by Kasia | Mar 12, 2016 | Interviews, Writing
Deputy’s Bride (3rd book in the Naked Bluff, Texas series)
Deputy’s Bride is an erotic, historical western that is a stand-alone story with a satisfying HEA. Texas Deputy Bo Kildare is looking for a special kind of lady, one that is willing to meet his special requirements. No sweet little virgin will do, he wants a woman who knows how to please a man, perhaps two.
Recently widowed, Sarah Elizabeth Foster-LaFever has lived in the public eye for the last few years and wants out. Her reputation as Micah LaFever’s wife has left her penniless and without many viable options until Bo comes calling. Now, she believes she found the perfect man until her past rears its ugly head.
Can murder and corrupt dealings keep these two lovers from making it to the alter?
Excerpt:
The man died a little over a year ago, after he suffered a head injury when thrown by his prize stallion. His wife, Sarah Elizabeth Foster had the status of…
Bo struggled to recall what chatter, he’d heard in relation to the woman. Her name was of course associated with Micah’s, but Bo couldn’t remember reading anything in reference to her. “I’d have thought by now, one of her husband’s friends would have married her.”
“She’s hoping to escape from that group of people and live a quiet life. Sarah never particularly cared for the spotlight.” Madeline paused.
The waitress set a cup and saucer in front of each of them, and poured the steaming hot coffee.
Impatient to learn more, Bo studied Madeline’s weathered face, noted the slight sagging of her cheeks that created jowls, the intense fire of her gaze, and her thin lips. Her thick gray hair lay stacked on her head like a queen wearing a crown.
A contact of his father, he’d considered her a friend for most of his life. She ran the local general store with her husband. She had connections all over the state. They were either customers, friends, or part of her large extended family. That was the reason behind him soliciting her help. She knew people, he didn’t.
After the waitress had served him and walked away, he resumed their conversation. “How do you know her?”
“Friend of a friend. First, she wanted me to tell you that if you’re looking to have children she’s not the girl for you.”
“Can’t have any?”
“Yes. Now would you like to meet her? She’s staying over at the hotel in the…” Again, she peered at the other customers in the diner and lowered her voice. “Private cabin at the back of the property.”
He lifted an eyebrow, recognizing the fact the woman was paying through the nose for the special accommodations.
“She doesn’t want anyone to know she’s in town. She’d rather avoid having to answer any unsolicited questions from the press,” Madeline added.
“And have you told her about me?” Bo debated the likelihood of her passing his requirements for a wife.
“Yes, and she’s eager to visit your spread.”
The mention of his ranch reminded Bo of another problem. What would his brother say at the possibility of Bo bringing a woman home? Chase didn’t care for people. Women, he claimed, were nothing but trouble. Instead, horses were more his specialty, and because of him, their ranch was thriving.
Shoving aside his concerns regarding his sibling, Bo left his coffee untouched and stood. He tossed a few coins on the table. “I guess then I better head that way.”
Buy It Here
http://www.amazon.com/Deputys-Bride-Naked-Bluff-Texas-ebook/dp/B00NUTJ5N6
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-deputy039sbride-1689844-357.html
About Anita Philmar
Anita Philmar likes to create stories that push the limit. A writer by day and a dreamer by night she wants her readers to see the world in a new way.
Influenced by sci-fi programs, she likes to develop places where anything can happen and where erotic moments come to life in a great read.
Naughty or Nice?
Read her books and decide.
Website: http://www.anitaphilmar.com/
Email: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com
Blog: http://www.anitaphilmar.blogspot.com/
FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar
GR: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1329767.Anita_Philmar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar
FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/anitaphilmar
Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Anita-Philmar/e/B002BMBE8C
Character Interview
1. Nickname – Sarah – no real nickname
2. Job – other than take care of my husband? No, I enjoy people but now that my husband is dead…well, things have changed.
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught – No, I learned more of what I know from watching others.
