CONTESTS & CONFERENCES - Arkansas Writers Conference

"I am not responsible for content posted about any of the conferences and events. I will let you know which ones I have attended or participated in. Please contact the conference site directly for current information."

Okay... commercial out of the way. Now let's talk conferences & workshops. There are a TON out there. You only have to look. Three websites I have always found helpful are SHAW GUIDES, WRITE DEVAS and RESOURCES FOR WRITERS by Jodi Renner. Book mark those links and refer to them next time you're on the hunt for a writer's conference.

This week I want to take you to Little Rock, Arkansas. Though I've not attended the conference, I have participated in their annual writing contests - and won a few here and there. This conference is put together by great people who know what they are doing. I'm talking about the Arkansas Writer's Conference. One woman you will find in attendance as long as she is able is the lovely Arkansas Poet Laurette, Peggy Vining. Such a sweet lady and wonderful poet. I have known Miss Peggy for over 25 years and she is the one who first told me about the Arkansas Penwomen and this conference.

Though the deadline has passed to enter this year's competition, there is still time to register for the conference which takes place June 5 - 6.

Anytime you attend a conference I spotlight, please email me or leave a comment to let me know what you thought. Let us learn from the experiences of others.

Happy Writing!
Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Danielle Gianni Corrick

NOTE: Comments are now closed. I will be posting the winner later today (Wed. 4/29) Thank you for stopping in! ~Angela

Read a vampire's intimate poetic journal, and a mortals powerful detailed diary...both share the same timeless love story, as they live and die and find each other through time. As a battle between temptation and lust...keep the two apart, while true love finds its way.

I do not spend a lot of time on Facebook. I just do not have the time. I try to connect with folks I know and take care of business. Then I am off to continue my work day and write. Through Facebook I've not only keep in touch with folks I know, but I have met new people as well. One of those is Danielle Gianni Corrick. Danielle can light up any room - even a virtual one! I am please to have her as my guest today and share her trilogy with all of you. And Danielle comes bearing gifts! She is giving away a set to one lucky visitor. Don't be shy - say HI! to Danielle....

A bit about our guest:

I'm Danielle Gianni Corrick...from N.J. I've been married for 11 years to my high school sweetheart, and together a total of 21 years. I'm a proud mother of two great kids Jason and Desiree'...9 and 11. I've been a hairstylist for 21 years, and recently a self published author of my first series 'An Erotic Vampire Romance'. I started writing my series after the loss and suicide of my younger brother Piero in 1997, as writing had become my outlet as well as my therapy.

1. Why do you write?

I write because it's an outlet for me, as it's also very therapeutic and relaxing to me...to journey into other worlds, as the world around me stands still. Writing has been an escape for me to venture, and to do so at any given time that I desire. All I have to do is pick up a pen or my keyboard, and I'm off to my own Wonderland.

2. What is your 'daily mantra' for writing? What gets you to your keyboard above other activities?

My daily mantra for writing is gathering up my pillows and blankets at the end of the night, a cup of hot green tea, and have my tarot/angel cards at hand. This is the time I get...where it's my time, and on my time I enjoy to escape to other worlds other than the world I know. The best time to write would be when my awesome kids have settled down in bed, and I venture into a world that I created...with the anticipation that someday others will also have the oppertunity to read what I wrote, and with a message to be told.

3. What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

The best writing advice that I have ever recieved was to write from the heart, and to write what I know...to have fun and play around with words, as I create my own style and technique. Jump out of the box every now and than...only to create a whole other species from what I am used to writing.

4. What is your favorite genre to write and why?

I love to write erotic stories, and children's stories...totally different ends of the spectrum, and for these two reasons alone-I love to grab the minds of our precious little ones, as I create stories for them...stories with moral, meaning, and lesson. I also love to grab the minds of our amazing big ones, as I create stories for them as well...stories with moral, meaning, and lesson.

5. What is the one key career you remember from your childhood of wanting to be when you grew up?

The one key career that I can remember wanting to become as a child is ironically what I do now...a hairstylist, and for 21 years and counting. =) I love my job, as it's not a job at all...it's more of getting paid for having fun, and loving what I do. Which gives me the fortunate opportunity to be a staying at home mom, and a working at home mom.

BLURB:

Discovering his one true love...Dracula finds his halfling, as his mortal find soon becomes vampire. Dracula creates Lana Black in 1865, which she becomes an erotic theatre performer. When the vampire's secret...his sweet surprise of Lana's immortality...leads to death, as life and death arrive for Dracula and Lana Black. With a twist of fate...their two souls travel time, as they find one another once again in 2008. However, they are not a match any longer...Lana Black is now committed to another, as Dracula needs Uncommitted blood to survive. Lana Black and Dracula are both led on an emotional journey, as their true love wins the battle against lust and temptation. A love story, a fantasy...'An Erotic Vampire Romance'.

