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#AuthorSpotlightInterview with S. J. Reisner

2/26/2016

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PictureAuthor S. J. Reisner
S. J. Reisner began writing at the age of ten and never stopped. Because she loves to read everything, picking a genre didn’t come easy. This is why she has four different pen names and writes everything from non-fiction to horror to contemporary romance. Her non-fiction and erotic romances have been bestsellers on Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Under S. J. Reisner she writes general fiction, contemporary romances, adventure fantasy, and YA paranormal stories. When she’s not writing you can find her herding cats, wrangling vegetables in the garden, or engaging in one of her many hobbies. She lives along the front range of the Rocky Mountains with her husband and two rescue cats.​


​What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
 Being able to do what I love for a living.
 
What genre(s) do you write?  Because I love to read everything, I’ve had a hard time sticking to just one genre. I tend to write all over the place. I’ve written erotic romances, paranormal romance, a tame contemporary romance, a fantasy series, a cozy mystery series, short sci-fi, and I’m working on a horror/thriller series. I even have a Paranormal YA in the works.
 
What was the hardest part of writing your book?  Saving Sarah May was the most difficult book I’ve written because I didn’t’ expect how emotionally draining the writing would be. These three women have such turbulent lives and they’re battling their own inner demons. When you’re writing characters and they’re real to you, you feel their pain, anger, and joy acutely. I’ve written over 15 novels, 10 novellas, and 30+ short stories, and I cried more writing this book than any of the rest.
 
Are you a plotter or a pantser? A little of both and sometimes it depends on the book. Some books I’ve outlined completely and I know exactly what happens in every chapter. But for the majority of them I generally start with an interesting opening, a climax, and where the story ends up. I also tend to outline pivotal moments in the stories, but how the characters get from A to Z is often up to them. They surprise me all the time, and yes – sometimes they even throw a curve ball into my carefully planned plots. I just go with the flow and adjust the outline as I go.
 
Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?  This really depends on the book.  I don’t think readers should have to choose. I think my work should be an addition to an already long list of authors a reader enjoys. However, I have been told my books are entertaining. So if you’re looking for something highly literary and incredibly long, my books probably aren’t what you’re looking for. But if you are looking for something entertaining that you can read over a long weekend, then my books are it.
 
How long have you been a writer?  Since I was at least eight or nine. Ten when I started to pen my first novel. So, a very long time. Over thirty years.
 
How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published? My first published novel was Left Horse Black, a sword and sorcery fantasy novel. It took fourteen years before I finally finished it. This is because I wrote five incarnations of that first published novel before it was published.
 
What other careers have you had? I’ve done office work and accounting my entire adult life. I know – it sounds boring. But I work in an industry where we’ve had Russian mafia plant car bombs in our yard, and the FBI took over our building once to catch someone on their most wanted list. I have also crossed paths with television and sports celebrities at the day job. I still keep a part-time day job for two reasons. One – to get me out of the house a few times a week, and Two – because health insurance is wicked expensive and I like having health insurance. 
 
Do you write under more than one name? Why?  Yes. Because I write in numerous genres. So one pen name for the PG stuff. One pen name for the R-Rated stuff. And one pen name for the Adult Only stuff. Plus, I keep a separate pen name for non-fiction. This helps my readers find exactly what they want. If I only had one pen name – readers would have no clue what they’re getting and a lot of readers tend toward one or two genres – not all of them.
 
Are any of your characters based on real people or events? Reality always creeps into my writing. But I’ll never tell what’s what.
 
How would you describe yourself if you were “speed dating” your readers?  Thrilling fiction, some of it with a paranormal twist.
 
What’s something fans would find fascinating about you? I collect swords and knives and actually have been trained in Fencing and Kendo. I have over 25 swords displayed in my home and everyone always thinks they’re my husband’s.
 
How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general? I was a closet writer for a lot of years. Those closest to me knew, and knew it was inevitable that I’d eventually be a published author. Those who didn’t know me that well had no clue until I was published. Then I got a lot of, “I never knew you wrote. When did that happen?” It was always happening, I just chose not to share that part of my life with anyone outside my small circle of family and friends.
 
Where are you from? Denver born and raised! But I am widely traveled. I have been all over the US, to the Bahamas, and to the UK and Ireland. After all these years Colorado is exactly where I want to be! If I had to move, it would be somewhere up in New England. Massachusetts or Vermont.
 
