Showing posts with label world blog tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label world blog tour. Show all posts

Monday, September 01, 2014

World Blog Tour . . .

WELCOME to the World Blog Tour!





Cindy Thomson is a writer and an avid genealogy enthusiast. 
Her love of history and her Scots-Irish heritage have inspired
 much of her writing, including her new Ellis Island series with 
Tyndale House Publishers. 
Cindy is also the author of 
Brigid of Ireland and Celtic Wisdom: Treasures from Ireland, 
and is co-author of the baseball biography 
Three Finger: The Mordecai Brown Story. 

In addition to books, Cindy has written on a regular basis for numerous online and print publications and is a mentor 
for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. 

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers 
and the Historical Novel Society. 
Cindy and her husband have three grown sons
and live in central Ohio. 



Visit her online at www.cindyswriting.com 
or on Twitter: @cindyswriting.


Thank you, Cindy Thomson for inviting me to join you on this World Blog Tour! 

They can be found on Amazon here:






Now on to the questions and my answers!
What am I working on?
  • I'm finishing up the second book of my mystery series, called Bat Crazy and here's a brief blurb about it:
Overhearing a strange conversation while at a dilapidated diner in a dusty town in New Mexico about vampire bats and a murder, Denton and Alex head straight to the new-found/opened cavern. They’re immediately thrown into the search for the person who is holding something over almost every employee working at the facility. What is the reason behind the threats and scares, and is there really vampire bats attacking visitors--or is it all a hoax? Are the young girl and boy as innocent as they proclaim or are they involved and hiding the truth? Will Denton and Alex solve this mystery before the vampire bat attacks them?

The first one is Hog Insane.
  • I'm also finishing edits on a contemporary suspense set in Montana.
  • And continuing to work on other books in series, plus a historical, light suspense while plotting other books when the time is right to begin them.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?
I do a ton of research for whatever suspenseful/mysterious novel I'm working on and I also try to inject a touch of humor. In the case of my mystery series, Denton Davies is at the right age to be set in his ways, define life by his own terms, and have a little dry humor about him. It helps keep the mystery novel lighthearted and an easy read, which is what I aimed for.

Even in my other more serious books, I like to share a moment or two of sweetness, humor or lightheartedness that eases the tension just enough to give the reader a chance to breathe. Lol.

And I like to believe (verification from writer friends and readers) that I have my own unique writing style. I insist on delving deep into the personal's feelings and bringing them to bear in the story. Most of all, I thank God for the original talent he's given me and the opportunity to follow my dreams.


Why do I write what I do?
All my life, I've loved suspense and mysteries. I devoured mystery books as a child and teen, so it was the logical choice to write the same. Notebooks were filled with childish-handwritten stories of other children/teens my age solving mysteries.

Even though I devoted years to my husband's and my ministry, I never forgot the love hidden within me to write seriously. One day, I realized and spoke to my hubby: it was now or never. That thought was impressed upon me, and I began writing fiction as a profession.

Only this time it was different. I was serious about pursuing writing as a career. In due process, my debut novel was published, then a second book was released, and now I have a WWII romantic suspense due out in November.

Suspense and/or mystery touches, and will continue to do so, all of my novels. It's my favorite genre, and why would I do otherwise?


How does my writing process work?
  • Usually with an idea. 
  • Then the hard part begins: the plotting. This will take time, even during the writing, as I'm a seat of the pants writer. 
  • Research is vital in my writing. Although I seldom use it all, I like to know what my protagonist may (or may not) run up against. I like details that will bring the setting and era alive. I like to know how the characters would talk, how they dress, what they like to eat, what they do for fun and work. There are always plenty of things, minor and major, details to be worked out. 
  • Writing and finishing. It's one thing to begin a project, but quite another to pursue and push through to the end. It takes determination and effort to sit down every day, or as your schedule is, and type, even when the words aren't there or a million other things scream for your attention. 
  • Editing. As lots of authors will tell you, it never gets done. Of course, there is a time when you have to lay down your "pen" and say, It's finished. But many of us edit and edit and edit again. Guilty! :)

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out not only my novels, but Cindy's as well!
Blessings!

Monday, June 23, 2014

I Am a Writer! World Blog Tour!

When asked to particicpate in this writer/blogger world tour by Lisa Lawmaster Hess, I agreed. Why? Because she's a great friend, and truthfully, felt "unswamped" at the time. That's a major enticement to do anything nowadays. Lol


Check out Lisa's latest book: Casting the First Stone
Or keep up with her activities on Facebook 


To participate an author invites three other bloggers/writers to join in and post the week after. They provide links to the one who initially invited them and to their own personal participants. Then they answer four questions.



So here goes:


What am I working on?

  • I always have more than one project going on at a time. This past month I've finished edits on the audio version of The Redemption of Caralynne Haymn. I've also finished edits for a contemporay romantic suspense and ready to send it on to my agent. 
  • Currently, and my two main projects include: edits on a historical WWII romantic suspense that will release this early fall and finishing book 2 on my cozy mystery series. I'm also lightly plotting book 3 of the same series. Then I will continue to work on other books that I hope to complete shortly.



How does my work differ from others of its genre?
  • Two things I feel set it apart: 
1) my own personal and unique way of writing. I'm not saying it's BETTER, just different. I like a bit of intensity often, a bit of whimsy at times, reality and/or dreaminess as the story demands. I enjoy taking the possibility and making it a probability, to delve deep and still deeper into a character's feelings and emotions
until the reader literally FEELS they are part of the character. You know when you either love or hate something? That's where I like to go--mostly.


And 2) I like being my own writer/person. Yes, I do follow rules. But rules are meant as guidelines. Rules are to help not hinder. Rules are not to scare you into good writing but to show you, to encourage you to do your best. To be the best YOU can be. And when you reach that place where you FEEL that, then rules don't seem dominating anymore. I use them; they don't use me. 



Why do I write what I do?
That's an easy one! Because I love suspense and intense topics and real and deep emotions. I enjoy the victory that comes from good overcomes evil; beauty comes from homely; possibles come from impossibilities.


How does your writing process work?
Once I've come up with an idea, I began brainstorming on optional scenes, characters, etc. The opening is critical to me. I believe you have to create something that draws a reader in for the whole book. So here's how it goes, in a general way:

  • Get the basic idea of a story
  • Decide on basic characters. Create their profiles.
  • Plan scenes and possible conflicts (a biggie)
  • Create a subplot or two
  • Begin working on the opening chapter or two. Where will I start? Will I need a prologue? Will I need anything else before beginning? Maps? Word/characters page?
  • Keep plotting/brainstorming as I go. Though I have a general idea of where I want to go, I must continually keep ahead with what logically comes next. 
  • Continue to work until you type THE END
One of the biggest helps I have to mental/writing blocks in this business is to have more than one project going at a time. Once you become multipublished, it becomes harder to do this as you always have edits and marketing to keep up with also, but if you want to bad enough, you figure out a way to get it done.


Join these two great friends in their writing journey on their BLOGS on June 30th here:



Rebecca:



Tamera:
Website: http://tameralynnkraft.net/
Blog:  http://tameralynnkraft.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamera.kraft
Twitter:  @tamerakraft

Buy her books here:
amazon



Blessings!

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