Author Spotlight - Nancy Kay talks about the importance of "settings" in her novel

Previously, I touched on the characters in Deadly Reflection. Today I'm going to explore the setting. Writers in general tend to fall in love with describing scenes within their stories. The trick is to interweave these descriptions so the reader is plopped right down into the setting and doesn't know how they got there.

Where I live, a trip to the store can be a journey through picturesque vineyards or cresting a ridge to find unbelievable sunsets bouncing off an expanse of lake that stretches as far as the eye can see. We're told to write what we know. The same holds true for writing what you see.

In my mind, true romance is all about the setting, the ambiance. I want readers to mentally sample the earthy taste of a great red wine combined with melt in your mouth chocolate. Because the high derived when a handsome man and a gorgeous woman experience their first intimate encounter before a blazing fire, all while partaking of that wine and chocolate, is a setting guaranteed to make a reader feel the burn. And I don't mean from the crackling fire!

Coming in from a frosty day and encountering the mouth-watering scent of goodies baking says something about the character that made those to die for cookies. It sets the stage, tells a tale, and often triggers long-forgotten memories pertinent to the story. I think we call this introducing back-story, but in such a way the emotion is not a written description. The emotions, the pieces that make up the current story are experienced.

Set the stage within your minds eye, and then skillfully expose the beauty to your readers. The old adage 'show don't tell' at its finest!

Author Spotlight - Why I write with a 'hearth and home' slant

By Author Nancy Kay



Sometimes bad things happen in small towns. I use this catchy line to stress circumstance rather than lifestyle in Deadly Reflection. The characters are interwoven like a tapestry. Strong men, strong women and a few quirky extras react when an outside evil force creeps into the close knit community, bringing danger and suspense to a usually safe, laid back town.

In my story, evil isn't found within the citizens of Pine Bluffs, Pennsylvania, but it does impact the lifestyle to which they are accustomed. The main characters are basically happy and well-adjusted. Yet when the unexpected happens, they each face a personal crisis on some level.

Their strength overcomes a barrage of roadblocks as they deal with tragedy. I strive for smart, resilient, resourceful characters. Even though they do butt heads with one another on occasion, their love and respect for one another remains.

Conflict within my story is more from happiness being threatened and life altering changes as the story weaves its way to a happy ending.

Having lived in small towns all my life, I recognize a core citizenry and family ties which remain prominent even in today's every changing lifestyles. Most embrace changes and view them as challenges. Cell phones are tucked into pockets and purses. Many homes boast a personal computer, or even a laptop.

So, I try to highlight small town life without boring the reader with the mundane which, regardless of what may encroach upon time tested traditions, is rock solid and helps time-worn traditions prevail. The setting unfolds and just when it seems life is just a bowl of cherries....

Sometimes bad things happen in small towns.

Author Spotlight -Nancy Kay talks about her passion for romantic suspense

On a recent blog I discovered how to narrow down exactly what type of 'Romantic Suspense' I write, something I've been searching for since completing my first manuscript. One of the first things a new writer must do is to identify their target audience.

Hmmm...target audience. Mulling over this rather misleading term brought several scenarios to mind. Ingredients for Romantic Suspense include creating a strong hero, introducing an intelligent heroine, and then adding a situation and some nefarious character destined to interject roadblocks which make their road to true romance fraught with danger.

Each time I sought to describe my particular recipe for romantic suspense, I stumbled. Because, much as I like reading cutting edge suspense, my stories didn't quite fit the gritty, edgy mold. A friend and fellow author, C J Lyons, suggested my work may fit more in the 'hearth and home' sub-genre of romantic suspense. Her idea made sense, and shortly thereafter I read a blog by Stephanie Giancola at National Romance Novel Examiner entitled "Hearth and Home vs Dark and Scary". CJ's suggestion was right on 'Target'.

The 'hearth and home' aspect fit well with my small town settings and traditional family ties. While at the same time, my theory 'sometimes bad things happen in small towns' depicted within my stories, add the suspense and mystery.

I write romantic suspense because I love romance, I love a good mystery fraught with suspense, and I'm fortunate to have a built in consultant and sounding board with my husband - a 28 year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police.

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Nancy's latest release is: Deadly Reflection, a contemporary romantic suspense.

BLURB: When detective Nick McGraw encounters Cassi Burke, his ingrained sense of duty collides with unstoppable desire, because the stunning Miss Burke is gripping a bloody knife and standing over a dead body.

