Tour Kick Off for the Eliza Virtual Book Tour!
Historical Romance
Date Published: 10/1/12
Posing as a widow, Eliza Danton flees an abusive marriage determined to bury the past and live a solitary life on the Minnesota frontier. When she finds herself homeless, her livelihood threatened and her safety compromised, she relies on her only resource, a man who stirs a forbidden longing and rocks the very foundation of her well-laid plans. As her world shrinks with lies and deception, the only way out is the truth, but the truth may strike a deadly price.
Haunted by a tragic past, Will Heaton hides his scarred heart and vows never to love again. But a chance encounter with a mysterious widow awakens painful memories and a yearning he can’t ignore. When she’s harassed by the same man he believes killed his wife, he grabs at a chance to resolve past mistakes and possibly find love and redemption in the process.
As Eliza and Will struggle to trust again, the past returns with a renewed vengeance, testing them in ways they never thought possible.
I laughed when my husband suggested I write a book. Me? What did I know about writing?
Yet the notion held possibility, so I hatched a plan. A year later, I sent off my first completed
manuscript and promptly received a score of polite rejections. Bruised but undaunted, I forged
ahead, new plan in hand. Later, armed with the knowledge acquired from writing classes,
seminars and the help of fellow writers, I finished my second story. Eliza is that story.
Reading Addiction Blog Tours MEET and
GREET
#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?
From the very first day I sat at
the computer to write, I thought of it as my job, something I did five days a
week. I had a dream of completing an eighty thousand word book. I’d made up my
mind. No going back. If setting that personal goal weren’t enough to keep me on
track, I also made a commitment to my husband. Since he’d so generously offered
to support me while I spent the day writing, I felt I owed him my best.
The idea of doing what you love and
the rest will follow came true for me. Eliza
is now published. A second book entitled, A
Deadly Truth, is coming out next year. Two more manuscripts are waiting in
the wings. If that’s a career, I love it.
#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?
There are many layers to writing. For
me, the two most difficult aspects are staying focused and not succumbing to
negative self-doubt.
I love to write. It’s like playing
in the sandbox, inventive and free-form. But along with the fun comes the gritty
sand stinging my eyes. There are times when words are elusive and I can’t think
of a fresh way to show a character’s reaction. The tone is flat, the scene
boring. My mind is blank, my body is restless. I glance out the window. The
laundry beckons to me. I wonder what I should make for dinner. I’m getting
nowhere. Then I sigh, resigned to the fact that to make progress, I must focus.
I stop fidgeting. I grab a paper and pencil and start asking questions. What
if? Who does what? Why? Any negative editorial process is wiped from my brain.
I give permission to lay out the words, and don’t judge. There is time enough
for that later. Then I get back to work.
Rejections are tough, as most
authors will admit, and always stir self-doubt. After months of toil, a partial
or full manuscript is sent off, lovingly polished, with the hope some agent or
publisher will see it merits as I do. After weeks of waiting, the rejections
appear. After the initial shock, the emotional tailspin begins. I start to
wonder. What am I doing? Am I just wasting my time? Will I ever get the swing
of this writing thing? I let this negative thinking roll for about twenty-four
hours. Then I snap out of it. And get back to work.
#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with
Your Writing Outside of Your Family?
Not one person but many. My
critique partners are the greatest. Their honest and considered comments have
helped me in so many ways. Thanks, ladies.
#4 – What is next for your writing?
In a few months, edits will begin
for A Deadly Truth, a vintage romance/mystery
due out in July, 2013, from Champagne Books. Also, I have a contemporary novel which
finaled in the 2012 Hearts of the West Contest. After some more tweaking, I
hope to find a publisher. Also, I’m reworking my very first book, Amaryllis.
#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing?
If so, what are you currently reading?
I read every day—mostly mystery, suspense, literary fiction
and romance. Over the years, I’ve followed Elizabeth George, Charles Todd,
Jacqueline Winspear, Anne Perry, and Martha Grimes are just a few. Last year I
read every one of John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport books. This year I ran
through C. J. Box. Recently, I finished Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s The Great
Escape. Other romance writers I enjoy are Eloisa James and Mary Balogh.
This or That?
#1 - iPd or Mp3? Neither
#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?
A lifelong love of chocolate.
#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries? Neither.
#4 – Comedy or Drama? Both
#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks? Have read both in
equal numbers.
#6 – Fantasy or Reality? Reality
#7 – Call or Text? I seldom use either. Since I’m at the
computer all day, I email.
#8 – Public School or Home School?
Public School
#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate? Coffee
#10 – eBook or Paperback?
I reserve all my books at the public library. When I travel I use my
Nook.
Follow Along With This Tour!
Virtual Book Tour October 1 - October 5
