RAINDROPS, by Besa Kosova

RAINDROPS

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…" are the words that echo through my being when I think of RAINDROPS.

See, life sometimes has unexpected storms in store, and regardless of how hard we try to protect ourselves from it, the storm appears to be stronger and can consequently defeat us. These poetic moments are raindrops during one of my life's storms. Each and every one is a moment lived, raw and unedited…written as it happened.

Even though the story reaches a different ending than one initially hoped and fought for, it proves that, in life, there is a time to confront the storm, but there is also a time when we must get the "…courage to change the things we can."

And with doing that, as long as we have "…the wisdom to know the difference," it makes the journey through the storm all the more worthwhile.

Then, and only then, sunshine breaks through.

Besa Kosova discovered her passion for poetry and writing in elementary school. The first poem she wrote - at age six- was about peace. At age eight, she decided to become a writer. Since then, she has not stopped writing. Besides writing, she enjoys more writing and allot of reading. She is a single mother and has two children, Nathaniel and Gentiana.

You can visit Besa online at: www.myspace.com/besakosova

And please read my review!

Book Review- RAINDROPS by Besa Kosova

To read my latest review, please go to:

www.highlandlassiesreviews.blogspot.com

Freya's Bower presents, "In the Gloaming."

Faeries come from all cultures
and countries and range in appearance
from lovely to terrifying
to looking like an everyday person.
Some are benign, some malevolent.
Based on actual faerie lore,
this anthology incorporates the work
of five spectacular authors
who have penned tales of
iridescent ice beings, fey men who
love you into forgetfulness,
frightening creatures who
wear caps of human skin,
enchanted lovers from a long lost era,
and the land of faerie dreams.

Step into the world of glamour where
the beautiful, the dreamy, the vicious,
and even a bit of the sexually bizarre
will captivate you--
but beware of the fey's beguiling ways!

Rave reviews for In the Gloaming!

Cocktail Reviews awards a Whole Bottle of Champagne PLUS 1 Flute!!! Nutty Nana says: "In The Gloaming really is a superior set of tales. I have read many authors and many anthologies, and this is the first one for me where every tale is rich and enthralling in their own right."

Beth at Paranormal Romance says: "In the Gloaming is a collection of amazing stories written by five very talented authors. Each story is so unique and well written."

And Eliza at Dark Diva Reviews gives In the Gloaming FIVE Delightful Divas and a "Recommended Read"!!! She says: "All of these authors did a superb job in writing such vivid adventures that I felt I was right there in the middle of it."

You don't want to miss out, get your copy now at Freya's Bower!

ANTHOLOGY AUTHORS:

Cora Zane

Nita Wick

Kelly Heckart

K. M Frontain

Esmerelda Bishop

The Devil's Daughter, by Laura Drewry

Shoveling sulfur and brimstone could really get a girl down.

When her dad offered freedom from the fiery depths in exchange for one simplesoul-snatching, Lucy Firr jumped at the chance.

With her considerable powers of seduction, she threw herself at rancher Jed Caine.

Yet instead of taking her to bed, he made her muck out the pigsty. It would take the patience of a saint to resist the likes of LucyFirr—and Lord knew Jed was no saint.

The temptress fired his bloodlike no woman he'd ever met.

Why she'd suddenly latched on to him, he had no idea. But the safest place for her—and her virtue—was out in the barn.

Lucy could see the heat in Jed's gaze. But it was the tenderness of his touch and his hard-won smile that undid her.

She was supposed to steal his soul, yet here he was… capturing her heart.

To get your copy of The Devil's Daughter today. click the link below.
Buy it now


To read an excerpt from the devils daughter, click link below.
Excerpt

Interview with author, Laura Drewry

With us today is author, Laura Drewry.

Welcome Laura, we appreciate you being here, and look forward to getting to know you!

So, lets get started.


C of C: How long have you been writing?

LD: Always a tricky question. I’ve been writing in some form or another for as long as I can remember, but I didn't set out to write novels and sell them until about 10 or 11 years ago. I was 8 months pregnant with Child #2 and we'd just moved hundreds and hundreds of miles away from our families, so I was in a new town, didn't know anyone, and too nervous to go meet anyone anyway, so it seemed like a good time to start writing.

