She's Got Stones: Author Interview - Misty Provencher

Hey gang! Another fabulous interview coming your way today...

Like my previous interviewee, author Misty Provencher is a woman of action. She's a fine example of how your writing dream isn't necessarily waiting for you in the bedroom, smelly-candles burning, and wearing those naughty knickers you bought her for Christmas. No, she may play hard-to-get. You may have to chase that dream down, club in hand, like the cave-people of yore. 

Seriously though, Misty is an absolute pal, and as funny and real as it gets. I hope you'll enjoy getting to know her as much as I have.

Interview - Misty Provencher 

Author of Keystone & Cornerstone

Gorgeous cover, right?

EJ (ME) - A bit about her latest book, KEYSTONE, first:

"There’s a man-made storm coming, like a rip in the world, and it’s called the Cusp.

Struggling to fit into the destiny she’s accepted, Nalena Maxwell has been left with one objective: she must find her murdered grandfather’s Memory. Stolen and hidden away by her own father over seventeen years ago, the Memory could be the key to ending the Cusp and destroying the Ianua’s rival community, The Fury.

Driven by each individual’s selfish desires, The Fury has always lacked the loyalty and organization it needs to be an actual force of power.

Until now.

Someone masterminded the Fury’s massive attack on the Ianua, slaughtering twelve of their thirteen community leaders, the Addos. Now there are rumors that the 13th Cura, to which Nali belongs, has gone to the Fury, manipulating the last Addo in order to control the other 12 Curas.

As the Cusp brings the Fury and their own communities against them, Nalena’s Cura must preserve the Ianua, but finding the key to the Cusp isn’t as simple as it seems."

Keystone is book 2 of the Cornerstone series ( YA paranormal romance). Both books have gotten outstanding reviews, and you can learn how to find them at the end of the interview...

ME - Tell everyone why I'm awesome. (Okay, this wasn't a question in the interview, but Misty needlessly heaped some praise on me anyway...)

MISTY PROVENCHER (MP) - I am so honored and grateful and excited to be on your blog today, EJ. Your blog has always had the latest and greatest of the goings-on in the writing world and I’ve long enjoyed your posts. AND, you were one of the first writers to read my blog, back when I first started out, and I’ve always appreciated and remembered that too. You’re an awesome writer friend to have and I’m happy to have your friendship!

ME - This isn't your first rodeo (Keystone being the second book in the Cornerstone series) did the writing process change from book 1 to 2? How? Why?

MP - I opened your questions and almost spit my coffee, EJ. “This isn’t your first rodeo”…I had literally just written something VERY similar to that line in my upcoming stand alone draft and it took me a minute! I love coinkydinks!

Ok, I’m here to answer questions, so I better quit screwing around, right? LOL. You want to know the difference in writing processes and yes, there was a HUGE difference between Cornerstone and Keystone. Cornerstone was a blast from start to finish. I wrote it just to amuse myself and my bff, Laura, so there was no pressure, no expectation. I wrote just to hear Laura shriek or laugh or beg me for the next chapter each night. (I read her each scene/chapter each day, after they were written).

While querying and playing with myriad agents, I was writing Keystone. I got about half way through it when the agent that signed me suggested strongly that I work on other projects, in case Cornerstone didn’t fly. So, I put Keystone to bed for a bit and tiptoed away.

However, after jumping out of the traditional publishing stream and into the Indie one, the requests started pouring in. I was blown away by how many people wanted the next story and wanted it NOW. I went into sophomore shock. I mean, you know what they say about sequels. I struggled with Keystone and worried every step of the way that the voice wasn’t right or there wasn’t enough this or that or whatever else. I rewrote Keystone so many times, lumberjacks had to go on overtime to keep up with my demand. I sticky-noted and plotted and unplotted and rewrote and reworked and re-wallpapered the entire project at least five times over. I changed perspectives and openings and tenses and yikes. It has to be right, you know?

But I’ll tell ya, when I got to the moment of hitting the detonate button to release it to the world, I did it with one hand over my face. I was petrified. I know what went down with The Matrix Reloaded and the Jurassic Park sequels…

Thank God the feedback has been favorable. It taught me to muscle on, buck up and to keep on keepin’ on. It was a horrible and priceless lesson in the career of writing for me.