4. Currently residing in… Naked Bluff, Texas
5. Favorite type of pet – My horse is my world. He’s all I have left from my…well prior life
6. Favorite place to visit – At one time, I enjoyed the city. Now, I prefer to live a quiet life away from the gossip and mean comments regarding my past.
7. Significant other – Bo Kildare says he wants to marry me but I’m not so sure. He is handsome and appears almost to good to be true. Still, most men want more than there willing to tell you so I’m reserving judment until I get to know him better.
8. My most important goal is to have a quiet life with a man I can respect.
9. My worst fear or nightmare to have to marry a man who see me more as a servant than a wife.
10. Favorite food – steak.
11. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? I’ve been wealthy and poor, there are advantages and pains at both end of the scales.
12. Secret desire or fantasy – to have a man that loves me for who I am.
13. What would you do if you won the lottery? Don’t know there is such a thing in 1860, but I never cared much for gambling.
by Kasia | Mar 6, 2016 | Reading
My goal is to read 52 books in 2016. These are the books that I’m reading and my thoughts on them. When you read dozens of books, it becomes hard to remember what they were all about, so I’m making notes and posting monthly on what I’m reading. Do you have any books you’d like to recommend? The below contains affiliate links so if you click and purchase I may be compensated for them. I need to support my reading habit somehow!
In February, I read and enjoyed the following books:
The Angel by Mark Dawson
I was a little disappointed by this books. It ends in a massive cliffhanger. The story doesn’t seem finished. The main character doesn’t really come into play until the end of the book.
It was interesting and all but given how great Beatrix Rose Trilogy was, the first in the Isabella Rose series needed a little bit more, well, Isabella in it.
From a readers perspective I was a little annoyed. From a writers perspective I think changing the writing style is good to keep things interesting. You get authors that by the fifth book they all sound the same and that’s not good. Sure you want to be recognised but you don’t want your stories to be predictable and run the same linear fashion.
Blood & Roses By Mark Dawson
The third book in the Beatrix Rose trilogy finished well. There was a good amount of tension, action and emotion. While all the books require a suspension of disbelief, the way the story finished was sad, tragic and true to the characters.
Shut Up & Write: The No-Nonsense, No B.S. Guide To Getting Words On The Page By Mridu Khullar Relph
I’m a sucker for a good motivational book and I”m a huge fan of Ms Relph. I’ve been following her blog for about eight years now and she truly is an inspiration. A great journalist and writer that many can learn from. I’ve been looking forward to reading a book by her for a long time. While Shut Up & Write, is not what I expected, it was an enjoyable read that was motivating and offered an insight into her life and work. I definitely recommend this book for writers who are at the beginning of their journey or even those who need a refresher in order to shut up and write.
Day of the Vikings by J.F. Penn
Sign up for JF Penn’s email list and you’ll get a copy of this book free. It’s also available on Amazon if you prefer to buy it. Action, non-stop action. I was actually disappointed the book ended. It’s a novella starring Dr Morgan Sierra, a Lara Croft slash James Bond (authors words), character, fighting to protect the world from religious supernatural elements. It was an entertaining read. It’s a novella, short but definitely not lacking in substance.
Blood Moon Rising By Mark Dawson
The second book in the Beatrix Rose series. Action-packed with a tough and dying assassin set out on revenge. Kept me up at night.
Inheritance by Thomas Wymark
I love a good suspense thriller and I picked this one up because it was free on Amazon. Inheritance is a story about a woman who starts suffering from blackouts and frighteningly real dreams after having mugged and hit on the head. The story has a lot of plot twists and is long-winded and repetitive at times, it could use a bit of editing but the story is quite good. It took me about 10% of the book to really get into it but once I did I really wanted to know what happened next and couldn’t put it down.