C of C: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

LD: Does it count that I want to be a plotter? LOL I really really do want to be one, but alas, so far, I'm still a pantser. I like the freedom of not knowing what's going to happen next, of learning who my characters are and what they want as the pages go by. But at the same time, I know it would be a heckuva lot easier to write if I knew whatwas going on ahead of time.

C of C: What is your favorite part of the writing process?

LD: I love the very beginning, I love the very end, and my all time favourite is about ¾ of the way through the story, when I'm feeling like things are never going to work, and that the entire book is junk,I'll suddenly get an "aha" moment when it all makes sense again. (see how much easier that would be if I plotted it out before hand??)

C of C: It would seem easier! But aren’t those ‘aha’ moments grand!!!

C of C: Where do you find your inspiration?

LD: I look at people. Every wrinkle in their faces tells a story and we, as writers, just need to figure out what that story is.

C of C: How do you come up with your ideas/plots?

LD: This is another tricky question, because it's hard to pin point one(or even a few) specific things that will trigger an idea. When I wrote Here Comes the Bride, the only thing I knew to start with was that the ranch was going to be the setting and it was going to be named El Cielo (which loosely translated means heaven). The idea for Charming Jo came about because I had this female character in my mind who was tough.

C of C: Do you write in short stretches or for long periods of time?

LD: Every day is different for me. Sometimes, when I'm on a roll, I can write all day, but other days, it's more of a stops-and-spurts kind ofwriting. I hate those days.

C of C: Do you write in silence or listen to music?

LD: Music! I like it loud, too. Usually country, but when I was writing The Devil's Daughter and Dancing with the Devil, I cranked up Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell cd and listened to that over and over and over and over. It seems wrong to me that my 7-year old knows thel yrics to most of the songs now, but he has never been one to listen to normal 'kid' music anyway, so. . . LOL

C of C: lol, I used to sing my oldest son rock songs instead of nursery rhymes! Now that is wrong!!

C of C: Do you eat or drink while writing?

LD: I usually keep coffee and water nearby, but with food, I try to keep myself on a regular schedule. I take a coffee break in mid-morning,then stop for lunch, too, because if I did it any other way, I'd eat continually. LOL

C of C: What no chocolate?? lol

C of C: Do you research your story before you write it, or as you go?

LD: Both usually. A bit of research at the beginning to ignite the spark,but then once the spark is lit, I get down to the writing. The problem I have with that is I'm not able to write past a problem. If I come to a part that needs some research, I have to stop writing and find the answer before I can go forward again. Not exactly conducive to a continual flow of writing, but it works for me.

C of C: What have you learned through research that you'll remember forthe rest of your life?

LD: It might sound trite, but I've learned to appreciate what I have and to try not to take it for granted. When I think about what people went through 150 years ago, how they lived, and how they survived, it makes me very thankful for the way I live now.

C of C: Well said!

C of C: How do you decorate your writing space?

LD: It's changed so many times over the years, but right now I have one wall covered in things my boys have made, drawn or created. One section is all paper flowers they've drawn me which I absolutely love!I have bulletin boards covered in pictures of friends, family and Snoopy cartoons, and a long shelf lined with my research books. I also keep coverflats from each of my books hanging in the room so that when I start to get that "ugh – I can't do this!" feeling, I can look up at them and see that I *can* do it.

C of C: Are you a neat/organized writer or is your office and/or space a complete mess with sticky notes everywhere?

LD: LOL It's usually a bit of a disaster. I have Post-It notes stuck on the walls, books opened all over the place and cups half-filled with cold coffee. But then once in a while I do a huge purge and clean it all up again.

C of C: Does all your writing take place on a computer or do you ever write on pen and paper?

LD: I'd say about 90% of it is on my laptop. I'll jot down notes and ideas on anything I can find to scribble on (including a barf bag on an airplane once – LOL), but any of the 'real' writing happens through a keyboard. Hand writing takes too long! LOL

C of C: A barf bag??? lol

C of C: What is your favorite time period? And why?

LD: The old west, of course. Every historical era has stories to tell,but in my mind, there is nothing more amazing than the stories of people who trekked into the unknown, fighting disease, the elements, and an unforgiving land like we can't even imagine. On top of that,there was the loneliness, the fear of attack, and the knowledge that their new life could possibly turn out so much worse than the life they left behind. These people had grit!

C of C: That is so true!

