Blog Tour: Rehab Is For Witches Anthology

Title- Rehab is for Witches

Anthology

Various Authors

Published By- SideStreet Cookie Publishing

Publication Date- October 31st, 2014

BLURB

Welcome to Little Raven: an unsullied, beautiful woodland hamlet in the heart of the Midwest. The sort of place where furry creatures romp about and spend their days bursting into song.

Actually, that’s a giant pack of lies.

Little Raven is a town…for witches.

And some of those witches might have bent the rules. A teensy bit. When six magical miscreants dabble with black magic, they end up together at Incantations, the town’s rehab center for witches gone awry. It’s a slap on the wrist for naughty witches. Pretty much a daycare center so they don’t wander off and start turning people into newts on a whim. Each witch must work through her addiction to black magic, and follow the tenets designed to lead them back to the path of the straight and narrow, as boring as that sounds. Even if following the tenets sucks worse than a group round of kum-bay-ya. Which sucks. Horribly.

 

We will admit we are powerless over magic—that our lives have become unmanageable.

We will make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of the Goddess as we understand Her.

We will make a searching and fearless moral and magical inventory of ourselves.

We will admit to the Goddess, to ourselves, and to another being the exact nature of our magical wrongs.

We will make a list of all persons or beings we have harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all.

We will make direct amends to such beings whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

We are entirely ready to bow before the Goddess and have Her remove all our defect of character, even at the risk of being entirely stripped of our magic.

 

But this is just the start. There’s something rotten in Little Raven, something that seeks to take all the magic it can, and devour the inhabitants in the process. It will take the strength and power of all the witches to defeat the darkness seeping into their town, beat it back, and be rid of it forever…and maybe just make it through rehab while they’re saving the world.

INCLUDED IN THE ANTHOLOGY

Tara S. Wood - A Trunk Full of Peril

Tyffani Clark Kemp - A Diary Full of Names

Cynthia Valero - A Cauldron Full of Goodbyes

Miranda Stork - A Closet Full of Demons

J. A. Howell - A Basement Full of Secrets

Elle J Rossi - A Suitcase Full of Revenge


AUTHOR INTERVIEW

From J.A. Howell-

What inspired you to write this book?

Well, the anthology was not my idea, but the story idea was intriguing to me and a little different than what I normally write, which was why I decided to sign on with it.

 

Can you give us an interesting fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?

Gertie’s crafty nature and talent for making things was inspired by my aunt. She passed away last year right around the time I signed onto this project. She didn’t do much in the way of knitting and fiber arts like Gertie, but was a seamstress extraordinaire. I have a tattoo of a sewing machine that I got for her.

 

Also one of my best friends created a knitting pattern inspired by Gertie. (Gertie’s knitting this in the last story.) You can check it out here. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gertie-2

 

How did you choose your title?

Again, I didn’t. Elle and Tara had already come up with the names. But always enjoying darker story lines, the title “A Basement Full of Secrets” totally spoke to me. I knew I wanted to write THAT story.

 

Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.

 That was all the talented Miranda J

 

Did you self­ publish or publish traditionally and why?

I’m a bit of a hybrid. I’m on the indie press SideStreet Cookie Publishing with the wonderful Tyffani Clark Kemp.

 

What do you consider the most important part of a good story?

The characters. The world could be exploding, but if you don’t care about the characters about to be incinerated, then who cares what will happen to them.

 

What is your writing process?

I generally have a clear idea of the story and where I want it to go in my head. I don’t usually write out an outline.

 

How long have you been writing?

Since I was eleven. I realized it was a good escape and loved creating my own stories.

 

How did you get started writing?

I had just moved to a new school in sixth grade, my parents had divorced and it became my escape. Something I could control when other things felt well out of my hands.

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

A bit of a hybrid. Sometimes I feel the need to plot things out, but other times I’m a pantser.

 

What part of the writing process is the hardest for you?