How do you come up with the titles? I’m one of those people for whom titles usually come to me during the initial planning stage of a book.  There have been a few that stumped me. Saving Sarah May’s initial title was Tribes of Tara. But when I was about 2/3 through the book I changed it.
 
Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer?  I don’t work in an office as much as I used to, and I actually have more time off to spend with my husband and family now.
 
Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task? While I always have a wide array of projects in various stages completion, I try not to focus on more than 2 projects at a time. Otherwise I spread myself too thin and progress moves too slow.
 
When not writing, how do you relax? Reading, binge watching television shows on Netflix, hiking, walking, and spending time with my husband.
 
What kind of kid were you in school? Which social path did you take?  I was social pariah in school. I was such a quiet wallflower that I have no doubt few of my classmates actually remember me.  I hung out with the nerds and other loners.
 
Do you have any pets? Two cats!
 
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you travel?  Admittedly I’ve always wanted to see the Sphinx and the pyramids, but I would never travel to a middle Eastern country these days. I’d also like to do a tour of Western Europe. Canada, Alaska, and Hawaii are on my list, too.
 
Do you have siblings? What was it like growing up with them? I was the middle child. Need I say more?
 
Do you have a favorite beverage that you drink when you write? I am a coffee girl. And when I’m not filling up on java, I like tea – hot or iced.
 
What genre of books do you enjoy reading? Do you have a favorite author?  I read in every genre, and I have several favorite authors. Joe Hill is currently a favorite, but in the past I’ve been in love with David Eddings and Dana Reed.  I have so many favorites I can’t pick just one. I’d feel like a traitor if I did. So many books – so little time!
 
Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.
  1. My hair is so fine it won’t hold a curl and has two styles. Flat or pony tail.
  2. I dress for comfort rather than style.
  3. I like dill pickles and strawberries – together.
  4. I am not domestically inclined at all. At. All.
  5. I hate reality shows.
 
Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases. My two most recent/upcoming releases are Ascending Darkness (as Audrey Brice), the fourth in my paranormal cozy-mystery series, and Saving Sarah May (as S. J. Reisner), a contemporary romance set in Ireland.  My next novel, Taming Trish, is the fourth in an erotic romance series I write as Anne O’Connell.
 
Where can readers find you?
 www.sjreisner.com

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​Enjoy a small sample of Saving Sarah May, releasing from 5 Prince Publishing March 3rd, 2016.
​

SAVING SARAH MAY After Sarah's fiancé is killed in Iraq, her life spirals into darkness. In attempt to pull her out of her grief, her friends plan a trip to Ireland to help Sarah heal. But her friends aren't without their own problems. Emily, recently divorced from an abusive ex, is adjusting to her new life as a single parent, and Kate is nursing fresh wounds after her boyfriend dumped her for her sister. For three friends, a trip to Ireland seemed like the idyllic, carefree break from their troubled lives. Instead, the Emerald Isle forces each of them to face her demons head on, to discover herself, find healing, and possibly new love.
 
 




​SAVING SARAH MAY EXCERPT

 
Emily waved to Lucy one last time as the cab pulled away from the curb and started down the street.
“So Josh dumped me.” Kate’s voice sounded dejected.
It was the same song and dance all over again. Emily had heard this story at least five times now, maybe six. “Who did you catch this one screwing?”
She let out a heavy sigh, disappointed that she was so transparent. “My sister.”
“Again?” Emily groaned. “You keep going out with the wrong kind of guy. Of course I’m one to talk.”
“Is it just that all men are jerks?” Kate frowned. When she did, she looked much older than her thirty-one years. The frown made her cheeks fall, and her eyes looked tired.
Of course the tired eyes could have also been the result of too much partying, Emily mused.
With a shrug, Emily said, “I think I married an ass, and I think you date jerks. But I still have faith there are good men out there. Just not for me.”
“Ooh!” started Kate with a huge grin. “Maybe we’ll meet some nice Irish men.”
Laughter tumbled from Emily’s throat. “And she’s back on the horse, ladies and gentlemen!”
“I didn’t call Sarah this morning. You don’t think maybe she forgot do you?” Kate seemed suddenly worried.
Running a hand through her long brown hair, Emily shook her head. “She did not forget.”
Sarah had been through so much more than both of them. If Emily could have, she would have given Sam’s life for Eric’s. The gruesome thought made her laugh, but then she remembered that Sam was still Lucy’s dad, and despite all his faults, Lucy loved him. She let out a heavy sigh. “Just remember, no talking about Eric. It’s not that we want her to forget him, but we don’t want her to dwell on him either.”
Kate nodded absently as the cab pulled up to Sarah’s driveway. The For Sale sign in the yard said it was a must see. From the outside, it looked like a tomb. Of course that could have been the gray day, but there from the curb, it didn’t even feel like anyone was home.
Opening the cab door, Kate jumped out. “I’ll go get her.”
Before she reached the steps leading to the porch, the door opened and out came Sarah with her travel bag and one suitcase. That was Sarah, always practical and packing light.
“Do you need help?” Emily called from the car.
“I’ve got it,” she called back with a forced smile. Her dark brown eyes told a different story. They looked haunted. 