BUY LINK:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-180/Nancy-Kay-Deadly-Reflections/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight -Q&A with Author Nancy Kay

STEPH: I don't know much about 'Deadly Reflection'. Can you tell me a little more about it?

NANCY: In 'Deadly Reflection' Nick McGraw, a detective in Philadelphia, Pa., takes a much needed vacation and returns to Pine Bluffs, his hometown in Western Pennsylvania. Nick should be happy and satisfied, but for a variety of reasons, the successful detective's life lacks.....something. Pine Bluffs holds nothing but good memories so, Nick concludes, why not go back and try to recapture some of that happiness?

Cassi Burke is grasping at straws, struggling to deal with the tragic death of her adoptive parents when she travels to Pine Bluffs to meet a woman claiming to be a living blood relative from Cassi's past. Pine Bluffs is a small community, thus Cassi and Nick are certain to meet. Unfortunately, when that meeting takes place Cassi is clutching a knife and kneeling over a dead man. Bizarre circumstances involving her over exuberant, overgrown, pup, Rufus, landed her in this incriminating position and much to Nick's dismay; the first woman he's really attracted to in a very long time could be a murder suspect. To complicate matters further, Cassi's brush with the law alerts someone else on the unknown family tree, and this individual is no loving aunt.

STEPH: How long did it take to write?

NANCY: Initially, about a year and a half. There were several rounds of rewrite, rearrange, and revise.

STEPH: Did you do a lot of research for the novel?

NANCY: I wouldn't say I researched as much as I gathered and inserted information into the story. An example would be the fictional town of Pine Bluffs is next door to a bog. I used the location after reading an article on how glaciers formed a bog in western Pennsylvania not far from Erie. The location fit in with my Great Lakes story theme. Newspaper articles about escalating crime in Philadelphia were thrown into the mix, and, of course, my husband and built in advisor is a veteran of the Marine Corps and twenty-eight years on the Pennsylvania State Police.


STEPH: Where did the inspiration for the story come from?

NANCY: The location, the sometimes tough life of a police officer, and personal knowledge of a business where my heroine excelled, all played a part in putting the story together.

STEPH: If your story was going to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?

NANCY: That's a tough question. Most of the actors and actresses I admire are probably to mature to play the leading roles.

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

NANCY: The strength, influence, and importance of family.

STEPH: What do you want readers to take away from the novel when they finish it?

NANCY: I want my readers satisfied with the outcome. Every time I read my last chapter I just plain feel good. You know, kind of like when after all the drama and strife Cinderella's Prince came for her.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader?
Yes. If so, which one?

NANCY: I have a Kindle.

STEPH: How important is setting to the story?

NANCY: The setting is the heart of the story. I live where my story took place, so I feel every scene.

STEPH: What's your writing space like?

NANCY: My office used to be my daughter's bedroom. Now it holds two desks, my computer and a large work table meant for laying out paperwork and organizing. Most of the time it's not so organized! But I have a very large window overlooking our back yard. I can take breaks and watch my cats play or, in winter, watch the snow blanket everything.

Author Spotlight -Excerpt from Mistaken Identity

Moderator's Note: Enjoy this excerpt from Mistaken Identity. Leave a comment today and over the weekend and I'll pick one person to win a GC donated by K Dawn Byrd.

Smiles
Steph

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After dinner, Mom suggested that we go swimming while the adults had coffee. Channing hurried home to change into swimming trunks and, when he returned, I was waiting in the pool. Still a little self-conscious about the few extra pounds I carried, I'd rushed at breakneck speed to get in before he came back. Not to mention that I was embarrassed at the old-fashioned one-piece I wore.

"Want to play some water volleyball?" I called as he sauntered across the patio.

"Sounds like fun."

Channing climbed down the stairs into the pool. His chest was broad and tanned, his body pure muscle. He belonged on a magazine cover.

The breeze was warm, carrying the delicious smell of lilac from the bushes between our houses. I breathed in the scent as Channing swam under the water toward the deep end, his body just a shadow under the surface. Dusk had fallen, and the pool lights were on.

He surfaced, and I hit the ball. Channing sent a quick return, which I missed by inches. "Hey!" I yelled. "That's not fair. I didn't see it coming."

Channing laughed. "Maybe you should keep your eye on the ball." There was a teasing tone in his voice.

Stephie would have been right out there in the middle of it if she hadn't gone to bed with a headache. I should go check on her soon. She was prone to the ones Mom called migraines, and sometimes they made her throw up.

