californication, Dexter and Nurse Jackie. I could go on and on. But that is what I do for fun.

Do you have any pet causes? Any charities you support?

I have two nephews with Muscular Dystrophy. Matt Klapp passed away December 29, 2008. His younger brother, Jordan suffers from the same disease. My niece, Shea Holbrook is a racecar driver and she races for a cure. We support her racing because it helps support many children and their families who are touched by this horrible disease. For information on SheaRacing and how Shea helps raise money to find a cure please go to shearacing.com.

What’s the best way for readers to contact you?

Email me at jen@jentalty.com

Thanks so much for speaking with me today, Jen! I’ve learned so much from your blog, and the success you and Bob have had is fantastic. Good luck with IN TWO WEEKS!

Thanks for having me!

Please take a minute to leave Jen some love. She works hard to help other authors, and I’m really excited she took the time to give us such great answers.

Jen’s Books on Amazon:
Rekindled
In Two Weeks
Jane Doe’s Return

Jen’s Books on Barnes and Noble:
In Two Weeks
Jane Doe’s Return

Jen’s Books on Kobo:
In Two Weeks
Jane Doe’s Return

Who Dares Win Publishing:
In Two Weeks
Jane Does Return

A controversial concept, Battered Woman Syndrome is a model that was developed by Dr. Lenore E. Walker to describe the mindset and emotional state of a battered woman. A battered woman is a woman who has experienced at least two complete battering cycles as described in dating and domestic violence. —RAINN

I can’t fathom physical or sexual abuse, period, let alone at the hands of a spouse. I can only imagine the emotional trauma a victim goes through: the fear, low self-worth, the self-hatred, the hopelessness. It’s something no human being should ever endure.

According to RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, there are four general characteristics of Battered Women’s Syndrome.

1) The woman believes the violence was/is her fault.
2) The woman has an inability to place responsibility for the violence elsewhere.
3) The woman fears for her life and/or her children’s.
4) The woman has an irrational belief the abuser is omnipresent and omniscient.

But is Battered Woman Syndrome a justifiable murder defense?

In 2011, Barbara Sheehan went on trial for shooting her police officer husband, Raymond, 11 times. Barbara said she endured twenty years of verbal and physical abuse until the day in 2008 when she ended her husband’s life.

Barbara stated that on the morning she killed her husband, the two fought over whether or not Barbara would go to Florida with Raymond. The year before on vacation, Raymond had beat her face against the hotel wall until her head split open. Barbara refused to to Florida with Raymond, and he put a gun to her head.

She fled to a friend’s, and when she returned home, she found Raymond in a rage in the bathroom. She grabbed one of the guns he kept at home in the hope that he wouldn’t shoot her if she had the gun.

“He said he was going to kill me. So I shot the gun I had in my hand. He had the big gun, I had the little gun. I don’t know how many times I shot it. I couldn’t aim it. I just shot. I never shot a gun before. I didn’t intend to kill him. I just wanted him to stop and not kill me.” — Barbara Sheehan

Sheehan stated she never reported the abuse because her husband convinced her none of the police officers would believe a cop’s wife. Her daughter testified in her defense, stating her father constantly threatened her mother’s life and abused her.

Prosecutors called Sheehan’s abuse “alleged” and painted Sheehan as a coldblooded murderer.

The jury disagreed. Barbara was acquitted on October 7, 2011.

While Barbara is one of a number of recent acquittals due to Battered Woman’s Syndrome, Judy Norman’s story ends quite differently.

In North Carolina in 1988, she shot and killed her husband, John, while he was sleeping. An autopsy revealed three gunshot wounds to the head and a .12 alcohol level in John’s system.

Judy told police her husband had been beating her all day and made her lie on the floor while he slept on the bed. As he slept, she went to her mother’s house, took a pistol from her mother’s purse, and went back home. She pointed the pistol at John’s head; it jammed, she fixed it, and fired. Judy told officers she’d taken all she was going to take from John, so she shot him.