I love getting into deep emotions, pulling out the deepest darkest parts of my characters, but that in and of itself can be emotionally draining. And like with last year and losing my aunt, when you yourself are going through some pretty rough emotions, it can be very hard write those parts. Still, I think that has been some of my strongest writing.

 

What tips can you give on how to get through writers block?

Push through. Block out any negative voices in your head. Don’t worry what everyone will think or if you don’t think the story is up to par yet. Worry about that in revisions and shut off that inner critique until you’ve gotten the first draft out.

 

What kind of music do you like to listen to while you write?

 It generally depends on what I’m writing and the characters. For Gertie and Mason I ended up listening to a lot of Oldies music. You can tell by the chapter titles ;)

 

Who is your favorite author?

 In the indie/small publisher world, Stephanie Thompson (Want & Need), Tara S. Wood, Miranda Stork, Tyffani Clark Kemp, and Sasha Summers (her Loves of Olympus series is fantastic).

 

Traditionally pubbed: Edgar Allan Poe, Neil Gaiman, Diana Gabaldon, Anthony Burgess

 

Who is your favorite character from a book?

 Is it terrible if I say one of my own? Brody Walsh from The Possess Saga. Nobody believes me because I killed him though.

 

Outside of my own books, hmmm. Jamie Fraser (and yes that was before Sam Heughan was cast as him…though that totally helped). Also in the Outlander series, Roger Mackenzie, Ian Murray (jr).

 

What is your favorite book?

Good Omens. I can read it over and over. It always makes me laugh when I need a good one too.

 

Read anything good lately?

 Just finished Lucius: The Fallen by Tara S. Wood. Fabulous read and I couldn’t put it down.

 

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

 Generally there aren’t much times when I’m not writing except when I’m at my day job. I’ve been known to take small hiatuses to binge on video games and attempt to socialize with family and friends.

 

What advice would you give an author just starting out?

 Just write. Be open to advice and critique, and put your heart into it.

 

Have you had anything else published?

 Yes. I have The Possess Saga  (five books) and The Love & Ink series which the first two books are out. My first book Mistaken is a standalone.

 

What's your next project?

I’m currently working on book 3 of The Love & Ink series: Exposing The Flesh.

~*~

From Tara S.Wood-

What inspired you to write this book?

A brainstorming session with Elle J. Rossi.

 

Can you give us an interesting fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?

There are probably too many Harry Potter references.

 

How did you choose your title?

The titles of the novellas were predetermined by the original idea; we simply chose which one we wanted.

 

Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.

It came to be because Miranda Stork rocks at covers. Seriously. She’s amazing.

 

Did you self­ publish or publish traditionally and why?

Both. There are advantages to both, and I wanted to experience publishing from both sides. So far, it’s been interesting.

 

What do you consider the most important part of a good story?

Concept (not exactly plot) and character. Without those, you lose me.

 

What is your writing process?

Procrastinate as much as possible until the characters in my head threaten to mutiny. It’s not pretty. It’s messy, out of order, disorganized, and frankly, general chaos that stems from a plot outline.

 

How long have you been writing?

I can’t remember not writing.

 

How did you get started writing?

I had always written, but I seriously considered it as a career choice when I decided to write my first novel. That was 2009? 2010? I can’t even remember anymore. I’ve never been good with dates.

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I used to be a bit of both, but now I need a plot. Nothing terribly stringent, but I need an idea of where things are headed. Once I have that, I tend to jump around and get my hands dirty.

 

What part of the writing process is the hardest for you?

All of it. There is no easy part. The part I like least is probably editing.

 

What tips can you give on how to get through writers block?

Embrace it. It happens. You need it to move on. Take it a day at a time. Eventually things will fall into line creatively and you’ll have more clarity. Trust yourself. Reach out to others. You are not alone.

 

What kind of music do you like to listen to while you write?

All kinds. Whatever is mirroring the emotions of the characters or the scene in front of me. It varies considerably.

