No, this isn’t a post about Populated. I mean, well, it is. But it’s not.

A couple of years ago, a group of ten women met at one of our houses, intending to start a cookbook club. We were masked, we were mostly strangers to each other. I was new enough to our parent organization to think this would be a good way to meet people. And food was involved. How could it go wrong?

Well, sometimes the recipes we cook go sideways.

And sometimes, life works out in a way that would make Delia Ford, whose story is told in Populated, proud.

A year ago, the woman who’d organized us and opened her house to us for that first meeting — and many times thereafter — found a cookbook author who was new to most of us. And so we did what we usually do: we each picked a recipe and made it.

But then, our fearless (and highly creative) leader discovered more in the cookbook that made it unique. And much fun was had. As we always do, we came together at a dining room table, over food.

And THEN, our leader said, “Why don’t we host the author for a weekend?”

Yesterday was the culmination of a year’s plans.

It was a lot of work for the seven of us, but when I was sitting with author Jennifer Abadi and handling the in-person cookbook sales for her, I asked her how it felt. I’d noticed her taking pictures of all the tables, but hadn’t thought too much about it.

“You brought my book to life!” she told me in a hushed, exultant, wondering voice that was so full of emotion that I didn’t just get it, I thought this is something Delia Ford would do.

And that made me even prouder. That wasn’t something we’d set out to do, per se. We’d wanted to showcase some of the recipes Jennifer has archived, from countries around the world. We’d wanted to make it fun, so we’d mined the interviews she’d included. And we’d wanted to have some fun.

But we gave Jennifer a gift, a greater gift than I think any of us had expected.

Like Delia in her book (although, series spoiler: we do see her again in future books), I woke up Sunday morning and realized many things about the women in my cookbook club — and many of the women not in the club but who I’ve gotten to know over the years.

Like Delia, my world has become strangely populated with people who value me, who respect me, who enjoy my presence, who I like to be around.

So here’s to Jennifer Abadi, who so graciously came to my city and cooked and ate and sold cookbooks and met me and my friends and hopefully loved the hospitality Pittsburgh is actually famous for. Here’s to my cookbook club, who wound up giving Jennifer a gift, bringing her book to life.

And here’s to my friends, who are helping bring my own book to life in such very very different way.

More from the list of homophones — or, as I like to call ’em, words that sound alike and get confused ALL the time and please stop.

I know. homophones is SO MUCH more concise. Maybe that’s why it’s the more commonly used word.

What’s on the chopping block today? PAST versus PASSED.

I first started noticing this one from my Black clients, or those who use some degree of AAVE. Which of course creates a conundrum: Is it AAVE? I’m no expert — far from it (she says with a snort) — but given that the rest of the book wasn’t in AAVE, then yeah, it was something to call out as incorrect, and to query in dialogue. Because not all characters talk with correct grammar. (I mention that a lot when I edit for you.)

Let’s take a look…

PAST
Things that are over with. Think in terms of “The past, the present, the future.”

Our past lives.
I am past the age of eating nothing but chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. (No, you’re really not.)
I walked past the garden today.

See? It’s all stuff you put behind you.
Webster’s, of course, breaks it down differently and maybe better. Judge for yourself.

Now, PASSED.
This is also something that happened previously. (In the past. How about that? Ha!)

BUT it’s a bit different because it’s the past tense (there I go again) of the word PASS. And oof, if you’re going to go read this definition, do it with a full beverage and maybe some snacks. It’s a LONG one, as many good, variable words produce. This is why English is so great and so much fun and why you need people like me in your corner!

Grandma passed away.
We passed the garden today. (Note how this is different from “We walked past the garden today.” See the subtle differences? Need me to unpack this?)
I passed the fifth grade. Barely.

These are WAY more active sentences. And that’s your quick test for past versus passed. Unless, of course, you struggle with active versus passive. And I can help with that, too.

Oh, the many things a good editor can do for you!

Calling my dark fiction lovers! Author Eileen Troemel herself describes Fractured: Love of the Broken as being dark, and c’mon. That title says it all right?

But.

But.

Let’s let Eileen Troemel tell us all about the song that makes her think of her book, Fractured: Love of the Broken. Ready? It’s not some bizarre death metal (hey, I listen to death metal), I promise.

Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) Kelly Clarkson
Zulma’s space transport crash lands on Laken a Prisoner of War planet. She’s been sent there after being captured during a war with Dolians. She’s been through the ringer. Drugged, tortured, raped, she’s a mess. She’s greeted by four Conasians who have been prisoners on the planet for a long time. They’ve survived the drug addicts they call Sleepers but they’re tired of fighting to survive. Drake, Parker, Claud and Stuart take her back to their leader as ordered.

Zulma is RAW from her experiences. She doesn’t know who to trust or believe. She’s been beaten down by the Dolian Premier. He tried to break her in every possible way. But she stayed strong, barely. She feels shattered but her four men help her cope with the trauma and terror she went through.

Four men, huh? Should I be winking at that? I don’t know! We’ll have to read the book!

Want to know more? I don’t know if that explanation can be topped, but let’s see. Here’s the official book description for you:

Fractured
This is a Reverse Harem dark scifi romance. There is cursing and violence. Rape and torture are referred to.