Stoicism: Ultimate Handbook To Stoic Philosophy, Wisdom and Way of Life by Thomas Beckett
An interesting read and not what I expected. I wasn’t familiar with Stoicism and this book gave a basic rundown of the ‘religion’, although I’d call it more of a way of living. Stoicism is an interesting concept although it seemed to me to be contradictory in some ways. At one point the author is claiming that stoicism shouldn’t be pushed on others while on another page it claims you should get as many people in your group as possible. The impression I got was that when following Stoicism, you lose all sense of emotion, you control your emotion and avoid outbursts of joy and anger or disappointment. There’s definitely some ideas that would be worth implementing in life. I’m definitely interested in reading a little bit more on the subject out of my own curiosity. This book is a quick intro.
Write. Publish. Repeat by Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant with David Wright
I want to make a living from my writing. The only way to do that is to increase my output. I read about this book on The Creative Penn, and it took a couple of months before I decided to purchase it. I’m glad I did. It’s a long book but it’s filled with so much useful and motivating information. The guys really know what they are talking about and I’m looking forward to putting some of the tips in the book to practice this year!
What were your reading in February?
by Kasia | Mar 5, 2016 | Blogging, Reading, Writing
Authors, writers, or bloggers don’t have to finish a degree to earn their titles. There’s no need to study officially at a university for any number of years.
The written word is ingrained in us from a young age. You can’t get through school without writing, that’s where you learn the basics, that’s where you are likely to discover whether you have a knack for it, a desire, a talent, or you’re simply doing it to pass and get the the hell out of there.
I wish I paid more attention at school. I wish I spent more time after school expanding my knowledge. I was always an avid reader but I probably should have applied myself more.
Writing is a skill that cannot be taught but it can be learnt.
It’s a skill that only improves through practice. You need to write in order to become a better writer. Reading about it isn’t going to help you if you’re not constantly putting into practice what you have learned.
I believe anyone can learn to write well. Shit can become good. Good can become great. Great can become epic.
Here are three things that will help you become a better writer.
Write
Simple yet so misunderstood. If you want to improve as a writer you have to write. This year I’m hoping to exceed one million words. It sounds like a lot but it’s only about 2750 words per day. It’s doable. It’s going to help me become a better writer.
But it’s not enough just to write in the same fashion you’ve always written. That’s misleading your learning. If you want to learn you have to challenge yourself by writing in different styles, genres, point of views, formats. You practice by writing novels, short stories, poems, articles, and blog posts.
Your primary focus may be to become a better author, but those other formats can grow your skills and flow over to your novel writing. Just write, and keep writing. You’ll become a better and more confident writer.
When you write, you also get permission to call yourself a writer. It took me a good fifteen years to own up to the fact that I was a writer. I write. I’ve published blog posts, articles and two books. I am a writer. Own it.
Learn new words, practice description, dialogue, setting, and flashbacks.
Look at your weaknesses. That’s what you need to be working on. If you can’t make a conversation sound realistic you need to be working on that until it feels natural.
You will never become a better writer if you’re not writing. Put the words down. Even if they’re shit. Just do it. Day by day you’ll improve and then there’s no excuse.
“Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.”
– William Faulkner
Challenge 1:
Commit to 15 minutes of writing every day. Or if you prefer try for 100 words and increase it by 50 until you’re writing 1000 words per day. You can achieve so much with very little if you commit.
Read
Why do you want to be a writer? Probably because you’re a reader first and foremost. I can’t imagine being a writer and not loving to read. The two go hand in hand. Reading fuels creativity, it’s like adding wood to the fire to keep the flame burning. As a writer, ideas are your assets. If you don’t have them then there’s not much writing you can do.
So read. If you want to be a better writer you need to read a lot. Not just the stuff that you enjoy reading but also the stuff you don’t. You learn from it all.
Good writing will show you what works. Bad writing will demonstrate what doesn’t.
But how do you define good and bad?
We have different tastes, likes and dislikes. What you like your friend might hate. A story you couldn’t get into may have one a national competition. The book that’s raking in millions in sales has been helping put you to sleep each night.
Tastes vary, the definition of good and bad varies. So read everything you can get your hands on and then decide whether you thought it was good and bad.
Read non-fiction too. Learn the rules of writing. Once you have them down pat, you can learn to break them to create your own writing style.