 

Who is your favorite author?

I don’t have one. There are so many talented authors I love, it would be a disservice to choose just one.

 

Who is your favorite character from a book?

Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird

 

What is your favorite book?

Again, too difficult to choose. I will say To Kill a Mockingbird, Heart of Darkness, and Stuart: A Life Backwards

 

Read anything good lately?

Horns by Joe Hill

 

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Cook, hang out with friends, go to the movies.

 

What advice would you give an author just starting out?

Develop a thick, protective coating. Deep at its heart, publishing is a business, and sometimes has little to do with talent. Learn the difference. Perfect your craft; there is always something to learn. Find good people. I mean GOOD people. You’re going to need them for support.

 

Have you had anything else published?

So far, three full-length novels, and three novellas (not counting this one).

 

What's your next project?

The second book in my In Blood series, the third book in my Fallen series, a dystopian stand alone, and two novellas for an upcoming anthology.

 

~*~

From Elle J Rossi-

What inspired you to write this book?

 Sometimes titles come to me. Nothing but the title. For this particular story, I had a lot of title ideas. I shared them with Tara S. Wood and we brainstormed and come up with the premise for the anthology. Every author needs a chance to brainstorm with Tara! You come out of the process all sweaty and excited!

 

Can you give us an interesting fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?

 Robie, the heroine in A Suitcase Full of Revenge, is schizophrenic. She hears 3 other voices in her head and they like to tell her what to do. Add magick into the mix and she’s pretty screwed up.

 

How did you choose your title?

 I actually pictured Miranda Lambert standing in the middle of a dirt road with a suitcase in hand. I kept wondering what would be in her suitcase. Of course it had to be revenge!

 

Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.

That fantastically talented Miranda Stork designed this cover for the anthology. We love it! It’s fun, mysterious and magickal.

 

Did you self­publish or publish traditionally and why?

I do both. I think it’s important to be a hybrid author these days. I like hats. I’m comfortable wearing a lot of them.

 

What do you consider the most important part of a good story?

Heart and soul. The plot can run the gamut, but I need the characters to have a lot of heart and maybe even a tortured soul.

 

What is your writing process?

I love to write amidst chaos. If it’s too quiet my thoughts start to drift. Writing sprints are super productive for me. 30 minutes, balls to the wall, no editing. Love it.

 

How long have you been writing?

 I’ve been writing for about 6-7 years now. I’m hoping to do it for the rest of my life.

 

How did you get started writing?

 I’m a creative person and I needed an outlet. My sister actually suggested I try writing. I fell in love with the process from the first word on the first page.

 

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a little of both. I like to loosely plot just to get a feel for the overall story. But then I let the characters run with it. They are the bosses. I follow their lead.

 

What part of the writing process is the hardest for you?

Finding enough time to dedicate to just writing. Authors have to handle a lot of the business end as well. Plus, many of us work outside the home. I have a full time job, a husband and two kids. I also design book covers. But I wouldn’t give up writing for anything. It’s a big part of who I am.

 

What tips can you give on how to get through writers block?

 I like to change my scenery. Sometimes I sit at a coffee shop and create little stories or bios about the people who come and go. Mainly, I just suggest parking your butt in the chair and writing something. Anything.

 

What kind of music do you like to listen to while you write?

 For the most part I listen to country music. But occasionally, I’ll find something a little more haunting to set the mood. Nox Arcana is a great group for that vibe.

 

Who is your favorite author?

 I love the writing team of Ilona Andrews. The magick they create is stellar.

 

Who is your favorite character from a book?

Definitely Kate Daniels. She’s a heroine written by Ilona Andrews. She is the definition of badass.

 

Read anything good lately?

Loving the Blurred Lines series by Erin McCarthy, and the KGI series by Maya Banks.

 

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I love to hang out with family and friends. Laughter is a must and good for the soul.

 

What advice would you give an author just starting out?