ME - You're an independent author now, but had some experience with traditional publishing. How did that transition happen? You happy with the results?

MP - The transition wasn’t one I expected or wanted initially. I was as scared of being downed as a ‘worthless’ Indie as most writers are. The Traditional process is often hailed as validation of real writing, but the truth is that there’s a whole lot of Emperor’s New Clothes being sewn out there. There’s excellence and crap in both channels. There are writers who get picked up or spit out for a multitude of reasons that can have little or nothing to do with their caliber of writing.

When my agent and I parted ways, I had to decide if I wanted to continue with Traditional and I decided against it. What I actually decided was to give Cornerstone away, a few chapters a week beginning in October, until Christmas. It was a gift to me, actually. I just wanted to be read.

I jumped into Indie publishing because of threats of piracy. I mean, I wanted readers but I didn’t want them claiming to have written my book. I published like my publishing pants were on fire and that was that.

Happy? Yes, but that’s a funny question. Traditional and Indie publishing each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Right now, I’m enjoying the many freedoms of being an Indie, but it’s not to say that I won’t try Traditional again. I mean, it might be necessary if I’m going for world domination, right? LOL

ME - Speaking of being independent and rodeos... Learning to manage all the aspects of the publishing process (covers, editing, etc.) is a crazy ride! What did you learn from publishing book 1 that helped you with book 2? Any tips you can share with other authors considering the indie leap?

MP - Hmmm, I’ve learned to make ridiculous mistakes and laugh like mad about them and to do what I like. Anyone who’s followed me for any amount of time knows how much I fall on my face and drag along on it sometimes. The saving grace is that I do eventually get back on my feet again. I’m learning that the stumbles come when I don’t trust my gut, so I’m hoping eventually I’ll have just scars to show for my efforts, instead of open wounds. Make your mama proud and GO WITH YOUR GUT, for goodness sake.

ME - The Cornerstone books are YA paranormal romance. We love 'em, but there's a LOT of 'em. What makes Cornerstone and Keystone special? (And they are special folks, read the reviews...)

MP - I guess that at the paranormal romance table, what makes the Cornerstone Series stand out is that you haven’t read this story or explored this world before. I can guarantee it. I thought up this whole new world to escape all the vamps and werewolves and zombies that were flooding the book shelves. Based on the idea that you are never forgotten so long as your memory is shared, the Ianua are a group that keep the intellectual evolution of the human race pumping along. There is a whole spiritual stew going on under the romance (that I think we can all connect to), along with a lot of action bubbling away on top of it. I figure the readers will let me know in their reviews and word of mouth if the books are good enough to earn a spot on their ‘special’ shelves.

ME - Enough chat, tell us where we can get the books!

MP - You can grab the books on-line almost everywhere:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords  

There’s probably a few places you can get it that aren’t even legal, but seriously- it’s only $3.99, guys.  Please help a sister out and help me to keep writing by paying for the book!

Hey, and I’m all about connecting with readers!  If you want to check out my giveaways, breaking news and blog tours, or just share in my general happiness, you can always throw a post on my blog  .  

Or we can tweet each other up with the standard 140 on Twitter – I’m @mistyprovencher

Or we can be friends on FB 

If you prefer, you can ‘like’ my FB Cornerstone Series page where I also run contests and whisper tidbits.

Oh, and I’m on Goodreads sharing thoughts on other books too.

Or, if you just want to blah blah with me, you can always email me at misty_pro@msn.com

I mean, guys…I’m kind of everywhere, so feel welcome to say hello!

Thanks so much again, EJ, for a lovely stop and a wonderful last day on the Keystone Tour.  I look forward to hearing good things out of you (and your readers!)!!

A Rocking Interview with Author Lyndsey Dee

Hey gang! If you haven't jumped into the Bury the Hatchet blogfest, and entered for a chance to win the Nook or other prizes I'm giving away, there's still lots of time (runs through October 19--see the stickied post above for details). 

I'm forgoing the 'Good News of the Week' feature this week, because I've got nothing BUT good news to share. Beginning with the first of two author interviews/recent book releases. 