Married for twenty-five years, Judy said her husband’s abuse began about five years into their married and was caused by his heavy drinking. She described assaults including slapping, punching, kicking, and striking her with various objects. Judy said her husband put his cigarrettes out on her, threw hot coffee at her, and broke glass against her face. She had no evidence of medical treatment, but she did have several scars. She also said her husband didn’t work and forced her into prostitution, that he often called her a dog and whore and sometimes forced her to eat dog food out of the pet’s bowls.

Judy Norman was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years. Her case was appealed, and the Court of Appeals reversed, accepting Battered Wife’s Syndrome and stating the jury could have found her actions justified as an act of perfect self-defense. However, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that because imminent peril did not exist at the time of the murder, her previous abuse, however vile and factual it was, didn’t represent a valid self-defense claim. The court said she had ample time and opportunities to resort to other means.

Judy had gone to the police and various social workers many times. Those “other means” all failed her.

So Judy, despite abuse that was every bit as horrifying as Barbara’s, served six years essentially because of WHEN she shot her husband. Is this right? I don’t have the answer. Yes, to take a life is wrong, but when a woman is battered, emotionally and physically, when she feels she has nowhere else to turn, is it possible killing her abuser is legally justified?

Battered Woman Syndrome is a form of PTSD, and those who suffer may not have the ability to face their accuser or seek help as most of us would. So they turn to the most basic of self-defense – killing the person who’s hurting them. I’ve no doubt both Barbara and Judy felt their only chance at survival was to kill their tormentor, and isn’t survival the most basic of human needs?

What do you think about Barbara and Judy? Were they legally justified in their self-defense? For all its controversy, is Battered Woman Syndrome a legitimate defense?

Source, Source 

Want more Thriller Thursday, giveaways, and secrets of INTO THE DARK? Then sign up for my newsletter, Twisted Minds and Dark Places.

I’m so excited to welcome my good friend, Donna Galanti, as the first stop on her blog tour for her debut novel, A HUMAN ELEMENT! 

A Human Element is a fast paced suspense novel with lots of sci-fi and mystery mixed in. Its leading lady, Laura, is likable and easy to root for, and Donna doesn’t make it easy for her as she struggles to figure out why everyone she loves is dying. Our hero is strong as well, suffering through his own unique miseries. When their paths finally cross, the two come together with a lot of heat. And with a truly frightening bad guy, A Human Element is a can’t put down read.

And guess what? Donna is giving away a paperback to one lucky winner! Leave a comment under this post for your chance to win A HUMAN ELEMENT! Deadline is April 11^th. A winner will be chosen at random through www.random.org.

Please welcome Donna!

How did you get your start in writing, and what is your background?
I grew up wanting to be a writer, since my first screenplay at six. After a stint in the U.S. Navy as a photographer, I got a degree in English and Journalism. When I realized what a pittance reporters make (plus that whole 5 ‘0’ clock daily deadline) I ended up in corporate communications and marketing. After being laid off numerous times I started my own resume writing service, which was successful but that novel awaited. I closed up my business to write my first novel.

What made you take the plunge and commit to getting published?

Once I knew I could write a book and get to the end I wanted to get my story out there. A HUMAN ELEMENT sat inside me for years and I loved it so much I wanted to share it with others.

You write in several genres – tell me about them. Is there one you prefer more than others? What comes most easily to you?

I lean towards dark fiction for adults. I like to call it dark with a dash of hope – and steam! However, I decided to challenge myself last year and took a class on how to write a young adult novel. And it was a challenge to write in a younger voice and first person. I then discovered I had already written in a younger voice in A HUMAN ELEMENT, as my characters go from childhood to adulthood in the book. I had found my natural young adult voice and never knew it. I also fell in love with the story, a middle grade fantasy adventure (and so did my son). I’m now getting ready to pitch this book, which I hope is the first in a series. It was fun to write but I am compelled to write dark for adults. This is what I’m drawn to and what comes naturally to me. I like doing things on paper I would get arrested for in person. LOL!

What’s your “method” for writing? Are you a plotter or a panster? How has that method evolved since you first started out?

I definitely plot. I write an entire preliminary synopsis, about 8-10 pages, and then develop a bulleted chapter outline. I then create a one page character worksheet for each character. I also use the Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass a guide, but I don’t get too in depth or I lose track of just writing. When I first started writing A HUMAN ELEMENT, I only did a synopsis. The rest has evolved. If I spend too much time plotting, the story doesn’t flow as naturally for me as I’m bogged down in too many details. I like to get it on paper and then go back after I’m done and add in details that may have evolved along the way.

