June Spotlight with Maggie Toussaint
About me. My greatest defining characteristic is my curiosity. When you combine that quest for understanding with an incurable romantic, an active imagination, and a self-starter, you’ve got the “Cliff Notes” on Maggie Toussaint.
About my character, Cleopatra Jones. Cleopatra Jones is indeed my alter ego, and a woman I very much admire. She’s been bruised by the world, shafted by her ex-husband. She’s down but she’s not out – not by a long shot. She’ll do anything to protect her family and best friend, including tracking down a serial killer. Who’d have thought a small town accountant could be so much fun? Check out In For A Penny, my June 2008 release from Five Star, ISBN 9781594146466.
Maggie’s take on crit groups. I have been in several critique groups through the years. Currently I have critique partners that help hone my creativity in different stages of writing. For example, there’s my brain trust, a group of creative thinkers who are a well-spring of examples to fill in all of my “what ifs” With ideas and characterizations in hand, I create the rough draft and polish it – alone. Peers review this draft and make suggestions. My experience is that critique groups have their place, as long as you tailor them to suit your needs. Having each chapter reviewed in first draft stage didn’t work for me. If you want to try a critique group, make sure you can sift through the well-meaning advice and keep the story yours.
Five years from now. In five years I see myself as an established author, one with a solid catalogue of good reads. I’d like to step outside my small press comfort zone, to write a breakout novel that propels me into new markets.
Favs. My all-time writing genres are romance and mystery. I love blending the complexity of a romance with a who-dun-it. My reading favs venture into these and other realms. For instance, I am intrigued by psychic elements in futuristic settings. Jayne Castle and JD Robb are masters of the books I most admire.
A secret. When I was a kid, I believed I could run fast enough to fly. In my airborne mode, I traveled around our rural community. I was always careful not to go too high or venture too far from home. Etched in my head are bird’s eye views that I couldn’t possibly have seen. Though it stretches credibility, it feels very real to me.
Greatest accomplishment. I’ve come far from humble origins but the best thing I ever did, along with my husband, is produce two beautiful and talented daughters. They bring sunshine into my heart.
Maggie’s contact places. Be sure and visit my website, www.maggietoussaint.com, and my consolidated blog at www.myspace.com/maggietoussaint. I’m also on Shelfari, Facebook, Author’s Den, and Goodreads (www.shelfari.com/maggietoussain
Maggie Toussaint
No Second Chance, ISBN 9781601541628
Print: Buy it at Amazon ebook: The Wild Rose Press or Kindle
romance.danger.mystery
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April Spotlight with Jane Bierce
1. Tell us a bit about the writing organizations you have been involved
with. Your experiences, etc.
I am most proud of being Member #2 of EPIC–the Electronically Published
Inernet Connection, of which I have served one term as VP, and two terms as
President. In the formative days of EPIC I learned so much about the
Internet, the possibilities of new technologies, and how an organization must
function to be of the most benefit to its members.
I was almost a charter member of RWA, and served as the president of a
chapter, edited newsletters for three different chapters, and attended
several national conferences, but left that organization reluctantly in 2000.
2. I understand you have been published by Harlequin American. What
made you choose to do some publishing in e-books?
My first book, BUILDING PASSION, was published by Harlequin American — # 15
to be precise — when they were just starting the line. At the time they had
no idea that the more graphic level was going to sell as briskly as it did.
I was unable to acclimate to what they wanted so I went on to Silhouette and
Zebra. When I learned about epublishing in Orlando in 1997, I thought
seriously of going in that direction. In the three years previous to that, I
had had eye surgery on both eyes and had moved from Florida to Tennessee, and
had written a book — ONCE AGAIN A PRINCESS — that didn’t fit anyone’s line,
so I was ready for a new direction. E-publishing was it.
One of the greatest advantages of e-publishing is that if late at night a
reader wants to read ONCE AGAIN A PRINCESS or any other ebook, she can go to
a website and buy it, without getting dressed, leaving home, going into a
store, etc. She can read it on her computer, PDA — maybe her cell phone or
a handheld reader. In my case, I can make the font as large as it needs to
be!
3. If you could be one of your characters - Who would you choose? And
why?
I feel as though there is a varying degree on me in all my characters, and
the current one is always my favorite. My heroines are always more spunky
than I am, though.
4. What is your favorite reading and writing genre?
I’m stuck in the contemporary world. There are times I think of writing a
historical, but the furthest I’m comfortable going back in 1940, but that is
a very narrow market. My favorite reading is mainstream, and James Mitchner
is my favorite author, although I love to reread the old Silhouttes.
5. What would you like to share about yourself that many people
wouldn’t know?