Lyndsey Dee is the author of Flour City Blues. Here's what the book's about:

'Soon-to-be high school senior, Josh LaSalle is forced to move from Pittsburgh to the Rochester, New York suburbs as a tactic his parents have chosen as the only way to salvage their troubled marriage. Distraught with the change, Josh unexpectedly finds two friends who actually have the same idea of starting a band and begin to take over the city with their own brand of rock 'n' roll. While everyone is worried about college applications and making final memories, Josh experiences the gain of local success in the music scene, house parties, neglectful parents and trying to find out if the French foreign exchange student really likes him, likes him.'

Tell me that doesn't sound like a great rock and roll story?! And you all know how much I adore music... 

Lyndsey is truly a dynamic creative talent, and I think you'll find her as fascinating as I did. She's a true entrepreneur, and provides a great lesson for chasing down your dreams. At the very least, you'll leave here hungry, and with a tune in your head. :-)

(Details on where to purchase Flour City are at the bottom of the interview.)

EJ (ME) - So, I've done some snooping, and you are a lady of many hats: You write, you graphic design, you're a professional maker of yummy things. Tell us about your interests, and other business ventures, and how those things factored into you writing Flour City Blues.

Lyndsey Dee (LD) - Haha, I do have quite a few interests! I love baking and writing so I finally turned them into something. I’ve worked on bringing both to fruition for the past five years and finally broke loose this year. I just opened the doors to my tiny little bakery in Rochester called Cakes a Go-Go and finally released Flour City Blues. I released the book under my own publishing name, despite any stigmas that self-published books may have. I just grew tired of dealing with agents. I queried both larger and smaller houses and they told me to try querying the opposite. I took things into my own matters from there. I study the trends in both young adult and new adult literature, follow forums or Twitter chats and I do all of my own promoting. I am the publisher who doesn’t have the middlemen cutting into the royalty pie. I honestly don’t mind the grunt work. I spent the time working on the book, and I make sure it is getting the coverage it deserves. I take the same marketing approach to my bakery, using social media, daily customer service and writing press releases.

I am also excited to reveal that my younger brother and I have started Stingray Press and Media. He started The Anderson Stingrays a few years back and developed the music connections that we are using to pave the way with our venture. We are taking the aspects from the punk DIY ethic and creating a company to press and market books from the YA/NA genres and distribute music. We will eventually be launching our website and we’re already working on our first release for the winter—which we are super excited about. Any book-related stuff will probably not go into effect until early 2013. We want to give those bands or writers the chance to get their material out there. We’ll also offer coaching and other services for novice book-promoters who want to get noticed in the world. This is also where the graphic design will be coming in. I do design book covers, flyers, band logos and artwork.

Anyway, for the book, it was all about the music. I am the only one in the family who is not musical performance-challenged. But, don’t try to beat me at “name that tune,” because I’d definitely win. I am the visually-sound and creative one, the writer and artist. The book is an open love letter to the music I grew to love so much as a teenager. I fell in love with punk and rockabilly, and grew up with Elvis, the British Invasion and swing, thanks to my parents and grandparents. My musical exposure is well-rounded, much like my main character, Josh.

ME - You clearly have an entrepreneurial spirit, has that helped you tackle the book business? If so, how?

LD - Sure. Both ventures actually mirror each other in the sense that you constantly have to market yourself to be seen. The only difference is that opening a bakery costs more money! Ha! It may seem weird, but everything that I have to do for the book is my downtime, my therapy or my post-bakery workday wind-down. I catch up on Twitter, post a blog entry and compose a few emails. This takes me from early evening to late at night. I am constantly in promotion mode, always on alert and consider anyone a possible customer or reader.

ME - Flour City is all about the rock, the roll, and the tunes--what are your musical influences, and how have they impacted your writing? Also, the trailer gives a similar vibe as some of my favorite music-themed movies (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, etc.). Any film influences? 