Sent to the prison planet Laken, Zulma expects to be raped and tortured. What she finds there may save her and her people.

Ordered to a crashed Dolian ship, Conasian prisoners of war Drake, Claud, Stuart, and Parker hope to survive the trek through the dangerous sleepers. The downed ship is vital. What they discover will change their future if they survive the sleepers and their own men.

Yep, I shoula winked. My instinct was right.

If you are offended by the use of the term reverse harem, I apologize. I know it’s a loaded term, that there’s a huge controversy about its use and meaning, and what good alternatives are… romance is HARD, y’all.

Anyway, regardless of the term, pick up the book. It sounds like it’s a dark book with a redemption or healing arc, and couldn’t we ALL use a bit of that right now? I sure could.

And make sure you make note! It will not be for sale until October 15! But if you preorder now, it’ll magically show up on your device on the fifteenth, like a gift from past you.
Here’s your universal link.

And visit with Eileen Troemel! She’s lovely, and I so enjoy our chats. Here’s her linktree — again, universal links, so have at it and have fun exploring her world. You’ll be glad you did!

Remember, if the book strikes and emotional chord with you, leave a review somewhere online, in addition to sharing copies with friends. Reviews help a book become more discoverable, which in turn means more sales, which in turn means authors who can make a living bringing you amazing books to read. See how you’re a part of that? You ARE important too.

And if you’re reading this and you are an author, or you have a friend who’s an author, send them over to the Featured New Book Spotlight! This is how we all find great new reads, hear great songs, and support each other. There’s room for everyone!

Let’s welcome Eileen Troemel to West of Mars! We were chatting on Twitter and I invited her to stop in… see why it’s always good to chat on social media?

Eileen’s new book is called Marelo, and it sure sounds interesting to me! Let me share with you the hows and whys, and let’s start, of course, with the question of the day: Eileen Troemel, what song makes you think of your new book?

When I write, I listen to classical or non-vocal music. With Marelo, she’s very focused and has a light touch. Gary Stadler Fairy in the Woods album is one that comes to mind as I think about the story. The music is ethereal and that’s how I see the studies Marelo is doing.

I have always loved classical music and lately have been getting into instrumentals to play as I edit, as well, so I understand this impulse! And this song is everything Eileen says it is, so check it out, and then grab a copy of Marelo.

But before we get to the buy links, let’s hear the description!

Marelo studies water dragons. Bandor studies her heart. Driven to succeed, Marelo focuses on her studies. She doesn’t have time for males claiming her as a mate. She came here to study the dragon’s ancestral home. She will find the evidence she needs while avoiding all males especially Bandor who makes her heart rush. Bandor takes one look at Marelo and knows she’s his mate. Her haughty demeaner doesn’t put him off. She’s his mate, he’ll do anything to win her. But he has secrets only his mate can know. Can he convince her to be his mate or will it take something more?

Whoa. There’s a LOT of interesting stuff going on there! And this is categorized as a short read, too, so if you’re in the mood for something quick and (what sounds) lovely, this might be perfect for you!

Pick up your copy here:
Books2Read

And be sure to connect with Eileen Troemel!
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And my usual reminders for you all…
* If you read a book, be sure to leave even a few words in a review of it. Reviews help readers find good books — and, of course, they help readers know what to avoid. Do your part! Your opinion matters!
* If you are an author, if you are friends with an author, if you have an author you like but want an excuse to talk to… I don’t care! Send them my way and tell them to fill out the form. I genuinely miss the days when I was posting one of these a week.

Let’s welcome Alana Lorens back to West of Mars! Woot!

Alana is one of my favorite people and if you catch us at the right moment, you’ll see us chatting on Twitter. Come join the conversation, of course!

But today, the focus is on business, which means Alana Lorens’ new book, A Rose by Any Other Name. If you’re on social media at all, you’ve seen this making the rounds, but only I have the scoop on what song makes Alana think of this new book baby. Ready for the answer? I am!

Marisol and Russell, known as Rusty, dated in high school, but he broke off their relationship to chase the popular homecoming queen. When they get together at their 20-year high school reunion, Rusty is importuned by the committee to reprise his famous interpretation of Pee Wee Herman’s “Tequila” big shoe dance. It may not be as ubiquitous as the Chicken Dance or the Macarena, but it’s definitely a performance number.

HOW CAN YOU NOT WANT TO READ A BOOK THAT WILL MAKE YOU THINK OF THIS SONG???

This might be a new height of perfection.

So.

Ready for the description? I sure am. I mean, after THAT, how can you not be?

Up-and-coming mommyblogger and single mom Marisol Herrera Slade returns to her old hometown in Western Pennsylvania for her 20th high school reunion in 2005, reluctant and yet compelled to see her high school sweetheart, Russell Asher, who dumped her for the homecoming queen.

Russell’s marriage to the golden girl, however, ended in a nasty divorce, and he has been systematically excluded from his sons’ lives. In his Internet wanderings, he’s found a feminist blogger named Jerrika Jones, who glorifies single motherhood, essentially putting a stamp of approval on what’s happened to him. His group of single dad advocates have vowed to take this woman down.

