We have a really fun interview with The Book Oscar Winner in the category for Best Couple, L.J. Shen :) Just scroll down and check it out :)
Hi Leigh :)
Congratulations on your win and welcome to Living in Our Own Story :) Thanks a lot for sparing the time to answer a few questions for us and our readers.
LIOS: What prompted you to write and release your first book?.
Leigh: I really wanted to write an MMA romance because at the time, there weren’t that many. That’s about it. I didn’t do any promotion or had an idea what I was doing. I just hit publish.
LIOS: What is your inspiration for writing such incredible books?
Leigh: Thank you! I have no idea where I find my inspiration to be honest. My characters just come to me I guess. I love reading and watching movies and TV. I am constantly inspired by other people’s art.
LIOS: When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Leigh: From when I was six probably, and learned how to read.
LIOS: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Leigh: Between 7-8 months editing excluded.
LIOS: Who is your favorite book boyfriend?
Leigh: Jared Trent from the Fall Away Series.
LIOS: Who is your author idol?
Leigh: There are a few. Outside the romance genre, I love Jonathan Franzen, Zadie Smith, Stephen King, Joe Hill and JK Rowling. In “our” genre: Colleen Hoover, Penelope Douglas, JA Huss, Jay Crownover, Kristen Ashley. I admire brave writers who push the envelope and go against the grain.
LIOS: What sexy scene from your books you would like to re-enact in real life?
Leigh: Uh, all of them? I really give it my all when I write the sex scenes in my books. I try not to re-hash the last book and give every character their style of what they like in bed/what they do in bed.
LIOS: Do you remember the first book that made you cry and how old were you?
Leigh: The Promise by Danielle Steel. I guess I was…nine? I’m pretty sure I snuck that book into my room without anyone noticing.
LIOS: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
Leigh: Nothing. I feel like it’s easier for me to write a man than a woman. Men don’t have to be as likeable/well-mannered and spoken as women in romance books. And I’ve had the pleasure (or misfortune) to hang out with enough men in my life to know how their mind works more or less.
LIOS: What was your hardest scene to write?
Leigh: The last 20% of the book in general are the hardest for me to write.
LIOS: What can we expect from you next?
Leigh: A lot of twisty, sweet, funny, sad, emotional, detached things. Yes. All of them.
LIOS: Thank you Leigh for spending some time with us and answering our questions :) We love you :)
We have a really fun interview with The Book Oscar Winner in the category for Best Cover, M. Robinson :) Just scroll down and check it out :)
Hi Monica :)
Congratulations on your win and welcome to Living in Our Own Story :) Thanks a lot for sparing the time to answer a few questions for us and our readers.
LIOS: What prompted you to write and release your first book?.
Monica: I’ve always been an avid reader. I have been a reader since I was a kid, so books have always been a passion of mine. The only reason I released a book in the first place, was because my husband pushed me to. He spent over a year trying to convince me to write one. So one day I just sat down and started writing, and the rest is history!
LIOS: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Monica: Give or take six weeks to write a full length novel.
LIOS: Who is your favorite book boyfriend?
Monica: Alexander from The Bronze Horseman Trilogy by Paullina Simons
LIOS: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Monica: Depending on the content of the book. The darker books took me the longest. I was so excited to write Tempt the Boss that it took me a month.
LIOS: Who is your author idol?
Monica: Paullina Simons, author of The Bronze Horsemen Trilogy. I am obsessed with her characters and writing style. I have read those books at least 20 times each and feel like I’m reading them for the first time again. She is definitely my author idol, hands down.
LIOS: What sexy scene from your books you would like to re-enact in real life?
Monica: All of them *Wink ;)
LIOS: Do you remember the first book that made you cry and how old were you?
Monica: A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer not sure how old I was.
LIOS: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
Monica: Definitely switching back and forth from one POV to the next. I’m in one mind set for a while and then have to switch to a male. Can be challenging at times not making him sound like a female lol.