LD - Like I mentioned above, I fell in love with punk music when I was in high school. The fast guitars, the nihilistic views and the simple fashion. I was not too keen on piercings and Mohawks, although I did have my share of different hair colors, I was a Chuck- Taylor-and-leather-jacket-Ramones kind of girl. My parents also turned me on to their influences. My dad was a drummer in a few bands, and continues to really enjoy Grand Funk Railroad, the Doobie Brothers, Elvis and Motown artists. My mom liked the early Beatles, it was the one band her father actually enjoyed and bonded over. The British Invasion and garage rock were high on her list of favorites. Growing up, I spent tons of time with my paternal grandparents, and they each surrounded me around Johnny Cash, Glenn Miller, Louis Prima, Elvis (Grandma was OBSESSED! She saw him twice!) and Middle Eastern music. I think the wide exposure of music has shaped my writing in a sense that it helps create a story and a setting.

It is funny you mention Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, because it is one movie I was thinking about when I was writing. (ME - See! Great film, btw.) I have a communications/film background and plan my book like a movie in my head. The scenes in the book were just based on anecdotes I heard from friends or stupid things I have done.

I have a few outlines of future books lying around and I definitely draw the film inspiration from Federico Fellini or Francis Ford Coppola. I am going to go back in time to mid-century post-war society with a couple ideas I have.

ME - Check the trailer gang! (This is a punk rock jam, so adjust your speakers accordingly--which in my case means crank it to 11!)

ME - Being adept at so many artistically expressive things (baking, design, drawing, etc.), I think most people will want to know: Why a book? What did you need words to convey that you couldn't say with the other mediums?

LD - I feel conventional with the other interests. If I make a cake, I love when the customer tells me they have their trust in me to create a gorgeous conversation piece at their wedding or birthday party, but there are limits. Despite the free creativity, I am making something for someone else, not me. Then there’s the possibility of something happening during the baking process (God, forbid!). Owning a business is great, but there are those constraints that still don’t give you the full control. For example, I rent my space, rather than own. Since I rent, I have to adhere to the conditions of the landlord, the town, the county. Writing is something I can have complete control of and not hold myself back. Writing about teens is something you really should not try to do with a filtered mind. It is such a crucial age period filled with friendships and relationships that may have an expiration date, aka graduation. (ME - YES!)

ME - Okay, the good part: Tell us about Flour City Blues and how we can snag a copy of our very own. 

LD - Well, Flour City Blues is about Josh LaSalle, a 17 year-old who, along with his sister is uprooted from their home in Pittsburgh to a Rochester, NY suburb after his parents realize their tortured marriage could be salvaged if they move back to their hometown. While the parents are busy reliving their teen years, Josh meets Jeff Kilbourne and they recruit Frank DelVecchio to play drums in their band. They join ranks with the local punk and rock scenes in Rochester and join in on the booze and parties. Josh also falls for the French foreign exchange student, (ME - Ooh La La!) but after living through the hard times with his parents, he’s afraid to express his feelings. There’s a real theme of carpe diem throughout the book, you just have to see if Josh “seizes the day.”

FLOUR CITY BLUES ON AMAZON

FLOUR CITY BLUES ON LULU

WHERE YOU CAN FIND LYNDSEY ON THE WEB

Her site: www.lyndseydee.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lyndseydeewrites

Twitter: @lyndseyisgr8

A Fight Song--And Thanks--For You

Hey gang! Wow, what a weekend it was. Blood Fugue was released into the wild (last seen scaring small children in Arkansas, I believe), I celebrated friend birthdays, talked with relatives I don't get to talk to nearly often enough--basically, it was nuts.

The outpouring of support and well-wishes for the story had me on cloud 9 (and not sleeping) most of the weekend. Then came Monday morning and all of the eMails I hadn't answered...

I figured out how to work a Rafflecopter last week, this week I'm going to learn how to clone myself. If you see a mutant man-fly roaming around, it means I failed. Miserably.

 (Anyone remember that epic Jeff Goldblum movie, The Fly, from the 80s? Still freaks me out, and I haven't seen it in years.)

Anyway, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have fun chatting with everyone who wished me luck. I'd also be lying if I said I didn't get a little emotional when I had to talk my mother through how to download the Kindle for PC so she could read my story. Might be one of the more weird/special/hilarious conversations I've ever had.

