Lynnette Sofras aka the @ManicScribbler

Welcome Lynnette Sofras who is known on twitter and her blog as Manic Scribbler. She hosts Writer Wednesday, which looks like a great feature for fellow writers. How do you choose who to host?

Some months ago all my lovely reviews on amazon.com were deleted and, because when I read a great story, I want the whole world to know, I decided to resurrect these reviews on my blog and that's how I came up with my Wednesday's Writer spot. When I come across interesting writers whose books I've not yet read, I ask them if they'd like to submit a piece about their writing or an aspect of writing for me to post in place of a review. I must say I've made some great friends through this little feature.

I'll bet! Great way to share the love. You recently did a set of features on horror writers for Halloween. How did that idea arise? Are you connected with the authors?

Interview with Mona Karel

Today I'd like to introduce you to Mona Karel, a romance author.

Hi Angelica, thanks so much for having me visit.

You have a few recent posts on blogging, triberr, twitter and building your platform. Do you think you have hit your stride in these media or are you still learning? Do you have any pertinent tips for other bloggers?

I started the Monday Promo Primer to help share what little I've learned so far in the various methods of promoting our books. A lot of it links to some of the better blogs and articles I've found, and owes a lot to Marketing for Romance Writers, Kristen Lamb, Kayelle Allen, and Skhye Moncrieff

Cooking and recipes are obviously a big part of your blog. Where did the Passionate Cooks come from? It looks like a great feature.

Black Friday #bloghop #giveaway #blkfrihop

In Canada, we don't have a black friday in the same what our neighbours to the south do. We still have that day when retailers go into the 'black' (the meaning behind Black Friday), but we don't celebrate it with massive sales. However, at this time of year, the Christmas sales have started as the keen among us have been shopping for Christmas presents all year long and those retailers are desperate to catch our eye for one more thing, one more stocking stuffer.

Well, here's something to stuff your stocking. My second Blue Moon House prequel focuses on Harry or Harrold who is an accountant. I think that's all the set up you need for this scene.

She took his hands and perched on the bed beside him. “Do you trust me, Harrold?” she asked, pulling his wrist to her nose. He could easily imagine her biting him.

“I-I think so.”

She shook her head. “Not enough. Did you think it odd how Kendra asked me to stop?” He tried to remember. So much of the time with the black girl was seen through the blood haze of Lynn's bite afterward. 

D.F. Krieger: Ruff Love

Welcome back D.F. Krieger! This lovely lady has a thing for animals, in case the cat in her profile picture didn't give it away. What was your first pet? How long did you have him/her?

My first pet was a black cat named Ebony ( really wanted to name him Mordor, but for some reason my mom didn't think a 6 year old child should support the dark side.) I had him for about 5 years before I lost him to a medical condition. I still blame those blasted hobbitses to this day!

Nasty hobbitses! How many animals have you adopted? Do you plan to adopt more?

I've adopted countless animals, and adopted out even more through rescue. Many of the animals I choose to adopt and keep either have limited time due to health issues or severe disabilities. It's great because they don't make fun of me for mine. :) I currently have 5 cats, 2 dogs, 2 ferrets, and a ridiculously huge gerbil.

Haha, a hobbit himself, perhaps? Eating his second breakfast? Is it hard choosing which one to adopt?

#TantalizingTuesday - Introductions

Here are my 200 words that follow on the Masochist. Here Harrold meets a new woman, but one that will please him as much or more than Delores. Check out all the other Teasers on the blog.

“You are a difficult man to get a hold of, Harrold. I don't think I like that.”

“Pardon, madam, but I'm sure I'd remember if I made your acquaintance.”

Full red lips pulled up on one corner in a smirk. “You had better believe you would.” Her lusty tone told him much. “We haven't met,” she said, circling him. “I'd been informed that you were in need of my services.”

Harrold's brow furrowed. What woman provided a service he needed? What service...

A light shone behind his eyes just as she said, “Delores was quite insistent. More than is proper. I had to set her down. She enjoyed that, I think. Would you?” She glanced at Harrold from the corner of her oddly sparkling eyes.