LIOS: How do you select the names of your characters?
Monica: I pick names that I like generally. For characters that make small appearances I will use some of my Beta Readers names, or friends names ;) Before I was naming all my heroines after my nieces, but I ran out of them now. So just names that interest me, names I would choose for my own kids.
LIOS: What was your hardest scene to write?
Monica: One of my characters from one of my books had to say their final goodbye to a loved one that had cancer. It was hard to write because it was like taking a page out of my own book and wrote everything I went through for that scene. Every emotion I had was poured out into that scene.
LIOS: What can we expect from you next?
Monica: Expect the unexpected! As far as my next book… El Santo will be releasing August 29th, 2017. You meet him in Ends Here.
LIOS: Thank you Monica for spending some time with us and answering our questions :) We love you :)
We have a really fun interview with The Book Oscar Winner in the category for Best New Author, Natasha Madison :) Just scroll down and check it out :)
Hi Natasha :)
Congratulations on your win and welcome to Living in Our Own Story :) Thanks a lot for sparing the time to answer a few questions for us and our readers.
LIOS: What prompted you to write and release your first book?.
Natasha: I was a blogger for three years before I got dared into trying to write my own book. I opened a document and just started writing. That turned into Something So Right.
LIOS: What is your inspiration for writing such incredible books?
Natasha: I have to see the story in my head before I start writing. Even before I open the document. Then it comes out of me. I usually listen to music to get a feel for it. But sometimes the characters have different ideas.
LIOS: When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Natasha: When I sent my book to my closest friends and lied about it being me who wrote it. When they came back with all good feedback I got the courage that I could do this.
LIOS: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Natasha: Depending on the content of the book. The darker books took me the longest. I was so excited to write Tempt the Boss that it took me a month.
LIOS: Who is your favorite book boyfriend?
Natasha: There are to many to name.
LIOS: Who is your author idol?
Natasha: I think Kristen Ashley walks on water.
LIOS: What sexy scene from your books you would like to re-enact in real life?
Natasha: The ocean sex scene in Something So Right
LIOS: Do you remember the first book that made you cry and how old were you?
Natasha: I don’t usually cry at books. I will say that I sobbed like a baby when I read a scene in Walk Through Fire by KA
LIOS: How do you select the names of your characters?
Natasha: I am so bad at this that there is more than one Chris in Pieces of Heaven. Often times when I need a name I look at the TV or I ask my husband. Funny story I didn’t even name Bella in Hell and Back till 10,000 words in. I forgot to name her
LIOS: What was your hardest scene to write?
Natasha: The beating and motel scene in Hell And Back,
LIOS: What can we expect from you next?
Natasha: I’ve said that 2017 will be filled with ranbows, unicorns and glitter farts.
LIOS: Thank you Natasha for spending some time with us and answering our questions :) We love you :)
‘Tracie Podger has only gone and done it again. She has woven a deliciously dark tale of murder and secrets. A Deadly Sin is full of angst, drama and suspense
that will keep you on the edge of your seat this mesmerizing story as it reveals all of it's glorious twists and turns.’ – Tasha, Reds Midnight Readers
‘If I could give this book more than 5 stars… I would it to me is worth so much more.’ – Charlie, WLTB Book Blog
‘GRIPPING, DARK, EERIE, GRUESOME, HEART-STOPPING, HAND OVER MOUTH WHILST READING WITH THE TWISTS AND TRUTHS, AND UTTERLY AMAZING.’ – Vicki, Rock Hard Romance
Excerpt:
Capital Vices. Cardinal Sins. Which one is the worst? Is it pride, greed, or lust? Maybe it’s envy, gluttony, or even wrath. As for sloth? What does that actually mean?
I guess we’ve all been guilty of these sins but no more than the man I have been watching for years. I know every thing he does. I know the time he leaves his house each morning. I know the speed he drives his car to work, the exact moment he will turn on the indicator when he makes that right turn into the parking lot.