C of C: Do you feel a draw to the people and time period you write about?

LD: I don't think for one second that I'm even a fraction as strong as those people were, but I have a great deal of admiration for all those who ventured west. I can only hope to be half as brave as any of them.

C of C: What character did you most enjoy writing?

LD: I know it sounds strange, but secondary characters are always a lot of fun for me to write. Two of my all-time favourites are Bart Calloway,the hero's brother in Here Comes the Bride, and in my upcoming book,Dancing with theDevil, it was the hero's sister, Kit. There's just something about these two, the way they just don't give a rip about anything, that makes them so much fun for me to write.

C of C: Will any of these characters get their own story?

C of C: Readers are always curious to know about authors lives. What is the worst job (non-writing related) you've ever held?

LD: Oh boy. Well, I was a chamber maid at a hotel in Whistler for a few months. Generally, it was an okay job, until a group of kids came in and urinated on the walls. Stuff like that made it a little nasty. I also spent a few summers sorting screws into piles (flat head, slothead, yada yada yada). Not exactly exciting, but it was money and I was 12 or something, so what did I care? LOL

C of C: Ewwwwwwww, urinating on the walls?

C of C: What is one thing you think your readers would be interested to know about you?

LD: Hmmmm I'm a Yankees fan. That ought to either have readers cheering with me or throwing things at me. LOL

C of C: Are you reclusive or do you like being with other writers?

LD: Most of the time I'm more comfortable on my own, but I love going to the annual RWA conference where I get to meet all the other writersI've only met online.

C of C: Your answer seems to be the consensus among the authors I know.

C of C: Do you find love scenes easy or hard to write?

LD: I used to hate them; in fact I remember being horribly embarrassed the first time I wrote the word breast! LOL Now it's no big deal. I don't write love scenes just so I can say I have them in my books. In fact, in Charming Jo, I hadn't intended to write one at all because the characters, while in love, didn't lead me to write on because of the turns their story took. But suddenly, there I was at the end,writing a love scene for them. You have to read the book to understand why it was important for them to have a love scene, and why it was important for that scene to wait as long as it did. Still, I wouldn't say they're easy or fun to write because these are the scenes where every sense must be heightened, every single word chosen carefully to set the exact mood. So it's not easy, but when it works, it's magic!

C of C: I couldn’t agree with you more!

C of C: Do you ever act out your scenes?

LD: No, but I read them out loud so I can hear what it sounds like. It's amazing how many mistakes I've found by doing that, or how many things I've had to rework because I realize how silly it sounds.

C of C: That’s great advice.

C of C: How long do you wait once a story is finished to revise it?

LD: I revise as I write, so I don't usually leave it that long. Normally,I get about 5 or 6 chapters into a new story, realize something needs to be changed, I go back, fix it, rewrite what needs to be rewritten, and then move on. A few chapters later, the same thing happens, so back I go again. This process is repeated over and over again until I get to the end, so hopefully by the time I get to the end, most things have been edited and corrected.

C of C: Its good that you can do it that way, some of us, get so caught up
in changing things that we don’t ever finish. Sigh*

C of C: Do you ever second guess yourself and your writing?

LD: Oh my gosh – every second of every day is spent second-guessing what I've written, what I'm about to write, what I want to write. . ..

C of C: Glad to know I’m not alone!

C of C: Do you ever stray from your genre? Your comfort zone?

LD: I have two proposals out right now, one is a contemporary romance set in the Canadian arctic and the other is a non-fiction, so yes, I guess I do tiptoe out of my comfort zone sometimes. Not often, though.

C of C: Wow, best of luck with both of those proposals!

C of C: Is it necessary to have a Critique/Writing partner?

LD: Necessary? No. Valuable? Absolutely! Finding a critique partner who you respect, and who respects you, is a very difficult thing.Making the critique relationship work is even more difficult. You want these people to be honest with you, to tell you what's wrong with your book before you mail it out and make a fool of yourself. Yet, at the same time, you have to be able to take their criticisms without taking them personally, and sometimes that's near to impossible.

C of C: How true!

C of C: Do you allow family and friends to read your stories?

LD: I have a critique group I use, and I'll usually send my sister the first few chapters to see what she thinks, but that's it. I don't like people reading my stuff before I'm finished, and I usually can't send anything to my critique group or sister until I'm at least 4 or 5 chapters into the writing because I'm so afraid I'll jinx myself and mess everything up.