What’s the most valuable writing advice you’ve ever received, and from whom?

To not edit while getting the first draft down. The first draft is brain spew. Get it down and then go back and polish, otherwise you’ll never finish. This is the obstacle I overcame to write my first book.

Let’s talk about your debut novel, A HUMAN ELEMENT. It’s a paranormal suspense with two strong leads from completely different backgrounds and a vengeful, bloodthirsty villain. How did you come up with the idea?

Honestly, something was speaking through me. Which is funny, as the book has paranormal elements to it. It came to me in a vision one day as I drove to work. I frantically wrote it on my lap with one hand on the wheel. Pages and pages. I had never written a book, but this entire story from beginning to end literally “hit me” in seconds. Even the character names. That was fourteen years ago, and I sat on it for years as life got in the way and I was too scared to write a novel.

What’s your favorite thing about the book, and your favorite character from it?

I love that a person can lose so much and still redeem himself or find redemption – and love. I connect with Ben the most. He is tormented, alone, unloved and when he finds his way back to finding happiness it eludes him. I just love the tormented character, and seeing how much I can pile on him.

What are you most proud of regarding A HUMAN ELEMENT? And is it your first novel?

I feel proud that I created characters I could fall in love with. I actually wrote slower when I got to the end as I didn’t want them to leave me. I wanted them to remain alive. And I’m super excited now to revive them in the sequel I’m writing, A HIDDEN ELEMENT. And yes, A HUMAN ELEMENT is my first novel to be published. The first one I wrote, another middle grade adventure, sits in a drawer. It’s too wordy, too descriptive, but it had its purpose. I learned I could write a book from beginning to end.

Why did you choose to publish with a small press instead of hold out for the traditional route with an agent?

I did submit to agents and small presses. I knew A HUMAN ELEMENT was a hard sell as it has a mix of paranormal, sci-fi, and horror elements. I submitted to Echelon Press and they believed in the story and I signed with them. It’s now out in paperback and e-book.

What are you working on now?

The sequel, A HIDDEN ELEMENT, which is a different tale. It spans only a month and involves new characters with a darker more human villain who tears apart one family.

Thanks so much to Donna for letting me be the first stop on her blog tour. Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of A HUMAN ELEMENT!

About A HUMAN ELEMENT:
One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next.

Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite–her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a mad man, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together. But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test.

With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his and she has two choices–redeem him or kill him.

Readers who devour paranormal books with a smidge of horror and steam will enjoy A HUMAN ELEMENT, the new novel about loss, redemption, and love.

Reviewers are saying…
“A HUMAN ELEMENT is an elegant and haunting first novel. Unrelenting, devious but full of heart. Highly recommended.” –Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author of ASSASSIN’S CODE and DEAD OF NIGHT

“A HUMAN ELEMENT is a haunting look at what it means to be human. It’s a suspenseful ride through life and love…and death, with a killer so evil you can’t help but be afraid. An excellent read.” –Janice Gable Bashman, author of WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE, nominated for a Bram Stoker Award.

BIO:
Donna Galanti is the author of the dark novel A Human Element (Echelon Press). She won first place for Words on the Wall Fiction at the 2011 Philadelphia Writer’s Conference. Donna has a B.A. in English and a background in marketing. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, The Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group and Pennwriters. She lives with her family in an old farmhouse in PA with lots of nooks, fireplaces, and stinkbugs. Visit her at: www.donnagalanti.com

LIKE Donna’s Author Facebook  page for news and updates! Her tour runs through April 11th^h with book giveaways, more guest posts, and interview fun, and a chance to win the big prize giveaway! So pop over to her blog to see the full tour schedule.

Connect with Donna here:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/DonnaGalanti

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor

Blog: http://blog.donnagalanti.com/wp/

Purchase A HUMAN ELEMENT here:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A-Human-Element-ebook/dp/B007IIIZUO/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_2

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-human-element-donna-galanti/1109435439?ean=2940013900530&itm=1&usri=donna+galanti

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/139981