But enough about me, let's talk about you awesome people. Can you love people you've never met? I don't know, but you can sure like the heck out of 'em. YOU GUYS AND GALS ARE AMAZING! I know I dangled prizes like a carrot in front of a turtle, but still.

Most of the blog-buddies who jumped in to say 'Way to go!' I've known for a really long time. And most of them are authors and writers as well. They get the struggle. They appreciate, and in many cases have witnessed, the tornado I've ridden to get this point. Heck, many of them were sucked up right along with me.

I got an eMail from one of those blog-friends asking me for any tips or suggestions on how to get over the publishing hump. My first response was, "I've got both hands firmly glued to the seat of my pants at the moment, I'll let you know when they stop dragging me around long enough to figure out if it's North or South, Spring or Fall."

That's my colorful way of saying I have no clue. I have one story out, and it's like three days old. I'm an infant who spent 4 years in gestation. I have very few answers and lots of questions myself. And I suspect it will be this way after I've published my tenth and twentieth stories.

Of course, I'll reply to that eMail in a more serious fashion, and try to be as helpful as I can. But in the end, there's really only one answer:

KEEP TRYING. If you quit you'll never make it. (Eat your heart out Yogi Berra...)

You're doing the right things. You're working at the craft, you're reading great stories, you're writing all the time. Just keep doing it. And most of all, understand you're not doing it alone.

There's so much support out there. Other bloggers, writers, friends and family--all ready to give you a pat on the back, or a shove, when the time comes. It's very difficult to see that side of it when we spend most of our free time in front of a computer, or with our noses in a book, but it's there.

That's one reason I'm going to run a couple of author interviews this week. Nothing motivates me more as a writer than to hear about how other normal authors climbed the publishing heap. And the two ladies I've got lined up illustrate that very well, I think.

I'd also like to give you a fight song. Something to play when you think your best isn't good enough, when you're only halfway through the marathon and your legs are already numb. You'll do it eventually, and who knows, maybe you're almost there...

I'm An Author! Let's Bury the Hatchet!

THE BLOGFEST & GIVEAWAY HAVE ENDED. WINNERS ANNOUNCED SOON, THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING! ~EJW~
Oh my goodness, Gang! The day has finally come! Blood Fugue is officially out in the world, and I want to celebrate with my favorite people, in a BIG way. (Below.) 

You can get the story for a whopping .99 US (that's like half a Starbucks' coffee, incidentally, and if we ever meet in person I'll buy you a real coffee to reimburse the expense :-) at any of the following: Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble and most other eBook retailers. 

Now for the fun part!

E.J. Wesley's Bury The Hatchet Blogfest

Jenny, Blood Fugue's leading lady, is a young woman with old heartaches. She really struggles with making peace with her past. All she has truly known about her family is death and detachment. The beginning of Blood Fugue changes all that...

Being a woman of action, Jenny aims to reconcile the bad hand she's been dealt the only way she knows how: By literally burying a hatchet in the thing she is struggling with.

The idea for the blogfest is simple: We all have something, or someone, we'd like to bury the hatchet in (Jenny style). Maybe it's rush-hour traffic, maybe it's Christmas decorations in stores in September, maybe it's the spammer leaving those stupid "My am enjoying your immense blogging pleasure and would like you to look at my site." messages--who, or what, ever works. 

To take part in the blogfest, post (short or long) about it. Then include the following in the post: (THE HTML VERSION IS IN THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM. You can also sign up for the blofest in the link-thing below. If you do participate in the blogfest, be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter. You might win!)

***

Author E.J. Wesley is launching his latest title, BLOOD FUGUE, and wants you to help him celebrate! Check out his blog The Open Vein for details on how to take part, and how to enter for a chance to win some sweet prizes!

What's BLOOD FUGUE about?

Armed only with an ancient family journal, her rifle, and an Apache tomahawk, Jenny must save her grandfather’s life and embrace her dangerous heritage. Or be devoured by it. Blood Fugue, by E.J. Wesley, is the first of the Moonsongs books, a series of paranormal-action novelettes.

BLOOD FUGUE is available now via Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble and most other eBook retailers. Check out the author on Goodreads! 