C of C: Authors make writing look so easy. Is it harder than most people imagine it to be?

LD: I'd say for most authors, it's a lot harder than most readers think.I read somewhere that the easier a book is to read, the harder it was to write.

C of C: How long does it take you to finish a story?

LD: Each story, so far, has been completely different, so it would be difficult for me to answer this.

C of C: When you write a new story are you apprehensive about allowing others to critique it?

LD: Lord, yes. It makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about someone reading and critiquing it. I have to make sure I've got a firm mental grip on the story before I let my critique group read it, otherwise,I'll end up deep-sixing the whole project.

C of C: Which author/(s) are on your must-read list?

LD: Linda Lael Miller, Julianne MacLean, and all of my friends over atRomance Unleashed (which encompasses an incredibly diverse group of genres).

C of C: What is your favorite writing memory?

LD: The day I got the call from Hilary Sares at Kensington, offering to buy my first 2 books, and the day I got the call from Leah Hultenschmidt at Dorchester, offering to buy my Devil books.

C of C: I bet, that must have been amazing!

C of C: Do you have more than one book out now?

LD: I have 3 books out at the moment, though the first two are probably pretty scarce.
HERE COMES THE BRIDE was released in May, 2005;CHARMING JO was released in September 2006; and THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER has just been released this week.

C of C: Congratulations on the release of the Devils Daughter!

C of C: Has your writing Journey been a smooth or bumpy ride?

LD: Well, hmm. It hasn't been as smooth as I originally imagined, but it hasn't been as bumpy as it could have been, so I guess all in all,it's been good. Besides, a couple speed bumps along the way have away of shaking things up and keeping them interesting, right?

C of C: If you say so!!! lol

C of C: What advice would you give to a new aspiring writer?

LD: Just write. That's it. Just write. Listen to the suggestions of your critique group, learn as much as you can from anyone you can, and then just write.

Great advice Laura! Thanks so much for taking time to sit with us! Its been a great experience and we’ve learned so much about you!!! Best of luck with your Devil series!!!!

If you want to learn more about Laura, please go to her website:

Laura Drewry

The Home of Devilishy Happy Endings!

Review of, 'The other Boleyn girl.'

To read my review of the 'Other Boleyn Girl,' go to my review page.




Highland Lassies Reviews

Interview with Minnette Meador

Today we have with us, author Minnette Meador, whose books include, Starsight, The Centurion and the Queen and, A cup of comfort for single mothers.

Welcome Minnette, its great to have you here. I'm gonna go ahead and jump right in! So, question one ...

C of C -How long have you been writing?

MM- Started 30 years ago, shelved it for twenty to raise a bunch of kids, and restarted seriously two years ago---after those same children called me a chicken and challenged me to literally blow the dust off my writing. I have written freelance news, plays, and short stories throughout the years, but never really submitted anything (except newspaper articles, of course, and amateur productions).

C of C- Are you a plotter or a pantser?

MM- Started out as a pantser, but have been doing more plotting now. It saves time and I write a lot quicker that way. However, those pesky characters often have ideas of their own (they are so adorable) so I hardly ever stick to what I originally outlined. Most of the time they are right…

C of C- How would you describe your voice?

MM- Depends on what I’m writing; fantasy and historical romance is deep (a little more formal), warm and comfortable (or at least that’s what others tell me). My non-fiction and comedy are very light and snappy.

C of C- What is your favorite part of the writing process?

MM- Probably working out the story and dialogue are my favorite parts. I’m a bit of an actress, so I like to “play” out the roles. I pace a lot…I probably need help…

C of C- Where do you find your inspiration?

MM- I get inspiration from a lot of sources, but I think a good book, a great movie, or speculative conversations with friends are the most inspirational.

C of C- How do you come up with your ideas/plots?

MM- Most of my ideas come to me just before sleep or when I’m meditating. I have a couch always near my computer and a pad next to my bed. I’ve missed some great ideas…I think…they seemed great at the time.

C of C- Do you write in short stretches or for long periods of time?

MM- I’m a spurter and a marathoner, depending on how much time I have and what that little troublemaker the Muse decides to do that day. Sometimes she beats me bloody…sometimes she sits on her ass. I never know what she’s going to do. I’ve gotten much better at writing on demand, but it took some time. Now I write whenever I find the time.