What Russell doesn’t know, when he thinks to rekindle what he had with Marisol, is that Marisol and Jerrika are one and the same. When his group discovers the truth, will their drive for revenge derail any chance the couple have to reunite? Or will they find they have more in common than they ever expected?

Oh, my. Russell, Russell, Russell… Maybe you need better single dad advocates, my man.

Or does he? Gotta read it to see!

Before you grab a copy, check out the book trailer.

Grab your copy:
Kindle

Paperback

B&N

And like I said, feel free to connect with Alana Lorens! She’s fun.
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Bookbub
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And remember, the best way to say thanks to an author for their hard work is to leave a review. Even a few words, or a bulleted list of what you like is super!
As always, if you’re an author, have a friend who’s an author, or want to help promote a book you love, here’s the link so you or your author friend can step into the spotlight themselves. All are welcome!

I’ve been seeing this crop up lately, so let’s talk about how your narrative sequences things: cause and effect, or effect and cause?

Need an example? Here’s one: He turned when he felt…

Now, that seems like it’d work, right? It heightens the drama… He turned! Why did he turn? Well, keep reading and we’ll tell you it’s because he felt (whatever it was that he felt).

But do you see what’s happening here? You have effect and cause, not cause and effect.

Or, in other terms: The character reacts to something before the reader knows what s/he/they are reacting TO. It’s not only a reaction. It can be any motion out there. She walked up the front steps after closing the car door.

As an author working on your first draft, it’s one thing to do this. The first draft, after all, is for figuring out where the story’s going, what’s happening on the page, how the characters are moving (and why)… it’s for learning. This is why I always encourage authors to not be afraid to puke on the page. Get it out, get it down, go back and craft it later.

It’s that later that often becomes a problem. Because it’s one more thing you have to look for, be alert for, know if you have a tendency to do this or not. (Most of us do.)

Go on. Take a look at your work-in-progress. Do you have cause and effect, or do you have effect and cause? And can you think of a time when effect and cause is the better option? I actually can! Don’t rest on your laurels, though. Check your WIP. I bet you’ve got some.

Remember, if you’d like to work with Editor Susan over here, I’m now booked up until November. I’m only taking rush jobs from existing clients; I’m holding up too many careers as it is! And don’t set a bloody presale date until AFTER you’ve gotten your manuscript through the editing stage, just in case your editor is backed up and/or you wind up with unanticipated rewrites.

Let’s welcome the writing team of McDonald and McDonald back to West of Mars!

You may remember them from their Son of Cayn trilogy, which we featured here, here, and here. That was a couple of years ago, and between then and now, they’ve clearly been busy, with this first in a new series called Chronicles of Damage, Inc. (Oooh, don’t let Metallica’s lawyers see that! Although… good song.)

Still, Jason and Stormy have an other song or… well, three… that remind them of Phantoms of Ruthaer. And what songs would those be? Let’s let them tell us.

The characters who comprise the bounty hunting team of Damage, Inc. in Phantoms of Ruthaer have been waiting impatiently for us to tell their tale for a while now. During the early stages of their development, we began assembling a playlist of songs that spoke to us about each character, such as Drivin N Cryin’s “Straight to Hell” for the irascible archer, Dave, and “Adrenaline” by Gavin Rossdale for the team’s leader, Hector. Then we heard “The Outsiders” by Eric Church. Its gritty depiction of a group with a reputation for being dangerous, who aren’t afraid to go their own way, and are willing to stand up to anyone captured the essence of Damage, Inc and our novel.

Three songs, so have some aural fun as you read!

But… you’re not going to want to read until you know what the book’s about, right? Well, here ya go:

In the countries east of the White River, some call Damage, Inc. heroes. Others call the bounty hunters criminals. The truth lies somewhere in between. Hector de los Santos, the team’s leader, has only two rules about bounties: finish every job, no matter what it takes, and no charity cases.

Aislinn Yves, the team’s half-elven tracker, thought she’d never see the tiny village of Ruthaer again. That is, until a plea for help from her father’s old friend, Tallinn, arrives. The job sounds simple: track down a few missing people, perhaps a killer. The trick is convincing Hector to put their current job on hold.

Unfortunately, things are worse than Tallinn implied. Unnatural weather, restless dead, and gruesome murders are just the beginning, for the town harbors a terrible secret more dangerous than Aislinn or Hector could imagine. A secret that could spell the end of Damage, Inc. and drag Ruthaer straight to Hell.

Sounds like a winner? Grab your copy, exclusive to Amazon. And remember to leave a review once you’ve finished reading. There’s no better way to thank an author for their hard work, creativity, time, and inspiration.

And connect with our friendly authors!
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As always, remember to share the word of the spotlight with your author friends. Come one, come all! Here’s the link to the handy-dandy form.

So last week, I brought up the idea of using the wrong details in the wrong places. I probably owe you a better example, but when you’re yanking something out of context–let alone writing it from scratch!–it’s hard to do.

So much of editing and revising depends on context. On narrative voice, on the narrative character… There are so, so many things to consider.

Let me add one more to the pile, and I consider this one to be one of the few golden rules of fiction: The author should always know more about their characters than what appears on the page.