We played until I was tired, and then we swam a while. I did some laps, glad that I'd lost at least some of the weight I'd put on during the winter. I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't realized I'd swam too close to Channing until I surfaced and found myself almost in his arms. He reached out to steady me, and I stepped forward, attempting to regain my balance.

A shiver tripped over my skin even though the night was warm. My eyes locked with his, and I found myself lost in the mossy depths. He hadn't released me, and his hands were warm on my arms.

We stood there, speechless, drinking in each other in with an odd kind of understanding, an odd feeling that all was well in the world and we were meant to be together. His touch and his gaze were so mesmerizing that I couldn't have looked away if my life depended on it.

"Channing, you ready to go?" called his mother from somewhere across the patio.

The spell was broken. I backed away, hoping our parents hadn't seen the magic that had passed between us. I wasn't sure what my parents would think about my dating a senior if Channing asked me out.

"Good night," I said, turning and diving under the water, my heart beating wildly as what passed between us seemed like a dream, a beautiful, surreal dream.

I surfaced on the other end and watched Channing retreat from the pool. He turned and waved and, just like that, the guy of my dreams, walked right out of my life.

Author Spotlight - Character Interview with Eden from Mistaken Identify

My name is Eden Morgan and I'm a sophomore. I started the summer with six goals to have the best summer ever. Toward the top of the list was landing the guy of my dreams. How am I doing, you ask? Well, the cutest boy just moved in next door. His name is Channing Johnson and sometimes I get the urge to go next door and borrow a cup of sugar, or flour, or milk. Whatever, anything to get to see him again.

Channing is really sweet and I think he might like me, at least I hope so. The only problem is that I have to keep him away from my best friend, Lexi. She has the model perfect body and is drop dead gorgeous. One look at Lexi and I can kiss Channing goodbye forever. There's another problem too...I'm not sure what my parents will think about our age difference. I've not had boyfriend since elementary school, so I don't know how they'd feel about me dating an older guy.

I have a hard enough time trying to get myself straight and my friends are driving me crazy. Some of them drink and car surf and I'm afraid someone's going to get hurt. In addition to worrying about that I'm having trouble with some of cheerleaders making fun of me because I'm a Christian and trying to live for God and obey my parents. My sophomore year just isn't going like I'd planned!

BUY LINK: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-178/K-Dawn-Byrd-Mistaken/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Character Interview with Channing from Mistaken Identify

My name is Channing Johnson. I'm a senior and I'm new in town. My mom moved us here after my dad was killed in Iraq. I'm a high school senior and I'm pretty good at restoring old cars and playing football. Math is another story. Sometimes, I just don't get it.

My mom really knows how to pick a neighborhood! We just moved in beside the cutest girl. Her name is Eden and I get the impression that she's a "good" girl, you know, the kind they say you can take home to your mother. Anyway, I like her. A lot. There's just one problem. She has a really hot best friend named Lexi and Lexi likes me.

Things were going good between me and Eden (at least that's what I thought) as I took my time in getting to know her. Then, Lexi entered the picture. She's caused a lot of trouble trying to keep us apart and has been pretty good at it because Eden thinks I'm in love with Lexi. I have to admit, she has turned my head. After all, I am a guy, but she's not the kind of girl I'd take home to my mom.

I'm not sure just how to get Eden to trust me again. She can be pretty stubborn when someone hurts her. Maybe I should talk to her mom. She's a counselor. Maybe she can give me some tips. I sure hope she gets over what's bugging her soon.

BUY LINK: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-178/K-Dawn-Byrd-Mistaken/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - K Dawn Byrd talks about her passion for Young Adult Writing

You ask why I like to write young adult? Because it's so much fun! I started out a few years ago writing adult romantic suspense, which is what I love reading. I'd heard people say you should write what you love. Then, I started reading some young adult romance and really enjoyed it. Soon, I had the idea for Mistaken Identity. Once I started writing young adult, I couldn't stop. It's much more carefree and light than what I usually write and I love writing innocent romance.

Adult characters tend to be more complex with more baggage because of life experience, be it good or bad. Young adult characters come with a whole different category of challenges and I enjoy writing about situations that teens may face today.

I enjoyed writing young adult so much that I've signed a contract for a young adult mystery/romance series. The first book in the Zoe Mack mystery series will debut in January with another to follow in June and then one in December. Zoe is a lot like Nancy Drew, but she'll be more modern and there will be more romance in her stories.

LINK:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-178/K-Dawn-Byrd-Mistaken/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Q&A with K. Dawn Byrd

STEPH: I don't know much about Mistaken Identity. Can you tell me a little more about it?