“Would I what?” He was completely flustered. How had a whore gotten into this party?

Her palm slapped across his face. The sensation was familiar. Many ladies had spurned his advances when he was younger. However, this woman had a stronger arm than any of them. This pain rivaled that of the time his cousin had punched him in the jaw.

“You will pay heed when I speak. Would you enjoy being reprimanded by me?”

Pablo Michaels: The Romantic

Today Pablo Michaels has returned to tell us about the changes to his blog and writing style. What prompted you to switch the focus of your writing from sex to romance?

Actually I never switched to romance, but I have toned down my fiction with much less erotica. My erotic writing always dealt with romance. I try desperately to have happy endings or at least leave it open for the reader to fantasize the characters living and loving contentedly. I found the erotica I wrote was becoming repetitive and boring. When I first started writing with more sex, I was turned on. After a while I found I was writing, using similar words and scenes to describe the sex, which became redundant and boring. I see my failure with erotica in my published novel, Catnip, Rosemary, Rage and Time. A writing coach and editor wanted me to write more explicitly about sex. When the book was almost finished, I had feedback from my husband, saying it had too much graphic sex; he preferred the first draft. So I rewrote the erotic scenes with analogies and symbols to tone it down. In the end it turned out to be purple prose. With my unfinished novel, The Deer in the Forest, I’m currently editing and rewriting, dates back to 1990 for a period piece that begins in the late 1960’s evolving to the present. It is sheer romance with little sex involved. I thought by working on this book, I could bring myself back to the style and emotions I truly enjoy, which is romance without erotica.

One of the things I hear most often is write what you want to read. I'm glad to hear that's what you're doing. Do you have a publisher in mind for your less erotic work?

Ramblings in Ireland - Kerry Dwyer

Today I am lucky enough to be part of a blog tour for Kerry Dwyer. Her blog is interesting and varied with a host of ramblings.

You've made a book of your ramblings. Did the book evolve out of the blog or vice versa?

Neither really the blog didn’t start to promote my writing or even to tell people about my life in France. It started with a conversation I had with a friend about how I avoid ironing.  Then, a couple of weeks later when she was in a panic to go out and still had her housework to do I told her about my philosophy on housework. She said I should write a book about it. I didn’t think it was enough to write a book about but maybe a blog post or two. I wrote the Slut’s Guide to Housework. That was really the beginning of my blog. It has evolved considerably.

The book was inspired by a walking holiday in Ireland. I was so enthralled with the place and the people and the different sort of relationship I had with my husband whilst we were there. We hadn’t been in each other’s company quite so intensely for a long time. As we were walking, ideas for the book kept popping into my head. Something would happen or we would talk about something and a new chapter would formulate in my head. The book almost wrote itself by the time we got back to France. I then updated the blog to tell people about the book, at that time I thought publishers would be lining up to put me in print, little did I know.

I can relate to ideas popping when walking or driving, best when riding, that way I can write them down! You post regularly. What is your go to when you need something new to ramble about?

Masochist - Tantalyzing Tuesday

“There seems to be someone here.” He smiled at Delores. She was several years older than him, perhaps even a decade, but her body still fit the mold her corset made for it. Harrold reached for the laces hanging from the base of it.

Crack. Harrold's hand snapped back. The erection that had been flagging rose again in his trousers.

“You think to touch me, sir? You think I'm still one of these girls for you to take on your knee?”

Crack. Harrold shuddered, sinking to his knees.

“Yes, kneel for me, gentle sir. Show me how low I can bring you.”

Crack.

“Kiss my slipper.”

Had he known, he'd have approached Delores sooner. This. This is what he wanted, what he needed. The freedom to be as low and as vile as he could. To be the opposite of what filled his days.

On his hands and knees, he put his lips to the embroidered fabric covering her foot. The feet slipped out of his sight and another slap of the belt landed on his bottom.

“Remove these.” Delores lifted the fabric from his rear, a cool breeze running over his warm, red skin.