Why?

Because the deeper the well of your knowledge, the more authentic your characters appear on the page. You don’t need to tell us Justin is afraid of spiders. There may never be a spider in your entire manuscript. (Really. Spiders? Don’t appear all that often in fiction. Charlotte was a total unicorn, I’m tellin’ ya.) Justin’s fear may never be discussed, brought up, hinted at. But you, author, you know this simple detail: Justin’s got this fear.

And that, right there, makes him more complex. He’s not invincible. He’s not perfect. He screams worse than I did the day I saw a Daddy Long Legs on my front porch and climbed up my sister. (True story!)

Knowing this means that when you write about Justin, you yourself don’t think he’s invincible. You know he’s got a chink in the armor.

That knowledge means Justin can surprise you. He can show you another one.

Or maybe it means that the characters around him know, even though it’s, again, not voiced on the page. But they know their hero here? Will go running into the sunset, abandoning them to their fate if a spider appears. And that’ll change the way they interact with him–not necessarily in a negative way. Maybe in a better way. Maybe, instead of thinking he’s the be-all, end-all hero to solve the story’s problems, the supporting cast has more agency. They help protect Justin while he protects them.

This gives your characters depth, which in turn allows them to feel more real on the page. I can always tell when an author hasn’t done this work, when they don’t know much, or enough, about their characters.

Make the commitment. Do the off-the-page work. Heck, buy yourself a pretty pen*, fill it with pretty ink, grab some paper, and brainstorm. Create your character’s personal details. Maybe be like me and use different pens and different colors so your ideas don’t run into each other, and each one instead stands out, visible and ready to be referenced.

Whatever your choose. Do the work. It’ll pay off in the end, I promise.

And, as always, remember: If you need my editorial help, I’m here! When my comments are more directly pointed at your own words, you’ll get it. I promise.

*I, myself, now own a TWSBI Eco and can vouch for what a nice pen it is!

Yes, it’s back to back weeks of Lucinda Race! Woo!

Jealous? Step into the spotlight, yourself. You know I want to host you.

So last week, we learned all about Blends, the prequel novel in the Crescent Lake Winery Series. Now it’s time to dive in to the actual meat of the series, and hoo boy, is there meat to this series! Yes, I’ve had a sneak peek and yes, you will LOVE what Lucinda’s cooking up.

So. Book One. Breathe. Let’s talk about the important stuff first: the music! Lucinda, what song makes you think of Breathe?

In Case You Didn’t Know – Brett Young

Max holds so much inside, afraid of being hurt that he overly cautious – but he does fall hard for Tessa and when I hear this song I always think that Tessa didn’t know…

Okay, so what’s a rocker chick like me doing, hanging out with the likes of Lucinda Race, who’s exposed me to not one but TWO good country songs that I’d actually add to my playlist? Well, expanding my horizons and learning new things, of course! And yes, I can totally see this being Max’s song! Want to know why? Get the book.

But before we get to the buy links, here’s the official book description:

Romance and fine wine both need time to breathe…

Her family’s successful winery business in the Finger Lakes region of New York should have gone to Tessa Price. She’d always dreamed of running the winery, but when the “prodigal son” returns to take up the reins, she boldly strikes out on her own, purchasing Sand Creek Winery—a cash-strapped competitor—right out from under her family. She can forge her own destiny, using her marketing skills and big plans to bring new life to the winery. But first she has a proposition for the sexy previous owner. And he’s likely to hate it.

Kevin “Max” Maxwell would never have willingly sold his winery to anyone named “Price.” Family always comes first, and if paying for his sister’s cancer treatment cost him his business, it was worth it. But when the new owner offers him a one year contract to stay on as general manager, with a possible bonus, he really can’t afford to turn it down. He can ignore the effect her deep brown eyes and heart-shaped face have on his senses for a year, can’t he?

Relationships, like slowly ripening vineyards, take time. But Max has been keeping a secret from Tessa, one that could destroy her hopes for their future. Will a terrible accident force Tessa and Max to face how much they have to lose, or tear apart their budding relationship forever? Sometimes a romance is like a fine wine. To be its best, it just needs time to breathe.

Ooh, do you love that? “To be its best, it just needs time to breathe.”

YES.

Here’s your universal buy link. Because universal buy links are the way to go.

And remember to connect Lucinda Race so you don’t miss out on any of the great books in this series. Yes, I’m still biased, and proud of it.

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Amazon Author Page
Lucinda’s Heart Racers Reader Group
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Remember: I’d love to host you, your friend the writer, the person you really don’t like but pretend to… I don’t care! I’m about helping books find readers, so take advantage!

Let’s welcome Barbara Meyers to West of Mars!

I do owe Barbara an official, public apology. My spam filter got a little aggressive and started dumping all correspondence from my website into spam. Imagine my surprise when I found this sitting there, just days away from being deleted entirely!

But we’re all here now, and life is good. (However, if you don’t hear back from me within a week to 10 days, drop me an email independent of the site. That should go through.)

Now that I’ve taken care of that, let’s get down to business because Barbara’s song for her forthcoming book is one of my all-time favorites. Ready?

Barbara Meyers, what song makes you think of your book?