I know the friends he meets with a slap to the back, a high five, or shoulder bump. I know the women that fawn over him. He, they, made me feel sick to my stomach.
They don’t know me; I doubt they’ve ever noticed me. They will, though, soon. I’ve waited a long time for this, a long time to turn his comfortable life on its head, to destroy him.
****
My palms sweated as I walked the stone floor corridor. My footsteps echoed, and in my head I could hear my heart beat a frantic rhythm. I took a few deep breaths as I reached the double oak doors, intricately carved with figures. I was thankful that the hand I reached out to turn the large brass handle was steady. My other hand held a revolver down beside my thigh. I wasn’t sure what I was going to be faced with when I gently turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open. It creaked as the old rusting hinges protested, reminding me of a scary movie.
Sunlight blazed into the empty room through a broken glass window. It picked out every speck of dust that floated around. Immediately, my senses were assaulted by a metallic tang, it filled my nostrils and coated my taste buds as I took a breath in through my mouth. Then I saw her.
Against the back wall was my missing girl. Crucified.
My stomach lurched; I swallowed down the bile that rose to burn my throat. I closed my eyes briefly. Casey Long: blonde-haired, cheerleader, straight A student, naked and covered in blood, was tied to a cross against the back wall.
“Fuck!” I whispered. “Fuck!”
For five days I’d been searching for her after her mother had called in a missing person’s report. Five days of having no idea she was practically on my doorstep. I holstered my gun and made a call.
“Dean, she’s in here,” I said.
I took care to retreat only in the places I had already stepped. Making sure not to further disturb any forensic evidence, until I made my way back out of the room and gently closed the door behind me. There was no need to check for signs of life; Casey was very clearly dead.
Within seconds, the corridor was filled with activity. Dean, my partner for the past five years, strode toward me. His size ten feet clomped on the polished floor.
“Is it definitely her?” he asked. I nodded.
“Dead?” Again, I nodded.
“Fuck!” He echoed my sentiments.
“Detective?” I turned toward the voice behind me.
“Samuel, I think you best step outside,” I said to the caretaker of Montfort High School.
No matter how many times I’d told him to call me by my name, he never did. Samuel was an old guy; he’d been the caretaker when I’d been a student at Montfort some years ago. He was as old as the school back then.
I watched as he nodded and backed down the corridor, wringing his hands together. I imagined the sight of what he’d discovered on his morning rounds would finish him where working at the school was concerned. How do you recover from seeing something like that? It was bad enough for me and Dean, and we’d seen our fair share of murder.
“I’ve called in the doc, she’s on her way,” Dean said.
“Okay, we need to seal this off, close this wing down. You want to call it in?”
Dean fished his mobile from his pocket and called through to the station. As he walked a little way down the corridor for a better reception, I took a deep breath, I knew at some point that day I’d be delivering the worst news possible to the parent of a missing child.
I’d always wanted to be a cop, ever since receiving a costume for Halloween one year. Despite growing out of it, I’d kept that badge for years. I loved my job, normally. I just hated knowing what I would have to do soon. I could send someone else, but I’d grown up in this town, I knew most of its occupants, and I wanted to be the one to break the news to Sally Long.
I scrubbed my hand over my face, feeling the two-day-old stubble around my jaw. Dean would take a statement from Samuel while I waited for Doc, or Eddie, as she was called.
Our state medical examiner had, only a few hours prior, been naked in my bed after we'd spent the night fucking. Neither of us had gotten any sleep, but I knew, as soon as she arrived, there would be no evidence of that.
Hi Tracey and welcome to Living in Our Own Story :) Thanks a lot for sparing the time to answer a few questions for us and our readers.
LIOS: Most of our readers probably already know you as you are one of our favorite authors. But just in case you are new to them, tell us something fun about yourself.
Tracey: That’s a lovely thing for you to say, thank you. Something fun? Mmm, I’m a scuba diving instructor, although I don’t get time to teach right now. I have an obsession with Jaffa Cakes and I won’t share them!
LIOS: Most of the books you’ve written, are suspenseful and fast paced romances that keep the readers on their toes. Where do you get your inspiration from?
Tracey: Life, and a very active imagination mainly. When I start to write I don’t always know exactly where the story is going, or even what genre it will end up as. There may be a twist in the plot, or something the character said in my mind that will turn the book completely on its head. I guess I get inspiration from the story itself and the characters I’ve created.
LIOS: We know that choosing your favorite character and book is probably like choosing a favorite child, but still who is your favorite character and book you’ve written so far? And if you are able to choose one, tell us why ;)
Tracey: Hand on heart, Robert Stone from the Fallen Angel Series will always own a piece of me. When I wrote the series I wasn’t that long out of hospital and I put my all into those stories. Robert kept me company during some dark times, so for that reason, he’ll always be my favourite.
LIOS: Your book covers are always incredible. How do you choose the models for them and what makes you pick a specific one?
Tracey: Choosing the right cover models is a really tricky task. I spend hours going through portfolios, looking at half naked…. No, I mean, studying composition, placement….erm, ha ha. In all seriousness, its tough to find the model that best represents the character and it has been known for me to alter the description in the book to suit the model. I work with two photographers whom I trust and are my go-to when I need a model. I’ll message and ask if they have a, brown eyed, brown hair, for example. I will study the portfolio because I’m not just looking for the right model; I’m looking for the right pose, the right background. My covers usually represent a scene in the book, so you don’t just get a model, you get something that you’ll later understand when you read the story.
LIOS: Most of our readers probably know you from your Fallen Angel series. How is Deadly Sin different from it?
Tracey: A Deadly Sin is my second thriller and although the Fallen Angel series is romantic suspense, the emphasis is on the romance. A Deadly Sin features a character we first met in Gabriel, another thriller, although the book is a standalone. I love to read all genres, so it made sense that, at some point, I’d dabble in different genres too. I’ve loved writing Deadly; it’s a lot darker than Gabriel and poles apart from the Fallen Angel series.
LIOS: What in your opinion will attract your Fallen Angel fans to Deadly Sin?
Tracey: I’m not so sure that readers stick exclusively to one genre. I think we have a favourite, for sure. I’m hoping that readers of my series will not only like the story, but my style of writing. The content may change, but my style will always be the same. I’m also hoping that I’ll attract new readers to Deadly who may want a little light, sexy relief after and pop on over to the series.
LIOS: What should we expect from you in the foreseeable future?
Tracey: I have put The Fallen Angel series into a box set for a limited time offer and I hate to say this, but those characters have started chattering away again. However, I have to concentrate on my third thriller (yet to be named), another standalone but connected to Gabriel and Deadly. I have four projects waiting on completion and I think my promise of only three books next year might go out the window! So, next ‘book’ out will be the box set in December, then we will see more from Gabriel and Mich end of March next year.
LIOS: Thank you Tracie for spending some time with us and answering our questions :) We
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Tracey: Thank you for having me, and for your continued support. I really do appreciate it <3 div="">
Other Books by the Author:
Available from Amazon, iBooks, Kobo & Nook
Fallen Angel, Part 1
Fallen Angel, Part 2
Fallen Angel, Part 3
Fallen Angel, Part 4
The Fallen Angel Box Set
Evelyn - A Novella – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
Rocco – A Novella – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
Robert – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
Travis – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
A Virtual Affair – A standalone
Gabriel – A standalone
The Facilitator
A Deadly Sin
Coming soon
Hitchhiker - 2017
Jackson - 2017
Letters to Lincoln – 2017
Rocco: The Missing Years – 2017
Harlot
About the Author:
Tracie Podger currently lives in Kent, UK with her husband and a rather obnoxious cat called George. She’s a Padi Scuba Diving Instructor with a passion for writing. Tracie has been fortunate to have dived some of the wonderful oceans of the world where she can indulge in another hobby, underwater photography. She likes getting up close and personal with sharks.