Perseverance. Best word out there. Also, don’t cut corners. Always, always, always put the best work out there you possibly can.

 

Have you had anything else published?

Yes. I have several published works. I’m currently writing a series called The Josie Hawk Chronicles. Four of her stories are available now.

 

What's your next project? I’m working on something completely different. First up is a horror novella, and then I’m delving into contemporary romance. I have a series idea that refuses to go away, so I’m gonna roll with it!

 

Thanks so much for letting me visit today!

 

~Elle

~*~

From Miranda Stork

What inspired you to write this book?

 Well, that would mostly be the fabulous Elle J Rossi and Tara S. Wood, who came u with the idea and decided to make it an anthology with others. The idea for the plot was just so fantastic that when I read it, I had to take part in it. Plus all the ladies involved in the anthology are awesome, and it’s been so much fun doing this book with them. For my story within the book, I decided to do a really sarcastic, hard-nosed witch that everyone would hate at first – I always make my characters likeable as a rule, so this was a lot of fun to do. But you’ll have to read it to find out if she ever becomes likeable. ;)

 

Can you give us an interesting fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?

 Um….that it’s written by six crazy writers? :P No, here’s a real one – the main character in my story is ‘Catherine’, but she used to be ‘Jessica’. I didn’t feel like the name really fitted her once it was written, so I was the annoying one who wanted to change halfway through. Also, ‘Catherine’ was the name of my other half’s mum, so I thought it would be a nice way to keep her memory. She may or may not turn up in other future books I write, too!

 

How did you choose your title?

 You know, I can’t really remember. But that’s more my memory than anything. I think that was Elle and Tara again – they had already come up with the title to go with the fabulous idea when they told me and the others about it.

 

Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.

 The cover is my baby – I do cover designing when I get chance alongside my other work and writing, but this cover was definitely one of my favourites. I felt like it needed to have an element of ‘witchiness’ about it, but something that made it more modern with the city in the background. It generally just ‘popped’ into my head; I find with covers that if you already know what you shouldn’t do, you’ll get a great idea of where you can take it. I had fun playing around with the fonts too, I’m developing a ridiculous collection of different fonts. J And, it wasn’t all me! Definitely not. We all discussed different changes for the cover in our little group, from the colours of the girl’s hair and dress (and indeed, the girl herself), the title and our names…I love working on anthology covers, as it means everyone gets a say on how it should look, and as the designer, I get feedback on how to make it perfect for all of us.

 

Did you self­ publish or publish traditionally and why?

 Well, we’re all indie authors. J  But we were actually somewhere inbetween; we’re not publishing traditionally, but the book is published through SideStreetCookiePublishing, owned by the fabulous Tyffani Clark Kemp. We had complete control over the story, and we could really make the anthology in the snarky, fun, dark image we wanted for it. It’s something that just cannot be done with traditional publishing.

 

What do you consider the most important part of a good story?

 I think it’s different for everyone, but for me personally, it’s the characters. If you’ve got strong, flawed characters that tug at the emotions of the reader (whether you hate or love the character!), then your story will be driven by these characters and everything they go through.

 

What is your writing process?

 I used to be a pantser, but I’ve lately become a complete plotter. I like to write my book’s synopsis before I write the story, as then it becomes a timeline I can use as a basic structure to plot my story out with. I usually like to have an idea of where the story will go before I even write the synopsis though, so it gets refined on paper. Then my first draft will always go through two or three rewrites so that I can change parts I’m not happy with, or add parts in.

 

How long have you been writing?

 Writing stories? Since I was seven. J But I’ve been writing professionally as an author for about two years now, give or take a few months.

 

How did you get started writing?

 Well, for my foray into writing a proper book and turning writing into a career, it actually started from a bet. A friend posted a short story on a community writing site, and challenged me to write something better. I went ahead and typed out the first chapter to a werewolf story that had been floating around in my head for a while, and I kept going until I had a whole manuscript. That became (after several, several re-writes, one even as late as a few months ago!) my first book, ‘Conner’.