Many people don’t know that I was legally blind for fifty years. I didn’t
really read until I was in seventh grade, and when everything clicked, I
started writing for myself and my classmates. I went to college, married,
raised three wonderful kids and sold five books before the problems stopped
me in my tracks.
6. What do you consider your greatest achievement in life?
It is a huge achievement to write and sell that first book. It moves a
person out of the ordinary into a place where one makes a difference in the
world — with other writers, artists and composers who touch others’ lives
beyond their own doorstep.
7. What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a
website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group?
I love email! My addie is jance@vic.com “Fan Mail” in the subject line will
get my immediate attention.
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March spotlight - Liana Laverentz
Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?
I’m the author of two contemporary romances with The Wild Rose Press, Thin Ice and Jake’s Return. Thin Ice is a 2007 New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award winner, a 2008 EPPIE finalist, and was a nominee for Best Romance of 2007 at Long and Short Reviews. My next release, a re-release of my first novel, Ashton’s Secret, a murder mystery romance, will be available from The Wild Rose Press in late 2008.
I’m also a member of Romance Writers of America, the Washington Romance Writers, and Pennwriters, Inc. In 1998, I won the Pennwriters Meritorious Service Award.
If you could be one of your characters – Who would you be? And why?
If I could be one of my characters, I’d have to be Emily Jordan in Thin Ice. She’s everything I would like to be. She’s strong, independent, feisty, kind, caring, talented, protective, and puts her family first. She knows what she wants out of life, but isn’t quite sure how to get it. She takes her responsibilities seriously, and doesn’t just think about herself when she makes a decision. And she stands up to those who need standing up to. She also has a really great relationship with Eric, an equally strong and caring man who totally adores her. Who wouldn’t want that? In fact, that seems to be the overriding sentiment when it comes to reading Thin Ice—readers want their own Eric J.
What author would you want to meet?
I continue to be totally blown away by the work of suspense author Eileen Dreyer, http://www.eileendreyer.com
whom I have met several times, but only in group settings. I tend to hang on every word she says when she speaks at a conference. I’m the one sitting in the front row nodding and getting really fired up to write inside. She just makes so much sense to me in her approach to storytelling. If I could write books as consistently compelling and satisfying to read as she does, I would be one happy camper. Reading one of her books is like checking in with old friends at the end of the day. She gets you that involved in the hopes and dreams and lives of her characters. She also writes equally wonderful and totally lyrical romances for Silhouette as Kathleen Korbel.
What would you like to tell your readers?
Thank you for all the emails and reviews and encouragement you have given me over the years. That you would take time out of your busy life to drop me a note about one of my books means more than I can say. We’re all busy…but writing is a lonely profession and those little notes can and do really brighten a writer’s day.
Do you belong to a critique group?
I have had critique partners in the past and expect to again, but right now I don’t have anyone specific I exchange my work with. Still, it always helps to have a fresh set of eyes reading your work. Sometimes we can develop tunnel vision about our stories. Another pitfall is reading what you think you wrote instead of what is really there. This can happen after your manuscript has been through several revisions. You remember a scene that was cut, and forget it’s not still in the story. Then you refer to it in the current version, and when you read it, you know what the characters are talking about, but a critique partner will say, “Hey, what’s this all about?” Critique partners are great for keeping you on track that way. Right now, I have a couple people I can call on to read the finished manuscript—but if I get stuck while writing it, I also have a few friends I can call on to read the scene in question and offer brainstorming ideas. Nothing official or formal or even structured, but I don’t let my work go out without having 2-3 others read it first. We exchange work by email.
In 5 years, where do you see yourself, in general and in your writing career?
In five years I see myself as earning enough money with my writing to support myself. Right now I am in the process of quitting my day jobs and taking that leap of faith. It’s totally scary, but the time has come to follow the dream full time. I only work during the school year, and over the last Christmas break, I spent so much time with my writing and got so much done, and had such a good time with it, that it’s been very hard to get back into the flow of going to the day job. So about a month ago, I put in my notice and as of the end of the school year, I will be a full-time writer.
What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website?
www.lianalaverentz.com
Email address?
liana[at]lianalaverentz.com
MySpace site?
www.myspace.com/authorlianalave
I am also part of a growing community of writers at www.thepolkadotbanner.com
Blog? Message Board? Group?
I don’t do blogs yet, other than the very occasional guest appearance here at SRN, but hope to get more into it when I’m writing full time. I do have a Balance With Liana chat that I do on the Long and Short Reviews Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group
the first Thursday of each month. We get together and talk about ways we can balance our writing lives with our other commitments and responsibilities. The chat came out of two articles I wrote for Long and Short Reviews on Finding Your Balance. You can find the first one, here: http://longandshortarchives
How can readers find out more about you and your books?