K DAWN: It's a Christian fiction young adult romance about two best friends who both fall in love with the same guy, only they don't know it. Lexi knows him as C.J. and Eden knows him as Channing, which is what his mother calls him. Lexi is drop dead gorgeous, a little wild, and not a Christian. Eden is not as pretty and a Christian who the girls like to make fun of because of her faith and "goody-goody-two-shoes" ways. So, who will get the guy? The girl who's up for anything or the girl who's out to do the right thing?

STEPH: How long did it take to write?

K DAWN: After I conquered NaNoWriMo, I have my own personal NaNo several times a year where I write books in 30 day spurts. I'll write it in 30 days, put it away, and then go back and edit later. For me, it's the only way to write and it keeps the plot and characters fresh in my mind.

STEPH: Did you do a lot of research for the novel?

K DAWN: Not really. I did ask my step-daughter some questions about high school, but that was about it other than some research on car surfing.

STEPH: Where did the inspiration for the story come from?

K DAWN: Strange ideas pop in my head sometimes. I just wondered what would happen if a gorgeous non-Christian and a not as pretty Christian fell in love with the same guy. Would he choose the wild party girl who would do whatever he wanted or the Christian who had good morals and values?

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

K DAWN: The theme is that even though you may be ridiculed for your beliefs, it's worth it to do the right thing.

STEPH: What do you want readers to take away from the novel when they finish it?

K DAWN: I hope Christian teens will be encouraged in their walk with the Lord.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

K DAWN: I don't have a ebook reader, but I have the Kindle app on several devices. I have it on an Eken (it's like an ipad, but a different brand) , my netbook, my laptop, and my personal favorite, my BlackBerry.

STEPH: How important is setting to the story?

K DAWN: Setting is important, but I don't like reading books where authors are too in depth on setting. It draws me out of the story. Too much description bores me.

STEPH: What's your writing space like?

K DAWN: We live in a 1920s Cape Cod with the sloping roofs upstairs. My husband totally remodeled the upstairs a few years ago and placed bookcases around all walls to make a library for me. Unfortunately for him, I don't use it much for its intended use as a place to write. Instead, I carry my netbook all over the house and write wherever I want, most often on the couch in the den.

BUY LINK @ PUBLISHER'S SITE:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-178/K-Dawn-Byrd-Mistaken/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from Duty and Devotion

Enjoy this excerpt from Duty and Devotion:


The transport ship was packed. Nettie felt like she was going to suffocate, or go crazy from all the noise, sweat, and bodies. The bunkhouse on Callisto had been noisy, but she could always escape from it. Here, she was stuck. She shoved her way through to the restroom and cursed when she spotted the line.

"Your mom knows you talk like that, Ice Princess?" James asked in humor from behind her.

"Who do you think taught me?" she replied, but felt the guilt of the lie. "Oh, shut up, Northman."

He punched her arm and then leaned in. "You're extra grouchy. You wanted on this trip, remember?"

Nettie shrugged. "Yeah, I just forgot how packed these rides could be. I can't wait for our turn at patrol."

He laughed, a full rich sound that warmed her body. Taking her upper arm, he guided her through the paddock and up a flight of stairs. After a few turns they entered a small, empty conference room. In the corner was a private restroom.

"You're a saint, Northman. Just a saint." She rushed into it.

Afterwards, she headed to the door. He stood in her way.

"Come on, Northman." She gently nudged him, finding his body taut. Peering keenly into his bright green eyes, she felt a stirring. "What are you about now?"

He brushed his hand along her cheek, leaving a tingling trail along her skin. Her body spiked with need. Her vision blurred, her heart raced, and her legs weakened.

"What do you want me to be about?"

I can't do this. Nettie panicked as the attraction piled on with all her other tumultuous emotions. "Hey, Northman. I'm a mess right now. It's not a good idea." She ended on a whisper.

He nodded and grasped her shoulder. "You've had it a little rough."

James pulled her toward him and when she thought he'd kiss, he hugged instead. This, she sighed and leaned into him. He rubbed her back with one hand and held onto her with the other. After a moment, she pushed away and smiled shyly. "You're full of surprises, Saint Northman." When he smiled, she slipped by and they headed towards the main room again.

"I won't always be a saint, Ice Princess. There will be a time, soon, when a hug won't be enough... for either of us."




If you want to learn more about me, stop by my blog: Adventures of a Sci-Fi Writer

Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo, Desert Breeze Website, All Romance Books

Book Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ5T_uDQru8