To purchase The Erotic Romance books:

BLACK

LANA

DRACULA

You may catch up with Danielle on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

CURRENT PROJECT - Branson Series Book 2

I'm going to pretend I haven't been here in what seems forever. Aside from scheduling the spotlight authors, life has been really crazy here. My last real post was back in January when I introduced you to the plans for my brand new studio - Creative Dreams. My husband worked his day job as a river boat Captain most of January so no progress on the studio. On February 13 he had carpal tunnel sugery on his predominate hand (right). For two and a half months he could not do much of anything. I crammed my day job into as few daylight hours as possible then spent my fiction writing time with him. Bottom line, my husband is more important to me than publishing books. I don't want to look back wishing 'if only'. Life is too short. 

The music business exploded for me and I'm struggling to keep up. But in January I did write the first in a trilogy during JANO, sponsored by my local Sleuth's Ink writer's group. I am pleased with the story, though like any first draft the story needs a lot of help. And like any first book in a series, I am anxious to breathe life into the next couple I introduced in Book 1. Kim is a military widow with two adorable little girls and Trevor is an Iraq vet turned country singer. When Trevor takes a spot on a USO tour, Kis is petrified she will become a widow again, before they are even man and wife. I promise there will be at least one kleenex moment in this book. I know, becuase I wrote the scene in book one then realized the impact would be greater in book 2. 

So while I have not been here much, my mind is always whirling with stories I want to share. 

I leave on Saturday for a 18 day trip through Texas. I will be spending the first week of my trip in the Hill Country networking with music artists and doing research for my western historical that kind of stalled out. The second week I will be at the Romantic Times Convention in Dallas. If you are attending, please look me up! I've scheduled to be in the FAN-tastic Party during the second half of the evening and I have SWAG! 

So here's a question begging for your input .... 'What is the best SWAG  you ever received? Tell me. I'll draw one name for a special prize pack.

Make sure to stop by tomorrow when my favorite Vamp author, Danielle Gianni Corrick will be here and she's giving away the complete Diary Trilogy to one lucky fan! Don't miss it. 

Happy Reading!

Angela!

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Judy Nickles

I have known Judy Nickles for several years. She is a talented author and we have a lot of common interests. Being a grandma is one of our top priorities. 

A little about Judy...

Judy Nickles, also writing as Gwyneth Greer, has been spinning tales since she could hold a #2 pencil. A genealogist for over 30 years, Judy believes that stories are everywhere and wishes she had time to write all of them. She is having her adolescent rebellion 50+ years late and recently took a ride in a vintage B-24 bomber built the year she was born during the war (that’s WW II for all you youngsters out there). She has 5 traditionally-published novels and has recently branched out into indie publishing. She also manages to keep up with four adorable (natch!) grandchildren acquired somewhat belatedly but with great gratitude and joy.

Thank you, Judy, for joining us today!

Here is Judy's responses to my Fast Five Questions:

1     1) Why do you write?  

          Why not? People write for different reasons at different times in their lives. Right now I’m finding     it’s a nice way to make a little extra money in my retirement. But sometimes there’s still a story           inside clamoring to get out even if it doesn’t make a nickel!

2     2) What is your “Daily Mantra” for writing? What gets you to your keyboard above other     

            activities?  

           Sometimes it’s that story slipping the constraints of my mind and slithering down my arms to my       fingers. When I do NaNoWriMo (and that’s not every year), I know I have a minimum number of       words to write daily to meet the goal of 50K in a month. Without a deadline looming, I find Randy     Ingermanson’s advice about The 500 Club as useful as anything.

3     3)   What is the best writing advice you ever received?

             Just write the book/story and fix it later.

4     4) What is your favorite genre to write and why? 

            Cozy mystery with a taste of vintage wine…um, historical details…and maybe a ghost or two             stops the list. I suppose I never outgrew Nancy Drew.

5     5) What is the one key career you remember from your childhood of wanting to be when you           grew up?    

            A lady detective, of course! I even had a handy dandy little detective kit. And I was obsessed with       what might be hiding behind the walls of my grandmother’s house next door. 

  

   Here is a blurb from the Penelope Pembroke Mysteries:

B&B owner Penelope Pembroke has a son who’s a cop, an ex-husband who’s best not mentioned, and a penchant for toeing the line in life. So what’s she doing with a mystery man who comes and goes from Amaryllis, Arkansas, usually leaving murder and mayhem behind? 

You will find this series at Amazon

You can find out more about Judy Nickles 

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Lori Robinett

The Author Spotlight shines on Lori Robinett. Lori has visited with us before and now she's back with a brand new novel to keep you turning the pages!

A bit about Lori:

Lori was born in Centralia, Missouri and now lives just a few miles from there with her husband on a small hobby farm. They manage the place for their Miniature Schnauzer and Miniature Beagle, two cats, and three miniature horses. Though she appears to be a normal person, she has a bit of an obsession with Star Trek and is quite proud of her autograph collection. She is even prouder of her "marksman" qualification for shooting. That's not the only reason not to mess with Lori - she keeps in shape by working out at a kickboxing gym. During cold winter months, she enjoys crafting, especially scrapbooking. And, of course, she always has a book with her, so she can read whenever the opportunity arises.  She always has a book or two in process - one at home, one at work, and one on her Nook for those got-a-spare-minute times.