Everything you could want to know (and probably more!) can be found on my website, www.lianalaverentz.com
Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure.
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January Spotlight Author - Chris Columbus
Bio:
I have many stories to tell about some of my favorite men. The men are all devastatingly gorgeous, have flawless, toned, hard bodies and a naturally charismatic presence, and as far as I know all the perfect men in my stories are fictional, but you never know. I am an optimist.
I have lived my entire life in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I have been published in creative non-fiction, poetry and children’s fiction stories. When I first began writing I eagerly shared those stories with my daughter and son, but when I began writing romance I hid my works from their eyes and soon the kids began to tell tales about me writing XXX rated material.
I have been a member of Midwest Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America since 2002. I have taken numerous writing classes because I like to know that someone is reading my writing, even if it is just the instructor.
My favorite comment from a teacher was Patrick at the University of Iowa who wrote that he looked forward to reading my work because I was a glitter of gold in a box of sand.
Could you please start by telling us a little about yourself?
Hello Carol Ann,
I’ve been writing all my life… 336 dog years and writing for The Wild Rose Press for a little over a human year.
This year I’ve become an Empty Nester…both my children are in college and I’ve decided to have a mid-life adventure.
For years my children choose my friends for me, I spent my evening chatting with their school mates parents or cheering next to their teammate’s parents.
One of my adventures as an MT Nester involved going to a singles dance…even though I don’t dance.
There I was at a big ballroom dance in jean, t-shirt and rubber soled clogs sitting at a table with ex co-workers enjoying the music and watching everyone else dance.
A man approaches me, “Would you like to dance East Coast Swing?”
Shrugging my shoulders, “I don’t know how to dance.”
He reaches out his hand, “I’ll teach you.”
We dance (and I use that term loosely) in front of the band. I can’t hear a word he’s saying – so I smile and nod. Toward the end of the song he moves closer to me and I hear, “Have you ever been bit?”
My heart is pounding, and I thought I was nervous before. What a weirdo. Does he think he’s a vampire?
I take a deep breath and smile as my rational mind takes hold. –he must have meant bitten by the dancing bug. I give him a big smile and another nod.
He holds me tighter, starts to lean me backwards, my foot comes off the floor, my clog just about goes flying off, I’m struggling to stay upright - my body stiffens – my only thought is …I don’t want to be bit!
The corner of his lip twitched, “I guess you don’t dip on the first date.”
Oh dipped.
The reason I was at the dance with ex co-workers was after 27 years of working for a utility company my boss said, “If you’re not happy why don’t you quit.”
So, I did. I started a new job working as an AA in the Public Works Department for a City and I love it.
And when my new co-workers heard why I left my old job, they laughed and commented. You’ll be here until you retire, because now we know not to dare you.
If you could be one of your characters – Who would you be? And why?
Of my published stories, Amber from Christmas Mischief because she meets Tony and he’s what dreams are made out of.
Soon to be published, I like to be Alex, she is the heroine in my novel that I just signed a contract with for The Wild Rose Press. “The Perfect Country and Western Story.” Alex too is heading out on a new adventure and I can identify with that. But in the story there is also Julia a secondary character who has a wicked evil streak and I think I’d enjoy being her, but for just a day or two.
Who is your perfect hero? And why?
The perfect hero has to be a man that the heroine can dance with. He has to be worth following, otherwise when he takes a step back, there would be no reason for her to step forward.
And of course the perfect hero isn’t going to mind when she steps on his toes.
Is there a genre of book you would like to write but haven’t yet?
Well, before I quit my old job, I was seriously thinking of writing murder mysteries. Just joking.
How do you balance real life and your writing?
I write in the morning, I set my alarm clock an hour early and hit the computer before doing anything else and in the evening, if I have time, (after my dance lessons), I write some more.
I’m lucky, I don’t like to watch TV so I have to entertain myself and one way is to write.
How can readers find out more about you and your books?
I have seven short stories available at The Wild Rose Press. Happy Meal, Coffee and Love to Go, Drama Queen, Uncle Mike’s Love, First Class Male, Christmas Mischief and Hard Day on the Farm is available in Rose Petal’s Vol II.
What would be the best way for readers contact you?
ChristineColumbus@hotmail.com
www.christinecolumbus.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/christinecolumbus
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SweeterRomanticNotions/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheWildRosePress
Thank you Carol Ann, it has been my pleasure to again be interviewed by you.
In case anyone is curious as to my next adventure…Hoola Hoop lesson on Jan. 10th.
Look for Christmas Mischief at www.thewildrosepress.com
along with Happy Meal, First Class Male, Coffee and Love to Go,
Uncle Mike’s Love, Drama Queen, Rose Petals Vol II (Hard Day on the Farm)
www.christinecolumbus.blogspot.com/
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