Tracie likes to write in different genres. Her Fallen Angel series and its accompanying books are mafia romance and full of suspense. A Virtual Affair is contemporary romance, and Gabriel and A Deadly Sin are thriller/suspense. The Facilitator is erotic romance.
If you've read Tracie Podger before, you know that she has the uncanny ability to weave stories that will keep you up at night, wondering what happens next. And probably pay extra attention to the dark corners just to make sure that nothing unexpected is going to jump out from them. Well, this story doesn't disappoint. It will catch you from the very beginning and make your head spin until the very end. Probably even after that. And don't be surprised if you find yourself sleeping with one eye open ;)
The truth is, I am not really sure how to review the book. My head is still spinning from this heart-stopping thriller. One of the things I really enjoyed about the plot is that it is unpredictable. No matter what you think will happen, you should expect that there is something else around the corner. I loved Mich and Eddie and their seemingly casual relationship. They are both intriguing, brooding and carry secrets that can destroy them. And unfortunately, the gruesome murders are entwined with their past, present and will leave deep scars into their future.
The idea of using the seven deadly sins as a backdrop in the story is simply genius. But then, what else can you expect from Tracie Podger :D Those of you who've read her before, know that she is one of the very few authors that will keep you on the edge of your seat and never let you down. And if you haven't read her yet, that's a huge miss on your part. So get your #oneclick finger ready and pick up your copy :)
One hundred days without sex? Is that even possible?
When I got offered an exchange year to the Italian art school of my dreams, I nearly cried. I could barely afford college expenses at home let alone in a foreign country. I had to decline but my rich, uptight grandmother called with her screwed up offer.
If I agreed to her conditions, she’d foot the bill. So I agreed. I figured she didn’t really care about my sex life, she just wanted me to keep my partying off the radar of her fancy friends.
I was so wrong.
The sexy but annoying Chad moved into my apartment to keep me under surveillance. He’s impervious to my charms and for some damn reason, dead set on making sure I lose this deal.
One hundred days is a helluva long time to avoid temptation – even longer when Chad becomes the temptation.
Candy J. Starr used to be a band manager until she realised that the band she managed was so lacking in charisma that they actually sucked the charisma out of any room they played. "Screw you," she said, leaving them to wallow in obscurity - totally forgetting that they owed her big bucks for video equipment hire.
Candy has filmed and interviewed some big names in the rock business, and a lot of small ones. She's seen the dirty little secrets that go on in the back rooms of band venues. She's seen the ugly side of rock and the very pretty one.
Trey Taylor was loving life. Bass player to the world famous rock band Devil’s Lair, chicks falling to their knees at every turn, no one to be held accountable to for his actions…life rocked.
He had all he needed, food to sustain his body, sex to sustain his libido, rock to sustain his soul. For years he walked to the beat of his own drum, and made no excuses to anyone. Running and hiding can temporarily distract your fate, but it won’t derail it. Fate was coming for him, whether he liked it or not.
His past was gaining ground and threatening all the secrets he desperately tried to hide. His present was slowing him down, making him feel emotions he buried years ago. The two are about to collide. Will Trey survive the impact?
*This is translated into Spanish in the previous post, click HERE for Spanish speakers*
The day has finally come! Welcome to the Indie-Credible Event with the wonderful author Jen Wylie! =D First of all, I want to thank the girls from Little Read Riding Hood and Creative Deeds Reads for pairing us with Jen because thanks to them I´ve been able to read some EPIC books and meet such a wonderful author. We have been doing a warming up week for the event because she deserves it, here are the links:
Now I want to introduce Jen Wylie. She resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her two boys, Australian
shepherd and a disagreeable amount of wildlife. In a cosmic twist of fate she
dislikes the snow and cold.