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

 I’m a definite plotter these days. It makes everything easier!

 

What part of the writing process is the hardest for you?

 Any emotional scenes I have to write, which there are a lot of in my newest series, ‘Grim Alliance’. There’s a lot of deaths, and the reapers have all been through a lot of tough things, so I’m always aware of trying to make these scenes as realistic and thorough as possible while still pulling the storyline along.

 

What tips can you give on how to get through writers block?

 Just carry on writing. Seriously. We all get writer’s block, and I used to procrastinate when it happened, but I’ve found the best cure is just to carry on writing. Whatever you plot down in that time might be total pants, but that’s what editing is for! J If you have a break from writing, it’s much harder to pick the keyboard up again, so the best thing is always to power on through and rewrite later.

 

What kind of music do you like to listen to while you write?

 At the moment I really love listening to classical and ‘epic’ music, as it’s called. A good example (and one of my favourites) is Two Steps From Hell. They’ve done loads of epic music for video trailers and movies, and there’s music to fit every mood I need for any scene.

 

Who is your favorite author?

 I don’t have just one – I have tons! For indie authors, there’s Tara S. Wood, Elle J Rossi, Cynthia Valero, J. A. Howell, Tyffani Clark Kemp, Trish Marie Dawson, Kristie Haigwood, Woelf Dietrich, Ella Medler, and tons and tons more! J For traditionally published authors, it’s got to be Isabel Allende, Adam Nevill, Erica James, and the infamous Truman Capote.

 

Who is your favorite character from a book?

 Whew, this is a tough one…I think it’s going to have to be a question that also sort of answers the next one; Eliza Sommers from Daughter of Fortune (by Isabel Allende). She’s a really tough young woman who comes from a background where a lot is kept from her, and I really empathised with her. She’s also tenacious, inventive, and she just keeps going despite what’s thrown at her. I’ve had to go through stuff too (who hasn’t? J ), so it was great to read about a character who does all of that and still gets a very happy ending.

 

What is your favorite book?

 It would be Daughter of Fortune! It’s a brilliant book set in the nineteenth century in Chile, moving across to frontier America, and it follows love, loss, sorrow, secrets and every other emotion inbetween while keeping a black sense of humour. I’m from the UK, so reading about the history of two countries so completely different from my own was incredibly entertaining.

 

Read anything good lately?

 Lots of good stuff! The latest book I read that I really loved was The Ritual by Adam Nevill. It’s a very ‘British horror’, and it uses subtlety with really chilling frights and humour, all balanced out by the weirdest and most odd characters anyone has ever met. It’s always an adventure when you dive into one of his books, and I’ll take suspense and chills over gore any day.

 

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

 Writing. No, I’m kidding! Hehe. I do other stuff, too. I love prehistory, so I love watching any history documentary, and I’ve got a fondness for watching movies, and I still toy with the idea of doing a movie review blog. I also love sport, and I’m currently being taught by my other half how to play golf, and I enjoy boating when I have the time. I also do a bit of game modding, mostly for Fallout: New Vegas. I find it nice to do something creative that doesn’t require quite as much out of me as writing – so it’s fairly relaxing, as I’m never really still! J Other than that, you can find me in the garden, attempting to grow bigger potatoes and raspberries!

 

What advice would you give an author just starting out?

 Keep writing, even when you’re having a bad day, even when it feels like no one else likes it, even when you think you don’t like it. It’s the same as anything else; to get good at something, you’ve got to practice it. And while things like creative writing classes are a great start, there is literally no substitution for writing a book and getting feedback from it. And your first book will never be as good as your second (I just went over my first book for a final rewrite, two years after it first came out!), and your second will never be as good as your third – but I think that’s pretty comforting. *grin* It means you’re always going in the right direction, and your books and your skill will always improve. And don’t shove yourself into a neat box just to fit perfectly into a genre, if you feel your story can do better with a mix of genres. Your story will never have your ‘voice’ if you don’t make it your own, and write it for you – it’s got to ring true when someone else reads it. If you didn’t feel it yourself, if your grief-stricken character didn’t make you cry, it won’t make your reader cry, either. And finally, enjoy it! The great thing about writing, if you really feel the need to pour stories out onto digital paper, is that you get to share something with the world that you enjoy – writing is good for the soul. ;)

 

Have you had anything else published?

 A few other things, pretty much all paranormal – The Athol Trilogy, a story across three books about a werewolf and a psychologist and their journey to save…well, humanity (again! Hehe); the first three books in The Scarlet Rain Series (fourth and final book coming out at the end of November), a saga about vampires taking over the earth, and the resistance of humans and other paranormal creatures who fight them; and the Grim Alliance series (book three coming out November 5^th), about a group of ‘Reapers’, good guys who gather souls for the Hall of Rest when they die – but they’ve also got the evil Empusa, Queen of Helheim to contend with, who wants souls for her own torturous means. I’ve also got a short story in A Celtic Tapestry, and the awesome Rehab is for Witches.

 

What's your next project?

 I’ve got a few – I’m working on an anthology of twisted fairytales for adults with Tara S. Wood and J. A. Howell; the fourth book in my Grim Alliance series; a gothic vampire tale; and a historical set in the iron age of Britain, Daughters of Brigitania.

 

~*~

From Cynthia Valero

What inspired you to write this book?

I was so excited when I saw the opportunity to be a part of this anthology. The idea of writing about a witch gone bad and whether or not she can be redeemed through rehab along with other bad witches … there was so much depth to dig there, especially when there are five other writers—all brilliant—writing the other five naughty witches.

 

Can you give us an interesting fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?

My hero is a Union Army captain in the War Between the States. However, he was not always so upstanding. In fact, he may not even be so upstanding now. Or is he? Herein lies part of my lady witch’s dilemma.

 

How did you choose your title?

As each title reflects each of the rehab’s tenets, the titles were created with the anthology concept. However, when my witch, Trista, showed up on the page wielding a pint-sized cauldron—something hugely important to her—we changed one word of that title to “Cauldron”.

 

Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.

The brilliant Miranda Stork, also an author in the anthology, designed it with witches and modernity in mind. And magickal hi-jinx, of course.

 

Did you self­ publish or publish traditionally and why?

This anthology is being published through Side Street Cookie Publishing.

 

What do you consider the most important part of a good story?

To evoke feeling in the reader. The reader wants to feel and become engaged with character and story. She wants to experience another life. I know I do. If the reader isn’t invested in what happens, if she doesn’t care what happens next, the story is dead in the water, no matter how beautifully cobbled the words might be.

 

What is your writing process?

I handwrite a lot about the characters before I begin. I snatch snippets of scenes that pop into my head—back story, usually—and run with my pen to really get a feel for where my character has been and his/her state of mind at the opening of the story. This really helps me to know what those characters will do when presented with the story situation/conflict. Usually some form of my characters is concrete from the moment they appear in my head until the final draft is written.

 

Along with that, I try to get my main conflicts figured out so the catalyst and energy of the story are somewhat clear to me, even if I don’t know everything. In fact, it is better that I only have the barest map because, if I already know the whole story, I wouldn’t have to write it. I’d lose my compulsion to write so I can know what happens next.

 

How long have you been writing?

I have been dedicated to writing for twenty years. In fact, this is my twentieth year of pursuing my passion.

 

How did you get started writing?

I was always an avid reader. In fact, I just remembered that, in first grade, I created a book called, The Cooky Cockroach. He lived in a toothbrush holder and liked to drink Hawaiian Punch. I stapled the pages inside a cover of that yellow paper we used to use for math. I remember drawing a cockroach on the front, and I recall my teacher having me read it to the class. But it was another twelve years of non-stop reading, writing book reports, dabbling in poems and songwriting—none of it taken seriously by me—until that little voice in my head thought, “I can do this” while reading a book I was enjoying. It was another six until I fully committed to it.