Books are not essays meant to be handed in to a teacher for marking for perfect sentence use. They’re not academic papers to be filled with fancy words that half the population doesn’t understand. Books are meant to be readable, friendly, and most importantly entertaining.
Read them all.
I’ve set myself a goal to read at least 52 books this year. 26 fiction and 26 non-fiction in various genres. We’re at the end of February and I’m already sixteen books in. I’m also confirming what I’ve known since I was a kid – I love crime thrillers, espionage and action books. I’m picky with my sci-fi and fantasy. And I can tolerate a little bit of romance.
As a writer I’m also tempted to try writing in different genres thanks to the books I read. Could there be a erotic romance in the future? Maybe a garlic-loving vampire coming of age story? Reading fuels my mind with ideas which means tomorrow, anything is possible.
“Can I be blunt on this subject? If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” – Stephen King
Challenge 2:
Try reading outside your normal genre. Start reading the top 100 books on Amazon or the Top 100 Before You Die. Always reading fiction? Give non-fiction a try. I’ve read some great non-fiction books. I remember Confessions of An Economic Hitman read like a novel, so did The Wolf of Wall Street. Non-fiction can spice up your writing and fill up your idea pool if you’re feeling a bit dry. I’m reading Hitlers Secret Children and it’s forcing ideas into my brain. I need to create a better idea folder!
Live
Life experience can be an awesome ingredient for a writer. While you don’t have to write what you know (otherwise we might have a lot of housewife and bored office clerk based books), you do tend to draw traits and emotions from our own experiences. Sure you can pretty much research anything you want on YouTube, Wikipedia, or Google, and probably get it right. But life experience is something else, it gives the most overused story idea a unique spin because it’s told from your perspective.
As a writer, even if you’re a shy or introverted one, as many are, you need to live a little. Try new things, take chances, feel alive.
One of the things I love about being a writer is that I can try some of the things I write about. Last year, my husband and I went to the shooting range. It was fun and exciting and I’d definitely do it again. This time around I’ll be going with my notepad so that I can take notes and talk to the people in the gun club so I can use it in my writing.
This year I’m hoping to try a dozen new things that will challenge my body and mind. I might not enjoy all of them but they are sure to teach me things. And just because they’re not for me, they might just be perfect for one of my characters.
Travel is also good. Of course we’re not all capable of travel. It’d be naive of me to think otherwise. Our geography, upbringing and lifestyle will impact on how far our backyard stretches. I’m fortunate enough to be able to travel once a year and I live in a country that has a lot to offer and there’s so much I hope to experience. All this and more will add colour to my stories, my characters, and my settings.
So liven up your writing by living a little. It can be as simple as heading out to a different part of town, having coffee at a new-to-you cafe, taking a road trip, signing up for a course, learning a new language, checking out a new running group, booking a holiday of a lifetime, throwing a dinner party.
“You sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”
J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Challenge 3:
Make a list of all the things you’ve wanted to do no matter how big, small or outrageous they sound. Keep going till you have a hundred of them. Do it now.
Awesome. Got it.
Now split the list to things that are free, cost under a $100 and those over a $100.
Great.
Which one of those things can you do this week? This year?
Get started. Don’t look back.
As a writer it’s your job to constantly work on improving your craft. You want each article, book, blog post to be better than the one that came before it. With each piece, long or short, you’ll be able to convey your message, story, tip in a more entertaining and effective manner.
With each word you write, every book you read, and the new experiences you encounter, your writing will flourish.
What are you doing every day to improve as a writer?
by Kasia | Mar 4, 2016 | Writing
About Diana
My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my books, and short stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. My urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. I live on Cape Cod with my husband Chris. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano and devour books of any genre.
About STILL CRAZY…
Can an obsession continue from beyond the grave?