Before
settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and
worked in retail and sales. Thanks
to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in
public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and
finds it amazing most people don’t. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy,
both novels and short stories.
That is the official bio,but I want to tell you what I learn of Jen in this past month. She is an indie-credible author because she has created a lot of wonderful short stories and novels. She is a really caring, hard working and lovely person. She has been really patient and helpful with us. We would love to meet her in person one day because she has became on of my favourite authors. With her latest novels Broken Aro and Broken Prince she made me believe that love is the most powerful magic ever; that friendship and family and forever; that no matter how bad things are if you have people that care for you, you can get better. Basically, she made me believe in magic again.
Open
your eyes to darkness. What do you see? Does the darkness frighten you? Now
imagine the darkness being the cargo hold of a slave ship. Your city has
fallen. Your family is most likely dead. You don’t know anyone around you, and
some of them aren’t even human. Giving up would be so easy to do, but not for
Arowyn Mason. Not after being raised in a military family with seven brothers.
Every great story should begin with a plan. Aro’s was to escape and to survive.
Escape
comes, but at a price. As they reach the shore, Aro and the other survivors
learn that freedom doesn’t mean safety. The slavers want their property back
and will do anything to get it. The party uses every ounce of their brute
strength, a hearty helping of cunning, and even ancient magics to keep
themselves alive. Sickness, danger, and even love surprise them at every turn.
Dealing with danger becomes their way of life, but none of them ever considered
that nothing can be quite as dangerous as a prophecy. Running turns into
another race altogether as her world falls to pieces again and again.
We are so excited
to be hosting our first author interview with Jen Wylie.
- Do you speak any
other language other than English? Which one would you like to learn?
I speak a little
bit of French (being Canadian we take it in school until Gr. 9) and also a
little bit of German (from my father) I would love to learn to speak German
fluently. Another language I'd love to learn one day is Gaelic.
- What historical character would
you meet if you could?
Oh, this is a hard one. Hmmm. I
think Joan of Arc would be a pretty interesting person to meet. Another that
comes to mind is Da Vinci.
- Favourite place/city in the world?
You're making me think today! I'm
quite partial to Chicago, IL for personal reasons J I'd also have to say home, because I'm quite a homebody.
Otherwise, anywhere with a beach and fruity drinks J
- Something that inspires you?
Music! Not only the words in the
lyrics, but also the feelings different songs make me feel. One small phrase
can set off my brain to write an entire novel J
- What authors/books made you want
to be a writer?
Before I even hit my teen years my
mother introduced me to fantasy novels. I devoroured books by authors such as
Anne McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey and David Eddings. As I grew a bit older,
Michelle Sagara became one of my favorites.
- What time period
would you like to travel to if you had the chance?
Another tough
question. I'm thinking back in the times of ancient Rome/Greece. They had such
interesting architecture and lives.
- Favourite childhood movie?
The Princess Bride (its's my
favorite one of all time)
- Ebooks o paper books?
I do prefer paper books, but no
longer have the room (or the money) for them. They have become a rare treat.
Mostly I read ebooks on my phone.
- Is there anything you can tell us
about your next book?
My current project is book three in The Broken Ones.
I'm super thrilled how well book 2, Broken Prince, did with its release this
June. I've been getting quite a few emails and messages from readers wanting to
know if there will be more, and of course the answer is yes. There will be at
least one more book, possibly two. Book three (I haven't picked a title yet, it
will be Broken…something) starts off where Broken Prince ended. Arowyn and her
boys will encounter new trials and adventures and meet new friends and foes.
Some questions not answered in book 2 will be dealt with in the next book. The
major story arc is of course the prophecy of healing the Fey. There will be
more on her relationship with the boys. Damon will make an appearance again be
quite troublesome. As for what else might happen, I’m not sure yet… the story
is creating itself as I write.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our
questions. It was a pleasure and an honor =)
Thank you so much for having me. It's been a
pleasure! ~hugs and rainbows to all~