Evanescence – My Immortal

It’s the first song I thought of when I saw the question, because it makes me think of love and the pain of loss. This song is personal to me because of a tragedy that struck our family and was played at the memorial service. Both the hero and heroine in If You Dare have lost someone important to them, and they find their way through grief together. But still, they never forget the person they loved and lost.

Wow! To be able to hear something so starkly personal and not keep the song only for that memory. That takes strength and an open heart.

The book doesn’t come out until September, but the presale is running, and so here’s what it’s about. Go preorder now and then when it arrives, it’ll be like a gift that magically shows up on your ereader! How can you resist? Your future self will thank you. Here’s why?

Can a man evolve from arrogant ass to Father of the Year?

Doug Winston looks into his newborn daughter’s eyes and vows to become the kind of man and father worthy of her. But he first must navigate the mess he’s made of his life.

Doug’s wife has left him. His baby mama dies and to avenge her death her sister, Josie, wants to prove him unfit and attain custody. The teenage son he raised despises him, the father he worships disowns him, and a child Doug never knew he’d fathered arrives on his doorstep.

As Doug embarks on his quest to live authentically, to make amends where he can and build relationships with his children and with Josie, he discovers that the father for whom he was never good enough is part of a vast criminal network.

Just as Doug and Josie cross the line from hate to love, and Doug has cobbled together the family he always wanted, can he bring the man he once idolized to justice in order to protect them all?

That’s some description, huh? I love a good redemption story.

Like I said, preorder your copy!
Universal link

And connect with Barbara Meyers online. You’ll be glad you did.
Facebook Author Pages
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Twitter URL
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As always, remember to leave a review once you’ve read the book. Reviews help in many ways! If you’re unsure your review will pass muster, I’m always willing to help out. Drop me a line, although if you don’t hear back, contact me directly!

And, as always, if you’re an author, I’d love to host you for a day. If you’re not an author but have a friend who is, send ’em on over! The only requirement is that the book be new to my readers. I’ll let you decide what exactly that means.

As a line editor, over the years, I’ve developed a real love for two dialogue tags: asked and said. They are sneakily powerful, serving a variety of functions. And they aren’t narcissistic words, either, like some dialogue tags can be. You know: dialogue tags other than said.

I hadn’t really thought about dialogue tags other than said or asked much. I’d been too focused on the job said and asked do. But one day recently, I had a client – we’ll call her Stevie – and she used a crazy amount of dialogue tags other than said. I’m talking… well, about 99.5% of the tags were other than said.

And I realized something. Something important.

She was using words like commanded, appealed, soothed, admonished, challenged, criticized, questioned, countered, chided, contested. And many, many more (I actually wrote almost all of them down!)

And okay, a lot of them start with the letter C. A lot of them start with S, as well: scoffed, smirked, scolded, shot back, stated, sympathized, and more.

That’s not what I noticed. Nope.

 

 

What I noticed about dialogue tags other than said

I noticed that many of these words are aggressive words. They are words of verbal warfare, of one-upmanship, of hostility and anger.

And beyond that, I noticed two other things:
1. They were making me very very angry and I had to take frequent breaks and actually leave my office for a few minutes, until my blood stopped pounding in my ears and the black cloud over my head broke itself up.
2. No matter how calm the characters were supposed to be, those aggressive words made them seem as if they, too, were arguing and had a contentious relationship. And you know what? When you’re trying to write two people coming together and maybe having feelings for each other, that doesn’t work so well.

 

 

Are dialogue tags other than said bad?

In short, no. But use them sparingly. A lot of them tell what the dialogue shows. Questioned, for example. Stop and think. Can the reader tell that the character is questioning the other? Does the content of a character’s speech show us that they are sharing a secret? Then there’s no need to use confided.

But sometimes, you need that extra oomph. Sometimes, using he countered in a spot helps the reader understand the dynamic between the two characters. Maybe that helps the reader understand that a negotiation is happening. That’s a valuable spot in which to use a dialogue tag other than said.

So my takeaway for you today is to take a good hard look at your dialogue tags. Look at the tags used in the book you’re reading—because of course you’re reading, right?

Take a step back. Change that tag to another word. See how it affects the reader, the characters, the tension in the scene, the dynamics between the characters who are speaking.

And never, ever, be afraid to use said. Or asked. They are good little words.

 

This is one of my favorite subjects!

Check out this older post, about a time when I encountered tags other than said in a published book.

Or this one, which came about because one of you had a question about that post.

And then you gotta wonder about the difference between asked and said, right?

Another reader question about asked and said, and here’s a bit more in-depth answer to that question.

 

Don’t believe me?

This is the spot where I’m supposed to link to a bunch of other posts that reinforce this idea. But most of them… I don’t like. They are either too elementary (What is a dialogue tag?) or kinda insulting to those of us who believe that you can use both types of tags – said/asked and the fancy stuff – just with caution and an eye toward good craft. You, my reader, are savvy enough to toe this line. You really are.

So here’s one good one about the subject. It’s from Litreactor, which is a new-to-me site, so expect me to poke around there some more and see what they’re all about.

 

One caveat:

Look out for sites like this. It’s Reedsy, and yes, I’ve got a profile there and you can see it and hire me through it (but why when I’m right here and you’re right here?). But this… isn’t good advice for a young writer. The implication is that you only want to use dialogue tags other than said, and we know that’s not how this works. SAID. ASKED. These are magic words. Use ’em.

Let’s welcome author TN Nova to West of Mars!

TN has a new book to share with us today, and for you series lovers, it’s the first. You get to start on the ground floor — but you also have the agony of having to wait until the next one comes out. It’s a mixed bag, finding out about a series starter when it’s new. I’m still a fan, especially given how backlogged my own TBR mountains are. By the time I get around to starting a new series, the next one (or, let’s be honest, more) are out.

TN and Colette’s book is called For You I Fall and there’s got to be a song that makes TN think of the book, right?

Right.

Do or Die by 30 Seconds To Mars reminds me of For You I Fall on so many levels. It took Seth dying to learn to live and love. It took Dante Falling to achieve his love. They will never forget the moment that they were able to be together and love freely.

You know, this song is on many of my Spotify playlists, but I’ve never listened to it. Time to change THAT!

Ready for the description?

Despite having had a rough life, Seth has a big heart. After spending nearly ten years sleeping rough on the streets of New York, he’s managed to get himself freelance work and a place to live. But his new found security is about to be torn apart, as the horrors of his past come back to haunt him in the worst possible way.

Dante was sent to watch over a young Seth when his mother died. As an angel, he had many rules to follow. The most important of which was to never fall in love—especially when it involves a human who is your charge. For the last ten years, Dante has kept his feelings for Seth hidden. That is until the night Seth’s past catches up with him.

When Seth is murdered, their destinies are changed forever. Feelings and emotions come to the surface, but will the rules that govern the afterlife keep Dante and Seth apart for eternity, or will they be able to find their happily ever after together?

**Contains explicit language and scenes**

Ooh, there’s so much to like in here. Agree? Grab a copy!
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Remember, the best way to show your appreciation for an author’s book is to (well, pay money for it) leave a review online somewhere and talk about it to your friends and others who’ll like it. Another good way, though, is to connect with the author. Or, in this case, authors. Yep, TN stopped in, but that doesn’t mean you can’t connect with Colette, too!

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Colette Davison

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Woot! Let’s welcome Kimberly Fish to West of Mars!

Kimberly’s got a new book coming out, so let’s take a minute and talk to her about what song makes her think of it.

I’ll Be Seeing You–the scratchy record version sung by Bing Crosby. I’ll Be Seeing You is an iconic song made famous by a rule-breaking woman–Billie Holliday. Rule-breaking women are my favorite characters to read about and write about. These particular lyrics reflect the main character–Lane Mercer– and her feelings of lost love and longing for the men who defined her career. Plus–and this may be my favorite aspect–the song is a little ironic for a spy novel. My two female characters have carried out difficult missions for the U.S. government through the espionage agency, the OSS. As spies, their primary goal is to remain undetected. So, a love song about “seeing” someone in familiar places means the spies are not doing their job. To be clear, Lane Mercer and Emmie Tesco are very good at their jobs–too good.

Ooh, this is good stuff. I definitely want to read this one! It comes out in mid-June, so mark your calendars, add Kimberly’s blog to your reader, and stay informed.

Ready for the official description? Here you go:

In 1943, Lane Mercer and Emmie Tesco had nothing in common. Well, nothing stronger than a town neither of them chose and careers they couldn’t advertise as agents within the Office of Strategic Services. During the days of Longview, Texas’ Friendly Trek Homecoming Parade, Lane was gearing up for the grand opening of a bookshop that also disguised an espionage safe house, and Emmie was chasing a criminal with evil intent through the US Army’s new medical facility treating diseased and amputated soldiers, Harmon General Hospital. Emmie ropes Lane into international threats at Harmon General, making it increasingly hard for the two spies to navigate the Junior Service League, church life, or anything else that might be considered normal for a town sizzling with oil boom wealth. A friend from Lane’s past arrives and pushes against the fiction she’s created to distance her spy history from the wedding bells ringing her future. Emmie flirts with the idea of finding a life outside of the OSS, but justifies the danger as a way to make amends for those she’s betrayed. Connecting the two women, to their surprise, is a rogue agent who targets them for crimes he believes they created. For better, or worse, they have to put aside their differences to share responsibility for stopping “The Grasshopper” before he blows apart the Big Inch Pipeline project, and Harmon General Hospital. The hope of malaria treatments for US soldiers depends on it, and justice of the heart demands it.

Buy links aren’t up yet, but since this is a sequel to Kimberly’s novel, The Big Inch. So be sure to get that one now so you’re all caught up and ready for Harmon General’s release. Y’all see the link in that previous sentence, right?

Of course you do. You guys aren’t dummies.

Which means you’re going to connect with Kimberly, too, right? Of course! She just might have written the best “connect with me” link posts ever. At least of those I’ve seen submitted here at West of Mars, which for me counts as ever. Pooh on you if you don’t agree.

I like to blog about the writing process
I have one social media app on my iPhone and it’s Instagram–so follow here to see my spontaneous photos

I’m also on GoodReads learning about new books in the market and talking to readers

I do keep a Kimberly Fish, author page on Facebook and love to announce bookish news, events, awards, and connect with readers.

My friend Suzanne Grieco Mattaboni steps into the spotlight this week!

To be honest, we weren’t even casual acquaintances before the Running Wild Anthology of Stories came out, but now that we’ve been working together for a couple of months, let me tell you what a cool woman Suzanne is. You’ll want to check out her story, Dawning, and then connect with her.

So, Suzanne, what song makes you think of your story?

This sounds fatalistic, but “It’s The End of the World As We Know It” by R.E.M. makes me think of my story, “Dawning,” which appears in the “Running Wild Anthology of Stories” (Volume 2). First off, the song dates to the late ’80s, which zaps me back to when the confusion of navigating an adult world first hit me. Like a frying pan to the head.

Second, the chaos of the song itself reflects the inner turmoil of being on this confounding yet exciting precipice between the world of carefree college parties; and the workaday, gritty reality of starting a career from scratch in an unforgiving city. The lyrics are random and harsh and rambling:

“That’s great, it starts with an earthquake/Birds and snakes, and aeroplanes …
… Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn …
… Birthday party, cheesecake, jellybean, boom … Right? Right!”

Yet even in the midst of incoherent disaster, the narrator of the song finds a sense of redemption that sews-up the narrative:

“It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel l fine … I feel fine …”

I heard the producers of “Friends” wanted to use this song as the opening theme but couldn’t afford it. They wanted it because it embodies that point when life first spits you onto the pavement of the grown-up world, left to find your way in the midst of what seems like the insurmountable insanity of adulthood. Yet you have to give in to it, realizing you’re destined to become another person soon, someone who might even have a better, more drama-free existence and professional life ahead of her. Eventually. If you can tough it out.

“Dawning” drops us into that moment. Throw in a Manhattan Christmas party, the 7 train to Queens, 15 helium balloons, illegal substances, and a best friend who doesn’t understand the word NO, and you’ve got the picture.

Give the story a read!

Pick up your own copy of this incredible anthology. The more I investigate it, the more I love it and am proud to be one of its contributors.
Amazon
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Rakuten/Kobo
iTunes

And connect with Suzanne!
My website
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Huff Post blog

An anthology I have a story in, of course!

I’ve posted about the Hot Metal Press before. I’m partial to them because they are local to me, and to be honest, if I get the time to polish something up, you just may have some friendly competition for a spot in this awesome literary magazine. (And yes, despite my roots at Pitt, I am eligible to submit, as the Hot Metal Press did not, to the best of my knowledge, exist back when I was there. You know. In the Pleistocene Epoch. Which means I couldn’t have been on the staff.)

So what are they looking for? Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Visual Art.

They are NOT a paying market. But their byline looks cool, and one can never have too many publications on one’s longtail of publishing accomplishments.

They also have very defined tastes… sort of:

We want to read fiction that turns out heads to show us a new perspective. Be it through formal invention, depth of insight, or strength of narrative, the fiction that grips us does so by revealing a little sliver of some idiosyncratic, particular human life. But we don’t want to get too specific here: we want your best story—your ire, your lore, your comic relief—whatever form it may take.

Keep it under 6k words, and good luck!!

As always, if you submit, let me know. And if you submit and are accepted, definitely let me know so I can brag about it and help spread the word and hopefully get more eyeballs on your work. (And remember, submissions for the Featured New Book and/or Lines of Distinction ARE welcome if you’ve published a short story.)

Go for it! Here’s the link you need, to Submittable.

Good luck!

Let’s welcome Carol Roberts to West of Mars!

You guys are really writing cool stuff (and listening to music I’d never discover on my own) and you knock my socks off. I am continually impressed with what comes out of your imaginations.

So, Carol, what song makes you think of your book?

‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley. Why: Because when the song came out, I thought, yes, I have been listening to echos of emotions for a long time; I am about to go crazy, but I am still going to write about what I have been hearing. I was definitely out of touch with reality when I wrote ‘Atlantis’, caught up interpreting my condition, and at the same time trying to understand the underlying meaning of mythical literature. What could be important enough to survive the ages as myth? Does it want to tell us something about ourselves, our destiny, the challenges evolution has thrown at us, our choices? ‘Crazy’ helped me to forget about what people might think, and put into writing what I ‘knew too much of’.

Okay, anyone else absolutely fascinated by that answer? WOW.

Here’s what the book is about:

When Alanthea, high-priestess of Atlantis, connects to a woman in her dreams, she becomes haunted by a mystery. Compelled to trace the other woman’s life she finds coded poems that hold clues to the predicament of her people. Now she has to venture ever farther into forbidden territory to link past and present, and understand the real danger threatening Atlantis.

Arakon always thought of himself as an orphan, a loner without any real belonging. But after a strange encounter his life changes, and he is drawn into events beyond his control.

They move parallel in their search for answers until their destinies converge, and the weave unravels. Yet what they finally uncover lies deep at the heart of collective evolution, and what has been set in motion cannot be undone.

I’m fascinated. Are you? There’s so much potential here… I can’t wait to dive in to a copy and see if it lives up to what I’m seeing.