C of C- I love that "Spurter" I am definitely a spurter (giggle)

C of C- Do you write in silence or listen to music?

MM- Both. Silence, if I don’t think about music. Sometimes I need movie scores going quietly in the background to spark stuff. I’m a member of Live365 and listen to a lot of different stations, but they have to be musical. Vocals distract me too much (used to be a singer).

C of C- Do you eat or drink while writing?

MM- When I’m writing, I don’t usually eat anything, but I like to drink coffee. Can’t do it past about 2pm anymore ~LOL~

C of C- Do you research your story before you write it, or as you go?

MM- Little bit of both – I do general research and then specific as it comes up in the book. I do a fair amount of research on the historical pieces…I’m a self-proclaimed closet historian, strictly an amateur, but ancient history has always fascinated me. I’m also a closet anthropologist…I love those wacky humans!

C of C- What have you learned through research that you’ll remember for the rest of your life?

MM- There’s probably too much to mention, but the most striking thing I’ve come to realize is how much America is like ancient Rome. The politics, the military, the conquest, how we treated the American Indians, etc. There are so many parallels, it is astounding.

C of C - How do you decorate your writing space?

MM- You don’t want to know…my husband and sons are all artists (my son Derrick did the cover for Starsight and now has done more book covers), so I’ve got a few of their pieces hung close to my desk. Decorating my writing space…what a concept…my idea of fancy decorating is two matching plates and a dozen sprinkled doughnut!

C of C - Wow, your son is a very talented Artist! lol, donuts, eh?? always good for inspiration!

C of C- Are you a neat/organized writer or is your office and/or space a complete mess with sticky notes everywhere?

MM- I’m usually organized, but not these days…I clean when I can’t find my keyboard (it was there last night). No sticky notes…I’m a tablet girl (ah, those yellow 5x8 pads!).

C of C -Does all your writing take place on a computer or do you ever write on pen and paper?

MM- All on the computer…backed up to my laptop, dvds & the internet. Once you lose five days of work, you learn…~tisk, tisk, tisk~ I used to take the bus everywhere and wrote out stuff by hand…now, I have a PDA (love it!).

C of C- Interesting, a PDA I've heard allot of writers are using them. I am so out of the technology loop. (sigh)

C of C- What is your favorite time period? And why?

MM- Ancient time (1000BC-200AD) – I am fascinated by the early civilizations, knowing they had the same brain capacity we have and developed technologies that would be considered advanced even by our standards. There is a definite draw to anything Roman…it is amazing what they accomplished…but I’m also in love with ancient Egypt, Syria, and even Mongolia now (had to do a bunch of research for my new book). It’s a wonderful exercise to imagine what they lived like when we don’t really have any clear ideas, especially about the Celts and other oral-tradition people. Don’t get me started…

C of C- Do you feel a draw to the people and time period you write about?

MM- Absolutely. I get very intimate with my characters; when you live with a couple of people on a daily basis 24/7 you tend to get pretty close to them. I honestly do care about them…even though I always put them through hell…I am so abusive to those poor people…it’s fun to be a goddess ~ 

C of C - I'll second you there! Being a Goddess is the best! (wink)

C of C- What character did you most enjoy writing?

MM- I think Marius from Centurion & Queen is my favorite. It’s been a blast writing from the man’s POV and he is very much the alpha male…but he is also flawed, like most of us. Even when deeply conflicted, Marius tries to do what is right…even though he doesn’t always succeed.

C of C- What more could you ask for? A sexy man who does whats right!

C of C- Readers are always curious to know about authors lives. What is the worst job (non-writing related) you’ve ever held?

MM- I spent two horror-filled hours working as a phone marketer. Did not even make it to lunch…

C of C- Too funny!

C of C- What is one thing you think your readers would be interested to know about you?

MM- I was a small time professional singer and actress for many years…I have two genius grandchildren, of course. Oh…they are also the most beautiful children in the world ~harrumph, harrumph~

C of C- A writer, a singer, an actress and a doting grandmother! You've got it all Minnette!

C of C - Are you reclusive or do you like being with other writers?