***

That's it! Feel free to snag the blogfest button up above, and post it on your blog. The blogfest is open now, and you can participate at any point between September 21 and October 19 (you pick the day/time that fits your blog schedule). And there will be prizes, oh yes. More on that in a sec ...

I'm not encouraging actual carnage, by the way. Think of this as a therapeutic exercise in releasing your frustrations, one imaginary swing of the ax at a time. :-)

The Contest & Prizes

I'm pretty new to Goodreads (as an author) and Facebook. Consequently, I'd really like to connect with all of my blog pals on those sites. Plus, I'd love to have your help spreading the word about the story. That's where the contest comes in.

You can check the Rafflecopter for the various ways you can enter for a chance at the prizes. You get more entries for the more involved things (participating in the blogfest gets you the most, connecting with me on Goodreads second most, then Tweeting, etc.). I think all of them are pretty straightforward. NOTE: You can comeback and Tweet once each day for extra entries.

What can you win? Check it! (Check the Rafflecopter for limitations, rules, etc.)

GRAND PRIZE: Nook Simple Touch eReader with Glow Light

We have four (or so) Simple Touch readers in my extended family, and I will tell you it's one of the best pure readers going. Light, sexy, simple to use. The newest Nook ST with Glow Light improves on the design be incorporating a subtle, built in light for the bedtime readers (like me). If you're interested in a great reading experience, this little device is it. And I'm giving one away!

SECOND PRIZE: Hand-painted USB thumb-drives

In the spirit of Blood Fugue, and Jenny's heritage, I decided to create some custom jump drives with a little Native American flair. And, I'm going to ship them in their very own coffin case. Because, like Jenny learns, we can sometimes find life in death.

I'm still putting the final touches on them (the paint needs to dry in stages for some of the detail), but here's a look at two of the designs, and the case:

I'll be giving away 4 drives in total, each with a unique design. They're 4 GB each, so they'll hold plenty of manuscripts--er, I mean photos. :-) Check back with the blog in the coming weeks, as I'll post pics of the other drives as a I finish them.  

THIRD PRIZE: $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Cards

What it says, I'll give two lucky winners ten bones each to purchase whatever, like ten copies of Blood Fugue. (I kid! Mostly...)

That's the booty! The blogfest, and contest, will remain open for the first half of October, (ends 10/19--4 weeks from today, I think). The winners will be selected at random from the Rafflecopter entries, and notified via this blog and eMail (probably Facebook, too).

In closing, I want to say that a big part of this 'contest' is me saying a big, fat THANKS to all of my long-time blog friends. Yes, I'd love to have help in getting the word out about Blood Fugue, and a  carrot never hurts, but many of you have supported me for years, and I'd love to be able to give back something awesome in return.

Best of luck to all of the entrants, and thank you for all that you do!

Now, wish me (and Blood Fugue) luck! If you do happen to read it, and care to leave an honest review at any of the reviewable sites, I'd appreciate it a ton.

Blogfest sign-up:

The Rafflecopter is below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Look What I Made!

No long update from me today. (Yet another sign of the Apocalypse? I think so!) Just wanted to share something with my favorite blog followers. (All of you!)

May I present the super-secret-sneak-preview of the trailer for my upcoming novelette, Blood Fugue:



What do you think? Now before you rip it apart, understand that I made this with my very own hands, eyes, and ears--so think of me as your five year old child, holding a very delicate, homemade craft in my wee hands. My eyes are begging for your approval, a tear is pooling just underneath the surface...

I'm just joshing! (About taking it easy on me ... I really did do the illustrations and music, though.) I'm a big boy, I can take the heat. And even if it isn't awesome, I had an absolute blast making it. Kind of another thing off my bucket list, you know?

Anyway, it isn't officially listed on YouTube just yet. That comes in a couple of days. I mostly wanted to share it with you all first. You've done so much to support this blog (and me!) over the years, and well, I kind of think of you as my besties. You know, my peeps. My homies. My sisters from another mister. My bro-bunch. My pack...

Oh yeah, did I mention a big freaking contest/blogfest I'm about to launch to celebrate the release of Blood Fugue? That's happening this week. Stay tuned!

Hope you're all doing impossibly great, and talk to you again very soon. :-D

~EJW~