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Both. Like I mentioned above, I like to have enough knowledge of the character and conflict before I begin so that I know that I indeed have a story, or at least that the conflict is strong. But, really, it’s a lot of pantster-ing from there as I try to swing from one action to the next.

 

What part of the writing process is the hardest for you?

Constantly trusting that I’m writing in the right direction. The critic always likes to chat that there’s a better way to write the scene than how I’m doing it. And there I am, underground, in the mine, in the dark with my one miner’s light, chip-chip-chipping away as I tunnel through solid rock. The critic likes to stand in the entry, swinging his lantern around his finger, casting shadows across the rock walls like a bully.

 

What tips can you give on how to get through writers block?

Show up at the page every day. And, from my own experience, try, try, try to suck some of the seriousness out of it. When you’re stuck, it helps to just use paper and pen. It relieves writing to a more casual process, giving a less permanent-feeling than tying in your manuscript. It doesn’t matter what you write outside of your manuscript, and you should just let your mind go where it wants, even if it has nothing to do with your story. It’ll help loosen your mind, your hand, and the flow of communication within yourself. The editor won’t be sitting in between your mind and hand, tapping its foot, expecting only perfection to come down the pike. That will definitely cause blockage. Just write, no matter what it is. The story will eventually be lured back, knowing it’s safe to come out again now that the editor realizes he’s not needed, or wanted, right now.

 

What kind of music do you like to listen to while you write?

I tend to need silence. Though I can write while my son is playing and making noise. I actually would love to start listening to some movie soundtracks as I write, ones with swelling crescendos and without words to distract my mind. Those compositions are made to evoke feeling and that’s a good thing for writing.

 

Who is your favorite author?

Ack! Who can pick just one? Some of my favorite books have been written by Larry McMurtry, Alice Hoffman, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Elizabeth Gilbert, and C.S. Lewis.

 

Who is your favorite character from a book?

I adore Honey Jane Moon from Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Honey Moon. The only book I’ve ever read more than once (aside from Turtle Moon). In fact, I’ve read it more than twice. Honey has such spunk, spirit, and perseverance. She’s who I wish I’d been as a younger person.

 

What is your favorite book?

Give me five. Texasville by Larry McMurtry, Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman, Honey Moon by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. If I had to pick just one, I think I’d have to go with Honey Moon.

 

Read anything good lately?

I enjoyed The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley. I learned a lot about India in the early 1900s as well as in modern times, mostly surrounding the effects of the British Empire. And this very interesting history was weaved into a story of one woman’s amazing and heartbreaking and courageous life and the effects every life has on another.

 

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I love to read, run, and be with my family.

 

What advice would you give an author just starting out?

If it’s really what you want to do, don’t let anything stop you. And nothing needs to stop you because putting pen to paper is not a threat to you or anyone else. Even ten minutes a day can be possible! Oh, and get out of the way of your mind. Your heart, soul, and consciousness—I see them as one unit, really—know what it wants to write about. Your brain doesn’t always know, even if it thinks it does, and it can interfere with what your deeper self is trying to say. Take your first thought and go! Practice that. It’s important. Don’t judge what’s been offered to you until it’s time. Which is later. Or else you’ll paralyze yourself from the get-go and that’s not what writing should do.

 

Have you had anything else published?

Three paranormal romance books and two anthologies, written with Beth Ciotta as CB Scott. The books are Scandalous Spirits, Kindred Spirits (an award winner!), and Knight of My Dreams.

 

What's your next project?

A young adult/adult novel about forbidden love and deadly feuds set off the coast of 1907 America. I’ve been scrawling my ideas off page and am about to begin the manuscript! I will share updates on my website, www.cynthiavalero.com, as the story begins to take shape!