MM- Yes. Ok, I guess I need to explain…I belong to two local writer’s associations and it took me a year to get to a meeting for one and I’ve never been to a meeting for the other (I’m not exactly what you’d call a joiner). However, I talk to hundreds of people on the internet and just love it (and them!). I’ve made so many friends in the last year I can’t always keep up with them all…I wish there were more hours in the day! I have been trying really hard to get out of my cave and actually socialize…since I have six grown kids they have been kind of our social group.

C of C- Seems reclusive is the consensus among the authors I've spoken too, and the writers I know. Hmm, interesting, though there is always the exception.

C of C- Do you find love scenes easy or hard to write?

MM- They are getting easier…I couldn’t stop giggling the first time. Oh, my poor husband…it took forever…

C of C- You are so funny!

C of C- Do you ever act out your scenes? The love scenes?

MM- None of your business…the rest, why yes, yes I do. ~LOL~ I do a lot of pacing and work out dialogue in my head while I walk…I’ve been taking outside walks…you should see the looks I get…~blush~

C of C- I'm blushing!!! (laughing)

C of C- How long do you wait once a story is finished to revise it?

MM- I revise it over and over…and over…and over…and over…until I’m changing things back the way they were. Then I go over it three more times…Do I wait…sometimes…

C of C- Do you ever second guess yourself and your writing?

MM- Like most writers, I have a huge inferiority complex, so I never think it’s good enough. Four novels later…I still feel the same way…~teehee~ I’ve gotten better at letting it go…

C of C -Do you ever stray from your genre? Your comfort zone?

MM- Do it all the time (two epic fantasies, 2 romances, and a feature in an inspirational; how’s that for diversity?)…I’m a devote reader of anything written (toothpaste tubes are my newest craze), so I’m not uncomfortable with any genre…I’m even working on an erotic (don’t tell my kids, though…they would probably have a heart attack. Guess I’ll have to change my pen name…)

C of C- Oh wow, my lips are sealed!! For now!!!

C of C- Is it necessary to have a Critique/Writing partner?

MM- Absolutely…or two…or three…as many as you can duct tape, bribe, or shame into doing it. A good critiquing partner is better than a man…well, almost…

C of C -Do you allow family and friends to read your stories?

MM- Yes…my son is an exceptional editor, though my husband is not. DH “loves” everything I write and sits patiently while I read him each word. He’s great for the ego…just not a very good critiquing partner.

C of C- Awh, atleast he lets you read it to him!

C of C- Is there a subject you would like to write about, but don’t because you believe it isn’t marketable?

MM- The mating habits of marsupial frogs in central Australia? ~LOL~ Just kidding…it’s been done…Not really sure. I’ve got enough book ideas to keep me going for a couple of years…I’m hoping the ideas are marketable…

C of C- Shew, for a minute there I thought you were serious! (wiping sweat from brow)

C of C- Authors make writing look so easy. Is it harder than most people imagine it to be?

MM- I think it gets easier, but you have to write…a lot…a hell of a lot…get everything critiqued, criticized within an inch of its life, and then rewrite it three more times. Then your editor has a crack at it. Easy? No. Like any skill it takes tons of practice. Every time I go through the process I wish I could go back and redo all my books. You learn something new every minute. I shudder every time I read something from “the early days”…

C of C- How long does it take you to finish a story?

MM- Depends on the story…Starsight took thirty years, but only because I put it down for so long. The rewrites took about six months. C&Q took me 11 weeks, but then add in editing, rewrites, etc. and it takes it out to about three months…oh, plus the 2 months it took to research it (done partly before I wrote the book and partly during). Breton & General should be a little less since I’ve already done a lot of the research.

C of C- When you write a new story are you apprehensive about allowing others to critique it?

MM- Not anymore. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that the more constructive criticisms you receive, the more viewpoints you gather, the better your writing will become. I had five different men read my romance (none of them related to me)…Talk about a nail biter…I can’t tell you how much their input helped. The one thing you need for this business is a thick skin. I am proud to say I am now a well-adjusted, pay-for-the-privilege writing masochist who loves the pain…beat me, baby, beat me.

C of C- A thick skin is putting it mildly, I don't think the average reader realizes how stressful it can be.

C of C- What is your favorite writing memory?

MM- Working on Starsight for the first time when everything began to click…I worked four days non-stop with about four hours of sleep…the muse was screaming at me and feeding me that creative drug…it was kind of like having sex…only I was having it…(nod to Futurama).