Her first book, Denim & Diamonds, was published in 2014, and her second, Fatal Impulse was published in 2015. Her award-winning short stories have appeared in several anthologies and in The Storyteller literary magazine.

Thank you for being here today, Lori!

Let's see how Lori answered my Fast Five:

 1) Why do you write?

     Writing is a socially acceptable way for me to indulge my creative side . . . including those dark          thoughts that cross my mind.

2) What is your ‘Daily Mantra’ for writing? What gets you to your keyboard above other activities?

     It's one I got from Book in a Week (a monthly writing challenge I participate in): 

                  BIC HOK TAM - butt in chair, hands on keyboard, typing away madly.

3)  What is the best writing advice you ever received?

    That the first draft is perfect purely because it exists. I'm often paralyzed by perfectionism. The          idea of not doing something perfectly terrifies me, and I struggled for YEARS with the first draft         of my first novel (it's still not finished). Once I heard that quote about the first draft being perfect .     it was incredibly freeing.

4) What is your favorite genre to write and why?

     I love to write mystery/suspense. That's what I like to read, and I love working out the details to         figure out how it's all going to come together.

5) What is the one key career you remember from your childhood of wanting to be when you grew up?

   When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be a lab tech. I had no idea what a tech did exactly,       but I knew they were involved in research, and that's what I wanted to do. My mother had health        issues when I was little and ended up at the Mayo Clinic for what seemed like a very long time. I       thought if I could do research, I could help cure her.

Blurb from Fatal Impulse:

Andi is the wife of Dr. Chad Adams, a well respected orthodontist in the small community of Buccaneer Bay, Maine. Together, they appear to be the perfect couple, but behind closed doors Chad has controlled every aspect of his wife's life. After years of control and abuse, he pushes Andi too hard . . . and she pushes back.

In the blink of an eye, Andi becomes a widow. She struggles to find her way, but revels in the joy of her newfound independence. Just as she begins to accept her new status, her husband reaches out to control her life from beyond the grave. As she fights to maintain her newfound independence, she learns that her husband was living a double life, and those he crossed threaten to expose her as a murderer. Can she put the pieces of the puzzle together before her life is destroyed?

Excerpt:

Lightning slashed the sky above them, thunder rolled and the windswept the rain in sheets across the blackness of the Atlantic that stretched away to the East. Andi hugged herself to calm the shivers. The wipers slapped at the rain while Chad berated her for the way she acted that evening. She stared out into the inky darkness.

He glanced at her, “You act like you don’t know what to say or do when we're out in public. You ignored me during dinner, and giggled like a schoolgirl at Carl Franklin at the bar.”

He overlooked the fact that he monopolized the gentleman’s time after dinner, leaving her alone in a sea of strangers. He accused her of flirting with other men on a regular basis, and that night was no different. Hopefully the anger would get out of his system before they got home.

“You make me look bad when you flirt like that,” he continued. “It’s not like Carl Franklin would ever be in the least bit interested in you, even if you weren’t my wife.”

It never occurred to him that his wife found the man’s hobby of rock hounding to be interesting. His accusations stung, and he didn't always stop with words. The two celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary the previous May, and she was determined to make her marriage work. Her parents raised her to believe marriage is forever, ‘til death do you part, so she would not leave him.  No matter what he did.

Lori's book is available on Amazon

You can follow Lori on her journey:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Goodreads

Pintrest 

MY SEXY SATURDAY - Our Sexy Tomorrow

My friend, J.D. Faver introduced me to a blog hop she thought I might be interested in. Imagine my surprise when this week's 'MY SEXY SATURDAY' theme fit perfectly for Trey an Alana's story.

The rules of this hop are simple:
1 - Sign up using Linky. This enables you to link your blog to theirs.
2 - Post 7 paragraphs/ 7 sentences/ or 7 words. These can be from a published book or a WIP
3 - Open to published AND un-published authors. Pretty cool!
4 - Promote My Sexy Saturday as much as possible through social media.

This week's theme:
This week’s theme is A Long Sexy Time and it’s all about those who have loved another for a long time. This love could have started when they were kids, when they were dating or even from afar. The point is that one character has loved the other for what seems like forever.

From Somewhere Down the Line

“Have you ever thought about the last time we saw each other?” His gaze dared her to deny his question. “Tell me you don’t remember anything special about that night in Abilene, and I’ll pretend I never asked. But I remember how you blushed when I sang ‘Earth Angel’ and how the last thing I wanted to use was my thumb to clean that dab of mustard off the corner of your mouth. I remember how tortured I felt at having to let you go, how trapped I was by responsibility and unable to do anything about it. I’ve carried those memories with me, Ali. So please tell me your coming here today isn’t just about an interview."

If you'd like to read more, check out the links on my sidebar for the various purchasing venues and formats.

Creative Blessings!

Angela