Need more? Check out all the authors with 200 words of their own. http://tantalizingtuesday.blogspot.com/

Autumn Harvest #BlogHop #giveaway - Orange

My favourite thing about the fall are the colours. Of course, right now, everything around me is grey, white or evergreen. In Alberta, we lose our pretty leaves with the first windstorm in October. Before they go, though, I love to see the bright reds and golds. Best of all, is orange. Orange pumpkins, orange leaves, the boldest colour of all standing out against the blues and greens that backdrop it.

The other reason I love orange? I look good in orange. I look good in yellow and green, too. I'm a harvest masterpiece (okay, that's exaggerating).

To celebrate, I'm offering a copy of the anthology I'm included in. I tell about a football bachelor auction that could easily be imagined in the fall. It includes, several other tales of girls going wild in college. Campus Sexploits 3 is available from Naughty Nights Press. I highly recommend it. You can also find it on Amazon and Smashwords.

Campus Sexploits 3 is the third book in a series of anthologies all about the fantasy fun days of youth. Four naughty, college/university-themed, erotic short stories to tantalize and tease the senses, while giving readers a little taste of the wickedly erotic worlds these four fantastic authors can weave.
Worlds of incredible, earth-shattering, sexual freedom involving college or university students and the kinky antics they participate in.
Worlds you can just feel yourself fall into...

Be sure to leave your email in the comments as that will also enter you for the grand prizes!

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet 

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card 

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains 10+ paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

Carrie Ann's Blog Hops has a complete list of participating blogs. If you're working your way down the list, I'm between I Love Shapeshifters, Mrs. Mommy Booknerds, and SmartMouthTexan and Deanna Lynn Sletten

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Paulette Mahurin - The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap

Today, Paulette Mahurin is here to tell us about her novel The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, which is available in hard copy and electronic format on Amazon.

First, let me say a big thank you for having me over for a visit at your great blog site and this interview.

You are most welcome! Your book is set in 1895 Nevada. How did you choose the setting for your novel?

That's an interesting question. The seed for the novel came from a photo to two women, dressed in turn of the twentieth century garb. When I started to research that time period, I came across the Donner Party debacle, which changed the course of migrating west, to move further south in the Nevada Walker Lake region. When I read about that area it seems like an interesting place, really different, to place a lesbian couple afraid of being found out, sorta women's Brokeback Mountain scene.

You have had wonderful endorsement. Did those come from volunteers or do you have a circle of acquaintances that helped pave your way?

Beth D. Carter: Let Romance Take Flight

Today I'd like to welcome Beth. We meet in a group on Facebook and I wanted to share her blog and books. I like your Hump Day Hook. Who started that idea and have you had any trouble choosing paragraphs to post?

Hump Day Hook was started by Kerrianne Coombes. Every Wednesday we post a paragraph on either a WIP (work in progress) or something already published. It’s a great way to get some feedback and to whet the appetites for the readers. I love it, plus it makes me actually sit down and do something on my blog.

Having something scheduled is always good. Do you get good feedback on your writing on your blog?

BlogHop Winner and #NaNoWriMo

It is officially November! Yay! That means two things. First, it's the start of NaNoWriMo. I'm participating under my real name for the third year, but I'm writing Blue Moon House prequels, which makes me a NaNoRebel. If you've never heard of NaNoWriMo, it's a challenge to anyone interested to write the bulk of a novel in one month. Ideally, you'll write a complete novel, but the challenge is for 50 000 words. That's a short novel. Normally they are closer to 100K than 50K. The purpose is to get past that first chapter and move on to chapters 2 through 10. Can you get a beginning, middle and end on your manuscript? If you want to add me as a buddy or follow my progress, I'm Kimmydonn. Another thing that happened at the end of October or beginning of November is the close of the Wicked After Dark Bloghop. Great turnout and so many great blogs and prizes to visit. Alas, I must have done something wrong with my Rafflecopter because it didn't work. :( I selected a winner the old-fashioned way. Congratulations to Foretta for winning a copy of either Blue Moon House or Campus Sexploits 3. Please, if you are interested in a copy of your own, click the big NNP banner on the right. Now, I'm off to add to the 4000 words I managed to bang out yesterday. NaNoWriMo!