Pick up your own copy! It’s only at Amazon for now, but maybe that will change so you non-Amazon people can have a read, too.

And be sure to connect with Carol, as well. We’ve spoken only a little, but she seems way cool. I’d like to get to know her better. Join me!
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Book trailer

Grr, but no one had sent me their book information this week to be featured in the spotlight, and I was out of town all weekend, with limited Internet access. (which is a fancy phrase for unplugging and too bad if you don’t like it) So this week, the spotlight is temporarily dark.

If you hate when that happens as much as I do, send me your information, and do it early in the week! I love learning about your books, love hearing your music, and love bringing it all to a wider audience. Best of all, unless you want to reserve a certain date, it’s FREE.

Only costs you a couple minutes of your time.

Have at it. Flood my inbox. Just remember… it only has to be NEW to me and my readers.

I like telling you guys about interviews I do. Usually, I am out and about talking about writing, about fiction, about being an editor or (more rarely these days) being a writer.

But these aren’t usual times, as all of us know.

And so I’m talking to other people. New people. People who love to help spread the story of my January 29016 bicycling accident. That’s because I am not fighting a genetic illness. I’m not obese and dealing with Type 2 Diabetes. I’m not any of those things certain factions of the health care legislation community points to as drains on the medical system.

Okay, I’m a woman. But beyond that.

The thing that journalists love is that I am an accident victim. Something happened — and we’ll never know what, according to my concussion doctor — and I wound up with an injury that will never fully heal. I’ll never have 20/20 vision out of my damaged eye again. I require ongoing care to make sure I can maintain my vision. Because something happened.

I’m a pre-existing condition of the worst kind: the accident victim.

And accidents can (and do) happen to anyone. Life happens, you know? And I now need ongoing medical care.

I have never been hugely political. But now, I find I have to be. My joke about renaming the business to Cyclops Editing: I do with one eye what everyone else does with two is… not so funny when faced with the reality that I’ve spent a year and a half fighting to save my vision. My house, my career, my freedom.

So, yes. I’m asking you to join me. Here’s the latest article about what the proposed changes to our health care system will do to not on me, but others. Amy Zellmer did a great job writing it. Now, I’m asking you to read it. To think about me. To think about yourself, and what would YOU do if this bill passes and you have an accident of your own.

Share the link. Encourage others to see it. To stand up for all of us, really.

Because tomorrow, it can be YOU lying on the floor with a hand over your eye, screaming not at the pain but at the horror of what’s just happened, even though you have no idea what just happened. All you know is that it’s black like you’ve never seen black before, that the image of a pink-taped handlebar is forever seared on your brain as it came closer, that the feeling of inevitability flooded you and held you down and allowed it to happen.

Because tomorrow, it can be you coming out of a surgery with no one waiting for you at the hospital, no one who can or will tell you how long it took them to clean your eye up, no one there to hold your hand when the resident, cute as he was, tells you that yes, you’ll be able to drive with only one eye, as though it’s a foregone conclusion that this is your new future.

Because tomorrow, it can be you who follows the surgeon’s instructions like you’ve never followed instructions before, and it can be you with the miracle outcome of an eye, of vision in that eye.

And because tomorrow, it can be you who goes from being perfectly healthy and riding your bike to, in an instant, needing ongoing medical care for the rest of your life, but you don’t know, thanks to the government’s crazy ideas, if keeping your vision means losing your house, your scant life savings, the business you’ve worked so hard to build up and nurture and grow.

Yes. You can be where I am, and that’s why this fight really is about every single one of us.

Join me in it.

SOMETHING MORE (The Three Graces Book Three) by Nia Farrell. Rachel Givens is supposed to be dead. She has post-rape PTSD and a three-year-old autistic daughter, father unknown. When her former lovers walk into the diner where she works, this single mother learns just how much more she can handle. Nominated for Best BDSM Book of the Year, Ménage Category, 2016 Golden Flogger Awards.

Buy links to SOMETHING MORE (a BSDM MFM ménage secret baby erotic romance):
Amazon  http://mybook.to/SomethingMore
Barnes and Noble  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/something-more-nia-farrell/1122797262?ean=2940151160094
Allromance  https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-somethingmore-1905345-147.html
Smashwords  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/585262
Dark Hollows Press  http://www.darkhollowspress.com/#!something-more/c1clr

 

SOMETHING DIFFERENT (The Three Graces Book Two) by Nia Farrell. Starving artist Anna James has sworn off men. Rock gods Jackson and Jacob Thomason just promised her the best sex of her life. Does Anna dare submit to the part-Comanche twins who perform as No Mercy?

 

Buy links to SOMETHING DIFFERENT (a BSDM MFM ménage rock star erotic romance):

Amazon ➔ http://mybook.to/SomethingDifferent

Barnes and Noble ➔ http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/something-different-nia-farrell/1122718107?ean=2940150808072

Allromance ➔ https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-somethingdifferent-1897500-147.html

BookStrand ➔ http://www.bookstrand.com/something-different-0

Smashwords ➔ https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/581142

Dark Hollows Press ➔ http://www.darkhollowspress.com/#!something-different/c13v4