C of C- lol, how cool is that Ah- ha moment??

C of C- Do you have more than one book out now?

MM- I have four novels and one feature in an anthology coming out this year. Starsight, Vol. I (out now), Vol. II (release 11/08), Cup of Comfort for Single Mothers (out now), The Centurion & The Queen (e-book out now – print April 15th), The Breton & The General (sometime later this year)

C of C- Wow Minnette, you're on a roll!! Congratulations!!!

C of C- Has your writing Journey been a smooth or bumpy ride?

MM- It’s been a sporadic ride early on, but now seems to be evening out…thirty years is a long time to wait for a dream.

C of C- What advice would you give to a new aspiring writer? Remember, you asked:

MM- 1. Writing is 10% writing and 90% editing. Edit 'til you can't stand the thing, and then do it three more times. Then have someone else edit it and then go through it three more times after that. You should be there when you start to change words BACK to what they used to be. Here’s a good example; I edited this questionnaire for three hours before I was almost satisfied. You know you’re a writer when... you edit your IMs and text messages...

2. Get yourself a critiquing partner and a set of beta readers (family does nicely, especially if you have older kids...they do owe you; friends and co-worker are always good). LISTEN to what they have to say and be prepared for criticism. That’s what you don’t pay them for. A critiquing partner is absolutely an imperative and there are lots of groups out there that can help you find one...your local or internet Romance Writers of America, writing associations, www.critters.org come readily to mind, but there are many out there. Check in your genre. Or join a writing class in your community...that’s where my fabulous, wonderful, adorable partner came from.

3. Take classes, join associations, join groups, get involved in the writer's community (it's huge) and contribute to it. Harder to do than you think, believe me.

4. Be prepared to spend every waking hour on your dream and even some of your sleeping ones. The muse doesn't rest...at least until you need her, which leads me to...

5. DON'T RELY ON THE MUSE TO HELP YOU. (S)he will always let you down when you need her/him most. Being a successful writer does not take inspiration, it takes dedication. You cannot wait until the art moves you...art is a lazy, drunken sod and it’s up to you to move it along. Hardest thing to do as a writer is to keep going. There are lots of tips on how to break writer’s block out there. The best advice I ever received? Get off your ass and hit those keys (or move that pen, if you’re a purest) - who cares what you write, just write.

6. Be kind, be loving, live well, and treat others well. When you critique someone or even give them an opinion of their work, keep in mind yours is (or will be) in another's hands one day. Creation is a fragile thing and easily destroyed...look at an egg sometime. I know; I shelved writing for twenty years because of a criticism. I regret it to this day.

7. You must develop a thick skin for this business...the whole “slings & arrows” thing. Not everyone is going to like your work....not everyone appreciates the hours that went into its creation...not everyone is kind. A gentle grace is needed to be a writer, I think...swear and punch through walls when you get home, but keep in mind it’s only one person’s opinion. You can choose to agree...or not. Did I mention this profession takes a bit of ego, as well?

8. There is no reward without sacrifice. When you see your name in print, the paperback crushed in your trembling hands, I promise, it will be worth all the pain. All you have to do then is write the next one...


C of C- Wow, Minette great advice! Thanks so much for being with us today!!!! And best of luck in all your future endeavors!

For mor information on Minnette Meador, please go to her website at www.minnettemeador.com

The Centurion and the Queen, by Minnette Meador

Marius has been stationed on 60 AD Britannia for sixteen years. Once a celebrated hero and a famous Praetorian Guard, he still clings to the old traditions as a fair but tough leader to his men, despite the shame that drove him from Rome.

Delia is sister to an uncaring Corieltauvi tribal king. Powerless, she watches as hundreds of Bretons succumb to their suicidal pride and throw themselves against the unstoppable Roman machine. The last thing Delia expects is to find her body craving the touch of her enemy.

The sudden intensity of their desire will change the history of a nation.

Separated by fate, they are thrown into the clash between 80,000 angry Bretons and a clever Roman general with only 10,000 soldiers. Marius and Delia find themselves on opposing sides, in love, and unable to stop the future. The revolution that sparked their desire...could now destroy them both.

The Centurion and the Queen is out in E-book form and will be in print form on April 15th, go to Resplendence Publishing for your copy today!

www.resplendencepublishing.com

For more information about the author go to: www.minnettemeador.com