Clay Lynch is obsessed with his ex-girlfriend Alyssa Tyler. Convinced they’re destined for each other, he stalks, pesters and torments her…he creeps up to her bedroom window, he follows her onto planes, he wrecks her wedding by abducting her. His arrest and prison sentence assure her he’s finally out of her life… until his remains are found in the Arizona desert. On the anniversary of the day they met, she receives a haunting text message. Is he now stalking her from beyond the grave?
Where did STILL CRAZY come from?
It went through many incarnations over the last 26 years! In 1989, I took a detour from my romance genre and wrote a thriller about a stalking ex. It was set in the present, then, but I updated and revised it many times. Back then there were no cell phones, no internet, no GPS’s, and none of those songs or bands existed!
An excerpt from STILL CRAZY:
She brought her car in for servicing the next morning, parking in his lot next to a red and white taxi. Her mechanic called her a little after two. “Your car is ready, Alyssa. Hey, do you know you have a GPS tracking device attached underneath it?”
“What?” She shook her head, baffled. “I have a GPS in the dashboard, but not under the car.”
“Oh, yeah, you do. This is a tracking device. Somebody has a GPS and a dot will flash on the screen to show your exact location, as long as you’re within range. You want me to take it out?”
She instantly knew who this ‘somebody’ was. She felt as if a ton of bricks clobbered her square in the face.
Purchase STILL CRAZY:
Amazon Paperback
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Solstice Publishing
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by Kasia | Mar 4, 2016 | Blogging, Business, Writing
I’ve learnt a couple of things in February. Ok I’ve known them all along but never made the decision to acknowledge them fully, until now.
I’m a control freak.
I’m an overachiever (not always successful!)
I have way high expectations for myself.
I am my own worst self-critic.
None of these things help in becoming successful. There needs to be a balance. I noticed something at work that made me realise some of these things. No one expects me to know everything from day one or even day 365.
Life is a journey, we get to learn every day. I need to realise that aiming for perfect will mean achieving nothing. Perfect doesn’t exist. We live in an imperfect world, so why should I expect anything different. Does that make sense? It does to me. I realise though that I have a long way to go before I feel comfortable in my own skin. But as long as I make progress every day, even if it’s tiny, then I’m on the right track.
So peeps, where in the hell did February go?
It feels like it wasn’t even here at all.
Goals wise, the month was shit. There was so much going on that I am utterly exhausted and disappointed in myself. I’m finding it difficult to stick to any sort of schedule.
My new role at work is draining lots of mental energy from me – it’s completely new and there’s so much to learn! But I am enjoying it.
My toddler is going through a phase – I swear he’s started the terrible two’s at eighteen months and is driving me insane. I admire women who can be stay at home mum’s. Me, um, yeah, not going to happen. I love my son but it’s healthier for the entire family that I’m a working mama.
My February goals were completely forgotten. I didn’t sell a hundred copies of my books, nor did I publish book 3, Lethal Aftershock. I didn’t set up a mailing list or run a Facebook promotion, nor did I send out any pitches or make $200 from my writing. They seemed like such modest goals and yet, I couldn’t get it done in 29 days.
February is just going to get filed away as one of those months. Lots of lessons learnt but nothing really achieved.
I did however, finishing rewriting Lethal Aftershock. As I’m sticking to a budget, editing and cover design will need to wait a couple of weeks. That’s ok. This gives me time to spruce up the copy before I send it off to my proofreader and hire my cover designer.
Queries sent: 2
Responses: 0
Accepted: 0
Follow ups: 0
Income: $0
Books sold: 11 (AUS, UK, USA)
Free Books: 739
Income: $5.97
Total writing income: AUD$5.97
Not quite what I had in mind but shit happens. March is going to be much better.
Here’s what I’m aiming for in March:
A) Publish Lethal Instincts & Lethal Disposal on Kobo, Smashwords, IBooks
B) Publish Lethal Aftershock on Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords, IBooks
C) Make Lethal Instincts permanently free on all platforms
D) Send out as many pitches as possible in March (joining a challenge!)
E) Make some money from my writing this month (aiming for $200 again!)
F) Clean up one of my blogs and figure out how to monetise it