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Author Spotlight Interview with B.L. Marsh

10/5/2015

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Picture
PictureB.L. Marsh

B. L. Marsh has been writing and telling stories her entire life. She is a music teacher, guest lecturer and runs music Master Classes. In her reading of the Bible and other extra-biblical texts however, she began to daydream about the characters, about how life was back then, and how cool it would have been to walk in the Garden with God. Her stories weave a new mythology revolving around Genesis and the history of our world.
 
When she is not writing or teaching, she spends her days hanging out with five of the coolest boys on the planet and at night can be found doing completely ridiculous things like reading Joseph Campbell and Jane Austen and watching the same 3 movies on TV.

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
I love to delve into an imaginary world and really become a bystander as I watch the story unfold.
 
What genre(s) do you write?
YA Fantasy and Urban Fantasy
 
What genres and authors would we find you?  
YA Fantasy and General Fantasy. With C.S. Lewis, George R.R. Martin, J.K. Rowling, Christina Benjamin
 
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Expanding into a series instead of a single novel.
 
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I am a plotter, through and through
 
Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?
I don’t think they should. There is plenty of time to read them all.
 
What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?
To always ask questions. Never stop learning.
 
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
That we are not alone.
 
How long have you been a writer? 
3 years
 
How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published?
18 months
 
What other careers have you had?
I am also a private clarinet teacher, and musicologist.
 
Do you write under more than one name? Why?
​
Yes. Because I don’t want children to find my other books in a search under my name. They aren’t ready to read those things, quite yet.
 
Are any of your characters based on real people or events?
Some are.
 
How would you describe yourself if you were “speed dating” your readers?
  I’m a little shy and nervous around large groups of people. I love reading and taking walks in nature. I love trees and Christmas time. I love to cook and create meals that are an experience to eat.
 
What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?
  Usually when I tell people I have 5 boys, they ask a lot of questions about what our life is like. I usually just tell them that it is never boring.
 
What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?
 I suppose it would be that my story, or more correctly Lilith’s story, should not take away from your own faith, it should draw you closer to your creator.
 
What books or authors have most influenced your life?
The single most influential books in my life are the Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
 
How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?
My friends think it’s pretty cool. My kids think I make a million dollars a year, because of course all authors make that amount.
 
Where are you from?
I am from a small town in Texas, called Orange.
 
How do you come up with the titles?  The titles in the series is all based upon various mediums that the history in the books are stored and recorded.
 
Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer?
Yes. It has been amazing journey.
 
Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?
Just one. I can’t do more than that. Too many things to keep track of. Perhaps when I’ve done this longer. But one is enough for me now.
 
When not writing, how do you relax?
With 5 boys, there is not a lot of relaxing. But when I do get a spare moment, I actually read.
 
Here are some questions just for fun. 
 
What is your favorite vacation spot?
Disney World.
 
What kind of kid were you in school? Which social path did you take?
I was a nerdy kid. I hung out with the same kids all the time. Later on, I joined the band and those were my friends.
 
Which food could you not live without?
Can I have 2?   I’m not sure I could live without Dr. Pepper and French fries.
 
Do you have any pets?
We have 3 rabbits. Isabel, Lilith, and Chelsea
 
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you travel?
Edinburgh
 
Do you have a favorite beverage that you drink when you write?
Dr. Pepper
 
Have you ever felt as though you were born in the wrong era? If so what era did you belong in?
Yes!!!! A thousand times yes!!! I should have been born in Victoria England.
 
What genre of books do you enjoy reading? Do you have a favorite author?
 I love reading anything really. My favorite author is C. S. Lewis.
 
Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.
  1. My hair turned grey when I was 21. I’ve colored it ever since.
  2. I don’t like to leave my house.
  3. I am a Scoutmaster
  4. I am part of a prayer order.
  5. I only use pencil to write with
 
Where can readers find you and your books?
 
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1V5LmX1
 
Amazon eBook: http://amzn.to/1V5LA0m
 
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/526193
 
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-lilith-scroll/id978197417?mt=11
 
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lilith-scroll-blmarsh/1120121956
 
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-lilith-scroll-1


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Excerpt:
 
Darkness surrounded Daniel as he entered the dreamscape. He sat down on the vaporous floor and concentrated on finding Lilith. It was always easier to be brought into a dream rather than enter one unannounced. Patiently, he waited for her mind to open. Something glistening to the right caught his attention. The doorway into her thoughts looked like a fairy door from nineteenth-century fiction. It was small and brown, fashioned of weathered wood. Someone had carved an intricate pattern into the surface and edged the carvings with some kind of metal, but that alone was not the most interesting feature. No, it was the tribal sign on the door—the emblem for the Tribe of Adonai, the Royal Seal. The hinges were old and rusty and the door looked as if it had seen many battles for entry.
To the right of the door, a key hung in midair. There was nothing remarkable about the rusty skeleton key other than the triquetra on the top and carvings down the shaft. Along the outside edge, were tiny infinity symbols, thirteen in total.
Daniel reached for the key slowly. He was hesitant to grab it, feeling the invisible force protecting it while holding it place. Closing his eyes, he spoke the spell signaling his allegiance to the Tribe of Adonai and the key released. Taking it in his hand, Daniel then placed it in the keyhole. The key turned effortlessly in the lock, and the door opened to reveal a beautiful garden with a huge tree in the middle and a waterfall behind it. Daniel walked through the door and was shocked. He heard the door creak close behind him and disappear. He was in her dream. Where was she?
There. What is she doing in Eden?
He walked over to the scene unfolding in front of him. A little girl around twelve—she was before her Age of Decision Ceremony as she bore no markings—stood next to a large tree. There was also a boy about the same age. Daniel couldn't make out what they were saying, but the children were laughing.
Suddenly, a darkness overcame the scene, and Lilith started screaming. She shoved the boy behind her.
"Please, don't take him! You must not harm him. I will die without him! Take me instead," the little girl pleaded with the darkness.
The boy struggled to cast a spell to save her, with no regard for his own safety.
They joined hands and faced the darkness. "From nothing comes everything, from nothing comes everything, from nothing comes everything," the children chanted, over and over. The dark magic surrounded Lilith. Its attempts to enter her heart were thwarted by an invisible shield extending from her and wrapping around both of them. In the end, their magic was not strong enough, and the darkness took her away.
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#AuthorSpotlight Interview with Lorelei Buckley

9/17/2015

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Picture
PictureAuthor Lorelei Buckley
Lorelei Buckley grew up in Chicago and spent most of her childhood in libraries or at the shores of Lake Michigan breaking bread with wildlife. In fifth grade she won a poetry contest and from that moment on she knew she wanted to be a writer.

One night out of curiosity, she visited a writer's workshop near Dallas and instantly resonated with the idea of entertaining through stories.

Lorelei Buckley prefers writing paranormal romance novels, but she's penned works in almost every genre. Currently, she's a full-time writer living in Texas with her husband and a menagerie of rescue animals.


What is your favorite thing about being a writer? Writing allows me to play make believe on paper. I build towns and families, play cupid and kill bad guys. I especially like breathing life into my imagined characters. Seeing them take shape is exciting.

What genre(s) do you write? Paranormal, Mystery, Romance. Everyday people with extrasensory abilities, solving murder mysteries, and falling in love. Basically, ghost stories for grown-ups.

What was the hardest part of writing your book? Depends on which new release we’re discussing. Lighthouse started as a group project for a box set with a random text theme. For whatever reason, I drew a blank. I ended up calling a psychic and he planted the seeds for the overall concept. Medium Crossing, due out soon, was complicated. It’s intricately woven and different than anything I’d ever written. Piecing the puzzle together required a storyboard, a thick notebook, and comfortable pacing shoes.

Why do you think people should choose your books over another author? I’d reword this and simply ask readers to add my books to their reading list, because what I hear most often from readers, reviewers, and editors regarding my stories is they’re unique, sensual, and full of surprising twists. If this is true, sounds like good reading to me.

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories? I’m kind of a genre-bender, so I hope my perspectives are conduits for readers to discover more of what the paranormal genre encompasses. I love when one of my books turns a paranormal-avoider into a paranormal fan.

What’s something fans would find fascinating about you? Many moons ago, I used to be a showgirl. I did a lot of traveling and experienced amazing adventures. I’m not minimizing my awesome seventeen year marriage, but honestly, I’ve got some great memories from my years in entertainment.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

Where are you from? Sweet, home, Chicago! I miss Lou Malnati’s Pizza, the stunning architecture, beautiful Lake Michigan, shopping, and the incredible museums. I’m homesick at least twice a week. But then I recall the bitter Chi-Town winters and I’m glad to be in Texas.

When not writing, how do you relax? Lately I have two speeds, go and sleep. On the rare occasions when I’m able to just unwind, I enjoy reading or curling up on the couch with my husband, a dog and a cat, and watching a movie.

Here are some questions just for fun. 

What is your favorite vacation spot? The Florida Keys and the Virgin Islands. I’ve spent several years in both places and dream of retiring in either location.

Which food could you not live without? I don’t think chocolate is considered a food, so, pasta.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you travel? Closer to home, the Florida Keys. Farther away, Australia.

Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself. 1) Sometimes for inspiration, I’ll stay overnight in a haunted hotel. 2) Every October I take an evening to myself, pour a glass of wine, and watch Bram Stoker’s Dracula. 3) My favorite color is purple. 4) I have a menagerie of rescue animals. 5) I’m a Ronda Rousey fan.

Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases. Medium Crossing is due out soon, and I received a very nice note from the editor about it. Hopefully, readers will have similar opinions. Currently, I have two works in progress, Blue Moon is the second book in the Midnight Road series, and Second Strike is the sequel to Direct Strike, my novel with Kensington.

Where can readers find you?
Website: www.loreleibuckley.com / Blog: At Play in the Field of Unrest - www.author.loreleibuckley.com / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorelei.buckley

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lorelei_Buckley

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EXCERPT:

“Look, I’ve been thinking.” She paused to mentally formulate words. “I held on to Roland because I wanted to believe in undying love. But I realize now what I wanted was perfection, which meant, a functional marriage. I’ve always craved something meaningful. I tried to create something more than ‘How was your day’? I was willing to pretend until it became real. Fake it ‘til you make it.’ Then he died.”

Traces of burning cedar surfed the breeze. Probably frayed smoke from a neighbor’s chimney.

She continued. “I’m not sure if my severe depression was a symptom of his death or because the universe pulled back the rose-colored curtain and exposed our phony relationship. Either way, falling apart was the most liberating thing I’ve ever done. Once in a while we all need to self-examine. Our marriage wasn’t what I portrayed it to be. Crap. I’m a terrible person.”

He squeezed her hand. “I heard you say two things. A soul-crushing admission you’re not perfect.”

Drew playfully bumped his shoulder with hers.

“And a true confession implying you weren’t madly in love with your husband. I’m okay with each.”

“Now we’re both terrible people.”

“Selfish, maybe, but not terrible.”

Wrong, she thought. She’d considered herself a recovering over-criticizer, Roland fit in the selfish category. Dominic was the good guy. If this was a story, he’d be the hero.


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In the beginning...we started a blog!

3/12/2015

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I'm not new to the blogging scene, but this blog is NEW! Welcome to Illumination Author Events. I the C.E.O. of Illumination Author Events, Bernadette Soehner (author Bernadette Marie) and I will be your host on this writing journey.

Our purpose is to educate and enlighten authors, promote authors, and to engage them with their readers...personally. 

Readers are a vital part of an author's success. Without readers we are writing for ourselves. When we do that it's called journaling. That never pays the bills. 

The purpose of this blog is to help share the finer points of writing, getting published, getting noticed, and getting sales.

As we grow you will see online education webinars, meet and greets in and around the U.S., and local education. 

Follow us! We are here to all be successful in this vast and ever changing world of publishing! 



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Bernadette Soehner is an International Bestselling Author in the Contemporary Romance genre with over 22 books to her credit. The CEO of 5 Prince Publishing, Bernadette loves to help authors realize their dreams of becoming published and successful. Knowing that there is great success in the indie publishing movement, Bernadette sought to have another avenue where authors could learn, grow, and interact with their readers. In late 2014 she founded Illumination Author Events for that purpose.

This happily married mother of 5 growing boys enjoys meeting readers and other authors who share her passion. 

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