Wednesday, January 29, 2014

end of January catch up

I had an author event planned tonight, but it has been postponed due to the "snow event" in the southern part of the US. Lady Jane's Salon - RDU will now be held on February 26th. I'll be joining the lovely and talented Sabrina Jeffries and D.B. Starler.


This photo is the view from my deck. Plenty of Carolina blue sky!

I had ordered a box of Whisper Falls from my publishing house for giveaways and such.  It arrived yesterday, unbeknownst to me. When I went outside last night to check on the snow falling, there waited the box on my front porch. I am happy to say that the books were all rescued in pristine shape.

More news...

The driveway is shoveled now. It will soon be time to attempt the drive to my day job. Wish me luck!

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Giving away 5 books through FreeBookFriday

I'm giving away 5 autographed copies of Whisper Falls!

FreeBookFriday.com, a great place to learn about new books, is featuring Whisper Falls this week. So check it out, read my author interview, and sign up for an opportunity to win a signed copy!



Wednesday, January 22, 2014

A really quiet house

The nest is empty. Both of my daughters are in college. They don't live at home any more.

It is quiet here. My husband is two floors above me, watching TV in his man-cave. I'm downstairs, ensconced in my favorite chair, revising my next book1. And the silence is pressing in on me.



Over the past few years, as I wedged tiny bits of writing between the demands of educating and parenting my girls, I longed for the days when there would be quiet in the house... when I would have complete control over what to do with my time.

I have that now, and I love it. Really.

But I miss my baby girls. I could use just a wee bit more noise.


1 I Wish will be available in November.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Whisper Falls is on sale on Amazon

 I don't know how long it will last, but Amazon has put Whisper Falls (e-book) on sale for $2.99!

It's a great deal for a great book. And the first sequel is only 11 weeks away from release date!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Learning about story telling from a film actor

In December, I watched a film that starred an actor I'd never seen before. I vaguely recognized his name but hadn't often watched the types of movies he's been in.

I know his name now! Wow. I loved his portrayal of the movie's hero.  Not just because the actor is easy to look at, but because he could put so much nuance into the movement of his eyes, the inflection in his voice, the flick of his wrist. He shaded and illuminated the hero through tiny things.

I immediately looked up Mystery Film-star's filmography and was disappointed to see that I won't be able to sit through much else of what he's done. But a few of his tamer films are queued up on Netflix. (And maybe, one day, I'll lighten up on the genres I avoid.)


My husband has also pointed me at some youtube interviews with this actor. I've learned 2 things by watching those interviews.
  1.  Most interviewers are jerks. Really, guys? Ask fresh questions. Don't lead your interviewee. And shut up. The audience wants to hear him; not you.
  2. Through his answers, that young actor helped me as a writer. (Paraphrasing him...) He talked about how deeply he prepared for each role, and while little of his research shows up on the screen, it changes how the character moves through the world of the story. He mentioned how every character takes up space in the "big picture" and that each role has to fit well into the larger impression that the film will leave. And lastly, he defended the need to give villains (however bad) many dimensions, to find their embers of humanity so that there is a purpose to what drives them forward and that the audience can be reminded of their own capacity to be flawed.

I may have reached the limits of where I'm willing to go to experience his craft, but he's still taught me a lot about story-telling. I'll be a better writer now.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Cover reveal for A Whisper In Time

Here is your first look at the cover for A Whisper In Time (the second book in the Whisper Falls trilogy.)



This cover is gorgeous; I love it.  The amazing Lisa Amowitz is the cover artist. 

Normally, I would add the jacket copy for the book, but it has a minor spoiler, folks.  If you haven't read Whisper Falls yet, you might want to wait to read the blurb for A Whisper In Time.

And don't forget the author chat tonight.  Join me and 4 other Spencer Hill authors on twitter ( #SHP2014 ) at 9PM EST on January 2 as we discuss our new books and answer your questions! We'll be giving away a few ARCs and telling you how to get a sneak peek at scenes from 2014 releases.

Here are a few last details about the book and how to learn more!

Links:

Book Information:
Paperback: 360 pages
Expected publication: April 8th 2014 by Spencer Hill Press
ISBN: 1937053814
Author Links: