Interview with... CHRISTY GISSENDANER

Thanks for being here today, Christy. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?

Thanks for having me! I’m Christy Gissendaner and I hail

from the great state of Alabama. I’m a busy wife, mother, office manager, and romance author - or author(s), as the case may be. I write under two pen names, but I’m here today as Christy. 

Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person? 

Oh my gosh, yes! Very, very shy and introverted. I’ve grown out of my shell a tad bit as an adult, but if I’m ever in a new situation, I revert back to the shy, introverted gal of my youth. 

In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?
Online, I’m not shy AT ALL. In fact, I would almost say the opposite. Where being shy has hindered me has been at conferences and promotional events. I hesitate to put myself out there and do anything that comes across as “look at me”. Book signings are the worst! I stare at the table, unable to make eye contact with anyone. In fact, I still can’t make eye contact, even in my day to day life. 

In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?

Hmm…that’s a hard one. Being shy also hindered me when I began to write sex scenes, which let’s face is a necessity in romances today. So I really don’t fell being shy helped me in any way. 

What’s the hardest part of this business for you?

Finding the time to write. Hands down. 

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?

My day job requires me to give a financial summary at our monthly Board meetings. Even though it’s a small number of people, I absolutely dread standing up and speaking in front of people. 

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?

It’s okay to be shy. Not everyone can have the “big” personality! 

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?

CHRISTMAS SPIRITS (Available now!) Kia May has little time for anything as her lifelong dream of being a fashion designer comes to fruition. For Christmas, she takes time out of her busy schedule to visit her family, where her grandmother reveals a secret of her Baoule heritage. 

In Baoule, located on the Ivory Coast of Africa, the people believe in spirit lovers, which you are separated from at birth. Tedros, Kia’s lover from the spirit world, appears to her and reveals that he is there to assist her in finding a mortal lover.

Elliot Melton, the brother of Kia's new sister in law, is also invited to share the season with the family. With the help of a meddling grandmother and an otherworldly spirit, Elliot and Kia soon find out that Christmas is the best time to fall in love.

Where can my readers find you on the web?

Visit me at http://christygissendaner.webs.com

Thanks for having me!!

More about Christy:

Christy Gissendaner is a paranormal and contemporary romance author who believes laughter and love should go hand in hand.

Christy lives in Alabama with her husband and three sons. She’s always hard at work on her next novel, but in her spare time she loves blackjack, karaoke, and anything resembling a vacation!

To find out more, please visit http://christygissendaner.webs.com

http://www.twitter.com/christygis

http://www.facebook.com/christygis

http://www.goodreads.com/christygissendaner

Thanks so much for coming on today, Christy!

Stepping out of my comfort zone

As an introvert, I like to stay tucked inside my comfort zone. But occasionally, I force myself out of it, in big or small ways. 

The other day I did something I never do: I posted some photos of myself demonstrating exercises for a writing loop I belong to. 

Now, you might think this is no big deal, but if you know me or are friends with me on Facebook, you'll see that I rarely post photos of myself. If I do, they're just parts of my face, rarely my whole face or body. If I find a photo I like, I use it for years. 

I'm a personal trainer in my day job. If you saw me in person, you might think I don't look anything like you might have expected a personal trainer to look like. I'm 50 years old, and I'm far from a size two. I'm very fit, but I'm certainly not "skinny." In fact, like many women my age, I have a few extra pounds I struggle to lose. I post a lot on Facebook and my blogs about fitness, but I've never used photos of myself demonstrating exercises, because I know what people's expectations are, and I'm just not comfortable sharing photos like that.

But the other day, I did. I was trying to explain some exercises and finally thought, "Screw it. I'll just have my hubby take some pictures. That'll make it much easier." So I did. And you know what? The world didn't end. The internet didn't blow up. In fact, nobody even commented. So basically I was worried about nothing. 

Sometimes, we just need to do it. Push aside our discomfort and do it. Whatever "it" is.

What about you? Have you done anything recently to push yourself out of your comfort zone? Let me know in the comments so I can give you a virtual high five. 

Q & A with author JM Stewart

Thanks for being here today. Would you please share a short bio about yourself? 

Thanks for having me! I live on the west coast of Washington state, where it rains something like 300 days a year. I've been married for sixteen years now, and we have two teenage boys and two very spoiled puppies.

I’ve been reading romance since…I can’t even remember. Somewhere around high school, I think. I’ve always loved it. I started writing a little over ten years ago. I think it might even be eleven now. but it all began with a dream that demanded to be written down. I fell in love with the process!

Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person? 

I consider myself both. I’m almost painfully shy. I’ve never really learned how to be social, and I’m scared to death of saying the wrong thing and making a fool out of myself. I get so nervous my heart races and my palms sweat and I stand there saying absolutely nothing, because my mind has gone completely blank.

But I also just prefer to be by myself or in small groups. I don’t mind my own company, and I find large crowds very disorienting. I’ll go out of my way to avoid them if I can.

In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career? 
Self-promotion is extremely difficult. I don’t like to talk about myself. I’m convinced that nobody wants to hear about me or what I have to say. So getting up and saying, “Hey! Look at what I did!” goes completely against the grain for me. So, a lot of the time, I hold back, when I probably shouldn’t.

In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career? I’m perfectly okay being by myself, so sitting for hours alone and writing is a wonderful day for me.

What’s the hardest part of this business for you? 
See the third question above. The self-promotion. Having to toot my own horn. I don’t do it well, so the two years since I’ve been published have all been a very long learning curve. LOL

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?

For me, anytime I have to talk to a stranger is stepping out of my comfort zone. When I call the doctor’s office or the vet’s office, to make an appointment, I have to talk myself into it. I have to plan what I’m going to say. It takes me ages to email someone. But most recently, emailing other authors and/or blogs to ask if they would be willing to host me.

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?

Ignore the fear and do it anyway. If you feel like a fool, laugh at yourself. I’ve often found that if a) do it anyway, and b) laugh and admit how nervous I am, it warms people to me.

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it? 
The Playboy’s Baby

They can't forget the past, but is it enough to create a future?

When an accident leaves her guardian to her six-month-old niece, Emma Stanton must return to her small hometown of Hastings, Montana, to find the one man she's spent the last eight years trying to forget. She and Dillon had grown up together--he was her sister's best friend. But that hadn't stopped him from sharing a kiss with Emma that had followed her through the years. Now, not only must she break the news of her sister's tragic death to Dillon, but she must risk the only family she has left and tell him he's the baby's father.

Wealthy nightclub owner Dillon James has been used for his name and money one too many times, so when he comes face-to-face with Emma Stanton and her gorgeous lips, he's determined to keep things light. All he wants is to be the father his daughter needs, to make up for not being there for her and her mother. But spending time with Emma, as she shows him the ropes of caring for his daughter, is wearing down his defenses. Perhaps it's time he took a chance on love.

If only he can convince Emma to take a chance on him...

Buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Playboys-Baby-ebook/dp/B008RPKBMM

All Romance ebooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theplayboy039sbaby-905734-149.html

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-playboys-baby-jm-stewart/1112343120?ean=2940014920773

Where can my readers find you on the web?

Website: http://authorjmstewart.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JMStewartWriter

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorJMStewart

Blog: http://jm-stewart.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3159044.J_M_Stewart
 

Q & A with author Carol Kilgore

Thanks for being here today, Carol. Would you please share a short bio about yourself? 
Thank you for hosting me. It's a real treat for me to spend time on your blog. I'm a Texas native, but I've lived in many different places around the U.S. as a military spouse. We now live in San Antonio with two active herding dogs that share their sofa with us every once in a while. Most of my novels are set in Texas because it's the place I know best. Besides, I want readers to see my view of Texas. I write a blend of mystery, suspense, and romance I call Crime Fiction with a Kiss. There's always at least one crime, and there's always a romance or a love story.

Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?
Introverted, yes. Shy, no.

In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career? 
I like people, and I enjoy meeting new people both online and in person. But I also enjoy Me Time, and I cherish my privacy. Perhaps I should say I did cherish my privacy. I stayed away from social networking until last year. Not only did I resent the time I knew it would take, I didn't want everything about me out there for anyone to see. But I knew becoming socially connected was a necessary step if I wanted any sort of success for my novels. Now I enjoy the interaction, and I'm somewhat comfortable with people knowing more about me.

In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?
Because I'm an introvert, I enjoy spending time by myself. Writing a novel requires a lot of alone time, so the actual planning, writing, and editing parts of creating a novel benefit greatly from my being an introvert.

What’s the hardest part of this business for you?
Self-Promotion. I'm happy to promote and talk about other writers and their books all day long. But promoting myself is a different ballgame. It's much easier for me to be a cheerleader for other writers and their books than it is for me to cheer for myself. So my own self-promotion doesn't make much use of pom-poms or cartwheels.

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life? 
This is a difficult question for me to answer. Stepping outside my comfort zone has been a part of my life for a long time. Basically, I just pull up my Big Girl Panties, take a deep breath, and plunge in. The same with publishing a book. There's no other way. You can't let fear paralyze you into doing nothing.

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?
Build bridges to others, no matter who they are. Treat people the way you would like to be treated. Take the responsibility for establishing relationships with readers and writers—don't wait for them to reach out to you. Bottom line: Be a friend.

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it? 

No home. No family. No place to hide. For Summer Newcombe, that's only the beginning.

The night Summer escapes from a burning Padre Island eatery and discovers the arsonist is stalking her, is the same night she meets Fire Captain Gabriel Duran. As much as she's attracted to Gabe, five years in the Federal Witness Security Program because of her father’s testimony against a mob boss have taught her the importance of being alone and invisible.

No matter how much she yearns for a real home, Summer relinquished that option the night she killed the man who murdered her father. But Gabe breaks down her guard and places both of them in danger. Summer has vowed never to kill again, but she's frantic she'll cost Gabe his life unless she stops running and fights for the future she wants with the man she loves.

IN NAME ONLY is available exclusively at Amazon:

Where can my readers find you on the web? 
I do most of my communicating on my blog, Under the Tiki Hut, and on my Facebook Author Page. I'm still trying to figure out exactly how to best utilize Goodreads. And I tweet sporadically. I'm always open for LIKES and FOLLOWS where they're an option!

Website: http://www.carolkilgore.net
Blog: http://www.underthetikihut.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carolkilgore.author
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/#!/carol_kilgore
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094110.Carol_Kilgore
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/ckilgore

Thanks for visiting us today, Carole! 

Beyond my comfort zone

I'm starting a new series on this blog about stepping outside of my (or your) comfort zone. We've touched on this in our regular Wednesday guest postings and interviews, but I thought it would be fun to focus on this aspect of being shy and/or introverted. Every Tuesday (that's the plan anyway--I'm also lazy, forgetful and unorganized by nature), I will tell you how I am stepping outside my comfort zone. Even better, you can come on as a guest and tell the readers how you are stepping outside your comfort zone.

Being shy and/or introverted can really hold us back sometimes, often manifesting itself as fear. Fear to try new things, fear to put ourselves "out there." Personally, I'm sick and tired of letting fear run my life. If you know me personally, you may not necessarily think of me as a wimp, but I am. Trust me. If you know me personally, you know that I teach group exercise classes, including Zumba. Now, how on earth could I do this if I'm shy or introverted? Practice, baby. Practice. Fake it till you make it. And any other cliche you can come up with. Years ago, when I was just a personal trainer and not also a class instructor (one on one, I'm fine, but put me in front of a group...yikes.), my gym was in desperate need of a kickboxing sub. Somehow, my boss knew I had a background in martial arts (mainly because my hubby was a martial artist). They asked me to sub the kickboxing class for several weeks while the regular instructor was on leave. Holy #$@%! I said yes, because I'm a nice person and often do things just to be nice (remember, I told you I can be a wimp), but I swear to God I had a horrible stomach ache and insomnia for days leading up to that first class. I'm pretty sure I wet my pants a bit that first day, but somehow I muddled through, and somehow subbing that class led to a second fitness career as group exercise instructor. Right now, I teach Zumba, Pilates, yoga and a fitball sculpt class.

I've been teaching for about 8 years now. But you know what? I still get nervous before EVERY class, especially Zumba where I really have to be "on" and energetic (so not my personality). Before every class, I give myself a little pep talk beforehand. I have to remind myself to make eye contact with students. I have to remind myself to smile. Luckily, my sister takes my classes--if I look too serious, she'll break out into a HUGE grin to remind me to do the same.

Even though teaching still gets me nervous, I'm SO glad I didn't let my fear prevent me from accepting that first teaching opportunity. Being a group exercise instructor is one of the most rewarding and fun jobs I've ever had. I mean, seriously, I get paid to work out. I get paid to work out with other people. I get paid to help people get fit, get more energy, get more self-confidence. Those benefits far outweigh my pathetic little fears.

So...tell me one little thing you'll do this week to step outside of YOUR comfort zone.

Q & A with author Christy Hayes

Thanks for being here today, Christy. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?
Thanks for having me! I live with my husband, two tweens, and two dogs in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. I’ve been writing for over ten years and have a journalism degree from the University of Georgia. I love college football, cable news, and exercise.

Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?

Yes!

In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?

I wrote in secret for years, querying agents, editors, attending writing conferences. When I decided to indie publish, I had to let the cat out of the bag in a big way. The response has been wonderful, but it has been a challenge overcoming my knee-jerk reaction to hide what I spend all day doing.

In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?

I think being shy helps me to focus on the work. I’m not shouting from the rooftops about my accomplishments, but trying to put the next manuscript together and focus on the business end of things.

What’s the hardest part of this business for you?

Promotion, bar none! I’m not comfortable passing out business cards to everyone I meet, so I don’t do it. I prefer for someone to read my work and want to read more. Promotion is a necessary evil, but you just have to decide what you are comfortable doing and focus your efforts there.

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?

When I was trying to get a traditional publishing deal, the biggest step outside my comfort zone was pitching to agents and editors. My nerves were out of control. Once, my friend and I were stranded at a small airport for many hours with an agent after a writer’s conference. After spending the afternoon getting to know the agent as a person, I felt more comfortable pitching to all agents and editors, but never TOTALLY comfortable.

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?

Sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone is the best thing you can do for yourself. I like to challenge myself—not get too lazy and do the same things over and over. I always look at stepping outside my comfort zone as a good lesson for my kids. If mommy can do this, certainly you can do that.

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?

My latest release is The Sweetheart Hoax.

When urbane architect, Phil Williams, must bring a woman home to quell rumors he's gay, his only choice is the one woman least likely to impress: his dowdy receptionist. Margot Manning has been secretly in love with Phil for years. She's just quit her job and is ready to begin her life anew as a nurse. Phil's outrageous offer is one she can't refuse. As Margot readies to accompany Phil to his hometown, she steels herself for heartbreak. After Margot's makeover and a weekend spent attached at the hip, Phil admits he misjudged his former employee. He's ready to pursue her in earnest, if only her scandalous past didn't stand in their way.

The romantic comedy is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords, as well as iBooks, Diesel and Kobo.

Where can my readers find you on the web?

            Website: http://www.christyhayes.com

            Twitter: https://twitter.com/ - !/SeaHayes

            Blog: http://www.womenunplugged.wordpress.com

Q&A with romance author Jami Gray

Q Thanks for being here today, Jami. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?

A Let me see if I can expand beyond the ‘I was born, grew up, and here I am’ status. I hit the world on an Air force base on the southeast coast and within twelve months had moved to the Northwest, where I remained until age six. Then it was southward bound to drier climes. I bounced around the Southwest until age twelve when I became the fifth eldest in a very, very large family (think double digits for kid amount). After graduating high school, I did the college thing for so long friends and family thought I’d be a professional student. I’ll admit there were days when I thought the same thing. In my late twenties I married by best bud from high school after we reconnected. We tried living back in the Northwest but it was way too damp so we ended back down in the desert where we now live with our two boys and a lab who doubles as a mini-pony. Yes, I do have a job that pays the bills on top of writing, but lucky for me, it’s a position that allows me to telecommute.

Q Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?
A I do, but some friends disagree. Here’s the thing, I am much more comfortable staying at home or in the background and watching others. I find it intriguing to people watch, but once I’m comfortable around a group, I’ll start to peek out of my corner or from around my very social hubby.


Q In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?
A For me it was finding a critique group and putting myself or my writing out there. It was one thing to submit works if I could mail it in and no one would ever know who I was, but it was a whole other bag of worms if I had to physically sit there and listen to a critique. I always, always over think things and receiving a critique was like running razors over my soul. It took me years of trial and error to find my current critique group, The 7 Evil Dwarves. What worked for me was keeping my critique group small with like minded individuals. If they could get my twisted sense of humor, then it was less likely I would end up being carted off in a straight jacket. In the six years we’ve been together, they are a huge reason I was finally published. If I hadn’t had their constant threats…I mean encouragement…I don’t think I would have had the guts to keep submitting my writing to editors and publishers. Even now when I attend conferences and do those editor/agent pitches you would think I was going in to be skinned alive and my critique partner is pretty much dragging my shaking, nervous wreck in behind her.


Q In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?
A This is probably easier to answer than any other question. I live so much in my head that transferring those worlds spinning around in there to paper is the easy part. For me, the fact that I tend to sit back and watch the world around me, allows me to create detailed characters and worlds for my stories. Delving into what motivates my characters and causes them to react they way they do in various situations makes them more “real”, which in turn draw readers deeper into a story. Life and people are naturally complex, and that complexity should be reflected in your writing.

Q What’s the hardest part of this business for you?
A Pitching in person. Doesn’t matter if it’s an editor, agent or my next door neighbor, trying to creatively explain my books verbally is hard. My work around is to write out various pitches or blurbs so I’m not caught flatfooted when I’m asked, “So, what’s your book about?”. Even though I’ve spent years doing theater, I still stutter when I’m not prepared. Maybe it’s being introverted, or maybe it’s being OCD, but either way I find myself doing mental rehearsals of what to say in case I’m faced with this situation.

Q Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone, either in your writing career or in your personal life?
A I was attending a writer’s conference a couple years ago with my critique partner and I had two pitch sessions. One with a big name New York editor and one with a large e-pub house editor. I spent days before hand writing up various pitches, word for word. Then I would torment myself with the “what-if” scenarios…what if they ask this question? I wanted to be prepared and not sound like an airhead. I have the unfortunate tendency to sound spacey when I’m nervous. It didn’t help that little voices in the back of my head were going on about how these very important people had heard it all and what if your idea was trite, or that I would appear to be a very obvious newbie writer. It took a great deal to block out that annoying little twit. I had to offer it lots of chocolate to get it to shut-up.

The pitch session with the New York editor was not good. Nerves had my words spilling out at a hundred miles per hour, my hands shook so bad I had to hide them under the table, and we just didn’t connect. I had a few minutes in between pitch sessions and as I went over to my second session, I was almost in tears. I pulled up my big girl panties, took a deep breath and sat down making sure my smile was in place. This time I would treat the pitch as if I was talking to someone in my critique group. Boy did it help. I made a real connection to the second editor as we talked. Strangely enough we ended up discussing a possible story idea I had been tossing around for few minutes and then I was able to get some great answers to questions I hadn’t realized I had about the whole publishing industry overall. It was lovely as I realized that even the editors and publishers can be just as nervous as the writers sitting across from them.

Q What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?
A Wow, that’s a tough one. Shy writers tend not to want to put their writing out there because it’s such a piece of them, but remember your readers don’t know you, but they get to share in your stories. How are they going to enjoy the worlds and characters you create if you don’t set it out there? When it’s been too hard for me to do on my own, I wrap my shaky, cold fingers in a death grip on my critique partners’ hands and hold on. They’re there to stand beside me regardless of how the reader winds blow. They haven’t steered me wrong yet, so I think I’ll keep holding on, because I’ve learned it’s okay to lean on my friends as they push from behind!

Q Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?
A I’d love to! Shadow’s Edge is the first book in the Kyn Kronicles and can be bought e-format or trade paperback at Black Opal Books (www.BlackOpalBooks.com ). It’s also available at Amazon, ARe, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.


It takes a monster to hunt one, and for Raine McCord, forged in the maelstrom of magic and science, she’s the one for the job. In a world where the supernatural live in a shadowy existence with the mundane, a series of disappearances and deaths threatens the secrecy of her kind and indicates someone knows the monsters are alive and kicking. Partnering up with the sexy and tantalizing Gavin Durand proves to be a challenge as dangerous as the prey she hunts.


When the trail points back to the foundation which warped Raine’s magic as a child, her torturous past raises its ugly head. Gavin and Raine sift through a maze of lies, murder and betrayal to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.


Q Where can my readers find you on the web?
A You can hunt me down at:


Website: http://jamigray.com/


Blogs: http://7evildwarves.wordpress.com/ or http://jamigray.wordpress.com/


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author


Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JamiGrayAuthor

Thanks for being here today, Jami!

Q & A with Avon author Candis Terry

I'm so excited to have one of my very favorite people on the blog today. I've known Candis for many years--she was my very first critique partner.

Thanks for being here today, Candis! Would you please share a short bio about yourself?

It’s amazing to be here with you today, my friend!

For those who don’t know me, here’s a brief rundown of what planet I come from. I was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California and now make my home on an Idaho farm. I’ve experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to wiping sheep noses to working as a graphic designer. Only one thing has remained constant: my passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after. Though my stories are set in small towns, my wish is to give each of my characters a great big memorable love story rich with quirky characters, tons of fun, and a happy ending.


In February 2011, after 22 years of working at becoming a published author I sold my first contemporary romance, SECOND CHANCE AT THE SUGAR SHACK, to Avon Impulse.

Q Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person? (I already know the answer to this, and I'm trying not to laugh...)


A Anyone who knows me is probably laughing because they would say I’m as far from an introvert as possible. The truth is I’m not as much of an extrovert as I would like everyone to believe. Yes, I can talk to anyone I pass on the street (and usually do!), but when I step into a crowd of people I don’t know, I do have to muster up some Cowardly Lion courage.


Q What’s the hardest part of this business for you?


A For me the hardest part is to promote myself, which is completely expected of authors by their publishers more than ever. No longer can we just write a book and stay behind the curtain. I know how I feel when I’m barraged with an author’s self-promotion. It’s often a huge turn-off. So how do we discover that fine line between “Gee, I’d really like you to check out my book. I worked really hard on it and I think you might like it.” Or “Hey, buy my book, buy my book, buy my booooook! Because you know, I’ve got to be able to afford to put dinner on the table.”? And how do we step out of our comfort zone to constantly talk about ourselves and our work? I don’t know the answer. And hey, I live on a farm so shoveling manure is probably not all that interesting.


Q Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?


A The most recent experience was at the Emerald City Writer’s Conference this past October. After 22 years of trying to become published, I decided it might be a good idea to pay it forward and give a workshop on all the mistakes I’ve made over the years. Again, being in front of an audience and talking about myself just makes me cringe. I hope I did okay. The most important thing to me was trying to give new writers some helpful insight. I don’t have all the answers, but I have a couple of really dumb things I’ve done that I know delayed my ability to sell a manuscript. I had to convince myself that the people in the audience were not there to laugh at me. They were there to learn. Which made it totally okay to laugh at myself.


Q What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?


A Don’t take yourself too seriously, just be yourself, and smile. Sorry, that’s three tips.

Over the years I’ve been in many situations that made me say “What the heck am I doing here and how am I going to make it through this?” One example is when I lived in California and I worked for the company who did all the publicity materials for the Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon which took place in Griffith Park. The president of the company sent a few of us to represent the entire company. Eeek. No pressure.


I found myself at the Beverly Hills Hotel in a room with stars like Jimmy Stewart, Charleton Heston, Robert Wagner, OJ Simpson (pre-murder days) and even Scott Baio (Chachi) from Happy Days. No kidding. I have pictures to prove it! There were assistants working the room that would bring the star to you. You didn’t have to go up to them and ask for an autograph or anything to get a moment with them. Imagine when I found myself shaking hands with Charleton Heston (aka Moses)! Any speck of extrovert I possessed completely vanished. The only thing that got me through that night was knowing those people would never remember me and they didn’t care who I was. So I was able to laugh and enjoy myself (and say stupid things) because, if they weren’t going to take me seriously, why should I?


Q Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?


A I’m thrilled to share a blurb from ANY GIVEN CHRISTMAS. The story was a blast to write as Dean, the hero, was just bigger than life (not to mention super sexy). You can go to my website http://www.candisterry.com/ for an excerpt of ANY GIVEN CHRISTMAS and also for an excerpt from SECOND CHANCE AT THE SUGAR SHACK, the first book in the Sugar Shack novels. The books are available as an e-book and also as a print book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and most everywhere e-books are sold.


Here’s the blurb!


Dean Silverthorne’s mother may be dead, but she still has matchmaking to do.


When an injury dashes NFL Quarterback Dean Silverthorne’s Super Bowl dreams, he heads back to Deer Lick, Montana with a chip on his wounded shoulder and more determined than ever to get back in the game. He loves his kooky family, but his trip home is nothing but a very brief Christmas visit.


His game plan didn’t include an instant attraction to Emma Hart, a feisty kindergarten teacher who seems to be the only person in Deer Lick not interested in the hometown hero. Or his dearly departed mom popping up with mistletoe in hand and meddling on the mind. Now Dean can’t help but wonder if there’s more to love than life between the goal posts.


Q Where can my readers find you on the web?


A I’d love for readers to visit me at my website http://www.candisterry.com/. I’m also on Twitter @CandisTerry and on Facebook.


Thanks so much for having me here today!


Happy holidays to everyone!

Q & A with romance author M.S. Spencer

Thanks for being here today, Meredith. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?


Although I’ve lived in Chicago, Boston, New York, France, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, and England, the last 30 years have been spent mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and parent. I hold a BA from Vassar College, a Diploma in Arabic Studies from the American University in Cairo, and Masters in Anthropology and in Library Science from the University of Chicago. Once I escaped academia (for which my mother never forgave me) I worked for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. Department of the Interior, in several library systems, both public and academic, and at the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Today I divide my time among Virginia, Maine and Florida.

I have two fabulous grown children but only one cat (down from three, plus a dog, a snake and two hamsters). It’s a quiet household now, but since my study window looks on a park and river there is plenty of wildlife to distract me from my writing.

Q Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?
A Yes, I am shy. Every time I walk into a group I feel little tentacles of fear clutching at me. I can converse happily one on one, but speaking even in a small group fills me with angst. At a large gathering I’ve learned to gravitate toward someone standing by himself and engage him in conversation (once I’ve picked up that glass of wine for fortification & something to hold!). I’m not introverted though—which I think is different from one who enjoys her solitude. I love to be alone—to write or think or walk. But I also like to debate and joke and eat and drink; in short, I like people. Becky, you and your readers probably know more about it: does an introverted person actively dislike people or company?

Q In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?
A My fear of public speaking has interfered in more than just my writing career. When I was in graduate school I actually chose courses based on whether or not they required an oral presentation. The shyness extends to attending conferences, which I know can be very useful, but which I find any excuse to avoid. And the thought of doing a reading…well, that’s on a par with having an MRI (see below). So, many of the activities that garner attention for my books I avoid—not a good sales method!

Q In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?

A I’m not sure introversion is good for a writer under any circumstances. Wouldn’t introversion inhibit a writer from empathizing with others? How can you create believable characters if your only reference point is yourself? On the other hand, while shyness may keep me from connecting with readers in public settings, sometimes it helps me to listen. Rather than be the center of attention and hold the stage, it’s easy for me to sit back and let the other person talk. I can absorb their insights, memories, and tales, and then reconfigure them when I construct my characters and stories.

Q What’s the hardest part of this business for you?
A I imagine most people say promotion, which is certainly hard work, but for me it’s that my books are (so far) ebooks. Potential buyers can’t browse the bookstore shelves and be ensnared by my wonderful covers. Book signings are difficult to do effectively. My friends are almost to a man unable to grasp the concept of an ebook (I have only two with Kindles). And lastly, I don’t have a lovely hardback with my name in gold leaf on the spine to occasionally take off the shelf and dust with contented hands.

Q Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?
A I’ve been sitting here awhile trying to think of a time when I haven’t found a means to escape any uncomfortable situation. Cowardice has served me well most of my life. I pride myself on the odd talent of being able to weasel gracefully out of anything I don’t want to do. Of course, living in a number of different cultures, traveling, and meeting people from virtually all walks of life may have left me more adaptable than some (I can tap a wealth of exotic excuses).


So what is a comfort zone exactly? Is it going into the cave in defiance of my claustrophobia? Or stopping to let a pedestrian cross despite the infuriated tailgater behind me? Or allowing a friend to do an Avon makeover on me? I’m not sure. There are situations where you’re forced to do something you fear—my abortive attempt at an MRI springs to mind—but “stepping outside” implies a voluntary effort. Of course, as a shy person, every time I walk into a crowded room, take a deep breath, and march up to someone and introduce myself, I’ve leapt way outside my comfort zone. So is it a small step? Or a long jump?

Q What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?
A I can only suggest that shy people not follow my example. Don’t—as I did—flee situations that bring the shyness on. At this point in my life I’m sticking with cowardice, but I never should have allowed myself (or been allowed) to get away with avoiding public speaking engagements. It’s said that one gets used to it. If that’s true, get out there—give speeches, go on panel discussions, toast the groom. And when you get to that podium, survey the crowd and imagine the audience is made up of boyfriends you dumped.

Q Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?
A My latest release is Losers Keepers from Secret Cravings, a tale of love, lust and treachery set on the island of Chincoteague.


Losers Keepers, by M. S. Spencer
Published July, 2011, by Secret Cravings Publishing
eBook, 72,000 words, ISBN 978-1-936653-95-9
Contemporary romantic suspense, M/F, 3 flames

Dagne Lonegan, aka Dear Philomena, advice dispenser extraordinaire, hoped that spending a year on the Eastern Shore island of Chincoteague to write her novel would clear her sinuses, if not her heart, of any feelings for Jack Andrews, erstwhile lover and long-time jerk. It’s just her luck that her first week on the island she’s in the right place at the right time to be involved with a murder. Only she doesn’t know it. Unfortunately, the murderer doesn’t know she doesn’t know. Strange and dangerous things begin happening to her, interfering with her new romance with Tom Ellis, the handsome manager of the National Wildlife Refuge. Complications ensue when her Jack arrives to take charge of the murder investigation.

Will Dagne stick with the tall, cool glass of a Ranger or fall back into the arms of her first tempestuous passion?
Buy links: Secret Cravings, Amazon, allRomanceEBooks.com, Book Strand.

I have two other romantic suspense novels out from Red Rose Publishing. My first novel, Lost in His Arms, is set in the spinning world of 1991 when countries fell like flies and a CIA fixer had his hands full. My second novel, Lost and Found, finds a desperate wife searching the wilds of Maine and Florida for the husband who disappeared. You can find them at Red Rose Publishing as well as at Amazon, Fictionwise, Book Strand and AllRomanceEBooks.
www.redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=282&products_id=17 and http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=282&products_id=654


Q Where can my readers find you on the web?
A Website: http://www.meredithellsworth.com/
Blog: http://mssspencertalespinner.blogspot.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/M.S.SpencerAuthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mssellsworth

Q & A with author W. Lynn Chantale

Thanks for being here today, Lynn.


Thanks so much for having me here today! Your blog has helped me so much, and I must confess I am a fan.

You're so sweet. I knew I liked you for reasons other than LOVING your cover!!! Would you please share a short bio?

I dread this question because I never know what to say or tell anyone. I enjoy talking about what I do, but not about who I am. So just a few things about me. Last year I became a member of Romance Writers of America as well as my local chapter, and a couple of special interest chapters of RWA. I married my high school sweetheart and we have three children together. One big thing I rarely share is my visual impairment. I’m legally blind and have been since I was 18. Other than that I play bass guitar, or video games on my PS3 when the Muse is fretful. I enjoy knitting and love to bake. Chocolate chip cookies anyone?


Q Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?
A Yes, I would consider myself a shy person. I’d rather hide behind a computer screen than talk on the phone or meet someone new.


Q In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?
A When I actually need to speak with a human being, I will procrastinate until the last possible moment.


Q In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?
A One of the biggest assets has been the ability to watch people, listen to conversations, and study how they interact with one another. Being able to conduct Internet searches is a pretty good plus, too. :-)


Q What’s the hardest part of this business for you?
A The hardest part of this business for me is meeting people, or even initiating a phone call.


Q Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?
A Any time I have to face the public is stepping outside my comfort zone. Being in large crowds, or dim, dark crowded spaces is a bit daunting.


Q What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?
A Start with hello, and allow the conversation to go from there. At least that’s what my sister tells me. I’ve tried it once or twice and found it really works. :-)


Q Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?
A Sure, here it is:

Haunted by nightmares, Sheridan Sinclair just wants to get through one night without reliving the terrible accident that led to her miscarriage. And she longs for the arms of the man who betrayed her. Matthew Sinclair has always loved his wife, but when she refuses to speak to him after her accident, he's left to wonder what went wrong. When a stolen kiss ignites their forgotten passion, he'll use their love as a means to get her home and in his bed again. Will a husband’s plan of seduction be enough to heal a wife’s broken heart?


Seducing His Wife can be found at these online retailers:


Whispers Publishing
Amazon
Mobipocket
All Romance e-books

Q Where can my readers find you on the web?
A Readers can find me at my Blog, on Twitter (@wlynnchantale), on Facebook or via email: wlynnchantale@gmail.com

Thanks so much for coming on today, Lynn. Have I told you how much I LOVE that cover????

Lynn will be giving away a copy of her book to one lucky commenter today.